Hi Everyone!! This article will share A Tale of Two Cities Questions & Answers.
Written by Charles Dickens, the novel contrasts the political and social events taking place in London and Paris during the French Revolution. Below are given the questions and answers. I have also shared the questions and answers of Kalaripayattu, The World is Too Much with Us and Bangle Sellers so, do check these posts as well.
A Tale of Two Cities Questions & Answers
Question 1: Read the extract given below and answer the following questions:
‘Miss Lucie has lost her father even before she was old enough to have his memories. Her mother died shortly after, she couldn’t take the tragedy of her husband’s mysterious disappearance.’
(a) Who was Mr. Lorry?
Answer: Mr. Lorry was Lucie’s guardian and the confidential clerk of Tellson’s Bank.
(b) What was the reason for Miss Lucie’s mother’s death?
Answer: Miss Lucie’s mother died because she couldn’t take the tragedy of her husband’s mysterious disappearance.
(c) What was the troublesome task that Mr. Lorry had to do?
Answer: Mr. Lorry had the troublesome task of informing Miss Lucie Manette that her father had been buried alive for eighteen years.
(d) Find a word from the extract which means ‘private’.
Answer: Confidential
Question 2: Why did Mr. Lorry pray to God for strength?
Answer: Mr. Lorry prayed to God for strength as he had the troublesome task of informing Miss Lucie Manette of her father’s mysterious disappearance.
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Question 3: What was the situation in France in those times?
Answer: France was experiencing a gruesome change. A revolt against the King was silently brewing. The King’s army was hunting for tractors and spies. Anyone suspected, even slightly, of being a spy, was put behind bars or executed.
Question 4: Why had paranoia become part of a citizen’s nature?
Answer: Paranoia had become part of a citizen’s nature because no information was passed on to the family members. And there was no source from where one could find out whether someone was dead or alive.
Question 5: Why was the North Tower jail ‘infamous’?
Answer: The French army would put the traitors and spies behind the bars or execute them in the North Tower jail. The jail was infamous because once anyone went inside, there was not a flickering hope that they would walk out alive.
Question 6: When did Miss Lucie lose her father?
Answer: Miss Lucie lost her father even before she was old enough to have his memories.
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A Tale of Two Cities Questions & Answers
Question 7: Read the extract given below and answer the following questions:
‘Dear God, give me strength. I have the troublesome task of informing Miss Lucie Manette that her father has been buried alive for eighteen years,’ pondered Mr. Lorry. Mr. Lorry was Lucie’s guardian and the confidential clerk of Tellson’s Bank. Miss Lucie had lost her father even before she was old enough to have his memories. Her mother had died shortly after; she couldn’t take the tragedy of her husband’s mysterious disappearance.’
(a) How did Doctor Manette know Mr.Lorry?
Answer: Mr. Lorry was Doctor Manette’s bank advisor.
(b) Why had Mr. Lorry become Miss Lucie’s guardian?
Answer: Mr. Lorry had become Miss Lucie’s guardian because she had lost her father when she was very small and her mother died shortly after because she couldn’t take the tragedy of her husband’s mysterious disappearance.
Question 8: Why did Lucie’s mother told her that her father was dead?
Answer: Lucie’s mother told her that her father was dead because she had no idea where her beloved father was.
Question 9: Why did the French authorities look upon Doctor Manette and his family with distrust?
Answer: Doctor Manette was a Frenchman and he married an English lady and they both were considered to be traitors and disloyal to their country. Thus, the authorities looked at their family with distrust even though their love was pure.
Question 10: What did Mr. Lorry tell Lucie about her father?
Answer: He told Lucie that her father is alive only physically. He was wrongfully and secretly taken into custody as an unknown influential Frenchman accused him of being a spy and used the King’s name to imprison him for untold years. Although he was found but due to such prolonged captivity, his soul was damaged. They had to go and bring him back from the inn where he is now rested.
Question 11: Why did Mr. Lorry bring Lucie to London?
Answer: Lucie had lost both her parents so, he thought it would be good for Lucie to leave France. Thus, he brought her to London thinking that in London she would be safe from the unavoidable war.
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A Tale of Two Cities Questions & Answers
Question 12: Why was Doctor Manette’s door locked?
Answer: Doctor Manette was still not used to freedom so, he himself had asked Mr. Dafarge to lock him.
Question 13: How did Dr. Manette’s appear to Lucie when she saw him for the first time?
Answer: When Lucie saw Mr. Manette for the first time, his face was covered with a white beard, his hollow cheekbones told the cruel and untold tales of prison life. His pale skin was the same colour as his ragged clothes.
Question 14: What was Doctor Manette’s reaction on seeing Mr. Lorry and Miss Lucie?
Answer: Doctor Manette did not acknowledge their presence. He kept himself busy working. He appeared deranged. He failed to recognise Mr. Lorry and Miss Lucie.
Question 15: Who was Miss Pross? Describe her.
Answer: Miss Pross was Miss Lucie’s loyal servant. She provided a protective shield to her. She had devoted her time and energy to bring up Lucie right. She looked stern and did not encourage the wrong behaviour. She had red hair and her sharp and quick voice made it difficult for the best of lawyers to argue with her. Although she was stern on the outside, she was a compassionate person inside.
Question 16: Why was leaving France and going to London in the best interest of Lucie? Why did Mr. Lorry mean when he told Lucie that her father was neither dead nor alive?
Answer: Doctor Manette, a Frenchman, had married an English lady and they both were considered to be traitors and disloyal to their country. The authorities had looked at their family with distrust even though their love was pure. After Alexendre who was Miss Lucie’s father, was taken to the North Tower, no one confirmed whether he was dead or alive. In such turbulent times, especially after losing her parents, Mr. Lorry had brought her to London. Hence, it was in Lucie’s best interest to leave France and live in London to be safe from the unavoidable war.
Mr. Lorry told Lucie that her father was neither dead nor alive because he was alive physically after being wrongly imprisoned. However, his soul had been damaged with prolonged captivity.
Question 17: Describe the appearance of Doctor Manette when Lucie and Mr. Lorry entered the room. Why did Doctor Manette not believe Lucie to be his daughter?
Answer: Doctor Manette’s face was covered with a white beard. His pale skin was the same colour as his ragged clothes. His hollow cheekbones told the cruel and untold tales of prison life. When they entered, his back was towards the door. He was very busy working and did not acknowledge their presence. He just wanted to work.
Doctor Manette could not believe that Lucie was his daughter because when he left for the North Tower, his daughter was very tiny. She could hardly fit in his arms then and Lucie looked too old to be his daughter.
Question 18: Which incidents from the story tell us that Mr. Lorry was a loyal friend to Doctor Manette?
Answer: Mr. Lorry pulled a few strings to find out about his friend Doctor Manette and then brings Miss Lucie to London where her father is imprisoned on false charges. He takes Lucy to meet her father in an inn. He takes good care of Lucie.
So, these were A Tale of Two Cities Questions & Answers.