View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 25 Angel decides to go back to his parents' home. Why?

2. In Chapter 27 what does Angel do on his return to Talbothays?

3. Why does the character who picks on Tess do so?

4. What is Tess's mother's response when she hears about the sexual encounter between Tess and Alec?

5. Who does Angel's family want him to marry?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Tess feel threatened when she first sees Angel at Talbothays?

2. In Chapter 5 Tess is pressured to approach the D'Urbervilles for money. What does this scene, and her response, show about her?

3. Tess tries once more to get the courage to tell Angel the truth. In Chapter 30, what happens when she tries?

4. What arguments does Angel give his parents to convince them that marrying Tess is a good idea?

5. Describe the circumstances under which Angel and Tess see each other for the first time.

6. What kind of personality is Tess's mother?

7. In Chapter 11, what happens between Alec and Tess?

8. Angel uses the phrase "Three Leahs to get to one Rachel." What does he mean by this?

9. How does Tess's mother react when she returns home after her sexual encounter with Alec? What does Mrs. Durbeyfield's reaction tell us about her as a mother?

10. How does Tess deal with her situation in Chapter 13, when she is living at her parents' home, and is pregnant and shunned by the community?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Chapter 47, Alec tells Tess that because she is the cause of his religious backsliding, she is obligated to marry him and share in his fate. What does he mean by this, and does his reasoning make any sense?

Essay Topic 2

At various points throughout the book, Tess seems undecided about whether she should tell Angel about her past. Do you think she should tell him, or not? If so, when should she tell him? In either case, back up your opinion with good reasons.

Essay Topic 3

Tess has been portrayed throughout as a good and moral person with a great deal of integrity who is consistently trying to do the right thing. However, when she arrives at her parents' house and finds that they are angry at her for leaving Angel, she leaves them half her money and goes away, telling them she is joining Angel at a new farm. In other words, she lies. Is this consistent with her earlier behavior? Or, does this suggest that there are other things motivating her, as well as moral 'right'? If so, what?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,223 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample