Question Bank — Footprints 7 — The Necklace

Section A — MCQs (10 questions, 1 mark each)

1. What kind of family was Matilda Loisel born into?
   a) Aristocratic
   b) Family of clerks
   c) Wealthy merchant family
   d) Royal family

2. Why did Matilda suffer incessantly?
   a) She was ill
   b) She felt born for luxuries but lived in poverty
   c) She disliked her husband
   d) She had no friends

3. How much money did Loisel give Matilda for her dress?
   a) 200 francs
   b) 300 francs
   c) 400 francs
   d) 500 francs

4. Who lent Matilda the necklace?
   a) Mme Ramponneau
   b) Mme Forestier
   c) A jeweller
   d) Her sister

5. What did the Loisels do immediately after discovering the necklace was lost?
   a) Informed the police only
   b) Searched everywhere and put an advertisement
   c) Bought a new one at once
   d) Told Mme Forestier the truth

6. How long did it take the Loisels to repay the debt?
   a) Five years
   b) Seven years
   c) Ten years
   d) Twelve years

7. Assertion (A): Matilda was unhappy despite being pretty and married.
   Reason (R): She believed she was born for delicacies and luxuries but lived in poverty.
   a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   c) A is true but R is false.
   d) A is false but R is true.

8. Assertion (A): Loisel agreed to buy a new necklace without hesitation.
   Reason (R): He had saved enough money from his salary for such expenses.
   a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   c) A is true but R is false.
   d) A is false but R is true.

9. Which word from the text means “continuously”?
   a) Vexation
   b) Incessantly
   c) Ruinous
   d) Awry

10. What was the final revelation by Mme Forestier?
    a) The necklace was stolen
    b) The necklace was made of real diamonds worth 40,000 francs
    c) The necklace was false and worth only 500 francs
    d) She had never lent any necklace

Section B — Reference to Context (3 extracts, 4 marks each)

Extract 1

“She suffered incessantly, feeling herself born for all delicacies and luxuries. She suffered from the poverty of her apartment, the shabby walls and the worn chairs.”

1. Who is the speaker/narrator describing here?
2. What does this extract reveal about Matilda’s state of mind?
3. Identify the literary device used in “born for all delicacies and luxuries”.
4. Find a word from the extract that means “continuously”.

Extract 2

“‘I have — I have — I no longer have Mme Forestier’s necklace.’ He arose in dismay, ‘What! How is that? It is not possible.’”

1. Who is speaking in the first line and to whom?
2. What immediate action did the couple take after this moment?
3. Identify the literary device in “I have — I have — I no longer have”.
4. What does the word “dismay” mean in this context?

Extract 3

“‘Oh! My poor Matilda! Mine were false. They were not worth over five hundred francs!’”

1. Who is speaking and to whom?
2. What truth is revealed in this line?
3. Identify the tone of the speaker.
4. How does this revelation change the meaning of the preceding ten years for Matilda?

Section C — Short Answer (5 questions, 3 marks each)

1. Why was Matilda always unhappy despite having a loving husband?
2. How did Loisel react when Matilda refused to go to the party without jewellery?
3. What steps did the Loisels take to replace the lost necklace?
4. Describe the change in Matilda’s lifestyle after losing the necklace.
5. How did Matilda’s meeting with Mme Forestier at the end reveal the irony of her suffering?

Section D — Long Answer (2 questions, 6 marks each)

1. Matilda’s vanity and desire for a luxurious life led to her downfall. Justify this statement with reference to the story.
2. “Honesty is the best policy.” How does the story “The Necklace” illustrate this value? What would have happened if Matilda had been honest from the beginning?

Section E — Language and Writing (2 questions, 4 marks each)

1. From the unit, fill in the blanks with appropriate words from the glossary:
   (i) She worked _ to finish the task.
   (ii) The news of the debt was _ for the family.
   (iii) His plans proved _ and left him penniless.
   (iv) The picture hung _ on the wall.

2. Write a diary entry (80–100 words) as Matilda Loisel on the night she lost the necklace, expressing her shock and fear.