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Literary passages · Question 218 of 305

What do Mrs Reed's words show about how she treats Jane?

Question 218

HardOriginal question

There was no possibility of taking a walk that day. We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning; but since dinner (Mrs. Reed, when there was no company, dined early) the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so , and a rain so , that further outdoor exercise was now out of the question.

I was glad of it: I never liked long walks, especially on chilly afternoons: dreadful to me was the coming home in the raw twilight, with nipped fingers and toes, and a heart saddened by the of Bessie, the nurse, and by the consciousness of my physical to Eliza, John, and Georgiana Reed.

The said Eliza, John, and Georgiana were now clustered round their mama in the drawing-room: she lay on a sofa by the fireside, and with her darlings about her (for the time neither quarrelling nor crying) looked perfectly happy. Me, she had dispensed from joining the group; saying, “She regretted to be under the necessity of keeping me at a distance; but that until she heard from Bessie, and could discover by her own observation, that I was endeavouring in good earnest to acquire a more sociable and childlike , a more attractive and manner—something lighter, franker, more natural, as it were—she really must exclude me from privileges intended only for contented, happy, little children.”

“What does Bessie say I have done?” I asked.

“Jane, I don’t like or questioners; besides, there is something truly forbidding in a child taking up her elders in that manner. Be seated somewhere; and until you can speak pleasantly, remain silent.”

What do Mrs Reed's words show about how she treats Jane?

Options for question 218

Show the answer and explanation
CorrectNot quiteAnswer C

Correct answer: C

Explanation

  1. Mrs Reed keeps Jane "at a distance" and excludes her from "privileges intended only for contented, happy, little children" until Jane becomes more "sociable" and "sprightly".

  2. She blames Jane and sets conditions that are hard to meet.

Worth noting

Her own children are gathered around her by the fire, so Jane is clearly not treated like them.

Concept
Interpreting a character's attitude from her speech
Typical time
60 s
Your time
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The rule this testsWhat the passage suggests
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Ten questions from Literary passages, at your own pace.

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Ten questions from Literary passages, at your own pace.