Book Quiz with fourth set of 10 questions about Genre

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Books Quiz - Genre - Novels 4 (Questions)

Dialogue brings characters to life. In this quiz you will explore how speech in novels shows relationships, hidden motives, conflict, and power.

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Fascinating Fact:

Dialogue in novels reveals relationships, power dynamics, and personality, and it can move the plot forward through argument, persuasion, or secrecy.

In Specialist Books, this quiz on novels focuses on dialogue. You will think about how speech patterns, interruptions, and silences shape character, build tension, and guide the reader’s interpretation.

Key Terms

Dialogue: The spoken words of characters, shown in speech marks, which reveal personality, relationships, and conflict.
Subtext: The hidden meaning beneath what characters say, suggested by tone, pauses, or what is left unsaid.
Power dynamics: The balance of control in a conversation, shown through who speaks, interrupts, questions, or remains silent.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is the purpose of dialogue in a novel?

Dialogue in a novel develops characters, reveals relationships, and advances the plot. It lets readers hear different voices and see how people react to each other under pressure.

How can writers show power through dialogue?

Writers show power when characters interrupt, give commands, ask probing questions, or refuse to answer. Long turns, short replies, and strategic silence all signal control.

How should I analyse dialogue in literature exams?

In exams, pick a short exchange, quote key words, and comment on tone, power balance, and subtext, then link your points to the wider themes of the novel.

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Who wrote the Reginald Perrin novels?

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Which Charles Dickens novel is set during the Gordon Riots of 1780?

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In the 1975 Tom Sharpe novel Blott on the Landscape, what is Blott's job?

[ ]	Butler
[ ]	Gardener
[ ]	Handyman
[ ]	Valet

Wilbur Smith's 1964 novel When the Lion Feeds is the first of many to feature which family?

[ ]	The Ballantynes
[ ]	The Courtneys
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[ ]	The Eglingtons

In the novel Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov, what is the title character's real first name?

[ ]	Dolores
[ ]	Dominique
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Which Scottish novelist created the character John Rebus?

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How old is Holden Caulfield, the narrator of the JD Salinger novel The Catcher in the Rye?

[ ]	14
[ ]	15
[ ]	16
[ ]	17

In the Mark Twain novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, what is the name of Tom's aunt, who looks after him?

[ ]	Aunt Dolly
[ ]	Aunt Holly
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10.

The Stars' Tennis Balls, published by Stephen Fry in 2000, is, by his own admission, a straight steal of which classic novel?

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Books Quiz - Genre - Novels 4 (Answers)

Who wrote the Reginald Perrin novels?

[ ]	David Nabbs
[ ]	David Nibbs
[x]	David Nobbs
[ ]	David Nubbs

The 3 novels, The Death of Reginald Perrin, The Return of Reginald Perrin and The Better World of Reginald Perrin were adapted into the TV series The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin starring Leonard Rossiter

Which Charles Dickens novel is set during the Gordon Riots of 1780?

[ ]	Martin Chuzzlewit
[ ]	Nicholas Nickleby
[ ]	Our Mutual Friend
[x]	Barnaby Rudge

The Riots came at a time when Britain was fighting France, Spain, the Dutch Republic and American rebels. Some thought that they were a deliberate attempt by the French to destabilise the country before an invasion

In the 1975 Tom Sharpe novel Blott on the Landscape, what is Blott's job?

[ ]	Butler
[x]	Gardener
[ ]	Handyman
[ ]	Valet

He's gardener to Lady Lynchwood at Handyman Hall

Wilbur Smith's 1964 novel When the Lion Feeds is the first of many to feature which family?

[ ]	The Ballantynes
[x]	The Courtneys
[ ]	The Dangerfields
[ ]	The Eglingtons

The Ballantynes first appear in A Falcon Flies in 1980

In the novel Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov, what is the title character's real first name?

[x]	Dolores
[ ]	Dominique
[ ]	Donatella
[ ]	Dorothy

Despite the book's controversial subject matter, it came fourth in the Modern Library's list of the 100 best novels of the 20th Century

Which Scottish novelist created the character John Rebus?

[ ]	Iain Banks
[ ]	James Kelman
[x]	Ian Rankin
[ ]	Irvine Welsh

John Rebus has been played on TV by both John Hannah and Ken Stott

How old is Holden Caulfield, the narrator of the JD Salinger novel The Catcher in the Rye?

[ ]	14
[ ]	15
[x]	16
[ ]	17

The novel is noted for its themes of teenage angst and alienation and Caulfield has come to symbolise teenage rebellion

In the Mark Twain novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, what is the name of Tom's aunt, who looks after him?

[ ]	Aunt Dolly
[ ]	Aunt Holly
[ ]	Aunt Molly
[x]	Aunt Polly

Polly is the sister of Tom's dead mother. Tom and his half-brother Sid live with Polly and her daughter Mary