From Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, 1813: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let (1) at last?”
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
“Do you not want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently.
“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”
This was invitation enough.
“Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four (2) to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas(3), and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.”
“What is his name?”
“Bingley.”
“Is he married or single?”
“Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!”
“How so? How can it affect them?”
“My dear Mr. Bennet,” replied his wife, “how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”
“Is that his design in settling here?”
“Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.”
1 let: rented
2 chaise and four: a carriage pulled by four horses
3 Michaelmas: Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, a minor Christian holiday celebrated on September 29th
Source: Pride and Prejudice is in the public domain.

Question 1: What character traits would best describe Mrs. Bennet in this passage?

Question 1 options:

Confused and irritable

Dreamy and lost

Eager and excited

Logical and rude

Question 2 (1 point)
Based on the passage, what can you infer about the character of Mrs. Bennet?

Question 2 options:

She is a detached and somewhat sarcastic partner to her husband.

She is a loving and giving mother who wants her daughters to find true love.

She is a thoughtful communicator who thinks before she speaks.

She is talkative gossip fixated on marrying her daughters off to a wealthy man.

Question 3 (1 point)
Which of the following lines spoken by Mrs. Bennet help to support your responses to the previous question?

Question 3 options:

“A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!”

“…How can you be so tiresome!”

“Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so!”

“… you must visit him as soon as he comes.”

Question 4 (1 point)
Pride and Prejudice is a British novel written in 1813. Based on the passage above (in Q1), what can you infer about societal norms or attitudes towards women during this time period?

Question 4 options:

Women’s financial security often depended on men.

Women were generally considered greedy and opportunistic.

Women generally cared more about love and romance rather than practical matters such as finances.

Women were often encouraged by their families to seek their own fortune.

Question 5 (1 point)
Based on the passage above and the role of women in society at the time, what can you infer is the author’s intended meaning of the first line: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife”?

Question 5 options:

The author’s meaning is literal; she directly states that every single, rich man is looking for a wife.

The author’s tone is ironic; she implies that everyone knows a single, rich man will be pursued by women who want to be his wife.

The author’s tone is romantic; she suggests that marriage is what everyone seeks, no matter how rich or poor.

The author’s tone is ambiguous; she tries to intentionally confuse the reader to create a sense of mystery.