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An Inspector Calls
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An Inspector Calls
What event interrupts Arthur Birling’s speech in Act 1?
the entrance of Gerald Croft with surprising news about the Inspector
a phone call from the infirmary advising the family about the death of a young girl
the arrival of Eric Birling, who stumbles in late and visibly intoxicated
the arrival of Inspector Goole who comes to inquire about the death of Eva Smith
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What does Sheila confess to in Act 1?
She was responsible for Eva Smith losing her job at a dress shop.
She had secretly stolen money from her father's company without permission.
She witnessed Gerald's affair with Eva Smith but chose to remain silent.
She confronted Eva Smith about her appearance and made hurtful comments.
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What does Sybil Birling reveal during her interrogation in Act 2?
She knew that Eric was the father of Eva’s child all along.
She refused to help Eva when she came to the her charity.
She was aware of Gerald’s affair and chose to remain silent.
She had secretly provided financial aid to Eva.
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What does Gerald Croft discover during his walk in Act 3?
that Gerald's father knows about his affair with Eva Smith
that another girl had committed suicide at the Infirmary
that Eric has confessed to the police about stealing money
that Inspector Goole may have been a fraud
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What shocking realisation does Sybil Birling come to at the end of Act 2?
Sheila was involved in Eva Smith's dismissal from Milward's department store.
The Inspector investigating their family was never a real police officer, and “Eva Smith” did not exist.
Eric is the father of Eva Smith's unborn child, meaning that Sybil denied her own grandchild charity.
Gerald had been lying about his whereabouts and had an affair with Eva Smith.
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What happens immediately after Arthur Birling calls the Infirmary in Act 3?
He discovers that his business is under an official investigation.
He is informed by the police that Inspector Goole was actually an impostor.
He learns that no girl matching Eva Smith’s description has been admitted.
He hears that Eric has turned himself in at the local police station.
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What does Gerald Croft confess to in Act 2?
He had an affair with Eva the previous summer.
He knew Inspector Goole was a fraud from the beginning.
He was involved in a business deal with Arthur Birling.
He was secretly supporting the Brumley Women’s Charity.
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Why does Inspector Goole insist that each member of the Birling family is responsible for Eva Smith’s fate?
to force them to admit their individual guilt in a legal sense
to show their actions are interconnected and contributed to her downfall
to shift the responsibility away from himself and onto the family
to expose the family's secrets and create discord among its members
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Why is Arthur Birling’s optimism about the future in Act 1 considered ironic by the audience?
because his business is secretly failing, despite his confident assertions
because his daughter is planning to break off her engagement to Gerald
because the audience knows that World War I is about to occur
because the Inspector has already arrived, indicating trouble is imminent
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Why does Eric become furious with his mother, Sybil in Act 3?
because she refused to help Eva Smith at the Brumley Women's Charity
because she exposed Eric's drinking problem and his theft from the business
because she revealed Eric's connection to Eva Smith while defending the family's reputation
because she insisted that the Inspector was lying about Eva Smith
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Why does Gerald suggest that the photograph shown by Inspector Goole might have been of different women?
to protect Sheila from learning about his affair with Eva by implying that Eva was not real
to expose a mistake made by the Inspector during the questioning
to reassure Sheila and try to restore their engagement, securing his firm’s partnership with Mr Birling
to cast doubt on the Inspector’s investigation and lessen the family’s guilt
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Why does Sheila believe it does not matter whether Inspector Goole was a real police inspector?
because the lessons they learnt about their actions are still valid regardless of his identity
because she is more concerned with salvaging her relationship with Gerald and repairing family dynamics
because she had already known the truth about Eva Smith's fate before the Inspector's arrival
because she believes the entire situation was orchestrated by her father to test the family's moral character
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Why does Arthur Birling dismiss the significance of Eva Smith's death at the beginning of the play?
because he immediately suspects that Eva's death was a hoax
because he thinks the Inspector is exaggerating the situation
because he believes her death is irrelevant to his family and business
because he believes that individual tragedies are inevitable in society
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Why does Gerald initially try to persuade Sheila to leave the room before he confesses to his affair in Act 2?
because he fears Sheila might reveal more information that could incriminate him
because he wants to protect Sheila from the painful details of his relationship with Eva
because he believes Sheila's emotional reaction might interfere with the Inspector's questioning
because he thinks the Inspector will be less harsh if Sheila is not present
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How does Priestley use the reactions of the younger and older Birlings to the Inspector's revelations to explore generational differences?
by showing that younger characters are willing to accept responsibility, while older characters seek to preserve their reputations
by depicting younger characters as easily misled by the Inspector, whereas older characters are steadfast in their beliefs
by illustrating that both the younger and older generations react similarly, highlighting the family's unity in adversity
by showing older characters as more emotionally affected by the revelations, whereas younger characters are more detached
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How does Priestley use the Inspector's questioning to gradually reveal the interconnectedness of the Birlings' actions?
by addressing each family member's actions chronologically, revealing how their choices over time created a chain of events leading to Eva's tragic end
by focusing on the most serious offences first, then gradually moving to minor ones to build tension and reveal the full extent of the family's involvement
by allowing the characters to confess their actions in a seemingly random order, emphasising the chaotic nature of their collective impact on Eva Smith's life
by carefully structuring the interrogation to show how each family member's actions contributed to Eva Smith's downfall, creating a sense of cumulative responsibility
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How does Priestley use the character of Inspector Goole to challenge the moral values of the Birling family?
by offering the Birlings a way to escape public shame, emphasising the importance of self-preservation
by revealing his own moral failings, demonstrating that everyone, including authority figures, is flawed
by confronting each family member with their actions, forcing them to face the consequences of them
by ignoring the actions of the younger Birlings and focusing only on the older generation, who are more guilty
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How does Priestley use the revelation of Eric's involvement with Eva Smith to further critique the Birlings’ values?
Priestley shows that even the younger generation are flawed and engage in selfish behaviour.
Priestley reveals Eric was the only character to help Eva, setting him apart as morally superior.
Priestley suggests Eric's actions were largely due to his troubled relationship with his parents.
Priestley portrays Eric's involvement with Eva as the main consequence of his abuse of alcohol.
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How does Priestley use Sheila's character throughout the play to convey a message about social responsibility?
Priestley portrays Sheila as initially accepting but ultimately rejecting the Inspector's message, emphasising the difficulty of maintaining changed social views.
Priestley shows Sheila's growing awareness and acceptance of her actions, highlighting the importance of acknowledging and learning from one's mistakes.
Priestley makes Sheila remain largely unchanged throughout the play, suggesting that the younger generation is equally resistant to social change as their elders.
Priestley depicts Sheila's character transformation as solely driven by fear of public scandal, rather than genuine moral growth or social awareness.
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How does Priestley use the character of Gerald Croft to explore the theme of hypocrisy?
by revealing Gerald's affair with Eva which contrasts with his outward respectability, exposing his double standards
by portraying Gerald's consistent concern for Eva, followed by his attempts to discredit the Inspector's investigation, highlighting his inconsistent moral stance
by portraying Gerald as insightful enough to uncover the truth about the Inspector not being who he says he is
by depicting Gerald's struggle between acknowledging his past actions and his desire to maintain his social status and engagement to Sheila
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