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"Swallows and Amazons" Part 3 Trivia Quiz

Arthur Ransome's "Swallows and Amazons" is the most famous book in the series of 12. Here are some multi-choice questions to get you thinking on what happens in Book 1.

A multiple-choice quiz by Philian. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Philian

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
128,243

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
11 / 15

Plays
419

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Why doesn't Nancy use her real name of Ruth ? Hint

She preferred her second Christian name which was Nancy.

She wanted to annoy her mother.

Her Uncle Jim had said that pirates have to be ruthless.

She thought that Nancy was a much gentler name.

NEXT>

Question 2 of 15

2. How did they decide that they would settle which ship should be flagship in the war against Captain Flint ? Hint

They would each try to capture the other's boat in a practice war.

They would hold a race the length of the lake.

They would each try to sink the other's boat.

The boat with the oldest person in it would be flaghip.

NEXT>

Question 3 of 15

3. What does Young Billy keep in a cigar-box ? Hint

an adder

some pieces of charcoal

Cuban cigars

his savings in gold sovereigns

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Question 4 of 15

4. How does Nancy and Peggy's uncle sign the nasty letter he leaves for the Walker children on the stick in the tent doorway ? Hint

Captain Flint

Jim Turner

Uncle Jim

James Turner

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Question 5 of 15

5. Whose birthday do they celebrate by a party on the island ? Hint

Their mother's

Vicky's

Susan's

Peggy's

NEXT>

Question 6 of 15

6. Where had Mrs. Walker spent her childhood ? Hint

In Australia

In New Zealand

In the Lake District

In Canada

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Question 7 of 15

7. What noise does Peggy make when the Swallow goes past the reeds where the Amazon is hidden at the mouth of the river ? Hint

the hoot of an owl

the quack of a duck

a scream of fear

a whistle on two notes

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Question 8 of 15

8. What method does Nancy use to tell her Uncle Jim what she thinks about his bad treatment of John ? Hint

She gives him the black spot along with her written message.

She sends the policeman across to tell him off.

She sets off another firework on the houseboat.

She tells her mother about what he has done.

NEXT>

Question 9 of 15

9. What does Titty ask Captain Flint to have ready when they attack the houseboat ? Hint

a flag with an elephant on it.

a pair of cushions that he can fight with.

a plank that he can be made to walk it.

a green parrot ready to cry, "Pieces of Eight !"

NEXT>

Question 10 of 15

10. What did Captain Flint write on the fish he carved for the thieves who would return to get his travel chest and the supposed treasure ? Hint

"He who laughs last - laughs longest."

"The biters have been bitten."

"Honesty is the best policy."

"Never cross an old pirate !"

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Question 11 of 15

11. Which two of the children find Captain Flint's treasure ? Hint

Roger and John

Titty and Susan

Titty and Roger

Titty and John

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Question 12 of 15

12. Which of the four children is the only one to get an island named after them and put on their chart ? Hint

Susan

Roger

Titty

John

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Question 13 of 15

13. How does Mate Susan usually get the others to come to camp for their meals ? Hint

She shouts their names.

She hoists a blue flag.

She rattles on a triangle.

She blows her whistle.

NEXT>

Question 14 of 15

14. What did the Swallows and Amazons do during the great storm to pass the hours during the night ? Hint

They wrote up the log of their adventures.

They all sang different sea shanties.

They played games of hangman on pieces of paper.

They made up a story about a storm and a shipwreck.

NEXT>

Question 15 of 15

15. What did Mrs. Dixon bring for them to eat on the morning after the great storm on the lake ? Hint

some scones she had just baked

milk and bread

porridge

a tin of bully-beef

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Dec 06 2024 : Guest 31: 2/15
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Why doesn't Nancy use her real name of Ruth ?

Answer: Her Uncle Jim had said that pirates have to be ruthless.

Nancy regards "Ruth" as too tame a name for an Amazon pirate. When she and Peggy had been friendly with their Uncle Jim she had heard him say that pirates had to be ruthless and so she dropped her real name. Nancy and Peggy never want to deliberately annoy their mother but they turn on Uncle Jim when he refuses to spend time with them.

2. How did they decide that they would settle which ship should be flagship in the war against Captain Flint ?

Answer: They would each try to capture the other's boat in a practice war.

The Swallows and the Amazons have a practice war against each other.The winner will be the ones that can capture (without damage) the boat belonging to the other crew. The Amazons are older but there are more members in the Swallow's crew.

3. What does Young Billy keep in a cigar-box ?

Answer: an adder

Young Billy, the charcoal burner, keeps an adder in the box because there is a superstition that this will bring his family good luck. The same characters appear again in a dramatic incident involving Roger in the next book "Swallowdale".

4. How does Nancy and Peggy's uncle sign the nasty letter he leaves for the Walker children on the stick in the tent doorway ?

Answer: James Turner

There is nothing worse than being accused of a crime that you have not committed. This message is the beginning of the most unpleasant section of the book. What happens when John goes to see Uncle Jim or James Turner is quite upsetting.

5. Whose birthday do they celebrate by a party on the island ?

Answer: Vicky's

Vicky is the baby sister of John, Susan, Titty and Roger. It is her second birthday. In later books she is called Bridget. She got the name "Vicky" because as a baby she resembled the photographs of Queen Victoria.

6. Where had Mrs. Walker spent her childhood ?

Answer: In Australia

Whilst Titty is alone on the island she is visited by her mother. Mrs. Walker tells her daughter stories of the great drought on the sheep stations. She has also talked about sailing in Sydney harbour.

7. What noise does Peggy make when the Swallow goes past the reeds where the Amazon is hidden at the mouth of the river ?

Answer: the quack of a duck

Peggy and Nancy are very good at reproducing the sounds of birds. In "The Picts and the Martyrs" they signal in this way to Dick and Dorothea whom they are trying to keep hidden from the Great Aunt.

8. What method does Nancy use to tell her Uncle Jim what she thinks about his bad treatment of John ?

Answer: She gives him the black spot along with her written message.

The "black spot" is what one pirate sends to another when he thinks he has been betrayed or double-crossed. Nancy's message also confesses that she and Peggy set off the firework that he had blamed on John and the Swallows. Uncle Jim is deposed from being an "uncle or anything decent".

9. What does Titty ask Captain Flint to have ready when they attack the houseboat ?

Answer: a plank that he can be made to walk it.

In the end Captain Flint has to walk the plank. He does have a green parrot, a flag with an elephant on it and a pair of big cushions but it is the plank that Titty deliberately asks for.

10. What did Captain Flint write on the fish he carved for the thieves who would return to get his travel chest and the supposed treasure ?

Answer: "Honesty is the best policy."

Captain Flint is now more relieved than angry. Having the thieves caught would mean all the trouble and bother of a legal case. He settles for this form of warning.

11. Which two of the children find Captain Flint's treasure ?

Answer: Titty and Roger

It's really Titty's determination that makes her carry on searching on Cormorant Island after Roger has wanted to give up. It proves that what she heard in the night wasn't a dream.

12. Which of the four children is the only one to get an island named after them and put on their chart ?

Answer: Titty

Titty's island is the one that they land on when they sail north past Rio bay in pursuit of the Amazon for the first time. Titty is left there with the telescope whilst the other three Swallows go into town for supplies. Later they have their lunch there.

13. How does Mate Susan usually get the others to come to camp for their meals ?

Answer: She blows her whistle.

Susan is the most practical of all the Walker children. Her mother and father rely upon her to make sure the others get their food on time and go to bed at regular hours at night. Without Susan's good sense they wouldn't be trusted to camp alone on the island without an adult.

14. What did the Swallows and Amazons do during the great storm to pass the hours during the night ?

Answer: They made up a story about a storm and a shipwreck.

In the story that they make up each contributes a line according to their character. Thus Susan makes up about food and Nancy talks about sailing. Titty makes up all the really grisly parts - like drawing lots for who is to be eaten first.

15. What did Mrs. Dixon bring for them to eat on the morning after the great storm on the lake ?

Answer: porridge

Mrs. Dixon brings the porridge in a big bucket. "No. It isn't pigwash ... though you might think it is." Later their mother comes along with thermos flasks full of hot cocoa.

Source: Author Philian

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor minch before going online.
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