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Quiz about Mrs Pollifax Spy in a Flowered Hat

Mrs. Pollifax: Spy in a Flowered Hat Quiz

From "The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax" to "Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled", this quiz covers all 14 books in the series by Dorothy Gilman. Come join me on a world tour as we revisit the adventures of this surprising grandmotherly spy.

A multiple-choice quiz by akatriel1. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
akatriel1

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
352,256

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
10 / 15

Plays
155

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. In "The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax", after admitting her childhood ambition to become a spy, Mrs. P. recalls preparations she once made to fulfill this dream. Which of the following did she NOT do as a child? Hint

pester her cousin to teach her how to shoot

take karate lessons

memorize longitudes and latitudes of obscure locations

she did all three of these

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Question 2 of 15

2. Originally accepted by the C.I.A. because she's the perfect "innocent tourist", Mrs. Pollifax soon proves to be a true asset by creatively and courageously escaping seemingly impossible situations. In "The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax", what new feat does she accomplish? Hint

walks a tightrope

rides a bronco

flies a helicopter

swims the Nile

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Question 3 of 15

3. Always resourceful and never willing to admit defeat, in "The Elusive Mrs. Pollifax", our hero stages a prison break using, among other things, which of these? Hint

geese

a water pistol

a clown

bobby pins

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Question 4 of 15

4. This series has a few recurring characters--besides, of course, Mrs. Pollifax and her C.I.A. contacts. Robin Burke-Jones first appears in "A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax", as what? Hint

a cat burglar

the main suspect

an agent for Interpol

an Arab prince

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Question 5 of 15

5. "Mrs. Pollifax on Safari" includes the return of Farrell from book one ("The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax"), as well as the introduction of a new permanent character. Who? Hint

Kadi Hopkirk, Mrs. Pollifax's new foster daughter

Jane, Mrs. Pollifax's grandbaby

Miss Hartshorne, Mrs. Pollifax's neighbor

Cyrus Reed, Mrs. Pollifax's future husband

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Question 6 of 15

6. Mrs. Pollifax never did like quadrupeds, and her experience in "Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station" only deepens this dislike. She finds herself on a runaway horse, is nearly thrown off a cliff, and ends up with a broken wrist. What causes the horse to run away? Hint

Her co-agent sticks a burr under the horse's saddle.

She kicks the horse too hard with her spurs.

A counter-agent scares the horse with a snake.

The horse was trained by her enemies to kill her.

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Question 7 of 15

7. Mrs. Pollifax has a number of harrowing experiences, but in "Mrs. Pollifax and the Hong Kong Buddha", she suffers actual torture. In the shock that follows, what betrayal of the mind does she experience? Hint

She forgets her true identity.

When a horse-whip cracks, she believes she's under attack.

She can no longer distinguish between friend and foe.

When Cyrus shows up in disguise to rescue her, she assumes that she's hallucinating.

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Question 8 of 15

8. In every adventure before "Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle", our heroine manages to get captured at some point. This times, it's her husband Cyrus who's captured! What item does he drop at infrequent invervals to leave a trail as he's forced through the jungle? Hint

bits of a label from a tin of sardines

dollar bills

bread crumbs

pages torn from his journal

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Question 9 of 15

9. In "Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish", our heroine initially refuses the job that the C.I.A. asks her to do. Why is this? Hint

She thinks she's getting too old.

She still hasn't forgiven them for ruining her vacation.

She has moral objections.

She wants to be paid more.

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Question 10 of 15

10. What old friend and old enemy does Mrs. Pollifax encounter in "Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief"? Hint

Robin & Sabry, last seen in Italy

Mornajay & Colonel Lu, last seen in Morocco

"The Genie" & General Perdido, last seen in Albania

Farrell & "Aristotle", last seen in Africa

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Question 11 of 15

11. Our heroine is the one calling in the favors in "Mrs. Pollifax Pursued". What is the nature of the "safe house" in which the C.I.A. puts her? Hint

a circus

a mall

a zoo

a farm

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Question 12 of 15

12. In which book is the C.I.A. not involved? (If you know the name of the twelfth book in the series, this should be easy.) Hint

"Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist"

"Mrs. Pollifax and the Clairvoyant Countess"

"Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled"

"Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer"

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Question 13 of 15

13. While Mrs. Pollifax and Farrell aren't actually on a job for the C.I.A. in "Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist", they are on a socio-political mission, so it isn't THAT big a coincidence when they end up in the middle of a C.I.A. case anyway. However, the WAY they become involved is painfully coincidental. How does it happen? Hint

Mrs. Pollifax's seatmate on the plane happens to be a terrorist.

Farrell's contact happens to choose the same meeting site as a terrorist.

Mrs. Pollifax happens to bump into a terrorist--literally--at the airport.

Farrell happens to eat at the same restaurant as a terrorist.

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Question 14 of 15

14. In "Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled", Mornajay (Carstairs's boss) is assigned to help our heroine without her knowing it. Here we have another "Mrs. WHO?" moment. Why? Hint

He can't believe anyone would have such a ridiculous name.

He grew up with her in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

He believed that she was dead.

He was a part of her "Golden Triangle" adventure but never knew she was a fellow agent.

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Question 15 of 15

15. If you don't remember (or never knew), you've probably been wondering how our heroine could begin the series as Mrs. Pollifax, get married, and yet continue to be known as Mrs. Pollifax. How is this? Hint

She's Mr. Pollifax's widow, and chooses to retain his name, despite remarrying.

Her ex-husband and her new husband happen to have the same last name.

That was only ever her secret code name.

"Pollifax" is her maiden name. She just goes by "Mrs." to show that she was and is married.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: take karate lessons

She begins learning karate only after becoming a spy, as a "comfortable woman in her sixties" ... much to the amusement of young Agent Bishop.

When she reflects on these childhood preparations, she thinks that she must have been a very odd child--but then, her oddities end up being the very things that make her so valuable as a spy.

Answer: flies a helicopter

In a desperate bid for freedom--and survival--this completely untrained novice takes a helicopter and flies it...more or less. She never pilots a helicopter again (apparently deciding that karate would be a more useful skill to have), although she does use a helicopter to provide a diversion in a much later book, simply by turning it on and pressing a few buttons.

3. Always resourceful and never willing to admit defeat, in "The Elusive Mrs. Pollifax", our hero stages a prison break using, among other things, which of these?

Answer: geese

This plan with several parts and several players (including a tight-rope walker!) does indeed include a flock of geese--for noise, distraction, and misdirection. Her original assignment wasn't nearly so elaborate: she was merely supposed to deliver some passports. But somehow her simple assignments never stay simple for long.

4. This series has a few recurring characters--besides, of course, Mrs. Pollifax and her C.I.A. contacts. Robin Burke-Jones first appears in "A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax", as what?

Answer: a cat burglar

In this book, Mrs. Pollifax's "innocent tourist" guise fools her fellow agent and fails to fool those dangerous to her. Robin--who's neither--suspects her hidden layers when she says with obvious relief, "But you're only a jewel thief!"

This was one character who made it into a rather disastrous (in my opinion) attempt to render these books into a movie, albeit with a name change, from Burke-Jones to Hughes-Wright. This movie starred Angela Lansbury, not that I blame her. There was a much earlier (and possibly better) movie starring Rosalind Russell.

5. "Mrs. Pollifax on Safari" includes the return of Farrell from book one ("The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax"), as well as the introduction of a new permanent character. Who?

Answer: Cyrus Reed, Mrs. Pollifax's future husband

A retired judge, Cyrus is accustomed to reading people and situations, and realizes that there's more to Mrs. Pollifax than meets the eye. When she's kidnapped away from her safari group and held hostage (a bewildering response to a rather innocent inquiry after her friend Farrell), Cyrus comes to the rescue, saying that it's the only way he could think of to get her attention.

Answer: Her co-agent sticks a burr under the horse's saddle.

She doesn't learn the identity of her co-agent until over a third of the way through her adventure, having been told only that it's a member of her tour group.

The burr was intentional--the danger was not. Yet another good plan that quickly gets away from them.

Answer: When Cyrus shows up in disguise to rescue her, she assumes that she's hallucinating.

The effects of the torture carry through into her next adventure, but she overcomes it in time. In fact, it gives her a bond with agents in future books who've undergone something similar.

Answer: bits of a label from a tin of sardines

They were actually on vacation, only meaning to add one quick "errand" for the C.I.A. into their itinerary. Cyrus never goes on vacation without his sardines.

9. In "Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish", our heroine initially refuses the job that the C.I.A. asks her to do. Why is this?

Answer: She has moral objections.

Since she isn't a regular agent, she's perfectly free to turn down jobs from the C.I.A. When Bishop reminds her that she trusts Carstairs--his boss--she concedes...and later learns that her objections were indeed unfounded.

10. What old friend and old enemy does Mrs. Pollifax encounter in "Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief"?

Answer: Farrell & "Aristotle", last seen in Africa

This one isn't actually a C.I.A. mission, but rather a favor for ex-agent Farrell (in hopes, naturally, that he'd agree to return to the agency). Since his troubles stemmed from an encounter with an enemy first met on a mission, I think they owed him that.

11. Our heroine is the one calling in the favors in "Mrs. Pollifax Pursued". What is the nature of the "safe house" in which the C.I.A. puts her?

Answer: a circus

In one of those fascinating but clearly fictional twists, her adventure becomes entwined with Carstairs's current case. Meanwhile, this book introduces Kady Hopkirk, immediately adopted as Cyrus's and Mrs. Pollifax's unofficial foster daughter.

12. In which book is the C.I.A. not involved? (If you know the name of the twelfth book in the series, this should be easy.)

Answer: "Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer"

Actually, "The Clairvoyant Countess" is a non-Pollifax book by the same author.

As for this non-C.I.A. adventure, our heroine plays unlikely bodyguard to Kady when she returns to the African village where her parents' murderers still roam free.

Answer: Mrs. Pollifax's seatmate on the plane happens to be a terrorist.

In a hilarious moment, the reporting agent, while telling Carstairs of a "woman tourist" who's become involved, mentions her name, to which Carstairs replies in a stunned voice, "Mrs. WHO?" and Bishop bursts out laughing.

14. In "Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled", Mornajay (Carstairs's boss) is assigned to help our heroine without her knowing it. Here we have another "Mrs. WHO?" moment. Why?

Answer: He was a part of her "Golden Triangle" adventure but never knew she was a fellow agent.

Too many secrets. Mornajay never told the C.I.A. about his adventure in Morocco--or indeed that he'd even been there--Mrs. Pollifax never told the C.I.A. about meeting Mornajay, and the C.I.A. didn't--well, COULDN'T--tell her who they were sending to help.

Also, despite its title and the fact that this is the last in the series, Mrs. Pollifax was not "unveiled" to the world as a spy. After 34 years of writing Mrs. Pollifax books, Dorothy Gilman simply got too old to continue. Now for one last question...

Answer: She's Mr. Pollifax's widow, and chooses to retain his name, despite remarrying.

When she marries Cyrus Reed, she becomes legally Mrs. Reed-Pollifax, "defying every known law of convention". However, everyone continues to call her "Mrs. Pollifax", thus justifying the continuity of book titles.

Source: Author akatriel1

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