Lesson 1.2.1

1.2.1 An Inspector Calls – J B Priestley Quiz: Pearson Edexcel English Literature, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 1.2.1, An Inspector Calls – J B Priestley: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Literature (1ET0), Unit 1: Component 1: Shakespeare and Post-1914 Literature, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is the name of the Inspector who visits the Birling family?

    • Inspector Goole
    • Inspector Grice
    • Inspector Croft
    • Inspector Gould

  2. In what year is An Inspector Calls set?

    • 1945
    • 1930
    • 1889
    • 1912

  3. What is the real name of the young woman whose death is investigated?

    • Annie Walker
    • Eva Smith
    • Edna Ross
    • Sybil Winter

  4. What is Arthur Birling's profession and social standing in the play?

    • Skilled trade unionist
    • Wealthy factory owner
    • Improverish clerk
    • Country landowner

  5. Who is Sheila engaged to at the start of the play?

    • Ferdinand Birling
    • Eric Birling
    • Gerald Croft
    • Inspector Goole

  6. Who is responsible for Eva's pregnancy?

    • Gerald Croft
    • Arthur Birling
    • Inspector Goole
    • Eric Birling

  7. What does Sheila return to Gerald at the end of the play?

    • Her photograph
    • A letter of apology
    • Her engagement ring
    • A bouquet of flowers

  8. Who says 'a man has to mind his own business and look after himself'?

    • Arthur Birling
    • Gerald Croft
    • Sybil Birling
    • Eric Birling

  9. What dramatic device makes Birling's claim about the Titanic ironic?

    • Comic relief
    • Epistolary framing
    • Dramatic irony
    • Pathetic fallacy

  10. What is the core political message of the Inspector's final speech?

    • Absolute monarchy
    • Individual isolation
    • Capitalist efficiency
    • Social responsibility

  11. What fatal event involving Eva Smith is reported at the very end?

    • Freezing in the snow
    • Drinking disinfectant
    • Jumping from a bridge
    • Drowning in the river

  12. Why does Arthur Birling sack Eva Smith from his factory?

    • Missing work repeatedly
    • Stealing company cash
    • Breaking machinery deliberately
    • Demanding higher wages

  13. At which establishment does Gerald Croft first encounter Daisy Renton?

    • The Grand Hotel
    • The Royal Theatre
    • The Palace Bar
    • The County Club

  14. Why does Sybil Birling refuse charity committee help to Eva Smith?

    • Lack of funds
    • Prejudiced moral judgment
    • Ignorance of poverty
    • Strict council rules

  15. Why does Arthur Birling suspect the Inspector's visit is a hoax?

    • Missing property
    • Confessed prankster
    • Police records check
    • Forged warrant papers

  16. What wider warning does the final telephone twist convey to the audience?

    • Certain legal pardon
    • Imminent political election
    • Immediate financial ruin
    • Lingering moral duty

  17. Which political ideology strongly shapes Priestley's critique in the play?

    • Democratic socialism
    • Laissez-faire capitalism
    • Absolute monarchy
    • Feudal nationalism

  18. What is the dramatic function of the Inspector's questioning in An Inspector Calls?

    • Uncovering systemic guilt
    • Advancing romantic plots
    • Providing comic relief
    • Resolving police mysteries

  19. Which dramatic form does An Inspector Calls primarily follow?

    • Morality play
    • Greek tragedy
    • Absurdist farce
    • Well-made play

  20. Which shared theme links Sybil and Gerald's actions in An Inspector Calls?

    • Socialist activism
    • Generational rebellion
    • Working-class solidarity
    • Class privilege

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