The Overcoat — Questions and answers

Read the full story

What was Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin's primary occupation in a St. Petersburg department?

Choices

  1. He was a supervisor who managed other clerks.
  2. He was a guard who protected the department's assets.
  3. He was a clerk who loved copying documents. ✓
  4. He was a messenger who delivered important papers.

Answer: He was a clerk who loved copying documents.

From page 1

What was Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin's main concern about his old overcoat?

Choices

  1. It was too small for him to wear comfortably.
  2. It was completely worn through and offered no protection. ✓
  3. It was out of style and made him look unfashionable.
  4. It was stained and dirty from years of use.

Answer: It was completely worn through and offered no protection.

From page 2

What was tailor Petrovich's professional assessment of Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin's old overcoat?

Choices

  1. He determined it was beyond repair and needed to be replaced. ✓
  2. He offered to clean and re-line it to extend its life.
  3. He suggested it could be repurposed into another garment.
  4. He said it could be easily repaired with a new patch.

Answer: He determined it was beyond repair and needed to be replaced.

From page 3

How much money did Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin need to save for a new overcoat after his initial forty rubles?

Choices

  1. He needed to save an additional eighty rubles.
  2. He needed to save an additional twenty rubles.
  3. He needed to save an additional ten rubles.
  4. He needed to save an additional forty rubles. ✓

Answer: He needed to save an additional forty rubles.

From page 4

What type of fur did Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin and Petrovich choose for the collar of the new overcoat?

Choices

  1. They chose fox fur, claiming it was rabbit fur.
  2. They chose mink fur, describing it as badger fur.
  3. They chose marten fur, passing it off as cat fur. ✓
  4. They chose sable fur, pretending it was squirrel fur.

Answer: They chose marten fur, passing it off as cat fur.

From page 5

What was the immediate reaction of Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin's colleagues to his new overcoat?

Choices

  1. They ignored it and continued their work as usual.
  2. They crowded around him, congratulating him on the magnificent coat. ✓
  3. They made fun of it, saying it looked too expensive for him.
  4. They asked him to take it off because it was distracting.

Answer: They crowded around him, congratulating him on the magnificent coat.

From page 6

What did Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin do after feeling tired at the party hosted by the assistant head clerk?

Choices

  1. He asked the host for a place to rest and sleep.
  2. He loudly announced his departure to everyone present.
  3. He quietly found his overcoat and slipped out into the street. ✓
  4. He stayed until the very end, enjoying the festivities.

Answer: He quietly found his overcoat and slipped out into the street.

From page 7

What happened to Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin's new overcoat in the dark square?

Choices

  1. A strong gust of wind blew it away, and it was lost.
  2. He traded it for money to buy food.
  3. He accidentally dropped it in the snow and couldn't find it.
  4. Two men with moustaches stole it from him. ✓

Answer: Two men with moustaches stole it from him.

From page 8

How did the 'Important Personage' react when Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin tried to explain the theft of his overcoat?

Choices

  1. He became angry and shouted at Akaky for his lack of respect. ✓
  2. He listened sympathetically and promised to help.
  3. He advised Akaky to report the crime to the local police.
  4. He offered Akaky a new overcoat from his own wardrobe.

Answer: He became angry and shouted at Akaky for his lack of respect.

From page 9

What did the ghost of Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin demand from the Important Personage on the Kalinkin Bridge?

Choices

  1. The ghost demanded an apology for the earlier mistreatment.
  2. The ghost demanded to know who had stolen his overcoat.
  3. The ghost demanded the Important Personage's own overcoat. ✓
  4. The ghost demanded money to buy a new overcoat.

Answer: The ghost demanded the Important Personage's own overcoat.

From page 10