The Model Millionaire
Oscar Wilde
Unless one is wealthy there is no use in being a charming fellow. Romance is the privilege of the rich, not the profession of the unemployed. The poor should be practical and prosaic. It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating. These are the great truths of modern life which Hughie Erskine never realised. Poor Hughie! Intellectually, we must admit, he was not of much importance. He never said a brilliant or even an ill-natured thing in his life. But then he was wonderfully good-looking, with his crisp brown hair, his clear-cut profile, and his grey eyes. He was as popular with men as he was with women and he had every accomplishment except that of making money. His father had bequeathed him his cavalry sword and a History of the Peninsular War in fifteen volumes. Hughie hung the first over his looking-glass, put the second on a shelf between Ruff’s Guide and Bailey’s Magazine, and lived on two hundred a year that an old aunt allowed him. He had tried everything. He had gone on the Stock Exchange for six months; but what was a butterfly to do among bulls and bears? He had been a tea-merchant for a little longer, but had soon tired of pekoe and souchong. Then he had tried selling dry sherry. That did not answer; the sherry was a little too dry. Ultimately he became nothing, a delightful, ineffectual young man with a perfect profile and no profession.
To make matters worse, he was in love. The girl he loved was Laura Merton, the daughter of a retired Colonel who had lost his temper and his digestion in India, and had never found either of them again. Laura adored him, and he was ready to kiss her shoe-strings. They were the handsomest couple in London, and had not a penny-piece between them. The Colonel was very fond of Hughie, but would not hear of any engagement.
‘Come to me, my boy, when you have got ten thousand pounds of your own, and we will see about it,’ he used to say; and Hughie looked very glum in those days, and had to go to Laura for consolation.
One morning, as he was on his way to Holland Park, where the Mertons lived, he dropped in to see a great friend of his, Alan Trevor. Trevor was a painter. Indeed, few people escape that nowadays. But he was also an artist, and artists are rather rare. Personally he was a strange rough fellow, with a freckled face and a red ragged beard. However, when he took up the brush he was a real master, and his pictures were eagerly sought after. He had been very much attracted by Hughie at first, it must be acknowledged, entirely on account of his personal charm. ‘The only people a painter should know,’ he used to say, ‘are people who are bête and beautiful, people who are an artistic pleasure to look at and an intellectual repose to talk to. Men who are dandies and women who are darlings rule the world, at least they should do so.’ However, after he got to know Hughie better, he liked him quite as much for his bright, buoyant spirits and his generous, reckless nature, and had given him the permanent entrée to his studio.
When Hughie came in he found Trevor putting the finishing touches to a wonderful life-size picture of a beggar-man. The beggar himself was standing on a raised platform in a corner of the studio. He was a wizened old man, with a face like wrinkled parchment, and a most piteous expression.
Over his shoulders was flung a coarse brown cloak, all tears and tatters; his thick boots were patched and cobbled, and with one hand he leant on a rough stick, while with the other he held out his battered hat for alms.
‘What an amazing model!’ whispered Hughie, as he shook hands with his friend.
‘An amazing model?’ shouted Trevor at the top of his voice; ‘I should think so! Such beggars as he are not to be met with every day. A trouvaille, mon cher; a living Velasquez! My stars! what an etching Rembrandt would have made of him!’
‘Poor old chap!’ said Hughie, ‘how miserable he looks! But I suppose, to you painters, his face is his fortune?’
‘Certainly,’ replied Trevor, ‘you don’t want a beggar to look happy, do you?’
‘How much does a model get for sitting?’ asked Hughie, as he found himself a comfortable seat on a divan.
‘A shilling an hour.’
‘And how much do you get for your picture, Alan?’
‘Oh, for this I get two thousand!’
‘Pounds?’
‘Guineas. Painters, poets, and physicians always get guineas.’
‘Well, I think the model should have a percentage,’ cried Hughie, laughing; ‘they work quite as hard as you do.’
‘Nonsense, nonsense! Why, look at the trouble of laying on the paint alone, and standing all day long at one’s easel! It’s all very well, Hughie, for you to talk, but I assure you that there are moments when Art almost attains to the dignity of manual labour. But you mustn’t chatter; I’m very busy. Smoke a cigarette, and keep quiet.’
After some time the servant came in, and told Trevor that the framemaker wanted to speak to him.
‘Don’t run away, Hughie,’ he said, as he went out, ‘I will be back in a moment.’
The old beggar-man took advantage of Trevor’s absence to rest for a moment on a wooden bench that was behind him. He looked so forlorn and wretched that Hughie could not help pitying him, and felt in his pockets to see what money he had. All he could find was a sovereign and some coppers. ‘Poor old fellow,’ he thought to himself, ‘he wants it more than I do, but it means no hansoms for a fortnight’; and he walked across the studio and slipped the sovereign into the beggar’s hand.
The old man started, and a faint smile flitted across his withered lips. ‘Thank you, sir,’ he said, ‘thank you.’
Then Trevor arrived, and Hughie took his leave, blushing a little at what he had done. He spent the day with Laura, got a charming scolding for his extravagance, and had to walk home.
That night he strolled into the Palette Club about eleven o’clock, and found Trevor sitting by himself in the smoking-room drinking hock and seltzer.
‘Well, Alan, did you get the picture finished all right?’ he said, as he lit his cigarette.
‘Finished and framed, my boy!’ answered Trevor; ‘and, by the bye, you have made a conquest. That old model you saw is quite devoted to you. I had to tell him all about you - who you are, where you live, what your income is, what prospects you have - ’
‘My dear Alan,’ cried Hughie, ‘I shall probably find him waiting for me when I go home. But of course you are only joking. Poor old wretch! I wish I could do something for him. I think it is dreadful that any one should be so miserable. I have got heaps of old clothes at home - do you think he would care for any of them? Why, his rags were falling to bits.’
‘But he looks splendid in them,’ said Trevor. ‘I wouldn’t paint him in a frock coat for anything.
What you call rags I call romance. What seems poverty to you is picturesqueness to me. However, I’ll tell him of your offer.’
‘Alan,’ said Hughie seriously, ‘you painters are a heartless lot.’
‘An artist’s heart is his head,’ replied Trevor; ‘and besides, our business is to realise the world as we see it, not to reform it as we know it. À chacun son métier. And now tell me how Laura is. The old model was quite interested in her.’
‘You don’t mean to say you talked to him about her?’ said Hughie.
‘Certainly I did. He knows all about the relentless colonel, the lovely Laura, and the £10,000.’
‘You told that old beggar all my private affairs?’ cried Hughie, looking very red and angry.
‘My dear boy,’ said Trevor, smiling, ‘that old beggar, as you call him, is one of the richest men in Europe. He could buy all London to-morrow without overdrawing his account. He has a house in every capital, dines off gold plate, and can prevent Russia going to war when he chooses.’
‘What on earth do you mean?’ exclaimed Hughie.
‘What I say,’ said Trevor. ‘The old man you saw to-day in the studio was Baron Hausberg. He is a great friend of mine, buys all my pictures and that sort of thing, and gave me a commission a month ago to paint him as a beggar. Que voulez-vous? La fantaisie d’un millionnaire! And I must say he made a magnificent figure in his rags, or perhaps I should say in my rags; they are an old suit I got in Spain.’
‘Baron Hausberg!’ cried Hughie. ‘Good heavens! I gave him a sovereign!’ and he sank into an armchair the picture of dismay.
‘Gave him a sovereign!’ shouted Trevor, and he burst into a roar of laughter. ‘My dear boy, you’ll never see it again. Son affaire c’est l’argent des autres.’
‘I think you might have told me, Alan,’ said Hughie sulkily, ‘and not have let me make such a fool of myself.’
‘Well, to begin with, Hughie,’ said Trevor, ‘it never entered my mind that you went about distributing alms in that reckless way. I can understand your kissing a pretty model, but your giving a sovereign to an ugly one - by Jove, no! Besides, the fact is that I really was not at home to-day to any one; and when you came in I didn’t know whether Hausberg would like his name mentioned. You know he wasn’t in full dress.’
‘What a duffer he must think me!’ said Hughie.
‘Not at all. He was in the highest spirits after you left; kept chuckling to himself and rubbing his old wrinkled hands together. I couldn’t make out why he was so interested to know all about you; but I see it all now. He’ll invest your sovereign for you, Hughie, pay you the interest every six months, and have a capital story to tell after dinner.’
‘I am an unlucky devil,’ growled Hughie. ‘The best thing I can do is to go to bed; and, my dear Alan, you mustn’t tell any one. I shouldn’t dare show my face in the Row.’
‘Nonsense! It reflects the highest credit on your philanthropic spirit, Hughie. And don’t run away. Have another cigarette, and you can talk about Laura as much as you like.’
However, Hughie wouldn’t stop, but walked home, feeling very unhappy, and leaving Alan Trevor in fits of laughter.
The next morning, as he was at breakfast, the servant brought him up a card on which was written, ‘Monsieur Gustave Naudin, de la part de M. le Baron Hausberg.
‘I suppose he has come for an apology,’ said Hughie to himself; and he told the servant to show the visitor up.
An old gentleman with gold spectacles and grey hair came into the room, and said, in a slight French accent, ‘Have I the honour of addressing Monsieur Erskine?’
Hughie bowed.
‘I have come from Baron Hausberg,’ he continued. ‘The Baron - ’
‘I beg, sir, that you will offer him my sincerest apologies,’ stammered Hughie.
‘The Baron,’ said the old gentleman with a smile, ‘has commissioned me to bring you this letter’; and he extended a sealed envelope.
On the outside was written, ‘A wedding present to Hugh Erskine and Laura Merton, from an old beggar,’ and inside was a cheque for £10,000.
When they were married Alan Trevor was the best man, and the Baron made a speech at the wedding breakfast.
‘Millionaire models,’ remarked Alan, ‘are rare enough; but, by Jove, model millionaires are rarer still!’
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Multiple Choice Questions
Instructions for Answering the Questions
* Read each question carefully.
* Choose the best answer from the options provided.
* Base your answers only on the provided text.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. According to the opening lines, what is described as "the privilege of the rich"?
a) Having a permanent income
b) Being a charming fellow
c) Romance
d) Being prosaic and practical
2. What is Hughie Erskine's greatest accomplishment, according to the text?
a) His ability to make money
b) His intellectual importance
c) His wonderfully good looks
d) His knowledge of the Peninsular War
3. What did Hughie’s father bequeath him?
a) A ten-thousand-pound inheritance
b) A house in every capital
c) His cavalry sword and a history book
d) His shares on the Stock Exchange
4. How much money does Hughie live on annually?
a) Two hundred a year
b) Ten thousand pounds
c) A shilling an hour
d) A sovereign
5. What three professions did Hughie try and fail at?
a) Painter, poet, and physician
b) Stockbroker, tea-merchant, and dry sherry salesman
c) Cavalryman, historian, and journalist
d) Model, beggar, and millionaire
6. What is the name of the girl Hughie loves?
a) Ruff
b) Bailey
c) Laura Merton
d) A model
7. Why does the Colonel refuse to hear of an engagement between Hughie and Laura?
a) He thinks Hughie is not good-looking enough.
b) He lost his temper and digestion.
c) Hughie does not have ten thousand pounds of his own.
d) He thinks Hughie is too charming.
8. What is the profession of Hughie's great friend, Alan Trevor?
a) A model
b) A poet
c) A painter
d) A framemaker
9. What does Trevor say are the only people a painter should know?
a) People who are wealthy
b) People who are "bête and beautiful"
c) People who are good-looking and smart
d) People with a permanent income
10. What kind of picture was Trevor putting the finishing touches on when Hughie arrived?
a) A portrait of the Colonel
b) A life-size picture of a beggar-man
c) A picture of a butterfly among bulls and bears
d) A picture of Laura Merton
11. The beggar's face is compared to what?
a) A rough stick
b) Wrinkled parchment
c) A portrait
d) A ragged beard
12. What did the beggar's cloak and boots look like?
a) A frock coat and polished shoes
b) Fine and clean
c) Tears and tatters; patched and cobbled
d) Golden and new
13. What is the model’s pay for sitting, according to Trevor?
a) A pound an hour
b) A guinea a day
c) A shilling an hour
d) Two hundred a year
14. Why do painters, poets, and physicians get guineas instead of pounds?
a) Because it's a higher denomination
b) The text doesn't explain why
c) Because it's a modern tradition
d) Because it reflects their high social status
15. What does Hughie think the model should get for his work?
a) A shilling an hour
b) A percentage of the picture’s price
c) A new suit of clothes
d) Two hundred a year
16. What does Trevor say about Art in moments of hardship?
a) It almost attains the dignity of manual labour.
b) It's a waste of time.
c) It's a way to get rich.
d) It’s not a real profession.
17. Why does Trevor leave the studio for a moment?
a) To go to the Palette Club
b) To speak to the framemaker
c) To get a drink
d) To talk about Laura
18. What does Hughie feel when he sees the old beggar-man resting?
a) Envy
b) Pity
c) Disgust
d) Amusement
19. What money did Hughie have in his pocket to give the beggar?
a) A sovereign and some coppers
b) Ten thousand pounds
c) Two hundred pounds
d) Two thousand guineas
20. What is Hughie’s internal thought about giving the money to the beggar?
a) "He will invest it for me."
b) "It means no hansoms for a fortnight."
c) "I hope Trevor sees what I did."
d) "This will make him rich."
21. What happens to Hughie after he gives the money away?
a) He gets a hansom cab home.
b) He feels very proud.
c) He blushes a little and has to walk home.
d) He goes to the Palette Club.
22. Where does Hughie find Trevor that night?
a) In his studio
b) At Laura's house
c) In the smoking-room of the Palette Club
d) At the M. le Baron Hausberg's house
23. What does Trevor say the old model is "quite devoted" to?
a) His art
b) His rags
c) Hughie
d) Laura
24. What does Hughie offer to do for the beggar, unaware of his true identity?
a) Give him money
b) Let him stay at his home
c) Give him some of his old clothes
d) Introduce him to Laura
25. Trevor says that "What you call rags I call..." what?
a) Riches
b) A masterpiece
c) Romance
d) A disguise
26. Trevor's motto "An artist’s heart is his head" means what?
a) Artists are unemotional.
b) Artists see the world intellectually, not emotionally.
c) Artists must be practical.
d) Artists are heartless.
27. What does Trevor say is the artist's business?
a) To make money
b) To reform the world
c) To realize the world as they see it
d) To be charitable
28. Who did Trevor talk to about Hughie’s private affairs?
a) Laura
b) The Colonel
c) The old beggar-model
d) The framemaker
29. What does the "relentless colonel" know about, according to Trevor?
a) Hughie's poverty
b) The lovely Laura
c) The £10,000 requirement
d) All of the above
30. What is Hughie's initial reaction when he finds out Trevor told his private affairs to the "old beggar"?
a) He is amused.
b) He is proud.
c) He is very red and angry.
d) He is confused.
31. What is the beggar's true identity?
a) A struggling artist
b) A great actor
c) Baron Hausberg
d) A member of the Palette Club
32. What is described as "La fantaisie d’un millionnaire"?
a) Trevor's painting
b) The Baron's collection of houses
c) The Baron posing as a beggar
d) The idea of romance
33. Where did Trevor get the beggar's "rags"?
a) He made them himself.
b) He bought them in London.
c) They were an old suit he got in Spain.
d) They were Hughie's old clothes.
34. What does Trevor say Hughie will never see again?
a) His sovereign
b) His good looks
c) His profession
d) Laura
35. What is the meaning of the French phrase Son affaire c’est l’argent des autres?
a) "His business is the money of others."
b) "It's the money that matters."
c) "It's a millionaire's fantasy."
d) "He has a lot of money."
36. Why didn't Trevor tell Hughie the truth about the Baron?
a) He was too busy.
b) He wanted to see what Hughie would do.
c) He didn't know if the Baron would like his name mentioned.
d) He wanted to play a joke on Hughie.
37. How does the Baron react to Hughie's charity?
a) He is embarrassed.
b) He is furious.
c) He is in the highest spirits, chuckling to himself.
d) He is confused.
38. What does Trevor predict the Baron will do with the sovereign?
a) Give it back to Hughie
b) Invest it and pay Hughie interest
c) Use it to buy a new suit
d) Donate it to charity
39. How does Hughie feel after his conversation with Trevor about the Baron?
a) Excited
b) Unlucky
c) Happy
d) Proud
40. What is Hughie afraid to do after his blunder?
a) Go to the Palette Club
b) See Laura
c) Go to bed
d) Show his face in the Row
41. What is written on the card the servant brings to Hughie the next morning?
a) M. le Baron Hausberg
b) A wedding present
c) Monsieur Gustave Naudin, de la part de M. le Baron Hausberg
d) An apology
42. What does Hughie think the visitor has come for?
a) To ask for more money
b) To give him a new job
c) To demand an apology
d) To thank him
43. How does Hughie address the visitor, Monsieur Gustave Naudin?
a) He apologizes to him.
b) He asks him to leave.
c) He bows.
d) He offers him some old clothes.
44. What does the old gentleman with gold spectacles say he has come to bring Hughie?
a) The Baron's sincerest apologies
b) A sealed envelope from the Baron
c) A new suit
d) The sovereign back
45. What is written on the outside of the envelope?
a) "A wedding present"
b) "From an old beggar"
c) "A wedding present to Hugh Erskine and Laura Merton, from an old beggar"
d) "A cheque for £10,000"
46. What is inside the sealed envelope?
a) A letter of apology
b) A blank check
c) A sovereign
d) A cheque for £10,000
47. Who was the best man at the wedding?
a) Baron Hausberg
b) Monsieur Gustave Naudin
c) Alan Trevor
d) The Colonel
48. What did the Baron do at the wedding breakfast?
a) He gave Hughie more money.
b) He danced with Laura.
c) He gave a speech.
d) He asked for his money back.
49. What is the final remark from Alan Trevor about millionaire models?
a) They are quite devoted to him.
b) They are very common.
c) They are rare, but model millionaires are rarer still.
d) They are all heartless.
50. What does the story's opening suggest is better than being "fascinating"?
a) Being a charming fellow
b) Having a permanent income
c) Being in love
d) Being popular with men and women
51. What is the author's overall tone towards Hughie Erskine in the beginning of the story?
a) Critical and harsh
b) Humorous and sympathetic
c) Indifferent and bored
d) Proud and admiring
52. What does Hughie’s failure on the Stock Exchange, described as a "butterfly" among "bulls and bears," imply about his character?
a) He is aggressive and cunning.
b) He is delicate and ill-suited for the aggressive world of finance.
c) He is a hard worker who can’t catch a break.
d) He is a great dancer.
53. What did Hughie’s father’s bequests suggest about his family?
a) They were a military family with some intellectual interests.
b) They were poor and had nothing to give.
c) They were wealthy and extravagant.
d) They were artists.
54. What is the literary device used in the line, "the sherry was a little too dry"?
a) Metaphor
b) Irony
c) Hyperbole
d) Personification
55. How does the Colonel's character contribute to the story's plot?
a) He provides a source of income for Hughie.
b) He gives Hughie a job.
c) He creates the central conflict by setting a financial condition for the marriage.
d) He helps Hughie find a solution.
56. The phrase "relentless colonel" suggests what kind of character?
a) Kind and caring
b) Unforgiving and strict
c) Lazy and ineffectual
d) Generous and amiable
57. What is the symbolic significance of Trevor's studio?
a) It represents a place where wealth is created.
b) It is a space where art and reality intersect.
c) It is a place of poverty and despair.
d) It is a place where Hughie can relax.
58. Trevor’s description of the beggar as a "living Velasquez" and "what an etching Rembrandt would have made of him" is an example of what?
a) Trevor's arrogance
b) Trevor's artistic vision
c) Trevor's lack of talent
d) Trevor's sense of humor
59. Why is the beggar's face "his fortune" to a painter?
a) Because he is so poor
b) Because his sad, wizened face is perfect for the painting's subject
c) Because it represents a potential source of wealth
d) Because he is actually rich
60. The exchange about the model’s percentage and the labor of painting reveals a contrast between what two perspectives?
a) The perspective of the rich and the poor
b) The perspective of the artist and the non-artist
c) The perspective of the old and the young
d) The perspective of the poet and the physician
61. Hughie's generosity to the beggar is described as what?
a) A wise investment
b) A practical decision
c) A reckless act of charity
d) A brilliant idea
62. What does the "charming scolding" from Laura imply about her character?
a) She is angry about his spending.
b) She is a materialistic person.
c) She is concerned for his financial well-being but still loves him.
d) She is indifferent to his actions.
63. What is the symbolic meaning of the "Palette Club"?
a) It is a place for the unemployed to find work.
b) It is a gathering place for artists and creative people.
c) It is a place for rich people to show off their wealth.
d) It is a club for people who love sherry.
64. When Trevor says the model has made a "conquest" of Hughie, what does he mean?
a) The model is devoted to Hughie.
b) The model wants to fight Hughie.
c) The model wants to marry Hughie.
d) The model wants to paint Hughie.
65. What does the phrase "what seems poverty to you is picturesqueness to me" suggest about Trevor's worldview?
a) He is cruel and doesn't care about the poor.
b) He views the world through an artistic lens, valuing aesthetics over practicality.
c) He is a millionaire in disguise.
d) He believes that poverty is beautiful.
66. Why does Hughie's face look "very red and angry" when Trevor tells him he discussed his private affairs with the beggar?
a) He is embarrassed by his poverty.
b) He is mad that his private life has been shared with a stranger.
c) He is frustrated with Trevor's jokes.
d) He is happy the beggar knows about his love for Laura.
67. What does the Baron's ability to "prevent Russia going to war" when he chooses imply?
a) He is a political figure.
b) He has a good relationship with the Russian government.
c) His wealth gives him immense global power and influence.
d) He is a former soldier.
68. The Baron's commission to Trevor is a perfect example of what?
a) The heartlessness of the rich
b) The practicality of the rich
c) The eccentric whims of the rich
d) The kindness of the rich
69. The quote "my dear boy, you’ll never see it again" is an example of what literary device?
a) Foreshadowing
b) Dramatic irony
c) A simile
d) A metaphor
70. What does the phrase "picture of dismay" suggest about Hughie's state?
a) He is happy and relieved.
b) He is surprised but amused.
c) He is in a state of shock and distress.
d) He is calm and collected.
71. What does Trevor mean when he says Hausberg "wasn’t in full dress"?
a) He was wearing casual clothes.
b) He was wearing the beggar's rags.
c) He was not wearing a tuxedo.
d) He was not ready for a formal introduction.
72. Trevor's line, "I can understand your kissing a pretty model, but your giving a sovereign to an ugly one - by Jove, no!" highlights what contrast in social behavior?
a) Showing affection is normal, but charity to a non-glamorous person is unexpected.
b) Kissing is okay, but giving money is not.
c) It's acceptable to be a model, but not a beggar.
d) All models are pretty.
73. Why does the Baron find Hughie's act of charity so amusing?
a) Because Hughie is poor himself.
b) Because the Baron is a good actor.
c) Because it was a huge sum of money.
d) Because it was a random act of generosity towards a man who didn't need it.
74. What does Hughie think the Baron will think of him for giving him the sovereign?
a) A hero
b) A duffer (a foolish or clumsy person)
c) A genius
d) A millionaire
75. What is the symbolic significance of Hughie's fear of showing his face "in the Row"?
a) He is afraid of being caught by the police.
b) He is embarrassed to be seen in a public, fashionable place after his blunder.
c) He is afraid of getting a job.
d) He is worried about his health.
76. Trevor's statement that Hughie's act "reflects the highest credit on your philanthropic spirit" is an example of what?
a) Sarcasm
b) A genuine compliment
c) A joke
d) A lie
77. What is written on the card of Monsieur Gustave Naudin?
a) Just his name.
b) His name and a note from the Baron.
c) His name and his profession.
d) His name and the address of the Baron.
78. What does Hughie's immediate thought that the visitor came for an "apology" reveal about his state of mind?
a) He is arrogant and wants to apologize.
b) He is still in a state of embarrassment and expects a negative outcome.
c) He is a very polite person.
d) He is angry at the Baron.
79. What does the sealed envelope from the Baron contain?
a) A letter of thanks
b) A contract for a new job
c) A check
d) A note from Laura
80. What is the final resolution of Hughie’s financial problem?
a) He finds a permanent job.
b) He sells his father's sword and book.
c) The Baron gives him the ten thousand pounds he needs to get married.
d) He inherits more money from his aunt.
81. The Baron's letter is signed by whom?
a) M. le Baron Hausberg
b) Gustave Naudin
c) An old beggar
d) Alan Trevor
82. The fact that the Baron wrote "from an old beggar" on the envelope is a final example of what?
a) His poverty
b) His humility and sense of humor
c) His cleverness
d) His spite
83. Who made a speech at the wedding breakfast?
a) Hughie Erskine
b) Laura Merton
c) Baron Hausberg
d) Alan Trevor
84. The quote "model millionaires are rarer still" serves as what for the story?
a) The inciting incident
b) The climax
c) The resolution
d) The moral
85. What is a "guinea"?
a) A unit of currency, historically worth 21 shillings.
b) A type of gold coin.
c) A rare type of bird.
d) A type of payment used by artists.
86. What is the author's primary use of language and tone in the text?
a) Formal and academic
b) Humorous and cynical
c) Straightforward and practical
d) Emotional and sentimental
87. What is the main theme of the story?
a) The importance of art
b) The difficulty of finding work
c) The irony of judging people by appearances and the value of genuine generosity
d) The struggle of love
88. How is the contrast between appearance and reality central to the story?
a) Hughie appears charming but is ineffectual.
b) Trevor appears rough but is a master artist.
c) The beggar appears poor but is actually a millionaire.
d) All of the above.
89. What does the line "Hughie had every accomplishment except that of making money" reveal about his character?
a) He is financially irresponsible.
b) He is talented but lacks practicality in a modern world.
c) He is a genius.
d) He is lazy.
90. How does the story's setting in London contribute to its themes?
a) It highlights the city's artistic scene.
b) It shows the sharp class divisions and the contrast between wealth and poverty.
c) It is a romantic setting for Hughie and Laura.
d) It provides a backdrop for the Stock Exchange.
91. What is the "History of the Peninsular War" a symbol of?
a) Hughie's military ambition
b) An outdated and impractical inheritance
c) His father's wealth
d) His knowledge of history
92. What does Hughie's preference for "hansoms" suggest about him?
a) He is a practical person.
b) He has a taste for luxury, even though he can't afford it.
c) He is a good driver.
d) He likes to walk.
93. What is the "looking-glass" a symbol of in the story?
a) Vanity and self-reflection
b) A source of light
c) A magical item
d) A window into the past
94. What is the significance of the phrase "a delightful, ineffectual young man"?
a) It describes someone who is pleasant to be around but accomplishes nothing.
b) It is an insult.
c) It is a compliment.
d) It describes someone who is both delightful and effective.
95. How does the Colonel's character contribute to the story's initial conflict?
a) He is an antagonist who prevents the protagonist from achieving his goal.
b) He is a mentor who helps Hughie.
c) He is a source of comic relief.
d) He is a foil to Laura's character.
96. The contrast between Trevor's freckled face and ragged beard and his mastery as a painter is an example of what?
a) Irony
b) A character foil
c) A stereotype
d) All of the above
97. What is the significance of the old beggar-man's "piteous expression"?
a) It is a mask for his true identity.
b) It is a genuine expression of his suffering.
c) It is a result of his wealth.
d) It is an expression of his joy.
98. The fact that the Baron "dines off gold plate" and "has a house in every capital" highlights his what?
a) His poverty
b) His immense wealth and luxury
c) His humility
d) His artistic taste
99. The story's plot is driven by what?
a) Hughie's search for a job
b) A series of misunderstandings and coincidences
c) A single act of charity
d) Trevor's paintings
100. What is the primary role of the character of Alan Trevor?
a) To serve as a rival to Hughie
b) To act as a foil to Hughie and a source of information
c) To be the main protagonist
d) To be a friend to the Baron
101. Why does Hughie feel "very glum" at the beginning of the story?
a) He lost all his money.
b) He can't get married.
c) His aunt stopped his allowance.
d) He is unemployed.
102. What does Hughie's intellectual importance measure up to?
a) He is of great importance.
b) The text says he is not of much importance.
c) He is smarter than Trevor.
d) He is a genius.
103. What is the full name of the Baron?
a) Baron Hausberg
b) Monsieur Gustave Naudin
c) M. le Baron Hausberg
d) Alan Hausberg
104. What does the "faint smile" on the beggar's lips suggest when Hughie gives him the sovereign?
a) He is happy for the money.
b) He is amused by the situation.
c) He is sad.
d) He is confused.
105. What does the phrase "all tears and tatters" describe?
a) The beggar's cloak
b) Hughie's clothes
c) The painting
d) Laura's dress
106. What is the significance of the final quote, "model millionaires are rarer still"?
a) It means it's hard to find millionaires who are good models.
b) It means it's rare to find millionaires who are genuinely good and generous people.
c) It means there are more models than millionaires.
d) It means that most millionaires are models.
107. What does the story imply about the relationship between wealth and happiness?
a) Wealth guarantees happiness.
b) Being poor means you are unhappy.
c) Wealth does not necessarily determine a person's character or generosity.
d) Wealth is a burden.
108. The title "The Model Millionaire" is a play on words. What is one of the meanings?
a) A millionaire who models for a painter.
b) A millionaire who is a role model of generosity.
c) A miniature millionaire.
d) A millionaire who is poor.
109. What is the moral lesson that Hughie learns?
a) That one should never give money to beggars.
b) That appearances can be deceiving.
c) That it is important to be practical.
d) That he is an unlucky devil.
110. How does the story use humor to convey its message?
a) Through sarcasm and witty dialogue.
b) Through slapstick comedy.
c) Through the use of puns.
d) By making fun of the characters.
111. What is the overall message of the story?
a) The importance of money in modern life.
b) The value of genuine human kindness and the irony of class distinctions.
c) The difficulty of being an artist.
d) The dangers of giving to charity.
112. The Colonel’s reference to "ten thousand pounds of your own" suggests what?
a) Hughie must earn the money himself.
b) Hughie must find someone to give him the money.
c) Hughie must steal the money.
d) Hughie must win the money in a game.
113. What is a "duffer"?
a) A person who is clever and smart.
b) A person who is foolish and clumsy.
c) A person who is rude.
d) A person who is angry.
114. How does Trevor justify his choice of model?
a) He says the beggar's face is his fortune.
b) He says beggars are hard to find.
c) He says he is a "living Velasquez."
d) All of the above.
115. What is "hock and seltzer"?
a) A type of tea
b) A alcoholic drink
c) A type of sherry
d) A non-alcoholic beverage
116. What does "philanthropic spirit" mean?
a) A spirit of generosity and charity.
b) A spirit of poverty.
c) A spirit of arrogance.
d) A spirit of art.
117. What is the significance of the card from Monsieur Gustave Naudin?
a) It is a warning to Hughie.
b) It is the beginning of the story's resolution.
c) It is a trick played by Trevor.
d) It is an invitation to a party.
118. What is the "Row"?
a) A street in London where fashionable people gather.
b) A place to row a boat.
c) A type of theater.
d) A type of race.
119. What does the sealed envelope symbolize?
a) A hidden secret
b) A final test for Hughie
c) The unexpected reward for a selfless act
d) A formal invitation
120. How does the story's ending subvert the initial cynical statement about money?
a) By showing that being charming is more important than being rich.
b) By showing that being poor is more practical.
c) By demonstrating that a rich person's generosity, not their money, can solve a problem.
d) By proving that one must be wealthy to have romance.
121. What is the meaning of the French phrase A trouvaille, mon cher, as used by Alan Trevor?
a) "What a wonderful find, my dear!"
b) "What an amazing model, my dear!"
c) "My stars! What a Velasquez!"
d) "My dear friend, how are you?"
122. The phrase À chacun son métier is used by Trevor to explain that an artist's role is to realize the world, not to reform it. What does this phrase mean?
a) "To each his own trade."
b) "Every man for himself."
c) "To each his own fantasy."
d) "The fantasy of a millionaire."
123. When Alan Trevor explains the beggar's background, he uses the phrase Que voulez-vous? La fantaisie d’un millionnaire!. What does this mean?
a) "What do you want? The fantasy of a millionaire!"
b) "What a surprise! A millionaire's fantasy!"
c) "How wonderful! The fantasy of a millionaire!"
d) "What do you think? It's a millionaire's fantasy!"
124. When Trevor laughs at Hughie, he says, Son affaire c’est l’argent des autres. What is the translation of this phrase?
a) "His business is the money of others."
b) "It's all about money."
c) "This is a great business."
d) "It's not my business."
125. The card from the Baron's representative reads Monsieur Gustave Naudin, de la part de M. le Baron Hausberg. How does this translate?
a) "Mr. Gustave Naudin, from Mr. Baron Hausberg."
b) "Mr. Gustave Naudin, the new butler."
c) "Mr. Gustave Naudin, a great friend of Baron Hausberg."
d) "Mr. Gustave Naudin, for the part of Baron Hausberg."
126. Alan Trevor mentions his "rags" are an old suit he got in Spain. What is the Spanish word for "rags" that he does not use, but the context implies?
a) Trapos
b) Dinero
c) Libros
d) Rico
127. In the context of the story, what does the French word bête mean when Alan Trevor describes the people a painter should know as bête and beautiful?
a) Stupid or foolish
b) Wild or savage
c) Clever or witty
d) Rude or ill-natured
128. When Hughie bows to the Baron's representative, what does the representative's phrase, Have I the honour of addressing Monsieur Erskine? mean?
a) "Is it an honor to meet Mr. Erskine?"
b) "Do I have the honor of addressing Mr. Erskine?"
c) "I am delighted to meet you, Mr. Erskine."
d) "Are you Mr. Erskine?"
Word Notes with Bengali Meaning
Declaration: Use Numeric UI font to get the Bengali font perfectly . Select the text and touch the 'Read Aloud ' option and set the speed at '3' to listen the whole text as one is telling you story and get better understanding.
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