Intermezzo Quizzes

Intermezzo Quiz for Chapters 1-5

By Isabella Ribeiro · Edited by James Cooper · Last reviewed November 27, 2025

1 Who narrates the opening section of the novel?

Margaret

Ivan

Christine

Peter
2 For what does Peter critique Ivan?

His outfit at their father's funeral

Choosing to date an older woman

Not emotionally supporting him

Aspiring to be a professional chess player
3 What is the age difference between Peter and Ivan?

Nine years

A decade

Two decades

14 years
4 How does Peter define classical conditioning?

Exploitation of the innocent

The relationship between memory and feeling

None

Manipulation of certain appetites
5 Why had Peter been out of touch with Naomi?

Peter took a break from life without telling anyone

Peter was leading up to ending their relationship

Peter was secretly ensconced in a hotel with his other girlfriend

Peter's father recently died
6 How does Naomi earn extra cash?

Working at her school library

Prostitution

By selling risqué photos of herself online

Dog walking
7 Why does Margaret not recognize Ivan?

He looks younger than his age

He uses a fake online profile photo

She did not remember him from their previous meeting

She was not meant to recognize him
8 What does Margaret do for work?

She works at a local community arts center

She is captain of a local chess club

She is a human rights lawyer

She runs a bar
9 What makes Ivan nervous?

Playing chess

Contemplating the approach of the event

Beating a ten year-old girl

Drinking a beer with Ollie
10 Who gave the eulogy at Ivan and Peter's father's funeral?

Christine

Ivan

Peter

Darren
11 Where was the Koubek brothers' father from?

Bulgaria

Slovakia

Slovenia

Ireland
12 What charged word does Margaret regret using in conversation with Ivan at the bar?

Hungry

Passionate

Thirsty

Desire
13 Which of the following is true about Rooney's writing?

It purposely distorts standard grammatical structures

It lacks quotation marks

It flits between the first-person perspectives of multiple characters

Characters can read each other's minds
14 What happens after Ivan and Margaret's rendezvous?

They plan a romantic getaway

They decide to leave it at a one-night stand

Ivan leaves his phone number with Margaret

They profess their love for each other
15 What does Peter call Ivan in response to his chess performance?

A loser

A rat

A nerd

A genius
16 How is Peter concerned that he is exploiting Naomi?

Sexually and financially

Emotionally and psychologically

Physically

Intellectually
17 What does Peter do with the letter that Naomi shows him?

Forgets about it

Opens a court case

Reads and corrects it

Returns it to the sender
18 Who is Alexei?

A member of the chess club

Ivan's dog

Ivan's father's best friend

A chess opponent
19 How does Ivan earn money?

Freelance data analysis

Margaret financially provides for him

Chess tournaments

Sponsorships
20 What does Ivan do when Margaret cries?

He holds her

He turns away, unable to handle her emotions

He tells her to stop crying

He tells her to see a therapist
21 Sylvia tells Peter that Ivan looks like __.

a twelve year-old boy

an old man

him (Peter)

their father
22 How does Sylvia want Peter to remember her?

as a friend

an an angel

the way she was before the accident

as the other
23 What kind of boundary does Sylvia redraw?

Transcendental

Emotional

Sexual

Intellectual
24 What confronts the fact of Sylvia's living body?

Sylvia's love for Christ

Peter's righteousness

Sylvia's high cold austerity

The brute force of Peter's appetite
25 What does Janine inform Peter about Naomi?

She moved into his apartment.

She never wants to see Peter again.

She knows the truth about Peter's relationship with Sylvia.

She was arrested.

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