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

Peter

Christine
2 For what does Peter critique Ivan?

Choosing to date an older woman

Aspiring to be a professional chess player

His outfit at their father's funeral

Not emotionally supporting him
3 What is the age difference between Peter and Ivan?

A decade

14 years

Two decades

Nine years
4 How does Peter define classical conditioning?

Manipulation of certain appetites

None

The relationship between memory and feeling

Exploitation of the innocent
5 Why had Peter been out of touch with Naomi?

Peter's father recently died

Peter was secretly ensconced in a hotel with his other girlfriend

Peter took a break from life without telling anyone

Peter was leading up to ending their relationship
6 How does Naomi earn extra cash?

Prostitution

By selling risqué photos of herself online

Working at her school library

Dog walking
7 Why does Margaret not recognize Ivan?

He uses a fake online profile photo

She was not meant to recognize him

He looks younger than his age

She did not remember him from their previous meeting
8 What does Margaret do for work?

She runs a bar

She is a human rights lawyer

She works at a local community arts center

She is captain of a local chess club
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?

Ivan

Darren

Peter

Christine
11 Where was the Koubek brothers' father from?

Bulgaria

Ireland

Slovenia

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

Desire

Hungry

Passionate

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

Characters can read each other's minds

It flits between the first-person perspectives of multiple characters

It purposely distorts standard grammatical structures

It lacks quotation marks
14 What happens after Ivan and Margaret's rendezvous?

They plan a romantic getaway

They profess their love for each other

Ivan leaves his phone number with Margaret

They decide to leave it at a one-night stand
15 What does Peter call Ivan in response to his chess performance?

A loser

A rat

A genius

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

Emotionally and psychologically

Sexually and financially

Physically

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

Returns it to the sender

Reads and corrects it

Forgets about it

Opens a court case
18 Who is Alexei?

Ivan's father's best friend

A member of the chess club

Ivan's dog

A chess opponent
19 How does Ivan earn money?

Freelance data analysis

Sponsorships

Margaret financially provides for him

Chess tournaments
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

him (Peter)

an old man

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

the way she was before the accident

as the other

as a friend

an an angel
23 What kind of boundary does Sylvia redraw?

Intellectual

Emotional

Sexual

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

Sylvia's high cold austerity

Peter's righteousness

The brute force of Peter's appetite

Sylvia's love for Christ
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.

Intermezzo Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Intermezzo is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Ask Your Own Question

Study Guide for Intermezzo

Intermezzo study guide contains a biography of Sally Rooney, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

Read the Study Guide for Intermezzo…