The Ox MCQs

Author's Photo
Have a specific topic you'd like me to cover? Feel free to contact me with your suggestions.
Author: Nasir Iqbal | Assistant Professor of English Literature
Updated on: October 22, 2025
Estimated Reading Time: 19 min

The Ox MCQs

🡆Before you begin the quiz, ensure you have a complete comprehension of the summary of The Ox by H.E. Bates.

The Ox MCQs

1. Where do the Thurlows live?

A. In a valley
B. On a small hill
C. By a river
D. In the town

B. On a small hill
Their house is on a hill, which means Mrs. Thurlow must push her heavy bicycle up and down it every day.

2. How is Mrs. Thurlow’s house described?

A. Hidden in the woods
B. Modern and spacious
C. Cosy and inviting
D. Exposed and isolated

D. Exposed and isolated
The house’s isolation reflects Mrs. Thurlow’s own lonely and disconnected life.

3. What is Mrs. Thurlow’s daily routine with her bicycle?

A. She pushes it down the hill in the morning and up in the evening
B. Her husband uses it for his work
C. It is only used for special occasions
D. She rides it to work and back

A. She pushes it down the hill in the morning and up in the evening
This detail establishes her life of relentless, difficult physical labor from the very beginning.

4. Why can Mrs. Thurlow never ride her bicycle?

A. It is always heavily loaded
B. It is broken
C. She doesn’t know how to ride
D. Her feet hurt too much

A. It is always heavily loaded
The bicycle, meant for transport, becomes just another burden for her to carry, symbolizing her life.
5. How is Mrs. Thurlow often compared in relation to her bicycle?

A. Like an athlete
B. Like a graceful dancer
C. Like a beast of burden
D. Like a clumsy child

C. Like a beast of burden
She is compared to an animal, like an ox, highlighting how her hard work has stripped her of her humanity.

6. How many employers does Mrs. Thurlow clean for daily?

A. Three
B. Four
C. Five
D. Two

B. Four
Her work is constant and exhausting, involving a long and difficult daily round of cleaning jobs.

7. What is Mrs. Thurlow’s main focus, rather than herself?

A. Her garden
B. Her community work
C. Her hobbies
D. Her husband and sons

D. Her husband and sons
Her entire existence is dedicated to working and saving money for the future of her two sons.

8. What “refined ambitions” does Mrs. Thurlow have for her sons?

A. Becoming shop assistants, clerks, or butlers
B. Becoming doctors or lawyers
C. Becoming farmers or labourers
D. Becoming artists or musicians

A. Becoming shop assistants, clerks, or butlers
Her ambitions are modest; she simply wants her sons to have easier, indoor jobs unlike their parents.

9. For how many years had Mrs. Thurlow saved money for her sons?

A. Ten years
B. Twenty years
C. Five years
D. Fifteen years

D. Fifteen years
Her saving has been a lifelong obsession, the central purpose of her entire adult life.
10. Where did Mrs. Thurlow hide her savings?

A. In a locked box in the wardrobe
B. Under a loose floorboard
C. In a bran bag under a mattress
D. In a teapot on the mantle

C. In a bran bag under a mattress
The hiding place is humble and connected to the earth, like a squirrel burying nuts for the winter.

11. What distinguishing feature does Thurlow claim to have in his head?

A. A rare bone implant
B. A solid silver plate
C. A metal pin
D. A gold tooth

B. A solid silver plate
His war injury explains his erratic behavior and provides him with a constant topic of conversation.

12. Where did Thurlow sustain his injury that resulted in the plate?

A. On the Marne
B. During a factory accident
C. In the trenches
D. At the Somme

A. On the Marne
His injury is a reminder of the violence of the Great War, which continues to affect him.

13. How does Thurlow often describe the pain from his plate?

A. It makes him sing
B. It causes him to fall asleep
C. It drives him wild and vacant
D. It makes him laugh

C. It drives him wild and vacant
The pain from his head wound makes him unpredictable and sometimes disconnected from reality.

14. What is Thurlow’s job?

A. A coal miner
B. A shop assistant
C. A farmer
D. A hedge cutter

D. A hedge cutter
Like his wife, Thurlow performs hard, physical, outdoor labor.
15. How does Thurlow typically return home on weekends?

A. Exhausted from work
B. Quietly and sober
C. A little tipsy and in a good mood
D. Angry and confrontational

C. A little tipsy and in a good mood
His drinking is a regular part of his life, but it does not always lead to aggression.

16. What did Mrs. Thurlow’s savings represent beyond money?

A. Her “creed,” symbolising the boys’ future
B. Her only source of joy
C. Her secret luxury fund
D. Her retirement plan

A. Her “creed,” symbolising the boys’ future
The money has become more than just savings; it is the entire meaning and purpose of her life.

17. What did Mrs. Thurlow do for extra money when cleaning jobs were scarce?

A. Asked her brother for help
B. Baked cakes for sale
C. Took on more washing and field work
D. Sold some of her possessions

C. Took on more washing and field work
She was willing to do any kind of hard, physical labor to continue adding to her savings.

18. How did Mrs. Thurlow often work late into the evening?

A. By candlelight
B. By moonlight
C. By the glow of the fire
D. By electric light

A. By candlelight
This detail emphasizes the poverty and hardship of her life, working even after the sun went down.

19. What was Mrs. Thurlow’s monetary goal for her sons’ future?

A. One hundred pounds
B. Two hundred pounds
C. Fifty pounds
D. Fifty-four pounds

A. One hundred pounds
She has a specific, tangible goal that drives her relentless work and saving.
20. What was Mrs. Thurlow’s only form of relaxation?

A. Gardening
B. Listening to the radio
C. Visiting her neighbours
D. Reading old newspapers collected from work

D. Reading old newspapers collected from work
Even her relaxation is connected to her work, showing how completely it dominates her life.

21. What did Mrs. Thurlow see Thurlow doing near the woodshed?

A. Repairing his bicycle
B. Chopping wood
C. Talking to a stranger
D. Hiding something under his coat

D. Hiding something under his coat
This is the first action that makes her suspicious of her husband and begins the story’s tragic turn.

22. What lie did Thurlow tell Mrs. Thurlow when she questioned him?

A. He was visiting a friend
B. He was taking the saw to be sharpened
C. He was going fishing
D. He was going to the pub

B. He was taking the saw to be sharpened
His clumsy lie confirms to Mrs. Thurlow that he is hiding something from her.

23. What made Mrs. Thurlow certain Thurlow was lying?

A. He stammered when he spoke
B. The saw was hanging in the woodshed
C. He became angry
D. He couldn’t look her in the eye

B. The saw was hanging in the woodshed
The physical evidence of the saw proves to her that he was lying about his intentions.

24. What did Mrs. Thurlow discover was missing?

A. A new suit
B. A note from Thurlow
C. Her saved money
D. The back bedroom window was broken

C. Her saved money
The loss of the money is the central catastrophe of the story, destroying her life’s purpose.
25. What unusual thing did Thurlow do when he returned home late?

A. He thoroughly washed his hands in the scullery
B. He asked for something to eat
C. He immediately went to bed
D. He started talking loudly about his plate

A. He thoroughly washed his hands in the scullery
His obsessive washing is a sign of his guilt, foreshadowing the discovery of the murder.

26. What was missing from the woodshed after Thurlow’s return?

A. The saw and some wood
B. Nothing was missing
C. Thurlow’s bicycle and the billhook
D. A shovel and a rake

C. Thurlow’s bicycle and the billhook
The missing items are the tools Thurlow used to commit and escape from the crime scene.

27. What was the terrifying element in Mrs. Thurlow’s dream?

A. Her house collapsing
B. Her sons leaving her
C. Thurlow’s bicycle with a billhook as handlebars and blood on her hands
D. Her money being burned

C. Thurlow’s bicycle with a billhook as handlebars and blood on her hands
Her subconscious mind connects her husband, his tools, and her own work with a sense of violence and blood.

28. What did the boys find in the sink the next morning?

A. Mud
B. Soapy water
C. Blood
D. A dead rabbit

C. Blood
The discovery of blood by the innocent children confirms that a violent event has taken place.

29. How did Mrs. Thurlow explain the blood in the sink?

A. She said Thurlow had cut himself
B. She ignored their question
C. She said their dad killed a rabbit
D. She told them not to worry

C. She said their dad killed a rabbit
She instinctively lies to protect her children from the terrible truth of what her husband has done.
30. Who stopped Mrs. Thurlow on the road that morning?

A. Her brother
B. Two policemén
C. Two neighbours
D. Her employers

B. Two policémen
The arrival of the police brings the public world of law and crime into her private tragedy.

31. Why did Mrs. Thurlow insist on taking her bicycle to the police station?

A. She thought it would be safer there
B. She planned to leave it for repair
C. She wanted to show them its new tyres
D. She believed she needed it for security

D. She believed she needed it for security
The bicycle is her constant companion and tool; she feels insecure and lost without it.

32. How much money did Mrs. Thurlow tell the police was stolen?

A. Fifty pounds, ten shillings, and sixpence
B. One hundred pounds, all in notes
C. Fifty-four pounds, sixteen and fourpence, with twenty-eight sovereigns
D. Thirty pounds, mostly in silver coins

C. Fifty-four pounds, sixteen and fourpence, with twenty-eight sovereigns
Her exact memory of the amount shows how obsessively she had counted and treasured her savings.
33. What did the police reveal about Thurlow’s actions on Sunday?

A. He had gone to church with the boys
B. He had been arguing in the pub about his silver plate
C. He had visited his brother
D. He had been working late in the fields

B. He had been arguing in the pub about his silver plate
This detail connects Thurlow to the victim, a stranger from London who had been flashing money at the pub.

34. What was Mrs. Thurlow’s reaction to the news of a missing man?

A. She felt relieved
B. She immediately understood the gravity of the situation
C. She panicked about Thurlow
D. She prioritised getting to her cleaning jobs

D. She prioritised getting to her cleaning jobs
Even when faced with a possible murder, her mind is fixated on her work routine, showing her distorted priorities.
35. How did Mrs. Thurlow view the loss of her money compared to a lost life?

A. She thought the loss of her money was equally, if not more, terrible.
B. She saw them as unrelated issues.
C. She felt the loss of life was much worse.
D. She didn’t have an opinion on which was worse.

A. She thought the loss of her money was equally, if not more, terrible.
This is the key moment revealing her dehumanization; the loss of her savings feels as catastrophic to her as a murder.

36. Where was the London man’s body found?

A. In a spinney
B. Behind the Black Horse pub
C. In Thurlow’s woodshed
D. In a ditch by the road

A. In a spinney
The discovery of the body in a small wood confirms that Thurlow’s argument at the pub ended in murder.
37. What was Mrs. Thurlow’s first question when she heard a warrant was out for Thurlow’s arrest?

A. Was Thurlow injured?
B. Who was the man?
C. When will he be home?
D. Have you found the money?

D. “Have you found the money?”
Her immediate question about the money, not her husband, shows the complete dominance of her obsession.

38. What did Mrs. Thurlow decide to do after finding Thurlow and the money gone?

A. Go to the police station herself
B. Walk four miles to her brother’s house
C. Leave the house forever
D. Gather her sons and run away

B. Walk four miles to her brother’s house
In her moment of crisis, she turns to her family for practical help and support.

39. How did Mrs. Thurlow feel while pushing her bicycle to her brother’s house?

A. A sense of security and fortitude
B. Angry and resentful
C. Fearful and anxious
D. Exhausted and defeated

A. A sense of security and fortitude
Even in crisis, the familiar physical act of pushing her bicycle gives her a strange sense of strength.
40. How did Mrs. Thurlow’s family feel about Thurlow?

A. They openly disapproved of him
B. They welcomed him warmly
C. They were indifferent to him
D. They admired him for his war service

A. They openly disapproved of him
Her family’s disapproval of her marriage adds to her isolation from both her husband and her relatives.

41. What did Mrs. Thurlow tell her brother about Thurlow’s situation?

A. He was ill and needed help
B. He had gone on a trip to London
C. He had found a new job
D. He was suspected of murder and had taken all her money

D. He was suspected of murder and had taken all her money
She is direct and factual about the catastrophe, focusing on the two main disasters: the crime and the lost money.

42. Why did Mrs. Thurlow want her sons to stay with her brother?

A. To keep them safe “till it’s blowed over”
B. Because her house was too small
C. So they could learn carpentry
D. So they could go to a better school

A. To keep them safe “till it’s blowed over”
She wants to protect her sons from the immediate scandal and upheaval of their father’s crime.
43. What was Mrs. Thurlow’s reaction to her sons’ excitement about staying with their uncle?

A. Angry and resentful
B. Indifferent
C. Slightly depressed, slightly relieved
D. Joyful and relieved

C. Slightly depressed, slightly relieved
This shows the distance between her and her sons; she is sad they are not upset, but also relieved of her burden.

44. What problem did Mrs. Thurlow notice with her bicycle the next morning?

A. A broken chain
B. A slow puncture in the back tyre
C. A loose handlebar
D. A rusty pedal

B. A slow puncture in the back tyre
The deflating tyre symbolizes her own deflating hopes and the slow collapse of her world.
45. When police told Mrs. Thurlow, “We got Thurlow,” what was her immediate question?

A. Is he got the money?
B. Where is he?
C. Is he hurt?
D. What did he say?

A. Is he got the money?
This question, repeated throughout the story’s climax, is the ultimate proof of her dehumanizing obsession.

46. What was Thurlow wearing when Mrs. Thurlow saw him in his cell?

A. A prison uniform
B. His old work clothes
C. A new, ill-fitting grey suit
D. Nothing in particular, just regular clothes

C. A new, ill-fitting grey suit
The new suit, likely bought with her stolen money, is a final, bitter irony.

47. What was Thurlow’s response when Mrs. Thurlow asked about the money?

A. He shook his head and could not remember anything.
B. He confessed to spending it.
C. He told her where he had hidden it.
D. He became angry and defensive.

A. He shook his head and could not remember anything.
Whether he is lying or genuinely cannot remember, the money is lost to her forever.

48. What was noticeably absent from the newspaper stories about the murder?

A. Details about the victim
B. His photograph
C. Any mention of the money
D. Any mention of the silver plate

C. Any mention of the money
The absence of the money in the news confirms to her that her personal tragedy is separate and unnoticed by the world.

49. What news did Mrs. Thurlow’s brother deliver about her sons?

A. They had decided they didn’t want to come back.
B. They were returning home that day.
C. They were going on a holiday with him.
D. They wanted to visit Thurlow in jail.

A. They had decided they didn’t want to come back.
This is the final, devastating blow. The sons for whom she sacrificed everything have chosen to leave her.
50. How did Mrs. Thurlow feel as she pushed her deflating bicycle home?

A. Hopeful for a new beginning
B. As if pushing “forward into nowhere” and might never reach home
C. Relieved of her burdens
D. Determined to start a new life

B. As if pushing “forward into nowhere” and might never reach home
The story ends with this image of complete hopelessness. She has lost her money, her husband, and her sons.

Brief Overview

The Ox by H. E. Bates is a bleak story about the hard life of Mrs. Thurlow. She is a woman who works constantly, cleaning houses to save money for her two sons’ future. She saves £54 over 15 years, seeing the money as her only hope for escaping poverty.

Her lazy husband, Thurlow, who often complains about a war injury, suddenly steals the entire savings. Immediately after, he becomes the primary suspect in the brutal murder of a man from a pub.

The police question Mrs. Thurlow, but her sole concern is the missing money. She believes the loss of the savings, which represented her sons’ future, is a greater tragedy than the murder itself. Thurlow is arrested, and Mrs. Thurlow visits him in jail, repeatedly asking where the money is, but he cannot remember taking it.

Thurlow is convicted. In the spring, Mrs. Thurlow’s final hope is destroyed when her sons refuse to return home from their uncle’s house. She is left with no husband, no money, and no sons. She pushes her bicycle home alone, feeling she is going “forward into nowhere.”

5/5 - (2 votes)

Related Posts

Leave a comment