Question

Read the excerpt from the General Prolgue to the Canterbury Tales.

But with these relics, when he came upon
Some poor up-country priest or backwoods parson,
In just one day he’d pick up far more money
Than any parish priest was like to see
In two whole months. With double-talk and tricks
He made the people and the priest his dupes.
But to speak truth and do the fellow justice,
In church he made a splendid ecclesiastic.

Which underlined word best characterizes the pardon-seller as a swindler?

backwoods
money
double-talk
priest

Answer 1

double-talk

It directly names the deceptive speech and tricks he used to swindle people.