Read the excerpt below from act 1.2 of the tragedy of julius caesar and complete the instruction that follows. casca: why, there was a crown offered him; and being offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus; and then the people fell a-shouting. brutus: what was the second noise for? casca: why, for that too. cassius: they shouted thrice. what was the last cry for? casca: why, for that too. brutus: was the crown offered him thrice? casca: ay, marry, was’t; and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every putting by, mine honest neighbors shouted. put it by – v. turned it down; refused it. thrice – adv. three times. marry – adv. indeed. summarize the events of the excerpt above.

The correct answer is, 

Casca, Brutus, and Cassius discuss Caesar’s three refusals of a crown offered to him and the crowd’s cheers for him to accept it.

Cassius and Brutus question Casca about the shouting they heard coming from some place else. They are told Julius Caesar was offered the crown to be a monarch for the Roman Empire. The crown was offered three times and refused by Caesar every time.

Explanation:

Let's add just a little bit more context to this dialog:

Cassius is trying to poison Brutus against Caesar. It's Cassius' desire to have Caesar killed. He tells Brutus that Caesar is a weakling, inapt for ruling an Empire, and no better than any of them. He also tries to convince Brutus that he - Brutus - is too humble to admit his own greatness, thus implying that, by removing such an obstacle - Caesar -, Brutus could be the one rule.

While talking in this manner, they hear the people shouting and think of the possibility of Caesar being crowned already. That's why they question Casca about it.

reasoning from several particular examples to establish a general principle