French language Q&A Forum

In the answers to "and equality also means freedom", it seems as if "l'égalité" and "la liberté" can be used in place of "égalité" and "liberté".

Does this mean that if you use "l'égailté" that you should also use "la liberté", or if you use "égalité" you should use "liberté"? Or is there some subtlety with the verb chosen that would require the use of an article?

Can you use d'ici in the past? For example, can I say: "La semaine dernière j'ai beaucoup travaillé, a tel point que d'ici vendredi j'étais crevée."?

"Jacques est descendu du haricot magique." was translated to: "Jack got off the magic beanstalk." I answered, "Jack climbed down the beanstalk" and it was marked wrong. Larousse clearly states that "descendre de" (using etre as the auxiliary verb) means "climb or climb down". Hence, my confusion.

Why "qui venait à l'origine" followed by "a progressivement imprégné"  ?  I think the passe compose describes an event completed in the past.  Something that has taken place gradually is not a completed event.

La parade is used as translation for the parade.  Is using le defile (sorry, can't get the accent aigu on the e's) incorrect? I don't even see it as an option in any of the possible translations listed.