Poetry Collection 1
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
Critical ReadingIdentify the letter of the choice that best answers the question.
____ 1. Why is “The Bridegroom” considered a narrative poem?
a. / because it has a speakerb. / because it tells a story
c. / because it creates a single impression
d. / because it is so long
____ 2. What happens at the very beginning of “The Bridegroom”?
a. / Natasha tells about a scary dream.b. / Natasha sees a man and screams.
c. / Natasha returns after being missing.
d. / Natasha has the police arrest someone.
____ 3. By the end of the poem, what can you guess about Natasha and the bridegroom?
a. / Natasha saw the bridegroom murder another girl.b. / Natasha is mistaken in her fear of the bridegroom.
c. / The bridegroom will help Natasha recover from her scary dream.
d. / The bridegroom is already married to someone else.
____ 4. What feeling is conveyed by the imagery in “The Guitar”?
a. / joyb. / sadness
c. / surprise
d. / anger
____ 5. How many complete sentences would be said in reading aloud the following lines from “The Fish”?
He hung a grunting weight,
battered and and venerable
and homely. [p. 293, ll. 7–9]
a. / noneb. / one
c. / two
d. / three
____ 6. To which of the five senses does the following imagery from “The Fish” appeal?
He was speckled with barnacles,
fine rosettes of lime, [p. 293, ll. 16–17]
a. / sightb. / hearing
c. / taste
d. / touch
____ 7. What event is described in the poem “Danny Deever”?
a. / a military battleb. / a military parade
c. / a military inspection
d. / a military execution
____ 8. In “The Bridegroom,” what is the dream that Natasha describes?
a. / a vision she had when the bridegroom drove byb. / the nightmare she had every night while she was missing
c. / an eyewitness account of the murder she witnessed
d. / a story the police asked her to tell to trap a murderer
____ 9. From the beginning of “The Bridegroom” to the end, how does Natasha change?
a. / from a frightened girl to a strong womanb. / from a shy daughter to a bitter fiancée
c. / from a lazy dreamer to a practical wife
d. / from a mischievous child to a criminal
____ 10. When reading “The Bridegroom” aloud, why is the punctuation of these lines important?
The groom blanches, / Trembles. Confusion… / Seize him! the law commands.
a. / The pauses give listeners time to understand what is going on.b. / The pauses give the reader time to take a breath.
c. / The pauses indicate that the bridegroom has escaped.
d. / The pauses build suspense for the narrative's climax.
____ 11. Which phrase best describes “The Guitar”?
a. / a lyric poem with a sad, mournful moodb. / a lyric poem that conveys the playfulness of strumming
c. / a narrative poem about a man who loves great music
d. / a narrative poem about how a love song was written
____ 12. To which senses does the following imagery from “The Fish” appeal?
and a fine black thread / still crimped from the strain and snap
a. / sight, touch, hearingb. / sight, hearing, taste
c. / hearing, touch, smell
d. / hearing, taste, sight
____ 13. When the speaker of “The Fish” studies the fish's jaw, what does she realize?
a. / The fish has been sick for a long time.b. / The fish escaped capture five times.
c. / The fish is too small to hold onto.
d. / The fish is a rare, valuable species.
____ 14. Which of the following elements makes “Danny Deever” difficult to read aloud?
a. / The speakers talk in a specific kind of dialect.b. / The poet does not identify which speaker is talking.
c. / Each man speaks the exact same number of lines.
d. / The reader does not know what is going on until the end.
____ 15. In “Danny Deever,” why is Files-on-Parade especially disturbed by the execution?
a. / He actually committed the crime.b. / He informed on Danny Deever.
c. / Danny Deever is someone he knows.
d. / Danny Deever begged him for mercy.
Vocabulary and Grammar
____ 16. In “The Bridegroom,” why are Natasha's parents “Stricken with foreboding”?
a. / because they are excited about planning Natasha's weddingb. / because they are afraid something bad will happen to Natasha
c. / because they are angry that Natasha has been misbehaving
d. / because they feel guilty after Natasha gets hurt badly
____ 17. Which sentence does NOT include a prepositional phrase?
a. / I went to the store for some eggs.b. / The letter from Hank was funny.
c. / I went swimming yesterday morning.
d. / The woman on the right is Sarah.
____ 18. What does the speaker of “The Fish” mean when she describes the fish as venerable?
a. / The fish is ugly and repulsive.b. / The fish is worthy of respect.
c. / The fish is inexperienced.
d. / The fish is wild and fierce.
____ 19. If you read a poem monotonously, how will your audience likely react?
a. / with cheers of approvalb. / with gasps of fright
c. / with chuckles of delight
d. / with yawns of boredom
Essay
20. The poems in this group explore powerful themes about music, evil, compassion, and death. In an essay, discuss how the theme, or message about life, is conveyed in one of the poems. Explain how the poet uses imagery or a dramatic narrative to convey the theme.