Poetry Selections and Questions
Mr. Nobody
By: Author Unknown
I know a funny little man,
As quiet as a mouse,
Who does the mischief that is done
In everybody’s house!
There’s no one ever sees his face,
And yet we all agree
That every plate we break was cracked
By Mr. Nobody.
‘Tis he who always tears our books,
Who leaves the door ajar,
He pulls the buttons from our shirts,
And scatters pins afar;
That squeaking door will always squeak,
For, prithee, don’t you see,
We leave the oiling to be done
By Mr. Nobody.
The finger marks upon the door
By none of us are made;
We never leave the blinds unclosed,
To let the curtains fade.
The ink we never spill; the boots
That lying round you see
Are not our boots-they all belong
To Mr. Nobody.
Multiple Choice Questions; highlight your answer
1. Why won’t the door ever get oiled?
a. Because there is no oil
b. Because they leave it for Mr. Nobody
c. Because it doesn’t need it
2. Who has seen this man?
a. People outside the house
b. No one
c. The people in the house
3. The little man is:
a. Quiet
b. Noisy
c. Loud
4. What does Mr. Nobody do to the plates?
a. Cracks them
b. Stacks them neatly
c. Gets them dirty
Short Answer Questions; write your answer in complete sentences.
5. Who really does all the mischief around the house?
6. Do you have a Mr. Nobody at your house? If so, what does he do?
7. The tone of a poem is how the author feels about his subject. What is the tone of this poem? Give reasons for your answer.
Robin Redbreast
By: William Allingham
Good-bye, good-bye to Summer!
For Summer's nearly done;
The garden smiling faintly,
Cool breezes in the sun;
Our Thrushes now are silent,
Our Swallows flown away,--
But Robin's here, in coat of brown,
With ruddy breast-knot gay.
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
O Robin dear!
Robin singing sweetly
In the falling of the year.
Bright yellow, red, and orange,
The leaves come down in hosts;
The trees are Indian Princes,
But soon they'll turn to Ghosts;
The scanty pears and apples
Hang russet on the bough,
It's Autumn, Autumn, Autumn late,
'Twill soon be Winter now.
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
O Robin dear!
And welaway! my Robin,
For pinching times are near.
The fireside for the Cricket,
The wheatstack for the Mouse,
When trembling night-winds whistle
And moan all round the house;
The frosty ways like iron,
The branches plumed with snow,--
Alas! in Winter, dead and dark,
Where can poor Robin go?
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
O Robin dear!
And a crumb of bread for Robin,
His little heart to cheer.
Multiple Choice Questions; highlight your answer
1. What does the author mean by the line, “pinching times are near”?
a. There won’t be much food for the robin to eat.
b. The narrator is poor.
c. The other birds will hurt the robin.
2. Which of these birds is not mentioned in the poem?
a. Swallow
b. Wren
c. Thrush
3. What does the narrator want the robin to do?
a. Stay all winter long
b. Build a nest
c. Fly away
4. What does the narrator do for the robin?
a. Build its nest
b. Gives it a crumb of bread
c. Offers to let it come into his house
Short Answer Questions; write your answer in complete sentences.
5. What season is the poem written about? Give evidence from the poem to support your answer.
6. Write a three sentence summary of this poem.