Those Winter Sundays

​Those Winter Sundays

By Deborah Garcia

Multiple Choice

Written from an _____________ perspective, the poem sees the speaker reflecting on the parenting style of his father.

• teenager

• child

• adult

• none of the above

Multiple Choice

On Sundays (traditionally a day of rest), the father is always the __________ to rise.

• first

• last

Multiple Choice

On these harsh winter mornings, he gets up early even though he is tired from his week of hard work outside to ______________________.

• go to work.

• wake up everyone in order to get all the household chores done.

• light a fire and bring warmth to the house.

Multiple Choice

The poem showcases _______________ acts that the father performs for his son.

• selfish

• selfless

• pitiful

• regretful

Multiple Choice

The poem talks about ____________________ relationship.

• mother-son

• mother-daughter

• father-son

• father-daughter

Multiple Choice

The speaker regrets his ______________ behavior towards his father.

• indifferent

• loving

• selfless

• possessive

Multiple Choice

"blueblack cold" is trying to convey that-

• his skin was blue in colour.

• it was extremely cold.

• his father used to beat him up.

• the sky is blueblack in colour.

Multiple Choice

In line 5, the sentence " No one ever thanked him", suggests the poem explores the theme of

• uninformed judgement
• domestic problems
• suppressed excitement
• belated gratitude

Multiple Choice

Of the following words, which is the best choice for the poem's tone?

• carefree

• optimistic

• self righteous

• regretful

Multiple Choice

I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.

When the rooms were warm, he'd call

and slowly I would rise and dress

fearing the chronic angers of that house

What is the tone of the lines?

• Happy

• Warm

• Apprehensive

• Angry

Multiple Select

Based upon what you can infer from the poem, what was the father’s occupation?

• Business Professional

• Medical Doctor

• Physical Laborer

• Prisoner in Jail

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct statement. (Only one of these is directly supported by the poem.)

• The weather was quite warm outside the house.

• There were many children in the family.

• The poet acknowledged the sacrifices of his father when he, himself , grew up.

• The poem was given as a birthday gift to the poet's father.

Multiple Choice

What was the poet’s attitude towards his father in his childhood?

• Thankfulness

• Indifference

• Fearfulness

• Sympathy

Multiple Select

How does the father show his love?

• In an extravagant manner

• In a simple way, mostly through little actions

Multiple Choice

Which pairs of words describe the sounds of the fire?

• blanked/blaze

• splintering/breaking

• blueblack/cold

• Sundays/shoes

• austere/lonely

Multiple Choice

The poet's diction in the last two lines of the poem identifies the father as one who

• was cruel and detached

• performs his responsibilities with love

• is unaware of the pain he is causing

• looks toward future rewards

• is frivolous and elusive

Multiple Choice

What does the speaker come to understand when he or she is older?

• The speaker's father never loved him/her after all.

• That people may live and die and the seasons will always change.

• It's important to dress warmly in wintertime.

• Though stern, the father expressed love through actions.

Open Ended

What is the theme of the poem? Use ACE strategy and text evidence to support your answer.

Open Ended

In this poem, the speaker is looking back on his childhood as an adult. What do you think he understands about his childhood now that he didn't when he was young? Use ACE strategy and text evidence to support your answer.