I Hear America Singing

"I heard America singing, the varied carols I hear"
The root word var means change.  Using this information and the context from the quote, what is the meaning of the word varied? 

• showing changes or differences.
• changing constantly
• interesting or fascinating
• hard to understand

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

"Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong"
Based on the tone of the poem, which is the following is the likely tone (or connotation) of blithe?

• negative
• neutral
• positive

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

"The wood-cutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown" 
Plough is pronounced plow.  A plough is a tool used on a farm to dig up soil.  Based on that information, what is the best definition of a ploughboy?  

• A person who builds farm tools.  
• A slave. 
• A farmer.  
• A boy who works on a farm. 

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

"The day what belongs to the day - at night the party fo young fellows, robust, friendly" 
The Latin word robur means strength.  
True or False: Someone who is robust is healthy and full of energy.  

• True
• False

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

"Singing with open mouths their strong, melodious songs." 
Use your knowledge of word parts and context clues to select the best definition of melodious.
Hint: What smaller word do you hear in the word melodious?

• smelling terrible
• having a pleasant tune
• something that is exaggerated
• a happy feeling

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

The Americans the speaker refers to in the poem "I Hear America Singing" are-

• ordinary working people
• wounded soldiers
• great figures in the US history
• doctors and nurses

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.11

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Which of the following statements is true about the songs America is singing?

• The songs are out of tune
• Each person has a different song
• People are singing songs no one can hear
• People are singing out of sorrow

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

The speaker does NOT suggest that American women-

• are full participants in society 
• work as hard as the men do
• are unfulfilled in their jobs
• do many kinds of work

You can infer that Whitman chose to write about these Americans because-

• these were the people he had only read about 
• he wanted them to have better working conditions
• he wanted to make up for his life of privilege
• he thought they were the true American heros

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.11

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

As used in this poem, what does the word singing symbolize?

• Complaining 
• Slacking
• Celebrating
• Communicating

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9