Burning a Book Quiz

PART A: Which of the following best summarizes the theme of this poem? (RL.1.2)

• Ignorance and a lack of new ideas are greater threats to society than burning books.

• Book burning creates ignorance and chaos in societies; free speech should be encouraged.

• The worst threat of censorship is its ability to erase prominent writers from history.

• We are all guilty of censorship when we reject ideas that do not align with our own.

Tags

RL.1.2

PART B: Which lines from the poem best support the answer to Part A? (RL.1.1)

• “The cover goes first, then outer leaves / curling away, then spine and a scattering” (Lines 3-4)

• “More disturbing / than book ashes are whole libraries that no one / got around to writing” (Lines 10-12)

• “the terrorized countryside where wild dogs / own anything that moves” (Lines 14-15)

• “So I’ve burned books. And there are many / I haven’t even written, and nobody has.” (Lines 18-19)

Tags

RL.1.1

PART A: As used in line 13, what does the word “unthought” mean? (RL.2.4)

• acceptance of book-burning

• an inability to read

• hostility toward censorship

• absence of new ideas

Tags

RL.2.4

Read the following excerpt from the passage.

“More disturbing

than book ashes are whole libraries that no one

got around to writing—desolate

towns, miles of unthought in cities,

and the terrorized countryside where wild dogs

[15] own anything that moves.”

What does the word "desolate" mean as used in the context of the stanza? (RL.2.4)

• Deserted or empty

• chaotic

• lively

• crowded

Tags

RL.2.4

How does the author use structure to convey a sense of tension in the passage? (RL.2.5)

• He creates tension by detailing in stanza 1 and the description of the books that were destroyed in stanza 2.

• He creates tension through the description of those who burn books in stanza 1 and the revelation that he has burned books in stanza 3.

• He creates tension by revealing that he is responsible for burning books stanza 1 and admitting that there are some books that should be burned in stanza 3.

• He creates tension through the imagery of the burning book in stanza 1 and the description of a society in which there are no books and thoughts are not shared.

Tags

RL.2.4

How does the author develop his perspective on book burning? (RL.2.6)

• By showing the physical effects of burning books, followed by how it impacts society as a whole.

• By emphasizing the positive impacts of burning books, followed by the negative toll it takes on people.

• By highlighting how libraries are affected by burning books, followed by how the individual is affected.

• By detailing the process of finding which books are worthy of destroying, followed by an explanation of why those books should be burned.

Tags

RL.2.6