The Hollow

Which two quotations from the poem include references to Washington Irving’s famous story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”?

• About this sleepy, little town

• There were tales about the haunted woods

• Just as I heard a lone wolf's cry

• As the harvest moon rose into the sky

• Through the fallen leaves of maple and oak

Which inference about the speaker does the second stanza best support?

• The speaker lacks courage.

• The speaker is difficult to scare.

• The speaker tends to take foolish risks.

• The speaker is influenced by scary stories.

Read this quotation from the selection.

The headless horseman I hoped not to see

The most likely reason the speaker refers to the “headless horseman” is to —

• add to the feeling of suspense

• make the situation seem fanciful

• describe the hollow in a lighthearted way

• shift the setting from a graveyard to a bridge

How does the last stanza affect the meaning of the selection?

• It concludes the poem on an uncertain note.

• It exposes the danger that lurks in the woods.

• It shows there is a good reason to be afraid.

• It reveals nothing scary has happened or will happen.

What is the rhyme scheme of the selection?

• ABAB

• ABBA

• AABB

• AAAB

Which two are details from the selection that indicate it belongs in the horror genre?

• The shocking twist at the end

• The descriptions of scary sounds

• The death of one of the characters

• The increasingly dangerous situation

• The suggestion of supernatural elements

Based on the ending of the poem, what message does the poet most likely want to convey?

• There is no way to escape your fate.

• Home is where the heart is.

• The only thing to fear is fear itself.

• Nature is more powerful than people.

Why is this selection an example of irony?

• The speaker’s real meaning differs from what is actually said.

• The speaker’s feeling about the situation turns out to be correct.

• The speaker knows less about the situation than the reader does.

• The speaker undercuts the suspense by ending on a humorous note.

Which quotation from the selection best demonstrates the poem’s point of view?

• The October night was dark and cold

• There were tales about the haunted woods

• And if I survived, I’d never be the same

• As the harvest moon rose into the sky