Mouse in the House

What is the theme of the poem?

• One may feel uncertain in a new situation.

• It is best to be confident when dealing with a difficult situation.

• It feels satisfying to help someone in need.

• One must be careful when removing a pest from the house.

"with my embarrassment of cats", what does the poet mean by the line?

• The speaker is worried that her cats do not know what to do about a mouse.

• The speaker is surprised that her many cats did not notice the mouse.

• The speaker thinks that her cats are amused by the mouse.

• The speaker wants more cats because the ones she has did not see the mouse.

How do lines 11-19 contribute to the overall structure of the poem?

• They introduce the lesson that the characters learn.

• They explain how the characters solve the problem.

• They describe the conflict that the characters face.

• They provide background information about the characters.

How is the mouse different from the cats?

• The mouse is fast and swift, but the cats are slow.

• The mouse is frantic and wild, but the cats are asleep.

• The mouse wants to hide, but the cats want to play with him.

• The mouse runs under the chairs, but the cats jump over them.

Which set of lines from the poem best supports the answer to Part A (the last question)?

• "prowling the grounds,

  territorial guards

  who sing from curtains to demolish flies"

• "but there he is, again!

  a silvery flash the size of my thumb,

  his diagram of house plans evidently lost,"

• "the minuscule intruder blunders,

  into a room of sleeping cats,

  lurches over chairs, footstool, stacks of books,"

• "broom in hand,

  I keep back the cats,

  I scoop up the mouse"

What can the reader infer about the cats based on the poem?

• The cats were unaware at first that the mouse was in the house.

• The cats were distracted from seeing the mouse because of the spiders in the house.

• The cats were excited about the presence of the mouse in the house.

• The cats were playful with the mouse while it was in the house.

"I stand with my broom, like Lady Liberty", what does the poet mean by the simile used in the lines?

• The speaker sweeps carefully with her broom.

• The speaker puts away her broom quickly.

• The speaker waits patiently with her broom.

• The speaker holds up her broom proudly.

How does the speaker's point of view influence how events are described?

• It allows the reader to understand the speaker's thoughts and actions as she helps a mouse get outside.

• It allows the reader to understand the speaker's frustration with her cats when they do not help the mouse get outside.

• It allows the reader to understand the speaker's actions as she tries to find where the mouse went in the house.

• It allows the reader to understand the speaker's amusement as she watches her cats and a mouse play in the house.