The Seedling

Read Lines 31–32 from the poem.

Till you raise to light and beauty Virtue’s fair, unfading flowers.

The poet uses these lines as

• A.

  a simile comparing one’s splendor to that of a flower.

• B.

  an analogy comparing goodness to light.

• C.

  an idiom expressing that worth comes from beauty and brilliance.

• D.

  a metaphor expressing radiance and loveliness are good qualities.

What does the poet use at the beginning of the poem to develop the mood?

• A.

  analogies

• B.

  direct quotes

• C.

  personification

• D.

  rhyming words

The poet arranged the ideas in the poem by

• A.

  listing the parts of a seed.

• B.

  comparing the seed to a stem.

• C.

  contrasting a child with an adult.

• D.

  sequencing the steps of plant growth.

Which lines from the poem are an example of personification?

• A.

  So it pushed a little leaflet / Up into the light of day,

• B.

  To be sure, the haste and hurry / Made the seedling sweat and pant;

• C.

  The sunshine poured upon it, / And the clouds they gave a shower;

• D.

  Every child must share life’s labor / Just as well as every man.

Read Lines 17–20 from the poem.

To be sure, the haste and hurry Made the seedling sweat and pant; But almost before it knew it It found itself a plant.

Which literary device does the author use in these lines to describe the seed?

• A.

  alliteration

• B.

  analogy

• C.

  personification

• D.

  simile

Read Line 19 from the poem.

But almost before it knew it

The phrase almost before it knew it means the seed changed into a plant

• A.

  with great effort.

• B.

  earlier than most.

• C.

  more quickly than expected.

• D.

  after thinking about it.

What is the mood of the poem?

• A.

  mysterious

• B.

  sad

• C.

  suspenseful

• D.

  positive

Read Line 26 from the poem.

Always do the best you can;

This expression means

• A.

  you will rise to the top.

• B.

  do your part of the work.

• C.

  never give up.

• D.

  put forth great effort.