Fall 23 MVPA # 2 "The Shell" questions

Which is a theme of the poem?

• Objects can conjure powerful memories

• Music can be created from everyday items

• People value connection over isolation

• People soon become indifferent to new sensations

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Which quote from the poem supports the theme that people value connection over isolation?

• "And then I pressed the shell Close to my ear," (lines 1-2)

• "It was a sunless strand that never bore The footprint of a man," (lines 10-11)

• "Was twilight only, and the frightened croon, Smitten to whimpers, of the dreary wind" (lines 26-27)

• "And then I tossed my ear-O, it was sweet To hear a cart go jolting down the street." (lines 29-30)

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

How does the speaker change by the end of the poem?

• The speaker experiences a sense of loss when the shell slips from his hands

• The speaker feels a sense of relief when he is abruptly startled

• The speaker is inspired by imagined events to make a personal change

• The speaker sees the beach he visits every day in a new light

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Which quotation supports the inference that time is suspended inside the shell?

• Came low and clear The slow, sad murmur of the distant seas," (lines 5-6)

• "And in the hush of waters was the sound Of pebbles, rolling round," (lines 16-17)

• "And bubbling seaweeds, as the waters go, Swish to and fro" (lines 19-20)

• "There was no day; Nor ever came a night" (lines 22-23)

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

How do the phrases "sunless strand" and "dreary winds" affect the tone of the poem?

• phrases convey a depressing tone to describe a gloomy landscape

• phrases convey an intimidated tone to relay the speaker's insecurity being all alone

• phrases convey an ominous tone to show the speaker's obliviousness to danger

• phrases convey a nostalgic tone to remind the reader of a familiar place

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

How do the following lines develop the speaker's response to the shell?

And bubbling seaweeds, as the waters go, Swish to and fro Their long, cold tentacles of slimy grey. There was no day; Nor ever came a night Setting the stars alight

• speaker calls on his prior knowledge of the sea to decipher the sounds he hears

• speaker is entranced by the haunting beauty of the sea envisioned in his own mind

• speaker loses his sense of self and is transported in his mind to a strange world

• speaker is comforted by the idea that he is one small part of a much larger world

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

What is the purpose of the figurative language in the following lines?

Was twilight only, and the frightened croon, Smitten to whimpers, of the dreary wind

• to establish the allure of the sea

• to convey the haunting murmur of the sea inside the shell

• to imply that the speaker listened to the shell all day

• to express that the shell distracts the speaker from his concerns

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

In the following line, how does personification of the waves affect the poem?

And waves that journeyed blind---

• it reinforces the speaker's connection to the sea

• it contributes to the speaker's disoriented feeling

• it expresses the speaker's sense of loss

• it signifies the speaker's longing for adventure

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

How does the structure of the poem reveal the tension that develops within the speaker?

• descriptions in section 1 evoke a sense of loneliness with which the speaker grows increasingly uneasy in section 2

• rhyme scheme creates a feeling of calm and predictability that complements the speaker's experience listening to the shell he finds on the shore

• sections 1 and 2 contain imagery of a vibrant beach and ocean world that directly contrast with the speaker's dull life

• speaker's disjointed focus from the beach to the shell reflects the chaotic nature of his own mind

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9