Quiz: My Friend Walt Whitman by Mary Oliver

Q1: Which structure does the author use to organize the essay?

• A compare-and-contrast structure, in which she shows how her writing and Whitman's poetry differ

• A chronological structure, in which she describes how she came to appreciate Whitman's poetry

• A problem-and-solution structure, in which she explains how reading Whitman's poetry helped her

• A sequential structure, in which she outlines the steps she took to learn how to read Whitman's poetry

Q2: How does paragraph 3 of the selection contribute to the structure of the essay?

• It shows how the author's connection to Whitman's poetry grew stronger.

• It helps explain the author's decision to write her own poetry in high school.

• It establishes the reasons for the author's choice to skip school to read poetry.

• It suggests how the author's reaction to her uncle's death led her to Whitman's poetry.

Q3: Read the following sentence from paragraph 3 of the selection: The boy from Romania moved away; Whitman shone on in the twilight of my room, which was growing busy with books, and notebooks, and muddy boots, and my grandfather's old Underwood typewriter. What can the reader infer about the author from this sentence?

• After her neighbor left, the author began reading Whitman's poetry to help her deal with the loss of a friendship.

• The author often would read Whitman's poetry as a way to not deal with completing her schoolwork.

• The author found that she could escape from her current situation at home by reading Whitman's poetry.

• As the author grew up, she read Whitman's poetry to learn how to write her own poetry.

Q4: Read the following dictionary entry. palpable \păl'pә-bәl\ adj 1. evident 2. intense, as of a feeling 3. perceived by the senses 4. capable of being touched Which definition most closely matches the meaning of palpable as used in the poem quoted at the end of paragraph 4?

• Definition 1

• Definition 2

• Definition 3

• Definition 4

Q 5: Read the sentence from paragraph 5:

In those years, truth was elusive—as was my own faith that I could recognize and

contain it. Which two statements show how the author’s choice of language in this quotation helps to shape the reader’s perception?

• By describing the idea of truth as unclear, the author indicates the challenge of finding it.

• By stating that truth was always present, the author shows how she found it difficult to trust herself.

• By noting how truth was readily available, the author expresses how poetry helped her gain acceptance.

• By observing that truth was intangible, the author reveals her thoughtfulness in learning to perceive it.

• By implying that truth was sneaky, the author communicates her need to always be on guard.

Q6: Read the phrase from paragraph 5: Whitman kept me from the swamps of a worse uncertainty The author most likely uses a metaphor in this phrase to -

• describe how lonely she was after the death of her uncle

• emphasize how directionless she felt during high school

• illustrate how sad her parents were when she skipped school

• show how reading poetry taught her to express her feelings

Q 7: Read the sentence from paragraph 5. The oracular tenderness with which he viewed the world-its roughness, its differences, the stars, the spider-nothing was outside the range of his interest. Which phrase best describes the purpose for which the author uses informal language in this sentence?

• To add emphasis to particular reasons why she likes Whitman's poetry

• To keep minimal attention on particular traits found in Whitman's poetry

• To connect ideas that she believes are related to each other in Whitman's poetry

• To create a list that combines the themes found in much of Whitman's poetry

Q 9: To explain her growing appreciation for Whitman's poetry, the author -

• illustrates how her past poetry borrowed from Whitman's themes

• gives a brief history of how Whitman's life is reflected in his poetry

• describes the similarities found throughout much of Whitman's poetry

• states reasons why Whitman's poetry style resonated with her at the time

Q 10. The author includes quotes from Whitman's poetry to -

• show how specific aspects of Whitman's poetry describe her own feelings

• illustrate how Whitman's poetry still resonates throughout her own writings

• demonstrate that Whitman's poetry should be required reading for all students

• suggest that Whitman's poetry continues to be timeless in its meaning

Q 12. According to the author, how did Whitman's poetry help her when she was growing up?

• His poems gave her a release from her solitary and lonely life.

• Through his poems, Whitman first became a friend and later served as a teacher.

• His poems made her feel safe in a world that felt very dangerous.

• Through the characters in his poems, Whitman gave her the family she never had.