School Boy Poem

What is meant by the phrase "if buds are nipped" in line 21?

• School shortens or limits children’s joy.

• Plants should never be cut or trimmed.

• School has stricter rules than parents.

• Plants should have proper care.

How is the theme of the poem developed in the second stanza?

• by implying summer mornings are delightful times to be a child

• by emphasizing children should spend summer learning about nature

• by expressing that summer is a time to be outside instead of in school

• by suggesting students complain too much about school in the summer

What can be inferred about the speaker from the first stanza?

• He knows summer is his favorite season.

• He feels depressed on summer mornings.

• He loves to be in school during the summer.

• He is inspired to be out in nature in the summer.

Which statement is a summary of the poem?

• The speaker explains the difficulty of being in school instead of being outside.

• The speaker describes how a child enjoys school but prefers the outdoors.

• The speaker compares caged birds to the animals in nature who are free.

• The speaker expresses the many joys of being out in nature.

How does the fourth stanza develop the theme of the poem?

• It conveys how fear and frustration affect a child’s learning.

• It suggests that learning takes away the joy of being a child.

• It implies a sense of confinement and a child’s loss of freedom.

• It explains why children prefer to be outside during the summer.

What can be inferred about the speaker from line 28?

• He is fearful that school is too cruel a place.

• He is upset about missing the joys of summer.

• He is overwhelmed with his lack of joy in learning.

• He is concerned about the birds who are kept in cages.

What can be inferred about the speaker from lines 13 and 14?

• He works faster so he can go back outside.

• He finds it difficult to concentrate on his studies.

• He is able to study the birds and other creatures.

• He is too excited about the weather to listen to the teacher.