Analysis of Poems

Which of the following characterizes the idea of death for the speaker in “Ode to a Nightingale”?

• excitement and intrigue

• pleasure and delight

• horror and dread

• relief and ease

Which sentence best explains the speaker’s reaction to the nightingale’s song at the beginning of “Ode to a Nightingale”?

• The speaker feels dazed because the song makes him overly happy.

• The speaker feels confused because he does not understand the song.

• The speaker feels sorrowful because he envies the nightingale’s song.

• The speaker feels jealous because he wants to sing like the nightingale.

Which of the following sets of ideas dominates the initial descriptions of the West Wind in “Ode to the West Wind”?

• violence, death, decay, and burial

• sleep, dreams, fantasy, and reverie

• peace, birth, growth, and blossoming

• translucence, light, color, and radiance

Which statement best summarizes Shelley’s depiction of the West Wind, as expressed in “Ode to the West Wind”?

• The West Wind’s gentle gusts bring a mild winter.

• The West Wind’s power is unnoticed by humankind.

• The West Wind’s destructiveness makes new life possible.

• The West Wind’s coldness can be felt around the entire world.

In “Ode to the West Wind,” what does the speaker frequently ask the West Wind to do for him?

• to hear him

• to follow him

• to look at him

• to speak to him

What is a sepulcher?

• a church

• a forest

• a tomb

• a cave

Which of the following situations best illustrates the meaning of corpse?

• He had not realized how much his body was burned by the sun.

• Friends and family gathered at the cemetery as the body was buried.

• When she rose from bed, her body still ached from yesterday’s workout.

• The doctor treated the patient’s body and then told him to get plenty of rest.

If a church organist played a dirge, which of the following is most likely true?

• There was a wedding.

• Someone recently died.

• The church was celebrating a holiday.

• A new minister was being introduced.

What is the main idea of this excerpt from “Ode to a Nightingale”?

• The speaker will follow the nightingale, using his poetry.

• The speaker will follow the nightingale by designing wings.

• The speaker will follow the nightingale with the help of a Greek god.

• The speaker will follow the nightingale by riding on another bird’s wings.

Part A: According to the speaker in “Ode to a Nightingale,” of what is the nightingale unaware?

• the cycles of history

• the fear of human mortality

• the richness of nature’s bounty

• the sorrows of human existence