Air Poem

What is the poem 'Air' by Mordecai Gerstein mainly about?

• The color of the sky

• The smell of different things

• The characteristics and effects of air

• How to fly like birds and butterflies

In line 19, the word musses means —

• gets wet

• makes clean

• removes from a location

• rearranges in an untidy way

Read lines 5 through 9 of the poem. Why does the poet include descriptive language in these lines?

• To persuade the reader to spend more time outdoors

• To tell the reader that air can smell like many things after it rains

• To explain how the smell of roses is different from the smell of skunk

• To emphasize that air can be both pleasant and unpleasant

Line 38 is different from the other lines of the poem most likely because the poet wants to —

• show that this line should be read quickly

• add humor to the poem by spelling the word incorrectly

• emphasize the idea expressed in the line

• suggest that this is the most important word in the poem

Which line from the poem best shows that air can be powerful?

• The sky is made of air.

• It tears leaves off trees

• It has no color or shape

• or blow a soap bubble.

The speaker in the poem believes that the difference between wind and air is that wind is —

• colder

• thinner

• smelly

• moving

What can the reader conclude about the speaker’s ideas about air throughout the poem?

• The speaker has changed his mind about air.

• The speaker wishes that air could be seen.

• The speaker thinks that air has qualities that make it special.

• The speaker is confused by his thoughts about air.