ENG III Unit 3 Quiz 1

If a word has multiple meanings, which of the following is the best way to clarify or confirm which meaning is used?

• Use the word’s root and affixes to determine its most common meaning.

• Use a dictionary to check which meaning fits the word’s context and usage.

• Use a resource that provides word origins to determine its precise meaning.

• Use a thesaurus to identify which antonyms represent the opposite meaning.

Read these lines from “Dream Variations.” To fling my arms wide In the face of the sun, Dance! Whirl! Whirl! Till the quick day is done. Which definition of fling best fits how the word is used in the poem?

• a casual or brief relationship

• a period devoted to self-indulgence

• to throw open without restraint

• to casually cast aside

Read the abbreviated dictionary entry for the word mantle.

mantle (man-təl) n. 1. a loose, sleeveless outer garment; cloak 2. a figurative cloak symbolizing authority or power 3. anything that covers completely or envelops 4. the upper back of a bird 5. a hood or sheath over a flame that gives off light 6. the layer of Earth between the crust and the core

Which sentence uses mantle to mean “a figurative cloak symbolizing authority or power”?

• After the team captain quit, a new player took on the mantle of leadership.

• The bishop’s mantle was ornate and even heavier than the monarch’s.

• The mantle holds immense geological information and value for researchers.

• Floating on the surface of the pond was a mantle of bright green algae.

Who can the speaker of a poem be?

• someone like the poet

• a character

• a group of people

• all of the above

Read these lines from each stanza of “Dream Variations.”

2   In some place of the sun,

To whirl and to dance

Till the white day is done. . . .

11 In the face of the sun,

Dance! Whirl! Whirl!

Till the quick day is done.

What does the tone of lines 11–13 most clearly suggest about the speaker’s desire to dance and be free in this variation of the dream?

• The arrogant tone suggests more confidence in achieving this desire.

• The bold, emotional tone suggests the desire is actually an urgent need.

• The angry, defiant tone suggests the desire is fueled by bitterness and spite.

• The matter-of-fact tone suggests there is doubt about achieving this desire.

Read the poem “Thaw” by Edward Thomas. Over the land freckled with snow half-thawed The speculating rooks at their nests cawed And saw from elm-tops, delicate as flowers of grass, What we below could not see, Winter pass. Which statement best describes how the speaker helps convey a theme?

• The speaker’s identity as a bird supports a theme related to the hardships of winter and the satisfaction of survival.

• The speaker’s musical voice mimics birdsong, and the rhyming words emphasize a theme related to winter’s beauty.

• The speaker’s description of what birds see that “we” do not supports a theme related to living beings’ connection to nature.

• The imagery the speaker uses emphasizes a theme related to how fragile nature is and how easily it can be harmed by humans.

Which is the best definition of syntax?

• the way in which words and phrases are arranged to form sentences

• the unconventional grammatical structures that are used in poetry

• the use or purposeful omission of punctuation for effect

• the order in which paragraphs or stanzas are arranged to create meaning

Read these lines from "I, Too."

Tomorrow,

I’ll be at the table

When company comes.

Nobody’ll dare

Say to me,

“Eat in the kitchen,”

Then.

How does syntax shape the poem’s ideas and contribute to the mood?

• Putting “Eat in the kitchen” on its own line highlights a command the speaker has heard many times and conveys a mood of resignation.

• Placing Tomorrow and Then on their own lines emphasizes how life might be different one day and contributes to a mood of hopefulness.

• Breaking sentences across multiple lines suggests the speaker is unsure how to act when company arrives and contributes to a mood of uncertainty.

• none of the above

Read these lines from a poem. Look away, I cannot. Wave upon wave of red crabs like prehistoric mites, all crawling back to the sea, all congregating on the shore: a thousand million ruby crustaceans clamber over one another, weaving a prickly carpet. What is the overall mood of the poem and how does the syntax contribute to the mood?

• Mood: repulsed Syntax: The last line extending beyond the others highlights the “prickly carpet” the crabs have created.

• Mood: fearful Syntax: I cannot shows the speaker feels helpless, and the lengthy second sentence emphasizes the overwhelming number of crabs.

• Mood: peaceful Syntax: The parallel structure in the second sentence reflects the calming repetition of the sea’s waves.

• Mood: enthralled Syntax: The brief first sentence stands out, and the lengthy second sentence emphasizes the speaker’s fascination.