"Little by Little"

How is the boy different from the acorn?

• The boy grew up to be an old man, while the acorn was not able to live very long.

• The boy always followed the rules when he was young, while the acorn fought the rules.

• The boy studied the past to get knowledge, while the acorn had to teach itself.

• The boy enjoyed his life when he was young, while the acorn was disappointed in its life.

Which set of lines from the poem supports the idea that the boy studied the past to get knowledge, while the acorn had to teach itself?

• ‘Little by little,’ said a thoughtful boy, ‘Moment by moment I’ll well employ;’” (lines 13-14)

• ‘And still this rule in my mind shall dwell— “Whatever I do, I’ll do it well.”’” (lines 17-18)

• ‘Little by little, I’ll learn to know The treasured wisdom of long ago,’” (lines 19-20)

• “And do you think that this simple plan Made him a wise and useful man?” (lines 23-24)

How does the author’s use of the phrase “little by little” throughout the poem impact the tone?

• It creates a weary tone.

• It creates a playful tone.

• It creates a determined tone.

• It creates a concerned tone.

What is the theme of the poem?

• One can achieve goals by working slowly and carefully.

• One will find great treasures by searching under large trees.

• Valuable lessons can be learned by studying leaves on trees.

• Children should focus in school but also play games with friends.

Read line 2 of the poem. As it slowly sank in its mossy bed, What does the poet mean by this line?

• The acorn became buried under the ground.

• The acorn was unable to swim to the top.

• The acorn was very tired after traveling.

• The acorn wanted to hide from its family.

What can the reader infer about the boy in the poem?

• He wants to continue making himself a better person.

• He likes traveling and learning about world history.

• He prefers to play sports with his friends after school.

• He hopes to become a teacher when he gets older.

How does the speaker’s point of view influence how events are described?

• The first-person point of view allows the reader to understand the struggles that the acorn faces throughout its life.

• The first-person point of view allows the reader to understand why the boy prefers to work and not play.

• The third-person point of view allows the reader to understand what the acorn and the boy think about friendship.

• The third-person point of view allows the reader to understand the actions of the acorn and the boy as they get older.