Poetry

Which line from the poem shows the tortoise is changing from being helpless to becoming self-sufficient?

• “You know what it is to be born alone,”

• “To take your first solitary bite”

• “Under its slow lid, tiny baby tortoise,”

• “No one ever heard you complain.”

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In the first stanza, what is the poet expressing about the baby tortoise with the phrase “lapsed on earth”?

• It has barely awakened to its new life outside its shell.

• It has forgotten what it is like to be in the shell.

• It is in a stage of rest and silence after birth.

• It is happy to be coming out of its shell.

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How does the repetition of the word solitary in lines 19–20 affect the tone of the poem?

• It creates a fragile tone.

• It creates a confident tone.

• It creates a tone of loneliness.

• It creates a tone of excitement.

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How does the line “No one ever heard you complain” support the development of the text?

• by showing tortoises lack great intelligence

• by showing tortoises rarely communicate with other animals

• by showing tortoises are born with the instinct to fight for survival

• by showing tortoises come into the world with few troubles to overcome

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What impact does “Like some iron door” in line 11 have on the meaning of the poem?

• It emphasizes the peaceful nature of the tortoise.

• It emphasizes the fearfulness of the baby tortoise.

• It emphasizes the baby tortoise’s sense of loneliness.

• It emphasizes the tortoise’s sense of courage and strength.

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Which line from the poem shows how the baby tortoise has changed from being powerless to being confident?

• “And remain lapsed on earth,”

• “A tiny, fragile, half-animate bean.”

• “And move on your slow, solitary hunt.”

• “So indomitable.”

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Which line indicates the turtle’s change from being a helpless creature to becoming a survivor?

• “Like some iron door;”

• “And reach your skinny little neck”

• “And move on your slow, solitary hunt.”

• “Your bright, dark little eye,”

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How does the description of the turtle in lines 19 and 20 develop the theme of the poem?

• by showing the tortoise is sad because it is alone

• by implying the tortoise is lonely and in need of help

• by showing the actions of the tortoise determine its survival

• by implying the tortoise has to carefully plan each move it makes

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How do lines 9–11 contribute to the development of the plot?

• by showing the tortoise’s fear

• by showing the tortoise’s struggle

• by suggesting the strength of the tortoise

• by suggesting the hopelessness of the tortoise

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What impact does “tiny, fragile, half-animate bean” in line 8 have on the meaning of the poem?

• It explains that the less mobile a tortoise is, the smaller it will be.

• It explains that the tortoise is small and barely moving when it is first born.

• It explains that critical development takes place as soon as the tortoise is born.

• It explains that the tortoise should be left alone during the early stages of its life.

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