Bend Don't Break

How does the oak’s response to “many a blast that bowed her” help determine the theme of the poem?

• The oak becomes softer and weaker by letting the wind bend it.

• The oak risks breaking in half by trying to stand tall in the wind.

• The oak grows bigger and stronger by refusing to break in the wind.

• The oak proves its strength by ignoring the wind’s attempts to make it fall.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

In the last stanza, what is the meaning of the phrase “easy work you beat”?

• giving up too soon

• finishing in first place

• succeeding without much effort

• keeping time while working with others

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.5.5

CCSS.RL.6.4

Which statement about the oak tree can be inferred from lines 9–12?

• The oak tree takes longer to grow each time its branches break in the wind.

• The oak tree bends without breaking in the wind and continues to grow.

• The oak tree refuses to bend or break no matter the wind’s strength.

• The oak tree is strong but can still fall down with powerful wind.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.7

CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RL.4.7

CCSS.RL.5.7

CCSS.RL.6.7

Which statement summarizes the poem?

• Like birds learning to fly or trees that bend and grow tall, people should not give up when they fail.

• Like birds falling or trees bending in the wind, people should not give up, unless they get hurt when they fail.

• People should not be judged poorly for giving up because everyone fails, including birds and trees.

• People should not give up if they fail, because winning prizes is the best reward for success.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.9

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

Which is the meaning of sturdy as used in stanza 3?

• short

• tall

• strong

• weak

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.4

How does the speaker’s reflections about challenges determine the theme of the poem?

• She shows the importance of patience by describing how to avoid failure.

• She shows the importance of patience by describing when to try something different after failing.

• She shows the importance of not giving up by describing the prizes one wins when passing a test.

• She shows the importance of not giving up by describing how challenges can make a person stronger.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

In line 15, what does “gaining victory from defeat” mean?

• Not winning, and being able to learn from it, is the real challenge.

• The more one is defeated, the more one loses.

• Losing can become a happy event.

• Winning really is everything.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.5.5

CCSS.RL.6.4

What is the theme of the poem?

• Failure in nature is similar to people’s failure.

• Crying after losing is better than giving up completely.

• Earning success through continued effort brings meaningful victory.

• Winning prizes after completing difficult tests can be done through patient trying.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2