Langston Hughes Lesson

READ THE FOLLOWING POEM, "DREAMS" BY LANGSTON HUGHES:

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING LINES CONTAINS A METAPHOR?

• HOLD FAST TO DREAMS

• LIFE IS A BROKEN WINGED BIRD

• FOR WHEN DREAMS GO

• NONE OF THE ABOVE

Answer explanation

The answer is B. "Life is a broken winged bird." Hughes is comparing life after giving up on your dreams to a bird with a broken wing who cannot fly.

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READ THE FOLLOWING POEM BY LANGSTON HUGHES:

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WORDS BEST DESCRIBES THE OVERALL TONE?

• EXCITED AND EAGER

• CELEBRATORY AND JOYFUL

• FEARFUL AND APPREHENSIVE

• DISILLUSIONED AND CAUTIONARY

Answer explanation

Make sure to select an answer where BOTH TONE WORDS correctly describe the author's tone toward the subject of the poem. The means, you also need to determine the subject and if the author uses postive or negative language to describe the subject. The subject of this poems is life after giving up on your dreams. The poem uses negative imagery and figurative language to describe the emptiness and damaged life that results from giving up on your dreams.

The correct answer is D. Answer B. is completely wrong. A. is wrong because although the author is angry, he isn't excited or eager (looking forward to something). C. is not correct because the author is more angry and sad than he is afraid. If he was afraid he likely would not be writing this poem.

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Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WORD CHOICES FROM THE POEM does not HELP TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE THAT A LIFE WITHOUT DREAMS IS EMPTY AND DAMAGED?

• "Hold fast"

• "broken-winged bird"

• "cannot fly"

• "barren field"

• "frozen"

Answer explanation

Be sure to read the question CAREFULLY. This question asks which option DOES NOT ... meaning that you are looking for ONE WRONG answer, versus the one correct answer. The correct answer is A. "hold fast" because although that line encourages people to not give up on their dreams, it but doesn't show the emptiness and damage caused by giving up on one's dreams. All the other options are words that have something to do with being empty or dead or damaged.

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READ THE FOLLOWING POEM BY LANGSTON HUGHES:

MY PEOPLE

BY LANGSTON HUGHES

The night is beautiful,

So the faces of my people.

The stars are beautiful,

So the eyes of my people.

Beautiful, also, is the sun.

Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WORD PAIRS BEST DESCRIBES THE OVERALL TONE?

• EXCITED AND APPREHENSIVE

• OBJECTIVE AND INFORMATIVE

• PROUD AND PASSIONATE

• DETERMINED AND SERIOUS

Answer explanation

Hughes describes his people as beautiful and compares that beauty to the beauty of the night and the stars, etc. He clearly loves his people, the subject of the poem, so the tone must be positive words. For questions where TWO tone words are provided, be careful to ensure both words are correct and not only 1. The correct answer (C) is the only truly positive option where both words accurately describe the author's attitude toward the subject of the poem (his people).

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READ THE FOLLOWING POEM BY LANGSTON HUGHES:

JUSTICE

BY LANGSTON HUGHES

That Justice is a blind goddess

Is a thing to which we black are wise:

Her bandage hides two festering sores

That once perhaps were eyes.

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WORDS BEST DESCRIBES THE OVERALL TONE?

• DISGUSTED AND RESENTFUL

• OBJECTIVE AND INFORMATIVE

• INSPIRING AND MOTIVATIONAL

• DETERMINED AND SERIOUS

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READ THE FOLLOWING POEM BY LANGSTON HUGHES:

JUSTICE

BY LANGSTON HUGHES

That Justice is a blind goddess

Is a thing to which we black are wise:

Her bandage hides two festering sores

That once perhaps were eyes.

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS WOULD THE POET MOST LIKELY AGREE WITH?

• THE US POLICE AND COURT SYSTEM ARE ALWAYS FAIR AND IMPARTIAL.

• BLINDFOLDED LADY JUSTICE IS AN INSPIRATIONAL SYMBOL THAT EVERYONE SHOULD STRIVE TOWARD.

• STATUES OF BLINDFOLDED LADY JUSTICE SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM COURT BUILDINGS BECAUSE THEY MOCK THE CONTINUED INJUSTICE OF RACISM IN THE COURTS.

• JUSTICE IS NOT BLIND FOR A BLACK PERSON IN THE US BECAUSE RACISM HAS CORRUPTED THE COURT SYSTEM AND MINDS OF THE JURY.

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READ THE FOLLOWING POEM BY LANGSTON HUGHES:

JUSTICE

BY LANGSTON HUGHES

That Justice is a blind goddess

Is a thing to which we black are wise:

Her bandage hides two festering sores

That once perhaps were eyes.

THE IMAGERY IN LINE 3 "HER BANDAGE HIDES TWO FESTERING SORES" DOES ALL OF THE FOLLOWING EXCEPT

• SUGGEST THAT RACISM IS A SICKNESS IN AMERICA CORRUPTING THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND JURIES

• CREATE A DISGUSTING IMAGE TO SHOCK THE READER

• IMPLY THAT JUSTICE FOR A BLACK PERSON IN AMERICA IS NIETHER FAIR, IMPARTIAL, OR BLIND.

• DESCRIBE A THREAT TO AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE

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LISTEN AS I PLAY THE SONG, "I HOPE" BY GABBY BARRETT FEATURENG CHARLIE PUTH

EXPLAIN THE TONE SHIFT IN THESE SONG LYRICS

I, I hope she makes you smile

The way it made me smile

On the other end of a phone

In the middle of a highway driving alone . .

I hope you both feel the sparks by the end of the drive

I hope you know she's the one by the end of the night

I hope you never ever felt more free

Tell your friends that you're so happy

I hope she comes along and wrecks every one of your plans

I hope you spend your last dime to put a rock on her hand

I hope she's wilder than your wildest dreams

She's everything you're ever gonna need

And then I hope she cheats

Like you did on me

And then I hope she cheats

Like you did on me

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