Trying to Name What Doesn't Change and I Myself Poems

What do Roselva and Peter disagree about in “Trying to Name What Doesn’t Change”?

• where the train tracks lead

• why trains travel on tracks

• whether train tracks change

• why train tracks rust and decay

According to “Trying to Name What Doesn’t Change,” which of the following is true about the sound of a train?

• One does not hear it until the train is gone.

• Only those who pay close attention hear it.

• It can have a major impact on a person's life.

• It has a different effect on the listener every time.

In “I Myself,” what happens in the confrontation between the speaker and himself?

• The speaker tries using reasoning but is outsmarted.

• The speaker calls on himself to step aside but is attacked.

• The speaker is confused to see himself and loses his nerve.

• The speaker slips while trying to get by and lands in a ditch.

What is the speaker most likely feeling at the end of “I Myself”?

• disgust

• jealousy

• regret

• fear

Which statement best describes the main message of “Trying to Name What Doesn’t Change”?

• Every train has a destination

• Everything in the world changes.

• Technology often causes the world to change.

• The more things change, the more they stay the same.

What best describes the result of the confrontation in “I Myself”?

• The speaker learns a new skill.

• The speaker grows more powerful.

• The speaker loses control over himself.

• The speaker continues to battle himself.

What does the confrontation in “I Myself” most likely symbolize?

• the speaker's quest to improve himself

• the speaker's desire to understand who he is

• the speaker's failure to act in the way he intended

• the speaker's difficulty relating to people in his life

Which answer choice best describes the characters the speakers encounter in the two poems?

• In “Trying to Name…,” the speaker encounters a widow. In “I Myself,” the speaker encounters a stranger.

• In both poems, the speakers encounter someone they would rather not see.

• In “Trying to Name…,” the speaker encounters several other characters. In “I Myself,” the speaker encounters himself.

• In “Trying to Name…,” the speaker encounters a butcher. In “I Myself,” the speaker encounters Roselva and Peter.

What qualities do the two poems share?

• Both tell a complete story.

• Both organize events in chronological order.

• Both feature story elements, such as characters.

• Both attempt to name something important.

What is the most likely meaning of shrinking in the following sentence?

The lion began shrinking back when it was threatened by a more powerful lion.

• growing shy

• moving away

• becoming tiny

• making smaller