The Abandoned Farmhouse Poem by Ted Kooser

What can be inferred from stanza 1?

• The farmer hated farming

• The farmer was not good at farming

• The farmer was forced to farm

• The farmer was not a good husband or father

What is the purpose of stanza 1?

• To introduce us to the farm family

• To introduce us to the farmer

• To explain what happened to the family

• To explain the reality of failure

What can be inferred from stanza 2?

• The family was happy

• The family was afraid

• The family was poor

• The family loved farming

What can be inferred from stanza 3?

• The family was evicted

• The family broke up

• The family suffered a death

• The family had a sudden crisis

In the third stanza, how do the poet's choice of words impact the meaning of the poem?

• They suggest the outcome of the farm family's story through specific details.

• They make the outcome of the family clear through an explanation.

• They celebrate the family's efforts through vivid description.

• They mourn the loss of the family through the description of the event.

What is the central idea of this poem?

• Farming is a wonderful life for families.

• Farming can be difficult but rewarding.

• If at first you don't succeed, try again.

• Failure can be a harsh reality.

Based on the poem, what is the meaning of scarce in stanza 2?

• Having fear of the demand

• Having an insufficient amount for the demand

• Having a sufficient amount for the demand

• Having an excess to meet the demand

Based on the poem, what is the meaning of haste in stanza 3?

• Hope

• Worry

• Hurry

• Anxiety

Which statements describes how the first two stanzas are similar?

• They focus on the events of what happened to the family farm.

• They focus on the reason the farmhouse is abandoned.

• They focus on the characters and the images of their life on the farm.

• They focus on the conflict between the characters.

How is the third stanza different from the two previous standards?

• It suggests what happened to the family.

• It makes clear what happened to the family.

• It does not rhyme, but the other two stanzas do rhyme.

• It does not contain figurative language like the other two stanzas.