Worksheets"Watcher: After Katrina, 2005" by Natasha D. Trethewey
Total questions: 11
Worksheet time: 6mins
Based on details in the poem, what can the reader infer about life in New Orleans immediately following Hurricane Katrina?
Churches and other organizations were left penniless.
City officials were in charge of cleaning up the debris.
Many people hurried back to work once the roads were clear.
Citizens felt a sense of hopelessness because of the destruction.
Which two things were happening in New Orleans before the hurricane cleanup crews arrived?
It rained every day.
There were medical emergencies.
The city was quiet.
Cats and dogs were living on beaches.
Stores and homes were being robbed.
Which words in the second stanza help support the meaning of the word looters in line 5?
watched, day
siphon, take
speed, car
ambulances, police
How does the alliteration in lines 8–9 impact the poem?
It emphasizes setting details.
It provides characterization.
It reflects the point of view.
It matches the rhyme scheme.
What is the narrator’s brother doing in the fourth stanza?
Looking for work at the church
Passing out supplies to people in the city
Helping neighbors make donations
Searching for spiritual guidance
Why does the narrator’s brother take a job as a watcher?
He had a job as a watcher before the hurricane, so he went back to it.
The electricity was out, so he could not return to his old job.
There was no other work available after the hurricane.
He was tired of sitting around doing nothing after the hurricane.
The last stanza of the poem contains only one line in order to —
reflect the loneliness the brother felt doing his new job
give the reader a chance to pause and think about the poem
emphasize the hope that there will be no more death
show how the whole city changed after the hurricane
The poem "Watcher: After Katrina, 2005” has a traditional structure. Decide whether each statement reflects the structural elements of the poem or not.
The beats of the poem change throughout each stanza to represent the growing tension.
TRUE
FALSE
The poem "Watcher: After Katrina, 2005” has a traditional structure. Decide whether each statement reflects the structural elements of the poem or not.
Each stanza is structured in nearly the same way to maintain a steady rhythm.
TRUE
FALSE
The poem "Watcher: After Katrina, 2005” has a traditional structure. Decide whether each statement reflects the structural elements of the poem or not.
The poem has a regular beat and rhythm to make the poem sound conversational.
TRUE
FALSE
The poem "Watcher: After Katrina, 2005” has a traditional structure. Decide whether each statement reflects the structural elements of the poem or not.
The lines of the poem break to interrupt old thoughts with new ones.
TRUE
FALSE
