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Worksheets

Poetry Collection

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 18mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

In “Retort,” who is speaking to whom?

a)

Phyllis is speaking to herself.

b)

Phyllis is speaking to the speaker.

c)

The speaker is speaking to Phyllis.

d)

The speaker is speaking to himself.

2.

In “Retort,” who is Phyllis?

a)

the speaker’s alter ego

b)

the speaker’s neighbor

c)

the speaker’s beloved

d)

the speaker’s friend

3.

In the excerpt from The People, Yes, why does the white man draw circles in the sand?

a)

to illustrate his belief that white people are smarter than Indians

b)

to communicate with an Indian who does not speak English

c)

to teach the Indian how to use shapes to represent ideas

d)

to show the outer boundary of the Indian territory

4.

What is the topic of discussion in the excerpt from The People, Yes?

a)

art

b)

land

c)

nature

d)

knowledge

5.

If a person is curling a tress, what is she most likely doing? Base your answer on the meaning of tress.

a)

excercising

b)

daydreaming

c)

styling her hair

d)

wrapping a present

6.

“The lady is fair,” said the knight. What is the knight’s opinion of the lady? Base your answer on the meaning of fair.

a)

She is intelligent

b)

She is beautiful

c)

She is funny

d)

She is sad

7.

Which of the following is most likely true of the person described in the following sentence?

Thou art a loyal friend.

a)

The person is a loyal friend.

b)

The person is not a loyal friend.

c)

The person hopes to be a loyal friend.

d)

The person believes he is a loyal friend.

8.

In the first stanza of “Retort,” how is Phyllis portrayed?

a)

as a rose

b)

as a temptation

c)

as a fountain

d)

as an angel

9.

Which sentence best states a main message of the poem “Retort”?

a)

Always follow your head rather than your heart.

b)

A person in love does not always think rationally.

c)

It is easy to fall in love with an unkind person.

d)

Love happens only when the mind and heart agree.

10.

In the excerpt from The People, Yes, what does the Indian’s “immense ring” represent?

a)

what the white man fears

b)

the human desire to make art

c)

what the Indians have learned

d)

the limits of human knowledge

11.

The white man belives he is superior. Which event in the poem most clearly supports this description?

a)

The white man meets with an Indian at a sandy location.

b)

The white man draws a bigger circle to show what he knows.

c)

The white man watches the Indian sketch a very large circle.

d)

The white man listens to the Indian’s thoughts about the world.

12.

Based on its context, identify the meaning of the word air in this sentence.

He spoke with a confident air.

a)

flight

b)

breeze

c)

manner

d)

broadcast

13.

Based on its context, identify the meaning of the word ring in this sentence.

The children held hands and formed a ring.

a)

echo

b)

circle

c)

arena

d)

chime

14.

Which group of words in this sentence is a participial phrase?

Worried about Friday’s science test, Yolanda called Marcus, her best friend from middle school, and asked him for help.

a)

Worried about Friday’s science test

b)

Yolanda called Marcus

c)

her best friend from middle school

d)

and asked him for help.

15.

Which group of words in this sentence is an infinitive phrase?

“Before we get a puppy,” said Mom to Jasper and Jennifer, “you must promise to walk it every day.”

a)

“Before we get a puppy,”

b)

said Mom to Jasper and Jennifer

c)

you must promise

d)

to walk it every day

16.

What is the participial phrase in this sentence?

This film, the winner of several international awards, tells the story of a young woman struggling with difficult personal decisions.

a)

the winner of several international awards

b)

tells the story

c)

a young woman

d)

struggling with difficult personal decisions

17.

The man, embarrassed by his feelings, tried not to act on them. Which word is modified by the participial phrase?

a)

feelings

b)

them

c)

man

d)

act

18.

The man wanted to draw a perfect circle. What kind of phrase is shown in this clause?

a)

participial phrase

b)

gerund phrase

c)

nominative phrase

d)

infinitive phrase

19.

One man, having made his point, walked away happy. What is the participial phrase in this clause?

a)

one man

b)

having made his point

c)

walked away happy

20.

To teach the man a lesson, he drew a large circle. What word is being modified by the infinitive phrase?

a)

teach

b)

circle

c)

lesson

d)

drew