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Slam: Performance Poetry Lives On

Total questions: 15

Worksheet time: 15mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

To compose a letter means to

a)

mail it.

b)

read it.

c)

write it.

d)

open it.

2.

Euphoria means extreme

a)

joy.

b)

skill.

c)

hope.

d)

wealth.

3.

Expression means a way to

a)

excuse bad behavior.

b)

communicate creatively.

c)

expand the size of an object.

d)

repair something that is broken.

4.

Improvisation means something that is

a)

impossible to understand.

b)

finished ahead of schedule.

c)

done without preplanning.

d)

pre-recorded before a show

5.

A phenomenon means something

a)

amusing that people laugh at.

b)

terrible that people are afraid of.

c)

hopeful that people dream about.

d)

new that people get excited about.

6.

At a poetry recitation, the poem is always

a)

read by an audience.

b)

read aloud in front of people.

c)

written by people as a group

d)

combined with music to make a song.

7.

The structure of a poem is

a)

the way it is organized.

b)

the way readers react to it.

c)

the reason the author wrote it.

d)

the message it communicates.

8.

To transcend difficulties means to

a)

ignore them.

b)

suffer from them.

c)

go beyond them.

d)

tell others about them.

9.

What is the author’s main purpose for writing this essay?

a)

to explain what slam is and where it came from

b)

to persuade readers to enter a slam competition

c)

to entertain readers with examples of oral poetry

d)

to question whether slam is as valuable as other kinds of poetry

10.

Why does the author include quotes from journalists and theater critics?

a)

to make the essay seem like fiction

b)

to show that slam is being taken seriously

c)

to provide opinions that are different from hers

d)

to hint that slam is known only to a select group

11.

The author talks about Shakespeare and the Beat poets to show that

a)

she likes all kinds of poetry.

b)

poets have always liked to slam.

c)

slam is related to earlier forms of poetry.

d)

the best poetry throughout history uses rhyme.

12.

Read this quote from the essay.

“A poetry slam is like a lyrical boxing match that pits poets against other poets in a bout,’’ according to journalist Shilanda L. Woolridge.

The author uses this sentence to show that poetry slams are

a)

public.

b)

athletic.

c)

musical.

d)

competitive.

13.

Based on the details in this essay, which word best describes poetry slams?

a)

scary

b)

intense

c)

solemn

d)

peaceful

14.

The author writes that slam brings poetry “back to the people.” This means that slam

a)

is an old form of expression

b)

helps people to understand history.

c)

is something that most people are good at.

d)

tells the feelings and experiences of ordinary people.

15.

What is a poetry slam?

a)

a form of expression

b)

a lyrical boxing match that pits poets against other poets in a bout

c)

a competition in which poets perform original works alone or in teams

d)

All of the above