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Worksheets"Tamara's Opus" by Joshua Bennett
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 30mins
This word is a noun that refers to the the basic recurring unit in a piece of music.
"Never danced to the ________ of raindrops."
chorus
rhythm
symphony
vibration
This word is a noun that refers to a long and complex sonata for an orchestra.
"just listen as I play you a ________ on the strings of my heart"
chorus
rhythm
symphony
vibration
This word is a verb that means to censure, rebuke, or reprimand severely.
"speakers booming so loud that I imagined angels _______ us for disturbing their worship"
anticipate
blasphemy
chastise
seep
This word is a verb that means to pass gradually or leak or as if through small openings.
"allow my sunlight sentences to s______ into her insides"
anticipate
blasphemy
chastise
seep
This word is an adjective describing having a feeling of mixed reverence and wonder and dread.
"readily recall my _______ eleven-year old eyes as I watched Deaf men and women of all ages dance in unison to the vibrations"
awestruck
barricade
sever
unison
This word is a verb that refers to the action of cutting off something from a whole.
"never be pieced back together or do anything more than ________ the ties between my sister and I."
awestruck
barricade
sever
unison
What is the best way to combine the two sentences below?
Joshua Bennett performed his poem "Tamara's Opus" at the White House.
Joshua Bennett is a spoken word artist.
His poem, "Tamara's Opus," was performed by Joshua Bennett, since he is a spoken word artist.
A spoken word artist, Joshua Bennett, performed "Tamara's Opus at the White House.
"Tamara's Opus", by Joshua Bennett, was performed by a spoken word artist at the White House.
Joshua Bennett, a spoken word artist, performed his poem "Tamara's Opus" at the White House.
What is the best way to combine the two sentences below?
"Tamara's Opus" is about Bennett's sister.
Bennett's sister is deaf.
Deaf Bennett's sister is who "Tamara's Opus" is about.
"Tamara's Opus" is about Bennett's sister, who is deaf.
Bennett has a sister who is deaf that he wrote "Tamara's Opus" about.
"Tamara's Opus" is about Bennett's deaf sister.
What is the best way to combine the two sentences below?
Tamara cannot hear music.
Tamara can dance to the beat of music.
Tamara cannot hear music, but she can dance to the beat of it.
Tamara cannot hear music, so she can dance to the beat of it.
Tamara cannot hear music, but can dance to the beat of music.
She cannot hear music, but Tamara can dance to the beat of it.
What is the best way to combine the two sentences below?
"Tamara's Opus" is an apology in the form of a poem.
"Tamara's Opus" reflects Bennett's love for his sister.
"Tamara's Opus" is an apology in the form of a poem, which reflects Bennett's love for his sister.
"Tamara's Opus" is an apology in the form of a poem, so it reflects the love Bennett has for his sister.
"Tamara's Opus" is an apology in the form of a poem that reflects Bennett's love for his sister.
Bennett loves his sister, which is why "Tamara's Opus" is an apology in the form of a poem.
Based of the pivotal words and phrases in these lines from "Tamara's Opus," what does the speaker think about his sister?
20 I waited
21 was patient numberless years
22 anticipating the second
23 her ears would open like lotuses
24 and allow my sunlight sentences to seep
25 into her insides
He is frustrated with her.
He thinks she will change.
He sees his sister's ears as gardens
He thinks she needs to listen
Based of the pivotal words and phrases in these lines from "Tamara's Opus," what has the speaker come to realize about his relationship with his sister?
49 It is only now I see
50 that I was never willing
51 to put in the extra effort to love her properly
52 So as the only person in my family
53 who is not fluent in sign language
54 I have decided to take this time
55 to apologize
56 Tamara, I am sorry
57 for my silence.
He thinks he was nice to her.
He thinks he neglected to love her.
He thinks he ignored her.
He thinks he was mean to her.
In lines 09-16, the speaker describes a shift. What is the shift that occurs in the speaker's point of view?
09 My father has said:
10 "Joshua. Nothing is wrong with Tamara.
11 God just makes
12 some people different."
13 And at that moment
14 those nine letters felt like hammers
15 swung gracefully by unholy hands
16 to shatter my stained-glass innocence
The speaker is mad at his father.
The speaker blames God for his sister.
The speaker is no longer a child.
The speaker now knows his sister is different.
In lines 30-40, the speaker describes a shift. What shift occurs in the speaker's point of view of his sister?
30 I still remember her 20th birthday
31 readily recall my awestruck eleven-year old eyes
32 as I watched Deaf men and women of all ages
33 dance in unison to the vibrations
34 of speakers booming so loud
35 that I imagined angels chastising us
36 for disturbing their worship
37 with such beautiful blasphemy
38 until you have seen
39 a Deaf girl dance
40 you know nothing of passion.
The speaker learned she liked music.
The speaker learned he had to try harder to express his love for his sister.
The speaker learned that sister knows how to dance.
The speaker was annoyed with the loud music.
"Tamara's Opus" is a spoken word performance poem. Joshua Bennett signs some of the words in italics that he he also speaks aloud in front of a live audience. What is the purpose of the words that he signs in italics from lines 43-57?
43 never for even a moment
44 thought to pick up a book and look up
45 the signs for sister
46 for family
47 for goodbye, I will see you again some day
48 remember the face of your little brother.
49 It is only now I see
50 that I was never willing
51 to put in the extra effort to love her properly
52 So as the only person in my family
53 who is not fluent in sign language
54 I have decided to take this time
55 to apologize
56 Tamara, I am sorry
57 for my silence.
To demonstrate he learned how to sign.
To speak to his sister Tamara, who is deaf.
To teach the audience sign language.
To be fancy during his performance.
