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WorksheetsDump/How Things Work - Poetry
Total questions: 10
Worksheet time: 5mins
What does the speaker in “Dump” mean by “discarded hopes” (line 9)?
A things that people don’t have enough space to store
B things people bought that disappointed them
C things that remind people of unpleasant events
D things that people regret having thrown away
What image is created by the form of “Dump”?
A a tall pile of things that have been discarded
B a long journey undertaken by the speaker
C a dialogue between two people
D a long list of items the speaker wants
What does the speaker in “Dump” mean by “our lightened living room” (line 22)?
A The room has been emptied of the things that he took to the dump.
B He will be happy to get away from the dump and back to his living room.
C The room will be brighter by the time he gets home.
D The room will seem light in comparison to the clutter at the dump.
Which lines in “Dump” contain a metaphor?
A “Paintings eternally stale / That, hung, remained aloof,” (lines 15–16)
B “The acrid smell of trash / Arises like perfume.” (lines 23–24)
C “Maneuvering steep stairs / of bedsprings to our car,” (lines 25–26)
D “We stumble on homecanned pears / grown poisonous in their jar” (lines 27–28)
What does the speaker in “Dump” mean by the lines “Our emptiness may rankle / but soon it too shall pass” (lines 31–32)?
A We will get over our desire to accumulate things.
B We will buy new things to fill up our emptiness.
C We will soon forget all about our experience at the dump.
D We will bring home some of the things from the dump.
The speaker in “How Things Work” is addressing
A his wife.
B a waitress.
C shoppers.
D his daughter.
In “How Things Work,” what is the speaker saying about the things he buys?
A He buys things only for other people.
B He doesn’t really need the things that he buys.
C Each thing he buys helps another person buy something.
D The things he buys cost too much.
Which lines from “How Things Work” contain a simile?
A “The tip I left / for the waitress filters down / Like rain, . . . “ (lines 5–7)
B “Perhaps, a belligerent cat that won’t let go / Of a balled sock . . .” (lines 8–9)
C “As far as I can tell, daughter, it works like this:” (line 10)
D “Tickets to a movie in which laughter / Is thrown into their faces.” (lines 14–15)
What is the effect of the final words “I guess” in “How Things Work”?
A They show that the speaker has not been serious about what he has said.
B They emphasize what the speaker has said earlier in the poem.
C They contribute to the rhythm of the poem.
D They show that the speaker has doubts about what he has said.
In what way are the two poems alike?
A Both have a regular rhyme scheme.
B Both include a listing of items.
C Both have four stanzas.
D Both use a question-and-answer structure.
