WorksheetsAbandoned Farmhouse
Total questions: 25
Worksheet time: 25mins
Read lines 7 and 8
but not a man for farming, say the fields
cluttered with boulders and the leaky barn.
The poet uses these lines to show that
the man was an inadequate farmer
the weather destroyed the farm and the family had to flee
the man liked to collect rocks
the field and the barn flooded every time it would rain
The repetition of the words “says the house” is used to –
compare the family members who once lived there
highlight the poor care the family gave to their home
describe the destruction the family caused to their property
show the family through the eyes of their home
Which line from stanza two helps the reader know that the family was poor?
papered with lilacs and the kitchen shelves
Money was scarce, say the jars of plum preserves
And the winters cold, say the rags in the window frames
It was lonely here, says the narrow country road
What is the central idea of this poem?
Farming is a wonderful life for families.
Farming can be difficult but rewarding.
If at first you don't succeed, try again.
Failure can be a harsh reality.
1. Who is the speaker of this poem?
the man who lived in the farmhouse
a child who used to play at the farmhouse
a bird sitting in a tree above the farmhouse
a person who is trying to figure out what happened there
Which lines from the poem suggest that the residents of the home abandoned it quickly?
A tall man too, says the length of the bed.
Money was scarce, say the jars of plum preserves
The still-sealed jars/ say she left in a nervous haste
It was lonely here, says the narrow country road
How does the author structure the poem "Abandoned Farmhouse"?
The three stanzas each describe a single member of the family.
The three stanzas present a progression of people and then an analysis of the situation.
The three stanzas each describe the specific event that forced the family to leave.
The three stanzas us onomatopoeia to show the reader that the abandoned farmhouse is haunted.
How does the imagery in the poem "Abandoned Farmhouse" affect the mood of the poem?
The childish imagery enables children to understand the mood.
The gloomy imagery helps contrast the wife's strength to show her hope for the future.
The cheerful imagery helps the reader understand that the family is doing well since they left the farmhouse.
The imagery of the items being broken and thrown around creates a dismal mood.
Which of the following is NOT a topic for this poem?
Hope
Sorrow
Poverty
Abandonment
What is the reader's mood in this poem?
Romantic
Mysterious
Light hearted
Energetic
What can the reader conclude about the man based on the following sentence?
That he spent a lot of time sleeping in bed
He was larger than a normal man
He was mad and broke dishes
He was clumsy since he was always breaking dishes
The imagery in these lines allows the reader to know...
The family that lived there were poor and had little money
The family only ate canned food
The farmhouse had many secret hiding spots
People visited the farmhouse often
What type of figurative language is "Bible with a broken back" an example of?
simile
onomatopoeia
metaphor
alliteration
Using your context clues, what is the meaning of the word "scarce" used in stanza 2?
easy to come by
buried in a wall
hard to find
fake
Why does the poem end with, "Something went wrong, they say."?
The speaker knows exactly what happened to the family
The speaker had spoken to the family since they left
No one really knows what happened, only rumors
How does the poet tell the story of the family in the farmhouse?
He allows the man, woman, and child to narrate their own stories.
He uses a strict pattern of rhythm and rhyme scheme to tell the story.
He lets the house tell the story using personification.
He compares the man, woman and child to a typical farming family.
Which line(s) from the poem best reveal that the woman cared about the appearance of her home?
Jars of plum preserves and canned tomatoes sealed in the cellar hole
And the winters cold, say the rags in the window frames
On the floor below the window, dusty with sun
Bedroom wall papered with lilacs and kitchen shelves covered with oilcloth
Which detail below helps the reader understand that the woman is resourceful?
a pile of broken dishes by the house
the sandbox made from a tractor tire
the narrow country road
the bedroom wall papered with lilacs
What is the overall theme of the poem?
Although people may suffer from financial troubles, families can overcome these struggles.
Farmers and their families face more challenges than other careers.
A religious community may help its neighbors during everyday situations.
Even in a seemingly ordinary setting, things can still go very wrong.
