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Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward

Total questions: 9

Worksheet time: 2hrs 30mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

From the title of this poem, "Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward," the reader can infer that the -

a)

speaker is an older person

b)

speech was written long ago

c)

speech was given at a school

d)

speaker has made many mistakes

2.

What is the main theme of the poem?

a)

It is important to be cautious at all times.

b)

Life is too short to worry about the future.

c)

Life means different things to different people.

d)

Stay positive and don't dwell on the past.

3.

The poet establishes an informal voice by using -

a)

a rigid structure

b)

frequent line breaks

c)

an accented meter

d)

challenging diction

4.

Read line 2 of the poem.

say to the down-keepers,

The poet is most likely referring to people who -

a)

do not think of the future

b)

struggle to succeed in life

c)

are discouraging to others

d)

believe life should be easy

5.

Read lines 2-5 of the poem.

say to the down-keepers,

the sun-slappers,

the self-soilers.

the harmony-hushers,

The figurative language in these lines affects the message of the poem by -

a)

drawing attention to those with negative outlooks

b)

drawing attention to examples of worrying behavior

c)

painting a vivid image of people that should be avoided

d)

painting a vivid image of how to address negative people

6.

The reader can infer that the poet's main purpose is to -

a)

show the importance of self-expression through poetry

b)

describe the serious problems life can bring

c)

prove how effective short poems can be

d)

encourage readers to be persistent

7.

What is the central message presented in lines 10-11?

Live not for battles won.

Live not for the-end-of-the-song.

a)

Look to the past to learn how to live in the future.

b)

Do not focus too intensely on the past or the future.

c)

Be proud of your accomplishments, but do not dwell on them.

d)

Remember your mistakes, but do not allow them to hinder you.

8.

The repetition of the word "live" in the last three lines of the poem helps build a tone that is -

a)

anxious

b)

calm

c)

encouraging

d)

demanding

9.

Which two elements of poetry does "Speech to the Young" use to convey ideas?

a)

Alliteration

b)

Repetition of sounds

c)

A consistent rhythm throughout

d)

A specific rhyming pattern

e)

Line breaks after complete sentences