wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

NEW

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Review for "Hanging Fire" and "Summer of his Fourteenth Year"

Total questions: 12

Worksheet time: 14mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What can be inferred about the speaker’s view of the mother through the use of the repeated phrase in each stanza in "Hanging Fire"?

a)

an unsympathetic parent

b)

a compassionate parent

c)

a humane parent

d)

a considerate parent

2.

What does the closed door symbolize in "Hanging Fire"?

a)

The neediness of the child

b)

The child’s nervousness

c)

The mother’s heartache for the child

d)

The mother’s lack of attention towards the child.

3.

One theme of "Hanging Fire" is...

a)

Children are resilient

b)

Doors closed mean privacy

c)

Teenagers still need their parents' support

4.

In lines 19–21 of “Hanging Fire,” the speaker says “there is nothing I want to do and too much that has to be done” to express

a)

frustration at having too many chores

b)

a constantly changing view of life.

c)

a feeling of excitement about the future.

d)

anger about not making the Math Team.

5.

A concern that the speaker in “Hanging Fire” repeats in each stanza relates to

a)

dying soon

b)

needing help

c)

feeling happy

d)

wanting space

6.

In “Hanging Fire” what is the effect of the speaker’s repetition of the same phrase at the end of each stanza?

a)

It shows that the speaker is not dependent on his or her mother.

b)

It suggests a good relationship with his or her mother.

c)

It reveals the mother’s need to better understand her child.

d)

It emphasizes the speaker’s need for the mother’s guidance.

7.

Each stanza of “Hanging Fire” ends with a period, but there are no commas or other punctuation elsewhere. What is the effect of the lack of punctuation ?

a)

The lack of punctuation does nothing to the meaning of the poem. It shows the authors lack of writing skills.

b)

The lack of punctuation creates a run-on sentence. The Author is confused.

c)

The lack of internal punctuation creates a run-on sentence. The effect is a feeling of jumping from one thought to another unrelated thought.

d)

The lack of punctuation shows that the author was not finished with the poem.

8.

Which is the following is an example of a simile?

a)

as tensely strung as the tennis racket he grips

b)

Intermittent impulses, quickly sated

c)

Wailing guitars weave a cocoon

d)

Surliness is his knife

9.

An important message in "Summer of his Fourteenth Year" is that--

a)

teenagers are messy and inconsiderate

b)

it's impossible to communicate with a surly teenager

c)

leaving childhood behind is hard for parents and teens

d)

parents of teens are too nagging and protective

10.

In "Summer of His Fourteenth Year," the poet portrays the mood swings of a teenager by -

a)

using imagery of blades and cutting

b)

mixing long lines and short lines and cutting off thoughts

c)

describing the messes the boy leaves in the house

d)

using metaphors to describe the boy's bedroom

11.

In "Summer of His Fourteenth Year," the lines grow shorter at the end to imply -

a)

the speaker is running out of things to say

b)

the speaker's son is dying

c)

the speaker feels growing distance from her son

d)

the speaker cares less and less for her son

12.

"Choking him with nagging chores / Cloying protection / Closed doors." What is the most likely definition of the word cloying as it is used in these lines?

a)

warm and loving

b)

overly sweet and sentimental

c)

welcome and needed

d)

fostering independence and strength