Textual Details
Question 2
In the similes in lines 1-5, the “harpsichord” and the “boudoir” primarily serve to evoke which of the following?
A. Elegance and bygone days
B. Tradition and the arts
C. Vitality and originality
D. Materialism and superficial beauty
E. Wealth and cultural dominance
A. Elegance and bygone days
Question 7
In context, the simile in the final sentence of the passage (“Bands . . . grass”) is best understood to emphasize the travelers’
A. desperation to escape
B. ultimately futile movements
C. blind allegiance to an ideal
D. insignificance in the landscape
E. lack of control over their progress
D. insignificance in the landscape
Question 9
The simile in the first sentence of the second paragraph (“The Mississippi . . . waves”) evokes a sense of
A. malevolent intent
B. blind movement
C. automatic reaction
D. undisturbed force
E. slight intrusion
B. blind movement
Question 15
The speaker’s assertion that “weights and measures do us both a wrong” (line 8) reflects a belief that love
A. can often lead to injustice
B. must not be interfered with
C. should not involve comparisons
D. is fundamentally irrational
E. is easily misunderstood by other people
C. should not involve comparisons
Question 4
Which best describes how stanzas are used in the poem?
A. To indicate the passage of time
B. To suggest an unspoken conflict
C. To emphasize a change in focus
D. To signal a reversal in attitude
E. To convey a different point of view
C. To emphasize a change in focus
Question 3
In context, the image of the penny in line 14 is appropriate because its
A. low value contrasts with the apparent wealth of the lady
B. freshness contrasts with the appearance of the lady
C. ordinariness contrasts with the splendor of the lady
D. insignificance contrasts with the fame of the lady
E. worthlessness contrasts with the haughtiness of the lady
B. freshness contrasts with the appearance of the lady
Question 1
In the references to an “old opera tune” (line 2), “sun-flooded silks” (line 4), and “sealed spice-jars” (line 10), the speaker uses
A. allusion to hint at the lady’s social prominence
B. alliteration to emphasize the lady’s subtle power
C. hyperbole to evoke the lady’s advanced age
D. imagery to suggest the lady’s wide-ranging interests
E. personification to show the lady’s distinctive beauty
B. alliteration to emphasize the lady’s subtle power
Question 5
In the second sentence of the second paragraph, the phrase “bundles of sticks” primarily suggests which of the following about the passengers?
A. They are resistant.
B. They are insignificant.
C. They are slender.
D. They are impoverished.
E. They are still.
Question 16
In context, lines 6-7 (“I loved . . . be”) can best be understood to do which of the following?
A. Celebrate the mystery of love
B. Express a feeling that is not reciprocated
C. Voice a sentiment that cannot be denied
D. Exemplify a passion that will soon be outgrown
E. Describe an opposition that will later be rejected
E. Describe an opposition that will later be rejected
Question 10
In context, the phrase “Whatever happened” at the beginning of the passage most likely serves to
A. establish that the narrator is not omniscient
B. introduce the idea that the truth can never be fully known
C. imply that the events that follow are not of great significance
D. spark the reader’s interest in learning what will follow
E. signal to the reader that the story will be in the mystery genre
D. spark the reader’s interest in learning what will follow
Question 6
In the final paragraph, the sentence “The red percussion of their fires could be seen night and day by those waiting in the dark trance of the frozen town” serves to highlight contrasts between all of the following EXCEPT
A. the sound of the fires and the silence of the town
B. the brightness of the fires and the darkness of the night
C. the warmth of the fires and the frigidness of the air
D. the exertions of the Indians and the inactivity of the townspeople
E. the vulnerability of wildlife and the resilience of humans
E. the vulnerability of wildlife and the resilience of humans
Question 12
The repetition and equating of words in line 11 (“one is both and both are one”) serve to reinforce the idea that
A. love dissolves the distinctions between individual lovers
B. lovers should pursue the same goals in life
C. loss of personal identity is a danger for lovers
D. love is disorienting if it is not understood
E. love must be mutual to be truly satisfying
A. love dissolves the distinctions between individual lovers
Question 8
In the first sentence, the phrase “a season of dreams” establishes a metaphorical pattern for the passage by
A. evoking a sense of disorientation
B. suggesting the hopes of the settlers
C. foreshadowing later images of spring
D. conveying the austere beauty of winter
E. introducing a mood of deception
A. evoking a sense of disorientation
Question 13
In a Petrarchan sonnet, the “turn” generally occurs between the octave and the sestet, but here it occurs between lines 7 and 8. Which of the following is the most plausible explanation for this departure from the conventional pattern?
A. By rejecting common poetic practices, the departure conveys the speaker’s contempt for social conventions.
B. By changing the structure of a Petrarchan sonnet, the departure demonstrates the speaker’s cosmopolitan worldview.
C. By dividing the poem into two equal halves, the departure reinforces the speaker’s views about equality in love.
D. By suggesting a lack of familiarity with poetic form, the departure underscores the speaker’s point that rules are unimportant.
E. By signaling impatience with poetic traditions, the departure emphasizes the speaker’s disdain for the customs governing romantic relationships.
C. By dividing the poem into two equal halves, the departure reinforces the speaker’s views about equality in love.
Question 11
In lines 1-5 (“I loved . . . strong”), the primary contrast is between
A. harmony and discord
B. duration and intensity
C. motionlessness and movement
D. humans and birds
E. words and music
B. duration and intensity
Question 14
In context, the reference to “strength” and “length” in line 13 serves to suggest that what had previously been
A. a point of contention between the lovers has now been resolved
B. a source of attraction has ceased to be so
C. a quality of one lover now characterizes the other lover
D. a notion shared by the lovers has now been forgotten
E. a difference between the lovers has now been erased
E. a difference between the lovers has now been erased