Mood
What is the mood of this passage?
A shrill sound of laughter and of amused voices—voices of men, women, and children—resounded in the street while this wine game lasted. There was little roughness in the sport, and much playfulness. There was a special companionship in it, an observable inclination on the part of every one to join some other one, which led, especially among the luckier or lighter-hearted, to frolicsome embraces, drinking of healths, shaking of hands, and even joining of hands and dancing, a dozen together.
a. despairing b. angry c. jovial
jovial
What is the central idea of this paragraph?
People often refer to taxes in terms of their being much too high. In reality, they are probably even higher than you think, because in addition to the federal income tax we are now studying, there are many other Federal, State, and local taxes, including sales taxes, inheritance taxes, state income taxes, personal property taxes, real estate taxes, and others. These are just some of the most obvious ones.
a.Taxes are much too high.
b. We pay more taxes than we may realize.
c. Inheritance taxes and real estate taxes are unfair.
d. Some taxes are hidden.
b. We pay more taxes than we may realize.
Read the following excerpt from "The Ransom of Red Chief." What are the italicized words an example of, and what effect does it have on the reader?
t looked like a good thing. But wait till I tell you. We were down south, in Alabama – Bill Driscoll and myself – when this kidnapping idea struck us. There was a town down there, as flat as a pancake, and called Summit. Bill and I had about six hundred dollars. We needed just two thousand dollars more for an illegal land deal in Illinois.
a. situational irony; it creates a humorous effect.
b. dramatic irony; it creates a humorous effect.
c. situational irony; it emphasizes where the setting of the story it.
a. situational irony; it creates a humorous effect
What is the most likely meaning of the word "amiably" in the following poem?
The dinosaurs are not all dead.
I saw one raise its iron head
To watch me walking down the road
Beyond our house today.
Its jaws were dripping with a load
Of earth and grass that it had cropped.
It must have heard me where I stopped,
Snorted white steam my way,
And stretched its long neck out to see,
And chewed, and grinned quite amiably.
a. angry b. nonchalant c. friendly
c. friendly
Read the following poem.
He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.
The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.
What figure of speech is used in the last line of the poem, and how does it characterize the eagle?
a. simile; it shows that the eagle is timid.
b. simile; it shows the eagle is quick and strong.
c. metaphor; it shows the eagle is quick and strong.
b. simile; it shows the eagle is quick and strong.
Read the following stanza from the poem "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath. What is the mood of the stanza?
"You do not do, you do not do
Any more, black shoe
In which I have lived like a foot
For thirty years, poor and white,
Barely daring to breathe or Achoo."
a. oppressive b. lighthearted c. sad
a. oppressive
What is the central idea of the following paragraph?
In earlier days those who had overseas business which they believed should be discussed personally, took ship and set out across the briny deep. Once aboard they transacted their affairs, engaging in commercial and social matters or conducting government business. Today ships and passengers continue to sail the seven seas, and airplanes soar overhead. But above them all, words speed through the sky – telephone conversations quickly bring together in the most personal fashion people who are separated by thousands of miles.
a. Overseas telephone service today is ruling out all need for overseas travel.
b. Nothing can take the place of person-to-person conversation in settling business, social, and government problems.
c. Many conversations which once required overseas travel can now be conducted by telephone.
d. Even with modern overseas telephone service people continue to travel abroad by ship or by plane.
c. Many conversations which once required overseas travel can now be conducted by telephone.
Read the following excerpt from "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe.
"The “Red Death” had long devastated the country. No pestilence had been ever so fatal, or so hideous. Blood was its Avator and its seal — the redness and the horror of blood. There were sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleedings at the pores, with dissolution."
What is the meaning of the word "pestilence"
a. tragedy b. disease c. killer
b. disease
The team was elated because they just found out they placed in the semifinals.
What is the meaning of elated?
a. disappointed b. extremely angry c. extremely happy
c. extremely happy
Read the following poem by Carl Sandburg.
"The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on."
What figure of speech is used in this poem, and how does it characterize the fog.
a. hyperbole; it characterizes the fog as a destructive force
b. simile; it characterizes the fog as a mysterious predator
c. metaphor; it characterizes the fog as a temporary and quiet animal, staying only a short time.
c. metaphor; it characterizes the fog as a quiet animal, staying only a short time
Read the following poem "Autumn."
"A touch of cold in the Autumn night–
I walked abroad,
And saw the ruddy moon lean over a hedge
Like a red-faced farmer.
I did not stop to speak, but nodded,
And round about were the wistful stars
With white faces like town children."
What figure of speech is used in lines 3 and 4, and what mood does it create?
a. simile; it creates a mood of suspense
b. personification and simile; it creates a mood of watchfulness
c. personification; it creates a mysterious mood
b. personification and simile; it creates a mood of watchfulness
What is the main idea of the following paragraph?
"There is a common belief that while the dog is man’s best friend, the coyote is his worst enemy. The bad reputation of the coyote traces back to his fondness for small animals; he hunts at night and is particularly destructive to sheep, young pigs, and poultry. Yet it is sometimes wise to encourage coyotes. Provided valuable farm animals are protected, the coyote will often free the property of other animals, like rabbits, which are ruinous to crops and certain trees. He is especially beneficial in keeping down the rodent population. Where coyotes have been allowed to do their work without molestation, ranchers and fruit growers have found them so valuable that they would no more shoot them than they would shoot their dogs."
a. Under certain conditions the coyote is helpful to man.
b. The coyote is feared because of his fondness for small animals
c. Modern ranchers would no sooner shoot coyotes than they would shoot dogs.
d. The coyote usually prefers rabbits and other rodents to sheep and poultry
a. Under certain conditions the coyote is helpful to man.
What is the purpose of the following paragraph?
Today the P.E. teacher talked with our class about physical fitness. In fact, she said it is important to exercise at least an hour every day. Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. For instance, riding a bike is great exercise. Roller-skating is, too. So, find an activity you enjoy and get some exercise!
a. persuading the audience that exercise is necessary but can also be fun.
b. persuading the audience to try roller skating.
c. informing the audience about including bicycling in their daily activities.
a. persuading the audience that exercise is necessary but can also be fun
What is the meaning of the word skirmish in the following sentence?
During the demonstration, a skirmish broke out so the police were called to restore order.
a. confrontation b. celebration c. a protest
a. confrontation
Read the following poem called "Steamshovel."
The dinosaurs are not all dead.
I saw one raise its iron head
To watch me walking down the road
Beyond our house today.
Its jaws were dripping with a load
Of earth and grass that it had cropped.
It must have heard me where I stopped,
Snorted white steam my way,
And stretched its long neck out to see,
And chewed, and grinned quite amiably.
What figure of speech is used to describe the steamshovel, and what effect does it have on the reader?
a. simile; it warns the reader about getting too close to a steam shovel.
b. metaphor; it portrays the steamshovel as a friendly dinosaur.
c. hyperbole; it emphasizes how large the steam shovel is.
b. metaphor; it portrays the steamshovel as a friendly dinosaur.
Read the first stanza of "Casey at the Bat." What is the mood of these lines?
"The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day;
The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play.
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game."
a. despair b. peacefulness c. angry
a. despair
Read the following paragraph and identify the main idea.
The Louisiana Purchase proved to be one of the shrewdest business pacts in the entire history of the United States. The purchase doubled in the area of the country and provided territory from which fourteen new states were created either wholly or in part. It also gave us control over the mouth of the Mississippi River and opened up the way to foreign trade. Prior to the purchase, the waterway had been blocked by the Spanish, probably with the approval of Napoleon. The land that was bought was rich in timber, minerals, and natural resources of many kinds. Finally, the cost of the transaction was unbelievably low; the total of $15 million amounted to about four cents an acre.
a. The Louisiana Purchase was a very good business deal for the U.S.
b. The land bought by the Louisiana Purchase was rich in minerals.
c. The land bought by the Louisiana Purchase was very cheap.
d. Most Americans were very pleased with the purchase.
a. The Louisiana Purchase was a very good business deal for the U.S.
What is the theme of this poem?
We Real Cool THE POOL PLAYERS. SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL.
We real cool. We
Left school.
We Lurk late. We
Strike straight.
We Sing sin. We
Thin gin.
We Jazz June.
We Die soon.
a. if you leave school early, you can have a lot of fun.
b. If you leave school early, you are headed for a life of destruction.
c. If you leave school early, you can become a professional pool player.
b. If you leave school early, you are headed for a life of destruction.
What is the meaning of the word putrid in the following sentence?
Something in the refrigerator is so putrid, a wave of odor wafted out when we opened the door.
a. pleasant b. flowery c. nasty
c. nasty
What type of organization is used in the following paragraph?
I made a plan for getting enough sleep at night. After I eat supper I play for a while. Then I take a warm bath. When I finish bathing, I put on my pajamas and climb in bed. Finally, I read a good book. Reading makes me sleepy and I usually fall right to sleep.
a. spatial b. general to specific c. chronological
c. chronological
Wha is the tone of the following excerpt?
He approached the task with sheer determination. He had studied his plans carefully, spent hours preparing and was sure of his approach. The hours he spent practicing were grueling and exhausting but he was ready. This was the year he would win the pie eating contest at school.
a. focused b. lighthearted c. gloomy
a focused
What is the main idea of the following paragraph?
There are many different ways to make a friend. One way to make a friend is to be a friend. If someone needs you, be there. Second, remember that everyone is a different person. Respect the way other people are, and get to know them. They will respect you, and want to get to know you too. Another thing you can do is always to be kind to everyone. You’d be surprised how many great friends are waiting for you.
a. Being kind to everyone will help you make friends.
b. There are many people out in the world who need friends.
c. There is more than one way to make friends,
c. There is more than one way to make friends,
Read the following poem. What is the tone of the speaker toward the spider?
"She asked me to kill the spider
Instead, I got the most
peaceful weapons I can find
I take a cup and a napkin.
I catch the spider, put it outside
and allow it to walk away
If I am ever caught in the wrong place
at the wrong place, just being alive
and not bothering anyone,
I hope I am greeted
with the same kind
of mercy."
a. she is frightened b. she is merciful c. she is violent
b. She is merciful
What is the meaning of "feral" in the following sentence?
The feral cat would not let us pet him, unlike our friendly cat.
a. tame b. undomesticated c. sick
b. undomesticated
What literary technique is used in the following excerpt from "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst?
It’s strange that all this is still so clear to me, now that that summer has long since fled and time has had its way. A grindstone stands where the bleeding tree stood, just outside the kitchen door...
a. foreshadowing b. flashback c. flashforward
b. flashback