Universal Theme
Which theme is MOST clearly shared by both passages?
A. Obedience to family
B. Curiosity leads to unintended consequences
C. Love conquers suffering
D. Humans are equal to gods
B
Pandora’s decision to open the box, motivated by curiosity, directly causes suffering to enter the world in both texts.
How does the imagery describing the release of evils in Passage 2 MOST affect the mood?
A. It creates excitement
B. It creates a peaceful atmosphere
C. It suggests humor
D. It establishes horror and chaos
D
The evils are described as swarming, flying, and spreading quickly among humanity. These details emphasize disorder and fear, creating a mood of horror as the world shifts suddenly from peace to suffering.
In BOTH passages, Pandora’s box MOST clearly symbolizes—
A. forbidden knowledge and temptation
B. the wealth of the gods
C. the wisdom of Prometheus
D. the strength of humanity
A
In both passages, the box is something Pandora is explicitly told not to open, which immediately establishes it as forbidden. Her growing desire to know what is inside, despite clear warnings, connects the box to temptation
Read the lines from the poem.
"O rising moon! O Lady moon!
Be you my lover’s sentinel,"
Based on the Latin root sent (meaning "to feel" or "to perceive"), what does the word sentinel most likely mean?
A. a source of comfort and warmth
B. one who watches or stands guard
C. a gentle guide who leads the way
D. one who announces the arrival of another
B
The root sent (to feel/perceive) relates to a sentinel's role as one who perceives danger and stands guard.
Which trait BEST describes Prometheus based on his actions?
A. Selfish
B. Cruel
C. Compassionate
D. Obedient
C
Prometheus risks everything to help humans survive, demonstrating empathy and concern for their suffering.
Which statement BEST expresses a universal theme developed in Pandora’s Box?
A. Human suffering exists primarily because people lack wisdom.
B. The gods use punishment to correct human mistakes.
C. Curiosity, though natural, can permanently alter the human condition.
D. Hope eliminates the effects of suffering once it appears.
C
Pandora’s curiosity leads to a permanent change in human existence—suffering cannot be undone. Even though Hope remains, the world is forever altered. This reflects a universal theme about how natural human impulses can have lasting, irreversible consequences.
What is the tone of The Story of Prometheus and Pandora?
A. Bitter and condemning
B. Lighthearted and humorous
C. Moralistic and cautionary
D. Celebratory and joyful
C
The story explicitly warns readers about disobedience, curiosity, and ignoring divine warnings. The narrator’s voice guides the reader toward a lesson about consequences, which gives the passage a moralistic, instructive tone.
Which detail from Pandora’s Box BEST demonstrates the use of figurative language?
A. The box was made of gold
B. The evils flew out like buzzing creatures
C. Pandora promised not to open the box
D. Zeus became angry with humans
B -
It does not portray the evils literally, instead, it compares them to living creatures using vivid imagery. The comparison helps readers visualize suffering as something active and invasive, making the abstract concept of “evils” more concrete and frightening.
"The turtle now has ceased to call
Upon her crimson-footed groom,"
The word crimson-footed is formed by combining two words. How does this structure affect its meaning?
A. It emphasizes the specific, beautiful color of the groom's feet.
B. It suggests the groom is wounded and bleeding.
C. It indicates the groom is standing on a crimson-colored object.
D. It shows the groom is clumsy because his feet are red.
A
Combining "crimson" (a color) with "footed" (having feet) creates a compound adjective that emphasizes the specific color of the groom's feet.
Which trait BEST describes Pandora based on her actions?
A. Malicious
B. Obedient
C. Curious
D. Cruel
C
Pandora’s actions throughout the passage are driven by her overwhelming desire to know what is inside the box.
How do authors emphasize different aspects of the Pandora myth?
A. Text 1 emphasizes the gods’ roles in crafting Pandora and the magical gifts she receives, while Text 2 highlights Zeus’s anger and his motivation for using Pandora as punishment.
B. Text 1 portrays Pandora as intentionally releasing evil into the world, while Text 2 shows her as completely innocent, curious, and obedient to those around her.
C. Text 1 explains that Pandora was a goddess with great power, while Text 2 depicts her as human and powerless.
D. Text 1 presents Prometheus as responsible for Pandora’s creation, while Text 2 presents Zeus as responsible.
A
What mood is MOST strongly created as Pandora struggles with the temptation to open the box in Passage 2?
A. Calm reflection
B. Growing suspense and anxiety
C. Immediate terror
D. Joyful anticipation
B
The author builds suspense by describing Pandora’s repeated hesitation, internal conflict, and obsession with the box.
What does Hope represent in passage 2?
A. The gods’ continued cruelty
B. A reward for obedience
C. Humanity’s ability to endure suffering
D. A reminder of human weakness
C
Hope represents emotional resilience: the ability to persevere even when life becomes painful and uncertain.
"Why spread that silver pavilion,
Why wear that veil of drifting mist?"
The word pavilion comes from the Latin papilio, meaning "butterfly." How does this origin connect to the meaning in the poem?
A. The moon's light flutters like a butterfly.
B. The mist creates shapes that look like butterflies.
C. A pavilion is a tent or structure, and the moon's light spreads like a canopy.
D. The speaker wishes she could fly like a butterfly to reach her love.
C
A pavilion is a large, decorative tent or structure. The origin papilio (butterfly) refers to the tent's resemblance to a butterfly's wings. The moon spreading its light like a silver pavilion creates a similar image of a canopy.
How is Zeus MOST clearly portrayed in the passage?
A. As wise and forgiving
B. As just and merciful
C. As indifferent to humans
D. As jealous and vengeful
D
Zeus reacts angrily to humans receiving fire and punishes Prometheus with extreme cruelty, showing jealousy of power and a desire for revenge.
Which rhetorical device is most clearly used when the author describes Hope remaining in the box after all the evils escape, and how does it affect the meaning of the text?
A. Irony, because although Pandora releases suffering into the world, the final outcome suggests that hope still exists to counterbalance human misery.
B. Antithesis, because the author directly contrasts good gods with evil gods to highlight conflict.
C. Rhetorical question, because Pandora questions whether opening the box is the right decision.
D. Synecdoche, because the box represents all of humanity.
A
"The birds are loud in Arcady"
"And no bird sings in Arcady"
The suffix -y in Arcady helps create a word that functions as a:
A. verb, meaning to transform a place into a paradise
B. adjective, meaning something related to peace and quiet
C. noun, naming a specific place associated with rustic simplicity
D. adverb, describing how the birds sing in a mythical land
C
The suffix -y turns the proper noun Arcad- into a place name (Arcady), functioning as a noun that names a specific, mythical pastoral land.
Why does the author of Pandora’s Box MOST LIKELY focus so extensively on Pandora’s internal conflict and repeated hesitation before opening the box?
A. To portray Pandora as weak‑willed and irresponsible
B. To shift blame for human suffering away from the gods
C. To emphasize that temptation becomes more powerful the longer it is resisted
D. To suggest that curiosity is more dangerous than intentional wrongdoing
D
By showing Pandora struggling repeatedly with temptation, the author highlights curiosity as an internal, psychological force that leads to disastrous consequences. This suggests that unintentional actions driven by curiosity can be more harmful than deliberate cruelty.
Which statements describe how the authors use rhetoric to shape the reader’s understanding of Pandora’s actions and their consequences? Select TWO answers.
A. In Text 1, the author uses personification when describing diseases and cares “nestling down in the bosoms of men,” making the abstract evils feel more threatening and alive.
B. In Text 1, the author uses statistical evidence to prove how many evils were released into the world.
C. In Text 2, the author uses suspense by repeatedly showing Pandora unlocking and relocking the box, building anticipation and emphasizing her inner conflict.
D. In Text 2, the author uses repetition to remind readers that Zeus warned Pandora several times not to open the box.
E. In both texts, the authors use emotional tone to highlight the sadness and suffering that follow Pandora’s decision.
A & C
Read the line from the poem.
"The lily’s singing seneschal / Sleeps in the lily-bell"
The word seneschal contains the Latin root sen, meaning "old." Based on this root and the context of the poem, what is a seneschal?
A. a young singer who performs for the flowers
B. a wise caretaker or steward in charge of something
C. a type of bell that only older lilies can produce
D. a lazy creature who sleeps all day
B
The root sen (old) suggests wisdom and seniority. A seneschal was a trusted, senior steward in charge of a household—here, the lily-bell.