Unit 6 Progress Check MCQ

The relationship between Aunt Virginia and her "regular customers" (line 20) can best be described as

appreciative but distant

In lines 11-12, the acrobat, who is "not-quite- / Lost," functions as a representation of the bird's nest's

astonishing agility

When Stan says, "I remember the feeling," (line 10) it suggests that he

belonged to the union as well

The narrator's tone in the second paragraph ("This was . . . morning") suggests that the narrator actually views the Poor Relation's remark to the divinity-student as

blunt and negative

In the context of the poem as a whole, the contrast of "a little scarlet bud, that was dying of frost" (line 4) in the first stanza with the "sweetness" (line 21) of the flower in the last stanza suggests that the speaker has

come to terms with her loss

What is the significance of Cynthia and Stan's discussion of a Panama Canal cruise at the beginning of the scene?

It suggests Cynthia's desire to escape a stressful situation.

The speaker's description of her initial reaction to seeing the deceased in the coffin (line 7) suggests that her initial reaction to the death was

anger

The contrast between Aunt Virginia and "the others" (line 30-36) suggests that while she is calm and cheerful about her impending death, they are

anxious and puzzled

In the fifth sentence of the third paragraph, the narrator's extended description of the "scenery of a long tragic drama" affects the narrative in all of the following ways EXCEPT by

implying that the Poor Relation's remark is inaccurate

In choosing to describe the divinity-student's face as having "the color of a very young pea somewhat over-boiled" in the fourth sentence of the third paragraph, the narrator uses exaggeration to

mock the divinity-student's response as overwrought

Cynthia's use of "they" to describe both the plant managers (line 13 and line 15) and the plant workers (line 15) suggests that she

no longer considers herself part of either group

How are personal details about the husband used in the poem to express the speaker's perspective on the wife?

The speaker compares the husband's "softness" (line 28) in interacting with his wife to his "strong" (line 30) nature.

Which of the following events mentioned in the passage happened last?

The workers were locked out of the plant.

What overall function do "the others" (line 30) serve within the context of the poem?

They represent being immersed in life, while Aunt Virginia represents embracing death.

Stan's role in the passage is best described as that of

a concerned third party who recognizes the complexities of the situation

In context, the divinity-student's "mild short cough" mentioned in the final sentence of the passage is best understood as

a foreshadowing of his failing health

In the first sentence of the fourth paragraph, the narrator's straightforward explanation of the "heathen images" running through the divinity-student's mind serves to

address a potential misunderstanding of the divinity-student's reaction

In the passage, all of the following contrasts convey Cynthia's complex understanding of the divide between workers and management EXCEPT

hungry versus satisfied

The contrast between the speaker's description of herself as "a woman in jewels and lace" (line 14) and the description of "children crying for bread and fire" (line 16) primarily serves to emphasize the

relative triviality of the speaker's situation

The speaker primarily characterizes God as

remote

The speaker's description of herself as "the slave of the Ring" (line 6) suggests that her attitude toward the deceased may be colored by her

resentment that she could not encourage the deceased's advances

For the divinity-student, the "looking-glass" mentioned in the second sentence of the final paragraph comes to symbolize

the distressing inevitability of death

The speaker compares which of the following to develop the extended metaphor of the fallen "birdsnest" (line 1) ?

Fragile and resilient features

What function does Aunt Virginia's self-possession, her "intactness" (line 36), serve within the context of the poem?

It clarifies her serene acceptance of mortality

Which of the following best describes the poem's structure?

The first four stanzas of the poem pose questions that are answered in the two final stanzas.

In the final sentence of the passage, the divinity-student's "mild short cough" highlights a tension between

his tormented thoughts and his subdued physical reaction

The function of Cynthia's memories of her desire for a management position (line 11 and line 13) in the scene as a whole is to

provide a justification for Cynthia's apparent betrayal of her family and friends