Quizzes 11e
I have no chair, no church, no philosophy, I lead no man to a dinner-table, library, exchange, But each man and each woman of you I lead upon a knoll, My left hand hooking you round the waist, My right hand pointing to landscapes of continents and the public road. Which statement best describes how these lines reflect the theme of the poem?
They indicate that Whitman is more interested in communicating with individuals than society.
Which of the following statements best describes the effect of the long lines in "Song of Myself"?
They remind the reader of the speaker's liberty and self-confidence.
So that thus it is, that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell; and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that anger. In this excerpt, "natural" is used to describe people who
have not been touched by the spirit of God.u
"My own line of reasoning is to myself as straight and clear as a ray of light." Paine most likely uses this language to convince his audience that
he is completely confident in his reasoning.
I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. Which statement best explains why Whitman chose the phrase "every atom" for the last line?
to emphasize the seriousness of his words
In paragraph three of Common Sense, why does Paine use the phrases "precariousness of human affairs," "while we have it in our power," and "time and chance"?
to evoke in colonists the need for urgency in their quest for independence
In "Civil Disobedience," what is Thoreau's last thought about the state before he loses respect for it?
He thinks the state can't tell its friends from its enemies.
How does Emerson relate independence and friendships in Society and Solitude?
He views independence as an impulse that works against friendships
Based on "Civil Disobedience," what statement did Thoreau, like his modern-day successors, hope to make with his imprisonment?
He wanted to suggest that one should be willing to go to great lengths for a belief
Which statement best explains why Edwards repeats the image of fire throughout "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"? .
He wants to increase his audience's fear of hell.
In the beginning of "The World on Turtle's Back," why did the husband become "terrified"?
He was terrified that he would be punished for marring a sacred tree.
One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty. Based on his behavior in "Civil Disobedience," how would Thoreau most likely feel about King's statement?
He would agree with King that one should engage in political protest peacefully.
Which best describes one way in which "Civil Disobedience" impacted people and events later in history?
It fortified the beliefs of those who thought the government acted unfairly.
Woe's me, I shall be lonely When I can feel no longer The impatience of their wings! Which best describes the effect of the expression "Woe's me"?
It heightens the sense of loss in the poem.
Is it not a reasonable thing to fright a person out of a house on fire? What is the purpose of this sentence in Edwards's sermon?
It justifies Edwards's strategy of scaring people into accepting God.
How does the second stanza of "Auspex" tie the first and third stanzas together?
It offers a counterclaim to the first stanza, which is then rejected in the third stanza.
Some keep the Sabbath in Surplice - I just wear my Wings - And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church, Our little Sexton - sings. What is the effect of the word "surplice," which is a garment worn by the clergy, in this stanza?
It reinforces the difference between the natural things the speaker holds dear and the rituals of the church.
Let the dead past bury its dead! What is the effect of the repetition of the word "dead" in this line?
It reinforces the idea that one should live in the present, not in the past.
Based on evidence of his personality in "Civil Disobedience," what effect would a longer jail stay most likely have had on Thoreau?
It would have hardened his resolve to assert his rights.
I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable, I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world. Which statement best describes how these lines reflect the general structure of the poem?
Just as the poem has a loose, open structure, these lines display personal freedom.
In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of life, What does the poet suggest about human life with the images in these lines?
Life is an eternal struggle.
Which best states how the concept of trust is portrayed in Chapter I of Nature and in Society and Solitude?
Nature implies suspicion of others but does not state it, while Society and Solitude states directly that suspicion of others is natural.
Not a man lives on the continent but fully believes that a separation must some time or other finally take place." Which best describes Paine's use of figurative language in this excerpt?
Paine uses hyperbole to emphasize that there is strong colonial support for American independence.
Long enough have you dream'd contemptible dreams, Now I wash the gum from your eyes, You must habit yourself to the dazzle of the light and of every moment of your life. Long have you timidly waded holding a plank by the shore, Now I will you to be a bold swimmer, To jump off in the midst of the sea, rise again, nod to me, shout, and laughingly dash with your hair. What theme is suggested by this excerpt?
People should be brave, take risks, and embrace all aspects of life.
Which statement best describes Emerson's opinion of communities, according to the first paragraph of Society and Solitude?
Regardless of how tightly bound communities may seem, each person is ultimately alone.
In "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church," why does the speaker say that she has "an Orchard, for a Dome" in the first stanza?
She is suggesting that nature can serve the same purpose as a church.
What does the first stanza of "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" suggest about the speaker's view of religious customs?
She participates in religious customs in an unconventional way.
How is the concept of solitude portrayed in both Society and Solitude and Chapter I of Nature?
Solitude is viewed as a source of strength.
Which statement best explains why the Declaration of Independence does not directly address the issue of slavery?
Some of the colonies were in favor of slavery and others were opposed to it.
Enlightenment thinking placed value on scientific knowledge and thought. Based on "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," which best describes the relationship between Enlightenment thinking and the thinking of Edwards's followers?
The beliefs of the two groups directly opposed each other.
Which of the following is a central idea in the conclusion of the Declaration of Independence
The colonists have the right to separate from Britain's oppressive rule.
How are the moods of "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" and "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" different?
The former has a serious mood, while the latter has a lighter mood.
Which statement best describes the purpose of the horse-drawn carriage imagery in "Because I Could Not Stop for Death."
The imagery introduces the idea that death is a natural and ordinary part of one's journey through life.
How do the authors of "A Psalm of Life" and "Auspex" use different images to illustrate their themes?
The images in "Psalm" are largely tied to the human body, while the images in "Auspex" come from the natural world.
And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church, Our little Sexton - sings. What is the most likely reason for the poet to oppose the phrases "tolling the Bell" and "sings" in these lines?
The poet is expressing her belief that the second, more natural option is far more desirable than the first option.
According to the third paragraph of Chapter I of Nature, how does Emerson define the poet's view of nature?
The poet sees something in nature that cannot be quantified
Which statement best summarizes the final two paragraphs of Chapter I of Nature?
The power in nature that one perceives is due both to nature and to one's own intelligence.
Which statement best describes the theme of "Song of Myself"?
There is room for many experiences and, indeed, selves within one self.
And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility - What is the purpose of the words "labor" and "leisure"?
They are aspects of life that the speaker is leaving.
Considering "Civil Disobedience," which best describes how Thoreau and Martin Luther King, Jr. both felt about acts of civil disobedience?
They both believed that individuals have the right and the responsibility to protest unjust laws.
What do the stanzas in "A Psalm of Life" have in common?
They display different sides of a problem.
Which excerpt from Common Sense contains an example of hyperbole?
"Every spot of the Old World is overrun with oppression."
How do "A Psalm of Life" and "Auspex" differ in how they describe the concept of time?
"Psalm" suggests that the passage of time cannot defeat the soul, while "Auspex" indicates that it can.
Which excerpt from The Crisis, Number I contains a simile
"Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered."
The bow of God's wrath is bent . . . it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood. In this excerpt, the word "wrath" suggests that
God is fiercely angry.
Jefferson aimed to unite the colonists in writing the Declaration of Independence. How does the structure of the document support his purpose?
He concludes by stating that representatives from all thirteen colonies support the document.
Based on Thoreau's opinion about the Mexican-American War and slavery in the United States, why did he most likely refuse to pay the poll taxes, as described in "Civil Disobedience"?
He disagreed with the government's actions.
I depart as air, I shake my white locks at the runaway sun, I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags. How do the words "effuse" and "drift" affect the tone of the second line? They give the line a distanced tone.
They give the actions described a feeling of importance.
How does Jefferson support his major premise in the body of the Declaration of Independence?
He lists the abuses the colonies have suffered under British rule.
The animals thought that perhaps there was dirt at the depths of the ocean, but they had never tried to reach the bottom before. One by one they tried to swim down, but their attempts were futile. Finally, the muskrat disappeared into the cold depth of the ocean. After a lengthy amount of time, he drifted to the surface with a tiny speck of earth in his hand. He appeared to be dead, but the animals prayed and chanted, and finally he stirred. The Earth-Diver was successful in bringing forth the soil to make the earth grow. Which sentences from the excerpt best support the idea that the Iroquois valued sacrifice by one for the good of all?
After a lengthy amount of time, he drifted to the surface with a tiny speck of earth in his hand. He appeared to be dead. . . .
Considering "Civil Disobedience," which best describes one similarity between Thoreau and Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Both felt that people have the moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.
What is similar about the subjects of "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" and "Because I Could Not Stop for Death"?
Both poems personalize a broad concept, such as spirituality or mortality.
Which statement best describes the imagery in Chapter I of Nature and in Society and Solitude?
Both use a majority of natural images.
What is the most likely reason the author chose a free verse structure for "Song of Myself"?
Free verse allowed for the expression of expansive ideas.
Which best summarizes the role of conversation expressed in Society and Solitude?
Conversation has the power to either affirm or destroy the connections between people.
Which would be the best way of describing the structure of Thoreau's observations in "Civil Disobedience"?
He moves from a consideration of his surroundings to an evaluation of the state as a whole.
I loafe and invite my soul, I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass. How do these lines reflect the poet's general style?
They show the poem's relaxed, candid tone
Which is the best summary of paragraph six of Chapter I of Nature?
To experience nature at its fullest requires mental effort.
How do the settings of "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" and "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" differ?
Traveling in the former represents a journey toward death, while the setting of the latter shows that the speaker is well grounded.
Which statement best summarizes the fourth paragraph of Chapter I of Nature?
Truly experiencing and absorbing the beauty of nature can have a healing effect on the mind and body.
According to "The World on Turtle's Back," which best demonstrates the Iroquois view of women?
Women were respected because they helped create and sustain the world.
In the Sky-World was a man who aimed to please his pregnant wife. His wife told him that she wanted some bark from the roots of the Great Tree. Though the husband knew it was wrong, he dug up the roots of the tree for his wife. In doing so, he broke a hole in the floor of the Sky-World, and was shocked to find empty space underneath. He was terrified and told his wife what he did. Which words in this excerpt support the idea that the husband was very devoted to his wife?
a man who aimed to please his pregnant wife
Based on his transcendental beliefs and "Civil Disobedience," it is most reasonable to assume that Thoreau
believed following his conscience was more important than following the law.
The conflict between the twins continued, and for some reason, the grandmother favored the left-handed twin. The right-handed twin became angry and resentful. He was the truthful twin who always did the right thing. The left-handed twin was deceitful and did everything backward. You could never trust him. The twins represented the two ways of the world which are in all people. The Indians did not call these good and evil. They called them the straight mind and the crooked mind, the righteous man and the devious man, the right and the left. The main purpose of this excerpt is to
clarify what the Iroquois considered the two different sides of human nature.
Based on "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," which best describes Edwards's feelings toward his congregation?
compassionate
And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him that has loved them and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit! How can you rest one moment in such a condition? In this excerpt, Edwards is attempting to convince readers that they
could miss an invaluable opportunity.
The woman placed the dirt on Turtle's back and performed a ritual to create the earth. She walked around the dirt in the direction of the sun until the earth grew large enough. Then she planted the roots from the Great Tree and continued her ritual to keep the earth growing. Like the sun she kept moving around the earth, in the same direction the people still do in dance rituals today. The main purpose of this quotation is to
describe the Iroquois belief of how the Earth was created.
My heart, I cannot still it, Nest that had song-birds in it; And when the last shall go, The dreary days to fill it, Instead of lark or linnet, Shall whirl dead leaves and snow. The speaker compares his heart to an empty nest in order to
emphasize the fact that his love has left.
"[The king] has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions." Which best describes the colonists' attitude toward American Indians?
fearful and mistrusting
Which image is used throughout "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" to provoke fear in the audience?
fire
"Some Massanello may hereafter arise, who, laying hold of popular disquietudes, may collect together the desperate and the discontented, and by assuming to themselves the powers of government may sweep away the liberties of the continent like a deluge." In the excerpt, Paine compares a deluge—a torrential downpour—to the actions of a group of men to illustrate their
force.
Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time. The imagery in the lines suggests that
great deeds are remembered in history
You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! Edwards uses the phrase "Oh who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is!" in order to
illustrate that this type of suffering is unimaginable.
"Every day wears out the little remains of kindred between us and them, and can there be any reason to hope, that as the relationship expires, the affection will increase, or that we shall agree better, when we have ten times more and greater concerns to quarrel over than ever?" The word "expires" tells the reader that Paine believed the colonies' separation from Britain was
inevitable.
Every day wears out the little remains of kindred between us and them, and can there be any reason to hope, that as the relationship expires, the affection will increase, or that we shall agree better, when we have ten times more and greater concerns to quarrel over than ever? Paine's use of phrases such as "little remains," "relationship expires," and "quarrel over" suggest that his purpose is to
inspire the colonists to progress without British support
Which best describes the structure of the Declaration of Independence?
introduction and thesis › list of reasons why the British government is oppressive › conclusion that the colonies must separate
When a government fails to protect the unalienable rights of its citizens, it is the duty and right of citizens to create another form of government. This statement is the Declaration of Independence's
major premise.
With the deer antler, the right-handed twin demolished his brother. The left-handed twin died, but he didn't die. He was hurled off the edge of the earth by his brother. In this dark world below the earth, the left-handed twin still lives and reigns. The right-handed twin lives in the Sky-World and he is content with the world he helped to create. The left-handed twin lives in the world below. He, too, is content with the world of men. He delights in the sounds of warfare and suffering. These two beings rule the world and look after the affairs of men. During the day people have rituals to honor the right-handed twin. At night they dance and sing for the left-handed twin. Based on this excerpt, it is reasonable to conclude that
neither twin could die because they were immortal gods.
The right-handed twin accused his brother of murdering their mother and their quarrels continued until it was time to bury their mother. With the help of their grandmother, they made her a grave. From her head grew the three sister plants, corn, beans, and squash. From her heart grew tobacco, which people still use to give thanks in ceremony. She is called "our mother" and the people dance and sing to her to make the plants grow. The excerpt suggests that the Iroquois believed that
sometimes good can come from tragedy.
Some keep the Sabbath going to Church - I keep it, staying at Home - With a Bobolink for a Chorister - And an Orchard, for a Dome - What does the use of the words "orchard" and "dome" suggest?
that the speaker is able to see and feel her faith in everything that surrounds her
Which of the following events directly led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence?
the Stamp Act
Which characteristic makes "Song of Myself" a free verse poem?
the absence of a consistent rhythmic structure
What does each stanza in "Auspex" show?
the different stages of a natural process
Sermons such as "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" were written largely in response to
the rejection of religion in favor of rationalism by some colonists.
The Iroquois perform rituals to honor the twins in "The World on Turtle's Back," illustrating the Iroquoian belief that
the twins are gods and it is important to show them devotion.
Without knowing it, the right and left-handed twins built balance into the world. The plant-eating animals created by the right-handed twin balanced out the meat-eating animals created by the left-handed twin. And so the world thrived, and this was good. Which statement best describes the purpose of this excerpt?
to explain how balance came to exist in the natural world
"'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death." Which best describes the purpose of this excerpt?
to inspire colonists to join the fight for independence
"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." Why does Jefferson conclude with this statement?
to show colonial support for the document and the willingness to fight for independence
Which of the following best describes Thomas Jefferson's purpose in writing the Declaration of Independence?
to unite the colonists against the British government
"I call not upon a few but upon all—not on this state or that state, but on every state—up and help us. . . . Let it be told to the future world that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and repulse it." Paine's purpose in issuing this plea is to
unite the colonists in support of continuing the fight for independence