2010 8th Grade Poetry Test
Poetry is a way to understand how language and symbol systems work. It is a worthy expression of emotion, or deep feelings, and aesthetics, or a sense of what is beautiful about the words. Poems are important tools to study at any age. Take the 8th poetry test and see how good you are at poetry.
Questions and Answers
- 1.
"A gallon of This poem is a good example of:richcountry creamhand whippedinto stiffpeaksflungfrom the beaterinto dollopsacross the blue oilcloth."
- A.
Meter
- B.
Couplet
- C.
Sonnet
- D.
Imagery
Correct Answer
D. ImageryExplanation
The given poem describes the process of making whipped cream in vivid detail, using sensory language to create a mental image for the reader. The words "rich country cream," "stiff peaks," "flung," "dollops," and "blue oilcloth" all evoke visual and tactile imagery. The poem appeals to the reader's senses, allowing them to imagine the creamy texture, the act of whipping, and the final result of the dollops of whipped cream. Therefore, the poem is a good example of imagery.Rate this question:
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- 2.
"The wind stood up and gave a shout.He whistled on his fingers andKicked the withered leaves about."This poem is an example of :
- A.
Metaphor
- B.
Personification
- C.
Imagery
- D.
Simile
Correct Answer
B. PersonificationExplanation
The correct answer is personification because the poem attributes human qualities to the wind by saying it "stood up," "shouted," "whistled on his fingers," and "kicked the withered leaves about." Personification is a literary device that gives human characteristics to non-human entities, and in this poem, the wind is portrayed as if it were a person.Rate this question:
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- 3.
"If this be error and upon me proved,I never writ and no man ever loved."Sonnets always end in a certain two-line form, called a :
- A.
Spondee
- B.
Meter
- C.
Quatrain
- D.
Couplet
Correct Answer
D. CoupletExplanation
A couplet is a two-line form commonly used in sonnets. The given quote is from a sonnet and it follows the structure of a couplet, with two lines that rhyme and provide a concise and conclusive statement. Therefore, the correct answer is couplet.Rate this question:
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- 4.
"...the timer buzzed a bouncing buzz untilit fell off the counter with aclang and lay on the floor with aninjured hiss."These lines are an example of :
- A.
Iambic pentameter
- B.
Onomatopoeia
- C.
Assonance
- D.
Alliteration
Correct Answer
B. OnomatopoeiaExplanation
The given lines use words that imitate the sound they represent, such as "buzzed," "bouncing," "clang," and "hiss." This creates a vivid auditory effect and helps the reader to imagine the sound of the timer falling off the counter. Therefore, the lines are an example of onomatopoeia, which is the use of words that sound like what they represent.Rate this question:
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- 5.
"A new electric fence, Its five barbed wires tightAs a steel-stringed banjo."These lines show what poetic device?
- A.
Simile
- B.
Metaphor
- C.
Rhyme scheme
- D.
Personification
Correct Answer
A. SimileExplanation
The given lines compare the new electric fence to a steel-stringed banjo, using the word "as" to establish the comparison. This is an example of a simile, a poetic device that compares two unlike things using "like" or "as".Rate this question:
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- 6.
"Meter" in a verse of poetry is best defined as:
- A.
The measurement of the length of the whole poem
- B.
A way of keeping track of a poem
- C.
Sounds of words that are similar in a poem
- D.
Stress or unstressed syllables giving rhythm
Correct Answer
D. Stress or unstressed syllables giving rhythmExplanation
Meter in a verse of poetry refers to the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, which creates a rhythmic structure. It helps to establish the rhythm and musicality of the poem. By emphasizing certain syllables and de-emphasizing others, meter adds a sense of flow and cadence to the poem. It is not about measuring the length of the whole poem, keeping track of it, or the similarity of sounds in the words.Rate this question:
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- 7.
The term "verse" in poetry is actually just a:
- A.
Nursery rhyme
- B.
Thought of a poet
- C.
Paragraph of a poem
- D.
A line of traditional poetry written in meter
Correct Answer
D. A line of traditional poetry written in meterExplanation
The term "verse" in poetry refers to a line of traditional poetry written in meter. In poetry, a verse is a unit of writing that typically follows a specific rhythm or pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. It is a fundamental element of traditional poetry and helps to create the overall structure and musicality of a poem.Rate this question:
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- 8.
"Homecoming" by Langston HughesI went back in the alleyAnd I opened up the door.All her clothes was gone:She wasn't home no more.I pulled back the covers,I made down the bed.A whole lot of roomWas the only thing I had.The sections of this poem are called :
- A.
Verses
- B.
Stanzas
- C.
Couplets
Correct Answer
B. StanzasExplanation
The sections of this poem are called stanzas. A stanza is a group of lines in a poem that are separated from other groups by a line break. In this poem, each section represents a separate stanza. The use of stanzas helps to organize the poem and create a rhythm or flow.Rate this question:
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- 9.
"Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now" by A. E. HousmanLoveliest of trees, the cherry nowIs hung with bloom along the bough,And stands about the woodland rideWearing white for Eastertide.This poetic stanza is an example of :
- A.
Rhyme scheme
- B.
Personification
- C.
Consonance
- D.
Assonance
- E.
All of the above
Correct Answer
E. All of the aboveExplanation
The given stanza from "Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now" by A. E. Housman demonstrates all of the listed literary techniques. It has a clear rhyme scheme with the end words of each line rhyming (now/bough/ride/tide). It also includes personification by attributing human qualities to the cherry tree, suggesting that it is "wearing white" for Easter. Additionally, there is consonance, as seen in the repetition of the "w" sound in "wearing white." Finally, there is assonance, as seen in the repetition of the long "o" sound in "loveliest," "of," "now," "bough," and "for."Rate this question:
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- 10.
An example of "a-b-a-b" rhyme scheme is:
- A.
"When the nightingale to his mate Sings day-long and night late, My love and I keep state In bower, In flower."
- B.
"Not only sands and gravels, Were once more on their travels..."
- C.
"I know that I shall meet my fate, Somewhere among the clouds above; Those that I fight I do not hate, Those that I guard I do not love."
Correct Answer
C. "I know that I shall meet my fate, Somewhere among the clouds above; Those that I fight I do not hate, Those that I guard I do not love."Explanation
The given stanza follows an "a-b-a-b" rhyme scheme, where the end words of the first and third lines rhyme with each other, and the end words of the second and fourth lines rhyme with each other. In this stanza, the end words "fate" and "hate" rhyme, as well as "above" and "love". This consistent pattern of rhyming creates a pleasing and rhythmic effect in the poem.Rate this question:
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- 11.
"Her goodly eyes like sapphires shining bright,Her forehead ivory white..."These lines of poetry are an example of what poetic device?
- A.
Onomatopoeia
- B.
Metaphor
- C.
Rhythm
- D.
Assonance
Correct Answer
D. AssonanceExplanation
The given lines of poetry use the poetic device of assonance, which is the repetition of vowel sounds in neighboring words. In this case, the words "goodly" and "forehead" both contain the long "o" sound, creating a harmonious and musical effect. This use of assonance enhances the imagery and beauty of the poet's description of the person's eyes and forehead.Rate this question:
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- 12.
"The moon is a white frisbee floating over the mountain," is an example of:
- A.
Simile
- B.
Metaphor
- C.
Repetition
- D.
Pentameter
Correct Answer
B. MetaphorExplanation
The given sentence, "The moon is a white frisbee floating over the mountain," is an example of a metaphor. A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another. In this case, the moon is being compared to a white frisbee floating over the mountain. The sentence is not meant to be taken literally, but rather to create a vivid image in the reader's mind.Rate this question:
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- 13.
An example of alliteration as a poetic device is:
- A.
"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
- B.
"...my handmaiden is a worrisome lot.."
- C.
"far to the legions of distant countries..."
Correct Answer
A. "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."Explanation
The given phrase "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers" is an example of alliteration because it repeats the initial sound of the words in close proximity. The repetition of the "p" sound creates a rhythmic and musical quality to the phrase. Alliteration is a poetic device used to create emphasis, rhythm, and enhance the overall sound and beauty of the language.Rate this question:
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- 14.
An example of onomatopoeia as a poetic device is:
- A.
"And the fish swim in the lake and do not even own clothing."
- B.
"The bacon began to hiss and sizzle."
- C.
"The barnacles which encrust the side of the wave, cannot hide..."
Correct Answer
B. "The bacon began to hiss and sizzle."Explanation
The correct answer is "The bacon began to hiss and sizzle." This is an example of onomatopoeia because the words "hiss" and "sizzle" imitate the sound that bacon makes when it is being cooked. Onomatopoeia is a poetic device where words are used to imitate or suggest the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to. In this case, the words "hiss" and "sizzle" create a vivid sensory image and enhance the reader's experience by evoking the sound of cooking bacon.Rate this question:
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- 15.
The definition of assonance is:
- A.
A fourteen line poem
- B.
Vowel sounds that repeat and rhyme within or at the end of lines of poetry
- C.
Rhyming in every other line of poetry
Correct Answer
B. Vowel sounds that repeat and rhyme within or at the end of lines of poetryExplanation
Assonance refers to the repetition of vowel sounds within or at the end of lines of poetry. It is a technique used to create musicality and rhythm in a poem. This definition accurately describes the concept of assonance and distinguishes it from other poetic techniques such as rhyme or the structure of the poem.Rate this question:
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- 16.
"Elegy, Written with his own Hand in the Tower before his Execution" by Chidiock Tichborne, 1586My prime of youth is but a frost of cares, My feast of joy is but a dish of pain,My crop of corn is but a field of tares (weeds) And all my good is but vain hope of gain.."This poetic stanza is an example of :
- A.
Metaphor
- B.
Simile
Correct Answer
A. MetaphorExplanation
The given poetic stanza is an example of a metaphor. The speaker uses various comparisons to convey their feelings and experiences. They compare their prime of youth to a frost of cares, their feast of joy to a dish of pain, their crop of corn to a field of weeds, and their good to vain hope of gain. These comparisons create vivid imagery and convey the speaker's sense of disillusionment and disappointment.Rate this question:
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- 17.
"The Angel that Presided O'er my Birth" by William Blake, 1811The Angel that presided o'er my birthSaid, "Little creature, formed of Joy and Mirth,Go love without the help of any thing on earth."The rhyme scheme of this poem is:
- A.
A, B, A
- B.
A, B, C
- C.
A, A, A
Correct Answer
C. A, A, AExplanation
The correct answer is A, A, A. This means that the rhyme scheme of the poem is that each line ends with the same sound. In this case, all three lines end with the sound "irth" (birth, mirth, earth). This consistent rhyme scheme creates a sense of unity and repetition in the poem, emphasizing the angel's message to love without relying on anything on earth.Rate this question:
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