1 Where was Louis MacNeice from? England Ireland United States Germany 2 What other genre of writing did MacNeice pursue in his lifetime? Novels Speeches Drama Journalism 3 In what collection was "Prayer Before Birth" published? Springboard The Last Ditch Collected Poems Holes in the Sky 4 What year was the poem published? 1944 1932 1920 1912 5 What major conflict was happening at the time MacNeice wrote the poem? World War I The Great Depression World War II The Cold War 6 How old was MacNeice when he died? 38 24 89 55 7 Who is the speaker of the poem? A soldier God An unborn entity A child 8 Which of these does the speaker not mention in the first stanza of the poem? Bats Vampires Rats Ghouls 9 What is the speaker afraid of? Drugs Torture Imprisonment All of these 10 The line, "with strong drugs dope me, with wise lies lure me" contains examples of what poetic device (6)? Apostrophe Synecdoche Personfiication Alliteration 11 What, according to the speaker, can nurture their growth? Love A mother Nature God 12 For what does the speaker ask forgiveness? The sins they are yet to commit The thoughts they currently express Their request for death The mistakes they have made 13 What metaphor does the speaker use to ask for preparation for life on earth? Learning a language Reading a pamphlet Taking a class Rehearsing a play 14 According to the speaker, what will old men do to them? Lecture them Inspire them Ridicule them Laugh at them 15 According to the speaker, what will bureaucrats do to them? Manipulate them Embarrass them Comfort them Hector them 16 According to the speaker, what will lovers do to them? Save them Prepare them Laugh at them Emasculate them 17 Which of these scenarios does the speaker not imagine encountering on earth? A beggar rejecting their gift Being cursed by their own children Dying in the desert Falling from a tree 18 According to the speaker, the "man who is beast" also thinks he is what (26)? God Emperor The Savior Love 19 The term "lethal automaton" (30) is a euphemism for what? A gun A solider A machine A dictator 20 What is closest in meaning to the word "dragoon" (30)? Coerce Invite Dragon Lure 21 Which of these images represents manipulation by someone else? Hands Blood-baths Machines Trees 22 Which two fates does the speaker imagine for people on earth? Robots and books Stones and water Machines and nature Guns and boots 23 Which of these describes the form of the final lines of the poem? Tercet Couplet Quatrain Alexandrine 24 What does the speaker ask for as an alternative to being born? God Death A song Nurture 25 Which of these phrases is repeated throughout the poem? "Spill me" "I am not yet born" "I fear" "Otherwise kill me"
