1 The phrase "her teacup full of dark brown tears" is an example of which of the following? Simile Verbal irony Personification Metaphor 2 What does "foretold" mean? Imagined Dreaded Threatened Predicted 3 Who is the speaker? The grandchild An omniscient third person The almanac The grandmother 4 What kind of stanzas are in this poem? Tercets Sestets and a tercet Quatrains Sestets 5 The word "birdlike" is an instance of what? Simile Understatement Hyperbole Metaphor 6 Which is NOT a major theme of this poem? Care Repression Adventure Trauma 7 In what month does the poem take place? December November September October 8 Which best describes the sestina as a form? It consists of couplets with identical end words, which are preceded by a rhymed word It contains repeated concluding words in every line, which shift order from one stanza to the next It contains two repeated, alternating refrains, which appear at the close of every stanza It builds up to a volta, or turn, which takes place after either the eighth or twelfth line 9 Which best describes the two characters' dynamic? They are both haunted by the same event, but do no openly discuss that event They are hostile with one another, blaming each other for their shared past They are haunted by a recent tragedy, but discuss that event at length to comfort each other They are blissfully happy, as-yet unaware of the tragedy in their family 10 Which is NOT one of the repeated words in this poem? tears stove kettle grandmother 11 What is an almanac? A family photo album A type of reference book containing information such as calendars A joke book A journal used for recording household expenditures 12 What does "rigid" mean? Ironic Sturdy Rude Inflexible 13 To what does Bishop compare the tea in the grandmother's cup? Milk The ocean Tears Blood 14 What is the poem's rhyme scheme? ABBCDD EFFGEE It is unrhymed ABABAB ABBA CDDC EFFE 15 What does the word "inscrutable" mean? Hard Mysterious Funny Painful 16 What does the child draw? A stove Herself The moon A house 17 When was this poem first published? 1928 1979 1953 1956 18 What is the final stanza of a sestina called? An aubade A volta A strophe An envoi 19 Where is the poem set? Its setting is unstated Boston The English countryside New Orleans 20 What does "Marvel" refer to in this poem? A brand of kitchenware An adjective meaning "amazing" A media company A sect of Christianity 21 How many stanzas are in this poem? 5 16 7 6 22 Which of the following contains alliteration? "shows it proudly to the grandmother." "the old grandmother" "September rain falls" "sings on the stove" 23 In which publication did this poem first appear? The New Yorker None—it first appeared in book form Harpers The Paris Review 24 What has traumatized the characters in this poem? A house fire The precise nature of the event is hinted at but never revealed The death of the child's mother A war 25 What is an equinox? The hottest night of the year A night on which an eclipse happens The longest day of the year A date on which the night and the day are of the same length
