Suburban Sonnet Quizzes

Suburban Sonnet Quiz

By Katrina Spencer · Edited by James Cooper · Last reviewed January 31, 2023

1 Where is the poem set?

A woman's house

A park

A concert hall

A restaurant
2 Which of the following is NOT a major theme or motif in the poem?

Music

Domesticity

Religion

Motherhood
3 Who did the woman perform her music for?

Stravinsky

Rubinstein

Bach

Mozart
4 What does the magazine paper that the woman used to wrap the mouse say?

100 delicious recipes for the holidays

Tasty dishes from stale bread

Zest and love

Piano concert tomorrow night
5 Which of the following best describes the tone of the speaker?

Calm, ebullient, observant

Nostalgic, affectionate, contemplative

Anxious, excited, curious

Resigned, exhausted, overwhelmed
6 What frightens the children?

A howling wind outside

A dead mouse in a moustrap

The pot boiling over

Their mother's solemn piano music
7 What does the speaker expressly say "aches" in the poem?

The woman's veins

The woman's fingers

The woman's heart

The woman's muscles
8 Which of the following literary devices is NOT used in the poem?

Metaphor

Allusion

Enjambment

Simile
9 It is implied that Rubenstein reacted to the woman's performance with:

Boredom

Delight

Disgust

Enthusiasm
10 As used in Line 10, what does the word "caper" mean?

skip or dance about in a lively or playful way

scream and fight, with a sense of anger

a sleeveless cloak, typically a short one

the pickled flower bud of a prickly southern European shrub, used to flavor food
11 Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the poem?

A woman comforting her children

A woman cleaning burned milk from a pot

A woman practicing music

A woman pushing a stroller
12 Which of the following is the clearest example of metaphor used in the poem?

When the soft corpse won't move they seem afraid.

Beside her on the floor two children chatter

Zest and love / drain out with soapy water as she scours

Once she played / for Rubinstein, who yawned.
13 Who "yawned" in the poem (line 10)?

The children

The father

The mother

Rubinstein
14 As used in Line 8, what does the word "scour" mean?

dig through something to obtain what is hidden underneath

move rapidly in a particular direction, especially in search or pursuit of someone or something

do a thorough search in order to locate something

clean or brighten the surface of (something) by rubbing it hard, typically with an abrasive or detergent
15 The poem is predominantly written in the ____ tense.

Present

Past

Future

Past perfect
16 How many lines does a traditional sonnet contain?

14

12

10

17
17 How many lines does this poem contain?

14

12

17

10
18 Which of the following is an example of a slant rhyme used in the poem?

"she plays well or not / ...She hushes them. A pot"

"a wave of nausea overpowers / ... as she scours"

"though it can matter / ...two children chatter"

"The children caper / ...They seem afraid"
19 Which of the following sounds does NOT occur in the poem?

A door slamming

Children screaming

Music being played

A pot boiling over
20 Which of the following is an example of enjambment?

"they seem afraid. / She comforts them"

"where a mouse lies dead. / When the soft corpse won't move"

"As she rushes to the stove / too late"

"if she plays well or not. / Beside her"
21 Which of the following is an example of caesura?

"When the soft corpse won't move they seem afraid."

"to no one now if she plays well or not."

"Beside her on the floor two children chatter,"

"featuring: Tasty dishes from stale bread."
22 The poem was published in the ___.

1950s

1970s

1960s

1980s
23 Which of the following do the children NOT do in the poem?

Fight

Chatter

Practice piano

Caper
24 Which of the following is an example of alliteration?

the soft corpse won't move

then scream and fight

a wave of nausea overpowers

children caper
25 Which of the following statements would Gwen Harwood be most likely to agree with?

All women should be mothers.

Women should have the freedom to pursue their creative passions.

Music is more important than poetry.

Children should be firmly punished for screaming and fighting.

Suburban Sonnet Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Suburban Sonnet is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Ask Your Own Question

Study Guide for Suburban Sonnet

Suburban Sonnet study guide contains a biography of Gwen Harwood, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

Read the Study Guide for Suburban Sonnet…