The Emperor of Ice Cream Quizzes

The Emperor of Ice Cream Quiz

By Rebecca Bedell · Last reviewed May 30, 2017

1 Who makes the ice cream?

the mother

the roller of big cigars

the newspaper boys

the speaker
2 Which is NOT an adjective you could apply to the cigar man, based on the poem's description of him?

strong

capable

masculine

arrogant
3 What do the boys bring to the house?

bed sheets

desserts

flowers

funeral clothes
4 What are the wenches doing?

wrapping up the body

hanging around

complaining

taking care of the boys
5 How are the ice cream curds described?

unwanted

delicious

surprising

lustful
6 What object in the poem is NOT made to seem old?

the dresser

the newspapers

the woman

the ice cream
7 What is embroidered on the sheet used to cover the body?

flowers

birds

hearts

leaves
8 What is the woman’s dresser lacking?

its top drawer

two cigars

three glass knobs

a hand-held mirror
9 How would you describe the woman’s dresser?

cheap

new

stained

ornate
10 What is the problem with the embroidered sheet?

it is too short

it is ugly

it is transparent

it is fraying
11 What part of the woman’s body might remain visible?

her closed eyes

her stringy hair

her horny feet

her wrinkled hands
12 What would that exposed body part tell us about the dead woman?

she is unpopular and alone

she is old and rich

she is cold and silent

she is stiff and heavy
13 What kind of light does the speaker ask for in the penultimate line?

the lamp beam

the kitchen light

the lit candles

the sunlight through the window
14 What is the central contrast of the poem?

life versus death

masculine versus feminine

fun versus sadness

peace versus anger
15 Which of the following is NOT a way you could describe the tone of the poem?

declarative

vengeful

whimsical

sexual
16 What type of sentence makes up the majority of the poem?

interrogative

explanatory

imperative

interjection
17 Which formal device does Stevens use sparingly at the end of each stanza?

allusion

rhyme

meter

alliteration
18 What might the speaker mean by “Let be be finale of seem”?

Let pure reality replace artifice and illusion

Let death be the end of imagination

Let all your poems only deal with simple topics

Let happiness only exist because of material things
19 Which of the following does ice cream NOT represent in the poem?

pleasure

vivacity

desire

maturity
20 What do ice cream and death have in common?

they are desirable

they are cold

they are rare

they are inevitable
21 In this poem, Stevens primarily uses ________ details.

physical

natural

auditory

scientific
22 What is the spatial or temporal relationship of the two stanzas?

they are two separate memories

they occur in different rooms

they occur in different cities

they occur in different seasons
23 Where does the poem most likely take place?

India

Italy

Maine

Florida
24 According to the poem, which of the following is NOT a good descriptor for human life?

pristinely organized

mundane

energetic

sexual
25 Why did Stevens count this poem as his favorite?

it references the most Classical poets

it is extremely personal

it has a very complex meter

it is gaudy like poetry itself

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The Emperor of Ice Cream study guide contains a biography of Robert Louis Stevenson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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