The Leash Quizzes

You need to log in to continue

The Leash Quiz

1 The sky "swallows only ______ in each of us"
the unsayable

the fearful

the hatred

the deadly water
2 Why is the river poisoned?
Chemical warfare

A coal mine

An oil spill

Acid rain
3 What image is used to describe the crowd attacked by gunfire?
Waving candles

Holding hands

Kneeling and praying

Singing together
4 The speaker asks, "how can you not fear _____"
this life

humanity

survival

the bombs
5 What "comes back belly up"?
The dog

Fish

The river

Miners
6 What does "the wound closing" sound like?
A rusted-over garage door

A creaking old barn

A crackling fire

A speeding pickup truck
7 What command does the speaker have for the audience, and her dog?
"Keep singing"

"Don't die"

"Stay alive"

"Walk with me"
8 What is the "cold corpse" in the poem?
Winter

The river

Time

The speaker
9 "The truth is: ______"
I don't know

What's left?

I hear it

We are all begging
10 We are "begging for _____ from the speeding passage of time"
life

joy

love

summer
11 Which of the following animals does NOT appear in the poem?
Horse

Fish

Dog

Birds
12 What does "a crepitating crater of hatred" refer to?
The barrel of a gun

The well

The country

The sky
13 Where does the dog walk when she is being obedient?
The speaker's front

In the street

The speaker's heels

On the grass
14 What unrealistic hope for her dog does the speaker express?
That she will survive forever

That she will always walk politely

That she can understand the speaker's words

That she would survive a car accident
15 What does the speaker say "we are always hurtling our bodies toward"?
The dry creek bottom

The hope that will sustain us

The thing that will obliterate us

The next roaring thing
16 How many stanzas does this poem have?
Twenty-four

One

Two

Thirty-three
17 Which of the following positions did Ada Limón take up in 2022?
Librarian of Congress

U.S. Poet Laureate

Professor Emerita

Editor-in-chief of Poetry Magazine
18 What is the name of the book containing "The Leash"?
Bright Dead Things

The Hurting Kind

The Carrying

Lucky Wreck
19 During which decade was this poem published?
1990s

2000s

2020s

2010s
20 Where was "The Leash" initially published?
The Kenyon Review

PBS

Poem-a-Day from the Academy of American Poets

The Slowdown
21 What prestigious prize did "The Leash" win in 2018?
The Pushcart Prize

The Hugo Award

The T.S. Eliot Prize

The Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
22 What is Ada Limón's day job?
She is a politician

She is a full-time poet

She is a high school teacher

She is a horse-racing executive
23 Why does Ada Limón think poetry is the right place to handle intense political topics?
Because it doesn't have to provide a tidy answer

Because it is not a money-making art form

Because it is always very personal

Because it is so widely read on the internet
24 Why does Ada Limón think people are reading more poetry in recent years?
Because poetry is always hopeful

Because poetry is complex, not one-dimensional

Because poetry is easily translated

Because poetry is one-dimensional, not complex
25 Bonus question: what is the name of Limón's dog?
Laura

Luca

Buttercup

Lily Bean

The Leash Questions and Answers

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

Ask Your Own Question

Study Guide for The Leash

The Leash study guide contains a biography of Ada Limón, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

Read the Study Guide for The Leash…