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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the narrator of 'The Honey Tree' love as she climbs the honey tree?

2. Who is the wood duck calling to in 'Little Sister Pond'?

3. What makes the narrator of 'Fish' and the fish one?

4. Who pushes packed leaves in 'Spring'?

5. What dives into the storm in 'May'?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the narrator's head full of in 'Blackberries'?

2. What is the question asked at the end of 'The Garden'?

3. How does the narrator of 'Crossing the Swamp' feel when she gets covered in the mud from the swamp?

4. What are the snakes compared to in 'Snakes'?

5. What is the first big question asked of the reader in 'Tecumseh'?

6. What does the narrator of 'Morning at Great Pond' say the coming morning renews in her at the Great Pond?

7. What sad event happens in the second part of 'Something'?

8. What does the narrator of 'The Roses' say there is no end to?

9. What do the fish do in the secret pools in 'Climbing the Chagrin River'?

10. What does the narrator of 'Little Sister Pond' compare the moon to?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many mother and daughter relationships were described in this collection of poems. What were some of these highlighted relationships, and how did they affect Oliver and her writing?

Essay Topic 2

In 'Crossing the Swamp' Oliver talks about how trials and hardships have shaped her life. What are some of the ways her life was shaped by these things, and how did she present these ideas in this poem.

Essay Topic 3

What did Oliver state about happiness in 'The Plum Trees', and how were these ideas substantiated?

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This section contains 623 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample