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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the poets was born in the south but uses a northern perspective?
(a) Palmer.
(b) Gluck.
(c) Voigt.
(d) Ryan.

2. Sharon Olds is often labeled as a ______ poet.
(a) Mainstream.
(b) Confessional.
(c) Controversial.
(d) Regressional.

3. How old was Amy Clampitt when her first book was published?
(a) 63.
(b) 70.
(c) 67.
(d) 58.

4. Who wrote "The Mad Potter?"
(a) Kinnell.
(b) Levine.
(c) Hollander.
(d) Sexton.

5. Later in his career, Williams changed his style to reflect that of which famous poet?
(a) Wordsworth.
(b) Whitman.
(c) Emerson.
(d) Longfellow.

Short Answer Questions

1. Michael Harper was greatly influenced by which type of music?

2. Which poem was written for a survivor of Hiroshima?

3. Galway Kinnell wrote about which of the following topics?

4. Robert Haas earned his Ph.D. from which university?

5. Unlike many poets, Robert Pinsky has no interest in _____.

Short Essay Questions

1. In which regions and countries did Irving Feldman live? What are some of the characteristics of Feldman's work? Name three people that appear in Feldman's poetry.

2. What prompted Anne Sexton to begin writing poetry? What was Sexton's style? What are some characteristics of Sexton's style?

3. How is Sharon Olds categorized as a poet? What words are best used to describe Olds' work? What are some of Olds' most common themes?

4. Where was Charles Simic born? How did his youth affect his poetry? What themes are often seen in Simic's work? What technique is often used by Simic?

5. Discuss Amy Clampitt's early career. What are some of Clampitt's themes?

6. Discuss the rhyme and tone of "Ballad of Ladies Lost and Found." Who are some of the people mentioned in the poem? What is the rhyme scheme? What form does Hacker use in this poem?

7. Who was Adrienne Rich? What causes did she promote through her work?

8. How does Ellen Bryant Voigt compare poetry to music? Why does Voigt make this comparison? In which part of the poem is the comparison most evident?

9. What is Mary Oliver's style? How does Mary Oliver incorporate nature into her work? What unique gift does Oliver have as a poet?

10. Jay Wright had a way of combining facts about various cultures and relating them to his heritage. Discuss Wright's heritage and how he celebrated the accomplishments of others.

(see the answer keys)

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