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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. In his dedication, Neruda says that poets before him have written sonnets whose rhymes are like crystal or cannon fire. What does Neruda say his poems are made of?
(a) Flowers.
(b) Silver.
(c) Sand.
(d) Wood.

2. In Sonnet XXXI, what two plants does Neruda use to crown Matilde?
(a) Orange blossoms and lilies.
(b) Laurel and roses.
(c) Vines and lilies.
(d) Laurel and oregano.

3. In Sonnet VII, what does Neruda say he can see in Matilde's life?
(a) The past.
(b) The future.
(c) Everything that lives.
(d) Everything that is good.

4. In Sonnet VII, what does Neruda say reminds him of Matilde's eyes?
(a) The ocean, mist and clouds.
(b) The moon, clay and fire.
(c) Carnations, clay and trees.
(d) The stars, the ocean and birds.

5. In Sonnet IX, Neruda contrasts the love between himself and Matilde with what natural formation?
(a) A cloud.
(b) A landslide.
(c) An erupting volcano.
(d) A cliff by the sea.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Sonnet XXXII, what title does Neruda give to Matilde?

2. In Sonnet XVIII, Neruda says that Matilde moves through the mountains as swiftly as what two objects?

3. In Sonnet XXXVI, what does Neruda like watching Matilde do in her "miniature empire?"

4. In Sonnet XXXIII, where are Neruda and Matilde going when they traverse "the crackling sea?"

5. In Sonnet XV, what does Neruda say Matilde is made out of?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Sonnet I, how does Neruda describe Matilde's name?

2. What imagery does Neruda use to describe Matilde as he watches her walk by the sea in Sonnet X?

3. List some examples of earth imagery Neruda uses to describe Matilde in Sonnet XXX.

4. Neruda says that "everything alive has its two sides," including love. In Sonnet XLIV, what are the two sides of Neruda's love for Matilde? Why are both sides important?

5. What is Neruda looking for when he studies other women in Sonnet XLIII?

6. What images does Neruda use in Sonnet XLVI to explain how he chose Matilde out of any other alternatives?

7. What are some aspects of Matilde's ugliness and beauty does Neruda list in Sonnet XX?

8. Explain how Matilde acts as a healer and protector in Sonnet XXIII.

9. In Sonnet VII, what causes Neruda's emotions to burst forth like "geysers flooding from deep in its vault?"

10. How is Neruda affected by the "bitter love" he experiences in Sonnet III?

(see the answer keys)

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