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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. In Sonnet LXXXIII, where is Matilde as she sleeps?

2. What time of day is described in Sonnet LXXIX?

3. In Sonnet XCIII, how does Neruda say he will die if Matilde dies before him?

4. In Sonnet C, what do Neruda and Matilde share that Neruda calls "victorious?"

5. In Sonnet LXXVII, what does time sprinkle in Matilde's heart?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are Neruda and Matilde looking for in Sonnet XCV, and what do they plan to do once they find it?

2. In Sonnet XCIII, why does Neruda ask Matilde to leave her mouth half-open if she should die before him?

3. Why does Neruda write, "Woe is me, woe is me" at the beginning of Sonnet LXII?

4. In Sonnet LXXII, what causes Neruda to exclaim, "Let's go -- get up -- pin back your hair -- take off and land?"

5. How does Neruda feel about himself and his poetry in Sonnet LVIII?

6. In Sonnet XCII, what does Neruda choose to contemplate instead of the inevitable death of either himself or Matilde?

7. Why does Neruda urge Matilde to sleep in Sonnet LXXXIX?

8. In Sonnet LXXXIII, where is Matilde as she sleeps -- both in body and in spirit?

9. In Sonnet LX, what effect do Neruda's trials and sorrows have on Matilde?

10. How does Neruda describe his homeland in Sonnet LXIII?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the importance of Matilde and Neruda's childhoods throughout the 100 Sonnets. What does the author reveal to the reader about the childhood of each individual? What role does each individual's childhood have on them? What role does childhood play in their relationship with each other? Use quotes from the sonnets to back up all arguments.

Essay Topic 2

In many poems, Neruda describes both his and Matilde's homelands. How does Neruda describe his homeland? Matilde's? What can the reader infer about each lover based on the descriptions of their homeland? Use specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Many of Neruda's poems focus extensively on different animals or insects. Choose three poems that contain examples of animals or insects, and examine the importance of those beings in the poem. Use specific examples from the book.

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