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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. How is time laid out in the poem "Salt"?

2. What is silk best for in the poem "Princess Clothing"?

3. What would be only fair in Part 7 of the poem "Songs For Murdered Sisters"?

4. What kind of flowers are in the painting in the poem "A Genre Painting"?

5. What is the subject of the poem "Blizzard" curled up like?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the poem "Aflame," what is happening to the world?

2. What does the speaker's mother in the poem "Blizzard" fight?

3. What is the problem with souvenirs, according to the speaker in the poem by the same name?

4. What is the purpose of the mushrooms in the poem "September Mushrooms"?

5. What happens when the Tin Woodwoman gets a massage in the poem by the same name?

6. What kinds of stories did the people used to tell in the poem "The Dear Ones?"

7. How do the murdered sisters die in the poem "Songs For Murdered Sisters"?

8. Why should one avoid wearing cotton when making recordings, according to the poem "Princess Clothing"?

9. What kind of people were the Scythians in the poem "Digging Up the Scythians"?

10. What is the poem "Betrayal" about?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What dual meanings and symbolism does Atwood assign to souvenirs in the poem in Part I by that title? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Judging from this collection, what is Atwood's opinion and outlook on the future of the planet in terms of human influence on the environment? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Which poems in this collection could be viewed as a sort of speculative fiction - a genre Atwood is known for - and why? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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