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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 does the narrator of "The Idols of the Tribe" describe the yellow god?

2. What does the white god in "The Idols of the Tribe" eat?

3. Who fought in Halicarnassus?

4. In "The Idols of the Tribe," how many points does a road meet at?

5. What is the white man's philosophy according to "Mu"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the nickname African-China come about in the poem "African China"?

2. How does the narrator define himself in "E.&O.E."?

3. How does Tolson address tyranny in the poem "Tapestries of Time"?

4. What does Tolson believe is the greatest gift Africa has to give to its people according to "Libretto for the Republic of Liberia"?

5. What role does the Curator play in the Harlem Gallery poems?

6. In "Pi" it is written that art without limits can climb mountains. What is meant by this?

7. Explain your interpretation of the line "You are / Black Lazarus risen from the White Man's grave" from the poem "Libretto for the Republic of Liberia."

8. What is the significance of the Curator in Harlem Gallery distinguishing the importance of the word "ex"?

9. What is Tolson's opinion on tyrants as seen in the poem "A Long Head to a Round Head"?

10. How does Tolson believe tyrants remain in power?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What poem does the quote "The Blackest Land / And The Whitest People" come from? Explain the significance of this quote to the poem and how it explains the message of the poem.

Essay Topic 2

How does description play a role in an author's work? How does the author use description to draw the reader into the poem? What are some examples where the description does not work? Cite two poems and explain how the description helps or hinders the poet's message.

Essay Topic 3

How does the setting effect the reader's experience of the poem? Does it matter that the poem is set in another country or time period? Describe the setting of the poem of you choice and explain how it effected your experience of the poem.

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