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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 7 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. To whom is the apostrophe in lines 57-59 addressed?

2. What is emphasized by the unusual word order in line 78's "What then I was"?

3. What idea is conveyed by the details listed toward the end of the fourth verse paragraph?

4. Which technique is used in the phrase "the fever of the world" in line 55?

5. What techniques are evidence in line 88's phrase "nor mourn nor murmur"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the "sad perplexity" the speaker feels in line 62?

2. What evidence does the speaker provide that demonstrates how much he enjoyed the sensations of nature when he was younger?

3. In what ways does the speaker compare himself to an animal?

4. What comment does the speaker make about his motivations for being in nature when he was younger?

5. In the third verse paragraph, what argument does the speaker have with himself?

6. What does the speaker say he now sees in nature that he did not see when he was younger?

7. What does the speaker say he is gaining from looking at the scene, besides "present pleasure" (65)?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay in which you analyze the symbolic value of the River Wye in "Tintern Abbey." Draw on mentions of the river throughout the poem, including in the poem's title, as you build a case about what idea or ideas the presence of the river communicates. Provide both quoted and paraphrased evidence of diction, imagery, and detail that support your interpretation.

Essay Topic 2

Go online and read about the industrialization of the Wye Valley in Wordsworth's time and the questions critics have asked about the accuracy of his depiction of the landscape. Then, think back to your ideas about the elision of the abbey in the poem. Write an essay that takes and defends a position about whether Wordsworth's elision of the abbey has the same purpose as his elision of the industrial buildings that had begun to appear in the valley during this time period. Support your assertions with evidence from both "Tintern Abbey" and online sources; cite all sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 3

Read "Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood," by William Wordsworth (widely available online). Write an essay that compares and contrasts the theme of this poem with the theme of "Tintern Abbey." How do these poems portray the recollection of youth? What relationship do these poems posit between humans and the natural world? What contribution do their differing techniques and forms make to the two poems' themes? Support your claims with both quoted and paraphrased evidence from both poems, and be sure to cite your sources in MLA format.

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