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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was singing to Oliver in Work Sometimes?
(a) The wind.
(b) Robins.
(c) Street cars.
(d) The radio.

2. What does Oliver like to assign to inanimate objects in her poems?
(a) Identities.
(b) Functions.
(c) Descriptions.
(d) Human characteristics.

3. What did the animal in The Measure do when the poet tried to save it?
(a) Bit her.
(b) Hissed at her.
(c) Looked into her eye.
(d) Ran away.

4. When did the poet say the animal in The Measure had began her journey?
(a) When she was first born.
(b) In the early morning.
(c) In the middle of the night.
(d) Shortly before she appeared.

5. What is Oliver's most commonly used literary device in these poems?
(a) Metaphor.
(b) Allusion.
(c) Anthropomorphism.
(d) Simile.

6. What are we told to examine in Everything?
(a) Our motivations.
(b) Our emotions.
(c) Our desires.
(d) Our needs.

7. What does using nature in her poems allow Oliver to do?
(a) Set forth an interpretation.
(b) Accept responsibility.
(c) Open minds.
(d) Broaden her range.

8. What does the editor say new readers of Oliver will feel when they read the first section?
(a) They will get sucked in right away.
(b) They will be eased into the style.
(c) They are in for a surprise.
(d) They will feel like they have always known her.

9. What does Oliver try to identify at the beginning of Work Sometimes?
(a) An identity.
(b) A memorable moment.
(c) A shared experience.
(d) A happy memory.

10. What did the rain in Work Sometimes do to the flowers in the yard?
(a) Made them shine.
(b) Killed them.
(c) Made them fragrant.
(d) Brought them out of the earth.

11. In the Measure, what happens in the pinewoods?
(a) The sun shines in happy measures.
(b) Flowers make perfect cover.
(c) Blueberries ripen early.
(d) Small animals are left alone.

12. What kind of citizen did the poet call the animal in The Measure?
(a) Shy.
(b) Voracious.
(c) Elderly.
(d) Unknown.

13. What tone does Oliver take on at the end of Work Sometimes?
(a) Self-referencing.
(b) Frantic.
(c) Omniscient.
(d) Relaxing.

14. What does Oliver call the things in life that are not human?
(a) Partners.
(b) Non-humans.
(c) Others.
(d) Co-inhabitants.

15. Why does Oliver like to use her most common literary device?
(a) It is a symbolic form of writing.
(b) It makes her work unique.
(c) It broadens understanding of humans.
(d) It comes easily to her.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Oliver trying to describe with the lilt in the words in Everything?

2. In Everything, what are we told to look to for examination?

3. What kind of words does Oliver hope to find while writing in Mysteries, Four of the Simple Ones?

4. What is the name of the first section of poems in this group?

5. What style is Work Sometimes written in?

(see the answer keys)

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