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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through The Solitary Reaper.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What technique is evident in the line "Breaking the silence of the seas" (line 15)?
(a) Synesthesia.
(b) Onomatopoeia.
(c) Sibilance.
(d) Aphorismus.

2. What is subtly appropriate about the meter in lines 25 and 26, "Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang / As if her song could have no ending"?
(a) Line 25 begins with a dactyl, emphasizing the importance of the content of the reaper's song.
(b) The contraction in line 25 creates a second line of trimeter in this stanza, emphasizing the musicality of the song.
(c) Line 26 has four metrical feet instead of the expected three, creating a feeling of "lingering."
(d) The feminine ending of line 26 emphasizes the idea of something that does not end when it is expected to.

3. What is the meaning of the word "Yon" in line 2, "Yon solitary Highland Lass"?
(a) Over there, that one.
(b) Nearby, this one.
(c) You.
(d) My.

4. What is the stanzaic form of "The Solitary Reaper"?
(a) Ottava rima.
(b) Octet.
(c) Ballade.
(d) Octave.

5. Which stanza could be reasonably called the most positive in tone?
(a) The second.
(b) The fourth.
(c) The first.
(d) The third.

Short Answer Questions

1. In line 4, "Stop here, or gently pass!" what is the grammatical mood of the words "stop" and "pass"?

2. In the fourth stanza, when the speaker finally places himself in the scene, what is it clear he is there to do?

3. The characterization of the woman as a "Highland Lass" indicates that she is a young woman from what area?

4. Which of the following most clearly communicates the speaker's admiration for the reaper's singing ability?

5. Where are "the farthest Hebrides" (line 16)?

(see the answer key)

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