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

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) The contraction in line 25 creates a second line of trimeter in this stanza, emphasizing the musicality of the song.
(b) Line 26 has four metrical feet instead of the expected three, creating a feeling of "lingering."
(c) The feminine ending of line 26 emphasizes the idea of something that does not end when it is expected to.
(d) Line 25 begins with a dactyl, emphasizing the importance of the content of the reaper's song.

3. From context, what is is likely meaning of "single" in line 1, "Behold her, single in the field"?
(a) Honest.
(b) Alone.
(c) Unmarried.
(d) Simple.

4. What is the "sickle" in line 28?
(a) A handle used to pull a cart.
(b) A sharp cutting tool.
(c) A tied sheaf of grain.
(d) A mark dyed into wool to track sheep.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Which is the best interpretation of line 6's reference to "a melancholy strain"?

2. What is the stanzaic form of "The Solitary Reaper"?

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

4. What technique is used in phrases like "the Vale profound" (line 7) and "A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard" (line 13)?

5. What is the young woman doing in the field?

(see the answer key)

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