View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was Yusef Komunyakaa's birth name?
(a) Seth Lindstrom.
(b) Yuri Williams.
(c) Robert Korb.
(d) Josef Brown.

2. Michael Harper wrote a poem dedicated to which famous musician?
(a) Miller.
(b) Holliday.
(c) Coltrane.
(d) Armstrong.

3. Which poet works at Johns Hopkins University?
(a) Clampitt.
(b) Smith.
(c) Olds.
(d) Hacker.

4. Anne Sexton lived in which city?
(a) Boston.
(b) Bangor.
(c) Philadelphia.
(d) Providence.

5. William Matthews is not connected to which of the following colleges/universities?
(a) New York City College.
(b) University of Pennsylvania.
(c) University of North Carolina.
(d) Yale.

Short Answer Questions

1. Philip Levine held which of the following jobs?

2. Michael Palmer's poetry is said to use a(n) ______ abstraction.

3. Yusef Komunyakaa served in which war?

4. Which poet wrote the poem titled, "Ebb Tide?"

5. Which of the following is a main theme in Amy Clampitt's work?

Short Essay Questions

1. What prompted Anne Sexton to begin writing poetry? What was Sexton's style? What are some characteristics of Sexton's style?

2. Jay Wright had a way of combining facts about various cultures and relating them to his heritage. Discuss Wright's heritage and how he celebrated the accomplishments of others.

3. Where was Charles Simic born? How did his youth affect his poetry? What themes are often seen in Simic's work? What technique is often used by Simic?

4. Examine the theme and meaning contained in Rita Dove's "Adolescence - II." How does the theme link to Dove's other work?

5. How does Ellen Bryant Voigt compare poetry to music? Why does Voigt make this comparison? In which part of the poem is the comparison most evident?

6. How does Michael S. Harper incorporate his heritage into his work? What was Harper's biggest influence? What themes commonly appear in his poetry? List some of Harper's poems that appear in this book.

7. Who is Robert Pinsky's main influence? What is Robert Pinsky's goal regarding his poetry? What topic most interests Pinsky? How does Pinsky get his point across?

8. Discuss Amy Clampitt's early career. What are some of Clampitt's themes?

9. How is Sharon Olds categorized as a poet? What words are best used to describe Olds' work? What are some of Olds' most common themes?

10. Heather McHugh's poem, "The Typewriter's the Kind," tells the story of a writer sitting in front of a type writer. Discuss the meaning of the poem and which passage best describes what McHugh is feeling about her work.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,107 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample