View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the character in "Hill Country" stave off in regard to the injured animal?

2. In “I Will Tell You the Truth About This, I Will Tell You All About It,” how much money did a man say he raised to free himself and his wife?

3. The speaker of "The Greatest Personal Privation" says in Stanza 1 it is terrible belonging to this woman. Why?

4. What is NOT a reason why not being able to read or write hinders the paying of a pension deserved to former black Civil War soldiers?

5. In "Garden of Eden," why does the narrator's arm get sore?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the destruction of the world compared to a sister who is abused in "The World is Your Beautiful Younger Sister"?

2. How does the poem "Unwritten" begin?

3. In "Declaration," what have officers been sent to do?

4. In "The Garden of Eden," what does the narrator remember doing after she finished her shopping?

5. What does the stranger say to the narrator in "Wade in the Water"? How does this affect the narrator?

6. What does the poet say about age in "I Will Tell You the Truth About This, I will Tell You All About It"?

7. In "The Greatest Personal Privation," what does the narrator say in Stanza 1?

8. Why does God in "Hill Country" roll down the windows of his jeep? What else does he do that is connected to this?

9. What is the reason given in "I Will Tell You the Truth About This, I will Tell You All About It" for why the men have difficulty receiving their pensions?

10. How are the angels in "The Angels" described?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Is it important for a writer or artist to have a body of work that clearly shows that it belongs to a certain writer or artist? Why or why not? What writers and/or other artists you can think of that have a distinct style? What is their style?

Essay Topic 2

Several of Smith's poems describe a specific event in history that shows the flaws of humankind. Give one example from this book, including the title of the poem and a description. What does the reader learn about this event? How are people and/or the world affected by this event? What does this poem say about humanity or certain members of society? How is this a theme throughout many of Smith's poems? Do you agree? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Several of the poems were created for a specific group or event. How might this have affected the poet and her choices regarding writing these poems? Can this type of inspiration be a hinderance for the poet? Why or why not? How might the poet benefit from certain restrictions when writing a poem?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,010 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample