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

Short Answer Questions

1. In “Eternity,” the speaker asks what the soul is allowed to do?

2. In “New Road Station,” what is history?

3. In “Theatrical Improvisation,” a person says that a woman pulled something from her head and told her what?

4. "Dusk" begins with the speaker comparing life with her self-centered daughter to what?

5. In "Refuge," the speaker imagines a teen girl in a camp in what country?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are two things the speaker imagines in “Refuge”?

2. What does the speaker observe in “Beatific”?

3. How does "The United States Welcomes You" end?

4. What is said about the house in “Ash”?

5. How does the speaker feel in “In Your Condition”?

6. In "Theatrical Improvisation," what do two of the people remember?

7. What does the speaker say about the wall in "Mutianyu, Great Wall"?

8. To what does the speaker in “Dusk” compare life with her teenage daughter?

9. How does the speaker describe a woman in “Charity”?

10. How is “The Everlasting Self” described in the poem?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Several of Smith's poems talk about the work of humans. Choose one of these poems. How does she describe the work of mankind or a certain society in this poem? What might Smith think about work, based on her poems? Do you agree with her? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

The majority of Smith's poems have a connection with history. In general, what do her poems say about history? How does she support this belief? Do you agree with her? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

In Part II, Smith uses letters from the 1860s. What is the purpose of these letters? What is the significance of this time period? How are you, as the reader affected by these letters? Are you surprised by these letters? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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