Kingdom Schools
English Department
Name: …………………………………………………..
Date: …………………..
: A Song of Myself
1. The narrator of the poem claims in Section 1 that “what I assume you shall” what?
(a) “Assume.”
(b) “Evade.”
(c) “Ignore.”
(d) “Endear.”
2. Whitman writes in Section 1 of the poem that every what “belonging to me as good belongs
to you”?
(a) “Bible.”
(b) “Atom.”
(c) “Religion.”
(d) “Element.”
3. The narrator claims to “lean and loaf at my ease observing” what, in Section 1?
(a) “The falling flakes of snow.”
(b) “A blooming spring flower.”
(c) “A falling autumn leaf.”
(d) “A spear of summer grass.”
4. How old does the narrator of the poem claim to be in Section 1?
(a) 34.
(b) 37.
(c) 29.
(d) 44.
5. The narrator describes “Houses and rooms” full of what in the beginning of Section 2?
(a) Paintings.
(b) Perfumes.
(c) Ornate carvings.
(d) Rich wood.
6. The narrator claims in Section 2 that the atmosphere “has no taste of” what?
(a) “The distillation.”
(b) “The reconciliation.”
(c) “The emancipation.”
(d) “The concentration.”
7. The narrator combines the word “respiration” with what word in Section 2?
(a) “Retaliation.”
(b) “Inspiration.”
(c) “Desperation.”
(d) “Resignation.”
Critical Reading:
8. I Loaf and invite my soul. I lean and loaf at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.
(a) People should not interfere with nature
(b) Observation of nature is a valuable activity
(c) Only lazy people have time to enjoy nature
9. There are really the thoughts of all men in all ages and lands, they are not original with me, /
If they are not yours as much they are mine they are nothing, or next to nothing.
a. Any individual's voice is a humble voice, prone to error.
b. The human soul is essentially the same in every time and place.
c. If poetry does not express new ideas and feelings, it is worthless.
10. I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin, hoping to cease not till death.
(a) Life is an active business, not a passive one.
(b) Good health is essential to leading a good life.
(c) As one grows older, one naturally slows down.
11. The wild gander leads his flock through the cool night, Ya-honk he says, and sounds
it down to me like an invitation.
a. Wild creatures can inspire a sense of adventure in people.
b. People are essentially followers, looking for a strong leader.
c. Birds are unpleasant creatures that send secret messages few humans can understand .
12. Do I contradict myself? / Very well then I contradict myself, /
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
a. People who contradict themselves are phony hypocrites.
b. To feel shame for being overweight is a foolish contradiction.
c. The human spirit is capable of contradictions, which is no bad thing.
Selection: “The Masque of the Red Death”
Multiple Choice Questions: Identify the letter of the choice that best answers the question.
1. Why do Prince Prospero and his guests lock themselves in an abbey?
A. to pray in seclusion
B. to celebrate his birthday
C. to escape an invading army
D. to escape the Red Death
2. The revelers’ masks and costumes symbolize their attempt to hide from the Red Death.
What detail from the story supports this interpretation?
A. The music stops each time the ebony clock chimes.
B. The uninvited guest has blood on his mask and costume.
C. The revelers look like dreams moving from room to room.
D. There are seven chambers, each decorated in a different color.
3. Which of the following is the best description of the seven rooms?
A. grotesque and bizarre
B. colorful and cheerful
C. childish and disgusting
D. elegant and bland
4. Of the seven chambers, which room is the least popular, and why?
A. the white room; it is too plain
B. the orange room; it is too bright
C. the violet room; it is too cold
D. the black room; it is too frightening
5. What do the red windows in the last chamber symbolize in “The Masque of the Red Death”?
A. blood and death
B. love and hope
C. jealousy and fear
D. elegance and wealth
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6. Prince Prospero’s guests seem happy and carefree, but they stop celebrating and get very
quiet every time the clock chimes. What does this tell you about how they are really feeling?
A. They are annoyed that the clock keeps interrupting their fun.
B. They are happy about their flawless escape from the Red Death.
C. Under their happy exterior, they are still worried about the Red Death.
D. While they are quiet, they think about how much they dislike Prospero.
7. Which of the following is a symbol that suggests that the revelers will not live?
A. the white room
B. the locked gates
C. the prince’s dagger
D. the ebony clock
8. Why does Prince Prospero become angry with the masked stranger?
A. The stranger refuses to answer Prospero’s questions.
B. The stranger interrupts the music and refuses to dance.
C. The stranger is costumed as a victim of the Red Death.
D. The stranger was not invited to Prospero’s masquerade.
9. In “The Masque of the Red Death,” what does the uninvited guest symbolize?
A. anger
B. wealth
C. celebration
D. death
10. How does Prince Prospero die?
A. He is stabbed with a dagger.
C. He is injured in a fall.
B. He is stricken by the plague.
D. He is hanged from the battlements.
11. The tripods’ flames go out when the last of the revelers dies. Based on this detail,
what might the tripods’ flames symbolize in?
A. the revelers’ lives
B. the peasants’ revenge
C. that it was all a dream
D. Prince Prospero’s wealth
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12. What message is Poe trying to convey in “The Masque of the Red Death”?
A. God punishes sinners.
B. Time passes slowly.
C. Wealth cannot protect one from death.
D. One should not attend parties uninvited.
Critical Reading:
13. The setting and descriptive details of “The Masque of the Red Death” contain many symbols.
Choose at least three symbols from the story, and describe what each symbol stands for.
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14. Think about the character of Prince Prospero. What kind of person is he? Is Prospero’s attempt
to escape death an act of unforgivable arrogance, or is it a normal human response to the inevitable?
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Important Quotes
“The "Red Death" had long
devastated the country. No
pestilence had ever been so
fatal, or so hideous.”
Explanation
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“The scarlet stains upon the
body and especially upon
the face of the victim, were
the pest ban which shut him
out from the aid and from
the sympathy of his fellowmen.”
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A – Match the words in column A with their meaning in column B:
A
B
1. dauntless
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a. to spread throughout
2. sagacious
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b. having a fantastic appearance
3. courtier
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c. not occupied
4. contagion
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d. able to be touched or felt
5. pervade
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e. a lack of restrictions on behavior
6. grotesque
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f. fearless
7. license
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g. wise
8. impetuosity
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h. a member of a royal court
9. untenanted
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i. the spreading of the disease
10. tangible
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j. unthinking action