“Casey at the Bat”
Comprehension Quiz
Name __________________________________
Date _____________________
1. “Casey at the Bat” is an example of
a. a narrative poem.
b. why poems have to rhyme.
c. an ancient Chinese proverb.
2. Narrative poems contain
a. characters and setting.
b. elements of plot.
c. both a and b.
3. The poem begins, “The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville Hens that day.” What was the
author, Ernest Thayer, telling the reader?
a. It was not a beautiful, sunny day at the baseball game.
b. The Mudville Hens were losing.
c. The Mudville Hens had a great chance of winning the game.
4. A stanza is:
a. The rhyme scheme, or pattern, of a poem.
b. A grouping of lines within a poem that are set off by a space, often having a set pattern.
c. A pair of lines in a poem which rhyme.
5. Which adjectives would best describe Casey?
a. athletic and confident
b. humble and shy
c. respectful and wise
6. The poem “Casey at the Bat” shows us that
a. each player on a team is important.
b. teammates need to remember they are only one important part of the whole team.
c. both a and b
7. Number the events in the order in which they happened (1=first, 2=second, 3=third)
_____ The crowd goes wild when Casey comes up to bat.
_____ Casey swings with all his might and stuns the crowd.
_____ Casey doesn’t swing at the first two pitches.
8. Why did Thayer end the second to last stanza with the words, “And now the air is shattered with the
force of Casey’s blow?”
a. He wanted to show how powerful an athlete Casey was.
b. He wanted to trick the reader into thinking Casey hit the ball.
c. He wanted an exciting victory before wrapping up the story in the final stanza.
9. Walking is considered a sport in many parts of the world.
a. true
b. false
10. Being part of a team can build confidence and keep you physically fit.
a. true
b. false