Departmental
An ant on the tablecloth
Ran into a dormant moth
Of many times his size.
He showed not the least surprise.
His business wasn't with such.
He gave it scarcely a touch,
And was off on his duty run.
Yet if he encountered one
Of the hive's enquiry squad
Whose work is to find out God
And the nature of time and space,
He would put him onto the case.
Ants are a curious race;
One crossing with hurried tread
The body of one of their dead
Isn"t given a moment's arrestSeems not even impressed.
But he no doubts report to any
With whom he crosses antennae,
And they no doubt report
To the higher up at court.
Then word goes forth in Formic:
"Death's come to Jerry McCormic,
Our selfless forager Jerry.
Will the special Janizary
Whose ofice it is to bury
The dead of the commissary
Go bring him home to his people.
Lay him in state on a sepal.
Wrap him for shroud in a petal.
Embalm him with ichor of nettle.
This is the word of your Queen."
And presently on the scene
Appears a solemn mortician;
And taking formal position
With feelers calmlty atwiddle,
Seizes the dead by the middle,
And heaving him high in the air,
Carries him out of there.
No one stands round to stare.
It is nobody else"s affair.
It couldn't be called ungentle.
But how thoroughly departmental.
Robert Frost (18741963)
1.
as
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
2. There is a shift in the poem from
A. Descriptive narrative to pensive
editorial
B. Careful observation to personal
involvement
C. Omniscient description to reproachful
exposition
D. Individual account to universal
significance
E. There is no apparent shift
3. The tone of the poem can best be
described as
A. Playful observation
B. Scornful emphasis
C. Light description
D. Satirical exposition
E. Detached omniscience
4.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
"Arrest" in line 16 most likely means
incarceration
admonition
capture
detention
seizure
5. What rhetorical strategy is exhibited
in "Death's come to Jerry McCormic,"
(line 23)
I.
II.
III.
Personification
Metaphor
Euphemism
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
None of the above
6.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
"Atwiddle " in line most likely means
upright
alert
flaccid
quiescent
inquisitive
7.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
The major shift in the piece occurs in
Line 8
Line 13
Line 23
Line 33
Line 42
"Departmental" can best be described
The product of attentive observation
An account of nature
An allegory for human idiosyncrasies
A light, simple narrative
A reflection upon the author's life
8. The author"s depiction of ants is best
described as
A. indifferently mechanical
B. mundanely subsistent
C. hierarchically divided
D. selfishly compassionless
E. fantastically human
9. Lines 42-43 suggest that the author
A. meant the piece to be a statement
about departmental action
B. holds the death practices of ants in
reproach
C. finds the ways in which all species
treat death intriguing
D. meant to place emphasis on his own
opinion
E. is warning the reader against judging
other species against our own standards
10.What is the author's attitude toward
departmental societies?
A. outraged abhorrence
B. interested approval
C. indifferent observation
D. bitter detest
E. satirical disapproval
DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of
day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the
light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is
right,
Because their words had forked no
lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how
bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a
green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the
light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in
flight,
And learn , too late, they grieved it on
its way
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with
blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and
be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the
light.
And you, my father, there on the sad
height,
Curse, bless, em now with your fierce
tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the
light.
1. Which of the following IS NOT an
attitude one of the men displays?
a. resistingly aware
b. unexpected melancholia
c. determined rage
d. wistful regret
e. solemn objectivity
2. The most important shift in the
passage occurs in
a. line 16
b. line 4
c. line 10
d. both a and b
e. none of the above
3. How does the author suggest one
should meet death?
a. prayerful acceptance
b. challenging preparedness
c. solemn resistance
d. amiable resignation
e. angry opposition
4. Where does the author reveal his
ambiguity toward his father and his
impending death?
a. the various characterizations of men
b. line 17 - "Curse, bless..."
c. "...dying of the light"
d. "...your fierce tears..."
e. reference to death as "that good
night"
5. Personification is NOT exhibited in
which of the following?
a. "Their frail deeds might have danced
in a green bay," (line 8)
b. "Old age should burn and rave at
close of day;" (line 2)
c. "Rage, rage against the dying of the
light." (line 3)
d. "Blind eyes could blaze like meteors
and be gay," (line 14)
e. "Wild men who caught and sang the sun
in flight," (line10)