Introduction to Poetry: 2010-11 Moed Bet NO MATERIAL ALLOWED
Time allowed: 2 hours
Name: ID: Teacher:
Read the following two texts and answer the questions following each of them.
In the first questions for each poem, one word or a few phrases, or at most a sentence, should be enough to answer the question.
The answers to the final question for each poem should be longer (at least a paragraph) to give you a chance for further analysis of the cited text.
Then answer the last five questions.
Please note that each question is worth 4 points (out of 100).
TEXT 1: TODAY WE HAVE NAMING OF PARTS – Henry Reed (1914-1968)
Today we have naming of parts. Yesterday,
We had daily cleaning. And tomorrow morning,
We shall have what to do after firing. But today,
Today we have naming of parts. Japonica
Glistens like coral in all of the neighboring gardens,
And today we have naming of parts.
This is the lower sling swivel*. And this
Is the upper sling swivel*, whose use you will see of,
When you are given your slings*. And this is the piling swivel*,
Which in your case you have not got. The branches
Hold in the gardens their silent, eloquent gestures,
Which in our case we have not got.
This is the safety-catch*, which is always released
With an easy flick of the thumb. And please do not let me
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
See anyone using his finger. You can do it quite easy
If you have any strength in your thumb. The blossoms
Are fragile and motionless, never letting anyone see
Any of them using their finger.
And this you can see is the bolt*. The purpose of this
Is to open the breech*, as you see. We can slide it
16
18
20
Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this
Easing the spring*. And rapidly backwards and forwards
The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers:
They call it easing the Spring.
22
24
They call it easing the Spring: it is perfectly easy
If you have any strength in your thumb: Like the bolt*, 26
And the breech*, and the cocking-piece*, and the point of balance*,
Which in our case we have not got; and the almond-blossom 28
Silent in all of the gardens, and the bees going backwards and forwards,
For today we have naming of parts. 30
NOTE:
Japonica (line 4) = an exotic flower
* parts of a rifle

1a. What level of diction is "Japonica/Glistens" (lines 4-5)?
1b. What level of diction is "you will see of" (line 8)?
2a. What is non-standard grammatically in the phrase "can do it quite easy" (line 15)?
What would the standard form be?
2b. What sort of syntax does the word "and" create in the poem?
3. Identify (give the relevant words) 2 strong enjambments in lines 1-8 and say briefly what the effect of each one is: i) Enjambment 1:
Effect: ii) Enjambment 2:
Effect:
4. What is the main rhetorical figure (trope) in lines 10-11?
Write out the relevant words, name the figure and say briefly how this figure works in the lines:
Relevant words:
Name of the figure (trope):
How this figure works in the lines:

5a. There is a pun in Stanza 4. Give the relevant word(s):
5b. Say briefly how this pun works:
5c. What is the repetition of lines 6 and 30 called?
6a. Give the words of one chiasm in this poem, showing clearly what produces the chiasm:
6b. What is the main rhetorical figure (trope) in the title of the poem (and in fact throughout the poem as a whole)?
7a. Who is speaking in this poem?
7b. Mark (on the word below) the stresses and unstresses (the accenting) on the first word in line 29:
Silent
What is the name of this foot?
8. Name two different sound patterns (not metrical) in lines 23-24 and clearly indicate the parts of all the words that form each of the patterns:
Pattern i: Name:
Formed on:
Pattern ii: Name:
Formed on:

9-10. Discuss the relationship between the two scenes presented in this poem. This should be a longer answer (one paragraph or more). Use the back of this page if you need more space:

TEXT 1: NUNS FRET NOT AT THEIR CONVENT'S NARROW ROOM – William
Wordsworth (1770-1850)
Nuns fret not at their convent's narrow room;
And hermits are contented with their cells;
And students with their pensive citadels;
Maids at the wheel, the weaver at his loom,
Sit blithe and happy; bees that soar for bloom,
High as the highest Peak of Furness-fells,
Will murmur by the hour in foxglove bells:
In truth the prison, unto which we doom
Ourselves, no prison is: and hence for me,
In sundry moods, 'twas pastime to be bound
Within the Sonnet's scanty plot of ground;
Pleased if some Souls (for such there needs must be)
Who have felt the weight of too much liberty
Should find brief solace there as I have found.
GLOSSARY:
Line 1: to fret = to be emotionally distressed convent = the building in which nuns live
Line 2: hermit = someone who lives in solitude
Line 3: pensive = dreamily thoughtful or reflective citadels = solid usually stone building like a castle
Line 4: wheel = here this is a spinning wheel loom = a machine for weaving
Line 5: blithe = carefree, cheerful
2
4
6
8
10
12
14 soar = fly high
Line 6: Furness-fells = a geographical location in northern England
Line 7: foxglove = a flower with bell-like blooms
Line10:sundry = various, different pastime = a pleasant way of passing the time
Line11:scanty = limited
Line14:solace = comfort, consolation
1a. Write out the rhyme scheme of the poem using the ab notation:
1b. The rhyme scheme divides the poem into different parts. Name the parts and give the relevant lines:
1c. From the above information, say what kind of a poem this is (give a twopart description):
_______________________ _____________________

2a. Name the basic metrical pattern of the poem (give a two-part description):
______________________ _____________________
2b. Mark the stresses and/or unstresses (the accenting) on the first two words of line 1:
Nuns fret
2c. Name the metrical foot of these two words:
3. Identify (give the relevant words) 2 strong enjambments in the poem and say briefly what the effect of each one is: i) Enjambment 1:
Effect: ii) Enjambment 2:
Effect:
4a. What is the name of the syntactic pause/ break in line 9?
4b. What happens in terms of the direction of the argument in line 9?
4c. What is this called?

5a. Briefly explain what is compared to what in line 11:
Within the Sonnet's scanty plot of ground
5b. What kind of comparison is this? (name the type of comparison):
6. For lines 8-9 ( In truth the prison, unto which we doom/Ourselves, no prison is),
6a. Name the main rhetorical figure (trope):
6b. Briefly explain how this figure works in these lines:
7. For lines 3 and 4, name two different sound patterns (not metrical) and clearly indicate the parts of all the words that form each of the patterns:
Pattern i: Name ________________ Formed on:___________________________
Pattern ii: Name: _______________ Formed on: __________________________
8. Give one clear example of parallel structure in the poem (quote the relevant phrases in full) and indicate what creates the parallelism:

9-10. This is a poem on the sonnet. Discuss how the poem examines the merits and demerits of the sonnet form. This should be a longer answer (one paragraph or more). Use the back of this page if you need more space:

Answer ALL the following 5 questions:
1.
What is foregrounding in a poem? (briefly define the term and/or give a clear example):
2.
What is a thorn line in a poem? (briefly define the term and/or give a clear example):
3.
What is a topos? (briefly define the term and/or give a clear example):
4.
What is a blazon? (briefly define the term and/or give a clear example):
5.
What is a tetrameter? (briefly define the term and/or give a clear example):