Unit Test 10th Grade/Study Guide
KEY
1. In "The Fall of the House of Usher," what is the effect created by the opening description of the house?
Gloom (atmosphere)
2. In "The Fall of the House of Usher," what does the narrator find to be the explanation for his host's sad
situation? His sister’s illness
3. What Gothic element may be seen in details such as the black tarn, decayed trees, and vacant, eyelike
windows of Usher's house? Bleak or remote setting
4. What is the meaning of this long sentence from "The Fall of the House of Usher"?
Oppressed, as I certainly was, upon the extraordinary coincidence, by a thousand conflicting sensations, in
which wonder and extreme terror were predominant, I still retained sufficient presence of mind to avoid
exciting, by an observation, the sensitive nervousness of my companion.
Though the coincidence overcame me with many feelings, including terror, I was careful to avoid upsetting
my friend.
5. What macabre or violent incident contributes to the Gothic element of the story? Roderick’s having buried
his sister alive
6. When the speaker in "The Raven" thinks that Lenore may be at his door, what are his feelings? Hope and
doubt
7. What is the main cause-and-effect relationship in "The Raven"? loss and heartbreak
8. The stories to be told in "The Song of Hiawatha" are taken from what sources? Native American legends
9. Summarize the prologue to "The Song of Hiawatha." It introduces traditional stories from Native American
culture.
10. How does the prologue's repetitive, insistent meter set the mood for "The Song of Hiawatha"? It echoes the
rhythm of drums
11. According to the speaker in "Thanatopsis," what will happen to all people after they die? They will become
a part of the earth.
12. In the following lines from "Old Ironsides," which syllables are accented?
Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
Every second syllable
13. What kind of ship is "Old Ironsides"? warship
14. Summarize these lines from "Old Ironsides."
Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood,
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victor's tread,
Or know the conquered knee;—
Unit Test 10th Grade/Study Guide
KEY
The ship will no longer witness people battling on her deck
15. What is iambic pentameter? Be able to provide an example line. Unstressed/stressed; 5 feet “Of ages glide
away, the sons of men”
16. What is iambic tetrameter? Be able to provide an example line. Unstressed/stressed; 4 feet “Her deck, once
red with hero’s blood”
17. What is the meaning of anomalous? uncommon, odd
18. In the phrase "… closer and still closer intimacy … ," the word closer is a
Superlative/comparative?
Adjective/adverb?
Comparative adjective
19. In "The Minister's Black Veil," when Mr. Hooper's congregation first sees him in his veil, they experience "an
unsought pathos." How do the members of Mr. Hooper's congregation feel about him? They feel sorry for
him
20. In the following passage from "The Minister's Black Veil," what type of grammatical structure is italicized?
Adverb clause
Old Squire Saunders, doubtless by an accidental lapse of memory, neglected to invite Mr. Hooper to his table,
where the good clergyman had been wont to bless the food….
21. "The Minister's Black Veil" is subtitled "A Parable." What does the word parable tell you about the story?
Teaches a message
22. In "The Minister's Black Veil," why do the parishioners have such an intense response to seeing the minister's
veil? They are frightened by it
23. From this passage in "The Minister's Black Veil," what can you infer about the beliefs of the minister's
congregation?
… and while he prayed, the veil lay heavily on his uplifted countenance. Did he seek to hide it from the dread
Being whom he was addressing?
They fear God
24. One meaning of Mr. Hooper's veil is that people's inner lives and motivations may be mysterious and
ultimately unknowable to others. What can you infer about Elizabeth when she asks Mr. Hooper to remove
the veil? She does not understand this essential truth
25. How does "The Minister's Black Veil" convey the Puritan attitude toward human nature? It is full of
pessimism.
26. Who takes care of Mr. Hooper during his final illness in "The Minister's Black Veil"? Elizabeth
27. A moral lesson of this story might be that guilty secrets separate us from each other
28. A social lesson of this story might be that people protect their personal privacy by wearing a public mask
Unit Test 10th Grade/Study Guide
KEY
29. In "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls," the ocean's waves "efface the footprints in the sands." What does the
word efface mean? Wipe away, erase
30. What is the meaning of venerable? respected
Essay: Choose one and write a well-developed essay with a minimum of THREE paragraphs. Your introduction
should contain a thesis statement. Supporting paragraphs should begin with a topic sentence. You should also
provide a conclusion. Proofread for grammar and spelling.
1.
How does the setting of "The Fall of the House of Usher" create a mood of gloomy, Gothic fantasy? In a short
essay, describe and discuss the landscape, the grounds, the house, and the weather. Include at least three
specific details from the text.
Students may conclude that an air of doom, disaster, and otherworldly menace is created by Poe's
Gothic descriptions. Specific examples may include "bleak walls," "vacant eyelike windows," "decayed
trees," "a black and lurid tarn," and "distinctly visible gaseous exhalation which hung about and shrouded the
mansion."
2.
3.
4.
2. . Thinking About the Essential Question: What makes American literature American? Choose "The Song
of Hiawatha" or "Old Ironsides" and write a brief essay about the qualities that make the work particularly
American. Consider the following themes: nature, death, change, and the history of the nation and its people.
Include at least three details from the text to support your answer.
Students who choose "The Song of Hiawatha" should discuss the role of Native Americans in the nation's
history, in particular their influence on American attitudes toward the natural world. Students who choose
"Old Ironsides" should discuss the ship's historical role in war and its later importance as a symbol of
American patriotism.