Comprehension Quiz, October 31
Name: ____________________
Instructions: Choose the best answer by writing the letter in the answer column.
For numbers 1-5. Refer to the following stanza from Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, 'Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, 'Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.
Answer
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Question
In line one of the stanza, what sound device is represented by the words “peering” and “fearing”?
A. end rhyme B. assonance C. repetition D. internal rhyme
What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza?
A. abcbcb B. abcbbb C. abcddd D. aabbbb
In line two, what sound device is emphasized?
A. end rhyme B. assonance C. alliteration D. consonance
In the second line, which of the following choices best describes the effect of Poe’s use of the word
“mortal”?
A. Because of the root “mort” is associated with death, “mortal” foreshadows that the speaker
will likely die.
B. “Mortal” helps readers hear the sounds of this scene.
C. “Mortal” contributes to the general atmosphere, which suggests that something supernatural
is occurring—as if he’s mortal but something present is immortal.
D. The use of “mortal” indicates that the speaker is a mortician by trade.
Which literary device is most prevalent in this stanza?
A. irony B. hyperbole C. suspense D. allusion
Which line provides evidence for the answer you chose for question number five?
A. The repeated use of the word “Lenore” followed by “Merely this and nothing more”
B. “Doubting, dreaming dreams”
C. “No mortal ever dared to dream before”
D. “But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token”
Which of the following choices names the type of figurative language featured in the following
sentences?
Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love, and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was
brilliant!
8.
9.
10.
A. pun B. hyperbole C. euphemism D. metaphor
If somebody tells you that you can save money by spending it, this might be an example of a
________________.
A. pun B. hyperbole C. euphemism D. paradox
From Poe’s the Raven, which of the following is an idiom and also an example of the answer you chose
for question number eight?
A. “Then the bird said, ‘Nevermore.’”
B. “So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating”
C. “Ah, distinctly I remember, it was in a bleak December”
D. “And the Raven never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting”
When Edward R. Murrow said, “Don’t confuse ‘dissent’ with ‘disloyalty’,” what did he most likely
mean?
A. People who oppose American capitalism or other typical American concepts/beliefs are not
necessarily communists.
B. People who oppose fundamental American concepts/beliefs should be considered disloyal.
11.
12.
13.
14.
C. Only trust those who follow in the footsteps of Uncle Sam.
D. If it looks like a communist, walks like a communist, and talks like a communist, then it must
be a communist.
Which example from current circumstances would support Murrow’s message in question ten?
A. Muslims and anybody who has faith in Islam should not be trusted.
B. Don’t assume that Muslims or people who believe or act differently than typical Americans are
terrorists or are disloyal to the U.S.
C. People who dress up like Uncle Sam on Independence Day are model citizens.
D. If a person looks as if he has Ebola, walks as if he has Ebola, and talks as if he has Ebola, then
he must have Ebola.
The correct way to revise the following sentence:
After reading my student’s papers I realized that only one of the students have actually read
the book Max the Mighty.
A. After reading my students papers, I realized that only one of the students have actually
read the book Max the Mighty.
B. After reading my students’ papers, I realized that only one of the students has actually
read the book Max the Mighty.
C. After reading my students’ papers, I realized that only one of the students has actually
read the book Max the Mighty.
D. No revision needed; the sentence is correct as written.
The correct way to revise the following sentence:
The flock of birds flying above the Gulf Of Mexico are migrating South for the winter.
A. The flock of birds flying above the Gulf of Mexico are migrating south for the winter.
B. The flock of birds flying above the Gulf of Mexico is migrating south for the winter.
C. The flock of birds flying above the Gulf of Mexico is migrating South for the winter.
D. No revision needed; the sentence is correct as written.
Which of the following words would not form a good transition from the first sentence to the second
one?
Freak the Mighty is brave, chivalrous, and nine-feet tall. Max without Freak is often an insecure loner.
A. However, B. , but C. though D. Therefore, E. In contrast,
*Bonus Tasks
1. Identify a root word within this week’s buzz word, and explain its meaning.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Identify a literary term that shares a word part with this week’s buzz word and create an example of this
literary term.
3. Explain your answer for question number 14.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Explain the literal meaning of your answer for question number 9, and explain why at first it seems ridiculous,
but whenever readers look past the idiom, we see why the speaker felt he needed to perform this action.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What might December symbolize in Poe’s poem The Raven? _____________________________________________
Answer Key
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
D
B
C
C
C
A
A
D
B
A
B
C
B
D
Bonus:
1. Buzz word metamorphosis: either meta = a change of position or condition (usually meaning beyond the original
position or meaning) or morph = change/transform
2. Metaphor – Example: The spider webs of wrinkles on his face were much more pronounced after his presidency
had ended.
3. Therefore, would not form an effective transition because it would suggest that Freak the Mighty’s bravery,
chivalrous, and stature were the cause of Max’s insecurity and loneliness.
4. Whenever a reader hears that somebody wants to “still the beating of [his] heart,” this (at first) seems ridiculous
because a heart that does not beat results in a dead person. However, if we look past the idiom, we realize that
the speaker just needs to calm himself. Consequently, this is also a paradox because it seems not to make
sense, but upon closer inspection, it actually is reasonable.
5. In literature, December (or any of the winter months) often symbolizes the end of things or death.
1.