Unit 7 Final Assessment
Common Core Standards: RL. 4 Determine the figurative language of words and phrases as they are used in a text;
analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone. RL. 10 Read and comprehend poems. W.5
Develop and strengthen writing by revising and editing to ensure that it demonstrates the conventions of standard
English grammar, usage, and spelling. L.1b Use various types of phrases to convey specific meanings.
Directions: Read the following poems, and then answer the questions that follow them.
Poem #1: “The Sower”
by Victor Hugo
Translated by George Murray
Peaceful and cool, the twilight grey
Draws a dim curtain o’er the day,
While in my cottage-porch I lurk
And watch the last lone hour of work.
(5) The fields around are bathed in dew,
And, with emotion filled, I view
An old man clothed in rags, who throws
The seed amid the channeled rows.
His shadowy form is looming now
(10)High o’er the furrows of the plough;
Each motion of his arm betrays
A boundless faith in future days.
He stalks along the ample plain,
Comes, goes, and flings abroad the grain;
(15)Unnoted, through the dreamy haze
With meditative soul I gaze.
At last, the vapours of the night
Dilate to heav’n the man’s height,
Till every gesture of his hand
(20)Seems to my eyes sublimely grand!
Poem #2: “To Be of Use”
By Marge Piercy
The People I love the best
Jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
(5) They seems to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half-submerged balls.
I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
(10)who strain in the mud and muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.
I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into fields to harvest
and work in a row and pass the bags along,
(15)who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
when the food must come in or the fire be put out.
The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
(20)But the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they are made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.
Reading Comprehension Question
Use “The Sower” (poem #1) to answer questions 1-7). Use “To Be of Use” for questions 8-14.
1. In lines 1-4, the speaker uses a metaphor to
compare the twilight to –
a. a peaceful workplace
b. a dim curtain
c. a cottage-porch
d. a lonely job
2. Each stanza in “The Sower” is made up of –
a. Four lines that are incomplete
b. Four complete sentences that rhyme with
each other
c. One complete sentence with rhyming
parts
d. One part of a sentence that concludes in
the last stanza
3. The rhyme scheme in every stanza of “The
Sower” is –
a. abab
b. aabb’
c. abba
d. abcd
4. Which pair of words in an example of
alliteration in the poem?
a. form, arm (lines 9,11)
b. haze, glaze (lines 15,16)
c. Draws, dim (line 2)
d. Furrows, plough (line 10)
5. From the image in lines 17-10, you can infer
that the speaker –
a. thinks that the old man is a powerful
person
b. is frightened by the shadows that are on
the field
c. hopes that he is not just dreaming about
the farm
d. believes that the work of planning grain is
nobl2
6. Which pair of words is an example of
assonance in the poem?
a. old, clothed (line 7)
b. seed, amid (line 8)
c. stalks, ample (line 13)
d. Seems, eyes (line 20)
7. Which group of words in lines 13-16 helps you
visualize what the old man is doing in the
field?
a. stalks, comes, goes, flings
b. along, ample, abroad, unnoted
c. plain, grain, dreamy, soul
d. He, through, haze, meditative
Use “To Be of Use” (poem #2) to answer questions 814.
8. The most likely meaning of the metaphor in
lines 1-7 is –
a. seals and people like to swim long
distances instead of wading of shallow
waters
b. some people immerse themselves in work
the way seals immerse themselves in
water
c. people and seals dive right into their work
and have similar work habits
d. some people have as much fun at work as
seals do when they play in the water
9. Which of the following is an example of a
simile in a poem?
a. I love people who harness themselves
b. The work of the world is common as mad
c. I want to be with people who submerge/
in the task
d. But the thing worth doing well done/ has a
shape that satisfies
10. In lines 8-11, the speaker uses the repetition
of “who and “again” to emphasize an image
of—
a. People who diligently struggle to do their
work
b. sturdy animals that are trained to haul
heavy loads
c. the type of work that the speaker prefers
to do
d. People who are required to be physically
strong to do their work.
11. The alliteration in line 10 creates an image ofa. people who are clumsy when they perform
physical labor
b. people who struggle against obstacles to
accomplish their work
c. animals that are forced to perform
dangerous tasks
d. animals that work alongside people on
farms.
16. The speakers of both poems would most
likely agree that a. outdoor occupations are dangerous
b. workers’ relationships are important
c. the best workers love their work
d. work is something to be valued
SHORT CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE: Write three or
four sentences to answer this question.
17. List five words or phrases that help you
visualize the time of day at which “The
Sower” takes place. Explain why visualizing
that particular time of day is important in
this poem.
12. The repetition of the forms of the verb do in
“But the thing worth doing well done” (line
20) emphasizes –
a. the importance of rewarding people who
good job
b. the different ways that people perform
Write two or three paragraphs to answer this
their jobs
question.
c. the connection between working and doing
18. Compare of the form of the poem “The
a good job
Sower” with that of “To Be of Use.”
d. the necessity of carrying out a job from
Explain how the line length, meter, and
beginning to end
rhyme help convey the ideas and images
of each poem.
13. The phrase “work that is real” in line 26
most likely refers to work that –
a. has a meaningful purpose
b. is physically challenging
c. includes making objects
d. takes place outdoors
14. Which of the following objects is
personified in lines 22-26?
a. Amphoras
b. Corn
c. Pitcher
d. Vase
Use “The Sower” and “To Be of Use” to answer
questions 15-16.
15. Which type of work can you visualize
from the images in both poem?
a. Building
b. Farming
c. fishing
d. logging
REVISING AND EDITING
Directions: Read this passage, and answer the questions that follow.
(1) In her poem “For the Young Who Want To,” Marge Piercy encourages young people who are in pursuit
of their passion. (2) As in the case with many of Piercy’s poems, the structure of this poem is organic. (3) Since
it has no mater or end rhymes, it is difficult to memorize. (4) Its six stanzas are filled with strong statements
that grab the reader’s attention. (5) “Talent is what they say / you have after the novel / is published and
favorably / reviewed,” the poet states. (6) This assertion reflects Piercy’s belief that artists receive praise from
the public only after they have received the admiration of critics. (7) During the countless years that artists
sacrifice so much time working on their art, their friends think it’s just a hobby. (8) They keep asking artist
when they are going to search for a real job. (9) Finally, Piercy concludes that what drives an artist is loving the
work, with or without recognition. (10) As a result of this indirect form of criticism, artists sometimes seek to
prove the legitimacy of their craft. (11) Piercy suggest that even though artists don’t have licenses, they are
still experts in their feild. (12) She then points out that the real writer is the one who practices the craft of
writing.
1. What is the best way to revise sentence 1 to include an infinitive?
a. Change encourages to convinces
b. Change who are in pursuit of to pursuing
c. change who are in pursuit of to to pursue
d. Make no change
2. What is the best way to rewrite sentence 3 using a participial phrase?
a. Lacking meter or end rhymes, it is difficult to memorize
b. Since it lacks both meter and end rhymes, it is difficult to memorize
c. The lack of meter and end rhymes makes it difficult to memorize
d. No change needed
3. What is the best way to change sentence 4 to include a participle?
a. Change grab to demand
b. Change strong to vivid
c. Change strong to arresting
d. Make no change
4. Which transitional word or phrase could be added to the beginning of sentence 4?
a. Eventually,
b. For instance,
c. However,
d. Similarly,
5. What is the most effective way to improve the organization of the paragraph?
a. Move sentence 10 to after sentence 11.
b. Move sentence 9 to after sentence 12.
c. Move sentence 1 to after sentence 2.
d. Make no change.
6. What is the best way to change sentence 7 to include an infinitive?
a. Change working to to work
b. Change sacrifice to are sacrificing
c. Change During the countless years to For the years
d. Make no change
7. What is the best way to change sentence 8 to include an infinitive?
a. Change They keep asking artists to They wonder
b. Change going to search to searching
c. Change going to search to looking
d. Make no change
8. What is the best way to rewrite sentence 9 using an infinitive phrase?
a. Finally, Piercy draws the conclusion that what drives an artist is loving the work, with or without
recognition.
b. Finally, Piercy concludes that what drives an artist is the ability to love the work, with or without
recognition.
c. Finally, Piercy concludes that what drives an artist is loving the work, whether or not the artist is recognized.
d. No change is needed.
9. What is the best way to rewrite sentence 10 using a participle?
a. As a result of this implied criticism, artists sometimes seek to prove the legitimacy of their craft.
b. As a result of this indirect form of criticism, artists sometimes seek to prove that their craft is legitimate.
c. As a result of this indirect form of criticism, artists sometimes are forced to prove the legitimacy of their
craft.
d. No change is needed.
10. What change, if any, should be made to sentence 11?
a. Change artists to artist’s
b. Change doesn’t to does not
c. Change feild to field
d. Make no change