1 The phrase "her teacup full of dark brown tears" is an example of which of the following? Simile Personification Metaphor Verbal irony 2 What does "foretold" mean? Dreaded Threatened Imagined Predicted 3 Who is the speaker? An omniscient third person The grandchild The grandmother The almanac 4 What kind of stanzas are in this poem? Sestets and a tercet Sestets Quatrains Tercets 5 The word "birdlike" is an instance of what? Simile Understatement Metaphor Hyperbole 6 Which is NOT a major theme of this poem? Trauma Adventure Care Repression 7 In what month does the poem take place? September December November October 8 Which best describes the sestina as a form? It contains repeated concluding words in every line, which shift order from one stanza to the next It builds up to a volta, or turn, which takes place after either the eighth or twelfth line It contains two repeated, alternating refrains, which appear at the close of every stanza It consists of couplets with identical end words, which are preceded by a rhymed word 9 Which best describes the two characters' dynamic? They are both haunted by the same event, but do no openly discuss that event They are blissfully happy, as-yet unaware of the tragedy in their family They are haunted by a recent tragedy, but discuss that event at length to comfort each other They are hostile with one another, blaming each other for their shared past 10 Which is NOT one of the repeated words in this poem? stove kettle grandmother tears 11 What is an almanac? A type of reference book containing information such as calendars A family photo album A joke book A journal used for recording household expenditures 12 What does "rigid" mean? Ironic Inflexible Rude Sturdy 13 To what does Bishop compare the tea in the grandmother's cup? Tears Blood Milk The ocean 14 What is the poem's rhyme scheme? It is unrhymed ABABAB ABBCDD EFFGEE ABBA CDDC EFFE 15 What does the word "inscrutable" mean? Funny Hard Painful Mysterious 16 What does the child draw? The moon Herself A house A stove 17 When was this poem first published? 1928 1979 1953 1956 18 What is the final stanza of a sestina called? An envoi An aubade A volta A strophe 19 Where is the poem set? Boston New Orleans Its setting is unstated The English countryside 20 What does "Marvel" refer to in this poem? A media company An adjective meaning "amazing" A sect of Christianity A brand of kitchenware 21 How many stanzas are in this poem? 16 5 7 6 22 Which of the following contains alliteration? "September rain falls" "sings on the stove" "shows it proudly to the grandmother." "the old grandmother" 23 In which publication did this poem first appear? The New Yorker Harpers The Paris Review None—it first appeared in book form 24 What has traumatized the characters in this poem? The death of the child's mother The precise nature of the event is hinted at but never revealed A house fire A war 25 What is an equinox? A date on which the night and the day are of the same length A night on which an eclipse happens The hottest night of the year The longest day of the year
