Suburban Sonnet Quizzes

Suburban Sonnet Quiz

1 Where is the poem set?

A concert hall

A woman's house

A park

A restaurant
2 Which of the following is NOT a major theme or motif in the poem?

Music

Motherhood

Religion

Domesticity
3 Who did the woman perform her music for?

Bach

Rubinstein

Mozart

Stravinsky
4 What does the magazine paper that the woman used to wrap the mouse say?

Tasty dishes from stale bread

100 delicious recipes for the holidays

Piano concert tomorrow night

Zest and love
5 Which of the following best describes the tone of the speaker?

Calm, ebullient, observant

Anxious, excited, curious

Resigned, exhausted, overwhelmed

Nostalgic, affectionate, contemplative
6 What frightens the children?

Their mother's solemn piano music

A howling wind outside

The pot boiling over

A dead mouse in a moustrap
7 What does the speaker expressly say "aches" in the poem?

The woman's muscles

The woman's heart

The woman's veins

The woman's fingers
8 Which of the following literary devices is NOT used in the poem?

Simile

Allusion

Metaphor

Enjambment
9 It is implied that Rubenstein reacted to the woman's performance with:

Disgust

Boredom

Delight

Enthusiasm
10 As used in Line 10, what does the word "caper" mean?

scream and fight, with a sense of anger

a sleeveless cloak, typically a short one

skip or dance about in a lively or playful way

the pickled flower bud of a prickly southern European shrub, used to flavor food
11 Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the poem?

A woman practicing music

A woman pushing a stroller

A woman comforting her children

A woman cleaning burned milk from a pot
12 Which of the following is the clearest example of metaphor used in the poem?

Once she played / for Rubinstein, who yawned.

When the soft corpse won't move they seem afraid.

Zest and love / drain out with soapy water as she scours

Beside her on the floor two children chatter
13 Who "yawned" in the poem (line 10)?

The children

The mother

Rubinstein

The father
14 As used in Line 8, what does the word "scour" mean?

do a thorough search in order to locate something

move rapidly in a particular direction, especially in search or pursuit of someone or something

clean or brighten the surface of (something) by rubbing it hard, typically with an abrasive or detergent

dig through something to obtain what is hidden underneath
15 The poem is predominantly written in the ____ tense.

Past

Past perfect

Future

Present
16 How many lines does a traditional sonnet contain?

12

14

17

10
17 How many lines does this poem contain?

10

14

17

12
18 Which of the following is an example of a slant rhyme used in the poem?

"though it can matter / ...two children chatter"

"she plays well or not / ...She hushes them. A pot"

"a wave of nausea overpowers / ... as she scours"

"The children caper / ...They seem afraid"
19 Which of the following sounds does NOT occur in the poem?

A door slamming

Music being played

Children screaming

A pot boiling over
20 Which of the following is an example of enjambment?

"where a mouse lies dead. / When the soft corpse won't move"

"if she plays well or not. / Beside her"

"As she rushes to the stove / too late"

"they seem afraid. / She comforts them"
21 Which of the following is an example of caesura?

"to no one now if she plays well or not."

"Beside her on the floor two children chatter,"

"featuring: Tasty dishes from stale bread."

"When the soft corpse won't move they seem afraid."
22 The poem was published in the ___.

1950s

1980s

1960s

1970s
23 Which of the following do the children NOT do in the poem?

Practice piano

Chatter

Fight

Caper
24 Which of the following is an example of alliteration?

children caper

the soft corpse won't move

a wave of nausea overpowers

then scream and fight
25 Which of the following statements would Gwen Harwood be most likely to agree with?

All women should be mothers.

Women should have the freedom to pursue their creative passions.

Music is more important than poetry.

Children should be firmly punished for screaming and fighting.

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Study Guide for Suburban Sonnet

Suburban Sonnet study guide contains a biography of Gwen Harwood, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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