The Emperor of Ice Cream Quizzes

The Emperor of Ice Cream Quiz

1 Who makes the ice cream?
the newspaper boys

the mother

the roller of big cigars

the speaker
2 Which is NOT an adjective you could apply to the cigar man, based on the poem's description of him?
arrogant

masculine

capable

strong
3 What do the boys bring to the house?
flowers

desserts

funeral clothes

bed sheets
4 What are the wenches doing?
hanging around

taking care of the boys

complaining

wrapping up the body
5 How are the ice cream curds described?
delicious

unwanted

surprising

lustful
6 What object in the poem is NOT made to seem old?
the woman

the ice cream

the newspapers

the dresser
7 What is embroidered on the sheet used to cover the body?
birds

leaves

flowers

hearts
8 What is the woman’s dresser lacking?
two cigars

three glass knobs

its top drawer

a hand-held mirror
9 How would you describe the woman’s dresser?
stained

ornate

cheap

new
10 What is the problem with the embroidered sheet?
it is transparent

it is fraying

it is ugly

it is too short
11 What part of the woman’s body might remain visible?
her wrinkled hands

her horny feet

her stringy hair

her closed eyes
12 What would that exposed body part tell us about the dead woman?
she is unpopular and alone

she is stiff and heavy

she is old and rich

she is cold and silent
13 What kind of light does the speaker ask for in the penultimate line?
the lamp beam

the lit candles

the kitchen light

the sunlight through the window
14 What is the central contrast of the poem?
peace versus anger

fun versus sadness

life versus death

masculine versus feminine
15 Which of the following is NOT a way you could describe the tone of the poem?
vengeful

whimsical

sexual

declarative
16 What type of sentence makes up the majority of the poem?
interjection

explanatory

imperative

interrogative
17 Which formal device does Stevens use sparingly at the end of each stanza?
meter

allusion

rhyme

alliteration
18 What might the speaker mean by “Let be be finale of seem”?
Let all your poems only deal with simple topics

Let death be the end of imagination

Let happiness only exist because of material things

Let pure reality replace artifice and illusion
19 Which of the following does ice cream NOT represent in the poem?
vivacity

maturity

pleasure

desire
20 What do ice cream and death have in common?
they are desirable

they are cold

they are rare

they are inevitable
21 In this poem, Stevens primarily uses ________ details.
physical

natural

auditory

scientific
22 What is the spatial or temporal relationship of the two stanzas?
they occur in different cities

they occur in different rooms

they are two separate memories

they occur in different seasons
23 Where does the poem most likely take place?
India

Maine

Florida

Italy
24 According to the poem, which of the following is NOT a good descriptor for human life?
mundane

sexual

pristinely organized

energetic
25 Why did Stevens count this poem as his favorite?
it references the most Classical poets

it is gaudy like poetry itself

it has a very complex meter

it is extremely personal

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The Emperor of Ice Cream study guide contains a biography of Robert Louis Stevenson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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