The Emperor of Ice Cream Quizzes

The Emperor of Ice Cream Quiz

1 Who makes the ice cream?
the roller of big cigars

the mother

the newspaper boys

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

arrogant

strong

masculine
3 What do the boys bring to the house?
bed sheets

desserts

funeral clothes

flowers
4 What are the wenches doing?
wrapping up the body

complaining

hanging around

taking care of the boys
5 How are the ice cream curds described?
unwanted

lustful

delicious

surprising
6 What object in the poem is NOT made to seem old?
the dresser

the woman

the ice cream

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

flowers

leaves

hearts
8 What is the woman’s dresser lacking?
three glass knobs

a hand-held mirror

two cigars

its top drawer
9 How would you describe the woman’s dresser?
stained

new

cheap

ornate
10 What is the problem with the embroidered sheet?
it is too short

it is transparent

it is ugly

it is fraying
11 What part of the woman’s body might remain visible?
her stringy hair

her horny feet

her wrinkled hands

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

she is stiff and heavy

she is unpopular and alone

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

the sunlight through the window

the lit candles

the kitchen light
14 What is the central contrast of the poem?
life versus death

masculine versus feminine

peace versus anger

fun versus sadness
15 Which of the following is NOT a way you could describe the tone of the poem?
whimsical

declarative

sexual

vengeful
16 What type of sentence makes up the majority of the poem?
explanatory

interrogative

interjection

imperative
17 Which formal device does Stevens use sparingly at the end of each stanza?
alliteration

allusion

rhyme

meter
18 What might the speaker mean by “Let be be finale of seem”?
Let pure reality replace artifice and illusion

Let happiness only exist because of material things

Let all your poems only deal with simple topics

Let death be the end of imagination
19 Which of the following does ice cream NOT represent in the poem?
vivacity

desire

pleasure

maturity
20 What do ice cream and death have in common?
they are rare

they are inevitable

they are desirable

they are cold
21 In this poem, Stevens primarily uses ________ details.
natural

auditory

scientific

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

they occur in different rooms

they occur in different cities

they are two separate memories
23 Where does the poem most likely take place?
India

Florida

Italy

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

mundane

sexual

pristinely organized
25 Why did Stevens count this poem as his favorite?
it is gaudy like poetry itself

it references the most Classical poets

it is extremely personal

it has a very complex meter

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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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