Question 1

The repetition of the words “my” and “my own” emphasizes the speaker’s desire to —

Accepted Answer

show appreciation for something that is personal and unique

Answer

make a distinction between scientific facts and personal beliefs

Answer

express opinions that challenge accepted wisdom

Answer

argue that people share some similar characteristics

Question 2

The poet chose an irregular and unpredictable rhyme scheme most likely to —

Accepted Answer

emphasize the poem’s message

Answer

suggest that the speaker is confused

Answer

provide a sense of playfulness

Answer

highlight the speaker’s actions

Question 3

What does line 6 suggest about the “whorls,” “whirls,” and “wheels” on the pad of the speaker’s thumb?

Accepted Answer

They represent more than physical identity.

Answer

They symbolize a link to the past.

Answer

They are evidence of her intelligence and emotional depth.

Answer

They reveal her genetic characteristics.

Question 4

How are the train and the speaker similar?

Accepted Answer

Like the train that has a schedule to keep, the speaker has an approaching responsibility.

Answer

Like the train that stays on a straight course, the speaker avoids change.

Answer

Like the train that brays and boasts, the speaker acts in an overly proud manner.

Answer

Like the train that travels at midnight, the speaker prefers to work during the night.

Question 5

Which line from the poem best expresses the speaker’s sense of dread?

Accepted Answer

Line 8: When I lie in wait

Answer

Line 2: and it’s midnight,

Answer

Line 15: from so many miles away . . .

Answer

Line 7: and needed rest.

Question 6

Dividing the poem into two stanzas allows the poet to —

Accepted Answer

contrast the speaker’s feelings about weekends and Mondays

Answer

ask questions to keep the reader guessing about what will happen

Answer

compare the speaker’s schedule with the train’s schedule

Answer

incorporate reminders for the reader about where the action takes place

Question 7

The train is important to the poem because it represents —

Accepted Answer

following a planned routine

Answer

visiting distant places

Answer

interrupting peaceful memories

Answer

reflecting on the past

Question 8

The poet likely intends for the last two lines to express the speaker’s —

Accepted Answer

anxiety about the coming day

Answer

regret over the experiences of the weekend

Answer

concern about doing well in school

Answer

fear of the arriving train

Question 9

In the poem, the speaker’s mood changes from —

Accepted Answer

frustrated to joyous

Answer

relaxed to excited

Answer

uncertain to discouraged

Answer

lonely to peaceful

Question 10

Based on the last stanza, the reader can conclude that the speaker —

Accepted Answer

has begun expressing ideas freely

Answer

wants to write about winning a race

Answer

hopes to finish writing soon

Answer

hopes to learn organizational skills

Question 11

Which words from the poem show that the speaker is unsympathetic to the dog’s wish?

Accepted Answer

she is denied

Answer

pasture’s high fence

Answer

linking the paired gates

Answer

the lots of desire

Question 12

In the first stanza, the poet uses the words “Over the years” and “From thousands of walks” to —

Accepted Answer

suggest that each walk follows the same sequence of events

Answer

show that the dog still finds the walk exciting

Answer

describe the reasons why the pasture is off-limits

Answer

illustrate what the dog enjoys about going on a walk

Question 13

In contrast to line 10, the last line of the poem shows that the dog now feels —

Accepted Answer

defeated

Answer

lonely

Answer

relaxed

Answer

confident

Question 14

In lines 20 through 22, the speaker observes that the dog wants to —

Accepted Answer

explore new areas beyond the fence

Answer

follow the familiar path around the field

Answer

take breaks during the walk with the speaker

Answer

return to the comfort of her home

Question 15

Read lines 11 and 12 from the poem. Why does the poet compare space travelers to the early settlers of America?

Accepted Answer

To suggest that explorers will overcome the difficulties in space just as explorers in the past overcame their difficulties

Answer

To highlight the difficulties that the early settlers encountered when venturing into new places

Answer

To imply that the obstacles the early settlers faced discouraged them from exploring new lands

Answer

To demonstrate that explorers will encounter the same challenges in space as explorers in the past did in other frontiers

Question 16

What does the final stanza of the poem suggest about the future?

Accepted Answer

Some people will travel to other planets, while others will choose not to.

Answer

People who travel to other planets will no longer communicate with people living on Earth.

Answer

Some people will regret their decision to remain on Earth.

Answer

People who travel to other planets will want their family members living on Earth to join them.

Question 17

Read these lines from the poem. The progression from “wayfarers” to “spacefarers” demonstrates that people —

Accepted Answer

have developed ways to explore new regions

Answer

select the mode of transportation that is most convenient

Answer

have made scientific discoveries while traveling to new places

Answer

prefer some forms of transportation over others

Question 18

What do the descriptions of the future throughout the poem suggest about the speaker?

Accepted Answer

He feels confident that people will be able to travel easily through space.

Answer

He assumes that living on another planet will be different from living on Earth.

Answer

He believes that people will be intimidated by the challenge of space travel.

Answer

He accepts that space travel likely will be unavailable during his lifetime.

Related quizzes

Related quizzes