Question 1

Part A: In line 9, what is the meaning of the word “poise”?

Accepted Answer

to distribute evenly

Answer

to lift carefully

Answer

to hover above

Answer

to pause before moving

Question 2

Part B: Which two lines from the poem best help the reader understand the meaning of “poise”?

Accepted Answer

“Keeps them so still”

Answer

“Their pale feel curl”

Answer

“Half wave, half men,”

Answer

“Then from their hiding rise to sight”

Question 3

Which lines from the poem best illustrate the theme of this poem?

Accepted Answer

“The marbling bodies have become Half wave, half men,”

Answer

“Then from their hiding rise to sight Black shapes on boards”

Answer

“They paddle in the shallows still; Two splash each other;”

Answer

“It mounts at sea, a concave wall Down-ribbed with shine,”

Question 4

How does Gunn’s use of rhyme impact the poem?

Accepted Answer

The alternating rhyming lines mirror the action of waves.

Answer

The rhyming scheme is used to illustrate the natural elegance of the waves.

Answer

The single syllable rhyming words to signify that waves are simplistic.

Answer

The rhyming scheme is used to show that waves are isolated events.

Question 5

Part A: In what way does Gunn use poetic form to contribute to the meaning of the poem?

Accepted Answer

He sequences the stanzas to match the increasing and decreasing intensity of the wave.

Answer

He alternates between describing the waves and describing the surfers to show that they are competing.

Answer

He uses precise action verbs to show that waves follow a cycle that began long ago.

Answer

He strategically places descriptive words within each stanza to emphasize the power of the waves.

Question 6

Part B: Which stanza serves as the climax to the poem?

Accepted Answer

Late as they can, they slice the face
In timed procession:
Balance is triumph in this place,
Triumph possession.

Answer

The mindless heave of which they rode
A fluid shelf
Breaks as they leave it, falls and, slowed,
Loses itself.

Answer

Clear, the sheathed bodies slick as seals
Loosen and tingle;
And by the board the bare foot feels
The suck of shingle.

Answer

They paddle in the shallows still;
Two splash each other;
They all swim out to wait until
The right waves gather.

Question 7

Which sentence explains how the setting impacts the surfers?

Accepted Answer

As the waves ebb and flow, the surfers must adjust to remain part of the action.

Answer

The changes in the waves forces the surfers to stop enjoying the ride and hold on to survive.

Answer

The movement of the waves makes the surfers to return to the beach.

Answer

As the waves become stronger, the surfers enjoy surfing more.

Question 8

The poet purposely uses poetic form to create a visual image for the reader. Which stanza best shows the wave beginning to rise?

Accepted Answer

Stanza 1

Answer

Stanza 5

Answer

Stanza 6

Answer

Stanza 2

Question 9

The poet purposely uses poetic form to create a visual image for the reader. Which stanza best shows the wave at its highest and strongest?

Accepted Answer

Stanza 4

Answer

Stanza 6

Answer

Stanza 3

Answer

Stanza 5

Question 10

The poet purposely uses poetic form to create a visual image for the reader. Which stanza best shows the wave fading away?

Accepted Answer

Stanza 6

Answer

Stanza 7

Answer

Stanza 5

Answer

Stanza 8

Question 11

Part A: Which statement most accurately captures the central idea of the poem?

Accepted Answer

Surfers must connect with the motion of the waves to be successful.

Answer

Surfing is a way to learn more about cycles in the natural world.

Answer

Surfing is both a challenging and dangerous activity.

Answer

Surfers must practice extensively to be able to master the activity.

Question 12

Part B: Which line from the poem best supports the correct answer to Part A?

Accepted Answer

“It is the wave they imitate”

Answer

“They all swim out to wait until”

Answer

“Late as they can, they slice the face”

Answer

“A fluid shelf”

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