Final Exam in American Literature ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND WELL
ELABORATED ANSWERS (MOST TESTED QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS)
Which of the following lines from Walden is NOT a metaphor? -
CORRECT ANSWER Be it life or death, we crave only reality.
Thoreau explains that he purchased the Hollowell farm but was asked
to sell it back when the previous owner's wife objected to the sale. -
CORRECT ANSWER True
Thoreau includes in his discussion of the drawbacks to Hollowell farm
that the house and barn were gray and in bad repair and that there
were no neighbors nearby. - CORRECT ANSWER False
A key characteristic of Transcendentalist writing is the tendency to
focus on real-life injustices for the purpose of rallying the audience to
political action rather than getting bogged down in abstract discussion
of spiritual states. - CORRECT ANSWER False
Emerson communicates man's connection with nature by writing,
"Nature says--he is my creature..." This is an example of which of the
following literary devices? - CORRECT ANSWER Personification
Emerson believes that children have a natural capacity to appreciate
nature and that the man who is close to nature has retained that child-
like perspective. - CORRECT ANSWER True
Emerson observes that most people take nature for granted and never
really see or appreciate it. - CORRECT ANSWER True
Thoreau advocates a life free of commitments and equates being
committed to a farm is the same as being committed to the county jail.
This is an example of which of the following literary devices? -
CORRECT ANSWER Hyperbole
Like Mary Rowlandson does in her captivity narrative, Thoreau
frequently interrupts his prose with Bible verses to reinforce his
religious faith and devotion to God. - CORRECT ANSWER True
,At the opening of the "Where I Lived and What I Lived for" section of
Walden, Thoreau discusses his process of locating the perfect location
for a house. - CORRECT ANSWER Trye
Which of the following does Thoreau celebrate in Walden? - CORRECT
ANSWER Simplicity, morning
Emerson relates that being in nature results in a state that is free from
emotion and unconcerned with the trappings of higher thought. -
CORRECT ANSWER False
Which of the following statements is NOT consistent with
Transcendentalist philosophy? - CORRECT ANSWER It is important to
conform to society.
Emerson relates that when he is in the woods, he becomes "a
transparent eyeball." This is an example of which of the following
literary devices? - CORRECT ANSWER Metaphor
Emerson begins his chapter on Nature with a discussion of which of
the following? - CORRECT ANSWER Stars
Verse 51 of "Song of Myself" communicates that a man who
contradicts himself is not worth listening to. - CORRECT ANSWER
False
The last nine lines of "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed" are
devoted to describing the relationship the poet had as a child with his
first horse. - CORRECT ANSWER False
In verse 2 of "Song of Myself" Whitman communicates his purpose to
reveal the origin of all poems. - CORRECT ANSWER True
Which of the following is not among the characteristics of animals that
Whitman admires in Verse 32 of "Song of Myself". - CORRECT ANSWER
They do not dwell in the past but live in the present moment always.
,The last line of "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking"—"The sea
whisper'd me," could be used to illustration which among the following
literary devices? - CORRECT ANSWER Personification, internal rhyme
What form of poetry is "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking" written
in? - CORRECT ANSWER Free verse
From the first verse of "Song of Myself" Whitman establishes that his
purpose is to express and celebrate himself, but he also includes the
reader. - CORRECT ANSWER True
Leaves of Grass was first published in 1855. - CORRECT ANSWER
Trye
Verse 5 of "Song of Myself" discusses the relationship between the
soul and the body and the relationship between man and God. -
CORRECT ANSWER True
In verse 13, Whitman describes a black man, communicates his love
for the man, and then describes a cardinal, a blue jay, and a wren to
point out the diversity of color among birds that does not cause him to
love one more than the others. - CORRECT ANSWER False
There are two speakers in "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking,"
meaning there are lines of the poem that are presented as spoken or
sung by two different individuals. They are ___________ and __________. -
CORRECT ANSWER The poet and the bird
Which of the following IS NOT used as a symbol in "When Lilacs Last in
the Dooryard Bloomed"? - CORRECT ANSWER Moss
In verse 32 of "Song of Myself" Whitman celebrates animals and
declares that he could live among them. - CORRECT ANSWER True
What is "the true word of the sweetest song and of all songs" Whitman
refers to in "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking"? - CORRECT
ANSWER Death
, Which poem uses the image of a dying soldier listening to the sounds
of victory and appreciating the sweetness of success to illustrate
Dickinson's point? - CORRECT ANSWER 67
In poem 511 Dickinson writes, "It goads me, like the Goblin Bee--/That
will not state--its sting." What does "it" refer to? - CORRECT ANSWER
Uncertainty
In poem 640 Dickinson uses figurative language--"Life is over there--
Behind the Shelf"--to communicate that she is compelled to live her
life in isolation and seclusion. - CORRECT ANSWER True
In which poem does Dickinson communicate that she experiences
direct communication with God spending time in nature rather than in
church? - CORRECT ANSWER 324
Dickinson's first collection of poetry was published in 1861 when she
was in her twenties. - CORRECT ANSWER False
In poem 511, what does the speaker say would motivate her to "brush
the summer by," "wind the months in balls," and count [centuries] on
my hand"? - CORRECT ANSWER knowing exactly when her guest was
going to arrive
What is the number of the poem in which Dickinson communicates
that she finds the idea of being known to the public to be depressing? -
CORRECT ANSWER 288
In poem 341 Dickinson uses figurative language to communicate the
heaviness of grief with the phrase "a Quartz contentment." - CORRECT
ANSWER True
In poem 303 The Soul won't see The Emperor because she has already
chosen the people and things she wishes to occupy her time and she
closed the door to all others. - CORRECT ANSWER True
ELABORATED ANSWERS (MOST TESTED QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS)
Which of the following lines from Walden is NOT a metaphor? -
CORRECT ANSWER Be it life or death, we crave only reality.
Thoreau explains that he purchased the Hollowell farm but was asked
to sell it back when the previous owner's wife objected to the sale. -
CORRECT ANSWER True
Thoreau includes in his discussion of the drawbacks to Hollowell farm
that the house and barn were gray and in bad repair and that there
were no neighbors nearby. - CORRECT ANSWER False
A key characteristic of Transcendentalist writing is the tendency to
focus on real-life injustices for the purpose of rallying the audience to
political action rather than getting bogged down in abstract discussion
of spiritual states. - CORRECT ANSWER False
Emerson communicates man's connection with nature by writing,
"Nature says--he is my creature..." This is an example of which of the
following literary devices? - CORRECT ANSWER Personification
Emerson believes that children have a natural capacity to appreciate
nature and that the man who is close to nature has retained that child-
like perspective. - CORRECT ANSWER True
Emerson observes that most people take nature for granted and never
really see or appreciate it. - CORRECT ANSWER True
Thoreau advocates a life free of commitments and equates being
committed to a farm is the same as being committed to the county jail.
This is an example of which of the following literary devices? -
CORRECT ANSWER Hyperbole
Like Mary Rowlandson does in her captivity narrative, Thoreau
frequently interrupts his prose with Bible verses to reinforce his
religious faith and devotion to God. - CORRECT ANSWER True
,At the opening of the "Where I Lived and What I Lived for" section of
Walden, Thoreau discusses his process of locating the perfect location
for a house. - CORRECT ANSWER Trye
Which of the following does Thoreau celebrate in Walden? - CORRECT
ANSWER Simplicity, morning
Emerson relates that being in nature results in a state that is free from
emotion and unconcerned with the trappings of higher thought. -
CORRECT ANSWER False
Which of the following statements is NOT consistent with
Transcendentalist philosophy? - CORRECT ANSWER It is important to
conform to society.
Emerson relates that when he is in the woods, he becomes "a
transparent eyeball." This is an example of which of the following
literary devices? - CORRECT ANSWER Metaphor
Emerson begins his chapter on Nature with a discussion of which of
the following? - CORRECT ANSWER Stars
Verse 51 of "Song of Myself" communicates that a man who
contradicts himself is not worth listening to. - CORRECT ANSWER
False
The last nine lines of "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed" are
devoted to describing the relationship the poet had as a child with his
first horse. - CORRECT ANSWER False
In verse 2 of "Song of Myself" Whitman communicates his purpose to
reveal the origin of all poems. - CORRECT ANSWER True
Which of the following is not among the characteristics of animals that
Whitman admires in Verse 32 of "Song of Myself". - CORRECT ANSWER
They do not dwell in the past but live in the present moment always.
,The last line of "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking"—"The sea
whisper'd me," could be used to illustration which among the following
literary devices? - CORRECT ANSWER Personification, internal rhyme
What form of poetry is "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking" written
in? - CORRECT ANSWER Free verse
From the first verse of "Song of Myself" Whitman establishes that his
purpose is to express and celebrate himself, but he also includes the
reader. - CORRECT ANSWER True
Leaves of Grass was first published in 1855. - CORRECT ANSWER
Trye
Verse 5 of "Song of Myself" discusses the relationship between the
soul and the body and the relationship between man and God. -
CORRECT ANSWER True
In verse 13, Whitman describes a black man, communicates his love
for the man, and then describes a cardinal, a blue jay, and a wren to
point out the diversity of color among birds that does not cause him to
love one more than the others. - CORRECT ANSWER False
There are two speakers in "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking,"
meaning there are lines of the poem that are presented as spoken or
sung by two different individuals. They are ___________ and __________. -
CORRECT ANSWER The poet and the bird
Which of the following IS NOT used as a symbol in "When Lilacs Last in
the Dooryard Bloomed"? - CORRECT ANSWER Moss
In verse 32 of "Song of Myself" Whitman celebrates animals and
declares that he could live among them. - CORRECT ANSWER True
What is "the true word of the sweetest song and of all songs" Whitman
refers to in "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking"? - CORRECT
ANSWER Death
, Which poem uses the image of a dying soldier listening to the sounds
of victory and appreciating the sweetness of success to illustrate
Dickinson's point? - CORRECT ANSWER 67
In poem 511 Dickinson writes, "It goads me, like the Goblin Bee--/That
will not state--its sting." What does "it" refer to? - CORRECT ANSWER
Uncertainty
In poem 640 Dickinson uses figurative language--"Life is over there--
Behind the Shelf"--to communicate that she is compelled to live her
life in isolation and seclusion. - CORRECT ANSWER True
In which poem does Dickinson communicate that she experiences
direct communication with God spending time in nature rather than in
church? - CORRECT ANSWER 324
Dickinson's first collection of poetry was published in 1861 when she
was in her twenties. - CORRECT ANSWER False
In poem 511, what does the speaker say would motivate her to "brush
the summer by," "wind the months in balls," and count [centuries] on
my hand"? - CORRECT ANSWER knowing exactly when her guest was
going to arrive
What is the number of the poem in which Dickinson communicates
that she finds the idea of being known to the public to be depressing? -
CORRECT ANSWER 288
In poem 341 Dickinson uses figurative language to communicate the
heaviness of grief with the phrase "a Quartz contentment." - CORRECT
ANSWER True
In poem 303 The Soul won't see The Emperor because she has already
chosen the people and things she wishes to occupy her time and she
closed the door to all others. - CORRECT ANSWER True
