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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Sonnet III, what words does Neruda use to describe love?

2. In Sonnet XIX, what insect does Neruda watch and contemplate?

3. In Sonnet XII, what does Neruda describe by relating it to a journey?

4. In Sonnet IV, what are some "Gifts from the earth" Neruda asks Matilde to remember?

5. In Sonnet XXV, what phrase do "rough warehouses" growl at Neruda?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain how Matilde acts as a healer and protector in Sonnet XXIII.

2. In his dedication, how does Neruda compare his poems to those of other poets?

3. List some examples of earth imagery Neruda uses to describe Matilde in Sonnet XXX.

4. What does Neruda say about Matilde's hair in Sonnet XIV?

5. In Sonnet XI, Neruda is starving and is prowling for sustenance. What "food" is he looking for?

6. In Sonnet XLV, what does Neruda say will happen to him if Matilde leaves?

7. What are some aspects of Matilde's ugliness and beauty does Neruda list in Sonnet XX?

8. In Sonnet VII, what causes Neruda's emotions to burst forth like "geysers flooding from deep in its vault?"

9. List some examples of how Neruda compares Matilde's body to the universe in Sonnet XVI.

10. Neruda says that "everything alive has its two sides," including love. In Sonnet XLIV, what are the two sides of Neruda's love for Matilde? Why are both sides important?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In many poems, Neruda describes both his and Matilde's homelands. How does Neruda describe his homeland? Matilde's? What can the reader infer about each lover based on the descriptions of their homeland? Use specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Many of Neruda's poems include examples of cycles or cyclical images. Examine the poet's inclusion of cycles in his poems and the importance of those cycles to the overarching themes contained in Neruda's 100 Sonnets. Use specific cycles that are found in the poems, and support all assertions with examples from the texts.

Essay Topic 3

Describe the significance of sleep to Neruda and Matilde. Why does Neruda urge Matilde to sleep in Sonnets LXXIX and LXXXI? Why is sleep so attractive to the two lovers? What roles do sleep and dreams play in the couple's relationship? Include specific examples from the book.

(see the answer keys)

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