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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. What springs up behind John Chapman as he wanders in 'John Chapman'?

2. What does the crow call in 'Rain in Ohio'?

3. What does the narrator of 'A Poem for the Blue Heron' build lots of when it grows cold?

4. What color is the beast in 'Tasting the Wild Grapes'?

5. Where is the narrator in 'Flying'?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the narrator in 'University Hospital, Boston' think about when she hears how old the hospital is?

2. What question is asked at the beginning of 'Ghosts'?

3. What does the person in 'Skunk Cabbage' love about the woods?

4. How does the narrator of 'Fall Song' describe the present time?

5. What is the main metaphor used in 'Lightning'?

6. In 'The Bobcat', what does the bobcat do that astounds the narrator?

7. What are the vultures in 'Vultures' compared to in an ironic analogy?

8. What does the alligator in 'Postcard From Flamingo' do?

9. What sound does the narrator describe at the beginning of 'Postcard from Flamingo'?

10. Where does personification fit in 'Lightning'?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oliver puts a huge emphasis on optimism in many of these poems. Which poems presented this idea, and how did they differ in the way each presented this theme?

Essay Topic 2

Many of these poems dealt with Oliver's thoughts about the treatment of Indians. What are some of the main incidents of this, and how was her tone and opinion presented in these poems?

Essay Topic 3

In 'Crossing the Swamp' Oliver talks about how trials and hardships have shaped her life. What are some of the ways her life was shaped by these things, and how did she present these ideas in this poem.

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