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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 does the speaker say humans are in "Fatal Light Awareness"?

2. Where do "we gods" preside in "The Twilight of the Gods"?

3. What does the editor suggest letting people do in "Editorial Notes"?

4. What new type of era does the speaker in "Plasticene Suite" define?

5. What does the plastic "rock" look like in "Plasticene Suite"?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the poem "Fatal Light Awareness," what do we know that the birds do not?

2. What play on words does Atwood introduce in the poem "Plasticene Suite"?

3. What should have been inside the dead bird instead of plastic in the poem "Midway Island Albatross"?

4. What are the advantages of having a spider in the house in the poem "Spider Signatures"?

5. What does the siren wonder about in the poem "Siren Brooding on Her Eggs"?

6. What is the problem in the old story of the Sorcerer's Apprentice in the poem by the same name?

7. What is the "defining foliage of the oil age" in the poem "Foliage"?

8. Generally, how do the aliens act towards humans in the poem "The Aliens Arrive"?

9. How does Atwood reimagine werewolves in the poem "Update on Werewolves"?

10. In quoting Rilke, what does Atwood say about poetry?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What dual meanings and symbolism does Atwood assign to souvenirs in the poem in Part I by that title? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 2

How does the last poem in the collection, "Blackberries," embody several of the themes and the overall tone of this entire collection? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

How does Atwood treat the topic of plastics in Parts IV and V of this collection? Why are plastics so harmful and destructive, according to Atwood? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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