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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is the title of Book 1, Chapter 3?
(a) "Good Poems II."
(b) "New Poems II."
(c) "Black Cat."
(d) "Myth."

2. Which of the following best describes the rhyme scheme of the gazelle poem?
(a) Rilke did not intend to rhyme, but he did.
(b) Rilke did not rhyme, but the translator did.
(c) The vocabulary is very tense, so the rhyme is overlooked.
(d) The rhyme scheme was somewhat preserved in translation.

3. What is the name of the author of Greek tragedies?
(a) Sophocles.
(b) Alcestis.
(c) Shakespeare.
(d) Oedipus Rex.

4. Which animal's motions are most notable through Rilke's poems?
(a) Pigeon.
(b) Swan.
(c) Gazelle.
(d) Panther.

5. When was Book 1, Chapter 1 written?
(a) 1905.
(b) 1920.
(c) 1895.
(d) 1910.

6. Why does the narrator admire the dead person in "Requiem for a Friend"?
(a) The deceased was appreciative.
(b) The deceased was loving.
(c) The deceased was good at writing.
(d) The deceased was smart.

7. According to the poet, what is the main concern of the living?
(a) Anger.
(b) Death.
(c) Joy.
(d) Fear.

8. Which of the following scenarios does Rilke use to describe pain?
(a) The pigeon is unable to find a nest.
(b) The swan can never find a real home.
(c) The panther is trapped, unable to exert his power.
(d) The gazelle is graceful but must always run from predators.

9. What of the following are not themes in Rilke's poems in Book 1, Chapter 2?
(a) Weather.
(b) Sexuality.
(c) Animals.
(d) Women.

10. Which of the following people does Rilke paint a picture of through poetry?
(a) His country's leader.
(b) His favorite pet.
(c) His mother.
(d) Himself.

11. Which adjective best describes both of the poems about the human condition in Book 1, Chapter 2?
(a) Short.
(b) Complex.
(c) Meaningless.
(d) Unintentional.

12. How old is Rilke's family member in the poem that describes them?
(a) Young adult.
(b) Elderly
(c) Child.
(d) Middle-aged adult.

13. According to the poem about Lord in Book 1, Chapter 1, what can be found in all things in life?
(a) Anxiety.
(b) Hatred.
(c) The divine.
(d) Romance.

14. What is "Requiem for a Friend" about?
(a) Love for a best friend.
(b) Fear after somebody has died.
(c) Fear when a baby is born.
(d) Failure to save somebody.

15. What friend is the one talked about in "Requiem for a Friend"?
(a) Marie.
(b) Gary.
(c) Cassandra.
(d) Paula.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following is evident in Rilke's poems?

2. Which of the following do not describe a poem in Rilke's book?

3. In "Requiem for a Friend," what moves the narrative character to travel?

4. What does the swan symbolize?

5. Which animal is described as being able to escape a more powerful animal?

(see the answer keys)

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