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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. One of the reasons which Audre Lorde believes leads to silence in one's life is ______________.

2. Audre Lorde describes a black woman who once said that ____________ would lead to the extinction of the race as a whole.

3. Audre Lorde accuses Daly of using her _________ to legitimize her writing in the eyes of black women readers.

4. Horizontal ______ can be a useful tool for those who wish to oppress a given group, according to Audre Lorde.

5. While erotic is about feeling, according to Audre Lorde, __________ is devoid of feeling and about sensation only.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Audre Lorde say that Mary Daly used the poem on genital mutilation to do within her book?

2. What is the state of Uzbekistan's official position, with which Audre Lorde credits the area for its tolerance?

3. What leads to better decision making, in Audre Lorde's opinion, which becomes a source of power?

4. What are some of the ills of modern life which Audre Lorde believes poetry can help to cure?

5. Why does Audre Lorde include the example of Patricia Cowan's murder in her essay response?

6. What is the complaint that Helen tells Audre Lorde about the Russian working class, although Lorde disagrees?

7. What happens to injustices when they are left silent, according to Audre Lorde's speech in this section?

8. What are some of the physical observations that Audre Lorde makes about the city of Moscow?

9. What is the significant event which occurred just a little while after the letter of this section was written?

10. What does Audre Lorde say that life experience gives to her in relation to her expression?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lorde is focused on seeing the number of black people at the conference in Russia with her, as well as in the cities that she traverses.

Part 1: Why do you think Lorde is so focused on finding others of her race?

Part 2: Do you think that it's racist to focus only on your own race?

Part 3: How do you think Lorde's experience could be shifted by taking the emphasis off of race?

Essay Topic 2

The word 'erotic' brings up a lot of different ideas for those who hear it or who read it.

Part 1: Why do you think that 'erotic' is such an energetically charged word?

Part 2: How do you think the word 'erotic' has been misused in society and in the world?

Part 3: Do you believe that something can be erotic without being sexual in nature?

Essay Topic 3

Lorde finds that poetry communicates answers to difficult questions, as she states in her interview with Adrienne Rich.

Part 1: What do you think about the ability of poetry to communicate answers to difficult questions?

Part 2: How do you react when you read poetry to yourself in your life?

Part 3: Why do you think the poetry is something which speaks to so many people more than other pieces of writing?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 690 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample