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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which is the most reasonable interpretation of Venus's motives as she describes hunting a rabbit?
(a) She intends to make it sound as exciting as hunting a boar.
(b) She intends to illustrate how knowledgeable she is about hunting.
(c) She intends to show Adonis how sympathetic she is toward prey animals.
(d) She intends to shame Adonis into choosing to hunt rabbit instead of boar.

2. What characteristic of the boar does Venus's description primarily stress?
(a) It is well-armed for battle.
(b) It is ugly inside and out.
(c) It is cunning and deceptive.
(d) It is divinely protected.

3. What technique is used in lines 1123 and 1124, "She looks upon his lips, and they are pale;/ She takes him by the hand, and that is cold"?
(a) Parallelism.
(b) Symbolism.
(c) Personification.
(d) Metonymy.

4. What is the most logical definition of "tushes" in the context of line 617, "Whose tushes never sheath’d he whetteth still"?
(a) Tusks.
(b) Hooves.
(c) Touches.
(d) Knives.

5. What is Venus's motive for flattering death?
(a) She fears that death will try to take her life, too.
(b) She feels genuinely sorry that she has accused him.
(c) She hopes it will keep death from taking Adonis.
(d) She is relieved and her natural flirtatiousness returns.

6. What bird's song heralds the approach of morning?
(a) The lark.
(b) The robin.
(c) The sparrow.
(d) The thrush.

7. Besides being goddess of the moon and the hunt, what significant power was Cynthia believed to possess?
(a) The power to cause sudden illness and death.
(b) The power to increase crop yields.
(c) The power to control the weather.
(d) The power to cause memory loss and hallucinations.

8. What technique is used in line 1026, "Whereat she leaps that was but late forlorn"?
(a) Metaphor.
(b) Oxymoron.
(c) Innuendo.
(d) Consonance.

9. How does Venus characterize animals like the lion, tiger, and wolf when in Adonis's presence?
(a) Tame.
(b) Jealous.
(c) Predatory.
(d) Fearful.

10. What is the most reasonable interpretation of what Venus means when she asks "Where did I leave?” and Adonis replies “No matter where" (line 715)?
(a) She is asking where Adonis intends to go once he leaves her that evening.
(b) She is asking Adonis to explain what he means when he accuses her of wanting to leave.
(c) She is asking what she was saying before her train of thought was interrupted.
(d) She is asking where she and Adonis were when she first told him that he could leave for the night.

11. What is Venus compared to when she hears the sound of the hunting dogs baying?
(a) A lamp brighter than the sun himself.
(b) A doe rushing to feed her fawn.
(c) Someone who sees a poisonous snake.
(d) A soldier deserting the battlefield.

12. To what does Venus compare the fear of a person in love?
(a) The fear of a mother holding a newborn during a rising flood.
(b) The fear of a person carrying treasure who is surrounded by thieves.
(c) The fear of a shepherd seeing his flock beset by wolves.
(d) The fear of a monarch whose castle is besieged by enemies.

13. Which two colors dominate the description of Adonis's body?
(a) Black and purple.
(b) Red and black.
(c) White and red.
(d) Purple and white.

14. What do Venus's descriptions of the rabbit, fox, and deer have in common?
(a) They stress how fast and clever these animals are.
(b) They stress that all three yield delicious meat and useful skins.
(c) They stress the timid and retiring nature of these animals.
(d) They stress how numerous and easily spotted these creatures are.

15. What is Venus's main criticism of chastity?
(a) It shows ingratitude toward the gods.
(b) It prevents her from getting what she wants.
(c) It is a needlessly joyless practice.
(d) It prevents people from having children.

Short Answer Questions

1. What techniques are used in lines 1015 and 1016, "“O love!” quoth she, “how much a fool was I,/ To be of such a weak and silly mind"?

2. What technique is used in lines 647 and 648, "My boding heart pants, beats, and takes no rest,/ But like an earthquake, shakes thee on my breast"?

3. In lines 896 and 897, "Till cheering up her senses sore dismay’d,/ She tells them ’tis a causeless fantasy," what is the antecedent of "them"?

4. In the conceit that Venus concludes her speech with near the end of the poem, what two things are compared?

5. Who is the "flap-mouth’d mourner" referred to in line 920?

(see the answer keys)

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