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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In line 1032, whose eyes does the speaker compare to "stars asham’d of day"?
(a) Venus's.
(b) Love's.
(c) Adonis's.
(d) The boar's.

2. What type of human does Venus compare the boar to?
(a) A butcher.
(b) A soldier.
(c) A thief.
(d) A hangman.

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

4. 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"?
(a) Parallelism and euphemism.
(b) Inversion and parallelism.
(c) Apostrophe and inversion.
(d) Euphemism and apostrophe.

5. In line 868, "She hearkens for his hounds and for his horn," which technique best conveys Venus's straining to hear a quiet, far-off sound?
(a) Diction.
(b) Imagery.
(c) Tone.
(d) Alliteration.

6. For what reason does Venus suggest the sun and wind took pity on Adonis's tears?
(a) Because of his beauty.
(b) Because of his morality.
(c) Because of his kindness.
(d) Because of his youth.

7. What does Venus tell Adonis will be the cause of him tripping and falling?
(a) It is dark and cloudy.
(b) Earth wants to kiss him.
(c) He is distracted by love.
(d) One of the gods is jealous.

8. What is Venus saying when she asks the world "what canst thou boast/ Of things long since, or anything ensuing" (lines 1077 and 1078)?
(a) Any time before Adonis's birth or after his death is worthless.
(b) The world is a cruel place that does not allow love to grow naturally.
(c) The relationship between the past and the present is not as clear as people pretend.
(d) The world has no right to brag about itself if it would allow Adonis to die.

9. In the context of the comparison of Adonis's departure to the departure of a friend onboard ship, which of the following words functions as a pun?
(a) Contend.
(b) Merciless.
(c) Fold.
(d) Pitchy.

10. What technique is used in lines 819 and 820, "Till the wild waves will have him seen no more,/ Whose ridges with the meeting clouds contend"?
(a) Alliteration.
(b) Innuendo.
(c) Onomatopoeia.
(d) Paradox.

11. In line 1043, what is the speaker comparing to "a king perplexed in his throne"?
(a) Adonis's stallion.
(b) Death.
(c) The boar.
(d) Venus's brain.

12. What does line 972 compare to "many clouds consulting for foul weather"?
(a) Venus's emotions.
(b) The years Venus will live without Adonis.
(c) The events leading to Adonis's death.
(d) The howling dogs.

13. 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) Touches.
(c) Knives.
(d) Hooves.

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

15. What colors are emphasized in the description of morning?
(a) Yellow and orange.
(b) Blue and green.
(c) Silver and gold.
(d) Red and white.

Short Answer Questions

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

2. Why does Venus ask Adonis whether he saw her grow pale and tremble when he mentioned hunting boar?

3. What is Venus compared to when she hears the sound of the hunting dogs baying?

4. What critique does the speaker offer of Venus's song?

5. What does Venus compare to an informer and a spy?

(see the answer keys)

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