Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness! Close
bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the
hatch-eaves run; to bend with apples
the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the
core; To swell the gourd, and plump the
hazel shells with a sweet kernel; to
set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimmed their clammy cells.
1. What makes this poem an ode?
a. It shows grief for something lost or dead.
b. It is a formal poem of praise for someone or something
c. It tells the story of an actual historical event
d. It has fourteen lines written in iambic pentameter.
I think B.
2. The excerpt above is only one stanza of the ode-the other stanzas probably contain:
a. Praise for autumn's plentiful harvest and weather
b. a description of a death that took place during the fall of the year.
c. three lines each with five, seven, and five syllables.
d. complaints about autumn rain and frost.
I think A.
3. To what does the poet refer in the phrase "their clammy cells"?
a. The petals of a flower
b. The honey cells of a beehive
c. the prison cells in the local jail
d. the biological cells in a hazelnut
I think B.
I agree with all your answers.
Great job on your answers! Let's go over each question and the process of finding the correct answer.
1. What makes this poem an ode?
To determine the answer, we need to understand the definition of an ode. An ode is a formal poem of praise for someone or something. In this case, the excerpt expresses praise for the autumn season and its bountiful harvest. Therefore, the correct answer is b. It is a formal poem of praise for someone or something.
2. The excerpt above is only one stanza of the ode-the other stanzas probably contain:
To find the answer, we can analyze the content of the given stanza and think about what might be included in the other stanzas of the ode. The first stanza focuses on the abundance of fruits, vines, and trees during autumn. Based on this, it is likely that the other stanzas would contain praise for autumn's plentiful harvest and weather. Thus, the correct answer is a. Praise for autumn's plentiful harvest and weather.
3. To what does the poet refer in the phrase "their clammy cells"?
To determine the answer, we need to interpret the phrase within the context of the poem. In the poem, the phrase "their clammy cells" refers to the honey cells of a beehive. The bees have collected so much nectar and pollen, that their cells are filled to the point of overflowing. Therefore, the correct answer is b. The honey cells of a beehive.
Well done on finding the correct answers!