from ,begin bold,Summer Magic,end bold,
So many cares to vex the day,
So many fears to haunt the night,
My heart was all but weaned away
From every lure of old delight.
Then summer came, announced by June,
With beauty, miracle and mirth.
She hung aloft the rounding moon,
She poured her sunshine on the earth,
She drove the sap and broke the bud,
She set the crimson rose afire.
She stirred again my sullen blood,
And waked in me a new desire.
Before my cottage door she spread
The softest carpet nature weaves,
And deftly arched above my head
A canopy of shady leaves.
Her nights were dreams of jeweled skies,
Her days were bowers rife with song,
And many a scheme did she devise
To heal the hurt and soothe the wrong.
(from "Summer Magic" by Leslie Pinckney Hill)
Question 1
This question has two parts. Answer Part A, and then answer Part B.
,begin emphasis,Part A,end emphasis,
What is the central idea of the poem?
Question 1 Answer options with 4 options
1.
The speaker longs for summer to make the sun shine and the plants grow.
2.
Troubles will return, but summer lets the speaker forget them for a short time.
3.
The speaker gains a feeling of happiness when summer makes the earth beautiful.
4.
For the first time, the speaker notices the many changes brought by the summer season.
2. Troubles will return, but summer lets the speaker forget them for a short time.
,begin emphasis,Part B,end emphasis,
What literary devices are used in the poem to convey this central idea?
Question 1 Answer options with 4 options
1.
personification and imagery
2.
rhyme scheme and meter
3.
alliteration and assonance
4.
simile and metaphor
Part A Answer: 3. The speaker gains a feeling of happiness when summer makes the earth beautiful.
,begin emphasis,Part B,end emphasis,
What evidence from the poem supports your answer in Part A?
Question 1 Answer options with 4 options
1.
"She drove the sap and broke the bud,
She set the crimson rose afire."
2.
"She hung aloft the rounding moon,
She poured her sunshine on the earth,"
3.
"Before my cottage door she spread
The softest carpet nature weaves,"
4.
"And waked in me a new desire."
Part A: The central idea of the poem is that summer brings renewal and a sense of joy in the midst of troubles and worries.
To answer this question, we need to carefully read and analyze the poem. The speaker starts by mentioning the cares and fears that haunt them during the day and night, indicating a sense of burden and weariness. However, with the arrival of summer, the speaker experiences a transformation. Summer is described as bringing beauty, miracle, and mirth. It awakens new desires and stirs the speaker's blood, implying a renewed sense of vitality and enthusiasm.
The speaker goes on to describe the various ways in which summer brings positive changes. It mentions the soft carpet of nature, the canopy of shady leaves, the jeweled skies at night, and the days filled with song. These vivid descriptions paint a picture of a transformative and rejuvenating season that offers solace and healing.
Thus, the central idea of the poem is that while troubles may still exist, summer allows the speaker to temporarily forget them and experience a sense of happiness and renewal.
Therefore, the answer to Part A is option 2: Troubles will return, but summer lets the speaker forget them for a short time.