What does this speaker in "On Turning Ten" believe is “the beginning of sadness”? (1 point) Responses putting away his bicycle for the winter putting away his bicycle for the winter saying good-bye to old friends in the neighborhood saying good-bye to old friends in the neighborhood learning that someone in his family is ill learning that someone in his family is ill turning ten years old
learning that someone in his family is ill
The speaker in "On Turning Ten" believes that turning ten years old is "the beginning of sadness."
To determine what the speaker in "On Turning Ten" believes is "the beginning of sadness," we can analyze the poem's text. The poem, written by Billy Collins, explores the feelings of the speaker as they reflect on turning ten years old.
In the poem, the speaker mentions various things that they have experienced as a ten-year-old. They mention putting away their bicycle for the winter, saying goodbye to old friends in the neighborhood, learning that someone in their family is ill, and turning ten years old itself. The speaker describes these experiences as being associated with different emotions.
When examining the poem, we find that the line "the beginning of sadness" is mentioned in relation to turning ten years old. The speaker suggests that reaching this milestone age marks the beginning of a sense of sadness or loss. This implies that the speaker believes turning ten is what initiates or triggers the feeling of sadness.
Therefore, the correct answer is "turning ten years old."