Emily Dickinson's Poetry Answers

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1
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How are the speakers of "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" and "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" similar?

A
Both fear disapproval by others.
B
Both seem angry and tormented.
C
Both are forthright and confident.
D
Both reject religious feelings.
2
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How do the settings of "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" and "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" differ?

A
Traveling in the former represents a journey toward death, while the setting of the latter shows that the speaker is well grounded.
B
The landscape in the former represents a worshipful attitude toward nature, while the natural setting is only symbolic in the latter.
C
The setting of the former is separate from the poem’s themes, while the setting of the latter is merely a backdrop for a larger theme.
D
The countryside setting in the former creates a dreamlike mood, while the setting of the latter creates a mood of artificial happiness.
3

What is similar about the subjects of "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" and "Because I Could Not Stop for Death"?

A
Both poems personalize a broad concept, such as spirituality or mortality.
B
Both poems address mortality, specifically that of human beings.
C
Both poems concern religion on a basic and fundamental level.
D
Both poems advocate being fearful of one’s mortality.
4

How does the first-person point of view in both "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" and "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" help communicate the ideas presented in the poems?

A
It makes the experiences and feelings described easier to sympathize with.
B
It immediately persuades readers to accept each speaker’s entire worldview.
C
It makes readers think that they know someone like the speaker.
D
It makes readers think that the poet has personally experienced the events described.
5

Read the second stanza of "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church."Some keep the Sabbath in Surplice –I just wear my Wings –And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church,Our little Sexton – sings.What is the effect of the word “surplice,” which is a garment worn by the clergy, in this stanza?

A
It reinforces the difference between the natural things the speaker holds dear and the rituals of the church.
B
It reinforces the poet’s belief that most people feel the need to attend church.
C
It reinforces the poet’s authority by suggesting that she knows quite a bit about religious rituals.
D
It reinforces the speaker’s view that great mystery lies at the heart of most religious rituals.
6

Read the lines from "Because I Could Not Stop for Death."We paused before a House that seemedA Swelling of the Ground –What image does the language in these lines create?

A
The language reduces the importance of the image being presented.
B
The language distracts the reader from the symbolic meaning of the words.
C
The language creates an image of starkness and isolation.
D
The language suggests an image of gloom and foreboding.
7

What does the first stanza of "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" suggest about the speaker’s view of religious customs?

A
She does not believe in creating religious customs.
B
She participates in religious customs in an unconventional way.
C
She finds religious customs to be tedious.
D
She participates only in religious customs that relate to nature.
8

Read the quotation from "Because I Could Not Stop for Death."The Carriage held but just Ourselves –And Immortality.What is the effect of the phrase “but just Ourselves” in the lines above?

A
It gives the poem a humble tone.
B
It conveys the personal nature of the speaker’s journey.
C
It conveys a sense of sarcasm.
D
It gives the speaker’s journey a feeling of loneliness.
9

Which statement best describes the purpose of the horse-drawn carriage imagery in "Because I Could Not Stop for Death."

A
The image reinforces the idea that the journey towards death can be long and monotonous like a carriage ride.
B
The imagery illustrates the speaker’s view that horses are ghostly and intimidating animals that remind her of death.
C
The imagery illustrates that horses’ heads are symbolic of the speaker’s triumph over death’s grip.
D
The imagery introduces the idea that death is a natural and ordinary part of one’s journey through life.
10

Why is the image of the setting sun most likely not described in great detail in "Because I Could Not Stop for Death"?

A
It is a common symbol of death that requires little description.
B
It is a part of the plot that does little to contribute to the theme.
C
It is not meant to be seen as an important symbol within the poem.
D
It is not a significant aspect of the mood created within the poem.

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