3rd 9 weeks StudySync Exam ELA

The Sandpiper

1 Across the lonely beach we flit,

2 One little sandpiper and I;

3 And fast I gather, bit by bit,

4 The scattered drift-wood, bleached and dry.

5 The wild waves reach their hands for it,

6 The wild wind raves, the tide runs high,

7 As up and down the beach we flit,

8 One little sandpiper and I.

9 Above our heads the sullen clouds

10 Scud, black and swift, across the sky;

11 Like silent ghosts in misty shrouds

12 Stand out the white lighthouses high.

13 Almost as far as eye can reach

14 I see the close-reefed vessels fly,

15 As fast we flit along the beach—

16 One little sandpiper and I.

17 I watch him as he skims along,

18 Uttering his sweet and mournful cry;

19 He starts not at my fitful song,

20 Or flash of fluttering drapery.

21 He has no thought of any wrong;

22 He scans me with a fearless eye.

23 Staunch friends are we, well tried and strong,

24 The little sandpiper and I.

25 Comrade, where wilt thou be to-night

26 When the loosed storm breaks furiously?

27 My driftwood fire will burn so bright!

28 To what warm shelter canst thou fly?

29 I do not fear for thee, though wroth

30 The tempest rushes through the sky:

31 For are we not God’s children both,

32 Thou, little sandpiper, and I?

What does the simile in the second stanza (lines 9-16) suggest about the lighthouse?

• They look ghostly.

• They look like flying ships.

The Sandpiper

1 Across the lonely beach we flit,

2 One little sandpiper and I;

3 And fast I gather, bit by bit,

4 The scattered drift-wood, bleached and dry.

5 The wild waves reach their hands for it,

6 The wild wind raves, the tide runs high,

7 As up and down the beach we flit,

8 One little sandpiper and I.

9 Above our heads the sullen clouds

10 Scud, black and swift, across the sky;

11 Like silent ghosts in misty shrouds

12 Stand out the white lighthouses high.

13 Almost as far as eye can reach

14 I see the close-reefed vessels fly,

15 As fast we flit along the beach—

16 One little sandpiper and I.

17 I watch him as he skims along,

18 Uttering his sweet and mournful cry;

19 He starts not at my fitful song,

20 Or flash of fluttering drapery.

21 He has no thought of any wrong;

22 He scans me with a fearless eye.

23 Staunch friends are we, well tried and strong,

24 The little sandpiper and I.

25 Comrade, where wilt thou be to-night

26 When the loosed storm breaks furiously?

27 My driftwood fire will burn so bright!

28 To what warm shelter canst thou fly?

29 I do not fear for thee, though wroth

30 The tempest rushes through the sky:

31 For are we not God’s children both,

32 Thou, little sandpiper, and I?

What does the personification in stanza 1 (lines 1-8) show?

• the way the beach feels at sunset

• the waves' attempt to reclaim the driftwood

Read the dictionary entry.

skim \΄skim\ v

1. 1. to remove from the surface of a liquid

2. 2. to glance through quickly

3. 3. to throw so as to bounce along the surface of the water

4. 4. to pass swiftly or lightly over

Which definition most closely matches the way the word skims is used to characterize the sandpiper in the third stanza (lines 17-24)?

• definition 1

• definition 2

• definition 3

• definition 4

The Sandpiper

1 Across the lonely beach we flit,

2 One little sandpiper and I;

3 And fast I gather, bit by bit,

4 The scattered drift-wood, bleached and dry.

5 The wild waves reach their hands for it,

6 The wild wind raves, the tide runs high,

7 As up and down the beach we flit,

8 One little sandpiper and I.

9 Above our heads the sullen clouds

10 Scud, black and swift, across the sky;

11 Like silent ghosts in misty shrouds

12 Stand out the white lighthouses high.

13 Almost as far as eye can reach

14 I see the close-reefed vessels fly,

15 As fast we flit along the beach—

16 One little sandpiper and I.

17 I watch him as he skims along,

18 Uttering his sweet and mournful cry;

19 He starts not at my fitful song,

20 Or flash of fluttering drapery.

21 He has no thought of any wrong;

22 He scans me with a fearless eye.

23 Staunch friends are we, well tried and strong,

24 The little sandpiper and I.

25 Comrade, where wilt thou be to-night

26 When the loosed storm breaks furiously?

27 My driftwood fire will burn so bright!

28 To what warm shelter canst thou fly?

29 I do not fear for thee, though wroth

30 The tempest rushes through the sky:

31 For are we not God’s children both,

32 Thou, little sandpiper, and I?

Which statement BEST describes the rhyme scheme of "The Sandpiper"?

• Each stanza follows a different rhyme scheme.

• All stanzas follow an ABAB rhyme scheme.

The Sandpiper

1 Across the lonely beach we flit,

2 One little sandpiper and I;

3 And fast I gather, bit by bit,

4 The scattered drift-wood, bleached and dry.

5 The wild waves reach their hands for it,

6 The wild wind raves, the tide runs high,

7 As up and down the beach we flit,

8 One little sandpiper and I.

9 Above our heads the sullen clouds

10 Scud, black and swift, across the sky;

11 Like silent ghosts in misty shrouds

12 Stand out the white lighthouses high.

13 Almost as far as eye can reach

14 I see the close-reefed vessels fly,

15 As fast we flit along the beach—

16 One little sandpiper and I.

17 I watch him as he skims along,

18 Uttering his sweet and mournful cry;

19 He starts not at my fitful song,

20 Or flash of fluttering drapery.

21 He has no thought of any wrong;

22 He scans me with a fearless eye.

23 Staunch friends are we, well tried and strong,

24 The little sandpiper and I.

25 Comrade, where wilt thou be to-night

26 When the loosed storm breaks furiously?

27 My driftwood fire will burn so bright!

28 To what warm shelter canst thou fly?

29 I do not fear for thee, though wroth

30 The tempest rushes through the sky:

31 For are we not God’s children both,

32 Thou, little sandpiper, and I?

This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.

Part A- What theme can the reader infer from the speaker's experience with the sandpiper?

• Pleasure can be found in the simplicity of nature.

• Being alone is a thing to avoid.

The Sandpiper

1 Across the lonely beach we flit,

2 One little sandpiper and I;

3 And fast I gather, bit by bit,

4 The scattered drift-wood, bleached and dry.

5 The wild waves reach their hands for it,

6 The wild wind raves, the tide runs high,

7 As up and down the beach we flit,

8 One little sandpiper and I.

9 Above our heads the sullen clouds

10 Scud, black and swift, across the sky;

11 Like silent ghosts in misty shrouds

12 Stand out the white lighthouses high.

13 Almost as far as eye can reach

14 I see the close-reefed vessels fly,

15 As fast we flit along the beach—

16 One little sandpiper and I.

17 I watch him as he skims along,

18 Uttering his sweet and mournful cry;

19 He starts not at my fitful song,

20 Or flash of fluttering drapery.

21 He has no thought of any wrong;

22 He scans me with a fearless eye.

23 Staunch friends are we, well tried and strong,

24 The little sandpiper and I.

25 Comrade, where wilt thou be to-night

26 When the loosed storm breaks furiously?

27 My driftwood fire will burn so bright!

28 To what warm shelter canst thou fly?

29 I do not fear for thee, though wroth

30 The tempest rushes through the sky:

31 For are we not God’s children both,

32 Thou, little sandpiper, and I?

This question has two parts. First answer Part A. Then answer Part B.

Part B- Which lines from the poem BEST support the answer to Part A?

• "Across the lonely beach we flit, One little sandpiper and I" (lines 1-2)

• "Staunch friends are we, well tried and strong,/ The little sandpiper and I." (lines 23-24)

The Sandpiper

1 Across the lonely beach we flit,

2 One little sandpiper and I;

3 And fast I gather, bit by bit,

4 The scattered drift-wood, bleached and dry.

5 The wild waves reach their hands for it,

6 The wild wind raves, the tide runs high,

7 As up and down the beach we flit,

8 One little sandpiper and I.

What is the purpose of the First Stanza (lines 1-8) in the poem?

• introduces the speaker, the sandpiper, and the setting

• establishes the friendship between the speaker and the sandpiper

The Sandpiper

9 Above our heads the sullen clouds

10 Scud, black and swift, across the sky;

11 Like silent ghosts in misty shrouds

12 Stand out the white lighthouses high.

13 Almost as far as eye can reach

14 I see the close-reefed vessels fly,

15 As fast we flit along the beach—

16 One little sandpiper and I.

What is the purpose of the Second Stanza (lines 9-16) in the poem?

• establishes the friendship between the speaker and the sandpiper

• gives more details about the setting

The Sandpiper

17 I watch him as he skims along,

18 Uttering his sweet and mournful cry;

19 He starts not at my fitful song,

20 Or flash of fluttering drapery.

21 He has no thought of any wrong;

22 He scans me with a fearless eye.

23 Staunch friends are we, well tried and strong,

24 The little sandpiper and I.

What is the purpose of the Third Stanza (lines 17-24) in the poem?

25 Comrade, where wilt thou be to-night

26 When the loosed storm breaks furiously?

27 My driftwood fire will burn so bright!

28 To what warm shelter canst thou fly?

29 I do not fear for thee, though wroth

30 The tempest rushes through the sky:

31 For are we not God’s children both,

32 Thou, little sandpiper, and I?

• establishes the friendship between the speaker and the sandpiper

• gives more details about the setting

The Sandpiper

25 Comrade, where wilt thou be to-night

26 When the loosed storm breaks furiously?

27 My driftwood fire will burn so bright!

28 To what warm shelter canst thou fly?

29 I do not fear for thee, though wroth

30 The tempest rushes through the sky:

31 For are we not God’s children both,

32 Thou, little sandpiper, and I?

What is the purpose of the Fourth Stanza (lines 25-32) in the poem?

• establishes the friendship between the speaker and the sandpiper

• establishes the speaker’s belief that she and sandpiper are protected