The Drought

The meter of “The Drought” is most like —

• a thunderstorm

• a calm heartbeat

• an excited song

• an irregular drumbeat

The poem, “The Drought,” is different from a short story because —

• the story of the drought and the farmer is incomplete

• the story of the drought and the farmer is in the third person

• the story of the drought and the farmer is told in a few lines

• the story of the drought and the farmer has no moral

Which two indicate the elements of a poem that are present in “The Drought.”

• Meter

• Rhyme

• Dialogue

• Stanzas

In the first and third lines of “The Drought,” the poet rhymes plains with the farmer’s veins. What is the effect of this rhyme?

• It connects the farmer to the plains.

• It likens the plains to a river

• It compares the farmer to a field.

• It relates the plains to the wheat.

Which word best describes the rhyme scheme of “The Drought”?

• Random

• Missing

• Complex

• Regular

The first eight lines of the poem are one sentence. Which is a possible reason for why the poet chooses to punctuate her sonnet this way?

• The first eight lines underscore the extremes of weather.

• The first eight lines are about the drought only.

• The lines present the issue connecting the farmer to the plain.

• The lines describe the theme of farm life during drought.

Read lines 11–14. The farmer would most likely agree with which saying below?

• Look for the silver lining.

• There is no use crying over spilled milk.

• When it rains, it pours.

• Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

The poet uses the word breath in the last line of the poem. What does this word symbolize? A B C D

• Food

• Rain

• Spring

• Life

Which two ideas are explored in the passage?

• Despair

• Labor

• Rebellion

• Change

• Persistence

Which of the following statements best conveys the theme of the poem?

• It is best to accept consequences in life.

• We make our fate through our actions.

• Happiness is fleeting as soon as it appears.

• There is hope in the worst situations.