On Turning Ten

Which of the following phrases best supports the answer to Question One?

• “But now I am mostly at the window / watching the late afternoon light.” ( Lines 17-18)

• “This is the beginning of sadness, I say to myself, / ... It is time to say good-bye to my imaginary friends, / time to turn the first big number.” ( Lines 24-27)

• “The whole idea of it makes me feel / like I'm coming down with something.” ( Lines 1-2)

• “Back then it never fell so solemnly / against the side of my tree house, / and my bicycle never leaned against the garage / as it does today, / all the dark blue speed drained out of it.” ( Lines 19-23)

What impact does the following imagery in lines 21 through 23 have on the text? (RL.2.4)

• to share a sense of loss

• to express anxiety about the future

• to illustrate the speaker’s point of view

• to compare the speaker's feelings about growing up to sickness

Which of the following best summarizes a theme of the poem? (Supporting standard: RL.1.2)

• Imagination is constrained by age.

• Nature reflects the human cycle of life.

• Growing old is a universal fear, even though it feels unique to the individual.

• Growing up means letting go of the carefree innocence of childhood.

Read lines 5-7 from the text.

• The speaker feels physically nauseated by age and older people.

• The speaker fears aging because he associates it with sickness and dying.

• The speaker compares his feelings about growing up to sickness, suggesting that he does not have a positive outlook on it.

• The speaker likens aging to sickness, believing it to be a physically arduous process.

Which of the following best describes the tone of stanza 3? (RL.2.4)

• Somber

• Resentful

• Whimsical

• Sarcastic

How does the author reveal the speaker’s view of growing up? (RL.2.6) Select TWO responses from below.

• the author makes contradictory statements to elaborate on his views of getting older

• the author includes research and statistical evidence to support the speaker's argument of growing old

• the author shares anecdotes associated with personal events dealing with fear from the speaker’s past

• the author uses a variety of figurative language devices to compare and contrast the speaker’s perspective to aging

• the author uses words and phrases with negative connotations to display how the speaker dreads getting older

How does the final stanza contribute to the overall structure and development of the plot? (RL.2.5)

• It highlights the speaker’s fears of being injured.

• It uses figures of speech to reveal the speaker’s understanding about growing up.

• It illustrates the difference in mindset between a teenager and a child.

• It uses a flashback to define what the speaker finds confusing about human anatomy.

What is the main theme of the poem 'On Turning Ten'?

• A) The inevitability of aging and the loss of childhood innocence.

• B) The joy of reaching a new milestone in life.

• C) The excitement of growing up and gaining new responsibilities.

• D) The fear of the unknown future.

Which literary device is predominantly used in the poem 'On Turning Ten' to convey the speaker's emotions?

• A) Metaphor

• B) Simile

• C) Alliteration

• D) Hyperbole

In 'On Turning Ten', how does the speaker feel about growing up?

• A) Excited and eager

• B) Indifferent and neutral

• C) Sad and nostalgic

• D) Angry and resentful