Life by Paul Laurence Dunbar

The bright sun represents (a)   in the poem.

• Hope

• Darkness

• Cold

• Power

• Wealth

Why does the caged bird beat its wing?

• To escape

• For exercise

• Out of boredom

• To attract a mate

• To sing

What does the caged bird's singing represent?

• call for help

• song of freedom

• plea to heaven

• melody of joy

• anthem of victory

How does the poem reflect on the theme of dreams and aspirations?

• Through the bird's desire for freedom

• The sun's brightness

• The river's flow

• The scars' pain

• The singing's joy

What is the significance of the caged bird's prayer?

• It's a symbol of resignation

• A reflection on past joy

• A hope for change

• A statement of contentment

• A critique of society

Why is the "bud" compared with the "chalice" in the poem Sympathy?

• because of its scent

• because of its contents

• because of its shape

• because of its colour

From the caged bird's point of view, what does the world outside the cage represent?

• spring

• freedom

• happiness

• death

According to the speaker in “Sympathy,” how does the caged bird feel?

• bright, happy, perfumed

• alarmed, shamed, fearful

• constrained, oppressed, imprisoned

• faint, clinging, ill

Which of the following BEST explains the title “Sympathy”?

• The speaker feels bad for the caged bird because of its injuries.

• The speaker also shares the caged bird’s desire for freedom.

• The speaker is critical of the caged bird’s reasons for singing.

• The speaker admires the caged bird’s courage.

they pulse again with a keener sting—I know why he beats his wing! these lines in the poem “Sympathy” suggest that...

• the bird is so crippled it will never be able to enjoy freedom.

• the bird has not given up hope despite a lifetime of captivity.

• as the bird gets older, its desire for freedom increases.

• the bird could enjoy its captivity if only it would stop fighting.