The Echoing Green Poem

Whom does "our" refer to in line 15?

• old folks sitting under an oak tree

• mothers whose laps sisters and brothers gather

• people who ring merry bells to welcome spring

• boys and girls playing on echoing green

Read the 2nd stanza. What can you infer about Old John?

• He spends most of his time worrying.

• He used to play on the echoing green.

• He likes being an old man more than a boy.

• He doesn't get along well with other old folk.

Who/what are "the little ones" in line 21?

• mothers

• old folk

• young birds

• boys and girls

Which best describes how the arrangement of stanzas contributes to the meaning of the poem?

• It divides the poem into parts according to three different settings.

• It divides the poem into three seasons, describing the green from spring to fall.

• It divides the narration of the poem between three different speakers.

• It divides the poem into three parts of the day, representing the progress of time.

• It divides the poem into three sections, each with a different rhyme scheme.

The Echoing Green

Part A: Fill in the blank:

Structurally, "The Echoing Green" uses three stanzas of (equal / unequal) length and a(n) (informal / formal) style.

Type your answer as ______ and _______.

The Echoing Green

Part A: How does the structure that the poet uses add to the central meaning of the poem?

• The poet uses repetition and rhyme to mirror the experiences that turn a young person into an old one.

• The poet directly expresses several complicated ideas about universal human experience.

• The poem is a rambling speech by Old John in which he recalls his days as a youth playing a sport.

• The poem's stanzas each describe one side of childhood, showing both its beauty and its ugliness.

Select one phrase from the beginning of the poem below that most directly shows the figurative language in Part A.

• I dip my hands in April.

• among your faces tender

• O woven of blue air

• Breathed words of the Earth-Mother

• You wing my soul with memories

long lapse of splendor is what type of sound device?

• rhyme

• alliteration

• onomatopoeia

What is the effect of the sound device "long lapse of splendor" on the poem?

• helps readers imagine a noise

• recalls the feeling of spring

• gives the poem structure

What is the main theme of the poem "The Echoing Green"?

• The cycle of life and the passage of time.

• The importance of education.

• The beauty of technology.

• The power of money.