Multiple+Choice+Questions+on+Ode+on+the+Death+of+a+Favorite+Cat

Multiple Choice Questions on “Ode on the Death of a Favorite Cat”

Name: …………………………………. Period:……. Date: ……………….

1. Lines 1-3 describe a. A garden b. An embroidered dress c. A cat d. A china bowl e. An oriental painting

2. The subject(s) of the sentence in lines 8-12 (The fair..saw”) is (are) a. Face b. Coat c. Jet d. Face, beard, velvet, coat, ears, eyes

3. In line 10, Selima’s coast is said to vie “with the tortoise” because a. It is silky b. It is parti-colored c. The cat is lazy and slow-moving d. The cat is attracted to water e. It is tinged with green

4. In the second stanza, Selima is purring applause a. Because of the natural contentment of a cat at rest b. For her own reflection c. At the sight of the fishbowl d. At the sight of the fish e. At the sight of her tail

5. In line 13, “Still had she gazed” can be best paraphrased as a. Quietly she stared b. She looked without stirring c. She would yet be watching d. Nevertheless, she looked intently e. Constantly she stared

6. In the third stanza, the poem employs elevated diction in all of the following EXCEPT a. Tide in line 13 b. Glide in line 14 c. Genii in line 15 d. Armor’s in line 16 e. Tyrian blue in line 16

7. The “hapless nymph” in stanza 4 is a. Selima b. The genii of stanza 3 c. The goldfish d. The Nereid of stanza 6 e. Susan

8. In line 20, claw is a. Object of saw b. Subject of its clause c. Object of the preposition d. Object of stretched e. Object of reach

9. Line 34 aludes to the dolphin and Nereid because they a. Rescue drowning men in myth b. Are decorations on the fish tub c. Identify Tom and Susan d. Are inhabitants of water e. Are examples of watery gods

10.In stanza 6, the implication of the aphorism “A favorite has no friend” is 1. the servants resent the pampered cat 2. other cats in the house refuse to help Selima out of envy 3. those who have been most fortunate have the most to lose a. 1 only b. 3 only c. 1 and 3 only d. 2 and 3 only e. 1,2, and 3

11. The metaphor developed through stanzas 1-6 compares a. The fate of a cat and the fate of beautiful women b. A cat and a goldfish c. A cat and an epic hero d. A cat and an epic heroine e. Goldfish and epic heroes

12. The conclusions drawn in the final stanza are primarily intended to a. Morally instruct the reader b. Prevent the reader from suffering a fate lie Selima’s c. Amuse the reader d. Warn against the lure of specious wealth e. Warn against pride

13. The style of the poem as a whole may be best described as a. Informal b. Mock-heroic c. Understated d. Ironic e. Impressionistic

14. In which of the following meters is the poem written? 1, Iambic trimeter 2. Iambic tetrameter 3. Iambic pentameter a. 3 only b. 1 and 2 only c. 1 and 3 only d. 2 and 3 only e. 1,2, and 3