School of Distance Education UNIVERSITY OF CALICUT School of Distance Education AMERICAN LITERATURE Core Course of MA English II Semester (2019 Admn.) Multiple Choice Question Bank 1. What time does the poem “The Raven” take place? A. Midnight B. Noon C. Dawn D. Morning 2. When the author first heard the "rapping at his chamber door," in “The Raven”, who did he think was outside? A. His neighbour B. The raven C. Pluto D. Some late night visitor 3. In what month does the poem “The Raven” take place? A. December B. January C. October D. February 4. What is the name of the "rare and radiant maiden" for whom the author mourns in “The Raven”? A. Annebelle B. Lenore C. Pluto D. Lydia 5. What happens when the author opens the door in “The Raven”? A. The raven flies in B. He screams C. He only sees darkness D. He sees Lenore standing outside 6. What word does the raven say whenever he speaks? A. Quoth B. Prophet C. Nevermore D. Lenore 7. Where does the raven perch when he comes into the house? A. On the door frame B. On the mantle above the fireplace C. On a bust of Pallas D. On the chair 8. What was the author doing at the beginning of the poem “The Raven”? A. Eating dinner B. Reading a book C. Cutting his toenails D. Writing a letter 9. The raven is a symbol of A. Birds B. Happiness C. Boredom D. Death 10. How did the raven get into the house? A. He stepped in the window B. He came in the chimney C. He flew in the door D. He was already in the house American Literature Page 1 School of Distance Education 11. In what year was the first edition of "Leaves of Grass" published? A. 1872 B. 1892 C. 1860 D.1855 12. Which of Whitman's contemporaries famously praised "Leaves of Grass" as "the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom America has yet contributed"? A. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow B. Henry David Thoreau C. Oliver Wendell Holmes D. Ralph Waldo Emerson 13. “Passage to India” is an example of which Literary Movement? A. Romanticism B. Transcendentalism C. Black Art Movement D. Imagism 14. Opening stanza of “Passage to India” celebrates which of the following great engineering achievements? A. The laying of the transatlantic undersea cable B. The joining of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads at Utah C. Invention of Steam Engine D. The opening of the Suez Canal 15. Who is the “The Admiral himself” described in the poem “Passage to India”? A. Marco Polo B. Alexander C. Columbus D. Tamerlane 16. Those oppressive "Cathedral Tunes" reflect the poem's (“There is a certain slant of Light”) theme of A. Isolation B. Mortality C. Immortality D. Versions of reality 17. That ‘Heavenly Hurt’ in “There is a certain slant of Light” that leaves no scar works with the speaker's sense of A. Time B. Suffering C. Mortality D. Spirituality 18. The lines “When it comes, the Landscape listens – Shadows – hold their breath” in “There is a certain slant of Light” is an example of? A. Simile B. Metaphor C. Pathetic fallacy D. Anaphora 19. How did Dickinson intend for the light to be viewed in “There is a certain slant of Light”? A. Oppressive B. Welcoming C. Enchanting D. Cold 20. That "seal Despair" in “There is a certain slant of Light” is a sort of metaphor for the speaker's A. Perseverance B. Mortality C. Versions of reality D. Suffering 21. When the landscape "listens" in “There is a certain slant of Light”, it brings to mind the poem's theme of A. Society and class B. Awe and amazement C. Truth D. Transformation American Literature Page 2 School of Distance Education 22. What is the literal meaning of the title “Home Burial”? A. Death of marriage B. A broken home C. The death of the child D. A broken marriage 23. In "Home Burial", what is the mother's name? A. Paris B. Sabrina C. Amy D. Winifred 24. What does the wife see through the window at the beginning of “Home Burial”? A. Horsemen approaching B. The coroner’s wagon C. Her child’s grave D. Her husband returning 25. What is the metaphorical meaning of the title "Home Burial"? A. The end of the marriage B. End of life C. Beginning of a new life D. a new chapter in their lives 26. How did the woman mourn the death of the child, compared to the man in “Home Burial”? A. She kept the child's memory close, and thought about him each and every day, unlike the husband who wanted to shut out the memory B. She was very good at hiding her emotions, while he showed them. C. The husband constantly brought up the child, while she did not D. They both never spoke of the loss of their child 27. Who makes the ice cream in “The Emperor of Ice Cream”? A. The Mother B. The Speaker C. The Roller of Big Cigars D. The Newspaper Boys 28. Which is NOT an adjective you could apply to the cigar man in “The Emperor of Ice Cream”, based on the poem's description of him? A. Masculine B. Capable C. Strong D. Arrogant 29. What is embroidered on the sheet used to cover the body in “The Emperor of Ice Cream”? A. Birds B. Hearts C. Flowers D. Leaves 30. What part of the woman’s body might remain visible in “The Emperor of Ice Cream”? A. Her Wrinkled Hands B. Her Closed Eyes C. Her Stringy Hair D. Her Horny Feet 31. What are the wenches doing in “The Emperor of Ice Cream”? A. Wrapping Up the Body B. Taking Care of the Boys C. Complaining D. Hanging Around 32. What kind of light does the speaker ask for in the penultimate line of “The Emperor of Ice Cream”? A. The Lit Candles B. The Kitchen Light American Literature Page 3 School of Distance Education C. The Sunlight through the Window D. The Lamp Beam 33. What does the word defunct mean in the E.E. Cummings poem “Buffalo Bill's/defunct”? A. Something that is dead. B. A reference to the Wild West. C. A type of modernist poetry. D. A type of onomatopoeia. 34. Who is the blue-eyed boy in E.E. Cummings' poem 'Buffalo Bill's/defunct'? A. Buffalo Bill B. Mr. Death C. E.E. Cummings D. E.E. Cummings' son 35. What colour is the stallion in "Buffalo Bill's defunct"? A. Red B. Black C. Silver D. White 36. What is the original name of ‘Buffalo Bill’? A. William Scout B. William Cody C. William Bill D. William West 37. The poem “I, Too” references which dark portion of America's past? A. The Civil War B. Slavery C. The Civil Rights Movement D. Prohibition 38. What is the point of view in the poem, "I, Too"? A. 1st person B. 2nd person C. 3rd person D. 4th person 39. In the poem, "I, Too," America is a symbol for . A. Death B. Slavery C. Money D. Freedom 40. What is the speaker referring to when he says "I am the darker brother" in “I, Too?” A. His family role B. His troubled past C. His skin colour D. His angry mood 41. What is the tone of this poem? A. Optimistic B. Angry C. Solemn D. Energetic 42. In "I, Too," the speaker says that tomorrow, no one will dare to A. Insult Him B. Throw Him Out C. Hurt Him D. Tell Him to Eat in The Kitchen 43. An advertisement for what insensitively uses an image of Hiroshima in “For the Union Dead?” A. A Movie B. A Brand of Safes C. A Brand of Watch D. A Skin Care Product 44. Colonel Shaw served in which war in “For the Union Dead?” A. World War I B. World War Ii C. The Vietnam War D. The Civil War 45. What animal does the final stanza compare cars to in “For the Union Dead?” A. Zebras B. Fish C. Snakes D. Cats American Literature Page 4 School of Distance Education 46. The waists on the stone statues of soldiers are compared to what in “For the Union Dead?” A. Mosquitos B. Swans C. Herons D. Wasps 47. What does Colonel Shaw's father want in “For the Union Dead?” A. A Better Monument B. The Ditch C. Nothing D. His Son's Weapon 48. What does Colonel Shaw wait for at the end of the poem “For the Union Dead?” A. A Greyhound's Gentle Tautness B. A Parking Spot C. An End to Violence D. The Blessed Break 49. What desert does Lowell reference in the first stanza in “For the Union Dead?” A. Sonoran B. Mojave C. Sahara D. Gobi 50. What is St. Gauden's relief made of in “For the Union Dead?”? A. Stone B. Copper C. Marble D. Bronze 51. Allen Ginsberg is traditionally associated with what literary movement? A. The Hippie Poets B. The Beat Poets C. The Flower Children D. The Romantic Poets 52. Which industrial tycoon does Ginsberg cite in "America?" A. Larry Miles B. Henry Ford C. Warren Buffett D. Cornelius Vanderbilt 53. Ginsberg had an ambition to become which of the following in “America”? A. Sailor. B. President. C. Rabbi. D. Cartoonist. 54. Ginsberg’s vision of America in “America” is inspired from? A. Walt Whitman B.