Dr. Prinsky

English 1102

First Quiz on Ch. 19/"Prosody: Sound Rhythm, and Rhyme in Poetry," of RJ7, Plus Prinsky’s Supplementary Material on Poetry

Note: in the following questions, the straight up-and-down symbols ( | ) stand for the borderlines on either side of a metrical foot; the slash mark or virgule ( / ) stands for an accented syllable within a metrical foot; a capital U ( U ) stands for an unaccented syllable within a metrical foot.

First Section of Assigned Material from Ch. 19

1. In Ch. 19, Roberts and Jacobs note that two synonyms for prosody are: (a) harmonics and melody (b) orality and hymnody (c) metrics and versification (d) synchronicity and prosopopoeia

2. Roberts and Jacobs note that in considering prosody, spelling must sometimes be differentiated from: (a) phonetics (b) usage level (c) alphabet (d) symbolism

3. Roberts and Jacobs note that, in comparison or contrast with rhythm in poetry, rhythm in prose is: (a) nearly nonexistent (b) present, but not as strong (c) equally as strong (d) more striking

4. The key element in determining rhythm in syllables is syllables': (a) spelling (b) vowels (c) stress (d) length

5. The main prosodic unit in a line of poetry is called a: (a) foot (b) harmonic (c) prosod (d) virgule

6. In the two-syllable units in a line of poetry, the one with the pattern of | U U | is called: (a) iamb (b) trochee (c) spondee (d) pyrrhic

7. In the two-syllable units in a line of poetry, the one with the pattern of | / / | (which Roberts and Jacobs state can be indicated by a chevron, though this notation is very rare) is called: (a) iamb (b) trochee (c) spondee (d) pyrrhic

8. In the two-syllable units in a line of poetry, the one with the pattern of | / U | is called: (a) iamb (b) trochee (c) spondee (d) pyrrhic

9. In the two-syllable units in a line of poetry, the one with the pattern of | U / | is called: (a) iamb (b) trochee (c) spondee (d) pyrrhic

10. Among the three-syllable units in a line of poetry, the one with the pattern of | / U U | is called: (a) anapest (b) dactyl (c) amphibrach (d) amphimacer (e) bacchius

11. Among the three-syllable units in a line of poetry, the one with the pattern of | U U / | is called: (a) anapest (b) dactyl (c) amphibrach (d) amphimacer (e) bacchius

12. When a poet varies the kinds of units in a line, this variation has the technical name: (a) harmonium (b) manatee (c) substitution (d) arabesque

13. A poet's emphasis on a pause in a line of poetry is called: (a) nero (b) tiberius (c) octavian (d) caesura

14. If a line of poetry has a mark of punctuation at the end, the line is called: (a) endived (b) end-stopped (c) enmeshed (d) ensconced (e) enjambed

15. If a line of poetry has no mark of punctuation at the end, it is called run-on or: (a) enjambed (b) end-speeded (c) enlivened (d) enmeshed (e) precipitated

16. In Prinsky’s three-step process for analyzing rhythm and meter, the first step is finding and focusing on: (a) the relative stress between any two adjacent syllables (b) all function word and content word combinations (c) avoidance of sing-song reading (d) all words of two syllables or more

17. In Prinsky’s three-step process for analyzing rhythm and meter, the second step is finding and focusing on: (a) the relative stress between any two adjacent syllables (b) all function word and content word combinations (c) avoidance of sing-song reading (d) all words of two syllables or more

18. In Prinsky’s three-step process for analyzing rhythm and meter, the third step is finding and focusing on: (a) avoidance of sing-song reading (b) all function word and content word combinations (c) the relative stress between any two adjacent syllables (d) all words of two syllables or more

19. In ordinary English, as learned by a native speaker, the words because, intense, aplomb, support, confide, manure, and within are, individually, a/an: (a) pyrrhus (b) iamb (c) trochee (d) spondee

20. In ordinary English, as learned by a native speaker, the words ready, circuit, hero, and flagrant are, individually, a/an: (a) pyrrhus (b) iamb (c) trochee (d) spondee

21. In ordinary English, as learned by a native speaker, the words heartbreak, childhood, bookcase, daylight, gainsay, heyday, and wineglass are, individually, a/an: (a) pyrrhus (b) iamb (c) trochee (d) spondee

22. In ordinary English, as learned by a native speaker, the words tenderly, mannikin, portable, marginal, and ecstasy, are, individually, a/an: (a) dactyl (b) amphibrach (c) anapest (d) amphimacer

23. In ordinary English, as learned by a native speaker, the words amazement, insurance, curvaceous, defensive, despising, romantic, and inspection are, individually, a/an: (a) dactyl (b) amphibrach (c) anapest (d) amphimacer

24. In ordinary English, as learned by a native speaker, the words crocodile, daffodil, echelon, falsify, galvanize, handicraft, and jamboree are, individually, a/an: (a) dactyl (b) amphibrach (c) anapest (d) amphimacer

Questions on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The Sound of the Sea”

25. This poem exemplifies the poetry form (already encountered in this course) of: (a) ballad (b) dramatic monologue (c) elegy (d) sonnet

26. With regard to the poem’s parts in thought units or content units (grammar and punctuation provide helpful hints), the poem is divided: (a) 8 - 6 (b) 4 - 4 - 4 - 2 (c) 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 2 (d) 5 - 9

27. The main subject of the poem might be described as: (a) disillusionment caused by human beings’ pollution of the environment (b) the mystery of where human thoughts or impulses ultimately originate (c) wonder at the diversity of living beings in God’s creation (d) the need for interpersonal communication in human well being

28. A notably repeated figure of speech (lines 1 and 5) is: (a) simile (b) metonymy (c) personification (d) hyperbole (e) understatement

29. The figure of speech referred to in the immediately preceding question helps convey the idea that: (a) the tremendous diversity of living beings continues, after the Flood, from God’s creation (b) human beings succumb to pride or hubris because of technology (c) earth’s resources are ultimately limited (d) all parts of the universe are interconnected

30. In the Prinsky system of scansion, the analysis of the rhythm and meter of the poem’s first line should begin with the words: (a) “The sea” (b) “awoke at” (c) “awoke” and “midnight” (d) “midnight from” (e) “its sleep”

31. An analysis of the rhythm and meter of the poem’s first line establishes the dominant meter of the poem as: (a) pyrrhic (b) iambic (c) trochaic (d) spondaic

32. The regularity of meter (though having some expressive variations) helps communicate or express the notion of: (a) tide and waves (b) beaches and mountains (c) social rules and regulations (d) forests and deserts (e) reason and intelligence

33. The opening two syllables of lines 1-4 are, in rhythm or meter, identical in the pattern of stressed or unaccented syllables except which one: (a) line 1 (b) line 2 (c) line 3 (d) line 4

34. The variation referred to in the immediately preceding question helps suggest or convey: (a) the sea as unit (b) the sea’s extent (c) the perceptiveness of humanity (d) the sea’s power

35. A notable example of what component of rhythm and meter can be found in lines 2-4: (a) caesura (b) enjambment (c) sprung rhythm (d) end-stopping

36. The key words in lines 2-4 that are connected to the rhythmical or metrical component referred to in the immediately preceding question are all of the following except which one: (a) pebbly (b) rush (c) onward (d) uninterrupted (e) sweep

37. The repetition of the s sound in the poem mainly exemplifies: (a) assonance (b) cacophony (c) alliteration (d) caesura

38. The sound effect referred to in the immediately preceding question mainly helps convey: (a) wind’s roaring (b) water’s hissing (c) choirs singing (d) water’s crashing (e) flutes playing

Questions on Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem “We Real Cool”

39. In Gwendolyn Brooks' poem "We Real Cool," both in the first line (which is also the title) as well as in all subsequent lines (e.g., "left school. We/ Lurk late. We" [lines 2-3]) the prevalent prosodic line unit is closest to: (a) iamb (b) trochee (c) spondee (d) pyrrhus

40. The rhythm and meter of Brooks' "We Real Cool" are most closely connected to the content of which of the following lines of the poem: (a) line 1 (b) line 3 (c) line 4 (d) line 6

41. The rhythm and meter of Brooks’ “We Real Cool” are extraordinary (bordering on unique) in comparison to virtually any other poem in the English language -- even just the poems in Ch. 19 of RJ7 -- because of having: (a) no unstressed syllables (b) short lines (cf. some of the lines of the Dickinson and Levine) (c) sound effects incorporated (d) periods in the middle of lines (cf. the poems by Browning, Hopkins, Levine)

42. A sound effect contributing to what is referred to in the immediately preceding question is: (a) euphony (b) alliteration (c) onomatopoeia (d) assonance

43. The lines "We/ Sing sin" (lines 4-5) in Brooks' "We Real Cool" has the primary reading comprehension problem in it of: (a) word or allusion meaning (b) grammatical difficulty (c) elucidation of figurative language (d) sing-song reading

44. The word jazz in the lines "We/ Jazz June" (lines 6-7) contributes to a potential reading comprehension problem of the line because of: (a) word or allusion meaning (b) grammatical difficulty (c) elucidation of figurative language (d) sing-song reading

45. The word June (line 7) contributes to a potential reading comprehension problem of the line because of: (a) word or allusion meaning (b) grammatical difficulty (c) elucidation of figurative language (d) sing-song reading

46. The length of lines, the length of syllables, the length of sentences within the lines, and the complexity of grammar (or syntax) within the lines are especially appropriate to the speakers’: (a) love of music (b) attitude toward school (c) games of pool (d) participation in sports

47. The length of the lines, and perhaps the length of syllables of the words, may very well suggest the speakers’: (a) grand hopes (b) physical vigor (c) lavish spending (d) early deaths

48. Although the odd placement of “We” in the poem’s lines in some ways detracts from the obviousness of the poem’s rhymes and rhyme scheme, it does help convey the idea of: (a) the speakers’ pride in their native country (b) the ultimate importance of the group rather than an individual (c) the importance of humility (d) the speakers’ easy assimilation into regular society

49. The several crimes that may be alluded to in the poem include all of the following except which one: (a) gang rape (b) fraud (c) mugging (d) pool hustling

50. The name of the meeting place of the speakers -- its onomastic symbolism -- symbolically suggests all of the following except which one: (a) seductive sweet talking (b) wealth (c) get-rich-quick mentality (d) burial

51. The attitude of the author, Gwendolyn Brooks, toward the speakers' values and words in "We Real Cool" is: (a) favorable (b) neutral (c) unfavorable (d) indifferent