American Literature and Composition Mid-Term Exam Fall Semester 20LI Mrs. Allen Instructions: Please select the BEST answer for each of the following: 1. Which of the following correctly defines/explains a myth as it applies to the Native Americans? a. They sought a way to explain creation and the world around them with oral tradition passed down from generation to generation. b. They wanted to tell scary stories to their children. c. Myths are fictional, and they needed to make up some religion.. 2. Identifu William Bradford's tone in the following passage taken from in "Of Plymouth Plantation": "All this while the Indians came slatlking about them, and would sometimes show themselves aloof off, but when any approached near them, they would run away; and once they stole away their tools where they had been at work and were gone to dinner." a. The author's tone suggests he is openly friendly with the Native Americans. b. The author's tone suggests his opinion of the Native Americans is distrustful and apprehensive about their actions. c. The author's tone is sad; he does not want to hurt the Native Americans. 3' Which of the following is NOT a characteristic/type of Puritan writing? a. Focuses on God b. Personal, about daily life c. Highly political and focusing on war d. Sermons or speeches 4. Which of the following wrote "To My Dear and Loving Husband," and "Upon the Buming of Our House" and is a Puritan author? a. Jonathan Edwards b. William Wordsworth c. Thomas Paine d. Anne Bradstreet 5. Identiff a scare tactic in the following examples from Jonathan Edwards "sirurers in the Hands of an Angry God" a. "The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart." b. "O sirtrrer!" c. *And now you have an extraordinary opporhrnity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in calling..."
6. What Puritan Virhres does America still believe in today? a. The "American Dream" or the promise that anyone who works hard enough will succeed b. Famiiy values c. Belief in God e. None of the above 7 - "The Age of Reason" MOST likely means: a- An age where one is old and wise b. An age or time period when men valued faith over reason c. An age or time period when men valued imagination over faith d. An age or time period when men valued reason over faith. 8. What conflict was the country facing during the Revolutionary time period? a. lndependence from Great Britain b. Fighting with the Pope for more money c. Fighting with the Germans for independence 9. Which type of writing Best describes that of the Revolutionary time period? a. Writing that is religious in nature b. Writing that is persuasive, public, and political in nature c. Writing that focuses on the imagination d. Writing that does none of the above. 10. In which of the following ways was the writing produced during the Revolutionary time period different from that produced by the Prnitans? a. Writing was fun before but during the Revolution it turned scary b. Writing was sad but during the Revolution it became cool c. The Puritans were concerned with private soul search while this writing was public d. The Puritans were concerned with money while this writing was private 11. Benjamin Franklin wrote much during the mid 1700's. His signature is even on the Declaration of Independence, and his face is on the $ 100 bill. Benjamin Franklin was considered a man of science; he was also very adept in literary pursuits. In above passage the word adept most likely means: a. Bad at b. Skinny c. Good at d. hated
12.The purpose of Benjamin Franklin's "from The Autobiography" we read in class was to do which of the following? a. Develop a plan for moral perfection b. Invent electricify c. Create a how to for building a dog house d. Sign the Declaration of Independence 13. What is the meaning of the word collaborated in the sentence, "Wharton also collaborated with a young architect..."? a. composed a work of art b. worked jointly c. hired an assistanto help d. accumulated valuable obiects 14. The main purpose of Thomas Paine's essay The Crisis No. / when read to George Washington's troops crossing the Delaware was to a. Scarethem b. Let them know that killing was okay c. Get them to think like a British soldier d. Encourage them to continue to fight even if they might not win the battle 15. The most accurate definition of emotional appeal is a. Using logic to persuade someone to do or think as you want them to b. Using emotional words and phrases to persuade someone to do or think as you want them to c. Using words and phrases that affect someone's emotions/feelings that makes them act as you want them to d. Both b and c 16. Which of the following statements is true about Romanticism? a. Romanticism saw the expansion of book, magazine, and newspaper publishing b. The abolitionist movement influenced Romantic writing c. Romantic writing could be interpreted two ways: on the surface and in depth 17. Which of the following authors would be considered the "Father of American Lit" because he was the first famous author who wrote "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "The Devil and Tom Walker"? a. Washington Irving b. Edgar Allan Poe c. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow d. Nathaniel Hawthome 18. All of the following authors could be considered Romantic writers EXCEPT? a. Edgar Allan Poe b. Oliver Wendell Holmes c. Washington Irving d. Arine Bradstreet
19...The Devii and Tom Walker,, is an sxemple of a. Parable b. Tall tale c. Haiku 20. The "Devil and Tom Walker'" was written bv which Romantic author? a- Henry David Thoreau b. Oliver Wendell Holmes c. Washington Irving d. Ralph Waldo Emerson 21. Which of the following characteristics are NOT descriptive of the Romanticism Movement? L Gothic, love of nature, self-reliance b. Sermons, religious scriptures, faith based writing c. Individualism, simplicity, inner feelings d. Imagination over reason, characters with both evil and good traits, use of supematural 22. Which of the following ideas best represents Nathaniel Hawthorne's main themes? a. Right and wrong b. Good vs. evil c. Love and hate d. Sin and guilt 23.In "The Minister's Black Veil," what is symbolized by Reverend Hooper's black veil? a. The pain for his long lost love, Elizabeth b. The cr:rtain that hides each person's sin from God, friend, lover c. The embarrassment and guilt he feels for his life of sin 24. Which of the following best describes Nathaniel Hawthorne's contribution to Romanticism a. Dark, imagination over reason, inner feelings b. Spiritualism, nature, patriotism c. Nationalism, inner feelinls,love of nature 25.T}rre Fireside Poets were a group of men, active in abolitionism, but wrote poetry. What made their poems so successful with the American people? a- The poetry itself soothed and motivated b. The poems mainly focused on everyday settings such as natr,re c. The poems could be read by fireside to the entire family
26.Poetry is organized into which of the following formats? a. Lines and columns b. Rows and rhyme c. Lines and stanzas 27.Inthe poem "A Psalm of Life" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: the following 4 lines have which rhyme scheme? Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream!- For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem a- Aabb b. Abab ' c. Abba 28. Transcendentalism writing focused on which of the following? a. Individualism b. Self-reliance c. Nature 29.Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson shared a belief in a. Individualism b. An appreciation of nature c. Relying on yourself 30. Which city could be considered the center of the TranscendJntal Movement? a. Concord, Massachusetts b. Baltimore, Maryland c. New York, New York d. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 31. In Self-Reliance, Emerson writes that society "loves not realities and creators, but names and customs." Which of these adjectives best reflects Emerson's attitude in that statement? a. Disapproving b. Accepting c. Forgiving d. Encouraging
32. individualism, relying on oneself and an appreciation for nature are all characteristics of what n:ovement in American Literature? a. Realism b. Gothic c- Transcendentalism d. Spiritualism 33. Which of these statements best characterizes the central idea or theme of SelfReliance? a. Meekness is the virhre that fosters self-awareness b. Rely on yorrr own instincts c. Social customs serve a valuable purpose d. Cruelty may be necessary to achieve philosophical goals 34. Which American writer persuaded Ralph Waldo Emerson to let him build a cabin on Emerson's land in the woods for 2 years, 2 months, and 2 days? a- Walt Whitman b. Henry Longfellow c. Henry David Thoreau d. William Wordsworth 35. Read the passage below and answer the following question; " f went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear..." Which of the following statements best communicates Thoreau's meaning? a. Human beings are creafures of habit b. Building a cabin in the woods is practical and inexpensive c. Wealth is desirable, but spirituai happiness is also important d. Moving to the woods would let him experience life as it was meant to be lived 36. Which of the following reasons might have influenced Emily Dickinson to write about death and solitude? a- She lived as a recluse for manv vears b. She had very few friends c. She lived at home with her familv and never married d. AII of the above 37. Why would an author, such as Emily Dickinson, use dashes and unusual capitalization? a. The author wants to communicate the message that she is talented with punctuation b. The author wants to draw the reader's attention to certain words and phrases c. The author wants to communicate that these words and phrases are not important
38. V/alt Whitrnan was an author who threw off conventional rhyme and meter and used free verse when writing most of his poetry. Why would he do this? a. He wanted to show he was a rebel b. He wanted to communicate that he was too good for "old style" poetry c. He wanted to communicate that the writing was a reflection of America itself, free and without constraints 39. Free verse can BEST be described as? a. Poetry that has set rhyme and meter b. Poetry that has been around a long time c. Poetry that has long lines d. Poetry that has no rhyme and no meter 40. Judging by the poem "I Hear America Singing," Walt Whitman must have valued which of the following? a. Hard work of the Americans he mentions such as the "boatman, mason, and carpenter" b. America can come together and work together with harmony c. All professions have an important place in society particularly the laboring jobs