American Renaissance/Romanticism Unit Test
Directions: Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow
Passage 1
These are the voices which we hear in solitude, but they grow faint and inaudible as we enter into the world. Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. Society is a joint-stock company, in which the members agree, for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion. It loves not realities and creators, but names and customs.
Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. He who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness. Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world. I remember an answer which when quite young I was prompted to make to a valued adviser who was wont to importune me with the dear old doctrines of the church. On my saying, What have I to do with the sacredness of traditions, if I live wholly from within? my friend suggested,—"But these impulses may be from below, not from above." I replied, "They do not seem to me to be such; but if I am the devil's child, I will live then from the devil." No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature. Good and bad are but names very readily transferable to that or this; the only right is what is after my constitution; the only wrong what is against it....
from "Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1841)
Passage 2
The authority of government, even such as I am willing to submit to—for I will cheerfully obey those who know and can do better than I, and in many things even those who neither know nor can do so well—is still an impure one: to be strictly just, it must have the sanction and consent of the governed. It can have no pure right over my person and property but what I concede to it. The progress from an absolute to a limited monarchy, from a limited monarchy to a democracy, is a progress toward a true respect for the individual. Even the Chinese philosopher was wise enough to regard the individual as the basis of the empire. Is a democracy, such as we know it, the last improvement possible in government? Is it not possible to take a step further towards recognizing and organizing the rights of man? There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly. I please myself with imagining a State at least which can afford to be just to all men, and to treat the individual with respect as a neighbor; which even would not think it inconsistent with its own repose if a few were to live aloof from it, not meddling with it, nor embraced by it, who fulfilled all the duties of neighbors and fellow-men....
from "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau (1849)
1. Both authors express disapproval for which of the following?
/ A. / the failures of democracy/ B. / the suppression of instinct
/ C. / the doctrines of religion
/ D. / the defects of character
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2. In passage 1, what does Emerson find most objectionable about tradition?
/ A. / It overlooks an individual's conscience./ B. / It does not reward honesty and goodness.
/ C. / It is associated too closely with religion.
/ D. / It encourages unlawful behavior.
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3. In passage 2, how does Thoreau see the current state of democracy under which he lives?
/ A. / as oppressive and corrupt/ B. / as just and equitable
/ C. / as a perfect system
/ D. / as an improvement
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4. Which of the following is a theme common to both passages?
/ A. / one's sense of individuality/ B. / one's understanding of life
/ C. / the ambition to succeed
/ D. / the perseverance to endure
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5. Both Emerson and Thoreau were important figures in the movement known as American transcendentalism, which was a reaction against eighteenth-century rationalism. How is this idea represented by the two authors?
/ A. / They portray the world optimistically./ B. / They emphasize feeling and intuition.
/ C. / They encourage others to take action.
/ D. / They question the idea of authority.
6. According to the poet in “Thanatopsis,” what will happen to his listeners after they die?
A. They will be buried in kings’ tombs.
B. They will be buried far out at sea.
C. They will become less bitter.
D. They will become part of the earth.
7. The title “Thanatopsis” means
A. a vision of death.
B. the process of decaying.
C. a metamorphosis or transformation.
D. a feeling of euphoria or well-being.
8. Which line is in iambic pentameter?
A. “And the tide rises, the tide falls.”
B. “The day returns, but never more . . .”
C. “Of ages glide away, the sons of men . . .”
D. “From his footprints flowed a river . . .”
9. In “The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls,” the ocean’s waves “efface the footprints in
the sands.” What does the word efface mean?
A. wipe away, erase
B. deepen, make more prominent
C. form new footprints
D. follow the trail of human footprints
10. Bryant’s line “Shall send his roots abroad, and pierce thy mold” is an example of iambic ______.
A. trimeter
B. tetrameter
C. pentameter
D. hexameter
11. In “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls,” to what do these lines refer?
The little waves, with their soft, white hands,
Efface the footprints in the sands . . .
A. the footprints of the curlew
B. the hostler’s footprints
C. the traveler’s footprints
D. the footprints of the steeds
12. What is the best summary of these lines from “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls”?
Darkness settles on roofs and walls,
But the sea, the sea in the darkness calls
A. Because it is nighttime, the sea is calling.
B. Dark clouds cause the noises of the sea.
C. The village is agitated because of the calling of the sea.
D. Even though the night is quiet, the sea is not.
13. In Nature, what does Emerson mean by the metaphor in the following statement?
In good health, the air is a cordial of incredible virtue.
A. Virtuous and friendly humans enjoy good health.
B. The air is friendly to people who are in good health.
C. When one is in good health, the air itself is a delicious and healthy drink.
D. Pure and healthy air is incredibly friendly to human beings.
14. As “a joint-stock company” in Emerson’s metaphor from Self-Reliance, what does society require from people?
A. to make bread for its members who have conformed
B. to conform to become members of the company
C. surrender of liberty to become part of the larger culture
D. conformity and surrender of liberty in order to gain resources
15. How might a reader question the following text from Self-Reliance?
Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.
A. The reader might reflect on personal experience to judge the statement.
B. The reader might show that the word thyself is archaic, or outdated.
C. The reader might defend the statement because it is written by a famous American philosopher.
D. The reader might research the facts on how the heart functions.
16. Which view of nature does Emerson take?
A. Nature is indifferent to human suffering.
B. Nature must be studied and dissected.
C. Urban dwellers have little conception of the cruelty of nature.
D. Nature can inspire the human spirit.
17. What is the implication of the following image from Nature?
To a man laboring under calamity, the heat of his own fire hath sadness in it.
A. The heat of one’s fire should give warmth and pleasure.
B. Fire can be a sad thing to watch.
C. Sometimes a fireplace can be too warm.
D. Feeling the heat of one’s fire is often a sad experience.
18. Which of these statements best characterizes the central idea of Self-Reliance?
A. Meekness is the virtue that fosters self-awareness.
B. Rely on your own instincts.
C. Social customs serve a valuable purpose.
D. Cruelty may be necessary to achieve philosophical goals.
19. Emerson’s romanticism is most clearly displayed in his
A. careful descriptions of nature.
B. exaggerated sense of loneliness.
C. logically constructed arguments.
D. reliance on emotional truth.
20. 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. encouraging
D. forgiving
21. Why does Emerson allude to individuals such as Socrates, Jesus, and Galileo in Self-Reliance?
A. to suggest that they agreed with his philosophy
B. to encourage readers to learn about historical figures
C. to inspire readers through the example of their struggles
D. to question their contribution to society
22. At the beginning of the selection from Walden, what does Thoreau allow himself to do through his imagination?
A. build houses all over his town
B. buy all the farms in his area
C. make as much money as he can
D. collect seeds from nearby places
23. Which of Thoreau’s philosophical assumptions is found in this passage from Walden?
Our life is frittered away by details. An honest man has hardly need to count more
than his ten fingers, or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, and lump the rest.
A. People should pay attention to details.
B. People should live life simply.
C. People should aim for personal honesty.
D. Working with one’s hands is the best kind of life.
24. What is a regular element of Thoreau’s style in Walden?
A. to ask questions and then answer them
B. to state main ideas only once
C. to jump quickly from idea to idea
D. to expand on personal experiences
25. Which element of Thoreau’s style is shown in these passages from Walden?
Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a
hundred or a thousand . . . Simplify, simplify. Instead of three meals a day, if it be
necessary eat but one; instead of a hundred dishes, five . . .
A. using mathematical examples
B. using themes from the kitchen
C. repeating main ideas
D. using only short sentences
26. What situation caused Thoreau to write Civil Disobedience?
A. trade laws with India
B. uprisings in California
C. the Mexican War
D. President Polk’s election
27. What does Thoreau call for, in terms of government, at the conclusion of this selection from Civil Disobedience?
A. a better government
B. no government at all
C. a government run by businesses
D. a government run by a king
28. What is Thoreau’s central idea in Civil Disobedience?
A. the ability of government to control others
B. the importance of trade in government
C. the ability of people to govern themselves
D. the importance of armies in government
29. Which of these statements best reflects Thoreau’s philosophical assumption as expressed in Walden?
A. Human beings are creatures of great complexity.
B. Building a cabin in the woods is practical and inexpensive.
C. Wealth is desirable, but spiritual happiness is also important.
D. Living a simple life close to nature lets a person concentrate on important things.
30. Which of Thoreau’s philosophical assumptions is found in this passage from Walden?
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different
drummer.
A. Nature should be loved and valued.
B. Individualism is an important value.
C. People should avoid materialism.
D. Simplicity is the best way of life.
31. What is Thoreau’s main point about time in the paragraph beginning “Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in”?
A. Time is shallow, but eternity remains.
B. Time is elusive; we cannot pin it down.
C. To succeed in life, you must harness time and make it work for you.
D. Time is of the essence.
32. What does Thoreau hope to convey with the description of the path his feet had worn to
thepondside within a week?
A. Establishing habits makes daily living easier.
B. Human beings fall into dull routines all too readily.
C. Living far away from friends is good discipline.
D. Everyone should march to the same tune.
33. The title of an Emily Dickinson poem, “Much Madness Is Divinest Sense,” expresses an
apparently impossible contradiction. What figure of speech does it illustrate?
A. metaphor
B. simile
C. allusion
D. paradox
34. Which element contributes most to Whitman’s poetry of free verse?
A. regular metrical feet
B. fixed-length stanzas
C. regular speech patterns
D. exact rhyme schemes
35. What can you conclude about Whitman’s epic poetry from these lines from “Song of Myself”?
I celebrate myself, and sing myself/And what I assume you shall assume,/For every
atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
A. He thinks he is an epic hero.
B. He thinks his poetry shows he is better than others.
C. He thinks humanity is the epic hero.
D. He uses science to support his idea of the epic poem.
36. Why does the poet leave the lecture in “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer”?
A. He wants to check the astronomer’s facts for accuracy.
B. He has fallen ill and must go outside to get some air.
C. He wants to see the stars instead of hearing about them.
D. He thinks the speaker does not deserve all the applause.
37. Based on “I Hear America Singing,” how does Whitman seem to feel toward the people in the poem?
A. unfriendly
B. annoyed
C. bored
D. kindly
38. What class of workers does Whitman focus on in “I Hear America Singing”?
A. singers
B. laborers
C. housewives
D. athletes
39. In “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died—,” why is there a stillness in the room?
A. The people in the room have stopped talking in order to listen to the fly.
B. The people in the room are waiting for the speaker to make her will.
C. The people in the room are waiting for the speaker’s final moment.
D. The storm outdoors has momentarily ceased its “heaves.”
40. In the following stanza from “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died—,” which words create slant rhyme?
I heard a Fly buzz—when I died— / The Stillness in the Room / Was like the Stillness in the
Air— / Between the Heaves of Storm—
A. Air and Storm
B. Room and Storm
C. died and Room
D. died and Air
41. Reread these lines from “Because I could not stop for Death.” Which choice below best
clarifies the lines?
The Dews drew quivering and chill—/For only Gossamer, my Gown—/My Tippet—only
Tulle—
A. The dews chilled me and caused shivering, because my gown was only gossamer and my tippet was only tulle.
B. The dews quivered and chilled my gossamer gown and my tulle tippet.
C. The dews caused quivering and chill, and I only wore Gossamer and Tulle.
D. The chill caused dews and made me quiver because of my gossamer gown and tulle
tippet.
42. In “Because I could not stop for Death—,” Death is personified as
A. a polite gentleman.
B. a rough and harried carriage driver.
C. a weary gravedigger.
D. a well-informed tour guide.
43. Which of these statements best expresses the central message of “My life closed twice
before its close—”?
A. Our lives are divided into three parts, and death is the last one.
B. Parting is heavenly when you are glad to be rid of someone but hellish when you know you will miss the person.
C. Parting may be the closest we come in life to understanding death.
D. Death is followed by immortality.
44. What is the paradox in these lines from “The Brain—is wider than the Sky”?
The Brain—is wider than the Sky—/For—put them side by side—/The one the other
will contain/With ease—and You—beside—
A. The brain is like an empty space filled with millions of stars.
B. An intelligent person can describe the constellations in the sky.
C. The brain can hold and understand ideas bigger than the sky.
D. The brain may be small, but it is the same shape as the sky.
45. In the following stanza from “The Brain—is wider than the Sky—,” which words
create an exact rhyme?
The Brain is deeper than the sea— / For—hold them—Blue to Blue— / The one the
other will absorb— / As Sponges—Buckets—do—
A. sea and Blue
B. Blue and absorb
C. Blue and do
D. absorb and do
46. After rereading to clarify the elliptical phrasing, what can you conclude is the message of “Water, is taught by thirst”?
A. Opposites teach about each other.
B. Thirsty people long for water.
C. Life has difficult challenges.
D. Battles and war are unnecessary.
47. Which of these details most clearly suggests that the figure Tom meets is the Devil?
A. His voice is hoarse and growling, and his hair is black.
B. His eyes are red, and he is covered with soot.
C. He is powerfully built and is holding an ax.
D. He wears rude, half-Indian garb and is sitting on a tree stump.
48. In “The Devil and Tom Walker,” how does the writer show that Tom’s wife is meant to represent many women rather than one specific woman?
A. Her character has no name.
B. She is a strong woman.
C. She is a Puritan.
D. Her character is fearless.
49. In “The Devil and Tom Walker,” why does Tom’s wife go off into the forest with her best silver?
A. She hopes to sell it and leave Tom.
B. She is taking a gift to a relative.
C. She wants to deal with the Devil.
D. She plans to trade it for food.
50. Based on “The Devil and Tom Walker,” which of the following beliefs did the
Puritans of this time hold?
A. Husbands and wives are considered to be equal.
B. The Devil can sometimes take a human form.