Feathered Hope Quiz
Poetry Comprehension Quick Check • 5 Questions
Feathered Hope Quiz
Score _____ / 5
Name:
Date:
Class:
Hope is the thing with feathers
By Emily Dickinson (c. 1861)
“Hope” is the thing with feathers —
That perches in the soul —
And sings the tune without the words —
And never stops — at all —
And sweetest — in the Gale — is heard —
And sore must be the storm —
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm —
I’ve heard it in the chillest land —
And on the strangest Sea —
Yet — never — in Extremity,
It asked a crumb — of me.
Context Clues
Gale:
A fierce, turbulent windstorm.
Abash:
To distress, shake, or silence.
Extremity:
A state of greatest hardship or peril.
Read each question carefully and fill in the bubble corresponding to the single best answer choice.
1 What central metaphor does Dickinson develop throughout the poem?
A) A violent gale that destroys tranquility B) A resilient songbird perched within the human soul C) An isolated traveler sailing upon uncharted seas D) A fragile feather discarded during winter
2 According to Stanza 1, what is unique about hope’s song?
A) It is sung only when skies are completely clear B) It relies on rhyming words with explicit instructions C) It has no words and continues endlessly without stopping D) It can only be heard when people speak aloud
3 In lines 6–7, what does “sore must be the storm / That could abash the little Bird” mean?
A) Minor daily difficulties easily extinguish hope B) Only an extraordinarily severe hardship could silence hope C) Birds naturally struggle to fly through strong headwinds D) Experiencing storms makes people lose all emotional warmth
4 In the final stanza, what does the phrase “never... It asked a crumb — of me” reveal about hope?
A) Hope offers unconditional comfort without demanding anything in return B) Hope is selfish and ignores individuals in genuine distress C) Hope requires constant financial and personal sacrifices D) Hope quickly fades whenever people encounter hunger
5 Which statement best expresses the universal theme of the poem?
A) Solitude is essential for finding true peace of mind B) Hope is an enduring inner strength that perseveres through life’s darkest trials C) Nature remains indifferent to human suffering during crises D) Explicit language is more reliable than emotion in adversity
English Language Arts • Reading Comprehension Poetry Analysis • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1, RL.4
