Question

Reading

Read the selection. Then, choose the best answer to each question.

“Spring in New Hampshire”
by Claude McKay

Too green the springing April grass,
Too blue the silver-speckled sky,
For me to linger here, alas,
While happy winds go laughing by,
5 Wasting the golden hours indoors,
Washing windows and scrubbing floors.

Too wonderful the April night,
Too faintly sweet the first May flowers,
The stars too gloriously bright,
10 For me to spend the evening hours,
When fields are fresh and streams are leaving,
Wearied, exhausted, dully sleeping.


Read this line from the poem.

Wearied, exhausted, dully sleeping.

Which statement best explains how the commas in this line affect the poem’s meaning?
A. They slow the pace, emphasizing the tiredness of the speaker.
B. They separate ideas, emphasizing the excitement of springtime.
C. They indicate changing feelings, underscoring the speaker’s disappointment.
D. They suggest an accumulation of ideas, revealing the poem’s central theme.

Answer 1

The best answer is:

**A. They slow the pace, emphasizing the tiredness of the speaker.**

The commas create a pause, which helps to convey the speaker's tiredness and the overall sense of weariness in the line.