If you can dream – and not make dreams your

Question

master;

If you can think – and not make thoughts your
aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same

—“If,”
Rudyard Kipling

How is repetition used in these lines? Check all that apply.

Each of the first three lines begins with “If you can.”
Triumph and Disaster are called imposters.
The first two lines are interrupted by additional thoughts from the speaker.
Master and Disaster rhyme.
The speaker tells readers that they should not be controlled by dreams.

Answer 1

In these lines from Rudyard Kipling's poem "If," repetition is used in the following ways:

1. Each of the first three lines begins with “If you can.” - This is a clear use of repetition, creating a rhythmic structure and emphasizing the conditional nature of the statements.

2. Triumph and Disaster are called imposters. - This is not a repetition but a contrast presented in the poem.

3. The first two lines are interrupted by additional thoughts from the speaker. - This does not represent repetition; it reflects the structure of the poem.

4. Master and Disaster rhyme. - While this is a use of sound overlap, it does not fall under the category of repetition in the same sense as the repeated phrase.

5. The speaker tells readers that they should not be controlled by dreams. - This is an interpretation of the message but not an example of repetition.

Based on this analysis, the correct answer is:

• Each of the first three lines begins with “If you can.”