Question

There are no handles upon a languageWhereby men take hold of itAnd mark it with signs for its remembrance.It is a river, this language,Once in a thousand yearsBreaking a new courseChanging its way to the ocean.It is mountain effluvia,superscript,1,baseline,Moving to valleysAnd from nation to nationCrossing borders and mixing.Languages die like rivers.Words wrapped round your tongue todayAnd broken to shape of thoughtBetween your teeth and lips speakingNow and todayShall be faded hieroglyphics,superscript,2,baseline,Ten thousand years from now. (from "Languages" by Carl Sandburg) ,begin bold,,superscript,1,baseline,effluvia,end bold, mists or fogs,begin bold,,superscript,2,baseline,hieroglyphics,end bold, an ancient system of symbolic writingQuestion 1This question has two parts. Answer Part A, and then answer Part B. ,begin emphasis,Part A,end emphasis,What is a theme of the poem?Question 1 Answer options with 4 options1.All languages will disappear over time.2.Languages bring people closer together.3.Languages allow people to express ideas.4.All languages must adjust to cultural change.Question 2,begin emphasis,Part B,end emphasis,Select ,begin emphasis,two,end emphasis, excerpts from the poem that ,begin emphasis,best,end emphasis, support the correct answer from Part A.Question 2 Answer options with 5 options1."There are no handles upon a languageWhereby men take hold of itAnd mark it with signs for its remembrance." (Lines 1–3)2."Once in a thousand yearsBreaking a new course" (Lines 5–6)3."Moving to valleysAnd from nation to nationCrossing borders and mixing." (Lines 9–11)4."Words wrapped round your tongue todayAnd broken to shape of thought" (Lines 13–14)5."Shall be faded hieroglyphicsTen thousand years from now." (Lines 17–18)

Answer 1

**Question 1: Part A**
What is a theme of the poem?
**Answer:** 1. All languages will disappear over time.

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**Question 2: Part B**
Select two excerpts from the poem that best support the correct answer from Part A.
**Answer:**
5. "Shall be faded hieroglyphics Ten thousand years from now." (Lines 17–18)
1. "There are no handles upon a language Whereby men take hold of it And mark it with signs for its remembrance." (Lines 1–3)

The first excerpt directly speaks to the idea of languages fading away over time, while the second emphasizes the elusive and transient nature of language itself, supporting the theme of impermanence.