Question
Eel-Grass
No matter what I say,
All that I really love
Is the rain that flattens on the bay,
And the eel-grass in the cove;
The jingle-shells that lie and bleach
At the tide-line, and the trace
Of higher tides along the beach:
Nothing in this place.
Part A
What is the central idea of the poem?
A. The speaker loves being outdoors more than being indoors
B. The present location of the speaker is much less desirable than the seaside
C. The speaker loves keeping a record of the many interesting features of the seaside.
D. The opinion of the speaker is that the outdoors has both positive and negative aspects.
Part B
How does the first line of the poem help develop the correct central idea from Part A?
A. The line suggests that sometimes the ideas of the speaker are unpopular.
B. The line suggests that sometimes the true feelings of the speaker are hidden.
C. The line suggests that the speaker has conversations with a variety of people.
D. The line suggests that the speaker is uncomfortable expressing personal thoughts.
No matter what I say,
All that I really love
Is the rain that flattens on the bay,
And the eel-grass in the cove;
The jingle-shells that lie and bleach
At the tide-line, and the trace
Of higher tides along the beach:
Nothing in this place.
Part A
What is the central idea of the poem?
A. The speaker loves being outdoors more than being indoors
B. The present location of the speaker is much less desirable than the seaside
C. The speaker loves keeping a record of the many interesting features of the seaside.
D. The opinion of the speaker is that the outdoors has both positive and negative aspects.
Part B
How does the first line of the poem help develop the correct central idea from Part A?
A. The line suggests that sometimes the ideas of the speaker are unpopular.
B. The line suggests that sometimes the true feelings of the speaker are hidden.
C. The line suggests that the speaker has conversations with a variety of people.
D. The line suggests that the speaker is uncomfortable expressing personal thoughts.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Part A: The central idea of the poem is **B. The present location of the speaker is much less desirable than the seaside.** The poem expresses a strong affection for the elements of the seaside, indicating that the speaker finds their current surroundings lacking in comparison.
Part B: The first line of the poem helps develop the correct central idea from Part A by emphasizing **B. The line suggests that sometimes the true feelings of the speaker are hidden.** This could imply that although the speaker says something, their true love lies elsewhere—in the beauty of the seaside, which is what they hold in high regard.
Part B: The first line of the poem helps develop the correct central idea from Part A by emphasizing **B. The line suggests that sometimes the true feelings of the speaker are hidden.** This could imply that although the speaker says something, their true love lies elsewhere—in the beauty of the seaside, which is what they hold in high regard.