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## On His Blindness: 50 Multiple Choice Questions
Instructions:
Choose the best answer for each question.Poem Excerpt (for reference):
>When I consider how my light is spent,
>Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
>And that one Talent which is death to hide
>Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent
>To serve therewith my Maker, and present
>My true account, lest he returning chide;
>"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"
>I fondly ask. But patience, to prevent
>That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need
>Either man's work or his own gifts; who best
>Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
>Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
>And post o'er Land and Ocean without rest:
>They also serve who only stand and wait."
Questions:
1. The poem's speaker is grappling with:
a) Loss of hearing b) Loss of sight c) Loss of a loved one d) Loss of wealth
2. "Light is spent" is a metaphor for:
a) Loss of vision b) Loss of time c) Loss of faith d) Loss of money
3. The "Talent" refers to:
a) Money b) Ability c) Family d) Physical strength
4. The speaker feels his talent is:
a) Growing b) Wasted c) Developing d) Shared
5. The phrase "death to hide" suggests:
a) A physical death b) A spiritual death c) A social death d) A metaphorical death
6. The speaker's primary desire is to:
a) Regain his sight b) Serve God c) Write poetry d) Be understood
7. The speaker questions whether God expects:
a) Financial offerings b) Continuous prayer c) Work despite disability d) Physical perfection
8. "Fondly ask" implies the question is:
a) Angry b) Desperate c) Naive d) Resigned
9. "Patience" is personified as:
a) An emotion b) A virtue c) An advisor d) A burden
10. What prevents the speaker's murmur?
a) Anger b) Patience c) Despair d) Fear
11. According to "Patience," God doesn't need:
a) Love b) Obedience c) Man's work d) Faith
12. The "mild yoke" represents:
a) Suffering b) God's will c) Physical limitations d) Temptation
13. Serving God best is achieved through:
a) Hard work b) Acceptance c) Prayer d) Charity
14. God's "state" is described as:
a) Priestly b) Kingly c) Fatherly d) Judgmental
15. The "thousands" who serve God are depicted as:
a) Angels b) Humans c) Animals d) Both A and B
16. The final two lines offer a message of:
a) Despair b) Hope c) Resignation d) Anger
17. What is the rhyme scheme of the sonnet?
a) ABAB CDCD EFEF GG b) ABBA CDDC EFEF GG c) ABAB BCBC CDCD EE d) AABB CCDD EEFF GG
18. The poem is written in:
a) Free verse b) Iambic pentameter c) Blank verse d) Trochaic tetrameter
19. The tone of the poem shifts from:
a) Hopeful to despairing b) Questioning to accepting c) Angry to resigned d) Joyful to mournful
20. "Ere half my days" suggests the speaker is:
a) Elderly b) Middle-aged c) Young d) Dying
21. The central theme of the poem is:
a) The struggle against temptation b) Finding purpose in suffering c) The importance of hard work d) The nature of divine justice
22. The poem is a:
a) Ballad b) Sonnet c) Ode d) Elegy
23. The question "Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?" expresses:
a) Defiance b) Doubt c) Certainty d) Acceptance
24. What literary device is used in "death to hide"?
a) Metaphor b) Simile c) Personification d) Alliteration
25. What does the word "chide" mean in the context of the poem?
a) Praise b) Scold c) Ignore d) Comfort
26. The phrase "post o'er Land and Ocean" suggests:
a) Restlessness b) Swift action c) Exploration d) Both b and c
27. Which word is closest in meaning to "lest" in the poem?
a) Unless b) For fear that c) Because d) Therefore
28. What does the speaker initially fear about his talent?
a) That it will be stolen b) That it will fade with age c) That it is useless due to his blindness d) That others will surpass him
29. What does the speaker mean by “present / My true account”?
a) Give a financial report b) Explain his actions to God c) Confess his sins d) Write his autobiography
30. What kind of imagery is primarily used in the poem?
a) Visual imagery b) Auditory imagery c) Kinesthetic imagery d) Olfactory imagery
31. The speaker's initial response to his blindness is one of:
a) Acceptance b) Frustration c) Indifference d) Anger
32. "They also serve who only stand and wait" suggests that:
a) Inaction is equivalent to service b) Patience and acceptance are forms of service c) Waiting is a punishment d) Service requires physical action
33. The poem explores the tension between:
a) Faith and doubt b) Sight and blindness c) Action and inaction d) All of the above
34. The word "murmur" refers to:
a) A prayer b) A complaint c) A song d) A whisper
35. What is the speaker's ultimate resolution?
a) To continue striving despite his limitations b) To accept his blindness and trust in God's plan c) To seek a cure for his blindness d) To abandon his faith
36. The phrase "His state / Is Kingly" emphasizes God's:
a) Power and authority b) Benevolence and mercy c) Wrath and judgment d) Distance and inaccessibility
37. "On His Blindness" is an example of a:
a) Dramatic monologue b) Lyric poem c) Narrative poem d) Epic poem
38. What is the main metaphorical contrast used in the poem?
a) Light and darkness b) Work and rest c) Sound and silence d) Life and death
39. The phrase "dark world and wide" emphasizes the speaker's feelings of:
a) Hope b) Isolation c) Curiosity d) Excitement
40. Which of the following best describes the speaker's relationship with God?
a) Distant and fearful b) Intimate and loving c) Questioning and seeking d) Rebellious and defiant
41. The word “fondly” in line 7 most nearly means:
a) Foolishly b) Lovingly c) Sadly d) Angrily
42. What is the primary emotion conveyed in the last two lines of the poem?
a) Resignation b) Despair c) Hope d) Anger
43. The poem suggests that true service to God lies in:
a) Accomplishing great deeds b) Accepting one's circumstances c) Constantly striving for more d) Seeking recognition for one's efforts
44. The speaker's initial self-criticism stems from his belief that:
a) He is not talented enough b) He is not worthy of God's love c) He is not fulfilling his potential d) He is being punished for his sins
45. The shift in the speaker's perspective occurs when:
a) He loses his sight completely b) He hears God's voice c) "Patience" replies to his question d) He remembers his past accomplishments
46. The image of "Thousands at his bidding speed" conveys a sense of:
a) Chaos b) Order and purpose c) Fear and dread d) Indifference and apathy
47. The poem primarily focuses on the speaker's:
a) Physical struggles b) Spiritual struggles c) Social struggles d) Financial struggles
48. What is the significance of the title “On His Blindness”?
a) It identifies the subject of the poem b) It emphasizes the physical limitation of the speaker c) It foreshadows the poem's theme of finding purpose despite limitations d) All of the above
49. The word “present” in line 5 means:
a) Gift b) Now c) To offer d) To show
50. Which best describes the overall structure of the poem?
a) A single, continuous thought b) A dialogue between the speaker and God c) A series of distinct images d) An octave followed by a sestet providing a resolution
Answer Key:
1. b
2. a
3. b
4. b
5. b
6. b
7. c
8. c
9. c
10. b
11. c
12. b
13. b
14. b
15. d
16. b
17. a
18. b
19. b
20. b
21. b
22. b
23. b
24. a
25. b
26. d
27. b
28. c
29. b
30. a
31. b
32. b
33. d
34. b
35. b
36. a
37. b
38. a
39. b
40. c
41. a
42. c
43. b
44. c
45. c
46. b
47. b
48. d
49. c
50. d
This comprehensive list provides a variety of question types focusing on comprehension, literary devices, and thematic elements within Milton's "On His Blindness." Remember to refer to the poem excerpt for context and understanding. Good luck!