Poetry Comprehension Practice Test 15
Directions (Q. 1-6): Read the given poem and answer the questions that follow by selecting the most appropriate option.
HAWK
All eyes are fearful of the spotted hawk,
whose dappled wingspread opens to a phrase
that only victims gaping in the gaze
of Death Occurring can recite. To stalk;
to plunge; to harvest; the denial-squawk
of dying’s struggle; these are but a day’s
rebuke to hunger for the hawk, whose glazed
accord with Death admits no show of shock.
Death’s users know it is not theirs to own,
nor can they fathom all it means to die-
for young to know a different Death from old.
But when the spotted hawk’s last flight is flown,
he too becomes a novice, fear-struck by
the certain plummet once these feathers fold.
Daniel Waters
1. The denial-squawk refers to the
(1) hawk’s response to the cry of its prey
(2) helpless cry of its prey, to avert death
(3) warning call by the hawk before killing its prey
(4) desperate, pitiable cry of the prey
Ans. 2
2. To the hawk, a day’s rebuke to hunger suggests that the bird
(1) bows to hunger
(2) causes death by preying on lesser animals
(3) averts own death by killing and eating its prey
(4) faces death fearlessly in contrast to its prey
Ans. 3
3. Here, glazed accord with Death means that
(1) the prey meets death willingly
(2) death is inevitable
(3) death is in partnership with starvation
(4) the hawk also becomes a victim of death at the end
Ans. 4
4. The word that is closest in meaning to the word ‘dappled’ in the poem is
(1) spotted
(2) fearful
(3) glazed
(4) flown
Ans. 1
5. Here, he too becomes a novice suggests that
(1) the hawk’s prey becomes predator instead
(2) all living creatures are potentially victims of others
(3) death comes swiftly to the fearless hawk
(4) the hawk also meets death, as weak and helpless as its prey
Ans. 4
6. Which of the following lines exemplifies the use of personification as a poetic device?
(1) Death’s users know it is not theirs to own, ……….
(2) the certain plummet once these feather fold,
(3) to stalk; to plunge; to harvest; ……
(4) but when the spotted hawk’s last flight is flown ……
Ans. 1
