1. What year was ‘To a Skylark’ written?
A. 1820
B. 1815
C. 1825
D. 1830
Answer: 1820 (A)
‘To a Skylark’ was written in 1820, marking it as a significant period in Romantic poetry.
2. What is one of the main themes explored in ‘To a Skylark’?
A. The industrialization of society
B. The spiritual power of nature
C. The chaos of human life
D. The inevitability of death
Answer: The spiritual power of nature (B)
The poem highlights the spiritual power of nature, celebrating the beauty and purity of the skylark’s song.
3. How does the rhyme scheme of ‘To a Skylark’ contribute to its overall effect?
A. It mimics the chaotic nature of life.
B. It creates a dissonant and jarring feel.
C. It subtly mimics the skylark’s calls with a song-like quality.
D. It follows a strict and rigid form.
Answer: It subtly mimics the skylark’s calls with a song-like quality. (C)
The poem’s bouncy rhythm and song-like rhyme scheme effectively mimic the skylark’s calls, enhancing its musical quality.
4. What literary movement does ‘To a Skylark’ exemplify?
A. Victorianism
B. Romanticism
C. Modernism
D. Realism
Answer: Romanticism (B)
‘To a Skylark’ is a quintessential example of Romantic poetry, emphasizing nature and emotion.
5. In what way does the speaker contrast the skylark’s song with human communication?
A. He argues that human communication can match nature’s purity.
B. He views human communication as shallow and hollow.
C. He believes human communication is more powerful.
D. He claims human communication is melodious.
Answer: He views human communication as shallow and hollow. (B)
The speaker contrasts the skylark’s pure music with the sadness and hollowness of human communication.
6. What comparison is made between the skylark and an aristocratic young woman?
A. Both can only sing when they are loved.
B. Both are burdened by societal expectations.
C. Both sing from a tower to comfort themselves.
D. Both create beauty only for others to enjoy.
Answer: Both sing from a tower to comfort themselves. (C)
The speaker compares the skylark’s song to that of an aristocratic young woman singing from a castle tower to comfort her burdened soul.
7. Which element does the speaker NOT compare the skylark’s song to?
A. The laughter of children.
B. The sweetness of a rose’s perfume.
C. The sound of springtime rain.
D. The melodies of wedding hymns.
Answer: The laughter of children. (A)
The speaker lists sounds such as springtime rain and rose perfume, but does not mention children’s laughter in comparison.
8. What does the speaker wonder about the skylark’s inspirations?
A. If it finds happiness in human mortality.
B. Whether it understands love and longing.
C. Which locations inspire its joyful melodies.
D. Whether it derives joy from past experiences.
Answer: Which locations inspire its joyful melodies. (C)
The speaker questions what specific locations might inspire the skylark’s beautiful melodies.
9. What does the speaker claim about the skylark’s experience of love?
A. It loves without knowing any sadness.
B. It is filled with deep sorrow.
C. It experiences love in a superficial manner.
D. It has known sadness from excessive love.
Answer: It loves without knowing any sadness. (A)
The speaker believes the skylark loves but has never experienced the sadness that excessive love can bring.
10. How does the speaker view human laughter in relation to joy?
A. It reflects the complexity of human emotions.
B. It often contains elements of suffering.
C. It is more genuine than any bird’s song.
D. It is always pure and without complication.
Answer: It often contains elements of suffering. (B)
The speaker notes that even the most genuine human laughter contains some degree of suffering.
11. What does the speaker believe would happen if humans learned the skylark’s happiness?
A. They would experience a melodious chaos in expression.
B. They would sing even more beautifully.
C. They would understand the essence of life deeply.
D. They would cease to experience suffering.
Answer: They would experience a melodious chaos in expression. (A)
The speaker suggests that knowing the skylark’s happiness would lead to melodious chaos coming from the human mouth.
12. What does the speaker ultimately ask the skylark to share?
A. Half the knowledge of happiness.
B. The secrets of love.
C. The wisdom of human emotions.
D. Knowledge of natural beauty.
Answer: Half the knowledge of happiness. (A)
The speaker pleads with the skylark to share half the knowledge of happiness it must possess.
13. In what manner does the speaker perceive the skylark’s song compared to human compositions?
A. It is less complex but more heartfelt.
B. It is more impactful than any human art.
C. It lacks the intensity of human emotion.
D. It is superior and genuine in expression.
Answer: It is superior and genuine in expression. (D)
The speaker views the skylark’s song as superior and more genuine than any human composition.
14. What distinction does the speaker make between human and skylark concerns?
A. Humans focus on the beauty of the present.
B. Humans desire what they do not have.
C. Skylarks are burdened by the past.
D. Skylarks are unaware of the concept of mortality.
Answer: Humans desire what they do not have. (B)
The speaker states that humans look towards the past and future, longing for what they do not possess, unlike the skylark.
15. What does the speaker primarily praise the skylark for?
A. Its influence on the weather
B. Its ability to mimic human sounds
C. Its deep relationship with earth
D. Its joyful and artful expression of emotions
Answer: Its joyful and artful expression of emotions (D)
The speaker highlights the skylark’s joyous spirit and its ability to express emotions through music.
16. How is the skylark’s flight described in relation to flames?
A. It rises higher and higher like billowing flames
B. It descends like falling embers
C. It circles slowly like a flickering candle
D. It is unpredictable like a fire’s spark
Answer: It rises higher and higher like billowing flames (A)
The speaker compares the skylark’s soaring flight to billowing flames, emphasizing its elevation and freedom.
17. What comparison does the speaker make when describing the skylark’s song?
A. As dull as a foggy morning
B. As piercing as moonbeams in the night sky
C. As soft as a whispering breeze
D. As bright as the sun at noon
Answer: As piercing as moonbeams in the night sky (B)
The speaker deems the skylark’s song as bright and piercing as moonbeams, highlighting its emotional impact.
18. What imagery is used to describe the skylark as it flies?
A. A ghost tracing patterns in the air
B. A bright star hidden in daylight
C. A shadow dancing on water
D. A ship navigating stormy skies
Answer: A bright star hidden in daylight (B)
The skylark is likened to a bright star that can’t be seen during the day, illustrating its ethereal quality.
19. How does the speaker feel about humanity’s understanding of the skylark?
A. They have a deep appreciation for it
B. They are disillusioned by its beauty
C. They think it can be fully understood
D. They believe it transcends human comprehension
Answer: They believe it transcends human comprehension (D)
The speaker expresses that human beings do not truly understand the skylark’s power, suggesting a deeper mystery.
20. What does the speaker request from the skylark?
A. To teach humans how to sing
B. To show its true form
C. To reveal its secrets of flight
D. To find a worthy comparison for itself
Answer: To find a worthy comparison for itself (D)
The speaker asks the skylark to help find a comparison that reflects its unique qualities and essence.
21. What is the effect of the setting sun as described in relation to the skylark?
A. It darkens the sky, hiding the skylark
B. It illuminates the surrounding clouds with a golden light
C. It enhances the skylark’s silence
D. It distracts from the skylark’s singing
Answer: It illuminates the surrounding clouds with a golden light (B)
The setting sun is described as giving off a golden light that illuminates the clouds, enhancing the overall beauty.
22. What element is highlighted when the skylark sings?
A. The harmony between earth and sky
B. The chaos of nature
C. The solitude of the evening
D. The silence of the approaching night
Answer: The harmony between earth and sky (A)
The skylark’s singing while flying creates a sense of harmony between the earth and the vastness of the sky.
23. How are the skylark’s musical notes characterized?
A. As chaotic and disordered
B. As sharp and discordant
C. As faint and barely audible
D. As rich and overflowing like the moon’s rays
Answer: As rich and overflowing like the moon’s rays (D)
The skylark’s musical notes are described as rich and filling the sky, similar to the moon’s rays streaming from clouds.
24. In comparison to the skylark, how does the speaker view rainbow clouds?
A. They represent a forgotten beauty
B. They are more visually appealing
C. They pale in comparison to the music produced by the skylark
D. They are mundane and uninteresting
Answer: They pale in comparison to the music produced by the skylark (C)
The speaker asserts that even the beauty of rainbow clouds cannot compare to the beautiful music the skylark produces.
25. How does the speaker describe the skylark’s song in relation to its source?
A. It comes from the earth and reflects its surroundings.
B. It mimics other natural sounds in the environment.
C. It is the result of thoughtful contemplation.
D. It comes from Heaven and overflows with art.
Answer: It comes from Heaven and overflows with art. (D)
The speaker identifies the skylark’s song as coming from Heaven, highlighting its divine inspiration and unpremeditated beauty.
26. What does the speaker imply about the skylark’s understanding of death?
A. The skylark has a deeper knowledge of death than humans.
B. The skylark fears death more than mortals do.
C. The skylark knows nothing about death at all.
D. The skylark understands death as a tragic ending.
Answer: The skylark has a deeper knowledge of death than humans. (A)
The speaker suggests that the skylark must know truths about death that are beyond human understanding.
27. What unique characteristic is attributed to the skylark’s sound compared to other natural phenomena?
A. It drowns out the sounds of the earth.
B. It is less intense than the sound of a waterfall.
C. It creates sympathy for unrecognized emotions.
D. It is brighter than the light of the sun.
Answer: It creates sympathy for unrecognized emotions. (C)
The skylark’s song evokes a deeper emotional connection, allowing the world to share in hopes and fears that are otherwise unnoticed.
28. Which image does the speaker use to describe the skylark’s position during flight?
A. A bird soaring above the sea.
B. A cloud of fire floating in the sky.
C. A flame burning steadily in the wind.
D. A star twinkling in the night.
Answer: A cloud of fire floating in the sky. (B)
The speaker compares the skylark’s flight to a ‘cloud of fire,’ emphasizing its dazzling presence in the sky.
29. How does the speaker describe the relationship between human happiness and sadness?
A. Humans experience happiness without any memories of sadness.
B. Human emotions fluctuate without a pattern.
C. Human happiness is often accompanied by pain.
D. Human happiness is completely independent of sadness.
Answer: Human happiness is often accompanied by pain. (C)
The speaker indicates that human happiness is intertwined with sadness.
30. What comparison does the speaker draw between the skylark and a hidden poet?
A. Both create beauty that is known among few.
B. Both are celebrated publicly for their sounds.
C. Both are lost in their own worlds of thought.
D. Both express emotions without being understood.
Answer: Both express emotions without being understood. (D)
The speaker suggests that like a hidden poet, the skylark expresses profound emotions that often go unnoticed.
31. What does the speaker request from the skylark regarding joy?
A. To sing a song that humans can understand.
B. To inspire him with its song.
C. To teach him about sorrow.
D. To share half the gladness that it knows.
Answer: To share half the gladness that it knows. (D)
The speaker wishes to learn about the joy that the skylark embodies.
32. What term does the speaker use to describe the skylark in relation to earthly concerns?
A. A representative of earthly beauty.
B. A prisoner of the skies.
C. A scorner of the ground.
D. A symbol of human despair.
Answer: A scorner of the ground. (C)
The speaker characterizes the skylark as one that transcends terrestrial matters.
33. What is emphasized by the fact that the speaker loses sight of the skylark?
A. The fleeting nature of beauty.
B. The inevitability of fading joy.
C. The limitations of human perception.
D. The power of the skylark’s song to transcend physical presence.
Answer: The power of the skylark’s song to transcend physical presence. (D)
Despite losing sight of the skylark, its song continues to resonate, highlighting how its music can transcend physical form.
34. In what way does the speaker relate the skylark to the dawn?
A. Both signify the end of joy and celebration.
B. Both are feared by the creatures of the night.
C. Both remain constant and unchanging over time.
D. Both bring light and hope to the world.
Answer: Both bring light and hope to the world. (D)
The skylark’s song is said to resonate as keenly as moonbeams at dawn, associated with themes of light and hope.
35. Which aspect of human existence does the speaker suggest humans could scorn?
A. Joy and happiness.
B. Love and companionship.
C. Hate and pride.
D. Hope and ambition.
Answer: Hate and pride. (C)
The speaker expresses that even if humans could reject hate and pride, they would still not reach the joy of the skylark.
36. How does the speaker characterize the skylark’s effect on listeners?
A. It generates comparisons to human music.
B. It brings sorrow and contemplation.
C. It evokes a sense of divine rapture.
D. It mimics the sounds of nature.
Answer: It evokes a sense of divine rapture. (C)
The speaker describes the skylark’s influence as eliciting a ‘flood of rapture,’ suggesting profound joy and inspiration.
37. What does the speaker say is true about the skylark’s music?
A. It flows in a crystal stream.
B. It is less impactful than human poetry.
C. It can only be enjoyed during daylight.
D. It lacks emotional depth.
Answer: It flows in a crystal stream. (A)
The speaker describes the beauty and clarity of the skylark’s music.
38. How does the speaker view human laughter, according to the content?
A. It is always filled with joy.
B. It is devoid of any emotional significance.
C. It is often shallow and meaningless.
D. It sometimes carries a hint of pain.
Answer: It sometimes carries a hint of pain. (D)
The speaker mentions that human laughter is mixed with some pain.
39. What objects does the speaker question about regarding the skylark’s song?
A. Fields, waves, and mountains.
B. Mountains, rivers, and clouds.
C. Feelings of love, ignorance, and joy.
D. Nature’s beauty, manmade structures, and time.
Answer: Fields, waves, and mountains. (A)
The speaker inquires which elements of the natural world contribute to the skylark’s joyful melody, mentioning fields, waves, and mountains.
40. What metaphor does the speaker use to describe the skylark’s song alongside a lonely maiden?
A. The maiden’s song soothes her aching heart.
B. The maiden’s song is like a distant echo.
C. The maiden sings to reflect her solitude.
D. The maiden’s melody drowns out the world’s noise.
Answer: The maiden’s song soothes her aching heart. (A)
The comparison highlights how both the skylark’s and the maiden’s songs serve as expressions of their individual emotional states.
41. In what way does the speaker compare human songs with those of the skylark?
A. Human songs are considered more complex.
B. Human songs are influenced by sadness.
C. Human songs lack melody.
D. Human songs are often performed without emotion.
Answer: Human songs are influenced by sadness. (B)
The speaker suggests that even the sweetest human songs contain undertones of melancholy.
42. What feeling does the speaker express towards the skylark compared to human capabilities?
A. Despair at human limitations.
B. Admiration for human creativity.
C. Respect for earthly experiences.
D. Envy for the skylark’s beauty.
Answer: Despair at human limitations. (A)
The speaker feels a sense of despair when contemplating human limitations in achieving the skylark’s joy.
43. How does the speaker contrast the skylark’s music to human compositions?
A. Human songs are frequently forgotten over time.
B. Human music often becomes entangled in social issues.
C. Human compositions are more complex than the skylark’s melodies.
D. Human music lacks the spontaneity and emotion of the skylark’s song.
Answer: Human music lacks the spontaneity and emotion of the skylark’s song. (D)
The speaker suggests that compared to the skylark’s natural and emotion-filled music, human compositions seem less vibrant and genuine.
44. What is suggested about the skylark’s capability for love?
A. The skylark feels love deeply but is constrained by circumstances.
B. The skylark’s love is expressed through its music.
C. The skylark has never understood the concept of love.
D. The skylark loves without the pain associated with it.
Answer: The skylark loves without the pain associated with it. (D)
The speaker highlights that the skylark loves yet does not experience the sadness that often accompanies human love.
