from “The Village Blacksmith” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1 Under a spreading chestnut tree
2 The village smithy stands;
3 The smith, a mighty man is he,
4 With large and sinewy hands;
5 And the muscles of his brawny arms
6 Are strong as iron bands.

7 His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
8 His face is like the tan;
9 His brow is wet with honest sweat,
10 He earns whate’er he can,
11 And looks the whole world in the face,
12 For he owes not any man.

13 Week in, week out, from morn till night,
14 You can hear his bellows blow;
15 You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
16 With measured beat and slow,
17 Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
18 When the evening sun is low.


sexton:a person who takes care of a church
Use the excerpt to answer the question.
8. Which lines in the second stanza rhyme? (1 point)
lines 7 and 9; lines 8, 10, and 11
lines 8, 10, and 12
lines 7, 9, and 11; lines 8, 10, and 11
lines 7, 9, and 11
Use the excerpt to answer the question.
9. The imagery in which line appeals to your sense of sight? (1 point)
line 9
line 10
line 15
line 17
Use the excerpt to answer the question.
10. In which line can you find an example of alliteration? (1 point)
line 1
line 7
line 14
line 16
Use the excerpt to answer the questions.
11. What type of figurative language is found in lines 16–17? (1 point)
metaphor
simile
personification
symbol
The item below has been reviewed and is scheduled to be updated. All students will receive full credit for any response to the following.
12. What can you conclude from the figurative language you identified in the previous question? (1 point)
The blacksmith works late into the night.
The church bell is an example of the blacksmith’s work.
The blacksmith is reliable.
The work of the blacksmith is time-consuming.
13. Which of the following statements applies to a typical lyric poem? (1 point)
It is short and musical.
It is long and complex.
It tells a complex story.
It sounds like spoken English.