Reading Comprehension Questions

1. In the first stanza, Whitman sings the praises of ________________.

a. the self

b. God

c. both a and b

d. neither a nor b


2. “And what I assume you shall assume” (line 2) In this line, the underlined word is probably closest in meaning to __________________.

a. presuppose

b. simulate

c. take on

d. guess


3. “For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” (line 3) We can infer from this line that Whitman believes _________________.

a. he is the property of the reader

b. we are the same in that we are all made up of the same matter

c. the traditional scientific views of atoms and molecules are probably wrong

d. the reader is the property of Whitman


4. The mood of the narrator in the poem’s second stanza is best described as __________________.

a. tranquil

b. distressed

c. ecstatic

d. confused




5. Whitman believes he is made up of the same matter as ________________.

a. other people

b. the Earth

c. the sky

d. all of the above


6. “Hoping to cease not till death.” (line 9) Here, Whitman is saying he doesn’t want to _________________.

a. die at too young of an age

b. make any careless mistakes

c. stop celebrating the self while he’s still alive

d. all of the above


7. Whitman “begins” this song of himself when he is __________________.

a. born

b. thirty-seven years old

c. on his deathbed

d. in school


8. “Creeds and schools in abeyance / Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten” (lines 10-11) In simpler terms, Whitman __________________.

a. is a retired schoolteacher looking over his career

b. thinks that following creeds and schools is the only key to understanding and knowledge

c. wants to move beyond creeds and schools in his understanding of the world, but knows they can’t be forgotten

d. thinks creeds and schools should be improved





9. “I permit to speak at every hazard” (line 12) Here, Whitman is saying that __________________.

a. he’s going to speak no matter the risk

b. he will talk about the dangers that have befallen society

c. he will decide whether someone can speak

d. all of the above


10. “Nature without check with original energy.” (line 13) The underlined word in the line above most closely means ___________________.

a. inspection

b. restraint

c. payment

d. authorization