AP Success - AP English Literature: February (a cat poem)
Winter. Time to eat fat and watch hockey. In the pewter mornings, the cat, a black fur sausage with yellow Houdini eyes, jumps up on the bed and tries to get onto my head. It’s his way of telling whether or not I’m dead. If I’m not, he wants to be scratched; if I am He’ll think of something. He settles on my chest, breathing his breath of burped-up meat and musty sofas, purring like a washboard. Some other tomcat, not yet a capon, has been spraying our front door, declaring war. It’s all about sex and territory, which are what will finish us off in the long run. Some cat owners around here should snip a few testicles. If we wise hominids were sensible, we’d do that too, or eat our young, like sharks. But it’s love that does us in. Over and over again, He shoots, he scores! and famine crouches in the bedsheets, ambushing the pulsing eiderdown, and the windchill factor hits thirty below, and pollution pours out of our chimneys to keep us warm. February, month of despair, with a skewered heart in the centre. I think dire thoughts, and lust for French fries with a splash of vinegar. Cat, enough of your greedy whining and your small pink bumhole. Off my face! You’re the life principle, more or less, so get going on a little optimism around here. Get rid of death. Celebrate increase. Make it be spring.
Margaret Atwood, “February” from Morning in the Burned House. Copyright © 1995 by Margaret Atwood. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Question 1
In lines 1-2, the phrase "Time to eat fat and watch hockey" most likely implies that the setting is:
A celebration of a sports victory.
A cultural ritual or seasonal tradition.
A community gathering.
An individual's routine.
A metaphor for indulgence and entertainment.
Question 2
The cat's actions in lines 4-6 ("jumps up on the bed and tries to get onto my head") serve primarily to:
Establish a humorous tone.
Illustrate the cat's playful nature.
Suggest a daily routine between the narrator and the cat.
Symbolize the intrusion of nature into personal space.
Demonstrate the cat's intelligence and cunning.
Question 3
In lines 13-14 ("declaring war. It’s all about sex and territory"), the narrator uses the phrase "declaring war" to:
Highlight the seriousness of the tomcat's actions.
Introduce a theme of conflict and rivalry.
Compare the animal behavior to human conflicts.
Illustrate the intensity of animal instincts.
Add a dramatic tone to the description of the tomcat's behavior.
Question 4
The reference to "snip a few testicles" in lines 15-16 suggests the narrator's:
Disapproval of irresponsible pet ownership.
Humorous take on animal control.
Concern for animal welfare.
Casual attitude towards a serious issue.
Advocacy for population control among animals.
Question 5
In lines 19-20, "But it’s love that does us in. Over and over again," the repetition of "over and over again" emphasizes:
The inevitability of love's impact on individuals.
The cyclic nature of emotional experiences.
The frustration the narrator feels about love.
The overwhelming power of love.
The narrator's personal experiences with love.
Question 6
The imagery of "famine crouches in the bedsheets" (line 21) is used to:
Create a sense of impending danger or doom.
Illustrate the stark contrast between warmth and cold.
Emphasize the narrator's feelings of vulnerability.
Symbolize hidden threats in comfortable environments.
Convey the narrator's pessimistic outlook on life.
Question 7
In lines 27-28, the narrator's "lust for French fries with a splash of vinegar" is an example of:
A metaphor for simpler pleasures amidst complex thoughts.
An ironic contrast to the preceding heavy themes.
A literal craving that interrupts the narrator's musings.
A symbolic reference to the narrator's cultural background.
An abrupt shift in tone from philosophical to mundane.
Question 8
The cat's portrayal as "the life principle" in lines 31-32 suggests that the animal:
Represents vitality and persistence.
Is a source of annoyance for the narrator.
Embodies a philosophical concept for the narrator.
Is central to the narrator's existence.
Serves as a catalyst for the narrator's reflections.
Question 9
The phrase "Make it be spring" (line 34) at the end of the passage primarily serves to:
Indicate a desire for change or renewal.
Convey the narrator's powerlessness against nature.
Introduce a new thematic element of hope.
Illustrate the narrator's longing for warmer weather.
Symbolize the narrator's optimism.
Question 10
Overall, the passage can be best described as:
A contemplation on the cyclical nature of life and death.
A humorous anecdote about living with a pet.
A metaphorical exploration of human and animal behavior.
A narrative on the struggles of winter and the anticipation of spring.
An introspective account blending daily life with existential musings.
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