Question

select the correct text in the passage. which two sets of lines in this excerpt from thomas hardys \the darkling thrush\ signify hope in the midst of despair? i leant upon a coppice gate when frost was spectre - gray, and winters dregs made desolate the weakening eye of day the tangled bine - stems scored the sky like strings of broken lyres, and all mankind that haunted nigh had sought their household fires the lands sharp features seemed to be the centurys corpse outleant, his crypt the cloudy canopy, the wind his death lament. the ancient pulse of germ and birth was shrunken hard and dry, and every spirit upon earth seemed fervourless as i. at once a voice arose among the bleak twigs overhead in a full - hearted evensong of joy illimitted. an aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small, in blast - beruffled plume, had chosen thus to fling his soul upon the growing gloom

Explanation:

The poem creates a desolate atmosphere at first. The lines "At once a voice arose among / The bleak twigs overhead / In a full - hearted evensong / Of joy illimited" and "Had chosen thus to fling his soul / Upon the growing gloom" show a thrush singing joyfully despite the desolate surroundings, symbolizing hope in despair. The thrush's song and its act of expressing itself in a gloomy situation are signs of hope.

Answer:

At once a voice arose among / The bleak twigs overhead / In a full - hearted evensong / Of joy illimited
Had chosen thus to fling his soul / Upon the growing gloom