Question

text-dependent questions

1. part a: which of the following best summarizes the theme of this poem?

a. ignorance and a lack of new ideas are greater threats to society than burning books.
b. book - burning creates ignorance and chaos in societies; free speech should be encouraged.
c. the worst threat of censorship is its ability to erase prominent writers from history.
d. we are all guilty of censorship when we reject ideas that do not align with our own.

1. part b: which lines from the poem best support the answer to part a?

a. \the cover goes first, then outer leaves / curling away, then spine and a scattering\ (lines 3 - 4)
b. \more disturbing / than book ashes are whole libraries that no one / got around to writing\ (lines 10 - 12)
c. \the terrorized countryside where wild dogs / own anything that moves\ (lines 14 - 15)
d. \so ive burned books. and there are many / i havent even written, and nobody has.\ (lines 18 - 19)

1. part a: as used in line 13, what does the word \unthought\ mean?

a. hostility toward censorship
b. an inability to read
c. acceptance of book - burning
d. lack of ideas

1. part b: which of the following phrases from the text best supports the answer to part a?

a. \trying for character / but just faking it\ (lines 9 - 10)
b. \whole libraries that no one / got around to writing\ (lines 11 - 12)
c. \terrorized countryside\ (line 14)
d. \where wild dogs / own anything that moves\ (lines 14 - 15)

Explanation:

1. PART A: The poem seems to emphasize that lack of new ideas and ignorance are more concerning than book - burning. Option A best captures this theme as it contrasts ignorance and lack of ideas with the act of burning books.
2. PART B: Lines about whole libraries that no one got around to writing support the idea that lack of ideas (unwritten works) is a greater threat. So, "More disturbing / than book ashes are whole libraries that no one / got around to writing" (Lines 10 - 12) support the answer to Part A.
3. PART A: In the context of the poem, "unthought" likely refers to a lack of ideas. The poem is concerned with the dearth of creative thought more than the act of book - burning itself.
4. PART B: "whole libraries that no one / got around to writing" (Lines 11 - 12) supports the idea that "unthought" means a lack of ideas, as it implies a lack of creative output.

Answer:

1. PART A: A. Ignorance and a lack of new ideas are greater threats to society than burning books.
2. PART B: B. "More disturbing / than book ashes are whole libraries that no one / got around to writing" (Lines 10 - 12)
3. PART A: D. lack of ideas
4. PART B: B. "whole libraries that no one / got around to writing" (Lines 11 - 12)