Read the poem below and answer the question. Musee des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden About suffering they were never wrong, The old

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Read the poem below and answer the question. Musee des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden About suffering they were never wrong, The old

Masters: how well they understood Its human position: how it takes place While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along; How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting For the miraculous birth, there always must be Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating On a pond at the edge of the wood: They never forgot That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse Scratches its innocent behind on a tree. In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry, But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green Water, and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky, Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.
Which of the following is a descriptive image from the poem above?

A)“About suffering they were never wrong “
B)“That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course”
C)“white legs disappearing into the green”*
D)“They never forgot”

Which of the following best describes the tone of the poem above? A)detached in the face of sufferingB)enraged at injusticeC)excited about major eventsD)saddened about human indifference
Which of the following best describes the theme of the poem above? A)Tragedy is everywhere.
B)No one’s life matters.
C)Life goes on.
D)The gods are cruel.

Which of the following excerpts most clearly reflects the theme of the poem? A)“About suffering they were never wrong”
B)“how well they understood/ Its human position”
C)"How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting”
D)"Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.”

English

2 answers:

hammer [2.7K] · Answer 1 · 2026-02-24T09:48:46+03:00

1- The right choice is C. This indicates visual imagery, as it describes young Icarus's descent into the water, with his legs being the last visible part of him. 2- The correct choice is D. The tone throughout the poem is somber, conveying the author’s disillusionment with human indifference towards suffering. 3- The right choice is C. The prominent theme suggests that regardless of the tragedies that unfold, life persists. 4- The correct answer is D. This particular excerpt exemplifies the theme since the ship's crew witnesses Icarus drowning yet continues on their voyage, showing no real concern for the tragedy.

Naddik [2.9K] · Answer 2 · 2026-02-24T09:49:23+03:00

1. The answer is C, which reflects a strong visual image. The author depicts the moment of Icarus's drowning, with his legs being the last part visible as he goes under. 2. The answer is D, which captures the somber tone of the poem, highlighting the author's disappointment with humanity's indifference to suffering. 3. The answer is C, as the central theme emphasizes that despite tragedies, life carries on. 4. The answer is D, which best illustrates the theme since the ship's passengers continued their journey without showing concern for Icarus's fall.