Questions: Read the poem. There are 14 lines in the poem. The poem is numbered every This question has two parts. Answer Part A, and then answer Part B. 5 lines. To an Oak O Oakl long years the stress of storm and wind Has made thy limbs exult in growing thew, And deeper, surer in the earth descend The thousand tendrils that were strengthening you; With best of sun and song and rain and dew High on the hill thy strength, tho' storm and wind Oft did thy tender thewless youth unbend; But greater thou in limb and power grew. O mighty oakl with faith serene and sure, impart to me the secret of thy girth. Invest me master of thy patient will; That through the coming years I may endure, And deeper rooted in the fields of earth. At last, as thou, be sovereign of a hill. ("To an Oak" by Charies Bertram Johnson) Part A These lines are from the poem. "With best of sun and song and rain and dew High on the hill thy strength, tho" storm and wind Oft did thy tender thewless youth unbend; But greater thou in limb and power grew." (Lines 5-8) What do these lines most clearly reveal about the tree? 1. It became larger by growing multiple new branches. 2. It learned to live in good and bad weather conditions. 3. It overcame hardships more easily because it was on a hill. 4. It became larger and stronger in spite of challenges it faced. Part B How do these lines contribute to an important idea in the poem? 1. They show what the speaker wants to learn from the tree. 2. They show what the speaker thinks is interesting about the tree. 3. They show what the speaker likes about the appearance of the tree. 4. They show what the speaker has trouble understanding about the tree.

Certainly! Let's analyze the poem and address the questions.

The answer is 4: It became larger and stronger in spite of challenges it faced.

Explanation for each option:

1. It became larger by growing multiple new branches.

   • This option focuses on the physical growth of new branches, but the lines emphasize overall growth in strength and power, not just the addition of branches.

2. It learned to live in good and bad weather conditions.

   • While the tree did endure various weather conditions, the emphasis in the lines is on how it grew stronger despite these challenges, rather than just learning to live with them.

3. It overcame hardships more easily because it was on a hill.

   • The location on the hill is mentioned, but the lines do not suggest that being on the hill made overcoming hardships easier. Instead, they focus on the tree's growth in strength despite the hardships.

4. It became larger and stronger in spite of challenges it faced.

   • This option accurately captures the essence of the lines, which describe how the tree grew in strength and power despite facing storms and wind.

The answer is 1: They show what the speaker wants to learn from the tree.

Explanation for each option:

1. They show what the speaker wants to learn from the tree.

   • The speaker admires the tree's ability to grow stronger despite challenges and wishes to learn this resilience and strength, as indicated by the lines.

2. They show what the speaker thinks is interesting about the tree.

   • While the speaker may find the tree's growth interesting, the lines are more about the speaker's desire to learn from the tree's resilience.

3. They show what the speaker likes about the appearance of the tree.

   • The lines do not focus on the appearance of the tree but rather on its strength and growth.

4. They show what the speaker has trouble understanding about the tree.

   • The speaker does not express confusion or a lack of understanding in these lines; instead, they express admiration and a desire to emulate the tree's qualities.

In summary, the lines from the poem reveal that the tree became larger and stronger despite the challenges it faced, and they contribute to the poem by showing what the speaker wants to learn from the tree.