Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening - Comprehension Questions Answer Key 1. Why does the speaker of the poem stop? A. to watch the woods fill up with snow B. to find food for his or her horse C. to say hello to the owner of the woods D. to go skating on a frozen lake 2. What is the setting of this poem? A. in the woods on a bright, snowy afternoon B. in a village on a dark, snowy evening C. by a frozen lake on a bright, snowy afternoon D. near the woods on a dark, snowy evening 3. Read the first stanza of the poem: Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. What can you conclude based on this information? A. the woods are far away from the village B. the woods are near some houses C. the owner of the woods is friends with the speaker of the poem D. the speaker of the poem does not like the owner of the woods 4. What is one thing that pulls the speaker of the poem away from the woods? A. the freezing, harsh wind B. the cold, snowy weather C. the darkness of the evening D. promises the speaker needs to keep Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening - Comprehension Questions Answer Key 5. What might be a main theme of this poem? A. the fear of staying too long on someone else's land B. the pull of sleeping in nature against the pull of sleeping at home C. the pull of being alone in nature against the pull of responsibility D. the ability of nature to make a person feel tired and sleepy 6. Read the last stanza of the poem: The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. Why might the poet have repeated the line "and miles to go before I sleep"? A. to make the woods seem even more attractive and lovely B. to make the speaker seem forgetful and less smart than earlier in the poem C. to make readers pay special attention to the meaning of the line D. to make the speaker seem like he or she is already asleep 7. Read these lines from the poem: The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, What is the effect of the word "but" in the second line? A. It makes it seem like the speaker does not actually like the woods much and wants to leave. B. It makes it seem like the speaker can still keep promises while staying by the woods. C. It makes it seem like the promises the speaker has to keep are lovely, dark, and deep. D. It makes it seem like the speaker has to choose between keeping promises and the lovely woods. 8. What does the speaker most likely do at the end of the poem? Use evidence from the Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening - Comprehension Questions Answer Key text to support your answer. The speaker most likely leaves the woods and continues on his or her way. This is evidenced by the reference to "promises to keep" and the repetition of "miles to go before I sleep." 9. Read the last stanza of the poem: The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. At the end of the poem, what does the speaker most likely WANT to do? Use evidence from the text to support your answer. The speaker most likely wants to stay by the woods, or go deeper into them. This is evidenced by the speaker's description of the woods as "lovely, dark, and deep," which is immediately contrasted with the speaker's need to keep his or her promises. Advanced students may recognize a symbolic meaning in the poem. If so, they may note that the speaker most likely wants to succumb to the beauty of nature, or possibly even the darkness of the night - to give in to death or weariness. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening - Comprehension Questions Answer Key 10. Why might the speaker of the poem be so drawn to the woods? Use evidence from the text to support your answer. Answers may vary, as long as they are based in the text. For example, students may indicate that the speaker probably feels that the woods are beautiful in the snow, and wants to watch the beautiful scene for as long as possible. They may also note that the speaker seems to appreciate the darkness and deepness of the woods, in contrast with the village and the promises and responsibilities that lie beyond the woods; this could indicate that the speaker is drawn to the woods because they offer him or her 'alone-time' or relief from responsibility.