The sun does arise,

And make happy the skies.

The merry bells ring

To welcome the Spring.

The sky-lark and thrush,

The birds of the bush,

Sing louder around,

To the bells’ cheerful sound.

While our sports shall be seen

On the Ecchoing Green.

Old John, with white hair

Does laugh away care,

Sitting under the oak,

Among the old folk,

They laugh at our play,

And soon they all say.

‘Such, such were the joys.

When we all girls & boys,

In our youth-time were seen,

On the Ecchoing Green.’

Till the little ones weary

No more can be merry

The sun does descend,

And our sports have an end:

Round the laps of their mothers,

Many sisters and brothers,

Like birds in their nest,

Are ready for rest;

And sport no more seen,

On the darkening Green.

1.PART A: Which of the following best describes a central theme of the text?

A
Identity has little to no correlation to age.
B
Growing up and aging happens quicker than expected; youth should be appreciated.
C
Friendship is more valuable and constant in one's older years.
D
Nature shows us how repetitive human life can be.
PART B: Which of the following quotes best supports the answer to Part A?

A
“The sky-lark and thrush, / The birds of the bush, / Sing louder around, / To the bells’ cheerful sound.” ( Lines 5-8)
B
“Old John, with white hair / Does laugh away care, / Sitting under the oak, / Among the old folk” ( Lines 11-14)
C
“Till the little ones weary / No more can be merry / The sun does descend, / And our sports have an end” ( Lines 21-24)
D
“Round the laps of their mothers, / Many sisters and brothers, / Like birds in their nest” ( Lines 25-27)
3.
How does the poem’s setting (in terms of time) contribute to its overall meaning?

A
The poem takes place mostly at night, symbolic of the end of life and thus contributing to the theme of death.
B
The poem focuses on “Old John” as he reminisces about the past, and thus the poem’s setting takes place in two different times (past and present).
C
The poem takes place over the course of a day, symbolic of the course of one’s lifetime and thus contributing to the messages about youth and aging.
D
The poem takes place during the day and ends just before sundown, symbolic of the majority of a person’s life (i. e. adulthood), teaching the reader to value youth.
4.
Which of the following statements best describes how and when the mood changes throughout the poem?

A
The mood begins as energetic and cheerful, becomes more nostalgic in the 2nd stanza, and by the 3rd stanza it has diminished to weary and fatigued.
B
The mood in the first stanza is softer than in the rest of the poem, in which it increases in cheer and energy.
C
The mood declines gradually over the course of the poem into a bleak sort of sadness and regret.
D
The mood stays consistent throughout the poem: nostalgic and longing.

5.
How does the rhyme scheme contribute to the poem’s tone?