"The Flight of Icarus" Test

Use the story of "The Flight of Icarus" to answer questions 1-10. 

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Daedalus made wings for himself and his son in order to

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Why did Daedalus have “misgivings” while watching Icarus fly?

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Why did Icarus fly higher and higher into the sky?

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Daedalus first knew that his fears had come true when

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When Daedalus arrived safely in Sicily he

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Daedalus could not follow Icarus into the sky because

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A moderate amount of something is

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What does prowess mean?

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Something that is done in a frantic way is done

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A sign that a person is experiencing anxiety might be

Use the poem of "Icarus's Flight" to answer questions 11-20.

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What is most unusual about the structure of the poem?

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In the first line, the poet asks, “What else could the boy have done?” What answer is the poet expecting?

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What does the poet mean by “the exact point where freedom stopped” (lines 4–5)?

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What does the poet mean by “his anticipated plummeting” (line 7)?

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What is the best statement of the poem's theme or message?

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What language device or structure does the poet use to communicate his message?

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What does the poet suggest by the lines “to flutter ignorantly / from petal to petal within some garden” (lines 12–13)?

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Which phrase from the poem best expresses what Icarus gained from his flight?

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Which word best describes the poet's attitude toward Icarus?

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What is the “cushion” referred to in line 20?

Use your knowledge about identifying themes to answer questions 21-26. 

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The message or lesson of a work of literature is called a

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What can be described in a sentence that helps explain the life lesson or "big picture" of the story?

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What is the theme?
In his sophomore year of high school, Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. But at five feet and eleven inches tall, the coach believed that Jordan was too short to play at that level, so Jordan was cut from the team. Jordan didn’t let this obstacle defeat him. In fact, it pushed him to work even harder. He trained vigorously and grew another four inches the following summer. When he finally made the varsity squad, Jordan averaged 25 points a game and went on to become one of the greatest basketball players in history.

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What is the theme?
Tammy and Sammy were both students in Mr. Morton's reading class. Mr. Morton wasn't too strict about deadlines, and Sammy took advantage of that. He did all of his homework in his other classes but never bothered to complete Mr. Morton's reading assignments, figuring that he could complete them later. Tammy, on the other hand, completed each assignment Mr. Morton assigned the night that he assigned it. She had to stay up a little later, but she didn't want to get a penalty for turning in her reading work late. Tammy knew reading was a core subject and that she had to keep "C" average for the entire year or she would have to go to summer school. When the end of the quarter came, Tammy and Sammy had both planned on going to the Enchanted Castle amusement park, but Mr. Morton called Sammy's mother, and she grounded Sammy until he turned in all of his work. That weekend was horrible for Sammy. He stayed up until 2:00 AM each night and still couldn't complete all of the assignments. The whole while, Tammy had a great time eating pizza at Enchanted Castle, watching movies late at night, and enjoying her weekend free of stress and pressure. At the end of the quarter, Sammy was lucky to squeak by with a "C" minus in reading while Tammy earned an "A." Sammy still hasn't learned his lesson.

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What's the theme?
Mark was born rich. He never had to work a day in his life and he got everything handed to him on a silver platter. When he was six, Mark wanted to go to a basketball game. His father paid the starting five of the Bulls and Celtics to play a private game of Nerf-ball in Mark's bedroom. When Mark turned thirteen, he wanted to start a band. His father hired the Rolling Stones to play with him every Saturday at the family's private concert hall, though his family was never there. By the time he was twenty-one, Mark was bored with life. He was surrounded by a bunch of possessions that he didn't appreciate and Mark could find nothing new or exciting in his life. Despite his vast wealth, Mark never found happiness.

Penny was born poor. Her family hardly had anything to eat, but they loved each other. Penny appreciated every thing she got. When she was six, her father walked her around the United Center before the Bulls played the Celtics. She was excited by the crazy fans and feeling in the air. She looked forward to the day that she could see a real game. When she was thirteen, she learned to play the buckets. She was an extremely talented musician, a natural percussionist, and everyone on the block loved the rhythms that poured from her palms. By the time she was twenty-one, Penny was a successful businesswoman. Now she had everything that she had ever dreamed of and she truly loved to share her wealth and happiness with her family who supported her through all of the hard times.

Read the myth about Echo and Narcissus and answer questions 27 and 28.

When Zeus came to the mountains, the wood nymphs rushed to embrace the jovial god. They played with him in icy waterfalls and laughed with him in lush green glades.

Zeus’ wife, Hera, was very jealous, and often she searched the mountainside, trying to catch her husband with the nymphs. But whenever Hera came close to finding Zeus, a charming nymph named Echo stepped across her path. Echo chatted with Hera in a lively fashion and did whatever she could to stall the goddess until Zeus and the other nymphs had escaped.

Eventually Hera discovered that Echo had been tricking her, and she flew into a rage. “Your tongue has made a fool of me!” she shouted at Echo. “Henceforth, your voice will be more brief, my dear! You will always have the last word - but never the first.

From that day on, poor Echo could only repeat the last words of what others said. One day Echo spied a golden-haired youth hunting deer in the woods. The boy’s name was Narcissus, and he was the most beautiful young man in the forest. All who looked upon Narcissus fell in love with him immediately. But he would have nothing to do with anyone, for he was very conceited.

When Echo first laid eyes upon Narcissus, her heart burned like the flame of a torch. She secretly followed him through the woods, loving him more with each step. She got closer and closer until finally Narcissus heard the leaves rustling.

He whirled around and cried out, “Who’s here?”

From behind a tree, Echo repeated his last word, “Here!”

Narcissus looked about in wonder, “Who are you? Come to me!” he said. Narcissus searched the woods, but could not find the nymph. “Stop hiding! Let us meet!” he shouted.

“Let us meet!” Echo cried. Then she stepped from behind the tree and rushed to embrace Narcissus. But the youth panicked when the nymph flung her arms around his neck. He pushed her away and shouted, “Leave me alone! I’d rather die than let you love me!”

“Love me!” was all poor Echo could say as she watched Narcissus run from her through the woods. “Love me! Love me! Love me!” Humiliated and filled with sorrow, Echo wandered the mountains until she found a lonely cave to live in.

Meanwhile Narcissus hunted in the woods, tending only to himself, until one day he discovered a hidden pool of water. The pool had a silvery-smooth surface. No shepherds ever disturbed its waters - no goats or cattle, no birds or fallen leaves. Only the sun danced upon the still pond.

Tired from hunting and eager to quench his thirst, Narcissus lay on his stomach and leaned over the water. But when he looked at the glassy surface, he saw someone staring back at him. Narcissus was spellbound. Gazing up at him from the pool were eyes like twin stars, framed by hair as golden as Apollo’s and cheeks as smooth as ivory. But when he leaned down and tried to kiss the perfect lips, he kissed only spring water.

When he reached out and tried to embrace this vision of beauty, he found no one there. “What love could be more cruel than this?” he cried. “When my lips kiss the beloved, they touch only water! When I reach for my beloved, I hold only water!” Narcissus began to weep.

When he wiped away his tears, the person in the water also wiped away tears. “Oh, no,” sobbed Narcissus. “I see the truth now; It is myself I weep for! I yearn for my own reflection!” As Narcissus cried harder, the tears broke the glassy surface of the pool and caused his reflection to disappear.

“Come back! Where did you go?” the youth cried. “I love you so much! At least stay and let me look upon you!”
Day after day, Narcissus stared at the water, in love with his own reflection. He began to waste away from grief, until one sad morning, he felt himself dying. “Goodbye, my love!” he shouted to his reflection.

“Good-bye, my love!” Echo cried to Narcissus from her cave deep in the woods. Then Narcissus took his last breath.

After he died, the water nymphs and wood nymphs searched for his body. But all they found was a magnificently beautiful flower beside the hidden pool where the  youth had once yearned for his own reflection. The flower had white petals and a yellow center, and from that time on, it was called Narcissus.

And alas, poor Echo, desolate after Narcissus’s death, did not eat or sleep. As she lay forlornly in her cave, all her beauty faded away, and she became very thin until her voice was all that was left. Thereafter, the lonely voice of Echo was heard in the mountains, repeating the last words anyone said.

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Two themes--one from Echo's story and one from Narcissus's story--can be learned. What two themes could fit these myths? Explain each theme.

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Greek myths such as this one also try to teach how things in nature came to be. For example, in Arachne, we learned how spiders came into existence. What two elements of nature are explained in this myth?

Read the myth about Baucis and Philemon and answer questions 29-30.

On the slopes of the Phrygian hills, there once dwelt a very religious and devout old couple named Baucis and Philemon. They had lived all their lives in a tiny cottage of wattles, thatched with straw, cheerful and content in spite of their poverty.

As this worthy couple sat dozing by the fireside one evening in the late autumn, two strangers came and begged a shelter for the night. They had to stoop to enter the humble doorway, where the old man welcomed them heartily and bade them rest their weary limbs on the settle before the fire. The two strangers had already stopped at hundreds of other homes and received no help from anyone, so they were grateful for Baucis and Philemon to let them enter. 

Although they didn't have much, Baucis and Philemon immediately began preparing a meal to welcome their weary guests. Baucis stirred the embers, blowing them into a flame with dry leaves to boil the stew-pot. Hanging from the blackened beams was a rusty side of bacon. Philemon cut off a rasher to roast, and, while his guests refreshed themselves with a wash at the rustic trough, he gathered pot-herbs from his patch of garden. Then the old woman, her hands trembling with age, laid the cloth and spread the table.

It was a frugal meal, but one that hungry travelers could well relish.  What made the meal more grateful to the guests was the hearty spirit in which it was offered. Their hosts gave all they had without stint or grudging.
But all at once something happened which startled and amazed Baucis and Philemon. They poured out wine for their guests, and, lo! each time the pitcher filled itself again to the brim.

The old couple then knew that their guests were not mere mortals - indeed, they were no other than Jupiter and Mercury come down to earth in the disguise of poor travelers. Being ashamed of their humble entertainment, Philemon hurried out and gave chase to his only goose, intending to kill and roast it. But Jupiter forbade him, saying:

"In mortal shape we have come down, and at a hundred houses asked for lodging and rest. For answer a hundred doors were shut and locked against us. You alone, the poorest of all, have received us gladly and given us of your best. Now it is for us to punish these people who treat strangers so horribly, but you two shall be spared. Only leave your cottage and follow us to yonder mountaintop."

So saying, Jupiter and Mercury led the way, and the two old folks hobbled after them. Presently they reached the top of the mountain, and Baucis and Philemon saw all the country round, with villages and people, sinking into a marsh - while their own cottage alone was left standing.

And while they gazed, their cottage was changed into a white temple. The doorway became a porch with marble columns. The thatch grew into a roof of golden tiles. The little garden about their home became a park.

Then Jupiter, regarding Baucis and Philemon with kindly eyes, said: "Tell me, O good old man and you good wife, what may we do in return for your hospitality?"

Philemon whispered for a moment with Baucis, and she nodded her approval. "We desire," he replied, "to be your servants, and to have the care of this temple. One other favor we would ask. From boyhood I have loved only Baucis, and she has lived only for me. Let the selfsame hour take us both away together. Let me never see the tomb of my wife, nor let her suffer the misery of mourning my death."

Jupiter and Mercury, pleased with these requests, willingly granted both, and gave Baucis and Philemon with youth and strength as well. The gods then vanished from their sight, but as long as their lives lasted Baucis and Philemon were the guardians of the white temple that once had been their home.

And when again old age overtook them, they were standing one day in front of the sacred porch, and Baucis, turning her gaze upon her husband, saw him slowly changing into a gnarled oak tree. And Philemon, as he felt himself rooted to the ground, saw Baucis at the same time turning into a leafy linden.

And as their faces disappeared behind the green foliage, each cried unto the other, "Farewell, dearest love!" and again, "Dearest love, farewell!" And their human forms were changed to trees and branches.
And still, if you visit the spot, you may see an oak and a linden tree with branches intertwined.

1

In your own words, what is the theme of this myth?

1

Daedalus made wings for himself and his son in order to

Why did Daedalus have “misgivings” while watching Icarus fly?

Why did Icarus fly higher and higher into the sky?

Daedalus first knew that his fears had come true when

When Daedalus arrived safely in Sicily he

Daedalus could not follow Icarus into the sky because

A moderate amount of something is

What does prowess mean?

Something that is done in a frantic way is done

A sign that a person is experiencing anxiety might be

What is most unusual about the structure of the poem?

In the first line, the poet asks, “What else could the boy have done?” What answer is the poet expecting?

What does the poet mean by “the exact point where freedom stopped” (lines 4–5)?

What does the poet mean by “his anticipated plummeting” (line 7)?

What is the best statement of the poem's theme or message?

What language device or structure does the poet use to communicate his message?

What does the poet suggest by the lines “to flutter ignorantly / from petal to petal within some garden” (lines 12–13)?

Which phrase from the poem best expresses what Icarus gained from his flight?

Which word best describes the poet's attitude toward Icarus?

What is the “cushion” referred to in line 20?

The message or lesson of a work of literature is called a

What can be described in a sentence that helps explain the life lesson or "big picture" of the story?

Two themes--one from Echo's story and one from Narcissus's story--can be learned. What two themes could fit these myths? Explain each theme.

Greek myths such as this one also try to teach how things in nature came to be. For example, in Arachne, we learned how spiders came into existence. What two elements of nature are explained in this myth?

In your own words, what is the theme of this myth?

What element of nature is explained in this myth?