Extract from The Prelude
Edexcel GCSE English Literature revision on Extract from The Prelude. Aligned to the Edexcel GCSE English Literature 1ET0 specification. This bank has 15 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 15)
-
Question 1
Who is the speaker in the line: 'I dipped my oars into the silent lake'?
- A) The narrator
- B) The mountain
- C) The boatman
- D) A local villager
Show answer
Answer: The narrator
The poem is an extract from Wordsworth's autobiographical epic, The Prelude. As a reflection on his own childhood experiences in the Lake District, the 'I' refers directly to the poet himself.
-
Question 2
What literary technique is used in the phrase: 'The horizon’s bound, a huge peak, black and huge'?
- A) Simile
- B) Repetition
- C) Oxymoron
- D) Hyperbole
Show answer
Answer: Repetition
Wordsworth repeats the adjective 'huge' to convey the speaker's sense of awe and terror. The repetition highlights how the mountain dominates the speaker's vision and consciousness, making him feel small and insignificant.
-
Question 3
What theme is most developed by the line: 'And measured motion like a living thing'?
- A) Nature as a powerful, sentient force
- B) The beauty of industrialisation
- C) The isolation of childhood
- D) The corruption of urban life
Show answer
Answer: Nature as a powerful, sentient force
This simile suggests that the natural world is not merely an inanimate backdrop but a living, breathing entity. It reflects the Romantic belief that nature is a conscious force capable of interacting with or intimidating humanity.
Want to test yourself on the remaining cards for this topic?
12 more questions on Extract from The Prelude — plus mistakes tracking and spaced repetition across the whole English Literature spec.