Departmental

An ant on the tablecloth
Ran into a dormant moth
Of many times his size.
He showed not the least surprise.
His business wasn't with such.
He gave it scarcely a touch,
And was off on his duty run.
Yet if he encountered one
Of the hive's enquiry squad
Whose work is to find out God
And the nature of time and space,
He would put him onto the case.
Ants are a curious race;
One crossing with hurried tread
The body of one of their dead
Isn"t given a moment's arrest-
Seems not even impressed.
But he no doubts report to any
With whom he crosses antennae,
And they no doubt report
To the higher up at court.
Then word goes forth in Formic:
"Death's come to Jerry McCormic,
Our selfless forager Jerry.
Will the special Janizary
Whose ofice it is to bury
The dead of the commissary
Go bring him home to his people.
Lay him in state on a sepal.
Wrap him for shroud in a petal.
Embalm him with ichor of nettle.
This is the word of your Queen."
And presently on the scene
Appears a solemn mortician;
And taking formal position
With feelers calmlty atwiddle,
Seizes the dead by the middle,
And heaving him high in the air,
Carries him out of there.
No one stands round to stare.
It is nobody else"s affair.

It couldn't be called ungentle.
But how thoroughly departmental.

			Robert Frost (1874-1963)




1. "Departmental" can best be described as 
A. The product of attentive observation 
B. An account of nature
C. An allegory for human idiosyncrasies
D. A light, simple narrative
E. A reflection upon the author's life

2.  There is a shift in the poem from
A. Descriptive narrative to pensive editorial
B. Careful observation to personal involvement
C. Omniscient description to reproachful exposition
D. Individual account to universal significance
E. There is no apparent shift

3.  The tone of the poem can best be described as
A. Playful observation
B. Scornful emphasis
C. Light description
D. Satirical exposition
E. Detached omniscience

4.  "Arrest" in line 16 most likely means
A. incarceration
B. admonition
C. capture
D. detention
E. seizure

5.  What rhetorical strategy is exhibited in "Death's come to Jerry McCormic," 
(line 23)

	I.	Personification
	II.	Metaphor
	III.	Euphemism

A. I only
B. II only
C. III only
D. I and II only
E. None of the above

6. "Atwiddle " in line most likely means
A. upright
B. alert
C. flaccid
D. quiescent
E. inquisitive

7. The major shift in the piece occurs in
A. Line 8
B. Line 13
C. Line 23
D. Line 33
E. Line 42 

8. The author"s depiction of ants is best described as
A. indifferently mechanical 
B. mundanely subsistent
C. hierarchically divided
D. selfishly compassionless
E. fantastically human

9.  Lines 42-43 suggest that the author
A. meant the piece to be a statement about departmental action
B. holds the death practices of ants in reproach
C. finds the ways in which all species treat death intriguing
D. meant to place emphasis on his own opinion
E.  is warning the reader against judging other species against our own standards

10.What is the author's attitude toward departmental societies?
A. outraged abhorrence
B. interested approval
C. indifferent observation
D. bitter detest
E. satirical disapproval





Answers:   	
1. C    
2. A   
3. D   
4. B   
5. C  
6. B    
7. B   
8. E   
9. A   
10. E