PrepTest 123, Section 1, Question 8
Countee Cullen (Countee Leroy Porter, 1903–1946) was one(461 more words not shown)
Given the information in the(13 more words not shown)
- Aa sonnet written(17 more words not shown)
- Ba sonnet written(16 more words not shown)
- Ca sonnet written(13 more words not shown)
- Da sonnet written(13 more words not shown)
- Ea sonnet written(16 more words not shown)
Reading the passage
What does Cullen want poetry to do? His ideal is “lofty thoughts beautifully expressed”: substantial subjects, such as love and death, presented with care for form. He prefers controlled forms rather than free experimentation. I'll look for an example that fits both the subject matter and the way he wants it expressed.
Working the answers
- A
This fits his attention to established form, but recreating an earlier style doesn't give us the universal subject matter we're looking for. It's a partial match.
- B
Deliberately disregarding the form's conventions conflicts with his preference for controlled forms.
- C
Artful use of diction and rhythm doesn't mean radical innovation. He can use established techniques skillfully without making formal experimentation his goal.
- D
Romantic love fits his subject matter, but great stylistic freedom doesn't match his preference for controlled forms. It gets the topic right without capturing his approach to expression.
- ECorrect
Careful attention to the sonnet's conventions supplies the form; the inevitability of death supplies the universal subject. The first paragraph specifically names “love and death.” This fits both parts, while A gives us only the formal side.
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