Question

Read the excerpt.

From “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd winds slowly o’er the lea, The plowman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me.


What major observation does the speaker make in the first stanza?


A)The speaker notices that the toll of the bell signals the end of the workday.


B)The speaker observes the end of the day as life winds down and darkness sets in.


C)The speaker sees a tired field worker slowly going to work.


D)The speaker watches a herd of cows slowly wander back to the barn.

Answer 1

b

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

Even though all the options seem to mention elements truly present in the stanza, the one that is probably the correct option is: B) The speaker observes the end of the day as life winds down and darkness sets in.

The mentioned elements work as imagery for visualization. The reader can, through this description, picture what the end of the day looks and feels like to the speaker. The bell tolling, the tired worker finally going home, a herd slowing walking on the field... Those images help set the tone for the poem and for the poet's feelings and observations.