And the warmth is tangible, swelling around me like an embrace.
I feel at one with so many.
I post.
Strong words, strong feelings.
Fifteen minutes of silence pass by,
and then . . .
a surge of terror.
Did anyone read what I said?
Do they care?
My vulnerability is exposed
to the void.
The void is silent.
Silence is worse than anything.
I put my phone away and pick up a pen.
I sketch like I used to sketch as a child.
BEGINNING OF POEM ATTACHED UNDER THIS AS A FILE
I change the pen for a book, and I read.
Soon, I’m tired, ready for bed, but I see
a red light blinking—a light that perhaps
can wait until tomorrow to claim me.
Read the line from the poem.
We surf the wave of emotions together.
What BEST describes the literal meaning of this line?
Group of answer choices
The speaker and her friends surf the internet together.
The speaker and her friends discuss their emotions together.
The speaker and her friends read something about surfing online.
The speaker and her friends experience joy and rage together.
2 Read the line from the poem.
A scroll unravels, miles and miles of friends, acquaintances, and looser connections still,
What might scroll refer to in this sentence? Choose TWO correct answers.
Group of answer choices
a type of phone that can roll and unroll
an artifact a friend or loved one has discovered
a story about friends and loved ones
a long page of text that can be rolled up
content one can scroll on a phone
3 Read the line from the poem.
A piece of news we chew together, rage in sync, in delicious solidarity.
Select the BEST answer to complete the sentence below:
This line uses ____ to show that the speaker and her friends are engrossed in the same activity with others.
Group of answer choices
metaphor
simile
personification
hyperbole
4 Which is the BEST summary of the poem?
Group of answer choices
The speaker uses social media and marvels at the idea that anyone ever could have felt connected to others without it. Although she experiences some negative feelings too, she feels lucky to be so connected to her friends and is grateful that she is able to access them so easily.
The speaker uses social media but also recognizes that at times it can drain her emotionally. When she feels this happening, she puts her phone away. But ultimately, she appreciates how technology allows her to be connected to her friends whenever she wants.
The speaker wakes up in the morning and is bombarded by notifications on her phone. She feels good about it at first, but feels progressively less good about it as the poem continues. Ultimately, she decided to give up social media altogether after a bad experience.
The speaker wakes up in the morning and picks up her phone. The flood of notifications makes her feel connected to others, but as the day goes on her feelings warm and cool depending on her online interactions. In the evening, she puts her phone away and her emotions even out again.
5 What MAIN theme is developed over the course of the poem?
Group of answer choices
Social media has a negative impact.
Social media is like an ocean.
Social media brings strong highs and lows.
Social media is difficult to avoid.
6 Which two stanzas BEST pair to illustrate the theme of the poem? (support your answer to the previous question)
Group of answer choices
stanzas 2 and 3
stanzas 1 and 6
stanzas 2 and 4
stanzas 3 and 5