REVISE – Dover Beach #647750 - Prove ed esercizi Zanichelli

STEP 3 Digging deeper

Read the text about one of the contrasts in the poem and complete it with the words given.

The poem is built on the contrast between calm and disturbing elements. At first, the atmosphere suggests harmony and beauty, but the image of the ________ introduces a ________ in tone. This is the ________ to conveying the idea that the calm surface is an ________ that hides a more troubling side. In fact, the speaker describes the ________ of the 'Sea of Faith,' which exposes the harsh, naked reality of the modern age. In this way, the landscape is turned into a symbol of a world moving from ________ to ________.

Revise

Posizionamento

STEP 2 Recognise the imagery

Look at the following images taken from the poem and decide if they reflect tranquillity or turmoil.

1 moonlight on the water ________
2 sweet night-air ________
3 grating roar ________
4 pebbles flung by waves ________
5 tremulous cadence ________
6 eternal note of sadness ________
7 turbid ebb and flow ________
8 bright girdle furled ________

Revise

Completamento chiuso

STEP 5 Think further and prepare for your test: illusion and reality

Read the text which analyses the structure of Dover Beach. Decide if the statements are true or false. Then look at the prompts and write some extra reflections in your exercise book. You can use the final text as revision material for your test.

PROMPTS:
- Refer to STEP 2 and give examples on the positive connotations of sight compared to the negative connotations of sound.
- Refer to STEP 3 and the box 'Themes' in 'All about Matthew Arnold' in your textbook to further discuss Arnold's view of his age.
- Refer to STEP 4 to discuss the role of love in a time of instability.

A:

According to the passage, Dover Beach oscillates between opposite themes.

B:

According to the author, the visual images in the poem are more comforting, while the sounds tend to be disturbing.

C:

The author argues that the speaker accepts the troubling aspects of reality without trying to escape them.

D:

The author notes that the final strategy of the speaker is to try to recreate the previous idyllic state within his own microcosm.

Revise

Vero o falso

STEP 4 Spotlight on the last stanza

Read the statements about the last stanza and select the ones that accurately describe its themes.

A:

Love makes the world completely reassuring and harmonious.

B:

Love is a possible source of stability in an uncertain world.

C:

The world contains multiple and contradictory elements.

D:

The world is celebrated for its scenic beauty.

E:

The final image describes growing chaos and ignorance.

Revise

Scelta multipla

STEP 1 Focus on the content of the poem

Match each stanza to its content. Write the correct letters (A-D) in the gaps.

1 First stanza ________
2 Second stanza ________
3 Third stanza ________
4 Fourth stanza ________

A The speaker connects the sound of the sea to human suffering.
B The speaker invites his lover to find truth and comfort in their relationship.
C The speaker describes a seascape that seems peaceful but also reveals sadness.
D The speaker reflects on the loss of religious faith in the modern world.

Revise

Completamento aperto