Worksheet: "A Photograph" by
Shirley Toulson
MCQ’S
1. What is the central theme of the poem "A Photograph"?
a) Nature
b) Family
c) Memory and loss
d) Adventure
2. Who is the main subject in the photograph mentioned in the poem?
a) The poet
b) The poet's mother
c) The poet's father
d) The poet's friend
3. At what age was the poet's mother when the photograph was taken?
a) Eleven
b) Twelve
c) Thirteen
d) Fourteen
4. What does the photograph depict?
a) A family gathering
b) A wedding
c) A day at the beach
d) A birthday party
5. How many years have passed since the photograph was taken?
a) Thirty
b) Forty
c) Fifty
d) Sixty
6. What is the poet's mother doing in the photograph?
a) Laughing
b) Smiling
c) Crying
d) Sleeping
7. Who are the other two people in the photograph with the poet's mother?
a) Her parents
b) Her siblings
c) Her cousins
d) Her friends
8. How does the poet describe the sea in the photograph?
a) Eternal
b) Vast
c) Unchanging
d) Beautiful
9. How does the poet's mother react when she looks at the photograph?
a) She laughs
b) She cries
c) She remains silent
d) She sighs
10. How does the poet feel when she looks at the photograph now?
a) Happy
b) Nostalgic
c) Indifferent
d) Sad
11. What is the poet’s mother's state at the present time in the poem?
a) Alive
b) Missing
c) Deceased
d) Traveling
12. How does the poet describe her mother's face in the photograph?
a) Radiant
b) Sun-tanned
c) Pale
d) Wrinkled
13. What has happened to the poet's mother since the photograph was taken?
a) She has aged gracefully
b) She has passed away
c) She has moved abroad
d) She has retired
14. How long has it been since the poet's mother passed away?
a) Twelve years
b) Thirteen years
c) Fourteen years
d) Fifteen years
15. What does the sea symbolize in the poem?
a) The passage of time
b) Life's challenges
c) The beauty of nature
d) The constancy of change
16. The phrase "both wry with the laboured ease of loss" suggests what?
a) Joyful remembrance
b) Effortless ease
c) Bittersweet acceptance
d) Confused recollection
17. The poet's mother's laughter in the photograph is described as:
a) Carefree
b) Forced
c) Sad
d) Mischievous
18. What does the photograph symbolize for the poet?
a) A reminder of a happy day
b) A relic of the past
c) A painful memory
d) A cherished moment
