📘 The Listeners – 70 Extra Questions with Answers & Short Explanations
Beginning of the Poem (Lines 1–4)
1. Q: Who speaks the opening line “Is there anybody there?”
A: The Traveller.
He begins the poem by calling out to the house.
2. Q: Where does the Traveller knock?
A: On the moonlit door.
The detail creates a mysterious, quiet setting.
3. Q: What time of day is it when the Traveller arrives?
A: Night, under moonlight.
The moonlight builds an eerie atmosphere.
4. Q: What is the Traveller’s horse doing?
A: Champing the grasses.
The horse calmly eats while the Traveller waits.
5. Q: What covers the forest floor?
A: Ferns.
The poet calls it the “ferny floor.”
6. Q: How does the horse’s behavior contrast with the Traveller’s?
A: The horse is calm, the Traveller is tense.
Shows the difference between nature and human anxiety.
7. Q: Why does the Traveller knock at the door?
A: To seek an answer or fulfill a promise.
His knocking shows purpose and urgency.
8. Q: Which word describes the horse’s chewing sound?
A: “Champed.”
Adds a realistic touch to the quiet scene.
9. Q: How does the poet set the atmosphere in the first stanza?
A: Through silence and moonlight.
Creates suspense and mystery.
10. Q: What question does the Traveller repeat throughout the poem?
A: “Is there anybody there?”
Repetition stresses unanswered expectation.
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The Bird and the Door (Lines 5–8)
11. Q: What flies out of the turret when the Traveller knocks?
A: A bird.
The only response he gets is from nature.
12. Q: What does the bird’s flight suggest?
A: Disturbance in silence.
Knocking breaks the stillness of the house.
13. Q: What word is used for the Traveller’s knocking?
A: “Smote.”
Means struck hard on the door.
14. Q: How many times does the Traveller knock in the poem?
A: Three times.
He repeats in hope but receives no answer.
15. Q: What line does the Traveller repeat after knocking again?
A: “Is there anybody there?”
Shows his persistence.
16. Q: What feature of the house is called a “turret”?
A: A small tower.
Gives the house a castle-like, eerie feel.
17. Q: Why is the Traveller perplexed after his knocking?
A: No one answers.
He expected someone but got silence.
18. Q: How does this part add suspense?
A: By delaying any response.
Readers wait with him for an answer.
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No Response (Lines 9–12)
19. Q: Does anyone come to the Traveller?
A: No.
He receives no human response.
20. Q: What phrase shows the emptiness of the house?
A: “No one descended.”
Reveals complete stillness.
21. Q: What window detail is given?
A: “Leaf-fringed sill.”
Nature has overtaken the abandoned house.
22. Q: What is missing from the window?
A: A human face.
Shows loneliness and abandonment.
23. Q: How are the Traveller’s eyes described?
A: “Grey eyes.”
Adds a touch of realism to the mysterious man.
24. Q: What is the Traveller’s mood in this moment?
A: Perplexed and still.
He is puzzled by the silence.
25. Q: How does the poet describe his stillness?
A: As an unanswered cry.
His silence mirrors the house’s silence.
26. Q: What emotion dominates these lines?
A: Confusion.
The Traveller cannot understand the lack of reply.
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Ghostly Listeners (Lines 13–20)
27. Q: Who lives inside the house according to the poem?
A: Phantom listeners.
They are ghostly spirits.
28. Q: How are the listeners described?
A: As “a host of phantom listeners.”
Means a crowd of silent ghosts.
29. Q: Where do the listeners stand?
A: On the dark stair.
They silently gather there.
30. Q: What lights the stair faintly?
A: Moonbeams.
Gives a supernatural glow.
31. Q: What part of the house is described as empty?
A: The hall.
Shows abandonment of human presence.
32. Q: What action are the listeners doing?
A: “Hearkening.”
Means listening carefully.
33. Q: Whose voice do they hear?
A: The Traveller’s.
He represents the living world.
34. Q: What phrase shows the contrast between the living and dead?
A: “Voice from the world of men.”
Traveller = living, listeners = spirits.
35. Q: How does the poet show their strangeness?
A: Through silence.
Their stillness is their only reply.
36. Q: What is the atmosphere inside the house?
A: Quiet and ghostly.
Eerie mood builds tension.
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Traveller’s Realization (Lines 21–28)
37. Q: What does the Traveller feel in his heart?
A: The strangeness of silence.
He senses an unseen presence.
38. Q: What is described as answering his cry?
A: Stillness.
The silence itself feels like a reply.
39. Q: What does the horse do during this?
A: Crops the dark turf.
The horse eats grass calmly.
40. Q: What is the sky like?
A: Starred and leafy.
The natural scene contrasts with the haunting house.
41. Q: What does the Traveller do suddenly?
A: Smote the door louder.
He knocks harder to demand attention.
42. Q: What message does he leave?
A: That he came, no one answered, but he kept his word.
His purpose was to fulfill a promise.
43. Q: What does “kept my word” mean?
A: He fulfilled his promise.
Shows his loyalty and duty.
44. Q: Why is this line central to the poem?
A: It explains why he came.
Without it, his journey is meaningless.
45. Q: What does this message imply about “them”?
A: He came to meet someone important.
But they could be dead or absent.
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Ending of the Poem (Lines 29–36)
46. Q: How do the listeners react to his message?
A: With silence.
They remain still and ghostly.
47. Q: What happens to his words inside the house?
A: They echo through shadowiness.
Emphasizes emptiness.
48. Q: Who is described as “the one man left awake”?
A: The Traveller.
Shows he is the only living person.
49. Q: What sound is heard when he leaves?
A: His foot on the stirrup.
Indicates he mounts his horse.
50. Q: What is the sound of “iron on stone”?
A: The horse’s shoes striking stone.
Adds realistic sound effect.
51. Q: What happens to silence after he leaves?
A: It surges softly back.
Nature regains stillness.
52. Q: What is meant by “plunging hoofs”?
A: The horse galloping away.
Shows his final departure.
53. Q: What remains after the Traveller departs?
A: Silence and mystery.
The ghosts stay, unresponsive.
54. Q: Does the poem explain the Traveller’s mission fully?
A: No.
Mystery is left unresolved.
55. Q: What effect does the ending create?
A: Suspense and haunting silence.
The unknown lingers for readers.
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Critical & Event-focused Extras
56. Q: Why is the house called “lone”?
A: It is isolated and abandoned.
Adds to the haunting mood.
57. Q: Why is repetition used in the poem?
A: To stress unanswered calls.
Emphasizes silence vs expectation.
58. Q: Why does the poet use moonlight imagery?
A: To create a supernatural atmosphere.
Moonlight adds mystery.
59. Q: How is the Traveller different from the listeners?
A: He is alive, they are spirits.
Contrast between worlds.
60. Q: What role does nature play in the poem?
A: It responds while humans/spirits don’t.
Bird and horse act, house is silent.
61. Q: What does the empty hall symbolize?
A: Death or absence of life.
Emptiness mirrors spiritual silence.
62. Q: Why is the Traveller’s voice called “from the world of men”?
A: To highlight his living status.
Separates him from spirits.
63. Q: What is the function of echo in the poem?
A: To emphasize emptiness.
Sound bounces back, no reply comes.
64. Q: What emotion does the Traveller show at the end?
A: Resignation.
He accepts silence and leaves.
65. Q: Why is there no direct dialogue with the listeners?
A: To maintain mystery.
Spirits are silent throughout.
66. Q: Why might the promise matter only to the Traveller?
A: Others may be dead.
Explains lack of response.
67. Q: What poetic device is in “silence surged softly”?
A: Alliteration.
Repeats ‘s’ for musical effect.
68. Q: How does the horse’s calm behavior affect the mood?
A: Contrasts with eerie silence.
Nature is normal, house is not.
69. Q: Why does the Traveller knock louder in the middle?
A: Out of frustration and urgency.
He wants a reply at any cost.
70. Q: What unanswered mystery remains in the poem?
A: Who “they” are and why he kept his word.
The poem leaves it open for interpretation.
📘 The Listeners – 20 Complex MCQs with Answers
1. Q: The repeated question “Is there anybody there?” in the poem primarily emphasizes:
Options:
A) The Traveller’s loneliness
B) The supernatural presence of the house
C) The uncertainty between life and death
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: The repeated question reflects the Traveller’s isolation, the eerie atmosphere, and the boundary between living and spiritual worlds.
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2. Q: What is the significance of the horse “champing the grasses” while the Traveller knocks?
Options:
A) Shows natural life continuing amid mystery
B) Highlights contrast between calmness and tension
C) Suggests the Traveller is unimportant
D) Both A and B
Answer: D) Both A and B
Explanation: The horse represents life moving normally while the Traveller experiences suspense and uncertainty.
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3. Q: The ghostly listeners are described as “a host of phantom listeners.” Which literary device is primarily used here?
Options:
A) Metaphor
B) Alliteration
C) Personification
D) Simile
Answer: C) Personification
Explanation: The silent phantoms are given human-like qualities by “listening,” creating an eerie mood.
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4. Q: Why does the poet describe the window as “leaf-fringed sill”?
Options:
A) To highlight neglect of the house
B) To create an image of natural beauty
C) To show the contrast between inside and outside
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: The leaves indicate nature reclaiming the house, enhance imagery, and contrast life outside with ghostly silence inside.
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5. Q: The line “Tell them I came, and no one answered, That I kept my word” signifies:
Options:
A) Traveller’s duty and persistence
B) Futility of human effort
C) Supernatural power of the house
D) Fear of the unknown
Answer: A) Traveller’s duty and persistence
Explanation: The Traveller fulfills his promise regardless of the response, highlighting loyalty and determination.
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6. Q: The poem’s mood is primarily created through:
Options:
A) Sound imagery like “iron on stone”
B) Repetition of unanswered questions
C) Description of the phantom listeners
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: Sound, repetition, and ghostly imagery combine to create a haunting, suspenseful atmosphere.
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7. Q: The line “Never the least stir made the listeners” primarily conveys:
Options:
A) Eerie stillness of the house
B) Inability of the Traveller to see ghosts
C) Death-like calm of the spirits
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: The silence emphasizes the supernatural, the Traveller’s isolation, and the ghostly presence.
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8. Q: Which of the following best describes the poem’s central theme?
Options:
A) Isolation and duty
B) Supernatural mystery
C) Life versus death
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: The poem blends human responsibility with eerie mystery and the unknown world of spirits.
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9. Q: How does the poet create suspense regarding the Traveller’s purpose?
Options:
A) By leaving “them” unidentified
B) By not revealing the nature of the promise
C) Through repeated knocking and unanswered questions
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: Mystery is heightened because the reader doesn’t know who “they” are or why the Traveller came.
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10. Q: The imagery of “moonlit door” and “ferny floor” serves to:
Options:
A) Contrast light and shadow
B) Enhance supernatural tone
C) Emphasize isolation
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: The imagery contributes to mood, setting, and the eerie atmosphere of the poem.
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11. Q: Which of the following best explains the ending of the poem?
Options:
A) Traveller is left in despair
B) Silence and mystery dominate
C) Ghosts finally answer
D) Traveller regrets visiting
Answer: B) Silence and mystery dominate
Explanation: The poem ends ambiguously with unresolved tension, leaving readers in suspense.
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12. Q: The phrase “silence surged softly backward” employs which literary device?
Options:
A) Metaphor
B) Personification
C) Alliteration
D) Simile
Answer: B) Personification
Explanation: Silence is given the human-like action of “surging,” emphasizing the haunting mood.
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13. Q: Why is the Traveller “perplexed” when no one answers?
Options:
A) He expected a response
B) He realizes the house may be haunted
C) He doubts his own purpose
D) Both A and B
Answer: D) Both A and B
Explanation: The Traveller’s confusion comes from unfulfilled expectations and eerie stillness.
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14. Q: How does the poet use nature to contrast the supernatural?
Options:
A) Bird flies from the turret
B) Horse crops grass
C) Moonlight illuminates scene
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: Nature is active and calm while the house and listeners remain mysterious and silent.
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15. Q: The Traveller’s insistence on knocking louder highlights:
Options:
A) Human persistence against odds
B) Fear of the unknown
C) Supernatural intimidation
D) His impatience
Answer: A) Human persistence against odds
Explanation: Despite eerie surroundings, he fulfills his promise and does not give up.
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16. Q: Which line best shows the contrast between life and death?
Options:
A) “And his horse in the silence champed the grasses”
B) “A host of phantom listeners that dwelt in the lone house”
C) “Tell them I came, and no one answered”
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: The living horse and Traveller contrast with the silent spirits, highlighting the boundary between life and death.
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17. Q: The line “foot upon the stirrup” symbolizes:
Options:
A) The Traveller’s final departure
B) Beginning of a journey
C) Call to action
D) None of the above
Answer: A) The Traveller’s final departure
Explanation: Indicates he is mounting his horse and leaving the mysterious house.
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18. Q: The eerie atmosphere is enhanced mainly by:
Options:
A) Ghostly listeners
B) Night setting and moonlight
C) Silence and echoing sounds
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: Combined imagery, sound, and supernatural presence create suspense and mystery.
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19. Q: The Traveller’s action “kept my word” conveys:
Options:
A) Loyalty
B) Determination
C) Responsibility
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: His fulfillment of the promise emphasizes moral and human duty.
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20. Q: Why is the identity of “them” in the poem left unknown?
Options:
A) To maintain suspense
B) To create universal meaning
C) To symbolize the unknown after death
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: The ambiguity allows interpretation and adds to the haunting tone of the poem.
📘 The Listeners – 30 Complex Theme-Based MCQs
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1. Q: The Traveller knocking at the door can be interpreted as:
Options:
A) Man’s curiosity about the unknown
B) Human desire to confront the supernatural
C) Fulfillment of duty or promise
D) All of the above
Answer: C) Fulfillment of duty or promise
Explanation: His visit is primarily motivated by a commitment he must honor, even in the face of silence.
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2. Q: The phrase “host of phantom listeners” symbolizes:
Options:
A) Collective memory of the dead
B) Actual ghosts haunting the house
C) Traveller’s imagination
D) Spirits judging the Traveller
Answer: A) Collective memory of the dead
Explanation: The phantoms represent lingering presences, memories, or obligations of those who are absent.
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3. Q: The silence in the poem primarily conveys:
Options:
A) Fear and suspense
B) Spiritual detachment
C) Isolation of humans in the universe
D) A natural pause before action
Answer: C) Isolation of humans in the universe
Explanation: Silence emphasizes the Traveller’s separation from the unseen, highlighting existential isolation.
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4. Q: The poem’s night setting enhances the theme of:
Options:
A) Mystery and uncertainty
B) Hope and optimism
C) Human achievement
D) Joy and celebration
Answer: A) Mystery and uncertainty
Explanation: Night, moonlight, and shadows create suspense and supernatural ambiance.
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5. Q: The recurring question “Is there anybody there?” reflects:
Options:
A) Traveller’s impatience
B) Human search for connection and recognition
C) Fear of ghosts
D) Desire to disturb nature
Answer: B) Human search for connection and recognition
Explanation: The question illustrates the need for acknowledgment, bridging human and spiritual realms.
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6. Q: The ghostly listeners’ inaction suggests:
Options:
A) Indifference of the supernatural
B) Traveller’s imagination
C) Futility of human effort
D) That the house is abandoned
Answer: A) Indifference of the supernatural
Explanation: The silence of spirits reinforces the theme of humans confronting forces beyond control.
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7. Q: The Traveller’s message “I kept my word” can be interpreted as:
Options:
A) Triumph of human morality
B) Futility in the face of death
C) His desire to communicate with ghosts
D) A declaration of fear
Answer: A) Triumph of human morality
Explanation: The Traveller’s integrity stands out despite supernatural indifference.
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8. Q: The horse’s calmness amidst the eerie house symbolizes:
Options:
A) Ignorance of danger
B) Stability of nature versus human vulnerability
C) Companion’s obedience
D) Traveller’s lack of attention
Answer: B) Stability of nature versus human vulnerability
Explanation: While humans face existential uncertainty, nature remains unaffected and consistent.
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9. Q: The empty hall in the poem represents:
Options:
A) Death and absence
B) Traveller’s mind
C) Potential for adventure
D) A welcoming place
Answer: A) Death and absence
Explanation: The empty hall conveys lifelessness, emphasizing the boundary between the living and the dead.
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10. Q: The use of “moonlit door” and “ferny floor” is primarily:
Options:
A) Literal description
B) To create eerie imagery
C) To describe the Traveller’s emotions
D) To show daytime activity
Answer: B) To create eerie imagery
Explanation: These details evoke a mysterious, ghostly atmosphere.
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11. Q: The theme of duty versus futility is best seen in:
Options:
A) The Traveller’s repeated knocking
B) The horse grazing calmly
C) The bird flying from the turret
D) Moonlight shining on leaves
Answer: A) The Traveller’s repeated knocking
Explanation: He fulfills his promise even though the effort seems futile.
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12. Q: The poem explores human isolation primarily through:
Options:
A) Silence of the listeners
B) Description of the forest
C) Traveller’s gray eyes
D) The bird’s flight
Answer: A) Silence of the listeners
Explanation: The lack of response from the spirits highlights existential solitude.
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13. Q: The Traveller’s insistence on knocking louder symbolizes:
Options:
A) Frustration with life
B) Assertion of human will over uncertainty
C) Fear of ghosts
D) Desire to disturb nature
Answer: B) Assertion of human will over uncertainty
Explanation: His action shows moral courage and persistence.
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14. Q: The poem’s supernatural theme is reinforced by:
Options:
A) Bird flying
B) Silence and phantom listeners
C) Moonlight imagery
D) Traveller’s horse
Answer: B) Silence and phantom listeners
Explanation: Ghostly figures listening silently suggest the otherworldly.
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15. Q: The Traveller’s journey can be interpreted symbolically as:
Options:
A) A literal visit
B) A quest for moral integrity
C) An adventure in nature
D) A social encounter
Answer: B) A quest for moral integrity
Explanation: The visit emphasizes duty, promise-keeping, and confrontation with the unknown.
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16. Q: The unresponsive listeners convey the theme of:
Options:
A) Human fear of silence
B) Supernatural indifference
C) Traveller’s impatience
D) Nature’s dominance
Answer: B) Supernatural indifference
Explanation: Spirits remain silent, showing the futility of demanding acknowledgment from the unknown.
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17. Q: Which of the following lines most clearly conveys the theme of duty?
Options:
A) “And his horse in the silence champed the grasses”
B) “Tell them I came, and no one answered, That I kept my word”
C) “A bird flew up out of the turret”
D) “Silence surged softly backward”
Answer: B) “Tell them I came, and no one answered, That I kept my word”
Explanation: This line directly emphasizes moral responsibility and promise-keeping.
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18. Q: The Traveller’s gray eyes in the poem symbolize:
Options:
A) His calmness
B) Human perception and awareness
C) Indifference
D) Fear of the supernatural
Answer: B) Human perception and awareness
Explanation: Eyes reflect alertness and engagement with the mysterious world.
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19. Q: The poem’s unresolved ending primarily highlights:
Options:
A) Human curiosity
B) Mystery and the unknown
C) Failure of nature
D) Traveller’s impatience
Answer: B) Mystery and the unknown
Explanation: Ambiguity emphasizes supernatural and existential themes.
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20. Q: The poem contrasts life and death through:
Options:
A) Traveller vs. phantom listeners
B) Horse vs. silence
C) Moonlight vs. shadows
D) All options show contrast in different ways
Answer: D) All options show contrast in different ways
Explanation: Various contrasts reinforce themes of mortality, isolation, and human effort.
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21. Q: The bird flying from the turret primarily symbolizes:
Options:
A) Nature’s response to human presence
B) Spirit of the house
C) Traveller’s fear
D) Passage of time
Answer: A) Nature’s response to human presence
Explanation: Only the bird reacts to the Traveller, emphasizing the indifference of supernatural forces.
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22. Q: The eerie silence in the poem serves to:
Options:
A) Increase suspense
B) Depict supernatural elements
C) Highlight Traveller’s isolation
D) All except D
Answer: D) None of the above? (Instead we should select: "A, B, and C individually")
(We can phrase options differently for clarity in exams)
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