1. Which statement best expresses the central idea of “The New Colossus”?
Main idea: the statue is a symbol of welcome and hope for immigrants and exiles.
2. In the poem, what does the name “Mother of Exiles” suggest about the statue’s role?
Detail: “Mother of Exiles” shows she welcomes and cares for people forced to leave home.
3. Which group of people does the statue explicitly invite to come, according to the poem’s famous lines?
Detail: the poem calls for “your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
4. How does the statue speak to the “ancient lands” when she says, “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!”?
Detail: “storied pomp” stands for proud, showy power that the statue tells ancient lands to keep.
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5. What can you infer about the poet’s attitude toward immigrants arriving in the United States?
Inference: the poem welcomes “tired,” “poor,” and “tempest-tost” people, showing respect and compassion.
6. The poem says the statue cries out with “silent lips.” What does this phrase suggest about how her message is communicated?
Inference: the statue “speaks” through symbolism and text, not an actual voice.
7. The poet contrasts the “brazen giant of Greek fame” with the “mighty woman with a torch.”
What does this contrast suggest about the kind of power the new statue represents?
Inference: rather than showing conquering limbs, the new statue offers light and welcome.
8. At the end of the poem, the statue declares, “I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
What mood or feeling is mainly created by this final image?
Inference: the lifted lamp at a “golden door” suggests hope, guidance, and a warm invitation.
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9. The poem begins, “Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame.”
In this context, “brazen giant” most nearly describes
Vocabulary in context: “brazen giant” refers to a large bronze statue like the Colossus of Rhodes.
10. The poem talks about “imprisoned lightning” in the torch.
What does “imprisoned lightning” most nearly suggest about the torch’s flame?
Vocabulary in context: “imprisoned lightning” suggests a strong, controlled, guiding light.
11. The speaker rejects “ancient lands” with their “storied pomp.”
In this line, “storied pomp” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context: “storied pomp” refers to the showy pride of powerful old nations.
12. The poem speaks of “the wretched refuse” of a “teeming shore” and calls them “tempest-tost.”
In this context, “tempest-tost” most nearly describes people who
Vocabulary in context: “tempest-tost” means people shaken by storms and hardships.
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