Find my mother on Sixty Six with our comprehensive MCQs. Test your understanding of Kamala Das’s touching poetry and enhance your literary knowledge
Multiple Choice Questions with Answers for “My Mother at Sixty-Six”
My Mother at Sixty Six MCQ
Question 1: Where is the poem’s speaker heading when she observes her mother?
A) To the hospital
B) To Cochin airport
C) To her parent’s home
D) To a friend’s house
[expand title=”View Answer”]Louis XVI: Answer: B) To Cochin airport [/expand]
Question 2: How does the speaker initially react to the realization of her mother’s age?
A) She embraces it with acceptance.
B) She tries to distract herself with the scenery.
C) She expresses her fear directly to her mother.
D) She becomes angry and frustrated.
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: B) She tries to distract herself with the scenery. [/expand]
Question 3: What simile is used to describe the mother’s appearance at the airport?
A) Like a blooming flower
B) Like a weary bird
C) Like a late winter’s moon
D) Like a raging storm
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: C) Like a late winter’s moon [/expand]
Question 4: What childhood fear resurfaces for the speaker in the poem?
A) Fear of the dark
B) Fear of being alone
C) Fear of heights
D) Fear of losing her mother
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: D) Fear of losing her mother [/expand]
Question 5: What is the main theme explored in “My Mother at Sixty-Six”?
A) The joy of travel and adventure
B) The acceptance of aging and mortality
C) The beauty of nature and youth
D) The challenges of mother-daughter relationships
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: B) The acceptance of aging and mortality [/expand]
Question 6: What is the main emotion conveyed by the speaker towards her mother in the poem?
a) Joy
b) Fear
c) Sadness
d) Anger
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: c) Sadness [/expand]
Question7: In the poem, what does the mother’s appearance remind the speaker of?
a) A beautiful sunrise
b) A late winter’s moon
c) A blooming flower
d) A colorful rainbow
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: b) A late winter’s moon [/expand]
Question8 :How does the speaker initially react to seeing her mother dozing in the car?
a) She becomes angry
b) She feels indifferent
c) She experiences fear and sadness
d) She feels a sense of relief
[expand title=”View Answer”] Answer: c) She experiences fear and sadness[/expand]
Question9: What does the imagery of “Young Trees sprinting” symbolize in the poem?
a) The passing of time
b) The resilience of youth
c) The beauty of nature
d) The speaker’s childhood memories
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: b) The resilience of youth [/expand]
Question10 : What is the significance of the phrase “all I did was smile and smile and smile” in the poem?
a) The speaker is genuinely happy to see her mother
b) The speaker is trying to hide her true emotions from her mother
c) The speaker is reminiscing about happier times with her mother
d) The speaker is feeling overwhelmed with sadness
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: b) The speaker is trying to hide her true emotions from her mother [/expand]
Question11: What does the speaker mean by the line “realized with pain that she was as old as she looked”?
a) The speaker regrets aging
b) The speaker is empathizing with her mother’s aging process
c) The speaker is surprised by her mother’s appearance
d) The speaker is critical of her mother’s appearance
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: b) The speaker is empathizing with her mother’s aging process [/expand]
Question12: Which emotion does the speaker experience as she leaves her mother at the airport?
a) Joy
b) Relief
c) Fear
d) Indifference
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: c) Fear [/expand]
Question13 : What does the poet compare her mother’s face to when she sees her at the airport?
a) A blooming flower
b) A cheerful sunrise
c) A late winter’s moon
d) A sparkling star
[expand title=”View Answer”] Answer: c) A late winter’s moon[/expand]
Question14: What does the phrase “doze, open mouthed” suggest about the mother?
a) She is experiencing deep sleep
b) She is tired and exhausted
c) She is in a state of vulnerability
d) She is peacefully resting
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: c) She is in a state of vulnerability [/expand]
Question15 : How does the speaker cope with her emotions at the end of the poem?
a) By expressing her sadness openly
b) By hiding her tears and putting on a brave face
c) By confronting her mother about her fears
d) By seeking comfort from her mother
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: b) By hiding her tears and putting on a brave face [/expand]
Question16: What is the significance of the title “My Mother at Sixty-six” in the poem?
a) It highlights the speaker’s age when the events in the poem take place.
b) It emphasizes the age of the mother and reflects on the passage of time.
c) It symbolizes the mother’s birthday celebration.
d) It represents the speaker’s nostalgic memories of her mother’s younger days.
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: b) It emphasizes the age of the mother and reflects on the passage of time. [/expand]
Question17 : How does the speaker’s perception of her mother change throughout the poem?
a) From admiration to disappointment
b) From indifference to affection
c) From fear to acceptance
d) From denial to realization
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: c) From fear to acceptance [/expand]
Question18: What role does the airport security check play in the poem?
a) It symbolizes the inevitability of departure and separation.
b) It represents the speaker’s fear of flying.
c) It serves as a moment of tension and conflict between the speaker and her mother.
d) It highlights the speaker’s anticipation of a joyful reunion.
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: a) It symbolizes the inevitability of departure and separation. [/expand]
Question19: How does the poet use imagery to evoke emotions in the poem?
a) By describing the mother’s face as “ashen like that of a corpse”
b) By portraying the trees as “sprinting” and children as “merry”
c) By comparing the mother’s face to a “late winter’s moon”
d) All of the above
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: d) All of the above [/expand]
Question20: What does the speaker’s decision to smile despite her inner turmoil reveal about her character?
a) Her resilience and ability to cope with difficult emotions
b) Her tendency to avoid confronting uncomfortable truths
c) Her insensitivity towards her mother’s feelings
d) Her desire to maintain a positive facade for others
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: a) Her resilience and ability to cope with difficult emotions [/expand]
Question21: How does the poem explore the theme of mortality?
a) By portraying the mother as frail and vulnerable
b) By highlighting the inevitability of aging and death
c) By contrasting the vitality of youth with the decay of old age
d) All of the above
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: d) All of the above [/expand]
Question22: What does the speaker’s childhood fear represent in the poem?
a) The fear of losing a loved one
b) The fear of growing old
c) The fear of abandonment
d) The fear of failure
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: a) The fear of losing a loved one [/expand]
Question23: How does the poet create a sense of nostalgia in the poem?
a) By reminiscing about the speaker’s childhood memories
b) By using sensory imagery to evoke past experiences
c) By reflecting on the passage of time and the changes it brings
d) All of the above
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: d) All of the above [/expand]
Question24: What does the phrase “see you soon, Amma” signify in the context of the poem?
a) The speaker’s reluctance to part with her mother
b) The speaker’s hope for a future reunion with her mother
c) The speaker’s acceptance of her mother’s mortality
d) The speaker’s desire to end the conversation
[expand title=”View Answer”] Answer: b) The speaker’s hope for a future reunion with her mother[/expand]
Question25: How does the poem reflect universal themes of love, loss, and the passage of time?
a) By portraying the complex emotions of the speaker towards her aging mother
b) By exploring the inevitability of separation and the pain it brings
c) By examining the changing dynamics of familial relationships over time
d) All of the above
[expand title=”View Answer”]Answer: d) All of the above[/expand]
