AP English Literature and Composition 1.6 Passage Drill 6

Although, when you really get up there in years... you do get to take more walks in the park.

But never mind how we feel about it... how does the speaker feel about it?

Does he feel that, because he is too old to be a knight, he is too old to be of any use?

Nah... the fact that he offers to be the queen's beadsman shows that he thinks he's one old

dog who's got room for a new trick... Does he believe that growing older is accompanied

by endless physical and mental trials?

What? No... don't put words in the poor guy's mouth.

He recognizes that he's getting older, and shriveling up like a raisin... but he doesn't

talk about these changes as being "trials." Is he looking forward to the day when his

wisdom will be respected?

Nope. For someone who seems solely concerned about making the queen happy, he probably

isn't quite so... full of himself.

He'd probably be just fine if no one ever recognized his genius.

Does he feel that, though he is too old to serve at court, he can still serve in other ways?

On the nose-y. That's exactly what he says in the final couplet of the poem.

Just to be sure... does he feel he now must spend all his time in prayer as he prepares for death?

Once again... prayer? Yes. For himself... not so much.

Our answer is D.

As in... "Death." The final stage of aging.