Strange Meeting – MCQs (25 Questions)
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How does the speaker escape from the battlefield in "Strange Meeting"?
a) By hiding in a deep tunnel cut through granite by ancient wars
b) By being rescued by fellow soldiers from the trench
c) By surrendering to the enemy forces peacefully
d) By running across no-man's-land toward safety -
What does the speaker discover about his location when he sees the dead soldier's smile?
a) He is still on the battlefield dreaming
b) He stands in a place of suffering beyond earthly warfare
c) He has reached a place of eternal peace and rest
d) He has returned to his camp safely -
According to the dead soldier, what were the "undone years" he mourns most deeply?
a) The years he spent training as a military soldier
b) The lost potential and unfulfilled aspirations cut short by war
c) The years he spent searching for beauty in nature
d) The years he was separated from his family -
What does the soldier mean by "went hunting wild after the wildest beauty in the world"?
a) He hunted wild animals in remote countryside regions
b) He pursued passionate experiences, creativity, and profound truths
c) He searched desperately for a beautiful woman to marry
d) He explored dangerous and distant lands for adventure -
What is the significance of the soldier's statement "I am the enemy you killed, my friend"?
a) The soldier threatens to take revenge on the speaker
b) The speaker and soldier were actually friends before the war
c) Enemies forced by war could have been natural friends in peace
d) The soldier belonged to the same military regiment -
Why does Owen use pararhyming couplets instead of perfect rhymes in the poem?
a) It makes the poem easier for soldiers to memorize quickly
b) It creates discomfort and incompleteness reflecting the poem's mood
c) It provides a pleasant musical rhythm throughout the verses
d) It separates different sections into distinct poetic units -
When the soldier says "not through wounds; not on the cess of war," what does he express?
a) He refuses to help the speaker in any meaningful way
b) He would have given his talents to build, not to destroy life
c) He was afraid of being wounded during brutal combat
d) He did not understand the true purposes of warfare -
What does the setting of Hell primarily symbolize in "Strange Meeting"?
a) A literal place where all dead soldiers must go eternally
b) The eternal punishment of the guilty and morally corrupt
c) The hellish reality of war and psychological torment of soldiers
d) A place of rest and eternal peace away from warfare -
What is Owen's primary anti-war message through "Strange Meeting"?
a) War should be fought more efficiently and with better planning
b) Only defensive wars against invasion can be justified morally
c) War is senseless and destroys human potential and brotherhood
d) War teaches soldiers valuable lessons about courage and duty -
How does the final line "Let us sleep now" function in the poem?
a) The soldiers are exhausted and simply need physical rest
b) The line suggests surrender to fate and longing for escape from conflict
c) It indicates the soldiers will soon awake and return to fighting
d) It shows the speaker has fully forgiven his enemy for killing him -
What does the tunnel "profound" and "dull" represent in the poem's opening?
a) A physical passage to underground military fortifications for safety
b) The dark accumulated weight of historical violence and warfare
c) A peaceful refuge created by nature for escaping from conflict
d) An ordinary tunnel system used by soldiers during regular patrols -
Why does the soldier have "a thousand fears graining" his face?
a) He fears the speaker will attack him again in this strange place
b) He carries deep trauma and anguish etched into his appearance
c) He worries about his family suffering back in his homeland
d) He is afraid of being punished by God in the afterlife -
What does Owen suggest by having no blood or gunfire in Hell?
a) The afterlife is safer and more peaceful than the battlefield
b) War's true horrors exist in the mind and spirit, not just physical violence
c) The soldiers are finally safe from all forms of military conflict
d) Hell is an inappropriate setting for discussing war's consequences -
What does the phrase "encumbered sleepers" suggest about the soldiers in Hell?
a) The soldiers are resting peacefully on comfortable accommodations
b) The dead are burdened by invisible psychological weights and trauma
c) The soldiers are sleeping through boredom and lack of activity
d) They are trapped in a state of eternal, undisturbed slumber -
How does the soldier's pursuit of "wildest beauty" relate to his present state?
a) He successfully found the beauty and truth he was seeking before death
b) The contrast shows how war destroyed his dreams and creative potential
c) His pursuit was insignificant compared to military accomplishments
d) He abandoned his search for beauty to become a soldier -
What does Owen imply about the soldiers' roles in society through the poem?
a) Soldiers are primarily trained to follow orders without questioning
b) These young men possessed talents that could have benefited civilization greatly
c) Most soldiers had limited education and intellectual capabilities
d) The soldiers were content with simple military lives -
Why is the meeting between the two soldiers called "strange"?
a) Both soldiers are from different countries and cultures
b) The encounter is unexpected, surreal, and paradoxically friendly between enemies
c) Neither soldier recognizes the other from their time in the trenches
d) The meeting occurs during a rare break in violent combat -
What does the soldier mean by "pour his spirit without stint"?
a) Give generously without limitation or hesitation to destructive causes
b) Contribute freely and unreservedly to constructive and positive purposes
c) Express emotions openly and without any emotional self-control
d) Pour his blood and life force as a sacrifice for his nation -
How does Owen use the concept of shared humanity against nationalism in the poem?
a) He argues that all nations are equally guilty of starting wars
b) He shows that enemies share values and brotherhood transcending national boundaries
c) He suggests that soldiers should refuse to fight for their countries
d) He demonstrates that some nations are more civilized than others -
What tone dominates the soldier's dialogue in the latter part of the poem?
a) Angry and bitter about his fate and the unfairness of war
b) Hopeful that his sacrifice will inspire future generations of people
c) Resigned and melancholic about the irreversible loss and tragedy
d) Proud and satisfied with his military service and accomplishments -
What does the phrase "sullen hall" convey about the setting of the poem?
a) A cheerful gathering place where soldiers celebrate their reunion
b) A moody, gloomy place lacking warmth, hope, or joy
c) A formal military headquarters with strict protocols and rules
d) A temporary shelter for soldiers resting between battle operations -
How does Owen's choice of the tunnel as an escape route relate to the poem's theme?
a) Tunnels represent the safest method for soldiers to escape danger
b) The tunnel symbolizes how warfare has hollowed out human civilization historically
c) Escape through tunnels demonstrates the wisdom of underground military strategy
d) The tunnel serves as a literal pathway to safety and peaceful rest -
What does "wash the chariot-wheels with truths" suggest about the soldier's intentions?
a) The soldier intended to clean weapons before each military operation
b) He wished to use his wisdom to advance civilization and human progress
c) He planned to document historical truths about military campaigns
d) He wanted to purify soldiers of guilt before returning to combat -
Why does Owen emphasize that the soldiers' hands were "loath and cold"?
a) The hands were physically numb from exposure to cold weather conditions
b) The soldiers were reluctant killers, emotionally detached from their actions
c) The hands were weakened by injury and prevented proper fighting
d) The soldiers were afraid and unwilling to shake hands in greeting -
What universal message about war does Owen communicate through this poem?
a) War is necessary for protecting national interests and cultural values
b) War destroys human potential and transforms brothers into reluctant killers
c) War serves as training for developing strength and character in soldiers
d) War is a natural expression of human competitive and aggressive instincts
Answer Key
i) a – He escapes through a tunnel
ii) b – He realizes he is in a place of suffering beyond the battlefield
iii) b – Lost potential and unfulfilled aspirations
iv) b – Pursued passionate experiences, creativity, and profound truths
v) c – Enemies forced by war could have been natural friends in peace
vi) b – Creates discomfort and incompleteness reflecting the poem's mood
vii) b – He would have given his talents to build, not to destroy
viii) c – The hellish reality of war and psychological torment of soldiers
ix) c – War is senseless and destroys human potential and brotherhood
x) b – The line suggests surrender to fate and longing for escape from conflict
xi) b – The dark accumulated weight of historical violence and warfare
xii) b – He carries deep trauma and anguish etched into his appearance
xiii) b – War's true horrors exist in the mind and spirit, not just physical violence
xiv) b – The dead are burdened by invisible psychological weights and trauma
xv) b – The contrast shows how war destroyed his dreams and creative potential
xvi) b – These young men possessed talents that could have benefited civilization
xvii) b – The encounter is unexpected, surreal, and paradoxically friendly between enemies
xviii) b – Contribute freely and unreservedly to constructive and positive purposes
xix) b – He shows that enemies share values and brotherhood transcending nations
xx) c – Resigned and melancholic about the irreversible loss and tragedy
xxi) b – A moody, gloomy place lacking warmth, hope, or joy
xxii) b – The tunnel symbolizes how warfare has hollowed out human civilization
xxiii) b – He wished to use his wisdom to advance civilization and human progress
xxiv) b – The soldiers were reluctant killers, emotionally detached from actions
xxv) b – War destroys human potential and transforms brothers into reluctant killers