Question

click to read loveliest of trees, the cherry now by a. e. housman. then answer the question.

to express the importance of living in the present moment, what word does housman emphasize in the poem?

a. twenty
b. springs
c. now
d. cherry

Explanation:

Analyze the poem's title and theme

The poem is titled "Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now" by A. E. Housman. The inclusion of the word "Now" in both the title and the first line ("Loveliest of trees, the cherry now / Is hung with bloom along the bough") establishes the temporal focus of the work.

Connect the word to the theme of the present moment

The question asks which word Housman emphasizes to express the importance of living in the present moment. The concept of the present moment is directly synonymous with "now." By placing "Now" at the end of the opening line and in the title, Housman emphasizes the immediacy of appreciating life's beauty before time runs out.

Evaluate the multiple-choice options

• (A) "Twenty" refers to the speaker's age ("Now of my threescore years and ten, / Twenty will not come again") and emphasizes time already past.
• (B) "Springs" refers to the measure of years remaining ("And take from seventy springs a score").
• (C) "Now" directly signifies the present moment and is emphasized structurally in the title and opening line.
• (D) "Cherry" is the subject of beauty but does not inherently express the temporal concept of the present moment.

Answer:

• (A) Twenty
• (B) Springs
• (C) Now (Correct answer)
• (D) Cherry