Question

which statements about william shakespeare’s sonnets are true? select four options.
□ they have a fixed rhyme scheme and structure.
□ they were the first sonnets ever to be written.
□ they often present a question and an answer.
□ they often present a problem and a solution.
□ they were originally written in italian.
□ they frequently focus upon love and romance.

Explanation:

1. Shakespeare's sonnets (specifically the English sonnet form he used, like the Shakespearean sonnet) have a fixed rhyme scheme (e.g., ABAB CDCD EFEF GG) and structure (14 lines, three quatrains and a couplet), so "They have a fixed rhyme scheme and structure" is true.
2. Sonnets existed before Shakespeare (e.g., Petrarchan sonnets in Italian), so "They were the first sonnets ever to be written" is false.
3. Shakespearean sonnets often present a question or conflict in the quatrains and an answer or resolution in the couplet, so "They often present a question and an answer" is true.
4. The structure of Shakespearean sonnets also involves presenting a problem in the quatrains and a solution in the couplet, so "They often present a problem and a solution" is true.
5. Shakespeare's sonnets were written in English; Petrarchan sonnets were originally in Italian, so "They were originally written in Italian" is false.
6. Many of Shakespeare's sonnets focus on themes of love, romance, beauty, and the passage of time, so "They frequently focus upon love and romance" is true.

Answer:

A. They have a fixed rhyme scheme and structure, C. They often present a question and an answer, D. They often present a problem and a solution, F. They frequently focus upon love and romance