Emily Dickinson
Carole Jenkins

(1) Emily Dickinson is regarded as one of the greatest American poets. (2) She was born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts, to a very prominent family. (3) Her childhood was normal, filled with friends, activities, and having fun. (4) As she grew older, she began to isolate herself and even to refuse to leave her home. (5) In her latter years, she wore only white and would not let anyone but her family see her. (6) She spent most of her time alone writing poetry. (7) During her lifetime, she published only seven of her poems, and she published those anonymously. (8) After her death in 1886, her sister discovered packets of her poems in her drawer. (9) Four years later, her first books of poems were published.

(10) Her poetry is wonderful to read. (11) Concrete imagery was used by her to illustrate abstract concepts, such as love and death. (12) Her unusual use of capitalization and punctuation and her use of irregular meter and rhyme make her poetry unique.

Which sentence is the BEST thesis for this passage?
A) Emily Dickinson became a recluse in her latter years.
B) Emily Dickinson's sister found her poems after her death.
C) Emily Dickinson lived an eccentric life and wrote eccentric poetry.
D) Emily Dickinson wrote unusual poetry that challenged conventions of punctuation.
10)
What is the main purpose of this passage?
A) to give information about Emily Dickinson's life and death
B) to give information about Emily Dickinson's life and poetry
C) to give information about Emily Dickinson's poetry and writing
D) to give information about Emily Dickinson's unusual style and punctuation