1. different and varied
The word diverse means different and varied. This is further supported by the fact that she runs a flower shop and repairs cars. These two activities are very different from each other.
2. removed it from a protective case
Since the action after unsheathing the knife is cutting the meat, we know that any answer that means he put the knife down is simply not correct. Even though he may have sharpened it before cutting, this is not correct either.
3. on trees
He is speaking in a nostalgic tone remembering the fruit trees from his past while he sees them in the store window.
4. mystical blue
In the poem the speaker says, "mystical blue skies" when he speaks of his homeland.
5. "Set in the window, bringing memories"
We know that what comes next is the description of what he remembers, not where he currently is. While the action of him turning and weeping shows that he is sad, the line doesn't actually show us why.
6. blessing over the food
A benediction is a blessing. The root word /ben/ means good so the definition should have something to do with goodness or appreciation.
7. looking intently
To gaze at something means to look at it intently. You also often aren't looking AT something when you stare into space, close your eyes, or look away.
8. He wants to create a lyrical, rhythmic quality
These words aren't used to create a lyrical, rhythmic quality. They are solely used for characterization and setting. These all show the time period, dialect, and character of his mother.
9. He uses an extended metaphor to compare life’s hardships and successes to a staircase
An extended metaphor is a comparison between two things carried through the entire poem. Hughes introduces the metaphor in the first line and then describes the image of the stair. He carries the metaphor all the way through when he repeats the line "Life for me ain't no crystal stair."
10. Small obstacles that we don’t necessarily see coming and can slow us down or cause harm
This the best answer tacks are small and can cause harm. We might not see them because they are small and they can slow us down. We get past them but they're still obstacles.
