Analyze the meanings of 'cruel eye,' 'little ones sigh,' 'little joys,' and 'dismay' in the provided poem excerpt.

a) The 'cruel eye' refers to:
The correct option is i. authoritarian ways of teaching.
The phrase "cruel eye outworn" in the context of children spending the day "in sighing and dismay" refers to the strict and oppressive supervision, typically associated with authoritarian teaching methods in school.

b) The little ones sigh:
The correct option is iii. because they are depressed after spending the whole day in school.
The lines "The little ones spend the day / In sighing and dismay" directly indicate their unhappiness and depression, which the poem attributes to the experience of being in school.

c) What drives the little joys away?
The little joys are driven away by the strict, joyless environment of school and the authoritarian teaching methods that suppress a child's natural inclination for freedom and play.

d) Another word for dismay is:
Another word for dismay is unhappiness or despair.

e) Who are the little ones?
The little ones are the school children.