MODULES FOR POEMS & NOVELS - AZALINA.docx

LITERATURE COMPONENT MODULES ON POEMS & NOVELS (FORMS 1 – 5)

Prepared By Azalina Bt Mohd Yusoff SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra Kelantan

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PREFACE In our secondary school syllabus, the aim of the literature component is primarily to enhance and enrich our students’ English proficiency. Different texts are used in various forms such as short stories, dramas or plays, poems and novels. These texts are a mix of local and non-local literary texts. The literature component in the classroom is also to contribute to our students’ “personal development and character building, and to widen their outlook of the world” (The Education Blueprint 2013-2025).

This compilation of modules comprises the new poems for forms 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as well as the new novel for PT3, We didn’t Mean to Go to Sea and for SPM, Sing to the Dawn. The focus of this compilation is on poems and novels simply because these literary texts are the ones tested in PT3 and SPM.

Teachers and students can benefit from the modules because they contain useful notes, questions that are of both LOTS (Lower Order Thinking Skills) and HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) as well as suggested answers. Since these poems and the SPM novel are new, not many references can be found in the market or on the Internet. It is with sincere hope that this compilation will be able to make teaching and learning poems and novels FUN and FRUITFUL.

On a more personal and lighter note, I would like to say that this compilation is made sincerely from my heart, based on my knowledge, skills and experience as a teacher, facilitator, key personnel and an examiner in the past. What is written may not be the most complete or the best guide but I do hope that the modules can help both teachers and students in some ways. Feel free to “adopt and adapt” to suit the ability or proficiency of the students and to share these modules with others. By the way, you may also have to make some adjustments to the font or print due to the possible incompatibility or difference of Microsoft word document type when the modules are copied or downloaded. ~ AZALINA ~ 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages 1. Sad I Ams (Form 1 poem)

4 - 10

2. News Break (Form 1 poem)

11 - 16

3. My Hero (Form 2 poem)

17 - 23

4. What is Red? (Form 2 poem)

24 - 30

5. The Day the Bulldozers Came (Form 3 poem)

31 - 35

6. Poisoned Talk (Form 3 poem)

36 - 40

7. The Living Photograph (Form 4 poem)

41 - 45

8. The Charge of the Light Brigade (Form 4 poem)

46 - 54

9. A Poison Tree (Form 5 poem)

55 - 61

10.

What Has Happened to Lulu? (Form 5 poem)

62 -67

11.

We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea (Form 3 novel)

68 - 75

12.

Sing to the Dawn (Form 5 novel)

76 - 94

13.

Answers (Poems)

95–114

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Literature Component: POEMS (Form 1)

Sad I Ams & News Break Prepared by: Puan Azalina Mohd Yusoff SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra

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Sad I Ams

By Trevor Millum

The poet’s background Trevor Millum is an ex-English teacher and has been Director of the National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE). He has written widely on poetry, creativity and the use of ICT in English and is also well known as a children’s author. Trevor Millum has published several books of poetry for children including Warning – Too Much Schooling Can Damage Your Health, A Stegosaurus is for Life and other animal poems and, in collaboration with Bernard Young, Double Talk. His poems also appear in many children’s anthologies. Trevor has also published many short stories and one novel The Curious Case of Dr Mann. In addition to raising money through sonnet-writing marathons, he writes educational materials, books and articles on ICT, creativity and English.

Sad I Ams I am the ring from an empty Cola can the scrapings from an unwashed porridge pan the severed arm of last year’s Action Man. I am the envelope on which the gum is gone the Sellotape where you can’t find the end the toothless stapler, springless bulldog clip the dried up liquid paper that mars instead of mends the stamped addressed reply that you forgot to send.

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I am the battery in which no charge is left the starter motor which remains inert the tyre on which the tread is worn the sparking plug which shows no sign of spark the carburettor choked by bits and dirt the chromium trim from which the shine has gone. I am a garden overgrown with weeds a library book that no one ever reads a stray which no one thinks to feed the piece of good advice which no one seems to need.

Stanza One Line no. 1

Line

Interpretation The persona thinks/feels that he is like…

I am

2

the ring

3

from an empty Cola can

4

the scrapings

5

from an unwashed porridge pan

6

the severed arm

7

of last year’s Action Man.

The ring of a can which people always throw after opening the can before drinking The food that is stuck at the bottom of a pan which people scrape off/remove before washing the pan The broken arm of a toy (called Action Man) which was bought/used last year.

Stanza Two Line no. 1

Line

Interpretation The persona thinks/feels that he is like…

I am

2

the envelope

The envelope which cannot be used because the glue is not sticky anymore

3

on which the gum is gone

4

the Sellotape

5

where you can’t find the end

6

the toothless stapler, springless bulldog clip

7

the dried-up liquid paper

8

that mars instead of mends

6

The cellophane tape that angers/annoys/ Irritates people because they cannot find the end of it The things that anger/annoy/irritate people such as a stapler that has no bullets/staples in it or a clip that has no spring/grip, so they are useless when people need them The liquid paper that cannot be used anymore because it has dried up. It smudges/dirties the paper (mars) than it helps (mends) to erase/correct the mistake

9

the stamped addressed reply

10

that you forgot

11

to send.

The letter (as a reply to someone) which you already wrote the address and put a stamp on, but sadly you forgot to post it!

Stanza Three Line no. 1

Line

Interpretation The persona thinks/feels that he is like…

I am

2

the battery in which no charge is left

3

the starter motor which remains inert

4

the tyre on which the tread is worn

5

the sparking plug which shows no sign of spark the carburettor choked by bits and dirt

6 7

the chromium trim from which the shine has gone.

The battery that cannot be charged at all, so it is now useless The motor/engine that has no power The tyre that is already worn out and dangerous to be used, so it has to be replaced with a new one The sparking plug that does not work The carburettor cannot function because it is filled with dirt and dust The metal plating that is no longer shiny.

Stanza Four Line no. 1

Line

Interpretation The persona thinks/feels that he is like…

I am

2

a garden

3

overgrown with weeds

4

a library book

5

that no one ever reads

6

a stray

7

that no one thinks to feed

8

the piece of good advice

9

which no one seems to need.

A garden which is neglected (not being taken care of) A book in the library that nobody is interested to borrow/read A stray animal that is not being given food by anybody An advice which is very good but nobody wants to follow it.

FOCUS on FEELINGS: STANZA1 : feeling unwanted STANZA2 : feeling useless STANZA 3 : feeling old STANZA4 : feeling neglected

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THEMES:  Sadness  Self-pity  Loneliness MORAL VALUES:  Confidence  Determination  Positive attitude  Courage  Appreciation  Gratitude MORAL LESSONS:  Self-confidence is the key to personal success  We must be determined to improve ourselves for the better  Always try to be positive in life  Be brave/courageous in everything we do  Appreciate what we have  Appreciate others  Be grateful to God for His blessings PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. Where does the ring come from? ______________________________________ 2. Where do the scrapings come from? ___________________________________ 3. What is Action Man? _______________________________________________ STANZA 2 List the problems of the following: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

Envelope ____________________________________ Sellotape ____________________________________ Stapler ______________________________________ Bulldog clip __________________________________ Liquid paper _________________________________

STANZA 3 1. What type of vehicle is referred to in this stanza? _______________________________ 2. Write the lines to suggest that the vehicle cannot start or move a) Line ___ : ______________________________________ b) Line ___ : ______________________________________ c) Line ___ : ______________________________________ d) Line ___ : ______________________________________ 8

STANZA 4 List the items mentioned in this stanza: a) b) c) d)

___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________

PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) STANZA 1 1. Who do you think love to drink from cans? a) ___________________ b) ___________________ c) ___________________ 2. Who do you think broke the arm of the Action Man? __________________________ STANZA 2 1. Describe how you feel when you cannot find the end of a cellophane tape. ____________________________________________________________________ 2. What would you do to correct your written mistake when your liquid paper is dried up?_________________________________________________________________ 3. How would you feel when you suddenly found a letter which you forgot to post? ____________________________________________________________________ STANZA 3 1. What would you do if your vehicle cannot start or move? a) ________________________________________________________________ b) ________________________________________________________________ 2. Would you buy a new vehicle if you cannot use the one you have? Why? a) ________________________________________________________________ b) ________________________________________________________________ STANZA 4 1. What should you do if your garden is overgrown with weeds? __________________________________________________________________ 2. Who should be looking after your garden at home? Why? __________________________________________________________________ 3. In your opinion, what makes a library book uninteresting? a) _______________________________________________________________ b) _______________________________________________________________ 9

4. Suggest ways to solve the problems of stray animals in your neighbourhood. a) ________________________________________________________________ b) ________________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word Scrapings

Meaning

No. 5

Word Inert

2

Severed

6

Tread

3

Mars

7

Choked

4

Mend

8

Stray

Meaning

Note :  

The title ‘Sad I Ams’ tells us that the whole poem is about the overall feeling of sadness. I Ams is used because ‘I am’ is the beginning of every stanza – used FOUR times in the poem.

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News Break

By MaxFatchen

The poet’s background Maxwell Edger “Max” Fatchen (3 August 1920 – 14 October 2012, died at the age of 92) was an Australian journalist and children’s writer. His mother, Isabel, had taught him “always to remember where you came from, remember the land.” And he did. The sense of being a farm boy never left him and it was to become one of the secrets to the connection he made with his vast readerships. Fatchen won myriad awards – in 1980 an Order of Australia for literature, in 1991 an Advance Australia Award for literature and a Walkley Award for journalism in 1996. For his children’s books and poems, he was awarded the primary English Teaching Association’s Award, the SA Great Award for literature and a Centenary of federation Medal. There were three children’s Book of the Year Award commendations and, for his mentorship and support for other writers, he was made Inaugural Life member of SA Writers centre.

News Break Now why so loving, darling, And why the sudden kiss? You’d help me with some little jobs? For goodness sake, what’s this? Your face is clean for once, dear, Your clothes without a crease You saved your luncheon money? Will wonder never cease? No dropping of your school books, No shrieking, childish treble, Today you are a lamb, love, Where yesterday a rebel.

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But surely you’re some stranger, No rage or hullabaloo, Come closer, let me look, dear, Can this be REALLY you? Now were you struck by lightning Or were you stunned at sport? Ah… now I see the reason. You’ve brought your school report! Stanza One Line no. 1

Line Now why so loving, darling,

2

And why the sudden kiss?

3

You’d help me with some little jobs?

4

For goodness sake, what’s this?

Line no. 1

Line Your face is clean for once, dear.

Interpretation The persona, who is the parent(father/mother), is asking his/her child the reason for being in a loving mood The child does not usually kiss his/her parent, so the sudden kiss is a surprise The persona/parent asks if the child wants to help him/her The persona/parent finds the child’s behaviour quite strange / not normal

Stanza Two

2

Your clothes without a crease.

3

You saved your luncheon money?

4

Will wonders never cease?

Line no. 1

Interpretation The child’s face is normally dirty but not today His/her clothes are neat and not crumpled/creased The persona/parent is shocked that the child does not spend all the money given to him/her to buy lunch The persona/parent finds it amazing and still cannot believe what he/she sees

Stanza Three Line No dropping of your school books,

2

No shrieking, childish treble.

3

Today, you are a lamb, love,

4

Where yesterday a rebel.

Interpretation Usually, the child would just drop his/her schoolbooks when he/she gets home and would be making a lot of noise but today, he/she is very well behaved – just like a lamb It was just yesterday when the child was behaving badly

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Stanza Four Line no. 1

Line But surely you’re some stranger,

2

No rage or hullabaloo.

3

Come closer, let me look, dear,

4

Can this be REALLY you?

Interpretation The persona/parent still cannot believe that the child is very good today – almost like a stranger The child is not angry or making a fuss The persona/parent asks the child to come nearer to him/her Still, the persona/parent cannot believe the changes in the child today (sudden & drastic changes)

Stanza Five Line no. 1

Line Now were you struck by lightning

2

Or were you stunned at sport?

3

Ah…now I see the reason.

4

You’ve brought your school report!

Interpretation The persona/parent asks jokingly if the child was struck by lightning (something very tragic or dramatic) Or maybe the child was shocked or surprised by bad sports news Now, the persona/parent realises the reason for the child’s strange but good behaviour today The child has brought home his/her school report, and from his/her good behaviour, it seems that he/she does not want to be scolded by his/her parent

Note : ‘darling’, ‘dear’ & ‘love’ are terms used by most parents when talking to their children.

Focus: STANZA1 : Surprise STANZA2 : Confusion STANZA3 : Comparison STANZA4 : Wonder STANZA5 :Realisation

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THEMES:  Honesty is the best policy  Courage  Respect your parents  Truth hurts but works  Hard work pays off MORAL VALUES:  Honesty  Courage  Determination  Confidence  Respect  Truthfulness MORAL LESSONS:  We must struggle for success  Always speak the truth  Respect our parents and those older than us  Always be on our best behaviour PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1

1. Who is asking the question? _____________________________________________ 2. How many questions are asked in this stanza? ______________________________ STANZA 2 1. Describe the child’s face. ________________________________________________ 2. Quote the line which shows that the child is being careful. ______________________________________________________________________ STANZA 3 1. List the things that the child would normally do when he/she got home. a) _____________________________________________ b) _____________________________________________ c) _____________________________________________ 2. What does it mean when the persona/parent says that the child is a lamb? ______________________________________________________________________ STANZA 4 1. What does the persona/parent ask the child to do? ______________________________________________________________________ 2. Which line suggests that the persona/parent cannot believe what he/she sees? ______________________________________________________________________

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STANZA 5 1. Which line suggests that the persona/parent has just realised what is happening. ______________________________________________________________________ 2. What does the child bring back from school? ______________________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) 1. Describe the persona/parent’s feelings when he/she says “For goodness sake, what’s

this?” in stanza 1. ____________________________________________________________________ 2. What would the child normally do with his/her luncheon money at school (stanza 2)? ____________________________________________________________________ 3. Give an example of what the child did when the persona/parent says “Where yesterday a rebel” (stanza 3) ____________________________________________________________________ 4. Why does the persona/parent feel that the child is a stranger (stanza 4)? ____________________________________________________________________ 5. What do you think the child would say to his/her parent when he/she gives the school report? ____________________________________________________________________ 6. Describe your own feelings every time you give your school academic report to your parents. ____________________________________________________________________ 7. Do you think examinations are important for students? Give TWO reasons. a) _________________________________________________________________ b) _________________________________________________________________ 8. Why are parents concerned about their children’s studies? ____________________________________________________________________ 9. Suggest TWO ways students can follow in order to get success in their studies. a) _________________________________________________________________ b) _________________________________________________________________ 10. What is your future career? Why? ____________________________________________________________________

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PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word Crease

Meaning

No. 5

Word Rebel

2

Cease

6

Rage

3

Shrieking

7

Hullabaloo

4

Treble

8

Stunned

16

Meaning

Literature Component: POEMS (Form 2)

My Hero & What is Red? Prepared by: Puan Azalina Mohd Yusoff SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra 17

My Hero

By Willis Hall

The poet’s background Willis Edward Hall (6 April 1929 – 7 March 2005) was an English playwright and radio and television writer who drew on his working class roots in Leeds, England for much of his writing. His best-known work was a stage adaptation of the 1959 novel Billy Liar (1960), cowritten with the book's author and Hall's lifelong friend and collaborator Keith Waterhouse. Hall continued this successful partnership with Waterhouse and, over the next thirty years, the two men produced more than 250 scripts for theatre, film and television. Hall also wrote more than a dozen children's books, including a series about a family called The Hollins who meet a vegetarian vampire called Count Alucard. He also wrote a book, Henry Hollins and the Dinosaur. He wrote 40 radio and television plays, as well as contributing to many TV series. He also wrote the script for the successful project, Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure (1996).Following a long fight with esophageal cancer, Hall died at his home in West Yorkshire on 7 March 2005.

My Hero My dad’s as brave as a dad can be, I rate him Number One, He’s not afraid of the dead of night, Or anything under the sun. He’s not afraid of a late-night film, Full of horrors on the telly, And is he afraid of skeletons? Not dad, not on your Nelly! He’s not afraid of meeting ghosts, He’d even smile and greet ‘em, And things that scare most dads the most, My dad could just defeat ‘em.

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He’s not afraid of vampires, Or a wolf-man come to get him, If Frankenstein’s monster knocked on our door, He wouldn’t let that upset him. My dad’s as brave as a dad can be, And he’s always ready to prove it. So why, when a spider’s in the bath, Does Mum have to come and remove it?

Line no. 1

2 3 4

Stanza One Line Interpretation My dad’s as brave as a dad can be The persona makes a statement about his/her father as a brave/courageous person (a father is normally brave) I rate him Number One, In his/her opinion, his/her father is the best He’s not afraid of the dead of night, His/her father is not scared of the quietest and darkest part of the night Or anything under the sun. Or anything that exists around us. (It can also mean that his/her father is not afraid of anything during the day) Stanza Two

Line no. 1 2 3 4

Line He’s not afraid of a late-night film, Full of horrors on the telly,

Interpretation The persona’s father is not scared of watching horror movies on television late at night He is also definitely not scared of skeletons. (“not on your Nelly!” is a British expression which means “Certainly not!”)

And is he afraid of skeletons? Not dad, not on your Nelly!

Stanza Three Line no. 1

2

Line He’s not afraid of meeting ghosts,

Interpretation The persona’s father does not fear meeting ghosts (something that most of us are scared of) He can even smile and greet or talk to the ghosts.

He’d even smile and greet ‘em,

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3 4

And things that scare most dads the most, My dad could just defeat ‘em.

(‘em – informal British or American, short form of ‘them’) His/her father can also beat/overcome many things or problems that other fathers are afraid of/cannot do.

Stanza Four Line no. 1 2 3

Or a wolf-man come to get him, If Frankenstein’s monster knocked on our door, He wouldn’t let that upset him.

4

Line no. 1

2 3 4

Line He’s not afraid of vampires,

Interpretation The persona’s father does not fear vampires Or a wolf-man that is going to attack him He would not be worried or scared even if the horrible Frankenstein’s monster came to their house.

Stanza Five Line Interpretation My dad’s as brave as a dad can be, The persona makes a statement about his/her father as a brave/courageous person (a father is normally brave) – it is repeated to emphasize his father’s bravery/courage And he’s always ready to prove it. He is willing and confident to show his bravery/courage So why, when a spider’s in the bath, The persona admires his/her father and is proud of him, but he/she cannot Does Mum have to come and remove it? understand why his/her mother has to get rid of a spider (just a small insect) that is in the bathtub. (Perhaps, his/her father is scared of tiny insects!)

DAD

IS NOT AFRAID OF… IS AFRAID OF… STANZA 1  The darkness or quietness of the night  Anything or everything around him /during the STANZA 5  Spider day STANZA 2  Horror movies on television at night  Skeletons STANZA 3  Ghosts  Things that scare other fathers STANZA 4  Vampires  Wolf-man  Frankenstein’s monster 20

Note: Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel written by the English author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley that tells the story of a young science student Victor Frankenstein, who creates a grotesque but human like creature in a scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition of the novel was published anonymously in London in 1818, when she was 20. Shelley's name first appeared on the second edition, published in France in 1823.

THEMES:  Bravery / Courage  Heroism  Admiration  Father and child  Leadership by example MORAL VALUES:  Bravery / Courage  Admiration  Confidence  Love  Respect  Helpfulness

MORAL LESSONS:  We should appreciate the qualities of our fathers  We have to be brave/courageous in any situation  We should show good examples to others  Parents are brave/courageous in their own ways  Family unity is important  We should show our gratitude to our parents by helping them PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. Which line suggests that the persona thinks of his father as the best hero? __________________________________________________________ 2. What is the meaning of “the dead of night”? __________________________________________________________ STANZA 2 1. List two things that do not scare the persona’s father. (i) ____________________________________________________ 21

(ii) ____________________________________________________ 2. Which line tells us that the persona is confident about his father’s bravery? __________________________________________________________ STANZA 3 1. What would the persona’s father do to prove that he is not afraid of ghosts? ____________________________________________________________ 2. Which line suggests that his father is better than other fathers? ____________________________________________________________ STANZA 4 1. List the three types of monsters mentioned in this stanza. (i) ______________________________________________________ (ii) ______________________________________________________ (iii) ______________________________________________________ 2. The word “him” refers to ________________________________________ STANZA 5 1. Which line suggests that the persona’s father is very confident? ____________________________________________________________ 2. What does his mother have to do in the bathroom? ____________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) 1. Who do you think the persona is talking to about his father? Why? ____________________________________________________________ 2. How does the persona know that his father is not afraid of watching horror movies late at night? _____________________________________________________________ 3. In your opinion, which line is the best description of his father’s bravery? Why? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 4. What would his father do to the monsters (in stanza 4)? How? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 5. Why do you think the persona’s mother has to remove the spider in the bathtub? _____________________________________________________________ 22

6. Suggest two ways to show your appreciation to your father. (i) _______________________________________________________ (ii) _______________________________________________________ 7. Apart from your father, who would you consider your hero? Why? _____________________________________________________________ 8. What would be the best present you could give to your father on his birthday? Why? _____________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word Horrors

Meaning

No. 4

2

Skeleton

5

Upset

3

Defeat

6

Remove

23

Word Vampires

Meaning

What is Red?

By Mary O’Neill The poet’s background Mary Devenport O'Neill (3 August 1879 – 1967) was an Irish poet and dramatist. She was born in Loughrea, County Galway, Ireland in 1879. From 1898-1903 she studied teaching at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art (the present-day National College of Art, Dublin). When she was fifty, she published a collection of poetry Prometheus and Other Poems (London: Jonathan Cape 1929) which consists of thirty-three lyric poems, four "dream poems", one long poem, and a verse-play. This was the first collection of poetry published by an Irish poet, besides Yeats, which could be considered modernist. She is one of a small number of known early 20th century Irish modernist women poets. One of her most popular books, ''Hailstones and Halibut Bones: Adventures in Color,'' illustrated by Leonard Weisgard, was published by Doubleday in 1961 and printed in several languages. In it, Mrs. O'Neill identified and interpreted the most familiar colours through verse. The book was used as a supplementary text in schools in the United States and abroad.

What is Red? Red is sunset Blazing and bright. Red is feeling brave With all your might. Red is a sunburn Spot on your nose. Sometimes red Is a red, red, rose. Red squiggles out When you cut your hand. Red is a brick And the sound of a band. Red is hotness You get inside When you’re embarrassed And want to hide. Fire-cracker, fire-engine Fire-flicker red– 24

And when you’re angry Red runs through your head. Red is an Indian, A Valentine heart. The trimmings on A circus cart. Red is a lipstick Red is a shout Red is a signal That says: “Watch out!” Red is a great big Rubber ball. Red is the giantest Colour of all. Red is a show-off, No doubt about it But can you imagine Living without it?

VALENTINE

This poem is all about the colour RED Line no.

Line

Interpretation: RED is the colour of… Hot and bright sun

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Red is sunset Blazing and bright. Red is feeling brave With all your might. Red is a sunburn Spot on your nose. Sometimes red Is a red, red, rose. Red squiggles out When you cut your hand. Red is a brick

12

And the sound of aband.

Loud and high pitch sound of a musical band

13 14 15 16 17 18

Red is hotness You get inside When you’re embarrassed And want to hide. Fire-cracker, fire-engine Fire-flicker red –

19 20 21 22

And when you’re angry Red runs through your head. Red is an Indian, A Valentine heart.

The great feeling of embarrassment makes you feel like hiding from other people (Some people blush when they are embarrassed – their faces turn red) Fire crackers, fire brigade or an unsteady movement of flame like a candle or flickering light (like a police car/ambulance/fire brigade) Your head feels hot with anger (hot temper)

Bravery and strength/power Nose that is burnt by the sun (when you are under the hot sun for too long) A rose (the flower) Blood that comes out of a cut finger/hand Brick that is used to build houses and buildings

Reference to the native American tribe Romantic love 25

23 24 25

The trimmings on A circus cart. Red is a lipstick

The bright red decorations on a circus cart

26

Red is a shout

Loud call or cry (to show a strong emotion)

27 28 29 30 31 32

Red is a signal That says: “Watch out!” Red is a great big Rubber ball. Red is the giantest Colour of all.

A warning of danger (to be on the look-out / to be alert)

33 34

Red is a show-off, No doubt about it -

35 36

But can you imagine Living without it?

The colour of lipstick that women love to wear

A big rubber ball (small children are always attracted to a red ball) Red is the most widely seen colour around us / the colour that we will notice immediately around us (‘giant’ already means very big. ‘giantest’ is just to make it sound extremely big) Obviously easy to see/notice/display (Some people use red simply to attract attention – maybe for personal reasons) The question emphasizes the fact that our life would be dull and boring without red as a colour in the world.

Positive and Negative Traits of Red: Positive keywords include:  action  energy and speed  attention-getting  assertive and confident  energizing  stimulating  exciting  powerful  passionate  stimulating  courageous and strong  spontaneous  determined  adventure

Negative keywords include:      

aggressive domineering tiring angry quick-tempered cruel 26

    

fearful intolerant rebellious hateful violent #################################

THEMES:  Courage  Red is the warmest of all colors.  Positive versus Negative  Prosperity  Life and vitality MORAL VALUES:  Bravery/Courage  Determination  Love  Positive attitude  Confidence MORAL LESSONS:  We should have a positive attitude in our daily life  Have self confidence in doing everything and anything  Be brave/courageous in facing the challenges in life  We must try to control our anger or temper  We should not be hateful towards others  We must try to change our bad behaviour

PRACTICE 1 1. From the poem, list the positive examples of red. (i)

_____________________________________________________________

(ii)

_____________________________________________________________

(iii)

_____________________________________________________________

(iv)

_____________________________________________________________

(v)

_____________________________________________________________

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2. From the poem, list the negative examples of red. (i)

_____________________________________________________________

(ii)

_____________________________________________________________

(iii)

_____________________________________________________________

(iv)

_____________________________________________________________

(v)

_____________________________________________________________

3. What is the meaning of “with all your might”? ___________________________________________________________________ 4. What causes a sunburn? ___________________________________________________________________ 5. In the poem, “you” refers to _______________________________________________________ 6. “Red squiggles out” refers to ____________________________________________ 7. What flower does red refer to in this poem? ___________________________________________________________________ 8. Which line suggests that red is also the colour of love? ___________________________________________________________________ 9. Which line tells us that some people wear red to attract attention? ___________________________________________________________________ 10. What does “it” in the last line refer to? ___________________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions)

1. Why do you think red refers to the sunset and not the sunrise? _________________________________________________________________ 2. How is it possible for you to get a sunburn? Explain. _________________________________________________________________ 3. Based on your own experience, why do people dislike feeling embarrassed? _________________________________________________________________ 4. Why do you think people give red roses to their loved ones? ________________________________________________________________ 5. How could a visit to a circus make you happy? ________________________________________________________________ 6. In your opinion, is red the best colour for a lipstick? Why? ________________________________________________________________

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7. Who do you think would be interested in playing with a big red rubber ball? Why? ________________________________________________________________ 8. Do you think red is the best choice of colour for a school uniform? Why? ________________________________________________________________ 9. Would you want to live in a red bungalow? Why? ________________________________________________________________ 10. Some people do not like red. Give two possible reasons. (i) __________________________________________________________ (ii) __________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word Blazing

Meaning

No. 4

Word Embarrassed

2

Might

5

Flicker

3

Squizzles

6

Trimmings

Meaning

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION… 1. Red captures attention. It is one of the most visible colours, second only to yellow which explains why it is used on fire engines and stop signs to trigger alertness. 2. Red is one of the top two favourite colours of all people. 3. Red is the most popular colour used on flags in the world. Approximately 77% of all flags include red. 4. Red is the international colour for STOP. 5. Red represents beauty in many languages and cultures. 6. Red is the colour of good luck in Asia and is the most popular colour in China. Red is associated with fire, south, and summer. It is also associated with good luck and fortune. 7. In England, red phone booths and red double-decker buses are national icons. Standard British pillar boxes (mail boxes) have been painted red since 1874. 8. In India, a red mark on the forehead is said to bring good luck. To the Hindu, red symbolizes joy, life, energy, and creativity. 9. Red is an auspicious colour for marriage. Brides in India and Nepal wear red saris; in Japan, a red kimono symbolizes happiness and good luck. 10. In Malaysia and Singapore, the colour red traditionally symbolizes joy. Chinese New Year is celebrated by wearing red clothing and decorating the house with red. Red

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11. 12. 13. 14.

envelopes with “luck money” are given to unmarried children to bring good fortune to them for the rest of the year. Most Japanese children draw the sun as a big red circle. Red roses symbolize passionate love. Red is the colour of Mars. This planet is known as the God of War. Bees cannot see the colour red, but they can see all other bright colors. Red flowers are usually pollinated by birds, butterflies, bats, and wind, rather than bees.

POPULAR PHRASES THAT INCLUDE RED  Red carpet treatment (giving privileged treatment to an important person)  Caught red-handed (found guilty doing something bad)  Red in the face (to become embarrassed)  Seeing red (getting angry)  Red flag (a warning of danger)  Not worth a red cent (no value)  Red letter day(a memorable, joyful day)  Red tape (extra formalities in governmental process)  In the red (a term to describe an economic loss)

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Literature Component: POEMS (Form 3)

The Day the Bulldozers Came & Poisoned Talk Prepared by: Puan Azalina Mohd Yusoff SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra

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The Day the Bulldozers Came

By David Orme

The poet’s background David Orme is a children's writer and poet from England. He has written or edited more than 250 books. His recent work has been specifically aimed at reluctant readers or children with learning difficulties and includes the Boffin Boy series of manga-style graphic novels. Orme lives in Winchester, Hampshire, England and was the chair of the Education Writers Group of the Society of Authors. With Helen Orme, he has volunteered to assist in literacy programmes. He was also the director of the Schools Poetry Association (SPA).

The Day the Bulldozers Came The day the bulldozers came Rooks were building Crazy egg baskets in the oaks; Green flies sizzled by the pond And a cold-eyed toad Waited for them. The day the bulldozers came Squirrels were scattering Up tree trunks, And leapt from branches That were hardly there. The fox Stirred in his sleep As the ground trembled. ‘Ha ha!’ he thought, ‘I’m quite safe, Deep down in the Earth, No one can get me here.’ Then the bulldozers came.

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Stanza One Line no. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Line

Interpretation

The day the bulldozers came

The bulldozers came into the forest during the day Rooks (the black crows) were busy building their nests on the trees The flies were flying noisily in the pond area The emotionless toad was waiting to catch the flies.

Rooks were building Crazy egg baskets in the oaks; Green flies sizzled by the pond And a cold-eyed toad Waited for them.

Stanza Two Line no. 1 2 3 4 5

Line

Interpretation

The day the bulldozers came

Repetition of the title : to suggest disaster and destruction in the forest The squirrels panicked and got scared. They ran up the tree trunks The squirrels jumped but the tree branches were no longer there because they had been chopped off.

Squirrels were scattering Up tree trunks, And leapt from branches That were hardly there.

Stanza Three Line no. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Line

Interpretation

The fox Stirred in his sleep As the ground trembled.

The sleeping fox was disturbed

‘Ha ha!’ he thought, ‘I’m quite safe, Deep down in the Earth, No one can get me here.’ Then the bulldozers came.

But he did not worry And felt that he was not in danger Because he was underground No danger or harm would come to him But the bulldozers were powerful machines and could destroy anything.

When he felt the ground shake

THEMES:  Deforestration is destructive  Development affects environment  Progress affects forest  Machines versus nature MORAL VALUES:  Love and care  Respect  Concern  Consideration  Co-operation  Kindness

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MORAL LESSONS:  We should preserve our forest  Be kind and protect animals  Love nature  Save our environment

PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. What are the creatures mentioned in this stanza? ________________________________________________________________ 2. What are rooks? __________________________________________________ 3. The crazy egg baskets refer to _______________________________________ 4. The word “them” refers to ___________________________________ STANZA 2 1. What animal does this stanza focus on? _______________________________ 2. Describe what they did when the bulldozers came. _______________________ _______________________________________________________________ 3. “…branches that were hardly there” What happened to the branches? _______ _______________________________________________________________ STANZA 3 1. What disturbed the fox’s sleep?_____________________________________ 2. Where was the fox when the bulldozers came? __________________________ 3. Which line suggests that the fox was not worried? _______________________ PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) STANZA 1 1. Give a possible reason for the rooks to be building their nests on trees. _______________________________________________________________ 34

2. Why would a toad be waiting for the green flies? ________________________ STANZA 2 1. If you were the squirrel, how would you feel when the bulldozers came into the forest? _______________________________________________________________ 2. What would happen to the squirrels if they fell off the trees? _______________________________________________________________ STANZA 3 1. What could possibly cause the ground to tremble? _______________________________________________________________ 2. Do you think the fox would survive? Give a reason for your answer. _______________________________________________________________ 3. Suggest TWO ways to save the fox and other animals from destruction caused by the bulldozers. a) ________________________________________________________________ b) ________________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word rooks

Meaning

No. 5

Word scattering

2

oaks

6

leapt

3

sizzled

7

hardly

4

Cold-eyed

8

stirred

Meaning

Note : Bulldozers were invented in the early twentieth century. They are very powerful machines that are specially created to clear land, forests or areas for agriculture or housing development. Deforestration destroys the natural habitat of native wildlife and the creatures would have nowhere to live. Such is the negative effect of modernisation on our environment.

35

Poisoned Talk

By Raymond Wilson

The poet’s background Raymond Wilson was a writer and an educationalist, born on 20 December, 1925.He was an English master at Dulwich College (1957-1961), Chief English Master (1961-1965) Lecturer in English Education, Southampton University 1965-68; Professor of Education, and at Reading University 1968-89 (Emeritus), Chairman of the School of Education (1969-76, 198089). He married Gertrude Russell and they had two sons and one daughter. He died in Reading on 21 March 1995. Frequently, Wilson's own poetry reflected his dislike of reckless technology. He believed that, without an education of the emotions, science and technology cannot (on their own) bring happiness.

Poisoned Talk Who killed cock robin? I, said the worm I did him great harm. He died on the branch of a withered tree From the acid soil that poisoned me. Who killed the heron? I, mouthed the fish, With my tainted flesh I killed tern, duck and drake, All the birds of the lake.

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Who killed the lake? I, boasted Industry, I poisoned with mercury Fish, plant and weed To pamper men’s greed.

Who killed the flowers? I, moaned thewind, I prowled unconfined, Blowing acid rain Over field, flood and fen. Who killed the forest? I ensured that it died, Said sulphur dioxide. And all life within it, From earthworm to linnet.

Stanza One Line no. 1

Line

Interpretation

Who killed cock robin?

2 3 4

I, said the worm I did him great harm. He died on the branch of a withered tree

5

From the acid soil that poisoned me.

The person wanted to know who killed the cock robin (a male bird) The worm admitted that it killed the bird in a cruel way The robin died on a tree that was weak and dying The acid soil was toxic and the worm was affected. The bird was affected too after eating the worm.

Stanza Two Line no. 1

Line Who killed the heron?

2 3

I, mouthed the fish, With my tainted flesh

4 5

I killed tern, duck and drake, All the birds of the lake.

Interpretation The person wanted to know who killed the heron (a bird that feeds on fish) The fish confessed that it killed the bird because the fish was already poisoned or polluted. In fact, the birds that fed on the fish in the lake died because of the poisoned flesh of the fish.

Stanza Three Line no. 1

Line Who killed the lake?

2

I, boasted Industry,

3 4

I poisoned with mercury Fish, plant and weed

Interpretation The person wanted to know who killed/destroyed the lake. The lake was destroyed by the industry around it Note: Mercury is an industrial waste that is released into the water. This toxic waste killed the fish, plant and weed in the lake

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5

To pamper men’s greed.

To please people who were greedy and selfish, not caring about the environment.

Stanza Four Line no. 1 2 3 4 5

Line

Interpretation

Who killed the flowers?

The person wanted to know who killed/destroyed the flowers The wind sadly admitted that it blew acid rain all over the place, without any control

I, moaned the wind, I prowled unconfined, Blowing acid rain Over field, flood and fen.

Acid rain destroyed the plants and trees, affected the water and wetland too.

Stanza Five Line no. 1

Who killed the forest?

Line

2 3

I ensured that it died, Said sulphur dioxide.

4 5

And all life within it, From earthworm to linnet.

Interpretation The person wanted to know who killed/destroyed the forest The forest was destroyed by sulphur dioxide (gas or liquid from the industrial processes and the burning of coal & petroleum. It dissolves in water to form acid and is harmful to plants and animals.) Sulphur dioxide destroyed all the creatures in the forest, including the worm and the linnet (small bird).

THEMES:  Destruction of the environment and the wildlife  Industries lead to destruction  Development versus environment  Crime against nature  Man’s greed versus nature MORAL VALUES:  Love and care  Moderation  Responsibility  Concern  Co-operation  Kindness MORAL LESSONS:  We should protect our environment  We should be kind and protect plants and animals  Love nature  Save our environment

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PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. Where did the cock robin die?________________________________________ 2. What poisoned the worm?__________________________________________ STANZA 2 1. How did the fish kill the heron? _______________________________________ 2. What else did the fish kill?___________________________________________ STANZA 3 1. What did Industry poison the lake with? _______________________________ 2. Why did Industry kill the lake? ______________________________________ STANZA 4 1. Which word suggests that the wind was sad? __________________________ 2. Which phrase has the same meaning as “move freely)? _______________________________________________________________ STANZA 5 1. What destroyed the forest? _________________________________________ 2. Which line tells us that everything in the forest was destroyed? _______________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) 1. How could the robin be poisoned by the worm? ______________________________________________________________ 2. Why did the birds go to the lake? ______________________________________________________________ 3. Give TWO negative effects of modern industries. ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ 4. Name TWO types of pollution. ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ 5. How can we save the environment? Suggest TWO ways. ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________

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PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word withered

Meaning

No. 5

Word moaned

Meaning

2

tainted

6

prowl

3

boasted

7

unconfined

4

pamper

8

fen

Note : BIRDS mentioned in the poem: Cock robin, heron, tern, drake, duck, linnet

cock robin

tern

heron

duck

drake

linnet

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Literature Component: POEMS (Form 4)

The Living Photograph & The Charge of the Light Brigade

Prepared by: Puan Azalina Mohd Yusoff SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra 41

The Living Photograph

by Jackie Kay The poet’s background Jackie Kay was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1961 to a Scottish mother and a Nigerian father. She was adopted by a white couple at birth and was brought up in Glasgow, studying at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and Stirling University where she majored in English. The experience of being adopted by and growing up within a white family inspired her first collection of poetry, The Adoption Papers (1991). The poems deal with an adopted child's search for a cultural identity.

The Living Photograph My small grandmother is tall there, straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt, pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun, a kind, old smile round her eyes. Her big hand holds mine, white hand in black hand. Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye. It was true after all that look. My tall grandmother became small. Her back round and hunched. Her soup forgot to boil. She went to the awful place grandmothers go. Somewhere unknown, unthinkable. But there she is still, in the photo with me at three, the crinkled smile is still living, breathing.

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Line no. 1

Stanza One Line My small grandmother is tall there,

Interpretation The persona is describing her grandmother in the photograph (tall : healthy & well) Her physical appearance (straightback) & what she wears (very neat & proper) Note: broderie anglaise is French for ‘English embroidery’ Her smile shows that she is kind & gentle Her grandmother is loving & caring

2

straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt,

3

pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,

4

a kind, old smile round her eyes.

5

Her big hand holds mine,

6

white hand in black hand.

7

Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

The white hand belongs to her grandmother & the black hand is the persona’s (togetherness) Her grandmother’s vision is still good but she is actually dying

Stanza Two Line no. 1

Line It was true after all; that look.

Interpretation ‘that look’ refers to the look of someone dying Her grandmother’s condition got worse when she was sick and dying

2

My tall grandmother became small.

3

Her back round and hunched.

4

Her soup forgot to boil.

5 6

She went to the awful place grandmothers go. Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.

She was too ill to take care of herself She died The place her grandmother was sent to(afterlife) - was a mystery to the persona

Stanza Three Line no. 1

Line

Interpretation The persona is looking at the photograph of her grandmother and her when she was three years old To her, the memory of her old grandmother is still new and fresh

But there she is still,

2

in the photo with me at three,

3

the crinkled smile is still living, breathing.

TIME>>> STANZA 1 : Present (Looking at the photograph) STANZA 2 : Past (Remembering what happened) STANZA 3 : Present (Looking at the photograph again)

“Without love, life isn’t worth living.” Jackie Kay

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THEMES:  Family love  Appreciation  Loving memories MORAL VALUES:  Love& care  Appreciation  Kindness  Thoughtfulness  Gratitude MORAL LESSONS:  We must try our best to have a good and strong relationship with our grandparents  We should love and appreciate our elders especially in our family  We should spend as much time as we can with our loved ones before they die  We should take photographs with our loved ones and keep them  We must not forget those who have died  We must learn to move on and accept life and death as part of life cycle PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. Give three descriptions of the persona’s grandmother’s appearance. (a) _______________________________________________________ (b) _______________________________________________________ (c) _______________________________________________________ 2. Based on Stanza 1, describe the grandmother’s personality. (a) _______________________________________________________ (b) _______________________________________________________ 3. What does line 7 tell you about the grandmother? __________________________________________________________

STANZA 2 1. Describe the grandmother when she was old and sick. (a) _______________________________________________________ (b) _______________________________________________________ 2. Why did she forget to boil her soup? __________________________________________________________ 3. What happened to the grandmother in the end? __________________________________________________________ 44

STANZA 3

1. How old was the persona when the photograph was taken? __________________________________________________________ 2. Describe the persona’s feelings when she looks at the photograph. __________________________________________________________ 3. Quote the phrase that describes the grandmother as being old. __________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) 1. In stanza 1, why does the grandmother look tall in the photograph? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 2. Based on stanza 1, describe how the persona feels about her grandmother. _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 3. Why do you think the persona describes the afterlife as awful, unknown and unthinkable? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 4. Is it good to keep photographs of your loved ones? Give two reasons. (a) __________________________________________________________[1 mark] (b) __________________________________________________________[1 mark] 5. Do you consider the grandmother as courageous? Give your evidence from the poem. _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 6. In your own words, describe the relationship between the persona and her grandmother. _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word pleated

Meaning

No. 4

2

hunched

5

unthinkable

3

awful

6

crinkled

45

Word unknown

Meaning

The Charge Of The Light Brigade

by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) The poet’s background This poem was written to memorialize a suicidal charge by light cavalry over open terrain by British forces in the Battle of Balaclava (Ukraine) in the Crimean War (1854-56). 247 men of the 637 in the charge were killed or wounded. Britain entered the war, which was fought by Russia against Turkey, Britain and France, because Russia sought to control the Dardanelles. Russian control of the Dardanelles threatened British sea routes. The poem was written in the same year.

The Charge Of The Light Brigade Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. 'Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!' he said. Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. 'Forward, the Light Brigade!' Was there a man dismayed? Not though the soldier knew Some one had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do & die. Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.

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Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volleyed& thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell Rode the six hundred.

Line no. 1

STANZA 1

INTERPRETATION

Half a league, half a league,

2

Half a league onward,

3

All in the valley of Death

4

Rode the six hundred.

5

“Forward, the Light Brigade!

6

Charge for the guns!” he said.

7

Into the valley of Death

8

Rode the six hundred.

A league is an old way to measure distance, and it was equal to about 3 miles. So half a league is roughly a mile and a half– the brigade/battalion was charging forward in the battlefield The place where many soldiers would die in the battle (very scary & uncertain) The exact number of soldiers was 600, riding horses The captain commanded the soldiers to move forward bravely Note: they are called "Light" to separate them from the "Heavy Brigade," another kind of cavalry unit at the time.Tennyson's poem is based on real events. In 1854, there was a Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. The soldiers were ordered to attack The soldiers moved to the battlefield, prepared to fight and to die fighting.The brigade was ordered into the valley, even though they knew that they were going to die. Emphasis on the small number of soldiers – few but brave soldiers riding on horseback

STANZA 2

Line no. 1

“Forward, the Light Brigade!”

2

Was there a man dismayed?

3

Not though the soldier knew

INTERPRETATION Again, the captain commanded the soldiers to move forward Was there any soldier who would lose his courage, be terrified or sad? Of course the Light Brigade was too tough and loyal to feel dismayed. These men did 47

4

Some one had blundered.

5

Theirs not to make reply,

6

Theirs not to reason why,

7

Theirs but to do and die.

8

Into the valley of Death

9

Rode the six hundred.

Line no. 1

not feel discouraged at all. They were ready to do their job, even though the order might be crazy (to meet their death). The soldiers knew that this charge was not a good idea, that someone had made a mistake. The soldiers were loyal and obedient – they did not talk back to their commander Or to figure out the point of the attack All they could do was to ride and fight and possibly die Repetition of stanza 1 – to emphasize courage/bravery, loyalty, commitment, duty

STANZA 3

INTERPRETATION

Cannon to right of them,

2

Cannon to left of them,

3

Cannon in front of them

4

Volleyed and thundered;

5

Stormed at with shot and shell,

6

Boldly they rode and well,

7

Into the jaws of Death,

8

Into the mouth of Hell

9

Rode the six hundred.

The soldiers were surrounded by enemy cannon on their left, right and front. Bad news for the Light Brigade – they were actually surrounded by enemies. So the huge walls of cannon all around them were firing and making a sound like thunder The soldiers in the Light Brigade were being shot at with bullets and big explosives fired from the cannon - a violent, noisy, destructive force that sounded like a storm. These soldiers were not scared of the gunfire. They rode bravely, confidently and with determination. It shows us how heroic these men were. They were ready/willing to die of honour ‘Hell’ – suffering and torture but the soldiers were brave 600 brave/courageous soldiers – men of honour

THEMES:  Bravery / Courage  Honour  War and conflict  Death and destruction 48

MORAL VALUES:  Bravery / Courage  Loyalty  Determination  Confidence  Honour  Sacrifice MORAL LESSONS:  We must struggle for peace, not war.  We must be loyal to our superiors.  Discipline is important in life.  Always be brave in facing challenges in life.

PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. What does the “Light Brigade” refer to? _________________________________________________________________ 2. Who said “Forward, the Light Brigade!”? _________________________________________________________________ 3. What was the order? _________________________________________________________________ 4. “Into the valley of Death” What would happen to the men? _________________________________________________________________ STANZA 2 1. Based on this stanza, describe the personality of the soldiers. (a) ________________________________________ (b) ________________________________________ (c) ________________________________________ 2. The word “Theirs” refers to ____________________________________________ 3. What is the meaning of “blundered”? __________________________________________________________________ STANZA 3 1. Describe the scene of the battlefield. __________________________________________________________________ 2. What “Volleyed and thundered”? __________________________________________________________________ 3. What do you think happened at the end of the poem? __________________________________________________________________ 49

PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) 1. In your own words, describe how the soldiers felt when they went into the battlefield. _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 2. In your opinion, was it the right thing to do for the soldiers to follow the captain’s command? Give a reason. _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 3. What do you think of the captain’s command? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 4. Give two suggestions on how we should show our appreciations to those who defend our country. (a) __________________________________________________________[1 mark] (b) __________________________________________________________[1 mark]

PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word league

Meaning

No. 5

Word volleyed

2

valley

6

shell

3

dismayed

7

boldly

4

blundered

8

jaws

50

Meaning

History



A major conflict of the 19th century, the Crimean War claimed at least 750,000 lives, more than even the American Civil War, and had a profound impact on such renowned personalities as British nurse Florence Nightingale and Russian author Leo Tolstoy. It got its start in and around Jerusalem, then part of the Ottoman Empire, where Orthodox Christian and Catholic monks had been engaging in fierce, sometimes deadly brawls for years over who would control various holy sites. Following one such violent squabble in 1852, Czar Nicholas I of Russia, a self-proclaimed defender of Orthodox Christianity, demanded the right to exercise protection over the Ottoman Empire’s millions of Christian subjects. Upon being rejected, he then sent his army, the largest in the world, to occupy two Ottoman principalities in present-day Romania. The czar also purportedly had his eyes on Constantinople, the Ottoman capital, which if taken would give his navy unfettered access to the Mediterranean Sea. Unnerved by this expansionism, Britain and France sent their own warships to the area and vowed to defend Ottoman sovereignty.



Fighting officially broke out in October 1853, and the following month the Russians decimated the Ottoman fleet in a surprise attack. But although Nicholas referred to the declining Ottoman Empire as the “sick man of Europe,” his land forces made little progress in their push south, underscored by the failed siege of a fortress in present-day Bulgaria. Meanwhile, in March 1854, Britain and France declared war and immediately bombarded the then-Russian city of Odessa. With Austria likewise threatening to jump into the fray, Nicholas withdrew from Romania. Rather than declare victory, however, Britain and France decided to punitively target the Russian naval base in Sevastopol, located on the Crimean Peninsula. On September 13, 1854, a joint allied force of over 60,000 troops sailed into Kalamita Bay, about 33 miles north of their objective. Due to stormy weather, it took five days for them to fully disembark. Believing the conflict would be over quickly, they brought neither winter clothing nor medical supplies. They moreover lacked accurate maps, had little idea how many Russian troops opposed them and flouted the dietary restrictions of the Muslim Ottoman soldiers within their ranks. To make matters worse, a cholera outbreak erupted.



Nonetheless, the British and French defeated the Russians in their first run-in near the Alma River, causing a panicked retreat with the help of their long-range Minié rifles. They then commenced a roundabout march to Sevastopol, where they spent two-and-a-half weeks digging trenches and lugging artillery into position prior to initiating a bombardment of the city on October

51

17. By that time, however, the Russians had significantly strengthened their defenses. After holding out for eight days, they tried to break the siege with a dawn attack on Britain’s supply base in the nearby fishing village of Balaclava. That morning, having forced Ottoman troops to abandon four defensive redoubts, they were able to occupy the Causeway Heights just outside town. But they failed to progress any further thanks to a regiment of Scottish highlanders and the Heavy Brigade, each of which repelled a Russian advance.



With Balaclava now safe, Lord Fitzroy Somerset Raglan, the British commander-in-chief in Crimea, turned his attention back to the Causeway Heights, where he believed the Russians were attempting to make off with some of his artillery guns. He ordered the cavalry, consisting of both the Heavy and Light brigades, to advance with infantry support “and take advantage of any opportunity to recover” the lost ground. Lord Raglan expected the cavalrymen to move immediately, with the infantry to come later. But George Bingham, the earl of Lucan, who commanded the cavalry, thought he wanted them to attack together. As a result, Lucan’s men sat around for 45 minutes waiting for the infantry to arrive. At that point, Raglan issued a new order, telling the cavalry to “advance rapidly to the front … and try to prevent the enemy carrying away the guns.” From his vantage point, however, Lucan could not see any guns being removed. Confused, he asked Raglan’s aide-de-camp where to attack, but instead of pointing to the Causeway Heights, the aide allegedly waved his arm in the direction of a Russian artillery battery at the far end of an exposed valley.



Lucan next approached his brother-in-law James Brudenell, the earl of Cardigan, who commanded the Light Brigade. The two men loathed each other so much they were barely on speaking terms. And neither was apparently respected by the troops. One officer in the Light Brigade went so far as to call them both “fools.” Cardigan, he wrote in a letter home, “has as much brains as my boot. He is only equaled in want of intellect by his relation the earl of Lucan.” Though perturbed by Raglan’s order, Lucan and Cardigan obeyed it without first checking back in to make sure they understood it correctly. At their bidding, the roughly 670 members of the Light Brigade drew their sabres and lances and began their infamous mile-and-a-quarter-long charge with Russians shooting at them from three directions (though never from all three at once). The first man to fall was Raglan’s aide-de-camp. Another soldier then had “his head clean carried off by a round shot, yet for about 30 yards further the headless body kept in the saddle,” according to a survivor. Other survivors spoke of being splattered with horse blood, of watching their

52

companions lose limbs, of seeing brains on the ground and of going through smoke so thick it was like “riding into the mouth of a volcano.” 

The Heavy Brigade, which, its name notwithstanding, resembled the Light Brigade except with regard to uniform color, was supposed to follow in support but only went a short way down the valley before Lucan directed it to turn back. Somehow, the Light Brigade reached its destination anyway, crashing into the enemy lines with a vengeance. A few Russians even shot at their own comrades in a desperate bid to clear an escape route. The Light Brigade’s members didn’t hold the ground for long, though, before being forced to stagger back from whence they came. En route, Russian artillery pounded away again from the Causeway Heights—but not from the other two sides, as the Light Brigade had taken out one battery itself and the French had taken out another—while Russian cavalrymen attempted to entrap them. In the end, of the roughly 670 Light Brigade soldiers, about 110 were killed and 160 were wounded, a 40 percent casualty rate. They also lost approximately 375 horses.



Despite failing to overrun Balaclava, the Russians claimed victory in the battle, parading their captured artillery guns through Sevastopol. Yet they would surrender the city and naval base nearly a year later, after which they agreed to give up a small chunk of territory and to keep their warships out of the Black Sea in exchange for peace. Meanwhile, the Light Brigade’s exploits had already become legendary in Britain, thanks largely to Alfred Tennyson’s poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade.” Named poet laureate a few years earlier by Queen Victoria, he praised the bravery of the men as they rode into the “valley of death.” His poem “The Charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaclava,” on the other hand, never quite captured the public’s imagination.

Additional Information on the Poem : Stanzas 4, 5 & 6… Flash'd all their sabres bare, Flash'd as they turn'd in air Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army while All the world wonder'd: Plunged in the battery-smoke Right thro' the line they broke; Cossack & Russian Reel'd from the sabre-stroke, Shatter'd & sunder'd. Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred. Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them 53

Volley'd and thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell, While horse & hero fell, They that had fought so well Came thro' the jaws of Death, Back from the mouth of Hell, All that was left of them, Left of six hundred. When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made! All the world wonder'd. Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred!

Remember &honour...

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Literature Component: Poems (Form 5)

A Poison Tree & What Has Happened to Lulu? Prepared by: Puan Azalina Mohd Yusoff SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra 55

A Poison Tree

by William Blake The poet’s background William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered an influential figure in the history of the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age. Although Blake was considered mad by contemporaries for his strange views, he is admired by critics later on for his expressiveness and creativity, and for the philosophical and mystical feelings in his work. Blake was mainly influenced by the ideals and ambitions of the French and American Revolutions.

A Poison Tree I was angry with my friend; I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. And I watered it in fears, Night & morning with my tears: And I sunned it with smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles. And it grew both day and night. Till it bore an apple bright. And my foe beheld it shine, And he knew that it was mine. And into my garden stole, When the night had veiled the pole; In the morning glad I see; My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

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Stanza One Line no. 1

Line I was angry with my friend:

Interpretation The persona was angry with his friend.

2

I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

3

I was angry with my foe:

When he told his friend about it, his anger disappeared. He was once angry with his enemy

4

I told it not, my wrath did grow.

2

But the persona did not talk about his anger, so his anger got bigger and bigger. (The feeling became worse). Stanza Two Line Interpretation And I watered it in fears, The persona treated his anger very much like a plant. (A plant needs water and sun in order to grow).He developed his anger more with his fears. Night and morning with my tears; The anger got worse when he cried almost night and day And I sunned it with smiles, The persona topped up his anger with fake smiles (pretending to be happy in front of his enemy) And with soft deceitful wiles. And he added deceit and tricks, maybe he was planning something mischievous or bad. So, the persona’s anger was growing bigger and stronger (just like a growing tree). Stanza Three Line Interpretation And it grew both day and night, Because of the persona's efforts, his “tree of anger” eventually bore a bright and delicious apple. Till it bore an apple bright.

3

And my foe beheld it shine.

Line no. 1

2 3 4

Line no. 1

4

Line no. 1 2

3 4

His enemy saw the shiny apple (the fruit of the persona’s anger) And he knew that it was mine. And knew that the apple tree belonged to the persona. Stanza Four Line Interpretation And into my garden stole The enemy secretly sneaked into the persona’s garden, like a thief. When the night had veiled the pole; He went into the garden at night when it was extremely dark to steal/eat the apple ("the pole” possibly refers to the pole star, also known as the North star or Polaris. It is a very bright star and it stays fixed in the sky, which is normally used in navigating folks safely through danger.) But this star was not visible. In the morning glad I see In the morning, the persona sees (maybe with a happy feeling) My foe outstretched beneath the His enemy is lying under the tree (dead/unconscious after eating the poison apple – the fruit that was tree. poisoned with the persona’s anger).

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The poem is like someone narrating/ telling a story about what happened or what he/she did. STANZA 1 :BEGINNING STANZA 2 : DEVELOPMENT (process) STANZA 3 : DEVELOPMENT (product) STANZA 4 : ENDING

THEMES:  Anger  Hatred  Deceit  Friend versus Foe  The power of communication  Good versus Evil MORAL VALUES:  Friendship  Tolerance  Patience  Forgiveness  Honesty/Sincerity  Peace/Harmony MORAL LESSONS:  We must be cautious of the motives of other people  Do not manipulate others, especially innocent people  Have open communication in life  Do not nurture hatred because it is destructive  Anger management is important in life  We should make friends with anybody and everybody  Make peace, not war

Additional Information: In A Poison Tree, William Blake intends to warn his readers that if they ignore his message regarding the "deceitful wiles" that cause hatred to intensify due to a lack of communication, they too can end up "outstretched beneath the tree" or be a person destroyed by his own "wrath." In the poem, the persona's "foe" becomes less afraid of the persona, and does not realise the depth of his hatred as the persona "sunned it with smiles" to mislead his enemy. The deceit becomes so intense that it bears "an apple bright." Similar stories that involve apples are Adam and Eve (when Eve first ate the apple, then deceived Adam and effectively poisoned his mind, and how they lost their innocence before being sent down to Earth) and also in Snow White (when the wicked queen deceives Snow White - she disguises as an old woman who gives Snow White a red poison apple) .

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PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. What did the persona do when he was angry with his friend? __________________________________________________________ 2. What happened when the persona was angry with his foe? __________________________________________________________ 3. In your own words, describe “my wrath did grow” about the persona? __________________________________________________________

STANZA 2 1. Name four things the persona did to make his anger grow. (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

2. What did the persona do to pretend that he was not angry? _________________________________________________________ 3. Which phrase suggests that the persona had planned a devious strategy? _________________________________________________________

STANZA 3 1. What does “it” refer to? __________________________________________________________ 2. Which line suggests that “the tree” is growing very well? __________________________________________________________ 3. Which line tells us that the persona’s enemy noticed the apple? __________________________________________________________

STANZA 4 1. What does “And into my garden stole” tell us about the enemy? __________________________________________________________ 2. In your own words, describe the night. __________________________________________________________ 3. What may have happened to the enemy in the end? __________________________________________________________ 59

PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) 1. In stanza 1, what may have caused the persona to be angry with his friend? (i)

_______________________________________________________

(ii)

_______________________________________________________[2 marks]

2. In stanza 1, why do you think the persona did not want to tell his enemy that he was angry? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks]

3. Why did the persona do all the things described in stanza 2? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 4. Based on stanza 2, in your opinion, did the persona’s enemy realise his deception? Why? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 5. Based on stanza 3, why do you think the persona let his “tree of anger” grow so well? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 6. How did the persona manage to attract his enemy’s attention? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 7. Based on stanza 4, describe the persona’s feelings in the end. Why does he feel that way? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 8. Based on the whole poem, explain what you understand by “a poison tree”. _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 9. “Honesty is the best policy”. Do you agree? Support your answer with a reason. _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 10. Anger management is very important. Give two reasons to support this statement. (i)

_______________________________________________________

(ii)

_______________________________________________________[2 marks]

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PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No.

Word

Meaning

No.

Word

1

wrath

4

foe

2

deceitful

5

Veiled

3

wiles

6

outstretched

Meaning

Additional HOTS Activity (AHA) : Look at the above picture. The two people are obviously arguing and both are extremely angry with each other. How could you help to solve their problem? Explain and justify.

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What Has Happened to Lulu?

ByCharles Causley (1917 – 2003) The poet’s background Charles Causley (1917-2003) was a poet and writer from Cornwall, England. His father died when he was only fifteen years old. When he was 16, his mother announced she had got him a job in a builder’s office, something that filled him with despair. Later Causley became a teacher at a school in Launceston. His work is characterised by its simplicity; his poems for adults are very similar in style to those written for children. His poetry often has deeper meanings hidden behind the simplicity. Causley often includes spiritual references and takes inspiration from the folklore of his native Cornwall. His poems for children were popular. Even though he was an extremely private person, he was nevertheless a very approachable man.

What Has Happened To Lulu? What has happened to Lulu, mother? What has happened to Lu? There's nothing in her bed but an old rag-doll And by its side a shoe. Why is her window wide, mother, The curtain flapping free, And only a circle on the dusty shelf Where her money-box used to be? Why do you turn your head, mother, And why do tear-drops fall? And why do you crumple that note on the fire And say it is nothing at all?

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I woke to voices late last night, I heard an engine roar. Why do you tell me the things I heard Were a dream and nothing more? I heard somebody cry, mother, In anger or in pain, But now I ask you why, mother, You say it was a gust of rain. Why do you wander about as though You don't know what to do? What has happened to Lulu, mother? What has happened to Lu?

What Has Happened to Lulu? is a poem told in a child’s voice about his/her older sister who is missing. A child is asking his/her mother what has happened to his/her sister, Lulu. There is nothing in her room, and her money-box has gone, with only an open window and an old rag-doll left behind. His/Her mother is crying and burning a note. He/She thinks he/she heard voices and a vehicle in the middle of the night, but his/her mother tells him/her that he/she was only dreaming.

Stanza One Line no. 1 2 3 4

Line What has happened to Lulu, mother? What has happened to Lu? There's nothing in her bed but an old rag-doll And by its side a shoe.

Interpretation The persona (the child) is asking his/her mother about his/her older sister, Lulu. The question is repeated but using the name “Lu” (showing that the child and Lulu are very close) Lulu is not in her bed. Only her rag-doll is there There is a shoe (Lulu’s) by the side of the bed. Stanza Two

Line no. 1 2 3 4 Line no. 1 2

Line Why is her window wide, mother,

Interpretation The persona is asking his/her mother about Lulu’s bedroom window that is wide open The curtain flapping free, The curtain is moving because of the wind from the open window And only a circle on the dusty shelf Lulu’s money-box is also missing (sign of a circle Where her money-box used to be? where the money-box was) Stanza Three Line Interpretation Why do you turn your head, The persona is asking his/her mother why she turns mother, her head away from him/her And why do tear-drops fall? He/She asks why mother is crying 63

3

And why do you crumple that note on the fire And say it is nothing at all?

4

Line no. 1

2 3 4 Line no. 1 2 3 4 Line no. 1 2 3 4

Why does his/her mother crumple the note she is reading and throw it into the fire (in the fire place) The mother simply says that there is nothing to worry about. Stanza Four Line Interpretation I woke to voices late last night, The persona tells his/her mother that he/she woke up from his/her sleep because he/she heard some people talking I heard an engine roar. He/She also heard the sound of a vehicle at that time Why do you tell me the things I The persona is asking his/her mother why she says heard what he/she heard were only in his/her dream Were a dream and nothing more? Stanza Five Line Interpretation I heard somebody cry, mother, The persona tells his/her mother that he/she also heard someone cry in anger or in pain In anger or in pain, But now I ask you why, mother, But when he/she asks his/her mother, she says it is just the sound of the rain. You say it was a gust of rain. Stanza Six Line Interpretation Why do you wander about as The persona is asking his/her mother why she is though walking or moving aimlessly as if she is nervous, worried and in panic. You don't know what to do? What has happened to Lulu, Again, the persona is asking his/her mother about mother? Lulu. What has happened to Lu? The repeated question shows that the child is really missing his/her sister / is worried about her / in confusion.

Based on the persona’s observations: Stanza 1:

Lulu is missing Old rag-doll & Lulu’s shoe

Stanza 2:

Lulu’s open window & flapping curtain A circle on the dusty shelf

Stanza 3:

Mother is crying Mother crumples the note

Stanza 4:

Voices late at night Engine roar

Stanza 5: Stanza 6:

Somebody cried in anger/pain Mother is wandering / looking worried 64

THEMES:  Family love  Family values  Grief  Adult versus child MORAL VALUES:  Love and care  Responsibility  Helpfulness  Honesty  Co-operation MORAL LESSONS:  Honesty is the best policy  We should help others in need  Two heads are better than one  Many hands make light work  We have to show our concern towards our family members  Blood is thicker than water PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. Why does the persona ask his mother about Lulu? _________________________________________________________________ 2. Name two things that the persona notices in Lulu’s bedroom. (i)

___________________________________________________________

(ii)

___________________________________________________________

STANZA 2 1. What causes the curtain to flap free? __________________________________________________________________ 2. Where did Lulu put her money-box? __________________________________________________________________ STANZA 3 1. Why does the mother turn her head away from the persona? __________________________________________________________________ 2. What phrase refers to the paper the mother is reading? __________________________________________________________________ STANZA 4 1. What woke the persona from his sleep? _________________________________________________________________ 65

2.

“the things” in line 3 refer to (i)

___________________________________________________________

(ii)

___________________________________________________________

STANZA 5 1. Describe what the persona heard that night? _________________________________________________________________ 2. What excuse does the mother give as an answer to the persona’s question? _________________________________________________________________ STANZA 6 1. What does the persona notice about his mother? _________________________________________________________________ 2. Based on “You don’t know what to do”, describe the mother’s feelings. _________________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) 1. How do you know that the persona is close to Lulu? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks]

2. In your opinion, did Lulu run away or was she kidnapped? Give a reason for your answer. _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 3. What do you think of the mother’s answers to the persona’s questions? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 4. Why doesn’t the mother tell the truth to the persona? Give two possible reasons. (c) __________________________________________________________[1 mark] (d) __________________________________________________________[1 mark] 5. Suggest two things that the mother should do about Lulu’s disappearance. (a) __________________________________________________________[1 mark] (b) __________________________________________________________[1 mark] 6. In your opinion, where was the persona’s father when Lulu disappeared? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 66

7. Why do some teenagers run away from home? Give two possible reasons. (a) __________________________________________________________[1 mark] (b) __________________________________________________________[1 mark]

8. What should be done to prevent child kidnapping? Suggest two ways. (a) __________________________________________________________[1 mark] (b) __________________________________________________________[1 mark]

9. How would you feel if a family member disappears from home? _____________________________________________________________[2 marks] 10. How can social media help in cases of child kidnapping? (a) __________________________________________________________[1 mark] (b) __________________________________________________________[1 mark]

PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No.

Word

Meaning

No.

Word

1

Rag-doll

4

roar

2

flapping

5

gust

3

crumple

6

wander

Meaning

Additional HOTS Activity (AHA) : Your friend is seriously thinking of running away from home because of some family problems. What advice would you give him and how could you help him in this situation?

67

MODULE on “We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea” NAME : __________________________________________ FORM : __________________________________________

Prepared by

Pn. Azalina Mohd Yusoff SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra, Kelantan 68

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Arthur Ransome (18 January 1884 – 3 June 1967) was an English author and journalist. He is best known for writing the Swallows and Amazons series of children's books about the schoolholiday adventures of children, mostly in the Lake District and the Norfolk Broads. Many of the books involve sailing, while fishing and camping are other common subjects. Ransome's writing is noted for his detailed descriptions of activities. He used many actual features from the Lake District landscape but he also invented his own geography, mixing descriptions of different places. Ransome's own interest in sailing and his need to provide an accurate description caused him to undertake a voyage across the North Sea to Flushing. His book We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea (1937) reflects this, and he based the fictional Goblin on his own boat Nancy Blackett (which in turn took its name from a character in the series). Ransome won the inaugural Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, and Durham University made him an honorary Master of Arts. Leeds University made him an honorary Doctor of Letters. Translations of his books have been published in several languages and he became popular in many countries.

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SYNOPSIS John, Susan, Titty and Roger Walker move with their mother and younger sister Brigit to Pin Mill, to await their father’s return to Britain from service overseas (China). There, they befriend Jim Brading, owner of the yacht Goblin, who invites them on a quiet cruise on the River Orwell. With their mother’s permission to spend a night on board the Goblin, on condition that they do not go outside Harwich Harbour, all goes well, until a series of events leaves the cfour Walkers alone and drifting out to sea in a fog which leads to a few days being at sea. Meanwhile, Jim has bad luck. Going ashore, he meets with an accident that lands him in hospital where he remains unconscious for forty-eight hours (2 days). As the children wait for his return, the Goblin has an accident and loses her chain and anchor and drifts out to sea. John proves to be the worthy son of a sailor father, Susan heroic over sea-sickness, Roger and Titty resourceful, brave and sensible. They finally find themselves in the North Sea. Not everyone could be so sturdy and so intelligent as John to steer the yacht to safety. The children use their skills and keep their wits when they are shrewdly tested with so many problems while at sea until their father appeared to help them sail the Goblin back safely.

Goblin

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The Compass N : North

NE : North-east

E : East

SE : South-east

W : West

NW : North-west

S : South

SW : South-west

CHAPTER SUMMARIES CHAPTER SUMMARY 1 John, Susan, Roger and Titty help Jim Brading to tie a rope to the buoy. In return On the he invites them to sail aboard Goblin. Mother agrees provided that they stay within River the estuary of the rivers Orwell and Stour, do not pass the Beach End buoy at the mouth of the rivers, and do not go out to sea. These conditions are imposed because of the important arrival of their father, who is expected to return by ferry at any time from Holland. The children agree to these conditions. 2 In Harbour

Unfortunately, on the second morning Goblin runs out of petrol because Jim forgets to fill up before they start the journey. So, Jim rows ashore to buy some petrol and promises to return in ten minutes but does not return. The children wait for the whole day until an unexpected fog drifts over the river, and the Goblin is without her captain.

3 Some hours later, after hearing the anchor drag in the fog, the children realise that Drifting out the tide has risen, the anchor chain is now too short, and they are drifting down the to Sea river. While John tries to put out more chain, John loses the anchor, and the yacht drifts out beyond Beach End into the North Sea. Aboard the drifting boat, John decides that it is safer to hoist the sails and go farther out to sea rather than take the risk of being wrecked in the fog. They plan to return to the river, but find that sailing against the wind is impossible, so they have to sail eastward with the wind. 4 A Stormy Night

The Goblin sails east through the night in hazardous conditions, being nearly run down as the navigation lights are out of paraffin. John has to leave Susan at the helm while he reefs the mainsail. He is almost swept overboard, but manages to 71

save himself and the rest in the yacht. 5 Sinbad and the Pilot

6 Arriving in Holland 7 Coming Home

John persuades Susan to continue moving to the nearest port rather than trying to return to Harwich. Along the way, they rescue a kitten floating on a packing-case. They find themselves approaching an unknown coast - it is the Southern Netherlands. They see a pilot ship and pick up a Dutch pilot who decides to help the children and it is free of charge. As they are approaching Flushing, a ferry is leaving to Harwich. Their father happens to be on that ferry and sees John and shouts to him in surprise. Their father leaves the ferry just in time and returns to help them sail the Goblin back to Harwich. Susan is terribly upset about their mother who will be worrying about them, so their father sends a telegram from Harwich to their mother. On arriving in England, the Goblin and its crew are reunited with their mother and with Jim Brading, who is looking for his missing yacht. Their mother feels angry because she thinks that they actually and secretly go to meet their father. Jim was unconscious and in hospital for two days, suffering from concussion after being involved in a collision with a bus. Roger keeps telling their mother that they met Father in Holland. Hence, Father has to tell their mother about the mishap. Finally, the children hope that their mother will understand that they didn't mean to go to sea.

Characters 

John, Susan, Titty, Roger, Bridget Walker



Jim Brading Mary Walker (Mother) Commander Ted Walker (Father) Miss Powell Sinbad the kitten the Flushing Pilot

    

MAIN CHARACTERS

Read each chapter and write notes about each of the characters below. Find the evidence to support your description. An example has been given. CHARACTER JOHN

DESCRIPTION

EVIDENCE When the yacht drifts out to sea, he uses his skills and experience to steer the yacht to avoid any danger or accidents to make sure that everyone is safe.

1)Reliable

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SUSAN

JIM

TITTY

ROGER

FATHER

MOTHER

THEMES     

Togetherness Through thick or thin Man proposes, God disposes Expect the unexpected Man versus nature

MORAL VALUES

Love & Care

Responsibility

Bravery

Patience

Co-operation

Courage

Honesty

Kindness

Determination

Perseverance

Helpfulness

Obedience

Gratitude

Appreciation

Confidence 73

MORAL LESSONS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

We should always be positive and courageous. Have confidence in everything we do. Never give up. We should try to solve a problem wisely and rationally. We must always stick together as a family Always be prepared for unexpected events in life.

“PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT” In PT3, the novel is  included in SECTION D  10 marks  written in not less than 50 words in continuous form (not in point form)

PLAN YOUR ANSWER : NOTE: You are required to use your higher order thinking skills (HOTS) when answering the question on the novel. So, you need to be systematic and organised in your approach. PARAGRAPH 1 2 3

ANSWER INTRODUCTION 3 POINTS + EVIDENCE CONCLUSION

???

Point 1

Point 2

Paragraph 1

Point 3 Paragraph 2

Evidence

Evidence

Conclusion

Evidence

Paragraph 3

NOTE: As you read the question, highlight/underline the key words.

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Based on the novel that you have studied, write about the character that you like the most. Provide evidence from the text to support your answer. John

Brave

Intelligent

Paragraph 1

Caring Paragraph 2

Manages to control the yacht in the bad weather

knows how to concerned about steer the yacht his siblings during to safety the journey

Conclusion

Paragraph 3

EXAMPLE: PARAGRAPH 1

PARAGRAPH 2

PARAGRAPH 3

Based on the novel “We didn’t mean to go to sea” by Arthur Ransome, the character that I like the most is John Walker. This is because he is very brave, intelligent and caring. John is a very brave boy. When the four siblings are at sea, he manages to control the yacht in the bad weather, calmly and using his skills, for example when he tried to avoid the buoys and the shoals. He is also intelligent because he knows how to steer the yacht to safety, such as when he always refers to the chart and watches the compass carefully. He can think and act fast to make sure that they are safe from the fog and the storm. I like John because he is a very caring brother. He is concerned about Susan, Roger and Titty, especially when Susan suffered from sea sickness. In conclusion, the character I like the most is John because he is a very brave, intelligent and caring person. He will be a good role model for all students.

Now, try to answer the following questions based on the example given. Do you like the story? Give reasons to support your answer, with evidence from the text. Write about an event that makes you feel happy. Give reasons why you feel that way, with close reference to the text. Choose one character in the story and describe how he or she is an important character in that story. Write about an event that makes you worried. Give reasons why the event makes you feel this way.

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MODULE on “Sing to the Dawn”

NAME : __________________________________________ FORM : __________________________________________

Prepared by

Pn. Azalina Mohd Yusoff SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra, Kelantan

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR...

Minfong Ho is an award-winning Chinese–American writer. Her various types of writing frequently deal with the lives of people living in poverty in Southeast Asian countries. Her stories are always set against the backdrop of real events, such as the student movement in Thailand in the 1970s and the Cambodian refugee problem with the collapse of the Khmer Rouge regime at the turn of the 1970s and 1980s. Her simple yet touching language and her optimistic themes have made her writing popular among children as well as young adults. Minfong Ho was the winner of S.E.A. Write Award in 1996.

Sing To The Dawn by Minfong Ho

SYNOPSIS The story is about a young Thai girl called Dawan, living in a small village, who won a scholarship to study in a city middle school. She faced the disapproval of her father who thought that studying was not for girls and she should have given the scholarship to her brother as he was second in the test. Dawan tried many ways to persuade her father to let her further her studies. She fought for her right to get basic education to see more of the world beyond her small village. Even though she failed many times, she managed to convince her father in the end. When the bus arrived to take her to the city, she almost changed her mind because she was reluctant to leave everything and everyone in the village. After her grandmother convinced her, she finally went, leaving the village behind her to pursue her dream.

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A village Thai family

Typical village boys

78

A Thai girl in school uniform

The city

Note : ‘Sing to the Dawn is set in a time period in which women are considered inferior to men and are perceived to be undeserving of education.’

CHAPTER SUMMARIES CHAPTER

1

2

SUMMARY Dawan (14 years old) and Kwai(13 years old) spent the morning talking about the scholarship to study in a city school. Kwai was quite hopeful and Dawan felt that she would not get the scholarship because she was a girl. Their parents thought that it was foolish and wasteful to send girls to school. The teacher asked his students what they saw beneath their houses in the morning. He had a long discussion with the students about the landlord taking away sacks of rice beneath their houses. The headmaster headed to their class and listened to the discussion before going off. The teacher and students discussed what they should do if they won the scholarship. The teacher announced that Dawan won the scholarship. 79

3

4

5

6

7

The classmates surrounded Dawan as soon as they heard that she won the scholarship. Kwai was unhappy and upset that Dawan won the scholarship, not him. Dawan told her family that she got the scholarship and that made her father angry. He accused Dawan of taking her own brother's chance away from him. Dawan’s mother was reluctant to give her opinion (being scared and loyal to her husband). Dawan's grandmother however supported her. Dawan and her grandmother planned to go to Noi's house. However, halfway there, Dawan's mother decided to go with Dawan instead of her grandmother - her grandmother was too old and it was a long journey (3 kilometres) to walk under the hot sun. The conversation at Noi’s house - Dawan’s mother, Noi (Dawan’s cousin, 5-6 years older than her, married and had a small baby) and Ghan (Noi’s husband). Noi said that going to the city was useless, not good and not healthy. She went to the city to work, not to study but had to come back home because the city was an ugly and cruel place to work. Ghan worked in the city as part of a work crew. Noi and Ghan tried to discourage Dawan from going to the city because it would bring more harm than good. Mr Phaspras (Army officer) made a deal with Noi's family in order not to take Ghan into the army (Noi and Ghan had to pay him a lot of money) After listening to what Noi and Ghan said, Dawan was still determined to go to the city. Kwai was upset when he knew that Dawan and their mother went to see Noi and Ghan. Kwai and Dawan argued over the issue of winning the scholarship. Kwai came in second in the examination but he was hoping to go to the city. At the same time, Kwai was scared of telling their father his result because Dawan might not be allowed to go. He was in a confused state. Dawan's father was very unapproachable. He did not want her to go to the city. He thought that boys going to the city to study would be better than girls. Kwai was hopeful after he heard that. Dawan’s father would not listen to her reasons. She decided to see the gentle old monk of the village temple. Maybe he could influence her father to change his mind. Dawan went to the busy and crowded market place alone early in the morning because she wanted to meet the monk at the temple. She met a girl, Bao who sold lotus buds and caged sparrows. Dawan wanted to buy a lotus bud but Bao gave it for free to her. She also wanted to free a caged bird to make merit but she did not have enough money (only ten cents). From their conversation, Dawan found out that Bao was Vichai’s sister (Dawan’s classmate – the boy who sat behind her in class). 80

8

9

10

11

12

Dawan went to see the old monk/head monk/elderly abbot in the temple. They talked in the open courtyard outside the temple. Dawan's teacher and the old monk were good friends, so he already told the monk about Dawan’s scholarship. Dawan pleaded with the monk so that he could persuade her father to let her go to study in the city (her father respected the monk and would listen to what he said). The old monk did not see the need for Dawan to go to the city school. He refused to help her because he did not believe in the idea of girls furthering their studies. He talked much about the Holy One’s teaching and Heaven. Dawan ran off in bitterness and tears. Bao allowed Dawan to release a bird for free. Bao's brother, Vichai, came to the market stall and hit her because of that. Kwai stopped Vichai from hitting Bao. After realising that Bao knew about what happened between Dawan and Kwai, Kwai wanted to slap Bao. Bao accused of both Vichai and Kwai as big bullies. Kwai pushed Dawan away when she tried to stop him from hitting Bao. Dawan landed on top of a pile of broken birdcages, injuring herself. Cousin Noi helped Dawan with her bleeding ankle. Dawan limped off alone to return home. In the heavy rain, Dawan went to the river to sit on the old bridge but Kwai was already there. Kwai was thinking about Dawan's words (about him being a bully). The siblings talked about what happened and expressed their feelings about the whole issue. Kwai realised that Dawan was a caring sister and he finally made his decision. Both of them returned home together. On their way home in the heavy rain, they saw their father leading the buffalo home (which Kwai forgot to do). They decided to hide from him because he looked angry but later they approached him. Their father heard from the teacher that Kwai got second in the test and was angry at him for not telling him about it. Back at home, their grandmother tried to comfort the scared Dawan. Father had a good and serious discussion with Kwai and Dawan about the scholarship. Father was very reluctant to let Dawan go to the city school but Dawan and Kwai managed to convince him. He finally allowed Dawan to go. Kwai was both happy and sad at the same time about their father’s decision. Dawan’s last morning at home. At dawn, she went to the top of the old wooden bridge and saw that Kwai was already there. The siblings talked about Dawan’s leaving the village. Kwai would miss Dawan because no one would be there to watch the sunrise with 81

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him. He cried and ran off. Dawan started singing her morning song one last time before going home to get ready to go to the city. At first Dawan was unsure if she wanted to leave because she would miss everything and everyone in her village. Her grandmother gave her a lot of advice and encouragement to persuade her to go. She gave Dawan a glass jar of lotus bud. When she was boarding the bus to go to the city, Kwai was nowhere to be seen. Although many people in the village sent her off, she was not happy as Kwai was not there. During the bus journey, she saw Kwai on the bridge that they usually went to, he was waving goodbye at her, singing their favourite morning song, which she continued singing until she could not see him anymore.

MAIN CHARACTERS

Read each chapter and write notes about each of the characters below. Find the evidence to support your description. Some examples have been given. CHARACTER DAWAN

DESCRIPTION

EVIDENCE Dawan tried very hard to convince her father that he should give her the chance to study. She never gave up and continued until she succeeded in going to a city school.

1)Determined/ Ambitious

2)

KWAI

When Dawan tried to stop Kwai from hitting Bao at the marketplace, he pushed her until she fell and injured her ankle.

1)Bad tempered

2)

FATHER

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MOTHER

GRANDMOTHER

BAO

NOI

GHAN

HEAD MONK

TEACHER

Who do you think they are?

___________

___________ __________ __________ ___________ ___________

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THEMES      

Close family ties Gender inequality/biasness (boys versus girls) Ideals versus reality Village life versus city life Poverty Future and opportunities

MORAL VALUES

Love & Care

Responsibility

Sacrifice

Bravery

Courage

Patience

Friendship

Concern

Honesty

Kindness

Determination

Tolerance

Loyalty

Perseverance

Helpfulness

Obedience

Gratitude

Appreciation

Confidence

Discipline

MORAL LESSONS 1. Everyone deserves an equal right to education 2. We should work hard to improve the quality of our family life 3. Appreciate and take care of nature 4. We should have a positive attitude 5. Be open-minded and approachable 6. We have to listen to others and be more tolerant 7. Have confidence in life 8. Determination is the key to success 9. We should respect our elders 10. Focus on the family

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QUICK CHECK ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING (BASED ON EACH CHAPTER) Use the following graphic organiser to complete the information for each chapter.

WHO?

WHAT HAPPENED?

MORAL VALUES?

CHAPTER: ______

WHEN?

WHY?

HOTS

WHERE?

:-

Give your own opinion about the main event(s) in the chapter.

Given a chance, how would you change the event(s) in this chapter? Why?

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DISCUSSION TIME (HOTS) With your teacher’s help, try to discuss with your friends the following quotations and pictures below.

QUOTABLE QUOTES The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. ~Robert Maynard Hutchins Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one. ~Malcolm S. Forbes Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves. ~AbbéDimnet, Art of Thinking, 1928 Education is the movement from darkness to light. ~Allan Bloom Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. ~John Dewey

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“PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT” PLAN YOUR ANSWER : NOTE: You are required to use your higher order thinking skills (HOTS) when answering the question on the novel. So, you need to be systematic and organised in your approach.

PARAGRAPH 1 2 3 4 5

ANSWER INTRODUCTION + THESIS STATEMENT POINT 1 + EVIDENCE + JUSTIFICATION POINT 2 + EVIDENCE + JUSTIFICATION POINT 3 + EVIDENCE + JUSTIFICATION CONCLUSION + REFLECTION

???

Point 1

Point 2

Point 3

Evidence

Evidence

Evidence

Justification

Justification

Justification

NOTE: As you read the question, highlight/underline the key words. EXAMPLE: Choose ONE character that has undergone some major changes in his/her life. Describe the changes and support each change with evidence from the novel. Character

Change 1

Change 2

Change 3

Evidence

Evidence

Evidence

Justification

Justification

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Justification

Example: DAWAN [After she won the scholarship]

POINTS :

more determined

EVIDENCE :

to further her studies in the city

JUSTIFICATION :

To emphasize on the equality of education (not only for boys)

more courageous

approaches the old monk & her father

more mature

thinks about her future & how to help her family

She needs to convince others about her ability

To improve the life of her family & to get out of poverty

Based on the given points, try to write your answer. The introductory paragraph is already done for you. PARAGRAPH 1 Based on the novel “Sing to the Dawn” by Minfong Ho, the character that has undergone some major changes in her life is Dawan. She is a poor Thai village girl, aged 14 years old, who won a scholarship to study in the city. After winning the scholarship, Dawan has become more determined, courageous and mature in trying to pursue her dreams.

PARAGRAPH 2

PARAGRAPH 3

PARAGRAPH 4

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PARAGRAPH 5 So, based on the evidence from the novel that I have given, it really proves that Dawan has changed for the better. I wish I could be determined, courageous and mature like Dawan, to be successful in my studies and in my life.

PRACTICE 1) Write about ONE important theme in the story. Relate the theme to some of the characters in the story.

Theme

Character 1

Character 2

Character 3

Evidence

Evidence

Evidence

Justification

Justification

Justification

2) What lessons have you learnt from one of the characters in the novel? Character

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Evidence

Evidence

Evidence

Justification

Justification

Justification

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3) Did you enjoy reading the novel? Support your answer with evidence from the text. YES/NO

Reason 1

Reason 2

Reason 3

Evidence

Evidence

Evidence

Justification

Justification

Justification

4) State ONE event which you feel should not have happened. Explain why you think so. Event

Reason 1

Reason 2

Reason 3

Evidence

Evidence

Evidence

Justification

Justification

Justification

5) Describe THREE events in the novel that have touched your feelings. Give reasons for your choices. Novel….

Event 1

Reason

Justification

Event 2

Reason

Justification

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Event 3

Reason

Justification

6) “Hope is an important factor in life.“ Choose ONE character in the novel. What does he/she hope to achieve? Show how this hope affects his/her life. Character + hope

Achieve 1

Achieve 2

Effect

Effect

Justification

Justification

Achieve 3

Effect Justification

7) State an important decision made by one of the main characters. Show how the decision changed his/her life. Character + Decision

How 1

Justification

How 2

Justification

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How 3

Justification

FURTHER ACTIVITIES

“A picture paints a thousand words” Based on your understanding of each picture below, discuss with your teacher or friends on the issue. Try to relate each picture with the characters and events in the novel.

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SPM QUESTIONS: 2008

Based on the novel that you have studied, describe what happens at the end of the story. Explain why you find the ending either happy or sad.

2009

Write about a difficult decision made by one of the characters. Do you think this was the right decision?

2010

Write about an important incident that you remember. Give reasons why you remember the incident.

2011

Which part of the story do you like most? Give reasons for your choice.

2012

Write about an event that makes you angry. Give reasons why the event makes you feel this way.

2013

Write about an important decision made by one of the characters. Explain how it affects the other character(s).

2014

“One has to struggle to improve one’s life.” How far is this true of the novel you have studied?

2015

Describe a life-changing event that happens to a character and what it has taught you.

2016

Describe a scene that makes you either happy or sad. Give reasons why you feel this way.

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ANSWERS

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Sad I Ams PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. Where does the ring come from? Empty Cola can 2. Where do the scrapings come from? Unwashed porridge pan 3. What is Action Man? A toy STANZA 2 Problems: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

The gum is gone The end cannot be found Toothless Springless Dried up

STANZA 3 1. What type of vehicle is referred to in this stanza? Car/van/lorry 2. Write the lines to suggest that the vehicle cannot start or move a) Line 2 : the battery in which no charge is left b) Line 3 : the starter motor which remains inert c) Line 5 : the sparking plug which shows no sign of spark d) Line 6 : the carburettor choked by bits and dirt STANZA 4 List the items mentioned in this stanza a) b) c) d)

Garden Library book Stray Advice

PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) NOTE : The answers for HOTS questions can be varied & wide ranging but most importantly, they should be logical/reasonable and relevant to the question. Teachers are advised to use their own discretion. The answers given below are simply examples of acceptable ones.

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STANZA 1

1. Who do you think love to drink from cans? a) Children b) Boys c) Men 2. Who do you think broke the arm of the Action Man? A child / the owner of the toy STANZA 2

1. Describe how you feel when you cannot find the end of a cellophane tape. Frustrated / angry / upset 2. What would you do to correct your written mistake when your liquid paper is dried up? Cancel my mistake using a pen 3. How would you feel when you suddenly found a letter which you forgot to post? Frustrated because the letter did not reach the person I wrote to STANZA 3

1) a) b) 2) a) b) a) b)

What would you do if your vehicle cannot start or move? Call a mechanic Try to repair it myself Would you buy a new vehicle if you cannot use the one you have? Why? Yes Because it is already old Because I need a vehicle as a transport to move around No Because I do not have enough money to buy a new one Because the vehicle is special to me and I want to keep it

STANZA 4

1. What should you do if your garden is overgrown with weeds? Mow the lawn 2. Who should be looking after your garden at home? Why? My mother/father because she/he knows about gardening 3. In your opinion, what makes a library book uninteresting? a) The cover looks boring b) It is too thick 4. Suggest ways to solve the problems of stray animals in your neighbourhood. a) Take them as pets b) Have a “Care for Animals” campaign PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word Scrapings

Meaning The food that is stuck to

No. 5 97

Word Inert

Meaning Not moving/starting

2

Severed

3

Mars

4

Mend

the bottom of the pan Cut off Spoils/makes something become worse Repair/make better

6

Tread

7

Choked

8

Stray

The pattern on the surface of a tyre Full of something that stops the flow Wandering animal that nobody wants

News Break PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1

1. Who is asking the question? The persona / parent / father / mother / guardian 2. How many questions are asked in this stanza? Four STANZA 2 1. Describe the child’s face. Clean 2. Quote the line which shows that the child is being careful. “Your clothes without a crease” STANZA 3 1. List the things that the child would normally do when he/she got home. a) Dropped school books b) Shrieked c) Made childish treble 2. What does it mean when the persona/parent says that the child is a lamb? He/she is very well behaved STANZA 4 1. What does the persona/parent ask the child to do? To come closer to him/her 2. Which line suggests that the persona/parent cannot believe what he/she sees? “Can this be REALLY you? “ STANZA 5 1. Which line suggests that the persona/parent has just realised what is happening. “Ah…now I see the reason” 2. What does the child bring back from school? His/her school report 98

PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) NOTE : The answers for HOTS questions can be varied & wide ranging but most importantly, they should be logical/reasonable and relevant to the question. Teachers are advised to use their own discretion. The answers given below are simply examples of acceptable ones. 1. Describe the persona/parent’s feelings when he/she says “For goodness sake, what’s this?” in stanza 1. The parent finds the child’s behaviour quite strange / not normal OR He/she is surprised or shocked 2. What would the child normally do with his/her luncheon money at school (stanza 2)? Buy food and drinks at recess time 3. Give an example of what the child did when the persona/parent says “Where yesterday a rebel” (stanza 3) He/she did not listen to his/her parents’ advice OR he/she messed his/her bedroom 4. Why does the persona/parent feel that the child is a stranger (stanza 4)? Because he/she is being very good 5. What do you think the child would say to his/her parent when he/she gives the school report? “Mum/Dad, this is my report card. I hope you won’t be angry.” 6. Describe your own feelings every time you give your school academic report to your parents. I feel nervous and also scared because my result is not always good 7. Do you think examinations are important for students? Give TWO reasons. a) Examinations will test them on what they have learned and understood b) Students will be more serious in their studies because the results will be important for their future 8. Why are parents concerned about their children’s studies? Because they want the best for their children 9. Suggest TWO ways students can follow in order to get success in their studies. a) Have a personal study time table b) Study in small groups after school 10) What is your future career? Why? I want to be a doctor because I want to help treat people, especially the poor ones. PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word Crease

Meaning Not smooth

No. 5

2

Cease

Stop

6

Rage

Meaning A person who goes against the rule/law Anger

3

Shrieking

Screamed

7

Hullabaloo

Fuss / commotion

4

Treble

Noise/loud sound

8

Stunned

Shocked/surprised

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Word Rebel

My Hero PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. Which line suggests that the persona thinks of his father as the best hero? I rate him Number One 2. What is the meaning of “the dead of night”? The night is very dark and quiet STANZA 2 1. List two things that do not scare the persona’s father. (i) Late-night film /horror movie on television (ii) Skeletons 2. Which line tells us that the persona is confident about his father’s bravery? Not dad, not on your Nelly! STANZA 3 1. What would the persona’s father do to prove that he is not afraid of ghosts? Smile and greet them 2. Which line suggests that his father is better than other fathers? My dad could just defeat ‘em STANZA 4 1. List the three types of monsters mentioned in this stanza. (i) Vampires (ii) Wolf-man (iii) Frankenstein’s monster 2. The word “him” refers to the persona’s father STANZA 5 1. Which line suggests that the persona’s father is very confident? And he’s always ready to prove it 2. What does his mother have to do in the bathroom? She has to remove the spider that is in the bathtub PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) NOTE : The answers for HOTS questions can be varied & wide ranging but most importantly, they should be logical/reasonable and relevant to the question. Teachers are advised to use their own discretion. The answers given below are simply examples of acceptable ones.

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1. Who do you think the persona is talking to about his father? Why? Maybe he is talking to his friends/classmates because they are making comparisons about their fathers. 2. How does the persona know that his father is not afraid of watching horror movies late at night? The persona sleeps late every night / he watches the movies with his father. 3. In your opinion, which line is the best description of his father’s bravery? Why? “My dad could just defeat ‘em” because he can do what other fathers cannot do. (Note: The student can just choose any line but he needs to justify his choice.) 4. What would his father do to the monsters (in stanza 4)? How? He would kill them all by using his karate skills. 5. Why do you think the persona’s mother has to remove the spider in the bathtub? His father is scared of spiders or tiny/furry insects. 6. Suggest two ways to show your appreciation to your father. (i) Always help him wash his car (ii) Play games with him 7. Apart from your father, who would you consider your hero? Why? I choose my neighbour because he is strong and brave like my father. 8. What would be the best present you could give to your father on his birthday? Why? I will give him a video camera so that he can record all the family activities for his video collection. PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word Horrors

Fears

Meaning

2

Skeleton

Bones of a dead person

3

Defeat

Win over

No. 4

Word Vampires

Meaning Living corpse

5

Upset

Unhappy/disappointed

6

Remove

Get rid of/throw away

What is red? PRACTICE 1

1. From the poem, list the positive examples of red. (Choose five from the list below) (i) Sunset (vii) fire-crackers (festive occasions) (ii) Feeling brave (viii) fire-engine (iii) Rose (ix) lipstick (iv) Brick (x) rubber ball (v) Sound of a band (xi) Valentine heart (vi) Circus cart (xii) Red Indian 2. From the poem, list the negative examples of red. (i) Sunburn (ii) Anger 101

(iii) (iv) (v)

Shout Blood from a cut Feeling embarrassed

3. What is the meaning of “with all your might”? With all your power or strength 4. What causes a sunburn? Being under the hot sun for too long 5. In the poem, “you” refers to the reader 6. “Red squiggles out” refers to blood 7. What flower does red refer to in this poem? Rose 8. Which line suggests that red is also the colour of love? A Valentine heart. 9. Which line tells us that some people wear red to attract attention? Red is a show-off 10. What does “it” in the last line refer to? Red PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions)

NOTE : The answers for HOTS questions can be varied & wide ranging but most importantly, they should be logical/reasonable and relevant to the question. Teachers are advised to use their own discretion. The answers given below are simply examples of acceptable ones. 1. Why do you think red refers to the sunset and not the sunrise? Because it is getting dark and the sun is setting 2. How is it possible for you to get a sunburn? Explain. When I sit under the sun for too long without wearing anything to protect me from the heat, like wearing a cap or hat I will get a sunburn. 3. Based on your own experience, why do people dislike feeling embarrassed? Because they do not want to be laughed at / they will lose their confidence when they feel silly. 4. Why do you think people give red roses to their loved ones? As a symbol of love or romance / Red roses are special because they are very beautiful and expensive. 5. How could a visit to a circus make you happy? I can see many interesting circus acts and also animals like tigers and elephants. 6. In your opinion, is red the best colour for a lipstick? Why? Yes, because it is a bright and can make a woman look very beautiful. OR 102

No, because it is too bright and it will make a woman look ugly/like a clown. 7. Who do you think would be interested in playing with a big red rubber ball? Why? Small children will like it because it will be fun trying to kick or catch a big ball. 8. Do you think red is the best choice of colour for a school uniform? Why? Yes, because it will make the students look smart and cheerful. OR No, because it is not suitable for a school as a place to study. 9. Would you want to live in a red bungalow? Why? Yes, because my house will look the most interesting in my area. OR No, my neighbours will think that we are a crazy family because we choose red paint. 10. Some people do not like red. Give two possible reasons. (i) The colour is too bright (ii) They do not like to show off.

PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word Blazing

Meaning Burning brightly

No. 4

Word Embarrassed

2

Might

Power/strength

5

Flicker

3

Squizzles

Wriggles/moves unevenly

6

Trimmings

Meaning Feeling Glint/glimmer decorations

The Day the Bulldozers Came PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. 2. 3. 4.

What are the creatures mentioned in this stanza? Rooks, green flies and toad. What are rooks? Birds The crazy egg baskets refer to bird nests. The word “them” refers to the green flies.

STANZA 2 1. What animal does this stanza focus on? Squirrels. 2. Describe what they did when the bulldozers came. They were scattering up tree trunks and leapt from the branches. 3. “…branches that were hardly there” What happened to the branches? The branches were chopped/cut off/broken.

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STANZA 3 1. What disturbed the fox’s sleep? The ground trembled. 2. Where was the fox when the bulldozers came? Deep down in the Earth / underground. 3. Which line suggests that the fox was not worried? ‘I’m quite safe (line 5) PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) NOTE : The answers for HOTS questions can be varied & wide ranging but most importantly, they should be logical/reasonable and relevant to the question. Teachers are advised to use their own discretion. The answers given below are simply examples of acceptable ones. STANZA 1 1. Give a possible reason for the rooks to be building their nests on trees. To be safe from any types of danger or wild animals. 2. Why would a toad be waiting for the green flies? To eat them. STANZA 2 1. If you were the squirrel, how would you feel when the bulldozers came into the forest? I would feel very scared because my life would be in danger. 2. What would happen to the squirrels if they fell off the trees? They would have died or been injured. STANZA 3 1. What could possibly cause the ground to tremble? The bulldozer that was moving in the forest. 2. Do you think the fox would survive? Give a reason for your answer. YES, because he was deep down underground where the bulldozer could not possibly reach him. NO, because he could die when the ground collapsed and buried him alive. 3. Suggest TWO ways to save the fox and other animals from destruction caused by the bulldozers. a) Move the animals in the forest to a nearby zoo or forest reserve. b) Prevent deforestration in the forest where these animals live. PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word rooks

Meaning crows/birds

No. 5

2

oaks

trees

6

leapt

Meaning moving all over the place jumped

3

sizzled

flew noisily

7

hardly

Not at all

4

Cold-eyed

emotionless

8

stirred

moved gently

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Word scattering

Poisoned Talk PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. Where did the cock robin die? On the branch of a withered tree 2. What poisoned the worm? The acid soil STANZA 2 1. How did the fish kill the heron? With its tainted flesh 2. What else did the fish kill? Tern, duck, drake and all the birds of the lake. STANZA 3 1. What did Industry poison the lake with? Mercury 2. Why did Industry kill the lake? To pamper man’s greed / to satisfy greedy people STANZA 4 1. Which word suggests that the wind was sad? moaned (line 2) 2. Which phrase has the same meaning as “move freely)? prowl unconfined (line 3) STANZA 5 1. What destroyed the forest? Sulphur dioxide 2. Which line tells us that everything in the forest was destroyed?And all life within it(line 4) PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) NOTE : The answers for HOTS questions can be varied & wide ranging but most importantly, they should be logical/reasonable and relevant to the question. Teachers are advised to use their own discretion. The answers given below are simply examples of acceptable ones. 1. How could the robin be poisoned by the worm? The robin must have eaten the worm. 2. Why did the birds go to the lake? To look for fish to eat. 3. Give TWO negative effects of modern industries. i. Global warming ii. Pollution 4. Name TWO types of pollution. i. Air pollution ii. Water pollution 5. How can we save the environment? Suggest TWO ways. i. Plant more trees ii. Reduce pollution 105

PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word withered

Meaning dried

2

tainted

contaminated/polluted

3

boasted

4

pamper

No. 5

Word moaned

Meaning made the sound of pain

6

prowl

move around

Talked proudly

7

unconfined

Not restricted/limited

give special treatment

8

fen

wetland

The Living Photograph PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. Give three descriptions of the persona’s grandmother’s appearance. (a) tall (b) straight-back (c) has a kind old smile (Also accept : neat / properly dressed) 2. Based on Stanza 1, describe the grandmother’s personality. (a) kind (b) warm (Also accept : loving / caring / other suitable adjectives) 3. What does line 7 tell you about the grandmother? Still strong / determined / courageous / brave

STANZA 2 1. Describe the grandmother when she was old and sick. (a) small (b) round and hunched 2. Why did she forget to boil her soup? She was too ill / sick 3. What happened to the grandmother in the end? She died

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STANZA 3 1. How old was the persona when the photograph was taken? Three 2. Describe the persona’s feelings when she looks at the photograph. Sad / nostalgic / other suitable adjectives 3. Quote the phrase that describes the grandmother as being old. (the) crinkled smile PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) NOTE : The answers for HOTS questions can be varied & wide ranging but most importantly, they should be logical/reasonable and relevant to the question. Teachers are advised to use their own discretion. The answers given below are simply examples of acceptable ones. 1. In stanza 1, why does the grandmother look tall in the photograph? Because she is still well/healthy eventhough she is already old [2 marks] 2. Based on stanza 1, describe how the persona feels about her grandmother. She loves her grandmother very much and she is very close to her grandmother. [2 marks] 3. Why do you think the persona describesthe afterlife asawful, unknown and unthinkable? Because she is still a child and to her, death is something that is very scary and mysterious.[2 marks] 4. Is it good tokeep photographsof your loved ones? Give two reasons. (a) Yes, because we can always remember how they look like [1 mark] (b) Yes, because we can show the photographs to our children and grandchildren and tell them about their ancestors [1 mark] (c) Do you consider the grandmother as courageous? Give your evidence from the poem. Yes, she was very courageous based on the line ‘Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye’ [2 marks] (d) In your own words, describe the relationship between the persona and her grandmother. They were very close and they loved each other very much. [2 marks]

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PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word Pleated

2

hunched

Meaning Folded sewn or pressed into the cloth Crouched

3

Awful

Terrible/bad

No. 4

Word unknown

Meaning Unfamiliar/mysterious

5

unthinkable

6

crinkled

Cannot be considered/imagined Wrinkled

The Charge Of The Light Brigade PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. What does the “Light Brigade” refer to? Soldiers 2. Who said “Forward, the Light Brigade!”? The commander/captain/leader of the brigade 3. What was the order? To attack the enemies/to move forward/to go into battle 4. “Into the valley of Death” What would happen to the men? They would die/they would not survive the battle STANZA 2 1. Based on this stanza, describe the personality of the soldiers. (a) loyal/obedient (b) brave/courageous (c) confident/determined 2. The word “Theirs” refers to the soldiers 3. What is the meaning of “blundered”? Made a mistake STANZA 3 1. Describe the scene of the battlefield. The soldiers were surrounded by the enemies / the soldiers were attacked with cannon and gunshots 2. What “Volleyed and thundered”? The cannon 3. What do you think happened at the end of the poem? Most of the soldiers died in the battle / the soldiers lost the war / other possible answers

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PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) NOTE : The answers for HOTS questions can be varied & wide ranging but most importantly, they should be logical/reasonable and relevant to the question. Teachers are advised to use their own discretion. The answers given below are simply examples of acceptable ones. 1. In your own words, describe how the soldiers felt when they went into the battlefield. They felt very brave and determined to win the war even though they were a small a group of soldiers [2 marks] 2. In your opinion, was it the right thing to do for the soldiers to follow the captain’s command? Give a reason. Yes, because it was their duty to follow their leader OR No, because the captain’s command means that they would die in the battle [2 marks] 3. What do you think of the captain’s command? It was the right thing to do because all the soldiers were experienced OR It was a crazy thing to do because there were only 600 soldiers to fight against so many enemies. [2 marks] 4. Give two suggestions on how we should show our appreciations to those who defend our country. (a) We should have a special ‘Hero Day’ to honour them [1 mark] (b) We should give them a special award for their honorable deeds [1 mark]

PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No. 1

Word league

2

valley

3

dismayed

Meaning Short distance / way to measure distance Low, flat land between hills/mountains / dale Shocked/terrified/sad

4

blundered

Made a serious mistake

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No. 5

Word volleyed

Meaning Hit/fired/shot

6

shell

Bullets from guns

7

boldly

Bravely/courageously

8

jaws

Lower part of your face

A Poison Tree

PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. What did the persona do when he was angry with his friend? He told his friend about it. 2. What happened when the persona was angry with his foe? He did not tell his foe / He just kept quiet 3. In your own words, describe “my wrath did grow” about the persona? His anger increased / became worse STANZA 2 1. Name four things the persona did to make his anger grow. (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

Watered it in fears Watered it with tears Sunned it with smiles Sunned it with soft deceitful wiles

2. What did the persona do to pretend that he was not angry? He smiled (and became persuasive) 3. Which phrase suggests that the persona had planned a devious strategy? “with soft deceitful wiles” STANZA 3 1. What does “it” refer to? Anger / Tree / Tree of anger 2. Which line suggests that “the tree” is growing very well? “Till it bore an apple bright” 3. Which line tells us that the persona’s enemy noticed the apple? “And my foe beheld it shine” STANZA 4 1. What does “And into my garden stole” tell us about the enemy? He sneaked / went quietly into the persona’s garden 2. In your own words, describe the night. The night was very dark / in total darkness 3. What may have happened to the enemy in the end? He died after eating the poison apple / He fainted / He became unconscious

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PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) NOTE : The answers for HOTS questions can be varied & wide ranging but most importantly, they should be logical/reasonable and relevant to the question. Teachers are advised to use their own discretion. The answers given below are simply examples of acceptable ones. 1. In stanza 1, what may have caused the persona to be angry with his friend? (i) A misunderstanding (ii) A disagreement about something [2 marks] 2. In stanza 1, why do you think the persona did not want to tell his enemy that he was angry? Maybe because he was afraid of his enemy / He was trying to pretend that he was not affected by what happened [2 marks] 3. Why did the persona do all the things described in stanza 2? He wanted to avenge his anger / He wanted to punish his enemy for what happened. [2 marks] 4. Based on stanza 2, in your opinion, did the persona’s enemy realise his deception? Why? No, I do not think so because the persona always smiled and acted nicely.[2 marks] 5. Based on stanza 3, why do you think the persona let his “tree of anger” grow so well? He wanted to attract his enemy to eat the poison fruit [2 marks] 6. How did the persona manage to attract his enemy’s attention? By growing such a big tree with bright and shiny apples

[2 marks]

7. Based on stanza 4, describe the persona’s feelings in the end. Why does he feel that way? He feels satisfied / happy / pleased with his effort because his enemy is defeated in the end / Died. [2 marks] 8. Based on the whole poem, explain what you understand by “a poison tree” in this context. It is actually the symbol of the persona’s anger which he let grow so big that it killed his enemy [2 marks] PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No.

Word

1

wrath

2

deceitful

3

wiles

Meaning

No.

Anger / fury

4

foe

Dishonest / insincere

5

Veiled

Tricks / devious strategies

6

outstretched

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Word

Meaning enemy Covered / hidden Stretched out / lying with arms and legs apart

What Has Happened To Lulu? PRACTICE 1 STANZA 1 1. Why does the persona ask his mother about Lulu? Because she was not in her bedroom 2. Name two things that the persona notices in Lulu’s bedroom. (i) An old rag-doll in her bed (ii) A shoe by her bedside STANZA 2 1. What causes the curtain to flap free? The wind / breeze from the open window 2. Where did Lulu put her money-box? On the dusty shelf STANZA 3 1. Why does the mother turn her head away from the persona? She does not want the persona to see her tears / her worried look 2. What phrase refers to the paper the mother is reading? “that note” STANZA 4 1. What woke the persona from his sleep? Voices / people talking 2. “the things” in line 3 refer to (i) voices (ii) an engine roar STANZA 5 1. Describe what the persona heard that night? Somebody cried in anger or in pain 2. What excuse does the mother give as an answer to the persona’s question? It was a gust of rain STANZA 6 1. What does the persona notice about his mother? She is wandering about / she looks restless or worried 2. Based on “You don’t know what to do”, describe the mother’s feelings. She feels nervous / worried / in panic

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PRACTICE 2 (HOTS Questions) NOTE : The answers for HOTS questions can be varied & wide ranging but most importantly, they should be logical/reasonable and relevant to the question. Teachers are advised to use their own discretion. The answers given below are simply examples of acceptable ones. 1. How do you know that the persona is close to Lulu? He is concerned about his sister and he also calls her “Lu” maybe as her nickname [2 marks] 2. In your opinion, did Lulu run away or was she kidnapped? Give a reason for your answer. I think she ran away through her bedroom window, taking along her money-box with her. Or I think she was kidnapped because the persona heard her crying out, some voices outside the house and the engine of a vehicle. [2 marks] 3. What do you think of the mother’s answers to the persona’s questions? Her answers are all lies and some are not logical / do not make sense [2 marks] 4. Why doesn’t the mother tell the truth to the persona? Give two possible reasons. (a) She does not want him to be scared [1 mark] (b) she does not want to worry him [1 mark] 5. Suggest two things that the mother should do about Lulu’s disappearance. (a) Report to the police [1 mark] (b) Ask for her neighbours’ help[1 mark] 6. In your opinion, where was the persona’s father when Lulu disappeared? He was working on a night shift / he was divorced from the mother / he was away on business . [2 marks] 7. Why do some teenagers run away from home? Give two possible reasons. (a) Some family problems [1 mark] (b) Bad influence from friends [1 mark] 8. What should be done to prevent child kidnapping? Suggest two ways. (a) Parental care and concern [1 mark] (b) Awareness campaigns [1 mark] 9. How would you feel if a family member disappears from home? Upset / depressed / sad / confused / stressed [2 marks] 10. How can social media help in cases of child kidnapping? (a) It can inform the public about what is happening [1 mark] (b) It can lead to many types of help from many people or organizations [1 mark]

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PRACTICE 3 (VOCABULARY) No.

Word

1

Rag-doll

2

flapping

3

crumple

Meaning

No.

Word

Doll made from pieces of cloth Fluttering / waving / swinging Creased / crushed

4

roar

Loud sound

5

gust

strong

6

wander

THE END

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Meaning

Walking / moving aimlessly

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