Form 2 Poem Revision 1c2o2p

Form 2: Literature revision I WONDER by Jeannie Kirby I wonder why the grass is green, And why the wind is never seen? Who taught the birds to build a nest, And told the trees to take a rest? O, when the moon is not quite round, Where can the missing bit be found? Who lights the stars, when they blow out, And makes the lightning flash about? Who paints the rainbow in the sky, And hangs the fluffy clouds so high? Why is it now, do you suppose, That Dad won’t tell me, if he knows?

1Who is the persona in the poem _________________________________________________ (a) Can a tree take a rest? _________________________________________________ (b)What does the poet really mean when she says that the trees take a rest? _________________________________________________ 2 List three things that the persona is wondering about.

3Identify the word that means –‘to make something look bright’? _________________________________________________ (a) What does the title of the poem imply about the persona? _________________________________________________ (b) Explain in your own words, what you understand by the last two lines. _________________________________________________ 4Who is the speaker relating the events to? _________________________________________________ (a) What is the half moon seen as? _________________________________________________ (b) The poem somehow portrays the thinking of a child. Describe the characteristics of the child. ________________________________________________ 5Identify a phrase/line that shows human characteristics in non living things? _________________________________________________ (a) What is the mood of the poem? _________________________________________________ (b) What is the poem about? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________ (a)State one moral value found in the poem. _________________________________________________

‘Heir Conditioning’ by SHANmugalingam

Grand dad did you breathe before air cons were invented? was it hard staying alive without modern inventions? Grandma weren’t you flustered as you fluttered with paper fans? could you communicate before faxes and long distance calls became basic necessities?

(a) What is the message that the poet wishes to express in this poem?

Grandchild we lived before your age. Because of our ignorance, we did not know pollution, stress, traffic jams destruction of forests, streams and hills we feared God and nature now nature fears you and money is your new God.

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________ 3What can you infer from the line Grand child we lived before your age? _________________________________________________ (a) Explain why “Grand child” would find it difficult to live without modern inventions. _________________________________________________ (b) What is the tone of the poem? _________________________________________________ 4 (a) Who is the persona in the second stanza? _________________________________________________ How does the poet view modernization? _________________________________________________

1List three things in the poem that indicate the negative effects of modernization? _________________________________________________ (a) What does the title of the poem mean to you? Provide an explanation for your answer _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________ 5Based on stanza 1, list two things that the grandparents did not have. _________________________________________________ (a) What is another word which sounds similar to the title? _________________________________________________ (b)What does the title suggests? Briefly explain as you understand it. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

2What is the poet’s main concern in the second stanza? _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________ ANSWERS

Practice 1 1. 2.

A young child (a) No, they are not human

(b) Wind is not blowing to make the leaves sway or move.

taken up with new inventions that could lead to the destruction of the environment. Practice 5 1. 2.

Practice 2 1.

2.

pollution, stress, traffic jams destruction of forests, streams and hills The title of the poem “Heir Conditioning” suggests about the conditioning of the minds of the younger generation who are so dependent on modern inventions in their daily life. Their minds are so tuned/conditioned to having modern inventions to manage their daily life that to them it may seem impossible to live without these inventions.

(b) Towards the end of the poem, she is annoyed as her father fails to answer her questions. Practice 6 1. 2.

Practice 3 1. 2.

Why the grass is green/ why the wind is never seen/who taught the birds to build a nest/ We must always be resourceful and independent in enriching our world of knowledge. As for example, by being inquisitive and asking people around us and taking the initiative to read to broaden our horizon!

Practice 4 1.

2.

The poet expresses his concern that though there is progress with modern inventions, man is regressing. If modern amenities and development are there to give us comfort, easy access and a better lifestyle, how come we have to deal with calamities and problems like stress and traffic jams? The poet is trying to impart the message that modernization should be a gradual process and that mankind should not be overly dependent or

Flash (a) curious child who seeks for answers to questions about the wonders of life and nature.

The grandparent explains that he/she lived a longer life(before your age) The grandchild’s questions seem naive, childlike and amusing when the grandchild asks grandparents how they could actually live without modern inventions such as air conditioners, fans, and fax machines. It is as though without these inventions, the older generations seemed to have suffered living.

Practice 7 1. 2.

The persona himself/herself (a) incomplete puzzle

(b) In this poem, the persona is a child who is enthusiastic in exploring the nature. The inspiring curiosity within the child himself leads him to learn more about the miracles of nature. He seems to appreciate every detail of the world and he wants to know how such things happen Practice 8 1. 2.

The poem is light yet punctuated with irony and scarsm. (a) The grandfather

(b) Here, he is speaking very strongly from a personal point of view. He uses “we” to show that the older generation lived a rich and peaceful life. They were spared from living in a polluted world as they were not dependent on modern gadget. Practice 9 1. 2.

the trees to take a rest (a) the tone of the poem is informal, easy and relaxed.

(b) The poem shows that our beautiful world is so big and mysterious and that there are so many unanswered questions. But we always try and look for ways to find out the answers to all of our questions. Practice 10 1. 2.

Electric fan, telephone. (a) air conditioning

(b) The poet is deeply conscious of the fact that the new generation are ‘heirs’ to a future world doomed by the conditioning need for development and modern gadgets.

1. As 2. work 3. collected 4. money 5. himself 6. one 7. what 8. showed 9.

understand 10. on 11. After 12. for 13. first 14. was 15. could 16. allowed 17. career 18. such 19. throughout 20. adults 1. spend 2. realise 3. not 4. took 5. for 6. kept 7. that 8. back 9. down 10. to 11. telling 12. ed 13. pair 14. drawn 15. after 16. too 17. gone 18. just 19. bear 20. out/away