Exercise 1
Choose the best answer.
1. What is the persona doing?
A. Fishing
B. Catching insects
C. Watching the storm
D. Walking on the beach
2. To the persona, the air on the skin is like
A. curls of smoke
B. fat white slugs
C. silverfish
D. centipedes
3. Who is the persona?
A. Baba
B. Nyonya
C. One of the fishermen
D. One of the children now grown up
4. How many generations are referred to this poem?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Foud
5. What is the weather like at the beginning of the poem?
A. Wet and stormy
B. Fine and sunny
C. Dry and hot
D. Hazy
6. What is the 'silver paper' used for?
A. Making money for the dead
B. Writing messages to the dead
C. Making New Year decorations
D. Wrapping presents for the children
7. What is the 'silver mesh around her waist'?
A. A silver belt
B. A garland of silver paper
C. A sarong made of kain songket
D. A scarf made of silver material
8. What is the weather like at the end of the poem?
A. Windy
B. Still and fine
C. Wet and stormy
D. Hazy and cloudy
Exercise 2
Write short answers to the following questions.
1. What is the weather outside like?
2. Identify one good aspect of the family life described in the poem.
3. Why are the pictures of the grandparents 'hung always in the parlour'?
4. In your opinion, how old is the persona now?
5. What memories does the persona have of the parents, nyonya and baba?
Saturday, 1 March 2008
011. Road Not Taken
Exercise 1
Choose the best answer.
1. We know it is autumn because
A. the roads are grassy
B. the trees are green in colour
C. the leaves are yellow in colour
D. the persona cannot see the roads due to mist
2. The persona is travelling
A. by himself
B. with a guide
C. with a friend
D. with his family
3. In stanza 3, what 'lay in leaves'?
A. The persona
B. One of the roads
C. Both the roads
D. The undergrowth
4. The persona will be telling with a sigh that he
A. travelled on both roads
B. took the less travelled road
C. did not take either road
D. regretted that he came to the wood
5. Which statement best describes the action of the persona?
A. He looked at the two roads and went back to where he came from.
B. He walked on the other road when he was older.
C. He chose both roads and regretted it.
D. He chose one road and regretted it.
6. Which of the following statements is true of the roads as described in this poem?
A. Both roads have black leaves.
B. Neither road has black leaves.
C. Both roads bend in the undergrowth.
D. Neither road bends in the undergrowth.
7. In the last stanza, where does the persona think he will be ages hence?
A. On the road not taken
B. In an unknown place
C. In the undergrowth
D. In the wood
Exercise 2
Write short answers to the following questions.
1. What time of day is it when the persona looks at the two roads?
2. Write down any two things about the wood.
3. What is the main theme of the poem?
4. Briefly say why you like any one feature of this poem.
5. Describe one choice you made in school this year which affected your studies.
Choose the best answer.
1. We know it is autumn because
A. the roads are grassy
B. the trees are green in colour
C. the leaves are yellow in colour
D. the persona cannot see the roads due to mist
2. The persona is travelling
A. by himself
B. with a guide
C. with a friend
D. with his family
3. In stanza 3, what 'lay in leaves'?
A. The persona
B. One of the roads
C. Both the roads
D. The undergrowth
4. The persona will be telling with a sigh that he
A. travelled on both roads
B. took the less travelled road
C. did not take either road
D. regretted that he came to the wood
5. Which statement best describes the action of the persona?
A. He looked at the two roads and went back to where he came from.
B. He walked on the other road when he was older.
C. He chose both roads and regretted it.
D. He chose one road and regretted it.
6. Which of the following statements is true of the roads as described in this poem?
A. Both roads have black leaves.
B. Neither road has black leaves.
C. Both roads bend in the undergrowth.
D. Neither road bends in the undergrowth.
7. In the last stanza, where does the persona think he will be ages hence?
A. On the road not taken
B. In an unknown place
C. In the undergrowth
D. In the wood
Exercise 2
Write short answers to the following questions.
1. What time of day is it when the persona looks at the two roads?
2. Write down any two things about the wood.
3. What is the main theme of the poem?
4. Briefly say why you like any one feature of this poem.
5. Describe one choice you made in school this year which affected your studies.
010. There's Been a Death in the Opposite House
Exercise 1
Choose the correct answer.
1. Who is the persona of the poem?
A. A little boy
B. The dead person
C. Emily Dickinson
D. A little boy now grown up
2. The doctor drives away because
A. the patient has died
B. the patient was recovered
C. he has quarrelled with the neighbours
D. he wants to get more medicines for the patient
3. Who is the man of the appalling trade?
A. The undertaker
B. The persona
C. The miliner
D. The doctor
4. What is the meaning of the 'house' in stanza 5?
A. The coffin
B. The house opposite
C. The persona's house
D. The minister's house
5. 'That dark parade of tassels and of coaches' means
A. the neighbours going in and coming out of the house
B. the funeral procession passing through town
C. the children hurrying past the house
D. the doctor driving away
6. Why does the minister go into the house?
A. He owns the house.
B. He lives in that house.
C. He wants to measure the house.
D. He wants to comfort the family.
7. Which of the following adjectives best describes the town?
A. Cold and unfriendly
B. Small and quiet
C. Rich and uncaring
D. Big and active
Exercise 2
Write short answers to the following questions.
1. Why are the neighbours going in and coming out of the house?
2. Why does the minister feel that he owns the house and all the mourners?
3. Why do the children think of the dead person as 'It'?
4. What is the 'easy sign' referred to in the last stanza?
5. Why does te poet refer to the town as 'just a country town'?
Choose the correct answer.
1. Who is the persona of the poem?
A. A little boy
B. The dead person
C. Emily Dickinson
D. A little boy now grown up
2. The doctor drives away because
A. the patient has died
B. the patient was recovered
C. he has quarrelled with the neighbours
D. he wants to get more medicines for the patient
3. Who is the man of the appalling trade?
A. The undertaker
B. The persona
C. The miliner
D. The doctor
4. What is the meaning of the 'house' in stanza 5?
A. The coffin
B. The house opposite
C. The persona's house
D. The minister's house
5. 'That dark parade of tassels and of coaches' means
A. the neighbours going in and coming out of the house
B. the funeral procession passing through town
C. the children hurrying past the house
D. the doctor driving away
6. Why does the minister go into the house?
A. He owns the house.
B. He lives in that house.
C. He wants to measure the house.
D. He wants to comfort the family.
7. Which of the following adjectives best describes the town?
A. Cold and unfriendly
B. Small and quiet
C. Rich and uncaring
D. Big and active
Exercise 2
Write short answers to the following questions.
1. Why are the neighbours going in and coming out of the house?
2. Why does the minister feel that he owns the house and all the mourners?
3. Why do the children think of the dead person as 'It'?
4. What is the 'easy sign' referred to in the last stanza?
5. Why does te poet refer to the town as 'just a country town'?
009. si tenggang's homecoming
Exercise 1
Choose the best answer.
1. The peot says that his journey was
A. a difficult one
B. a loyal teacher
C. a waste of money
D. an enjoyable holiday
2. The contents of the boats are the persona's
A. clothes and books
B. presents for his family
C. new knowledge and attitudes
D. souvenirs bought from the ports he has visited
3. What is the persona's feeling for his village?
A. He loves his village.
B. He hates his village.
C. He is angry with his village.
D. He is ashamed of his village.
4. The line 'i am not a new man' (stanza 6) means
A. I am afraid people will laugh at me.
B. I have nto been changed by my travels.
C. I have given up all that I have learnt abroad.
D. I have been changed by my travels but remain essentially a Malay.
5. Why did the persona begin to love his wife?
A. He was lonely.
B. His wife was lonely.
C. His wife was reasonable.
D. He was persuaded by his grandmother.
6. How does the persona feel on coming home from his travels?
A. He is happy becase he has become rich.
B. He is dissatisfied because his travels were too short.
C. He is proud he has acquired a lot of knowledge.
D. He is happy because he is still a Malay even though he has changed in some ways.
7. Why does the persona call himself 'si tenggang'?
A. He inherited the title.
B. His father gave him that name.
C. He is returned traveller like the legendary Si Tenggang.
D. He wants to keep on travelling to keep on travelling lke the legendary Si Tenggang.
Exercise 2
Write short answers to the following questions.
1. Where is the persona when he speaks?
2. What is the main theme of the poem?
3. What does the poet mean when he says that his physical journey is also a journey of the soul?
4. What moral values can we learn from the poem?
5. What does the poem teach us about what we should do when we know who we are?
Choose the best answer.
1. The peot says that his journey was
A. a difficult one
B. a loyal teacher
C. a waste of money
D. an enjoyable holiday
2. The contents of the boats are the persona's
A. clothes and books
B. presents for his family
C. new knowledge and attitudes
D. souvenirs bought from the ports he has visited
3. What is the persona's feeling for his village?
A. He loves his village.
B. He hates his village.
C. He is angry with his village.
D. He is ashamed of his village.
4. The line 'i am not a new man' (stanza 6) means
A. I am afraid people will laugh at me.
B. I have nto been changed by my travels.
C. I have given up all that I have learnt abroad.
D. I have been changed by my travels but remain essentially a Malay.
5. Why did the persona begin to love his wife?
A. He was lonely.
B. His wife was lonely.
C. His wife was reasonable.
D. He was persuaded by his grandmother.
6. How does the persona feel on coming home from his travels?
A. He is happy becase he has become rich.
B. He is dissatisfied because his travels were too short.
C. He is proud he has acquired a lot of knowledge.
D. He is happy because he is still a Malay even though he has changed in some ways.
7. Why does the persona call himself 'si tenggang'?
A. He inherited the title.
B. His father gave him that name.
C. He is returned traveller like the legendary Si Tenggang.
D. He wants to keep on travelling to keep on travelling lke the legendary Si Tenggang.
Exercise 2
Write short answers to the following questions.
1. Where is the persona when he speaks?
2. What is the main theme of the poem?
3. What does the poet mean when he says that his physical journey is also a journey of the soul?
4. What moral values can we learn from the poem?
5. What does the poem teach us about what we should do when we know who we are?
008. Sonnet 18
Exercise 1
Choose the best answer.
1. The poet compares his beloved to
A. a summer's day
B. a beautiful jewel
C. a summer flower
D. a summer shower
2. The phrase 'the darling buds of May' means
A. the beautiful flowers of May
B. the beautiful girls born in May
C. the eyes of the beloved
D. the lines of the sonnet
3. What shines like gold?
A. The flowers of May
B. The beloved's hair
C. The beloved's face
D. The sun
4. The phrase 'fair thou ow'st' means
A. the beauty that death takes away
B. the beauty you owe the poet
C. the beauty you see in nature
D. the beauty you possess
5. What does 'this' mean in 'this gives life to thee'?
A. The eternal summer
B. The summer's day
C. The sonnet
D. The sun
6. The line 'summer's lease hath all too short a date' means
A. summer lasts a short time
B. summer starts on a certain date
C. summer is shorter than other seasons
D. all of the above
7. How long will the sonnet 'give life' to the beloved?
A. As long as the beloved is alive
B. As long as mankind survives
C. As long as the sonnet is read
D. As long as the poet is alive
Exercise 2
Write short answers to the following questions.
1. How is the beloved more temperate than a summer's day?
2. How is the 'gold complexion' (line 6) dimmed?
3. How do 'fair' (line 7) things decline?
4. How would you feel if this poem were addressed to you?
5. Would you praise someone you love in this way? Explain your answer.
Choose the best answer.
1. The poet compares his beloved to
A. a summer's day
B. a beautiful jewel
C. a summer flower
D. a summer shower
2. The phrase 'the darling buds of May' means
A. the beautiful flowers of May
B. the beautiful girls born in May
C. the eyes of the beloved
D. the lines of the sonnet
3. What shines like gold?
A. The flowers of May
B. The beloved's hair
C. The beloved's face
D. The sun
4. The phrase 'fair thou ow'st' means
A. the beauty that death takes away
B. the beauty you owe the poet
C. the beauty you see in nature
D. the beauty you possess
5. What does 'this' mean in 'this gives life to thee'?
A. The eternal summer
B. The summer's day
C. The sonnet
D. The sun
6. The line 'summer's lease hath all too short a date' means
A. summer lasts a short time
B. summer starts on a certain date
C. summer is shorter than other seasons
D. all of the above
7. How long will the sonnet 'give life' to the beloved?
A. As long as the beloved is alive
B. As long as mankind survives
C. As long as the sonnet is read
D. As long as the poet is alive
Exercise 2
Write short answers to the following questions.
1. How is the beloved more temperate than a summer's day?
2. How is the 'gold complexion' (line 6) dimmed?
3. How do 'fair' (line 7) things decline?
4. How would you feel if this poem were addressed to you?
5. Would you praise someone you love in this way? Explain your answer.
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