Section D

Nature by H.D Carberry

We have neither Summer nor Winter Neither Autumn nor Spring. We have instead the days When the gold sun shines on the lush green canefields Magnificently. The days when the rain beats like bullet on the roofs And there is no sound but thee swish of water in the gullies And trees struggling in the high Jamaica winds. Also there are the days when leaves fade from off guango trees And the reaped canefields lie bare and fallow to the sun. But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood blossom When bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey, When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air, When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow stars And beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone.

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Read the poem, then answer the following questions.

1. a) What is meant by the word reaped as used in the poem ? b) What does the phrase gold sun symbolize? 2. Which lines in the poem shows that the winds in Jamaica are destructive? 3. Who does We refer to in the poem? What can we infer from this? 4. Which lines in the poem shows that there are very hot days in Jamaica? 5. Describe the rainy days in Jamaica. 6. What does the last line of the poem imply? 7. Describe the mood of the poem. 8. How can we relate lines 3 -8 to real life? 9. What is meant by the phrase best of all indicates? 10. Why the canefields lie bare and fallow the sun? 11. Which phrase indicates the poets favourite days? 12. What lesson can you learnt from this poem? 13. What country is referred to in the poem? 14. What type of climate does Jamaicas have? 15. What sound does the water in the gullies make in the poem? 16. Which fruit blossoms during the best days? 17. Which word from the poem means empty? 18. What evidence is there to show that Nature is rich and bountiful?

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19. How does the poet feel about the fact that his country does not have four seasons? 20. Which word describes the tough fight the trees have against the winds? 21. Why are the canefields left fallow? 22. What is the poets attitude towards the natural beauty of his country? Using your own words, give a reason. 23. What does the poet compare the rain to? 24. What has happened to the guango trees? 25. Why are the canefields bare? 26. In your own words, a) describe the best days for the poet? b) describe some of the best days that you have enjoyed? 27. Why is the word gold used to describe the sun? 28. Write down two words from the poem which are related to the parts of a house. 29. Why do you think the trees have to struggle in the wind? Using your own words, give a reason to support your answer.

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Section D

Are you still playing your flute? By Zurinah Hassan

Are you still playing your flute? When there is hardly time for our love I am feeling guilty To be longing for your song The melody concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo Uncovered by the breath of an artist Composed by his fingers Blown by the wind To the depth of my heart.

Are you still playing your flute? In the village so quiet and deserted Amidst the sick rice fields While here it has become a luxury To spend time watching the rain Gazing at the evening rays Collecting dew drops Or enjoying the fragrance of flowers.

The more it disturbs my conscience to be thinking of you in the hazard of you my younger brothers unemployed and desperate my people disunited by politics my friend slaughtered mercilessly this world is too old and bleeding.

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Read the poem,then answer the following questions. 1. Why is the village deserted? 2. Which phrase indicates that the persona is upset that she is thinking of her love? 3. What is the moral value imply in the poem? 4. What are the feelings of the persona towards the music produced by the flute? 5. Why does the persona ask if her loved one is still playing the flute? 6. Write down two things the writer says are luxuries. 7. Write down two things that trouble the persona. 8. What is the frame of mind of the poet in stanza 3? 9. What crop is mentioned in the poem? 10. Which line in the poem shows that there is pain and suffering everywhere? 11. Why is the persona unable to enjoy the wonders of nature nowadays? 12. Why does the persona feel guilty? 13. What is the tone of the poem? 14. What is the mood of the poem? 15. What emotion does the persona experience when she longs for the song? 16. Which word in the poem means thin? 17. How does she feel about his music? 18. Write down the line which shows that the persona thinks highly of his music.

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19. In your own words, a) what kind of a person do you think is the flute player? b) have you been involved in a similar fashion over any interest or hobby? 20. Identify two words used to describe the village. 21. What has happened to the village? 22. Where is here in the poem? 23. In your own words, a) what do you think of the things the persona considers a luxury? b) what would you enjoy doing for pleasure? 24. From stanza 1, what is the symbolic significance of the word song?

25. Write down two words from the poem which are related to the state or situation in the village. 26. Why do you think the rice fields are described as sick? Using your own words, give a reason to support your answer.

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Section D

He Had Such Quiet Eyes by Bibsy Soenharjo

He had such quiet eyes She did not realise They were two pools of lies Layered with thinnest ice To her, those quiet eyes Were breathing desolate sighs Imploring her to be nice And to render him paradise

If only shed been wise And had listened to the advice Never to compromise With pleasure-seeking guys Shed be free from the hows and whys

Now heres a bit of advice Be sure that nice really means nice Then youll never be losing at dice Though you may lose your heart once or twice

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Read the poem, then answer the following questions. 1. What are the three ways the poet used to describe the mans eyes? 2. What did the girl think of the mans eyes? 3. Explain the words two pools in line 3 in relation to eyes. 4. What are the eyes asking of the girl? 5. Write two words that are related to feelings of happiness. 6. What do you think the man said to convince the girl to accept him? In your own words, give a reason to support your answer. 7. What do pleasure-seeking guys normally do to nave girls? 8. What look does he give her? 9. Which these words describe the persona in the second stanza? 10. What is the personas advice to the readers? 11. What does the first and second lines in the second stanza imply? 12. Which phrase shows the girl is going through anguish and regrets? 13. Why do you think the poet uses the words dice to relate to falling in love? In your own word, give reason to support your answer? 14. What does the expression nice really means nice means? 15. Explain what lose your heart once or twice means? 16. What is the advice that is given in the first stanza? 17. What happened when she did not listen to the advice?

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18. Which line tells you not to take chances? 19. In your own words, a) what do you think about the advice given in the last stanza? b) what can happen if girls do not listen to the advice?

20. From stanza 1, what should the woman have done? 21. What does the poet mean he says Shed be free of the hows and whys? 22. What can you say about the womans character from the stanzas given? 23. What is the poets advice in the last stanza? 24. What were the eyes imploring the woman to do? 25. From stanza 1, which phrase suggests danger? 26. a) Write down the line that shows woman had made a mistake? b) If you were a friend of the woman, what would you do to help her after what happened? Give a reason for your answer

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Section D

In The Midst Of Hardship By Latiff Mohidin

At dawn they returned home their soaky clothes torn and approached the stove their limbs marked by scratches their legs full of wounds but on their brows there was not a sign of despair The whole day and night just passed they had to brave the horrendous flood in the water all the time between bloated carcasses and tiny chips of tree barks desperately looking for their sons albino buffalo that was never found There were born amidst hardship and grew up without a sigh or a complaint now they are in the kitchen, making jokes while rolling their cigarette leaves

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Read the poem, then answer the following questions. 1. Why did the villagers approach the stove? 2. Where had the villagers been? 3. Why were their limbs covered with scratches and wounds? 4. Give one evidence to show that the villagers were not overly sad about the incident. 5. How do you know that the villagers had adapted themselves well to the harsh environment? 6. How long had they been out? 7. How do they cope with lifes difficulties and disappointments? 8. How do we know that the flood was terrible? 9. What had made the persona and his family strong? 10. What is unusual about the buffalo? 11. The poet has used certain words to describe the flood and the carcasses. i) What are these words? ii) Do you think they are suitable? 12. Give two words that are related to feelings of discontent. 13. Was their son important to them? How do you know this? 14. Despite the conditions of the people in the above poem, did they give up? Which line tells you this?

15. What do you understand by but on their brows, there was not a sign of despair? 16. Why do you think they returned with soaky clothes torn?

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17. Which phrase tells you that the people were not happy? 18. In your own words, a) would hard work make you unhappy? b) why is it important to work hard in life?

19. Which phrase in stanza 1 shows that the people did not lose courage despite the difficulty they went through? 20. State what the people suffered from when they were on their search. 21. Explain what the bloated carcasses were and why they were in the water. 22. How would you have reacted if you went through the same difficult and could not find what you had set out to find?

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Section D

Catch Us If You Can By Catherine Macphail

Practice 1 Based on one novel above, discuss one of the themes in the story. Provide evidence from the text to support your answer Practice 2 Write about a character that you find most interesting. Support your answer with evidence from the novel. Practice 3 Write about a moral value you have learnt in the story. Support your answer with evidence from the novel Practice 4 Based on one novel above, write about an episode that is memorable in the story. Provide evidence from the text to support your answer. Practice 5 Based on the novel of your choice, discuss the problems faced by a character. How does he/she overcome the problems? Practice 6 Compare two characters in the novel you have studied. How are they similar? Practice 7 Describe a character whom do you think has strength of character Practice 8 Write about a moral value that has impressed you the most. How will this moral value help you in your life Practice 9 Describe an event that is unexpected

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Practice 10 Describe a decision made by any one character in the novel Do you think the decision was a wise one?

Practice 11 Using details from the novel you have studied, Describe the setting Explain why you find the setting suitable for the mood Practice 12 Using details from the novel you have studied, Describe a character whom you think has strength characteristics Explain why you think the character shows the strength Practice 13 Using details from the novel you have studied, Write about a moral value you have learned from the story Do you think this moral value has relevance to any current social issue?

Practice 14 Using details from the novel you have studied, Write on the main theme of the novel Why you feel the theme that you have written on is the main theme Practice 15 What is the important message that you have obtained from the novel you have read? Give reason to support your answer. Practice 16 What is the main plot of the novel you have read? Support your answer with information from the story.

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