PRACTICE 1-3 ON POEM In the Midst of Hardship Read the poem below and answer the questions that

follow.

In the Midst of Hardship 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 no 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 tiny barks desperately looking for their sons albino buffalo that was never found They 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 Latiff Mohidin

PRACTICE 1 From stanza 1, (a) which phrase suggests that they were drenched? . (1 mark) (b) what happened to their hands? ...(1 mark) (c) why do you think they approached the stove? (1 mark) (d) in your own words, suggest ways to handle hardships in our life? .. .(2mark) PRACTICE 2 From stanza 2, (a) why do you think they were enduring the terrible flood water? ..(1 mark)

(b) which phrase shows that the flood had caused the loss of lives? ..(1 mark) (c) what was the peoples feeling at that time? .(1 mark) (d) do you think the buffalo was valuable to the family? Why? . (2 marks) PRACTICE 3 From Stanza 3, (a) what type of life is a life of hardship? ... (1 mark) (b) list two activities that they did to relax and unwind. i. .. (1 mark) ii . (1 mark)

(c) The poem is about a flood disaster. In your own words suggest two ways that you
can do to help the flood victims. . ..... (2 marks) PRACTICE 4-7 ON POEM He Had Such Quiet Eyes Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow. He Had Such Quiet Eyes 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 Bibsy Soenharjo

PRACTICE 4 From stanza1, (a) what was the woman blind to? ..... (1 mark) . (b) which line suggests that the woman was unaware of the kind of man he was? .... (1 mark) (c) in line 3, what does the two pools of lies refer to? ........ (1 mark) (d) in your own words, suggest how the woman had been tricked? . . (2 marks) PRACTICE 5 From stanza 1, (a) how did the man try to attract the woman? Mention two ways. i (1 mark) ii.. (1 mark) (b) what did the man desire from the woman? . (1 mark) (c) do you think the woman was foolish for falling in love with the man? Give a reason for your answer. .. .. (2 marks) PRACTICE 6 From stanza 2, (a) what could have saved the woman from committing the mistake? . (1 mark) (b) what was the advice given to the woman? . (1 mark) (c) what is meant by the phrase the hows and whys?

. (1 mark) (d) do you think the woman regretted falling in love with the man? Why? . ... (2 marks) PRACTICE 7 From stanza 3, (a) What is meant by the phrase nice really means nice? .. (1 mark) (b) Why love is compared to playing dice in the poem? .. (1 mark) (c) What does the phrase lose your heart mean? ... (1 mark) (d) State two lessons that you can learn from the poem? . .. (2 marks)

PRACTICE 8-9 ON POEM Nature Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow. Nature We have neither Summer nor Winter Neither Autumn nor Spring. We have instead the days When the gold sun shines on the lush green canefieldsMagnificently. The days when the rain beats like bullets on the roofs And there is no sound but the 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 the 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. HD Carberry PRACTICE 8 From stanza 1, (a) what are the two seasons found in Jamaican weather? ..... (1 mark) (b) which phrase tells you that the wind blows strongly? .... (1 mark) (c) how do the canefields look after being harvested ? ..... (1 mark) (d) would you like to live in a country with different weather conditions? Why? .. . (2 marks) PRACTICE 9 From stanza 2, (a) what can be smelled on the day the persona cherished the most? . (1 mark) (b) state two things that take place on a day when the weather is good. i .... (1 mark)

ii ...... (1 mark) (c) And beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone. what do you think this last line means in relation to mans life? .. .. (2 marks) PRACTICE 10-12 ON POEM Are You Still Playing Your Flute? Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow.

Are You Still Playing Your Flute? 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 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 field 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. Are you still playing the flute? The more it disturbs my conscience to be thinking of you in the hazard of you my younger brothers are unemployed and desperate my people disunited by politics my friend slaughtered mercilessly this world is too old and bleeding. . Zurinah Hassan PRACTICE 10 From stanza1, (a) in line 1, to whom does the word you refer? ....... (1 mark) (b) why do you think the persona feels guilty to be longing for the music? ............ (1 mark) (c) write down two words that are related to how a flute is played.

i (1 mark) ii .. (1 mark) (d) why do you think the persona can hear the songs of the flute? .... ........................................................................................................................... (1 mark) PRACTICE 11 From stanza 2, (a) how does the persona describe her village? ....... ( 2 marks) (b) why do you think the rice fields are described as sick? . ( 1 mark ) (c) name two activities that are considered as luxury to be done. i . (1 mark) ii .... (1 mark) PRACTICE 12 From stanza 3, (a) in line 2, what does it refer to? .. (1 mark) (a) name one of the problems faced by the nation. . (1 mark) (c) give the meaning of the phrase slaughtered mercilessly. .. (1 mark) (d) The world is too old and bleeding in your own words state the meaning of the last line of the poem. .. .. (2 marks)

SUGGESTED ANSWERS: POEMS PRACTICE 1-3 ON POEM In the Midst of Hardship PRACTICE 1 a b c Their soaky clothes Marked by scratches / covered by cuts/bruises To cook a meal/ to prepare food To warm themselves Have strength/courage Never give up Have positive attitude towards life OR any POSSIBLE ANSWERS To look for/ to search for their sons albino buffalo Bloated carcasses Desperate Yes, their son loves the buffalo very much and that is why the parents brave the terrible flood to look for the buffalo. -OR any POSSIBLE ANSWERS Difficult life / A life of suffering i-making jokes / joking with each other ii-rolling their cigarette leaves/ smoking Donate food Donate clothes Donate money Give moral support OR any POSSIBLE ANSWERS PRACTICE 4-7 ON POEM He Had Such Quiet Eyes PRACTICE 4 a b c d She was blind to the mans ill intention / the mans bad intention She did not realize The mans quiet eyes -The woman had been tricked by the mans clever dramatisation of sadness and loneliness asking her to give pleasure / -The woman had been tricked by the mans look and appearance -OR any POSSIBLE ANSWERS i-His eyes were breathing desolate sighs / telling the woman of his loneliness or sadness ii-imploring the woman to be nice / pleading her to kind to him iii-asking her to render him paradise / requesting the woman to give him pleasure ANSWERS are INTERCHANGABLE ACCEPT ANY TWO ANSWERS Pleasure / to have fun Yes, because the man was deceiving her with his superficial appearance Being wise / or Listen to the advice Not to be deceived by man / Not to compromise with pleasure-seeking man The questions the woman asked herself as she tried to come to terms with her bad experience Yes, because she had learnt a lesson in a hard way / Yes, because she had been deceived by a pleasure-seeking man Yes, because she had discovered how superficial and shallow the man was -OR Any POSSIBLE ANSWERS Take time to assess people /

d a b c d a b

PRACTICE 2

PRACTICE 3

PRACTICE 5 a

b c PRACTICE 6 a b c

d a

PRACTICE 7 b c d

Do not judge people by mere appearance / Be wary of people who pretend to be good Love is a gamble Falling in love i-We must not be taken in by looks or appearance ii-We must listen and take heed of good advice -OR any POSSIBLE ANSWERS PRACTICE 8-9 ON POEM Nature

PRACTICE 8

a b c d a

PRACTICE 9 b

Hot days and Rainy days The high Jamaica winds Bare and Fallow Yes, it will be very interesting / or No, it will be difficult for me to adjust to the weather -OR any POSSIBLE ANSWERS The scent of honey / The smell of honey / Honey i-the mango and the logwood trees blossom / are flowering ii-the buzzing bees busy collecting nectar iii-the tall grass sways and shivers to the soft breeze iv-the buttercups cover the land with yellow stars ACCEPT ANY TWO ANSWERS Life has its ups and downs, so we have to go through bad days in order to appreciate the good days

PRACTICE 10-12 ON POEM Are You Still Playing Your Flute? PRACTICE 10 a b c d a b The flautist / the flute player / the man playing the flute Because it is the right time anymore for their love i. breath ii. fingers The sound is blown by the wind / The persona can hear it in her heart due to her love Quiet and deserted Gloomy and barren / being abandoned by people i-watching the rain ii-gazing at the evening rays iii-collecting dew drops iv-enjoying the fragrance of flowers (ACCEPT ANY TWO ANSWERS) The song / the sound of the flute i-young men are jobless / and are desperate / unemployment ii-People are divided by politics iii-People are killed in war / or war has broken out (ACCEPT ONLY ONE ANSWER) Killed brutally / killed heartlessly The persona feels trapped in a world that is dying and collapsing due to the serious problems mentioned.

PRACTICE 11

a PRACTICE 12 b c d