Mr.

Nobody
1.

According to the first stanza, everyone.:

A.

agrees that Mr. Nobody creates all the mischief

2.

The use of the simile As quiet as a mouse implies that Mr. Nobody is.

A.

so quiet that he is unnoticed

3.

The poem is about

B.

mischief created by someone

Boscome valley
Write about a character that you find most interesting. Support your answer with evidence from the novel.
The character in the Boscombe Valley Mystery I find the most interesting is definitely Dr. Watson. He is a
loyal companion of detective Sherlock Holmes. He agreed to help Sherlock Holmes although he had a lot of
patients to see. He is also very punctual. Although he had only half an hour to get ready, he was at the
station on time. Apart from that he is very observant. He notices some unusual footprints at the pool.
Watsons notes about the injury the murder victim had sustained which is a blow to the left side of the head
actually prompted Holmes to realise that the killer was left-handed, which allowed him to narrow the list
of suspects. He is also a concerned man. He asks Alice about her fathers condition. He is also helpful. He
brings the pen and paper for John turner to write the confession.
1.

I Wonder

Who is the persona in the poem?

A young child
(a) Can a tree take a rest?
1.

(a) No, they are not human

(b)What does the poet really mean when she says that the trees take a rest?
Wind is not blowing to make the leaves sway or move.
1.

List three things that the persona is wondering about.

Why the grass is green/ why the wind is never seen/who taught the birds to build a nest/

1.

State one moral value found in the poem.

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!

1.

Identify the word that means to make something look bright?

Flash

1.

(a) What does the title of the poem imply about the persona?
(a) curious child who seeks for answers to questions about the wonders of life and nature.

2.(b) Explain in your own words, what you understand by the last two lines.
(b) Towards the end of the poem, she is annoyed as her father fails to answer her questions.
1.

Who is the speaker relating the events to?

=The persona himself/herself

2

(a) What is the half moon seen as?

1.

=(a) incomplete puzzle

2.

) The poem somehow portrays the thinking of a child. Describe the characteristics of the child.

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
1.

Identify a phrase/line that shows human characteristics in non living things?

=the trees to take a rest

1.

(a) What is the mood of the poem?

=(a) the tone of the poem is informal, easy and relaxed.

(b) What is the poem about?
=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.

Heir Conditioning
1.

List three things in the poem that indicate the negative effects of modernization?

pollution, stress, traffic jams destruction of forests, streams and hills

2.What does the title of the poem mean to you? Provide an explanation for your answer
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.
3.What is the poets main concern in the second stanza?
1.

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?

What is the message that the poet wishes to express in this poem?
=The poet is trying to impart the message that modernization should be a gradual process and that mankind
should not be overly dependent or taken up with new inventions that could lead to the destruction of the
environment.
1.

What can you infer from the line Grand child we lived before your age?

=The grandparent explains that he/she lived a longer life(before your age)
1.

Explain why Grand child would find it difficult to live without modern inventions.
1.

=The grandchilds 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.

What is the tone of the poem?

1.

=The poem is light yet punctuated with irony and sarcasm.

(a) Who is the persona in the second stanza?

1.

=(a) The grandfather

(b) How does the poet view modernization?

=

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.

1.

Based on stanza 1, list two things that the grandparents did not have.

=Electric fan, telephone.

1.

(a) What is another word which sounds similar to the title?

2.

(a) air conditioning

(b)What does the title suggests? Briefly explain as you understand it.
= 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.