A Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson

 

A Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson

A Portable Paradise read by Roger Robinson at 8 minutes

And if I speak of Paradise,
then I’m speaking of my grandmother
who told me to carry it always
on my person, concealed, so
no one else would know but me.
That way they can’t steal it, she’d say.
And if life puts you under pressure,
trace its ridges in your pocket,
smell its piney scent on your handkerchief,
hum its anthem under your breath.
And if your stresses are sustained and daily,
get yourself to an empty room – be it hotel,
hostel or hovel – find a lamp
and empty your paradise onto a desk:
your white sands, green hills and fresh fish.
Shine the lamp on it like the fresh hope
of morning, and keep staring at it till you sleep.

War Photographer by Caro; Ann Duffy

 

Don McMullin 

War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy

In his darkroom, he is finally alone
with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.
The only light is red and softly glows,
as though this were a church and he
a priest preparing to intone a Mass.
Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass.

He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays
beneath his hands, which did not tremble then
though seem to now. Rural England. Home again
to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel,
to fields which don’t explode beneath the feet
of running children in a nightmare heat.

Something is happening. A stranger’s features
faintly start to twist before his eyes,
a half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries
of this man’s wife, how he sought approval
without words to do what someone must
and how the blood stained into foreign dust.

A hundred agonies in black and white
from which his editor will pick out five or six
for Sunday’s supplement. The reader’s eyeballs prick
with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers.
From the aeroplane, he stares impassively at where
he earns his living and they do not care.

Answer the questions below. Support each answer with a short quotation from the poem.

 

1	What do you notice about the form of the poem? [shape, rhyme scheme, rhythm, line structure]
2	Who is speaking?
3	What is the setting? [physical surroundings, time of day, time of year]
4	What is the poem about? [narrative, description, reflection]
5	Identify important language features [phonetic techniques, imagery, language features]
6	How do these techniques influence readers?
7	Comment on a theme in the poem

Napalm Girl

Kim Phuc the 'Napalm Girl' 

Remains by Simon Armitage

 Remains

by Simon Armitage

On another occasion, we got sent out
to tackle looters raiding a bank.
And one of them legs it up the road,
probably armed, possibly not.

Well myself and somebody else and somebody else
are all of the same mind,
so all three of us open fire.
Three of a kind all letting fly, and I swear

I see every round as it rips through his life –
I see broad daylight on the other side.
So we’ve hit this looter a dozen times
and he’s there on the ground, sort of inside out,

pain itself, the image of agony.
One of my mates goes by
and tosses his guts back into his body.
Then he’s carted off in the back of a lorry.

End of story, except not really.
His blood-shadow stays on the street, and out on patrol
I walk right over it week after week.
Then I’m home on leave. But I blink

and he bursts again through the doors of the bank.
Sleep, and he’s probably armed, and possibly not.
Dream, and he’s torn apart by a dozen rounds.
And the drink and the drugs won’t flush him out –

he’s here in my head when I close my eyes,
dug in behind enemy lines,
not left for dead in some distant, sun-stunned, sand-smothered land
or six-feet-under in desert sand,

but near to the knuckle, here and now,
his bloody life in my bloody hands.

Answer the questions below. Support each answer with a short quotation from the poem.

 

1	What do you notice about the form of the poem? [shape, rhyme scheme, rhythm, line structure]
2	Who is speaking?
3	What is the setting? [physical surroundings, time of day, time of year]
4	What is the poem about? [narrative, description, reflection]
5	Identify important language features [phonetic techniques, imagery, language features]
6	How do these techniques influence readers?
7	Comment on a theme in the poem

Comment on the last line of the poem, 'his bloody life in my bloody hands.'

Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen

 
Wilfred Owen

Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs,
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.

Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori. - Latin 

"It is sweet and fitting to die for the homeland." -English

Answer the questions below. Support each answer with a short quotation from the poem.

 

1	What do you notice about the form of the poem? [shape, rhyme scheme, rhythm, line structure]
2	Who is speaking?
3	What is the setting? [physical surroundings, time of day, time of year]
4	What is the poem about? [narrative, description, reflection]
5	Identify important language features [phonetic techniques, imagery, language features]
6	How do these techniques influence readers?
7	Comment on a theme in the poem

 What is the impact on readers of the use of the five senses in the last stanza of the poem?

What do you observe about the line, "Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!" in the poem? 

The chapel at Sandhurst Military Academy

The Lamb by William Blake

 

The Lamb by William Blake

Little Lamb who made thee
         Dost thou know who made thee
Gave thee life & bid thee feed.
By the stream & o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing wooly bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice!
         Little Lamb who made thee
         Dost thou know who made thee

         Little Lamb I'll tell thee,
         Little Lamb I'll tell thee!
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb:
He is meek & he is mild,
He became a little child:
I a child & thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
         Little Lamb God bless thee.
         Little Lamb God bless thee.

Answer the questions below. Support each answer with a short quotation from the poem.

 

1	What do you notice about the form of the poem? [shape, rhyme scheme, rhythm, line structure]
2	Who is speaking?
3	What is the setting? [physical surroundings, time of day, time of year]
4	What is the poem about? [narrative, description, reflection]
5	Identify important language features [phonetic techniques, imagery, language features]
6	How do these techniques influence readers?
7	Comment on a theme in the poem

 

What impact do you think the rhyme scheme has on readers of the poem?

 Why do you think the poet is speaking to the lamb throughout the poem?

Listen to a song composed for the poem

Tyger by William Blake

 

page from Songs of Experience by William Blake

The Tyger by William Blake


Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?


In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?


And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?


What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!


When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?


Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Answer the questions below. Support each answer with a short quotation from the poem.

 

1	What do you notice about the form of the poem? [shape, rhyme scheme, rhythm, line structure]
2	Who is speaking?
3	What is the setting? [physical surroundings, time of day, time of year]
4	What is the poem about? [narrative, description, reflection]
5	Identify important language features [phonetic techniques, imagery, language features]
6	How do these techniques influence readers?
7	Comment on a theme in the poem

 

Why do you think the poet created a strong rhythm in this poem?

Comment on the use of symbols and images in the poem what do they contribute? 

· Tyger

· Wings

· Hammer, chain, furnace, anvil,

· Lamb

· Body parts – hands, eyes, shoulders, feet

· Fire

 

 

AQA 3 Macbeth exam questions

 

AQA ENGLISH LITERATURE

MACBETH SAMPLE EXAM QUESTIONS

 

Read the following extract from Act 1, Scene 5 and then answer the question that follows.

At this point in the play Lady Macbeth is speaking. She has just heard about the Witches prophecy that Macbeth will

be King.

 

LADY MACBETH

Yet do I fear thy nature;

It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness

To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great,

Art not without ambition, but without

The illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highly,

That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false,

And yet wouldst wrongly win. Thou'ld’st have, great Glamis,

That which cries, “Thus thou must do,” if thou have it,

And that which rather thou dost fear to do,

Than wishest should be undone. Hie thee hither,

That I may pour my spirits in thine ear

And chastise with the valor of my tongue

All that impedes thee from the golden round,

Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem

To have thee crowned withal.

 

Starting with this extract, explain how far you think Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as an ambitious woman with influence over her husband.

 

Write about:

•how Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth in this extract

•how Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth in the play as a whole

 

Read the following extract from Act 3, Scene 4 and then answer the question that follows.

At this point in the play Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are speaking to each other while they are entertaining guests at a banquet. Macbeth believes he can see the ghost of Banquo.

 

LADY MACBETH

Sit, worthy friends: my lord is often thus,

And hath been from his youth: pray you, keep seat;

The fit is momentary; upon a thought

He will again be well: if much you note him,

You shall offend him and extend his passion:

Feed, and regard him not. Are you a man?

 

MACBETH

Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that

Which might appal the devil.

 

LADY MACBETH

O proper stuff!

This is the very painting of your fear:

This is the air-drawn dagger which, you said,

Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts,

Impostors to true fear, would well become

A woman's story at a winter's fire,

Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself!

Why do you make such faces? When all's done,

You look but on a stool.

 

MACBETH

Prithee, see there! behold! look! lo!

how say you?

Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.

If charnel-houses and our graves must send

Those that we bury back, our monuments

Shall be the maws of kites.

GHOST OF BANQUO vanishes

 

LADY MACBETH

What, quite unmann'd in folly?

 

Starting with this extract, explain how far you think Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a man who is in control.

Write about:

•how Shakespeare presents Macbeth in this extract

•how Shakespeare presents Macbeth in the play as a whole.

 

 

Read the following extract from Act 5, Scene 5 and then answer the question that follows.

Macbeth is waiting for the English army to attack his castle.

 

MACBETH

She should have died hereafter.

There would have been a time for such a word.

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time,

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

 

Enter a MESSENGER

 

Thou comest to use

Thy tongue; thy story quickly.

 

Starting with this extract, write about how Shakespeare presents Macbeth’s state of mind. Write about

•how Shakespeare presents Macbeth’s state of mind in this extract.

•how Shakespeare presents Macbeth’s state of mind in the play as a whole.

First Sight by Philip Larkin

 

'First Sight’ describes young lambs taking their first steps into the big wide world in the snow.  The poem meditates upon the fact that the animals can have no grasp of the world beneath the snow. The poem prevalently touches upon innocence, with terms that associated with innocence: lambs, snow, and the new-born.

 

First Sight by Philip Larkin

Lambs that learn to walk in snow
When their bleating clouds the air
Meet a vast unwelcome, know
Nothing but a sunless glare.
Newly stumbling to and fro
All they find, outside the fold,
Is a wretched width of cold.

As they wait beside the ewe,
Her fleeces wetly caked, there lies
Hidden round them, waiting too,
Earth's immeasurable surprise.
They could not grasp it if they knew,
What so soon will wake and grow
Utterly unlike the snow.

Fold	A sheepfold or pen. An enclosure for sheep providing shelter and safety
ewe	A female sheep. In the poem the ewe refers to the lamb’s mother

 

Answer the questions below. Support each answer with a short quotation from the poem. 

1	What do you notice about the form of the poem? [shape, rhyme scheme, rhythm, line structure]
2	Who is speaking?
3	What is the setting? [physical surroundings, time of day, time of year]
4	What is the poem about? [narrative, description, reflection]
5	Identify important language features [phonetic techniques, imagery, language features]
6	How do these techniques influence readers?
7	Comment on a theme in the poem

What do you think the impact of the rhyme scheme has on us, the readers?

What do you think the poet is referring to when he writes, 'What soon will wake and grow?'

a sheep pen or sheepfold

Macbeth Edexcel exam question

 SECTION A—Shakespeare

Answer the question on ONE text from this section.

You should spend about 55 minutes on this section.

You should divide your time equally between parts (a) and (b) of the question.

Macbeth—from Act 1 Scene 5, lines 1 to 35

In this extract, Lady Macbeth is reading Macbeth’s letter at their castle at Inverness.

Enter LADY MACBETH, reading a letter

LADY MACBETH

'They met me in the day of success: and I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in 5 the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me 'Thane of Cawdor;' by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time, with 'Hail, king that shalt be!' This have I thought good to deliver 10 thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.'

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be 15 What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly, 20 That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'ldst have, great Glamis, That which cries 'Thus thou must do, if thou have it; And that which rather thou dost fear to do Than wishest should be undone.' Hie thee hither, 25 That I may pour my spirits in thine ear; And chastise with the valour of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crown'd withal. 30

A1 English Resources

1 (a) Explore how Shakespeare presents the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in this extract.

Refer closely to the extract in your answer. (20)

(b) In this extract, Lady Macbeth discusses the trait of ruthlessness.

Explain the importance of ruthlessness elsewhere in the play.

In your answer you must consider:

• when ruthlessness is shown

• the reasons for the ruthlessness

You should refer to the context of the play in your answer. (20)

(Total for Question 6 = 40 marks)

Macbeth exam question

 

SECTION A—Shakespeare

Answer the question on ONE text from this section.

You should spend about 55 minutes on this section.

You should divide your time equally between parts (a) and (b) of the question.

Macbeth—from Act 1 Scene 3, lines 1 to 26

In this extract, the three witches are waiting on the heath to meet Macbeth and Banquo.

FIRST WITCH

Where hast thou been, sister?

SECOND WITCH

Killing swine.

THIRD WITCH

Sister, where thou?

FIRST WITCH

A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap, And munch'd, and munch'd, and munch'd:-- 5 'Give me,' quoth I: 'Aroint thee, witch!' the rump-fed ronyon cries. Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o' the Tiger: But in a sieve I'll thither sail, And, like a rat without a tail, 10 I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do.

SECOND WITCH

I'll give thee a wind.

FIRST WITCH

Thou'rt kind.

THIRD WITCH

And I another.

FIRST WITCH

I myself have all the other, 15 And the very ports they blow, All the quarters that they know I' the shipman's card. I will drain him dry as hay: Sleep shall neither night nor day 20 Hang upon his pent-house lid; He shall live a man forbid: Weary se'nnights nine times nine Shall he dwindle, peak and pine: Though his bark cannot be lost, 25 Yet it shall be tempest-tost. 

1 (a) Explore how Shakespeare presents the witches in this extract.

Refer closely to the extract in your answer. (20)

(b) In this extract, the three witches discuss their evil plans.

Explain the importance of supernatural evil elsewhere in the play.

In your answer you must consider:

• where supernatural evil is shown

• why supernatural evil is important

You should refer to the context of the play in your answer. (20)

Diary Writing Exercise

 Writing – Year 7 – Diary Entry. 

 

Imagine you are a refugee who has just escaped from a war-torn country.  You have arrived at a refugee camp after a long, arduous journey, and you now live in a makeshift tent, with very little food and medical workshops.  Write a diary entry for your first day at the camp. 

 

Think about: 

·         what the camp looks like,  

·        what the people are like,  

·        what your first impressions are 

·        whether it is better or worse than your usual standard of living. 

 

Remember a diary entry starts with the date and sometimes... 

 

Dear Diary, 

… 

 

Then you write your main piece about your day. 

You can close however you like – with your name and a goodbye. 

 

Remember to use your best spelling, grammar and punctuation. 

 

The Jaguar by Ted Hughes

 The Jaguar by Ted Hughes

 

The apes yawn and adore their fleas in the sun.

The parrots shriek as if they were on fire, or strut

Like cheap tarts to attract the stroller with the nut.

Fatigued with indolence, tiger and lion

 

Lie still as the sun. The boa-constrictor’s coil

Is a fossil. Cage after cage seems empty, or

Stinks of sleepers from the breathing straw.

It might be painted on a nursery wall.

 

But who runs like the rest past these arrives

At a cage where the crowd stands, stares, mesmerized,

As a child at a dream, at a jaguar hurrying enraged

Through prison darkness after the drills of his eyes

 

On a short fierce fuse. Not in boredom—

The eye satisfied to be blind in fire,

By the bang of blood in the brain deaf the ear—

He spins from the bars, but there’s no cage to him

 

More than to the visionary his cell:

His stride is wildernesses of freedom:

The world rolls under the long thrust of his heel.

Over the cage floor the horizons come.

 

Questions

1	What do you notice about the form of the poem? [shape, rhyme scheme, rhythm, line structure]
2	Who is speaking?
3	What is the setting? [physical surroundings, time of day, time of year]
4	What is the poem about? [narrative, description, reflection]
5	Identify important language features [phonetic techniques, imagery, language features]
6	How do these techniques influence readers?
7	Comment on a theme in the poem

 

In ‘The Jaguar’ Ted Hughes describes a jaguar in a cage at London Zoo. In the poem. The jaguar attracts all manner of attention from the crowds at the zoo, far more than any of the other animals.

Hughes uses comparison in the poem. What does Hughes compare the jaguar with in the poem?

What do you make of the line, ‘Over the cage floor the horizons come’?