ENGLISH CAMP

POEMS:
1. LIVING PHOTOGRAPH
2. CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE

POEM:
THE LIVING PHOTOGRAPH

LETS PRACTISE!

EXERCISE 1:
Read stanza 1 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Which word in stanza 1 refers to a hairstyle usually sported by old ladies?

b) How do we know that the grandmother looked prim and proper?

c) What does line 1 in stanza 1 tell us about grandmothers physical appearance?

d) a kind old smile around her eyes
Besides her kind old smile, which other part of her face would show her age and
how they look? Give a reason to support your answer.
Other part: ..

Reason:

EXERCISE 1:
Read stanza 1 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Which word in stanza 1 refers to a hairstyle usually sported by old ladies?

Bun
b) How do we know that the grandmother looked prim and proper?
She was dressed in a white broderie anglaise shirt with pleated skirt and flat shoes

c) What does line 1 in stanza 1 tell us about grandmothers physical appearance?

The grandmother was tall but had become small and short as she aged
d) a kind old smile around her eyes
Besides her kind old smile, which other part of her face would show her age and
how they look? Give a reason to support your answer.
Other part: Her cheeks and they would look sunken

Reason: As a person ages, the chin or cheeks tend to become sunken

EXERCISE 2:
Read stanza 1 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Which word in stanza 1 refers to the posture of the person?

b) What image is created by the description of the grandmothers dressing in lines 2&3?

c) Which phrase shows that the grandmother is not afraid to die?

d) white hand in black hand
What other feature mentioned in the stanza tells us the grandmothers race? Provide
a reason to support your answer.
Feature: ..

Reason:

EXERCISE 2:
Read stanza 1 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Which word in stanza 1 refers to the posture of the person?

straight-back
b) What image is created by the description of the grandmothers dressing in lines 2&3?
create the image tidily-dressed

c) Which phrase shows that the grandmother is not afraid to die?

look her own death in the eye
d) white hand in black hand
What feature mentioned in the stanza tells us the grandmothers race? Provide a
reason to support your answer.
Feature: white hand

Reason: The reason is the persona is a black and the grandmother is white

EXERCISE 3:
Read stanza 2 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) In stanza 2, which word means something unacceptable and terrible?

b) Describe the grandmothers appearance as stated in stanza 2.

c) What is the difference in grandmothers posture stated in stanzas 1 and 2 ?

d) the awful place grandmothers go
What does the word place refer to and why does the say it is the place the
grandmothers go? Provide a reason to support your answer.
Place: ..

Reason:

EXERCISE 3:
Read stanza 2 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) In stanza 2, which word means something unacceptable and terrible?

awful
b) Describe the grandmothers appearance as stated in stanza 2.
the grandmother was hunched with a round back

c) What is the difference in grandmothers posture stated in stanzas 1 and 2 ?

In stanza 1, she is stated as being tall and straight-back while in stanza 2 she is stated as being small and
hunched

d) the awful place grandmothers go

What does the word place refer to and why does the say it is the place the
grandmothers go? Provide a reason to support your answer.
Place: refer to the other world where people who die go/grave
Reason: Because to her mind only old people die

EXERCISE 4:
Read stanza 2 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Which word means a bent back?

b) Why do you think the grandmother forgot to boil the soup?

c) What does the line It was true after all, that look mean?
d) Her soup forgot to boil
What other thing do you think the grandmother was likely to forget to do? Give a
reason to support your answer.
Thing: ..

Reason:

EXERCISE 4:
Read stanza 2 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Which word means a bent back?

hunched
b) Why do you think the grandmother forgot to boil the soup?
Because she became forgetful

c) What does the line It was true after all, that look mean?
means that the grandmother knew she was going to die and she was prepared and accepted it

d) Her soup forgot to boil

What other thing do you think the grandmother was likely to forget to do? Give a
reason to support your answer.
Thing: She was likely to forget where she placed her spectacles

Reason: As one gets older, it is normal to become forgetful

EXERCISE 5:
Read stanza 1 and 2 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Why do you think the grandmother wore flat shoes?

b) Which line tells us that the persona was close to her grandmother?

c) What is the main theme of the poem?

d) My tall grandmother become small
Describe how the tall grandmother looked when she became small?Give a reason to explain
why she became small.
Description: ..
Reason:

EXERCISE 5:
Read stanza 1 and 2 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Why do you think the grandmother wore flat shoes?

because she was aging and she could not wear high heels
b) Which line tells us that the persona was close to her grandmother?
her big hand holds mine

c) What is the main theme of the poem?

close ties between a grandmother and granddaughter
d) My tall grandmother become small
Describe how the tall grandmother looked when she became small? Give a reason to explain
why she became small.
Description: She looked hunched and much smaller than her usual self
Reason: because she had aged and her back was hunched

EXERCISE 6:
Read stanza 2 and 3 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) With whom did the persona take the photo?

b) What do we know about the persona in the photo?
c) According to the persona, where has the grandmother gone and why there she is still?

d) The crinkled smile is still living, breathing

What does the line tell you about the photo? Give a reason to support your answer.
Photo:

Reason:

EXERCISE 6:
Read stanza 2 and 3 of the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) With whom did the persona take the photo?

Her grandmother
b) What do we know about the persona in the photo?
We know she was three years old at that time
c) According to the persona, where has the grandmother gone and why there she is still?
The grandmother had passed away and she was still there but only in the photograph

d) The crinkled smile is still living, breathing

What does the line tell you about the photo? Give a reason to support your answer.
Photo: I think the photo must be well taken and shows a vivid picture of a smiling grandmother

Reason: The smile is described as still living and breathing so it must be very well taken

EXERCISE 7:
Read the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Which line in stanza 1tells us that the personas grandmother was a good natured person?

b) In stanza 2, which line tells us that the grandmother was getting forgetful?
c) Where did the grandmother go, according to the persona?
d) How does the persona look upon her grandmother? What evidence is there in the poem?

Evidence:

EXERCISE 7:
Read the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Which line in stanza 1tells us that the personas grandmother was a good natured person?

A kind, old smile round her eyes

b) In stanza 2, which line tells us that the grandmother was getting forgetful?
Her soup forgot to boil
c) Where did the grandmother go, according to the persona?

She went to an unknown, unthinkable place

d) How does the persona look upon her grandmother? What evidence is there in the poem?
The persona looks upon her with fondness

Evidence: She is happy that her grandmothers crinkled smile is still living and breathing. She can
see that in the photograph which was taken when the persona was three years old.

EXERCISE 8:
Read the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Which word in stanza 2 contradict each other?

b) Which line shows that the persona thinks that her grandmother is brave?
c) In stanza 2 what does the persona say is true?

d) What do you think is a theme in this poem? Give a reason to support your answer
Reason 1:
Reason 2:

EXERCISE 8:
Read the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) Which word in stanza 2 contradict each other?

small and tall
b) Which line shows that the persona thinks that her grandmother is brave?
Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye
c) In stanza 2 what does the persona say is true?

Her grandmother died as she thought she will

d) What do you think is a theme in this poem? Give a reason to support your answer
Theme: Love for a grandparents highlighted
Reason 2: The persona loves and admires her grandmother and regrets that she has
gone to that awful place of death

EXERCISE 9:
Read the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) State two physical attributes of the grandmother in the photograph ?

b) How has the straight back of the grandmother changed in stanza 2?
c) How old was the persona in the picture?

d) How does the persona look upon inter-racial relationships? Give a reason to support
your answer
Inter-racial relationship:

Reason:

EXERCISE 9:
Read the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) State two physical attributes of the grandmother in the photograph ?

Kind old smile and sharp blue eyes
b) How has the straight back of the grandmother changed in stanza 2?
It has become round and hunched
c) How old was the persona in the picture?

She was three years old

d) How does the persona look upon inter-racial relationships? Give a reason to support
your answer
Inter-racial relationship: She accepts the fact that people of different races can live harmoniously

Reason: She accepts and love her white grandmother

EXERCISE 10:
Read the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) In stanza 1, which words tell us that the persona was an adopted child?
b) From stanza 2, which word tells us that the grandmothers body was bent?
c) Why do you think her soup forgot to boil?

d) My small grandmother is tall there.

The persona admires her grandmother for her personal qualities. State one personal
quality of her grandmother. Support your answer with evidence from the poem.

Quality:
Evidence:

EXERCISE 10:
Read the poem, The Living Photograph and answer the questions that follow:

a) In stanza 1, which words tell us that the persona was an adopted child?
white hand in black hand
b) From stanza 2, which word tells us that the grandmothers body was bent?
hunched

c) Why do you think her soup forgot to boil?

She was old and forgetful/absent-minded

d) My small grandmother is tall there.

The persona admires her grandmother for her personal qualities. State one personal
quality of her grandmother. Support your answer with evidence from the poem.
Quality: kind / caring

Evidence: a kind old smile / her big hand holds mine

POEM:
THE CHARGE OF THE
LIGHT BRIGADE

REFERENCES
Ganehsan, K., & Doss, L. R. (2016). Modul Menguasai SPM Terkini English 1119 form 4. Selangor: Sasbadi Sdn Bhd.
Tan, C. (2015). Praktis A++ SPM English Form 4. Selangor: Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn. Bhd.
Visnathan, D. V., Quickhenden, D., & Thong, W. M. (n.d.). HOTS Score English Form 4. Selangor: Cemerlang Publications Sdn. Bhd.