English Literature - ...

About the poem

Read to understand

A. Answer these questions with reference to the context.

‘ they don’t know how to fix that,’

1. What does ‘they’ refer to?

 

2. What is it that needs fixing?

 

3. Why do ‘they’ not know how to fix it?

 

4. What do they do when they can’t fix it?

 

B. Answer these questions.

1. What kind of things do the children in the poem say?

 

2. Why do the things said by the children hurt the speaker?

 

3. What does the mother tell the child about happiness in stanza3?

 

4. What are some of the consequences of letting anger stay with you?

 

5. What advice does the mother give in the last stanza?

 

6. Match the stanzas to the key points they present.

a) Stanza 1	i) advising to be happy and shun anger
b) Stanza 2	ii) advising on how to deal with bullies
c) Stanza 3	iii) questioning the behavior of bullies
d) Stanza 4	iv) explaining why there is bullying

 

 

Discuss and write

1. Do you think the child is talking about a real situation or an imaginary one? Give reasons for your answer.

 

2. If you were in the child’s place, would you follow the mother’s advice? Justify.

 

3. Do you think the mother understands the child’s problem? Justify your response.