May-June 2023 - IGCSE - Literature - Question bank

(This is a dynamic document. Questions will get added as and when possible.)

Paper 1
Section A - Poetry Songs Of Ourselves, Set A Part IV
1. The Planners by Boey Kim Chang
Questions:
a. How does the narrator vividly describe the evilness of the charcaters in the poem?
b. In what ways does Chang particularly convey the conspiracy of the planners in the poem?
c. How does the poet use words and images to a great striking effect in the poem?
d. How does Chang powerfully express his thoughts about the planners in the poem?
2. The City Planners by Margaret Atwood
Questions:
a. In what ways does Atwood vividly describe the controlling attitude of humans in this poem ?
b. Why does the narrator feel contempt towards the city planners in this poem?
c. How has nature been addressed particularly in this poem ?
3. The Man With Night Sweats by Thomas Gunn
Questions:
a. How does the narrator deal with the feeling of regret in this poem?
b. In what ways has the poet strikingly used words and images to portray the emotions of the speaker in the poem?
c. How does Gunn strikingly convey the speaker’s experience of waking up in the middle of the night?
4. Night Sweat by Robert Lowell
Questions:
a. Explore the ways in which Lowell strikingly conveys the thoughts and feelings of the speaker.
b. What makes the speaker extremely anxious in the poem ‘Night Sweat’?
5. Rain by Edward Thomas
Questions:
a. How has the speaker powerfully portrayed his relationship with death in this poem?
b. In what ways has Thomas particularly conveyed the significance of rain in this poem??
c. Explore the ways in which words and images have been used to striking effect in the poem Rain.
6. The Spirit Is Too Blunt An Instrument By Anne Stevenson
Questions:
a. What makes the speaker express a sense of wonder at the newborn baby?
b. How has the spirit been portrayed memorably in this poem by Stevenson?
c. Why does the narrator marvel at nature’s precision in this poem?
7. From Long Distance by Tony Harrison
Questions:
a. What are your impressions of the relationship between the speaker and the father in this poem?
b. Why does Harrison describe the father’s actions as ‘blight’ in the poem?
c. How does Harrison movingly convey the theme of loss of a loved one in this poem?

8. He Never Expected Much by Thomas Hardy

Questions:
a. In what ways has Hardy used words and images to strikingly portray his emotions towards life in this poem?
b. How does the speaker particularly convey his acceptance of life’s fairness in the poem?
9. The Telephone Call by Fleur Adcock
Questions:
a. Explore the ways in which Adcock has vividly depicted the human desires in this poem.
b. How has the poet vividly explored the aspects of hope and disappointment in this poem?
10. Funeral Blues by W H Auden
Questions:
a. Why does the poet vividly refer to nature frequently in this poem?
b. How does the narrator powerfully convey the devastating effects of loss in this poem?
c. Explore the ways in which words and images have been used to striking effect in this poem.
11. A Consumer’s Report by Peter Porter
Questions:
a. How does this poem vividly compare life to products? / How does the speaker’s attitude to life conveyed in this poem?
b. In what ways does the poet powerfully convey his thoughts on the consumerist society?
12. Request To A Year by Judith Wright
Questions:
a. How does this poem strikingly convey the challenges women and artists face in this society?
b. Why does the speaker in this poem wish to adopt her great great grandmother’s attitude towards life ?
13. On Finding A Small Fly Crushed in a Book by Charles Tennyson Turner
Questions:
a. Explore the ways in which the narrator strikingly portrays his reflections on death in the poem.
b. What makes the poet vividly compare the death of a fly and human?
14. Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Questions:
a. How does Shelley powerfully convey the transience of pride in this poem?
b. Explore the ways in which the narrator particularly portrays the time as unsurpassable.
15. Away, Melancholy by Stevie Smith
Questions:
a. In what ways, does Smith memorably convey her reflections and experiences in this poem?
b. How does the poet vividly depict the struggle of finding hope and faith in this world ?
Section B - Prose
Stories of Ourselves The following 10 stories:
1. Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne
i) How does the beginning of this story particularly present Dr. Heidegger? (Refer to pages 3&4)
ii) What does Hawthorne convey through the ending of this story? (Refer to pages 8&9)
iii) Explore the significance of the characters of Dr. Heidegger and his friends in the story?
2. The Furnished Room by O Henry
i) In what ways, does Henry vividly present the challenges of the red brick district population in the story?
ii) How does Henry make the situation of the young man particularly disturbing in this story?
iii) What makes the ending of this story quite revealing and powerful?

Additional Qns.
1. Explore the ways in which O Henry has particularly presented the room in this story?
2. What impressions do you form of the young man in this story?
3. In what ways has O Henry successfully addressed the pursuit of happiness in this story?
4. How has O Henry revealed different aspects of human nature through this story?
5. Why do you think the human bonds and emotions are crucial based on the story ‘The Furnished Room’?

3. The Widow’s Might by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

i) Explore the ways in which Perkins has significantly portrayed the widow’s character in this story.
ii) In what ways does the story reflect on the women’s status in the society?
iii) How has the ending of this story been made dramatic and powerful by the narrator?

4. ‘And Women Must Weep’ by Henry Handel Richardson

i) Explore the ways in which Richardson memorably portrays Dolly’s character in the story.

5. The Tower by Marghanita Laski

i) What does Laski’s writing make you feel about Neville and Caroline’s bond in the story The Tower?
ii) How is the beginning of the story extremely significant and powerful? (refer to pages 24 & 25)
iii) What does the ending of this story signify ? (Refer to pages 26-28)

6. The Reservoir by Janet Frame

i) Explore the ways in which Frame has particularly portrayed the stage of childhood in this short story?
ii) In what ways does the narrator vividly present the adult and the children’s world?

7. Thank You Ma’am by Langston Hughes

1. What impressions do you form of the boy in this short story ?
2. In what ways has Hughes memorably portrayed the lady Mrs. Jones in the story?
3. How has Hughes made the ending of the story quite significant ?

8. Sharmaji by Anjana Appachana

i) How does Appachana make the Sharmaji’s character so relatable and relevant ?
ii) In what ways does Appachana vividly convey the conflicts in this short story ?
iii) Explore the ways in which Appachana has particularly made the ending interesting and significant.

9. Mrs. Mahmood by Segun Afolabi

i) To what extent has Afolabi evoked pity and sympathy in you for Mr Mahmood in this short story ?
ii) How do you think the ending of this story has been made extremely significant?
iii) In what ways has Afolabi memorably portrayed Mr. Mahmood's transformation through this short story?

10. A Thousand Years Of Good Prayers by Yiyun Li

i) How is the conflict between modernism and traditions strikingly portrayed in this story?
ii) To what extent has Li successfully portrayed Mr. Shi as a significant character?

***********************

Paper 2 Drama
The Journey’s End:
1. In what ways does Sheriff present the theme of heroism in the play, “The Journey’s End”?
2. How has Sheriff particularly portrayed the trenches in the play ?
3. Explore the ways in which Stanhope deals with his life during the war in the play.
4. Explore the ways in which Sherriff portrays the character of Stanhope to movingly reveal the realities of war.
5. How does Sheriff memorably portray the theme of camaraderie in the play?
6. In what ways does the playwright particularly portray Raleigh ?
7. What are the different ways in which the soldiers deal with the stress of war?
8. Explore two moments in the play where Sherriff's writing makes you feel particularly sad.
9. How does Sheriff make the ending of the play such a tense moment?
10. How far does Sherriff portray Trotter as an amusing character?
 11. Explore how Sherriff makes the raid such a dramatic and significant part of the play.
12. Read this passage carefully, and then answer the question that follows it:
This was Hardy’s bed
...............
…………
…………
They’re going to take an equal chance – together. (Act 1)
In what ways does Sherriff make this such a striking and revealing moment in the play?
13. Read this passage carefully, and then answer the question that follows it:
TROTTER disappears into the dark.
................................................
[HIBBERT looks at STANHOPE for a moment, then with a slight smile, he goes slowly up the steps and into the
trench, MASON following behind.].
(from Act 3 Scene 3)
In what ways does Sherriff powerfully create sympathy for the men at this moment in the play?
14. Explore the ways Sherriff makes the ending of his play so moving?[Extract-based(refer to last 2 pages) OR
Essay-based]
15. In what ways has Sherriff portrayed the character of Hardy to make the opening of the play so strikingly
significant?(could be essay based OR extract based - refer to 1st 2.5 pages)
16. Explore the ways in which Sherriff portrays the relationships between men to convey the realities of war.
17. How has Sherriff made the character of Osborne(or Raleigh, or Stanhope) so admirable?

Crumbs from the Table of Joy:

1. Explore how Nottage uses Ernestine’s character to powerfully portray the harsh realities of racism.
2. In what ways does Nottage make the opening of her play so movingly dramatic?
3. How has Nottage introduced the character of Lily in such an entertaining way?(Passage-based; refer to 1st
two pages of Act 1; Sc 2)
4. In what ways does Nottage convey the struggles of the Crump family in the play “Crumbs from the Table of
Joy”?
5. Explore the ways Nottage powerfully presents the conflicts within the Crump family.
6. How has Nottage portrayed the character of Godfrey in the extract below?:
Extract-Based Question:
Ermina: Ah!
(Ermina flips off the radio. silence, except the distant music of “Some Enchanted Evening.)
Godfrey: It’s Sunday, gal!….
……………
Godfrey: Terrible mess, terrible mess.
(Godfrey takes out a little notepad and takes notes….but is unable to do so.)
***********
Extract-based Qn:
“Lily: You see, Ernestine, that’s your America. Negro sitting on his couch with blood dripping down his face…………(To
audience) We’d recovered my father from Divine only to lose him to passion. The kiss. The transforming kiss that could solve
all of their problems. Their kiss, a movie-time solution.)
Gerte: Now make a decision!”
7. (extract based qn on the above)How does Nottage make this such a powerful moment in the play? OR (How does
Nottage make this moment in the play so intense?)
 8. (Extract-based Qn on the below): In what ways does Nottage make the relationship between Aunt Lily and the girls
so entertaining and moving at the same time?
“Ernestine(To audience): You place two single beds together it becomes big enough for three. The mathematics of the Crump
household. I don’t know how I got pushed to the middle, stuck on the crack. Just like down home, where the Hendersons
were known to squeeze seven to a bed. Many a night we did ponder that puzzle…..
…”Lily: Hush up, it’s good for it, adds texture. Sweetness, open
the door so your daddy won’t smell the smoke. He can sniff it out hours later like a goddamn hound dog.
(Lights fade on all but Ernestine.)”
9. Explore the ways Nottage makes the ending of her play so moving/movingly satisfying.(Essay based) OR Extract based
- refer to last 2 pages of the Epilogue(Ernestine’s Final Soliloquy)
10. Explore how Nottage’s portrayal of Ernestine contributes to the dramatic impact of the play.
11. Explore two moments in the play which Nottage makes particularly moving for you.
12. To what extent does Nottage strikingly portray the impact of Father Divine on the Crump family?
13. Explore the ways in which Nottage makes this play a memory play.