The Raging River

Shrouded in darkness from the slate, smoke-like sky,

it roars through the valley letting out its battle cry.

Gathering its men from side streams and basins,

the foaming army marches onward as its pace hastens.

Children playing on bridges watch their sticks hurry away,

as regal herons assemble searching for prey.

Down the mountain it slaloms, skiing down at speed,

guzzling and swallowing what’s in its sight with greed.

The rapids cascade on the rocks down below,

surging and crashing as the water flows.

The strong current sweeps away everything in sight,

clearing the pebbled path with all its might.

Rushing, spurting, shooting, leaping,

charging through the land, the water is creeping

on its journey, wild and free,

tumbling on its way towards the sea.

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 The Raging River

Questions

1. Where are the children playing? Tick one.

on the riverbank
in the sea
on bridges
in the woods

2. Number the events from 1-4 to show the order that they occur in the poem.

The river is described as ‘rushing’.

The river tumbles towards the sea.
The children watch their sticks hurry away.
The river flows down the mountain.

3. Draw four lines to match and complete the descriptions.

smoke-like... current

battle... sky

strong path

pebbled... cry

4. What are the herons searching for? Tick one.

prey
treasure
water
birds

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 The Raging River

5. Where does the river roar through?

Fill in the missing word.

Rushing, , shooting, leaping,

6. Did you enjoy this poem? Give reasons for your answer.

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 The Raging River

Answers

1. Where are the children playing? Tick one.

on the riverbank
in the sea
on bridges
in the woods

2. Number the events from 1-4 to show the order that they occur in the poem.

3 The river is described as ‘rushing’.

4 The river tumbles towards the sea.
1 The children watch their sticks hurry away.
2 The river flows down the mountain.

3. Draw four lines to match and complete the descriptions.

smoke-like... current

battle... sky

strong path

pebbled... cry

4. What are the herons searching for?

prey
treasure
water
birds

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 The Raging River

5. Where does the river roar through?

The river roars through the valley.

6. Fill in the missing word.

Rushing, spurting, shooting, leaping,

7. Did you enjoy this poem? Give reasons for your answer.

Pupils’ own responses, such as: I enjoyed this poem because I liked how the poet used
different verbs to show how the water is moving, such as ‘leaping’. I liked when the poet
used ‘roars’ because it makes me think that the river is noisy and splashing.

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 The Raging River

Questions

1. Where does the river tumble towards? Tick one. 

the stream
the waterfall
the lake
the sea

2. Number the events from 1-4 to show the order that they occur in the poem.

The current is described as ‘strong’.

The river is compared to a ‘foaming army’.
The river is charging through the land.
The rapids cascade.

3. Which word means the same as ‘gathering’? Tick one.

sharing
swimming
throwing
collecting

4. … slate, smoke-like sky

What impression do you think that the poet was trying to create? Tick one.

the sky is sunny

the sky is dark
there is a rainbow
it is snowing

5. Find and copy a word which means the same as ‘an animal that is hunted by another
for food’.

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 The Raging River

6. Fill in the missing word.

as herons assemble

7. Rushing, spurting, shooting, leaping,

What impression does this choice of words give about the river?

8. Create a new title for the poem. What would you choose and why?

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 The Raging River

Answers

1. Where does the river tumble towards? Tick one. 

the stream
the waterfall
the lake
the sea

2. Number the events from 1-4 to show the order that they occur in the poem.

3 The current is described as ‘strong’.

1 The river is compared to a ‘foaming army’.
4 The river is charging through the land.
2 The rapids cascade.

3. Which word means the same as ‘gathering’? Tick one.

sharing
swimming
throwing
collecting

4. … slate, smoke-like sky

What impression do you think that the poet was trying to create? Tick one.

the sky is sunny

the sky is dark
there is a rainbow
it is snowing

5. Find and copy a word which means the same as ‘an animal that is hunted by another
for food’.

prey

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 The Raging River

6. Fill in the missing word.

as regal herons assemble

7. Rushing, spurting, shooting, leaping,

What impression does this choice of words give about the river?

Pupils’ own responses, such as: I think these words give the impression that the river is
moving quickly and that the water is splashing. I think that the current is strong.

8. Create a new title for the poem. What would you choose and why?

Pupils’ own responses, such as: I would choose the title ‘The Roaring River’ because I
think it shows that the river is noisy.

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 The Raging River

Questions

1. Which word means the same as ‘to eat or drink something greedily’? Tick one. 

guzzling
cascade
prey
spurting

2. Number the events from 1-4 to show the order that they occur in the poem.

The current is described as ‘strong’.

The river is compared to a ‘foaming army’.
The river is charging through the land.
The rapids cascade.

3. What are the herons searching for?

4. Find and copy a word in the first verse which means the same as ‘covered’.

5. Fill in the missing word.

Down the it slaloms

6. Describe the river in two words of your choice. Give reasons for your answer.

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 The Raging River

7. Why do you think the poet decided to describe the sky as ‘smoke-like’?

8. Compare the words ‘crashing’ and ‘flows’. What does this show about the water’s
movement?

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 The Raging River

Answers

1. Which word means the same as ‘to eat or drink something greedily’? Tick one. 

guzzling
cascade
prey
spurting

2. Number the events from 1-4 to show the order that they occur in the poem.

2 The current is described as ‘strong’.

1 The river is compared to a ‘foaming army’.
4 The river is charging through the land.
3 The rapids cascade.

3. What are the herons searching for?

The herons are searching for prey.

4. Find and copy a word in the first verse which means the same as ‘covered’.

shrouded

5. Fill in the missing word.

Down the mountain it slaloms

6. Describe the river in two words of your choice. Give reasons for your answer.

Pupils’ own responses, such as: I think the river is fast because the poet describes how
it moves ‘at speed’. I also think the river is rough because the poet describes how the
‘strong current’ sweeps everything away.

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 The Raging River

7. Why do you think the poet decided to des

cribe the sky as ‘smoke-like’?

Pupils’ own responses, such as: I think the poet decided to describe the sky as ‘smoke-
like’ because they wanted to show that the sky was grey, dark and gloomy.

8. Compare the words ‘crashing’ and ‘flows’. What does this show about the water’s
movement?

Pupils’ own responses, such as: The word ‘crashing’ shows that the water is splashing
heavily while the word ‘flows’ shows that the water is moving along at a steady pace.

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