MAY JUNE 2009

"To an Athlete Dying Young" and "The Lynching" are both poems about a young man's death.

(a) Briefly outline the situation described in EACH poem. (6 marks)

(b) Compare, with evidence, the relationship that the crowd in the TWO poems has with the person who
has died. (8 marks)
(c) (i) Compare the speakers' attitude to the death in the two poems. (3 marks)
(ii) Discuss ONE device that EACH poet uses to bring this attitude across to the reader. (8 marks)
Total 25 marks

6. From the prescribed list of poems that you have studied, choose TWO that explore the nature of power.
For EACH poem:
(a) Outline the situation in which power is demonstrated. (8 marks)
(b) Compare the speakers' response to the power that is demonstrated. (9 marks)
(c) Identify and discuss an effective device used by EACH poet to highlight the idea of power. (8 marks)
Total 25 marks

JANUARY 2011

In the poems "From the Emigrants" and "Travelling Through the Dark", a conflict is set up between Nature and
technology.
For EACH poem:
(a) Describe the situation in which Nature and technology are in conflict. ( 8 marks)
(b) Identify ONE poetic device used to comment on the impact of technology on Nature, and comment on its
effectiveness. ( 8 marks)
(c) What message is EACH poet presenting through the portrayal of Nature and technology? ( 9 marks)
Total 25 marks

6. From the prescribed list of poems that you have studied, choose TWO in which the speaker comes face to
face with the reality of death.
For EACH poem,

(a) describe the situation that causes the speaker to think about death. ( 8 marks)
(b) Discuss the reaction of EACH speaker to this encounter with death. ( 9 marks)
( c) Identify ONE poetic device which is used to convey the thoughts and feelings of the speaker in EACH
poem and comment on its effectiveness. ( 8 marks)
Total 25 marks
 MAY /JUNE 2011

'Traveling through the Dark' and 'Epitaph' .are both poems in which a death is presented.

(a) Describe what happens in EACH poem. (8 marks)

(b) Discuss the speaker's attitude to the death in EACH poem. (9 marks)
(c) Identify and discuss ONE poetic device that EACH poet uses to capture the reader's attention OR create
an emotional response in the reader. (8 marks)

Choose TWO poems that you have studied, in which something OR someone is admired.

(a) Describe what OR who is admired. (8 marks)

(b) Identify and discuss how the poet uses ONE poetic device in EACH poem to show this admiration.(8 marks)
(c) Which poem do you find more appealing in its presentation of admiration? Use evidence from the poem to
support your answer. (9 marks)

JANUARY 2012
In the poems 'The Carpenter's Complaint' and 'Dreaming Black Boy', the speakers experienced situations in
which their dreams were not fulfilled

For EACH poem:

(a) Describe the situation which caused the speaker's dream not to be fulfilled. (8 marks)
(b) Which speaker do you find more appealing? Justify your answer. (8 marks)
(c) Identify and comment on ONE poetic device which is used to explore the idea of
unfulfilled dreams. (9 marks)
Total 25 marks

From the prescribed list of poems that you have studied, choose TWO poems in which there is a conflict.
For EACH poem:
(a) Explain the conflict. (8 marks)
(b)Discuss how the speaker reacts to the conflict. (8 marks)
( c) Identify ONE poetic device which is used to portray this conflict and comment on its effectiveness. (9
marks)
Total 25 marks

MAY/ JUNE 2012

'Forgive My Guilt' and 'Epitaph' are poems which present death and memory.
(a) Describe what happens in EACH poem. (8 marks)
(b) Discuss how the speaker in EACH poem reacts to the memory of death. (8 marks)
(c) Discuss ONE device which is used to effectively portray the speaker's reaction to death in EACH poem.
(9 marks)
Total 25 marks

Sometimes people love a person, a thing, or an event. Choose TWO poems that you have studied that portray
love.
For EACH poem:
(a) Describe who OR what is loved. (8 marks)
(b) Discuss the effects of this love. (8 marks)
(c) Discuss ONE device which is used to po1iray this love. (9 marks)
Total 25 marks
 JANUARY 2013

"The poems 'A Stone's Throw' and 'The Woman Speaks to the Man Who has Employed her Son' are about how
women are treated."

For EACH poem:

(a) Briefly describe what is taking place. (8 marks)
(b)Discuss the speaker's attitude to the woman. (8 marks)
(c) Discuss ONE device which is used to effectively convey the treatment of women. (9 marks)
Total 25 marks

Choose TWO poems which you have studied that focus on a significant experience or event.
For EACH poem:
(a) Describe the experience or event. (8 marks)
(b) Discuss the speaker's attitude to this experience or event. (8 marks)
(c) Discuss ONE device that is used to present this experience or event. (9 marks)
Total 25 marks

MAY/JUNE 2014

"Some places stand out in our minds because of the way in which they impact our thoughts."
Consider "Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge" and "South".

(a) Briefly describe the place(s) being portrayed in EACH poem. (8 marks)
(b) Compare the speakers' attitudes to the places being portrayed in the two poems. (8 marks)
(c) For EACH poem, discuss ONE device which is used to create an effective portrayal of the places. (9 marks)
Total 25 marks

Choose TWO poems you have studied in which a memorable event or experience is described.
(a) Describe the event OR experience in EACH poem. (8 marks)
(b) Compare the speakers' attitudes to the event OR experience in the two poems. (8 marks)
(c) For EACH poem, discuss ONE device that is used to present this event or experience. (9 marks)
Total 25 marks

MAY/ JUNE 2015

"In 'Theme for English B' and 'A Lesson for this Sunday', the speakers learn something important about life."

For EACH poem:

(a) Describe what happens. (8 marks)
(b) Discuss the understanding of life that the speaker arrives at. (8 marks)
(c) Examine ONE device which the poet uses to convey the speaker's understanding about life. (9 marks)
Total 25 marks

6. Select TWO poems from the prescribed list in which the idea of resistance is presented.
For EACH poem:
(a) Describe the nature of the resistance. (8 marks)
(b) Discuss the way in which the speaker deals with the resistance. (8 marks)
(c) Examine ONE device which the poet uses to explore the idea of resistance. (9 marks)
Total 25 marks
 JANUARY 2016
'"Death Came to See Me in Hot Pink. Pants' and 'Once Upon a Time' feature the theme of deception."

For EACH poem:

(a) Describe the deceptive situation. (8 marks)
(b) Discuss how the speaker responds to the deception faced. (8 marks)
(c) (c) Examine ONE device the poet uses to portray the theme of deception. (9 marks) Total 25 marks

Select TWO poems that you have studied from the prescribed list in which the speaker focuses
on childhood experiences.
For EACH poem:
(a) Describe ONE experience of the speaker. (8 marks)
(b) Discuss the impact of the experience identified in (a) above on the speaker. (8 marks)
(c) Examine ONE device the poet uses to portray childhood experiences. (9 marks) Total 25 marks

MAY/ JUNE 2016

"Death is a major theme in both 'Because I could not stop for Death' and 'Forgive My Guilt.'"
For EACH poem:

(a) Describe what happens. (8 marks)

(b) Discuss the speaker's attitude to death. (8 marks)
(c) Examine ONE device the poet uses to portray death. (9 marks) Total 25 marks

Select TWO poems that you have studied from the prescribed list in which the speaker experiences unfair
treatment.
For EACH poem:
(a) Describe the experience. (8 marks)
(b) Discuss the attitude of the speaker to the unfair treatment. (8 marks)
(c) Examine ONE device the poet uses to present the unfairness of life. (9 marks) Total 25 marks

MAY/JUNE 2017

"In 'West Indies, USA' and 'A Stones Throw' the speaker experiences discrimination."

For EACH poem:

(a) Describe the discrimination experienced. (8 marks)
(b) Discuss how the discrimination affects the speaker. (8 marks)
(c) Examine ONE device the poet uses to explore the theme of discrimination. (9 marks) Total 25 marks

"People experience different types of love."

Choose TWO poems that you have studied from the prescribed list in which the speaker experiences love.

For EACH poem:

(a) Describe the type of love experienced. (8 marks)
(b) Discuss the speaker's attitude to the love described in (a) above. (8 marks)
(c) Examine ONE device the poet uses to portray the theme of love. (9 marks) Total 25 marks
 MAY/ JUNE 2018

" 'My Parents 'and 'Dreaming Black Boy' are poems in which the speakers yearn to be accepted."

Write an essay in which you focus on this theme in these TWO poems. For EACH poem, you must
describe ONE instance in which the speaker's yearning to be accepted is evident. You must also
discuss how EACH speaker responds to this feeling. Finally, for EACH poem, you must examine
ONE device used to portray the speaker's yearning for acceptance.

"Our actions can have a positive or negative effect on others."

From the prescribed list, choose TWO poems you have studied which show actions that affect
others. Write an essay in which you focus on this theme in the TWO poems.

For EACH poem, describe ONE incident in which a person's actions affect another. You must also
discuss how the speaker in EACH poem reacts to this action. Finally, for EACH poem you must
examine ONE device used to portray actions and their effects.

JANUARY 2019

MAY/ JUNE 2019

JANUARY 2020

MAY/JUNE 2022- NO PAPER

JANUARY 2021
MAY/JUNE 2021

JANUARY 2022

MAY/JUNE 2022

JANUARY 2023