Literature FORM 5

NATURE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

Why do you think the poet write this poem?

Which phrase evokes our sense of smell?
What does the phrase reaped canefields lie bare and fallow indicate?
What are the good days mentioned in the poem?
What the bad days mentioned in the poem?
What is the poet trying to tell us about the weather in his country?
What does the phrase lush green canefields tell us about the land?
Which line in the poem indicates that Jamaica suffers from strong winds?
Where can we hear the sound of water during the heavy rain?
When do the leaves fall off the guango trees?
What do you understand by the phrase paved the earth?
Which line indicates that there are bright sunny days and the sun shines on fertile fields of cane?
How do you know that the rains come down in torrential showers?
Why do you think the poet mentions the regular English seasons of summer, winter, autumn and
spring?
15. When it rains, where to the rain water usually flow into?
16. What is the impression you get when the winds blow in Jamaica?
17. During the season of flowers, what can you hear and smell?
18. What are the yellow stars?
19. In your opinion, has the poem given you a comprehensive picture of the changes that take place
in Jamaica?
20. Name the four seasons that some countries have.
21. Why do you think the colour of the sun is considered as gold?
22. Why do trees have to struggle?
23. What are the words that have been used to describe the movement of the rain?
24. Are these words suitable?
25. Which of the four seasons are equivalent to Jamaicas wet and hot seasons.
26. Write two words that are related to the appearance of the canefields.
27. Why do you think the persona feels that Jamaica does not need to have the four seasons. In your
own words, give a reason .
28. During which season do leaves fall off trees.
29. Why are the fields left to fallow after the harvesting season?
30. What happens to the tall grass at the slightest breeze and why?
31. What words have been used to describe the buttercups?
32. Do you think they are suitable.
33. What can we call the season that is implied in the lines above?
34. What are the two words that relate to the appearance of the canefields after they are harvested
35. What does the persona feel about nature at this time of the year in Jamaica? Give a reason to
support?
36. How does the persona show that he loves nature as is experienced in Jamaica?
37. What are the two words that are related to fruits?
38. What do you think is the main crop in Jamaica? Give a reason.
39. To whom does the we in the opening line of the poem refer?
40. Do you agree with the poet that there are no seasons in Jamaica? Give a reason for your answer
41. What are the seasons mentioned in the poem?
42. What kind of crop grows in canefields?

43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.

What are the raindrops compared to

What does swish of water in the gullies refer to?
What word can replace bare and fallow?
What does the word blossom refer to?
Why are the bees in the bushes?
Why do the tall grass sway?
What are the yellow stars?
How does the poet describe the sun?
Which line uses the imagery of sound and smell?
What are buttercups? Describe them.

ANSWERS
1.
2.
3.
4.

celebrate nature
the scent of honey
is idle and unproductive
The good days are the short periods where the bright golden sun shines brilliantly on the
healthy green canefields
5. The bad days are the periods of heavy rain which beats nosily like bullets on the rooftops and
when the strong Jamaican winds threated to uproot the trees.
6. Jamaica is a country that has no regular four seasons but experiences short periods of golden
sunshine which alternates with days of heavy rain followed by strong winds.
7. The land is fertile
8. Line 8
9. on the eroded trenches
10. after the harvesting of the canes
11. covered everywhere
12. The gold sun shines on the lush, green canefields.
13. The rain beats like bullets on the roofs.
14. He was studying and working there for some time
15. It usually flows into the gullies.
16. The winds blow so strongly that the trees are swayed from side to side that they have to struggle
to prevent themselves from being blown away.
17. smell the scent of honey and hear the sound of bees.
18. They are a type of flowers grown there.
19. No, because it lacks details and a lot depends on the imagination perception of the reader.
20. Spring, summer, autumn and winter
21. The colour of the sun at sunrise and sunset is yellow and looks like gold.
22. The winds are strong and so they have to struggle to save themselves from being uprooted.
23. beats like bullets
24. Because when the rain falls on the roofs it sounds like bullets being released from a gun.
25. Winter and summer
26. lush and green
27. He feels Jamaica does not need the four seasons because it has its own two differing seasons and
they are good enough for Jamaica
28. Autumn
29. They are left to fallow for the soil to recover its fertility.
30. They sway and shiver because they are not stable.
31. yellow stars and beauty

32. Yes, because the buttercups are yellow and look like shining stars and they are beautiful to look
at.
33. Spring or the flowering and fruiting season
34. bare and fallow
35. He feels that nature at this time of the year is beautiful and rich in colour and fragrance because
he says that the trees are fruiting and there is the smell of honey and the earth is paved with
beautiful stars.
36. He says that Jamaica may not have the four seasons but it has its own wet and dry seasons.
37. mango, cane
38. I think it is sugar cane because the persona mentions the canefields as being lush and green so
they must be planted in big plantations and after harvesting the fields are left to fallow meaning
they will be replanted with cane.
39. The poet and his countrymen
40. Yes, Jamaica has no seasons associated with cool temperate countries such as spring, summer,
autumn and winter. What it has are days associated with changes in the weather at specific times
of the year.
No, although there are no seasons associated with cool temperate countries, there are the hot seasons
as well as the rainy season that coincides with growth, ripening, rest and regrowth in a cycle.
41. Spring, summer, autumn and winter
42. Sugarcane
43. water on the roof
44. the sound of water in the gullies
45. empty
46. flowers
47. to look for nectar
48. gentle breeze
49. Buttercups
50. As golden and magnificent
51. When the bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey
52. Buttercups are small, beautiful yellow flowers. They grow wild in the fields of Jamaica and they
look like yellow stars.

ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE?

1.
2.

In Stanza 1, why is the persona feeling uneasy?

Which line in stanza 1, indicates that the flute player is more interested in playing the flute
than building their love?
3. Which line in stanza 1 tells us that the persona is deeply affected by the melody of the song?
4. In stanza 1, what feeling does the persona express?
5. Where does the melody originate?
6. How does she feel when she longs for the song in stanza 1?
7. Do you feel that the persona is deeply affected by the melody of the song in stanza 1? How do
you know?
8. What does the sick rice field in stanza 2, line 3 indicate?
9. In stanza 2, what is the persona comparing her village to?
10. What are the evening rays referred to in stanza 2?
11. Name one luxury that they used to enjoy in the village.
12. Why is her conscience disturbed in stanza 3?
13. Why is the persona feeling guilty in the first stanza?
14. What is the meaning of when there is hardly time for our love
15. Another meaning for the word hazard in the third stanza means
16. Where is the personas beloved now?
17. What are the things the persona enjoys doing in the village?
18. What is the atmosphere in the village?
19. What is the poet trying to tell us about the changes in her life?
20. What is the poem about?
21. What type of musical instrument is the flute?
22. What does the lady want of the man?
23. What does the persona hear in the depth of her heart?
24. What has happened to the rice field?
25. What can the persona do in the early morning?
26. Which words tell us that the air has a lovely smell?
27. What has happened to the personas younger brother?
28. What is the personas life partner doing most of the time?
29. What does line 2 stanza 1 tell us about the relationship between the persona and the flutist?
30. What is the persona guilty about
31. What words are used to indicate where the melody is? Do you think they are suitable?
32. What does the persona long for?
33. Write the two words that relate to how a flute is played.
34. Why do you think the persona says she feels guilty about longing for the mans song? In your
own words, give a reason to support your answer.
35. Where is the man playing his flute?
36. How do we know that the rice fields are not looking good?
37. What does the line while here it has become a luxury mean in context?
38. What words has the poet used to describe how she enjoys things of nature?
39. Do you think they are suitable?
40. Explain the phrase disturbs my conscience as used in context.
41. Write two words that relate to the feeling helpless when watching something happening.
42. Why do you think the persona feels unhappy about her relatives and friend? In your own words,
give a reason to support your answer.
43. How does the persona feel about the man playing his flute?
44. Write two words that relate to things of nature.

45. Why do you think the persona mean by the phrase this world? In your words, give a reason to
support your answer.

ANSWER
1.
She yearns to hear the song again.
2.
line 2
3.
Line 9
4.
feeling of guilt
5.
It is hidden in the slim hollow of a bamboo
6.
She feels guilty
7.
Yes. She writes that the melody is blown by the wind to the depth of my heart.
8.
The rice field is barren and infertile. It does not produce a healthy crop.
9.
She is comparing it to where she is living now, possibly in an urban area.
10. They refer to the sunset.
11. It is to spend time watching the rain.
12. One of the reasons is that her younger brothers are unemployed and desperate.
13. She yearns to listen to her beloveds song
14. The beloved is more interested in playing the flute than to love
15. wonder
16. He is in a place where he can spend all his time playing the flute without a care in the world.
17. She likes to watch the rain and also the sunset. She loves to collect the dew drops and enjoys
the smell of fragrant flowers.
18. It is desolate, quiet and deserted. The paddy fields are empty and almost abandoned.
19. The persona is now staying in a place where it is difficult to enjoy the simple pleasures of
nature as time is very precious. She says it is a luxury because people in the city do not have
time to watch the sunset or smell the flowers. Moreover, in an urban area, it may be difficult to
get a glimpse of nature in the concrete jungle.
20. A lady is pining for her partner who is more interested in his flute.
21. A wind instrument
22. She wants him to spend time with her.
23. The song played by her life partner
24. They have become dry and cracked or sick
25. Collect dew drops
26. Fragrance of flowers
27. They are unemployed and desperate
28. Playing his flute
29. They are a couple and she feels neglected
30. She feels guilty about wanting him to spend time with her.
31. Concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo. Yes, because the flute can be made from
bamboo and the sound of a song comes from within the hollow in the bamboo.
32. She longs for her love to play the melody for her personally rather than hear it in her heart.
33. breath and fingers
34. She feels guilty about longing for his song because he seems so engrossed in playing his flute
and she does not want to impose on him.
35. in the village
36. They are described as sick rice fields.

37.
38.
39.

It means that the persona cannot do the simple things she used to enjoy doing.
The words are watching, gazing, collecting and smelling
Yes, they are suitable because they are the actions we carry out when we watch the elements of
nature like rain, sunset, dew and smell the fragrance of flowers
40. The phrase means to feel guilty or uneasy about disturbing the man while he is playing the
flute.
41. mercilessly and bleeding
42. She feels unhappy because her brothers have no jobs and are feeling desperate and she has lost
her friend who was murdered.
43. She feels that he is spending too much time on his flute and is not paying enough attention to
her, his relatives and friends.
44. rain/dew drops and evening rays / flowers (any two)
45. I think she means the circumstances she is in, that is, her daily life which she is facing on her
own while the man is in another world of his own, playing his flute.

1.

Which lines in stanza 1 tell you that the flautist plays the flute beautifully?

Uncovered by .depth of my heart

In the second stanza, what does the word deserted mean?
Empty / abandoned / neglected / vacant

In the second stanza, why are the rice fields deserted?

The farmers have left the fields for the city / better income jobs away from the village.

4
In your own words, explain the meaning of the last stanza.
The persona is feeling anxious because there are political and economical problems in her city and
she feels the world is changing for the worst.
5
From stanza 1, what does the persona want to hear?
The flautists song / flute music. / The flautist playing his flute.
6
In stanza 2, what does the word here refer to?
The city / town / personas place
7
In stanza 3, why does the persona feel guilty for thinking about her beloved?
She feels guilty because at present people around her are suffering.
8
Suggest two things you would do to stop the world from bleeding.
Spread the message of peace, tolerance and living in harmony
Learn to appreciate what life has offered and be happy with it.
9
How is the rice field?
Sick / unhealthy / infertile / neglected

10

State two activities that I consider luxuries.

i.
ii.

11

Spend time watching the rain / gazing at the evening rays

Collecting dew drops/ Enjoying the fragrance of flowers

Why do you the personas conscience is disturbed? Give reasons for your answer.

Thinking of the flautist while feeling worried about the troubled with the situation around her.
12

What musical instrument is the poets friend playing?

A flute
13

Describe the village.

It is empty has people have left for the city.

14
Who feels guilty?
The persona
15
While here it has become a luxury!
To spend time watching the rain
Why do you think the persona says it is a luxury to spend time watching rain? Give reasons for
your answer.
Life in the city is so busy that one has no time for simple pleasures and there are other problems to
worry about.
16

Why does the persona ask if the flute player is still playing his flute?

She does not know if he is still in the village enjoying his favourite pastime.
17

How does she feel about his music?

Nostalgic / desirous / wishful

18

Write down the line which shows that the persona thinks highly of his music.

To the depth of my heart

19

In your own words,

i.
What kind of a person do you think is the flute player?
Passionate / Obsessed / An introvert / A sequester
ii.

20

Have you been involved in a similar passion over any interest or hobby? Provide
explanation.

Identify two words used to describe the village.

Quiet and deserted

21

What has happened to the village?

It is deserted as the people have left for better jobs.

22

In stanza 2, what does the words here refers to?

The city / town / personas place

23
In your own words,
i.
What do you of the things the persona consider luxuries?
Rain, sunset (evening rays) / dew / fragrance of flowers
ii.

What would you enjoy doing for pleasure?

24
Why does the poet feel guilty?
To be longing for the flautists song
25
What musical instrument does the poets love play?
Flute
26
How is the situation in the village?
Quite bad as it is empty because the villagers have left the village for better jobs and conditions.
27

Why do think the poet is surprised that the flautist is still playing his flute? Give reasons for
your answer.
She thinks that he is undisturbed with the turmoil in the nation and the world.
28

Why is the village so quiet and deserted?

The villagers have left the village for better jobs and conditions.
29

Which phrase in stanza 1 implies how much the music affected the poet?

To the depth of my heart

30

What does the poet mean by using the words concealed and uncoveredto describe the
music?

It means that the melody is in the bamboo and will only be heard when the flautist plays the flute.
31

What could the poem be about?

It is about upholding values, accepting changes in life and appreciating simple pleasures of life.
32
Describe ONE emotion the poet is feeling in the first stanza.
Guilty / nostalgic
33
The flute
34

What does the phrase, slim hollow of the bamboo refer to?
Describe a significant memory that you have. Explain briefly why it is significant to you.

___________________________________________________________________________________
35
In the city

Based on stanza 2, where do you think the persona is?

36
Based on stanza 2, what is the contrast between the personas place and the flautists?
The flautists place is empty and deserted whereas the personas place is undergoing a turmoil
[ political and economical crisis].
37
Based on stanza 2, in the first line, what do you think the persona is feeling?
A sense of doubt / unsure / puzzled
38
Based on stanza 1, which line reveals the intensity of the personas feelings?
To be longing for your song
39

Based on stanza1, how does the persona feel about the flautist?

Longing / pining/yearning/passionate / love

40
Based on stanza 1, which line (s) reveal (s) that the persona is struggling with her feelings?
Where there is hardly time for our love
41
Based on stanza 1, describe the personas mood.
Sombre / solemn / Sad
42
What is so distinctive about the melody from the flute?
It touches the depth of her heart
43
Why is the rice field described as sick?
It has been neglected so it is no longer productive and fertile.
44
What is the meaning of the metaphor slaughtered mercilessly?
People are no longer tolerant of each other and people are being killed cruelly.
45
What kind of feeling is expressed by the persona in the poem?
A sense of sadness, hopelessness, despair and misery
46
Why does the persona feel guilty?
To be longing for the flautists song.
47
Why is the personas conscience disturbed?
She is worried about the present situation in her nation which is facing a crisis.
48
Yes,..

In your opinion, does the persona feel depressed about this world? Give your reasons.

49

Based on stanza 2, how would you describe the person who seems to be very interested in
his flute?
Idle / unaffected by the crisis / carefree / in his own world
50

Write the two words that relate to how a flute is played?

51

Breath and
fingers____________________________________________________________
What do you think the persona feels about the other persons obsession with playing the
flute? Using your own words, give a reason to support your answer.

52
What is the main theme in the stanza above?
Upholding values, appreciating simple pleasures of life, accepting changes in life
53
Write two words that are related to the condition of the village.
Quiet and deserted
54

Where do you think the persona is? Using your own words, give a reason to support your
answer.
In the city because .
55
Who is playing the flute?
The flautist in the village / The personas love
56
Why does the persona feel guilty?
To be longing for the flautists song
57
Where does the melody originate from?
The bamboo / The slim hollow of the bamboo
58
Which two lines best describe how a flute is played?
Uncovered by the breath of an artist & composed by his fingers
59
Which word would you use to describe the personas village? Name one.
Quiet / deserted
60
What does the persona mean by the sick rice field?
The paddy fields are neglected so they are barren and unproductive.
61
Sunset
62

What are the evening rays referred to?

Write two activities that are considered a luxury by the persona.
Spend time watching the rain / gazing at the evening rays
Collecting dew drops/ Enjoying the fragrance of flowers

63
Why is the person still thinking of her beloved?
She has feelings for him. / She still loves him.
64

Write two problems faced by the persona as mentioned in the stanza above.
Her brothers are unemployed and desperate / Her people are disunited by politics / Her
friend is slaughtered mercilessly

65
What is the tone used? Give a reason for your answer.
Sad / Hopelessness / Despair / Anxious
66

Where do you think the persona is likely to be?

In the city / town

67
Where is the flautist playing his flute?
In the village
68
Tradition

What does the flute represent?

69

Why is the phrase, Are you still playing your flute?, repeated three times in the poem?
Using your own words, give reasons to support your answer.
To reinforce the emotion (wondering/puzzled) behind the question and create a dramatic effect
70
In stanza 1, what poetic device does the first line above refer to?
Rhetorical question
71

In stanza 1, what does line 2 tell us about the relationship between the persona and the
flautist?
They loved each other when they were together.
72
What is the persona guilty about?
To be longing for the flautists song.
73
The poet used certain words to indicate where the melody is:
i.
What are these words?
Concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo
ii.
Do you think they are suitable? Why?
Yes, because the flute is played by blowing into hollow of the bamboo and melody is created by the
fingers.
74
In stanza 1, why does the persona feel guilty listening to music of the flautist?
She is very busy and also her nation is undergoing a crisis.
75
Why is enjoying the fragrance of flowers regarded as a luxury by the persona in stanza 2?
In the city, one can be very busy in the rat race that they have no time to even appreciate the
flowers growing around them.
76
Give one problem the nation is undergoing.
Political crisis / Economical crisis / Disharmony
77
Explain in your own words why the persona feels her world is too old and bleeding.
The world is changing for the worst and non-renewable resources cannot be replenished.
78
Tradition

What do you think the flute represents?

79
What do you think the phrase, the world is too old and bleedingrepresents?
The world is changing for the worst and non-renewable resources cannot be replenished.
80
Suggest a reason why the persona cannot forget the music from the flute?
The music must have been beautiful and special that it has embedded in her heart.
81

Do you think the persona has made the right decision in leaving the village? Give a reason.

Yes,
No, .
82
What is it like in the village?
Quiet and empty
83
What does the word sick imply about the rice field?
Barren / Unproductive / Infertile / Neglected
84
What are the luxuries mentioned by the poet? State two of them.
Spend time watching the rain / gazing at the evening rays
Collecting dew drops/ Enjoying the fragrance of flowers
85
Yes,
No, ..

Do you like to live in the village? Give reasons to your answer.

86
In the last stanza, what is the personas feeling when she remembers the flautist?
Guilty / Remorseful /
87
Why is there disunity among the citizens of the country?
They lack tolerance and understanding.
88
What happened to the personas friend?
Killed cruelly
89
What do you think the last line of the stanza mean?
The world is changing for the worst.