spm poems admist the hardship

7/27/2019 spm poems admist the hardship

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Copyright 2011 www.kopitiamenglish.blogspot.com

Prepared by : Mr. Luke Gabriel

In The Midst Of Hardship

E n g l i s h L i t e r a t u r e F O R M 4

Volume 1

12/5/2011

The poem In The Midst Of Hardship takes a look at the hardship

of a family. It is a story about a poor couple and their sons albino

buffalo. They went to look for their sons albino buffalo during a

heavy flood which swept their village. They had to wade through

the flood water and endure cuts and bruises along the way. Even

though they did not find the buffalo, they did not murmur or

complain about their hardship but took it as a part and parcel of

their daily life. In spite of their adversity, they were happy and

grateful for the little they had.


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English LiteratureIn The Midst Of Hardship

[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

1. Which phrase tells us that the people were wet?

2. What were the people in poem looking for?

3. What is so special about their sons buffalo?

4. Give two moral values that you have learned from this poem.

[ 2 mark ]

SET 1

At dawn they returned homeTheir soaky clothes torn

And approached the stove

Their limbs marked by scratches

Their legs full of wounds

The whole day and night just passed

They had to brave the horrendous flood

In the water all the time

Between bloated carcasses

And tiny chips of tree barks

Desperately looking for their sons

Albino buffalo that was never found

They were born amidst hardship

And grew up without a sigh or a complaint

Now they are in the kitchen making

Jokes while rolling their cigarette leaves

Latiff Mohidin


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[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

1. When did the people return home?

2. What does the word horrendousmean?

3. Which line tells us that the people were born into hardship?

4. What does the phrase the whole day and night has just passedmean?

[ 2 mark ]

SET 2
















Latiff Mohidin


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[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

1. Why were the villagers looking for the buffalo?

2. Whose buffalo was it?

3. What does the word albinomean?

4. What does the phrase they were born amidst hardshipmean?

[ 2 mark ]

SET 3
















Latiff Mohidin


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[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

1. In stanza 3, how did the villagers grow up?

2. Why did they go to the kitchen?

3. What does the word carcassesmean?

4. Do you think that the villagers lived a contented life? Why do you say so?

[ 2 mark ]

SET 4
















Latiff Mohidin


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[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

1. In stanza 1, how do we know that the villagers were hurt?

2. Which phrase shows the villagers positive attitude?

3. What were the hardships faced by the villagers in this poem?

4. In your own words, name two things that you have learned from the villagers?

[ 2 mark ]

SET 5
















Latiff Mohidin


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[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

1. What does the word despairmean?

2. What did the family face when the were hit by the flood?

3. What is the settingused in this poem?

4. In your own words, how would you handle adversityin your life?

[ 2 mark ]

SET 6
















Latiff Mohidin


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[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

1. What does the word horrendousmean?

2. Which phrase shows they did not show any signs of misery and hopelessness?

3. How long did the flood last?

4. Do you think the couple lived a contended life?

[ 2 mark ]

SET 7
















Latiff Mohidin


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[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

1. What does the word dawnmean?

2. Give one symbol used in this poem?

3. What does bloated carcasses mean?

4. In your opinion, what do you think a man should do when faced with hardship?

[ 2 mark ]

SET 8
















Latiff Mohidin


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[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

1. State the moodand tone used in this poem.

2. What is so special about their sons buffalo?

3. What does bloated carcasses mean?

4. In your own words, what two things you have learned from this poem?

[ 2 mark ]

SET 9
















Latiff Mohidin


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[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

[ 1 mark ]

1. State one moral value you found in this poem.

2. Which phrase shows they were born poor?

3. Which word tells us the flood is given a human characteristic?

4. How do we know the family did not dwell in their misfortunes?

[ 2 mark ]

SET 10
















Latiff Mohidin


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All the answers are only sample answers which students can use as guide to check their answers. To get a clearer picture, my advise would be to

check your answers with your teacher. This is because your answers may vary from these sample answers, it does not mean that your answer (s)

are wrong.

Set 1.

1. Their soaky clothes torn.2. Their sons albino buffalo.

3. It is an albino buffalo.

4. Gratefulness and perseverance.

Set 2.

1. They returned home at dawn.

2. Horrible / Shockingly dreadful.

3. Line 1, stanza 3.

4. It means that the flood had lasted for a day.

Set 3.

1. The buffalo was the only precious thing they owned / they need the buffalo for farming.

2. The buffalo belonged to their son.

3. Albino means an animal lacking normal pigmentation.

4. They were born into hardship and have accepted hardship as a way of life.

Set 4.

1. They grew up without complaining or despair.

2. They went to the kitchen to warm themselves.

3. The dead body of an animal.

4. Yes. They were still happy and joyful even though they had lost their buffalo in the flood.

Set 5.

1. Their limbs were full of scratches and legs full of wounds.

2. Joking while rolling their cigarette leaves.

3. They were hit by a flood and lost their albino buffalo.

4. I have learned to always be grateful with the things that I have even during hard times and

to have an optimistic outlook on life even when times are tough.

In The Midst Of Hardship[ Sample Answers ]


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In The Midst Of Hardship[ Sample Answers ]

Set 6.

1. To lose all hope / despair.

2. Hardship.

3. Countryside / Village.4. I would not complain or despair when faced with adversity in life. I would face it with

optimism and perseverance until I succeed.

Set 7.

1. Horrible / Dreadful.

2. Now they are in the kitchen making jokes while rolling their cigarette leaves.

3. One full day / One day.

4. Yes. They are simple and contended people, because they did not complain or despairwhen hit by the flood nor when they lost their only buffalo. They just took in their stride by

being happy and joyful.

Set 8.

1. Beginning of day / The first appearance of daylight in the morning.

2. Albino buffalo / Flood.

3. Puffed up / swollen / overlarge body of a dead animal.4. In my opinion, men should be optimistic when faced with hardship. He must not complain

or despair, rather he should find a way to overcome it.

Set 9.

1. Optimistic / Solemn and admiration.

2. It is an albino buffalo.

3. Puffed up / swollen / overlarge body of a dead animal.

4. I have learnt to be optimistic and happy when faced with hardship in life.

Set 10.

1. Determination / Perseverance / Gratefulness / Optimistic

2. They were born amidst hardship.

3. Horrendous.

4. They made jokes and smoked cigarette leaves and did not despair or complain about their

misfortunes.

spm poems admist the hardship

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