MODEL QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTED ANSWERS

The Charge of Light Brigade

1. Where is the setting of the poem?

The battlefield

2. Which line in the poem tells us that the soldiers obeyed the order without question?

"theirs not to reason why"

3. Why do you think the line "Rode the six hundred" is repeated many times in the poems?

to emphasise that the 600 soldiers sacrificed their life on that day in the battlefield

4. Give one quality that you admire about the soldiers. Give a reason for your response.

Loyal as they follow orders.

5. What is the command given to the soldiers?

to charge forward and fight the enemies

6. Give an example of a metaphor used in the poem.

the valley of death

7. Which line in the poem tells the reader that the command was a mistakes?

someone had blundered

8. What do you think is the outcome of the battle? Support your response with evidence
from the poem.

Many soldiers die. The phrase into the jaw of death shows that many of them will die in the
battle.

9. In stanza 1, who is speaking to the soldiers?

the leader/captain

10. In stanza 2, what does the line, "theirs but to do and die" tell us about?

the soldiers are loyal and courageous

11. What happened to the soldiers in stanza 3?

they were attacked by the enemies

12. What emotions does the poem evoke? What do you feel as you read it? Support your
response with evidence from the poem.

Sympathetic. full of sympathy as many soldiers die in the battlefield.

13. In stanza 2, which phrase in the poem means to go forward over a set distance?

"Forward the Light Brigade"

14. What were the soldiers told to do when they rode into the valley of death?

"Charge for the gun"

15. Why do you think the soldiers followed the order even is it would cause their death?

They are loyal

16. Despite being attacked from all sides, the soldiers continued on. What consequences
would the soldiers have to face if they decided to retreat? Provide reason for your answer.

Death. The soldiers should never go against the leader and always follow orders

17. Why do you think the persona asked whether there was " a man dismayed"?

Some of the soldiers are not courageous and have weak heart/ will/spirit

18. There are many jobs today that require people to be brave. Give another example of a
job that requires bravery. Provide reason for your answer.

Policeman. They need to fight for justice.

19. In stanza 2, which word in the poem means 'made a mistake'?

" blundered"

20. What is the theme of the poem?

Courage

21. What is the Light Brigade?

A division in the army

22. Give one example of personification used in the poem?

"the jaw of death"

23. What does the Valley of Death symbolises?

battlefield/a place where battle/ war takes palace/ a place where army fight enemies/ a
place where armies fight enemies and many of them die

24. Which word in Stanza 2 means "mistake"?

blundered

25. How many soldiers were involved in the war?

600 soldiers

26. Suggest two ways to protect your country?

a) Be patriotic
b) Cherish these natural wonders/cherish the natural resources/ cherish the history and
romance as a sacred heritage for your children and your children's children.
c) Be loyal to one's country

27. How do you feel about war? Provide a reason to support your response.

I dislike war. Many people die in the war.

1. According to the first stanza of "The Charge of the Light Brigade", how many British
forces rode into the battle?

Six hundred

2. In stanza one, what does the phrase the Valley of Death refer to?

The valley where the British soldiers rode/ the battle occurred/battle field/ battle field
where the army died

3. Why do you think the poet refers the valley as The Valley of Death?

It is because the soldiers knew that they were going to lose in the battle and they would die.

4. Why did the soldiers ride to their death?

They had to obey their commanders order.

5. In stanza 1, what was the light brigade ordered to do?

They were ordered to move forward on a frontal assault against a well-armed Russian
soldiers/ to attack the Russian soldiers

6. What kind of weapons did the Light Brigade have?

Spears, swords and bows

8. What weapons did their opponents/enemies have?

Cannons, rifles

9. In stanza 2, what does the word dismayed suggest?

It means to lose your courage/ to be overcome by terror or sadness

10. Did the British soldiers feel discouraged? Why?

No, they did not. It was because they were carrying out their duty and if they were to die,
they would die with honour/ They had to obey the command of their leader.

11. In stanza 2, what does the line Someone had blundered suggests?

The commanding officer had made a stupid and clumsy mistake by ordering them to charge
the well- prepared Russian soldiers/ the leader had made a mistake in giving order

12. Write the meanings of the following lines:

i. Theirs not to reply :

The soldiers must not talk back to their commanders.

ii. Theirs not to reason why :

They must follow the orders without asking why.

iii. Theirs but to do and die:

All they could do was to ride and fight and possibly die in the battle.

13. Who won the battle?

The Russian soldiers

14. Give two adjectives to describe the six hundred men?

Courageous/ brave/ noble/ heroic/ loyal/ patriotic/obedient

15. In Stanza 1 the phrase valley of Death means

Death awaiting/to die/no escape from clutches of death

16. In Stanza 1 which word means to advance?

Forward
17. In stanza 2 who has made the mistakes that caused the tragedy?

The leader of the troop/ the commander/ office in-charge

18. There are many ways to show our love towards our nation. Suggest two ways.

a) Contribute towards nation building by being a good citizen

b) Be united and uphold justice in our country.

19. From Stanza 1, what was the command given?

Forward the light brigade

20. From Stanza 2, which line shows the evidence that the soldiers had followed orders?

Theirs not to make reply/theirs not to reason why/ theirs but to do and die

21. From Stanza 2, where do you think the battle take place?

In the Valley of Death

22. Why do you think the soldiers had blindly followed orders? Give your reason.

A part of training
MORAL VALUES

We should be brave in defending our country.

Appreciate the peace that we have.

Sometimes, it is good to ask questions

Question 31 : Summary
Contents :
1. (sound of turtles) slow and cavernous breathing
2. (sound of soft) sand falling on leaves
3. dark outline of turtle (buried in the sand)
4. Don turned on his torch
5. Salleh was amazed by her size
6. (turtle was) at least two metres long
7. everyone crowded round
8. when it laid its eggs
9. turtle had moved
10. the eggs resembled overgrown tennis balls
11. looked delicate
12. turtle struggled to cover its eggs
13. her breathing became more labored
14. (he thought) she looked exhausted