Dear Mr Kilmer Form 5 SPM – Sample Answers

Question 1 (SPM 2007)

‘It is important to have a person you look up to in your life.’
From the novel that you have read, write about one character that you look up to. Give reasons
why you choose him/her.

Sample answer Event

The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. One character
that I looked up to was Richard. There were three reasons why I looked up to Richard.

Firstly, he loved animals. This was shown when Richard purposely missed 1
shooting a buck. Richard thought that hunting was not important. Richard could not
kill animals. Gus, Richard’s elder brother, was upset with Richard because Richard
purposely misfired. Richard’s father, Pa, was also disappointed with Richard. Pa
asked Richard why he purposely missed shooting the buck. Richard told Pa that he
had no right to kill it. Richard told Pa that he felt painful and sad to kill an animal. Pa
told Richard not to go hunting anymore if he did not like it.

Secondly, Richard was kind. One day, Mrs Hansen asked her class to sign a 4
card for the Schermers. Someone vandalised the tavern owned by Hannah’s parents.
They painted “Dirty Huns” all over the walls. Mrs Hansen brought a card to express
regret for what had happened. The troublemakers like Abner, Harry, Blanche and
Peggy refused to sign the card. They warned other classmates not to sign the card.
The boys were afraid Abner and Harry would hit them. The girls worry that popular
girls like Peggy and Blanche would not speak to them. However, Richard was the
only student who signed the sympathy card for Hannah Schermer. After school,
Richard took the card from Mrs Hansen. He wanted to give the card to Hannah.
Hannah accepted the card reluctantly. Later, Hannah apologised to Richard for being
rude. This was the beginning of their friendship.
2
Thirdly, Richard was brave. This was shown when Richard told his family and
Mrs Hansen that he wrote poetry. Before telling his secret to his family and Mrs
Hansen, Richard wrote a letter to Mr Kilmer. Mr Kilmer was Richard’s penpal.
Richard learnt about Mr Kilmer when Richard’s English teacher, Mrs Hansen read a
poem to the class. The title of the poem was “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer. In his letter,
Richard told Mr Kilmer that he wrote poems too. However, he kept this as a secret
from everyone. Richard asked for Mr Kilmer’s advice. He wanted to know whether he 5
should tell his secret to everybody. One day, Richard received a letter from Mr
Kilmer. Mr Kilmer advised Richard to overcome his fear. Mr Kilmer advised Richard
to share his poetry with people around him. Nobody was interested when Richard
told his family about Mr Kilmer’s letter and his secret. Gus did not believe that Mr
Kilmer was famous. Pa did not believe that Richard wrote poetry. Richard asked
whether his family members wanted to read his poems. Nobody was interested.
Richard was sad. Gus advised Richard not tell anyone he wrote poetry. He wanted

1
 Richard to fit in with other people. Everyone called him a Hun Lover after he signed
the card for Hannah. The next day, Richard told Mrs Hansen that he wrote poetry. He
showed her Mr Kilmer’s letter. Mrs Hansen helped Richard to choose a poem.
Richard would send the poem to Mr Kilmer. As advised by Mrs Hansen, Richard
shared Mr Kilmer’s latest letter and his poem with the class.Some of his classmates,
including Blanche and Peggy, were deeply moved by his poem. They started to
respect Richard. Hannah suggested a different ending to Richard’s poem.

In conclusion, I admired and respected Richard because he had good

personalities.

Question 2 (SPM 2008)

Using the details from the novel that you have studied,
• Describe what happens at the end of the novel.
• Explain why you find the ending either happy or sad.

Sample answer Event

The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. At the end of
the story, Richard’s father finally supported his passion in writing poetry. This was a
happy ending.

Richard Knight had a secret. Nobody knew that he wrote poetry including his 2
family, teachers and schoolmates. One day, Richard learnt about Mr Kilmer
when Richard’s English teacher, Mrs Hansen read a poem to the class. The title of the
poem was “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer. Mr Kilmer was a famous poet. He enlisted in the 5
army. He wrote a letter to Mr Kilmer. In his letter, Richard told Mr Kilmer that he
wrote poems too. Richard asked for Mr Kilmer’s advice. He wanted to know whether
he should tell his secret to everybody. A few days later, Richard received a letter from
Mr Kilmer. Mr Kilmer advised Richard to overcome his fear. Mr Kilmer advised
Richard to share his poetry with people around him. Nobody was interested when
Richard told his family about Mr Kilmer’s letter and his secret. Gus did not believe
that Mr Kilmer was famous. Pa did not believe that Richard wrote poetry. Richard 7
asked whether his family members wanted to read his poems. Nobody was interested.
Richard was sad.

One day, Richard received a bad news about Mr Kilmer.Mr Kilmer was killed
in the war between the Allies and the Germans. Richard wrote a poem as a tribute to
Mr Kilmer. In the poem, Richard likened Mr Kilmer to the “world”. The tribute was
printed in the local newspaper, “The Turtle Lake Weekly”. Richard’s father read the
poem. Richard was afraid that his father was going to be angry at him. His father did
not like Richard writing poems. After reading the poem, his father told Richard about
what happened to Richard’s uncle, Roland. His father never told Richard about this
story. Roland was killed in a war in Cuba. His father regarded Roland as his “world”.
His father was amazed how Richard could use the same word in his tribute. Richard

2
 continued writing poems about farm life for the local newspaper. Richard got his
father’s help as he was an experienced farmer. Every night, Richard read his poems
aloud. His father would correct or give suggestions to improve the poems. His father
finally supported Richard’s passion in writing poetry.

In conclusion, the ending of this story was truly heartwarming when a father
and a son finally got along through the love of poetry.

Question 3 (SPM 2009)

Using the details from the novel that you have studied, write about a difficult decision
made by one of the characters.
With close reference to the text, do you think this was the right decision?
Sample answer Event
The novel that I studied was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. A difficult
decision made by Richard was to tell people that he wrote poetry. This was the right
decision.

Richard Knight had a secret. Nobody knew that he wrote poetry including his 2
family, teachers and schoolmates. One day, Richard learnt about Mr Kilmer
when Richard’s English teacher, Mrs Hansen read a poem to the class. The title of the
poem was “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer. Mr Kilmer was a famous poet. He enlisted in the
army. He wrote a letter to Mr Kilmer. In his letter, Richard told Mr Kilmer that he
wrote poems too. Richard asked for Mr Kilmer’s advice. He wanted to know whether
he should tell his secret to everybody. 5

A few days later, Richard received a letter from Mr Kilmer. Mr Kilmer

advised Richard to overcome his fear. Mr Kilmer advised Richard to share his poetry
with people around him. Nobody was interested when Richard told his family about
Mr Kilmer’s letter and his secret. Gus did not believe that Mr Kilmer was famous. Pa
did not believe that Richard wrote poetry.Richard asked whether his family members 5
wanted to read his poems. Nobody was interested. Richard was sad.

The next day, Richard told Mrs Hansen that he wrote poetry. He showed her
Mr Kilmer’s letter. Mrs Hansen helped Richard to choose a poem. Richard would
send the poem to Mr Kilmer. As advised by Mrs Hansen, Richard shared Mr Kilmer’s
latest letter and his poem with the class. Some of his classmates, including Blanche
and Peggy, were deeply moved by his poem. They started to respect Richard. Hannah
suggested a different ending to Richard’s poem.

In conclusion, Richard was a brave boy when he decided to tell his secrets to
everyone.

3
Question 4 (SPM 2012)
Based on the novel you have studied, write about an event that makes you angry?
With close reference to the text, give reasons why the event makes you feel this way.

Sample answer Event

The novel that I studied was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. An event that
made me angry was when the Schermers’ tavern was vandalised. I was angry because
of two reasons.

Firstly, I was angry because some Turtle Lake people were being unfair to the 4
Schermers. They vandalized the Schermers tavern. They painted “Dirty Huns” all 3
over the walls. They said that the Schermers were Huns. Some Turtle Lake people
believed that Huns were a barbaric clan originated from Germany. They said that the
Schermers were unpatriotic because they spoke German and served Hun food at their
tavern while a war was going on against Germany.
4
Secondly, I was angry because Richard’s classmates were being unkind to the
Schermers after the Schermers’s tavern was vandalised. Mrs Hansen brought a card to
express regret for what had happened Mrs Hansen asked her class to sign the
card. The troublemakers like Abner, Harry, Blanche and Peggy refused to sign the
card. They warned other classmates not to sign the card. The boys were afraid Abner
and Harry would hit them. The girls worry that popular girls like Peggy and Blanche
would not speak to them. However, Richard was the only student who signed the
sympathy card for Hannah Schermer. After school, Richard took the card from Mrs
Hansen. He wanted to give the card to Hannah. Hannah accepted the card reluctantly.
Later, Hannah apologised to Richard for being rude. This was the beginning of their
friendship.

In conclusion, the event where the Schermers was being mistreated infuriated
me. I truly believed that discrimination was unjust.

4
Question 5 (SPM 2015  Similar to SPM 2007)
Suggest one character in the novel you have read who you think is a good role model for
teenagers.
Briefly describe the character and give reasons for your choice with close reference to the text.

Sample answer Event

The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. A good role
model for teenagers was Richard. Richard was 15 years old. He was tall, pale and
slender. Richard was Mr Knight’s son. He was Angie and Gus’s younger brother. He
was Mr Kilmer’s penpal and Hannah’s best friend. He loved poetry. There were three
reasons why I chose Richard.
4
Firstly, he was kind. One day, Mrs Hansen asked her class to sign a card for
the Schermers. Someone vandalised the tavern owned by Hannah’s parents. They
painted “Dirty Huns” all over the walls. Mrs Hansen brought a card to express regret
for what had happened. The troublemakers like Abner, Harry, Blanche and Peggy
refused to sign the card. They warned other classmates not to sign the card. The boys
were afraid Abner and Harry would hit them. The girls worry that popular girls like
Peggy and Blanche would not speak to them. However, Richard was the only
student who signed the sympathy card for Hannah Schermer.After school,
Richard took the card from Mrs Hansen. He wanted to give the card to Hannah.
Hannah accepted the card reluctantly. Later, Hannah apologised to Richard for being
rude. This was the beginning of their friendship. 2
Secondly, Richard was brave. This was shown when Richard told his family
he wrote poetry. Before telling his secret to his family, Richard wrote a letter to Mr
Kilmer. Mr Kilmer was Richard’s penpal. Richard learnt about Mr Kilmer
whenRichard’s English teacher, Mrs Hansen read a poem to the class. The title of the
poem was “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer. In his letter, Richard told Mr Kilmer that he 5
wrote poems too. However, he kept this as a secret from everyone. Richard asked for
Mr Kilmer’s advice. He wanted to know whether he should tell his secret to
everybody. One day, Richard received a letter from Mr Kilmer. Mr Kilmer advised
Richard to overcome his fear. Mr Kilmer advised Richard to share his poetry with
people around him. Nobody was interested when Richard told his family about
Mr Kilmer’s letter and his secret. Gus did not believe that Mr Kilmer was
famous. Pa did not believe that Richard wrote poetry. Richard asked whether his 6
family members wanted to read his poems. Nobody was interested. Richard was sad.
Gus advised Richard not tell anyone he wrote poetry. He wanted Richard to fit in with
other people. Everyone called him a Hun Lover after he signed the card for Hannah.

Thirdly, he was supportive. Hannah and Richard won the roles of Lady
Liberty and the Doughboy respectively because they wrote the best essays. Mrs
Hansen asked the class to write an essay as one of the activities for a patriotic
programme which helped sell Liberty bonds. Many students were angry when Hannah
won the role. They regarded Hannah as an unpatriotic German although she was an
American citizen. Hannah told Richard that her essay started a little war in Turtle
lake. She did not want to cause any more problems. So she declined the role of Lady

5
 Liberty. Richard wanted to support Hannah. Therefore, Richard declined his part as
the Doughboy. His family, his schoolmates and the Turtle Lake People criticized him
for turning down his role. They called him unpatriotic and a traitor. These criticisms
never stopped Richard from standing up for what was right.

In conclusion, Richard was a good role model for teenagers because he had
good personalities.

Question 6 (SBP Trial 2016)

Which character in the novel do you sympathize with? Explain why you sympathize with this
character with close reference to the text.

Sample answer Event

The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. The character I
sympathized with was Hannah Schermer. There were three reasons why I
sympathized with her.
3
Firstly, her schoolmates called her ‘Dirty Hun’. They even scrawled “Dirty
Hun” all over her book cover. Some Turtle Lake people believed that Huns were a
barbaric clan originated from Germany. They said that the Schermers were unpatriotic
because they spoke German and served Hun food at their tavern while a war was
going on against Germany. Starting from this incident, the Schermers were always
being mistreated by some of the Turtle Lake people. 4

Secondly, her parents’ tavern was vandalised. They painted “Dirty Huns” all
over the walls. Mrs Hansen asked her class to sign a sympathy card for the
Schermers. The troublemakers like Abner, Harry, Blanche and Peggy refused to sign
the card. They warned other classmates not to sign the card. The boys were afraid
Abner and Harry would hit them. The girls worry that popular girls like Peggy and
Blanche would not speak to them. However, Richard was the only student who signed 6
the sympathy card for Hannah Schermer.

Thirdly, people unfairly denied her role as Lady Liberty.Hannah won the roles
of Lady Liberty because she wrote the best essay. Mrs Hansen asked the class to write
an essay as one of the activities for a patriotic programme which helped sell Liberty
bonds. Many students were angry when Hannah won the role. They regarded Hannah
as an unpatriotic German although she was an American citizen. Some parents
complained to the principal and demanded Mrs Hansen to choose someone else. Mrs
Hansen did not change her mind. Hannah told Richard that her essay started a little
war in Turtle lake. She did not want to cause any more problems. So she declined the
role of Lady Liberty. Richard wanted to support Hannah.

In conclusion, although Hannah Schermer and her family was mistreated by

some Turtle Lake people, they remained calm and patient.

6
Question 7 (Kedah Trial 2016)
It is important to stand up for what is right. Discuss how this is portrayed in the novel you have
read.

Sample answer Event

The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. The statement
“It is important to stand up for what is right” was portrayed by Richard in three
different events.
1
Firstly, this statement was portrayed when Richard purposely missed shooting
a buck. Richard thought that hunting was not important. Richard could not kill
animals. Gus, Richard’s elder brother, was upset with Richard because Richard
purposely misfired. Richard’s father, Pa, was also disappointed with Richard. Pa
asked Richard why he purposely missed shooting the buck. Richard told Pa that he
had no right to kill it. Richard told Pa that he felt painful and sad to kill an animal. Pa
told Richard not to go hunting anymore if he did not like it. Even though Pa disagreed
with Richard’s opinion about hunting, he did not force Richard to do what he hated. 4

Secondly, this statement was portrayed when Richard was the only student
who signed a sympathy card for the Schermers. When the Schermers’ tavern was
vandalized, Mrs Hansen asked her class to sign a sympathy card for them. The
troublemakers like Abner, Harry, Blanche and Peggy refused to sign the card. They
warned other classmates not to sign the card. The boys were afraid Abner and Harry
would hit them. The girls worry that popular girls like Peggy and Blanche would not
speak to them. However, Richard was the only student who signed the sympathy card
for Hannah Schermer. Richard believed that the Schermers were discriminated by 6
some Turtle people because they were Germans.

Thirdly, this statement was portrayed when Hannah declined the role of Lady
Liberty. Hannah and Richard won the roles of Lady Liberty and the Doughboy
respectively because they wrote the best essays. Mrs Hansen asked the class to write
an essay as one of the activities for a patriotic programme which helped sell Liberty
bonds. Many students were angry when Hannah won the role. They regarded Hannah
as an unpatriotic German although she was an American citizen. Hannah told Richard
that her essay started a little war in Turtle lake. She did not want to cause any more
problems. So she declined the role of Lady Liberty. Richard wanted to support
Hannah. Therefore,Richard declined his part as the Doughboy. His family, his
schoolmates and the Turtle Lake People criticized him for turning down his role. They
called him unpatriotic and a traitor. These criticisms never stopped Richard from
standing up for what was right.

In conclusion, Richard was truly a character who stuck to his principles to do

what was right.

7
Question 8 (N9 Trial 2016)
“People should be allowed to follow their dreams.”
Write about a character who wants to realise his or her dream.

Sample answer Event

The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. A
character who wanted to realise his dream was Richard. Richard wanted to be a
poet.
2
Richard Knight had a secret. Nobody knew that he wrote poetry including his
family, teachers and schoolmates. One day, Richard learnt about Mr Kilmer
when Richard’s English teacher, Mrs Hansen read a poem to the class. The title of the
poem was “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer. Mr Kilmer was a famous poet. He enlisted in the
army. He wrote a letter to Mr Kilmer. In his letter, Richard told Mr Kilmer that he
wrote poems too. Richard asked for Mr Kilmer’s advice. He wanted to know whether
he should tell his secret to everybody. A few days later, Richard received a letter from 5
Mr Kilmer. Mr Kilmer advised Richard to overcome his fear. Mr Kilmer advised
Richard to share his poetry with people around him. Nobody was interested when
Richard told his family about Mr Kilmer’s letter and his secret. Gus did not believe
that Mr Kilmer was famous. Pa did not believe that Richard wrote poetry. Richard
asked whether his family members wanted to read his poems. Nobody was interested. 7
Richard was sad.

One day, Richard received a bad news about Mr Kilmer.Mr Kilmer was killed
in the war between the Allies and the Germans. Richard wrote a poem as a tribute to
Mr Kilmer. In the poem, Richard likened Mr Kilmer to the “world”. The tribute was
printed in the local newspaper, “The Turtle Lake Weekly”. Richard’s father read the
poem. Richard was afraid that his father was going to be angry at him. His father did
not like Richard writing poems. After reading the poem, his father told Richard about
what happened to Richard’s uncle, Roland. His father never told Richard about this
story. Roland was killed in a war in Cuba. His father regarded Roland as his “world”.
His father was amazed how Richard could use the same word in his tribute. Richard
continued writing poems about farm life for the local newspaper. Richard got his
father’s help as he was an experienced farmer. Every night, Richard read his poems
aloud. His father would correct or give suggestions to improve the poems. His father
finally supported Richard’s passion in writing poetry.

In conclusion, Richard faced many obstacles in his journey of becoming a

poet. In the end, he managed to realise his dream.

8
Question 9 (Kelantan Trial 2016)
‘Family supports family.’
With close reference to the text, how far is this true of the novel you have studied?

Sample answer Event

The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. The statement
“Family supports family” was not true in the beginning of the story. However, it
became true at the end of the story.

Richard Knight had a secret. Nobody knew that he wrote poetry including his
family, teachers and schoolmates. One day, Richard learnt about Mr Kilmer 2
when Richard’s English teacher, Mrs Hansen read a poem to the class. The title of the
poem was “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer. Mr Kilmer was a famous poet. He enlisted in the
army. He wrote a letter to Mr Kilmer. In his letter, Richard told Mr Kilmer that he
wrote poems too. Richard asked for Mr Kilmer’s advice. He wanted to know whether
he should tell his secret to everybody. A few days later, Richard received a letter from
Mr Kilmer. Mr Kilmer advised Richard to overcome his fear. Mr Kilmer advised 5
Richard to share his poetry with people around him. Nobody was interested when
Richard told his family about Mr Kilmer’s letter and his secret. Gus did not believe
that Mr Kilmer was famous. Pa did not believe that Richard wrote poetry. Richard
asked whether his family members wanted to read his poems. Nobody was interested.
Richard was sad. 7

One day, Richard received a bad news about Mr Kilmer.Mr Kilmer was killed
in the war between the Allies and the Germans. Richard wrote a poem as a tribute to
Mr Kilmer. In the poem, Richard likened Mr Kilmer to the “world”. The tribute was
printed in the local newspaper, “The Turtle Lake Weekly”. Richard’s father read the
poem. Richard was afraid that his father was going to be angry at him. His father did
not like Richard writing poems. After reading the poem, his father told Richard about
what happened to Richard’s uncle, Roland. His father never told Richard about this
story. Roland was killed in a war in Cuba. His father regarded Roland as his “world”.
His father was amazed how Richard could use the same word in his tribute. Richard
continued writing poems about farm life for the local newspaper. Richard got his
father’s help as he was an experienced farmer. Every night, Richard read his poems
aloud. His father would correct or give suggestions to improve the poems. His father
finally supported Richard’s passion in writing poetry.

In conclusion, the bond in a family strengthened when family supported each

other.

9
Question 10 (Pulau Pinang Trial 2016)
The main character is a strong-willed person. How is this shown in the novel? Support your
answer with close reference to the text.

Sample answer Event

The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. The statement
“Family supports family” was not true in the beginning of the story. However, it
became true at the end of the story.

Richard Knight had a secret. Nobody knew that he wrote poetry including his
family, teachers and schoolmates. One day, Richard learnt about Mr Kilmer 2
when Richard’s English teacher, Mrs Hansen read a poem to the class. The title of the
poem was “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer. Mr Kilmer was a famous poet. He enlisted in the
army. He wrote a letter to Mr Kilmer. In his letter, Richard told Mr Kilmer that he
wrote poems too. Richard asked for Mr Kilmer’s advice. He wanted to know whether
he should tell his secret to everybody. A few days later, Richard received a letter from
Mr Kilmer. Mr Kilmer advised Richard to overcome his fear. Mr Kilmer advised 5
Richard to share his poetry with people around him. Nobody was interested when
Richard told his family about Mr Kilmer’s letter and his secret. Gus did not believe
that Mr Kilmer was famous. Pa did not believe that Richard wrote poetry. Richard
asked whether his family members wanted to read his poems. Nobody was interested.
Richard was sad. 7

One day, Richard received a bad news about Mr Kilmer.Mr Kilmer was killed
in the war between the Allies and the Germans. Richard wrote a poem as a tribute to
Mr Kilmer. In the poem, Richard likened Mr Kilmer to the “world”. The tribute was
printed in the local newspaper, “The Turtle Lake Weekly”. Richard’s father read the
poem. Richard was afraid that his father was going to be angry at him. His father did
not like Richard writing poems. After reading the poem, his father told Richard about
what happened to Richard’s uncle, Roland. His father never told Richard about this
story. Roland was killed in a war in Cuba. His father regarded Roland as his “world”.
His father was amazed how Richard could use the same word in his tribute. Richard
continued writing poems about farm life for the local newspaper. Richard got his
father’s help as he was an experienced farmer. Every night, Richard read his poems
aloud. His father would correct or give suggestions to improve the poems. His father
finally supported Richard’s passion in writing poetry.

In conclusion, the bond in a family strengthened when family supported each

other.

10
MODEL QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTED ANSWERS

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.

11
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 yo 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

12
26. Suggest two ways to protect your country?
1. Be patriotic
2. 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.
3. 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.

FIGHT FOR ENGLISH 1119/2 : POEM

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
1. About which war was "The Charge of the Light Brigade "written?
The Crimean War
2. According to the first stanza of "The Charge of the Light Brigade", how many British
forces rode into the battle?
Six hundred

3. 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

4. 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.

5. Why did the soldiers ride to their death?

They had to obey their commander’s order.

6. 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

13
7. 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?

14
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.
i. Contribute towards nation building by being a good citizen
ii. Be united and uphold justice in our country.

19. If you were in the army and your commander told you to fight in a battle where you would
most likely die, what would you do? Why?
20. Do you believe that war is sometimes necessary? Why?
21. Is it noble to follow orders without asking questions? Why?
22. From Stanza 1, what was the command given?
Forward the light brigade
23. 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
24. From Stanza 2, where do you think the battle take place?
In the Valley of Death
25. Why do you think the soldiers had blindly followed orders? Give your reason.

A part of training

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50 IDIOMATIC EXPRESSSIONS YOU MUST KNOW
The correct use of idiomatic expressions will earn you merit points when you write your essays.

1 ace
Get an "A" on a test, homework assignment, project, etc.
I heard that Susie aced the test yesterday

2 As easy as a pie
very easy
The test was as easy as a pie.

3 at the eleventh hour

at the last minute; almost too late.
He finished the project at the eleventh hour and he nearly lost his job.

4 all ears
eager to hear what someone has to say.
Tell me about your latest trip overseas. I’m all ears.

5 be broke
be without money.
I need to borrow some money. I am broke.

6 be on the go
be very busy (going from one thing or project to another).
I am very tired. I've been on the go since 5 in the morning.

7 beat
exhausted; very tired
I need a break after this. I'm beat!"

8 beat around the bush

evade an issue; avoid giving a direct answer.
Stop beating around the bush! Just tell me what happened to my car.

9 bite off more than one can chew

take responsibility for more than one can manage.
Mrs Lee finds it difficult to finish all her work. She has bitten off more than she could chew!"

10 blow one's top

become extremely angry.
My father blew his top when he found out I had taken his car without his permission.

11 burn the midnight oil

study/work all night or until very late at night.
Johan is not ready for the test. He will have to burn the midnight oil.

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12 call it a day
stop work for the day.
The labourers call it a day after working for five hours on the field.

13 can't make heads or tails of something

can't understand something at all;
find something confusing and illogical.
I cannot make heads or tails of your notes. Were you sleepy during the class?

14 catch one's eye

attract one's attention/interest.
This colourful advertisement caught my eye when I was in the bus.

15 change one's mind

decide to do something different from what had been decided earlier.
David did not go to Australia. He changed his mind when he heard that his mother is ill.

16 cost (someone) an arm and a leg cost a lot;

be very expensive.
This car costs him an arm and a leg. He has to get another job to help pay for it.

17 couch potato
someone who spends too much time watching TV.
You are becoming a couch potato. You need to get out and do some exercise.

18 Don't count your chickens until (before) they hatch (they've hatched) Don't assume that
something will happen until it has happened.
I think you should not count your chickens until they’ve hatched. Wait till the boys win the
competition this Sunday.

19 drop someone a line

write to someone
Do drop me a line when you have time.

20 drag one's feet delay;

take longer than necessary to do something.
Why are you dragging your feet? You should have finished your homework by now.

21 an eager beaver
a person who is always willing to volunteer or do extra work.
Rahim is an eager beaver. He is the first to volunteer for any job to be done.

22 feel blue
feel sad and depressed.
Rita is feeling blue because she has not heard from her boyfriend for a long time.

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23 fire someone
dismiss someone from a job because of poor performance. Lokman might be fired if he continues
to be late for work.

24 get it
understand something (often negative).
I don’t get it. Could you please explain it to me again?

25 get on one's nerves

irritate someone; make someone upset.
His constant chatter is getting on my nerves. Please tell him to keep quiet.

26 get out of hand:

become out of control; become badly managed.
The situation is getting out of hand. The relief centre can only hold forty people but we have one
hundred people to care for.

27 give someone a hand

i. help someone.
ii. applaud someone
Please give a hand to the poor old lady. She is trying to cross the road.
The gardener has done a wonderful landscaping job. Let’s give him a hand.

28 Hard-headed
have one's hands full stubborn; inflexible; unwilling to change.

It’s pretty difficult to get Simon to change his mind. He is hard-headed.

29 have one's hands full
extremely busy
Peggy usually has her hands full in the beginning of a new school term.

30 in the black:
profitable; not showing a financial loss.
The company is back in the black after suffering from great losses the last two months.

31 in the red:
unprofitable; showing a financial loss.
The company is in the red. We have to stop some of the workers if the situation continues.

32 keep an eye on
check something regularly.
Please keep an eye on the children while I go to the bank.

33 keep one's fingers crossed

hope for the best.
He is keeping his fingers crossed while waiting for the results of his interview.

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34 lend someone a hand
help someone.
Can you please lend a hand at the relief centre for the flood victims?

35 live from hand to mouth

survive on very little money; have only enough money
to pay for basic needs.
Ros and the children live from hand to mouth after the fire destroyed their house.

36 make a mountain out of a molehill

make something seem much more important than it really is.
Susila is making a mountain out of a molehill. I am sure the boys are perfectly capable of
looking after themselves.

37 make up one's mind

decide what to do
Malik has to make up his mind whether to continue his studies or take up a job.

38 on the dot exactly at a given time.

If you do not come on the dot, we will leave without you.

39 (on the) cutting edge

using the most recent technology
This car boasts of having a cutting edge technology. It has a computer and tracking system.

40 pull someone's leg tease someone by trying to make her/him believe something that's untrue.
She pulled my leg when he said that he had quit his job to get married.

41 Rain or shine
no matter what the weather
"We're leaving for Cameron Highlands, rain or shine."

42 rain cats and dogs

Rain heavily
It’s raining cats and dogs now. You better leave later.

43 read someone's mind:

know what someone is thinking.
I can read your mind. I know you are very hungry and I have ordered pizza.

44 rub someone the wrong way

irritate someone
I cannot stand Robert. He seems to rub me the wrong way every time we discuss something.

45 sleep on it take some time to think about something before making a decision.
You should sleep on it first and we will discuss again tomorrow.

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46 To make his own bed; now let him lie in it.
Someone has caused his/her own problems; he/she will have to solve them himself/herself.
He insisted that he should take up the project alone. So, he has made his own bed, let him lie in
it.

47 under the weather

ill; unwell.
Susan was feeling under the weather yesterday, so she decided not to go to work."

48 until you're blue in the face

forever
You can advise him until you're blue in the face, but he won’t change his ways.

49 wet behind the ears inexperienced and naive.

I do not think Suresh is suitable for this project. He is still wet behind the ears, having only
joined us last month.

50 wishy-washy:
without an opinion of one's own.
You better check with the other members. John can be wishy-washy at times.

USEFUL IDIOMS

1. Feeling under the weather – feeling unwell

If you ever feel under the weather, just drink a lot of liquid and get plenty of rest.

2. Eleventh hour – at the last minute

To get flying colours for your exam, you must avoid doing things at the eleventh hour.

3. Around the corner – something is getting near

When exam is around the corner, students will start to feel the pressure of it.

4. Over the moon – feeling very happy

I am feeling over the moon for your invitation to visit your country!

5. On the cloud nine – feeling very happy

Jeane is feeling on the cloud nine after got the news that she is accepted to Harvard University.

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6. Hit the books – study hard
You may need to start hitting the book because exam is around the corner.

7. Brainstorm – to think very hard

I recommend you to be in a study group so that you can brainstorm these tricky questions with
them.

8. Birdbrain – expression for someone who is not so smart

Don’t be a handsome man with a birdbrain.

9. Bookworm – someone who likes reading

I am not telling you to be a bookworm, but you need to start reading more to write better essays.

10. Hang in there – don’t give up yet

Despite all the chaos happening in your house, just hang in there because after every storm, there
will always be a rainbow.

11. Give/lend a hand – to help someone

If you want to have a happier life, make it a habit to lend others a hand to achieve their goal.

12. Give it a shot – give it a try

Just give this competition a shot, you may be able to unleash your hidden potential.

13. Make up your mind – to decide something

I had to make up my mind as fast as lightning because my sister’s life is currently on the line.

14. Time flies – time passing fast

It is common to feel that time flies during an examination. So just keep track on your time and
you will never hand in an empty paper.

15. Speak your mind – say what you honestly feel

Quit beating around the bushes and speak your mind. I have no time to argue with your endless
mambo jumbo.
16. Beating around the bushes – avoid giving direct answer.

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17. Mumbo jumbo – words that intend to confuse

18. Bear in mind – remember

I hope that I have shared enough information about how to write a good essay. Bear in mind that
you can always ask me for more tips and advices in the future!

19. Stretch our legs – get some exercise

Upon reaching Mount Kinabalu’s base point, we stretched our legs and prepare mentally for the
journey.

20. Cross my mind – to think about something

You crossed my mind too often lately that I cannot resist but to write you this letter.

21. Slip my mind – to forget something

Pardon me for my carelessness, I will make sure that this task will not slip my mind anymore in
the future!

22. Give a piece of your mind – give some of your thoughts/ideas

Let me give you a piece of my mind about how to handle stress.

23. Cross your fingers – to wish good luck

I hope you have done your best in the competition. Let’s just cross our fingers and hope for the
best!

24. Safe and sound – safe

I am glad that you reached in Tenom safe and sound. Send my regards to your family!

25. Out of the blue – without warning

Dark skies and raging thunders, it was terrifying. I was alone in the house and out of the blue, I
heard a sound of shattered glasses in the kitchen. It turned out my naughty cats dropped my
favourite cup!

26. Get cold feet – getting nervous

I am pretty sure that Usain Bolt also gets cold feet before every competition. So worry no more.
If he can do it well in every race, so can you!

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27. I’m all ears – I’m listening intently
I know that all those troubles in your house is bothering you a lot, but bear in mind that I’m all
ears.

28. See eye to eye – agree with each other

To be able to see eye to eye with your partner is the key to a successful marriage. Even if you
cannot do so, compromise is the plan B!

29. At your fingertips – easily accessible

With the latest technology advancement nowadays, searching for information as detail as
someone’s home address is at our fingertips.

30. The bottom line – the final result

The bottom line of the research is that every yea, people eliminate tons of garbage in their
household.

31. Rain check - to cancel something now but will accept it later
Due to my parents’ current financial situation, I need to take a rain check for the annual dinner.

32. A blessing in disguise – something good behind an event

Be strong my dear friend, believe that there is a blessing in disguise. This depressing event will
make you a better and stronger person in the future. Hang in there!

33. Every cloud has a silver lining – something good behind an event

34. Be in hot water – to be in dangerous situation

I regret my decision for coming to this adventure. Not only it was giving me a hard time
surviving in a deep forest, it also made me be in hot water when we encountered the tiger!

35. Call it a day – to stop something after working hard

I decided to call it a day after 5 hours of doing revisions and exercises.

36. Rome was not built in a day – things take time to succeed
Lee Chong Wei is among the greatest badminton player in the world because he started training
early. It shows that Rome was not built in a day. Greatness takes time to achieve.

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37. You can’t judge a book by its cover – you cannot tell someone’s true personality simply
by appearance
I was feeling blue when I found out that I got that worst looking cookie among my friends.
However, it tasted phenomenal because the ugliness was cause by ample of chocolate chips! This
made me realize that we cannot judge a book by its cover.

38. Go to the extra mile – to make extra effort for something

In order to be better than your friends, you must go to the extra miles where nobody has
been.

39. Bite your tongue – to avoid talking

Michone bit her tongue and squeezed the hands when they were making fun of her.

40. Grab a bite – eat

Remember to grab a bite before starting your day.

41. Practice makes perfect – with a lot of practices, you will get better
Just like the guy in the movie Whiplash, he practiced drumming all day and night because he
knows that practice makes perfect.

42. Raining cats and dogs – the rain is heavy and noisy
I was starting to feel worried, my parents still had not fetch me from school and I had a sixth
sense that it will rain cats and dogs soon!

43. You are what you eat – if you eat healthy food, you will get a healthy body
Obesity is a forever rising issue among every range of ages. So bear in mind that you are what
you eat. Start practicing healthy lifestyle now.

44. Race against the clock – an attempt to do something very quickly

Never race against the clock while finishing your assignments.

45. At the crack of dawn – early in the morning

We started our journey to conquer Mount Everest at the crack of dawn.

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