Revision Library

revisionlibrary.co.uk

11+ · English - Reading (Poetry)

EP.E18 Comprehension: Poetry Set 2

GL ASSESSMENT / CSSE 11+ Entrance English (GL Assessment / CSSE style) · Calculators not allowed · about 40 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions. Show all your working.

The Kestrel

Source written for Revision Library (original, copyright-free). Original poem created for 11+ comprehension practice.

High above the stubble field

it hangs as still as stone,

a comma pinned upon the sky,

watching, waiting, alone.

Its wings are rust and ash and cream,

each feather edged with rain;

two amber eyes like polished beads

that never blink, never wane.

The wind combs through the tawny grass

and whispers where mice creep,

while far below a shrew runs on,

too small, too blind, too deep.

Then suddenly the kestrel drops,

a stone let loose from string,

and talons snap like closing traps

before it lifts its wing.

The evening settles, hushed and grey,

the field breathes out its heat,

and somewhere in the darkening grass

small silence marks defeat.

Choose the option that best matches the poem.

(a)What is the poem mainly about?(1)

A) A field of wheat swaying in the wind
B) A bird of prey hunting in a field
C) A storm approaching over the coast
D) A gardener planting seeds in spring

(Total for Question 1 is 1 mark)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 1.

(a)In stanza 1, what is the kestrel doing?(1)

A) Flying away from the field
B) Hanging still in the sky, watching
C) Singing loudly above the trees
D) Sleeping in a nest

(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)

Identify one single word from stanza 1 that shows the kestrel is not moving.

(Total for Question 3 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 1, line 3: 'a comma pinned upon the sky'. Explain what is meant by this image, including both its literal meaning and what it suggests about the kestrel.

(Total for Question 4 is 2 marks)

Choose the option closest in meaning to the word as it is used in the poem.

(a)'amber' (stanza 2, describing the kestrel's eyes) is closest in meaning to:(1)

A) pale blue-grey
B) golden-brown or orange-brown
C) bright white
D) deep black

(Total for Question 5 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 2, line 4: 'that never blink, never wane'. Explain what 'wane' means as it is used here.

(Total for Question 6 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 2, line 3: 'two amber eyes like polished beads'. Explain the effect of this simile.

(Total for Question 7 is 2 marks)

Look at stanza 2, line 1: 'Its wings are rust and ash and cream'. Explain the effect of listing three separate colours here.

(Total for Question 8 is 2 marks)

Choose the option closest in meaning to the word as it is used in the poem.

(a)'tawny' (stanza 3, describing the grass) is closest in meaning to:(1)

A) bright green
B) golden-brown
C) silver-grey
D) deep purple

(Total for Question 9 is 1 mark)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 3.

(a)What is personified (given human qualities or actions) in stanza 3?(1)

A) The kestrel
B) The wind
C) The sky
D) The field

(Total for Question 10 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 3, lines 1 to 2: 'The wind combs through the tawny grass / and whispers where mice creep'. Explain the effect of personifying the wind in this way.

(Total for Question 11 is 2 marks)

Identify one word from stanza 3 that appeals to the sense of sound (hearing).

(Total for Question 12 is 1 mark)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 3.

(a)According to stanza 3, how is the shrew described?(1)

A) Fast, loud and easy to see
B) Small, blind and hidden deep in the grass
C) Flying above the field
D) Larger than the kestrel

(Total for Question 13 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 3, line 4: 'too small, too blind, too deep'. Explain the effect of repeating 'too' three times.

(Total for Question 14 is 2 marks)

Explain how the pace of the poem changes between stanza 3 and stanza 4, and how the poet's choice of language creates this change.

(Total for Question 15 is 2 marks)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 4.

(a)Which simile describes the kestrel's dive in stanza 4?(1)

A) 'hangs as still as stone'
B) 'a stone let loose from string'
C) 'like polished beads'
D) 'small silence marks defeat'

(Total for Question 16 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 4, line 2: 'a stone let loose from string'. Explain what this simile suggests about the kestrel's dive.

(Total for Question 17 is 2 marks)

Stanza 1 describes the kestrel as 'as still as stone', and stanza 4 compares its dive to 'a stone let loose from string'. Explain the effect of this repeated image of 'stone' across the poem.

(Total for Question 18 is 3 marks)

Identify one word in stanza 4 that imitates a short, sharp sound (an example of onomatopoeia).

(Total for Question 19 is 1 mark)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 4.

(a)What happens at the end of stanza 4?(1)

A) The kestrel returns to hang still in the sky
B) The kestrel's talons snap shut like closing traps before it lifts its wing
C) The kestrel flies away without attacking
D) The shrew escapes into a burrow

(Total for Question 20 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 5, line 4: 'small silence marks defeat'. Explain what this line suggests has happened to the shrew.

(Total for Question 21 is 2 marks)

Look at stanza 5, line 1: 'The evening settles, hushed and grey'. Explain the effect of the words 'hushed' and 'grey' here.

(Total for Question 22 is 2 marks)

Explain how the poet uses language and structure across the whole poem to build tension and then release it.

(Total for Question 23 is 3 marks)

Choose the option that correctly describes the poem's structure.

(a)How many stanzas does the poem have, and how many lines are in each stanza?(1)

A) 4 stanzas of 5 lines each
B) 5 stanzas of 4 lines each
C) 5 stanzas of 5 lines each
D) 6 stanzas of 3 lines each

(Total for Question 24 is 1 mark)

Look at the rhymes at the end of each line across the poem's five stanzas. Identify the rhyme scheme used in each stanza, and support your answer with one example.

(Total for Question 25 is 1 mark)

The poem uses a regular ABCB rhyme scheme in every stanza, even though it describes a sudden, violent event (the kestrel's hunt). Explain why the poet might have chosen this regular, controlled form for a poem about such a sudden and violent event.

(Total for Question 26 is 2 marks)

Mark scheme · EP.E18 Comprehension: Poetry Set 2

Question 1

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) A bird of prey hunting in a field

Question 2

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) Hanging still in the sky, watching

Question 3

B1 'still' or 'hangs' (oe), or a clear equivalent showing the kestrel is motionless
Answer: still (or hangs)

Question 4

B1 literal meaning: the kestrel looks like a small, dark, curved mark or shape fixed against the wide sky
B1 wider effect: the image emphasises how small, still and fixed the kestrel appears against the huge sky, reinforcing its patient watching
Answer: Literally, the kestrel looks like a small, curved dark mark fixed against the huge sky; the image also emphasises how tiny, still and fixed the bird appears while it patiently watches the field below.

Question 5

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) golden-brown or orange-brown

Question 6

B1 'wane' means to fade, grow weaker or become dimmer (oe)
Answer: To fade, grow weaker or become dimmer.

Question 7

Level 1 (1): Simple identification of the simile (comparing the eyes to beads) with little or no explanation of its effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear identification of the simile with a developed explanation of how it suggests the eyes are hard, shiny and intensely focused.
Indicative content:
- The simile compares the kestrel's eyes directly to 'polished beads', suggesting they are hard, smooth and shiny
- This suggests an intense, unwavering focus or alertness, as though the eyes are fixed and unblinking like an object rather than a living part of the bird
- It reinforces the sense of the kestrel as a patient, watchful predator, linking to 'never blink, never wane' in the same stanza

Question 8

Level 1 (1): Simple comment that several colours are listed, with little or no explanation of effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of why listing three separate colours creates a detailed, varied picture of the kestrel's plumage.
Indicative content:
- Listing three separate colours ('rust', 'ash', 'cream') instead of one gives a much more detailed, varied picture of the kestrel's feathers
- The repeated use of 'and' slows the line down, making the reader look closely at each colour in turn, as though studying the bird carefully
- The natural, earthy colours also help camouflage the kestrel against the field, linking to its patient, hidden watching in stanza 1

Question 9

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) golden-brown

Question 10

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) The wind

Question 11

Level 1 (1): Simple comment that the wind is personified, with little or no explanation of effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how personifying the wind as gentle and quiet creates a calm mood that contrasts with the sudden violence to come.
Indicative content:
- Giving the wind human actions ('combs', 'whispers') makes it feel gentle, careful and almost affectionate, like a hand moving through hair
- This creates a calm, quiet mood in the middle of the poem, just before the shrew and the kestrel's attack are introduced
- The soft, quiet personification builds tension by contrast, since the reader senses this calm will not last once the kestrel begins to hunt

Question 12

B1 'whispers' (oe), or another accepted sound word such as 'creep' if clearly justified
Answer: whispers

Question 13

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) Small, blind and hidden deep in the grass

Question 14

Level 1 (1): Simple comment that 'too' is repeated, with little or no explanation of effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how the repeated structure builds a sense of the shrew's vulnerability and creates a rhythm that increases tension.
Indicative content:
- Repeating 'too' three times in a row creates a list-like, building rhythm that draws out the moment before the kestrel attacks
- Each repetition adds another reason why the shrew is vulnerable (its size, its lack of sight, its low position), stacking up its disadvantages
- The steady, repeated pattern increases tension, preparing the reader for the sudden action of stanza 4

Question 15

Level 1 (1): Simple comment that the poem speeds up, with little or no reference to language.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how specific word choices (such as 'suddenly' and 'drops') quicken the pace to mirror the kestrel's action.
Indicative content:
- Stanza 3 is slow and quiet, built from soft, drawn-out actions ('combs', 'whispers', 'creep')
- Stanza 4 opens abruptly with 'Then suddenly', a short, direct phrase that immediately signals a change of pace
- The strong, quick verb 'drops' and the short simile 'a stone let loose from string' create a fast, sudden rhythm that mirrors the kestrel's dive

Question 16

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) 'a stone let loose from string'

Question 17

Level 1 (1): Simple comment that the simile shows speed, with little or no further explanation.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how the simile suggests sudden release, weight and force, contrasting with the kestrel's earlier stillness.
Indicative content:
- The image of a stone being 'let loose from string' suggests something heavy that has suddenly been released, after being held back or restrained
- This conveys speed and force, showing the kestrel drops quickly and with weight rather than gliding gently
- It contrasts strongly with the stillness described in stanza 1 ('hangs as still as stone'), showing tension that has been building is now suddenly released

Question 18

Level 1 (1): Simple comment that 'stone' is used more than once, with little or no explanation of effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how the two images are connected, with some reference to the change from stillness to movement.
Level 3 (3): A developed explanation of how the repeated stone image structurally links the poem's opening stillness with its central action, showing tension building and then being released.
Indicative content:
- In stanza 1, comparing the kestrel to a stone emphasises complete stillness, patience and waiting
- In stanza 4, the same image of a stone is used differently, this time being 'let loose', suggesting sudden, forceful release
- The repetition links the two moments structurally, showing that the stillness of stanza 1 was not passive but was building towards the release of energy in stanza 4
- This creates a satisfying sense of tension and release across the whole poem, tying its beginning and central action together with a single, developing image

Question 19

B1 'snap' (oe)
Answer: snap

Question 20

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) The kestrel's talons snap shut like closing traps before it lifts its wing

Question 21

Level 1 (1): Simple comment that something has ended, with little or no explanation.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation that the silence suggests the shrew has been caught, with the quietness marking the end of its life or struggle.
Indicative content:
- The word 'silence' suggests all sound and movement in the grass has stopped, where before there was rustling and creeping
- 'Defeat' makes clear that something has been lost or overcome, implying the shrew has been caught by the kestrel
- The quietness contrasts with the earlier sounds of the poem (whispering wind, snapping talons), making the ending feel sudden and final

Question 22

Level 1 (1): Simple comment that the words suggest calm, with little or no explanation.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how 'hushed' and 'grey' create a calm, muted mood that contrasts with the earlier violence of the kestrel's dive.
Indicative content:
- 'Hushed' suggests quietness and stillness returning after the noise and action of the dive
- 'Grey' is a dull, muted colour, suggesting a loss of brightness or energy as evening falls
- Together these words create a calm, subdued mood that strongly contrasts with the sudden violence of stanza 4, showing the field settling back into stillness

Question 23

Level 1 (1): A simple comment that the poem builds tension, with little or no reference to specific techniques or stanzas.
Level 2 (2): A clear explanation with reference to at least one technique or stanza that builds or releases tension.
Level 3 (3): A developed explanation that refers to techniques across at least two different stanzas, clearly showing how tension is built and then released.
Indicative content:
- The still, watching image of the kestrel in stanza 1 ('hangs as still as stone') establishes patience and quiet waiting
- The soft personification of the wind in stanza 3 keeps the mood calm and quiet, holding back tension just before the attack
- The abrupt opening 'Then suddenly' and the stone simile in stanza 4 release this built-up tension in one sudden, forceful action
- The calm, hushed imagery of stanza 5 releases the tension fully, returning the poem to stillness
- The consistent ABCB rhyme scheme and regular quatrain form give the poem a steady, controlled rhythm throughout, even as the content moves from calm to sudden action and back to calm

Question 24

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) 5 stanzas of 4 lines each

Question 25

B1 identifies the ABCB rhyme scheme (the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme) and supports it with an accurate example, such as 'stone' / 'alone' in stanza 1 or 'string' / 'wing' in stanza 4
Answer: ABCB: only the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme, for example 'stone' and 'alone' in stanza 1, or 'string' and 'wing' in stanza 4.

Question 26

Level 1 (1): A simple comment that the form contrasts with the content, with little or no explanation.
Level 2 (2): A clear, developed explanation of how the regular form creates a controlled contrast with the sudden, violent content, or mirrors the natural, everyday routine of hunting.
Indicative content:
- The steady, regular rhyme scheme and stanza form create a controlled, ordered pattern, which contrasts with the sudden, violent content of the kestrel's hunt
- This contrast could suggest that the hunt, however violent it seems, is part of a natural, ordinary and repeated routine rather than something chaotic or unusual
- The controlled form could also reflect the calm, distant viewpoint of an observer watching from a distance, rather than the shrew's own experience of the attack

Comprehension: Poetry Set 2 - Worksheets, Questions and Revision