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11+ · English - Reading (Poetry)

EP.E39 Comprehension: Poetry Set 5

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 Lighthouse Keeper's Watch

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

High on the granite cliff he stands,

A tower of white against the sky,

His lantern lights the shifting sands,

A golden, blinking, watchful eye.

The waves below run wild and howl,

Like wolves that snarl against the rock,

While overhead the grey gulls prowl

And circle round the harbour clock.

At every dusk he climbs the stair,

Three hundred steps of worn grey stone,

To trim the wick with steady care

And leave the kitchen fire alone.

For forty years his steady flame

Has warned the sailors from the shore,

Has called each fishing boat by name

And turned the tide to safety's door.

Now silver frost creeps up the pane,

The winter wind begins to moan,

And still he watches through the rain,

A patient shepherd, all alone.

When morning breaks in amber light

And fishing boats sail safely home,

He rests his tired eyes from night

And dreams in peace, no more to roam.

Choose the option that best matches the poem.

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

A) A fisherman catching fish at night
B) A lighthouse keeper watching over the sea
C) A storm destroying a village
D) A sailor lost at sea

(Total for Question 1 is 1 mark)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 1.

(a)According to stanza 1, what does the keeper's lantern do?(1)

A) It warns the gulls away
B) It lights the shifting sands
C) It calls the fishing boats home
D) It burns the kitchen fire

(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)

Identify one single word from stanza 1 that names the colour of the lighthouse tower.

(Total for Question 3 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 1, line 4: 'A golden, blinking, watchful eye.' Explain what is meant by this image, including both its literal meaning and what it suggests about the lighthouse.

(Total for Question 4 is 2 marks)

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

(a)'shifting' (stanza 1, line 3, describing the sands) is closest in meaning to:(1)

A) constantly moving or changing
B) completely frozen and still
C) brightly coloured
D) very loud

(Total for Question 5 is 1 mark)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 2.

(a)According to stanza 2, what do the waves do?(1)

A) They run wild and howl
B) They freeze into ice
C) They carry the fishing boats home
D) They stay calm and silent

(Total for Question 6 is 1 mark)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 2.

(a)Which simile describes the waves in stanza 2?(1)

A) 'a golden, blinking, watchful eye'
B) 'Like wolves that snarl against the rock'
C) 'a patient shepherd, all alone'
D) 'silver frost creeps up the pane'

(Total for Question 7 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 2, line 2: 'Like wolves that snarl against the rock'. Explain the effect of this simile.

(Total for Question 8 is 2 marks)

Identify an example of alliteration in stanza 2 and explain its effect.

(Total for Question 9 is 2 marks)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 3.

(a)According to stanza 3, how many steps does the keeper climb each dusk?(1)

A) One hundred
B) Two hundred
C) Three hundred
D) Four hundred

(Total for Question 10 is 1 mark)

Explain what 'wick' means as it is used in stanza 3, line 3 ('To trim the wick with steady care').

(Total for Question 11 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 3 (lines 9 to 12). Give two things the lighthouse keeper does each dusk.

(Total for Question 12 is 2 marks)

What can you infer about the lighthouse keeper's character from stanza 3 (lines 9 to 12)? Support your answer with evidence from the stanza.

(Total for Question 13 is 2 marks)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 4.

(a)According to stanza 4, how long has the keeper tended the light?(1)

A) Ten years
B) Twenty years
C) Thirty years
D) Forty years

(Total for Question 14 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 4, lines 3 to 4: 'Has called each fishing boat by name / And turned the tide to safety's door'. Explain the effect of this personification.

(Total for Question 15 is 2 marks)

Identify the phrase in stanza 4 that gives the light a human quality by suggesting it recognises individual boats.

(Total for Question 16 is 1 mark)

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

(a)'moan' (stanza 5, line 2, describing the wind) is closest in meaning to:(1)

A) a low, sad, mournful sound
B) complete silence
C) a bright flash of light
D) a sweet smell

(Total for Question 17 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 5, line 2: 'The winter wind begins to moan'. Explain the effect of personifying the wind in this way.

(Total for Question 18 is 2 marks)

Look at stanza 5, line 4: 'A patient shepherd, all alone'. Explain what this metaphor suggests about the lighthouse keeper.

(Total for Question 19 is 3 marks)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 6.

(a)What happens at the end of the poem, in stanza 6?(1)

A) A storm destroys the lighthouse
B) Morning comes, the boats sail home safely and the keeper rests
C) The keeper falls from the tower
D) The wind grows stronger and the frost thickens

(Total for Question 20 is 1 mark)

Identify a pair of rhyming words in stanza 6 and state which lines they appear in.

(Total for Question 21 is 1 mark)

Describe the mood created in stanza 6 (lines 21 to 24) and explain how the poet's word choices create this mood.

(Total for Question 22 is 2 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 6 lines each
B) 5 stanzas of 4 lines each
C) 6 stanzas of 4 lines each
D) 8 stanzas of 3 lines each

(Total for Question 23 is 1 mark)

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

(Total for Question 24 is 1 mark)

Light appears throughout the poem (for example, the lantern's 'golden...eye' in stanza 1, the 'steady flame' in stanza 4, and the 'amber light' in stanza 6). Explain the effect of this repeated imagery across the whole poem.

(Total for Question 25 is 3 marks)

Compare how the poet presents the sea in stanza 2 (lines 5 to 8) with how the poet presents the morning in stanza 6 (lines 21 to 24). In your answer, comment on the poet's use of language.

(Total for Question 26 is 3 marks)

Mark scheme · EP.E39 Comprehension: Poetry Set 5

Question 1

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) A lighthouse keeper watching over the sea

Question 2

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) It lights the shifting sands

Question 3

B1 'white' (oe)
Answer: white

Question 4

Level 1 (1): Simple identification that the light is compared to an eye, with little or no explanation of effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of both the literal comparison and the wider effect of presenting the lighthouse as alert and watchful.
Indicative content:
- Literally, the flashing lamp looks like a golden eye that opens and closes (blinks) as it turns
- Describing it as 'watchful' personifies the lighthouse, suggesting it is constantly alert, like a guardian keeping watch over the sea
- 'Golden' gives the light warm, precious connotations, making it feel reassuring and valuable against the dark, dangerous sea

Question 5

(a) B1 A
(a) Answer: A) constantly moving or changing

Question 6

(a) B1 A
(a) Answer: A) They run wild and howl

Question 7

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) 'Like wolves that snarl against the rock'

Question 8

Level 1 (1): Simple identification of the simile (comparing the waves to wolves) with little or no explanation of its effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how the simile makes the sea seem dangerous, aggressive or predatory.
Indicative content:
- Comparing the waves to wolves suggests they are fierce, aggressive and dangerous, like predators attacking prey
- 'Snarl' gives the waves an angry, threatening sound, as though the sea is alive and hostile
- This creates a sense of danger around the coast, reinforcing why the keeper's warning light is so important

Question 9

Level 1 (1): Correct identification of an alliterative phrase, with little or no explanation of effect.
Level 2 (2): Correct identification with a clear explanation of how the repeated sound adds to the harsh or wild mood of the stanza.
Indicative content:
- 'Grey gulls' (line 3) repeats the hard 'g' sound
- The repeated hard sound echoes the harsh, wild mood of the stormy scene and the birds' cries
- It also adds rhythm, drawing attention to the gulls circling above the rough sea

Question 10

(a) B1 C
(a) Answer: C) Three hundred

Question 11

B1 the cord or string in a lamp that burns to produce light (oe)
Answer: The cord or string in an oil lamp that is lit to produce light.

Question 12

B1 climbs the (three hundred) stair(s)/steps (oe)
B1 trims the wick / lights the lamp with steady care, or leaves the kitchen fire (unattended) (oe); any two of the three actions described in the stanza
Answer: Any two of: he climbs the three hundred steps of the stair; he trims the wick with steady care; he leaves the kitchen fire (unattended).

Question 13

Level 1 (1): A simple comment about the keeper's character, with little or no supporting evidence.
Level 2 (2): A clear inference about the keeper's character, supported with relevant evidence from the stanza.
Indicative content:
- The keeper seems hardworking and disciplined, climbing three hundred steps every single dusk without fail
- 'With steady care' suggests he is careful, conscientious and takes pride in doing his job properly
- Leaving the kitchen fire to attend to the lamp shows he puts his duty to others (sailors at sea) before his own comfort, suggesting selflessness

Question 14

(a) B1 D
(a) Answer: D) Forty years

Question 15

Level 1 (1): Simple identification that the light is given human qualities, with little or no explanation of effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how the personification presents the light as an active, caring guide for sailors.
Indicative content:
- Describing the light as calling boats 'by name' gives it a personal, human, almost parental quality, as though it knows and cares for each sailor individually
- 'Turned the tide to safety's door' presents the light as actively guiding and protecting sailors, rather than simply shining passively
- This builds a sense of the light (and the keeper behind it) as a trusted, caring guide that sailors can depend on

Question 16

B1 'called each fishing boat by name' (oe)
Answer: 'Has called each fishing boat by name'

Question 17

(a) B1 A
(a) Answer: A) a low, sad, mournful sound

Question 18

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 'moaning' creates a bleak, sorrowful or uncomfortable atmosphere.
Indicative content:
- Giving the wind a human sound ('moan') makes it seem almost alive, in pain or sorrowful
- This creates a bleak, uncomfortable atmosphere that matches the cold, frosty setting described earlier in the stanza
- It also emphasises how harsh conditions are for the keeper, who must keep watching despite this discomfort, reinforcing his dedication

Question 19

Level 1 (1): A simple comment that the keeper is compared to a shepherd, with little or no explanation.
Level 2 (2): A clear explanation of one aspect of the metaphor, such as the keeper caring for sailors or being isolated.
Level 3 (3): A developed explanation that links the caring role of a shepherd, the patience implied, and the loneliness of 'all alone' into a rounded interpretation of the keeper.
Indicative content:
- Comparing the keeper to a shepherd suggests he watches over and protects sailors just as a shepherd guards a flock of sheep from danger
- 'Patient' suggests he waits calmly and steadily, night after night, without complaint, even through difficult conditions
- 'All alone' emphasises his isolation, contrasting the responsibility he carries for others' safety with the solitary, lonely nature of his own life
- Together, the metaphor presents the keeper as a quietly heroic, selfless figure whose care for others comes at the cost of his own loneliness

Question 20

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) Morning comes, the boats sail home safely and the keeper rests

Question 21

B1 'light' (line 21) and 'night' (line 23), or 'home' (line 22) and 'roam' (line 24) (oe); either correct pair with correct or approximate line reference is acceptable
Answer: 'light' (line 21) and 'night' (line 23), or 'home' (line 22) and 'roam' (line 24).

Question 22

Level 1 (1): A simple comment on the mood, with little or no reference to specific word choices.
Level 2 (2): A clear description of the calm, peaceful mood with reference to specific word choices that create it.
Indicative content:
- The mood is calm, peaceful and restful
- 'Amber light' suggests a warm, gentle morning, replacing the darkness of the earlier stanzas
- Boats sailing 'safely home' and the keeper who 'dreams in peace' both suggest relief, safety and rest after the dangers of the night

Question 23

(a) B1 C
(a) Answer: C) 6 stanzas of 4 lines each

Question 24

B1 identifies the ABAB rhyme scheme (the first and third lines rhyme, and the second and fourth lines rhyme) and supports it with an accurate example, such as 'stands' / 'sands' and 'sky' / 'eye' in stanza 1, or 'flame' / 'name' and 'shore' / 'door' in stanza 4
Answer: ABAB: the first and third lines of each stanza rhyme, and the second and fourth lines rhyme, for example 'stands' and 'sands' with 'sky' and 'eye' in stanza 1, or 'flame' and 'name' with 'shore' and 'door' in stanza 4.

Question 25

Level 1 (1): A simple comment that light is mentioned more than once, with little or no reference to specific stanzas or effect.
Level 2 (2): A clear explanation with reference to at least one example of light imagery and its effect.
Level 3 (3): A developed explanation that refers to light imagery across at least two stanzas, clearly showing how it links the poem's theme of guidance and safety.
Indicative content:
- The repeated light imagery (golden eye, steady flame, amber light) connects the whole poem and consistently presents the light as warm, protective and reassuring
- This contrasts with the dark, dangerous images of the sea and night (howling waves, frost, moaning wind), reinforcing the theme that the keeper's duty is to guide others safely through danger
- The shift from the lamp's 'golden...eye' at night to the 'amber light' of morning also shows time passing across the poem, moving from night-time danger to a safe new day
- The consistency of the light imagery mirrors the keeper's own steady, unwavering dedication described throughout the poem

Question 26

Level 1 (1): A simple comment that the two stanzas feel different, with little or no reference to language.
Level 2 (2): Some relevant reference to language in at least one stanza, with a clear point of comparison.
Level 3 (3): A developed, balanced comparison referencing specific language choices in both stanzas, clearly explaining the contrasting effects.
Indicative content:
- Stanza 2 uses violent animal imagery (waves that 'howl', wolves that 'snarl', gulls that 'prowl') to create a threatening, hostile mood
- Stanza 6 uses gentle, warm imagery ('amber light', boats that sail 'safely home') to create a peaceful, reassuring mood
- Harsh sounds in stanza 2 ('howl', 'snarl') contrast with the softer, calmer language of stanza 6 ('rests', 'dreams in peace')
- The contrast reflects the passing of a dangerous night into a safe new day, and mirrors the success of the keeper's watch, tying the poem's beginning and ending together

Comprehension: Poetry Set 5 - Worksheets, Questions and Revision