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11+ · English - Reading (Poetry)

EP.E55 Comprehension: Poetry Set 6

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 River's Journey

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

It starts as nothing but a whisper,

trickling down between the hills,

too small and shy to leave a footprint,

learning slowly as it spills.

It gathers strength from every rainfall,

and borrows voices from each stream,

then tumbles over rocks and pebbles,

a chattering, silver-throated dream.

By noon it winds through open meadows,

unhurried now, and wide, and slow,

like a silver ribbon on green velvet,

too full of light to hide or go.

It slides beneath the arch of bridges,

where footsteps echo, hurried, loud,

and carries, cold, the circling shadows

of gulls that wheel and swoop and crowd.

At last it slips between the sand dunes,

forgetting names it used to know,

and empties out its whispered childhood

into the endless, waiting flow.

Choose the option that best matches the poem.

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

A) A journey by train through the countryside
B) A river's journey from the hills to the sea
C) A storm gathering over the mountains
D) A walk through a busy town

(Total for Question 1 is 1 mark)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 1.

(a)In stanza 1, how is the river described when it first begins?(1)

A) Wide and powerful
B) Small, shy and just starting to move
C) Frozen and still
D) Already flowing into the sea

(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)

Identify one single word from stanza 1 that suggests the river makes a soft, quiet sound as it begins.

(Total for Question 3 is 1 mark)

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

(a)'unhurried' (stanza 3, line 10) is closest in meaning to:(1)

A) moving quickly and anxiously
B) not in any rush, calm and relaxed
C) completely motionless
D) confused and lost

(Total for Question 4 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 4, line 15: 'and carries, cold, the circling shadows'. Explain what 'circling' means as it is used here.

(Total for Question 5 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 2, line 8: 'a chattering, silver-throated dream'. Explain the effect of describing the river in this way.

(Total for Question 6 is 2 marks)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 1.

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

A) The hills
B) The river
C) The footprint
D) The rain

(Total for Question 7 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 1, lines 3 to 4: 'too small and shy to leave a footprint, / learning slowly as it spills'. Explain the effect of personifying the river as a shy, learning child.

(Total for Question 8 is 2 marks)

According to stanza 2, what does the river gain strength from?

(Total for Question 9 is 1 mark)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 3.

(a)Which simile is used to describe the river in stanza 3?(1)

A) 'a chattering, silver-throated dream'
B) 'like a silver ribbon on green velvet'
C) 'too small and shy to leave a footprint'
D) 'the circling shadows of gulls'

(Total for Question 10 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 3, line 11: 'like a silver ribbon on green velvet'. Explain the effect of this simile.

(Total for Question 11 is 2 marks)

Identify one word from stanza 4 that appeals to the sense of hearing.

(Total for Question 12 is 1 mark)

Look at stanza 4, line 15: 'and carries, cold, the circling shadows'. Identify the alliteration in this line and explain its effect.

(Total for Question 13 is 2 marks)

Choose the option that best matches stanza 4.

(a)According to stanza 4, what does the river carry the shadows of?(1)

A) Trees
B) Clouds
C) Gulls
D) Bridges

(Total for Question 14 is 1 mark)

Give one example of onomatopoeia (a word that imitates or suggests a sound) from stanza 2.

(Total for Question 15 is 1 mark)

Explain the effect of the word 'forgetting' in stanza 5, line 18: 'forgetting names it used to know'.

(Total for Question 16 is 2 marks)

Explain what the poem suggests about the river's journey, comparing its beginning in stanza 1 with its ending in stanza 5.

(Total for Question 17 is 2 marks)

Choose the option that best matches the poem as a whole.

(a)Which of the following best describes the central theme of the poem?(1)

A) The danger of flooding rivers
B) A river's journey and change from source to sea
C) The history of bridges
D) The importance of rainfall for farming

(Total for Question 18 is 1 mark)

How many stanzas does the poem contain, and how many lines are in each stanza?

(Total for Question 19 is 1 mark)

Identify the rhyme scheme used in each stanza of the poem, and support your answer with one example.

(Total for Question 20 is 1 mark)

Explain how the poet uses stanza structure to reflect the different stages of the river's journey (for example, its pace or mood in each stanza).

(Total for Question 21 is 2 marks)

Explain how the poet uses the extended comparison between the river and a human life across the whole poem.

(Total for Question 22 is 3 marks)

Look at stanza 5, line 20: 'into the endless, waiting flow'. Explain the effect of the words 'endless' and 'waiting' here.

(Total for Question 23 is 2 marks)

Compare the mood created in stanza 1 with the mood created in stanza 4. How does the poet's choice of language create these different moods?

(Total for Question 24 is 3 marks)

According to stanza 5, where does the river's journey end?

(Total for Question 25 is 1 mark)

How does the poet create a strong sense of the river's journey and change throughout the whole poem? Refer to the whole poem in your answer.

(Total for Question 26 is 6 marks)

Mark scheme · EP.E55 Comprehension: Poetry Set 6

Question 1

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) A river's journey from the hills to the sea

Question 2

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) Small, shy and just starting to move

Question 3

B1 'whisper' or 'trickling' (oe), or a clear equivalent soft sound word from stanza 1
Answer: whisper (or trickling)

Question 4

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) not in any rush, calm and relaxed

Question 5

B1 'circling' means moving round and round in a curved path (oe), describing the gulls' shadows turning overhead
Answer: Moving round and round in a curved path.

Question 6

Level 1 (1): Simple identification of the metaphor (comparing the river to a voice or a dream) with little or no explanation of its effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear identification with a developed explanation of how the phrase gives the river a lively, magical, almost human quality.
Indicative content:
- 'Chattering' gives the river a continuous, lively, talkative sound, as though it were a person speaking quickly and cheerfully
- 'Silver-throated' gives the river a human or animal-like voice, and 'silver' suggests something bright, precious and clear, as if the water's sound and appearance are equally dazzling
- Calling it a 'dream' makes the ordinary stream feel magical or otherworldly, elevating it beyond a simple description of moving water

Question 7

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

Question 8

Level 1 (1): Simple comment that the river is compared to a child, with little or no explanation of effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how the comparison creates a gentle, sympathetic tone and foreshadows the river's growth later in the poem.
Indicative content:
- Comparing the river to a shy child just learning to walk suggests hesitancy, gentleness and vulnerability at the very start of its journey
- 'Learning slowly' suggests gradual growth and development, hinting that the river will become more confident and capable later on
- This creates a warm, sympathetic tone at the poem's opening, making the reader feel protective of the small river

Question 9

B1 rainfall and the streams that join it (oe), for example 'every rainfall' or 'voices from each stream'
Answer: Rainfall, and the streams that join it.

Question 10

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) 'like a silver ribbon on green velvet'

Question 11

Level 1 (1): Simple identification of the simile with little or no explanation of its effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear, developed explanation of how the simile creates a striking visual image of the calm, wide river.
Indicative content:
- Comparing the river to a 'silver ribbon' suggests it is bright, narrow and shining, as though catching the light as it winds through the landscape
- 'Green velvet' suggests the meadows around it are smooth, rich and luxurious, making the whole scene feel precious and beautiful
- Together the image creates a calm, confident picture of the river, contrasting strongly with its small, hesitant appearance in stanza 1

Question 12

B1 'echo' or 'loud' (oe), or another accepted sound word from stanza 4
Answer: echo (or loud)

Question 13

Level 1 (1): Correctly identifies the alliteration with little or no explanation of its effect.
Level 2 (2): Correctly identifies the alliteration and clearly explains how it creates a harder, colder sound that matches the town setting.
Indicative content:
- The alliteration is the repeated hard 'c' sound in 'carries, cold, circling'
- This creates a harsh, hard-edged sound that matches the coldness of the town described in the same stanza
- It contrasts with the softer sounds of stanza 1 and 2 ('whisper', 'chattering'), suggesting the river feels more exposed or watched as it passes through the town

Question 14

(a) B1 C
(a) Answer: C) Gulls

Question 15

B1 'chattering' (oe), or 'tumbles' if clearly justified as sound-suggestive
Answer: chattering

Question 16

Level 1 (1): Simple comment that the river forgets things, with little or no explanation of effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how 'forgetting' suggests the river losing its identity as it merges into the sea, creating a wistful, reflective tone.
Indicative content:
- 'Forgetting' personifies the river as losing memory of its past, including the hills, streams and places it has travelled through
- This suggests loss and transformation, as though the river is losing its individual identity as it becomes part of something much bigger
- The word creates a slightly wistful, reflective tone at the end of the poem, as the river's journey comes to a close

Question 17

Level 1 (1): Simple comment comparing the beginning and ending, with little or no reference to specific language.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation linking the river's small, individual beginning with the loss of identity at the end, supported by reference to the text.
Indicative content:
- The river begins as small, shy and individual ('too small and shy to leave a footprint'), but ends by losing its separate identity as it merges into the sea
- The phrase 'whispered childhood' in stanza 5 echoes the 'whisper' of stanza 1, linking the two moments and suggesting the whole poem covers a single life-like journey
- The ending, 'into the endless, waiting flow', suggests the river's whole journey leads towards something vast and inevitable

Question 18

(a) B1 B
(a) Answer: B) A river's journey and change from source to sea

Question 19

B1 5 stanzas of 4 lines each (20 lines in total)
Answer: 5 stanzas of 4 lines each.

Question 20

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

Question 21

Level 1 (1): Simple comment that each stanza shows a different part of the journey, with little or no reference to language or mood.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how the language and mood of at least two stanzas change to reflect different stages of the river's journey.
Indicative content:
- Each stanza represents a different stage of the river's journey and setting: the hills, the growing stream, the open meadows, the town, and finally the sea
- The mood shifts accordingly, from hesitant and soft in stanza 1, to energetic in stanza 2, calm and confident in stanza 3, harder and busier in stanza 4, and reflective in stanza 5
- The consistent quatrain form and ABCB rhyme scheme give the whole poem a steady, continuous flow, mirroring the river's own unstoppable movement forward

Question 22

Level 1 (1): A simple comment that the river is compared to a human life, with little or no reference to specific stages or language.
Level 2 (2): A clear explanation with some reference to specific stages of the comparison, supported by evidence from at least one or two stanzas.
Level 3 (3): A developed explanation tracking the comparison from childhood through growth to a loss of identity, referring to evidence from across most of the poem.
Indicative content:
- Stanza 1 presents the river as a 'shy' child just 'learning' to move, like a human infancy
- Stanzas 2 and 3 show it 'gathering strength' and becoming confident, wide and bright, like a young person growing up
- Stanza 4 introduces a harder, busier, more complicated environment (the town), similar to the challenges of adult life
- Stanza 5 explicitly uses the word 'childhood', confirming the comparison, as the river's individual identity is lost and merged into the sea, suggesting the end of a life-cycle

Question 23

Level 1 (1): Simple comment on one of the two words, with little or no explanation of effect.
Level 2 (2): Clear explanation of how both words together create a sense of vastness and inevitability at the poem's close.
Indicative content:
- 'Endless' suggests the sea is vast and without limit, contrasting strongly with the small, defined river described in stanza 1
- 'Waiting' personifies the sea as though it has been patiently expecting the river all along, giving the ending a sense of destiny
- Together the words create a calm, accepting, almost peaceful tone as the poem closes

Question 24

Level 1 (1): A simple comment that the moods are different, with little or no reference to specific language.
Level 2 (2): A clear comparison with reference to specific words or phrases from at least one of the two stanzas.
Level 3 (3): A developed comparison referring closely to language from both stanzas, clearly explaining how word choice creates each contrasting mood.
Indicative content:
- Stanza 1 creates a gentle, tentative mood through soft words such as 'whisper', 'trickling' and 'shy'
- Stanza 4 creates a busier, harder, colder mood through words such as 'echo', 'hurried', 'loud', 'cold' and 'crowd'
- The contrast reflects the change from a quiet natural setting to a noisy human, urban setting
- This suggests the river feels most free and calm away from human structures, and more exposed or hemmed in when passing through the town

Question 25

B1 the sea (oe), for example 'between the sand dunes' or 'into the endless, waiting flow'
Answer: The sea.

Question 26

Level 1 (1-2): Simple, generic comments about the river's journey with little or no reference to specific language, and little or no reference to more than one stanza.
Level 2 (3-4): Some clear understanding, identifying relevant techniques (such as personification, simile or alliteration) with accurate quotation, and explaining their effect with reference to at least two stanzas.
Level 3 (5-6): A sustained, developed response that tracks the change across most or all of the poem, integrates well-chosen quotations, explains the effect of specific techniques precisely, and considers how the poem's overall structure and rhyme scheme contribute to the sense of journey and change.
Indicative content:
- Stanza 1 introduces the river as small and shy, 'learning' to move, using soft sound words ('whisper', 'trickling') to create a gentle, tentative opening
- Stanza 2 shows growth and energy through the personification 'gathers strength' and the onomatopoeic word 'chattering', suggesting the river becoming louder and more lively as streams join it
- Stanza 3 uses the simile 'like a silver ribbon on green velvet' to show the river now calm, wide and confident, contrasting with its hesitant beginning
- Stanza 4 introduces a harder, busier world through the alliteration 'carries, cold, circling' and sound imagery ('footsteps echo, hurried, loud'), showing the river entering a human, urban environment
- Stanza 5 uses the metaphor 'whispered childhood' to link back to stanza 1, and the personification 'forgetting names it used to know' to show the river losing its individual identity as it merges into the sea, with 'endless, waiting flow' suggesting a vast, inevitable ending
- Overall, the poet uses a consistent stanza form, ABCB rhyme scheme and a range of techniques across all five stanzas to trace the river's transformation from a small, shy beginning to a vast, anonymous ending, mirroring a life-cycle from childhood to a loss of self

Comprehension: Poetry Set 6 - Worksheets, Questions and Revision