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CE.E7 Reading and Comprehension: Poetry Set 2

ISEB COMMON ENTRANCE ISEB Common Entrance 13+ English (Reading and Comprehension) · Calculators not allowed · about 85 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Read the poem carefully, then answer all the questions that follow. Support your answers with reference to the text, including short quotations where helpful. Continue longer answers on lined paper if you need more space.

The Kestrel Above the Bypass

Original poem written for Revision Library.

1 Every morning at the same grey hour

2 a kestrel hangs above the bypass, still,

3 while lorries hammer south beneath her wings

4 and headlights climb and drop against the hill.

5 She does not flinch at diesel or at horn,

6 at amber cones that mark the roadworks out,

7 but holds her place against the shifting wind

8 the way a held breath holds a sudden shout.

9 Her wings are two fixed commas in the sky,

10 pausing the sentence of the traffic's roar,

11 and though the cars beneath her never slow,

12 for thirty seconds, nothing moves before

13 she drops. A single, silent, downward stroke,

14 no wingbeat wasted, nothing left to spare,

15 and something small and hidden in the verge

16 is gone before it knows that she was there.

17 I used to think that stillness was the opposite

18 of speed, that calm and rushing could not meet,

19 that you were either hurtling down the bypass

20 or standing somewhere quiet, still, complete.

21 But the kestrel taught me otherwise: that stillness

22 is just another shape that speed can take,

23 a coiled and patient readiness to fall,

24 the stored-up motion of a poised, held brake.

25 Now, stuck in traffic, engine idling rough,

26 I watch her through the windscreen's greasy smear

27 and find her hanging there above it all,

28 more calm, more certain than my morning fear.

29 The lorries pass. The roadworks shuffle on.

30 The kestrel waits, and waits, and then is gone.

Look at stanza 1 of the poem (lines 1-4).

(a)Give one detail from line 1 that shows the kestrel appears at the same time each day.(1)

(b)According to line 2, where does the kestrel hang?(1)

(c)Give one adjective from line 1 that describes the hour.(1)

(Total for Question 1 is 3 marks)

Find and copy one word from stanza 2 (lines 5-8) that describes the colour of the cones.

(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)

Give two things that do not startle the kestrel, according to stanza 2 (lines 5-6).

(Total for Question 3 is 2 marks)

In your own words, explain what the speaker is doing in stanza 7 (lines 25-28).

(Total for Question 4 is 2 marks)

Look at lines 7-8 of the poem: 'but holds her place against the shifting wind / the way a held breath holds a sudden shout.'

(a)Identify the poetic technique used in this comparison.(1)

(b)Explain the effect of this comparison.(2)

(Total for Question 5 is 3 marks)

Look at lines 9-10 of the poem: 'Her wings are two fixed commas in the sky, / pausing the sentence of the traffic's roar.'

(a)Identify the poetic technique used in this description.(1)

(b)Explore the effect of this metaphor.(3)

(Total for Question 6 is 4 marks)

Look at line 5 of the poem: 'She does not flinch at diesel or at horn'.

(a)Identify the poetic technique used in this line.(1)

(b)Explain the effect of this personification.(2)

(Total for Question 7 is 3 marks)

Look at line 13 of the poem: 'she drops. A single, silent, downward stroke,'.

(a)Identify the sound device used in the phrase 'single, silent'.(1)

(b)Explain the effect of this sound device.(1)

(Total for Question 8 is 2 marks)

The poem is written in seven four-line stanzas with a steady rhyme scheme (ABCB), used consistently in every stanza until the final two lines. Explain one effect of this steady, repeated pattern.

(Total for Question 9 is 3 marks)

Look at stanza 4 of the poem (lines 13-16). Explore how the poet uses imagery to convey the kestrel's dive.

(Total for Question 10 is 4 marks)

Look at stanza 5 of the poem (lines 17-20): 'I used to think that stillness was the opposite / of speed, that calm and rushing could not meet, / that you were either hurtling down the bypass / or standing somewhere quiet, still, complete.' Identify and explain the shift that takes place at this point in the poem.

(Total for Question 11 is 4 marks)

Look at lines 21-24 of the poem: 'But the kestrel taught me otherwise: that stillness / is just another shape that speed can take, / a coiled and patient readiness to fall, / the stored-up motion of a poised, held brake.' Explain what this paradox suggests.

(Total for Question 12 is 3 marks)

What do the final two lines of the poem (lines 29-30) suggest about the kestrel and about how the speaker now feels?

(Total for Question 13 is 3 marks)

Explore how the poet develops the idea that stillness contains hidden speed or energy across the whole poem.

(Total for Question 14 is 4 marks)

How does the poet present the contrast between the natural world (the kestrel) and the man-made world (the bypass and traffic)? Support your answer with reference to the whole poem.

(Total for Question 15 is 5 marks)

Explore how the poet uses structure and form (including rhyme, stanza pattern and the shift in stanza 5) to reflect the poem's meaning.

(Total for Question 16 is 8 marks)

What do you think the poem suggests about coping with a busy, stressful modern life? Support your ideas with reference to the whole poem.

(Total for Question 17 is 6 marks)

Which single image or phrase from the poem do you find most effective in capturing the idea of stillness? Justify your choice with reference to the text.

(Total for Question 18 is 4 marks)

Mark scheme · CE.E7 Reading and Comprehension: Poetry Set 2

Question 1

(a) B1 every morning / at the same...hour (oe)
(a) Answer: Every morning, at the same hour.
(b) B1 above the bypass
(b) Answer: Above the bypass.
(c) B1 grey
(c) Answer: Grey.

Question 2

B1 amber
Answer: Amber.

Question 3

B1 diesel (any one detail)
B1 the horn / the amber cones / the roadworks (any other detail, up to two marks total)
Answer: Any two of: diesel; the horn; the amber cones/roadworks.

Question 4

B1 identifies that the speaker is stuck in a traffic jam, engine running, watching the kestrel through the dirty windscreen (oe)
B1 notes that the speaker finds the kestrel calmer or more certain than their own anxious feelings (oe)
Answer: The speaker is stuck in traffic with the engine idling, watching the kestrel through the dirty windscreen, and finds her calmer and more certain than their own morning anxiety.

Question 5

(a) B1 simile
(a) Answer: Simile.
(b) B1 recognises that holding a breath before a shout involves tension, effort and restraint, not true relaxation (oe)
(b) B1 explains that this suggests the kestrel's stillness against the wind is not passive but effortful and controlled, full of contained energy (oe)
(b) Answer: Comparing the kestrel's stillness to a held breath before a shout suggests her calm is not passive relaxation but effortful, controlled restraint, full of contained energy.

Question 6

(a) B1 metaphor
(a) Answer: Metaphor.
(b) B1 identifies that punctuation vocabulary (commas, sentence) is used to describe the natural scene (oe)
(b) B1 explains that this suggests the kestrel briefly interrupts or pauses the continuous, ongoing 'sentence' of traffic noise, giving structure to the chaos (oe)
(b) B1 notes the effect of scale: a small bird is given the power to punctuate and control something as vast and relentless as motorway traffic, emphasising her quiet authority (oe)
(b) Answer: The metaphor uses punctuation language to describe the kestrel, suggesting her stillness briefly interrupts the unbroken 'sentence' of traffic noise; the image gives a small bird surprising authority over something as vast and relentless as the road.

Question 7

(a) B1 personification
(a) Answer: Personification.
(b) B1 suggests the kestrel is deliberately unbothered, composed or fearless in the face of the noisy, unpleasant road environment (oe)
(b) B1 establishes a contrast between the calm bird and the chaotic, mechanical world of the bypass introduced in stanza 1 (oe)
(b) Answer: Giving the kestrel a human reaction she does not show ('does not flinch') suggests she is deliberately calm and fearless, immediately setting her composure against the noisy, mechanical world of the bypass.

Question 8

(a) B1 sibilance / alliteration
(a) Answer: Sibilance (or alliteration).
(b) B1 the soft repeated 's' sound mimics the quiet, smooth, controlled movement of the dive, reinforcing how little noise or disturbance the kestrel makes (oe)
(b) Answer: The soft repeated 's' sound mimics the quiet, smooth motion of the dive, reinforcing how little noise the kestrel makes as she strikes.

Question 9

B1 recognises that the repeated rhyme pattern creates a steady, measured rhythm (oe)
B1 links this steady rhythm to the repetitive, routine nature of a daily commute past the same kestrel each morning (oe)
B1 suggests the calm, unhurried pattern mirrors the kestrel's own controlled stillness, giving the poem's form the same quality as its subject (oe)
Answer: The steady, repeated ABCB rhyme creates a measured, unhurried rhythm that mirrors both the routine of the daily commute and the kestrel's own controlled stillness, so the poem's form echoes its subject.

Question 10

B1 identifies the short, blunt sentence 'she drops.' and explains that its abruptness mimics the suddenness of the dive after so much stillness (oe)
B1 identifies 'no wingbeat wasted' and explains that this conveys precision and economy of movement, with nothing wasteful or clumsy (oe)
B1 explores the phrase 'before it knows that she was there', explaining that it emphasises the prey's total unawareness and the kestrel's stealth (oe)
B1 links these details together to show the dive is presented as controlled, efficient and almost invisible, contrasting sharply with the stillness of the previous stanzas (oe)
Answer: The blunt sentence 'she drops.' captures the suddenness of the dive, 'no wingbeat wasted' conveys precise, economical movement, and 'before it knows that she was there' stresses the prey's total unawareness; together these details present the dive as controlled and almost invisible, a sharp contrast to the stillness built up earlier in the poem.

Question 11

B1 identifies that the poem shifts (a volta or turning point) from external description of the kestrel to the speaker's internal, reflective voice (oe)
B1 notes the change from present-tense observation in stanzas 1-4 to past-tense personal reflection ('I used to think') in stanza 5 (oe)
B1 explains that this shift signals the poem is not only about a bird but about a wider idea or lesson the speaker has come to understand (oe)
B1 notes how the sentence is split awkwardly across the enjambed line break ('the opposite / of speed'), creating a brief hesitation that mirrors the speaker's own developing, uncertain understanding (oe)
Answer: Stanza 5 marks the poem's turning point (volta), shifting from present-tense description of the kestrel to the speaker's past-tense personal reflection, signalling that the poem is really about a wider lesson the speaker has learned; the awkward enjambment across 'the opposite / of speed' even mirrors the speaker's own hesitant, developing understanding.

Question 12

B1 recognises the paradox: stillness and speed, normally opposites, are here described as the same thing ('stillness / is just another shape that speed can take') (oe)
B1 explains that this suggests the kestrel's calm is not empty or passive but full of stored, contained energy, like a 'held brake' ready to release (oe)
B1 links this to a wider suggestion that things, or people, who appear calm on the surface may be intensely alert or prepared underneath (oe)
Answer: The paradox that 'stillness / is just another shape that speed can take' suggests the kestrel's calm is not passive but full of stored, contained energy, like a held brake ready to release; more widely, it implies that appearing still or calm does not mean being unprepared, but can itself be a form of controlled readiness.

Question 13

B1 recognises that the short, plain final lines mark a calm sense of closure, now that the traffic has moved on and the kestrel has finished her wait (oe)
B1 notes that the repetition 'waits, and waits' emphasises patience, before the sudden, decisive final clause 'then is gone' (oe)
B1 suggests the speaker has absorbed the kestrel's lesson about stillness containing readiness, and now feels calmer or more accepting about their own wait in traffic (oe)
Answer: The final lines' plainness and the repetition 'waits, and waits' before the sudden 'then is gone' suggest patience rewarded by decisive action, implying the speaker has absorbed the kestrel's lesson and now feels calmer and more accepting of their own wait in traffic.

Question 14

B1 traces the idea from the simile in stanza 2 ('a held breath holds a sudden shout'), which first links stillness to contained tension (oe)
B1 identifies the paradox in stanza 6 ('stillness / is just another shape that speed can take') as the poem's clearest statement of this idea (oe)
B1 notes the final couplet ('waits, and waits, and then is gone'), where the idea is finally enacted through the kestrel's sudden departure (oe)
B1 explains that developing a single idea across the whole poem, rather than using isolated images, builds a coherent argument that gradually deepens the reader's understanding (oe)
Answer: The poet develops this idea gradually: the simile in stanza 2 first links stillness to contained tension, the paradox in stanza 6 states the idea directly, and the final couplet enacts it as the kestrel finally moves; building the same idea across the whole poem, rather than in one isolated image, creates a coherent argument that deepens as the poem progresses.

Question 15

Level 3 (5): Developed, precise exploration of the contrast, using well-chosen quotation and appropriate terminology to show a clear grasp of how the two worlds are presented and connected.
Level 2 (3-4): Clear identification of the contrast with relevant textual reference and some explanation of how language creates it.
Level 1 (1-2): Basic or general identification of a contrast (for example 'nature versus traffic'), with limited or no textual support.
Indicative content:
- The man-made world is built from harsh, mechanical imagery: 'lorries hammer', 'diesel', 'horn', 'amber cones', 'engine idling rough', 'windscreen's greasy smear', suggesting noise, disruption and grime.
- The natural world (the kestrel) is built from calm, precise imagery: 'hangs...still', 'does not flinch', 'single, silent', suggesting composure and quiet control.
- The juxtaposition heightens both: the kestrel's stillness seems more remarkable set against the chaos of the bypass, while the traffic seems more frantic compared to her poise.
- The speaker is caught literally between both worlds, stuck in a car yet watching a wild bird, embodying the contrast personally rather than observing it from a distance.
- The poem does not reject the modern world outright; the kestrel remains above the very road that disturbs her, suggesting the two worlds can coexist, and that calm can be found within, not just apart from, a busy modern setting.

Question 16

Level 4 (7-8): Perceptive, well-developed exploration of structure and form across the whole poem, with precise and effective use of quotation and confident exploration of writer's methods.
Level 3 (5-6): Clear exploration with relevant textual reference and some explanation of how rhyme, stanza pattern or the volta shape meaning.
Level 2 (3-4): Some exploration with reference to the text, though development may be limited or address only one structural feature.
Level 1 (1-2): Simple or general comment on structure, with limited or no clear textual reference.
Indicative content:
- The seven ABCB near-rhymed quatrains create a steady, repetitive rhythm suited to describing a daily commute and mirroring the kestrel's own controlled stillness.
- The volta at stanza 5 ('I used to think...') marks a clear structural turn from external observation to internal reflection, signalling the poem's shift from description to meaning.
- The paradox in stanza 6, placed immediately after the volta, functions as the poem's thematic answer to the question the turning point raises.
- The final rhyming couplet breaks from the ABCB pattern into an exact rhyme, giving the ending a sense of neat closure that mirrors the kestrel's own decisive departure.
- The repetition 'waits, and waits' in the closing line slows the pace immediately before the abrupt final clause 'then is gone', enacting in form the very 'readiness to fall' described earlier in the poem.
- Overall, form and content work together: a steady, repeated pattern contains a moment of sudden, decisive change, exactly as the kestrel herself does.

Question 17

Level 3 (5-6): Perceptive, well-developed personal response exploring the poem's ideas about coping with busy modern life, using a range of precisely chosen references across the whole poem and confident, accurate terminology.
Level 2 (3-4): Clear response with relevant references from more than one part of the poem, showing sound understanding of how the poem addresses this theme.
Level 1 (1-2): Simple or general response with limited or single reference to the text, showing basic awareness of the theme.
Indicative content:
- The poem can be read as suggesting that stillness and calm are possible within a busy, stressful modern environment, not only in an idealised, separate natural setting.
- The speaker's own anxiety ('my morning fear') is directly compared with the kestrel's composure, suggesting that pausing to notice small moments of calm can offer relief or perspective during a stressful routine.
- The paradox that stillness is 'just another shape that speed can take' might be read as a coping idea: pausing is not wasted time but a form of readiness, which could reassure someone who feels overwhelmed by constant busyness.
- Alternatively, some readers may argue the comfort is only brief or bittersweet, since the kestrel eventually leaves and the traffic and roadworks continue regardless ('The lorries pass. The roadworks shuffle on.'), suggesting relief from anxiety is temporary rather than a full solution.
- Strong answers may weigh both readings and reach a clear, textually supported personal conclusion.

Question 18

Level 2 (3-4): Clear, supported choice with relevant, accurate reference to the text and a developed explanation of how the chosen image's language creates the effect of stillness.
Level 1 (1-2): Valid choice with general or limited support, or little explanation of how the language creates the effect.
Indicative content:
- Any single, clearly identified image or phrase may be chosen, provided the explanation is supported by reference to the text and addresses why it captures stillness effectively.
- Possible choices: 'two fixed commas in the sky' (stillness as a deliberate pause within a larger structure); 'a held breath holds a sudden shout' (stillness as tension and restraint); 'a coiled and patient readiness to fall' (stillness as controlled potential energy); 'waits, and waits, and then is gone' (stillness as an interval before sudden, decisive action).
- Strong answers explain precisely how the chosen image's word choice, comparison or sound creates the impression of stillness, rather than simply restating the quotation.

Reading and Comprehension: Poetry Set 2 - Worksheets, Questions and Revision