Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dear MR Kilmer (Sample Answers)
Dear MR Kilmer (Sample Answers)
Secondly, Richard 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, 2
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.
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 5
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 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 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
1
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.
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 ending of this story was truly heartwarming when a father
and a son finally got along through the love of poetry.
2
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?
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
Schermers were unpatriotic because they spoke German and served Hun food at their 4
tavern while a war was going on against Germany.
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
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 6
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 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 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.
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 6
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
5
signed 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.
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 6
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
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
6
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.
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.
7
poet. In the end, he managed to realise his dream.
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
5
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 7
poetry. Richard 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
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.
8
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.
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
5
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 7
poetry. Richard 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
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.