Reading Comprehension Analysis of A Poem Standard 5

READING COMPREHENSION
ANALYSIS OF A POEM
STANDARD 5
CURRICULUM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION 2021 2
Welcome students!
Today, we are going to discuss Section 2

of the SEA English Language Arts paper.
Our focus will be Reading
Comprehension!
I hope you are eager to explore this with

me!

Poetry is fun !

Comprehension – Poem
No. of
Level
Questions
Literal One (2)
Inferential Two (3)
Evaluation
One (2)
Appreciation

Remember:
• Questions on the poem contribute a total of 13
marks to the English Language Arts Paper.
• Questions based on the poem would be at three

different levels (Literal, Inferential and
Evaluation/Appreciation).
• Vocabulary is also examined in context.

For more information visit:
https://www.moe.gov.tt/
Let’s read a poem!

Midnight Storm by Sarah K
Sometimes, I wake up sparking a glimmer of hope inside my dark bedroom.
when the stars are still shining. 15 Rain and rumble scare the little dog.
But the peaceful dark is suddenly interrupted “When will it stop?”

by a rumble as loud as an explosion. she pleads.
5 A frightened little dog runs up to my bed. I wonder, while searching for a fleck
Thump, thump, a warm ball next to me. of light against the gray atmosphere.
Beyond my window is a water jungle, 20 Forever, I think.
but my bed is a soft sanctuary. But just then,

*Zeus knocks his fist at my front door the rain stops,
10 while the wind yells at me through the glass, the thunder ceases,
rumbling and grumbling throughout the night. and it’s all gone
Branches fall while puddles grow 25 just in time
and lightning illuminates my room like a lantern, for dawn.

8
*Zeus- The king of all gods and men From: https://kid-lit.net/singlestory.cfm?entryid=1076
Comprehension of Poem
Lesson 1:
Answering Literal Questions
Literal Questions –
Poem
• These require you to
retrieve information
explicitly stated in the
poem.
• Questions can be answered
using details directly from
the poem.

Question:
Write a line from the poem that shows the narrator is hearing thunder.
The answer must be a line. You must focus on the sense of

hearing. Look for a specific sound.
What does thunder sound like?

Find that line in the poem.
Let’s go back to the poem

Question:
Write a line from the poem that shows the narrator is hearing thunder.
Sometimes, I wake up
Thunder sounds like a loud explosion
when the stars are still shining.
But the peaceful dark is suddenly interrupted
by a rumble as loud as an explosion
explosion.
A frightened little dog runs up to my bed.
Thump, thump, a warm ball next to me.
Beyond my window is a water jungle,
but my bed is a soft sanctuary.
Answer:
Line 5, ‘by a rumble as loud as an explosion.’

Question:
What sense does the poet mainly appeal to in the poem? Support your
answer with two examples.
We have to read the entire poem

• Pay attention to the senses used
• Decide which of the senses is
appealed to the most

Quick review of
the five senses

when the stars are still shining. Sight

by a rumble as loud as an explosion. Sound

Sound Thump, thump, a warm ball next to me.
Beyond my window is a water jungle, Sight
Touch

*Zeus knocks his fist at my front door
Sound while the wind yells at me through the glass,
rumbling and grumbling throughout the night.
Branches fall while puddles grow
Sight
and lightning illuminates my room like a
lantern,
sparking a glimmer of hope inside my dark
bedroom.
Sound Rain and rumble scare the little dog.
“When will it stop?”
she pleads.
*Zeus- The king of all gods and men

I wonder, while searching for a fleck
of light against the gray atmosphere. Sight
Forever, I think.
But just then,
the rain stops,
Sound
the thunder ceases,
and it’s all gone
just in time
for dawn. Sight
From: https://kid-lit.net/singlestory.cfm?entryid=1076

Were you counting? Let’s count together.
when the stars are still shining. Sight
by a rumble as loud as an explosion. Sound
Sound Thump, thump, a warm ball next to me.
Beyond my window is a water jungle, Sight
Sound 2 Touch
Sight 2
Touch 1
Let’s count together.

Sound while the wind yells at me through the glass,
Sight
and lightning illuminates my room like a lantern,
sparking a glimmer of hope inside my dark bedroom.
Sound Rain and rumble scare the little dog.
she pleads. Sound 4
Sight 2

Let’s count together.
of light against the gray atmosphere. Sight
Forever, I think.
But just then,
the rain stops,
Sound the thunder ceases, Sound 2
and it’s all gone Sight 2
just in time
for dawn. Sight

Now we can add them up.
The one with the largest number is the sense that is most used.
Sound 2 Sound 4 Sound 2 Sound 8

Sight 2 Sight 2 Sight 2 Sight 6
Touch 1 Touch 0 Touch 0 Touch 1

Question:
What sense does the poet mainly appeal to in the poem? Support your answer with
two examples.
Possible Answers:
The poem mainly appeals to the sense of sound.
Any two of the following can be used to support :
rumble/loud/explosion/thump/knocks/yells/grumbling/rumbles
as loud as an explosion/knocks his fist

Question:
Select a line from the poem that contains a simile. Quote the simile.
Let’s review our three

literary devices.

The Simile
The simile makes a comparison using ‘as’ or ‘like’.
E.g. Her house is as big as a castle.
Size is being
compared

The Metaphor
The metaphor makes a comparison without using
‘as’ or ‘like’. It says something is something else.
E.g. The computers at school are old dinosaurs.
The computers
are so old they
are being
compared to
dinosaurs.
NOTE:
‘like’ or ‘as’ is
not used.
The Personification
Personification: human qualities are given to non-human things.
E.g. The moon smiles at me when I sleep.
something humans do HINT:

The verbs used by
the writer can
indicate if it’s a
personification.

Personification- How can you detect it?
• The guppies were miserable because of the gluttonous goldfish.
People feel misery or are miserable. Greedy people are gluttons.

Not fish! Not fish!
Words! The vocabulary contains the clues!
Words and behaviours related to people, but used

for animals or things, are the giveaway clues.

Now let us examine the poem.
Sometimes, I wake up *Zeus knocks his fist at my front door
when the stars are still shining. while the wind yells at me through the glass,
But the peaceful dark is suddenly interrupted rumbling and grumbling throughout the night.
by a rumble as loud as an explosion
explosion. Branches fall while puddles grow
5 A frightened little dog runs up to my bed. lantern
Thump, thump, a warm ball next to me. sparking a glimmer of hope inside my dark
Beyond my window is a water jungle, bedroom.
but my bed is a soft sanctuary. Rain and rumble scare the little dog.
she pleads.

Question:
Select a line from the poem that contains a simile. Quote the simile.
Possible Answers:
Line 4 contains a simile, ‘a rumble as loud as an explosion.’
OR
Line 14 contains a simile, ‘and lightning illuminates my room like a
lantern,’

Question: In line 6, the dog is
Identify the figure of speech in the following phrases: being compared to a
‘warm ball.’
(i) ‘a warm ball next to me’ (line 6) No ‘like’ or ‘as’ is
(ii) ‘the wind yells at me through the glass’ (line 10) used.
Which literary device
is it?
Remember the figures of

speech being tested are:
1. Simile
2. Metaphor
3. Personification

Question: In line 10 the wind is
yelling.
Identify the figure of speech in the following phrases:
Can the wind yell?
(i) ‘a warm ball next to me’ (line 6) The wind has been
(ii) ‘the wind yells at me through the glass’ (line 10) given human qualities.
Which figure of
speech is it?

Question:
Identify the figure of speech in the following phrases:

(i) ‘a warm ball next to me’ (line 6)
(ii ‘the wind yells at me through the glass’ (line 10)
Answers:
(i) Metaphor (line 6)
(ii) Personification (line 10)

• The answers to literal questions can be found right there in the
text.
• Answer only what the question is asking.
• Look for key words in the question to signal where in the
passage you can start searching for the answer.
• The three (3) figures of speech being tested are simile,
metaphor and personification.
Congratulations!
You have completed literal
questions.
Stay tuned for inferential
questions.

Lesson 2:
Answering Inferential Questions
Let’s answer some
inferential
questions!
Now we will look at the following objectives:
• Drawing conclusions about setting based on

evidence provided
• Identifying words/language used to create

specific moods
• Using context-clues (word structure clues,

definition clues) and background knowledge to
determine the meaning of words or phrases

Question:
What is suggested by the line, ‘the wind yells at me through the glass,’?
(line 10)
To answer this question you must think about the word, ‘yell.’
What does it sound like? Is it quiet or loud?

What is suggested by the line, ‘the wind yells at me through the glass,’? (line 10)
Possible Answers:
‘The wind yells at me through the glass’, suggests
 the wind is howling very loudly outside, so that it is heard
through the glass window. The noise of the wind is so loud
that it invades the narrator’s room.
 that the ‘yells’ of the wind indicate that it is loud, screaming,
angry and furious. The wind is depicted as violent and
menacing.

Let us try another inferential question.
Explain the meaning of the following

words, as used in the poem:
(i) sanctuary (line 9) This is a vocabulary
(ii) illuminates (line 14) question. We must
go to the poem.


Let us examine the poem.
But the peaceful dark is suddenly interrupted Use context clues and
by a rumble as loud as an explosion. your own experience to
figure out the meaning
5 A frightened little dog runs up to my bed.
Thump, thump, a warm ball next to me.
Outside the room, there is a storm. This can be frightening but the bed is a soft sanctuary.
What does the adjective ‘soft’ indicate about the bed?
How do you feel when you are in your bed?
Does a sanctuary suggest something good or bad?
Let us examine the next word.
*Zeus knocks his fist at my front door Use context clues and
10 while the wind yells at me through the glass,
your own experience to
figure out the meaning
Key clues: lightning and lantern
15 Rain and rumble scare the little dog.
she pleads.
Think about what happens when
lightning strikes.
What is a lantern used for?

Explain the meaning of the following words, as used in the poem:
(i) sanctuary (line 9)
(ii) illuminates (line 14)

Answers:
(i) sanctuary- a safe and peaceful place, a shelter from a harsh
environment or rough/ extreme weather conditions/ or harsh
occurrences/ events
(ii) Illuminates- brightens/ makes brighter/ lets light come in/
lights up the dark room

Let us do one more inferential question.
Why does the character search for a ‘fleck of light against the gray atmosphere’,
lines 18-19?

With the storm raging outside
20 of light against the gray atmosphere. the darkened room, why
Forever, I think. would the character search
for light?
But just then,
the rain stops,
the thunder ceases,
25 and it’s all gone
just in time
for dawn.
Why does the character search for a ‘fleck of light against the gray atmosphere’, lines 18-19?
Possible Answers:
The character searches for a ‘fleck of light’ because

• he/she is hoping to see a sign that the storm/heavy rainfall is
coming to an end.
• he/she is curious to see what is happening outside of the room,

during the storm.

Inferential questions
• The answers are in the poem, but not

explicitly stated.
• Ask you to connect details between or

among stanzas
• Consider the hints and clues in the poem

CONGRATULATIONS !
You have completed inferential questions.

Lesson 3:
Answering
Evaluation/Appreciation
Questions
Evaluation/Appreciation Questions
Ask you to make a judgement about:
• Characters’ actions in the poem
• What you liked or disliked about the
poem
• The way the poet crafted the poem
These questions ask you to think critically about what you have read.

Question: How is the mood in lines 1-15 different from the mood in lines 22-26?
Let’s
This question wants
you to compare the
quickly
mood in one part of
the poem to the mood review
Mood
in another part

Remember- Mood and tone can be confused very easily !
Tone Mood
It refers to how the poet feels It refers to the feeling or
towards the subject, or towards atmosphere the poet describes.
something.
It is how you feel when you read
The tone is implied by the words the poem.
used.

Mood is the feeling created by the poet. It is how you feel when you read the
poem.
To find the mood in a poem, look for key words that appeal to your emotions
and senses and which make you feel a particular way.

Some words that can describe mood
Happy, excited, optimistic
Angry, irate, frustrated
Sad, gloomy, pessimistic

Some words that can describe mood
Relaxed, blissful, tranquil, serene
Fearful, scared, frightened

• Look for words that will appeal to your
emotions
• Look for words that appeal to your
How can we senses
• Examine the behaviour of characters
identify mood • Examine the setting of the poem
in a poem?
•How do these make you feel?

Let’s return to the question: How is the mood in lines 1-15 different from the mood
in lines 22-26? We must first look at lines 1-15 in the poem.
Sometimes, I wake up *Zeus knocks his fist at my front door

when the stars are still shining. while the wind yells at me through the glass,
But the peaceful dark is suddenly interrupted rumbling and grumbling throughout the night.
by a rumble as loud as an explosion. Branches fall while puddles grow
A frightened little dog runs up to my bed. and lightning illuminates my room like a lantern,
Thump, thump, a warm ball next to me. sparking a glimmer of hope inside my dark
Beyond my window is a water jungle, bedroom.
but my bed is a soft sanctuary. Rain and rumble scare the little dog.
Note the words/phrases that create a specific mood:

‘suddenly interrupted’, ‘an explosion', 'frightened’, ‘wind yells’, ‘rumbling and
grumbling’
How do these words make you feel?
Now let’s look at lines 22-26.
the rain stops,

Note the words and phrases that create a
the thunder ceases,
specific mood;
and it’s all gone ‘rain stops’, ‘thunder ceases’, ‘it’s all gone’
just in time
How do these make you feel?
for dawn.

Remember you have to compare the moods
Note the words/phrases that create a

specific mood: Note the words and phrases that
‘suddenly interrupted’, ‘an explosion', create a specific mood;
'frightened’, ‘wind yells’, ‘rain stops’, ‘thunder ceases’, ‘it’s
‘rumbling and grumbling’ all gone’
How do these words make you feel? How do these make you feel?

Question:
How is the mood in lines 1-15 different from the mood in lines 22-26?
Answer:
The mood in lines 1-15 is frightening/scary/fearful/threatening.
The storm is in progress and is loud and noisy. The behaviour of
the storm conveys a lot of menace and violence.
The mood in lines 22-26 changes from the earlier lines.
Suddenly, the storm has passed and the mood is one of
peacefulness and calm, as the new day dawns. There is a sense
of reassurance that with the new day, all will be well.

Let us try another Evaluation/Appreciation question.
Is the title of the poem, ‘Midnight Storm,’ suitable? Explain your answer.
Remember the title is supposed to give an idea of what the poem is about
The title is, ‘Midnight Storm’
Is the poem about a storm that happens at midnight?
Let us read the poem again.

Sometimes, I wake up This tells it is

late night
by a rumble as loud as an explosion.
5 A frightened little dog runs up to my bed.
Thump, thump, a warm ball next to me. Rainfall is heavy


The wind is very
10 while the wind yells at me through the glass,
strong
15 Rain and rumble scare the little dog.
Rain and thunder scare
“When will it stop?” the dog
she pleads.

of light against the gray atmosphere.
There is
20 Forever, I think. information
But just then, throughout the
the rain stops, poem that shows a
the thunder ceases, storm is happening,
and it’s all gone Dawn comes early during the night. It
in the morning after is not clear what
25 just in time the night
time of night it is.
for dawn.

Question:
Is the title of the poem, ‘Midnight Storm,’ suitable? Explain your answer.
Possible Answers:
Yes, the title is suitable because the poem explores the occurrence of a storm
that happens unexpectedly during the night. The narrator describes the harsh
wind of the storm. The storm is frightening and feels like it will never end.
OR

No. The poem does not clearly indicate that the storm took place at midnight.
Additionally, the poem focuses on how the narrator feels while the storm is
happening, including comforting the dog. A better title would be, ‘A Sudden
Night Storm’.
We looked at evaluation/appreciation type questions.
These questions require critical thinking/making a judgement/giving your view.
The answers are not in the text but your response must be supported by
the information in the text .
There is no right or wrong answer, however, you must be able to support
my response.

CONGRATULATIONS !
You have completed the poetry lesson.

Narrator & Characters
To sum up- Rhyme & Rhythm

For any poem,
read carefully
to find what’s Mood & Atmosphere
on the right.
Main Details or Events
Language Use (including figures of

speech)
We hope you enjoyed
exploring this poem.
You did very well!
See you soon.
Curriculum Planning And Development Division 2021

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READING COMPREHENSION

Today, we are going to discuss Section 2

I hope you are eager to explore this with

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Literal One (2)

Inferential Two (3)

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• Questions based on the poem would be at three

• Vocabulary is also examined in context.

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But the peaceful dark is suddenly interrupted “When will it stop?”

but my bed is a soft sanctuary. But just then,

and lightning illuminates my room like a lantern, for dawn.

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The answer must be a line. You must focus on the sense of

What does thunder sound like?

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We have to read the entire poem

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But the peaceful dark is suddenly interrupted

A frightened little dog runs up to my bed.

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*Zeus- The king of all gods and men

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*Zeus knocks his fist at my front door

*Zeus- The king of all gods and men

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Sound 2 Sound 4 Sound 2 Sound 8

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Let’s review our three

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E.g. Her house is as big as a castle.

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E.g. The moon smiles at me when I sleep.

something humans do HINT:

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• The guppies were miserable because of the gluttonous goldfish.

People feel misery or are miserable. Greedy people are gluttons.

Words! The vocabulary contains the clues!

Words and behaviours related to people, but used

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Remember the figures of

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Identify the figure of speech in the following phrases:

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• Drawing conclusions about setting based on

• Identifying words/language used to create

• Using context-clues (word structure clues,

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Explain the meaning of the following

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