wrote poetry. He wanted Richard to fit in with other people.
Everyone called him a
Dear Mr Kilmer Form 5 SPM – Sample Answers
Question 1 (SPM 2007)
‘It is important to have a person you look up to in your life.’
From the novel that you have read, write about one character that you look up to. Give reasons
why you choose him/her.
Sample answer
The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. One
character that I looked up to was Richard. There were three reasons why I looked up
to Richard.
Firstly, he loved animals. This was shown when Richard purposely
missed shooting a buck. Richard thought that hunting was not important. Richard
could not kill animals. Gus, Richard’s elder brother, was upset with Richard because
Richard purposely misfired. Richard’s father, Pa, was also disappointed with
Richard. Pa asked Richard why he purposely missed shooting the buck. Richard told
Pa that he had no right to kill it. Richard told Pa that he felt painful and sad to kill an
animal. Pa told Richard not to go hunting anymore if he did not like it.
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, 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
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
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
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, I admired and respected Richard because he had good
Event personalities.
1
Question 2 (SPM 2008)
Using the details from the novel that you have studied,
• Describe what happens at the end of the novel.
• Explain why you find the ending either happy or sad.
4 Sample answer Event
The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. At the end of
the story, Richard’s father finally supported his passion in writing poetry. This was a
happy ending.
Richard Knight had a secret. Nobody knew that he wrote poetry including 2
his 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 5
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
2 whether 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.
5
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
1
 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.
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?
Sample answer
The novel that I studied was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. A
difficult decision made by Richard was to tell people that he wrote poetry. This was
the right decision.
Richard Knight had a secret. Nobody knew that he wrote poetry including
his 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 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 poetry.Richard asked whether his family members
wanted to read his poems. Nobody was interested. Richard was sad.
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.
Question 4 (SPM 2012)
Based on the novel you have studied, write about an event that makes you angry?
With close reference to the text, give reasons why the event makes you feel this way.
Sample answer Event
The novel that I studied was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. An event
that made me angry was when the Schermers’ tavern was vandalised. I was angry
because of two reasons.
Firstly, I was angry because some Turtle Lake people were being unfair to 4
the Schermers. They vandalized the Schermers tavern. They painted “Dirty Huns” all 3
over the walls. They said that the Schermers were Huns. Some Turtle Lake people
believed that Huns were a barbaric clan originated from Germany. They said that the
Schermers were unpatriotic because they spoke German and served Hun food at their
Event tavern while a war was going on against Germany.
4
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
2 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.
5 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.
5
2
Question 5 (SPM 2015  Similar to SPM 2007)
Suggest one character in the novel you have read who you think is a good role model for
teenagers.
Briefly describe the character and give reasons for your choice with close reference to the text.
Sample answer
The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. A good role
model for teenagers was Richard. Richard was 15 years old. He was tall, pale and
slender. Richard was Mr Knight’s son. He was Angie and Gus’s younger brother. He
was Mr Kilmer’s penpal and Hannah’s best friend. He loved poetry. There were three
reasons why I chose Richard.
Firstly, he 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,
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.
Secondly, Richard was brave. This was shown when Richard told his
family he wrote poetry. Before telling his secret to his family, Richard wrote a
letter to Mr Kilmer. Mr Kilmer was Richard’s penpal. Richard learnt about Mr
Kilmer whenRichard’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.
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
Event good personalities.
Question 6 (SBP Trial 2016)
Which character in the novel do you sympathize with? Explain why you sympathize with this
character with close reference to the text.
4
Sample answer Event
The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. The
character I sympathized with was Hannah Schermer. There were three reasons why I
sympathized with her.
3
Firstly, her schoolmates called her ‘Dirty Hun’. They even scrawled “Dirty
Hun” all over her book cover. Some Turtle Lake people believed that Huns were a
barbaric clan originated from Germany. They said that the Schermers were
unpatriotic because they spoke German and served Hun food at their tavern while a
war was going on against Germany. Starting from this incident, the Schermers were
2 always being mistreated by some of the Turtle Lake people. 4
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
5 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 6
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
6 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.
In conclusion, although Hannah Schermer and her family was mistreated
by some Turtle Lake people, they remained calm and patient.
3
Question 7 (Kedah Trial 2016)
It is important to stand up for what is right. Discuss how this is portrayed in the novel you have
read.
Sample answer
The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. The
statement “It is important to stand up for what is right” was portrayed by Richard in
three different events.
Firstly, this statement was portrayed when Richard purposely missed
shooting a buck. Richard thought that hunting was not important. Richard could not
kill animals. Gus, Richard’s elder brother, was upset with Richard because Richard
purposely misfired. Richard’s father, Pa, was also disappointed with Richard. Pa
asked Richard why he purposely missed shooting the buck. Richard told Pa that he
had no right to kill it. Richard told Pa that he felt painful and sad to kill an animal. Pa
told Richard not to go hunting anymore if he did not like it. Even though Pa
disagreed with Richard’s opinion about hunting, he did not force Richard to do what
he hated.
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
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
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 truly a character who stuck to his principles to
do what was right.
Question 8 (N9 Trial 2016)
“People should be allowed to follow their dreams.”
Write about a character who wants to realise his or her dream.
Event Sample answer Event
The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. A
character who wanted to realise his dream was Richard. Richard wanted to be a
poet.
1 2
Richard Knight had a secret. Nobody knew that he wrote poetry including
his 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 he should tell his secret to everybody. A few days later, Richard received a 5
4 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. 7
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
6 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, Richard faced many obstacles in his journey of becoming a
poet. In the end, he managed to realise his dream.
4
Question 9 (Kelantan Trial 2016)
‘Family supports family.’
With close reference to the text, how far is this true of the novel you have studied?
Sample answer
The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. The
statement “Family supports family” was not true in the beginning of the story.
However, it became true at the end of the story.
Richard Knight had a secret. Nobody knew that he wrote poetry including
his 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 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
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.
In conclusion, the bond in a family strengthened when family supported
each other.
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.
Event Sample answer Event
The novel that I read was ‘Dear Mr Kilmer’ by Anne Schraff. The
statement “Family supports family” was not true in the beginning of the story.
However, it became true at the end of the story.
Richard Knight had a secret. Nobody knew that he wrote poetry including
2 his family, teachers and schoolmates. One day, Richard learnt about Mr Kilmer 2
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 he should tell his secret to everybody. A few days later, Richard received a
5 letter from Mr Kilmer. Mr Kilmer advised Richard to overcome his fear. Mr Kilmer 5
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.
7 Nobody was interested. Richard was sad. 7
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 bond in a family strengthened when family supported
each other.
5
POEM EXERCISE : CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE 14. What were the soldiers told to do when they rode into the valley of death?

1. Where is the setting of the poem? 15. Why do you think the soldiers followed the order even is it would cause their death?

2. Which line in the poem tells us that the soldiers obeyed the order without question?
16. Despite being attacked from all sides, the soldiers continued on. What consequences would
the soldiers have to face if they decided to retreat? Provide reason for your answer.
3. Why do you think the line "Rode the six hundred" is repeated many times in the
poems?

4. Give one quality that you admire about the soldiers. Give a reason for your response. 17. Why do yo think the persona asked whether there was " a man dismayed"?

5. What is the command given to the soldiers? 18. There are many jobs today that require people to be brave. Give another example of a job that
requires bravery. Provide reason for your answer.
6. Give an example of a metaphor used in the poem.

7. Which line in the poem tells the reader that the command was a mistakes? 19. In stanza 2, which word in the poem means 'made a mistake'?

20. What is the theme of the poem?

8. What do you think is the outcome of the battle? Support your response with evidence
from the poem.

21. What is the Light Brigade?

9. In stanza 1, who is speaking to the soldiers?

22. Give one example of personification used in the poem?

10. In stanza 2, what does the line, "theirs but to do and die" tell us about?

23. What does the Valley of Death symbolises?

11. What happened to the soldiers in stanza 3?

24. Which word in Stanza 2 means "mistake"?

12. What emotions does the poem evoke? What do you feel as you read it? Support your response
with evidence from the poem.
25. How many soldiers were involved in the war?

13. In stanza 2, which phrase in the poem means to go forward over a set distance?

6
26. Suggest two ways to protect your country? 35. Give two adjectives to describe the six hundred men?

1. Be patriotic Courageous/ brave/ noble/ heroic/ loyal/ patriotic/obedient

2. Cherish these natural wonders/cherish the natural resources/ cherish the history and romance 36. In Stanza 1 the phrase valley of Death means
as a sacred heritage for your children and your children's children.

3. Be loyal to one's country

37. In Stanza 1 which word means “to advance”?
27. How do you feel about war? Provide a reason to support your response.

38. In stanza 2 who has made the mistakes that caused the tragedy?
28. In stanza one, what does the phrase “the Valley of Death” refer to?

39. There are many ways to show our love towards our nation. Suggest two ways.
29. Why do you think the poet refers the valley as “The Valley of Death”?
i. Contribute towards nation building by being a good citizen

ii. Be united and uphold justice in our country.

30. Why did the soldiers ride to their death?

40. From Stanza 2, which line shows the evidence that the soldiers had followed orders?
31. In stanza 1, what was the light brigade ordered to do?

41. Why do you think the soldiers had blindly followed orders? Give your reason.
32. In stanza 2, what does the word ‘dismayed’ suggest?

33. In stanza 2, what does the line “Someone had blundered” suggests?

34. Write the meanings of the following lines:

i. Theirs not to reply :

ii. Theirs not to reason why :

iii. Theirs but to do and die:

7
50 IDIOMATIC EXPRESSSIONS YOU MUST KNOW
The correct use of idiomatic expressions will earn you merit points when you write your essays. 13 can't make heads or tails of something
can't understand something at all;
1 ace find something confusing and illogical.
Get an "A" on a test, homework assignment, project, etc. I cannot make heads or tails of your notes. Were you sleepy during the class?
I heard that Susie aced the test yesterday
14 catch one's eye
2 As easy as a pie attract one's attention/interest.
very easy This colourful advertisement caught my eye when I was in the bus.
The test was as easy as a pie.
15 change one's mind
3 at the eleventh hour decide to do something different from what had been decided earlier.
at the last minute; almost too late. David did not go to Australia. He changed his mind when he heard that his mother is ill.
He finished the project at the eleventh hour and he nearly lost his job.
16 cost (someone) an arm and a leg cost a lot;
4 all ears be very expensive.
eager to hear what someone has to say. This car costs him an arm and a leg. He has to get another job to help pay for it.
Tell me about your latest trip overseas. I’m all ears.
17 couch potato
5 be broke someone who spends too much time watching TV.
be without money. You are becoming a couch potato. You need to get out and do some exercise.
I need to borrow some money. I am broke.
18 Don't count your chickens until (before) they hatch (they've hatched) Don't assume that
6 be on the go something will happen until it has happened.
be very busy (going from one thing or project to another). I think you should not count your chickens until they’ve hatched. Wait till the boys win the
I am very tired. I've been on the go since 5 in the morning. competition this Sunday.

7 beat 19 drop someone a line

exhausted; very tired write to someone
I need a break after this. I'm beat!" Do drop me a line when you have time.

8 beat around the bush 20 drag one's feet delay;

evade an issue; avoid giving a direct answer. take longer than necessary to do something.
Stop beating around the bush! Just tell me what happened to my car. Why are you dragging your feet? You should have finished your homework by now.

9 bite off more than one can chew 21 an eager beaver

take responsibility for more than one can manage. a person who is always willing to volunteer or do extra work.
Mrs Lee finds it difficult to finish all her work. She has bitten off more than she could chew!" Rahim is an eager beaver. He is the first to volunteer for any job to be done.

10 blow one's top 22 feel blue

become extremely angry. feel sad and depressed.
My father blew his top when he found out I had taken his car without his permission. Rita is feeling blue because she has not heard from her boyfriend for a long time.

11 burn the midnight oil 23 fire someone

study/work all night or until very late at night. dismiss someone from a job because of poor performance. Lokman might be fired if he continues
Johan is not ready for the test. He will have to burn the midnight oil. to be late for work.
12 call it a day
stop work for the day. 24 get it
The labourers call it a day after working for five hours on the field. understand something (often negative).

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I don’t get it. Could you please explain it to me again? 36 make a mountain out of a molehill
make something seem much more important than it really is.
25 get on one's nerves Susila is making a mountain out of a molehill. I am sure the boys are perfectly capable of looking
irritate someone; make someone upset. after themselves.
His constant chatter is getting on my nerves. Please tell him to keep quiet.
37 make up one's mind
26 get out of hand: decide what to do
become out of control; become badly managed. Malik has to make up his mind whether to continue his studies or take up a job.
The situation is getting out of hand. The relief centre can only hold forty people but we have one
hundred people to care for. 38 on the dot exactly at a given time.
If you do not come on the dot, we will leave without you.
27 give someone a hand
i. help someone. 39 (on the) cutting edge
ii. applaud someone using the most recent technology
Please give a hand to the poor old lady. She is trying to cross the road. This car boasts of having a cutting edge technology. It has a computer and tracking system.
The gardener has done a wonderful landscaping job. Let’s give him a hand.
40 pull someone's leg tease someone by trying to make her/him believe something that's untrue.
28 Hard-headed She pulled my leg when he said that he had quit his job to get married.
have one's hands full stubborn; inflexible; unwilling to change.
41 Rain or shine
It’s pretty difficult to get Simon to change his mind. He is hard-headed. no matter what the weather
29 have one's hands full "We're leaving for Cameron Highlands, rain or shine."
extremely busy
Peggy usually has her hands full in the beginning of a new school term. 42 rain cats and dogs
Rain heavily
30 in the black: It’s raining cats and dogs now. You better leave later.
profitable; not showing a financial loss.
The company is back in the black after suffering from great losses the last two months. 43 read someone's mind:
know what someone is thinking.
31 in the red: I can read your mind. I know you are very hungry and I have ordered pizza.
unprofitable; showing a financial loss.
The company is in the red. We have to stop some of the workers if the situation continues. 44 rub someone the wrong way
irritate someone
32 keep an eye on I cannot stand Robert. He seems to rub me the wrong way every time we discuss something.
check something regularly.
Please keep an eye on the children while I go to the bank. 45 sleep on it take some time to think about something before making a decision.
You should sleep on it first and we will discuss again tomorrow.
33 keep one's fingers crossed 46 To make his own bed; now let him lie in it.
hope for the best. Someone has caused his/her own problems; he/she will have to solve them himself/herself.
He is keeping his fingers crossed while waiting for the results of his interview. He insisted that he should take up the project alone. So, he has made his own bed, let him lie in it.
34 lend someone a hand
help someone. 47 under the weather
Can you please lend a hand at the relief centre for the flood victims? ill; unwell.
Susan was feeling under the weather yesterday, so she decided not to go to work."
35 live from hand to mouth
survive on very little money; have only enough money 48 until you're blue in the face
to pay for basic needs. forever
Ros and the children live from hand to mouth after the fire destroyed their house. You can advise him until you're blue in the face, but he won’t change his ways.

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49 wet behind the ears inexperienced and naive. 12. Give it a shot – give it a try
I do not think Suresh is suitable for this project. He is still wet behind the ears, having only joined Just give this competition a shot, you may be able to unleash your hidden potential.
us last month.

50 wishy-washy:
13. Make up your mind – to decide something
without an opinion of one's own.
I had to make up my mind as fast as lightning because my sister’s life is currently on the line.
You better check with the other members. John can be wishy-washy at times.

USEFUL IDIOMS 14. Time flies – time passing fast

It is common to feel that time flies during an examination. So just keep track on your time and
you will never hand in an empty paper.
1. Feeling under the weather – feeling unwell
If you ever feel under the weather, just drink a lot of liquid and get plenty of rest. 15. Speak your mind – say what you honestly feel
Quit beating around the bushes and speak your mind. I have no time to argue with your endless
2. Eleventh hour – at the last minute mambo jumbo.
To get flying colours for your exam, you must avoid doing things at the eleventh hour.
16. Beating around the bushes – avoid giving direct answer.
3. Around the corner – something is getting near
When exam is around the corner, students will start to feel the pressure of it. 17. Mumbo jumbo – words that intend to confuse

4. Over the moon – feeling very happy 18. Bear in mind – remember
I am feeling over the moon for your invitation to visit your country! I hope that I have shared enough information about how to write a good essay. Bear in mind that
you can always ask me for more tips and advices in the future!
5. On the cloud nine – feeling very happy
Jeane is feeling on the cloud nine after got the news that she is accepted to Harvard University. 19. Stretch our legs – get some exercise
Upon reaching Mount Kinabalu’s base point, we stretched our legs and prepare mentally for the
6. Hit the books – study hard journey.
You may need to start hitting the book because exam is around the corner.
20. Cross my mind – to think about something
7. Brainstorm – to think very hard You crossed my mind too often lately that I cannot resist but to write you this letter.
I recommend you to be in a study group so that you can brainstorm these tricky questions with
them. 21. Slip my mind – to forget something
Pardon me for my carelessness, I will make sure that this task will not slip my mind anymore in
8. Birdbrain – expression for someone who is not so smart the future!
Don’t be a handsome man with a birdbrain. 22. Give a piece of your mind – give some of your thoughts/ideas
Let me give you a piece of my mind about how to handle stress.
9. Bookworm – someone who likes reading
I am not telling you to be a bookworm, but you need to start reading more to write better essays. 23. Cross your fingers – to wish good luck
I hope you have done your best in the competition. Let’s just cross our fingers and hope for the
10. Hang in there – don’t give up yet
best!
Despite all the chaos happening in your house, just hang in there because after every storm, there
will always be a rainbow. 24. Safe and sound – safe
I am glad that you reached in Tenom safe and sound. Send my regards to your family!

25. Out of the blue – without warning

11. Give/lend a hand – to help someone
Dark skies and raging thunders, it was terrifying. I was alone in the house and out of the blue, I
If you want to have a happier life, make it a habit to lend others a hand to achieve their goal.
heard a sound of shattered glasses in the kitchen. It turned out my naughty cats dropped my
favourite cup!

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26. Get cold feet – getting nervous 39. Bite your tongue – to avoid talking
I am pretty sure that Usain Bolt also gets cold feet before every competition. So worry no more. Michone bit her tongue and squeezed the hands when they were making fun of her.
If he can do it well in every race, so can you!
40. Grab a bite – eat
27. I’m all ears – I’m listening intently Remember to grab a bite before starting your day.
I know that all those troubles in your house is bothering you a lot, but bear in mind that I’m all
ears. 41. Practice makes perfect – with a lot of practices, you will get better
Just like the guy in the movie Whiplash, he practiced drumming all day and night because he
28. See eye to eye – agree with each other knows that practice makes perfect.
To be able to see eye to eye with your partner is the key to a successful marriage. Even if you
cannot do so, compromise is the plan B! 42. Raining cats and dogs – the rain is heavy and noisy
I was starting to feel worried, my parents still had not fetch me from school and I had a sixth
29. At your fingertips – easily accessible sense that it will rain cats and dogs soon!
With the latest technology advancement nowadays, searching for information as detail as
someone’s home address is at our fingertips. 43. You are what you eat – if you eat healthy food, you will get a healthy body
Obesity is a forever rising issue among every range of ages. So bear in mind that you are what
30. The bottom line – the final result you eat. Start practicing healthy lifestyle now.
The bottom line of the research is that every yea, people eliminate tons of garbage in their
household. 44. Race against the clock – an attempt to do something very quickly
Never race against the clock while finishing your assignments.
31. Rain check - to cancel something now but will accept it later
45. At the crack of dawn – early in the morning
Due to my parents’ current financial situation, I need to take a rain check for the annual dinner. We started our journey to conquer Mount Everest at the crack of dawn.

32. A blessing in disguise – something good behind an event

Be strong my dear friend, believe that there is a blessing in disguise. This depressing event will
make you a better and stronger person in the future. Hang in there!

33. Every cloud has a silver lining – something good behind an event

34. Be in hot water – to be in dangerous situation

I regret my decision for coming to this adventure. Not only it was giving me a hard time
surviving in a deep forest, it also made me be in hot water when we encountered the tiger!

35. Call it a day – to stop something after working hard

I decided to call it a day after 5 hours of doing revisions and exercises.

36. Rome was not built in a day – things take time to succeed
Lee Chong Wei is among the greatest badminton player in the world because he started training
early. It shows that Rome was not built in a day. Greatness takes time to achieve.

37. You can’t judge a book by its cover – you cannot tell someone’s true personality simply
by appearance
I was feeling blue when I found out that I got that worst looking cookie among my friends.
However, it tasted phenomenal because the ugliness was cause by ample of chocolate chips! This
made me realize that we cannot judge a book by its cover.

38. Go to the extra mile – to make extra effort for something

In order to be better than your friends, you must go to the extra miles where nobody has
been.

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