Practice 1 Questions 1 – 6 are based on the extract from the poem ‘Heir Conditioning’ Heir Conditioning Grand dad did you breathe before air cons were invented? was it hard staying alive without modern inventions? Grandma weren’t you flustered as you fluttered with paper fans? could you communicate before faxes and long distance calls became basic necessities? Grandchild we lived before your age. Because of our ignorance, we did not know pollution, stress, traffic jams destruction of forests, streams and hills we feared God and nature now nature fears you and money is your new God. 1. Which word rhymes with ‘heir’? A. hare B. air C. airy D. hair 2. What is the tone of the poem? A. Sad B. Sarcastic C. Anger D. Sorrow 3. How does the poet view modernization? A. optimistic B. pessimistic C. confident D. cynical Practice 2
4 In stanza 1, the grandparents did not have all the following except A. air conditioners B. telephone C. fax machine D. paper fans 5. What does the title of the poem suggest? A. Changes on how the younger generation thinks. B. Changes in the mindset of the older generation C. We must appreciate all the modern inventions D. Technology is very important to mankind 6. What is meant in the line we feared God and nature… now nature fears you? A. we are scared of nature B. we are scared of God C. we actually destroyed nature D. nature destroyed our faith to God
Answers – Practice 1 B B D D A C
Practice 2 Questions 1 – 6 are based on the extract from the poem ‘Heir Conditioning’ Heir Conditioning Grand dad did you breathe before air cons were invented? was it hard staying alive without modern inventions? Grandma weren’t you flustered as you fluttered with paper fans? could you communicate before faxes and long distance calls became basic necessities? Grandchild we lived before your age. Because of our ignorance, we did not know pollution, stress, traffic jams destruction of forests, streams and hills we feared God and nature now nature fears you and money is your new God.
3. How many speakers does the poem have? A. one B. two C. three D. four 4. What is the theme of the poem? A. The usefulness of modern inventions. B. Technology is not good for us C. Respecting God D. Effects of development 5. What can you infer from the line Grand child we lived before your age? A. Grandparents enjoyed a long life B. Grandparents have more experience than grandchild C. Grandparents have lived a difficult life for a long time. D. Grandparents do not understand grandchild’s lifestyle
1. What is meant by ‘money is your new God’? A. Money can buy all the new inventions B. The younger generation worship money. C. Money is very important in our lives. D. The older generation realizes the importance of money. 2. What does the word ‘feared’ imply? A. scared of B. believed in C. hated D. angry at
6. What is the poet’s main concern in the second stanza? A. Spiritual well being B. Nature’s gift C. God’s gift D. Respect for the elders Answers – Practice 2 1.B 2.B 3.C 4.D 5.B
6. A
C. Grandparents and Grandchild D. Grandfather and Grandson
Practice 3 Questions 1 – 6 are based on the extract from the poem ‘Heir Conditioning’ Heir Conditioning Grand dad did you breathe before air cons were invented? was it hard staying alive without modern inventions? Grandma weren’t you flustered as you fluttered with paper fans? could you communicate before faxes and long distance calls became basic necessities? Grandchild we lived before your age. Because of our ignorance, we did not know pollution, stress, traffic jams destruction of forests, streams and hills we feared God and nature now nature fears you and money is your new God. 1. What is the message that the poet wishes to express in this poem? A. Grandchild is very modern B. Grandfather is very modern C. Effects of progress D. Nurture of spiritual beings 2. Which parties are talking in the dialogue in the poem? A. Grandfather and Grandmother B. Grandfather and God
3. The word ‘flustered’ means A. comfortable B. uncomfortable C. cool D. good 4. According to the poem, how does man treat nature nowadays? A. with a lot of fear B. with no respect C. with a lot of love D. with a lot of care 5. What is the grandchild’s reaction to his grandparents life in the past? A. angry B. disappointed C. puzzled D. sad 6. An example of ‘basic necessities’ would be something that is… A. expensive B. very essential C. trivial D. hardly useful
Answers – Practice 3 1. D 2. C 3. B 4. B 5. C 6. B
C. Very spiritual D. Very hard working
Practice 4 Questions 1 – 6 are based on the extract from the poem ‘Heir Conditioning’ Heir Conditioning Grand dad did you breathe before air cons were invented? was it hard staying alive without modern inventions? Grandma weren’t you flustered as you fluttered with paper fans? could you communicate before faxes and long distance calls became basic necessities? Grandchild we lived before your age. Because of our ignorance, we did not know pollution, stress, traffic jams destruction of forests, streams and hills we feared God and nature now nature fears you and money is your new God. 1. The poet suggests that damage to the environment cannot be prevented because… A. human beings are trained to do so. B. of the attitude of the young generation C. of the attitude of the older generation D. it is in God’s hands
3. What is the theme of the poem? A. modern inventions are useless B. progress destroys mankind C. we should not forget our spiritual values D. importance of money to buy modern gadgets 4. The phrase “because of our ignorance, we did not know pollution, stress, traffic jams” is A. metaphor B. sarcasm C. symbolism D. personification 5. The poet wants the younger generation to have … A. The exact life as their grandparents B. balance between development and conserving environment C. a good balance in the bank and be very spiritual D. respect for their grandparents. 6. One of the messages in the poem is … A. we should not be too dependent on modern gadgets to run our life B. we should be independent enough to
2. The phrase ‘money is your new God’ choose modern gadgets. show that nowadays we are… C. we should not be too dependent on Answers – Practice 4 A. Lazy B. Materialistic B
B C A
C
modern gadgets as it will ruin our life D. we should be dependent on modern gadgets to run our life.
C. both grandparent and grandchild D. grand dad and grandma. 2. According to the grandparents, they did not have to live in a polluted world… A. as they did not want any gadgets B. because there were a lot of trees left C. because they did not much money D. as they were not dependent on modern gadget
Practice 5 Questions 1 – 6 are based on the extract from the poem ‘Heir Conditioning’ Heir Conditioning Grand dad did you breathe before air cons were invented? was it hard staying alive without modern inventions? Grandma weren’t you flustered as you fluttered with paper fans? could you communicate before faxes and long distance calls became basic necessities? Grandchild we lived before your age. Because of our ignorance, we did not know pollution, stress, traffic jams destruction of forests, streams and hills we feared God and nature now nature fears you and money is your new God. 1. In the first stanza, the persona is the… A. grandchild B. grandparent
3. The verse “ we feared God and nature, now nature fears you” is an example of A. Similarities between the past and present B. How things are better now C. Comparison between the past and the present D. Things that not changed at all
4. What are the problems mentioned in the poem? A. modern inventions B. stress and pollution C. increase in crime rate D. power failure 5. Why did the poet use many questions in stanza one? A. to portray that the young generation is stupid B. to show that the inquisitiveness of a child C. to ensure that the grandparents answer the questions D. to portray that children were not educated in the past
6. Which of these lines show comparison between the past and present? A. Grandchild we lived before your age. Because of our ignorance,.. B. we feared God and nature now nature fears you.. C. Grand dad did you breathe before air cons were invented? D. Grandma weren’t you flustered as you fluttered with paper fans? Answers – Practice 5 A D C B B B