UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA

FACULTY OF EDUCATION B.Ed.TESL

SESSION 2012/2013

SEMESTER 2

PBET3105 ASSESSMENT IN LITERATURE EDUCATION

LECTURER: Puan Zuwati Hasim

POEM & SHORT STORY PROJECT WORK

PREPARED BY:

DHASENI SOMASUNDRAM (PET100007)

SHALINI PALRAJ (PET100029)

TARISHINI VISVALINGAM (PET100031)

TEO KAR HUNG (PET100033)

13.5.2013

POEM: DEATH OF A RAINFOREST

ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATION TABLE

[10 marks] / [20 minutes]

GENRE OBJECTIVES NO. OF ITEMS ACORDING TO KNOWLEDGE LEVEL TOTAL

NO. OF

ITEMS K C A AN S E

POETRY

i. To identify the

subject of the poem

ii. To understand the

point of view

iii. To communicate an

informed personal

response to poems

iv. To identify poetic

devices and its

effects in poems.

2 1 1 1 1 1 7

K: Knowledge

C: Comprehension

A: Application

AN: Analysis

S: Synthesis

E: Evaluation

POEM: DEATH OF A RAINFOREST

[10 MARKS] / [20 MINUTES]

Answer the following questions based on the poem “Death of a Rainforest” by Cecil

Rajendra.

Death of a Rainforest - Cecil Rajendra

i wrestle with a rhinoceros

but no words will come

i hear tall trees crashing

wild birds screeching

a buffalo stampeding

but no words will come

i hear saw-mills buzzing

cash registers clicking

entrepreneurs yam-seng-ing

but no words will come

i hear of press conferences

of petitions, of signatures

of campaigns & lobbying

but no words will come

i hear the rain pounding

into desolate spaces

the widowed wind howling

but no words will come

the rhino is boxed and crated

merbok & meranti are gone

above, no monkeys swing

from no overhead branches

below, a pangolin stumbles

around amputated trunks

an orphaned butterfly

surveys the wounded jungle

yes, no words can fill

this gash of malevolence

but a terrible anger squats

hugging its knees in silence

Question 1 [1 mark]

Which of the following fauna are found in the poem? Tick ( ) the boxes with the correct

answers.

Merbok Butterfly

Saw-mills Pangolin

Question 2 [2 marks]

Based on your knowledge of the poem ‘Death of the Rainforest’, describe a theme in the

poem.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Question 3 [2 marks]

Read each question carefully, and then CIRCLE the answer that best fits the question.

i. Which line in poem supports extinction?

A. “I hear of press conferences”

B. “Merbok and meranti are gone”

C. “Cash register clicking”

D. “the widowed wind howling”

ii. The poet writes this poem to______________.

A. entertain us

B. emphasize the tragedy

C. create awareness

D. release her stress

Question 4 [1 mark]

Write ‘True’ (T) or ‘False’ (F) in the space provided.

a) The poet uses imagery of sound in the poem

b) The phrase cash register in the poem represents profit earned.

Question 5 [2 marks]

As a student, what can you do to preserve the rainforest?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Question 6 [2 marks]

Suggest an alternative title for the poem ‘The Death of Rainforest’. Justify your suggestion

with a reason.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

POEM MARKING SCHEME

No. Answer Marks

1.

Merbok Butterfly

Sawmills Pangolin

* Students must get all three answers correct to be awarded the 1

mark.

1

2.

Theme: Conflict between human and endangered species OR

accept any sensible theme

Explanation

1

1

3. i. B. “Merbok and meranti are gone”

ii. C. create awareness

1

1

4. a) T

b) T

0.5

0.5

5.

accept any 2 sensible answers

Suggested answers:

Use recycled paper

Join go green events in school

Plant trees

2

6.

* accept any sensible answers

Title

Justification

1

1

Total 10

SHORT STORY: NAUKAR

ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATION TABLE

[20 marks] / [40 minutes]

GENRE OBJECTIVES NO. OF ITEMS ACORDING TO KNOWLEDGE LEVEL

TOTAL

NO. OF

ITEMS K C A AN S E

SHORT

STORY

i. Identify and interpret

themes and messages in

the text

1 1

6

ii. Analyse and understand

plot in the text 1 1

iii. Describe characters and

interpret their interactions

and relationships with one

another

1

iv. Identify and interpret

literary devices in the text 1

K: Knowledge

C: Comprehension

A: Application

AN: Analysis

S: Synthesis

E: Evaluation

SHORT STORY: NAUKAR

[20 MARKS] / [40 MINUTES]

Answer the following questions based on the short story “Naukar” by Anya Sitaram.

Question 1 [3 marks]

Which of the following themes are portrayed in the short story “Naukar”? Tick ( ) the boxes

with the correct answers.

Question 2 [2 marks]

Based on your answers in Question 1, pick one of the themes found in the short story and

explain the theme with close reference to the text.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Question 3 [5 marks]

Read each statement and decide if it is T (True) or F (False). Circle your answer.

a. Julia Bannerjee is engaged to Nilkant Bannerjee and they live in Calcutta. T F

b. Nilkant Bannerjee usually returned home after work at six o’clock each

evening. T F

c. The rickshaw-wallah was satisfied with the aloo paratas, mango and water. T F

d. On her first wedding anniversary, her mother-in-law gives her an expensive

necklace T F

e. The necklace was stolen by the dhobi and the cook. T F

Social Prejudice

Reality vs. imagination

Poverty and Hardship

Death

Cultural differences

Question 4 [3 marks]

Read each question carefully, and then CIRCLE the answer that best fits the question.

i. The rickshaw-wallah is described as

A. Thin with pink sores and big hips

B. Strong but with swollen hands and big hips

C. Thin with puny waist and pole-like legs

D. Hardworking and has a built body

ii. Calcutta reeks of the following EXCEPT

A. Poverty

B. Confusion

C. Unemployment

D. Death

iii. The following are the settings of the short story EXCEPT

A. Busy streets of Calcutta

B. The marketplace

C. Nilkant’s and Julia’s house

D. Midlands, England

Question 5 [3 marks]

Match the following characteristics to their respective characters.

Characteristics Character

Generous and thoughtful Julia Bannerjee

Honest and grateful

Prejudiced Nilkant Bannerjee

Kind

Appreciates money more than

food

Rickshaw-wallah

Discriminates his own kind

Question 6 [4 marks]

The rickshaw-wallah was treated differently by Nilkant and Julia. Suggest reasons why this

happens?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

SHORT STORY MARKING SCHEME

No

. Answer Marks

1.

Social Prejudice

Reality vs. imagination

Poverty and Hardship

Death

Cultural differences

1

1

1

2.

Social Prejudice OR

Reality vs. imagination OR

Poverty and Hardship

* accept any sensible explanation

1

1

3.

a. F

b. T

c. F

d. T

e. F

1

1

1

1

1

4.

i. C

ii. C

iii. B

1

1

1

5.

Characteristics

Character

Generous and thoughtful Julia Bannerjee

Honest and grateful

Prejudiced Nilkant Bannerjee

Kind

Appreciates money more

than food

Rickshaw-wallah

Discriminates his own kind

* Each correct answer is awarded 0.5 marks.

3

6.

State how Nilkant treats the rickshaw-wallah:

Nilkant accuses the rickshaw-wallah of stealing Julia’s necklace without

investigations.

Nilkant has a stereotyped mentality: members of the lower castes cannot

be trusted.

1

1

State how Julia treats the rickshaw-wallah:

Julia is uncomfortable seeing the rickshaw-wallah transporting a ‘richer,

fatter, more fortunate being’ to her destination.

Having come from a highly developed country, Julia has a culture shock

when she sees the poor people at Calcutta, their poor living conditions,

and the poor treatment that they receive.

* accept any sensible explanation

Model answer:

Julia is uncomfortable seeing the rickshaw-wallah labouring with the task

of transporting a ‘richer, fatter, more fortunate being’ to her destination. Having

come from a highly developed country, namely England, Julia has a culture shock

when she sees the poor people at Calcutta, their poor living conditions, and the

poor treatment that they receive. This leads her to feel compassion towards the

rickshaw-wallah. Also, having come from England, Julia has comparatively much more money to spare. This combination of compassion and relative wealth leads

Julia to treat the rickshaw-wallah kindly.

Nilkant gets his break when Julia’s gold necklace — her anniversary gift

— is stolen one day. The rickshaw-wallah is swiftly accused of committing the

crime. In Nilkant’s own words, “Of course he’s guilty. It’s obvious.” Harbouring

the traditional notion that members of the lower castes cannot be trusted, Nilkant

quickly jump to the conclusion that the rickshaw-wallah is guilty. They take him

away to be questioned, and for three days he refuses to admit to the crime.

In conclusion, cultural differences cause the rickshaw-wallah to be treated

differently by Julia and Nilkant. Julia’s upbringing in a culture that places

importance on human rights greatly differs from the traditional Indian culture of

class separation.

1

1

Total 20