Quick Review Flashcards - Click to flip and test your knowledge!
Question
Who is the author of the poem 'Somebody’s Mother'?
Answer
Mary Dow Brine.
Question
Which two adjectives describe the physical appearance of the woman in the opening line?
Answer
Old and ragged.
Question
What environmental factor caused the woman to be 'bent' in the poem?
Answer
The chill of the Winter’s day.
Question
How is the street's condition described following the snowfall?
Answer
Wet and slippery.
Question
What adjective describes the speed of the old woman’s feet?
Answer
Slow.
Question
Where was the woman standing while she waited for a long time?
Answer
At the crossing.
Question
What collective term is used for the crowd of people who passed the woman by?
Answer
The throng.
Question
How did the passing crowd react to the woman’s 'anxious eyes'?
Answer
They did not heed or notice her glance.
Question
Why were the schoolboys described as being in a state of 'freedom'?
Answer
School had just let out.
Question
What simile is used to describe the group of boys coming down the street?
Answer
Like a flock of sheep.
Question
What were the children doing as they passed the old woman?
Answer
Hastening on their way without offering help.
Question
Identify two adjectives used to describe the woman's hesitant nature at the crossing.
Answer
Meek and timid.
Question
What specific danger made the woman afraid to move in the slippery street?
Answer
Being crowded down by carriage wheels or horses’ feet.
Question
How is the boy who finally helped the woman described in comparison to his group?
Answer
The gayest laddie of all the group.
Question
What did the boy whisper to the woman when he paused beside her?
Answer
“I’ll help you cross, if you wish to go.”
Question
Where did the woman place her hand while being helped across the street?
Answer
On the boy's strong young arm.
Question
What adjective describes the woman's feet as the boy guided her?
Answer
Trembling.
Question
What was the boy's emotional state after returning to his friends?
Answer
Happy and well content.
Question
What rationale did the boy give his friends for helping the old woman?
Answer
He noted that she is 'somebody’s mother,' despite being poor and slow.
Question
What is the boy’s hope regarding his own mother in the future?
Answer
That some fellow will help her when she is old and he is far away.
Question
What action did the old woman take in her home that night?
Answer
She bowed her head and said a prayer.
Question
What was the specific request in the old woman’s prayer?
Answer
That God be kind to the noble boy who helped her.
Question
What is the central theme of the poem 'Somebody’s Mother'?
Answer
Kindness and empathy.
Question
What is the overall tone of the poem?
Answer
Sympathetic and hopeful.
Question
In what poetic structure is the poem written?
Answer
Couplets.
Question
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
Answer
AABB.
Question
The rhythmic flow of the poem is designed to reflect both the narrative and the _____.
Answer
Emotions.
Question
What does the imagery of 'wet with a recent snow' emphasise about the woman?
Answer
Her vulnerability and helplessness in the cold weather.
Question
What is the most suitable meaning of 'ragged' as used to describe the woman’s clothes?
Answer
Old and torn or shabby.
Question
Identify an adjective from the text associated with the young boy's physical state.
Answer
Strong (or firm).
Question
Identify an adjective from the text associated with the old woman’s hair or age.
Answer
Grey.
Question
Which word describes the quick movement of the school students passing by?
Answer
Hastening.
Question
What word is used to describe the boy's feet in contrast to the woman's trembling ones?
Answer
Firm.
Question
Why does the poet repeat the phrase 'Somebody’s mother' throughout the poem?
Answer
To remind the reader that every elderly person is precious to someone.
Question
Analogy: The old woman is to vulnerable as the young boy is to _____.
Answer
Noble (or helpful).
Question
What phrase in the poem uses imagery to describe a bustling street?
Answer
Amid the throng.
Question
Identify an example of alliteration from the poem's description of the woman.
Answer
“Woman was” or “Winter’s day”.
Question
How many lines are typically found in each stanza of this poem?
Answer
Two (forming couplets).
Question
What does the boy mean by describing the woman as 'somebody's son, and pride and joy' in the woman's prayer?
Answer
He is a child who makes his own mother proud through his noble actions.
Question
Term: Throng
Answer
Definition: A large, densely packed crowd of people or animals.
Question
Term: Laddie
Answer
Definition: A Highland or informal Scottish term for a boy or young man.
Question
Term: Heeded
Answer
Definition: Paid attention to or took notice of someone's actions or appearance.
Question
What was the woman's primary fear at the crossing?
Answer
Being knocked down in the slippery street.
Question
What was the boy's motivation for helping the woman, related to his own family?
Answer
Reciprocity, hoping someone helps his mother when he is absent.
Question
How did the woman feel while waiting at the crossing before the boy arrived?
Answer
Alone and uncared for.
Question
What phrase indicates the children were happy about the winter weather?
Answer
Hailing the snow piled white and deep.
Question
In the context of the poem, what does 'stir' mean when the woman is 'afraid to stir'?
Answer
To move or take a step.
Question
What is the emotional effect of the boy being 'proud' of his firm feet while helping the woman?
Answer
It highlights the contrast between his youth and her frailty.
Question
What does the phrase 'gayest laddie' suggest about the boy's personality?
Answer
He was the most cheerful and spirited of the group.
Question
The woman's 'aged hand' placed on the 'strong young arm' is an example of what literary contrast?
Answer
Juxtaposition (of youth and age).
Question
What is the final event of the poem's narrative sequence?
Answer
The woman prays for the boy who helped her.
Question
Which word in the pre-reading activity is associated with being happy or cheerful?
Answer
Merry.
Question
Identify the word used to describe the boys' loud arrival.
Answer
Shout.
Question
What does the phrase 'noble boy' in the prayer imply about the boy's character?
Answer
He possesses high moral qualities and ideals.
Question
What is the significance of the woman being 'somebody's mother' to the boy's friends?
Answer
It grants her a universal human value that demands respect and aid.