Unseen Poetry
Overview
Section B of Paper 2A is thirty marks on a poem you have never read before. There is no set text to revise, no context to look up and no teacher's reading to fall back on. For a lot of candidates that makes it the frightening part of the paper, and for the ones who prepare properly it becomes the most reliable, because the poem is chosen to be readable and the procedure for handling it never changes.
This lesson gives you that procedure and then performs it in full on a practice poem written for the purpose, so you can watch a reading being built from nothing rather than being told what to look for. You will also see exactly what the published mark scheme lists as indicative content for an unseen poem, which turns out to be the clearest statement anywhere of what an examiner is hoping to find.
Objectives
- In preparing for the unseen poetry section of the examination students should experience a wide range of poetry in order to develop their ability to closely analyse poems. They should be able to analyse and compare key features such as their content, theme, structure and use of language.
Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Unseen Poetry. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- How many marks is the unseen poetry section worth? A. 20 B. 25 C. 30 D. 40 Answer: C
- Which of these is NOT named in the mark scheme's AO2 indicative content for the unseen poem on the paper studied? A. Punctuation, line and stanza lengths B. The poet's biography C. The use of command to instruct D. The use of metaphor Answer: B
- In an unseen answer, which is the safest way to refer to the person inside the poem? A. The author B. The narrator of the story C. The poet D. The speaker Answer: D
- What is enjambment? A. A pause in the middle of a line B. A repeated consonant sound C. A sentence running past the end of a line D. Two words that nearly rhyme Answer: C
- How many of Paper 2A's three sections are on texts nobody has seen before? A. None B. One C. Two D. Three Answer: C
Work through these questions in the app
Work through these questions in the app
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