Question 6

In this section, questions are set on the following poems:

• ‘Everything has changed (except graves)’ by Mzi Mahola
• ‘To learn how to speak …’ by Jeremy Cronin

NOTE: Answer the questions set on BOTH poems, i.e. QUESTION 6.1 AND
QUESTION 6.2.

6.1 Read the poem carefully and then answer the questions which follow.
The number of marks allocated to each question serves as a guide to the
expected length of your answer.

Everything has changed (except graves) – Mzi Mahola

6.1.1 I stood at the ruins’ (line 1).

Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence.
Write only the letter (A–D) next to the question number (6.1.1) in the
ANSWER BOOK.

The word ‘ruins’ means that the school is …

A new.
B maintained.
C renovated.
D neglected. (1)

6.1.2 Refer to line 4 (‘wild plants own every space now’).

(a) Identify the figure of speech in this line. (1)

(b) Explain why this figure of speech is relevant in this poem. (2)

6.1.3 Explain the metaphor used in line 5. (2)

6.1.4 Refer to lines 11–15 (‘the ground where … conceal my shame’). (2)

Quote TWO words to show that the speaker has experienced joy as
well as embarrassment at school.

6.1.5 Explain what is meant by, ‘though growth strangles it to near
extinction’ in line 23. Use your OWN words. (2)

6.1.6 Discuss why the speaker uses the words ‘voice’ and ‘its’ in
lines 31─32. (2)

6.1.7 One of the themes of the poem is change.

Discuss this theme in the context of the poem. (3)

6.1.8 The speaker overreacts when he describes the visit to his former (3)
school.

Discuss your view.

6.2 Read the poem carefully and then answer the questions which follow. The
number of marks allocated to each question serves as a guide to the
expected length of your answer.

6.2.1 Complete the following sentences by using the word(s) provided in
the list below. Write only the word(s) next to the question numbers
(6.2.1(a) to 6.2.1(b)) in the ANSWER BOOK.

Jeremy Cronin, a/an (a) … poet, writes about communication.
He uses words like ‘Chwannisberg’, which refers to (b) …, to show
that even the pronunciation of words poses a problem. (2)

6.2.2 Refer to line 2 (‘With the voices of the land’).

To what does ‘voices’ refer?

State TWO points.

6.2.3 Refer to line 5 (‘Stammer, call, cry, babble, tongue’s knot’).
(a) Identify the tone used in this line? (1) (1)
(b) Why would the speaker use this tone in this line? (1)

6.2.4 Refer to line 9 (‘Saying the suffix … -kuil, -pan, -fontein’).

Why does the speaker use ‘-kuil, -pan, -fontein’? (2)

6.2.5 Refer to line 20 (‘Its cow-skinned vowel’).
(a) Identify the figure of speech in this line. (1)
(b) Explain why this figure of speech is relevant in this poem. (2)

6.2.6 Why is the following statement FALSE?

‘just boombang’ (line 24) means the way words are divided into
syllables. (1)

6.2.7 Explain the difference between the first two and the last two lines of
this poem. (2)

6.2.8 The poem loses its effectiveness because the speaker uses too
many unfamiliar words and phrases.
Discuss your view. (3)

[35]

TOTAL SECTION D: 35
GRAND TOTAL: 70