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Analysing the poem ‘What Were They Like?’ by Denise Levertov

Quiz by Oak National Academy: GCSE English Edexcel

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6 questions
Show answers
  • Q1
    What does 'harmony' mean?
    a pleasing combination of elements which result in a sense of unity or balance
    two contrasting elements found near or next to each other
    a piece of music, based on a historical piece of art
    more than one person singing together
    30s
  • Q2
    Why does Levertov frequently use repetition and symbolism in her 'answers' to each 'question' in the second stanza of 'What Were They Like?'
    to imply that history is figurative and can always be rewritten
    to suggest that history continually repeats itself
    to imply that war has changed symbols of joy to symbols of sadness and grief
    her poem has a repeated chorus which emphasises her overall message
    30s
  • Q3
    In 'What Were They Like?', Levertov uses references to heat damage, describing things as "burned" and "charred". How could this link to the wider context of the poem?
    She may be linking to the flamethrowers used by anti-communist forces.
    She could be referring to the forest fires that regularly occur in Vietnam.
    She could be linking to harsh weather conditions in Vietnam.
    She may be referencing the napalm firestorms which injured and killed millions.
    30s
  • Q4
    What is juxtaposition?
    a style of poetry that does not follow a specific rhyme scheme or rhythm
    a situation where two ideas or actions are in conflict with each other
    a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses for emphasis
    placing two or more things side by side, contrasting them for emphasis or effect
    30s
  • Q5
    How does the final line of 'What Were They Like?' convey a continued sense of grief and loss?
    It shifts to the present tense to imply that the grief is still ongoing.
    It shifts to the past tense to reflect on everything that was lost in the war.
    It uses repetition to show how little is remembered of Vietnamese culture.
    It uses a rhetorical question to emphasise how unnecessary the war was.
    30s
  • Q6
    Which of these quotations from 'What Were They Like?' conveys a sense of hope that remnants of Vietnamese culture have remained?
    "A dream ago, perhaps."
    "There is an echo yet"
    "Who can say?"
    "It was not remembered."
    30s

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