Try Tutors Video: IAB Poems Exam Preparation

Purpose of the Video

Step 1: Reread the poem to refresh memory on themes, figures of speech, and poetic devices.
Step 2: Read through questions, highlighting keywords and mark allocations.
Approach questions by stepping into the marker’s shoes to maximize marks.

Question 1: Evaluate whether the title enhances or distracts from the tone and theme (4 marks).
- Circle keywords: title, tone, theme.
- Breakdown: Explain title, tone, theme, and logical reasoning.
- Aim for full sentences and detailed explanations.
Question 2: Explain the effectiveness of the choice of pronoun in line 1 (2 marks).
- Identify pronoun, quote it, explain its effectiveness.
Question 3: Explain "some are completely indelible" in stanza four (meaning-focused).
- Underline quote, explain on a literal and thematic level.

Question 4: Explain the meaning of "Who can read the whispers of your mind" in context (3 marks).
- Discuss the meaning of the lines and the context of the poem.
- Provide quotes and thorough explanations.
Intertextual Question 5: Compare how both poems use structure.
- Discuss the utilization of a certain technique in each poem.
- Structure comparisons should lead to a logical conclusion.

Focus: Structure of answers, integration of quotes, and amount of information per mark allocation.
Example Answers:
- Question 1: Discusses title as an extended metaphor; links tone (reflective, melancholic) and theme (heartbreak).
- Question 2: Explains pronoun 'you' as emphasizing authenticity and direct address.
- Question 3: Imagery of indelible marks relates to lasting memories.
- Question 4: Meaning of lines linked to theme of unknowability; used train metaphor for context.
- Question 5: Structural elements (enjambment, free verse) relate to themes of heartbreak and life's directionlessness.