Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College

In this book, you will:- 

Language Arts 

♦ learn how to use English language in artistic and interesting ways 

♦ read different literary works like poems and songs 

♦ try and make use of the concepts you learn and write literary works yourself 

Contents 

Unit Page Concept in focus Text Genre 

1 3 Stanza and Verse A Good Day Poem 

2 7 Theme I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing Song 

3 9 Syllable and Haiku Computer Haikus Poem 

4 12 Rhyme I Have A Friend Poem 

5 15 Rhyme Scheme Walking In The Air Song 

6 19 Repetition I Made A Mistake Poem 

7 23 Creativity Can You Imagine Poem 

8 25 Exaggeration I Had A Secret Poem 

9 27 Contrast If I Could Grant A Wish For You Poem 

10 30 Couplet Ten Little Aliens Poem 

11 34 Quatrain Best Friends Poem 

12 38 Figures of speech: 

Simile and metaphor 

Squeak, Moon and Untitled Poem 

13 42 Enjambment My Little Sister Poem 

14 45 Alliteration Buttered Bacon Biscuits, Ohio River 

and Fall 

Poem 

15 47 Onomatopoeia Marching Band Poem 

16 49 Personification The Cat & The Fiddle Poem 

17 51 Shape We Start With Early Morning Poem 

18 55 Pun Impossible To Obey Joke 

19 57 Free verse Survival Poem 

20 60 Parable The Stone In The Road Short 

story 

1

Unit 1 

Part A Concept in focus – Stanza and Verse 

1. What is a stanza? 

A stanza is a group of lines of poetry forming a unit. 

2. What is the difference between stanza and paragraph? 

Stanzas in poems are like paragraphs in passages, but they look very different. In a 

stanza, the lines are separate, whereas in a paragraph, the lines just keep going on 

and on. 

3. What is verse? 

Another name for stanza is verse. In songs, we usually call the stanzas verses. 

Part B Concept Practice 

Practice 1 Look at the following two short bits of text. The contents are the same but 

their layouts are different. Which one is a stanza? Which one is a paragraph? 

1. You are the candle that’s glowing in my heart. When darkness 

surrounds me, you make it fall apart. I am much stronger from all 

that you impart. You are the candle that’s glowing in my heart. 

2. You are the candle that’s glowing in my heart. 

When darkness surrounds me, 

You make it fall apart. 

I am much stronger 

From all that you impart. 

You are the candle that’s glowing in my heart. 

___________ 

___________ 

Practice 2 Look at some of the poems and songs in this book and find out how many 

stanzas each has. 

Unit Text Number of stanzas 

2 I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing 

4 I Have A Friend 

5 Walking In The Air 

6 I Made A Mistake 

7 Can You Imagine 

2

Part C Text reading 

A 

Go o d Da y 

Peggy Field 

Today is one of my best days, 

(I’m trying to be good) 

I haven’t eaten 1 ________________ yet, 

My language has been good. 4 

I haven’t whined or been a grouch, 

I haven’t criticized. 

I haven’t nagged my family yet, 

I think I’ll 2 ________________. 8 

I haven’t used my credit card 

On foolish impulse buys. 

And I’ve been honest all day long, 

I haven’t told a 3 ________________. 12 

I haven’t yelled at 4 ________________, 

I’ve tried to keep my cool. 

And so far in this wond’rous day, 

I’ve lived the Golden Rule. 16 

I hope that I can 5 ________________ this up, 

And won’t break down instead, 

The hardest part is yet to come – 

When I get out of bed. 20 

Questions 

♦ anyone 

♦ chocolate 

♦ exercise 

♦ keep 

♦ lie 

Source: http://www.ilovepoetry.com/listpoems.asp?cat=Miscellaneous&subcat=Humor 

1. In this poem, there are altogether ____ stanzas. In each stanza, there are _____ lines. 

2. Does the narrator USUALLY do good things or bad things? (Note: narrator = the 

character in the story telling you what’s happening) 

___________________________________________________________________ 

3. Why is the narrator so good today? 

___________________________________________________________________ 

3

Vocabulary building 

In the poem, find words and phrases that match the meanings given. 

Vocabulary Line Meaning 

a. say what you don't like about something or someone 

b. treat others the way you want them to treat you 

c. (informal) a person who often complains 

d. buying something that you had not planned to buy, 

because you suddenly want it when you see it 

e. hasn’t come yet, will come later 

f. complain repeatedly in an annoying way 

g. until now 

h. make a long, high, sad sound 

i. very good 

j. shout 

Part D Self Reflection 

The following is a list of negative adjectives to describe people’s personality. See which 

ones fit the narrator of the poem, and which ones fit you. You can also use adjectives 

that are not listed below. 

1. arrogant 

2. bitter 

3. conceited 

4. cowardly 

5. cranky 

6. critical 

7. cruel 

8. demanding 

9. dishonest 

10. disobedient 

11. fussy 

12. gossipy 

13. greedy 

14. harsh 

15. hostile 

Bad traits of the narrator 

16. hot-tempered 

17. hypocritical 

18. impatient 

19. inconsiderate 

20. indecisive 

21. inflexible 

22. insincere 

23. irresponsible 

24. jealous 

25. judgmental 

26. manipulating 

27. nagging 

Bad traits of me 

28. naive 

29. never satisfied 

30. passive 

31. self-centred 

32. self-conscious 

33. selfish 

34. timid 

35. troublesome 

36. untidy 

4

Part E Your Try 

Requirements: 

1. Write your own poem to show your ideas of ‘a good day’. 

2. Write at least 2 stanzas. You can decide how many lines to have in each stanza. 

3. Remember the lines should be separate. 

A Good Day 

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5

Unit 2 

Part A Concept in focus – Theme 

What is theme? 

Theme is the main idea of a literary work. 


The following are some common themes. Which ones are interesting to you? Which ones 

are boring? Put them in the table below. 

friendship, family, love, life, death, happiness, sadness, school life, 

money, environmental protection, poverty, growing up 

Interesting themes Boring themes 


3 

6 

9 

12 

I'd Like To Teach the World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) 

The New Seekers 

I'd like to build the world a 1 ______________ 

And furnish it with love 

2 __________ apple trees and honey 3 ___________ and snow-white turtledoves 

I'd like to teach the world to sing 

In perfect harmony 

I'd like to hold it in my 4 ______________and keep it company 

I'd like to see the world for 5 ______________ 

All standing hand in 6 ______________ 

And hear them echo through the hills "Ah, 7 ____________ throughout the land" 

(That's the song I hear) 

I'd like to teach the world to sing (that the world sings 8 ______________) 

In perfect harmony… 

(Lead singer and background singers singing simultaneously) 

arms home 

bees once 

grow peace 

hand today 

6

Questions 

1. What is the theme of this song? 

___________________________________________________________________ 

2. What do you think the word ‘all’ in line 8 refers to? 

___________________________________________________________________ 

3. Vocabulary building: In the song, find words and phrases that match the meanings 

given. 


a. having sb to be with you; the person staying with you 

b. a sound coming back again and again because it is 

made in a large, empty space 

c. put furniture in 

d. 1. pleasant music made by different notes being played 

or sung at the same time 

2. when people stay together happily 

e. when people stay together happily without fighting or 

arguing 

f. in every part 

g. a small pale brown bird which makes a soft pleasant 

sound 

Part D Your Try 

Requirements: 

1. Add one verse to the song. 

2. Follow the theme of the original lyrics. 

3. Try and make your verse fit the melody so that you can sing it. 

7

Unit 3 

Part A Concept in focus – Syllable and Haiku 

1. What is a syllable? 

A syllable is a sound in a word that you can hear clearly. For example: 

♦ morning � 2 syllables 

♦ dictionary � 4 syllables 

♦ school �1 syllable 

♦ please leave me alone for a moment � 9 syllables 

2. What is haiku? 

A haiku is a short poem of special structure: 17 syllables in 3 lines:- 

5 syllables in the first line 

7 syllables in the second line 

5 syllables in the third line 

3. Where do haikus come from? 

Haikus first started in Japan. 


Practice 1 Count the number of syllables below. 

1. Mrs Lam has five children. 

2. Wake me up when September comes. 

3. I love elephants. 

4. Thank you for helping me. 

5. That’s enough. 

Practice 2 Write down some meaningful phrases with the assigned number of syllables. 

a. 4 syllables 

b. 2 syllables 

c. 10 syllables 

8


Computer haikus 

Haiku 1 

Your file was so big. 

It might be very useful. 

But now it is gone. 

Haiku 2 

The Web site you seek 

Cannot be located, but 

Countless more exist. 

Haiku 3 

Chaos reigns within. 

Reflect, repent, and reboot. 

Order shall return. 

Haiku 4 

Program aborting: 

Close all that you have worked on. 

You ask far too much. 

Haiku 5 

You step in the stream, 

But the water has moved on. 

This page is not here. 

Haiku 6 

Out of memory. 

We wish to hold the whole sky, 

But we never will. 

Questions 

Haiku 7 

Yesterday it worked. 

Today it is not working. 

Windows is like that. 

Haiku 8 

With searching comes loss 

And the presence of absence: 

"My Novel" not found. 

Haiku 9 

Stay the patient course. 

Of little worth is your ire. 

The network is down. 

Haiku 10 

A crash reduces 

Your expensive computer 

To a simple stone. 

Haiku 11 

Serious error. 

All shortcuts have disappeared. 

Screen. Mind. Both are blank. 

Haiku 12 

Having been erased, 

The document you're seeking 

Must now be retyped. 

1. The haikus talk about computers, but they have a deeper meaning about life. Which 

of them tell us the following? 

Haiku 

a. If you lose what you have, start all over again. ____ 

b. A sudden damage can turn something useful into rubbish. ____ 

c. What is important to you, you may lose it any time. ____ 

d. Things and people don’t always stay at the same spot for you to get them. ____ 

e. If you can’t get what you want, there are other ones waiting for you. ____ 

9

2. Look at the remaining 7 haikus. Choose the one you like best and write down what 

insight you can get from it. 

Haiku Deeper meaning about life 


Requirements: 

1. Write your own haiku following the 5-7-5 syllable pattern. 

2. You can choose any topic, but try to have a deeper meaning inside. 

3. Give your haiku a title. 

_________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________ 

Write more haikus in the space below if you like. 

10

Unit 4 

Part A Concept in focus – Rhyme 

1. What is rhyme? 

A rhyme is a word which has the same last sound as another word, like me, sea, tea, 

bee, key, we, Lee – these words rhyme with one another. 

2. Do rhymes have similar spellings? 

Most rhymes have similar spellings, e.g. pen and ten, but some rhymes spell very 

differently, e.g. two and Sue. 


For each of the following words, write down some rhyming words. 

Rhyming words 

1. top _______________________________________________________ 

2. sad _______________________________________________________ 

3. tall _______________________________________________________ 

4. name _______________________________________________________ 

5. buy _______________________________________________________ 


I HAVE A FRIEND 

I have a friend called Ann. 

She crumples her Cola 1) _________________. 

I have a friend called 2) _________________. 

He spits in his 3) _________________ _________________. 4 

I have a friend called Claire. 

She puts chewing gum in her 4) _________________. 

I have a friend called Dennis. 

He knocks me out at 5) _________________. 8 

I have a friend called Xavier. 

He went to 6) _________________ in Belgravia. 

I have a friend called 7) _________________. 

Her nickname is 8) _________________ 12 

I have a friend called Zachariah. 

He 9) _________________, he’s a 10) _________________ multiplier. 

Listen to your 

teacher and fill 

in the blanks. 

Sue Stewart 

11

Questions 

1. a) Find the rhyming words in each stanza. 

b) Then think of some more words that rhyme with them. 

Stanza 1 Stanza 2 Stanza 3 Stanza 4 

a) a) a) a) 

b) b) b) b) 

Stanza 5 Stanza 6 Stanza 7 

a) a) a) 

b) b) b) 

2. There are many friends in the poem… 

a. Which friends might be quite dirty? _______________________ 

b. Which friend has strong hands? _______________________ 

c. Which friend is a big liar? _______________________ 

d. Which friend could be quite far away now? _______________________ 

3. In the poem, which phrase means ‘is better than me’? 

__________________________________________________________________ 


1. Draw a scenario about you and a friend of yours. Write a caption. (Note: caption = a 

few words to describe a picture) 

12

2. Write down five qualities that you would like your friends to have. 

Qualities (e.g. cheerful) Reasons (e.g. I hope they can make me happy) 

a. ___________________ ________________________________________________ 

b. ___________________ ________________________________________________ 

c. ___________________ ________________________________________________ 

d. ___________________ ________________________________________________ 

e. ___________________ ________________________________________________ 


Requirements: 

1. Write your own poem by filling in ALL the blanks, following the pattern of the 

original poem. Totally you will write 5 stanzas. 

2. The last words of each stanza should rhyme. 

3. Write your name at the end. 

I HAVE A FRIEND 

I have a friend called _________________. 

I have a friend called ______________. 

_____________________________________________. 

_____________________________________________. 

____________________________________________. 

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 

13

Unit 5 

Part A Concept in focus – Rhyme scheme 

1. What is rhyme scheme? 

A rhyme scheme is the arrangement of rhyming words, usually at the end of lines. 

2. Some poems have the same rhyme scheme in every stanza. Some poems have 

different rhyme schemes throughout. 


Write down the rhyme scheme of each stanza in the poem ‘Walking in the Air’ in Part C. 

♦ stanza 1: a b b 

♦ stanza 2: c d d 

♦ stanza 3: e f g f 

♦ stanza 4: b b 

♦ stanza 5: _____________ 

♦ stanza 6: _____________ 

♦ stanza 7: _____________ 


Walking in the Air 

1 

We’re walking in the air 

We’re floating in the moonlit sky; 

The people far below are sleeping as we fly. 

2 

I’m holding very tight, 

I’m riding in the mid-night blue. 5 

I’m finding I can fly so high above with you. 

3 

On across the world, 

The villages go by like dreams. 

The rivers and the hills; 

The forests and the streams. 10 

14

4 

Children gaze open-mouthed, taken by surprise; 

Nobody down below believes their eyes. 

5 

We’re surfing in the air, 

We’re swimming in the frozen sky. 

We’re drifting over icy mountains floating by. 15 

6 

Suddenly swooping low on an ocean deep, 

Rousing up a mighty monster from his sleep. 

7 

We’re walking in the air. 

We’re dancing in the mid-night sky, 

And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly. 20 

Questions 

Blake Howard David 

1. Vocabulary building: In the song, find words and phrases that match the meanings 

given. 


a. to move slowly 

b. to stay in the air or on water 

c. very cold 

d. to look at sth with your eyes wide open 

e. say hello 

f. full of ice 

g. very powerful 

h. having the light of the moon 

i. a very big sea 

j. to wake up 

k. small river 

l. to ride on a wave as it comes towards land, while 

m. drop suddenly 

standing or lying on a special board 

n. holding or keeping together closely 

15

2. How many people are flying? Explain. 

_________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________ 

3. From the first two stanzas, is it day time or night time? Explain. 

_________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________ 

4. Which stanza tells us that people are very surprised about what they see? Explain. 

_________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________ 

5. Which stanza tells us that it is cold? Explain. 

_________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________ 

6. What is the main tense used in the song? Name some examples. 

_________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________ 


Requirements: 

1. Write your own poem, following the theme of the original poem. 

2. Write at least 3 stanzas. You can decide how many lines to include in each stanza. 

3. At the end of each line, put down a letter to show your rhyme scheme. 

4. Use mainly present continuous tense. 

5. Give your poem a title. 

16

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17

Unit 6 

Part A Concept in focus – Repetition 

What is repetition? 

Repetition is to use the same words again and again, usually to get people’s attention, or 

to form a clear pattern. 


Write down five sentences, each using repetition. 

1. __________________________________________________________________ 

2. __________________________________________________________________ 

3. __________________________________________________________________ 

4. __________________________________________________________________ 

5. __________________________________________________________________ 


I Made a Mistake 

I went to the bathroom to brush my hair, 

I made a mistake…and brushed a 1) _____________. 

I went to the kitchen to bake a pie, 

I made a mistake…and baked a 2) _____________. 4 

I went through my drawers to find a blouse, 

I made a mistake…and found a 3) _____________. ♦ bear 

I went to the well to make a wish, 

I made a mistake and…kissed a 4) _____________. 8 

I went to the laundry to wash my socks, 

I made a mistake…and washed a 5) _____________. 

I went to the store to buy a cake, 

I made a mistake…and bought a 6) _____________. 12 

I went to the closet to put on my hat, 

I made a mistake…and put on the 7) _____________. 

I went next door to find my friend, 

I made a mistake…and found THE 8) _____________. 16 

Adapted from Favorite Poetry Lessons, Scholastic Professional Books,1998 

♦ cat 

♦ end 

♦ fish 

♦ fly 

♦ fox 

♦ mouse 

♦ snake 

18

Questions 

1. In the poem, what is repeated? 

_________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________ 

2. The poem mentions many different things. Categorize them below. 

Animals Home Others 

Places: 

Objects: 

3. What is the name of the author? 

Body parts: 

Clothes/ accessories: 

Things outdoor: 

Food: 

_________________________________________________________________ 

4. What is the time scope of the poem? Past, present or future? Explain. 

_________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________ 

5. Which mistake is the most dangerous? Explain. 

_________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________ 

6. If you are going to make one of the mistakes mentioned in the poem, which 

mistake would you feel fine to make? Explain. 

_________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________ 

19


1. A serious question: 

What is the most regrettable mistake you have ever made? 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

2. Now think about one thing you did that made your mum unhappy. Write a short 

letter to apologize to her. 

A letter to Mom 

Dear ___________, 

I’m so sorry that _______________________________________________ 

I promise I _________________________________________________________ 


Requirements: 

1. Write your own poem, filling in ALL the blanks. 

2. Follow the style of the original poem. 

3. Repetition should be consistent throughout the poem. 

4. The last words within each stanza should rhyme. 

5. Pay special attention to the verbs. Check that the tenses are correct. 

6. Write down your name at the end. 

Love, 

__________________ 

20

I made a mistake 

I went to the ____________________ to ___________ my ________________, 

I made a mistake…and ____________________________________________. 

I went to the ___________________ to ________________________________, 

I made a mistake…and ____________________________________________. 

__________________________________________________________________, 

__________________________________________________________________. 

__________________________________________________________________, 

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__________________________________________________________________, 

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__________________________________________________________________, 

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__________________________________________________________________, 

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__________________________________________________________________, 

__________________________________________________________________. 

__________________ 

21

Unit 7 

Part A Concept in focus – Creativity 

What is creativity? 

Creativity means special ideas. 


Think of a creative idea for the given topic. Then suggest some other topics and related 

creative ideas of your own. 

Topics Creative ideas 

1. the mobile phone 

should… 

2. 

3. 


Can You Imagine 

Rafts that don’t 1) _______________ 

Castles without moats 

A ladder without a rung 

Michael Jordan without a 2) _______________ 4 

Soda without bubbles 

Bart Simpson without 3) _______________ 

Elephants without trunks 

Summer camp without 4) _______________ 8 

Birds without feathers 

Days without 5) _______________ 

A clock without time 

A poem that doesn’t 6) _______________. 12 

bunks 

float 

rhyme 

tongue 

troubles 

weather 

22

Questions 

1. Vocabulary building: In the poem, find words and phrases that match the 

meanings given. 


a. 

a character in the cartoon The Simpsons 

b. one of two beds fixed together, one on top of the other 

c. a long wide channel, usually water-filled, around a place to 

protect it 

d. a flat thing for traveling across water, often made of pieces of 

e. 

2. Which idea is the most creative? Explain. 

wood tied together and moved along with a paddle 

any of the short bars that form the steps of a ladder 

________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________ 


Requirements: 

1. Write your own poem, filling in ALL the blanks. 

2. Follow the style of the original poem. 

3. Your ideas should be creative. 


Can You Imagine 

Pens that don’t ________________________ 

_________________________________________________ 

Butterflies without ________________________ 

_________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________ 

23

Unit 8 

Part A Concept in focus – Exaggeration 

What is exaggeration? 

Exaggeration is to make something sound bigger or more important than it really is. For 

example, if someone says, ‘I have waited for you for a thousand years’, he is exaggerating. 


Rewrite the following using exaggeration. 

1. She has big eyes. ___________________________________________________ 

2. I love watching TV. ___________________________________________________ 

3. You are so quiet. ___________________________________________________ 

4. This question is easy. ___________________________________________________ 

5. I am very hungry. ___________________________________________________ 


I had a secret 

I had a secret 

And told it 

To my best friend. 

She told her second best friend 

Who told her best friend 5 

And no one else. 

No one else 

Told somebody else 

Who told anyone 

Who told her best friends. 10 

Now everyone knows 

My secret 

So it’s not a secret 

Any more. Now 

It’s news. 15 

Sue Stewart 

24

Questions 

1. Which lines of the poem exaggerate? 

________________________________________________________________ 

2. The secret of the narrator is known by many people now. Do you feel sorry for 

him / her? Explain. 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 


Requirements: 

1. Write your own poem of at least 2 stanzas. 

2. Focus on the theme of secret. 

3. You do not have to follow the pattern of the original poem. Instead, you can have 

your own style. 

4. Try to exaggerate in at least 2 lines, and underline the exaggerated parts. 


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25

Unit 9 

Part A Concept in focus – Contrast 

What is contrast? 

Contrast is a clear difference between two or more things. For example, 

- she laughed and cried at the same time 

- the old house looks new 

- what takes years to build can break in a second 


Complete the sentences using contrast, and then make up some more. 

1. Small problems cause _______________ trouble. 

2. Stay. Don’t _______________. 

3. _______________________________________________________________ 

4. _______________________________________________________________ 

5. _______________________________________________________________ 


If I Could Grant a Wish for You 

If I could grant a wish for you, 

I would get a thrill or two. 

May all your lucky numbers win the 1) _______________ 

May you discover beautiful, ancient pottery. 4 

May you be able to act and 2) _______________ 

May life bring you every good thing. 

May you be able to pig out and not get 3) _______________ 

May you get a hit every time at bat. 8 

May you never get sick or have the flu 

May you only have good dreams that come 4) _____________. 

May you be able to do anything you desire 

May you never have a car trouble or a flat 5) _____________. 12 

♦ fat 

♦ lottery 

♦ maids 

♦ poor 

♦ sing 

♦ tire 

♦ too 

♦ true 

26

May you eat chocolate and candy 6) _______________ 

May each dish of ice cream be just for you. 

May your tests and report cards show great grades 

May your room be cleaned by fast-working 7) _______________. 16 

May you always have money and never be 8) _______________ 

May you always have peace and never know war. 

Oh, if I could grant a wish for you, 

I would get a thrill or two. 20 

-- Elizabeth Harris 

Source: Favorite Poetry Lessons, Scholastic Professional Books, 1998, pp.52. 

Questions 




a. very old 

b. a specially shaped piece of wood used for hitting the ball 

c. can 

d. want 

in many games 

e. find sth new 

f. an illness like a very bad cold which causes a fever 

g. give 

h. a game in which you buy some tickets and may win 

money 

i. a female servant 

j. people staying together happily without fighting 

k. eat a lot 

l. things made out of clay by hand 

m. a very exciting feeling 

n. a thick rubber ring filled with air, which is fitted around 

the outer edge of the wheel of a car 

o. fighting between countries 

27

2. In the poem, what are the two pairs of words in contrast? 

♦ ________________________________________________________ 

♦ ________________________________________________________ 

3. The narrator would like to grant many wishes. Write down your most favourite and 

least favourite wish mentioned in the poem. 

My most favourite wish My least favourite wish 


Requirements: 


2. Follow the pattern of the original poem. 


4. Try to use contrast in at least 1 line, and underline that part. 

If I Could Grant a Wish for You 

________________________________________________________________________ 

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28

Unit 10 

Part A Concept in focus – Couplet 

1. What is couplet? 

A couplet means two lines of poetry one after another with end rhymes. 

2. What are end rhymes? 

They are the last word of the lines rhyming with each other. 


Practice 1 Which of the following are couplets? Put down ‘C’. 

1. All around the Christmas tree 

As little kids they played. 

2. Going forward and knowing he’s right 

Even when doubted for why he would fight 

3. And there’s no way 

That I could help them all. 

4. There is a level I'm not eager to enter – 

A place called "Senior Citizen Centre." 

5. Now that we’re older, the logic appears. 

Thank you sincerely for all of those years. 

6. The tap drips and keeps me awake, 

In the morning there will be a lake. 

7. There aren't any feet, 

And there aren't any toes. 

Practice 2 Look at the poems from Unit 1 to Unit 9. Which ones are made up of 

couplets? 

Unit Poem 

29

Practice 3 Read the given sentences and for each add one line to make a couplet. 

1. Look at the stars. 

________________________________________________ 

2. Someone is thinking of you. 

________________________________________________ 

3. Today is the beginning of a new dream. 

________________________________________________ 

4. Draw me a sheep. 

________________________________________________ 

5. Where will you go? 

________________________________________________ 


Ten Little Aliens 

Ten little aliens landed feeling 1) ______________ 

One bought a hot tub and then there were nine. 

Nine little aliens stayed up very 2) ______________ 

One overslept and then there were eight. 4 

Eight little aliens took the name of 3) ______________ 

One died laughing and then there were seven. 

Seven little aliens studied magic 4) ______________ 

One disappeared and then there were six. 8 

Six little aliens learned how to 5) ______________ 

One missed the exit and then there were five. 

Five little aliens polished the 6) ______________ 

One slipped and fell and then there were four. 12 

Four little aliens climbed a tall 7) ______________ 

One lost his grip and then there were three. 

Three little aliens visited the 8) ______________ 

One liked the ape and then there were two. 16 

Two little aliens baked in the 9) ______________ 

One got well-done and then there was one. 

♦ drive 

♦ fine 

♦ floor 

♦ fun 

♦ Kevin 

♦ late 

♦ sun 

♦ tree 

♦ tricks 

♦ zoo 

One little alien went looking for 10) ______________ 

He never came back and now there are none. 20 Paul B. Janeczko 

30

Questions 

1. How many couplets are there in this poem? ______________________ 

2. Vocabulary building: In the poem, find words and phrases that match the meanings 

given. 


a. an animal like a large monkey which has no tail and uses 

its arms to swing through trees 

b. cannot be seen or found 

c. holding very tightly 

d. to arrive at a place after moving down through the air 

e. to rub or clean sth to make it shine 

f. to carelessly move over a surface 

g. a long container which is filled with water so that a 

h. 100% cooked 

person can sit or lie in it to wash their whole body 

3. According to the poem, one alien disappeared one after another. But what 

happened to them? Why did they disappear? Make a guess. 

a. What happened to the alien that bought a hot tub? 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

b. For the alien that died laughing, what did he laugh at? 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

c. What happened to the alien that liked the ape? 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

d. For the alien that never came back, where did he go? 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 


Requirements: 

1. Write your own poem by filling in all the blanks. 

2. Follow the pattern of the original poem. 

31


4. Think of a subject that you would like to write about, e.g. Ten Big Monsters, Ten 

Cute Rabbits, Ten Beautiful Flowers, Ten Elegant Ladies, Ten Handsome Men, 

Ten Old Rice Cookers, etc. 


Ten __________________ __________________ 

Ten _________________________________________________________ 

One _______________________________________ and then there were nine. 

Nine _________________________________________________________ 

One _______________________________________ and then there were eight. 

Eight _________________________________________________________ 

One ______________________________________ and then there were seven. 

Seven _________________________________________________________ 

One ________________________________________ and then there were six. 

Six _________________________________________________________ 

One ________________________________________ and then there were five. 

Five _________________________________________________________ 

One ________________________________________ and then there were four. 

Four _________________________________________________________ 

One _______________________________________ and then there were three. 

Three _________________________________________________________ 

One ________________________________________ and then there were two. 

Two _________________________________________________________ 

One ________________________________________ and then there was one. 

One _________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________ and now there are none. 

32

Unit 11 

Part A Concept in focus – Quatrain 

What is a quatrain? 

A quatrain is a four-lined stanza in which the first rhymes with the third, and the second 

rhymes with the fourth. 


Practice 1 Which of the following are quatrains? Put down ‘Q’. 

1. All around the Christmas tree 

As little kids they played. 

All the world was magic; 

Dreams were not delayed. 

2. All of my senses are met by the morning 

As I awake breathing in a new day, 

Here by the window I opened last evening, 

How the world changed while I drifted away. 

3. I can see them, 

Though I will not look, 

Reaching for the time 

That I never took. 

4. Did I ever pause to hear your voice 

When you needed just a moment’s ear? 

When you’d lost your way or missed a choice, 

Did I let you know that I was near? 

5. Each year your birth's a holiday. 

The nation honors you, 

And wonders when we'll see the day 

Your dream at last comes true. 

6. Bracing for war, but praying for peace, 

Using his power so evil will cease: 

So much a leader and worthy of trust, 

Here stands a man who will do what he must. 

7. Holidays linger and happy times glisten; 

I can see everyone active and well. 

I can still hear them if only I listen, 

Feeling each motion and breathing each smell. 

33

Practice 2 Read the given sentences and for each add two lines to make it a quatrain. 

1. There’s the moon 

in the dark sky. 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

2. When everything is said and done 

we start all over again. 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 


Best Friends 

It’s Susan I talk to not Tracey, 

Before that I sat next to Jane; 

I used to be best friends with Lynda 

But these 1 ________________ I think she’s pain. 4 

Natasha’s all 2 ________________ in small doses, 

I meet Mandy sometimes in town; 

I’m jealous of Annabel’s pony 

And I don’t like Nicola’s frown. 8 

I used to go skating with Catherine, 

Before that I went there with Ruth; 

And Kate’s so 3 ________________ better at trampoline; 

She’s a showoff, to tell you the truth. 12 

I think that I’m going off Susan, 

She 4 ________________ my comb yesterday; 

I think I might sit next to Tracey, 

She’s my nearly best friend: she’s OK. 16 

Adrian Henri 

♦ borrowed 

♦ days 

♦ much 

♦ right 

34

Questions 

1. How many friends have been mentioned by the narrator? 

______________________________________________________________ 

2. Which stanza is a quatrain? 

______________________________________________________________ 




a. having your eyebrows brought close together so that 

there are lines on your face above your eyes to show that 

you are unhappy or worried 

b. not interested in sb / sth anymore 

c. just a little bit 

d. feeling unhappy because other people have what you 

want (but you don’t have it) 

e. a feeling of hurt 

f. a person who likes to show others the good things they 

have in a proud way 

g. moving on ice 

h. a piece of sports equipment which you use for jumping 

on 

i. the real fact 

j. a past habit, but not now anymore 

4. Does the narrator like all the friends mentioned in the poem? Explain. 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

5. What are the narrator’s opinions and feelings of her friends? 

a. Annabel: ___________________________________________ 

b. Kate: ___________________________________________ 

c. Lydia: ___________________________________________ 

d. Natasha: ___________________________________________ 

e. Nicola: ___________________________________________ 

f. Susan: ___________________________________________ 

35


Requirements: 


2. You can write in your own style, but each stanza should be a quatrain. 

3. Show your opinions of ‘best friends’ in the poem. 

Best Friends 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________ 

36

Unit 12 

Part A Concept in focus – 

Figures of Speech: Simile and Metaphor 

1. What are figures of speech? 

Figures of speech are unusual ways of using words and expressions to give special 

meanings. 

2. Simile and metaphor are the most commonly used figures of speech in everyday 

language. 

3. What is simile? 

A simile is a comparison of two things, using the word ‘like’ or ‘as’. A simile shows 

how two things are similar. For example, 

- The full moon is like a cheese cake. 

- That man is as rich as the bank. 

- Your hair looks like grass. You should comb it. 

- I want to clean my bad memories like dirty clothes in a washing machine. 

- I am as smart as a computer. 

4. What is metaphor? 

A metaphor is a comparison of two things without the use of ‘like’ or ‘as’. It can be 

done in many ways. For example, 

- The full moon is a cheese cake. 

- That man is a bank. 

- You should comb the grass on your head. 

- I want to put my bad memories into a washing machine and have them cleaned. 

- I am a computer. 


Practice 1 Look at the sentences and complete the table. 

1. Time is money. 

2. I don’t want to look after you like 

a babysitter taking care of a baby. 

3. People work hard to safeguard 

their rice bowl. 

4. No one is as pure as distilled 

water. 

Simile or 

metaphor? 

What are being compared? 

37

Practice 2 Now make your own sentences using similes and metaphors. 

1. simile 

(using 

‘like’) 

2. simile 

(using 

‘as’) 

3. metaphor 

4. metaphor 


Poem 1 

Your sentences What are being 

Squeak 

As quiet as 1) ___________________ 

I scamper about your feet 

I wonder if you notice me 

I wail and shriek 

As loud as a siren 5 

That I love you 

But you can't hear me 

You're as deaf as 2) ___________________ 

That I scamper about 

As quiet as 3) ___________________ 10 

Leila Devlin 

compared? 

♦ a bell 

♦ a car 

♦ a light bulb 

♦ a mouse 

♦ chocolate ice cream 

♦ popcorn 

♦ your shoes 

38


Moon 

The moon smells like a cold freezer on a cold day. 

It lights up the sky like 4) ___________________. 

When you look at the moon it looks like blown bubbles and popping 5) __________. 

The moon tastes like 6) ___________________ on a hot day. 

The moon sounds like 7) ___________________ ringing in the middle of the day. 

Kirsty L. 


Untitled 

My puppy is 8) ___________________ 

that drives me quite insane. 

When I’m ready for the parking garage 

He’s revving for a freeway lane. 

His engines roar whenever 5 

he wants to go for a romp. 

He races right on over me 

before I can holler, “STOP!” 

Holly Bliss 

Questions 

1. What are the themes of the three poems? 

Poem 1: __________________________________________________________ 



2. How many similes are there in Poem 1? List them below. 

_________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________ 

3. How many similes are there in Poem 2? Give two examples. 

_________________________________________________________________ 

4. The whole of Poem 3 is a metaphor. Elaborate. 

_________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________ 

39

5. Vocabulary building: In the poems, find words and phrases that match the 

meanings given below. 

Vocabulary Poem Meaning 

a. cannot hear 

b. shout loudly 

c. move or go fast 

d. run with small quick steps, in a playful or frightened way 

e. the warning sound coming from police cars and ambulances 

f. have a question in mind 

6. In Poem 1, find three words showing different ways to make a crying sound. 

_________________________________________________________________ 


Requirements: 

1. Write a poem of any theme with at least ten lines. 

2. There should be at least one simile using ‘as’, one simile using ‘like’ and one 

metaphor. Underline them and label them at the end of the line. 


___________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

40

Unit 13 

Part A Concept in focus – Enjambment 

1. What is enjambment? 

Enjambment means a complete sentence is broken into several lines. 

2. For example:- 


Every moment I 

think of 

the cup noodles 

right before me. 

The problem is I 

am not 

yet hungry. 

Rewrite the given sentences into little short poems using enjambment. 

1. All you need to do is move your 

chair a few steps. You can see the 

day end and the twilight falling 

whenever you like... 

2. The flower that you love is not in 

danger. I will draw you a muzzle for 

your sheep. I will draw you a railing 

to put around your flower. I will – 

41


My Little Sister 

By Anne Bonner 

My sister Every 

and I morning 

always I have to 

fight.. wait 

I’m sure she’s to take her 

wrong. I to school… 

think I’m we’re always 

1 ____________… 4 ____________… 

She pinches my but however 

toys naughty 

when I’m not she can 

there be 

She cheats at nothing 

games. must hurt her. 

She’s never She’s 5 ____________ 

2 ____________. than me 

She leaves her 

clothes 

all over the 

place 

if I complain 

she pulls a 3 ____________. 

♦ face 

♦ fair 

♦ late 

♦ right 

♦ smaller 

42

Questions 

1. The author uses enjambment throughout the poem. What is good about this? 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

2. Describe the narrator’s attitude towards his / her little sister. Is it positive, negative, 

or both? Explain. 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 


Requirements: 

1. Write a poem of any theme with at least ten lines. 

2. Use enjambment throughout the poem. 


43

Unit 14 

Part A Concept in focus – Alliteration 

1. What is alliteration? 

Alliteration means the use of words that begin with the same sound close together. 

2. For example, Pretty Polly picked pears for Peter. 


Underline the alliteration words in the following sentences. And then make up some of 

your own. 

1. Handsome Harry hired hundreds of hippos for Hanukkah. 

2. Oscar's only ostrich oiled an orange owl today. 

3. The tiny tomatoes from Tom's garden were tasty. 

4. The swimmer’s skin sizzled in the summer sun. 

5. _______________________________________________________________ 

6. _______________________________________________________________ 

7. _______________________________________________________________ 

8. _______________________________________________________________ 


Buttered Bacon Biscuits 

Bacon biscuits 

baked in butter 

best biscuits 

boast both my brothers 

I don't bake biscuits 

so I don't bother. 

Fall 

Windy, winding walking ways 

Streets snaking, singing sways 

Descending deeper, darker days 

Migrating, meandering, misty maze 

Ohio River 

Around the rolling 

roils of running river, 

I romp and rampage 

until I get shivers. 

Rushing, river runs 

rapid around. 

Ravaging raucous, 

rapture abounds. 

by Leila Devlin 

44

Questions 

1. In ‘Buttered Bacon Biscuits’, what are the attitudes of the narrator and his / her 

brothers towards the biscuits? 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

2. Think of some suitable adjectives, not used in the poem, to describe Ohio River. 

____________________________________________________________________ 

3. If ‘Fall’ is talking about a season, which season do you think it is talking about? 

Explain. 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

4. List the alliteration words you can find in each poem. 

Buttered Bacon Biscuits Ohio River Fall 


Requirements: 

1. Write a poem of any theme with at least five lines. 

2. Use alliteration. You can have more than one group of alliteration words. Underline 

them. 


45

Unit 15 

Part A Concept in focus – Onomatopoeia 

What is Onomatopoeia? 

Onomatopoeia is the use of words to imitate sounds, e.g. bang, meow, quack, boom. 


Match the sound words with their meanings. 

1. Bird singing _________________________ 

2. Gun shot _________________________ 

3. Collision sound _________________________ 

4. Dog barking _________________________ 

5. Sneezing _________________________ 

♦ Achoo! 

♦ bang, boom 

♦ crunch 

♦ drip drop 

♦ tweet 

6. Water dripping _________________________ ♦ woof woof 


Marching Band 

boom! boom! 

bang the drum 

ta-diddy-ta! 

here they come 

pah! pah! 

trombone grand 

bright silver sound 

in marching band 

ting! ting! 

triangle ring 

sharp and high 

sound in sky 

wrreee! wrree! 

whistle blow 

majorette 

leads the row 

46

wah! wah! 

bagpipes moan 

wheel around 

and head for home 

Lee Emmett 

Questions 

1. There are many sound words used in the poem. List five. 

___________________________________________________________________ 

2. Why is it good to have these sound words in the poem? 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 


Requirements: 

1. Write a poem of any theme with at least 8 lines. 

2. Use Onomatopoeia. Underline the sound words. 


47

Unit 16 

Part A Concept in focus – Personification 

What is personification? 

Personification is to write about something like it is a person. For example, my book 

hates me, the tree is dancing, when I sit on the chair it feels pain, etc. 


Which of the following use personification? Put down ‘P’. 

1. My mobile phone is in a bad mood today. 

2. Money can be very unkind. 

3. This information will be useful. 

4. I think about my pillow all the time. 

5. My shoes are sick. 

6. Your hands don’t listen to you. 

7. His words killed my dream. 

8. My dream is important to me. 


The Cat & The Fiddle 

Hey diddle, Diddle, 

The cat and the fiddle, 

The cow jumped over the moon; 

The little dog laughed 

To see such sport, 

And the dish ran away with the spoon. 

By Mother Goose 

Questions 

1. How many personification uses can you find in the poem? List them below. 

___________________________________________________________________ 

2. How do you feel about this poem? 

___________________________________________________________________ 

48


Requirements: 

1. Write a poem of any theme with at least 4 stanzas. 

2. In each stanza, use personification at least once. Underline them. 


49

Unit 17 

Part A Concept in focus – Shape 

What is shape? 

It refers to the shape that a text forms. You can lay your lines in a circle, triangle, spiral, 

etc. For example, 

Tree 

I want to grow a tree 

in my garden and my bedroom and my kitchen 

It should be green and yellow and red and purple 

It should be tall and strong and healthy and happy 

It should make my garden and bedroom and kitchen 

lovely 

but my 

kitchen 

is too … 

messy 

bedroom 

too sleepy 

and I have 

no garden. 

50


Rewrite the following text into a poem of special shape. Give it a title. 

If someone loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and 

millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars. He can say to 

himself, 'Somewhere, my flower is there...’ 

51


We Start with Early Morning 

by Arnold Adoff 

even before the school bus, 

as the 1 _____________ just shows itself 

east over the roofs 

of the neighborhood. I am on 

the drive, (5) 

pebble 

rubber 

ball 

popping 

up into (10) 

my right 

2 _____________, 

onto the flattened 

tips of five 3 _____________. My shot 

is sweet as 4 _____________ on the toast (15) 

On the bus my 5 _____________ are in the 

backpack on the floor. 

The ball is always in my hand. 

Questions 

♦ books 

♦ fingers 

♦ jelly 

♦ palm 

♦ sun 

1. Describe the shape of the poem. 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

2. The last stanza is made up of just one line ‘The ball is always in my hand.’ If there is 

a hidden meaning in this line, what do you think the hidden meaning is? 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

52


Requirements: 

1. Write a poem of any theme in a special shape. 


53

Part A Concept in focus – Pun 

What is pun? 

Unit 18 

A pun means using a word or expression in a special way so that it seems to have more 

than one meaning. For example, 

A bicycle can’t stand on its own because it is two-tyred. 

In this pun, the word two-tyred means a bicycle has two wheels, but it also sounds the 

same as too tired, making you feel that the bicycle is too tired so it can’t stand on its 

own. 


Find out the double meanings in the following puns. 

1. I used to work in a blanket factory, but it folded. 

♦ ________________________________________________________________ 

♦ ________________________________________________________________ 

2. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. 

♦ ________________________________________________________________ 

♦ ________________________________________________________________ 


Impossible to Obey 

The school girl was sitting with her feet stretched far 

out into the aisle and was busily chewing gum, when 

the teacher espied (~saw) her. 

“Mary!” called the teacher sharply. 

“Yes, Ma’am?” questioned the pupil. 

“Take that gum out of your mouth and put your feet 

in!” 

Source: 100 Humorous Stories 

Commercial Press 

54

Questions 

1. Where did the incident take place? 

__________________________________________________________________ 

2. What was the girl doing? 

__________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________ 

3. What was the teacher doing? 

__________________________________________________________________ 

4. What did the teacher tell the girl to do? 

__________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________ 

5. What is the pun in the joke? 

__________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________ 


Requirements: 

1. Write a pun. Or, write a joke or a poem that has at least one pun. Underline the 

pun(s). 

2. If you are writing a joke or a poem, give it a title. 

55

Unit 19 

Part A Concept in focus – Free verse 

What is free verse? 

A free verse is a poem that has no pattern in length, rhymes, etc. 


Look at the texts from Units 1 to 18. Find one example of free verse. 

_____________________________________________________________________ 


Survival 

Thank you trees for being there, for staying 

when many of the friends you knew— 

birds and 1 __________________—have gone; 

for flourishing, even; growing 2 __________________ 

where concrete buildings 5 

are constantly knocked down. 

How brave you are to survive 

in a 3 __________________where the air is foul 

and the noise unnatural; 

you who should normally expect 10 

to stabilize your roots 

in humid humming forests 

alive with the smells of 

animal and 4 __________________life 

(not the smells of mineral death, as here). 15 

It is good to look down a street 

and, amazed, to 5 __________________you there 

solid and green and cool, uncompromised 

by the advertising posters on your boles; 

a promise 20 

that, since there was a past 

there may be quite possibly be a 6 __________________too. 

♦ butterflies 

♦ future 

♦ old 

♦ place 

♦ see 

♦ vegetable 

by Gillian Bickley 

56

Questions 

1 In the poem, who is the narrator talking to? 

____________________________________________________________________ 

2 Vocabulary building: In the poem, find words and phrases that match the meanings 

given. 


a. the trunk of a tree 

b. the thing for making buildings; it is soft when wet and 

hard when it gets dry 

c. all the time 

d. know that something is going to happen 

e. grow very well 

f. dirty 

g. wet 

h. singing softly 

i. usually 

j. hard 

k. make sure something stay well 

l. stay alive, try not to die 

m. not changing 

3 Do the trees live in a good or bad environment? Give evidence from the poem. 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

4 What would be a good living environment for the trees? 

____________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________ 

5 What is the message of the poem? 

____________________________________________________________________ 

57

6 The poem uses the literary device personification. Find four personification examples 

in the poem. 

a. _____________________________________________________________ 

b. _____________________________________________________________ 

c. _____________________________________________________________ 

d. _____________________________________________________________ 


Requirements: 

1. Write a poem of any theme of at least ten lines. 

2. Write the poem in free verse. 


___________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

58

Unit 20 

Part A Concept in focus – Parable 

What is parable? 

A parable is a short story that teaches a moral or religious lesson. 


Think of some moral lessons good to be taught through parables. 

E.g. If you are good to others, others will be good to you. 

1. ___________________________________________________________________ 

2. ___________________________________________________________________ 

3. ___________________________________________________________________ 

4. ___________________________________________________________________ 

5. ___________________________________________________________________ 


THE STONE IN THE ROAD 

There was once a king who lived in a beautiful palace near a little village. He loved the 

people in the village and tried many ways to help them. 

But the people were selfish and did not try to help one another. The good king wished to 

teach them a lesson, so he arose early one morning and placed a large stone in the road 

which led past his palace. Then, hiding himself nearby, he watched to see what would 

happen. 

Soon a woman came along driving some goats to pasture. She grumbled because the 

stone was in the way, and stepping over it she went on up the road. 

By and by a man came, riding a donkey. He complained about the stone but rode around 

it and went on his way. 

Other people came and went. Each commented on the stone, but no one tried to move it. 

At last, when the day was almost over, the miller’s boy came down the road. Seeing the 

stone he halted and put down the buddle he was carrying. 

“This stone should not be here,” he said. “Someone might fall over it. I will move it out 

of the way. 

The stone was heavy, and the boy could scarcely lift it. But with repeated efforts he at last 

pushed it from its place and rolled it to one side. As he turned to continue on his way, he 

saw that in the place where the stone had been there was a bag upon which something 

was written. Bending closer he read these words: “This bag of gold belongs to the one 

59

who helps others by removing the stone from the 

road”. 

The miller’s boy carried his treasure homeward 

with a happy heart, and as the king returned to his 

palace he said, “I am glad that I have found 

someone who is unselfish enough to think of the 

comfort of others.” 

Questions 

1. If you were the miller boy, would you move away the stone? Why? 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

2. What lesson(s) can you learn from the story? 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

3. Write a new ending for this story in your own words. 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

60


Requirements: 

1. Write a parable of at least 100 words. 

2. Your parable should teach a moral lesson. 

3. Give your story a title. 

__________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

61

Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College

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