Chapter: 05. Foreign Lands
Comprehension
A. Answer these questions.
What was the first ‘foreign land’ the speaker described? The first ‘foreign land’ the poet described was the next door garden. What was described as the sky’s looking-glass? The dimpling river was described as the sky’s looking-glass. What was the third thing the speaker could see from the cherry tree? The third thing the poet could see from the cherry tree was the dusty roads with people tramping into town. From where could the speaker see the river flow into the sea? The poet could see the river flow into the sea if he could find a higher tree. What were the two things the speaker mentioned about ‘fairy land’? The two things the poet mentioned about ‘fairy land’ were that all the children dine at five, and all the playthings come alive. B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
Up into the cherry tree
Who should climb but little me?
a. Who said these lines?
* The poet (or the child in the poem) said these lines.
b. How could you tell how old the speaker was?
* The phrase “little me” suggests that the poet is a child or young.
c. What did the speaker hold with his hands?
* The poet held the trunk of the tree with his hands. The dusty roads go up and down with people tramping in to town.
a. Why did the speaker describe the roads as going ‘up and down’?
* The poet described the roads as going ‘up and down’ to indicate that they were winding, hilly, or undulating, not flat.
b. What did the word ‘tramping’ tell you about the means of transport people use to get to town?
* The word ‘tramping’ tells us that people were walking or going on foot to town, suggesting they were not using vehicles. C. Think and answer.
How do you think the speaker felt about the foreign lands he described? Did he wish to travel to them? Give reasons for your answer. The poet likely felt a sense of wonder, excitement, and curiosity about the foreign lands he described. Yes, he clearly wished to travel to them, especially the more distant and imaginative ones. This is evident from his desire to find a “higher tree” to see “farther and farther,” and his detailed, imaginative description of the “fairy land” where “all the playthings come alive,” which expresses a strong desire to explore and experience these fantastical places. Have you ever heard about an imaginary land? What does it look like? Make up an imaginary land you would like to visit and name three things you would like to see there. (This is an open-ended question designed for individual creativity. Here is an example of what a student might write):
Yes, I’ve heard about imaginary lands like Neverland. An imaginary land I would like to visit is called “Cloud Kingdom.” It’s a place where the land floats on soft, fluffy clouds, and the houses are built inside giant, colourful bubbles. Three things I would like to see there are: rivers of sparkling stardust, gardens where flowers play music, and friendly dragons that can carry you on their backs through the sky. 
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