Reading and responding to 'The Listeners' by Walter de la Mare | English

Starter quiz

Which country was the poet Walter de la Mare from?
- Ireland
- England ✓
- France
- Spain
Select the examples of antiquated vocabulary found in 'The Listeners' by Walter de La Mere.
- champed ✓
- munched
- smote ✓
- knocked
Walter de la Mare mentions a 'stirrup' in his poem. Select the correct definition of this word.
- a leather harness used to lead a horse
- a supportive metal or leather loop that hangs from a saddle for a rider's foot ✓
- a metal utensil used to stir ingredients when cooking
Understanding the vocabulary used in a poem can support your overall comprehension of the poem.
- True ✓
- False
Select the strategies which could support reading a poem aloud.
- knowing the atmosphere and emotions of the poem ✓
- speaking with a quiet voice
- knowing very little about the poem or the language used
- speaking with a clear voice and varying your volume ✓
In Walter de la Mare's poem 'The Listeners', what do the listeners do when the visitor arrives?
- welcome him warmly
- ignore him ✓
- ask him to leave
- ask him to come back later

Match the keyword with the correct definition.
- inference
  
  ⇔
  
  means to use clues from within the text to draw conclusions ✓
- interpretation
  
  ⇔
  
  refers to the process of understanding and assigning meaning ✓
- imagery
  
  ⇔
  
  the use of vivid language to create clear mental pictures ✓
There is only ever one way to interpret a poem.
- True
- False ✓
Which of the following are correct interpretations of 'The Listeners' by Walter de la Mare?
- The Traveller arrives at night. ✓
- The Traveller knocks on the door. ✓
- The Traveller arrives on a horse. ✓
- The Travaller arrives at lunch time.
- The Traveller is welcomed by the listeners.
Match the description to the characters within the poem.
- The Traveller
  
  ⇔
  
  “...stood perplexed and still” ✓
- The Traveller's horse
  
  ⇔
  
  “...cropping the dark turf” ✓
- The listeners
  
  ⇔
  
  “...dwelt in the lone house” ✓
What kind of atmosphere does Walter de la Mare create using vocabulary within 'The Listeners'?
- fun and exciting
- mysterious and eerie ✓
- relaxed and calm
What are the key unanswered question in 'The Listeners'?
- why the listeners are not answering the door ✓
- who the Traveller is ✓
- the age of the house
- the name of the horse
- who the Listeners are ✓

Loading worksheet ...

Loading presentation ...

Walter de la Mare uses a range of poetic devices to create atmosphere in "The Listeners"
Readers can interpret the poem in many different ways.
Reading between the lines to search for clues can help to infer meaning.

Many readers might interpret the poem literally.

The listeners are non-human objects, described as phantoms by Walter de la Mare.

Inference - Inference means to use clues from within the text to draw conclusions.
Interpretation - Interpretation refers to the process of understanding and assigning meaning to a poem, considering its language, imagery, and themes.
Imagery - Imagery involves the use of vivid and sensory language to create vivid mental pictures, enhancing the emotional impact of a poem.