Starter quiz
- Who wrote the poem 'Singh Song!'?
- 'Daljit Nagra' ✓
- Which of the below statements about the author of 'Singh Song!' are true?
- He was born in the UK to Punjabi Sikh parents. ✓
- He was born in Pakistan to Punjabi Sikh parents.
- His poems often include 'Punglish' - a mix of Punjabi and English. ✓
- He spent time working in his parents' convenience store. ✓
- He originally had the surname 'Singh' but changed it later in life.
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- The poem 'Singh Song!' is framed as an extended speech given by Singh himself. As such it is a ...
- dramatic monologue. ✓
- ballad.
- sonnet.
- epic.
- elegy.
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- 'The title 'Singh Song!' is a ______ on the phrase 'sing song', which refers to sound that is rhythmic and pleasing. This could indicate the poem is fun or light-hearted.'
- metaphor
- euphemism
- pun ✓
- paradox
- motif
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- Alex said: 'Conflict really comes across as a key theme of the poem 'Singh Song!'. What type of conflict is most pronounced in the poem?
- generational conflict ✓
- romantic conflict
- internal conflict
- supernatural conflict
- violent conflict
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- In 'Singh Song!', Singh's wife can be described as unconventional and with an 'acrimonious' relationship with Singh's parents. What evidence from the poem supports this?
- She wears clothes that are both Punjabi and Western in style. ✓
- She appears to run a dating website of some kind. ✓
- She often argues with Singh's parents. ✓
- She too works in the shop.
- She encourages Singh to distance himself from his parents.
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Exit quiz
- Nagra's poem 'Singh Song!' blends elements of English with elements of Punjabi. What is the colloquial term for this language?
- 'Punglish' ✓
- In 'Singh Song!', Singh seems to relish in the simple act of sharing food with his wife. As such, this celebrates the ______ side of their love.
- mundane ✓
- passionate
- equitable
- volatile
- playful
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- In 'Singh Song!', Nagra begins several stanzas with the same word or phrase. What is the name for this language device?
- 'anaphora' ✓
- Starting with the first, put these events from the poem 'Singh Song!' in chronological order.
- 1⇔Introduces the speaker who runs one of his dad's shops.
- 2⇔When no one is around he locks up and goes upstairs to see his wife.
- 3⇔They share food and make love.
- 4⇔His customers grow frustrated calling it the 'worst' shop in the town.
- 5⇔He hears his wife upstairs, where she runs a dating site.
- 6⇔His wife wears both Western and Punjabi dress and argues with his parents.
- 7⇔At night Singh and his wife visit the shop alone and exchange romantic comments.
- 'Singh Song!' alludes to some potential conflict between Singh's wife and his parents. What does the poem suggest may be the cause of this tension?
- She swears at his parents. ✓
- Singh's parents did not want him to marry her.
- She is from a different religion to Singh and his parents.
- Singh's wife has an unconventional style - mixing Western and Punjabi clothes. ✓
- She runs an online dating agency - a job Singh's parents may find surprising. ✓
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- Which of the following would be reasonable ways in which we could develop our ideas in our writing?
- explain the effect on the reader ✓
- analyse the language more closely ✓
- give an alternative interpretation ✓
- link to context ✓
- give a brief sumary of the poem's content
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Arguably, Nagra uses anaphora to depict the speaker's joyful and equitable relationship with his wife.
- Arguably, Nagra uses a simile to euphemistically convey the speaker's intimacy with his wife.
- Arguably, Nagra uses contrast to show how the couple find romance in the mundanity of their lives.
- Arguably, Nagra uses imagery to convey the conflict between the unconventional wife and more traditional parents.
Common misconception
The poem doesn't rhyme.
Although the poem doesn't follow a conventional and predictable rhyme scheme, it does have some irregular and half rhymes (e.g. "chapatti" and "chutney"). This structure imitates the playful and joyous content of the poem.
Keywords
Equity - the quality of being fair
Anaphora - a device where the same word or phrase is repeated several times at the start of a sentence
Mundane - very ordinary and therefore not interesting
Punglish - a colloquial term for language that is a mixture of Punjabi and English
Playful - light-hearted; fond of games and amusement
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