Hornbill (Poem): Childhood

Topics in this chapter

• Growing Up and Maturity
• Loss of Innocence
• Adult Hypocrisy
• Independent Thinking
• Poem Structure and Progression
• Language and Poetic Techniques

Cheat sheet

Practice questions

1. Question 1Q-703815

   What is the central concern of Markus Natten’s poem “Childhood”?

   1. A.The excitement of growing up and gaining independence
   2. B.The loss of childhood innocence and the growth of rational awareness
   3. C.The importance of following social traditions
   4. D.The happiness of living in a large family
   See the answer and solution
2. Question 2Q-E923C9

   Which realisation in the poem shows the speaker’s movement from childish belief to rational thinking?

   1. A.He realised that Heaven and Hell were not located in geographical places.
   2. B.He realised that children should never question adults.
   3. C.He realised that every adult always behaves honestly.
   4. D.He realised that growing older brings complete happiness.
   See the answer and solution
3. Question 3Q-E6B73E

   Why does the speaker say that childhood may have gone when he noticed that adults were not what they appeared to be?

   1. A.Because he discovered that adults often preach love and behave differently in practice.
   2. B.Because he learned that adults are physically stronger than children.
   3. C.Because he began to imitate every habit of adults.
   4. D.Because he wanted to avoid responsibility completely.
   See the answer and solution
4. Question 4Q-85E255

   Explain how the poem presents the loss of childhood and what the final reference to an innocent child’s face suggests.

   See the answer and solution
5. Question 5Q-636E4D

   In Markus Natten’s poem “Childhood,” the line “my mind was really mine” most strongly conveys:

   1. A.acceptance of adult authority
   2. B.the emergence of independent self-awareness
   3. C.a desire to return to infancy
   4. D.belief in supernatural worlds
   See the answer and solution