Exam code: 8702
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Power & Conflict
At what point in the action does the poem begin?
after the battle has already finished in silence
at the solemn time of a soldier’s funeral procession
in media res, mid-charge, the soldier already running
during the long drills and preparations before combat
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What does the soldier abandon as “luxuries” in the chaos?
his uniform and his rifle, both left behind in the battlefield
his King, his honour, and his human dignity, discarded in panic
his money and wealth gathered from home and possessions
his faith and his family, the loved ones he once treasured
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In stanza two, what does the soldier almost do in bewilderment?
shout desperately for someone to help him
drop his rifle carelessly onto the ground
hide himself suddenly in a nearby trench
stop running, halted by shock and confusion
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What frightened creature appears in the final stanza?
a fox darting through the undergrowth
a bird flying out in startled panic
a yellow hare, “rolled like a flame”
a rat, “escaping the chaos of war”
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What phrase describes the soldier as part of “cold clockwork”?
a cog on a machine that keeps turning without pause
a wheel on a chariot that rolls forward without control
a gear in a factory that grinds on without his will
a hand on a clock that moves on without human choice
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What does the “patriotic tear” turning to sweat suggest?
His national pride is growing stronger with each fearful step.
He is thinking of his family’s faces with sorrow as he charges on.
He is crying from joy, overwhelmed by triumph in the battlefield.
His patriotism has drained away as fear and exhaustion take hold.
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What do the “bullets” do to the air, according to the poem?
whisper through the air in soft motion
heal the air gently as they pass
smack the belly out of the air
light the air like fireworks exploding
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How does the poem end?
with the soldier’s triumphant victory
with the soldier’s funeral described in detail
with the soldier safely back in the trench
on a cliffhanger with his fate unresolved
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What overall conflict does the poem explore?
between training and leadership in the army
between soldiers and civilians in society
between religion and politics in wartime
between patriotism and the futility of war
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Why is Bayonet Charge written in the third-person singular?
to distance the reader from the soldier’s emotions and inner fear
to highlight the individual and isolating impact of war
to make the soldier seem like a symbolic figure for all men in battle
to present the soldier’s experience in a detached and objective manner
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In the phrase “cold clockwork of the stars and the nations,” what does Hughes suggest?
that time has paused completely, giving him a chance to reflect safely
that the soldier feels guided by the stars to complete his mission bravely
that impersonal forces of fate and politics control the soldier’s actions
that nations will honour him by celebrating his role in future history
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Why does Hughes describe the soldier with the simile, “sweating like molten iron”?
to stress that his fear and effort are overwhelming him physically
to suggest his anger is fuelling him like a machine of war
to highlight how the burning sun beats down on him during battle
to imply he is transforming into a weapon, detached from humanity
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What does the “yellow hare” symbolise in the poem?
courage and bravery in the face of great danger and fear
animal rage that mirrors the soldier’s panic and dread
support and companionship from fellow soldiers in battle
the innocence of nature destroyed by the violence of war
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Why does the soldier think of “King, honour, human dignity, etcetera”?
to list carefully the values that his society expects him to uphold
to show how patriotic ideals collapse in the heat of survival
to remind himself of noble reasons to continue fighting bravely
to express pride in fighting for the traditional ideals of his nation
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What does describing the rifle as “numb as a smashed arm” reveal?
that it feels like a lifeless burden which weighs heavily on him
that the rifle is compared to a useless object which offers no real support
that it symbolises the exhaustion of the soldier’s body rather than his strength
that it is treated as broken equipment, dragging down his ability to act
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Compared to The Charge of the Light Brigade, how is patriotism presented in Bayonet Charge?
Both poems present patriotism as unquestioned loyalty, with both Hughes and Tennyson praising it.
Bayonet Charge dismisses patriotism as irrelevant, while Light Brigade glorifies obedience as noble sacrifice.
Both poems suggest patriotism weakens when soldiers face violence, but in different ways.
Bayonet Charge reduces patriotism to hollow ideals abandoned in fear, while Light Brigade elevates obedience as sacred duty.
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How do Bayonet Charge and Exposure treat the theme of nature?
Both poems show nature worsening suffering, both Hughes and Owen presenting it as an enemy.
Bayonet Charge depicts nature as an innocent victim, while Exposure personifies nature as a hostile force.
Both poems highlight nature’s destructive power but frame its agency in contrasting ways.
Bayonet Charge uses animal imagery for fragility, while Exposure uses weather imagery for similar purposes.
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How do Bayonet Charge and Exposure portray the dehumanisation of soldiers?
Both poems show soldiers stripped of individuality, with both Hughes and Owen stressing emotional numbness.
Bayonet Charge presents the soldier as a machine of war, while Exposure presents soldiers as powerless victims of nature.
Both poems highlight loss of humanity, but Hughes depicts frantic action while Owen depicts weary passivity.
Bayonet Charge reduces the soldier to a weapon of the state, while Exposure reduces soldiers to frozen shells of men.
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