Essential Lessons from Poetry and Prose for the ICSE English Literature Board Paper 2020

Are you gearing up for the ICSE English Literature Board Paper in 2020? If so, you'll want to understand the essential lessons and themes from poetry and prose that will be tested on this important exam. Here, we'll look at key topics and lessons that you should focus on to ensure a comprehensive preparation.

Poetry Lessons and Themes

For the poetry section of the ICSE English Literature Board Paper, you'll encounter several important themes and lessons that will be central to your preparation. Let's dive into these topics:

Theme: Choices and their Consequences

Lessons: Making decisions can shape our lives and sometimes the less popular choice can lead to unique paths.

Theme: Beauty and its Enduring Impact

Lessons: Beauty provides solace and joy and can be a source of inspiration and comfort in life.

Theme: Resilience and Maturity

Lessons: The poem emphasizes the importance of maintaining composure and integrity in the face of challenges.

Prose Lessons and Themes

In the prose section, you'll find a range of thematic explorations that contribute to your understanding of the text. Here's what to focus on:

Theme: Sacrifice and Love

Lessons: True love often involves selflessness and sacrifice illustrating the depth of emotional connection between partners.

Theme: Deception and Reality

Lessons: The story highlights the thin line between truth and fiction and the power of storytelling.

Theme: Communication and Cultural Differences

Lessons: The story explores misunderstandings arising from language barriers and cultural differences emphasizing the importance of empathy.

Exam Structure and Preparation Tips

The ICSE English Literature Board Paper is divided into three sections, each containing three questions, with a total of 48 marks.

Section A: The Merchant of Venice

Focus on the following scenes to prepare effectively for this section:

The Casket scenes of Prince of Morocco and Prince of Arragon The Trial scene Act 4 Act 5

Section B: Poetry

Six poems will be provided, and you'll need to answer two questions from this section. Here are the poems to familiarize yourself with:

The Bangle Sellers The Television I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Daffodils OR The Cold Within Abou Ben Adhem The Cold within

Section C: Short Stories

Read the following stories to prepare for this section:

Old Man at the Bridge The Blue Bead An Angel in Disguise Hearts and Hand The Little Match Girl

Additional Tips

Here are some general tips to excel in the ICSE English Literature Board Paper 2020:

Listen carefully to your teacher's advice on the exam pattern and essay structure. Avoid studying too smartly; focus on understanding the texts thoroughly. Follow the marking scheme and attempt at least one question from each section. Earn 95 by using bookish language or good English when writing your answers.

Now that you know the key areas to focus on, it's time to start your preparation. Good luck with your ICSE English Literature Board Paper 2020!