Read the following extract from Maya Angelou's poem, 'When Great Trees Fall', and answer the questions that follow: When great trees fall, rocks on distant hills shudder, lions hunker down in tall grasses, and even elephants lumber after safety.
What three images from the natural world does Angelou use to describe the effect of great trees falling?
Topic: Images from nature
Answer
(1) Rocks on distant hills shudder — even the solid, unmoving earth trembles at the fall. (2) Lions hunker down in the tall grasses — the king of beasts crouches low in fear. (3) Even elephants lumber after safety — the largest and strongest of animals move heavily away in search of shelter.
One mark per image, so list all three separately. Add the reason Angelou chose these particular creatures: rocks are the most immovable thing, lions the most fearless, elephants the mightiest — if even these are shaken, the loss must be immense. Recognising the deliberate choice of the strongest examples is what turns a list into an answer.