[The famous charge of the Light Brigade was made by English cavalry on the Russian troops in the battle of Balaclava, October 25, 1854.] HALF a league, half a league, Half a league onward, Rode the six hundred. "Forward, the Light Brigade!" Was there a man dismay'd? 5 10 Not tho' the soldier knew Some one had blunder'd: 5 10 15 20 25 Theirs not to make reply, Cannon to right of them, Cannon in front of them Volley'd and thundered; Storm'd at with shot and shell, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell Rode the six hundred. Flash'd all their sabers bare, All the world wonder'd: Plunged in the battery smoke Reel'd from the saber stroke Shatter'd and sunder'd. 1. Read the poem through several times. See if you can tell why it has become so famous. 2. What is a soldier's first duty? Which stanza shows that these soldiers realized this? 3. Why does Tennyson repeat the word cannon so often in the third and fifth stanzas? 4. What other examples of this same kind can you find? 5. Which stanza do you like the best? Why? Read it aloud. 6. Commit the whole poem to memory. Capital Letters: Review. - Write from dictation and give reasons for the capital letters: 1. The Charge of the Light Brigade was written by Tennyson, an English poet. 2. King Alfred said, "While I have lived I have striven to live worthily." 3. Dear God, was that Thy answer from the horror round about? 4. Give me of your balm, O fir tree. 5. The stormy March is come at last. Sentence Study: Kinds of Sentences. 5. Keep thy tongue from evil. 6. A key of silver can open an iron lock. 7. Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean - roll! 8. What doth the poor man's son inherit? Which of these groups of words state a fact or declare something? Which ask questions? Which show strong feeling? Which command? Each of these groups, whether it asks, states, commands, or shows strong feeling, expresses a thought. Learn the following definitions: A sentence is a thought expressed in words. A sentence that states a fact is called a declarative sentence. sentence. A sentence that expresses strong feeling is called an exclamatory sentence. A sentence that commands or entreats is called an imperative sentence. Sentence 1 is a declarative sentence. With what punctuation mark does it close? Sentence 2 is an interrogative sentence. With what mark do interrogative sentences close? Sentence 3 is an imperative sentence. Imperative sentences close with periods. Sentence 4 is an exclamatory sentence. An exclamatory sentence closes with an exclamation point. Written Exercise. 1. Write five interrogative sentences about the company of soldiers that made the famous charge referred to in The Charge of the Light Brigade. 2. Write five declarative sentences in answer to these. 3. Select three exclamatory sentences from the poem. 4. Write five imperative sentences. Synonyms. Rewrite these sentences, substituting a synonym for the italicized words: 1. Was there a man dismayed? 2. When can their glory fade? 3. O the wild charge they made! 4. No stir in the air, no stir in the sea, the ship was still as she could be. 5. I love, oh, how I love to ride on the fierce, foaming, bursting tide. Letters.1. Copy the invitation and one of the replies. 2. Write a reply, either accepting or declining an invitation to a birthday party supposed to be given by one of your classmates. Miss Lucy Austin requests the pleasure of Miss Ruth Turner's company at a Hallowe'en party on Monday, October thirty-first, at eight o'clock. 150 Lake Avenue, October twenty-fourth. Miss Ruth Turner accepts with pleasure Miss Lucy Austin's kind invitation to the Hallowe'en party on Monday, October thirtyfirst, at eight o'clock. 275 Central Avenue, October twenty-fifth. Or Miss Ruth Turner regrets that she is unable to accept Miss Lucy Austin's kind invitation to the Hallowe'en party on Monday, October thirty-first, at eight o'clock. 275 Central Avenue, October twenty-fifth. |