CLASS 11 · WOVEN WORDS · CHAPTER 15
Original student-friendly answers to Ted Hughes's poem activities.
8 worked answers · short steps first, explanations when you need them
Textbook pages Understanding the Poem
Question Understanding the Poem 1
Link its hooked features, eyes, and feathers to hunting and power.
The hooked beak and feet, sharp eye, and feathers equip the hawk to hunt and dominate.
Question Understanding the Poem 2
Mention its height, grip, vision, direct flight, and confident hunting.
Its high position, strong grip, sharp vision, and direct flight emphasise its hunting power.
Question Understanding the Poem 3
Explain direct predatory action and the possible parallel with power excusing violence.
The hawk acts directly as a predator; the line may suggest that powerful beings use 'nature' to excuse violence.
Question Understanding the Poem 4
Link the foot holding prey to the hawk's belief that its power gives it control.
The line expresses the hawk's belief that its perfect body gives it control over life and the world.
Question Understanding the Poem 5
Explain that the hawk speaks while perched and surveying its territory.
The title describes the hawk perched in a tree as it surveys and claims its territory.
Question Understanding the Poem 6
Connect the hawk's unquestioned dominance with human misuse of power.
The hawk can represent people who use strength or authority to dominate and refuse limits.
Textbook pages Try This Out
Question Try This Out 1
Distinguish eagles and hawks as predators, kites as varied feeders, and vultures as scavengers.
Eagles and hawks hunt; kites have varied diets; vultures mainly scavenge carrion.
Question Try This Out 2
Define eagle-eyed as observant and hawkish as favouring forceful action.
Eagle-eyed means very observant; hawkish means favouring a forceful or aggressive stance.