1. What do you think is preferable? To be beautiful or ordinary looking? To be genius–like or just of average intelligence?

2. If you have a child, what do you hope they have/are/become?

3. Sally Amis

4. Born Yesterday MEANING OF THE TITLE?

5. Unseen practice What is the meaning of the poem – literal? Deeper? Who is speaking? To whom? In stanza one what attitude does the speaker have towards the conventional wishes for newborns? In stanza two, the speaker outlines his alternative wishes, what are they? If the ‘catching of happiness’ is the speaker’s ultimate wish – how can you summarise his belief about where we are all going wrong in life?

6. Top 10 AO2 points 1. metaphor ‘tightly folded bud 2. colloquialism ‘not the usual stuff’ 3. metaphor ‘running off a spring / of innocence and love –’ 3. modal verb/ conditional tense ‘should it prove possible, / Well you’re a lucky girl’ ‘if, it shouldn’t’ 4. volta / connective ‘But if it shouldn’t’ ‘5. religious language ‘May you…’ 6. direct address ‘may you’ 7. informal, conversational, irregular line length, no rhyme 8. listing ‘skilled, vigilant, flexible..’ 9. colons ‘may you be ordinary:’ 10. alliteration ‘being beautiful’ ‘prove possible’

7. Resources to consolidate and further our understanding https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz8C7VbJbX4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAEJgmhB42k Compare the nurturing role played by the speakers in Born Yesterday and Nettles

8. Example exam questions: Compare the nurturing role played by the speakers in Born Yesterday and Nettles Compare the attitude shown to a family member in Born Yesterday and Sister Maude