1st date she - 1st date he

Question 1

brief summary

Answer 1

two parallel poems which portray the classic male and female perspectives on a common situation. extensive use of irony displays the awkward stages of starting a relationship

Question 2

context

Answer 2

Wendy cope went to oxford university and is a professional writer known for a humorous tone she adopts in many of her poems

Question 3

1st date she:

analyse the fist line
“i said i liked classical music”

Answer 3

the speaker implies she has chosen to say she likes a certain type of music to appear more sophisticated in order to make a good impression

Question 4

1st date she:

analyse the second line
“i hoped he’d get the impression”

Answer 4

the word “hoped” suggests the speaker is eager to impress

Question 5

1st date she

analyse the line
“But i’m trying my hardest to listen”

Answer 5

makes the date which is something that is ment to be fun into something that seems like a chore could be the poet warning of the consiquences of lying to a partner

Question 6

1st date he

analyse
“in that dress she is very attractive”

Answer 6

the focus on the appearance implies he is only intrested in a sexual relationship with the woman which plays on the stereotype that men are obsessed with sex

Question 7

1st date he

analyse
“where are we?”

Answer 7

implies that he doesn’t have any real interest in classical music

Question 8

structure

Answer 8

the gentle but solid ABCB rhyme scheme provides a light hearted humarous tone which mirrors the situation