Life Stories Chapter Notes | Year 7 English IGCSE (Cambridge) PDF Download

Childhood Poems: Lullaby

John Fuller’s poem “Lullaby” captures the tender moment of a parent watching their baby sleep, weaving together feelings of love, protection, and the bittersweet passage of time. The poem begins with a gentle image of the baby, described as “clean as a nut,” with uncurled fingers and shut eyes, evoking purity and vulnerability. The parent reflects on the shared life they have with the child, noting, “Your life was ours, which is with you,” suggesting a deep connection as they embark on the child’s journey together. The world outside is alive with whimsical imagery: a bat flits around the house, likened to an umbrella transformed into a mouse, while the moon and sheep, with their jingling bells, seem to conspire to lull the baby to sleep. The parent’s voice returns, urging the baby to turn toward their beating heart, a symbol of comfort and security, as they repeat the soothing refrain, “Sleep little baby, clean as a nut, / Your fingers uncurl and your eyes are shut,” framing the poem with a sense of calm and devotion.

Childhood Poems: The Song of the Old Mother

William Butler Yeats’ poem “The Song of the Old Mother” paints a stark contrast between the laborious life of an elderly woman and the carefree existence of the young. The poem opens with the old mother rising at dawn to tend to her chores: she kneels to blow life into the fire’s embers, then scrubs, bakes, and sweeps until the stars appear at night. Her work is relentless, driven by necessity as the fire’s “seed” grows feeble and cold, mirroring her own aging body. Meanwhile, the young sleep late, lost in dreams of trivial pleasures like matching ribbons in blue and red, their days spent in idleness. They sigh over fleeting concerns, such as a breeze lifting a strand of hair, unaware of the old mother’s burdens. The poem’s tone is one of quiet resentment, as the old mother acknowledges her toil is compelled by age, while the young remain oblivious to her sacrifices, highlighting the divide between generations.

Growing Up: Malala

The biography extract “The Girl Warrior” introduces Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani girl who survived a Taliban attack in 2012 due to her advocacy for female education. Named after Malalai of Maiwind, a courageous warrior, Malala is no typical fighter, though she playfully spars with her brothers. She embodies a spirited, tomboyish energy: she loves pink but cracks her knuckles, arm-wrestles adults, and excels at cricket, confidently challenging anyone to a match. Her sibling rivalry with her brother Khushal, two years younger, and her younger brother Atal, six years her junior, is lively, with arguments over everything from cricket to crisps. Together, the trio enjoyed typical childhood games like tag, cricket, and even knocking on neighbors’ doors before running away. Despite the option for more stereotypically feminine pursuits like painting nails, Malala cherished her close bond with her brothers, spending long hours playing outdoors, which shaped her bold, unpolished personality.

Malala’s parents, Toor Pekai and Ziauddin, hailed from rural Pakistani villages before settling in the Swat Valley, where Malala was born in 1997. The Swat Valley, with its lush green hills, towering mountains, and crystal-clear river, is described as one of the world’s most beautiful places, providing a vibrant backdrop to Malala’s childhood. Her upbringing in this scenic region, combined with her family’s support, fostered her resilience and determination, qualities that would later define her activism.

Leaving Home: As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning

In an extract from Laurie Lee’s autobiography “As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning,” the author recounts the poignant moment he left his childhood home in 1934 at age nineteen. The scene begins with a vivid image of his mother, stooped and entangled in tall grass, her gnarled red hand raised in a silent farewell as she watches him depart. She stands at the top of a bank, old and bent, offering no questions or objections, only a blessing. As Lee reaches a bend in the road, he looks back to see the golden light fade behind her, then passes the village school, symbolically closing the chapter of his youth. It was a bright Sunday morning in early June, an ideal time for new beginnings. His mother had risen early to cook him a hearty breakfast, standing quietly by as he ate, her hand resting on his chair. She helped him pack his few belongings—a small tent, a violin wrapped in a blanket, a change of clothes, treacle biscuits, and cheese—without fuss or attempts to dissuade him, only a long, searching look. With a confident belief in good fortune, though still “soft at the edges,” Lee set out to discover the world, carrying the weight of his mother’s unspoken love.

Becoming a Parent: Letter to Daniel

In “Letter to Daniel,” Fergal Keane, a foreign correspondent, writes a heartfelt letter to his newborn son, Daniel Patrick Keane, born on February 4, 1996. In the first extract, Keane describes a serene morning in Hong Kong at six o’clock, typing one-handed while cradling the sleeping Daniel in his arm. His wife, exhausted yet joyful, sleeps nearby, and their apartment is enveloped in soft quiet. Keane reflects on the new rhythm of their lives since Daniel’s arrival, where days and nights blur into a cycle of feeding, winding, nappy changing, and rare moments of calm. He expresses that they had longed for Daniel, imagining and dreaming of him, but no dream could capture the reality of his presence. Outside, ferries plow across the harbor to Kowloon, the sun slants through tower blocks, a jet trails over Lamma Island, and the last stars flicker, painting a vivid backdrop to this intimate moment.

In the second extract, Keane’s tone shifts to introspection as he gazes at Daniel’s sleeping face, listening to his occasional sighs and gurgles. He questions how he ever valued glory, prizes, or praise above life itself, recognizing the folly of ambition and ego in a world of insecurity. Daniel’s presence reorients his perspective, making the risks he once took as a correspondent seem insignificant compared to the profound simplicity of his son’s life, underscoring the transformative power of parenthood.

Exploring the World: Robert Scott’s Diary

Captain Robert Scott’s diary, written during his 1910 expedition to the South Pole, offers a vivid glimpse into the harsh yet mesmerizing Antarctic landscape. In the first extract, dated February 2, 1911, Scott’s entries are poetic, capturing sensory details of his environment. He describes the “seductive folds of the sleeping-bag,” inviting rest amidst the cold, and the “small green tent” set against the “great white road” of snow. The sounds of the expedition come alive: the whine of dogs, the neigh of horses (referred to as steeds), the crunch of footsteps breaking the snow’s crust, and the crisp ring of ponies’ hoofs accompanied by the swish of sledges. The patter of dog pads and the flutter of the canvas shelter, which booms under a blizzard’s force, create a symphony of survival. Scott also paints visual contrasts, like the “blue arch” of sky beneath a smoky cloud and the driving cloud of powdered snow, immersing readers in the expedition’s raw beauty.

In the second extract, Scott portrays nature’s dual nature—beautiful yet treacherous. He describes a blizzard as “Nature’s protest” and a crevasse as “Nature’s pitfall,” a deadly trap hidden beneath a rippled snow bridge that offers no warning until a person or animal is floundering on its brink. The imagery of a hunter’s perfectly concealed snare underscores the lethal unpredictability of the terrain. Yet, amidst this danger, Scott notes the “vast silence” of the Antarctic, broken only by the mellow sounds of the marching column, evoking both awe and isolation. Tragically, Scott and his team perished on their return journey, making his diary a haunting testament to their courage.

Changing the World: Mandela’s Speech

In 2005, Nelson Mandela delivered a powerful speech in support of the “Make Poverty History” campaign, addressing a crowd in Britain. He begins by noting the privilege of speaking, despite his recent retirement from public life, emphasizing that the persistence of poverty, injustice, and gross inequality demands action. Mandela describes massive poverty and obscene inequality as scourges of modern times, comparable to historical evils like slavery and apartheid, especially in an era of remarkable advances in science, technology, and wealth. He aligns the Global Campaign for Action Against Poverty with monumental movements like the abolition of slavery and the fight against apartheid, recalling the British people’s solidarity during South Africa’s struggle, which helped end that oppressive system.

Mandela frames poverty as a man-made prison that enslaves millions, asserting that overcoming it is not charity but an act of justice, protecting the fundamental human right to dignity and a decent life. He argues that true freedom is impossible while poverty persists and outlines clear steps for developed nations: ensuring trade justice, ending the debt crisis for the poorest countries, and delivering high-quality aid. He praises the audience’s passion, urging them to be a “great generation” that makes history by eradicating poverty in 2005. Mandela’s speech is a call to action, blending gratitude, moral clarity, and hope to inspire collective effort against global poverty.