In stanza 1, what does the phrase, the two pools of lies refer to?

ii.
Never to compromise. In your own words, what do you think the persona means
by the statement.

The mans eyes

Not to give up ones principles
2.

Explain the meaning of the last line of stanza 1 And to render him paradise
7.

What should she have listened to?

To give the man happiness / joy / pleasure

To the advice by her elders and family
3.

Which line in stanza 3 shows that the person had made a mistake?
8.

Why should she not have compromised?

If only shed been wise.

The she would not have been betrayed / cheated / deceived
4.

In your words, explain the main theme of the poem.

9.
The theme is about exploration of human feelings in a relationship whereby the
persona has gone through a bad experience of betrayal and advises others to be
careful when starting a relationship.

Be sure that nice really means nice

What do you think this phrase means?
It means that when you befriend someone, the person must be trustful,
sincere, kind and pleasant.

5.

Why do you think the writer says that the mans eyes are layered with the thinnest ice?
To show deception as the man disguises his true intention because eyes usually
mirrors ones feelings and innermost thoughts

6.

Explain the advice given in this line:

i.

Be sure that nice really means nice

It means that when you befriend someone, the person must be
trustful, sincere, kind and pleasant.

10. What is the advice that is given in the second stanza?

Never to give up ones principles / values / beliefs to men who like to flirt and are
only looking for pleasure
11. What happened when she did not listen to the advice?
She was betrayed / hurt / let down / deceived.
12. Which line tells you not to take chances?

Then youll never be losing at dice.

13. In your own words,
i.

If only shed been wise.

19. Why does the persona not realise she has been deceived?

What do you think about the advice given in the last stanza?

It is a good advice for young girls so that they will not be taken advantage and are
able to differentiate between sincerity and falsehood.

She is nave and gullible to believe the mans lies as true love.
20. Which word in the poem is similar to pleading?
Imploring

ii.

What can happen if girls do not listen to the advice?

21. What message do you get from reading the poem?

They would be played out / cheated / deceived / betrayed / hurt.

14. From stanza 2, what should the woman have done?
She should have listened to the advice given to her that is not to give up her
principles /values / beliefs.

To be careful when starting a relationship and not gamble with affections to avoid
serious consequences.
22. How does the man try to persuade the woman to be nice?
Using his eyes to make her feel compelled her to be nice to him

15. What does the poet mean when he says, Shed be free of the hows and whys?
23. From stanza 2,
She would not be asking herself why she had been cheated / betrayed / hurt.
i.

What advice does the woman ignore?

16. What can you say about the womans character from the stanza 2 and 3?
Never to compromise with pleasure seeking guys.
She is regretful and is helpful as she advises other girls from falling into the same
boat.
17. What is the personas advice in the last stanza?
She wants the other young girls to be careful when starting a relationship and the
relationship must be based on true love.
18. Which line in stanza 2 tells you that the persona may have been deceived?

ii.

Describe the poets tone in this stanza?

Sympathetic towards the girls situation.

24. Suggest a theme of the poem.

33

Exploration of human feelings in a relationship / Betrayal of love / Deception

From stanza 2, what is the advice given?

Never to give up ones principles / values / beliefs to men who like to flirt and are
only looking for pleasure

25. Why did the poet describe the mans eyes as two pools of lies?
34
He eyes were showing signs of love but those eyes were actually disguising his
actual intentions of deception.

What is your opinion on the advice given in the poem?

It is a good advice to help / save other young girls from falling into the trap of
deception and get hurt.

35

What did the girl not realise about the mans eyes?

26. What do you think the phrase, lose your heart means?
They were full of lies
Falling in love.
36

Why do think the eyes are described as two pools?

27. What kind of image does the word paradise give?

To show the severity / seriousness / of deceit in both eyes
Happiness
37

How was the man making use of his eyes?

28. What is the advice given to young girls in stanza 3? Explain using your own words?
Using his eyes to deceive her into thinking that he needed someone to love.
Young girls should be careful when starting a relationship and their relationship
should be based on true love and not merely physical attraction.
31

How does the man appear to the woman?

Sincere and loving

32

38

Yes, she was because she believed that his quiet eyes were signalling love.
39

From stanza 2, how could the woman be wise?

She should have listened to the advice given by the elders and her family.

In your own words, do you think the girl was charmed by the man? Give a reason.

What is the main theme in the poem?

Exploration of human feelings in a relationship / Betrayal of love / Deception

40

Why do you think the poet uses the words, be sure that nice really means nice in her
advice? In your own words, give a reason to support your answer.

It means that when you befriend someone, the person must be trustful, sincere, kind
and pleasant so that the relationship is based on true love and not on physical
attraction.

47

What do you think happened to the persona when she allowed herself to be
compromised?
She was cheated and hurt.

41

What are the mans eyes compared to?

48

What advice would you give a friend who had met a stranger?

Two pools
42

I would advise her / him to be very careful make sure that the person is thoroughly
sincere and innocent.

Write two words that are related to feelings of happiness.

nice

49

paradise
43

How do you think the man managed to charm the girl into accepting him? In your own
words, give a reason to support your answer.

Why does the girl believe the man cares for her?
He shows her that he is in love with her through his sincere-looking quiet eyes.

50

Write two words related to happiness?

nice

Using his sincere looking eyes which disguised his insincerity to make her think that
he truly loves her.
44

In stanza 1, what did the persona think the mans quiet eyes were conveying to her?

paradise
51

What do you think the man said to convince the girl to accept him? In your own words,
give a reason to support your answer.

He was longing for love and companionship.

45

His quiet eyes were actually filled with deceit as she was left heart-broken.
46

He must have said that he truly love her because she believed in him and had willing
given up her principles to show her love to him.

What truth did the persona finally learn about the mans quiet eyes?

Which line in stanza 3 suggests that we will not lose out or get hurt if we are cautious?
Then youll never be losing at dice.

52

What does the poet mean by the following lines?

i.

He had such quiet eyes?

His eyes were sincere-looking and were sign of love.

ii.

Shed free from the hows and whys

Yes, because she too nave to realise that the man was a cheater and finally she was
ditched / betrayed / hurt.

She would not be asking herself why she had been cheated / betrayed / hurt.
58

What does the expression quiet eyes suggest the nature of the man?
He was not a trustworthy / sincere / loving person.

53

What is the poets tone of voice when she criticises the man for using trickery to charm the
woman?

59

The tone was serious but at the same time understanding and sympathetic towards
the girl.

Give two reasons those quiet eyes made the woman give in to his woes.
He was using the eyes to breath desolate / sad / unhappy signs
Imploring / pleading / begging her to be nice.

54

Do you think this kind of human relationship is difficult to handle? Give a reason for your
answer.

60

No, if the person involved, is not easily influenced by sweet nothings and is more
careful when going into a relationship.
55

What does the title of the poem suggest about the poets feelings concerning the pair of
eyes?

No, not really, as eyes can be deceiving and do not reveal the true identity or
character of a person.
61

The man concerned has insincere and deceit eyes.

56

If you met a man and fell in love with him, would you believe him by looking at the
expression in his eyes? Why?

What does the first stanza imply?

The girl is unaware that the man she is in relationship with only wants pleasure from
her and he plays with her feelings using his sincere looking eyes.

Give two reasons why the persona thinks the eyes are so irresistible?
62

i.

He was using the eyes to breath desolate / sad / unhappy signs

ii.

Imploring / pleading / begging her to be nice.

Give a word from the poem which means giving up something to reach an agreement.
Compromise

63
57

Do you think the woman charmed by the man has been foolish? Give a reason for your
answer.

Explain what the expression hows and whys means?

It is an idiom that refers to confusion where the person is asking herself why and
how she allowed herself to be betrayed..

64

What lesson can you learn from the last stanza?

When starting a relationship, one has to be extra careful in recognising the partners
true intention, differentiate between sincerity and falsehood and may only meet the
right person after losing their hearts a few times .