Big yellow taxi By Joni Mitchell

1. They paved paradise And put up a parking lot With a pink hotel, a boutique And a swinging hot spot Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got 'Till it's gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot 2. They took all the trees And put them in a tree museum And they charged all the people A dollar and a half to see 'em Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got 'Till it's gone They paved paradise And they put up a parking lot 3. Hey farmer farmer Put away that D.D.T. now Give me spots on my apples But leave me the birds and the bees Please! Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got 'Till it's gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot 4. Late last night I heard the screen door slam And a big yellow taxi Took away my old man Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got 'Till it's gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot

Questions: 1. Briefly explain what the following words mean in the context of the poem: a) paved b) paradise c) Hot spot d) museum e) DDT f) Screen door g) slam h) Old man 2. Write down an example of alliteration from the first stanza. 3. Complete the following sentence: The pink hotel is in c______to nature. It does not fit in. 4. Write down the refrain of the poem. (The part of the poem that is repeated numerous times.) 5.a. What would one usually put in a museum? 5.b. Why does the poet suggest that trees would be put in a museum? 6. Do you think it is ironic that people pay to see trees?

7.a. What is DDT? 7.b. What is the poet trying to say when she says, “Give me spots on my apples but leave me the birds and the bees…”? 7.c. How is the word ‘Please” emphasised?

8. The last stanza is different from the rest of the poem. Briefly explain why. 9. What is the theme of the poem?