How would you answer this English question?

[steppemum]

So
DON'T read anyone else's answer first.
DON'T explain your answer for now, just answer.
DON'T overthink it, go with what your first response would be.

This is a comprehension passgae based on a poem. The first verse of the poem is:

Hamelin's Town's in Brunswick
By famous Hanover city;
The river Weser deep and wide,
Washes its wall on the southern side;

The question is:

In relation to the river, Hamelin lies:
a) to the north
b) to the south
c) to the west
d) to the east

So which answer would you choose? I'll be back in a couple of hours to explain why I'm asking and see what people put.

Thank you!!

Oh yes! Sorry about that typed too fast.

Thank you all, this is really interesting.

As promised will explain why I'm asking in a little while

I'm also going to say that the river is to the southern side making the town to the north of said river.

North

North

North

A, to the north?

First thought was North, but depends if it means the southern side of the town is washed by the river, or the southern side of the river washes the town.

fram that verse in isolation its north.

To the North

North

South? Because the 'southern side' of the river washes the wall meaning the river is to the north of it.

I would say to the north.

North

To the North.

But coincidentally I've been to Hamelin and I'm pretty sure the river runs North to South there so the town is actually to the East or West (not sure which) of the river.

I'd say north but obviously the poster with knowledge of the whole poem has cast doubt on that...

"Its " is the subject of that line, it being the town, so the river is on the south of the town, so the town is north of the river?

Dunno

Washes its wall on the southern side
The last noun mentioned is Hanover so we are being told about the Weser in relation to Hanover. No idea about Hamelin.

The North

exactly. doesnt matter where the wall is geographically. if the river is washing it on the southern side, then the town is orientated north in relation to the river.

Thank you all so much for satisfying my curiosity.

So the answer is, as you all said, the city is to the North of the river.
The river - washes its wall to the southern side, so the river is south of the city, so the city is north of the river.

They comprehension is an extract, and that is the only part about the position of the river, and from just this extract the only answer is North (although point taken that if there was more of the poem then the answer might be different.)

So why was I asking?
I am an 11+ tutor and I give an English Comprehension to my kids every week. I have been giving them this comprehension for about 10 years, and in all that time I have never, ever had a child give the right answer.
That includes some exceptionally bright children who are avid readers and great at English.
So marking their homework this week, and again, no-one got this question right. When we go over the homework, I draw a litlte sketch of the city and the river with north and south marked and even then they struggle to understand that if the river is south of the city, then the city is north of the river.

It just got me thinking about WHY they find this concept so hard, and at what age does it make sense. I wondered if asking adults you would get a mixed replies, or if adults would get it. In other words, is it age related, or just a difficult concept.

Forgive my curiosity. Obviously adults get it. So I wonder at what age it clicks.

God, it's not exactly Browning's finest hour, is it?

(North, obv.)

a) To the North

well, it depends which wall it's washing, surely? assuming there are walls all round the city.

On Google maps the river is north/south of Hamelm, which is 65km from Hanover! The river there is the Ihme. Also runs north/south. I need to stop procrastinating 😂

I'd answer a) north