American
Forum for Global Education
Asia 2001 Project
Introduction:
The lessons presented in this project are
designed to provide intermediate and advanced English as a
Second Language students with the framework for developing listening,
reading and language skills by studying, analyzing and responding to
multicultural literature. These lessons
are also suitable for students in middle schools who need to develop the same
skills in their English language arts classes.
The carefully selected readings are
Vietnamese. They are intended to expose
English Language Learners and middle school students to literature from other
cultures and especially from
The exercises have been divided into two
distinct sections. The first one
consists of comprehension, vocabulary and language exercises. These exercises are intended to measure
second language acquisition and cognitive development. The second exercises consist of English
Language Arts exercises geared towards development of the necessary skills for
listening and writing. They focus on the
literary elements and the authors' craft.
These lessons have been developed for the Asia 2001 Project, sponsored by the
American Forum for Global Education. The goal of the project is to disseminate
information about
Resources:
The book used for the poetry lessons is:
spring essence
The poetry of Hô
Xuân Huong
Edited and translated by John Balaban
The book used for the short stories lessons
is:
The Stars, The Earth, The River
Short Fiction Le Minh
Khue
Translated by Bac Hoai Tran and Dana
Sachs
Curbstone Press, 1997
Iris
D. Zucker
Assistant Principal Foreign Language/ESL
The
poetry of Hô Xuân Huong
Because
I was too easy, this happened.
Can
you guess the hollow in my heart?
Fate
did not push out a bud
even though the willow grew.
He
will carry it a hundred years
But I
must bear the burden now.
Never
mind the gossip of the world.
Don't
have it, yet have it! So simple.
l. Vocabulary Checklist
·
Find
the words in the poem
·
Define
each word by making use of the surrounding words in the stanza (context clues).
·
Write
a sentence for each vocabulary word.
1. hollow________________________________________________________________
2. willow________________________________________________________________
3. fate
__________________________________________________________________
4. burden
_______________________________________________________________
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The writer's tone in the
poem is
a) melancholic.
b) angry.
c) sad.
d) happy.
2. The main figure of speech in the poem is
a) hyperbole.
b) metaphor.
c) personification.
d) simile.
3. When the poet thinks of how people give
opinions
she feels
a) bitterness
b) disappointment
c) anger
d) sadness
4. The last line " Don't have it, yet have it! So simple
"
refers to
a) people's
opinion regarding unwed pregnancy
b) the
fate of unwed women
c) how
simple it is to resolve the unwed pregnancy problem
d) women
getting old
5. The theme in this poem is
a) about women's fate in society.
b) about unwed mothers.
c) people's opinions of others.
d) the fate of women who are unwed mothers.
ll lnterpretation
Answer
the following questions
1. What does the poet mean by
the sentence
"Because I was too easy, this
happened"? Explain
2. Do you think the speaker in
the poem is angry about
people gossiping?
Explain
lll. Poetry Analysis Questions
Answer
the following questions
1. Who is the speaker in the poem?
2. What message is the speaker sending?
3. What is the speaker's
attitude towards pregnancy out
of
wedlock?
4. Who is the speaker referring to when she says:
"He will carry it a hundred
years"? Explain
5. What is the burden the
speaker is bearing?
6. What theme is expressed in
this poem? Explain.
The poetry of Hô Xuân Huong
How
old are these two, anyway?
Big and little sister, equally lovely.
In a
100 years, smooth as two sheets of paper.
In
1,000, they still glow like springtime.
Will
the plum tree ever know the wind and moon?
Will
reed and willow accept their dull fates?
Why not
portray the other pleasures? Blame
The
artist, but a bit dim about love.
l. Vocabulary Checklist
·
Find
the words in the poem.
·
Define
each word by making use of the surrounding words in the stanza (context clues).
·
Write
a sentence for each vocabulary word.
1. willow:______________________________________________________________
2. dull:________________________________________________________________
3. fates:________________________________________________________________
4. dim:________________________________________________________________
5. portrait:______________________________________________________________
6. reed:________________________________________________________________
ll. Multiple Choice Questions
1. The
writer's tone in the poem is
a) Cheerful.
b) Angry.
c) Sad.
d) Happy.
2. The main
figure of speech in the poem is
a) Personification.
b) Hyperbole.
c) Metaphor.
d) Simile.
3. When the poet
thinks of aging, she feels
a) bitterness
b) disappointment
c) anger
d) indifference
4. When the poet
writes, "will reed and willow accept
their dull
fates?" she refers to
a) women
getting old
b) the
fate of all women
c) the
fate of willows and reeds
d) the
dullness of willows and reeds
5. The poem's
theme is
a) about women lack of love.
b) an artist's lack of love.
c) two sisters, one big and one small.
d) the fate of women becoming old.
lll.
Interpretation
Answer the following questions
1. What
does the poet mean by the question
"why not portrait the other pleasures"? Explain.
2. Do you
think the speaker in the poem is bitter about women turning old? Explain.
3. Why do
you think the poem is titled
On a Portrait of Two
Beauties? Explain.
lV. Poetry Analysis Questions
Answer the following questions
1. Who is the speaker in the
poem?
2. What message is the
speaker sending?
4.
What is the speaker's attitude
towards aging?
5.
What is expressed in this poem?
V:
Reader Response Activities
Answer the following questions
1. Rewrite the poem in your own words.
2. What does this poem remind you of?
by Le Minh Khue
"Everybody has a secret, a sorrow, a
memory"
PROCEDURE
Before reading "Fragile as a Sunray", the
teacher will highlight vocabulary from the selection for students to define and
to write sentences in context.
After reading the selection students will be asked to
answer questions to measure second language and cognitive acquisition.
A series of language arts exercises focusing on writing
and literary analysis will follow. Students will be asked to use graphic
organizers as a way of helping them in the pre-writing stages and in sequencing
the events.
Part l:
Language Acquisition Exercises
A.
Vocabulary
·
Find the words in the short story
·
Define each word by making use of the surrounding
words in the sentence (context clues).
·
Write a sentence for each vocabulary word.
1. Camouflaged:___________________________________________________________
2. Fatigues:________________________________________________________________
3. Pebbles:_________________________________________________________________
4. Despondent:_____________________________________________________________
5. Gaze:__________________________________________________________________
6.
Steely:_________________________________________________________________
B:
Questions
Active
1. Who is the narrator's mother and why is she so sad?
2.
Who did the narrator refer to
when she said, "you won't be lucky in life"?
3.
Why was the mother helping the
injured? What was her role and why?
4.
Who was the prisoner?
5.
Why was the mother afraid of her
feelings towards the prisoner?
Interpreting
1.The narrator states" Even
extraordinary people have secrets. The
heart is never at peace" Discuss how the mother's heart is not at
peace"
2.Explain and connect the
following quote to the feeling of the mother, " I believe that my mother
has been able to live until now because of such a secret, such a sorrow and
such a desire".
Critical Thinking
1. Explain
the kind of marriage the narrator's mother has.
2. How
does the narrator feel about her mother? Why?
"Fragile as a sunray"
by Le Minh Khue
Part ll: English Language Arts
Exercises:
Your Task: Summarize the story:
q Retell what happened in the
story by writing in the Story Sequence
Chart below.
q Then write an essay summarizing
the book. Make sure you include the
information
recorded in the chart.
|
Beginning: |
|
Middle: |
|
End: |
"Fragile as a sunray"
by Le Minh Khue
Story Element Chart (pre-writing/writing)
Your Task:
q List the main elements of
the story, including setting, characters,
problems, and important events,
by completing the Story Element Chart.
q Write an essay describing
the literary elements in the novel. Make
sure to include the information you have written on your Story Element Chart.
|
Title: |
|
Setting: |
|
Characters: |
|
Problem: |
Events:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Fragile as a sunray"
by Le Minh Khue
Plot (literary analysis)
A
story has a plot. The plot usually tells us what happened and
why it happened. The conflict in the
story is usually the problem that occurred from a misunderstanding or a
struggle against something. The theme
is the topic or main idea in a literary work. The resolution is how the conflict was resolved in the end.
Your Task:
q Following the above
information complete the Literature
Analysis
Chart:
q Then write an essay
retelling the story.
Theme:
What is the main idea of the short story Fragile as a Sunray?
Plot:
What happened in the story and why did it happen?
Conflict:
What created a problem for the narrator's mother?
Resolution:
Does the conflict get resolved at the end of the
story? If so, how?
"Fragile as a sunray"
by Le Minh Khue
ELA Exercise (character analysis)
When you read a story, you
learn about the character through his or her thoughts, actions and feelings. Some characters also reveal
how they are by the way they react to
another person or to a situation.
Your
Task:
Writing an essay to describe a character.
Use the Character Trait Web below to help you
organize your description.
Use the
information you recorded to write an essay describing the mother.
|
Are
the character's thoughts positive or negative (explain)? |
|
What
can you tell about the character's feelings. |
|
Thoughts |
|
Feelings |
|
Who
is the Character? |
|
Character |
|
What
can you tell about the character's actions towards others? |
|
How
does the mother
react to other characters and situations in the story? |
|
Actions |
|
Other Reactions |
"Fragile as a sunray"
by Le Minh Khue
Writing Activities:
·
Imagine you are writing a column for the local newspaper. Write a
review for the story. Begin your
review by describing where the story takes place and by giving a summary of the
events. Describe the characters very briefly.
Then state your personal opinion about the short story. Make sure you write the reasons why you liked
or did not like the story.
·
Write about a time in your life when you were afraid of someone in your
town. Make sure you describe that
person. Give as many details as you can
remember.
·
Imagine that you are the mother.
You have to help a wounded enemy in the war. Write an essay describing
all the things that you will do to help.
·
Imagine you are the narrator. Write a journal entry expressing your
feelings about your mother's secret and sadness.
·
Think about the one of characters you met in the story (the
narrator/the mother). Choose one of them
to write an essay. Make sure you use the
following questions as a guide: How do you feel about the character's actions?
If you were this character, would you have done the same as she did? Write
about the character's actions.
by Le Minh Khue
"In your life you will
go many places, but whenever you feel sad, come back here"
PROCEDURE
Before reading "The River", the teacher will
highlight vocabulary from the selection for students to define and to write
sentences in context.
After reading the selection students will be asked to
answer questions to measure second language and cognitive acquisition.
A series of language arts exercises focusing on writing
and literary analysis will follow. Students will be asked to use graphic
organizers as a way of helping them in the pre-writing stages and in sequencing
the events.
Part l: Language
Acquisition Exercises
A.
Vocabulary
·
Find the words in the short story
·
Define each word by making use of the surrounding
words in the sentence (context clues).
·
Write a sentence for each vocabulary word.
5. inertia:_______________________________________________________________
6. hesitant:______________________________________________________________
7. precariously:___________________________________________________________
8. promontory:___________________________________________________________
9. pagoda:_______________________________________________________________
10. cauldrons:_____________________________________________________________
7. meticulously:___________________________________________________________
8. trenches:______________________________________________________________
9. withered:______________________________________________________________
10. embankment:__________________________________________________________
11. sultry:________________________________________________________________
12. chivalrous:____________________________________________________________
B:
Questions
Active
1. Who is the narrator in the story? Write a description.
2.
When was the last time the
narrator went back to his village?
3.
Who is Kim? Explain the
relationship between Kim and the narrator.
4.
Why did Kim write a letter to
the narrator? Explain.
5.
Why did the narrator move with
his aunt when he was a small boy?
6.
How long did he live with the
family?
7.
How was he treated in the
village? Why?
8.
Where did the aunt and uncle
work?
9.
Why did they have to take a
second job to supplement their income during the war years?
10. Which country was bombing the village?
11. When and where was the aunt's last child born?
12. Who helped with the baby's delivery?
13. What happened to the family's house during the war?
14. Who is Thang and how did he help his
mother?
15. Where is the aunt buried? Explain why she was buried there.
16. What has happened to Kim during the years? Explain.
Interpreting
1. The
narrator shares with us, several times, memories of his life in the
village. Select on of
his memories and compare it to one of your memories of your childhood.
2. The
narrator describes in his words how his family was affected by the war.
Describe what the narrator is referring to when he says: "That was the year the American enemy
began to attack the North and my hamlet was first to be bombed."
3. He
goes on to say, "The pleasant village that made sugar and tofu had long
since changed." Explain his words and describe how the villages were
before the war, and what changes took place during and after the war.
4. The
narrator described an American invasion to his village. He also described how the villagers had
become poorer, "but their hearts were still as truthful, honest and
affectionate as before." Explain what has changed in the villagers and
what has remained the same.
Critical Thinking
1.
Why is the
story titled The River?
Explain.
2.
Why did the family get poorer as
the years went by?
3.
How does the narrator feel about
his aunt and her family? Why?
4.
How do the years of war affect
the narrator's family?
5.
What are the effects of the war
in his village?
6.
How did life change for the
family during the war?
"The RIVER"
by Le Minh Khue
Part ll: English Language Arts
Exercises:
Your Task: Summarize the story:
q Retell what happened in the
story by writing in the Story Sequence
Chart below.
q Then write an essay
summarizing the book. Make sure you
include the information
recorded in the chart.
|
Beginning: |
|
Middle: |
|
End: |
"THE River"
by Le Minh Khue
Story Element Chart (pre-writing/writing)
Your Task:
q List the main elements of
the story, including setting, characters,
problems, and important events,
by completing the Story Element Chart.
q Write an essay describing
the literary elements in the novel. Make
sure to include the information you have written on your Story Element Chart.
|
Title: |
|
Setting: |
|
Characters: |
|
Problem: |
Events:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
" THE river"
by Le Minh Khue
Plot (literary analysis)
A
story has a plot. The plot usually tells us what happened and
why it happened. The conflict in the
story is usually the problem that occurred from a misunderstanding or a
struggle against something. The theme
is the topic or main idea in a literary work. The resolution is how the conflict was resolved in the end.
Your Task:
q Using the above information
complete the Literature Analysis Chart:
q Then write an essay
retelling the story.
Theme:
What is the main idea of the short story The River?
Plot:
What happened in the story and why did it happen?
Conflict:
What was the main problem during the war years?
Resolution:
Does the conflict get resolved at the end of the
story? If so, how?
"The
river"
by Le Minh Khue
ELA Exercise (character analysis)
When you read a story, you
learn about the character through his or her thoughts, actions and feelings. Some characters also reveal
how they are by the way they react to
another person or to a situation.
Your
Task:
Writing an essay to describe a character.
Use the Character Trait Web below to help you
organize your description.
Use the
information you recorded to write an essay describing the mother.
|
Are
the character's thoughts positive or negative (explain)? |
|
What
can you tell about the narrator's feelings? |
|
Thoughts |
|
Feelings |
|
Who
is the Character? (
primary/secondary) |
|
Character |
|
What
can you tell about the character's actions towards others? |
|
How
does the narrator react to other characters and situations in the story? |
|
Actions |
|
Other Reactions |
"The RIVER"
by Le Minh Khue
Writing Activities:
Imagine you are writing a
column for the local newspaper. Write a review of the story. Begin your review by describing where the story takes place and
by giving a summary of the events. Describe the characters very briefly. Then state your personal opinion about the
short story. Make sure you write the
reasons why you liked or did not like the story.
·
Imagine that you are the narrator. You are returning to your village after a
long absence. You look at the people and realize everyone has changed. The
people are old, tired and resigned to work very hard in order to survive. There
is no joy in the village any longer.
Write an essay describing your feelings on what you see.
·
Imagine you are the narrator. Write a journal entry
expressing your feelings about becoming an orphan and going to live with an
aunt. Express the same nostalgic
feelings and describe your aunt, her husband and the children. Write on how
life was for you when you lived with them.
·
Think about one of characters you met in the story
(the narrator/the aunt/Kim). Choose one
character and write an essay. Make sure
you use the following questions as a guide: How do you feel about the
character's actions? If you were this character, would you have done the same
as she/he did?
You have studied two
Vietnamese poems and two Vietnamese short stories.
The short stories make
reference to a war.
Your task is to complete the
exercise below.
You must use a reference
book library or use the Internet to research about
1. Find a map of the world and
locate
2. Write the names of the
neighboring countries.
3. Write the name of one of the
rivers and a sea.
4. Write the names of the
capital city and the name of the old capital.
5. Write the years of the
French-Indochina War.
6. Briefly explain the
French-Indochina war.
7. Write the years of the
Vietnam-American.
8. Briefly explain the
Vietnam-American War.
9. Locate in the map the
following cities:
10. Look in the map of
11. In the map, trace the
12. Explain why this river is
important during the wars.
13. Explain who was Ho Chi Minh.
14. Explain what kind of
government rules
Preparing the
You
will analyze the two short stories in terms of the American-Vietnamese war.
Complete the following exercise:
·
After you have read the stories " The
River" and "Fragile as a Sunray" you will answer the multiple
short exercise, and all the other exercises for each story. Next, you will write an essay referring to
the two short stories you have read.
Your task is to compare and contrast both stories while answering the
following:
How relationships and life in general have
changed after the war for the mother in "Fragile as a Sunray
"and for the
narrator in "The River".
Follow
the guidelines:
1. You must make reference to
both characters.
2. Use relevant and specific
information from both stories in order to develop the controlling idea.
3. Show examples of the authors
using literary elements such as theme, characterization, and structure.
4. Show evidence of literary
techniques such a symbolism, irony, figurative language.
5. Organize your ideas, follow
a unified approach, and follow the conventions of standard written
English.