Answers to the questions given on page no: 169
1. Fill in the graphic organizer to show your understanding
of the story.
|
Main Character |
Setting |
Problem (Conflict) |
Solution (outcome) |
|
Yang Yingtao |
School in America |
Yang comes from China and faces problems in making friends in his new
school. |
He meets Mathew Conner and feels less lonely. |
Conflict: Yang runs after him to get back his pen.
Climax: The teacher gets involved. Mathew Corner tells her Jake took Yang's pen.
Outcome: He finds a friend in Mathew Conner.
2. Answer the following questions.
a. Why was Yang at a disadvantage when he joined his new
school in the USA?
When he joined his new school in the USA the school year was
almost over. All the other students knew each other by then. He doesn’t know
the language to make friends with other children. So Yang was at a
disadvantage.
b. How does the narrator compare his being in school with
learning swimming in China?
The narrator had to walk hugging the walls as he feared that
the American students would bump into him as they run in the hallways. He remembered
that he had to swim near the side of the pool as he feared of the other
swimmers who swam like sharks in the middle of the swimming pool. Thus the
narrator compared his being in school with learning swimming in China.
c. What was the first cultural change that Yang’s parents
noticed in him? Why were they unhappy about it?
Yang learned to learn as fast and shove his way as hard as
the other kids in the school. This is
the first cultural change that Yang’s parents noticed in him. They were unhappy
because he became rough and started tramping the ground hard.
d. How did Yang’s siblings react to their new school and
environment?
Yang’s eldest brother had trouble in making friends with
others. He found comfort in music. His second sister felt the loneliest because
she was popular in China. In America, no one paid any attention to her. So she
was cranky and sad. His third sister had no trouble at all in making friends.
She began chatting with other kids even before she could speak much English.
e. What made Yang feel a little less lonely?
Yang met a friendly boy, Mathew Conner at his school. This
made him feel less lonely.
f. During your reading of the test, which facts did you notice
about the Chinese culture? How do some of these contrast with the American
culture?
Students in China behave differently. They stand up when a
teacher enters the class as a mark of respect. They do not run in the
walkways. They do not shove people rudely. They have a different idea of beauty
as the narrator’s second sister is considered beautiful. All these things are in contrast
with the American culture.
Reading:2
1. The fact that China had invaded Korea is history, and it happened in the distant past. Why does Yang feel that the Korean girl might personally 'hold it against him'?
When China had invaded Korea, the Chinese had caused the Koreans a great deal of pain and damage. It is natural that the Koreans hate Chinses. So, Yang felt that the Korean girl might personally hold the fact against him.
2. Yang says that his poor English was only one of the reasons behind his difficulty in adjusting to the new school. Based on your reading of the text, list the other reasons which added to Yang's difficulty.
The cultural differences confused Yang. He was afraid of the students yelling loudly and running in the hallways. They made fun of him when he stood in respect as the teacher entered the classroom. He had no friends in his new school. These are the reasons for Yang's difficulty.
3. Third sister seems to be the quickest to learn that one needs to adapt in order to survive in an alien culture. Pick out evidence from the text to support this statement.
Third sister had no difficulty in making friends. Even before she could speak much English, she began chatting with other kids. She could always fill in the gaps with laughter. This shows that she was the quickest to learn that one needs to adapt to survive in an alien culture.
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