Vocabulary
What does the word “posters” most likely mean in this passage?
Signs or notices displayed publicly to spread messages.
In one sentence, summarize what Ji-li witnessed in the first paragraph.
Ji-li saw Red Guards destroying old street signs while people reacted in different ways.
How does Ji-li feel at the start of the passage?
Proud and excited.
Find one quote that shows Ji-li was proud of the changes.
“I felt proud that we were changing China.”
What theme is suggested when Ji-li feels proud but also nervous?
Change can bring both excitement and fear
The phrase “smash old ideas” suggests what about the Red Guards’ goals?
They wanted to eliminate traditions and replace them with new revolutionary ideas.
What event did Ji-li see happen to her neighbor’s possessions?
She saw the Red Guards throw books and paintings into the street.
What internal conflict does Ji-li face in these paragraphs?
She is torn between pride in the movement and discomfort about the destruction.
Find one quote that shows Ji-li was uncertain or nervous.
“A small part of me felt nervous.”
How do the Red Guards’ actions show the theme of power vs. tradition?
They destroy cultural items to enforce new revolutionary power over tradition.
What does the word “poisonous” mean as used to describe books and paintings?
Dangerous or harmful to the revolution’s goals.
How did Ji-li’s feelings about the Four Olds begin to change?
She began to feel doubt and discomfort instead of pride.
Which quote best shows Ji-li’s pride in the Cultural Revolution?
“I felt proud that we were changing China.”
Why does Ji-li say her “stomach ached”? What does this mean about her feelings?
It shows her emotional discomfort and sadness about the destruction of culture.
How does this passage connect to the theme of identity and belonging?
Ji-li questions whether she still belongs in a world where her culture is being destroyed.
Find a synonym in the passage for “ancient.”
Old-fashioned.
Write a two-sentence summary of BOTH paragraphs.
Ji-li watched the Red Guards destroy old street signs and cultural items. She felt proud at first, but later became uncertain and uneasy about the destruction.
Which quote best shows Ji-li’s doubt about the movement?
“For the first time, I wasn’t sure if destroying the Four Olds was really the right thing to do.”
Which detail best shows the Red Guards were destroying culture, not just objects?
They threw books and paintings into the street, calling them 'old and poisonous.'
What theme does Ji-li’s uncertainty reveal about change?
That change often creates conflict and doubt.
Which word in the passage shows Ji-li’s uncertainty about the movement?
Nervous or unsure.
What is the central idea of the passage?
Ji-li struggles with conflicting feelings about the Cultural Revolution’s destruction of traditions.
Is Ji-li’s conflict internal or external? Explain with evidence.
Internal conflict, because she struggles with her own mixed feelings about the Cultural Revolution.
Use one quote to explain how Ji-li’s perspective begins to shift.
“For the first time, I wasn’t sure if destroying the Four Olds was really the right thing to do.” This shows her doubt.
Write a theme statement for this passage in one sentence.
The Cultural Revolution shows how major change can create both pride and doubt in individuals.