Story Structure
Vocabulary 1
Vocabulary 2
Plot 1
Plot 2
100
What is the setting of the story?
China, Teng-chou, Lai-chou
100
What is a tradition?
A cultural thing that people always do, year after year. Different families, cultures and individuals can all have different traditions.
100
What is a synonym for behavior?
Actions, attitude, conduct.
100
Explain how we know Hsiang-ling is spoiled.
One example is when she sees the purse and rejects it many times because of superficial reasons.
100
What event causes Hsiang-ling to lose her family?
A flood.
200
Who is the main character?
Hsiang-ling
200
What is a procession?
It is a group of people and vehicles that move forward together, usually as part of a festival or event.
200
Make an astonished face.
Very surprised face.
200
What is a dowry and who had to pay it?
A dowry is a sum of money or a gift paid to the husband or his family by the wife's family before a wedding (old tradition).
200
Why doesn't Hsiang-ling eat the food she gets at the food distribution shack?
She is young and she can stand hunger for a bit longer.
300
Explain at least three events that are part of the rising action.
Some Events: Hsiang-ling is very spoiled and is engaged to be married. She gives her ch'i-lin purse to a poor girl who is also getting married but has no dowry. Later, a flood comes and separates her from her family. She gets a job in a new town. She takes care of a boy for a wealthy family. She has to go into the Pearl Hall.
300
Explain and act out the word distribution/distribute.
Action showing giving something out among people.
300
What is a benefactor? Explain and use it in a sentence.
A person who benefits/helps another. KPI is David Teacher's benefactor. Because of them, he can live in Korea and make money.
300
How does Hsiang-ling come to be next to the poor girl in the pavilion?
The rain is falling so heavily that they could not see well enough to continue, so they stopped to wait.
300
Why does the Lu family decide to hire Hsiang-ling? From where can you infer that Hsiang-ling got this hirable skill?
They hire her because of her graceful bearing. You can infer that she learned to take care of herself and carry herself by growing up in a wealthy family.
400
Explain what a climax in a story is. What happens in the climax of this story?
The climax is the most exciting part of a story. It is the place where the whole story has been building to, and where all the events and stories finally come together. The climax is when Hsiang-ling goes into the Pearl Hall, gets caught there, and then her mistress learns that Hsiang-ling was the one who caused all her good fortune by giving up her ch'i-lin purse.
400
What does it mean to have a person recommend you to somebody else?
To introduce you in a favorable way, as in for a job.
400
What are two common ways to show gratitude to a person?
Example: Say thank you, give a gift, write a thank you note, etc.
400
What is Hsiang-ling's reason for giving the purse to the poor girl? Does she know what she is giving?
A person crying on her wedding day could bring her bad luck, and she heard the poor girl had no dowry so she felt sad for her. So she gave her the purse even though she had no idea what was in it.
400
Explain the ritual/ceremony that happens between Hsiang-ling and Mrs. Lu.
There are a number of chair movements as Mrs. Lu learns of how Hsiang-ling is her benefactor. She begins by sitting down. Then sitting to Mrs. Lu's left, the guest of honor. Then her chair is moved to the middle and Mrs. Lu's to the right. It is the place of the highest honor.
500
What are the falling action and the resolution? What are they in this story?
The falling action is when the emotional intensity of the climax starts to come down. It leads us into the resolution, which ties up all the loose ends of the story and leaves the reader with a sense of closure. The falling action starts when Mrs. Lu begins explaining how she knows Hsiang-ling is her "benefactor" and the resolution is when we learn that Hsiang-ling finds her family and they all become friends and live happily ever after.
500
What is a sacred place?
Something that is connected to gods or that has a deeply spiritual significance
500
What does it mean to do something grudgingly. Grudgingly give something to another student.
You'll do it, but you're not going to like it and you won't pretend you like it. Look unhappy about giving something.
500
This story has two distinct halves. Where does the first half end and how does it end for Hsiang-ling?
The first half ends when Hsiang-ling gets married. It ends very happily for her because she gets everything she could want. A husband she loves, riches and a lovely baby boy.
500
Look back at how Hsiang-ling acted when she gave up her purse, and how Mrs. Lu acted when she learned the purse came from Hsiang-ling. Compare and contrast the two actions.
Hsiang-ling gave up her purse because she didn't really need it to go along with her dowry. She also didn't want to have bad luck on her wedding day. She didn't want to be overwhelmed with gratitude for something she considered such a small good deed, one can infer, so she asked that her name not be mentioned. Mrs. Lu is much more straight forward. She falls to her knees in gratitude and explains exactly how much she owes to Hsiang-ling's generosity. Then she gives Hsiang-ling a huge reward and sends out servants to find her family. She knows who to thank and makes sure she is well rewarded.
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