Name______

Chinese CinderellaIntro-Chapter 1

Please read each chapter carefully. After you complete your reading, please answer the following comprehension questions using complete sentences.

Author’s Note

  1. According to the author, what is the reason “a person can learn to read and write Chinese without knowing how to speak one word”?
  1. What are the two things Mrs. Yen Mah would like the reader to gain from Chinese Cinderella?

Preface

1. According to Adeline Yen Mah, what are the essential behaviors of a Chinese child? (preface, xii,) there are five items:

  1. Explain the many names each Chinese person has. (preface, xii-xiii)
  1. Write the number 100 in Chinese.

Top of the Class

1. What did the narrator receive from kindergarten?

Why?

2. What affectionate term does Aunt Baba call the narrator?

3. Why does Big Sister have anger toward the narrator?

Name______

Chinese CinderellaChapter 2-Chapter 4

Please read each chapter carefully. After you complete your reading, please answer the following comprehension questions using complete sentences.

A Tianjin Family

1.How long after the children’s mother’s death was it before Father remarried?

How old was Niang at the time? How old was Father?

  1. Describe Niang:
  1. What does “Niang” mean in Chinese?
  1. How did Adeline and Aunt Baba become closer?
  1. Explain at least three ways in which China was affected by losing the Opium War.

Nai Nai’s Bound Feet

  1. How did the Chinese tradition of binding feet affect Nai Nai in her old age?
  1. How is Adeline treated by:

Nai Nai?

Big Brother?

Big Sister?

Third Brother?

  1. What two events made Adeline happy at the dinner table?
  1. How did Big Sister and the siblings get back at Adeline for getting attention from father at the dinner table?

Life in Tianjin

  1. In what why is Adeline’s life at St. Joseph’s different than at home?
  1. What is a rickshaw? Who is Ah Mao?
  1. How does Big Sister treat Adeline on the way home from school?
  1. What did the family do to recognize Adeline’s special award?
  1. Why did Father disappear?
  1. Describe at least elements of Nai Nai’s Buddhist funeral.
  1. The oldest woman is the “head of household”. Predict how Nai Nai’s death is going to affect the family.

Name______

Chinese CinderellaChapter 5-Chapter 8

Arrival in Shanghai

  1. On page 23, it says, “”There, in a first-class compartment, we came face to face with Father, sitting by himself. He was dressed in a black suit and black tie. His eyes were red and he had been crying.” Why do you think father was crying?
  1. What are two reasons (one is specifically stated in the book) Father relocated to Shanghai?
  1. Who stayed in Tianjin, and why?
  1. Who is Jackie?
  1. Identify four of the rules at their new home
  1. On page 25, Big Brother states, “To her, we are not separate people. Here we have become one single unit known as all of you. Seems like this is how it’s going to be from now on.” Explain what he means by this. How do you think their life will be different?

First Day of School

  1. How did Adeline get to school the first day?
  1. When no-one picked her up from school, where did Adeline go?
  1. How did Adeline know her phone number?
  1. What “gift” did Adeline receive when father picked her up, and why?
  1. Explain how you felt when you finished reading this chapter. Identify what affected you most while you were reading.

Family Reunion

  1. How long has Little Sister been away from her mother?
  1. Who did Little Sister give all of her attention to? Why?
  1. What was the “last straw” as far as Niang was concerned when dealing with Little Sister?
  1. Why didn’t anyone interfere between Niang and Little Sister?
  1. How did Niang react to Adeline’s plea for her to stop?
  1. How do you think Niang will have Adeline “pay for her ignorance”?

Tram Fare

Write a reaction to the chapter.

Name______

Chinese CinderellaChapter 9-Chapter 10

Chapter 9- Chinese New Year

On a separate piece of paper, write the anonymous letter to Father citing the injustices the children suffer.

  1. How did Niang prevent the children from rebelling against her?
  1. Big Brother says sister and Niang are “two of a kind” on p.50. In what ways are they similar?
  1. What are the two reasons Adeline was called “Genius” by her classmates?
  1. What were some hints Adeline’s classmates were given about her family life?
  1. How did Adeline feel?

Chapter 10- Shanghai School Days

  1. Create a chart comparing Adeline and Wu- Chun-mei in at least five ways.

AdelineWu- Chun-mei

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School______

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Friends______

OTHER______

  1. Why did the American’s become favored by the Chinese in 1945?
  1. What book became Adeline’s favorite?
  1. How did Adeline’s life change in positive ways while Father was away?
  1. Explain the event that reminded Adeline that she was still the unwanted sister. Who did she feel most betrayed by?

Name______Color:______

Chinese Cinderella

PLT

  1. How did Mrs. Huang know the family?
  1. Which duckling did Adeline get?
  1. What did Adeline name her duck? Where did she get the name?
  1. Why was Second Brother angry?
  1. What did Aunt Baba advise Adeline do about the dog bite?
  1. What did Father decide to do for “entertainment” after dinner that Saturday evening?
  1. How did Father feel about the resulting situation?
  1. Who attended the funeral?

Big Sister’s Wedding

  1. Where did Big Sister go with Father and Niang? Why?
  1. What are the ages of Big Sister and Samuel?
  1. Compare how Big Sister and Adeline felt about the arranged marriage.
  1. What did Niang do with the wedding gifts?
  1. What secret did Aunt Baba, Big Sister, and Adeline share?
  1. Explain the conversation Adeline overheard in the bathroom at the wedding.
  1. How was Adeline betrayed by Big Sister?

Name______Color:______

Chinese Cinderella

13- A Birthday Party

Write a “Thank You” letter to Wu Chun Mei for inviting you to her party. Explain what you enjoyed most and why you did not return.

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14- Class President

Create a phone conversation between Niang and Mr. Yen, as if Wu Chun-Mei told her father what had happened.

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15- Boarding School in Tianjin

Create five questions (and answers) for this chapter. (You may use the back)

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Name______Color:______

Chinese Cinderella

Please answer USING COMPLETE SENTENCES.

16- Hong Kong

  1. Give a few examples of how the Schillings treat Adeline on the boat trip.
  1. Why did Adeline dread her arrival to Hong Kong?
  1. How is the new Yen home different than the previous two?
  1. What were the two surprises Aunt Reine brought from Tianjin?
  1. What was the sound in YeYe’s voice? Explain what this means.
  1. How did Niang prevent Adeline from spending time with the Schillings?
  1. According to YeYe on pg.151, why is it imperative Adeline learn to read and write Chinese?
  1. What does Ye Ye mean when he says, “though life has to be lived forward, it can only be understood backward”?
  1. In what way did Victor stand up to Niang?

Name______

Chinese Cinderella

Boarding School in Hong Kong

  1. What did Fourth Brother do to tease Adeline?
  1. Explain what happened the day before between Fourth Brother and Adeline.
  1. Explain the example of prejudice against Chinese people at the hotel.
  1. Where did Adeline end up being taken? What fear did not come true?

Miserable Sunday

  1. What year is it now? How old is Adeline?
  1. Explain why “egg day” is such a big deal at the school.
  1. What did Adeline do with her egg? Why?
  1. Compare Monica and Adeline.
  1. How did Irene and Eleanor feel about Adeline?

End of Term

  1. What is serendipity?
  1. Who were Adeline’s two closest friends?
  1. What is Adeline’s hope for the future?

Name______Color:______

Chinese Cinderella

Pneumonia and Playwriting Competition

WHAT IS ADELINE THINKING?

Reflect on the events from pages 177-193. Consider the many things Adeline was thinking about and the emotions Adeline was feeling in these chapters. Represent these emotions and objects with colors and pictures, filling her “mind” below.

Name______

New Year’s Celebration…

Length of time….
Where we go….
What we do….
What we drink/eat….
Beliefs? Rituals?
Superstitions?

After learning about Chinese New Year, are there any New Year’s customs from their culture that you would like to add to your own routine?

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Which customs are the same?______

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Which Chinese customs do you feel are the most unique or interesting?______

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Name______Color:______

Chinese Cinderella

Final Reflection

How is Adeline a “Chinese Cinderella”?

In Aunt Baba’s letter to Adeline, Baba wrote the story of Ye Xian. Reflecting on the events of the novel as well as your knowledge of the story of Cinderella from around the world, complete a comparison of Adeline to Cinderella.

Include: an introduction about the story of Cinderella. At least three examples from the story (include quotes and page numbers) in which Adeline is like a Cinderella and references to a specific Cinderella story from around the world. A concluding sentence is also required.

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