4. A Pair of Tickets (pp. 306-332)

Questions and tasks:

1. Speak about Jing-mei’s emotions on her way to China. What was she afraid of? What were her fears about?

2. What did Jing-mei learn about her Chinese relatives? Speak about the twins’ life.

3. Observe changes in Jing-mei’s attitude to her native country and her nation.

4. Explain the title of the story.

Lesson II

1. Scar (pp. 33-42)

Questions and tasks:

1. Would you say that An-mei had a happy childhood? Explain your point of view.

2. Go back to pages 18-19 where An-mei’s friend comments on her character on such a way. “She’s not stupid…but she has no spine.” What does she mean? How does this characterization tie up with An-mei’s childhood background?

3. Mostly An-mei was brought up by her grandmother (Popo). What character traits did the grandmother nurture in the girl? Do you think it was different with her brother’s upbringing? Why? Do you think the family was right when they broke up with Ani-mei’s mother and even denied her right to see her own children? Explain your opinion.

4. What is implied in these sentences? “That is the way it is with a wound. The wound begins to close in on itself, to protect what is hurting so much. And once it is closed, you no longer see what is underneath, what started the plain.” (p.40)

5. Explicate the meaning of the title of the story. Does it have any symbolical meaning?

2. Magpies (pp. 241 – 273)

Questions and tasks:

1. Summarize the events.

2. Describe An-mei’s departure from her uncle’s house. Did she ever regret her decision to leave with her mother? What cast doubt on her happiness?

3. Tell about her first impression of her new home. Could the wealth and glamour of the house eliminate her fears and worries and make her happy?

4. Characterize Wu Tsing’s wives. What position did each one have and how did they acquire their privileges? Was anyone of them content with her life?

5. Explain how the mother became Wu’s concubine. What made her suffer most: shame, hurt pride, break-up with her relatives, no future for her children?

6. Decide whether suicide was that woman’s only choice. Was it an act of weakness or well-weighed decision?

7. What lessons did An-mei learn from her mother and what impact did they make on her future life?

Lesson III

1. Half and Half ( pp. 122-140)

Questions and tasks:

1. Read the opening parable of the section. In what way does it present the universal struggle between children and parents over issues of independence? What other problems are reflected in the parable?

2. Speak about the beginning of Rose and Ted’s relationship. What contributed to their desire to be together at the beginning? Was it merely interest in each other?

3. What was Rose and Ted’s marriage like? Why didn’t it work? Whose fault was it?

4. Speak about the tragedy happened to Rose’s younger brother Bing. Who was responsible for that accident, in your opinion? Comment upon the mother’s behaviour after that.

5. How is this story connected with the section’s opening parable? Give some specific examples.

6. Are there any common ideas in the stories ‘Half and Half’ and ‘Two kinds”?

7. Give the symbolic interpretation of the title.