Listen 2.2. Jade (China) 3rd-4th level 20-25 minutes
GOAL. To understand the meaning of a more complex story.
You will listen to the second story, Jade (11:07). The transcript of the folktale is given with its Key.
WARMING UP. Aiming at knowing who tells this story. This time here is a long introduction.
Click on the story in the webpage ( http://www.asia.si.edu/podcasts/default.htm )
TASK1. Listen to the first 5 minutes ONCE and answer these questions about the narrator’ family.
Q1. Where was she born? ...................
What did she in the US? ......................
Q2. Her fond memories from childhood show that her mother spent a lot of time with her hair. How did it look like? ..................................................
Q3. What was the weather like that particular afternoon? ..................................................
Q4. Were they in love before marriage? ...............................
Q5. Where did her parents get married? ...............................
Q6. Why did they go to Taiwan? .....................
TASK2. The role of Jade in the story. Listen to the first half again and answer these.
Q1. Why did her mom give the child her jade bracelet? ..................................................
Q2. Mom mentions the ‘dowry’. how is it defined? ..................................................
Q3. What two questions does the girl ask? ........................... .....................................................
LANGUAGE PRACTICE.
TASK 3. Listen to the first two chapters (5:10> 7:32) in Bian Heh’s Jade story ONCE and answer these questions.
chapter I.
Q1. Why did Bian Heh become so excited? ..................................................
Q2. Was he sure about the properties of his discovery? Explain. ..................................................
Q3. Did Bian Heh keep the treasure? ..................................................
Q4? What was the court jadders’ judgement (stone craftmen)? ..................................................
Q5? What was the reaction of the king? ..................................................
chapter II. Q6. What happened next? ..................................................
Q7. Was Bian Heh in doubt about his next action? ..................................................
Q8? What was his reward this time? ..................................................
TASK 4. Listen to the final chapter, III (7:32> 9:51) in Bian Heh’s Jade story and answer these questions.
Activity one. Q1. How did Bian Heh react to the new king’s enthronement? Explain. ..............................................................................................................
Q2. How did Bian Heh explain his weeping to the king?..........................................................................
Q3. Write two of the Bian’s jade properties? ..................................................................................
Q4. How can we consider the folktale a succesful one? .........................................................................
TASK 5. Listen again and complete the transcript for Chapter III (7:32> 9:51).
For three days he hold the jade and wept and wept until his eyes …………………. with blood.
The new ruler heard the news and had Bian Heh …………………… to him. The king asked him: “What make you cry so sadly?”
Bian Heh said: “I didn’t cry because my feet were cut off but because my jade had been considered a ………… rock and my loyalty has been …………………… as deception. This has hurt me deeply!”
The new ruler took a look at Bian Heh and shifted between believe him or being suspicious of him. He ordered his craftmen to ………………….. his rock open.
NARRATOR’S EPILOGUE.
To experience the meaningful work, truth, beauty, and mystery.
TASK 6. Answer these questions about the ending of the podcast.
Q1? Which narrative device does she use at the end to counterpart “once upon a time...”?
..................................................
Q2. How does she relate to the Chinese identity and the story? .............................................................
Q3. Give the three values associated with jade. ................................. ...........................................
..................................................
FOLLOW UP. A couple of suggestions.
Listen to another couple of stories from the list of Silk Road series.
Try to find the written version of Peach boy (Momotaro in Japanese) on the net and compare with the oral one you hear in the podcast.
worksheet List 1.1. The discovery of silk (China) KEY
TASK1. Q1. How many characters? Huangdi & Xiling-shi
Where does the story takes place? at the yard of the palace of the Chinese Emperor.
Q2. What was wrong in the Chinese palace: the fountain, the mulberry trees or the magic fawl?
Q3. Silk comes from silk worms. Where were found the little animals? in hot water.
Q4. Who made the discovery? The empress. Was it done willingly or by chance?
Q5. The discovery was given ample promotion or kept in secret?
TASK2. Q1. What did the Empress Xiling-shi found in the mulberry trees? worms eating the leaves.
Q2. Silk worms produce chrysalids (like butterflies) named …cocoons….
Q3. What was the reaction between the water and the little creature? …heat made the web apart .
TASK3. Fill in the blanks in the transcript.
1 spinning + 2 dropped + 3 played + 4 delicate + 5 drew (it) out + 6 slender + 7 unwinding
Xilingshi found white worms eating the mulberry leaves and 1……………….. shiny cocoons. She accidentally 2…………….. a cocoon into hot water. As she 3……………. with the cocoon in the water, to her surprise, a 4………………. cobweb separated itself from the cocoon. She 5………….. it …. and found that one 6………….. thread was 7……………….. itself from the cocoon. She had discovered silk.
worksheet 2. List 1.2. Jade (China)
TASK1. Q1. Where was she born? ...Taiwan .... What did she in the US? ..Graduated...
Q2. Her fond memories from childhood show that her mother spent a lot of time with her hair. How did it look like? ....long black hair (2 parts and 5 sections) > made a pair of plaits ..
Q3. What was the weather like that particular afternoon? .....hot / not a breeze of cooling air...
Q4. Were they in love before marriage? .....No, met through a match maker (Chinese tradition)...
Q5. Where did her parents get married? ....in Fujian province, Chinese mainland..
Q6. Why did they go to Taiwan? ... honeymoon...
TASK2. The role of Jade in the story.
Q1. Why did her mom give the child her jade bracelet? ..to let her comb her hair /stop fidgeting ...
Q2. Mom mentions the ‘dowry’. how is it defined? ...gifts the bride gives to the broom ....
Q3. What two questions does the girl ask? ..Why (give) jade?... ..Is it more expensive than gold?
TASK3. The story of Bian’s jade.
Q1. Why did Bian Heh become so excited? because he dug a tough and cut stone containing jade.
Q2. Was he sure about the properties of his discovery? Explain. Very sure, because he learnt from his family the skill of finding jade
Q3. Did Bian Heh keep the treasure? as he was a loyal citizen, was to present the jade to his king.
Q4? What was the court jadders’ judgement? they thought that rock was not more than a piece of rock.
Q5? What was the reaction of the king? the king thought that Bian Heh purposely tried to fool him. The king didn’t kill Bian Heh though. Instead he had his left foot cut off.
Q6. What happened next? ..A new king took the throne..
Q7. Was Bian Heh in doubt about his next action? ..Yes, but he was loyal again...
Q8? What was his reward this time? he had his right foot cut off
TASK 4. Final chapter III. Q1. How did Bian Heh react to the new king’s enthronement? Explain. Kept firmly in his beliefs and was weeping for 3 days until he got bloody tears
Q2. How did Bian Heh explain his weeping to the king? ..he doubted of his loyalty not acceptting that there was jade inside
Q3. Write two of the Bian’s jade properties? a) at daytime it acts just like a mirror and it shines at night. b) anyone who carries it feels cool in summer and warm in winter. c) believed to have the power of getting rid of evil spirits.
Q4. How can we consider the folktale a succesful one? .. the magic of the jade spread and many touching stories related to it grew throughout Chinese history.
TASK 5. Complete the transcript for Chapter THREE.
1. streaming + 2. brought + 3. mere + 4. viewed + 5.chisel
For three days he hold the jade and wept and wept until his eyes 1…………………. with blood.
The new ruler heard the news and had Bian Heh 2…………………… to him. The king asked him: “What make you cry so sadly?”
Bian Heh said: “I didn’t cry because my feet were cut off but because my jade had been considered a 3………. rock and my loyalty has been 4.………………… as deception. This has hurt me deeply!”
The new ruler took a look at Bian Heh and shifted between believe him or being suspicious of him. He ordered his craftmen to 5.………………….. his rock open.
TASK 6. NARRATOR’S EPILOGUE. Answer to these question for the ending of the podcast.
Q1? Which narrative device does she use at the end to counterpart “once upon a time...”? Many things have passed since my mum has told me this story and my hair is much shorter and it is not longershiny and dark.
Q2. How does she relate to the Chinese identity and the story? Being Chinese I’ve finally ealised that the value of jade (in China) is like mum’s expectations for her children
Q3. Give the three values associated with jade. honesty, integrity, proper behaviour
FOLLOW UP. A couple of suggestions.
Listen to a couple of other stories form the list of Silk Road series.
Try to find the written version of Peach boy (Motomaro in Japnese) and compare with the oral one you here.
Annex 1. Bian’s Jade folktale. TRANSCRIPT. (5:23 minutes)
For a historical context in Chinese culture read the short page the Spring and Autumn Period, Bian Heh in the Chu state got a rough jade on Mount Chu. The story tells us how hard to seek for the truth from facts. http://edu.sina.com.cn/en/2002-12-20/8098.htmlFor a narrative use of the story read the enhanced version at
No comments:
Post a Comment