SPECIMEN ANSWERS FOR “A SONG FOR JIN-WAI”

A1. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

ANS 1) JIN – WAI STUDIED IN AN AMERICAN SCHOOL.HIS FAMILY HAD MOVED THE PREVIOUS
SUMMER FROM CHINATOWN TO BRONX.HIS PARENTS WERE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THEIR CULTURE AND
TRADITIONS. MR.FONG RIGHTLY ADVISED ADVISED JIN- WAI THAT ONE SHOULD NOT BE ASHAMED
TO ONE’S OWN NATIONAL COSTUME. HIS PARENTS TOOK PRIDE IN DRESSING HIM AND HIS
BROTHER IN A CHINESE DRESS MR.FONG INCULCATED THE RIGHT VALUES IN HIS CHILDREN. NO
WONDER, THE TWO BOYS PERFORMEND CONFIDENTLY ON THE STAGE. JIN-WAI DID NOT LET HIS
FATHER LOOSE FACE.
ANS 2) HIS FATHER WANTED HIM TO TAKE HIS YOUNGER BROTHER WITH HIM TO THE PARTY. IT
WOULD BE A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR HIM. IT WAS THE FIRST BURDEN OF ADULTHOOD PLACED ON
HIM SO HE DECIDED TO GO THROUGH IT. JIN- WAI DID NOT WANT TO DISPLESE HIS FATHER OR
DISSAPOINT HIS BROTHER.
ANS 3) THE CRUCIAL MOMENT WHEN HE HAD TO PERFORM. WHEN HE HANDED OVER THE PRIZE TO
HIS YOUNGER BROTHER.
ANS 4) THEY PROUDLY AND CONFIDENTLY MARCHED ON THE STAGE TO THE TUNE OF YANKEE
DOODLE AND JIN-WAI RECITED IN CHINESE THE FIVE PRINCIPALS OF FILIAL DUTY BY
CONFUCIUS.
ANS 5) JIN-WAI WEARING THE NATIONAL DRESS AND HOLDING HIS BROTHER’S HAND, MARCHED
UPON THE STAGE VERY CONFIDENTLY. HE HAD PROUDLY RCECITED IN CHINESE FIVE PRINCIPLES
OF FILIAL DUTY BY CONFUCIUS. THE AUDIENCE WAS SURPRISED BUT PLEASED AND APPLAUDED
HIM AGAIN AND AGAIN.
ANS 6) THE OTHER BOYS RESPECTED HIM FOR THE PRIDE AND RESPECT HE DISPLAYED FOR HIS
NATION. THEY BEFRIENDED HIM AND SOPPED MAKING FUN OF HIM. ALL THIS CHANGED JIN-
WAI’S FEELINGS AND HE NO LONGER FELT LIKE AN OUTSIDER.
A.2) ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS WITH REFRENCE TO THE CONTEXT:
NO .1
ANS A) MR.FONG TRANSLATED THE INVITATION THAT HAD COME FROM THE AMERICAN SCHOOL
WHERE HIS SON STUDIED, FOR HIS WIFE.
ANS B) SHE COULDN’T READ ENGLISH.
ANS C) HE WAS VERY PROUD TO RECEIVE THE INVITATION. HE BEAMED WITH PLEASURE.
NO. 2
ANS A) THE INVITATION TO THE PAGEANT OF ALL NATIONS TO BE HELD AT THE AMERICAN
SCHOOL WAS THE SOCIAL TRIUMPH.
ANS B) IT WAS A TRIUMPH FOR THE CHINESE FAMILY TO BE INVITED AT THE AMERICAN
SCHOOL. IT WAS MORE A PERSOANL TRIUMPH FOR MRS.FONG BECAUSE EVER SINCE THEY HAVE
MOVED TO BRONX FROM CHINATOWN LAST SUMMER, IT WAS THE FIRST INVITATION TO ATTEND
THE PARTY.
ANS C) NO, JIN-WAI WAS VERY UNHAPPY. HE WOULD HAVE TO WEAR HIS COUNTRY’S COSTUME.
HE WAS THE ONLY CHINESE BOY IN THE SCHOOL AND DID NOT WANT TO BE DIFFERENT.
MOREOVER THE CHILDREN OFTEN MADE FUN OF HIM BY CALLING HIM” CHINK”.
NO.3
ANS A) IT WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO COME TO SCHOOL DRESSED IN THE COSTUME OF ONE’S OWN
COUNTRY.
ANS B) JIN-WAI SAID THIS HE WAS THE ONLY CHINESE BOY IN THE SCHOOL AND HE DONT WANT
TO LOOK .MOREOVER THE CHILDREN MADE FUN OF HIM BY CALLING HIM “CHINK”.
ANS C) MR.FONG TOLD JIN-WAI THAT ONE SHOULD NOT BE ASHAMED OF THE DRESS OF ONES OWN
COUNTRY.
NO.4
ANS A) JIN- WAI THE ONLY CHINESE BOY IN THE SCHOOL. HE LONGED TO BE ONE LIKE HIS
FRIENDS PLAY WITH THEM AND SPEAK LIKE THEM. ONE DAY HE TRIED IT. HE GREETED A GROUP
OF BOYS SAYING “HOWDY?” INSTEAD OF EARING FRIENDS HE ONLYEARNED RIDICULE. THE BOYS
TEASED HIM CALLING HIM’ CHINK” REPEATEDLY.
ANS B) THE INCIDENT REVEALED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE OTHER CHILDREN.
HE WOULD REMAIN AN OUTSIDER.
ANS C) WE FEEL SYMPATHETIC TOWARS JIN-WAI. HE WAS PROBABLY FEELING VERY LONELY AND
LEFT OUT. HE HAD EXTENDED A HAND OF FRIENDSHIP BUT IT HAD BEEN REJECTED.
NO.5
ANS A) JIN- WAI’S TEACHER. SHE HAD THOUGHT THAT JIN- WAI WOULD BE SHY TO WEAR HIS
NATION’S DRESS. HE WAS NOW LIVING IN AMERICA AND STUDYING AND STUDYING IN AN
AMERICAN SCHOOL.
ANS B) HE WORE BLACK STOCKINGS AND BLACK SATIN SHOES, SILK TROUSERS BOUND AT THE
ANKLES AND A BLUE BLOUSE. HE WORE A BLACK GOWN AND A BLACK ROUND CAP WITH A BUTTON
ON TOP.
ANS C) NO, JIN-WAI HAD NOT WANTED TO COME AT FIRST. WHEN HIS FATHER TOLD HIM TO
TAKE HIS YOUNGER BROTHER WITH HIM HE COULD NOT REFUSE. IT WAS THE FIRST BURDEN OF
ADULTHOOD PLACHED ON HIM SO HE DECIDED TO GO THROUGH IT AND WITH IT.
NO. 6
ANS A) EVERYONE WAS WATCHING HIM. HE HAD TO PROVE THT HE WAS IN NO WAY LESS THAN
ANYONE ELSE. HE COULD NOT LET ANY DISHONOUR FALL ON HIS FATHER.
ANS B) SOME POPULAR TUNES WERE PLAYED AND THE GROUP WISE CHILDREN WENT UP ON STAGE
TO PERFROM WHILE THE ORCHESTRA PLAYED A FEW BARS OF THEIR NATIONAL ANTHEM. FIVE
SCOTCH BOYS DANCED ON KILTS TO THE TUNES OF “THE CAMPBELLS ARE COMING”. A GROUP OF
ITALIAN STUDENTS SANG SOME FOLK SONGS. FINNISH BOYS DID A DRILLE WHILE THE SPANISH
BOYS AND GIRLS DANCED TO CLICKING CASTANETS.
ANS C) JIN-WAI SUDDENLY FELT PROUD TO BE A CHINESE . HE WAS NO LONGER EMBARESSED TO
BE DRESSED IN HIS TRADITIONAL COSTUME,HE REALISED THAT HE HAILED FROM A RACE WHICH
HAD A RICH CULTURE THAT ONE SHOULD BE PROUD OF. THERE WAS NO NEED TO BE LIKE OTHER
BOYS, AND INSTEAD HE SHOULD RETAIN INDIVIDUALITY.