Name: Ansley Gilstrap
Goodbye, Vietnam Gloria Whelan
Novel Study
Total Points Possible 110
Complete all parts to the novel unit in digital format. Due Date 5/25
Part I: The Village
Vocabulary (7pts)
Using context clues and the dictionary define the following vocabulary words:
Chapter 1 / Chapter 2Thatched- a material, as straw, rushes, leaves, or thelike, used to cover roofs, etc.
Sorcery- the art, practices, or spells of a person whois supposed to exercise supernatural powers through theaid of evil spirits; blackmagic; witchery.
Midwife- a person trained to assist womenin childbirth.
Veneration- a feeling of awe, respect
Infirmities- a moral weakness or failing. / Reverently- feeling, exhibiting, or characterized by reverence; deeply respectful
Kowtowed- to actin an obsequious manner; showservile deference.
Reading Check (7pts.)
a. When did Mai’s sister, Anh, begin having nightmares? When police came and threatened to take their grandmother away.
b. Why did the police threaten to arrest Mai’s grandmother? Because she was pretending to be a healer.
c. Mai’s father has a secret skill. What is it? He is a mechanic.
d. Why does Mai’s grandmother call her “number-two child”? To trick the evil spirits, which liked to attack the eldest.
e. What do Mai and her siblings discover in the Chans’ store? A lot of their possessions that were being sold.
f. What does Mai’s grandmother sneak into her basket? The two Tet ducks.
Understanding Characterization (8 pts)
Use the chart below to explain how you can tell what effect leaving has on the members of Mai’s family.
· In the first column, describe the character
· In the center column, writer how each character feels.
· In the right-hand column, write how you can tell what they are feeling.
Character Description / How he or she feels / How you can tellMai –13 years old, obedient, / She is sad about leaving her home town / She cries, and her face is sad.
Mai’s father – Is a secret mechanic. / Doesn’t want to leave, but knows it’s the right thing. / The way they describe it in the book.
Mai’s mother - Sensitive, worrisome / Doesn’t want to leave, but she has to obey her husband. / She cries. Her face is sad.
Mai’s grandmother – Cranky, mad, practices sorcery / Mad about leaving, and would rather stay, but she has to obey her son’s wish / She yells at the mom.
Part II: The Journey
Vocabulary (13pts.)
Using context clues and the dictionary define the following vocabulary words:
Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5Listless-having or showing little or no interest in anything
Shabby-wearing worn clothes or having a slovenly or unkempt appearance
Gawk- to stare stupidly; gape / Hospitable- receiving or treating guests or strangers warmly and generously
Professor-a teacher of thehighest academic rank
Material- substances of which a thing is made
Mourning-he actof a person who mourns
Crafty- skillful in underhand
Outstretched- to stretch beyond
Indicating- direct attention to / Illuminated- to brighten with light
Ballast- anything that gives mental, moral, or political stability or steadiness
Desperate- having an urgent need, desire
Reading Check (6pts.)
a. Why does Mai’s grandmother offer one of her ducks to a policeman? To save them from the policeman. He was going to look into the father’s tool bag, but the grandmother distracted him and bribed him with one of the ducks.
b. What happens to the family’s money in Go Cong? They had to use it all to buy food.
c. What does bac si mean? A title that indicates honor is due.
d. What valuable object does Kim have? A flute.
e. How do Bac si Hong and Kim get on board the boat? They pay the captain eight taels of gold.
f. On the boar, who decides that the family should stay on deck? The doctor, Bac Si Hong.
Comparing and Contrasting (9pts.)
Fill in the area to compare and contrast Mai’s family with Bac si Hong and Kim. This is like a Venn diagram.
MAI’S FAMILYBig family
Has many secrets / LIKENESSES
Want escape to another land.
Willing to give up everything they have for the trip / BAC SI HONG AND KIM
Going through difficult losses
Part III: The Voyage
Vocabulary (17pts.)
Using context clues and the dictionary define the following vocabulary words:
Chapter 6 / Chapter 7 / Chapter 8 / Chapter 9 / Chapter 10Accusing-to charge with a fault or offense; blame
Ration-a food allowance for one day
Disappeared-to pass from view
Navigating-to travel by water; sail
Exclaimed-to speak loudly / Disappointment-emotion of being upset
Venerate-to regard with reverential respect or with admiring deference
Reassure-to restore to confidence
Fretted-to eat or gnaw / Injection-something (as a medication) that is injected / Impatient-restless or short of temper
Lunar-resembling the moon
Quarreling-to find fault; argue
Ceremony-a formal act or series of acts prescribed by ritual / Perspire-to emit matter through the skin
Paralyzed-to make powerless
Skeptical-characteristic of, or marked by skepticism
Reading Check (6pts.)
a. Why does Bac si Hong give a pill to Mai’s mother? To cure the seasickness
b. What happened to Kim’s father? He was a teacher at a university, but would not teach what the government wanted. So he was sent to work in the fields. He was not used to such work and became very sick. They sent him home, but Bac Si Hong’s medicines wouldn’t work; then he died.
c. How did Loi wind up floating in the sea? Their escaping ship was over run by pirates.
d. Why does Mai’s grandmother share her duck with everyone on the boat? Because it was her duck and she wanted to share it. It was the day of Tet, and it was a day of celebration.
e. What does Loi catch with his fishing net? A huge ugly turtle.
f. What do Loi and Captain Muoi disagree about? The direction of the boat. The captain was going the wrong direction.
Finding Cause and Effect (4pts.)
A cause is why something happens. An effect is what happens. Keeping track of the causes and effects can help you sort out the details of the story.
Complete the chart with information about causes and effects.
CauseThe government has ordered the people to do things they don’t want to do; taken away some of their freedom. / Effect
People begin to talk about all of the bad things the government has done to them and their families.
Cause
The boat springs a leak. / Effect
The people on board the boat have to work together so they will not sink.
Cause
Mai and Kim spot Loi, who is clinging to a bit of wreckage on the water. / Effect
The people on board the boat are able to have a little more food because Loi catches the turtle. They were able to find land.
Cause
Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, arrives. / Effect
There is much rejoicing; arguing stopped; apologies were made; food was thankfully prepared.
Part IV: The Silver City
Vocabulary (3pts.)
Using context clues and the dictionary define the following vocabulary words:
Chapter 11 / Chapter 14Commotion- mental excitement or confusion / Epidemics- an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly
Imitate- to follow as a pattern
Reading Check (6pts.)
a. What do people in the harbor shout to the boat? “Go back where you came from. You are not wanted here!”
b. Why are the lights in the warehouse always kept on? There are thieves in the building. If they turned the lights off, no one would dare sleep.
c. What does Loi give Mai before he returns to Vietnam? Kim’s flute.
d. Why does Kim come to stay with Mai’s family? Because a disease, cholera, spreading around the camp.
e. What happens to allow Mai’s family to go to the United States? Because the people in Hong Kong found the Vinh’s uncle in America and he agreed to sponsor him.
f. Whom does Mai’s family meet on the bus to the airplane? Kim’s mother, Bac Si Hong.
Summarizing (4pts.)
In Hong Kong, a great deal happens in the warehouse before Mai and her family leave for the United States.
· Choose four important events that happen in the warehouse.
· Write the events in chronological order in the chart.
Mai’s family arrives at the warehouse.Loi brings back Kim’s stolen flute.
Loi leaves for Vietnam.
Kim’s mother gets taken to Vietnam.
They find Bac Si Hong on the bus to leave for America.
Mai’s family leaves for the United States.
Choice Activity (20pts.)
Choice and complete one of the following:
· Letter Writing from Mai: Before the novel begins, Mai’s uncle, Diep Van Tien, has escaped from Vietnam. A postcard that he sent from Hong Kong to Mai’s family has become a very important piece of their lives; its picture and words give Mai hope. What do you think Mai would like to tell her uncle about her own journey to freedom? Write a series of letters from Mai to Diep Van Tien. Tell Tien about Mai’s experiences and about what his example means to her. Write at least four letters, one for each section of the novel.
· A Map of a Voyage: Mai and her family undertake a journey that leads them from a small Vietnamese village in the Mekong Delta to the city of Go Cong, and across the sea to Hong Kong. Construct a detailed map of the journey. Locate important settings from the novel, including Mai’s village, the house of Quah Loc, and the warehouse in Hong Kong. Plot the route of Captain Muoi’s boat and identify the spot where Loi is rescued. Research the geography of Vietnam and Hong Kong, and include on the map information about the land, its features, and its climate. Be creative!
Grading Rubric for Goodbye, Vietnam by: Gloria Whelan
Date Due 5/25
Part IVocabulary
Reading Check
Understanding Characterization
Part II
Vocabulary
Reading Check
Comparing and Contrasting
Part III
Vocabulary
Reading Check
Finding Cause and Effect
Part IV
Vocabulary
Reading Check
Summarizing
Choice Activity
Total Points 110 / 7pts ______
7pts ______
8pts ______
13pts ______
6pts ______
9pts ______
17pts ______
6pts ______
4pts ______
3pts ______
6pts ______
4pts ______
20pts ______
110pts ______
Letter 1
Mekong Delta, Vietnam
May 20, 2011
Diep Van Tien
Hong Kong, China
Dear Uncle,
I am glad to hear about your new land that you have found, and the peace that comes with it. It pleases me to know that you are doing fine and are able to have a job and make money and a home for you and your family.
It hasn’t been so fine here in Mekong, though. Father has been arrested. I hope he will return soon. I do miss him, and I hope he is alright.
Mother is a little restless, too. She is worried about money and taking care of Anh and Thant. The grandmother is not helping her any. She constantly complains all the time, but I guess it is my duty to love her and support her anyway.
I hope things continue to go well, and pray to hear from you soon!
Sincerely
Mai Vinh
Letter 2
Mekong Delta, Vietnam
May 20, 2011
Diep Van Tien
Hong Kong, China
Dear Uncle,
I have such good news! The soldiers have returned my father to our family. There is such rejoicing.
More and more people are leaving this village ever day. I think they are mad at the government; I know my parents are- and even the grandmother.
Sincerely
Mai Vinh
P.S. I loved your postcard! I never knew there were such tall buildings!
Letter 3
Mekong Delta, Vietnam
May 20, 2011
Diep Van Tien
Hong Kong, China
Dear Uncle,
My parents are getting agitated. The police have come by to try to take the grandmother away, because she is practicing sorcery. Ever since that, Anh has been having nightmares. The grandmother says that it is because she was born on Ty Chap. But we all know that is not accurate.
My father and mother (and occasionally the grandmother) whisper, secretively. I hope nothing is too serious. I wonder what is wrong, but I do not want to aggravate them more. They often fight, especially when the grandmother is around.
Once again, I hope your life continues to go well. Tell Aunt I say, “Hello!”
Sincerely
Mai Vinh
Letter 4
Mekong Delta, Vietnam
May 20, 2011
Diep Van Tien
Hong Kong, China
Dear Uncle,
I have great news; terrible, but great news. We are moving! Away somewhere, I don’t know where. I am afraid we will travel by boat. I don’t want to go on a boat. I know you and your family got away on a boat, but I still don’t trust them. The sea spirits could eat me alive!
I fear I may not live through our escape. We have to sell everything we own for money, but, having to use all of our money for food. The grandmother is getting restless.
As this may appear to be my last letter to you, I wish you all good luck and good fortune.
Sincerely
Mai Vinh
NAME OF CHARACTER / PAGE / DESCRIPTIONTran Vinh / 3 / The father. Taken away for awhile, but now is back. Has a secret.
Thu / 3 / Mother.
Grandmother / 3 / Acts like a healer and a fortune teller. Controlling.
Anh (Ba- number three child) / 3 / 9 year old sister. As nightmares. Born on Ty Chap- the Day of the Mouse.