1. 2. 3. 4.

What is a prodigy? Why does Jing-Meis mother want her to be a prodigy? What kinds of talents does Jing-Meis mother make her try? How does Jing-Mei feel at first about being a prodigy? Do her feelings change? 5. What does Jing-Mei promise to herself? Why does she make this promise? 6. What does Jing-Mei do to make her mother stop testing her? 7. What is Jing-Mei's mother's new plan? When does she get this idea? 8. Who is Mr. Chong? Describe him. 9. What does Jing-Mei learn from Mr. Chong? (Note: She learns both good and bad things.) 10. Why doesn't Jing-Mei like her lessons with Mr. Chong? 11. Think about the last line of this reading. Why is JingMei mad at her mother? What is her mother's "foolish pride"? 12. What happens at the talent show? Describe it. How does Jing-Mei feel at the beginning? How does she feel at the end? How do the other people who came to see her react? 13. How does Jing-Mei's mother react after the talent show? How does this make Jing-Mei feel? 14. What happens two days after the talent show? What do Jing-Mei and her mother fight about? 15. What does the piano represent to Jing-Mei? What does it represent to her mother? 16. Think about the ending of the story. What is important about the two halves of the song Jing-Mei discovers? (Hint: Think about the titles.)