Tanjong Rhu

Practice 1

The story, Tanjong Rhu, is about Mr Li, a rich and ______________________ who lives a very modern
lifestyle with __________________. This elderly mother, however, has very traditional values. The story is
set in present day Singapore in Mr Li's ____________________.

The story has a few themes and one of the themes I have learnt is the ___________________________
in the story namely Ah-Ma – Mr Li's mother, Mr Li and his daughter. Ah-Ma being the oldest values the
__________________________ of the Chinese people such as ancestral worship. Her son, Mr Li is younger
and his_______________________ are more modern compared to his mother. He does not think that it is
____________ to follow the old traditions and customs. Mr Li's daughter is even younger. She does not
relate very well to the traditions and customs ______________ by her grandmother.

Despite the differences in their __________________, Mr Li has a very close relationship with his
mother. Mr Li's daughter loves her grandmother even though she may ___________ with her beliefs.

Practice 2

The story, Tanjong Rhu, is about Mr Li, a rich and successful businessman who lives a very________________with
modern beliefs. This elderly mother, however, has very traditional values. The story is set in present day
Singapore in Mr Li's house and office.
I find that the most interesting part of the story of Tanjong Rhu is when Mr Li bought his mother the
_______________ . Mr Li's intention is so that his mother can see their __________________________ with
the binocular even though she has __________. Even though Mr Li was 63 years old, he was very excited to
give his mother the binoculars. In his eagerness, he overlooked the fact that his mother might not be able to see
the view.

I find this part interesting as I think that even though Mr Li is not young, his behaviour is indeed very naïve
and _________________.

Practice 3

Tanjong Rhu is the story of a successful businessman with modern ideas and modern ways. He has an elderly
mother who is traditional in her ways. The story is set in the present and the office of Mr Li and his house in
Singapore.

The two main characters are Mr Li and his mother and they see the ________________________. Mr Li
is a successful businessman in the shipping business. As such, he lives very much in the present with his modern
ideas and ways. He is practical and _______________________ in the habit of counting the number of ships in
the harbour. He does this because to him numbers are strong and they fix him in time and place. This means he has
a good grip on the present or his world.

Mother, on the other hand, sees the world by___________________ She recalls clearly their past, like their
early days in Tanjong Rhu where they used to have a shipyard and where they lived. She recalls the days when she
_____________________________________ with Mr Li. She even remembers how Mr Li enjoyed the sand
between his toes. This is how she keeps alive her past. As she says, 'I can see Tanjong Rhu just fine. Behind my
eyes, that's how I can still see it.' Thus, when she goes to Mr Li's office, she does not need
the___________________ to see faraway places physically.

When Mr Li tries to recall his childhood days, he seems to ____________________ it all. This could be
because he lives very much in the present. Mother, on the other hand, _____________________. Thus, while one
looks at the world in the present, the other looks at the world by going back to the past. They do see the world in
different ways.

Practice 4

Tanjong Rhu is the story of a successful businessman with modern ideas and ways. He has an elderly mother
who is traditional in her ways. The story is set in the present and the office of Mr Li and his house in Singapore.
The story portrays a few social issues and one of the social issues portrayed in the story is generation gap
which means the _________________ approach certain aspects and issues of life in different ways. There is a
generation gap between Mr Li and his mother and between grandmother and granddaughter, Ying. Mr Li being a
successful businessman in Singapore adopts modern ideas and ways. For example, he looks only as old as he
chose by keeping his hair carefully __________________________. He feels his mother should go for a cataract
operation or use binoculars to see clearly. But, mother refuses to have the eye operation or use the binoculars.
She does not ____________________of having her eyes cut open and she does not need binoculars to see far.
Her idea of 'seeing far' is to recollect the past while Mr Li means the physical distance.
Ying and grandmother also have generation gap in the way of _______________________. Ying feels
that doing the essential physical practice of lighting the joss sticks and bowing to show respect is good
enough. However, grandmother feels it should be done properly and leisurely with actions and words.

While Ying feels that it is not rude to talk about her grandmother to her father in English, a language her
grandmother does not understand well, Mr Li feels this is _________________. When grandmother is
dying, the old relatives prepare burial clothes, but Ying _________________ as she feels this is a more filial
way of showing love.

Thus, the story portrays the social issue of generation gap clearly.
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