EXERCISE 1

INNOCENCE AND EXPERIENCE

This is an excerpt from a story about Japanese immigrant families in the United States. The
two families in the story are that of Mr Oka’s and the writer’s. Kiyoko was Mr Oka’s
daughter who arrived in the United States at the age of 14 and the writer was 9 when she
first met her.

            Kiyoko-san came in September. I was surprised to see saw very nearly a woman;
short, robust, buxom; the female counterpart of her father. Mr Oka brought her proudly to us.

            “Little Masako here,” for the first time to my recollection, he touched me; he put his
rough, fat hand on the top of my head, “is very smart in school. She will help you with your
school work, Kiyoko,” he said.

            I had so looked forward to Kiyoko-san’s arrival. She would be my soul mate; in my
mind I had conjured a girl of my on proportions: thin and tall, but with the refinement and
beauty I didn’t yet possess that would surely someday come to the fore. My disappointment
was keen and apparent. Kiyoko-san stepped forward shyly, then retweeted with a short bow
and small giggle, her fingers pressed to her mouth.

            My mother took her away. They talked for a long time-about japan, about enrolment
in an American school, the cloth Kiyoko-san would need, and where to look for the best
values. As I watched them it occurred to me that I had been deceived: this was not a child,
this was a woman. The smile pressed behind her fingers, the way of her nod, so brief, like
my mother when father scolded her. The face was inscrutable, but something-maybe her
spirit-shrank visibly, like a piece of silk in water. I was disappointed. Kiyoko-san’s soul was
barricaded in her unenchanting appearance and the smile she fenced behind her fingers.

            She started school from third grade, one below me, and as it turned out, she quickly
passed me by. There wasn’t much I could help her with except to drill her on pronunciation-
the “L” and “R” sounds. Every morning walking to our rural school: land, leg, library, loan,
lot; every afternoon returning home: ran, rabbit, rinse, roll. That was the extent of our
communication; friendly but uninteresting.

            One particularly cold November night-the wind outside was Icy; I was sitting on my
bed, my brother’s and mine, oiling the cracks on my chapped hands by lamplight-someone
rapped urgently at our door. It was Kiyoko-san; she was hysterial, she wore no wrap, her
teeth were chattering, and except for the thin straw zori, her feet were bare. My mother led
her to the kitchen, started a pot of tea, and gestured to my brother and me to retire. I lay very
still but, because of my brother’s restless tossing and my father’s snoring, was unable to hear
much. I was aware, though, that drunken and savage brawling had brought Kiyoko-san to us.
Presently they came to the bedroom. I feigned sleep. My mother spoke firmly: “Tomorrow
you will return to them: you must not leave them again. They are your people.” I could
almost feel Kiyoko-san’s short nod.

            All night long I lay cramped and still, afraid to intrude into her hulking back. Two or
three times her icy feet jabbed into mine and quickly retreated. In the morning I found my
mother’s gown neatly folded on the spare pillow. Kiyoko-san’s place in bed was cold.

            She never came to weep at our house again, but I know she cried. Her eyes were often
swollen and red. She stopped much of her giggling and routinely pressed her fingers to her
mouth. Our daily pronunciation drill petered off from lack of interest. She walked silently
with her shoulders hunched, grasping her books with both arms, and when I spoke to her in
my halting Japanese, she absently corrected my prepositions.

Spring comes early in the valley; in February the skies are clear though the air is still
cold. By March, winds are vigorous and warm and wild flowers dot the desert floor,
cockleburs are green and not yet tenacious, the sand is crusty underfoot, everywhere there is a
smell of things growing and the first tomatoes area showing green and bald.
            As the weather changed, Kiyoko-san became noticeably more cheerful. Mr Oka, who
hated so to drive, could often be seen steering his dusty old Ford over the road that passes our
house, and Kiyoko-san, sitting in front, would sometimes wave gaily to us. Mrs Oka was
never with them. I thought of these trips as the westernizing of Kiyoko-san; with a permanent
wave, her straight black hair became tangles of tiny frantic curls, between her textbooks she
carried copies of Modern Screen and Photoplay, her clothes were gay with print and piping,
and she bought a pair of brown suede shoes with alligator trim.

(Adapted from Judith A. Standford 1996. Responding to Lliterature.

Mountain View California: Mayfield Publishing Company.)

1.The writer was disappointed with Kiyoko because she

A. looked like her father
B. behaved like her mother
C. was not too communicative
D. was more mature than she expected

2. Kiyoko-san’s soul was barricaded in her unenchanting appearance and the smile she
fenced behind her fingers. Which of the following words fits Kiyoko’s description ?
A. unrevealing
B. unattractive
C. resourceful
D. spirited

3. She was hysterical because of

A. her inability to adjust to life in the US
B. the quarrel in her family
C. her lack of money
D. the cold winter

4. In Paragraph 2, Mr Oka said that Masako (the writer) was very smart. In which paragraph
did the writer say that Kiyoko was in fact smarter ?
A. paragraph 4
B. paragraph 5
C. paragraph 6
D. paragraph 7

5. The function of paragraph 10 is to

A. describe the passing of time
B. emphasis how hard life was in winter
C. signal a change to Kiyoko’s behaviour
D. show that life was becoming better for the farmers
6. The description of Kiyoko in paragraph 11 implies that she
A. was traditional
B. had conformed
C. became inhibited
D. became defensive

7. with reference to Kiyoko, which of the following is not a characteristic of being

westernized?
A. reading modern screen and photo play
B. wearing brown suede shoes
C. dressing in bright clothes
D. having straight black hair

8. the writer’s intention may be described as

A. narrating changes in the rural life of migrant families
B. contrasting traditional values among migrant Japanese families
C. tracing the adjustments made by Japanese families in the United States
D. highlighting the difference between her life and other Japanese immigrants

EXERCISE 2
HEALTH : ANGER MANAGEMENT
Anger is an aggressive emotional state that ranges from mild irritation and annoyance
to intense fury and rage. Anger causes our heart rate, blood pressure, energy hormones
and adrenaline to escalate. Both extreme display of anger and suppressed anger can be
detrimental to our general well-being in the long run.

            When we are angry, we respond aggressively. Anger is a natural way to defend
ourselves whenever we feel intimidated, threatened, attacked or unfairly treated. It is a
natural response to these difficult situations in order to stay sane. However, it is not an
excuse for us to lash out verbally or physically at whoever or whatever is annoying us.
There are laws and social norms that place limits on how far our anger can take us.
Common sense also tells us that we need to control our anger to protect our health.

            Dealing with anger requires both conscious and unconscious processes. The three
main approaches are expressing, suppressing and calming. Expressing our anger is an
assertive manner is a healthy way to express anger. This does not mean that we have the
licence to be aggressive, pushy or demanding. It simply means we express our needs or
our dissatisfaction without hurting others either physically or emotionally. We need to
learn how to express our anger and at the same time be respectful of others and, most
importantly, of ourselves.

            Another approach to dealing with anger is to suppress the anger by redirecting
our thoughts and emotions. The aim is to inhibit our anger and convert it into more
constructive behavior. Once we are calm, we can deal with the situation again in a more
controlled manner. However, the danger of walking away during times of anger is that
is may cause our anger to turn inward, making us susceptible to hypertension, high
blood pressure or depression. Unexpressed anger can lead to passive-aggressive
behavior. We become perpetually cynical, critical and hostile without even realizing it.

            A good way to manage anger is the calming approach. This means not just
controlling our outward behavior but also controlling our internal responses. Deep
breathing and visualizing relaxing images can lower our heart rate, calm us, and allow
our feelings to subside. We cannot get away from things or people that enrage us and we
cannot change them, but we can learn to control our anger.

Source: http://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control

1. Intense anger can cause a stroke.

A. true
B. false
C. not stated

2. We may react aggressively when we feel people are biased againt us.
A. true
B. false
C. not stated

3. We should lash out or hit the person who irritates us whenever we feel offended.
A. true
B. false
C. not stated

4. Expressing our anger in an assertive manner is a healthy way to express anger show

that we can express our anger
A. in an aggressive manner
B. in an emotional manner
C. in a controlled manner

5. The word inhibit in text mean

A. exhibit
B. suppress
C. transform

6. The risk of redirecting or suppressing anger may result in

A. hostile behavior
B. hyperactive behavior
C. self-destructive behavior

7. The best way to manage anger is

A. to learn to control anger
B. to avoid a tense situation
C. to educate irritating people