UNIT

1 The longer read

The Mulan story

Hua Mulan is a teenager who lives with
her parents. One day Chinese soldiers
come to her village because they need
men to join the army. She doesn’t want
her father to go with them because he is
quite old. So, she dresses as a man and joins
the army in his place. She trains to become
a soldier and fights in the army for more
than ten years and wins many battles. After
an important battle, the Emperor wants to
reward her but she asks only for a horse so she
can return home. Sadly, when she arrives home
she finds that her father is dead.

Is the story of Mulan fact or fiction? No one knows. There

are stories about other women soldiers in Chinese history.
For example, Princess Pingyang was a famous soldier in
the seventh century who helped her father become the first
emperor of the Tang dynasty. Stories about heroes and
heroines like Mulan inspire people when times are difficult.
Traditionally, Chinese society usually wanted women to be
quiet and shy, but because of Mulan’s bravery and honor,
she became a symbol of hope and inspiration for the people
of China.
Today, you can see several movies about this story. Disney
produced an animated film in 1998. It was very successful
in many countries around the world. It’s a comedy with lots
of singing and dancing. It also has new characters such as
a funny dragon spirit
Did you know that hua mulan and a lucky cricket (a
means magnolia flower in small insect) who help
Chinese? protect Mulan. Chinese
director Jingle Ma made an action movie in 2009 called
Hua Mulan is the name Mulan: Rise of a Warrior. This movie is truer to the legend
of a brave woman from a than Disney’s cartoon version and tells the story of Mulan’s
traditional Chinese story. success as a soldier. In 2020, Disney produced another
The first mention of her is in movie which is also truer to the original story. Both of these
a poem called The Ballad of movies use real actors and are serious action movies. They
Mulan from the sixth century. show Mulan to be a strong, brave young woman who can
Then, over the centuries, inspire others, just as the legend says.
people told the story of Mulan
in plays, in books and, more Do you like watching cartoons and romantic movies? Then
recently, in movies. Although I suggest you watch the 1998 Disney movie. Do you prefer
there are some differences in action movies? Then watch one of the other two. There’s a
each version, the main story really good story for you to enjoy in all three movies.
from the poem stays
the same.

Get Involved! American Edition Level 2 © Macmillan Education Limited 2022

 UNIT

1 The longer read

2 Disney made a cartoon about the

Subskill: Making and checking predictions legend of Mulan in 2009. It was a
Before you read, think about what serious action movie.
you know about the subject so you Disney made
have some idea of what the text might
be about. .
3 The Jingle Ma movie arrived in movie
theaters in 2018 but wasn’t very true to
1 Look at the title of the article and the the legend.
picture. Choose the subjects that you think
The Jingle Ma movie
you are going to read about. Skim read the
text and check your answers. .
 action movies cartoons comedy  4 The Disney action movie first played in
 documentary history horror movies  movie theaters in 2009 and shows Mulan
 strategy game story  to be a funny, determined woman.
The Disney action movie
2 Read the text again. Are the statements
.
T (true) or F (false)? Correct the
false statements. 4 Word work  Complete the definitions with
1 Hua Mulan is a very old Chinese story. T/F the underlined words in the text.
1 A is a piece of writing on short
2 There are many poems, books and lines that often rhyme.
films about Hua Mulan and the story 2 A is a woman who is very
is always different. T/F brave or does good things.
3 A is an old story that people
3 Hua Mulan is the name of a flower tell about a famous person in the past.
in Chinese. T/F 4 A is a period of 100 years.
5 To means to give
4 In the story, Mulan wears men’s someone the feeling that they want
clothes and joins the army so her to do something.
father can stay at home. T/F 6 People usually respect someone
who is honest and fair and behaves
5 There aren’t any examples of real with  .
women soldiers in Chinese history. T/F 5 Answer the questions for you.

1 Which of the movies would you like to
6 Mulan is a famous symbol of watch? Why?
friendship for Chinese people. T/F

3 The sentences about each movie all

have two mistakes. Read and correct the 2 What is a famous story or legend in your
sentences. country? Why is it popular?
1 Disney’s video game was popular
in countries all around the world.
Disney’s

Get Involved! American Edition Level 2 © Macmillan Education Limited 2022