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 honour,
she became a symbol of hope and inspiration for the people
of China.
Today, you can see several films 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
means magnolia flower in (a small insect) who
Chinese? help protect Mulan.
Chinese director Jingle Ma made an action film in 2009
Hua Mulan is the name called Mulan: Rise of a Warrior. This film is truer to the
of a brave woman from a legend than Disney’s cartoon version and tells the story
traditional Chinese story. of Mulan’s success as a soldier. In 2020, Disney produced
The first mention of her is in another film which is also truer to the original story. Both
a poem called The Ballad of of these films use real actors and are serious action films.
Mulan from the sixth century. They show Mulan to be a strong, brave young woman who
Then, over the centuries, can 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 films? Then
recently, in films. Although I suggest you watch the 1998 Disney film. Do you prefer
there are some differences in action films? 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 films.
from the poem stays
the same.

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 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 film.
you know about the subject so you Disney made
have some idea of what the text might
be about. .
3 The Jingle Ma film arrived in cinemas in
2018 but wasn’t very true to the legend.
1 Look at the title of the article and the
The Jingle Ma film
picture. Choose the subjects that you think
you are going to read about. Skim read the .
text and check your answers. 4 The Disney action film first played in
action films cartoons comedy cinemas in 2009 and shows Mulan to be a
documentary history horror films funny, determined woman.
strategy game story The Disney action film

.
2 Read the text again. Are the statements
T (true) or F (false)? Correct the 4 Word work Complete the definitions with
false statements. the underlined words in the text.
1 Hua Mulan is a very old Chinese story. T/F 1 A is a piece of writing on short
lines that often rhyme.
2 There are many poems, books and 2 A is a woman who is very
films about Hua Mulan and the story brave or does good things.
is always different. T/F 3 A is an old story that people
tell about a famous person in the past.
3 Hua Mulan is the name of a flower 4 A is a period of 100 years.
in Chinese. T/F 5 To means to give
someone the feeling that they want
4 In the story, Mulan wears men’s to do something.
clothes and joins the army so her 6 People usually respect someone
father can stay at home. T/F who is honest and fair and behaves
with .
5 There aren’t any examples of real 5 Answer the questions for you.
women soldiers in Chinese history. T/F
1 Which of the films would you like to
watch? Why?
6 Mulan is a famous symbol of
friendship for Chinese people. T/F

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

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