紫禁城
Name:
___________________
Forbidden
City
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Vocabulary
Find the vocabulary word and write the sentence from the novel.
Then rewrite the sentence using a synonym or an appositive.
Example:
Page 3 – erect
They stood erect and proud on a piece of thick plywood.
They stood tall and proud on a piece of thick plywood.
Pages 1 to 31
March 29
March 30 – 31
April 6
camcorder (page 2)
oblongs (page 2)
ceremonial (page 3)
tumulus (page 4)
convoluted (page 6)
organism (page 9)
pacifists (page 11)
atheist (page 28)
cynical (page 30)
informer (page 30)
dossier (page 30)
April 1
vestibule (page 17)
Pages 32 to 43
April 7
April 14
April 15,
isolated (page 33)
tones (page 39)
reconnaissance (page 39)
protrude (page 39)
hutongs (page 40)
bigwig (page 42)
lenient (page 42)
demonstrators (42)
recon (page 43)
April 8
restaging (page 35)
paranoid (page 36)
fallout (page 36)
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紫禁城
Pages 44 to 75
April 15
April 26
May 5
cynic (page 46)
revered (page 56)
deteriorate (page 57)
conjecture (page 57)
turmoil (page 65)
April 24
dais (page 48)
pipa (page 49)
erhu (page 49)
quavered (page 50)
esteem (page 51)
redoubled (page 53)
literal (page 54)
April 27
wilted (page 59)
corruption (page 60)
claustrophobic (page 61)
commentary (page 62)
May 20
vague (page 67)
contradicted (page 67)
commandeered (page 70)
deliriously (page 72)
demeaning (page 73)
Pages 76 to 141
May 21
May 22
May 23
obligation (page 77)
smuggle (page 78)
barricading (page 80)
skirmished (page 81)
May 24
May 26
May 27
whacked (page 48)
trundled (page 84
reconnoiter (page 89)
demented (page 90)
May 28
May 30 – June 2
June 3
Desolate (page 91)
conspicuous (page 95)
bayonet (page 95)
bewildered (page 95)
stalemate (page 95)
indefinitely (page 96)
truncheon (page 99)
melee (page 100)
illiterate (page 104)
June 4
stymied (page 110)
ricochets (page 112)
phalanx (page 112)
indiscriminately (page 116)
Fascist (page 117)
kangs (page 122)
massacred (page 128)
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June 6
jamming (page 133)
紫禁城
Response Log Questions
Pages 1 to 46
Alex and his father are headed to Beijing. Briefly explain the circumstances around
Alex and Ted’s trip to China? Why are they going there? What is each of them
looking forward to seeing and doing?
On page 16, Eddie ‘didn’t look too pleased,’ when Alex’s dad introduced him, Alex felt
humiliated. Why did Eddie react his way? Why did Alex feel humiliated? How would
you have felt if you had been Alex? Have you ever been in a situation where you felt
humiliated?
Prediction: How do you think this will impact how Eddie treats Alex?
Page 28: “Lao Xu is the nice spy you’d ever want to meet.” Why do Eddie and Alex’s
father not trust Lao Xu and why do they encourage Alex not to trust him? Would
you trust Lao Xu? Why or Why not? Do you think that Alex will treat Lao differently
now?
April 15: Hu Yao-bang, a party bigwig dies. Everyone believes that there may be a
student demonstration. Why do people believe the students may start a
demonstration? What is a demonstration? Have you heard about any demonstrations
in your community? Province? Country? Continent?
Research Time: What is the Forbidden City? Why was it built?
What is its significance in Ancient Chinese Culture? How big is it?
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紫禁城
Response Log Questions
Pages 47 to 65
April 24: Lao Xu took Alex to hear the retelling of an old Chinese War story about
Cao Cao. Summarize the story. What is the significance of the story? Why do you
think the Chinese retell this story? What lesson does it teach? Do we have similar
stories in our culture? Explain.
April 26: What is another name for the People’s Daily Newspaper? Who or what
did the editorial in the paper attack? What did the editorial say the demonstration
was “promoting?” How did Lao Xu react to the editorial? Why do you think he
reacted this way?
Prediction: Do you think he was ‘tricking’ Eddie, Alex, and Alex’s Dad?
Do you think Lao Xu may eventually betray the trio? Why or Why not?
On April 27, Alex has a discussion / interview with some of the student demonstrators.
What are their three demands? If these demands are not met, they plan to have
a bigger demonstration on May Fourth. Why have they chosen this date?
Prediction: Do you think the demonstration will get bigger? Why or Why not?
Extra Research: What was the Communist Revolution?
On May 5, Lao Xu was very worried. He says, “The Communist Party now talks with
two voices. That means trouble. BIG TROUBLE.” Why is Lao Xu so worried? What
does Alex then realize? What do you think may happen next?
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紫禁城
Response Log Questions
Pages 66 to 93
May 20: On May 13, the students changed their tactics; one thousand students
started a hunger strike. What is a hunger strike? How long did they plan to remain
on a hunger strike? Why would they go to such extremes, even refusing to
take liquids?
May 21, Eddie and Ted decide to break martial law and still try to send reports to
Canada. What are their reasons? Do you think they made the right choice?
Why or why not?
On page 80, May 23, the people flood the street and block the PLA, People’s Liberation
Army, which stops. Alex is reminded of the chapter in The Art of War on strategy
that states, “make yourself appear to be weak.” Alex poses two questions: Were
the PLA playing games with the people? And in their eyes, were the people now the
enemy? What do you think? Why?
Prediction: Do you think the PLA is only trying to appear to be weak?
Why or Why not?
May 25: How was the report on Beijing radio different from the events Alex
witnessed the night before? Why was it different? The student demonstrators are
also declared counter-revolutionaries in the same broadcast. Alex is very angry at
this statement. Why? Do you think you would react the same way? Why or Why not?
May 29: What is the “Goddess of Democracy?” Where do they place her? What do
you think she represents for the student demonstrators?
Prediction: How do you think the Communist government and the PLA will react?
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紫禁城
Response Log Questions
Pages 94 to 151
June 3 (page 105): “The students are pawns!” What does this quote mean? What do
you think will happen next?
** It is suggest that you read June 4th in two sections. #1 - pages 106 to 119
#2 – pages 119 to 131
Answer the question about Lao Xu’s death after stopping on p. 119.
On page 114, Lao Xu is shot to death one the street. He was running in the street
yelling “Are you insane? What are you doing? Stop the shooting!” Why does he do this?
Do you think he did the right thing? Did he die a honourable death?
Prediction: What do you think happened to Alex’s Dad? What do you think will
happen to Alex?
After Alex is shot, one of the university students takes Alex to their home, another
looks after his wound. While he is there, one of the students mentions that in
addition to shooting, the soldiers have also started bonfires. Why did the PLA start
bonfires? How did Alex react to this? How did you react? Why did you react this way?
June 6: “It seemed Beijing was on the verge of civil war.” What is a civil war? Why
does it appear that Beijing is on the verge of a civil war?
Prediction: What do you think will happen to Alex next? Will he find his father and
escape from Beijing safely and return to Canada?
June 7: The students tell Alex he should not return to the Beijing Hotel. Why?
Where do they want him to go? What favour did the students ask of him? What is
the final plan?
Prediction: Do you think Alex is making ‘a foolish mistake’ or do you think their plan
will work? Do you think he will make it to embassy? Why or Why not?
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紫禁城
Response Log Questions
Pages 152 to 199
On page 167, Alex poses the question – “But whose world was more real? Ours, or the
world Xin-hua lived in?” Why does he say this? What do you think?
June 9: Why do the soldiers shoot Xin-hua? Why do they not kill Alex? How would
you feel if you were Alex and you have now witnessed another friend shot for no real
reason?
On page 197, Alex’s father discovers that Alex has destroyed all of his war models.
Alex says, “I guess it was all a game to me too, Dad. It isn’t any more.” Why does
he say this?
He then goes on to say he now has two new, real heroes who have never worn a
uniform. Who are his real heroes? Why? Do you think these two are heroes?
Why or Why not?
Reread the Afterword on page 198. After reading the novel what do you think of the
statement submitted by the Mayor of Beijing? Why do you think his report stated
that no one died?
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紫禁城
Name: ______________
Date: ___________
May 20 – Demanding more Democracy – da zi ba
1. What is “the da zi ba”?
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2. What did the da zi ba demand?
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3. When Alex asks Lao Xu “what this stuff about corruption was all about,” how
does Lao Xu react? What does he say?
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4. Eddie tells Alex that Lao Xu is giving him the “Party Line”. What does this
expression mean?
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紫禁城
5. Eddie tells Alex about Communist Party perks. List four ways powerful men and
women got special treatment.
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6. Alex asks Eddie “are they all crooked?” How does Eddie respond?
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Art Box:
Draw the students in the square as described on page 67
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紫禁城
Name: ______________
Date: ___________
May 20 – Martial Law (Page 74/75)
1. Premier Li Peng says that Beijing is now under martial law. What is martial law?
___________________________________________________________
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2. Fill in the blanks: “He has ordered all _________ and others to clear Tian An
Men Square or face the ____________. Their presence is ____________.
All ____________ are illegal. It is also illegal to spread ____________.
Foreign correspondents are ____________ to report on anything to do with
the students’ presence in Tian An Men Square. If the ___________, measure
will be taken.”
3. The statement “it is illegal to spread rumors” confuses Alex. What does Eddie
say it means?
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Connecting to Canadian History
In Canada, we have the War Measures Act, which if invoked initiates martial law in
Canada. It has been invoked three times. Research and find one of the three
times and the reasons why.
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紫禁城
Name: ______________
Date: ___________
Figurative Language – Studying Similes
William Bell uses figurative language throughout his novel Forbidden City. One of the
most powerful scenes is on page 85 when he described the demonstration marching
through the streets of Beijing on a rainy afternoon.
“Then the rain came. The storm turned vicious fast, driving the rain
like nails, drenching us in minutes. We went back to the suite and
watched from the windows, wiping the steam away with wet hands.
The marchers didn’t quit. They kept it up, flowing slowly, like cold
syrup, towards the square ,hanging on to their posters and banners
like drowning sailors.”
There are three similes in this passage. A simile is a literary device in which two
different things are compared to each other using the words like or as.
Ex. He is a slow as a turtle.
Part A: Identify the three similes in the passage. For each simile describe what two
things are being compared, and explain why it is a good comparison.
1) Simile:______________________________________________________
a) What is being compared? _____________________________________
b) Explain the comparison _______________________________________
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2) Simile:______________________________________________________
a) What is being compared? _____________________________________
b) Explain the comparison _______________________________________
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紫禁城
3) Simile:______________________________________________________
a) What is being compared? _____________________________________
b) Explain the comparison _______________________________________
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Part B: Draw the scene in the box below. (You may be creative and use some of the
similies literally in you drawing of the scene!)
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紫禁城
Name: ______________
Date: ___________
May 25 / 26 Counter-Revolutionaries and Rumours
1. Define the following words:
a) Hooligans: ___________________________________________
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b) Counter-revolutionary: __________________________________
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c) Propaganda: __________________________________________
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2. Now that the students have been labeled counter-revolutionaries, what could
happen to them?
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3. It’s hard to sort out all of the rumours. Which political leader are most of the
rumours about? Why?
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4. Name one confirmed rumour.
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紫禁城
Name: ______________
Page 138 to 139
Date: ___________
Acupuncture
1. What is acupuncture?
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2. Why does Xiao Nie use acupuncture on Alex?
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3. Describe what Xiao Nie does when he puts an acupuncture needle in.
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4. Alex was shot in the calf, but Xiao Nie puts some needles in Alex’s wrist. Why?
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5. Research: What is ‘qi’?
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