Hung-wu Exercise Book - Answers
Vocabulary
Context Clues (pages 13-20)
Context clues help readers determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. The reader
should look for context clues in the same sentence where the unfamiliar word
appears, in sentences in the same paragraph, or in sentences in different paragraphs.
There are different types of context clues.
1. Synonym: a word or phrase that has the same meaning as the unknown word
hints at the definition.
Example: “The area became a snarled, twisted system of paths and hiding places.”
2. Antonym: a word or phrase that has the opposite meaning of the unknown word
hints at the definition.
Example: “…the Mongols printed excessive amounts of paper money; but behind
their mountains of paper money, the stores of treasure and grain had dwindled.
3. Definition/explanation: an explanation of the unknown word is clearly given
immediately before or after it is used in the sentence.
Example: “What are principles you ask? They are the beliefs and laws by which a
person lives.”
4. Example: Examples are given to hint at the definition.
Example: They issued unenforceable laws, including night curfews, a ban on
burning lamps more than an hour after dark, and even a ban on public meetings.
5. Inference: the meaning of the unknown word is not clearly stated, but it can be
inferred from the general context of the sentence or paragraph.
Example: His parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents - one after the other - died in his
arms. The young man did not even have a way to bury his deceased family, because a
Mongol owned the land beneath his home.
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Hung-wu Exercise Book - Answers
In each of the following sentences, define the bolded word and underline the clue
that helped deduce the definition. Identify which of the five types of clues is used.
1. This neighborhood offers many advantages such as good schools, great
shopping malls, and many parks.
Definition: useful things
Clue type: example
2. This hospital has an impressive standard of hygiene, or cleanliness.
Definition: cleanliness
Clue type: synonym
3. People showed their dissatisfaction with the king by staging rebellions, or
fights against his government’s authority, all over France.
Definition: fights against the government’s authority
Clue type: definition
4. Sam and his sister are total opposites. While he is always logical in his
thinking, she is irrational.
Definition: unreasonable, foolish
Clue type: antonym
5. I saw a thief breaking into our car, but it was difficult to discern his features
in the darkness.
Definition: to see, to detect
Clue type: inference
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Hung-wu Exercise Book - Answers
History
The Yuan dynasty’s Mandate of Heaven (page 13)
The Yuan dynasty followed the typical evolution of Chinese dynasties. After a few
generations in power, it started to decline as it lost the “Mandate of Heaven”, or fell
out of favor with the gods.
It was first plagued by corruption, then confronted with natural disasters,
including famine, droughts, and floods. Now, in keeping with the dynastic cycle, it will
face a rebellion which will bring in a new ruling family. All Chinese dynasties
have typically followed this cycle.
1. What misfortunes occurred to the Yuan dynasty when it lost the “Mandate of
Heaven?”
It was plagued by corruption and confronted with natural disasters such as
famine, droughts, and floods.
2. How will it complete its dynastic cycle?
It will face a rebellion that will bring down the ruling family.
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Hung-wu Exercise Book - Answers
Comprehension (page 13-20)
1. Who was General Kuo?
He was one of the warlords who competed for power after the decline of the Yuan
dynasty.
2. Once again, Chu and the storyteller share similar destinies. Compare and
contrast the choices they made after the famine.
Both Chu and the storyteller left their villages after the famine. Chu became a
monk and joined a monastery, while the storyteller joined Kuo’s rebel group.
3. How did Kuo’s men survive in the area around Lake Poyang?
They stole from the peasants.
4. How did the Red Turbans get their name?
Kuo distributed red turbans to his soldiers so he could discern them from the other armed
bands roaming the countryside.
5. Choose the words that describe Kuo and categorize them into appearance and
personality.
Appearance: aging, fat
Personality: hot-tempered, irrational, brave, popular, disorganized, lacking
leadership skills
6. How did the area around Lake Poyang serve as a good hiding place for the
Red Turbans?
The area consisted of hills, forests, and swamps which were dark and shadowy.
Many of the twisted paths which led to Poyang were booby-trapped and only the Red
Turbans knew the safe routes.
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Hung-wu Exercise Book - Answers
7. Describe the state of the Red Turbans under Kuo’s leadership.
The Red Turbans were fierce fighters who defended their territory well. However, they
were undisciplined, disorganized, and they terrorized the countryside.
8. Describe the living conditions at Lake Poyang.
Life in the swamps was terribly unclean. There were few medicinal herbs
available. People did not care about hygiene, so disease was widespread.
9. Why was the storyteller worried about his sister?
After his mother’s death there was nobody to care for her. Also, he was worried
that she would get sick.
10. What sort of background did the storyteller come from? Was he a peasant
like the storyteller?
He was a rich businessman.
11. Why did Kuo move to Lake Poyang?
He had to leave Nanjing after killing a tax collector who tried to overcharge him.
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Hung-wu Exercise Book - Answers
Culture
Society in Ancient China (page 15)
Like all ancient civilizations, China had a social hierarchy which divided people
according to rank. The emperor was the most important and powerful figure. Next in
line were the nobles who were often related to the emperor and had proven
themselves in the military. They lived in lavish palaces, wore fine clothing and
jewelry, and spent most of their leisure time hunting. After them came the scholars,
who were respected for their education. They helped the emperor govern China and
run its bureaucracy.
The majority of Chinese people were peasants, artisans, and merchants. Among
those, the peasants were the largest and most important group because they
produced the food that society depended on. Although they ranked higher than
artisans and merchants, peasants were poor and worked long days in the fields under
difficult conditions. The land they lived and worked on did not belong to them but
to nobles who took most of the crops and the peasants’ tax money. Artisans
included painters, carpenters, potters, metal smiths, and other craftspeople. They
were placed before merchants because of their skills. Merchants were seen as a
group that worked strictly for their own benefit and did not contribute to the good of
society. Despite their low ranking, some merchants made a great deal of money and
lived in luxury.
1. How was society ordered in ancient China?
People were divided according to rank.
2. Why did peasants rank higher than artisans and merchants in the social
hierarchy?
They produced the food that society depended on.
3. Does the peasants’ higher position mean that they enjoyed a better life than
others? Justify your answer with evidence from the text.
No, peasants did not enjoy a better life. The peasants were poor and worked long
days in the fields under difficult conditions. The land they lived and worked on
belonged to nobles who took most of the crops and the peasants’ tax money.
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Hung-wu Exercise Book - Answers
4. Why did merchants receive the lowest ranking?
They were seen as a group that worked strictly for their own benefit and did not
contribute to the good of society.
5. Use the pyramid below to show the social structure in ancient china.
emperor
nobles
scholars
peasants
craftsmen
merchants
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