RESPONDING AND THINKING CRITICALLY
Analyze and Evaluate
Respond
l.
With whom do you sympathize most at the end of
the story Meimei or her mother? Explain why.
Recall and Interpret
2. (a)What useful life lesson did Meimei's mother
teach her when she was six years old? How did
she learn it? (b)Explain how Meimei applies her
mothe/s strategy to "winning arguments, resPect
for others, and . . . chess gamesl'
5.
4.
(a)When does Meimeifirst become interested in
chess? How does she learn to play the game? (b)ln
your opinion, why does Meimei enjoy chess so much?
Support your answer with evidence from the story.
(a)How does Meimeitrick her mother into letting
her play in her first chess tournament? (b)How
does this scene reveal that Meimei can "see the
endgame before the game begins"?
6.
How does the mother feel about her daughte/s
success? How can you tell?
7.
Do you think the mother is justified in being angry?
ls Meimei? Support your opinion with examples from
your own experience or with details from the story.
8. How is Meimei's relationship
with her mother like
a game of chess?
Connect
9.
At the end of the story Meimei considers her
"next move." What move would you make if you
were Meimei?
lo.
fft@lt
Rewards and Sacrifices What
sacrifices do the main characters in this story
make to pursue rewards?
5. (a)What
conflict arises when the mother and
daughter go shopping? (b)What are Meimei and
her mother really arguing about when they are
shopping? Explain.
Protagonist and
Antagonist
The protagonist and antagonist are important elements in this story. The action revolves around
Meimei, the protagonist, who undergoes the main
conflict. Readers are usually meant to identify with the
protagonist and not with the antagonist.
l.
Mrs. Jong is very supportive of Meimei's decision to
play chess. What is the source of their conflict?
2.
ln what ways are Meimei and her mother victims of
a "generation gap"?
5.
Suppose the story had been told from the mother's
point of view. Would Meimei still be the protagonist? Explain.
Review: Characters
106-102 characters are the
people in \he story. Meimei and her mother are the
main chara\rs in the story. Minor characters interact
with the prota$onist and antagonist to move the plot
As you learned on pages
along.
Activity Meet with a classmate to identify
minor characters in this story. Discuss the roles they
play in the plot. Make a chart like the one below to
help you think about these characters.
Partner
Characler
leachet l"leimei
chess eliqvelte
AMY
TAN I I9