Cav's English Blog

Growing up Asian in Australia

2012-02-18T20:33:00.001-08:00

Year 7 2010 NAPLAN Reading Magazine

2012-01-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

Anh Do - Winner of Australian Literary Prize 2011

2011-10-30T16:07:00.000-07:00

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2011/s3278641.htm1. Who did Anh’s father rescue from the concentration camp? a) His eldest son who would later become Young Australian of the Year b) 1. What word in the opening sentence means ‘short and flat’? 2. What is so ‘Australian’ about Barry West? 3. What is the opening interaction between the two characters about? 4.

why does it matter?

2011-10-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

Read any story that we haven't read yet and write a review of the story and explain why it matters. Why should anyone care about the story/read it? Ginseng Tea and a Pair of Thongs by Haitha Lee The author presents a stark portrayal of an immigrant family from Vietnam surviving the slums in an attempt to transition into their new lives. What is most confronting about the story is the

My First Kiss by Lian Low

2011-10-17T20:45:00.001-07:00

My First Kiss by Lian Low 1. How does the author describe Malaysia in regards to showing affection? 2. What happens to the author when she hits puberty? 3. What is the author’s experience at school when she first arrives to Melbourne? 4. What is it that made the author feel that she wasn’t Australian even though she spoke English fluently? 5. What else was it about the author that further

Teenage Dreamers by Phillip Tang

2011-10-17T19:41:00.001-07:00

Teenage Dreamers by Phillip Tang 1. What are the first two sentences of the story and how do they create a tension in the story? 2. What has happened to the author’s father as a result of his wife’s death? 3. How does the description of the father removing his hands from his face as ‘unmasked’ related to the seriousness of his following statement? 4. Consider how the father lives his life

Take Me Away, Please

2011-10-16T20:18:00.001-07:00

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Conversations with my Parents by Oanh Thi Tran

2011-10-16T16:43:00.001-07:00

Conversations with my Parents by Oanh Thi Tran 1. What is ironic about the way the author and the father become close? What has to happen to the father? 2. How would you characterise the conversation that the author has with her parents? 3. What is it that worries the author most about these conversations? 4. There is a gap between the author’s need to express feelings common in western

Lessons from my School Years by Ray Wing-Lun

2011-10-12T14:56:00.001-07:00

Lessons from my School Years by Ray Wing-Lun 1. There is a stark contrast created in the opening of this story between what the narrator had been doing before entering school and what will be expected at school? What is this contrast and what does it immediately create in the story? 2. The author continues this theme of contrast at the start of the story. How does he do this in his

The Early Settlers by Ken Chau

2011-10-10T19:37:00.001-07:00

techniques: pun, alliteration, vulgar slang, ambiguous pronouns The Early Settlers by Ken Chau 1. How does this title refer to two groups of ‘settlers’? Who are they? 2. How is the first line of the poem successful at being ‘forceful’ regarding the Great-Grandfather’s presence in Australia? 3. What action are the ‘early settlers’ doing that gives them equally a strong presence? 4. How is

The Relative Advantages of Learning my Language by Amy Choi

2011-09-20T15:30:00.001-07:00

The author makes us consider what it really means about understanding someone's language? What basic human skill/ability is the author highlighting that cuts across all cultures? Describe a time when you were at fault for not communicating with someone because of your own selfishness or lack of compassion. The Relative Advantages of Learning my Language by Amy Choi 1. The author opens

Growing Up Asian in Australia: Intro + Pigs Questions

2011-09-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

Introduction by Alice Pung 1. What were Asian-Australians referred to as when the author was growing up? 2. How does she interpret this title? 3. What did this title actually refer to? Did the author find this demeaning? Why/why not? 4. ‘All that untapped potential! All that electrifying brain power!’ What techniques are being employed by the author? How does they highlight he

Writing Letters

2011-09-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

Choose two of the following and put them in ONE blog post indicating which ones you have chosen: Bruno to his Grandmother right before going on his final adventure (imagine she was still alive) Pavel to his family regarding living in the camp and working for Bruno's family. Shmuel to his family back in Poland (if they were still alive) about his life in the camp and his best friend Bruno.

Holocaust Art: "It Takes But One" by Elizabeth Denholm and Alyssa Dziurlaj

2011-09-04T17:43:00.000-07:00

What visual techniques are employed in this painting? How do these visual techniques highlight major thematic elements of holocaust art and literature?

Holocaust Poetry #3: 'Daniel' by Laura Crist

2011-09-04T17:14:00.001-07:00

How is juxtaposition used in this poem to highlight an important theme of Holocaust literature? How is descriptive language used to enhance the reader's reaction to the poem? Daniel Laura Crist And the child held her hand A child tiny for almost eight, Deep blue eyes that dominated his face, When he explained new events to her, that funny doggy, that pretty rock, And the freckles

Chapter 15: Something He Shouldn't Have Done

2011-09-01T19:23:00.000-07:00

(163) Why doesn't Bruno like Kotler? What does he observe and not understand about Kotler when his father is away? (163) What is meant when Kotler uses the cliche 'Don't worry, this one knows which side his bread is buttered on.'? (165) How would you describe the interaction between Kotler and Bruno? (166) What surprise does Bruno get? (167) How is juxtaposition used when Bruno compares his

Chapter 14: Bruno Tells a Perfectly Reasonable Lie

2011-09-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

(150-1) What information do we get that makes the reader start to feel that he is becoming less innocent and more ignorant? (151-3) What is interesting about the weather and how does it relate to the overall emotion of this stage in the book? (153) What does Bruno accidentally say to Gretel? (154-5) Is Bruno able to consider Gretel's feelings? How do you know? (155) What is it that motivates

Chapter 13: The Bottle of Wine

2011-08-31T19:09:00.000-07:00

(134) How does the initial paragraph frame Bruno's state of mind? (136) What does the question Bruno asks Maria show about his development? (137) What is important about Maria's reaction to Bruno's question? (138) Why does Bruno want to tell Shmuel about Pavel? What does this highlight about Bruno's understanding of what is going on? (140) What do the boys argue about? Who does Bruno defend?

Chapter 12: Shmuel Thinks of an Answer to Bruno's Question

2011-08-31T18:55:00.000-07:00

(126) How would you compare Shmuel's voice to Bruno's? (128-130) How would you describe the way that Bruno acts and reacts to Shmuel tell his story about coming to the camp? (131) When Bruno and Shmuel talk about chocolate how is Bruno portrayed? (132) Do you think that Bruno understands the situation that Shmuel is in? (133) What is ironic about Bruno thinking 'the last think he wanted to

Chapter 11: The Fury

2011-08-31T18:51:00.000-07:00

(118) What does the mother's obsession with her 'list' represent? What does the list distract her from? What do you think about meeting Adolf Hitler? (120) What is ironic when the father says 'The last thing we need is for either of you to start behaving like children.'? (121) How is juxtaposition used in the introduction of 'The Fury'? (122) How is the 'Fury's' behavior juxtaposed with

Evaluating your Partner's Performance

2011-08-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

Today in class we are going to listen to a discussion for 5-10 min on each chapter (11 + 12). During the conversation you are to take notes on: - participation - what questions/answers they ask - do they know what they are talking about - overall what is your impression of their understanding of what is happening in the chapter Give your partner an HONEST score out of 10 (10 being the best).

Chapters 11+12

2011-08-28T16:37:00.001-07:00

What are the main themes of the novel so far? What are the main techniques? Think of 5 important questions for each of these two chapters about how important motifs and themes play a role in each chapter.

Chapter 9: Bruno Remembers That He Used to Enjoy Exploration

2011-08-24T20:27:00.000-07:00

(pg95-96) How is Lt Kotler portrayed? Why is he portrayed this way? (remember that 'how' is asking about literary techniques) What is Herr Liszt going to 'change' for Bruno? (98) (100) What connection does Bruno make between the people in the camp and the people that come and visit his house all the time? What some of the things that Bruno begins to take notice of regarding the relationship

Chapter 10: The Dot That Became a...

2011-08-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

(105) What does the progression of 'dot' to 'boy' tell us about the role of exploring and meeting the people in the camp? What does this represent about how other Germans view the Jews? (109) What effect does the boys both having the same birthday have? (113-4) What do Bruno and Shmuel 'argue' about? What does Bruno decide to stop the argument? (115) What does Bruno's last question reveal to