From Chinese Cinderella

Question 1

Notes on the title

Answer 1

Cinderella has connotations of the fairytale. Traditional ‘western’ fairytale contrasted with eastern location
Author sees parallels between herself and Cinderella and chooses this title to encourage the reader to pick up on this

Question 2

‘In my case perhaps the end of school forever’

Answer 2

Doesnt want to finish school, different to what you might expect

Question 3

Notes on context/introduction

Answer 3

Sent to a boarding school near her house, implies punishment

Question 4

‘Possible typhoon the next day’

Answer 4

Pathetic fallacy to build tension, uncertain future

Question 5

‘The though of leaving school throbbed at the back of my mind like a persistent toothache’

Answer 5

Negative simile, emphasises dislike of school as the worry is always there

Question 6

‘We all stood up and greeted her’

Answer 6

Formal school, gives and idea of the setting

Question 7

‘Chauffeur’

Answer 7

Shows wealth of her family

Question 8

‘Full of foreboding’

Answer 8

Alliteration

Question 9

‘As a nightmare’

Answer 9

Negative simile to emphasise her feelings

Question 10

‘Wondering who had died’

Answer 10

Highlights how little she goes home as it has to be very negative to be allowed to leave

Question 11

‘They give the orders and I carry them out’

Answer 11

Chauffeur is treated poorly as he is of a lower status than the rest of her family - Adeline is the same position in the family hierarchy as the staff despite being their daughter

Question 12

‘Wondered what I had done wrong’

Answer 12

Blames herself and assumes the worst, implying that this is often the case

Question 13

Notes on the location of her house

Answer 13

‘Between the peak and the harbour’ shows they live in a very nice area because they are wealthy

Question 14

’ ‘Where are we?’ I asked foolishly’

Answer 14

Shows how little she is allowed to leave as she is extremely unfamiliar with her own home

Question 15

‘The chauffeur replied rudely’

Answer 15

Treats Adeline the same way her parents do.

Question 16

’ ‘I had forgotten,’ I said as I got out’

Answer 16

Lying to save face, doesn’t want to admit her family moved without telling her

Question 17

‘Your two brothers and Little Sister’

Answer 17

They have a better situation than Adeline and are treated much better than her
Also a very formal and impersonal way of referring to family

Question 18

‘Holy of Holies’

Answer 18

Idiom, used to emphasise rarity and exclusivity

Question 19

‘I had never been invited’

Answer 19

Unusual to not have been somewhere in her home

Question 20

‘I saw he was in a happy mood’

Answer 20

Unusual; she chooses to comment on it

Question 21

‘Is this a giant ruse on his part to trick me? Dare I let my guard down?’

Answer 21

Direct thoughts questions used to engage reader

Question 22

’ ‘Sit down! Sit down!’ ‘

Answer 22

Repetition

Question 23

‘Sit down’, ‘Don’t look’,

Answer 23

Talks with lots of imperatives

Question 24

‘It was announced today that 14-year-old Hong Kong school girl….’ paragraph notes

Answer 24

She knows nothing about this until her father tells her, shows how unexpected it is

Question 25

'Is it possible? Am I dreaming? Me, the winner?'

Answer 25

More direct thought to emphasise her disbelief. Also an example of tripling

Question 26

' "Is the winner Adeline Jun-Ling related to you?" '

Answer 26

The fact that he had to ask shows that Adeline's father never talks about her

Question 27

'So far none of them has won an international literary prize...'

Answer 27

Happy with the fact that his daughter has 'beaten' his colleague's children, he is proud of her because it has made him look good. This further shows their bad realtionship

Question 28

'So I was quite pleased'

Answer 28

Isn't good enough for him, doesn't rate literature highly

Question 29

'He looked radiant. For once, ...'

Answer 29

Metaphor, shows how unusual it is for him to be proud of her

Question 30

'How come /you/ won?'

Answer 30

Italicised to emphasise his disbelief, no faith in her abilities.

Question 31

'May I go to university in England too, just like my brothers?'

Answer 31

Shows how she is treated differently to them

Question 32

'How marvellous... Going to England is like entering heaven'

Answer 32

Simile used to emphasise her joy. She can be very far from home and her family.

Question 33

' 'Writer?' He scoffed. 'You are going to starve...'

Answer 33

Sees no value or opportunity in this career.

Question 34

'I waited in silence. I did not wish to contradict him'

Answer 34

Afraid to talk to him and maybe even afriad of him

Question 35

'You will' x4

Answer 35

Repetition of definite future 'will', imperatives. She cannot contradict this

Question 36

'How did that line go in Wordsworth's poem? /Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive/'

Answer 36

Quote from poem shows good knowledge of literature

Question 37

'Relentlessly'

Answer 37

Negative adverb to show how much she doesn't want to go home from school

Question 38

'In my case perhaps the end of school forever'

Answer 38

Shows how education will continue for others

Question 39

'Four of us were playing Monopoly. My heart was not in it and I was losing steadily'

Answer 39

A symbol which parallels with how she is 'losing at life'.

Question 40

'I threw the dice'

Answer 40

Symbol of chance

Question 41

'Ma-mien Valentino was calling'

Answer 41

Past continuous aspect to show that she is ignoring it; she doesn't want to hear it

Question 42

'Full of foreboding'

Answer 42

Adverbial clause

Question 43

'Father's chauffeur assured me everyone was healthy'

Answer 43

Indirect speech

Question 44

'How should /I/ know?'

Answer 44

Italicised to suggest a rude/brusque tone

Question 45

'Your guess is as good as mine'

Answer 45

Idiom used rudely in the context

Question 46

'They give the orders and I carry them out'

Answer 46

'They' is an unprecursed pronoun which doesn't include Adeline

Question 47

'Dread'

Answer 47

Abstract noun

Question 48

'You mother is out playing bridge'

Answer 48

Bridge is a symbol of high-society life

Question 49

'Your father is in his room'

Answer 49

Place that only he goes

Question 50

'Summoned'

Answer 50

Shows difference in relationship; only used in unequal relationships

Question 51

'A place to which I had never been invited'

Answer 51

Formal syntax, hyper correct

Question 52

'Why?'

Answer 52

Direct thought

Question 53

'Looking relaxed in his slippers and bathrobe'

Answer 53

Adeline's return hasn't interrupted his daily routine

Question 54

'Is this a giant ruse on his part to trick me?'

Answer 54

Poignant; relationship is even worse than we realised

Question 55

'Don't look so scared'

Answer 55

Still imperative - even though it seems as though it should be nice it is still a command

Question 56

'He looked radiant'

Answer 56

Her reaction is not mentioned

Question 57

'In front of his revered colleague'

Answer 57

Revered has connotations of worship; worships his colleague but not his daughter

Question 58

'My whole being vibrated with all the joy in the world'

Answer 58

Hyperbole, she feels like this because she knows she can ask about education

Question 59

'Perhaps I was the only one determined enough to enter and there were no other competitors'

Answer 59

Shows her modesty, but she could also be manipulating him slightly

Question 60

'Going to England is like entering heaven'

Answer 60

Simile and hyperbole

Question 61

'I plan to study literature. I'll be a writer'

Answer 61

Definite future tense to show her confident expression

Question 62

'With Third Brother'

Answer 62

Impersonal way of address

Question 63

'That's a foolproof profession for you. Don't you agree?'

Answer 63

Insulting; low opinion of capability. Also ironic because she has no choice

Question 64

'Father, I shall go to medical school in England and become a doctor. Thank you very, very much.'

Answer 64

Implies that she just wants to get away from her family