Suggested COE Passage

Adapted from Sing to the dawn, by Ho Minfong

1 Right in the middle of the bridge a small, solemn figure was
perched, his legs dangling over the edge. The corners of Dawans
mouth turned slightly upwards despite the small knot of dread that
had been turning in her stomach all morning. It was Kwai.
2 Picking up pace, Dawan sprinted across the fields to her brother.
When she reached the foot of the bridge, she halted and yelled,
Kwai, Im coming up too! He half-smiled, half-wishing that he could
be left alone for a while. But for an answer, he moved over slightly
to make room for her.
3 Kwai glanced over at his sister, and stated matter-of-factly, Are
you alright? Something on your mind? She looked up, her eyes
fluttering. Then she nodded absentmindedly, twiddled with her
fingers, and gave a vacant stare. Come on, Sister, lets hurry home
to have breakfast and head for school, Kwai declared, rising to his
feet. Dawan, however, did not seem to have heard him and
remained sitting there. Come on, Sister, Kwai repeated
impatiently. Still, his sister did not budge.
4 A look of understanding flashed across Kwais face, and he settled
down next to her again. Is it because today the marks come in and
we find out who won the scholarship? Sister, do you not wish to find
out? he probed.
5 Dawan gazed into the distance. Only the sounds of the rushing
rapids filled up the silence that stretched between the siblings.
Dawan turned to her brother, What if you did do best in our village,
Kwai? You will go, wont you?
6 Kwai shrugged and tossed a pebble into the river. Who can turn
down a free education, especially one in the City? If I win, of course
Ill go. Dawan could sense that he could hardly contain himself. Yet,
there was something else in his voice that betrayed him.
7 If I do get to go, I wont spend all day in school reading old books.
Remember the big markets Cousin Noi told us about? The jasmine
buds sold by the bucketfuls, the rows of pigs heads hanging outside
the butcher stalls, and the countless different kinds of coconuts
cakes sold there? Im going to see for myself what urban life is like.
Ill be the first from our village to see the City! Fancy that! Kwais
eyes shone.
8 And the temples too, Kwai! Dawan added.

9 Oh yes, and Ill go to the most beautiful, most sacred temples,

the Temple of Dawn and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha all the
ones you see in Nois postcards. Thats the attraction of the City. A
different life beyond the four narrow walls of this village, and the
dire state of things here. An escape, and an eye-opener! How
liberating and enriching!
10 Dawan broke out laughing. At this rate, you wont have much
chance for studying at all, Kwai! She stole a glance at him and
continued more seriously, You know what noble hopes our teacher
has for your future, my brother. Dont disappoint him. With a city
education you can help the villagers raise new crops, use better
fertilizers, set up a hospital for our village or advise us how not to
get cheated by the tax collector
11 Kwai lowered his head and stared fixedly at a small clump of
lotus pads resting on the river surface. Now, his heart was in his
mouth. He was not sure if Teacher had high hopes for him alone. He
knew the hours Teacher spent talking to Dawan about injustice,
poverty, and ways to improve life in the village.
12 Dawan seemed to have noticed the change in her brothers
spirits his furrowed eyebrows, his brooding countenance, his
loaded silence. Teacher thinks more highly of you than he does of
me, she insisted in a low voice. Especially today, when you will
receive the government scholarship!
13 Stop talking as if I had already won that scholarship! Kwai
interrupted. There are plenty of other students in our village who
might get it, you know.
14 Like who? Dawan challenged.
15 Kwai fell silent again, as if he was mentally considering every
villager who might win. How about his Sister?
16 Me? Dawan flushed. But Im a girl.
17 In their village, parents considered it foolish and wasteful to send
girls to school. What use was knowledge when girls would
eventually just marry and stay at home? Boys would have better use
for an education. It was not until Kwai had started school himself
and insisted that his sister be allowed to join that Dawan was finally
permitted to go too.
18 Kwai, dont be silly, Dawan said wistfully, I wont win the
scholarship.

19 Im not being silly, Kwai retorted. You always get good marks,
and you study harder than I do. Why shouldnt you have done better
than me in the qualifying examination for the scholarship?
20 You know why, Dawan said without looking at her brother, her
hands clenched tight over the edge of the wooden bridge. She tried
to steady her quivering voice. Im a girl, Kwai, and I dont have a
choice.

Suggested COE questions

1. Name two things that suggest that Dawan was feeling distracted
that day. (Direct)
Dawan seemed to be preoccupied with her thoughts and was
startled when Kwai posed her a question (1). She fidgeted restlessly
with her hands and gave a non-committal response (1).
Clue from paragraph 3: Kwai glanced over at his sister, and stated
matter-of-factly, Are you alright? Something on your mind? She
looked up, her eyes fluttering. Then she nodded absentmindedly,
twiddled with her fingers, and gave a vacant stare.
2. Why do you think Dawan refused to head to school? (Direct and
Inferential)
The results of the government scholarship would be released in
school that day (1) and she was probably nervous and afraid to
receive the results (1) (Inferred).
Clue from paragraph 4: A look of understanding flashed across
Kwais face, and he settled down next to her again. Is it because
today the marks come in and we find out who won the scholarship?
Sister, do you not wish to find out? he probed.
3. How did Kwai feel about the release of the results of the
government scholarship? (Direct)
Kwai probably had mixed feelings about the release of the results.
On one hand, he felt excited and greatly anticipated it (1). On the
other hand, he was probably feeling tentative because he was not
sure if he would win the scholarship (1).
Clue from paragraph 6: Dawan could sense that he could hardly
contain himself. Yet, there was something else in his voice that
betrayed him.
Clue from paragraph 11: Kwai lowered his head and stared fixedly at
a small clump of lotus pads resting on the river surface. Now, his
heart was in his mouth. He was not sure if Teacher had high hopes
for him alone.
4. Why did Kwai want to win the scholarship and go to school in the
City? (Direct)
Kwai wanted to see the sights of City life, such as the large markets
and temples (1). He wanted to be the first person from his village to
soak in such sights (1).

Clue from paragraphs 7 and 9: If I do get to go, I wont spend all day
in school reading old books. Remember the big markets Cousin Noi
told us about? The jasmine buds sold by the bucketfuls, the rows of
pigs heads hanging outside the butcher stalls, and the countless
different kinds of coconuts cakes sold there? Im going to see for
myself what urban life is like. Ill be the first from our village to see
the City! Fancy that!
Oh yes, and Ill go to the most beautiful, most sacred temples, the
Temple of Dawn and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha all the
ones you see in Nois postcards. Thats the attraction of the City.
5. What did city life mean to Kwai? (Direct)
City life represented a world and life that was different from village
life. It was a relief from the poverty of village life (1) and widened
his worldview beyond the narrow confines of village living (1).
Clue from paragraph 9: A different life beyond the four narrow walls
of this village, and the dire state of things here. An escape, and an
eye-opener! How liberating and enriching!
6. Why was Kwai unsure about his teachers expectations for him?
(Direct)
Kwai knew that his teacher had high hopes not only of him, but also
of his sister (1). His teacher thought that Dawan was capable, and
she could win the scholarship instead of Kwai (1).
Clue from paragraph 11: He was not sure if Teacher had high hopes
for him alone. He knew the hours Teacher spent talking to Dawan
about injustice, poverty, and ways to improve life in the village.
7. Which phrase tells you that Kwai was not entirely confident about
winning the scholarship? (Language)
The phrase is his heart was in his mouth (2).
Clue from paragraph 11: Now, his heart was in his mouth.
8. Why do you think it was wasteful to educate girls, but not boys, in
the village? (Direct and Inferential)
When the girls in the village grew up, they were expected to marry
and become domestic. Educating them would be wasteful because
they would not be able to use their knowledge in the workplace (1).
On the other hand, boys would enter the workforce and use their
knowledge there (1).

Clue from paragraph 17: In their village, parents considered it

foolish and wasteful to send girls to school. What use was
knowledge when girls would eventually just marry and stay at
home? Boys would have better use for an education.
9. How do you think Dawan felt about not being able to win the
scholarship because she was a girl? (Inferential)
She probably felt resentful and bitter (1). She felt that she had no
control or choice over whether the win/loss, and was probably
resigned to her fate (1).
Clue from paragraph 20: You know why, Dawan said without
looking at her brother, her hands clenched tight over the edge of
the wooden bridge. She tried to steady her quivering voice. Im a
girl, Kwai, and I dont have a choice.