Two Kinds

What is a central idea of “Two Kinds”?

•  If you do not succeed at first, try again.

• A happy family requires obedient children.

• An important part of growing up is balancing one’s own goals and desires with others’.

• Parents who expect a lot will inspire high levels of achievement in their children.

The first line of "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan, "My mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in America," informs the reader that the narration is in__________ person.

• First

• Second

• Third

• Last

Read the sentence from “Two Kinds.”

Mr. Chong, whom I secretly nicknamed Old Chong, was very strange, always tapping his fingers to the silent music of an invisible orchestra.

Use your knowledge of the Latin prefix in- to choose the synonym for the word invisible in the sentence.

• able to be divided

• not able to be seen

• not able to be divided

• able to be seen

Discuss the mother-daughter relationship in Two Kinds and how it contributes to the overall theme (message) of the story.

• The mother-daughter relationship in Two Kinds is characterized by harmony and understanding, as the mother supports her daughter's dreams.

• The mother-daughter relationship in Two Kinds is characterized by indifference, as the mother and daughter have little interaction.

• The mother-daughter relationship in Two Kinds is characterized by mutual respect, as the mother and daughter always agree on everything.

• The mother-daughter relationship in Two Kinds is characterized by conflict and misunderstanding, as the mother pushes her daughter to fulfill her own unfulfilled dreams.

How does the theme of identity play out in Two Kinds? Provide examples from the text to support your answer.

• The theme of identity in Two Kinds is about the mother's struggle to find her own identity.

• The theme of identity in Two Kinds is portrayed through the conflict between the mother and daughter, Jing-mei. Jing-mei struggles to find her own identity and rebel against her mother's expectations. For example, her mother wants her to be a prodigy, but Jing-mei resists and tries to find her own path.

• The theme of identity in Two Kinds is not important to the overall story.

• The theme of identity in Two Kinds is shown through the relationship between Jing-mei and her piano teacher. Jing-mei can hear and her piano teacher is deaf, which contrasts their identities.

In the beginning of the story, what does the passage below reveal about Jing-mei's mother?

• She is delusional.

• She is resentful.

• She is optimistic.

• She is pessimistic.

What causes Jing-Mei to want to put a stop to her mother's pride?

• Her mother boasts about Jing-Mei and then enters her into a talent show

• Her mother won't let Jing-Mei enter the talent show

• Her mother won't stop buying Jing-Mei pianos

• Her mother won't stop speaking negatively about playing the piano

Characterize the narrator of the story:

• Kind, easy going

• Musician 

• Stubborn, cruel streak, self assertive

• Loving, low selfesteem

What best defines the conflict in the story?

• Man vs. Society: Narrator vs. Audience: Everyone in the audience thinks the narrator performed badly

• Man vs. Supernatural: The narrator vs. her piano: The piano is haunted and made her play terribly at the recital

• Man vs. Man: Narrator vs. her cousin Waverly: The narrator hates her perfect cousin

• Man vs. Man: Mother vs. Daughter: The mother wants her daughter to be something the daughter is not

How did Jing-Mei's mother manage to procure regular piano lessons for her?

• She traded house cleaning services for piano lessons

• She is super rich, she don't need to work extra to afford the lessons

• She traded home-made cookies for piano lessons

• She didn't pay for the piano lessons