Back to Frankie's
ESL Worksheets
RICE WITHOUT RAIN, Minfong Ho

CHAPTER ONE
  1. Scan the extract for information about the landscape, agriculture, houses, transport and culture. Make notes in the following table.
    2.  

    NOTES

    The landscape

    (including trees)

     

     

    Agriculture

    People cut the rice with sickles.

    They work in groups.

    Houses

    Kerosene lanterns.

    Transport

    		  

    Culture

    People are superstitious (Jinda believes a bird flying past may be a sign of a good harvest) … They wear "sarongs" …

     

     

  2. What is the atmosphere of the opening page? (e.g. joyful/sad/tense/angry/warm/romantic/depressed/miserable)

    3.  

  3. Mention at least two ways that life has changed in the past three years.

    4.  

  4. Why do you think Dao ignores baby Oi’s crying?

    5.  

  5. What was unusual about the marriage of Dao and Ghan?

    6.  

  6. Why is Inthorn reluctant to let his daughters visit the river after sunset?

    7.  

  7. Draw a family tree with Inthorn (the village head) at the top.

    8.  

  8. Look at the lyrics of the Thai folk song at the beginning of the extract. In your own words (as clear and simple as possible), explain what the singer means.

    9.  

    Vocabulary
  9. Find words/phrases in the text that have the following meanings:
    1. shone in a trembling way, for example because of heat (p.1)
    2. (p.1)
    3. spiky because the rice has been cut (p.1)
    4. the outer covering of a grain of rice (p.2)
    5. a bundle of rice or corn stalks held (or tied) together (p.2)
    6. breathing in short bursts (p.2)
    7. a cry of pain or sorrow (p.2)
    8. on and off, now and again (p.2)
    9. a period of extremely dry weather (p.2)
    10. dislike, distrust, hatred (p.3)
    11. complicated, special (p.3)
    12. sadly, wishing for something that is absent or gone (p.3)
    13. a quick look (p.3)
    14. serious/worried looking (p.3)
    15. the time just before total darkness (p.3)
    16. bend down (p.4)
    17. skillfully (p.4)
    18. everyday tasks, household jobs (p.4)
    19. paused in an uncertain way (p.5)
    20. busy, full of movement (p.5)
    21. rucksacks (p.5)
CHAPTER TWO
  1. Who are the visitors, and why have they come to Maekung?
  2. How do the villagers react to them?
  3. How do you think the story will develop?
 

Frankie Meehan