Exam passage discourages us to get help when in needy
-
Today, I take my A level Chinese B paper as a private candidate, there is a passage that goes something like this:
Our life was hard after my father's business busted. My mother had to make ends meet by making clothes for others. When she fell ill for a few months, we don't have enough money to pay for the eletric bills, our water supply was almost cut off.
One day, my younger sister came home, calling out loudly, "I'm donating something for the poorer family."
My mother was enraged, she said, "I don't know there are families poorer than us."
But my grandma frown, stopped her and said, "If we let her hear that, she will growing thinking she is those 'poorer people'. If she thinks she is 'poorer', she will always be begging for help in the future. Only those 'better-off people' donate things to other, don't we have one can of jam left? Let's give this to her to donate it to the poor."
The next day, grandma carefully packed our last can of jam for sister to do her charity.
Till this day, despite having three hotels in her possession, my younger sister still remembers that can of jam. No matter in workplace or everyday life, my younger sister still thinks that she is the person giving away the jam.
Ok, this is the rough translation of the passage. The idea of the passage seems this way, always help those who are needy.
BUT!! Look at it again, doesn't it tells you that no matter how hard your life is, DON'T ask for help. When you don't ask for help, it is then you will achieve success. -
Originally posted by Hogzilla:
this is also saying that pple who are inconsiderate of their families and cause the family much torture and suffering get to be successful.
Today, I take my A level Chinese B paper as a private candidate, there is a passage that goes something like this:
Our life was hard after my father's business busted. My mother had to make ends meet by making clothes for others. When she fell ill for a few months, we don't have enough money to pay for the eletric bills, our water supply was almost cut off.
One day, my younger sister came home, calling out loudly, "I'm donating something for the poorer family."
My mother was enraged, she said, "I don't know there are families poorer than us."
But my grandma frown, stopped her and said, "If we let her hear that, she will growing thinking she is those 'poorer people'. If she thinks she is 'poorer', she will always be begging for help in the future. Only those 'better-off people' donate things to other, don't we have one can of jam left? Let's give this to her to donate it to the poor."
The next day, grandma carefully packed our last can of jam for sister to do her charity.
Till this day, despite having three hotels in her possession, my younger sister still remembers that can of jam. No matter in workplace or everyday life, my younger sister still thinks that she is the person giving away the jam.
Ok, this is the rough translation of the passage. The idea of the passage seems this way, always help those who are needy.
[b]BUT!! Look at it again, doesn't it tells you that no matter how hard your life is, DON'T ask for help. When you don't ask for help, it is then you will achieve success.[/b]
and that it is alright to oersuade a poor persona nd family to give up their possessions to help yourself do a good deed. indeed its in her name and not even the poor famileis and family members -
this passage smells funny. -
Originally posted by Ito_^: this passage smells funny.
*20
Maybe my translation sux.... -
psot the passage up? then we can dissect and find more blameOriginally posted by Hogzilla:*20
Maybe my translation sux....
-
EhhhOriginally posted by hisoka:psot the passage up? then we can dissect and find more blame
In Chinese lor and also a physical paper lor.
You can get it from SEAB (this one joking only, dun bash me).....
You can ask anyone who took the A level Chinese B paper 2006. Got a passage with something similar to this passage or not.... -
maybe it is trying to say that Mr Tan should have donated his last $10 or so to someone poorer than him before he jumped the MRT track.
-
Pure propaganda utilised in a social engineering setting.
-
What they need is to translate the elitist blogger's blog entry into mandarin.Originally posted by LazerLordz:Pure propaganda utilised in a social engineering setting.
Who said exams were boring?
-
Hmmm.....
I'll say that it's 50-50. The idea of the passage could be to count your blessings and to remember that there are always people who are worse off than you no matter how bad things seem to be.
However, I also can't totally discount the possibility of some subtle propaganda there.
I think my siggy pretty much sums up my take on this passage. -
I interpret it this way: that bottle of jam was a lesson from the grandma to be strong enough never to be in a position to ask for help, if possible. It is a lesson in motivation and in the struggle for life.
-
there's an english version somewhere...
cos i read it in an email many years ago -
nono its about making and letting your family suffer for the sake of that eluse pride you get from donating something.Originally posted by virtualchick:I interpret it this way: that bottle of jam was a lesson from the grandma to be strong enough never to be in a position to ask for help, if possible. It is a lesson in motivation and in the struggle for life.
+ that you shouldn't beg others for help or you will never do well as told byt he grandma