full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Sheila Marie Orfano: Why should you read "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan?

Unscramble the Blue Letters


In her Auntie An-mei’s home, Jing-Mei reluctantly takes her seat at the eastern corner of the mahjong table. At the north, south, and west corners are her aunties, long-time members of the Joy Luck Club. This guorp of immigrant filaimes comes together weekly to tdare gossip, feast on wonton and sweet chaswei, and play mahjong. However, the club’s fodeunr, Jing-Mei’s mother syuaun, has recently passed away. At first, Jing-Mei struggles to fill her place at the table. But when her aunties reveal a deeply bireud secret about Suyuan’s life, Jing-Mei realizes she still has a lot to laern about her mother, and herself.

Open Cloze


In her Auntie An-mei’s home, Jing-Mei reluctantly takes her seat at the eastern corner of the mahjong table. At the north, south, and west corners are her aunties, long-time members of the Joy Luck Club. This _____ of immigrant ________ comes together weekly to _____ gossip, feast on wonton and sweet chaswei, and play mahjong. However, the club’s _______, Jing-Mei’s mother ______, has recently passed away. At first, Jing-Mei struggles to fill her place at the table. But when her aunties reveal a deeply ______ secret about Suyuan’s life, Jing-Mei realizes she still has a lot to _____ about her mother, and herself.

Solution


  1. learn
  2. suyuan
  3. trade
  4. founder
  5. families
  6. buried
  7. group

Original Text


In her Auntie An-mei’s home, Jing-Mei reluctantly takes her seat at the eastern corner of the mahjong table. At the north, south, and west corners are her aunties, long-time members of the Joy Luck Club. This group of immigrant families comes together weekly to trade gossip, feast on wonton and sweet chaswei, and play mahjong. However, the club’s founder, Jing-Mei’s mother Suyuan, has recently passed away. At first, Jing-Mei struggles to fill her place at the table. But when her aunties reveal a deeply buried secret about Suyuan’s life, Jing-Mei realizes she still has a lot to learn about her mother, and herself.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
joy luck 4
mahjong table 2
luck club 2
immigrant families 2

ngrams of length 3

collocation frequency
joy luck club 2

Important Words


  1. auntie
  2. aunties
  3. buried
  4. chaswei
  5. club
  6. corner
  7. corners
  8. deeply
  9. eastern
  10. families
  11. feast
  12. fill
  13. founder
  14. gossip
  15. group
  16. home
  17. immigrant
  18. joy
  19. learn
  20. life
  21. lot
  22. luck
  23. mahjong
  24. members
  25. mother
  26. north
  27. passed
  28. place
  29. play
  30. realizes
  31. reluctantly
  32. reveal
  33. seat
  34. secret
  35. south
  36. struggles
  37. suyuan
  38. sweet
  39. table
  40. takes
  41. trade
  42. weekly
  43. west
  44. wonton