Falling Leaves - Literary Luminary

Katherine Harrison

Mrs. Pasic

Language and Literature 7B

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Falling Leaves – Literary Luminary

My group and I are reading Falling Leaves, written by Adeline Yen Mah. My job is to choose a paragraph or sentence from the book to discuss with my group. 

1.       “At last my luck had changed. I did not know it, but I had been nominated first-prize winner of the play-writing competition I had entered seven months earlier. The review board wrote to the Hong Kong educational department which released it to the newspapers. The announcement was give great prominence and carried as a front-page insert.” (Pg 115, paragraph 8)

I chose this paragraph because it is of great importance to the story and is a turning point in Adeline’s life. Adeline was disliked, ignored and abused throughout her life by her father, stepmother and children. As a child, Adeline has competed against her siblings for her father’s love and approval. She is disliked by her family due to the death of her mother which was a result of her birth. Therefore, she has never experienced unconditional love and attention, and her desire to be noticed by her father grows throughout the novel. Her success in the play-writing competition provides a chance for her father to recognize her true potential and for her to earn his love and pride. This event is also very important for Adeline’s future and self confidence, it is a proof that she is intelligent and can be successful. After winning the award, her interest in academic career increased, as well as her interest in literature and in writing.

2.       “Despite these problems, it was a wonderful period of my life. The whole world of science was opening up to me. I could not wait to get to classes every morning. Physiology, biophysics, pharmacology and biochemistry were like pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle depicting the mysteries of life. Experiments reminded of intricate chess games. My opponent was the great ‘unknown, about to be unmasked. Along the way, there were tantalizing clues. (pg 127, paragraph 3)

I found this paragraph to be inspiring and fascinating. I admire her love for science and desire to learn and pursue a career in the medical field. As an Asian woman studying in a medical school in England, Adeline was the victim of racial and sexual discrimination. Her determination to succeed, make her father proud, but most of all, to prove to herself that she can be successful, despite all the hardships she had encountered along the way, is inspiring and something to be looked upon.  Her life story is a proof of the human will to endure. 

3.       “Others proclaimed that we were capriciously ‘robbing’ qualified males of entry into medical school and those on scholarships and grants were ‘wasting’ government-subsidized educational funds.” (pg. 126, paragraph 3)

I believe that this paragraph is important to the setting of the novel, as it emphasized the sexual discrimination women had to endure. Women were regarded as inferior to men, and were told to undertake more menial duties, such as staying at home and taking care of the house. A boy in the family was considered an honour, while the birth of a girl was a cause of regret that it was not a son. This paragraph made me compare present day sexual discrimination with what it was like before, and made me think about whether the way women were treated has changed.

4.       “I was driven directly to the Buddhist temple in my school uniform and saw Ye Ye’s photograph placed on top of his coffin. I started to cry and the tears would not stop, though I could see that no one else was crying. Father and Niang, James, Franklin and Susan sat stony-faced in front of the maids, the cook and the chauffeur. There were no other mourners.” (pg. 114, paragraph 2)

I chose this paragraph because it demonstrates Adeline’s character. The reader can see that Adeline is more sensitive and experiences more emotions than the rest of her family.  Ye Ye was like a mother to Adeline.   She was closer to Ye Ye, and had a more personal connection with him than anybody else. The reader can feel Adeline’s sorrow, as Ye Ye was one of the few family members who encouraged her and cared for her. 

5.       “Falling leaves return to their roots.” (pg. 274) 

At the beginning of the novel we meet Adeline and her family gathered in the attorney’s office to read the will of the deceased father.  Adeline’s stepmother appears to be in charge and have a full control. None of the children, now in their adult age, dare question that they will not inherit anything even though their father died very rich.  Adeline uses the Chinese proverb “Falling leaves return to their roots” to describe the collective docility of the family, the passive attitude towards the greedy stepmother and the lack of interest in financial matter. The proverb means that our roots make us the way we are, the way we think. Our roots determine our fears, our attitude, our behaviour.  The roots meaning the people we grew up with or met, the places where we lived or visited, and experiences we had.  The hardships Adeline encountered in her childhood, the absence of mother, lack of unconditional love and rejection by her own father, made her the person she is.  The same applies to her siblings. The painful experience they had in their childhood and youth, made them obedient and submissive. Accordingly, the reading of the will and the issue of estate and cash seemed to be irrelevant. 

Falling Leaves-Vocabulary Enricher

Rhianna Hart

English

Falling Leaves-Vocabulary Enricher

6/1/16

Falling Leaves

For this round of literacy circle round I was assigned the job of Vocabulary Enricher where I had to list fourteen words and their definitions. We read from chapter eight until chapter fourteen. 

The first word I found was province on page 91, paragraph 1, the definition is almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.

The second word I found was rife on page number 91, on Paragraph 2, it means common occurrence; widespread.

The third word I discovered was pestilence I found on page 91, in Paragraph 2, it is a fatal epidemic disease, especially subsonic plague.

Next I found the word liberated on page 93, in paragraph 2, the definition is it means free from social conventions or traditional ideas, especially with regard to sexual roles.

Then I found the word ceded on page 94 paragraph 3, it means to transfer, make over, or surrender.

The word industrial was found on page 97 in paragraph 2, it's definition is relating to or characterized by industry.

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Next I found the word premonition written on page 98, paragraph 3, it means a strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially something unpleasant.

Pigeonhole was found on page 101, paragraph 2, it's definition is a post box.

Then I came across the word scathing, on page 104 paragraph 2, it means witheringly scornful; severely critical.

I found the word sampans on page number 110, in paragraph 1, it means a small boat of a kind used in East Asia, typically with an oar or oars at the stern.

I found the word yearning very interesting so I recorded it and found it on page number 113, paragraph 4, which means a feeling of intense longing for something.

The word commendations was found on page 115 in paragraph 4, it means a formal or official praise.

I found the word scoffed on page 116 in paragraph 4, it's definition is to speak to someone or about something in a scornfully derisive or mocking way.

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Raucous was found on page 127, paragraph 1, it means to make or constituting a disturbingly harsh and loud noise.

Falling Leaves Connector- Nurul

"In August 1952, James and I sailed together to England..." This part of the book has a connection to me, when I sailed on a boat to go somewhere. It reminds me when I sailed by boat with my family to an island for vacation and stay there for about a couple of days.

Falling Leaves - Summarizer

Katherine Harrison

Mrs. Pasic

Language and Literature 7B

Monday, May 16, 2016

Falling Leaves - Summarizer

My group and I started reading Falling Leaves, by Adeline Yen Mah. My job is to prepare a summary and the key points of the reading. 

Summary: 

This is a story about Adeline Yen. Adeline is the author and youngest of the five children of Joseph and his first wife. The story is written in first person. It opens with a prologue that includes an introduction of the members of Adeline's family.

We meet Adeline as an adult, in the offices of a lawyer, waiting to hear her father's will, along with her four siblings. We learn that none of them will inherit anything and they all comply with their stepmother Jeanne’s orders without any argument.  At the very start we learn that Adeline’s life was not fair, nor easy, that it is ruled by a dominant stepmother who had no love or affection for them.

In the first two chapters, Adeline tells her past and her ancestry. We learn that she comes from a proud family, where female members rebelled and refused to accept old customs. We learn about her grandparents, her Aunt Baba and the life of opulence they had at the beginning.

Adeline is the fifth child born to Joseph Yen and his first wife. The older four children include 3 sons (Gregory, Edgar, James) and 1 daughter (Lydia). Following Adeline's birth, her mother dies as a result of an infection. 

Their family life crumbles, since neither Adeline’s father nor siblings can get over the death of Adeline’s mother. Adeline is considered an unlucky child because her birth caused her mother’s death. Ironically, we learn that it was her father’s reluctance to move his wife to hospital after the birth, which resulted in the infection and the death. The children were looked after by their Aunt Baba.

Her father remarries and has two more children with his second wife.

Adeline’s suffering starts from her earliest childhood. She is disliked by her siblings and her own father for something she had not done and had no control of. In addition to being disliked by her own family, Adeline is treated unfairly by her stepmother. 

All the five children from Joseph’s first marriage had different treatment compared to his two children from the second marriage. They had to fight for her and their own father’s affection, and bow to their stepmother’s demands. Adeline refuses to bow down and is left to suffer most.

Adeline's desire to have a close-knit family and unconditional love prevails over everything else in her life. This is a desire that is never fulfilled and that she never gets over.  She longs for affection but does not want to beg for one.  Aunt Baba is the only person who loves her unconditionally and supports her.

Adeline finds escape from her unhappy home life by making up stories and reading. Once the fortune of her father changes, he cannot provide for all, and he pushes his daughter Lydia to marry a man she does not love since he cannot provide for her. He then sends

In 1945, after the end of the war, Joseph moves his family to Hong Kong. He sends Adeline to a convent since he wanted to get rid of unwanted child. The boys stay with Aunt Baba until they finish school.

Adeline is taken to St. Joseph's, a boarding school in Tianjin. Then she changes school to Maryknoll Convent School. The bad treatment she receives from her stepmother continues. However, she becomes aware that education is the way out of her sufferings. Ironically, it will be her academic success that will win her the affection of her father.

Key Points: 

1.    Adeline’s birth results in her mother’s death -  Adeline is the fifth child in her family. Her mother dies as a result of an infection, following Adeline’s birth. This event will determine her childhood, her life, her anxieties.

2.    Adeline lives with her family but is rejected and disliked by the family - Adeline is considered an unlucky child by her own family because her birth caused her mother’s death. Adeline is disliked, abused and ignored by both her father and her siblings.

3.    Adeline's desire to have a close-knit family and unconditional love prevails over everything else in her life.  -  This desire is never fulfilled, which makes her anxious.  Aunt Baba that looks after them cannot make up for the loss of mother that Adeline never got to know.

4.    Adeline’s father Joseph remarries and their new circumstances further aggravate the life of Adeline and her siblings – The stepmother treats Adeline and her siblings less favorably than her own children. Siblings distance themselves from Adeline even more because Adeline is indirectly responsible for the family misfortune. Adeline is too proud to bow down to her stepmother, which makes her life harder.

5.    Her father’s fortune changes, he suffers financial loss and gets rid of Adeline and her elder sister Lydia – Her father forces his eldest daughter with physical disability to marry a man she does not love, while Adeline is sent away to convent and then to school. The boys are kept at home. The realization that she is treated like an object by her own father is the final blow.

Falling Leaves- Discussion Director

Prachi Ankoti

Mrs.Pasic

Language and Literature

Monday, 16 May, 2016

For this Literacy Circles meeting, I was the Discussion Director. Falling Leaves is a second and a detailed version of Chinese Cinderella, a book I read before for my book report by the same author (Adeline Yen Mah). The difference between the two books is that Falling leaves is a much more detailed compared to Chinese Cinderella. Falling Leaves also talks about the adulthood of the author, although it does not in Chinese Cinderella. Falling Leaves is a very emotional book, as the author suffers a lot of cruel and mean things in her family, which makes her feel unwanted. 

1. What did you think of the part when Adeline's grandmother had to get her feet bound just so they could look pretty?

My answer: I think it is a very cruel thing to do to three year girls, just because Chinese men found it attractive. Back when girl's feet were bounded, it was the symbol of the family's wealth. 

Rhianna felt it was unfair and disgusting because feet don't grow naturally that way.

2. How did you feel about Adeline getting beaten up by her siblings?

My answer: I felt very sad because as a sister I would never do that to my younger brother. Adeline was beaten up by her siblings but as well as her parents. This is one of the reasons why Adeline also felt unwanted in her family.

Katy stated: I feel that the way Adeline is being treated is exceptionally cruel, and that she does not deserve to be tortured, both mentally and physically, by her siblings, considering that she has never done anything wrong or meant any harm to them. However, I also feel some understanding towards the siblings and their perception of Adeline, given the circumstances. With the knowledge that Adeline’s birth caused the death of their mother, and resulted in the arrival of their cruel, abusive stepmother to the family, Adeline is seen as the underlying cause of their misery. Therefore, it is natural that one could feel disfavor, to some degree, towards Adeline. The children strive to get their parents’ love and acceptance and often tend to copy their parents’ behavior. Since Adeline is the youngest and disliked by her parents, she is seen as an easy target. Children are not able to form independent opinions and they tend to take their parents’ views as the ones that are valid. By adopting them (even if they are wrong), they believe they will get their parents’ approval.In the particular case, Adeline is the victim of unfortunate events and should be treated fairly by her family.

3. Why did everyone in Adeline's family think Adeline as a bad luck?

My answer: Adeline was thought to be as a bad luck, because Adeline's mother died away giving birth to her. Adeline doesn't remember her mother, as her mother died 2 weeks after her birth, although she did know her mother was very dear to everyone else in her family.
Ines: Because Adeline's mother died giving birth to her.

4. Why was Aunt Baba the only one who took care of Adeline? 

My answer: I think because Aunt Baba felt very pity for Adeline, because everyone in Adeline's family were very mean and cruel, including her father. Aunt Baba was a very kind and a caring woman, who never got married. She took care of Adeline, as if she was her mother. Aunt Baba kept Adeline's report card and certificate in a safe, to show Adeline how proud she was of her.  

Nurul said because Aunt Baba didn't have any children, so she expressed her affections to Adeline. 

Illustrator-Falling Leaves

Rhianna Hart
English
Falling Leaves-Illustrator
5/16/16

Illustrator-Falling Leaves

For this literacy circles I was assigned the job of the illustrator where I had to draw a scene from the book, Falling Leaves. We only just started this book and we had assigned to read eight chapters which is ninety pages for today. Today I presented my drawing to the rest of my group. Adeline Yen Mah was the youngest child of a Chinese family who enjoyed any privilege during a political and cultural disruption. But wealth could not shield Adeline from a childhood of emotional abuse in the hand of a cruel Eurasian stepmother. Determined to survive Adeline eventually decided to moved from Hong Kong to England and later to the U.S to become a writer and a physician. 

I drew this picture of Adeline getting onto the train that travels to Canton which is her next destination. When she arrives in Canton she needed to cross the border into Hong Kong however she needed a special pass which she lacked. Inn result of this Adeline was smuggled into Hong Kong, at the end of chapter seven. I chose to draw this because I thought that it was one of the major events since she is travelling away from her family and is smuggled into Hong Kong. Also because I think that this event is a very big step in her life since she has never let her family by herself.

Falling Leaves- Vocabulary

By Nurul

For literacy circles we started reading our second book Falling Leaves written by Adeline Yen Mah. The book is about Adeline Yen Mah's life. We were assigned to read until chapter 3. I was assigned as vocabulary and picked out words I was confused with and the words I didn't understand what it meant. So I wrote the words with the definition I searched up and which page and paragraph the word is from the book.

Pg. 15, paragraph 5: Concession: Noun: 1. A thing that is granted especially in response to demands. 2. A preferential allowance or rate given by an organisation.

Pg. 13, paragraph 1: Fiefdoms: Noun: 1. A fief. 2. A territory or sphere of operation controlled by a particular person or group.

Pg. 11, paragraph 3: Lateral: Adjective: 1. Of at, towards, or from side or sides. 2. Involving lateral thinking. Noun: 1. A side part of something, especially a shoot or branch growing out from the side of a stem. 2. A lateral consonant.

Pg. 10, paragraph 1: Spacious: Adjective: (Especially of a room or building) having ample space.

Pg. 10, paragraph 3: Sublimate: Verb: (In psychoanalytic theory) divert or modify (an instinctual impulse) into a culturally higher or socially more acceptable activity. 2. Another term for sublime. Noun: a solid deposit of a substance which has sublimed.

Pg. 9, paragraph 2: Feudal: Adjective: According to, resembling, or denoting the system of feudalism.

• Absurdly outdated or old-fashioned

Chu Ju's House - Discussion Director

Katherine Harrison

Mrs. Pasic

Language and Literature 7B

Friday, May 6, 2016

Chu Ju’s House - Discussion Director

My group and I finished reading Chu Ju’s House, a novel written by Gloria Whelan. My job is to write a list of questions that my group might want to discuss. I have also written my own answers to the questions.

1.      Why do you think that the forbidden books that were purchased by Ling are dangerous?

China is ruled by the Communist party. In communism, people do not have freedom of speech and expression.  They are not allowed to publicly question government policies, comment and publish criticisms of, or opinions contrary to those of the Communist party.  Any attempt to state arguments or express opinion that may be critical of the values promoted by the Government was likely to be sanctioned. To encourage people to obey, the Government punished those who openly questioned and criticized the system.

The books purchased by Ling were seen as dangerous and a threat to the society, as they were critical of the government and were exposing the truth about the political regime and the ruling party. Being in possession of such books may expose the person to the risk of being punished, imprisoned or deprived of basic rights. For example, Chu Ju can recall the time when a man in the city was placed in a re-education center as punishment for speaking the truth about the political system.

Prachi states, “The books express the truth, and the truth may be dangerous for the government.”

2.      Why doesn’t Han Na believe in the pamphlets that Ling had brought from the agricultural agent in the government office?

Han Na is wise, critical and has learnt not to trust everything she reads or hears, especially if it comes from the Government. She is aware that the government publishes and promotes ideas that are in accordance with its ideology, even if they violate human rights. She does not support the government, and does not agree with the rules and laws imposed on the people by the government. She emphasizes her point of view when she says, “It was the government that put Quan in prison for moving about in his own country. It was the government that told your parents how many children they could have, so babies are sold like so many bags of rice” (Whelan 182).

Prachi states, “Han Na does not believe in the government, she thinks that the government may be lying”.

3.      Why is Han Na so insistent on Chu Ju visiting her family? 

Han Na is insistent that Chu Ju should visit her family because she is herself, a parent and she can understand how anxious and worried her parents must be for not knowing anything about their daughter’s fate and well-being.

Han Na is separated from her son, Quan, who left her to live in Shanghai and pursue his dreams of living and working in a big city. However, Han Na is aware that unlike Chu Ju’s parents, she knows where her son is, and she knows that she can help him if at any stage in his life he may need help. On the other hand, Chu Ju’s parents live are ignorant about Chu Ju’s whereabouts and they do not even know if she is alive.

Prachi states, “Han Na may know how Chu Ju’s parents might be feeling because her son also left her”.

4.    How has Chu Ju’s character developed throughout the novel?

At the beginning of the novel we see Chu Ju, a 14-year-old girl, who appears to be more mature than most of young people her age. She is critical of the system and is aware of the injustice imposed by the communist regime on the Chinese people. In the novel, she turns into a heroine and ends up as the promoter of change in the society.

From the very beginning of the story, we see an outstanding character, a heroine Chu Ju, who strikes us with her wisdom, compassion and selflessness. Even though she is only 14 years old, she is mature and acts as if she was an adult. She is critical of the communist regime. She can see that one-child policy is not fair since it violates basic human rights and she realizes that it is unfair to treat boys and girls differently. She shows understanding and does not judge her family when they make decision to send her sister away to the orphanage, in order to make room for the boy. She shows her selflessness when she decides to sacrifice herself and go into voluntary exile to help her family and her baby sister. As a result of her actions, her sister stays with the family and another baby sister is born. This time, her parents accept the second girl and leave her with the family.  She is a fighter; she brings about the change. She believes that education will help the Chinese people to move forward and combat illiteracy and authoritarian regimes.

Prachi states, “Throughout the novel, Chu Ju learns how to be more independent and open.”

5.      What theme is portrayed in the novel?

The theme of the novel is the need to defy and overthrow totalitarian regimes, since they suppress individual freedoms and rights, including the freedom of choice and freedom of expression. The novel emphasizes that such systems are not natural and that they are doomed to fail. However, in this process, they will cause a lot of misery and suffering to generations of people.

The theme of the novel is also the power of individual and education in the fight against totalitarian regimes, for a more progressive society.

According to Prachi, “The theme of the novel is the importance of maintaining strength and never giving up, even in the most difficult circumstances.”

Chu Ju's House- Travel Tracer

By Nurul

For literacy circles we read the last few chapters in the book. I was assigned a job as a travel tracer for now. As a travel tracer, I had to trace where the location of the beginning, end and the main event(s) happened. The starting place in chapter 9 was when Chu Ju arrived at he village after releasing Han Na's son in Shanghai. The places where the main event took place was at the paddy field located behind the house and inside the house where Han Na died from a sickness, because she refused to go to the doctor. The rice field is where Chu Ju works to catch fishes and sell them and help Han Na grow rice in the field. Now she owns the rice field after Han Na died. The ending of the book took place in her village after returning home from her visit to meet her family for the first time in few years after running away. That is what I wrote as a travel tracer where the location of the beginning, ending and the main events happen and what the event happened there.

Chu Ju's House - Connector

Katherine Harrison

Mrs. Pasic

Language and Literature 7B

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Chu Ju’s House – Connector

My group and I started reading Chu Ju’s House, a novel written by Gloria Whelan. My job is to find connections between the book and the outside world.

The book depicts life in China, in the eighties. It is a true picture of the rural China, the society and the strict rules imposed by the authoritarian regime, the people, their ignorance and prejudices. The life of the main character Chu Ju and her family in the book, mirrors the life of the Chinese people in those days. The socioeconomic and political background of depicted in the book is the one of the real China.

Further, the story shows an outstanding character, a heroine Chu Ju. Even though she is only 14 years old, she is more mature and advanced in her thinking than adults she is surrounded with. The girl is a heroine, she can think with her mind and see injustice imposed by the one-child policy. She has understanding and does not judge her family when they make such a horrible decision to send the sister away to the orphanage, in order to make room for the boy. 

Although devastated she does not give up, but goes into voluntary exile to help her family and to show the effects of not following the rules imposed by the Chinese Government. As a result of her actions, her sister stays with the family and another baby sister is born.  This time, her parents accept the second girl and leave her with the family.  

She is a fighter, she brings about the change. She believes in and uses education to fight for a better life. She is not only the representative of a different China, but also a symbol of progressive way of thinking needed to combat illiteracy and authoritarian regimes in many other parts of the world. We can easily imagine Chan Ju in many African countries that do not have democracy and where females are considered as human beings of no value. 

Rhianna Hart

English

Chu Ju's House-Discussion Director

4/19/2016

Chu Ju's House-Discussion Director

For literacy circles I read nine chapters of Chu Ju's House by Gloria Whelan. For this round I was Discussion Director, in which I create five different questions to ask the rest of my group. Fourteen year old Chu Ju's Ma Ma is pregnant, and it had better be a baby boy, since the Chinese law says only two children per family. A boy is said to bring honor to the household. The baby turns out to be a little girl which they name Hua, which means blossom in Chinese. Nai Nai states that if they were to keep Hua Chu Ju would need to disappear. To save her sister Chu Ju runs away. 

The first question I asked my group was, why is it an honor to have a so in Chu Ju's tradition?

My answer was that it is important to have a son in her tradition since the Chinese law says only two children per family, and a son brings great honor to a household.

Prachi said "They wanted a baby boy so that their family was honored by him".

The second question i asked was, what does baby Hua's name mean?
My answer was her name means blossom in Chinese.
Ines said, "It means Blossom!".


The third question I asked was, under what circumstance could the family keep Hua according to Nai Nai?
My answer to this question was they could only keep Hua if some how Chu Ju disappeared.
Prachi stated, "If Chu Ju left home".

The fourth question I asked my group was, why was Chu Ju kicked out of YiYi, Bo, Wu, and Zhong's fishing boat?
My answer to this question was because after a year of living with them and learning new things Chu Ju decided to tell them the truth about her and her family and that her family was looking for her.
Katy stated, "Because Chu Ju told them the truth that her family was looking for her".

The last question I asked them was, Why did Chu Ju go to Shanghai?
My answer was, Chu Ju went to Shanghai to bail Quan out of jail with the money he sent his mother frequently.
Nurul answered, "To pay for Quan to get out of jail".

After reading most of the book I quite enjoyed it, however is it also quite sad since Chu Ju ran away to save her sister. I would recommend this book to many people who enjoy sad but caring stories about children.

Chu Ju's House- Illustrator-Nurul

For my job, I drew a scene from page 160, from chapter 8. The picture is a scene when Chu Ju and Quan are walking together in the city of Shanghai before Chu Ju departs from Shanghai by train back to the village.

Vocabulary Enricher- Chu ju's House

Prachi Ankoti
Mrs Pasic
Literature and Languages
19 April, 2016

Chu Ju's House is a novel written by Gloria Whelan. This time I was a Vocabulary Enricher. Here are some words that I was unfamiliar with:

1. Auspicious (page 5 paragraph 1)- Indicating a good chance of success- favorable

2. Barges (page 6 paragraph 2)- a long flat bottom boat for carrying freight on canals and rivers

3. Kowtowed (page 8 paragraph 3)- to kneel down and touch the ground with forehead- Chinese Culture

4. Paddies (page 91 paragraph 2)- a field where rice is grown

5. Kernel (page 117 paragraph 2)- Wheat

6. Haggling (page 117 paragraph 3)- to bargain persistently, especially over price

7. Grove (page 130 paragraph 4)- a small wooden or other group of trees