Supplementary Reading

Text B

Han Suyin was born in Beijing in 1917. Her father was a Chinese railway engineer and her mother a Dutch lady. She is a physician and the author of many works, including A Mortal Flower, which tells of the experiences of the author and her family, both in and out ofChina. This excerpt describes the author's experience of looking for her first job in the early 1930s.

A Mortal Flower[1]

                      Han Suyin

1   The day after meeting Hilda I wrote a letter to the Rockefeller Foundation, applying for a job.

2   (1) Neither Father nor Mother thought I would get in. "You have to have pull. It's an American thing, Rockefeller Foundation. You must have pull."

3   Mother said: "That's where they do all those experiments on dogs and people. All the Big Shots of the Nanking government also came here to have medical treatment, and sometimes took away a nurse to become a new wife."

4   It made sense to me, typing in a hospital; I would learn about medicine, since I wanted to study medicine. And as there was no money at home for me to study, I would earn money, and prepare myself to enter medical school. I had already discovered that a convent-school[2] education was not at all adequate, and that it would take me at least three more years of hard study before being able to enter any college at all. Science, mathematics, Chinese literature and the classics... with the poor schooling given to me, it would take me years to get ready for a university.

5  "I will do it," But clenched teeth, decision tearing my bowels, were not enough; there was no money, no money, my mother said it, said it until I felt as if every scrap of food I ate was wrenched off my father's body.

6  "No one is going to feed you doing nothing at home." (2) Of course, one who does not work must not eat unless one can get married, which is called: "being settled at last." But with my looks I would never get married; I was too thin, too sharp, too ugly. Mother said it, Elder Brother had said it. Everyone agreed that I should work, because marriage would be difficult for me.

7   Within a week a reply came. The morning postman brought it, and I choked over my milk and coffee. "I'm to go for an interview. At the Peking  Union Medical  College. To the Comptroller's office."

8   Father and Mother were pleased. Mother put the coffee pot down and took the letter. "What good paper, so thick." But how could we disguise the fact that I was not [even] fifteen years old? I had claimed to be sixteen in the letter. In fact, said Papa, it was not a lie since Chinese are a year old when born, and if one added the New Year as an extra year, as do the Cantonese and the Hakkas, who became two years old when they reach their first New Year (so that a baby born on December 31st would be reckoned two years old on the following January 2nd), I could claim to being sixteen.

9   "You look sixteen," said Mama; "all you have to do is to stop hopping and picking your pimples. And lengthen your skirt."

10   What dress should I wear? I had two school uniforms, a green dress, a brown dress, and one dress with three rows of frills for Sunday, too dressy for an interview. I had no shoes except flat-heeled school shoes, and tennis shoes. There was no time to make a dress and in those years no ready-made clothes existed, so Mother lengthened the green dress. I squeezed two pimples on my forehead, then went to the East market and bought some face powder, Butterfly brand, pink, made in Shanghai by a Japanese firm.

11  The next morning, straw-hatted, with powder on my nose, I went with my father to the gates of the hospital.

12   "It's not this gate, this is for the sick. It's the other gate, round the corner," said the porter.

13  The Yu Wang Fu Palace occupied a whole city block. We walked along its high grey outer wall,  hearing the dogs scream in the kennels, and came to its other gate, which was the Administration building gate. It had two large stone lions, one male, one female. We crossed the marble courtyard, walked up the steps with their carved dragons coiling in the middle, into an entrance hall, with painted beams and intricate painted ceiling, red lacquered pillars, huge lamps. There was cork matting on the stone floor.

14   "I'll leave you," said Papa. "Try to make a good impression." And he was gone.

15   I found the Comptroller's office easily; there was a messenger in the hall directing visitors. An open door, a room, two typewriters clattering and two women making them clatter.

16   I stood at the door and one of the women came to me. (3) She had the new style of hair, all upstanding curls, which I admired, a dress with a print round the hem; she was very pregnant, so that her belly seemed to be coming at me first. She smiled. "Hello, what can I do for you?"

17   "I have an interview."

18   She took the letter from my hand. "Glad you could come. Now, just sit you down. No, sit down there. I'll tell Mr. Harned you've come."

19   The office had two other doors besides the one to the corridor, on one was "Comptroller." That was the one she went through and returned from.

20   "Mr. Harned will see you now."

21   Mr. Harned was very tall, thin, with a small bald head, a long chin, enormous glasses. I immediately began to quiver with fright. His head was like a temple on top of a mountain, like the white pagoda on the hill in the North Sea Park. I could not hear a word of what he said. A paper and a pencil were in my hand, however, and Harned was dictating to me, giving me a speed test in shorthand.

22   I went out of his office and the pregnant secretary sat me in front of her own typewriter. I turned a stricken face to her, "I couldn't hear. I couldn't hear what he said..."

23   "Wait, I'll tell him." She bustled off. At the other desk was a blonde, thin girl, who had thrown one look at me and then gone back to clattering. The pregnant one reappeared, a pink sheet in hand: "Now just copy this on the typewriter, best you can."

24    I hit the keys, swiftly; the typewriter was the same make as mine, a Royal.

25   "My, you are fast. I'll tell Mr. Harned."

26   And Mr. Harned came out, benign behind those enormous goggle glasses. "Well, Miss Chou, we've decided to take you on as a typist, at thirty-five dollars a month. To start Monday. Is that all right?”

27    I nodded, unable to speak. Had he said ten dollars I would have accepted.

28    The kind secretary said: "Now take your time, and wipe your face. How old are you, by the way?"

29    "Sixteen, nearly."

30   "Is that all? Why my eldest is bigger than you, and she isn't through school yet. (4) I told Mr. Harned you were shy and upset, and that's why you couldn't take dictation. He's all right, just takes getting used to, that's all."

31    "I couldn't understand his English."

32    "Oh, you'll get used to it. Now, I won't be around on Monday, I'm going to have a baby. It's your letter that got them interested in you, you wrote such good English, better than all the other letters we've had. Mr. Harned will give you a try." She whispered, "I put in a good word for you."

33    "Thanks, thanks a lot, ... I need the money, I ..."

34    "Yes, dear, we know." Obviously she wanted her typewriter back, and her chair. I was still sitting on it. "Well, bye-bye for now; hope you enjoy yourself in this job. I've been here six months and I've enjoyed every minute. Don't let Mr. Harned worry you; he's really great, once you get used to him."

35   I had a job, had a job, had a job.

1 Culture Notes

About the Author

Han Suyin was born in Henan,China. She began work as a typist at Beijing  Hospital in 1931, not yet fifteen years old, just as described in the text. Cultural and political conflicts between East and West in modern history play a central role in Han Suyin's work. She also explores the struggle for liberation in Southeast Asia and the internal and foreign policies of modernChinasince the end of the imperial regime. Many of her writings feature the colonial backdrop in East  Asia during the 19th and 20th centuries.

A Song Adapted from Han Suyin’s Novel –A Many-splendored Thing

Love is a many splendored thing

It's the April rose that only grows in the early spring

Love is nature's way of giving a reason to be living

The golden crown that makes a man a king

Once on a high and windy hill

In the morning mist two lovers kissed and the world stood still

Then your fingers touched my silent heart and taught it how to sing

Yes, true love's a many splendored thing

Love is nature's way of giving a reason to be living

Once on a high and windy hill

In the morning mist two lovers kissed and the world stood still

Then your fingers touched my silent heart and taught it how to sing

Yes, true love's a many splendored thing

1: What was love depicted in the song?

(=Love is nature’s way of giving a reason to be living; it is the golden crown that makes a man a king.)

2: How do you understand “love is a many splendored thing”?

(=Open-ended.)

3: A Brief Introduction of Rockefeller Foundation

 （先出现名为Rockefeller的图片，图片隐去后出现下面文字。）

  The Rockefeller Foundation was established in 1913 by John D. Rockefeller, Sr., to "promote the well-being" of humanity by addressing the root causes of serious problems. With assets of more than $4 billion, the Foundation supports work around the world to expand opportunities for poor or vulnerable people and to help ensure that globalization's benefits are more widely shared.

2 Language Points

Neither Father nor Mother thought I would get in. "You have to have pull. It's an            American thing, Rockefeller Foundation. You must have pull."

   1: Paraphrase the expression “you must have pull”.

   (=You must have connections powerful enough to help you.)

  2: Translate the sentence into Chinese.

 (=父母亲都觉得我不会被录用。“你要有后台才行。那可是一家美国机构，洛克菲勒基金会。你一定要有后台。”)

adequate: adj. enough to meet a purpose

  Does the facility have adequate locking devices on all outside doors?

  (=该设施所有外部的门是否具有足够的锁定装置? )

  Overall, the service and breakfasts were good, and the rooms were of adequate standard

tear: vt. separate or cause to separate abruptly

    Let us denounce the visage and let us tear off the mask.

   (=让我们揭露它的真面目，撕破它的假面具。)

   Northern Lights tear the sky, pouring down, such as the dazzling light scattered.

wrench: vt. twist or pull violently or suddenly

她一直想挣脱丈夫的控制，可都没有成功。

(=She was dreaming of wrenching herself free from her husband’s grip, but all in vain.)

It is virtually impossible for a five-year-old girl to wrench a window off its hinges.

scrap: n. a small fragment of something broken off from the whole

   除了一小片面包外，盘子里什么都没有了。

  (=There is nothing but a scrap of bread left on the plate.)

Of course, one who does not work must not eat unless one can get married, which is called: "being settled at last."

Translate the sentence into Chinese.

(=当然，不工作就没饭吃，除非嫁人，那叫做“终于有了归宿。”)

settled: adj. established in a desired position or place

The transition to settled life also has a profound impact on the family.

 (=向稳定生活的转变对这个家庭也有着深远的影响。 )

Being settled and having a wonderful family would be a dream for most people.

disguise: vt. make unrecognizable

  在职场上，大多数的人因为想要保护自己，想要让自己融入环境，常常逼不得已的去假装。

(=In the workplace, the majority of people often disguise to protect themselves, and try to integrate into the environment.)

  Children love Halloween and Halloween parties because on this day, they can disguise themselves as personages or ghost as their imaginations will lead them.

claim: vt. state to be true or existing

 他们声称获得了民众更多的捐款。

（=They claimed they are receiving more public donations.）

Some people claim that this burden of responsibility is crushing the spirit of scientific inquiry.

reckon: vt. expect, believe, or suppose

  我们认为他是世界上最好的篮球运动员。

  (=We reckon him to be the best basketball player in the world.)

 We can reckon with safety that at least half of the participants would support us.

occupy: vt. require (time or space)

  Preparation for a suitable outfit would at least occupy half an hour.

 军事因素在国家安全中仍占有重要地位。

 (=Military factors still occupy an important position in our national security.)

intricate: adj. having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate

   We cannot help marveling at the intricate design of the crown.

  他优雅的叙述，纯美的想象，曲折的故事，常常给我们以意外的惊喜。

  (=He, with his elegant narration, beautiful imagination and intricate plots, often gives us   pleasant surprises.)

clatter: vi. make a rattling sound

 The iron-wheeled cart clattered down the street.

 吃饭时不要把刀叉弄得丁当乱响。

 (=Don't clatter your knives and forks at table.)

come at: advance towards

 正当这只老虎向我扑来时，我看到了它。

(=I saw the tiger just as it was going to come at me.)

Love may come at you from several different angles, some good some not so good.

quiver: vi. shake with fast, tremulous movements

   她的双唇颤抖着，如同要哭的孩子一般。

   (=Her lips quivered like those of a child about to cry.)

The flower seemed to quiver, and then swayed gently to and from.

fright: n. fear

 He got such a fright that his heart nearly stopped beating.

(=他吓得魂不附体，心脏也几乎停止跳动了。)

It was a cry that mingled fright with surprise.

stricken: adj. affected by something overwhelming

  We contributed money and clothing to those flood-stricken areas.

 (=我们向遭受水灾的地区捐献钱和衣服。)

There was a large number of panic-stricken crowd running out of the burning hotel.

benign: adj. pleasant and beneficial in nature or influence

  那位和蔼亲切的老太太给我们一个温暖的微笑。

  (=The benign old lady sent us a kind and warm smile.)

 TheUnited Statesis said to seek benign influence rather than domination.

take on: take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities

  The government will support employers in making any necessary accommodations to take on disabled staff.

Considering his working experience and educational background, they finally decided to take him on as the CEO.

（＝考虑到他的工作经验和教育背景，他们最终决定聘用他为公司的首席执行官。）

I told Mr. Harned you were shy and upset, and that's why you couldn't take dictation. He's all right, just takes getting used to, that's all."

Translate the sentence into Chinese.

 (=我跟哈内德先生说了，你刚才是因害羞不安而没法做记录的。他挺不错的，只要慢慢习惯起来就行了。)

Comprehension Task

Watch and Discuss

1: Who was the winner?

(=The winner is Brit Ben Southall fromUnited Kingdom.)

2: What does the winner look for?

(=He is looking for all the new roles and responsibilities involved.)

3: What would the winner gain from the job?

(=He would get a payment of 174000 pounds for the next 6 months and enjoy a villa with three bedrooms free of charge.)

4: How do you feel about the job? How would you apply for this job

[1] The text is excerpted from A Mortal Flower (1966), the second of the five volumes of the author’s autobiography/history series.

[2] convent-school: Convent-schools are attached to convents (女修道院) and nuns often play a large part in the education of pupils.