Buzz
1. Reference Essay No. 4
- Review the guidelines from the 'In Mother's Heart' section to apply to this reading comprehension exercise.
- Read the excerpt from Honda's childhood memoirs; learn more about the author Honda Soichiro, engineer and founder of the famous Honda Motor Company.
- Everyone has experienced their own childhood. Reflecting on childhood can bring up both happy and sad memories, successes, and failures. Honda Soichiro recalls his childhood thoughts and behaviors, which are related to his technical inclination. It is clear that adolescence is a crucial preparation period for adulthood.
Answer the questions on page 61 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều)
The author (Honda) narrates his childhood memories.
The authenticity is reflected through:
+ The first-person narrative, showing the author's thoughts and feelings.
+ Clear time and place: I was born in 1906 in Komyo village, Iwata district, now Tenryu, Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka prefecture.
The author expresses genuine emotions by recounting simple, everyday memories through the perspective of a child.
2. Reading comprehension - Prepare the lesson 'Childhood of Honda' (Cánh Diều)
In-lesson questions
Question 1 on page 62 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: What features of the memoir are reflected in the information in part 1?
Suggested answer: The information in part 1 reflects the characteristics of a memoir, recording past events, recalling memories, and respecting the truthfulness of the story; events, data, and time must be accurate.
Question 2 on page 62 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: What is the significance of the character recalling their childhood interest in machines and engines?
Suggested answer: The significance of recalling this interest is to show the affection the character has for their grandfather, as he recalls memories of being carried by his grandfather to the rice mill.
Question 3 on page 62 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: Which subject did young Honda struggle with, and what did he find interesting?
Suggested answer: Honda struggled with botany and zoology but was fascinated by batteries, scales, test tubes, and machines.
Question 4 on page 62 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: What does the illustration depict in the story?
Suggested answer: It illustrates the boy's curiosity and interest in batteries, test tubes, and machines.
Question 5 on page 62 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: What borrowed words are present in this section?
Suggested answer: Borrowed words include: television, battery, screwdriver, car.
Question 6 on page 63 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: What does the detail of 'I' sniffing the oil of the engine suggest?
Suggested answer: It suggests the boy's curiosity, fascination, and desire to explore new things.
Question 7 on page 63 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: What actions did Honda take to see a real airplane demonstration?
Suggested answer: He secretly took two coins for fare, skipped school, and rode his bicycle tirelessly to Hamamatsu.
- Upon arrival, lacking money, he climbed a pine tree to get a better view.
Question 8 on page 64 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: What equipment did the character 'I' mimic from the pilot, and why?
Suggested answer: 'I' mimicked the pilot's equipment: the pilot's helmet and goggles.
End-of-lesson questions
Question 1 on page 64 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: What details demonstrate that the character 'I' loved machines as a child?
Suggested answer:
+ Recognized his passion when visiting the rice mill.
+ Fascinated by the machinery at the rice mill and sawmill.
+ Felt immense joy simply watching machines work.
+ Fascinated by batteries, test tubes, and machines. Admired the electricians with their tools, pliers, screwdrivers, and cables.
+ Curiosity led him to follow a car for a long distance, despite the unpleasant smell of oil.
+ Skipped school and secretly went to see an airplane, later mimicking the pilot's behavior.
Question 2 on page 64 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: Which event from the character 'I's childhood left the deepest impression on you, and why?
Suggested answer: I am most impressed by the story of the young boy, who skipped school to see an airplane and satisfy his passion. This shows his curiosity, passion, and desire to learn about things he had not yet experienced.
Question 3 on page 64 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: How is the memoir genre reflected in this text? Provide some specific examples.
Suggested answer: The memoir genre is reflected through the authenticity of the story, accurate events, data, and time, and the use of a narrative voice that reveals the character's emotions and thoughts throughout the recollections.
Question 4 on page 64 of Vietnamese Literature 6, volume 1 (Cánh Diều):
Question: How do the early signs of Honda's technical inclination in his childhood relate to his later career?
Suggested answer:
+ His early interest in studying machines.
+ His persistence in overcoming obstacles to achieve his goal (seeing the airplane) is a trait that would later characterize his professional journey.
2. Sample Lesson Plan 5
3. Sample Lesson Plan No. 6
1. What do the details in Section 1 reveal about the nature of a memoir?
- A memoir captures events from the past through recollection, prioritizing accuracy and truthfulness. The events, facts, and timelines must be precise.
2. What is the significance of the narrator remembering their childhood interest in machinery and engines?
- The narrator’s recollection reflects their emotional connection to the subject, demonstrated through memories of visiting the rice mill and engaging with machines there.
3. Which subjects did young Honda struggle with, and what did he find fascinating?
- Honda struggled with botany and biology but was deeply fascinated by batteries, scales, test tubes, and machinery.
4. What event or detail does the illustration in the story highlight?
- It illustrates the boy’s curiosity and enthusiasm for batteries, test tubes, and machinery.
- The borrowed terms in Section 3 include: television, battery, screwdriver, and car.
5. What does the detail of the narrator sniffing the oil on the ground indicate?
- It indicates the boy’s curiosity, excitement, and eagerness to explore new and unfamiliar things.
+ How did young Honda manage to see a real airplane demonstration?
+ He secretly took two cents for travel expenses and skipped school, biking relentlessly to Hamamatsu.
+ Due to a lack of funds, he climbed a pine tree to get a firsthand view.
6. What items did the narrator imitate from a pilot?
- The narrator imitated the pilot’s helmet and goggles.
Answering the questions while preparing *Honda’s Childhood* from *Cánh Diều* textbook
Preparing *Honda’s Childhood*
1. What details show that the narrator’s childhood love for machinery was deep?
- The boy realized his passion when visiting a rice mill.
- He relished observing machines at the rice mill and sawmill.
- Just watching machines in motion filled him with joy.
- He appreciated batteries and test tubes, admiring electricians with their tools, pliers, screwdrivers, and wires.
- His curiosity drove him to follow a vacuum cleaner, even sniffing the oil on the ground, despite its unpleasant smell.
- He skipped school and snuck out to watch airplanes, later mimicking pilots at home.
2. What impressed you most about the character?
- What stood out was that, despite being in second grade, the boy dared to run away from home just to see an airplane up close and satisfy his passion.
- His actions demonstrated his enthusiasm, curiosity, and a strong desire to learn and explore the unknown.
3. What characteristics of a memoir are evident in Honda’s Childhood story?
- The story is truthful and precise; the events, data, and times are accurate. It skillfully reveals emotions and thoughts intertwined in each recollected story.
4. From this excerpt, I see:
- The early signs of Honda’s technical interests were related to his later career, including:
His fascination with machines.
His determination to overcome obstacles to fulfill his desires (seeing the airplane with his own eyes).
4. Reference Notes Example 1
1. Preparation
a. Author
Honda Soichiro was born in 1906 and passed away in 1991.
His hometown: Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
He is the founder of the Honda automobile company in Japan.
b. The Work
- Genre: Memoir
- Excerpt from 'Turning Dreams into Strength to Move Forward.'
c. Answering the Questions in the Textbook
- This excerpt narrates the author's childhood.
- Purpose: To reflect on the personal memories of his youth.
- Accuracy:
The narrator uses the first-person perspective, referring to himself as 'I.'
The time and location are clearly identified: born in 1906, in the village of Komyo...
The author's emotions and attitudes are authentically expressed.
2. Comprehension
a. Honda's Background, Family, and Childhood
- Background:
Born in 1906
Hometown: Komyo (now Tenryu), Iwata District, now part of Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
- Family:
His father was a blacksmith.
They lived in poverty.
He was the eldest son, often carrying his younger sister to school and helping his father work the bellows.
b. Honda's Early Fascination with Engineering
- As a child:
He was fascinated by hammering tools, fixing items, and creating agricultural implements.
Though he hadn't been to school, he loved playing with machinery and engines.
Just watching machines move brought him immense joy.
- As a student:
He was thrilled by the sight of batteries, scales, test tubes, and machinery.
He admired the electricians with their toolkits as they climbed poles to work on wires.
He would chase after vehicles for a long distance, sniffing the ground like a dog.
He skipped school to watch airplanes and later mimicked being a pilot.
- His early passion for engineering was the foundation for his success later in life.
* Answering Questions from the Textbook:
- The details in section (1) represent the characteristics of a memoir: recording true events, respecting the authenticity of the work with specific times and locations.
- The significance of 'I' recalling his childhood fascination with machinery shows how this passion began early on.
- Young Honda struggled in subjects like biology but was more excited when encountering items like batteries, scales, and machines.
- Illustrations depicting the protagonist's fascination with studying batteries, scales, and test tubes.
- Borrowed terms from section (3): battery, television, screwdriver, car.
- The detail of 'I' sniffing the car's oil tells us of his curiosity and excitement about the automobile.
- How did young Honda manage to see an airplane perform live?
He secretly took two pennies for bus fare and rode his father's bicycle all the way to Hamamatsu.
Unable to afford the army training grounds, he climbed a tall pine tree to watch.
- 'I' decided to emulate the pilot by wearing a flight cap and goggles.
3. Answering Questions
Question 1. Which details prove the protagonist 'I' was fascinated with machinery as a child?
He loved hammering tools, fixing things, and making farming tools.
He was passionate about playing with machines and engines, even without attending school.
Just seeing machines in motion brought him indescribable happiness.
He was also thrilled when he encountered items like batteries, scales, and test tubes.
He admired electricians who worked on power lines with their toolkits.
He chased after vehicles and sniffed the ground like a dog.
He skipped school to watch airplanes and then imitated pilots.
Question 2. Which event from the story impressed you the most and why?
- The most impressive moment was: 'Just seeing machines move brought him indescribable joy.'
- Reason: It shows the deep passion Honda had for machinery from a very young age.
Question 3. How is the memoir genre expressed in this text? Identify some specific examples.
- Specific dates and locations: 1906, autumn of 1914, Komyo village (now Tenryu), Iwata district (now part of Hamamatsu), Shizuoka Prefecture.
- The story is told in the first-person perspective, which makes the events more authentic.
Question 4. How do the early signs of Honda's interest in engineering relate to his future career?
- His early fascination with machines is clearly linked to his later success in the automotive industry.
- His determination to overcome obstacles to achieve his goals: going through great lengths to see an airplane.
5. Reference Notes Example 2
1. Preparation
- A memoir is a literary form used to record real-life events, observations, reflections, and emotions experienced by the author.
- When reading a memoir:
+ The author Honda writes about his own childhood memories. This personal account aims to show readers the author's early passion for cars and machinery.
+ The text includes elements that highlight the authenticity of the story:
First-person narration “I”;
Specific details about time and place: I was born in 1906 in Komyo Village, Iwata District, now Tenryu City, Shizuoka Prefecture; throughout my elementary school years at Yamahigashi School, from 1st to 5th grade…; Fall of 1914… the airplane demonstration at the Hamamatsu Infantry Division…;
The author’s vivid and genuine experiences and observations are conveyed through the story.
+ The storyteller shows a great sense of excitement when recounting his childhood events—his innocent, naive thoughts, and his joy in engaging with machines at a young age.
- Read the excerpt from Honda’s memoir “Childhood Memories”; learn more about the author, Honda Soichiro, a mechanical engineer and founder of the famous Honda Motor Company:
+ Honda Soichiro (1906 – 1991), born in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
+ Family: His father, Gihai, was a blacksmith and later ran a bicycle repair shop. His mother, Mika, was a weaver. He was the eldest of nine siblings.
→ His love for mechanics was inherited from his father.
+ In 1922, he moved to Tokyo with his father to work at the Art Shokai auto repair shop. This experience played a crucial role in shaping his future career.
+ In 1928, he was allowed to open a branch of Art Shokai in his hometown of Hamamatsu. Later, he became successful, wealthy, and well-known in the town.
+ In 1948, Honda started producing motorcycles as the president of Honda Motor Company, turning the company into a multinational conglomerate valued in billions, producing some of the best-selling motorcycles worldwide.
+ He passed away on August 5, 1991, from kidney disease at the age of 84.
- Everyone has their own childhood experiences. Honda Soichiro recalls his thoughts and actions from childhood that relate to his passion for technology. From this, we can conclude that adolescence is a crucial time in preparing for adulthood.
2. Reading Comprehension
a. While Reading
Question from page 62, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: What characteristics of a memoir are shown in the first section?
Answer:
The first section demonstrates the characteristic authenticity of a memoir: all the information is clear, specific, and factual.
Question from page 62, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: What is the significance of the character “I” recalling their childhood interest in machines and engines?
Answer:
The significance of the character “I” recalling their childhood interest in machines and engines is to show the reader that the author’s later success stemmed from a passion cultivated during their youth.
Question from page 62, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: What subjects did young Honda struggle with, and what did he enjoy?
Answer:
Young Honda struggled with subjects like botany and biology from 1st to 5th grade. However, by 6th grade, he became fascinated with batteries, scales, test tubes, and machinery.
Question from page 62, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: What does the illustration depict in relation to the story?
Answer:
The illustration depicts the moment when the author’s fascination with batteries, scales, test tubes, and machinery began to grow.
Question from page 62, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: What borrowed words appear in section 3?
Answer:
The borrowed words in section 3 include:
- Pin: pile
- Television: TV (television)
- Screwdriver: tournevis
- Cable: câble
- Automobile: automobile
Question from page 63, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: What does the detail about “I” sniffing the smell of machine oil suggest?
Answer:
This detail suggests the character’s curiosity and delight in discovering the new and fascinating smell of machine oil.
Question from page 63, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: What did young Honda do to watch the real airplane demonstration?
Answer:
To watch the airplane demonstration, young Honda:
- Secretly took two pennies for the fare to the event.
- Stole his father’s bicycle and rode to Hamamatsu.
- When he lacked enough money for the ticket, he climbed a tall pine tree to watch the demonstration, even breaking branches to hide his presence.
Question from page 64, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: What equipment did the character “I” imitate from the pilots? Why?
Answer:
The character “I” imitated the pilot’s equipment: a cap, cardboard glasses, a windmill attached to his bicycle, and wore the cap backwards. He was inspired by the grand spectacle of the airplane demonstration and was captivated by the pilot’s heroic image.
b. After Reading
Question 1 from page 64, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: What details suggest that the character “I” was deeply interested in machinery as a child?
Answer:
Details that suggest the character “I” was deeply interested in machinery as a child include:
- Although young and unsure what to do with metal scraps, I enjoyed hammering them and repairing items.
- Despite not attending school, I loved playing with machines and engines.
- I was drawn to the machines at the rice mill and sawmill, fascinated by the loud noise and the mysterious smell of burning oil.
- Just watching machines in motion made me feel joy beyond words.
- At school, I became more excited by batteries, scales, test tubes, and machines.
- The first time electricity arrived in my village, I admired the electricians with their toolkits of pliers, screwdrivers, etc.
- When I heard that cars were coming to my village, I dropped everything, raced home, and eagerly explored the smell of machine oil.
- I skipped school, took money and my father’s bicycle, and rode 20 km alone to watch an airplane demonstration. When I ran out of money, I climbed a tree to watch.
Question 2 from page 64, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: Among the many events the character “I” recalls, which one impressed you the most? Why?
Answer:
The event that impressed me most was when young Honda skipped school to watch the airplane demonstration. At only second grade, he traveled 20 km to the show. When he didn’t have enough money, he climbed a tall tree to watch, showing his determination.
Question 3 from page 64, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: How is the memoir characteristic shown in this text? Provide specific examples.
Answer:
The memoir characteristic is shown in this text through authenticity and detail:
- First-person narration “I”;
- Specific time and place details: I was born in 1906 in Komyo Village, Iwata District, now Tenryu City, Shizuoka Prefecture; throughout my elementary school years at Yamahigashi School, from 1st to 5th grade…; Fall of 1914… the airplane demonstration at the Hamamatsu Infantry Division…;
- Genuine perceptions and observations are shared through the author’s storytelling.
Question 4 from page 64, 6th-grade Literature Textbook: How are the early signs of Honda’s technical aptitude in his youth related to his later career?
Answer:
The early signs of Honda’s technical aptitude in his youth were crucial to his later career. They laid the foundation for his continued interest in technology during his school years. They also gave him the confidence and enthusiasm to pursue the career path he followed.
