Top 6 best lesson plans for 'Explicit and Implicit Meaning' for Grade 9

A. KEY CONCEPTS

I. Distinguishing Explicit and Implicit Meaning

Read the excerpt below and answer the questions:

- Oh my, only five minutes left!
This was the exclamation of the young man, who was surprised and said it with regret. He rushed to the back of the house and came back with a basket. The artist clicked his tongue and stood up. The young woman also stood, gently put the chair back, and slowly walked over to the old man.
- Oh! You forgot your handkerchief!
The young man called out as he entered. To avoid her needing to return to the table, he took the crumpled handkerchief from between the pages of a book and handed it to her. The young engineer, with a flushed face, took the handkerchief and quickly turned away.
(Nguyễn Thành Long, Lặng lẽ Sa Pa)
1. What did the young man mean by saying, 'Oh my, only five minutes left!'? Why didn't he say it directly to the artist and the woman?
2. Does the young man's second statement carry any hidden meaning?

Answer:
1. The statement not only indicates that only five minutes are left, but the tone also subtly conveys, 'I am very sorry.' This is an implicit meaning. The young man doesn't directly express his feelings to the artist or the woman because he is shy and doesn't want others to notice his emotions; it could be due to politeness or his way of speaking.
2. The second statement by the young man ('Oh! You forgot your handkerchief!') has no hidden meaning and is an explicit statement.

B. EXERCISES AND SOLUTIONS

Exercise 1: Page 75, Grade 9 Literature Book

a) Which sentence shows that the artist doesn't want to say goodbye to the young man? What words help you understand this?
b) Identify words describing the girl's attitude in the last sentence of the paragraph. What does this attitude reveal about the handkerchief?

Answer:
a) The sentence 'The artist clicked his tongue and stood up.'—especially the phrase 'clicked his tongue'—doesn't explicitly state that the artist is reluctant to part, but the image suggests this.
b) The girl's attitude is conveyed through phrases like 'her face flushed red', 'she quickly accepted the handkerchief', and 'hastily turned away'. These words suggest she felt embarrassed and wanted to hide her feelings. In reality, the girl wanted to leave the handkerchief as a keepsake for the young man, but he misunderstood and thought she had forgotten it, so he innocently returned it.

Exercise 2: Page 75, Grade 9 Literature, Vol. 1

Identify the implicit meaning in the following sentence:

Here, let me introduce you to a senior artist. And this is an agricultural engineer. Take the guests home. The elderly need tea: it's too early to leave for Lao Cai. Serve them the special tea made with rainwater, just like the fragrant tea from Yên Sơn in your hometown.

Answer:
The implicit meaning in this dialogue is that the artist hasn't had a chance to drink tea before leaving Lao Cai, and the tea prepared by the young man is delicious.

Exercise 3: Page 75, Grade 9 Literature, Vol. 2
Find the sentence with implicit meaning in the following excerpt:

His mother angrily waved a kitchen utensil to scare him, and he had to call but just said gruffly:
- Come and eat!
Mr. Sáu stayed seated, pretending not to hear, waiting for her to say, 'Dad, come and eat.' The girl stood in the kitchen and shouted:

- The rice is ready!
He didn't respond.
(Nguyễn Quang Sáng, Chiếc lược ngà)
Answer:
The sentence containing implicit meaning is 'The rice is ready!'—the underlying meaning is, 'Dad, come and eat!'

Exercise 4: Page 76, Grade 9 Literature, Vol. 2
In the following excerpts from the short story 'Làng' by Kim Lân, do the bolded sentences contain implicit meaning? Why or why not?

a) Someone asked:
- I thought the Chợ Dầu village was very lively? Why is it in such a state now?
- Well, that's how it is now!
The old man stood up, clicked his tongue, laughed dryly, stretched, and said loudly:
- Gosh, it's so hot, let's go home...
The old man pretended to move away and walked off. The laughter and chatter of the people from the newly evacuated area could still be heard.
b) - Hey, teacher!
The old man lay motionless on the bed, not responding.
- Is he asleep?
- What? The old man moved slightly.
- I heard people gossiping...
The old man snapped, saying:
- I know already!
The room grew quiet.
Answer:
The sentence 'Gosh, it's so hot, let's go home...' is a diversion, not an implicit meaning.
The sentence 'I heard people gossiping...' was interrupted, so it doesn't carry implicit meaning either.

1. Exercise 1, Page 75, Textbook.

Reread the passage from section I and answer the following:

a) Which sentence shows that the artist did not want to part with the young man? Which words indicate this?

b) Identify the words describing the girl's attitude in the last sentence of the passage. What do they suggest about the handkerchief?

Answer:

This exercise requires identifying the implied meaning in the author’s narrative.

a) The passage mentions the artist only once. The artist’s action is described using two phrases. Which phrase suggests the artist’s reluctance to leave?

b) The descriptive words about the girl’s attitude in the last sentence regarding the handkerchief include:

- blushing face (embarrassment);

- accepting the handkerchief (reluctantly);

- quickly turning away (to hide her embarrassment).

Why did the girl feel embarrassed to the point of blushing and hastily turning away when the young man noticed and returned the handkerchief? Was it truly forgotten between the pages of the book?

2. Exercise 2, Page 75, Textbook.

Identify the implication of the bolded sentence in the following passage:

The driver brought him to the artist’s place and introduced the girl:

- Here, let me introduce you to an experienced artist. And this is an agricultural engineer. Please take the guest home. Old age needs some tea: in Lao Cai, it’s too early. Bring out that fragrant tea made from rainwater of Yên Sơn, like your home.

(Nguyễn Thành Long, Quiet Sa Pa)

Answer:

To understand the implied meaning of the bolded sentence, consider how the two parts of the sentence relate to each other semantically.

3. Exercise 3, Pages 75 - 76, Textbook.

Find the sentence containing an implication in the following excerpt and explain its meaning.

The mother grew angry, waving the cooking chopsticks in a threatening manner, and the child had to call, but only said:

- Come eat!

Mr. Sáu stayed silent, pretending not to hear, waiting for her to say "Come eat, father." The little girl stood in the kitchen calling out:

- The rice is ready!

He still did not turn around.

(Nguyễn Quang Sáng, The Ivory Comb)

Answer:

In this excerpt, when the child says "The rice is ready!", is she simply informing her father that the rice is cooked? If not, what is she actually trying to convey?

4. Exercise 4, Page 76, Textbook.

Read the following excerpts (from Kim Lân's short story "The Village") and identify if the bolded sentences contain implied meaning. Why or why not?

a) Someone asked:

- Didn’t you say that Chợ Dầu village had a great spirit?

- Well, now it’s all fallen apart!

Mr. Hai paid for the water, stood up, sighed, laughed bitterly, stretched, and said loudly:

- Ah, what a sunny day, let’s go...

The old man pretended to move away, then left quickly. The murmurs of the newcomers still followed him.

b) - Hey, Mr. Hai.

Mr. Hai lay on the bed, silent.

- Is he asleep?

- What?

The old man slightly stirred.

- I heard people are talking...

He snapped:

- I know already!

Mrs. Hai fell silent. The house was eerily quiet.

Answer:

This exercise aims to test your understanding of implied meaning, distinguishing between sentences that contain implications and those that might be mistaken for having one.

Some guiding questions you could consider for this exercise include:

- Who is the bolded sentence from Mr. Hai directed towards? Or is he just trying to brush off the awkwardness after hearing others criticize his village?

- Is the bolded sentence from Mrs. Hai incomplete, or does it suggest something else?

Basic Knowledge

- Explicit meaning refers to the information directly conveyed through words in a sentence.

- Implicit meaning is the information that, although not directly stated, can be inferred from the words used in the sentence.

Distinguishing Explicit Meaning and Implicit Meaning

Read the passage and answer the questions.

- Oh no, only five minutes left!

This is what the young man exclaimed, his voice full of regret, though he was laughing. He rushed to the back house, then quickly returned holding a basket. The painter reluctantly stood up. The girl also stood, placed the chair back, and leisurely walked to the elderly man.

- Oh! You almost forgot your handkerchief!

The young man called out as he entered. To save the girl from returning to the table, he took the handkerchief still rolled up in the book and handed it to her. The engineer blushed deeply, accepted the handkerchief, and hurriedly walked away.

(From Nguyễn Thành Long, Silent Sapa)

1. What do you understand by the sentence "Oh no, only five minutes left!" Why didn't the young man directly express this to the painter and the girl?

2. Does the second sentence of the young man have any implicit meaning?

Answer

1. "Oh no, only five minutes left!": The young man shows his regret but does not express it directly. He may be shy and wish to conceal his feelings.

2. It does not contain any implicit meaning.

Question 1 - Page 75 Textbook

Read the excerpt again and answer the following:

a) Which sentence shows that the painter did not want to say goodbye to the young man? What words help you understand that?

b) Find the words describing the girl's attitude in the last sentence of the passage. What does this attitude suggest about the handkerchief?

Answer

a) The sentence “The painter reluctantly stood up” shows the painter did not want to say goodbye.

b) The girl’s attitude is described with the following words:

- Blushing (shows embarrassment).

- Taking the handkerchief reluctantly (shows hesitation).

- Turning away (hiding her emotions).

From these details, we can infer that the girl intended to leave the handkerchief as a keepsake, but the young man, being honest (or embarrassed), mistakenly returned it.

Question 2 - Page 75 Textbook

What is the implied meaning in the bolded sentence in the following passage?

The driver led him back to the painter’s house and the girl:

- Here, let me introduce you to an experienced painter. And this is an agricultural engineer. You should take the guest to your home. Old age requires tea: It’s too early in Lào Cai. You should prepare a cup of tea brewed with the fragrant rainwater from Yên Sơn in your hometown.

(Nguyễn Thành Long, Silent Sapa)

Answer

The driver’s words imply that the elderly painter had not yet had his tea this morning.

Question 3 - Page 75 Textbook

Find the sentence containing implicit meaning in the excerpt below and explain the content of the implied meaning.

The child got angry and waved the kitchen chopsticks, threatening to hit him. He had to call out but said:

- Come eat!

Brother Sáu remained silent, pretending not to hear, waiting for the child to call out “Dad, come eat.” The girl stood in the kitchen, shouting out:

- The rice is ready!

He still didn’t turn around.

(Nguyễn Quang Sáng, The Ivory Comb)

Answer

The sentence “The rice is ready!” implicitly means “Dad, come eat,” but the child avoids calling him “Dad.”

Question 4 - Page 76 Textbook

Read the following excerpts (from the short story The Village by Kim Lân), and determine whether the bolded sentences contain implicit meaning. Explain why.

a) Someone asked:

- Why do they say that Chợ Dầu village has such a strong spirit?..

- But now look at how it’s fallen apart!

Mr. Hai paid the water bill, stood up, clicked his tongue, laughed bitterly, stretched, and said loudly:

- Ah, it’s so hot, let’s go home…

The elderly man pretended to move away, then walked straight off. The sounds of laughter and chatter from the people who had recently moved to the area continued to follow.

b) - Hey, teacher!

Mr. Hai lay still on the bed, not responding.

- Teacher, are you sleeping?

- What?

The elderly man slightly moved.

- I heard people saying...

The elderly man snapped:

- I know already!

Mrs. Hai fell silent. The room was still and quiet.

Answer

The sentences here do not contain implicit meaning. The sentence “Ah, it’s so hot, let’s go home…” is a diversion (changing the topic to avoid the current one). The sentence “I heard people saying...” expresses doubt...

I. Distinguishing Explicit and Implicit Meaning

1 - "Oh no, only five minutes left!" – This sentence not only informs about time but also shows the young man’s urgency and regret due to the limited time.

- A subtle and skillful expression of emotion through indirect, implied meaning.

2. Oh! You almost forgot your handkerchief! – This contains an implied meaning.

Practice

Exercise 1 (Page 75 Textbook, Vietnamese Literature 9, Volume 2)

a) The phrase "The painter clicked his tongue" – the narrator does not explicitly state that the painter did not want to say goodbye but allows the reader to perceive this through the image.

b) The girl’s attitude is described through phrases such as: blushing, taking the handkerchief reluctantly, quickly turning away.

- These words describe the girl’s shyness and how she turns away to hide her embarrassment.

- The girl wanted to give the young man the handkerchief as a keepsake, but he returned it.

Exercise 2 (Page 75 Textbook, Vietnamese Literature 9, Volume 2)

The bolded sentence contains an implied meaning: The driver wants the young man to welcome the painter and the engineer.

Exercise 3 (Page 75 Textbook, Vietnamese Literature 9, Volume 2)

The sentence with implied meaning: “The rice is ready!”

Implied meaning: The rice is ready, and the father should come eat.

Exercise 4 (Page 76 Textbook, Vietnamese Literature 9, Volume 2)

- The sentence "Ah, it’s so hot, let’s go home…" is a diversion (changing the subject to avoid the current topic).

"I heard people saying..." is an interrupted statement expressing doubt...

→ Neither of these sentences conveys implied meaning.

Part I: Distinguishing Explicit Meaning and Implicit Meaning

Read the excerpt and answer the questions (page 75, Literature 9, Volume 2):

- Oh no, only five minutes left!

This is what the young man said in surprise, laughing but also full of regret. He ran to the back house and quickly returned, holding a basket in his hand. The artist lazily stood up, and the girl slowly walked over to the old man.

- Oh! You forgot your scarf!

The young man shouted as he entered. To prevent the girl from returning to the table, he picked up the handkerchief that had been rolled up between the book and handed it back to her. The engineer’s face turned red as she accepted it and quickly walked away.

(By Nguyễn Thành Long, Quiet Sapa)

1. From the sentence “Oh no, only five minutes left,” what does the young man want to convey? Why didn't he directly say that to the artist and the girl?

2. Does the young man’s second sentence contain an implied meaning?

Answer:

1. The sentence “Oh no, only five minutes left” implies that “the remaining time is too short.” The young man did not explicitly say this to conceal his “regret” at having to part from the two guests.

2. The second sentence does not contain any implied meaning.

Part II: PRACTICE

Question 1 (page 75, Literature 9, Volume 2):

Read the previously mentioned excerpt and answer:

a) Which sentence shows the artist doesn't want to say goodbye to the young man? What words make you realize this?

b) Find the phrases that describe the girl’s attitude in the last sentence of the paragraph. What can you infer about her feelings towards the scarf?

Answer:

a) The sentence “The artist lazily stood up” shows that the artist also does not want to say goodbye to the young man. This is a way of expressing the idea using “imagery” in artistic language.

(b) In the last sentence of the paragraph, the words describing the girl’s attitude towards the scarf are:

- Face turning red (embarrassed);

- Accepting the handkerchief (unable to avoid it);

- Quickly turning away (extremely embarrassed).

From these images, we can infer that the girl was flustered and awkward due to embarrassment. She was embarrassed because she had secretly planned to leave the handkerchief as a memento for the young man, but the young man honestly thought she had forgotten it and called her to return it.

Question 2 (page 75, Literature 9, Volume 2):

What is the implied meaning of the bolded sentence in the following excerpt:

The driver led him back to the artist and the girl:

- Here, let me introduce you to an esteemed artist. And this is an agricultural engineer. You should take the guests home. Old age needs tea: in Lao Cai, it’s too early to leave. You should bring the tea made from rainwater, which smells like perfume from Yên Sơn at your home.

(By Nguyễn Thành Long, Quiet Sapa)

Question 3 (page 75, Literature 9, Volume 2):

Find the sentence containing implicit meaning in the following excerpt and explain its content:

His mother got angry, waving a kitchen utensil, threatening to hit him, and he had to call but only said:

- Come eat!

He sat still, pretending not to hear, waiting for her to call “Dad, come eat.” The girl kept standing in the kitchen and shouted:

- The rice is ready!

He still didn’t look back.

(By Nguyễn Quang Sáng, The Wooden Comb)

Answer:

The sentence “The rice is ready!” contains implicit meaning, which is “Dad, come eat!”

Question 4 (page 75, Literature 9, Volume 2):

Read the following excerpts (from the short story “The Village” by Kim Lân) and decide whether the bolded sentences contain implicit meaning. Why?

a) Someone asked:

- You said the Chợ Dầu village was full of spirit, but now it’s falling apart?

- Yet now it’s in ruins!

The old man paid for the water, stood up, clicked his tongue, smiled coldly, stretched and said loudly:

- Ha, it’s so hot, let’s go…

The elderly man pretended to step away, then walked straight ahead. The chatter of the new arrivals still followed him.

b) - Hey, teacher.

The old man lay back on the bed, not saying anything.

- Teacher, are you sleeping?

- What?

The old man slightly moved.

- I heard rumors...

The old man snapped:

- I know already!

The woman fell silent. The house became quiet and desolate.

Answer:

- The bolded sentences do not contain implicit meaning. The first bolded sentence is an evasive remark (changing the subject to avoid the topic being discussed, also called “beating around the bush”).

- The second bolded sentence is unfinished.

I - Differentiating Between Explicit and Implicit Meaning

Read the excerpt below and answer the question (page 74 - Literature Textbook, 9th Grade, Volume 2)

Question:

Question 1 on page 75 - Literature Textbook, 9th Grade, Volume 2: From the sentence "Oh my, only five minutes left!", what do you think the young man wants to convey? Why didn't he express this directly to the artist and the girl?

Answer:

From the sentence "Oh my, only five minutes left!", the young man implies that time is running out, and he regrets it. He chooses not to directly express his feelings, possibly out of embarrassment or a desire to hide his emotions.

Question 2 on page 75 - Literature Textbook, 9th Grade, Volume 2: Does the second sentence the young man says carry any implicit meaning?

The second sentence from the young man: "Oh! You forgot your handkerchief!" does not carry any implicit meaning.

Key Takeaways:

Explicit meaning refers to the direct communication conveyed through words in the sentence. Implicit meaning, however, is not directly stated but can be inferred from the words used.

II - Practice Exercises

Question 1 on page 75 - Literature Textbook, 9th Grade, Volume 2: Read the passage from Section I and answer the following:

a) Which sentence suggests the artist doesn't want to say goodbye to the young man? What words or phrases lead you to this conclusion?

b) Identify the words describing the girl's attitude in the final sentence of the paragraph. What can these words tell you about her feelings toward the handkerchief?

Answer:

a) The sentence "The artist clicked his tongue and stood up" suggests the artist doesn't want to part with the young man. The action of "clicking his tongue" conveys reluctance to leave.

b) - flushed face (embarrassed attitude) - taking the handkerchief back (unable to avoid) - hurriedly turning away (feeling very shy)

These details show the girl feels awkward and nervous, trying to hide her emotions. She had intentionally "forgotten" the handkerchief as a keepsake, but the young man, being too honest, mistakenly believes it was left behind and tries to return it to her.

Question 2 on page 75 - Literature Textbook, 9th Grade, Volume 2: What is the implicit meaning of the bold sentence in the passage below?

The driver led him back to the artist's place and the girl:

- Here, I’m introducing a seasoned artist. And this is an agricultural engineer. You take the guests home. Older people need tea: in Lao Cai, they leave too early. You should bring the special tea from Yên Sơn, it smells like flowers.

(Nguyễn Thành Long, Silent Sapa)

Answer:

The implicit meaning of the sentence is: The old artist did not have time to enjoy his morning tea.

Question 3 on page 75 - Literature Textbook, 9th Grade, Volume 2: Find the sentence with implicit meaning in the excerpt below and explain its content.

His mother became furious, waved the kitchen chopsticks threateningly, and he had to call out but still said:

- Come eat!

Uncle Sáu remained seated, pretending not to hear, waiting for him to call out, "Dad, come eat". The child stood in the kitchen calling out:

- The rice is ready!

Uncle Sáu still didn’t turn around.

(Nguyễn Quang Sáng, The Wooden Comb)

Answer:

The sentence "The rice is ready" contains implicit meaning: It means "Dad, come eat".

Question 4 on page 76 - Literature Textbook, 9th Grade, Volume 2: Read the following excerpts (from Kim Lân's short story 'The Village') and determine if the bolded sentences carry implicit meaning. Why or why not?

a) Someone asked:

- Why did they say Chợ Dầu village was so lively?

- Well, now look, it's a mess!

Mr. Hai paid for the water, stood up, clicked his tongue, laughed bitterly, stretched and said loudly:

- Wow, it’s hot, let’s go home...

Old man pretended to walk away, but then kept walking straight. The chattering voices of the people from the relocated group followed him.

b) - Hey, teacher...

Mr. Hai lay down on the bed without saying anything.

- Teacher, are you asleep?

- What?

Mr. Hai shifted slightly.

- I heard people gossiping...

Mr. Hai snapped:

- I know already!

Mrs. Hai fell silent. The house went quiet, lonely.

Answer:

a) The sentence "Wow, it’s hot, let’s go home..." does not carry implicit meaning. It's a way of avoiding the current topic.

b) The sentence "I heard people gossiping..." does not carry implicit meaning. It's an incomplete sentence.