from the dramatization of Dragonwings by Lawrence Yep
1 Scene 9 Piedmont, later that day outside the stable.
2 MOON SHADOW: September twenty-second, Nineteen-ought-nine.
Dear Mother. I have bad news. We are going to lose Dragonwings before father can fly it. Black Dog stole all we have, and the landlord will not give us an extension on our rent. So we’ll have to move and leave Dragonwings behind. We have asked Miss Whitlaw for help, but her new house has taken up all of her money. And even if Uncle would speak to us, he has probably spent all he has on rebuilding his laundry.
3 [UNCLE BRIGHT STAR and MISS WHITLAW enter from L.]
4 MISS WHITLAW: I could have gotten down from the wagon by myself.
5 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: Watch gopher hole.
6 MISS WHITLAW: I’m younger than you.
7 MOON SHADOW: Uncle, Miss Whitlaw!
8 MISS WHITLAW: How are you?
9 [Shaking MOON SHADOW’S hand. WINDRIDER enters from U. He now wears a cap.]
10 WINDRIDER: Come to laugh, Uncle?
11 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: I came to help you fly your contraption.
12 MOON SHADOW: But you don’t believe in flying machines.
13 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: And I’ll haul that thing back down when it doesn’t fly. Red Rabbit and me were getting fat anyway. But look at how tall you’ve grown. And how thin. And ragged. [Pause.] But you haven’t broken your neck which was more than I ever expected.
14 MISS WHITLAW: As soon as I told your uncle, we hatched the plot together. You ought to get a chance to fly your aeroplane.
15 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: Flat purse, strong backs.
16 WINDRIDER: We need to pull Dragonwings to the very top.
17 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: That hill is a very steep hill.
18 WINDRIDER: It has to be that one. The winds are right.
19 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: Ah, well, it’s the winds.
20 WINDRIDER: Take the ropes. [Pantomimes taking a rope over his shoulder as he faces the audience.] Got a good grip?
21 OTHERS: [Pantomiming taking the ropes.] Yes, right, etc.
22 WINDRIDER: Then pull.
23 [They strain. MOON SHADOW stumbles but gets right up. Stamping his feet to get better footing, he keeps tugging.]
24 MOON SHADOW: [Giving up.] It’s no good.
25 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: Pull in rhythm. As we did on the railroad.
26 [In demonstration, UNCLE BRIGHT STAR stamps his feet in a slow rhythm to set the beat and the others repeat. The rhythm picks up as they move.] Ngúng, ngúng. Dew gung
27 OTHERS: Ngúng, ngúng. Dew gùng
28 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: [Imitating the intonation of the Cantonese.] Púsh, púsh. Wòrk, wòrk.
29 OTHERS: Púsh, púsh. Wòrk, wòrk.
30 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: Seen gà, Gee gá.
31 [High rising tone on the last syllable.]
32 OTHERS: Seen gá, Gee gá.
33 [High rising tone on the last syllable.]
34 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: Get rìch, Go hóme.
35 OTHERS: Get rìch, Go hóme.
36 [MOON SHADOW, WINDRIDER, UNCLE BRIGHT STAR and MISS WHITLAW arrive D.]
37 MOON SHADOW: [Panting.] We made it. Tramp the grass down in front.
38 [WINDRIDER stands C as the others stamp the grass. They can’t help smiling and laughing a little.]
39 WINDRIDER: That’s enough.
40 MOON SHADOW: [To MISS WHITLAW.] Take that propeller.
41 [MISS WHITLAW takes her place before the right propeller with her hands resting on the blade. MOON SHADOW takes his place beside the left propeller. WINDRIDER faces U., his back to the audience.]
42 MISS WHITLAW: Listen to the wind on the wings.
43 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: It’s alive.
44 WINDRIDER: All right.
45 [MOON SHADOW and MISS WHITLAW pull down at the propellers and back away quickly. We hear a motor cough into life. Propellers begin to turn with a roar.]
46 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: [Slowly turning.] What’s wrong? Is it just going to roll down the hill?
47 [MISS WHITLAW crosses her fingers as they all turn to watch the aeroplane.]
48 MISS WHITLAW: He’s up!
49 [WINDRIDER starts to do his flight ballet.]
50 MOON SHADOW: [Pointing.] He’s turning.
51 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: He’s really flying.
52 MISS WHITLAW: I never thought I’d see the day. A human up in the sky. Off the ground.
53 [They turn and tilt their heads back.]
54 MISS WHITLAW: [Cont’d.] Free as an eagle.
55 UNCLE BRIGHT STAR: [Correcting her.] Like dragon.
56 MOON SHADOW: Father, you did it. [Wonderingly.] You did it.
57 [The aeroplane roars loudly overhead. MOON SHADOW as adult steps forward and addresses the audience.]
58 MOON SHADOW: I thought he’d fly forever and ever. Up, up to heaven and never come down. But then some of the guy wires broke, and the right wings separated. Dragonwings came crashing to earth. Father had a few broken bones, but it was nothing serious. Only the aeroplane was wrecked. Uncle took him back to the laundry to recover. Father didn’t say much, just thought a lot—I figured he was busy designing the next aeroplane. But when Father was nearly well, he made me sit down next to him.
59 WINDRIDER: Uncle says he’ll make me a partner if I stay. So the western officials would have to change my immigration class. I’d be a merchant, and merchants can bring their wives here. Would you like to send for Mother?
60 MOON SHADOW: [Going to WINDRIDER.] But Dragonwings?
61 WINDRIDER: When I was up in the air, I tried to find you. You were so small. And getting smaller. Just disappearing from sight. [Handing his cap to MOON SHADOW.] Like you were disappearing from my life. [He begins his ballet again.] I knew it wasn’t the time. The Dragon King said there would be all sorts of lessons.
62 [MOON SHADOW turns to audience as an adult.]
63 MOON SHADOW: We always talked about flying again. Only we never did. [Putting on cap.] But dreams stay with you, and we never forgot.
64 [WINDRIDER takes his final pose. A gong sounds.]
Use the excerpt to answer the questions.
1. Part A What paragraphs provide dialogue that introduces the play’s main conflict? (1 point)
Paragraphs 2 to 11
Paragraphs 16 to 19
Paragraphs 26 to 35
Paragraphs 37 to 48
Part B Based on your answer to the previous question, what is the main conflict? (1 point)
convincing Uncle Bright Star to help with the airplane
losing the airplane without ever flying it
working together to get the airplane up the steep hill
setting a rhythm to pull the airplane
Use the excerpt to answer the questions.
2. Part A What is Uncle Bright Star doing as they pull Dragonwings to the top of the hill? (1 point)
complaining and stumbling
singing and directing
crying and moaning
stomping and chanting
Part B Which of the following stage directions best supports the answer to the previous question? (1 point)
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 28
Use the excerpt to answer the question.
3. What does the dialogue in Paragraphs 11, 12, and 13 tell about Uncle Bright Star’s character? (1 point)
He is supportive.
He is stubborn.
He is angry.
He is decisive.
Use the excerpt to answer the question.
4. What is the purpose of the following stage direction from the play?
[They turn and tilt their heads back.] (1 point)
to tell the actors how to interact with props
to describe what the stage should look like
to instruct the actors how to move
to describe how the actors should feel
smile (\ˈsmī(-ə)l\) v. 1. To make a smile; to make the corners of your mouth turn up in an expression that shows happiness, amusement, pleasure, affection, etc. 2. To show or express (something, such as approval, encouragement, etc.) by a smile. n. 3. An expression on your face that makes the corners of your mouth turn up and that shows happiness, amusement, pleasure, affection, etc.
Use the dictionary entry to answer the question.
5. What is the denotation of the word smile? (1 point)
to make someone smile and laugh
to make the corners of your mouth turn down in an expression that shows unhappiness.
to make the corners of your mouth turn up in an expression that shows happiness
to show or express your disapproval for something
Use the dictionary entry to answer the question.
6. In which sentence does the synonym for the word smile have a negative connotation? (1 point)
Rachel was beaming with excitement when she opened her present.
My mother grinned when she saw straight As on my report card.
Both of us laughed during the movie.
Taylor smirked in triumph when he realized that the others were wrong.
7. What is the function of a preposition in a sentence? (1 point)
to express action
to show the subject of the sentence
to tell more about the subject
to connect a noun or pronoun to another word
8. What is the prepositional phrase in the following sentence?
Mr. Harding asked Joe to pour the solution into the beaker. (1 point)
pour the solution
Mr. Harding asked Joe
into the beaker
the solution into the beaker
9. What is the appositive in the following sentence?
British mathematician Charles Lutwidge Dodgson used the pen name Lewis Carroll. (1 point)
British mathematician
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
pen name
Lewis Carroll
10. When should you use commas or dashes to set off an appositive phrase? (1 point)
when it is essential to understand the sentence
when it is not essential to understand the sentence
all of the time
only when the appositive is a pronoun
1.Part A answer is A
Part B answer is B
2.Part A answer is D
Part B answer is C
3.A
4.C
5.C
6.D
7.D
8.C
9.B
10.B
1.Part A answer is A YEAH THX ILL SHARE IT WITH MY FRIENDS THANK YOU!!
Part B answer is B
2.Part A answer is D
Part B answer is C
3.A
4.C
5.C
6.D
7.D
8.C
9.B
10.B
These are 100% correct 12/12 thanks I really needed that help
1. A. B
2. D. C
3. A
4. C
5. C
6. D
7. D
8. C
9. B
10. B
100