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Guidelines for preparing the lesson "Ai đã đặt tên cho dòng sông" for 11th-grade students in Vietnam
Question 1: What natural features of the Huong River has the author highlighted in the text? Point out notable passages discussing each characteristic of the Huong River.
In the excerpt, Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong has highlighted three main natural characteristics of the Huong River:
- The powerful and fierce nature upstream:
+ Before reaching the plains, the Huong River exhibits majestic and intense beauty with cascades and deep abysses.
+ Notable passage: “Before reaching the peaceful delta, it was an epic of the ancient forest, resonant among the shadows of the great trees, fiercely rushing through the rapids, swirling like a whirlwind into mysterious depths…”
- The poetic and lyrical nature when joining Hue:
+ Leaving the ancient forest behind, the Huong River becomes gentle, soft, and full of poetry.
+ Notable passage: “From the junction at Tuan, the Huong River flows south-north past Hon Chen Temple; encountering Ngoc Tran, it veers west-north, rounds the fields of Nguyet Bieu, Luong Quan then suddenly draws a very round arc to the northeast, embracing the foot of Thien Mu Hill, and gradually flows towards Hue.”
- The profound, contemplative nature intertwined with history:
+ The Huong River not only possesses natural beauty but also bears historical and cultural imprints of Hue.
+ Notable passage: “The Huong River entered the era of the August Revolution with history-shaking victories. Thus is the Huong River, the river of resonant time, of history written amidst the green grasses and leaves.”
Question 2: With "Ai đã đặt tên cho dòng sông?", the author viewed the Huong River as a person with its own personality and feelings. Find some details in the excerpt that reflect this and analyze the unique aspects of the author's comparison and personification techniques.
The author personified the Huong River as a person with diverse emotions and characteristics:
- The Huong River as a wild, free-spirited 'Gypsy girl' upstream:
“In the heart of the Truong Son, the Huong River lived half of its life like a free-spirited and wild Gypsy girl.”
→ The art of personification and comparison created an image of the Huong River full of personality, freedom, and mystery.
- The Huong River as a mother when coming to Hue:
“The Huong River swiftly took on a gentle and intellectual beauty, becoming the alluvium mother of a cultural region.”
→ The river not only embodies gentle beauty but also represents nurturing and fostering for Hue.
- The Huong River as a lovesick girl when reaching Hue:
“Facing the city at Gia Vien Islet, the Huong River gracefully bends a gentle arc towards Hen Islet; that curvature makes the river soft, like an unsaid ‘yes’ of love.”
→ The river as a shy, romantic maiden, exuding the charm and grace of a Hue girl.
- Unique traits in the art of comparison and personification:
Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong did not describe the Huong River as an inanimate entity but infused it with a soul, turning it into a character with emotions and spirit.
The personification and comparison techniques make the river lively, possessing both natural beauty and human traits, allowing readers to feel the deep love of the author for this river.
Question 3: In the author's perception, how is the Huong River attached to the city of Hue? Analyze some images and details that highlight this special relationship.
The Huong River and Hue share a close-knit relationship akin to a beautiful romance between the river and the city. Some details reflect this bond:
- The Huong River as a faithful lover of Hue:
“After centuries, the awaited lover arrives to awaken the beautiful girl lying in a dreamy sleep among the wildflower fields of Chau Hoa.”
→ The river is likened to a girl waiting for love to awaken, highlighting the perennial bond between the Huong River and Hue.
- The Huong River slows down as it passes through Hue, like wanting to linger forever with the city:
“Those tributaries and the two small islands on the river significantly reduce the flow velocity of the water, so that when passing through the city, the Huong River flows slowly, very slowly, almost like a tranquil lake.”
→ This is a beautiful image, expressing the river's affection for Hue, unwilling to leave this place.
- The Huong River returns to Hue before heading to the sea as a promise of fidelity:
“And then, as if recalling something unsaid, it suddenly changes course, turning east-west to meet the city once more at the ancient commune-level town Bao Vinh.”
→ The image of the Huong River returning to the city before going to the sea embodies the river's longing and sentimental attachment to Hue.
Question 4: In the text, there are two noteworthy aspects: objective information about the Huong River and the author's emotions toward it. Which content stands out more? What basis helps you determine this?
The more prominent content in the excerpt is the author's emotions toward the Huong River.
- The author does not just provide information about the river’s flow, geography, and history but breathes life into it, transforming it into a character with a soul and emotions.
- The lyrical writing style, rich with similes, personification, and metaphors, highlights the author's deep affection for this river.
- Basis for determination:
+ Language rich in poetry, imbued with painting and music.
+ The way of personifying the Huong River as a girl with personality and emotions.
+ Unique associations between the Huong River and the history, culture, and people of Hue.
Question 5: How has the author mobilized comprehensive cultural knowledge when writing the essay about the Huong River? What is the purpose of utilizing such knowledge?
Author Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong has mobilized a vast amount of comprehensive cultural knowledge to highlight the beauty of the Huong River from various angles. The knowledge applied includes:
- Knowledge of geography and nature:
The author describes in detail the flow of the Huong River from upstream to the plains, its bends, water colors, and scenery on both banks…
Example: “From the junction at Tuan, the Huong River flows south-north past Hon Chen Temple; encountering Ngoc Tran, it veers west-north…”
- Historical knowledge:
The Huong River is not only a poetic river but also a historical witness, marking many important events.
Example: “In Nguyen Trai's geographical records, it was named Linh Giang, the distant river that fiercely defended the southern border of the Dai Viet Kingdom during the medieval centuries.”
- Knowledge of music and literature:
The Huong River is associated with classical Hue music and inspires many poets and musicians.
Example: “Nguyen Du spent years drifting on this stretch of the river, with a sad moon disk, and from there the tunes accompanied Kieu's life.”
- Knowledge of aesthetics and philosophy:
The author compares the Huong River with famous rivers in the world (Seine, Danube, Neva), quoting Heraclitus’s philosophical reflections (“Two thousand years ago, a Greek named Heraclitus wept all his life because rivers flow by too quickly, thus!”).
- Purpose of mobilizing knowledge:
+ To make the essay profound, rich in content, demonstrating the author's extensive understanding.
+ To help explain the unique beauty of the Huong River in natural, historical, and cultural contexts.
+ To establish a connection between the Huong River and other cultural values, highlighting the river's stature in the nation's soul.
Question 6: Share your thoughts on the significance of the title of the essay. What makes the author's choice of title noteworthy?
The title “Ai đã đặt tên cho dòng sông?” carries not only a literal meaning but also deeper symbolic meanings:
- Literal meaning: It raises a question about the origin of the name “Huong River” – the fragrant river closely associated with Hue.
- Symbolic meaning: The question doesn't just seek the namer but reflects a contemplation on the value and significance of the river in the history, culture, and spirit of the Hue people.
The Huong River has various characteristics: fierce upstream, gentle in the plains, contemplative amid the Hue citadel. The author seeks to explore the hidden beauty and soul of the river.
- Unique title choice: The use of a rhetorical question stimulates curiosity and prompts the reader to reflect. It does not provide a direct answer, allowing the reader to feel the river's beauty and value through each page.
→ This title choice shows profound artistic thinking, suggestive and richly lyrical, very appropriate for an essay genre.
Question 7: Analyze some artistic elements that you find striking in the excerpt "Ai đã đặt tên cho dòng sông?"
Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong's essay contains many striking artistic elements that contribute to its appeal and emotional depth:
- Use of the essay genre rich in lyricism: It combines scientific information with subjective emotions, creating a style that is both profound and soaring.
- Language rich in imagery and melody: The sentences have musicality, soft and flowing rhythm like the very flow of the Huong River.
Example: “From that point, as if having found the right path, the Huong River becomes exceedingly cheerful among the verdant plains of Kim Long…”
- Unique personification and comparison techniques: The Huong River is depicted as a person with soul, personality, and thoughts.
Example: “The Huong River is like an artist playing the lute late at night.”
- Use of rich, unique associations: Comparing the Huong River with the Seine (Paris), Danube (Budapest), and Neva (Leningrad) to highlight its unique beauty.
Example: “Facing the city at Gia Vien Islet, the Huong River softly bends a gentle curve to Hen Islet; that arc makes the river soft, like an unsaid ‘yes’ of love.”
- Utilization of cultural, historical, and artistic knowledge: The author draws upon knowledge of geography, history, literature, and philosophy to analyze the Huong River.
Example: “In Nguyen Trai's geographical records, it was named Linh Giang, the distant river that fiercely defended the southern border of the Dai Viet Kingdom during the medieval centuries.”
→ Overall, the artistry of the excerpt is a harmonious blend of intellect and lyricism, between objective materials and subjective emotions, creating an image of the Huong River that is both real and dreamlike, both poetic and musical.
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