My name is Yoon. I came here from Korea, a country far away.
It was not long after we settled in that my father called me to his side.
“Soon you will go to your new school. You must learn to print your name in English,” he said. “Here. This is how it looks.”
YOON
I wrinkled my nose. I did not like YOON. Lines. Circles. Each standing alone.
YOON
I wrinkled my nose. I did not like YOON. Lines. Circles. Each standing alone.
“My name looks happy in Korean,” I said. “The symbols dance together. And in Korean my name means Shining Wisdom. I like the Korean way better.”
“Well, you must learn to write it this way. Remember, even when you write in English, it still means Shining Wisdom.”
“Well, you must learn to write it this way. Remember, even when you write in English, it still means Shining Wisdom.”
I did not want to learn the new way. I wanted to go back home to Korea. I did not like America. Everything was different here. But my father handed me a pencil, and his eyes said Do-as-I-say. He showed me how to print every letter in the English alphabet. So I practiced, and my father was very pleased.
“Look,” he called to my mother. “See how well our little Yoon does!”
“Yes,” she said. “She will be a wonderful student!”
I wrinkled my nose.
“Yes,” she said. “She will be a wonderful student!”
I wrinkled my nose.
Comprehension Questions
1. What does Yoon's name mean in Korean?
A. Shining Star
B. Shining Wisdom
C. Shining Sky
2. Why does Yoon like her name in Korean, more than English?
A. The symbols look happy, dancing together
B. The symbols are more creative
C. The symbols look as though they're laughing
A. The symbols look happy, dancing together
B. The symbols are more creative
C. The symbols look as though they're laughing
Your Thoughts
3. Did you like this excerpt? Why or why not?
Vocabulary
4. List any vocabulary words below.