The Girl of Ha Long Bay
The Girl of Ha Long Bay
Mai lived in a floating village nestled in the heart of Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. Instead of streets, her home was surrounded by shimmering turquoise water. Houses bobbed gently, tethered to the seabed, creating a unique community where boats were as common as cars in a city.
Life on the Water
Mai’s days began with the soft lapping of water against her family's wooden house. Her father, a fisherman, would leave before sunrise, his small boat disappearing into the mist that often shrouded the limestone karsts jutting out of the bay. Her mother tended to their floating garden, a small patch of green where they grew vegetables and herbs.
Mai attended the floating school, a larger platform that served as a classroom for all the children in the village. The teacher, Mr. Hai, was old and wise, his face etched with the stories of the sea. He taught them math, history, and the importance of respecting the ocean that provided for them.
The Legend of the Dragon
- Karsts:
- Limestone formations with sharp, irregular surfaces.
- Moorings:
- The place where a boat or ship is anchored.
- Relentless:
- Never stopping or giving up; persistent.
- tethered:
- Tied or attached securely to something with a rope or chain.
- shrouded:
- Covered or hidden from view, like being wrapped in thick fog.
- slumbering:
- Sleeping peacefully or deeply.
- subsided:
- Became calmer or less intense, like a storm settling down.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Describe Mai's life in the floating village.
- 2What is the significance of the floating school in Mai's village?
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About this fiction passage for Middle School
“The Girl of Ha Long Bay” is a fiction reading passage about Floating Villages, written for Middle School. It takes about 3 minutes to read (437 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.