Pastime

'Pastime' is broken up into two words - 'past' and 'time'. It is interesting that the story narrated by Tai Poh might be an experience from his past and Mr Lee suggests a possible scenario which might take place in the future. Both stories are related to time as they contrast with each other with regards to the time zone their stories are located in. Correspondingly, both characters are seated on the moving MRT travelling towards the same and yet different directions, physically and mentally.

Worksheet 1 consists of discussion questions after students attempt an activity where they play a game of conjuring 2 facts and 1 lie about themselves, and peers would have to guess which of their 3 statements was a lie. Click here.

Worksheet 2 leads a discussion on the credibility of Tai Poh and Mr Lee's stories and clues which hint that the narrators could be the characters within their own stories. Click here.

Worksheet 3 consists of a discussion on the literary technique of inserting a story-within-a-story, the contrasts between the two stories and the significance of the recurrent flashes of passing images. Click here.