  We introduce an extension of the standard inflationary paradigm on which the
big bang singularity is replaced by an anisotropic bounce. Unlike in the big
bang model, cosmological perturbations find an adiabatic regime in the past. We
show that this scenario accounts for the observed quadrupolar modulation in the
temperature anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), and we make
predictions for the remaining angular correlation functions E-E, B-B and T-E,
together with non-zero temperature-polarization correlations T-B and E-B, that
can be used to test our ideas. We base our calculations on the bounce predicted
by loop quantum cosmology, but our techniques and conclusions apply to other
bouncing models as well.
