Lesson 13Lesson 13After Twenty YearsAfter Twenty Years
1.1. TextText2.2. Information Related to the TextInformation Related to the Text
3.3. ExerciseExercise4.4. Questions about the TextQuestions about the Text
Distant Education College of Jilin UniversityDistant Education College of Jilin University
Extensive Reading IIExtensive Reading II
13. After Twenty Years13. After Twenty Years O. Henry O. Henry
As young men, Bob and Jimmy parted at âBig Joeâ Bradyâs restaurant door and promised to meet each other after twenty years. Did they fulfill the appointment? What had happened during the twenty year?
The policeman on the beat moved up the avenue impressively. The impressiveness was normal and not for show, for spectators were few. The time was hardly ten oâclock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had almost emptied the streets.
Trying doors as he went, swinging his club with many clever movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eye down the peaceful street, the officer, with his strongly-built form and slight air of superiority, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace. The area was one that kept early hours. Now and then you might see the lights of a cigar store or of an all-night lunch counter; but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long since been closed.
When about midway of a certain block, the policeman suddenly slowed his walk. In the doorway of a darkened hardware store a man leaned, with an unlighted cigar in his mouth. As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke quickly.
âItâs all right, officer,â he said, confidently. âIâm just waiting for a friend. Itâs an appointment made twenty years ago. Sounds a little funny to you, doesnât it? Well, Iâll explain if youâd like to make certain itâs all straight. About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands â âBig Joeâ Bradyâs restaurantâ.
âUntil five years ago,â said the policeman. âIt was torn down then.â The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar. The light showed a pale, square-jawed face with keen eyes, and a little white mark near his right eyebrow. His tiepin was a large diamond, oddly set.
âTwenty years ago tonight,â said the man, âI dined here at âBig Joeâ Bradyâs with Jimmy Wells, my best friend, and the finest man in the world. He and I were brought up here in New York, just like two brothers, together. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. You couldnât have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth. Well, we agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come. We thought that in twenty years each of us ought to have our fate worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to be.â
âIt sounds pretty interesting,â said the policeman. âRather a long time between meetings, though, it seems to me. Havenât you heard from your friend since you left?â
âWell, yes, for a time we wrote,â said the other. âBut after a year or two we lost track of each other. You see, the West is a pretty big place, and I kept running around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if heâs alive, for he always was the truest, best old friend in the world. Heâll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door tonight, and itâs worth it if my old friend turns up.â
The waiting man pulled out a handsome watch, the lids of it set with small diamonds.
âThree minutes to ten,â he announced. âIt was exactly ten oâclock when we parted here at the restaurant door.â
âDid pretty well out West, didnât you?â asked the policeman. âYouâre right! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a kind of slo
w man, though, good fellow as he was. Iâve had to compete with some of the sharpest brains going to get my money. A man gets stuck in New York. It takes the West to make a man really keen.â
The policeman swung his stick and took a step or two.âIâll be on my way. Hope your friend comes around all right. Are you
going to leave immediately?ââI should say not!â said the other. âIâll give him half an hour at least. I
f Jimmy is alive on earth heâll be here by that time. Good-bye, officer.ââGood night, sir,â said the policeman, passing on along his beat, tryin
g doors as he went.There was now a fine, cold rain falling, and the wind had risen to a ste
ady blow. The few foot passengers in that quarter hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands. And in the door of the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, uncertain almost to foolishness, with the friend of his youth, smoked his cigar and waited.
About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears, hurried across from the opposite side of the street. He went directly to the waiting man.
âIs that you, Bob?â he asked, doubtfully.âIs that you, Jimmy Wells?â cried the man in the door.âBless my heart!â exclaimed the new arrival, grasping both of the othe
râs hands with his own. âItâs Bob, sure as fate. I was certain Iâd find you here if you were still in existence. Well, well, well! â twenty years is a long time. The old restaurantâs gone, Bob; I wish it had lasted, so we could have had another dinner there. How has the West treated you, old man?â
âFine; it has given me everything I asked it for. Youâve changed lots, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches.â
âOh, I grew a bit after I was twenty.ââDoing well in New York, Jimmy?â
âModerately. I have a position in one of the city departments. Come on, Bob; weâll go around to a place I know of and have a good long talk about old times.â
The two men started up the street, arm in arm. The man from the West, full of pride at his success, was beginning to outline the history of his career. The other, hidden in his overcoat, listened with interest.
At the corner stood a chemistâs, brilliant with electric lights. When they came into this brightness each of them turned simultaneously to gaze upon the otherâs face.
The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm.âYouâre not Jimmy Wells,â he said sharply. âTwenty years is a long ti
me, but not long enough to change a manâs nose from long to short.â
âIt sometimes changes a good man into a bad one,â said the tall man. âYouâve been under arrest for ten minutes, âSilkyâ Bob. Chicago thinks you may have come over our way and telegraphs us she wants to have a talk with you. Going quietly, are you? Thatâs sensible. Now, before we go to the station hereâs a note I was asked to hand to you. You may read it here at the window. Itâs from policeman Wells.â
The man from the West unfolded the little piece of paper handed to him. His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was rather short.
Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the man wanted by the police in Chicago. Somehow I couldnât do it myself, so I went around and got a plainclothes man to do the job.
Jimmy From The Moth and Other stories, ed., Barry Taylor, Longman, 1962.
Approximately 1,300 words. Return
part
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v. (cause somebody to) go away or separate from somebody ďźä˝żćäşşďźçŚťĺźćä¸ćäşşĺ猝 eg. They exchanged a kiss before parting. äťäťŹç¸äşäş˛ĺťďźçśĺĺ猝ă
foot passenger
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a person who passes by čżčˇŻčĄäşş eg. He said that a foot passenger saw the accident. äťčŻ´ä¸ĺčżčˇŻčĄäşşçŽçšäşéŁĺşäşć ă
(be) set with
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(something esp. a precious stone) firmly into (a surface or an object) éśĺľć eg. Her bracelet was set with emeralds. 弚çćéŻä¸éśççťżĺŽçłă
watchful
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adj. watching or observing closely; alert ćé˛çďźçĺżç eg. Letâs remain watchful for any sign of enemy activity. ć䝏čŚéćśćé˛ćäşşçä¸ä¸žä¸ĺ¨ă
now and then
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at times; occasionally ĺśĺ°ďźććśeg. I donât think about my friend Mary very much, only every now and then.ćĺšśä¸ĺĺćłćçćĺç丽ďźĺŞćŻĺśĺ°ćłćłă
fulfill
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v. perform (something) or bring (something) to completion 幼čĄďźćäşďźďźä˝ż ( ćäş ) ĺŽç° eg. I will fulfill my promise to the letter. ćäźä¸ćä¸ćŁĺ°ĺąĽčĄčŞĺˇąç诺č¨ă
impressively
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adv. having a strong effect on somebody, esp. through size, grandeur, or importance äşäťĽćˇąĺťĺ°čąĄĺ°ďźĺ¨ä¸Ľĺ° eg. Tom told us his adventure impressively. 湤ĺ§ĺć䝏莲述äşäťçĺéŠçťĺďźçťć䝏çä¸äşćˇąĺťçĺ°čąĄă
spectator
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n. person who watches (esp. a show or game) č§äźďźćč§č eg. The big match attracted about 10,000 spectators. 大ćŻčľĺ¸ĺźäşĺ¤§çşŚä¸ä¸ĺč§äźă
chilly
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adj. rather cold; unpleasantly cold é˘ä¸şĺŻĺˇçeg. It is really a chilly day. äťĺ¤ŠĺŻçĺˇĺă
club n. heavy stick with one end thicker than the other, used as a weapon ( ä¸çŤŻç˛ä¸ 獯çťçć˛éç ) ćŁćŁďźĺŻç¨ä˝ćŚĺ¨ďź eg. He beat a mad dog to death with a club. äťç¨ćŁĺććťä¸ćĄçŻçănow and then: at times; occasionally ĺśĺ°ďźććśeg. I donât think about my friend Mary very much, only every now and then.ćĺšśä¸ĺĺćłćçćĺç丽ďźĺŞćŻĺśĺ°ćłćłă
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cast
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v. turn or send ďź something ďź in a particular direction ćĺ°ďźĺ ăč§çşżçďźeg. Tom cast a furtive glance at her. 湤ĺ§ĺˇĺˇçĽäşĺĽšä¸çźăwatchful adj. watching or observing closely; alert ćé˛çďźçĺżç eg. Letâs remain watchful for any sign of enemy activity. ć䝏čŚéćśćé˛ćäşşçä¸ä¸žä¸ĺ¨ă
superiority
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n. state of being superior äźčśďźć§ďź eg. The superiority of your facilities to ours is obvious. ä¸ć䝏ç¸ćŻä˝ 䝏莞ĺ¤çäźčść§ćŻĺžććžçă
majority
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n. the greater number or part; most ĺ¤ć°ďźĺ¤§ĺeg. The majority of people seem to prefer TV to radio. 大é¨ĺäşşäźźäšĺ揢ççľč§čä¸ĺ揢ĺŹćśéłćşă
belong to
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be the property of; be connected with ĺąäşeg. That coat must belong to Uncle Tom. éŁäťśĺ¤ĺĽä¸ĺŽĺąäşćą¤ĺ§ĺĺă
block
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n. the distance along one of the sides of a building or group of buildings built between 2 streets čĄĺş eg. The People Cinema is four blocks from here. äşşć°çľĺ˝ąé˘čˇçŚťć¤ĺ¤ćĺćĄčĄĺşă
hardware
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n. metal tools and household implements éĺąĺ¨ĺ ˇeg. Mr. Smith is the owner of a hardware store. ĺ˛ĺŻćŻĺ çćŻä¸ĺŽśäşéĺşçčćżă make certain: enquire and make sure ĺźć¸ ćĽďźçĄŽĺŽeg. We went to the cinema early and made certain we all got seats. ć䝏ćĺĺ°čžžçľĺ˝ąé˘ďźäťĽäżčŻĺ¤§ĺŽśé˝ć座ä˝ă
tear down
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pull down; destroy ćé¤ďźććŻeg. The big building is being torn down to make room for the new school. 为äşĺťşçŤć°ĺŚć ĄďźéŁĺş§éŤĺ¤§çĺťşçćŁĺ¨č˘Ťćé¤ă
keen
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adj. (of the mind, the feelings, the 5 senses, etc.) good, strong, quick at understanding, deeply felt, etc. ćéç eg. Dogs have a keen sense of smell. ççĺ č§ĺžçľćă
tiepin
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n. ornamental pin for holding a tie together or in place é˘ĺ¸ŚĺŤéeg. The tiepin doesnât match your tie. éŁä¸ŞĺŤéä¸ä˝ çé˘ĺ¸Śä¸é ă
oddly
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adv. in a strange or peculiar manner ĺ¤ćŞĺ°eg. Mary is behaving rather oddly this evening. ç丽äťĺ¤Šćä¸çčĄä¸şçĺ¤ćŞă
bring up
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educate and care for ( a child ) until grown-up ĺ ťč˛ďźćč˛eg. She brought up five children. ĺĽšĺ ťč˛äşäşä¸ŞĺŠĺă
drag
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v. pull somebody or something along with effort and difficulty ćďźćeg. We dragged the fallen tree clear of the road. ć䝏ćĺä¸çć äťčˇŻä¸ćčľ°ă
work out
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devise; to plan 莞莥ĺşďźĺśĺŽĺş eg. Scientists may work out a new interpretation of that phenomenon.ç§ĺŚĺŽśäťŹĺŻč˝äźĺŻšéŁä¸Şç°čąĄä˝ĺşć°ç解éă
lose track of
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fail to keep oneself informed ä¸ćĺžâŚâŚçć ĺľďźĺ¤ąĺťčçłť eg. I lose all track of time when I read this book. ĺ˝ć话čżćŹäšŚćśĺ°ąä¸çĽéćśé´äşă
turn up
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come to notice; become visible ĺşç° eg. His name is often turning up in the newspaper. äťçĺĺçťĺ¸¸ĺşç°ĺ¨ćĽçş¸ä¸ă
lid
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n. hinged or removable cover for a box, pot, etc. çĺ eg. Donât touch the lid of the kettle, since itâs very hot. ĺŤç˘°éŁä¸ŞĺŁśçďźĺ 为ĺŽĺžçă (be) set with: (something esp. a precious stone) firmly into (a surface or an object) éśĺľć eg. Her bracelet was set with emeralds. 弚çćéŻä¸éśççťżĺŽçłă
compete
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v. try to win something by defeating others who are trying to do the same ćŻčľďźçŤäş eg.  have to compete with four other persons for the money. ćä¸ĺžä¸ä¸şäşéąĺĺ śäťĺ个人çŤäşă
come around
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ďź come round: arrive; recur ĺ庌é临ďźéĄşäžżćĽčŽż eg. Christmas seems to come round quicker every year. ĺŁčŻčäźźäšä¸ĺš´ćŻä¸ĺš´ćĽĺžĺżŤăfoot passenger: a person who passes by čżčˇŻčĄäşş eg. He said that a foot passenger saw the accident. äťčŻ´ä¸ĺčżčˇŻčĄäşşçŽçšäşéŁĺşäşć ă
dismally
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adv. causing or showing sadness; gloomily ć˛ĺĺ°ďźĺż§éĺ° eg. Our team played the game dismally. ć䝏éĺ¨čżĺşćŻčľä¸ćĺžĺžć˛éˇă
grasp
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v. seize firmly with hands, fingers, teeth, etc. 紧紧ćä˝ďźćĄä˝ eg. He grasped her firmly by the arm. äťç´§ç´§ĺ°ćä˝ĺĽšçčłčă
moderately
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adv. to a moderate extent; not very ä¸čŹĺ°ďźć¸Šĺĺ° eg. She only did moderately well in the exam. 弚ččŻć睊ĺ°ĺŻă
outline
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v. give a short general description of something ćŚčż° eg. We outlined our main objections to the proposal. ć䝏ćźčŚĺ°čŻ´ćäşĺ寚诼坺莎çćč§ă
chemistâs
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n. where esp. medicines are sold čŻĺş eg. There is a chemistâs at the end of the road. čĄč§ĺ¤ćä¸ĺŽśčŻĺşă
brilliant
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adj. very bright, sparkling ĺ čžçďźĺčśç eg. Thatâs really a brilliant diamond. éŁĺŻçćŻä¸é˘čçźçĺŽçłă
simultaneously
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adj. happening or done at the same time ĺćś eg. I will interpret for you simultaneously. ćäźä¸şä˝ ä˝ĺ声翝čŻă
release
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v. allow to go; set free or liberate ćžčľ°ďźĺ é¤ eg. Every animal in the zoo had been released from its cage. ĺ¨çŠĺçćŻĺŞĺ¨çŠé˝äťçŹźĺä¸ćžäşĺşćĽă
sensible
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adj. having or showing good sense; reasonableććşçďźćäşçç eg. It is very sensible of you to wear a thick coat. ä˝ çŠżä¸ĺ襣ćĺŻçććşă
appoint
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v. fix or decide on something 續ĺŽďźćĺŽ eg. Letâs appoint a day to have dinner together. 莊ć䝏續ĺŽä¸ä¸ŞćĽĺä¸čľˇĺéĽă
The policeman on the beat moved up the avenue impressively. 塥éťçčŚĺŻĺ¨ä¸Ľĺ°ć˛żç大čĄčľ°çă The policeman on the beat: The policeman on duty, i.e., walking around, or patrolling, the particular area for which he or she is responsible.â ćŁĺ¨ĺˇĄéťçčŚĺŻâďź beat ĺ¨ć¤ĺ¤ä¸şĺčŻďźć为âčŚĺŻĺˇĄéťčˇŻçşżďźĺ¸¸čľ°çĺ°ćŽľâă
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The time was hardly ten oâclock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had almost emptied the streets. čżä¸ĺ°ćä¸ 10çšéďź ĺŻćŻä¸éľéľçĺéŁĺ¤šćçččçťé¨ĺˇ˛ä˝żčĄä¸çŠşć ä¸äşşăčżćŻä¸ä¸ŞĺšśĺĺĺĽďźçŹŹäşä¸ŞĺĺĽç丝čŻćŻ chilly gusts of wind ďź č°čŻćŻ had emptied ă empty ĺ¨ć¤ĺ¤ćŻĺ¨čŻďźć为âĺ犺ďźç¨çŠşâă
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The area was one that kept early hours. Most shops in this area closed early in the evening. čżä¸Şĺ°ćšçĺşéşĺ łé¨ĺžćŠă one䝣襨 areačżä¸ŞčŻďź that ĺźĺŻźĺŽčŻäťĺĽäżŽéĽ° one ă
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Well, Iâll explain if youâd like to make certain itâs all straight. 弽ĺ§ďźĺŚćä˝ çćłĺźć¸ ććŻä¸ćŻčŻ´äşĺŽčŻďźčŻˇĺŹćä¸ä¸čŻ´ćĽă straight ĺ¨ć¤ĺ¤ć为âĺŚç˝çďźčŻĺŽçâă
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The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. 珏äşĺ¤ŠćŠć¨ććŁĺĺ¤ĺ¨čşŤĺ°čĽżé¨ĺťĺč´˘ă start for ć为âĺŻç¨ďźĺ¨čşŤâďź make oneâs fortuneć为âčľéąďźĺč´˘âă
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You see, the West is a pretty big place, and I kept running around over it pretty lively. ä˝ çĽéďźčĽżé¨ćŻä¸Şĺ¤§ĺ°ćšďźčćĺä¸ĺĽčĽżčˇďźćźćłä¸ĺŽă keep running around: keep moving from one place to another ä¸ćĺ°ä¸ĺĽčĽżčˇă pretty ć¤ĺ¤ç¨ä˝ĺŻčŻďźć为âç¸ĺ˝ĺ°ďźé˘âă
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He was a kind of slow man, though, good fellow as he was. äťč˝çśćŻä¸ŞĺĽ˝ĺ°ĺďźä˝ćäşčżéă as 襨示âĺłä˝żďźč˝çśâäšćďźĺ¸¸éç¨ĺčŁ çťćă thoughĺ¨ć¤ĺ¤ä¸şĺŻčŻďźčĄ¨ç¤şč˝Źćă
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Iâve had to compete with some of the sharpest brains going to get my money. 为äşčľéąďźćä¸ĺžä¸čˇć粞ć基嚲çäşşčžéă the sharpest brains: the most quick-witted men ć粞ć基嚲çäşşă
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A man gets stuck in New York. It takes the West to make a man really keen.A man becomes dull and slow-witted in New York, but the West makes a man a sharp competitor. äşşčŚćŻĺž ĺ¨çş˝çşŚĺ°ąć˛ĄĺşćŻďźčżćŻčĽżé¨č˝éťçźĺşç˛žćçäşşćĽă
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And in the door of the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, uncertain almost to foolishness, with the friend of his youth, smoked his cigar and waited. éŁä¸Şä¸čżĺéćĽčľ´çşŚçäşşçŤĺ¨äşéĺşé¨ĺŁďźçä¸çĽééĺš´ćśäťŁçćĺćŻĺŚäźćĽďźäťć˝ççďźçĺž çďźčŤć 头睪ă uncertain almost to foolishness: not certain whether his friend would turn up or not. So he felt it was almost foolish to just stand there waiting.
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Itâs Bob, sure as fate. ćŻé˛ĺďźĺçä¸çĄŽă Sure as fate: There is no doubt about it.
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True or false Questions
1.Policeman Wells was on the beat in the street, where he met an old friend of his by chance.2.Bob came to New York to fulfill an appointment made twenty years ago with Jimmy Wells.3.Twenty years in the West changed Bob from an innocent young man to a criminal.4.When policeman Wells recognized Bob as the man wanted by the police he walked away without saying a word to him.5.Bob did not know the policeman was the man he had been waiting for until he read the note.
Answer
Answers for True or False Questions
1.Policeman Wells was on the beat in the street, where he met an old friend of his by chance. F2.Bob came to New York to fulfill an appointment made twenty years ago with Jimmy Wells. T3.Twenty years in the West changed Bob from an innocent young man to a criminal. T4.When policeman Wells recognized Bob as the man wanted by the police he walked away without saying a word to him. F5.Bob did not know the policeman was the man he had been waiting for until he read the note. T
True or false Questions
6.Jimmy asked a plainclothes man to arrest Bob. After all Bob was once his good friend and he could not bring himself to arrest him.7.When the policeman walked up to the waiting man, the latter thought that the policeman just wanted to chat with him.8.Bob didnât realize that the policeman was his expected friend.9.Once he was certain that Bob was the man wanted by the police, Jimmy went away and sent another man to arrest him.10.With his keen eyes, Bob immediately discovered that the second man was not Jimmy Wells.
Answer
Answers for True or False Questions
6.Jimmy asked a plainclothes man to arrest Bob. After all Bob was once his good friend and he could not bring himself to arrest him. T7.When the policeman walked up to the waiting man, the latter thought that the policeman just wanted to chat with him. F8.Bob didnât realize that the policeman was his expected friend. T9.Once he was certain that Bob was the man wanted by the police, Jimmy went away and sent another man to arrest him. T10.With his keen eyes, Bob immediately discovered that the second man was not Jimmy Wells. F
True or false Questions
11.Bob was frightened when he heard that he was arrested by the police.12.Bobâs hands trembled a little when he finished reading the note because he realized he had already met Jimmy but had not recognized him.
Answer
Answers for True or False Questions
11.Bob was frightened when he heard that he was arrested by the police. F12.Bobâs hands trembled a little when he finished reading the note because he realized he had already met Jimmy but had not recognized him. T
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Multiple Choice Questions
1.When the story began the policeman ______.A. was expecting to make an arrestB. was looking for the wanted manC. was on his usual beatD. was on his way home2.When the two men parted twenty years before, they promised
______.A. to be faithful to each otherB. to keep in touch with each otherC. to remember each otherD. to be at the appointed place on time
Answer
Multiple Choice Questions
1.When the story began the policeman C .A. was expecting to make an arrestB. was looking for the wanted manC. was on his usual beatD. was on his way home2.When the two men parted twenty years before, they promised D .A. to be faithful to each otherB. to keep in touch with each otherC. to remember each otherD. to be at the appointed place on time
Multiple Choice Questions
3.Which of the following statements best describes policeman Wells?A. He was a guardian of the peace.B. He was a true friendC. He was a man who kept his word.D. Though he was faithful to his friend, he was also aware of his duty as a policeman.4.Twenty years in the West .A. did not change Bobâs appearanceB. changed Bob from an innocent young man to a criminalC. made Bob forget his friendâs appearanceD. made Bob a cold hearted man
Answer
Multiple Choice Questions
3.Which of the following statements best describes policeman Wells? DA. He was a guardian of the peace.B. He was a true friendC. He was a man who kept his word.D. Though he was faithful to his friend, he was also aware of his duty as a policeman.4.Twenty years in the West B . A. did not change Bobâs appearanceB. changed Bob from an innocent young man to a criminalC. made Bob forget his friendâs appearanceD. made Bob a cold hearted man
Multiple Choice Questions
5.Jimmy wrote a note to Bob in order to ______.A. make Bob feel sorry for his crimeB. explain that he could do nothing but arrest himC. let Bob know his fateD. tell Bob why he couldnât arrest him by himself6.Which of the following statement is false? A. The two men took different roads after they parted.B. Bob was boastful of his success in the West.C. All the time Bob was watchful. He knew he was pursued by th
e police.D. Policeman Wells did not expect that Bob was the man wanted
by the police in Chicago.
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Multiple Choice Questions
5.Jimmy wrote a note to Bob in order to D .A. make Bob feel sorry for his crimeB. explain that he could do nothing but arrest himC. let Bob know his fateD. tell Bob why he couldnât arrest him by himself6.Which of the following statement is false? CA. The two men took different roads after they parted.B. Bob was boastful of his success in the West.C. All the time Bob was watchful. He knew he was pursued by th
e police.D. Policeman Wells did not expect that Bob was the man wanted
by the police in Chicago.
Multiple Choice Questions
7.What can we infer about Bob and Jimmy from the story?A. They both changed completelyB. Jimmy was more successful in life than Bob.C. Their feelings towards each other remained unchanged.D. Jimmy was a dishonest man.
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Multiple Choice Questions
7.What can we infer about Bob and Jimmy from the story? CA. They both changed completelyB. Jimmy was more successful in life than Bob.C. Their feelings towards each other remained unchanged.D. Jimmy was a dishonest man.
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1. Why did Bob journey thousands of miles to New York?
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1. Because Bob wanted to fill an appointment which was made twenty years ago with his best friend Jimmy.
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2. What do you think the author wanted to tell us in the story? For you, what is more important, friendship or duty? Explain your answer.
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2. The author wants to tell us duty is more important than friendship in the story. For me, I consider friendship to be one of the most important things in life â whatever your status. A good friendship is one where you accept and forgive faults, understand moods and donât feel hurt if a friend doesnât feel like seeing you. Although we always say âa friend in need is a friend indeedâ, honesty is an essential part of any relationship, so when our friends have done something wrong, itâs our duty to correct them, help them honestly.
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1. O. Henry (1862 1. O. Henry (1862 ââ 1910): O. Henry was the pen name of Wil 1910): O. Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter. He was born in North Carolina and spent liam Sydney Porter. He was born in North Carolina and spent his early life there and in Texas, working as a ranch hand and lhis early life there and in Texas, working as a ranch hand and later as a bank clerk. In his thirties he became a newspapermaater as a bank clerk. In his thirties he became a newspaperman and began writing short stories. In nearly all of his works of n and began writing short stories. In nearly all of his works of fiction O. Henry showed his unusual cleverness at inventing plfiction O. Henry showed his unusual cleverness at inventing plots which build up to sharp, unexpected endings as in âAfter Tots which build up to sharp, unexpected endings as in âAfter Twenty Yearsâ. His short-story collections include wenty Yearsâ. His short-story collections include Cabbages and Cabbages and KingsKings, the , the Trimmed LampTrimmed Lamp, , Roads of DestinyRoads of Destiny, and , and sixes and Sevesixes and Sevensns. O. Henry described in most of his short stories amusing inc. O. Henry described in most of his short stories amusing incidents of everyday life. Though he criticized the evils of capitaliidents of everyday life. Though he criticized the evils of capitalist society, he rarely went into the root cause of things. His last st society, he rarely went into the root cause of things. His last years were damaged by an unhappy second marriage, financiayears were damaged by an unhappy second marriage, financial difficulties and alcoholism.l difficulties and alcoholism.
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2. After Twenty Years illustrates how different two men can become. Twenty years before, Jimmy was satisfied with what life offered him, while Bob, though innocent, was somewhat ambitious, but this did not present an obstacle to their good relations. After they parted, the two men took different roads: one became a supporter of the law and the other a violator of the law. One was respected by people, the other feared and despised.
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Exercises
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1.True or false Questions
2.Multiple Choice Questions
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O. Henry
William S. Porter"O. Henry" (1862-1910)
O.Henry
Born William Sidney Porter, this master of short stories is much better known under his pen name "O. Henry." He was born September 11, 1862 in North Carolina, where he spent his childhood. His only formal education was received at the school of his Aunt Lina, where he developed a lifelong love of books. In his uncle's pharmacy, he became a licensed pharmacist and was also known for his sketches and cartoons of the townspeople of Greensboro. At the age of twenty, Porter came to Texas primarily for health reasons, and worked on a sheep ranch and lived with the family of Richard M. Hall, whose family had close ties with the Porter family back in North Carolina. It was here that Porter gained a knowledge for ranch life that he later described in many of his short stories. In 1884, Porter moved to Austin. For the next three years, where he roomed in the home of the Joseph Harrell family and held several jobs. It was during this time that Porter first used his pen name, O. Henry, said to be derived from his frequent calling of "Oh, 'Henry'" the family cat. By 1887, Porter began working as a draftsman in the General Land Office, then headed by his old family friend, Richard Hall. In 1891 at the end of Hall's term at the Land Office, Porter resigned and became a teller with the First National Bank in Austin. After a few years, however, he left the bank and founded the Rolling Stone, an unsuccessful humor weekly. Starting in 1895 he wrote a column for the Houston Daily Post. more
O.Henry
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Meanwhile, Porter was accused of embezzling funds dating back to his employment at the First National Bank. Leaving his wife and young daughter in Austin, Porter fled to New Orleans, then to Honduras, but soon returned due to his wife's deteriorating health. She died soon afterward, and in early 1898 Porter was found guilty of the banking charges and sentenced to five years in an Ohio prison. From this low point in Porter's life, he began a remarkable comeback. Three years and about a dozen short stories later, he emerged from prison as "O. Henry" to help shield his true identity. He moved to New York City, where over the next ten years before his death in 1910, he published over 300 stories and gained worldwide acclaim as America's favorite short story writer. O. Henry wrote with realistic detail based on his first hand experiences both in Texas and in New York City. In 1907, he published many of his Texas stories in The Heart of the West, a volume that includes "The Reformation of Calliope," "The Caballero's Way," and "The Hiding of Black Bill." Another highly acclaimed Texas writer, J. Frank Dobie, later referred to O. Henry's "Last of the Troubadours" as "the best range story in American fiction." Porter died on June 5, 1910 in New York City at the age of forty seven. An alcoholic, he died virtually penniless.
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