Hello students. I’m proud of you for completing years 1 and 2 of our American English course. In order for you to become a strong intermediate American English learner, you need to be able to read, understand, and discuss abridged American English short stories. In this lesson, throughout Year 3 of your studies, you will read, listen to, and write about popular American English short stories. Please follow the directions below closely.
- Study the American English vocabulary below.
Words in this Story
curtain – n. a piece of cloth that hangs down from above a window and can be used to cover the window
whisper – v. to speak very softly or quietly
sigh – v. to take in and let out a long, loud breath in a way that shows you are bored, disappointed, relieved, etc.
sorrow – n. a feeling of sadness or grief caused especially by the loss of someone or something
- Listen to the story.
- Watch the video and read along.
- Take the short story quiz.
- Write a summary of the short story you just read and listened to in the comments section below. Click here to read an article that teaches you how to summarize a story. Remember to let us know who the characters of the story are, what they do, and what the story is about.
Lesson 3.22.2 Year 3
American Short story.
” The Californian Tale” written by Mark Twain.
The story has a few characters, the unnamed narrator is a gold prospector who recounts his experiences thirty-five years prior when he searched for gold in the region near California’s River. Henry is a miner who the narrator meets when he comes across his well-maintained cottage. Hennery is cheerful, friendly and overflowing with love for his wife, who delicately decorated their cozy cottage, over which he is immense pride. Though she never appears in the story but the whole story is about his beautiful wife and presence of her is reflected in the feminine touches that has transformed his cottage into a lovely and inviting place. Tom Charley, and Joe are other miners and old friends of Hennery. Both of them kept alive Henrey’s madness by reading letter of romance, because his wife went to visit her parents after getting married to him and on her return to her town back, some Indians captured her, and she never came back. Tom Charley and Joe played along with Henrey’s delusion that his wife will soon return to spare their friend from further heartbreak, ” Never leave a friend behind.”
In the quiz of this story, I got 100% right.