冘 Pre-reading
Have a look at the title. Ask the students to make guesses about the title. What is the story probably about?
冘 Skim
Read Part One and find the answer to this question.
What is the story about? (It is about a girl who wants to surprise her husband with a beautiful Christmas present.)
What is the girlˇs name? Who is her husband?
冘 Careful reading
Is it easy for her to put it into practice? (No.) Why? So letˇs read the story in detail.
Q1: How much money did Della have? Did it come easily for her? How did she get it?
Q2: Why did she weep after counting it?
Q3: What were Jimˇs wages? Was it high or low? How much was the rent of the flat every week?
Beginning They were poor. (in poverty, badly off, hard up for money)
Q4:Poor as they were, they had too possessions in which they both took great pride in. What were they?
Q5: What idea did Della come up with to fulfil her wish?
Q6: What was Dellaˇs hair like?
Q7: Was she happy at such an idea? (Find sentences which indicates Dellaˇs thoughts)
Q8: Did she make up her mind at length? At what cost did she sell her hair?
Q9: What present did she buy for Jim? How much did it take from her?
Development Della loved Jim deeply. She would like to sacrifice anything she had to love him.
Q10: What did she think of Jimˇs reaction?
Q11: Was Della eager to see Jim? Yet hearing Jimˇs step on the stairs, what was Dellaˇs feeling?
Q12: Was Jim angry at the sight of Della?
climax
Q13: Would Jim not love Della because she had her hair cut?
Q14: Why did he have such a strange expression?
Q15: What was Dellaˇs reaction to the gift? Why?
Q16: Was Jim happy at Dellaˇs gift? Why?
A surprising ending
冘 Discussion
What do you think of the surprising ending? Is it a sad one? A humorous one?
I would like to say it is ending that leaves you a lasting impression.
冘 Sentences to appreciate
1. In the hall below was a mailbox into which no letters would go.
2. Kand she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a present.
3. Many hours had she spent, planning for something nice for him Something fine and rare---K
4. Down flowed the brown cascade.
5. There was no other like it in any of the stores, and she had turned all of them inside out.
6. Twenty-one dollars they took from her for it.
7. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor a look showing that he did not approve, nor horror, nor any of the feelings that she had been prepared for.
8. I donˇt think anything in the way of a haircut or a shampoo that could make me love my girl any less.
9. Instead of obeying, Jim threw himself down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled
10. They are too nice to use just at present.
冘 Language points
1. at a time
2. bear
3. attend to
4. worthy of
5. take pride in
6. do up
7. a tear or two
8. ..that read
9. be burned with
10. make a mistake about
11. hug sth to K
12. throw oneself down
13. forget about
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