After%20Twenty%20years%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20O

1
After Twenty years
OHenry

• ? About the Author
• background /works
• ? About the text
• main idea / word study /
  understanding
• ? In-class Discussion
• ? Answers to the Exercises
• ? After class Activities

2
? About the Author

• O.Henry ( 1862-1910 ) was the pen name of
  William Sydney Porter, an American short story
  writer noted for unexpected and often ironic ends
  of his tales. His habitual use of surprise
  endings set a pattern that was later followed by
  many short-story writers. A lot of his stories
  were written in a prison in Ohio while he was
  serving his sentence for embezzlement. He moved
  to New York in 1902 and wrote about 300 short
  stories. His works included The Cop and The
  Anthem. The Gift of the Magi.

3
? About the Text

• main idea
• The theme of this story is a common one loyalty
  to a friend vs. devotion to public duty. Bob and
  Jim had obviously been close friends twenty years
  ago when they were young. Otherwise they would
  not have made this appointment to meet again at
  exactly the same place and the same hour twenty
  years later. We dont know what had happened
  twenty years ago that made them so special to
  each other. But it was clear that Jim was a good
  honest man and always true to his friends and Bob
  admired and trusted him. The drama of the story
  lies in the fact that when they met again twenty
  tears later, they should find themselves on
  opposite sides of the law one was the man wanted
  by the police and the other turned out to be the
  police officer instructed to watch out for the
  runaway criminal. But no matter how much Jim had
  cherished their friendship, he would not let a
  personal relationship stand in the way of
  discharging his duty.

4
? About the Text

• word study
• sharp adj.1) having a fine edge or point
  capable of cutting or piercing not blunt.
  e.g. a sharp
  knife, pin ,needle, etc
• 2) quickly aware of things acute alert.
  
• e.g. sharp eyes, ears, reflexes
• 3) quick brisk vigorous.
• e.g. a sharp struggle, contest, etc
• adv.1)(infml) punctually.
• e.g. Please be here at seven sharp.
• 2)(infml) suddenly abruptly.
• e.g. stopped sharp, turn sharp
  left.
• sharpen sharp -en verb.( cause sth.
  to ) become sharp.
• e.g. sharpen a pencil
• The tone of his letters has
  sharpened ( ie become less friendly ) recently.

5
? About the Text

• word study
• Keen adj. 1) eager enthusiastic. e.g. a keen
  swimmer,
• 2) (of feelings, etc) intense
  strong deep
• e.g. a keen desire, interest, sense
  of loss.
• 3) (of the senses) highly
  developed.
• e.g. Dogs have a keen sense of smell.
• 4) (of the points and cutting
  edges of knives, etc) sharp.
• e.g. a keen blade, edge.
• 5) (of the mind) quick to
  understand.
• e.g. a keen wit, intelligence.

6
? About the Text

• Word study
• air n. 1)?U?mixture of gases surrounding the
  earth and breathed by all land animals and
  plants.
  e.g. Lets go out for some fresh air.
• 2)?C?impression given appearance or
  manner.
• e.g. He had the air of a learned
  professor.
• 3) ?U?the earths atmosphere open space
  in this.
• e.g. the birds of the air.
• be in the open air.
• 4) (idm) airs and graces (derog)
  affected manner intended (usu unsuccessfully) to
  make one appear a very refined person.

7
? About the Text

• Word study
• Figure n. 1) written symbol for a number, esp 0
  to 9.
• e.g. Write the figure 7 for me.
• 2) diagram or illustration.
• e.g. The figure on page 22 shows a political
  map of Africa.
• 3) representation of a person or an
  animal in drawing, painting, etc.
• e.g. The central figure in the painting is the
  artists daughter.
• 4) human form, esp its appearance,
  what it suggests, and how it is seen by others.
• e.g. She is a fine figure of a woman, ie
  pleasing in shape and appearance.

8
? About the Text

• Understanding
• The policeman on the beat moved up the avenue
  impressively.
  beat an area of
  the town or city that a police officer regularly
  walks around his route, which he patrols.
• on the beat checking the area he is assigned to

9
? About the Text

• Understanding
• The impressiveness was normal and for show, for
  spectators were few.
• This policeman was impressive in a natural
  way. He was not trying to look important,
  because it didnt make sensethere were few
  people in the street to see him.
• This description shows that Jim had become
  an excellent police officer.

10
? About the Text

• Understanding
• The time was barely ten oclock, but chilly gusts
  of wind with a taste of rain in them had almost
  emptied in the streets .
• Barely hardly only just
• e.g. She spoke so softly. I could barely
  hear him.
• I can barely make both ends meet. How
  can I buy a car.
• To empty to make sth. empty.
• e.g. He emptied his pockets to show that he
  really had no money on him.

11
? About the Text

• Understanding
• The area was one that kept early hours.
• People in that area closed their stores
  pretty early.

12
? About the Text

• Understanding
• When about midway, the policeman suddenly slowed
  his walk.
• Why?
• Because he saw a man standing in the doorway
  and he became suspicious, or because he was
  excited that it might be the friend he had
  expected to see.

13
? About the Text

• Understanding
• In the doorway of a darkened hardware store a man
  leaned, with an unlighted cigar in his mouth.
• The author was careful about the details
  in the description.
• It had to be a darkened store and Bobs
  cigar had to be unlighted, otherwise Jim would
  see that it was the man wanted by the police in
  Chicago.

14
? About the Text

• Understanding
• Its an appointment made twenty years ago.
• The man was eager to explain to the
  police officer, which reflected the mentality of
  a man wanted by the police.
• It is strange that they did not
  recognize each other. It could be the darkness
  and long separation. It could also be that on
  Jims part, he was cautious.

15
? About the Text

• Understanding
• Sounds a little funny to you, doesnt it?
• More examples of the use of sound as a link
  verb
• e.g. It may sound easy to you. But actually
  it is very difficult.
• The name sounds familiar. I cant
  recall where I heard it.
• It sounds good. OK, lets do it.

16
? About the Text

• Understanding
• The light showed a pale square-jawed face
  with keen eyes, and a little white scar near his
  right eyebrow. His tiepin was a large diamond,
  oddly set.
• The match light showed a face which must
  have fitted the description of the wanted man,
  especially the square jaw and the white scare.
  The mention of the diamond tiepin and the scare
  also suggested what bob had gone through.
• keen eyes sharp eyes eyes of good
  sight
• oddly set the diamond placed in a
  strange or unusual way showing the owners
  lack of taste

17
? About the Text

• Understanding
• The next morning I was to start for the west to
  make my fortune.
• In popular ideas about America, the Wild
  West has always meant the land of opportunities
  and adventure.
• to make ones fortune to make a lot of
  money.

18
? About the Text

• Understanding
• We figured that in twenty years each of us ought
  to have our fate worked out and our fortunes
  made, whatever they were going to be.
• We guessed that by that time we should
  have already decided what to do with our lives,
  or we should have already found our places in
  society.
• to work out to calculate to find out

19
? About the Text

• Understanding
• We lost track of each other.
• to keep track of to pay attention to sb.
  so that you know where they are or what is
  happening to them.
• to lose track of to fail to do that.
• e.g. Have you kept track of the stock market?
• I have lost track of its latest
  development.

20
? About the Text

• Understanding
• If my old partner turns up.
• to turn up to arrive at the place.
• e.g. We waited for a long time, but no taxi
  turned up.
• The police were ordered to arrest him
  as soon as he turned up.

21
? About the Text

• Understanding
• A man gets stuck in New York. It takes the West
  to make a man really keen.
• A man is unable to go very far or to be
  very successful in new York. He cant escape the
  boring life. He has to go the West to become an
  eager and exciting person

22
? About the Text

• Understanding
• The few foot passengers in that quarter
  hurried dismally and silently.
• foot passenger people walking in the
  street.
• Today we use the word pedestrian to
  refer to a person walking in the street, and
  foot passenger usually means a person on a ship
  who has not brought his car.

23
? About the Text

• Understanding
• Bless my heart! exclaimed the new arrival.
• bless my heart( bless my soul) used to
  express surprise. This expression is
  rather old-fashioned.
• the new arrival the man who has newly
  arrived.

24
? About the Text

• Understanding
• Moderately .I have a position in one of the city
  departments.
• moderately so-so not too well, not too
  badly either.
• I have a position I have a job
• In one of the city departments ( I have a
  job) in one of the departments of the city
  government. ( he didnt say directly that he had
  a position in the police department)

25
? About the Text

• Understanding
• The man suddenly released his arm.
• The man suddenly stopped holding his arm.
• Other uses of to release
• He was released from the prison. ( let free )
• The news was released in yesterdays New York
  Times. ( made known )
• She needed to do something to release her
  tension. ( get rid of )
• We could release you from tour duties for two
  days.
  Meanwhile, you take a good rest. ( allow you
  not to do your work)

26
? About the Text

• Understanding
• Chicago telegraphs us she wants to have a chat
  with you.
• Chicago here refers to the Chicago police.
• Wants to have a chat with you is a euphemism
  meaning is trying to track you down, arrest
  you and take you to court.

27
? About the Text

• Understanding
• He said sharply.
• He said in a very severe and disapproving
  way.
• I saw it was the face of the man wanted in
  Chicago.
• Someone who is wanted is being looked for
  by the police.
• Example He was wanted for the cruel murder
  of three children.

28
? In class Discussion

• If you were Jim, the policeman, what will you
  do? Will you do the same as he did or will you
  let your friend go ?
• If you were Bob, the criminal, will you keep your
  appointment made twenty years ago?
• When you knew that it was Jim who reported you
  to the police to arrest you, will you be
  disappointed with your best friend? Will

29
? Answers to the Exercises

• I. Complete the sentences, using the proper
  form of the expressions listed below.
• 1. under arrest 2. get stuck 3. lost track
  of
• 4. heard from 5. changeinto 6. existence
  
• 7. know of 8. compete with 9. for show
  
• 10. tearing down 11. in existence
  
• 12. compete with 13. lose track of

30
? Answers to the Exercises

• II. Put the following into English.
• 1). To fill an appointment
• 2). To make a large fortune
• 3). To keep early hours
• 4). To take a step or two
• 5). To slow ones walk
• 6). To light a cigar
• 7). To unfold the paper
• 8). To cast a watchful eye
• 9). To empty the street

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