Interactive Reading The Two Gifts (adopted from a story by O.Henry)

A happy family life is… Can you continue this sentence? What does this notion mean for you?

In your family … Can you say that everybody is happy in your family? If yes, why?

If you want to make your family happy, you Behave yourself well. Dont quarrel with your family. Never break the rules of your family. Try to get along with all the members of your family. Are ready to sacrifice the best you have for the sake of your family.

Has it ever happened in your family that some members of it have sacrificed something for the sake of the family?

Vocabulary Work Match the verbs and phrases to get word combinations from the text: Undo white Curling combs Turn treasures Beautiful like a cloak Sit hair Own knees Below and weep Cover irons

Check yourself Undo hair Curling irons Turn white Beautiful combs Sit and weep Own treasures Below knees Cover like a cloak

Match the English and Russian Proverbs 1.Actions speak louder than words. 2.The end justifies the means. 3.Alls fair in love and war. 4.Where theres love, theres hope. 5.Where theres a will, theres a way. a.В любви все средства хороши. b.Было бы желание. c.Всё ещё наладится. d.Дела говорят громче слов. e.Цель оправдывает средства.

Check yourself 1d, 2e, 3a, 4c, 5b

Read the first part of the story: Jim and Della were very poor. They lived in New York in a small room on the top floor of a high building. Jim was twenty-two years old, Della was twenty-one. Both husband and wife worked very hard, but there never was any money in the house:for all they got went to pay for food. And the rent was $8 a week. And yet they owned two treasures of which they were very proud. These treasures were… What do you think were these treasures?

Continue reading: These treasures were Jims gold watch which he had got from his father, and Dellas beautiful golden hair. It was the eve of New Years Day. Della wanted to give Jim a present. She counted her money. Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. So she sat down on the sofa and wept. Suddenly she got up and went to the looking glass. Her eyes shone brilliantly. What do you think Della decided to do?

Continue reading: Quickly she undid her hair. It fell to its full length. It reached below her knees and covered her like a cloak. And then she did it up again quickly and nervously. She put on her old brown jacket and her old brown hat. Then she ran out of the door and down the stairs to the street. Where do you think she ran?

Continue reading: She stopped before a sign and read the words:M-me Sofronie, Hairgoods of all kinds. Then she entered the shop. Madam was sitting at the counter. Will you buy my hair? asked Della. Let me see it, said Madam. Della took off her hat and undid her hair. Twenty dollars, said Madam, lifting the mass of Dellas golden hair with a practiced hand. Give me the money, said Della… Why do you think she sold her beautiful hair? Did she want to buy something special for Jim?

Continue reading: The next two hours were like a happy dream. Della was hurrying from shop to shop looking for Jims present. She found it at last. It was… What do you think was it? Continue reading: … a watch chain for which she paid $21.

Continue reading: Jim was not at home. Della got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work, in forty minutes her head was covered with tiny curls. She looked like a schoolboy. She said to herself: What do you think she said to herself? Continue reading: I hope Jim will not kill me. But what could I do? Oh, what could I do with a dollar and 87 cents?

Continue reading: At 7 oclock the coffee was ready. Della sat waiting for Jim. She heard his steps on the stairs, and she turned white for just one moment. Why did she turn white?

Continue reading: The door opened and Jim entered the room. He looked thin and very serious… and suddenly Jim stopped. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not understand, and it terrified her. What expression was in Jims eyes that terrified her? Why did she sell her hair?

Make up a possible conversation between Jim and Della.

Continue reading: Jim, darling! she cried. Dont look at me like that! I sold my hair… Why did Della sell her hair? Continue reading: …because I wanted to give you a present. My hair will grow again. It grows very fast. Say A Happy New Year, Jim, and let us be happy. You dont know what a beautiful present I have for you. Jim said nothing. He drew a package from his overcoat pocket and put it on the table. What present did Jim buy for Della?

Continue reading: If you open the package, you will understand, he said. Della took off the paper. There lay beautiful combs Della had seen in a Broadway shop window. Now they were hers, but her hair was gone. Where do you think Jim took money to buy those beautiful combs?

Continue reading: Della, said he. I sold the watch to get money to buy your combs. Is the coffee ready? What did both of them sacrifice for the sake of love to each other?

Continue reading: Suddenly Della jumped and cried:Oh, Jim, you have not yet seen your present! She held it out to him. Isnt it a beautiful chain? Give me your watch! I want to see how it looks on it. Jim fell on the sofa and put his hands behind his head and smiled. Where do you think Jim took money to buy those beautiful combs for Della?

What is the moral of the story?