A Touch with English

A TOUCH WITH

ENGLISH

Kian Pishkar Staff Member of Islamic Azad

University, Jieroft Branch

Nooshin Naseri M.A of English Language Translation

Seventh Edition

بنام خدا مست آمدم اي پير مستانه بميرم

مستانه در اين گوشه ميخانه بميرم بيگانه شمردند مرا در وطن خويش

وطن و از همه بيگانه بميرم تا بي شهريار

اي كارآمد، عصر بار ديگر بر آن شديم تا مجموعه با ياري حضرت حق و با الطاف حضرت ولي پژوهاني كه بـه نحـوي در آموزان، دانشجويان و كليه دانش نجم و پويا را جهت كمك به زبا سمن

مجموعـه . باشند را فراهم سازيم تالش جهت پيشرفت و ترقي در زمينه آموزش زبان خارجه مي ارائه شده از معتبرترين متون موجود، با دقت، حساسيت و ظرافـت بـسيار جهـت رفـع مـشكل

شـده و تنظـيم هاي وزارت علـوم گـردآوري بر اساس سرفصل آموزان عزيز در كليه مقاطع زبانهـاي چرا كه با ارائه متون متنوع در سطوح مختلف نياز كليه همكاران دانشگاهي در دوره . استآمـوزاني كـه تمايـل بـه شـركت در مقـاطع زبان خارجه و همچنين كليه زبـان ،دانشگاهي پيش

را دارنـد ) GRE ،IELTSتوليمـو، تافل، (المللي هاي زباني استاندارد، ملي و بين مختلف آزمون .برآورده خواهد نمود

هـا دروس اين كتاب همراه با ارائه متون مناسب جهت درك مفاهيم، دربر گيرنـده متـرادف بوده و با تأكيد بر لغات كليدي موجود در متن، ارائه كننده مباحث جامع ) لغت 5000بيش از (

باشد كه بعد از متن اصلي درس ارائه و بعد از ميگرامري با زباني بسيار ساده ولي كامل و جامع صـورت منـسجم هايي جامع و كامل را در همان زمينه بـه تست ،بيان نكات دقيق، ظريف و مهم

جهت جلوگيري از پراكندگي و عدم انسجام مباحث تالش بر اين بوده است تا . ارائه نموده است گـويي آميختن مباحث ديگـر و پراكنـده در هر درس فقط يك زمينه درسي و گرامري بيان و از

.خودداري شودجهـت تقويـت و ) سـي دي (همراه با لوح فـشرده ) داستان (جديد درس 32در چاپ حاضر

بهبود تلفظ، روخواني صحيح و تقويت شنوايي به انتهاي كتاب افـزوده شـده اسـت، كـه باعـث بتوانند براي امتحانات شـنوايي تري، آموزان گرامي ضمن استفاده از متون متنوع شود تا زبان مي

شود كـه همكـاران گرامـي در دروس بيـان شـفاهي و نيز آماده شوند و در ضمن اين باعث مي مكالمه موضوعي و ترجمه شفاهي كه نياز به داشتن منبعي معتبر و غني از نظر بررسي، كنترل

از ايـن نيـز بتواننـد ند باشـ ها و واژگان بكار برده شده براي تقويت شنوايي مـي و تصحيح تلفظ .اي غني بهره ببرند كتاب به عنوان مجموعه

در ضمن در چاپ هفتم براي اولين بار در كشور چگونگي تلفظ حروف بكـار بـرده شـده در شناسي به اين مجموعه اضافه گرديده است كه حاصل كنار هم بر اساس اصول آواشناسي و زبان

آموزان كوچك از مشكالت بزرگ زبان اي گرهيد بتواند باشد تا شا چندين سال تجربه تدريس مي . بگشايدگرانقدر را

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صورت جامع و كامل دربـر گيرنـده كليـه تواند به با آگاهي از اين مطلب كه هيچ كتابي نمي آموزان باشد، با اين وجود اميد است كه كتاب حاضر بتواند نيازهاي اصلي و اساسي نيازهاي زبان

آورده سازد و همكاران بسيار عزيزي كه قبول زحمت نمـوده و متـون را مـورد كليه عزيزان را بر .اند اند بر اين نكته مهر تأييد نهاده بررسي قرار داده

در پايان الزم است از عزيز بزرگوار جناب آقاي محمد صبائي كه همانند هميشه لطف ايشان .گزاري را داشته باشمباعث به ثمر رسيدن اين مجموعه گرديده نهايت تشكر و سپاس

كيان پيشكار 84تابستان

جيرفت

[email protected] www.kianpishkar.blogfa.com

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To

The Reason

of My Life:

To

Kiarash &

To My Lost Life

Pronunciation and phonetic symbols Consonants p pen /pen/ s see /si:/ b bad /bæd/ z zoo /zu:/ t tea /ti:/ ʃ shoe /ʃu:/ d did /dɪd/ ʒ vision /ˈvɪʒn/ k cat /kæt/ h hat /hæt g get /get/ m man /mæn/ tʃ chain /tʃeɪn/ n now /naʊ/ dʒ jam /dʒæm/ ŋ sing /sɪŋ/ f fall /fɔ:l/ l leg /leg/ v van /væn/ r red /red/ θ thin /θɪn/ j yes /jes/ ð this /ðɪs/ w wet /wet/ Vowels and diphthongs i: see /si:/ i happy /ˈhæpi/ ɪ sit /sɪt/ e ten /ten/ æ cat /kæt/ ɑ: father /ˈfɑ:ðə(r)/ (British English) ɒ got /gɒt/ ɔ: saw /sɔ:/ ʊ put /pʊt/ u actual /ˈæktʃuəl/ u: too /tu:/ ʌ cup /kʌp/ ɜ: fur /fɜ:(r)/ ə about /əˈbaʊt/ eɪ say /seɪ/ əʊ go /gəʊ/ (British English) oʊ go /goʊ/ (American English) aɪ my /maɪ/ ɔɪ boy /bɔɪ/ aʊ now /naʊ/ ɪə near /nɪə(r)/ (British English) eə hair /heə(r)/ (British English) ʊə pure /pjʊə(r)/ (British English)

Pronunciation

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در صورتيكه حروف زير همراه هم استفاده شوند در بيـشتر مـوارد حرفـي كـه زيـر آن خـط شوند كشيده تلفظ نمي

Al = walk talk alms calm Mn = autumn Mb = comb bomb Kn = knife knock

شود نها جدا باشد تلفظ ميآشود اما اگر سيالب تلفظ نمي g در يك سيالب باشند gnاگر

Gn = sign design Gn = signature

Gh ًو اگـر تلفـظ شود مگر اينكه در ابتداي كلمه باشد تلفظ نمي در كلمات انگليسي معموال

شود تلفظ مي F شود معموالًGh = through light night slight Gh= F = laugh enough trough Gh = ghost ghoul Wr = write wrist wring wrist Ow = own shower bow low town follow Aw = draw law raw Dg= wedge edge mP = empty symptom bumped

صـدا قـرار بگيـرد اولـين حـرف حرف صدادار بعد و قبل از يك حرف بي در بيشتر موارد اگر

عالمـت بـا V( .در اين مورد استثناهايي وجـود دارد . را خواهد داشت صدا، صداي اصلي خود بي )صدا عالمت بي Cو صدا

VCV Mine Write Assume Huge Time Make Wine Pipe Verruca Durable

:موارد استثناDetermine Mind

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Light Night Slight Right Child Imagine

باشند ميشحروفي كه داراي صداي

Sh= she shower Cia= special Ch= chef Su= sure assurance tissue reassure pressure Tio= quotation composition Sio= expansion conclusion

شوند تلفظ مي ژمواردي كه

G= genre Sio= vision Su=measure

جـي اين حرف صداي بكار برده شده باشند y-e-iحروفي مانند G اگر بعد از حرف معموالً

استثناهايي نيز وجود دارد .دهد ميHuge giant gill gibbet gibber gesso germ Gyro gyrate gyp gym gypsy gene General gel gem gee-gee stingy gaoler

:موارد استثنا

Gift gynecology get gear geld geese Gestalt Gestapo gecko geezer foggy

ـ اين حرف صداي بكار برده شده باشند y-e-iحروفي مانند C اگر بعد از حرفمعموالً يس مي دهد

City cycle cell

شود تلفظ نمي U نوشته شود اما U هميشه بايد همراهQ در زبان انگليسيUnique Quantity Qualm

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Quack Quad Quod Quip Quran

شوند ديده مياسامي خاصموارد استثنا فقط در

Qom قمQatar قطر Iraq عراق Qwerty

صدا قرار شود اگر بعد از كلمات بي تلفظ مي) ت( ed دارد id/ d / tصداي ed مواردي در (K-P-S-CH-SH-F ) بگيرد

Looked clapped missed watched finished laughed

ED )شود اگر حرف ماقبل آنها واكـدار تلفظ مي ) د (voiced) باشـند يعنـي لـرزش صـداي (L-V-N-B) :نندتلفظ آنها را درك كنيم ما

Smelled saved cleaned robbed played

Ed )شود اگر بعد از تلفظ مي) د اي d/ t قرار بگيرد Decided needed wanted invited

دارد S / z /IZ صداي Sدر مواردي

S = desks maps wastebaskets tickets books Z = telephones cameras bags keys televisions IZ = sentences exercises purses briefcases watches

شوند مواردي كه جي تلفظ ميDu = individual during/Am/ Gradual

:استثناءDull

CH: هاي مختلف تلفظ

efCh = ش

v

anceCh = چ

aracterCh = ك

شود تلفظ نمي OUبعد از Lدر مواردي

Would Could Should

:شوند واردي كه به علت شباهت شكلي و تلفظي باعث اشتباه ميم

Heat /hi:t/ Hit /hɪt/ Hat /hæt/ Hot /hɒt/ Hate /heɪt/ Hut /hʌt/ Shape /ʃeɪp/ Shop /ʃɒp/ Sheep /ʃi:p/ Ship /ʃɪp/ Our /a:(r)/ Or /ɔ:(r)/ Hour /ˈaʊə(r)/ Ore / ɔ:(r)/ Bread /bred/ Bird /bɜ:d/ Beard /bɪəd/ Board // Bored /bɔ:r/ Bride /braɪd/ Bit // Beet /bi:t/ Bet /bet/ Beat /bi:t/ Bite /baɪt/ Bat /bæt/ But /bət/ Bait /beɪt/ All /ɔ:l/ Hole /həʊl/ Whole /həʊl/ Hell /hel/ Hill /hɪl/ Hail /heɪl/ Heel /hi:l/ Hole /həʊl/ Boss /bɒs/ bus // base /beɪs/ boos // Bose // So /səʊ/ saw /sɔ:/

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Were /wə(r)/ where // wear /weə(r)/ Wore // war /wɔ:(r)/ worship /ˈeɜ:ʃɪp/

tch دهند مي) چ(بصورت تركيبي صداي Fetch Match watch

جايگاهي ندارد)خ(در آوانويسي انگليسي

Stress and Intonation

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Syllables are either stressed (strong) or unstressed (weak): He Came She WALKS You are STRONG I am OLD THIS is a CAR, THAT is MINE. He is SLOW, He WALKS Slowly It is a GLASS of MILK for the CHILD. Every language has a natural rhythm. The rhythm of English consists of

strong and weak syllables. The words kept for headlines and telegrams are the words which usually STREESSED in a sentence. When the main words (adv., adj., n., v.) are stressed the CONNECTING words must be weakened. The connecting words are usually UNSTRESSED are: articles , prepositions, conjunctions, and helping verbs( auxiliary).

I KNOW that he is RIGHT They WENT from PLACE to PLACE The endings which are used with V., N., ADJ., in English are never

stressed. These endings are weak syllables pronounced with / / or / /. These are brushes Judges Matches

*************************************************************

1. Nouns of two syllables are usually stressed on the first syllables: Beggar curtain Neighbor Standard Flavor Symbol Horror Rocket

2. A number of words in English have two different stresses patterns according to whether they are used as Verb or Nouns. As Verbs they are stressed on the last and as noun on the first syllable.

Look at this object Noun We don't object to your plan. Verb

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Verb Noun

Permit permit

Suspect suspect

Present present

Digest digest

Transfer transfer

Extract extract

Nouns 2 syllables Mountain 3 syllables Document

3. Two stressed verbs are stressed on the its root

Soften inject reject project

Frighten protest hasten brighten

Propose happen finish progress

Publish polish profess gather

4. Two syllables with the suffix ate and three/ more syllables with suffix ate:

A. Stress is on the ate if the verb has two syllables B. Third syllable from the end if the verb is longer than two syllables.

Negate

Operate

Exaggerate

5. Three/ more syllables with suffix ize/ise on the third syllable from the last:

Civilize

Materialize

6. Two syllable adjectives are stressed on the dominant root

Modern Foreign Sudden Absurd

Distinct select Corrupt

x

7. Majority of three syllables adjectives take their stress on the first syllable:

Horrible Delicate terrible

Gradual Obstinate Usual

8. Following suffixes forms cause the stress to fall upon the syllable immediately before them:

-ic -ical -cial -tial -cient -cious -tious Rustic Classical Attraction Critical Malicious Sufficient Essential Commercial

RP = Receive Pronunciation IPA = International Pronunciation Association G.A = General American = the south, New York City and eastern New

England from Ohio to the Pacific: 1. Retention of /R/ 2. The use of a vowel of the / / RP has 20 distinctive vowels and diphthongs RP has 24 distinctive consonants b p t d s l

1. Long vowels:

Bean /ï/ barn /ä/ born /ö/ boon /ü/ burn / /

2. Short vowels:

Pit / / pet / / pat /æ / putt / / pot / /

Another / / bid / / bead / / cad / / card / /

Don / / dawn / / pull / / pool / /

3. Diphthong:

Bay / / buy / / boy / / no / / now / /

Peer / / pair / / pour / /

Contents 1. Lesson one - Jieroft .............................................................................. 1 2. Lesson two- Ardebil .............................................................................. 6 3. Lesson three - Kahnouj........................................................................ 12 4. Lesson four- How Large is Your Family? .......................................... 18 5. Lesson five - ........................................................................................ 24 6. Lesson six - ......................................................................................... 29 7. Lesson seven - .................................................................................... 34 8. Lesson eight - ..................................................................................... 41 9. Lesson nine - ....................................................................................... 48 10. Lesson ten - ......................................................................................... 55 11. Lesson eleven - .................................................................................. 61 12. Lesson twelve - ................................................................................... 68 13. Lesson thirteen - ................................................................................. 73 14. Lesson fourteen - ................................................................................ 78 15. Lesson fifteen - ................................................................................... 84 16. Lesson sixteen - .................................................................................. 89 17. Lesson seventeen - .............................................................................. 94 18. Lesson eighteen - .............................................................................. 100 19. Lesson nineteen - .............................................................................. 106 20. Lesson twenty - ................................................................................. 112 21. Lesson twenty one - .......................................................................... 120 22. Lesson twenty two - .......................................................................... 123 23. Lesson twenty three - ........................................................................ 126 24. Lesson twenty four - ......................................................................... 130 25. Lesson twenty five - ......................................................................... 133 26. Lesson twenty six - ........................................................................... 138 27. Lesson twenty seven - ...................................................................... 141 28. Lesson twenty eight - ........................................................................ 144 29. Lesson twenty nine - Stay Awake, Stay Alive .................................. 147 30. Lesson thirty - ................................................................................... 151 31. Lesson thirty one - ............................................................................ 154 32. Lesson thirty two - ............................................................................ 157 33. Lesson thirty three - Tackling Obesity in the Western World........... 160 34. Lesson thirty four - ........................................................................... 164

35. Lesson thirty five - ............................................................................ 168 36. Lesson thirty six - ............................................................................. 172 37. Lesson thirty seven - ......................................................................... 176 38. Lesson thirty eight - .......................................................................... 180 39. Lesson thirty nine - Falling Asleep.................................................... 183 40. Lesson forty - .................................................................................... 186 41. Lesson forty one - ............................................................................. 189 42. Lesson forty two - ............................................................................. 191 43. Lesson forty three - ........................................................................... 193 44. Lesson forty four - Foot-and-mouth disease in England may be under

control ............................................................................................... 195 45. Lesson forty five - Researchers Develop New Test to Predict

Alzheimer's Disease. .......................................................................... 197 46. Lesson forty six - The broken mirror, the black cat, and lots of good

luck..................................................................................................... 199 47. Lesson forty seven - The Christmas the Lights Went Out.................. 202 48. Lesson forty eight - Should HIV Infected Mothers Breastfeed? ........ 207 49. Lesson forty nine - ............................................................................. 209 50. Lesson fifty - Circe the Beautiful Witch ............................................ 211 51. Lesson fifty one - Big Sister’s Clothes ............................................... 216 52. Lesson fifty two - The Wooden Horse ............................................... 220 53. Lesson fifty three - Troy..................................................................... 224 54. Lesson fifty four - The Birth of a Star ................................................ 230 55. Lesson fifty five - The Fix.................................................................. 232 56. Lesson fifty six - The launch .............................................................. 235 57. Lesson fifty seven - Mr Smith's New Nose ........................................ 238 58. Lesson fifty eight - Two peas in a pod................................................. 242 59. Lesson fifty nine - The Golden Boys................................................... 245 60. Lesson sixty - A Game of Go .............................................................. 248 61. Lesson sixty one - Scarlett ................................................................... 252 62. Lesson sixty two - Athenaise. .............................................................. 255 63. Lesson sixty three - The Tell-Tale Heart ............................................. 259 64. Lesson sixty four - The Ambitious Guest ............................................ 263 65. Lesson sixty five - A Horseman in the Sky ......................................... 266 66. Lesson sixty six - ................................................................................ 270 67. Lesson sixty seven - ............................................................................ 274 68. Lesson sixty eight - Bertie Valentine................................................... 278 69. Lesson sixty nine - Building Bridges................................................... 282 70. Lesson seventy - Venomous animals................................................... 285 71. Lesson seventy one - Haircut............................................................... 287 72. Lesson seventy two - Story of the Door .............................................. 297 Irregular verbs........................................................................................... 347 Mini Dictionary ........................................................................................ 356 Bibliography ............................................................................................. 384

Lesson 1 Jieroft

Jieroft civilization is a postulated Early Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC) archaeological culture located in what is now Iran’s Sistan and Kerman Provinces. The hypothesis is based on a collection of artifacts that were confiscated in Iran and accepted by many to have derived from the Jieroft area in south central Iran.

The proposed type site is Konar Sandal near Jieroft in the Halil River area. Other significant sites associated with the culture include Shahr-e- Sokhta (Burnt City), Tepe Bampur, Espiedej, Shahdad, Iblis, and Tepe Yahya.

The proposition of grouping these sites as an “independent Bronze Age civilization with its own architecture and language” , intermediate between Elam to the west and the Indus Valley Civilization to the east, is due to Yousef Majidzadeh, head of the archaeological excavation team in Jieroft. Majidzadeh speculates they may be the remains of the lost Aratta kingdom. Majidzadeh’s conclusions have met with skepticism from some reviewers. Other conjectures have connected the Konar Sandal with the obscure city-state of Marhashi that apparently lay to the east of Elam proper.

Jieroft is a city in Kerman province, Iran. It is located 230-kilometres south of the city of Kerman, and 1,375-kilometres south of Tehran. Its population is 290,000. In the past it was also called Sabzevaran, and on account of its being very fertile land it is famous as Hend-e-Koochak (the little India).

Jieroft is located in a vast plain, Halil Rood, on the southern outskirts of the Barez mountain chain, surrounded by two rivers. The mean elevation of the city is about 650-metres above sea level. The weather of the city is very warm in summer and temperatures are moderate in winter. It is one of the

A Touch With English

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hottest places in Iran and the world, with a recorded temperature of 135ºF (57º C) in August 1933.

The name “Jieroft” has recently become known in archaeological circles, after Iran’s Cultural Organization announced the discovery of remains from an ancient city buried near the current city of Jieroft, leading to theories proposing the remains belong to a forgotten culture known as the Jieroft civilization.

Jieroft, has become a center of archeological interest after the 2001 flash flood revealed one of the “forgotten and lost” civilizations of the ancient world. As the story goes, “an old object … was floating on the surface of water” and was retrieved by a peasant from a nearby village.

Next day, impoverished by years of drought villagers swarmed along the banks of the Halil River in search of 5000 years old antiquities. They carefully divided the area into six square meters lots so each family would have a fair chance to strike it rich. And they did. For the next three years archaeologists could only watch hopelessly thousands of looters digging up objects of incomparable beauty of the civilization which once must have been equal to Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Wherever are looters, there are also dealers who smuggle ancient objects out of the country. Thousands of objects, mainly carved and inlaid steatite vases, appeared in Europe and elsewhere with a generic description of the “Middle Eastern” or “Kerman” vases. The demand for these vases has been so high that a new industry has been created: production of fake Jieroft-vases easily sold to whomever wants to have a piece on ancient history.

Finally, a team of international archaeologists began excavations in 2003. While their discoveries have not produced such spectacular vases and statuettes as those delivered by villagers, they were able to estimate that over 700 sites are possibly located in the area of about 400 square km.

A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Jieroft civilization is not too old. -2. Jieroft civilization refers back to Early Bronze Age. -3. Jieroft is in a mountainous area. -4. Jieroft has recently known because of its citrus. -5. There are too many archaeological items in Jieroft. B. Answer the questions: 1. When did an international team of archaeological begin excavations

in Jieroft? 2. Where is Jieroft located? 3. Why did Jieroft become a center of interest in 2001?

Lesson 1

3

C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Postulated” means: a. hypothesis b. discovery c. belong d. circles 2. “Surrounded” means: a. proper b. south c. province d. besiege 3. “Site” means: a. vase b. created c. spectacular d. place 4. “Industry” means: a. generic b. possible c. deliver d. business 5. “Statue” means: a. hope b. produce c. equal d. sculpture 6. “Interest” means: a. city b. flood c. flash d. attraction 7. “Civilization” means: a. excavation b. ancient c. production d. culture 8. “Fertile” means: a. bury b. productive c. remain d. proposing 9. “Significant” means: a. important b. postulated c. derived d. current 10. “Moderate” means: a. average b. conclusion c. record d. culture

Grammar To be 1. is – am – are = simple present tense 2. was – were = simple past tense 3. be = future – passive 4. been = passive – past perfect – present perfect


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Statement Question Simple present

I am a doctor. She is a nurse. They are drivers.

Am I a doctor? Is she a nurse? Are they drivers?

Simple past

He was sick. She was there. We were teachers.

Was he sick? Was she there? Were you teachers?

Simple future

I will be there. She will be a nurse. We will be pilots.

Will you be there? Will she be a nurse? Will we be pilots?

Choose the best Answer: 1. They …….. here everyday. a. was b. are c. am d. is 2. We …….. nurses. a. is b. am c. was d. are

3. The weather …….. very nice today. a. is b. am c. are d. were

4. I …….. not tired. a. am b. were c. are d. is

5. He …….. there yesterday. a. is b. was c. were d. been

6. We …….. rich. a. was b. is c. am d. were

7. I …….. tired last night. a. was b. were c. are d. am

8. The weather …….. nice yesterday. a. were b. is c. are d. was

Lesson 1

5

9. They …….. late yesterday. a. were b. was c. be d. are

10. Why …….. he angry yesterday? a. were b. was c. is d. are 11. Will the weather …………. nice tomorrow? a. is b. was c. be d. are

12. I will …….. there tonight. a. am b. being c. been d. be

13. They will …….. doctors next year. a. be b. were c. been d. being

14. He will …….. 2 years old tomorrow. a. was b. were c. is d. be

15. We will …….. there tomorrow. a. being b. be c. been d. are

Lesson 2 Ardebil

Ardebil is a historical city in north-western Iran. Its name probably comes from the Zoroastrian name of “Artavil” which means a holy place. It is the center of Ardebil Province. Its population is estimated be around 340,386, the dominant majority of whom are ethnic Azerbaijanis. Notable for its silk and carpet trade traditional, the ancient its Carpets are considered some of the best of the classical Persian Rug creations. It is also known as the seat of the sanctuary and tomb of Shaikh Safî al-Dîn, eponym of the Safavid Dynasty.

Neighboring on the Caspian Sea and the Republic of Azerbaijan, this city is of great political and economical significance. The province of Ardebil has been blessed with splendid natural beauty and numerous sights.

It is located on an open plain 1,500 m above sea level, just east of Mount Sabalan (4,811 m), where cold spells occur until late spring. The province is believed to be as old as the Achaemenid era 2500 BC. It is mentioned in the Avesta, where prophet Zoroaster was born by the river Aras and wrote his book in the Sabalan Mountains. During Parthian era the city had a special importance among the cities of Azerbaijan. Some Muslim historians attribute foundation of Ardebil to king Peroz I of Sassanid Empire. The Persian poet Ferdowsi also credits the foundation of the city to Peroz I. It suffered some damages caused by occasional raids of Huns between 4th to 6th century AD. Peroz repaired those damages and fortified the city, and made Ardebil the residential of provincial governor (marzban) of Azerbaijan.

During the Islamic conquest of Iran, it was the largest city in North Western Iran, and remained so until the Mongol invasion period. Ardebilis fought the Mongols three times, however the city fell after the third attempt

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by Mongols. They massacred not only the Ardebilis but inhabitants of neighboring villages and killing everyone they could find. Incursions of Mongols and Georgians left the city in ruins for nearly three centuries till the advance of Safavids.

Safavid Shah Ismail I started his campaign to nationalize Iran’s government and land from here, but consequently announced Tabriz as his capital in 1500 AD. Yet Ardebil remained an important city both politically and economically until modern times. It was sacked by Ottomans 14 times between 1514-1722 and in 1915 and by Russians in 1813, 1828 and in 1916.

A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Ardebil was the largest city during Islamic conquest of Iran. -2. Ardebil sacked Ottoman between 1514-1722. -3. Ardebil is a new city. -4. The name of Ardebil is an Islamic name. -5. Ardebil is located on an open plain. B. Answer the questions: 1. Where the name of Ardebil mentioned? 2. Who did massacre the Ardebilians? 3. What has blessed Ardebil? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Blessed” means: a. annual b. rainfall c. distribution d. magnify 2. “Announce” means: a. inform b. result c. remain d. kill 3. “Massacre” means: a. kill b. sympathize c. mercy d. ruin 4. “Invasion” means: a. attack b. conquest c. stay d. peace

A Touch With English 8

5. “Conquest” means: a. govern b. leave c. find d. occupation

6. “Dominant” means: a. seat b. land c. govern d. province

7. “Attribute” means: a. plummeting b. economical c. temperature d. ascribe

8. “Incursion” means: a. nationalize b. start c. government d. expose

9. “Fortify” means: a. neighboring b. period c. inhabitants d. protect

10. “Credit” means: a. era b. communications c. announce d. approval

Grammar

1. Subject Personal Pronouns 2. Object Personal Pronouns 3. Possessive Adjectives 4. Possessive Pronouns 5. Reflexive Pronouns

Subject Personal Pronouns

Object Personal Pronouns

Possessive Adjective

Possessive Pronouns

Reflexive Pronouns

I me my mine myself You you your yours yourself She her her hers herself He him his his himself It it its its itself We us our ours ourselves

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You you your yours yourselves They them their theirs themselves

1. Subject Personal Pronouns: A pronoun is used instead of a noun. The first column is called Personal pronouns. They are singular and plural. The singular ones are: I, you, she, he, it. This group has three genders: he = masculine, she = feminine, it = neuter. The plural ones are: we, you, they.

Ali is fat → He is fat. Peter and John are students → They are students. John and I are teachers → We are teachers.

2. Object forms of personal pronouns: These pronouns are in the

second column. They can be used instead of an object (noun) in a sentence and they are used after prepositions such as, to, by, for, with, and etc.

Peter goes home with us. John sees him. I bought a gift for her. She saw me yesterday.

3. Possessive Adjectives: They are used to refer to possessor, and are

used before nouns. They have same form for singular and plural nouns. Note that no apostrophe are used here. They are used with clothes and parts of the body

The girls are with their brothers. Trees drop their leaves in autumn. My gloves are red. His feet are big.

4. Possessive Pronouns: They are not used with noun phrases and are

used instead of a noun phrases. They are used after form of to be That is her pen → That is hers Those are our watches → Those are ours This is my car → This is mine You have got my pen → you are using mine This is his room → This is his

5. Reflexive Pronouns: They are used when subject and object of a

sentence are the same person or thing and they are called reflexive pronouns when the action done by the subjects turns back upon the subject. They are used as the object of a verb and refers to the same


person or thing denoted by the subject of the verb. They are used as the complement of a sentence or a clause or as the object of a preposition

Be careful or you will hurt yourself. I had to teach myself to swim. Help yourself to whatever you like. I myself bought a book. They themselves saw him. I am going by myself. Do you live by yourself ?

Choose the best Answer: 1. With this extra money, I bought …….. a present. a. me b. him c. his d. mine 2. I am sure this book isn’t …….. Isn’t it yours? a. me b. mine c. my d. I 3. Isn’t this umbrella your sister’s? No it is not …….. . a. she b. her c. herself d. hers 4. My sister and ……. were taken to the cinema by our uncle last night. a. I b. me c. my d. mine 5. I took …….. brother out with …….. to do some shopping. a. my-me b. my-I c. mine-me d. me-I 6. They are …….. best friends. I respect both of …….. . a. mine-they b. me-theirs c. my-them d. I-theirs 7. …….. sister is a kind woman. …….. is a house wife. a. her-me b. His-she c. She-he d. my-my 8. She often gives …….. car to …….. . a. hers-his b. her-him c. his-hers d. her-mine

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9. I go with …….. to school. a. I b. me c. his d. him 10. …….. father often helps …….. at home. a. Mine-my b. My-me c. I-me d. Me-my 11. My watch is there. Where is ……..? a. her b. she c. hers d. me 12. This is her car and that is ……... . a. I b. me c. my d. mine 13. I …….. sent the letters. a. me b. her c. myself d. herself 14. Nobody helps …….. mother at home. She does everything …….. . a. mine-her b. me-hers c. my-herself d. myself-herself 15. They must prepare lunch for …….. . a. them b. their c. we d. us

Lesson 3

The township of Kahnouj is so located that to its north is Jieroft, to the east is within the limits of the vicinity of Jazmoorian in the province of Sistan and Baluchistan, and to its western and southern sections is the province of Hormozgan. Kahnouj experiences hot weather with scanty rainfall, which is mostly in the form of thunder squalls. The Halil River is the only permanent river in this township. Due to the presence of underground waters around the Hamoon Jazmoorian, and fertile soil, animal husbandry and cultivation are vital factors here.

Kahnouj city geographically is located in the southeastern of the Kerman province. Kahnouj is neighbored to the (Hormozgan) and Baluchistan provinces and correlated to their culture and ethnicity. In other words the combination of three cultures have created the Kahnouj Culture, but Baluchistan’s has more influence than other cultures into the Kahnouj culture. Playing Qaijack (Baluchi Instrument) which in Kahnouj is called Chang is demonstrated the above statement that Baluchi’s culture has more influence than Minab (Hormozgan) or Kerman’s. In addition, other cultural elements such as Baluchi clothing, ethnicity are seen in Kahnouj’s.

Consequently, these influences motivated the infrastructure of the Kahnouj music and melodies. Avaz Bayabani, Nomadic Song in the Kahnouj is derivative from the Sherwesh (Mourning chant) of Minab and Baluchi melody. When the song is in the matzo forte position, precisely is the same pattern in the Baluchi song. Another song in the Kahnouj is more or less similar to the Iranshahr and Bampoor of the Baluchistan is called Kurdish. In conclusion Baluchi, Hormozgan and Kahnouj music some how are linked to each other from the stand point of the musicology.

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A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Kahnouj is located in the North of Kerman province. -2. Kahnouj is near to Jazmoorian. -3. Combination of different cultures created Kahnouj culture. -4. There are some Baluchi’s influences in Kahnouj culture. -5. Music of Kahnouj and Baluchi are connected to each other. B. Answer the questions: 1. How is Kahnouj culture? 2. How is Kahnouj music? 3. Where is Kahnouj? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Vicinity” means: a. forte b. Far from c. area d. section 2. “Link” means: a. connect b. song c. chant d. melody 3. “Motivated” means: a. encouraged b. added c. influenced d. stood 4. “Correlated” means: a. culture b. ethnic c. conclusion d. linked 5. “Demonstrated” means: a. created b. played c. proved d. instructed

Grammar A. Simple Present: In the affirmative the simple present has the same form as the infinitive but

adds an S for the third person:


1. The main use of the simple present tense is to express habitual actions: He smokes Dogs bark A cat drinks milk He always works at night

2. The simple present tense is often used with adverbs or adverb phrases

such as: always-never-often-sometimes: I go to mosque on Fridays. It rains in winters.

3. It is used chiefly with the verb Say when we are asking about or quoting

from books, notices: What does the notice say? What does she say?

4. With verbs which do not have continuous tense: (seem-like-know-

understand-mean-want-be-have-see): She wants to buy a book. I see Mary. He likes kiwi.

5. To express a general and scientific truth:

The wood floats on water. The moon sets in the west.

6. To express habitual actions:

I go to bed early. She plays chess. They go to the movies every Thursday.

B. The Present Continuous: The present continuous tense is formed with the present tense of the auxiliary verb be + the present participle:

I am studying now. She is playing now. They are speaking now.

1. For an action happening now: It is snowing. Why are you sitting at my desk?

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What is he doing? I am watching T.V. now.

2. For an action happening about this time but not necessarily at the

moment of speaking: I am reading a book by Ahmady. He is teaching theology and studying Law.

3. For a definite arrangement in the near future:

I’m meeting Ali tonight. Are you doing anything tomorrow?

4. For an action which appears to be continuous:

He is always working. I am always reading.

C. The spelling of the present participle: 1. When a verb ends in a single e this e is dropped before ing:

love → loving argue → arguing except after age, dye and Singe

age → ageing dye → dyeing singe → singeing

and verbs ending ee: agree → agreeing see → seeing

2. When a verb of one syllable has one vowel and ends in a single

consonant, this consonant is doubled before ing: hit → hitting run → running stop → stopping

ING can be added to a verb ending y without affecting the spelling of the verb:

carry → carrying enjoy → enjoying hurry → hurrying


Choose the best Answer: 1. In autumn the trees ………. their leaves. a. are losing b. are lost c. lose d. have lost 2. Please make sure the doors are locked before you ……… out. a. are going b. goes c. went d. go 3. I’ll wait for him until he ……… . a. comes back b. came back c. coming back d. will come back 4. At that moment he ……… to be getting better. a. seem b. to seem c. seems d. seeming 5. He ……… every morning. a. practice b. practiced c. practices d. practicing 6. He ……… lunch at noons. a. to have b. have c. had d. has 7. Does she ……… in the afternoons? a. studies b. study c. to study d. studying 8. Do they ……… every day? a. work b. works c. to work d. working 9. Many countries ……… to solve such problems nowadays. a. try b. are trying c. tries d. to try 10. My dog …….. a lot, and he …….. at the moment. a. bark-barks b. bark-barking c. barking-bark d. barks-is barking

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11. She …….. always …….. that mistake. a. are-makes b. is-make c. is-making d. was-to make 12. The teacher ……... his students at the present time. a. knows b. know c. knowing d. is knowing 13. …….. you …….. to your teacher? a. are-listen b. am-listens c. are-listening d. was-to listen 14. I …….. your parents now. a. am seeing b. see c. sees d. seeing 15. He ……... a letter at this time. a. writes b. to write c. wrote d. is writing

Lesson 4

HOW LARGE IS YOUR FAMILY? When it comes to the question of counting your family members, you

may count yourself, your spouse, the number of your children and other dependents to calculate the exact number. You perhaps increase the scope further to include your parents and paternal and maternal grand-parents in the list, if they are alive. If you are kind enough, perhaps you add the parents and grand parents of your spouse also. Since we think in terms of the present, there is nothing wrong with such an approach.

But let us assume that you have to consider the previous 40 generations of your ancestors as a part of your large family, or say extended family and also the previous 40 generations of your spouse.

How big do you think your family would become? 10...100...1000...10000...100000...1000000...1000000000? In many parts of the world people identify themselves with a particular

family, group, community, caste, race, tribe, religion or region. Most of them cultivate a very narrow minded view of their racial or ancestral background and become prejudiced against other groups and communities. Based upon their limited vision, they tend to generalize and draw wrong conclusions. They do not know that if we consider just forty generations only, the total number of ancestors for each of them would work out to about 555 billion! If you add the ancestors of the spouse of each individual the number would go up to 1110 billion or 1.1 trillion!

These figures show that if you go back to just 40 generations, your genome is made up of genes from about 549.8 billion human beings! Starting from 2000 A.D., this covers a period of about 1000 years only, assuming a period of about 25 years for each generation to produce the

Lesson 4

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succeeding one. Imagine what would be the number if you stretch the time still backwards into the remote past of say 5000 years.

The human beings said to have evolved on earth at least a million years ago. If we take these million years into consideration, imagine how many trillions of people might have contributed to your present gene pool, and the blood of how many trillions of people must be flowing in you!

Were there this many people at any point of time in the history of the world? The world population today is around seven billions only. Guess what could have been the population of the world about a thousand years ago or ten thousand years ago?

Hinduism believes in the concept that the whole world is one large family. So does many other religions.

A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Your family members are limited to your spouse, children and

other dependents. -2. You may include your grandparents in your scope. -3. Many people never identify themselves with particular race and

tribe. -4. The human beings said to have evolved on earth at least one

hundred years ago. -5. Some religions consider the whole world as an one family. B. Answer the questions: 1. Do you consider your ancestors as a part of your family members? 2. Do you identify any particular tribe, race and family for yourself? 3. If you consider million years ago, will you have a great or a small

family? Why? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Spouse” means: a. spring b. partner c. spry d. squeeze 2. “Assume” means: a. link b. amaze c. certify d. infer


3. “Imagine” means: a. copy b. assume c. absorb d. dye 4. “Population” means:

a. poverty b. people c. poor d. pour 5. “Religion” means: a. divine b. aid c. proper d. cruel 6. “Approach” means: a. messy b. meticulous c. method d. metaphor 7. “Extend” means: a. devil b. device c. develop d. devote

Grammar A. Simple Past Tense B. Irregular Verbs C. Past Continuous Tense A. Simple Past Tense: 1. The simple past tense is one of the most often used to talk about the past.

It can refer to short, quickly finished actions and events to longer actions and situations and to repeated happenings

I lived in London until I was 14. I walked into the class. She drank some fruit juice yesterday. We studied English last night.

2. It is used for actions completed in the past at a definite time:

I met him yesterday. The train was ten minutes late.

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3. It is used for past habit: He always carried a newspaper. They never drank tea.

4. It is used in conditional sentences (type 2)

If you came, I would visit you. B. Verbs in Simple Past: In the simple past the main verbs are divided in two groups: 1. Regular verbs: They are formed by adding “ed” to the end of bare

infinitives, but if the verb ends in “e” only “d” is added: work → worked watch → watched walk → walked

Change “y” into “i”, if there is a consonant letter before “y”.

try → tried carry → carried study → studied play → played

2. Irregular Verbs: These have irregular forms’ they have no inflexions

in the past:

Infinitive Past tense Past participle choose chose chosen

dig dug dug eat ate eaten fall fell fallen feel felt felt fly flew flown

The interrogative of regular and irregular verbs is formed with Did + Subject + infinitive

I worked → Did you work? She stopped there → Did she stop? When did you meet him? I met him yesterday → Did you meet him yesterday?


C. The Past Continuous: This structure is formed by the past tense of the verb to be + the present participle:

She was working. I was watching. They were playing.

1. This is mainly used for past actions which continued formed sometime but whose exact limits are not known and are not important:

She was reading, when the light went out. Were they watching T.V. when you saw them? They were writing a letter, when I arrived.

2. Used without a time expression it can indicate gradual development:

It was getting darker. The wind was rising.

3. Used with a point in time, it expresses an action which began before that time and probably continued after it:

At eight he was having breakfast. Choose the Best Answer: 1. The weather was warm so we ......... on our front porch. a. sit b. sitting c. sat d. sits 2. He ......... to the park yesterday. a. go b. went c. going d. goes 3. They ......... their old house last week. a. sell b. selling c. sold d. sells 4. I ......... the President speak on T.V. last night. a. heard b. hearing c. hear d. to hear 5. ......... you go there last year? a. Do b. Does c. Doing d. Did

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6. ......... you ......... him on the street yesterday? a. do-see b. did-see c. did-saw d. do-saw 7. I ......... Tehran in 1382. a. to visit b. visits c. visited d. visiting 8. She ......... in Ardebil for six days last month. a. stayed b. stays c. staying d. to stay 9. She ......... there, when it rained. a. is coming b. was coming c. came d. come 10. He ……… in Jieroft when Ali bought a new car. a. was worked b. was working c. were worked d. were working 11. We ……… in Kahnouj, when war was broken out. a. were traveling b. was traveling c. were travelled d. was travelled 12. The sun ……… brightly when I got up this morning. a. is shining b. was shining c. were shining d. shines 13. I ……… soundly when the phone rang. a. were sleeping b. was sleeping c. are sleeping d. am sleeping 14. They ……… last night when you called them on the phone. a. studied b. studying c. are studying d. were studying 15. She ……… the piano when he arrived. a. is playing b. are playing c. was playing d. were playing

Lesson 5

Ali, the antique dealer, lived alone in a small flat above his shop. Because of the many valuable articles which he kept on the premises, he was always afraid that one night someone would break in and rob him. Years before, when he had first come to live there, he had shutters fitted to all the ground-floor windows and strong locks put on all the doors. In addition, he locked up most of his valuable articles in a cupboard, which he had had specially made for this purpose. But, in spite of these precautions, he never felt safe, particularly when he had a lot of money in the flat after a good day’s business.

One Saturday night, when he counted his money after closing the shop, he found that he had taken nearly two hundred pounds that day. This was an exceptionally large sum and the thought of keeping it in the house made him feel very nervous. He knew that it would be better to take it to his son’s house, where there was a small safe, but it was a foggy evening and his son lived on the other side of town. In the end, he took the money with him to his bedroom, put it in the pocket of one of his overcoats and locked the wardrobe door. He put the key under his pillow and went to bed.

Ali lay awake for a long time, wondering if his money was really safe, and it was well after midnight before he fell asleep. Almost immediately, or so it seemed, he was woken up by the loud ringing of the shop doorbell. He sat up in bed. Could he have been dreaming? Surely, he thought, no one could want to see him at this hour of the night. The doorbell rang again, echoing through the silent house. He could not help thinking of a story he had read about a man who had been attacked and robbed when he went to answer the door at night. Once again the doorbell rang, more persistently this time.

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Ali got out of bed and went across to the window. The fog had cleared slightly. He opened the window and looked out. He could just make out the shadowy figure of a man standing on the pavement below. “What do you want?” Ali called out in a nervous voice. The figure stepped back until it was standing under the street lamp. It was a policeman. “Sorry to disturb you, Sir,” said the policeman, “but there is a light on in your shop. I think you have forgotten to turn it off.” A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Ali lived with his family in a big house. -2. He always locked up most of his valuable articles in a cupboard. -3. He always felt safe. -4. Two hundred pounds was a normal sum. -5. Because there was a light on in his shop, the policeman woke him

up. B. Answer the questions: 1. Did Ali feel safe about his valuable articles? 2. Did he put his money in the bedroom or in the shop? 3. Why did the policeman wake Ali up? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Counted” means: a. reckon b. approval c. corrupt d. core 2. “Wonder” means: a. accustomed b. worry c. war d. airy 3. “Immediately” means: a. immorally b. immense c. instantly d. impatience 4. “Slightly” means: a. disorderly b. disgracely c. destroy d. delicately


5. “Attack” means: a. add b. aggression c. answer d. attitude 6. “Dealer” means: a. buyer b. visitor c. actor d. seller 7. “Purpose” means: a. insult b. intention c. instinct d. install

Grammar A. Simple Future Tense B. Future Continous Tense A. Simple Future Tense: There is no future tense in modern English, but for convenience were often use the term “future simple” to describe the form will/shall + bare infinitive:

I will fly tomorrow. We shall write tonight.

1. Formerly will was kept for intention:

I will wait for you. 2. To express the speaker’s opinions about the future:

I am sure he will come back. 3. The future simple is used similarly for future habitual actions:

Spring will come again. Birds will build nests.

4. Won’t can be used with all persons to express negative intention:

He won’t pay any money. B. The Future Continuous Tense: Like other continuous tenses it is normally used with a point in time and expresses an action which starts before that time and probably continues after it.

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1. The future continuous used to express future without intention: I will be helping him tomorrow.

2. This tense implies a deliberate future action:

I will be playing with him tomorrow. 3. This tense can be used to say that an action will be in continuous at a

particular moment in the future: This time tomorrow I will be lying on a beach in Babolsar. Don’t telephone after night, I will be having a dinner party.

Choose the best answers: 1. I ……... you next week. a. see b. will see c. going to see d. seeing 2. We …….. them after dinner. a. helping b. helped c. will helping d. shall help 3. Our wedding party …….… tomorrow night. a. being b. will being c. will be d. shall be 4. People ……… plans tonight. a. shall make b. will making c. will make d. making 5. I will ……… 25 next week. a. being b. been c. be d. was been 6. He …….. probably …….. late tomorrow night. a. shall-been b. shall-be c. will-been d. will-be 7. I ……… this time tomorrow night. a. shall work b. shall be working c. shall working d. shall been worked


8. They will ……… his exam at this moment next week. a. be take b. been take c. be taking d. been taking 9. They ……… French for one hour tonight. a. shall been speaking b. will been spoken c. shall be spoken d. will be speaking 10. Who……… piano for half an hour this evening? a. shall-be playing b. will-be playing c. shall-been played d. will-been played 11. We……… them until next month. a. will visits b. shall visiting c. shall visit d. will visiting 12. I……… to the school at this time tomorrow. a. shall going b. shall been going c. will been going d. will be going 13. I……… my bike on Saturday. a. shall has b. will has c. will have d. shall had 14. I……… examination at this moment next year. a. shall taking b. will been taking c. will be taking d. shall been taking 15. They……… English tomorrow night. a. shall study b. shall studying c. will study d. will studying

Lesson 6

Many, many years ago, there was a merchant named Abul Qasim el-Tamburi. He was the richest man in the country. He had large, strong boxes filled with gold, and his storehouses were filled with valuable goods. He owned land houses and orchards. Although he was so rich, he spent less than the poorest beggar in the city. He ate only dates and bread, and wore his clothes for ten years before he bought new ones. He had not bought new shoes for thirty years. When there was a hole in one of his shoes, he took it to a shoemaker and said, ‘Hammer a piece of new leather over the old. Take care that none of the old leather is cut away. That old leather once cost money.’ The result was that Abul Qasim’s shoes were the largest in the city, and men laughed and said, ‘Look! Here comes Abul Qasim el-Tamburi, half Abul Qasim and half shoes!’

One of Abul Qasim’s friends did not like to see him laughed at, so he said to himself, ‘I will teach Abul Qasim to wear the kind of shoes that a rich merchant ought to wear.’ So he went to the market and bought the best pair of shoes he could find. They were made of the softest leather and sewn with gold and silver thread. Then, one day, he followed Abul Qasim to the mosque. Abul Qasim left his shoes at the door and entered the mosque. Then his friend picked up the large, heavy and old shoes, and put the new shoes down in their place. A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Qasim was one of the poorest man in the city. -2. His storehouses were filled with valuable goods. -3. He was very stingy. -4. When his shoes were old he always bought a new pair.


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-5. One of his friends tried to teach him how and what kind of shoes he ought to wear.

B. Answer the questions: 1. What were Qasim’s common food? 2. Why did other people laugh at him? 3. When there was a hole in his shoes what did he do? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Merchant” means: a. deserve b. tradesman c. pity d. mess 2. “Valuable” means: a. bold b. precious c. priest d. brave 3. “Result” means: a. return b. answer c. prim d. conclusion 4. “Cost” means: a. expense b. uniform c. client d. opposite 5. “Mosque” means: a. room in which dead bodies are kept b. hole cut in a piece of wood c. building in which Muslims worship d. state of being mortal 6. “Wear” means: a. take off b. rule over c. believe in d. put on 7. “Rich” means: a. clear b. poor c. wealthy d. known

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8. “Soft” means: a. malicious b. smooth c. intense d. rough

Grammar A. Present Perfect Tense B. Past Perfect Tense C. Future Perfect Tense A. Present Perfect Tense: The present perfect is constructed with auxiliary verb have followed by the past participle:

I have finished. She has arrived.

1. This tense is used for actions and situations continuing up to present:

I have lived here since 1379. We have known each other for a long time.

2. This tense is used for finished actions and events:

I can’t go on holiday because I have broken my leg. I have been all over Kerman.

3. This tense used for past actions whose time is not definite:

I have read the books, but I don’t understand them. Ali has had a bad car crash.

B. Past Perfect Tense: This tense is formed with had and past participle:

I had worked there. I had lost it.

1. This tense is the past equivalent of the present perfect:

When I arrived Ali had just left. 2. The past perfect is used after when when we wish to emphasize that first

action was completed before the second one started: When he had shut the window, we opened the door of the

cage.


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3. This tense can be used with till-until-before to emphasize the comple-tion:

He refused to go till he had seen all pictures. 4. Present perfect tenses in direct speech become past perfect tenses in

indirect speech provided the introductory verb is in the past tense: He said, “I have been in Jieroft for five years.” He said that he had been in Jieroft for five years.

C. Future Perfect Tense: Infinitive; it is used with a time expression beginning with by:

By the end of next month he will have been here for ten years.

1. It is used for an action which at a given future time will be in the past or

will just have finished. Ali will have had his exam by 14 June.

2. It is used to say that something will have been completed by a certain

time in the future: I will (shall) have been far from my home for several

years next Sunday. Choose the Best Answer: 1. I ……… all these by the end of today. a. will has drink b. would drank c. will have drunk d. would drinking 2. By the end of year I ……… $650. a. shall save b. will have saved c. have saved d. be saving 3. They say they ……… the stairs by Tuesday. a. has finished b. will finish c. be finishing d. will have finished 4. Ali ……… the breakfast by ten. a. will have b. will have had c. will has d. will has have 5. His mother ……… home by seven. a. will has go b. will go

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c. will have going d. will have gone 6. I …….. just …….. myself a glass of water when the phone rang. a. have-pour b. had-poured c. has-poured d. have-poured 7. She felt pretty upset because what I …….. . a. had said b. have said c. had say d. have say 8. When he ……… all my letters, I did some gardening. a. has wrote b. had wrote c. has written d. had written 9. I got a real shock when I ……… the box. a. had opened b. have opened c. opened d. will open 10. He wasn’t a stranger, I ……… him before. a. meet b. met c. have met d. had met 11. He …… just …… out. a. has-go b. has-went c. has-going d. has-gone 12. ……. you ……. my stamps? a. Have-see b. Have-seeing c. Have-saw d. Have-seen 13. We ……… 10 lessons so far. a. has completed b. had completed c. have completed d. had complete 14. Ali ……. recently …….. a letter to home. a. have-write b. has-write c. have written d. has written 15. She ……… since early this morning. a. has waits b. had wait c. has waited d. had waited

Lesson 7

The idea of transmitting information through light waves is far from new. But only recently have scientists learned how to manipulate waves of light to carry tremendous amounts of information at incredible speeds.

An optical fiber system consists of three basic parts: transmitting equipment that transforms electric signals into light pulses, the optical fiber itself, and receiving gear that acts as a light detector. The fiber is an incredibly thin strand of pure glass usually made of silicon or other materials such as germanium. The glass strand has two parts: a light-transmitting core and a special glass coating that keeps the light from straying. The fiber, of which there are several types suited for different kinds of tasks, is merely the medium through which the light flows. An average cable, about the thickness of a finger, might consist of about 75 fibers.

The light impulses are generated either by laser or light-emitting diode (LED) equipment. If the signals have to travel far, they may be boosted at certain points, just as electronic signals are. Lasers are better for long distances because their signals travel far without the need for boosting, but LEDs are more reliable and less expensive.

Much research is focused on creating better and less expensive light sources. In that context, probably the prices of lasers and LEDs are going to decline at a fast rate. With prices falling as the technological gains increase, many experts agree that it’s only a matter of time before much of the nation’s copper cable is replaced by fiber optics.

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A. Choose the best answers: 1. What is an important advantage of the optical fiber? a. It transmits a great deal of information very quickly. b. It can travel through light waves. c. Signals travelling through it don’t need to be boosted. d. It is cheaper than lasers or LEDs. 2. What is the core’s function? a. to boost signals b. to transform signals c. to create signals d. to transmit signals 3. What is the function of the coating? a. to keep the silicon pure b. to detect light c. to keep the impulses from escaping d. to hold bundles of fibers together 4. Lasers are better than LEDs when ……… a. reliability is important. b. signals must travel a long way. c. costs must be kept low. d. copper cable is not available. 5. The author of the passage predicts that in the future ……… a. impulses will be able to travel at a faster rate. b. copper cable will replace fiber optics. c. the system will become affordable and widely used. d. the use of lasers and LEDs will decline. B. Answer the questions: 1. How many parts are in an optical fiber system? 2. How light impulses are generated? 3. When did scientists learn how to manipulate waves of light for

carrying information? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Manipulate” means: a. many b. crush c. bravery d. handle


2. “Incredible” means: a. unbelief b. advance c. grow d. blend 3. “Equipment” means: a. tool b. balance c. honest d. furnish 4. “Core” means: a. fat b. centre c. string d. body 5. “Rate” means: a. approve b. raw c. degree d. row 6. “Special” means: a. add b. attractive c. exclusive d. common 7. “Consist” means: a. civilize b. teach c. country d. include 8. “Tremendous” means: a. hole b. hold c. huge d. humble

Grammar Nouns

A. Common Nouns: Woman-book-cat B. Proper Nouns: Iran-Iraq-Ali C. Abstract Nouns: Joy-fear-charity D. Collective Nouns: Team-group-crowd E. Masculine Nouns: Men-boys F. Feminine Nouns: Women-girls G. Neuter Nouns: Book-pen

A. Plural Forms: 1. the plural of a noun is usually made by adding s to the singular:

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night → nights house → houses

2. Nouns ending in o, ch, sh, ss, x form their plural by adding es:

brush → brushes box → boxes

3. Nouns ending in y following a consonant form their plural by dropping

the y and adding ies: baby → babies fly → flies lady → ladies

Nouns ending in y following a vowel form their plural by adding s: boy → boys day → days guy → guys

4. Nouns ending in f or fe drop the f or fe and add ves:

calf → calves wife → wives wolf → wolves loaf → loaves leaf → leaves

5. A few nouns form their plural by a vowel change:

foot → feet louse → lice tooth → teeth man → men woman → women mouse → mice child → children ox → oxen

6. Names of some creatures do not change in plural:

fish sheep deer pike salmon trout

7. Certain words are always plural:

clothes police

Garments consisting of two parts: pyjama trousers pants

Tools and instruments consisting of two parts:

glasses scissors binoculars scales


B. Uncountable nouns: These nouns are always singular and are not used with a/ an

Bread Cream Gold Soap Cloth Tea Oil Dust Water Money Weather Help Information Meat Coal Beauty Democracy Oxygen Sugar Coffee Jewelry Luck Light Blood Steam Tennis Dew Smoke Rain Fire Music Wind

C. Noun maker suffixes -age = post = postage dote = dotage -tion = explain = explanation describe = description -sion = omit = omission -ence = differ = difference recur = recurrence -ist = geology = geologist piano = pianist -or = visit = visitor sail = sailor act = actor -ess = god = goddess lion = lines act = actress -er = teach = teacher farm = farmer -th = wide = width deep = depth -ar = beg = beggar lie = liar -hood = child = childhood -ment = agree = agreement encourage= encouragement -ance = remember = remembrance -ness = grateful = gratefulness kind= kindness lovely= loveliness -ette = kitchen = kitchenette -ery = brave = bravery brew = brewery milliner= millinery -ee = employ = employee absent = absentee -dom = king = kingdom official = officialdom -y = arm = army deliver = delivery -ure = press = pressure fail = failure -al = deny = denial refuse = refusal -ity = curious = curiosity tranquil = tranquility -ism = human = humanism imperial = imperialism

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Choose the best answer: 1. Ali is ……… . a. teacher b. teachers c. a teacher d. some teachers 2. Do you like some …….. ? a. bread b. a bread c. breads d. - 3. Would you like an ………. ? a. apple b. cars c. book d. eggs 4. He drank some ……….. . a. water b. orange c. banana d. tomatoes 5. I am going to buy some ……… . a. sheeps b. house c. fish d. brush 6. She drank some ……… . a. toast b. coffees c. milks d. tea 7. We are having terrible ………. . a. healthes b. weathers c. hairs d. weather 8. We need some ……… . a. box b. pen c. house d. information 9. He has beautiful ……… . a. golds b. hair c. bloods d. soaps 10. I had to buy some ……… . a. bread b. book c. pen d. pencil


11. I will meet some ……… . a. man b. lady c. woman d. children 12. There are some ……… here. a. flies b. furnitures c. boy d. traffics 13. Ali gave me some good ……… . a. advice b. excitements c. advices d. bloods 14. These …….. are very hot. a. day b. dies c. days d. dayes 15. Those ……… are very polite. a. lad b. lady c. ladys d. ladies

Lesson 8

Like all growing plants, the potato is a product of the seamless cooperation of sun, soil, temperature and water. However, while potatoes thrive on moisture, so, too, does the potato’s worst affliction, late blight. After attacking and blackening the leaves, phytophthora infestans spores move down the stem, eventually reaching and rotting the tubers in the ground. Even those potatoes harvested and stored may carry the fungus and be wiped out.

The search for the cause of the blight that ruined the Irish plants in the 1840s and the Polish plants in 1980 preoccupied researchers for years. M. J. Berkeley, a 19th-century naturalist, first recognized that the fungus appearing on the potato plants in 1845 in Ireland and elsewhere was not the result of the blight but the cause. Working in Germany, another scientist, Heinrich Anton de Bary, proved Berkeley’s theory by identifying the fungus as an outgrowth on the host. It took another hundred years, however, before the mystery of the origin of the fungus was solved, and the pathogen itself was traced to central Mexico.

Late blight has traditionally been held in check with costly chemical fungicides. Unfortunately, for many Jieroft farmers, the chemicals are too expensive, if available at all. Therefore today, identifying or creating blight-resistant potato species in Jieroft is the major goal of agricultural researchers of ministry of agriculture who are interested in late blight. A. Choose the best answers: 1. Where does late blight begin? a. in the stems of potato plants b. on the leaves of potato plants


c. in potatoes in the ground d. in potatoes that are being stored 2. M. J. Berkeley is known for ………. a. discovering the cause of late blight. b. finding a treatment for late blight. c. understanding that the fungus was a result of late blight. d. recognizing that the blight in Ireland was the same as the blight in

Germany. 3. The work of Heinrich Anton de Bary supported the theory that …. a. blight was a disease caused by potatoes. b. late blight caused a fungus. c. the cause of late blight was a fungus. d. German potato blight and Irish potato blight had different causes. 4. Where did the fungus come from originally? a. Ireland b. Poland c. Germany d. Mexico 5. According to the passage, current research is primarily aimed at ... a. finding types of potatoes not so affected by late blight. b. developing more effective chemical fungicides to fight late blight. c. developing less expensive chemical fungicides to fight late blight. d. discovering the cause of phytophthora infestans. B. Answer the questions: 1. What did happen in the 1840s in Ireland? 2. What was M. J. Berkeley’s theory? 3. How can late blight held in check? C. Choose the best answer: 1. “Expensive” means: a. active b. consume c. slow d. costly 2. “Attack” means: a. cheap b. shop c. assault d. classic

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3. “Mystery” means: a. myth b. mutual c. secret d. mute 4. “Moisture” means: a. correctness b. wetness c. mildness d. boldness 5. “Harvest” means: a. crop b. cruel c. care d. cool 6. “Researchers” means: a. workers b. inhabitants c. police d. scholars 7. “Available” means: a. corpse b. exist c. lack d. dismal 8. “Identify” means: a. introduce b. kill c. hide d. search

Grammar Articles: A. a/an B. the A. a/an: 1. a: before a word beginning with consonant

a book a university a hat a boy

2. an: before words beginning with a vowel (a-o-u-i-e) or words beginning

with a mute h: an apple an hour an onion an uncle an umbrella an orange


3. a/an: before a singular noun which is countable: a flat a student an ice cream an actor

4. a/an: with a noun complement:

It was an earthquake 5. a/an: in certain expressions of quantity:

a lot of a great deal a couple a dozen B. The: “The” is the same for singular and plural and for all genders:

the boy the nights the girl the cars the day the books

1. Before the object that is unique:

the earth the sky the sea the stars

2. Before a noun which has become definite as a result of being mentioned

a second time: His bike struck a door; there is the mark on the door.

3. Before superlative and ordinal numbers:

the best book the first class the most important point the second person

4. Before certain proper names of seas, rivers, mountains, deserts:

The Alborzes The Netherlands The Atlantic The Karoun The Halil The Jabalbrezes

5. Before names consisting of noun + of + noun:

The United States of America The Gulf of Mexico

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6. Before adjectives east /west /north /south + noun: The North Pole The East Indies

7. Before plural surnames:

The Alavies The Smiths C. Omission of “the”: 1. Before abstract noun:

Men fear death. 2. After a noun in the possessive case:

The boy’s uncle.

3. Before names of meals: The wedding dinner was held in his house.

4. Before names of games:

He plays football.

5. Before home, when it is used alone: He is at home

Choose the best answer: 1. Ali bought …… pen and …… book. a. a, an b. a, a c. -, an d. a, - 2. She is …… nurse. a. the b. an c. a d. - 3. He saw …… new umbrella. a. the b. an c. a d. - 4. He bought …… umbrella. a. the b. an c. a d. -


5. He studies in …… university. a. the b. an c. a d. - 6. We stayed in …… hotel. Sometimes we had dinner at …… hotel. a. a-a b. a-the c. the-an d. an-the 7. There was …… man talking to …… woman outside my house. a. a-a b. a-an c. the-the d. a-the 8. We looked up at all …… stars in …… sky. a. a-a b. a-an c. the-the d. a-the 9. What time is …… lunch? a. a b. an c. the d. - 10. …… Karoun is …… largest river in …… Iran. a. a, a, a b. the, the, - c. the, the, the d. a, the, an 11. …… Persia is now called …… Iran. a. the – the b. a – a c. the – a d. - - - 12. Her mother was born in …… Netherlands. a. a b. the c. an d. - 13. …… Himalayas have been referred to as “…… roof of …… world”. a. the – a – the b. the – the – the c. the – the – a d. - - - - - 14. She can never do anything right …… first time. a. a b. the c. an d. -

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15. They moved to ……. very quiet neighborhood. a. a b. the c. an d. -

Lesson 9

One summer evening I was sitting by the open window, reading a good but rather frightening mystery story. After a time it became too dark for me to read easily, so I put my book down and got up to switch on the light. I was just about to draw the curtains as well when I heard a loud cry of “Help! Help!” It seemed to come from the trees at the end of the garden. I looked out but it was now too dark to see anything clearly. Almost immediately I heard the cry again. It sounded like a child, although I could not imagine how anybody could need help in our garden, unless one of the boys of the neighbourhood had climbed a tree and could not get down.

I decided, however, that I ought to go out and have a look in the garden, just in case someone was in trouble. I took the torch which we keep for going down into the cellar, where there is no electric light, and picked up a strong walking stick, thinking that this might come in useful, too. Armed with these, I went out into the garden. Once again I heard the cry. There was no doubt that it came from the trees at the end of the garden. “Who’s there?” I called out as I walked, rather nervously, down the path that led to the trees. But there was no answer. With the help of my torch I examined the whole of that part of the garden and the lower branches of the trees. There was no sign of anybody or anything. I came to the conclusion that someone was playing a rather silly joke on me.

Still feeling rather puzzled, I went back to the house and put away the torch and the stick. I had just sat down and begun to read my book again when I was startled by the cry of “Help! Help!”, this time from right behind my shoulder. I dropped my book and jumped up. There, sitting on top of the mantelpiece, was a large, green and red bird. It was a parrot! While I was out in the garden, the bird must have seen the light in my room and flown in through the open window.

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A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. The time is middle of winter. -2. There are so many electric lights in the cellar. -3. There was no sign of anybody in the garden. -4. Somebody was joking with him. -5. The sound was from an eagle. B. Answer the questions: 1. What did say the loud cry? 2. What did he decide to do after hearing of cry? 3. What were the colours of the parrot? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Immediately” means: a. firmly b. at once c. hardly d. justly 2. “Nervously” means: a. closely b. civilly c. anxiously d. carelessly 3. “Drop” means: a. descend b. idle c. drill d. drink 4. “Jump” means: a. jealous b. just c. delight d. leap 5. “Trouble” means: a. division b. drip c. difficulty d. duty 6. “Easily” means: a. dismally b. simply c. nervously d. chilly


7. “Silly” means: a. wise b. stupid c. intelligent d. trouble 8. “Decide” means: a. one again b. path c. determine d. play

Grammar

Adverbs: A. Adverbs of manner B. Adverbs of place C. Adverbs of time D. Adverbs of frequency Adverbs: An adverb tells us more about a verb. An adverb tells us in what way someone does something or in what way something happens:

Ali drove carefully along the narrow road. Speak quietly, please.

Many adverbs of manner and some adverbs of degree are formed by adding ly to the corresponding adjectives:

slow → slowly immediate → immediately

A. Adverbs of manner: 1. They come after the verb:

She played well. Or after the object when there is one:

They speak English well. 2. When we have verb + preposition + object, adverb can be either before

the preposition or after the object: He looked at me suspiciously. He looked suspiciously at me.

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B. Adverbs of place: Somewhere, here, everywhere, there, upstairs, … 1. If there is no object, usually placed after the verb:

He lives here. They went away.

2. Adverbs of place come before adverbs of time:

He comes to class in the mornings. He practices in class everyday.

C. Adverbs of time: 1. These are usually placed at the very beginning or at the end of the

clause, i.e. in front position or end position: He came finally. Finally he came. Write today. I will wait till tomorrow.

2. Before, early, immediately and late come at the end of the clause:

He came late. I will go immediately.

3. Adverbs of time come after adverbs of place:

He came to class at 2 o’clock everyday last week. The teacher has breakfast at home everyday.

D. Adverbs of frequency:

Always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, ever, rarely, never, once, twice, continually

1. After the simple tense of to be:

He is always in time for meals. 2. Before the simple tenses of all other verbs:

They sometimes stay up all night. 3. With compound tenses, they are placed after the first auxiliary:

He can never understand. You have often been told not to do that. Have you ever ridden a camel?


Never is chiefly used with an affirmative verb: I have never had a better flight. He never saw her again.

Ever means “at any time” and is chiefly used in the interrogative:

Has he ever marched in a demonstration? Choose the answer: 1. He learns languages …….. . a. quick b. good c. quickly d. perfect 2. I was disappointed that I did so ……. in the exam. a. worse b. worst c. bad d. badly 3. I’m …….. sorry. I didn’t mean to push you. a. well b. terrible c. terribly d. better 4. We received them …….. . a. cold b. colder c. coldest d. coldly 5. She welcomed us …….. . a. probably b. friendly c. hotly d. warmly 6. She …….. picked up all the bits of broken glass. a. well b. carefully c. somehow d. badly 7. Can you see my key ……..? a. down b. anywhere c. often d. everywhere 8. We went …….. . a. then-home b. home-then c. then-there d. home-there

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9. He ……... remembers. a. ever b. always c. in time d. doesn’t never 10. Ali is ……… . a. there ever b. here now c. ever now d. now there 11. We ……. have lunch …….. ……... . a. usually-at home-at noon b. always-at noon-at home c. home-usually-at noon d. there-always-at noon 12. We …….. study in the …….. . a. never-library b. here-always c. there-often d. ever-library 13. He …….. helps me …….. …….. . a. seldom-at home-every week b. always-every day-here c. often-here-there d. sometimes-now-at home 14. Does Ali …….. play piano …….. ……..? a. never-here-at home b. sometimes-on Fridays-at home c. ever-there-on Fridays d. rarely-now-here 15. I …….. walked out of …….. ……... . a. angrily-the room-yesterday b. yesterday-the room-angrily c. yesterday-angrily-the room d. angrily-yesterday-the room 16. The ship will arrive …….. , …….. . a. here – there b. tomorrow – here c. tomorrow – tonight d. here – tomorrow 17. He …….. speaks …….. , …….. . a. in the class – never – slowly b. in the class – slowly – never


c. slowly – never – in the class d. never – slowly – in the class 18. He ……. comes …….. , ……. . a. usually – here – every night b. here – every night – usually c. every night – usually – here d. here – usually – every night 19. He went …… , ……. , ……. . a. there – last night – carefully b. there – carefully – last night c. carefully – there – last night d. last night – carefully – there 20. We came ……. , ……. , …… . a. home – slowly – yesterday b. slowly – home – yesterday c. home – yesterday – slowly d. slowly – yesterday - home

Lesson 10

The party began shortly after nine. Mr. Wood, who lived in the flat below, sighed to himself as he heard the first signs: the steady tramp of feet on the stairs; the sound of excited voices as the guests greeted one another; and the noise of the gramophone, which was turned full on. Luckily Mr. Wood had brought some work home from the office, with which he occupied himself for a couple of hours, thus managing to ignore with some success the party which was going on over his head. But by eleven o’clock he felt tired and was ready to go to bed, though from his experience of previous parties he knew that it was useless trying to get to sleep. He undressed and lay for a while on the bed, trying to read, but the noise from the room directly above his head did not allow him to concentrate on what he was reading. He found himself reading the same page over and over again. He then switched off the light and buried his head in the pillow, in a desperate effort to go to sleep. But even so he could not shut out the noise. Finally, after what seemed hours, he switched on the light and looked at his watch: it was just after midnight.

By now his patience was quite exhausted. He leapt out of bed and, putting a dressing-gown over his pyjamas, marched resolutely up the stairs to his neighbour’s flat. He rang the bell several times, but the door remained closed in his face. This did not improve his temper. Just then one of the guests came out and went off down the stairs, leaving the door open. Mr. Wood went in. In spite of his odd dress, no one took any notice of him. Then he caught sight of the owner of the flat and managed to attract his attention. The man, whose name was Black, came across the room, smiling cheerfully, and before Mr. Wood could open his mouth to complain, said: “My dear fellow, come in and join us. I know our parties must bother you. I meant to send you an invitation.” Mr. Wood’s ill-humour vanished at once. “I’d


better go and get properly dressed,” he said. As Mr. Wood left the room, Black turned to one of the guests and said: “As soon as I set eyes on him, I knew he’d come to make trouble. That’s why I asked him to join us. Did you see how pleased he was? He went off at once to get changed. What a pity the party’s nearly over!” A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Mr. Wood lived in the flat above. -2. He read the same page several times. -3. He vainly tried to sleep. -4. Because of his uncommon dress, everybody stared at him. -5. The host did not like Mr. Wood. B. Answer the questions: 1. When did he want to go to the bed? 2. How were his clothes? 3. What was the time exactly? C. Choose the best answer: 1. “Ignore” means: a. innocent b. imagine c. ideal d. neglect 2. “Success” means: a. look b. luck c. lock d. like 3. “Odd” means: a. service b. strange c. seize d. strong 4. “Greet” means: a. sorry b. sadness c. salute d. selfish 5. “Complain” means: a. nag b. pleased c. capable d. combine

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6. “Useless” means: a. helpful b. effort c. vain d. sleepy 7. “Concentrate” means: a. attract b. attention c. focus d. ready

Grammar A. Quantitative adjectives B. Order of adjectives of quality A. Quantitative adjectives: 1. Some/ any: are determiners. They are used with uncountable and plural

nouns: I need some medicine. Would you like some more water?

Some is generally used in affirmative sentences; any is used in questions and negatives:

I want some books Have you any pens? I have not got any money.

2. few, a few: They are used with plural (countable) nouns. Few has

rather negative meanings. It suggests “not as many as one would like”. A few is more positive:

There are a few eggs in the fridge. His theory is difficult; few people understand it.

3. little, a little: little has negative meaning, but a little has positive

meaning. Both of them are used with uncountable (singular) nouns: I have little money. I have got a little milk, it will be enough for breakfast. I speak a little Spanish.

4. Many, Much: are used often in questions and negative sentences. In

affirmative sentences they are not so common. Many is for countable (plural) nouns but Much is for uncountable (singular) nouns:


How much milk have you got? How many students are in the class? Do you know many people? He has not got many friends. He drank much coffee.

5. A lot of, a lot: they are used in affirmative sentences with either

countable (plural) or uncountable (singular) nouns: She talks a lot. A lot of my friends are thinking emigrating.

B. Order of Adjectives: Several variations are possible but a fairly usual order is as the following: 1. Quality words, general descriptions: good, bad, … 2. Size, height, length: big, tall, short, long, … 3. Age, temperature: old, new, hot, cold, … 4. Shape: round, square 5. Colour: green, yellow, black, … 6. Participle: neglected, coloured, watched, … 7. Origin, Location: Iranian, American, English, … 8. Religion: Islamic 9. Material: stone, brick, plastic The first two good big old round yellow neglected Iranian A B C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 bricky houses 8 A. Determiners (articles) B. Ordinal numbers C. Cardinal numbers Choose the best answers: 1. …….. of people at the party were friendly. a. little b. much c. any d. some 2. Have ……. more to eat. a. many b. few c. a few d. some

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3. We didn’t spend ……. money. a. many b. much c. few d. some 4. Hurry up, we have got ……. time. a. many b. few c. a few d. any 5. I last saw Ali …….. days ago. a. a few b. a little c. little d. much 6. The village was very small. There were only ……. houses. a. a few b. a little c. little d. much 7. He doesn’t speak much English. Only ……. words. a. much b. any c. a little d. a few 8. She drinks …….. milk in the morning. a. few b. many c. much d. a few 9. Did he make …….. mistakes? a. a little b. much c. little d. many 10. Ali doesn’t drink …….. of milk in the morning. a. a few b. few c. many d. a lot 11. It rained …….. during the night. a. a few b. few c. many d. a little 12. ……. towns have such splendid trees. a. any b. much c. little d. few 13. There are two ….…, ……., ……. cars there. a. small-big-black b. big-old-black


c. old-small-big d. black-big-old 14. We have bought a/an ……., ……., ……. bucket. a. red-new-old b. old-black-plastic c. plastic-good-new d. new-good-red 15. The first two ……., ……., ……., ……. books are mine. a. big-Persian-bad-new b. old-French-good-small c. blue-small-good-English d. good-small-black-Persian 16. She is a ……. , …….. , ……. , ……… woman. a. cheerful – efficient – overweight – young b. young – overweight – efficient – cheerful c. efficient – young – overweight – cheerful d. overweight – cheerful – young – overweight 17. He is a ……. , …….. , …….., ……. man. a. good – tall – old – white b. tall – old – white – good c. old – good – tall – white d. white – good – old – tall 18. It is a …….. , ……. , ……. ,……. , …….. dish. a. old – Iranian – iron – black – beautiful b. iron – black – old – Iranian – beautiful c. Iranian – beautiful – old – black – iron d. beautiful – old – black – Iranian – iron 19. He is a very ……. , ……. , ……. man. a. helpful – old – patient b. old – helpful – patient c. helpful – patient – old d. patient – old – helpful 20. It is my …… , ……. , …… cutlery. a. German – steel – polished b. steel – German – polished c. polished – German – steel d. steel – German - polished

Lesson 11

Research in Britain has shown that ‘green consumers’ continue to flourish as a significant group amongst shoppers. This suggests that politicians who claim environmentalism is yesterday’s issue may be seriously misjudging the public mood.

A report from Mintel, the market research organisation, says that despite recession and financial pressures, more people than ever want to buy environmentally friendly products and a ‘green wave’ has swept through consumerism, taking in people previously untouched by environmental concerns. The recently published report also predicts that the process will repeat itself with ‘ethical’ concerns, involving issues such as fair trade with the Third World and the social record of businesses. Companies will have to be more honest and open in response to this mood.

Mintel’s survey, based on nearly 1,000 consumers, found that the proportion who look for green products and are prepared to pay more for them has climbed from 53 percent in 1990 to around 60 percent in 1994. On average, they will pay 13 percent more for such products, although this percentage is higher among women, managerial and professional groups and those aged 35 to 44.

Between 1990 and 1994 the proportion of consumers claiming to be unaware of or unconcerned about green issues fell from 18 to 10 per cent but the number of green spenders among older people and manual workers has risen substantially. Regions such as Scotland have also caught up with the south of England in their environmental concerns. According to Mintel, the image of green consumerism as associated in the past with the more eccentric members of society has virtually disappeared. The consumer research manager for Mintel, Angela Hughes, said it had become firmly established as a mainstream market. She explained that as far as the average


person is concerned environmentalism has not ‘gone off the boil’. In fact, it has spread across a much wider range of consumer groups, ages and occupations.

Mintel’s 1994 survey found that 13 percent of consumers are ‘very dark green’, nearly always buying environmentally friendly products, 28 percent are ‘dark green’, trying ‘as far as possible’ to buy such products, and 21 percent are ‘pale green’ – tending to buy green products if they see them. Another 26 percent are ‘armchair greens’; they said they care about environmental issues but their concern does not affect their spending habits. Only 10 percent say they do not care about green issues.

Four in ten people are ‘ethical spenders’, buying goods which do not, for example, involve dealings with oppressive regimes. This figure is the same as in 1990, although the number of ‘armchair ethicals’ has risen from 28 to 35 percent and only 22 percent say they are unconcerned now, against 30 percent in 1990. Hughes claims that in the twenty-first century, consumers will be encouraged to think more about the entire history of the products and services they buy, including the policies of the companies that provide them and that this will require a greater degree of honesty with consumers.

Among green consumers, animal testing is the top issue-48 percent said they would be deterred from buying a product it if had been tested on animals-followed by concerns regarding irresponsible selling, the ozone layer, river and sea pollution, forest destruction, recycling and factory farming. However, concern for specific issues is lower than in 1990, suggesting that many consumers feel that Government and business have taken on the environmental agenda. A. Do the following statements agree with the claims of the

writer of Reading Passage? Yes if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer No if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer Not given if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

1. The research findings report commercial rather than political trends. 2. Being financially better off has made shoppers more sensitive to buying

‘green’. 3. The majority of shoppers are prepared to pay more for the benefit of the

environment according to the research findings. 4. Consumers’ green shopping habits are influenced by Mintel’s findings.

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5. Mintel have limited their investigation to professional and managerial groups.

B. Choose the appropriate letters A-D 1. Politicians may have ‘misjudged the public mood’ because… a. they are preoccupied with the recession and financial problems. b. there is more widespread interest in the environment agenda than

they anticipated. c. consumer spending has increased significantly as a result of ‘green’

pressure. d. shoppers are displeased with government policies on a range of

issues. 2. What is Mintel? a. an environmentalist group b. a business survey organisation c. an academic research team d. a political organisation 3. A consumer expressing concern for environmental issues without

actively supporting such principles is… a. an ‘ethical spender’. b. a ‘very dark green’ spender. c. an ‘armchair green’. d. a ‘pale green’ spender. C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Habit” means: a. haggle b. custom c. hammer d. handsome 2. “Deter” means: a. prejudice b. prevent c. positive d. poor 3. “Pollution” means: a. corruption b. content c. correct d. contamination 4. “Consumer” means: a. honour b. user c. satisfy d. contain


5. “Occupation” means: a. noise b. influence c. permission d. business 6. “Encouraged” means: a. motivated b. obscure c. depressed d. doubtful 7. “Untouched” means: a. fresh b. old c. used d. consumed

Grammar A. Comparative adjectives B. Superlative adjectives 1. One-syllable adjectives form their comparative and superlative by er and

est to the positive form: bright → brighter → brightest

2. Adjectives of two and three syllables form their comparative and

superlative by putting more, and most before positive: interested → more interested → most interested frightening → more frightening → most frightening

3. Those ending in ful or re usually take more and most:

doubtful → more doubtful → most doubtful obscure → more obscure → most obscure

4. Those two syllables adjectives that ending in er, y, or ly usually add er,

est: clever → cleverer → cleverest pretty → prettier → prettiest silly → sillier → silliest

5. Irregular adjectives:

bad worse worst far farther farthest far further furthestgood better best

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little less least many/much more most old elder eldest old older oldest

6. With comparatives we use than:

He makes fewer mistakes than you. He is stronger than I expected. It was more expensive than I thought.

7. Comparison of three or more people/things is expressed by the super-

lative with the … in: This is the oldest theatre in Tehran. It was the most worrying day he had ever spent. He is the kindest man I have ever met.

Choose the best answers: 1. ……... supplies will soon be available. a. farther b. further c. farer d. far 2. He is …….. than me. a. old b. oldest c. older d. elder 3. He is the …….. . a. old b. elder c. oldest d. more older 4. We will probably drive …….. than you do. a. fast b. faster c. the fast d. fastest 5. You are the …….. person I have ever met. a. annoying b. more annoying c. most annoying d. much annoying 6. She is the …….. of her sisters. a. nice b. nicer c. most nice d. nicest


7. Your accent is …….. than me. a. more bad b. bad c. worst d. worse 8. That was the ……… meal I have had for a long time. a. delicious b. more delicious c. most delicious d. much delicious 9. The book you lent me was the ……… . a. interesting b. much interesting c. more interesting d. most interesting 10. Yesterday was …….. day of the year. a. the hottest b. hotter than c. more hot d. most hot 11. It is one of …….. meals I have ever had. a. the best b. well c. worse than d. bad 12. Her illness was ……… we at first thought. a. serious b. the most serious c. more serious than d. much serious 13. Ali has …….. money. a. the most b. most c. least d. many 14. Ali works …….. me. a. hard b. harder c. hardest d. harder than 15. Ali is …….. you. a. less carefully b. less careful than c. least careful d. the least careful 16. The fan is …… the one we had before. a. the noisy b. the noisier c. the noisiest d. noisy

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17. She earns much …….. money than her husband does. a. little b. the least c. less d. least 18. It is …… to give than to receive. a. good b. the best c. best d. better 19. He is by far ……. student in my class. a. bad b. worst c. worse d. the worst 20. Some people are ……. than others. a. reliable b. more reliable c. the reliablest d. reliabler

Lesson 12

A little more than a hundred years ago, a number of European scholars began to record stories being told in peasant cottages and compile them into the first great collections of European folk tales. Written evidence exists to prove that the folk tales they recorded existed long before then, though. Collections of sermons from the 12th to the 15th century show that medieval preachers knew of some of the same stories as those recorded by the 19th century folklorists.

The collections of folk tales made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries provide a rare opportunity to make contact with the illiterate masses who have disappeared into the past without leaving a trace. To reject folk tales as historical evidence because they cannot be dated and situated with precision like other historical documents is to turn one’s back on one of the few points of entry into the previous centuries. But to attempt to penetrate that world is to face a daunting set of obstacles, the greatest of which is the impossibility of listening in on the story tellers. No matter how accurate they may be, the versions of the tales recorded in writing cannot convey the effects that the storytellers must have used to bring the stories to life: the dramatic pauses, the sly glances, the use of gestures to set scenes, and the use of sounds to punctuate actions. All of those devices shaped the meaning of the tales, and all of them elude the historian. He cannot be sure that the limp and lifeless text he holds between the covers of a book provides an accurate account of the performance that took place in earlier times. A. Choose the best answers: 1. The author believes that written versions of folk tales… a. changed dramatically from the 19th to the 20th century. b. are valid historical documents.

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c. show how illiterate the masses were before the 19th century. d. should be rejected as historical evidence. 2. What problem of folk tale collections does the author discuss? a. There is no way to tell which version of a story is the original

version. b. They contain historical inaccuracies. c. They are used as historical evidence. d. They don’t preserve the original performance style of the

storytellers. 3. The author’s main purpose in this passage is to … a. criticize historians who use folk tales as historical documents. b. argue that folk tales are authentic historical documents. c. convince readers that modern versions of folk tales are probably not

the same as the originals. d. explain why historians must study the illiterate masses of the past. 4. According to the passage, peasant folklore was recorded by … a. 19th century folklorists. b. 19th century preachers. c. historians in the 12th to 15th centuries. d. 19th century peasants. 5. The author talks about “limp and lifeless” texts because … a. the original texts have been damaged. b. the texts do not reveal how the storytellers presented their folk tales. c. some of the texts are no longer relevant to historians. d. the texts provide an accurate account of life in earlier times. B. Answer the questions: 1. What do collections of sermons show? 2. How can versions of tales have more effect? 3. What was the rare opportunity that collections of folk tales made? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Penetrate” means: a. confuse b. puzzle c. enter d. worry


2. “Gesture” means: a. false b. endure c. everlasting d. signal 3. “Obstacle” means: a. barrier b. lawful c. leave d. liberty 4. “Peasant” means: a. tolerance b. rustic c. citizen d. president 5. “Performance” means: a. accomplish b. constant c. individual d. perfume 6. “Illiterate” means: a. unworthy b. uneducated c. unfamiliarity d. unreadable 7. “Convey” means: a. crooked b. cover c. council d. carry

Grammar Conjunctions: Either, Neither, So, Too. 1. We use neither and either when we are talking about two things:

Neither restaurant is expensive. I didn’t like either restaurant. Neither of us is married.

2. Neither and so can be used to introduce sentences in which we say that

people are the same as others that have just been mentioned. Inversion is used:

My mother is ill this week, so is my sister. I can’t speak French, neither can he.

3. Affirmative additions to affirmative remarks can be made by subject +

auxiliary + too or by so + auxiliary + subject, in that order. If repeated in the addition:

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Ali would enjoy a game and I would too. Ali would enjoy a game and so would I.

4. Negative additions to negative remarks are made with neither +

auxiliary + subject: Ali hasn’t any spare time, neither have I. I didn’t get much sleep last night, neither did he.

5. The additions can also be made with subject + negative auxiliary +

either: He didn’t like the book, I didn’t either. They don’t mind the noise, we don’t either.

6. We use too and either at the end of sentence; and too is used after

positive verb and either is used after a negative verb: I am happy, she is too. She is not happy, I am not either.

Choose the best answers: 1. I am tired, …….. is she. a. so b. either c. neither d. too 2. We went to cinema last night, they did …….. . a. so b. either c. neither d. too 3. I never eat meat, …….. did she. a. so b. either c. neither d. too 4. I haven’t got a key, …….. have they. a. so b. either c. neither d. too 5. I can’t cook, he can’t ……... . a. so b. either c. neither d. too 6. I didn’t buy a newspaper, she didn’t …….. . a. so b. either c. neither d. too


7. I went to bed late last night, he did …….. . a. so b. either c. neither d. too 8. I know him very well, …….. does she. a. so b. either c. neither d. too 9. I will be late tonight, …….. will they. a. so b. either c. neither d. too 10. I want to go home now, …….. do they. a. so b. either c. neither d. too 11. We don’t eat out, ……. do they. a. either b. too c. so d. neither 12. I wash the dishes, they do …… . a. either b. too c. so d. neither 13. She went to school, I did …… . a. either b. too c. so d. neither 14. I did not like the lunch, She didn’t ……. . a. either b. too c. so d. neither 15. I can have a porter carry my bag, …… can she. a. either b. too c. so d. neither

Lesson 13

Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter. Yet this is not always the case.

A famous actor in a highly successful play was once cast in the role of an aristocrat who had been imprisoned in the Bastille for twenty years. In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance, he always insisted that it should be written out in full.

One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if, after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind bars in his dark cell. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his hands. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual. It was simply a blank sheet of paper. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow-actor had at last learnt his lines. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: ‘The light is dim. Read the letter to me.’ And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either, the gaoler replied: ‘The light is indeed dim, Sir. I must get my glasses.’ With this, he hurried off the stage. Much to the aristocrat’s amusement, the gaoler returned a few moments later with a pair of glasses and the usual copy of the letter which he proceeded to read to the prisoner.


A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1.The famous actor was imprisoned for twenty years. -2.The gaoler always comes on the stage with a letter. -3.The paper was blank. -4.Because the light was dim, the actor couldn’t read the paper. -5.The famous actor needed to wear his glasses to read the paper. B. Answer the questions: 1. Why are actors in successful plays in many ways unfortunate? 2. In which act of the play was the aristocrat given a letter to read? 3. Why did the gaoler decide to play a joke on the aristocrat? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Squint” means: a. spot b. spouse c. spring d. look 2. “Precious” means: a. advance b. greedy c. prefer d. valuable 3. “Dim” means: a. delay b. dignity c. dark d. decay 4. “Manage” means: a. direct b. declare c. dignified d. disease 5. “Required” means: a. abuse b. abandoned c. ask d. announce 6. “Unfortunate” means: a. wealthy b. unlucky c. famous d. rich 7. “Reply” means: a. play b. silent c. answer d. expose

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Grammar A. So B. Such C. Enough D. Too 1. So is used without a noun and such with an adjective with a noun. So

can be used with an adverb: He is so intelligent. It was such a stupid story. He speaks so quickly.

2. So and such make the meaning of the adjective stronger:

It is a lovely day. It is so warm. We enjoyed our holiday. We had such a good time. I was so tired that I went to bed at seven o’clock. It was such lovely weather that we spent the whole day in the garden.

3. Enough can be used after adjectives and adverbs:

You won’t pass examination if you don’t work hard enough. He can’t get married yet. He is not old enough.

4. Enough can be used before nouns:

I’d like to go on holiday but I haven’t got enough money. Some of us had to sit on the floor because there weren’t enough chairs

5. Too is used before adjective:

Let’s get a taxi. It’s too far to walk. 6. After enough and too, for someone/something can be used:

He wasn’t experienced enough for the job. 7. Enough is used before a pronoun:

We didn’t buy enough of them.


8. Enough can be used as the complement of the verb be, when the subject is a pronoun:

There is enough milk. 9. Too can be followed by an infinitive structure:

He is too old to work. It is too late for the shops to be open.

Choose the best answers: 1. I can’t drink this coffee. It is …….. hot. a. such b. too c. enough d. so 2. It was …….. good book that I couldn’t put it down. a. such b. too c. enough d. so 3. Hurry up! Don’t walk …….. slowly. a. such b. too c. enough d. so 4. I worked …….. hard, I made myself ill. a. such b. too c. enough d. so 5. I never read …….. nice book. a. such b. too c. enough d. so 6. Do you think I have got enough qualifications …….. for the job? a. apply b. applying c. to apply d. applied 7. Try this jacket on and see if it is too big …….. you. a. to b. for c. from d. at 8. I can’t wear this coat in winter. It is not warm …….. . a. such b. too c. enough d. so

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9. Nobody can move the piano. It was …….. heavy. a. such b. too c. enough d. so 10. I like them. They are …….. nice people. a. such b. too c. enough d. so 11. Ali is ……. Lazy that he can’t leave house on time. a. such b. too c. enough d. so 12. I had ……… much work that I came home late. a. such b. too c. enough d. so 13. She is ……. an old lady that she can’t walk fast. a. such b. too c. enough d. so 14. The tea is ……. hot for her to drink. a. such b. too c. enough d. so 15. The tea is cold …… to drink . a. such b. too c. enough d. so

Lesson 14

A binary star is actually a pair of stars that are held together by the force of gravity. Although occasionally the individual stars that compose a binary star can be distinguished, they generally appear as one star. The gravitational pull between the individual stars of a binary star causes one to orbit around the other. From the orbital pattern of a binary, the mass of its stars can be determined: the gravitational pull of a star is in direct proportion to its mass, and the strength of the gravitational force of one star on another determines the orbital pattern of the binary.

Scientists have discovered stars that seem to orbit around an empty space. It has been suggested that such a star and the empty space really composed a binary star. The empty space is known as a “black hole”, a star with such strong gravitational force that no light is able to get through. Although the existence of black holes has not been proven, the theory of their existence has been around for about two centuries, since the French mathematician Pierre Simon de Laplace first proposed the concept at the end of the eighteenth century. Scientific interest in this theory has been intense in the last few decades. However, currently the theory is unproven, black holes can only be potentially identified based on the interactions of objects around them, as happens when a potential black hole is part of a binary star; they of course cannot be seen because of the inability of any light to escape the star’s powerful gravity. A. Choose the best answers: 1. A binary star could best be described as a. stars that have been forced apart b. a star with a strong gravitational force

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c. two stars pulled together by gravity d. a large number of attached stars 2. The word “distinguished” in line 3 is closest in meaning to ……….. . a. renowned b. tied c. celebrated d. differentiated 3. According to the passage, what happens as a result of the gravita-

tional force between the stars? a. One star circles the other. b. The mass of the binary star increases. c. A black hole is destroyed. d. The gravitational force decreases. 4. The word “proportion” in line 7 is closest in meaning to which of the

following? a. Contrast b. Ratio c. Inversion d. Force 5. According to the passage, what is a “black hole”? a. An empty space around which nothing orbits b. A star with close to zero gravity c. A star whose gravitational force blocks the passage of light d. An empty space so far away that no light can reach it 6. Which of the following statements about black holes is NOT sup-

ported by the passage? a. A black hole can have a star orbiting around it. b. A binary star can be composed of a black hole and a visible star. c. All empty space contains black holes. d. The gravitational pull of a black hole is strong. 7. The word “get” in line 12 could best be replaced by a. pass b. sink c. jump d. see 8. Which of the following is implied in the passage about the theory of

black holes? a. No reputable scientists believe it. b. It has only recently been hypothesized. c. At least some scientists find it credible. d. Scientists are hoping to see a black hole in order to prove the theory.


9. The word “intense” in line 16 is closest in meaning to a. brilliant b. intermittent c. bright d. strong 10. This passage would probably be assigned reading in a course on a. botany b. astrophysics c. geology d. astrology B. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. A binary star is a star that is held by the force of gravity. -2. The mass of stars can be determined by orbital patterns. -3. There are some stars that orbit around an empty space. -4. Pierre Simon is a European scientist. -5. Any light can escape the black hole. C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Suppose” means: a. prosperity b. pain c. permit d. propose 2. “Interest” means: a. aim b. alert c. attract d. aggravate 3. “Empty” means: a. hollow b. hurry c. help d. heaven 4. “Existence” means: a. base b. bar c. banish d. being 5. “Distinguish” means: a. differentiate b. deform c. disorder d. distance 6. “Decades” means: a. twenty years b. ten years c. thirty years d. forty years

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7. “Suggest” means: a. offer b. deny c. reply d. delay

Grammar Verbs: A. Verbs followed by infinitives

agree endeavor seem offer promise arrange fail swear hope propose consent learn undertake prefer wish decide mean begin choose hate deserve prove try forget fear determine refuse continue desire love

He does not deserve to pass the course. I agree to do that.

B. Verbs followed by gerunds

admit deny postpone mind appreciate enjoy practice intend avoid escape prevent regret consider finish quit start continue keep resist stop delay miss understand remember

Ali had to postpone leaving the college. He can’t resist buying every dress he sees.

C. Verbs followed by finites

have hear would rather help feel had better let see observe make watch smell

I would rather go by car. Would you rather have tea? I heard you sing at the concert. Please let me study here.


Choose the best answers: 1. Stop …….. . a. to smoke b. smokes c. smoke d. smoking 2. He admitted …….. the money. a. to steal b. steals c. stealing d. stole 3. Ali kept …….. me while I was speaking. a. to interrupt b. interrupting c. interrupts d. interrupt 4. I enjoy …….. up early. a. getting b. get c. got d. to get 5. They agreed ……. me some money. a. lend b. lending c. lent d. to lend 6. I had better …….. now or I will be late. a. to go b. going c. went d. go 7. How old were you when you learnt …….. ? a. to drive b. drove c. driving d. drive 8. I had the barber ……… my hair. a. to cut b. cutting c. cut d. cuts 9. Ali refused ……… me any money. a. gave b. give c. to give d. giving 10. I watched the bird …….. its nest. a. make b. made c. to make d. makes

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11. I would rather …….. a bit later. a. to eat b. eat c. ate d. eating 12. I will do shopping when I have finished …….. the flat. a. cleaning b. clean c. to clean d. cleaned 13. It might rain. We had better …….. an umbrella. a. to take b. took c. taking d. take 14. Did you feel the weather ……… . a. to change b. changed c. changes d. change 15. As it was late, we decided …….. a taxi home. a. take b. took c. taking d. to take 16. I hate …… money a. borrow b. borrows c. borrowed d. borrowing 17. She prefers …….. together. a. study b. studies c. studied d. studying 18. I began …… in the meeting. a. to speak b. spoke c. speak d. speaks 19. She saw me ……. Out. a. went b. goes c. to go d. go 20. She bids us ……. the house. a. left b. leaves c. to leave d. leave

Lesson 15

I left my friend’s house shortly after seven. It was still too early for me to have my evening meal, so I walked along the seafront for about an hour until I began to feel hungry. By that time I was not far from a favourite restaurant of mine, where I often went to eat two or three times a week. I knew the owner well and frequently complimented him on his excellent cooking.

I went into the restaurant, which was already crowded, and ordered my meal. While I was waiting for the soup to arrive, I looked around to see if I knew anyone in the restaurant. It was then that I noticed that a man sitting at a corner table near the door kept glancing in my direction, as if he knew me. I certainly did not know him, for I never forget a face. The man had a newspaper open in front of him, which he was pretending to read, though all the while I could see that he was keeping an eye on me. When the waiter brought my soup, the man was clearly puzzled by the familiar way in which the waiter and I addressed each other. He became even more puzzled as time went on and it grew more and more obvious that I was well known in the restaurant. Eventually he got up and went into the kitchen. After a few minutes he came out again, paid his bill and left without another glance in my direction.

When I had finished and was about to pay my bill, I called the owner of the restaurant over and asked him what the man had wanted. The owner was a little embarrassed by my question and at first did not want to tell me. I insisted. “Well,” he said, “that man was a detective.” “Really?” I said, considerably surprised. “He was certainly very interested in me. But why?” “He followed you here because he thought you were a man he was looking for,” the owner of the restaurant said. “When he came into the kitchen, he showed me a photograph of the wanted man. He certainly looked like you!

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Of course, since we know you here, I was able to convince him that he had made a mistake.” “It’s lucky I came to a restaurant where I am known,” I said, “otherwise I might have been arrested!” A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. He left his friend’s house after midnight. -2. He did know the owner well. -3. The man was pretending to read a newspaper. -4. He asked owner of restaurant about the man. -5. The man was a famous actor. B. Answer the questions: 1. Why was detective interested in him? 2. What did he order in the restaurant? 3. Did the detective have any picture of the wanted man? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Favourite” means: a. critical b. accurate c. absurd d. preferred 2. “Pay” means: a. give b. understand c. break d. calm 3. “Surprised” means: a. rule b. sweep c. swear d. wonder 4. “Embarrass” means: a. ashamed b. emerge c. collect d. elope 5. “Glance” means: a. death b. shadow c. ghost d. look 6. “Crowded” means: a. populated b. trite c. empty d. terse


7. “Puzzle” means: a. confuse b. taciturn c. superficial d. vindicate

Grammar Conditional Sentences: have two parts, the if clause and the main clause. A. Conditional Sentence type 1: Probable; The verb in the if clause is in

the present tense; the verb in the main clause is in the future simple. If you study well, you will pass the examination.

B. Conditional Sentence type 2: the verb in the if clause is in the past

tense; the verb in the main clause is in the conditional tense: If I had a map, I would lend it to you.

1. When the supposition is contrary to known facts:

If I lived near my office I would be in time for work. If I were you, I would plant some trees around the house.

2. When we don’t expect the action in the if clause to take place:

If a burglar came into my room at night, I would scream. C. Conditional Sentences type 3: the verb in the if clause is in the past

perfect tense; the verb in the main clause is in the perfect conditional: If I had had money, I would have bought a car.

1. Could or might may be used instead of would:

If we had found him earlier, we could have saved his life. 2. Had can be placed first and the if omitted:

Had you obeyed orders this disaster would not have happened.

Choose the best answers: 1. If he receives some money, he …….. to Jieroft. a. go b. would go c. will go d. could go

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2. If he went to Kerman, he might …….. a carpet. a. bought b. buying c. will buy d. buy

3. If Ali had known you he would have …….. you. a. greet b. greeting c. greeted d. to greet

4. If she …….. you, she would buy it. a. is b. was c. were d. be

5. If I had had money, I would have …….. to Ardebil. a. will travel b. travel c. travelled d. traveling

6. If we had taken the bus, we would have …….. safe. a. be b. being c. been d. was

7. If I …….. rich, I might go to Tehran. a. was b. were c. am d. been 8. If he doesn’t listen, I cannot …….. him. a. will help b. would help c. help d. to help 9. If we …………. again, we could succeed. a. try b. to try c. tried d. will try 10. If you ……… your letter, I can post it. a. write b. wrote c. written d. will write 11. If you write the letter, I ……. it. a. would b. post c. will post d. posted 12. If you ……. me, I would help you. a. ask b. asked c. will ask d. would ask


13. If she ……. A bird, she would fly in the sky. a. is b. be c. was d. were 14. If you studied, you …… the test. a. pass b. will pass c. passed d. would pass 15. If she …… more, she would have passed the test. a. has studied b. have studied c. had studied d. studied

Lesson 16

Modern sculpture rarely surprises us any more. The idea that modern art can only be seen in museums is mistaken. Even people who take no interest in art cannot have failed to notice examples of modern sculpture on display in public places. Strange forms stand in gardens, and outside buildings and shops. We have got quite used to them. Some so-called modern pieces have been on display for nearly fifty years.

In spite of this, some people including myself were surprised by a recent exhibition of modern sculpture. The first thing I saw when I entered the art gallery was a notice which said: ‘Do not touch the exhibits. Some of them are dangerous!’ The objects on display were pieces of moving sculpture. Oddly shaped forms that are suspended from the ceiling and move in response to a gust of wind are quite familiar to everybody. These objects, however, were different. Lined up against the wall, there were long thin wires attached to metal spheres. The spheres had been magnetized and attracted or repelled each other all the time. In the centre of the hall, there were a number of tall structures which contained coloured lights. These lights flickered continuously like traffic lights which have gone mad. Sparks were emitted from small black boxes and red lamps flashed on and off angrily. It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment. These peculiar forms not only seemed designed to shock people emotionally, but to give them electric shocks as well! A. Answer the questions: 1. What did the writer see when he entered the art gallery? 2. What did the writer see against the wall?


3. What did the spheres do? 4. What did the coloured lights do? 5. What was emitted from black boxes? B. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Modern sculpture always surprises us. -2. Some people were not surprised by a recent exhibition. -3. Some of objects of the exhibition were dangerous. -4. All of the objects of the exhibition were same. -5. The short sculptures and structures contained white lights. C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Mistake” means: a. visit b. flow c. courage d. fault 2. “Dangerous” means: a. bold b. manly c. hazardous d. narrow 3. “Equipment” means: a. difficult b. tool c. eager d. abnormal 4. “Display” means: a. show b. store c. spend d. race 5. “Strange” means: a. stop b. stir c. pay d. uncommon 6. “Touch” means: a. connect b. concentrate c. contact d. combine 7. “Exhibition” means: a. fade b. fire c. fair d. full

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Grammar “Wish” structures: A. Wish uses the past for present situation; Wish is the most formal:

I wish I knew his telephone number. B. We use wish to say that we regret something, that something is not as we

would like it to be: Do you wish ever you would fly? I wish I didn’t have to walk.

C. After wish, were is used instead of was:

I wish my room were larger. I wish I were free.

D. Past Perfect is used after wish when you say that you regret something

that happened or didn’t happen in the past: I wish I had known Ali was ill. I wish I hadn’t eaten so much.

E. We often use I wish… wouldn’t to complain about the way people do

things: I wish you wouldn’t drive so fast.

Choose the best answers: 1. He wished the doctor …….. in his office yesterday. a. were b. was c. been d. had been 2. I wish Ali ……… English at that time. a. have spoken b. has spoken c. had spoken d. spoken 3. I wish he ……… here now. a. was b. were c. been d. had been 4. I wish they ……… the menu. a. will change b. would change c. changed d. had changed


5. I wish he ……... more often. a. has written b. had written c. will write d. would write 6. I wished I …….. so much money. a. had spent b. has spent c. have spent d. would spend 7. I wished I …….. his advice. a. was taken b. have taken c. were taken d. had taken 8. I wish the sun ……… out. a. come b. will come c. would come d. coming 9. He wishes prices ……… down. a. come b. will come c. would come d. coming 10. I wish they ……… smoking. a. stopping b. would stop c. will stop d. stop 11. I think that this tea is weak. I wish it ………. strong. a. is b. was c. were d. been 12. They didn’t sell pens here. I wish they ………. them here. a. sell b. sold c. have sold d. had sold 13. He was in. I wish he ……... out. a. was b. were c. been d. had been 14. They are expensive. I wish they ……… not expensive. a. have been b. had been c. were d. was

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15. He didn’t feel well. I wish he ……… well. a. have felt b. had felt c. felt d. feel 16. I wish she ….. me. a. will tell b. would tell c. tell d. told 17. I wish I ……. French. a. know b. knowing c. knew d. had known 18. I wish Kiarash ……. . a. come b. has come c. comes d. had come 19. Kiarash is not at home, I wish he …… . a. is b. be c. was d. were 20. They didn’t go shopping, I wish they …… . a. go b. went c. have gone d. had gone

Lesson 17 Kidnappers are rarely interested in animals, but they recently took

considerable interest in Mrs Eleanor Ramsay’s cat. Mrs Eleanor Ramsay, a very wealthy old lady, has shared a flat with her cat, Rastus, for a great many years. Rastus leads an orderly life. He usually takes a short walk in the evenings and is always home by seven o’clock. One evening, however, he failed to arrive. Mrs Ramsay got very worried. She looked everywhere for him but could not find him.

Three days after Rastus’ disappearance, Mrs Ramsay received an anonymous letter. The writer stated that Rastus was in safe hands and

would be returned immediately if Mrs Ramsay paid a ransom of £1000. Mrs Ramsay was instructed to place the money in a cardboard box and to leave it outside her door. At first, she decided to go to the police, but fearing that she would never see Rastus again-the letter had made that quite

clear-she changed her mind. She drew £1000 from her bank and followed the kidnapper’s instructions. The next morning, the box had disappeared but Mrs Ramsay was sure that the kidnapper would keep his word. Sure enough, Rastus arrived punctually at seven o’clock that evening. He looked very well, though he was rather thirsty, for he drank half a bottle of milk. The police were astounded when Mrs Ramsay told them what she had done. She explained that Rastus was very dear to her. Considering the amount she paid, he was dear in more ways than one!

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A. Answer the questions: 1. When did Mrs Ramsay receive an anonymous letter? 2. Where did she have to put the money? 3. How much did she draw from the bank? 4. Did she act on the kidnapper’s instructions or not? 5. When did Rastus return to Mrs Ramsay? B. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Kidnappers are always interested in expensive pets. -2. Mrs. Eleanor’s dog was very beautiful. -3. She was very rich. -4. She received a letter from a friend. -5. The kidnapper took money and released the pet. C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Worry” means: a. explain b. conclude c. fear d. beautify 2. “Instruction” means: a. grace b. information c. avoid d. decay 3. “Punctual” means: a. absolute b. firm c. false d. exact 4. “Share” means: a. argue b. discuss c. divide d. deal 5. “Decide” means: a. determine b. claim c. calm d. dear 6. “Considerable” means: a. goat b. great c. guy d. giant


17. “Disappearance” means: a. lose b. loose c. loaf d. lucid

Grammar Passive sentences: A. The passive of active tense is formed by putting the verb to be into the

same tense as the active verb and adding the past participle of the active verb. The subject of the active verb becomes the agent of the passive verb:

The tree was planted. The butter is kept here. Wolves have been seen in the streets.

B. The passive of continuous tenses requires the present continuous forms

of to be: The bridge is being repaired.

C. Active tenses and their passive equivalents:

Tense Active Passive

1. Simple present keep is kept 2. Simple past kept was kept 3. Simple future will keep will be kept 4. Present continuous is keeping is being kept 5. Past continuous was keeping was being kept 6. Present perfect have kept have been kept 7. Past perfect had kept had been kept 8. Conditional would keep would be kept

D. Passive is used when it is not necessary to mention the doer of the

action: The streets are swept everyday.

E. When the subject is unknown:

My car has been moved. F. When the subject is “people”:

He is suspected of receiving stolen goods.

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G. When action is more important than the subject: The house next door has been bought.

Choose the best answers: 1. The injured player …….. off the field. a. were carrying b. was being carried c. will carry d. be carried 2. You ……… at the station tomorrow. a. would meet b. will meet c. will being met d. will be met 3. A new public library ……… . a. was building b. is building c. were building d. is being built 4. The old newspapers ……... away yesterday. a. had thrown b. was thrown c. have been thrown d. were thrown 5. The door ……... every night. a. have locked b. is locked c. has locked d. was locked 6. The letters …….. now. a. are written b. are being written c. were written d. were being written 7. A book …….. to Ali last week. a. are given b. is given c. were given d. was given 8. Let this letter ……… . a. is written b. were written c. was written d. be written 9. Some book ……… to me next week. a. will send b. will be sent c. would send d. will being sent


10. Piano ……… when I left the hall. a. is being played b. were being played c. was being played d. will be played 11. The houses …….. next year. a. will made b. will be made c. have made d. are made 12. Our classrooms …….. last night. a. is sweeping b. was sweeping c. were swept d. will be swept 13. The equipment ……… next month. a. will service b. will be serviced c. serviced d. was serviced 14. The school …….. yesterday. a. was opened b. were opened c. is opened d. will open 15. When I arrived it …….. just …….. . a. have been - bought b. were being - bought c. had been - bought d. was being - bought 16. The boy ……. . a. are helped b. had been helped c. have been helped d. were helped 17. My sweater …….. in England. a. were made b. have made c. was made d. are made 18. The Sabzevaran province …….. next month. a. had been announced b. have been announced c. will be announced d. was announced 19. Corn …….. in Faryab. a. is grown b. grew c. grow d. will be growing

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20. My purse …….. yesterday. a. are stolen b. is stolen c. were stolen d. was stolen

Lesson 18

In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of £1000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel. Over a year passed before the first attempt was made. On July 19th, 1909, in the early morning, Hubert Latham took off from the French coast in his plane the ‘Antoinette IV’. He had travelled only seven miles across the Channel when his engine failed and he was forced to land on the sea. The ‘Antoinette’ floated on the water until Latham was picked up by a ship.

Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called ‘No. XI’. Bleriot had been making planes since 1905 and this was his latest model. A week before, he had completed a successful overland flight during which he covered twenty-six miles. Latham, however, did not give up easily. He, too, arrived near Calais on the same day with a new ‘Antoinette’. It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel. Both planes were going to take off on July 25th, but Latham failed to get up early enough. After making a short test flight at 4.15 a.m., Bleriot set off half an hour later. His great flight lasted thirty seven minutes. When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman. Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, but he was unlucky again. His engine failed and he landed on the sea for the second time. A. Answer the questions: 1. On what date did Bleriot and Latham arrive at Calais? 2. Why did Latham not take part in the race?

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3. Did Bleriot make a short test flight before setting out or not? 4. Who greeted him when he arrived at Dover? 5. Why did he have to land on the sea for the second time? B. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. In 1908 a prize was offered for flying across Channel. -2. The first attempt was successful. -3. The first pilot was forced to land on the sea. -4. Bleriot’s great flight lasted more than half an hour. -5. The police arrested him near Dover. C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Offer” means: a. believe b. propose c. act d. please 2. “Force” means: a. oblige b. ban c. step d. base 3. “Float” means: a. flog b. flag c. flirt d. move on 4. “Race” means: a. fleet b. flee c. match d. body 5. “Local” means: a. list b. isolate c. long d. regional 6. “Complete” means: a. fool b. full c. feel d. fade 7. “Successful” means: a. fame b. fruitful c. flow d. flaw


Grammar Indirect Speech: A. In direct speech we repeat the original speaker’s exact words:

He said, “I have lost my keys.”

B. In indirect speech the exact meaning of a remark or a speech, without necessarily using the speaker’s exact words are given:

He said he had lost his keys. C. The indirect speech is introduced by a verb in the past tense. Verbs have

to be changed into corresponding past tense:

Direct speech Indirect speech Simple present → Simple past Present continuous → Past continuous Present perfect → Past perfect Present prefect continuous → Past perfect continuous Simple past → Past perfect Future → Conditional Future continuous → Conditional continuous

D. Questions in indirect speech:

He said, ‘where is she going?’ He asked where she was going.

1. Tenses, pronouns, possessive adjectives and adverbs of time and place as

in statements. The interrogative form of the verb changes to the affirmative form. The question mark (?) is omitted:

He said, ‘where does she live?’ He asked where she lived.

2. If the introductory verb is say, it must be changed to a verb of inquiry,

ask: He said, ‘where is the station?’ He asked where the station was.

3. If there is no question word, if or whether must be used:

He asked “Is anyone there?” He asked if any one was there. He said, “Do you know Ali?” He asked if I knew Ali.

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E. Command in indirect speech: He said, ‘lie down Ali.’ He told Ali to lie down.

F. Negative commands are reported by not + infinitive:

I said, ‘Don’t swim out too far.’ I told not to swim out too far.

Choose the best answers: 1. He said he never …….. meat. a. eat b. ate c. eaten d. eats 2. He said he …….. for her. a. waits b. has waited c. were waiting d. was waiting 3. He said he …….. a flat. a. has found b. finds c. had found d. were finding 4. He said he …….. for ages. a. has been waiting b. had been waiting c. were being waited d. is waiting 5. He said he …….. it home with her. a. has taken b. have taken c. had taken d. were taken 6. He said he …….. in Ardebil on Monday. a. will be b. would be c. were d. was 7. He asked what …….. . a. has happened b. have happened c. had happened d. happened 8. He asked if I …….. to go by air. a. want b. wanted c. wants d. to want


9. The police asked if I …….. the accident. a. has seen b. seen c. had seen d. have seen 10. He asked Ali …….. . a. hurry b. to hurry c. hurrying d. hurried 11. He asked me …….. her again. a. not to saw b. not to see c. not see d. don’t see 12. He asked ……… Ali. a. to saw b. see c. saw d. to see 13. Ali said he …….. ill. a. were feeling b. feeling c. was feeling d. is feeling 14. He said Ali ……. a new car. a. has bought b. bought c. have bought d. had bought 15. Ali said Tehran …….. bigger than Jieroft. a. is b. were c. was d. be 16. She said she ……. TV every day. a. watches b. watching c. watched d. to watch 17. She says she ……. TV every day. a. watches b. watching c. watched d. to watch 18. She told me …….. TV. a. watches b. watching c. watched d. to watch

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19. He asked me where Kiarash ……. . a. were b. be c. was d. are 20. Kiarash asked me not …….. the window. a. open b. opened c. to open d. opens

Lesson 19

Botanists and biomedical scientists have been collecting evidence for decades that tannins, compounds of plant origin that are found in tea and red wine, can cause cancer of the esophagus, which is almost always fatal. In 1962, they began to investigate a fivefold increase in the rate of cancer of the esophagus among the Bantu of Africa from 1943 to 1953.

Soon after, they began to search for causes of the disease among the inhabitants of Curacao and other Caribbean islands. Interviews with victims and surviving relatives led them to suspect that something in the diet was causing the cancer. Three of the dietary plants that they had collected produced tumors in 100 percent of their experimental animals. The suspect plants were all native teas with medicinal application. Although the plants were not related botanically, the one thing they had in common was condensed tannin.

Tannins, like caffeine and nicotine, serve plants as defenses against insects and other predators. Tannins were found in the sorghum that serves both the Bantu and the people of Curacao as a dietary staple. The botanists theorized that a drought had been indirectly responsible for the cancer epidemic among the Bantu, because it forced them to rely more on tannin-rich sorghum, which is extremely drought resistant, after their other staple crops died out.

While studies have shown tannins produce liver cancer in lab animals, human studies involving tannins so far have been only field observations, under controlled conditions. Some scientists believe other factors, such as smoking and drinking ethanol (beverage alcohol) also contribute to esophageal cancer in humans.

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A. Choose the best answers: 1. According to the passage, where are tannins found? a. in some plants like tea and sorghum b. in animal tumors and liver cancers c. in caffeine and nicotine d. in human studies and field observations 2. According to the passage, in what way are tannins beneficial?

They … a. give native teas medicinal applications. b. serve as a dietary staple. c. are very drought resistant. d. protect plants against insects. 3. What do scientists think was the reason for the increase in

esophageal cancer among the Bantu? a. They used too much caffeine and nicotine. b. They drank too much tea and red wine. c. Sorghum became a larger part of their diet. d. They began smoking and drinking ethanol. 4. What did scientists observe about the native teas they collected in

the Caribbean? a. They protected people from insects. b. They caused tumors to grow in lab animals. c. They were related botanically to sorghum. d. They were also found among the Bantu. 5. When did the scientists begin to look for causes of esophageal cancer

in Curacao and the Caribbean? a. shortly after 1962 b. shortly after 1953 c. between 1943 and 1953 d. between 1953 and 1962 B. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. There are so many evidences about reasons of cancer. -2. Cancer of esophagus is not dangerous. -3. Tannins is plants’ defense tool. -4. There are no other reasons for cancer but tannins. -5. Scientists believe that something in diet can cause cancer.


C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Fatal” means: a. defend b. beg c. recommend d. mortal 2. “Investigate” means: a. wonder b. proper c. explore d. benefit 3. “Drought” means: a. empty b. dryness c. rock d. extreme 4. “Rely” means: a. apply b. useful c. trust d. employ 5. “Survive” means: a. support b. last c. noisy d. confuse 6. “Application” means: a. requisite b. require c. reputed d. request 7. “Interview” means: a. quail b. queue c. quaint d. questioning

Grammar

Causative Verbs: A. Make B. Get C. Have D. Let E. Help In a causative sentence and structure, a person does not perform an action directly. The person causes it to happen by forcing another person to do it.

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A. Make In active takes the bare infinitive:

He made me move my car. In the passive it takes full infinitive:

I was made to move my car. If the object is direct (something) we can use bare infinitive:

She made the car work. If the object is indirect (some one) infinitive verb is used:

His mother made him take his medicine. B. Get If the object is direct (something) the verb that follow the object is a participle (not verb):

Let’s get our car fixed first. If the object is indirect (someone) the verb should be infinitive:

Let’s get him to go. C. Have If the object is direct (something) the word that follow it should be participle

(not verb): I want to have this book renewed please.

If the object is indirect (someone) the verb is bare infinitive (finitive):

My English teacher had us give oral reports. D. Let The verb after the object, either direct or indirect, should be finitive. With

let, a person gives permission for another person to do it. His mother let him go to school. I am letting this machine cool.

E. Help We can use either infinitive or finitive after the object. With help a person

assists another person to do it. He is helping me type my paper. He is helping me to type my paper.


Choose the best answers: 1. I can’t seem to make this dishwasher …….. . a. runs b. to run c. ran d. run 2. I want to get the house ……… before winter. a. painted b. to paint c. paint d. painting 3. Ali had a tooth …….. . a. fill b. to fill c. filled d. filling 4. She made the baby …….. a nap. a. taken b. took c. to take d. take 5. We will have to get someone …….. the phone right away. a. fixed b. to fix c. fix d. fixing 6. I like the way you had the beautician …….. your hair. a. do b. did c. done d. to do 7. Would you let us …….. your notes. a. to borrow b. borrow c. borrowing d. borrowed 8. Professor didn’t make us …….. up our lab reports. a. to type b. typed c. types d. type 9. He helped me …….. this job. a. got b. gotten c. get d. getting 10. Don’t let that ……… you. a. bother b. to bother c. bothered d. bothering

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11. Let’s get some of our money ……… for dollars. a. exchanging b. to exchange c. exchange d. exchanged 12. They had their lawyer …….. their will. a. changing b. to change c. changed d. change 13. Are you going to make your daughter …….. part time? a. worked b. work c. to work d. working 14. Her husband helps her ……... the laundry. a. to do b. doing c. does d. done 15. I make everyone ……… his share around the house. a. do b. did c. does d. done 16. I made Kiarash …….. his room. a. clean b. cleaned c. cleaning d. to clean 17. Sad movies make me …….. . a. cry b. cried c. cries d. crying 18. I had the plumber …….. the leak. a. repair b. repaired c. repairs d. repairing 19. I had my watch …… . a. repair b. repaired c. repairs d. repairing 20. The students got the teacher …… class early. a. dismiss b. to dismiss c. dismissing d. dismisses

Lesson 20 Concern about the gypsy moth has been growing in Michigan. The moth

larva, a two-inch long furry caterpillar, is a ravenous eater of tree leaves. These larva defoliate entire groups of trees, and through repeated defoliation, the trees eventually die. This type of tree loss is of major concern to the timber and paper industries, both of which depend on the well-being of Michigan’s woodlands. The gypsy moth is also of concern to recreational users of Michigan’s forests. Some areas are nearly unusable due to the large number of caterpillars that drop from the trees on to campsites, cabins, and trails.

To deal with this problem, the Michigan Forestry Department needed to assess to what extent the moth threatened timberlands. Before launching extensive pesticide spraying programs, which present their own dangers to wildlife, a thorough understanding of the problem was needed. For this the department turned to John Whitter, a forest entomologist.

Whitter has been investigating the relation between tree species and the proliferation of the gypsy moth larvae. He has found that aspen and red and white oak trees are the preferred food of the moth larvae; they rarely feed on red maple. Because of this, it is likely that northern Michigan forests will see a shift toward the red maple as oak and aspen are destroyed by the moth. Whitter’s research has further determined where tree death is caused by the gypsy moth and where drought or other stresses may be the cause. With this information the Forestry Department is much better equipped to find a solution to the gypsy moth problem.

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A. Choose the best answers: 1. According to the passage, when do gypsy moths do the most

damage? a. When they are larvae b. When they attack caterpillars c. After they are sprayed with pesticides d. When there is a drought 2. Which of the following is NOT true about gypsy moths? a. They can bother tourists. b. They can poison wildlife. c. They can kill trees. d. They can harm certain businesses. 3. What problem with pesticides does the passage mention? a. They are costly. b. They don’t kill all varieties of the gypsy moth. c. They can be harmful to humans. d. They may harm wild plants and animals. 4. What did John Whitter do for the Forestry Department? a. He developed new pesticides that won’t harm wildlife. b. He found a solution to the gypsy moth problem. c. He studied the gypsy moth problem. d. He recommended which pesticides to use. 5. It can be inferred that before Whitter’s work, … a. pesticides were more dangerous than they are now. b. people didn’t know whether drought or moths had killed certain

trees. c. red maples were endangered by gypsy moths. d. the gypsy moth population was controlled by periodic drought. B. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. The gypsy moth is a major problem in Michigan. -2. Use of extensive pesticide spraying is the best way. -3. There are some relation between tree species and the gypsy moth

larvae. -4. The researches have determined all of tree deaths are because of

drought. -5. The Forestry department will surely find the best solution.


C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Due to” means: a. nap b. wet c. dive d. because 2. “Solution” means: a. loneliness b. isolation c. explanation d. compact 3. “Prefer” means: a. priority b. introduce c. incorrect d. accuracy 4. “Assess” means: a. determine b. chief c. desire d. dominant 5. “Forest” means: a. help b. hurry c. pray d. wood 6. “Determine” means: a. conclude b. courage c. curb d. course 7. “Recreational” means: a. amusement b. ample c. amplify d. amount

Grammar Prepositions: are words normally placed before nouns or pronouns. They can be followed by verbs except after but and except the verb must be in the gerund form. A. In B. On C. At A. In A. In can be used before:

a country a room

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a town a forest a village a wood a square a field a street a desert

and place which has boundaries or is enclosed. 1. In can be used with building, means inside only. 2. We can be in the sea, river, lake, swimming pool, and in here means

actually in the water: The children are swimming in the river.

3. In can be an adverb:

Come in. 4. In British English in is used with the name of the street, but American

say on: She lives in Rajaie Avenue. She lives on Rajaie Avenue.

5. In is used with the softer and more hollow parts of the body surface:

She hit him in the eye/mouth/ribs. 6. In is used to talk about wounds:

He was wounded in the shoulder. I have got a pain in my head.

7. The most common expression about parts of day:

in the morning in the afternoon in the evening

8. It is used about longer periods:

weeks years months centuries seasons

9. When the surroundings are three dimensional:

in the field in the picture in the wardrobe in the sky in the bed in the Himalayas in the long grass


in the car park B. On: 1. days and dates:

On 12 March On Christmas day On Friday On Friday morning On Sunday night On a cold afternoon On a summer’s day

2. Surface:

on the ceiling on the wall on the table on the lake on the page on Everest

3. It is used when something is touching or close to a line:

We live on small river. 4. It is used with the names of most parts of body surface:

She had blood on her forehead. I bit him on jaw/ear/shoulder.

5. On is used to talk about public transport:

We had better get on the next plane. 6. On is used with word floor:

I live on the third floor. 7. On can be used for position and movement:

He was sitting on his case. Snow fell on the hills. His name is on the door. He went on board ship.

8. It is used as an adverb:

Go on. Come on.

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C. At: 1. It is used to give the time of an event, an appointment:

We have got to get up at six tomorrow. I will meet you outside at a quarter to eight.

2. For the parts of the day:

I work best at night. 3. It is used to talk about the whole of the public holidays:

Are you going away at Easter? 4. At is used to talk about position at a point:

My house is at the third crossroads. If you are at the North Pole, every direction is South.

5. With the name of group activities:

at a party at a lecture at a meeting at a concert at the match

6. After several verbs to indicate the target:

shoot at laugh at throw at smile at shout at arrive at

7. With some expressions:

at church at university at school at college at work

Choose the best answers: 1. I don’t like going out …….. night. a. to b. on c. in d. at 2. They got married …….. 12 March. a. to b. on c. in d. at 3. Ali left school …….. the age of 19. a. by b. on c. in d. at


4. They got married …….. 1989. a. in b. at c. on d. to 5. I learnt to drive …….. four weeks. a. at b. on c. to d. in 6. Britain used to be …….. the edge of the world. a. to b. in c. on d. at 7. Will you be here ……… the weekend. a. to b. in c. on d. at 8. I will see you …….. the morning. a. in b. at c. on d. to 9. I usually go out ………. Monday evenings. a. at b. in c. on d. to 10. Ali is busy ……… the moment. a. on b. to c. in d. at 11. Come on, supper is …….. the table. a. to b. on c. in d. at 12. We have got a nice little cottage …….. the river. a. to b. at c. in d. on 13. She lives ……… number 73. a. in b. to c. on d. at

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14. I parked my car ……… the side of the road. a. to b. on c. in d. at 15. We give each other present ……… Christmas. a. in b. to c. on d. at

Lesson 21

After a hasty breakfast in the station restaurant, Peter set about the task of finding a room where he could live for the next few months. He knew exactly what he wanted: a room which was not too small, nor so large that it would be difficult to heat in winter. It had to be clean and comfortable too but, above all, it had to be quiet, with a view that did not look directly on to the street. In the newspaper he had brought from the bookstall there were very few advertisements for rooms to let. But, as he glanced down the page, a notice in bold capital letters caught his eyes.

BOLTON’S ACCOMMODATION AGENCY

Flats and Rooms to Let This seemed promising, so he made a note of the address and set off in

search of the agency. He found it in a narrow street just off the main road. The woman at the desk gave him a bright smile as he entered and, after he had explained what sort of room he was looking for, gave him for the small fee of five shillings a list of about half a dozen landladies who had rooms to let.

At the first house Peter tried, the landlady, who looked about seventy years old, was so deaf that he had to shout to make her hear. When at last she understood, she shook her head and told him that she no longer let rooms. At the second house on the list all the rooms were taken. At the third the landlady was not at home. Peter was beginning to feel less hopeful, when he noticed that there was a telephone number after one of the addresses on the list. To save time, therefore, Peter rang up the landlady and enquired if she had a room to let. He was pleasantly relieved to hear that she had one vacant. He hurried round to the house, which stood well back from the road

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in a pleasant avenue. The room he was shown lay at the back of the house, overlooking a garden full of flowers and bushes. He noted, too, with satisfaction, that there was a large table in the room, where he could spread out his books and work in comfort. Furthermore, the rent was moderate. It was just what he was looking for. Without hesitation he told the landlady that he would take the room, paid a week’s rent in advance and went back to the station to get his luggage. A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Peter had a complete breakfast. -2. He wanted to find a room. -3. He wanted to find a big room. -4. The landlady was sixty years old. -5. There was a large table in the room with so many books. B. Answer the questions: 1. Where there were a few advertisements? 2. How many lists did he provide? 3. How was the rent of the third house? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Haste” means: a. concern b. moment c. hurry d. value 2. “Vacant” means: a. grave b. press c. empty d. fix 3. “Satisfaction” means: a. impose b. cheat c. possible d. pleasant 4. “Comfort” means: a. custom b. duty c. relax d. deceive


5. “Enquired” means: a. beg b. include c. involve d. ask 6. “Bright” means: a. alarm b. alight c. alert d. alien 7. “Relieve” means: a. allot b. alive c. alleviate d. allay 8. “Hesitation” means: a. cause b. caustic c. caution d. catchy 9. “Glance” means: a. scan b. scanty c. scandal d. scar 10. “Fee” means: a. chance b. charge c. chain d. change

Lesson 22

Because writing has become so important in our culture, we sometimes think of it as more real than speech. A little thought, however, will show why speech is primary and writing secondary to language. Human beings have been writing (as far as we can tell from surviving evidence) for at least 5000 years; but they have been talking for much longer, doubtlessly ever since there have been human beings.

When writing did develop, it was derived from and represented speech albeit imperfectly. Even today there are spoken languages that have no written form. Furthermore, we all learn to talk well before we learn to write; and human child who is not severely handicapped physically or mentally will learn to talk: a normal human being cannot be prevented from doing so. On the other hand, it takes a special effort to learn to write; in the past many intelligent and useful members of society did not acquire the skill, and even today many who speak languages with writing systems never learn to read or write, while some who learn the rudiments of those skills do so only imperfectly.

To affirm the primacy of speech over writing is not, however, to disparage the latter. One advantage writing has over speech is that it is more permanent and makes possible the records that any civilization must have. Thus, if speaking makes us human, writing makes us civilized. A. Choose the best answers: 1. The author of the passage argues that … a. writing has become too important in today’s society. b. speech is more basic to language than writing. c. everyone who learns to speak must learn to write. d. all languages should have a written form.


2. According to the passage, writing … a. is imperfect, but less so than speech. b. represents speech, but not perfectly. c. developed from imperfect speech. d. is represented perfectly by speech. 3. In the author’s judgment, … a. writing has more advantages than speech. b. speech is essential but writing has important benefits. c. speech conveys ideas less accurately than writing does. d. writing is more real than speech. 4. In order to show that learning to write requires effort, the author

gives the example of … a. people who learn the rudiments of speech. b. people who speak many languages. c. intelligent people who couldn’t write. d. severely handicapped children. 5. According to the author, one mark of civilized society is that it … a. affirms the primacy of speech over writing. b. affirms the primacy of writing over speech. c. teaches its children to speak perfectly. d. keeps written records. B. Answer the questions: 1. Which of them is primary, speech or writing? 2. Are there any spoken language without the written form? 3. What is one of the advantages of writing over speech? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Primary” means: a. dreamy b. fancy c. alarm d. first 2. “Normal” means: a. absent b. ordinary c. uncommon d. boring

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3. “Intelligent” means: a. silly b. bill c. trust d. smart 4. “Advantage” means: a. fashion b. benefit c. dormant d. dominant 5. “Doubtless” means: a. dock b. certain c. do d. clergyman 6. “Culture” means: a. cushion b. customer c. custody d. customs 7. “Represent” means: a. exhibit b. excuse c. exhaustion d. exemplify 8. “Handicapped” means: a. invasive b. invade c. invent d. invalid 9. “Rudiment” means: a. establish b. estate c. essential d. estimate 10. “Disparage” means: a. belch b. belong c. belittle d. believe

Lesson 23

It was the first photograph that I had ever seen, and it fascinated me. I can remember holding it at every angle in order to catch the flickering light from the oil lamp on the dresser. The man in the photograph was unsmiling, but his eyes were kind. I had never met him, but I felt that I knew him. One evening when I was looking at the photograph, as I always did before I went to sleep, I noticed a shadow across the man’s thin face. I moved the photograph so that the shadow lay perfectly around his hollow cheeks. How different he looked!

That night I could not sleep, thinking about the letter that I would write. First, I would tell him that I was eleven years old, and that if he had a little girl my age, she could write to me instead of him. I knew that he was a very busy man. Then I would explain to him the real purpose of my letter. I would tell him how wonderful he looked with the shadow that I had seen across his photograph, and I would most carefully suggest that he grow whiskers.

Four months later when I met him at the train station near my home in Westfield, New York, he was wearing a full beard. He was so much taller than I had imagined from my tiny photograph.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “I have no speech to make and no time to make it in. I appear before you that I may see you and that you may see me.” Then he picked me right up and kissed me on both cheeks. The whiskers scratched. “Do you think I look better, my little friend?” he asked me.

My name is Grace Bedell, and the man in the photograph was Abraham Lincoln.

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A. Choose the best answers: 1. What is the author’s main purpose in the passage? a. To explain how Grace Bedell took a photograph of Abraham

Lincoln. b. To explain why Abraham Lincoln wore a beard. c. To explain why the first photographs were significant in American

life. d. To explain why Westfield is an important city. 2. The word “fascinated” in line 1 could best be replaced by a. interested b. frightened c. confused d. disgusted 3. The word “flickering” in line 2 is closest in meaning to a. burning constantly b. burning unsteadily c. burning very dimly d. burning brightly 4. The man in the photograph a. was smiling b. had a beard c. had a round, fat face d. looked kind 5. What did Grace Bedell do every night before she went to sleep? a. She wrote letters. b. She looked at the photograph. c. She made shadow figures on the wall. d. She read stories. 6. The little girl could not sleep because she was a. sick b. excited c. lonely d. sad 7. Why did the little girl write the man a letter? a. She was lonely. b. She wanted his daughter to write to her. c. She wanted him to grow a beard. d. She wanted him to visit her. 8. The word “it” in line 14 refers to a. time b. speech c. photograph d. station


9. From this passage, it may be inferred that a. Grace Bedell was the only one at the train station when Lincoln

stopped at Westfield b. There were many people waiting for Lincoln to arrive on the train c. Lincoln made a long speech at the station in Westfield d. Lincoln was offended by the letter 10. Why did the author wait until the last line to reveal the identity of

the man in the photograph? a. The author did not know it. b. The author wanted to make the reader feel foolish. c. The author wanted to build the interest and curiosity of the reader. d. The author was just a little girl. B. Choose the best Answers: 1. “Flicker” means: a. custom b. handle c. grove d. blinker 2. “Wonderful” means: a. act b. amazing c. accomplish d. achieve 3. “Explain” means: a. continue b. clarify c. compass d. cease 4. “Imagine” means: a. adorn b. assume c. ailing d. apprehend 5. “Fascinate” means: a. atrocious b. attract c. actuality d. accurate 6. “Scratch” means: a. atom b. join c. abrasion d. bitty 7. “Pick” means: a. choice b. analyse c. delineation d. sage

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8. “Hollow” means: a. employ b. empty c. emphatic d. emphasis 9. “Busy” means: a. butt b. bustle c. bushy d. active 10. “Shadow” means: a. dimension b. din c. dingy d. dimness

Lesson 24 Bioacousties is a field that probes the cacophony of sound emanating

from the animal kingdom. Using the equipment adapted from the sound recording industry and the military, bioacousticians are learning how creatures use sound in mating, socializing, and staking out territories. The work of Eugene Morton of the National Zoological Park exemplifies the interests of scientists in this field. He has shown that most animals warn others away with a harsh, low-pitched growl. The reason seems to be that deep, low-frequency sound suggests bigness, in the same way a bass drum sounds mightier than a snare drum. Conversely, he has found that animals use high-pitched sounds to show amiability or submissiveness. A pocket mouse, for example, signals appeasement with a whining squeal. A rhinoceros rumbles when hostile, but whistles when feeling friendly.

Morton and other scientists owe such findings to the sonograph, the device that helped launch bioacoustics in the 1950s. Developed for use in creating human voiceprints and submarine identification, the sonograph converts sound waves in the atmosphere into electrical signals. The signals drive a stylus, which makes a two-dimensional “picture” of sound on paper. Using the sonograph, Morton has found that although a bird’s warning chirp and a dog’s growl sound dissimilar, pictures of their sounds are much alike. Both reveal a low overall frequency and broad bandwidth; the sonogram looks like a thick, black bar. At the opposite end of the sound spectrum is the thin-lined sonogram representing an animal’s friendly call, a high tone that makes the producer seem smaller and unthreatening. Using sonograms and sophisticated computers, bioacousticians are scrutinizing everything from cricket chirps to lion roars to learn more about why an animal makes particular sounds in particular situations.

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A. Choose the best answers: 1. What is the importance of the sonograph in bioacoustics? a. It creates human voiceprints. b. It sends electrical signals. c. It helps scientists compare animal sounds. d. It allows the identification of submarines. 2. The original purpose of sonographs was to … a. identify submarines. b. compare the sounds of birds and dogs. c. warn threatening animals away. d. learn more about how animals use sound. 3. What does a sonograph do? a. It decreases the frequency of sounds. b. It makes sounds louder so scientists can study them. c. It creates sounds like animals make. d. It makes a visual record of sounds. 4. According to the passage, what does research show about larger

animals? a. They may make high pitched sounds to show they are in danger. b. They may make low pitched sounds to show they feel friendly. c. They may make high pitched sounds to show they feel friendly. d. They may have difficulty making high-pitched sounds. 5. The research mentioned in the passage suggests that low-pitched

sounds made by an animal … a. may mean the animal feels relaxed. b. indicate the animal is bigger than a bird. c. do not appear on a sonogram. d. may mean the animal is giving a warning. B. Answer the questions: 1. What is the bioacoastics? 2. What is use of sonograph? 3. What does sonograph do with the sound waves?


C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Industry” means: a. cruel b. certain c. unwise d. perseverance 2. “Warn” means: a. fruitless b. weak c. inform d. improper 3. “Situation” means: a. dishonour b. infant c. condition d. dead 4. “Launch” means: a. bent b. learning c. send out d. slow 5. “Hostile” means: a. late b. justice c. enemy d. confound 6. “Emanating” means: a. fine b. employ c. finish d. emit 7. “Territory” means: a. zero b. zoom c. zest d. zone 8. “Rumble” means: a. ruffian b. rude c. blade d. blare 9. “Kingdom” means: a. readily b. real c. readable d. realm 10. “Sophisticated” means: a. clench b. clinch c. clerk d. clever

Lesson 25 Two major studies, one on heart disease (MONICA) and the other on

cancer (EPIC), are giving researchers a new look at the connection between diet and disease. They offer the hope of saving hundreds of thousands of lives a year by adjusting the way we feed ourselves. The studies leave little doubt that many of us-especially in wealthy countries-are eating ourselves into an early grave.

Of the two studies, MONICA (Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) has covered the most ground. It was started ten years ago by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the £33 million project is the most ambitious study ever undertaken on heart and vascular disease. Using standardised data collection techniques, WHO’s correspondents gathered statistics on more than ten million men and women in more than 39 population centres, ranging from Siberia to California, Australia to Israel. The study rapidly disclosed some startling facts.

MONICA showed that in Finland, for example, men die of coronary disease 11 times more often than they do in Japan, while in Glasgow women die of heart disease 12 times more often than those in north eastern Spain or southern France.

Compass points. As the results flowed in, a clear pattern emerged: in Europe, the further north you live, the more likely you are to die from a heart attack. Two cities typical of this north south gradient are Belfast and Toulouse, in south western France. In the most recent period studied, the heart disease death rate for men aged 45 to 54 is 237 per 100000 population in Belfast, but only 56 in Toulouse. For the age group 55 to 64, the contrast is even more striking: 761 for Belfast, 175 for Toulouse-a difference of 4.3 to 1.


EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) is a more recent study. Organised in seven European countries including Britain, by the Lyons based International Agency for Research on Cancer, it began collecting data in 1993, and already shows a remarkably similar outcome: for most forms of cancer, the north is dangerous and the south relatively benign, Luxembourg and Belgium lead the mortality figures for men (Denmark and the UK for women), while Greece, Portugal and Spain are at the bottom.

Split results. Why should residence in the developed north, with all its wealth and public services, make death by cardiovascular disease or cancer more likely than in the generally poorer south? The question seems to be all the more puzzling because MONICA found no significant differences in smoking, high blood pressure or cholesterol-the three classic indicators of heart trouble-to explain the regional disparities. The further the investiga-tions progress, the more one factor presents itself as the likely answer: diet.

Clearly, southern Europeans know something about eating that their northern brethren do not. The most confounding information is in the MONICA data from France, the country with the western world’s highest life expectancy.

The French outlive Americans, for example, by more than four years, suffer less than half as much from coronary heart disease and yet smoke more, drink more and have blood pressure and cholesterol counts just as high-while enjoying the diet that has made French cuisine a byword for high living. Those startling facts are the basis of ‘the French paradox’.

Dr Serge Renaud, epidemiologist and director of nutritional studies at France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research, had been studying the relation between nourishment and heart disease for more than 30 years in serene anonymity.

Then the MONICA figures revealed the differences between France and more other industrialised nations: Scotland, Finland, the United States and Australia were at the top of the scale for premature deaths from heart disease, while France was nearly at the bottom, edged out only by rice and fish eating Japan. Renaud was suddenly besieged with queries. Could he shed some light on the puzzle?

He could indeed. His five year study of some 600 Lyons area cardiac patients, completed in Spring 1993, proved to be a show piece for the influence of diet on health.

Safe and sound. Renaud put half of his volunteers on the medically recommended diet for heart attack victims, and the other half on a diet he developed himself, reducing red meat consumption and calling for greater amounts of bread, fresh and dried vegetables, fruits, fish and white meat. His diet also replaced butter with a margarine style spread developed in his

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laboratory. Renaud’s greater emphasis on fruits, grains, vegetables and his margarine cut the chances of death from a second heart attack by 76 percent. A. Questions 1-5 Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 2? In the space after each statement write: Yes No Not given

if the statement agrees with the writer. if the statement does not agree with the writer. if there is no information about this in the passage.

1. Standard synthetic drugs for migraine are more effective than the

botanical drug for migraine. 2. The medical world has been right not to respect botanicals. 3. Medical journals should publish more reports on the use of

botanicals. 4. The 1930s was a peak period for the development of synthetic drugs. 5. People should not be allowed access to botanical drugs. B. Questions Reading Passage 2 lists three negative aspects of synthetic drugs. From the following list a-g decide which are the three negative aspects and write the letters in the spaces. 6-8 a Their molecular form is different from that of botanicals. b There are possible side effects. c They are new. d Their success rates are not consistent. e Their preparation is different from similar natural drugs. f They are expensive. g They are unpleasant. 6. ………………………………………………………………….. . 7. …………………………………………………………………. . 8. …………………………………………………………………. .


C. Questions 9-11 Choose the appropriate letter, A-D, and write it in the space provided. 9. Which is the best description of ‘the French paradox’? a. The French live longer than Americans. b. The French are thought to have an unhealthy lifestyle, yet have a

long life expectancy. c. Although the French are heavy smokers, they have low rates of

heart disease. d. French cuisine has a very high reputation and is enjoyable. 10. Which statement best describes the author’s attitude to the theory

that there is a connection between diet and disease? a. S/he is undecided. b. S/he supports it cautiously. c. S/he supports it wholeheartedly. d. S/he rejects the theory. 11. What is the author’s purpose in describing Japan as ‘rice-and-fish-

eating’? a. To show that Japan was part of the studies. b. To show that Japan has a similar diet to France. c. To show that Japan has a healthy diet. d. To show that Japan has an unusual diet. D. Choose the best answers: 1. “Attack” means: a. contain b. excitement c. defend d. assault 2. “Data” means: a. emotion b. information c. sense d. include 3. “Disease” means: a. involve b. apply c. safe d. sickness 4. “Outcome” means: a. employment b. result c. market d. celebration

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5. “Emphasis” means: a. deliver b. hard c. simplify d. stress 6. “Vascular” means: a. vessel b. vertigo c. version d. versatile 7. “Period” means: a. phrase b. philistine c. physical d. phase 8. “Residence” means: a. habit b. haggard c. hack d. habitation 9. “Premature” means: a. undefended b. undergo c. undemanding d. undeveloped 10. “Expectancy” means: a. horde b. horse c. horrible d. hope

Lesson 26 Geologically, marble is simply limestone that has been recrystallized by

heat or pressure. Its different colors derive mostly from intermixture with other minerals. Since Michelangelo’s day, no marble has been more highly prized than the statuario of Carrara, Italy. It may or may not be the purest white marble in the world, but the respect in which Carrara statuario outdoes any other marble is its consistency-a scarcity of off-color veins, and a uniformity of grain and crystals.

Within the past decade, however, after intensive quarrying over a span of more than 2000 years, the known deposits of statuario at Carrara have all but played out. Nowadays, a block of statuario is fought over by sculptors from many countries.

Nevertheless, Carrara’s workmen continue to extract marble-less esteemed than statuario but still of high quality-for the architectural market. The quarries still bustle as they have since ancient times; only the techniques have changed. In the days of the Romans, the blocks were separated from their beds by means of wooden wedges that, soaked with water, expanded and cracked the rock. From the 12th century through the 19th, the work was still done mostly by hand, with metal wedges and hammers. Explosives were tried from the 18th century on, but they tended to shatter and ruin the rock.

By 1895 a helicoidal wire had been invented for cutting the stone. As a coolant and abrasive, a slurry or quartz sand and water was fed into cracks where the wire was cutting; workers grew so skilled at the technique they could gauge the proper slurry mixture by sound alone. To minimize breakdown, continuous wire loops as much as a mile in length were strung across the countryside. Only in the late 1970s did efficient diamond-studded saws come into use.

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A. Choose the best answers: 1. What makes statuario so valued by sculptors? a. It is unusually uniform in color and grain. b. It has a variety of colorful veins. c. It is recrystallized limestone. d. It is the kind of marble Michelangelo preferred. 2. How is marble formed? a. Limestone is mixed with other minerals. b. Geological forces recrystallize limestone. c. Veins, grains, and crystals are combined. d. A slurry is mixed with heated limestone. 3. In Roman times, … a. wooden wedges split the rock. b. stone blocks were soaked in water. c. beds expanded the rock. d. beds separated the wedges. 4. One change that occurred in quarrying techniques in the 12th

century was that … a. wooden wedges no longer were soaked with water. b. a sand and water slurry was introduced. c. wire cutting techniques were introduced. d. metal wedges replaced wooden ones. 5. What was one purpose of the slurry? a. to mix the sand and water. b. to cut the wire in the cracks. c. to wear down the stone. d. to reduce the damage from explosives. B. Answer the questions: 1. How is marble recrystallized? 2. Br 1895, what had been invented for cutting the stone? 3. What have been done for minimizing breakkown?


C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Pure” means: a. energy b. king c. active d. perfect 2. “Extract” means: a. capable b. wealth c. draw d. strength 3. “Ancient” means: a. competeness b. support c. influence d. antique 4. “Minimize” means: a. express b. position c. lessen d. increase 5. “Explosive” means: a. possess b. constructable c. occupy d. blastable 6. “Deposit” means: a. accurate b. accustomed c. accuse d. accumulation 7. “Separate” means: a. detain b. detail c. detective d. detached 8. “Invent” means: a. crease b. credit c. creamy d. create 9. “Slurry” means: a. made b. mad c. maid d. mud 10. “Continuous” means: a. endorse b. endeavor c. endure d. endless

Lesson 27 Printers use the term broadside to refer to a large piece of paper printed

on one side. In military language, it means an attack with all one’s forces. Dudley Randall invoked both these senses of the word when he established the Broadside Press in 1965. Randall was a librarian and poet in Detroit when he began the Press with his personal savings as a way to copyright the words to his ballad about a 1963 racial incident in which Whites killed three Black children. The poem was printed as a broadside.

“By creating the Broadside Press, the most successful poetry institution in the history of African American literature, Randall created something that had previously not existed in the United States-an organization that would publish the works of Black poets,” explains Professor Melbe Boyd, a poet and former Press editor. Historically, work by Black poets had been criticized for emphasizing political issues and not using the traditional poetic forms of the White literary establishment. Thus, Black poets had found it difficult to get published.

Boyd is producing a film documentary that will present Randall’s biography as well as his poetry. Randall served as general editor of the Press from 1965 to 1977. In the midseventies, sky-rocketing printing costs and the closing of many small bookstores to whom he had extended credit left the Press in financial straits. Randall then sold the Press and slumped into a depression, but in the 1980s, he revived community support for the Press through the Broadside Poets Theater. Boyed hoped her documentary on Randall will introduce more people to African American literature.


A. Choose the best answers: 1. According to the passage, the Broadside Press is most famous as a

publisher of … a. criticism of traditional White poetry. b. biographies of famous African American poets. c. poetry written-by African Americans. d. African American documentaries. 2. Who paid the costs to start the Press? a. an organization of Black writers b. Dudley Randall c. Professor Boyd d. many small bookstores 3. According to Professor Boyd, what significant change occurred

because of the Broadside Press? a. Black poets returned to traditional poetic forms. b. Historical works about African Americans began to appear in print. c. The Black literary establishment began to emphasize political

issues. d. It became easier for Black poets to get their work in print. 4. What happened to the Broadside Press in the 1980s? a. It was renamed the Broadside Poets Theater. b. It moved into a different community. c. It regained popular support. d. It helped support small bookstores during a depression. 5. What did the Broadside Poets Theater do? a. helped get support for the Broadside Press. b. led Randall into a personal depression. c. led the Broadside Press into financial difficulties. d. supported many bookstores in the community. B. Answer the questions: 1. What does mean “broadside”? 2. Who is Randall? 3. Who published the works of black poets before Randall?

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C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Introduce” means: a. start b. artificial c. essential d. withdraw 2. “Refer” means: a. image b. point c. imitate d. destroy 3. “Incident” means: a. event b. reduce c. commit d. rudeness 4. “Organization” means: a. cause b. form c. invention d. appoint 5. “Criticize” means: a. complain b. believe c. pick d. bewilder 6. “Invoke” means: a. appear b. appetite c. appease d. appeal 7. “Establish” means: a. consult b. consume c. construct d. constitute 8. “Institution” means: a. fountain b. foundation c. founder d. foul 9. “Present” means: a. display b. displace c. disperse d. disprove 10. “Documentary” means: a. author b. automatic c. authenticated d. autonomous

Lesson 28 About 30,000 years ago Neanderthal man (Homo neanderthalensis)

disappeared, displaced by the Cro-Magnon people (Homo sapiens sapiens), a taller, slimmer, altogether more agile and handsome-at least to our eyes-race of people who are thought to have arisen in Africa 100,000 years ago, spread to the Near East, and then were drawn to Europe by the retreating sheets of ice of the last great ice age. Although this was an immensely long time ago, these Cro-Magnon people were identical to us: they had the same physique, the same brain, the same looks. And unlike all previous hominids who roamed the earth, they could choke on food. That might seem a trifling point, but the slight evolutionary change that pushed the Cro-Magnon’s larynx deeper into the throat, and thus made choking a possibility, also brought with it the possibility of sophisticated, well-articulated speech.

Other mammals have no point of contact between their airways and their esophagi. They can breathe and swallow at the same time, and there is no possibility of food getting into the wrong passage. But in Homo sapiens, food and drink must pass over the larynx and thus there is a constant risk that some will be inadvertently inhaled. In modern humans, the lowered larynx isn’t in position at birth. It descends sometime between the ages of three and five months. This descended larynx explains why you can speak and your dog cannot.

Neanderthals were physiologically precluded from uttering certain basic sounds. Their speech, if it existed at all, would have been nasal sounding and fairly imprecise, and that would no doubt have greatly impeded their development.

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A. Choose the best answers: 1. According to the passage, the Neanderthals: a. displaced the Cro-Magnons. b. spread to the Near East and then to Europe. c. could make certain basic sounds. d. were less like modern humans than Cro-Magnons were. 2. According to the author, the possibility of choking … a. also made speech possible. b. was a trifling point. c. occurred only in Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon people. d. was common to all hominids. 3. The author implies that clear speech … . a. caused hominids to spread out from Africa. b. is directly related to brain capacity. c. contributed to hominid development. d. is common to all hominids. 4. One reason why a dog can’t speak is that … a. its larynx is too high. b. its larynx is too low. c. it can’t breathe and swallow at the same time. d. its airway and esophagus are in contact with each other. 5. Homo sapients were the first hominids … a. with a larynx. b. who could breathe and swallow at the same time. c. with no contact between their airways and esophagi. d. with the physical capacity to speak clearly. B. Answer the questions: 1. Which race is identical to us? 2. Did they have speaking ability? 3. Why dogs can’t speak?


C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Imprecise” means: a. introduce b. chief c. preface d. wrong 2. “Disappear” means: a. accurate b. bent c. excellent d. vanish 3. “Sophisticate” means: a. apply b. practical c. wise d. pray 4. “Evolutionary” means: a. prey b. commend c. precious d. change 5. “Impede” means: a. follow b. trained c. head d. stop 6. “Slim” means: a. layer b. lean c. lustrous d. lethargy 7. “Identical” means: a. alight b. alike c. align d. alibi 8. “Roam” means: a. amble b. amoral c. ambush d. amorous 9. “Swallow” means: a. guzzle b. gush c. guts d. gusto 10. “Choke” means: a. barrier b. barren c. barrel d. barter

Lesson 29

Stay Awake, Stay Alive Section 1 Sleep laboratories around the world are finding that an alarming number of drivers on motorways may be falling asleep at the wheel. Although researchers have difficulty in knowing for certain whether an accident has been caused by sleepiness, it appears that a driver who is on the road between 4 am and 6 am is about 10 times as likely to have a sleep-related accident as someone who is driving in the middle of the morning or early in the evening. Some British police forces have become sufficiently concerned to launch campaigns to alert the public to the danger. Leicestershire police, for example, consider sleepiness to be the cause of 20 percent of accidents on motorways and in the summer of 1990 ran a campaign with the slogan ‘Stay Awake, Stay Alive’. Major motor manufacturers such as Ford and Renault are investigating ways of incorporating sleepiness detectors and alarms into their vehicles.

Section 2 However, British government bodies responsible for road safety have not initiated any studies into the problem of sleepy drivers on motorways. The Department of Transport claims that it is ‘aware of the problems’, but does not regard it as a high-priority issue and is not planning to support any relevant research apart from a general study on ‘driver behaviour’. The department has no figures on the number of accidents caused by driver sleepiness and says it doubts whether reliable statistics can ever be obtained.


Section 3 Unfortunately, the issue is clouded by the fact that many motorway accidents that might be caused by sleepiness are categorised under other headings, such as ‘inattention’, ‘failed to look or see other vehicle’ and ‘misjudged speed/distance’. Figures collected in the 1970s by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory list the cause of 20 percent of all road accidents as ‘perceptual errors’. ‘Fatigue’ was specified in only 2 percent of cases. How-ever, few investigators inquire further to discover just why a driver was not attending, failed to look or made errors in perception. For various reasons, including the fear of prosecution and possible difficulties with insurance claims, drivers are reluctant to admit to falling asleep, but are more willing to admit to ‘inattention’. When these rather vague responses are examined thoroughly, sleepiness often emerges as the true culprit.

Section 4 Driving on a road as dull as a motorway exacerbates sleepiness in a driver who is already sleepy. But how can we tell if an accident on a motorway has been caused by sleepiness? There are some very strong pointers. If an accident involves only vehicle, which runs off the road into the central crash barrier, the embankment, a tree or a bridge, then sleepiness is likely to be the cause, especially if there are no skid marks or other signs of braking. A driver who is alert to an impending crash grips the steering wheel and suffers different injuries from someone who is asleep and holding the steering wheel loosely. This pattern of injury, combined with an absence of skid marks on the road, also suggests that the driver was asleep in accidents where one vehicle runs into the back of another, especially if it occurs where traffic is light and vehicles are consequently well-spaced on the road. Under these conditions, the driver’s ‘inattention’ must have been more than just momentary. A. Fill the blanks: Recent research shows that a (Example) driving early in the morning is more ______ be involved in an accident caused by _______ than a driver driving during the middle of the morning or early evening. Police forces and ______ are trying to find ways to reduce the numbers of sleep-related accidents. However, the government does not seem to be sufficiently worried to invest in ______ and ______ the reliability of statistics. The statistics are difficult to gather because motorway accidents are often ______ under imprecise headings such as ‘inattention’, and investigators fail to ______ into the reason for inattention – which may be sleepiness. Various ______ at the scene of an accident, for example lack of evidence of ______ or certain injury patterns, reveal that sleep may have been the cause.

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B. Answer the questions: 1. How many times are likely there sleep-related accidents during early

mornings? 2. Who is responsible for road safety in England? 3. Who collected the figures of accidents in 1970s? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Inattention” means: a. carefulness b. carelessness c. refresh d. treat 2. “Slogan” means: a. relax b. applicable c. story d. motto 3. “Alarm” means: a. repay b. aware c. weaken d. relate 4. “Vague” means: a. refuse b. dim c. admire d. regard 5. “Reliable” means: a. trustworthy b. abandon c. leave d. fasten 6. “Dull” means: a. dim b. dingy c. din d. diminish 7. “Combine” means: a. bless b. blind c. blink d. blend 8. “Fail” means: a. care b. caress c. cargo d. car


9. “Fail” means: a. unsteady b. unsuccessful c. unstable d. unsound 10. “Launch” means: a. begin b. beget c. beg d. begrudge

Lesson 30 Although Edgar Allan Poe is recognized as the originator of the mystery

story genre and as a master of the short story, literary critics and the general public have debated the extent of both his genius and his madness since his death in 1849. Poe rose from destitute beginnings as an orphan to a childhood of relative comfort when a wealthy businessman took him in. As a young man, however, he descended through poverty and mental illness to an early death at the age of forty. In his short career, he produced dozens of poems, stories, and critical essays that reflect his brilliant creative intellect.

At twenty, Poe moved to Baltimore to live with his impoverished aunt and her daughter, where he eventually married his fourteen-year-old cousin, Virginia. Poe was obviously devoted to his young wife, and idealized images of her cohich appear in many of his female characters. It is difficult to suppose, however, that they had a close relationship, since she was many years younger than he was and chronically ill with tuberculosis. Although Poe wrote for various newspapers and magazines during this time, making great strides in literary criticism and developing his short-story style, he achieved no monetary success.

His sensitive personality and a hereditary tendency to neurosis contributed to a tragic mental decline; however, this only seems to have reinforced the brilliant imagery and fascinating morbidity that he achieved in his tales. Many critics speculate that Poe also suffered from alcoholism and opium addiction. The fantastical quality of his work earned him a devoted posthumous following in France, but he was generally disparaged by his American contemporaries.


A. Choose the best answers: 1. According to the passage, some of the women in Poe’s works were

inspired by his … a. daughter b. mother c. cousin d. aunt 2. What does the author claim strengthened the imagery of Poe’s tales? a. his mental deterioration. b. his interest in literary criticism. c. his alcoholism and opium addiction. d. his posthumous following in France. 3. According to the author, critics disagree about … a. Poe’s relationship with his wife. b. the degree of Poe’s talent. c. whether Poe was better as a critic than as a poet. d. the meaning of the fantastic images in Poe’s works. 4. When Poe wrote for magazines, he … a. became ill with tuberculosis. b. became popular in France. c. was financially successful. d. improved his writing technique. 5. Just after Poe’s death, his reputation as a writer was better … a. in France than in the U.S. b. in the U.S. than in France. c. than it is now. d. amongst critics than the general public. B. Answer the questions: 1. What is E.A. Poe? 2. What did he produce? 3. What was his illness? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Contemporaries” means: a. irregular b. destructive c. determinate d. co-existing

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2. “Recognize” means: a. conclude b. uncrown c. decide d. known 3. “Destitute” means: a. lose b. slight c. delay d. poor 4. “Image” means: a. waste b. neglect c. sorrow d. picture 5. “Tendency” means: a. accelerate b. dismiss c. happiness d. charm 6. “Master” means: a. expose b. expert c. express d. explode 7. “Rose” means: a. great b. grew c. greet d. grey 8. “Intellect” means: a. clergy b. cleverness c. cleave d. clench 9. “Morbidity” means: a. unpalatable b. unpleasant c. unpopular d. unplanned 10. “Speculate” means: a. conserve b. consider c. consign d. consist

Lesson 31

High in the hills of the Dominican Republic, hundreds of narrow openings tunnel into the world’s second richest source of amber. For scientists, the ancient tree resin found in these tunnels brings a glimpse into the ancient life in the West Indies through perfectly preserved prehistoric creatures. For mine owners and miners it provides a steady source of income.

Gem-like in its rich shades of gold, orange, brown, and, rarely, blue, the fossilized tree sap has been used as a decoration and good luck charm since the Stone Age. The largest and most accessible source is the Baltic coast of Northern Europe, where the resin is easily mined in shoreline deposits and sometimes even washes up on beaches. Other deposits have been found in Australia, China, and the Middle East. But it is in the dense subtropical hills of the Dominican Republic that some of the most valuable amber samples, those containing prehistoric insects are found.

Millions of years ago, trees from now-vanished forests produced a sticky substance that slowly hardened into sparkling rocks. Often, the hardening sap would drip onto an unlucky grasshopper or beetle, encasing it in a premature tomb. Today a piece of amber with such contents is worth thousands of dollars. However, not long ago, miners tossed out these pieces, believing them to be flawed and worthless. The preservation of creatures in amber is amazing. Scientists are able to cut the amber and expose the actual structures of a prehistoric creature’s muscles, eyes, jaws, and nervous systems.

Although amber supplies are declining in some areas of the world, it is doubtful that the supplies will be depleted any time soon. New deposits are always being discovered, guaranteeing a rich link to the past.

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A. Choose the best answers: 1. Where is amber found? a. primarily in tropical regions. b. in both tropical and moderate climates. c. usually in hilly regions. d. usually in forests. 2. According to the passage, amber has been used as a decoration

because… a. it is extremely rare. b. it contains prehistoric insects. c. its color is similar to that of precious stones. d. it is easy to form into various shapes. 3. Why did miners throw away pieces that contained beetles? a. They thought they were unlucky. b. They thought the exposed structures were harmful. c. They were too hard to crack open. d. They thought they were imperfect. 4. What is the easiest way to get amber? a. mine it in tunnels b. pick it up off a forest floor c. pick it up along a shore d. dig it out of insect nests 5. Why do some pieces of amber contain grasshoppers? a. They were placed there to increase the value of the amber. b. The grasshoppers lived in the tunnels where amber is found. c. The grasshoppers liked to eat the sap. d. The sticky resin trapped them. B. Answer the questions: 1. Why are the ancient tree resin important for mine owners? 2. What are the uses of these colourful tree saps? 3. What is the difference between resin sap of Dominican and other

countries?


C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Link” means: a. mourn b. relate c. regret d. manner 2. “Narrow” means: a. wide b. straitened c. security d. corrupt 3. “Income” means: a. error b. salary c. crazy d. death 4. “Preservation” means: a. arrival b. protection c. signify d. hesitate 5. “Deplete” means: a. increase b. promote c. reduce d. break 6. “Rich” means: a. afflict b. affinity c. affirm d. affluent 7. “System” means: a. ordeal b. order c. orbital d. organization 8. “Value” means: a. worship b. worth c. wound d. worthless 9. “Premature” means: a. undeserved b. undeveloped c. underwater d. undervalue 10. “Sparkling” means: a. flesh b. flashing c. flex d. flattery

Lesson 32 There are many causes of headaches, and most people suffer them at

some time or other. Although doctors have come a long way from the old days, when headaches were ascribed to evil spirits and treatments ranged from cutting out part of the skull to concoctions of cow brain and goat dung, they are still not sure what sets off headaches.

The most significant advance has been the acceptance that they are not the result of emotional stress. Until recently, many doctors thought that imbalances in the body’s systems were to blame, but experts now believe it is the brain itself. They point to malfunctioning chemicals, such as serotonin, whose job it is to send messages to regulate the contraction and dilation of blood vessels in the brain.

Monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer used in Chinese cooking, can cause headaches in some people, as do many other common foods. Red wine, aged cheese, coffee, chocolate, nuts, and preserved meats contain nitrates, caffeine, and tyramine, chemicals that may produce pounding headaches.

Even though the exact culprit has yet to be found, there are plenty of treatments for prevention or cure. Over-the-counter preparations such as aspirin are fine for treating the occasional headache, but often exacerbate severe cases. Beta blockers, usually used for lowering blood pressure, seem to head off migraines. Antidepressants are effective, too. But doctors also recommend non-drug treatments such as relaxation techniques, which can be used in combination with medication and diet modification, to cut out foods that cause attacks.


A. Choose the best answers: 1. According to the passage, many years ago, one way doctors tried to

cure headaches was by … a. praying to spirits. b. sacrificing cows and goats. c. operating on the patient’s head. d. writing prescriptions. 2. It is no longer believed that headaches are caused by … a. emotional stress. b. malfunctioning of chemicals in the brain. c. certain kinds of foods. d. contraction and dilation of blood vessels. 3. According to the passage, doctors now believe that headaches are

related to … a. imbalance in the body’s systems. b. chemicals in the brain. c. emotional stress. d. high blood pressure. 4. According to the passage, beta blockers can be used to … a. treat migraines. b. cause migraines. c. contract blood vessels. d. treat depression. 5. According to the passage, severe headaches cannot be successfully

treated by … a. beta blockers. b. aspirin c. relaxation techniques. d. serotonin. B. Answer the questions: 1. Which was one of the old ways of the headache treatments? 2. What was the most significant advance in its treatment? 3. What is the one of the best recommended ways for its treatment? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Cut out” means: a. utilize b. start c. investigate d. stop

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2. “Cause” means: a. origin b. uncommon c. proverb d. injury 3. “Significant” means: a. sky b. shut c. vital d. confuse 4. “Imbalance” means: a. rareness b. unusual c. whole d. inequality 5. “Combination” means: a. agreeable b. mixture d. enjoy d. observation 6. “Message” means: a. nothing b. notify c. notice d. notion 7. “Modification” means: a. chance b. chaos c. change d. chant 8. “Acceptance” means: a. agony b. agile c. agreement d. agitate 9. “Relaxation” means: a. earnest b. earn c. ease d. earth 10. “Preserved” means: a. key b. keen c. kernel d. keep

Lesson 33

Tackling Obesity in the Western World Obesity is a huge problem in many Western countries and one which now

attracts considerable medical interest as researchers take up the challenge to find a ‘cure’ for the common condition of being seriously overweight. However, rather than take responsibility for their weight, obese people have often sought solace in the excuse that they have a slow metabolism, a genetic hiccup which sentences more than half the Australian population (63% of men and 47% of women) to a life of battling with their weight. The argument goes like this: it doesn’t matter how little they eat, they gain weight because their bodies break down food and turn it into energy more slowly than those with a so-called normal metabolic rate.

‘This is nonsense,’ says Dr Susan Jebb from the Dunn Nutrition Unit at Cambridge in England. Despite the persistence of this metabolism myth, science has known for several years that the exact opposite is in fact true. Fat people have faster metabolisms than thin people. ‘What is very clear,’ says Dr Jebb, ‘is that overweight people actually burn off more energy. They have more cells, bigger hearts, bigger lungs and they all need more energy just to keep going.’

It took only one night, spent in a sealed room at the Dunn Unit to disabuse one of their patients of the beliefs of a lifetime: her metabolism was fast, not slow. By sealing the room and measuring the exact amount of oxygen she used, researchers were able to show her that her metabolism was not the culprit. It wasn’t the answer she expected and probably not the one she wanted but she took the news philosophically.

Although the metabolism myth has been completely disproved, science has far from discounted our genes as responsible for making us whatever

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weight we are, fat or thin. One of the world’s leading obesity researchers, geneticist Professor Stephen O’Rahilly, goes so far as to say we are at the threshold of a complete change in the way we view not only morbid obesity, but also everyday overweight. Prof. O’Rahilly’s groundbreaking work in Cambridge has proven that obesity can be caused by our genes. ‘These people are not weak-willed, slothful or lazy,’ says Prof. O’Rahilly, ‘They have a medical condition due to a genetic defect and that causes them to be obese.’

In Australia, the University of Sydney’s Professor Ian Caterson says while major genetic defects may be rare, many people probably have minor genetic variations that combine to decrease weight and are responsible for things such as how much weight, the amount of exercise we do and the amount of energy we used. When you add up all these little variations, the result is that some people are genetically predisposed to putting on weight. He says while the fast/slow metabolism debate may have been settled, that doesn’t mean some other subtle change in the metabolism gene won’t be found in overweight people. He is confident that science will, eventually, be able to ‘cure’ some forms of obesity but the only effective way for the vast majority of overweight and obese people to lose weight is a change of diet and an increase in exercise.

Despite the $500 million a year Australians spend trying to lose weight and the $830 million it costs the community in health care, obesity is at epidemic proportions here, as it is in all Western nations. Until recently, research and treatment for obesity had concentrated on behaviour modification, drugs to decrease appetite and surgery. How the drugs worked was often not understood and many caused severe side effects and even death in some patients. Surgery for obesity has also claimed many lives.

It has long been known that a part of the brain called the hypothalamus is responsible for regulating hunger, among other things. But it wasn’t until 1994 that Professor Jeffery Friedman from Rockerfeller University in the US sent science in a new direction by studying an obese mouse. Prof. Friedman found that unlike its thin brothers, the fat mouse did not produce a hitherto unknown hormone called leptin. Manufactured by the fat cells, leptin acts as a messenger, sending signals to the hypothalamus to turn off the appetite. Previously, the fat cells were thought to be responsible simply for storing fat. Prof. Friedman gave the fat mouse leptin and it lost 30% of its body weight in two weeks.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Prof. O’Rahilly read about this research with great excitement. For many months two blood samples that had lain in the bottom of his freezer, had been taken from two extremely obese young cousins. He hired a doctor to develop a test for leptin in human blood, which eventually resulted in the discovery that neither of the children’s blood


contained the hormone. When one cousin was given leptin, she lost a stone in weight and Prof. O’Rahilly made medical history. Here was the first proof that a genetic defect could cause obesity in humans. But leptin deficiency turned out to be an extremely rare condition and there is a lot more research to be done before the ‘magic’ cure for obesity is ever found. A. Complete the summary of reading passage (Questions) using words from the box at the bottom of the page.

OBESITY

Example: weight People with a ______ problem often try to deny responsibility. They do this by seeking to blame their ______ for the fact that they are

overweight and erroneously believe that they use ______ energy than thin people to stay alive. However, recent research has shown that a ______ problem can be responsible for obesity as some people seem programmed to ______ more than others. The new research points to a shift from trying to change people’s ______ to seeking an answer to the problem in the laboratory.

List of words weight exercise sleep mind bodies exercise metabolism more genetic less physical consume behaviour use mental

B. Answer the questions: 1. What is the Scientific theory about the responsibility of genes in

obesity? 2. Which part of the brain is the regulating part for hunger? 3. What was the result of O’Rahilly’s research? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Magic” means: a. calm b. wonderful c. lucky d. lust

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2. “Confident” means: a. assure b. intimate c. confuse d. prove 3. “Deficiency” means: a. cover b. attention c. incomplete d. disobedient 4. “Huge” means: a. tremendous b. riot c. hue d. mansion 5. “Argument” means: a. dwelling b. disturbance c. deception d. debate 6. “Proof” means: a. certainty b. certification c. ceremony d. center 7. “Eventually” means: a. fine b. financially c. finish d. finally 8. “Excitement” means: a. aggressor b. agitation c. agonize d. agile 9. “Obesity” means: a. overlook b. overwhelm c. overturn d. overweight 10. “Research” means: a. anemic b. analysis b. ancient d. ancestry

Lesson 34

Fog occurs when moisture from the surface of the Earth evaporates; as this evaporated moisture moves upward, it cools and condenses into the familiar phenomenon of fog. Fog differs from clouds in that fog touches the surface of the Earth, while clouds do not.

Of the two types of fog, advection fog occurs along the ocean coast or near rivers and lakes. This type of fast-moving fog, which may cover vast areas, occurs when the temperature of the wind blowing over a body of water differs from the temperature of the body of water itself. This kind of fog can occur when warm air moves over a cold surface of water; this commonly occurs along the ocean coastline or along the shores of large lakes. Advection fog can also occur when cooler air moves over the surface of warmer water; this is very common in the winter in an area such as Florida, where the temperature of the lakes is quite warm in relation to the temperature of the air.

Radiation fog, quite different from advection fog, is immobile, cloudlike moisture generally found hovering over wintertime valleys. It occurs on clear nights when the Earth’s warmth escapes into the upper atmosphere; the ground gives off heat through radiation. As the land becomes cooler, the air above it also becomes cooler. This cooler air is unable to hold as much water vapor as it had when it was warmer; in this manner fog is created. A. Choose the best answers: 1. According to the passage, fog is formed when wetness in the air is a. vaporized b. cooled c. dampened d. heated

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2. The word “familiar” in line 3 could best be replaced by a. friendly b. confidential c. common d. parental 3. According to the passage, advection fog is found a. in valleys b. in the ocean c. near bodies of water d. only in small, enclosed areas 4. The word “vast” in line 6 is closest in meaning to a. immense b. flat c. humid d. windy 5. In the passage, radiation fog is said to be a. similar to advection fog b. found in coastal areas c. fast-moving d. trapped moisture hanging over inland valleys 6. The word “immobile” in line 15 is closest in meaning to a. unmotivated b. unsteady c. variable d. unmoving 7. The pronoun “It” in line 16 refers to which of the following? a. radiation fog b. advection fog c. cloudlike moisture d. the Earth’s warmth 8. The word “manner” in last line could best be replaced by a. politeness b. way c. period of time d. example 9. According to the passage, which of the following statements about

fog is NOT true? a. advection fog occurs when the cooled atmosphere meets with heat

from the Earth. b. Advection fog generally moves quickly across vast areas of land. c. Radiation fog often starts on clear nights. d. Radiation fog is the type of fog that occurs in small valleys on clear

nights.


10. The author’s purpose in this passage is to a. explain the different types of fogs. b. describe where different types of fogs are found. c. discuss advection fog. d. give a scientific description of various types of precipitation. B. Answer the questions: 1. When does fog occur? 2. How does fog differ from clouds? 3. How is radiation of fog? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Hold” means: a. keep b. remote c. rigid d. release 2. “Escape” means: a. flee b. damage c. approach d. stay 3. “Coast line” means: a. shore b. adverse c. globe d. adventure 4. “Immobile” means: a. bestow b. abuse c. fixed d. attraction 5. “Condense” means: a. concrete b. compact c. combine d. console 6. “Quite” means: a. noisy b. noiseless c. nominal d. nod 7. “Create” means: a. bulb b. bug c. bulge d. build

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8. “Evaporate” means: a. deify b. dehydrate c. deity d. degrade 9. “Radiation” means: a. bead b. beam c. bear d. beaker 10. “Temperature” means: a. heat b. hear c. heart d. heap

Lesson 35 The next famous woman writer to be considered is Dorothy Parker, an

American poet, short story writer, and literary critic who became famous in the early twentieth century for her witty but cynical observations of life. She got her first paying job as a writer in 1916 at the age of twenty-three when she began working for a women’s magazine, and nine years later she became a contributor to The New Yorker and regularly had her book reviews appear in “Constant Reader”, a column in that magazine.

In addition to her magazine work, she published volumes of poetry and short stories with the recurrent themes of disappointment with life and the loss of idealism; these pessimistic themes, however, were presented with biting wit. One of her most famous observations, “Men seldom make passes/At girls who wear glasses,” came from the poem “News Item,” which was published in the volume Enough Rope (1926). This volume of poetry was followed by Sunset Gun (1928), Death and Taxes (1931), and a collection of short stories, Here Lies (1939). Her book reviews were published in 1970 in a volume entitled “Constant Reader.” A. Choose the best answers: 1. What topic does the paragraph preceding the passage most likely

discuss? a. Dorothy Parker’s early childhood. b. American literature of the nineteenth century. c. An introduction to literary criticism. d. A well-known female author other than Dorothy Parker.

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2. According to the passage, Dorothy Parker was NOT famous for a. poetry b. humor c. book reviews d. autobiography 3. The word “observations” in line 3 could best be replaced by a. looks b. scenes c. views d. jokes 4. Dorothy Parker’s first job was a. for a women’s magazine b. as a literary critic c. for The New Yorker d. as a short story writer 5. In line 9, the word “recurrent” is closest in meaning to which of the

following? a. Related b. Repeated c. Flowing d. Negative 6. The word “pessimistic” in line 10 is closest in meaning to a. negative b. impractical c. forgotten d. unattained 7. The expression “biting wit” in line 11 could best be replaced by

which of the following? a. intelligence b. sadness c. sharp humor d. hunger 8. In what year did ‘News Item” appear? a. 1916 b. 1926 c. 1928 d. 1931 9. It can be inferred from the passage that the title of Parker’s volume

of book reviews came from a. some earlier work she had done b. a favorite expression of hers c. a title of one of her poems d. her biting sense of humor


B. Answer the questions: 1. What is Dorothy Parker? 2. When did she become famous? 3. What did she publish? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Entitle” means: a. brave b. name c. bold d. nag 2. “Collection” means: a. splash b. set c. wet d. delicious 3. “Regular” means: a. mess b. mass c. established d. extinct 4. “Critic” means: a. cross b. crowd c. interpreter d. illegal 5. “Cynical” means: a. optimistic b. delicate c. convention d. pessimistic 6. “Ideal” means: a. bestow b. betray c. bet d. best 7. “Pessimistic” means: a. bleary b. bleach c. blaze d. bleak 8. “Contributor” means: a. bend b. bench c. benign d. benefactor

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9. “Publish” means: a. priority b. principle c. principal d. print 10. “Review” means: a. reconcile b. reconnoiter c. reconsideration d. recoil

Lesson 36 Harvard University, today recognized as part of the top echelon of the

world’s universities, came from very inauspicious and humble beginnings. This oldest of American universities was founded in 1636, just sixteen

years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. Included in the Puritan emigrants to the Massachusetts colony during this period were more than 100 graduates of England’s prestigious Oxford and Cambridge Universities, and these university graduates in the New World were determined that their sons would have the same educational opportunities that they themselves had. Because of this support in the colony for an institution of higher learning, the General Court of Massachusetts appropriated 400 pounds for a college in October of 1636 and early the following year decided on a parcel of land for the school; this land was in an area called Newetown, which was later renamed Cambridge after its English cousin and is the site of the present-day university.

When a young minister named John Harvard, who came from the neighboring town of Charlestown, died from tuberculosis in 1638, he willed half of his estate of 1,700 pounds to the fledgling college. In spite of the fact that only half of the bequest was actually paid, the General Court named the college after the minister in appreciation for what he had done. The amount of the bequest may not have been large, particularly by today’s standards, but it was more than the General Court had found it necessary to appropriate in order to open the college.

Henry Dunster was appointed the first president of Harvard in 1640, and it should be noted that in addition to serving as president, he was also the entire faculty, with an entering freshman class of four students. Although the staff did expand somewhat, for the first century of its existence the entire teaching staff consisted of the president and three or four tutors.

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A. Choose the best answers: 1. The main idea of this passage is that: a. Harvard is one of the world’s most prestigious universities b. What is today a great university started out small c. John Harvard was key to the development of a great university d. Harvard University developed under the auspices of the General

Court of Massachusetts 2. The passage indicates that Harvard is: a. one of the oldest universities in the world b. the oldest university in the world c. one of the oldest universities in America d. the oldest university in America 3. It can be inferred from the passage that the Puritans who traveled to

the Massachusetts colony were: a. rather well educated b. rather rich c. rather supportive of the English government d. rather undemocratic 4. The pronoun “they” in line 8 refers to: a. Oxford and Cambridge Universities b. university graduates c. sons d. educational opportunities 5. A “pound” in line 11 is probably: a. a type of book b. a type of student c. a type of money d. a type of college 6. The “English cousin” in line 13 refers to a: a. city b. relative c. person d. court 7. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about John Harvard? a. What he died of b. Where he came from c. Where he was buried d. How much he bequeathed to Harvard


8. The word “fledgling” in line 17 could best be replaced by which of the following?

a. Newborn b. Flying c. Winged d. Established 9. The passage implies that: a. Henry Dunster was an ineffective president b. someone else really served as president of Harvard before Henry

Dunster c. Henry Dunster spent much of his time as president managing the

Harvard faculty d. the position of president of Harvard was not merely an

administrative position in the early years 10. The word “somewhat” in line 26 could best be replaced by: a. back and forth b. to and fro c. side by side d. more or less 11. Where in the passage does it indicate how much money Minister

Harvard was really responsible for giving to the university? a. Lines 3-9 b. Lines 7-12 c. Lines 13-17 d. Lines 17-20 B. Answer the questions: 1. Which American university is the oldest one? 2. Who was J. Harvard? 3. How many students and staffs were in the university during the

presidency of H. Dunster? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Founded” means: a. punished b. established c. fined d. found 2. “Emigrant” means: a. minister b. travellers c. employee d. graduates

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3. “Appropriate” means: a. experimental b. rule c. suitable d. authority 4. “President” means: a. mayor b. lawyer c. chief d. dentist 5. “Opportunity” means: a. dean b. removal c. chance d. celebrity 6. “Tutor” means: a. student b. stuff c. teacher d. tear 7. “Parcel” means: a. bale b. bald c. ballot d. balance 8. “Determine” means: a. deceptive b. deceive c. decide d. deceit 9. “Staff” means: a. crook b. cross c. crop d. crouch 10. “Graduate” means: a. quail b. qualify c. quaint d. quandary

Lesson 37 Our training as mental-health professionals is supposed to be ‘colour

blind’. That sounds fine but in practice it means that people from black and ethnic groups get a raw deal because their particular problems are seldom acknowledged. Even when they are provided for it usually amounts to their being dumped on the few professionals from black and ethnic groups.

So we decided to pilot a project involving Bangladeshi women from Tower Hamlets in the East End of London. The largest Bangladeshi community in Britain lives in Tower Hamlets-at least 40000 people. Most migrated in the 1960s and 1970s. Adjustment was difficult and the transition from a rural to an inner-city setting was hardest for women. They found themselves confined indoors, isolated and without the networks of social support they were used to in Bangladesh.

Many of these women turned to their doctors with common symptoms of anxiety, such as palpitations, headaches, tearfulness, sleeping difficulties, chest pains, loss of appetite and lack of energy. They were usually prescribed tranquillizers or even placebos like ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). Since the underlying causes remained, the women visited their doctors with increasing frequency. And some were referred on to mental-health professionals like us.

We wanted to see how normal Western approaches to anxiety problems might work when applied across cultures. Our first step was to get an anxiety-management package translated. No easy task: there is no colloquial expression in Bangla for ‘anxiety’. We used two approximations, dushchinta (‘undue worries’) and udhbeg (a word generally used only in its written form).

We knew we had to have a women-only group. A mixed one would have been unacceptable to both the women and their families. Bangladeshi

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women rarely go out alone. Their cultural background is that of a small rural community where women tend to go out with family members or neighbours. In Britain they are even less likely to go out due to fear of racist abuse and harassment, as well as language difficulties.

So many things in the standard approach had to be changed. We had to translate many of the usual examples-we would normally compare learn-ing to relax with learning to drive, for instance, which would not have been culturally appropriate. At first we asked the women to rate, on a scale one to ten, the effect of relaxation on their level of anxiety. They found numbers an odd way of expressing how they were feeling. So we shifted our focus to words and talked of five stages from ‘very good’ to ‘very bad’.

It was a pilot project, so there were shortcomings. We looked for too little back-up, naively taking on too much, like driving the women to and from the centre. We did not collect as much objective data as we might have done with a white group. We fell into the white stereotype of assuming that Bangladeshi women would find the use of various checklists and written records foreign. Perhaps racism has conditioned us to a greater extent than we expected.

But the rapport between us and the women in the group was instantaneous, probably because we share not just a language and culture but a common experience of racism. The importance of having bilingual and ethnic staff is clear.

We found that using a Western model across cultures has potential. But it needs political, financial and personal commitment. And the lack of response by the authorities in Tower Hamlets leads us to conclude that ‘institutional’ racism is very much alive and kicking. A. The passage below is a summary of the reading passage. No word for

anxiety. Decide which word should go in each gap and then write the letter in the space provided. Note that there are more words than gaps. Write only one letter in each space.

A conditioned F rapport K records B data G transition L rate C allowance H urban M exposed D acknowledged I inform N symptoms E statistic J translate O rural


Summary of ‘No word for anxiety’ People from black and ethnic groups frequently find that their problems are not _______. A project was piloted involving Bangladeshi women in inner-city London. Most came to the UK in the 60s and 70s from a ______ background. Particularly for women, this ______ has been very difficult to adjust to. Many of the women experienced common anxiety ______ and after visiting their doctors some were referred to clinical psychologists. First, the psychologists had to _______ an anxiety-management package. Then a women-only group was established. They asked the women to _______ in numbers the effect of relaxation on their anxiety level, but this was an odd concept for them so words were used instead. Being a pilot scheme, there were problems such as not having sufficient back-up and working too hard. They ended up with less ______ than with a white group. They made assumptions about Bangladeshi women’s approach to keeping ______ and wondered if they were more ______ by racism than they expected. However, being of an ethnic group themselves led to a good ______ due to a shared language and exposure to racism. B. Answer the questions: 1. Why did many women visit their doctors? 2. What were their common symptoms? 3. Why didn’t foreign women in Britain go out more as rural commu-

nities? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Support” means: a. back b. enemy c. provoke d. former 2. “Management” means: a. fulfill b. annoy c. annal d. administration 3. “Approximation” means: a. seize b. barren c. almost exact d. dried

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4. “Anxiety” means: a. area b. ape c. worry d. praise 5. “Ethnic” means: a. sport team b. group of people c. racial group d. form an opinion 6. “Appetite” means: a. crawl b. craving c. crazy d. crate 7. “Tend” means: a. mangle b. mangy c. manage d. mania 8. “Experience” means: a. invoice b. invoke c. involuntary d. involvement 9. “Compare” means: a. contour b. contraction c. contrast d. continuous 10. “Expect” means: a. anthem b. anticipate c. antics d. antagonize

Lesson 38 Jacob Epstein’s sculptures were the focus of much controversy during

the sculptor’s lifetime. Epstein was born in the United States of Russian-Jewish immigrants in 1880. He moved to Paris in his youth and later to England, where he eventually settled and took out British citizenship in 1907. His first major public commission, on a building in London, offended public taste because of the expressive distortion and nudity of the figures. In 1937, the Rhodesian government, which at that time owned the building, actually mutilated the sculptures to make them conform to public notions of decency. Many other of Epstein’s monumental carvings received equally adverse criticism. While the general public denounced his work, many artists and critics praised it. They admired in particular the diversity of his work and noted the influence on it of primitive and ancient sculptural motifs from Africa and the Pacific. Today, Epstein’s work has received the recognition it deserves, and Epstein is considered one of the major sculptors of the twentieth century. A. Choose the best answers: 1. Jacob Epstein’s nationality was originally a. Russian b. Parisian c. American d. English 2. Epstein moved to Paris a. in 1880 b. in 1907 c. when he was young d. in the 1930s

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3. Concerning Epstein’s work, the tone of the article is a. critical b. derisive c. amusing d. admiring 4. Which of the following statements is NOT true? a. Epstein’s work is now almost forgotten. b. Some critics admired Epstein’s work. c. Epstein lived in Paris. d. Epstein’s first major work was erected in London. 5. The word “denounced” in line 10 can best be replaced by a. condemned b. insulted c. damaged d. disclaimed 6. The passage states that some people didn’t like some of Epstein

sculptures because they found the sculptures a. badly made b. mutilated c. offensive d. ancient 7. Which of the following was most probably an important influence on

Epstein’s work? a. Russian painting b. public tastes c. the Rhodesian government d. African carvings 8. Today a newly erected Epstein sculpture would probably a. be mutilated b. conform to public opinions c. be well received d. be expressive B. Answer the questions: 1. Where was Epstein from? 2. How was his first major public commission? 3. What was the critics’ opinion about his works?


C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Controversy” means: a. agreement b. argument c. athletic d. strong 2. “Denounce” means: a. deliberate b. assemble c. speculate d. accuse 3. “Primitive” means: a. collect b. ancient c. modern d. gathering 4. “Mutilate” means: a. rank b. unsteady c. uncertain d. damage 5. “Decency” means: a. falsehood b. seemliness c. imagination d. near-sighted 6. “Focus” means: a. conception b. concentrate c. concern d. conceive 7. “Consider” means: a. belated b. belong c. belittle d. believe 8. “Recognition” means: a. notion b. nothing c. notorious d. notice 9. “Influence” means: a. impact b. impale c. impassable d. impaire 10. “Conform” means: a. aground b. agony c. agriculture d. agree

Lesson 39

Falling Asleep What happens when you are falling asleep? As sleepiness increases, a

glazed look comes over the eyes, visual awareness declines and ‘eye-rolling’ begins. The eyes roll up under the slowly closing eyelids, which then slowly open and the eyes roll back down again. One complete eye-roll lasts about two seconds, and is usually followed immediately by another. Such events are called ‘microsleeps’ where consciousness is clouding and the brain is losing contact with reality. It is possible to snap out of this state for a while. Drivers can open the car windows, turn up the radio and sing a song in the hope that all this stimulation will overcome the sleepiness. But for anyone who is really sleepy, such countermeasures are seldom effective for more than a few minutes. Microsleeps and eye-rolling reappear, maybe lasting for many seconds, interspersed with short bursts of greater alertness. Successive microsleeps get longer until true sleep sets in and the head lolls forward, causing, with luck, a startled awakening.

A driver having microsleeps is still vaguely aware of the road but is likely to misperceive events ahead. Limited driving skills can be maintained to keep the vehicle on a fairly straight course or carry out simple steering manoeuvres. Nevertheless, the vehicle may begin to drift sideways and foot-pressure on the accelerator may relax, causing the vehicle to slow down. The driver may still seem to be in control, but as microsleeps particularly impair vision, the immediate danger is one of collision or running off the road. Sleepy drivers tend to drive more slowly, anyway, and try to keep in the slow lane. When the vehicle drifts sideways the main risk is collision with a stationary vehicle on the hard shoulder.


It is known that the brain’s 24-hour clock is set to bring sleep twice a day: at night, and in the early afternoon. The early afternoon is therefore a time that can produce a marked feeling of sleepiness, and this is not due to eating lunch. This is the period when sleep-related accidents reach their daytime peak. Many cultures, especially in hot countries, have bowed to the inevitable and adopted the siesta as a way of life. The time of greatest alertness, on the other hand, is in the early evening. Alcohol interacts with this daily rhythm to worsen afternoon sleepiness, which is why many people find that even two units of alcohol (equivalent to a pint of beer) at lunchtime have a strongly soporific effect. While this alcohol intake is unlikely to push drivers over the legal limit, a study showed that at this time of day it clearly impaired simulated motorway driving. The same alcohol intake in the early evening has the same effect on blood alcohol level but can go almost unnoticed, and driving will be less affected. This suggests there is a strong case for setting a lower legal blood alcohol limit for the early afternoon compared with that for the early evening. The more sleepy drivers are feeling, the more alcohol affects them. Tranquillisers can also be soporific, especially at the vulnerable times of the day. Little is known about whether they present a problem for monotonous driving, although many sleep researchers believe they do. A. Answer the questions: 1. What does the writer imply early afternoon sleepiness is often

attributed to? 2. When do most daytime sleep-related accidents occur? 3. When does the alcohol intake in the body? B. Complete the flow chart below with words from Reading Passage. You should use ONE or TWO words for each answer. Alcohol intake works together with ______________________. Increased sleepiness if drinking at _______________. Deterioration in ___________ ability. Comparison with evening: alcohol has ___________ effect on blood, ___________ effect on driving. Argument for change in legal limit of _____________.

C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Collision” means: a. peace b. hard c. conflict d. strict

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2. “Research” means: a. yield b. graceful c. investigate d. silence 3. “Suggest” means: a. spot b. dishonour c. offer d. calm 4. “Interact” means: a. withstanding b. influence c. encouragement d. hurt 5. “Accident” means: a. pain b. crash c. allowance d. switch 6. “Peak” means: a. firm b. reliable c. loyal d. top 7. “Immediately” means: a. declare b. locate c. utterance d. at once 8. “Overcome” means: a. post b. faith c. set d. dominate 9. “Glaze” means: a. agitate b. surprise c. polish d. steady 10. “Stimulation” means: a. territory b. dignity c. provoke d. appointment

Lesson 40 Concrete, a rock-like substance used to make bridges and highways, is

made by mixing powdered cement, the adhesive ingredient, with water and an aggregate such as pebbles or sand. The process of mixing concrete is tricky, like gourmet cooking. Too much water weakens concrete; too little makes the cement so stiff it won’t mix or pour. Temperature also is critical: if it is too cool, the chemical reaction goes too slowly; if it is too hot, it goes too fast, thus weakening the concrete.

But even carefully brewed concrete is by its very nature flawed. No matter how dense it seems, it is a maze of tiny tunnels. Concrete actually is porous, like a sponge-it can absorb up to ten percent of its weight in water. All sorts of things can seep into those pores and spoil the concrete. One villain is water, which expands nine percent when it freezes, breaking open the pores and making them wider. Then more water can get in and freeze, causing the concrete to crumble. Engineers, however, have dis-covered a solution-an industrial detergent derived from pine sap. Added to the cement mix, the detergent creates isolated micro bubbles in the concrete. When moisture in the concrete freezes and expands, the bubbles give the water a place to go.

Another problem that may occur because of the nature of these materials is an alkalia-aggregate reaction. Most cement is composed of limestone and clay, and is highly alkaline. The stone aggregates are primarily quartz, or silica. Silica comes in two forms, crystalline or glassy. The crystalline form poses no problem. But glassy silica dissolves in alkalis, producing a silica gel. This gel absorbs moisture, which in turn can expand and crack the concrete.

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A. Choose the best answers: 1. Although hardened concrete seems solid, it … a. can expand nine percent. b. is made primarily from water. c. can flow into pores. d. contains many small holes. 2. The author compares the process of making concrete to that of … a. building structures. b. experimenting in a laboratory. c. preparing fine food. d. solving a mystery. 3. What can prevent the formation of silica gel? a. use of a detergent b. use of additional alkalis c. use of glassy silica d. use of non-glassy quartz 4. What property of water makes it destructive to concrete? a. It increases in size when frozen. b. It slows down chemical reactions. c. it cools very quickly. d. It dissolves silicas. 5. What action, described in the passage, can prevent environmental

damage to concrete? a. wash it with industrial detergents b. create space for water expansion c. impose temperature controls d. add an aggregate that is alkaline B. Answer the questions: 1. What is the effect of too hot or too cold temperature on the con-

crete? 2. How much is the capacity of concrete in absorbing of water? 3. What is the composition of most of cement?


C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Crack” means: a. stem b. follow c. fellow d. fracture 2. “Substance” means: a. check b. walk c. material d. bare 3. “Aggregate” means: a. pure b. real c. standard d. collect 4. “Critical” means: a. frighten b. astonish c. significant d. unexpected 5. “Expand” means: a. enlarge b. government c. noble d. nation 6. “Brewed” means: a. disturb b. infuse c. halt d. structure 7. “Absorb” means: a. dull b. sad c. take d. flexible 8. “Reaction” means: a. art b. erection c. response d. appearance 9. “Maze” means: a. bewilder b. expression c. confidence d. shyness 10. “Stiff” means: a. foreign b. celebrate c. parentage d. firm

Lesson 41 Children always appreciate small gifts of money. Father, of course,

provides a regular supply of pocket-money, but uncles and aunts are always a source of extra income. With some children, small sums go a long way. If sixpences are not exchanged for sweets, they rattle for months inside money boxes. Only very thrifty children manage to fill up a money-box. For most of them, sixpence is a small price to pay for a satisfying bar of chocolate.

My nephew, George, has a money-box but it is always empty. Very few of the sixpences I have given him have found their way there. I gave him sixpence yesterday and advised him to save it. Instead, he bought himself sixpence worth of trouble. On his way to the sweet shop, he dropped his sixpence and it rolled along the pavement and then disappeared down a drain. George took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and pushed his right arm through the drain cover. He could not find his sixpence anywhere, and what is more, he could not get his arm out. A crowd of people gathered round him and a lady rubbed his arm with soap and butter, but George was firmly stuck. The fire-brigade was called and two firemen freed George using a special type of grease. George was not too upset by his experience because the lady who owns the sweet shop heard about his troubles and rewarded him with a large box of chocolates.

A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Children don’t like small gifts of money. -2. Thrifty children manage to fill up a money box. -3. George wanted to go to grocery. -4. He found some money in drain. -5. The owner of sweet shop punished George.


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B. Answer the questions: 1. Where did George lose his money? 2. Where did he put his arm? 3. How did firemen finally free him?

C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Satisfying” means: a. please b. dull c. deliver d. salary

2. “Stuck” means: a. force b. unable to go further c. hit d. strict 3. “Advise” means: a. recommend b. business c. Change d. again

4. “Income” means: a. enemy b. money c. apply d. play 5. “Manage” means: a. kill b. escape c. put d. ability 6. “Appreciate” means: a. ungraceful b. fight c. thank d. boost 7. “Reward” means: a. stay b. prize c. lose d. travel

Lesson 42

Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angoulême. He described it as ‘a very agreeable situation located within two small hills in the midst of which flowed a great river.’ Though Verrazano is by no means considered to be a great explorer, his name will probably remain immortal, for on November 21st, 1964, the greatest bridge in the world was named after him.

The Verrazano Bridge, which was designed by Othmar Ammann, joins Brooklyn to Staten Island. It has a span of 4260 feet. The bridge is so long that the shape of the earth had to be taken into account by its designer. Two great towers support four huge cables. The towers are built on immense underwater platforms made of steel and concrete. The platforms extend to a depth of over 100 feet under the sea. These alone took sixteen months to build. Above the surface of the water, the towers rise to a height of nearly 700 feet. They support the cables from which the bridge has been suspended. Each of the four cables contains 26,108 lengths of wire. It has been estimated that if the bridge were packed with cars, it would still only be carrying a third of its total capacity. However, size and strength are not the only important things about this bridge. Despite its immensity, it is both simple and elegant, fulfilling its designer’s dream to create ‘an enormous object drawn as faintly as possible’. A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Verrazano was from New York. -2. He came to United States by bus. -3. He was a great architect. -4. He was considered a great explorer by chance.


-5. The towers supported the cables which the bridge has been suspended.

B. Answer the questions: 1. How many towers has the bridge got? 2. How far under the sea do the platforms go? 3. How far the above the surface do the towers rise? 4. How many lengths of wire does each of these cables contain? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Faintly” means: a. fair b. fade c. fail d. failure 2. “Capacity” means: a. candidate b. calm c. cage d. ability 3. “Surface” means: a. up-level b. check c. rise d. sure 4. “Designer” means: a. drawer b. descriptor c. desire d. desert 5. “Immortal” means: a. immunity b. impatient c. custom d. eternal 6. “Situation” means: a. preposition b. circumstance c. autumn d. column 7. “Pack” means: a. fill b. display c. ready d. listen

Lesson 43

People become quite illogical when they try to decide what can be eaten and what cannot be eaten. If you lived in the Mediterranean, for instance, you would consider octopus a great delicacy. You would not be able to understand why some people find it repulsive. On the other hand, your stomach would turn at the idea of frying potatoes in animal fat the normally accepted practice in many northern countries. The sad truth is that most of us have been brought up to eat certain foods and we stick to them all our lives.

No creature has received more praise and abuse than the common garden snail. Cooked in oil, snails are a great luxury in various parts of the world. There are countless people, who ever since their early years, have learned to associate snails with food. My friend, Robert, lives in a country where snails are despised. As his flat is in a large town, he has no garden of his own. For years he has been asking me to collect snails from my garden and take them to him. The idea never appealed to me very much, but one day, after a heavy shower, I happened to be walking in my garden when I noticed a huge number of snails taking a stroll on some of my prize plants. Acting on a sudden impulse, I collected several dozen, put them in a paper bag, and took them to Robert. Robert was delighted to see me and equally pleased with my little gift. I left the bag in the hall and Robert and I went into the living-room where we talked for a couple of hours. I had forgotten all about the snails when Robert suddenly said that I must stay to dinner. Snails, would, of course, be the main dish. I did not fancy the idea and I reluctantly followed Robert out of the room. To our dismay, we saw that there were snails every where: they had escaped from the paper bag and had taken complete possession of the hall! I have never been able to look at a snail since then.


A. Put “T” for true and “F” for false statements: -1. Everybody loves the common garden snail. -2. Snails are a luxury in some parts of the world. -3. In the dinner party snails were the main dish. -4. The snails had escaped from paper bag in the garden. -5. After the shower he found so many snails in his house. B. Answer the questions: 1. Where did the writer put his paper bag? 2. In Robert’s village, how did they consider snails? 3. Did Robert’s flat have any garden? 4. What Robert has been asking from the writer for years? C. Choose the best answers: 1. “Luxury” means: a. easy b. plain c. richness d. ugly 2. “Frying” means: a. drying b. cooking c. boiling d. steaming 3. “Appealed” means: a. approve b. annul c. integrate d. appetite 4. “Stick” means: a. attack b. stingy c. steady d. attach 5. “Truth” means: a. fire b. tyranny c. typical d. fact 6. “Delicacy” means: a. delay b. elegance c. elect d. delight

Lesson 44 Foot-and-mouth disease in England may be under control

Farmers in England have been worried about foot-and-mouth disease among their cows .The viral sickness is one of the world’s most destructive diseases of livestock. Foot-and mouth disease does not usually kill animals. But it sickens them and severely reduces production of meat and milk, resulting in economic disaster.

The current cases of the disease first struck cattle in southern England. At the end of July, a farmer in Surrey noted that two of his cows were sick. He reported the news to government health officials. They passed it on to the World Organization for Animal Health.

Agricultural scientists confirmed the first cases of the disease in two animals. The first group of one hundred twenty cows was killed August third. At that time, the government banned export of all livestock, fresh meat and milk products. The ban is expected to remain in place until August twenty-fifth.

About one hundred cattle were killed from a second infected herd on a farm about three kilometers from the first. A thirh group of cows was killed last week. Almost six hundred cows have been destroyed so far to prevent the spread of the disease.

Tests of cows on two other farms in Surrey showed no presence of the highly infectious virus. So experts say the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease could be over by the end of the week if no new cases are found. However, they urged farmers to continue to check their cattle for signs of the disease.

British health investigators believe there is a strong possibility the outbreak started in a research center close to the farms. Thecenter has two


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laboratories thet use the virus for research and to make vaccines. One of the laboratories rejected the claim. It said there is no evidence the virus was transported out of the laboratory by people.

agricultural and tourism industries billions of dollars. More than six million animals were killed. The crisis delayed a general election for a month, canceled many sports events and closed the countryside to visitors.

The disease affects animals such as cows, pigs, goats and sheep. It spreads easily through direct contact among animals. It is also spread by people on clothing and shoes.

Lesson 45 Researchers Develop New Test to Predict Alzheimer's Disease.

Aَlzheimer's disease affect millions of people around the world. American researchers say the disease will affect more than one hundred million people worldwide by the year twenty fifty. That World be four times the current number. Researchers and doctors have been studying Alzheimer's patients for a century .Yet the cause and cure for the mental sickness are still unknown. However, some researchers have made important steps towards understanding it. Several early signs of the disease involve memory and thought processes. At first, patients have trouble remembering little things. Later, they have trouble remembering more important things, such as the names of their children. There are also some physical tests that might show who is at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The tests look for proteins in brain and spinal cord fluid. The proteins appear to be found only in people with the disease .The protein tests correctly identify the presence of the disease in about ninety present of patients. Now, a much simpler physical test to predict Alzheimer's risk has been developed.

Researchers found that trouble with the sense of smell can be one of the first signs of Alzheimer's. Using this information, they developed a test in which people were asked to identify twelve familiar smells. These smells included cinnamon, black paper, paint thinner, and smoke. The study continued for five years. During this period, the same people were asked to take several tests measuring their memory and thought abilities. Fifty percent of those who could not identify at least four of the next five years .

Another study has shown a possible way to reduce a person's changed of developing Alzheimer's disease in old age. Researchers in Chicago, Illinois found that people who use their brains more often are less likely to develop


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Alzheimer's disease. Those who read a newspaper, or play chess or word games are about three times less likely to develop the condition. Researchers say they still do not know what cause Alzheimer's disease .but they say these finding might help prevent the disease in the future.

Lesson 46 The broken mirror, the black cat, and lots of good luck

Nikos was an ordinary man. Nothing particularly good ever happened to

him, nothing particularly bad ever happened to him. He went through life accepting the mixture of good things and bad things that happen to everyone. He never looked for any explanation or reason about why things happened just the way they did.

One thing, however, that Nikos absolutely did not believe in was superstition. He had no time for superstition, no time at all. Nikos thought himself to be a very rational man, a man who did not believe that his good luck or bad luck was in any way changed by black cats, walking under ladders, spilling salt or opening umbrellas inside the house.

Nikos spent much of his time in the small taverna near where he lived. In the taverna he sat drinking coffee and talking to his friends. Sometimes his friends played dice or cards. Sometimes they played for money. Some of them made bets on horse races or football matches. But Nikos never did. He didn’t know much about sport, so he didn’t think he could predict the winners. And he absolutely didn’t believe in chance or luck or superstition, like a lot of his friends did.

One morning Nikos woke up and walked into the bathroom. He started to shave, as he did every morning, but as he was shaving he noticed that the mirror on the bathroom wall wasn’t quite straight. He tried to move it to one side, to make it straighter, but as soon as he touched it, the mirror fell off the wall and hit the floor with a huge crash. It broke into a thousand pieces. Nikos knew that some people thought this was unlucky. “Seven years bad luck” they said, when a mirror broke. But Nikos wasn’t superstitious. Nikos


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wasn’t superstitious at all. He didn’t care. He thought superstition was nonsense. He picked up the pieces of the mirror, put them in the bin, and finished shaving without a mirror.

After that he went into the kitchen to make himself a sandwich to take to work for his lunch. He cut two pieces of bread and put some cheese on them. Then he thought he needed some salt. When he picked up the salt jar, it fell from his hand and broke on the floor. Salt was everywhere. Some people, he knew, thought that this was also supposed to bring bad luck. But Nikos didn’t care. He didn’t believe in superstitions.

He left the house and went to work. On his way to work he saw a black cat running away from him. He didn’t care. He wasn’t superstitious. Some builders were working on a house on his street. There was a ladder across the pavement. Nikos thought about walking around the ladder, but he didn’t care, he wasn’t superstitious and didn’t believe in superstitions, so he walked right underneath the ladder.

Even though Nikos wasn’t superstitious, he thought that something bad was certain to happen to him today. He had broken a mirror, spilled some salt, walked under a ladder and seen a black cat running away from him. He told everybody at worked what had happened. “Something bad will happen to you today!” they all said. But nothing bad happened to him.

That evening, as usual, he went to the taverna. He told all his friends in the taverna that he had broken a mirror, spilled the salt, seen a black cat running away from him and then walked under a ladder. All his friends in the taverna moved away from him. “Something bad will happen to him”, they all said, “and we don’t want to be near him when it happens!”.

But nothing bad happened to Nikos all evening. He sat there, as normal, and everything was normal. Nikos was waiting for something bad to happen to him. But it didn’t.

“Nikos, come and play cards with us!” joked one of his friends. “I’m sure to win!” Nikos didn’t usually play cards, but tonight he decided to. His friend put a large amount of money on the table. His friend thought Nikos was going to lose. Nikos thought he was going to lose.

But it didn’t happen like that. Nikos won. Then he played another game, and he won that one too. Then

somebody asked him to play a game of dice, and Nikos won that as well. He won quite a lot of money. “Go on then Nikos” his friends shouted, “Use all the money you have won to buy some lottery tickets!” Nikos spent all the money he had won on lottery tickets. The draw for the lottery was the next day.

The next day after work Nikos went to the tavern again. Everybody was watching the draw for the lottery on TV. The first number came out, for the third prize. It was Nikos’ number. Then the second number, for the second

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prize. It was another of Nikos’ tickets. Then the first prize. It was Nikos’ number as well. He won all three of the big lottery prizes.

It was incredible. It seemed that all the things that people thought caused bad luck actually brought him good luck.

The next day Nikos bought a book about superstitions from all over the world. When he had read the book he decided to do everything that would bring him bad luck. He left empty bottles on the table. He asked his wife to cut his hair for him. He accepted a box of knives as a gift. He slept with his feet pointing towards the door. He sat on the corners of tables. He put a candle in front of the mirror. He always left his hat on the bed. He always left his wallet on the bed. He bought things in numbers of six, or thirteen. He crossed people on the stairs. He got on a boat and whistled. And with everything he did, he got luckier and luckier. He won the lottery again. He won the games of dice in the taverna every evening. The things got crazier and crazier. He bought a black cat as a pet. He broke a few more mirrors, on purpose. He didn’t look people in the eye when they raised their glasses to him. He put loaves of bread upside down on the table. He spilled salt. He spilled olive oil. He spilled wine.

The more superstitious things he did, the luckier he became. He went in to the taverna and started to tell all his friends what he thought. “You see!” he told them. “I was right all along! Superstition is nonsense! The more things I do to break ridiculous superstitions, the more lucky I am!” “But Nikos” replied one of his friends, “Don’t you see that you are actually as superstitious as we are? You are so careful to break superstitions, and this brings you luck. But you are only lucky when you do these things. Your disbelief is actually a kind of belief!”

Nikos thought hard about what his friend said. He had to admit that it was true. He was so careful to break all the superstitions he could, that in some way he was actually observing those superstitions.

The next day, he stopped spilling salt, chasing away black cats, walking under ladders, putting up umbrellas in the house and breaking mirrors. He also stopped winning money on the lottery. He started to lose at games of cards or dice.

He was a normal man again. Sometimes he was lucky, sometimes he wasn’t. He didn’t not believe in superstitions any more, but he didn’t believe in them either.

“Nikos”, said his friend to him, “It was your belief in yourself that made you lucky. It was your self-confidence that helped you, not superstitions.”

Nikos listened to his friend and thought that he was right. But, however rational he still believed himself to be, he always wondered what would have happened if he hadn’t broken that mirror...

Lesson 47 The Christmas the Lights Went Out

Tom Jankowitz took his coat off and threw it onto the seat in the airport lounge. He sat down and opened up his laptop computer, keeping one eye on the small television which showed the departure times of all the flights from the airport.

Tom Jankowitz was tired. Tired and bored. It was Christmas, nearly. Tom hated Christmas. He only remembered that it would be Christmas tomorrow because there were Christmas decorations all over the airport, and he could see the date on the small television showing the departure times of all the flights. “December 24th” it said. “Happy Christmas” said all the notices in the windows of the shops. The shops were closed now. It was late. Tom was going home. He had been to a business meeting in New York and had to take a plane back home. The meeting had been difficult. He had decided to close a lot of his company’s offices. A lot of people were unhappy about his decision, but he didn’t care.

Tom thought that he would rather spend Christmas on his own in a hotel room with his computer. He didn’t really want to go home.

Anja Kohonen carefully checked the potatoes roasting in the oven, made sure the wine in the fridge was cold and that there was a bottle of champagne for later. She carefully checked the candles on the Christmas tree, as she didn’t want them to set fire to the tree. She looked out of the window. The snow was starting to fall again. She looked at her watch again.

Guy Domville finished his beer and walked out of the hot, smoky pub into the cold night air. He thought about getting a taxi home, but knew it would be difficult to find one at this time of the evening, especially on Christmas Eve. Anyway, because it was a clear, crisp night, he thought he would enjoy

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the walk home. It was late, and dark, and cold. There weren’t many people on the streets. A man came walking towards him. The man was only wearing a t-shirt. He looked like he was freezing cold.

“Are you all right?” Guy asked the man. “I’m freezing” the man replied. Guy took off his coat, and gave it to the

man. “There you go!” said Guy. The man looked very surprised, but took the

coat, put it on and went on his way. “Thanks!” he shouted as he left. Now it was Guy who was freezing. He

had no idea why he had just decided to give his coat to a complete stranger. Perhaps because it was nearly Christmas. Perhaps it was because Guy hadn’t given presents to anyone else this Christmas. Perhaps it was because this year he had no one to give any presents to.

Leila came out of church into the night. It was much colder than she expected. Every other time she had been to stay with her grandmother it had been very hot. She had no idea it could get so cold out here in Damascus, out here on the edge of the desert. That was OK though. She didn’t think that Christmas in a hot place would seem right somehow. Christmas had always been cold for her. She was happy to be here in such a beautiful place, with her mother and her grandmother. It was a shame her father wasn’t there, but she hadn’t heard from him in months now.

Rudolf Lenk was bored. Very bored. It was Christmas Eve, and he was stuck in an office, surrounded by computers, completely on his own. Rudolf could think of nothing more boring than this. It was only boredom, thought Rudolf later, that made him do the stupid thing he decided to do.

Rudolf Lenk pulled a plug out. It was only a little plug. It wasn’t even hard to pull it out. That was all he did. He pulled a small plug out of a small socket. And then.

And then. And then. Rudolf Lenk watched the lights go out. At first he watched the lights go

out in the office where he was. Then he looked out of the window and watched all the lights go out in the town where he was. And then he imagined what was happening.

All across the world, one by one… the lights were going out.


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Tom Jankowitz hardly noticed as the television screen with the departure times on it flickered, then went off. He looked up just in time to see it before all the lights in the airport went off, too. For a few moments there was light coming in from the big window which looked out onto the runway of the airport, but then all the lights on the runway went out as well. Soon, everything was totally, completely and utterly black. The only light came from the tiny little lights on the wings of the airplanes, and the light from his own portable computer screen. Soon, there was an announcement:

“Ladies and gentlemen, we regret to inform you that there seems to have been a power cut. All flights for the moment are cancelled. Thank you”.

A man sat down next to Tom. “Looks like we’re not going anywhere tonight” he said. Tom didn’t reply,

but nodded in agreement. Not going anywhere, he thought. Not going anywhere. I’m not going anywhere. Not tonight, not ever. The only places I ever go are offices of GlobalPower International. He looked at the light coming from his computer screen. Some numbers looked at him. Numbers were the only thing that he was going to see on Christmas Day. Some numbers, and his computer. Is that all there is to it? Nothing, thought Tom, is going anywhere.

In one second, everything went from light to dark for Anja. Her house, filled with light and warmth and the smells of cooking, went black. The only light and the only warmth came from the big fire that she had started. She looked at the fire which continued burning, filling the room with warm light. It looked good. It made her feel happy. It reminded her of when she was a child. She looked out of the window and saw that it was dark for as far as she could see. The flickering light from the fire illuminated the snowflakes that were now falling heavily outside. She wondered if anyone was coming to join her this evening.

It was completely quiet on the streets outside. Guy thought it was strange. Usually these streets were full of busy people. Now they were completely empty. The snow that had fallen looked like a carpet. Outside looked like inside. Walking home, lost in his thoughts and the snow, Guy hardly noticed that all the streetlights had gone out. The darkness around him was the same as the darkness he felt inside him.

Sometimes he could see into the windows of the houses that he passed. Most of the houses were dark, but some people had lit candles. The candles looked beautiful, he thought. They made the people’s houses look warm and friendly and cozy.

Guy felt sad that he was now going back to a house where no one had lit any candles. He didn’t want to go home. His flat was empty. It would be the first Christmas without his daughter and his ex-wife. He thought about how

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hot it would be where they were, and wondered what Christmas would be like for them. He hadn’t spoken to his daughter in over three months.

Guy didn’t want to go home. He thought about how his wife always said he worked too much, that he never took time to do the simple things in life. Now here he was, walking along the streets where he usually went to work, doing nothing. He decided that he would leave his job with GlobalPower in January. He wanted to walk these strange empty streets forever. Or at least until he could see his daughter again.

Leila looked up at the night sky so full of stars. She thought she had never seen so many stars in the sky when she lived in London. The city was so dark, it made it easier to see the sky. She walked with her mother along the narrow streets of the Christian quarter of old Damascus, all decorated for Christmas, and lit now with candles. She was happy here with her mother and grandmother, but she still missed her father, even though he hadn’t called.

Rudolf Lenk realized what he had done with a shock. He put the plug back in its socket. He hoped nobody would have noticed what he had done.

And Very Very Slowly One. By. One. The lights across the world. Came back on again. Like a breath at first, like a tiny whisper which nobody could hear which

grew and grew and grew, like the first ripple out in the sea which will become a gigantic wave, like the spark which lights a candle which can start a fire, like the first falling snowflake of a giant storm, like the first star which appears in the night sky and makes enough light for you to be able to see another, and then another, and another and more and more until the whole sky which covers the whole world is hung with starry, illuminated fruit, light connected to light until at midnight, the darkest point of the night the whole world was full of bright bright light.

Tom Jankowitz watched the lights going back on again in the airport and heard the sound of people cheering. He cheered as well, and smiled at the man who was sitting next to him. He felt like someone had turned a light on in him too. He was looking forward to being home. “I’m going somewhere” he thought. “I’ve got somewhere to go.”

Anja got up, and turned the lights that had come on off again. “I like the dark” she thought to herself. “I like the dark and the fire, just like this. That’s how I like it”. She curled up next to the fire, and fell asleep.


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Guy was looking for a tiny piece of paper he remembered having put in his pocket months ago. It was so dark out here that he couldn’t see anything. His hands were so cold that it was difficult to find anything in his pockets.

Then, suddenly, everything became light. He realized that he was standing under a streetlight that had just come on again. He found the tiny piece of paper in his wallet with a long number written on it. The number had faded, but he could still read it. He found some one pound coins in his other pocket. He found a phone box, but the phone didn’t work. He walked some more until he found another phone box. He picked up the telephone receiver and heard the bleeping sound. It worked. He put the money in and began to dial the number.

Back at home in their flat with her mother and her grandmother, and all the other Syrian branch of her Anglo-Arabic family, Leila heard the old phone ringing. Who would be calling at this time of night? She ran across the room to answer it.

Rudolf Lenk was writing a note on a piece of paper. He addressed the note to his boss at GlobalPower International and left it on his desk. “Yes, it was me” he wrote. “And no, I don’t want my job anymore. Oh, and by the way, happy Christmas!”

Lesson 48 Should HIV Infected Mothers Breastfeed?

The world health Organization says that breastfeeding is the best way to provide babies with the nutrients and protection against infection they need to be healt

However, a woman with HIV can spread the virus that causes AIDS to her child during pregnancy, delivery or through breastfeeding.

The WHO estimates up to twenty percent of babies born to HIV, infected mothers become infected puts children at risk of other problems. These include poor nutrition and increased risk of other life –threatening infections. These risks were shown in Botswana last year. Water supplies made dirty by flooding led to high rates of diarrhea and poor nutrition among babies fed liquid baby food called formula. More than five hundred children died. The number of deaths from diarrhea increased twenty times from earlier years.

Investigators from the United States Centers for Disease Control discovered the link between formula feeding and infant deaths from diarrhea. They also found that babies who were not breastfed were fifty times more likely to have diarrhea.

Peggy Henderson is a child health and development expert with the World Health Organization. She spoke to us from Geneva, Switzerland. Miz Henderson say s the choice of feeding depends on the individual situation of each woman with HIV. The WHO recommends replacement feeding instead of breastfeeding if several conditions can be met. The replacement feeding must be acceptable, financially and physically possible, continued over a period of time and safe for both the mother and baby. If these conditions cannot be met, the WHO recommends that HIV –infected mothers give their babies only breast milk for the first months of life.


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Miz Henderson says there are several promising studies on use of anti-retroviral medicines by HIV -infected mothers and their children. But she says the safety of the process is not clear. She says the hopes the WHO will examine ongoing research of the medicines in two thousand nine. New public health recommendation could be announced then. But for now, Miz Henderson says the WHO does not recommend that HIV –infected mothers use anti-retroviral drugs only to reduce transmission of the virus through breastfeeding.

Lesson 49 Many people take several medicines to treat different conditions at the

same time .Each medicine may be safe to use by itself, yet together there could be dangerous or even deadly drug interactions on example happened last year. Rhythm /and/blues singer and songwriter Gerald lever died at his home in Ohio. A medical examiner found that the death was accidental, caused by a mixture of medicines. He was forty years old.

The drugs in his blood included the painkillers Vicodin percocet and Darvocet as well as the anxiety drug Xanax these all require a doctor`s approval .

Other medications that are sold without the need for a prescription from a doctor were also found in his blood.

Earlier this year there was a government report on drug interactions. Researchers said deaths from accidental drug combinations in the united

states increased almost seventy percent. That was between nineteen ninety nine and tow thousand people died from accidental drug poisonings.

The problem is now the second most common cause of accidental death in the united States, after motor vehicle accidents.

Harmful drug interactions are a growing problem throughout the world. The increase is partly a result of patients being given more drugs and more combinations of drugs than ever before.

For example, people infected with the AIDS virus often develop tuberculosis. These conditions should be treated together. In some countries, aging populations mean more sickness, which means more need for medicine.

Experts say patients should talk with their doctor and pharmacist before taking new medications.


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These include drugs that do not require a doctor's approval as well as herbal treatments. Even some food can interact with medicines in ways that may be helpful or harmful.

Alcohol may be unsafe with medicines including common painkillers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. The combination can raise the risk of liver damage or stomach bleeding. There are many resources on the Internet about drug interactions. However, it is always a good idea to confirm health information from the Internet with a medical professional.

Lesson 50 Circe the Beautiful Witch

Now he and his men sailed on across the wine dark sea, until once again

they caught sight of an island. They slipped their boat into a snug little harbour, and there they slept for two whole days.

The following morning, Odysseus said they should explore the island and discover who lived there. At these words, his men grew afraid. They remembered the terrible Cyclops who had kept them prisoner in his cave, and had devoured some of their companions.

Odysseus divided his men into two groups, so that if one should get into trouble, the other could come and help. He was leader of one group, and Lord Eurylochus (Yuri-Locus) was the leader of the other. They drew straws to see which group should go and explore first, and as Eurylochus drew the short straw, he and his men had to set out and explore the woods.

After walking for two or three hours, the men came to a clearing. They saw a little house surrounded by wild beasts – wolves, leopards, and lions. One of the leopards sprang towards Eurylochus. He thought that he was about to die, but instead of eating him, the leopard rubbed up against him like a cat and purred.

The window of the house was open, and inside a woman was singing. Her voice was mysterious but very beautiful, and the men felt themselves being drawn towards the house, for they all longed to see if the woman was as wonderful as her voice. They walked past the fierce looking beasts, who in face were really quite tame. Inside they were greeted by tall and elegant woman, her black hair done up in braids. She did indeed look very lovely.


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Her name was Circe and she invited the men to sit down at her table and drink some of her soup. They readily agreed.

As they drank the soup, Eurylochus said: “When I drew the short straw I cursed my bad luck, but how wrong I was! Our hostess is not so terrible after all, eh men?”

But they did not realise that though she was beautiful, Circe was, in fact, a witch. She had slipped a magic potion into their soup, and when they had finished drinking it, she rapped the table with a magic wand and said:

“Now you swine, be off to the pig sty where you belong.” The men looked up astonished. “Madam. Did you just call us pigs?” asked

Eurylochus. But Circe just laughed in reply, for the nose of Eurylochus was already growing into a pink snout, and his hands were becoming hairy trotters. In fact, all his men were swiftly turning into pigs. They tried to weep and cry out, but all they could do was to snort and squeal.

“Now do as I say,” cried Circe. “Pigs belong in the sty, not in my Kitchen. Be off with you.”

And off they trotted to their new home. When the men did not return to the ship, Odysseus grew worried, and he

decided to go and search for them. He set out across the island in the direction of the smoke he had seen from the cottage. While he was walking through the woods, he met a young man – - more of a boy whose beard was still soft and downy on his face.

“Stranger – what are you doing here?” asked the young man. “I’m going in search of my men who are lost,” said Odysseus.

“No doubt they are guests of the lovely Circe. You won’t find them in her house, but outside in the pig sty. For beautiful though she is, she is really a witch, and she turns men into beasts. And if you step inside her house, she will turn you into a pig too.”

“My men – turned into pigs!” exclaimed Odysseus. “Is this how you treat guests on this island?

The young man did not reply, but he took small plant out of his knapsack and handed it to Odysseus. Its stem was black and its flower as white as milk. “Eat this” he said. “It will make you safe against all magic tricks and potions. The name of this plant is molly. It is dangerous for mere mortals to pluck, for only gods can take it out of the ground safely.”

And when he spoke these words, Odysseus realised that this was no ordinary young man, but Hermes the messenger of the gods. And so he ate the molly plant and went on his way.

Soon he came to the house in the woods that was guarded by wild beasts. Circe’s lovely singing voice drifted out through the window, and Odysseus walked boldly past the beasts and into the house. Inside he was greeted by

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the beautiful witch, who told him to sit down and try some of her soup. While she was heating it, she slipped some magic potion into the broth, for she intended to turn Odysseus into a pig like the others. She gave the soup to him, and he drank it all down, and then she took out her wand and rapped the table with it.

“No be off with you to the sty, pig-face” she cried. But Odysseus did not turn into a pig. Instead, he leapt to his feet, drew his

sword and rushed at Circe. She, terrified, let out a shriek and fell to his feet begging for mercy.

“Please great lord. Do not take such offence. It was just my strange sense of humour. It comes from living alone for so long, here in the woods, with nothing but wild beasts for company. It is many years since I have seen a strong brave man like you. Come, let me kiss you…’

Odysseus let the beautiful witch kiss him, but all the time he was watching to see that she did not try any more of her tricks. She called her servant-girls and commanded them to prepare a bath for their visitor. They brought hot and cold water and mixed the bath until it was just right. And when Odysseus had bathed and rested, he found that they had prepared a delicious meal for him.

“Come. Why do you look so sad?” asked Circe. “let us eat together and wash the food down with honeyed wine.”

“How can a leader eat?” asked Odysseus, “When he knows that his companions are living outside in the muddy pig sty?”

And when he spoke these words, Circe knew that it was no use pretending any longer that she was anything other than a witch. She went out to the pig sty and rubbed a magic ointment onto the animals. Then she waved her wand and they began to change back into men, only younger and better looking than they were before. And then they began to weep, for what they had been through was truly terrible.

When they had recovered , Odysseus went back to the ship to fetch the rest of his men. They were all united at Circe’s house and sat down to a wonderful feast to celebrate.

The Greeks stayed with with witch Circe for an entire month – and she didn’t try any more of her magic tricks on them. One morning Odysseus spoke to her:

“Oh Beautiful enchantress – too long have we enjoyed your hospitality. We must continue our journey to our home on the rocky island of Ithaca. But unfortunately, we are completely lost. We do not know these seas. Can you direct us by the safest route?’

And Circe replied. “Lord Odysseus. If it were up to me, I would keep you here always – but I

understand that you must be on your way to your home and your lovely


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wife, Queen Penelope. There is no safe route for you and your men to return home. For when you leave here, you must pass through a narrow straight between the rocks of Scylla and the whirlpool of Charybdis. Both are are perilous – for Scylla is a many armed monster who yelps like a dog. If you sail close to her cliffs, will reach down and grab some of your men and shove them into her mouth. But if you sail too close to the whirlpool of Charybdis, your entire boat will be sucked down to the bottom of the sea and all of you will drown. It is a terrible choice to make but you are a leader – so plot your course as you see best. Next, if the gods permit you to pass through that dire straight, you will come to the Island of the Sun where the great Sun God, Lord Apollo, keeps his herd of sacred cows. Do as I say – steer clear of the Island and do not land there. Nothing and nobody escapes the eyes of Apollo as he looks down from the sky. If you value your lives, avoid his island!”

And so Odysseus and his men said farewell to the lovely Circe and sailed on their way. After three days, just as she had foretold, they reached the narrow passage that she had described. Up on the cliffs they could hear the monster Scylla, yelping like a dog that has been left tied up for too long. As they drew nearer, they could hear the terrible gurgling sound of the whirlpool, Charybdis.

“This is indeed a terrible choice”, thought Odysseus. “But is the lesser evil is to loose some of my men, than for all of us to down. Therefore, I must chart my course closer to the cliffs than the whirlpool.’ He did not tell his men about Scylla, in case they lost heart and put down their oars. All his men’s eyes were on the dreadful whirlpool, gurgling like a cauldron.

The men rowed as hard they could, but as they passed beneath Scylla, she reached down to the ship. Odysseus fought her with is spear, desperately stabbing at her arms, but he could not prevent her snatching up six of his men. The others rowed on, crying for their companions.

Once they passed through the straight, they saw the Island of the Sun, just as Circe had predicted.

‘Thank Heavens for land!” cried the men. But Odysseus tried to tell them it was no good. The must not land, but sail on – for Circe had warned him of terrible danger should they set foot on the island belonging to the great sun god, Lord Apollo.

“Are you a salve-driver?” cried out Lord Eurylochus. “In your rush to reach home, you deny us all rest. We are still grieving for our six lost companions. You cannot order us to sail on. We will surely die of sadness and exhaustion.’

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And seeing that the men meant rebellion, Odysseus allowed the ship to land with great misgiving in his heart. They found that the island was covered in green fields, and that fat cattle were grazing. The men waited for Odysseus to fall asleep, and then they killed two cows and ate roast meat on the beach. But when the sun rose in the morning. Bright Apollo saw what they had done, and said to Zeus, who is Lord of all the gods.

“Great Lord – I am wronged. Those rascals and ruffians who crew the ship of that tricky Greek, Odysseus, have killed the scared cattle that bring joy to my heart. If you will not punish them, I shall go down to the land of the dead and light up the gloomy underworld. No more shall I shine in the skies above the world.”

And when Zeus heard these words. he replied, “It is indeed a crime to take what rightly belongs the gods. When these men set sail tomorrow, I shall hit their boat with a burning thunderbolt.’

The next day, Odysseus told his men to set sail. When they were out out at sea, the sun disappeared behind a black cloud. The dark skies filled with lightening and an electric flash shot down from the hand of Lord Zeus and hit their boat - ripping it into two. All the men fell into the raging sea. Odysseus clung for his life to the broken mast of the ship, and somehow survived the storm. The sun shone once again on the now calm waters, and Odysseus saw land. Using his last strength, he swam into the shore and staggered onto the beach, where he fell down, exhausted.

Lesson 51 Big Sister’s Clothes

It started out a pretty ordinary sort of day. It was the holidays, and there

was no school, so as soon as the two girls got up, they started playing. They played with their dolls in their room. They went down to breakfast, and played with their eggy soldiers. And then they went out to the garden and played on the swings.

And Daisy decided it was shaping up into quite a nice day. Because the thing she really like best of all was playing with her big sister. But then it all started to go very wrong.

“Come on Debbie,” said their Mum. “It’s time to go to Girl Guides.” “Me come too, me come too,” said Daisy, jumping up and down. “Don’t be silly,” said Mum. “You have to be seven to join the girl

guides.” Daisy felt a bit cross about that. Still, it would be fun when Debbie got home. But when Debbie did get home, she didn’t have any time to play. She had to work on her school project. “Can I work on my school project?” asked Daisy. But Mum just laughed. “Don’t be silly,” she said. “You don’t even go to

proper school yet.” And Daisy felt a bit cross about that as well.

After that, it was time for bed.

“I’ll take you up,” said Dad, picking Daisy up off the sofa.

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“What about Debbie?” said Daisy. “She can stay up later,” said Dad. “Because she’s the big sister.” And that, thought Daisy, is that. Now I’m really cross. Really, really. “It’s not fair,” she wailed. “When am I going to be the big sister?” Dad paused for a second. “Well, never,” he said. “Debbie’s always going

to be the big sister, and your always going to be the little sister.” “But, but, but….” But Daisy was so cross she couldn’t even finish the sentence. “That’s just the way it is,” said Dad. “Night, titch…” said Debbie. And after that, Daisy sat in bed. And she felt so, so, so angry, she felt she

might explode. Never be the big sister, she thought to herself. “It’s just not fair.” She was just about to close her eyes when suddenly she saw a fairy at the

bottom of her bed. “Who are you?” she asked. The fairy skipped across to Daisy’s pillow. “I’m the age fairy,” she said. “The age fairy?” asked Daisy. “What’s that?” And then it dawned on her. “Can you…can you help little sisters who really want to be big sisters?” The fairy nodded. “But only if they really want to.” “I really do,” said Daisy. “Really, really.” And so the fairy skipped into the wardrobe. She waved her wand, and then

she pointed to a red dress. “I’ve turned that into Big Sisters Clothes,” she said. “Just put on that dress, and suddenly you’ll be the big sister, and Debbie will be the little sister.”

And then the fairy vanished. And as she closed her eyes and went to sleep, Daisy was wondering what it might be like be the big sister for a change. She was a bit frightened, but also excited…because big sisters seemed to have so much fun.

The next morning Daisy woke up early. She was really excited about being the big sister, so she snuck into the wardrobe and put on the red dress.

And suddenly she was the big sister. “Oh-my-gosh,” she said. “This is so amazing.”

She whirled around a little bit. And then she saw that Debbie was waking up.

And Debbie was the little sister. “I want to play with you, said Debbie, holding out her favourite Barbie

doll. But just now Daisy wasn’t sure she wanted to play with Debbie. She was

enjoying being seven a bit too much.


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“In a minute,” she said. “I want to play with you NOW!” shrieked Debbie. And then Dad walked into the room, carrying a cup of coffee and a

newspaper. And Debbie was crying and crying about how she wanted to play with her big sister, and stamping her foot, and going bright red in the face.

“We, er, just play with her for a bit will you Daisy,” said Dad. But Daisy didn’t really want to. “But, er, Dad…” “Great, thanks,” said Dad, walking out of the room. And so Daisy had to play with her little sister just to cheer her up. “Daisy, Daisy, where are you?” shouted Mum, running into the room. “What?” said a startled Daisy. “You haven’t taken the dog out,” shouted Mum. “She’s barking and

barking.” So Daisy put on her coat, and walked outside with the dog. But the dog

was quite strong and was pulling her this way and that, and she was feeling quite cold.

So she was relieved when she got inside, because she was really hungry now and needed some hot breakfast.

“Sorry,” said Debbie, when Daisy arrived at the table. “I thought you’d gone out so I ate your eggy soldiers.”

“Wha, wha, whaaaaaaat!” screamed Daisy. “Now don’t argue girls,” said Mum. “But she ate my breakfast,” shouted Daisy. “Well, she’s only small, she can’t help it,” said Mum. “I’ll get you some

museli instead.” “I don’t like muesli,” grumped Daisy. “Well, you have to eat it because you’re a big girl, and you have to eat

healthy foods.” “I want a chocolate milk shake,” said Daisy. “Don’t be silly,” said Mum. And so Daisy had two spoonfuls of muesli but she really couldn’t eat any

more than that because it was yucky. And when she had finished, she thought she would go out on the swings

to play. “Where are you going, young lady,” said Mum. “To the swings,” said Daisy. “Not until you’ve tidied your room,” said Mum. “Done what?” Daisy was shocked and horrified. She never tied her room….not ever. “Go on, quick,” said Mum.

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So Daisy trudged upstairs. And on the bedroom floor, Debbie had pulled lots of toys out of their boxes and spread them everywhere.

And now Daisy had to pick them all up. “It’s so unfair,” she said out loud. Finally she was finished, and she went back downstairs. Maybe at last she could go out to the garden and play. “What about your project?” said Dad. “My…my….” But Daisy was speechless. “It has to be finished by today,” said Dad. “Just a minute,” said Daisy firmly. And she went back upstairs to her bedroom. She went to the wardrobe. And she took off the red dress. And put on a little girls dress instead. So that suddenly she was the little sister again. “I want to play with you,” she said to Debbie, when she went back

downstairs again. “Oh, I’m busy now,” said Debbie. “That’s okay,” said Daisy sweetly. “I’ll go and play in the garden by

myself.” She played by herself for the rest of the morning. And decided that being

the little sister wasn’t so bad after all.

Lesson 52 The Wooden Horse

The happiest day in the history of Troy was when the Greek army sailed

away. For ten long years the war had raged, and many of the finest and bravest warriors on both sides, had fallen in battle. How the Trojans rejoiced as they walked along the shore where the Greek enemy had camped! Here, cruel Achilles had set up his tent. There, the arrogant King Agamemnon had commanded his men. And now, for the first time in their lives, the children of Troy could run and play in the foam of the sea, and teenage boys and girls could walk hand in hand beneath the cliffs.

But little did they realise, that the enemy army had not set sail for far-away Greece. Instead, they had only taken their ships to the other side of the island called Tenedos, and there they were lurking, out of site, but still not far away. It was all a cunning trick thought up by the wiliest of the Greeks, the red haired Odysseus, who was never short of a plan.

The Trojans saw that the Greeks had left behind a strange offering. It was a giant wooden horse with ribs made from the planks of fir trees. The people marvelled at the massive statue, but there were different opinions about what they should do with it. Some wise old men saw there was something not quite right about the horse, and advised that they should set fire to it straight away. Others warned that, the gods would be angry with them if they did not honour the statue. After all, the wooden horse was dedicated to grey-eyed Athena, the great goddess of wisdom, and nobody wanted to feel her wrath.

The crowd was wavering, and a white-bearded old Priest spoke out above the murmur. “Fellow citizens. Whatever this strange horse may be, remember this: it is always wise to fear the Greeks, especially when they are

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bringing gifts. By the Great God Poseidon, Lord of the Seas, and by everything that is sacred, let us not fall into this deadly trap, for that is what is surely is! ”

So saying, the old priest hurled a mighty spear at the horse, and and it flew into the beast’s side and quivered, and the guts of the horse reverberated with an eerie hollow sound like a long, deep moan. And had the Trojans decided there and then to set fire to that horse of death, their lovely city would be standing to this day, and the descendants of King Priam would be living in peace and happiness.

But just then, a Trojan patrol came upon the scene, and they brought with them a prisoner - a Greek called Sinon whom the army had left behind.

“Now we will find out the truth!” said the Trojan guards. “Let’s poke this wretched Greek spy with our bronze Spears until he tells us what this Greek gift is all about!”

When he heard this, the poor prisoner cried out: “No, please! Don’t harm me. I’ll happily tell you all you want to know, for cruel, scheming Odysseus is no more a friend of mine, than he is of you.”

And so the Trojans listened to what Sinon had to say, and they tried to fathom whether or not he spoke the truth.

“Do you not think that the Greeks would have gladly given up this war before ten long years had had passed? Let me tell you that many times they planned to leave their sufferings behind, as they have done no. . But each time they prepared to sail way in their beaked black ships, the sea-god Poseidon sent a terrible storm, and whipped up giant waves on the wine dark sea. Eventually, they consulted a priest who told them the reason why the gods were inflicting such pain. You see, before he left his home in Argos, King Agamemnon, the great leader of men, waited an entire month for a wind to blow his ships to Troy. Eventually, he decided that the gods required a very special offering. And as usual, it was scheming Odysseus who thought up the plan. He sent for Agamemnon’s own daughter, his darling Iphigenia, and told her that she was to marry swift-footed Achilles. She came with great joy and gladness in her heart, for Achilles was the handsomest and bravest of the Greeks, but it was all the most dreadful trick. Instead of marrying Achilles at the alter on the cliffs high up above the sea, the priest sacrificed the lovely white-skinned young maiden to the sea-god. And straight-away that the foul dead was done, the winds began to blow.

“Now, ten long years later, as we were waiting for a wind to take back home, Odysseus came up with another plan. “I know,” he said, “Let’s sacrifice the most useless of those among us. Nobody will miss Sinon. He has only ever criticised our plans, and called us leaders wicked and foolish. We once sacrificed an innocent young girl, now let’s give the gods the life of


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a man, and you’ll see, they will send us a fair wind to blow us swiftly home.”

“But before Odysseus sent his guards to fetch me to my death, a rumour reached me of what he had said, and I ran into the woods and hid. And so the Greeks came up with a second plan to appease the Gods. And you see the result before you. This magnificent wooden horse is their offering, to say how sorry they are for all the needless death and destruction they have caused. Only bring it inside your walls before night falls, because unless I am far wrong, there will be gold and treasure hidden deep inside the belly of that wooden horse.” And when the Trojans had heard Sinon’s tale, many of them were greedy for treasure, and they believed his wicked lies - for he spoke very convincingly. But still the crowd was uncertain what to do - until, that is, a most terriblel thing happened. The old priest who had thrown his spear at the horse, was standing by the sea, when a great monster came swimming into shore and carried him off its jaws. It all happened in a flash, and the Trojans were filled with a strange terror. Sinon one again called out: “You see, you Trojans. Nothing but the truth I spoke! The Gods have rightly punished that wicked old priest for sending his spear into the wooden horse!” And now nobody dared to disagree. And the Trojans brought ropes and placed wheels beneath the statue’s feet, so that they might pull the wooden horse through the gates of their magnificent city. And as the ill-omened procession entered Troy, girls and boys danced around the horse singing holy chants. There was rejoicing in the city, and even the fortune teller, Casandra did not dare open her lips, though she foresaw the imminent doom. For the gods had given Casandra the gift of clear-sighted prophesy, but had decreed that not one person would believe her.

It was a clear moon-lit night, and the Trojans carried on partying. Sinon the Greek had been set free, and nobody noticed that he lit a fire on the beach to signal to the army on the island of Tenedos that the wooden horse was within the walls of Troy. Next he returned to the city, and opened a secret door in the belly of the horse. And the Greek band of warriors, who had been hiding all that time within, let down a long rope- and they were led to the ground, by wily Odysseus, who was the first of them to stand in the central square of magnificent Troy.

It was not long before the Greek intruders had surprised the guards on the main gates and killed them. Soon the wide doors were open, and the Greek army was surging into Troy. The Trojans were either drunk or sleeping, and in no way ready to fight. On every side the city was in turmoil. Soon the palace of King Priam was in the grip of fire, and Helen - the most beautiful woman in the world, for whom these ten years of war had been fought, was throwing herself at the feet of her Greek husband, King Menelaus, and protesting how she had been kidnapped and brought to Troy against her will.

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It was all lies, of course, but Menelaus was ready to be believe his lovely wife, and took her once more in his arms.

Lesson 53 Troy

Each of the great cities of Greece sent an army to join the war against the

Trojans – each, that is – except for one. The City of Thebes refused to join the war, saying that it had no quarrel with the far-away Trojans. And so the Greek King Agamemnon decided to teach the Thebens a lesson. He ordered his men to destroy their beautiful city and take its treasure - and that is what they did. While the ruined city of Thebes was still burning, the greatest of the Greek warriors shared out the the prizes of war. King Agamemnon chose for himself one of the captives - a beautiful young girl, called Chryseis (Cry-see-is) – a priest’s daughter. He told her that she must live with him from now on, and be his slave. The girl wept bitterly and begged to be returned to her father, but King Agamemnon had a cruel heart, and was unmoved by her tears.

Eventually, the Greek ships reached Troy, and the army set up a vast camp on the beach not far from the city. One evening, the good old priest who was the father of Chryseis, arrived at the camp and asked to meet King Agamemnon and all the greatest of the Greeks. And this is how he spoke:

“Oh Agamemnon, Leader of Men, May the Gods grant your wish to destroy the magnificent city of Troy, and may all the Greeks return home safely in their black ships, but grant me this favour: free my daughter and accept in her place a gift of great treasure that I have brought for you.”

The Greek army cheered the old man for his generous offer, and for the love that he had shown for his daughter, but Agamemnon flew into a rage. “Old man,” said he, “let me not find you hanging about our ships, nor coming here again. I will not free your lovely daughter. She shall grow old

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in my house in Argos far from her home. So get out of my sight right now, or it will be the worse for you!

The priest was afraid and swiftly left. But later that evening, he knelt down on the shore of the resounding sea and prayed to his god, Apollo of the silver bow. And Apollo heard the good old man’s prayer for just revenge, and he took up his silver bow and fired arrows into the Greek camp. The arrows of Apollo brought disease, and many of the Greek soldiers fell ill.

By far the greatest of the Greek warriors was Achilles.(A-kill-ees) He was faster and stronger than any man alive, and also very proud. When Achilles saw the Greek soldiers dying of disease, he called a meeting of all the generals and spoke as follows:

“Noble Agamemnon, though you are our leader, I must speak the truth. It was wrong to threaten the priest, a good old man who came to you with a generous offer. The gods are angry with us for what you did, and matters must be put right. You must return the lovely Chryseis to her father.”

King Agamemnon, was surprised to hear such words, as he was not all used to being told what to do.

“Great Achilles”, he said, “ Brave and strong you may be, But I am King and I shall do what I like, and you shall know your place!

To which Achilles replied. “You are too greedy! Why should all the Greeks suffer for your evil ways.

I for one am not going to follow a leader like you into battle.” Now King Agamemnon (Aga-mem-non) was absolutely furious, but he

also understood that something must be done to appease the gods and stop the plague that was destroying his army. And so the next day, he ordered a boat to take the young girl back to her father, but he also sent messengers to the tent of Achilles and ordered him handover his own slave girl. And from that moment on, the pride of Achilles was so hurt that he refused to take part in the battle for Troy, but instead stayed inside his tent and sulked while the Greeks went out and fought.

Soon after, the Trojans opened the great doors of their city and their army marched out like flock of wild birds, swooping back and forth and calling with screeching voices.

Now the finest warrior among the Trojans was Prince Hector. He was the brother of Paris, but he was quite different in character. Hector was brave and noble, while Paris loved fine clothes and parties and enjoyed his riches to the full.

As they rode out to battle, Hector said to his brother, “Paris. It is for your sake that thousands of brave soldiers will die today. It

is only because you ran away with the Greek Queen Helen that this great army has arrived at our gates with the aim of destroying our beautiful city,


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killing all the men, and carrying off the women and children as slaves. It were better that you had not been born, my brother.”

When he heard this, Paris felt ashamed. And to make amends, he drove his chariot out in front the Trojan Army and towards the enemy. In his fiercest voice, Paris called out to the Greeks to send forth their bravest warrior, and to fight him in single combat to decide the war – so that others need not suffer.

On the Greek side, King Menelaus (Menel-a-us) hated Paris more than any other man alive. And so Menelaus jumped out of his chariot and said. “I will gladly fight Paris, and and kill him with my spear that is made of ash wood and tipped with cruel bronze.”

And when Paris heard this, he was so frightened that he coiled back like a man who has seen a snake, and he shrank into the protection of his men. Great laughter arose from the Greek army, and the Trojans were furious with Prince Paris for bringing shame on them. And then Paris began to worry that if the beautiful Helen heard about his running away, she would not love him anymore. And so he gathered his courage, and went out once more in front of the army, and again shouted out to the Greeks.

“I call on you men to lay your swords and spears on the ground while King Menelaus and I fight one another - hero against hero.”

And this time Menelaus did not give Paris time to change his mind. He hurled his spear at him so that it broke his shield, but just missed his body. Paris fell backwards, and soon Menelaus was on him, dragging him by the plume of his helmet towards the Greek army. But the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, who was fond of Paris, saw what was happening, and came to his aid disguised as a cloud. She scooped him into her lovely arms, and whisked him back to his Palace where the fair and fragrant Helen was waiting for him.

And the so the Greeks and the Trojans fought each other in battle. War-cries and the din of shields clashing against shields, and iron against iron, filled the plane of Troy. Many brave soldiers were killed and wounded on both sides, but so long as Achilles refused to help the Greeks, the Trojans were stronger, and drove the Greeks back to their camp by their ships. At night, a thousand camp-fires glowed upon the plane, and by the light of each fire there sat fifty men, while the horses, champed oats and corn beside their chariots, and waited till dawn should come.

The Greeks begged the great warrior Achilles to come out and fight, but still he refused to join the battle. But his best friend, whose name was Patroclus, came up with a cunning plan. He secretly put on the magnificent armor of Achilles and went out into the battle, looking exactly like the great hero. He knew that when the Greeks saw him, they would gain courage at the sight of Achilles, and fight with redoubled strength, and when the

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Trojans saw him and they would think that the warrior they most feared had returned, and would lose heart. When the Trojans saw Patroclus dressed like Achilles, they were indeed afraid – all except Prince Hector, who immediately he saw the Trojans’ worst enemy, flew at him with his spear and killed him. Only then did he discover that it was not Achilles whom he had killed, but Patroclus.

When the mighty Achilles heard that his best friend had been killed by Hector, his anger and sorrow were great in equal measure, and he stood up before a meeting of the Greek Army and said:

“As you know, King Agamemnon has insulted me and I have every right not to fight in this stupid war. But now things have changed. My best friend has been killed by Prince Hector of Troy. It is for the sake of Petroclus – who was dearer to me than any other man - that I will take up the fight and avenge his death.”

And when the Greek Army heard this, they all cheered and threw their helmets in the air, for they knew that with Achilles on their side, victory could be theirs.

When Prince Hector saw that Achilles stood once again at the head of the Greek Army, he knew that there was only one thing for it. He must go out and fight Achilles, and decide the fate of Troy.

As he was leaving for battle, he went in search of his wife, the lovely Andromache. He found her walking along the great walls of the city, holding their little baby in her arms. When she saw her husband, Andromache said,

“Brave Hector. I beg you. Do not go out today to fight Achilles. What will I do when you are gone? Think of your little son. What use is a father to him if he is dead?”

But Hector replied that he could not refuse to fight, as the Greeks and the Trojans would say he was a coward .

He stretched his arms towards his child, but when boy saw the horse-hair plume that nodded fiercely from his father’s helmet, he was scared and cried, nursing his head into his mother’s bosom.

His father and mother laughed to see him, but Hector took the helmet from his head and laid it all gleaming upon the ground. Then he took his darling child, kissed him, and dangled him in his arms, praying over him to Zeus, the King of all the gods: “Mighty Zeus,” he said, ”May one day people say that this child is even braver than his father, and a mightier warrior in battle, so that their praise gladdens the heart of his mother.”

Hector rode out before the gates of Troy. Achilles, seeing him, started to run with all his might towards Hector, ready to hurl his spear at his hated enemy. Hector jumped from his chariot and stood firm waiting to meet Achilles, but secretly he thought to himself:


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“What, if I were to lay down my shield and helmet, lean my spear against the wall and go straight up to noble Achilles? What if I were to promise to hand back Helen, who was the cause of all this war, and to let the Greeks take half of all the treasure in the city? - but why argue with myself in this way? Were I to go up to him now, he would show me no mercy;”

As he pondered, the swift-footed Achilles charged up to him as if he were Aries himself, the plumed God of battle. The bronze tip of his spear gleamed around him like the rays of the rising sun. Fear came over Hector, and he turned and ran, while Achilles darted after him at his utmost speed. As a mountain hawk, swiftest of birds, swoops down upon some trembling white dove—that is how Achilles make straight for Hector with all his might, while Hector fled around the City walls as fast as his legs could carry him.

Achilles chased Hector three times around the walls of Troy until at last Hector turned and fought. First Achilles threw his spear at Hector and missed. Then Hector threw his spear at Achilles and hit his shield, but did not break it. Then they fell on each with clashing bronze swords, and Achilles, for he was the stronger hero, killed Hector.

When they heard the sad news, all the women of Troy wept for the loss of their greatest hero, but none wept more than his wife Andromache.

Now that the finest hero of the Trojans was dead, the Greek army thought that they would soon win the war. King Priam of Troy greatly grieved the loss of his bravest son, and feared that the city would soon be defeated. But this is not how things turned out – not yet. For Apollo, the winged god of the Silver Bow, again decided to help the Trojans. One day, in the midst of battle, he came up to Prince Paris and spoke to him as follows:

“Hail, Paris, Prince of Troy. Lift up your bow and fire an arrow into the Greek army. I will guide its point into Achilles and kill him.”

When he heard this, Prince Paris replied: “Almighty Apollo, I will gladly do as you ask. But will I not just waste

my arrow? For everyone knows that when Achilles was a baby, his mother dipped him in the River Styx that runs through the Underworld - and as a result, no weapon can wound him, for the waters of the River Styx make a man immortal.

And Apollo replied, “Paris, you speak the truth, but the gods gave the great Achilles a choice -

he could lead a short and glorious life, or a long and boring one. He chose glory and so his life must be short.”

And so Paris dipped his arrow in deadly poison, and fired it into the air. It flew in an ark and its poisoned tip drove into Achilles’ heal. For when Achilles’ mother had dipped him in the river of the underworld, she had held him by his heal, and no water had touched it. And now Achilles fell from his chariot, and soon his great body lay on the ground, dead.

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And that is the story of how the Greeks and the Trojans fought for nine years without either side gaining victory. Many brave warriors died on either side, and many tears were shed over lost sons and lost friends. Soon I will tell you how the war ended with a cunning trick. And Bertie is reminding me not to forget to tell you about the Wooden Horse. Sorry Bertie, there wasn’t time for this Wooden Horse this time, but I truly promise to tell everyone all about it soon.

For now, from me, Natasha, Bye! Bye

Lesson 54 The Birth of a Star

June 5th 2006

Henry looks carefully into the telescope which lets him see far, far away, as far away as the distant nebulae on the far edges of the Milky Way. Henry is an astronomer. He looks at the sky, and at stars in particular. Even though he spends much of his time looking at detailed computer reports, which are just lists and lists of numbers, his favourite thing about his job is looking through the telescope. And today he is very excited. He isn’t sure yet, but he thinks he has seen a dense cloud which might be the beginning of a new star. July 5th 2006

Henry is still looking for a tiny point of light in the sky. He checks the lists and lists of numbers that his computer produces, and tries to make sense of them. He tries to turn the basic data into an image, a picture of the star he hopes to see, but it is not yet possible.

He arrives home feeling tired. His wife Anna sits down next to him. “I’ve got some news…” she says. August 5th 2006

Henry is so excited about being a father that he has forgotten about his star. Anna is feeling sick and tired. Henry is no longer thinking about nebulae and clouds and gases. He is thinking about pushchairs and nappies. September 5th 2006

Anna and Henry go to the doctor. Anna has an ultrasound scan. Henry is used to seeing distant images of planets and stars and clouds, and now he looks at this image. It almost looks like a cloud, but it is much clearer. He

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can see the outline of a head, the features of a face. And he realises that this means much more to him than the distant stars he is used to looking at. October 5th 2006

Anna finally starts to get fatter. Henry is feeling terrified. For the first time now, he realises exactly what it means. In a few months time, he will be a father. November 5th 2006 Anna looks at her tummy and now starts to feel that there is another living person inside her. She thinks about Henry’s job, and remembers how excited

Henry was a few months ago when he thought that he could see a new star. December 5th 2006

Henry thinks that Anna looks a bit like a whale, but that she is very beautiful anyway. He thinks that next Christmas everything will be very, very different January 5th 2007

Anna feels like she wants to sleep all the time. She feels like the baby already wants to come out. The baby is kicking her from inside. She feels like a football. She can’t wait to become a mother. Henry calls her ten times a day on her mobile phone. February 5th 2007

It can take as long as ten million years for a star to form, but Henry doesn’t care about seeing his star any more. He knows that although he may be the first person to see a new star, it is impossible for him to see the birth of a star, from its beginning to its appearance. But he doesn’t care because a new star has just entered his life.

“But we haven’t thought of a name!” says Anna, holding the tiny baby in her arms.

“I have” says Henry. “I’ve got a beautiful name for her.” “What is it?” “Stella. Let’s call her Stella.”

Lesson 55 The Fix

The four judges have been sitting in a small room in the Milton Hotel in London for three hours now. The judges must agree on who will win the four awards in the important Global Music Awards: best album, best song, best new band and lifetime achievement award. Outside the small room where the judges are, five hundred people are sitting waiting. They are all very excited, and they are all very nervous. They want to know who is going to win the important awards. The television show goes live in 30 minutes. Excitement is growing; tension is rising.

But there is a problem. A big problem. The judges have not yet agreed on one single thing.

The judges must all agree on each winner. If they can’t all agree, then the award will not be given – nobody will win.

The four judges are David Froth, the music critic for an important newspaper, Betty Weill, the head of a big record company, Jake Dangerous, a singer who won the award for best song last year and Dan Snaith. Dan Snaith isn’t an important person. Dan Snaith is a reader of New Music Weekly, a music magazine. He won a competition in the magazine to be one of the judges of the Global Music Awards.

“OK guys, come on...we have to decide now,” says David Froth. “We can’t wait any more. Best Album - I vote for the Polar Gorillas’ first album, their punk-influenced sound and intelligent lyrics make them the best band around.”

“I agree,” says Betty Weill. “But they’re all very young – we can give them the Best New Band award, then we can give the Best Album award to

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Janie Waller. Her album, Smooth as Chocolate, is a great jazz-pop crossover."

“It’s already sold a million copies” says Jake Dangerous. “Exactly!” says Betty. “No!” says Jake. “It’s already sold a million copies, so she doesn’t need

an award! The Best Album should go to Missy Queen. Her album Girlz Can Rap is the best hip-hop record in years.”

“Hmmmm...it’s certainly an impressive record,” says David Froth, “but I think there’s only one really great track on it – the song ‘Hey! You! Listen Up!’”

“We can give her Best Song then!” says Jake. “Ok, now we’re getting somewhere. We’re finally making progress,” says

David Froth. “What about Lifetime Achievement? Remember, this is a really important award. It’s recognition for a singer who has changed the course of popular music!”

“I think Jake Dangerous should win,” says Jake Dangerous. Nobody listens to him.

“Dan – what do you think?” asks David Froth. Dan says nothing. He was very excited about being a judge for the Global

Music Awards, but now he is disappointed. Dan knows that David Froth wants the Polar Gorillas to win because he was the first person to write about them – he “discovered” them, and so when they become very famous, Froth will take the credit. Betty Weill wants Janie Waller to win because Janie Waller releases records for her record company. If Janie Waller wins, her record will sell even more copies, and Betty Weill will become even richer. Jake Dangerous wants Missy Queen to win because Missy Queen is his girlfriend. Dan is disappointed because now he knows that the Global Music Awards are, in fact, a fix.

“Look, our time is up!” says Froth. “Can we agree on this: Best Album, Janie Waller. Best Song, Missy Queen. Best New Band, Polar Gorillas. Lifetime Achievement...ok Dan, we’ll leave this up to you. But remember – Dylan Roberts is in the audience tonight, so is Jack Michaelson, and Nobbo from X5. I don’t have to tell you that Dylan Roberts is the voice of a generation, Jack Michaelson is very, very rich, and Nobbo from X5 is bringing peace to the world. He’s also a friend of the Secretary General of the United Nations. The choice is yours!”

The judges walk out onto the stage in the Milton Hotel. Five hundred excited, nervous people are watching them. Five hundred cameras flash when they go on stage. Dan feels very scared. He also knows that millions of people around the world are watching on TV.

The judges all stand up on the stage and pretend to open envelopes.


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“And the winner is...” they all say. There is a moment of silence then lots and lots of really loud applause as the judges read out the names of their friends.

Then it is Dan’s turn. “Ok everyone,” says David Froth, “Are we having a good time?!”

Everyone shouts and claps. “Finally, we arrive at perhaps the most important award this evening: the Lifetime Achievement Award. Who will win this year? Will it be Dylan Roberts, voice of a generation? Or Jack Michaelson? Erm... dancer of a generation. Or Nobbo, bringer of world peace? To present the award, here is Dan Snaith, winner of the New Music Weekly competition.” Five hundred people applaud and shout. Five hundred cameras flash again in Dan’s face. Millions of people are watching him on TV.

Dan gets up nervously and stands in front of the microphone. “Good evening!” he says. He opens an envelope which has a piece of

paper in it. Nothing is written on the piece of paper. He says the words, “...and the winner is...” He stops and pauses. There is total silence in the room.

“The winner is....you!” There is more total silence in the room. A few people say “What???” “That’s right!” continues Dan, feeling more confident now. “You!” He

looks directly into the TV cameras. “All the people around the world who listen to music and play music and love music! You are the most important people!”

There is the sound of surprise in the big room. Dan sees Dylan Roberts, Jack Michaelson and Nobbo leave the room.

“These awards,” Dan continues, “are a fix! The music business is a fix! If nobody listened to or bought the music, there would be no winners here tonight. That is why YOU are the winners!”

Some people cheer and applaud, some people say “boooo!”. But tonight, Dan Snaith knows that he has won, too.

Lesson 56 The launch

Launch of the liner Kenya Castle at Harland and Wolff, Belfast, in 1951. Last weekend I visited Belfast, the largest city in Northern Ireland. When

I was a child, I lived in Belfast for several years, and the reason for my visit was a re-union of the pupils who – many years ago – were in the same class at school as I was. They all looked so old – but not me of course.

You probably know about the problems in Northern Ireland between the Catholic and Protestant communities, but if you get an opportunity to visit, you should definitely go. It is a very attractive place, and the people are very welcoming. Belfast is an old industrial city, with some fine buildings and a beautiful position beside the sea. It has a long history of shipbuilding. At one time, the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast was the largest shipyard in the world. The most famous Belfast-built ship was Titanic, a huge liner which hit an iceberg and sank during its first voyage across the Atlantic in 1912.

Today’s podcast, inspired by the Belfast shipyards, is about the word “launch”. “Launch” means to send something from the land into the sea. The traditional way of building a ship was to build it on dry land close to the sea. When the hull of the ship was finished, the ship was “launched” – that is, the ship slipped or was pulled from the land into the sea for the first time. There is a picture on the website of a ship being launched in Belfast in the early 1950s. It was normal to have a special celebration when a new ship was launched. The owners of the new ship would invite a Very Important Person to perform the launch ceremony. The Very Important Person would say something like “I name this ship ‘Podcast’. God bless her and all that sail in her”. He, or she, would then break a bottle of champagne on the bow (that is,


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the front) of the ship; and the ship would slide gracefully into the water. The Very Important Person and the owners of the shipyard and of the new ship would then go and have a nice lunch. If the management of the shipyard was feeling kind, there would be beer for the shipyard workers too.

There are a few things to note in what I have just said. First, in English we have two special ways of talking about things which happened many times in the past, like the launching of a ship. First, we can say “used to..”, and I made a podcast about “used to..” in May 2006. But instead we can use the word “would”, like I did when I was talking about launching a ship. “The owners of the ship would invite a Very Important Person.. The Very Important Person would break a bottle of champagne over the bows of the ship… The ship would slip into the water..” and so on.

Second, I am sure that you noticed that the Very Important Person who was launching the ship said, “God bless her and all who sail in her.” Ships are “she/her” in English, not “it”. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know.

And finally, I know that some of you – particularly if French is your first language – find it difficult to hear the difference between a long “ee” sound and a short “i” sound in English. So the word “slipping” sounds the same as “sleeping”. Here are a few examples of long “ee” and short “i” for you to practice:

“heat” – “hit” “seat” – “sit” “feet” – “fit” “reach” – “rich” “sheep” – “ship” Now lets get back to the word “launch”. Ships are not the only things that

you can launch. You can launch a rocket or a space ship, for example. And we can use “launch” figuratively as well.

For example, one of the clients of the company where Kevin works has produced a new sort of washing powder. It is in fact the same as the old washing powder, but it smells different, and it has a new name and new packaging. The company wants everyone to know about their wonderful new washing powder, so it buys lots of advertising time on television and has a special “buy-one-get-one-free” offer for the first two months. We can talk about the company “launching” the new washing powder, and about its “launch offer”.

Sarah has just written a novel. It has taken her about 10 years. Her friends are pleased that the book is now finished, because they were very bored of Sarah telling them about it all the time. Sarah’s publishers want to get some good publicity for the book, so they organise a “launch party” to launch the book. They invite journalists, and other authors, and people who write book reviews, and a few minor celebrities who are always happy to go anywhere

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where there are free drinks. Sarah talks to the guests about her new book, and the guests all say how wonderful it is. Unfortunately, it is not a very successful book launch – the book shops have sold only 153 copies of Sarah’s book, and you can now buy it for half price!

And a final example. Joanne is angry because the local authority want to close the public library near her home. She decides to launch a campaign to make them change their mind. She contacts other people who use the library; she writes letters to the newspapers and she organises a public meeting.

And that it all about “launch”. In the next podcast, I will tell you how to make a nice cup of tea. Until then, goodbye.

Lesson 57 Mr Smith's New Nose

"Well, Mr. Smith, if you prefer a different type of nose, we have a large

selection available." "I think this nose is a bit too small." "Small noses are very fashionable this year, Mr. Smith, very fashionable." "Do you think it suits me?" asked Mr. Smith. "I think it looks very nice," said the shop assistant. "OK, I’ll take it!" On the airbus home, Mr. Smith called his wife on his wristphone. "Hello dear! Do you like my new nose?" Mrs. Smith looked at her

husband’s new nose on the videophone monitor on the wall in the kitchen. "I think it’s a bit too small, dear," she said. "Small noses are very fashionable this year," replied Mr. Smith, "very

fashionable." "It’s all so easy now," thought Mr. Smith. "A hundred years ago, it was

impossible to change your body. Or almost impossible – there was the old-fashioned ‘plastic surgery’, but it was expensive, painful and dangerous. Ugh! Now, thanks to our 22nd century genetic engineering, we can change our bodies when we want!"

He looked at his new small nose in the mirror, and thought about how fashionable he was. He was very happy with his new nose. The only problem now, he thought, was that he needed some new hair to go with his new nose.

He looked on the Internet for some new hair, but the Internet was so slow. Eventually he decided to go to Bodyco in person.

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"Good morning, Mr. Smith," said the Bodyco shop assistant. "How can I help you today?"

Mr. Smith remembered the robot shop assistant in the Bodyco shop a few years ago. The robot was friendlier and more efficient, but too many robots made too much unemployment, and the robot was replaced by a human.

"I’d like some new hair, please." "Certainly, Mr. Smith. What type of hair would you like? Short, blond

hair goes well with a small nose. How about short, blond hair?" Mr. Smith looked at his hair. It was old and grey. Yes, he thought, short

and blond. When he was young he had short, blond hair. He wanted to look young again.

"Yes, I’ll have short blond hair please. Could it be a bit curly as well?" "Curly?" asked the shop assistant. "Yes, you know, curly – not straight!" "Yes, Mr. Smith, I know what ‘curly’ means, but curly hair isn’t very

fashionable this year." "Isn’t it?" "No, it isn’t." "But I like curly hair!" "Very well, Mr. Smith – short, blond, curly hair. Would you like anything

else? We have a special offer on ears this week." "Ears?" "Yes, Mr. Smith, the things you hear with." "I know what ears are! What type of ears are on offer?" Mr. Smith went out of the shop with new short, blond, curly hair, and two

new ears. After this, his interest in his new body started to grow. In the next few

weeks he bought new eyes (green, unusual but fashionable), new hands, new arms, new knees and new feet. Mrs. Smith was happy because Mr. Smith’s new feet didn’t smell as bad as his old feet.

His body was now completely different. "Am I the same man I was a few weeks ago?" thought Mr. Smith. "I have

a new nose, new hair, new ears, new eyes, hands, arms, knees and feet. But I have the same brain - so I think I’m the same man." He thought he was the same man, but he wasn’t sure.

One morning, he woke up and his new nose didn’t work. "What’s the matter?" asked Mrs. Smith "My new nose doesn’t work – it’s blocked." "Maybe you’ve got a cold," suggested Mrs. Smith. "That’s impossible! This is a genetically engineered Bodyco nose! It

doesn’t get colds!"


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But it was true – the new nose did not work. It was blocked and Mr. Smith couldn’t smell anything.

He went back to the Bodyco shop. "Good morning, Mr. Smith," said the assistant. "What would you like

today?" "I want a new nose," said Mr. Smith. "You already want a new nose!" said the surprised shop assistant. "But

you’ve only had this one for a month! Don’t worry, small noses are still fashionable!"

"No, you don’t understand," said Mr. Smith. "I want a new nose because this one doesn’t work!"

"That’s impossible," said the shop assistant. "You have a genetically engineered Bodyco nose. It can’t go wrong!"

"But it has gone wrong," replied Mr. Smith. "It’s blocked and I can’t smell anything".

"What have you used your nose to do, Mr. Smith?" asked the shop assistant.

"What have I done with my nose? That’s a stupid question! I haven’t done anything unusual with my nose. I’ve used it to breathe and to smell, as usual!"

"If you have not used your nose correctly, Mr. Smith, it is possible that it will not work correctly."

"That’s absurd!" shouted Mr. Smith. "I want my money back! I want a refund!"

"I’m afraid that we do not give refunds, Mr. Smith. There was no guarantee with this nose."

Mr. Smith was so angry that he didn’t know what to say. He walked out of the shop, and didn’t say anything.

But now he had a big problem: a useless nose. Fashionable, yes. Useful, no.

Unfortunately, his problem started to grow. The next morning he woke up and found he couldn’t hear anything. Then his new blond hair went grey. Then his new knees didn’t move. Then he couldn’t see a thing with his unusual green eyes. His fingers fell off, one by one.

Eventually, Mrs. Smith put him in their aircar and flew to the Bodyco shop. She carried her husband into the shop, because now he couldn’t walk.

"Good morning Mr. Smith," said the shop assistant. "What can I do for you today?"

"Mr. Smith wouldn’t like anything new at all today, thank you," replied Mrs. Smith. "But he would like his old body back!"

"I’m afraid we don’t give refunds, Mrs. Smith."

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"I don’t want a refund," explained Mrs. Smith. "I want my husband’s original body again! I liked it more than this new one!"

"I’m afraid that’s very difficult, Mrs. Smith," said the shop assistant. "We are an environmentally-friendly company. All our old bodies are recycled."

"But the new body parts that you sold him don’t work! What can he do now?"

"He could buy a reconditioned body." "What’s a ‘reconditioned’ body?" "It’s an old body that has been modified." "Can I have a look at one?" "Certainly." The shop assistant spoke to his computer, and a reconditioned

body appeared. It was a very familiar body. Mrs. Smith recognised the big nose and the grey hair.

"But that’s my husband!" shouted Mrs. Smith. "That’s the original Mr. Smith!"

"Yes, that’s right," said the shop assistant. "We reconditioned Mr. Smith’s old body".

"Can he have his old body back then, please?" "Certainly, Mrs. Smith. That’ll be 100,000 euros please" "100,000 euros!" shouted Mrs. Smith. "That’s very expensive, isn’t it?" "Mr. Smith has been reconditioned!" Mr. Smith got his own body back, and Mrs. Smith flew him back home in

the aircar. "I’m myself again!" he shouted. "Not exactly," said Mrs. Smith. "You have been reconditioned." "What does ‘reconditioned’ mean?" "Well," said Mrs. Smith. "I think it means that you have a new brain!" "I think that will be very useful," said Mr. Smith. "I think so too, dear" said Mrs. Smith.

Lesson 58 Two peas in a pod

They even dressed us the same. My mother said that it was easier for her

just to buy two of everything. Sometimes it was the same clothes but in different colours – a red top for me, and a yellow one for my sister, for example. When they did that we swapped the clothes so that they still couldn’t tell us apart. Not even our parents could tell us apart. Our schoolteachers never could.

And then there were our names. It was crazy - they called us Edie and Evie! Even our names were almost identical.

Two peas in a pod, they called us. Two drops of water. Sometimes we couldn’t hardly tell ourselves from each other. At least

when we were small. But as we grew up things began to change. Everybody thinks identical twins are, well, identical. But if you’re a twin

you’ll know that it’s not true. Physically, yes, we were almost identical. I say almost, because there was the birthmark. My sister has a very small brown spot on her left shoulder. I don’t. This was the only way we could ever be told apart.

But other than that, twins, even identical ones, are different inside. I think we started to change when we started school. I was always very good. I never got into trouble, I always did all of my homework and did very well in all the tests and exams. Evie wasn’t like that. Evie was always getting into trouble. Evie never did her homework. Evie was a really bad student who never studied and never learned anything. She would have failed her exams – but of course she didn’t. Why? Well, it’s simple, isn’t it?

If you have an identical twin, how do you know which is which?

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Evie, of course, started by copying my homework. Then she got worse. When there was a class test she would write my name on her paper. When she got into trouble, she smiled beautifully at the teacher and said “No, I’m Edie, I’m the good one, it was my twin sister Evie who was naughty!”

They never took us seriously, we were only small children after all, there was no harm in being a bit naughty. Everyone used to laugh. And because they never really knew who was who, neither of us was ever punished for being naughty, and they never failed either of us in our exams, because they couldn’t be sure which one to fail and which one to pass.

But as we got older, it got worse. Evie started to steal things. At first it was only things from other children, sweets or pens or pencils or rubbers, the kind of things that sometimes happen in school. But when we were 15, some money was taken from a teacher’s bag. It was quite a lot of money, and the situation was serious. Then they found the money in Evie’s pocket. And what did Evie do? Well, of course, she did the same thing she always did. “No, it wasn’t me. It was my twin sister.” And I got into trouble, serious trouble this time. They called the police. They tried to expel me from school. It was only when our parents came in and pleaded with the headteacher that they agreed to drop the charges and say nothing about it. We were lucky that time.

But the trouble didn’t stop there. Evie was always playing truant, not going to school. Then when she came in again, she accused me of lying. She said that she was Edie, and that I had given the teachers the wrong name when they called the register. I thought about telling everyone about the birthmark on her shoulder, that they should check the birthmark to make sure who was who. That would solve the problem. I don’t know why I didn’t. Identical twins are always very close, and even though I knew she was bad, I didn’t want to get her into trouble. Perhaps also because I knew that trouble for her also meant trouble for me.

After we left school I began to worry more. I got a job working in an office. It wasn’t an interesting job, but it was ok. I worked hard in the office, I did well and was going to get a promotion. Evie, on the other hand, did nothing. She never got a job. She used to come and ask me for money. She often disappeared for long periods of time. I didn’t know where she was. This was bad, but it was worse when one day I looked at my passport, and found that I had Evie’s. I didn’t know where she was, but obviously she had taken my passport to get there. Wherever she was, and whatever she was doing , she was pretending to be me.

Eventually it happened. There was a loud knock on the door at six o’clock in the morning. There were three policemen there. Two of them in uniforms, the other one a detective. I looked at their serious faces and thought that they had come to tell me bad news. I thought they were coming to tell me that my


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sister had died. But it wasn’t that. They asked me to come to the police station with them. I understood that I couldn’t say no. They said that they didn’t want to arrest me just yet, but that if I refused to help them, they would arrest me.

Of course, they asked to see my documents. I had to show them Evie’s passport, and tried to explain that I wasn’t really Evie, but that my sister had taken my passport.

When I got to the police station Evie was there too. They had already arrested her – well, I say “her”, but of course, they had arrested me. As far as the police were concerned, they had arrested “Edie”. That’s what it said on her passport, and that’s who she said she was.

There was a long list of charges against her. Fraud and smuggling drugs. She told the police that she was really Edie, and that I had changed the passports. Edie, me, who had a perfect alibi. Edie hadn’t been to any other countries. She went to work everyday. It was Evie who the problem was, she said.

The trial lasted for days, with even the judge and the lawyers getting continually confused about who was who. Eventually, they convicted her. Ten years.

I still go to my job everyday. I’m still free. I never go to visit my sister in prison. I’m afraid that she might show someone that she doesn’t have a birthmark on her left shoulder. Then someone might look, and they will find that I do.

Lesson 59 The Golden Boys

Every August. Every August for twelve years. Every August for twelve

years we went to the same small town on holiday. Every August for twelve years we went to the same beach. Every August for twelve years my parents rented the same small house in the same small town near the same beach, so every morning of every August for twelve years I woke up and walked down to the same beach and sat under the same umbrella or on the same towel in front of the same sea.

There was a small café on the beach where we sat every day, and everyday Mr Morelli in the café said “Good morning!” to my parents, and then always patted me on the head like a dog. Every day we walked down to our red and white umbrella, every day my father sat on his deckchair and read the newspaper then went to sleep, every day my mother went for a swim in the sea and then went to sleep. Every lunchtime we ate the same cheese sandwiches which my mother made, and then every afternoon we went up to the café and ate an ice cream while my parents talked to Mr Morelli about the weather. Every summer for twelve years I sat there and read books and sometimes played volleyball with some of the other boys and girls who were there, but I never made any friends.

It was so boring. Every August for twelve years the same family sat next to us. They were

called the Hamiltons. We had a red and white umbrella, they had a green one. Every morning my parents said “Good morning!” to Mr and Mrs Hamilton, and Mr and Mrs Hamilton said “Good morning!” to my parents. Sometimes they talked about the weather.


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Mr and Mrs Hamilton had two sons. Richard was the same age as me, and his brother Philip was two years older than me. Richard and Philip were both taller than me. Richard and Philip were very friendly, and both very handsome. They were much friendlier and more handsome than me. They made friends with everyone, and organised the games of volleyball on the beach or swimming races in the sea with the other children. They always won the games of volleyball and the swimming races. My parents liked Richard and Philip a lot. “Why can’t you be more like Richard and Philip?” they said to me. “Look at them! They make friends with everyone! They are polite, good boys! You just sit here reading books and doing nothing!”

I, of course, hated them. Richard and Philip, Richard and Philip, Richard and Philip – it was all I

ever heard from my parents every August for twelve years. Richard and Philip were perfect. Everything about them was better than anything about me. Even their green beach umbrella was better than our red and white one.

I was sixteen years old the last summer we went there. Perfect Richard and perfect Philip came to the beach one day and said that they were going to have a barbecue at lunchtime. They were going to cook for everyone! “Forget your cheese sandwiches”, they laughed, “Come and have some hamburgers or barbecue chicken with us! We’re going to cook!”

My parents, of course, thought this was wonderful. “Look at how good Richard and Philip are! They’re going to do a barbecue and they’ve invited everybody! You couldn’t organise a barbecue!”

Every summer for twelve years, on the other side of my family, sat Mrs Moffat. Mrs Moffat was a very large woman who came to the same beach every summer for twelve years on her own. Nobody knew if she had a husband or a family, but my parents said that she was very rich. Mrs Moffat always came to the beach wearing a large hat, a pair of sunglasses and a gold necklace. She always carried a big bag with her. She never went swimming, but sat under her umbrella reading magazines until lunchtime when she went home.

Richard and Philip, of course, also invited Mrs Moffat to their barbecue. Richard and Philip’s barbecue was, of course, a great success. About

twenty people came and Richard and Philip cooked lots of hamburgers and chicken and made a big salad and brought big pieces of watermelon and everyone laughed and joked and told Mr and Mrs Hamilton how wonderful their sons were. I ate one hamburger and didn’t talk to anybody. After a while, I left, and made sure that nobody saw me leave.

Mrs Moffat ate three plates of chicken and two hamburgers. After that she said she was very tired and was going to go and have a sleep. She walked over to her umbrella and sat down on her deckchair and went to sleep. When

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she woke up later, everybody on the beach was surprised to hear her screaming and shouting.

“My bag!!!! My bag!!!” she shouted. “It’s gone!!! It’s GONE!!!” Everybody on the beach ran over to Mrs Moffat to see what the problem was. “Someone has taken my bag!!!” she screamed, “Someone has stolen my bag!!!”

“Impossible!” said everybody else. “This is a very safe, friendly beach! There are no thieves here!” But it was true. Mrs Moffat’s big bag wasn’t there anymore.

Nobody had seen any strangers on the beach during the barbecue, so they thought that Mrs Moffat had perhaps taken her bag somewhere and forgotten it. Mr Morelli from the café organised a search of the beach. Everybody looked everywhere for Mrs Moffat’s big bag.

Eventually, they found it. My father saw it hidden in the sand under a deckchair. A green deckchair. Richard and Philip’s deckchair. My father took it and gave it back to Mrs Moffat. Everybody looked at Richard and Philip. Richard and Philip, the golden boys, stood there looking surprised. Of course, they didn’t know what to say.

Mrs Moffat looked in her bag. She started screaming again. Her purse with her money in it wasn’t in the big bag. “My purse!” she shouted, “My purse has gone! Those boys have stolen it! They organised a barbecue so they could steal my purse!”

Everybody tried to explain to Mrs Moffat that this couldn’t possibly be true, but Mrs Moffat called the police. The police arrived and asked golden Richard and golden Philip lots of questions. Richard and Philip couldn’t answer the questions. Eventually, they all got into a police car and drove away to the police station.

I sat there, pretending to read my book and trying to hide a big, fat purse under the sand on the beach.

That was the last summer we went to the beach. My parents never talked about Richard and Philip again.

Lesson 60 A Game of Go

Two people sit down opposite each other to play a game. Between them is

a large wooden board. The board is rectangular in shape and it has black lines drawn on it in. There are 19 horizontal lines and 19 vertical lines, making 361 small black squares on the brown wooden board. Each player has some stones. The man has 180 white stones, and the woman has 181 black stones. All the stones are round and smooth. The white ones are made from the shells of clams; the black ones are made of slate. They have the stones in wooden bowls next to the board. When it is time to start playing, they slowly take the lids off the bowls.

One of the players is an old man. He is now 89 years old. He has spent all of his life playing this game, which is called Go. There are many other names for this game in the many parts of the world where it is played, but Go is the most common. The man has been playing Go since he was a small child. His father showed him how to place the big heavy stones on the board when he was three years old. He has never stopped playing since then. He is now the most famous player of Go in the world. People from all over the world call him “the Master”. People come from all over the world to play against him. Some people want to try and beat him; most people only want to watch and learn from him. The Master thinks that the game of Go is an art, and he thinks that he is an artist. He does not know how many games of Go he has played in his life, but thinks that even if he has played many thousands of games, then he has still not made anything near the number of possible combinations there are for this game. This game is very very simple, and very very complicated.

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The two players place the stones they take from their opponent in the upturned lid of the wooden bowls. It will continue like this until one player can take no more stones. Then they will start to play again. They will play many games, until they eventually know who is the winner.

The other person is a young woman. The young woman has only been playing Go for three years. This is not a very long time It takes years to become an expert in this simple but complicated game. Before this, the woman was an expert at playing computer games. She was a computer games champion, and she won competitions in all types of computer games. She played in tournaments in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Munich, as well as many online tournaments, with people from all over the world. When she thought she could not win any more computer games, she looked for other games to play. She enjoyed playing poker, she became an expert at chess, but nothing captured her imagination like the simplicity of placing black or white stones on a simple wooden board. She studied hard and practiced a lot, the way she always did. She played to win. She thought of the game as a science. She calculated all the possible variations, using a computer to analyse techniques and strategies. She became a human computer when she played. She played Go the same way she had played computer games – by becoming a machine herself.

Both players are dedicated. Both players are obsessed. Both players think about nothing else but the game of Go from the moment they wake up until the moment they sleep, and even then they do not stop thinking about Go, as they have dreams about great games, in which they always win. Neither is married, neither has ever been in love with anything except the game of Go.

“When I was your age, it would have been impossible for us to play together” he says to her. They speak very little during the game. “Why?” she asks.

“Young lady, you have not studied the history of this game. In the past, women did not play Go.” There is silence again. She might be irritated by the old man’s comment, but now she is playing Go, and so she feels no emotions. Her mind is not listening to the man, but calculating all the possible ways of placing her next stone. The old man, on the other hand, tries to listen to the woman very carefully. He watches her and studies her, looks at the movements of her hands and of her face. This is not only because he thinks that she is very beautiful, it is also because by understanding a person he knows how they will play. When he understands how a person moves, he understands their character. And when he understands their character, he understands their game. This has always helped him to win.

By placing the stones on the board, they both try to invade each other’s space, each other’s territory. White stones invade a black-bordered area,


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black stones try to fill a white-bordered area. At the end of each game, the board is a map of two countries, one black and one white. The board is map of their minds. Black and white mix together. Each player is learning something from the other.

He wins the first game, and the second, and the third. The woman’s face shows no emotion, and the man is confused. He agrees to continue playing. She wins the next game, and the man is shocked. This has never happened to him before. He rarely loses, and he has never lost to a woman.

The two players place their stones on the board using only their fingers, not their thumbs. It is necessary to think very carefully about where to put the stones, and to hold them properly. A long time passes between each move. They do not place the stones in the squares, this is not a game like chess or draughts, but on the corners where the lines meet.

The old man worries about the way the young woman is playing the game. He does not recognise her style, her strategy. He can’t read her face; he does not understand her. Sometimes, he thinks that he does not understand the world around him any longer.

“The way I think about the game” says the woman, “is that it is a series of steps for getting what I want.” Again, the old man is surprised. For him, the game is a way of life, life itself, and not a model of life. He worries about the dignity of the game, the elegance of the board. She worries about getting points.

“There is no more beauty any longer. Everything is science and rules. Everything is about winning. Nothing is about playing” he says.

“What sense does a game have if you don’t win?” “The playing is the sense” replies the man. People have been playing this game for 3000 years. Sometimes, the two

players think, this game will last 3000 years. The man feels like he has been playing Go for 3000 years.

“This game was invented by generals. They used it to work out strategies for war. They used the stones to map out positions” he tells her. “And then they decided that is was better to have a game than have a war.”

“Are we at war now?” she asks. He wants to say no, but does not know how to reply.

“There is another story” says the young woman. “Go began when witches threw stones to tell fortunes.”

“Will this game tell our fortune?” “It is better to play a game than try to tell the future” she says, and he is

surprised again. This time he is surprised by how wise her words are. “The future is a game that has already started. The future is waiting to see

who the winner is” he says. “Every move you make determines what will happen in the future.”

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They play Go for six months. At the end of six months, they know that their final game is close. The final game will decide who is the winner, and who the loser.

“A game is a metaphor for life.” “No, life is a metaphor for a game.” They cannot agree; but it is not necessary. They both look at the Go board

in silence. It looks like a work of art, and also a scientific document. It is a map, a map of the game they played, and a map of their thoughts.

“Change is a necessary part of life” thinks the man. “Playing is as important as winning” thinks the woman. They start to play their final game.

Lesson 61 Scarlett

Here’s Scarlett, in the garden of a friend’s house in London on a sunny

summer morning, the kind of mornings that are unusual in England. Scarlett is twelve years old (“thirteen in November” she tells me), and is trying to understand the world around her. She asks questions about everything, all the time.

I tell her that I want to ask her a question, and I ask her why she’s called “Scarlett”, and what the name means, and if it comes from anywhere in particular, and she says:

“No it’s just a stupid name my parents chose because they liked it. It doesn’t mean anything.”

I wonder if her parents named her after the heroine of a favourite film, perhaps, but then again, I know her dad and this sounds unlikely. I think they probably chose it just because they liked the sound of it.

Scarlett is worried about changing school after the summer, she worries that she’s too short for her age and that the other children at the school will make fun of her. She shows me some pictures of the school she is at now, and her classmates. I look at the picture and it shows children of all heights and shapes and sizes. Some are tall, some are short, some are fat and some are thin. Some are black and some are white, and most of them are somewhere in between. Some have red hair and some have blond hair, some have long hair and some have short hair.

I tell her not to worry about the new school, tell her that she’ll be OK, and ask her about the new subjects she’ll be studying. She tells me that she’s

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worried about learning French, and I tell her not to worry, that it isn’t a very difficult language. She tells me that she already knows five languages.

“Five languages!” I shout. “That’s impossible! How do you already know five languages?”

“Because I’ve got five languages in my body” she says. I ask her what she means, and she starts to tell me the story of her family.

Some of the story I already know. I’ve already heard stories about her grandfather. He was from Scotland; he was a sailor, but not a very good sailor, so he only got as far as Portsmouth, a big navy town on the south coast of England, not very far from Scotland at all. When he got to Portsmouth, he stopped there, left the navy and became a boxer. He lost fights and drank a lot. However, he still managed to see the world by meeting a woman who came from Laos. Nobody really knows how this woman had ended up in Portsmouth, but she still lives there, and I tell Scarlett that she should try and find out her grandmother’s story.

“No, she’s too old now” says Scarlett, “and anyway, she’s lived in Portsmouth nearly all her life.”

Scarlett’s grandparents were only together long enough to produce a son, probably one of the only Scottish-Laotians in the world. They called him Bill, which is usually short for “William”, but his name was just “Bill”. Bill inherited his father’s personality and his mother’s looks, so the only thing he thought he could do was become a rock star. He never really managed to become a rock star, though, so now he works as a graphic designer.

I don’t know Scarlett’s mum, so I ask her to tell me about her mum. “My mum’s Polish” she says, “Well, not really, because she was born in

Brighton, but her mum and dad are from Poland. But they’ve lived there, like, for always. But I know that her mum was from somewhere that was Germany, and then became Poland, so she’s really German, I suppose. So that’s another language that I’ve got in my body.”

I ask Scarlett if she can actually speak all the languages that she says she has “in her body”, and she looks at me like I’m stupid.

“Of course not” she says. “But I’ve still got them in me!” We count up her “languages”: Scottish, Laotian, German, Polish. “That’s only four!” I tell her. “No, there’s English too!” “Of course there is” I say. And then I look at Scottish–Laotian–German–

Polish–English Scarlett, with her name that comes from nowhere and I ask her,

“And you Scarlett, where are you from?”


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She thinks for a long time, such a long time that I think perhaps she hasn’t heard my question. But then before I can repeat it she looks up and at me.

“I’m from here”, she says. “I’m from London”.

Lesson 62 Athenaise

Athenaise went away one morning to visit her parents, ten miles back on

the Bon Dieu River in Louisiana. She did not return in the evening, and Cazeau, her husband, was worried.

Cazeau expressed his worries to his servant, Felicite, who served him dinner.

He ate alone by the light of a coal-oil lamp. Felicite stood nearby like a restless shadow.

"Only married two months and she has her head turned already to leave! It is not right!" she said.

Cazeau shrugged his shoulders. Felicites opinion of his wifes behavior after two months of marriage did not matter to him. He was used to being alone and did not mind a night or two of it. Cazeau stood up and walked outside.

The night was beginning to deepen and gather black around the groups of trees in the yard. Far away, he could hear the sound of someone playing an accordion. Nearby, a baby was crying.

Cazeaus horse was waiting, saddled. He still had much farm work to do before bed time. He did not have time to think about Athenaise. But he felt her absence like a deep pain.

Before he slept that night Cazeau was visited by an image of Athenaises pale, young face with its soft lips and sensual eyes. The marriage had been a mistake. He had only to look into her eyes to feel that, to sense her growing dislike of him. But, the marriage could not be undone. And he was ready to make the best of it and expected the same effort from her.


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These sad thoughts kept Cazeau awake far into the night. The moon was shining and its pale light reached into the room. It was still outside, with no sound except the distant notes of the accordion.

Athenaise did not return the next day, although her husband sent a message to do so through her brother, Monteclin. On the third day, Cazeau prepared his horse and went himself in search of her.

Athenaises parents, the Miches, lived in a large home owned by a trader who lived in town. The house was far too big for their use. Upstairs, the rooms were so large and empty that they were used for parties. A dance at the Miche home and a plate of Madame Miches gumbo were pleasures not to be missed.

Madame Miche was sitting on the porch outside the house. She stood up to greet Cazeau. She was short and fat with a cheery face. But she was clearly tense as Cazeau arrived.

Monteclin was there too. But he was not uneasy. He made no effort to hide his dislike of Cazeau.

"Dirty pig!" He said under his breath as Cazeau climbed the stairs to the porch. Monteclin disliked Cazeau for refusing to lend him money long ago. Now that this man was his sisters husband, he disliked him even more.

Miche and his oldest son were away. They both respected Cazeau and talked highly of him.

Cazeau shook hands with Madame Miche who offered him a chair. Athenaise had shut herself in her room.

"You know, nothing would do last night," Madame Miche said. "Athenaise just had to stay for a little dance. The boys would not let their sister leave!"

Cazeau shrugged his shoulders to show he knew nothing about last night. "Didnt Monteclin tell you we were going to keep Athenaise?" she asked.

But Monteclin had told him nothing. "And how about the night before?" asked Cazeau. "And last night? Do

you have dances every night?" Madame Miche laughed and told her son to go tell Athenaise her husband

had arrived. Monteclin did not move. "You know as well as I do that it is no use to tell Athenaise anything,"

said Monteclin. "You and pa have been talking to her since Monday. When Athenaise said she was not returning to Cazeau she meant it."

Two fiery red spots rose to Cazeaus cheeks. What Monteclin said was true.

Upon arriving home, Athenaise had announced she was there to stay. It was difficult for her to understand why she had married. Girls were just expected to get married. And she did like Cazeau.

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Monteclin had asked Athenaise to explain herself. He had asked her if Cazeau abused her, or if he drank too much.

"No!" Athenaise had said. "It is just being married that I hate. I do not like being Missus Cazeau. I want to be Athenaise Miche again. I do not like living with a man, all his clothing everywhere and his ugly bare feet."

At the time, Monteclin had been sorry his sister had no serious evidence to use against Cazeau.

And now, there was Cazeau himself looking like he wanted to hit Monteclin.

Cazeau stood up and went inside the house to his wifes room. "Athenaise, get ready," he said quietly. "It is late and we do not have time

to lose." Athenaise was not prepared for his calm request. She felt a sense of

hopelessness about continuing to rebel against the idea of marriage. She gathered her hat and gloves. Then, she walked downstairs past her brother and mother, got on her horse and rode away. Cazeau followed behind her.

It was late when they reached home. Cazeau once more ate dinner alone. Athenaise sat in her room crying.Athenaises parents had hoped that marriage would bring a sense of responsibility so deeply lacking in her character. No one could understand why she so hated her role as wife. Cazeau had never spoken angrily to her or called her names or failed to give her everything she wanted. His main offense seemed to be that he loved her.And Athenaise was not a woman to be loved against her will.At breakfast, Athenaise complained to her husband."Why did you have to marry me when there were so many other girls to choose from?" she asked. "And, it is strange that if you hate my brother so much, why would you marry his sister!"

"I do not know what any of them have to do with it," Cazeau said. "I married you because I loved you. I guess I was a fool to think I could make you happy. I do not know what else to do but make the best of a bad deal and shake hands over it."It now seemed to Athenaise that her brother was the only friend left to her in the world. Her parents had turned from her and her friends laughed at her. But Monteclin had an idea for securing his sisters freedom. After some thought, Athenaise agreed to his plan.The next morning, Cazeau woke up to find his wife was gone. She had packed her belongings and left in the night.Cazeau felt a terrible sense of loss. It was not new; he had felt it for weeks.He realized he had missed his chance for happiness. He could not think of loving any other woman, and could not imagine Athenaise ever caring for him. He wrote her a letter stating that he did not want her back unless she returned of her own free will.Athenaise had escaped to the big city of New Orleans. She was staying at a private hotel that Monteclin had chosen and paid to rent for a month. A woman named Sylvie owned the hotel and took good care of Athenaise. Athenaise soon


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became friends with Mr. Gouvernail who was also staying at the hotel. This friendship helped her feel less lonely about missing her family. But Mr. Gouvernail soon started to fall in love with Athenaise. He knew she was uninformed, unsatisfied and strong-willed. But he also suspected that she loved her husband, although she did not know it. Bitter as this belief was, he accepted it.Athenaises last week in the city was coming to an end. She had not found a job and was too homesick to stay any longer. Also, she had not been feeling well. She complained in detail about her sickness to Sylvie. Sylvie was very wise, and Athenaise was very stupid. Sylvie very calmly explained to Athenaise that she was feeling sick because she was pregnant.

Athenaise sat very still for a long time thinking about this new information. Her whole being was overcome with a wave of happiness. Then, she stood up, ready to take action.She had to tell her mother! And Cazeau! As she thought of him, a whole new sense of life swept over her. She could not wait to return to him.The next day Athenaise spent travelling home. When she arrived at Cazeaus, he lifted her out of the horse carriage and they held each other tight. The country night was warm and still except for a baby crying in the distance."Listen, Cazeau!" said Athenaise. "How Juliettes baby is crying! Poor darling, I wonder what is the matter with it?"

Lesson 63 "The Tell-Tale Heart"

Edgar Allan Poe Nervous -- very, very nervous I had been and am! But why will you say

that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses -- not destroyed them. Above all was the sense of hearing. I heard all things in the heaven and in

the earth. I heard many things in the underworld. How, then, am I mad? Observe how healthily -- how calmly I can tell you the whole story. It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! Yes, it was this! He had the eye of a bird, a vulture -- a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell on me, my blood ran cold; and so -- very slowly -- I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and free myself of the eye forever. Now this is the point. You think that I am mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely and carefully I went to work! I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him. And every night, late at night, I turned the lock of his door and opened it – oh, so gently! And then, when I had made an opening big enough for my head, I put in a dark lantern, all closed that no light shone out, and then I stuck in my head. I moved it slowly, very slowly, so that I might not interfere with the old mans sleep. And then, when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern just so much that a single thin ray of light fell upon the vulture eye.

And this I did for seven long nights -- but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who was a problem for me, but his Evil Eye. On the eighth night, I was more than


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usually careful in opening the door. I had my head in and was about to open the lantern, when my finger slid on a piece of metal and made a noise. The old man sat up in bed, crying out "Whos there?"

I kept still and said nothing. I did not move a muscle for a whole hour. During that time, I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed listening -- just as I have done, night after night. Then I heard a noise, and I knew it was the sound of human terror. It was the low sound that arises from the bottom of the soul. I knew the sound well. Many a night, late at night, when all the world slept, it has welled up from deep within my own chest. I say I knew it well.

I knew what the old man felt, and felt sorry for him, although I laughed to myself. I knew that he had been lying awake ever since the first noise, when he had turned in the bed. His fears had been ever since growing upon him.

When I had waited a long time, without hearing him lie down, I decided to open a little -- a very, very little -- crack in the lantern. So I opened it. You cannot imagine how carefully, carefully. Finally, a single ray of light shot from out and fell full upon the vulture eye. It was open -- wide, wide open -- and I grew angry as I looked at it. I saw it clearly -- all a dull blue, with a horrible veil over it that chilled my bones; but I could see nothing else of the old mans face or person. For I had directed the light exactly upon the damned spot. And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but a kind of over-sensitivity? Now, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when inside a piece of cotton. I knew that sound well, too. It was the beating of the old mans heart. It increased my anger.

But even yet I kept still. I hardly breathed. I held the lantern motionless. I attempted to keep the ray of light upon the eye. But the beating of the heart increased. It grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every second. The old mans terror must have been extreme! The beating grew louder, I say, louder every moment!

And now at the dead hour of the night, in the horrible silence of that old house, so strange a noise as this excited me to uncontrollable terror. Yet, for some minutes longer I stood still. But the beating grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst.

And now a new fear seized me -- the sound would be heard by a neighbor! The old mans hour had come! With a loud shout, I threw open the lantern and burst into the room. He cried once -- once only. Without delay, I forced him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled, to find the action so far done. But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a quiet sound. This, however, did not concern me; it would not be heard through the wall. At length, it stopped. The old man was dead. I removed the bed and examined the body. I placed my hand over his heart and held it there many

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minutes. There was no movement. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more. If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise steps I took for hiding the body. I worked quickly, but in silence. First of all, I took apart the body. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs. I then took up three pieces of wood from the flooring, and placed his body parts under the room. I then replaced the wooden boards so well that no human eye -- not even his -- could have seen anything wrong. There was nothing to wash out -- no mark of any kind -- no blood whatever. I had been too smart for that. A tub had caught all -- ha! ha! When I had made an end of these labors, it was four oclock in the morning. As a clock sounded the hour, there came a noise at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart -- for what had I now to fear? There entered three men, who said they were officers of the police. A cry had been heard by a neighbor during the night; suspicion of a crime had been aroused; information had been given at the police office, and the officers had been sent to search the building. I smiled -- for what had I to fear? The cry, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I said, was not in the country. I took my visitors all over the house. I told them to search -- search well. I led them, at length, to his room. I brought chairs there, and told them to rest. I placed my own seat upon the very place under which lay the body of the victim. The officers were satisfied. I was completely at ease. They sat, and while I answered happily, they talked of common things. But, after a while, I felt myself getting weak and wished them gone. My head hurt, and I had a ringing in my ears; but still they sat and talked. The ringing became more severe. I talked more freely to do away with the feeling. But it continued until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears. I talked more and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased -- and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound like a watch makes when inside a piece of cotton. I had trouble breathing -- and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly -- more loudly; but the noise increased. I stood up and argued about silly things, in a high voice and with violent hand movements. But the noise kept increasing.

Why would they not be gone? I walked across the floor with heavy steps, as if excited to anger by the observations of the men -- but the noise increased. What could I do? I swung my chair and moved it upon the floor, but the noise continually increased. It grew louder -- louder -- louder! And still the men talked pleasantly, and smiled.

Was it possible they heard not? No, no! They heard! They suspected! They knew! They were making a joke of my horror! This I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this pain! I could bear those smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! And now -- again! Louder! Louder! Louder!


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"Villains!" I cried, "Pretend no more! I admit the deed! Tear up the floor boards! Here, here! It is the beating of his hideous heart!"

Lesson 64 "The Ambitious Guest"

Nathaniel Hawthorne One December night, a long, long time ago, a family sat around the

fireplace in their home. A golden light from the fire filled the room. The mother and father laughed at something their oldest daughter had just said. The girl was seventeen, much older than her little brother and sister, who were only five and six years old. A very old woman, the families grandmother, sat knitting in the warmest corner of the room. And a baby, the youngest child, smiled at the fires light from its tiny bed. This family had found happiness in the worst place in all of New England. They had built their home high up in the White Mountains, where the wind blows violently all year long.

The family lived in an especially cold and dangerous spot. Stones from the top of the mountain above their house would often roll down the mountainside and wake them in the middle of the night. No other family lived near them on the mountain. But this family was never lonely. They enjoyed each others company, and often had visitors.

Their house was built near an important road that connected the White Mountains to the Saint Lawrence River. People traveling through the mountains in wagons always stopped at the familys door for a drink of water and a friendly word.

Lonely travelers, crossing the mountains on foot, would step into the house to share a hot meal. Sometimes, the wind became so wild and cold that these strangers would spend the night with the family. The family offered every traveler who stopped at their home a kindness that money could not buy. On that December evening, the wind came rushing down the


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mountain. It seemed to stop at their house to knock at the door before it roared down into the valley.

The family fell silent for a moment. But then they realized that someone really was knocking at their door. The oldest girl opened the door and found a young man standing in the dark.

The old grandmother put a chair near the fireplace for him. The oldest daughter gave him a warm, shy smile. And the baby held up its little arms to him.

"This fire is just what I needed," the young man said. "The wind has been blowing in my face for the last two hours."

The father took the young mans travel bag. "Are you going to Vermont?" the older man asked.

"Yes, to Burlington," the traveler replied. "I wanted to reach the valley tonight. But when I saw the light in your window, I decided to stop. I would like to sit and enjoy your fire and your company for a while. "As the young man took his place by the fire, something like heavy footsteps was heard outside. It sounded as if someone was running down the side of the mountain, taking enormous steps. The father looked out one of the windows.

"That old mountain has thrown another stone at us again. He must have been afraid we would forget him. He sometimes shakes his head and makes us think he will come down on top of us," the father explained to the young man. "But we are old neighbors," he smiled. "And we manage to get along together pretty well. Besides, I have made a safe hiding place outside to protect us in case a slide brings the mountain down on our heads." As the father spoke, the mother prepared a hot meal for their guest. While he ate, he talked freely to the family, as if it were his own.

This young man did not trust people easily. Yet on this evening, something made him share his deepest secret with these simple mountain people. The young mans secret was that he was ambitious. He did not know what he wanted to do with his life, yet. But he did know that he did not want to be forgotten after he had died. He believed that sometime during his life, he would become famous and be admired by thousands of people.

"So far," the young man said, "I have done nothing. If I disappeared tomorrow from the face of the earth, no one would know anything about me. No one would ask Who was he. Where did he go? But I cannot die until I have reached my destiny. Then let death come! I will have built my monument!" The young mans powerful emotions touched the family. They smiled.

"You laugh at me," the young man said, taking the oldest daughters hand. "You think my ambition is silly." She was very shy, and her face became pink with embarrassment. "It is better to sit here by the fire," she whispered, "and be happy, even if nobody thinks of us."

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Her father stared into the fire. "I think there is something natural in what the young man says. And his words have made me think about our own lives here.

"It would have been nice if we had had a little farm down in the valley. Some place where we could see our mountains without being afraid they would fall on our heads. I would have been respected by all our neighbors. And, when I had grown old, I would die happy in my bed. You would put a stone over my grave so everyone would know I lived an honest life."

"You see!" the young man cried out. "It is in our nature to want a monument. Some want only a stone on their grave. Others want to be a part of everyone's memory. But we all want to be remembered after we die!" The young man threw some more wood on the fire to chase away the darkness. The firelight fell on the little group around the fireplace: the fathers strong arms and the mothers gentle smile. It touched the young mans proud face, and the daughters shy one.

It warmed the old grandmother, still knitting in the corner. She looked up from her knitting and, with her fingers still moving the needles, she said, "Old people have their secrets, just as young people do." The old woman said she had made her funeral clothes some years earlier. They were the finest clothes she had made since her wedding dress. She said her secret was a fear that she would not be buried in her best clothes.

The young man stared into the fire. "Old and young," he said. "We dream of graves and monuments. I wonder

how sailors feel when their ship is sinking, and they know they will be buried in the wide and nameless grave that is the ocean?" A sound, rising like the roar of the ocean, shook the house. Young and old exchanged one wild look. Then the same words burst from all their lips.

"The slide! The slide!" They rushed away from the house, into the darkness, to the secret spot the

father had built to protect them from the mountain slide. The whole side of the mountain came rushing toward the house like a

waterfall of destruction. But just before it reached the little house, the wave of earth divided in two and went around the families home. Everyone and everything in the path of the terrible slide was destroyed, except the little house. The next morning, smoke was seen coming from the chimney of the house on the mountain. Inside, the fire was still burning. The chairs were still drawn up in a half circle around the fireplace. It looked as if the family had just gone out for a walk.

Some people thought that a stranger had been with the family on that terrible night. But no one ever discovered who the stranger was. His name and way of life remain a mystery. His body was never found.

Lesson 65 "A Horseman in the Sky."

Ambrose Bierce. Carter Druse was born in Virginia. He loved his parents, his home and the

south. But he loved his country, too. And in the autumn of eighteen sixty-one, when the United States was divided by a terrible civil war, Carter Druse, a southerner, decided to join the Union Army of the north.

He told his father about his decision one morning at breakfast. The older man looked at his only son for a moment, too shocked to speak.

Then he said, "As of this moment you are a traitor to the south. Please dont tell your mother about your decision. She is sick, and we both know she has only a few weeks to live."

Carters father paused, again looking deep into his sons eyes. "Carter," he said, "No matter what happens -- be sure you always do what you think is your duty."

Both Carter Druse and his father left the table that morning with broken hearts. And Carter soon left his home, and everyone he loved to wear the blue uniform of the Union soldier.

One sunny afternoon, a few weeks later, Carter Druse lay with his face in the dirt by the side of a road. He was on his stomach, his arms still holding his gun. Carter would not receive a medal for his actions. In fact, if his commanding officer were to see him, he would order Carter shot immediately.

For Carter was not dead or wounded. He was sleeping while on duty. Fortunately, no one could see him. He was hidden by some bushes, growing by the side of the road.

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The road Carter Druse had been sent to guard was only a few miles from his fathers house.

It began in a forest, down in the valley, and climbed up the side of a huge rock. Anyone standing on the top of this high rock would be able to see down into the valley. And that person would feel very dizzy, looking down. If he dropped a stone from the edge of this cliff, it would fall for six hundred meters before disappearing into the forest in the valley below.

Giant cliffs, like the one Carter lay on, surrounded the valley. Hidden in the valleys forest were five union regiments -- thousands of

Carters fellow soldiers. They had marched for thirty-six hours. Now they were resting. But at midnight they would climb that road up the rocky cliff.

Their plan was to attack by surprise an army of southerners, camped on the other side of the cliff. But if their enemy learned about the Union Army hiding in the forest, the soldiers would find themselves in a trap with no escape. That was why Carter Druse had been sent to guard the road.

It was his duty to be sure that no enemy soldier, dressed in gray, spied on the valley, where the union army was hiding.

But Carter Druse had fallen asleep. Suddenly, as if a messenger of fate came to touch him on the shoulder, the young man opened his eyes. As he lifted his head, he saw a man on horseback standing on the huge rocky cliff that looked down into the valley.

The rider and his horse stood so still that they seemed made of stone. The mans gray uniform blended with the blue sky and the white clouds behind him. He held a gun in his right hand, and the horses reins in the other.

Carter could not see the mans face, because the rider was looking down into the valley. But the man and his horse seemed to be of heroic, almost gigantic size, standing there motionless against the sky. Carter discovered he was very much afraid, even though he knew the enemy soldier could not see him hiding in the bushes.

Suddenly the horse moved, pulling back its head from the edge of the cliff. Carter was completely awake now. He raised his gun, pushing its barrel through the bushes. And he aimed for the horsemans heart. A small squeeze of the trigger, and Carter Druse would have done his duty. At that instant, the horseman turned his head and looked in Carters direction. He seemed to look at Carters face, into his eyes, and deep into his brave, generous heart.

Carters face became very white. His entire body began shaking. His mind began to race, and in his fantasy, the horse and rider became black figures, rising and falling in slow circles against a fiery red sky. Carter did not pull the trigger. Instead, he let go of his gun and slowly dropped his face until it rested again in the dirt. Brave and strong as he was, Carter almost fainted from the shock of what he had seen. Is it so terrible to kill an enemy who might kill you and your friends? Carter knew that this man must be shot


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from ambush -- without warning. This man must die without a moment to prepare his soul; without even the chance to say a silent prayer.

Slowly, a hope began to form in Carter Druses mind. Perhaps the southern soldier had not seen the northern troops. Perhaps he was only admiring the view. Perhaps he would now turn and ride carelessly away. Then Carter looked down into the valley so far below. He saw a line of men in blue uniforms and their horses, slowly leaving the protection of the forest. A foolish Union officer had permitted his soldiers to bring their horses to drink at a small stream near the forest. And there they were -- in plain sight! Carter Druse looked back to the man and horse standing there against the sky. Again he took aim. But this time he pointed his gun at the horse. Words rang in his head -- the last words his father ever spoke to him: "No matter what happens, be sure you always do what you think is your duty." Carter Druse was calm as he pulled the trigger of his gun. At that moment, a Union officer happened to look up from his hiding place near the edge of the forest. His eyes climbed to the top of the cliff that looked over the valley. Just looking at the top of the gigantic rock, so far above him, made the soldier feel dizzy. And then the officer saw something that filled his heart with horror. A man on a horse was riding down into the valley through the air! The rider sat straight in his saddle. His hair streamed back, waving in the wind. His left hand held his horses reins while his right hand was hidden in the cloud of the horses mane. The horse looked as if it were galloping across the earth. Its body was proud and noble. As the frightened Union officer watched this horseman in the sky, he almost believed he was witnessing a messenger from heaven. A messenger who had come to announce the end of the world. The officers legs grew weak, and he fell. At almost the same instant, he heard a crashing sound in the trees. The sound died without an echo. And all was silent. The officer got to his feet, still shaking. He went back to his camp. But he didnt tell anyone what he had seen. He knew no one would ever believe him. Soon after firing his gun, Carter Druse was joined by a Union sergeant. Carter did not turn his head as the sergeant kneeled beside him.

"Did you fire?" The sergeant whispered. "Yes." "At what?" "A horse. It was on that rock. Its not there now. It went over the cliff."

Carters face was white. But he showed no other sign of emotion. The sergeant did not understand.

"See here, Druse," he said, after a moments silence. "Why are you making this into a mystery. I order you to report. Was there anyone on the horse?"

"Yes." "Who? "

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"My father." Announcer: You have heard the story called, "A Horseman in the Sky." It

was written by Ambrose Bierce, and adapted for Special English by Dona de Sanctis. Your storyteller was Roy Depew.

For VOA Special English, this is Shirley Griffith.

Lesson 66 Our story today is called "Luck." It was written by Mark Twain. Here is

Shep O'Neal with the story. Storyteller: I was at a dinner in London given in honor of one of the most

celebrated English military men of his time. I do not want to tell you his real name and titles. I will just call him Lieutenant General Lord Arthur Scoresby.

I cannot describe my excitement when I saw this great and famous man. There he sat, the man himself, in person, all covered with medals. I could not take my eyes off him. He seemed to show the true mark of greatness. His fame had no effect on him. The hundreds of eyes watching him, the worship of so many people did not seem to make any difference to him.

Next to me sat a clergyman, who was an old friend of mine. He was not always a clergyman. During the first half of his life he was a teacher in the military school at Woolwich. There was a strange look in his eye as he leaned toward me and whispered – "Privately – he is a complete fool." He meant, of course, the hero of our dinner.

This came as a shock to me. I looked hard at him. I could not have been more surprised if he has said the same thing about Nepoleon, or Socrates, or Solomon. But I was sure of two things about the clergyman. He always spoke the truth. And, his judgment of men was good. Therefore, I wanted to find out more about our hero as soon as I could.

Some days later I got a chance to talk with the clergyman, and he told me more. These are his exact words:

About forty years ago, I was an instructor in the military academy at Woolwich, when young Scoresby was given his first examination. I felt extremely sorry for him. Everybody answered the questions well, intelligently, while he – why, dear me – he did not know anything, so to

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speak. He was a nice, pleasant young man. It was painful to see him stand there and give answers that were miracles of stupidity.

I knew of course that when examined again he would fail and be thrown out. So, I said to myself, it would be a simple, harmless act to help him as much as I could.

I took him aside and found he knew a little about Julius Ceasar's history. But, he did not know anything else. So, I went to work and tested him and worked him like a slave. I made him work, over and over again, on a few questions about Ceasar, which I knew he would be asked.

If you will believe me, he came through very well on the day of the examination. He got high praise too, while others who knew a thousand times more than he were sharply criticized. By some strange, lucky accident, he was asked no questions but those I made him study. Such an accident does not happen more than once in a hundred years.

Well, all through his studies, I stood by him, with the feeling a mother has for a disabled child. And he always saved himself by some miracle.

I thought that what in the end would destroy him would be the mathematics examination. I decided to make his end as painless as possible. So, I pushed facts into his stupid head for hours. Finally, I let him go to the examination to experience what I was sure would be his dismissal from school. Well, sir, try to imagine the result. I was shocked out of my mind. He took first prize! And he got the highest praise.

I felt guilty day and night – what I was doing was not right. But I only wanted to make his dismissal a little less painful for him. I never dreamed it would lead to such strange, laughable results.

I thought that sooner or later one thing was sure to happen: The first real test once he was through school would ruin him.

Then, the Crimean War broke out. I felt that sad for him that there had to be a war. Peace would have given this donkey a chance to escape from ever being found out as being so stupid. Nervously, I waited for the worst to happen. It did. He was appointed an officer. A captain, of all things! Who could have dreamed that they would place such a responsibility on such weak shoulders as his.

I said to myself that I was responsible to the country for this. I must go with him and protect the nation against him as far as I could. So, I joined up with him. And anyway we went to the field.

And there – oh dear, it was terrible. Mistakes, fearful mistakes – why, he never did anything that was right – nothing but mistakes. But, you see, nobody knew the secret of how stupid he really was. Everybody misunderstood his actions. They saw his stupid mistakes as works of great intelligence. They did, honestly!


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His smallest mistakes made a man in his right mind cry, and shout and scream too – to himself, of course. And what kept me in a continual fear was the fact that every mistake he made increased his glory and fame. I kept saying to myself that when at last they found out about him, it will be like the sun falling out of the sky.

He continued to climb up, over the dead bodies of his superiors. Then, in the hottest moment of one battle down went our colonel. My heart jumped into my mouth, for Scoresby was the next in line to take his place. Now, we are in for it, I said…

The battle grew hotter. The English and their allies were steadily retreating all over the field. Our regiment occupied a position that was extremely important. One mistake now would bring total disaster. And what did Scoresby do this time – he just mistook his left hand for his right hand…that was all. An order came for him to fall back and support our right. Instead, he moved forward and went over the hill to the left. We were over the hill before this insane movement could be discovered and stopped. And what did we find? A large and unsuspected Russian army waiting! And what happened – were we all killed? That is exactly what would have happened in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. But no – those surprised Russians thought that no one regiment by itself would come around there at such a time.

It must be the whole British army, they thought. They turned tail, away they went over the hill and down into the field in wild disorder, and we after them. In no time, there was the greatest turn around you ever saw. The allies turned defeat into a sweeping and shining victory.

The allied commander looked on, his head spinning with wonder, surprise and joy. He sent right off for Scoresby, and put his arms around him and hugged him on the field in front of all the armies. Scoresby became famous that day as a great military leader – honored throughout the world. That honor will never disappear while history books last.

He is just as nice and pleasant as ever, but he still does not know enough to come in out of the rain. He is the stupidest man in the universe.

Until now, nobody knew it but Scoresby and myself. He has been followed, day by day, year by year, by a strange luck. He has been a shining soldier in all our wars for years. He has filled his whole military life with mistakes. Every one of them brought him another honorary title. Look at his chest, flooded with British and foreign medals. Well, sir, every one of them is the record of some great stupidity or other. They are proof that the best thing that can happen to a man is to be born lucky. I say again, as I did at the dinner, Scoresby's a complete fool.

Announcer: You have just heard the story "Luck." It was written by Mark Twain and adapted for Special English by Harold Berman. Your narrator

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was Shep O'Neal. Listen again next week at this same time for another American Story told in Special English on the Voice of America. This is Susan Clark

Lesson 67 Our story today is called "The Cask of Amontillado." It was written by

Edgar Allan Poe. Here is Larry West with the story. (MUSIC) Storyteller: Fortunato and I both were members of very old and important

Italian families. We used to play together when we were children. Fortunato was bigger, richer and more handsome than I was. And he

enjoyed making me look like a fool. He hurt my feelings a thousand times during the years of my childhood. I never showed my anger, however. So, he thought we were good friends. But I promised myself that one day I would punish Fortunato for his insults to me.

Many years passed. Fortunato married a rich and beautiful woman who gave him sons. Deep in my heart I hated him, but I never said or did anything that showed him how I really felt. When I smiled at him, he thought it was because we were friends.

He did not know it was the thought of his death that made me smile. Everyone in our town respected Fortunato. Some men were afraid of him

because he was so rich and powerful. He had a weak spot, however. He thought he was an excellent judge of wine. I also was an expert on wine. I spent a lot of money buying rare and costly wines. I stored the wines in the dark rooms under my familys palace.

Our palace was one of the oldest buildings in the town. The Montresor family had lived in it for hundreds of years. We had buried our dead in the rooms under the palace. These tombs were quiet, dark places that no one but myself ever visited.

Late one evening during carnival season, I happened to meet Fortunato on the street. He was going home alone from a party. Fortunato was beautiful in his silk suit made of many colors: yellow, green, purple and red. On his head he wore an orange cap, covered with little silver bells. I could see he had

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been drinking too much wine. He threw his arms around me. He said he was glad to see me.

I said I was glad to see him, too because I had a little problem. "What is it?" he asked, putting his large hand on my shoulder. "My dear Fortunato," I said, "Im afraid I have been very stupid. The man

who sells me wine said he had a rare barrel of Amontillado wine. I believed him and I bought it from him. But now, I am not so sure that the wine is really Amontillado."

"What!" he said, "A cask of Amontillado at this time of year. An entire barrel? Impossible!"

"Yes, I was very stupid. I paid the wine man the full price he wanted without asking you to taste the wine first. But I couldnt find you and I was afraid he would sell the cask of Amontillado to someone else. So I bought it."

"A cask of Amontillado!" Fortunato repeated. "Where is it?" I pretended I didnt hear his question. Instead I told him I was going to

visit our friend Lucresi. "He will be able to tell me if the wine is really Amontillado," I said.

Fortunato laughed in my face. "Lucresi cannot tell Amontillado from vinegar."

I smiled to myself and said "But some people say that he is as good a judge of wine as you are."

Fortunato grabbed my arm. "Take me to it," he said. "Ill taste the Amontillado for you."

"But my friend," I protested, "it is late. The wine is in my wine cellar, underneath the palace. Those rooms are very damp and cold and the walls drip with water."

"I dont care," he said. "I am the only person who can tell you if your wine man has cheated you. Lucresi cannot!"

Fortunato turned, and still holding me by the arm, pulled me down the street to my home. The building was empty. My servants were enjoying carnival. I knew they would be gone all night.

I took two large candles, lit them and gave one to Fortunato. I started down the dark, twisting stairway with Fortunato close behind me. At the bottom of the stairs, the damp air wrapped itself around our bodies.

"Where are we?" Fortunato asked. "I thought you said the cask of Amontillado was in your wine cellar."

"It is," I said. "The wine cellar is just beyond these tombs where the dead of my family are kept. Surely, you are not afraid of walking through the tombs.

He turned and looked into my eyes. "Tombs?" he said. He began to cough. The silver bells on his cap jingled.


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"My poor friend," I said, "how long have you had that cough?" "Its nothing," he said, but he couldnt stop coughing. "Come," I said firmly, "we will go back upstairs. Your health is

important.You are rich, respected, admired, and loved. You have a wife and children. Many people would miss you if you died. We will go back before you get seriously ill. I can go to Lucresi for help with the wine."

"No!" he cried. "This cough is nothing. It will not kill me. I wont die from a cough."

"That is true," I said, "but you must be careful." He took my arm and we began to walk through the cold, dark rooms. We went deeper and deeper into the cellar.

Finally, we arrived in a small room. Bones were pushed high against one wall. A doorway in another wall opened to an even smaller room, about one meter wide and two meters high. Its walls were solid rock.

"Here we are," I said. "I hid the cask of Amontillado in there." I pointed to the smaller room. Fortunato lifted his candle and stepped into the tiny room. I immediately followed him. He stood stupidly staring at two iron handcuffs chained to a wall of the tiny room. I grabbed his arms and locked them into the metal handcuffs. It took only a moment. He was too surprised to fight me.

I stepped outside the small room. "Where is the Amontillado?" he cried. "Ah yes," I said, "the cask of Amontillado." I leaned over and began

pushing aside the pile of bones against the wall. Under the bones was a basket of stone blocks, some cement and a small shovel. I had hidden the materials there earlier. I began to fill the doorway of the tiny room with stones and cement.

By the time I laid the first row of stones Fortunato was no longer drunk. I heard him moaning inside the tiny room for ten minutes. Then there was a long silence.

I finished the second and third rows of stone blocks. As I began the fourth row, I heard Fortunato begin to shake the chains that held him to the wall. He was trying to pull them out of the granite wall.

I smiled to myself and stopped working so that I could better enjoy listening to the noise. After a few minutes, he stopped. I finished the fifth, the sixth and the seventh rows of stones. The wall I was building in the doorway was now almost up to my shoulders.

Suddenly, loud screams burst from the throat of the chained man. For a moment I worried. What if someone heard him? Then I placed my hand on the solid rock of the walls and felt safe. I looked into the tiny room, where he was still screaming. And I began to scream, too. My screams grew louder than his and he stopped.

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It was now almost midnight. I finished the eighth, the ninth and the tenth rows. All that was left was a stone for the last hole in the wall. I was about to push it in when I heard a low laugh from behind the stones.

The laugh made the hair on my head stand up. Then Fortunato spoke, in a sad voice that no longer sounded like him.

He said, "Well, you have played a good joke on me. We will laugh about it soon over a glass of that Amontillado. But isnt it getting late. My wife and my friends will be waiting for us. Let us go."

"Yes," I replied, "let us go." I waited for him to say something else. I heard only my own breathing.

"Fortunato!" I called. No answer. I called again. "Fortunato!" Still no answer.

I hurried to put the last stone into the wall and put the cement around it. Then I pushed the pile of bones in front of the new wall I had built.

That was fifty years ago. For half a century now, no one has touched those bones. "May he rest in peace!"

Announcer: You have just heard the story "The Cask of Amontillado." It was written by Edgar Allan Poe and adapted for Special English by Dona de Sanctis. Your storyteller was Larry West. For VOA Special English, this is Shep ONeal.

Lesson 68 Bertie Valentine

Have you heard about Valentine’s Day? It’s a very special day. Every year, on the 14th of February, you send

cards to people you love, and care about.And if there is someone you have been secretly admiring, you can send them a card, and not say who it is from.That sounds terribly mysterious and exciting.Anyway, a few days ago, I was going for a walk, and I was thinking about who I might send a Valentine’s Card to this year, when I walked past the pond where Prince Bertie the frog lives with all his friends.

And I saw Bertie sitting there, looking very sad. Tim the Tadpole was trying to cheer him up. “Let’s go for a walk, Bertie,” said Tim. “You haven’t got any legs, Tim” said Bertie. “Let’s play hopscotch.” “No,” snapped Bertie. “Or skipping ….” Bertie looked blankly at his legless little friend as if he were a rather silly

tadpole - which of course he was. “C’mon Bertie,” said Colin the Grumpy Carp “There’s nothing like a

good old moan to improve everybody’s mood. One two three….. ugggggggg!”

When I saw how my friend Bertie looked, I felt rather sorry for him, and I knelt down by the edge of the pond. “Why so sad?” I asked.

Bertie blushed a shade of deepest green, and got all shy. He sighed a bit, and at length he said, ‘Well let me tell you a story, and it will all become clear.”

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As his story was rather short - I’ll just tell it to you quickly. Once upon time there was a handsome, brave and gallant prince who was engaged to be married to a beautiful princess. Then one day a wicked queen got rather cross and shouted out a magic spell that turned him into a frog. For a whole year he sat on aLilly leaf and cried big fat tears, but then, on a bright wintry day, his princess came wondering by the pond. She saw the sad little creature, picked him up in her hand, and kissed him. For you see, although he was a frog, he was still terribly handsome and she just couldn’t resist his charms. No sooner had she kissed him, than he turned back into a prince and they got married and lived happily ever after. THE END.

When I heard the story, I knew what Bertie meant. He was hoping for a Valentine’s day kiss from the lovely Princess Beatrice, for that would turn him back into a prince. But Colin the Carp was far from convinced:

“Boring!” he said.” Fairy tales always end in soppy kisses and happy ever after - but that’s because they are made up.. If you ask me - which nobody ever does around this pond - in Real Life no self-respecting princess would kiss an ugly little frog not if even if you gave her a whole palace made of gold and filled to the top of its towers with pearls, frilly dresses, diamond tiaras and Girls AloudCDs, not even then could she bring herself to kiss Bertie.” Just then, Sadie the Swan glided across the pond: “Oh yes she could,” she said. “Princesses are always on the look out for frogs to kiss…It’s their royal duty. We must lure the Lovely Princess Beatrice to walk past he pond on Valentines Day, when she’s in her most dreamy and romantic mood, and she’s sure to kiss Bertie because being a true princess, she’ll just know that really he’s a handsome prince under a magic spell..” So all the pond life thought very hard about how to get The Lovely Princess Beatrice to walk past the pond and see Bertie. They thought and thought…and Tim was thinking so hard, he fell over backwards. And then Sadie came up with a clever plan — because Sadie knows all about Valentine’s Day, and usually gets dozens of cards from swans all over the world. “I know,” she said. “We’ll ask Natasha to send an announcement to The Palace Radio Station. Princess Beatrice will hear it, she’ll know it was meant for her, and she’ll come down to the pond, plant kiss on Bertie, and they will both live happily ever after.” “Gosh, I say, that’s really jolly clever, Sadie,” said Bertie. And so it was done. On Valentines day, the Royal DJ was only playing romantic soppy love songs, and in between records he was reading out even gooier Valentines messages. It was all rather boring really, but everyone in the palace was listening out, just in case they heard a message that was meant for them. Eventually he read out the lines for Princess Beatrice - but because it was a Valentine’s message, and meant to be sort of secret, it didn’t actually mention any names. The DJ purred. “Greetings Royal pop-pickers: here’s a message to get young hearts beating


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- not arf. if you go down to the palace pond today, only kiss a frog and your every wish will come true - all right, stay bright. And now here’s a cool chart-topper from years gone by - Save All Your kisses for Me by the Brother Hood of Man.”

All the girls who lived in the palace and in the houses near by heard the message on the palace radio, and each one of them wondered who would be the lucky girl who found the right frog to kiss, and whose every wish would come true. And the same thought popped through the heads of quite a few of them: “I wonder if maybe, just maybe, it might be me.” Even I thought the same for a moment - and then I remembered that I’m not a true princess, just Bertie’s special story teller, and so my wishes wouldn’t come true even if I did kiss him. So I decided not to after all.

On Valentine’s Day, His Royal Highness Prince Bertie the Frog peeked out from behind his lilly pad and looked at his reflection in the pond. His skin was a nice shiny shade of green. He sipped up some water and swilled away all the traces of green slime from around his mouth. It was apity that he he couldn’t do anything about the bumps on his head and back, but all the same, he was certain that if the Lovely Princess Beatrice felt like kissing a frog that morning, it might as well be him.

The mood on the pond was terribly romantic. He could see that Sadie had already received a sackful of Valentine cards. Tim had received one - from his mum. And Colin had received one as well, from Chloe Carp, and he was swimming around in quite an excited way - but actually that card was from Bertie playing a joke on him.

Bertie couldn’t wait for the lovely Princess Beatrice to come down and kiss him.

So he hopped up onto the bank of the pond, and looked out across to the Palace.

Soon a small girl came along and immediately she saw bertie she cooed,, “Oooh Look Nanny, a frog, let me kiss him quick and all my wishes will come true.” Bertie tried to hop away as fast as he could, but the girl’s brother caught him and held Bertie up to his sister’s lips. “Go on now” said the boy - who was really rather horrid - “kissy kissy!” “Ooooh,” said the girl, scrunching up her face, “He’s so shiny and green - quite, quite, the ugliest little creature I ever did see - but I’m sure that he’ll turn into a prince if I kiss him, so I suppose I had just better get it over with” And she closed her eyes and kissed Bertie. Bertie thought the kiss was perfectly horrible, and he wriggled and wriggled trying to escape, but the boy thought it was hilarious, and he put Bertie in his satchel and took him to school. In the play ground the girls queued up and paid the boy with their pocket money, or toffee apples, orchewie sweets, and each one of them kissed Bertie to see if he would turn into a prince for them, and each one of them was disappointed

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that nothing happened - because none of them was a true princess. Some of them burst into tears. It was a very miserable Bertie who eventually hopped back to the pond after receiving more kisses than he could count. He was about to dive into the slimy green water, when he saw Princess Beatrice. She was walking down to the pond, looking for a frog to kiss - for - when she heard the message on the radio, she suspected that her wicked step mother might have turned her beloved Prince Bertie into a frog, - because she hadn’t seen or heard from him for quite a while now - and she knew that she must find him, and kiss him. Bertie became ever so excited, and started to hop up and down, but Beatrice didn’t see him. Instead, she spotted Old Tommy Frog, Tim the tadpole’s grandfather, who’d been sent down to check that Tim had received his card.

“Beatrice, my darling” Bertie tried to cry out - but the only sound that came out of his mouth was a big “croak!”:

And Princess Beatrice was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t even hear his croaking.

Instead, she knelt down and gave old grandfather Tommy a peck on the bump of his head. He got the shock of his ancient life, and dived straight back into the pond.

“I wish that Prince Bertie would come home soon,” said Beatrice, before adding, “hmmm I ‘m not sure that I really like kissing frogs, but I suppose it’s my royal duty once in a while”. And then she turned around and headed straight back to the palace.

And Bertie felt a bit sad about that. But then he cheered up…because he knew the lovely Princess Beatrice still loved him, and was thinking about him on Valentine’s Day and wishing that he would come home.

And as Bertie went to sleep under his lilly, he could see Colin swimming around, looking at his card and saying, “I wonder who Chloe Carp is?”

And that’s the true storynory of Bertie’s Valentine’s Day. I hope you have a great day Until next time, from me, Natasha, and all your friends at Storynory.com,

bye, bye….

Lesson 69 Building Bridges

Being old is when you know all the answers, but nobody asks you the

questions. (Anonymous) Six months before she died, my grandmother moved into an old people's

home and I visited her there when I was in Britain. She was sitting in the living room with about fifteen other residents, mostly women, half of them asleep. The room was clean and warm, with flowers and pictures, and the care assistants were kind and cheerful. 'The Weakest Link' was on the television ('to keep their brains active' one of the assistants said), and the only other sound was snoring and embarrassing digestive noises. People only moved when they needed to be helped to the bathroom. It was depressing. Gran talked a lot about how much she missed seeing her grandchildren (my nieces, aged 7 and 5), but I knew from my sister that they hated going to visit her there and, to be perfectly honest, I couldn't wait to get away myself.

So I was interested to read a newspaper article about a new concept in old people's homes in France. The idea is simple, but revolutionary: combining a residential home for the elderly with a crèche/nursery school in the same building. The children and the residents eat lunch together and share activities such as music, painting, gardening and caring for the pets which the residents are encouraged to keep. In the afternoons, the residents enjoy reading or telling stories to the children and, if a child is feeling sad or tired, there is always a kind lap to sit on and a cuddle. There are trips out and birthday parties too.

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The advantages are enormous for everyone concerned. The children are happy because they get a lot more individual attention and respond well because someone has time for them. They also learn that old people are not different or frightening in any way. And of course, they see illness and death and learn to accept them. The residents are happy because they feel useful and needed. They are more active and more interested in life when the children are around and they take more interest in their appearance too. And the staff are happy because they see an improvement in the physical and psychological health of the residents and have an army of assistants to help with the children.

Nowadays there is less and less contact between the old and the young. There are many reasons for this, including the breakdown of the extended family, working parents with no time to care for ageing relations, families that have moved away and smaller flats with no room for grandparents. But the result is the same: increasing numbers of children without grandparents and old people who have no contact with children. And more old people who are lonely and feel useless, along with more and more families with young children who desperately need more support. It's a major problem in many societies.

That's why intergenerational programmes, designed to bring the old and the young together, are growing in popularity all over the world, supported by UNESCO and other local and international organisations. There are examples of successful initiatives all over the world. Using young people to teach IT skills to older people is one obvious example. Using old people as volunteer assistants in schools is another, perhaps reading with children who need extra attention. There are schemes which involve older people visiting families who are having problems, maybe looking after the children for a while to give the tired mother a break. Or 'adopt a grandparent' schemes in which children write letters or visit a lonely old person in their area. There are even holiday companies that specialise in holidays for children and grandparents together. One successful scheme in London pairs young volunteers with old people who are losing their sight. The young people help with practical things such as writing letters, reading bank statements and helping with shopping, and the older people can pass on their knowledge and experience to their young visitors. For example, a retired judge may be paired with a teenager who wants to study law. Lasting friendships often develop.

But it isn't only the individuals concerned who gain from intergenerational activities. The advantages to society are enormous too. If older people can understand and accept the youth of today, and vice versa, there will be less conflict in a community. In a world where the number of old people is increasing, we need as much understanding and tolerance as possible.


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Modern Western society has isolated people into age groups and now we need to rediscover what 'community' really means. And we can use the strengths of one generation to help another. Then perhaps getting old won't be such a depressing prospect after all.

Lesson 70 Venomous animals

Sea wasp Despite the glorious semi-tropical climate, nobody swims at beaches in

the northern half of Australia from September to May. For there, all but invisible as it cruises in the calm tropical shallows, is the world's most dangerous marine stinger - the chironex jellyfish, or sea wasp. It is blamed for the deaths of more than 60 people last century, exceeding the combined toll taken in the same region by sharks and crocodiles. The stinging tips are astonishingly tiny and densely packed: more than 1000 venom-injecting threads can be fired from an area about the size of a pinhead. In total, each sea wasp has thousands of millions of these threads. A serious sting can kill within seconds. A less serious one results, at very least, in tissue destruction and horrendous subsequent scarring. Funnelweb spider

Rearing up, with beads of venom already glistening at the tips of its massive fangs (which are capable of biting through a leather boot), a big funnelweb spider is an unnerving sight. The threat is no bluff. The monster will attack on sight, and until an antivenin was finally discovered in the mid-1980s, dozens of people living in the city of Sydney were killed, including one victim who died in just 15 minutes. Fierce snake

Venom yielded in an average milking of a big fierce snake could kill 250,000 mice, making it by far the most potent land snake venom in the world. When they strike, fierce snakes snap repeatedly, pumping venom time after time, and can kill an adult in less than 10 minutes. There are another 20 snakes in Australia capable of killing a human being.


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Blue-ringed octopus Stranded in rock pools after big tides anywhere on Australian coasts, the

blue-ringed octopus is a common sight. It is just the sort of pretty toy that a toddler will pick up. If not seen, it is tiny enough to be hiding in a can of drink. But it is the most lethal octopus in the world. Its venom includes tetrodotoxin (TTX), a component found in no other creature. Two ducts pass right through its brain, bringing venom down to the mouth from a pair of salivary glands. Each is as big as the brain. Each contains enough venom to inflict paralysis and eventual agonising death on at least ten men. Cone shell

These beautiful shells can earn collectors thousands of dollars, and so are greatly prized. But they produce and store continuous supplies of disposable poison darts, which can be extended for a distance as long as the shell. When its prey passes close by, the cone shell propels a dart forward, rams it violently against the unsuspecting passer-by, and then draws the paralysed victim back into its snout. The larger species can kill human beings.

Lesson 71 Haircut

by Ring Lardner (1885-1933) I got another barber that comes over from Carterville and helps me out

Saturdays, but the rest of the time I can get along all right alone. You can see for yourself that this ain't no New York: City and besides that, the most of the boys works all day and don't have no leisure to drop in here and get themselves prettied up.

You're a newcomer, ain't you? I thought I hadn't seen you round before. I hope you like it good enough to stay. As I say, we ain't no New York City or Chicago, but we have pretty good times. Not as good, though, since Jim Kendall got killed. When he was alive, him and Hod Meyers used to keep this town in an uproar. I bet they was more laughin' done here than any town its size in America.

Jim was comical, and Hod was pretty near a match for him. Since Jim's gone, Hod tries to hold his end up just the same as ever, but it's tough goin' when you ain't got nobody to kind of work with.

They used to be plenty fun in here Saturdays. This place is jampacked Saturdays, from four o'clock on. Jim and Hod would show up right after their supper round six o'clock. Jim would set himself down in that big chair, nearest the blue spittoon. Whoever had been settin' in that chair, why they'd get up when Jim come in and at" it to him.

You'd of thought it was a reserved seat like they have sometimes in a theaytre. Hod would generally always stand or walk up and down or some Saturdays, of course, he'd be settin' in this chair part of the time, gettin' a haircut.


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Well, Jim would set there a w'ile without opening his mouth only to spit, and then finally he'd say to me, "Whitey,"--my right name, that is, my right first name, is Dick, but everybody round here calls me Whitey--Jim would say, "Whitey, your nose looks like a rosebud tonight. You must of been drinkin' some of your aw de cologne."

So I'd say, "No, Jim, but you look like you'd been drinkin' something of that kind or somethin' worse."

Jim would have to laugh at that, but then he'd speak up and say, "No, I ain't had nothin' to drink, but that ain't sayin' I wouldn't like somethin'. I wouldn't even mind if it was wood alcohol."

Then Hod Meyers would say, "Neither would your wife." That would set everybody to laughin' because Jim and his wife wasn't on very good terms. She'd of divorced him only they wasn't no chance to get alimony and she didn't have no way to take care of herself and the kids. She couldn't never understand Jim. He was kind of rough, but a good fella at heart.

Him and Hod had all kinds of sport with Milt Sheppard. I don't suppose you've seen Milt. Well, he's got an Adam's apple that looks more like a mush-melon. So I'd be shavin' Milt and when I'd start to shave down here on his neck, Hod would holler, "Hey, Whitey, wait a minute! Before you cut into it, let's make up a pool and see who can guess closest to the number of seeds."

And Jim would say, "If Milt hadn't of been so hoggish, he'd of ordered a half a cantaloupe instead of a whole one and it might not of stuck in his throat."

All the boys would roar at this and Milt himself would force a smile, though the joke was on him. Jim certainly was a card!

There's his shavin' mug, setting on the shelf, right next to Charley Vail's. "Charles M. Vail." That's the druggist. He comes in regular for his shave, three times a week. And Jim's is the cup next to Charley's. "dames H. Kendall." Jim won't need no shavin' mug no more, but I'll leave it there just the same for old time's sake. Jim certainly was a character!

Years ago, Jim used to travel for a canned goods concern over in Carterville. They sold canned goods. Jim had the whole northern half of the State and was on the road five days out of every week. He'd drop in here Saturdays and tell his experiences for that week. It was rich.

I guess he paid more attention to playin' jokes than makin' sales. Finally the concern let him out and he come right home here and told everybody he'd been fired instead of sayin' he'd resigned like most fellas would of.

It was a Saturday and the shop was full and Jim got up out of that chair and says, "Gentlemen, I got an important announcement to make. I been fired from my job."

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Well, they asked him if he was in earnest and he said he was and nobody could think of nothin' to say till Jim finally broke the ice himself. He says, "I been sellin' canned goods and now I'm canned goods myself.

You see, the concern he'd been workin' for was a factory that made canned goods. Over in Carterville. And now Jim said he was canned himself. He was certainly a card!

Jim had a great trick that he used to play w'ile he was travelin'. For instance, he'd be ridin' on a train and they'd come to some little town like, well, like, well, like, we'll say, like Benton. Jim would look out the train window and read the signs of the stores.

For instance, they'd be a sign, "Henry Smith, Dry Goods." Well, Jim would write down the name and the name of the town and when he got to wherever he was goin' he'd mail back a postal card to Henry Smith at Benton and not sign no name to it, but he'd write on the card, well somethin' like "Ask your wife about that book agent that spent the afternoon last week," or "Ask your Missus who kept her from gettin' lonesome the last time you was in Carterville." And he'd sign the card, "A Friend."

Of course, he never knew what really come of none of these jokes, but he could picture what probably happened and that was enough.

Jim didn't work very steady after he lost his position with the Carterville people. What he did earn, coin' odd jobs round town why he spent pretty near all of it on gin, and his family might of starved if the stores hadn't of carried them along. Jim's wife tried her hand at dressmakin', but they ain't nobody goin' to get rich makin' dresses in this town.

As I say, she’d of divorced Jim, only she see that she couldn’t support herself and the kids and she was always hopin’ that some day Jim would cut out his habits and give her more than two or three dollars a week.

The was a time when she would go to whoever he was workin’ for and ask them to give her his wages, but after she done this once or twice, he beat her to it by borrowin’ most of his pay in advance. He told it all round town hwo he had outfoxed his Missus. He certainly was a caution!

But he wasn’t satisfied with just outwittin’ her, He was sore the way she had acted, tryin’ to grab off his pay. And he made up his mind he’d get even. Well, he waited till Evans’s Circus was advertised to come to town. Then he told his wife and two kiddies that he was goin’ to take them to the circus. The day of the circus, he told them he would get the tickets ad meet them outside the entrance to the tent.

Well, he didn’t have no intentions of bein’ there or buyin’ tickets or nothin’. He got full of gin and laid round Wright’s poolroom all day. His wife and the kids waited and waited and of course he didn’t show up. His wife didn’t have a dime with her, or nowhere else, I guess. So she finally had


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to tell the kids it was all off and they cried like they wasn’t never goin’ to stop.

Well, it seems, w’ile they was cryin’, Doc Stair come along and he asked what was the matter, but Mrs. Kendall was stubborn and wouldn’t tell him, but the kids told him and he insisted on takin’ them and their mother in the show. Jim found this out afterwards and it was one reason why he had it in for Doc Stair.

Doc Stair come here about a year and a half ago. He’s mighty handsome young fella and his clothes always look like he has them made to order. He goes to Detroit two or three times a year and w’ile he’s there must have a tailor take his measure and then make him a suit to order. They cost pretty near twice as much, but they fit a whole lot better than if you just bought them in a store.

For a w’ile everybody was wonderin’ why a young doctor like Doc Stair should come to a town like this where we already got old Doc Gamble and Doc Foote that’s both been here for years and all the practice in town was always divided between the two of them.

Then they was a story got round that Doc Stair’s gal had thronged him over, a gal up in the Northern Peninsula somewhere, and the reason he come here was to hide himself away and forget it. He said himself that he thought they wasn’t nothin’ like general practice in a place like ours to fit a man to be a good all round doctor. And that’s why he’d came.

Anyways, it wasn’t long before he was makin’ enough to live on, though they tell me that he never dunned nobody for what they owed him and the folks here certainly has got the owin’ habit, even in my business. If I had all that was comin’ to me for just shaves alone, I could go to Carterville and put up at the Mercer for a week and see a different picture every night. For instance, they’s old George Purdy--but I guess I shouldn’t ought to be gossipin’.

Well, last year, our coroner died, died of the flu. Ken Beatty, that was his name. He was the coroner. So they had to choose another man to be coroner in his place and they picked Doc Stair. He laughed at first and said he didn’t want it, but they made him take it. It ain’t no job that anybody would fight for and what a man makes out of it in a year would just about buy seeds for their garden. Doc’s the kind, though, that can’t say no to nothin’ if you keep at him long enough.

But I was goin’ to tell you about a poor boy we got here in town-Paul Dickson. He fell out of a tree when he was about ten years old. Lit on his head and it done somethin’ to him and he ain’t never been right. No harm in him, but just silly. Jim Kendall used to call him cuckoo; that’s a name Jim had for anybody that was off their head, only he called people’s head their

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bean. That was another of his gages, callin’ head bean and callin’ crazy people cuckoo. Only poor Paul ain’t crazy, but just silly.

You can imagine that Jim used to have all kinds of fun with Paul. He’d send him to the White Front Garage for a left-handed monkey wrench. Of course they ain’t no such thing as a left-handed monkey wrench.

And once we had a kind of a fair here and they was a baseball game between the fats and the leans and before the game started Jim called Paul over and sent him way down to Schrader’s hardware store to get a key for the pitcher’s box.

They wasn’t nothin’ in the way of gags that Jim couldn’t think up, when he put his mind to it.

Poor Paul was always kind of suspicious of people, maybe on account of how Jim had kept foolin’ him. Paul wouldn’t have much to do with anybody only his own mother and Doc Stair and a girl here in town named Julie Gregg. That is, she ain’t a girl no more, but pretty near thirty or over.

When Doc first come to town, Paul seemed to feel like here was a real friend and he hung round Doc’s office most of the w’ile; the only time he wasn’t there was when he’d go home to eat or sleep or when he seen Julie Gregg coin’ her shoppin’.

When he looked out Doc's window and seen her, he'd run downstairs and join her and tag along with her to the different stores. The poor boy was crazy about Julie and she always treated him mighty nice and made him feel like he was welcome, though of course it wasn't nothin' but pity on her side.

Doc done all he could to improve Paul's mind and he told me once that he really thought the boy was getting better, that they was times when he was as bright and sensible as anybody else.

But I was goin' to tell you about Julie Gregg. Old man Gregg was in the lumber business, but got to drinkin' and lost the most of his money and when he died, he didn't leave nothin' but the house and just enough insurance for the girl to skimp along on.

Her mother was a kind of a half invalid and didn't hardly ever leave the house. Julie wanted to sell the place and move somewhere else after the old man died, but the mother said she was born here and would die here. It was tough on Julie as the young people round this town--well, she's too good for them.

She'd been away to school and Chicago and New York and different places and they ain't no subject she can't talk on, where you take the rest of the young folks here and you mention anything to them outside of Gloria Swanson or Tommy Meighan and they think you're delirious. Did you see Gloria in Wages of Virtue? You missed somethin'!

Well, Doc Stair hadn't been here more than a week when he came in one day to get shaved and I recognized who he was, as he had been pointed out


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to me, so I told him about my old lady. She's been ailin' for a couple years and either Doc Gamble or Doc Foote, neither one, seemed to be helpin' her. So he said he would come out and see her, but if she was able to get out herself, it would be better to bring her to his office where he could make a completer examination.

So I took her to his office and w'ile I was waitin' for her in the reception room, in come Julie Gregg. When somebody comes in Doc Stair's office, they's a bell that rings in his inside office so he can tell they's somebody to see him.

So he left my old lady inside and come out to the front office and that's the first time him and Julie met and I guess it was what they call love at first sight. But it wasn't fifty-fifty. This young fella was the slickest lookin' fella she'd ever seen in this town and she went wild over him. To him she was just a young lady that wanted to see the doctor.

She'd came on about the same business I had. Her mother had been doctorin' for years with Doc Gamble and Doc Foote and with" out no results. So she'd heard they was a new doc in town and decided to give him a try. He promised to call and see her mother that same day.

I said a minute ago that it was love at first sight on her part. I'm not only judgin' by how she acted afterwards but how she looked at him that first day in his office. I ain't no mind reader, but it was wrote all over her face that she was gone.

Now Jim Kendall, besides bein' a jokesmith and a pretty good drinker, well Jim was quite a lady-killer. I guess he run pretty wild durin' the time he was on the road for them Carterville people, and besides that, he'd had a couple little affairs of the heart right here in town. As I say, his wife would have divorced him, only she couldn't.

But Jim was like the majority of men, and women, too, I guess. He wanted what he couldn't get. He wanted Julie Gregg and worked his head off tryin' to land her. Only he'd of said bean instead of head.

Well, Jim's habits and his jokes didn't appeal to Julie and of course he was a married man, so he didn't have no more chance than, well, than a rabbit. That's an expression of Jim's himself. When somebody didn't have no chance to get elected or somethin', Jim would always say they didn't have no more chance than a rabbit.

He didn't make no bones about how he felt. Right in here, more than once, in front of the whole crowd, he said he was stuck on Julie and anybody that could get her for him was welcome to his house and his wife and kids included. But she wouldn't have nothin' to do with him; wouldn't even speak to him on the street. He finally seen he wasn't gettin' nowheres with his usual line so he decided to try the rough stuff. He went right up to her house one evenin' and when she opened the door he forced his way in and grabbed her.

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But she broke loose and before he could stop her, she run in the next room and locked the door and phoned to Joe Barnes. Joe's the marshal. Jim could hear who she was phonin' to and he beat it before Joe got there.

Joe was an old friend of Julie's pa. Joe went to Jim the next day and told him what would happen if he ever done it again.

I don't know how the news of this little affair leaked out. Chances is that Joe Barnes told his wife and she told somebody else's wife and they told their husband. Anyways, it did leak out and Hod Meyers had the nerve to kid Jim about it, right here in this shop. Jim didn't deny nothin' and kind of laughed it off and said for us all to wait; that lots of people had tried to make a monkey out of him, but he always got even.

Meanw'ile everybody in town was wise to Julie's bein' wild mad over the Doc. I don't suppose she had any idea how her face changed when him and her was together; of course she couldn't of, or she'd of kept away from him. And she didn't know that we was all noticin' how many times she made excuses to go up to his office or pass it on the other side of the street and look up in his window to see if he was there. I felt sorry for her and so did most other people.

Hod Meyers kept rubbin' it into Jim about how the Doc had cut him out. Jim didn't pay no attention to the kiddie' and you could see he was plannin' one of his jokes.

One trick Jim had was the knack of changin' his voice. He could make you think he was a girl talkie' and he could mimic any man's voice. To show you how good he was along this line, I'll tell you the joke he played on me once.

You know, in most towns of any size, when a man is dead and needs a shave, why the barber that shaves him soaks him five dollars for the job; that is, he don't soak him, but whoever ordered the shave. I just charge three dollars because personally I don't mind much shavin' a dead person. They lay a whole lot stiller than live customers. The only thing is that you don't feel like talkie' to them and you get kind of lonesome.

Well, about the coldest day we ever had here, two years ago last winter, the phone rung at the house w'ile I was home to dinner and I answered the phone and it was a woman's voice and she said she was Mrs. John Scott and her husband was dead and would I come out and shave him.

Old John had always been a good customer of mine. But they live seven miles out in the country, on the Streeter road. Still I didn't see how I could say no.

So I said I would be there, but would have to come in a jitney and it might cost three or four dollars besides the price of the shave. So she, or the voice, it said that was all right, so I got Frank Abbott to drive me out to the place


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and when I got there, who should open the door but old John himself! He wasn't no more dead than, well, than a rabbit.

It didn't take no private detective to figure out who had played me this little joke. Nobody could of thought it up but Jim Kendall. He certainly was a card!

I tell you this incident just to show you how he could disguise his voice and make you believe it was somebody else talkie'. I'd of swore it was Mrs. Scott had called me. Anyways, some woman.

Well, Jim waited till he had Doc Stair's voice down pat; then he went after revenge.

He called Julie up on a night when he knew Doc was over in Carterville. She never questioned but what it was Doc's voice. Jim said he must see her that night; he couldn't wait no longer to tell her somethin'. She was all excited and told him to come to the house. But he said he was expectin' an important long distance call and wouldn't she please forget her manners for once and come to his office. He said they couldn't nothin' hurt her and nobody would see her and he just must talk to her a little w'ile. Well, poor Julie fell for it.

Doc always keeps a night light in his office, so it looked to Julie like they was somebody there.

Meanw'ile Jim Kendall had went to Wright's poolroom, where they was a whole gang amusin' themselves. The most of them had drank plenty of gin, and they was a rough bunch even when sober. They was always strong for Jim's jokes and when he told them to come with him and see some fun they give up their card games and pool games and followed along.

Doc's office is on the second floor. Right outside his door they's a flight of stairs leadin' to the floor above. Jim and his gang hid in the dark behind these stairs.

Well, tulle come up to Doc's door and rung the bell and they was nothin' coin'. She rung it again and she rung it seven or eight times. Then she tried the door and found it locked. Then Jim made some kind of a noise and she heard it and waited a minute, and then she says, "Is that you, Ralph?" Ralph is Doc's first name.

They was no answer and it must of came to her all of a sudden that she'd been bunked. She pretty near fell downstairs and the whole gang after her. They chased her all the way home, hollerin', "Is that you, Ralph?" and "Oh, Ralphie, dear, is that you?" Jim says he couldn't holler it himself, as he was laughin' too hard.

Poor Julie! She didn't show up here on Main Street for a long, long time afterward.

And of course Jim and his gang told everybody in town, everybody but Doc Stair. They was scared to tell him, and he might of never knowed only

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for Paul Dickson. The poor cuckoo, as Jim called him, he was here in the shop one night when Jim was still gloatin' yet over what he'd done to Julie. And Paul took in as much of it as he could understand and he run to Doc with the story.

It's a cinch Doc went up in the air and swore he'd make Jim suffer. But it was a kind of a delicate thing, because if it got out that he had beat Jim up, Julie was bound to hear of it and then she'd know that Doc knew and of course knowin' that he knew would make it worse for her than ever. He was goin' to do somethin', but it took a lot of figurin'.

Well, it was a couple days later when Jim was here in the shop again, and so was the cuckoo. Jim was goin' duck-shootin' the next day and had come in lookin' for Hod Meyers to go with him. I happened to know that Hod had went over to Carterville and wouldn't be home till the end of the week. So Jim said he hated to go alone and he guessed he would call it off. Then poor Paul spoke up and said if Jim would take him he would go along. Jim thought a w'ile and then he said, well, he guessed a half-wit was better than nothin'.

I suppose he was plottin' to get Paul out in the boat and play some joke on him, like pushin' him in the water. Anyways, he said Paul could go. He asked him had he ever shot a duck and Paul said no, he'd never even had a gun in his hands. So Jim said he could set in the boat and watch him and if he behaved himself, he might lend him his gun for a couple of shots. They made a date to meet in the mornin' and that's the last I seen of Jim alive.

Next mornin', I hadn't been open more than ten minutes when Doc Stair come in. He looked kind of nervous. He asked me had I seen Paul Dickson. I said no, but I knew where he was, out duckshootin' with Jim Kendall. So Doc says that's what he had heard, and he couldn't understand it because Paul had told him he wouldn't never have no more to do with Jim as long as he lived.

He said Paul had told him about the joke Jim had played on Julie. He said Paul had asked him what he thought of the joke and the Doc told him that anybody that would do a thing like that ought not to be let live. I said it had been a kind of a raw thing, but Jim just couldn't resist no kind of a joke, no matter how raw. I said I thought he was all right at heart, but just bubblin' over with mischief. Doc turned and walked out.

At noon he got a phone call from old John Scott. The lake where Jim and Paul had went shootin' is on John's place. Paul had came runnin' up to the house a few minutes before and said they'd been an accident. Jim had shot a few ducks and then give the gun to Paul and told him to try his luck. Paul hadn't never handled a gun and he was nervous. He was shakin' so hard that he couldn't control the gun. He let fire and Jim sunk back in the boat, dead.


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Doc Stair, bein' the coroner, jumped in Frank Abbott's flivver and rushed out to Scott's farm. Paul and old John was down on the shore of the lake. Paul had rowed the boat to shore, but they'd left the body in it, waiting for Doc to come.

Doc examined the body and said they might as well fetch it back to town. They was no use leavin' it there or callin' a jury, as it was a plain case of accidental shootin'.

Personally I wouldn't never leave a person shoot a gun in the same boat I was in unless I was sure they knew somethin' about guns. Jim was a sucker to leave a new beginner have his gun, let alone a half-wit. It probably served Jim right, what he got. But still we miss him round here. He certainly was a card! Comb it wet or dry?

Lesson 72 Chapter 1

Story of the Door

Mr. Utterson the lawyer was a man of a rugged countenance that was never lighted by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary and yet somehow lovable. At friendly meetings, and when the wine was to his taste, something eminently human beaconed from his eye; something indeed which never found its way into his talk, but which spoke not only in these silent symbols of the after-dinner face, but more often and loudly in the acts of his life. He was austere with himself; drank gin when he was alone, to mortify a taste for vintages; and though he enjoyed the theater, had not crossed the doors of one for twenty years. But he had an approved tolerance for others; sometimes wondering, almost with envy, at the high pressure of spirits involved in their misdeeds; and in any extremity inclined to help rather than to reprove. "I incline to Cain's heresy," he used to say quaintly: "I let my brother go to the devil in his own way." In this character, it was frequently his fortune to be the last reputable acquaintance and the last good influence in the lives of downgoing men. And to such as these, so long as they came about his chambers, he never marked a shade of change in his demeanour.

No doubt the feat was easy to Mr. Utterson; for he was undemonstrative at the best, and even his friendship seemed to be founded in a similar catholicity of good-nature. It is the mark of a modest man to accept his friendly circle ready-made from the hands of opportunity; and that was the lawyer's way. His friends were those of his own blood or those whom he had known the longest; his affections, like ivy, were the growth of time, they


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implied no aptness in the object. Hence, no doubt the bond that united him to Mr. Richard Enfield, his distant kinsman, the well-known man about town. It was a nut to crack for many, what these two could see in each other, or what subject they could find in common. It was reported by those who encountered them in their Sunday walks, that they said nothing, looked singularly dull and would hail with obvious relief the appearance of a friend. For all that, the two men put the greatest store by these excursions, counted them the chief jewel of each week, and not only set aside occasions of pleasure, but even resisted the calls of business, that they might enjoy them uninterrupted.

It chanced on one of these rambles that their way led them down a by-street in a busy quarter of London. The street was small and what is called quiet, but it drove a thriving trade on the weekdays. The inhabitants were all doing well, it seemed and all emulously hoping to do better still, and laying out the surplus of their grains in coquetry; so that the shop fronts stood along that thoroughfare with an air of invitation, like rows of smiling saleswomen. Even on Sunday, when it veiled its more florid charms and lay comparatively empty of passage, the street shone out in contrast to its dingy neighbourhood, like a fire in a forest; and with its freshly painted shutters, well-polished brasses, and general cleanliness and gaiety of note, instantly caught and pleased the eye of the passenger.

Two doors from one corner, on the left hand going east the line was broken by the entry of a court; and just at that point a certain sinister block of building thrust forward its gable on the street. It was two storeys high; showed no window, nothing but a door on the lower storey and a blind forehead of discoloured wall on the upper; and bore in every feature, the marks of prolonged and sordid negligence. The door, which was equipped with neither bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained. Tramps slouched into the recess and struck matches on the panels; children kept shop upon the steps; the schoolboy had tried his knife on the mouldings; and for close on a generation, no one had appeared to drive away these random visitors or to repair their ravages.

Mr. Enfield and the lawyer were on the other side of the by-street; but when they came abreast of the entry, the former lifted up his cane and pointed.

"Did you ever remark that door?" he asked; and when his companion had replied in the affirmative. "It is connected in my mind," added he, "with a very odd story."

"Indeed?" said Mr. Utterson, with a slight change of voice, "and what was that?"

"Well, it was this way," returned Mr. Enfield: "I was coming home from some place at the end of the world, about three o'clock of a black winter

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morning, and my way lay through a part of town where there was literally nothing to be seen but lamps. Street after street and all the folks asleep -- street after street, all lighted up as if for a procession and all as empty as a church -- till at last I got into that state of mind when a man listens and listens and begins to long for the sight of a policeman. All at once, I saw two figures: one a little man who was stumping along eastward at a good walk, and the other a girl of maybe eight or ten who was running as hard as she was able down a cross street. Well, sir, the two ran into one another naturally enough at the corner; and then came the horrible part of the thing; for the man trampled calmly over the child's body and left her screaming on the ground. It sounds nothing to hear, but it was hellish to see. It wasn't like a man; it was like some damned Juggernaut. I gave a few halloa, took to my heels, collared my gentleman, and brought him back to where there was already quite a group about the screaming child. He was perfectly cool and made no resistance, but gave me one look, so ugly that it brought out the sweat on me like running. The people who had turned out were the girl's own family; and pretty soon, the doctor, for whom she had been sent put in his appearance. Well, the child was not much the worse, more frightened, according to the Sawbones; and there you might have supposed would be an end to it. But there was one curious circumstance. I had taken a loathing to my gentleman at first sight. So had the child's family, which was only natural. But the doctor's case was what struck me. He was the usual cut and dry apothecary, of no particular age and colour, with a strong Edinburgh accent and about as emotional as a bagpipe. Well, sir, he was like the rest of us; every time he looked at my prisoner, I saw that Sawbones turn sick and white with desire to kill him. I knew what was in his mind, just as he knew what was in mine; and killing being out of the question, we did the next best. We told the man we could and would make such a scandal out of this as should make his name stink from one end of London to the other. If he had any friends or any credit, we undertook that he should lose them. And all the time, as we were pitching it in red hot, we were keeping the women off him as best we could for they were as wild as harpies. I never saw a circle of such hateful faces; and there was the man in the middle, with a kind of black sneering coolness -- frightened to, I could see that -- but carrying it off, sir, really like Satan. `If you choose to make capital out of this accident,' said he, `I am naturally helpless. No gentleman but wishes to avoid a scene,' says he. `Name your figure.' Well, we screwed him up to a hundred pounds for the child's family; he would have clearly liked to stick out; but there was something about the lot of us that meant mischief, and at last he struck. The next thing was to get the money; and where do you think he carried us but to that place with the door? -- whipped out a key, went in, and presently came back with the matter of ten pounds in gold and a cheque for the balance on


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Coutts's, drawn payable to bearer and signed with a name that I can't mention, though it's one of the points of my story, but it was a name at least very well known and often printed. The figure was stiff; but the signature was good for more than that if it was only genuine. I took the liberty of pointing out to my gentleman that the whole business looked apocryphal, and that a man does not, in real life, walk into a cellar door at four in the morning and come out with another man's cheque for close upon a hundred pounds. But he was quite easy and sneering. `Set your mind at rest,' says he, `I will stay with you till the banks open and cash the cheque myself.' So we all set of, the doctor, and the child's father, and our friend and myself, and passed the rest of the night in my chambers; and next day, when we had breakfasted, went in a body to the bank. I gave in the cheque myself, and said I had every reason to believe it was a forgery. Not a bit of it. The cheque was genuine."

"Tut-tut," said Mr. Utterson. "I see you feel as I do," said Mr. Enfield. "Yes, it's a bad story. For my man was a fellow that nobody could have to do with, a really

damnable man; and the person that drew the cheque is the very pink of the proprieties, celebrated too, and (what makes it worse) one of your fellows who do what they call good. Black mail I suppose; an honest man paying through the nose for some of the capers of his youth. Black Mail House is what I call the place with the door, in consequence. Though even that, you know, is far from explaining all," he added, and with the words fell into a vein of musing.

From this he was recalled by Mr. Utterson asking rather suddenly: "And you don't know if the drawer of the cheque lives there?"

"A likely place, isn't it?" returned Mr. Enfield. "But I happen to have noticed his address; he lives in some square or other."

"And you never asked about the -- place with the door?" said Mr. Utterson.

"No, sir: I had a delicacy," was the reply. "I feel very strongly about putting questions; it partakes too much of the style of the day of judgment. You start a question, and it's like starting a stone. You sit quietly on the top of a hill; and away the stone goes, starting others; and presently some bland old bird (the last you would have thought of) is knocked on the head in his own back garden and the family have to change their name. No sir, I make it a rule of mine: the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask."

"A very good rule, too," said the lawyer. "But I have studied the place for myself," continued Mr. Enfield. "It

seems scarcely a house. There is no other door, and nobody goes in or out of that one but, once in a great while, the gentleman of my adventure. There are three windows looking on the court on the first floor; none below; the

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windows are always shut but they're clean. And then there is a chimney which is generally smoking; so somebody must live there. And yet it's not so sure; for the buildings are so packed together about the court, that it's hard to say where one ends and another begins."

The pair walked on again for a while in silence; and then "Enfield," said Mr. Utterson, "that's a good rule of yours."

"Yes, I think it is," returned Enfield. "But for all that," continued the lawyer, "there's one point I want to ask: I

want to ask the name of that man who walked over the child." "Well," said Mr. Enfield, "I can't see what harm it would do. It was a man

of the name of Hyde." "Hm," said Mr. Utterson. "What sort of a man is he to see?" "He is not easy to describe. There is something wrong with his

appearance; something displeasing, something down-right detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked, and yet I scarce know why. He must be deformed somewhere; he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn't specify the point. He's an extraordinary looking man, and yet I really can name nothing out of the way. No, sir; I can make no hand of it; I can't describe him. And it's not want of memory; for I declare I can see him this moment."

Mr. Utterson again walked some way in silence and obviously under a weight of consideration. "You are sure he used a key?" he inquired at last.

"My dear sir ..." began Enfield, surprised out of himself. "Yes, I know," said Utterson; "I know it must seem strange. The fact is, if

I do not ask you the name of the other party, it is because I know it already. You see, Richard, your tale has gone home. If you have been inexact in any point you had better correct it."

"I think you might have warned me," returned the other with a touch of sullenness. "But I have been pedantically exact, as you call it. The fellow had a key; and what's more, he has it still. I saw him use it not a week ago."

Mr. Utterson sighed deeply but said never a word; and the young man presently resumed. "Here is another lesson to say nothing," said he. "I am ashamed of my long tongue. Let us make a bargain never to refer to this again."

"With all my heart," said the lawyer. I shake hands on that, Richard."

Chapter 2

Search for Mr. Hyde

That evening Mr. Utterson came home to his bachelor house in sombre spirits and sat down to dinner without relish. It was his custom of a Sunday,


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when this meal was over, to sit close by the fire, a volume of some dry divinity on his reading desk, until the clock of the neighbouring church rang out the hour of twelve, when he would go soberly and gratefully to bed. On this night however, as soon as the cloth was taken away, he took up a candle and went into his business room. There he opened his safe, took from the most private part of it a document endorsed on the envelope as Dr. Jekyll's Will and sat down with a clouded brow to study its contents. The will was holograph, for Mr. Utterson though he took charge of it now that it was made, had refused to lend the least assistance in the making of it; it provided not only that, in case of the decease of Henry Jekyll, M.D., D.C.L., L.L.D., F.R.S., etc., all his possessions were to pass into the hands of his "friend and benefactor Edward Hyde," but that in case of Dr. Jekyll's "disappearance or unexplained absence for any period exceeding three calendar months," the said Edward Hyde should step into the said Henry Jekyll's shoes without further delay and free from any burthen or obligation beyond the payment of a few small sums to the members of the doctor's household. This document had long been the lawyer's eyesore. It offended him both as a lawyer and as a lover of the sane and customary sides of life, to whom the fanciful was the immodest. And hitherto it was his ignorance of Mr. Hyde that had swelled his indignation; now, by a sudden turn, it was his knowledge. It was already bad enough when the name was but a name of which he could learn no more. It was worse when it began to be clothed upon with destestable attributes; and out of the shifting, insubstantial mists that had so long baffled his eye, there leaped up the sudden, definite presentment of a fiend.

"I thought it was madness," he said, as he replaced the obnoxious paper in the safe, "and now I begin to fear it is disgrace."

With that he blew out his candle, put on a greatcoat, and set forth in the direction of Cavendish Square, that citadel of medicine, where his friend, the great Dr. Lanyon, had his house and received his crowding patients. "If anyone knows, it will be Lanyon," he had thought.

The solemn butler knew and welcomed him; he was subjected to no stage of delay, but ushered direct from the door to the dining-room where Dr. Lanyon sat alone over his wine. This was a hearty, healthy, dapper, red-faced gentleman, with a shock of hair prematurely white, and a boisterous and decided manner. At sight of Mr. Utterson, he sprang up from his chair and welcomed him with both hands. The geniality, as was the way of the man, was somewhat theatrical to the eye; but it reposed on genuine feeling. For these two were old friends, old mates both at school and college, both thorough respectors of themselves and of each other, and what does not always follow, men who thoroughly enjoyed each other's company.

After a little rambling talk, the lawyer led up to the subject which so disagreeably preoccupied his mind.

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"I suppose, Lanyon," said he, "you and I must be the two oldest friends that Henry Jekyll has?"

"I wish the friends were younger," chuckled Dr. Lanyon. "But I suppose we are. And what of that? I see little of him now."

"Indeed?" said Utterson. "I thought you had a bond of common interest." "We had," was the reply. "But it is more than ten years since Henry Jekyll

became too fanciful for me. He began to go wrong, wrong in mind; and though of course I continue to take an interest in him for old sake's sake, as they say, I see and I have seen devilish little of the man. Such unscientific balderdash," added the doctor, flushing suddenly purple, "would have estranged Damon and Pythias."

This little spirit of temper was somewhat of a relief to Mr. Utterson. "They have only differed on some point of science," he thought; and being a man of no scientific passions (except in the matter of conveyancing), he even added: "It is nothing worse than that!" He gave his friend a few seconds to recover his composure, and then approached the question he had come to put. Did you ever come across a proteacute;geacute; of his -- one Hyde?" he asked.

"Hyde?" repeated Lanyon. "No. Never heard of him. Since my ime." That was the amount of information that the lawyer carried back with him

to the great, dark bed on which he tossed to and fro, until the small hours of the morning began to grow large. It was a night of little ease to his toiling mind, toiling in mere darkness and beseiged by questions.

Six o'clock stuck on the bells of the church that was so conveniently near to Mr. Utterson's dwelling, and still he was digging at the problem. Hitherto it had touched him on the intellectual side alone; but now his imagination also was engaged, or rather enslaved; and as he lay and tossed in the gross darkness of the night and the curtained room, Mr. Enfield's tale went by before his mind in a scroll of lighted pictures. He would be aware of the great field of lamps of a nocturnal city; then of the figure of a man walking swiftly; then of a child running from the doctor's; and then these met, and that human Juggernaut trod the child down and passed on regardless of her screams. Or else he would see a room in a rich house, where his friend lay asleep, dreaming and smiling at his dreams; and then the door of that room would be opened, the curtains of the bed plucked apart, the sleeper recalled, and lo! there would stand by his side a figure to whom power was given, and even at that dead hour, he must rise and do its bidding. The figure in these two phases haunted the lawyer all night; and if at any time he dozed over, it was but to see it glide more stealthily through sleeping houses, or move the more swiftly and still the more swiftly, even to dizziness, through wider labyrinths of lamplighted city, and at every street corner crush a child and leave her screaming. And still the figure had no face by which he might


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know it; even in his dreams, it had no face, or one that baffled him and melted before his eyes; and thus it was that there sprang up and grew apace in the lawyer's mind a singularly strong, almost an inordinate, curiosity to behold the features of the real Mr. Hyde. If he could but once set eyes on him, he thought the mystery would lighten and perhaps roll altogether away, as was the habit of mysterious things when well examined. He might see a reason for his friend's strange preference or bondage (call it which you please) and even for the startling clause of the will. At least it would be a face worth seeing: the face of a man who was without bowels of mercy: a face which had but to show itself to raise up, in the mind of the unimpressionable Enfield, a spirit of enduring hatred.

From that time forward, Mr. Utterson began to haunt the door in the by-street of shops. In the morning before office hours, at noon when business was plenty, and time scarce, at night under the face of the fogged city moon, by all lights and at all hours of solitude or concourse, the lawyer was to be found on his chosen post.

"If he be Mr. Hyde," he had thought, "I shall be Mr. Seek." And at last his patience was rewarded. It was a fine dry night; frost in the

air; the streets as clean as a ballroom floor; the lamps, unshaken by any wind, drawing a regular pattern of light and shadow. By ten o'clock, when the shops were closed the by-street was very solitary and, in spite of the low growl of London from all round, very silent. Small sounds carried far; domestic sounds out of the houses were clearly audible on either side of the roadway; and the rumour of the approach of any passenger preceded him by a long time. Mr. Utterson had been some minutes at his post, when he was aware of an odd light footstep drawing near. In the course of his nightly patrols, he had long grown accustomed to the quaint effect with which the footfalls of a single person, while he is still a great way off, suddenly spring out distinct from the vast hum and clatter of the city. Yet his attention had never before been so sharply and decisively arrested; and it was with a strong, superstitious prevision of success that he withdrew into the entry of the court.

The steps drew swiftly nearer, and swelled out suddenly louder as they turned the end of the street. The lawyer, looking forth from the entry, could soon see what manner of man he had to deal with. He was small and very plainly dressed and the look of him, even at that distance, went somehow strongly against the watcher's inclination. But he made straight for the door, crossing the roadway to save time; and as he came, he drew a key from his pocket like one approaching home.

Mr. Utterson stepped out and touched him on the shoulder as he passed. "Mr. Hyde, I think?"

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Mr. Hyde shrank back with a hissing intake of the breath. But his fear was only momentary; and though he did not look the lawyer in the face, he answered coolly enough: "That is my name. What do you want?"

"I see you are going in," returned the lawyer. "I am an old friend of Dr. Jekyll's -- Mr. Utterson of Gaunt Street -- you must have heard of my name; and meeting you so conveniently, I thought you might admit me."

"You will not find Dr. Jekyll; he is from home," replied Mr. Hyde, blowing in the key. And then suddenly, but still without looking up, "How did you know me?" he asked.

"On your side," said Mr. Utterson "will you do me a favour?" "With pleasure," replied the other. "What shall it be?" "Will you let me see your face?" asked the lawyer. Mr. Hyde appeared to hesitate, and then, as if upon some sudden

reflection, fronted about with an air of defiance; and the pair stared at each other pretty fixedly for a few seconds. "Now I shall know you again," said Mr. Utterson. "It may be useful."

"Yes," returned Mr. Hyde, "lt is as well we have met; and a propos, you should have my address." And he gave a number of a street in Soho.

"Good God!" thought Mr. Utterson, "can he, too, have been thinking of the will?" But he kept his feelings to himself and only grunted in acknowledgment of the address.

"And now," said the other, "how did you know me?" "By description," was the reply. "Whose description?" "We have common friends," said Mr. Utterson. "Common friends," echoed Mr. Hyde, a little hoarsely. "Who are they?" "Jekyll, for instance," said the lawyer. "He never told you," cried Mr. Hyde, with a flush of anger. "I did not

think you would have lied." "Come," said Mr. Utterson, "that is not fitting language." The other snarled aloud into a savage laugh; and the next moment, with

extraordinary quickness, he had unlocked the door and disappeared into the house.

The lawyer stood awhile when Mr. Hyde had left him, the picture of disquietude. Then he began slowly to mount the street, pausing every step or two and putting his hand to his brow like a man in mental perplexity. The problem he was thus debating as he walked, was one of a class that is rarely solved. Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile, he had borne himself to the lawyer with a sort of murderous mixture of timidity and boldness, and he spoke with a husky, whispering and somewhat broken voice; all these were points against him, but not all of these together could


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explain the hitherto unknown disgust, loathing and fear with which Mr. Utterson regarded him. "There must be something else," said the perplexed gentleman. "There is something more, if I could find a name for it. God bless me, the man seems hardly human! Something troglodytic, shall we say? or can it be the old story of Dr. Fell? or is it the mere radience of a foul soul that thus transpires through, and transfigures, its clay continent? The last, I think; for, O my poor old Harry Jekyll, if ever I read Satan's signature upon a face, it is on that of your new friend."

Round the corner from the by-street, there was a square of ancient, handsome houses, now for the most part decayed from their high estate and let in flats and chambers to all sorts and conditions of men; map-engravers, architects, shady lawyers and the agents of obscure enterprises. One house, however, second from the corner, was still occupied entire; and at the door of this, which wore a great air of wealth and comfort, though it was now plunged in darkness except for the fanlight, Mr. Utterson stopped and knocked. A well-dressed, elderly servant opened the door.

"Is Dr. Jekyll at home, Poole?" asked the lawyer. "I will see, Mr. Utterson," said Poole, admitting the visitor, as he spoke,

into a large, low-roofed, comfortable hall paved with flags, warmed (after the fashion of a country house) by a bright, open fire, and furnished with costly cabinets of oak. "Will you wait here by the fire, sir? or shall I give you a light in the dining-room?"

"Here, thank you," said the lawyer, and he drew near and leaned on the tall fender. This hall, in which he was now left alone, was a pet fancy of his friend the doctor's; and Utterson himself was wont to speak of it as the pleasantest room in London. But tonight there was a shudder in his blood; the face of Hyde sat heavy on his memory; he felt (what was rare with him) a nausea and distaste of life; and in the gloom of his spirits, he seemed to read a menace in the flickering of the firelight on the polished cabinets and the uneasy starting of the shadow on the roof. He was ashamed of his relief, when Poole presently returned to announce that Dr. Jekyll was gone out.

"I saw Mr. Hyde go in by the old dissecting room, Poole," he said. "Is that right, when Dr. Jekyll is from home?"

"Quite right, Mr. Utterson, sir," replied the servant. "Mr. Hyde has a key." "Your master seems to repose a great deal of trust in that young man,

Poole," resumed the other musingly. "Yes, sir, he does indeed," said Poole. "We have all orders to obey him." "I do not think I ever met Mr. Hyde?" asked Utterson. "O, dear no, sir. He never dines here," replied the butler. Indeed we see

very little of him on this side of the house; he mostly comes and goes by the laboratory."

"Well, good-night, Poole."

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"Good-night, Mr. Utterson." And the lawyer set out homeward with a very heavy heart. "Poor Harry

Jekyll," he thought, "my mind misgives me he is in deep waters! He was wild when he was young; a long while ago to be sure; but in the law of God, there is no statute of limitations. Ay, it must be that; the ghost of some old sin, the cancer of some concealed disgrace: punishment coming, pede claudo, years after memory has forgotten and self-love condoned the fault." And the lawyer, scared by the thought, brooded awhile on his own past, groping in all the corners of memory, least by chance some Jack-in-the-Box of an old iniquity should leap to light there. His past was fairly blameless; few men could read the rolls of their life with less apprehension; yet he was humbled to the dust by the many ill things he had done, and raised up again into a sober and fearful gratitude by the many he had come so near to doing yet avoided. And then by a return on his former subject, he conceived a spark of hope. "This Master Hyde, if he were studied," thought he, "must have secrets of his own; black secrets, by the look of him; secrets compared to which poor Jekyll's worst would be like sunshine. Things cannot continue as they are. It turns me cold to think of this creature stealing like a thief to Harry's bedside; poor Harry, what a wakening! And the danger of it; for if this Hyde suspects the existence of the will, he may grow impatient to inherit. Ay, I must put my shoulders to the wheel -- if Jekyll will but let me," he added, "if Jekyll will only let me." For once more he saw before his mind's eye, as clear as transparency, the strange clauses of the will.

Chapter 3

Dr. Jekyll Was Quite at Ease

A fortnight later, by excellent good fortune, the doctor gave one of his pleasant dinners to some five or six old cronies, all intelligent, reputable men and all judges of good wine; and Mr. Utterson so contrived that he remained behind after the others had departed. This was no new arrangement, but a thing that had befallen many scores of times. Where Utterson was liked, he was liked well. Hosts loved to detain the dry lawyer, when the light-hearted and loose-tongued had already their foot on the threshold; they liked to sit a while in his unobtrusive company, practising for solitude, sobering their minds in the man's rich silence after the expense and strain of gaiety. To this rule, Dr. Jekyll was no exception; and as he now sat on the opposite side of the fire -- a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a stylish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness -- you could see by his looks that he cherished for Mr. Utterson a sincere and warm affection.


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"I have been wanting to speak to you, Jekyll," began the latter. "You know that will of yours?"

A close observer might have gathered that the topic was distasteful; but the doctor carried it off gaily. "My poor Utterson," said he, "you are unfortunate in such a client. I never saw a man so distressed as you were by my will; unless it were that hide-bound pedant, Lanyon, at what he called my scientific heresies. O, I know he's a good fellow -- you needn't frown -- an excellent fellow, and I always mean to see more of him; but a hide-bound pedant for all that; an ignorant, blatant pedant. I was never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon."

"You know I never approved of it," pursued Utterson, ruthlessly disregarding the fresh topic.

"My will? Yes, certainly, I know that," said the doctor, a trifle sharply. "You have told me so."

"Well, I tell you so again," continued the lawyer. "I have been learning something of young Hyde."

The large handsome face of Dr. Jekyll grew pale to the very lips, and there came a blackness about his eyes. "I do not care to hear more," said he. "This is a matter I thought we had agreed to drop."

"What I heard was abominable," said Utterson. "It can make no change. You do not understand my position," returned the

doctor, with a certain incoherency of manner. "I am painfully situated, Utterson; my position is a very strange -- a very strange one. It is one of those affairs that cannot be mended by talking."

"Jekyll," said Utterson, "you know me: I am a man to be trusted. Make a clean breast of this in confidence; and I make no doubt I can get you out of it."

"My good Utterson," said the doctor, "this is very good of you, this is downright good of you, and I cannot find words to thank you in. I believe you fully; I would trust you before any man alive, ay, before myself, if I could make the choice; but indeed it isn't what you fancy; it is not as bad as that; and just to put your good heart at rest, I will tell you one thing: the moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde. I give you my hand upon that; and I thank you again and again; and I will just add one little word, Utterson, that I'm sure you'll take in good part: this is a private matter, and I beg of you to let it sleep."

Utterson reflected a little, looking in the fire. "I have no doubt you are perfectly right," he said at last, getting to his

feet. "Well, but since we have touched upon this business, and for the last time

I hope," continued the doctor, "there is one point I should like you to understand. I have really a very great interest in poor Hyde. I know you have

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seen him; he told me so; and I fear he was rude. But I do sincerely take a great, a very great interest in that young man; and if I am taken away, Utterson, I wish you to promise me that you will bear with him and get his rights for him. I think you would, if you knew all; and it would be a weight off my mind if you would promise."

"I can't pretend that I shall ever like him," said the lawyer. "I don't ask that," pleaded Jekyll, laying his hand upon the other's arm; "I

only ask for justice; I only ask you to help him for my sake, when I am no longer here."

Utterson heaved an irrepressible sigh. "Well," said he, "I promise."

Chapter 4

The Carew Murder Case

Nearly a year later, in the month of October, 18 -- , London was startled by a crime of singular ferocity and rendered all the more notable by the high position of the victim. The details were few and startling. A maid servant living alone in a house not far from the river, had gone upstairs to bed about eleven. Although a fog rolled over the city in the small hours, the early part of the night was cloudless, and the lane, which the maid's window overlooked, was brilliantly lit by the full moon. It seems she was romantically given, for she sat down upon her box, which stood immediately under the window, and fell into a dream of musing. Never (she used to say, with streaming tears, when she narrated that experience), never had she felt more at peace with all men or thought more kindly of the world. And as she so sat she became aware of an aged beautiful gentleman with white hair, drawing near along the lane; and advancing to meet him, another and very small gentleman, to whom at first she paid less attention. When they had come within speech (which was just under the maid's eyes) the older man bowed and accosted the other with a very pretty manner of politeness. It did not seem as if the subject of his address were of great importance; indeed, from his pointing, it some times appeared as if he were only inquiring his way; but the moon shone on his face as he spoke, and the girl was pleased to watch it, it seemed to breathe such an innocent and old-world kindness of disposition, yet with something high too, as of a well-founded self-content. Presently her eye wandered to the other, and she was surprised to recognise in him a certain Mr. Hyde, who had once visited her master and for whom she had conceived a dislike. He had in his hand a heavy cane, with which he was trifling; but he answered never a word, and seemed to listen with an ill-contained impatience. And then all of a sudden he broke out in a great flame of anger, stamping with his foot, brandishing the cane, and carrying on (as


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the maid described it) like a madman. The old gentleman took a step back, with the air of one very much surprised and a trifle hurt; and at that Mr. Hyde broke out of all bounds and clubbed him to the earth. And next moment, with ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim under foot and hailing down a storm of blows, under which the bones were audibly shattered and the body jumped upon the roadway. At the horror of these sights and sounds, the maid fainted.

It was two o'clock when she came to herself and called for the police. The murderer was gone long ago; but there lay his victim in the middle of the lane, incredibly mangled. The stick with which the deed had been done, although it was of some rare and very tough and heavy wood, had broken in the middle under the stress of this insensate cruelty; and one splintered half had rolled in the neighbouring gutter -- the other, without doubt, had been carried away by the murderer. A purse and gold watch were found upon the victim: but no cards or papers, except a sealed and stamped envelope, which he had been probably carrying to the post, and which bore the name and address of Mr. Utterson.

This was brought to the lawyer the next morning, before he was out of bed; and he had no sooner seen it and been told the circumstances, than he shot out a solemn lip. "I shall say nothing till I have seen the body," said he; "this may be very serious. Have the kindness to wait while I dress." And with the same grave countenance he hurried through his breakfast and drove to the police station, whither the body had been carried. As soon as he came into the cell, he nodded.

"Yes," said he, "I recognise him. I am sorry to say that this is Sir Danvers Carew."

"Good God, sir," exclaimed the officer, "is it possible?" And the next moment his eye lighted up with professional ambition. "This will make a deal of noise," he said. "And perhaps you can help us to the man." And he briefly narrated what the maid had seen, and showed the broken stick.

Mr. Utterson had already quailed at the name of Hyde; but when the stick was laid before him, he could doubt no longer; broken and battered as it was, he recognized it for one that he had himself presented many years before to Henry Jekyll.

"Is this Mr. Hyde a person of small stature?" he inquired. "Particularly small and particularly wicked-looking, is what the maid calls

him," said the officer. Mr. Utterson reflected; and then, raising his head, "If you will come with

me in my cab," he said, "I think I can take you to his house." It was by this time about nine in the morning, and the first fog of the

season. A great chocolate-coloured pall lowered over heaven, but the wind was continually charging and routing these embattled vapours; so that as the

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cab crawled from street to street, Mr. Utterson beheld a marvelous number of degrees and hues of twilight; for here it would be dark like the back-end of evening; and there would be a glow of a rich, lurid brown, like the light of some strange conflagration; and here, for a moment, the fog would be quite broken up, and a haggard shaft of daylight would glance in between the swirling wreaths. The dismal quarter of Soho seen under these changing glimpses, with its muddy ways, and slatternly passengers, and its lamps, which had never been extinguished or had been kindled afresh to combat this mournful reinvasion of darkness, seemed, in the lawyer's eyes, like a district of some city in a nightmare. The thoughts of his mind, besides, were of the gloomiest dye; and when he glanced at the companion of his drive, he was conscious of some touch of that terror of the law and the law's officers, which may at times assail the most honest.

As the cab drew up before the address indicated, the fog lifted a little and showed him a dingy street, a gin palace, a low French eating house, a shop for the retail of penny numbers and twopenny salads, many ragged children huddled in the doorways, and many women of many different nationalities passing out, key in hand, to have a morning glass; and the next moment the fog settled down again upon that part, as brown as umber, and cut him off from his blackguardly surroundings. This was the home of Henry Jekyll's favourite; of a man who was heir to a quarter of a million sterling.

An ivory-faced and silvery-haired old woman opened the door. She had an evil face, smoothed by hypocrisy: but her manners were excellent. Yes, she said, this was Mr. Hyde's, but he was not at home; he had been in that night very late, but he had gone away again in less than an hour; there was nothing strange in that; his habits were very irregular, and he was often absent; for instance, it was nearly two months since she had seen him till yesterday.

"Very well, then, we wish to see his rooms," said the lawyer; and when the woman began to declare it was impossible, "I had better tell you who this person is," he added. "This is Inspector Newcomen of Scotland Yard."

A flash of odious joy appeared upon the woman's face. "Ah!" said she, "he is in trouble! What has he done?"

Mr. Utterson and the inspector exchanged glances. "He don't seem a very popular character," observed the latter. "And now, my good woman, just let me and this gentleman have a look about us."

In the whole extent of the house, which but for the old woman remained otherwise empty, Mr. Hyde had only used a couple of rooms; but these were furnished with luxury and good taste. A closet was filled with wine; the plate was of silver, the napery elegant; a good picture hung upon the walls, a gift (as Utterson supposed) from Henry Jekyll, who was much of a connoisseur; and the carpets were of many plies and agreeable in colour. At this moment,


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however, the rooms bore every mark of having been recently and hurriedly ransacked; clothes lay about the floor, with their pockets inside out; lock-fast drawers stood open; and on the hearth there lay a pile of grey ashes, as though many papers had been burned. From these embers the inspector disinterred the butt end of a green cheque book, which had resisted the action of the fire; the other half of the stick was found behind the door; and as this clinched his suspicions, the officer declared himself delighted. A visit to the bank, where several thousand pounds were found to be lying to the murderer's credit, completed his gratification.

"You may depend upon it, sir," he told Mr. Utterson: "I have him in my hand. He must have lost his head, or he never would have left the stick or, above all, burned the cheque book. Why, money's life to the man. We have nothing to do but wait for him at the bank, and get out the handbills."

This last, however, was not so easy of accomplishment; for Mr. Hyde had numbered few familiars -- even the master of the servant maid had only seen him twice; his family could nowhere be traced; he had never been photographed; and the few who could describe him differed widely, as common observers will. Only on one point were they agreed; and that was the haunting sense of unexpressed deformity with which the fugitive impressed his beholders.

Chapter 5

Incident of the Letter

It was late in the afternoon, when Mr. Utterson found his way to Dr. Jekyll's door, where he was at once admitted by Poole, and carried down by the kitchen offices and across a yard which had once been a garden, to the building which was indifferently known as the laboratory or dissecting rooms. The doctor had bought the house from the heirs of a celebrated surgeon; and his own tastes being rather chemical than anatomical, had changed the destination of the block at the bottom of the garden. It was the first time that the lawyer had been received in that part of his friend's quarters; and he eyed the dingy, windowless structure with curiosity, and gazed round with a distasteful sense of strangeness as he crossed the theatre, once crowded with eager students and now lying gaunt and silent, the tables laden with chemical apparatus, the floor strewn with crates and littered with packing straw, and the light falling dimly through the foggy cupola. At the further end, a flight of stairs mounted to a door covered with red baize; and through this, Mr. Utterson was at last received into the doctor's cabinet. It was a large room fitted round with glass presses, furnished, among other things, with a cheval-glass and a business table, and looking out upon the

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court by three dusty windows barred with iron. The fire burned in the grate; a lamp was set lighted on the chimney shelf, for even in the houses the fog began to lie thickly; and there, close up to the warmth, sat Dr. Jekyll, looking deathly sick. He did not rise to meet his visitor, but held out a cold hand and bade him welcome in a changed voice.

"And now," said Mr. Utterson, as soon as Poole had left them, "you have heard the news?"

The doctor shuddered. "They were crying it in the square," he said. "I heard them in my dining-room."

"One word," said the lawyer. "Carew was my client, but so are you, and I want to know what I am doing. You have not been mad enough to hide this fellow?"

"Utterson, I swear to God," cried the doctor, "I swear to God I will never set eyes on him again. I bind my honour to you that I am done with him in this world. It is all at an end. And indeed he does not want my help; you do not know him as I do; he is safe, he is quite safe; mark my words, he will never more be heard of."

The lawyer listened gloomily; he did not like his friend's feverish manner. "You seem pretty sure of him," said he; "and for your sake, I hope you may be right. If it came to a trial, your name might appear."

"I am quite sure of him," replied Jekyll; "I have grounds for certainty that I cannot share with any one. But there is one thing on which you may advise me. I have -- I have received a letter; and I am at a loss whether I should show it to the police. I should like to leave it in your hands, Utterson; you would judge wisely, I am sure; I have so great a trust in you."

"You fear, I suppose, that it might lead to his detection?" asked the lawyer.

"No," said the other. "I cannot say that I care what becomes of Hyde; I am quite done with him. I was thinking of my own character, which this hateful business has rather exposed."

Utterson ruminated awhile; he was surprised at his friend's selfishness, and yet relieved by it. "Well," said he, at last, let me see the letter."

The letter was written in an odd, upright hand and signed "Edward Hyde": and it signified, briefly enough, that the writer's benefactor, Dr. Jekyll, whom he had long so unworthily repaid for a thousand generosities, need labour under no alarm for his safety, as he had means of escape on which he placed a sure dependence. The lawyer liked this letter well enough; it put a better colour on the intimacy than he had looked for; and he blamed himself for some of his past suspicions.

"Have you the envelope?" he asked. "I burned it," replied Jekyll, "before I thought what I was about. But it

bore no postmark. The note was handed in."


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"Shall I keep this and sleep upon it?" asked Utterson. "I wish you to judge for me entirely," was the reply. "I have lost

confidence in myself." "Well, I shall consider," returned the lawyer. "And now one word more: it

was Hyde who dictated the terms in your will about that disappearance?" The doctor seemed seized with a qualm of faintness; he shut his mouth

tight and nodded. "I knew it," said Utterson. "He meant to murder you. You had a fine

escape." "I have had what is far more to the purpose," returned the doctor

solemnly: "I have had a lesson -- O God, Utterson, what a lesson I have had!" And he covered his face for a moment with his hands.

On his way out, the lawyer stopped and had a word or two with Poole. "By the bye," said he, "there was a letter handed in to-day: what was the messenger like?" But Poole was positive nothing had come except by post; "and only circulars by that," he added.

This news sent off the visitor with his fears renewed. Plainly the letter had come by the laboratory door; possibly, indeed, it had been written in the cabinet; and if that were so, it must be differently judged, and handled with the more caution. The newsboys, as he went, were crying themselves hoarse along the footways: "Special edition. Shocking murder of an M.P." That was the funeral oration of one friend and client; and he could not help a certain apprehension lest the good name of another should be sucked down in the eddy of the scandal. It was, at least, a ticklish decision that he had to make; and self-reliant as he was by habit, he began to cherish a longing for advice. It was not to be had directly; but perhaps, he thought, it might be fished for.

Presently after, he sat on one side of his own hearth, with Mr. Guest, his head clerk, upon the other, and midway between, at a nicely calculated distance from the fire, a bottle of a particular old wine that had long dwelt unsunned in the foundations of his house. The fog still slept on the wing above the drowned city, where the lamps glimmered like carbuncles; and through the muffle and smother of these fallen clouds, the procession of the town's life was still rolling in through the great arteries with a sound as of a mighty wind. But the room was gay with firelight. In the bottle the acids were long ago resolved; the imperial dye had softened with time, as the colour grows richer in stained windows; and the glow of hot autumn afternoons on hillside vineyards, was ready to be set free and to disperse the fogs of London. Insensibly the lawyer melted. There was no man from whom he kept fewer secrets than Mr. Guest; and he was not always sure that he kept as many as he meant. Guest had often been on business to the doctor's; he knew Poole; he could scarce have failed to hear of Mr. Hyde's familiarity about the house; he might draw conclusions: was it not as well,

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then, that he should see a letter which put that mystery to right? and above all since Guest, being a great student and critic of handwriting, would consider the step natural and obliging? The clerk, besides, was a man of counsel; he could scarce read so strange a document without dropping a remark; and by that remark Mr. Utterson might shape his future course.

"This is a sad business about Sir Danvers," he said. "Yes, sir, indeed. It has elicited a great deal of public feeling," returned

Guest. "The man, of course, was mad." "I should like to hear your views on that," replied Utterson. "I have a

document here in his handwriting; it is between ourselves, for I scarce know what to do about it; it is an ugly business at the best. But there it is; quite in your way: a murderer's autograph."

Guest's eyes brightened, and he sat down at once and studied it with passion. "No sir," he said: "not mad; but it is an odd hand."

"And by all accounts a very odd writer," added the lawyer. Just then the servant entered with a note. "Is that from Dr. Jekyll, sir?" inquired the clerk. "I thought I knew the

writing. Anything private, Mr. Utterson? "Only an invitation to dinner. Why? Do you want to see it?" "One moment. I thank you, sir;" and the clerk laid the two sheets of paper

alongside and sedulously compared their contents. "Thank you, sir," he said at last, returning both; "it's a very interesting autograph."

There was a pause, during which Mr. Utterson struggled with himself. "Why did you compare them, Guest?" he inquired suddenly.

"Well, sir," returned the clerk, "there's a rather singular resemblance; the two hands are in many points identical: only differently sloped."

"Rather quaint," said Utterson. "It is, as you say, rather quaint," returned Guest. "I wouldn't speak of this note, you know," said the master. "No, sir," said the clerk. "I understand." But no sooner was Mr. Utterson alone that night, than he locked the note

into his safe, where it reposed from that time forward. "What!" he thought. "Henry Jekyll forge for a murderer!" And his blood ran cold in his veins.

Chapter 6

Remarkable Incident of Dr. Lanyon

Time ran on; thousands of pounds were offered in reward, for the death of Sir Danvers was resented as a public injury; but Mr. Hyde had disappeared out of the ken of the police as though he had never existed. Much of his past was unearthed, indeed, and all disreputable: tales came out of the man's


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cruelty, at once so callous and violent; of his vile life, of his strange associates, of the hatred that seemed to have surrounded his career; but of his present whereabouts, not a whisper. From the time he had left the house in Soho on the morning of the murder, he was simply blotted out; and gradually, as time drew on, Mr. Utterson began to recover from the hotness of his alarm, and to grow more at quiet with himself. The death of Sir Danvers was, to his way of thinking, more than paid for by the disappearance of Mr. Hyde. Now that that evil influence had been withdrawn, a new life began for Dr. Jekyll. He came out of his seclusion, renewed relations with his friends, became once more their familiar guest and entertainer; and whilst he had always been known for charities, he was now no less distinguished for religion. He was busy, he was much in the open air, he did good; his face seemed to open and brighten, as if with an inward consciousness of service; and for more than two months, the doctor was at peace.

On the 8th of January Utterson had dined at the doctor's with a small party; Lanyon had been there; and the face of the host had looked from one to the other as in the old days when the trio were inseparable friends. On the 12th, and again on the 14th, the door was shut against the lawyer. "The doctor was confined to the house," Poole said, "and saw no one." On the 15th, he tried again, and was again refused; and having now been used for the last two months to see his friend almost daily, he found this return of solitude to weigh upon his spirits.

The fifth night he had in Guest to dine with him; and the sixth he betook himself to Dr. Lanyon's.

There at least he was not denied admittance; but when he came in, he was shocked at the change which had taken place in the doctor's appearance. He had his death-warrant written legibly upon his face. The rosy man had grown pale; his flesh had fallen away; he was visibly balder and older; and yet it was not so much these tokens of a swift physical decay that arrested the lawyer's notice, as a look in the eye and quality of manner that seemed to testify to some deep-seated terror of the mind. It was unlikely that the doctor should fear death; and yet that was what Utterson was tempted to suspect. "Yes," he thought; he is a doctor, he must know his own state and that his days are counted; and the knowledge is more than he can bear." And yet when Utterson remarked on his ill-looks, it was with an air of great firmness that Lanyon declared himself a doomed man.

"I have had a shock," he said, "and I shall never recover. It is a question of weeks. Well, life has been pleasant; I liked it; yes, sir, I used to like it. I sometimes think if we knew all, we should be more glad to get away."

"Jekyll is ill, too," observed Utterson. "Have you seen him?"

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But Lanyon's face changed, and he held up a trembling hand. "I wish to see or hear no more of Dr. Jekyll," he said in a loud, unsteady voice. "I am quite done with that person; and I beg that you will spare me any allusion to one whom I regard as dead."

"Tut-tut," said Mr. Utterson; and then after a considerable pause, "Can't I do anything?" he inquired. "We are three very old friends, Lanyon; we shall not live to make others."

"Nothing can be done," returned Lanyon; "ask himself." "He will not see me," said the lawyer. "I am not surprised at that," was the reply. "Some day, Utterson, after I am

dead, you may perhaps come to learn the right and wrong of this. I cannot tell you. And in the meantime, if you can sit and talk with me of other things, for God's sake, stay and do so; but if you cannot keep clear of this accursed topic, then in God's name, go, for I cannot bear it."

As soon as he got home, Utterson sat down and wrote to Jekyll, complaining of his exclusion from the house, and asking the cause of this unhappy break with Lanyon; and the next day brought him a long answer, often very pathetically worded, and sometimes darkly mysterious in drift. The quarrel with Lanyon was incurable. "I do not blame our old friend," Jekyll wrote, but I share his view that we must never meet. I mean from henceforth to lead a life of extreme seclusion; you must not be surprised, nor must you doubt my friendship, if my door is often shut even to you. You must suffer me to go my own dark way. I have brought on myself a punishment and a danger that I cannot name. lf I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers also. I could not think that this earth contained a place for sufferings and terrors so unmanning; and you can do but one thing, Utterson, to lighten this destiny, and that is to respect my silence." Utterson was amazed; the dark influence of Hyde had been withdrawn, the doctor had returned to his old tasks and amities; a week ago, the prospect had smiled with every promise of a cheerful and an honoured age; and now in a moment, friendship, and peace of mind, and the whole tenor of his life were wrecked. So great and unprepared a change pointed to madness; but in view of Lanyon's manner and words, there must lie for it some deeper ground.

A week afterwards Dr. Lanyon took to his bed, and in something less than a fortnight he was dead. The night after the funeral, at which he had been sadly affected, Utterson locked the door of his business room, and sitting there by the light of a melancholy candle, drew out and set before him an envelope addressed by the hand and sealed with the seal of his dead friend. "PRIVATE: for the hands of G. J. Utterson ALONE, and in case of his predecease to be destroyed unread," so it was emphatically superscribed; and the lawyer dreaded to behold the contents. "I have buried one friend to-day," he thought: "what if this should cost me another?" And then he condemned


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the fear as a disloyalty, and broke the seal. Within there was another enclosure, likewise sealed, and marked upon the cover as "not to be opened till the death or disappearance of Dr. Henry Jekyll." Utterson could not trust his eyes. Yes, it was disappearance; here again, as in the mad will which he had long ago restored to its author, here again were the idea of a disappearance and the name of Henry Jekyll bracketted. But in the will, that idea had sprung from the sinister suggestion of the man Hyde; it was set there with a purpose all too plain and horrible. Written by the hand of Lanyon, what should it mean? A great curiosity came on the trustee, to disregard the prohibition and dive at once to the bottom of these mysteries; but professional honour and faith to his dead friend were stringent obligations; and the packet slept in the inmost corner of his private safe.

It is one thing to mortify curiosity, another to conquer it; and it may be doubted if, from that day forth, Utterson desired the society of his surviving friend with the same eagerness. He thought of him kindly; but his thoughts were disquieted and fearful. He went to call indeed; but he was perhaps relieved to be denied admittance; perhaps, in his heart, he preferred to speak with Poole upon the doorstep and surrounded by the air and sounds of the open city, rather than to be admitted into that house of voluntary bondage, and to sit and speak with its inscrutable recluse. Poole had, indeed, no very pleasant news to communicate. The doctor, it appeared, now more than ever confined himself to the cabinet over the laboratory, where he would sometimes even sleep; he was out of spirits, he had grown very silent, he did not read; it seemed as if he had something on his mind. Utterson became so used to the unvarying character of these reports, that he fell off little by little in the frequency of his visits.

Chapter 7

Incident at the Window

It chanced on Sunday, when Mr. Utterson was on his usual walk with Mr. Enfield, that their way lay once again through the by-street; and that when they came in front of the door, both stopped to gaze on it.

"Well," said Enfield, "that story's at an end at least. We shall never see more of Mr. Hyde."

"I hope not," said Utterson. "Did I ever tell you that I once saw him, and shared your feeling of repulsion?"

"It was impossible to do the one without the other," returned Enfield. "And by the way, what an ass you must have thought me, not to know that this was a back way to Dr. Jekyll's! It was partly your own fault that I found it out, even when I did."

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"So you found it out, did you?" said Utterson. "But if that be so, we may step into the court and take a look at the windows. To tell you the truth, I am uneasy about poor Jekyll; and even outside, I feel as if the presence of a friend might do him good."

The court was very cool and a little damp, and full of premature twilight, although the sky, high up overhead, was still bright with sunset. The middle one of the three windows was half-way open; and sitting close beside it, taking the air with an infinite sadness of mien, like some disconsolate prisoner, Utterson saw Dr. Jekyll.

"What! Jekyll!" he cried. "I trust you are better." "I am very low, Utterson," replied the doctor drearily, "very low. It will

not last long, thank God." "You stay too much indoors," said the lawyer. "You should be out,

whipping up the circulation like Mr. Enfield and me. (This is my cousin -- Mr. Enfield -- Dr. Jekyll.) Come now; get your hat and take a quick turn with us."

"You are very good," sighed the other. "I should like to very much; but no, no, no, it is quite impossible; I dare not. But indeed,

Utterson, I am very glad to see you; this is really a great pleasure; I would ask you and Mr. Enfield up, but the place is really not fit."

"Why, then," said the lawyer, good-naturedly, "the best thing we can do is to stay down here and speak with you from where we are."

"That is just what I was about to venture to propose," returned the doctor with a smile. But the words were hardly uttered, before the smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of such abject terror and despair, as froze the very blood of the two gentlemen below. They saw it but for a glimpse for the window was instantly thrust down; but that glimpse had been sufficient, and they turned and left the court without a word. In silence, too, they traversed the by-street; and it was not until they had come into a neighbouring thoroughfare, where even upon a Sunday there were still some stirrings of life, that Mr. Utterson at last turned and looked at his companion. They were both pale; and there was an answering horror in their eyes.

"God forgive us, God forgive us," said Mr. Utterson. But Mr. Enfield only nodded his head very seriously, and walked on once

more in silence.

Chapter 8

The Last Night

Mr. Utterson was sitting by his fireside one evening after dinner, when he was surprised to receive a visit from Poole.


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"Bless me, Poole, what brings you here?" he cried; and then taking a second look at him, "What ails you?" he added; is the doctor ill?"

"Mr. Utterson," said the man, "there is something wrong." "Take a seat, and here is a glass of wine for you," said the lawyer. "Now,

take your time, and tell me plainly what you want." "You know the doctor's ways, sir," replied Poole, "and how he shuts

himself up. Well, he's shut up again in the cabinet; and I don't like it, sir -- I wish I may die if I like it. Mr. Utterson, sir, I'm afraid."

"Now, my good man," said the lawyer, "be explicit. What are you afraid of?"

"I've been afraid for about a week," returned Poole, doggedly disregarding the question, "and I can bear it no more."

The man's appearance amply bore out his words; his manner was altered for the worse; and except for the moment when he had first announced his terror, he had not once looked the lawyer in the face. Even now, he sat with the glass of wine untasted on his knee, and his eyes directed to a corner of the floor. "I can bear it no more,"he repeated.

"Come," said the lawyer, "I see you have some good reason, Poole; I see there is something seriously amiss. Try to tell me what it is."

"I think there's been foul play," said Poole, hoarsely. "Foul play!" cried the lawyer, a good deal frightened and rather inclined

to be irritated in consequence. "What foul play! What does the man mean?" "I daren't say, sir," was the answer; but will you come along with me and

see for yourself?" Mr. Utterson's only answer was to rise and get his hat and greatcoat; but

he observed with wonder the greatness of the relief that appeared upon the butler's face, and perhaps with no less, that the wine was still untasted when he set it down to follow.

It was a wild, cold, seasonable night of March, with a pale moon, lying on her back as though the wind had tilted her, and flying wrack of the most diaphanous and lawny texture. The wind made talking difficult, and flecked the blood into the face. It seemed to have swept the streets unusually bare of passengers, besides; for Mr. Utterson thought he had never seen that part of London so deserted. He could have wished it otherwise; never in his life had he been conscious of so sharp a wish to see and touch his fellow-creatures; for struggle as he might, there was borne in upon his mind a crushing anticipation of calamity. The square, when they got there, was full of wind and dust, and the thin trees in the garden were lashing themselves along the railing. Poole, who had kept all the way a pace or two ahead, now pulled up in the middle of the pavement, and in spite of the biting weather, took off his hat and mopped his brow with a red pocket-handkerchief. But for all the hurry of his coming, these were not the dews of exertion that he wiped away,

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but the moisture of some strangling anguish; for his face was white and his voice, when he spoke, harsh and broken.

"Well, sir," he said, "here we are, and God grant there be nothing wrong." "Amen, Poole," said the lawyer. Thereupon the servant knocked in a very guarded manner; the door was

opened on the chain; and a voice asked from within, "Is that you, Poole?" "It's all right," said Poole. "Open the door." The hall, when they entered it, was brightly lighted up; the fire was built

high; and about the hearth the whole of the servants, men and women, stood huddled together like a flock of sheep. At the sight of Mr. Utterson, the housemaid broke into hysterical whimpering; and the cook, crying out "Bless God! it's Mr. Utterson," ran forward as if to take him in her arms.

"What, what? Are you all here?" said the lawyer peevishly. "Very irregular, very unseemly; your master would be far from pleased."

"They're all afraid," said Poole. Blank silence followed, no one protesting; only the maid lifted her voice

and now wept loudly. "Hold your tongue!" Poole said to her, with a ferocity of accent that

testified to his own jangled nerves; and indeed, when the girl had so suddenly raised the note of her lamentation, they had all started and turned towards the inner door with faces of dreadful expectation. "And now," continued the butler, addressing the knife-boy, "reach me a candle, and we'll get this through hands at once." And then he begged Mr. Utterson to follow him, and led the way to the back garden.

"Now, sir," said he, "you come as gently as you can. I want you to hear, and I don't want you to be heard. And see here, sir, if by any chance he was to ask you in, don't go."

Mr. Utterson's nerves, at this unlooked-for termination, gave a jerk that nearly threw him from his balance; but he recollected his courage and followed the butler into the laboratory building through the surgical theatre, with its lumber of crates and bottles, to the foot of the stair. Here Poole motioned him to stand on one side and listen; while he himself, setting down the candle and making a great and obvious call on his resolution, mounted the steps and knocked with a somewhat uncertain hand on the red baize of the cabinet door.

"Mr. Utterson, sir, asking to see you," he called; and even as he did so, once more violently signed to the lawyer to give ear.

A voice answered from within: "Tell him I cannot see anyone," it said complainingly.

"Thank you, sir," said Poole, with a note of something like triumph in his voice; and taking up his candle, he led Mr. Utterson back across the yard and


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into the great kitchen, where the fire was out and the beetles were leaping on the floor.

"Sir," he said, looking Mr. Utterson in the eyes, "Was that my master's voice?"

"It seems much changed," replied the lawyer, very pale, but giving look for look.

"Changed? Well, yes, I think so," said the butler. "Have I been twenty years in this man's house, to be deceived about his voice? No, sir; master's made away with; he was made away with eight days ago, when we heard him cry out upon the name of God; and who's in there instead of him, and why it stays there, is a thing that cries to Heaven, Mr. Utterson!"

"This is a very strange tale, Poole; this is rather a wild tale my man," said Mr. Utterson, biting his finger. "Suppose it were as you suppose, supposing Dr. Jekyll to have been -- well, murdered what could induce the murderer to stay? That won't hold water; it doesn't commend itself to reason."

"Well, Mr. Utterson, you are a hard man to satisfy, but I'll do it yet," said Poole. "All this last week (you must know) him, or it, whatever it is that lives in that cabinet, has been crying night and day for some sort of medicine and cannot get it to his mind. It was sometimes his way -- the master's, that is -- to write his orders on a sheet of paper and throw it on the stair. We've had nothing else this week back; nothing but papers, and a closed door, and the very meals left there to be smuggled in when nobody was looking. Well, sir, every day, ay, and twice and thrice in the same day, there have been orders and complaints, and I have been sent flying to all the wholesale chemists in town. Every time I brought the stuff back, there would be another paper telling me to return it, because it was not pure, and another order to a different firm. This drug is wanted bitter bad, sir, whatever for."

"Have you any of these papers?" asked Mr. Utterson. Poole felt in his pocket and handed out a crumpled note, which the

lawyer, bending nearer to the candle, carefully examined. Its contents ran thus: "Dr. Jekyll presents his compliments to Messrs. Maw. He assures them that their last sample is impure and quite useless for his present purpose. In the year 18 -- , Dr. J. purchased a somewhat large quantity from Messrs. M. He now begs them to search with most sedulous care, and should any of the same quality be left, forward it to him at once. Expense is no consideration. The importance of this to Dr. J. can hardly be exaggerated." So far the letter had run composedly enough, but here with a sudden splutter of the pen, the writer's emotion had broken loose. "For God's sake," he added, "find me some of the old."

"This is a strange note," said Mr. Utterson; and then sharply, "How do you come to have it open?"

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"The man at Maw's was main angry, sir, and he threw it back to me like so much dirt," returned Poole.

"This is unquestionably the doctor's hand, do you know?" resumed the lawyer.

"I thought it looked like it," said the servant rather sulkily; and then, with another voice, "But what matters hand of write?" he said. "I've seen him!"

"Seen him?" repeated Mr. Utterson. "Well?" "That's it!" said Poole. "It was this way. I came suddenly into the theater

from the garden. It seems he had slipped out to look for this drug or whatever it is; for the cabinet door was open, and there he was at the far end of the room digging among the crates. He looked up when I came in, gave a kind of cry, and whipped upstairs into the cabinet. It was but for one minute that I saw him, but the hair stood upon my head like quills. Sir, if that was my master, why had he a mask upon his face? If it was my master, why did he cry out like a rat, and run from me? I have served him long enough. And then..." The man paused and passed his hand over his face.

"These are all very strange circumstances," said Mr. Utterson, "but I think I begin to see daylight. Your master, Poole, is plainly seized with one of those maladies that both torture and deform the sufferer; hence, for aught I know, the alteration of his voice; hence the mask and the avoidance of his friends; hence his eagerness to find this drug, by means of which the poor soul retains some hope of ultimate recovery -- God grant that he be not deceived! There is my explanation; it is sad enough, Poole, ay, and appalling to consider; but it is plain and natural, hangs well together, and delivers us from all exorbitant alarms."

"Sir," said the butler, turning to a sort of mottled pallor, "that thing was not my master, and there's the truth. My master" -- here he looked round him and began to whisper -- "is a tall, fine build of a man, and this was more of a dwarf." Utterson attempted to protest. "O, sir," cried Poole, "do you think I do not know my master after twenty years? Do you think I do not know where his head comes to in the cabinet door, where I saw him every morning of my life? No, sir, that thing in the mask was never Dr. Jekyll -- God knows what it was, but it was never Dr. Jekyll; and it is the belief of my heart that there was murder done."

"Poole," replied the lawyer, "if you say that, it will become my duty to make certain. Much as I desire to spare your master's feelings, much as I am puzzled by this note which seems to prove him to be still alive, I shall consider it my duty to break in that door."

"Ah, Mr. Utterson, that's talking!" cried the butler. "And now comes the second question," resumed Utterson: "Who is going

to do it?" "Why, you and me, sir," was the undaunted reply.


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"That's very well said," returned the lawyer; "and whatever comes of it, I shall make it my business to see you are no loser."

"There is an axe in the theatre," continued Poole; "and you might take the kitchen poker for yourself."

The lawyer took that rude but weighty instrument into his hand, and balanced it. "Do you know, Poole," he said, looking up, "that you and I are about to place ourselves in a position of some peril?"

"You may say so, sir, indeed," returned the butler. "It is well, then that we should be frank," said the other. "We both think

more than we have said; let us make a clean breast. This masked figure that you saw, did you recognise it?"

"Well, sir, it went so quick, and the creature was so doubled up, that I could hardly swear to that," was the answer. "But if you mean, was it Mr. Hyde? -- why, yes, I think it was!" You see, it was much of the same bigness; and it had the same quick, light way with it; and then who else could have got in by the laboratory door? You have not forgot, sir, that at the time of the murder he had still the key with him? But that's not all. I don't know, Mr. Utterson, if you ever met this Mr. Hyde?"

"Yes," said the lawyer, "I once spoke with him." "Then you must know as well as the rest of us that there was something

queer about that gentleman -- something that gave a man a turn -- I don't know rightly how to say it, sir, beyond this: that you felt in your marrow kind of cold and thin."

"I own I felt something of what you describe," said Mr. Utterson. "Quite so, sir," returned Poole. "Well, when that masked thing like a

monkey jumped from among the chemicals and whipped into the cabinet, it went down my spine like ice. O, I know it's not evidence, Mr. Utterson; I'm book-learned enough for that; but a man has his feelings, and I give you my bible-word it was Mr. Hyde!"

"Ay, ay," said the lawyer. "My fears incline to the same point. Evil, I fear, founded -- evil was sure to come -- of that connection. Ay truly, I believe you; I believe poor Harry is killed; and I believe his murderer (for what purpose, God alone can tell) is still lurking in his victim's room. Well, let our name be vengeance. Call Bradshaw."

The footman came at the summons, very white and nervous. "Put yourself together, Bradshaw," said the lawyer. "This suspense, I

know, is telling upon all of you; but it is now our intention to make an end of it. Poole, here, and I are going to force our way into the cabinet. If all is well, my shoulders are broad enough to bear the blame. Meanwhile, lest anything should really be amiss, or any malefactor seek to escape by the back, you and the boy must go round the corner with a pair of good sticks and take

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your post at the laboratory door. We give you ten minutes, to get to your stations."

As Bradshaw left, the lawyer looked at his watch. "And now, Poole, let us get to ours," he said; and taking the poker under his arm, led the way into the yard. The scud had banked over the moon, and it was now quite dark. The wind, which only broke in puffs and draughts into that deep well of building, tossed the light of the candle to and fro about their steps, until they came into the shelter of the theatre, where they sat down silently to wait. London hummed solemnly all around; but nearer at hand, the stillness was only broken by the sounds of a footfall moving to and fro along the cabinet floor.

"So it will walk all day, sir," whispered Poole; "ay, and the better part of the night. Only when a new sample comes from the chemist, there's a bit of a break. Ah, it's an ill conscience that's such an enemy to rest! Ah, sir, there's blood foully shed in every step of it! But hark again, a little closer -- put your heart in your ears, Mr. Utterson, and tell me, is that the doctor's foot?"

The steps fell lightly and oddly, with a certain swing, for all they went so slowly; it was different indeed from the heavy creaking tread of Henry Jekyll. Utterson sighed. "Is there never anything else?" he asked.

Poole nodded. "Once," he said. "Once I heard it weeping!" "Weeping? how that?" said the lawyer, conscious of a sudden chill of

horror. "Weeping like a woman or a lost soul," said the butler. "I came away with

that upon my heart, that I could have wept too." But now the ten minutes drew to an end. Poole disinterred the axe from

under a stack of packing straw; the candle was set upon the nearest table to light them to the attack; and they drew near with bated breath to where that patient foot was still going up and down, up and down, in the quiet of the night. "Jekyll," cried Utterson, with a loud voice, "I demand to see you." He paused a moment, but there came no reply. "I give you fair warning, our suspicions are aroused, and I must and shall see you," he resumed; "if not by fair means, then by foul -- if not of your consent, then by brute force!"

"Utterson," said the voice, "for God's sake, have mercy!" "Ah, that's not Jekyll's voice -- it's Hyde's!" cried Utterson. "Down with

the door, Poole!" Poole swung the axe over his shoulder; the blow shook the building, and

the red baize door leaped against the lock and hinges. A dismal screech, as of mere animal terror, rang from the cabinet. Up went the axe again, and again the panels crashed and the frame bounded; four times the blow fell; but the wood was tough and the fittings were of excellent workmanship; and it was not until the fifth, that the lock burst and the wreck of the door fell inwards on the carpet.


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The besiegers, appalled by their own riot and the stillness that had succeeded, stood back a little and peered in. There lay the cabinet before their eyes in the quiet lamplight, a good fire glowing and chattering on the hearth, the kettle singing its thin strain, a drawer or two open, papers neatly set forth on the business table, and nearer the fire, the things laid out for tea; the quietest room, you would have said, and, but for the glazed presses full of chemicals, the most commonplace that night in London.

Right in the middle there lay the body of a man sorely contorted and still twitching. They drew near on tiptoe, turned it on its back and beheld the face of Edward Hyde. He was dressed in clothes far to large for him, clothes of the doctor's bigness; the cords of his face still moved with a semblance of life, but life was quite gone: and by the crushed phial in the hand and the strong smell of kernels that hung upon the air, Utterson knew that he was looking on the body of a self-destroyer.

"We have come too late," he said sternly, "whether to save or punish. Hyde is gone to his account; and it only remains for us to find the body of your master."

The far greater proportion of the building was occupied by the theatre, which filled almost the whole ground storey and was lighted from above, and by the cabinet, which formed an upper story at one end and looked upon the court. A corridor joined the theatre to the door on the by-street; and with this the cabinet communicated separately by a second flight of stairs. There were besides a few dark closets and a spacious cellar. All these they now thoroughly examined. Each closet needed but a glance, for all were empty, and all, by the dust that fell from their doors, had stood long unopened. The cellar, indeed, was filled with crazy lumber, mostly dating from the times of the surgeon who was Jekyll's predecessor; but even as they opened the door they were advertised of the uselessness of further search, by the fall of a perfect mat of cobweb which had for years sealed up the entrance. No where was there any trace of Henry Jekyll dead or alive.

Poole stamped on the flags of the corridor. "He must be buried here," he said, hearkening to the sound.

"Or he may have fled," said Utterson, and he turned to examine the door in the by-street. It was locked; and lying near by on the flags, they found the key, already stained with rust.

"This does not look like use," observed the lawyer. "Use!" echoed Poole. "Do you not see, sir, it is broken? much as if a man

had stamped on it." "Ay," continued Utterson, "and the fractures, too, are rusty." The two men

looked at each other with a scare. "This is beyond me, Poole," said the lawyer. "Let us go back to the cabinet."

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They mounted the stair in silence, and still with an occasional awestruck glance at the dead body, proceeded more thoroughly to examine the contents of the cabinet. At one table, there were traces of chemical work, various measured heaps of some white salt being laid on glass saucers, as though for an experiment in which the unhappy man had been prevented.

"That is the same drug that I was always bringing him," said Poole; and even as he spoke, the kettle with a startling noise boiled over.

This brought them to the fireside, where the easy-chair was drawn cosily up, and the tea things stood ready to the sitter's elbow, the very sugar in the cup. There were several books on a shelf; one lay beside the tea things open, and Utterson was amazed to find it a copy of a pious work, for which Jekyll had several times expressed a great esteem, annotated, in his own hand with startling blasphemies.

Next, in the course of their review of the chamber, the searchers came to the cheval-glass, into whose depths they looked with an involuntary horror. But it was so turned as to show them nothing but the rosy glow playing on the roof, the fire sparkling in a hundred repetitions along the glazed front of the presses, and their own pale and fearful countenances stooping to look in.

"This glass has seen some strange things, sir," whispered Poole. "And surely none stranger than itself," echoed the lawyer in the same

tones. "For what did Jekyll" -- he caught himself up at the word with a start, and then conquering the weakness -- "what could Jekyll want with it?" he said.

"You may say that!" said Poole. Next they turned to the business table. On the desk, among the neat array

of papers, a large envelope was uppermost, and bore, in the doctor's hand, the name of Mr. Utterson. The lawyer unsealed it, and several enclosures fell to the floor. The first was a will, drawn in the same eccentric terms as the one which he had returned six months before, to serve as a testament in case of death and as a deed of gift in case of disappearance; but in place of the name of Edward Hyde, the lawyer, with indescribable amazement read the name of Gabriel John Utterson. He looked at Poole, and then back at the paper, and last of all at the dead malefactor stretched upon the carpet.

"My head goes round," he said. "He has been all these days in possession; he had no cause to like me; he must have raged to see himself displaced; and he has not destroyed this document."

He caught up the next paper; it was a brief note in the doctor's hand and dated at the top. "O Poole!" the lawyer cried, "he was alive and here this day. He cannot have been disposed of in so short a space; he must be still alive, he must have fled! And then, why fled? and how? and in that case, can we venture to declare this suicide? O, we must be careful. I foresee that we may yet involve your master in some dire catastrophe."


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"Why don't you read it, sir?" asked Poole. "Because I fear," replied the lawyer solemnly. "God grant I have no cause

for it!" And with that he brought the paper to his eyes and read as follows: "My dear Utterson, -- When this shall fall into your hands, I shall have

disappeared, under what circumstances I have not the penetration to foresee, but my instinct and all the circumstances of my nameless situation tell me that the end is sure and must be early. Go then, and first read the narrative which Lanyon warned me he was to place in your hands; and if you care to hear more, turn to the confession of

"Your unworthy and unhappy friend, "HENRY JEKYLL." "There was a third enclosure?" asked Utterson. "Here, sir," said Poole, and gave into his hands a considerable packet

sealed in several places. The lawyer put it in his pocket. "I would say nothing of this paper. If your

master has fled or is dead, we may at least save his credit. It is now ten; I must go home and read these documents in quiet; but I shall be back before midnight, when we shall send for the police."

They went out, locking the door of the theatre behind them; and Utterson, once more leaving the servants gathered about the fire in the hall, trudged back to his office to read the two narratives in which this mystery was now to be explained.

Chapter 9

Dr. Lanyon's Narrative

On the ninth of January, now four days ago, I received by the evening delivery a registered envelope, addressed in the hand of my colleague and old school companion, Henry Jekyll. I was a good deal surprised by this; for we were by no means in the habit of correspondence; I had seen the man, dined with him, indeed, the night before; and I could imagine nothing in our intercourse that should justify formality of registration. The contents increased my wonder; for this is how the letter ran:

"10th December, 18 -- . "Dear Lanyon, -- You are one of my oldest friends; and although we may

have differed at times on scientific questions, I cannot remember, at least on my side, any break in our affection. There was never a day when, if you had said to me, `Jekyll, my life, my honour, my reason, depend upon you,' I would not have sacrificed my left hand to help you. Lanyon my life, my honour, my reason, are all at your mercy; if you fail me to-night, I am lost. You might suppose, after this preface, that I am going to ask you for something dishonourable to grant. Judge for yourself.

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"I want you to postpone all other engagements for to-night -- ay, even if you were summoned to the bedside of an emperor; to take a cab, unless your carriage should be actually at the door; and with this letter in your hand for consultation, to drive straight to my house. Poole, my butler, has his orders; you will find him waiting your arrival with a locksmith. The door of my cabinet is then to be forced: and you are to go in alone; to open the glazed press (letter E) on the left hand, breaking the lock if it be shut; and to draw out, with all its contents as they stand, the fourth drawer from the top or (which is the same thing) the third from the bottom. In my extreme distress of mind, I have a morbid fear of misdirecting you; but even if I am in error, you may know the right drawer by its contents: some powders, a phial and a paper book. This drawer I beg of you to carry back with you to Cavendish Square exactly as it stands.

"That is the first part of the service: now for the second. You should be back, if you set out at once on the receipt of this, long before midnight; but I will leave you that amount of margin, not only in the fear of one of those obstacles that can neither be prevented nor foreseen, but because an hour when your servants are in bed is to be preferred for what will then remain to do. At midnight, then, I have to ask you to be alone in your consulting room, to admit with your own hand into the house a man who will present himself in my name, and to place in his hands the drawer that you will have brought with you from my cabinet. Then you will have played your part and earned my gratitude completely. Five minutes afterwards, if you insist upon an explanation, you will have understood that these arrangements are of capital importance; and that by the neglect of one of them, fantastic as they must appear, you might have charged your conscience with my death or the shipwreck of my reason.

"Confident as I am that you will not trifle with this appeal, my heart sinks and my hand trembles at the bare thought of such a possibility. Think of me at this hour, in a strange place, labouring under a blackness of distress that no fancy can exaggerate, and yet well aware that, if you will but punctually serve me, my troubles will roll away like a story that is told. Serve me, my dear Lanyon and save

"H.J. "P.S. -- I had already sealed this up when a fresh terror struck upon my

soul. It is possible that the post-office may fail me, and this letter not come into your hands until to-morrow morning. In that case, dear Lanyon, do my errand when it shall be most convenient for you in the course of the day; and once more expect my messenger at midnight. It may then already be too late; and if that night passes without event, you will know that you have seen the last of Henry Jekyll."


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Upon the reading of this letter, I made sure my colleague was insane; but till that was proved beyond the possibility of doubt, I felt bound to do as he requested. The less I understood of this farrago, the less I was in a position to judge of its importance; and an appeal so worded could not be set aside without a grave responsibility. I rose accordingly from table, got into a hansom, and drove straight to Jekyll's house. The butler was awaiting my arrival; he had received by the same post as mine a registered letter of instruction, and had sent at once for a locksmith and a carpenter. The tradesmen came while we were yet speaking; and we moved in a body to old Dr. Denman's surgical theatre, from which (as you are doubtless aware) Jekyll's private cabinet is most conveniently entered. The door was very strong, the lock excellent; the carpenter avowed he would have great trouble and have to do much damage, if force were to be used; and the locksmith was near despair. But this last was a handy fellow, and after two hour's work, the door stood open. The press marked E was unlocked; and I took out the drawer, had it filled up with straw and tied in a sheet, and returned with it to Cavendish Square.

Here I proceeded to examine its contents. The powders were neatly enough made up, but not with the nicety of the dispensing chemist; so that it was plain they were of Jekyll's private manufacture: and when I opened one of the wrappers I found what seemed to me a simple crystalline salt of a white colour. The phial, to which I next turned my attention, might have been about half full of a blood-red liquor, which was highly pungent to the sense of smell and seemed to me to contain phosphorus and some volatile ether. At the other ingredients I could make no guess. The book was an ordinary version book and contained little but a series of dates. These covered a period of many years, but I observed that the entries ceased nearly a year ago and quite abruptly. Here and there a brief remark was appended to a date, usually no more than a single word: "double" occurring perhaps six times in a total of several hundred entries; and once very early in the list and followed by several marks of exclamation, "total failure!!!" All this, though it whetted my curiosity, told me little that was definite. Here were a phial of some salt, and the record of a series of experiments that had led (like too many of Jekyll's investigations) to no end of practical usefulness. How could the presence of these articles in my house affect either the honour, the sanity, or the life of my flighty colleague? If his messenger could go to one place, why could he not go to another? And even granting some impediment, why was this gentleman to be received by me in secret? The more I reflected the more convinced I grew that I was dealing with a case of cerebral disease; and though I dismissed my servants to bed, I loaded an old revolver, that I might be found in some posture of self-defence.

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Twelve o'clock had scarce rung out over London, ere the knocker sounded very gently on the door. I went myself at the summons, and found a small man crouching against the pillars of the portico.

"Are you come from Dr. Jekyll?" I asked. He told me "yes" by a constrained gesture; and when I had bidden him

enter, he did not obey me without a searching backward glance into the darkness of the square. There was a policeman not far off, advancing with his bull's eye open; and at the sight, I thought my visitor started and made greater haste.

These particulars struck me, I confess, disagreeably; and as I followed him into the bright light of the consulting room, I kept my hand ready on my weapon. Here, at last, I had a chance of clearly seeing him. I had never set eyes on him before, so much was certain. He was small, as I have said; I was struck besides with the shocking expression of his face, with his remarkable combination of great muscular activity and great apparent debility of constitution, and -- last but not least -- with the odd, subjective disturbance caused by his neighbourhood. This bore some resemblance to incipient rigour, and was accompanied by a marked sinking of the pulse. At the time, I set it down to some idiosyncratic, personal distaste, and merely wondered at the acuteness of the symptoms; but I have since had reason to believe the cause to lie much deeper in the nature of man, and to turn on some nobler hinge than the principle of hatred.

This person (who had thus, from the first moment of his entrance, struck in me what I can only, describe as a disgustful curiosity) was dressed in a fashion that would have made an ordinary person laughable; his clothes, that is to say, although they were of rich and sober fabric, were enormously too large for him in every measurement -- the trousers hanging on his legs and rolled up to keep them from the ground, the waist of the coat below his haunches, and the collar sprawling wide upon his shoulders. Strange to relate, this ludicrous accoutrement was far from moving me to laughter. Rather, as there was something abnormal and misbegotten in the very essence of the creature that now faced me -- something seizing, surprising and revolting -- this fresh disparity seemed but to fit in with and to reinforce it; so that to my interest in the man's nature and character, there was added a curiosity as to his origin, his life, his fortune and status in the world.

These observations, though they have taken so great a space to be set down in, were yet the work of a few seconds. My visitor was, indeed, on fire with sombre excitement.

"Have you got it?" he cried. "Have you got it?" And so lively was his impatience that he even laid his hand upon my arm and sought to shake me.

I put him back, conscious at his touch of a certain icy pang along my blood. "Come, sir," said I. "You forget that I have not yet the pleasure of


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your acquaintance. Be seated, if you please." And I showed him an example, and sat down myself in my customary seat and with as fair an imitation of my ordinary manner to a patient, as the lateness of the hour, the nature of my preoccupations, and the horror I had of my visitor, would suffer me to muster.

"I beg your pardon, Dr. Lanyon," he replied civilly enough. "What you say is very well founded; and my impatience has shown its heels to my politeness. I come here at the instance of your colleague, Dr. Henry Jekyll, on a piece of business of some moment; and I understood ..." He paused and put his hand to his throat, and I could see, in spite of his collected manner, that he was wrestling against the approaches of the hysteria -- "I understood, a drawer ..."

But here I took pity on my visitor's suspense, and some perhaps on my own growing curiosity.

"There it is, sir," said I, pointing to the drawer, where it lay on the floor behind a table and still covered with the sheet.

He sprang to it, and then paused, and laid his hand upon his heart: I could hear his teeth grate with the convulsive action of his jaws; and his face was so ghastly to see that I grew alarmed both for his life and reason.

"Compose yourself," said I. He turned a dreadful smile to me, and as if with the decision of despair,

plucked away the sheet. At sight of the contents, he uttered one loud sob of such immense relief that I sat petrified. And the next moment, in a voice that was already fairly well under control, "Have you a graduated glass?" he asked.

I rose from my place with something of an effort and gave him what he asked.

He thanked me with a smiling nod, measured out a few minims of the red tincture and added one of the powders. The mixture, which was at first of a reddish hue, began, in proportion as the crystals melted, to brighten in colour, to effervesce audibly, and to throw off small fumes of vapour. Suddenly and at the same moment, the ebullition ceased and the compound changed to a dark purple, which faded again more slowly to a watery green. My visitor, who had watched these metamorphoses with a keen eye, smiled, set down the glass upon the table, and then turned and looked upon me with an air of scrutiny.

"And now," said he, "to settle what remains. Will you be wise? will you be guided? will you suffer me to take this glass in my hand and to go forth from your house without further parley? or has the greed of curiosity too much command of you? Think before you answer, for it shall be done as you decide. As you decide, you shall be left as you were before, and neither richer nor wiser, unless the sense of service rendered to a man in mortal

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distress may be counted as a kind of riches of the soul. Or, if you shall so prefer to choose, a new province of knowledge and new avenues to fame and power shall be laid open to you, here, in this room, upon the instant; and your sight shall be blasted by a prodigy to stagger the unbelief of Satan."

"Sir," said I, affecting a coolness that I was far from truly possessing, "you speak enigmas, and you will perhaps not wonder that I hear you with no very strong impression of belief. But I have gone too far in the way of inexplicable services to pause before I see the end."

"It is well," replied my visitor. "Lanyon, you remember your vows: what follows is under the seal of our profession. And now, you who have so long been bound to the most narrow and material views, you who have denied the virtue of transcendental medicine, you who have derided your superiors -- behold!"

He put the glass to his lips and drank at one gulp. A cry followed; he reeled, staggered, clutched at the table and held on, staring with injected eyes, gasping with open mouth; and as I looked there came, I thought, a change -- he seemed to swell -- his face became suddenly black and the features seemed to melt and alter -- and the next moment, I had sprung to my feet and leaped back against the wall, my arms raised to shield me from that prodigy, my mind submerged in terror.

"O God!" I screamed, and "O God!" again and again; for there before my eyes -- pale and shaken, and half fainting, and groping before him with his hands, like a man restored from death -- there stood Henry Jekyll!

What he told me in the next hour, I cannot bring my mind to set on paper. I saw what I saw, I heard what I heard, and my soul sickened at it; and yet now when that sight has faded from my eyes, I ask myself if I believe it, and I cannot answer. My life is shaken to its roots; sleep has left me; the deadliest terror sits by me at all hours of the day and night; and I feel that my days are numbered, and that I must die; and yet I shall die incredulous. As for the moral turpitude that man unveiled to me, even with tears of penitence, I can not, even in memory, dwell on it without a start of horror. I will say but one thing, Utterson, and that (if you can bring your mind to credit it) will be more than enough. The creature who crept into my house that night was, on Jekyll's own confession, known by the name of Hyde and hunted for in every corner of the land as the murderer of Carew. HASTIE LANYON


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Chapter 10

Henry Jekyll's Full Statement of the Case

I was born in the year 18 -- to a large fortune, endowed besides with excellent parts, inclined by nature to industry, fond of the respect of the wise and good among my fellowmen, and thus, as might have been supposed, with every guarantee of an honourable and distinguished future. And indeed the worst of my faults was a certain impatient gaiety of disposition, such as has made the happiness of many, but such as I found it hard to reconcile with my imperious desire to carry my head high, and wear a more than commonly grave countenance before the public. Hence it came about that I concealed my pleasures; and that when I reached years of reflection, and began to look round me and take stock of my progress and position in the world, I stood already committed to a profound duplicity of me. Many a man would have even blazoned such irregularities as I was guilty of; but from the high views that I had set before me, I regarded and hid them with an almost morbid sense of shame. It was thus rather the exacting nature of my aspirations than any particular degradation in my faults, that made me what I was, and, with even a deeper trench than in the majority of men, severed in me those provinces of good and ill which divide and compound man's dual nature. In this case, I was driven to reflect deeply and inveterately on that hard law of life, which lies at the root of religion and is one of the most plentiful springs of distress. Though so profound a double-dealer, I was in no sense a hypocrite; both sides of me were in dead earnest; I was no more myself when I laid aside restraint and plunged in shame, than when I laboured, in the eye of day, at the futherance of knowledge or the relief of sorrow and suffering. And it chanced that the direction of my scientific studies, which led wholly towards the mystic and the transcendental, reacted and shed a strong light on this consciousness of the perennial war among my members. With every day, and from both sides of my intelligence, the moral and the intellectual, I thus drew steadily nearer to that truth, by whose partial discovery I have been doomed to such a dreadful shipwreck: that man is not truly one, but truly two. I say two, because the state of my own knowledge does not pass beyond that point. Others will follow, others will outstrip me on the same lines; and I hazard the guess that man will be ultimately known for a mere polity of multifarious, incongruous and independent denizens. I, for my part, from the nature of my life, advanced infallibly in one direction and in one direction only. It was on the moral side, and in my own person, that I learned to recognise the thorough and primitive duality of man; I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both; and from an early date, even before the course of my scientific

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discoveries had begun to suggest the most naked possibility of such a miracle, I had learned to dwell with pleasure, as a beloved daydream, on the thought of the separation of these elements. If each, I told myself, could be housed in separate identities, life would be relieved of all that was unbearable; the unjust might go his way, delivered from the aspirations and remorse of his more upright twin; and the just could walk steadfastly and securely on his upward path, doing the good things in which he found his pleasure, and no longer exposed to disgrace and penitence by the hands of this extraneous evil. It was the curse of mankind that these incongruous faggots were thus bound together -- that in the agonised womb of consciousness, these polar twins should be continuously struggling. How, then were they dissociated?

I was so far in my reflections when, as I have said, a side light began to shine upon the subject from the laboratory table. I began to perceive more deeply than it has ever yet been stated, the trembling immateriality, the mistlike transience, of this seemingly so solid body in which we walk attired. Certain agents I found to have the power to shake and pluck back that fleshly vestment, even as a wind might toss the curtains of a pavilion.

For two good reasons, I will not enter deeply into this scientific branch of my confession. First, because I have been made to learn that the doom and burthen of our life is bound for ever on man's shoulders, and when the attempt is made to cast it off, it but returns upon us with more unfamiliar and more awful pressure. Second, because, as my narrative will make, alas! too evident, my discoveries were incomplete. Enough then, that I not only recognised my natural body from the mere aura and effulgence of certain of the powers that made up my spirit, but managed to compound a drug by which these powers should be dethroned from their supremacy, and a second form and countenance substituted, none the less natural to me because they were the expression, and bore the stamp of lower elements in my soul.

I hesitated long before I put this theory to the test of practice. I knew well that I risked death; for any drug that so potently controlled and shook the very fortress of identity, might, by the least scruple of an overdose or at the least inopportunity in the moment of exhibition, utterly blot out that immaterial tabernacle which I looked to it to change. But the temptation of a discovery so singular and profound at last overcame the suggestions of alarm. I had long since prepared my tincture; I purchased at once, from a firm of wholesale chemists, a large quantity of a particular salt which I knew, from my experiments, to be the last ingredient required; and late one accursed night, I compounded the elements, watched them boil and smoke together in the glass, and when the ebullition had subsided, with a strong glow of courage, drank off the potion.


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The most racking pangs succeeded: a grinding in the bones, deadly nausea, and a horror of the spirit that cannot be exceeded at the hour of birth or death. Then these agonies began swiftly to subside, and I came to myself as if out of a great sickness. There was something strange in my sensations, something indescribably new and, from its very novelty, incredibly sweet. I felt younger, lighter, happier in body; within I was conscious of a heady recklessness, a current of disordered sensual images running like a millrace in my fancy, a solution of the bonds of obligation, an unknown but not an innocent freedom of the soul. I knew myself, at the first breath of this new life, to be more wicked, tenfold more wicked, sold a slave to my original evil; and the thought, in that moment, braced and delighted me like wine. I stretched out my hands, exulting in the freshness of these sensations; and in the act, I was suddenly aware that I had lost in stature.

There was no mirror, at that date, in my room; that which stands beside me as I write, was brought there later on and for the very purpose of these transformations. The night however, was far gone into the morning -- the morning, black as it was, was nearly ripe for the conception of the day -- the inmates of my house were locked in the most rigorous hours of slumber; and I determined, flushed as I was with hope and triumph, to venture in my new shape as far as to my bedroom. I crossed the yard, wherein the constellations looked down upon me, I could have thought, with wonder, the first creature of that sort that their unsleeping vigilance had yet disclosed to them; I stole through the corridors, a stranger in my own house; and coming to my room, I saw for the first time the appearance of Edward Hyde.

I must here speak by theory alone, saying not that which I know, but that which I suppose to be most probable. The evil side of my nature, to which I had now transferred the stamping efficacy, was less robust and less developed than the good which I had just deposed. Again, in the course of my life, which had been, after all, nine tenths a life of effort, virtue and control, it had been much less exercised and much less exhausted. And hence, as I think, it came about that Edward Hyde was so much smaller, slighter and younger than Henry Jekyll. Even as good shone upon the countenance of the one, evil was written broadly and plainly on the face of the other. Evil besides (which I must still believe to be the lethal side of man) had left on that body an imprint of deformity and decay. And yet when I looked upon that ugly idol in the glass, I was conscious of no repugnance, rather of a leap of welcome. This, too, was myself. It seemed natural and human. In my eyes it bore a livelier image of the spirit, it seemed more express and single, than the imperfect and divided countenance I had been hitherto accustomed to call mine. And in so far I was doubtless right. I have observed that when I wore the semblance of Edward Hyde, none could come near to me at first without a visible misgiving of the flesh. This, as I take it,

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was because all human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil: and Edward Hyde, alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil.

I lingered but a moment at the mirror: the second and conclusive experiment had yet to be attempted; it yet remained to be seen if I had lost my identity beyond redemption and must flee before daylight from a house that was no longer mine; and hurrying back to my cabinet, I once more prepared and drank the cup, once more suffered the pangs of dissolution, and came to myself once more with the character, the stature and the face of Henry Jekyll.

That night I had come to the fatal cross-roads. Had I approached my discovery in a more noble spirit, had I risked the experiment while under the empire of generous or pious aspirations, all must have been otherwise, and from these agonies of death and birth, I had come forth an angel instead of a fiend. The drug had no discriminating action; it was neither diabolical nor divine; it but shook the doors of the prisonhouse of my disposition; and like the captives of Philippi, that which stood within ran forth. At that time my virtue slumbered; my evil, kept awake by ambition, was alert and swift to seize the occasion; and the thing that was projected was Edward Hyde. Hence, although I had now two characters as well as two appearances, one was wholly evil, and the other was still the old Henry Jekyll, that incongruous compound of whose reformation and improvement I had already learned to despair. The movement was thus wholly toward the worse.

Even at that time, I had not conquered my aversions to the dryness of a life of study. I would still be merrily disposed at times; and as my pleasures were (to say the least) undignified, and I was not only well known and highly considered, but growing towards the elderly man, this incoherency of my life was daily growing more unwelcome. It was on this side that my new power tempted me until I fell in slavery. I had but to drink the cup, to doff at once the body of the noted professor, and to assume, like a thick cloak, that of Edward Hyde. I smiled at the notion; it seemed to me at the time to be humourous; and I made my preparations with the most studious care. I took and furnished that house in Soho, to which Hyde was tracked by the police; and engaged as a housekeeper a creature whom I knew well to be silent and unscrupulous. On the other side, I announced to my servants that a Mr. Hyde (whom I described) was to have full liberty and power about my house in the square; and to parry mishaps, I even called and made myself a familiar object, in my second character. I next drew up that will to which you so much objected; so that if anything befell me in the person of Dr. Jekyll, I could enter on that of Edward Hyde without pecuniary loss. And thus


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fortified, as I supposed, on every side, I began to profit by the strange immunities of my position.

Men have before hired bravos to transact their crimes, while their own person and reputation sat under shelter. I was the first that ever did so for his pleasures. I was the first that could plod in the public eye with a load of genial respectability, and in a moment, like a schoolboy, strip off these lendings and spring headlong into the sea of liberty. But for me, in my impenetrable mantle, the safely was complete. Think of it -- I did not even exist! Let me but escape into my laboratory door, give me but a second or two to mix and swallow the draught that I had always standing ready; and whatever he had done, Edward Hyde would pass away like the stain of breath upon a mirror; and there in his stead, quietly at home, trimming the midnight lamp in his study, a man who could afford to laugh at suspicion, would be Henry Jekyll.

The pleasures which I made haste to seek in my disguise were, as I have said, undignified; I would scarce use a harder term. But in the hands of Edward Hyde, they soon began to turn toward the monstrous. When I would come back from these excursions, I was often plunged into a kind of wonder at my vicarious depravity. This familiar that I called out of my own soul, and sent forth alone to do his good pleasure, was a being inherently malign and villainous; his every act and thought centered on self; drinking pleasure with bestial avidity from any degree of torture to another; relentless like a man of stone. Henry Jekyll stood at times aghast before the acts of Edward Hyde; but the situation was apart from ordinary laws, and insidiously relaxed the grasp of conscience. It was Hyde, after all, and Hyde alone, that was guilty. Jekyll was no worse; he woke again to his good qualities seemingly unimpaired; he would even make haste, where it was possible, to undo the evil done by Hyde. And thus his conscience slumbered.

Into the details of the infamy at which I thus connived (for even now I can scarce grant that I committed it) I have no design of entering; I mean but to point out the warnings and the successive steps with which my chastisement approached. I met with one accident which, as it brought on no consequence, I shall no more than mention. An act of cruelty to a child aroused against me the anger of a passer-by, whom I recognised the other day in the person of your kinsman; the doctor and the child's family joined him; there were moments when I feared for my life; and at last, in order to pacify their too just resentment, Edward Hyde had to bring them to the door, and pay them in a cheque drawn in the name of Henry Jekyll. But this danger was easily eliminated from the future, by opening an account at another bank in the name of Edward Hyde himself; and when, by sloping my own hand backward, I had supplied my double with a signature, I thought I sat beyond the reach of fate.

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Some two months before the, murder of Sir Danvers, I had been out for one of my adventures, had returned at a late hour, and woke the next day in bed with somewhat odd sensations. It was in vain I looked about me; in vain I saw the decent furniture and tall proportions of my room in the square; in vain that I recognised the pattern of the bed curtains and the design of the mahogany frame; something still kept insisting that I was not where I was, that I had not wakened where I seemed to be, but in the little room in Soho where I was accustomed to sleep in the body of Edward Hyde. I smiled to myself, and in my psychological way, began lazily to inquire into the elements of this illusion, occasionally, even as I did so, dropping back into a comfortable morning doze. I was still so engaged when, in one of my more wakeful moments, my eyes fell upon my hand. Now the hand of Henry Jekyll (as you have often remarked) was professional in shape and size: it was large, firm, white and comely. But the hand which I now saw, clearly enough, in the yellow light of a mid-London morning, lying half shut on the bedclothes, was lean, corder, knuckly, of a dusky pallor and thickly shaded with a swart growth of hair. It was the hand of Edward Hyde.

I must have stared upon it for near half a minute, sunk as I was in the mere stupidity of wonder, before terror woke up in my breast as sudden and startling as the crash of cymbals; and bounding from my bed I rushed to the mirror. At the sight that met my eyes, my blood was changed into something exquisitely thin and icy. Yes, I had gone to bed Henry Jekyll, I had awakened Edward Hyde. How was this to be explained? I asked myself; and then, with another bound of terror -- how was it to be remedied? It was well on in the morning; the servants were up; all my drugs were in the cabinet -- a long journey down two pairs of stairs, through the back passage, across the open court and through the anatomical theatre, from where I was then standing horror-struck. It might indeed be possible to cover my face; but of what use was that, when I was unable to conceal the alteration in my stature? And then with an overpowering sweetness of relief, it came back upon my mind that the servants were already used to the coming and going of my second self. I had soon dressed, as well as I was able, in clothes of my own size: had soon passed through the house, where Bradshaw stared and drew back at seeing Mr. Hyde at such an hour and in such a strange array; and ten minutes later, Dr. Jekyll had returned to his own shape and was sitting down, with a darkened brow, to make a feint of breakfasting.

Small indeed was my appetite. This inexplicable incident, this reversal of my previous experience, seemed, like the Babylonian finger on the wall, to be spelling out the letters of my judgment; and I began to reflect more seriously than ever before on the issues and possibilities of my double existence. That part of me which I had the power of projecting, had lately been much exercised and nourished; it had seemed to me of late as though


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the body of Edward Hyde had grown in stature, as though (when I wore that form) I were conscious of a more generous tide of blood; and I began to spy a danger that, if this were much prolonged, the balance of my nature might be permanently overthrown, the power of voluntary change be forfeited, and the character of Edward Hyde become irrevocably mine. The power of the drug had not been always equally displayed. Once, very early in my career, it had totally failed me; since then I had been obliged on more than one occasion to double, and once, with infinite risk of death, to treble the amount; and these rare uncertainties had cast hitherto the sole shadow on my contentment. Now, however, and in the light of that morning's accident, I was led to remark that whereas, in the beginning, the difficulty had been to throw off the body of Jekyll, it had of late gradually but decidedly transferred itself to the other side. All things therefore seemed to point to this; that I was slowly losing hold of my original and better self, and becoming slowly incorporated with my second and worse.

Between these two, I now felt I had to choose. My two natures had memory in common, but all other faculties were most unequally shared between them. Jekyll (who was composite) now with the most sensitive apprehensions, now with a greedy gusto, projected and shared in the pleasures and adventures of Hyde; but Hyde was indifferent to Jekyll, or but remembered him as the mountain bandit remembers the cavern in which he conceals himself from pursuit. Jekyll had more than a father's interest; Hyde had more than a son's indifference. To cast in my lot with Jekyll, was to die to those appetites which I had long secretly indulged and had of late begun to pamper. To cast it in with Hyde, was to die to a thousand interests and aspirations, and to become, at a blow and forever, despised and friendless. The bargain might appear unequal; but there was still another consideration in the scales; for while Jekyll would suffer smartingly in the fires of abstinence, Hyde would be not even conscious of all that he had lost. Strange as my circumstances were, the terms of this debate are as old and commonplace as man; much the same inducements and alarms cast the die for any tempted and trembling sinner; and it fell out with me, as it falls with so vast a majority of my fellows, that I chose the better part and was found wanting in the strength to keep to it.

Yes, I preferred the elderly and discontented doctor, surrounded by friends and cherishing honest hopes; and bade a resolute farewell to the liberty, the comparative youth, the light step, leaping impulses and secret pleasures, that I had enjoyed in the disguise of Hyde. I made this choice perhaps with some unconscious reservation, for I neither gave up the house in Soho, nor destroyed the clothes of Edward Hyde, which still lay ready in my cabinet. For two months, however, I was true to my determination; for two months, I led a life of such severity as I had never before attained to, and

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enjoyed the compensations of an approving conscience. But time began at last to obliterate the freshness of my alarm; the praises of conscience began to grow into a thing of course; I began to be tortured with throes and longings, as of Hyde struggling after freedom; and at last, in an hour of moral weakness, I once again compounded and swallowed the transforming draught.

I do not suppose that, when a drunkard reasons with himself upon his vice, he is once out of five hundred times affected by the dangers that he runs through his brutish, physical insensibility; neither had I, long as I had considered my position, made enough allowance for the complete moral insensibility and insensate readiness to evil, which were the leading characters of Edward Hyde. Yet it was by these that I was punished. My devil had been long caged, he came out roaring. I was conscious, even when I took the draught, of a more unbridled, a more furious propensity to ill. It must have been this, I suppose, that stirred in my soul that tempest of impatience with which I listened to the civilities of my unhappy victim; I declare, at least, before God, no man morally sane could have been guilty of that crime upon so pitiful a provocation; and that I struck in no more reasonable spirit than that in which a sick child may break a plaything. But I had voluntarily stripped myself of all those balancing instincts by which even the worst of us continues to walk with some degree of steadiness among temptations; and in my case, to be tempted, however slightly, was to fall.

Instantly the spirit of hell awoke in me and raged. With a transport of glee, I mauled the unresisting body, tasting delight from every blow; and it was not till weariness had begun to succeed, that I was suddenly, in the top fit of my delirium, struck through the heart by a cold thrill of terror. A mist dispersed; I saw my life to be forfeit; and fled from the scene of these excesses, at once glorying and trembling, my lust of evil gratified and stimulated, my love of life screwed to the topmost peg. I ran to the house in Soho, and (to make assurance doubly sure) destroyed my papers; thence I set out through the lamplit streets, in the same divided ecstasy of mind, gloating on my crime, light-headedly devising others in the future, and yet still hastening and still hearkening in my wake for the steps of the avenger. Hyde had a song upon his lips as he compounded the draught, and as he drank it, pledged the dead man. The pangs of transformation had not done tearing him, before Henry Jekyll, with streaming tears of gratitude and remorse, had fallen upon his knees and lifted his clasped hands to God. The veil of self-indulgence was rent from head to foot. I saw my life as a whole: I followed it up from the days of childhood, when I had walked with my father's hand, and through the self-denying toils of my professional life, to arrive again and again, with the same sense of unreality, at the danmed horrors of the


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evening. I could have screamed aloud; I sought with tears and prayers to smother down the crowd of hideous images and sounds with which my memory swarmed against me; and still, between the petitions, the ugly face of my iniquity stared into my soul. As the acuteness of this remorse began to die away, it was succeeded by a sense of joy. The problem of my conduct was solved. Hyde was thenceforth impossible; whether I would or not, I was now confined to the better part of my existence; and O, how I rejoiced to think of it! with what willing humility I embraced anew the restrictions of natural life! with what sincere renunciation I locked the door by which I had so often gone and come, and ground the key under my heel!

The next day, came the news that the murder had been overlooked, that the guilt of Hyde was patent to the world, and that the victim was a man high in public estimation. It was not only a crime, it had been a tragic folly. I think I was glad to know it; I think I was glad to have my better impulses thus buttressed and guarded by the terrors of the scaffold. Jekyll was now my city of refuge; let but Hyde peep out an instant, and the hands of all men would be raised to take and slay him.

I resolved in my future conduct to redeem the past; and I can say with honesty that my resolve was fruitful of some good. You know yourself how earnestly, in the last months of the last year, I laboured to relieve suffering; you know that much was done for others, and that the days passed quietly, almost happily for myself. Nor can I truly say that I wearied of this beneficent and innocent life; I think instead that I daily enjoyed it more completely; but I was still cursed with my duality of purpose; and as the first edge of my penitence wore off, the lower side of me, so long indulged, so recently chained down, began to growl for licence. Not that I dreamed of resuscitating Hyde; the bare idea of that would startle me to frenzy: no, it was in my own person that I was once more tempted to trifle with my conscience; and it was as an ordinary secret sinner that I at last fell before the assaults of temptation.

There comes an end to all things; the most capacious measure is filled at last; and this brief condescension to my evil finally destroyed the balance of my soul. And yet I was not alarmed; the fall seemed natural, like a return to the old days before I had made my discovery. It was a fine, clear, January day, wet under foot where the frost had melted, but cloudless overhead; and the Regent's Park was full of winter chirrupings and sweet with spring odours. I sat in the sun on a bench; the animal within me licking the chops of memory; the spiritual side a little drowsed, promising subsequent penitence, but not yet moved to begin. After all, I reflected, I was like my neighbours; and then I smiled, comparing myself with other men, comparing my active good-will with the lazy cruelty of their neglect. And at the very moment of that vainglorious thought, a qualm came over me, a horrid nausea and the

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most deadly shuddering. These passed away, and left me faint; and then as in its turn faintness subsided, I began to be aware of a change in the temper of my thoughts, a greater boldness, a contempt of danger, a solution of the bonds of obligation. I looked down; my clothes hung formlessly on my shrunken limbs; the hand that lay on my knee was corded and hairy. I was once more Edward Hyde. A moment before I had been safe of all men's respect, wealthy, beloved -- the cloth laying for me in the dining-room at home; and now I was the common quarry of mankind, hunted, houseless, a known murderer, thrall to the gallows.

My reason wavered, but it did not fail me utterly. I have more than once observed that in my second character, my faculties seemed sharpened to a point and my spirits more tensely elastic; thus it came about that, where Jekyll perhaps might have succumbed, Hyde rose to the importance of the moment. My drugs were in one of the presses of my cabinet; how was I to reach them? That was the problem that (crushing my temples in my hands) I set myself to solve. The laboratory door I had closed. If I sought to enter by the house, my own servants would consign me to the gallows. I saw I must employ another hand, and thought of Lanyon. How was he to be reached? how persuaded? Supposing that I escaped capture in the streets, how was I to make my way into his presence? and how should I, an unknown and displeasing visitor, prevail on the famous physician to rifle the study of his colleague, Dr. Jekyll? Then I remembered that of my original character, one part remained to me: I could write my own hand; and once I had conceived that kindling spark, the way that I must follow became lighted up from end to end.

Thereupon, I arranged my clothes as best I could, and summoning a passing hansom, drove to an hotel in Portland Street, the name of which I chanced to remember. At my appearance (which was indeed comical enough, however tragic a fate these garments covered) the driver could not conceal his mirth. I gnashed my teeth upon him with a gust of devilish fury; and the smile withered from his face -- happily for him -- yet more happily for myself, for in another instant I had certainly dragged him from his perch. At the inn, as I entered, I looked about me with so black a countenance as made the attendants tremble; not a look did they exchange in my presence; but obsequiously took my orders, led me to a private room, and brought me wherewithal to write. Hyde in danger of his life was a creature new to me; shaken with inordinate anger, strung to the pitch of murder, lusting to inflict pain. Yet the creature was astute; mastered his fury with a great effort of the will; composed his two important letters, one to Lanyon and one to Poole; and that he might receive actual evidence of their being posted, sent them out with directions that they should be registered. Thenceforward, he sat all day over the fire in the private room, gnawing his nails; there he dined,


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sitting alone with his fears, the waiter visibly quailing before his eye; and thence, when the night was fully come, he set forth in the corner of a closed cab, and was driven to and fro about the streets of the city. He, I say -- I cannot say, I. That child of Hell had nothing human; nothing lived in him but fear and hatred. And when at last, thinking the driver had begun to grow suspicious, he discharged the cab and ventured on foot, attired in his misfitting clothes, an object marked out for observation, into the midst of the nocturnal passengers, these two base passions raged within him like a tempest. He walked fast, hunted by his fears, chattering to himself, skulking through the less frequented thoroughfares, counting the minutes that still divided him from midnight. Once a woman spoke to him, offering, I think, a box of lights. He smote her in the face, and she fled.

When I came to myself at Lanyon's, the horror of my old friend perhaps affected me somewhat: I do not know; it was at least but a drop in the sea to the abhorrence with which I looked back upon these hours. A change had come over me. It was no longer the fear of the gallows, it was the horror of being Hyde that racked me. I received Lanyon's condemnation partly in a dream; it was partly in a dream that I came home to my own house and got into bed. I slept after the prostration of the day, with a stringent and profound slumber which not even the nightmares that wrung me could avail to break. I awoke in the morning shaken, weakened, but refreshed. I still hated and feared the thought of the brute that slept within me, and I had not of course forgotten the appalling dangers of the day before; but I was once more at home, in my own house and close to my drugs; and gratitude for my escape shone so strong in my soul that it almost rivalled the brightness of hope.

I was stepping leisurely across the court after breakfast, drinking the chill of the air with pleasure, when I was seized again with those indescribable sensations that heralded the change; and I had but the time to gain the shelter of my cabinet, before I was once again raging and freezing with the passions of Hyde. It took on this occasion a double dose to recall me to myself; and alas! six hours after, as I sat looking sadly in the fire, the pangs returned, and the drug had to be re-administered. In short, from that day forth it seemed only by a great effort as of gymnastics, and only under the immediate stimulation of the drug, that I was able to wear the countenance of Jekyll. At all hours of the day and night, I would be taken with the premonitory shudder; above all, if I slept, or even dozed for a moment in my chair, it was always as Hyde that I awakened. Under the strain of this continually impending doom and by the sleeplessness to which I now condemned myself, ay, even beyond what I had thought possible to man, I became, in my own person, a creature eaten up and emptied by fever, languidly weak both in body and mind, and solely occupied by one thought: the horror of my

Lesson 72

345

other self. But when I slept, or when the virtue of the medicine wore off, I would leap almost without transition (for the pangs of transformation grew daily less marked) into the possession of a fancy brimming with images of terror, a soul boiling with causeless hatreds, and a body that seemed not strong enough to contain the raging energies of life. The powers of Hyde seemed to have grown with the sickliness of Jekyll. And certainly the hate that now divided them was equal on each side. With Jekyll, it was a thing of vital instinct. He had now seen the full deformity of that creature that shared with him some of the phenomena of consciousness, and was co-heir with him to death: and beyond these links of community, which in themselves made the most poignant part of his distress, he thought of Hyde, for all his energy of life, as of something not only hellish but inorganic. This was the shocking thing; that the slime of the pit seemed to utter cries and voices; that the amorphous dust gesticulated and sinned; that what was dead, and had no shape, should usurp the offices of life. And this again, that that insurgent horror was knit to him closer than a wife, closer than an eye; lay caged in his flesh, where he heard it mutter and felt it struggle to be born; and at every hour of weakness, and in the confidence of slumber, prevailed against him, and deposed him out of life. The hatred of Hyde for Jekyll was of a different order. His terror of the gallows drove him continually to commit temporary suicide, and return to his subordinate station of a part instead of a person; but he loathed the necessity, he loathed the despondency into which Jekyll was now fallen, and he resented the dislike with which he was himself regarded. Hence the ape-like tricks that he would play me, scrawling in my own hand blasphemies on the pages of my books, burning the letters and destroying the portrait of my father; and indeed, had it not been for his fear of death, he would long ago have ruined himself in order to involve me in the ruin. But his love of me is wonderful; I go further: I, who sicken and freeze at the mere thought of him, when I recall the abjection and passion of this attachment, and when I know how he fears my power to cut him off by suicide, I find it in my heart to pity him.

It is useless, and the time awfully fails me, to prolong this description; no one has ever suffered such torments, let that suffice; and yet even to these, habit brought -- no, not alleviation -- but a certain callousness of soul, a certain acquiescence of despair; and my punishment might have gone on for years, but for the last calamity which has now fallen, and which has finally severed me from my own face and nature. My provision of the salt, which had never been renewed since the date of the first experiment, began to run low. I sent out for a fresh supply and mixed the draught; the ebullition followed, and the first change of colour, not the second; I drank it and it was without efficiency. You will learn from Poole how I have had London ransacked; it was in vain; and I am now persuaded that my first supply was


346

impure, and that it was that unknown impurity which lent efficacy to the draught.

About a week has passed, and I am now finishing this statement under the influence of the last of the old powders. This, then, is the last time, short of a miracle, that Henry Jekyll can think his own thoughts or see his own face (now how sadly altered!) in the glass. Nor must I delay too long to bring my writing to an end; for if my narrative has hitherto escaped destruction, it has been by a combination of great prudence and great good luck. Should the throes of change take me in the act of writing it, Hyde will tear it in pieces; but if some time shall have elapsed after I have laid it by, his wonderful selfishness and circumscription to the moment will probably save it once again from the action of his ape-like spite. And indeed the doom that is closing on us both has already changed and crushed him. Half an hour from now, when I shall again and forever re-indue that hated personality, I know how I shall sit shuddering and weeping in my chair, or continue, with the most strained and fearstruck ecstasy of listening, to pace up and down this room (my last earthly refuge) and give ear to every sound of menace. Will Hyde die upon the scaffold? or will he find courage to release himself at the last moment? God knows; I am careless; this is my true hour of death, and what is to follow concerns another than myself. Here then, as I lay down the pen and proceed to seal up my confession, I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end.

IRREGULAR VERBS

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle فارسي abide abode-abided abode-abided تحمل كردن arise arose arisen روي دادن، سرزدن، طلوع كردن

awake awoke awake-awoke بيدار شدن be was-were been بودن bear bore borne-born متولد شدن beat beat beaten نزد

become became become شدن

befall befell befallen اتفاق افتادن beget begot begotten هستي بخشيدن

begin began begun شروع كردن

behold beheld beheld نگاه كردن bend bent bent-bended خم شدن

bereave bereaved-bereft bereaved-bereft محروم كردن beseech besought besought التماس كردن-تنها

beset beset beset احاطه كردن bet bet-betted bet-betted شرط بستن

betake betook betaken پناه بردن bethink bethought bethought باز انديشدن bid bade-bid bidden-bid امر كردن bide bode-bided bided تحمل كردن bind bound bound پيوند دادن bite bit bitten-bit گاز گرفتن bleed bled bled خونريزي كردن

blend blended-blent blended-blent مخلوط كردن bless blessed-blest blessed-blest بركت دادن blow blew blown دميدن، وزيدن break broke broken شكستن

breed bred bred پرورش دادن bring brought brought آوردن

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broadcast broadcast-broadcasted broadcast-broadcasted پخش كردن build built built ساختن

burn burnt-burned burnt-burned سوزاندن

buy bought bought خريدن

cast cast cast پرتاب كردن catch caught caught گرفتن chide chid chidden-chid سرزنش كردن

choose chose chosen انتخاب cleave clove-cleft cloven-cleft شكافتن، تقسيم كردن

cling clung clung چسبيدن

clothe clothed clothed پوشيدن come came come آمدن cost cost cost هزينه و قيمت داشتن

creep crept crept خزيدن

crow crowed crowed بانگ خروس-آواز

cut cut cut بريدن dare dared dared جرأت داشتن

deal dealt dealt برخورد كردن dig dug dug حفاري كردن–كندن

dive dived(US)dove dived شيرجه زدن

do did done انجام دادن draw drew drawn ترسيم كردن dream dreamed-dreamt dreamed-dreamt رويا ديدن

drink drank drunk نوشيدن drive drove driven دگيرانن

dwell dwelt dwelt سكونت

eat ate eaten خوردن

fall fell fallen افتادن feed fed fed غذا دادن

feel felt felt احساس كردن fight fought fought جنگيدن

find found found پيدا كردن

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349

flee fled fled فرار كردن fling flung flung پرتاب كردن fly flew flown پرواز كردن forbear forbore forborne خودداري كردن

forbid forbade, forbad forbidden ممنوع بودن forecast forecast, forecasted forecast, forecasted بيني كردن پيش

foreknow foreknew foreknown از پيش دانستن foresee foresaw foreseen بيني كردن پيش

foretell foretold foretold گويي كردنپيش

forget forgot forgotten فراموش كردن forgive forgave forgiven و كردنفع

forsake forsook forsaken رها كردن

forswear forswore forsworn كنار گذاشتن freeze froze frozen يخ زدن gainsay gainsaid gainsaid انكار كردن get got got,(US)gotten گرفتن gild gilded, gilt gilded زراندود كردن

gird girded, girt girded, girt در بر گرفتن give gave given دادن go went gone رفتن

grave graved graven, graved كنده كاري كردن grind ground ground ب كردناآسي

grow grew grown كاشتن، پرورش دادن، رشد كردن hamstring hamstringed, hamstrung hamstringed, hamstrung از كار انداختن hang hung, hanged hung, hanged آويزان كردن have had had داشتن hear heard heard شنيدن

heave heaved, hove heaved, hove به زحمت بلند شدن hew hewed hewed, hewn بريدن، قطع كردن hide hid hidden, hid مخفي كردن hit hit hit زدن

hold held held نگهداشتن، برگزار كردن

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hurt hurt hurt صدمه زدن

inlay inlaid inlaid خاتم كاري keep kept kept نگهداشتن kneel knelt knelt به زانو درآمدن knit knitted, knit knitted, knit بستن بافتن، بهم

know knew known شناختن

lade laded laden پركردن lay laid laid خوابيدن، گذاشتن

lead led led هدايت كردن

lean leant, leaned leant, leaned تكيه دادن leap leapt, leaped leapt, leaped جنبيدن

learn learnt, learned learnt, learned يادگرفتن leave left left ترك كردن lend lent lent قرض دادن let let let اجازه دادن lie lay lain دروغ گفتن light lighted, lit lighted, lit روشن كردن

lose lost lost گم كردن make made made ساختن

mean meant meant منظور داشتن، معني داشتن meet met met مالقات كردن melt melted melted, molten ذوب شدن miscast miscast miscast مناسب نقش نبودن misdeal misdealt misdealt بد دادن، بد آمدن misgive misgave misgiven ترديد داشتن mislay mislaid mislaid گم و گور كردن، گم كردن mislead misled misled گمراه كردن misspell misspelt misspelt ننوشتغلط

misspend misspent misspent هدر دادن

mistake mistook mistaken ردناشتباه ك

misunderstand misunderstood misunderstood سوء تفاهم

mow mowed mown,(US)mowed چمن زدن

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Irregular Verbs

351

outbid outbade, outbid outbidden, outbid بيشتر پيشنهاد دادن outdo outdid outdone ،يشي گرفتنپسبقت گرفتن

outgo outwent outgone بيرون رفتن outgrow outgrew outgrown ر شدنبزرگت

outride outrode outridden بهتر راندن outrun outran outrun بهتر دويدن outshine outshone outshone بيشتر درخشيدن overbear overbore overborne از پا درآوردن overcast overcast overcast پوشاندن، گرفته بودن overcome overcame overcome غلبه كردن

overdo overdid overdone افراط كردن overhang overhung overhung معلق بودن، آويزان بودن overhear overheard overheard اتفاقي گوش دادن، شنيدن overlay overlaid overlaid روكش كردن

overleap overleapt, overleaped overleapt, overleaped پريدن از روي overlie overlay overlain قرار گرفتن، خفه كردن )چيزي(روي

override overrode overridden ناديده گرفتن overrun overran overrun تصرف كردن oversee oversaw overseen نظارت كردن overset overset overset بر هم زدن overshoot overshot overshot فراتر رفتن oversleep overslept overslept خواب ماندن

overtake overtook overtaken سبقت كردن

overthrow overthrew overthrown سر نگون كردن

overwork overworked overworked, overwrought كار زياد كردن partake partook partaken شريك شدن

pay paid paid پرداخت كردن prove proved proved, proven اثبات كردن put put put دادنقرار

read read/red/ read/red/ خواندن

rebind rebound rebound دوباره صحافي كردن

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rebuild rebuilt rebuilt بازسازي كردن recast recast recast مشكل تازه دادن redo redid redone دوباره انجام دادن relay relaid relaid دوباره روكش كردن remake remade remade تن فيلمدوباره ساخ

rend rent rent اجازه دادن repay repaid repaid بازپرداخت كردن rerun reran rerun دوباره نشان دادن reset reset reset دوباره جا انداختن retell retold retold بازگو كردن rewrite rewrote rewritten بازنويسي rid rid, ridden rid, ridden خالص كردن، رها ساختن

ride rode ridden راندن

ring rang rung زنگ زدن

rise rose risen باال آمدن rive rived riven, rived شكافتن ،جدا كردن ،تركيدن

run ran run دويدن saw sawed sawn,(sawed) اره كردن say said said گفتن see saw seen ديدن seek sought sought جستجو كردن

sell sold sold ختنفرو

send sent sent فرستادن set set set ايجاد كردن sew sewed sewn, sewed دوختن shake shook shaken تكان دادن shave shaved shaved, shaven اصالح كردن shear sheared shorn, sheared پشم گوسفندان را چيدن shed shed shed از دست دادن، برگ ريختن shine shone shone يدندرخش

shoe shod shod نعل زدن shoot shot shot تيراندازي كردن

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Irregular Verbs

353

show showed shown, showed نشان دادن shred shredded shredded ريز ريز كردن

shrink shrank, shrunk shrunk, shrunken منقبض شدن، كوچك شدن shrive shrove, shived shriven, shrived اعتراف را شنيدن sing sang sung آواز خواندن sink sank sunk, sunken غرق شدن

sit sat sat نشستن slay slew slain كشتن sleep slep slept خوابيدن

slide slid slid, slidden ليز خوردن sling slung slung آويزان كردن، بستن slink slunk slunk جيم شدن

slit slit slit شكاف و درز دادن

smell smelt, smelled smelt, smelled بوئيدن smite smote smitten محكم زدن sow sowed sown, sowed بذر پاشيدن speak spoke spoken صحبت كردن

speed sped, speeded sped, speeded سرعت داشتن

spell spelt, spelled spelt, spelled هجي كردن

spend spent spent صرف كردن

spill spilt, spilled spilt, spilled سر رفتن، سر ريز كردن

spin spun spun چرخاندن

split split split تكه تكه كردن، خرد كردن spoil spoilt, spoiled spoilt, spoiled لوث كردن spread spread spread گسترش دادن spring sprang sprung جهيدن

stand stood stood ايستادن stave staved, stove staved, stove شكستن، خرد كردن

steal stole stolen سرقت كردن

stick stuck stuck فرو كردن sting stung stung گزيدن، نيش زدن stink stank, stunk stunk بوي بد دادن

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strew strewed strewn, strewed پائيدن، ريختن stride strode stridden قدم بلند برداشتن strike struck struck, stricken ضربه زدن

string strung strung زه انداختن، رشته كردن

strive strove striven تالش كردن sunburn sunburned, sunburnt sunburned, sunburnt آفتاب سوخته شدن swear swore sworn قسم خوردن sweep swept swept جارو كردن

swell swelled swollen, swelled ورم كردن

swim swam swum شنا كردن

swing swung swung تاب خوردن take took taken گرفتن teach taught taught تدريس كردن tear tore torn پاره كردن tell told told گفتن think thought thought فكر كردن thrive throve, thrived thriven, thrived رشد كردن

throw threw thrown كردنپرتاب

thrust thrust thrust هل دادن

tread trod trodden, trod راه رفتن

unbend unbent unbent صاف شدن

unbind unbound unbound آزاد كردن underbid underbid underbid زير قيمت پيشنهاد دادن

undergo underwent undergone روي دادن–قرار گرفتن

understand understood understood فهميدن undertake undertook undertaken تحمل كردن undo undid undone باز كردن upset upset upset واژگون كردن

wake woke, waked woken, waked بيدار شدن waylay waylaid waylaid كمين كردن wear wore worn پوشيدن weave wove woven, wove بافتن

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Irregular Verbs

355

wed wedded wedded, wed ازدواج كردن weep wept wept گريه كردن win won won برنده شدن withhold withheld withheld دربر گرفتن withstand withstood withstood دريغ كردن، مضايقه كردن wring wrung wrung پيچاندن، فشار دادن write wrote written نوشتن

Mini Dictionary

A

Absorb = engross جذب كردن Accelerator = speed شتاب دهنده؛ پدال گاز

Acceptance = agreement پذيرش Accident = crash تصادف Accurate = authentic صحيح

Add = put together اضافه كردن Addition = expansion اضافه Adhesive = sticky چسبنده

Admire = applaud ن كردنيتحس

Admit = accept پذيرفتن Adopt = choose اختيار، انتخاب Advantage = benefit امتياز Advocation = endorse تمجيد Advise = instruct كردننصيحت

Agenda = schedule دستور جلسه، برنامه كار Aggregate = intensify تجاوز-تشديد

Alarming = alert ننده، وحشتناكنگران ك

Alertness = active هوشياري

Amber = كهربا Amount = quantity مقدار Amusement = mirth تفريح Ancient = aged باستاني Anonymous = unidentified گمنام Anxiety = worry اضطراب Anxious = agitated مضطرب Appeal = charm كشش

Mini Dictionary

357

Appeasement = calm بخشي تسكين، آرام

Appetite = desire اشتها Applicatin = implement درخواست كار Appreciate = applaud قدرداني،تمجيد

Appreciation = cherish سپاسگزاري

Approach = system روش

Appropriate = suitable مناسب Approximation = estimate ؛ برآوردتقريب

Argument = conflict بحث Arrest = capture دستگيركردن Arrive = enter رسيدن

Articulate = intelligible محاسبه كردن Ascribe = prescribe تجويز كردن Assess = consider ارزيابي كردن Associate = combine ربط دادن

Assume = imagine تصوركردن Astound = amaze حيران بودن

Attack = assault حمله كردن

Attempt = effort تالش Attract = fascinate جذب كردن

Available = obtainable موجود بودن Avenue = street خيابان؛كوچه

Awakening = conscious بيداري

B

Backward = retrograde عقبعقببه ،

Ballad = poem چكامه

Bandwidth = connect ارتباط Bilingual = two languages هانبز دو


Blank = empty سفيد؛خالي

Boost = reinforce تقويت كردن Botanist = شناس گياه

Bother = annoyance زحمت

Bottom = base ته؛پايين

Brain = mind مغز Bread = loaf نان Break = rest استراحت؛شكستن

Brew = blend پيدايش Bright = blaze دل انگيز-روشن

Broadside = extensive از پهلو Build = construct ساختن

Bury = entomb دفن كردن Bush = plant بوته Business = affair كار،شغل

C Cacophony = atonality بدصدايي Cancer = tumor سرطان

Capacity = competence گنجايش Card board = paste board جعبه،تخته

Care = attention مراقبت Carefully = alertly با دقت Case = occurrence مورد Cause = stimulus باعث Change = modification تغيير Checklist = list ليست Chocolate = candy شكالت

Choking = block خفه شدن

Mini Dictionary

359

Citizenship = dweller شهروندي

Civilization = urbanity تمدن Claim = insist on ادعا Climb = ascent صعود كردن

Coastline = shore خط ساحلي

Colleague = associate همكار

Collect = accumulate آوري جمع

Collection = set مجموعه Collision = crash تصادف Combination = alloy تركيب Combine = mix تركيب كردن Comfort = relief راحتي

Comfortable = relaxing راحت

Community = colony اجتماع Compare = contrast مقايسه كردن Compass = قطب نما Complain = lament كردنشكايت

Complete = full كامل Compose = compile نوشتن -ساختن

Compound = complex پيچيده- تركيب

Concentrate = focus تمركز Concept = idea مفهوم Conclusion = deduction گيري جهنتي

Concrete = actual واقعي

Condense = thicken متراكم Condition = state شرايط) در جمع(شرط؛ Confident = certain نئممط Confine = constrain كردن محدود

Conform = agree كردن تاكيد


Connection = attach ارتباط Consider = contemplate درنظرگرفتن Considerable = worthwhile مالحظه قابل

Consist = contain بودن شامل

Consumer = user مصرف كننده Consumerism = using culture فرهنگ مصرف Consumption = usage مصرف Contact = connection تماس Contain = enclose حاوي بودن

Contemporary = coexistent معاصر Content = ingredient راضي ؛محتوي

Continuous = ceaseless ادامه Contribute = bestow همكاري

Contributor = benefactor همكار

Controversy = argument جدل،بحث

Convey = deliver دادنانتقال

Convince = assure متقاعد كردن Cooperation = assistance تعاون،همكاري

Copyright = legal right حق تاليف

Core = center هسته

Cost = expenditure هزينه

Count = calculate محاسبه Counter measure = revenge اقدام متقابل Country = canton روستا،كشور

Countryside = greenbelt ييالق Cover = wrapper جلد، پوشش

Crack = break ترك Crash = clash شكستن

Create = construct نخلق كرد

Mini Dictionary

361

Creature = being موجود Critic = analyst منتقد Critical = captious حياتي؛بحراني

Criticize = complain انتقاد كردن Crowd = bunch جمعيت

Cultural = civilized فرهنگي Culture = civilization فرهنگ Cupboard = cabinet قفسه Cure = therapy درمان Currently = flow ريجا

Cut out = omit كردن، بريدنحذف

Cynical = pessimistic گو بدبين؛ كنايه

D Danger = crisis خطر

Dangerous = hazardous خطرناك

Data = information اطالعات Deaf = unable to hear كر Deal = encounter برخورد كردن Death = demise مرگ Decade = ten years دهه Decide = judge گرفتنتصميم

Decline = reduction كاهش Decoration = adornment تزئين Defect = blemish شكست

Defense = protection دفاع Deficiency = insufficient اختالل Defoliate = falling of leaves زدايي كردن برگ


Delicacy = fragility ظرافت

Delight = pleasure لذت Denounce = accuse متهم كردن Dense = compact تراكمم

Dependent = connected with وابستهفاميل؛

Deplete = consume كاهش دادن Deposit = advance payment سپرده، پيش پرداخت

Depression = despair افسردگي Descend = incline سقوط

Designer = architect طراح

Despise = deride ر كردنتحقي

Destitute = needy فقير Detector = researcher جستجوگر

Deter = daunt منع كردن Detergent = washing powder پاك كننده Determine = decide تعيين كردن Develop = advance توسعه، گسترش

Developing = progressing درحال توسعه Die = pass away مردن Diet = nourishment ييرژيم غذا

Dietary = nutrition غذايي، غذاييرژيم

Differ = vary تفاوت داشتن Different = oppose تفاوتم

Difficult = complex مشكل Difficulty = adversity دشواري، مشكل Dim = blurred تيره Direction = approach مسير Directly = straightly اًمستقيم

Disabuse = clarify رفع شبه كردن، از اشتباه درآوردن

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Disappear = vanish ناپديد شدن Disappearance = invisible شدنناپديد

Disease = ailment بيماري Disparage = belittle كوچك شمردن، تحقير كردن Disparity = difference نابرابري، تفاوت Display = show نمايش Disprove = reject ردنردك

Dissimilar = different تفاوتم

Distance = isolation فاصله Distinguish = discriminate تمايز دادن، تشخيص دادن Disturb = interrupt مزاحم شدن؛ برهم زدن Document = certificate مدرك، سند

Documentary = authenticated مستند Doubtful = cynical مشكوك Doubtlessly = certain بي ترديد Drain = pipe فاضالب Drop = descent چكيدن

Drought = lack of raining خشكسالي

Due to = because of به علت Dull = slow كند Dung = manure فضوالت

E Early = first اوليه Easily = untroubledly نيآسابه

Eccentric = aberrant عجيب و غريب

Effect = impact ثيرأت

Effective = capable ثرؤم

Electrical = battery operated برقي


Electronic = synthesized الكترونيكي Emanating = proceed ساطع

Embankment = dam خاكريز، ديواره

Embarrass = shame ناراحت كردن Emerge = appear پديدار شدن Emigrant = refugee مهاجر Emitting = discharge دفع كردن Emotionally = roman عاطفياز نظر

Emphasis = stress كيدأت

Empty = blank خالي

Encourage = advocate تشويق End = extreme انتها Enough = sufficient كافي Enquire = demand پرسيدن Entire = complete كامل Entitle = call ناميدن، نام نهادن Epidemic = spreading شايع

Epidemiologist = pathologist آسيب شناس Equipment = instrument تجهيزات Equivalent = parallel مساوي Escape = filt فرار Especially = particularly خصوصأ

Establish = constitute ايجاد كردن Establishment = composition ايجاد Ethical = fair اخالقي Ethnic = cultural نژادي Evaporate = dehydrate تبخير Eventually = finally سرانجام

Evidence = certification شواهد

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Evolutionary = changing تكاملي، تحولي Exacerbate = intensive خشمگين كردن؛ تشديد كردن

Exactly = accurately ًدقيقا Examine = analyse كردنامتحان

Excellent = admirable عالي

Exceptionally = exclusive )استثنائي) طور به

Excite = agitate آوردنهيجانبه

Excitement = enthusiasm هيجان

Exhibition = expo نمايشگاه Existence = being هستي، وجود

Expand = amplify گسترش Expect = await داشتنانتظار

Expectancy = eager رانتظا

Expensive = costly گران Experience = observation تجربه Explain = clarify دادنتوضيح

Explorer = survey جستجوگر

Explosive = dangerous قابل انفجار Extensive = broad گسترده Extend = expanse دادنگسترش

Extra = additional اضافي Extract = essence خالصه

F Fail = unsuccessful خوردنشكست

Faintly = slightly جزئي Falling = crash افتادن Famous = celebrated مشهور Fatal = lethal مهلك


Favourite = beloved موردعالقه Fee = charge هزينه

Fire-brigade = fire service آتش نشاني Firmly = rigidly محكم Flaw = error اشتباه Float = glide شدنشناور

Flowing = current جاري بودن

Focus = concentrate كردنتمركزم

Foggy = blurred مه آلود Force = power اجبار؛نيرو

Forest = woods جنگل

Fossilize = ancient شدن فسيل شدن،سنگواره

Found = inaugurate ريزي كردن پايه

Freeze = chill زدن يخ

Frying = cook سرخ كردن

Furry = hairy پرز، كرك

G Gaoler = jailer زندانبان

General = common كلي Generate = breed كردنتوليد

Generation = race نسل Gesture = indication ركت سر و دستح

Gift = present هديه

Glance = glimpse نگاه Glaze = shine انداختنبرق

Glimpse = squint نگاه كوتاه Graduate = get a degree فارغ التحصيل

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Greet = salute كردنسالم

Grip = grasp گرفتن Ground = earth زمين

Guaranteeing = warranty ضمانت

Guest = caller مهمان Gust = wind )وزش تند) باد

H Habit = custom عادت

Hammer = strike چكش

Handicap = paralyzed معلول Harassment = harvest برداشت Hardening = reinforce سخت شدن

Harvest = crop برداشت محصول Hasty = abrupt عجله

Helicoidal = maze مارپيچي Hesitation = doubt ترديد Hitherto = so far تا به حال، تاكنون Hold = keep نگه داشتن Hostile = enemy )ندشم) مربوط به

House = home خانه

Huge = gigantic عظيم

Humble = modest متواضع Hurry = haste عجله

I Idealism = best ييآرمان گرا


Identical = equivalent مشخص Identify = distinguish كردنشناسايي

Identifying = introducing شناسايي

Ignore = neglect ناديده گرفتن، اعتنا نكردن Illiterate = uneducated بي سواد Illogical = absurd غيرمنطقي

Image = picture تصور Imagine = dream كردن كه؛ تصور كردنخيال

Imbalance = unequal عدم تعادل

Immediately = at once بالفاصله Immensely = plenty اندازه، فراوان بي

Immigrant = refugee مهاجر Immobile = stable ثابت Immortal = eternal جاودان، ابدي

Impair = weaken تضعيف كردن، كاهش دادن Impend = threat تهديد كردن Impending = approach در شرف وقوع Impoverish = weaken تحليل بردن Imprecise = inaccurate غير دقيق

Imprison = sentence كردنزنداني

Impulse = move ؛ غريزه؛ تمايلحركت

Inability = impotent عدم توانايي

Inadvertently = unknowingly ًندانسته، سهوا Inattention = careless عدم توجه

Inauspicious = jinx بديمن، شوم Incident = accident حادثه

Include = contain شدنشامل

Increase = promote افزايش Incredible = impossible باورنكردني

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Incredibly = unlikely طور باورنكردني به

Income = earning درآمد Incorporating = combine ادغام Individual = personal فرد Industry = business صنعت

Influence = effect ثيرأت

Ingredient = material )تركيبات) در جمع

Initiate = begin كردنآغاز

Insist = persist كردناصرار

Instantaneous = immediate آني، فوري Institution = firm سسهؤم

Institutional = organizational سازماني

Instruct = teach دادنآموزش

Intake = get جذب

Intellect = wisdom ،هوشعقل

Intelligent = wise هوشمند

Intract = function عملكرد

Interest = attention عالقه

Intermixture = combination تركيب Intersperse = spread پراكندن، پخش كردن Interview = questioning مصاحبه Introduce = announce كردنمعرفي

Invent = construct كردناختراع

Investigate = search تحقيق كردن Investigating = research تحقيق Investigation = survey تحقيق، بررسي، مطالعه Investigator = scholar محقق Invitation = summon دعوت Invoke = appeal ياري خواستن از؛ القا كردن

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Involving = contain مستلزم Issue = subject موضوع

J Join = link پيوستن Jump = leap پريدن

K Kicking = boot لگدزدن Kidnapper = capture ربا، بچه دزد آدم

Kingdom = realm پادشاهي

L Landlady = hostess صاحب خانهخانم

Lane = way خط

Language = tongue زبان

Large = big بزرگ Larynx = throat حنجره

Laugh = chuckle خنده

Launch = initiate شروع؛پرتاب

Leading = distinct مهم؛ پيشتاز Leather = skin چرم

Length = distance طول

Leptin = material ماده Level = degree سطح

Limestone سنگ آهك

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Limit = boundary محدوديت Link = connect متصل شدن Local = regional محلي Loll = lean لم دادن؛ آويزان بودن Lower = decrease پائين Lucky = successful خوش شانس

Luggage = baggage وسايل؛بار

Luxury = affluence ؛ لوكسمجلل

M Madness = crazy گي، جنونديوان

Magazine = journal مجله Magic = miraculous جادو

Maintain = keep كردنحفظ

Major = main اصلي Manage = run مديريت كردن Management = administration مديريت Managerial = directory مديريتي Manipulate = manage ماهرانه عمل كردن؛ فريب دادن Manoeuvre = handle مانور Manual = handle دستي Manufacturer = producer توليد كننده March = parade راه رفتن

Marry = wed كردنازدواج

Mass = group توده Massage = rub ماساژ دادن؛ ماساژ Master = boss استاد Material = substance موضوع؛ماده

Mathematician = رياضيدان

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Maze = confusion سردرگمي

Meal = food غذا

Measuring = ration گيري مخصوص اندازه

Merchant = tradesman بازرگان Messenger = postman پيام رسان Metabolism = سوخت و ساز بدن

Midnight = نيمه شب Military = army نظامي Mineral = ore معدني Minimize = reduce حداقل

Minister = secretary وزير

Misjudging = misinterpret فهميدناشتباه

Misperceive = misunderstand اشتباه Mistake = worn اشتباه Mistaken = error اشتباه Mixing = combine تركيب Modification = change تغيير Moisture = damp رطوبت

Moment = instant لحظه Mood = attitude حالت

Morbidity = unpleasant حالت بيمارگونه

Mosque = مسجد Multiply = double كردنضرب

Mystery = enigma راز

Myth = legend اسطوره

N Narrow = constricted باريك

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Nation = civilization ملت Neighboring = adjacent همسايه

Nervous = anxious )باعصا) مربوط به

Nervously = fearfully با حالت نگراني Nonsense = absurdity ياوهپوچ ،

Normal = ordinary عادي

Nowadays = todays امروزه

O Objective = goal هدف

Obstacle = barricade مانع Obtain = acquire كسب كردن Occupation = job شغل

Occupy = dwell - in اشغال كردن Odd = strange عدد فرد-عجيب

Offer = propose پيشنهاد Opportunity = chance فرصت Opposite = contradictory مخالف Oppressive = harsh سخت

Orderly = methodical منظم؛معمولي

Organization = arrangement سازمان دهي

Overweight = fatty اضافه وزن Owner = holder صاحب

P Pack = box بسته بندي Pair = couple جفت

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Parcel = bundle بسته Parents = begetter والدين

Particular = specific خاص

Pay = income پرداخت Peak = apex اوج؛باال

Peasant = rustic روستايي

Penetrate = get through كردننفوذ

Percent = rate درصد Performance = accomplishment اجرا Period = phase دوره Personal = individual شخصي

Pessimistic = cynical بدبين Piece = section تكه Pillow = bloster متكا Place = zoon مكان Plenty = excess فراواني Poet = lyricist شاعر

Point = indicate اشاره-نقطه

Pointer = arrow چوب اشاره؛ عقربه

Political = diplomatic سياسي

Politician = administrative سياستمدار

Pollution = contaminate آلودگي Pool = natatorium استخر Poorest = broke فقيرترين Population = citizenry جمعيت

Possession = belongings مالكيت Posthumous = after death بعدازمرگ Potential = capable بالقوه Poverty = beggary فقر

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Praise = acclaim تمجيد Preacher = cleric واعظ

Preclude = avoid مانع شدن Predict = forecast پيش بيني Predispose = make ready متمايل كردن، آماده كردن Prefer = favour ترجيح Prehistoric = ancient ماقبل تاريخ Premature = under loped ناقص Premise = preface مقدمه Present = now حاضر

Preservation = conservation حفظ

Preserve = reserve حفظ كردن

President = boss رئيس

Pressure = stress فشار Prestigious = celebrated آبرومند Pretending = deceive اهرتظ

Previous = preceding قبلي Previously = precedingly ً؛ قبلقبال

Primary = basic اوليه Primitive = aboriginal اوليهابتدايي؛

Printing = lettering چاپ

Prisoner = active زنداني

Probably = likely احتمال Problem = trouble مشكل Proceed = advance قبلي Process = procedure فرايند Produce = create توليد Product = yield محصول Professional = skilful اي حرفه

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Proof = evidence اثبات Proportion = rate نسبت Prove = certify اثبات Public = civic عمومي، همگاني؛ دولتي

Publish = print كردنچاپ

Punctual = good خوش قول

Pure = unalloyed خالص

Purpose = intention هدف

Puzzle = riddle معما كردن؛گيج

Q Query = question سؤال، پرسش

Quiet = inaudible ساكت

R Radiation = beam بازتاب Ransom = blackmail ديه،باج

Rate = pace نسبت،درصد

Ravenous = greedy شكمو،حريص

Reaction = response واكنش

Recognition = indentify شناسايي

Recognize = diagnose شناسايي كردن

Recreation = amusement ؛ تجديد قواتفريح

Recrystallize = بلورسازي Recycling = reclaim بازيافت Reduce = decrease دادنكاهش

Refer = point كردنرجوع

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Regard = consider درنظرگرفتن Regime = government حكومت

Region = realm منطقه Regional = territory اي ناحيه

Regularly = orderly منظم Reinforce = strength كردنتقويت

Reject = refuse نپذيرفتن Relationship = connection ارتباط Relative = dependence مربوط Relaxation = resting استراحت Reliable = efficient مطمئن Relieve = alleviate آرام كردن، تسكين دادن Religion = divinity دين Reluctantly = unwilling بي ميليبا

Rely = depend on داشتناطمينان

Remain = survive باقي ماندن Remarkably = wonderfully شايان ذكر است كه

Repeat = reproduce كردنتكرار

Replace = restore كردنجايگزين

Reply = respond پاسخ Represent = show نشان دادن Repulsive = abhorrent انگيز نفرت

Require = need داشتننياز

Research = survey تحقيق Researcher = scholar محقق Resident = dweller ساكن

Resin = rosin رزين

Resistant = unyielding مقاوم Response = reply واكنش

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Responsible = manager مسئول Result = conclusion نتيجه Reveal = display كردنآشكار

Review = reconsideration بررسي Reward = prize جايزه

Rich = opulent ثروتمند Risk = jeopardize خطر

Roam = stroll گردش Roar = shout غرش

Rob = steal بردنسرقتبه

Rose = گل سرخرز ،

Rudiments = essentials اوليه Ruin = destruction ؛ خراب كردنيابخر

S Safe = secure ناامدر

Safety = immunity يتامن

Sail = voyage كردنكشتي راني

Satisfaction = content رضايت

Satisfying = please بخش تيارض

Scholar = expert دانشمند Scope = field زهحو

Scrutinize = analyse دقت بررسي كردن به

Sculpture = statue مجسمه Seal = affirm مهر Section = division بخش Separate = apart جدا

Sermon = preach موعظه

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Settle = home in گزيدنسكونت

Shadowy = dim دار؛ مبهم سايه

Share = distribute سهم

Shift = switch تغيير Shock = distress شوكه شدن

Shop = boutique مغازه Shore = coast ساحل

Shoreline = bank خط ساحلي

Shortcoming = lack كمبود Siesta = nap بعد از ظهرخواب

Sigh = breath آه Sign = symptom عالمت

Signal = message پيام، سيگنال Significant = worthwhile مهم Silly = stupid احمق Situation = circumstances شرايط

Sleepless = insomniac يخواب بي

Slightly = scarcely كمي Slim = slender الغر

Slogan = motto شعار

Snail = escargot حلزون

Snare = trap دام Soak = submerge جذب كردن

Socialize = get together اجتماعي- نآمد كرد و دن؛ رفتشبا جامعه آشنا

Soft = smooth نرم Solace = comfort آرامش دادن؛ آرامش Solution = resolution راه حل

Sonography = sound recording صدانگاري

Sophisticate = wise عاقل

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Soporific = boring آور؛ خسته كننده خواب

Sound = voice صدا

Space = gap فضا Sparkling = flashing جرقه

Special = noteworthy خاص

Speculate = meditate تفكر كردن Spill = overturn ريختن

Spouse = partner همسر

Staff = workers پرسنل Startling = shake شروع

Steady = uninterrupted باثبات Stick = paste چسبيدن

Stiff = tight محكم Stimulation = arousing تحريك Store = shop انبار؛مغازه

Strange = grotesque عجيب

Structure = organization ساختار

Substance = fabric هماد

Substantially = basically اًاساس

Subtropical = hot area گرمسيري Succeeding = following بعدي Successful = victorious موفق Sudden = abrupt ناگهان Suffer = agonize رنج بردن

Sufficiently = adequate كافيبه اندازة

Suggest = recommend كردنپيشنهاد

Suit = satisfy بودنمناسب

Supply = feed فراهم ساختن Support = protect حمايت

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Suppose = assume گمان كردن Surface = covering سطح

Surprise = shocked شگفت انگيزحادثة

Survive = outlive زنده ماندن Suspect = untrustworthy مشكوك Suspend = dangle معلق Statistics = data آمار Swallow = guzzle بلعيدن Sweet = honeyed شيرين

Switch on = start روشن كردن

System = network سيستم

T Task = assignment وظيفه

Tearful = weeping آلود گريان؛ اشك

Temper = fury عصبانيت

Temperature = heat دما Tend = tendency داشتنتمايل

Tendency = bias ميل Territory = region قلمرو Theory = hypothesis فرضيه Thirsty = arid تشنه Thread = fibre نخريسمان ،

Threaten = menace كردنتهديد

Thrifty = economic جو، مقتصد صرفه

Throat = gullet گلو Touch = contact لمس Tranquilliser = calm آرام بخش

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Transition = modification تغيير؛انتقال

Translate = interpret ترجمه كردن Transmit = convey دادنانتقال

Travel = trip كردنمسافرت

Treatment = heal درمان Tremendous = huge عظيم

Trifling = dabbling اهميت ، بيكوچك

Trouble = adversity مشكل Truth = reality حقيقت

Tuberculosis = lung illness سل

Tutor = teach درس دادن به؛ راهنمايي كردن

U Unacceptable = forbidden غيرقابل پذيرش

Unconcern = careless اعتنايي بي

Understand = apprehend فهميدن Undress = take off در آوردن لباس Unfortunately = unluckily متأسفانه Unlucky = hapless بدشانس Unnoticed = uncared ديگران توجه جلببدون

Untouched = safe مصون، بركنار Useful = beneficial مفيد Useless = futile بي فايده

V Vacant = hollow خالي

Vague = diffuse مبهم

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Vaguely = confused طور مبهمي به

Valuable = precious ارزشمند Vanish = disappear ناپديد شدن Variation = different تنوع Vascular = vessel رگيعروقي ،

Vehicle = car وسيله

Version = edition نسخه Victim = sufferer قرباني Voice = sound صدا

Volunteer = be willing داوطلب Vulnerable = helpless پذير آسيب

W Warning = alarm هشدار، اخطار

Wear = dressed پوشيدن Weight = heavy وزن

Whistle = blow سوت

Wide = broad عريض

Wondering = admiration حيران

Worry = anxious بودن؛ نگرانينگران

Worth = quality ارزش

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Bibliography

1. Aronson, Trudy, (2007). English Grammar Digest. Prentice Hall.

2. Azar, B. Schrampfer, (2004). Understanding and Using English Grammar. Longman Press.

3. Croft, K. (2008). Reading and Word Study. New Jersey. Prentice – Hall.

4. Greenall, S. (2002). Effective Reading. Cambridge University Press.

5. Haines, Simon (2007). New First Certificate. Oxford University Press.

6. Hopkins, Diana, (2007). Grammar for IELTS. Cambridge University.

7. Lester, Mark, (2009). The Big Book of English Verbs. Mc Graw Hill.

8. Markstein, L. (2007). Developing Readign Skills: Advanced. Massachusetts New Bury House.

9. Neuman, D.M. (2008). English Grammar for Proficiency. Surry Thomas Nelson and Sons limited.

10. Porter, Ladousse, (2002). Reading Intermediate. Oxford University Press.

11. Swan, Michael, (2009). Practical English Usage. Oxford University Press.

12. Swan, Michael, (2003). The Good Grammar Book. Oxford University Press.

13. Tomilinson, B. (2003). Reading: Advanced. Oxford University Press.

14. Wegmann, B. (2001). Reading Through Interaction. Oxford University Press.

A Touch with English

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Transcript of A Touch with English