Unit5 The Art of the Tale

高等院校研究生英语系列教材综合教程（下）INTEGRATEDCOURSE2Unit5TheArtoftheTaleContentStartingoutReadingFocusReadingMorePracticalTranslationFocusedWritingFinalProjectTask1MatchthewritersintheleftcolumnwiththeirworksintherightcolumnonPage126.Key:O.Henry:TheGiftoftheMagiAntonChekhov:TheManinaCaseKatherineMansfield:TheGardenPartyGuydeMaupassant:TheNecklaceEdgarAllanPoe:TheTell-TaleHeartMarkTwain:RunningforGovernorStartingout—Task1TheGiftoftheMagi:JimandDellaliveinafurnishedflatinNewYorkCity,scrapingbyonaminimalincomeintheearlyyearsoftheirmarriage.OnChristmasEve,Dellasellsherbeautiful,longhairformoneytobuyJimaplatinumchainforhispocketwatch.Onthesameday,JimsellshisheirloompocketwatchtobuyasetofhaircombsthatDellahasadmired.Althougheachisdisappointedtofindthegifttheychoserendereduseless,eachispleasedwiththegifttheyreceived,becauseitrepresentstheirloveforoneanother.Startingout—Task1Task1Workinpairs.Telloneofthesestoriestoyourpartner.(P126)TheManinaCase:ThestoryistoldaboutByelikov,“themaninacase”.Byelikov,aGreek-languageteacherataprovincialschool,isextraordinarilymethodicalbothinhispersonalandprofessionallife.Astrictdisciplinarian,henevermakesexceptionstotherules.Healwaysdoesthingsintheproperway,determinedtoavoideventheappearanceofimpropriety.Althoughheandhiscolleagueshavenothingtospeakabout,heregularlyvisitseachoneofthembecauseitistheacceptedthingtodo.Everytimesomethingslightlyirregularcomesup,Byelikovcries,“Oh,howIhopeitdoesn’treachtheearsoftheauthorities!”Naturally,theotherteachershatehim.Atonepoint,ByelikovbecomesenamoredofVarinka,thesisterofKovalenko,anewteacherattheschool.Everyoneencouragesthisrelationship,hopingthatmarriagewillhaveamoderatinginfluenceonByelikov.However,someonedrawsahumorouscaricatureofByelikovandVarinka.Then,ByelikovseesVarinkaandherbrotherbicyclinginthepark.Outraged,Byelikovgoestothebrothertoprotestthisscandalousbehavior,butKovalenkopusheshimdownsomesteps.Byelikovthenbecomesdepressed,takestohisbed,anddies,therebytrulybecomingamaninabox.Startingout—Task1TheGardenParty:TheSheridansaregettingreadyforagardenparty.Lauraissupposedtobeincharge,buttheworkersappeartoknowbetter,andhermotherhasorderedliliestobedeliveredforthepartywithoutherapproval.MissJose,hersister,teststhepiano,andthensingsasongincasesheisaskedtodosoagainlater;thefurnitureisrearranged,andthentheylearnthattheirpoorneighbor,Mr.Scott,wholivesinacottageneartheirmainstreet,hasdied.WhileLaurabelievesthepartyshouldbecalledoff,neitherJosenorhermotheragrees.Thepartyisasuccess,andlaterMrs.SheridandecidesitwouldbegoodofthemtobringabasketfullofleftoverfoodtotheScotts’house.ShesummonsLauratodoso.Thelatterisletintothepoorneighbors’housebyMrs.Scott’ssister,andthenseesthematronherselfandherlatehusband’scorpse.Thesightofhisapparentlysleepingbodymoveshertotears,andsherunsoffbacktoherownhome,whereshesobsinherbrotherLaurie’sarms.Startingout—Task1TheNecklace:Ayoungladywhoaspirestojointheupperranksofsocietyisfinallyinvitedtoahigh-societyaffairgivenbyherhusband’semployer.Hopingtoimpresstheguestsandthus“fitin”,sheborrowsadiamondnecklacefromherfriend.Shegoestotheeveningparty,andrelishesinfeelingspecial.Whenshegetshome,however,shefindsthatthenecklaceismissing.Sheandherhusbandsearchdesperatelyforit,butcannotfindit.Theygotoashop,andseethatthesamenecklaceisbeingsoldforahugeamountofmoney.Theypurchaseit,vowingtopayoffthedebt.Ittakesyears,butafterworkingceaselessly,theypayoffallthedebt.Bythattime,thewomanhascompletelylostherbeauty.Shebumpsintotheoldfriendonthestreet,andconfessestoherthatshehadlostheroriginalnecklace,andhadjustpaidoffthedebtontheonethathadbeengiventoreplaceit.Thefriendisinshock,andtellsherthatthenecklaceoriginallygivenherwasafake,andcostalmostnothing.Startingout—Task1TheTell-taleHeartStartingout—Task1Theunnamednarratorofthestoryisa¡°dreadfullynervous¡±characterwhodisputestheallegationthathemightbecrazy.Hecontendsthathisdispositionarisesfromaheighteningofthesenses:¡°Aboveallwasthesenseofhearingacutely.¡±Thenarratorprovidescaretoawealthyelderlyman.Forsomeinexplicablereason,thenarratorbecomesobsessedwiththediseasedeyeoftheoldman.Thenarratorlikensittoavulture¡¯seyeandbecomessohauntedbythe¡°EvilEye¡±thathedecidestomurdertheoldman.Hemeticulouslyplansthemurder.Afteroneweekofpreparation,thenarratorchargesintotheoldman¡¯sbedroomaftermidnightandkillshimusingtheheavybedthevictimhadbeensleepingin,crushingandsuffocatinghim.Evenafterthemurder,thevictim¡¯sheartcontinuesbeatingformanyminutes.Thenarratorcarefullydismembersthebodyinatub.Heconcealsallthepiecesunderthefloorboards.Atfouro¡¯clockintheRunningforGovernor:ThestoryisaboutafarcicalelectionhappeningintheUnitedStates,inwhichMarkTwainisnominatedforgovernorofthegreatstateofNewYork.Duringthecourseofelection,heistarnishedbyhispoliticalopponents,andslanderedbynewspapersas“TheInfamousPerjurerTwain”,“TwaintheMontanaThief”,“Twain,theBody-Snatcher”,“Mr.DeliriumTremensTwain”,“TwaintheFilthyCorruptionist”and“TwaintheLoathsomeEmbracer”.Whatisworse,ninelittletoddlingchildren,ofallshadesofcoloranddegreesofraggednessaretaughtbyhisopponentstorush