PART 2
Taking Chances
The Literature You'll Read
Mark Twain, dramatized by
Walter Hackett The Million-Pound Bank Note radio play 263
Alice Walker We Alone poetry 279
People Weekly Found Money magazine news brief 283
Anton Chekhov The Bet short story 285
Emily Dickinson
I Stepped from Plank to Plank poetry 296
Theodore Roethke Child on Top of a Greenhouse
Julia Alvarez from Something to Declare
poetry 296
memoir 302
The Concepts You'll Study
Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension
Vocabulary Focus: Using Context
Clues Cause and Effect
Sequence of Events
Comparing and Contrasting
Writing and Language Conventions
Writing Workshop: Character Sketch
Pronouns
Proper Nouns
Literary Analysis
Genre Focus: Drama
Stage Directions
Flashback
Imagery
Speaking and Listening
Oral Presentation
Monologue
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Drama
The theater, when all is said and done, is not in miniature but lift enormous& magnified.
—H.L. Mencken, literary critic
Drama is a form of literature that is performed by actors before an audience. Movies, plays, and
TV sitcoms are all types of drama. As you watch a movie, for example, you are probably
unaware that everything you see and hear was carefully planned and written in a script. A
playwright, or scriptwriter, wrote the characters' dialogue and actions to tell the story.
Occasionally people listen to plays written specifically for the radio. Radio plays were a very
popular form of entertainment before the age of television.
Key Elements of Drama
stage directions
plot
characters
dialogue
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Stage Directions
Stage directions are instructions for the director, the performers, and the stage crew. These are
often printed in italics and enclosed by parentheses. Many stage directions tell actors how to
speak or move. They also describe the scenery—the items on the stage that create the setting,
and what props (the objects used in a play) are necessary. Other stage directions describe sound
effects, which are especially important in radio plays since their success depends entirely on
dialogue and sound effects. The description of the set at the beginning of the play The Diary of
Anne Frank is quite specific.
YOUR TURN Read the stage directions that begin The Diary of Anne Frank. What scenery and
props would be needed to create the setting?
STAGE DIRECTIONS
The scene remains the same throughout the play. It is the top floor of a warehouse and office
building in Amsterdam, Holland. . . .The three rooms of the top floor and a small attic space
above are exposed to our view. The largest of the rooms is in the center, with two small rooms,
slightly raised, on either side. On the right is a bathroom, out of sight.A narrow steep flight of
stairs at the back leads up to the attic. The rooms are sparsely furnished with a few chairs, cots,
a table or two. The windows are painted over, or covered with makeshift blackout curtains. In
the main room there is a sink, a gas ring for cooking, and a wood-burning stove for warmth.
—Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, The Diary of Anne Frank
Plot
The plot is the series of events that make up the story. The plot usually centers on a main
conflict. A conflict begins in the exposition, grows in intensity during the rising action, reaches
a climax, or peak, and moves toward a solution in the falling action (sometimes called
resolution). The action of a play is divided into scenes. The scene changes whenever the setting
changes. Sometimes two or more scenes are grouped into acts. (For more on plot, see pages 439442).
YOUR TURN In this excerpt from The Million- Pound Bank Note by Walter Hackett, how is
the conflict revealed?
PLOT
Henry. When will they be back?
Servant. In a month, they said.
Henry A month! This is awful! Tell me how to get word to them. It's of great importance.
Servant. I can't, indeed. I've no idea where they've gone, sir.
Henry. Then I must see some member of the family. Servant. Family's been away too; been
abroad months— in Egypt and India, I think.
Henry. There's been an immense mistake made....
—Walter Hackett,
The Million-Pound Bank Note
260
Characters
In a play, the main and minor characters are often listed in a cast of characters at the beginning
of the script. Often a short description appears next to each character's name. Some characters,
acting as foils, provide a sharp contrast to the main characters. For instance, if the main character
is serious, the foil's character is lighthearted and funny.
YOUR TURN Read the passage on the right from The Million-Pound Bank Note. How do Mr.
Smedley and Tod act as foils to the calm and direct Henry? What are your impressions of each
character?
CHARACTERS
Henry. Oh, very well. I apologize. Here you are.
Tod. Thank you. (A complete change. He stutters and fumbles.) Ah—it's—ah—that is—we—
ahyou see— It's— (quickly) Take it back, please. (raising voice) Mr. Smedley! Mr. Smedley!
Help! Oh, Mr. Smedley.
Smedley (coming in; a fussy man). What is it, Tod, what is it? Stop shouting!
Tod. Oh, but Mr. Smedley, I can't control myself.
Smedley. What's up? What's the trouble? What's wanting? Who's this?
Henry. I am a customer, and I am waiting for my change.
Smedley. Change, change! Tod, give him his change. Get it for him.
Tod. Get him his change! It's easy for you to say that, Mr. Smedley, but look at the bill yourself.
—Walter Hackett, The Million-Pound Bank Note
Dialogue
Most plays consist almost entirely of dialogue—conversation between the characters. Both the
plot of the play and the characters' personalities are revealed through the dialogue. The words
spoken by each character are preceded by the character's name.
YOUR TURN What character traits of Henry are revealed through dialogue?
DIALOGUE
Hastings. I'm willing to gamble.
Henry. Well, I'm not.
Hastings. Think—a free trip to London.
Henry. I've no desire to go to London. I'll remain right here in Frisco.
Hastings (fading). Very well, but I know you're making a mistake, Henry.
—Walter Hackett, The Million-Pound Bank Note
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Reading Drama
Reading a drama can be as thrilling as watching it performed on the stage—if you know how to
visualize. Intriguing characters and dialogue, exciting plots, interesting themes, and detailed
stage directions can all work together to produce a powerful dramatic effect. To get the most
from every play, follow the reading strategies suggested here.
How to Apply the Strategies
Read the play silently. Before you try to read the play aloud, read it to yourself. You need to
know the entire plot and understand the characters before you perform the play.
Read the stage directions carefully. When you read a drama, you have to imagine both the
action and the scenery. Stage directions tell you where and when each scene is happening and
help you understand more about the characters and the plot.
Get to know the characters. In drama, you get to know the characters through their actions and
through dialogue. Visualize the characters as you read. Analyze each character's words and try to
discover the feelings behind the words.
Keep track of the plot. The plot of a drama usually centers on a main conflict. Look for the
conflict and watch the action build to a climax before it is resolved. Evaluate cause-and-effect
relationships. Notice the way a character's actions or a certain event sets the play in motion. An
effect may be a change in a character's actions, emotions, or circumstances.
Read the play aloud with others. When you read the part of a character, you become the actor.
Be ready with your character's lines and read only the words your character says. Do not read the
stage directions aloud.
Here's how Justin uses the strategies:
"I love reading dramas of all kinds. Before I begin, I read the stage directions and try to
visualize the action. I evaluate the causes and effects and try to figure out why characters say
and do the things they do. I like to imagine how the character I'm reading about would say the
words."
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The Million-Pound Bank Note
by MARK TWAIN Dramatized by WALTER HACKETT
Connect to Your Life
Overnight Wealth What words and phrases come to mind when you hear the word millionaire?
What different traits or qualities do you associate with the life of a millionaire? Create a word
web to explore your associations. Then with a partner discuss how you think your life would
change if you became rich overnight.
Build Background
ECONOMICS
The pound is the main British monetary unit, similar to our dollar. If you ever travel to Britain,
you will need to change dollars into pounds.
In the late 1800s, when this play is set, a pound was equal to five dollars. The million-pound
bank note of the play was therefore worth $5 million. Today a pound is worth about a dollar and
a half. The values of the pound and the dollar change every day, however. To find out the exact
exchange rate, you can check a newspaper or Web site.
WORDS TO KNOW Vocabulary Preview
accommodation
diversion
ad-libbing
eccentric
competent
judicious
consequence
precarious
discreet
rebuke
Focus Your Reading
LITERARY ANALYSIS STAGE DIRECTIONS
The writer's instructions about how the play should look and sound are found in the stage
directions in a play's script. They may include suggestions for scenery, lighting, music, sound
effects, and how the actors should move and speak.
The drama you are about to read is a radio play, written to be heard rather than seen. It therefore
has fewer stage directions than a play meant to be performed in a theater. As you read the play,
think about places where additional stage directions could help you to visualize the setting and
action of the drama.
ACTIVE READING CAUSE AND EFFECT
Two events are related as cause and effect when one brings about the other. The event that takes
place first is the cause. The event that the cause brings about is the effect, or result.
READER'S NOTEBOOK As you read The Million-Pound Bank Note, use a chart like the one
below to keep track of the causes and effects among the events
in which Henry, the main character, is involved.
Cause
Henry ventured too far.
Effect
Henry is carried out to sea.
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The Million-Pound Bank Note
by Mark Twain
Dramatized by Walter Hackett
264
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Henry Adams
Lloyd Hastings
First Cockney
Gordon Featherstone
Abel Featherstone
Albert Hawkins
Servant
Tod
Mr. Smedley
Hotel Manager
Second Cockney
First Man
Second Man
Woman
Third Man
Butler
Portia Langham
Sir Alfred
Henry. When I was twenty-seven years old, I was a mining broker's1 clerk in San Francisco. I
was alone in the world and had nothing to depend upon but my wits and a clean reputation.
These were setting my feet in the road to eventual fortune, and I was content with the prospect.
During my spare time, I did outside work. One of my part-time employers was Lloyd Hastings, a
mining broker. During this period I was helping Hastings to verify the Gould and Curry
Extension papers, covering what seemed to be a highly valuable gold mine. One morning at two,
after six hard hours of work on these papers, Lloyd Hastings and I went to the What Cheer
restaurant in Frisco.2 As we lingered over our coffee, he offered me a proposition.
Hastings. Henry, how would you like to go to London?
Henry. Thank you, no.
Hastings. Listen to me. I'm thinking of taking a month's option on the Gould and Curry
Extension for the locators.
Henry. And—?
Hastings. They want one million dollars for it.
Henry. Not too much—if the claim works out the way it appears it may.
ACTIVE READER
CONNECT Would you have turned down a trip to an exciting place such as London as quickly as Henry
does?
Hastings. I'm going to try to sell it to London interests, which means a trip there, and I want you
to go with me, because you know more about these papers than I.
Henry. No, thanks.
Hastings. I'll make it well worth your while. I'll pay all your expenses and give you something
over if I make the sale.
Henry. I have a job.
Hastings. I'll arrange for you to get a leave of absence. What do you say?
Henry. No.
Hastings. Why?
Henry. If I go to London, I'll get out of touch with my work and with mining conditions here,
and that means months getting the hang of things again.
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Hastings. That's a pretty slim excuse, Henry.
Henry. More important, perhaps, I think you're doomed to failure.
Hastings. But you just said the claim is valuable.
Henry. It may well turn out that way, but right now its real value can't be proved. And even so, a
month's option may leave you too little time to sell it; unless you sell it within the option time,
you'll go stone broke.
Hastings. I'm willing to gamble.
Henry. Well, I'm not.
Hastings. Think—a free trip to London.
Henry. I've no desire to go to London. I'll remain right here in Frisco.
Hastings (fading). Very well, but I know you're making a mistake, Henry.
Henry. One of my few diversions was sailing in the bay. One day I ventured too far and was
carried out to sea. Late that night, I was picked up by a freighter which was bound for London. It
was a long voyage, and the captain made me work my passage without pay, as a common sailor.
When I stepped ashore at London, my clothes were ragged and shabby, and I had only a dollar in
my pocket. This money fed and sheltered me for twenty-four hours. During the next twenty- four
I went without food and shelter. I tried to get a job, doing manual labor. But the reply was always
the same.
First Cockney. I'm not sure you'd do. You ain't the sort. (suspiciously) Look, 'ere, you're a Yank,
ain't you?
ACTIVE READER
EVALUATE Why was it more difficult for Henry to get a job in London than in San Francisco?
Henry. The next morning, seedy and hungry, I was dragging myself along Portland Place when
my desiring eye fell on a tempting treasure lying in the gutter. It was a luscious
big pear—minus one bite. My mouth watered for it. But every time I made a move to get it, some
passing eye detected my purpose. I was just getting desperate enough to brave all the shame
when a window behind me was raised.
Gordon (away). I say, you there, will you step in here, please?
Henry. It was a very sumptuous house and an equally sumptuous room into which I was ushered
by a Servant. A couple of elderly gentlemen were sitting by the window. At that moment if I had
known what they had in mind, undoubtedly I would have bolted for the door. They looked me
over very thoroughly.
Gordon. He looks poor enough, don't you think, Brother?
Abel. Very. Er, young man, you are poor?
Henry. Extremely!
Abel. Good! And honest, too?
Henry. Honesty is about all I have left; that and character.
Abel. Splendid!
Gordon. If my brother and I are judges of people, we'd say you are just the man for whom we
have been searching. By the way, you are also intelligent, I would say.
Henry. Yes, sir, I am. But what do you mean by saying that I appear to be just the man for
whom you have been searching?
Gordon. And we don't know you. You're a perfect stranger. And better still, an American.
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Henry. It's very kind of you gentlemen to call me into your home, but I'm a bit puzzled. Could
you tell me what you have in mind?
Abel. Might we inquire into your background?
Henry. Pretty soon they had my full story. Their questions were complete and searching, and I
gave them straightforward answers. Finally one said:
Gordon. Oh, yes, we're certain you will do, eh, Brother?
Abel. Definitely! He is elected.
Henry. To what am I elected, please?
Gordon. This envelope will explain everything. Here, take it. (hastily) No, don't open it now.
Take it to your lodgings and look it over carefully.
Abel. Being sure not to be rash or hasty.
Henry. I'd like to discuss the matter.
Gordon. There is nothing to discuss at the moment.
Henry. Is this a joke?
Abel. Not at all. And now good day.
Gordon. And good luck.
Abel. Cheerio!
Henry. As soon as I was out of sight of the house, I opened my envelope and saw it contained
money. I lost not a moment but shoved note and money into my pocket and broke for the nearest
cheap eating house. How I did eat! Finished, I took out my money and unfolded it. I took one
glimpse and nearly fainted. It was a single million- pound bank note. Five millions of dollars! It
made my head swim. The next thing I noticed was the owner of the eating house. His eyes were
on the note, and he was petrified. He couldn't stir hand or foot. I tossed the note toward him in
careless fashion.
Hawkins. I-is it real, sir? A million-pound note?
Henry (casually). Certainly. Let me have my change, please.
Hawkins. Oh, I'm very sorry, sir, but I can't break the bill.
Henry. Look here—
Hawkins. Hawkins is the name, Albert Hawkins, proprietor. It's only a matter of two shillings3
you owe, a trifling sum. Please owe it to me.
Henry. I may not be in this neighborhood again for a good time.
ACTIVE READER
QUESTION What does Albert Hawkins mean when he said Henry chose to "play larks by dressing as a
tramp"?
Hawkins. It's of no consequence, sir. And you can have anything you want, any time you
choose, and let the account run as long as you please. I'm not afraid to trust as rich a gentleman
as you just because you choose to play larks4 by dressing as a tramp.
Henry. Well, thank you. I shall take advantage of your kindness.
Hawkins. Not at all, sir, (fading) and please, sir, enter my humble restaurant place any time you
wish. I shall be honored to receive you.
Henry. I was frightened, afraid that the police might pick me up. I was afraid of the two
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brothers' reaction when they discovered they had given me a million-pound note instead
of what they must have intended giving—a one- pound note. I hurried to their house and rang the
bell. The same servant appeared. I asked for the brothers.
Servant. They are gone.
Henry. Gone! Where?
Servant. On a journey.
Henry. But whereabouts?
Servant. To the Continent,5 I think.
Henry. The Continent?
Servant. Yes, sir.
Henry. Which way—by what route?
Servant. I can't say, sir.
Henry. When will they be back?
Servant. In a month, they said.
Henry. A month! This is awful! Tell me how to get word to them. It's of great importance.
Servant. I can't, indeed. I've no idea where they've gone, sir.
Henry. Then I must see some member of the family.
Servant. Family's been away too; been abroad months—in Egypt and India, I think.
Henry. There's been an immense mistake made. They'll be back before night. Tell them I've
been here, and that I'll keep coming till it's all made right, and they needn't worry.
Servant. I'll tell them, if they come back, but I'm not expecting them. They said you'd be here in
an hour to make inquiries, but I must tell you it's all right, they'll be here on time to meet you.
(fading) And that's all they said.
ACTIVE READER
PREDICT What kind of a bet do you think the elderly brothers made about Henry?
Henry (slowly). I had to give it up and go away. What a riddle it all was! They would be here
"on time." What could that mean? Then I thought of the letter. I got it out and read it. It said:
"You are an intelligent and honest man, as one can see by your face. We conceive you to be poor
and a stranger. Enclosed you will find a sum of money. It is lent to you for thirty days, without
interest. Report to this house at the end of that time. I have a bet on you. If I win it, you shall
have any situation that is in my gift, any, that is, that you shall be able to prove yourself familiar
with and competent to fill." That was all. No signature, no address, no date. I hadn't the least idea
what the game was, nor
whether harm was meant me or kindness. The letter said there was a bet on me. What kind of a
bet? Was the bet that I would abscond with the million-pound bank note? Which brother was
betting on my honesty? I reasoned this way: if I ask the Bank
of England to deposit it to the credit of the man it belongs to, they'll ask me how I came by it,
and if I tell the truth, they'll put me in the asylum; on the other hand, if I lie, they'll put me in jail.
The same result would follow if I try to bank it anywhere or borrow money on it. Therefore, I
have to carry this burden around until those men come back. A month's suffering without wages
or profit—unless I help win that bet, whatever it may be. If I do, I will get the situation I am
promised. My hopes began to
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rise high. Then I looked at my rags. Could I afford a new suit? No, for I had nothing in
the world but a million pounds. Finally I gave in and entered a fashionable tailor shop. The clerk
looked at me very arrogantly.
Tod (icily). No chores to be done here. Get out!
Henry. Perhaps you have a misfit suit.
Tod. We don't give away suits, even misfits.
Henry. I can pay for it.
Tod. Follow me.
Henry. He took me into a back room and overhauled a pile of rejected suits. He tossed the
rattiest-looking one at me. I put it on. It didn't fit. It wasn't in any way attractive.
Tod. You may have that for four pounds, cash.
Henry. It would be an accommodation to me if you could wait some days for the money. I
haven't any small change about me.
Tod (sarcastically). Oh, you haven't? Well, of course, I didn't expect it. I'd only expect
gentlemen like you to carry large change.
Henry (nettled6). My friend, you shouldn't judge a stranger always by the clothes he wears. I am
quite able to pay for this suit.
Tod. Hah!
Henry. I simply don't wish to put you to the trouble of changing a large note.
Tod. As long as rebukes are going around, I might say that it wasn't quite your affair to infer that
we couldn't change any note that you might happen to be carrying around. On the contrary, we
can.
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Henry. Oh, very well. I apologize. Here you are.
Tod. Thank you. (A complete change. He stutters and fumbles.) Ah—it's—ah—that is—we—
ah—you see— It's— (quickly) Take it back, please. (raising voice) Mr. Smedley! Mr. Smedley!
Help! Oh, Mr. Smedley.
Smedley (coming in; a fussy man). What is it, Tod, what is it? Stop shouting!
Tod. Oh, but Mr. Smedley, I can't control myself.
Smedley. What's up? What's the trouble? What's wanting? Who's this?
Henry. I am a customer, and I am waiting for my change.
Smedley. Change, change! Tod, give him his change. Get it for him.
Tod. Get him his change! It's easy for you to say that, Mr. Smedley, but look at the bill yourself.
Smedley. Bill, bill! Let me see it! (pause) Tod! Selling an eccentric millionaire such an
unspeakable suit as that! Tod, you're a fool—a born fool! Drives every millionaire away from
this place, because he can't tell a millionaire from a tramp. Here, sir, are some suits more in
keeping with your position.
Henry. Thank you, but this one will do.
Smedley. Of course it won't do! I shall burn it. Tod, burn this suit at once.
Tod. Yes, Mr. Smedley.
Smedley. We shall be honored to outfit you completely, sir. . . morning clothes, evening dress,
sack suits, tweeds, shetlands7— everything you need. Come, Tod, book and pen. Now—length
of leg, 32 inches; sleeve—
Henry. But look here. I can't give you an order for suits unless you can wait indefinitely or
change this bill.
Smedley. Indefinitely, sir. It's a weak word, a weak word. Eternally, that's the word, sir. Tod,
rush these things through. Let the minor customers wait. Set down the gentleman's address and—
Henry. I'm changing my quarters. I'll drop in and leave the new address.
Smedley. Quite right, sir, quite right. One moment—allow me to show you out, sir. And don't
worry about paying us. (fading) Your credit is the highest. Good day, sir, good day. You honor
us greatly, sir.
Henry (as though sighing). Well, don't you see what was bound to happen? I drifted naturally
into whatever I wanted. Take my hotel, for example. I merely showed the resident manager my
million-pound note, and he said:
Manager. We are honored to have you as a guest, sir. Now, I have just the suite for you. It consists of a bedroom, a sitting room, a dressing room, a dining room, two baths, and—
Henry. I'll pay you a month in advance with this.
Manager (laughing). You honor our simple hotel, sir. Pray, don't worry about the bill.
Henry. But it may be several months before I can pay you.
Manager. We're not worried, Mr.—er
Henry. Henry Adams.
Manager. Mr. Adams, you are a most distinguished guest. (fading) Anything you desire, please
name it, and we shall procure it for you immediately. Thank you, sir.
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ACTIVE READER
QUESTION How did Henry make Hawkins's restaurant a success?
Henry. And there I was, sumptuously housed in an expensive hotel in Hanover Square. I took
my dinners there, but for breakfast I stuck by Hawkins's humble feeding-house, where I had got
my first meal on my million-pound bank note. I was the making of Hawkins.
(Rattle of dishes and silver. Customers' voices ad-libbing in background.)
Hawkins. Business is brisk, sir, very brisk, indeed, and has been ever since you and your
million-pound bank note became patrons of my humble establishment. I've had to hire extra help,
put in additional tables. Look for yourself, sir. There's a long queue8 waiting to get in. Why, I'm
famous and fair on my way to becoming wealthy.
Second Cockney. Pardon me, Guv'ner, but aren't you the gentleman what owns the millionpound bank note?
Hawkins. Look here, you, go away and stop bothering Mr.—Mr.Henry. Adams.
Hawkins. Mr. Adams.
Second Cockney. I was just anxious to get a look at him.
Hawkins. Who? Mr. Adams?
Second Cockney. No. The bank note.
Henry. Glad to oblige. There you are.
Second Cockney. By george, it is real. (fading) Now I can go home and tell me old lady I've
seen it with me own eyes. I hopes she believes me, but she won't.
Hawkins. Mr. Adams, I wonder if I couldn't force upon you a small loan—even a large one.
Henry. Oh, no.
Hawkins. Please allow me, sir.
Henry (relenting). Well, as a matter of fact, I haven't gotten around to changing this note.
Hawkins. Fifty pounds might help tide you
over. You know, a little spending money?
Henry. It would help, a bit.
Hawkins. I consider it a great honor. (fading) Indeed, a very great honor. Here you are, Mr.
Adams, fifty pounds it is. (fading) And don't worry about repaying me.
Henry. I was in, now, and must sink or swim. I walked on air. And it was natural, for I had
become one of the notorieties9 of London. It turned my head, not just a little, but a great deal.
The newspapers referred to me as the Vest-Pocket Millionaire. Then came the climaxing stroke:
Punch10 caricatured me! Wherever I went, people cried:
First Man. There he goes!
Second Man. That's him!
Woman. Morning, Guv'ner.
Third Man. He's a bit of all right, he is.
Henry. Why, I just swam in glory all day long. About the tenth day of my fame I fulfilled my
duty to my country by calling upon the American ambassador. He received me with enthusiasm
and insisted that I attend a dinner
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party he was giving the following night. Two important things happened at that dinner. I
met two people who were to play important roles in the little drama I was living. Among the
guests was a lovely English girl, named Portia Langham, whom I fell in love with in two
minutes, and she with me; I could see it without glasses. And just before dinner, the butler
announced:
(Guests ad-libbing in background, very politely.) Butler (calling out). Mr. Lloyd Hastings.
Henry. I stared at Hastings, and he at me, his mouth open in surprise.
Hastings. I, er—pardon me, but are you?—no, of course you can't be.
Henry (chuckling). But I am, Lloyd.
Hastings. Henry, I'm speechless. (suddenly) Don't tell me that you're also the Vest-Pocket
Millionaire?
Henry. Correct!
Hastings. I've seen your own name coupled with the nickname, but it never occurred to me you
were the Henry Adams. Why, it isn't six months since you were clerking in Frisco and sitting up
nights helping me verify the Gould and Curry Extension papers. The idea of your being in
London, and a vast millionaire, and a colossal celebrity! It's out of the Arabian Nights!
Henry. I can't realize it myself.
Hastings. It was just three months ago that we were eating together and I tried to persuade you
to come to London with me. You turned me down, and now here you are. How did you happen
to come, and what gave you this incredible start?
Henry. I'll tell you all about it, but not now.
Hastings. When?
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Henry. The end of this month.
Hastings. Make it a week.
Henry. I can't. How's your business venture coming along?
Hastings (sighing). You were a true prophet, Henry. I wish I hadn't come.
Henry. Stop with me, when we leave here, and tell me all about it. I want to hear the whole
story.
Hastings. You'll hear it, every last dismal word. (fading a bit) I'm so grateful to find a willing
and sympathetic ear.
(Background ad-libbing out. A pause, then piano playing semiclassical tune in background.)
Henry. After dinner there was coffee and an informal piano recital and dear Miss Langham—
lovely Portia Langham, the English girl. I eased her away from the music and the guests to the
library, where we talked.
(Piano out.)
Portia. I'm really quite excited, Mr. Adams, meeting you like this. A millionaire!
Henry. But I'm not one.
Portia. B-but of course you are.
Henry. You're wrong.
Portia. I don't understand.
Henry. You will! You will, that is, if you allow me to see you tomorrow.
Portia (as though smiling). Well, Mr. Adams—
Henry. Henry.
Portia. Henry, then. I will give the invitation serious thought.
Henry. Tomorrow is going to be a sunny day, just right for a picnic in the country. Yes?
Portia. Yes.
Henry. I'll tell you the whole story then.
Portia. Do you think you should?
Henry. Certainly! After all, we're going to be married.
Portia (amazed). We—we're—going to—marry!
Henry. Absolutely! I'll call for you at noon. Where?
Portia. Meet me here.
Henry. You're a guest here?
Portia. N—no, but it will be more convenient.
Henry. Do you like me?
Portia. Yes,
Henry. (fading) You're a very unusual young man, even if you are a millionaire, and even if you
claim you aren't.
Henry. All the way home I was in the clouds, Hastings talking and I not hearing a word. When
we reached my suite, he said to me:
Hastings. This luxury makes me realize how poor, how defeated I am. Even the drippings of
your daily income would seem like a tremendous fortune to me.
Henry. Unreel your story, Lloyd.
Hastings. I told you the whole story on the way over here.
Henry. You did?
Hastings. Yes.
Henry. I'll be hanged if I heard a word of it.
Hastings. Are you well?
Henry. Yes. I'm in love.
Hastings. That English girl you were speaking to?
Henry. Yes. I'm going to marry her.
Hastings. Small wonder you didn't hear a word I said.
Henry. Now I'm all attention.
Hastings. I came here with what I thought was a grand opportunity. I have an option to sell the
Gould and Curry Mine and keep all I can get over a million dollars.
273
Henry. Sounds like a good proposition.
Hastings. Yes, it's a fine claim.
Henry. Well?
Hastings. The parties here whom I tried to interest have backed down. And so here I am, trying
to peddle a gold mine but with nary a11 buyer in sight. In addition, I am almost penniless.
Henry. Surely you'll find a buyer.
Hastings. My option on the mine expires in a matter of days—in fact, at the end of this month.
Henry. You are in a fix.
Hastings. Henry, you can save me. Will you do it?
Henry. I? How?
Hastings. Give me a million dollars and my passage home for my option.
Henry. I can't.
Hastings. But you're wealthy.
Henry. I—I—not really.
Hastings. You have a million pounds—five millions of dollars. Buy the mine and you'll double,
maybe triple, your investment.
Henry. I'd like to help, but I can't.
Hastings. You know the value of this mine as well as I do.
Henry (tired). Oh, Lloyd, I wish I could explain, but I can't. What you ask is impossible.
Hastings. That's quite all right. I'm sorry to have bothered you, Henry. (fading) You must have a
good reason in turning me down, I'm sure.
Henry. It hurt me to have to refuse Lloyd, but it made me comprehend my delicate and
precarious position. Here I was, deep in debt, not a cent in the world, in love with a lovely girl,
and nothing in front of me but a promise of a position if, if, I won the bet for the nameless
brother. Nothing could save me. The next day, Portia and I went on our picnic in the country. I
told her the whole story, down to the last detail. Her reaction wasn't exactly what I thought it
would be.
(Sound of bird singing in background, weaving in and out of this scene.)
Portia (laughs). Oh, Henry, that's priceless.
Henry (a bit stiffly). I fail to see the humor.
ACTIVE READER
VISUALIZE What kind of spot do you think Henry chose for the picnic? Describe scenery as you would
imagine it.
Portia. But I do, more than you can imagine.
Henry. Here I am, mixed up in a bet between two eccentric old men, and for all they care I
might well be in jail.
Portia (still laughing). Wonderful, the funniest thing I've ever heard.
Henry. Pardon me if I don't laugh.
Portia (stops laughing). Sorry, but it is both funny and pathetic. But you say that one of the men
is going to offer you a position?
Henry. If I win the bet.
Portia. Which one is he?
Henry. I don't know. But I have one solution. If I win, I get the position. Now, I've kept very
careful track of every cent I either owe or have borrowed, and I'm going to pay it back from my
salary. If the position pays me six hundred pounds a year,
Portia. You'll what?
274
Henry. I'll— (He whistles.) To date I owe exactly six hundred pounds, my whole year's salary.
Portia. And the month isn't ended.
Henry. If I'm careful, my second year's salary may carry me through. Oh, dear, that is going to
make it difficult for us to get married immediately, isn't it?
Portia (dreamily). Yes, it is. (suddenly) Henry, what are you talking about? Marriage! You don't
know me.
Henry. I know your name, your nationality, your age, and most important, I know that I love
you. I also know that you love me.
Portia. Please be sensible.
Henry. I can't. I'm in love.
Portia. All this sounds like a play.
Henry. It is—a wonderful one. I'll admit my owing my first two years' pay is going to pose a
problem insofar as our getting married is concerned. (suddenly) I have it! The day I confront
those two old gentlemen, I'll take you with me.
Portia. Oh, no. It wouldn't be proper.
Henry. But so much depends upon that meeting. With you there, I can get the old boys to raise
my salary—say, to a thousand pounds a year. Perhaps fifteen hundred. Say you'll go with me.
Portia. I'll go.
Henry. In that case, I'll demand two thousand a year, so we can get married immediately.
Portia. Henry. Henry. Yes?
Portia. Keep your expenses down for the balance of the month. Don't dip into your third year's
salary.
Henry. And that is how matters stood at that point. Thoughts raced through my mind. What if I
lost the bet for my nameless benefactor?12 What if he failed to give me a position? Then the
answer came to me like a flash of lightning. I roused Lloyd Hastings from bed. He was a bit
bewildered.
Hastings. I don't understand you. What are you getting at?
Henry. Lloyd, I'm going to save you. Save you— understand?
Hastings. No.
Henry. I'll save you, but not in the way you ask, for that wouldn't be fair after your hard work
and the risks you run. Now, I don't need to buy a mine. I can keep my capital moving without
that; it's what I'm doing all the time. I know all about your mine; I know its immense value and
can swear to it if anybody wishes it. You shall sell it inside of the fortnight13 for three million
cash.
Hastings. Three million!
Henry. Right!
Hastings. But how?
Henry. By using my name freely—and right now my name is on the tip of everybody's tongue.
We'll divide the profits, share and share alike.
Hastings (overjoyed). I may use your name! Your name—think of it! Man, they'll flock in
droves,14 these rich English. They'll fight for that stock. I'm a made man, a made man forever.
(fading) I'll never forget you as long as I live . . . never, never .. .
Henry. In less than twenty-four hours, London was abuzz! I hadn't anything to do, day after day,
but sit home and wait for calls.
275
Sir Alfred. Then I may assume, Mr. Adams, that you consider this mining property a sound
investment?
Henry. A very sound investment, Sir Alfred.
Sir Alfred. And what of this American chap, Hastings?
Henry. I know him very well, and he is as sound as the mine.
Sir Alfred. Then I think I shall invest in this property. Your recommendation does it.
(Sound of telephone bell.)
Henry. Excuse me, Sir Alfred.
(Sound of receiver lifted from hook.)
Henry (into phone). Yes, this is Henry Adams. Who? Sir John Hardcastle. Yes, Sir John. The
Gould and Curry Extension? Yes, I know a great deal about it. I certainly would recommend it as
a shrewd investment. The mine is worth far more than the asking price. Yes, Mr. Hastings is very
well known in the States. Honest as the day is long, as they say. Yes, I suggest you contact Mr.
Hastings. Thank you. Not at all. Good day, Sir John.
(Sound of receiver replaced onto hook.)
Sir Alfred. That clinches it. If Sir John is in, so am I. Do you suppose that your Mr. Hastings
would mind if I brought in a few discreet friends on this venture?
Henry. Er, no, in fact I'm sure he wouldn't. Mr. Hastings is a very democratic chap.
Sir Alfred. Directly I shall go and call upon Mr. Hastings. By the way, exactly where is this
mine?
Henry. California.
Sir Alfred. Is that near Washington, D.C.?
Henry. Not exactly.
Sir Alfred. A pity, for I had thought of asking the British ambassador to look at it. (fading) Well,
I'm off. Thank you for your advice. Good day, Mr. Adams.
Henry. And that's the way it went—a steady stream of wealthy Londoners asking my advice,
which, of course, I gave freely. Meanwhile I said not a word to Portia about the possible sale of
the mine. I wanted to save it as a surprise; and then there always was the possibility the sale
might fall through. The day the month was up, she and I, dressed in our best, went to the house
on Portland Place. As we waited for the two old gentlemen to enter, we talked excitedly.
Portia. You're certain you have the bank note with you?
Henry. Right here. Portia, dearest, the way you look it's a crime to ask for a salary a single
penny under three thousand a year.
Portia. You'll ruin us.
Henry. Just trust in me. It'll come out all right.
Portia (worried). Please remember, if we ask for too much, we may get no salary at all; and then
what will become of us, with no way in the world to earn our living? (fading) Please handle this
delicately, Henry.
Henry. When the two old gentlemen entered, of course they were surprised to see Portia with
me. I asked them to introduce themselves, which they did.
Gordon. I am Gordon Featherstone.
Abel. And I am Abel Featherstone.
Henry. Gentlemen, I am ready to report, but first may I ask which of you bet on me?
276
Gordon. It was I. Have you the million-pound note?
Henry. Here it is, sir.
Gordon. Ah! I've won. Now what do you say, Abel?
Abel. I say he did survive, and I've lost twenty thousand pounds. I never would have believed it.
Henry. Perhaps you might enlighten me as to the terms of the bet.
Gordon. Gladly! The Bank of England once issued two notes of a million pounds each. Only
one of these had been used and canceled; the other lay in the vaults. Well, Abel and I got to
wondering what would happen to a perfectly honest and intelligent stranger turned adrift in
London without a friend and with no money in the world but the million-pound bank note. Abel
said he would starve to death, and I claimed he wouldn't. My brother said he would be arrested if
he offered the note at a bank. Well, we went on arguing until I bet him twenty thousand pounds
that the man would live thirty days, anyway, on that million, and keep out of jail, too.
Abel. And I took him up.
Henry. How did you know I was the right choice?
Abel. After talking with you, we decided you had all the qualifications.
Gordon. And that pear incident—if you had picked it up very boldly, it would have proved to us
you were nothing hut a tramp.
Henry. You don't know how tempted I was to do just that.
Gordon. And so you shall receive your reward—a choice of any position you can fill.
Henry. First I ask that you look at this scrap of paper, all of you. You, too, Portia.
Gordon. A certificate of deposit in the London and County Bank—
Abel. In the sum of—
Gordon. Two hundred thousand pounds.
Portia. Henry, is it yours?
Henry. It is. It represents my share of the sale of a mining property in California, sold by my
friend Lloyd Hastings—a sort of commission, as it were. It all came about by thirty days'
judicious use of that little loan you gentlemen
277
let me have. And the only use I made of it was to buy trifles and offer the bill in change.
Abel. Come, this is astonishing.
Gordon. It's incredible.
Henry (laughing). I can prove it.
Portia. Henry, is that really your money? Have you been fibbing to me?
Henry. I have, indeed. But you'll forgive me, I know.
Portia (half smiling). Don't you be so sure.
Henry. Oh, you'll get over it. Come, let's be going.
Gordon. Wait! I promised to give you a situation, you know.
Henry. Thank you, but I really don't want one.
Portia. Henry, I'm ashamed of you. You don't even thank the good gentleman. May I do it for
you?
Henry. If you can improve upon it.
Portia. I shall. Uncle Abel, first, thank you for making this possible. And, dear Father—
Henry. Hold on. You're her uncle?
Abel. I am.
Henry. And you—
Gordon. Yes, I'm her stepfather.
Portia. And the dearest one that ever was. You understand now, don't you, Henry, why I was
able to laugh when you told me the story of the bet with the two nameless gentlemen. Of course I
couldn't miss knowing that it was this house and that the two men were Father and Uncle Abel.
Henry. Sir, you have got a situation open that I want.
Gordon. Name it.
Henry. Son-in-law.
Gordon. Well, well, well! But if you haven't ever served in that capacity, you of course can't
furnish satisfactory recommendations to satisfy the conditions of the contract.
Henry. Only just try me for thirty or forty years.
Gordon. What do you think, Abel?
Abel. Well, he does look to be a satisfactory sort.
Gordon. And you, Portia?
Portia. I agree—heartily.
Gordon. Very well. Take her along. If you hurry, you can reach the license bureau before it
closes. (fading) Hop to it now.
Henry. Happy, we two? Indeed, yes! And when London got the whole history of my adventure
for a month, how it did talk. My Portia's father took the million-pound bank note to the Bank of
England, cashed it, had it canceled; and he gave it to us at our wedding. Framed, it now hangs in
our home. It gave me my Portia; but for it I could not have remained in London, would not have
appeared at the American ambassador's, never should have met her. And so I always say: Yes,
it's a million-pounder, but it made but one purchase in its life and then got the article for only
about a tenth part of its value.
---from page 265
1. mining broker's: relating to a person who acts as an agent in the buying or selling of mineral
rights.
2. Frisco: short for "San Francisco."
---from page 267
3. shillings: former British coins; a shilling was equal to a twentieth of a pound.
4. play larks: joke around; engage in harmless pranks.
---from page 268
5. the Continent: mainland Europe.
---from page 269
6. nettled: irritated; annoyed.
---from page 270
7. morning clothes . . . sack suits . . . shetlands: men's garments—formal daytime dress,
business suits with loose-fitting jackets, and suits made of wool from the Shetland Islands.
---from page 271
8. queue (kyoo): a line of people.
9. notorieties (nō' tə-rī' ĭ-tēz): famous people; celebrities.
10. Punch: An English humor magazine, known for its cartoons poking fun at famous people.
---from page 274
11. nary a: not one.
---from page 275
12. benefactor: a person who provides money or help.
13. fortnight: two weeks.
14. droves: mobs; crowds.
WORDS TO KNOW
---from page 266
diversion (dĭ-vûr'zhən) n. a distraction, entertainment, or relaxation
---from page 267
consequence (kŏn' sĭ-kwĕns') n. importance
---from page 268
competent (kŏm'pĭ-tənt) adj. qualified; capable
---from page 269
accommodation (ə-kŏm'ə-dā'shən) n. a favor or convenience
rebuke (rĭ-byook') n. a sharp scolding or criticism
---from page 270
eccentric (ĭk-sĕn'trĭk) adj. very unusual in behavior; odd
---from page 271
ad-libbing (ăd-lĭb'ĭng) adj. speaking spontaneously, without preparation ad-lib v.
---from page 274
precarious (prĭ-kâr'ē-əs) adj. not secure; risky
---from page 276
discreet (dĭ-skrēt) adj. showing caution in speech and behavior
---from page 277
judicious (joo-dĭsh'əs) adj. careful; showing sound judgment
278
RELATED READING
We Alone
by Alice Walker
We alone can devalue gold
by not caring
if it falls or rises
in the marketplace.
Wherever there is gold
there is a chain, you know,
and if your chain
is gold
so much the worse
for you.
Feathers, shells
and sea-shaped stones
are all as rare.
This could be our revolution:
To love what is plentiful
as much as
what is scarce.
279
Connect to the Literature
1. What Do You Think? Were you pleased by the outcome of Henry's second interview with
the Featherstones? Explain your reaction.
Comprehension Check
What is Henry's condition when he arrives in London?
Why is Henry amazed when he opens the envelope from the two English gentlemen?
How is Henry able to help Lloyd Hastings without spending the million-pound bank note?
Think Critically
2. How does having the million-pound note affect Henry?
3. ACTIVE READING CAUSE AND EFFECT
Review the cause-and-effect chart you made in your READER'S NOTEBOOK. Discuss with a
classmate the actions or events that cause Henry to end up in London even though he had plans
to stay in San Francisco.
4. Why do you think people's attitudes toward Henry change when they think he is rich?
5. How would you evaluate Henry as a person?
Think About:
why he does not want to go to London with Hastings
how he reacts when he opens the envelope and finds the bank note
how he uses the bank note
how he reacts to Portia
6. What is your opinion of the Featherstones' bet? Explain your answer.
Extend Interpretations
7. COMPARING TEXTS Think back to the poem "What Is Success?" by Ralph Waldo
Emerson (page 207). On the basis of the poem's description of success, do you think Henry was a
success? Explain your answer.
8. Connect to Life In this play, most people treat Henry very well when they think that he is
rich. Do you think people would behave this way in real life? Give reasons for your opinion.
REVIEW: SETTING In a play, the time and place in which the action occurs is called the
setting. Why do you think the author has most of this play take place in London, far from
Henry's San Francisco home?
Literary Analysis
STAGE DIRECTIONS In the script of a play, the instructions to the actors, director, and stage
crew are called stage directions. In this radio play, the stage directions appear in italic type,
surrounded by parentheses.
Most of them tell the actors how to speak—"sarcastically," "slowly," "hastily," and so forth.
Others give clues about how the characters feel—"nettled," "amazed" A few explain sound
effects, such as a piano playing or dishes rattling.
Paired Activity As you were reading the play, you looked for places where additional stage
directions could help you visualize the drama better. Now, working with a partner, make a chart
like the one below. Use it to record five of the places you identified. Then discuss why you
selected each spot for additional stage directions.
Stage Directions
Placement
Bottom of page 266
Reason Needed
To show what a London street looked like in the 1800s
Wording
A cobblestone street with gas lamps and swirling fog
280
Writing
Fundraising Letter Choose a deserving cause. Then write a letter to Henry, telling him why
your cause deserves his help. Create a persuasive message that will encourage him to make a
donation. Be sure to present evidence, examples, and reasoning to support your argument. Place
your letter in your Working Portfolio.
Writing Handbook See p. R49: Persuasive Writing.
Speaking & Listening
Survey Graph Take a survey or poll to find out what each of your classmates would do with a
million dollars. Plot the responses in a chart like the one shown here. Present your findings in an
oral presentation to your class.
Research & Technology
Honest and True Henry is unexpectedly placed in the role of a millionaire. People lavish him
with special treatment, but he strives to remain honest and sincere. Think of a situation in which
a person's honesty has been tested. Look for different events from a variety of resources that
report similar situations. Present your findings to the class.
Reading for INFORMATION
As part of your research, read the magazine news brief "Found Money" on p. 283.
Vocabulary and Spelling
EXERCISE: SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS
Decide whether the words in each pair are synonyms or antonyms. On your paper, write S for
synonyms or A for antonyms.
1. judicious—foolish
2. rebuke—compliment
3. competent—unfit
4. accommodation—favor
5. precarious—secure
6. consequence—importance
7. diversion—amusement
8. discreet—guarded
9. eccentric—odd
10. ad-libbing—reciting
Vocabulary Handbook See p. R24: Synonyms and Antonyms.
SPELLING STRATEGY: PREFIXES The prefix corn-means "with" or "together" When
combining corn- with a root or word beginning with m, p, or b, the prefix does not change.
com- + plex = complex
When corn- is combined with other roots or words that begin with other letters, frequently the
prefix changes to col-, cor-, co-, or con- to make the word easier to pronounce.
Spell the word formed when the prefix com- is added to the root words listed.
1. sequence
2. respond
3. operation
4. serve
5. motion
Spelling Handbook See p. R28.
WORDS TO KNOW
accommodation
consequence
eccentric
precarious
ad-libbing
discreet
judicious
rebuke
competent
diversion
281
Grammar in Context: Pronouns
Henry's last speech in Walter Hackett's The Million-Pound Bank Note describes how Henry and
Portia lived happily ever after.
Happy, we two? Indeed, yes! And when London got the whole history of my adventure for
a month, how it did talk. My Portia's father took the million-pound bank note to the Bank
of England, cashed it, had it canceled; and he gave it to us at our wedding. Framed, it now
hangs in our home.
Instead of repeating the proper nouns Henry, Portia, and London, as well as the nouns note and
father, the writer has used the pronouns we, my, it, he, us, and our. A pronoun is a word that
takes the place of a noun or another pronoun. Writers use pronouns to avoid repeating nouns and
to make their writing flow more smoothly.
Usage Tip: Make sure your readers understand to which word each pronoun refers.
WRITING EXERCISE Rewrite these sentences, replacing the underlined proper nouns with
pronouns.
Example: Original I was working with Lloyd Hastings. One morning Lloyd Hastings offered
me a trip to London. I told Lloyd Hastings I did not want to go.
Rewritten I was working with Lloyd Hastings. One morning he offered me a trip to London. I
told him I did not want to go.
1. I was walking along Portland Place. Portland Place is a very grand and beautiful part of
London.
2. Albert Hawkins refused to break the bank note. Albert Hawkins did not have enough change.
3. After Henry and Portia met, Henry and Portia went for a ride in the country. Henry explained
Henry's situation, but Portia only laughed at Henry.
Grammar Handbook See p. R79: Using Nouns and Pronouns.
Mark Twain
1835-1910
"The difference between the right word and a similar word is the difference between lightning
and a lightning bug."
Pen Name Samuel Clemens took his pen name, Mark Twain, from a cry used by crew members
of riverboats on the Mississippi River. They would call out "Mark twain!" when they had
measured the water to be two fathoms deep (deep enough for boats to pass). Twain's travels on
the Mississippi River inspired his most famous books: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
A Varied Career Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, during the mid-1800s. Many of the
characters in his works are based on people he knew there. As an adult, he headed west, mining
for gold and silver, and eventually working for newspapers in San Francisco.
His Legacy Twain is one of America's best-known writers. His books have been translated into
many languages. A number of movies and television shows have been based on works of his,
including Pudd'nhead Wilson and The Innocents Abroad.
282
Source: People Weekly
Found Money
For a Florida teenager, honesty pays dividends
The instant that high school junior Tequesta Allen opened the wallet she'd found in a West Palm Beach,
Fla., street, she knew her dream had come true. "I thought, I'm getting me a car," she says.
She might still be getting that car—but not with the $1,100 in the billfold. Because as soon as she
discovered the name of the owner, she couldn't help but sympathize. Says Allen, 16: "I knew I couldn't
keep it."
The youngest of four children, Tequesta Allen was being driven to the hairdresser by her father, meatmarket manager Lovell Allen, 39, on Oct. 23, when they spotted the wallet on the pavement. Tequesta
tried to phone its owner, West Palm Beach police officer, Frank DiStephano, 26, from the salon, but he
has an unlisted number. So she tried his bank, since the name was on a withdrawal receipt with the cash.
"I was shocked," says DiStephano, who had taken out the money for a down payment on a townhouse. "I
was surprised anybody would return it, much less a teenager."
Reading for Information
Often you will be asked to research a topic and report what you've learned. You might write a
lengthy research report or give an oral presentation, or write a brief review of the most important
information—a summary.
Summarizing
A summary is a complete but concise presentation of a longer text. A good summary includes
the main idea and important details that support the main idea.
YOUR TURN Use the questions that follow to help you summarize the news brief, "Found
Money."
1 Watch for facts and information that might express the main idea of the news brief. What
important details about Tequesta Allen finding a wallet are included on this page?
283
Fortunately for Tequesta, virtue hasn't been her only reward. DiStephano gave her $20 as thanks,
and when a local newspaper carried a story about what she had done, money started pouring in.
"You've restored my faith in humanity," wrote one donor. To date, Allen has received $1,910
including a $500 check from a local car dealer.
Of course, if any of these people had known Tequesta, they wouldn't have been so surprised that
she has character. A student at Lake Worth Community High, she recently gave up her $5.50-anhour job at Kentucky Fried Chicken to concentrate on improving her grades so she could go to
college.
"She's very, very responsible," says Tequesta's mother, Martha, 38, an AIDS case worker, who
notes that her daughter does community service work at Huggins Child Care Center in Lake
Worth. "We were just saying how blessed we are to have her."
Reading for Information continued
2 Often a writer develops the main idea of a news brief by including descriptions, explanations,
examples, stories, and quotations to create a vivid mental image for the reader. How does the
writer develop the main idea in these two paragraphs?
3 Inferring the Main Idea In order to summarize what you read, you need to state the main
idea. Sometimes you have to infer (or make logical guesses about) the main idea from the whole
text. Use the details in this news brief to identify the main idea.
Summarizing Reread the explanation of summarizing on page 283. Write a short summary of
this news brief. To write a summary, first read the complete text carefully. Then reread it,
identifying the main idea and a few supporting details to include in your summary.
Research & Technology
Activity Link: The Million-Pound Bank Note, p. 281. What have you learned about Tequesta
Allen, the teenager who found and returned the wallet? How did this news brief help you
understand the merits of being honest? Write a short essay about whether honesty is its own
reward or if you should be honest only if you expect to gain something from it.
284
The Bet
by ANTON CHEKHOV
Connect to Your Life
Have you ever known of a situation that needed to be changed?
Build Background
In the late 1800s, Russian writers Anton Chekhov, Leo Tolstoy, and Maxim Gorky led a reform
movement that targeted the economic and social problems in Russia.
---see pictures
When freed serfs failed to find jobs in the city, their Children sometimes became beggars.
People were often arrested and thrown into dirty, unhealthy prisons without a fair trial.
The Czars and nobles spent their riches on baubles such as
Faberge eggs.
Focus Your Reading
LITERARY ANALYSIS FLASHBACK
A scene from an earlier time that interrupts the ongoing action of a story is called a flashback. As
you read this story, pay attention to when each event is actually taking place.
ACTIVE READING SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
In order to follow a story, the reader needs to understand the sequence of events—the order of
the events in time.
In your no READER'S NOTEBOOK create a chart to track major events in the story. Note
words and phrases that signal the order of events.
WORDS TO KNOW Vocabulary Preview
capricious
humane
incessantly
posterity
renunciation
haphazardly
immoral
obsolete
rapture
stipulated
285
The Bet
by ANTON CHEKHOV
It was a dark autumn night. The old banker was pacing from corner to corner of his study,
recalling to his mind the party he gave in the autumn fifteen years ago. There were many clever
people at the party and much interesting conversation. They talked among other things of capital
punishment. The guests, among them not a few scholars and journalists, for the most part
disapproved of capital punishment.
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They found it obsolete as a means of punishment, and immoral. Some of them thought that
capital punishment should be replaced universally by life imprisonment.
"I don't agree with you," said the host. "I myself have experienced neither capital punishment nor
life imprisonment, but if one may judge a priori,1 then in my opinion capital punishment is more
moral and more humane than imprisonment. Execution kills instantly; life imprisonment kills by
degrees. Who is the more humane executioner, one who kills you in a few seconds or one who
draws the life out of you incessantly, for years?"
"They're both equally immoral," remarked one of the guests, "because their purpose is the same,
to take away life. The state is not all powerful. It has no right to take away that which it cannot
give back, if it should so desire."
Among the company was a lawyer, a young man of about twenty-five. On being asked his
opinion, he said:
"Capital punishment and life imprisonment are equally immoral; but if I were offered the choice
between them, I would certainly choose the second. It's better to live somehow than not to live at
all."
There ensued a lively discussion. The banker, who was then younger and more nervous,
suddenly lost his temper, banged his fist on the table, and turning to the young lawyer, cried out:
"It's a lie. I bet you two millions you wouldn't stick in a cell even for five years."
"If you're serious," replied the lawyer, "then I bet I'll stay not five but fifteen."
"Fifteen! Done!" cried the banker. "Gentlemen, I stake two millions."
"Agreed. You stake two millions, I my freedom," said the lawyer.
So this wild, ridiculous bet came to pass. The banker, who at that time had too many millions to
count, spoiled and capricious, was beside himself with rapture. During supper he said to the
lawyer jokingly:
"Come to your senses, young man, before it's too late. Two millions are nothing to me, but you
stand to lose three or four of the best years of your life. I say three or four, because you'll never
stick it out any longer. Don't forget either, you unhappy man, that voluntary is much heavier than
enforced imprisonment. The idea that you have the right to free yourself at any moment will
poison the whole of your life in the cell. I pity you."
And now the banker, pacing from corner to corner, recalled all this and asked himself:
ACTIVE READER
CLARIFY Why do the banker and the lawyer make the bet?
"Why did I make this bet? What's the good? The lawyer loses fifteen years of his life and I throw
away two millions. Will it convince people that capital punishment is worse or better than
imprisonment for life? No, no! all stuff and rubbish. On my part, it was the caprice of a well- fed
man; on the lawyer's, pure greed of gold."
He recollected further what happened after the evening party. It was decided that the
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lawyer must undergo his imprisonment under the strictest observation, in a garden wing
of the banker's house. It was agreed that during the period he would be deprived of the right to
cross the threshold, to see living people, to hear human voices, and to receive letters and
newspapers. He was permitted to have a musical instrument, to read books and to write letters.
By the agreement he could communicate, but only in silence, with the outside world through a
little window specially constructed for this purpose. Everything necessary, books, music, he
could receive in any quantity by sending a note through the window. The agreement provided for
all the minutest details, which made the confinement strictly solitary, and it obliged the lawyer to
remain exactly fifteen years from twelve o'clock of November 14th, 1870, to twelve o'clock of
November 14th, 1885. The least attempt on his part to violate the conditions, to escape if only for
two minutes before the time, freed the banker from the obligation to pay him the two millions.
During the first year of imprisonment, the lawyer, as far as it was possible to judge from his short
notes, suffered terribly from loneliness and boredom. From his wing day and night came the
sound of the piano. During the first year, the lawyer was sent books of a light character; novels
with a complicated love interest, stories of crime and fantasy, comedies, and so on.
In the second year the piano was heard no longer and the lawyer asked only for classics. In the
fifth year, music was heard again. Those who watched him said that during the whole of that
year he was only eating, drinking, and lying on his bed. He yawned often and talked angrily to
himself. Books he did not read. Sometimes at night he would sit down to write. He would write
for a long time and tear it all up in the morning. More than once he was heard to weep.
ACTIVE READER
PREDICT Will the lawyer stay for 15 years?
In the second half of the sixth year, the prisoner began zealously to study languages, philosophy,
and history. He fell on these subjects so hungrily that the banker hardly had time to get books
enough for him. In the space of four years about six hundred volumes were bought at his request.
It was while that passion lasted that the banker received the following letter from the prisoner:
"My dear jailer, I am writing these lines in six languages. Show them to experts. Let them read
them. If they do not find one single mistake, I beg you to give orders to have a gun fired off in
the garden. By the noise I shall know that my efforts have not been in vain. The geniuses of all
ages and countries speak in different languages; but in them all burns the same flame. Oh, if you
knew my heavenly happiness now that I can understand them!" The prisoner's desire was
fulfilled. Two shots were fired in the garden by the banker's order.
Later on, after the tenth year, the lawyer sat immovable before his table and read only the New
Testament. The banker found it strange that a man who in four years had mastered six hundred
erudite2 volumes, should have spent nearly a year in reading one book, easy to understand and by
no means thick. The New Testament was then replaced by the history of religions and theology.
During the last two years of his confinement the prisoner read an extraordinary amount, quite
haphazardly. Now he would apply himself to the natural sciences, then would read
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Byron3 or Shakespeare. Notes used to come from him in which he asked to be sent at the
same time a book on chemistry, a textbook of medicine, a novel, and some treatise on philosophy
or theology. He read as though he were swimming in the sea among broken pieces of wreckage,
and in his desire to save his life was eagerly grasping one piece after another.
The banker recalled all this, and thought:
"Tomorrow at twelve o'clock he receives his freedom. Under the agreement, I shall have to pay
him two millions. If I pay, it's all over with me. I am ruined forever.... "
Fifteen years before he had too many millions to count, but now he was afraid to ask himself
which he had more of, money or debts. Gambling on the stock exchange, risky speculation, and
the recklessness of which he could not rid himself even in old age, had gradually brought his
business to decay; and the fearless, self-confident, proud man of business had become an
ordinary banker, trembling at every rise and fall in the market.
ACTIVE READER
CLARIFY Why might the banker be ruined?
"That cursed bet," murmured the old man clutching his head in despair... . "Why didn't the man
die? He's only forty years old. He will take away my last penny, marry, enjoy life, gamble on
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the exchange, and I will look on like an envious beggar and hear the same words from
him every day: `I'm obliged to you for the happiness of my life. Let me help you.' No, it's too
much! The only escape from bankruptcy and disgrace—is that the man should die."
The clock had just struck three. The banker was listening. In the house everyone was asleep, and
one could hear only the frozen trees whining outside the windows. Trying to make no sound, he
took out of his safe the key of the door which had not been opened for fifteen years, put on his
overcoat, and went out of the house. The garden was dark and cold. It was raining. A keen damp
wind hovered howling over all the garden and gave the trees no rest. Though he strained his
eyes, the banker could see neither the ground, nor the white statues, nor the garden wing, nor the
trees. Approaching the place where the garden wing stood, he called the watchman twice. There
was no answer. Evidently the watchman had taken shelter from the bad weather and was now
asleep somewhere in the kitchen or the greenhouse.
"If I have the courage to fulfill my intention," thought the old man, "the suspicion will fall on the
watchman first of all."
In the darkness he groped for the stairs and the door and entered the hall of the garden wing, then
poked his way into a narrow passage and struck a match. Not a soul was there. Someone's bed,
with no bedclothes on it, stood there, and an iron stove was dark in the corner. The seals on the
door that led into the prisoner's room were unbroken.
When the match went out, the old man, trembling from agitation, peeped into the little window.
In the prisoner's room a candle was burning dim. The prisoner himself sat by the table. Only his
back, the hair on his head, and his hands were visible. On the table, the two chairs, and on the
carpet by the table, open books were strewn.
Five minutes passed and the prisoner never once stirred. Fifteen years' confinement had taught
him to sit motionless. The banker tapped on the window with his finger, but the prisoner gave no
movement in reply. Then the banker cautiously tore the seals from the door and put the key into
the lock. The rusty lock gave a hoarse groan and the door creaked.
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The banker expected instantly to hear a cry of surprise and the sound of steps. Three minutes
passed and it was as quiet behind the door as it had been before. He made up his mind to enter.
Before the table sat a man, unlike an ordinary human being. It was a .
skeleton, with tightdrawn skin, with a woman's long curly hair, and a shaggy beard. The color of his face was
yellow, of an earthy shade; the cheeks were sunken, the back long and narrow, and the hand
upon which he leaned his hairy head was so lean and skinny that it was painful to look upon. His
hair was already silvering with grey, and no one who glanced at the senile emaciation4 of the
face would have believed that he was only forty years old. On the table, before his bent head, lay
a sheet of paper on which something was written in a tiny hand.
"Poor fellow," thought the banker, "he's asleep and probably seeing millions in his dreams. I
have only to take and throw this half-dead thing on the bed, smother him a moment with the
pillow, and the most careful examination will find no trace of unnatural death. But, first, let us
read what he has written here."
The banker took the sheet from the table and read:
"Tomorrow at twelve o'clock midnight, I shall obtain my freedom and the right to mix with
people. But before I leave this room and see the sun I think it necessary to say a few words to
you. On my own clear conscience, I declare to you that I despise freedom, life, health, and all
that your books call the blessings of the world.
"For fifteen years I have diligently studied earthly life. True, I saw neither the earth nor the
people, but in your books I sang songs, hunted deer and wild boar in the forests, loved women. . .
. And beautiful women, like clouds ethereal,5 created by the magic of your poets' genius, visited
me by night and whispered to me wonderful tales, which made my head spin. In your books I
climbed the summits of Elbruz and Mont Blanc and saw from there how the sun rose in the
morning, and in the evening overflowed the sky, the ocean and the mountain ridges with a purple
gold. From there I saw how above me lightnings glimmered, cleaving the clouds; I saw green
forests, fields, rivers, lakes, cities; I heard sirens6 singing, and the playing of the pipes of Pan. . .
.7 In your books I cast myself into bottomless abysses,8 worked miracles, burned cities to the
ground, preached new religions, conquered whole countries. . . .
"Your books gave me wisdom. All that unwearying human thought created in the centuries is
compressed to a little lump in my skull. I know that I am more clever than you all.
"And I despise your books, despise all worldly blessings and wisdom. Everything is void, frail,
visionary and delusive as a mirage. Though you be proud and wise and beautiful, yet will death
wipe you from the face of the earth like the mice underground; and your posterity, your history,
and the immortality of
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your men of genius will be as frozen slag, burnt down together with the terrestrial globe.
"You are mad, and gone the wrong way. You take lie for truth and ugliness for beauty. You
would marvel if by certain conditions frogs and lizards should suddenly grow on apple and
orange trees, instead of fruit, and if roses should begin to breathe the odor of a sweating horse.
So do I marvel at you, who have bartered heaven for earth. I do not want to understand you.
"That I may show you in deed my contempt for that by which you live, I waive the two millions
of which I once dreamed of as paradise, and which I now despise. That I may deprive myself of
my right to them, I shall come out from here five minutes before the stipulated term, and thus
shall violate the agreement."
ACTIVE READER
EVALUATE What causes the lawyer's bitterness?
When he had read, the banker put the sheet on the table, kissed the head of the strange man, and
began to weep. He went out of the wing. Never at any other time, not even after his terrible
losses on the Exchange, had he felt such contempt for himself as now. Coming home, he lay
down on his bed, but agitation and tears kept him long from sleep... .
The next morning the poor watchman came running to him and told him that they had seen the
man who lived in the wing climbing through the window into the garden. He had gone to the
gate and disappeared. With his servants the banker went instantly to the wing and established the
escape of his prisoner. To avoid unnecessary rumors he took the paper with the renunciation
from the table and, on his return, locked it in his safe. 
---from page 287
1. a priori (ä'prē-ôr'ē): based on a theory rather than on experience.
---from page 288
2. erudite (ĕr'yə-dīt"): scholarly.
---from page 289
3. Byron: George Gordon Byron (1788-1824), a leading English poet of the Romantic
movement.
---from page 291
4. emaciation (ĭ-mā'shē-ā'shən): abnormal thinness, usually caused by starvation.
5. ethereal (ĭ-thîr'ē-əl): delicate; heavenly.
6. sirens: from Greek mythology, sea nymphs whose sweet singing lured sailors to their deaths
on rocky coasts.
7. pipes of Pan: Pan, the Greek god of woods, fields, and flocks, played a flutelike pipe
instrument.
8. abysses (ə-bĭsĭz): deep gulfs, gorges, or chasms.
WORDS TO KNOW
---from page 287
obsolete (ŏb'sə-1ēt') adj. out-of-date
immoral (ĭ-môr'əl) adj. contrary to what is considered to be correct behavior
humane (hyoo-mān') adj. merciful; showing the best qualities of humans
incessantly (ĭn-sĕs'ənt-lē) adv. continually, without interruption
capricious (kə-prĭsh'əs) adj. unpredictable
rapture (răp'chər) n. a feeling of ecstasy; great joy
---from page 288
haphazardly (hăp-hăz'ərd-1ē) adv. in a random manner
---from page 291
posterity (pŏ-stĕr'ĭ-tē) n. future generations
---from page 292
stipulated (stĭp'yə-lā'tĭd) adj. arranged in an agreement stipulate v.
renunciation (rē-nŭn'sē-ā'shən) n. a declaration in which something is given up
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THINKING through the LITERATURE
Connect to the Literature
1. What Do You Think?
Which character did you find more sympathetic—the banker or the lawyer? Explain your
opinion.
Comprehension Check
What are the terms of the bet?
What will happen to the banker if the lawyer wins?
What does the banker decide to do to stop the lawyer from winning?
Who wins the bet? Why?
Think Critically
2. Do you think the banker and the lawyer would make the bet if they knew what its effects
would be? Why or why not?
3. What do you think the bet proves? Explain your answer.
4. What do you think of the lawyer's decision not to take the money?
Think About:
what he would gain by not leaving early
the effects of long-term isolation on him
what, if anything, he has gained by the end of the story
5. ACTIVE READING SEQUENCE OF EVENTS Compare the chart you made in your
READER'S NOTEBOOK with a partner's. What words and phrases helped you recognize
flashbacks and other aspects of the sequence of events?
Extend Interpretations
6. COMPARING TEXTS The plot of Mark Twain's The Million-Pound Bank Note (page 263)
also involves a bet. In what ways are the two bets different? In what ways are they alike? Which
bet do you think makes for a better story?
7. Different Perspectives How would the story be different if it were told by a character other
than the banker?
8. Connect to Life After reading this story, has your attitude about bets changed? Explain your
answer.
Literary Analysis
FLASHBACK
A scene from an earlier time that interrupts the ongoing action of a story is called a flashback. A
flashback may provide information that helps the reader understand a character's present
situation. In "The Bet," a flashback is used to present the banker's recollection of a party he gave
15 years earlier.
Paired Activity With a partner, identify the flashbacks in this story. When you are done, discuss
the following questions:
Would the story have been as suspenseful if it had been written without flashbacks?
How did a flashback help you understand the banker's present situation?
Which flashback had the greatest impact?
REVIEW: CLIMAX In the plot of a story or play, the climax (or turning point) is the point of
maximum interest and emotional intensity. At the climax, the conflict is resolved and the
outcome of the plot becomes clear. What do you think is the climax of "The Bet"?
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Writing
Alternative Ending What do you think the outcome of the story would be if the lawyer did not
choose to leave the cell early? Write an outline for an alternative ending based on this
development.
Research & Technology
SOCIAL STUDIES
The lawyer is confined to a single room from 1870 to 1885. Using history books, encyclopedias,
and Web sites, see what you can find out about the events that occurred in the outside world
during those years. Did any new world leaders come to power? Did any major wars take place?
Share your findings with classmates.
Research and Technology Handbook See p. R114: Getting Information Electronically.
Art Connection
Look at the painting Gauguin's Armchair by Vincent van Gogh on page 292. What details in the
painting create a sense of loneliness and isolation?
Gauguin's Armchair (1888), Vincent van Gogh. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, the
Netherlands. Art Resource/New York.
Vocabulary
EXERCISE: DEFINITION CLUES On your paper, write the Words to Know that can best
replace the underlined words in these sentences.
1. Many of the guests thought that capital punishment was out-of-date.
2. The banker's behavior was unpredictable.
3. The banker was filled with excitement and joy at the dinner party.
4. The set of agreed-on rules was designed to make the bet fair.
5. The lawyer left a statement that expressed his giving up of the money.
6. The guests could not decide which punishment was more merciful.
7. They argued about the issue endlessly.
8. The lawyer was not worried about future generations.
9. Some punishments are contrary to principles of right behavior.
10. The lawyer read books at random.
Vocabulary Handbook See p. R20: Context Clues.
WORDS TO KNOW
capricious
humane
incessantly
posterity
renunciation
haphazardly
immoral
obsolete
rapture
stipulated
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Grammar in Context: Proper Nouns
In "The Bet" Anton Chekhov describes the prisoner's reading habits.
During the last two years of his confinement the prisoner read an extraordinary amount,
quite haphazardly. Now he would apply himself to the natural sciences, then would read
Byron or Shakespeare.
The words in red are proper nouns. All nouns can be described as either common or proper. A
common noun is a general name of a person, a place, a thing, or an idea. A proper noun is the
name of a particular person, place, thing, or idea.
Proper nouns can make writing more specific. They create clearer pictures and ideas. For
example, Chekhov gives the reader a more exact description of the prisoner's reading material by
mentioning specific writers—Shakespeare and Byron—instead of saying that the prisoner read
classic authors.
Capitalization Tip: Proper nouns always begin with a capital letter; common nouns do not.
Apply to Your Writing Use proper nouns to make your writing clearer and more specific.
WRITING EXERCISE Complete each sentence by adding a proper noun to make the sentence
more specific.
Example: Original I enjoy poetry.
Rewritten I enjoy the poetry of Nikki Giovanni.
1. I like music.
2. The house had just been painted.
3. A man had just lost his keys.
4. I read a book.
5. We went to another country.
Grammar Handbook See p. R94: Correcting Capitalization.
Anton Chekhov
1860-1904
"Literature is accepted as an art because it depicts life as it actually is."
A Breadwinner at 15 Anton Chekhov was the third of six children born to a peasant family in
Taganrog, Russia, near the Black Sea. When he was 15, he began selling household goods and
tutoring younger students to help support his family. Although he went to medical school, he
made his career as a writer, practicing medicine only occasionally.
Life as It Really Is Chekhov wrote for comic magazines before turning to more serious stories
and plays. His style of writing focuses on mood rather than on action. He believed that writers
should show life as it really is. Skilled in writing both fiction and drama, Chekhov became
known as the father of the modern short story and the modern play. His stories and plays such as
The Cherry Orchard and Uncle Vanya became popular throughout the world.
AUTHOR ACTIVITY
Find summaries or reviews of two of Chekhov's stories or plays. Decide whether Chekhov wrote
about "life as it really is" in his other works. Compare your conclusions with those of your
classmates.
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I Stepped from Plank to Plank
by EMILY DICKINSON
Child on Top of a Greenhouse
by THEODORE ROETHKE (rĕt kē)
Connect to Your Life
A Special Time Some childhood memories are so clear and complete they seem to carry you
back in time. Think about a childhood experience you remember clearly. Share your recollection
with a classmate, or share someone else's childhood memory you have read about.
Build Background
Powerful Memories Emily Dickinson and Theodore Roethke wrote at different times, and their
lives followed very different paths. Both, however, use personal experience or memory as a
means to explore larger questions.
As a young adult Dickinson withdrew from the world. When she wrote about an experience like
the one in the poem you are about to read—a walk on a boardwalk or pier—she was drawing on
her imagination and memory.
Roethke's poem "Child on Top of a Greenhouse" draws directly on the poet's memories of his
childhood. Roethke's father owned a large commercial greenhouse, and Roethke spent much of
his childhood in and around it.
Focus Your Reading
LITERARY ANALYSIS IMAGERY
Both of the poems you are about to read describe events in such a way that the reader can
imagine the physical experience. Writers can create this effect by using imagery—words and
phrases that appeal to the reader's five senses. For example, the opening line of Roethke's poem
helps the reader imagine what the speaker of the poem is physically feeling:
My feet crackling splinters of glass and dried putty,
As you read each poem, notice how the poet's use of imagery adds to the poem's overall effect.
ACTIVE READING COMPARING AND CONTRASTING
A helpful way to approach a story or poem is to look for ways in which it is similar to another
work. This is called comparing. It may be just as helpful to find ways in which two stories or
poems are different. This is called contrasting.
READER'S NOTEBOOK Make a chart like the one below. As you read each poem, jot down
your thoughts about the speaker, setting, subject, imagery, and mood of the poem. Be ready to
compare and contrast the two poems.
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I Stepped from Plank to Plank
by EMILY DICKINSON
I stepped from plank to plank
So slow and cautiously;
The stars about my head I felt,
About my feet the sea.
I knew not but the next
Would be my final inch,—
This gave me that precarious gait
Some call experience.
THINKING through the LITERATURE
1. What is your impression of the speaker? Give the reasons for your answer.
2. How does the speaker in this poem communicate a sense of danger? Support your answer with
examples.
3. Why do you think the speaker says (in line 3) that she "felt" the stars, rather than that she
simply saw them? How does this word choice add to the poem's imagery?
4. What does the speaker mean by "experience"? What do you think of this definition?
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Child on Top of a Greenhouse
by THEODORE ROETHKE
The wind billowing1 out the seat of my britches,2
My feet crackling splinters of glass and dried putty,
The half-grown chrysanthemums staring up like accusers,3
Up through the streaked glass, flashing with sunlight,
A few white clouds all rushing eastward,
A line of elms plunging and tossing like horses,
And everyone, everyone pointing up and shouting!
1. billowing: swelling out or bulging.
2. britches: trousers that only go down to the knee.
3. accusers: people who blame someone else for doing something wrong.
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Connect to the Literature
1. What Do You Think?
What memories or thoughts did this poem bring to your mind?
Comprehension Check
What does the child do?
What are the people on the ground doing?
Think Critically
2. Why do you think the child goes to the top of the greenhouse?
3. How would you describe the mood of this poem?
Think About:
the speaker's attitude
the poet's choice of images
the simile, or comparison, in line 6
the reaction of the people on the ground
4. Look at the simile in line 3. Of what do you think the chrysanthemums are accusing the child?
5. ACTIVE READING COMPARING AND CONTRASTING Look back at the chart you
made in your READER'S NOTEBOOK. In what ways are the two poems alike and in what
ways are they different? Compare them in terms of speaker, setting, subject, imagery, and mood.
6. In which of these two poems can you more clearly visualize the scene described? Support
your answer.
Extend Interpretations
7. The Writer's Style What do you notice about all of the verb forms in Roethke's poem? In
what ways do you think this choice adds to the poem's effect?
8. COMPARING TEXTS What similar ideas about nature do you find in "Simile: Willow and
win Ginkgo" (page 216) and "Child on Top of a Greenhouse"?
9. Connect to Life Do you find new experiences frightening, exciting, or both frightening and
exciting? Explain your answer.
Literary Analysis
IMAGERY Imagery consists of words and phrases that appeal to the reader's five senses.
Writers use sensory details to help readers imagine how things look, feel, smell, sound, and
taste. In Roethke's poem the description in line 2, for example, appeals to the senses of hearing
and touch:
My feet crackling splinters of glass and dried putty,
Activity With a partner, create for each poem a word web like the one shown below. Find as
many examples of imagery as you can and list each example under the sense it appeals to.
Compare and contrast the webs you have created for the two poems. Then discuss the following
questions with a larger group.
In each poem, which of the five senses has the most imagery? Which sense has the least
imagery? Why do you think this is?
Which of the poems contains more imagery? How does the imagery affect your ability
connect to the poem's theme?
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Writing
Memoir Write a paragraph about a childhood experience you remember or have read about. Be
sure to include examples of imagery so your readers will be able to picture the experience. Also
be sure to explain why the experience was significant. Place your memoir in your Working
Portfolio.
Writing Handbook See p. R43: Narrative Writing.
Speaking & Listening
Internal Monologue Imagine that you are the speaker of one of the poems. Prepare a monologue
in which you describe stepping from plank to plank or climbing to the top of the greenhouse. Be
sure to state what you see, hear, feel, and smell. Use precise language, action verbs, and sensory
details.
Research &Technology
Climate Control Use an encyclopedia to find out more about greenhouses. Just what are they
and why do farmers use them? Make a poster with a diagram that shows how a greenhouse
works. Present your findings and poster to your class.
Research and Technology Handbook See p. R120: Using Visuals.
Emily Dickinson
1830-1886
"If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is
poetry."
A Small World Born and raised in 19th-century New England, Emily Dickinson became a
recluse (someone who withdraws from the world) by the time she was in her mid-30s. The
reason for the change is unknown, but afterward she rarely left her home in Amherst,
Massachusetts.
Amazing Discovery Only seven of Dickinson's poems were published during her life, all
anonymously. After her death, her sister was amazed to discover almost 1,800 poems. Many of
them had been written on scraps of paper, backs of lists, bills, flyers, or used envelopes. The full
worth of Dickinson's work was not recognized until 1955, when a complete edition of her poems
was published in three volumes.
Theodore Roethke
1908-1963
"Make your poetry the reflection of your life."
Greenhouse Years Born in Saginaw, Michigan, Roethke was the son of German immigrants
who grew and sold flowers for a living. The greenhouse his father owned became an important
symbol in Roethke's poetry.
Poet and Teacher Roethke studied literature at the University of Michigan and later taught at
several universities. He was a popular teacher who brought a special energy to the classroom.
Once he asked students to describe the action he was about to perform, and then climbed through
a window and moved along the outside ledge, making faces at the class through the glass.
Roethke won the Pulitzer Prize for his poetry.
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Building Vocabulary
Using Context Clues
Figuring out the meanings of unfamiliar words does not always require a dictionary. A good
reader looks at the words and phrases surrounding an unfamiliar word— that is, the word's
context—for clues to its meaning. Description clues, for example, can also suggest a word's
meaning.
During the last two years of his confinement the prisoner read an extraordinary amount,
quite haphazardly. .. Notes used to come from him in which he asked to be sent at the same
time a book on chemistry, a textbook of medicine, a novel, and some treatise on philosophy
or theology.
—Anton Chekhov, "The Bet"
These description clues reveal that the prisoner reads books on many topics, in no logical order
or pattern.
The meaning of haphazardly, "in a random manner," is made clear by these clues.
Strategies for Building Vocabulary
Here are some other types of context clues.
1 Definition and Restatement Clues Sometimes writers include definitions of difficult words
(definition clues) or restate the meanings in other words (restatement clues). Such clues may be
signaled by commas or by words like or, that is, in other words, and also called.
The scholars believed that capital punishment was obsolete, that it was completely out-ofdate in their civilized society.
The restatement clue "completely out-of-date in their civilized society" suggests that obsolete
means "old and out-of-date."
2 Example Clues An example clue illustrates the meaning of a difficult word. Such clues are
often signaled by words like including and such as. The meaning of precarious is suggested by
the two examples that show how insecure Henry's position is.
Several problems made Henry feel that he was in a precarious position, including his debt
and his having only a promise of a position if he won the bet.
3 Comparison and Contrast Clues A comparison clue compares similar words or ideas.
The banker was as capricious as the unpredictable weather this year.
The comparison of a banker to unpredictable weather suggests the meaning of capricious
("acting impulsively and unpredictably"). Contrast clues point out differences between words or
ideas. A contrast clue may be signaled by although, but, however, yet, on the other hand, or in
contrast
Who is the more humane executioner, one who kills you in a few seconds or one who draws
the life out of you incessantly, for years?
Note how the contrast with "in a few seconds" can help you figure out that incessantly means
"continually!"
EXERCISE Use a context clue to define each underlined word. Identify the kind of context clue
that you used.
1. He could not hide his feeling of rapture. In other words, everyone knew the great joy he was
feeling.
2. Alice is known for her humane actions. This year she donated thousands of dollars to
education and gave food to a local shelter.
3. We wanted to enjoy a diversion, but instead we had to work.
4. I wanted the advice of a judicious person, such as a wise adult or a responsible, thoughtful
student.
5. The act was as immoral as stealing food from a hungry child.
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FOR INDEPENDENT READING
from
SOMETHING TO DECLARE
BY JULIA ALVAREZ
We never went on trips abroad when I was a child. In the Dominican Republic1 no one could
travel without papers, and the dictatorship rarely granted anyone this special permission.
There were exceptions—my grandparents went to New York regularly because my grandfather
had a post in the United Nations.2 My godmother, who was described as one of the most
beautiful widows in the country, got permission to go on a trip because she was clever. At a state
function, she told El Jefe3 that she knew he was a gentleman, and a gentleman would not refuse a
lady a favor. She wanted so much to travel. The next morning a black limousine from the
National Palace rolled up to her door to deliver her papers, along with some flowers.
"Where did you want to go?" I asked her, years later.
"Want to go?" she looked at me blankly.
"I didn't want to go anywhere. I just wanted to get away from what we were living in."
Those trips were not vacations—though they did share an aspect of vacations: they were escapes,
not from the tedium of daily routines, but from the terror of a police state.4
When I was a child, then, vacations meant a vacation from school. That was vacation enough for
me! Summer vacations also meant a move. During the long, hot months of July and August, the
whole extended family—uncles, aunts, sisters, cousins, grandparents—left the capital to get
away from the heat and diseases that supposedly festered in the heat. My grandfather had bought
an old house a short walk from the beach in the small fishing village of Boca Chica, close to
where the new airport was being built. The house itself was nothing elegant: two stories, wood
frame, a wraparound porch on the first floor, a large
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screened-in porch on the second, a big almond tree that dropped its fruit on the zinc roof.
Ping! in the middle of the night. What was that?
We slept on cots, all the cousins, in that screened- in porch. Meals were eaten in two shifts on a
big picnic table— first, the whole gang of children, our seating arrangement planned to avoid
trouble, the rowdy ones next to the well- behaved ones, the babies with bibs in high chairs,
looking like the little dignitaries of the gathering. The grown-ups ate after we were sent up to our
cots to nap so we could "make our digestions" and be able to go swimming in the late afternoon.
Our lives, which were communal during the rest of the year, since we all lived in neighboring
houses, grew even more communal when we were all under the same roof. The men stayed on in
the capital during the week, working hard, and appeared on Friday afternoons to a near-stampede
of children running up from the beach to see what our papis5 had brought us from the city.
During the rest of the week, it was just the cousins and our mothers and grandmother and aunts
and nursemaids, and the great big sea that splashed in our dreams all night long.
It seemed then that we were not living in a dictatorship but in a fairyland of sand and sun
and girlish mothers who shared in our fun. The perpetual worried look disappeared from my
mother's face. She went barefoot on the beach, a sea breeze blew her skirt up in the air, she tried
to hold it down. We chose the fish for our dinner right off the fishermen's boats. The women
gossiped and told stories and painted their fingernails and toenails and then proceeded down the
line to do the same for the girl children. They always had some little intrigue going. They
especially loved to tease the husbands alone in the capital, making funny phone calls, pretending
they were other women ("Don't you remember me, Edy querido?!")6 or pretending they were
salesladies calling to say that their wives' order of a hundred dollars' worth of Revlon cosmetics
had just arrived. Could payment be sent immediately?
Ha, ha, ha! The women held their sides and laughed wildly at the men's embarrassment.
It was fun to see them having such a good time for a change.
And then, suddenly, in 1960, summers at the beach stopped altogether. We stayed home in the
capital. The women were too worried to leave the men by themselves. Nightly, a black
Volkswagen came up our driveway and sat there, blocking our way out. We were under virtual
house arrest7 by the SIM.8 The men talked in low, worried voices behind closed doors. The
shadows under my mother's eyes grew darker. When we begged and pleaded to go to Boca Chica
for the summer, she blurted out, "Absolutamente9 no!" before she was hushed by a more
circumspect aunt.
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That's when talk of a vacation began in my family—vacation as in the American understanding
of vacation, a trip far away, for fun.
"Wouldn't you love to go to the United States and see the snow?" one aunt asked my sisters and
me one day out of the blue.
"That would be so much fun!" another aunt chimed in.
We sisters looked from one to the other aunt, unsure. Something about the conversation seemed
rehearsed. Some adult intrigue was afoot. This one would not involve giggles on the phone and
howls of laughter over how gullible the men were. This one would be serious, but just how
serious I did not understand until years later.
My father's activities in the underground10 were suspected, and it would be only a matter of time
before he would be hauled away if we
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stayed. And who knew where else the ax might fall—on his wife and children? Friends in
the States rigged up a fellowship for my father. The pretext11 was that he would study heart
surgery there since there wasn't a heart surgeon in the Dominican Republic. What if our dictator
should develop heart trouble? Papi was petitioning for a two-year visa for himself and his family.
No, he told the authorities, he would not go without us.
That would be a hardship.
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"You bet," my mother tells me now. "We would have been held hostage!"
"Why didn't you tell us any of this back then?" I ask her. All we ever heard about was that we
were taking a vacation to the United States. "Why didn't you just say, we're leaving forever?"
"Ay si, and get ourselves killed! You had the biggest mouth back then—" She shakes her head,
and I know what is coming, "and you still do, writing, writing, writing."
She is right, too—about the big mouth. I remember my three sisters and I were coached not to
mention that we were going to the United States of America—at least not till our papers came, if
they ever came.
Before the day was over, I had told our secret to the cousins, the maids, the dog, and the corner
candy man, who was always willing to exchange candy for my schoolbooks and school supplies.
I hadn't meant to disobey, but it was so tempting to brag and get a little extra respect and a free
box of cinnamon Chiclets.
"I'm going to see the snow!" I singsang to my boy cousin Ique.
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"So?" he shrugged and threw me a shadow punch. Needless to say, we were two of the rowdy
ones.
Toys made a better argument. I was going to the land where our toys came from.
He raised his chin, struggling with the envy he did not want to admit to feeling. "Bring me back
something?" he finally pleaded.
"Okay," I said, disarmed. No one had mentioned our return until this very moment. Surely,
vacations were something you came back from?
When our papers finally arrived one morning in early August, Papi booked us on the next flight
off the Island. The vacation was on. We could tell anybody we wanted. Now, I was the one who
grew silent.
"Hello, very pleased to make your acquaintance?" one uncle joked in English, holding out his
hand to me. He had come by to say good-bye, for we were leaving that very night. Meanwhile,
we girls better practice our English! We would get so tall and pale and pretty in the United
States, and smart! Maybe we would marry Americans and have little blue-eyed babies that didn't
know how to speak Spanish!
That gripped my braggart's12 heart. We were going to be gone that long?
As the hours ticked by and more and more visitors and relatives snuck in the back way to say
good-bye, my sisters and I grew pale with fear. We didn't really want to go to a place where
buildings scraped the sky and everyone spoke English all the time, not just at school in English
class. We didn't want to go someplace if all the cousins and aunts couldn't come along.
The uncles mocked us, lifting their eyebrows in shock. "How crazy! Do you know how many
children would give their right arms to go to the United States of America?" Their argument, a
variation on the starving Chinese children who would give their right arms to eat our vegetables,
did not convince us. Our protests increased as the hour drew near.
I don't know which aunt it was, or perhaps it was our own distraught mother, who decided to
trick us to calm us down. Never mind the United States, we were really going to Boca Chica!
The story wasn't a total untruth. The new airport was on the way to the fishing village.
We were suspicious. Why were we dressed in party dresses if we were going to the beach? Why
did we have suitcases like foreign people, instead of the big hampers of clothes and provisions
we took with us when we left for the summer for the beach house?
"That's enough, girls!" Mami snapped. "One more word from you and you can all stay here by
yourselves!"
Now there was a threat worth its weight in silence. Abandonment was far worse than a long,
maybe permanent vacation somewhere weird. By the time we boarded the plane, long past
midnight, none of us had raised any further objections. Besides by now, it had been drummed
into us—how lucky we
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were to have our papers, to be free to go on this long vacation.
Soon after the roar of takeoff, we fell asleep, so we did not see the little lights flickering in some
of the houses as we flew over Boca Chica. Hours before dawn, the fishermen would already be
casting their nets out in the ocean. By midmorning, when we would be gaping at the buildings in
New York City, the fish would be laid out on a big board across the rowboats' length, their pink
and silver scales iridescent with the water scooped over them to make them look fresher.
For weeks that soon became months and years, I would think in this way. What was going on
right this moment back home? As the leaves fell and the air turned gray and the cold set in, I
would remember the big house in Boca Chica, the waves telling me their secrets, the cousins
sleeping side by side in their cots, and I would wonder if those papers had set us free from
everything we loved.
---from page 303
1. Dominican Republic (də-mĭn ĭ-kən rĭ-pŭb'lĭk): a country of the West Indies on the eastern
part of the island of Hispaniola, next to Haiti.
2. United Nations: an international organization founded in 1945 to promote peace and
economic development.
3. El Jefe (hĭ'fĕ): Rafael Trujillo Molina (rä-fī-yĕl' troohē'yō mō-lē'nä), the dictator of the
Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961.
4. police state: a government that carries out rigid and repressive controls, often by using secret
police.
---from page 304
5. papis (pä'pēs) Spanish: dads.
6. querido (kĕ-rē'dô) Spanish: beloved; dear.
7. house arrest: a condition of being forced to stay at home by order of a court or other part of
the government.
8. SIM: Trujillo's secret police force.
9. absolutamente (äb-sô-loo' tə-mĕ'n'tē) Spanish: absolutely.
---from page 305
10. underground: a secret organization that carries out activities opposed by the government.
---from page 306
11. pretext (prē'tĕkst'): an excuse.
---from page 308
12. braggart's (brăg'ərts): of or belonging to one who boasts, lies, or shows off.
Julia Alvarez
born 1950
"I believe that stories have the power—they enter us, they transport us, they change things inside
us..."
Where Is Home? As she recounts in Something to Declare, Julia Alvarez emigrated from the
Dominican Republic to the United States at the age of ten. Her father had taken part in an
underground plot against the dictator Rafael Trujillo Molina. Although she and her family
escaped to safety, she found it difficult being cut off from her homeland and adjusting to a new
country. Books offered Alvarez a world where she did not feel alone. Through writing, she could
begin to connect her two cultures.
A Poet First Poetry first drew Alvarez to writing. After receiving degrees in literature and
writing, she spent 12 years teaching poetry at several universities. Homecoming, a book of her
poems, was published in 1984. Since then, Alvarez has written fiction and essays. Her popular
novel, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, deals with a Hispanic Caribbean family that
lives in the Bronx. Alvarez is currently a professor at Middlebury College in Vermont.
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Writing Workshop Character Sketch
Describing a character .. .
From Reading to Writing Character descriptions can be found in most great literature. Mark
Twain draws a portrait of a clever man in The Million-Pound Bank Note. In "The Bet," Anton
Chekhov paints a picture of how his main character changes from a greedy young man into a
bitter old man. A character sketch is a snapshot of a character. It captures the personality and
appearance of a person by showing how he or she thinks, looks, and acts. It leaves a reader
feeling that he or she knows a character inside and out.
For Your Portfolio
WRITING PROMPT Write a character sketch about an individual you know or admire.
Purpose: To reveal the key elements of an individual's personality
Audience: Classmates, family, or general readers
Basics in a Box
Character Sketch at a Glance
RUBRIC STANDARDS FOR WRITING
A successful character sketch should
present a vivid picture of the personality and physical appearance of the person
give a strong impression of the person
include dialogue, mannerisms, descriptions, and other devices that show, rather than tell, what
the person is like
reveal the writer's response to the person
place the person in surroundings that help readers understand him or her
have a clear structure, a strong beginning, and a strong conclusion
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Analyzing a Student Model
Dalila Martin Del Campo Parkland Middle School
Mr. Ochoa's Garden
1 The writer establishes a controlling impression of the subject.
Five years ago I had a best friend who lived near me in El Paso. He was a lifetime older than I
am—in his sixties. He spoke only Spanish, but since I am fluent in Spanish, I was able to talk to
him freely. Everyone called him Mr. Ochoa, but I called him Grandpa because he was like one:
kind and generous, old as the world, his face golden brown like the sun.
2 Places subject in surroundings that show his true nature
Mr. Ochoa's philosophy of life was that he was put on earth to make it better. He did this by
sharing his beautiful garden. He was the only person I knew who planted vegetables in the same
space with flowers. Every inch of space was filled with the bright colors of flowering plants and
the soft green of vegetables. When I looked out across his garden, I never knew if I would find a
perfect rose or a round juicy tomato.
3 Specific physical description creates an image in the reader's mind.
There, I would see his figure dressed in overalls, stooped over. The oversized straw hat
that covered most of his white hair usually hid his face as he moved among towering plants.
With dirt-stained hands, he would prune his flowers and tie up his vegetables so they could find
the sun more easily. He was always happy to let me help him in the garden. He'd give me a nod,
my signal to turn the hose off and on. He wanted others to enjoy and share in his world.
4 Details describing character's actions show his kindness and generosity.
Other Options:
Reveal the character through what others say about him.
Use a quotation from the character to show his personality.
Include anecdotes about the character.
He was as kind to people as he was to his plants. He would often give bouquets and baskets of
vegetables to his elderly neighbors. He also volunteered at the local nursing home and visited
Spanish-speaking residents who were lonely for the sound of their own language. Sometimes I
went with him to the nursing home. Once in a while, if he couldn't go, I would go in his place. I
learned a lot from listening to Grandpa's stories and those of his neighbors and friends. I saw the
world a little differently after hearing about how much they had lived through.
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5 Details show how the subject reacts in a specific situation.
One day in early spring, Mr. Ochoa became ill. He was taken to the hospital. "My best friend is
going to die soon," I thought to myself. "There is so much more I want to share with him." But
now was his time to be rewarded for his kindness. While he was in the hospital, so many people
dropped off flowers and arrangements of fruits and vegetables that his room looked like a
greenhouse. Sometimes I'd help him slip out of bed, pale and weak, just to sniff some of the
flowers or vegetables. No matter how much pain he was in, every day he would say in Spanish,
6 The subject's personality is revealed through relevant dialogue.
"Ah, I am lucky to be surrounded by the beauty of friends and nature!"
7 The writer states feelings about the character and his significance to her life in the conclusion.
Mr. Ochoa died just before summer. Slowly, I came to realize that I could keep him alive in my
own way. I've made a garden in the back of my house. Now I plant flowers among the tomatoes
and lettuce leaves. When I work under the hot sun, I think about the things he taught me—to take
care of nature and appreciate the beauty of the earth, to be gentle and kind, and to listen to and
appreciate the elderly. He made me see that all relationships flower when you put kindness into
them.
Writing Your Character Sketch
1 Prewriting
Whom do you want to write about? Think about people in your life who would make interesting
subjects for your piece. You might choose someone you know well, such as a best friend, an
outspoken relative, or a humorous sibling. You might also choose a unique person you've only
observed, such as a bus driver who sings, a coach at school who carries a lucky rabbit's foot, or
someone who jogs by your house rain or shine. See the Idea Bank in the margin for more
suggestions. Once you've chosen your character, follow the steps suggested.
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Planning Your Character Sketch
1. Study your character. In order to create a vivid picture of your character, you need to study
him or her. Collect and organize information in a chart like the one below.
2. Choose your focus. Review the information in your chart. What main impression of your
character is suggested by his or her specific actions, words, and physical appearance, and the
way others react to him or her?
3. Explore your feelings. Why is this person significant to you? What tone, or attitude, will you
use to communicate your feelings about him or her?
4. Place the character in a setting. What place or situation will best show your character's
personality?
2 Drafting
One of the best things about writing a character sketch is that you can start anywhere. As you
write, your subject will begin to take shape. You can rework the details at a later stage, when you
revise and edit.
Show, Don't Tell. You can create powerful images in a reader's mind by showing rather than
telling. To describe a subject's actions, use anecdotes, descriptions, quotations, and other details.
For example, instead of telling readers that your character is a kind person, describe an incident
in which your character volunteered to work at a homeless shelter.
Grab your reader's attention at the beginning but save the best for last. Start with a
quotation or an interesting detail to grab your reader's attention. Develop your character's
personality in the body of the essay. Your ending should leave readers with a strong idea about
your subject and how you feel about him or her.
Ask Your Peer Reader
How do you think I feel about my character?
How would you describe my character's personality?
What details help you picture my character?
IDEA Bank
1. Your Working Portfolio
Look for ideas in the Writing section that you completed earlier.
2. Star Potential
Read character sketches about celebrities in magazines or newspapers. Consider writing about the
"stars" in your own life.
3. Interview
Choose two people in your life whom you admire. Have a partner interview you about both people to see
who would make the best subject for a character sketch.
Have a question?
See the Writing Handbook Incidents, p. R40
Show, Don't Tell, p. R41
See Language Network Prewriting, p. 314
Drafting, p. 317
313
Need revising help?
Review the Rubric, p. 310
Consider peer reader comments
Check Revision Guidelines, p. R33
See Language Network,
Punctuating Quotations, p. 258
Struggling with subject and verb agreement?
See the Grammar Handbook, p. R76
SPELLING From Writing
As you revise your work, look back at the words you misspelled and determine why you made the errors
you did. For additional help, refer to the strategies and generalizations in the Spelling Handbook on
page R28.
SPEAKING Opportunity
Turn your character sketch into an oral presentation.
Publishing IDEAS
Illustrate your character sketches. During story time, read the sketches aloud to students in younger
grades.
Collect character sketches written by your classmates and submit them to a student-writing Web site.
3 Revising
TARGET SKILL USING QUOTES TO SHOW CHARACTER Your goal in writing a
character sketch is to create images in your reader's mind of the person that you are describing.
One method of showing rather than telling is using the character's own words. Dialogue can
reveal the personality of the subject more vividly than many sentences of explanation. Insert
dialogue to help your character sketch come to life.
No matter how much pain he was in, every day he would express his gratitude
say In Spanish, "Ah,I am lucky to be surrounded by the beauty of friends
and nature!"
4 Editing and Proofreading
TARGET SKILL USING MODIFIERS CORRECTLY In everyday conversation, people
often use modifiers incorrectly. For example, people might say He's doing good instead of He's
doing well. Remember to use adverbs, rather than adjectives, to modify verbs, adjectives, and
adverbs.
I see saw the world a little different differently after hearing about how much they had lived
through.
5 Reflecting
FOR YOUR WORKING PORTFOLIO What did you learn about your subject from writing
this character sketch? Of which aspect of your character sketch are you most proud? Attach your
reflections to your finished essay. Save your character sketch in your Working Portfolio.
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Standardized Test Practice
Mixed Review
My grandmother doesn't look like a (1) successful artist. Her skin (2) are
wrinkled from hours of washing dishes. She dresses in simple,
traditional clothes. But in her home, there (3) was practically no limit to
what she can create. (4) When nasty weather forces her indoors. She directs
her creativity to her knitting and becomes an artist with wool. The
knitting needles flash like (5) lightning rods during a storm as her hands
weave strands of bright wool. Woolen blankets fill her house, but only
one is my favorite. On the rocking chair (6) lie a blanket with my name and
birthday knitted into it. She made it for me when I was born.
1. What is the correct spelling in sentence 1?
A. sucessful
B. succesful
C. sucesful
D. Correct as is
2. What is the correct verb form in sentence 2?
A. is
B. had been
C. were
D. Correct as is
3. What is the correct verb tense in sentence 3?
A. is
B. would have
C. were
D. Correct as is
4. How is item 4 best written?
A. When nasty weather forces her indoors; she directs her creativity
B. When nasty weather forces her indoors, and she directs her creativity
C. When nasty weather forces her indoors, she directs her creativity
D. Correct as is
5. What is the correct spelling in sentence 5?
A. lightening
B. litening
C. lihtning
D. Correct as is
6. How is sentence 6 best written?
A. lies a blanket
B. lying a blanket
C. lied a blanket
D. Correct as is
Review Your Skills
Use the passage and the questions that follow it to check how well you remember the language
conventions you've learned in previous grades.
Self-Assessment
Check your own answers in the Grammar Handbook
Inverted Sentences, p. R78
Sentence Fragments, p. R75
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