The Sniper--Liam O'Flaherty (1897-1984) The Sniper by Liam O'Flaherty (1897-1984) Approximate Word Count: 1619 The long June twilight faded into night. On a rooftop near O'Connell Bridge, a Republican sniper lay watching. He was eating a sandwich hungrily. Placing a cigarette between his lips, he struck a match, inhaled the smoke hurriedly and put out the light. Cautiously he raised himself and peered over the parapet. He rolled over the roof to a chimney stack in the rear, and slowly drew himself up behind it, until his eyes were level with the top of the parapet. Just then an armored car came across the bridge and advanced slowly up the street. Then round the corner of a side street came an old woman, her head covered by a tattered shawl. The turret opened. Suddenly from the opposite roof a shot rang out and the sniper dropped his rifle with a curse. Dropping flat onto the roof, he crawled back to the parapet. Quickly he drew his knife from his pocket, opened it on the breastwork of the parapet, and ripped open the sleeve.
English 214 Discussion Questions On this page, you will find links to the discussion questions that go along with the readings. Please answer all the questions as thoughtfully as possible, after reading the lectures. Then submit your answers by the deadline (the due dates are on the DQ pages and on the Class Schedule). Each set of discussion questions is worth a possible 20 points. Other online students will be submitting their answers to the group as well; you should read them. Respond thoughtfully to several other postings. We will be using the ETUDES Discussion Board for this class. Discussion Board NOTE: try the Message Board ASAP! Discussion question answers are due BEFORE MIDNIGHT on the dates when they are scheduled. Late answers and responses will receive 0 points, so be sure to get them in on time. Points will be assigned according to the thoughtfulness of your answers and responses, not by whether they are "right" or not, since sometimes there is no "right" answer.
The Interlopers by Saki He strayed away by himself from the watchers whom he had placed in ambush on the crest of the hill, and wandered far down the steep slopes amid the wild tangle of undergrowth, peering through the tree trunks and listening through the whistling and skirling of the wind and the restless beating of the branches for sight and sound of the marauders. If only on this wild night, in this dark, lone spot, he might come across Georg Znaeym, man to man, with none to witness - that was the wish that was uppermost in his thoughts. And as he stepped round the trunk of a huge beech he came face to face with the man he sought. The two enemies stood glaring at one another for a long silent moment. Relief at being alive and exasperation at his captive plight brought a strange medley of pious thank-offerings and sharp curses to Ulrich's lips. "So you're not killed, as you ought to be, but you're caught, anyway," he cried; "caught fast. And he laughed again, mockingly and savagely. "They hear us!
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry There was a pier-glass between the windows of the room. Perhaps you have seen a pier-glass in an $8 Bat. A very thin and very agile person may, by observing his reflection in a rapid sequence of longitudinal strips, obtain a fairly accurate conception of his looks. Della, being slender, had mastered the art. Suddenly she whirled from the window and stood before the glass. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her, rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat. Where she stopped the sign read: 'Mme Sofronie. "Will you buy my hair?" "I buy hair," said Madame. Down rippled the brown cascade. "Twenty dollars," said Madame, lifting the mass with a practised hand. "Give it to me quick" said Della. Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings. She found it at last. Jim was never late. "You've cut off your hair?"
CurriConnects Book List Other listsIdeas for using this list More on LexilesMore on ESL levels Immigrants and ImmigrationDiscover fiction about life as an immigrant in America. Use this list as you study any of several time periods when the U.S. experienced waves of immigrants or for literature circles about multiculturalism and the immigrant experience in the U.S. Preschool and Picture Books The Castle on Hester Street - Linda Heller, (978-0689874345) , FictionInterest level: 0-4, Lexile: 520, ESL level: 2Julie enjoys her grandfather's tales about their journey from Russia to New York City, but she also enjoys her grandmother's contradictory reactions to her husband's wild tales. In the Small, Small Night - Jane Kurtz, (978-0066238142) , FictionInterest level: 0-12, Lexile: 560, ESL level: 2 - 3Older sister Abena helps Kofi sleep by sharing with him two stories from their native Ghana after they move to the U.S. Early Elementary Books Good-bye, Havana! When This World Was New - D.H. A Difficult Boy - M.P.
The Lady Or The Tiger? by Frank Stockton When all the people had assembled in the galleries, and the king, surrounded by his court, sat high up on his throne of royal state on one side of the arena, he gave a signal, a door beneath him opened, and the accused subject stepped out into the amphitheater. Directly opposite him, on the other side of the enclosed space, were two doors, exactly alike and side by side. It was the duty and the privilege of the person on trial to walk directly to these doors and open one of them. But, if the accused person opened the other door, there came forth from it a lady, the most suitable to his years and station that his majesty could select among his fair subjects, and to this lady he was immediately married, as a reward of his innocence. This was the king's semi-barbaric method of administering justice. The institution was a very popular one. This semi-barbaric king had a daughter as blooming as his most florid fancies, and with a soul as fervent and imperious as his own. All was ready.
The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe(published 1845) FOR the most wild, yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief. Mad indeed would I be to expect it, in a case where my very senses reject their own evidence. Yet, mad am I not -- and very surely do I not dream. But to-morrow I die, and to-day I would unburthen my soul. My immediate purpose is to place before the world, plainly, succinctly, and without comment, a series of mere household events. From my infancy I was noted for the docility and humanity of my disposition. I married early, and was happy to find in my wife a disposition not uncongenial with my own. This latter was a remarkably large and beautiful animal, entirely black, and sagacious to an astonishing degree. Pluto -- this was the cat's name -- was my favorite pet and playmate. One night, returning home, much intoxicated, from one of my haunts about town, I fancied that the cat avoided my presence. In the meantime the cat slowly recovered.
ESL Reading Comprehension When going abroad you will need ESL reading comprehension skills. These are the skills that will let you understand information in leaflets, books or any written form. Newest Reading Topics This site is always being updated and the newest topics in this section are listed below. Like the Excellent ESL 4U Facebook page to keep up to date with all the new pages being added to the site. ESL politics reading comprehension Reading is the most basic skill to learn when trying to master English. Once you can read you can see how English is written, see the structure and see the grammar that is used, so by learning to read you will open up many areas of English to learn in the future. What is Needed for ESL Reading Comprehension To become successful at ESL reading comprehension you need to practice. There are two ways to do this. The other way is to learn vocabulary from vocabulary lists or flashcards. Reading Comprehension Tips As with learning anything, the best way to get better is to practice.
5 Short Stories With Surprise Endings Your Students Will Love to Analyze - The Teaching Cove Do your students find short stories boring? Can’t find short pieces of literature to have great discussions in class? Well, today’s post is about exactly that. With just a few days before the holiday break, short stories can be the perfect short lesson plans you need, if you choose the right ones. Short stories with cliffhangers or interesting endings are the ones that students love to analyze. Love to analyze? As part of January’s printables pack, I’ll be adding a worksheet on how to teach story writing. 5 Short Stories With Cliffhangers & Interesting Endings 1. Mauspassant’s “The Necklace” is a story I’ve used time and time again in English and ESL classes. 2. I read this one recently, but Mark Twain has always been one of my favourite American authors. 3. “Button, Button” is such a great story that it inspired the Hollywood movie, The Box, starring Cameron Diaz. 4. Richard Connell’s classic “The Most Dangerous Game” is an interesting twist on the sport of hunting. 5. They’re Short!
The Most Dangerous Game--Richard Connell (1893-1949) The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell (1893-1949) Approximate Word Count: 8426 "OFF THERE to the right--somewhere--is a large island," said Whitney." It's rather a mystery--" "What island is it?" "The old charts call it 'Ship-Trap Island,"' Whitney replied." "Can't see it," remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht. "You've good eyes," said Whitney, with a laugh," and I've seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can't see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night." "Nor four yards," admitted Rainsford. "It will be light enough in Rio," promised Whitney. "The best sport in the world," agreed Rainsford. "For the hunter," amended Whitney. "Don't talk rot, Whitney," said Rainsford. "Perhaps the jaguar does," observed Whitney. "Bah! "Even so, I rather think they understand one thing--fear. "Nonsense," laughed Rainsford. "Why? "Maybe.
EnglishTheWave - Student materials " How could the Germans sit back while the Nazis slaughtered people all around them and say they didn't know about it? How could they do that? How could they even say that?" -Taken from The Wave by Todd Strasser When Ben Ross is asked the question above he feels that his answer is inadequate. Here is a link to a podcast of the complete book.Part 1: Chapters 1-3 pdf wordPart 2: Chapters 4-6 pdf wordPart 3: Chapters 7-9 pdf wordPart 4: Chapters 10-13 pdf wordPart 5: Chapters 14-17 pdf wordIf you do not know what the following words mean, look them up in English or find the Swedish translation! As you read through the different parts of the book you will be expected to keep a reading log.