New Yorkers Short Stories

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Before reading activities (page 43)

Activity 1 before reading

tildys moment while reading

1 No 2 Yes 3 Yes 4 No

1
2
3
4

Tildy was small and fat, and she wasnt beautiful.

Because she was tall, beautiful and full of life.
Because he drank too much beer at lunchtime.
She wore bright clothes, did her hair differently, and
looked taller and thinner.
5 He said that he was sorry about the kiss, and that he
didnt know what he was doing.
6 Because she didnt feel beautiful any more, and no
man loved her.

Activity 2 before reading

Encourage speculation, but do not give students

the answers yet. Ask them to think of ways in
which the various objects might be connected to the
different characters. The correct answers are:
The Christmas Presents a housewife
a gold watch
Soapys Choice
a tramp
a prison
A Walk in Amnesia
a lawyer
a train ride
Tildys Moment
a waitress
too much drink
The Memento
an actress a secret in a desk

the memento while reading

1 Miss Ray left the theatre because she was tired of men.
2 Arthur didnt know that Ida was the actress Rosalie
Ray.
3 Arthur kept a memento of his first love in his desk.
4 Arthur saw Miss Ray in the theatre about ten times.
5 Miss Ray left Arthur because he was the same as /
no different from other men.

While Reading
the christmAs presents while reading

1 Why . . .? Because she only had one dollar and

eighty-seven cents to spend on Jims
Christmas present.
2 What . . .? They had a gold watch that once
belonged to Jims grandfather, and
Dellas hair.
3 What . . .? She sold her beautiful long brown hair.
4 What . . .? He bought two beautiful, expensive
combs for her hair.
5 Why . . .? He didnt have his watch any more,
because he sold it to buy the combs.
6 Why . . .? She didnt have long hair any more,
because she sold her hair to get the money
to buy the watch chain.

After Reading
Activity 1 after reading

Well, its a cold, grey night again, but Im feeling great.

Im going home to Della, and Ive got a wonderful
Christmas present for her. I didnt want to sell my
gold watch, because it was so special to me. I was only
eighteen when my father gave it to me, and before that it
belonged to my grandfather. But what could
I do? I had no money, and Della must have a present
Christmas without presents is terrible! I couldnt use the
watch very often because I dont have a chain for it. And
Della is more important than a gold watch I wanted to
buy her something really fine, something to show how
much I love her. I know she wants these combs, and
theyll look beautiful in her long brown hair. I cant wait
to see her face when she opens my present. Ah, heres
my front door now . . .

soApys choice while reading

1 T
2 F When Soapy broke a window, the policeman ran
after another man.
3 T
4 F The young woman didnt call a policeman when
Soapy spoke to her.
5 F Soapy took a mans umbrella, then threw it away.
6 T
7 F The next day, Soapy went to prison for three
months.
A WAlk in AmnesiA while reading

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New yorkers short stories

Oxford University Press

Activity 2 after reading

6 PolicemAn: OK, Soapy, what were you doing

outside that church?
2 SoAPy: Nothing! I was thinking, thats all.
7 PolicemAn: Thinking about what?
10 SoAPy: Well, I heard the music inside the church,
and I started to think about my mother, and my
friends, and all the happy times . . .
3 PolicemAn: Your mother! I dont think so, Soapy. I

1 Elwyn Bellford, to Doctor Volney

2 Edward Pinkhammer, to Mr Bolder on the train
3 Edward Pinkhammer, to the woman with red-gold
hair

oxford bookworms library stage 2

Edward Pinkhammer, to Doctor Volney

Edward Pinkhammer, to Doctor Volney
Elwyn Bellford, to Doctor Volney
Elwyn Bellford, to Doctor Volney

activities answers

Before Reading

Stage 2

activities answers

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think you wanted to go into the church and look

for money.
SoAPy: No, thats not true! That wasnt my plan.
PolicemAn: So what was your plan, Soapy?
Drinking and fighting? Taking somebodys coat
and selling it?
SoAPy: Look, I know Ive done some bad things in
the past, but today Ive decided to change my life
and be a new man. Im going to find some work
and...
PolicemAn: Its a nice story, Soapy, but I dont
believe it. Now go and sit over there.
SoAPy: Huh! Policemen! When youre bad, they
leave you alone, and when youre good, they take
you away!

garter, which came from an actress on Broadway. Shes

not important to me, but you are! I love you so much
please come back. Arthur.
Dear Mr Lyle, that old yellow garter was mine, and I
was that actress on Broadway! I thought that you were
a really good man, but when I saw my garter in your
desk, I knew that you were just like other men. So I
wont marry you, and dont write to me again. Ida.
Activity 6 after reading

The picture goes on page 39, in the story The

Memento.
1 Rosalie Ray / Ida.
2 One of her yellow garters.
3 She feels angry and unhappy, because she thought
Arthur was different from other men, but now she
knows he is not.
Caption: Perhaps some words from the text, for
example:
My wonderful Arthur was no different from all the
other men!
Or students might want to invent something more
imaginative, for example:
So this really good man was one of the animals
from the theatre!

Activity 3 after reading

Students can complete this how they like, but

possible answers are:
Dr Volney: Now, Elwyn, tell me why you ran away.
elwyn: Well, suddenly I felt bored. I wanted to be
free and enjoy life.
Dr Volney: But I thought you enjoyed your work?
elwyn: Yes, I do, but I was tired of it.
Dr Volney: And tired of Marian too?
elwyn: No, I still love her, but every day is the same.
We always do the same things, and I wanted to
do something different.
Dr Volney: So what did you do in New York?
elwyn: I had a great time. I went to restaurants,
theatres, on the river it was wonderful.
Dr Volney: And are you planning to be Edward
Pinkhammer again some time?
elwyn: No, I dont think so but Ill always
remember my two weeks in New York!

Activity 7 after reading

The Christmas Presents

Tildys Moment
A Present of Love
Little Kiss, Big Mistake
A Poor Christmas
Kissing the Wrong Girl
Nothing to Give But Love The Unhappy Waitress
Soapys Choice
The Memento
Take Me to Prison!
Rosalie and the Reverend
How to Go to Prison
A Secret in a Box
A Moment of Change
Men are All the Same
A Walk in Amnesia
Elwyn Runs Away
Escape to New York
Remembering White Roses

Oxford University Press

Activity 4 after reading

Dear Jack,
I did a terrible thing today. I go to Bogles for lunch,
because the food is cheap and I love watching Aileen,
who is one of the waitresses. Shes tall and beautiful, but
shes not interested in me, so I always sit at Tildys table.
Tildys a good waitress, but shes small and fat.
I dont usually drink at lunch time, but today I had
two beers. Suddenly I felt strong, and tall, and clever, so
I went up to Tildy, put my arm round her, and gave her
a big kiss. Then I went back to work.
Now Ive got a headache, and I feel very stupid. What
shall I say to Tildy when I see her again, Jack? Please
help.
Yours truly,
William Seeders

Activity 8 after reading

Open answers.

Activity 5 after reading

Arthurs letter: 1, 10, 8, 3, 12, 6

Idas letter: 2, 7, 11, 5, 9, 4
My dear Ida, why did you go away so suddenly? Was
it because of that memento? Its only an old yellow

oxford bookworms library staGe 2

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New yorkers short stories