3542 the two gifts

Their treasures were Jim's gold watch which he had got from his father, and Delia's beautiful golden hair.. Della took off her hat and undid her hair.. "Twenty dollars", said Madam Sofro

BY O’HENRY

Jim and Delia were very poor They lived in New7 York in a small room on the top floor

of a high building Jim was twenty-two years old Della was twenty-one

Both husband and wife worked very hard, but there never was any money in the house: for all they got went to pay for food And the rent was 8 dollars a week

And yet they owned two treasures of which they were very proud Their treasures were Jim's gold watch which he had got from his father, and Delia's beautiful golden hair

It was the eve of New Year's Day Della wanted to give Jim a present She counted her money One dollar and eighty-seven cents That was all she had Only one dollar and eighty-seven cents to buy a present for Jim So she sat down on the sofa and wept Suddenly she got up and went to the looking-glass Her eyes shone brilliantly Quickly she undid her hair It fell to its full length It reached below her knees and covered her like

a cloak And then she did it up again quickly and nervously She put on her brown jacket and her old brown hat Then she ran out of the door and down the stairs to the street She stopped before a sign and read the words: "M-me Sofronie Hair goods of all kinds." Then she entered the shop Madam Sofronie was sitting at the counter "Will you buy my hair?" asked Delia "Let me see it.," said Madam

Della took off her hat and undid her hair "Twenty dollars", said Madam Sofronie, lifting the mass of Della's golden hair with a practical hand "Give me the money," said Della

The next two hours were like a happy dream Delia was hurrying from shop to shop looking for Jim's present She found it at last It was a watch chain for which she paid 21 dollars And then she hurried home with the chain and the remaining 87 cents

Jim was not at home Della got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work In forty minutes her head was covered with tiny curls She looked like a schoolboy She said to herself "I hope Jim will not kill me But what could I do? Oh, what could I do with a dollar and 87 cents?”

At seven o'clock the coffee was ready Della sat waiting for Jim She heard his steps on the stairs, and she turned white for just one moment The door opened and Jim entered the room He looked thin and very serious… and suddenly he stopped His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not "Jim, darling!" she cried "Don't look at me like that I sold my hair because I wanted to give you a present

My hair will grow again It grows very quickly! Say”Happy New Year”, Jim and let us be happy You don’t know what a beautiful present I've got for you."

Jim said nothing He drew a package from his overcoat pocket and put it on the table

"If you open the package, you will understand," he said Della took off the paper There lay beautiful combs that Della had seen in a Broadway shop window Now they were hers, but the hair was gone Suddenly Della jumped and cried: "Oh, Jim you have not seen your present!" she held it out to him

“Isn’t it a beautiful chain? Give me your watch! I want to see how it looks on it.” Jim fell on the sofa and put his hands behind his head and smiled "Della", said he "I sold the watch to get the money to buy you combs Is the coffee ready?”

What is the text about?

1 This text is about the

New Year.

2 This text is about two

poor loving people, Jim

and Della.

3 This text is about Della’s

beautiful hair.

4 This text is about Jim’s

watch.

Put the sentences in order.

a) Della sold her hair to buy a chain for Jim's watch.

b) Jim sold the watch to buy combs for Della.

c) Delia and Jim lived in New York in a small room at the top of a high building.

d) On the eve of New Year they wanted to give each other presents.

Choose the correct answer:

a) What treasures did Della

own?

1. She owned her brown jacket

and brown hat.

2. She owned her beautiful

eyes.

3. She owned her golden hair.

4. She owned her splendid

figure.

b) What treasures did Jim

own?

1. He owned a new suit.

2. He owned a gold chain.

3. He owned a gold watch.

4. He owned a lot of money.

1) Della's hair reached below her knees.

2) Her hair was rather short.

3) Her hair was not long.

4) Della got twenty dollars for her hair 5) Jim was not at home when Della returned.

6) Della looked like a schoolboy without her long hair.

7) Della didn't buy a watch chain for Jim.

8) Both husband and wife worked hard but they were poor.

9) They owned a lot of treasures.

10)They were very rich and happy.

11)They were about thirty.

12)Della and Jim didn't love each other 13) Only Della loved Jim very much 14)Only Jim loved Della very much.

15) Della and Jim loved each other.

4

Which of the following answers to the questions do not suit

to this text?

1) What was Delia looking for in shops? She was looking for a watch in the shops.

2) How much did she get for her hair? - She got twenty dollars for her hair.

3) Why did she hurry home? – She hurried home to show her present to Jim.

4) What did she look like? - She looked like a schoolboy.

5

Which of the following statements express the main idea

of the text.

1) The life in capitalist countries was is and will be rather easy 2) People in the USA do not have to pay much for food and

flats.

3) The life of poor people in capitalist countries is very

difficult.

4) All people who work very hard in capitalist countries are very rich and have no serious problems.

6

Answer the questions:

1 Where did Jim and Della live?

2 How old was Della?

3 Was Della a housewife?

4 What were their treasures?

5 It was the New Year’s Eve, wasn’t it?

6 What did Della decide to do?

7 How much did Della get for her hair?

8 Why did Della light the gas?

9 When did Jim come home?

10.Why did Jim sell his watch?

7

1 2

2 c, d, a, b

3 a- 3

b-3

4 1-true

2- false

3 – false

4 – true

5 – true

6 – true

7 – false

8 – true

9 – false

10 – false

11 – false

12 – false

13 – false

14 – false

15 – true

looking for a watch in the shops.

6 3 - The life of poor people in capitalist countries is very difficult.