I obviously want you to read "The Last Leaf" in English, however it is a difficult read and I thought it would be helpful to you to also have it in Chinese. So here it is for you to compare the English with as you read if you have questions. I hope you enjoy it. Joe
(The Last Leaf in Chinese)
最后一片叶子(欧亨利） 在华盛顿广场西边的一个小区里，街道横七竖八地伸展开去，又分裂成一小条一小条的“胡同”。这些“胡同”希奇古怪地拐着弯子，一条街有时自己本身就交叉了不止一次。有一回一个画家发现这条街有一种优越性：要是有个收账的跑到这个街上，来催要颜料、纸张和画布的钱，他就会突然发现自己两手空空，原路返回，一文钱的帐也没有要到！ 所以，不久之后不少画家就摸索到这个古色古香的老格林尼治村来，寻求朝北的窗户、十八世纪的尖顶山墙、荷兰式的阁楼，以及低廉的房租。然后，他们又从第六街买来一些锡蜡酒杯和一两只火锅，这里便成了“艺术区”。 苏和琼西的画室设在一所又宽又矮的三层楼砖房的顶楼上。“琼西”是琼娜的爱称。她俩一个来自缅因州，一个是加利福尼亚州人。她们是在第八街的“台尔蒙尼歌之家”吃份饭时碰到的，她们发现彼此对艺术、生菜色拉和时装的爱好非常一致，便合租了那间画室。 那是五月里的事。到了十一月，一个冷酷的、肉眼看不见的、医生们叫做“肺炎”的不速之客，在艺术区里悄悄地游荡，用他冷冰的手指这里碰一下，那里碰一下。在广场东头，这个老家伙明目张胆地踏着大步，一下子就击倒几十个受害者，可是在迷宫一样、狭窄而铺满青苔的“胡同”里，他的步伐就慢了下来。 肺炎不是一个你们心中行侠仗义的老年绅士一个身子单薄、被加利福尼亚州的西风刮得没有血色的弱女子，本来不应该是这个有着红拳头的、呼吸急促的破坏者打击的对象。然而，琼西却遭到了打击。她躺在一张油漆过的铁床上，一动也不动，凝望着小小的荷兰式玻璃窗外对面砖房的空墙。 一天早晨，那个忙碌的医生扬了扬他那毛茸茸的灰白色眉毛，把苏叫到外边的走廊上。 “我看她的病只有十分之一的恢复希望。”他一面把体温表里的水银柱甩下去一面说，“这一分希望就是她想要活下去的念头。有些人好像不愿意活下去，喜欢照顾殡仪馆的生意，简直让整个医药界都无能为力。你的朋友断定自己是不会痊愈的了，她是不是有什么心事呢？” “她------她希望有一天能够去画那不勒斯的海湾。”苏说。 “画画？------真是瞎扯！她脑子里有没有什么值得她想了又想的事------比如说，一个男人？” “男人？”苏像吹口琴似的扯着嗓子说，“男人难道值得------不，医生，没有这样的事。” “哦，那么就是她病得太衰弱了，”医生说，“我一定尽我的努力用科学所能达到的全部力量来治疗她。可要是我的病人开始算计会有多少马车送她出丧，我就得把治疗的效果减轻百分之五十。只要你想法让她对冬季大衣袖子的时新式样感到兴趣而提出一两个问题，那我可以向你保证把医好她的机会从十分之一提高到五分之一。” 医生走后，苏走进工作室里，把一条日本餐巾哭成一团湿。后来她手里拿着画板，装作精神抖擞的样子走进琼西的屋子，嘴里吹着爵士音乐调子。 琼西躺着，脸朝着窗口，被子底下的身体纹丝不动。苏以为她睡着了，赶忙停止吹口哨。 她架好画板，开始给杂志里的故事画一张钢笔插图。年轻的画家为了铺平通向艺术的道路，不得不给杂志里的故事画插图，而这些故事又是年轻的作家为了铺平通向文学的道路而不得不写的。 苏正在给故事主人公，一个爱达荷州牧人的身上，画上一条马匹展览会穿的时髦马裤和一片单眼镜时，忽然听到一个重复了几次的低微的声音。她快步走到床边。 琼西的眼睛睁得很大。她望着窗外，数着倒过来数。 “十二，”她数道，歇了一会儿说，“十一，”然后是“十”和“九”；接着几乎同时数着“八”和“七”。 苏关切地看了看窗外。那儿有什么可数的呢？只见一个空荡阴暗的院子，二十英尺以外还有一所砖房的室墙。一棵老极了的长青藤，枯萎的根纠结在一块，枝干攀在砖墙的半腰上。秋天的寒风把藤上的叶子差不多全都吹掉了。只有几乎光秃的枝条还缠附在剥落的砖块上。 “什么呀，亲爱的？”苏问道。 “六，”琼西几乎用耳语低声说道，“它们现在越落越快了，三天前还有差不多一百片。我数得头都疼了。但是现在好数了。又掉了一片。只剩下五片了。” “五片什么呀，亲爱的？告诉你的苏娣吧。” “叶子。长青藤上的。等到最后一片叶子掉下来，我也就该去了。这件事我三天前就知道了。难道医生没有告诉你？” “哼，我从来没听过这种傻话，”苏十分不以为然地说，“那些破长青藤叶子和你的病好不好有什么关系？你以前不是很喜欢这棵树吗？你这个淘气的孩子，不要说傻话了。瞧，医生今天早晨还告诉我，说你迅速痊愈的机会是------让我一字不改地照他的话说吧------他说有九成把握。噢，那简直和我们在纽约坐电车或者走过一座新楼房的把握一样大。喝点汤吧，让苏娣去画的画，好把它卖给编辑先生，换了钱来给她的病孩子买点红葡萄酒，再给她自己买点猪排解解馋。” “你不用买酒了，”琼西的眼睛直盯着窗外说道，“又落了一片。不，我不想喝汤。只剩下四片了。我想在天黑以前等着看那最后一片叶子掉下去。然后我也要去了。” “琼西，亲爱的，”苏俯着身子对她说，“你答应我闭上眼睛，不要瞧窗外，等我画完，行吗？明天我非得交出这些插图。我需要光线，否则我就拉下窗帘了。” “你不能到那间屋子里去画吗？”琼西冷冷地问道。 “我愿意待在你跟前，”苏说，“再说，我也不想让你光看着那些讨厌的长青藤叶子。” “你一画完就叫我，”琼西说着，便闭上了眼睛。她脸色苍白，一动不动地躺在床上，就像是座横倒在地上的雕像。“因为我想着那最后一片叶子掉下来，我等得不耐烦了，也想得不耐烦了。我想摆脱一切，飘下去，飘下去，像一片可怜的疲倦的叶子那样。” “你睡一会儿吧，”苏说道，“我得下楼把贝尔门叫上来，给我当那个隐居的老矿工的模特。我一会儿就回来的。不要动，等我回来。” 老贝尔门是住在她们这座楼房底层的一个画家，他年过六十，有一把像米开朗琪罗的摩西雕像那样的大胡子，这胡子长在一个像半人半兽的森林之神的头颅上，又虬曲地飘拂在小鬼似的身躯上。贝尔门是个失败的画家，他操了四十年的画笔，还远没有摸着艺术女神的衣裙。他老是说就要画他的那幅杰作了，可是直到现在他还没有动笔。几年来，他除了偶尔画点商业广告之类的玩意儿以外，什么也没有画过。他给艺术区里穷得顾不起职业模特儿的年轻画家们当模特儿，挣一点钱。他喝酒毫无节制，还时常提起他要画的那幅杰作。除此之外，他是一个火气十足的小老头儿，十分瞧不起别人的温情，却认为自己是专门保护楼上画室里那两个年轻女画家的一只看家狗。 苏在楼下他那间光线暗淡的画室里找到了嘴里酒气扑鼻的贝尔门。一幅空白的画布绷在一个画架上，摆在屋角里，等待那幅杰作已经二十五年了，可是连一根线条还没等着。苏把琼西的胡思乱想告诉了他，还说她害怕琼西自个儿瘦小柔弱得像一片叶子一样，对这个时间的留念越来越微弱，恐怕真会离世飘走了。 老贝尔门两只发红的眼睛显然在迎风流泪，他十分轻蔑地嗤笑这种痴呆的胡思乱想。 “什么，”他喊道，“世界上真会有人蠢到因为那些该死的长青藤叶子落掉就想死？我从来没有听说过这种事。不，我才不给你那隐居的矿工糊涂虫当模特儿呢。你干嘛让她胡思乱想？唉，可怜的琼西小姐。” “她病得很厉害很虚弱，”苏说，“发高烧发得她神经昏乱，满脑子都是古怪想法。好吧，贝尔门先生，你不愿意给我当模特儿，就拉倒，我看你是个讨厌的老------老教唆鬼。” “你简直太婆婆妈妈了！”贝尔门喊道，“谁说我不愿意当模特儿？走，我和你一块去。我不是讲了半天愿意给你当模特吗？老天爷，琼西小姐这么好的姑娘真不应该躺在这种地方生病。总有一天我要画一幅杰作，我们就可以搬出去了。一定的！” 他们上楼以后，琼西正睡着觉。苏把窗帘挂下，一直遮住窗台，做手势叫贝尔门到隔壁屋子里去。他们在那里提心吊胆地瞅着窗外那棵长青藤。后来他们默默无言，彼此对望了一会儿，寒冷的雨夹着雪花不停地下着。贝尔门穿着他的旧的蓝衬衣，坐在一把翻过来充当岩石的铁壶上，扮作隐居的矿工。 第二天早晨，苏只睡了一个小时的觉，醒来了，她看见琼西无神的眼睛睁得大大的注视着拉下的绿窗帘。 “把窗帘拉起来，我要看看。”她低声地命令道。 苏疲倦地照办了。 然而，看呀！经过了漫长一夜的风吹雨打，在砖墙上还挂着一片藤叶。它是长青藤上最后的一片叶子。靠近茎部仍然是深绿色，可是锯齿形的叶子边缘已经枯萎发黄，它傲然挂在一根离地二十多英尺的藤枝上。 “这是最后一片叶子。”琼西说道，“我以为它昨晚一定会落掉的。我听见风声的，今天它一定会落掉，我也会死的。” “哎呀，哎呀，”苏把疲倦的脸庞挨近枕头边上对她说，“你不肯为自己着想，也得为我想想啊。我可怎么办呢？” 可是琼西不回答。当一个灵魂正在准备走上那神秘的、遥远的死亡之途时，她是世界上最寂寞的人了。那些把她和友谊及大地联系起来的关系逐渐消失以后，她那个狂想越来越强烈了。 白天总算过去了，甚至在暮色中她们还能看见那片孤零零的藤叶仍紧紧地依附在靠墙的枝上。后来，夜的到来带来了呼啸的北风，雨点不停地拍打着窗子，雨水从低垂的荷兰式屋檐上流泻下来。 天刚刚蒙蒙亮，琼西就毫不留情地吩咐拉起窗帘来。 那片藤叶仍然在那里。 琼西躺着对它看了许久，然后她招呼正在煤气炉上给她煮鸡汤的苏。 “我是一个坏女孩子，苏娣，”琼西说，“天意让那片最后的藤叶留在那里，证明我是多么坏。想死是有罪过的。你现在就给我拿点鸡汤来，再拿点掺葡萄酒的牛奶来，再------不，先给我一面小镜子，再把枕头垫垫高，我要坐起来看你做饭。” 过了一个钟头，她说道： “苏娣，我希望有一天能去画那不勒斯的海湾。” 下午医生来了，他走的时候，苏找了个借口跑到走廊上。 “有五成希望，”医生一面说，一面把苏细瘦的颤抖的手握在自己的手里，“好好护理，你会成功的。现在我得去看楼下另一个病人。他的名字叫贝尔门------听说也是个画家，也是肺炎。他年纪太大，身体又弱，病势很重。他是治不好的了；今天要把他送到医院里，让他更舒服一点。” 第二天，医生对苏说：“她已经脱离危险，你成功了。现在只剩下营养和护理了。” 下午，苏跑到琼西的床前，琼西正躺着，安详地编织着一条毫无用处的深蓝色毛线披肩。苏用一只胳膊连枕头带人一把抱住了她。 “我有件事要告诉你，小家伙，”她说，“贝尔门先生今天在医院里患肺炎去世了。他只病了两天。头一天早晨，门房发现他在楼下自己那间房里痛得动弹不了。他的鞋子和衣服全都湿透了，冰凉冰凉的。他们搞不清楚在那个凄风苦雨的夜晚，他究竟到哪儿去了。后来他们发现了一盏没有熄灭的灯笼，一把挪动过地方的梯子，几支扔得满地的画笔，还有一块调色板，上面涂抹着绿色和黄色的颜料，还有------亲爱的，瞧瞧窗子外面，瞧瞧墙上你最后一片藤叶。难道你没有想过，为什么风刮得那么厉害，它却从来不摇一摇，动一动呢？唉，亲爱的，这片叶子才是贝尔门的杰作------就是最后一片叶子掉下来的晚上，他把它画在那里的。”
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Last Leaf
The Last Leaf
By – O. Henry
In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have runcrazy and broken themselves into small strips called "places." These"places" make strange angles and curves. One street crosses itselfa time or two. An artist once discovered a valuable possibility inthis street. Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper andcanvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himselfcoming back, without a cent having been paid on account!So, to quaint old Greenwich Village the art people soon cameprowling, hunting for north windows and eighteenth-century gablesand Dutch attics and low rents. Then they imported some pewter mugsand a chafing dish or two from Sixth avenue, and became a "colony."At the top of a squatty, three-story brick Sue and Johnsy had theirstudio. "Johnsy" was familiar for Joanna. One was from Maine; theother from California. They had met at the _table d'hote_ of anEighth street "Delmonico's," and found their tastes in art, chicorysalad and bishop sleeves so congenial that the joint studioresulted.That was in May. In November a cold, unseen stranger, whom thedoctors called Pneumonia, stalked about the colony, touching onehere and there with his icy fingers. Over on the east side thisravager strode boldly, smiting his victims by scores, but his feettrod slowly through the maze of the narrow and moss-grown "places."Mr. Pneumonia was not what you would call a chivalric old gentleman.A mite of a little woman with blood thinned by California zephyrswas hardly fair game for the red-fisted, short-breathed old duffer.But Johnsy he smote; and she lay, scarcely moving, on her paintediron bedstead, looking through the small Dutch window-panes at theblank side of the next brick house.One morning the busy doctor invited Sue into the hallway with ashaggy, gray eyebrow."She has one chance in--let us say, ten," he said, as he shook downthe mercury in his clinical thermometer. "And that chance is for herto want to live. This way people have of lining-up on the side ofthe undertaker makes the entire pharmacopeia look silly. Your littlelady has made up her mind that she's not going to get well. Has sheanything on her mind?""She--she wanted to paint the Bay of Naples some day," said Sue."Paint?--bosh! Has she anything on her mind worth thinking abouttwice--a man, for instance?""A man?" said Sue, with a jew's-harp twang in her voice. "Is a manworth--but, no, doctor; there is nothing of the kind.""Well, it is the weakness, then," said the doctor. "I will do allthat science, so far as it may filter through my efforts, canaccomplish. But whenever my patient begins to count the carriagesin her funeral procession I subtract 50 per cent. from the curativepower of medicines. If you will get her to ask one question aboutthe new winter styles in cloak sleeves I will promise you aone-in-five chance for her, instead of one in ten."After the doctor had gone Sue went into the workroom and cried aJapanese napkin to a pulp. Then she swaggered into Johnsy's roomwith her drawing board, whistling ragtime.Johnsy lay, scarcely making a ripple under the bedclothes, with herface toward the window. Sue stopped whistling, thinking she wasasleep.She arranged her board and began a pen-and-ink drawing to illustratea magazine story. Young artists must pave their way to Art bydrawing pictures for magazine stories that young authors write topave their way to Literature.As Sue was sketching a pair of elegant horseshow riding trousers anda monocle on the figure of the hero, an Idaho cowboy, she heard alow sound, several times repeated. She went quickly to the bedside.Johnsy's eyes were open wide. She was looking out the window andcounting--counting backward."Twelve," she said, and a little later "eleven;" and then "ten," and"nine;" and then "eight" and "seven," almost together.Sue looked solicitously out the window. What was there to count?There was only a bare, dreary yard to be seen, and the blank side ofthe brick house twenty feet away. An old, old ivy vine, gnarled anddecayed at the roots, climbed half way up the brick wall. The coldbreath of autumn had stricken its leaves from the vine until itsskeleton branches clung, almost bare, to the crumbling bricks."What is it, dear?" asked Sue."Six," said Johnsy, in almost a whisper. "They're falling fasternow. Three days ago there were almost a hundred. It made my headache to count them. But now it's easy. There goes another one. Thereare only five left now.""Five what, dear. Tell your Sudie.""Leaves. On the ivy vine. When the last one falls I must go, too.I've known that for three days. Didn't the doctor tell you?""Oh, I never heard of such nonsense," complained Sue, withmagnificent scorn. "What have old ivy leaves to do with your gettingwell? And you used to love that vine so, you naughty girl. Don't bea goosey. Why, the doctor told me this morning that your chances forgetting well real soon were--let's see exactly what he said--he saidthe chances were ten to one! Why, that's almost as good a chance aswe have in New York when we ride on the street cars or walk past anew building. Try to take some broth now, and let Sudie go back toher drawing, so she can sell the editor man with it, and buy portwine for her sick child, and pork chops for her greedy self.""You needn't get any more wine," said Johnsy, keeping her eyes fixedout the window. "There goes another. No, I don't want any broth.That leaves just four. I want to see the last one fall before itgets dark. Then I'll go, too.""Johnsy, dear," said Sue, bending over her, "will you promise me tokeep your eyes closed, and not look out the window until I am doneworking? I must hand those drawings in by to-morrow. I need thelight, or I would draw the shade down.""Couldn't you draw in the other room?" asked Johnsy, coldly."I'd rather be here by you," said Sue. "Besides I don't want you tokeep looking at those silly ivy leaves.""Tell me as soon as you have finished," said Johnsy, closing hereyes, and lying white and still as a fallen statue, "because Iwant to see the last one fall. I'm tired of waiting. I'm tired ofthinking. I went to turn loose my hold on everything, and go sailingdown, down, just like one of those poor, tired leaves.""Try to sleep," said Sue. "I must call Behrman up to be my model forthe old hermit miner. I'll not be gone a minute. Don't try to move'till I come back."Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneaththem. He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo's Moses beardcurling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.Behrman was a failure in art. Forty years he had wielded the brushwithout getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress's robe.He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yetbegun it. For several years he had painted nothing except now andthen a daub in the line of commerce or advertising. He earned alittle by serving as a model to those young artists in the colonywho could not pay the price of a professional. He drank gin toexcess, and still talked of his coming masterpiece. For the rest hewas a fierce little old man, who scoffed terribly at softness inany one, and who regarded himself as especial mastiff-in-waiting toprotect the two young artists in the studio above.Sue found Behrman smelling strongly of juniper berries in his dimlylighted den below. In one corner was a blank canvas on an easel thathad been waiting there for twenty-five years to receive the firstline of the masterpiece. She told him of Johnsy's fancy, and how shefeared she would, indeed, light and fragile as a leaf herself, floataway when her slight hold upon the world grew weaker.Old Behrman, with his red eyes, plainly streaming, shouted hiscontempt and derision for such idiotic imaginings."Vass!" he cried. "Is dere people in de world mit der foolishnessto die because leafs dey drop off from a confounded vine? I haf notheard of such a thing. No, I will not bose as a model for your foolhermit-dunderhead. Vy do you allow dot silly pusiness to come in derprain of her? Ach, dot poor lettle Miss Johnsy.""She is very ill and weak," said Sue, "and the fever has left hermind morbid and full of strange fancies. Very well, Mr. Behrman, ifyou do not care to pose for me, you needn't. But I think you are ahorrid old--old flibbertigibbet.""You are just like a woman!" yelled Behrman. "Who said I will notbose? Go on. I come mit you. For half an hour I haf peen trying tosay dot I am ready to bose. Gott! dis is not any blace in whichone so goot as Miss Yohnsy shall lie sick. Some day I vill baint amasterpiece, and ve shall all go away. Gott! yes."Johnsy was sleeping when they went upstairs. Sue pulled the shadedown to the window-sill, and motioned Behrman into the other room.In there they peered out the window fearfully at the ivy vine.Then they looked at each other for a moment without speaking. Apersistent, cold rain was falling, mingled with snow. Behrman, inhis old blue shirt, took his seat as the hermit-miner on an upturnedkettle for a rock.When Sue awoke from an hour's sleep the next morning she foundJohnsy with dull, wide-open eyes staring at the drawn green shade."Pull it up; I want to see," she ordered, in a whisper.Wearily Sue obeyed.But, lo! after the beating rain and fierce gusts of wind that hadendured through the livelong night, there yet stood out against thebrick wall one ivy leaf. It was the last on the vine. Still darkgreen near its stem, but with its serrated edges tinted with theyellow of dissolution and decay, it hung bravely from a branch sometwenty feet above the ground."It is the last one," said Johnsy. "I thought it would surely fallduring the night. I heard the wind. It will fall to-day, and I shalldie at the same time.""Dear, dear!" said Sue, leaning her worn face down to the pillow,"think of me, if you won't think of yourself. What would I do?"But Johnsy did not answer. The lonesomest thing in all the world isa soul when it is making ready to go on its mysterious, far journey.The fancy seemed to possess her more strongly as one by one the tiesthat bound her to friendship and to earth were loosed.The day wore away, and even through the twilight they could see thelone ivy leaf clinging to its stem against the wall. And then, withthe coming of the night the north wind was again loosed, while therain still beat against the windows and pattered down from the lowDutch eaves.When it was light enough Johnsy, the merciless, commanded that theshade be raised.The ivy leaf was still there.Johnsy lay for a long time looking at it. And then she called toSue, who was stirring her chicken broth over the gas stove."I've been a bad girl, Sudie," said Johnsy. "Something has made thatlast leaf stay there to show me how wicked I was. It is a sin towant to die. You may bring me a little broth now, and some milk witha little port in it, and--no; bring me a hand-mirror first, and thenpack some pillows about me, and I will sit up and watch you cook."An hour later she said."Sudie, some day I hope to paint the Bay of Naples."The doctor came in the afternoon, and Sue had an excuse to go intothe hallway as he left."Even chances," said the doctor, taking Sue's thin, shaking hand inhis. "With good nursing you'll win. And now I must see another caseI have downstairs. Behrman, his name is--some kind of an artist, Ibelieve. Pneumonia, too. He is an old, weak man, and the attack isacute. There is no hope for him; but he goes to the hospital to-dayto be made more comfortable."The next day the doctor said to Sue: "She's out of danger. You'vewon. Nutrition and care now--that's all."And that afternoon Sue came to the bed where Johnsy lay, contentedlyknitting a very blue and very useless woolen shoulder scarf, and putone arm around her, pillows and all."I have something to tell you, white mouse," she said. "Mr. Behrmandied of pneumonia to-day in the hospital. He was ill only two days.The janitor found him on the morning of the first day in his roomdownstairs helpless with pain. His shoes and clothing were wetthrough and icy cold. They couldn't imagine where he had beenon such a dreadful night. And then they found a lantern, stilllighted, and a ladder that had been dragged from its place, and somescattered brushes, and a palette with green and yellow colors mixedon it, and--look out the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on thewall. Didn't you wonder why it never fluttered or moved when thewind blew? Ah, darling, it's Behrman's masterpiece--he painted itthere the night that the last leaf fell."
Here is a web site that has many short stories from O. Henry that can be down loaded for free: http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/o_henry/200/
By – O. Henry
In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have runcrazy and broken themselves into small strips called "places." These"places" make strange angles and curves. One street crosses itselfa time or two. An artist once discovered a valuable possibility inthis street. Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper andcanvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himselfcoming back, without a cent having been paid on account!So, to quaint old Greenwich Village the art people soon cameprowling, hunting for north windows and eighteenth-century gablesand Dutch attics and low rents. Then they imported some pewter mugsand a chafing dish or two from Sixth avenue, and became a "colony."At the top of a squatty, three-story brick Sue and Johnsy had theirstudio. "Johnsy" was familiar for Joanna. One was from Maine; theother from California. They had met at the _table d'hote_ of anEighth street "Delmonico's," and found their tastes in art, chicorysalad and bishop sleeves so congenial that the joint studioresulted.That was in May. In November a cold, unseen stranger, whom thedoctors called Pneumonia, stalked about the colony, touching onehere and there with his icy fingers. Over on the east side thisravager strode boldly, smiting his victims by scores, but his feettrod slowly through the maze of the narrow and moss-grown "places."Mr. Pneumonia was not what you would call a chivalric old gentleman.A mite of a little woman with blood thinned by California zephyrswas hardly fair game for the red-fisted, short-breathed old duffer.But Johnsy he smote; and she lay, scarcely moving, on her paintediron bedstead, looking through the small Dutch window-panes at theblank side of the next brick house.One morning the busy doctor invited Sue into the hallway with ashaggy, gray eyebrow."She has one chance in--let us say, ten," he said, as he shook downthe mercury in his clinical thermometer. "And that chance is for herto want to live. This way people have of lining-up on the side ofthe undertaker makes the entire pharmacopeia look silly. Your littlelady has made up her mind that she's not going to get well. Has sheanything on her mind?""She--she wanted to paint the Bay of Naples some day," said Sue."Paint?--bosh! Has she anything on her mind worth thinking abouttwice--a man, for instance?""A man?" said Sue, with a jew's-harp twang in her voice. "Is a manworth--but, no, doctor; there is nothing of the kind.""Well, it is the weakness, then," said the doctor. "I will do allthat science, so far as it may filter through my efforts, canaccomplish. But whenever my patient begins to count the carriagesin her funeral procession I subtract 50 per cent. from the curativepower of medicines. If you will get her to ask one question aboutthe new winter styles in cloak sleeves I will promise you aone-in-five chance for her, instead of one in ten."After the doctor had gone Sue went into the workroom and cried aJapanese napkin to a pulp. Then she swaggered into Johnsy's roomwith her drawing board, whistling ragtime.Johnsy lay, scarcely making a ripple under the bedclothes, with herface toward the window. Sue stopped whistling, thinking she wasasleep.She arranged her board and began a pen-and-ink drawing to illustratea magazine story. Young artists must pave their way to Art bydrawing pictures for magazine stories that young authors write topave their way to Literature.As Sue was sketching a pair of elegant horseshow riding trousers anda monocle on the figure of the hero, an Idaho cowboy, she heard alow sound, several times repeated. She went quickly to the bedside.Johnsy's eyes were open wide. She was looking out the window andcounting--counting backward."Twelve," she said, and a little later "eleven;" and then "ten," and"nine;" and then "eight" and "seven," almost together.Sue looked solicitously out the window. What was there to count?There was only a bare, dreary yard to be seen, and the blank side ofthe brick house twenty feet away. An old, old ivy vine, gnarled anddecayed at the roots, climbed half way up the brick wall. The coldbreath of autumn had stricken its leaves from the vine until itsskeleton branches clung, almost bare, to the crumbling bricks."What is it, dear?" asked Sue."Six," said Johnsy, in almost a whisper. "They're falling fasternow. Three days ago there were almost a hundred. It made my headache to count them. But now it's easy. There goes another one. Thereare only five left now.""Five what, dear. Tell your Sudie.""Leaves. On the ivy vine. When the last one falls I must go, too.I've known that for three days. Didn't the doctor tell you?""Oh, I never heard of such nonsense," complained Sue, withmagnificent scorn. "What have old ivy leaves to do with your gettingwell? And you used to love that vine so, you naughty girl. Don't bea goosey. Why, the doctor told me this morning that your chances forgetting well real soon were--let's see exactly what he said--he saidthe chances were ten to one! Why, that's almost as good a chance aswe have in New York when we ride on the street cars or walk past anew building. Try to take some broth now, and let Sudie go back toher drawing, so she can sell the editor man with it, and buy portwine for her sick child, and pork chops for her greedy self.""You needn't get any more wine," said Johnsy, keeping her eyes fixedout the window. "There goes another. No, I don't want any broth.That leaves just four. I want to see the last one fall before itgets dark. Then I'll go, too.""Johnsy, dear," said Sue, bending over her, "will you promise me tokeep your eyes closed, and not look out the window until I am doneworking? I must hand those drawings in by to-morrow. I need thelight, or I would draw the shade down.""Couldn't you draw in the other room?" asked Johnsy, coldly."I'd rather be here by you," said Sue. "Besides I don't want you tokeep looking at those silly ivy leaves.""Tell me as soon as you have finished," said Johnsy, closing hereyes, and lying white and still as a fallen statue, "because Iwant to see the last one fall. I'm tired of waiting. I'm tired ofthinking. I went to turn loose my hold on everything, and go sailingdown, down, just like one of those poor, tired leaves.""Try to sleep," said Sue. "I must call Behrman up to be my model forthe old hermit miner. I'll not be gone a minute. Don't try to move'till I come back."Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneaththem. He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo's Moses beardcurling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.Behrman was a failure in art. Forty years he had wielded the brushwithout getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress's robe.He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yetbegun it. For several years he had painted nothing except now andthen a daub in the line of commerce or advertising. He earned alittle by serving as a model to those young artists in the colonywho could not pay the price of a professional. He drank gin toexcess, and still talked of his coming masterpiece. For the rest hewas a fierce little old man, who scoffed terribly at softness inany one, and who regarded himself as especial mastiff-in-waiting toprotect the two young artists in the studio above.Sue found Behrman smelling strongly of juniper berries in his dimlylighted den below. In one corner was a blank canvas on an easel thathad been waiting there for twenty-five years to receive the firstline of the masterpiece. She told him of Johnsy's fancy, and how shefeared she would, indeed, light and fragile as a leaf herself, floataway when her slight hold upon the world grew weaker.Old Behrman, with his red eyes, plainly streaming, shouted hiscontempt and derision for such idiotic imaginings."Vass!" he cried. "Is dere people in de world mit der foolishnessto die because leafs dey drop off from a confounded vine? I haf notheard of such a thing. No, I will not bose as a model for your foolhermit-dunderhead. Vy do you allow dot silly pusiness to come in derprain of her? Ach, dot poor lettle Miss Johnsy.""She is very ill and weak," said Sue, "and the fever has left hermind morbid and full of strange fancies. Very well, Mr. Behrman, ifyou do not care to pose for me, you needn't. But I think you are ahorrid old--old flibbertigibbet.""You are just like a woman!" yelled Behrman. "Who said I will notbose? Go on. I come mit you. For half an hour I haf peen trying tosay dot I am ready to bose. Gott! dis is not any blace in whichone so goot as Miss Yohnsy shall lie sick. Some day I vill baint amasterpiece, and ve shall all go away. Gott! yes."Johnsy was sleeping when they went upstairs. Sue pulled the shadedown to the window-sill, and motioned Behrman into the other room.In there they peered out the window fearfully at the ivy vine.Then they looked at each other for a moment without speaking. Apersistent, cold rain was falling, mingled with snow. Behrman, inhis old blue shirt, took his seat as the hermit-miner on an upturnedkettle for a rock.When Sue awoke from an hour's sleep the next morning she foundJohnsy with dull, wide-open eyes staring at the drawn green shade."Pull it up; I want to see," she ordered, in a whisper.Wearily Sue obeyed.But, lo! after the beating rain and fierce gusts of wind that hadendured through the livelong night, there yet stood out against thebrick wall one ivy leaf. It was the last on the vine. Still darkgreen near its stem, but with its serrated edges tinted with theyellow of dissolution and decay, it hung bravely from a branch sometwenty feet above the ground."It is the last one," said Johnsy. "I thought it would surely fallduring the night. I heard the wind. It will fall to-day, and I shalldie at the same time.""Dear, dear!" said Sue, leaning her worn face down to the pillow,"think of me, if you won't think of yourself. What would I do?"But Johnsy did not answer. The lonesomest thing in all the world isa soul when it is making ready to go on its mysterious, far journey.The fancy seemed to possess her more strongly as one by one the tiesthat bound her to friendship and to earth were loosed.The day wore away, and even through the twilight they could see thelone ivy leaf clinging to its stem against the wall. And then, withthe coming of the night the north wind was again loosed, while therain still beat against the windows and pattered down from the lowDutch eaves.When it was light enough Johnsy, the merciless, commanded that theshade be raised.The ivy leaf was still there.Johnsy lay for a long time looking at it. And then she called toSue, who was stirring her chicken broth over the gas stove."I've been a bad girl, Sudie," said Johnsy. "Something has made thatlast leaf stay there to show me how wicked I was. It is a sin towant to die. You may bring me a little broth now, and some milk witha little port in it, and--no; bring me a hand-mirror first, and thenpack some pillows about me, and I will sit up and watch you cook."An hour later she said."Sudie, some day I hope to paint the Bay of Naples."The doctor came in the afternoon, and Sue had an excuse to go intothe hallway as he left."Even chances," said the doctor, taking Sue's thin, shaking hand inhis. "With good nursing you'll win. And now I must see another caseI have downstairs. Behrman, his name is--some kind of an artist, Ibelieve. Pneumonia, too. He is an old, weak man, and the attack isacute. There is no hope for him; but he goes to the hospital to-dayto be made more comfortable."The next day the doctor said to Sue: "She's out of danger. You'vewon. Nutrition and care now--that's all."And that afternoon Sue came to the bed where Johnsy lay, contentedlyknitting a very blue and very useless woolen shoulder scarf, and putone arm around her, pillows and all."I have something to tell you, white mouse," she said. "Mr. Behrmandied of pneumonia to-day in the hospital. He was ill only two days.The janitor found him on the morning of the first day in his roomdownstairs helpless with pain. His shoes and clothing were wetthrough and icy cold. They couldn't imagine where he had beenon such a dreadful night. And then they found a lantern, stilllighted, and a ladder that had been dragged from its place, and somescattered brushes, and a palette with green and yellow colors mixedon it, and--look out the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on thewall. Didn't you wonder why it never fluttered or moved when thewind blew? Ah, darling, it's Behrman's masterpiece--he painted itthere the night that the last leaf fell."
Here is a web site that has many short stories from O. Henry that can be down loaded for free: http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/o_henry/200/
Night at the Museum Plot
Night at the Museum Plot (Short Version)
Larry Daley is a divorced father who is unable to keep a stable job, the bulk of them being failed business ventures. He is desperate to win the support of his son Nick whom he fears is beginning to look up to his more successful future stepfather, Don , a bond trader on Wall Street. Larry therefore applies for a job at the American Museum of Natural History, where he is assigned as a night guard.
The three elder (soon to be retired) night guards, Cecil, Gus, and Reginald , give him a quick tour, advise him to leave some of the lights on, and warn him not to let anything "in . . . or out", which Larry meets with humorous skepticism. They also leave some odd instructions for him.
Once night comes, Larry discovers that the museum exhibits come to life. Larry barely manages to survive through the night. First, he discovers a Tyrannosaurus rex drinking from a water fountain; Larry distracts it by throwing a bone it has ripped from its own skeleton. Then, despite a narrow escape in the wildlife exhibits, Larry manages to lock up the lions. Finally, he double-checks his belt, only to discover that a capuchin monkey named Dexter has in fact stolen his keys. When Dexter destroys the old guards' instruction manual, Larry is forced into humiliating himself.
Eventually Larry is rescued from an odd feud between miniatures, pitting a Wild West buckaroo named Jedediah against a Roman General named Octavius, by a wax model of Theodore Roosevelt ,who later explains that ever since an Egyptian artifact — the Tablet of Akmenrah — was brought to the museum in 1952, everything comes to life each night. However, if the exhibits are outside of the museum by sunrise, they literally turn to dust. Roosevelt proceeds to help Larry by restoring order, but insists that it will be the last time he shall ever do so.
While initially unnerved, Larry decides to remain as a guard. On Cecil's advice, Larry begins to study the history of the events and people in the exhibits to prepare himself better for their animation. He meets Rebecca Hutman who is writing a dissertation on the life and times of Sacagawea, and learns much of the history of the various exhibits from her.
The next night, Larry uses what he has learned to better control the exhibits, but this, his second attempt, fails when one of the four Neanderthals sets fire to his compatriots' display, which Larry is forced to extinguish using a nearby fire extinguisher, while the Neanderthal escapes out a window, only to be transformed into dust when the sun rises. Larry barely manages to keep his job after the Museum's director, Dr. McPhee, discovers the mess. Larry tries to tell Rebecca about what happens every night, even offering to let her meet Sacagawea to help with her dissertation, but Rebecca does not believe him.
Two nights later, Larry brings Nick to the Museum, but fails to impress him when nothing comes to life. Just as Larry convinces Nick to wait for the promised event, they find Cecil, Gus, and Reginald stealing the Tablet of Akmenrah. Cecil then reveals the truth to Larry: that like the museum exhibits, the guards receive vital emanation from the Tablet. Now accustomed to this vigor, they are unwilling to forsake it and accordingly intend to steal the Tablet, along with various other Museum artifacts to fund their retirement, and thus frame Larry for the theft. Nick, after prompting from Larry, reactivates the Tablet's power and brings the exhibits to life once more. Cecil then grabs the Tablet back and locks Nick and Larry in the Egyptian room.
Larry calls for Theodore Roosevelt for help, but Roosevelt insists that Larry solve this problem on his own. The only thing left for Larry to do is release the mummy of Pharaoh Akmenrah himself, the owner of the tablet. Surprisingly Akmenrah speaks English; when asked to explain this, the Pharaoh informs Nick and Larry that he had spent many years as an exhibit in the Egyptology Department at Cambridge University. After Larry introduces himself and Nick, Akmenrah then asks them to bestow his Tablet upon him, so he can "claim his kingdom". Larry informs Ahkmenrah that the Tablet has been stolen, convincing the Pharaoh to free them. The three new friends then set out to reclaim the Tablet.
Larry discovers that the other exhibits are fighting with each other; having attracted their attention with the intervention of an animated Moa, he rallies them around the common cause of saving their own ability to be animated and thus acquires their help in retrieving the Tablet. Though the exhibits manage to capture Gus and Reginald without difficulty, Cecil escapes with the Tablet by stagecoach, whereupon Larry, Nick, Akmenrah, Jed, Octavius, and Attila the Hun pursue him through Central Park, eventually capturing him thanks to Larry's quick thinking of halting the horses with a secret word, "Dakota."
Because the exhibits who have come outside may be destroyed by sunrise, Larry gives the Tablet to Akmenrah, who immediately uses its power to return all the exhibits to the museum. Rebecca, in a taxicab, sees the exhibits crossing the road in front of her and realizes that Larry was telling the truth. Entering the museum, she is introduced by Larry to Sacagawea.
The next day, Dr. McPhee fires Larry despite his effort to clean up the museum; but when the reports issued by the news media begin increasing the Museum's popularity, he readmits Larry. Some time later, Larry appears in Nick's classroom during Career Day. Later that night, Larry returns with Nick and all the exhibits celebrate. Cecil, Gus, and Reginald eventually become janitors at the Museum; a stereotypical punishment in comedy films for defeated antagonists (and still allows them to be around the energies of the tablet).
Taken from Wikipedia
Larry Daley is a divorced father who is unable to keep a stable job, the bulk of them being failed business ventures. He is desperate to win the support of his son Nick whom he fears is beginning to look up to his more successful future stepfather, Don , a bond trader on Wall Street. Larry therefore applies for a job at the American Museum of Natural History, where he is assigned as a night guard.
The three elder (soon to be retired) night guards, Cecil, Gus, and Reginald , give him a quick tour, advise him to leave some of the lights on, and warn him not to let anything "in . . . or out", which Larry meets with humorous skepticism. They also leave some odd instructions for him.
Once night comes, Larry discovers that the museum exhibits come to life. Larry barely manages to survive through the night. First, he discovers a Tyrannosaurus rex drinking from a water fountain; Larry distracts it by throwing a bone it has ripped from its own skeleton. Then, despite a narrow escape in the wildlife exhibits, Larry manages to lock up the lions. Finally, he double-checks his belt, only to discover that a capuchin monkey named Dexter has in fact stolen his keys. When Dexter destroys the old guards' instruction manual, Larry is forced into humiliating himself.
Eventually Larry is rescued from an odd feud between miniatures, pitting a Wild West buckaroo named Jedediah against a Roman General named Octavius, by a wax model of Theodore Roosevelt ,who later explains that ever since an Egyptian artifact — the Tablet of Akmenrah — was brought to the museum in 1952, everything comes to life each night. However, if the exhibits are outside of the museum by sunrise, they literally turn to dust. Roosevelt proceeds to help Larry by restoring order, but insists that it will be the last time he shall ever do so.
While initially unnerved, Larry decides to remain as a guard. On Cecil's advice, Larry begins to study the history of the events and people in the exhibits to prepare himself better for their animation. He meets Rebecca Hutman who is writing a dissertation on the life and times of Sacagawea, and learns much of the history of the various exhibits from her.
The next night, Larry uses what he has learned to better control the exhibits, but this, his second attempt, fails when one of the four Neanderthals sets fire to his compatriots' display, which Larry is forced to extinguish using a nearby fire extinguisher, while the Neanderthal escapes out a window, only to be transformed into dust when the sun rises. Larry barely manages to keep his job after the Museum's director, Dr. McPhee, discovers the mess. Larry tries to tell Rebecca about what happens every night, even offering to let her meet Sacagawea to help with her dissertation, but Rebecca does not believe him.
Two nights later, Larry brings Nick to the Museum, but fails to impress him when nothing comes to life. Just as Larry convinces Nick to wait for the promised event, they find Cecil, Gus, and Reginald stealing the Tablet of Akmenrah. Cecil then reveals the truth to Larry: that like the museum exhibits, the guards receive vital emanation from the Tablet. Now accustomed to this vigor, they are unwilling to forsake it and accordingly intend to steal the Tablet, along with various other Museum artifacts to fund their retirement, and thus frame Larry for the theft. Nick, after prompting from Larry, reactivates the Tablet's power and brings the exhibits to life once more. Cecil then grabs the Tablet back and locks Nick and Larry in the Egyptian room.
Larry calls for Theodore Roosevelt for help, but Roosevelt insists that Larry solve this problem on his own. The only thing left for Larry to do is release the mummy of Pharaoh Akmenrah himself, the owner of the tablet. Surprisingly Akmenrah speaks English; when asked to explain this, the Pharaoh informs Nick and Larry that he had spent many years as an exhibit in the Egyptology Department at Cambridge University. After Larry introduces himself and Nick, Akmenrah then asks them to bestow his Tablet upon him, so he can "claim his kingdom". Larry informs Ahkmenrah that the Tablet has been stolen, convincing the Pharaoh to free them. The three new friends then set out to reclaim the Tablet.
Larry discovers that the other exhibits are fighting with each other; having attracted their attention with the intervention of an animated Moa, he rallies them around the common cause of saving their own ability to be animated and thus acquires their help in retrieving the Tablet. Though the exhibits manage to capture Gus and Reginald without difficulty, Cecil escapes with the Tablet by stagecoach, whereupon Larry, Nick, Akmenrah, Jed, Octavius, and Attila the Hun pursue him through Central Park, eventually capturing him thanks to Larry's quick thinking of halting the horses with a secret word, "Dakota."
Because the exhibits who have come outside may be destroyed by sunrise, Larry gives the Tablet to Akmenrah, who immediately uses its power to return all the exhibits to the museum. Rebecca, in a taxicab, sees the exhibits crossing the road in front of her and realizes that Larry was telling the truth. Entering the museum, she is introduced by Larry to Sacagawea.
The next day, Dr. McPhee fires Larry despite his effort to clean up the museum; but when the reports issued by the news media begin increasing the Museum's popularity, he readmits Larry. Some time later, Larry appears in Nick's classroom during Career Day. Later that night, Larry returns with Nick and all the exhibits celebrate. Cecil, Gus, and Reginald eventually become janitors at the Museum; a stereotypical punishment in comedy films for defeated antagonists (and still allows them to be around the energies of the tablet).
Taken from Wikipedia
The 1,000 Most Commonly Used Words in English
The 1,000 Most Commonly Used Words in English
These most commonly used words are ranked by frequency.
The first 25 make up about one-third of all printed material in English.
The first 100 make up about one-half of all written material, and the first 300 make up about sixty-five percent of all written material in English.
1. the 21. at 41. there 61. some 81. my
2. of 22. be 42. use 62. her 82. than
3. and 23. this 43. an 63. would 83. first
4. a 24. have 44. each 64. make 84. water
5. to 25. from 45. which 65. like 85. been
6. in 26. or 46. she 66. him 86. been
7. is 27. one 47. do 67. into 87. who
8. you 28. had 48. how 68. time 88. oil
9. that 29. by 49. Their 69. has 89. its
10. it 30. word 50. if 70. look 90. now
11. he 31. but 51. will 71. two 91. find
12. was 32. not 52. up 72. more 92. long
13. for 33. what 53. other 73. write 93. down
14. on 34. all 54. about 74. go 94. day
15. are 35. were 55. out 75. see 95. did
16. as 36. we 56. many 76. number 96. get
17. with 37. when 57. then 77. no 97. come
18. his 38. your 58. them 78. way 98. made
19. they 39. can 59. these 79. could 99. may
20. I 40. said 60. so 80. people 100. part
101. over 121. name 141. boy 161. such 181. change
102. new 122. good 142. follow 162. because 182. off
103. sound 123. sentence 143. came 163. turn 183. play
104. take 124. man 144. want 164. here 184. spell
105. only 125. think 145. show 165. why 185. air
106. little 126. say 146. also 166. ask 186. away
107. work 127. great 147. around 167. went 187. animal
108. know 128. where 148. form 168. men 188. house
109. place 129. help 149. three 169. read 189. point
110. year 130. through 150. small 170. need 190. page
111. live 131. much 151. set 171. land 191. letter
112. me 132. before 152. put 172. different 192. mother
113. back 133. line 153. end 173. home 193. answer
114. give 134. right 154. does 174. us 194. found
115. most 135. too 155. another 175. move 195. study
116. very 136. mean 156. well 176. try 196. still
117. after 137. old 157. large 177. kind 197. learn
118. thing 138. any 158. must 178. hand 198. should
119. our 138. same 159. big 179. picture 199. America
120. just 140. tell 160. even 180. again 200. world
201. high 221. light 241. life 261. sea 281. watch
202. every 222. thought 242. always 262. Began 282. far
203. near 223. head 243. those 263. grow 283. Indian
204. add 224. under 244. both 264. took 284. really
205. food 225. story 245. paper 265. river 285. almost
206. between 226. saw 246. together 266. four 286. let
207. own 227. left 247. got 267. carry 287. above
208. below 228. don’t 248. group 268. state 288. girl
209. country 229. few 249. often 269. once 289. sometimes
210. plant 230. while 250. run 270. book 290. mountain
211. last 231. along 251. important 271. hear 291. cut
212. school 232. might 252. until 272. stop 292. young
213. father 233. close 253. children 273. without 293. talk
214. keep 234. something 254. side 274. second 294. soon
215. tree 235. seem 255. feet 275. later 295. list
216. never 236. next 256. car 276. miss 296. song
217. start 237. hard 257. mile 277. idea 297. being
218. city 238. open 258. night 278. enough 298. leave
219. earth 239. example 259. walk 279. eat 299. family
220. eye 240. begin 260. white 280. face 300. it’s
301. Body 321. usually 341. hours 361. five 381. cold
302. Music 322. didn’t 342. black 362. step 382. cried
303. color 323. friends 343. products 363. morning 383. plan
304. stand 324. easy 344. happened 364. passed 384. notice
305. sun 325. heard 345. whole 365. vowel 385. south
306. questions 326. order 346. measure 366. true 386. sing
307. fish 327. red 347. remember 367. hundred 387. war
308. area 328. door 348. early 368. against 388. ground
309. mark 329. sure 349. waves 369. pattern 389. fall
310. dog 330. become 350. reached 370. numeral 390. king
311. horse 331. top 351. listen 371. table 391. town
312. birds 332. ship 352. wind 372. north 392. I’ll
313. problem 333. across 353. rock 373. slowly 393. unit
314. complete 334. today 354. space 374. money 394. figure
315. room 335. during 355. covered 375. map 395. certain
316. knew 336. short 356. fast 376. farm 396. field
317. since 337. better 357. several 377. pulled 397. travel
318. ever 338. best 358. hold 378. draw 398. wood
319. piece 339. however 359. himself 379. voice 399. fire
320. told 340. low 360. toward 380. Seen 400. upon
401. done 421. front 441. stay 461. warm 481. object
402. English 422. feel 442. green 462. common 482. am
403. road 423. fact 443. known 463. bring 483. rule
404. halt 424. inches 444. island 464. explain 484. among
405. ten 425. street 445. week 465. dry 485. noun
406. fly 426. decided 446. less 466. though 486. power
407. gave 427. contain 447. machine 467. language 487. cannot
408. box 428. course 448. base 468. shape 488. able
409. finally 429. surface 449. ago 469. deep 489. six
410. wait 430. produce 450. stood 470. thousands 490. size
411. correct 431. building 451. plane 471. yes 491. dark
412. oh 432. ocean 452. system 472. clear 492. ball
413. quickly 433. class 453. behind 473. equation 493. material
414. person 434. note 454. ran 474. yet 494. special
415. became 435. nothing 455. round 475. Government 495. heavy
416. shown 436. rest 456. boat 476. filled 496. fine
417. minutes 437. carefully 457. game 477. heat 497. pair
418. strong 438. scientists 458. force 478. full 498. circle
419. verb 439. inside 459. brought 479. hot 499. include
420. stars 440. wheels 460. understand 480. check 500. built
501. can’t 521. region 541. window 561. arms 581. west
502. matter 522. return 542. difference 562. brother 582. lay
503. square 523. believe 543. distance 563. race 583. weather
504. syllables 524. dance 544. heart 564. resent 584. root
505. perhaps 525. members 545. sit 565. beautiful 585. instruments
506. bill 526. picked 546. sum 566. store 586. meet
507. felt 527. simple 547. summer 567. job 587. third
508. suddenly 528. cells 548. wall 568. edge 588. months
509. test 529. paint 549. forest 569. past 589. paragraph
510. direction 530. mind 550. probably 570. sign 590. raised
511. center 531. love 551. legs 571. record 591. represent
512. farmers 532. cause 552. sat 572. finished 592. soft
513. ready 533. rain 553. main 573. discovered 593. whether
514. anything 534. exercise 554. winter 574. wild 594. clothes
515. divided 535. eggs 555. wide 575. happy 595. flowers
516. general 536. train 556. written 576. beside 596. shall
517. energy 537. blue 557. length 577. gone 597. teacher
518. subject 538. wish 558. reason 578. sky 598. held
519. Europe 539. drop 559. kept 579. glass 599. describe
520. moon 540. developed 560. interest 580. million 600. drive
601. cross 621. buy 641. temperature 661. possible 681. fraction
602. speak 622. century 642. bright 662. gold 682. Africa
603. appear 623. outside 643. lead 663. milk 683. killed
604. metal 624. everything 644. everyone 664. quiet 684. melody
605. son 625. tall 645. method 665. natural 685. bottom
606. either 626. already 646. section 666. lot 686. trip
607. ice 627. instead 647. lake 667. stone 687. hole
608. sleep 628. phrase 648. consonant 668. act 688. poor
609. village 629. soil 649. within 669. build 689. let’s
610. factors 630. bed 650. dictionary 670. middle 690. fight
611. sleep 631. copy 651. hair 671. speed 691. surprise
612. result 632. free 652. age 672. count 692. French
613. jumped 633. hope 653. amount 673. cat 693. died
614. snow 634. spring 654. scale 674. someone 694. beat
615. ride 635. case 655. pounds 675. sail 695. exactly
616. care 636. laughed 656. although 676. rolled 696. remain
617. floor 637. nation 657. per 677. bear 697. dress
618. hill 638. quite 658. broken 678. wonder 698. iron
619. pushed 639. type 659. smiled 679. smiled 699. couldn’t
620. baby 640. themselves 660. tiny 680. angle 700. fingers
701. row 721. grew 741. east 761. suppose 781. direct
702. least 722. skin 742. pay 762. woman 782. ring
703. catch 723. valley 743. signal 763. coast 783. serve
704. climbed 724. cents 744. touch 764. bank 784. child
705. wrote 725. key 745. information 765. period 785. desert
706. shouted 726. presidents 746. express 766. wire 786. increase
707. continued 727. brown 747. mouth 767. choose 787. history
708. itself 728. trouble 748. yard 768. clean 788. cost
709. else 729. cool 749. equal 769. visit 789. maybe
710. plains 730. cloud 750. decimal 770. bit 790. business
711. gas 731. lost 751. yourself 771. whose 791. separate
712. England 732. sent 752. control 772. received 792. break
713. burning 733. symbols 753. practice 773. garden 793. uncle
714. design 734. wear 754. report 774. please 794. hunting
715. joined 735. bad 755. straight 775. strange 795. flow
716. foot 736. save 756. rise 776. caught 796. lady
717. law 737. experiment 757. statement 777. fell 797. students
718. ears 738. engine 758. stick 778. team 798. human
719. grass 739. alone 759. party 779. God 799. art
720. you’re 740. drawing 760. seeds 780. captain 800. feeling
801. supply 821. fit 841. sense 861. position 881. meat
802. corner 822. addition 842. string 862. entered 882. lifted
803. electric 823. belong 843. blow 863. fruit 883. process
804. insects 824. safe 844. famous 864. tied 884. army
805. crops 825. soldiers 845. value 865. rich 885. hat
806. tone 826. guess 846. wings 866. dollars 886. property
807. hit 827. silent 847. movement 867. send 887. particular
808. sand 828. trade 848. pole 868. sight 888. swim
809. doctor 829. rather 849. exciting 869. chief 889. terms
810. provide 830. compare 850. branches 870. Japanese 890. current
811. thus 831. crowd 851. thick 871. stream 891. park
812. won’t 832. poem 852. blood 872. plants 892. sell
813. cook 833. enjoy 853. lie 873. rhythm 893. shoulder
814. bones 834. elements 854. spot 874. eight 894. industry
815. tail 835. indicate 855. bell 875. science 895. wash
816. board 836. except 856. fun 876. major 896. block
817. modern 837. expect 857. loud 877. observe 897. spread
818. compound 838. flat 858. consider 878. tube 898. cattle
819. mine 839. seven 859. suggested 879. necessary 899. wife
820. wasn’t 840. interest 860. thin 880. weight 900. sharp
901. company 921. France 941. shoes 961. workers 981. rope
902. radio 922. repeated 942. actually 962. Washington 982. Cotton
903. we’ll 923. column 943. nose 963. Greek 983. apple
904. action 924. western 944. afraid 964. women 984. details
905. capital 925. church 945. dead 965. brought 985. entire
906. factories 926. sister 946. sugar 966. led 986. corn
907. settled 927. oxygen 947. adjective 967. march 987. substances
908. yellow 928. plural 948. fig 968. Northern 988. smell
909. isn’t 929. various 949. office 969. create 989. tools
910. Southern 930. agreed 950. huge 970. British 990. conditions
911. truck 931. opposite 951. gun 971. difficult 991. cows
912. train 932. wrong 952. similar 972. match 992. track
913. printed 933. chart 953. death 973. win 993. arrived
914. wouldn’t 934. prepared 954. score 974. doesn’t 994. located
915. ahead 935. pretty 955. forward 975. steel 995. sir
916. chance 936. solution 956. stretched 976. total 996. seat
917. born 937. fresh 957. experience 977. deal 997. division
918. level 938. shop 958. rose 978. determine 998. effect
919. triangle 939. suffix 959. allow 979. evening 999. underline
920. molecules 940. especially 960. fear 980. nor 1000. View
Taken from: The Reading Teachers Book of Lists, Third Edition;
by Edward Bernard Fry, Ph.D, Jacqueline E. Kress, Ed.D & Dona lee Fountoukidis, Ed.D.
These most commonly used words are ranked by frequency.
The first 25 make up about one-third of all printed material in English.
The first 100 make up about one-half of all written material, and the first 300 make up about sixty-five percent of all written material in English.
1. the 21. at 41. there 61. some 81. my
2. of 22. be 42. use 62. her 82. than
3. and 23. this 43. an 63. would 83. first
4. a 24. have 44. each 64. make 84. water
5. to 25. from 45. which 65. like 85. been
6. in 26. or 46. she 66. him 86. been
7. is 27. one 47. do 67. into 87. who
8. you 28. had 48. how 68. time 88. oil
9. that 29. by 49. Their 69. has 89. its
10. it 30. word 50. if 70. look 90. now
11. he 31. but 51. will 71. two 91. find
12. was 32. not 52. up 72. more 92. long
13. for 33. what 53. other 73. write 93. down
14. on 34. all 54. about 74. go 94. day
15. are 35. were 55. out 75. see 95. did
16. as 36. we 56. many 76. number 96. get
17. with 37. when 57. then 77. no 97. come
18. his 38. your 58. them 78. way 98. made
19. they 39. can 59. these 79. could 99. may
20. I 40. said 60. so 80. people 100. part
101. over 121. name 141. boy 161. such 181. change
102. new 122. good 142. follow 162. because 182. off
103. sound 123. sentence 143. came 163. turn 183. play
104. take 124. man 144. want 164. here 184. spell
105. only 125. think 145. show 165. why 185. air
106. little 126. say 146. also 166. ask 186. away
107. work 127. great 147. around 167. went 187. animal
108. know 128. where 148. form 168. men 188. house
109. place 129. help 149. three 169. read 189. point
110. year 130. through 150. small 170. need 190. page
111. live 131. much 151. set 171. land 191. letter
112. me 132. before 152. put 172. different 192. mother
113. back 133. line 153. end 173. home 193. answer
114. give 134. right 154. does 174. us 194. found
115. most 135. too 155. another 175. move 195. study
116. very 136. mean 156. well 176. try 196. still
117. after 137. old 157. large 177. kind 197. learn
118. thing 138. any 158. must 178. hand 198. should
119. our 138. same 159. big 179. picture 199. America
120. just 140. tell 160. even 180. again 200. world
201. high 221. light 241. life 261. sea 281. watch
202. every 222. thought 242. always 262. Began 282. far
203. near 223. head 243. those 263. grow 283. Indian
204. add 224. under 244. both 264. took 284. really
205. food 225. story 245. paper 265. river 285. almost
206. between 226. saw 246. together 266. four 286. let
207. own 227. left 247. got 267. carry 287. above
208. below 228. don’t 248. group 268. state 288. girl
209. country 229. few 249. often 269. once 289. sometimes
210. plant 230. while 250. run 270. book 290. mountain
211. last 231. along 251. important 271. hear 291. cut
212. school 232. might 252. until 272. stop 292. young
213. father 233. close 253. children 273. without 293. talk
214. keep 234. something 254. side 274. second 294. soon
215. tree 235. seem 255. feet 275. later 295. list
216. never 236. next 256. car 276. miss 296. song
217. start 237. hard 257. mile 277. idea 297. being
218. city 238. open 258. night 278. enough 298. leave
219. earth 239. example 259. walk 279. eat 299. family
220. eye 240. begin 260. white 280. face 300. it’s
301. Body 321. usually 341. hours 361. five 381. cold
302. Music 322. didn’t 342. black 362. step 382. cried
303. color 323. friends 343. products 363. morning 383. plan
304. stand 324. easy 344. happened 364. passed 384. notice
305. sun 325. heard 345. whole 365. vowel 385. south
306. questions 326. order 346. measure 366. true 386. sing
307. fish 327. red 347. remember 367. hundred 387. war
308. area 328. door 348. early 368. against 388. ground
309. mark 329. sure 349. waves 369. pattern 389. fall
310. dog 330. become 350. reached 370. numeral 390. king
311. horse 331. top 351. listen 371. table 391. town
312. birds 332. ship 352. wind 372. north 392. I’ll
313. problem 333. across 353. rock 373. slowly 393. unit
314. complete 334. today 354. space 374. money 394. figure
315. room 335. during 355. covered 375. map 395. certain
316. knew 336. short 356. fast 376. farm 396. field
317. since 337. better 357. several 377. pulled 397. travel
318. ever 338. best 358. hold 378. draw 398. wood
319. piece 339. however 359. himself 379. voice 399. fire
320. told 340. low 360. toward 380. Seen 400. upon
401. done 421. front 441. stay 461. warm 481. object
402. English 422. feel 442. green 462. common 482. am
403. road 423. fact 443. known 463. bring 483. rule
404. halt 424. inches 444. island 464. explain 484. among
405. ten 425. street 445. week 465. dry 485. noun
406. fly 426. decided 446. less 466. though 486. power
407. gave 427. contain 447. machine 467. language 487. cannot
408. box 428. course 448. base 468. shape 488. able
409. finally 429. surface 449. ago 469. deep 489. six
410. wait 430. produce 450. stood 470. thousands 490. size
411. correct 431. building 451. plane 471. yes 491. dark
412. oh 432. ocean 452. system 472. clear 492. ball
413. quickly 433. class 453. behind 473. equation 493. material
414. person 434. note 454. ran 474. yet 494. special
415. became 435. nothing 455. round 475. Government 495. heavy
416. shown 436. rest 456. boat 476. filled 496. fine
417. minutes 437. carefully 457. game 477. heat 497. pair
418. strong 438. scientists 458. force 478. full 498. circle
419. verb 439. inside 459. brought 479. hot 499. include
420. stars 440. wheels 460. understand 480. check 500. built
501. can’t 521. region 541. window 561. arms 581. west
502. matter 522. return 542. difference 562. brother 582. lay
503. square 523. believe 543. distance 563. race 583. weather
504. syllables 524. dance 544. heart 564. resent 584. root
505. perhaps 525. members 545. sit 565. beautiful 585. instruments
506. bill 526. picked 546. sum 566. store 586. meet
507. felt 527. simple 547. summer 567. job 587. third
508. suddenly 528. cells 548. wall 568. edge 588. months
509. test 529. paint 549. forest 569. past 589. paragraph
510. direction 530. mind 550. probably 570. sign 590. raised
511. center 531. love 551. legs 571. record 591. represent
512. farmers 532. cause 552. sat 572. finished 592. soft
513. ready 533. rain 553. main 573. discovered 593. whether
514. anything 534. exercise 554. winter 574. wild 594. clothes
515. divided 535. eggs 555. wide 575. happy 595. flowers
516. general 536. train 556. written 576. beside 596. shall
517. energy 537. blue 557. length 577. gone 597. teacher
518. subject 538. wish 558. reason 578. sky 598. held
519. Europe 539. drop 559. kept 579. glass 599. describe
520. moon 540. developed 560. interest 580. million 600. drive
601. cross 621. buy 641. temperature 661. possible 681. fraction
602. speak 622. century 642. bright 662. gold 682. Africa
603. appear 623. outside 643. lead 663. milk 683. killed
604. metal 624. everything 644. everyone 664. quiet 684. melody
605. son 625. tall 645. method 665. natural 685. bottom
606. either 626. already 646. section 666. lot 686. trip
607. ice 627. instead 647. lake 667. stone 687. hole
608. sleep 628. phrase 648. consonant 668. act 688. poor
609. village 629. soil 649. within 669. build 689. let’s
610. factors 630. bed 650. dictionary 670. middle 690. fight
611. sleep 631. copy 651. hair 671. speed 691. surprise
612. result 632. free 652. age 672. count 692. French
613. jumped 633. hope 653. amount 673. cat 693. died
614. snow 634. spring 654. scale 674. someone 694. beat
615. ride 635. case 655. pounds 675. sail 695. exactly
616. care 636. laughed 656. although 676. rolled 696. remain
617. floor 637. nation 657. per 677. bear 697. dress
618. hill 638. quite 658. broken 678. wonder 698. iron
619. pushed 639. type 659. smiled 679. smiled 699. couldn’t
620. baby 640. themselves 660. tiny 680. angle 700. fingers
701. row 721. grew 741. east 761. suppose 781. direct
702. least 722. skin 742. pay 762. woman 782. ring
703. catch 723. valley 743. signal 763. coast 783. serve
704. climbed 724. cents 744. touch 764. bank 784. child
705. wrote 725. key 745. information 765. period 785. desert
706. shouted 726. presidents 746. express 766. wire 786. increase
707. continued 727. brown 747. mouth 767. choose 787. history
708. itself 728. trouble 748. yard 768. clean 788. cost
709. else 729. cool 749. equal 769. visit 789. maybe
710. plains 730. cloud 750. decimal 770. bit 790. business
711. gas 731. lost 751. yourself 771. whose 791. separate
712. England 732. sent 752. control 772. received 792. break
713. burning 733. symbols 753. practice 773. garden 793. uncle
714. design 734. wear 754. report 774. please 794. hunting
715. joined 735. bad 755. straight 775. strange 795. flow
716. foot 736. save 756. rise 776. caught 796. lady
717. law 737. experiment 757. statement 777. fell 797. students
718. ears 738. engine 758. stick 778. team 798. human
719. grass 739. alone 759. party 779. God 799. art
720. you’re 740. drawing 760. seeds 780. captain 800. feeling
801. supply 821. fit 841. sense 861. position 881. meat
802. corner 822. addition 842. string 862. entered 882. lifted
803. electric 823. belong 843. blow 863. fruit 883. process
804. insects 824. safe 844. famous 864. tied 884. army
805. crops 825. soldiers 845. value 865. rich 885. hat
806. tone 826. guess 846. wings 866. dollars 886. property
807. hit 827. silent 847. movement 867. send 887. particular
808. sand 828. trade 848. pole 868. sight 888. swim
809. doctor 829. rather 849. exciting 869. chief 889. terms
810. provide 830. compare 850. branches 870. Japanese 890. current
811. thus 831. crowd 851. thick 871. stream 891. park
812. won’t 832. poem 852. blood 872. plants 892. sell
813. cook 833. enjoy 853. lie 873. rhythm 893. shoulder
814. bones 834. elements 854. spot 874. eight 894. industry
815. tail 835. indicate 855. bell 875. science 895. wash
816. board 836. except 856. fun 876. major 896. block
817. modern 837. expect 857. loud 877. observe 897. spread
818. compound 838. flat 858. consider 878. tube 898. cattle
819. mine 839. seven 859. suggested 879. necessary 899. wife
820. wasn’t 840. interest 860. thin 880. weight 900. sharp
901. company 921. France 941. shoes 961. workers 981. rope
902. radio 922. repeated 942. actually 962. Washington 982. Cotton
903. we’ll 923. column 943. nose 963. Greek 983. apple
904. action 924. western 944. afraid 964. women 984. details
905. capital 925. church 945. dead 965. brought 985. entire
906. factories 926. sister 946. sugar 966. led 986. corn
907. settled 927. oxygen 947. adjective 967. march 987. substances
908. yellow 928. plural 948. fig 968. Northern 988. smell
909. isn’t 929. various 949. office 969. create 989. tools
910. Southern 930. agreed 950. huge 970. British 990. conditions
911. truck 931. opposite 951. gun 971. difficult 991. cows
912. train 932. wrong 952. similar 972. match 992. track
913. printed 933. chart 953. death 973. win 993. arrived
914. wouldn’t 934. prepared 954. score 974. doesn’t 994. located
915. ahead 935. pretty 955. forward 975. steel 995. sir
916. chance 936. solution 956. stretched 976. total 996. seat
917. born 937. fresh 957. experience 977. deal 997. division
918. level 938. shop 958. rose 978. determine 998. effect
919. triangle 939. suffix 959. allow 979. evening 999. underline
920. molecules 940. especially 960. fear 980. nor 1000. View
Taken from: The Reading Teachers Book of Lists, Third Edition;
by Edward Bernard Fry, Ph.D, Jacqueline E. Kress, Ed.D & Dona lee Fountoukidis, Ed.D.
Personal History Assignment Due Dates
The Personal History assignments will be due as scheduled:
•Early Childhood (0-6) - Draft - Due Week of Mar. 23 – 27
•Early Childhood (0-6) - Due Week of Apr. 6 – 10
•Childhood (6-11) - Draft - Due Week of Apr. 13 – 17
•Childhood (6-11) - Due Week of Apr. 20 – 24
•Adolescence (11-18) - Draft - Due Week of Apr. 27 to May 1
•Adolescence (11-18) - Due Week of May 4 - 8
•Early Adulthood (18…) - Draft - Due Week of May 11 to May 15
•Early Adulthood (18…) - Due Week of May 18 to May 22
•Final history due - Due Week of June 1 to June 5
•Note: If a due date falls on a holiday the assignment will be due the following week. There will be 8 completion grades given - 0 or 10 points/section. The final project will be worth 100 points.
•Early Childhood (0-6) - Draft - Due Week of Mar. 23 – 27
•Early Childhood (0-6) - Due Week of Apr. 6 – 10
•Childhood (6-11) - Draft - Due Week of Apr. 13 – 17
•Childhood (6-11) - Due Week of Apr. 20 – 24
•Adolescence (11-18) - Draft - Due Week of Apr. 27 to May 1
•Adolescence (11-18) - Due Week of May 4 - 8
•Early Adulthood (18…) - Draft - Due Week of May 11 to May 15
•Early Adulthood (18…) - Due Week of May 18 to May 22
•Final history due - Due Week of June 1 to June 5
•Note: If a due date falls on a holiday the assignment will be due the following week. There will be 8 completion grades given - 0 or 10 points/section. The final project will be worth 100 points.
Recording your Life Story
Recording your Life Story
Never underestimate the value that your history will have to you, your family, and your posterity!!!!!!!
Where To Begin?
Writing a personal history of your entire life can seem like a daunting task. Perhaps the hardest part is knowing where to start. Don’t try to do it all at once. Here are ideas.
Gather together thoughts photos, documents, and other memorabilia.
Going through old picture books and memorabilia can help you remember
important events more clearly, and will provide documentation and interest to
your memories.
Early Childhood (0-6)
Childhood (6-11)
Adolescence (11-18)
Early Adulthood (18-25)
Involve Family and Friends
Involve your family and friends in the process of creating your personal history. (It will help ensure that you have an audience of interested readers who are connected to the completed work.)
Ask family members to contribute their favorite stories concerning the subject. (i.e.: ask your mother about what you were like as a baby)
Ask family members to collect photos, stories, and memorabilia that might be appropriate for use in your history.
Request names, birth dates, significant events, and a recent family photograph including all names of individuals in the picture.
Write the First Draft of Your Personal History
Write an outline of the major aspects in your life that you especially want to
record.
General Age Periods:
Early Childhood (0-6)
Childhood (6-11)
Adolescence (11-18)
Early Adulthood (18-25)
Other Topics and Sub-Topics to include
Memories of friends and family
Community Service
Health Record
Physical Characteristics
Social Life
Core beliefs (Your family’s and your own)
Memorable World Events
Military Service
Education
How do your father and mother earn a living?
How have you earned money?
Counsel to Posterity
Basic Helps:
Organize your thoughts by using memory triggers (See the accompanying document)
Write as the thoughts come to you. (Keep a notebook)
Don’t worry if it is out of order. You can organize it later.
Start with the topic that you’ve been wanting most to record.
Be honest about your life.
Transfer an emotional experience to the reader (e.g., frustration, anticipations, amusement, pleasure, pity, envy, humility, gratitude, boredom, greed, pride, etc.)
Include real events. Include tragic, exciting, and normal every day things.
Use a word processor to record your writing for easy editing.
Add Photos and Scanned Images
Decide which items you will use. Ask yourself:
Would I find that item useful or interesting if it were in someone else’s history?
Would it be as effective to simply describe the item rather than include it in the history?
Choose best quality and most typical images to use in a personal history.
Achieve an appropriate balance between visual imagery and text.
Edit and Finalize Your Personal History (Rough Drafts)
Ask family members or a good friend to read through your history to suggest revisions and identify necessary corrections.
Ask for constructive ideas on how to make your history easier to understand.
Be sure that the fonts you use are easy to read and photocopy well.
Complete your history now–do not put it on hold while seeking absolute perfection.
Never underestimate the value that your history will have to you, your family, and your posterity!!!!!!!
Where To Begin?
Writing a personal history of your entire life can seem like a daunting task. Perhaps the hardest part is knowing where to start. Don’t try to do it all at once. Here are ideas.
Gather together thoughts photos, documents, and other memorabilia.
Going through old picture books and memorabilia can help you remember
important events more clearly, and will provide documentation and interest to
your memories.
Early Childhood (0-6)
Childhood (6-11)
Adolescence (11-18)
Early Adulthood (18-25)
Involve Family and Friends
Involve your family and friends in the process of creating your personal history. (It will help ensure that you have an audience of interested readers who are connected to the completed work.)
Ask family members to contribute their favorite stories concerning the subject. (i.e.: ask your mother about what you were like as a baby)
Ask family members to collect photos, stories, and memorabilia that might be appropriate for use in your history.
Request names, birth dates, significant events, and a recent family photograph including all names of individuals in the picture.
Write the First Draft of Your Personal History
Write an outline of the major aspects in your life that you especially want to
record.
General Age Periods:
Early Childhood (0-6)
Childhood (6-11)
Adolescence (11-18)
Early Adulthood (18-25)
Other Topics and Sub-Topics to include
Memories of friends and family
Community Service
Health Record
Physical Characteristics
Social Life
Core beliefs (Your family’s and your own)
Memorable World Events
Military Service
Education
How do your father and mother earn a living?
How have you earned money?
Counsel to Posterity
Basic Helps:
Organize your thoughts by using memory triggers (See the accompanying document)
Write as the thoughts come to you. (Keep a notebook)
Don’t worry if it is out of order. You can organize it later.
Start with the topic that you’ve been wanting most to record.
Be honest about your life.
Transfer an emotional experience to the reader (e.g., frustration, anticipations, amusement, pleasure, pity, envy, humility, gratitude, boredom, greed, pride, etc.)
Include real events. Include tragic, exciting, and normal every day things.
Use a word processor to record your writing for easy editing.
Add Photos and Scanned Images
Decide which items you will use. Ask yourself:
Would I find that item useful or interesting if it were in someone else’s history?
Would it be as effective to simply describe the item rather than include it in the history?
Choose best quality and most typical images to use in a personal history.
Achieve an appropriate balance between visual imagery and text.
Edit and Finalize Your Personal History (Rough Drafts)
Ask family members or a good friend to read through your history to suggest revisions and identify necessary corrections.
Ask for constructive ideas on how to make your history easier to understand.
Be sure that the fonts you use are easy to read and photocopy well.
Complete your history now–do not put it on hold while seeking absolute perfection.
PERSONAL HISTORY MEMORY TRIGGERS
PERSONAL HISTORY MEMORY TRIGGERS
Try answering one or more of the following questions, and then give examples. Let your mind wander as you answer, and write down or record memories that come to mind whether they fit the topic or not. Things can always be sorted out later!
1. Where were you born and what were the circumstances of your birth? Were
there other children already in the family? How did your parents choose your
name?
2. Where did you go to school? Did you have any memorable teachers? What were your favorite subjects?
3. What were your favorite activities as a young child? Were you interested in
sports?
4. How did you celebrate birthdays as a child?
5. What were your childhood home and neighborhood like?
6. What were your grandparents like? Do you have any special memories of them?
Do you remember any stories that they told you about themselves or your
parents?
7. What were your parents like? Did you have a special relationship with either of them? Do you know anything about them when they were children?
8. What was your personality like? Are you the same, or did something happen to change you? How would you describe your personality now?
9. Did you have brothers and sisters? What did you do together as children? What are some of your special memories of growing up together?
10. What kind of chores did you do around the house? What were your favorite or least favorite chores?
11. Did you have a favorite radio program or television show?
12. How did you spend your Sundays as a child?
13. Who was your favorite singer, band or musical group when you were a
teenager?
14. Did you ever do anything rebellious?
15. What was your most memorable holiday? How did your family celebrate?
16. How did you celebrate Spring Festival and other holidays? Where did you go? What was your favorite food?
17. Who was your best childhood friend? Where are they now?
18. What is the lowest price you remember stamps costing? What did other things cost?
19. What kind of job did your father have? What do you remember about it? Did
your mother work outside of the home?
20. Did you graduate from High School? Did you go on to school after that? What did you study?
21. What was your first job, and what did you get paid?
22. What was your favorite practical joke as a child? Did you ever get in trouble
for playing jokes?
23. Have you ever gone far away? What was the farthest place you ever went to?
24. Did you ever run away as a child, even for a few hours? Did you ever plan to?
25. What is the best book ever written? How many times have you read it?
26. Who was your favorite movie actor or actress? What is your favorite movie?
27. Do you and your spouse have a special song? What is the story behind it?
28. What was the first house that you lived in together like? How big was it?
29. What was your first car? What was the car that you really wanted?
30. Did you grow up near your extended family? Did you get to spend time
together?
31. What was your childhood nickname? What did your dad call you? Your mom?
What did they call you when you were in trouble?
32. Did you ever get sent home from school? Did you ever get sent to the principal?
33. Did you have a pet as a child?
34. Who was your first boyfriend/girlfriend? What did you do for dates?
35. In your opinion, what was the best invention of your lifetime? Automobile?
Washing machine? Air conditioning? Indoor plumbing?
36. Describe a typical weekday as a child. Were Saturdays the same?
37. Did you attend church? What was your church like? Did you have to travel far to get there?
38. What was the most exciting trip you've ever taken?
39. What is your favorite season? Why?
40. What was your favorite dinner that your mother made? What was the worst?
41. Did you play an instrument? Were you in a band or an orchestra? Did you sing?
42. What was your hairstyle as a teenager? What kind of clothes did you wear?
Were you always in style?
43. What was your favorite holiday? Why? Has that changed?
44. What is the most important lesson that you've learned from life so far?
45. Do you speak more than one language? If so, how and why did you learn it? If not, did you ever want to?
46. How far was it to your school? Did you have to walk? Was it uphill both ways?
47. What is a special talent you have? Fixing things? Sewing? Handiwork? Green
thumb? When did you realize that you loved it and how did you learn?
48. What is one thing that you couldn't do, no matter how hard you tried?
49. What were your favorite winter activities? What did you do in the
summertime?
50. What was the best letter that you ever received? What was the best letter that you ever sent?
51. Describe your posterity (children, grandchildren, etc). What is the thing that you want them most to remember about you.
52. Describe your wedding day. Where did you get married? Why? Who came? Did you have a honeymoon? How did you meet?
Try answering one or more of the following questions, and then give examples. Let your mind wander as you answer, and write down or record memories that come to mind whether they fit the topic or not. Things can always be sorted out later!
1. Where were you born and what were the circumstances of your birth? Were
there other children already in the family? How did your parents choose your
name?
2. Where did you go to school? Did you have any memorable teachers? What were your favorite subjects?
3. What were your favorite activities as a young child? Were you interested in
sports?
4. How did you celebrate birthdays as a child?
5. What were your childhood home and neighborhood like?
6. What were your grandparents like? Do you have any special memories of them?
Do you remember any stories that they told you about themselves or your
parents?
7. What were your parents like? Did you have a special relationship with either of them? Do you know anything about them when they were children?
8. What was your personality like? Are you the same, or did something happen to change you? How would you describe your personality now?
9. Did you have brothers and sisters? What did you do together as children? What are some of your special memories of growing up together?
10. What kind of chores did you do around the house? What were your favorite or least favorite chores?
11. Did you have a favorite radio program or television show?
12. How did you spend your Sundays as a child?
13. Who was your favorite singer, band or musical group when you were a
teenager?
14. Did you ever do anything rebellious?
15. What was your most memorable holiday? How did your family celebrate?
16. How did you celebrate Spring Festival and other holidays? Where did you go? What was your favorite food?
17. Who was your best childhood friend? Where are they now?
18. What is the lowest price you remember stamps costing? What did other things cost?
19. What kind of job did your father have? What do you remember about it? Did
your mother work outside of the home?
20. Did you graduate from High School? Did you go on to school after that? What did you study?
21. What was your first job, and what did you get paid?
22. What was your favorite practical joke as a child? Did you ever get in trouble
for playing jokes?
23. Have you ever gone far away? What was the farthest place you ever went to?
24. Did you ever run away as a child, even for a few hours? Did you ever plan to?
25. What is the best book ever written? How many times have you read it?
26. Who was your favorite movie actor or actress? What is your favorite movie?
27. Do you and your spouse have a special song? What is the story behind it?
28. What was the first house that you lived in together like? How big was it?
29. What was your first car? What was the car that you really wanted?
30. Did you grow up near your extended family? Did you get to spend time
together?
31. What was your childhood nickname? What did your dad call you? Your mom?
What did they call you when you were in trouble?
32. Did you ever get sent home from school? Did you ever get sent to the principal?
33. Did you have a pet as a child?
34. Who was your first boyfriend/girlfriend? What did you do for dates?
35. In your opinion, what was the best invention of your lifetime? Automobile?
Washing machine? Air conditioning? Indoor plumbing?
36. Describe a typical weekday as a child. Were Saturdays the same?
37. Did you attend church? What was your church like? Did you have to travel far to get there?
38. What was the most exciting trip you've ever taken?
39. What is your favorite season? Why?
40. What was your favorite dinner that your mother made? What was the worst?
41. Did you play an instrument? Were you in a band or an orchestra? Did you sing?
42. What was your hairstyle as a teenager? What kind of clothes did you wear?
Were you always in style?
43. What was your favorite holiday? Why? Has that changed?
44. What is the most important lesson that you've learned from life so far?
45. Do you speak more than one language? If so, how and why did you learn it? If not, did you ever want to?
46. How far was it to your school? Did you have to walk? Was it uphill both ways?
47. What is a special talent you have? Fixing things? Sewing? Handiwork? Green
thumb? When did you realize that you loved it and how did you learn?
48. What is one thing that you couldn't do, no matter how hard you tried?
49. What were your favorite winter activities? What did you do in the
summertime?
50. What was the best letter that you ever received? What was the best letter that you ever sent?
51. Describe your posterity (children, grandchildren, etc). What is the thing that you want them most to remember about you.
52. Describe your wedding day. Where did you get married? Why? Who came? Did you have a honeymoon? How did you meet?
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