Xmas Meeting

A short story: Christmas Meeting by Rosemary Timperley (from Benitez et. al. 1988. Reading Tasks, pp.74-75.)


• Pre-reading: (As stimulus to read the text at home)


1. Before you read it, think about your own Christmas.
-At home with your parents
-With your parents and other relatives
-With friends
-With people you don’tknow (in a restaurant)
-Alone


2. How would you feel if you spent Christmas alone?
Happy, sad, bored, queer, disappointed, lonely, frightened,...




• After reading (to work in class)



1 Comprehension (from line 1 to 32)

a) Reread the lines 1-14 in which the narrator remembers her past Christmasses. Complete the tablebelow with the information she gives us. Decide if each one was a happy or sad occassion and write the line(s) from the story which influenced your decision.


|Christmases |Sad or happy? |The text says |
|1. Childhood | | |
|| | |
| | | |




b) Reread the descriptions of the two main character in lines 23-32 and complete this chart.


| |The narrator|The young man |
|Age | | |
|Hair | | |
|Eyes | ||
|Other features | | |
|Clothes | | |




➢ Lexis
Match these words or expressions with their meanings in the text.


Uncanny (l. 2) thinly stretchedIn a jumble (l. 5) penetrating, sharp
Spinster (l. 25) confusedly, in disorder
Piercing (l. 30) unmarried woman
Jutting (l. 30) mysterious, unnatural
Fine-drawn (l. 31) protuberant, prominent
➢ General comprehension
Choose the best option according to the text:


1. The young man entered the woman’s room becausea) he was lonely and wanted to talk.
b) he thought it was his own.
c) it was Christmas Day.


2. The young man didn’t spend Christmas with his family because
a) that would delay his writing.
b) they live in the country.
c) he took himself too seriously.


3. He felt that his family did not take him seriously enough because
a) they did notunderstand that his work was urgent.
b) they wanted to delay his work as a writer.
c) they did not want him to be an artist.


4. He was writing
a) two books: a diary and a book of poems.
b) a book combining poems and personal thoughts.
c) a book combining poetry and newspaper reports.


5. Francis Randel felt as if
a) he was ill and almostdying.
b) the wheel of life was turnign too fast around him.
c) he had too many things to do before his death.




6. The lady offered to make some coffee because
a) she thought the conversation was inappropriate for Christmas.
b) she was frightened of his reaction.
c) she was getting tired of the conversation.




• Interpretation
-How...