Directions: You are expected to study this section in class. Don’t preview.

Word Pretest

For each italicized word, choose the best meaning below.

1. I don't recollect how to get there.
A. know
B. remember
C. forget
2. How did these deplorable conditions come about?
A. very pleasant
B. very bad
C. very. Satisfactory
3. It takes years of work to compile a dictionary.
A. complete
B. compose
C. create
4. I would like your candid opinion of these proposals.
A. honest
B. critical
C. favorable
5. This new process has eliminated the need for checking the products by hand.
A. created
B. removed
C. satisfied
6. John should consult a doctor about his headache.
A. ask the advice of
B. work with
C. answer the question of
7. I'd be obliged if you would stop interfering.
A. grateful
B. happy
C. surprised
8. These people deserve recognition for their talents.
A. lack
B. earn
C. want

Text A
A Question of Ethics

Characters: George Brownlow, a solicitor's clerk                
Nellie Brownlow, his wife               
Henry Snaith, a solicitor

SCENE: A sitting-room in the Brownlow's house,' it is neatly but sparsely furnished. George Brownlow is sitting in front of the fire, Nellie opposite him   

George. I know that the house is half-empty, my dear, but we can't afford to furnish it all. We have enough debts already without calling in the hire-purchase man. We'll have to let it stand for the moment. Nothing else for it. Sorry, dear, but we really can't get into any more debt.
Nellie. Of course, darling. I know. Doesn't matter a bit, really, but -- well, anyway, we may see something cheap later on, and -- and maybe a client will leave you something in his will one of these days, and -- oh! Wouldn't that be wonderful, George!
George. (laughingly) That is likely to happen at any moment. That is, if I do not prevent him. Clients have a habit of slipping in under one's guard and  bequeathing legacies to lawyer's clerks if we take our eyes off them for a moment.
(A ring of the front-door bell. Nellie gets up and goes to answer it.)
George. Now, I wonder who that can be ... Probably the butcher, baker, or grocer with his week's account. How sick of it all I am!
(Re-enter Nellie, excitedly )
George. Well, dear, who was it?
Nellie. It's a Mr. Snaith, and he wants to see you.
George. Snaith?
Nellie. Yes, of Snaith and Worthing, the solicitors. Shall I show him in here?
George. Yes, I wonder what he wants!
(Exit Nellie, returning in a moment with Mr. Snaith .)
Nellie. In here, Mr. Snaith. (She withdraws.)
Snaith. Good evening. You are Mr. Brownlow?
George. Yes.
Snaith. Senior clerk of Brand & Topiss?
George. Yes, but I don't
Snaith. Ah! Of courseT You are, no doubt, surprised at my visit; however, that can soon be explained. May I sit down?
George. Why, certainly...
(Snaith produces a cigar case, offers one to George, who declines, lights one himself, and sits back, regarding George, through the smoke.)
Snaith. How old are you, Mr. Brownlow?
George. Twenty-six.
Snaith. A wonderful age. Dear me, how long ago is it since I was twenty-six? They were interesting days for the lawyers then, Mr. Brownlow. The times are changed. You are married, are you not ? It was your wife who showed me in,  wasn't it?
George. Yes.
Snaith. Long married?
George. About four months.
Snaith. Well, well. Just starting on the seas of life's great adventure. We oldermen have a habit of envying you younger ones your youth, but when one looks back one recollects that one had one's struggles and hard battles in those days, too. No doubt you have yours.
George. I have.
Snaith. The economic problem, eh? (Leaning forward.) Well, Mr. Brownlow, to get to the subject of this interview. Your people are handling the South-Western Trust case, aren't they?
George. The fact is well known.
Snaith. Precisely. It's a deplorable business, that affair. Of course, you'll win your case.
George. We are hoping so.
Snaith. Not a doubt of it. Well, what I have to say to you is this, Mr. Brownlow. You have on your list of witnesses Lord Savering. Of course, MlemT—Lord Savering has had no discreditable association with this South-Western Trust business, but nevertheless he is not anxious to figure in it at all. You understand? Now, without dragging him into it you Can easily win your case, Mr. Brownlow. (Smiling.) Oh, we are quite conversant with the case, you know. Now it is your business, as I know, to compile the list of witnesses, and so forth, and my proposal to you is this, Mr. Brownlow. Take out Lord Savering's name from that list- remember, you do not really need him- and I shall pay you five hundred pounds on the evening before the trial. George. I don't deny that five hundred pounds would be very useful to me at present, Mr. Snaith What you are saying is accurate, we can win the case without Lord Savering's name on the list. But what about the ethics of the businessT After all, in law, matters are, well they're –
Snaith. Take your time and think over my proposition. Recollect, Mr. Brownlow, that five hundred pounds is five hundred pounds, and as you say, you could do with that sum at the present stage of your career. To be candid with you, at your age I would not have turned down the offer. Moreover, you will not be guilty of any disloyalty to your firm. One witness more or less will make no difference. You are bound to win that case, anyway, and by eliminating Lord Savering's name you will be doing nobody harm and doing him a lot of good.
George. This money to be paid in notes, Mr. Snaith?
Snaith. Certainly. Ifat nine o'clock on the evening before the trial I may call here and you will show me your list without the name of Lord Savering, I shall pay you the money personally.
George. Very well. I accept your offer.
Snaith. (With a smile) I am very glad that you do so, Mr. Brownlow. I think you have acted very wisely. I shall come here on the evening before the trial that will be the 25th, one week from today. Nine o'clock precisely. Understood?
George. Understood.
Snaith. Then good night, my boy, good night. (He rises, George opens the door for him and they go out.)
(Curtain for a few moments, to indicate passage of a week. As it rises, a clock is striking nine and George Brownlow issitting in his usual chair, fidgeting and impatient; Nellie is very excited A ring is heard at the door.)
Nellie. There he is! (Rushes to front door; returns in a moment; with Mr. Snaith, and at a sign from George retires.)
Snaith. It's been a beautiful day, Mr. Brownlow, hasn't it? Certainly not the day for wrangling in the courts of law over money and morals. Ours is a dry trade, Mr. Brownlow; as dry as dusty as our own law books! Well, to business. You have kept your part of the bargain, I presume. May I see the list of witnesses?
(George produces it from a pocket-book and hands it to him. He reads it carefully. Then he folds it up, hands it back, and he takes a bulky envelope from an inside pocket.)
Snaith. You will find the five hundred pounds in that, Mr. Brownlow, and I am very much obliged. Now, what are you going to do with the money?
George. Furnish my house, first of all. Before that, I shall take my wife out to dinner.
Snaith. Ah, those little dinners to celebrate! I used to do the same thing at your age, you know. Now I am a grandfather, Mr. Brownlow. But I remember those  dinners in the old days. Soft lights over a table somewhere.in Soho -- a bottle of wine, whispered dreams, and sudden squeezes of the hand; plans for the105 house with a garden. Well, I must be going.
George. Just a moment, Mr Snaith; I wish to consult you on a question of ethics.
Snaith. I am quite at your service
George. You promised me five hundred pounds if I showed you the list without the name of Lord Savering
Snaith. True And you kept your part of the bargain, as I did mine
George. Quite so. But what would you say, Mr. Snaith, if I told you that Lord Savering's name was never on that list? That we had never known he had             anything to do with this business till you told me?
Snaith. I would say, Mr Brownlow, that there is a great future before you in the law. Also, that Lord Savering is paying that five hundred pounds, and ... he certainly deserves to pay it. Go ahead and buy the furniture, Mr. Brownlow. Good-bye

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CURTAIN

◆Reading Comprehension
1. What is the setting of the play?
2. What is George's job?
3. Why does George say sorry to Nellie?
4. Why does George feel sick of the ring of the front-door bell?
5. How long has the couple been married?
6. What is really in Mr. Snaith's mind when he asks George about his struggles?
7. Will George's firm win the South-Western Trust case?
8. What does Mr. Snaith mean when he says Lord Savering "is not anxious to figure in it at all"?
9. Who is responsible for compiling the list of witnesses in the South-Western Trust case?
10. What does Mr. Snaith say about his attitude towards the 500 pounds?
11. Does George accept Mr. Snaith's proposal during the first meeting?
12. When do George and Mr. Snaith meet again?
13. Why do George and Nellie feel nervous and excited before the second interview?
14. How will George spend the 500 pounds?
l 5. What does Mr. Snaith mean when he says Lord Savering "certainly deserves to pay it"?
16. What leads Mr. Snaith to the conclusion that "there is a great future" before George?
17. What do you think of Nellie?
18. What do you think of Mr. Snaith ?
19. What do you think of George?
20. What is the meaning of"a question of ethics"?

◆Vocabulary Building
①Word Match
Match the following words with their definitions within each group of five words.

sparse         exactly
bequeath        thinly spread or distributed
precisely         leave something, especially property, to another by will
ethics         proposal, suggestion
proposition     moral principles
disloyalty      unfaithfulness
fidget         to move one's body about restlessly
wrangle       quarrel angrily and noisily, argue
presume       refuse
turn down        suppose
conversant     lawyer
furnish        a way of buying goods gradually; installment plan
discreditable      familiar
solicitor    to put furniture, carpets, curtains, and other things into a room
hire-purchase     shamefully

②Semantic Variation
For each italicized word, decide which semantic variation best expresses the meaning of the author. Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. guard (10)
A. to protect
B. a person who watches over people or a place to prevent escape, danger, attack, etc.
C. the state of being watchful
2. ring (13)
A. the sound of a bell
B. a circular line, mark or arrangement
C. to telephone
3. senior (26)
A. a student of the last year in a high school or university
B. older
C. high-ranking
4. trust (49)
A. to depend on
B. a group of firms combined to reduce competition and control prices
C. to have faith in
5. figure (57)
A. to appear
B. to believe
C. a whole human body
6. firm (72)
A. a business company
B. stable
C. determine

③Stems
Study the following stems and their meanings. List some more examples in the space provided.

cycle(o)    1.           2.           3.           4:                           
ped, pod    1.           2.           3.           4:                          
ram, graph(y) 1.           2.           3.           4:                          
chron(o)     1.           2.           3.           4:                        

Read each of the following sentences, and write down the meaning of the italicized word in the space provided.

1. Sailors use chronometer to help them to measure time.
chronometer:
2. In an encyclopedia, you can nearly find information about every branch of  knowledge.
encyclopedia:
3. Mary has got an autograph book, in which signatures of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Richard M. Nixon and many other famous persons are collected.
autograph:
4. Chronic rheumatism is a disease which lasts for a long time.
Chronic:
5. Many mathematics teachers like to draw diagrams on the blackboard to explain or illustrate something.
diagram:
6. Two drivers, three passengers and four pedestrians were killed in that traffic
accident.
pedestrian:
7. Many foreigners find Chinese calligraphy difficult to learn.
calligraphy:
8. The glass from bottles can be recycled.
recycle:

④Synonyms
On each line in Column H there is one word which is a synonym of the word in Column I. Circle the synonym.
   I                     II
1. indicate             mask       show         hide
2. deny               maintain     contradict     affirm
3. accurate            erroneous    incorrect      exact
4. decline             accept       refuse        choose
5. retire               withdraw    approach      appear
◆Cloze
Fill in each blank with a word given below. Change the form of the word if necessary.

 decides     types       reformation  involve     society     Oppose
prevail     symbolize    difference   focus       human     struggle

Drama has been traditionally categorized under two main         : tragedy and comedy. The most obvious         between them is that comedies end happily and tragedies do not. A more profound difference is in the perspective that each has on human life. Tragedy         on the individual rather than on the group. The central characters of tragedy meet with forces larger than themselves: fate, chance, nature, the gods, the irrational, the evil. The          in tragedy, therefore, is that of the individual against impossible odds. The main character, or protagonist, of tragedy           upon a course of action, suffers as a result of the decision, and ultimately sees the difference between a single personal choice and vast uncontrollable forces. Tragedy        a net that tightens around the protagonists in spite of, and perhaps even because of, their efforts to escape it.
Comedy, on the other hand, is more interested' in the group. It focuses on the welfare of         and of the human race itself. The antagonists of comedy are filled with the vices and follies of         nature, and the plot of comedy involves their           , so that they become fit company for others. The comic protagonists are typically a young couple who are in love.         them is a group of powerful older people who have silly reasons for keeping the young apart. In the end, the foolish are reformed, and good sense, flexibility, and wit         . Comedies frequently end with a celebration -- a wedding, a feast, or a dance -- which       the new social agreement that has been arrived at. Whereas tragedy ends with death, comedy ends with an affirmation of life.

◆Topics for Discussion and Reflection
①Have you ever watched a play? If so, of what kind? If not, would you like to ? Why and why not?
②What do you think are the main differences between tragedy and comedy? Which one do you prefer? Why?