O. Henry's story of a cheap room in New York, a young man looking for a lost girl, and a landlady with a secret.
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Ten words open the story. Do the four short activities. Say your answer out loud first, then click Reveal.
Three words: rent · smell · drawer. Say the right word, then reveal.
This is a famous American story, told here in simple English. Read each part. Then answer the questions from memory, and talk about one question.
New York, about 1900. In the old red houses of the West Side, many people lived in cheap furnished rooms. They stayed for a week or a month, and then they moved to another room. Many of them worked in theatres. They had no real home.
One evening, a young man knocked on the door of one of these houses. The landlady, Mrs Purdy, opened it. "I have a room on the third floor," she said. "It's a nice room. Do you want to see it?" The room was small and shabby, but the young man said, "I'll take it," and he paid for one week.
Then he asked her a question. He asked everybody this question. "Do you remember a young woman called Eloise Vashner? She is a singer. She has gold hair, and a small dark mark next to her left eye." "No," said Mrs Purdy. "I don't think so. Theatre people come and go. They change their names all the time. I don't remember that name."
For five months, the young man was looking for Eloise. He loved her, and she left her home town and came to New York. He looked in theatres, in hotels and in houses like this one. But nobody knew her.
1. What kind of people live in the furnished rooms?
2. Who is the young man looking for? What does Mrs Purdy say?
1. People with no real home who move a lot. Many work in theatres.
2. Eloise Vashner, a singer with gold hair. Mrs Purdy says, "I don't think so… I don't remember that name."
The young man sat alone in the room. It was old and sad. The carpet had holes in it. People had written their names on the walls. Hundreds of people slept in this room before him, but nobody loved it.
Then, suddenly, the room was full of a sweet smell: mignonette, a small flower. It was Eloise's favourite perfume! "Eloise!" he cried. "She was here! In this room!"
He looked everywhere. He opened every drawer. He found a hairpin, a handkerchief, a theatre ticket and some old sweets. But nothing was hers. Nothing had her name. And the sweet smell was everywhere.
1. What does the young man smell?
2. What does he find in the drawers?
1. Mignonette — a flower, Eloise's favourite perfume.
2. A hairpin, a handkerchief, a theatre ticket and some old sweets — but nothing with Eloise's name.
He ran down the stairs to Mrs Purdy. "Who stayed in my room before me?" he asked. "Two theatre ladies," she said. "One had black hair. Before them, a man. Before him, a woman with two children. I'm not sure about the others."
He went back to his room. Now the smell was gone, and his hope disappeared too. He was very tired and very sad. He closed the window and the door. He put pieces of the sheet in every hole. Then he turned on the gas, and he lay down on the bed.
Downstairs, Mrs Purdy was having a drink with her friend Mrs McCool. "I rented the third-floor room tonight," she said. "To a young man." "Did you tell him?" asked Mrs McCool quietly. "No, I didn't. Nobody wants a room after a young woman kills herself in it." "Yes, it was very sad," said Mrs McCool. "She was very pretty, with that little dark mark next to her left eye. Have another drink, Mrs Purdy."
1. What does the young man do at the end?
2. What is Mrs Purdy's secret?
1. He closes the room and turns on the gas. He kills himself.
2. A young woman killed herself in that room the week before. It was Eloise — she had the dark mark next to her left eye.
Mrs Purdy doesn't say "No." She says "I don't think so." When we are not 100% sure — or when we don't want to say the truth! — we use these short answers.
Write I think so, I don't think so or I'm not sure.
1. "Is it going to rain tomorrow?" — ". The sky is very dark." (80% yes)
2. "Is the shop open on Sunday?" — ". It's usually closed." (80% no)
3. "What time is it?" — ". I haven't got a watch." (50%)
1. I think so 2. I don't think so 3. I'm not sure
Write so or not.
1. "Will Eloise come back?" — "I hope !"
2. "Is the room empty?" — "I'm afraid . Someone rented it this morning."
3. "Is the gas dangerous?" — "I'm afraid . Be careful."
1. so 2. not 3. so
A police officer asks Mrs Purdy some questions. Write think so, don't think so, not sure or maybe. Then read it aloud with a partner!
Police: Did the young man pay for his room? Mrs Purdy: Yes, I . One week. Police: Did he ask you about a young woman? Mrs Purdy: I . Police: Are you sure? Mrs Purdy: Well, I'm . I talk to a lot of people. Police: Was there a young woman in that room before him? Mrs Purdy: . Lots of people stay here. Police: Will you rent the room again next week? Mrs Purdy: Oh yes, I !
think so · don't think so · not sure · Maybe · think so
She never says "yes" or "no" about the young woman. Clever — and terrible!
Keep these answers ready — in the Speak tab you will tell the story and answer some difficult questions.
O. Henry (1862–1910) was an American writer. His real name was William Sydney Porter. He wrote about 600 short stories, many about ordinary people in New York. He is famous for surprise endings. He wrote "The Furnished Room" in 1904.
This is the most important part of the lesson. Do everything out loud. Use the timer and try to speak for the whole time.
Tell The Furnished Room in your own words. Keep the secret until the end! Follow the steps: the West Side → the young man and Mrs Purdy → the question about Eloise → the shabby room → the smell of flowers → the drawers → the second question → the gas → the two women downstairs.
Use I think so, I don't think so and I'm not sure in the conversations, and at least five key words (furnished, landlady, shabby, rent, smell, drawer, hope, disappear, secret, look for).
Say what you think and give three reasons. Is it Mrs Purdy's fault that the young man died? Or did she do nothing wrong — she didn't know who he was looking for?
Then change sides! Speak for one minute for the other opinion.
Talk about homes, memories and telling the truth.
No idea? Choose one of these: