2. The Million Pound Bank Note
Unit 3
The Million Pound Bank Note
Warming Up and Reading

3. What do you know about the American writer Mark Twain?
Do you know any of his works? Can you name any of them?

4. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 – 1910), better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

5. TXZH 英语学习辅导报 出品

6. Have you ever read Mark Twain’s The Million Pound Bank Note or seen the film?

7. Imagine that somebody gives you a large sum of money to spend as you like. What would you do with it?

8. run a business
donate to the poor
buy a big flat
spend it on food
buy books
do some science research
buy clothes
use them up
share with friends
travel around the world
put it in the bank

9. A brief introduction to The Million Pound Bank Note

10. Two rich gentlemen made a bet on what would happen to a person if he was given one million pound note.
Henry, the hero of the story, an American young man, sailed too far and drifted out to the ocean.
Fortunately, a British ship for London, passing by, saved him.

11. What do you think will happen to Henry?
Will the bank-note help him or get him into trouble?

12. Fast reading 1. How many characters are there in the play? Five.
2. What did Henry get?
A letter with money.

13. Careful reading 1. Where did Henry come from?
2. Why did he stare at something that was left of
the brothers’ dinner on the table?
3. What was Henry’s attitude when he got a
letter?
San Francisco in America.
Perhaps he was very hungry.
He didn’t want the charity. He just wanted an honest job.

14. 4. What did he do in America?
He worked for a mining company.
5. How did he land in Britain?
He was sailing out the bay when he was carried out to sea by a strong wind and was survived by a ship for London.

15. Tell the statements a fact (F) or an opinion (O) after fast reading.
_____ Henry wants to find a job in London.
_____ Henry is given an envelop by the two
brothers.
_____ Henry is an unlucky young man.
_____ The servant is called James.
_____ Henry is foolish to go and meet the two F F O F O

16. Explain the words in the text in English.
wander
permit
stare at
spot
seek
move about aimlessly or without any destination
allow, let
look at sb. / sth. for a long time
see or notice a person or thing, esp. suddenly
look for; try to get or reach
Try to make sentences with these words.

17. Read again and fill in the blanks.
sailing
A month ago
Henry was ______ out of the bay.
Towards nightfall
Henry found himself _______ out to sea by a strong wind.
The next morning
Henry was ________ by a ship.
Lastly
Henry arrived in ________ by working on the ship unpaid.
carried
spotted
London
lost
Now
Henry was _______ in London and wandering in the street.
Just at that time
Roderick _______ him and asked him to step in.
To Henry’s surprise
Roderick gave Henry a _____ with money in it.
called
letter

18. Describe how Henry’s feelings change.
What he says or does
How he feels
Before he enters the brothers’ house
When he introduces himself
When the brothers ask him about his plan
When he tells them how he reached London by ship
miserable, unhappy, anxious
wandering round London
curious why he has been asked to go into the house
behaves politely and answers questions fully
admits his problems and asks for work; explains his situation
hopeful that he
might find a solution
to his troubles
blames himself for his carelessness; remembers how hungry he was when he sees the food on the table
grateful that he was rescued; aware of his hunger

19. Describe how Henry’s feelings change.
What he says or does
How he feels
When they seem happy that he has no money
When they give him the envelope
When they tell him there is money in it
Before he leaves the house
replies angrily
angry, irritated
irritated that he cannot open the envelope at once
wants to open the envelope straightaway
unhappy to be given money rather than working for it
explains he wants a job not charity
agrees not to open the letter till 2 p.m.
interested and curious

20. Discuss Why do you think that the brothers chose Henry for their bet?
It was his first visit to London
so nobody knew him.
He had no money so he would
have to rely on the bank note.
They thought he looked honest
because he asked for a job and
not charity.

21. 2. What kind of person do you think Henry is? Why do you think so?
Overconfident – he thought he could sail better than he could
Independent – he worked for his passage as an unpaid hand to England.
Honest – tells the truth to the brothers.
Hard-working – wants work but not charity.

22. Enjoy a scene from the film The Million Pound Bank Note.

23. Homework Review the text and the sentences with new words.
Suppose you get one million yuan bank note, how would you spend it? Write down your plan.
3. Read the text and try to retell it in your own words next time.