1. After Twenty Years —O. Henry

2. Background Information
1.Author
O. Henry (1862—1910) was the pen name of William Sydney Porter, an American short story writer. His short, simple stories are noted for their careful plotting, ironic coincidences, and surprise endings.

3. O. Henry was born in Greensboro [`ɡrinz,bərə] , North Carolina [,kærə`lainə] . He went to Texas in 1882 and worked at various jobs—as teller in an Austin bank (1891—1894) and as a newspaperman for the Houston [ju:] Post.

4. In 1898 an unexplained shortage in the Austin bank was charged to him
In 1898 an unexplained shortage in the Austin bank was charged to him. Although many people believed him innocent, he fled to the Honduras [hɔn'djuərəs] but returned to be with his wife, who was fatally ill. He eventually served three years in prison, where he first started writing short stories.

5. Upon his release he settled in New York
Upon his release he settled in New York. Although his stories have been criticized as shallow and contrived, O. Henry did catch the color and movement of the city and evidenced a genuine sympathy for ordinary people.

6. Ⅱ.The American West
The American West is generally considered to include the eight Rocky Mountain states and the three Pacific Coast states. Historically, the West has been mainly a sociopolitical or even mythological concept rather than a specific geographical area.

7. The Rocky Mountain States: This region consists of eight states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. M I W N U C A

8. Idaho
Arizona
Colorado

9. New Mexico
Montana
Nevada

10. The Pacific Coast States: This division includes Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington — and, as its name suggests, they all have coastlines on the Pacific Ocean (and are the only states that border that ocean) according to the United States Census Bureau's definition of West Region.

11. Expansion towards the West
Frontier Spirit and
Expansion towards the West
This spirit has shaped American history in a unique way. The frontier spirit that existed in the 19th century was born in part of a need to own land. And the government then encouraged the white to exploit the West. This mentality and historical experience is favored by most Americans today as adventurous, active, and enterprising.

12. Part 3 Text Appreciation
Text Analysis
Setting
Plot
Theme
Structure

13. Setting of the story Place: on a business avenue of New York;
‘Big Joe’ Brady’s restaurant 20 years
ago in the doorway of a hardware store
Time: ten o’clock at night

14. Plot of the story
Bob and Jimmy had obviously been close friends twenty years ago when they were young. Before their separation, they made an appointment to meet again at exactly the same place and the same hour twenty years later.

15. Theme of the story
VS.
Loyalty to friend
Devotion to duty

16. Structure
Ⅰ. A policeman on the beat a few minutes before 10 pm (para.1-2 )
Ⅱ. The policeman’s encounter with a man from the West (para.3-17)
Ⅲ. The arrest of the man from West by a plain clothes man (para.18-31)
Ⅳ. A note from the best friend of the arrested man (para.32-33)

17. Chicago … wants to have a chat with you.
It is a euphemism (a word or phrase used to avoid saying an unpleasant or offensive word).
A euphemism is a word or phrase used to mask a rude or offensive concept. This figure of speech provides a technique to avoid taboos by being polite.

18. Writing Devices Ironic Ending
We don’t know what happened twenty years ago that made them so special to each other. However, it was clear that Jim was a good honest man and always true to his friends and Bob admired and trusted him. Slipping along this way, we would expect a very touching story. However, the ending is very dramatic and surprising.

19. Tongue Twister
How many cookies could a good cook cook if a good cook could cook cookies? A good cook could cook as much cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies.
如果一个好的厨师能做小甜饼，那么他能做多少小甜饼呢？一个好的厨师能做出和其它好厨师一样多的小甜饼