Pre Reading A Read the following. Money isn't everything. It can buy books, but not knowledge. It can buy a clock, but not time. It can buy medicine, but not health. B According to the poem, what things can people buy with money? According to the poem, what things can't people buy with money? C Add a new line to the poem in exercise A using your own ideas. Money isn't everything. It can buy..., but not.... D Share a story you read or experienced about something that money can't buy. Patrick McCallum Read Part One of the story and answer the questions that follow. Part One Well, it's all over now and everything is okay again, although not very long ago it looked like the whole Esposito family was going to bust 1 right up. That would have been pretty bad, because we're a big family Mamma and Papa and six kids, counting Beppe who is married now and last year made me an uncle. My name is George Washington Esposito because I was born the day Papa became an American citizen. He was so proud that he named me after our first President. I sort of think he hoped some day I might be a President, too. But that was fourteen years ago, and so far there's been no sign of me heading in that direction. What I want to tell you about is the record, and what happened to it and to the לפשוט רגל - bust 1. 1
Espositos because of it. I know it sounds crazy when I tell you all the things that a recording of "Celeste Aida" by Enrico Caruso did to us, but it's the truth, all of it. As long as I can remember anything at all, I remember the Sunday evenings in our parlor 1, even when I was little and we lived on the East Side of Manhattan. It's gone on the same right here in Brooklyn, too. The whole family was always together then - Papa and Mamma, of course, and Angelina, Beppe (now with Rosa and little Peppino), Enrico, Mary Alice and me, George Washington. We last two are the only Espositos who have real American names, though Mamma calls us "Maria" and "Girogio". Let me tell you it was a roomful, especially when the Pezzullos from next door came over. You can imagine how we squeezed 2 together on the horsehair sofa and filled all the chairs, the straight-backed ones with the round knobs that pressed against our spines when we sat up straight like we ought to in them, as well as the ones from the kitchen, and still some of us had to sit on the floor. But we didn't mind. What did it matter where you sat when you were listening to beautiful music? That's something to be enjoyed anywhere. You see, Papa had this job at Sheeler's, the big music store just off Times Square. It wasn't much of a job in those days, but even if he was only a janitor 3, it paid enough for him to take care of his family, and he could be near music. Before he came to America, Papa played the violin-cello in the string quart at the Ristorante Ricco, one of the best places to eat in Naples in case you ever go there. But after the first big war, when times got bad, Papa wrote to Uncle Guido in America, and Uncle Guido said to come over, so he and Mamma and Beppe came to New York. That was back in 1920. I was telling you about Papa's job. Like I said, he didn't mind being a janitor, because it meant he was where he could hear music all day. Mr. Sheeler took a liking to Papa and let him bring records home over the weekend, so we could all hear the wonderful music that papa listened to every day at the store as he swept and mopped the floors. סלון - parlor 1. להצטופף - squeeze 2. איש תחזוקה - janitor 3. 2
So that's the way the Sunday evening began. We had a phonograph 1, a secondhand one that Papa got at the store real cheap, not the latest model, of course, but it had a clear tone, and that's what counts. It was my job to wind it up 2 between records, but that's as much as Papa would let any of us do; he always changed the records himself. In all the years he brought records home, only one was broken and two scratched 3. That's pretty good, I'd say. We all love music. From the very beginning, even back in Italy before my oldest brother, Beppe, was born, the Esposito house had music in it. And after Mamma and Papa got to America and could afford it, there was a piano, and Angelina and Beppe took lessons. Later there was a violin for Giovanni; and Mamma who had done some singing herself before she got married, taught Enrico to sing because he had the best voice, and maybe just a little because his name was Enrico. As for me, I'm learning to lay the piccolo 4 in the school band 5. There was more than music to our Sundays in the parlor. There was the being together, and for me that was best of all. During the week we were all running in and out of the house to and from school and work; only at supper could we be together, and then only for a little while, because Angelina had her night classes at business college, and Beppe and Giovanni were turning out for basketball at YMCA, and Enrico practiced his singing in the bedroom with the door closed, and Mary Alice and I had our homework. So it was really only Sunday in the evening that we could gather in the parlor with the lights dim and listen while Papa played the operas of Verdi and the symphonies of Beethoven. For over an hour we would listen. Then Papa would say, "That's all tonight," and start to close down the top of the phonograph. "But the record, Papa!" Everyone in the room chimed in 6. "We want to hear the record!" פטיפון - phonograph 1. למתוח את הקפיץ - up 2. wind it שרוטים - scratched 3. 4. piccolo - kind of musical instrument להקה - band 5. הצטרף - in 6. chimed 3
Papa would like mystified 1, as though he didn't know what we were talking about. "The record? What record?" "The Caruso record, Papa!" We would come back at him, everyone grinning, "You know which one we mean!" "Ah!" He would nod as though just barely remembering. "The Caruso record." He would smile them. "Well, bambini, if you insist," he would shake his head. "But I don't understand why you want every time the same record." Papa knew his part in the game. He would pick up the record, the one I mentioned before, "Celeste Aida," from the table, where he had placed it, knowing that we would demand to hear it. To me, it is the best record Caruso ever made of that lovely aria 2 of Verdi's. Maybe it's because I've heard it almost every Sunday since I can remember, maybe it's because it's the only one of its kind, since no other copies were made, and it is ours. Well, here is how it came to be: You see, long ago Papa had known Caruso in Naples, because sometimes the great tenor 3 would come to Ricco's for a late supper when he was singing at the San Carlo. He even sang with the quartet 4 when he felt like it just got up in the middle of supper and sang. It was really something to hear, Papa says. Papa had written Caruso that he and Mamma and Beppe would soon be in New York. The great man had made him promise to write if ever the Espositos came to America. He was not one to forget old friends. If he had been, there wouldn't have been the record nor the thing that happened to us because of it. I've heard so many times the story of Papa's meeting in New York with the man my brother Enrico was named after that now I almost feel I was there myself that day when Papa, following Caruso's instructions, went to the recording studio where the famous tenor was making an album of opera selections. It was while he was singing into the big, flower-shaped horn 5 of the recording machine that Papa entered the studio, having been permitted with the card that Caruso had sent him. The aria was nearly over, the high, clear notes of that difficult solo going onto the soft wax disc so easily. Ay! Mamma mia! There was a voice straight out of heaven! He turned away from the horn as he let go of the last note, and it was then he saw Papa through the glass and waved and smiled, crying out, "Eh, Pasqualino, cumme stai?" (How are you) and even before Papa could answer that he was fine, Caruso הפך למיסתורי - mystified 1. 2. aria - music זמר - tenor 3. רביעיית כלי מיתר - quartet.4 קרן צרפתית )כלי נגינה(ו - horn.5 4
came rushing out of the studio and embraced 1 him joyfully. "Come!" he said in Italian this was before Papa knew any English. "We shall hear the record and then have some lunch. A feast it shall be! A feast to welcome my old friend to his new home!" Then he laughed and embraced Papa again. They sat down to listen to the record. The last note of "Celeste Aida" faded away. There was a pause, then. "Eh, Pasqualino, cumme stai?" came out of the loudspeaker as clearly as the aria just finished. Papa said Caruso turned speechlessly and pointed his finger at Papa and then at himself in astonishment. The engineers in the recording room had funny looks on their faces as they hurried out. "I'm afraid you'll have to do it over, Mr. Caruso," one of them said. "It'd be pretty hard to cut out the last part without ruining the music; there isn't enough of a pause between the last note of the singing and the words you spoke afterward." Caruso shrugged his shoulders. "Okay," he said, and grinned. "Then we do it over." He got up and started into the studio again. "I will not be long, Pasqualino," he promised. "Then we go eat." Papa says his heart seemed to quiver 2 and his voice would hardly come as he stopped the singer. "Enrico," he said, "what is to become of the one you just made?" Caruso went through the motions of breaking an invisible 3 record over his knee, grinning as he did so. Papa nodded gravely 4, his voice trembling as he continued. "Enrico, may I have it?" he asked, almost in whisper. The tenor didn't seem to understand. "You want that record, Pasqualino?" he asked. "But why? It is no good. I can make you a better one right now." "No, no, my friend!" Papa begged. "Please, I want only that one, the one where you speak to me and call my name." Caruso laughed and slapped Papa on the back. "Ah, now I see!" he said. "Of course you may have it!" One "Celeste Aida" just for you!" and he added, "With my special autograph 5!" לחבק - embrace 1. לרעוד - quiver 2. בלתי נראה - invisible 3. באופן רציני - gravely 4. חתימה - autograph 5. 5
Basic Understanding A Complete the sentences with the words below. astonishment citizens demands gather insist instructions mentions mind (v) one of a kind president records ruin rush 1. There are more than 7 million... in Israel. 2. Twenty years ago, people listened to music on.... There weren t any CDs. 3. Some teachers don t... when students drink water in class. 4. On holidays, most families... and have quality time. 5. If you are determined, you... on doing something. 6. When somebody... the name of your good friend, it fills you with positive energy. 7. Any job usually... devotion and responsibility. 8. The special museum for blind people is truly.... 9. You should read the... carefully before you use this machine. 10.... is great surprise. 11. When a fire breaks out, people... out of the burning building. 12. Gossip may... relationships. 13. The first... of the U.S.A. was George Washington. B List TWO examples of the following. 1. things that may raise astonishment...... 2. people you mentioned today...... 3. presidents you have heard of...... 4. instructions for electrical appliances...... 5. things that demand creativity...... 6
C Fill in the passage using the words below. astonishment entered gathered insisted janitor mentioned one-of-a-kind pause phonograph records ruining rushed tenor George Washington Esposito remembers Sunday evenings in the family parlor. The whole family 1)... to listen to a special record by Enrico Caruso. It all started because Papa worked in a big music store. Although he was only a 2)..., he loved his job because he could hear music all day. His boss was kind enough to let him bring 3)... home, so his family could enjoy the music, too. The family had a second-hand 4)... but Papa was the only one who changed the records. Papa played different kinds of records, but everyone 5)... that they listen to the Caruso record as well. When the Espositos moved to America, Caruso invited them to his recording studio. Caruso, the great 6)..., was the kind of person who would never forget an old friend. While Caruso was recording his new album, Celeste Aida, Papa 7)... the Studio. Caruso waved and cried out, "Eh, Pasqualino, cumme stai?" then he 8)... out of the studio and embraced Papa joyfully. While they were listening, they found out that in the record, Celeste Aida there was a 9)... with the words "Eh, Pasqualino, cumme stai?". Caruso looked at Papa in 10).... The music engineers demanded that Caruso sing it all over again. They claimed they couldn t cut out the words without 11)... the music. Papa asked Caruso to have that special record where he 12)... his name. Papa felt that that copy of Celeste Aida was 13).... LOTS The setting is where and when the story takes place. It refers to the background against which the story unfolds. This includes 1. the geographic location, scenery, and the inside of homes or other places; 2. the social community in which the story unfolds (upper class, working class etc); 3. the season, or period (the period of the French Revolution in A Tale of Two Cities) 1 What is the setting of the story? Complete the chart below. The place The time The people 7
2 a. What did Papa do for a living after the family moved to America?... b. Why was it a good job for him? Write THREE reasons.......... 3 a. Which country did the Espositos come from?... b. Why did the Espositos immigrate to America?...... 4 The whole family listened to music every Sunday evening. Fill in the chart below to describe the Sunday evenings. The people The room The music The boy's role Papa's role 5 Why was Papa permitted to enter the recording studio? 6 Copy THREE sentences that show that Papa and Caruso were good friends. 7 Why did Caruso have to record a new record of Celeste Aida? 8 Why was the record so meaningful to Papa? 8
Analysis and Interpretation 1 What does the boy's name, George Washington Esposito, show? Write TWO things. 2 a. Circle TWO of the following personality traits to describe Caruso. warm loyal wise serious b. Justify your answers from the story............. 3 Papa loved the record very much. How is it reflected in his behavior? 4 Choose the correct answer. The boy loves / admires / cares for Caruso. Where do you see it in the story? 5 The Espositos called their child Enrico after Enrico Caruso. Why do you think they gave Caruso's name to their child? 6 Why is the scene between Papa and Enrico Caruso at the recording studio so important for understanding the development of the plot? 7 What do Papa's jobs in Italy and in America have in common? Write TWO things. 9
Read Part Two of the story and answer the questions that follow. Part Two So nearly every Sunday since, we have heard the golden voice of Enrico Caruso singing "Celeste Aida" then felt proud and happy as we heard this greatest tenor of all times call out joyfully to our own father, "Eh, Pasqualino, cumme stai?" as if he were in our parlor with us. You can understand now why we all thought so much of the record. It was more than just a recording of "Celeste Aida" by Enrico Caruso. Yet, I don't think I could tell you all the things it was to us. Like red wine on the table, the smell of garlic in the kitchen and the sound of Neapolitan Italian being spoken, it was just part of our lives; we never knew any different. It isn't easy to explain things like that Well, the years passed and we all grew older. Beppe got married, and Angelina got a secretarial position, a good one with an import-export firm 1 because she knew both English and Italian and was a good secretary besides. The Sunday evenings continued through all these changes in our lives. By now Papa had a better job at Sheeler's and no longer had to sweep and mop the floors; he didn't have to borrow records, either. We saved our money through the years and bought our own. On one special occasion, we all put together, my brothers and sisters and I, and bought Papa and Mamma a new radio-phonograph, the best there is; they were so surprised and happy that they both cried when they saw it. Papa's record by Caruso, though, was still the prize possession of the Espositos, and it never seemed to get scratched or worn 2. Of course, no one touched it but Papa, and he was very careful, playing it only once a week, and always with a new needle. It was after that first Sunday when Dick Mantini came to our home for supper and our concert afterward that things began to change. Dick's just a young guy, but he's got a swell 3 position in this export outfit. He sure got a funny look on his face when we began our act of "The record, Papa! Let us hear the record!" Then we explained what it was all about, and Dick smiled politely as Papa carefully lowered the needle onto the whirling disc. I never saw anyone spring to life as quickly as Dick when he realized the "Eh, Pasqualino, cumme stai?" was on the record. "Hey, that's terrific!" Dick exclaimed. "There's a real collector's item, I'd say. Ought to be worth a lot of money." The parlor got real quiet when he asked Papa, "Have you ever tried to sell it?" Papa didn't seem to understand. "Sell? What you mean, sell?" חברת יצוא יבוא - firm 1. import-export שחוק - worn 2. מרומם, נפוח - swell 3. 10
"Why, there are people would pay you a lot of money for that record, Mr. Esposito; I couldn't say how much, but plenty. I'll bet. The singing alone, this being the only copy would be worth a lot." He shook his head in amazement. "And with that business at the end you could make a small fortune on it." The room became awfully quiet, a different quiet than when we were listening to the music. "Well," Papa sighed, "it's not for sale. It is mine, given by my friend Enrico Caruso. I will sell first my right arm." Beppe, on the horsehair sofa with Rosa and Peppino, started to speak. "But, Papa," he began only, when Papa looked in his direction he didn't finish what he started to say. There was an atmosphere of uneasiness in the parlor that night and I had a feeling that Dick's idea would not just fade away1 by itself The following Sunday, Beppe got up after we had heard the record and made a little speech. "Papa," he began and everyone on the parlor knew what he was going to say. "This week I have been thinking and I have talked with Dick and with Enrico and Giovanni." Papa sat up stiff but didn't say anything. Mamma looked like she'd rather be out in the kitchen making lasagna. "Papa," Beppe went on, "for a long time now you've dreamed of owning a little piece of land out in Jersey where you could have a garden and grow some grapes and fruit trees. You and Mamma have worked hard and now it is time you took life easy. You owe it to yourself." Papa still didn't speak. Beppe looked around him like maybe he wished Enrico or Giovanni was doing the talking. " Well, Papa," he continued, after a pause that was nearly a sigh, "we think you ought to sell the record. Dick says he knows a man who is interested in such things and probably would give you plenty of money for it. Maybe a thousand dollars, even." We all blinked our eyes at Beppe's words. A thousand dollars! For a record" Even if it is by Caruso? Not possible! Yet I'd never seen Beppe with a more serious expression on his face. Believe me, he wasn t kidding. Papa spoke at last, "My record is not for sale," he said quietly but firmly. "I said before, I say again, not for a thousand or five thousand. We talk about it no more," he got up and left the parlor. Beppe and Rosa and the baby went home, 1. fade away - נמוג 11
and the rest of us went to bed. I thought the talk of the record was finished and, without knowing why, I was kind of relieved. Still, letting myself dream for a minute, it would be nice to have a little farm in New Jersey. We often talked about it and dreamed of our own grapes and a few apple and cherry trees. But to sell the record? Somehow, even the little farm we wanted so much didn t seem worth that sacrifice 1. It was the next day, just as I was sure the matter was closed, that Beppe came to the house all excited, while we were eating supper it was. Beppe's eyes were bright 2 as he told Papa about the new idea. "You wouldn t even have to sell the record, Papa!" he said breathlessly. "I talked to Dick about it again today. He says he thinks you could just sell the rights to it, you'd only have to let one of the big companies borrow the record and make a copy of it. You might get even more money than from a private collector. Think of it, Papa!" He leaned closer across the table. Papa took another sip of wine from the glass beside his plate, and after what seemed a long, long time, said. "I will think." But there was not even a trace of a smile on his face when he said it. "Can I find out how to get in touch with the right party at the recording company, just in case?" Beppe asked, still leaning across the table. Papa took another sip of wine, then nodded slowly. I could tell he wanted to forget the whole business. Speaking of forgetting, I'd be just as glad to forget the next couple of weeks after Papa said okay to Beppe. For the first time in my memory we didn t even have the music in the parlor. You see, exept for Papa and Mamma, nobody was speaking to anybody. After Papa had agreed to Beppe's suggestion, my oldest brother contacted 3 someone who was interested in the record and wanted to hear it. "The way they talk," Beppe explained, " I think they might give even more than a thousand for the record." Papa finally agreed that the people from the recording company could hear the Caruso record, but they'd have to come to our house to do so; he wouldn t let the record out of the house. It was then that the unhappiness began. All my brothers and sisters, and with shame, I must include myself, began thinking of the different ways we could spend the money, even before we had any idea how much it would be. Only Papa and Mamma said nothing. They were like two lost children who didn t know which way to turn, they would sit and listen to Angelina and Enrico and Giovanni and Manry Alice and me, and Beppe when he came from his house, quarreling about the money. Giovanni wanted us to have a car, a big, new one. We'd never had a car, but he could think of all the reasons why we really needed one. Angelina said that הקרבה - sacrifice 1. נוצץ - bright 2. יצר קשר - contacted 3. 12
it would be nice to have a home out on Long Island and commute to work on the train. Enrico thought we should all take a trip back to Italy, and he could study voice there. Beppe and Rosa still held out for the farm in New Jersey, as it would be a good place to bring the baby on sunny weekends. I don t think Mary Alice and I knew what we wanted, because we changed our minds everyday. All of us were guilty of stretching the amount we thought we'd get for the record to cover whatever it was we wanted. The man from the recording company was coming on Sunday evening to listen to the record and decide whether or not it was what his company wanted. By that Sunday our house was not a place to be in if you were in a good mood and wanted to stay that way. Once, when I looked into Mamma's face I could tell she'd been crying, and Papa, who was always cheerful, never smiled anymore. Mamma had insisted that everybody come to dinner that Sunday, just like always, even if we were all mad 1 at each other. "Such faces," Papa said with a sigh as we all sat down at the table. "Only Peppino looks happy." The little boy laughed when he heard his name. The rest of us looked down at our plates, just as we had when we were little and Papa scolded us for fighting. "It is over two weeks now," Papa went on, "that Dick tells us maybe we can get much money for our record. I feel this is not good, but as to give only the use of the record doesn t really seem bad. I say nothing." Papa sighed and shook his head sadly. "But, si, it is bad. I know this now. Ever since we think to sell I watch this family, and I see it is no more a family. Before, it is happy, and this house is filled with love and much laughing. Now there is only angry faces and fighting. Always before this time I hurry home from work at night, now I stay away." I could hear Mamma beginning to sniffle 2 at the other end of the table. "Why is this?" Papa continued. It is because of the record, a record by my dear friend Enrico Caruso which for many years brings much joy to the Espositos." His voice sounded strange, not Papa's voice at all. Now the thing that for many years is עצבני - mad 1. לעקם את האף - sniffle.2 13
happiness for Pasqualino Esposito is unhappiness. I ask myself can I buy with money this happiness once again, and I find the answer is No." You could almost hear the silence in the room. Finally Giovanni spoke. "But, Papa," he reminded, "you'd still have your record and the little farm in Jersey with the apples and grapes " "Apples and grapes I can buy at the fruit stand of Pezzullo," Papa interrupted. "A family I cannot buy in any place." He left the room. Mamma got up, too, and looked at us though to say something, but then she turned without saying it and followed Papa into the parlor and closed the door. Basic Understanding Vocabulary A Complete the sentences with the words below. borrow cheerful atmosphere parlor position possessions scolded shame sighed uneasiness 1. A positive... can help a child realize his potential. 2. A higher... usually comes along with greater influence. 3. A tactless question may cause a feeling of.... 4. The principal... the pupil for coming late to class. 5. The old man... when he heard the bad news. 6. People call her "Sunshine" because she always has a... smile on her face. 7. Everyone may... books from the library. 8. The thief was filled with... when he was caught. 9. Sofas, bookcases and chandeliers are generally placed in the.... 10. The antique candlesticks were her most precious.... B Choose the correct answer. 1. Papa found a better job and he no longer had to interrupt / borrow records. He could buy his own records. 2. The Sunday evenings used to be cheerful / uneasy events at the Espositos. 3. The sad expression on Papa's face made the children feel scolded / interested. 4. Beppe started to explain what Papa could buy with the money, but Papa interrupted / sighed him. 5. All the children were guilty of / shocked by considering selling the record. 14
C Fill in the passage using the words below. a little piece of land atmosphere company parlor position possession quarreling record rights shame sigh uneasiness unhappiness worth a fortune None of the Espositos wanted to miss Sunday evenings in the family 1).... One Sunday, Dick Mantini joined the Espositos' concert. Dick was a businessman with a good 2)... in an import-export firm. He listened to the 3).... and got very excited. He told Papa that the record must be 4)... and why not sell it. Papa immediately refused to sell the record. He considered the record as his most valuable 5).... The 6)... became very tense. Beppe started to convince Papa to sell the record so that he could buy himself 7)... but Papa wanted to hear none of it. The following day, Beppe came with a new idea. Papa could sell only the 8)... to the record, and still have the record itself. Papa agreed to play the record to Mr. Kamo so that the 9)... could decide if they wanted it or not. During the following two weeks, the children started 10)... about how best to spend the money. The next Sunday, Papa realized that the record, which had always brought happiness to the family, was now a source of 11).... With a 12)..., Papa left the room, and Mama followed him. Feelings of 13)... and 14)... filled the room. LOTS 1 What did the Sunday evenings mean to the family? Refer to TWO aspects. 2 How do you know that the family's financial situation improved? 3 Why did Dick believe it was worthwhile to sell the record? 4 What did everyone dream of doing with the money from the sale of the record? Name Giovanni Angelina Enrico Beppe and Rosa Mary Alice and George His / Her plans for the money 15
5 a. What was Papa's first reaction about selling the record?... b. What made Papa change his mind?... 6 What sentences show that the idea of selling the record affected the family badly? Copy FOUR sentences. 7 Papa refused to sell the rights to the record. How did he explain it to the family?] Analysis and Interpretation 1 "Like red wine on the table, the smell of garlic in the kitchen, and the sound of Neapolitan Italian being spoken " Why do you think that George compares the record to each of these things? 2 Why was Dick an important character in the story? 3 What did the boy mean when he said, "For the first time in my memory we didn t have the music in the parlor." Think of TWO ways to explain this sentence. 4 "They were like two lost children who didn t know which way to turn." a. Who does this quote refer to?... b. Why are they described in this way?......... 5 Find TWO similarities between Caruso and Papa. Base your answers on Part One and Part Two. (compare and contrast) 6 Beppe was the oldest sibling in the family. What does this fact add to your understanding of his behavior? 16
Read Part Three of the story and answer the questions that follow. Part Three Beppe was the first to speak after they had gone. "Papa's right," he said. "It's all my fault 1." "Your fault?" Giovanni asked. Beppe nodded. I insisted that Papa consider selling after he'd said he didn t want to. If only I'd- "Don t be stupid, Beppe!" Giovanni interrupted. "You were right to insist. You were just thinking of the good of the family. Once this is all over and the record is sold, Papa will see it is right. Like you said just now, he'll have his record and the money, too." "But the family?" Beppe asked. "Didn t you hear Papa and see his face just now? And Mamma, too? That's what made me realize it. We stood a chance of losing more than we could ever gain in dollars." They argued on. Everybody pitching in, until finally Beppe banged his fist 2 on the table and said, "We're not going to sell the record, so what's the use of arguing?" The others stopped talking, although Giovanni did remind Beppe that in any case it was too late to call up Mr. Kamp, the man from the recording company and tell him not to bother to come. I found myself awfully glad about what Beppe had said. I knew now that the last thing I wanted was for us to sell the Caruso record. If it went out of our house, then something awfully important would be gone out of our family, perhaps forever The recording company representative, Mr. Kamp, a bald-headed little man, came on the dot of seven-thirty, just as he was supposed to. We all went into the parlor and sat down. Mr. Kamp sat alone on the horsehair sofa. The room was deadly quiet, like just before a thunderstorm 3. Papa picked up the record from its place among the others on the table and put it on the turntable. It began to turn, and he lowered the needle carefully into the outside groove. His hand was shaking noticeably. We all looked at each other in surprise. It wasn t "Celeste Aida" at all! In confusion, Papa had put on "Vesti la giubba," instead. Both records, the big thick kind they used to make before I was born, looked exactly alike. Papa asked Mr. Kamp's pardon for the mistake and took "Celeste Aida" from the table and put it on the machine. The little man from the recording company leaned forward and stared at the floor as he listened to the record. When it was finished he merely nodded and asked to hear it again. Papa sat by the phonograph looking אשמה - fault 1. הטיח את אגרופו - fist 2. banged his סופת רעמים - thunderstorm 3. 17
intently at each of us as Caruso sang. Following Papa's gaze 1, I saw Angelina and Beppe and Enrico and Giovanni and Mary Alice all with the same worried expression, one just like the next. They were not like my brothers and sisters at all, nor was this the happy times of those other Sundays. "Best "Celeste Aida" ever recorded by Caruso, I'm convinced," Mr. Kamp said in a businesslike tone after hearing it the second time. He was the authority on Caruso for his company, he told us, and had heard all the great tenor's records, "but none quite like this." He was smiling for the first time "That little personal touch at the end would make it a record seller, too," he told us, and laughed as though he thought he said something funny. He got up off the sofa and jamming his hands down into his pockets, paced 2 across the parlor twice, his bald head almost glowing. He seemed very excited. "Mr. Esposito," he said in an even more businesslike tone than before, "my company will pay you five thousand dollars for all rights to the use of this recording if it's what we want, and I do not hesitate to assure you that it is." He began to explain the details. There were little gasps 3 all over the room. Five thousand dollars! We had never really dreamed of so much! Papa nodded, but looked as though he weren t even listening to Mr. Kamp. It was then that Beppe stood up and told Mr. Kamp the record was not for sale. "Sorry you had to come out to Brooklyn for nothing," Beppe apologized. "We just this afternoon decided not to sell the record or the rights to it." Both Papa and Mamma just sat looking at Beppe as though they couldn't believe what they were hearing. Enrico and Giovanni didn't just sit there though. They both began talking at once, each having forgotten that it would be better for the whole family, as they'd agreed, if we didn't sell our record. The offer of five thousand dollars had been too much for them. I began to tremble and wanted to speak but couldn't. Mr. Kamp stood up, too, as Beppe, his arms folded across his chest, stood facing Enrico and Giovanni defiantly 4, shaking his head. "If I might get a word in here," the record-company representative said, "I would like to tell you I have been authorized to go as high as six thousand if necessary." "Six thousand!" Enrico and Giovanni shouted together. Angelina and Mary Alice מבט - gaze 1. צעד - paced 2. פרצי דיבור - gasps 3. בהתרסה - defiantly 4. 18
looked as though they might weaken, but Beppe stood his ground. I still could not speak, and there were tears in my eyes which almost blinded me. I turned my head away so no one could see that I was crying. Through a blur 1 I could see the record on the table. I'll never be able to explain, not even to myself, just how it happened, but with a sob of "No! No!" I grabbed the record from off the table and slammed it onto the floor, breaking it into thousand pieces. Everything in the room stopped dead-still where it was. Giovanni's hands hovered above Beppe's shoulders, where they were about to grab and shake him good. Papa's face had an expression of sorrow and joy and relief all at once as he took my hand. Mamma broke the silence sobbing 2 and saying over and over in Italian, "Good son!" The others just stood staring at me in disbelief. Mr. Kamp finally grabbed his hat and left, muttering to himself, "Crazy as loons, all of them!" I ran into the kitchen, no longer able to control my sobs. The others followed, all except Beppe, and they were crying and hugging me and saying I had done the right thing, that it was the only way to bring them to their senses. Papa, his arm around my shoulder, assured me, "This is a family again, and nothing else matters." Mamma began pouring wine and passing it around, stopping only to brush away a tear from time to time, she was smiling for the first time in two weeks. We became conscious of 3 the sound of music drifting in from the parlor. A few seconds later Beppe appeared at the kitchen door. "Listen," he said. We could hardly believe our ears. It was "Celeste Aida!" Beppe grinned at me. "I guess we'll have to get a new "Vesti la giubba," he said."it seems like our old one got broken somehow." In my rush, I had grabbed the wrong record from the table. "Celeste Aida!" never sounded so beautiful as it did then. We listened as though for the first time. When it was over and Caruso called out. "Eh, Pasqualino, cumme stai?" Papa answered. "Happy again, my friend, very happy." He spoke for all of us. Well, that's all there is. We'ra a family again and still have the record. Maybe someday we'll save enough money to move to that farm in Jersey. Right now it's just something nice to dream about. The Sunday evenings are once again as before. Maybe sometime you would like to come hear the record with us, too. Caruso never sang "Celeste Aida!" better, and we all still get a big kick out of "Eh, Pasqualino, cumme stai?" at the very end. טשטוש - blur 1. התייפחות - sobbing 2. מודע ל... - of 3. conscious 19
Basic Understanding Vocabulary A Complete the sentences with the words below. assure confusion consider argue expression gain grab hesitate offer relief representative slam 1. When you..., you show that you don t agree with somebody. 2. To take something suddenly is to.... 3. A person feels... when he finds a lost item. 4. Before making a decision, you should... all the options. 5. A very high... usually makes people sell the item. 6. An... is the look on a person's face. 7. When you... something onto the floor, it might break. 8. Too large a variety may lead to.... 9. When people..., they aren't sure what to do. 10. A person who was chosen to speak for a company is a.... 11. To promise that something is true is to.... 12. People... a lot from their experiences. B 1. Match the words from A and B to form phrases from the story. A 1. recording 2. personal 3. worried 4. lower 5. businesslike 6. breaking B a. touch b. into a thousand pieces c. tone d. company e. the needle f. expression 2. Use FOUR phrases you made in sentences about the story. Make necessary changes in the verbs............. 20
C Circle the correct answer according to the story. 1. Mr. Kay was... a. the recording company representative. b. an excellent tenor. 2. The siblings argued about... a. breaking the record. b. selling the record. 3. The boy grabbed... a. the record of Celeste Aida. b. the record of Vesti la giubba. 4. Papa and Mama felt... after the record was broken. a. shame b. relief 5. Mr. Kamp's offer... a. surprised Enrico and Giovanni. b. disappointed Enrico and Giovanni. 6. After Mr. Kamp heard Celeste Aida,.. a. he had doubts whether the company would like to buy the rights of the record or not. b. he didn t hesitate and decided the company would buy the record. LOTS 1 Did Beppe change his mind about selling the record? YES / NO Copy at least TWO sentences to support your answer. 2 Describe the atmosphere in the room as Mr. Kamp entered the Espositos' home. 3 a. What mistake did Papa make when he chose the record?... b. What is a possible explanation for Papa's mistake?... 21
4 What did Mr. Kamp think of the record, Celeste Aida? Why did he think so? 5 Mr. Kamp was highly interested in buying the rights to the record. Put the following sentences in the right order, according to the story.... Mr. Kamp offered six thousand dollars for the record.... Mr. Kamp offered five thousand dollars for the record.... Beppe apologized and said that the record wasn t for sale.... George had tears in his eyes. 6 Why was the room dead still? 7 How did the family members react right after the boy broke the record? Fill in the chart below. The person The reaction Giovanni Papa Mamma The others 8 How did the boy feel about his deed? 9 What was the boy's mistake? 10 How do you know that the family benefited from the boy's deed? Prove your answer from the text. 22
Analysis and Interpretation 1 Is the narrator's attitude towards Mr. Kamp positive or negative? How do you know? 2 The family's financial situation wasn t easy. What does this fact add to your understanding of the siblings' will to sell the record? 3 What TWO values were important to Papa? Explain. 4 Considering the family's financial situation, what can you learn from this about the father's character? 5 Why do you think George broke the record? 6 What clues are given in the story to explain the boy's mistake? Write TWO things. 7 What kind of person is Mamma? How do you know? 8 Do you think the incident with the disc should never have happened? Explain your answer. 23
Literary Terms Point of View - The focus from which the story or drama is told. The story can be told a. by one of the characters who experienced the events. b. by an all-knowing narrator who knows the whole story c. by a character telling someone else s story. 1 From which point of view is the story told? 2 Why do you think the author chose this character to tell the story? Theme - Theme is the general idea expressed by a literary work. Usually we can find the theme by answering the question: What is this work about? What is the theme of the story, ""?............ Learning HOTS Look at the drawings by Rorschach. What do you see in this picture?...... 24
What do you see in this picture?...... What do you see in this picture?...... Answer the following questions. 1. Choose one of your classmates. What did she see in pictures 1, 2 and 3? Picture 1 -... Picture 2 -... Picture 3 -... 2. Choose another classmate. What did she see in pictures 1, 2 and 3? Picture 1 -... Picture 2 -... Picture 3 -... 3. Why do you think each of you saw different things in each picture? 25
NEW HOTS The way people view the same thing is called perspective. Everyone sees the same thing but each one sees it differently. Identifying the difference in people's perspective is called distinguishing different perspectives. A Class Nine is going to have a show in one month. Naturally, there are only few main roles. Write two perspectives of two different people.......... B Give examples of different perspectives between: you and your aunt -... two of your friends -... two different teachers -... Getting into the Story I 1. Identify each character's perspective towards selling the record. Mr. Dick Selling the Record Papa The Children 26
2. a. What is your perspective about selling the record? Explain....... b. Whose perspective is similar to yours? Papa s, the children s or Mr. Dick s?...... 3. a. What is the Torah's attitude towards money? II...... b. Is Papa's attitude similar to or different from the Torah's attitude?...... 1. "I grabbed the record from off the table and slammed it onto the floor, breaking it into a thousand pieces ". a. Which of the following characters shared the same perspective as the boy? Tick a in the right places. Mr. Kamp Papa Mamma The siblings b. What is your opinion of the boy's deed?............ 2. How does your understanding of the boy's deed differ from the understanding of other students in your class?............ 27
Generating possibilities Creating something new on the basis of given information is generating possibilities. A Read the joke. Dan: Why are you crying? Ran: I have just heard that Rothschild died. Dan: I see that you are very sad. Was he your relative? What do you think Ran is going to answer? Ran: No, he wasn t. And that's exactly why I am crying! B Look at the part of a picture below. Use your imagination and make a whole picture. C Think of a situation from your own life in which you had to generate possibilities. 28
Getting into the Story 1. Add an event to the existing story that will influence the development of the plot............. 2. Imagine that you were the boy. What would you do instead of breaking the record?............ 3. Write a new ending to the story. 29
Bridging Text and Context About 5.5 million Italians immigrated to the U.S. from 1820 to 2004. The greatest immigration took place between 1880 and 1920, and alone brought more than 4 million Italians to America. In the U.S., most Italians began their new lives as unskilled, manual workers. Italian Americans financial situation gradually improved. By 1990, more than 65% of Italian Americans were professional or white-collar workers. The Italian-American people have often been characterized by strong ties with family, social organizations and political parties. Which facts from the text enhance your understanding of the story? Explain how...................... Post Reading 1. Make a comic strip of the story. Describe the story in pictures, the way you imagine them. The strip should be at least 8-10 frames. Add a caption under each frame. 2. Interview one of the characters. Ask him/her about the events in the story. 3. Write the story from the mother's perspective. 4. Act out the story to the class. 5. Write a letter to George. In your letter, write about meaningful points in the story................... 30
Reflection 1. Did you like the story? Explain your answer in at least two sentences. 2. The HOTS we learned in this story are: Distinguishing different perspectives Generating possibilities How did your teacher teach each of the HOTS? Distinguishing different perspectives Generating possibilities 3. In what way did learning the HOTS help you understand the story? 4. How can you use each of the HOTS in your own lives? 31