A collection of adapted and simplified classic short stories. Authors such as Washington Irving, Edgar Allen Poe, and O. Henry are included.
FOREWORD
This book will provide easy reading selections for students on the intermediate level of learning English. The selections are simplified versions of well-known stories by classic authors, and should offer no difficulty to those who have completed the elementary phases in the study of English. The book can be used in the second six months of study, or as a general reader in the second year course, depending, naturally, on the degree of advancement of the student or class.
For students not sufficiently advanced, the following texts by the author are recommended as preparation for this book: "Beginning Lessons in English," and "Exercises in English Conversation." The text entitled "Graded Exercises in English" may also be used as a general grammar supplement to this book. In any case, the stories here presented should not be attempted until the student is adequately prepared. Otherwise, studying the text becomes a tedious exercise in translation, rather than the pleasure that is experienced in reading what is readily understood. Exercises follow each selection in the form of questions. The answers which these questions evoke provide excellent conversation material for the student.
For further suggestions as to the use of these exercises for conversational purposes, see the foreword to the text "Exercises in English Conversation." The question exercises in this text follow the same general plan as those used in the conversation book, and should be used with the same objectives in view. This book, in effect, may be considered as a second conversation book as well as a reader, to be used upon completion of the elementary conversation book. In general, the questions should be supplemented wherever possible by questions of a similar nature or theme. The questions should be altered to suit the particular class situation; personal names or facts can be substituted in order to give a more natural and life-like quality to the material. The teacher should introduce much repetition and should require of students direct, complete and automatic answers. If answers are slow or hesitant, questions should be repeated several times, or more home preparation demanded, until the desired fluency or control is obtained.
Robert J. Dixson