Problem: True Manliness

"Please, mother, do sit down and let me try my hand,"said Fred Liscom, a bright active boy, twelve years old. Mrs. Liscom, looking pale and worn, was moving languidly about, trying to clear away the breakfast she had scarcely tasted.

She smiled and said, "You, Fred, you wash dishes?"

"Yes, indeed, mother," answered Fred. "I should be a poor scholar if I couldn't, when I've seen you do it so many times. Just try me."

A look of relief came over his mother's face as she seated herself in her low rocking chair. Fred washed the dishes and put them in the closet. He swept the kitchen, brought up the potatoes from the cellar for the dinner and washed them, and then set out for school.

Fred's father was away from home and as there was some cold meat in the pantry , Mrs. Liscom found it an easy task to prepare dinner. Fred hurried home from school, set the table, and again washed the dishes.

He kept on in this way for two or three days, until his mother was able to resume her usual work. He felt amply rewarded when the doctor, who happened in one day, said, "Well, madam, it's my opinion that you would have been very sick if you had not kept quiet."

The doctor did not know how the "quiet" had been secured, nor how the boy's heart bounded at his words. Fred had given up a great deal of what boys hold dear, for the purpose of helping his mother, coasting and skating being just at this time in perfection.

Besides this, his temper and his patience had been severely tried. He had been in the habit of going early to school and staying to play after it was dismissed.

The boys missed him and their curiosity was excited when he would give no other reason for not coming to school earlier, or staying after school, than that he was "Wanted at home."

"I'll tell you," said Tom Barton, "I'll find him out, boys-see if I don't!"

So, one morning on his way to school, he called on Fred. As he went around to the side door, he walked lightly and somewhat nearer the kitchen window than was ly needful. Looking in, he saw Fred standing at the table with a dishcloth in his hand.

Of course he reported this at school, and various were the greetings poor Fred received at recess ."Well, you're a brave one to stay at home washing dishes!""Girl boy!" "Pretty Bessie!""Lost your apron, haven't you, Polly!"

Fred was not wanting either in spirit or in courage, and he was strongly tempted to resent these insults and to fight some of his tormentors . But his consciousness of right and his love for his mother helped him.

While he was struggling for self-mastery, his teacher appeared at the door of the schoolhouse. Fred caught his eye, and it seemed to look, if it did not say, "Don't give up! Be really brave!" He knew the teacher had heard the insulting taunts of his thoughtless schoolmates.

The boys received notice during the day that Fred must not be taunted in any manner. They knew that the teacher meant what he said; and so the brave little boy had no further trouble.
1. What chores did Fred co for his mother?
2. Anything else?
3. How many days did he do the chores?
4. What effect did it have on his mom?
5. Did this make Fred happy?
6. Who found out what Fred was doing at home?
7. ?
8. What did the other boys say when Tom Barton told them what Fred was doing?
9. What else?
10. 'anything else?
11. What reason did Tom give fohis absence?
Answer: 1. washed dishes
2. set the table
3. two or three days
4. she felt rested
5. yes
6. Tom Barton
7. unknown
8. Girl Boy
9. Pretty Bessie
10. Lost your apron, haven't you, Polly
11. unknown

Problem: My mother and I were in the kitchen fixing dinner. I was setting the table as she was cooking when we heard my father. We went into the living room to see what he needed. He could not find the keys to his truck. We all started looking all over the place and could not seem to find them. My father needed to go to work so he took the keys for my mom's van and left for work. We kept looking for them and when we were about to give up my little brother came walking out of the garage with them in his hands. He was in the garage playing with his bike. My mother called my father at work to tell him the great news. He was happy and we then ate our dinner.
1. Where was everyone when they heard the dad?
2. doing what?
3. What task was mom completing?
4. What was I doing?
5. What was the matter with dad?
6. where was he looking for them?
7. Why did he need them>
8. what did he end up doing?
9. Who had them?
10. where had he been?
11. what was he doing in there?
12. What happened next?
13. was he mad?
14. how did he feel?
15. what happened after that?
Answer: 1. in the kitchen
2. fixing dinner
3. cooking
4. setting the table
5. He could not find the keys to his truck
6. the living room
7. to get to work
8. took mom's van
9. my little brother
10. the garage
11. playing with his bike
12. mom called dad to tell him
13. no
14. happy
15. we ate dinner

Problem: From March 29 to April 19, a new version of Death of a Salesman

was performedat tne Capital Theatre as the first in a series of

foreign classics to mark the 60th anniversary of the Beijing People's Art

Theatre.The last time this play was performed in Beijing was 29 years ago.

Death of a Salesman was created in 1949 by Arthur Miller, who used it to reveal the weakness of the "American Dream" .The main character, Willy Loman, believes wholeheartedly in American capitalism, and desires to "succeed" but his own greed _ him in the end.Death of a Salesman's first performance was a huge hit on Broadway, where it shocked the American theatre world, and strengthened the 33-year-old Miller's status as a master of American theatre.The play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, New York Drama Critics' Circle, and the Tony Award for Best Play.The New York Times praised Death of a Salesman as a milestone of 20th century theatre.In 1999, Death of a Salesman received another Tony Award for Best Revival, and the then 83-year-old Miller was given the National Medal of Arts.

The 1983 version of Death of a Salesman was directed personally by Arthur Miller on a visit to China, with Beijing director and actor Ying Ruocheng as the main character of Willy Loman.On May 7, 1983, the play was performed for the first time at the Capital Theatre, and the first series of performances lasted until August 18, with over 50 performances, some of which filled the house, and all of which had great influence.

When it was first performed here, China didn't have "salesman" , so the actors had to use their imagination to represent the characters and American society, and the audiences weren't entirely sure about some information.For example, they couldn't understand what "fixed payments" were, or why, if Willy was a lower-class member of American society, his family had a house, car, refrigerator, and television.But this didn't stop the play from becoming a widely-known page in Beijing's theatre history.
1. Where the new version was performed?
2. What was the name of the play?
3. Was is a special occasion?
4. Of what?
5. Was it played in Beijing?
6. After how long?
7. Who directed the 1983 version?
8. Who was the main character?
9. On what date it was played?
10. How many shows they had then?
11. Was it well received?
12. Did China have real life salesman then?
13. What actors did to portray them?
14. Was the audience confused?
15. Any example of what they didn't get?
16. Any other?
17. Going back which year the original play was created?
18. By whom?
19. What did the main character believe?
Answer:
1. Capital Theatre
2. Death of a Salesman
3. 60th anniversary
4. Beijing People's Art Theatre
5. Yes
6. 29 years
7. Arthur Miller
8. Willy Loman
9. May 7, 1983
10. over 50
11. Some were
12. No
13. Used their imagination
14. Yes
15. "fixed payments"
16. Why Willy had so much stuff if he was lower-class
17. 1949
18. Arthur Miller
19. in American capitalism