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1. Look at the picture and answer the following. Work with a partner.

Have you read the story?

Do you know what it is about?

Do you like ghost stories?

Can you think of one ghost story that you know?

Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde was the author of the Canterville ghost, some other stories and some plays such as ‘A Woman of No Importance', 'An Ideal Husband', and 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. His only novel was ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’. Have you heard about this novel?

Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland on 16 October 1854.

2. Find the meaning of the following words in your dictionary. What are their equivalents in Spanish?

Duty: ______Bound: ______

Valuation: ______To warm someone of sth: ______

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You are going to read the first part of the first chapter. While you read answer the following questions:

V What is Canterville Chase?______

V Who wants to buy Canterville Chase?______

V What does the seller tell the buyer about Canterville Chase?______

Chapter I

The Canterville Chase purchase

When Mr. Hiram B Otis, the American Minister, bought Canterville Chase, every one told him he was doing a very foolish thing, as there was no doubt at all that the place was haunted . Indeed, Lord Canterville himself, who was a man of the most punctilious honour, had felt it his duty to mention the fact to Mr. Otis when they came to discuss terms.

“We ourselves, do not want to live there” said Lord Canterville, “since my grand-aunt, the Dowager Duchess of Bolton, was frightened into a fit , from which she never really recovered, by two skeleton hands being placed on her

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shoulders as she was dressing for dinner, and I feel bound to tell you, Mr. Otis, that the ghost has been seen by several living members of my family, as well as by other important people in England. After the unfortunate accident to the Duchess, none of our younger servants would stay with us, and Lady Canterville often got very little sleep at night, in consequence of the mysterious noises that came from the corridor and the library.”

“My Lord,” answered the Minister, “I will take the furniture and the ghost at a valuation. I come from a modern country, where we have everything that money can buy; and with all our spry young fellows painting the Old World red, and carrying off your best actors and prima-donnas, I reckon that if there were such a thing as a ghost in Europe, we'd have it at home in a very short time, in one of our public museums, or on the road as a show.”

“I fear that the ghost exists,” said Lord Canterville, smiling, “though it may have resisted the overtures of your enterprising impresarios. It has been well known for three centuries, since 1584 in fact and always makes its appearance before the death of any member of our family.”

“Well, the family doctor does the same, Lord Canterville. But there is no such thing, sir, as a ghost, and I guess the laws of Nature are not going to be suspended for the British aristocracy.”

“You are certainly very natural in America,” answered Lord Canterville, who did not quite understand Mr. Otis's last observation, “and if you don't mind a ghost in the house, it is all right. Only you must remember I warned you.”

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Words to know

These are some words you could find in the story.

Prima-donna : The most important woman singer in an opera

company.

Reckon : To think or suppose something.

Overtures : An attempt to begin a friendly relationship with a person, country, etc.

Enterprising impresarios : People who organize performances in

theatres, concert halls, etc. and have the ability to think of new activities or ideas and make them work.

3. Find the words in the crossword according to the meanings provided below.

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Down

1. The spirit of a dead person who appears again.

3. The end of life.

4. Unwise, without good sense.

6. Active and quick in movement (esp. older people).

Across

2. A building that is believed to be visited regularly by the soul of a dead person.

4. A period of loss consciousness, with strange uncontrolled movements of the body.

5. A person who is very exact and particular about details of behavior or duty.

4. Answer the following questions by providing a full sentence.

a) Who bought Canterville Chase?

Mr. Otis bought Canterville Chase______

b) Who was the owner of Canterville Chase before Mr. Otis?

______

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c) Why did everybody tell Mr. Otis that he was doing a very foolish thing buying Canterville Chase?

______

d) Why didn’t Lord Canterville and his family want to live in Canterville Chase?

______

e) Was Mr. Otis afraid of living in the house? Why?

______

f) Did Mr. Otis buy Canterville Chase anyway?

______

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Discuss the following with a partner.

What would you do in the place of Mr. Otis?

Would you buy Canterville Chase knowing that there is a ghost?

Write here what you would do if you were in the place of Mr. Otis. Say if you would or would not buy Canterville Chase and why.

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

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ANSWER KEY

BEFORE YOU READ…

2. Find the meaning of the following words in your dictionary. What are their equivalents in Spanish? Duty: Deber, obligación Valuation: Valoración, bajo inventario To feel bound to: Sentirse obligado a… To warn someone of sth: Advertir de algo a alguien

NOW YOU CAN READ THE STORY…

V Canterville chase was the name of the house Mr. Otis wanted to buy. V Mr. Otis and his family wanted to buy Canterville Chase. V Mr. Canterville told Mr. Otis that the house was haunted.

NOW THAT YOU HAVE READ…

3. Find the words in the crossword according to the meanings provided below.

Down

1. GHOST 3. DEATH 4. FOOLISH 6. SPRY

Cross

2. HAUNTED 4. FIT 5. PUNCTILIOUS

4. Answer the following questions by providing a full sentence. a) Mr. Otis bought Canterville Chase. b) Lord Canterville was the owner of Canterville Chase before Mr. Otis. c) Everybody told Mr. Otis that he was doing a very foolish thing, because the house was haunted. d) Lord Canterville and his family didn’t want to live in Canterville Chase because of the ghost. e) Mr. Otis was not afraid of living in the house because he and his family didn’t believe in ghosts. f) Mr. Otis bought Canterville Chase anyway.

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FACULTAD DE EDUCACIÓN

CENTRO DE AUTO-ACCESO ALICIA GONZÁLEZ G. CANTÓN

IMPULSO UNIVERSITARIO

MATERIAL DE APOYO

ELABORADO POR:

PASANTE DE LEII SANDY YESSENIA UICAB POOL

HABILIDAD DE COMPRENSIÓN DE LECTURA

THE CANTERVILLE GHOST

CHAPTER I

THE CANTERVILLE CHASE PURCHASE

FUENTE:

Kingkong demon. The Canterville Ghost. A Hylo-Idealistic Romance by Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) . [en red]. Recuperado de: http://www.kingkong.demon.co.uk/gsr/canter.htm

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