Mr. Know All - Part 1: The NARRATOr

Mr. Know All/ W. Somerset Maugham I was prepared to dislike Max Kelada even before I knew him. The war had just finished and the passenger traffic in the ocean going liners was heavy. Accommodation was very hard to get and you had to put up with whatever the agents chose to offer you. You could not hope for a cabin to yourself and I was thankful to be given one in which there were only two berths.But when I was told the name of my companion my heart sank. It suggested closed portholes and the night air rigidly excluded. It was bad enough to share a cabin for fourteen days with anyone (I was going from San Francisco to Yokohama), but I should have looked upon it with less dismay if my fellow passenger's name had been Smith or Brown.When I went on board I found Mr. Kelada's luggage already below. I did not like the look of it; there were too many labels on the suitcases, and the wardrobe trunk was too big. He had unpacked his toilet things, and I observed that he was a patron of the excellent Monsieur Coty; for I saw on the washing-stand his scent, his hairwash and his brilliantine. Mr. Kelada's brushes, ebony with his monogram in gold, would have been all the better for a scrub.I did not at all like Mr. Kelada. 1. Useful VOCABULARY practice: Match the phrases to their meaning: passenger traffic The amount of people traveling by boats. to put up with to be happy about what you got my heart sank I was disappointed. The night air is rigidly excluded. There isn't enough fresh air. I should have looked upon it with less dismay. I would be happier about it. 2. Complete the sentences with the words from the word bank: A) The car is heavy - it weighs 3 tons.B) It was hard to get tickets for the basketball game because everyone wanted to buy them.C)A cabin is a room on a ship for 2-4 people.D) If you want to travel abroad, you go to a traveling agency and talk to the agents.E) I like home-cooked meals. I am not choosy, and will eat whatever you make.F) My teacher offered me help with my project.G) The person with whom you share a room is yourcompanion for the journey. 3. When does the story take place? after the Second World War after the first World Was sometime between 1920-1936 answers b and c are correct 4. Where does the story take place? in Japan In the U.S.A. on a ship in the Pacific Ocean in Britain The NARRATOR is the one who tells the story. We read his THOUGHTS and ATTITUDE when he chooses to share them with us.5. What is the first thing the narrator thinks about Mr. Kelada? He doesn't like Max Kelada. He doesn't want to board the ship. He is not a nice man. He travels too far. 6. How does the narrator feel about getting accommodation in a room with only 2 beds? disappointed relieved grateful dismayed 7. (A) Is the narrator happy to learn who is his companion ? yes no I don't know 7. (B) Which phrase tells us about the narrator's attitude about it? Accommodation was very hard to get. The night air rigidly excluded. My heart sank. 8. How long is the journey on the ship to their destination? 14 days 21 days a month 14 hours 9. Where does the narrator board the ship? London Port San-Francisco Port Yokohama Port Pacific Port 10. Where does the ship sail to? London, England Mombai, India Los Angeles, U.S.A Yokohama, Japan The narrator tells the readers he would have prefered that his companion's name would be Smith or Brown.11. (A) What kind of names are these? Japanese British Russian French 11. (B) The narrator prefers British companions because he would feel more comfortable with people... different from him similar to him who like to travel who speak Japanese 11. (C) This brings the readers to the conclusion that... the narrator is British. the narrator likes British people. the narrator is Japanese. the narrator travels to England. 12. The narrator has something negative to say about Mr. Kelada's belongings. Match the statements to the correct place in the chart: Mr. Kelada's belonhings The narrator's opinion about it: suitcase There are too many labels on it. the wardrobe trunk It is too big. toiletries They are too fancy to use for a wash. name It is not British.