"After Twenty Years" is a short story by O. Henry, first published in 1906. The story is set in New York City and tells the tale of two old friends, Jimmy and Bob, who made a pact to meet at a specific location after twenty years. The story begins with a.....................................
After Twenty Years - Gem's English Reader - Class 8 - English
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Back Exercises - After Twenty Years | Gem's English Reader | Literature | English | Class 8
The word beat can be used in many ways. Read the meanings of these beat phrases.
ON THE BEAT: the rounds taken by a policeman while he is on watch
TO BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH: to approach a subject in an indirect way
TO BEAT A HASTY RETREAT: to back away quickly in order to avoid something unpleasant
TO BEAT ONE’S BRAINS: to think very hard about something for a long time
BEAT IT INTO ONE’S HEAD: to repeat till one understands of remembers it
TO BEAT THE CLOCK: to finish a task or a race before a particular time.
Now make sentences with any five of the ‘beat’ phrases.
The young detective was eager to start his first night ON THE BEAT, patrolling the sleepy neighborhood streets.
She didn't want to upset him with the bad news, so she started TO BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH.
After noticing the giant hornet's nest, we decided TO BEAT A HASTY RETREAT from the garden.
I've been trying TO BEAT MY BRAINS to understand this complicated math problem, but I'm just not getting it.
My teacher had to BEAT IT INTO MY HEAD that the assignment was due on Wednesday, not Thursday.
Some words have more than one meaning. Note the underlined words in these sentences.
The time was barely 10 o’clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had well nigh depeopled the streets.
The man in the doorway struck a match.
Well, yes, for a time we corresponded.
Jimmy is a staunch old chap.
A man gets in a groove in New York.
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Sign up nowNow use the underlined words to complete these sentences. You will notice that each word you use has a different meaning from the ones above.
Is there a _____________ for a friend you can trust completely?
The knob doesn’t quite fit into the _____________ designed for it.
The fort had such _____________ walls that they still stand even after a thousand years!
The visitors got a _____________ reception at the hotel.
The descriptions sent over the wire _____________ with the descriptions given by the police.
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Sign up nowTick the correctly punctuated sentences.
a. Jimmy Wells is an honest policeman: the life he leads is simple and easygoing.
b. Jimmy Wells is an honest policeman, the life he leads is simple and easygoinga. “Yes,” said Bob, “Ill come back to meet you.”
b. “Yes,” said Bob, “I’ll come back to meet you.”a. There was only one thing he could do have him arrested.
b. There was only one thing he could do – have him arrested.a. There were my only options: to have him arrested, to let him go or to pretend I had never met him.
b. These were my only options: to have him arrested; to let him go; or to pretend I had never met him.
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Sign up nowCircle the correct verbs given within the brackets.
Neither the witness nor the policeman (have/has) any comments on the subjects.
One of the policemen, whom I was talking to about the case, (is/are) coming in later.
Even though evidence was long and backed by facts, it (was/were) disregarded.
All the people, except his enemies and an activist, (was/were) sorry to learn that Bob had turned bad.
Jimmy, along with bob and two other close friends, (was/were) standing outside a store.
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Sign up nowTick the sentences with the correct subject verb agreement.
There were now a fine, cold rain lashing the town.
It has given me everything I asked for.
One, his egotism enlarged by his many successes, were beginning to recount his history.
The vicinity was one that kept early hours.
Chilly guests of wind that had a taste of rain was making the own cold and unwelcoming.
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Sign up nowThis paragraph has many subject – verb agreement errors. Circle the errors and rewrite the paragraph.
Kishore and Jafar is gold friends. Neither like to go anywhere without the other. Both are devoted to each other. Of the two, Kishore are more of an extrovert. Each of them want to prove his loyalty to the other. The pair are famous in their town for their friendship. Kishore together with Jafar are planning to visit Mansarovar.
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Sign up nowImagine you are Jimmy Wells. Write a letter to another friend mentioning how you felt when you realized Bob was actually ‘Silky’ Bob. Say what made you suspect that a good man had changed into a bad one during the years that had passed.
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Unlock now 🔓Quiz - After Twenty Years | Gem's English Reader | Class 8 Literature | English
Vocabulary - Flashcards - After Twenty Years | Gem's English Reader | Class 8 Literature | English
Back Questions - After Twenty Years | Gem's English Reader | Literature | English | Class 8
Read Bob’s statements given below match them with the character traits they reflect
a. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door tonight and it's worth it if my old partner turns up | Arrogant |
b. the next day, I want to start for the West to make my fortune. you couldn't have drag Jimmy out of New York, he thought it was the only place on earth. | dependable |
c. You see, the West is a pretty big proposition, and I kept hustling around over rate pretty lively. | Proud |
d. you bet! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. | faith in friend |
e. if Jimmy is alive on earth, he will be here by that time. | Observant |
f. you have changed lots, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches. | Daring |
Statement | Character Trait |
---|---|
a. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door tonight and it's worth it if my old partner turns up | Dependable |
b. the next day, I want to start for the West to make my fortune. you couldn't have drag Jimmy out of New York, he thought it was the only place on earth | Daring |
c. You see, the West is a pretty big proposition, and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively | Proud |
d. you bet! I hope Jimmy has done half as well | Arrogant |
e. if Jimmy is alive on earth, he will be here by that time | Faith in Friend |
f. you have changed lots, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches | Observant |
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“Rather a long time between meets, though, it seems to me.”
How much time had passed between the meetings?
Where did the first meeting take place?
What do you think was the speaker mode when he said this?
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Sign up nowDid pretty well out West, didn't you?
Who had done pretty well in the West?
Name the two things start the speaker noticed that made him remark that the other had done pretty well out West?
How, do you think, he had actually done so well?
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Sign up nowDescribe the appearance of the man in the doorway. How do his possessions help you understand his economic situation?
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Sign up nowHow can you say that Jimmy Wells was sharp and clever?
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Sign up nowHow did Jimmy Wells make himself known to his old friend?
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Sign up nowWhat does the note tell about Jimmy and Bob?
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Sign up nowCompare and contrast Bobs and Jimmy's character?
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Sign up now‘One, his egotism enlarged by success, was beginning to outline the history of his career.’ What does this sentence tell you about Bob’s personality?
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Sign up nowCan Jimmy and Bob be compared to ‘the hare and the tortoise’? How?
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Sign up nowAbout the Author - After Twenty Years | Gem's English Reader | Class 8 Literature | English
O. Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter, an American short story writer who lived from 1862 to 1910. He is best known for his clever and witty stories that often had surprise endings, which became known as "O. Henry endings."
"After Twenty Years" is one of O. Henry's most popular stories. It is a short story that tells the tale of two friends, Jimmy and Bob, who made a pact to meet at a specific location after twenty years. The story is full of irony and twists, as it turns out that one of the friends has become a police officer and the other is a criminal.
O. Henry's writing style is marked by his use of wordplay, irony, and clever plot twists. He was able to capture the essence of life in turn-of-the-century America, and his stories often dealt with issues such as social class, crime, and the human condition.
Despite a relatively short career, O. Henry's impact on American literature has been significant, and his stories continue to be read and enjoyed today. His legacy lives on through the O. Henry Award, which is given each year to recognize the best short stories published in the United States.
Summary - After Twenty Years | Gem's English Reader | Class 8 Literature | English
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Themes - After Twenty Years | Gem's English Reader | Class 8 Literature | English
Loyalty and Friendship
The story explores the theme of loyalty and friendship through the relationship between Bob and Jimmy. Despite their different paths in life, they have a strong bond forged through their shared experiences. Bob is loyal to Jimmy even though he has become a respectable businessman, and Jimmy is willing to risk everything to see his old friend again. The story shows the power of loyalty and how it can endure even after many years apart.
Regret and Redemption
The story highlights the theme of regret and redemption through the character of Bob. He feels guilty about leaving Jimmy behind when he decides...
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Unlock now 🔓After Twenty Years - Questions and Answers | Gem's English Reader | Literature | English | Class 8
What time of the night it was? Why were there such few people?
It was 10 o'clock at night in the story. There were such few people on the street because the chilly gusts of wind with a hint of rain in them had forced people to go indoors. The weather made it uncomfortable for people to be outside, so they hurried to their destinations or stayed inside.
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How did the man in the doorway try to reassure the policeman? What was he doing there?
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Sign up nowDescribe the policeman on the beat?
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Sign up nowThis paragraph has many subject verb agreement errors. Circle the errors and rewrite the paragraph. Kishore and Jafar is good friends. Neither like to go anywhere with out the other. Both are devoted to each other. Of the two, Kishore are more of an extrovert. Each of them want to prove his loyalty to the other. The pair are famous in their town for their friendship. Kishore together with Jafar are planning to visit Mansarovar.
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Sign up nowImportant Lines - After Twenty Years | Gem's English Reader | Class 8 Literature | English
“It’s an appointment made twenty years ago. Sounds a little funny to you, doesn’t it? Well, I’ll explain if you’d like to make certain it’s all straight. About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands-Big Joe Brady’s Restaurant.”
These lines set the tone for the story and introduce the central theme of the meeting between two old friends who made an appointment twenty years earlier. The reader becomes curious about what the appointment was for and what will happen next.
“Twenty years ago tonight,’ said the man,............................
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Unlock now 🔓Extra Questions - After Twenty Years | Gem's English Reader | Literature | English | Class 8
What time of the night it was? Why were there such few people?
It was 10 o'clock at night in the story. There were such few people on the street because the chilly gusts of wind with a hint of rain in them had forced people to go indoors. The weather made it uncomfortable for people to be outside, so they hurried to their destinations or stayed inside.
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How did the man in the doorway try to reassure the policeman? What was he doing there?
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Sign up nowCompare and contrast the characters of Bob and Jimmy.
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Sign up nowPlot - After Twenty Years | Gem's English Reader | Class 8 Literature | English
I. Policeman on Patrol
The chapter begins with a diligent policeman navigating a quiet neighbourhood during the late evening hours. His eyes on a lonely street, he checks....
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Unlock now 🔓Vocabulary - After Twenty Years | Gem's English Reader | Class 8 Literature | English
- Impressive: making a strong impact, awe-inspiring
- Guardian: a person who protects or guards something/someone
- Neighbourhood: an area in a town or city where people live
- Appointment: a meeting ...
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