Week 10: Reading skill-short story in part named "The Last Leaf."

The Last Leaf

 Reading skill is one of macro skills important for learning English as Second Language and English as Foreign Language. Young students should start reading easy book level to difficult level. Students who know 350 words should read stage 1, 450 words for stage 2, 600 words for stage 3, 800 words for stage 4, and 1,000 words for stage 5. Students usually like to read favorite books such as cartoon books, story books for reader; level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. In this section, I would like to introduce what favorite story book named O. Henry’s Short Stories with this part “The Last Leaf.” It is the story that comparing a woman’ life nearly to death with falling of leaves. An Author invents the interesting story its ending is surprised for readers. In this short story, there are translation meaning of words in Thai, translation some difficult sentences in Thai, and tip for leaning grammar.

The Last Leaf is story about sickness of a woman. Sue is from Main; Johnsy is from California. Both rent the same small studio. They have met at the small café on Eighth Street. They found several things as same together, so they decide to rent the same room. In November, Johnsy gets pneumonia and it makes her very ill. Johnsy lies on the iron-framed bed looking through the small window for counting how much leaves of vine are. Sue is a poor artist living with the best friend. She cares her friend who is sick with pneumonia. Sue tries to draw picture for sending to magazine. Behrman is old artist who had never produced anything noteworthy. She needs Behrman to be model for her work. Likewise, Behrman visits Johnsy, he cries why Johnsy is foolish to die because leaves drop off from the simple vine. One night, the wind blows and rain falls very heavy until there is the last leaf of the vine. After this night, the last leaf still dark green bravely hanging on the branch. When Jognsy looks at it, she thinks she will die soon. The day went away, she still see the last ivy leaf clinging against the wall, so she are power to be alive. An hour later, Johnsy says, she hopes to paint the bay of Naples. She feels better and happily knitting a very blue useless wooden scarf and never need to die. Behrman died because of pneumonia is caused by he tried to paint the masterpiece that is the last leaf fell for Johnsy.

The last leaf is compared with how to be alive of a woman. Johnsy is very ill with the strange disease that named “pneumonia.” Power of thought is important for life. Johnsy does not think of Sue, her best friend that cares her when she is very ill. Johnsy only think one day that the last leaf fell down on the floor, she will die together. Likewise, the doctor tells Sue that the best medicine cannot help her feel better even if her thought think of death. So, willing is the most important for running her life. In my opinion, this short story is good for readers because it offers the story of hopeless. The ending of the story is interesting because it is twisted. It also ties bound between Sue and Johnsy to be close relationship. Sue has to draw pictures and write something sending to magazine coupled with caring her best friend until Johnsy feels better. Reading short story can help us improving reading skill, how to translate, correct grammar and English development. Do you like this short story in part “the last leaf?” Why? What characteristics do you like most between Sue and Behrman? Why?

Vocabulary	Pronunciation	Meaning
Strike(v)	/strʌk/	ระบาด to hit somebody /something hard or with force Ex: He fell, striking his head on the edge of the table.
Hallway(n)	/hɔːl/	โถงทางเดิน a passage in a building with rooms down either side Ex: I headed for Scott's office down the hall.
Sarcasm(n)	/ˈsɑːkæzəm/	คำถากถาง a way of using words that are the opposite of what you mean in order to be unpleasant to somebody or to make fun of them Ex: ‘That will be useful,’ she snapped with heavy sarcasm.
Whistle (v)	/ˈwɪsl/	ผิวปาก the sound that you make by forcing your breath out when your lips are closed a shrill whistle Ex: He gave a low long whistle of surprise.
Magnificent (adj.)	/mæɡˈnɪfɪsnt/	อย่างยิ่ง extremely attractive and impressive; deserving praise Ex: She looked magnificent in her wedding dress.
Masterpiece (n)	/ˈmɑːstəpiːs/	ผลงานชิ้นเอก a work of art such as a painting, film/movie, book, etc. that is an excellent, or the best, example of the artist's work Ex: The museum houses several of his Cubist masterpieces.
Canvas (n)	/ˈkænvəs/	รองเท้าผ้าใบ a piece of canvas used for painting on; a painting done on a piece of canvas, using oil paints Ex: They spent the night under canvas.
Serrated (adj.)	/səˈreɪtɪd/	ขอบเป็นหยักๆ having a series of sharp points on the edge like a saw Ex: Susie uses a knife with a serrated edge to cut cucumber.

Referent:

William Sydney Porter.  "O. Henry’s short stories รวมสุดยอดเรื่องสั้นของ โอ.เฮนรี่
                     ตอน The Last  Leaf  ใบไม้แห่งความหวัง.  (พิมพ์ครั้งแรก), กรุงเทพฯ; ซีเอ็ดยูเคชั่น,
                     2554.