BOOK: “The Gift of the Magi”
– B2-C1 (intermediate to advanced) –
Practice Your Listening Comprehension
Practice Your Reading Comprehension
There are many traditional stories that are told at Christmas, but “The Gift of the Magi” by American short story writer O. Henry is among the most popular in the Anglosphere. Since it was first published in 1905, it has been adapted countless times to picture books, levelled reader’s books, dramatic audiobook performances, plays, movies, TV shows, and more. As such, it has been considered a Christmas classic, particularly in Canada and the United States, for over a century.
WHAT TO LEARN
While reading or listening to this story, there are a variety of things that a student of the English language can practice and learn, including:
American English
first person singular (I)
second person singular (you)
old-fashioned language
contemporary language
informal language
dialogue
irony
repetition
appositives
vocabulary related to:
Christmas
gift-giving
money
gratitude
love
disappointment
and more…!
Are there holiday-themed stories where you live? Tell me about one of them; what is it about? Practice your English by letting me know in the comments below.
