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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:
What is Canterville
Chase?________________________________________________
Who wants to buy Canterville
Chase?________________________________________________
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…
Canterville chase was the name of the house Mr. Otis wanted to buy.
Mr. Otis and his family wanted to buy Canterville Chase.
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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