morning newspaper
The Morning Newspaper
Vocabulary
| used to | bring in | go over |
| own | point (2) | Cadillac |
| factory | mansion | go through |
| shelf | eager | adventure |
| local | coworker | straight-A |
| attend | bar exam | scholarship |
| offer | firm (2) | prestigious |
| proud | hold up (2) | congratulate |
| hug | frown | squint |
The Morning Newspaper
Every morning, my dad used to go out to the newspaper box and bring in the morning paper. He would sit down at our dining table and go over it while drinking a cup of hot coffee.
Sometimes he would talk about something from the newspaper.
“Ryan. You see this man?” dad said pointing to a picture of man opening the door of a Cadillac. “He’s a doctor. And that’s his car.”
Another time dad showed me a couple standing in front of a new mansion—he owned a chocolate factory; she was a former Miss Kentucky.
Little Old House
Our own home was much smaller and older. It looked no different from the other houses in our neighborhood.
After breakfast, dad would go to work in a mine outside of town, while my brother, sister and I walked to school.
When dad came home, he had a bath, then took a book from the bookshelf, sat on his armchair and began going through it.
Unlike his coworkers and neighbors, he never went to the local bar.
Books
We had a large collection of books: big books, little books, adult books and children’s books.
At school, I was eager to learn to read so I could go through the kids’ books on the shelf, just like dad.
I liked reading, especially story books and later adventure books.
Straight A’s
In high school I became a straight-A student.
Because of my excellent grades, I won a scholarship to attend a university in New York. There I studied law, then pasted the bar exam.
A prestigious law firm offered me a job.
I felt very happy and proud.
Before I started work, I returned home for a visit.
Back Home
“Dad, dad, look!” I said to my father as I entered the door and held up my law certificate.
Dad had been watching TV. He got up and walked up to me. Squinting, he looked closely at the certificate.
But instead of a smiling and congratulating me and hugging me—he just kept looking at the certificate with a frown on his face.
“Uh…uh…What does it say, Ryan?” he finally asked.
Questions
1. What did Ryan’s father do ever morning?
2. The father woulds sometimes talk to Ryan about things in the newspaper. Yes or no?
3. Was Ryan’s family poor, working class, middle-class, upper-middle-class or rich? Where did they live?
4. What was the father’s job? Did he go to a bar or club after work? What did he do?
5. What happened at school? Was Ryan a good student?
6. What did Ryan do after he graduated from high school?
7. In the end, Ryan’s father said, “Uh…uh…what does that say?” What does this mean?
A. My parents encouraged me to study hard at school and go to university. True or false?
B. Do you have a big bookshelf at home? What about your friends?
C. Some of my friends or colleagues came from poor or working class backgrounds but are now middle-class or upper-middle class. Yes or no?
