Name:_______________________ Mr. Know-All by W. Somerset Maugham

Pre-reading

In the story, the narrator starts by saying, “I was prepared to dislike Max Kelada even before I met him.”

What are the reasons why you would dislike someone before you meet him? Which HOTS did you use?

Part I – Before reading… Here are some words that will help you better understand the text. Match the

words to their definitions. Then translate them.

English Ans. Translation Definition

1. accommodation a). almost not; hardly

2. clean-shaven b). conforming to standards of conduct and good taste; suitable

3. companion c). room and board; lodgings.

4. dismay d). act as if from a higher class in society

5. exasperating e). a person who lives under the rule of a monarch, government, etc.

6. familiar f). taking undue liberties; presumptuously friendly

7. lustrous g). healthy, strong, and vigorous, strongly built

8. to put on airs h). extremely annoying or displeasing

9. scarcely i). lacking or exhibiting a lack of tact; bluntly inconsiderate or indiscreet

10. seemly j). (of men) having the facial hair shaved off

11. to set at ease k). gleaming with or as if with brilliant light; radiant

12. sturdy build l). confusion and distress in the face of unexpected trouble or danger

13. subject m). to quiet; to tranquilize

14. tactlessly n). cabin mate on a ship, train, etc.

Read Part I of the story. Then, practice some more vocabulary:

1. Use the following words to complete the text: subject, accommodation, companion, dismay, flask,

wardrobe trunk, seemly, familiar

There was not enough 1___________ on the ship so the narrator had to share a cabin with a stranger. He

was in 2___________ when he saw his cabin mate’s 3______________ and discovered his name, because

it meant that he was not English, like himself. When he went up to the smoking- room, his cabin mate

introduced himself. He was very chatty, and surprised the narrator by saying that he was English. He

showed his passport to prove he was a British 4____________. The narrator was also surprised when Mr.

Kelada offered him an alcoholic drink from a 5__________ he had in his pocket. He thought that Mr.

Kelada’s behavior was not 6___________ and was much too 7_____________. He did not like his new

8_____________.

נוח, להרגיש לגרוםמדי, מוצק, ידיודתי גוף טקט, יאוש, נתינים, מעצבן, מבנה חסרת לחדר, בצורה לינה, בקושי, מגולח, שותף

ביהירות נאותה, להתנהג מבריק, התנהגות

2. Match adjectives to nouns to form a description of Max Kelada.

An adjective A noun An answer

sturdy nose

clean-shaven skin

dark hair

fleshy, hooked build

large, liquid gestures

sleek, curly cheeks

exuberant eyes

Understanding Part I of the Story LOTS Questions

1. When and where does this story take place?

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2. Why do you think the narrator would prefer to share a cabin with someone named Smith or Brown?

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3. Why is Mr. Kelada happy about sharing a cabin with the narrator?

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4. Why does the narrator doubt that Mr. Kelada is really British?

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5. Where does the narrator think Mr. Kelada was born?

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6. What aspects of Mr. Kelada’s behavior annoyed the narrator?

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Part II - Before reading… 1. Here are some words/phrases that will help you better understand the text.

Write them in alphabetical order with their translations.

1. cocksureness

2. dogmatic

3. to resume his post

4. it never occurred to him

5. flushed

6. distinction

7. compliment

8. to bulge

9. affront

10. vanity

11. to snub him

12. to resent

13. intolerable

14. he had us at his mercy

15. demeanor

16. without the suspicion dawning on him

Translation English Words

2. Find two words or expressions from the list above :

that are similar in the meaning to “he did not realize…”

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that show Mr. Kelada had a lot of confidence and pride in himself

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that show other people on the ship did not like Mr. Kelada

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3. Use the following words to write the opposites of the words in the table: be certain, partially,

bearable, unsuccessfully, insult, real, boastful, agreeable

modest imitation entirely hesitate triumphantly intolerable argumentative compliment

Read Part II of the story.

Understanding Part II of the Story

LOTS Questions

1. Why did the passengers call Mr. Kelada “Mr. Know-All”?

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2. Describe the atmosphere around the table at mealtimes.

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3. Complete the following table:

Mr. Kelada Mr. Ramsay

Physical description (keywords)

Character description (keywords)

Work/Occupation

Position at work/occupation

Place of work/occupation

Reason/purpose for travel

4. What is the narrator’s opinion of Mr. Ramsay? Of Mrs. Ramsay?

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5. What subject is discussed at the table?

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Part III Understanding Part III of the Story

LOTS Questions

1. Why is Mr. Kelada traveling to Japan? What is his profession?

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2. What does Mr. Kelada boast about?

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3. What does Mr. Kelada say about Mrs. Ramsay’s necklace? What does he mean by this remark?

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4. According to Mr. Ramsay, where did Mrs. Ramsay get the pearl necklace?

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5. What bet did Mr. Ramsay make with Mr. Kelada? Why?

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6. What was Mrs. Ramsay’s reaction to the bet?

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7. Why does Mr. Kelada smile in triumph?

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8. Who won the bet?

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9. What happened the next morning?

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10. What is the narrator’s opinion of Mr. Kelada now? Why?

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Part IV - Understanding the Story on a Higher Level

HOTS questions - Inferring

1. Were the pearls real?

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2. Why does Mr. Kelada say he was mistaken?

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3. Mrs. Ramsay did not want Mr. Kelada to examine her necklace. She said, “I can’t undo it.” What can we

infer about the woman from her behavior? What secret was Mrs. Ramsay hiding?

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4. What can we infer about the narrator when he says at the end of the story “At that moment, I did not

entirely dislike Mr. Kelada”?

HOTS - Explaining Patterns

A) Pattern one:

1. What pattern of behavior can we see in Mr. Kelada to make him deserve the name “Mr. Know-All”? Do

you think his name is meant as a compliment? Why or why not?

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2. Why do you think that Mr. Kelada behaves this way?

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3. When is this pattern of behavior broken and why?

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B) Pattern two:

1. What is the narrator’s typical reaction to Mr. Kelada’s attempts to be friendly? Give at least two

examples.

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2. Why do you think that the narrator behaves this way?

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3. When is this pattern of behavior broken and why?

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HOTS - Uncovering Motives

1. What was Mr. Ramsay’s motive for challenging Mr. Kelada to a bet about his wife’s pearls? What did he

hope to achieve?

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2. Who do you think left a hundred-dollar bill under Mr. Kelada’s cabin door? What was his/her motivation?

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Summing up - Use the words below to complete a summary of the story. Make any necessary changes.

The narrator of the story was a 1_________________ on board a ship sailing to Japan. He had to

2_____________ with Mr. Kelada. The narrator did not believe Mr. Kelada was British, even though Mr.

Kelada showed his 3_______________ to prove it and said that he was a very 4_______________

Englishman.

The narrator was prejudiced against Mr. Kelada before he even met him. He thought that his

5______________ was too big and there were too many 6______________ on the suitcases. He didn’t like

the 7______________ way in which Kelada behaved – Mr. Kelada 8______________ the narrator without

“Mr” before his name. Mr. Kelada 9______________ all the social events on the ship and was very

10______________ with the passengers. He became known as Mr. Know-All, which he took as a

11_______________.

address, arrange, chatty, compliment, cultured pearls, envelope, examine, expert, faint,

familiar, imitation, labels, luggage, magnifying glass, passenger, passport, patriotic, share

a cabin, worth

One evening at dinner, the conversation turned to the subject of 12______________

_____________. Mr. Kelada said he was an 13_____________ and he had a bet with Mr. Ramsay about

whether Mrs. Ramsay’s pearls were real or 14____________.

Kelada took out a 15_______________ to 16________________ the pearls and said they were

17______________ a lot of money. Kelada noticed Mrs. Ramsay turn white and she looked as if she were

about to 18______________. He said he was mistaken and paid Mr. Ramsay 100 dollars for losing the bet.

The next day a 100-dollar-bill was returned to Mr. Kelada in an 19_______________.

Part V - Literary Terms

Connotation

An idea or association

which is suggested by a word

in addition to its main

meaning.

Example: He’s a Jew. (What

could be the connotation?)

Stereotype

A fixed idea of what a

person or thing belonging

to a certain group is like.

Example: Women are

emotional.

Symbolism

The use of a concrete image

(symbol) to represent an

abstract idea.

Example:

sunshine = _____________

Theme

The central philosophical idea

of a story or a poem. We can

usually find the theme by

asking, “What is this work

about?”

Example: One theme of “Lamb

to the Slaughter” was

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1. Stereotypes. Find examples of the following stereotypes in the story.

Characters Stereotypes Examples

The narrator A typical upper-class Englishman 1.

2.

Max Kelada A typical Levantine 1.

2.

Mrs. Ramsay A sweet, modest woman 1.

2.

2. Symbolism. Which character shows traits of the real pearl? Which character shows traits of the cultured one?

Item Character Traits

a real pearl

a cultured pearl

3. Connotations. Give at least three examples of connotations from the story.

Phrase Connotation + / - Why

4. Theme.

a) What is the theme of the story? ___________________________________________________________

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b) How does the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover” relate to the theme of “Mr. Know-All”?

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Part VI - Bridging text and context

1. "... I had an acute power of observation and it seemed to me that I could see a great many things

that other people missed. I could put down in clear terms what I saw." – from The Summing Up by

Somerset Maugham

Relate this quote to Mr. Know-All. Support your answer with examples from the story.

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2. Stereotypes rob people of their individuality

Relate this quote to Mr. Know-All. Support your answer with examples from the story.

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Part VI

Post-Reading Tasks

Choose one of the activities below:

1. Write the letter that might have included in the envelope containing the $100 that was returned to

Mr. Kelada (120 – 140 words)

2. Act out the scene at the dinner table from Mrs. Ramsay’s point of view in which Mr. Kelada asks to

see her necklace (at least 3 minutes)

3. Imagine you are the doctor who sits at the narrator’s table. Draw a picture or a comic retelling the

incident about the bet between Mr. Ramsay and Max Kelada. Express the doctor’s opinion about

the other people around the table. (at least 120 words)

4. “The story spread over the ship as stories do, and he had to put up with a good deal of chaff that

evening.” Act out the dialogue that might have taken place between two passengers on the ship

gossiping about Mr. Kelada’s embarrassment at the dinner table. (at least 3 minutes)

5. Write a song / poem ending or starting with the sentence: “In the end, it turned out that the real

pearl was…..” (at least 90 words). Relate to the theme of the story.

The post reading task is due on: ________________________