Lesson TwoNever Late (2) Guide Questions Analysis and Explanation Reading Comprehension Summary of the Lesson

What will happen to the narrator who has pulled the iron thing near the notice? Did he have a strong reason to do that? Will he be punished for what he has done? Continue your reading and find the answer. Well, a noise started above our heads. That was to show everyone that there was something wrong. It was not a small sound. It hurt my ears, and quite possibly the men in my ship two miles away could hear it. Then everyone began to talk at the same time. Then the train stopped, and I was glad to see that we were still in the station. Again I tried to get through the door into the corridor, and this time I certainly tried very hard. But all the people and the suitcases and boxes made it impossible.

I was getting very hot and rather angry. Then the noise above our heads stopped, but something seemed to be happening outside in the station. A lot of people were running about, and some of them were calling to others and making a lot of noise. There were two small men just in front of me; they were standing in the corridor and looking through the window. I could see over their heads, and so I could see the station outside. Out there a rather fat man, dressed in blue, was running about and trying to look in through the windows. He seemed to be very angry about something. Well, I needed help, and perhaps he could help me: he was wearing blue and so he was perhaps a man who worked on the train. So I raised my two bags high in the air, and made signs over the mens heads that I wanted so get out

The man in blue stopped running and stood there with a very red and angry face. He leaned down and looked at me out of the tops of his eyes. Then he called to someone whom I could not see, and pointed at me through the window. He was certainly an angry man. But he seemed to be angry with me, and I could not understand that. I only wanted to get out. I tried to speak to him, but the window was closed. I raised my voice, and everyone stopped talking.

They all seemed to think that something was going to happen now. They were right. The fat man came to the window, and someone opened it.Did you stop this train? he cried. How hot he looked! Of course I stopped it , I said I want to get out..He could not believe his ears . You stopped The Flying bluebird? he cried at the top of his voice.Yes ,I certainly did, I answered.But you cant do that! he cried angrily . You cant do that.I can do it ,I said. Ive done it.

You cant! You cant ! I thought that he was going to need a doctor. You may stop every other train in the world if you like, but not The Flying bluebird It will be late at Endoran, and it is never late. Never!. Never! No one has ever stopped it before.I was not feeling very pleased about all this. Well, I said , now Ive stopped it. Thats something new in the world. Help me to get out.

He was so angry that for some seconds he could not speak. Then he said , There will soon be something new in your life.. He looked away from me towards the back of the train . I was still trying to get out, of course, but it was impossible. There were about twelve people between me and the outside door, and the floor of the corridor was covered with all kinds of things. No one could walk on that floor. My two cases gave me a lot of trouble, too. When I looked out of the window again, I saw five policemen. The man in blue clothes

was talking to one of them and pointing at me. This one seemed to be an officer, and he told me angrily to get out at once. But what was the use of that? I could not move, and so he became angrier. Get out! he said again. Youre coming with us to the police station.The police station? I cried . What have I done?Youve stopped The Flying Bluebird, he called back. I cant come to the police station, I said I have to catch my ship, and it leaves at half past eleven, I have no time to come to the police-station. You wont catch any ship today , he said Get out.I cannot get out, I cried. Ive tried for ten minutes, and its impossible. Oh, is it? he said. We shall see. He took his four men away from the window, and then I heard someone opening the outside door at the end of the corridor. A noise started near the door, and I heard angry voices.

The police were trying to reach me and take me to police-station. But they could not. It was true that I could not get out; but it was also true that they could not get in. I heard the sound of something falling outside. The policemen were throwing the suitcases and boxes out of the train ! Angry cries came from their owners, and of course the owners got out, too. The corridor was not so full now, and I could hear the police coming nearer and nearer to me .

I lost hope of catching my ship. I had not enough money to buy a ticket for another ship, or to stay in a hotel for several days. My bank was far away . But I did not need a hotel, I was going to the police-station. It seemed a long time before the officer reached me, and when at last his face came round the door, it was very hot. Most of the things from the corridor were now outside on the station, and a lot of very angry people were out there too. I got ready to go with the officer. Follow me ,he said. I did so, and we easily reached the door and got out. There was a lot of noise there, but I was able to hear him.

Good morning !he said kindly .I hope that you will catch your ship! I was very surprised. But arent we going to the police-station? I asked. Oh, no. Theres no need for that. You were quite right. Of course you couldnt get out. No train ought to have so many people in it. Good morning!I liked that officer. He was a man who could think.

I thanked him and walked away with my two cases. I looked back once. The Flying bluebird still stood in the station, and the people were trying to put their things back into the train . The officer was talking to the man in blue, who did not look very happy. The officer was pointing at all the people, and it seemed to me that the man in blue was going to take my place at the police-station.

I caught my ship easily. It was quiet there. I had drink as soon as I could. I needed it.

From A Number of Things Longman,1962Approximately 1200 words return

Guide QuestionsWhat happened then?Who was that fat man in blue?Why was he so angry?What did he want to do to the narrator?Who came then?What did the officer do?Did he take the narrator to the police station after he looked into the matter? And why?Who was going to the police station instead?What does the title mean?What do you think of the story?What happened at the end of the story? return

Reading ComprehensionTrue or FalseMultiple-choiceQuestion for discussion return

True of FalseAfter a loud noise the train stopped and people began to talk at the same time. TThe narrator was serious when he said the men in my ship two miles away could hear it. FThe fat man in uniform, perhaps, belonged to the train station. THe called one police officer to take the narrator away to the police-station TThe police officer did as the fat man told him. F return

Multiple choice1. A noise started above our heads. Here the noise was given out by _____.[A] the shouting angry men[B] the ship two miles away[C] the falling of boxes and suitcases[D] the train itself telling people that the train would stop Key: [D] return

2. The fat man, dressed in blue, was _____.[A] trying to move suitcases from the corridor[B] angry at the narrator for stopping the train[C] trying to help the man who wanted to get out[D] angry he could not speak to the man because the window was closed Key: [B] return

3. The statement I thought that he was going to need a doctor means _____.[A] I thought he was angry[B] I thought he should call a doctor[C] I thought he was so angry he would make himself ill[D] I thought he had gone mad Key: [C] return

4. When the police officer went to the train he wanted _____.[A] to arrest the man who had stopped the train[B] to clear the way for the man to get out[C] to find out what was wrong in the train[D] to talk to the man who had stopped the train Key: [A] return

5. Why did the police officer change his mind?[A] He was too tired from moving suitcases.[B] He liked the man who had stopped the train.[C] He thought it too much trouble to arrest the man.[D] He understood why the man had to stop the train. Key: [D] return

Questions for DiscussionWhat do you think of the police officer?What do you think of the fat man in blue? return

OutlineThe train stopped, but it caused much panic outside in the station. A fat man in blue, a man who worked on the train, was extremely angry at the narrators action. No one had ever stopped The Flying Bluebird before: it had always run on time Railway policemen were sent for and it seemed the narrator was going to be taken to the police station for what he had done. The officer, however, was a man who could use his head. After he looked into the matter, he found out that the narrator was justified in stopping the train: the train was too crowded for him to get off. Now it was not the narrator but the man in blue who should go to the police station, because he was partly responsible for the overcrowdedness of the train. return

I was getting very hot: I was getting worried and frightened.hot adj. Being at a high temperature.Causing a burning sensation, as in the mouth; spicy: hot peppers; a hot curry.Arousing intense interest, excitement, or controversy:a hot new book; a hot topic. return

The usage can be regarded as an exaggeration. It hurt my ears, and quite possibly the men in my ship two miles away could hear it. return

I tried to get through the door into the corridor: I made my efforts to come out from the compartment into the passage

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make a lot of noisemake a noiseThe song has made a noise.

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dressed in bluein Out there a rather fat man, dressed in blue, was running about : A rather fat man who was dressed in blue was running up and down outside the train

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WELLWELLEG Well, do as you please Well, who was it? Well, Heres Jack. return

raise vt.To move to a higher position; elevate: raised the loads with a crane.To gather together; collect: raise money from the neighbors for a charity.

So I raised my two bags high in the air, and made signs over the mens heads that I wanted to get out.that return

lean downThe tree leans down towards the house.

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Looked at me out of the tops of his eyes

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He could not believe his ears.She could not believe her eyes.

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I thought that he was going to need a doctor.

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he cried at the top of his voicetop n.The uppermost part, point, surface, or end. The highest degree, pitch, or point; the peak, acme, or zenith: It had come at a time when he was not feeling at the top of his form? Anthony Powell)() return

He looked away from me towards the back of the train.look away from

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something new here is a euphemism. The man means that the narrator will be punished because of stopping the train. Then he said, There will soon be something new in your life.

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You may stop every other train in the world if you like ,.every other train The Flying Bluebird. every other:

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Thats something new in the world.newEG. The doctor told her not to take anything sweet.

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There were about twelve people between me and the outside door, and the floor of the corridor was covered with all kinds of things12be covered with: return

But what was the use of that?: But it was no use telling me to get out of the train.Thatget out at once

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It was true that I could not get out; but it was also true that they could not get in.It is true that but It is true EG, It is true that he is not clever, but he is very diligent.

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He took his four men away from the window.take sb. away from

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We shall see.: We shall see if it is impossible to get out of the train.

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My bank was far away: I could not draw money from the bank because it was a long distance away.

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The policemen were throwing the suitcases and boxes out of the train.

throwing out of

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lose hope of :It is very dangerous for a man who lost hope of living.

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It seemed a long time before the officer reached me.BEFORE BEFORE NOT UNITILBEFORE+BEFOREEG, Any pictures that are taken will have to travel for three minutes before they reach the earth.3 return

Good morning!Here Good morning is used for greeting. In Chinese, we say It is quite different from Good morning in the following which means Good bye for farewell.

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when at last his face came round the door:when he at last appeared at the door.

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He was a man who could think.Here obviously the narrator implied that the man in blue was a person who couldnt think. If a person who could not think with his brain, he is a fool. return

who did not look very happy is a non-attributive clause modifies the man.

According to the context we can guess the reason of his being unhappy.

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to take my place in the police stationTake ones place as we ve learnt that earlier just means here in Chinese.It implied that the man in blue would be punished in the police station because of his fault. return

Comments

Lesson 2 begins with a description of the panic in the station caused by the narrator. Policemen were sent for. After a careful investigation into the matter, the police officer allowed the narrator to leave and decided to place the blame on the train official. He should not have allowed the corridor to become so crowded. Through out this part the narrator keeps the reader involved in his worries: Will he miss his boat? Will he be taken to jail? The end provides a satisfactory climax for the readers emotions. The person who was really in the wrong was punished.In an informal and light style the narrator tries to make an amusing story out of a very serious matter. It sets the reader thinking about these questions: What tragedies could occur from such an overcrowded condition? What would happen if someone had a heart attack? What if a fire broke out? return

Outline of the textComment on the story

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Answer: It caused great panic outside in the station.

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Answer: A train official

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Answer: Because no one had ever stopped this train before.

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Answer: He threatened to have the narrator taken to the police station.

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Answer: Railway policemen

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Answer: He got on the train to find out why the narrator could not get off the train

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No.return

Answer: The fat man in blue.

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Answer: At first we may think it means The Flying Bluebird was never late, but when we finish reading the whole story , it suddenly dawns upon us that it also refers to the narrators never being late to catch his ship. return

Answer: A humorous story.

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Just contrary to the readers expectation, the train official was taken to the police station.

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