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O'Henry was born in Greensboro, a little town in North
Carolina in 1862. His real name was William Sydney Porter
The works of this writer reflect a specific period in American
literature — the turn of the century. His credo was — art
should be true, democratic and it should address contemporary
life and embrace all aspects of life.
O'Henry was an outstanding humourist. He worked out
and enriched all the types of the short story: the anecdote, the
adventure story, tales and sketches. The best of his works
were published in books: "Cabbages and Kings", "The Four
Million", "Heart of the West", "The Voice of the City" and
others. He was most famous for his stories of city Me. O'Henry
wrote nearly 150 stories with a New York background. His
works have considerable influence on American literature. His
love for humanity, for the common people, his critical attitude
towards injustice attract readers to this day. O'Henry could
work out a plot that would keep the reader in suspense up to
the surprising end.
He was a born writer of great talent. The conversation is
witty, humorous and often exact and precise. O'Henry is one
of the most widely published American authors. His works
have been translated into nearly every language. He has been
called "The American Maupassant" and is ranked among the
world's outstanding short-story writers.
Questions:
1. When was O'Henry born?
2. What was his real name?
3. What was O'Henry's credo?
4. Was O'Henry a born writer of great talent?
5. Name the best of his published books.
Vocabulary:
contemporary — современный
sketch — очерк
witty — остроумный
precise — точный
to be ranked — состоять
injustice — несправедливость
suspense — ожидание
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