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Glossary

•yawned:openedhermouthtotakebreathbecauseshewastiredorbored

•overlooked:wasover•swore:promised

I was alone and it was almost two o’clock. A confused soundof voices was coming from a room that overlooked• the terrace.Iwentin.Theroomwasfullofpeople.Oneofthegirlsinyellowwasplayingthepiano,andatallred-hairedladyfromafamouschoruswassinging.

Peoplewereleavingthepartynow.ItwastimeformetogotoosoIwentintothehalltogetmyhat.JustthenthedoorofthelibraryopenedandJordanandGatsbycameout.

‘I’vejustheardthemostamazingthing,’shewhisperedtome,‘butI swore• Iwouldn’t tell.’ Sheyawned•. ‘Please comeandseeme.’Andshehurriedoffto joinhergroup,whowerewaitingforheratthedoor.

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•gesture:handmovement•crescentmoon:

IwentandjoinedthepeoplearoundGatsby.IwantedtoexplaintohimthatIhadlookedforhimearlierintheevening.Ialsowantedtoapologizefornotrecognizinghiminthegarden.

‘Don’tmentionit,oldsport,’heanswered,puttinghishandonmyshoulder.Hiswordsandhisgesture•weremeanttobefriendlyandsincerebuttherewasnorealfeelingbehindthem.

FRIENDSAreNickandGatsbygoingtobecomegoodfriends?Whatisthemostimportantqualityofagoodfriend?Howdoyoutrytobeagoodfriend?

‘Anddon’tforgetwe’regoingoutinmynewboattomorrow,’headded.‘I’llpickyouupatnineo’clock.’

Thenthebutlersaid,‘Philadelphiawantsyouonthephone,sir.’‘TellthemI’llberightthere.Goodnightoldsport.’‘Goodnight,’Ireplied.Iwalkedhomeacrossthelawn.Istoppedandturnedroundonce.

Asmallcrescentmoon•wasshiningoverGatsby’shouse. Itwasabeautifulclearnight.Irememberedthemusicandthelaughteroftheevening.Thelightsinthegardenwerestillonbutthehouseseemedveryemptynow.

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Glossary •deceive:tricksomeonebybehaving

inadishonestway•tender:softandgentle;loving

•accounts:thefinancedepartment•cheated:acteddishonestlytowin

I’vegiventheimpressionthattheeventsofthesethreenightswereallthatinterestedmethatsummer.Thatisn’ttrue.Thosethreenightswereweeksapart.BetweenthemIledaveryfullandbusylife.MostofthetimeIworkedinNewYork.Imadefriendswiththeotheryoungmenintheofficeandhadlunchwiththemincrowdedrestaurants.Ievenhadashortloveaffairwithagirlwhoworkedinaccounts•,butwhenshewentawayonvacationIlettherelationshipendquietly.IusuallyhaddinnerattheYaleClub,andthenIwentupstairstothelibraryandreadforanhour.Afterthat,IoftenwalkeddownMadisonAvenueandacross33rdStreettothePennsylvaniaStation.IbegantolikeNewYork.

Ididn’t see JordanBaker forawhile,and then in themiddleofthe summer I met her again.At first I enjoyedgoing out with her.Because she was a golf champion everyone knew her name. ThenIrealisedmyfeelingswerechanging. Iwasn’t in lovewithherbutI felt tender• towardsher.Shewasastronglycompetitivewoman.Irememberedthatshehadoncecheated•inatournamentthatshewaslosing.However,Ididn’tletherknowmyfeelings.IknewIhadtoendtherelationshipwiththegirlbackhomeintheMidwestfirst.IhavealwaysbeenanhonestpersonandIknewIcouldn’tcontinuetodeceive•her.

the finance departmentacted dishonestly

home in the Midwesthonest person and I knew I couldn’t

her.

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ChapterFour

Atnineo’clockonemorninginlateJuly,Gatsbydroveuptothefrontofmyhouseandsoundedthehorn•ofhiscar.

‘Goodmorning,oldsport,’hesaidwhenIopenedthedoor.‘We’rehavinglunchtodayandIthoughtwe’dridetheretogether.’

Ilookedwithadmirationathiscar.‘It’spretty,isn’tit,oldsport?Haven’tyouseenitbefore?’‘Yes,ofcourse.It’sgorgeous•.’EverybodyknewGatsby’scar.Itwasarichcreamcolour,almost

yellowandhadgreenleatherseats.Therewasplentyofspaceinitforallkindsofboxes–hatboxes,picnicboxesandtool•boxes.

IgotinandhedroveoffthroughWestEgg.I’d talked with him half a dozen• times in the last month and

found, to my disappointment, that he had little to say. I no longerthoughtthathewasanimportantperson.Hewasjusttheownerofthebighousenextdoor.SoIwassurprisedwhenhesuddenlyturnedtomeandsaid,‘What’syouropinionofme,oldsport?’

Ididn’tknowwhattosay.

OPINIONSHowquicklydoyouformanopinionofaperson?Haveyoueverchangedyourfirstopinionofaperson?Why?Areyouropinionsinfluencedbyotherpeople’sopinions?

•tools:•gorgeous:beautiful•halfadozen:six•horn:partofacarthatmakesa

warningnoisewhenyoutouchit

4

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Glossary

•sideways:fromoneside•wealthy:rich

•ancestors:relativeswholivedalongtimeago

•inherited:gotfromanotherperson(usuallywhentheydie)

‘I’mgoingtotellyouaboutmylife,’hecontinued.‘Idon’twantyoutogetthewrongideafromthestoriesyouhear.’

Soheknewaboutthestrangethingspeoplesaidabouthim.‘I’ll tell you the truth,’ he said. ‘I’m the son of some wealthy•

peoplefromtheMidwest.IwasbroughtupinAmericabuteducatedatOxford.Allmyancestors•havebeenthere.It’safamilytradition.’

Hesaid‘educatedatOxford’veryquicklyandcheckedmyreactionwithasideways•look.NowIunderstoodwhyJordandidn’tbelievethisstory.Perhapstherereallywassomethingsinisterabouthim.

‘ButthenallmyfamilydiedandIinherited•lotsofmoney.’Ilookedathim.ForamomentIthoughthewasjokingbuthisface

wasveryserious.

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TheGreatGatsby

•rubies:redpreciousstones•valour:bravery

•Earl:nobleman’stitle•enchanted:(here)lucky;fortunate

‘After that,’ he continued, ‘I lived in all the big European cities– Paris, Venice, Rome. I collected rubies•, went hunting, painted alittleandtriedtoforgetsomethingverysadthathappenedtomelongago.’

Ididn’tknowwhethertobelievehimornotbutI lethimgoonwithhisstory.

‘Then the war started, old sport. I tried very hard to die, but Iseemedtohaveanenchanted•life.’

He’dwonmanymedals.Hetookoneoutofhispocketandshowedittome.

‘Turnitover,’hesaid.OnthebackofthemedalIread: ‘MajorJayGatsby.ForValour•

Extraordinary.’HealsoshowedmeaphotographofhimselfatOxford.‘ThemanonmyleftistheEarl•ofDorcaster,’hesaid.Soitwasalltrue.‘I’mgoingtoaskyoutodomeabigfavourtoday,’hesaid.‘Ididn’t

wantyoutothinkIwasjustanobody.I’musuallyamongstrangersbecauseI’malwaysmovingfromplacetoplacetryingtoforgetthesadthingthathappenedtome.’

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Hehesitated.‘You’llhearaboutitthisafternoon.Iknowyou’rehavingteawith

MissBaker,andshe’sagreedtotellyoueverything.’Thisannoyedmealittle.Ihadn’tinvitedJordantoteatotalkabout

JayGatsby.GatsbyracedthroughLongIslandCity.Thenjustbeforewereached

thebridge,Iheardthejug-jug-SPAT!noiseofamotorcyclenexttous.Itwasapoliceman.Hewantedustostop.Gatsbysloweddown,tookawhitecardoutofhispocketandshowedittohim.

‘Alright,oldsport?’‘Sorry,MrGatsby,sir!I’llrecogniseyounexttime.’‘Whatwasthat?’Iasked.‘TheOxfordphotograph?’‘Ididthechiefofpoliceafavouronce.NowhesendsmeaChristmas

cardeveryyear,’hereplied.We went to a restaurant on Forty-second Street, where Gatsby

introducedmetohisfriendWolfsheim.‘Thisplaceisnice,’Wolfsheimsaid,‘butIliketheMetropoleacross

the street better. It’s full of memories. Faces and friends dead andgoneforever.Ican’tforgetthenighttheyshotRosyRosenthalthere.Thereweresixofusatthetable,andRosyhadeatenanddrunkalotallevening.Thenthewaitercameuptohimandsaidthatsomebodywantedtospeaktohimoutside.Hestoodupandsaidtome‘Don’tletthatwaitertakeawaymycoffee!’Thenhewentoutside.Theyshothimthreetimesanddroveaway.’

‘Iremember,’Isaid.

WOLFSHEIMWhodoyouthinkWolfsheim’sfriendswere?WhatdoyouknowaboutAmericainthe1920s?

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Wolfsheimturnedtome.‘Iunderstandyou’relookingforabusinessconnection,’hesaid.Gatsbyansweredforme,‘No,thisisn’ttheman.He’sjustafriend.

We’lltalkaboutthatanothertime.’‘I’msorry.Imadeamistake.’Heseemeddisappointed.OurfoodarrivedandMrWolfsheimstartedtoeathungrily.

Gatsbyleanedtowardsme.‘I’msorry,oldsport.IthinkImadeyouangrythismorning.’

‘Idon’tlikemysteries,’Irepliedcoldly.‘WhydidyouinvolveMissBaker?Can’tyoutellmeyourself?’

‘Oh,shedoesn’tmind,’hesaid.Then he looked at his watch, jumped up suddenly and hurried

fromtheroom.

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