مدينتى My beloved Alexandria

How to make a writing test

Test writing  

-        The elements of a good test

-       Validity of a test

-       Reliability of a test

-       The affect of tests

-       Other features of a good test

-       Assessing difficulty

-       Conclusion

If you think taking tests is difficult then you should try writing them! Writing a good test is indeed quite a challenge and one that takes patience, experience and a degree of trial and error. There are many steps you can take to ensure that your test is more effective and that test writing becomes a learning experience.

The elements of a good test

A good test will give us a more reliable indication of our students' skills and it ensures that they don't suffer unfairly because of a poor question. How can we be sure that we have produced a good test?

·         One way is very simply to think about how we feel about it afterwards. Do the results reflect what we had previously thought about the skills of the students? Another simple way is to ask the students for some feedback. They will soon tell you if they felt a question was unfair or if a task type was unfamiliar.

Validity of a test

A good test also needs to be valid. It must test what it is meant to test. A listening test that has very complicated questions afterwards can be as much of a test of reading as listening. Also a test that relies on cultural knowledge cannot measure a student's ability to read and comprehend a passage.

Reliability of a test

A test should also be reliable. This means that it should produce consistent results at different times. If the test conditions stay the same, different groups of students at a particular level of ability should get the same result each time.

·         A writing test may not be reliable as the marking may be inconsistent and extremely subjective, especially if there are a number of different markers. Thus to try and ensure the test is more reliable it is essential to have clear descriptors of what constitutes each grade.

·         In an oral interview it is important to ensure that the examiner maintains the same attitude with all the candidates. The test will be less reliable if he is friendly with some candidates but stern with others. You should try to ensure that the test conditions are as consistent as possible.

The affect of tests

We must also bear in mind the affect of our tests. Has the test caused too much anxiety in the students? Are the students familiar with the test types in the exam?

·         If a student has never seen a cloze passage before she may not be able to write a test that reflects her true ability. The solution to this is to try and reduce the negative effects by using familiar test types and making the test as non-threatening as possible.

Other features of a good test

Other features of a good test are that there is a variety of test types and that it is as interesting as possible.

·         A variety of test types will ensure that the students have to stay focused and minimise the tiredness and boredom you can feel during a repetitive test.

·         Finding reading passages that are actually interesting to read can also help to maintain motivation during a test. A test should also be as objective as possible, providing a marking key and descriptors can help with this.

Assessing difficulty

Another important feature of a good test is that it is set at an appropriate level. You can only really find this out by giving the test and studying the results. Basically if everyone gets above 90% you know it is too easy or if everyone gets less than 10% it is obviously too difficult. For tests that aren't so extreme you will need to do some analysis of your test. You can do this by analyzing the individual items for difficulty.

·         In order to do this mark all of the tests and divide them into three equal groups, high, middle and low.

·         Make a note for each item of how many candidates got the answer correct from the high and the low group (leave aside the middle group). To find the level of difficulty you need to do a quick calculation.

o    Take one question and add the number of students from the high group who have the correct answer to the number from the low group.

o    Then divide this by the total number of people from both groups (high and low). It is thought that if over 90% of candidates get the answer right it is too easy. If fewer than 30% get it right it is too difficult.

·         Also bear in mind that if most of the answers are in the 30's and 40's it would be best to rewrite the test. It's the same if most of the answers are in the 80's and 90's.

·         The final step is to reject the items that are too easy or difficult.

Conclusion
Always bear in mind though that the difficulty of an item may relate to whether it has been covered in class or it may give an indication of how well it was understood. Such test analysis can give us information about how effective our teaching has been as well as actually evaluating the test. Evaluating tests carefully can ensure that the test improves after it is taken and can give us feedback on improving our test writing.

Below is a suggested procedure for writing a test.

·         Decide what kind of test it is going to be (achievement, proficiency)

·         Write a list of what the test is going to cover

·         Think about the length, layout and the format

·         Find appropriate texts

·         Weight the sections according to importance/time spent etc.

·         Write the questions

·         Write the instructions and examples

·         Decide on the marks

·         Make a key

·         Write a marking scheme for less objective questions

·         Pilot the test

·         Review and revise the test and key

·         After the test has been taken, analyze the results and decide what can be kept / rejected.
                                                                       (copied) 

Make Body Language Your Superpower for teacher and speakers as well

How to Start a Speech

Moby-Dick (II)

قصة رحلات جاليفر -الفصل الثانى { القصة المقررة على طلبة الصف الثانى الثانوى }

Chapter 2

Questions and answers:-

1-What did Gulliver do to punish people who hurt him?

He picked them up  and put five of them in his pocket. He held the other one in his hand and picked up a knife. He laughed and moved the knife towards the little man's hands. They all looked horrified.

2-What did the guard think Gulliver would do with the men who shot him ?

They thought he was going to eat them .

3- How did the king try to reward Gulliver for his kindness?

The King decided to make him a bed.

4- How could the kings men make Gulliver a bed? 

Workmen fitted together six hundred beds

5- What made the king worried about too many people coming to see Gulliver?

The King became worried because some of the villages were now so empty that there were not enough people to work in the fields.

7-How did the king solve the problem of people coming to see Gulliver?

He made a new law saying that no one could see him without a license, which people had to pay for.

8- How would they be able to feed Gulliver during his stay on the island?

It was decided that all the people living near the city should supply sixty cows, forty sheep, bread and fruit every morning to help feed him.

9-How would they look after Gulliver during his stay on the island?

Six hundred people would be paid to look after him. Another three hundred people would be employed to make his clothes and six of the King's best advisers would become his teachers, helping him to learn their language.

10- What measures did the king take before setting Gulliver free?

 Two of the king’s soldiers were allowed to search his clothes for any weapons

11-What was the aim of searching Gulliver for any dangerous weapons?

The king must protect his people. He must guarantee their safety.

12-How could the king’s soldier search Gulliver despite his big size?

Gulliver helped them , put them first in his coat pockets and then in his other pockets.

13-What thing couldn’t the soldier find on searching Gulliver?

The soldiers had not found a pair of glasses and some other things that he had kept in a secret pocket.

14-How did the soldiers behave when they heard the loud noise of the gun? Why?

The noise made the soldiers fall onto the ground in fear. The noise was too loud for them.

15-What puzzled the king about the watch?

He did not understand what it was for or why it made a continuous noise.

16- Why did the king order his men to take the guns and the watch to the palace?

So that his experts could examine them.

17-What did Gulliver do to gain the Kings' trust?

He did everything  he could to please the King. So that they would set him free.

 18-Did Gulliver succeed in gaining the king’s  trust?  

Yes he did, Gulliver complied to the king. The King soon invited Gulliver to some important events.

 19-What did the king invite Gulliver to?

The King invited him to some important events to watch some of the country's best athletes.

 20-How did people practice high jump on the island of Lilliput?

Two men held the ends of a long pole and the athletes took turns to jump over the pole. After each successful jump, the pole was put in a higher position.

21-What was the winner given at the end of the competition?

The person who jumped the highest was given a coloured ribbon by the King

22-How did the king try to show Gulliver their  forces?

The King decided to show Gulliver  the size of his army.

23-What did the king ask the soldier to do in the show?

He ordered three thousand of his soldiers to ride their horses in a line between his legs while Gulliver stood without moving by the town gates. The people  loved watching this and everyone clapped

24- Who was against setting Gulliver’s free\ giving his freedom?

 One adviser called Skyresh Bolgolam did not want Gulliver to be free.

25- What promises should Gulliver make to be set free?

   Gulliver must promise not to enter the city unless he was asked

   -He must promise not to step on any of the people of Lilliput.

   -He must not lie down in any fields.

   -He must agree not to leave the country without a licence.

   -Finally, he must promise to fight for the King if there was ever a war with Blefuscu.

26- What did Gulliver ask the king to do on setting him free?

He asked the king  if he could see his great city, which was called Mildendo.

27-What was Mildendo?

It was the king’s great city.

28-On what conditions did the king give Gulliver permission to see the city?

He had to be very careful not to damage any of the buildings or hurt any of the people.

29- How did the king try to warn people against Gulliver’s visit to Mildendo?

  He orderd men to  put up a notice warning the people about his visit .

30- Why do you think Gulliver didn’t go through the city’s gate?

 Because the gate was too small for him. Gulliver was too big for the gate.

31- Why did Gulliver have to be careful while walking down the streets?

He needed to be careful that his coat did not damage the roofs of the small houses.

32- What could Gulliver see in the city of Mildendo?

There were many shops and little markets and in the centre of the city stood the King's palace.

33-How could Gulliver pass over the palace without damaging any walls?

He  cut down some of the largest trees to make stools. He stood on one of them and passed the other over the roof of the palace.

34- Who was Reldresal,

He was an important official who worked for the King

35- How could Reldresal talk to Gulliver despite his small size?

Gulliver offered to lie down so he could speak to him easily, but he suggested that he stand in Gulliver's hand instead. "

36- What was the inside problem in the country?

There has been a great argument between the two main political groups. Tramecksan and Slamecksan.

37- What was the argument between Tramecksan and Slamecksan about ?

Tramecksan, believed that people should wear high heels on their shoes because this was the country's tradition. The Slamecksan, believed that they should wear low heels because this was more modern.

38- Why did Slamecksan think about the heels ? why?

They believed that they  should wear low heels because this was more modern.

39- What was Belfusco ? Where was Belfusco ?

Blefuscu was an island about 800metres to the northeast of Lilliput

40- What did Reldersal tell Gulliver about Belfuscu ?

Reldresal said that this island was nearly as large and as powerful as Lilliput and the countries had been fighting each other for many years.

41- How did the war between the Lilliput and Belfuscu begin ?

They disagreed about how to break  a boiled egg  before they ate it.

42- What was the traditional way to break an egg?

 The traditional way to break an egg before you eat it is to break it at the larger end.

43- What were the people of Belfuso  planning to?

 They were planning to attack Lilliput any day soon.

44- Why did the king ask Reldresal  to tell Gulliver about this problem?"

 Because he wants Gulliver  to help them in their fight against Belfuscu.

Quotations

1 – "Off you go, Your king wants to keep me tied up, but I don't mind  if you are free."

1 – Who said these words?

2 – To whom was he speaking?

3 – What did Gulliver do with the other men in his pocket?

2 – " I think this helped my situation."

1 – Who said these words?

2 – What did he mean by this?

3 – How did this helped his situation?

3 – "Your Highness, you know I won't hurt your people."

1 – Who was the speaker and to whom?

2 – What did Gulliver ask from the king?

3 – What was the king's answer?

4 –" First of all, you must allow two of my soldiers to search your clothes."

1 – Who said these words and to whom?

2 – What would search him for?

3 – What was Gulliver answer?

6 – "Whatever we find in your pockets, we will keep them."

1 – Who said these words and to whom?

2 – What would they do with these things?

3 – What did they find in his pockets?

7 – " Your sword looks extremely dangerous. Please put it down."

1 - Who said this and two whom?

2 – What did Gulliver do ?

3 – What did he show the king after that ?

8 – " I will show you, don't worry , they will make loud noise."

1 – Who said these words and to whom?

2 – What were these things?

3 – What happened when he fired them into the air?

9 – " What is this strange machine for? Why does it make noise?"

1 – Who said these words and to whom?

2 – What machine does he refer to?

3 – What did Gulliver say about the watch?   We use it to measure time 

10 – "I hope you will be a useful servant to me and prove that I've been right to feed you and give you clothes."

1 - Who was the speaker?

2 - To whom was he speaking?

3 - How did he feed him?

11 - "I will do my best."

1 - Who was the speaker?

2 - Why did he say this ?

3 - What did Gulliver ask the king for?

12 –"we are all pleased that you're now free, but this is only because of the difficult situation in Lilliput."

1 - Who said this and to whom?

2 - What was the outside problem?

3 - Why did the king send this person to Gulliver?

13- "This law is not at all popular and there have been many rebellions because of it."

1 - Who was the speaker and to whom?

2 - Who put that law?

3 - What was that law?

14 -"I am ready to help to defend your country from any coming attack."

1 - Who said this and to whom?

2 - Why did Gulliver agree to do that? Because he  had promised to help them

3 - Against whom he would help?

Find the mistakes and correct the sentences

1 - Gulliver used the knife to kill the man.

2 - Because of his kindness , The king decided to make Gulliver a bag.

3 - The king made a law saying that it is allowed to see Gulliver without a licence.

4 - The king appointed some of the farmers to teach Gulliver.

5 - Gulliver asked the king not to set him free.

6 - In Gulliver's pocket , the soldiers found a sword and some scissors.

7 - The king gave the winner of the competition a black ribbon.

8 - The king's army moved between Gulliver's hands.

9 - Gulliver had to make some promises to be punished.

10 - Gulliver should step on any one of Lilliput.

11 - Gulliver refused all the promises happily.

12 - There are three problems that face the king.

13 - The outside problem was about wearing shoes with high or low heels.

14 - The king made a law that everyone should break the  egg at the larger end.

15 - The king wanted Gulliver to fight against him in his war.

The Necklace . by Guy de Maupassant

THE DIAMOND NECKLACE

                             The Necklace :by Guy de Maupassant 

The girl was one of those pretty and charming young creatures who sometimes are born, as if by a slip of fateالقدر , into a family of clerks. She had no dowry مهر, no expectations, no way of being known, understood, loved, married by any rich and distinguished man; so she let herself be married to a little clerk of the Ministry of Public Instruction وزارة التعليم. She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was unhappy as if she had really fallen from a higher station; since with women there is neither caste طبقة اجتماعية  nor rank ولارتبة اولقب , for beauty, grace and charm take the place of family and birth. Natural ingenuityابداع  , instinctغريزة / فطرة   for what is elegant, a supple مرن mind are their sole hierarchy  التسلسل الهرمى, and often make of women of the people the equals of the very greatest ladies.

Mathilde suffered ceaselessly, feeling herself born to enjoy all delicacies اشهى الاطعمة  and all luxuries. She was distressed at the poverty of her dwelling مسكن, at the bareness of the walls, at the shabby متهالك chairs,the ugliness of the curtains. All those things, of which another woman of her rank would never even have been conscious, tortured her and made her angry. The sight of the little Breton peasant who did her humble housework aroused in her despairing regrets and bewildering dreams. She thought of silent ante-chambers hung with Oriental tapestry فرش , illumined by tall bronze candelabra شمعدان, and of two great footmen in knee breeches who sleep in the big armchairs, made drowsy by the oppressive heat of the stove. She thought of long reception halls hung with ancient silk, of the dainty cabinets containing priceless curiosities  العجيبةand of the little coquettish perfumed reception rooms made for chatting at five o’clock with intimate friends, with men famous and sought after, whom all women envy and whose attention they all desire.

    When she sat down to dinner, before the round table covered with a tablecloth in use three days, opposite her husband, who uncovered the soup tureen سلطانية and declared with a delighted air ,“Ah, the good soup! I don’t know anything better than that,”

she thought of dainty dinners, of shining silverware, of tapestry that peopled the walls with ancient personages and with strange birds flying in the midst of a fairy forest; and she thought of delicious dishes served on marvelous plates and of the whispered gallantries to which you listen with a sphinxlike smile while you are eating the pink meat of a trout or the wings of a quail.She had no gowns, no jewels, nothing. And she loved nothing but that. She felt made for that. She would have liked so much to please, to be envied, to be charming, to be sought after.

She had a friend, a former schoolmate at the convent, who was rich, and whom she did not like to go to see any more because she felt so sad when she came home.

But one evening her husband reached home with a triumphant air and holding a large envelope in his hand.

 There,” said he, “there is something for you.”She tore the paper quickly and drew out a printed card which bore these words:  The Minister of Public Instruction and Madame Georges Ramponneau request the honor of M. and Madame Loisel’s company at the palace of the Ministry on Monday evening,

                                                                         January 18th.

Instead of being delighted, as her husband had hoped, she threw the invitation on the table crossly, muttering:What do you wish me to do with that?”

“Why, my dear, I thought you would be glad. You never go out, and this is such a fine opportunity. I had great trouble to get it. Everyone wants to go; it is very select, and they are not giving many invitations to clerks. The whole official world will

be there.”

She looked at him with an irritated glance and said impatiently:

“And what do you wish me to put on my back?”

He had not thought of that. He stammered: Why, the gown you go to the theatre in. It looks very well to me.”

He stopped, distracted, seeing that his wife was weepingتنتحب . Two great tears ran slowly from the corners of her eyes toward the corners of her mouth.

“What’s the matter? What’s the matter?” he answered.

By a violent effort she conquered her grief and replied in a calm voice, while she wiped her wet cheeks: Nothing. Only I have no gown ثوب, and, therefore, I can’t go to this ball. Give your card to some colleague whose wife is better equipped than I am.”

He was in despair. He resumed: Come, let us see, Mathilde. How much would it cost, a suitable gown, which you could use on other occasions something very simple?”

She reflected several seconds, making her calculations and wondering also what sum she could ask without drawing on herself an immediate refusal and a frightened exclamation from the economical clerk.

Finally she replied hesitating: I don’t know exactly, but I think I could manage it with four hundred francs.”

He grew a little pale, because he was laying aside just that amount to buy a gun and treat himself to a little shooting next summer on the plain of Nanterre, with several friends who went to shoot larks  there of a Sunday.

But he said:Very well. I will give you four hundred francs. And try to have a pretty gown.”

The day of the ball drew near and Madame Loisel seemed sad, uneasy, anxious. Her frock was ready, however. Her husband said to her one evening:

“What is the matter? Come, you have seemed very queer these last three days.”

And she answered: It annoys me not to have a single piece of jewelry, not a

single ornament, nothing to put on. I shall look poverty strickenمنكوب بالفقر. I would almost rather not go at all.”

“You might wear natural flowers,” said her husband. “They’re very stylish at this time of year. For ten francs you can get two or three magnificent roses.” She was not convinced.  No; there’s nothing more humiliating than to look poor among other women who are rich.”

“How stupid you are!” her husband cried. “Go look up your friend, Madame Forestier, and ask her to lend you some jewels. You’re intimate enough with her to do that.”

She uttered a cry of joy: True! I never thought of it.”

The next day she went to her friend and told her of her distress.

Madame Forestier went to a wardrobe with a mirror, took out a large jewel box, brought it back, opened it and said to Madame Loisel:Choose, my dear.”

She saw first some bracelets, then a pearl necklace, then aVenetian gold cross set with precious stones, of admirable workmanship. She tried on the ornaments before the mirror, hesitated and could not make up her mind to part with them, to give them back. She kept asking: Haven’t you any more?”

“Why, yes. Look further; I don’t know what you like.”

Suddenly she discovered, in a black satin box, a superb diamond necklace, and her heart throbbed with an immoderate desire. Her hands trembled as she took it. She fastened it round her throat, outside her high-necked waist, and was lost in ecstasy at her reflection in the mirror.

Then she asked, hesitating, filled with anxious doubt:

“Will you lend me this, only this?”

“Why, yes, certainly.”

She threw her arms round her friend’s neck, kissed her passionately, then fled with her treasure.

The night of the ball arrived. Madame Loisel was a great success. She was prettier than any other woman present, elegant,graceful, smiling and wild with joy. All the men looked at her,asked her name, sought to be introduced. All the attaches of

the Cabinet wished to waltz with her. She was remarked by the minister himself.

She danced with raptureنشوة , with passionعاطفة , intoxicated by pleasure ثملة بهذه المتعة , forgetting all in the triumph of her beauty, in the glory of her success, in a sort of cloud of happiness comprised of all this homage, admiration, these awakened desires and of that sense of triumph which is so sweet to woman’s heart.

She left the ball about four o’clock in the morning. Her husband had been sleeping since midnight in a little deserted anteroom غرفة المدخل with three other gentlemen whose wives were enjoying the ball.He threw over her shoulders the wraps he had brought, the modest wraps of common life, the poverty of which contrasted

with the elegance of the ball dress. She felt this and wished to escape so as not to be remarked by the other women, who were enveloping themselves in costly furs.

Loisel held her back, saying: “Wait a bit. You will catch cold outside. I will call a cab.”

But she did not listen to him and rapidly descended the stairs.

When they reached the street they could not find a carriage and began to look for one, shouting after the cabmen passing at a distance.

They went toward the Seine in despair, shivering with cold.

At last they found on the quay رصيف الميناء one of those ancient night cabs which, as though they were ashamed to show their shabbiness during the day, are never seen round Paris until after dark.

It took them to their dwelling in the Rue des Martyrs, and sadly they mounted the stairs to their flat. All was ended for her. As to him, he reflected that he must be at the ministry at ten o’clock that morning.

She removed her wraps before the glass so as to see herself once more in all her glory. But suddenly she uttered a cry. She no longer had the necklace around her neck!

“What is the matter with you?” demanded her husband, already half undressed.

She turned distractedly toward him.

“I have—I have—I’ve lost Madame Forestier’s necklace,” she cried.

He stood up, bewildered.What!—how? Impossible!”

They looked among the folds of her skirt, of her cloak, in her pockets, everywhere, but did not find it.

“You’re sure you had it on when you left the ball?” he asked.

“Yes, I felt it in the vestibule of the minister’s house.”

“But if you had lost it in the street we should have heard it fall. It must be in the cab.”

“Yes, probably. Did you take his number?”

“No. And you—didn’t you notice it?”

“No.”

They looked, thunderstruck, at each other. At last Loisel put on his clothes.

“I shall go back on foot,” said he, “over the whole route, to see whether I can find it.”

He went out. She sat waiting on a chair in her ball dress,without strength to go to bed, overwhelmed, without any fire,without a thought.

Her husband returned about seven o’clock. He had found nothing. He went to police headquarters, to the newspaper offices to offer a reward; he went to the cab companies everywhere, in fact, whither he was urged by the least spark of hope.

     She waited all day, in the same condition of mad fear before this terrible calamityمصيبة.

Loisel returned at night with a hollow, pale face. He had discovered nothing.

“You must write to your friend,” said he, “that you have broken the claspقفل of her necklace and that you are having it mended.

That will give us time to turn round.”She wrote at his dictation.

     At the end of a week they had lost all hope. Loisel, who had aged five years, declared:

“We must consider how to replace that ornament.”

The next day they took the box that had contained it and went to the jeweler whose name was found within. He consulted his books.

“It was not I, madame, who sold that necklace; I must simply have furnished the case.”

Then they went from jeweler to jeweler, searching for a necklace like the other, trying to recall it, both sick with chagrin الحزن والكدرand grief.

    They found, in a shop at the Palais Royal, a string of diamonds that seemed to them exactly like the one they had lost.

    It was worth forty thousand francs. They could have it for thirty six.

So they begged the jeweler not to sell it for three days yet.

      And they made a bargain that he should buy it back for thirty four thousand francs, in case they should find the lost necklace before the end of February.

    Loisel possessed eighteen thousand francs which his father had left him. He would borrow the rest. He did borrow, asking a thousand francs of one, five hundred of another, five louis here, three louis there. He gave notes, took up ruinous obligations, dealt with usurers and all the race

of lenders. He compromised all the rest of his life, risked signing a note without even knowing whether he could meet it; and, frightened by the trouble yet to come, by the black misery that was about to fall upon him, by the prospect of all the physical privations and moral tortures that he was to suffer, he went to get the new necklace, laying upon the jeweler’s counter thirty six thousand francs.

     When Madame Loisel took back the necklace Madame Forestier said to her with a chilly بارد manner: You should have returned it sooner; I might have needed it.”

She did not open the case, as her friend had so much feared.

If she had detected the substitution استبدال, what would she have thought, what would she have said? Would she not have taken Madame Loisel for a thief ?

   Thereafter Madame Loisel knew the horrible existence of the needy. She bore her part, however, with sudden heroism. That dreadful debt must be paid. She would pay it. They dismissed their servant; they changed their lodgings; they rented a garret under the roof.

She came to know what heavy housework meant and the odious بغيض  cares of the kitchen. She washed the dishes, using her dainty fingers and rosy nails on greasy دهنى pots and pans. She washed the soiled linen الكتان المتسخ, the shirts and the dishcloths, which she dried upon a line; she carried the slops down to the street every morning and carried up the water, stopping for breath at every landing.

And dressed like a woman of the people, she went to the fruiterer, the grocer, the butcher, a basket on her arm, bargaining, meeting with impertinence, defending her miserable money, sou by sou.

     Every month they had to meet some notes, renew others, obtain more time.

Her husband worked evenings, making up a tradesman’s accounts, and late at night he often copied manuscript for five sous a page.

   This life lasted ten years.

   At the end of ten years they had paid everything, everything ,with the rates of usury and the accumulations of the compound interest.

Madame Loisel looked old now. She had become the woman of impoverished households—strong and hard and rough. With frowsy hair, skirts askew and red hands, she talked loud while washing the floor with great swishes of water. But sometimes, when her husband was at the office, she sat down near the window and she thought of that gay evening of long ago, of that ball where she had been so beautiful and so admired.

What would have happened if she had not lost that necklace? Who knows? who knows? How strange and changeful is life! How small a thing is needed to make or ruin us!

But one Sunday, having gone to take a walk in the Champs Elysees to refresh herself after the labors of the week, she suddenly perceived نظرت الى  a woman who was leading a child. It was Madame Forestier, still young, still beautiful, still charming.

Madame Loisel felt moved. Should she speak to her? Yes, certainly. And now that she had paid, she would tell her all about it. Why not?

She went up.

“Good-day, Jeanne.”

The other, astonished to be familiarly addressed by this plain good-wife, did not recognize her at all and stammered: But madam!—I do not know—You must have mistaken.”

“No. I am Mathilde Loisel.”

Her friend uttered a cry. Oh, my poor Mathilde! How you are changed!”

“Yes, I have had a pretty hard life, since I last saw you, and great poverty and that because of you!”

“Of me! How so?”

“Do you remember that diamond necklace you lent me to wear at the ministerial ball?”

“Yes. Well?”

“Well, I lost it.”

“What do you mean? You brought it back.”

“I brought you back another exactly like it. And it has taken us ten years to pay for it. You can understand that it was not easy for us, for us who had nothing. At last it is ended, and I am very glad.”

Madame Forestier had stopped.

“You say that you bought a necklace of diamonds to replace mine?”

“Yes. You never noticed it, then! They were very similar.”

And she smiled with a joy that was at once proud and ingenuous.

Madame Forestier, deeply moved, took her hands.

“Oh, my poor Mathilde! Why, my necklace was paste نسخة مقلدة! It was worth at most only five hundred francs!”