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The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County is one of Mark Twain’s best-known humorous short stories. It was first published in The Saturday Press on November 18, 1865, and was later included in Twain’s collection The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and Other Sketches, published in 1867. The story helped establish Twain as a distinctive American humorist and storyteller.
Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was an American writer and humorist. He became famous for works such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. His writing often combines humor, satire, regional speech, and observations about human behavior.
The story takes place in the old mining camp of Angel’s Camp, California. It begins when the narrator visits an elderly man named Simon Wheeler and asks him about a man called Leonidas W. Smiley. Instead of answering the question directly, Wheeler begins telling a long and amusing story about another man, Jim Smiley, who has an extraordinary passion for gambling.
Jim Smiley is willing to bet on almost anything. He owns several unusual animals, but his greatest pride is a highly trained frog named Dan’l Webster. Smiley believes that his frog can outjump any other frog in the county. When a mysterious stranger challenges this belief, Smiley eagerly accepts a bet. However, the stranger has a clever trick that completely changes the outcome of the competition.
This adapted version has been rewritten especially for English learners at the C1–C2 level. The original story contains nineteenth-century expressions, regional dialect, unusual vocabulary, and long sentences that can be challenging for modern learners. This version keeps the main events, characters, humor, irony, and central idea of Twain’s story while presenting them in clearer and more natural modern English.
Reading this story can help advanced English learners develop their vocabulary, reading comprehension, sentence structure, and understanding of literary English. It also provides useful exposure to idiomatic expressions, descriptive language, dialogue, irony, and different ways of presenting characters and events.
As you read, pay attention not only to what happens to Jim Smiley and Dan’l Webster, but also to the way Simon Wheeler tells his story. His completely serious attitude toward increasingly ridiculous events is one of the main sources of Twain’s humor.
Enjoy the story—and see whether you can understand why a seemingly ordinary frog became the center of one of American literature’s most memorable comic stories.
This story has been carefully adapted and rewritten by LearnEnglish-new.com for advanced English learners. The original work by Mark Twain is in the public domain. This learner-friendly adaptation uses clear, modern English while preserving the main characters, events, humor, and themes of the original story. It is designed to help C1–C2 learners develop their reading comprehension, vocabulary, and understanding of literary English. Enjoy reading and improve your English skills!
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
By Mark Twain
Contents
Chapter One: Simon Wheeler’s Story
Chapter Two: Jim Smiley, the Great Bettor
Chapter Three: Dan’l Webster, the Jumping Frog
Chapter Four: The Stranger’s Bet
Chapter Five: The Trick Is Revealed
Chapter One
Simon Wheeler’s Story
At the request of a friend who had written to me from the East, I travelled to the old mining camp of Angel’s and went in search of a man named Simon Wheeler.
My friend had asked me to inquire about an old acquaintance of his, a certain Leonidas W. Smiley. According to him, Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley had once lived in Angel’s Camp, and Simon Wheeler might know something about him.
I had my doubts.
In fact, I suspected that Leonidas W. Smiley might never have existed at all. I imagined that my friend had invented the name simply because he knew what would happen if I mentioned the word “Smiley” to Simon Wheeler.
He knew that Wheeler would probably remember another Smiley—a man named Jim Smiley—and that once Wheeler began talking about Jim, there would be no easy way to stop him.
My suspicions proved to be correct.
I found Simon Wheeler sitting comfortably beside the stove in the barroom of a shabby old tavern. He was a fat, bald-headed man with a remarkably peaceful expression. There was something gentle and harmless about him.
I introduced myself and explained why I had come.
“I am looking for some information about Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley,” I said. “I understand that he may once have lived here.”
Wheeler listened carefully.
Then he moved his chair into a corner and, without seeming to realize what he was doing, positioned himself so that I had very little chance of escaping.
He began to speak.
His voice was calm and monotonous. His expression barely changed. He neither smiled nor frowned. Yet he spoke with such extraordinary seriousness that I soon understood something important:
Simon Wheeler genuinely believed that the story he was telling was fascinating.
I, on the other hand, had a growing suspicion that I was about to spend a considerable amount of time hearing something that had absolutely nothing to do with Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley.
Still, I decided not to interrupt him.
“There was a man here once by the name of Jim Smiley,” Wheeler began.
And so the story started.
Chapter 1 – Vocabulary
1. Acquaintance — a person you know, but who is not a close friend.
Example: My friend had asked me to inquire about an old acquaintance of his.
2. Inquire — to ask for information about someone or something.
Example: My friend had asked me to inquire about an old acquaintance of his.
3. Fictional — invented for a story and not based on a real person or event.
Example: I suspected that Leonidas W. Smiley might never have existed at all and was probably a fictional character.
4. Interminable — continuing for a very long time and seeming to have no end.
Example: Wheeler would probably remember another Smiley and subject me to one of his interminable stories.
5. Suspicion — a feeling that something may be true, although you do not have proof.
Example: I had a suspicion that Leonidas W. Smiley might never have existed at all.
6. Shabby — old, worn, and in poor condition or appearance.
Example: I found Simon Wheeler sitting comfortably beside the stove in the barroom of a shabby old tavern.
7. Monotonous — lacking variety and becoming boring because it remains almost the same.
Example: His voice was calm and monotonous.
8. Extraordinary — very unusual, remarkable, or far beyond what is ordinary.
Example: He spoke with such extraordinary seriousness that I soon understood something important.
Chapter 1 – Comprehension Questions
1. Why does the narrator travel to Angel’s Camp and look for Simon Wheeler?
2. Who is Leonidas W. Smiley, and why does the narrator suspect that he may not have been a real person?
3. What does the narrator notice about Simon Wheeler when he first meets him?
4. Why does the narrator think his friend may have sent him to ask Wheeler about Leonidas Smiley?
5. How does Simon Wheeler behave when he begins telling his story?
6. Why does the narrator decide not to interrupt Wheeler, even though the story is not what he expected?
7. What does Simon Wheeler begin to tell the narrator about Jim Smiley?
8. How does the contrast between Wheeler’s serious manner and the unusual subject of his story create humor?
Chapter 1 – Grammar Exercises
1. My friend ______ me from the East and asked me to inquire about Leonidas W. Smiley.
A) writes
B) had written
C) has written
D) was writing
2. I suspected that Leonidas W. Smiley ______ a fictional character.
A) may have been
B) must be
C) should be
D) would have been
3. By the time I met Simon Wheeler, I ______ about the mysterious Smiley for some time.
A) had been wondering
B) have wondered
C) was wondering
D) would wonder
4. Wheeler spoke with such seriousness ______ I began to believe that he considered the story important.
A) which
B) that
C) what
D) as
5. The narrator decided not to interrupt Wheeler, even though he ______ that the story had little to do with his original question.
A) had realized
B) has realized
C) would realize
D) was realizing
6. The man ______ beside the stove was Simon Wheeler, an old resident of the mining camp.
A) sitting
B) sat
C) was sitting
D) having sat
7. If my friend ______ mentioned Smiley, Wheeler would not have begun his long story.
A) did not
B) had not
C) would not have
D) has not
8. The narrator realized that he was about to hear a story ______ had almost nothing to do with the reason for his visit.
A) who
B) whom
C) which
D) whose
Answer Key:
1-B, 2-A, 3-A, 4-B, 5-A, 6-A, 7-B, 8-C
Chapter Two
Jim Smiley, the Great Bettor
Jim Smiley, according to Wheeler, was perhaps the most enthusiastic gambler ever to live in Angel’s Camp.
He would bet on almost anything. If there was a horse race, Smiley was there.
If two dogs were fighting, he would immediately offer a wager.
If two cats began quarrelling, he was prepared to bet on the outcome.
If two birds happened to be sitting on a fence, Smiley would happily wager money on which one would fly away first.
In fact, he did not seem to care what the subject of the bet was. His only requirement was that there had to be another person willing to take the opposite side.
If someone wanted to bet one way, Smiley would bet the other. If that arrangement did not suit him, he would simply change his position.
As long as there was money at stake, he was satisfied.
Strangely enough, Smiley was also remarkably lucky.
He often won.
One of Wheeler’s favourite examples involved Parson Walker’s wife, who had been seriously ill for a long time.
One morning, the Parson announced that she was recovering.
He was grateful to God and believed that she would soon be well again.
Smiley listened to the good news and immediately offered to bet that she would not recover.
It was difficult to imagine a more inappropriate moment for a wager.
But that was Jim Smiley.
He apparently saw the world not as a collection of people and events, but as an endless series of opportunities to make bets.
Smiley also owned a horse.
The local men called her the “fifteen-minute nag,” although the name was intended as a joke.
The mare was painfully slow and appeared to suffer from almost every illness imaginable. She had asthma, or distemper, or consumption—or perhaps all three.
Before races, other horses were sometimes given a substantial head start.
Yet near the end of the race, something extraordinary happened.
The miserable-looking mare would suddenly become energetic.
She would charge toward the finish line, coughing, sneezing, kicking up clouds of dust and scattering her legs in every possible direction.
The spectacle was less like a horse race than a medical emergency.
And yet, somehow, she would usually reach the finish line just ahead of the others.
Smiley would collect his money.
Then there was Andrew Jackson, his bull pup.
At first glance, Andrew Jackson looked completely useless. He seemed to have little ambition beyond sitting around and looking unpleasant.
But when money was placed on him, his character changed.
His lower jaw would stick out, his teeth would become visible, and he would prepare himself for battle.
Other dogs could knock him down, bite him, and throw him around.
Andrew Jackson seemed not to care.
He would wait.
Then, at the crucial moment, he would seize the other dog by the joint of its hind leg and hold on with remarkable determination.
He would not bite.
He would simply refuse to let go.
Eventually, the other dog would surrender.
Smiley won repeatedly with Andrew Jackson—until one unfortunate day when he entered him in a fight against a dog that had no hind legs.
The rival animal had lost its hind legs in an accident involving a circular saw.
Andrew Jackson tried to use his usual strategy.
There was, however, one obvious problem.
He had nothing to grab.
The dog seemed almost personally offended by this injustice.
Smiley lost the bet.
According to Wheeler, Andrew Jackson was so disappointed by the defeat that his spirit was broken.
Wheeler spoke of him with such solemn admiration that one might have thought he was describing a celebrated athlete whose promising career had been tragically cut short.
Chapter 2 – Vocabulary
1. Enthusiastic — showing strong excitement, interest, or eagerness about something.
Example: Jim Smiley was perhaps the most enthusiastic gambler ever to live in Angel’s Camp.
2. Wager — an amount of money or something valuable that you risk on the result of a competition or uncertain event.
Example: If two birds happened to be sitting on a fence, Smiley would happily wager money on which one would fly away first.
3. Substantial — large or considerable in size, amount, or importance.
Example: Before races, other horses were sometimes given a substantial head start.
4. Determination — the quality of continuing to try to achieve something despite difficulties or opposition.
Example: Andrew Jackson fought with remarkable determination.
5. Consumption — a serious illness, especially tuberculosis, that was historically associated with wasting and weakness.
Example: The mare was painfully slow and appeared to suffer from almost every illness imaginable, including asthma, distemper, or consumption.
6. Remarkable — unusual or impressive enough to attract attention.
Example: Andrew Jackson was a remarkable fighting dog.
7. Surrender — to stop resisting and accept that you have been defeated.
Example: Eventually, the other dog would surrender.
8. Strategy — a carefully planned method used to achieve a particular goal.
Example: Andrew Jackson’s unusual fighting strategy was to seize the other dog by the joint of its hind leg and refuse to let go.
Chapter 2 – Comprehension Questions
1. Why is Jim Smiley described as an unusually enthusiastic gambler?
2. What kinds of events was Smiley willing to bet on?
3. Why did Smiley not care which side of a bet he supported?
4. What does the story about Parson Walker’s sick wife reveal about Smiley’s personality?
5. Why was Smiley’s horse called the “fifteen-minute nag”?
6. How did the mare manage to win races despite appearing weak and unhealthy?
7. What made Andrew Jackson an unusually successful fighting dog?
8. Why did Andrew Jackson lose the fight against the dog that had no hind legs?
Chapter 2 – Grammar Exercises
1. Jim Smiley ______ on almost anything that happened in Angel’s Camp.
A) would bet
B) had bet
C) has been betting
D) would have bet
2. If someone offered to bet one way, Smiley ______ the opposite side.
A) takes
B) had taken
C) would take
D) would have taken
3. By the time the other men had understood Smiley’s habits, he ______ a reputation as an extraordinary gambler.
A) had already developed
B) has already developed
C) was already developing
D) would already develop
4. The mare, ______ almost every illness imaginable, still managed to win many races.
A) having appeared to suffer from
B) appeared to suffer from
C) which suffering from
D) to have suffered from
5. Smiley’s horse was given a substantial head start, ______ she could still finish ahead of the others.
A) despite
B) even though
C) whereas
D) in spite
6. Andrew Jackson would remain calm until enough money ______ on the fight.
A) had been wagered
B) has been wagered
C) would be wagered
D) was being wagered
7. If the rival dog ______ hind legs, Andrew Jackson would probably have won the fight.
A) had had
B) would have had
C) has had
D) would have
8. Andrew Jackson’s defeat demonstrated how vulnerable a successful strategy can be when the circumstances ______ unexpectedly.
A) change
B) had changed
C) would change
D) have been changed
Answer Key:
1-A, 2-C, 3-A, 4-A, 5-B, 6-A, 7-A, 8-A
Chapter Three
Dan’l Webster, the Jumping Frog
Jim Smiley eventually acquired rats, cats, fighting chickens, and various other creatures that could somehow be connected with gambling.
Then one day he caught a frog. He decided to train it. For three months, he devoted himself to the project.
He spent his time teaching the frog to jump. And, remarkably enough, the frog became extremely good at it.
Smiley named him Dan’l Webster.
Whenever Smiley gave him a little push from behind, Dan’l would leap into the air, sometimes performing a somersault or two before landing neatly. But jumping was not his only talent.
Smiley also trained him to catch flies.
Whenever he called, “Flies, Dan’l, flies!” the frog would spring into the air and snatch a fly before landing again.
Smiley regarded this as evidence of the enormous possibilities of education.
He firmly believed that a frog could accomplish almost anything if it received proper training.
And perhaps, in his own peculiar way, he had a point. Dan’l Webster became famous around the camp.
People who had travelled widely told Smiley that they had never seen another frog capable of matching him.
Smiley was extremely proud of his animal.
More importantly, he was convinced that Dan’l could beat any frog in Calaveras County.
Naturally, this meant that Dan’l was not merely a pet. He was an investment.
Smiley kept him in a small box and frequently carried him into town, always looking for someone willing to make a wager.
One day, a stranger approached him.
The stranger looked carefully at the box.
“What have you got in there?” he asked.
Smiley answered casually.
“It might be a parrot. It might be a canary. But, as a matter of fact, it is only a frog.”
The stranger examined Dan’l closely.
“What is he good for?”
“He is good at one thing,” Smiley replied. “He can outjump any frog in Calaveras County.”
The stranger looked unimpressed.
“I don’t see anything remarkable about that frog.”
Smiley immediately recognized an opportunity.
“Perhaps you don’t,” he said. “Perhaps you know a great deal about frogs, and perhaps you know very little. In any case, I am willing to risk forty dollars that he can outjump any frog in the county.”
The stranger hesitated.
“I am only a stranger here,” he said. “And I don’t have a frog. If I had one, I would take the bet.”
“That is easily solved,” Smiley replied. “Hold my box for a moment. I’ll go and find you a frog.”
The stranger agreed.
Smiley handed him the box and went searching for another frog.
The trap was about to close.
Chapter 3 – Vocabulary
1. Exceptional — unusually good, impressive, or outstanding.
Example: Dan’l Webster became an exceptional jumping frog.
2. Devote — to give a large amount of time, effort, or attention to something.
Example: For three months, Smiley devoted himself to teaching the frog to jump.
3. Precision — great accuracy and exactness in the way something is done.
Example: Dan’l could catch a fly and land again with extraordinary precision.
4. Remarkable — unusual or impressive enough to attract attention.
Example: People who had travelled widely told Smiley that they had never seen another frog capable of matching Dan’l, which made the animal seem truly remarkable.
5. Impressed — affected by something in a way that makes you admire or respect it.
Example: The stranger looked at Dan’l carefully but did not appear impressed.
6. Wager — a bet in which money or something valuable is risked on the result of an event.
Example: Smiley was willing to risk forty dollars on a wager that Dan’l could outjump any frog in the county.
7. Hesitate — to pause before doing or saying something because you are uncertain.
Example: The stranger hesitated before accepting Smiley’s challenge.
8. Opportunity — a suitable or favourable situation in which something can be done or achieved.
Example: Smiley immediately recognized an opportunity to make another bet.
Chapter 3 – Comprehension Questions
1. Why does Jim Smiley decide to train the frog he catches?
2. How does Smiley train Dan’l Webster to become an excellent jumper?
3. What other skill does Dan’l Webster learn besides jumping?
4. Why is Smiley so confident that Dan’l can defeat any other frog in Calaveras County?
5. What does Smiley’s belief that a frog can accomplish almost anything through education reveal about his character?
6. Why does Smiley regularly bring Dan’l Webster into town?
7. What makes the stranger doubtful about Dan’l Webster’s abilities?
8. Why does Smiley leave Dan’l with the stranger while he goes to find another frog?
Chapter 3 – Grammar Exercises
1. Smiley ______ himself to training Dan’l Webster for three months before the frog became famous around the camp.
A) had devoted
B) has devoted
C) would devote
D) was devoting
2. By the time people began praising Dan’l, Smiley ______ him to catch flies as well as to jump.
A) had trained
B) has trained
C) would train
D) was training
3. Dan’l Webster, ______ carefully by Smiley for several months, became remarkably skilled at jumping.
A) having been trained
B) having trained
C) being training
D) to have training
4. Smiley was convinced that Dan’l ______ any other frog in Calaveras County.
A) could outjump
B) had outjumped
C) has outjumped
D) would have outjumped
5. If Smiley ______ so confident in Dan’l’s abilities, he might not have accepted the stranger’s challenge.
A) had not been
B) were not
C) would not be
D) has not been
6. The stranger claimed that he could not see anything remarkable about Dan’l, ______ Smiley regarded the frog as exceptionally talented.
A) whereas
B) despite
C) nevertheless
D) in spite
7. Smiley left Dan’l with the stranger while he went to find another frog, ______ that the man would behave honestly.
A) assuming
B) assumed
C) having assumed
D) being assumed
8. Had the stranger not appeared that day, Smiley ______ another opportunity to make a bet with Dan’l.
A) might have found
B) might find
C) would find
D) had found
Answer Key:
1-A, 2-A, 3-A, 4-A, 5-A, 6-A, 7-A, 8-A
Chapter Four
The Stranger’s Bet
Once Smiley had disappeared, the stranger sat quietly with the box. He waited. Then he opened it.
He took Dan’l Webster out. The frog had no idea what was happening. The stranger forced open its mouth and filled it with quail shot—small pieces of ammunition.
He continued until the frog had swallowed an extraordinary quantity.
When he had finished, he placed Dan’l back on the floor.
The frog was now carrying a secret weight inside its body.
Meanwhile, Smiley was still searching the swamp.
Eventually he returned with another frog.
He seemed completely satisfied with his choice.
“All right,” he said. “Let’s have the race.”
He placed the two frogs side by side.
Their front feet were positioned evenly.
The spectators waited.
“One—two—three—go!”
Both men touched their frogs from behind.
The stranger’s frog immediately leapt forward.
Dan’l Webster did not.
He struggled.
He lifted his body.
He tried to jump.
But nothing happened.
He could not move.
It was as though someone had transformed the magnificent jumping frog into a stone.
Smiley stared at him in disbelief.
This was impossible.
Dan’l had never behaved like this.
The stranger, however, seemed entirely unsurprised.
He calmly collected the forty dollars.
As he walked toward the door, he turned back.
“Well,” he said slowly, “I still don’t see anything remarkable about that frog.”
Then he left.
Smiley remained behind.
For a long moment, he simply stared at Dan’l.
“What in the world happened to him?” he muttered.
The frog looked strangely swollen.
Smiley picked him up.
The animal was extraordinarily heavy.
Smiley turned him upside down.
Suddenly, the truth became obvious.
A quantity of shot fell from the frog’s mouth.
The deception was exposed.
The stranger had cheated him.
Smiley understood immediately what had happened.
The stranger had not beaten Dan’l.
He had made Dan’l incapable of jumping.
And Smiley had lost his money because he had never imagined that anyone would resort to such a trick.
Furious, Smiley ran after the stranger.
But the man had already disappeared.
The money was gone.
So was the stranger.
Only Dan’l Webster remained, sitting heavily on the floor.
Chapter 4 – Vocabulary
1. Ammunition — materials, such as bullets or shells, used in weapons.
Example: The stranger filled Dan’l Webster’s mouth with quail shot, a type of small ammunition.
2. Deception — the act of deliberately making someone believe something that is not true.
Example: The stranger’s deception allowed him to win the bet without appearing to break the rules.
3. Manipulate — to control or influence someone or something, often unfairly or dishonestly.
Example: The stranger manipulated the situation while Smiley was searching for another frog.
4. Hesitate — to pause before doing something because you are uncertain about it.
Example: The stranger did not hesitate before accepting Smiley’s challenge.
5. Substantial — large in amount, size, or importance.
Example: Smiley was willing to risk a substantial amount of money on Dan’l Webster.
6. Disbelief — a feeling of being unable or unwilling to believe that something is true.
Example: Smiley stared at Dan’l in disbelief when the frog failed to jump.
7. Outcome — the final result of an event or situation.
Example: The stranger’s trick completely changed the outcome of the competition.
8. Fraudulent — dishonest or intended to deceive someone for personal advantage.
Example: The stranger used a fraudulent method to gain an unfair advantage in the bet.
Chapter 4 – Comprehension Questions
1. What does the stranger do to Dan’l Webster while Smiley is away looking for another frog?
2. Why does the stranger put quail shot inside Dan’l Webster?
3. How does the added weight affect Dan’l’s ability to jump?
4. What happens when the stranger’s frog and Dan’l Webster are told to begin the race?
5. Why is Smiley surprised when Dan’l fails to jump?
6. How does the stranger behave after winning the bet?
7. What does the stranger mean when he says that he still cannot see anything remarkable about Dan’l Webster?
8. How does the stranger’s trick change the outcome of the competition?
Chapter 4 – Grammar Exercises
1. While Smiley ______ for another frog, the stranger secretly tampered with Dan’l Webster.
A) was searching
B) had searched
C) has been searching
D) would search
2. By the time Smiley returned, the stranger ______ the frog’s mouth and filled it with quail shot.
A) had opened
B) has opened
C) was opening
D) would open
3. Dan’l Webster, ______ with quail shot, was unable to move when the race began.
A) having been filled
B) having filled
C) being filled
D) to have filled
4. If the stranger ______ the frog with shot, Dan’l would probably have won the race.
A) had not filled
B) did not fill
C) would not fill
D) has not filled
5. Smiley was shocked that Dan’l could not jump, ______ he had always considered the frog unbeatable.
A) although
B) despite
C) nevertheless
D) in spite
6. The stranger collected the money as though nothing unusual ______.
A) had happened
B) has happened
C) would happen
D) was happening
7. No sooner ______ the race begun than it became clear that Dan’l could not move.
A) had
B) has
C) was
D) did
8. Had Smiley examined the frog before the race, he ______ the stranger’s deception.
A) might have discovered
B) might discover
C) would discover
D) had discovered
Answer Key:
1-A, 2-A, 3-A, 4-A, 5-A, 6-A, 7-A, 8-A
Chapter Five
The Trick Is Revealed
At this point in the story, Simon Wheeler was interrupted. Someone called his name from outside the tavern.
Wheeler stood up.
“Just wait here,” he told me. “I won’t be gone a second.”
I watched him disappear through the door. For the first time since the story had begun, I saw an opportunity to escape.
I had come to ask about Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley.
Instead, I had been given a long and remarkably detailed account of a professional gambler, an unhealthy horse, a determined dog, and an unusually talented frog.
I had learned virtually nothing about the Reverend.
It seemed unlikely that waiting for Wheeler to return would improve the situation.
So I decided to leave.
Unfortunately, Wheeler returned before I could get far.
He immediately caught hold of me and began another story.
“Well, thish-yer Smiley had a yellow, one-eyed cow that didn’t have no tail, only jest a little stump like a banana, and—”
I did not wait to discover what extraordinary talent the cow possessed.
I politely took my leave.
As I walked away from the tavern, I reflected on the peculiar nature of the entire experience.
I had entered the place looking for information about one Smiley.
Instead, I had spent my time listening to stories about another.
Perhaps Leonidas W. Smiley had existed.
Perhaps he had not.
At that point, I was no longer particularly interested.
What I did know was that Simon Wheeler possessed an almost limitless supply of stories, and once he began telling one, escaping was considerably more difficult than entering.
The most remarkable thing about Jim Smiley, however, may not have been his luck, his animals, or even his passion for gambling.
It may simply have been that, in a world full of ordinary people, he managed to find an extraordinary way to turn almost anything into a bet.
And somewhere in Angel’s Camp, if Simon Wheeler was still talking, there was probably another story waiting to be told.
The End
Read the original story: americanliterature.com
Chapter 5 – Vocabulary
1. Humiliation — a strong feeling of embarrassment or shame caused by being made to appear foolish or inferior.
Example: The discovery of the trick was particularly humiliating for Smiley.
2. Deception — the act of deliberately making someone believe something that is not true.
Example: Smiley immediately understood the deception and realized that the stranger had cheated him.
3. Furious — extremely angry.
Example: Furious, Smiley ran after the stranger, but the man had already disappeared.
4. Interrupt — to stop someone while they are speaking or doing something.
Example: Someone called Wheeler from outside the tavern and interrupted his story.
5. Reluctant — unwilling to do something because of doubt or lack of enthusiasm.
Example: The narrator was reluctant to remain and listen to another long story.
6. Peculiar — strange, unusual, or different from what is normally expected.
Example: The narrator reflected on the peculiar nature of the entire experience.
7. Extraordinary — very unusual, remarkable, or surprising.
Example: Wheeler had an extraordinary supply of stories about Jim Smiley.
8. Reflect — to think carefully and deeply about something.
Example: As he walked away from the tavern, the narrator reflected on the peculiar nature of the entire experience.
Chapter 5 – Comprehension Questions
1. How does Smiley discover that the stranger has cheated him?
2. What does Smiley find inside Dan’l Webster, and why does this explain the frog’s strange behavior?
3. How does Smiley react when he realizes that he has been deceived?
4. Why does the narrator decide to leave the tavern while Wheeler is away?
5. What does the narrator realize about the story he has just heard?
6. Why does Wheeler begin telling the narrator another story when he returns?
7. What does the narrator’s decision to leave before hearing the story about the cow reveal about his attitude toward Wheeler?
8. How does the ending of the story create humor and reinforce the narrator’s original suspicion about Leonidas W. Smiley?
Chapter 5 – Grammar Exercises
1. By the time Smiley realized what had happened, the stranger ______.
A) had already disappeared
B) has already disappeared
C) would already disappear
D) was already disappearing
2. Had Smiley examined Dan’l before the race, he ______ the stranger’s deception.
A) might have discovered
B) might discover
C) would discover
D) had discovered
3. Smiley ran after the stranger, ______ to catch him before he could escape.
A) hoping
B) hoped
C) having hoped
D) to have hoped
4. The narrator decided to leave, ______ that Wheeler’s story had provided almost no information about Leonidas W. Smiley.
A) having realized
B) realizing
C) realized
D) to have realized
5. No sooner ______ Wheeler returned than he began telling another story.
A) had
B) has
C) did
D) was
6. The narrator would probably have stayed longer if Wheeler ______ another story about Leonidas W. Smiley.
A) had told
B) told
C) would tell
D) has told
7. Rather than ______ to another interminable story, the narrator decided to leave the tavern.
A) listen
B) listening
C) having listened
D) to listen
8. The narrator left the tavern without ______ what extraordinary achievement the yellow, one-eyed cow was supposed to have accomplished.
A) discovering
B) to discover
C) having discovered
D) discover
Answer Key:
1-A, 2-A, 3-A, 4-A, 5-A, 6-A, 7-A, 8-A
More C1–C2 Short Stories
01. The Murders in the Rue Morgue (for Advanced Levels C1-C2)
The Murders in the Rue Morgue is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous mystery stories and is widely regarded as an important early work of detective fiction. First published in 1841, the story introduced readers to C. Auguste Dupin, an intelligent and highly observant character whose unusual ability to analyze facts allows him to solve seemingly impossible mysteries.
The story takes place in Paris, where the narrator lives with Dupin. Their quiet life of reading and conversation changes when they learn about a shocking double murder in the Rue Morgue. An elderly woman and her daughter have been brutally killed inside their home. The room is locked from the inside, the windows appear to be securely closed, and there seems to be no possible way for the murderer to escape.
02. The Rocking-Horse Winner (for Advanced Levels C1-C2)
The Rocking-Horse Winner by D. H. Lawrence is a powerful short story about luck, money, family expectations, and the dangerous desire for more. The story follows a young boy named Paul, who lives with his mother, father, and two sisters in a comfortable-looking home. Although the family appears to have everything they need, there is a constant feeling that something is missing: money.
Paul’s mother believes that the family is unlucky. She feels that her husband does not have enough luck to earn the money needed to maintain their lifestyle. This idea deeply affects Paul. He begins to believe that if he can become lucky, he can solve the family’s financial problems and perhaps win his mother’s approval.
03. The Garden Party (for Advanced Levels C1-C2)
The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield is a beautifully written short story that explores social class, innocence, death, and the way people understand the lives of others. The story takes place on a perfect summer day, when the wealthy Sheridan family is preparing to hold a large garden party at their beautiful home. Everything seems ideal: the weather is warm, the garden is full of flowers, musicians are arriving, and the family is busy making final preparations.
At the centre of the story is Laura Sheridan, a young girl who is involved in organizing the party. Unlike some members of her family, Laura is sensitive to the feelings of other people and does not feel comfortable with the strict social divisions between the wealthy family and the poorer people who live nearby. While working with the men who are preparing the garden, she becomes fascinated by their friendliness and begins to question the class distinctions she has grown up with.