The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant (Pre-Intermediate)

Pre-Intermediate

story

Once upon a time, in a small village in France, there lived a kind and beautiful girl named Mathilde Loisel. Mathilde always dreamed of living in a grand castle, wearing fancy dresses and sparkling jewels. But in reality, she lived in a modest cottage with her husband, Monsieur Loisel, who worked as a clerk.

One day, Monsieur Loisel came home with a surprise. "Mathilde, my dear," he said, handing her an envelope, "we have been invited to a grand ball at the palace!"

Mathilde's eyes sparkled with excitement, but then she looked sad. "I have nothing to wear," she sighed, "and no jewels to make me look beautiful."

Monsieur Loisel thought for a moment and then said, "Why don't you ask your friend, Madame Forestier, to lend you some jewels? She has so many."

Mathilde brightened up and hurried to her friend's house. "Madame Forestier," she asked, "could you please lend me some jewels for the ball?"

Madame Forestier smiled and opened a large jewelry box. "Of course, Mathilde. Choose whatever you like."

Mathilde's eyes fell upon a stunning diamond necklace. "This one! It's perfect!" she exclaimed.

Madame Forestier happily lent her the necklace, and Mathilde returned home, overjoyed.

On the night of the ball, Mathilde wore a beautiful dress and the dazzling necklace. She felt like a princess and danced all night, receiving many compliments. She was the happiest she had ever been.

But when Mathilde and her husband returned home, she realized the necklace was missing. "Oh no! The necklace! It's gone!" she cried.

They searched everywhere but couldn't find it. "We must replace it," Monsieur Loisel said. They went from store to store until they found a necklace that looked just like the one Mathilde had borrowed. It was very expensive, but they bought it anyway.

Mathilde returned the new necklace to Madame Forestier, who didn't notice any difference. But the Loisels had to work very hard to pay off the debt. They sold their cottage and moved to a smaller house. Monsieur Loisel took on extra jobs, and Mathilde worked as a maid.

Years went by, and Mathilde grew older and more tired. One day, she met Madame Forestier on the street. Madame Forestier was still as elegant as ever.

"Hello, Mathilde! It's been so long. How have you been?" Madame Forestier asked.

Mathilde hesitated but then decided to tell her the truth. "I have something to confess. I lost the necklace you lent me and replaced it with a new one. We've spent the past ten years paying off the debt."

Madame Forestier looked at her friend in shock and pity. "Oh, Mathilde! My necklace was just a piece of costume jewelry. It wasn't worth much at all."

Mathilde was stunned. All those years of hard work had been for a necklace that wasn't even real.

And so, Mathilde learned some important lessons. She realized that being honest can lead to better outcomes, that failing to admit a mistake right away can result in severe consequences, and that vanity and obsession with appearances can ruin one's life. With these lessons in mind, she strove to live a better life from then on.

 

Words and Idioms

Study it with Flashcard

https://quizlet.com/kr/919492686/the-necklace-by-guy-de-maupassant-flash-cards/?i=3en6ue&x=1qqt

village (noun) - a small town or community in the countryside

modest (adjective) - not large in size or amount, or not expensive

clerk (noun) - a person employed in an office or bank to keep records, accounts, and undertake other routine administrative duties

envelope (noun) - a flat paper container used to enclose a letter or document

grand (adjective) - magnificent and imposing in appearance, size, or style

ball (noun) - a large formal gathering for social dancing

palace (noun) - a large and impressive house, especially one used for official or ceremonial purposes

sparkle (verb) - to shine brightly with flashes of light

jewels (noun) - valuable stones such as diamonds, emeralds, or rubies

borrow (verb) - to take and use something belonging to someone else with the intention of returning it

overjoyed (adjective) - extremely happy

dazzling (adjective) - extremely bright, especially so as to blind the eyes temporarily

compliment (noun) - a polite expression of praise or admiration

missing (adjective) - not able to be found because it is not in its expected place

replace (verb) - to put something new in place of something old or lost

debt (noun) - something, typically money, that is owed or due

maid (noun) - a woman employed to do domestic work

hesitate (verb) - to pause before saying or doing something, often due to uncertainty or reluctance

confess (verb) - to admit to something, typically with a sense of guilt

costume jewelry (noun) - jewelry made of inexpensive materials, not meant to look like real gold or silver

stunned (adjective) - shocked or surprised

important lessons (phrase) - valuable insights or teachings

vanity (noun) - excessive pride in or admiration of one's own appearance or achievements

obsession (noun) - an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind

 

Questions

1. What event makes Mathilde excited at the beginning of the story?

 

a) Getting a new job

b) Receiving an invitation to a ball

c) Moving to a new house

d) Meeting a new friend

 

2. Why does Mathilde visit Madame Forestier?

 

a) To ask for a new dress

b) To borrow some jewelry

c) To invite her to dinner

d) To return a book

 

3. How do Mathilde and her husband replace the lost necklace?

 

a) They make one themselves

b) They borrow another necklace

c) They buy a new one

d) They find the lost necklace

 

4. What does Mathilde find out about the necklace at the end of the story?

 

a) It was very expensive

b) It was a family heirloom

c) It was made of fake jewels

d) It was a magic necklace

 

5. What lesson does Mathilde learn from losing the necklace?

 

a) Always tell the truth

b) Hard work pays off

c) Friends are important

d) Never borrow things

 

6. What does the necklace in the story represent?

 

a) Friendship

b) Adventure

c) Wealth and status

d) Family

 

Short Writing Topics

1. Write about a time when you lost something important. How did you feel and what did you do?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Explain why it is important to be honest, using examples from the story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Describe how Mathilde's life changed after losing the necklace. What did she learn from this experience?

Answer Keys

1. b) Receiving an invitation to a ball

2. b) To borrow some jewelry

3. c) They buy a new one

4. c) It was made of fake jewels

5. a) Always tell the truth

6. c) Wealth and status

Sample Writing Answers

1. I once lost my favorite toy, a small action figure that I carried everywhere. I felt very sad and upset because it was a gift from my best friend. I searched all over the house, retracing my steps to see if I had dropped it somewhere. I even asked my family to help me look. After hours of searching, we finally found it under the couch. I was so relieved and happy to have it back. This experience taught me to be more careful with my belongings and to appreciate the things I have.

2. Being honest is very important because it helps build trust and prevents bigger problems. In the story, if Mathilde had been honest with Madame Forestier about losing the necklace, she would have learned that it was a fake and saved herself years of hard work and suffering. Instead, she tried to hide the truth and ended up paying a huge price. This shows that honesty can often lead to better outcomes and avoid unnecessary troubles. It's always better to tell the truth, even if it seems difficult at the moment.

3. After losing the necklace, Mathilde's life changed drastically. She and her husband had to work very hard to pay off the debt for the replacement necklace. They moved to a smaller house and took on multiple jobs, which made their lives very difficult and exhausting. Over the years, Mathilde aged and lost her youthful beauty due to the hard work and stress. In the end, she learned that the necklace she had borrowed was just a piece of costume jewelry and not worth much. This experience taught her the importance of honesty and the dangers of vanity and materialism.

 

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