EFL Home

Money and Human Relationship (From Emile KAHOUN, Lycee Yadega, Ouahigouya)

" The rich have no neighbours in the sense that the poor have neighbours. When my mother had to go out , Mrs Gradock from next door on the right kept an eye on us children. And my mother did the same for Mrs Gradock when it was her turn to go out. And when somebody had broken a leg ,or lost his job, people helped with some money and food. And how well I remember, as a child, being sent running round the village after the nurse because young Mrs Foster from next door on the left had suddenly been taken ill with birth-pains before she expected! When you live on less than four pounds a week, you've damned well got to behave like a Christian and love your neighbours. To begin with, you can't get away from them.
He is practically in your backyard. There can be no ignoring of their existence. You must either love or hate, because you need their help in emergencies and they may need yours so urgently, very often, that there can be no question of refusing to give it. And since you must give, if you are a human being, you can't help giving, it's better to make an effort to like the person you've got to give to. "
Walter nodded: " obviously! "
" But you rich ", the other went on," you have no real neighbours. You never perform a neighbourly action or expect your neighbours to do you a kindness in return. It's unnecessary. You can pay people to look after you. You can hire servants to stimulate kindness for three pounds a month. Mrs Gradock from next door doesn't have to put an eye to your babies when you go out. You have nurses and governess doing it for money. No, you're generally not even aware of your neighbours. You live at a distance from them. Each of you is boxed up in his own secret house. There may be tragedies going on behind the shutters: but the people next door don't know anything about it."

VOCABULARY

(1) a nurse : une nourrice
(2) a governess : une gouvernante

GUIDED COMMENTARY

1- Basing yourself on the text and using your own ideas and words, say why poor people value more neighbourhood than rich people do. (3 marks)
2- How did the author view the relationship between poor neighbours ?. (3marks)
3- Explain this sentence of the text : 'When you live on less than four pounds a week , you've damned well got to behave like a Christian and love your neighbours ' (4marks)
4- Do you think that human relationships should be based on money ? Defend your opinion (4marks)

TRANSLATION (6marks)

Translate the second paragraph of the text into French.