Graduation Gift
GRADUATION GIFT
Practice English with your teacher
Warm-up
Talk about these questions with your teacher.
선생님과 이야기해 보세요.
- David Brenner's father gave him a nickel and told him to "get into the world." What is the most valuable piece of advice you received from a parent or mentor that you only appreciated later?
- The story contrasts material gifts (cars, clothes) with an abstract one (the world). In your culture, what kind of graduation gift is typically valued most?
Vocabulary
Listen and repeat after your teacher.
선생님을 따라 읽어보세요.
Reading
Read the passage with your teacher.
선생님과 함께 지문을 읽어보세요.
COMEDIAN David Brenner grew up poor in Philadelphia. He didn't expect a graduation gift when he graduated from high school. Yet, he received one he never forgot."Some of my friends got some neat graduation gifts," he replied. "The few rich kids got brand new cars or new wardrobes while others received at least a few new suits. Quite a few of the kids got college tuition."Just having my family there was enough for me. But after graduation my dad said, 'I have your graduation gift.' He reached into his pocket, took something out that was in his fist. He extended his hand toward me. I put my hand palm up and he let my present drop into my hand - a nickel!"Buy a newspaper with that,' he said. 'Read every word of it, page one to the last page. Then turn to the classified section and get yourself a job. Get into the world. It's all yours now.""I laughed. 'A nickel! Thanks a lot. 'I said as I forced a smile.""I always thought that was a great joke my father played on me until a couple of years later as I sat in a foxhole in the Army thinking about my family and my life. It was then that I realized that my friends had gotten only cars, only clothes or only tuition from their parents. My father had given me
the whole world. What greater gift? I think the day I realized this was the dayI became a man."
Korean Trap! / 한국인 실수 교정
Common mistakes Korean speakers make.
한국인이 자주 하는 실수를 알아봅시다.
'grew up in a poor family'도 틀리지는 않지만, 영어에서는 'grew up poor'나 'grew up in poverty'가 더 자연스랽고 간결합니다. 'grow up + 형용사' 패턴을 익혀두세요.
Discussion
Share your thoughts with your teacher.
선생님과 의견을 나눠보세요.
- The father’s gift was essentially a lesson in self-reliance. Is pushing children toward independence at graduation the right approach, or should parents provide more financial support?
- Brenner says he only understood the gift years later "in a foxhole in the Army." Why do we often need hardship to appreciate wisdom we were given earlier?
- The rich kids received cars and wardrobes. The passage implies Brenner’s gift was superior. Do you agree, or is this a romanticization of poverty?
- The father said, "It’s all yours now." Is this message empowering or overwhelming for a young person just finishing high school?
- Brenner says "the day I realized this was the day I became a man." What moment or experience in your life marked your transition into adulthood?
Lesson Summary / 수업 요약
Today's Topic: GRADUATION GIFT
Level: Low Advanced (L.A)
Review this lesson before your next class! / 다음 수업 전에 복습하세요!