This week you will read the short story "No oyes ladrar los perros" by the very famous and highly praised Mexican author Juan Rulfo. The text of the story is found below. |
«NO OYES LADRAR LOS PERROS» |
Some useful vocabulary for this short story: |
| aguantarse | to resign oneself |
| el arroyo | stream, brook |
| la luna | moon |
| el monte | woodland, forest |
| la orilla del río, mar | bank, shore |
| el peso | weigh |
| las piedras | stones |
| redonda | round |
| la sombra | shadow, shade |
| tambaleante | staggering, tottering |
| tropezar con algo | to trip |
| aplastar | to crush |
| balancearse | to balance |
| doblar las piernas | to bend the legs |
| encoger | to shrink |
| enderezarse | to straighten up |
| estirar | to stretch |
| soltar | to let go |
| temblar (e-ie) | to tremble |
| zarandear | to shake vigorously |
| dar ánimos | to give courage |
| paredón | thick wall |
| la carga | load, burden |
| levantar | to lift |
| en ratos | in moments |
| morder | to bite |
| reponerse (=recuperarse) | to recover |
| quedarse callado | to stay quiet |
| difunta | deceased |
| sudar | to sweat |
| aliviar | to relieve, to soothe |
| volver a sus malos pasos | to go back to his bad behavior |
| maldecido | cursed |
| pudrirse | to rot |
| aguántate! | resign yourself! |
| rabioso | furious, angry |
| sollozar | to sob |
| cariño | affection |
| maldad | wickedness, evil |
| castigar | to punish |
| comportarse bien | to behave well |
| estar de brazos cruzados | to do nothing |
| desmayarse | to faint |
| incomprensible | incomprehensible |
| malcriado | ill-bred |
| la maldad | wickedness, evil |
| malicioso | evil-minded |
| me parece absurdo que + subj | it seems absurd to me that |
| la piedad | mercy, pity |
| reflexionar | to reflect |
| sinvergüenza | shameless, scoundrel |
| superar una dificultad | to overcome a difficulty |
| a fin de cuentas, después de todo | after all |
| al mismo tiempo | at the same time |
| en tal caso | in such case |
Answer the following questions about the short story. 1. ¿Dónde toma lugar el cuento? ¿A dónde van los dos hombres? |
Assignment: During the week, read, understand, and study the short story. Take notes on it. Answer the above questions, in Spanish, with full sentences. Make sure that you write both questions and answers. This assignment is to be written on loose-leaf (not typed) and it is due on February 5, 2010. On this day there will be a quiz on this short story. You are allowed one page of handwritten notes on one side of a loose-leaf page. The actual text of the story or the answers to the above questions WILL NOT be allowed during the quiz. Grading: This quiz is worth 40 points. |