RL 4 RL 6 What makes you c SUSPICIOUS?

Focus and Motivate

Selection Resources

Before Reading

Suspicious Actions 1. Avoiding eye

contact2.

The Tell-Tale HeartShort Story by Edgar Allan Poe

KEYWORD: HML8-80VIDEO TRAILER

Has something or someone ever seemed dangerous or untrustworthy to you? The feeling you had was suspicion. While suspicion might come from a misunderstanding, it can also be a warning that something is very wrong. In this story, you’ll meet a man whose own suspicions are his downfall.

DISCUSS With a small group, discuss suspicious characters you’ve read about or seen on television shows. In what ways did these characters look or act differently from other characters? Continue your discussion by creating a list of warning signs that should make a person suspicious.

What makes you

SUSPICIOUS?

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RL 4 Analyze the impact of word choices on meaning and tone. RL 6 Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create suspense.

Video link at thinkcentral.com

Essential Course of Study ecos

RESOURCE MANAGER UNIT 1Plan and Teach, pp. 75–81Summary, pp. 83–84†‡* Text Analysis and Reading

Skill, pp. 85–88†*Vocabulary, pp. 89–91*

DIAGNOSTIC AND SELECTION TESTSSelection Tests, pp. 35–38

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKITTwo-Column Chart, p. A25

INTERACTIVE READER

ADAPTED INTERACTIVE READER

ELL ADAPTED INTERACTIVE READER

TECHNOLOGY

Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM

Student One Stop DVD-ROM

PowerNotes DVD-ROM

Audio Anthology CD

GrammarNotes DVD-ROM

Audio Tutor CD

ExamView Test Generator on the Teacher One Stop

* Resources for Differentiation † Also in Spanish ‡ In Haitian Creole and Vietnamese

See resources on the Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM and on thinkcentral.com.

RL 4 Analyze the impact of word choices on meaning and tone. RL 6 Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create suspense. L 4c Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, thesauruses) to determine [a word’s] precise meaning.

summaryWhile insisting he is not mad, the narrator describes his obsession with the idea of killing an old man who lives in his house. When he actually commits the murder, he focuses on a sound that he takes to be the beating of the old man’s heart. Then he hides his victim’s dismembered body under the floor. When the police arrive to investigate, the narrator begins to hear a pounding sound that grows louder and louder. Convinced that the sound he hears is the old man’s heart, the tormented narrator confesses his crime.

What makes youSUSPICIOUS?Discuss the question with students. Ask stu-dents how they would define suspicion. How do people behave when they feel suspicious? Then have small groups work on the DISCUSS activity.

Go to thinkcentral.com to preview the Video Trailer introducing this selection. Other features that support the selection include• PowerNotes presentation • ThinkAloud models to enhance

comprehension• WordSharp vocabulary tutorials• interactive writing and grammar

instruction

Video TrailerVideo link at thinkcentral.com

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TeachMeet the Author

Complete the activities in your Reader/Writer Notebook.

text analysis: suspenseWriters often “hook” readers by creating a sense of excitement, tension, dread, or fear about what will happen next. This feeling is called suspense. Edgar Allan Poe uses the following techniques to develop suspense:

• describing a character’s anxiety or fear• choosing vivid words to describe dramatic sights and sounds• repeating words, phrases, or characters’ actions

As you read “The Tell-Tale Heart,” notice what causes you to feel suspense.

reading skill: evaluate narratorHave you ever suspected someone was not telling you the truth? Just as you can’t trust every person you meet, you can’t believe all narrators, or characters who tell a story. To evaluate a narrator’s reliability, or trustworthiness, pay attention to his or her actions, attitudes, and statements. Do any raise your suspicions? As you read “The Tell-Tale Heart,” record clues that reveal whether the narrator is reliable or not.

Narrator’s Reliability

Makes Me Suspicious:

••

Makes Me Trust Him:

••

vocabulary in contextPoe uses the following words to reveal how the main character is acting, feeling, and thinking. For each word, choose the numbered word or phrase closest in meaning.

word list

acute crevice stealthily vehementlyaudacity derision stifled vexconceive hypocritical

1. annoy 6. smothered2. cautiously 7. ridicule3. intense 8. think of4. crack 9. strongly5. deceptive 10. shameless daring

Edgar Allan Poe1809–1849

Orphan at Two Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston to parents who made their livings as traveling actors. When Poe was two, his father deserted the family. Less than a year later, his mother died. Edgar was raised in Virginia by family friends, the Allans. After being expelled from both the University of Virginia and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Poe began writing for a living.

“Madness or Melancholy” Poe got a job as a journalist to support himself and his young wife while he worked on the stories and poems that would earn him the title “father of the modern mystery.” A master of suspense, he wrote works that were often dark and full of horrifying images. Poems such as “The Raven” and short stories such as “The Pit and the Pendulum” brought him fame but no fortune. Poverty intensified his despair when his wife, Virginia, fell ill and died. Deeply depressed, Poe died two years later after being found on the streets of Baltimore. Poe’s obituary stated he was a man of astonishing skill, a dreamer who walked “in madness or melancholy.”

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m fame but no fortune. Poverty intensified despair when his wife, Virginia, fell ill

d died. Deeply depressed, Poe died two rs later after being found on the streets

Baltimore. Poe’s obituary stated he wasman of astonishing skill, a

amer who walked “in dness or melancholy.”

Go to thinkcentral.com. KEYWORD: HML8-81

Authors Online

T E X T A N A L Y S I S

vocabulary in contextDIAGNOSE WORD KNOWLEDGE Have all students complete Vocabulary in Context. Check students’ answers. (1. vex; 2. stealthily; 3. acute; 4. crevice; 5. hypocritical; 6. stifled; 7. derision; 8. conceive; 9. vehemently; 10. audacity) Preview selection vocabulary definitions:

acute (E-kyLtP) adj. sharp; keenaudacity (ô-dBsPGtC) n. shameless daring or

boldness

conceive (kEn-sCv) v. to think ofcrevice (krDvPGs) n. crackderision (dG-rGzhPEn) n. ridiculehypocritical (hGpQE-krGtPG-kEl) adj. false or

deceptivestealthily (stDlPthE-lC) adv. cautiously; secretlystifled (stFPfEld) adj. smothered stifle v.vehemently (vCPE-mEnt-lC) adv. with intense

emotionvex (vDks) v . to disturb; to annoy

PRETEACH VOCABULARY Use the Vocabulary Study copy master to help students determine the meaning of each boldfaced word.

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterVocabulary Study p. 89

R E A D I N G S K I L L

Model the Skill: evaluate narrator

Use this example to model evaluating a narrator: Dogs are disgusting animals! They are loud, dirty, and always biting people. Explain that since the narrator obviously hates dogs, the narrator may be biased and therefore untrustworthy.GUIDED PRACTICE Ask students to evalu-ate the narrator of a selection they have recently read.

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterEvaluate Narrator p. 87

Model the Skill: suspenseRead aloud this example:

Thump! Thump! Thump! I woke with a start. Had I dreamed the sounds, or was someone in the house? Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Footsteps—coming up the stairs!

Explain what causes the reader to feel sus-pense while reading this passage. Say: The description of the narrator’s fear and the repetition of the unexplained noise builds tension. GUIDED PRACTICE Ask students to de-scribe suspenseful moments from films.

V O C A B U L A R Y S K I L L

the tell–tale heart 81

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Practice and Apply

T rue!—nervous—very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am! but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses—not

destroyed—not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily—how calmly I can tell you the whole story.

It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.

Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded—with what caution—with what foresight—with what dissimulation1 I went to work! a

I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him. And every night, about midnight, I turned the latch of his door and opened it—oh, so gently! And then, when I had made an opening sufficient for my head, I put in a dark lantern, all closed, closed, so that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my head. Oh, you would have laughed to see how cunningly I thrust it in! I moved it slowly—very, very slowly, so that I might not disturb the old

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1. dissimulation (dG-sGmQyE-lAPshEn): a hiding of one’s true feelings.

Edgar Allan PoeEd All PEd All PEdgar Allan Poe

82 unit 1: plot and conflict

acute (E-kyLtP) adj. sharp; keen

a

EVALUATE NARRATORReread lines 1–16. On the basis of what he plans to do, decide whether the narrator’s opinion of himself makes you trust him more or less.

conceive (kEn-sCv) v. to think of

Illustrations by Howard Simpson.

What details in the picture help create suspense?

differentiated instruction

for struggling readersIn combination with the Audio Anthology CD, use one or more Targeted Passages (pp. 82, 85, 87) to ensure that students focus on key story events, concepts, and skills.

1 Targeted Passage [Lines 1–16]This passage introduces the narrator and his strange motivation for committing murder.• Who is the narrator of this story? (lines 1–6)• What does the narrator decide to do?

(lines 11–13)• Why does the narrator want to kill the old

man? What bothers him? (lines 10–13)• What evidence does the narrator provide for

his claim that he is not mad? (lines 14–16)

develop reading fluencyHave students practice capturing the grim, sus-penseful mood by reading this page. First have students read the page independently, making notes to help themselves as necessary. Then model reading the passage aloud, capturing the mood with your voice. Have students work in pairs trading off reading paragraphs until they have achieved fluency.

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterReading Fluency p. 94

read with a purposeHelp students set a purpose for reading. Tell them to read “The Tell-Tale Heart” to find out whether the narrator really is mad.

a Model the Skill: evaluatenarrator

To model evaluating the narrator, first reread lines 1–16 aloud, pointing out the narrator’s self-description. Point out that the narrator assumes the reader thinks he is crazy, and that he plans to murder the old man even though he says he loves him. Say: The narrator is planning to murder an old man because he thinks the man has “the eye of a vulture” (line 11). This plan makes the narrator’s opinion that he is not insane seem untrustworthy.


Targeted Passage1V O C A B U L A R Y

own the word• acute: Point out that the root word for

acute is acutus, the past principle of acuere, which is Latin for “to sharpen.” Ask students: Why does the narrator think his hearing is more acute? Answer: He thinks he can hear things that he could not hear before.

• conceive: Ask students to complete the sentence: His boss conceived of a plan to. . . .


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This selection on thinkcentral.com includes embedded ThinkAloud models–students “thinking aloud” about the story to model the kinds of questions a good reader would ask about a selection.

Reading Support

backgroundThe Evil Eye The narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” believes that the old man has an “Evil Eye” (line 30). Belief in the Evil Eye crosses many cultures and is rooted in folklore. A per-son possessed of an Evil Eye is believed to have the ability to harm other people simply by looking at them in a particular way. Belief in the Evil Eye can be found in the ancient Greek and Roman cultures. It spread throughout Eu-rope and persists in some Jewish, Islamic, Bud-dhist, Hindu, and Christian traditions. Often a beautiful or wealthy person is the victim of a curse cast by someone with an Evil Eye who is jealous of his or her good fortune. The curse may be deliberate or unintentional. A variety of charms or talismans are worn by believers to ward off the Evil Eye.

Analyze Visuals

Possible answer: In the foreground, the man’s anxiety and fear are conveyed by the expres-sion on his face. Dramatic shadows around the room suggest a sense of dread. Jagged lines— such as those in the folds of the man’s clothing and the lines on the door—create tension.About the Art American illustrator Howard Simpson has contributed to DC Comics’ Green Lantern and The Outsiders and has illustrated Timon and Pumbaa stories for Disney Adventures.

for english language learnersComprehension Support Point out to students that Poe intentionally uses unconventional sentence structure and punctuation, as well as sentence fragments, to emphasize the narrator’s state of mind. Read the story to students and stop after each targeted passage to ask the suspense questions in the margins. Differentiate expected responses:

beginning intermediate advanced advanced highAnswer questions using simple words or phrases.

Answer questions using simple sentences.

Answer questions using sentences with some details from the text.

Answer questions using sentences with significant details from the text.

for advanced learners/pre–apChallenge students to analyze how Poe deviates from traditional rules of grammar to emphasize the deterioration of the nar-rator’s mind. Help them get started with examples on the first page of sentence fragments, odd placement for punctuation, and unconventional word order. Ask them to share their ideas with the class.



man’s sleep. It took me an hour to place my whole head within the opening so far that I could see him as he lay upon his bed. Ha!—would a madman have been so wise as this? And then, when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern cautiously—oh, so cautiously—cautiously (for the hinges creaked)—I undid it just so much that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye. And this I did for seven long nights—every night just at midnight—but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye. And every morning, when the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber, and spoke courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone, and inquiring how he had passed the night. So you see he would have been a very profound old man, indeed, to suspect that every night, just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept. b

Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch’s minute hand moves more quickly than did mine. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers—of my sagacity.2 I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph. To think that there I was, opening the door, little by little, and he not even to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts. I fairly chuckled at the idea; and perhaps he heard me; for he moved on the bed suddenly, as if startled. Now you may think that I drew back—but no. His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness (for the shutters were close fastened, through fear of robbers), and so I knew that he could not see the opening of the door, and I kept pushing it on steadily, steadily.

I had my head in, and was about to open the lantern, when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening, and the old man sprang up in the bed, crying out—“Who’s there?”

I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed listening,—just as I have done, night after night, hearkening to the death watches3 in the wall. c

Presently I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was the groan of mortal terror. It was not a groan of pain or grief—oh, no!—it was the low, stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe. I knew the sound well. Many a night, just at midnight, when all the world slept, it has welled up from my own bosom, deepening, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distracted me. I say I knew it well. I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart. I knew that he had been lying awake ever since the first slight noise, when he had turned in the bed. His fears had been ever since growing upon him. He had been trying to fancy them causeless, but could not. He had been saying to himself—“It is nothing but the wind in the chimney—it is only a mouse crossing the floor,” or “it is merely a cricket which has made a single chirp.” Yes, he has been trying to comfort himself with these suppositions; but he had found all in vain. All in vain; because Death,

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2. sagacity (sE-gBsPG-tC): sound judgment.

3. death watches: deathwatch beetles—insects that make a tapping sound with their heads.


vex (vDks) v. to disturb; to annoy

b

SUSPENSENote the actions the narrator repeats. Why does this repetition create a sense of dread?

c

SUSPENSEIn what way does the characters’ inaction create tension?

stifled (stFPfEld) adj. smothered stifle v.


for english language learnersVocabulary: Multiple-Meaning Words Remind students to use context clues to figure out the meanings of words used in an unfamiliar way. Make sure they understand how these words are used in the story:• mad (line 2): Though often used to mean

“angry,” here it means “crazy” or “insane.” • pitch (line 42): Often a verb that means

“throw,” here it is a noun that refers to a thick, dark tarry substance. Black as pitch means “completely dark.”

for struggling readersReading Skill Follow-Up: Evaluate Narrator [paired option] Encourage students to update their charts from page 81 to help them evalu-ate the narrator. Have students reread lines 21–25. Do they agree with the narrator that his actions are wise? Allow time for students to share their charts with a partner.



b Model the Skill: suspense

To model analyzing suspense, point out Poe’s technique in this passage. Say: For seven nights in a row, the narrator opens the old man’s door at midnight and looks at his eye. Then, each morning, he goes in to ask the old man how he slept. The suspense builds because each time the narrator ap-proaches the old man, he might murder him or be caught.

c suspense

Possible answer: The longer the characters sit in silence, the more suspenseful the situ-ation becomes. The reader wonders which character will break the silence.

revisit the big question What makes you SUSPICIOUS?Discuss In lines 45–54, how do the actions of the old man reveal his suspicion that some-thing is wrong? Possible answer: His question, his groan, and the fact that he stays sitting up in bed, listening, suggest that he suspects he is in danger.

V O C A B U L A R Y

own the word• vex: Ask students to name three things

that vex them. Remind students that x is pronounced /ks/. Give students these other examples and have them practice pronouncing these words correctly: flex, Texas, Mexican.

• stifled: Ask students to tell in what situa-tions they might have to stifle a laugh.


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in approaching him, had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim. And it was the mournful influence of the unperceived shadow that caused him to feel—although he neither saw nor heard—to feel the presence of my head within the room.

When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a little—a very, very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened it—you cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily—until, at length, a single dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot from out the crevice and fell full upon the vulture eye.

It was open—wide, wide open—and I grew furious as I gazed upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness—all a dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones; but I could see nothing else of the old man’s face or person: for I had directed the ray as if by instinct, precisely upon the damned spot.

And now have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the senses?—now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound well too. It was the beating of the old man’s heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage. d

But even yet I refrained and kept still. I scarcely breathed. I held the lantern motionless. I tried how steadily I could maintain the ray upon the eye. Meantime the hellish tattoo4 of the heart increased. It grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every instant. The old man’s terror must have been extreme! It grew louder, I say, louder every moment!—do you mark me well? I have told you that I am nervous: so I am. And now at the dead hour of the night, amid the dreadful silence of that old house, so strange a noise as this excited me to uncontrollable terror. Yet, for some minutes longer I refrained and stood still. But the beating grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst. And now a new anxiety seized me—the sound would be heard by a neighbor! The old man’s hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once—once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a muffled sound. This, however, did not vex me; it would not be heard through the wall. At length it ceased. The old man was dead. I removed the bed and examined the corpse. Yes, he was stone, stone dead. I placed my hand upon the heart and held it there many minutes. There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more. e

If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned,5 and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.

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4. hellish tattoo: awful drumming.

5. waned: approached its end.

the tell-tale heart 85

crevice (krDvPGs) n. crack

d

EVALUATE NARRATORWhat does the narrator claim to be hearing? Decide whether you think he is correct.

e

SUSPENSE Reread lines 84–102. What is the scariest or most exciting part of this paragraph? Tell what details contribute to this feeling.

stealthily (stDlPthE-lC) adv. cautiously; secretly


for struggling readers2 Targeted Passage [Lines 84–102]

This passage presents the climax of the story, as the narrator carries out his plan to kill the old man.• What finally prompts the narrator to kill

the old man? (lines 93–94)• How does the narrator commit the murder?

(lines 94–99)• How does he make sure that the old man

is dead? (lines 99–101)

for advanced learners/pre–apAnalyze Tone [small-group option] Ask students to recall that tone is an author’s atti-tude about a subject. Have them reread lines 84–102. Then ask small groups of students to use a Two-Column Chart to record key words and phrases that convey the tone of this pas-sage. Provide time for groups to present their charts to the class.

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT—TransparencyTwo-Column Chart p. A25

e suspense

Possible answer: The most exciting mo-ment is when the narrator leaps into the room with a loud yell and the old man shrieks. The ever-louder heartbeat that the narrator hears, and his increasing anxiety in response to it, builds the suspense leading up to this.


d evaluate narratorRemind students to write their responses in the chart from page 81. Possible answer:

tiered discussion promptsIn lines 69–83, use these prompts to help stu-dents understand the narrator’s actions and motivation:

Interpret Describe the narrator’s mood. What might his mood suggest about him? Students may say that the narrator seems excited and frantic. His emotional state sug-gests that he is becoming unbalanced. Synthesize Do you think that killing the old man will calm the narrator? Explain. Possible answer: The narrator is mentally unbalanced, so killing the old man will not bring him peace.

V O C A B U L A R Y

own the word• crevice: Have students draw a picture of

a rock with a crevice.• stealthily: Demonstrate someone walk-

ing stealthily. Have one or two students stealthily leave their desks and walk to the back of the room.

Targeted Passage2

Narrator’s Reliability

Makes Me

Suspicious:

• He says he hears the

old man’s heart, but

this seems unlikely.

Makes Me Trust Him:

•



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I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings.6 I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye—not even his—could have detected anything wrong. There was nothing to wash out—no stain of any kind—no blood-spot whatever. I had been too wary for that. A tub had caught all—ha! ha!

When I made an end of these labors, it was four o’clock—still dark as midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart,—for what had I now to fear?

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6. scantlings: small wooden beams supporting the floor.

Language CoachSyntax The way words are put together in a sentence is called syntax. Poe often uses unusual syntax. Reread line 112. What is another way to say “When I made an end of these labors”?


What can you infer from the character’s expression in each of the three panels?


for english language learnersLanguage CoachSyntax Tell students that Poe’s syntax adds to the formal style of the story. Possible answer: When I stopped this work.

for english language learnersLanguage: Adverbs Remind students that a verb expresses the action in a sentence, and an adverb modifies the verb in some way.• On pages 86–87, the narrator uses several

adverbs to describe his actions. Remind students that adverbs often end in the suffix -ly, which means “in a specified way.” Explain that knowing the meaning of this suffix can help them figure out the mean-ing of an adverb.

Analyze Visuals

Possible answer: You can infer from the man’s smile in the top left panel that he is trying to appear friendly as he welcomes the visitors at the door. In the panel below, he looks nervous. In the panel on the right, the man looks as if he has gone insane.



There entered three men, who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity,7 as officers of the police. A shriek had been heard by a neighbor during the night: suspicion of foul play had been aroused; information had been lodged at the police office, and they (the officers) had been deputed8 to search the premises.

I smiled,—for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country. I took my visitors all over the house. I bade them search—search well. I led them, at length, to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed9 the corpse of the victim.

The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct:—it continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definitiveness—until at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.

No doubt I now grew very pale;—but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased—and what could I do? It was alow, dull, quick sound—much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath—and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly—more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations,10 but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observation of the men—but the noise steadily increased. What could I do? I foamed—I raved—I swore. I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder—louder—louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not?—no, no! They heard!—they suspected!—they knew!—they were making a mockery of my horror!—this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die!—and now—again!—hark! louder! louder! louder!— f

“Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble11 no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks!—here, here!—it is the beating of his hideous heart!” �

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7. suavity (swäPvG-tC): graceful politeness.

8. deputed: appointed as a representative.

9. reposed: rested.

10. gesticulations (jD-stGkQyE-lAPshEns): energetic gestures of the hands or arms.

11. dissemble: pretend.


audacity (ô-dBsPG-tC) n. shameless daring or boldness

vehemently (vCPE-mEnt-lC) adv. with intense emotion

derision (dG-rGzhPEn) n. ridicule

hypocritical (hGpQE-krGtPG-kEl) adj. false or deceptive

f

SUSPENSEThink about the emotions that the narrator is feeling. How does Poe help the reader feel the same way?

f suspense

Possible answer: Poe’s use of short sen-tences and phrases—often with words emphasized in italic type or followed by exclamation points—mimics the sound of the dead man’s heartbeat and helps the reader feel the narrator’s rising panic.


V O C A B U L A R Y

own the word• audacity: Have students tell which of the

following shows audacity: a) studying hard for an exam, b) skiing the steepest hill the first time you have ever skied, c) understanding a person’s motives. (Answer: B)

• vehemently: Remind students that to say something vehemently is to say it with intense emotion. The word’s con-notation is “strong and passionate.”

• derision: Ask students: Why does the narrator assume the officers are watch-ing him in derision? Answer: He thinks they can hear the beating and are mock-ing him.

• hypocritical: Ask students to applaud if they would like to be considered hypocritical. Then have them explain why they did or did not applaud.

selection wrap–upREAD WITH A PURPOSE Now that students have read the story, have them share their opinions about whether, despite his protesta-tions, the narrator is truly mad.

CRITIQUE Have students consider whether the story should have ended at a different point in time. What would be the effect on the reader if the story ended before the officers arrived?

INDEPENDENT READING Students may also enjoy reading additional

stories by Poe in The Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, which includes his own critical remarks about his work.

for struggling readers3 Targeted Passage [Lines 115–152]

This passage concludes the story: the nar-rator is driven to confess his crime when he believes he hears the old man’s heart beating. • Why do the police come? (lines 115–118)• How does the narrator initially react to the

police? (lines 119–126)• What causes a change in the narrator’s state

of mind? (lines 129–140)• Why does the narrator finally confess?

(lines 146–152)

for reluctant readersPoint out the graphic novel style of this story’s illustrations. Ask students to choose a section of the story that has not already been illus-trated and come up with their own sketches to represent the section. Students can draw a single image or several in progression, as in a comic strip. Have students display and explain their sketches to the class.

Targeted Passage3


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Practice and Apply After Reading


Comprehension 1. Recall Why does the narrator want to kill the old man?

2. Clarify Why does the narrator believe he will not be caught after murdering the old man?

3. Summarize How does the narrator prepare for the crime and cover up?

Text Analysis 4. Make Inferences Reread lines 7–13. From this passage, what do you think was

the relationship between the narrator and the old man?

5. Analyze Suspense Which of Poe’s techniques for creating suspense is most effective for you? To find out, review the following story sections. List the techniques used in each section, and then rank the sections from 1–4, with 1 being the most suspenseful.

Rank

Lines 1–78 79–111 112–133 134–152

Techniques 1.

2.

1.

2.

1.

2.

1.

2.

6. Evaluate Narrator How reliable is the narrator of the story? Should you believe what he tells you about himself? Support your answer with details from the chart you created as you read.

7. Compare and Contrast When readers know something a character does not, dramatic irony results. Contrast what you know about the narrator to what he believes about himself. What effect does this difference in perspective create? Explain.

Extension and Challenge 8. Readers’ Circle With a group, brainstorm a list of horror stories and movies

that most of you are familiar with. Choose at least two of these titles and discuss the techniques the authors or directors used to create suspense. Which of the techniques are similar to the ones Poe uses?

9. Inquiry and Research Do research on lie detection to find out what are the most reliable ways of finding out if someone is telling the truth. Present your findings to the class. Does what you learn change your opinion about whether the narrator is reliable?

What makes you SUSPICIOUS?Review the list of suspicious actions you recorded on page 80. Which of these actions, if any, did the narrator exhibit while talking to the police?

RL 4 Analyze the impact of word choices on meaning and tone. RL 6 Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create suspense.

For preliminary support of post-reading questions, use these copy masters:

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MastersReading Check p. 92 Suspense p. 85Question Support p. 93For additional questions, see page 78.

answersComprehension

1. The narrator thinks the old man’s strange eye is evil.

2. He believes he is too clever to be caught, and that he has destroyed all the evidence.

3. Students’ summaries should include the narrator’s actions from entering the old man’s room each night to hiding the body.

Text Analysis Possible answers: 4. The narrator says he loves the old man and

does not want his money, so he might be the old man’s relative or caretaker.

5. common core focus Analyze Suspense Students’ rankings will vary. Techniques include: Lines 1–78: repeated words and actions, vivid description of fear and anxiety. Lines 79–111: repetition of sound of heartbeat, dramatic description of murder. Lines 112–133: narrator’s confidence slides into anxiety. Lines 134–152: short sentences with exclamation points signal building of tension about being caught.

6. common core focus Evaluate Nar-rator The narrator is insane; it is difficult to believe what he says. He insists that he is sane, but he murdered someone for an irrational reason. He was obsessed by the look of the man’s eye and then by the sound of the man’s heartbeat. He doesn’t express remorse for the murder.

7. The narrator is insane, but throughout the story he explains that his actions are not those of a madman. The more the narrator says that he is sane and wise, the more ap-parent it becomes that he is crazy and that he is about to do something completely irrational. This creates suspense.

Extension and Challenge8. Responses will vary but should reflect an

understanding of the techniques authors use to develop suspense.

9. Students should consult at least two reliable sources and present their findings in an organized manner.

What makes you SUSPICIOUS? After students review their lists of suspicious actions, they should compare their lists to the text to determine if the narrator exhibited similar actions.


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Vocabulary in Context vocabulary practice

Choose true or false for each statement.

1. It is difficult to hide a stifled yawn. 2. If you have the audacity to do something, you are bold and daring. 3. Derision is something you feel toward someone you respect. 4. A lion would approach its prey stealthily. 5. You could not hear much if you had an acute sense of hearing. 6. If someone conceived of a plan, he or she heard it from someone else. 7. A person could trip over a crevice in the sidewalk. 8. When a person is hypocritical, he is honest and true. 9. To vex is to delight in something. 10. If you react vehemently to something, you don’t care much about it.

academic vocabulary in writing

At what point in “The Tell-Tale Heart” did it become evident to you that the narrator was mad, or insane? Write a short paragraph explaining your answer.Try to use at least one Academic Vocabulary word in your response.

vocabulary strategy: using reference aidsChoosing the perfect word can make a difference between good and great writing. One reason Poe’s writing is still so popular is because of his masterful use of language. When you want to find the most accurate words to express yourself, the following reference aids can help you.

• A thesaurus is a reference book of synonyms, words with similar meanings. Most word processing software provides an electronic thesaurus tool.

vex verb aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, disturb, provoke

• A dictionary lists synonyms after the definitions of some words.

vex (vDks) v. 1. To annoy. 2. To cause perplexity in. 3. To bring distress or suffering to. syn BOTHER, PUZZLE, PLAGUE, AFFLICT

PRACTICE Use a dictionary or thesaurus to find a synonym for each word. Use each synonym in a sentence that matches its distinct meaning.

1. commend 2. dupe 3. impish 4. menace

• affect • conclude • evident • imply • initial

Go to thinkcentral.com.KEYWORD: HML8-89

InteractiveVocabulary

acute

audacity

conceived

crevice

derision

hypocritical

stealthily

stif led

vehemently

vex

L 4c Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, thesauruses) to determine a word’s precise meaning.

differentiated instructionfor english language learnersVocabulary Practice Have students work in pairs to look up each vocabulary word in a thesaurus and a dictionary. Ask each pair to be prepared to report to the class one way in which a thesaurus and a dictionary are different, and one synonym for each vocabulary word.

for advanced learners/pre–apVocabulary Strategy Challenge students to compose sentences using each of the listed words. Discuss the connotation of each listed word and its synonym.

answersVocabulary in Context

vocabulary practice1. true 5. false 9. false 2. true 6. false 10. false

3. false 7. true 4. true 8. false

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterVocabulary Practice p. 90

academic vocabulary in writingSuggest that students review their Reading Skill charts for ideas for their paragraphs.

vocabulary strategy: using reference aids Point out that synonyms in a thesaurus do not have exactly the same meaning; each word has its own connotation. Sample sentences: 1. I’d like to praise the ac-tors for their wonderful performance. 2. She was always able to trick her little brother into doing her chores. 3. He was unable to hide his mischievous smile as his teacher sat on a tack. 4. These sharp branches along the trail are a threat to hikers’ eyes.

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterVocabulary Strategy p. 91

Assess and ReteachAssessDIAGNOSTIC AND SELECTION TESTS

Selection Tests A, B/C pp. 35–36, 37–38Interactive Selection Test on thinkcentral.com

ReteachLevel Up Online Tutorials on thinkcentral.comReteaching Worksheets on thinkcentral.com

Literature Lessons 8, 11

Keywords direct students to a WordSharp tutorial on thinkcentral.com or to other types of vocabulary practice and review.

Interactive Vocabulary


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Documents

RL 4 RL 6 What makes you c SUSPICIOUS?