One day, as Lancelot was thinking about running away from his master Shylock, a very old man carrying a basket came to Lancelot.

“Excuse me, can you tell me where Shylock _________?” the old man asked.

Lancelot recognized this man. It was his father, Gobbo, but the poor old man was quite _________ and didn’t recognize his son. Lancelot didn’t tell the old man he was his son, he told him how to get to Shylock’s house _________.

“Does Lancelot live with Shylock in that house?”

Lancelot tricked his father by telling him Lancelot was _________, his poor father was very sad.

“Is my son really dead?” Gobbo asked.

“Don’t you know me?” asked Lancelot.

“No, I don’t know you, ”answered Gobbo. “ I can’t see. I am _________ that you are not my son.”

“I’m sorry. I was _________ you.” exclaimed Lancelot. “I am your son. Give me your blessing.” He knelt in front of his father.

Gobbo still _________ believe the young man was really his son.

“I know you are my father and Margery is my mother,” said Lancelot.

Gobbo agreed that his _________ name was Margery, and he began to _________ his son’s head with his hands.

“I have __________ a present for your master in a shop.” Gobbo said.

“Don’t give him a present. He doesn’t need it. He is __________, but he doesn’t give me enough food, I am dying of hunger.” answered Lancelot. “ You can count the __________ in my body because I am so thin. Give your present to Bassanio. I’d like to serve him __________ he cares for his servants. They always have __________ to eat and wear beautiful clothes.”

Gobbo and Lancelot went to see Bassanio. Bassanio __________ to take Lancelot as a servant.

Lancelot was happy to leave Shylock and work for Bassanio.

A Student Profile

Name: Kristin Lacey

Hometown: Merced, California, USA

School & College: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) at MIT

Major: English literature

Favorite book: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Favorite class: British Literature with Professor Anna Henchman

Favorite place to study on campus: Athan’s in Washington Square or Cafenation in Brighton Center

Favorite restaurant in Boston: Sweet Checks

Extra-curricular (课外的) activities: President of the Graduate Student Association; Leading the Graduate Student Fiction (小说) Group; Volunteering at Gifford Homeless Cat Center in Brighton.

Study experience: I studied for four years and earned my undergraduate degree (本科学位) in English in 2021 at California State University, Fresno. I was the first in my family to attend graduate school and college.

When I graduate, I hope to teach literature at a local college and help the other first-generation college students to get higher education. It’s important to give a helping hand to those who need it.

Advice to other first-generation college students:

I know that being first-generation graduate means always pushing against your background and stepping out of your comfort zone. And it is important to take as many lectures as possible and be open-minded to good advice from your teachers, while know the line between helpful and bad recommendations. Be outgoing with your friends and build your support network by asking for help when you need it and giving help in return.

Uncle Tom lived in a small log cabin near his master’s house with his wife, Aunt Chloe, and their children. One day, Aunt Chloe was baking a cake on the fire. Two young boys, Mose and Pete, were playing with their baby sister, Polly. Uncle Tom was sitting at the table. He was a large strong man with a kind face and an air of dignity(尊严). He was very busy. He was trying to write the alphabet on a small blackboard. Mr Shelby’s son, young Master George, was teaching him. However, while this was happening in Tom’s cabin, something very different was happening in his master’s house.

When they were getting ready to go to bed. Eliza, a young slave from the house, came to their door.

“Uncle Tom and Aunt Chloe”, she said, “Master sold Uncle Tom!’

“Sold Tom?” said Aunt Chloe. “But why did he do that?”

“Master is in debt, he has to find the money, or he will have to sell the farm and all of us and leave. So he sold Uncle Tom to pay off his debt.”

“Tom, why don’t you run away? The trader will sell you to a plantation, where they kill slaves with hard work and no food! There’s still time. Come on, get up, and I’ll get your things ready.”

Tom looked at her with sad eyes and said “No, I’m not running away. You heard what Eliza said! Master needs money to keep the farm and the people. I’m strong. I’ll be OK. I can go so he won’t have to sell everything. These things happen, Chloe, and Master tried to be good. He’ll take care of you and the children.”

Then he looked at his sleeping children and he covered his face and started to cry.