Mr. Know-All by ゆゆ

W.S.Maugham

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William Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) was a British playwright, novelist, and short story writer known for his clear, unadorned prose and keen insight into human nature. His most famous works include the novel Of Human Bondage (1915), a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story, The Moon and Sixpence (1919), inspired by Paul Gauguin, and The Razor’s Edge (1944), exploring Eastern philosophy. Maugham was also a master of the short story, often depicting expatriates and colonial life. His writing style was straightforward and ironic, making his works widely accessible and enduringly popular.

"Mr. Know-All" Short Summary

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The narrator travels by ship from San Francisco to Yokohama and shares a cabin with Mr. Kelada, a talkative and confident man who seems to know everything. People on the ship call him "Mr. Know-All" because he always gives his opinion and never thinks he is wrong.

At dinner one evening, the conversation turns to pearls. Mr. Kelada, who works in the pearl trade, insists that Mrs. Ramsay’s necklace is made of real pearls and worth a lot of money. Mr. Ramsay, her husband, disagrees and bets $100 that the pearls are fake. Mr. Kelada examines the necklace and is about to prove he is right when he sees Mrs. Ramsay’s fearful expression. Realizing she has a secret, he lies and says the pearls are fake, losing the bet.

The next morning, the narrator finds an envelope with $100 slipped under the door for Mr. Kelada. This confirms that the pearls were real and that Mrs. Ramsay had something to hide—possibly a gift from another man while her husband was away.

Task 1. Unjumbled Plan (Put the events in the correct order)

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At dinner, the conversation turns to pearls.
The narrator dislikes Mr. Kelada for being too friendly.
Mr. Kelada and the narrator meet on the ship.
Mr. Kelada becomes known as “Mr. Know-All.”
Mr. Kelada examines the pearls and realizes they are real.
The ship passengers laugh at Mr. Kelada for losing the bet.
He sees Mrs. Ramsay’s terrified face and decides to lose the bet on purpose.
Mr. Kelada and Mr. Ramsay make a bet about Mrs. Ramsay’s pearl chain.
The narrator realizes that Mr. Kelada was right about the pearls.
The next morning, Mr. Kelada receives a secret envelope with money.

Task 2. Gap-Filling (Choose the Correct Word)

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• cabin •pearls •ship •bet •real •imitation •hundred •mistake •money •Know-All

1. The narrator was traveling on a __________ from San Francisco to Yokohama.

2. He shared a __________ with Mr. Kelada.

3. Mr. Kelada was very talkative, and people called him Mr. __________.

4. At dinner, Mr. Kelada and Mr. Ramsay talked about __________.

5. Mr. Kelada claimed that Mrs. Ramsay’s chain was made of __________ pearls.

6. Mr. Ramsay made a __________ with Mr. Kelada.

7. Mr. Kelada examined the pearls and saw they were real, but he said they were __________.

8. He did this because he noticed Mrs. Ramsay’s face and realized his __________.

9. The next morning, Mr. Kelada received an envelope with __________ inside.

10. The narrator understood that Mr. Kelada had told the truth about the __________.