Book 16
Text 488
Harry Marsh was a driving examiner who had to test people who wanted to get a driving-licence. One day he came out of his office as usual and saw a car at the side of the road, with a young man in it. He got into the car beside the driver and told him to check the lights,then the brakes and then all the other usual things. The driver performed everything promptly and faultlessly, without saying a word. Then Harry told the driver to start his engine and drive forward. Then he told him to turn right into a side road, stop, go backwards into another side road and then drive to the office again. On the way, the driver said to Harry politely, "Could you please tell me why we are doing all these things? I was passing through this town and only stopped to look at my map.
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What was Harry's job?2. What did he see outside his office one day?3. What did he do?4. What did he tell the young man to do?5. What did the young man do?6. How did the young man do ?7. What did Harry tell him to do after that?8. What did the young man ask him after he had finished?9. Why had his car been parked outside Harry's office?10.How do you think,what was Harry`s face after guy told him that he stopped and was just looking at his map?
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1. in 2. finish3. rudely4. left5. never6.slowly7.doubtfully8. with 9. shout 10. village
1. in
2. finish
3. rudely
4. left
5. never
6.slowly
7.doubtfully
8. with
9. shout
10. village
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Harry was a truck driver.
2. Harry saw a truck driver at the side of the road.
3. The young man needed some help.
4. The car had problems with brakes.
5. People who wanted a driving licence had to have a test first.
6. If a driver could check all the things like lights and brakes, Harry passed him.
7. The young man had a lot of faults in his performance.
8. Harry gave the young man a driving test by mistake.
9. Harry asked the young man to drive him to his office because he was late.
10. The young man came to have a driving test by mistake
Text 489
George was a newspaper reporter who worked for a small local newspaper in a country town. Nothing much ever happened there.
One day George's boss sent for him.
"George," he said, "James Bright is making a speech at the Town Hall tonight. I want you to go and report on it for us."
" James Bright? " said George. " He's a terrible old fool. He never says anything worth reporting."
"Bright is our best-known local politician," said the boss. " We'll have to print a report on that speech."
So George went to the meeting and Bright spoke for two hours without stopping. When George got back to the office at last, the boss was waiting for him.
" Well, George," he said. "What did the old man say?"
Absolutely nothing,' said George.
The boss wasn't surprised. All right, George,' he said. 'You'd better not write more than two and a half columns on it."
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1.Who was George?2. What did George's boss ask him to do one day?3. What did George answer?4. And what did his boss say then?5. What happened at the meeting?6. How long was the meeting?7. What did George's boss ask him when he came back?8. What did George answer?9. How did his boss feel about this?10. And what did he tell George to do?
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.played
2.foreign
3.big
4. few
5.next
6.front
7.worse
8. with
9. young
10. clever
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. George was a shopkeeper.
2.George worked in the city.
3. James Bright was a manager.
4. George's boss sent George to " World News" to report the speech.
5. The boss said that James Bright was an old fool.
6. George had a high opinion of James Bright.
7. George had to film James Bright's speech.
8. James Bright spoke for three hours.
9. A few people visited Kames Bright's speech.
10.George's wife waited George in the office.
11. George's boss told him to write quite a lot about his speech.
Text 490
Many years ago an English lady in Africa was invited by an important local chief to be the first person to use his new bath - the first one in that part of Africa.
The lady went into the bath-house, turned on the taps and got into the nice, warm water. But when she looked up, she was frightened to sеe an eye watching her through a hole. She got out, dressed and ran outside. She saw an old man and a donkey there. He was carrying a petrol tin of hot water in one hand, and one of cold water in the other, and in front of him were two funnels.
" Why were you watching me in my bath?" the lady asked him angrily.
The man answered politely, " I have to see which tap you turn on, madam, or I don't know whether to pour in hot or cold water."
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1.Who invited the English lady to the bath?2. What did the English lady invite to do?3. What did she do?4. Why was she frighted?5. What did she do about it?6. What did she see when she went out?7. What was he doing?8. What did the lady ask him?9. And what did he answer?10.Was the man rude?
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.ugly2.foreign3.rude4.warm5.asked6.back 7.down8. turn off9. politily10.inside
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. The lady's husband invited his wife to the bath.
2.It was the best bath in the Central of America.
3. The English lady had never been in a real bath in that part of Africa before.
4. The water was freezing in the bath house.
5. The water came out of the taps as usual.
6. The lady was afraid when she saw an animal in a hole in the bathroom
7. She ran out and saw a man who was carrying petrol to pour the water.
8. The old man was looking at the lady because he did not often see white women.
9. The bath did not have running hot and cold water unless the old man was there.
10.
Text 491
Mr. Edwards and Mr. Wilson were friends. They were sitting in a train when another man came in. There was going to be an election soon, and Mr. Edwards and Mr. Wilson began talking about politics. Mr. Edwards supported the Labour Party strongly.
Suddenly the third man began to argue with Mr. Edwards. He supported the Conservatives.
They argued for a long time, and then Mr. Edwards said, " Well, I can't make you change your mind, and you can't make me change mine, so let's have an agreement: I won't vote for the Labour Party, and you won't vote for the Conservative Party. Then we'll be able to stay at home comfortably, and nobody will lose anything. The other man agreed.
They all got out at the same station, and Mr Edwards drove Mr Wilson home in his car.
' That's the fifteenth person, I've made that agreement with,' he said to him.
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Who were Mr. Edwards and Mr. Wilson?2. What transport did they take?3. What did they talk about?4. How many people were in the carriage?5. How long did they talk?6. Did they fight?7. Where did they get out?8. What did they agree about?9. Who won?10. How many people did Mr. Edwards cheat?
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1. enemies2. out3. finished4. weakly5. short6. find7. without8. nobody9. oppose10. different
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1. enemies
2. out
3. finished
4. weakly
5. short
6. find
7. without
8. nobody
9. oppose
10. different
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Mr. Edwards and Mr. Wilson were neighbours.
2. They went home by car.
3. Five people were in the carriage.
4. Mr. Edwards was for the Conservative Party.
5. The third man was on Mr Edwards's side.
6. Mr Edwards and the third man disagreed about politics.
7. Each of them agreed to vote for his own party.
8. They went out in the differents railway stations
9. The agreement helped the Labour Party.
10. Mr. Adwards cheated 20 people.
Text 492
Some people were queuing outside the Scala Theatre for tickets for a very popular show. They had to wait for several hours, and during that time they were entertained by a young man who was playing very nicely on a trumpet. The queue enjoyed his music and put quite a lot of money in the box that he had on the ground in front of him.
At last one of the people in the queue said to him, 'You play too well to be a beggar.
" I'm not a beggar,' the young man said. 'I'm studying to be a trumpet player in a big band, and I have to practise several hours every day, so I thought it would be nice to do it in the fresh air instead of in my small room on days when the weather was nice—and also to get a bit of money at the same time.
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Who were queuing outside the Theatre?
2. Where did somw people stay?
3. What did the people want to buy?
4. How long did they need to wait for tickets?
5. What was happening during this time?
6. Did the people hate the music?
7. What did one of the people say?
8. What did the young man answer?
9.
10. Did the young man get much money?
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1. inside
2. old
3. ugly
4. hated
5. little ( few)
6. back
7. next
8. badly
9. worker
10. huge
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Some people were near museum.
2. The people wanted to buy tickets for train.
3. The people bought all tickets very quickly.
4. Part of the show at the Scala Theatre was a popular entertainment by a young man who played the trumpet.
5. The young musician got quite a lot of money from the people in the queue.
6. He played very badly.
7. He played the trumpet in the band at the Scala Theatre,
8. He played in his small room in good weather with his windows open to get fresh air.
9. When the weather was nice, he always used to go to the bank to get a bit of money.
10. The young man did not have a place to live.
Text 493
Mr Richards worked in a shop which sold, cleaned and repaired hearing-aids. One day an old gentleman entered and put one down in front of him without saying a word.
'What's the matter with it?' Mr Richards asked.
The man did not answer. Of course Mr Richards thought that the man must be deaf and that his hearing-aid must be faulty, so he said again, more loudly, 'What's wrong with your hearing-aid, sir?' Again the man said nothing, so Mr Richards shouted his question again as loudly as he could.
The man then took a pen and a piece of paper and wrote: " It isn't necessary to shout when you're speaking to me. My ears are as good as yours. This hearing-aid is my wife's, not mine. I've just had a
throat operation, and my problem is not that I can't hear, but that I can't speak."
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What was Mr.Richards?2.What did Mr. Richards have?3. What did an old gentleman bring Mr Richards one day?4. What did Mr Richards ask him?5. And what did the old man say in reply?6. What did Mr Richards think then?7. What did he do?8. How did the old man make Mr Richards understand what he wanted?9. Was the old man deaf?10. Why had he not spoken to Mr Richards?
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1. played2. bought3. up4. take5. quietly6. right7. bad8. answer9. back10.
1. played
2. bought
3. up
4. take
5. quietly
6. right
7. bad
8. answer
9. back
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1.Mr. Richard worked in the market.
2. He sold jewelry.
3. Mr. Richard wife came to visit him.
4. An old gentleman brought a stolen jewelry into the shop where Mr Richards worked.
5. The man did not answer Mr Richards's question because he was deaf.
6. Mr Richards wrote his question down because the old gentleman could not hear him.
7. The old gentleman answered Mr Richards's question in writing.
8. The hearing-aid was the old gentleman's.
9. The old gentleman couldn't speak.
10.Mr. Richard bought hearing-aid.
Text 494
Mrs Grey was old and deaf, and she was in court, accusing at neighbour of allowing his dogs to come into her garden, damage her vegetables and run after her cat and her chickens.
After hearing both sides, the judge thought that it would be best and cheapest for everybody if Mrs Grey and her neighbour could come to some sort of arrangement to settle the matter between themselves, so he asked the lawyer who was representing Mrs Grey to find out how much money she wanted from her neighbour in order to stop the action against him.
Her lawyer explained to her what was happening, but Mrs Grey could not hear what he said, so he repeated loudly, 'The judge wants to know what you will take.'
"Oh, thank you very much," Mrs Grey answered politely. "Please tell him that I'll have a glass of beer."
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What was Mrs. Grey?
2. Why did Mrs Grey come to court?
3. What did the judge decide?
4. What did he do as a result?
5. What did Mrs Grey's lawyer do then?
6. What happened to Mrs Grey?
7. And what did the lawyer do?
8. What was Mrs Grey's answer?
9. What mistake had she made?
10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1. hearing
2. fix
3. young
4. the worst
5. answered
6. the most expensive
7. lose
8. quietly
9. little ( few)
10. rudely
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Mrs. Grey was young and beautiful young lady.
2. She was a polite person.
3. Mrs Grey's dogs ran after a neighbour's chickens.
4. The judge wanted to get bribe from Mrs. Grey.
5. The judge was afraid that Mrs Grey and her neighbour might settle the matter between themselves.
6. Mrs Grey's lawyer asked her how much money she wanted,
7. Mrs Grey did not understand him, because she wanted more money.
8. She thought the judge offers her a drink
9. The judge really asked her that she would like to drink
10.
Text 495
A man who was bored with living in London and desired to move to the country was looking for a house from which he could get to his office in the city easily every day. One day he saw an advertisement for a suitable house in Hampshire which was claimed to be within a stone's throw of a railway station from which there were frequent trains to London.
He telephoned the house agency and arranged to go down by train the next day and have a look at the house,
The house agent met him at the station and they drove to the house, which was at least a kilometre from the station,
The man who had come to see the house turned to the house agent when they reached it and objected, 'I should be very interested to meet the man who threw that stone you mentioned in your advertisement!
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What was a man?1. Why did the man in this story want to leave London?2. Where did he want his new house to be?3. What did the advertisement for the house in Hampshire claim?4. What did the man do when he saw the advertisement?5. What happened when he got to the station?6. How far was the house from the station?7. What did the man say to the house agent?8. What did the writer of the advertisement really meant?10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1. hardly2. seldom3. up4. last5. most 6. interest7. unwanted8. avoid9. caught10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. A man loved to live in London.
2. The man in this story wanted to live inLondon, but work in the country.
3. He wanted to live near a station.
4. A man called to house agency at the beginning.
5. He saw an advertisement for a house in the street.
6. He saw an advertisement for a house near his office.
7. The house agent met him at the bus stop.
8. He went from London to Hampshire with the house agent.
9. The house was not really only a stone's throw from the station.
10. The house agent met him at the bus stop.
Text 496
A famous writer who was visiting Japan was invited to give a lecture at a university to a large group of students. As most of them could not understand spoken English, he had to have an interpreter.
During his lecture he told an amusing story which went on for her a long time. At last he stopped to allow the interpreter to translate it into Japanese, and was very surprised when the man did this in a few seconds, after which all the students laughed loudly.
After the lecture, the writer thanked the interpreter for his good work and then said to him, " Now please tell me how you translated that long story of mine into such a short Japanese one."
" I didn't tell the story at all," the interpreter answered with a smile.
" I just said, "The honourable lecturer has just told a funny story.Y ou will all laugh, please."'
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Who came to Japan?2. What invitation did the writer in this story receive?3. Why did he need an interpreter?4. What did he do during his lecture?5. Why did he stop after that?6. Why was he surprised then?7. What did the students do?8. What did the writer ask the interpreter after his lecture?9. And what did the interpreter answer?10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1. unknown2. take 3. little 4. least 5. boring6. started7. cried8. quietly9. short 10. play
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. The writer was unknown.
2. He came to Mexico.
3. He gave his lecture to all Mexican people.
4. The famous writer spoke Japanese well.
5. He told the students a long funny story.
6. The interpreter took rather a long time to tell the story.
7. The interpreter told the students a different funny story.
8. The students did not understand the lecturer's funny story at all.
9. The students laughed because the interpreter told them to.
10.The writer had a very good interpreter
Text 497
Mr Williams was a gardener and a very good one too. Last year he came to work for Mrs Elphinstone, who was old, fat and rich.
She knew nothing about gardens, but thought that she knew a lot, and was always interfering. One day Mr Williams got angry with Mrs Elphinstone and called her an elephant. She did not like that at all, so she went to a lawyer, and a few months later Mr Williams was in court, accused of calling Mrs Elphinstone an elephant. The magistrate found Mr Williams guilty, so Mr Williams said to him,
" Does that mean that I am not allowed to call this lady an elephant any more? "
"That is quite correct," the magistrate answered.
"And am I allowed to call an elephant a lady? " the gardener asked.
"Yes, certainly," the magistrate answered.
Mr Williams looked at Mrs Elphinstone and said, " Goodbye, lady."
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Who was Mr. Williams?
2. What did he do last year?
3. What did Mr Williams do when he got angry with Mrs Elphinstone?
4. And what did Mrs Elphinstone do about this?
5. What did the magistrate decide?
6. What did Mr Williams ask him then?
7. What did the magistrate answer?
8. What did Mr Williams ask then?
9. And what was the magistrate's answer this time?
10. So what did Mr Williams do then?
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1. thin
2. new
3. poor
4. happy
5. many
6. lost
7. wrong
8. asked
9. next
10. bad
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1.Mr. Williams was a doorman.
2. He came to London last year.
3. Mrs Elphinstone was better at gardening than Mr Williams.
4. Mr. Williams taught Mrs. Elphinstone gardening?
5. Mr Williams called her an elephant because she was old and rich
6. Mr Williams called her an elephant because she was fat and because her name was Elphinstone.
7. Mrs Elphinstone sent Mr Williams to a lawyer.
8. Mrs Elphinstone won the court case.
9.
10.
Text 498
There are lots of different kinds of Christian groups in the world, and one of them decided that they would adopt the motto: "There are no problems. There are only opportunities." "People think too much about difficulties which prevent them from doing good deeds," they said, 'and not enough about things that help them to do them.
Once this group was having a big conference in a hotel, when one of the members came up to the conference inquiries desk and said to the girl behind it, 'Excuse me, miss, but I have a problem.
The girl pointed to the motto, and said to the man, " No, sir, you haven't got a problem. You only have an opportunity."
The man smiled patiently at her and answered, " Well, you can call it whatever you like, but there's a young woman in the room I was given when I arrived twenty minutes ago."
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. The Christian group's motto meant that life is full of hope.
1. The Christian group's motto meant that life is full of hope.
2. The Christian group believed that one should think more about what can be done than about what can be done.
3. The Christian group believed that it was very difficult to do good deeds.
4. A man came to the inquiries desk to ask some questions about the conference.
5. The girl behind the desk refused to accept that the man had a problem.
6. The man thought the young woman in his room was an opportunity not a problem.
7.
8.
9.
10.
.
Text 499
The cautious captain of a small ship had to go along a coast with which he was unfamiliar, so he tried to find a qualified pilot to guide him. He went ashore in one of the small ports where his ship stopped, and a local fisherman pretended that he was one because he needed some money. The captain took him on board and let him tell him where to steer the ship.
After half an hour the captain began to suspect that the fisherman did not really know what he was doing or where he was going so he said to him, 'Are you sure you are a qualified pilot?'
"Oh, yes," answered the fisherman, " I know every rock on this part of the coast." Suddenly there was a terrible tearing sound from under the ship. At once the fisherman added, 'And that's one of them."
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What did the captain of the small ship want?2. Why did he want this:3. Why did a local fisherman want the job?1. What did the captain ask him after half an hour?5. Why did he ask him this?6. What did the fisherman answer?7. What happened then8. Ind what did the fisherman say about it?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. The captain knew that coast well, but he was a careful man.
2. He went into a port to find someone who knew the coast.
3. He found a qualified pilot to guide him.
4. A fisherman wanted to earn some money by acting as a pilot,
5. The fisherman knew every rock on that part of the coast.
6. He let the captain steer the ship right on to a rock.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 500
A lot of people go to the seaside for their holidays, and the various towns try to organize entertainment for them.
In one seaside holiday town in the south of England, arrangements were made for a band to play outdoors in a public park every evening for a week. Unfortunately it rained the first evening, and although the band performed well, there was only one person in the audience because, although the band was under cover, the audience were not.
The man was sitting in a chair, wearing a waterproof hat and coat, After an hour, the conductor of the band went to this man and inquired whether he had a special request.
"Yes, I have," said the man. "Please finish as soon as you can. I'm the keeper of this park, and I want to lock the gates and go home."
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Why did the town in this story arrange for a band to play there?2. Where did it play?3. Why was there such a small audience?4. Did the band get wet while they were playing? Why?5. What was the man in the audience wearing?6. What did the conductor of the band ask him?7. What did the man answer?8. How many people who were on holiday had come to hear the band?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. A seaside holiday town found a band to entertain visitors.
2. It played indoors when it rained.
3. The band were protected from rain.
4. There were a lot of people in the audience.
5. The conductor of the band asked the keeper of the park to lock the gates when they finished.
6. The keeper could not leave until the band finished.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 501
A very strict officer was talking to some new soldiers whom he had to train. He had never seen them before, so he began: 'My name is Stone, and I'm even harder than stone, so do what I tell you or
there'll be trouble. Don't try any tricks with me, and then we'll get on well together. "
Then he went to each soldier one after the other and asked him his name. 'Speak loudly so that everyone can hear you clearly," he said, 'and don't forget to call me "sir
Each soldier told him his name, until he came to the last one. This man remained silent, and so Captain Stone shouted at him, " When I ask you a question, answer it! I'll ask you again: what's your name, soldier? "
The soldier was very unhappy, but at last he replied. "My name's Stonebreaker, sir," he said nervously.
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What was Captain Stone like?2. What did he say to the new soldiers at the beginning of this story?3. What did he tell the young soldiers to do then?4. What happened then?5. What answer did the last soldier give?6. What did Captain Stone shout then?7. What did the soldier answer?8. Why was he unhappy?
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Captain Stone trained young soldiers,
2. He was a severe man.
3. He warned young soldiers that there would be trouble if they did what he told them.
4. He asked all the soldiers except one their names.
5. The soldiers had to say, "My name's... Sir Stone.'
6. When he asked the last soldier his name, he did not answer at first, because he was deaf.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 502
An old admiral was famous in the navy for his bad temper, so everyone tried hard not to annoy him. One week his ships were going to take part in a big international exercise, so he came on board in the evening, had his dinner and then went to bed. In the morning he had his breakfast early, came up to the bridge and examined the ships in his group carefully. Then he said angrily, "There should be two cruisers in this group, but I can only see one. Where's the other? No one dared to answer, and this made the admiral even angrier. His face became redder and redder.
" Well? " he shouted. 'What are you fools hiding from me? Where's the second cruiser? What's happened to it? Answer me!
At last a young sailor found enough courage to speak.
"Please, sir,' he said, 'you're on it.
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What had made the old admiral famous?2. What was the result?3. What did he do on his ship in the morning?4. What did he say?5. What happened?6. What did the admiral shout then?7. What did someone answer at last?8. What mistake had the admiral made?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Nobody wanted to annoy the admiral because he was a nice old man
2. His cruiser was going to take part in an exercise with ships of other countries.
3. On the first morning he could not find the second cruiser.
4. Nobody dared tell him that it had not arrived.
5. At last a young sailor told him that the cruiser was hiding,
6. The old admiral was on the second cruiser.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 503
Miss Jones teaches mathematics at a school. In one of her classes, the boys and girls are about eight years old, and they are not very good at arithmetic, Miss Jones always tries to make the work interesting and amusing as well as usefull.
One day she gave them a question: " If you go to the market to buy vegetables," she said, " and a carrot and a half cost twelve pence, how much will you have to pay for a dozen carrots? "
The pupils began to write in their exercise-books, and for a long time nobody spoke. Then one boy put his hand up and said, "Coulid you repeat thr question, please, Miss? "
The teacher began, "If a carrot and a half - ", but the boy interrupted her.
"Oh, a carrol and a half? " he said. "All this time I've been trying to work it out in cabbages, Miss."
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What question did Miss Jones ask her pupils one day?2. What did the pupils do?3. What happened after a long time?4. What did the boy ask?5. What did Miss Jones answer?6. What did the boy do?7. And what did he say?8. What difference would it make if one worked the sum out in cabbages instead of carrots?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Miss Jones helps her pupils to enjoy their work.
2. One day she asked them to buy her some carrots in the market.
3. The pupils worked very fast.
4. One boy thought he had not heard Miss Jones's question correctly.
5. He thought she had said cabbages instead of carrots,
6. The reason why he had not been able to get the answer was that he had been trying to work it out in "cabbages ".
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 504
When Mr Andrews left university, he got a good job in a big oil company, but after he had been there for a few years, he decided that he would like a change. He also wanted to get a more important
position, so that he could get more money, and perhaps also do more interesting work, so he put an advertisement in several newspapers,saying what experience he had had, describing the kind of job he ihad at that time and the kind he would like to have.
One of the answers he received was from another man who was looking for a job too. This man wrote to him, " Dear Sir, When you get a new job, please be kind enough to give my name and address to your present employer, as I have been trying to find a position like
yours for a long time."
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Mr Andrews was unemployed after he left the university.
2. Mr Andrews was an ambitious man.
3. He preferred a quiet, easy job.
4. He was willing to take responsibility.
5. The man who wrote to him was satisfied with his own job at that time.
6. The other man was looking for a better job than Mr Andrews was.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 505
Mary was a university student. She did not have very much money, and her parents were not rich, but she had an uncle who had been fortunate enough to collect great wealth. He had no children, and
Mary was his favourite niece, so he always gave her valuable Christmas and birthday presents.
When her Uncle George's birthday came round, Mary wanted to buy him something really special, but because he was so wealthy, she did not know what to get him. She went into the best shop in her town and explained wihat her problem was to one of the helpful young shop
assistants.
Finally Mary said to her, 'I suppose this isn't the first time anybody has come to you with this problem. What do you have for someone who's already got everything he wants or needs?"
The girl sighed deeply and answered, " Envy. Only envy. "
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Was Mary rich?2. Who was rich?3. Why did Mary always get nice presents from him?4. What did she want to do for her uncle?5. Why was it difficult to find something suitable for him?6. Where did she try to find something?7. What did she say to the assistant?8. And what did the assistant answer?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Mary was the niece of a poor man.
2. Mary wanted to buy her uncle a really special present because he was so wealthy.
3. Mary wanted to buy her uncle a really special present because he was very kind to her.
4. A young shop assistant helped her.
5. Mary asked her what she had for someone like her uncle.
6. The girl suggested a lot of things that he wanted or needed.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 506
Miss Richards was a teacher at a school for boys and girls. She taught chemistry and physics from the lowest to the highest classes in the school. Sometimes the new classes learnt rapidly, but sometimes they were very slow, and then Miss Richards had to repeat things many
times.
One year, the first class had been studying chemistry for several weeks when Miss Richards suddenly asked, " What is water? Who knows? Hands up! "
There was silence for a few seconds, and Miss Richards felt sadness, but then one boy raised his hand.
"Yes, Dick?" said Miss Richards encouragingly. He was not one of brightest children in the class, so she was glad that he could answer.
"Oh, water is a liquid which has no colour until you wash your hands in it, Miss. Then it turns black,' the boy replied with great contence.
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What did Miss Richards ask one class of new pupils one year?2. What happened?3. How did Miss Richards feel about this?4. What happened at last?5. What did Miss Richards say?6. How did she feel?7. Why did she feel like this?8. What did the boy say?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Miss Richards was a science teacher.
2. She only taught the classes of small children.
3. Some of the lowest classes learnt fast, and some learnt slowly.
4. Miss Richards was unhappy when the children could not answer her questions.
5. She was happiest when one of the least clever children could answer.
6. Dick gave the answer Miss Richards expected.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 507
While Mrs Edwards was in town one Saturday, she saw a crash in an avenue: two cars ran into each other. The drivers got out, and an argument arose between them, but then a policeman arrived. He
asked the drivers what had happened, and then he turned to the crowd which had collected round and said, " Did anyone see the accident? " Several people said they had, and Mrs Edwards was one of them.
A week later she was asked whether she was willing to be a witness in a court case concerning the accident, and she said she was; and a month later, a lawyer was questioning her in court. She began everything with, " I think that ...," until the lawyer got angry and said, "You're not here to say what you think: you're here to say what you know."
"I'm sorry," objected Mrs Edwards, " but I'm not a lawyer, so I can't say things without thinking."
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What did Mrs Edwards see one Saturday?2. What did the policeman ask the crowd?3. Who answered?4. What did Mrs Edwards agree to do a week later?5. What happened a month later?6. How did she answer the lawyer's questions?7. What did he say to Mrs Edwards?8. What did Mrs Edwards answer?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Mrs Edwards saw a car crash into a tree, and two other cars
run into each other
2. She told a policeman that she had seen the crash.
3. She refused to go to court to be a witness.
4. The lawyer did not want to give Mrs Edwards time to think
before she answered his questions.
5. The lawyer meant that he wanted Mrs Edwards to give
facts, not opinions.
6. Mrs Edwards was suggesting that lawyers say things with-
out thinking
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 508
During World War Two, a lot of young women in Britain were in the army. Joan Phillips was one of them. She worked in a big camp, and of course met a lot of men, officers and soldiers.
One evening she met Captain Humphreys at a dance. He said to her, " I'm going abroad tomorrow, but I'd be very happy if we could write to each other." Joan agreed, and they wrote for several months.
Then his letters stopped, but she received one from another officer, telling her that he had been wounded and was in a certain army hospital in England.
Joan went there and said to the matron, " I've come to visit Captain Humphreys. "
"Only relatives are allowed to visit patients here," the matron said.
"Oh, that's all right," answered Joan. " I'm his sister. "
" I'm very pleased to meet you," the matron said, " I'm his mother!"
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Where did Joan meet Captain Humphreys?2. What happened for several months after that?3. What nappened after that?4. What had happened to Captain Humphreys?5. What did Joan say to the matron?6. What did the matron answer?7. What did Joan say then?8. And what did the matron say?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Joan was in the armed forces during World War Two.
2. Joan knew Captain Humphreys for a long time.
3. The Captain stopped writing to Joan.
4. Joan went to visit the Captain.
5. Only relations could see officers in the hospital.
6. Joan was the matron's daughter.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 509
Mrs Black was old and rich. She lived in a splendid house and owned a lot of valuable things. Then she died, and there was a big funeral. Notices were sent out to relatives and friends, and they came from far and near to attend the funeral.
The service took place in Mrs Black's old church, and then her body was taken back to be buried in a special place in her garden. The hearse carrying her body moved along slowly, followed by the
relatives and friends, the women and children in cars, and the men on foot.
One of Mrs Black's cousins saw a poorly dressed man following the hearse and crying bitterly,
The cousin said to him kindly, 'Were you a relative of the dead woman too?'
"No," the man answered.
"Then why are you crying?" the dead woman's relative asked.
"That's exactly why I'm crying,' the poorly dressed man answered.
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Who came to Mrs Black's funeral?2. Whom did one of Mrs Black's cousins see?3. What was he doing?4. What did the cousin say to him?5. What did he answer?6. What did the cousin say then?7. And what was the man's answer?8. Why was he crying?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Mrs Black sent notices to her relatives and friends.
2. A lot of people came to the funeral.
3. Mrs Black was buried in her old church.
4. The men walked behind the hearse, but the women and children did not
5. The poorly dressed man had been a cousin of Mrs Black's.
6. The poorly dressed man was crying because he would not get anything from the dead woman.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 510
It was very difficult to find jobs in the north-east of England, and when John lost his, he found it impossible to get a new one. He had soon spent all his money, so he decided to go down to the south of the country, where he had heard that things were better, and that it was easier to find work. The best way to go was by train, so he went to the railway station and got into a train which was going to London.
He was the only passenger in his compartment when another man burst in carrying a gun and said to him, " Your money, or your life! "
" I haven't got a penny,'John answered in fright.
"Then why are you trembling so much?' the man with the gun asked angrily
" Because I thought you were the ticket-collector, and I haven't even got a ticket," answered John.
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Why did John leave the north-east of England? (Four reasons.)2. Why did he go south?3. What happened when he was alone in a compartment in a train4. What did the man say?5. What did John answer?6. How did he feel?7. What did the man say then?8. And what did John answer?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. John decided to go south because he was out of work and had no money.
2. He had heard that there were more jobs to be found in southern England
3. He bought a ticket and went by train.
4. A man who was sitting beside him in the train asked him for his money.
5. John was trembling because he was afraid of the man's gun.
6. John was trembling because he was afraid of the ticket-collector
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 511
Mr Grey liked shooting very much, but he did not get much practice at shooting wild animals, and he was not very good at it. One of his troubles was that his eyes were not very good and he had to wear
classes. When it rained and his glasses got wet, he could not see very well.
One day he was invited to go out shooting bears in the mountains. It was rather a rainy day, and by mistake Mr Grey shot at one of the other hunters and hit him in the leg,
There was a court case about this, and at it the lawyer for the other man said, " Why did you shoot at Mr Robinson? "
Mr Grey answered, " I thought that he was a bear. "
"When did you realize that you were wrong?" the lawyer asked.
"When the bear began to shoot back at me," Mr Grey answered.
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Why was Mr Grey rather bad at shooting? (Two reasons.)2. What invitation did he receive one day?3. What happened during that hunt?4. What was the result for Mr Grey?5. What did the lawyer ask him?6. And what did he answer?7. What was the lawyer's next question?8. And what was Mr Grey's answer?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Mr Grey enjoyed shooting and was very good at it.
2. He could only shoot well when it rained.
3. He hit another hunter instead of a bear.
4. He was tried in a court for shooting the other hunter.
5. He said he had shot at the other hunter because he had mistaken him for a bear.
6. A bear began to shoot at Mr Grey.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 512
Army camps always have to be guarded, of course, to make sure that nobody goes in or out without permission, otherwise soldiers could go out when they were not supposed to, and anybody could come in at any time and cause all sorts of trouble.
There is usually a guard composed of several soldiers at each gate, and the men in the guard take turns to stand at the gate with a gun and stop everyone who wants to go in or out to see their passes. The man on guard is told to say, 'Halt! Who goes there?' if anyone comes towards the gate.
A soldier was guarding the gate of a camp at night when he heard a sound in the dark. 'Halt! Who goes there?" he shouted nervously.
" Nobody, " a voice answered.
The soldier thought for a few seconds and then said, "Well-is there anyone with you?"
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. How are the gates of army camps guarded?2. What do the guards do when someone comes near?3. What do the guards say?4. What happened one night at the gates in this story?5. What did the guard say?6. How did he feel?7. What answer did he get?8. And what did he ask then?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. The guards at the gates of army camps do not let soldiers go out without permission.
2. Several soldiers usually stand together at each gate as guards.
3. The soldier in this story shouted, " Halt! Who goes there?" because he felt nervous.
4. The soldier in this story shouted, " Halt! Who goes there?" because he heard a noise.
5. Nobody answered.
6. The soldier then asked whether there was anybody else with the person whose voice he had heard.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 513
Joe and Helen Mills had two small children. One of them was six, and the other was four. They always resisted going to bed, and Helen was always complaining to Joe about this, but as he did not come home from work until after they had gone to bed during the week, he was unable to help except at weekends.
Joe considered himself a good singer, but really his voice was not at all musical. However, he decided that, if he sang to the children when they went to bed, it would help them to relax, and gradually they would go to sleep.
He did this every Saturday and Sunday night until he heard his small son whisper to his younger sister, " If you pretend that you're asleep, he stops! "
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Were Helen's children young, or old?
2. What did she complain to her husband about?
3. Why couldn't he help for most of the time?
4. When could he help?
5. In what way was Joe mistaken about his own abilities?
6. How did he try to help his wife?
7. When did he stop doing this?
8. What had his small son learned to do?
9.
10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Joe and Helen's children liked staying up late.
2. From Monday to Friday, Joe could not help his wife to put the children to bed.
3. Joc was generally thought to be a good singer.
4. Joe rightly thought he was a good singer.
5. The children did not like his singing,
6. His son pretended he was asleep so that he would not sing any more.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 514
Mr Hodges was the owner and editor of a small newspaper. He always tried to bring his readers the latest news.
One day, he received an excited telephone call from someone who claimed that he had just come through a big flood in a village up in the mountains. He described the flood in great detail, and Mr Hodges wrote it all down and printed it in his paper that evening. He was delighted to see that no other paper had got hold of the story,
Unfortunately, however, angry telephone calls soon showed that he had been tricked, so in the next day's paper he wrote: 'We were the first and only newspaper to report yesterday that the village of
Greenbridge had been destroyed by a flood. Today, we are proud to say that we are again the first newspaper to bring our readers the news that yesterday's story was quite false.
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What work did Mr Hodges do?2. What was his aim in his job?3. What news did someone give him one day?4. How did the person give him the news?5. What did Mr Hodges do then?6. What gave him a lot of pleasure?7. How did he discover that he had been cheated?8. What correction did he print in his paper the next day?9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Mr Hodges edited his own newspaper.
2. Someone telephoned that there had been a big flood.
3. People who had been in the flood were angry that Mr
Hodges had written about it.
4. He printed another report in his paper, repeating that there
had been a flood.
5. He wrote in the report that the people who had said that
there had been no flood were liars.
6. There had not really been a flood at all.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 515
While Mr Green was waiting for a bus one morning, a car passed him, going very rapidly. Mr Green just had tine to think, "That fellow's certain to have an accident if..., before that was exactly
what happened: the car hit the side of a bus violently as it was passing, and there was a terrible noise and quite a lot of damage.
Mr Green hurried to see whether anyone had been hurt, but everyone was all right. However, the bus driver asked him to be a witness at the trial, and Mr Green agreed.
At the trial, the judge asked Mr Green, 'How far were you from the place where the accident took place?
Eleven metres and forty-eight centimetres,' Mr Green answered.
The judge was astonished and said, "How do you know the distance so exactly?
"Because I was expecting some fool to ask me,' Mr Green answered.
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. What did Mr Green think when he saw the car pass him?
2. What happened then?
3. What did the bus driver say to Mr Green?
4. And what did Mr Green answer?
5. What did the judge ask at the trial?
6. What did Mr Green answer?
7. What did the judge ask then?
8. And what was Mr Green's answer?
9.
10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Mr Green thought that the car that passed him was going too slowly
2. A bus ran into the car.
3. Mr Green went and helped the people who had been hurt.
4. He agreed to appear at the trial.
5. The judge was surprised that MrGreen had been so close to the accident.
6. Mr Green's answer to the judge's question suggested that he thought the judge was a fool.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 516
Mr Jones had to drive up from London to Edinburgh in Scotland.
" I'm going to drive at night,' he said to his wife. The roads will be quieter. And if I get hungry, I'll stop at one of the small restaurants at the side of the road and have something to eat.'
The food's terrible in those places, I believe,' his wife said.
"Oh, well, I don't suppose it will kill me," Mr Jones said, laughing. He left at 9 o'clock in the evening, and at about midnight he felt hungry, so he stopped at a small restaurant which was open all night and sat down at a table. A waiter came to him, and Mr Jones asked for ham and eggs.
"And," he said to the waiter, " I like my eggs almost raw, and my ham quite cold.
The waiter laughed and said, " You must have eaten here before! "
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. Why did Mr Jones prefer to make his journey at night?
2. Where was he going to eat, if necessary?
3. What did his wife say about that?
4. What did he answer?
5. What happened at about midnight?
6. What did Mr Jones ask for?
7. What did he add after that?
8. What did the waiter do and say when he heard this?
9.
10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. The roads between London and Edinburgh were busiest at night.
2. The restaurants at the side of the road were not open at night.
3. Mr Jones did not think the food in them was good but Mrs Jones did
4. Mr Jones felt hungry about three hours after he set off.
5. Mr Jones asked for eggs and ham.
6. The waiter thought that Mr Jones had caten there before.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Text 517
Mr Robinson won a lot of money on the football pools, but he did not know what the best thing to do with it would be, so he went to a friend who knew a lot about money matters.
This friend said to him, "Go and buy some modern paintings. Their value goes up every year."
Mr Robinson went to a good art shop and looked at some modern paintings. He did not understand them at all, and thought that they were terrible--and also very expensive.
At last he saw a small picture which did not have a price on it. It was square and white, and had a black spot in the middle, and a narrow brass frame. Mr Robinson liked it better than any of the
others in the shop. 'How much is this one?" he said to the shopkeeper.
"That, sir,' answered the shopkeeper, 'is the electric light switch.'
Exercises:
A) Answer these questions:
1. How did Mr Robinson become rich?2. What advice did he want from his friend?3. What was his friend's advice?4. What did Mr Robinson think about the paintings in the shop?5. What was the picture that he finally chose like?6. What did Mr Robinson think of it?7. What did he ask the shopkeeper?8. And what did the shopkeeper answer?
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.
B) Which words in the story mean the opposite of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
C) Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)?
1. Mr Robinson knew a lot about money matters.
2. His friend advised him to buy modern pictures because they increased in value every year.
3. Mr Robinson did not like the modern paintings he saw.
4. He found them very expensive.
5. He saw a small picture which was very cheap.
6. The shopkeeper said it was a modern painting of an electric light switch
7.
8.
9.
10.