A private conversation
Last week I went to the theatre. I had a very good seat. The play was very interesting. I did not enjoy it. A young man and a young woman were sitting behind me. They were talking loudly. I got very angry. I could not hear the actors. I turned round. I looked at the man and the woman angrily. They did not pay any attention. In the end, I could not bear it. I turned round again. ‘I can’t hear a word!’ I said angrily.
‘It’s none of your business,’ the young man said rudely. ‘This is a private conversation!’
Questions
- Where did the writer go last week?
- Did he enjoy the play or not?
- Who was sitting behind him?
- Were they talking loudly, or were they talking quietly?
- Could the writer hear the actors or not?
- Did he turn round or not?
- What did he say?
- Did the young man say, ‘The play is not interesting.’ or did he say, ‘This is a private conversation!’ ?
Breakfast or lunch
It was Sunday. I never get up early on Sundays. I sometimes stay in bed until lunch time. Last Sunday I got up very late. I looked out of the window. It was dark outside. ‘What a day!’ I thought. ‘It’s raining again.’ Just then, the telephone rang. It was my aunt Lucy. ‘I’ve just arrived by train,’ she said. ‘I’m coming to see you.’
‘But I’m still having breakfast,’ I said.
‘What are you doing?’ she asked.
‘I’m having breakfast,’ I repeated.
‘Dear me,’ she said. ‘Do you always get up so late? It’s one o’clock!’
Questions
- Does the writer always get up early on Sundays, or does he always get up late?
- Did he get up early last Sunday, or did he get up late?
- Who telephoned then?
- Had she arrived by train, or had she come on foot?
- Was she coming to see him or not?
- Did he say, ‘I’m still having breakfast’, or did he say, ‘I am still in bed’?
- Was his aunt very surprised or not?
- What was the time?
Please send me a card
Postcards always spoil my holidays. Last summer, I went to Italy. I visited museums and sat in public gardens. A friendly waiter taught me a few words of Italian. Then he lent me a book. I read a few lines, but I did not understand a word. Every day I thought about postcards. My holidays passed quickly, but I did not send any cards to my friends. On the last day I made a big decision. I got up early and bought 37 cards. I spent the whole day in the room, but I did not write a single card!
- Do postcards always spoil the writer’s holidays or not?
- Where did he spend his holidays last summer?
- What did he think about every day?
- Did he send any cards to his friends or not?
- How many cards did he buy on the last day?
- Where did he stay all day?
- Did he write any cards or not?
An exciting trip
I have just received a letter from my brother, Tim. He is in Australia. He has been there for six months. Tim is an engineer. He is working for a big firm and he has already visited a great number of different places in Australia. He has just bought an Australian car and has gone to Alice Springs, a small town in the centre of Australia. He will soon visit Darwin. From there, he will fly to Perth. My brother has never been abroad before, so he is finding this trip very exciting.
Questions
- What has the writer just received from his brother, Tim?
- Is Tim an engineer, or is he a doctor?
- How long has he been in Australia?
- Has he already visited many places or not?
- Where is he now?
- Has Tim ever been abroad before or not?
- Is he enjoying his trip very much or not?
No wrong numbers
Mr James Scott has a garage in Silbury and now he has just bought another garage in Pinhurst. Pinhurst is only five miles from Silbury, but Mr Scott cannot get a telephone for his new garage, so he just bought twelve pigeons. Yesterday, a pigeon carried the first message from Pinhurst to Silbury. The bird covered the distance in three minutes. Up to now, Mr Scott has sent a great many requests for spare parts and other urgent messages from one garage to the other. In this way, he has begun his own private ‘telephone’ service.
Questions
- Where has Mr Scott opened his second garage?
- Where is his first garage?
- How far away is Silbury?
- Can Mr Scott get a telephone for his new garage or not?
- What has he bought?
- In how many minutes do they carry messages from one garage to other?
Percy Buttons
I have just moved to a house in Bridge Street. Yesterday a beggar knocked at my door. He asked me for a meal and a glass of beer. In return for this, the beggar stood on his head and sang songs. I gave him a meal. He ate the food and drank the beer. Then he put a piece of cheese in his pocket and went away. Later a neighbour told me about him. Everybody knows him. His name is Percy Buttons. He calls at every house in the street once a month and always asks for a meal and aglass of beer.
Questions
- Has the writer just moved to a house in Bridge Street or not?
- Who knocked at her door yesterday?
- Did he sing songs, or did he ask for money?
- What did the writer give him in return for this?
- What is the beggar’s name?
- Does he call at every house once a week or once a month?
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