Reading Skills

Read the following texts, make up and answer10 questions to each of them:

1. Moving into a New House

The Browns were moving into a new flat. The one they were living in was too small now that the children were growing up.

“Now,” Mr Brown began after breakfast on the day of the move, “we must have everything ready for the men when they come in the afternoon. Some of the heavy furniture will be awkward to handle, and we mustn’t leave things lying about for them to fall over. Those rugs will have to be rolled up, and all the pots and pans packed in boxes. Mary, can you help your mother to take the pictures down.”

“That was done days ago,” Mrs. Brown said. “Didn’t you notice that the curtains had been taken down – and washed and ironed?”

“I must confess I didn’t. Well, then, she can help to pack clothes.”

“That, too, is practically finished. All the drawers are full, and they can go away as they are. We’ve been busy for the last fortnight getting ready. George and Jack had better get their books together. And they can help to take the curtain-fittings down,” she added.

“Well, as there doesn’t seem much to do in the house,” Mr. Brown said, “I’d better see about the tools and things.”

“We shall have a busy morning,” Mrs. Brown said when he had gone out. “Mary, you can help Jane to wash up while I see to the bedding. We’ll pack the things in the kitchen a bit later.”

“What would you like me to do, Mother?” George asked.

“You might help Jack. And see if you can find a box for the books – or tie them up in bundles. And we want straps round some of those suit-cases I packed yesterday. Do anything you see wants doing.”

They all worked hard during the morning. Even Rose began to collect and pack her toys, but soon left off in order to play with them. Jane cleared the kitchen of everything except what they would need for a last meal.

Mr. Brown came in after twelve.

“Isn’t lunch ready?” he asked. “I feel as hungry as if I had had no breakfast.”

“We haven’t had time to think about eating,” Mrs. Brown said, “but we’ll soon have a meal ready. You’ll have to have something out of a tin. We can’t do any cooking today.”

Almost as soon as lunch was over, three men arrived with a large furniture van. In much less time than the Browns had expected, all the rooms were emptied. The men, being experienced in this kind of work, knew which things to take first and how to pack them all into the van, using up every inch of space. Except that they broke a handle off a door when they knocked into it with the piano, and carried some of the boxes wrong side up in spite of the fact that they were plainly marked “This side up with care”, the men were very careful.

“I feel really sad about moving now,’ Mary said when the flat was empty. “We were all so happy here.”

“Cheer up!” her father said. “You’ll have no regrets as soon as we are in the new flat and have got the furniture straight.”

2.

Jennie returned to Cleveland to help her mother move. Together they searched the streets for a nice, quiet neighbourhood, and finally found one. A house of nine rooms, with a yard, which rented for thirty dollars, was suitably furnished. There were comfortable fittings for the dining-room and sitting room, a handsome parlour set and bedroom sets complete for each room. The kitchen was supplied with every convenience, and there was even a bathroom, a luxury the Gerhards had never enjoyed before. Altogether the house was attractive, though plain, and Jennie was happy to know that her family could be comfortable in it.

When the time came for the actual moving Mrs. Gerhardt was fairly beside herself with joy, for was not this the realization of her dreams? All through the long years of her life she had been waiting, and now it had come. A new house, new furniture, plenty of room – things finer than she had ever even imagined – think of it! Her eyes shone as she looked at the new beds and tables and whatnots. “Dear, dear, isn’t it nice!” she exclaimed. “Isn’t it beautiful!” Jennie was so glad for her mother’s sake.

The day the furniture was moved in Mrs. Gerhardt, Martha and Veronica were on hand to clean and arrange things. At the sight of the large rooms and pretty yard, and new furniture, the whole family fell into a fever of delight. Such beauty! George rubbed his feet over the new carpets and Bass examined the quality of the furniture critically. “Swell”, was his comment. Mrs. Gerhardt could not believe that these bright bedrooms, this beautiful parlour, this handsome dining-room were actually hers.

Gerhardt came last of all. He looked around at the new carpets under his feet, the long oak extension table covered with a white cloth and set with new dishes, at the pictures on the walls, the bright, clean kitchen. He shook his head. “It’s very nice. Yes, it’s very nice. We want to be careful now not to break anything.” Yes, even Gerhardt was satisfied. (Th. Dreiser)

3.

The boy did not close his eyes that night. In the morning he was ordered to clean the dishes with ashes. He hurriedly washed up the dishes and ran through the veranda into the sitting-room.

“Well, then”, cried his Mistress, “go to the kitchen. The tea-tray is on the table. Bring it to the sitting-room. Hurry up!” The boy did not know whether to carry the whole tray or the different tea-things one by one. He had never done anything like that at home. Looking at the “white chalk” things on the tray he asked, “What are these things made of?”

“They are made of china, of course. What else can they be made of? The fool has never seen china things! Now don’t let the tray fall and break the cups, or I will break your bones!” The boy lifted the tray and walked away to the sitting-room. He placed the tray on a small table and went back to the door.

“Oh, you bad boy,” came his Mistress’s voice. “Where have you been? Is there no work to do?” he began to wash up the tea-things and found that as soon as he poured water on the “white chalk” the things became clean. “That is easy,” he thought and quickly poured water on some cups and put them dry. “Oh, what are you doing? Clean those cups with the ashes just as we clean the metal utensils, and clean them well, so that no dirt remains.” At home his aunt had quietly done the housework herself and when he helped her she was very kind to him. But this woman seemed to hate him. He felt sad and lonely. With a heavy heart the boy set to work again. (M.R. Anand)