Name:

Three is a lucky number

Reading comprehension activities
1. Read pages 1, 2 and 3 again. Anser the !uestions.
a. "hat as Ronald Torbay doing at the beginning o# the story$
b. "hat did he reali%e$
c. "here and ho did he live ith$
d. "hat as the pattern o# his three marriages$
e. "hat did the ill say$
#. &o did 'ary and (orothy die$
g. "hat did Ronald notice #rom the moment he sa )dyth$
h. "hat as )dyth background$
i. "hen did )dyth marry Ronald$
*. "hy as this marriage the most pleasant o# all$
k. "hy did Ronald decide that +it as time to act,$
l. "hat did he start doing$
m. "hat as )dyth doing$
2. "riting:
-magine that you are Ronald. "rite the plan #or your #ourth murder.
-nclude: name o# the victim. hen and here you met her. her
personality. her background. ho you plan to kill her. ho the story
ends. /ive details. 0se a ide range o# vocabulary. Narrator: 1st person
singular. "rite 1212131 ords.
Name:
1.
a. &e as making preparations #or his third murder.
b. &e reali%ed that murdering people became more dangerous i# he did it
o#ten.
c. &e lived ith his i#e )dyth in a #lat that he had rented.
d. Ronald used a #alse name and ent to a place here no one kne
him. &e #ound a middle2aged unattractive oman, ith some money o#
her on and no #amily. The oman ould not make #riends !uickly in a
ne place. 4inally, he married her.
e. The oman made a ill hich le#t him all her money.
#. 'ary had had a deadly +accident, almost unnoticed, in the bathroom
o# the house he had rented. The police hadn5t #ound anything rong.
(orothy had given Ronald more trouble because she asn5t alone in the
orld as she had told him. (orothy5s brother appeared at the #uneral and
asked !uestions about her money. Ronald on the court case and the
insurance company paid him the money.
g. 4rom the moment he sa )dyth he kne she as his ne6t +sub*ect,.
&e could see that she as not happy and that she as earing a
valuable ring.
h. )dyth background as suitable #or Ronald. 7he had taught girl5s
school #or ten years. Then she looked a#ter her sick #ather and stayed
ith him until he died. 7he as no 83 years old and she didn5t kno
hat to do ith hersel#.
i. )dyth married Ronald #ive eeks a#ter they met.
*. 9ecause he #ound )dyth a cheer#ul person. 7he as also !uite
sensible.
k. 9ecause o# the ay )dyth re#used to talk about her money and
because o# her unnecessary interest in his *ob. :T&); <AN /-=)
'>R) -N4>?
l. &e began to run ater into the bath to prepare it #or )dyth. :T&);
<AN /-=) '>R) ()TA-@7?
m. 7he as clearing the dead leaves #rom the edge o# the roo#. 7he must
be standing on the ladder hich as kept otside the kitchen door.