Name:

Date:

L3b Comprehension 7 – The Sound of Breaking Glass

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions in complete sentences.
The Sound of Breaking Glass
Mum had told us numerous times not to play football in the garden; it damaged the plants and
our sliding tackles ruined the lawn apparently - although what are gardens for, if not for having
fun in? Swingball was really boring after a while and Sammy was useless at it. We were too old
now for silly swings and climbing frames, and the basketball hoop was only fun for a few
minutes of shooting.

So it was, on that cold, February morning that we were outside recreating the FA Cup final at
Wembley – Liverpool versus Manchester United. I was representing United, and happily in the
lead by four goals to nil, when it happened. I dribbled the ball through the rose bushes, flicked it
around the pond, and then sprinted down the lawn for a shot at goal where Sam stood, arms
outstretched. As my right foot connected, my left slipped from under me! I ended up kicking the
ball from right underneath, and lifted it high into the air. With both feet in the air, my bottom
bumped down hard onto the wet lawn.

It was like watching a film in slow motion. Sam and I stood, mouths agape, as the ball arched
into the air, sailed over the fence and smashed into the upstairs window of our neighbours’ house.
The sound was terrible – a loud crash, followed by the clinking and tinkling of glass shattering
and raining down onto the windowsill. ‘Quick! Let’s hide inside! They’ll never know it was us.’
Sam stuttered, feeling panicked. ‘You idiot – of course they will!’ I shouted back at him, whilst
standing up and wiping the mud off my shorts. In my mind I was running through the possible
repercussions of this dreadful deed.

At that moment, a scream erupted from next-door. It was a sound as awful as the breaking glass,
but piercingly high pitched and fuelled by frustration coupled with fury. It was time to face the
music. Putting my arm around Sammy’s shoulders, I marched him inside and tried to reassure
him as we went – ‘Don’t worry, Sam, this one was my fault. You’ll just be in trouble for playing
football in the garden.’ He was a sensitive boy, my brother, and tears were already flowing down
over his reddened cheeks. He couldn’t help it; he was someone who felt things deeply. I, on the
other hand, prefer to focus on immediate events and get on with things without delving too

Copyright © 2016 MyEnglishTutorHK.com 版權所有 不得翻印

deeply into them. ‘Mum… er, I’ve got something I need to tell you, Mum,’ I began. But I got no
further. At that moment, the front door bell began ringing. It rang over and over, the rings getting
closer together as the inquisitor pressed the bell more and more frantically.

What happened after that soured relations between our family and the neighbours. And the bad
feeling lasted until they moved away the following year. Not that this mattered much to Sammy
or myself. We cared far more about the pocket money that was put towards the cost of replacing
the broken window, and the fact that our parents decided to replace the lawn with paving stones,
signaling the end of our garden football games.

1. In the passage, which activities WERE permitted? Choose all of the correct answers from
the following. (3 marks)
a. swingball
b. football
c. basketball
d. skipping
e. swings

2. Where did the brothers play the match? (1 mark)

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

3. What does ‘it’ refer to in the simile ‘it was like watching a film in slow motion’? (2 marks)
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

4. What does the boy mean when he says ‘You idiot - of course they will!’? (2 marks)
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

5. Why was the boy dirty? (2 marks)

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2016 MyEnglishTutorHK.com 版權所有 不得翻印

6. Who is the most emotional? Why? (2 marks)
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

7. What does ‘the inquisitor’ refer to in paragraph 4? (2 marks)

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

8. What were the consequences of the accident? (3 marks)

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2016 MyEnglishTutorHK.com 版權所有 不得翻印