The way up to heaven

1) Is the Foster’s marriage happy and trouble-free?

a) does Mrs Foster have a habit which is a problem and causes her unhappiness?
b) Is Mr Foster sympathetic to her and does he do all he can to make things easier for
her?
c) Has Mrs Foster always been a good wife?
d) Does she realize Mr Foster’s real intentions on occasions when he keeps her
waiting?

2) What evidence is there of Mr Foster’s attitude to his wife?

a) when Mrs Foster is in a hurry to leave for the airport the first time, does Mr Foster
also hurry to join her in the car?
b) Does Mr Foster feel unhappy about having to stay in the club while his wife is
away and will he answer her letters?
c) What does he stare at while they are in the car?
d) Does he stay with her at the airport or show affection and sorrow because she is
going away?
e) What are his first words when she returns from the airport?
f) The next morning, is Mr Foster ready to leave at the arranged time and why does
he say he has left the white parcel in the house?

3) How do Mrs Foster’s feelings about her husband develop?

a) What does she begin to suspect about his actions?
b) Does she feel close to her husband when she returns from the airport for the night?
c) ‘They always seemed to be meeting in the hall nowadays’. What does this tell us
about their relationship?

4) How does Mrs Foster change from the time when she goes back to the house to speak to
her husband?
a) Why does she stop?
b) What is she listening to?
c) How do her manner and appearance change when she decides to go to the airport
immediately?
d) What is the new mood which develops while she is on the plane?

5) How does Mrs Foster feel and act when she returns from France?
a) Is she unwilling to come back?
b) Is she surprised when she finds that there is no car to collect her at the airport?
c) What does she find when she opens the front door and what does she smell?
d) What has happened to the elevator?
e) What has happened to Mr Foster?

6) What does Mrs Foster say in the letters she wrote from Paris? In what way are the letters
very ironic?

7) Which of the following remarks do you agree with, and which do you disagree with and
why?
a) Mrs Foster’s decision at the front door is one you can understand and sympathize
with.
b) Mr Foster deserved what he got.
c) Mrs Foster should have separated from her husband a long time before the time of
the story.
d) Mrs Foster deserves to live happily with her grandchildren in France.
 The way up to heaven
1) Match column A with B
30 servants
70 years of marriage
4 grandchildren
1 Mr Foster’s age
3 daughter

2) Choose the right option

a) The story takes place in ….
 France
 USA
 England
b) The first time they are about to leave for the airport….
 Mr Foster is ready at 9,22
 Mr Foster comes into the hall at 9,22, but makes Mrs Foster wait for
some minutes
 Mr Foster comes into the hall too late
c) The weather was …..
 Cold and foggy
 Hot and sunny
d) Mrs Foster is going to Paris…..
 To visit her daughter and grandchildren
 With her husband
 On holidays
e) Every time Mrs Foster got nervous….
 She cried
 Her eye trembled
 Her legs trembled

3) Complete
 Because of the weather, the flight …………..
 Mr Foster asked his wife to ……………
 Mr Foster got out of the car and went back to the house to ……….
 When Mrs Foster got out of the car and went back to the house she
………………………..
 When Mrs Foster came back from Paris and she opened the door of her house
she………………
 Mrs Foster phoned …………………..