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Contents

The Open Window (by H. H. Munro (Saki))……………………………………..3

The Ghost Next Door (Author Unknown)………………………………………..6

Test (by Theodore L. Thomas)…………………………………………………….9

The Wave (by Elaine O’Reilly)…………………………………………………..13

He-y, Come on Ou-t! (By Shinichi Hoshi)……………………………………....20

The Way up to Heaven (by Roald Dahl)………………………………………...24

After Twenty Years (by O. Henry)………………………………………………32

Key………………………………………………………………………………..36

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 The Open Window
“My aunt will meet you soon, Mr. Nuttel,” said a very calm young lady of fifteen years old.
“While you are waiting, you can talk to me.”

Framton Nuttel wanted to say something polite to the niece. He was a man who worried a lot,
and in his job he had to talk to many people he didn’t know. He thought it wasn’t very good for
his health.

“Do you know many of the people here?” asked the niece.

“No-one, actually,” said Framton. “My sister was staying here about four years ago, and she told
me about some of the people here.”

“Then you know almost nothing about my aunt?” continued the calm young lady.

“Only her name and address,” said the visitor. He was thinking if Mrs. Sappleton lived here
alone or with family.

“Her great tragedy happened just three years ago,” said the child, “so it was after your sister’s
visit.”

“Her tragedy?” asked Framton, surprised.

“You see, that’s why we keep that window open on an October afternoon,” said the niece,
pointing at a large French window with a door. It was open, and he could see the garden.

“Well, it is quite warm,” said Framton. “But what tragedy were you talking about?”

"Three years ago, on this very day, her husband and her two young brothers went hunting
through this window. They never came back. They were caught in a marsh… It had always been
a safe place, but it was that terrible wet summer. Their bodies were never found. Poor aunt
always thinks that they will come back some day, with their little brown spaniel, and they will
walk in through that window just as they used to. That is why she keeps the window open every
evening. Poor dear aunt, she has often told me how they went out, her husband in his white coat,
and Ronnie, her youngest brother, singing as always. Do you know, sometimes even I get a scary
feeling that they will all walk in through that window…”

She didn’t finish. Framton was glad when the aunt came into the room saying sorry for being
late.

“I hope talking to Vera has been fun?” she asked.

“She has been very interesting,” said Framton.

“I hope you don't mind the open window,” said Mrs. Sappleton. “My husband and brothers will
be home soon, and they always come in through the window. They've been hunting in the
marshes today, so they'll dirty my carpets with their boots. Oh, men…”

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She continued talking happily about her husband and brothers and their hunting. To Framton it
was all absolutely terrifying. He tried to talk about something else, but Mrs. Sappleton’s eyes
were always looking at the open window. Why did he have to visit her today?

“All my doctors say I mustn’t worry too much. It isn’t healthy for me,” said Framton. For some
reason, he thought that everyone should be interested in what his doctors say. “But they can’t
agree about my diet.”

“No?” said Mrs. Sappleton, looking bored. Then she suddenly looked up and smiled.

“Oh, finally! Here they are!” she cried. “Just in time for tea!”

Framton looked at the niece. The child was looking out through the open window with horror in
her eyes. Framton turned round and looked in the same direction.

Three figures were walking out of the forest towards the window; they all had guns in their
arms, and one of them had a white coat. A tired brown spaniel was walking after them. They
came closer and closer to the house. And suddenly one of them started singing.

In horror, Framton grabbed his coat and hat; he ran through the front door and out of that house.
He almost crashed into someone riding their bike.

“Here we are, my dear,” said the man in the white coat, coming in through the window. “Who
was that strange man that just ran out?”

“It was Mr. Nuttel,” said Mrs. Sappleton. “And he was strange! He only talked about his doctors
and his diet, and when he saw you, he ran off without a word of goodbye! Like he had seen a
ghost!”

“I think it was the spaniel,” said the niece calmly. “He told me he was scared of dogs. Three
years ago, he was almost killed by wild dogs in India. It’s no surprise.”

She was so good at telling stories.

by H. H. Munro (Saki)

EXERCISES

Before you read

1. Look up these words in the dictionary and match them with their meanings.

1. calm (adj) a) a part of land that is always soft and wet

2. tragedy (n) b) take something with your hand suddenly
3. point (v) c) not angry or sad or worried
4. marsh (n) d) where something moves
5. terrifying (adj) e) show with your finger
6. direction (n) f) a very sad event or situation
7. figure (n) g) making someone feel scared
8. grab (v) h) the shape of a person
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After you read
2. Fill in the gaps with these words in their correct form.

calm tragedy point marsh terrifying

direction figure grab

a) She ___________________ his hand because she didn’t want him to leave.
b) Please stay ____________________! Everything is under control.
c) He said my name and ____________________ at me.
d) The ghost story was _____________________. I was so scared!
e) In this area, there are a lot of lakes, rivers and _____________________.
f) They went in the _____________________ of the market.
g) I could see a dark _____________________ behind the door.
h) It’s a ______________________ that she died so young.

3. Answer the questions.

a) Who did Framton Nuttel come to visit? Who started talking to him?
b) What tragedy did Vera tell Mr. Nuttel about?
c) Why was Framton terrified when Mrs. Sappleton came back?
d) What did Framton see when he looked out of the French window? What happened next?
e) How did Vera explain why Mr. Nuttel had run off?

4. Now it is your turn to be a great storyteller! Imagine that you are Vera, and you are telling
Framton all about your aunt’s “terrible tragedy”. You can:
a) retell the story as it was
or
b) make up your own story about what happened to Mrs. Sappleton’s family.

5
 The Ghost Next Door

The storm was even louder than before. The rain was pouring heavily from the sky. Cliff was
driving along an empty road. He looked at his watch – 1:25 AM. He was extremely tired, so he
was happy to see a sign for a hotel. He turned from the main road and saw a small old hotel.
Better than nothing, thought Cliff. He got out of the car and ran inside, the water from his
umbrella pouring down like crazy. Closing the umbrella, he came up to the man at the reception,
finally glad to be out of the car, finally glad to be out of Wisconsin, finally glad to be out of the
rain.

The man at the desk had short grey hair. He looked at Cliff with his big blue eyes and smiled.

“Welcome,” he said. “And who are you?”

“Cliff Gallen,” he answered, shaking the umbrella to get the water off. “I’d like to get a room for
tonight, if that’s possible.”

The man looked at him with sympathy. “I’m sorry, Mr Gallen, but unfortunately, there aren’t
any rooms available at the moment. It must be because of the weather…”

“What, no rooms?” Cliff didn’t want to think about going outside again. “Nothing at all?”

“Well… there is one room…but we never use it.”

“Why not?”

“Because there’s a ghost living in the room next door to it. You see,” the man continued quietly,
“A young woman was killed in this hotel two years ago. Since then people have seen her ghost
many times. They say she’s still in that room.”

“What nonsense,” Cliff thought. He wasn’t a man who believed ghost stories. And right now, he
just wanted somewhere to sleep. Somewhere better than his car.

“I’ll take that room next door,” he said.

“Are you sure?” the receptionist looked a bit worried. But seeing that Cliff wasn’t going to leave,
he took a key and put it on the desk. “I hope you enjoy your stay, sir.”

The moonlight shone through the window. The room was cold, and Cliff couldn’t sleep.
Suddenly he heard… music? It was a soft classical melody, and it seemed to be coming from the
room next door. “The ghost?” thought Cliff, “No, it can’t be.”

But the music continued, and finally, he got up, went into the corridor and stopped in front of the
other door. He decided to look through the keyhole.

What he saw next surprised him the most. There was someone dancing. Looking closer, he saw
that it was a woman – a young woman, maybe twenty years old. She had beautiful long hair and
she was wearing a long white dress.

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But the most amazing thing was her dancing. How she moved with her eyes closed. “Even if she
is a real ghost,” thought Cliff, “she isn’t really scary, is she?” He stayed there watching her for
some time, then went back to his room.

He didn’t notice how he fell asleep. When he woke up, the clock was showing 5:01 AM. He got
up in his bed and listened. Everything was quiet. Cliff thought about the dancing woman next
door. What was she doing now? Carefully, he walked out of his room and looked through the
keyhole again. But something was different. He couldn’t see the room or the woman. All he saw
was colour red. He closed his eyes and tried looking again. Red. He looked for some more time,
but nothing. Just red. He went back to his room.

The bright sunshine woke Cliff up. 8:10 AM. Finally, the weather was good for driving. When
he was leaving the hotel, he walked to the receptionist and said, “Your ‘ghost’ isn’t really scary,
you know. Is it just a joke? A story to tell tourists?”

“Oh, no, sir,” the receptionist answered. “Did you see the woman dancing with her eyes closed?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“That means you didn’t see her eyes. They are bright red.”

Author unknown

EXERCISES

Before you read

1. Look up these words in the dictionary and match them with their meanings.

1. pour a) that you can get or buy

2. shake b) fall heavily (about rain)
3. sympathy c) see or hear something
4. available d) when you understand and care for someone’s feelings
5. nonsense e) a hole in a door where you put a key
6. keyhole f) move something in short fast movements
7. notice g) silly ideas

After you read

2. Decide if these statements are true, false or not stated (T/F/NS).
a) In the beginning of the story, Cliff didn’t like the weather.
b) The receptionist didn’t want to give Cliff a room.
c) Cliff got up in the middle of the night because it was cold.
d) Cliff looked through the keyhole because the door was locked.
e) Cliff saw the dancing woman twice.
f) The next day the weather improved.
g) The ‘ghost’ was just a story to tell tourists.

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3. Fill in the gaps with these words in their correct form.

pour shake sympathy available

nonsense keyhole notice

a) Don’t forget to take your umbrella! It ___________________ outside.

b) Why do you believe those silly stories? I think they are ______________________!
c) The documents are ___________________ on the Internet.
d) When I came into the room, I ____________________ something strange.
e) To open the door, put the key in the _____________________.
f) He was laughing, and his shoulders were _____________________.
g) I think she’s a terrible person, and I don’t feel any ____________________ for her.

4. Number these sentences in the correct order.

a) When Cliff woke up, the clock was showing 5:01 AM.
b) “Unfortunately, there aren’t any rooms available at the moment.”
c) Suddenly he heard music.
d) He decided to look through the keyhole.
e) The rain was pouring heavily from the sky.
f) All he saw was colour red.
g) He got out of the car and ran inside the hotel.
h) “Your ‘ghost’ isn’t really scary, you know. Is it just a joke? A story to tell tourists?”
i) “There’s a ghost living in the room next door to it.”
j) A young woman was dancing with her eyes closed.

5. Now cover the text and practise telling the story using the sentences from exercise 4.

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 Test
Robert Proctor was a young man but he was a good driver. It was a cool morning in May, and he
was looking at the large road ahead of him. He felt relaxed and concentrated but not yet tired
from two hours of driving. The sun was bright, and the air smelled fresh and clean. It was a good
day for driving.

He looked quickly at the slim, gray-haired woman sitting in the passenger seat next to him. She
was watching the trees and the road and smiling quietly. Robert Proctor immediately looked
back at the road. He said, “Enjoying it, Mom?”

“Yes, Robert,” she said. “It is very nice to sit here. I was thinking how I used to drive you when
you were little. I wonder if you enjoyed it as much as I enjoy this.”

He smiled, embarrassed. “Sure I did.”

He listened to the sound of his car. Up ahead he saw a big truck going along the road. Behind it
was a long blue car. Robert Proctor was slowly overtaking* them, but it was a minute or two
before he would reach them.

It was a good morning for driving, and he was thinking about good things. He reached the blue
car and began to overtake it. He was driving rather fast, but his car was under perfect control.
The blue car turned suddenly. It turned left without warning and hit Robert’s car, pushing it to
the left side of the large road, where cars were going in the opposite direction.

Robert Proctor was a good driver and he didn’t slam on the brakes*. He turned the steering
wheel to keep the car straight. He noticed that the left front tire blew out*. The car slowed a bit
but continued moving to the left, and then his mother began to scream.

Robert Proctor was doing everything he could, but the blown tire made it too difficult. The
scream was ringing in his ears. Then there was a hit from another car that pushed him fully into
the opposite side of the road.

His mother was thrown against the right door, and he could hear her cry.

Before Robert Proctor could turn his car to safety, he saw another car coming straight at him.
The driver of that other car, a young man, just sat there and couldn’t move, his eyes wide and
scared. Next to the man, on the passenger seat, was a girl, her eyes closed in sleep. Robert
Proctor was really shocked – not by the expression on the man’s face, but by the helplessness of
the sleeping girl. The two cars moved fast towards each other, and Robert Proctor couldn’t
change the direction of his car. At the last moment Robert Proctor sat looking at the face of the
sleeping girl, his mother’s cry still sounding in his ears. He heard no crash and he felt no pain
when the two cars crashed. He heard his mother’s scream stop, then everything went black.

*overtake – обгонять
*slam on the brakes – жать на тормоза
*blow out – сдуться

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 ***

When Robert Proctor woke up, everything was still black, but there was a small light in the far
distance, and he could hear someone’s voice. He tried to move towards the light and the sound,
but it was too difficult. He tried again. The light was now brighter and the voice was louder.
Then he opened his eyes and looked at the man sitting in front of him.

“You all right, Son?” asked the man. He wore a blue uniform, and his round face was familiar.

Robert Proctor looked around and saw that he was sitting in a chair. His arms and legs were fine.
Then he remembered.

The man in the uniform looked into his eyes and said, “It’s all right, Son. You just finished the
last part of your driver’s test.”

Although Robert Proctor was looking at the man, he saw the face of the sleeping girl in front of
him.

The man in uniform continued to speak. “We put you under hypnosis* – we do it to everybody
before they can get their driver’s licenses. It makes them drive carefully, you know. Do you
remember it now? Do you remember how you came here?”

Robert Proctor nodded, still thinking of the sleeping girl. She would have died in her sleep. His
mother was old, but this girl had only started living her life.

The uniformed man was still speaking. “So you’re ready now. You pay ten dollars and sign this
paper, and then you can have your license.” He did not look up.

Robert Proctor put ten dollars on the table in front of him, looked at the paper and signed it. He
looked up and suddenly saw two men in white uniform, standing on the left and right of him. He
started to speak, but the uniformed man spoke first. “Sorry, Son. You failed your test. You’re
sick; you need a doctor.”

The two men lifted Robert Proctor to his feet, and he said, “Let me go! What is this?”

The man in uniform said, “Nobody should want to drive a car after such a test. It takes people
months before they can think of driving again, but you’re ready right now. Killing people is fine
with you. But don’t you worry now, Son. They’ll help you.” He nodded to the two men, and they
began taking Robert Proctor away.

At the door Robert Proctor said, “This can’t be real. I’m still dreaming, aren’t I? This is still part
of the test, isn’t it?”

The uniformed man said, “Who knows?” And they carried Robert Proctor out the door.

by Theodore L. Thomas

*hypnosis – гипноз
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 EXERCISES

Before you read

1. This story is going to be about cars and driving.
Do you have a driver’s license? If not, would you like to? Why or why not?
Do you know any people who are very good at driving?

2. Look at the pictures and learn the names of these car parts.

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After you read
3. Choose the right answer.
a) If something happens immediately, it happens… .
- after a long time
- very fast
- when you want it to happen
b) If a person is embarrassed, their face is usually… .
- happy
- worried
- red
c) A truck is a(n) … type of car.
- large
- fast
- expensive
d) If you look at someone’s expression, you can understand their… .
- feelings
- opinions
- memories
e) If something is familiar to you, it means you … it.
- have never done
- have seen
- really like
f) When you nod, you move your … .
- hands
- shoulders
- head
g) When people ask you to sign something, you need to … .
- write
- listen
- speak

4. Answer the questions.

a) What was the weather like in the beginning of the story?
b) Who was Robert Proctor travelling with?
c) What did Robert see up ahead on the road?
d) What happened when he was overtaking the blue car?
e) Why was Robert Proctor shocked before the car crash?
f) Where was Robert when he woke up?
g) What did the man ask him to do?
h) Why did the man say that Robert had failed the test?
i) What do you think will happen to Robert next?
j) Do you think it is right to make people take such a test before they can drive? Why or why
not?

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 The Wave
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Frances Grant, your captain, speaking. We’re beginning our
descent to John F Kennedy Airport. Local time is 9:15. The temperature is 25° Celsius, 77°
Fahrenheit…”

Kim is almost home. She makes a few more notes. Then she closes her laptop. There are almost
fifty orders in a file on her little computer: large orders from big stores and designer shops in
Seoul, Tokyo and Hong Kong. The buyers there loved the casual clothes that her company
makes. This has been her most successful trip this year. She’s feeling very happy with herself.

When she arrives, Kim calls her office on her mobile phone.

“Monica? It’s Kim. I’m at JFK.”

“Welcome back, Miss Leeson!” says Kim’s secretary. “How was your flight?”

“Fine. I didn’t sleep much, but I’m OK.”

“You must be very tired. You don’t have to come into the office today. There is nothing urgent.
Everything can wait until tomorrow.”

“I’m not really tired. But if there isn’t anything urgent, I think I’ll take the day off.”

“That’s a great idea. Put your feet up. You’ve earned it!”

“Thanks, Monica,” she says. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She turns off her mobile and puts it in her bag. The day is now a white page. She can do anything
she wants. Suddenly, she feels the sense of excitement that people have when they arrive in a
foreign country for the first time.

Kim walks slowly out of the airport. She knows there is no-one to meet her, but she still looks at
the faces of the people who are at the exit. Some are happy and excited: they’re waiting for
someone they love. Others look friendly: perhaps they are meeting someone on business. And
there are the people holding up names on cards. Their faces have almost no expression. They
have never seen the people they are meeting. Kim sees a tall young man. He’s blonde and very,
very attractive. In his hand he has a card that says:

HONG KONG COMPUTERS

KIM LEE

“That’s funny!” she says to herself. “That’s almost my name!”

The young man isn’t looking in her direction. He’s watching the crowd of passengers in front of
her.

Suddenly, Kim waves to the young man. She doesn’t think twice. She doesn’t ask herself why
she’s doing it.

He waves back.
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Then she walks over to him.

“Hi,” she says. “I’m Kim.”

The man looks very surprised. On his face is the expression of pleasure that Kim knows very
well. After all, she’s tall and blonde and very attractive, too.

“Well… hello and welcome to New York. I’m Dan Bernardino.”

They look at each other for a few long seconds. Then they both speak at the same time.

“Nice to meet you,” say Kim Leeson.

“Can I take your bag?” says Dan Bernardino.

Kim gives him her small travelling bag.

“So how was your flight?”

“Long! I didn’t sleep much, but I feel fine.”

“Look, Miss… um, Lee…”

“Kim.”

“Kim. I have a thousand questions to ask you about the computer project, but they can wait. It’s
important that we… um… get to know each other first.”

“Yes,” says Kim.

“I have my car here,” says Dan. “And it’s your first trip to New York. I can show you the city.
Would you like that? We can have some lunch and then, if you’re not too tired, we can go and
meet the rest of the team.”

To herself, Kim says, “Stop it, Kim! What are you doing? Tell him it was a joke. Now! Before
it’s too late!”

But to Dan Bernardino she just says, “Yes.”

***

Twenty minutes later, they are driving over the Brooklyn Bridge. The view of Manhattan is
amazing. Kim has seen it a hundred times before, but it gives her a feeling of great happiness
every time.

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” she says.

“I love it,” says Dan. “Every time I see this view of Manhattan it makes me feel… I don’t
know… just really happy.”

“Is this man real or did I invent him?” Kim thinks to herself.

“Is there anything special that you’d like to see?” Dan asks.

14
Kim thinks fast. She doesn’t want to meet anyone she knows.

“The things that tourists go to see. The Empire State Building, umm… I don’t know… the Statue
of Liberty… the World Trade Center…”

“We only have time for one of those. How about the Empire State Building?”

“Yes. Great. I’ve always wanted to see it.” It’s true. Kim was born in New York, but she has
never been to the top of the Empire State Building. Not even when she was a child.

“You know something, Kim?” says Dan. “I was born in New York and I’ve never been to the top
of the Empire State Building! Not even when I was a child.”

Kim opens her bag and takes out her sunglasses. She puts them on. “I’m dreaming,” she says to
herself.

***

Dan parks the car in a garage and they take a taxi to 34th Street. Kim asks Dan a lot of questions
as they go. “What’s that building? And that one?” If he’s answering questions, he can’t ask her
any.

When they get to the Empire State Building, they have to stand in line for tickets.

“Which observatory would you like to go to?” asks Dan. The 86 th or the 102nd floor?”

“I’d like to go to the top. The very top,” says Kim.

Up and up they go: an elevator ride into the sky. And then, there it is! A view like no other in the
world: skyscrapers shining in the sunlight, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park. It’s a very clear
day so they can see a long way. They stand in silence and look and look. Kim can see the
building where Vivace Fashions has its offices; where her secretary is telling people that she
won’t be in the office today.

“Thank you,” says Kim as they leave. “That was wonderful.”

***

Dan takes Kim to lunch in a little Italian restaurant. There are pretty red flowers in the windows.
The waiter knows Dan. He must be a regular customer. They order some wine.

“This is the only place in New York where the food is as good as my mother’s,” says Dan.

“If your family is Italian, why are you so blonde?”

“My grandmother’s family came from northern Germany a long time ago. What about your
family, Kim?”

Kim wants to tell him about her own Irish-American family, her two older brothers and her
sister, but she can’t.

15
“My father was in the army. I grew up all over the place. I ended up in Hong Kong almost by
chance.”

This is her first real lie. She studies the menu and doesn’t look at Dan.

When she looks up again, to her horror she sees an old friend, Glenda, at a table behind Dan, at
the back of the restaurant. Glenda smiles at her. Kim looks away. Then she stands up.

“Would you excuse me a minute, please, Dan?”

A waiter shows her the way to the bathroom. When she walks past Glenda’s table, Kim puts a
finger to her lips.

A few minutes later, she and Glenda are laughing together in the ladies’ bathroom.

“You’re crazy, Kim!” says Glenda.

“I know, I know! It started as a joke, but now I don’t know how to tell him the truth.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something… He’s very attractive.”

“He’s the nicest man I’ve ever met…” says Kim. “OK, Glenda, listen. You don’t know me,
right?”

“Right. But call me soon and tell me all about it!”

Kim goes back to the restaurant. The waiter is putting two plates of pasta on their table.

“Hungry?” asks Dan.

“Yes. Very,” says Kim.

They are having coffee when Kim sees Glenda get up from her table. She’s leaving the
restaurant. On her way out, she stops at their table.

“Go away! Please, go away!” Kim thinks.

“Excuse me. Don’t I know you?” asks Glenda.

“I don’t think so,” says Kim coolly.

“Didn’t we meet at Hong Kong Arts festival last year?”

“Maybe,” says Kim. “But I’m afraid I don’t remember.”

“Oh well. Never mind,” says Glenda. And she walks away.

When Kim looks at Dan she has a sudden feeling that he is trying not to laugh.

***

They come out of the restaurant into the lovely autumn sunshine. New York is at its best. It’s
beginning to come back to life after the long, hot summer.

16
“Let’s just walk a bit,” says Dan.

“Yes,” says Kim.

They begin to walk along the pretty streets. The good wine, food and conversation have all
worked their magic. There is a comfortable silence between them. In a small square there are two
young people with guitars. They’re singing a very old song. Kim and Dan stop to listen to them.
The words of the song are very simple and the voices of the singers are sweet and true.

Kim closes her eyes and listens.

She knows that when the song ends, this wonderful stolen happiness will end too. She has to tell
Dan the truth.

“Let’s sit down for a bit,” she says.

At first Kim doesn’t speak. Then she says, “Dan, I’ve done a terrible thing…”

He takes her hand.

“It’s all right, Kim,” he says. “I know.”

“What? But how…?”

He is smiling at her expression of surprise and horror.

“Well, you see… Kim Lee – the real one – is Chinese. He’s my boss’s son and he’s eighteen
years old. But when you waved to me, I felt I had no choice. I waved back.” He takes her other
hand. “I believe everyone has a person that they are waiting for. Perhaps they don’t realise it, but
they look for that person all the time. The special face in the crowd – in airports, at train stations,
on the street, at parties – everywhere.” He stopped for a moment. “For me, you are that person.
And I think you feel the same. Am I right?”

“Yes,” says Kim. “Yes.”

by Elaine O’Reilly

EXERCISES

Before you read

1. The English word “wave” has got two main meanings. Can you find the right ones in this list?
- the movement of your head when you agree with someone
- the movement of water in the sea
- the movement of air when you breathe
- the movement of your eyes when you sleep
- the movement of your hand when you greet someone
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2. Look up these words in the dictionary and match them with their meanings.

1. successful a) a feeling of happiness and enjoyment

2. urgent b) a large number of people
3. excitement c) a very tall building
4. attractive d) when you get the result that you want
5. crowd e) no sound
6. pleasure f) a talk
7. skyscraper g) good-looking
8. silence h) that you need to do immediately
9. customer i) a feeling of enthusiasm
10. conversation j) a person who buys something

3. This story is rich in fixed phrases. These translations can help you while you work with the
text.
Put your feet up – расслабиться
After all – в конце концов
Get to know (each other) – познакомиться поближе
All over the place – повсюду, в разных местах
By chance – случайно
Never mind – неважно, забудь
Work one’s magic – творить чудеса
Have no choice – не иметь выбора

After you read

4. Cover the words and phrases from exercises 2 and 3 and fill in the gaps. There are some extra
words. Use one word in each gap.
a) Not a lot of people nowadays spend their free time reading for _____________________.
b) She didn’t want to go to hospital but she had no _____________________.
c) I’d really like to see you again and get to ____________________ you better.
d) I need absolute ___________________ when I’m working.
e) I know that John is a _____________________ businessman and he has lots of money, but I
just don’t find him very _____________________.
f) You’ve worked so hard! Now you can just relax and put your ___________________ up.
g) Of course I love her – __________________ all, she is my sister.
h) Please let me in, I have an __________________ message for the President!
i) “I’m sorry I lost that scarf that you gave me.”
“ Never ____________________, I can buy you another one.”
j) I wanted to call her, but I didn’t have her number. Then I met her ________________ chance
at a restaurant yesterday!

18
5. This story mentions some of New York’s landmarks. Look at the cards and match the names
to the pictures and the facts about these landmarks.

6. Answer the questions.

a) Where does Kim work?
b) After Kim calls her secretary, what does it mean that “the day is now a white page”?
c) Who does she wave to when she’s leaving the airport? Why?
d) How does this person react?
e) What two surprising things does Kim find that they have in common?
f) What special place can Kim see from the top of the Empire State Building?
g) What is Kim’s first real lie?
h) Who does she see in the restaurant?
i) What do Kim and Dan do after lunch?
j) Why do you think Kim decides to tell the truth?
k) How does the story end?

19
 He-y, Come on Ou-t!
The hurricane had stopped and the sky was a beautiful blue colour. Near a little village, a small
shrine* had been destroyed by the wind. The villagers came to look.

"I wonder how long that shrine’s been here."

"Well, it must be very old."

"We have to rebuild it."

During the discussion, several more people came over.

"I think it used to be right here."

"No, looks like it was a little more over there."

Just then, one of them raised his voice, "Hey, what in the world is this hole?" Not far from where
they were all standing there was a hole about a metre in diameter. They looked in, but it was so
dark that nothing could be seen. It looked like it was so deep it went to the center of the earth.

There was even one person who said, "I wonder if it’s a fox’s hole."

"He—y, come on ou—t!" shouted a young man into the hole. There was no echo from the
bottom. Next he picked up a small stone and threw it in. No sound. The villagers decided to
make a fence which they put around the hole.

"What do you think we should do?"

"Shouldn’t we build the shrine just as it was over the hole?"

A day passed with no agreement. The news traveled fast and a car from the newspaper company
came over. Immediately a scientist came out and, with an all-knowing expression on his face, he
walked to the hole. Next, some curious people showed up. A policeman kept a careful watch.

One newspaper reporter tied a weight to the end of a long rope and lowered it into the hole. A
long way down it went. The rope ran out, however, and he tried to pull it out, but it would not
come back up. Two or three people helped, but when they all pulled hard the rope broke at the
edge of the hole.

The scientist contacted people at his laboratory and asked them to bring a high-powered
loudspeaker, with which he was going to check out the echo from the hole’s bottom. He tried
different sounds, but there was no echo. The scientist was puzzled, but he could not give up with
everyone watching him. He turned the loudspeaker to its highest volume. But nothing happened.

The scientist had no idea what was going on, but eventually, he turned off the sound and said
simply, "Fill it in."

Safer to get rid of something that you don’t understand.

*shrine – часовня, храм, святилище

20
The disappointed people around him were ready to leave. Just then one of the businessmen
pushed through the crowd and made a proposal.

"Let me have that hole. I’ll fill it in for you."

"Filling it in would be great," replied the mayor of the village, "but we can’t just give you the
hole. We have to build a shrine there."

"If you want a shrine, I’ll build you a fine one later." Before the mayor could answer, the people
of the village all shouted.

"Really? Well, you should make it closer to the village."

"It’s just an old hole. We’ll give it to you!"

So it was decided. And the mayor agreed, of course.

The businessman was true to his promise. He rebuilt the shrine closer to the village, but he also
started his own hole-filling company. He started a loud campaign* in the city. "We’ve got an
amazingly deep hole! Scientists say it’s more than five thousand meters deep! Perfect for the
disposal* of things like waste from nuclear reactors*!"

The government agreed. Nuclear power factories fought for contracts. The people of the village
were a bit worried about this, but they calmed down when it was explained that there would be
absolutely no above-ground pollution for thousands of years and that they would get some of the
company’s money. A new, wonderful road was built from the city to the village.

Trucks came in over the road, carrying the waste from nuclear reactors to the hole.

Secret documents were brought to the hole for disposal. The hole didn’t mind. It was awfully
deep, people thought. Little by little, the hole-filling company’s business was getting bigger.

Bodies of animals used in experiments at universities were brought to the hole. Better than
throwing all of the rubbish in the ocean, the people thought, and started throwing away all their
rubbish into the hole, too.

Young girls who were going to get married threw their old diaries in the hole. Divorced people
threw into the hole old photographs of themselves with their ex-husbands and ex-wives.
Criminals breathed easier after throwing evidence into the hole. The sea and the sky looked
clearer than before.

New buildings appeared one after the other.

One day, on top of a new skyscraper, a workman was taking a break. Above his head he heard a
voice shout:

"He—y, come on ou—t!"

*campaign – кампания
*waste from nuclear reactors – отходы ядерных реакторов
*disposal – утилизация, уничтожение

21
He looked up but there was nothing at all, only the clear blue sky. He thought it must be his
imagination. Then, from where the voice had come, a small stone fell out.

The man, however, was looking at the view of the city growing more and more beautiful, and he
didn’t notice.

by Shinichi Hoshi

EXERCISES

Before you read

1. Match these phrasal verbs with their meanings.

1. come over a) be used completely or be finished

2. pick up b) make something full
3. show up c) stop feeling angry or upset
4. run out d) put something unwanted into a rubbish bin
5. give up e) press a button to stop heat, sound, water etc.
6. turn off f) appear, arrive
7. fill in g) take something in your hands and lift it
8. get rid of h) come from one place to another
9. calm down i) stop trying to do something
10. throw away j) make yourself free of something that’s annoying you

After you read

2. Fill in the gaps with these phrasal verbs from the text in their correct form.

come over pick up show up run out give up turn off

fill in get rid of calm down throw away

a) We need to ________________________ that old chair.

b) Time __________________________, you need to hurry!
c) After he won the first prize, his family _________________________ to congratulate him.
d) Please ___________________________, stop crying and tell me what’s wrong.
e) Don’t forget to _______________________ the TV before you go to bed.
f) He never _______________________ easily, he fights till the end.
g) He kept talking and talking. She finally _______________________ him by saying she had to
make dinner.
h) My phone fell off the table but when I ______________ it ________ I saw it wasn’t broken.
i) The people were allowed to ___________________ the hole with nuclear waste and rubbish.
j) We waited for him for an hour but he didn’t ______________________.

22
3. Answer the questions.
a) What happened near the village at the beginning of the story?
b) What new thing did the villagers discover?
c) What happened when the reporter tried to see how deep the hole was?
d) What company did the businessman start?
e) Name 3 things that were thrown into the hole.
f) At the end of the story, why did the workman look up to the sky?
g) If you were the mayor of the village, what would you do with the hole?
h) What is the message of this story?

4. Look at the mind map. Find and add two more environmental problems that were mentioned
in the story. Then add two more environmental problems that you know of. Which problem is
the most serious, in your opinion?

5. Match these solutions to the problems from the mind map. Then try to think of possible
solutions to the remaining two problems.

plant more trees and recycle paper build special underground facilities
reuse old things and recycle rubbish
save energy at home and use public transport instead of cars

23
 The Way up to Heaven

All her life, Mrs Foster had had a terrible fear of missing a train, a plane, a boat, or even to be
late to the theatre. She was not a nervous woman, but when she thought of being late, she always
began to panic, and she couldn’t do anything about it.

Every time, half an hour before it was time to leave the house, Mrs Foster walked out of the lift
all ready to go, with hat and coat and gloves, and then she went from room to room because she
couldn’t sit down. But her husband, who knew about her fear, was never in a hurry.

If you looked at Mr Foster – who was always just in time for everything – you wouldn’t think
that he enjoyed making her wait. But in truth, he did. His wife was always polite and never told
him to hurry; she just waited nervously while he secretly enjoyed the process. Sometimes he
even wanted to miss a train or a plane just to see her suffer.

This was strange because Mrs Foster had been a good and loving wife for more than thirty years.
She’d never believed that Mr Foster could possibly enjoy the process of making her wait, but
recently she began to think about it more and more.

Mr Eugene Foster, who was seventy years old, lived with his wife in a large six-storied house
with a lift in New York City, and they had four servants. It was a very quiet place, and few
people came to visit them. But on this morning in January, the house was very busy. Mrs Foster,
dressed in an old-fashioned coat and with a black hat on her head, was flying from room to
room, thinking that she was going to miss her plane if her husband didn't come out of his room
soon and get ready.

“What time is it, Walker?” she said to the butler.

“It's ten minutes past nine, Madam.”

“And is the car here?”

“Yes, Madam, it's waiting. I'm going to put the luggage in now.”

“My plane leaves at eleven. I’m going to be late. I just know I'm going to be late.”

“I think you have enough time, Madam,” the butler said kindly. “I told Mr Foster that you must
leave at nine-fifteen. There's five more minutes.”

“Yes, Walker, I know, I know. But get the luggage in quickly, will you please?”

She walked up and down the hall, asking the time every minute. She couldn’t miss this plane. If
she missed it, her husband could make her stay home. But the problem was that he wanted to
come to the airport with her.

“Dear God,” she said, “I'm going to miss it. I know, I know, I know I'm going to miss it.” Her
eyes were full of tears now.

24
“What time is it, Walker?”

“It's eighteen minutes past, Madam.”

“Now I really will miss it!” she cried. “Oh, I wish he would come now!”

This was an important day for Mrs Foster. She was going alone to Paris to visit her daughter, her
only child, who was married to a Frenchman. Mrs Foster loved her daughter, and, more than that,
she really wanted to see her three grandchildren. She knew them only from the many
photographs that her daughter had sent. They were beautiful, these children. And now, recently,
she started thinking that she wanted to live near the children, and take them for walks, and buy
them presents, and watch them grow. She knew, of course, that her husband would never agree
to it. She was surprised that he had agreed to let her go there alone for six weeks to visit them.
But, oh, how she wished she could live there always, and be close to them!

“Walker, what time is it?”

“Twenty-two minutes past, Madam.”

As he spoke, a door opened and Mr Foster came into the hall. He stood for a moment, looking at
his wife, and she looked back at him.

“Well,” he said, “I think we should leave soon if you want to catch that plane.”

“Yes, dear, yes! Everything's ready. The car's waiting.”

“That’s good”, he said. “Here’s Walker with your coat, dear. I’ll be back in a moment. I’m just
going to wash my hands”.

She waited for him, and the tall butler stood next to her with the coat and the hat in his hands.

“Walker, will I miss it?”

“No, Madam,” the butler said. “I think you’ll make it.”

Then Mr Foster came again, and the butler helped him with his coat. Mrs Foster hurried outside
and got into the car. Her husband came after her, but he walked down the steps of the house
slowly, looking at the sky.

“It looks foggy,” he said as he sat down next to her in the car. “And it’s always worse out there
at the airport. Your flight may be cancelled.”

“Don’t say that, dear. Please.”

“The servants are all leaving today,” Mr Foster said. “I gave them half-pay for six weeks and I
told Walker I'd send him a telegram when you came back.”

“Yes,” she said. “He told me.”

25
“I'll move into the club* tonight. It'll be a nice change staying at the club.”

“Yes, dear. But don't you really think Walker should stay at the house to look after it?” she asked
quietly.

“Nonsense. I don’t want to pay him for nothing.”

While they drove on, it was getting more and more foggy, and the car had to slow down.

“Oh dear!” cried Mrs Foster. “I'm sure I'm going to miss it now! What time is it?”

“Stop it,” the old man said. “I’m sure your flight is cancelled. They never fly in this weather.”

Suddenly the driver stopped the car.

“What happened?” Mr Foster asked.

“We’re at the airport, sir,” the driver said.

Without a word, Mrs Foster jumped out and hurried to the building. She ran inside and spoke to
the manager.

“Your flight is delayed,” he said. “But please don't go away. The weather might get better soon.”

She went back to her husband who was still sitting in the car and told him the news. "Don’t wait
for me, dear," she said.

“I won't,” he answered. “Did you take your luggage?”

“Yes. Goodbye, dear,” Mrs Foster said, giving her husband a small kiss on his cheek.

“Goodbye,” he answered. “Have a good trip.”

The car drove off, and Mrs Foster was left alone.

The rest of the day was a nightmare for her. She sat for hour after hour at the airport, but the
situation didn’t change. At six in the evening the manager finally told her that flight had been
delayed until eleven o'clock the next morning.

Mrs Foster didn't know what to do when she heard this news. She thought where she could spend
the night. She hated to leave the airport. She didn't wish to see her husband. She was scared that
he would eventually stop her from going to France. But she was so tired. In the end she went to a
phone and called the house.

Her husband, who was just leaving for the club, answered the phone himself. She told him the
news, and asked if the servants were still at home.

*gentlemen’s club (джентльменский клуб) – в британской и американской культуре место

дружеского и делового общения единомышленников, часто включающее в себя бар, ресторан,
библиотеку и собирающее вокруг себя представителей высшего класса общества.
26
“No, they’ve all gone,” he said.

“All right, dear, then I’ll just get myself a room in a hotel.”

“Don’t be silly,” he said. “You’ve got a large house here. Use it.”

“But, dear, it’s empty.”

“Then I’ll stay with you.”

Outside, the weather was a little bit better, but it was a long, slow drive in the taxi, and she was
home late.

Her husband came to meet her. “Well,” he said, standing by the door, “how was Paris?”

“We leave at eleven in the morning,” she answered. “I think I'll go to bed now.”

“I've ordered a car for the morning,” he said. “Nine o'clock. You can give me a lift to the club on
your way to the airport.”

She looked at him. “But the club is in the centre,” she said. “It isn't on the way to the airport.”

“But you'll have a lot of time, my dear. Don't you want to give me a lift to the club?”

“Oh, yes – of course.”

“That's good. Then I'll see you in the morning at nine.”

The next morning, Mrs Foster was up early, and at eight-thirty she was ready to leave.

At ten after nine, her husband finally came downstairs. “Did you make any coffee?” he asked.

“No, dear. I thought you'd get a nice breakfast at the club. The car is here. I'm ready to go.”

“What about your luggage?”

“It's at the airport.”

“Ah yes,” he said. “Of course. I'm just going to get my hat. Wait in the car. I’ll be back in a
minute.”

The driver opened the car door for her.

“What time is it?” she asked him.

“About nine-fifteen.”

Mr Foster came out five minutes later, and he walked slowly down the steps. As on the day
before, he stopped to look at the sky. The weather was much better. He got in the car and sat next
to his wife.

27
“Hurry, please,” she said to the driver. “Or I will be late!”

“Just a moment!” Mr Foster said suddenly.

“What’s wrong, dear?” She saw him searching the pockets of his coat.

“I had a little present that I wanted you to take to Ellen,” he said. “Where is it? I’m sure I had it
in my hands when I came down.”

“I didn’t see anything in your hands. What present?”

“A little white box. I forgot to give it to you yesterday. I don’t want to forget it today.”

“A little box!” Mrs Foster cried. “I never saw any little box!”

“Maybe I left it in my bedroom,” he said. “I’ll be quick.”

“Oh, please!” she cried. “We haven't got time! Please leave it! You can mail it.”

“Stay here!” he commanded. “I'm going to get it.”

“Be quick, dear! Oh, please be quick!”

She sat still, waiting and waiting.

“What time is it?”

The driver looked at his watch. “Almost nine-thirty.”

Then Mrs Foster suddenly saw something white behind the seat where her husband had been
sitting. She took out a small white box.

“Here it is!” she cried. “I've found it! I’ll go into the house and tell him to come back.”

She hurried out of the car and up the steps to the front door, holding the key in one hand. She put
the key into the keyhole – and suddenly she stopped. Her head looked up, and she stood there
absolutely quietly, and she waited – five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten seconds, she waited. She
was listening. She was listening very carefully for some sound inside the house. She moved one
of her ears closer and closer to the door. For a few seconds she stood like that, ear to door, hand
on key, not going inside and listening.

Then she quickly took the key out and came running back to the car.

“It's too late!” she cried to the driver. “I can't wait for him, I just can't. I'll miss the plane. Hurry!
To the airport!”

At that moment, her face was absolutely white and that the expression on her face was very
different.

28
The man drove fast, and she was in time for her plane. Soon she was flying over the Atlantic,
sitting in a comfortable armchair, going to Paris at last. And she felt different. She felt very
strong and wonderful.

In Paris she met her grandchildren, and they were even more beautiful than their photographs.
And every day she took them for walks, and made them cakes, and bought them presents, and
told them stories. Once a week, on Tuesdays, she wrote a letter to her husband, telling him all
her news.

After six weeks, everybody was sad that she had to come back to America, to her husband.
Everybody but her. She didn’t really look sad at all.

After arriving back to New York, Mrs Foster noticed that there was no car to meet her. She was
absolutely calm and took a taxi.

When she arrived home, the driver helped her carry her luggage to the front door. Then she rang
the bell. She waited, but there was no answer. She rang again, but still no one came. So she took
out her key and opened the door herself.

When she came into the hall, she saw a lot of letters lying on the floor. The house was dark and
cold, and there was a very strange smell in the air.

She walked quickly across the hall and turned around the corner to the left. And when she came
back a few seconds later, there was a little smile on her face.

She stopped in the hall, thinking what to do next. Then, suddenly, she turned and walked into her
husband’s study. On the desk she found his address book. She picked up the phone and called a
number.

“Hello,” she said. “Listen – this is Nine East Sixty-second Street...Yes, that's right. Could you
send someone here right now, do you think? Yes, I think it’s stuck between the second and third
floors. Oh, thank you so much. Goodbye.”

She put down the phone and sat there at her husband’s desk, patiently waiting for the man who
would be coming soon to fix the lift.

by Roald Dahl

29
 EXERCISES

Before you read

1. Look up these words in the dictionary and match them with their meanings.
1. panic (v) a) a bad, scary dream
2. suffer (v) b) a person who works in another person’s house (cooks and cleans)
3. servant (n) c) to take someone in your car
4. butler (n) d) to look for something
5. luggage (n) e) a man who is a main servant
6. cancel (v) f) to feel bad because of an injury or a problem
7. delay (v) g) to make something late or slow
8. nightmare (n) h) bags that you take with you when you travel
9. give a lift (v) i) to decide that a planned event will not happen
10. search (v) j) a room in someone’s home, used for reading and writing
11. study (n) k) when something can’t move
12. stuck (adj) l) a sudden feeling of being extremely scared

After you read

2. Decide if these statements are true, false or not stated (T/F/NS).
a) Mr Foster enjoyed making his wife wait and suffer.
b) Mr and Mrs Foster had lived in their house since they got married.
c) Before going to Paris, Mrs Foster had never seen her grandchildren.
d) Mr Foster sent away all the servants, but Walker stayed to look after the house.
e) Mrs Foster didn’t have anything to eat while she waited for her plane.
f) It wasn’t very far from the club to the airport.
g) Mr Foster’s present in the box was very expensive.
h) Mrs Foster didn’t go after her husband because she couldn’t open the door.
i) When she was leaving Paris, Mrs Foster wasn’t sad because she knew she would come again
soon.

3. Fill in the gaps with these words in their correct form. There are some extra words.

panic suffer servant butler luggage cancel delay

nightmare give (someone) a lift search study stuck

a) The wedding was ______________________ at the last minute.

b) We couldn’t arrive on time because we were _____________________ in a traffic jam.
c) After she was fired from her job, she began to _____________________ for a new one.
d) You stay here with the ____________________ while I find a taxi.
e) They are very rich. They have a huge house with three cooks and a ____________________.
f) People started to _____________________ when they saw the fire in the building.
30
g) My flight was _____________________ because of bad weather so I’m leaving tomorrow.
h) I cry when I see animals _____________________.
i) It's too late to walk home. Get in the car, I __________________________.

4. Answer the questions.

a) What was Mrs Foster’s problem?
b) How long had Mr and Mrs Foster been married?
c) What was Mrs Foster’s dream?
d) Why did Mr Foster send the servants away?
e) Why didn’t Mrs Foster want to go back home from the airport?
f) What did Mr Foster ask her to do before going back to the airport?
g) What happened when Mrs Foster found the box and ran after her husband?
h) How did Mrs Foster feel when she was sitting on the plane?
i) What was the first thing she noticed when she came inside the house after six weeks?
j) Who did she call and why?

31
 After Twenty Years

The policeman walked up the street impressively, looking carefully at the doors and windows.
The time was only 10 o'clock at night, but the cold wind with a taste of rain had emptied the
streets. Very few places had lights in their windows, but most doors belonged to business places
that had already been closed.

Suddenly the policeman slowed his walk. There, in the dark, next to a hardware store*, a man
stood, with an unlighted cigar in his mouth. As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke
up quickly.

“It's all right, officer,” he said. “I'm just waiting for a friend. We agreed to meet here twenty
years ago. Sounds funny to you, doesn't it? Well, I can explain it to you if you'd like. At this
place – where this store stands – there used to be a restaurant – ‘Big Joe’ Brady’s restaurant.”

“Yes. It was closed down five years ago,” said the policeman.

The man lit his cigar. The light showed a pale face with anxious eyes, and a little white scar
near his right eye. His scarf pin* was strangely a large diamond.

“Twenty years ago tonight,” said the man, “I had dinner here at ‘Big Joe’ Brady’s with Jimmy
Wells, my best friend. He and I grew up here in New York, just like two brothers, together. I was
eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was going to the West to make my fortune,
but Jimmy never wanted to leave New York. Well, we agreed that night that we would meet here
again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what happened in our lives or how
far we might have to come.”

“It sounds interesting,” said the policeman. “But it’s such a long time. Haven’t you heard from
your friend since you left?”

“Well, yes, for some time we sent letters,” said the man. “But after a year or two we lost contact.
You see, I moved from place to place all the time. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he's
alive, because he always was the truest man in the world. He’ll never forget. I came a thousand
miles to be here tonight.”

The waiting man took out a nice watch, decorated with small diamonds.

“Three minutes to ten,” he said. “It was exactly ten o’clock when we said goodbye to each other
here at the restaurant door.”

“So you made a good fortune, didn't you?” asked the policeman.

“Oh yes. I hope Jimmy has done well, too.”

The policeman took a step or two.

“I'll be going. Hope your friend comes. Good night, sir.”

*hardware store – магазин хозтоваров

*scarf pin – булавка для галстука

32
There was now a cold rain falling, and the wind had become stronger. Some people hurried
silently, with their hands in their pockets and the coat collars turned high. And next to the
hardware store the man, who had come a thousand miles to meet his friend, smoked his cigar and
waited.

About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long coat, with collar turned up to his
ears, hurried from the opposite side of the street. He walked to the waiting man.

“Is that you, Bob?” he asked.

“Is that you, Jimmy Wells?” cried the man in the door.

“I can’t believe it!” said the man, taking the other man’s hands with his own. “It is Bob! I was
sure I’d find you here if you were still alive. Well, well, well! Twenty years is a long time.
How’s the life in the West, old man?”

“Great; it has given me everything I asked it for. You've changed a lot, Jimmy! I never thought
you got so much taller.”

“Oh, I grew a bit after I was twenty.”

“Doing well in New York, Jimmy?”

“More or less. I work in one of the city departments*. Come on, Bob; let’s go to a nice place and
have a good long talk about old times.”

The two men went up the street, arm in arm. The man from the West, happy to talk about his
success, was telling all about the history of his career. The other man listened with interest.

At the corner there was a drugstore, brilliant with electric lights. They stopped and turned to look
at each other’s faces.

The man from the West suddenly released his arm.

“You’re not Jimmy Wells! Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man’s
nose!”

“It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one,” said the tall man. “You are under arrest,
‘Silky’ Bob. Chicago police is really looking forward to chatting with you. Going quietly, are
you? That's good. Now, before we go to the station, here’s a note I need to give you. You may
read it now. It's from Patrolman* Wells."

The man from the West took the little piece of paper. His hand was shaking a little when he
finished. The note was short.

*city department – городское учреждение

*Patrolman – патрульный (полицейский)

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“Bob: I was at our place on time. When you lit your cigar I saw the face of the man the police
were looking for. I couldn’t do it myself, so I asked another man to do the job.

JIMMY."

by O. Henry

EXERCISES

Before you read

1. Choose the correct answer. Use the dictionary if you need to.
a) Which of these things can’t be impressive?
- a skyscraper
- a customer
- a crowd
b) If a person is anxious, they are feeling … .
- terrified
- worried
- embarrassed
c) You can find a scar on a person’s … .
- body
- clothes
- car
d) If someone has made a fortune, it means they are now … .
- married
- rich
- famous
e) The word ‘exactly’ means … .
- approximately
- more than
- correct in every detail
f) A collar is a part of clothes that is around your … .
- neck
- arms
- stomach
g) Which of these can be released?
- a butler
- a criminal
- sympathy

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After you read
2. Answer the questions.
a) What was the policeman doing in the beginning of the story?
b) Who did he see? What did this person look like?
c) Who was the man waiting for? Why?
d) What two strange things did the man have?
e) What did the waiting man do when he saw the other man’s face?
f) What did the other man give him?
g) How do you think Bob felt when he read the note? How did his friend Jimmy feel when he
wrote the note?
h) Do you think Jimmy made the right decision?

3. Match the sentence halves.

1. The policeman walked up the streets
2. A man stood with
3. The man had a pale face with
4. They agreed they would meet again
5. The man’s watch was
6. A tall man hurried from
7. The man from the West was happy
8. The man from the West suddenly
9. His hand was shaking a little
10. His friend asked another man
a) decorated with small diamonds.
b) exactly twenty years later.
c) impressively.
d) the opposite side of the street.
e) to do his job for him.
f) an unlighted cigar in his mouth.
g) released his arm.
h) anxious eyes.
i) to talk about his success.
j) when he finished reading.

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 Key

The Open Window

1. 1 – c, 2 – f, 3 – e, 4 – a, 5 – g, 6 – d, 7 – h, 8 – b.
2. a – grabbed, b – calm, c – pointed, d – terrifying, e – marshes, f – direction, g – figure, h –
tragedy.
3. a) He came to visit Mrs. Sappleton. Her niece Vera started talking to him.
b) She told him that Mrs. Sappleton’s husband and brothers had died in the marshes when they
had gone hunting.
c) Because she was looking at the window all the time and constantly talking about her family.
He thought she was really crazy.
d) He saw three figures and a spaniel walking out of the forest towards the house. He grabbed
his coat and hat and ran out of that house.
e) She said he was scared of dogs because he they had almost killed him before.

The Ghost Next Door

1. 1 – b, 2 – f, 3 – d, 4 – a – 5 – g, 6 – e, 7 – c.
2. a – T, b – NS, c – F, d – NS, e – F, f – T, g – F.
3. a – is pouring, b – nonsense, c – available, d – noticed, e – keyhole, f – shaking, g – sympathy
4. e, g, b, i, c, d, j, a, f, h.

Test
3. a – very fast, b – red, c – large, d – feelings, e – have seen, f – head, g – write.
4. a) It was cool and sunny.
b) His mother.
c) He saw a big truck and a long blue car behind it.
d) The blue car turned left without warning and hit Robert’s car, pushing it to the left side of
the road.
e) He was shocked by the helplessness of the sleeping girl.
f) He was in a room, sitting in a chair.
g) To pay ten dollars and sign a paper.
h) Because Robert agreed to get a license, and that meant that he was mentally ill.

The Wave
1. the movement of water in the sea; the movement of your hand when you greet someone
2. 1 – d, 2 – h, 3 – i, 4 – g, 5 – b, 6 – a, 7 – c, 8 – e, 9 – j, 10 – f.
4. a – pleasure, b – choice, c – know, d – silence, e – successful, attractive, f – feet, g – after,
h – urgent, i – mind, j – by.
5. Brooklyn Bridge – It was built in 1883…
The Statue of Liberty – It is 93 metres tall…
Central Park – This place is huge…
The Empire State Building – It was built in only 20 weeks…
The World Trade Center – It used to have two twin towers…
6. a) In a company that designs clothes.
b) She doesn’t have anything to do and she can do what she wants.
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 c) She waves to and attractive young man because he’s holding a card with a name almost like
hers.
d) The man looks very surprised.
e) They both think the view of Manhattan is beautiful; they were both born in New York but
have never been to the Empire State Building.
f) Her office.
g) She lies about her family and her childhood.
h) Her old friend Glenda.
i) They go for a walk and listen to some live music.
j) Because she understands that she likes Dan and her joke is not a joke anymore.
k) Dan says that he knew about her lie and that Kim is a special person for him.

He-y, Come on Ou-t!

1. 1-h, 2-g, 3-f, 4-a, 5-i, 6-e, 7-b, 8-j, 9-c, 10-d.
2. a – throw away, b – is running out, c – came over, d – calm down, e – turn off, f – gives up,
g – got rid of, h – picked up, i – fill in, j – show up
3. a) A hurricane passed near the village and destroyed a shrine.
b) A strange hole about a metre in diameter.
c) The rope ran out and when he tried to pull it up again, it broke.
d) A hole-filling company.
e) a small stone, nuclear waste, secret documents, bodies of animals, rubbish, old diaries, old
photographs, evidence of crimes.
f) He hears a voice above his head.
4. Nuclear waste disposal, rubbish disposal.
5. deforestation – plant more trees and recycle paper
nuclear waste disposal – build special underground facilities
rubbish disposal – reuse old things and recycle rubbish
global warming – save energy at home and use public transport instead of cars

The Way up to Heaven

1. 1 – l, 2 – f, 3 – b, 4 – e, 5 – h, 6 – i, 7 – g, 8 – a, 9 – c, 10 – d, 11 – j, 12 – k.
2. a – T, b – NS, c – T, d – F, e – NS, f – F, g – NS, h – F, i – T.
3. a – cancelled, b – stuck, c – search, d – luggage, e – butler, f – panic, g – delayed,
h – suffer / suffering, i – will give you a lift.
4. a) She had a terrible fear of being late.
b) They’d been married for more than thirty years.
c) She wanted to live near her grandchildren.
d) Because he was going to stay at the club, and he didn’t want to pay the servants.
e) She was scared that he would eventually stop her from going to France.
f) He asked her to give him a lift to the club.
g) She stopped at the door, listened carefully, and then ran back to the car.
h) She felt very strong and wonderful.
i) She saw a lot of letters lying on the floor.
j) She called for someone to fix the lift because it was stuck.

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After Twenty Years
1. a – a customer, b – worried, c – body, d – rich, e – correct in every detail, f – neck, g – a
criminal.
2. a) He was walking up the streets and checking doors and windows.
b) He saw a man with an unlighted cigar in his mouth. He had a pale face with anxious eyes,
and a little white scar near his right eye.
c) He was waiting for his old friend because twenty years earlier they’d agreed to meet at the
same place.
d) He had a diamond scarf pin and a watch decorated with diamonds.
e) He suddenly released his arm.
f) A note from his friend Jimmy.
3. 1 – c, 2 – f, 3 – h, 4 – b, 5 – a, 6 – d, 7 – i, 8 – g, 9 – j, 10 – e.

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