READING COMPREHENSION

Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

Shifting uneasily in his seat, the baker cast his eyes on the floor. He hesitated to explain his purpose for coming
at this late hour to Holmes house. His fingers tightened round hi s hat, twisting and turning the ends of the hat, almost
as if trying to drain the confidence from the hat he had held on to for security.
It may seem silly but I will just get to the point. My wife and I are unable to solve a mystery surrounding our
bakery. We are at the end of our tethers.
Holmes leaned forward, eyebrows furrowed, listening with intent. Feeling encouraged, the baker resumed.
A loaf of bread has been disappearing every night from our bread-box for at least two months now. Nothing
else has been touched not the pies, pastries or even the money in the till. My wife and I have been careful with the
number of loaves we make. We keep count every night. But the next morning, a loaf will be gone. There have been no
signs of tampering of the locks or doors to the bakery. But just to be double sure, I added a dead-bolt to the back door.
What about windows? Does the bakery have any? inquired Holmes.
Yes, but they are too high for anyone to climb through. The loaf just disappears into thin air! exclaimed the
baker, raising his hands in exasperation.
So you decided to sprinkle flour on the floor in the hope that footprints would be found but there were none,
suggested Holmes.
Howd you know?
Your trousers told me so. Before you left the bakery to see me, you laid your trap again. There is some flour on
your trousers, thicker at the bottom than the top below your knees. This indicates that you have gone on your knees to
sprinkle the flour on the floor.
The baker looked at Holmes, wide-eyed, his mouth opened.
QUESTIONS
1. How did the baker feel at the start of the story when he was in Holmes house?


2. What was the purpose of the bakers visit?


3. Explain the sentence We are at the end of our tethers

4. How did Holmes show that he was interested in hearing what the baker had to say?

5. Why do you think the thief only took a loaf of bread from the bakery?


6. What did the baker do to ensure that the thief was not able to enter the bakery?


7. Why couldnt the thief come through any of the windows at the bakery?


8. What did the baker say and do that showed he was annoyed and felt helpless about the missing loaves?


9. At what time of the day did the loaves disappear from the bakery?


10. How do you think the baker felt when Holmes suggested that he laid a trap for the thief using flour?

GRAMMAR
1. When Frank McCourt was inspired, he __________ months writing a good book like Angelas Ashes which
topped the best-seller list for a year.
a. spend b. spends c. would spend d. will be spending
2. Michael __________ to smoke even though his mother had tried means and ways to help him kick the bad
habit.
a. will continue b. continued c. used to continue d. has continued
3. A few years ago, the expedition team __________ a rest after climbing the first part of the mountain but now,
they only do so after the second part.
a. take b. takes c. will take d. used to take
4. When he was young, Lance __________ so far up the mountain track that his mother had to pick him up and
bring him home.
a. will cycle b. would cycle c. cycles d. was cycling
5. Amy Johnson __________ solo to Australia around 1930, making here the first woman to do so.
a. fly b. flew c. was flying d. would fly
6. Tony Conigliaros popularity as a baseball player __________ him to pursue his other main interest which was
singing.
a. allows b. will allow c. allow d. would allow

7. Mr Lee _________ all his hopes on the elder son to oversee the operations of the company even though the
second child was more competent.
a. pins b. will pin c. pinned d. were pinned
VOCABULARY
1. Joe realises that a friends __________ is better than a fools smile when Jane told him off for becoming swell-
headed after winning three singing competitions.
a. anger b. turning c. bending d. winding
2. I have no regrets for what I have done and appreciate what I have experienced. Life is along lane that has no _____.
a. twisting b. turning c. bending d. winding
3. Why dont you settle for a job with a lower salary? __________ must not be choosers, Mrs Banks said.
a. Beggars b. Miners c. Shoppers d. Thieves
4. The vagrant asked for ten dollars when I gave him three dollars. Give him a/an ________ and he will take a yard.
a. yard b. centimetre c. inch d. metre
5. Valerie insisted that she could not swim four laps without stopping. I told her that she would never know till she
__________.
a. used b tried c. tested d. accepted
6. Some advertisements serve to be _________ rather than to promote a product
a. detailed b. productive c. informative d. comprehensive
7. The marketing department has come up with different __________ to generate the sales.
a. routes b. strategies c. techniques d. instructions
8. The songs in the advertisements are known as __________
a. poems b. verses c. jingles d. taglines
9. The advertised products and services are made to appear __________ to the masses.
a. luring b. magnetic c. tempting d. appealing
10. Brands are _________ through successful advertising campaigns.
a. established b. assembled c. constructed d. manufactured
11. The toothpaste company gave out free _________ to promote it.
a. stocks b. supplies c. samples d. inventories
12. A __________ market is a special group of consumers.
a. nice b. night c. niche d. brand
13. Millions of dollars are usually set aside for the advertising _________.
a. fund b. budget c. reserve d. treasury
14. Housewives are the targeted __________ of many companies selling household products.
a. shop b. fair c. market d. bazaar