Ex. 1. Match the sentences in column A with the synonymous statements in column B.

A	B
1. Mrs. McGillicuddy was going along the platform, trying to catch up with the porter.	a) Mrs. McGillicuddy was carrying many small bags.
2. Mrs. McGillicuddy was burdened with a large number of parcels.	b) Mrs. McGillicuddy showed the ticket to the very strict looking conductor in the uniform.
3. Mrs. McGillicuddy showed the ticket to the stern uniformed guardian at the gate.	c) Passengers for Brackhampton travel in the end carriage.
4. Passengers for Brackhampton travel at the rear of the train.	d) Mrs. McGillicuddy was trying to walk the same speed as the porter.
5. Mrs. McGillicuddy handed the porter his tip, which he received with disappointment, considering it more suitable to third-class than to first-class travel.	e) Mrs. McGillicuddy was not poor, but she was in no mood to spend extra money for tips.
6. McGillicuddy, though prepared to spend money on comfortable travel after a night journey from the North and a day’s feverish shopping, was at no time an extravagant tipper.	f) The porter wanted Mrs. McGillicuddy to give him more money for his services because the lady was a first-class, not a third-class traveler.

 

Adapted text 2

From Paddington

(after A. Christie)

 

Mrs. McGillicuddy was going along the platform, trying to catch up with the porter who was carrying her suitcase. Mrs. McGillicuddy was burdened with a large number of parcels; the result of a day’s Christmas shopping. Platforms were crowded; people were rushing in several directions at once, to and from undergrounds, left-luggage offices, tea-rooms, information bureaus, indicator boards, to the outside world.

At long last Mrs. McGillicuddy arrived at Platform No. 3. She deposited one parcel at her feet and showed the ticket to the stern uniformed guardian at the gate.

At that moment, she heard a loud announcement: “The train standing at Platform 3 is the 4.50 for Brackhampton, Milchester and Roxeter. Passengers for Brackhampton travel at the rear of the train. Passengers for Carvil change at Roxeter”. The voice clicked off and then reopened by announcing the arrival of the 4.00 from Birmingham at Platform No. 9.

The conductor clipped the ticket and let the elderly lady in. Mrs. McGillicuddy found her porter outside the door of a third-class carriage. “Here you are, lady.” - “I’m traveling first-class,” said Mrs. McGillicuddy. “You didn’t say so,” grumbled the porter. He took the suitcase and marched with it to the first-class coach. The 4.50 was almost empty, because the first-class passengers preferred either the faster morning express or the 6.40 with a dining car. Mrs. McGillicuddy handed the porter his tip, which he received with disappointment, considering it more suitable to third-class than to first-class travel. But Mrs. McGillicuddy, though prepared to spend money on comfortable travel after a night journey from the North and a day’s intense shopping, was at no time an extravagant tipper.

She made herself comfortable and opened a magazine. Five minutes later, the train started. Three minutes later she was asleep. She slept for forty minutes and awoke refreshed. It was quite dark now. “Serving last tea now,” said the conductor, opening the corridor door. But Mrs. McGillicuddy had already had tea at a large department store.

She looked at the window and saw a train traveling in the opposite direction. The train passed through a station, then it began to slow down and stopped. In some minutes it started to move forward again, gathering speed. For a time two trains ran parallel. Mrs. McGillicuddy looked from her window through the windows of the parallel carriages. The other train was not very full and there were many empty coaches. Suddenly in one of the compartments of the passing train Mrs. McGillicuddy saw a man. His hands were round the throat of a woman who faced him; he was slowly strangling her…

Grammar Review

 

Ex. 1. Put the verbs into the correct tense form of Present Simple Active or Present Continuous Active.

1. As a rule, the workers to repair the track in summer.

2. The train to be late because the workers to repair the track.

3. Look! Two aircrafts to fly in the dark sky.

4. This overnight train always to arrive on schedule.

5. My TV set to work better now because we have installed the external antenna.

6. The arrow of compass always to point to the North.

7. The railways in the US to transport only 0.6 per cent of passengers.

8. All these passengers to wait for the suburban train arrival.

9. The train to London to depart from platform №2 in 5 minutes.

10. Please keep the doors closed while the train to move.

 

Ex. 2. Put the verbs into the correct tense form of Past Simple Active or Past Continuous Active.

On the Platform

The train to stop at a small station. A passenger to look out of the window and to see two women who to sell cakes. The man to want to buy a cake. The women to stand rather far from the carriage. The man to call a boy, who to walk on the platform near the carriage and to ask him: “How much does the cake cost?” “Three pence, sir”, to answer the boy. The man to give him sixpence an to say to him: “Bring me a cake and with the other three pence buy one for yourself”. Some minutes later, the boy to return. He to eat the cake. He to give the man three pence change and to say: “There to be only one cake, sir”.