Comprehension - Intermediate [ 3 ]

[ 3 ] Comprehension . 

[  3  ]Intermediate 

Read the following , then answer the questions below :

                     One summer evening I was sitting by the open window , reading a good but rather frightening story . After a time it became too dark for me to read easily , so I put my book down and got up to switch on the light . I was just about to draw the curtains as well when I heard a loud cry of “ Help ! Help!” . It seemed to come from the trees at the end of the garden . I looked out but it was now too dark to see anything clearly . Almost immediately I heard the cry again .It sounded like a child , although I could not imagine how anything could need help in our garden , unless one of the boys of the neighborhood had climbed a tree and could not get down .

                  I decided , however that I ought to go out and have a look in the garden , just in case someone was in trouble . I took the torch [ which we keep for the failure of electric power supply . when there is no electric light ] and picked up a strong walking stick , thinking that this might come in useful , too . Armed with these I went out into the garden . Once again I heard the cry.

There was no doubt that  it came from the trees at the end of the garden . “ Who’s  there ?” I called out as I walked , rather nervously , down the path that led to the trees . But there was no answer . With the help of my torch I examined the whole of that part of the garden and the lower branches of the trees . There was no sign of anybody or anything . I came to the conclusion that someone was playing a rather silly joke on me .

                  Still feeling rather puzzled , I went back to the house and put away the torch and the stick . I had just sat down and began to read my book again when I was startled by the cry of “ Help ! Help !”  , this time from right behind my shoulder . I dropped my book and jumped up . There , sitting on top of the book  shelf was a large green and red bird . It was a parrot ! While I was out in the garden , the bird must have seen the light in my room and flown in through the open window .

A-] Answer the following questions :

1-] Why did the writer go out into the garden ?

………………………………………………………………………………………

2-] Why did the writer think that someone was playing a rather silly joke on him ?

………………………………………………………………………………………

3-] What did the writer am himself with before he went out ?

………………………………………………………………………………………

4-] What did the writer discover at the end ?

……………………………………………………………………………………….

B-] Choose the correct answer :

1-] Startled means ………

A-] surprised     B-] examined   C-] scared    D-] puzzled

2-] The underlined word “ it” refers to …….

A-] the bird  B-] the cry  C-] the garden  D-] the tree

3-] The writer was interested in ……

A-] keeping the night awake in summer . B-] reading mystery stories .

C-] keeping birds at home .    D-] walking in the garden .