Listening practice

How I lost my lighter

Scanning practice

8.6.1. Read the questions. Be sure you've got them well in mind.

1. Where did he think he lost the lighter?

2. What did he take with him when he went to the police station?

3. What did he realize when he got home?

8.6.2. Start scanning the text. Don't fail to note your time.

The last time I went to Exham I lost my lighter. The lighter was old but it had been a present from my mother. I tried hard to remember where and how I could have lost it. I wondered when I had last used it. At first I could not remember. Then I knew. It had been on that bus I had taken on my way back from the National Gallery to the boarding-house. An old man had asked me to give him a light and I had. I well remembered how he handed the lighter back to me, so it must have disappeared either while I was on the bus or later, in the street, between the bus stop and my boarding-house because it was there that I discovered my loss.

So I decided to get in touch with the police. Off I went. The moment I stepped outside the door I realized it was raining hard, so I returned to my room to take my umbrella.

I reported my loss to the officer on duty at the enquiry desk saying that the lighter had my initials engraved on it: N. S. «Very well. Let's see the lost-and-found book». The police officer lifted a heavy black book on to his desk, opened it, and ran his finger down the page. «Quite a few things have been brought in from all over the district today. Keys, wallet, glasses, handbag, bottle of whisky, right glove, umbrella, pocket transistor, two books, camera...» The officer continued his list of objects for a little longer and then suddenly he raised his voice: «Lighter! What did you say your initials are, sir?» «N. S., sergeant». «And N. S. they are».

The rest was a simple formality. The officer gave me my lighter and filled out a form for me to sign. I left a tenshilling note as a reward for the finder, and left the police-station. I took a taxi home, and only after I had got home did I realize that I had left my umbrella at the police-station.

(349 words)

8.6.3. Answer the questions in 8.6.1.

8.7.1. Look at the following questions. You'll have to answer them after listening to the text.

1. Why is Peter looking at his watch?

2. Who's going into the cinema?

3. What are some people doing?

4. Where's Peter sitting?

5. What's a lady wearing?

6. Why's Lulu unhappy?

7. Why is the girl in the film crying «Help!»?

8.7.2. Listen to the story.

8.7.3. Answer the questions in 8.7.1.

8.7.4. Look through the list of words. They will help you to understand the text. terrific — потрясающий

8.7.5. Listen to the dialogue. Be ready to give the contents of it in Russian.

8.7.6. Tell the contents of the dialogue in Russian as close to the text as possible.

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