Episode 21

By the time she got the box open, Nancy was so excited that she could hardly contain herself. Eagerly she removed the cottons surrounding the small object inside the box and held it up to the light. It glittered and spakled – made alive by the bright sunlight pouring through the large picture window. Nancy turned the object slowly in her hands, first this way and then that way. It continued to sparckle and shine as if it had a light of its own. She give a little squeal of delight. Her diamond engagement ring had been found and returned to her, just as the woman on the phone had promised. For two weeks Nancy had almost become a nervous wreck after losing the ring on the subway. She had placed ads in the newspaper and over the radio, offering a reward of return of the ring. And she had almost given up hope when the telephone call came. A kind elderly female voice informed her that she had found the ring in a seat cushion. “She had called”, she said, “to ascertain the exact address and had promised to return the ring by ensured mail the next day, and then had added sweetly: “There is no need to send a reward, either. I lost my engagement ring once when I was young, and some kind unknown person returned it to me the next day. I feel I’m only paying back an old debt of gratitude”. Nancy had thanked the finder profusely and asked her name, but the other women had said that it wasn’t important. And now here was the ring once again in her hand. She slipped it once again on her finger and breated a huge sigh of relief.

Exercises:

I. True/false:

1. The object in the box was wrapped in cotton.

2. The small object seemed to glow as if with blue fire.

3. A woman had promised to return the ring.

4. Nancy lost the ring in her office.

5. She offered a reward for the return of the ring.

6. A young man found the ring on the subway.

7. The finder of the ring didn’t want a reward.

8. The finder of the ring gave her name as Mary Thomas.

II. QUICK REVIEW: Circle the words that best complete the sentence.

1. By the time she got the (envelope, box, crate) open, Nancy was so (cheerful, nervous, excited) that she could hardly contain (itself, herself, oneself).

2. It glittered and (sparkled, spun, spent) made alive by bright sunlight (peeking, spreading, pouring) through the large picture (frame, door, window).

3. Her diamond (marriage, involvement, engagement) ring had been found and (sent, returned, mailed) to her.

4. She had almost given up (help, faith, hope) when the telephone (ring, call, message) came.

5. A kind, elderly female (voice, speech, call) informed her that she had found the (object, box, ring) wedged in a seat (compartment, cushion, crack).

6. I feel I’m only (returning, offering, paying) back an old (debt, payment, check) of gratitude.

7. Nancy had thanked the finder (perfectly, proudly, profusely) and asked her name, but the (one, other, extra) woman had said that (she, it, he) wasn’t important.

8. She (slipped, slid, sent) it once again on her (hand, wrist, finger) and breathed a huge sigh of (release, relief, renewal).

III. CLOSE ATTENTION: Write the word that immediately precedes or follows the words below to fill in the blanks.

1. _______________she removed

2. first this___________________

3. light of its_________________

4. __________________of delight

5. ___________in the newspapers

6. ____________the exact address

7. by insured_________________

8. ___________, unknown person

9. ring once__________________

IV. RECALL: Answer the following questions based on what you remember.

1. What made the object in the box “alive”?

2. Who had promised to return the ring?

3. Where did Nancy lose the ring?

4. Where had the woman found the ring?

5. Why didn’t she want a reward?