Reading Comprehension Test

1. The key-note of this story is

1. a difficult life of the Dillinghams;

2. the Dillinghams sacrifice their most important possessions for each other;

3. Christmas presents.

2. The possession Della valued most highly was

1. her beautiful dress;

2. hair combs;

3. her hair.

3. The possession Jim valued most highly was

1. his mother's necklace;

2. his grandfather's gold watch;

3. his grandmother's mirror.

4. How much did Della have to spend on a Christmas present for Jim?

1. $21;

2. $20;

3. $1.87.

5. Della managed to buy a present for Jim because

1. she had saved every penny for months.

2. she had got her first salary.

3. she had sold her hair.

6. What did she buy for Jim?

1. a chain for his watch;

2. a platinum watch;

3. a set of hair combs.

7. What Christmas present did Jim buy for Della?

a) a chain for her watch;

b) a platinum watch;

c) a set of hair combs.

8. Jim managed to buy a present for Della because

a) he had sold his gold watch.

b) he had saved the money.

c) he had got his first salary.

9. We can conclude from the story that the Dillinghams were

1. rich;

2. poor.

Text IV

I Shall Never Forget That Day

I shall never forget that day. I woke up as usual at half past six in the morning, washed my face, had my breakfast and went to school. Everything was O.K. except for a strange feeling. Suddenly, the earth started to shake under my feet.

I wasn’t frightened at that moment but when I saw the buildings were swaying I began to tremble with fear. Nature was angry with us. I had never seen rain like this before. I ran for home.

Fortunately, everything was O.K. One of the bedroom walls had cracked but that was all. My sister, Anna, had been at the university when the earthquake happened but she didn’t seem too frightened. I tried desperately to telephone my boyfriend, Jon, but I couldn’t reach him. The lines were engaged.

In the evening, everything returned to normal. I went to sleep after midnight, thinking of Jon. The next day I found out there had been another earthquake, weaker than the first, at three o’clock in the morning. Fortunately I hadn’t felt it and my grandparents hadn’t woken me.

I finally got through to Jon’s number but there was no answer; he wasn’t at school either. I went to look for him. When I got to his house, I saw him. He was lying in the corner of the room by the telephone. He had tried to make a phone call but the wall above his head had fallen in. To my great relief he was still alive, although he was unconscious. It was the worst and the best moment of my life [7, p. 106].

Reading Comprehension Test

1. The author (Isadora) describes

1. the days when two earthquakes struck her city;

2. an accident with her boy-friend;

3. a strange feeling in the morning.

2. What had happened to Isadora’s house during the first earthquake?

1. Fortunately, everything had been all right.

2. One of the walls had cracked.

3. Her sister had been damaged.

3. Isadora couldn’t get through to Jon after the first earthquake because

1. her telephone was broken;

2. the line was engaged;

3. there was no answer.

4. When Isadora found out Jon, he

1. was glad to see her;

2. was unconscious;

3. was dead because the wall above him had fallen down.

5. According to the story, an earthquake has been in Isadora’s life for the first time. This statement is

1. true;

2. false;

3. no such information in the story.

6. The girl writes that, fortunately, her parents weren’t at home that day. Is it really so?

1. Yes, it’s true.

2. No, it’s wrong.

3. There is no information about her parents in the story.

Text V