islcollective worksheets preintermediate a2 intermediate b1 adult high school reading past simple weather reading c succ 1463223051536f5233614b00 57682380

Here is a story about an absent-minded professor

It was raining very hard, and the professor who was about
to start from home turned to the hallstand to get an
umbrella. But, out of three umbrellas there was not one he
could use. So he decided to have all three repaired at once.
He took them to the umbrella-maker and was told he
could have them back in the evening, repaired.

When he went to lunch at noon it was still raining. He sat down at a table in a
restaurant when a young lady came in and seated herself at the same table. The
professor was the first to finish, however, absent-mindedly picked up her
umbrella and started for the door. She called out to him and reminded him that
he had her umbrella. He returned it to her asking her pardon.


1 Read the text and mark the sentences T (true), F (false), or DS (doesn’t say)
1 The professor lived in London.
2 He was tending to forget things.
3 He left his umbrella at home.
4 The professor always had lunch in a restaurant at noon.
5. A young lady seated herself at the same table where the professor was sitting.
6. The young lady took his umbrella.
7. The professor bought an umbrella on his way home.
8. The young lady thought he had stolen three umbrellas that day.

2 Answer the questions.
1 What was the weather like?
___________________________________________________________________
2 Where did he keep his umbrellas?
___________________________________________________________________

3 Why did he take the umbrellas to the umbrella-maker?
___________________________________________________________________
4. When could he get his umbrellas back?
___________________________________________________________________
5. Where did he go at 12 o’clock?
___________________________________________________________________
6. What did the young woman tell him in the restaurant?
___________________________________________________________________
7 What did the professor buy in the evening?
____________________________________________________________________
8. How did he travel home?
____________________________________________________________________
9 Who did he meet while he was travelling home?
____________________________________________________________________
10 What did the young lady think?
___________________________________________________________________


KEY
1T

(true), F (false), or DS (doesn’t say)
1 DS
2T
3F
4 DS
5T
6F
7F
8T

2 Answer the questions.
1 It was raining.
2 In the hallstand.
3 They had to be repaired.
4 In the evening.
5 To a restaurant to have lunch.
6 She told him that he had her umbrella.
7 He bought a newspaper.
8 By tram.
9 The young woman he had met in the restaurant at noon.
10. She thought he had had a successful day because he had stolen three umbrellas
that day.

This worksheet is dedicated to my beloved son, Tom who died on 7th April 2014 at the age of 17.
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