Reading comprehension "A Brother Like That"

A Brother Like That (Reading Comprehension)

To admire – восхищаться;

To nod – кивать;

Crippled – искалеченный; калека;

To take a ride – прокатиться;

To carry – нести;

To lift – поднимать;

A neighbour – сосед;

Upstairs – на верхнем этаже.

A friend of mine named Paul received a car from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a boy of twelve or so was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. “Is this your car, Mister? He asked.

Paul nodded. "My brother gave it to me for Christmas." The boy was astonished. "You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you anything? Boy, I wish.... " He hesitated.

Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said surprised him.

"I wish" the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that."

Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added, "Would you like to take a ride in my car?"

"Oh yes, I'd love that."

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes wide-open, said, "Mister, will you drive in front of my house?"

Paul smiled. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbours that he could ride home in a big car. But Paul was wrong again. "Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked.

When they stopped he ran up the steps. Then in a little while he came back, but he was not going fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then hugged him and pointed to the car.

"There it is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a penny. And some day I'm going to give you one just like it... then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I've tried to tell you about."

Paul got out and lifted the little boy to the front seat of his car. The happy elder brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.

That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he said: "It is more blessed to give..." (After D.Clark)

1. Find the underlined word or phrase the mean the following.

1. be shocked ______________________

2. pause before making a decision ______________________

3. a great surprise or wonder ______________________

4. without much thinking, about something ______________________

5. a boy ______________________

6. show agreement ______________________

7. worth remembering ______________________

1. Choose the correct variant.

1. This story is about... .

a.a Christmas present b.Christmas holidays c.true love

2. The boy's little brother couldn't... .

a.walk b. see c. hear

3. The boy's dream was ....

a.to have a new shiny car

b.to give his brother a car as a present

c. to work in an office

3. Say if the sentences are true or false according to the text.

1. Paul got his brother's old car as a Christmas present.

2. Paul thought he knew what the boy wanted.

3. The boy wanted to have a brother like Paul's.

4. The boy asked Paul to give him a lift.

5. The boy had told his brother Buddy a lot about beautiful Christmas shop windows.

6. Paul was a kind-hearted person.

7. Paul learned a good lesson.

4. Answer the questions.

1. Whom did Paul meet when he left the office?

2. What did the boy feel when he saw Paul's shiny new car?

3. What was the boy surprised at?

4. What did the boy wish?

5. Why did Paul look at the boy in astonishment?

6. Why did the lad dream about a car for his brother?

7. Why was the elder brother happy?

5*. Do you agree that "givers" are happier than "takers"? Why? Give reasons.