Reading
THE SHOEMAKER'S SHOP
One afternoon many years ago, George Cox robbed Barkley’s Bank. He stole over 50,000 pounds. But unfortunately, when he came out of the bank, the police were waiting for him. George was arrested and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison.
Years passed and finally the day arrived when George was a free man again. At the door of the prison he was given back his old clothes, a small suitcase and his wallet. He walked to the railway station and caught a train back to the small town he was born and brought up. He chose it for his permanent residence.
After George had got off the train, he came out of the station and looked around him. How everything had changed! There was too much traffic now. What used to be a quiet little street was now an enormous supermarket, where there used to be a park, there was an ugly car park.
George couldn't believe his eyes. All these changes made him feel a bit depressed so he decided to have a cup of tea, He looked for an old corner cafe where he used to meet his friends when he was a teenager.
But of course it was gone. In its place now stood McDonald's, which George had never seen before in his life. He sat down on the hard plastic seat and waited for the waitress to come and lay his order. Nobody came. Ten minutes later he realized that he had to go and ask for what he wanted. «A cup of tea, please», he said. «We don't make tea, only coffee», answered the black girl behind the counter. Everything had changed, it seemed. There was nothing here for him any more,
But as he opened his wallet to pay for the cup of coffee he didn't really want, he discovered an old yellow ticket. He looked at it closely. It was a ticket for a pair of shoes which he had taken to the shoe repairer on the day before the robbery - twenty-five years ago. And of course he hadn't been able to go back for them.
George left the McDonald's and walked up High Street, past what used to be the cinema but which a Leisure Center (whatever that meant) was now. Then he turned right down a narrow street, and there on the corner was a small shoemaker's shop. The same little dirty shop was still there, after all these years. George looked in the window and couldn't believe his eyes, it was the same shoemaker — much older now, of course, with a long white beard. George went into the shop. He suddenly felt very embarrassed when he showed the shoemaker the old yellow ticket.
«Excuse me», he said. «You won't remember me. I've been away from this town for twenty-five years, but on the day before I left, I gave you a pair of shoes to repair and you gave me this ticket. 1 know it's ridiculous, after all these years, but I wonder if...»
The shoemaker took the old yellow ticket, looked at it closely and then disappeared to the back of the shop. A few minutes later he came back.
«Was it a pair of black shoes? » he asked.
«Yes», said George excitedly.
«A pair of black shoes, size eight and a half? »
«Yes», said George.
«Needed any heels? » asked the shoemaker.
«Yes, that's right! You mean you've still got them? »
«Oh, yes. I've still got them», said the shoemaker. «They'll be ready on Friday».
True or false?
The police were waiting for George Cox when he tried to break into the
shop.
But for the police George could have stolen over 50,000 pounds.
3. There used to be much traffic in the town where George grew up.
4. George was shocked and upset by the sight of his street.
5. A few changes took place in his native town during his absence.
6. George sat down on a hard plastic seat in the old corner cafe.
7. On the day of his arrival in his native town George took his shoes to the
shoe repairer.
8. After all those years the little shoemaker's shop was still there.
9. A receipt for a pair of shoes was preserved in George's wallet in prison.
10. The shoemaker said that George's shoes were ready.
II. Circle the letter А, В, С, D, which marks the best answer.