Page 45 - 401_

44

The manager was so surprised that he jumped up from his chair.
"Do you want to say that you've built up this important business
and made a fortune of thirty thousand pounds without being able to
read or write? Good God, man, what would you be now if you had
been able to?"
"I can tell you that, sir," said Mr. Foreman, smiling, "I'd be
verger of St. Peter's church."

***

Assignments

1. Skimming: Skim the reading to gain a general idea of its form, length,
and content. Give the gist of the story.

2. Scanning:
2.1. Put the following events in the chronological order.
1. In a year or two Foreman opened a second shop and employed a
manager.
2. Foreman didn’t know what to do with himself.
3. Foreman became a servant when he was twelve.
4. In the vicar’s opinion, a church like St. Peter’s could not have a
verger who could neither read nor write.
5. The cook tried to teach Foreman.
6. He thought that a cigarette would comfort him.
7. He rose to the position of butler in the house of a retired ambassador.
8. The vicar discovered to his astonishment that the verger could
neither read nor write.
9. Foreman didn’t want to take any risks.
10. He collected the week’s takings and took them to the bank.

3.Get ready to transcribe and give equivalents to the following.
1. dignified 7. unimpeachable
2. verger 8. impart
3. page-boy 9. abstainer
4. merchant 10. a shop to let
5. butler 11. bundle
6. duke 12. gild-edged securities