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They were closing the drugstore, and Alfred Higgins, who had just taken off his white jacket, was putting on his coat and getting ready to go home. The little grey-haired man, Sam Carr, who owned the drugstore, was bending down behind the cash register, and when Alfred Higgins passed him, he looked up and said softly, "Just a moment, Alfred. One moment before you go." The soft, confident and quiet way in which Sam Carr spoke made Alfred start to button his coat nervously. He felt sure his face was white. Sam Carr usually said, "Good night," brusquely, without looking up. In the six months he had been working in the drugstore, Alfred had never heard his employer speak softly like that. His heart began to beat so loud it was hard for him to get his breath. "What is it, Mr Carr?" he asked. "Maybe you'd be good enough to take a few things out of your pocket and leave them here before you go," Sam Carr said. "What things? What are you talking about?" "you've got a compact and a lipstick and at least two tubes of toothpaste in your pockets, Alfred." "What do you mean? Do you think I'm crazy?" Alfred blustered1. His face got red and he knew he looked fierce with indignation. But Sam Carr, standing by the door with his blue eyes shining brightly behind his glasses and his lips moving underneath his grey moustache, only nodded his head a few times, and then Alfred grew very frightened and he didn't know what to say. Slowly he raised his hand and dipped it into his pocket, and with his eyes never meeting Sam Carr's eyes, he took out the blue compact and the two tubes of toothpaste and a lipstick, and he laid them one by one on the counter. "Petty thieving, eh, Alfred?" Sam Carr said. "And maybe you'd be good enough to tell me how long this has been going on." "This is the first time I ever took anything." "So now you think you'll tell me a lie, eh? What kind of Sap2 do I look like, huh? I don't know what goes on in my own store, eh? I tell you you've been doing this pretty steady," Sam Carr said as he went over and stood behind the cash register. Ever since Alfred had left school he had been getting into trouble wherever he worked. He lived with his mother and his father, who was a printer. His two older brothers were married and his sister had got married last year, and it would have been all right for his parents now if Alfred had only been able to keep a job. While Sam Carr smiled and stroked the side of his face very delicately with the tips of his fingers, Alfred began to feel that familiar terror growing in him that had been in him every time he had got into such trouble. Morley Callaghan, All the Years of Her Life, 1959. 1. blustered: spoke arrogantly. 2. sap: idiot
COMPREHENSION. I.
Tick the right box.
This text is an extract from a play. a short story. an autobiography. a newspaper article. Sam Carr is an employee. an employer. Alfred's colleague. Alfred's uncle. Alfred Higgins is a student. a customer. a shop-assistant. an unemployed young man. II.
Find in the text equivalents of these words. 1. possessed (L. 1-6): …….……………………………………………… 2. quietly (L. 1-6): …………..……..……………………………………… 3. bent his head forward (L.18-26): ……………………………………… 4. having serious problems (L. 30-38) ……………………………… 5. touched lightly (L. 34-42): …………… …………………………
III.
Choose the phrase meaning the same as the following expressions.
"Petty thieving" (L 27) means a major offence. minor shoplifting. stealing valuable objects. "I tell you you've been doing this pretty Steady."(L 31-32) you've been stealing for a long time. you've been doing a pretty good job. You've been doing strange things lately.
IV.
True (T) or false (F)? Tick the correct answer and justify by quoting from the text.
(T)
(F)
1. Alfred Higgins was about to leave the store.
…………… ………………………………………………………………................. 2. Alfred started working in the store six months ago. ………………… …………………………………………………………………………………... 3. Alfred had no reaction when Sam Carr first spoke to him. …………………… ……………………………………………………………............................... 4. Sam Carr knew Alfred had stolen several items. ……………………………………………………………………………………............................ 5. Alfred's first reaction was to admit he was guilty. …………………………………………………………………………………...................................……
6. He refused to give the things back. ……………………………………………………………………………………………................. 7. Alfred had never worked before. ………………………………………………………………………………………......................... 8. His parents would have liked him to have a steady job. …………………………………………………………………………………………...................... 9. It was the first time he had felt so terrified. ………………………………………………………………………………...................................... V.
Give the reasons why Alfred felt uneasy in front of Mr Carr. Tick the right boxes. Mr Carr was a big imposing man. Alfred didn't know Mr Carr. Alfred knew he was guilty. Alfred didn't understand Mr Carr. Alfred had the stolen things in his pocket. Alfred had never been in a difficult situation before.
VI.
Choose in the following list three adjectives which best correspond to each character in the scene. apprehensive • self-controlled • happy • mad • nervous • panicky • self-confident • uncompromising • violent
Alfred Higgins: Sam Carr:
EXPRESSION Traiter les deux sujets. 1. Imagine the end of the conversation between Sam Carr and Alfred Higgins. (80 words) 2. In your opinion, what are the reasons why some people steal? (120 words)
