Poor Little Pet: Multiple Choice Vocabulary Test

This happened in England (1) _______ after World War II. Mrs. Reed intended to give a party. She wanted to invite her friends for dinner and a game of bridge. It was easy enough to ask people to come, but far more difficult (2) _______ a meal for them.

She was thinking about it when her maid-servant announced that there was a man at the back door offering to sell mushrooms.

The lady, (3) _______ the little terrier, came down to the kitchen and found there a rather disreputable-looking stranger with a basket over his arm. The lady knew nothing about mushrooms and she asked the man if they were not poisonous. The man (4) _______ her that they were good. The lady paid the money at once, ordering her servant to empty the basket and return it to its owner. While the servant was emptying the basket she dropped a mushroom, and the terrier immediately (5) _______ it.

Seeing that, the stranger said that the dog knew what was good. (6) _______ the money, he laughed a malicious laugh and left the kitchen.

The guests arrived (7) _______ the appointed hour and were served a dish of mushrooms, which they liked very much. While the usual (8) _______ of forks and knives was in progress, the hostess noticed that the servant’s eyes were red with tears. Calling her aside, Mrs. Reed asked her what was the cause of her tears. The girl said that she did not want to upset the lady, but she was crying because the dog had died.

The terrible truth (9) _______ the lady’s brain. She saw her duty clearly and addressing the guests she said that the mushrooms she had offered them were poisonous. She added that if they wished to save their lives they should act quickly.

There was a general (10) _______ of emotions. Some of the gentlemen swore, some of the ladies cried. Then one man suggested going to the nearest hospital to have the contents of their stomachs pumped out. All rushed for their dear lives. The staff of the hospital were surprised to see a group of patients in evening dress. Naturally no one thought of playing cards after that occurrence.

On arriving home, the lady asked where the terrier’s body was.

‘Oh,’ said the servant, still sobbing, ‘the gardener has buried it in the garden, for it was so badly (11) _______ , and we didn’t even have enough time to (12) _______ the number of the car that so cruelly ran over the poor little pet.’

Answers:

1.C; 2.A; 3.B; 4.D; 5.B; 6.A; 7.C; 8.C; 9.A; 10.D; 11.C; 12.A