Listening-Comprehension Test

Listening-comprehension

More and more people these days get caught shop-lifting; that is, taking things from shops and not paying for them. It is a big problem these days.

What actually happens if the shop-keeper thinks you have stolen something? The true story of Mrs. C. is a good example.

Mrs. С went shopping twice a week. She shopped for her own family and for some old people who could not get to the shops. She always went to the same supermarket. One day she met a friend in there. She had just chosen a piece of cheese from the shelf. The two of them talked and walked round the shop together. Then when her friend went out, Mrs. C. went with her. At once the shop-keeper caught her, and told her she had taken a piece of cheese without paying.

Mrs. C. was shocked and while she was trying to explain what had happened outside the shop, people stopped to see what was happening. Mrs. C. knew many of them and felt very ashamed. It looked as though she was a criminal! She said she would pay for it at once. But the shop-keeper called the police. A police-car came to the shop and she was taken away. When they got her to the police-station, she was questioned for three hours. After this she was charged and was told she would have to go to court.

During the next week, Mrs. C. stayed inside her house in a state of shock. She drank black coffee and took pills all the time. After only seven days, she had lost fourteen pounds in weight. The doctor saw her, and told her not to fight in court. “Say you did it, and get it over,” he said. He was afraid that she would have a heart-attack.

In a way the story had a happy ending, because the judge listened to the story, and just told her to go home and forget about it. She was free. But Mrs. C. is not the same woman. A whole year after this, she is still afraid to go out. She will not go into shops. She is afraid of what people think about her.

Comprehension Tasks

1. Decide if the statements are true or false

1. Many people nowadays are accused of shop-lifting
2. Shop-lifting is actually not a problem at all.
3. Mrs. C.  went to that supermarket for the first time.
4. Mrs. C.   stole a piece of cheese from the supermarket.
5. Mrs. C.   was caught by the shop keeper.
6. Mrs. C.   was taken to the court immediately.
7. Mrs. C.   was very shocked after the incident.
8. The doctor was worried  about her state of her  health.
9. Mrs. C.   managed to get it over and put on weight.
10. She forgot about everything as about the unhappy event.
11. She is the same happy woman again.
12. Mrs. C.   is worried about  what people think about her.

2. Choose the best variant

1. Mrs. C. went shopping…

1. twice a year    c) for herself and her neighbors
2. without paying    d) twice a month

2. She wanted to leave the shop  without paying for…

1. herself   c) a piece of bread
2. the police   d) a piece of cheese

3. It  looked as though…

1. she was very unhappy c) she was a criminal
2. she was poor  d) she wasn’t a criminal

4. After questioning in the police station she …

1. was charged  
2. came back to the supermarket
3. was taken to the court
4. paid for the cheese

5. During the week after the incident she …

1. drank much alcohol
2. lost much in weight
3. visited the doctor regularly
4. was not the same woman

6. The story had a happy ending because…

1. she wasn’t charged
2. the judge didn’t   listen to her
3. Mrs. C. was not sentenced to prison
4. she will never go shopping again

3.  Complete the sentences

1. Shop-lifting is …
2. In the supermarket  Mrs. C.  …
3. The shop keeper  …
4. When she was taken to the police station….
5. During the week after the incident…
6. The judge listened to the story and …