Reading Comprehension

Read the text about various people's reading choices and answer the questions:

READING FOR THE BEACH

by resident book reviewer Magda Dutch

It’s that time of year again. Everyone is dusting down their travel bags, buying suntan lotion and generally getting into a state of high excitement at the thought of the work-free days ahead. I always get excited when I think of all the time I'll have on the beach or elsewhere, catching up on reading fiction. This year, among other titles, I’m going to reread one of my all-time favourites, Henry Miller's Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymous Bosch. For anyone not familiar with Miller's writing, this is probably the best of his works to start with. It describes the years he spent in an isolated and very unconventional community. Miller writes about his interesting encounters with some of the inhabitants, who seemed to agree with his unusual way of thinking. His carefree spirit and his love for his children emerge in this part-autobiographical, part-philosophical book.

Of course, this type of reading is not necessarily one’s cup of tea, so I asked a couple of my colleagues to tell me about their summer reading preferences. Ben Blair, one our sports correspondents, had this to say: ‘When I read a book, I like to have enough time to really get into it, and the only opportunity I have to do this is when I go on holiday. This year, I’m not really sure what I'm in the mood for, but more than likely it will be Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. I’ve already managed to read a couple of pages. It's mainly about Hornby's own deep passion for football, and especially the Gunners - Arsenal Football Club. Being from North London myself, I am an avid fan of the Gunners too. In every chapter, Hornby describes a specific match and how that related to what was going on in his life at that time. Apparently, his description of Arsenal’s last-minute league win is so vivid that it is like experiencing the moment all over again. So, even though I have already got an idea of what I’m going to read, I can’t wait to get my nose into it!’ ( LINE 24 )

'The choice of our resident problem page Agony Aunt, July Scowan, was something completely different. ‘My favourite book, without a doubt, is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It s a book that the average reader needs to read a number of times. It's not that it's a difficult read, but there are so many characters involved, in lots of different relationships, that sometimes it’s hard to keep track. I had to keep going back a few pages to remind myself of this person or that situation. However, Marquez has a way of involving you. The images he presents are so colourful and lively, and his description of Latin American culture with all its superstitions is so vivid that you become absorbed in the book. I could easily identify with the main character of the story, which really helps.

I have to say I agree with Julie, having already read the book.

So, whatever your choice, literature lovers, I wish you all a good solid read this summer!

1. How does the book reviewer feel about her holiday?

Read the text about various people's reading choices and answer the questions:

READING FOR THE BEACH

by resident book reviewer Magda Dutch

It’s that time of year again. Everyone is dusting down their travel bags, buying suntan lotion and generally getting into a state of high excitement at the thought of the work-free days ahead. I always get excited when I think of all the time I'll have on the beach or elsewhere, catching up on reading fiction. This year, among other titles, I’m going to reread one of my all-time favourites, Henry Miller's Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymous Bosch. For anyone not familiar with Miller's writing, this is probably the best of his works to start with. It describes the years he spent in an isolated and very unconventional community. Miller writes about his interesting encounters with some of the inhabitants, who seemed to agree with his unusual way of thinking. His carefree spirit and his love for his children emerge in this part-autobiographical, part-philosophical book.

Of course, this type of reading is not necessarily one’s cup of tea, so I asked a couple of my colleagues to tell me about their summer reading preferences. Ben Blair, one our sports correspondents, had this to say: ‘When I read a book, I like to have enough time to really get into it, and the only opportunity I have to do this is when I go on holiday. This year, I’m not really sure what I'm in the mood for, but more than likely it will be Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. I’ve already managed to read a couple of pages. It's mainly about Hornby's own deep passion for football, and especially the Gunners - Arsenal Football Club. Being from North London myself, I am an avid fan of the Gunners too. In every chapter, Hornby describes a specific match and how that related to what was going on in his life at that time. Apparently, his description of Arsenal’s last-minute league win is so vivid that it is like experiencing the moment all over again. So, even though I have already got an idea of what I’m going to read, I can’t wait to get my nose into it!’ ( LINE 24 )

'The choice of our resident problem page Agony Aunt, July Scowan, was something completely different. ‘My favourite book, without a doubt, is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It s a book that the average reader needs to read a number of times. It's not that it's a difficult read, but there are so many characters involved, in lots of different relationships, that sometimes it’s hard to keep track. I had to keep going back a few pages to remind myself of this person or that situation. However, Marquez has a way of involving you. The images he presents are so colourful and lively, and his description of Latin American culture with all its superstitions is so vivid that you become absorbed in the book. I could easily identify with the main character of the story, which really helps.

I have to say I agree with Julie, having already read the book.

So, whatever your choice, literature lovers, I wish you all a good solid read this summer!

2. What does the book reviewer say about Henry Miller?

Read the text about various people's reading choices and answer the questions:

READING FOR THE BEACH

by resident book reviewer Magda Dutch

It’s that time of year again. Everyone is dusting down their travel bags, buying suntan lotion and generally getting into a state of high excitement at the thought of the work-free days ahead. I always get excited when I think of all the time I'll have on the beach or elsewhere, catching up on reading fiction. This year, among other titles, I’m going to reread one of my all-time favourites, Henry Miller's Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymous Bosch. For anyone not familiar with Miller's writing, this is probably the best of his works to start with. It describes the years he spent in an isolated and very unconventional community. Miller writes about his interesting encounters with some of the inhabitants, who seemed to agree with his unusual way of thinking. His carefree spirit and his love for his children emerge in this part-autobiographical, part-philosophical book.

Of course, this type of reading is not necessarily one’s cup of tea, so I asked a couple of my colleagues to tell me about their summer reading preferences. Ben Blair, one our sports correspondents, had this to say: ‘When I read a book, I like to have enough time to really get into it, and the only opportunity I have to do this is when I go on holiday. This year, I’m not really sure what I'm in the mood for, but more than likely it will be Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. I’ve already managed to read a couple of pages. It's mainly about Hornby's own deep passion for football, and especially the Gunners - Arsenal Football Club. Being from North London myself, I am an avid fan of the Gunners too. In every chapter, Hornby describes a specific match and how that related to what was going on in his life at that time. Apparently, his description of Arsenal’s last-minute league win is so vivid that it is like experiencing the moment all over again. So, even though I have already got an idea of what I’m going to read, I can’t wait to get my nose into it!’ ( LINE 24 )

'The choice of our resident problem page Agony Aunt, July Scowan, was something completely different. ‘My favourite book, without a doubt, is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It s a book that the average reader needs to read a number of times. It's not that it's a difficult read, but there are so many characters involved, in lots of different relationships, that sometimes it’s hard to keep track. I had to keep going back a few pages to remind myself of this person or that situation. However, Marquez has a way of involving you. The images he presents are so colourful and lively, and his description of Latin American culture with all its superstitions is so vivid that you become absorbed in the book. I could easily identify with the main character of the story, which really helps.

I have to say I agree with Julie, having already read the book.

So, whatever your choice, literature lovers, I wish you all a good solid read this summer! 

3. What do we learn about Fever Pitch?

Read the text about various people's reading choices and answer the questions:

READING FOR THE BEACH

by resident book reviewer Magda Dutch

It’s that time of year again. Everyone is dusting down their travel bags, buying suntan lotion and generally getting into a state of high excitement at the thought of the work-free days ahead. I always get excited when I think of all the time I'll have on the beach or elsewhere, catching up on reading fiction. This year, among other titles, I’m going to reread one of my all-time favourites, Henry Miller's Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymous Bosch. For anyone not familiar with Miller's writing, this is probably the best of his works to start with. It describes the years he spent in an isolated and very unconventional community. Miller writes about his interesting encounters with some of the inhabitants, who seemed to agree with his unusual way of thinking. His carefree spirit and his love for his children emerge in this part-autobiographical, part-philosophical book.

Of course, this type of reading is not necessarily one’s cup of tea, so I asked a couple of my colleagues to tell me about their summer reading preferences. Ben Blair, one our sports correspondents, had this to say: ‘When I read a book, I like to have enough time to really get into it, and the only opportunity I have to do this is when I go on holiday. This year, I’m not really sure what I'm in the mood for, but more than likely it will be Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. I’ve already managed to read a couple of pages. It's mainly about Hornby's own deep passion for football, and especially the Gunners - Arsenal Football Club. Being from North London myself, I am an avid fan of the Gunners too. In every chapter, Hornby describes a specific match and how that related to what was going on in his life at that time. Apparently, his description of Arsenal’s last-minute league win is so vivid that it is like experiencing the moment all over again. So, even though I have already got an idea of what I’m going to read, I can’t wait to get my nose into it!’ ( LINE 24 )

'The choice of our resident problem page Agony Aunt, July Scowan, was something completely different. ‘My favourite book, without a doubt, is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It s a book that the average reader needs to read a number of times. It's not that it's a difficult read, but there are so many characters involved, in lots of different relationships, that sometimes it’s hard to keep track. I had to keep going back a few pages to remind myself of this person or that situation. However, Marquez has a way of involving you. The images he presents are so colourful and lively, and his description of Latin American culture with all its superstitions is so vivid that you become absorbed in the book. I could easily identify with the main character of the story, which really helps.

I have to say I agree with Julie, having already read the book.

So, whatever your choice, literature lovers, I wish you all a good solid read this summer! 

4. What does the word ‘it’ in line 24 refer to?

Read the text about various people's reading choices and answer the questions:

READING FOR THE BEACH

by resident book reviewer Magda Dutch

It’s that time of year again. Everyone is dusting down their travel bags, buying suntan lotion and generally getting into a state of high excitement at the thought of the work-free days ahead. I always get excited when I think of all the time I'll have on the beach or elsewhere, catching up on reading fiction. This year, among other titles, I’m going to reread one of my all-time favourites, Henry Miller's Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymous Bosch. For anyone not familiar with Miller's writing, this is probably the best of his works to start with. It describes the years he spent in an isolated and very unconventional community. Miller writes about his interesting encounters with some of the inhabitants, who seemed to agree with his unusual way of thinking. His carefree spirit and his love for his children emerge in this part-autobiographical, part-philosophical book.

Of course, this type of reading is not necessarily one’s cup of tea, so I asked a couple of my colleagues to tell me about their summer reading preferences. Ben Blair, one our sports correspondents, had this to say: ‘When I read a book, I like to have enough time to really get into it, and the only opportunity I have to do this is when I go on holiday. This year, I’m not really sure what I'm in the mood for, but more than likely it will be Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. I’ve already managed to read a couple of pages. It's mainly about Hornby's own deep passion for football, and especially the Gunners - Arsenal Football Club. Being from North London myself, I am an avid fan of the Gunners too. In every chapter, Hornby describes a specific match and how that related to what was going on in his life at that time. Apparently, his description of Arsenal’s last-minute league win is so vivid that it is like experiencing the moment all over again. So, even though I have already got an idea of what I’m going to read, I can’t wait to get my nose into it!’ ( LINE 24 )

'The choice of our resident problem page Agony Aunt, July Scowan, was something completely different. ‘My favourite book, without a doubt, is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It s a book that the average reader needs to read a number of times. It's not that it's a difficult read, but there are so many characters involved, in lots of different relationships, that sometimes it’s hard to keep track. I had to keep going back a few pages to remind myself of this person or that situation. However, Marquez has a way of involving you. The images he presents are so colourful and lively, and his description of Latin American culture with all its superstitions is so vivid that you become absorbed in the book. I could easily identify with the main character of the story, which really helps.

I have to say I agree with Julie, having already read the book.

So, whatever your choice, literature lovers, I wish you all a good solid read this summer! 

5. What is Julie’s opinion One Hundred Years of Solitude?

Read the text about various people's reading choices and answer the questions:

READING FOR THE BEACH

by resident book reviewer Magda Dutch

It’s that time of year again. Everyone is dusting down their travel bags, buying suntan lotion and generally getting into a state of high excitement at the thought of the work-free days ahead. I always get excited when I think of all the time I'll have on the beach or elsewhere, catching up on reading fiction. This year, among other titles, I’m going to reread one of my all-time favourites, Henry Miller's Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymous Bosch. For anyone not familiar with Miller's writing, this is probably the best of his works to start with. It describes the years he spent in an isolated and very unconventional community. Miller writes about his interesting encounters with some of the inhabitants, who seemed to agree with his unusual way of thinking. His carefree spirit and his love for his children emerge in this part-autobiographical, part-philosophical book.

Of course, this type of reading is not necessarily one’s cup of tea, so I asked a couple of my colleagues to tell me about their summer reading preferences. Ben Blair, one our sports correspondents, had this to say: ‘When I read a book, I like to have enough time to really get into it, and the only opportunity I have to do this is when I go on holiday. This year, I’m not really sure what I'm in the mood for, but more than likely it will be Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. I’ve already managed to read a couple of pages. It's mainly about Hornby's own deep passion for football, and especially the Gunners - Arsenal Football Club. Being from North London myself, I am an avid fan of the Gunners too. In every chapter, Hornby describes a specific match and how that related to what was going on in his life at that time. Apparently, his description of Arsenal’s last-minute league win is so vivid that it is like experiencing the moment all over again. So, even though I have already got an idea of what I’m going to read, I can’t wait to get my nose into it!’ ( LINE 24 )

'The choice of our resident problem page Agony Aunt, July Scowan, was something completely different. ‘My favourite book, without a doubt, is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It s a book that the average reader needs to read a number of times. It's not that it's a difficult read, but there are so many characters involved, in lots of different relationships, that sometimes it’s hard to keep track. I had to keep going back a few pages to remind myself of this person or that situation. However, Marquez has a way of involving you. The images he presents are so colourful and lively, and his description of Latin American culture with all its superstitions is so vivid that you become absorbed in the book. I could easily identify with the main character of the story, which really helps.

I have to say I agree with Julie, having already read the book.

So, whatever your choice, literature lovers, I wish you all a good solid read this summer! 

6. What is true of the book reviewer?

EDUCATION OF A CONSTRUCTION KLUTZ

As I've gotten older, I've discovered there aren't as many handy people around as thought.

When I was a kid, everyone I knew could fix things, remodel entire rooms in a weekend, and build a small shed with an axe and three mature pine trees.

Well, almost everyone. My dad wasn't very handy. He could build a few things, I but at one point during my childhood, I thought the entire, house was held together with duct tape and baling wire. It was only through sheer determination of will, and the fact that the house rattled in a stiff breeze, that my dad finally began calling professionals to fix what he had already fixed.

Unfortunately, I come from a long line of unhandy people. My father's family comes from The Netherlands, and through extensive genealogical research, I've learned that my ancestors

have been doctors, engineers, and scientists. According to family legend, there is a statue of one of my relatives near Monnickendam, Netherlands, in commemoration for all his

accomplishments as an engineer.

However, none of these men or women was known for being very good with tools, mostly because they were doctors, engineers, and scientists.

Growing up, I thought I had inherited the "quot;complete klutz with tools" quot; gene, recently identified by genetic scientists, one of whom is probably a distant cousin. However, over the years, I've learned how to not only use tools without killing myself or the people around me, but to actually become a halfway-decent builder and woodworker (translation: I still have all my

fingers and toes).

Usually this kind of knowledge is passed from father to son. And I did learn quite a few important tips from my dad as I watched him work around the house.

Is the garage door track going to collapse and all you have is baling wire? I can help you with that. Need a temporary fix on a leaky pipe with chewing gum and duct tape? I'm your man.

Are you looking for a temporary solution to a problem that actually needs to last for several years? Give me an empty tin can and a hacksaw, and I can fix anything.

Unfortunately, when you have a house of your own and don't have a lot of money, duct tape and steel cans are no way to fix a house and keep your wife happy. So I had to learn how to be handy. Luckily, I had my father-in-law to teach me all of these things. He was more than happy to help me, despite the fact that I had married his oldest daughter.

9. The author implies that:

EDUCATION OF A CONSTRUCTION KLUTZ

As I've gotten older, I've discovered there aren't as many handy people around as thought.

When I was a kid, everyone I knew could fix things, remodel entire rooms in a weekend, and build a small shed with an axe and three mature pine trees.

Well, almost everyone. My dad wasn't very handy. He could build a few things, I but at one point during my childhood, I thought the entire, house was held together with duct tape and baling wire. It was only through sheer determination of will, and the fact that the house rattled in a stiff breeze, that my dad finally began calling professionals to fix what he had already fixed.

Unfortunately, I come from a long line of unhandy people. My father's family comes from The Netherlands, and through extensive genealogical research, I've learned that my ancestors

have been doctors, engineers, and scientists. According to family legend, there is a statue of one of my relatives near Monnickendam, Netherlands, in commemoration for all his

accomplishments as an engineer.

However, none of these men or women was known for being very good with tools, mostly because they were doctors, engineers, and scientists.

Growing up, I thought I had inherited the "quot;complete klutz with tools" quot; gene, recently identified by genetic scientists, one of whom is probably a distant cousin. However, over the years, I've learned how to not only use tools without killing myself or the people around me, but to actually become a halfway-decent builder and woodworker (translation: I still have all my

fingers and toes).

Usually this kind of knowledge is passed from father to son. And I did learn quite a few important tips from my dad as I watched him work around the house.

Is the garage door track going to collapse and all you have is baling wire? I can help you with that. Need a temporary fix on a leaky pipe with chewing gum and duct tape? I'm your man.

Are you looking for a temporary solution to a problem that actually needs to last for several years? Give me an empty tin can and a hacksaw, and I can fix anything.

Unfortunately, when you have a house of your own and don't have a lot of money, duct tape and steel cans are no way to fix a house and keep your wife happy. So I had to learn how to be handy. Luckily, I had my father-in-law to teach me all of these things. He was more than happy to help me, despite the fact that I had married his oldest daughter.

10. Which of the following reasons best explains the author's skills described in the    

article?

EDUCATION OF A CONSTRUCTION KLUTZ

As I've gotten older, I've discovered there aren't as many handy people around as thought.

When I was a kid, everyone I knew could fix things, remodel entire rooms in a weekend, and build a small shed with an axe and three mature pine trees.

Well, almost everyone. My dad wasn't very handy. He could build a few things, I but at one point during my childhood, I thought the entire, house was held together with duct tape and baling wire. It was only through sheer determination of will, and the fact that the house rattled in a stiff breeze, that my dad finally began calling professionals to fix what he had already fixed.

Unfortunately, I come from a long line of unhandy people. My father's family comes from The Netherlands, and through extensive genealogical research, I've learned that my ancestors

have been doctors, engineers, and scientists. According to family legend, there is a statue of one of my relatives near Monnickendam, Netherlands, in commemoration for all his

accomplishments as an engineer.

However, none of these men or women was known for being very good with tools, mostly because they were doctors, engineers, and scientists.

Growing up, I thought I had inherited the "quot;complete klutz with tools" quot; gene, recently identified by genetic scientists, one of whom is probably a distant cousin. However, over the years, I've learned how to not only use tools without killing myself or the people around me, but to actually become a halfway-decent builder and woodworker (translation: I still have all my fingers and toes).

Usually this kind of knowledge is passed from father to son. And I did learn quite a few important tips from my dad as I watched him work around the house.

Is the garage door track going to collapse and all you have is baling wire? I can help you with that. Need a temporary fix on a leaky pipe with chewing gum and duct tape? I'm your man.

Are you looking for a temporary solution to a problem that actually needs to last for several years? Give me an empty tin can and a hacksaw, and I can fix anything.

Unfortunately, when you have a house of your own and don't have a lot of money, duct tape and steel cans are no way to fix a house and keep your wife happy. So I had to learn how to be handy. Luckily, I had my father-in-law to teach me all of these things. He was more than happy to help me, despite the fact that I had married his oldest daughter.

11. Which of the following maybe least expected in the author's family?

EDUCATION OF A CONSTRUCTION KLUTZ

As I've gotten older, I've discovered there aren't as many handy people around as thought.

When I was a kid, everyone I knew could fix things, remodel entire rooms in a weekend, and build a small shed with an axe and three mature pine trees.

Well, almost everyone. My dad wasn't very handy. He could build a few things, I but at one point during my childhood, I thought the entire, house was held together with duct tape and baling wire. It was only through sheer determination of will, and the fact that the house rattled in a stiff breeze, that my dad finally began calling professionals to fix what he had already fixed.

Unfortunately, I come from a long line of unhandy people. My father's family comes from The Netherlands, and through extensive genealogical research, I've learned that my ancestors

have been doctors, engineers, and scientists. According to family legend, there is a statue of one of my relatives near Monnickendam, Netherlands, in commemoration for all his

accomplishments as an engineer.

However, none of these men or women was known for being very good with tools, mostly because they were doctors, engineers, and scientists.

Growing up, I thought I had inherited the "quot;complete klutz with tools" quot; gene, recently identified by genetic scientists, one of whom is probably a distant cousin. However, over the years, I've learned how to not only use tools without killing myself or the people around me, but to actually become a halfway-decent builder and woodworker (translation: I still have all my

fingers and toes).

Usually this kind of knowledge is passed from father to son. And I did learn quite a few important tips from my dad as I watched him work around the house.

Is the garage door track going to collapse and all you have is baling wire? I can help you with that. Need a temporary fix on a leaky pipe with chewing gum and duct tape? I'm your man.

Are you looking for a temporary solution to a problem that actually needs to last for several years? Give me an empty tin can and a hacksaw, and I can fix anything.

Unfortunately, when you have a house of your own and don't have a lot of money, duct tape and steel cans are no way to fix a house and keep your wife happy. So I had to learn how to be handy. Luckily, I had my father-in-law to teach me all of these things. He was more than happy to help me, despite the fact that I had married his oldest daughter.

12. The word "klutz" could best be replaced by:

A Varied Career

Chloe Kelling, a successful model and singer-songwriter, now has a new venture I arrive for my interview with Chloe Kelling and I'm asked to wait in the garden. I hardly have time to start looking round at the carefully tended flowerbeds when Chloe appears. Every bit as tall and striking as I'd expected, Chloe emerges from the house wearing an oversized man's jacket, a delicately patterned top and jeans. Chloe is known for her slightly quirky sense of fashion and, of course, she looks great as she makes her way towards me through the flowerbeds. 

Let's talk in my office; she says, leading the way not back to the house, but instead to an ancient caravan parked up next to it. As we climb inside the compact little van, the smell of fresh baking greets us. A tiny table is piled high with cupcakes, each iced in a different colour. Chloe's been busy, and there's a real sense of playing tea parties in a secret den! But what else should I have expected from a woman with such a varied and interesting career?

Chloe originally trained as a make-up artist, having left her home in the country at nineteen to try and make her name as a model in London, and soon got work in adverts and the fashion business.

" I went to Japan to work for a short period, but felt very homesick at first" she recalls.

"It was very demanding work and, though I met loads of nice people, it was too much to take in at nineteen. If I'd stayed longer, I might have settled in better" 

Alongside the modelling, Chloe was also beginning to make contacts in the music business. "I'd been the typical kid, singing with a hairbrush in front of the mirror, dreaming of

being a star one day" she laughs. She joined a girl band which "broke up before we got anywhere" before becoming the lead singer with the band Whoosh, which features on a best-selling clubbing album. Unusually though, Chloe also sings with two other bands, one based in Sweden and another in London, and each of these has a distinct style. 

It was her work with Whoosh that originally led to Chloe's link with Sweden. She was offered a song-writing job there with a team that was responsible for songs for some major stars, but gradually became more involved in writing music for her own band.

Although she now divides her time between London and Sweden, her first stay there turned out to be much longer than she'd bargained for. "The rooms are very tall over there and so

people have these rather high beds that you climb up to" she explains. " I fell as I climbed up the ladder and cracked three ribs. Although the people at the hospital were very kind, I was stuck

there for a while, which was very frustrating. Sneezing and laughing were so painful at first, let alone singing!" 

It was while recovering from her injuries that Chloe hit upon the idea of staging what she calls vintage fairs. "It was snowing in Sweden and I wanted something nice to look forward to."

Chloe had always loved vintage clothes, particularly from the 1950s, and decided to stage an event for others who shared her passion. The first fair was held in her home village and featured

stalls selling all sorts of clothes and crafts dating back to the 1950s. It was a huge hit, with 300 people turning up. 

" When I had the idea of the first fair, it was only meant to be a one-off, but we had so many compliments, I decided to go ahead with more," says Chloe. " There's something for all ages and

people find old things have more character than stuff you buy in modem shops. It also fits perfectly with the idea of recycling." Looking round Chloe's caravan, I can see what she means.

In the first paragraph, the writer suggests that Chloe

A Varied Career

Chloe Kelling, a successful model and singer-songwriter, now has a new venture I arrive for my interview with Chloe Kelling and I'm asked to wait in the garden. I hardly have time to start looking round at the carefully tended flowerbeds when Chloe appears. Every bit as tall and striking as I'd expected, Chloe emerges from the house wearing an oversized man's jacket, a delicately patterned top and jeans. Chloe is known for her slightly quirky sense of fashion and, of course, she looks great as she makes her way towards me through the flowerbeds. 

Let's talk in my office; she says, leading the way not back to the house, but instead to an ancient caravan parked up next to it. As we climb inside the compact little van, the smell of fresh baking greets us. A tiny table is piled high with cupcakes, each iced in a different colour. Chloe's been busy, and there's a real sense of playing tea parties in a secret den! But what else should I have expected from a woman with such a varied and interesting career?

Chloe originally trained as a make-up artist, having left her home in the country at nineteen to try and make her name as a model in London, and soon got work in adverts and the fashion business.

" I went to Japan to work for a short period, but felt very homesick at first" she recalls.

"It was very demanding work and, though I met loads of nice people, it was too much to take in at nineteen. If I'd stayed longer, I might have settled in better" 

Alongside the modelling, Chloe was also beginning to make contacts in the music business. "I'd been the typical kid, singing with a hairbrush in front of the mirror, dreaming of

being a star one day" she laughs. She joined a girl band which "broke up before we got anywhere" before becoming the lead singer with the band Whoosh, which features on a best-selling clubbing album. Unusually though, Chloe also sings with two other bands, one based in Sweden and another in London, and each of these has a distinct style. 

It was her work with Whoosh that originally led to Chloe's link with Sweden. She was offered a song-writing job there with a team that was responsible for songs for some major stars, but gradually became more involved in writing music for her own band.

Although she now divides her time between London and Sweden, her first stay there turned out to be much longer than she'd bargained for. "The rooms are very tall over there and so

people have these rather high beds that you climb up to" she explains. " I fell as I climbed up the ladder and cracked three ribs. Although the people at the hospital were very kind, I was stuck

there for a while, which was very frustrating. Sneezing and laughing were so painful at first, let alone singing!" 

It was while recovering from her injuries that Chloe hit upon the idea of staging what she calls vintage fairs. "It was snowing in Sweden and I wanted something nice to look forward to."

Chloe had always loved vintage clothes, particularly from the 1950s, and decided to stage an event for others who shared her passion. The first fair was held in her home village and featured

stalls selling all sorts of clothes and crafts dating back to the 1950s. It was a huge hit, with 300 people turning up. 

" When I had the idea of the first fair, it was only meant to be a one-off, but we had so many compliments, I decided to go ahead with more," says Chloe. " There's something for all ages and

people find old things have more character than stuff you buy in modem shops. It also fits perfectly with the idea of recycling." Looking round Chloe's caravan, I can see what she means.

What does Chloe say about her trip to Japan?