It was six o’clock when Ben Smith, dreadfully tired, arrived home from the school where he was a teacher. He had had a lot of work and trouble that day. He dreamed of a quiet evening at home. June, his wife, met him at the door smiling radiantly. She asked Ben to be quick with his supper and change after that. She said she had got everything arranged and they would go to the theatre. Only then did Ben remember it was the very night that had been settled for their going out. So June was realizing her dream. He envied his daughter Penny, a sixteen who said she would stay indoors and watch television. But sud denly he was sorry for June who got too little entertainment
even at week .
It was already past seven when they started for the theatre. The weather was unusually nasty. Ben’s nose and feet were cold. After 20 minutes a number 64 bus stopped. They got on, but the seats were full. Unfortunately the bus conductor told Ben to get off as only seven people could stand in the bus. Ben did so forgetting that his wife had got the tickets.
It was pouring now. The road was wet and there was a hole in his shoe. Luckily he got on the next number 64 bus soon enough and found a seat. Ben shut his eyes. When he opened them again, the bus was past the theatre. It was still raining as he walked back to it feeling unhappy. Over the doors were the words, “Under the High Trees”.
The man at the door said he could not let him in without a ticket. Ben was about to leave when a girl behind the ticket office window said: “Are you Mr. Smith? Your wife left your ticket with me.”
Ben squeezed to his seat in the dark, stepping on people’s feet. He asked June what the play was about. She whispered she could not understand much as one actor, an old man, spoke very quietly, and the other, a young man, spoke very quickly.
As soon as the play was over, they ran out. There were no buses and it was raining. They waited and waited and their clothes got wetter. At last Ben lost his patience and shouted: “Taxi!”
A passing taxi stopped. Ben pushed his wife in.
“Two pounds,” said the driver when they arrived.
“What?”
“After ten o’clock in the evening the fare is higher.” Unwillingly Ben paid the driver. Besides all the trouble it
turned out to be too expensive for them.
“Did you watch television, Penny?” Ben asked his daughter. “Yes,” she said. “You can’t imagine how brilliant the play
was.”
“What was the name of it?” asked Ben as he picked up his cup of coffee.
“Under the High Trees” was the answer. Ben Smith put his cup of coffee on the kitchen table and went slowly upstairs to bed.

VI. a) Answer the following questions:
1.Why was Ben Smith so dreadfully tired when he came home? 2. Why was June smiling radiantly? 3. What kind of dream was June realizing? 4. What was Penny’s idea of spending that evening? 5. Why did Ben envy his daughter? 6. What do you think of Ben’s attitude towards June? 7. What can be said about the weather? 8. Why did Ben have to get off the bus?
9.How did it happen that Ben went past the theatre? 10. Why didn’t the man at the door let Ben in? 11. Who saved the situa tion at that moment? 12. Was it easy for Ben to find his seat? Why? 13. Why did Ben and June find it difficult to understand the plot of the play? 14. Why did Ben decide to take a taxi on their way back? 15. Why did the journey turn out to be rather expensive? 16. What struck Ben when he talked to his daughter about watching TV?​

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