People were talking about the robbery at the vicar’s house and putting two and two together. ‘Putting two and two together’ is an idiom. It means being aware of some facts, which one then connects to arrive at a conclusion.
An idiom is a group of words which together have a meaning that is very different from the meanings of the individual words. Some idioms are given below. Match them with their meanings.

Now fill in the blanks using the idioms in Exercise F. You may have to make some changes in them.

1. The mysterious visitor _______________ to Mrs Hall’s questions.

2. Getting through the entrance exam will be _______________ for Anya.

3. One should not talk ill about anyone _______________.

4. After escaping from prison, the thief decided to _______________ for a few days.

5. Dhruv had his _______________ after all his investments failed and the bank refused to give him a loan.

Given below is an account of what happened with Mrs Hall’s chair. Insert apostrophes wherever required.
When Mrs Hall entered the strangers room, a most extraordinary thing happened. The chair, flinging the strangers coat and trousers carelessly aside, and laughing in a voice exactly like the strangers, turned its four legs up at Mrs hall, took aim at her for a moment, and charged at her. As she screamed and turned, the chair legs came gently but firmly against her back and pushed her out of the room. “Its the spirits! Ive read about them in the papers!” Mrs hall cried, almost fainting.

Underline the participles, and circle the nouns or pronouns they modify in these sentences.

1. The nurse tried to quieten the crying baby.

2. It did not take long for Mr Gupta to repair the broken window.

3. It is no use crying over spilt milk.

4. Put the tea leaves into boiling water.

5. It is difficult to rein in a galloping horse.

6. The lifeguard was able to save the drowning man.

7. The stolen money was found in the hollow of a tree trunk.

Fill in the blanks with the participial forms of the verbs given in brackets.

1. The people on the road crowded around the _______________ car. (wreck)

2. The _______________ vase smelled of wax polish. (shine)

3. Ritu is the only _______________ member of her family. (earn)

4. The _______________ engine clearly required cooling down. (sputter)

5. I could see my friend’s _______________ hand though the train had pulled out of the station. (wave)

6. The fishermen were warned of the _______________ storm. (approach)

7. India is one of the _______________ countries of the world. (develop)

Imagine that you were one of the men who were in the pub the day the mysterious man shouted at Mrs Hall and revealed that he was invisible. You are later asked by the police to write a factual account of the events that took place that day. You can write about to write a factual account of the events that took place that day. You can write about
-              When and where you were.
-              Why you were there.
-              details of what happened there.
-              Other people’s reactions.
-              How everything ended.
                Remember that you have to write a factual account. State only the facts; do not write what
                you think about the incident or express any personal opinion.

“And I want you to keep your shouting and your talking to God to Yourself.”  

a. Who said these words and to whom?  
b. Why had the person been shouting and talking to God?  
c. Why was the speaker arguing with the person?  

“And where did you find it?”  

a. Who said these words and to whom?  
b. What does the ‘it’ refer to here?  
c. What made the speaker ask this question?  

“You do not understand who I am or what I am. I will show you.”  

a. Who said these words and to whom?  
b. What did the speaker do to ‘show you’?  
c. How did the listener react to the speaker’s actions?  

What was the little group of people at the Coach and Horses talking about?  

Why was the visitor angry?  

Why did Mrs Hall refuse to get him any food?  

What did Mrs Hall want to know from the visitor?  

What made the people in the pub cry out in surprise and fear?  

When the visitor said, “Look here, my good woman”, Mrs Hall replied, “Do not good woman me.” What do you think the visitor and Mrs Hall were trying to do?  

a. The visitor was trying to calm Mrs Hall down, but Mrs Hall wanted to remain angry.
b. The visitor was trying to be polite, but Mrs hall did not want to listen.  
c. The visitor was trying to calm Mrs Hall down, but Mrs Hall did not want to be fooled again by the visitor.  

Why do you think the visitor suddenly started to take off his bandages?  

a. He was feeling very hot in the bandages.
b. He wanted to show Mrs hall that he was invisible.
c. He wanted to scare Mrs Hall.
d. Both b. and c.

How did the people in the inn feel about the mysterious man?