Questions and exercises

A.    Comprehension questions

1.    Which constituency was Henry Orpington adopted for?
2.    What sort of majority did he get?
3.    Who is Andrew Higgins?
4.    Does Andrew want Henry to continue with his
      engagements after the bomb threat?
5.    Why did Henry's audience at the housing estate consist
      mainly of women and children?
6.    Why did the baby scream its head off when Henry tried to
      kiss it?
7.    What had Henry's wife and daughters been doing all morning?
8.    What was the most important election issue for the farmers?
9.    Why couldn't the farmers sell their tomatoes at a profit?
10.   How did Paul Harris know about the bombardment of tomatoes?

B.    Change the following sentences into the passive:

Example:
      The constituency adopted Henry as the candidate.
      Henry was adopted as the candidate for the constituency.


1.    The Prime Minister announced the date of the general
      election.
2.    He thought a bomb was going to blow him up.
3.    They've cut us off.
4.    They kept the news from the press.
5.    I'm not going to let some stupid crank scare me.
6.    Henry's beard must have frightened the baby.
7.    Two of the tomatoes hit him in the face.
8.    If they hadn't cut us off.

C.    Use the following words to complete the sentences below:

      bribery                         hoax
      scream                          starving
      crank                           cut off
      cancel                          teenage

1.    I have two small sons and three _____ daughters.
2.    The operator has________ us_________.
3.    I'm going to _________all my engagements.
4.    He has very strange ideas. I think he's a__________.
5.    When the baby saw Henry's beard, it began to________.
6.    If Henry bought someone a drink it would be
      considered________.
7.    Henry thought that the telephone call about the bomb was
      just a______.
8.    I haven't eaten all day. I'm________.

D.    The following sentences come from the conversation
      between Andrew and Henry. Change them into
      indirect (reported) speech.


Start like this:
1.    Andrew suggested that Henry cancel all his arrangements for
      that day.

Now you do it.

1. Andrew   I suggest you cancel all your engagements for today.
2. Henry    I'm not going to let myself be scared by some
            stupid crank.
3. Andrew   What did the man sound like? Did you recognize
            his voice?
4. Henry    No, I was half asleep. He didn't seem to be
            threatening me.
5. Andrew   That makes the whole business even more sinister.
6. Andrew   Henry, one day won't make all that much
            difference. I'll tell
            people you've lost your voice.
7. Henry    I'm going to carry on as usual.
8. Andrew   I'd like to make it clear that I'm dead against it.