THRILLERS
THE LUCKY NUMBER
That October afternoon, Kiran
Southby was planning his fourth murder. He was a very scrupulous and careful
person as he realized that killing people meant accuracy, cold blood and
careful preparations.
He was looking at his reflection in the mirror: a pale face, witty eyes,
a broad wrinkled forehead, an extremely ferocious mouth with thin lips, and
an arrogant smile.
He had been married three times, and each of his wives had died in a peculiar
'accident'. One died in the bathroom, the second one in the drawing room,
whereas the third one died in the greenhouse, in the middle of the park,
opposite the house.
What he had in mind for Alison, his fourth wife, was different. He wanted
to try something new, more challenging for his vivid mind. He liked Alison,
but in a way or other she seemed to annoy him with pestering questions about
his new book. He didn't like to be interrupted while writing in his study,
and Alison kept entering that door bringing all kinds of sandwiches, small
scones with tea, greasy hotdogs and smelly cheese.
He hated the combination of those smells in his study; he couldn't
find his words anymore, he simply suffocated.
He had to do something about that. Suddenly, an idea crossed his mind: yes,
the cellar. He had never tried the cellar before. The insulation was perfect.
He went softly downstairs, opened the door, and saw the case in the corner.
Inside he found the shovel. He reminded Hitchcoks's movie: in the film the
husband had murdered his wife, took her body in the cellar and covered it
with cement. The police could not find anything wrong and he was never caught.
So he had decided that it was time to act. After all, that was his fourth
murder and four was his lucky number.
Task
Directions:
Choose the correct item from the list in order to fill in the gaps in
the text below. Then send to your instructor an e-mail message with
the correct 10 words you used only. Include in the subject area of the e-mail
the words "Thrillers, task1."
THE TRAP
He was surprised to see that she nearly 1……. the ladder. She
seemed frightened .'Good, he whispered.' She 2…. be afraid.'
He opened the little jar and 3…… the poison into her glass.
He waited. He didn't want to panic.
She entered the room smiling hesitantly. He could 4…..
her steps , anticipating her next move.
He heard her swallowing the drink. He waited . There 5….silence
for a while. What was happening? Suddenly she opened the door. She was
dressed 6… her best evening gown. He was stunned. She was coming
7…. him. She was holding the glass in her hand. She said, shyly: "You
know, I have 8… your advice and I've decided to quit drinking.
Here, you 9… drink it. Please, don't say no, it will 10…
me luck'.
1.A fell off B falled off
C fallen off D failed off
2.A can B must
C should D
might
3.A dropped B poured C spilled
D put
4.A listen B sense
C feel
D hear
5.A was B has been
C had been D is
6.A with B in
C on
D into
7.A at B towards
C to
D into
8.A followed B given
C took D learnt
9.A can B should
C must D ought
to
10.A make B give
C bring D
get
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