Burglars move in for the weekend

>Exámenes selectividad inglés resueltos C. Madrid

Gill Cox, a 58-year woman who took her first break in more than a year from caring for her ill husband, returned to find that thieves had spent the weekend in her home. The burglars cooked meals, made a cup of tea, drank a bottle of gin and slept in the beds before making off with a 30,000 pounds haul.

Mrs. Cox said yesterday that the robbery had been like an unpleasant version of the Three Bears. She had arranged for her husband Jack, a former financier who now suffers from Alzheimer's disease, to stay in hospital for the weekend while she attended a wedding in London. The family dog was looked after by friends in Bath and their home in Somerset was left locked but empty.

Police believe that three thieves forced a window only hours after Mrs. Cox had left. "They drew the curtains and basically settled in", said Mrs. Cox. "When I arrive back, there were three glasses and three mugs on the kitchen table. Chairs had been sat in and the bed had been used. They had obviously stayed for some time and helped themselves to food from the fridge. They ate two pork chops which I had bought for our Sunday lunch."

Mrs. Cox has cared for her husband since he became ill in 1984. "We have been coming gradually down in the world since Jack stopped working and all we have is a few possessions." She added "But the thieves appeared to know exactly what they wanted." The gang filled pillowcases with 94 items from the house, including her string of pearls, an antique doll, and a silver coffee pot.

 

RESPUESTAS

I. READING COMPREHENSION

1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE: Write down the evidence from the test. No
marks are given for only TRUE or FALSE.
a) Mrs. Cox takes her husband to hospital twice a month when she goes to London.

• FALSE. "She had arranged for her husband Jack, a former financier who now suffers from Alzheimer's disease, to stay in hospital for the weekend while she attended a wedding in London".

b) Mr. Cox has suffered from Alzheimer's disease for more that fifteen years.

• TRUE. "Mrs. Cox has cared for her husband since he became ill in 1984".

2.- In your own words and based on the ideas from the text, answer the following questions.
a) Explain why the house was empty that weekend.

• After a long time caring for her husband, Gill Cox attended a wedding in London. Some friends took with them the family dog while Mr. Cox stayed in hospital.

b) What did the thieves do in Mrs. Cox's house while she was away?

• They felt right at home, eating, drinking ant even sleeping there before leaving with the loot.

II. USE OF ENGLISH

3.- Find the words in the text that mean.

• a) leaving (paragraph 1) making off
• b) loot (paragraph 1) haul
• c) closed (paragraph 1) locked
• d) looked after (paragraph 3) cared for
  

4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate from of the word in the brackets when given.

• a) Mrs. Smith that had to go away, was told (tell) to be careful.
• b) This week they visited (visit) the National Gallery of Art and learnt a lot about Impressionism.
• c) If I had to go away, I would leave my dog to look after the house.
• d) Thank you for warning (warn) me. I left all the windows opened (open).

+EXÁMENES RESUELTOS