A The young man, handsome in his new police uniform, looked across the small coffee table at his mother and father. Outside, the snow was being blown against the window by the wild winter wind. But the three were warm and comfortable in front of a glowing coal fire in the sitting room in which the young man’s grandfather had lived alone since he retired from the army. The old man’s wife had had a terrible accident and died on the day he bought the house.B On the coffee table between them was a metal box that they had found hidden at the very back of the grandfather’s wardrobe when they were clearing out his old clothes. Inside the box was a small bag which appeared to be made of snakeskin and contained a collection of odd-looking bones. Mr. Slade, the father, was reading the letter that had also been hidden in the box. Dear Arthur,C If you are reading this, I know I have now been freed from the curse that has ruined my life and I am now dead. I also know that you have found the snakeskin bag and its evil contents. Listen to what I am now going to tell you and I beg you, never make the same mistake that I made. The bag is evil! I took the bag from an ancient holy man when I was serving in the army in India. He was dying, but before he died he told me that the bag would help me acquire anything I wanted in life — but as with most things in life, there would be a price for this help. He also told me that I must never try to destroy the bag or disasters would fall on all my family. I have used the bag once and I know what he said is the truth — I paid the price of this house with the life of my beloved wife! The bag will bring you anything you want — but the cost is always far too high. My son, you must promise me to hide the bag somewhere and never use it — ever! Never be tempted as I was! Love, your fatherD “I always thought that grandfather had gone a little mad in his old age, particularly after Grandma died. For some reason he always seemed to think her death was his fault,”the young man said to his parents.“Still, it is a strange-looking bag, isn’t it? ”“I don’t like it,” replied his mother, reaching over and closing the lid of the box. “I think you should do what he says and hide it somewhere — and then forget about it.” “Maybe you’re right ...,” said Mr Slade to no-one in particular, as he picked up the metal box and slipped it under his arm. “We can decide tomorrow. I think we should head off home now. It’s getting late and Thomas, you need to get to work — you’re on night duty remember!”E Arthur Slade could not sleep that night. For months his business had been failing and he had not been able to meet the payments on the family home. His thoughts constantly moved to the metal box sitting downstairs on the kitchen table. The letter said that it could bring him whatever he wanted. Perhaps it was just a foolish story from an old man whose mind wandered after the death of his wife — or perhaps he could settle the debt on his house and not have to worry again about where the next payment was going to come from. F He silently slid out of bed and crept down the stairs to the kitchen. He felt something was pulling him towards the box. His mind seemed to be trying to convince him that there was surely nothing worse than losing their home. In the kitchen, his fingers seemed to open the box without him knowing. He looked down and saw the bag in his hands. It was worth trying, even if it was all nonsense! Without thinking, he asked for the 100,000 pounds that would pay off the debt he owed on the house and, as if in a dream, returned quietly to his bed. G The cold sunlight was streaming into the bedroom when Arthur and his wife got up the next morning and went down to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Thomas, their son, would return from his night duty with the police force soon and join them for breakfast. Arthur Slade enjoyed the warm smell of breakfast cooking as it wafted through the kitchen and thought how foolish he had been the previous night to believe the old bag might help with his financial problems. Maybe it had all been a dream. His eyes drifted out the window and he noticed a tall police officer, a senior officer by the look of his uniform, standing at the gate to their garden. The officer seemed oddly nervous and reluctant to open the gate. He suddenly seemed to make up his mind and pushed open the old wooden gate, walked to the door and rang the bell. A cold fear suddenly swept through Arthur Slade’s body as his wife went to open the door. H “I’m sorry ... what can I say ... a tragedy ... I’m sure he didn’t feel anything ... three bullets to the heart ... he died instantly.” Arthur gripped his wife’s hand as the life they had built over so many years seemed to slip away in a moment. Thomas had been shot while trying to stop a robbery. The officer’s voice drifted on without being heard by either of the suddenly old couple in front of him. Arthur’s attention was only regained when he heard the officer say, “Of course, it does not in any way compensate for the life of your son, but all officers are insured by the department and you will receive a cheque very soon.” Arthur’s head suddenly spun and he heard his weak voice, as if it belonged to someone else, ask, “How much is the cheque for?” “Well,” replied the officer, “the amount depends on the rank of the officer. In your son’s case, it will be approximately 100,000 pounds.” I Although it was a bright morning, a shadow seemed to have fallen over the house. The couple seemed suddenly grey and tired. Arthur Slade had told his wife what he had done during the night — she had not replied, simply stared at him silently, through empty eyes. Suddenly, she pushed herself wearily from the chair and left the room, to return again a few moments later carrying the metal box. “Arthur, I want my son back. If this thing can take him away from me, it can bring him back as well. I want my family together again, the way it was yesterday.” With that, she placed the metal box on Arthur’s lap and stood back, waiting. Arthur knew he could not argue, even though he was terrified to use the snakeskin bag again. Once again, he felt his fingers move as if in a dream. They opened the box and took out the bag. He heard his voice, but as if the voice of a stranger, quietly say, “I want all my family to be together again.” J Arthur Slade could feel the heat of the fire on his face before he opened his eyes. He had, it seemed, been sleeping. He awoke and looked across at his wife, sitting quietly, waiting, at the other side of the fire. He looked around the room — it was his father’s sitting room. Before he could consider why he was sitting in his father’s house, the door opened and Thomas, in his police uniform seemed to drift in. There was a dark stain covering the chest of his jacket. His wife smiled contentedly and whispered “I knew it would work,” as she rose to kiss her son. Behind Thomas, Arthur saw another two soft shapes silently slip into the room ... and understanding coldly swept his mind. “Hello, father, mother ...,” Arthur heard himself say as a sad smile crossed his face. “So, here we all are, together again.” 1. What does the word glow mean in section A? ______ A. to flow continuouslyB. to walk without direction or purpose C. to burn gently with an orange or red colorD. an area of darkness that is created when something blocks light 2. What does the word wearily mean in section I? ______ A. immediatelyB. tiredlyC. happilyD. very frightened 3. What is the main idea of section J? ______ A. Arthur’s wife asked him to use the bag to bring their son back.B. The snakeskin bag was evil, according to the letter.C. Thomas was shot and died instantly while trying to stop a robbery.D. Arthur believed he had seen the ghosts of his son and his parents. 4. Which of the following statements is true? ______ A. Thomas, a college student, and his parents were sitting in his grandfather’s house on a cold winter’s day.B. Arthur’s business had not been doing well. C. While making breakfast, Arthur was looking forward to Thomas’ return from night duty, then his son arrived at home.D. There was a happy family reunion after Arthur asked for help from the snakeskin bag for the second time. 5. The sentence “Suddenly, he knew what the man had come to tell them” could have been used in the text. Where should it have been placed? ____________ ______. A. After the last sentence of section AB. After the last sentence of section CC. After the last sentence of section GD. After the last sentence of section J