Learn English > English lessons and exercises > English test #40403: In hot water.

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In hot water.

In hot water

Problèmes avec les tuyaux.

It was break-time at school. It was a dreadfully cold day as it had been snowing all morning. Joyce, Margaret and Mary were feeling the chill so they decided to find a warm place to stand and chat.

The best place in the whole school was the corridor next to the staff-room because the hot-water pipe ran down the wall opposite the door, but if a teacher came out and found them in the corridor they would be in big trouble, as children were not allowed to be there. The idea was to warm their hands on the pipe and the moment they heard the door opening they would run away before they got caught.

Margaret was so cold that she decided to get between the pipe and the wall to warm her whole body. Unfortunately, she was a little plump and it was difficult to squeeze herself into the narrow space .

'Oh, this is lovely!' she grinned happily, but the smile left her face as the staff-room door started to open.

'Come on, Margaret,' her friends cried, but Margaret couldn't move. She was stuck!

The door opened and Mr. Dobson came out. It had to be him, the strictest teacher in the school!

'What are doing here?' he shouted at the girls. Then he saw Margaret.

'Come out, you silly girl!' he roared.

'I can't, sir.' replied Margaret, 'I'm stuck.'

'What goes in must come out!' the teacher answered, pulling at Margaret's arm.

Eventually, a very red Margaret was dragged out. The three girls were punished by sending them to sit in the freezing courtyard for the rest of the day!

Note:This story is true and it took place in the sixties in the cold north-east of England before the days of central heating!

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English exercise "In hot water." created by chrislondon with The test builder. [More lessons & exercises from chrislondon]
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1. What was the weather like?

2. Where was the warmest place in the school?

3. What couldn't the children do?

4. What did the girls want to do?

5. Why did Margaret get behind the pipes?

6. Why did Margaret get stuck?

7. Who came out of the staff-room?

8. What did the teacher tell Margaret to do?

9. How did the teacher get Margaret out?

10. How were the girls punished?

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