4. There are several expressions connected with these animals in the story: mice, dog, rabbits, donkey. Can you find them and explain what they mean? Are these animals associated with similar ideas in your own language? Can you think of other animal expressions in English, e.g. lion-hearted, spidery writing, to smell a rat?
5. Complete the sentences from the text:
1. There are always three main characters in these stories – ______.
2. There is one (story), however, that seems to be superior to the rest ______.
3. Mr. Bixby was a dentist who ______.
4. Year after year, this pleasant alliance between Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel _____.
5. The great black coat seemed to slide on to her ______.
6. Mrs. Bixby stood by the counter, as far away from the cat as possible, ______.
7. But it (the ticket) was perforated across the middle ______.
8. The Colonel was huge and bristly, ______.
9. It was a fact that in the office he invariably greeted female patients with his white coat unbuttoned ______.
10. She had no wish to be greeted like ______.
11. At the sound of the magic word she opened her eyes quick, ______.
12. I’m going right back there to the shop this very minute and ______.
Reading Comprehension:
1. Guess who and under what circumstances made these utterances.
1. “Of ‘course not, darling. After all, she is not your aunt. She’s mine.”
2. “My heavens, what an enormous box!”
3. “Driver, would you know of a pawnbroker hat’s still open around here?”
4. “Isn’t it silly of me? I’ve gone and lost my pocketbook, and this being Saturday, the banks are all closed until Monday, I’ve simply got to have some money for the weekend.”
5. “You realize that anyone who gets hold of it can come in and claim the article?”
6. “Oh look! I forgot to show you this! I found it just now on the seat of my taxi.”
7. “You don’t know these pawnbrokers, my dear. You are liable to get cheated.”
8. “It’s fantastic! You wait till you get your eyes on this! You’ll swoon!”
9. “What’s the matter, my dear? Don’t you like it?”
10. “Isn’t it a gorgeous day?”
2. Answer the following questions:
1. Why does the author say that today America is the land of opportunities for women?
2. In what way do women earn money? How do they parlay their winnings?
3. Why is the story “Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat” superior to the rest?
4. Describe Mr. and Mrs. Bixby.
5. What was Mrs. Bixby’s convenient alibi?
6. Mrs. Bixby spent most of her Baltimore time in the company of the Colonel, didn’t she? Why?
7. How did she feel in the presence of the Colonel?
8. Was Mrs. Bixby exited to know what was in the cardboard box? What did she think of at that moment and what did she do?
9. What was in the box? Did she like it?
10. What did she feel when she tried the coat on?
11. What message did she get from the Colonel?
12. Could Mrs. Bixby tell her husband that the mink was her aunt’s gift?
13. What plan did Mrs. Bixby invent in order to keep the coat?
14. Why didn’t she want to put down her name, her address and description of the article on the ticket?
15. Did Mrs. Bixby compare her husband and the Colonel when she returned home from Baltimore? And who had some advantages?
16. Did Mrs. Bixby love her husband? Was she a loving wife?
17. Was Mrs. Bixby a good actress? She pretended to be a stupid girl. What for?
18. Was Mr. Bixby interested in the pawn ticket?
19. How did Mrs. Bixby react when her husband offered her to go to the pawnbroker together?
20. Judging by the words of Cyril on the phone could Mrs. Bixby understand that Mr. Bixby was speaking not about the coat?
21. Can you imagine her state of mind when she saw that mangy-looking neckpiece? Was it difficult for her to hide her real feelings and emotions?
22. What happened to the mink coat that the Colonel had given to Mrs. Bixby?
23. How did the secretary happen to have the mink?
Discussion:
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