The Stolen Car

Mr. Smith left his car outside his apartment one night, as usual; but when he came down the next morning to go to his office, he discovered that the car wasn’t there. He called the police and told them what had happened, and they said that they would try to find the car.
When Mr. Smith came home from his office that evening, the car was back again in its usual place in front of his house. He examined it carefully to see whether it had been damaged and found two theater tickets on one of the seats and a letter which said:
“We’re very sorry. We took your car because of an emergency.”
Mr. And Mrs. Smith went to the theater with the two tickets the next night and enjoyed themselves very much. When they got home, they found that the thieves had taken almost everything that they had had in their apartment.

CHINESE PROVERB (saying): Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
VOCABULARY
Choose the meanings of the words. Then try using the words in your own sentences.
1. .as usual (He left his car outside his apartment, as usual.)
a. sometimes b. never c. usually
YOUR TURN ______________________________________________________
2. came down v. (When he came down, he discovered the car wasn’t there.
3. discovered v. (He discovered that the car wasn’t there.)
a. noticed or learned b. .took a picture c. drove the car awa
4. examined v. (He examined it carefully.)
a. went to the doctor for a check-up b. picked it up c. observed carefully; inspected
5. damaged adj. (Had it been damaged?)
a. hurt b. touched c. painted

GRAMMAR
1. Prepositional phrases (preposition + object) How many can you find in the story?
a. outside his apartment..
b. down the next morning.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
2. Reflexive pronouns.
Myself Yourself Himself /Herself/ Itself Ourselves Yourselves Themselves
Use these words only when the subject refers back to itself. For example:
a. I never have any help when I do my homework. I always do it myself.
b. She lives by herself. (She lives alone. No one lives with her.)
c. They built their home themselves. (No one helped them.)
YOUR TURN Write 2 sentences, one singular and one plural.
a. __________________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________________


3. PAST PERFECT TENSE (HAD + past participle)
There are two past actions. Circle which past action happened first.
a. He told them what had happened.
b. He examined the car to see what had been damaged.
c. When they got home, they found the thieves had taken everything.
d. Everything that they had had in their apartment was gone.
YOUR TURN Underline the past perfect verbs. Then circle the first past action.
e. He had never seen an elephant until he went to the zoo.
f. I had eaten already, so I wasn’t hungry.
g. She hadn’t ever been to an American wedding until her sister got married.
f. ____________________________________________________________
CONVERSATION (Talk to your partner and then write the answer to the questions in complete sentences.)
1. What happened to Mr. Smith’s car? What did Mr. Smith do about it?
_____________________________________________________________________
2. Who returned the car and what did they leave for the Smiths?

3. What did Mr. Smith find on one of the seats in the car?
_____________________________________________________________________
4. What do you think the Chinese proverb means and what life lesson can you learn from this story?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
sgati©2009