1 He (give) me back the book, (thank) me for lending it to him and (say) that he (enjoy) it very much; but I (know) that he (not read) it because most of the pages (be) still uncut. 2 When he (see) his wife off at the station, he (return) home as he (not have) to be at the airport till 9.30. 3 He (not have) to pack, for his wife already (do) that for him and his case (be) ready in the hall. 4 He (not have) to check the doors and windows either, for his wife always (do) that before she (leave) the house. 5 All he (have) to do (be) to decide whether or not to take his overcoat with him. In the end he (decide) not to. 6 At 8.30 he (pick) up his case, (go) out of the house and (slam) the door behind him. 7 Then he (feel) in his pockets for the key, for his wife (remind) him to double-lock the front door. 8 When he (search) all his pockets and (find) no key he (remember) where it (be). 9 He (leave) it in his overcoat pocket. 10 Then he (remember) something else; his passport and tickets (be) in his overcoat pocket as well.

11 I (arrive) in England in the middle of July. I (be told) that England (be) shrouded in fog all year round, so I (be) quite surprised to find that it was merely raining. 12 I (ask) another passenger, an Englishman, about the fog and he (say) that there (not be) any since the previous February. 13 If I (want) fog, he said, I (come) at quite the wrong time. 14 However, he (tell) me that I could buy tinned fog at a shop in Shaftesbury Avenue. 15 He (admit) that he never (buy) fog there himself but (assure) me that they (sell) good quality fog and that it (not be) expensive. I suppose he was joking.

16 When the old lady (return) to her flat she (see) at once that burglars (break) in during her absence, because the front door (be) open and everything in the flat (be) upside down. 17 The burglars themselves (be) no longer there, but they probably only just (leave) because a cigarette was still burning on an ornamental table. 18 Probably they (hear) the lift coming up and (run) down the fire escape. 19 They (help) themselves to her whisky too but there (be) a little left, so she (pour) herself out a drink. 20 She (wonder) if they (find) her jewellery and rather (hope) that they had. 21 The jewellery (be given) her by her husband, who (die) some years before. 22 Since his death she (not have) the heart to wear it, yet she (not like) to sell it.

23 Now it (seem) that fate (take) the matter out of her hands; and certainly the insurance money would come in handy.

24 I (put) the £5 note into one of my books; but next day it (take) me ages to find it because I (forget) which book I (put) it into.

25 A woman (come) in with a baby, who she (say) just (swallow) a safety pin.

26 I (think) my train (leave) at 14.33, and (be) very disappointed when I

(arrive) at 14.30 and (leam) that it just (leave). 27 I (find) later that

I (use) an out-of-date timetable. 28 He (park) his car under a No Parking sign and (rush) into the shop.

When he (come) out of the shop ten minutes later the car (be) no

longer there. 29 He (wonder) if someone (steal) it or if the police

(drive) it away. 30 It (be) now 6 p.m.; and Jack (be) tired because he (work) hard all day. 31 He (be) also hungry because he (have) nothing to eat since

breakfast. 32 His wife usually (bring) him sandwiches at lunch

time, but today for some reason she (not come).

33 He (keep) looking at her, wondering where he (see) her before.

34 I (look) out before I (go) to bed and (see) a man standing on the opposite pavement watching the house. 35 When I (get up) the following morning he (be) still there, and I (wonder) whether he (stay) there all night or if he (go) away and (come) back.

36 When I (open) the door I (see) a man on his knees. 37 He clearly (listen) to our conversation and I (wonder) how much he (hear). 38 When I (ask) him what he (do), he (say) that he (drop) a 50p piece outside the door and (look) for it. 39 I (not see) any sign of the money, but I (find) a small notebook and pencil which he probably (drop) when the door (open) suddenly. 40 So he (take) notes of our conversation! 41 The notes (be) written in a foreign language, so I (turn) to the stranger and (ask) him to translate. 42 But he (pull) my hat over my eyes and (run) off down the corridor. 43 By the time I (recover) from the shock he (disappear) round the corner. 44 Curiously enough, when I (move) my foot I (find) that I (stand) on a 50p piece. 45 Perhaps he (tell) the truth after all!