It happened one night (Frank Capra, 1934)
Clip 2 – Dropping in
A. Complete the following sentences with the correct choice:
1. You ______not like my nose, but I do.
a) may
b) mustn’t
c) are
d) would
2. If anybody ______to take a sock at it they could do it.
a) would
b) wants
c) want
d) was
3. Why ______I think of it?
a) did not
b) didn’t
c) have
d) haven’t
4. Our conversation could have been over long ______.
a) time
b) before
c) ago
d) yet
5. Excuse me lady, the pad-up upon ______you sit is mine.
a) that
b) what
c) who
d) which
6. Hey driver, these seats accommodate two people, ______they?
a) don’t
b) are
c) aren’t
d) accommodate
7. If you ______to ask me real nice I might put that bag up there for you.
a) would
b) was
c) were
d) did
B. Watch the clip online and listen to check your answers.
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C. Listen and read the transcript of the extract:
Coach driver: The papers! The papers! What’s the idea of throwing them out?
Man: Oh, the papers? You know, it’s a long story my friend. I never did like the idea of sitting on newspapers. I did it once and all the headlines came over my white pants. On the level, it actually happened, nobody bought a paper that day. They just followed me around over town and read the news off the seat of my pants.
Coach driver: Oh, fresh guy, huh? What you need’s a good sock on the nose.
Man: Hey listen, partner. You may not like my nose, but I do. I always wear it out in the open where if anybody was to take a sock at it they could do it.
Coach driver: Oh yeah?
Man: Now that’s a pretty answer! Why didn’t I think of it? Our conversation could have been over long ago.
Coach driver: Oh yeah?
Man: Hey, if you keep it up we’re not going to get anywhere!
Coach driver: Oh yeah?
Man: You got me! Yeah! Excuse me lady, the pad-up upon which you sit is mine.
Woman: I beg your pardon?
Man: Now listen, I put up a stiff fight for that seat. So if it’s just the same to you, scram.
Woman: Driver, are these seats reserved?
Coach driver: No, first come first served.
Woman: Thank you.
Man: Hey driver, these seats accommodate two people, don’t they?
Coach driver: Ah, maybe they do and maybe they don’t.
Man: Thank you. Move over. This is a “maybe they do”. If you were to ask me real nice I might put that bag up there for you. Next time you drop in, bring your folks!
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Detailed answer key:
Check your answers and if you need some explanations about the grammar points tested in this exercise, click on the link corresponding to each question.
A. Complete the following sentences with the correct choice:
1. You ______not like my nose, but I do.
a) may
b) mustn’t
c) are
d) would
Grammar point: Modals of possibility
2. If anybody ______to take a sock at it they could do it.
a) would
b) wants
c) want
d) was
Grammar point: second conditional
3. Why ______I think of it?
a) did not
b) didn’t
c) have
d) haven’t
Grammar point: negative questions
4. Our conversation could have been over long ______.
a) time
b) before
c) ago
d) yet
Grammar point: ago or before
5. Excuse me lady, the pad-up upon ______you sit is mine.
a) that
b) what
c) who
d) which
Grammar point: object relative pronouns and prepositions
http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/REL2.CFM
http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/rel3.cfm
6. Hey driver, these seats accommodate two people, ______they?
a) don’t
b) are
c) aren’t
d) accommodate
Grammar point: question tags
7. If you ______to ask me real nice I might put that bag up there for you.
a) would
b) was
c) were
d) did
Grammar point: second conditional