Упражнения уровня IELTS по английскому языку. № 59.

A FISH OUT OF WATER

A week earlier I had no idea that the following Friday morning I'd be about to present my screenplay for a film to my favourite film director, George Slater. Sitting alone in the waiting room outside his office, watching the carp safe in their aquarium playfully chasing each other's tails, I could hardly believe where I was. I wish I could say I was loving every minute of it. This was one fish who was definitely out of water.

How did I find myself in that situation? Well, it all started when my friend Steve asked me if I'd like to earn some extra cash helping to serve drinks at a party. He neglected to tell me that the party was to be at Mr Slater's house, so I said no. On the night of the party, Steve phoned me up again, saying that one of the guys had got ill and they were desperate. He begged me to help him out and since I was getting nowhere with the screenplay I was trying to write, I agreed.

Two hours later I found myself sitting in movie director George Slater's kitchen telling Mr Slater himself about the screenplay I had 'just finished.' He said he liked the basic idea but that he was not sure who it was aimed at or whether it would work. Although he gave me some good suggestions, I went back to serving drinks feeling disappointed.

The following day, I got a phone call from Mr Slater. At first I thought it was a friend pretending to be him, so I hung up. When he called back, I immediately realised my mistake and couldn't stop apologising. Mr Slater said he had had second thoughts and would like to read my screenplay. He had got my number from Steve and he gave me one week to 'put the final touches to it.'

From that moment until the next Friday morning I hardly slept at all. Sitting in the waiting room, watching the carp watching me, all my doubts about the screenplay came flooding back and I wondered whether I would not have been better off if I had actually been able to write on the night of Mr Slater's party.

(1) What is the writer trying to do in this text?
a) show how to get a screenplay accepted. /
b) describe a chance meeting. /
c) criticise the film-making industry. /
d) explain how lucky he had been. /

(2) How did the writer feel while he was waiting?
a) playful /
b) happy /
c) uncomfortable /
d) impatient /

(3) Why did the writer not accept his friend's first request?
a) He did not know whose party it was. /
b) Steve owed him some money. /
c) He was too busy working. /
d) He wasn't feeling well. /

(4) How did the writer feel when he got the second phone call from Mr Slater?
a) Guilty for having lied about finishing the screenplay. /
b) Embarrassed for not recognising his voice. /
c) Worried about finishing the screenplay. /
d) Angry with Steve. /

(5) What kind of person does the writer seem to be?
a) lazy /
b) anxious /
c) suspicious /
d) confident /