Hidden nuances

C2 Proficiency · Multiple Choice Reading · Objective Proficiency 2nd Edition, Cambridge University Press

You are going to read an extract from a short story. For questions 1–6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Nelson Rodker was two years Elizabeth's senior, and was a model child in every way. Elizabeth, on the other hand, began her life as a rebellious, spunky and passionate child, but was extraordinarily pretty, and such children are never called difficult; they are called original. It was their parents' ardent hope that their children might be friends and, when they grew up, like each other well enough to marry. In order to ensure this, the children were brought together. If Elizabeth looked about to misbehave, her mother placed her hand on Elizabeth's forearm and, with a little squeeze Elizabeth learned to dread, would say in tones of determined sweetness: 'Darling, don't you want to see Nelson's chemistry set?' Elizabeth did not want to see it – or his stamp collection. As she grew older, she did not want to dance with Nelson or go to his school reception. But she did these things. That warm pressure on her forearm was as effective as a slap, although her compliance was not gained only by squeezes and horrified looks. Elizabeth had begun to have a secret life: she hated Nelson and the Rodkers with secret fury. While she was too young to wonder if this loathing included her parents, she felt that if they forced Nelson upon her and chose the Rodkers for their dearest friends, they must in some way be against her. At the same time she realised that they were foolable. If she smiled at Nelson, they were happy and considered her behaviour impeccable. If rude, she spent weeks in the pain of constant lectures. Thus, she learned to turn a cheerful face while keeping the fires of her dislike properly banked. The fact of the matter was that an afternoon of Nelson's stamp collection was good for two afternoons hanging around the park with her real friends. The beautiful daughters of the nervous well-to-do are tended like orchids, especially in New York. Elizabeth's friends were carefully picked over. The little O'Connor girl was common; that her father had won a Pulitzer prize was of no matter. The one friend her mother approved of was Holly Lukas, whose mother was an old friend. Elizabeth never brought her real friends home, since, with the exception of Holly, they were all wrong: the children of broken homes, of people with odd political or religious preferences or of blacklisted movie producers. Elizabeth learned the hard way that these children would not be made comfortable in her house. This might have put a crimp in Elizabeth's social life except that none of her friends wanted to entertain at home. They knew early on that the best place to conduct a private life was in public. Like most girls her age, Elizabeth became horse crazy. She did not want to share this passion with her parents, who felt riding once a week was quite enough, so she made a deal with the stable that, in exchange for a free lesson, she would clean out the stalls on Tuesdays. This, however, was not known by her mother, who had her expensively outfitted. These riding clothes Elizabeth carried in a rucksack along with her real riding clothes – an old pair of blue jeans and a ratty sweater. It was soon discovered that Elizabeth was coming home late one extra afternoon a week stinking of horse. She was made to remove her jodhpurs at the service entrance and, when these garments were found to be relatively horseless, a search was made and the offending jeans rooted out. Elizabeth was mute. One word about manure, and her riding days were over. But manure was not on her mother's mind and, in fact, when she learned that Elizabeth spent one day a week in the company of a pitchfork, she was much relieved. At college, Elizabeth had her first taste of freedom. While similarly restrained girls went wild, she reveled in being left alone and staying up late reading anything she liked. Her parents were not against reading, but Elizabeth's reading habits contributed to eyestrain and bad posture and, besides, all that reading made one lopsided. At home on holidays she was correctness itself. In the middle of her first love affair, she was grown up enough to restrain herself from calling her beloved in Vermont, lest her parents find him on the telephone bill. Elizabeth's parents set great store on adult behavior. Had they known what sort of adult Elizabeth had become, great would have been their dismay. After graduation, her decision to live in New York was not easily come by, but she loved New York and wanted to enjoy it finally on her own terms. Using as collateral a diamond-and-sapphire bracelet left to her by her grandmother, she borrowed enough money to rent an apartment in Greenwich Village. Through a friend of the O'Connor girl's father, she found a job at a publishing company and went to work. Her parents were puzzled by this. The daughters of their friends were announcing their engagements in the Times. Elizabeth further puzzled them by refusing to take a cent of their money, although her mother knew the truth: what you dole out to the young binds them to you. To have Elizabeth owing nothing was disconcerting to say the least.

She was surrounded with children who were older than her.

She was regarded by adults as being exceptionally intelligent.

She was excused any bad behaviour due to her good looks.

She was painstakingly prepared for future relationships.

What characterised Elizabeth's treatment as a young child?

She complied with her parents' wishes from a sense of duty.

She tolerated her mother's plans in order to achieve her own ends.

She spent time with Nelson despite his parents being set against her.

She disliked having to hide her true feelings from those around her.

What is implied about Elizabeth's childhood in the second paragraph?

They were embarrassed that their parents had successful careers.

They were reluctant to invite friends back to their houses.

They felt uncomfortable in the presence of Elizabeth's mother.

They caused Elizabeth to come into conflict with her parents.

What do we learn about Elizabeth's school friends in the third paragraph?

Available as a free printable PDF worksheet with an optional answer key.

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