Comprehension Passage 24
Tom was rather looking forward to his first journey by Tube, as the underground railway in London is
called. He had heard a great deal about it from his friends who had already been to England. They all
advised him not to travel alone the first time. But Tom is the kind of person who never listens to
anyone's advice. It is not surprising, therefore, that his first journey by Tube was not a great success.
Tom entered the station shortly after five o'clock in the afternoon. This is a bad time to travel in
London, both by bus and train, because crowds of people go home from work at this hour. He had to
join a long queue of people who were waiting for tickets. When at last his turn came, he had some
difficulty in making the man understand the name of the station he wanted to go to. The people in
the queue behind him began to grumble impatiently at the delay.
However, he got the right ticket in the end and, by asking several people the way, he also found the
right platform. This was packed tight with people. He did not manage to get on the first train, but he
was able to move nearer the edge of the platform so as to be in a better position to get on the next
one. When this came in, emerging from the tunnel with a terrifying roar, Tom was swept forward on
to the train by the rush of people from behind. The doors closed and the train moved off before he
was able to get his breath back. He was unable to see the names of the stations where the train
stopped, but he had taken the precaution of counting the number of stops so that he knew exactly
where to get off. His station was the sixth along the line.
When the train reached the sixth station, Tom got off, feeling relieved that his journey had been so
easy. But he was alarmed to see that he had got off at a station that he had never heard of! He did
not know what to do. He explained his difficulty to a man who was standing on the platform. With a
look of amusement on his face the man told Tom that he had travelled on a train going in the wrong
direction.
1. Give the phrases or sentences in the passage which indicate the following:
a. It is a waste of time telling Tom what to do. ____________________________
b. Tom was not the only person who was waiting to buy a ticket. ________________________
c. The platform was crowded. _______________________
d. The train made a lot of noise as it came out of the tunnel. _______________________
e. Tom thought at first that he had arrived at the right station without any difficulty.
_________________
2. Answer the following questions briefly, in your own words as far as possible. Use one complete
sentence for each answer.
a. Why does the writer say that Tom's first journey by Tube was not a great success?
_________________________________________________________________
b. Why did the people in the queue behind Tom begin to grumble?
_________________________________________________________________
c. How did Tom know where to get off the train?
_________________________________________________________________
d. What made Tom realise that he had got off at the wrong station?
_________________________________________________________________
3. Complete the following sentences. Your answers must be related to the ideas contained in the
passage.
a. All Tom's friends advised him: "_______________________________________________"
b Tom had to ask several people the way in order to _______________________________________
c Tom was in a better position to get on the second train because
____________________________________
d Tom was out of breath when he got on the train because
____________________________________
e "____________________________________________," the man on the platform told Tom.
4. Explain the meaning of the following words and phrases as they are used in the passage:
is called (2); shortly (5); queue (7); grumble (9); emerging (13); swept (13).
5. Composition
Imagine that you were Tom. Write a letter about 200 words long relating what happened to you the
first time you travelled by Tube. Do not include any ideas which are not in the passage. Use your
own words as far as possible.
6. Notice how the to-infinitive is used in this sentence:
He knew exactly where to get off.
This means: where he had to get off.
The to-infinitive used after one of the conjunctives how, where, what, when, whose, etc., usually
contains the idea of obligation or desirability. Here are two more examples:
She didn't know where to put it (i.e. where she ought to put it).
He asked us how to do it (i.e. the right way to do it).
Now complete the following sentences by selecting a suitable verb from the list given at the foot of
the passage.
a. Let's ask that policeman over there how ______________ the station.
b. She's still trying to make up her mind which dress ______________ for the party.
c. He's lost his pen and doesn't know where ______________ it.
d. Have you been told which flowers ______________.
e. Keep your eyes closed. I'll tell you when ______________ them.
f. The boy has climbed on to the roof and doesn't know how ______________.
g. I've been trying to find out where ______________ a new umbrella.
h. Do you mind telling me how ______________ this word ?
i. She's gone already. No one told her how long ______________.
j. They haven't decided yet whose car ______________.
