DUST OF SNOW_BY ROBERT FROST_EDITED BY_ TANMOY MISHRA
Simple past story
1. THE HOLIDAY THAT WASN'T
Just after Christmas two years ago, Jack and Liza suddenly __________
(decide) to go away somewhere for New Year. They _______________
(not want) to stay in a hotel with crowds of people and so they were
really delighted when they ________ (see) an advertisement in the Sunday
Times for a holiday flat in a village near Oxford. However, it was no
ordinary flat. It was on the top floor of an old Tudor mansion.
They immediately booked it and on New Year’s Eve they set off
in the car. Although it ___________________ (rain) heavily and
freezing cold, they _______ (be) happy and excited. They had been driving for nearly
three hours when they finally saw the house in the distance. It looked magnificent with
incredibly tall chimneys and a long, wide drive.
They drove up to the huge front door, ___________
(go up) the steps, and knocked loudly. Nothing
happened. They knocked again more loudly. Eventually
he door opened slowly and a small, wild-looking,
old lady _____________ (stand) there. Jack and Liza
___________ (stand) still, frightened as they ______________
(not expect) to be welcomed by an old lady. It was like
something out of a horror movie. The old lady was very thin and bent,
had long straggly hair and dirty old torn clothes.
But the worst thing were the bandages on her wrists and round her legs. They
looked as if they had been on her for weeks. They were grey and absolutely covered
in blood. Goodness knows what she ________________ (do) to herself, but
the wounds obviously hadn’t healed. Under one arm she ________________
(carry) a cat, and in her other hand there was a large glass of whiskey.
She could hardly stand up straight as she was swaying from side to side,
spilling her whiskey.
The old lady asked the couple in, so they tried to hide how terrified they
were and _______________ (follow) her in. The house was very old, dark and
dirty... and it absolutely stank of cats. There were cats
everywhere, up the curtains, on the bookshelves, on the stairs.
As the old lady ________________ (lead) the couple upstairs,
suddenly two huge dogs came charging out of a room and nearly
knocked them over.
2. But the worst was still to come. When they _________ (get) to the rooms
Jack and Liza couldn’t believe it. All the furniture was broken, there were
no curtains and it was absolutely freezing. There was no heating apart
from one little electric fire for the whole place.
In fact, there was only one power point, so they _____________
(have to) make a choice. They could either have the television, or
the lamp, or the fire, but they __________________(cannot have)
more than one. Jack and Liza just looked at each other and
______________ (know) that they couldn’t stay. They
______________________ (not even try) to be polite. They
said that it really _______________ (not be) what they wanted and they couldn’t
possibly stay there. As if on cue, they started to break into a run towards the door
and outside the mansion.
When they got outside again the rain
___________________ (already turn) to snow.
They ran to the car, laughing hysterically.
They ________________(feel) that they had been
released from a prison and now they desperately wanted
to be with lots of people. They ________________(drive)
to the next village and fortunately, just as midnight was striking,
they _______________ (find) a hotel with a room for the night.
‘Happy New Year!’ cried Jack, as he kissed the surprised receptionist warmly
on both cheeks. ‘You have no idea how beautiful you hotel is!’