Sir Isaac Newton was often so deeply interested in difficult problems that he became quite absent-minded. One day a gentleman came to see him, but was told that Sir Isaac had been busy in his study since that morning, and that nobody was allowed to disturb him.
As it was dinner time, the visitor sat down in the dining room to wait for the scientist. The servant came and placed a boiled chicken under a cover on the table. The gentleman, feeling very hungry, ate the chicken, and covering up the skeleton, asked the servant to prepare another one for his master.
Before the second chicken was ready the scientist entered the room, apologizing for his delay. Then Sir Isaac added that as he felt rather tired and hungry, he hoped that the visitor would excuse him a little longer, and after dinner he would be at the gentleman’s service. With those words Newton 18 lifted the cover, without any emotion turned round to his visitor and said that what a strange set the scientists were. As he himself quite forgot that he had dined already!
At this moment the servant brought in the other chicken. The visitor explained how matters stood. After a hearty laugh, the hungry scientist sat down to dine.
I. Complete the sentence in an appropriate way.
The text describes how …. .
1. the visitor studied the skeleton of the chicken.
2. Isaac Newton had dinner with his visitor.
3. the great physicist worked in his study.
4. Isaac Newton forgot if he had dinner.
II. Choose the sentence (1-4) which you think best fits the story.
1. He was busy in his study when a visitor came.
2. Newton was interested in the problem of cooking.
3. An absent-minded visitor came to see Newton.
4. The gentleman was allowed to disturb Newton when he was having dinner.
III. Choose the sentence (1-4) which doesn’t fit the story.
1. The visitor waited for Newton in the dining room.
2. The servant put a boiled chicken on the table.
3. An hour later Newton did not appear.
4. The visitor ate the chicken and cooked another one.
IV. Choose the best heading to the text.
1. A Visit to Sir Isaac Newton.
2. An Absent-Minded Scientist.
3. A Hard Working Scientist.
4. A Pleasant Dinner.
V. Find antonyms of these words in the text.
1. attentive, practical -
2. be forbidden -
3. to drop -
4. raw (meat) -
VI. Find the similar words or expressions in the text.
1. express regret for something -
2. any strong feeling -
3. a guest -
4. make something easier to understand -
