Matura 2006

ROZUMIENIE TEKSTU CZYTANEGO I ROZPOZNAWANIE STRUKTUR LEKSYKALNO-GRAMATYCZNYCH

Zadanie 12. (5 pkt)
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Nicky was too young and inexperienced to beat any first-class tennis players in the Monte Carlo tournament, but he did not disgrace himself. He snatched an unexpected victory over a Spanish player and gave one of the Austrians a closer match than anyone had thought possible. In the mixed doubles he got into the semi-finals. His charm conquered everyone and he vastly enjoyed himself.

The tournament came to an end and the day following he was to fly back to London. Anxious to play his best he had lived very carefully, smoking little and drinking nothing, and going to bed early; but on his last evening he thought he would like to see something of the life in Monte Carlo, of which he had heard so much. An official dinner was given to the tennis-players and after dinner with the rest of them he went into the Sporting Club. It was the
first time he had been there. Monte Carlo was full and the rooms were crowded. Nicky had never before seen roulette played except in the pictures; he stopped at the first table he came to; chips of different sizes were scattered over the green cloth; the croupier gave the wheel a sharp turn and with a flick threw in the little white ball. After what seemed an endless time the ball stopped and another croupier with a broad, indifferent gesture raked in the chips of those who had lost.

Nicky stood for a while looking at the losers’ money being raked-in by the croupier and the money that was won paid out to the winners. It was impossible to deny that it was thrilling. It did seem silly to leave Monte without putting something on the table just once. It would be an experience, and at his age you had to have all the experience you could get. He reflected that he hadn’t promised his father not to gamble, he’d promised him not to forget his advice. It wasn’t quite the same, was it? He took a hundred-franc note out of his pocket and rather shyly put it on number eighteen. He chose it because that was his age. With a wildly beating heart he watched the wheel turn; the little white ball whizzed about like a small demon of mischief; the wheel went round more slowly, the little white ball hesitated, it seemed about to stop, it went on again; Nicky could hardly believe his eyes when it fell into number eighteen. A lot of chips were passed over to him and his hands trembled as he took them. It seemed to amount to a lot of money. He was so confused that he never thought of putting anything on the following round. He was really surprised when eighteen again came up. There was only one chip on it.
'By George, you’ve won again,’ said a man who was standing near to him.
'Me? I hadn’t got anything on.’
'Yes, you had. Your original stake. They always leave it on unless you ask for it back. Didn’t you know?’
Another packet of chips was handed over to him. Nicky’s head reeled. He counted his gains: seven thousand francs. A queer sense of power seized him; he felt wonderfully clever. This was the easiest way of making money that he had ever heard of. abridged from: ‘The Facts of Life’ by W. Somerset Maugham The Penguin Book of British Comic Stories,

compiled by Patricia Craig

12.1. In the Monte Carlo tennis tournament Nicky
A. represented Austria.
B. played both singles and doubles.
C. won the semi-finals.
D. only played with second-class players.

12.2. On the last night Nicky
A. attended a formal reception.
B. went to bed early before his return flight.
C. decided not to drink any alcohol.
D. left the official dinner before the other guests.

12.3. When he watched the people playing roulette, he
A. found the game too exciting to resist.
B. felt silly, because he didn’t understand the game.
C. thought the promise he had made to his father was silly.
D. decided to experience gambling once again.

12.4. When Nicky entered the game, he
A. intended to play until he lost one hundred francs.
B. wasn’t very excited because the stake was low.
C. bet on a number that was meaningful to him.
D. immediately won seven thousand francs.

12.5. Nicky won in the second round because he
A. had decided to choose the same number.
B. had followed the advice of a man next to him.
C. had put more money on number 18.
D. didn’t fully know the rules of the game.