Dorothy Parker’s ‘The Last Tea’ & ‘Waiting for Police’ Analysis
Dorothy Parker (1893-1967)
THE LAST TEA
Reading Comprehension
Choose the correct answer.
- The girl ordered tea while she waited because
- a) She´d waited long enough.
- b) She enjoyed tea before a meal.
- c) She hated coffee.
- d) She was very thirsty.
- The young man went to the bed at
- a) 05:25
- b) 20:05
- c) 05:20
- d) 04:40
- The young man was attracted to Carol McCall because of
- a) Her beautiful voice.
- b) The way she walked.
- c) Her good looks.
- d) Her good education.
- The girl had gone out with Wally Dillon because
- a) They went to the same public school.
- b) She wanted to teach him to dance.
- c) He had kept on asking her to go out with him.
- d) She thought he had beautiful eyes.
- ‘I´m in terrible shape’ means
- a) My body is too thin.
- b) My legs aren´t long enough.
- c) I don´t feel well.
- d) I could feel a lot worse.
- ‘But it gave me the jumps’ refers to
- a) The horrible weather they´d had.
- b) The long time the girl had waited for a cup of tea.
- c) The young man sitting in his office.
- d) The young man´s feeling about Carol.
Answer the Questions
- How long had the girl been waiting at the table for the young man to arrive?
- What was the young man´s occupation?
- Who did he say had thrown a party the night before?
- What did the girl say she had been doing the night before?
- What was it the girl said made her sick?
- Who was the young man going to call up after the girl left him?
Waiting for the Police
Reading Comprehension
Choose the correct Answer
- Who was the first person to enquire about Mr Wainwright?
- a) Miss Wicks
- b) Mrs. Mayton
- c) Mr Penbury
- d) Bella
- How long had Miss Wicks been knitting for?
- a) 17 years
- b) 07 years
- c) 70 years
- d) 27 years
- What was Mr. Calthrop doing when the conversation about Mr Wainwright began?
- a) Looking out of the window
- b) Reading an evening paper
- c) Having a sleep
- d) Thinking about the problems of middle age
- Mrs Mayton was a woman who was known for
- a) Speaking very little
- b) Nearly always talking
- c) Not saying anything
- d) Keeping everybody talking
Complete the Sentences with Your Own Words
- Monty Smith always tried very hard to…
- Miss Wicks thought it was Mr. Penbury who had gone out to…
- Mrs. Mayton thought it was Mr. Penbury who had gone out because…
- All the time that Mr. Penbury was talking, Miss Wicks…
- The news about Mr. Wainwright made Monty Smith…
- Miss Wicks suggested that…
- Mr. Penbury said that the police would be arriving…
Answer the Questions
- How long did Mr. Penbury think the body had been dead?
- At what time was Mr. Wainwright seen leaving the dining-room?
- Why did Penbury go up to his bedroom?
- How many tablets did Penbury take?
- Why did Penbury go for a walk after taking the tablets?
- When Penbury went up to his room again, what did he find on the floor?
- Where in the house was the telephone?
- Why did Mr. Calthrop leave the room?
- What did Monty Smith say he suddenly remembered?
- What was wrong with the landing curtain?
- Why did Miss Wicks leave the drawing-room?
- Whose handkerchief was it that Penbury found on the floor?