While Mr. Green was waiting for a bus one morning, a car passed him, going very rapidly. Mr. Green just had time to think, "That fellow's certain to have an accident if..., before that was exactly what happened: the car hit the side of a bus violently as it was passing, and there was a terrible noise and quite a lot of damage.

Mr. Green hurried to see whether anyone had been hurt, but everyone was all right. However, the bus driver asked him to be a witness at the trial, and Mr. Green agreed.

At the trial, the judge asked Mr. Green, How far were you from the place where the accident took place?

*Eleven meters and forty-eight centimeters,' Mr. Green answered.

The judge was astonished and said, "How do you know the distance so exactly?

"Because I was expecting some fool to ask me,' Mr. Green answered.

A   Which of these sentences are true (T) and which are false (F)? Write T or F in the boxes.

1.  Mr. Green thought that the car that passed him was going too slowly.
2. A bus ran into the car.
3. Mr. Green went and helped the people who had been hurt.
4. He agreed to appear at the trial.
5. The judge was surprised that Mr. Green had been so close to the accident.
6. Mr. Green's answer to the judge's question suggested that he thought the judge was a fool.

B   Answer these questions.

1. What did Mr. Green think when he saw the car pass him?
2. What happened then?
3. What did the bus driver say to Mr. Green?
4. And what did Mr. Green answer?
5. What did the judge ask at the trial?
6. What did Mr. Green answer?
7. What did the judge ask then?
8. And what was Mr. Green's answer?

C   Opposites: Find words in the story which mean the opposite of:

1. gently
2. more or less
3. not sure
4. not surprised at all
5. refused
6. slowly
7. wise person
8. wonderful