John was ten years old, and he was a very lazy boy. He had to go to school of course, but he was bored there and tried to do as little work as possible. His father and mother were both doctors and they hoped that he would become one, too, when he grew up, but one day John said to his mother, "When I finish school, I want to become a garbage collector."

"A garbage collector?" his mother asked. She was very surprised. “That's not a very pleasant job. Why do you want to become a garbage collector?"

"Because then I'd only have to work one day a week," John answered.

"Only one day a week?" his mother said. "What do you mean?"

"Well,” John answered, "I know that the ones who come to our house only work on Wednesday, because I only see them on that day."

A      Answer these questions:

1. What kind of boy was John?
2. What did his parents want him to be when he grew up?
3. What did John say he wanted to be?
4. Why did John want this job?
5. How did his mother feel about this?
6. Why did John think that garbage collectors only worked one day a week?

B     Which words in the story mean the opposite of:

1. despaired
2. impossible
3. interested
4. replied
5. start
6. unpleasant

C      Put two words in each blank space in the second sentence of each pair (both sentences have the same meaning):

Example: a. When John arrived home, he told his mother his decision.

              b. Arriving at home, John told his mother his decision.

1. a. After John had watched the garbage collectors on his street, he decided he wanted to become one, too.

   b. ___________the garbage collectors on his street, John decided he wanted to become one, too.

2. a. Before John decided to become a garbage collector, he did not know what he wanted to be.

   b. __________to become a garbage collector, John did not know what he wanted to be.

3. a. While John studied at school, he was bored all the time.

    b. ___________ at school, John was bored all the time.

4. a. John surprised his mother because he said that he wanted to become a garbage collector

   b. John surprised his mother _________ that he wanted to become a garbage collector.