Przeczytaj dwa teksty związane z księgarniami. Wykonaj zadania 6.1.–6.8. zgodnie
z poleceniami.

 

Tekst 1.

THE DUSTY WORLD OF BOOKS

Grace arrived at Primrose Hill Books at ten minutes to eight. Mr Evans was behind the
counter and didn’t bother to look up at the ding of the bell. “Good morning, Miss Bennett,”
he said in a bored voice.

Grace smiled at him, “Good morning, Mr Evans. I truly appreciate you giving me
the opportunity to work in your shop.”

“I don’t need help, but my wife insisted, and I finally agreed. And don’t put your heart into this
job, Miss Bennett. It’s only for six months.”

Grace’s shoulders relaxed with relief. At least he wouldn’t expect her to stay for the rest of
her life.

She scanned the shop. Shelves were crowded against one another amid piles of books.
At her uncle’s shop there had been some sort of order at least. What was she to do with this
chaos? Where was she even to start? Did Mr Evans already have expectations he wanted
her to meet?

She stood uncertain with her handbag on her shoulder, still wearing her hat. She cleared her
throat. “Where am I to put my belongings?” she asked.

“Back room,” he muttered.

“Then what would you like me to do?”

Mr Evans gave out a frustrated sigh. “I told you, I don’t need help. You can sit in the back
room and sew or settle into a corner with a book to read. I don’t care.”

Grace nodded and moved toward the door he’d indicated. The room was narrow and poorly
lit, with an old-fashioned table and chair. Boxes lined every wall. She had never been one for
sewing and wouldn’t know which book to read. There was nothing else but to find something
to do. So she went back into the shop and closed the door behind her. The thick layers of
dust on the shelves begged to be wiped clean. Mr Evans hadn’t mentioned dusting, but the
shop really needed taking care of at once. Three hours later, her white shirt was all covered
in dirt, and Mr Evans glared in her direction every time she coughed.

Several customers came and went. She took considerable care not to send dust clouds in
their direction, but still remained close enough should they require help.

An older woman approached her. “Excuse me, do you have Black Spectacles?”

Grace smiled. At least this was a question she could answer. “We don’t sell spectacles here,
I’m terribly sorry.”

The woman blinked her wide blue eyes. “It’s a book. By John Dickson Carr. I finished
The Crooked Hinge last night and want to find the next one in the series.”

If the earth had opened up at that moment and swallowed Grace, she’d have offered
no protest. She had two book names and a series to work with and no idea where they might
be. While cleaning, she’d tried to find some order to the layout of the books, but with no
success.

“Of course.” Grace waved to the woman to follow her. “Did you find The Crooked Hinge
exciting?” she asked, trying to make out what type of book it was.

“Oh, the best kind of mystery.”

Ah, yes, a mystery. Maybe there were some located near the back. “I believe it will be
somewhere here.” Grace gazed over the spines of books, none of which were in any order,
not by title or name or even colour of the book cover.

“If I may…,” a masculine voice spoke from behind Grace.

Na podstawie: Madeline Martin, The Last Bookshop in London

 

Arkusz egzaminacyjny: wersja A

W zadaniach 6.1.–6.4. z podanych odpowiedzi wybierz właściwą, zgodną z treścią
tekstu. Zakreśl jedną z liter: A, B, C albo D.

 

6.1. Mr Evans wasn’t enthusiastic about Grace’s presence because he
A. felt he had been pressured into taking her on.
B. was embarrassed about the condition of the shop.
C. was certain she would quit the job after six months.
D. was looking for someone determined to stay permanently.

6.2. Grace started dusting the shop to
A. make a clean space for her belongings.
B. live up to Mr Evans’ expectations.
C. carry out an assigned task.
D. keep herself occupied.

6.3. Grace’s reply to the question about Black Spectacles shows that she
A. had extensive knowledge about books.
B. appreciated the customer’s taste in books.
C. was unaware of what the customer meant.
D. realized that the job was less challenging than she had expected.

6.4. Grace tried to find a way out of the embarrassing situation with the customer by
A. appealing to Mr Evans for help.
B. recalling the layout of the bookshop.
C. pretending her comment was meant as a joke.
D. attempting to get a clue which would help her find the book.

 

Arkusz egzaminacyjny: wersja B

W zadaniach 6.1.–6.4. z podanych odpowiedzi wybierz właściwą, zgodną z treścią
tekstu. Zakreśl jedną z liter: A, B, C albo D.

 

6.1. Mr Evans wasn’t enthusiastic about Grace’s presence because he
A. felt he had been pressured into taking her on.
B. was embarrassed about the condition of the shop.
C. was certain she would quit the job after six months.
D. was looking for someone determined to stay permanently.

6.2. Grace started dusting the shop to
A. make a clean space for her belongings.
B. live up to Mr Evans’ expectations.
C. carry out an assigned task.
D. keep herself occupied.

6.3. Grace’s reply to the question about Black Spectacles shows that she
A. had extensive knowledge about books.
B. appreciated the customer’s taste in books.
C. was unaware of what the customer meant.
D. realized that the job was less challenging than she had expected.

6.4. Grace tried to find a way out of the embarrassing situation with the customer by
A. appealing to Mr Evans for help.
B. recalling the layout of the bookshop.
C. pretending her comment was meant as a joke.
D. attempting to get a clue which would help her find the book.

 

Tekst 2.

NOTTING HILL

Movie enthusiasts from across the world have wandered the streets of West London in
search of the beloved travel bookshop that featured in the iconic 1999 film, Notting Hill.
The bookshop, which in the film was owned by Will, Hugh Grant’s character, was actually
based on The Travel Bookshop – a family-run business opened on Blenheim Crescent in
1979. The bookshop was occasionally frequented by Notting Hill director, Richard Curtis,
and it gave him the inspiration for the film. It’s not commonly known that the owner of the
bookshop refused to allow the film crew inside his store, and so its interior only provided
the model for the on-set replica of the bookshop, which was built in Shepperton Studios.

Sadly, after 32 long years in business, The Travel Bookshop fell on hard times and faced
closure in 2011. Several writers and actors launched a campaign to reverse the fortunes of
the specialist bookshop. The poet Olivia Cole led the way, even offering to volunteer at the
bookshop. The actor Alec Baldwin, who played Julia Roberts’ boyfriend in the film, also
supported the campaign calling for the bookshop to be saved. Yet the iconic bookshop,
which helped Notting Hill earn more than £220 million, closed for good in 2011.

However, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the bookshop reappeared after being
purchased by the Book Warehouse. It’s in the same location, but now goes by the name of
The Notting Hill Bookshop, and operates as a regular bookshop, with a wide range of
subjects and titles in stock. It also sells some magazines, cards and calendars. Many Notting
Hill fans still visit The Notting Hill Bookshop, and some lovebirds have even chosen it as the
setting in which to ask their partners to marry them. So although The Travel Bookshop
doesn’t exist any more, its legacy of romance still lives on in West London.

Na podstawie: www.mylondon.news

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6.5. Not everybody realizes that the bookshop scenes in Notting Hill ___________________
___________________________________________________ inside a real bookshop.

6.6. A campaign organized by celebrities to save the famous bookshop proved to be
_____________________________________________________________________.

6.7. Unlike the original bookshop, The Notting Hill Bookshop does not specialize in
_____________________________________________________________________.

6.8. The romantic associations inspired by the film encouraged some people to __________
____________________________________ during a visit to The Notting Hill Bookshop.