Passage Three
Many people believe everything or almost everything they read in newspapers or hear on radio. A few years ago I read a 1 about a husband and wife who made a terrible mistake. They had gone 2 and had taken their small baby along with them. After they had finished shopping, they returned to their 3 to go home. Before they reached their car, they 4 the baby in the plastic baby carrier that he 5 in for safety. The couple then drove off in their car towards home.
After they had driven a few miles, they glanced at the back 6 to see how the baby was. To their 7 , the baby was not there. According to the story, the couple had put the plastic seat and the baby on the top of the car but had 8 to put him inside the car. They had driven away with the baby on the top of the car.
The couple drove back towards the 9 but did not find the baby. They called the 10 , and the police said that they 11 the baby and that the baby was 12 . The baby had fallen from the top of the car but had been 13 by his plastic seat. The 14 couple took their baby home and were always careful after that.
There was one thing 15 with the story. It was not true. Stories such as this one are often 16 in newspapers and on radio and television. Because they are read and heard in places that usually report the 17 , many people believe them. People also 18 them because, like the story told, they have something 19 or frightening about them. What is 20 is that newspaper and radio reporters also believe them.
1. A. book B. newspaper C. novel D. story
2. A. travelling B. shopping C. fishing D. swimming
3. A. baby B. garage C. car D. house
4. A. put B. saw C. kept D. carried
5. A. played B. rode C. lived D. waited
6. A. door B. seat C. window D. road
7. A. joy B. disappointment C. surprise D. amusement
8. A. expected B. forgotten C. tried D. meant
9. A. street B. station C. city D. store
10. A. baby B. assistants C. police D. friends
11. A. saved B. saw C. helped D. had
12. A. sad B. worried C. lonely D. fine
13. A. protected B. held C. covered D. caught
14. A. satisfied B. puzzled C. grateful D. unlucky
15. A. wrong B. useful C. important D. necessary
16. A. made B. introduced C. reported D. written
17. A. news B. truth C. accidents D. mistakes
18. A. believe B. know C. hear D. like
19. A. good B. unusual C. believable D. fashionable
20. A. frightening B. terrible C. possible D. strange