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33. THE LADY OR THE TIGER? A long time ago there lived a king who devised a bizarre way of administering justice in his kingdom: the public arena. When a subject was accused of a crime the destiny of the accused person would be decided in this arena. When all the people had assembled in the galleries, and the king, surrounded by his court, gave a signal, a door opened and the accused subject stepped out into the arena. Directly opposite him were two doors exactly alike and side by side. The accused person could walk directly to these doors and open one of them. He could open either door he pleased. If he opened the one, there came out of it a hungry tiger which immediately jumped on him and tore him to pieces, as a punishment of his guilt. But if he opened the other door, there came out of it the most beautiful lady of the country and to this lady he was immediately married, as a reward of his innocence. The king had a daughter. She was the apple of his eyes and he loved her above all humanity. The girl loved in secret a handsome and brave boy. This love affair went on happily for many months, until one day the king happened to discover its existence. The youth was immediately cast into prison and a day was appointed for his trial in the arena. The day arrived. From far and near the people gathered and filled the galleries of the arena. All was ready. The signal was given. The lover of the princess walked into the arena. Tall, beautiful, fair, his appearance was greeted with a hum of admiration and anxiety. As the youth advanced into the arena, he turned to bow to the king, but he did not think at all of the king; his eyes were fixed upon the princess, who sat to the right of her father. She knew in which of the two rooms stood the tiger and in which waited the lady. And not only did she know in which room stood the lady, but she knew who the lady was. It was one of the fairest and loveliest of the damsels of the court and the princess hated her. Often had she seen this fair creature glancing with admiration at her lover, and sometimes she thought these glances were perceived and even returned. Now and then she had seen them talking together. The lover’s glance meant ‘Which?’ she raised her hand and made a slight, quick movement toward the right. No one but her lover saw her. With a rapid step he walked across the empty space. Every heart stopped beating. Every breath was held. Without any hesitation he went to the door on the right and opened it. Now the point of the story is this: did the tiger come out of that door or did the lady? The princess’ decision had been indicated in an instant, but it had been made after days and nights of anguished deliberation. So, my dear readers, I leave the answer to all of you: which came out of the open door – the lady or the tiger? 1- Give some more details in connection with each of the following: a) The king’s daughter was in love b) No one but her lover saw her. 2- Reproduce the story from the point of view of the king’s daughter. 3- What events are connected with these feelings: a) Nervousness b) Relief 4- Look at these sentences and then build them up into a paragraph: My husband must go to hospital. We must call an ambulance quickly. He must have an operation. We must find a really good surgeon.