Story A

The robber went into a bank in Davenport, Tasmania, pulled out a gun, put a bag on the counter and ordered the cashier to fill the bag with money. She was putting in everything she had when the robber said, ‘That’s enough’.

He left with about 5,000 pounds.

A few minutes later, he came back. He put the bag back on the counter. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t really mean to rob you,’ he said. He then waited for the police to arrive.

Story B

A nine-year boy walked into a bank in New-York, pulled out a toy gun, and walked out with $100. He was so small the security cameras didn’t see him. He spent $80 on hamburgers, chips and a watch, and he went to see three films at the cinema. Then he went to a police station and gave himself up. His lawyer said the boy often used to watch crime shows.

Story C

An American bank employee programmed the bank’s computer to ‘lose’ 10 cents each from every client’s account and add it to the last account. The bank employee then opened an account with a name beginning with ‘Z’. All went well and the employee received a lot of money month after month. Then a man with a real name beginning with ‘Z’ opened an account. His name was even further down the alphabet, and so he began to receive all the extra money. He phoned the bank to ask why…

TASK 7

Read the stories one more time and complete this form:

Questions	Story A	Story B	Story C
1. Was the robber a child or an adult?
2. What kind of weapon did the robber use?
3. Did he steal a lot of money or only a little?
4. Was the robber caught?

TASK 8

Put the words in bold in the following story into the correct form and then choose the best headline for it:

The Clumsy Robber

The Robber who Slipped Up

The Robber who was Sorry

An Italian bank 1 TO ROB fell over the doormat as he ran into a bank in Milan. As he fell, his mask fell off. He tried to cover his face, but he dropped his gun. The gun went off but didn’t 2 INJURY anyone. He got up and ran towards the counter. Then he slipped on the floor and fell once more. He dropped his gun again. By this time everyone in the bank was 3 LAUGHTER. The robber turned and ran out red with 4 EMBARRASS. He ran straight into the arms of a policeman who was writing him a ticket. The robber’s car was parked 5 LEGAL.

TASK 9

There was a burglary at 7.30 p.m. on the evening of 12 September. The police thought Mike Burney, a well-known criminal, was the burglar. They found him and asked him what he was doing on that night. This is what he told them. Unfortunately, Sergeant Fox mixed up all the sentences.

Can you put the sentences in the right order?

1. Afterwards, I went out to the Red Lion for a drink. I met several friends, and spent the evening talking and playing cards.

2. There we met some girls and danced all night. I left the night club at 3.00 a.m. and took a girl home by taxi. I then returned to my own home, arriving at about 3.30 a.m.

3. I got back with the fish at about 8.00 p.m. I had my meal, and then I watched the News at Nine.

4. On the evening of Sunday, 12 September, I came back from work at about 7.00 p.m. I switched the television on and made myself some tea.

5. I sat and watched Defenders on TV for half an hour, and then I went out to get some fish and chips at the ‘Wet Moon’.

6. The pub closed at 11.00 p.m. and we went on to a night club, ‘The Pyramid’.