Working at the Bank--Part 2

Working at the Bank--Part 2

When I first started working in an inner-city bank, I was in constant fear of being robbed. Even behind the protection of bulletproof glass, I was constantly reminded by alarm buttons of the threat of robbery. We had secret signals that changed every day, and there was an automatic alarm that was touched off by an electric eye when the last bill came out of my till.

Sure enough, one day a man I thought looked suspicious entered the bank. He passed the other tellers to come to me, apparently recognizing my inexperience. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a note and slipped it under the teller window. I panicked, dropped below the counter and hit the alarm button.

The guards grabbed the man. Then I read the note. It said, "Would you have lunch with me?"

Adapted from a first person story by Mrs. L.N., taken from The Detroit News circa 1980

Vocabulary Questions

In the first paragraph, what does inner-city mean?

1. In the suburbs.

2. In the center of the city.

3. Outside the city.

In the first paragraph, what does constant fear mean?

1. Always afraid.

2. Often sick.

3. Difficult.

In the first paragraph, what does threat mean?

1. Something bad that is going to happen for sure.

2. The possibility that something bad might happen.

3. A plan.

In the first paragraph, what does till mean?

1. A purse.

2. The drawer of a cash register,where money is kept.

3. A wallet.

In the second paragraph, what does apparently mean?

1. Slowly, with much thought before.

2. Done in a quick way.

3. Thinking that something seems to be true from the information you have.

In the second paragraph, what does slipped mean?

1. Moved something easily and quietly

2. Dropped something in front of.

3. Pushed hard.

In the second paragraph, what does panicked mean?

1. Made a decision after thinking everything over.

2. Fell on the floor.

3. Acted because of strong fear, without thinking clearly.

In the third paragraph, what does grabbed mean?

1. To talk to someone loudly.

2. To take quickly and roughly.

3. To talk to someone politely.

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