A Pleasant Surprise G3p05

 A Pleasant Surprise

For a long time I had been longing for a piano of my own to practise on.

There was a piano shop on the street through which I went to school every day. Whenever I passed the shop, I would stop, looking at the piano which stood in the corner of the shop window. How I had been dreaming day and night to possess a piano like that!

Unfortunately, my father was just a clerk, he could not afford to buy me an expensive piano, though he knew that I was very anxious for one.

On my birthday, I went as usual to the shop window to look at the piano, but to my surprise the piano had gone. In fact, I should not have been surprised, others had the right to buy it, if they could afford to. Tears filled my eyes when I thought of not being able to see that piano any more.

I had just come back from school, when I heard my mother calling me. I brushed away my tears and went into the dining room where she was. I could not believe my eyes. There was the piano, my piano. "Am I dreaming?" I said to myself. " Come to the piano," my mother told me. I approached it and lifted the glossy lid of the piano, then touched the keys with my fingers. What beautiful tone! I held Mother's hand, not knowing what to say. I knew at once that it was a gift from Father. How I wished that I could kiss him right there! He was still in his office working. I waited eagerly for his return.

As soon as he appeared, I held him tight and kissed him. Hot tears were running down my cheeks when I said: "Thank you very much, Dad!" I could find no words that could express my feelings at that time.

Father had cut down his expenses on cigarettes in order to save up enough money for the gift. How generous and kind of him!

That birthday was the happiest one I had ever had. Later, much later, I came to realize that although the gift was costly, no gift could measure the love of my parents for me.

1. What had the author been longing for? What did she do whenever she passed the piano shop on her way to school every day?

2. Did she think that her father could afford to buy her the expensive piano? Why not?

3. How did she feel when she found the piano no longer in the shop window on her birthday?

4. What did her mother tell her when she was back home after school? What did she see in the dining-room? Could she believe her eyes? How did she feel then?

5. What did she do to her mother to show her happiness? What did she say to her father as soon as he appeared?

6. Was it easy for her father to buy her the piano? What had he had to do in order to buy it?

7. Had the author expected the gift? What did she realize much later?

8. What did the author think of her parents' gift for her?