Inferencing · Level 2

They snarled and showed their teeth as they approached each other. There was no turning back for either of them: this would decide which one would lead the pack from now on.

There was a glint in the water. The bird stalled. Then, with flattened wings. It dived fifty metres into the sea.

Granny lived in a dark house that was at least as old as she was. She had worn black for all of the thirty years since my grandfather had died.

Her wooden stick clumping slowly down the stairs told us that Granny was on her way. Then she was there: a dark. bent figure, her narrow, girding eyes peering at us. A pointy black hat and a broomstick would have completed the picture.

Although she looked fierce, Granny was kind. She always gave me a penny - a large, heavy coin. But, before the penny, came the question: 'How many pennies have you got now?" I counted out my penny collection from my right hand pocket.

I thought that if I didn't count out the correct number of coins I wouldn't get any more, so I never spent any of them. The number of pennies grew and so did the weight in my pocket. One day I found that some of my money had slipped through a hole. 'dreaded the thought of Granny's usual question.

Next time I saw Granny. when she asked me how many pennies I had, I gulped and stuttered.

"How many did you have?" she inquired. "How many have you got left?"

I answered the questions correctly as quickly as they were asked.

Granny smiled. "Well, you know how to do your sums." she said as she handed me a handful of pennies.