The Watchers

王麗娟

Everyone at Kirby House went on the trip to Alton Towers. They went in a coach belonging to the local Round Table—it was their annual treat. Alton Towers was less than twenty miles away and you could get there on an ordinary bus and be dropped off right outside. Some of the older kids were boasting how many times they'd been before.

On the way there Mrs. Rogers gave them the lecture they had all heard at least twenty times. They were to go round in pairs， no one was to go on the lake without a grown-up. They were to head for a certain meeting-point if they were in trouble， and were to meet at half past twelve for their packed lunch.

“You smaller ones， of course， won't be allowed on some of the rides without a grown-up. I shan't be going on them—I've no head for heights at all—but ask Mr. Clarke or Mr. Foster. You'll all be given a map when we go in， so there's no need for anyone to get lost.”

“Wish she would，” Josh muttered.

Then they were there， and it was amazing， a whole new world in that wooded valley. From the Monorail， bringing them from the coach-park， they could see it spread on all sides—the Haunted House， the Log Flume， the Big Top and Octopus. There were acres of space—places to get lost， escape. Katy had not really been looking forward to the day ahead. She remembered a fairground ride she had once been forced to go on because her friends had wanted to.

“Go on！” they had said. “Not chicken， are you？”

She had not wanted to be chicken， but she soon found that she was. She could still remember the sheer terror of it， the speed and sickening lurches， the certainty that she would die.

“Let you and me stick together，” she said to Josh， and was half-ashamed of her motives. He was only nine， small for his age and was a cast iron excuse for just going on the tamer rides.

They were off the Monorail and streaming towards the turnstiles， whooping and yelling.

“You two， you come along with me.” It was Mrs. Rogers. She already had one of the smaller kids in tow. “Katy， did you hear me？ Chips？”

“Chips” meant Josh—a lot of them called him that and he hated it. He stopped and turned， and Katy held her breath. He couldn't throw one of his tantrums， not now， with the day hardly begun！ He was scowling all right， glaring at Mrs. Rogers with hot eyes. But none of the real danger signs were there， the thrust-out lower lip， the clenched fists.

Answer the following questions.

1. Where was everyone going？

2. Who had arranged the outing？

3. How many times each year did they go on an outing？

4. How could children from Kirby House get to Alton Towers？

5. Why did Mrs. Rogers give the children instructions？

6. How did they get into Alton Towers from the coach park？

7. For what sort of ride would the smaller children need a grown-up with them？

8. For what other activity did children need an adult with them？

9. Why didn't Mrs. Rogers want to go on the rides that needed an adult？

10. What had put Katy off some of the rides？

11. Why did Katy want Josh to go round with her？

12. What was Josh's nickname？

13. Do you think Josh often had a tantrum？

14. What sort of place do you think Kirby House is？

15. Do you think the children liked living at Kirby House？