Reading Task 1

Teachers’ Lounge

“Open the door!” Ms. Hendley said.

Todd didn’t know what to do. When the day began, he had no intention of getting locked in the teachers’ lounge. Now here he was, stuck inside, with the principal banging on the door. He was terrified, but he was also furious with himself. How had he let this happen?

The day began in the usual way. Todd walked to school with his best friend, Bruce. Near the side gate, they saw Eric O’Flanagan, the worst bully in the school. He was leaning into the bushes.

“What’s he doing?” Bruce whispered.

“I don’t know and I don’t care,” Todd answered.

Bruce said, “I think he’s got some little kid on the ground.”

Todd thought. If Eric had a little kid on the ground, that was bad news for the kid. But if Eric caught Todd watching him, that could be bad news for Todd.

At that moment they heard a distinct and unmistakable sound. It was a kid crying. They took a few steps closer to the bush. As they got closer, they recognized the kid on the ground. It was Charlie Watson, a third grader. He was crying because Eric was pinning his shoulders to the ground.

Eric turned around and saw Todd and Bruce.

Eric sneered. “You two losers can get lost.”

Bruce said, “What are you doing in there?”

“None of your business, Big Baby Brucie,” Eric said.

Todd said, “Hey. You can’t talk to him like that.”

“Who’s going to stop me?” Eric sneered as he pressed down even harder on the shoulders of a squirming Charlie.

“Why are you messing with him?” Bruce asked.

“He’s the one who’s messing with me,” Eric said.

“Doesn’t look that way to me,” Todd said.

“He stole something of mine,” Eric said.

“What is it?” Bruce asked.

Eric looked around quickly. “A copy of the answers to all the final tests.”

Bruce and Todd gasped simultaneously. “Where did you get that?” Bruce asked.

“Teachers’ lounge,” Eric said. “They have a stack just sitting there. I took one yesterday and let Charlie borrow it after school. He won’t give it back.”

“I told you,” Charlie said, “I lost it.”

“Then I’m going to have to teach you a lesson,” Eric said. He raised his fist.

“Wait!” Todd called out. “What if I can get you the answers back?”

Eric looked at him suspiciously. “How?”

“I’ll just go to the teachers’ lounge and grab them.”

“Are you serious?” Eric asked.

“I’ll do it if you let him go.”

“Deal,” Eric said. He let Charlie run away.

Todd took a deep breath, then raced off to the teachers’ lounge. He knew if he went slowly, he’d never do it. He took a quick look inside. There was no one there. He crept in quietly. Then he heard the lock click behind him.

Read the following sentence from the story: “Bruce and Todd gasped simultaneously.” What does “simultaneously” mean?