At the moment when the two trains gave the illusion of being stationary, ablind in one of the carriages flew up with a snap. Mrs. McGillicuddy looked intothe lighted first-class carriage that was only a few feet away.
Then she drew her breath in with a gasp and half-rose to her feet.
Standing with his back to the window and to her was a man. His hands were round the throat of a woman who faced him, and he was slowly, remorselessly, strangling her. Her eyes were starting from their sockets, her face was purple. As Mrs. McGillicuddy watched, fascinated, the end came; the body went limp and crumpled in the man’s hands.
At the same moment, Mrs. McGillicuddy’s train slowed down again and the other began to gain speed. It passed forward and a moment or two later it had vanished from sight.
Almost automatically Mrs. McGillicuddy’s hand went up to the communicationcord, then paused, irresolute. After all, what use would it be ringing the cord of the train in which she was travelling? The horror of what she had seen at such close quarters, and the unusual circumstances, made her feel paralysed. Some immediate action was necessary,—but what?
The door of her compartment was drawn back and a ticket collector said, “Ticket, please.”
66. When Mrs. McGuillicuddy’s train passed through a station, it___.
A. gained speed suddenly B. kept its usual speed C. changed its speed D. stopped immediately
67. Mrs. McGuillicuddy seems to be a (an) ___ person.
A. observant B. interested C. nosy D. nervous
68. What she saw in the parallel train made her feel___.
A. excited B. anxious C. worried D. horrified
69. She didn’t ring the communication cord immediately because___.
A. she was very much afraid
B. there was no point of doing so
C. she was too shocked to move
D. the ticket collector came in