Have you ever noticed how compulsive shoppers are never in a (26)____when they are hunting for something to buy? Now, I don’t want to be (27)____ to these people, but it has always struck me that this sort of person must, in (28)____ ways, be able to put up (29)____ the most incredible boredom. I, myself, am an extremely reluctant shopper. I only have to catch a glimpse of the window of a large department (30)____ as I flash past in a taxi and I am immediately seized by a desire to be a million miles away.

To be honest, I think it has something to (31)____ with the fact that I was once wrongly (32)____ of shop-lifting. It goes without saying that I was completely innocent of the charge of stealing anything, but the experience (33)____ me with the feeling that I wanted to sue the manager for wrongful arrest. I dread to think what might have happened (34)____. I had actually been wrongly convicted. Even now I sometimes have nightmares about (35)____ in vain to ruthless detectives that I was not a shop-lifter.

26. A. dash B. run C. race D. hurry

27. A. violent B. severe C. stern D. unkind

28. A. any B. the C. few D. some

29. A. for B. with C. in D. by

30. A. store B. shop C. market D. stall

31. A. be B. do C. put D. go

32. A. charged B. accused C. blamed D. criticized

33. A. gave B. left C. made D. caused

34. A. whether B. unless C. when D. if

35. A. expressing B. opposing C. protesting D. arguing