Summary In Ireland, John and family have a pleasant holiday, but John’s good mood is shattered by a terrifying This supernatural mystery is set in England and dream, where a supernatural being takes Rachel Ireland. John, a television producer, is celebrating the and Patrick away from him. John relates the dream success of his latest series with his assistant Jenny, but to Rachel and she tells John about the dream that his happiness is marred by his wife Rachel’s recent troubled her and made her fear for Patrick’s safety. strange behaviour. She has become fearful for their son Patrick’s safety. On phoning home, John is surprised to On their return home, John cannot calm his anxieties hear how happy and excited his wife is at the prospect about the dreams and the stories he had heard on of a holiday in Ireland. Her fears seem to have the recording and from the policeman. His sleep is receded. John lunches with Jenny and they discuss interrupted by disturbing dreams. He cannot stop his idea for a television series on urban myths, such as thinking about a possible link with Rachel and the the vanishing hitch-hiker. Ironically, John met Rachel story of the lady in white. Finally, John decides to when she was hitch-hiking. confront his nightmares and drives down to the place near Brighton on consecutive nights and waits. John is disturbed when Jenny plays him a recording of the same inexplicable experience that had happened On the third night, John watches in terror as the lady to different people in the same place — the tale of a in white appears. As she tries to open the car door, motorist who is stopped on a lonely road late at night John drives away at top speed. Further on along the by a lady in white. This lady almost causes an horrific road, he phones Rachel on his mobile phone. To accident but then disappears. There are parallels John’s utter relief, she answers, and he realises Rachel to John’s own experiences. John becomes deeply cannot be the lady in white. concerned, and insists Jenny drives with him to the place near Brighton where the incidents took place. Before reading A local policeman tells a story of an accident that happened there, where a mysterious woman in white 3. a Chapter 3 was observed at the scene of the crash. John knows b Chapter 4 details of the story that were not on the recording, and c Chapter 2 he reveals that this was the place where he met Rachel. d Chapter 1 Jenny becomes exasperated with John’s morbid obsession with the stories, and tells him to forget about it and enjoy his holiday.
Check your reading brakes and steering wheel. The two passengers in Chapter 1 the car died immediately — a woman and her baby boy. 1. 1 c, 2 a, 3 e, 4 b, 5 d 2. Student’s own answer. Chapter 7 Chapter 2 1. 1 d, 2 c, 3 a, 4 e, 5 b 1. d, b, e, c, a Chapter 8 2. Student’s own answer. 1. c, a, f, b, d, e Chapter 3 2. Student’s own answer. 1. a F, b T, c T, d F, e F Chapter 9 Chapter 4 1. b, c, e 1. The driver noticed how beautiful the hitch- Chapter 10 hiker was and wondered why she was crying. When she turned to look at him, he felt excited 1. a Rachel and nervous but also uncomfortable. As the car b John came near a bend, she started screaming, saying c Rachel and John ‘We’re losing control!’ Then she started pulling d Rachel the steering wheel. The man was surprised how e Mrs Reagan strong she was and hit her. There was almost a 2. Student’s own answer. terrible accident. When the car stopped, he could see blood on her face. Chapter 11 2. Student’s own answer. 1. After coming back from holiday, John did not feel relaxed. There were so many questions Chapter 5 he couldn’t answer about the dreams and the 1. a T, b F, c F, d T, e F stories. In his pocket, John was surprised to find a recording with the story of the lady in white. Chapter 6 He didn’t want Rachel to find it. During dinner, John was very quiet. That night, he couldn’t 1. a Jenny sleep. The next morning he left without kissing b Jenny Rachel. In the car, he heard the story of the lady c the policeman in white. John became angry and drove so badly d John that there was almost an accident. He stopped e Jenny his car and began to cry. 2. The accident happened on a wet, rainy night. The car may have gone round a bend too fast and Chapter 12 the driver lost control. There were no other cars involved in the crash. The police checked the car 1. b, e, c, a, d, f afterwards and found nothing wrong with the 2. Student’s own answer.