Read the passage given below :
The old lady was glad to be back at the block of flats where she lived. Her shopping had tired her and her basket had grown heavier with every step back home. In the lift her thoughts were on lunch and a good rest; but when she got out at her own floor, both were forgotten in her sudden discovery that her front door was open. A perturbed state of mind led her to trace the chronological events before stepping out to shop. She was thinking that she must reprimand the maid the next morning for such a monstrous piece of negligence, when she remembered that she had gone shopping after her maid had left and she had turned both the keys in their locks. She walked slowly into the hall and at once noticed that all the room doors were open, yet following her regular practice, she had shut them before going out. Looking into the drawing room, she saw a scene of confusion on her writing desk.
It was as clear as daylight, burglars had forced an entry in her absence. Her first impulse was to go round all the room looking for the thieves, but then she decided that at her age it might be more prudent to have someone with her. So, she went to fetch the porter from the basement. By this time, her legs were beginning to tremble, so she sat down and accepted a cup of very strong tea from the porter while he telephoned the police. As soon as her composure was regained, she was ready to set *** with the porters assistance, to search for any intruder who might be still lurking in her flat.
The old lady felt marginally relieved with the physical assistance of the porter in managing to investigate the burglar’ attempt to plunder with noticeable facts. Though uncertain, with an apprehensive alarm of a burglar’ existence in the premises, she kept her courage and willpower intact.
On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions briefly :
(a) After deciding to rebuke the maid, what did the old lady realize?
(b) Give an example from the second paragraph which tells us that the lady shows great presence of mind at the time of an emergency?
(c) What did the old lady see when she walked into the hall?
(d) Why did she accept a cup of tea from the porter?
