LETTER OF THE WEEK

SECRET SOCIETIES

I enjoyed your article on secret societies in yesterday’s paper. However harmless they are, this secrecy is ¹__________ to make others a little nervous. We have all heard stories of criminals who succeeded in getting their sentences reduced because they share membership of the same club as the policeman or judge dealing with their case. These stories ²_________ be true or they ³_________ just be urban myths but we all know the saying ‘There’s no smoke without fire.’ So, what ⁴__________ we do about such societies and clubs? Do we⁵__________ to have any rules or laws governing them? In some countries, people are not ⁶_________ to join such societies at all.

Many would say that we shouldn’t worry and that such societies are harmless. I think the truth is ⁷___________ somewhere in between. We ⁸__________ allow such societies to exist, but we ⁹_________ to watch them very carefully.

Yours,

Dr Donald King

1 a) permitted b) required c) bound d) obliged

2 a) can't b) can c) must d) might

3 a) mustn't b) could c) must d) can

4 a) need b) ought c) should d) must

5 a) ought b) have c) must d) should

6 a) allowed b) required c) forbidden d) obliged

7 a) likely b) bound c) sure d) probably

8 a) ought b) have c) need d) should

9 a) must b) should c) can d) ought