Directions: Read through the following and fill in the blanks with a suitable preposition. Be careful, however, in some cases there may be more than one alternative; in others, no preposition is neededif this is the case put NP in the box.

It was a very happy funeral. Even the sun shone that day the late Henry Ground. Lying his coffin, he was probably enjoying himself too. Once more, and the last time this earth, he was the centre attention. People laughed and told each other jokes. Relatives who had not spoken years smiled each other and promised to stay touch now on. And, course, everyone had a favourite story to tell Henry.

"What the time he dressed up gypsy costume and went door door telling people's fortunes? He actually made $6 an afternoon!"

"That reminds me the time I was having dinner him a posh restaurant. When the wine waiter brought the wine, he poured a drop Henry's glass and waited a superior expression his face. So Henry, instead tasting it, the way any normal person would, dipped his thumb and forefinger the wine his glass. Then he put his hand his ear and rolled his forefinger and thumb together as if he were listening the quality the wine! Then he nodded the waiter solemnly, as if to say 'Yes, that's fine. You may serve it.' You should have seen the look the wine waiter's face! And how Henry managed to keep laughing, I'll never know!"

"Did you hear the practical joke he played when he was a student Oxford, the one the roadmenders. Some workmen were digging a hole the road. First, Henry went the police and told them some 'students' who were digging the road up a joke. Then he approached the workmen, and explained them that some students had dressed up as policemen and were coming to tell them to stop digging the hole! Well, you can imagine what happened!"

"Yes, old Henry loved to play tricks people. Once, when he was invited a modern art exhibition, he managed somehow to get the gallery the day before and turn all the paintings upside . The exhibition ran four days anyone noticed!"

"It's hard to believe that Henry was a Ground, when you think how different he was his brothers!"
Yes, it was difficult to believe that he was a Ground. He was born an unimportant but well-to-do family the Midlands. He was the youngest five sons. The four older boys were all successful life. They married beautiful girls good family, and produced children as handsome and clever themselves. The eldest son became a clergyman; the second was appointed headmaster a famous public school; the third went business and became disgustingly rich; the fourth followed his father's footsteps and became a solicitor. But the youngest Ground, Henry, his brothers, turned to be a lazy good--nothing. Henry, an energetic afternoon consisted sitting a shady tree, a pretty companion his side, and all the time the world to learn the songs the bees that buzzed his head.
Some people whispered that his real father was not the respectable Mr Ground all, but a wild gypsy who had come one day the house and had swept Mrs Ground her feet his dancing black eyes and his wicked country ways.

(Adapted from the story "The Joker" in The Penguin Book of Very Short Stories.)