a) Translate the text below into Romanian.

b) Name the underlined English tenses, then identify their Romanian correspondents and explain
your translation choice.
c) Identify the meaning of the underlined modal auxiliary (permission, necessity, etc.).
d) Choose one instance of 1. Direct Speech/ Thought, 2. Indirect Speech/ Thought and 3. Free
Indirect Speech/ Thought in the excerpt, then turn them into 1. Indirect Speech/ Thought;2. Direct
Speech/ Thought; 3. Direct Speech/ Thought and Indirect Speech/ Thought, respectively.

I stood outside on the pavement wondering what to do next. There was a caf opposite, across the broad
street, and it was nearly lunch-time. I went over and into the caf, which smelled of cabbage, and because
I had arrived before the rush there was a table free by the window. Through the chaste net curtains of the
Olde Oake Caf I had a clear view of the Marconicar office. For what it was worth.
A stout girl with wispy hair pushed a typed menu card in front of me. I looked at it, depressed. English
home cooking at its very plainest. Tomato soup, choice of fried cod, sausages in batter, or steak and
kidney pie, with suet pudding and custard to follow. It was all designed with no regard for an amateur
riders weight. I asked for coffee. The girl said firmly I couldnt have coffee by itself at lunch-time, they
needed the tables. I offered to pay for the full lunch if I could just have the coffee, and to this she agreed,
clearly thinking me highly eccentric.
The coffee, when it came, was surprisingly strong and good. I was getting the first of the brew, I reflected,
idly watching the Marconicar front door. No one interesting went in or out. (pp. 263-4)