Mrs. Pumphrey made several excuses to avoid following Mr. Herriot's advice. When asked about cutting down sweet things, she said Tricki seemed so weak that she had to relent, as he loved cream cakes and chocolates. She also claimed Tricki suffered from malnutrition, so she gave him extras like malt, cod-liver oil, and Horlicks. Regarding exercise, she excused herself by saying the gardener, Hodgkin, was down with lumbago, so ring-throwing had stopped.
Source: A Triumph of Surgery, Tricki's Condition and Hospitalisation
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Examiners expect three distinct excuses — one for sweet things, one for extra feeding (malnutrition claim), and one for lack of exercise (gardener's lumbago). Each excuse should be stated clearly and briefly. Quoting specific details (cream cakes, Horlicks, lumbago) shows close reading and earns full marks. Avoid padding with your own opinion.