  Lessons in Fables
I. THE COOKING POTS
1. Put in prepositions on, of, off, down, away, from, near, against.
Two cooking pots were standing (1)_____ the ground near a river. One pot was made (2)_____ clay and the other pot was made (3)___iron. When the water rose, both pots were taken (4)_____ their feet and swept (5)_______the river.
The Clay Pot tried to keep (6)______ _______ the Iron Pot. When the Iron Pot saw that the Clay Pot was afraid (7)____ him, the Iron Pot said, “Don’t be afraid (8)_____me. I won’t hurt you.”
The Clay Pot answered, “I know you don’t want to hurt me, but if we are (9)_____each other, we may be thrown (10) ________each other. If we are thrown (11)_______ each other, it is I, the Clay Pot, who will break.”
2. Complete the table.
3. Give the Russian equivalents for the following English proverbs. Choose the best moral for the fable.
1. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
2. To go through fire and water.
3. What may be fun to you, is death to me.
4. Whoever breaks, pays.
Key:
1. 1. on; 2. of; 3. of; 4. off; 5. down; 6. away from; 7. of; 8. of; 9. near, next to, by; 10. against; 11. against
2.
3. 1, 3
II. THE FOX AND THE CROW
1. Read the text below and look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word which should not be there. If a line is correct, put a tick (V). If a line has a word which should not be there, write the word.
2. Use to where necessary to complete the sentences.
1. I saw Nick ____ drive away.
2. Can you make your little brother _____ be polite?
3. We expect them ______ arrive late.
4. I was made _____ do all the job again.
5. Let me ____ explain to you why I didn’t call you yesterday.
6. He wasn’t allowed ___ take many risks.
7. They never let me ____ know things in advance.
8. Nobody heard Mike _____ speak Russian.
9. I noticed him _____ leave the room.
10. Everybody heard the bomb ____ explode near his car.
3. Give Russian equivalents for the following English proverbs. Choose the best moral for the fable.
1. Silence is golden.
2. Think before you speak.
3. Praise is not pudding.
4. Pride goes before a fall.
5. Honours change manners.
Key:
1. 1. had; 2. V; 3. V; 4. be; 5. to; 6. were; 7. start; 8. V
2. 1. –; 2. –; 3. to; 4. to; 5. –; 6. to; 7. –; 8. –; 9. –; 10. –
3. 1, 2, 4
III. THE FOX AND THE GRAPES
1. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space.
A Fox (1)_____ very thirsty and wanted a (2)_______. He could find (3)_____ water, but he saw (4)_____ grapes.
These grapes looked fine and juicy, but they (5)_______ hanging above him. They were hanging (6)_____ high for him to reach. He jumped again and again but (7)______ not get the fine grapes.
After the Fox (8)_________ jumped many times, he knew he could not get the grapes. “These grapes may
(9)________ juicy, but I know they are sour. I don’t want those grapes anyway,” said the Fox to (10) ______ as he walked away.
2. You want the missing information (xxxxx). Write questions.
1. A Fox wanted a xxxxxxx.
___________________________________________
2. He saw some xxxxxxx.
___________________________________________
3. These grapes were hanging xxxxxxxxx high.
___________________________________________
4. After the Fox had jumped many times, he knew xxxxxxx.
___________________________________________
5. These grapes are xxxxx.
___________________________________________
3. Give Russian equivalents for the following English proverbs. Choose the best moral for the fable.
1. What one can’t have isn’t worth having.
2. A fox is not taken twice in the same snare.
3. Wise after the event.
snare - западня, капкан, ловушка (тж. перен.)
Key:
1. 1. was, 2. drink; 3. no; 4. some; 5. were; 6. too; 7. could; 8. had; 9. be; 10. himself
2.
1. What did a Fox want?
2. What did he see?
3. How high were these grapes hanging?
4. What did the Fox learn after he had jumped many times?
5. What kind of grapes are these?
3. 1
IV. THE MAN WHO LOVED GOLD
1. Read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.
Once there was a man (1)_____ loved gold (2)______ anything in all the world. The man sold everything he had, and with the money he (3)______ a big piece of gold.
The man put the gold into a hole near his house. Daily he would take his gold out of the hole and (4)______ hours looking lovingly at the gold.
One day the gold was gone. A robber (5)_______ all the gold that the man had put into the hole. The man tried to kill himself (6)______ now he had nothing to love.
His friend stopped him and said, “Don’t be (7)_____ unhappy, you haven’t lost much. Find a big stone and put it into the hole, and try to believe that this is your gold. You (8)_______ your gold when you had it. A stone will be just as good as the gold.”
2. Complete the sentences. Choose the most suitable ending from the box and make it into a relative clause.
0. What happened to the gold that/which was in the hole?
1. What happened to the man _____________________?
2. It can’t be the worst thing ______________________.
3. These are some sentences ______________________.
4. Don’t blame anybody for things _________________.
5. She told me the answer to the question ____________.
3. Give Russian equivalents for the following English proverbs. Choose the best moral for the fable.
1. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
2. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
3. Money doesn’t always bring happiness.
4. It is a mistake to place happiness in anything that may be taken away.
Key:
1. 1. A; 2. C; 3. B; 4. D; 5. D; 6. A; 7. C; 8. B
2.
1. What happened to the man who/that loved gold?
2. It can’t be the worst thing that has happened to him.
3. These are some sentences that/which are very difficult to translate.
4. Don’t blame anybody for things that go wrong.
5. She told me the answer to the question, which I didn’t know.
3. 4, 5
By Youdif Boyarskaya,
School No. 814, Moscow
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