Lessons in Fables
I. THE BAT, THE BIRD, AND THE ANIMALS
1. Read the text and look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word that 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.
1. |
The Birds of the air and the Animals of the fields were going to have had a |
2. |
war. The Birds asked for the Bat to fight on their side, but the Bat said, |
3. |
“I can’t fight on your side. I’m an Animal.” |
4. |
Then the Animals asked the Bat to fight on their side. |
5. |
“Oh, I can’t fight on your side,” answered the Bat. “I’m a Bird.” |
6. |
The Birds and the Animals later had came to an agreement and there was |
7. |
no war. Then both the Birds and the Animals were celebrated and |
8. |
had a feast. |
9. |
The Bat wanted to join to the Birds, but the Birds said,
|
10. |
“You can’t come to our celebration. You are an Animal.” |
11. |
Then the Bat went to join the Animals but the Animals said, “What are you |
12. |
doing at the our celebration? You are a Bird. Go away.”
|
13. |
So the Bat learned that he, who is not on one side or the other, |
14. |
has no friends. |
2. You want the missing information (XXXX). Write questions with who.
1. XXXXX were going to have a war. ________
2. The Birds asked XXXXX to fight on their side. ________
3. Then XXXXXX asked the Bat to fight on their side. ______
4. XXXXX later came to an agreement. ________
5. The Bat went to join XXXXX. ________
3. Give Russian equivalents for the following English proverbs. Choose the best moral for the fable.
1. He who hesitates is lost.
2. From bad to worse.
3. Better an open enemy than a false friend.
4. He who wants a friend must be one.
Key: 1. 1. had; 2. for; 3. v; 4. v; 5. v; 6. had; 7. were; 8. v; 9. to; 10. v; 11. v; 12. the; 13. v; 14. v.
2. 1. Who was going to have a war? 2. Who did the Birds ask to fight on their side? 3. Who asked the Bat to fight on their side? 4. Who later came to an agreement? 5. Who did the Bat go to join? 3. 4
II. COUNTING YOUR CHICKENS
1. Read the text and put in a/the or –.
(1)____ milkmaid was going to (2)____ town carrying (3)____ pail of (4)_____ milk on her head. As she walked along (5)_____ road, she thought of what she would like to do.
“I will sell my milk,” she thought, and buy (6)_____ eggs. (7)____ eggs will become chickens. Then I will sell my chickens. With (8)____ money I get from (9)_____ selling my chickens, I will buy (10)_____ some beautiful clothes.”
“I will look so beautiful in these clothes that some rich young man will fall in love with me. When he asks me to marry him, I will say “No! No!”
(11)____ milkmaid shook her head, and (12)___ pail of milk fell off. (13)____ milk spilled all over (14)____ ground. Now (15)____ milkmaid had no milk, no eggs, no chickens, no beautiful clothes, and no rich lover.
2. Complete the sentences using one of the following. Use the where necessary.
(the) physics (the) life (the) computer
(the) music (the) sugar (the) unemployed
(the) questions
1. ________ has changed a lot in the last ten years.
2. The test was very difficult. I didn’t answer all ______.
3. Can you pass _____, please?
4. Are you interested in ________?
5. Life is not easy for _______.
6. ______ has changed the way we live.
7. The words of the song weren’t very good but I liked ______.
3. Give Russian equivalents for the following English proverbs. Choose the best moral for the fable.
1. Don’t count your chicken before they’re hatched.
2. Never spend your money before you earn it.
3. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
4. If wishes were horses beggars might ride.
Key: 1. 1. A; 2. –; 3 a; 4. –; 5. the; 6. –; 7. the; 8. the; 9. –; 10. –; 11. The; 12. The; 13. The; 14. the; 15. the.
2. 1. Life; 2. the questions; 3. the sugar; 4. physics or music; 5. the unemployed; 6. The computer; 7. the music.
3. 1, 2, 4
By Youdif Boyarskaya, School No. 814, Moscow
|