Reading Activity

THE BOY WHO CRIED “WOLF !”

Once upon a time there lived a little boy. His name was Bill. Bill didn’t live in town. He lived in the country, and looked after sheep. He was not a very good boy. He often fell asleep watching the sheep, and he also told lies.

The people who lived there often said, “That boy will come to a bad end”. One day Bill wanted to play a practical joke on the people. He ran down the hill and cried, “Wolf! Wolf! Help! Come quickly! Wolf!” All the people ran very fast to him as they wanted to save him. But when the people ran up to the boy they saw no wolf. ”It heard you and ran away,” the boy said. The people went away. Bill began to laugh. “How funny people are! How silly they are! They are not clever at all.” Three weeks later he wanted to play the same trick again. “Wolf! Wolf!” he cried. “Help! Come quickly! Wolf!” Many people ran to the hill as fast as they could, but again there was no wolf. This time the boy laughed at them. “Ha ha. There was no wolf,” he said. “What a good joke! Don’t you think so?” The people became very angry. “Lies are not jokes” they said, and went back home.

Two days later the weather was sunny and warm. The boy was sleeping in the afternoon sun. Suddenly he woke up. He saw a big dark animal. The animal ran to the sheep and grabbed one. “Wolf!” cried the boy. “Wolf! Help! Come quickly! Wolf!” But nobody came to save the boy this time. The wolf heard and said: “I like sheep, but a little boy will taste better. I’ll have a real dinner tonight!” When the boy didn’t return home that night the people went to look for him. But they never found him and nobody saw him again.

UNDERLINE ALL THE PAST TENSE VERBS.

 How many are there? __________

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.

1) Did the boy work well? Prove your answer.

2) What joke did he play on the people? Why did he do it?

3) Why do you think all the people came to help him first time?

4) Did they all come the second time?

5) Why did nobody come when the boy really saw a wolf?

6) What happened to the boy?

7) What do you think the people said when they couldn’t find Bill?

8) Do you sometimes tell lies? What is the result?

WHICH IS THE BEST MORAL OF THE STORY? WHY DO YOU THINK SO?

a) It’s not good to sleep at work.

b) If you play tricks on people, they won’t help you later.

c) If you tell too many lies, people won’t believe you.