2bbe26a1535e307ba3c880f1754c7f72103 the cat and the fox fable

Task 1. Read the fable about the cat and the fox,
and whenever you get to a purple phrase,
decide which word order is the correct one.
One day a cat and a fox were having a conversation. The fox, who was a
conceited creature, boasted (1) how clever she was/ how clever
was she. 'I know at least a hundred tricks to get away from our
mutual enemies, the dogs,' she said. 'How many tricks (2) know
you/do you know?' she asked.
The cat was impressed by the fox’s skills. 'I know
only one trick to get away from dogs,' said the cat. (3)

'Do you think could you teach me/Do you think you could
teach me some of yours?'
'Well, I don’t know (4) whether I have/whether do I have the
time, but maybe some day I can teach you a few of the simpler
ones,' replied the fox.
Just then they heard the
barking of a pack of dogs
in the distance. They listened to the barking
to find out (5) which way were the dogs going/which
way the dogs were going. The barking grew louder and
louder - the dogs were coming in their direction!
At once the cat ran to the nearest tree and climbed up, well
out of reach of any dog. (6) 'Do you
remember/Remember you the trick I told you about, the
only one I know? You see, this is the one.' she called down to
the fox. 'Which one of your hundred tricks (7) you are
going to use/are you going to use?'
The fox just sat under the tree, wondering which trick (8)
she should use/should she use. Before she could make
up her mind, the dogs arrived. They fell upon the fox and

tore her to pieces.
Retold from Aesop by Rohini Chowdhury
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Task 2. Find the words in the
text that mean the same as:
1.
2.
3.
4.

a group of dogs
big headed
far away
liked and respected it very
much
5. so far away that no dog can
catch him
6. someone both you and I hate
7. suddenly
8. the language that dogs speak
9. to attack sy
10. to become more and more noisy
11. to escape from sy
12. to make a decision
13. to pull something so violently
that it breaks into two or more
parts
14. to talk too proudly of sg.

What is the lesson in this in your opinion?

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Full text
One day a cat and a fox were having a conversation. The fox, who was a conceited creature,
boasted how clever she was. 'I know at least a hundred tricks to get away from our mutual
enemies, the dogs,' she said. 'How many tricks do you know?' she asked.
The cat was impressed by the fox’s skills. 'I know only one trick to get away from dogs,' said
the cat. 'Do you think you could teach me some of yours?'
'Well, I don’t know whether I have the time, but maybe one day I can teach you a few of the
simpler ones,' replied the fox.
Just then they heard the barking of a pack of dogs in the distance. The barking grew
louder and louder - the dogs were coming in their direction! At once the cat ran to the
nearest tree and climbed up, well out of reach of any dog. 'Do you remember the trick I told
you about, the only one I know? You see, this is the one,' she called down to the fox. 'Which
one of your hundred tricks are you going to use?'
The fox just sat under the tree, wondering which trick she should use. Before she could make
up her mind, the dogs arrived. They fell upon the fox and tore her to pieces.
The lesson in this: a single plan that works is better than a hundred uncertain plans.
Retold from Aesop by Rohini Chowdhury
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Solutions
Task 2.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

a group of dogs – a pack of dogs
big headed - conceited
far away – in the distance
liked and respected it very much – be impressed by sg.
so far away that no one could catch him – out of reach of dogs
someone both you and I hate – our mutual enemy
suddenly – at once
the language that dogs speak - barking
to attack sy – fall upon sy
to become more and more noisy – grow louder and louder
to escape from sy– get away from sy
to make a decision – sy makes up his/her mind
to pull something so violently that it breaks into two or more parts – tear sy into pieces
to talk too proudly of sg. - boast

The lesson of the story:
A single plan that works is better than a hundred uncertain plans.