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READING COMPREHENSION TEST


The Lady or the Tiger?

In the very old times there lived a king, and he was a man of great fancy.

One day an idea came to his mind, and the king decided to modernize the system of court trial in his kingdom.

For this purpose there was built a big arena with galleries around it. In that arena the most important criminals were to be put on trial in public. But neither the king nor anybody of his court was to decide the fate of the accused person. It was the criminal himself who did it. On an appointed day when all the people had gathered at the galleries, and the king and his court had taken their places, the accused person stepped into the arena. On the other side of the arena there were two doors. The doors were side by side and identical. The accused person was to walk to those doors and open one of them. If he opened the one, there came out of it a hungry tiger and tore him to pieces, as a punishment for his crime. At the same time the sad bells began to clang, and the people with heavy hearts went to their homes. But if the accused opened the other door, there came out of it a beautiful lady. And to that lady he was immediately married, as a reward for his innocence. It did not matter that the accused might already have a wife and children, or a bride; the king took no notice of such trifles.

Such was the king’s method of showing justice.

The king had a daughter whom he loved greatly. She was very beautiful and, at the same time, she was very conceited. It happened so that she fell in love with a young man whose social position was not as high as hers. But they were happy.

One day the king learned about their love. The young man was immediately put into prison, and a day was appointed for his trial in the king’s arena.

On this occasion the most savage tiger was caught and caged behind one of the doors, and a very beautiful girl was found to stand behind the other door.

The appointed day came. A lot of people gathered at the galleries. The king and his court were in their places. Then the signal was given, and the lover of the princess walked into the arena. He bowed to the king and looked at the princess who was sitting to the right of her father. The princess had learned the secret of the doors. She knew not only in which room there was the lady, but also who that lady was. It was one of the most beautiful girls of the court, and the princess hated her. The princess was very jealous.

When the lover looked at her, he understood that she knew behind which door was the tiger, and behind which stood the lady. His eyes asked: “Which?”

The question was clear to her, and she had to answer. She raised her hand and made a slight movement towards the right door. Her lover turned and, without the slightest hesitation, went to the door on the right.

And now it is for you, dear reader, to decide: did the princess lie or didn’t?

Make your decision. But remember, that, on the one hand the princess loved the young man greatly; but on the other hand she was hot-tempered and jealous.



READING COMPREHENSION TEST

I Read the text and put “+” if the sentence is right and “-” if one is false

1 The king decided to modernize the system of court trial in his kingdom.

2 For this purpose there was built a stadium.

3 The accused person stepped into the gallery.

4 If the accused opened the door and a beautiful lady came out, he had immediately to sing a song for her.

5 The king’s daughter was conceited, hot-tempered and jealous.

6 The princess didn’t know the secret of the doors.

7 The princess’ lover turned and, without the slightest hesitation, went to the door on the right.



II Find the correct answer

1 What kind of man was a king?

a man of great courage
a man of great fancy
a man of great mind
a man of great wit
2 What did the king decide to modernize one day?

a) a political system
b) a system of education
c) a system of court trial
d) a system of social assistance
3 What was built for this purpose?

a) a big arena with galleries around it
b) a beautiful palace
c) a new market
d) a new highway
4 Who was to decide the fate of accused person?

a) the trial
b) the government
c) neither the king nor anybody of his court
d) the court
5 Where did the accused person step?

a) into the garden
b) into the palace
c) into the arena
d) into the prison
6 What did the accused person have to open?

a) a box on the table
b) a letter in the envelope
c) a door of the arena
d) a window in the palace


III Write synonyms from the text

1 an imaginative man

2 a pretty lady

Ambitious

4 ill-tempered

5 envious

IV Write 10 – 15 sentences about your attitude to the story “The Lady or the Tiger?”

1+2-3-4-5+6-7+

a man of great fancy

c)

3.a.

4.a)

5.c)

6.c)

1.a man of great fancy

2.a beautiful lady

3.conceited

4.hot-tempered

5.jealous

The story is very interesting and useful .