9 FORM  ___________________________________________________

SEMESTER I

READING COMPREHENSION TEST

 THE FIRE ON THE HILL 

     Long, long ago there was a lake of cold water in Kenya.  Many animals came at night to the lake to drink some water. But people never came to the lake at night: the animals could kill and eat them.               

Now, a rich man who had a beautiful daughter once said: „The young man, who will go to the lake in the evening and stay in the cold water till morning, will have my daughter for his wife."

There lived a poor young man who loved the rich man's daughter very much. He said to his mother, „I shall try to stay all night in the lake and then marry my dear girl".

„No, no", the mother said, „you are my only son!". The water in the lake is very cold, and the animals will eat you up. Don't go there!" She cried and cried, but her son said: „Mother, don't cry, I must try. I love her so much!"

So the young man went to the girl's father. He told him that he wanted to go to the lake and stay in the cold water all night. The rich man sent his servants to the place where they could watch the young man.

When night carne, the young man went to the lake and his mother followed him, but he didn't see her. There was a hill forty paces away from the place where the young man went into the water. The woman climbed up the hill and made up a fire there. The wild animals saw the fire and were afraid to go near that place.

The young man saw the fire too. He understood that his mother was there. He thought of his mother's love, and it was easier for him to stay all night in the very cold water.

Morning came. The young man went to the rich man's house. The rich man saw him and said, „My servants say that there was a fire on the hill forty paces from the lake. It warmed you and that is why you could stay all night in the water. So you can't marry my daughter. Good-bye".

     The   young   man   was    very    angry.   He went to the judge.  “Well”, 

the judge said, „this is a very simple case".

The next morning the young man with his mother and the rich man with his servants came before the judge. There were many people there who wanted to hear the case.

The judge asked for a pot of cold water. Then he walked forty paces from the pot and made a fire. „Now", he said, „we shall wait a little until the water is warm". The people cried: „But the fire is so far away, it can't warm the water in the pot". Then the judge said: „How could that young man warm himself at a fire forty paces away?"

So the case was over, and the young man married the rich man's daughter. They lived happily for many years.

READING COMPREHENSION TEST

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

1. There was a river of cold water in Kenya.
2. A rich man had a beautiful daughter.
3. A poor young man loved his daughter very much.
4. Mother wanted that her son married the rich man’s daughter.
5. The rich man sent his servants to the lake.
6. There was a hill thirty paces away from the lake.
7. The mother made a fire to warm the place.

II  Find the correct answer.

1.  What was the lake famous for?

a) for its good clear water; b) for its animals living close to it; c) for the fact that people were afraid to go there at night; d) for the fact that the lake was very old.

2. What did a rich man want the young man to do?

a) to go to the lake; b) to stay in the cold water; c) to stay in the river all night; d) to marry his daughter

3.  Why did the mother cry? 

a) because she worried about her son; b) because she was afraid of animals;  c) because the water was too cold. d) because she wanted her son to marry.

4. Where did the mother go?

a) to the lake; b) to the forest; c) to the rich man; d) to the hill

5. What helped the young man to stay in the lake all night?

a) wild animals; b) the servants; c) his mother's great love; d) his love to the girl

6. Who came before the judge?

a) the young man, his mother, servants and the rich man; b) the rich man and his daughter; c)       people who wanted to hear the case; d) the young man and the servants who watched him

8. What did the judge prove?

a) that there was no fire on the hill; b) that the water in the lake was warm;

c) that the young man loved the girl; d) that the fire couldn't warm the water in the lake

III Complete the sentences with the correct words

1. Many animals came at night to the lake to...
2. The young man said: “I’ll try to stay all night in the lake and then ...
3. His mother followed him but at first he ...
4. The wild animals saw the fire and ...
5. They lived happily for ...

IV In several sentences prove that mother really loved her son.