CONTROL LESSON A Brave Rescue and a Great Discovery

Reading Skills Assessment for 9^th  Grade Students:

A Brave Rescue and a Great Discovery

Fleming was a Scottish farmer, and one day, while working in a field, he heard a desperate cry for help.

Following the sound, he discovered a young boy who was stuck in a deep bog and struggling to get out. Without hesitation, Fleming pulled the boy to safety, saving his life.

The next day, a carriage arrived at Fleming’s farmhouse, and a well-dressed man stepped out. He introduced himself as the father of the boy whom Fleming had rescued. "You saved my son's life," the man said, “How can I ever repay you?”

Fleming replied, “I don’t need any payment.” At that very moment, Fleming’s own young son appeared at the farmhouse door. “Is he your son?” the man asked.

“Yes,” Fleming answered proudly.

“I have an idea,” the man said. “Let me pay for your son’s education. If he grows to be like his father, he will become a man we will both admire.” And so he did.

Fleming’s son later became the world-renowned Nobel Prize-winning scientist, Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin. It is said that many years later, the boy who had been rescued from the bog as a child fell seriously ill with pneumonia. Remarkably, Fleming’s penicillin saved his life. This boy grew up to become Sir Winston Churchill, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Although this story is widely told, it is important to note that it is a legend. The historical connection between Fleming and Churchill in this manner is not true, but it remains a fascinating tale that highlights Fleming’s groundbreaking discovery and Churchill’s significance in history.

 

 

 

 I. True / False Test

1. Fleming was a Scottish farmer.
2. Fleming heard a cry for help while working in a city.
3. The boy was stuck in a bog and needed help.
4. Fleming’s son was present when the boy’s father arrived at the farmhouse.
5. The boy’s father paid for Fleming’s school.
6. Fleming accepted the payment from the boy’s father.
7. Fleming’s son later discovered penicillin.
8. The boy who had been rescued grew up to become Winston Churchill.
9. The story about Fleming saving Churchill is historically proven.
10. Fleming’s discovery of penicillin saved many lives, according to the legend.

(Key: 1. True, 2. False, 3. True, 4. True, 5. True, 6. False, 7. True, 8. True, 9. False, 10. True)

II. Match

Word	Definition
Pneumonia	A wet, soft area of land, often dangerous
Legend	To save someone from danger
Scientist	A serious illness affecting the lungs
Bog	A story that is widely told but not proven true
Rescue	A person who studies or works in science
Farmer	To find something for the first time
Discover	An award for achievements in science, literature, or peace
Nobel Prize	A person who owns or works on a farm

 

(Key:

  Pneumonia → A serious illness affecting the lungs;

  Legend → A story that is widely told but not proven true;

 

 Scientist → A person who studies or works in science;

 

 Bog → A wet, soft area of land, often dangerous;

 

 Rescue → To save someone from danger;

 

 Farmer → A person who owns or works on a farm;

 

Discover → To find something for the first time;

 Nobel Prize → An award for achievements in science, literature, or peace;)

III. Match the halves of the sentences

A - beginnings of sentences	B - endings of sentences
1. Fleming heard a cry for help…	1. … in a deep bog and could not get out.
2. The boy was stuck…	2. … at the farmhouse door.
3. Fleming’s son appeared…	3. …to pay for his education.
4. The boy’s father offered…	4. …to become a Nobel Prize-winning scientist.
5. Fleming’s son later became…	5. …while he was working in a field.
6. The rescued boy grew up…	6. …and became the Prime Minister.

(Key: A1 → B5; A2 → B1; A3 → B2; A4 → B3; A5 → B4; A6 → B6;)

IV. Sentence Completion

*Word Box: Fleming, bog, rescued, father, penicillin, Nobel Prize, scientist, Winston Churchill

* - option is not necessary for advanced learners

 

1. Fleming was a Scottish __________ who worked in the fields.
2. One day, he heard a cry for help and followed it to a deep __________.
3. He quickly __________ a young boy who was stuck in the bog.
4. The boy’s __________ wanted to repay Fleming for saving his son’s life.
5. Fleming’s own son later became a famous __________ and discovered __________.
6. For his achievements, Fleming received the __________.
7. The boy who had been rescued grew up to become __________, the former Prime Minister of England.
8. The story about Fleming saving Churchill is considered a __________, not a historical fact.

(Key: 1. farmer, 2. bog, 3. rescued, 4. father, 5. scientist, penicillin, 6. Nobel Prize, 7. Winston Churchill, 8. legend)

V. Multiple Choice Test

1. What was Fleming’s occupation?

a) Teacher

b) Farmer

c) Soldier

d) Doctor

 

2. Where did Fleming hear a cry for help?

a) In a forest

b) In a city

c) In a field

d) At home

 

3. What was the boy stuck in?

a) A tree

b) A bog

c) A well

d) A cave

 

4. Who saved the boy?

a) Fleming

b) The boy’s father

c) Fleming’s son

d) A passerby

 

5. What did the boy’s father do after his son was saved?

a) Paid for Fleming’s son’s education

b) Built a school

c) Gave Fleming money

d) Nothing

 

6. What did Fleming’s son later become?

a) A writer

b) A Nobel Prize-winning scientist

c) A soldier

d) A teacher

 

7. What important discovery did Fleming’s son make?

a) Electricity

b) Penicillin

c) Radio

d) Vaccination

 

8. Who did the rescued boy grow up to be?

a) Albert Einstein

b) Winston Churchill

c) Isaac Newton

d) Charles Darwin

 

9. Which sentence is true about the story?

a) It is completely historical

b) It is a legend

c) It is a fairy tale

d) It is a novel

 

10. Why is the story considered a legend?

a) Because it is not fully proven historically

b) Because it is about magic

c) Because it is very old

d) Because it is fictional

 

11. How did Fleming save the boy?

a) By pulling him out of a bog

b) By calling for help

c) By giving him medicine

d) By teaching him

 

12. What does penicillin do?

a) It makes people stronger

b) It changes hair color

c) It builds muscles

d) It kills bacteria and saves lives

(Key: 1. b, 2. c, 3. b, 4. a, 5. a, 6. b, 7. b, 8. b, 9. b, 10. a, 11. a, 12. d )

 

VI. Put the sentences in the correct order to make a logical story

A. A rich man came to thank the farmer for saving his son.

B. A boy fell into a bog and was in danger.

C. The story later became known as a legend about two famous people.

D. The farmer saved the boy from the bog.

E. The man offered to pay for the farmer’s son’s education.

F. The farmer’s son became a famous scientist and discovered penicillin.

G. The boy grew up to become an important political leader.

(Key: 1. B, 2. D, 3. A, 4. E, 5. F, 6. G, 7. C)