Reading "THE BOY, WHO SAVED THE NETHERLANDS "

READING                                                                                                                        

Name___________________________________                  Form______    Date ________                

Read the text (7, I term)

THE BOY, WHO SAVED THE NETHERLANDS

 Many years ago in Harlem, Holland, there lived a young boy. His name was Hans and he was eight years old. One autumn day, Hans went across the channel to visit an old blind man. He took the man some biscuits and stayed there for a while. Then, Hans decided to return home.

 “Be careful, Hans” said the old man. “The water in the canal usually gets higher in autumn.” On his way home, Hans sang a song, watched the rabbits run around and picked some flowers for his mother. Suddenly, the sky got dark and heavy rain began to fall. Hans felt scared and started to run. Just then, he heard the sound of water flowing away. He looked around carefully, and then noticed a very small hole in the dike.

 Hans felt frightened because he knew what could happen. The small hole could get bigger and bigger. Then the dike could burst and flood Holland. Hans knew what to do. He put his finger into the hole, so no more water could come through it. “Please, someone help me!” Hans shouted. But there was no one to help him. After a while, he began to feel very cold and tired, but he could not leave the dike. All night long, Hans waited and waited…

 The next morning, a priest walked by and heard Hans’ cries. “I am trying to stop the water,” the boy said. “Can you help me?” The priest called some other people and they quickly mended the hole. Finally, they took Hans home. Everyone was very proud of that brave boy.

Tasks

I. Are the sentences true or false?

1. Hans lived in Harlem, the Netherlands. ______

2. Hans was a boy of eight years old. ______

3. Hans visited an old woman. ______

4. He took some biscuits to the old man.________

5. The man asked the boy to be careful in the street._____

6. On the way home Hans sang a song, watched some animals and picked some flowers. ______

7. It started raining that evening. _______

 8. The boy was frightened and hid among the trees. ____

9. Hans noticed a big hole in the dike._____

10.  He put his bag in the hole in the dike.____

11. The boy didn’t cry for help. _____

12. Hans was heard by a priest. ____

II. Match the statements with each person. Write M (man), H (Hans), P (priest) next to each one.

1. He was frightened because of heavy rain. ____
2. He heard the boy’s cries. ____
3. He asked the boy to be careful. ____
4. He went to visit a blind man. ___
5. He tried to stop water. _____
6. He warned the boy of high water in the canal. ___
7. He called other people and they mended the hole.____
8. He felt exhausted but he didn’t leave the dike. ____