Reading Comprehension Variant 2

A cap-hawker

    Ratan was a cap-hawker. He went from village to village and sold caps. He always wore one of his caps himself to show people how nice and bright it was. People liked his nice red caps and often bought them. On his way, one afternoon, Ratan lied down under a tree to have some rest. He put his basket with caps at his side, and soon fell asleep. Some monkeys on the tree saw the sleeping hawker and his basket with caps. The monkeys were curious. One by one, they came down and took a cap from the basket. As the sleeping hawker had a cap on his head, the monkeys put the caps on their heads too. When Ratan awoke, he saw no caps in his basket. He was surprised. Then he looked up and saw that many monkeys on the tree had his caps on. Ratan was very angry and wanted to get his caps back. He thought, “If I shout at the monkeys, they will run away. But I know that monkeys like to imitate.”

    Then Ratan took off his bright red cap and threw it on the ground. Ratan’s trick worked. The monkeys imitated him and began to throw their caps on the ground. Ratan quickly picked up all his caps, put them into his basket and went to the next village. “Quick wit is better than imitation,” he said to himself.

Task 1. True or False?

1.   Ratan sold caps in his shop. 

A cap-hawker

    Ratan was a cap-hawker. He went from village to village and sold caps. He always wore one of his caps himself to show people how nice and bright it was. People liked his nice red caps and often bought them. On his way, one afternoon, Ratan lied down under a tree to have some rest. He put his basket with caps at his side, and soon fell asleep. Some monkeys on the tree saw the sleeping hawker and his basket with caps. The monkeys were curious. One by one, they came down and took a cap from the basket. As the sleeping hawker had a cap on his head, the monkeys put the caps on their heads too. When Ratan awoke, he saw no caps in his basket. He was surprised. Then he looked up and saw that many monkeys on the tree had his caps on. Ratan was very angry and wanted to get his caps back. He thought, “If I shout at the monkeys, they will run away. But I know that monkeys like to imitate.”

    Then Ratan took off his bright red cap and threw it on the ground. Ratan’s trick worked. The monkeys imitated him and began to throw their caps on the ground. Ratan quickly picked up all his caps, put them into his basket and went to the next village. “Quick wit is better than imitation,” he said to himself.

2. Ratan seldom wore his caps himself.  

A cap-hawker

    Ratan was a cap-hawker. He went from village to village and sold caps. He always wore one of his caps himself to show people how nice and bright it was. People liked his nice red caps and often bought them. On his way, one afternoon, Ratan lied down under a tree to have some rest. He put his basket with caps at his side, and soon fell asleep. Some monkeys on the tree saw the sleeping hawker and his basket with caps. The monkeys were curious. One by one, they came down and took a cap from the basket. As the sleeping hawker had a cap on his head, the monkeys put the caps on their heads too. When Ratan awoke, he saw no caps in his basket. He was surprised. Then he looked up and saw that many monkeys on the tree had his caps on. Ratan was very angry and wanted to get his caps back. He thought, “If I shout at the monkeys, they will run away. But I know that monkeys like to imitate.”

    Then Ratan took off his bright red cap and threw it on the ground. Ratan’s trick worked. The monkeys imitated him and began to throw their caps on the ground. Ratan quickly picked up all his caps, put them into his basket and went to the next village. “Quick wit is better than imitation,” he said to himself.

3. On his way, one morning, Ratan lied down to have some rest.  

A cap-hawker

    Ratan was a cap-hawker. He went from village to village and sold caps. He always wore one of his caps himself to show people how nice and bright it was. People liked his nice red caps and often bought them. On his way, one afternoon, Ratan lied down under a tree to have some rest. He put his basket with caps at his side, and soon fell asleep. Some monkeys on the tree saw the sleeping hawker and his basket with caps. The monkeys were curious. One by one, they came down and took a cap from the basket. As the sleeping hawker had a cap on his head, the monkeys put the caps on their heads too. When Ratan awoke, he saw no caps in his basket. He was surprised. Then he looked up and saw that many monkeys on the tree had his caps on. Ratan was very angry and wanted to get his caps back. He thought, “If I shout at the monkeys, they will run away. But I know that monkeys like to imitate.”

    Then Ratan took off his bright red cap and threw it on the ground. Ratan’s trick worked. The monkeys imitated him and began to throw their caps on the ground. Ratan quickly picked up all his caps, put them into his basket and went to the next village. “Quick wit is better than imitation,” he said to himself.

4. Ratan’s caps were nice and red.   

A cap-hawker

    Ratan was a cap-hawker. He went from village to village and sold caps. He always wore one of his caps himself to show people how nice and bright it was. People liked his nice red caps and often bought them. On his way, one afternoon, Ratan lied down under a tree to have some rest. He put his basket with caps at his side, and soon fell asleep. Some monkeys on the tree saw the sleeping hawker and his basket with caps. The monkeys were curious. One by one, they came down and took a cap from the basket. As the sleeping hawker had a cap on his head, the monkeys put the caps on their heads too. When Ratan awoke, he saw no caps in his basket. He was surprised. Then he looked up and saw that many monkeys on the tree had his caps on. Ratan was very angry and wanted to get his caps back. He thought, “If I shout at the monkeys, they will run away. But I know that monkeys like to imitate.”

    Then Ratan took off his bright red cap and threw it on the ground. Ratan’s trick worked. The monkeys imitated him and began to throw their caps on the ground. Ratan quickly picked up all his caps, put them into his basket and went to the next village. “Quick wit is better than imitation,” he said to himself.

5. The monkeys took his caps because he was sleeping.   

A cap-hawker

    Ratan was a cap-hawker. He went from village to village and sold caps. He always wore one of his caps himself to show people how nice and bright it was. People liked his nice red caps and often bought them. On his way, one afternoon, Ratan lied down under a tree to have some rest. He put his basket with caps at his side, and soon fell asleep. Some monkeys on the tree saw the sleeping hawker and his basket with caps. The monkeys were curious. One by one, they came down and took a cap from the basket. As the sleeping hawker had a cap on his head, the monkeys put the caps on their heads too. When Ratan awoke, he saw no caps in his basket. He was surprised. Then he looked up and saw that many monkeys on the tree had his caps on. Ratan was very angry and wanted to get his caps back. He thought, “If I shout at the monkeys, they will run away. But I know that monkeys like to imitate.”

    Then Ratan took off his bright red cap and threw it on the ground. Ratan’s trick worked. The monkeys imitated him and began to throw their caps on the ground. Ratan quickly picked up all his caps, put them into his basket and went to the next village. “Quick wit is better than imitation,” he said to himself.

6. Monkeys were curious.   

Task 2. Choose the correct answer:

7. What did Ratan sell?

8. What did Ratan see in his basket when he woke up? 

9. How did Ratan feel when he saw monkeys with his caps?

10. What do monkeys like to do?

11. What did Ratan do to get his caps back?

12. Is imitation better than quick wit according to Ratan?