Text «Dick Whittington and His Cat» with tasks

Text «Dick Whittington and His Cat»

Once upon a time there was a little boy. His name was Dick Whittington. He lived in the country and very often had no money to buy food. Dick was very young when his mother and father died and didn't remember his parents. Dick was often very hungry. He had heard that in London the streets were paved with gold and he dreamed of going there.

One day he decided to walk to London. On the way to London a man in a cart took Dick to London with him. When he got there, he, of course, found no gold in the streets, but he saw many poor and hungry people like himself.

Dick was soon taken by a kind rich man to help. His work was in the kitchen. But the cook was cruel and often beat Dick. He had to sleep in an attic full of mice and Door Dick couldn't even sleep well because of them.

Once Dick found a penny and he bought a cat. He named it Tabby. Soon the cat got rid Dick of all the mice. One day Dick's master, who was a ship owner, called all his servants and told them that his ship was going to sail to foreign countries. He said. "You may each give some of your things to the captain of my ship. The captain will bring you some goods from foreign countries».Dick had only Tabby, so he gave it to the captain.

Dick's life was very sad without the cat. The cook was crueler than before and poor Dick was so unhappy that he decided to run away. One day he came out of the house and walked to the end of the city. Suddenly he heard the bells of a church, which began to ring: "Turn back, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London^» .

"I shall be Lord Mayor of London when I grow up. So I must go back to my master's house.  And Dick turned bаск home.  

Some weeks passed and the ship returned. There were bags of gold and silver and fine things for everyone, but Dick's part was the biggest of all. Everybody was surprised that a little cat was worth so much. Then the captain of the ship told them the story.

He said that in one foreign country the king and the queen had invited him to the palace to have dinner with them. When the table was set and the food was brought in, mice came running from ail sides, seized the food and ran away with it.

The king and the queen said they would give very much gold to anyone, who would save them from the mice. The captain returned to the ship immediately and brought back Tabby, in a few minutes all the mice in the room were killed. The king and the queen were quite astonished, as they had never seen cats before. They said that such a wonderful animal was worth very a lot of gold and that was why Dick got such a great fortune.

Dick was rich now. He went to school and when he grew up, he married the ship owner's daughter.

Text «Dick Whittington and his cat»

Tasks

        I Match

1. to buy food                                                      a)   йти до Лондону
2. to walk to London                                           b)    спати на горищі
3. to sleep in the attic                                          c)    повертатися на корабель  
4. to sail to foreign countries                              d)    плавати до іноземних країн
5. to hear the bells                                               e)     чути дзвони
6. to return to the ship                                         f)     покупати їжу

II Complete the sentences

1. Dick lived …

1. In the country;
2. In the town;
3. In a big city.

2. One day he was taken to London by a man   …

1. In a car;
2.  In a cart;
3. On a horse.

3. Dick was taken by a rich man…

1. To cook;
2. To help;
3. To go shopping.

4. Dick's master was…

1. A shop owner;
2. A ship owner;
3. A shop assistant.

5. Dick's life was very sad without…

1. Money;
2. Food;
3. Cat.

6. The king and the queen were surprised, because they had never…before.

1. Seen mice;
2. Seen cats;
3. Been to foreign countries.

III Answer the questions

1. Who didn’t have any money to buy food?

1. Dick's master didn’t have any money;
2. Dick didn’t have any  money;
3. A man didn’t have any  money.

2. What did Dick hear about London’s streets?

1. London’s streets were paved  with granite;
2. London’s streets were paved with gold;
3. London’s streets were paved with marble.

3. Why couldn’t the boy  sleep in the attic?

1. There were mice ;
2. There were cats;
3. There were dogs.

4. What did the boy give to the captain of the ship?

1. The boy gave some money;
2. The boy gave a penny;
3. The boy gave a cat.

5. What did the boy decide when he gave Tabby?

1.  The boy decided to go out;
2. The boy decided to go for a walk;
3. The boy decided to run away.

6. Who saved the king and the queen?

1. A cat saved the king and the queen;
2. Dick saved the king and the queen;
3. A captain saved the king and the queen.

IV Render the text in Ukrainian. What do you think about this story? Was it true? Write, what you would do if you were Dick.