Exercises for Nine and One Make Ten

<Back to the story

 

A. How much did you understand?

 

Each sentence in the second list follows a sentence in the first list. Match them to retell the story.

  1. Once upon a time, nine hyena brothers hunted with a lion.
  2. "Yes, my lord," they said to the lion. "You can have nine cows, and we will have one."
  3. "You caught ten cows, and you gave nine to the lion?"
  4. "The nine cows are yours," he said.
  5. "That is not a hill, Father," said his sons.
  6. "That is not grass," his sons said.
  7. "Those are not balls of fire," said his sons.
  8. "Here is the tenth cow."

 

  1. "The lion will listen to me."
  2. "Those are the lion's eyes."
  3. "My foolish sons took it and brought it home, but it belongs to you."
  4. Then they went home to their father.
  5. They caught ten fat cows.
  6. "That is the lion's mane."
  7. "That is the lion."
  8. "That's not right."

 

B. Who is speaking?

 

Who said these sentences?

  1. "And there are ten cows. So I will have nine, and you can have one."
  2. "Give me your cow. I will take it to the lion."
  3. "You don't know the lion. He's very big, and very strong."
  4. "Look at the long, yellow grass in front of us."
  5. "Give me the cow."
  6. "The lion is too strong for us."

 

C. What do you think?

 

Weak people often have to give strong people everything they want. But this is not fair. What is the best way to work for a fairer society?

Good laws protect weak people, and stop strong people taking everything. Are there any laws that you would like to change in your country?

 

Check the answers