Answers to the Exercises for The Head and the Tea-seller

Back to the exercises Back to the story

 

A. How much did you understand?

 

The right order of these sentences is 4, 3, 1, 5, 2

The man and his new wife waited for a long time, but they didn't have a child.

The baby had no arms and no legs.

"Help! Take me out! Help! " the head began to shout.

So the travellers picked up the head and carried it to the town.

So the head stayed with the tea-seller, and the tea-seller looked after him.

 

The right order of these sentences is 4, 3, 2, 1, 5

All the young men in the town wanted to marry the king's daughter.

So the tea-seller went to see the king.

They looked at many camels, and at last the head chose one.

So the tea-seller took the camel to the king's palace.

The tea-seller was even more surprised than the king, but he was very happy for his friend.

 

The right order of these sentences is 1, 5, 3, 4, 2

So the next day, the tea-seller took the head to the palace in a bag.

"I made a promise," he said, "and I will keep my promise."

At once, the head became a handsome young man!

Early the next morning, the king and queen went to the bedroom door.

But the new king's old father was not happy.

 

B. What were they feeling?

 

  1. A man's wife had no children, so he divorced her and married another. Now his first wife was unhappy.
  2. When the man's new wife became pregnant, her husband was happy.
  3. Some travellers found a sack in the road. When they opened it and found the head, they were frightened.
  4. The travellers gave the head to the tea-seller. He was very surprised.
  5. When the camel spoke, the tea-seller was even more surprised than the king.
  6. When the king saw the head, he was angry and sad.
  7. The morning after the wedding, the princess was happy.
  8. The princess and her husband wanted to eat breakfast because they were hungry.
  9. When everyone saw the handsome young man, they were very happy.

 

frightened, angry, happy, sad, surprised, unhappy, hungry

 

C. Who said these sentences?

 

  1. "What is inside this sack?"
    The travellers
  2. "Take me to the town."
    The head
  3. "Here's something for you."
    The travellers
  4. "Soon, I promise you, you will be rich."
    The head
  5. "Buy your tea in this place today."
    The head
  6. "Who is this young man? What kind of man is he?"
    The king
  7. "We will go to the palace, of course and I will marry the princess."
    The head
  8. "I made a promise, and I will keep my promise."
    The king
  9. "Oh, my poor daughter. Husband, what have you done?"
    The queen
  10. "Please give us some breakfast."
    The princess