Reading. The Elephant and the Monkey.

THE ELEPHANT AND THE MONKEY

One day an elephant said to a monkey: "Look how big and strong I am! I can carry a very big tree. I am glad I am strong."

"Look how quick I am! I can run quickly, and I can go up a tree very quickly!" said the monkey. "And I am glad I am quick."

But which is better: a strong animal or a quick animal? They did not know. They argued, and each of them thought he was better.

Then the monkey had an idea. "The old owl is very clever. Let's go to her and ask her about it."

They went to the old owl, and the elephant said, "The mon­key is quick, but I am strong. Which is better?"

The owl said, "Do you see that big tree? There is a nut on it. Who can bring it here? Go and pick the nut and bring it to me."

The elephant and the monkey ran to the tree. But on their way they came to a river. The monkey was afraid to swim.

"I can carry you," said the elephant. "I am big and strong."

The monkey sat down on the elephant's back, and the elephant swam across the river. When they came to the tree, the elephant wanted to pick the nut with his trunk, but he could not, because the nut was too high. The elephant tried to shake the tree, but the tree was too thick.

"I can climb the tree," said the monkey and went up the tree. Then the monkey picked the nut. The elephant put the nut in his mouth. Then they swam back to the owl and gave her the nut.

"Now Mrs. Owl, which is better: a strong animal or a quick animal?"

"Both are good," said the owl. "But you could not do alone what you did together."

1. When does the story happen?

2. Where does the story happen? What words help you to guess?

3. Who are the characters in the story?

4. What is the problem at the beginning of the story?

5. Can the characters solve the problem themselves? What do they do?

6. Does the owl solve their problem at once? What does she tell them?

7. What problems appear on the way to the tree?

8. How do the characters solve the problems?

9. Is their first problem solved at the end of the tale?

10. What is the main idea of the tale?

11. What do you think of the characters? Use some of the words:

THE ELEPHANT AND THE MONKEY

One day an elephant said to a monkey: "Look how big and strong I am! I can carry a very big tree. I am glad I am strong."

"Look how quick I am! I can run quickly, and I can go up a tree very quickly!" said the monkey. "And I am glad I am quick."

But which is better: a strong animal or a quick animal? They did not know. They argued, and each of them thought he was better.

Then the monkey had an idea. "The old owl is very clever. Let's go to her and ask her about it."

They went to the old owl, and the elephant said, "The mon­key is quick, but I am strong. Which is better?"

The owl said, "Do you see that big tree? There is a nut on it. Who can bring it here? Go and pick the nut and bring it to me."

The elephant and the monkey ran to the tree. But on their way they came to a river. The monkey was afraid to swim.

"I can carry you," said the elephant. "I am big and strong."

The monkey sat down on the elephant's back, and the elephant swam across the river. When they came to the tree, the elephant wanted to pick the nut with his trunk, but he could not, because the nut was too high. The elephant tried to shake the tree, but the tree was too thick.

"I can climb the tree," said the monkey and went up the tree. Then the monkey picked the nut. The elephant put the nut in his mouth. Then they swam back to the owl and gave her the nut.

"Now Mrs. Owl, which is better: a strong animal or a quick animal?"

"Both are good," said the owl. "But you could not do alone what you did together."

1. When does the story happen?

2. Where does the story happen? What words help you to guess?

3. Who are the characters in the story?

4. What is the problem at the beginning of the story?

5. Can the characters solve the problem themselves? What do they do?

6. Does the owl solve their problem at once? What does she tell them?

7. What problems appear on the way to the tree?

8. How do the characters solve the problems?

9. Is their first problem solved at the end of the tale?

10. What is the main idea of the tale?

11. What do you think of the characters? Use some of the words: