READING

• Two village women were getting water from a well. A third woman came up. An old man was sitting on a stone. He was watching the women .One of the women said to another, “My little son is so strong. He is the strongest boy among his friends.” “Oh, you must hear how my boy sings,” answered the second woman. “Nobody can sing so beautifully as he can!”

The third woman didn’t say anything. “Well?” asked her friends. “Haven’t you got anything to tell us about your son?”

• “What can I tell you?” she said. “There is nothing so very special about him.”

Then the women picked up their buckets and went back to their houses. The old man went after them. On the way the women stopped and put their buckets down as they were heavy.

• The women were tired. At that time they saw three boys running along the street. One of the boys was big and strong. He looked like as athlete. The women smiled at him when he came up to them. The second was singing a very beautiful song. The women turned their heads to listen. But the third boy ran up to his mother, picked up her bucket of water and carried it home for her. Then one of the women turned to the old man and asked, “What do you think of our sons?” “Sons? Where were they?” the old man answered. “I saw only one son.”

• I. Mark if the statements are “true” or “false”.
• 1. Two city women were getting water from a well.
• 2. An old woman was sitting on the stone.
• 3. Two women praised their sons.
• 4. The third woman said nothing about her son.
• 5. On the way the women stopped as their baskets were heavy.
• 6. Two boys didn’t help their mothers.
• 7. The third boy helped his mother to carry a heavy bucket.
• 8. The old man liked the third woman’s son.
• 9. The third woman had a good son.