Question

Your teacher will read you an interesting story. Listen to it carefully and answer the questions that follow:

One day a young mother left her sleeping toddler on the floor and went out to fetch water in a pot, leaving her pet mongoose in charge of the baby.

When she returned a little later, she found the mongoose with its mouth full of blood lying near the doorstep. Presuming that the mongoose had killed the sleeping baby, in her anguish, she took the iron rod lying nearby, and killed the animal with it.

Later, when she entered the room where she had left her babe asleep, she saw a venomous viper lying dead, next to the baby’s bed, its body in pieces strewn around. She gasped in horror as she took in the scene, realizing that her baby had been unharmed as the mongoose had fought with the snake and had killed it. All her remorse and lament could not bring her pet mongoose back to life.

1. Who took care of the baby when the woman went to fetch water?

2. Why was the mongoose’s mouth covered with blood?

3. What made the woman kill the mongoose?

4. Why did the woman shed tears?

5. What do you learn from this story?

Answer 1

1. The mongoose took care of the baby.

2. The mongoose had killed a venomous viper.

3. The woman thought that the mongoose had killed her sleeping baby.

4. The woman realised her mistake. She had killed the mongoose which had saved her baby. She shed tears in remorse.

5. We should think before we act. We must realise that haste makes waste.