A chinese vase

When I was a child I often went to see my grandmother. I thought her house was as beautiful as a palace and the garden seemed bigger than a park. As I grew older the house and the garden seemed smaller but I still loved visiting the old lady. There were so many beautiful things in the house.

Sometimes I played with the doll’s house which was older than grandmother herself; at other times I looked at books which were more interesting than my children’s books at home. I loved her pictures and the old clock, but most of all I loved a big Chinese vase which stood in the hall. It was taller than I, and I couldn’t see inside it. I walked round and round it looking at the beautiful ladies, and the birds and flowers and trees, and grandmother often told me stories about these ladies. After I was married I took my two sons to visit their great grandmother. They didn’t like the beautiful books and the vase as I did. They preferred playing football in the garden.

Before she died, grandmother gave me the vase I loved so much. It looked beautiful in our modern hall. One day I came home from the shops. My sons met me at the door. They looked guilty. Paul had a ball in his hands. “I am as good as George Best, Mummy”, he said. “I got a goal and I broke the vase.”

Philip tried to be more diplomatic than Paul. “It doesn’t really matter, does it? You told us it wasn’t new.”

I. Say if the statements are true or false.

1. When I was a child I often went to see my aunt.

2. As I grew older the house and the garden seemed smaller.

3. Sometimes I played chess with grandmother.

4. At other times I looked at books which I liked.

5. I loved the jewelry and old marble.

6. Most of all I loved a big Chinese vase.

II. Choose the correct answer.

1. What pictures were on the vase?

a) stones b) dragons c) ladies, birds and flowers

2. What stories did grandmother tell?

a) about trees b) about ladies c) about dragons

3. How many sons did the author have?

a) two sons b) the only son c) two daughters

4. What was the boys’ attitude to the house?

a) they liked it b) they disliked it c) they were indifferent

5. What did the boys prefer?

a) to play football b) to play chess c) to read books

6. What did grandmother give the granddaughter before her death?

a) the ring b) the books c) the vase

III. Finish the sentences.

1. The vase looked beautiful …

a) in our modern hall. b) in our bedroom. c) in our livingroom.

2. One day the lady came home …

a) from the circus. b) from the shops. c) from the theatre.

3. Her sons met her …

a) at the door. b) near the gate. c) in the garden.

4. The boys looked …

a) glad. b) guilty. c) quiet.

5. In his hands Paul had …

a) a pen. b)a cat. c) a ball.

6. He said that he …

a) lost money. b) broke the window. c) broke the vase.

The king who wanted to be an artist

There was a king who thought that he could paint very well. His pictures were bad, but the people to whom he showed them were afraid of the king. They all said that they liked his pictures very much.

One day the king showed his pictures to a great painter who lived in his country and asked: “I want to know what you think of my pictures. Do you like them? Am I a good painter or not?”

The painter looked at the king's pictures and said: “My king. I think that your pictures are bad, and that you will never be a good painter.”

The king got very angry and sent the painter to prison.

After two years the king wanted to see the painter again. “I was angry with you,” he said, “because you did not like my pictures. Now forget all about it. You are a free man again and I am your friend.”

For many hours the king talked with the painter, and even asked him to dine. After dinner the king showed his pictures to the painter and asked: “Well, how do you like them now?”

The painter did not answer anything. He turned to the solider standing near him and said: “Take me back to prison.”

I. Say if the statements are true or false.

1. There was a king who thought he couldn’t paint at all.

2. His pictures were very bad.

3. People loved the king and were not afraid of him.

4. They said they liked his pictures.

5. One day the king showed his pictures to the magician.

6. The great painter said that his pictures were bad.

II. Choose the correct answer.

1. What was the king’s reaction on his word?

a) he got angry b) he got happy c) he got surprised

2. Where did he send the painter?

a) to the mountains b) to prison c) to the resort

3. How much time passed?

a) two month b) five years c) two years

4. What did the king want after two years?

a) to see the painter b) to kill the painter c) to exile the painter

5. What did he ask the painter?

a) to be glad b) to forget all c) to forgive

6. What did he say to the painter?

a) he was his friend b) he was his enemy c) he was his adviser

III. Finish the sentences.

1. The king talked with the painter …

a) for two days. b) for hours. c) for the whole night.

2. He invited the painter …

a) to dine with him. b) to run with him. c) to dance.

3. After dinner the king …

a) showed his jewels. b) showed his clothes. c) showed his pictures.

4. He asked the painter again if …

a) he liked his pictures. b) he liked his pets . c) he liked his palace.

5. The painter looked at the king and …

a) went away. b) didn't say anything. c) said what he thought.

6. He asked the soldier to take him …

a) home. b) to the park. c) back to prison.