You Cant Please Everyone

Before You Read

A. Use context to guess the meaning of the boldfaced words. Then answer the
questions.
1. You can please your teacher by doing your homework and listening in
class. What else can you do to make your teacher happy?
R/
2. Some people like to read while they are riding on a bus or a train. What do
you like to do while you are riding on a bus or a train?
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3. Most people have one meal in the morning and another meal in the middle
of the day. Do you have another meal in the evening?
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B. Study the pictures on page 33. Match each picture to a description
below. Write the number of the picture next to the description.
In this picture, a man and a young boy are walking with a donkey.
In this picture, a man is riding a donkey, and a young boy is walking
next to him.
In this picture, a man and a young boy are riding a donkey.
In this picture, a young boy is riding a donkey, and a man is walking
next to him.
C. Based on the pictures, what do you think the story is about? Make a guess.
Then read the story to find out.
You Cant PLease Everyone
Stories about Nasreddin, a teacher and philosopher from the 1200s, are
popular in many countries. These stories make us laugh and also teach us a
lesson about people.
One day, Nasreddin wanted to take his young son into town. You can ride the
donkey: he told his son, and Ill walk next to you. So Nasreddins son got on
the donkey, and they started down the road into town.
A little while later, Nasreddin and his son came across some people on the
road. The people looked at the boy on the donkey lo with disapproval. One
person said, Look at that healthy young boy! Can you believe todays young
people? They have no respect for their parents. That boy rides on the donkey,
and his poor father has to walk.
After the people walked away, Nasreddin told his son to get on the donkey with
him. No one can criticize us now: he said. But soon they met two old men on
the road. The men looked at Nasreddin and his son with disapproval. That poor
donkey looks very tired, one of the men said.
Nasreddin stopped the donkey and got off. Then he said to his son, The best
thing is for both of us to walk. Then no one can criticize us. So Nasreddin and
his son walked down the road, and the donkey walked behind them. Soon they
met some more people on the road. One person said, Just look at those fools.
Both of them are walking in this hot weather, and no one is riding the donkey.
How stupid they are!
Nasreddin looked at his son and said, You cant please everyone:
A. Understanding the Order of Events.
Number the events in the story from first (1) to last (8).
___ A man says Nasreddins donkey looks very tired.
___ Nasreddin and his son are walking down the road, and the donkey is
walking behind them.
___ One person criticizes Nasreddins son because he is riding the donkey.
___ Nasreddins son is riding the donkey, and his father is walking next to him.
___ One person says Nasreddin and his son are stupid because they arent
riding the donkey.
___ Both Nasreddin and his son get on the donkey. Nasreddin is riding the
donkey, and his son is walking next to him.
___ Some people criticize Nasreddin because he is riding the donkey and his
son is walking.

B. Comprehension. What does each pronoun refer to? Look back at the story
and then fill in the circle of the correct answer.
1. In line 5, he refers to ___.
A. Nasreddin B. The son C. The donkey.
2. In line 11, they refers to ___.
A. the people on the road. B. Todays young people C. Partents
3. In line 31, they referts to
A. Nasredding and his son B. the people on the road C. Nasreddin and the
donkey,
C. Work with your classmates to answer
1. Do you think this story is interesting? Why or why not?
2. Nasreddin says that you cant please everyone. Do you agree? Why or why
not?
3. Did you criticize anyone last week? What did you say?
4. What is an example of good or helpful criticism? What is an example of bad
or unhelpful criticism?

D. Learning Word Forms. Choose the correct word in parentheses to complete

each sentence.
1. How do you feel when someone you? (criticism I criticizes)
2. How do people show ________,? (disapproval / disapprove)
3. Long ago people the earth was flat. Today this seems very strange to us.
(belief / believed)

E. Using a Dictionary. Choose the correct dictionary definition for the boldfaced
word in each sentence. Write the number of the definition on the line.
1. __So, what did you think of the story?
2. __Some people criticized Nasreddins son, so he got off the donkey.
3. __Nasreddin went to town so he could buy some food.
4. __A little while later, Nasreddin met some people on the road
5. __At the beginning of the story, Nasreddins son rode the donkey while
his father walked next to him.
Understanding Indefinite Pronouns. everyone, someone, or no one.
1. In the story, Nasreddin tries to please _________.
2. _________ in the story says that Nasreddin and his son are fools.
3. _________ in the story says anything nice about Nasreddin and his son.