THE OLD MAN AND THE LITTLE CAT by Aesop

Read the story and decide whether the verbs in brackets should be in the past
simple, or in the past continuous tense. Write them in! And enjoy the story.

One day an old man ____________

was having (have) a stroll in the woods when he __________ heard (hear) a
mewing sound. He _________ looked (look) around and he __________saw (see) a cat stuck in a hole.
The poor animal _________
was struggling (struggle) to get out. The old man ______________ went (go) over to
it, and __________
gave (give) the cat his hand to help it get out. However, the cat was terrified
and it __________
scratched (scratch) him. The man _________ pulled (pull) his hand away and ________
screamed
(scream)in pain. But he __________ didn’t stop (not stop). Once again, he __________ offered (offer) his hand
to the cat, who ____________
was scratching (scratch) furiously at the side of
the hole. This time, the cat __________ bit (bite) him. Still, the old
man ____________
kept triying (keep trying) and he ___________ held (hold) out
his hand to the cat time and time again.
From a distance, a young man ____________ was watching (watch) the scene
and he ___________
cried (cry) out, ‘For heaven’s sake, leave that cat
alone! It will injure you!’
But the old man __________ paid (pay) no attention and he ____________
continued (continue) trying until
finally, he __________
got (get) the cat out of the hole. Happily, it was OK and it ___________ ran
(run) off and ___________
sat (sit) beside a tree. Then the old man __________ walked (walk) over to
the bystander, who, feeling happy at the successful outcome, ___________ smiled (smile). Our hero
__________
said (say): ‘Son, it’s the cat’s instincts that make him bite and scratch, but it is my
job to help whenever I can.’ By now, the cat ____________ was licking (lick) itself and soon, it
____________
purred (purr) contentedly. Then it ____________
wandered (wander) over to the old man and
he___________
gave (give) it a tickle.

Now, say whether the sentences are true or false. Correct the false sentences.

1) An old man was walking along the beach. F

2) Suddenly, the old man spied a snake in a tree. F

3) He tried to help a cat, but the cat was so frightened that it attacked him. V

4) The cat hissed but it did not bite the old man. F This is not the end! The next
morning, the cat was on the
5) The old man did not stop until he had succeeded. V old man’s doorstep. Write a
paragraph about what
6) A young man was a witness to the event. V
happened.
7) The young man encouraged the old man to assist the cat. F

8) The old man approached the young man and explained his actions. V

9) When the old man spoke to the young man, the young man was angry and scowling. F

10)The cat was fine and the old man tickled it. V

All of Aesop’s tales have a moral, that is, something to teach us. The moral of this tale is: treat
everyone around you according to your own ethics, not theirs.
Correcting the false sentences.

1) An old man was walking in the woods.

2) Suddenly, the old man saw a cat stuck in a hole.

3) The cat scratched and bit the old man.

4) The young man said to the old man that better leave the cat in the hole.

5) In the story, after the old man spoke to the young man, it doesn’t say what was the
young man's reaction.