The Magic Paintbrush

A long time ago in China there lived a poor boy called Liang. He had no family, so he
made his living by doing odd jobs for other people in his village, such as cutting wood
and tending cattle. His life was difficult, but Liang was a generous boy and always willing
to help people who needed it. In his heart he had a dream. He wanted to paint pictures
and become a great artist. He practiced drawing all the time. When he was in the forest
cutting wood, he drew birds and animals with a stick. If he was looking after a farmers’
cows he drew on the sides of the barn. Whatever he was doing he drew – plants, animals,
birds and people. He thought of nothing else except drawing, and soon he became very
good at it.

One night Liang dreamed that an old man gave him a paintbrush. The man said it was a
magic paintbrush and Liang should use it to help people. When Liang woke up the next
morning, he was surprised to see that he had a beautiful paintbrush in his hand. Liang
was hungry, so he painted a bowl of rice. Suddenly the rice became real, and he ate it.
Now he felt happy, so he drew a bird. The bird came to life and flew away.

When Liang went into the village he met an old farmer carrying water from the river to his
field. It was a long walk and the man was very tired. Liang painted a river beside the field
and the river came to life. Now the farmer could easily bring the water to his crops. Soon
Liang met another villager who was crying because his cow had died in the night, and
there was no milk for his children. Liang drew a cow, and it came to life. The villager was
overjoyed and happily began to milk his cow.

From that day Liang used his paintbrush to help the people in his village. Whenever they
needed something, Liang would paint it. Soon the villagers began to prosper, and word of
Liang’s magic paintbrush began to travel beyond the village.

People asked him, “Why don’t you use your magic paintbrush to become rich?”

“What else do I need?” replied Liang. “I feel rich because I can help.”

It wasn’t long before a rich man who lived near the village heard about Liang’s magic
paintbrush, and thought he would use it to make himself richer than the emperor. This
man decided to steal Liang’s paintbrush. He sent some of his *thugs to Liang’s home,
where they captured Liang and put him in prison. The rich man took the paintbrush.

The rich man wanted to show off his power so he invited some friends to his house. He
drew a lot of pictures, but not one picture became real. The rich man figured there must
be some special secret that he didn’t know about, so he sent for Liang. When Liang stood
before him he said, “If you draw some pictures for me and they become real, I will let you
go free.”

Liang knew that this rich man was not a good man. He didn’t want to help, but he wanted
to be free. He had an idea. He said, “I will help you, but you must let me go.”

“Paint me a golden mountain,” said the rich man. “I want to go there and get lots of gold.”
What he didn’t say out loud was, “And then I will be the richest man in the kingdom,
richer even than the emperor himself!”

Liang drew a picture of the sea.

“Why did you draw the sea?” said the rich man, “I told you to draw the mountain. I want
gold, not fish!”

“The mountain is on the other side of the sea.” replied Liang. “I’ll show you.” Liang drew
the golden mountain on the other side of the sea.

When the rich man saw the mountain shining in gold his eyes lit up like two yellow suns.
“Yes!” he said, “That’s much better! But the mountain is far from here. How will I get
there?”

“I’ll draw you a boat to get to the mountain,” said Liang. And he drew a golden dragon
boat that was even bigger and more beautiful than the emperor’s boat. The rich man
climbed aboard the boat and stood in the bow facing the golden mountain. He said to
Liang,” Now draw me a wind to take the boat to the mountain.” Liang began to draw a
wind, and the boat set sail. The rich man stretched his arms out to grab the golden
mountain. “Make the wind stronger so I can get there faster,” he said to Liang. Liang kept
drawing and the wind got stronger. Soon the wind became a terrible gale and the rich
man’s beautiful boat sank beneath the sea and took him down with it.

People say that Liang married a beautiful girl from his village and had a big family, and
they were happy all their days.

* thug: a violent and rough person

Credits:
A Chinese folk tale retold by Mary Mahoney
Audio version performed by Cam Culham
Audio effects adapted under Creative Commons license
Audio credits: Chimes
Creative Commons photo credit: Phil Robinson on Flickr

1. Why was Liang's life difficult? (Select two)

 He liked to help people.

He was an orphan.

He was poor.

He had a dream.

2. What was Liang's dream?

a.   ?    He wanted to help people.

b.   ?    He wanted to be an artist.

c.   ?    He wanted to draw all the time.

B. Which statement shows that Liang was generous?

a.   ?    He worked for other people.

b.   ?    He loved to draw.

c.   ?    He was willing to help others.

C. Why was Liang surprised when he woke up after his dream?

a.   ?    There was a beautiful paintbrush in his hand.

b.   ?    He could eat rice.

c.   ?    He could use the paintbrush to help people.

D. What was special about Liang's new paintbrush?

a.   ?    It was beautiful. c.   ?    Whatever it drew

became real.
b.   ?    It worked like magic.

E. What does it mean when we say that someone "prospers?" (Select all answers
that apply.)

They are rich. They are healthy.

They are happy.

a. How did Liang help the villagers prosper?

a.   ?    He was helpful to everyone.

b.   ?    He painted the things they needed, and those things became real.

c.   ?    He drew gold for the villagers.

B. What news began to travel beyond the village?

 a.   ?    The news that the villagers were rich.

b.   ?    The news that Liang always helped people.

c.   ?    The news of Liang's magic paintbrush.

C. Why did the rich man want to get the magic paintbrush?

a.   ?    So he could help the villagers.

b.   ?    So he could make himself richer.

c.   ?    So he could learn to draw like Liang.

D. How did the rich man get the magic paintbrush?

a.   ?    He bought it.

b.   ?    He politely asked for it.

c.   ?    He stole it.

E. Why did the rich man invite some friends to his house?

a.   ?    So he could show off his power.

b.   ?    So he could make them rich.

c.   ?    So he could introduce them to Liang.

F. What happened when the rich man drew pictures for his friends?

a.   ?    The pictures became real.

b.   ?    The pictures didn't become real.

c.   ?    The pictures were beautiful.

G. How did the rich man try to make the magic paintbrush work for him?

a.   ?    He looked for a secret.

b.   ?    He tried to bribe Liang.

c.   ?    He drew more pictures.

H. What do you think was the rich man's dream?

a.   ?    To own the magic paintbrush.

b.   ?    To become the richer than the emperor.

c.   ?    To be famous.
 I. Why did Liang paint the sea between the rich man's house and the golden
mountain?

a.   ?    He had a clever plan to get rid of the rich man.

b.   ?    He wanted the rich man to go far away from the village.

c.   ?    He wanted to be free.

J. Who/What do you think really killed the rich man?

The gale. His greed.

Liang.

The Tongue-cut Sparrow

A long time ago in Japan there lived an old farmer and his wife. The old man was kind and
gentle and always had a smile for everyone he met, but his wife was cold and very bad-
tempered. They had no children to help them, so as they got older, they had to work even
harder just to survive. The old man found and tamed a little sparrow, and taught it many
kinds of tricks. When he came in from the fields at the end of each day, the sparrow
would welcome him home, and sing and dance for him; so in spite of his hardships the
old man went to bed happy each night.

One day the old man had to go far into the forest to cut wood. It was laundry day, and his
wife was in a bad mood as she prepared the starch for the clothes and set it outside to
cool. While she was washing the clothes, the sparrow flew down to the starch and, as the
old man had taught it to, pecked at the starch until it was gone. When the old woman
came to get the starch and saw that the sparrow had eaten it, she went into a rage. She
grabbed the bird in one hand and with the other she picked up her scissors and cut off
the tip of its tongue. Then she threw the sparrow out the door, and it flew away as fast as
it could go.

That night when the old man came home there was no sparrow to greet him and warm his
heart. When he questioned his wife, she admitted what she had done, adding, “And good
riddance! That bird has always caused more work for me.”

The poor man was devastated. Before dawn the next morning he took off to look for his
little sparrow. He wandered through fields and forests, calling, “Mr. Sparrow, Mr. Sparrow,
where are you now? How can I help you, my poor little tongue-cut sparrow?”

After a long time searching he came to a large bamboo wood, where he finally met the
sparrow again. The old man ran forward to greet his little pet. They talked for a while,
and the old man could see that the sparrow no longer suffered from any injury. The
sparrow invited the old man home. He introduced his family and asked his wife to prepare
a delicious feast. During the meal the sparrow’s daughters danced and sang for the old
man. It was the best hospitality the old man had ever experienced! When it was time for
the old man to return home, the sparrow brought out two wicker baskets, one large and
one small. He said, “Here is a parting gift for you. Choose the one you want.”

“Thank you.” said the old man, “Since I’m not as strong as I used to be, and I have a long
way to go, I’ll take the smaller one.” So he strapped the smaller one to his back and
returned home.
Immediately his wife began to scold him for being away so long, and didn’t stop until he
opened the basket and onto their floor spilled gold and silver and all kinds of precious
jewels. With the sparrow’s gift, they had enough to be comfortable in their old age. But
the woman didn’t stay happy for long. “Why didn’t you choose the bigger basket?” she
scolded. “Then we could be very rich indeed and live in a bigger house and have servants.
How could you be so stupid?”

The old woman decided to visit the sparrow. She went into the forest and walked and
walked until she found the sparrow’s house in the bamboo wood. The sparrow and his
family were not pleased to see her, but they were kinder than she, so they invited her in.
She ate quickly and then called for her gift. When the two baskets were set out before her
she chose the larger one. Without even thanking them she strapped it to her back and
returned home. When she opened the basket a horde of demons sprang out and
tormented her to death.

The old man was comfortable and happy for the rest of his days.

Credits:

A Japanese folk tale retold by Mary Mahoney

Audio version performed by Cam Culham
Audio effects adapted under Creative Commons license
Audio credits: Chimes
Public domain image: Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾北斎) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

What was the old couple's life like?

A.   ?    It was difficult.

B.   ?    It was easy.

2. Why was their life so difficult? (Choose three answers.)

They had no children to help them.

 It was winter.

They were poor.

They were old.

3. Check

a. What did the old man teach the sparrow to do?

A.   ?    The laundry.

B.   ?    Sing and do tricks.

C.   ?    Cut wood

B. Why did the old man go to bed happy?

A.   ?    He was well-fed.

B.   ?    The sparrow was his friend.

C.   ?    He liked to work hard.

C. Why was the old woman in a bad mood?

A.   ?    The old man was away and she was alone.

B.   ?    The sparrow didn't help her.

C.   ?    Doing laundry was a long, hard job.

D. Why did the old woman go into a rage?

A.   ?    The sparrow ate the starch.

B.   ?    She had no one to help her.

C.   ?    She had no soap.

E. What did the old woman NOT do to the sparrow?

A.   ?    She told the sparrow to go away.

B.   ?    She cut the sparrow's tongue.

C.   ?    She threw the sparrow out the door.

D.   ?    She said "Good riddance!"

F. The old woman never liked the sparrow because...

A.   ?    The sparrow wasn't her friend.

 B.   ?    The sparrow always caused her more work.

C.   ?    The sparrow was hungry.

G. The old man was devastated. This means he felt...

A.   ?    excited.

B.   ?    curious.

C.   ?    shocked and upset.

H. What did the old man want to do next? (Choose two answers.)

Find his little friend.

Punish his wife.

Help the sparrow.

a. When did the old man meet the sparrow again?

A.   ?    After a long time searching.

B.   ?    The next day.

C.   ?    Before dawn.

B. When the old man met the sparrow again, he saw that the sparrow was ...

A.   ?    happy and healthy again.

B.   ?    unhappy.

C.   ?    still suffering.

C. Choose three answers that tell us that the sparrow was generous.

The sparrow invited the old man home.

The sparrow gave a gift for the old man's wife.

The sparrow fed the old man a delicious meal.

The sparrow gave the old man a gift.

a. Why did the old man choose the smaller basket? (Choose two answers.)

He wasn't strong anymore.

He didn't want to share with his wife.

 He had to walk a long distance.

b. Choose three answers that show the old woman was bad-tempered.

She wanted to be rich.

She often scolded the old man.

She didn't like her husband's pet.

She wasn't happy with the sparrow's gift.

c. How do we know that the sparrow was kinder than the old woman? (Choose
three answers.)

He invited her into his home.

He gave her a gift.

He didn't like her.

He gave her a meal.

The Monkey and the Crocodile

 O

nce there was a monkey who lived in a naval tree beside a river. This naval tree produced
more fruit than any other tree in the jungle, and its fruit was fresher and sweeter than the
fruit on all the other trees.

Every day when the monkey ate this fruit, he was very happy. Not only could he eat his
fill, but he could throw some fruit into the river when his friend the crocodile came by.
The crocodile and the monkey spent many hours sitting on the shore of the river and
talking, and in time they became best friends.

The crocodile always took some fruit home to his dear wife. She loved the naval fruit so
much that she became addicted to its taste and freshness. One day she thought, “If the
monkey eats this fruit every day, then his flesh must also taste sweet, especially his liver.
Oh, I want to taste the monkey’s liver.” She thought about it and thought about it until
she couldn’t stand it any longer.

Finally she said to her husband, “I want to taste the monkey’s liver. Please bring him
home, so I can satisfy my hunger.”

The crocodile was shocked! “You want to eat the monkey’s liver? But . . . he’s my friend! I
love him. And he’s so generous to us. My dear, it’s impossible.”

The lady crocodile became angry. She demanded that he bring the monkey to her. She
demanded that he let her taste the monkey’s liver. Otherwise she would leave.

The crocodile was torn apart. He loved his wife, and didn’t want to lose her. He loved his
friend, and didn’t want to lose him. Why did he have to make this difficult choice?

In the end, he decided to lose his monkey friend. With a heavy heart, he swam slowly
back across the river and sat under the naval tree.

“Oh Monkey,” he called, “It’s a lovely night, and I feel like going for a ride on the river.
Why don’t you come along? I could show you the beauty of the river.”
“I don’t think so,” said the monkey. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. And anyway, I can’t
swim, and I’m afraid of the water.”

“I am the king of the river. You don’t need to be afraid when you ride on my back.
Besides, we’ve been friends for a long time. What a shame it would be if you can’t trust
me by now.”

The monkey thought for a minute. Perhaps the crocodile was right. Who can you trust, if
not your friends? “OK,” he said, “I’ll come with you.” He jumped onto the crocodile’s back,
and they sailed into the river.

It was a wonderful ride, and the monkey was really happy, but the crocodile was quiet,
and deep in thought.

“What’s the matter?” asked the monkey.

The crocodile almost burst into tears. “I’m sorry, my friend. I lied to you. I am not doing
this to entertain you. Rather, I am taking you to my wife. She wants to eat your liver.”

“Eat my liver!!” The monkey was astonished. “Why does she want to eat my liver?”

“She knows that you eat the fruit of the naval tree every day. She thinks that your liver
must be very sweet and tender, so she wants to eat it.”

“I see,” said the monkey. He saw that his life was in danger. He thought for a minute. “My
friend, don’t feel bad on my account,” he said. “I would be honored to give my liver to
your wife. But you should have told me about this before we left the naval tree.”

“Why?” asked the crocodile.

“Well, I always wash my liver in the river and then hang it on a branch of the tree.”

“Oh?”

“If you take me back to the tree, I’ll get it for you. Then you can take it to your wife.”

The crocodile swam quickly back to the naval tree. When he got to the shore, the monkey
jumped off his back and climbed up the tree.

“Hah! Crocodile! Don’t you know that I can’t give you my liver? This has been a good
lesson to me about trust.”

Questions
1. Where did the monkey live?

A.   ?    In the jungle.

B.   ?    In a naval tree.

C.   ?    Across the river.

2. What was special about the naval tree?

A.   ?    It was very beautiful.

B.   ?    It had a lot of fruit.

C.   ?    It had the freshest and sweetest fruit.

3. Was the monkey generous? Why?

A.   ?    Yes, because he could eat as much as he wanted.

B.   ?    No, he just liked to eat a lot.

C.   ?    Yes, because he gave fruit to the crocodile.

4. What does "eat his fill" mean?"

A.   ?    He could eat until he was no longer hungry.

B.   ?    He could eat so much he felt sick.

5. How did the monkey and the crocodile become friends?

A.   ?    They went swimming together.

B.   ?    They spent a lot of time sitting together and talking.

C.   ?    They said hello to each other every day.

6. What did the crocodile always do with the fruit?

A.   ?    He washed it before he ate it.

B.   ?    He took some home to his wife.

C.   ?    He ate it all.

7. What does "become addicted" to something mean?

A.   ?    It means you can take it or leave it.

B.   ?    You really like it a lot.

C.   ?    You must have more and more.

8. What did the crocodile's wife want to do?

A.   ?    She wanted to become addicted.

B.   ?    She wanted to eat more and more fruit.

C.   ?    She wanted to eat the monkey's liver.

D.

9. When you "can't stand" something any longer, it means that...

A.   ?    you hate it and you are going crazy because of it.

B.   ?    you really like it.

C.   ?    you don't want to do it, but you have to.

10.What was the crocodile's problem?

A.   ?    He loved his wife, but he didn't love the monkey.

B.   ?    He loved his friend, but he didn't love his wife.

C.   ?    He had to choose between his wife and his friend.

11.What did the crocodile decide to do?

A.   ?    To take the monkey across the river.

B.   ?    To tell the monkey about his problem.

C.   ?    To kill the monkey.

12.The crocodile had a "heavy heart." This means that...

A.   ?    He was very sad.

B.   ?    He wasn't healthy.

C.   ?    The monkey was heavy.

13.Why didn't the monkey want to ride on the crocodile's back?

A.   ?    He didn't trust the crocodile.

B.   ?    He didn't know how to swim.

C.   ?    It was dark and he couldn't see much.

14.How did the crocodile get the monkey to climb onto his back?

A.   ?    He said he was king of the river.

 B.   ?    He said the monkey didn't need to be afraid.

C.   ?    He talked about friendship and trust.

15.Which answer tells you that the crocodile felt bad about lying to the monkey?

A.   ?    He told the monkey the truth.

B.   ?    He burst into tears.

C.   ?    He was very quiet.

16.How did the monkey get the crocodile to go back to the naval tree?

A.   ?    He said that his life was in danger.

B.   ?    He said he would give his liver to the crocodile's wife.

C.   ?    He said his liver was hanging on the tree.

Raven and the First People

Raven was bored. He was walking along the beach in Haida Gwaii, looking for some new
way to amuse himself. As he walked along the beach, the blue ocean in front of him and
the green forest behind him didn’t seem interesting. Raven wanted to play, but there was
no one to play with.

Then he heard a strange sound, unlike any sound he knew. He looked up and down the
beach. Where was it coming from? As he walked he noticed a large white clamshell lying
in the sand. Inside the clamshell were tiny creatures, unlike any he had seen before.

Raven bent down to get a closer look. The creatures seemed afraid of him, so he began to
coax them in a gentle voice, “Come out. Come out. Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”

A few of the creatures came out of the clamshell. They were very different from Raven.
They had no feathers, no wings, and no beaks. Like him, they walked on two legs, but
they had arms, faces with mouths, and black hair. They spoke to each other in a language
that Raven didn’t understand. These tiny creatures were the first humans.

Raven enjoyed watching these humans play and explore the world. After a while, when he
was beginning to feel bored again, he noticed that these humans were only men. There
 were no women. Raven had an idea. He wondered if he could find some women. He
searched for a long time. Then he saw some *chitons. He opened one of the chitons and
found some lovely, tiny women. He brought the women to the men.

Raven enjoyed watching the behaviour of the men and women. He saw them begin to pair
off and have children. The human families moved to other parts of the island. Since that
day, many generations of humans have grown and flourished, and Raven has never been
bored.

* Chiton: a large sea shell

Credits:

Story adapted by Mary Mahoney from a traditional Haida legend. The traditional territory of the Haida people includes part
of today’s southern Alaska and the islands of Haida Gwaii.
Audio version performed by Cam Culham
Audio effects adapted under Creative Commons license
Audio credits: Crowd sounds | Chimes | Raven
Creative Commons photo credit: ru_24_real on Flickr

1. Where was Raven walking?

A.   ?    through the forest C.   ?    in the water

B.   ?    along the beach

2. Why did Raven want to play?

A.   ?    He was bored. C.   ?    He was hungry.

B.   ?    He was excited.

3. What was Raven's problem?

A.   ?    His frends were all C.   ?    His friends were too

working. busy to play.

B.   ?    Raven had nothing

to play with.

4. What did Raven hear?

A.   ?    A baby crying. C.   ?    A strange sound.

B.   ?    A bird singing.

5. Where was the sound coming from?

A.   ?    The birds. C.   ?    A clamshell.

B.   ?    The sea.
 6. What did Raven see in the clamshell?

A.   ?    baby clams. C.   ?    sand

B.   ?    tiny creatures.

7. How did Raven get the creatures to come out of the clamshell?

A.   ?    He coaxed them in a gentle voice.

B.   ?    He sang to them.

C.   ?    He grabbed them amd pulled them out.

8. What idea did Raven have?

A.   ?    He wanted to find some women for the male creatures.

B.   ?    He wanted the men and women to get married.

C.   ?    He wanted to get married.

9. Where did Raven find the female creatures?

A.   ?    in the sand. C.   ?    in a chiton.

B.   ?    in the seaweed.

10.Why isn't Raven bored now?

A.   ?    He has children of his own.

B.   ?    He can amuse himself by watching the behaviour of men and women.

C.   ?    He can create humans.

A long time ago in China there lived a poor boy called Liang. He had no family, so he
made his living by doing odd jobs for other people in his village, such as cutting wood
and tending cattle. His life was difficult, but Liang was a generous boy and always willing
to help people who needed it. In his heart he had a dream. He wanted to paint pictures
and become a great artist. He practiced drawing all the time. When he was in the forest
cutting wood, he drew birds and animals with a stick. If he was looking after a farmers’
cows he drew on the sides of the barn. Whatever he was doing he drew – plants, animals,
birds and people. He thought of nothing else except drawing, and soon he became very
good at it.

One night Liang dreamed that an old man gave him a paintbrush. The man said it was a
magic paintbrush and Liang should use it to help people. When Liang woke up the next
morning, he was surprised to see that he had a beautiful paintbrush in his hand. Liang
was hungry, so he painted a bowl of rice. Suddenly the rice became real, and he ate it.
Now he felt happy, so he drew a bird. The bird came to life and flew away.

When Liang went into the village he met an old farmer carrying water from the river to his
field. It was a long walk and the man was very tired. Liang painted a river beside the field
and the river came to life. Now the farmer could easily bring the water to his crops. Soon
Liang met another villager who was crying because his cow had died in the night, and
there was no milk for his children. Liang drew a cow, and it came to life. The villager was
overjoyed and happily began to milk his cow.

From that day Liang used his paintbrush to help the people in his village. Whenever they
needed something, Liang would paint it. Soon the villagers began to prosper, and word of
Liang’s magic paintbrush began to travel beyond the village.

People asked him, “Why don’t you use your magic paintbrush to become rich?”

“What else do I need?” replied Liang. “I feel rich because I can help.”

It wasn’t long before a rich man who lived near the village heard about Liang’s magic
paintbrush, and thought he would use it to make himself richer than the emperor. This
man decided to steal Liang’s paintbrush. He sent some of his *thugs to Liang’s home,
where they captured Liang and put him in prison. The rich man took the paintbrush.

The rich man wanted to show off his power so he invited some friends to his house. He
drew a lot of pictures, but not one picture became real. The rich man figured there must
be some special secret that he didn’t know about, so he sent for Liang. When Liang stood
before him he said, “If you draw some pictures for me and they become real, I will let you
go free.”

Liang knew that this rich man was not a good man. He didn’t want to help, but he wanted
to be free. He had an idea. He said, “I will help you, but you must let me go.”

“Paint me a golden mountain,” said the rich man. “I want to go there and get lots of gold.”
What he didn’t say out loud was, “And then I will be the richest man in the kingdom,
richer even than the emperor himself!”

Liang drew a picture of the sea.

“Why did you draw the sea?” said the rich man, “I told you to draw the mountain. I want
gold, not fish!”

“The mountain is on the other side of the sea.” replied Liang. “I’ll show you.” Liang drew
the golden mountain on the other side of the sea.

When the rich man saw the mountain shining in gold his eyes lit up like two yellow suns.
“Yes!” he said, “That’s much better! But the mountain is far from here. How will I get
there?”

“I’ll draw you a boat to get to the mountain,” said Liang. And he drew a golden dragon
boat that was even bigger and more beautiful than the emperor’s boat. The rich man
climbed aboard the boat and stood in the bow facing the golden mountain. He said to
Liang,” Now draw me a wind to take the boat to the mountain.” Liang began to draw a
wind, and the boat set sail. The rich man stretched his arms out to grab the golden
mountain. “Make the wind stronger so I can get there faster,” he said to Liang. Liang kept
drawing and the wind got stronger. Soon the wind became a terrible gale and the rich
man’s beautiful boat sank beneath the sea and took him down with it.

People say that Liang married a beautiful girl from his village and had a big family, and
they were happy all their days.

* thug: a violent and rough person

Credits:

A Chinese folk tale retold by Mary Mahoney

Audio version performed by Cam Culham
Audio effects adapted under Creative Commons license
Audio credits: Chimes
Creative Commons photo credit: Phil Robinson on Flickr

Questions

1. Why was Liang's life difficult? (Select two)

He liked to help people.

He was an orphan.

a.

He was poor.

b.

He had a dream.
2. Check

3. What was Liang's dream?

 a.   ?    He wanted to help people.

b.   ?    He wanted to be an artist.

c.   ?    He wanted to draw all the time.

B. Which statement shows that Liang was generous?

a.   ?    He worked for other people.

b.   ?    He loved to draw.

c.   ?    He was willing to help others.

C. Why was Liang surprised when he woke up after his dream?

a.   ?    There was a beautiful paintbrush in his hand.

b.   ?    He could eat rice.

c.   ?    He could use the paintbrush to help people.

D. What was special about Liang's new paintbrush?

a.   ?    It was beautiful.

b.   ?    It worked like magic.

c.   ?    Whatever it drew became real.

E. What does it mean when we say that someone "prospers?" (Select all answers
that apply.)

a.

They are rich.

b.

They are happy.

c.

They are healthy.

F. Check

b. How did Liang help the villagers prosper?

a.   ?    He was helpful to everyone.

b.   ?    He painted the things they needed, and those things became real.

c.   ?    He drew gold for the villagers.

B. What news began to travel beyond the village?

 a.   ?    The news that the villagers were rich.

b.   ?    The news that Liang always helped people.

c.   ?    The news of Liang's magic paintbrush.

C. Why did the rich man want to get the magic paintbrush?

a.   ?    So he could help the villagers.

b.   ?    So he could make himself richer.

c.   ?    So he could learn to draw like Liang.

D. How did the rich man get the magic paintbrush?

a.   ?    He bought it.

b.   ?    He politely asked for it.

c.   ?    He stole it.

E. Why did the rich man invite some friends to his house?

a.   ?    So he could show off his power.

b.   ?    So he could make them rich.

c.   ?    So he could introduce them to Liang.

F. What happened when the rich man drew pictures for his friends?

a.   ?    The pictures became real.

b.   ?    The pictures didn't become real.

c.   ?    The pictures were beautiful.

G. How did the rich man try to make the magic paintbrush work for him?

a.   ?    He looked for a secret.

b.   ?    He tried to bribe Liang.

c.   ?    He drew more pictures.

H. What do you think was the rich man's dream?

a.   ?    To own the magic paintbrush.

b.   ?    To become the richer than the emperor.

c.   ?    To be famous.
 I. Why did Liang paint the sea between the rich man's house and the golden
mountain?

a.   ?    He had a clever plan to get rid of the rich man.

b.   ?    He wanted the rich man to go far away from the village.

c.   ?    He wanted to be free.

J. Who/What do you think really killed the rich man?

a.

The gale.

b.

Liang.

c.

His greed.

Canada's Tallest Tree

A man named Randy liked to hunt trees. He looked for big trees and old trees. He made
maps to show where these trees were. He did not want to cut them down. He wanted
people to take care of them.

Randy was told of a very tall tree on Vancouver Island. The tree was said to be 314 feet
tall. That would make it the tallest tree in Canada. Randy set out to find the tree.

But someone else found it first. It was found by a logger. Loggers wanted to cut down
Canada’s tallest tree and all the trees around it.

Randy made a path in the forest so people could see the tall tree. The tree was so big and
beautiful it would fill them with awe. More and more people wanted to save that forest.
Thanks to these people, that forest is now a park. Canada’s tallest tree is still there.

There may still be a bigger tree out there. Maybe you will find it. But there are only a few
old forests left in Canada. Many are still at risk of being cut down.

1. Why did Randy make maps?

A.   ?    The maps help the loggers.
B.   ?    Randy makes maps to help campers.
 C.   ?    He makes maps to show where Canada's biggest trees are located.
D.   ?    He makes maps because he works for the government.
2. What did the loggers want to do to Canada's tallest tree?
A.   ?    They wanted to cut it down.
B.   ?    Save the tree.
C.   ?    Take pictures of the tree.
D.   ?    Measure the tree to find out how tall it was.
3. Why did Randy make a path to the tallest tree in Canada?
A.   ?    He needed the path to get home.
B.   ?    He wanted more people to see it.
C.   ?    He made a path so he could visit the tree more easily.
D.   ?    He made a path to help the loggers get to the tree.
4. What does it mean to be "filled with awe".
A.   ?    to be not interested
B.   ?    to be curious
C.   ?    to be amazed
D.   ?    to want money
5. What happened to the forest where Randy found Canada's tallest tree?
A.   ?    The loggers might cut it down in the future.
B.   ?    No one knows. It is a mystery.
C.   ?    The loggers cut it down.
D.   ?    It became a park.

A man named Randy liked to hunt trees. He looked for big trees and old trees. He made maps to show
where these trees were. He did not want to cut them down. He wanted people to take care of them.

Randy was told of a very tall tree on Vancouver Island. The tree was said to be 314 feet tall. That would
make it the tallest tree in Canada. Randy set out to find the tree.

But someone else found it first. It was found by a logger. Loggers wanted to cut down Canada’s tallest tree
and all the trees around it.

Randy made a path in the forest so people could see the tall tree. The tree was so big and beautiful it would
fill them with awe. More and more people wanted to save that forest. Thanks to these people, that forest is
now a park. Canada’s tallest tree is still there.

There may still be a bigger tree out there. Maybe you will find it. But there are only a few old forests left in
Canada. Many are still at risk of being cut down.
 Tomatoes

The tomato is from South America. When the tomato came to Europe, people did not eat
it. Doctors said it would make them sick. So people just grew tomatoes because they
looked nice.

Now people from all over the world eat tomatoes. Tomatoes are used in sauce, soup,
juice, salsa, and ketchup. The tomato is very good for you. Only a tomato leaf or stem will
make you sick.

People do odd things with tomatoes. People grow tomatoes in space. There is a big
tomato fight every year in Spain. A long time ago, people would toss a bad tomato when
they saw a show they did not like.

In Canada, many tomatoes are grown on big farms. The farms bring in poor people from
far away to help grow tomatoes. Without these workers, the farms could not run. But the
workers do not get much money. Canada does not let the workers stay here. Many people
say this is not fair.

Most farms pick tomatoes before they are ripe. They last longer this way. But these
tomatoes do not taste as good. So lots of people grow their own tomatoes.

Grow Your Own Tomatoes

Tomatoes that you grow are better than tomatoes that you buy. You can grow tomatoes
inside if you do not have a garden.

You need:

 Tomato seeds
 A big pot (50 cm deep)
 Potting soil (many big food shops sell this)
 A window

Fill the pot with potting soil. Pack the soil down a little bit. Put a seed on top of the soil.
Add a bit more soil on top.

Add water. The soil must always be a bit wet. Seeds like to be warm. Put your pot in a
warm place. It does not need sun yet.

The plant will grow above the soil. Put the plant by a window. The plant needs four hours
of sun a day. You can tie the stem to a stick to help the plant stay up. Always keep the
soil a bit wet.

Pick the tomatoes when they are the same red colour top to bottom. Enjoy!

Credits:
Story by Shantel Ivits at BC Open Textbooks
Adapted under Creative Commons license
Adaptations and exercises by Douglas Rodger, English Language Centre
Audio version performed by Cam Culham, English Language Centre
Public Domain images from WPClipart

Show one at a time

1. What happened when the tomato first came to Europe?
A.   ?    It was welcomed.

B.   ?    People did not like it.

C.   ?    Doctors suggested people eat tomatoes for good health.

D.   ?    People grew it for food.

2. What is something tomatoes are NOT used for?

A.   ?    ketchup

B.   ?    juice

C.   ?    pastries

D.   ?    soup

3. What helps control the price of tomatoes in Canada?

A.   ?    The government passes laws to lower vegetable prices.

B.   ?    Big farming companies use cheap workers from other countries.

C.   ?    Consumer demand keeps prices down.

D.   ?    Many people don't like tomatoes.

4. According to the reading, how are the tomato workers treated unfairly.
A.   ?    They work in unsafe conditions.

B.   ?    Canadians are not polite to them.

C.   ?    They are paid good wages.

D.   ?    They are not allowed to stay in Canada.

5. When you are growing your own tomatoes, where should you put the plant and
how much sunlight will it need?
A.   ?    You should put it in the kitchen and it will not need any direct
sunlight.

B.   ?    You should put it by a window and it will need 4 hours of sunlight

per day.

C.   ?    It needs to be outside.

D.   ?    It needs to be in the garage with sunlight all day.

The tomato is from South America. When the tomato came to Europe, people did not eat it. Doctors said it
would make them sick. So people just grew tomatoes because they looked nice.

Now people from all over the world eat tomatoes. Tomatoes are used in sauce, soup, juice, salsa, and
ketchup. The tomato is very good for you. Only a tomato leaf or stem will make you sick.

People do odd things with tomatoes. People grow tomatoes in space. There is a big tomato fight every year
in Spain. A long time ago, people would toss a bad tomato when they saw a show they did not like.

In Canada, many tomatoes are grown on big farms. The farms bring in poor people from far away to help
grow tomatoes. Without these workers, the farms could not run. But the workers do not get much money.
Canada does not let the workers stay here. Many people say this is not fair.
Most farms pick tomatoes before they are ripe. They last longer this way. But these tomatoes do not taste
as good. So lots of people grow their own tomatoes.
 Two sisters and the cat

Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Smith are sisters. Mrs. Wilson lives in a house in Duncan
and Mrs. Smith lives in a condominium in Victoria. One day Mrs. Wilson visited her sister.
When her sister answered the door, Mrs. Wilson saw tears in her eyes. "What's the
matter?" she asked. Mrs. Smith said "My cat Sammy died last night and I have no place
to bury him".

She began to cry again. Mrs. Wilson was very sad because she knew her
sister loved the cat very much. Suddenly Mrs. Wilson said "I can bury your cat in my
garden in Duncan and you can come and visit him sometimes." Mrs. Smith stopped crying
and the two sisters had tea together and a nice visit.
 It was now five o'clock and Mrs. Wilson said it was time for her to go home.
She put on her hat, coat and gloves and Mrs. Smith put the dead Sammy into a shopping
bag. Mrs. Wilson took the shopping bag and walked to the bus stop. She waited a long
time for the bus so she bought a newspaper. When the bus arrived, she got on the bus,
sat down and put the shopping bag on the floor beside her feet. She then began to read
the newspaper. When the bus arrived at her bus stop, she got off the bus and walked for
about two minutes. Suddenly she remembered she had left the shopping bag on the bus.

Credits:

Story by Laurie Buchanan

Audio version performed by Cam Culham, English Language Centre

Show one at a time

1. Where does Mrs. Smith live?

A.   ?    in a condominium in Duncan

B.   ?    in a condominium in Victoria

C.   ?    in a house in Duncan

2. Why is Mrs. Smith upset?

A.   ?    because her sister came to see her cat

B.   ?    because her cat died

C.   ?    because Mrs. Wilson was sad

3. What did Mrs. Wilson do?

A.   ?    take the cat with her on the bus

B.   ?    put her gloves in the shopping bag

C.   ?    prepare dinner for her sister

 4. Who did Sammy the cat live with?

A.   ?    Mrs. Wilson

B.   ?    Mrs. Smith

C.   ?    Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Smith

5. What time did Mrs. Wilson go home?

A.   ?    when the bus arrived

B.   ?    at 5 p.m.

C.   ?    after she walked for two minutes

6. How did Mrs. Wilson go home?

A.   ?    walked for two minutes before she caught the bus

B.   ?    read a newspaper on the bus

C.   ?    took a bus

7. What did Mrs. Wilson forget?

A.   ?    the newspaper

B.   ?    her handbag

C.   ?    the shopping bag

8. Where did Sammy die?

A.   ?    in Mrs. Smith's house in Duncan

B.   ?    in Mrs. Wilson's garden

C.   ?    in Victoria

Val's Garden

I am new to the city. I do not know anyone. But an old

woman lives next door. Her name is Val. She gives me a big box of vegetables.
She grows them in a garden by the sidewalk. There are carrots, tomatoes, beans, and
peas. They are the best vegetables I ever ate. Val lives alone, too. But she seems happy in
her garden. She loves plants. Sometimes, I can hear her talking to them. Maybe that is
why they grow so big.

One day, I stop seeing Val in the garden. I see people take many boxes from her home.
Weeds grow in her garden. The dirt is dry. The plants look sad. Val must have passed on.

So I pull the weeds. I water the garden. I even talk to the plants.

Then a family moves next door. They are new to the city. They do not know anyone. And I
give them a big box of vegetables from Val’s garden.

Credits:
Story by Shantel Ivits at BC Open Textbooks
Drawings by Carlee Ashton Diabo
Story and drawings adapted under Creative Commons license
Story adaptations and exercises by Douglas Rodger, English Language Centre
Audio version performed by Cam Culham, English Language Centre
1. How long has the writer of the story lived in the city?

A.   ?    A very long time

B.   ?    Not very long

C.   ?    Ten years

D.   ?    She was born in the city.

2. What kind of vegetable did Val NOT grow?

A.   ?    Tomatoes

B.   ?    Carrots

C.   ?    Corn

D.   ?    Beans and peas

3. What happened after the writer of the story stopped seeing Val in her garden?

A.   ?    No one watered the garden.

B.   ?    People took many boxes from Val's house.

C.   ?    Other neighbors took care of the garden.

D.   ?    Val's house stayed empty.

4. Why was the new family lucky?

A.   ?    They moved into a good neighborhood.

B.   ?    The had lots of friends in town.

C.   ?    They were lucky because the writer of the story took care of Val's
garden even after she died.

D.   ?    They had good jobs.

5. What is something that the writer of the story did NOT do after Val died?

A.   ?    pull the weeds

B.   ?    water the garden

C.   ?    talk to the plants

D.   ?    learn about Val's family

 A Special Christmas Present

David wants to buy a Christmas present for a very special person, his mother.
David's father gives him $5.00 a week pocket money and David puts $2.00 a
week into his bank account. After three months David takes $20.00 out of his
bank account and goes to the shopping mall. He looks and looks for a
perfect gift.

Suddenly he sees a beautiful brooch in the shape of his favourite pet. He says to himself,
"My mother loves jewelry, and the brooch costs only $17.00." He buys the brooch and
takes it home. He wraps the present in Christmas paper and places it under the tree. He is
very excited and he is looking forward to Christmas morning to see the joy on his
mother's face.

But when his mother opens the present she screams with fright because
she sees a spider.

Credits:

Story by Laurie Buchanan

Audio version performed by Cam Culham, English Language Centre
 Show one at a time

1. What does David want to buy his Mother?

A.   ?    a special birthday present

B.   ?    a Christmas present

C.   ?    a spider ring

2. Who does David get his money from?

A.   ?    his pet

B.   ?    his mother

C.   ?    his father

3. How much money does David take to the mall?

A.   ?    $20.00

B.   ?    $5.00

C.   ?    $17.00

4. What does David buy his mother?

A.   ?    a ring

B.   ?    a brooch

C.   ?    a spider
 5. What does David do with the present when he takes it home?

A.   ?    he gives it to his mother

B.   ?    he wraps it in Christmas paper

C.   ?    he is very excited

6. Why does David's mother scream?

A.   ?    because the present is beautiful

B.   ?    because she doesn't like Christmas presents

C.   ?    because she thinks she sees a real spider

7. Why does David buy a spider brooch?

A.   ?    spiders are his favourite pet

B.   ?    he loves Christmas

C.   ?    to scare his mother

8. Where does David put the present on Christmas Eve?

A.   ?    under his pillow

B.   ?    under a spider

C.   ?    under the Christmas tree

Sedna the Sea Goddess

Sedna was a beautiful Inuit girl who didn’t want to get married. Many hunters wanted to
marry her, but she refused their offers. Her father scolded her, saying, “I am getting
older, and soon you will need a good husband who can provide you with food and furs.
You must marry the next hunter who asks for you.” Sedna still wasn’t interested.

Soon a young hunter from a distant place came to her father’s camp . He was dressed in
warm furs, and spoke in a soft voice. He promised to provide a good home and plenty of
animals for food and clothing. Although he kept his face hidden under his hood, Sedna
was very impressed with him, so she agreed to marry him.
Sedna got into her husband’s kayak and travelled with him to her new home. When they
arrived at his island, she saw that her home was nothing but some sticks and bits of moss
and feathers clinging to a large rock. Her husband took off his hood, and she realized
that he was not a man, but an evil raven. He never hunted, he only caught fish. Sedna was
cold, lonely, hungry, and very unhappy. Every day she cried for her father to come and
save her.

Her father heard her cries and decided to rescue her. He paddled his kayak to the island
where she was living. On their way home, Sedna looked back and saw that the raven was
following them. He was gaining on them quickly. As the raven came close, her father took
his paddle and struck the bird, who had to fall back. Then the raven flapped his powerful
wings at the ocean and caused a huge storm to blow up.

When her father saw that their lives were in danger, he became afraid for his own life. He
threw Sedna over the side of the kayak. Sedna tried to save herself. She grabbed onto the
kayak with her fingers, but her father took his paddle and beat at her fingers until they
broke off. As they sank into the ocean, her fingers turned into seals and fish. Again,
Sedna grabbed the kayak with her hands, but her father took his paddle and beat her
hands until they also fell into the water. As they sank into the ocean, her hands turned
into whales and walrus. Sedna also sank into the ocean.

Sedna lives at the bottom of the ocean. She is the goddess of the sea. She is the one who
provides animals for the hunters, but only when she feels generous. When she is angry,
and this is often, the hunters can’t find food; and the people go hungry.

Credits:

Story adapted by Mary Mahoney from a traditional Inuit legend. The Inuit people live in the Arctic regions of Canada,
Greenland and Alaska.
Audio version performed by Cam Culham
Audio effects adapted under Creative Commons license
Audio credits: Chimes
Clipart under license from Microsoft for educational use
 Show one at a time

1. What did her father want Sedna to do?

A.   ?    get married
B.   ?    hunt for food
C.   ?    make clothing from animal skins
2. How did Sedna react to the hunters' proposals of marriage?

A.   ?    She refused their offers.

B.   ?    She said, "Maybe later."
C.   ?    She was interested.
3. Why did Sedna agree to marry the young hunter?

A.   ?    He was the best-dressed hunter.

B.   ?    He promised to look after her.
C.   ?    He made a good impression.
4. What did Sedna find out when she got to her new home?

A.   ?    Her husband was a fisherman, not a hunter.

 B.   ?    Her husband was a raven, not a man.
C.   ?    There were no warm clothes for her.
5. Why did her husband keep his face hidden?

A.   ?    He didn't want her to know he wasn't human.

B.   ?    It was a sign of respect.
C.   ?    So the animals couldn't recognise him.
6. Because Sedna was so unhappy, what did she do?

A.   ?    She had to eat fish every day.

B.   ?    Every day she cried for her father to come.
C.   ?    She had to hunt.
7. Why did the raven fly after Sedna and her father?

A.   ?    He wanted to kill her father.

B.   ?    He wanted to eat their food.
C.   ?    He wanted to get his wife back.
8. How did the raven cause the dangerous storm?

A.   ?    By calling on the water gods to make a storm.

B.   ?    By flapping his wings at the ocean.
C.   ?    By calling on other ravens to help him.
9. What did her father do when their lives were in danger?

A.   ?    He beat the kayak with his paddle.

B.   ?    He threw Sedna out of the kayak.
C.   ?    He called on the gods to help them.
10.Why did her father throw Sedna out of the kayak?

A.   ?    He wanted to give her to the raven.

B.   ?    He wanted to make the kayak lighter.
C.   ?    He wanted to save his own life.
11.How did Sedna try to save herself?

A.   ?    She asked the raven to help her.

B.   ?    She gave animals to the hunters.
C.   ?    She grabbed the kayak with her fingers.
12.How did the sea animals come into the world?

A.   ?    Sedna's fingers became the seals and fish, and her hands became the
whales and walrus.
B.   ?    The raven created the sea animals.
C.   ?    Her father found them in the sea.
Raven Steals the Light
In the beginning there was no light in the world, because an old magician kept it hidden
in a box inside his house. Raven, who was always hungry, didn’t like the darkness
because it was difficult to find food. One day he was looking for food near the old
magician’s house. He heard a voice saying, “I have a box, and inside this box is another
box, and inside this there is another box, and inside the smallest box is all the light in
the world.” Raven decided to steal the light.

Raven waited until the old man’s daughter went down to the river to collect water. Just as
she was dipping her basket into the river, he changed himself into a *hemlock needle.
The needle floated into her basket. When the girl drank some water, she swallowed Raven
too.

Inside the girl’s belly Raven took the form of a human baby. He grew and grew, and in
time she gave birth to a funny looking child with black eyes and a big nose. The old man
loved his grandson so much that he gave in to the child’s every wish. Raven became spoilt
and greedy. He was bored with all his toys, and wanted to play with the box that held the
light. Finally the grandfather opened the box and tossed the glowing ball of light to
Raven.

As soon as Raven caught the light, he immediately changed into his bird form. Holding
the light in his beak, he flew up the chimney hole into the dark world. The magician was
angry. He wanted to get the light back into his box. He flew after Raven.

The light was heavy in Raven's beak, and he was getting tired. The magician was coming
closer. Raven broke off some pieces of the light and threw them into the sky. They
became the stars. The magician was still coming closer, so Raven broke off another piece
of the light and threw it into the sky. It became the moon. Finally Raven became so tired
that he tossed the last and biggest piece of the light into the sky. It became the sun; and
that is how daylight came to the world.

* hemlock needle: the needle-shaped leaf of an evergreen tree

Credits:

Story adapted by Mary Mahoney from a traditional Haida legend. The traditional territory of the Haida people includes part
of today’s southern Alaska and the islands of Haida Gwaii.
Audio version performed by Cam Culham
Audio effects adapted under Creative Commons license
Audio credits: Chimes | Raven
Clipart under license from Microsoft for educational use

Show one at a time

1. Why was the world dark in the beginning?

A.   ?    It was midnight.

B.   ?    There was no sun and moon.

C.   ?    An old magician kept the light.

2. Where did the magician keep the light?

A.   ?    in a hole in the ground

B.   ?    in a box in his house

C.   ?    in a basket in a tree

3. Why didn't raven like the darkness?

A.   ?    He couldn't see where he was going.

B.   ?    It was difficult to find food.

C.   ?    He couldn't see colours.

4. What did Raven decide todo?

A.   ?    steal the light.

B.   ?    marry the magician's daughter.

C.   ?    hide inside the magician's box.

5. What did Raven change himself into?

A.   ?    a baby human

B.   ?    a hemlock tree

C.   ?    a hemlock needle

6. The magician's daughter gave birth to a ...

A.   ?    a strange-looking human baby

B.   ?    a raven

C.   ?    a hemlock needle

7. How did the old magician treat his grandson?

A.   ?    He gave in to the child's every wish.

B.   ?    He was kind but strict.

C.   ?    He taught the baby how to be a good person.

8. What kind of child did Raven become?

A.   ?    kind and generous

B.   ?    spoilt and greedy

 C.   ?    polite and shy

9. How did Raven get the light?

A.   ?    The box broke and the light fell out.

B.   ?    He took it when the grandfather wasn't looking.

C.   ?    The grandfather opened the box and gave it to him.

10.What did Raven do when he had the light?

A.   ?    He cried," I have the light!"

B.   ?    He ran through the forest.

C.   ?    He flew up the chimney hole.

11.Why did the magician fly after Raven?

A.   ?    He wanted to get the light from Raven.

B.   ?    He wanted to win the race.

C.   ?    He wanted to help Raven.

12.How did the stars, moon, and sun get into the sky?

A.   ?    Raven said," Let there be light."

B.   ?    The light was too heavy,so Raven broke off some pieces and threw
them into the sky.

C.   ?    The light fell out of Raven's beak and broke into pieces.