End with ED

The Fox and the Grapes

One afternoon, a fox was walking through the forest and spotted a bunch of grapes
hanging from a lofty branch. “Just the thing to quench my thirst,” said the fox.

Taking a few steps back, the fox jumped and just missed the hanging grapes. Again, the
fox took a few paces back and tried to reach them, but still failed.

Finally, giving up, the fox turned up his nose and said, “They’re probably sour anyway.”
Then he walked away.

The Devoted Mother 

A mother duck and her little ducklings were on their way to a lake one day. The
ducklings were very happy following their mother and quack-quacking along the way.

All of a sudden, the mother duck saw a fox at a distance. She was frightened, and
shouted, “Children, hurry to the lake. There’s a fox!”

The ducklings hurried towards the lake. The mother duck wondered what to do. Then
she began to walk back and forth dragging one wing on the ground.

When the fox saw her, he became happy. He said to himself, “It seems she’s hurt and
can’t fly! I can easily catch and eat her!” He ran towards her.

The mother duck ran, leading the fox away from the lake. The fox followed her. Now he
wouldn’t be able to harm her ducklings. The mother duck looked towards her ducklings
and saw that they had reached the lake. She was relieved, so she stopped and took a
deep breath.
The fox thought that she was tired and he came closer, but the mother duck quickly
spread her wings and rose up in the air. She landed in the middle of the lake and her
ducklings swam to her.

The fox stared in disbelief at the mother duck and her ducklings. The mother duck had
tricked him cleverly. Now he could not reach them because they were in the middle of
the lake. 

The Lion and the Mouse

Once when a lion, the king of the jungle, was asleep, a little mouse began running up
and down on him. This soon awakened the lion, who placed his huge paw on the
mouse, and opened his big jaws to swallow him.

“Pardon, O King!” cried the little mouse. “Forgive me this time. I shall never repeat it and
I shall never forget your kindness. And who knows, I may be able to do you a good turn
one of these days!”

The lion was so tickled by the idea of the mouse being able to help him that he lifted his
paw and let him go.

Sometime later, a few hunters captured the lion, and tied him to a tree. After that they
went in search of a wagon, to take him to the zoo.

Just then the little mouse happened to pass by. On seeing the lion’s plight, he ran up to
him and gnawed away the ropes that bound him, the king of the jungle.

“Was I not right?” said the little mouse, very happy to help the lion. 
 End of S and ES

SEASONS

Between the months of November and May a wind blows from the west in most parts of
Indonesia. It comes from the ocean and carries rain. Clouds build up around the
mountains, and every afternoon rain falls. The rain is always heavy, and rivers that can
be walked across in the dry season now become dangerous. When it rains the whole
day, they may suddenly overflow and cause great damage to the land.

Most farmers are glad when wet season begins. There is water for their fields and they
can again start growing rice. But people in town are not so glad because the streets
soon get muddy and dirty. They prefer the dry season when they can sit outside and
enjoy the cool evenings.

Learning English

Every year students in many countries learn English. Some of these students are young
people, other are teenagers. Many are adults. Some learn at school, others study by
themselves. A few learn English just by hearing the language in film, on television, in
the office or among their friends. But not many are lucky enough to do that. Most people
must work hard to learn another language.

Many boys and girls learn English at school because it is one of their subjects. They
study their own language, mathematics and English. In England, America and Australia
may boys and girls study their own language, which is English, and mathematics and
another language, perhaps French, German or Spanish.
Many adults learn English, because it is useful for their work. Teenagers often learn
English for their higher studies, because some of their books are in English at the
college or university. Other people learn English because they want to read newspapers
or magazines in English.

David and Rosa’s

Day David is a bank manager and Rosa is a doctor in a large hospital. David gets up at
7.30 am and has a bath. He leaves home at 8.30 and goes to work by car. He arrives at
the bank at 9.00.

Rosa gets up at 9.30 because she doesn’t start work until 1.00 in the afternoon. She
catches the bus to the hospital at 12.15.

David finishes works at 5.30 and goes shopping in the supermarket near the bank. Then
he goes home and cooks dinner. He eats alone in the kitchen at 7.00 and then usually
watches TV in the living room until Rosa arrives home at 10.00. She often has her diner
in front of the TV. David goes to bed at 11.00, but Rosa usually goes to bed at 11.30.