Learn English: Reading Comprehebsion : Lesson 2

Aesop's Fable Lesson 2

The Frogs and the Well

Two Frogs lived together in a marsh. But one hot summer the marsh dried up, and they left it to look for another place to live in: for frogs like damp places if they can get them. By and by they came to a deep well, and one of them looked down into it, and said to the other, "This looks a nice cool place. Let us jump in and settle here." But the other, who had a wiser head on his shoulders, replied, "Not so fast, my friend. Supposing this well dried up like the marsh, how should we get out again?"

Moral : Look before you leap. (- Look at all sides of a situation before making a decision.)

Key Vocabulary Words and Phrases

A marsh = wet area, pond
to dry up = to loose all water
damp = humid, wet
by and by = over time, eventually
a well = a hole in ground used to access fresh water
to settle - to begin living in a new place
to leap - to jump into

Questions / Discussion ...

·                                 Why did the Frogs decide to move?

·                                 Why did they decide not jump into the well?

·                                 Do you have any stories / fables in your culture that has a similar message? If so, try to tell the story or fable in English.

·                                 Have you ever moved? If so, explain why you moved with as many details as possible.

Funny Stories by Teachers

1. A wise school teacher sends this note to all parents on the first day of school: "If you promise not to believe everything your child says happens at school, I'll promise not to believe everything he says happens at home.

2. I was a middle school teacher before retirement. One day I had students at the board working problems. One of the young ladies was an exceptional student who happened to be a blonde. For some reason I told her that she was using a piece of left handed chalk. Without turning around or saying anything she put the chalk in the tray, picked up another piece of chalk, and continued with her problem.

3. I work as a secretary at an elementary school. During the second week of school a student in Mrs. Maemura's first grade class was sent to the office after having a bathroom accident. Number 2. I bent down and softly asked her if she had diarrhea. She looked up at me and said "No. I have Mrs. Maemura."

4. At Math time, I told the kids that we were going to talk about Even and Odd. One boy yelled out- "I know that story. It's in the Bible! " After I quit laughing, I said- "I think you mean Adam and Eve. "

5. As an introduction to a new book, I was introducing my 6th graders to new vocabulary words. I read a list of new words that the students would add to their list, and after I said, "Number 6. Rhododendron" one boy started asking his table mates where "Dendron" was. The kids could not understand what he was asking so he asked me "where the road to Dendron was". After collecting myself, I told him that rhododendron was one word. I still think that he is looking for Dendron.

Group Discussion:

Which story do you think is the funniest, and why?

What title would you give to each story? Try to agree on a good title in your group.
Wor Work together to write a story about your funny experiences (in or out of the classeoom!)