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    Learn English > English lessons and exercises > English test #13344: Understand a text
    > Other English exercises on the same topic: Several tests [Change theme]
    > Similar tests: - Placement test (beginners) - Confusion and words - Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer - Confusion of words - Notions of time and duration - Short placement test - Spelled words N°2 - Placement test 3
    > Double-click on words you don't understand


    Understand a text


    Wink       Welcome everybody!

             

               Read the text below and answer the questions.

               Good luck and have fun!

     

               The ant and the cicada

     

                In the old days, ants and cicadas were friends. They were very different. The ants were hardworking, but the cicadas were lazy.

                In the summer, the ant families were very busy. They knew that in the winter they would have to stay in their anthill. They wanted to have enough food for the whole winter.

                While the ants worked hard, the cicadas didn't do anything. They sang and danced all day. When they were hungry, they could fly to the farm and get something to eat.

                One day the cicadas were singing and dancing. They saw a long line of ants bringing food to their anthill. The cicadas said, 'Stop, my silly friends. It's a very nice day. Come and dance with us.' The ants said, 'Don't you know about winter? If you don't work now, you'll have trouble later.'

                But the cicadas said, 'We have strong wings. We can fly anywhere we want. Stupid ants!' And they continued to sing and dance.

                In the winter, it rained or snowed all the time, and it was very cold. In the anthill, there was singing and dancing. But the cicadas had nothing to eat. They asked the ants for some food. The ants said, 'We thought you could fly anywhere. Now who is stupid and silly?'

                The cicadas cried and said that their wings were wet from the rain. The ants said, 'We're sorry, but now it's too late. If we help you, there won't be enough food for us. Sorry, very sorry.' And the ants closed their door.

                The next day, when the ants opened their door, all the cicadas were dead! That's why we can hear cicadas sing in the summer, but in the winter they are silent.

     

    Source: 'Stories we brought with us /Carol Kasser, Ann Silverman'





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    English exercise "Understand a text" created by marit64 with The test builder. [More lessons & exercises from marit64]
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    1. In the old days, the ant and the cicada were friends. The ant was industrious, but the cicada was lazy. Find a word that means the same as industrious.

    2. Where did the cicadas eat in the summer?

    3. Who sang and danced in the summer?

    4. Who sang and danced in the winter?

    5. Why did the ants work so hard in the summer?

    6. Why didn't the cicadas work hard in the summer?

    7. What happened to the cicadas in the winter?

    8. Why didn't the cicadas fly away in the winter?

    9. How did the ants get ready for the winter?

    10. Why didn't the ants give food to the cicadas?










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