Page 67 - Real English 2024 Book 8

A LITTLE GRAIN OF GOLD

c) thought that the luck of his life had come.

d) decided to give a little grain of corn.
4. Why did the ‘King of all kings’ beg to the beggar?

a) because he was poor
b) because the beggar was rich
c) because he wanted to test the beggar
d) because the beggar was a king in disguise

5. When the speaker heard the visitor’s question, he was not
a) perplexed. b) happy. c) puzzled. d) confused.

6. The speaker of the poem was not
a) poor. b) stingy. c) generous. d) greedy.

7. What would you have done if you were in the speaker’s place?
8. A single grain of gold appeared in the speaker’s bag at the end of the day. What lesson
does this teach you?

B2 Given below is the summary of the poem. Complete it by filling in the blanks with suitable
phrases from the box.

smiled at at a distance had to give held out
from door to door at the end a little grain with wealth
a royal joke evil days in the evening wept bitterly

One day as I was begging _____________ in the village path when your golden chariot was
seen _____________. I wondered who this King of kings was. Seeing you, I thought that my
_____________ were going to end. I thought that you would shower me _____________. I stood
there waiting for alms. The chariot stopped near where I stood. You _____________ me and
I thought I was lucky. Unexpectedly, you _____________ your right hand and asked me what
I _____________ you. I thought it was _____________ to open your palm to a beggar. I was confused
and took out _____________ of corn and gave it to you. But great surprise was in store for me
_____________ of the day. When I emptied my bag _____________, I found a little grain of gold in
the heap. I _____________ and regretted my miserliness.

C Think

C1 Think carefully and answer in detail.
1. The beggar expected to receive a lot in exchange for little or none. Do you think his attitude
was justified? Why or why not?

2. We reap what we sow. Discuss this with reference to the poem.

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