After we have studied this unit, we will be able to

• describe pictures
• read and understand texts through silent reading
• infer meaning from context
• ask and answer questions
• take part in discussions
• identify main points of a text

Key word : shelter grumpy unwillingly generous flattery

A. Talk about the picture and read the story of the dove and the bat.

Once upon a time, a dove and a bat were very good friends. One day the two friends decided to set out on a journey. They flew over the rivers and hills and came to a big jungle. Both the friends were very tired, they needed to sit down and take a rest. Soon night fell and it was dark all around. A storm rose. It started to rain heavily. The dove and the bat started to look for a shelter.

They came upon a century-old rain tree. An owl had his nest in that tree. The dove and the bat knocked at the owl's door. The old grumpy owl opened the door. The dove and the bat requested him to give them shelter. The owl unwillingly let them in. The two birds were hungry too. They begged for some food. The selfish owl was not happy. However, he shared his dinner with them. The dove was so tired that she could hardly eat. But the bat was sly. He ate greedily. He began to praise the owl with the thought of getting more food. The bat said, "O wise and brave owl, you are the most generous person I have ever seen. You are powerful and mighty."

The owl was very pleased at the bat's flattery. He puffed and ruffled himself, trying to look as wise and brave as possible. Then he turned to the dove and asked, "Now little dove, what do you think about me?"

B. Ask and answer the following questions.

1. Who were the two good friends?
2. What did they decide to do?
3. Why were they tired?
4. Why did they look for a shelter ?
5. Where did the dove and the bat come?
6. Whose nest was there on the tree?
7. Which words tell you that the owl was not good at heart?
8. Why couldn't the dove eat?
9. Why did the bat praise the owl?
10. Which words pleased the owl?
11. What action of the owl tells you that he wanted to hear more good things about him?

C. Read the story again and make sentences from the table.

D. True or false? If false, give the correct information.

1. The dove and the bat decided to go for a flying competition.
2. They reached a big jungle.
3. They were afraid because a storm was blowing.
4. The dove and the bat were looking for a place to spend the night.
5. The owl gladly asked the bat and the dove to come in.
6. The owl and the birds ate together.
7. The bat sincerely praised the owl.

E. Which words would you use to describe an eagle or a crow?

Key words : wondering insincere speech praise host grateful

A. Look at the picture and talk about it.

B. Read more about the three birds and write answers to the following questions.

All this time the dove was listening to her friend's false praises. She was wondering how insincere his praises were. The dove hung her head down and was quiet. The owl got impatient. He wanted to hear more praises. He looked at the dove and asked, "Don't you have any good thing to say about me?" The bat joined the owl, "Yes, don't you have any words of praise for our kind host?" The dove was ashamed of her friend bat and kept her eyes down. The owl urged the dove, "Come on, say something!"

The dove lifted her head slowly and said, "Master owl, thank you very much for the shelter you have given me, thank you for the food you have offered me. I will remain ever grateful for this".

Questions

1. What does the word 'insincere' mean in the story?
2. Why did the dove think that the bat is insincere?
3. What made the owl impatient?
4. Why was the dove ashamed of her friend?

C. True or false? If false, give the correct information.

1. The bat was very sincere when he praised the owl.
2. The owl wanted to hear more good things about himself.
3. The dove was very harsh to the owl.

Key words : gracious noble deserve hospitality ungrateful echo vicious leathery vain

A. Look at the picture.

1. What do you see?
2. How do the three birds look?
3. Why do you think they look so?
4. Who looks very happy? Can you guess why?

B. Read more about the three birds and find out about their fate. Work in pairs and write the answers to the questions that follow.

"What?" cried the bat. "Is that all you have to say to our gracious host? Is he not the wisest, bravest and most generous of all animals and birds? Don't you have praise for his noble character as well as for his goodness to us? I am ashamed of you! You do not deserve such hospitality. You do not deserve this shelter."

"You are an ungrateful bird, and the bat is right. You do not deserve this generous hospitality which I have offered. Get out! Be off, I say!"said the owl. "Yes, get lost!" echoed the bat, flapping his leathery wings. The two heartless creatures fell upon the poor little dove and drove her out into the dark and stormy night. But the owl and the bat did not go unpunished for their act of heartlessness. The bat can never fly in broad daylight. He has to wait for the sun to go down. And do you know what happened to the vain owl? Well, he is blind as long as the sun is up. He cannot hunt or feed himself unless it is dark. So the two vicious creatures with their dark heart live in the dark.

On the other hand, the dove is rewarded for her truthfulness. Her name shall be used by poets as long as the world lasts to rhyme with "LOVE". 

(Adapted from The Curious Book of Birds by Abbie Farwell Brown)

Questions
   1 Why did the bat say that he was ashamed of the dove?
   2 Why was the owl angry with the dove?
   3 What did the owl and the bat do to the dove? 4 How were the bat and the owl punished at the end?
   5 What reward did the dove get?

C. Make a list of the words used in the story to describe the three birds. add some of your own words.

     Owl      :
     Bat       :
     Dove    :

D. Discuss in groups and write the moral of the story.