Rikki Tikki Tavi (Part 4) - Paraphrased Reading [ESL]

Rikki Tikki Tavi - Part 4

First, some review!

Multiple Choice

Who was with Rikki at first?

• Teddy

• Teddy's father

• Chuchundra

• Darzee

Multiple Choice

What attacked Teddy?

• An elephant

• A lion

• A man

• A snake

Paragraph 43

Then Teddy's mother picked him up from the dust and hugged him, crying that he had saved Teddy from death.

Teddy's father said that Rikki was a providence (神的旨意). Teddy looked on with big scared eyes.

Paragraph 44

Rikki-tikki was rather amused (被逗樂的) at all the fuss (注意). He did not understand.

Teddy's mother might just as well have petted Teddy for playing in the dust. Rikki was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Paragraph 45

That night at dinner, Rikki was walking to and fro among the wine-glasses on the table, he might have stuffed (吃得很多) himself three times over with nice things.

But he remembered Nag and Nagaina.

Multiple Choice

Who said Rikki was a providence ?

• Teddy

• Teddy's father

• Chuchundra

• Teddy's mother

Multiple Select

What is a providence?

(Choose 2)

• 神的旨意

• A hospital

• Help from God

• A bad thing

Multiple Choice

Rikki almost ate a lot of food but he did not.

Why did he stop eating?

• He wasn't hungry.

• He was sad.

• There was no food.

• He remembered Nag and Nagaina.

Paragraph 46a

Teddy carried him off to bed, and insisted on Rikki-Tikki sleeping under his chin. Rikki-Tikki was too well-bred (出身名門的) to bite or scratch, but as soon as Teddy was asleep he went off for his nightly walk around the house.

Paragraph 46b

Teddy carried him off to bed, and insisted on Rikki-Tikki sleeping under his chin. Rikki-Tikki was too well-bred (出身名門的) to bite or scratch, but as soon as Teddy was asleep he went off for his nightly walk around the house.

Paragraph 47

In the dark he ran up against Chuchundra, the muskrat (麝鼠), creeping around by the wall.

Chuchundra is a broken-hearted (sad) little beast. He whimpers (嗚咽) and cheeps (吱吱叫) all the night, trying to make up his mind to run into the middle of the room. But he never gets there.

Paragraph 48

"Don't kill me," said Chuchundra, almost weeping (crying). "Rikki-tikki, don't kill me!"

"Do you think a snake-killer kills muskrats?" said Rikki-tikki scornfully (輕蔑地).

Multiple Choice

What time is it now?

• Morning

• Afternoon

• Evening

• Night

Multiple Choice

What kind of animal is Chuchundra?

• A mongoose

• A cobra

• A bird

• A muskrat

Multiple Choice

Does Rikki want to eat Chuchundra?

• Yes

• No

Paragraph 49

"Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes," said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever.

"And how am I to be sure that Nag won't mistake me for you some dark night?"

Paragraph 50

"There's not the least danger," said Rikki-tikki. "But Nag is in the garden, and I know you don't go there."

Paragraph 51-54

"My cousin Chua, the rat, told me--" said Chuchundra, and then he stopped.

"Told you what?"

"Shhh! Nag is everywhere, Rikki-tikki. You should have talked to Chua in the garden."

"I didn't--so you must tell me. Quick,

Chuchundra, or I'll bite you!"

Multiple Choice

Chuchundra is scared that Nag will think he is _____.

• Teddy

• Rikki Tikki

• Darzee

• Chua

Multiple Choice

Does Chuchundra go to the garden?

• Yes

• No

Paragraph 55

Chuchundra sat down and cried till the tears rolled off his whiskers (鬚). "I am a very poor man," he sobbed (cried).

"I never had spirit (勇氣) enough to run out into the middle of the room. Shhh! I mustn't tell you anything. Can't you hear, Rikki-tikki?"

Paragraph 56

Rikki Tikki listened. The house was as still as still, but he thought he could just catch the faintest scratch-scratch in the world--a noise as faint as that of a wasp walking on a windowpane (窗玻璃)--the dry scratch of a snake's scales on brickwork (磚造部分).

Paragraph 57

"That's Nag or Nagaina," he said to himself, "and he is crawling into the bathroom sluice (排水道). You're right, Chuchundra; I should have talked to Chua."

Multiple Choice

What does Rikki Tikki hear?

• Darzee

• The snakes

• Teddy

• Teddy's mom and dad

Multiple Choice

Where are the snakes?

• In Teddy's bedroom

• In the veranda

• Outside the bathroom

Paragraph 58a

He stole off to Teddy's bathroom, but there was nothing there, and then to Teddy's mother's bathroom.

Paragraph 58b

At the bottom of the smooth plaster wall there was a brick pulled out to make a sluice for the bath water, and as Rikki-Tikki stole in (偷偷做) by the masonry curb where the bath (浴缸) is put, he heard Nag and Nagaina whispering together outside in the moonlight.

Paragraph 59

"When the house is emptied of people," said Nagaina to her husband, "he will have to go away, and then the garden will be our own again.

Go in quietly, and remember that the big man who killed Karait is the first one to bite. Then come out and tell me, and we will hunt for Rikki Tikki together."

Multiple Choice

Why do the snakes want to kill the people?

• They think Rikki Tikki will leave if the people are dead.

• They don't like the people.

• They want to eat the people.