3.8. Narrative Text

Once upon a time, there was a little boy, who was poor, dirty, and smelly, came into a little village. He was very hungry and weak. He knocked at every door and asked for some food, but nobody cared about him. Nobody wanted to help the little boy. Finally, a generous old woman helped him. She gave him shelter and a meal. When the boy wanted to leave, the old woman gave him a “lesung”, a big wooden mortar for pounding rice.

She reminded him, “Please remember, if there is a flood you must save yourself. Use this “lesung” as a boat”.

The little boy was happy and thanked the old woman. The little boy continued his journey. While he was passing through the village, where he had asked for food, he saw many people gathering on the field.

The boy came closer and saw a stick stuck in the ground. People challenged each other to pull out that stick. Everybody tried, but nobody succeeded.

“Can I try?” asked the little boy.

The crowd laughed mockingly. The boy wanted to try his luck; consequently, he stepped forward and pulled out the stick. He could do it very easily. Everybody was dumbfounded. Suddenly, from the hole left by stick, water spouted out. It did not stop until it flooded the village. And no one was saved from the water except the little boy and the generous old woman who gave him shelter and meal. As she told him, he used the “lesung” as a boat and picked up the old woman. The whole village became a huge lake.

It is now known as RawaPening Lake in Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia.

What happened to the boy before he was able to pull out a stick?

• He mocked villagers.

• He travelling down a hill.

• He was sailing on a “lesung”.

• He was shown by an old woman to go to a village nearby.

• He was given a shelter, meat and “lesung” by an old female villager.

Once upon a time, there was a little boy, who was poor, dirty, and smelly, came into a little village. He was very hungry and weak. He knocked at every door and asked for some food, but nobody cared about him. Nobody wanted to help the little boy. Finally, a generous old woman helped him. She gave him shelter and a meal. When the boy wanted to leave, the old woman gave him a “lesung”, a big wooden mortar for pounding rice.

She reminded him, “Please remember, if there is a flood you must save yourself. Use this “lesung” as a boat”.

The little boy was happy and thanked the old woman. The little boy continued his journey. While he was passing through the village, where he had asked for food, he saw many people gathering on the field.

The boy came closer and saw a stick stuck in the ground. People challenged each other to pull out that stick. Everybody tried, but nobody succeeded.

“Can I try?” asked the little boy.

The crowd laughed mockingly. The boy wanted to try his luck; consequently, he stepped forward and pulled out the stick. He could do it very easily. Everybody was dumbfounded. Suddenly, from the hole left by stick, water spouted out. It did not stop until it flooded the village. And no one was saved from the water except the little boy and the generous old woman who gave him shelter and meal. As she told him, he used the “lesung” as a boat and picked up the old woman. The whole village became a huge lake.

It is now known as RawaPening Lake in Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia.

What can we learn from the story?

• We should be humble.

• We should work together.

• Kindness makes happiness.

• Great efforts make success.

• A hungry and weak boy

Once upon a time, there was a little boy, who was poor, dirty, and smelly, came into a little village. He was very hungry and weak. He knocked at every door and asked for some food, but nobody cared about him. Nobody wanted to help the little boy. Finally, a generous old woman helped him. She gave him shelter and a meal. When the boy wanted to leave, the old woman gave him a “lesung”, a big wooden mortar for pounding rice.

She reminded him, “Please remember, if there is a flood you must save yourself. Use this “lesung” as a boat”.

The little boy was happy and thanked the old woman. The little boy continued his journey. While he was passing through the village, where he had asked for food, he saw many people gathering on the field.

The boy came closer and saw a stick stuck in the ground. People challenged each other to pull out that stick. Everybody tried, but nobody succeeded.

“Can I try?” asked the little boy.

The crowd laughed mockingly. The boy wanted to try his luck; consequently, he stepped forward and pulled out the stick. He could do it very easily. Everybody was dumbfounded. Suddenly, from the hole left by stick, water spouted out. It did not stop until it flooded the village. And no one was saved from the water except the little boy and the generous old woman who gave him shelter and meal. As she told him, he used the “lesung” as a boat and picked up the old woman. The whole village became a huge lake.

It is now known as RawaPening Lake in Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia.

The boy wanted to try his luck; … , he stepped forward and pulled out the stick.”

• so

• although

• but

• also

• only

The Bear and the Two Friends

Once, two friends were walking through the forest. They knew that anything dangerous can happen to them at any time in the forest. So they promised each other that they would remain united in case of danger.

Suddenly, they saw a large bear approaching tern. One of the friends at once climbed a nearby tree. But the other one did not know how to climb. So being led by his common sense, he lay down on the ground breathless, pretending to be a dead man.

The bear came near the man lying on the ground. It smelt his ears and slowly left the place. Because the bear did not touch him, the friend on the tree came down and asked his friend on the ground, "Friend, what did the bear tell you into your ears?"The other friend replied, "He advised me not to believe a false friend.

What can we get from the story?

• We have to save ourselves

• We have to learn how to climb

• Bear will not harm a dead man

• True friend always stand by us in ups and downs

The Smartest Animal

Once there was a farmer in Laos. Every morning and afternoon he plowed his field with the help of his buffalo.

One day a tiger saw the farmer and his buffalo working. The tiger was surprised to see a big animal listening to a small animal. He wanted to know more about the buffalo and the man.

After the man went home, the tiger spoke to the buffalo.

“You are so big and strong, Why do you do everything the man tells you?”

“Oh, the man is very intelligent.”

So the next day the tiger said to the man. “Can I see your intelligence?” But the man answered, “It’s at home.”

“Can You go and get it?” asked the tiger.

“Yes,” said the man, “But I’m afraid you will kill my buffalo when I am gone. He took his plow and hit the tiger with a stick. Then he said. “Now you know about my intelligence even if you haven’t seen it.”

What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

• Farmer and his buffalo working

• The farmer show his intelligence

• The tiger want to see farmer’s intelligence

• The tiger want to see farmer’s intelligence

The Smartest Animal

Once there was a farmer in Laos. Every morning and afternoon he plowed his field with the help of his buffalo.

One day a tiger saw the farmer and his buffalo working. The tiger was surprised to see a big animal listening to a small animal. He wanted to know more about the buffalo and the man.

After the man went home, the tiger spoke to the buffalo.

“You are so big and strong, Why do you do everything the man tells you?”

“Oh, the man is very intelligent.”

So the next day the tiger said to the man. “Can I see your intelligence?” But the man answered, “It’s at home.”

“Can You go and get it?” asked the tiger.

“Yes,” said the man, “But I’m afraid you will kill my buffalo when I am gone. He took his plow and hit the tiger with a stick. Then he said. “Now you know about my intelligence even if you haven’t seen it.”

“The tiger was surprised to see big animal listening to a small animal” (paragraph 2 line 2)

The underlined word means.....

• Weak

• Hear

• Obey

• Lazy

The Smartest Animal

Once there was a farmer in Laos. Every morning and afternoon he plowed his field with the help of his buffalo.

One day a tiger saw the farmer and his buffalo working. The tiger was surprised to see a big animal listening to a small animal. He wanted to know more about the buffalo and the man.

After the man went home, the tiger spoke to the buffalo.

“You are so big and strong, Why do you do everything the man tells you?”

“Oh, the man is very intelligent.”

So the next day the tiger said to the man. “Can I see your intelligence?” But the man answered, “It’s at home.”

“Can You go and get it?” asked the tiger.

“Yes,” said the man, “But I’m afraid you will kill my buffalo when I am gone. He took his plow and hit the tiger with a stick. Then he said. “Now you know about my intelligence even if you haven’t seen it.”

What can we learn from the story?

• We have to plow the field everyday

• A buffalo is more intelligent than a tiger

• Never underestimate others

• Never plow the field in the morning

he Good Stepmother

The old witch locked Hansel in a cage and set Gretel to clean the house. She planned to eat them both. Each night the children cried and begged the witch to let them go.

Meanwhile, at home, their stepmother was beginning to wish she had never tried to get rid of the children. “I must find them,” she said and set off into the forest.

Many hours later, when her feet were tired from walking and her lips were dry from thirst, she came to the cottage belonging to the witch. The stepmother peeped through the window. Her heart cried out when she saw the two children.

She picked up the broom leaning against the door and crept inside. The witch was putting some stew in the oven when the stepmother gave her an almighty push. The witch fell into the oven and the stepmother shut the door.

‘Children, I have come to save you,’ she said hugging them tightly. I have done a dreadful thing.

I hope in time you will forgive me. Let me take you home and become a family again. They returned to their home and the stepmother became the best mother anyone could wish to have, and of course they lived happily ever after!

How did the stepmother find her children?

• She walked into the forest

• She got tired and met her children

• She peeped through the window of the witch’s cottage

• She fell into the cliff

The Good Stepmother

The old witch locked Hansel in a cage and set Gretel to clean the house. She planned to eat them both. Each night the children cried and begged the witch to let them go.

Meanwhile, at home, their stepmother was beginning to wish she had never tried to get rid of the children. “I must find them,” she said and set off into the forest.

Many hours later, when her feet were tired from walking and her lips were dry from thirst, she came to the cottage belonging to the witch. The stepmother peeped through the window. Her heart cried out when she saw the two children.

She picked up the broom leaning against the door and crept inside. The witch was putting some stew in the oven when the stepmother gave her an almighty push. The witch fell into the oven and the stepmother shut the door.

‘Children, I have come to save you,’ she said hugging them tightly. I have done a dreadful thing.

I hope in time you will forgive me. Let me take you home and become a family again. They returned to their home and the stepmother became the best mother anyone could wish to have, and of course they lived happily ever after!

“The witch fell into the oven and the stepmother shut the door.” (Paragraph 4)

The underlined word can be replaced by the word…

• Marked

• Painted

• Opened

• Closed

The Good Stepmother

The old witch locked Hansel in a cage and set Gretel to clean the house. She planned to eat them both. Each night the children cried and begged the witch to let them go.

Meanwhile, at home, their stepmother was beginning to wish she had never tried to get rid of the children. “I must find them,” she said and set off into the forest.

Many hours later, when her feet were tired from walking and her lips were dry from thirst, she came to the cottage belonging to the witch. The stepmother peeped through the window. Her heart cried out when she saw the two children.

She picked up the broom leaning against the door and crept inside. The witch was putting some stew in the oven when the stepmother gave her an almighty push. The witch fell into the oven and the stepmother shut the door.

‘Children, I have come to save you,’ she said hugging them tightly. I have done a dreadful thing.

I hope in time you will forgive me. Let me take you home and become a family again. They returned to their home and the stepmother became the best mother anyone could wish to have, and of course they lived happily ever after!

Which statement is FALSE about the witch?

• She locked Hansel in a cage

• She planned to eat Hansel & Gretel

• She fell into the ocean

• She hated the children