E7 Drawing Snake With Feet

Ah Gu and his friends were a group of poor farmers who tilled the land around their village. They did not have much but were content to toil daily so that their harvests would be bountiful enough to sustain them and their families, particularly through the hard times of the year. Their lives were simple.

What did Ah Gu and his friends do for a living?

• They were farmers.
• They were merchants.
• They were blacksmiths.
• They were fishermen.

Ah Gu and his friends were a group of poor farmers who tilled the land around their village. They did not have much but were content to toil daily so that their harvests would be bountiful enough to sustain them and their families, particularly through the hard times of the year. Their lives were simple.

How did Ah Gu and his friends feel about their lives despite being poor?

• They were indifferent to their circumstances.
• They felt burdened by their daily toil.
• They were unhappy and wanted more wealth.
• They felt content with their simple lives.

Spring had just arrived and as usual, the farmers were in the fields. As they worked, they all hoped for good fortune in the coming year. As the sun reached its peak in the sky, their tummies started to rumble. Ah Gu and his friends took a break from their hard work. As they sat in the shade having their noon-day meal, they shared with each other their wishes for the new year.

What season had just arrived?

• Winter
• Autumn
• Summer
• Spring

Spring had just arrived and as usual, the farmers were in the fields. As they worked, they all hoped for good fortune in the coming year. As the sun reached its peak in the sky, their tummies started to rumble. Ah Gu and his friends took a break from their hard work. As they sat in the shade having their noon-day meal, they shared with each other their wishes for the new year.

Why do the farmers share their wishes for the new year during their meal break?

• To complain about the weather conditions.
• To express hope and camaraderie for a successful farming season.
• To discuss their favorite crops for the season.
• To plan a festival for the harvest season.

While they were chatting and laughing, they spotted a group of men on their horses. Leading them was an official who had just visited his family's ancestral temple to offer sacrifices and pray for blessings for the coming year. The official was in high spirits as he had received many good portents at the temple so as he neared the farmers, he slowed down to speak with them. As he took his leave of them, he generously gave them two large pots of: expensive tea.

Who did the group of men on horses include?

• a band of thieves
• an official and his entourage
• a group of farmers
• a traveling circus

While they were chatting and laughing, they spotted a group of men on their horses. Leading them was an official who had just visited his family's ancestral temple to offer sacrifices and pray for blessings for the coming year. The official was in high spirits as he had received many good portents at the temple so as he neared the farmers, he slowed down to speak with them. As he took his leave of them, he generously gave them two large pots of: expensive tea.

Why was the official in high spirits?

• He was given a promotion at work.
• He received many good portents at the temple.
• He received a large sum of money.
• He found a rare artifact in the temple.

The farmers were elated with the gift and immediately shared one pot among themselves, even though they knew they should not have. They were common folk and had never had tea of such exquisite quality before. All of them savoured every drop they tasted. After some discussion, they decided that instead of sharing the remaining pot among themselves, only one person would get to take the pot home to his family. To determine who would eventually get the prize, they challenged each other to a snake-drawing contest. Each man would draw a snake on the ground and the first person to finish would win the pot of tea.

What did the farmers do with the first pot of tea?

• They threw it away after tasting.
• They shared it among themselves.
• They drank it all themselves.
• They sold it to a merchant.

The farmers were elated with the gift and immediately shared one pot among themselves, even though they knew they should not have. They were common folk and had never had tea of such exquisite quality before. All of them savoured every drop they tasted. After some discussion, they decided that instead of sharing the remaining pot among themselves, only one person would get to take the pot home to his family. To determine who would eventually get the prize, they challenged each other to a snake-drawing contest. Each man would draw a snake on the ground and the first person to finish would win the pot of tea.

Why did the farmers decide to give only one person the second pot of tea instead of sharing it?

• To ensure everyone had a chance to win something.
• To avoid any arguments about sharing.
• To make the contest more exciting for the farmers.
• They recognized the value of the tea as something special and rare.

They all began to draw. In just under a minute, Ah Gu finished his picture. Looking around at his friends, he saw that they were all still busy drawing and most were not even half done. Feeling a little smug, and thinking that he still had time, he decided to improve on his drawing.

What did Ah Gu do after finishing his drawing first?

• He asked his friends for their opinions.
• He started drawing a completely different picture.
• He decided to improve on his drawing.
• He put his drawing away and left the room.

They all began to draw. In just under a minute, Ah Gu finished his picture. Looking around at his friends, he saw that they were all still busy drawing and most were not even half done. Feeling a little smug, and thinking that he still had time, he decided to improve on his drawing.

Why did Ah Gu feel smug after finishing his drawing?

• He was the only one who drew a landscape.
• He wanted to show off his artistic skills.
• He thought his drawing was the best among all.
• He finished his drawing quickly so he was confident that he would win.