The Cat and The Old Rat
There was once a Cat who was so watchful, that a Mouse hardly dared show the tip of his whiskers for fear
of being eaten alive. That Cat seemed to be everywhere at once with his claws all ready for a pounce. At last,
the Mice kept so closely to their dens, that the Cat saw he would have to use his wits well to catch one. So,
one day the Cat climbed up on a shelf and hung from it, head downward, as if he were dead, holding himself
up by clinging to some ropes with one paw.
When the Mice peeped out and saw him in that position, they thought he had been hung up there in
punishment for some misdeed. Very timidly, at first, they stuck out their heads and sniffed about carefully.
But as nothing stirred, all trooped out joyfully to celebrate the death of the Cat.
Just then, the Cat let go his hold, and before the Mice recovered from their surprise, he had made an end of
three or four mice.
The Mice kept more strictly at home than ever. But the Cat, who was still hungry for Mice, knew more tricks
than one. Rolling himself in flour until he was covered completely, he lay down in the flour bin, with one
eye open for the Mice.
Soon enough, the Mice began to come out. To the Cat it was almost as if he already had a plump young
Mouse under his claws, when an old Rat, who had much experience with Cats and traps, and had even lost a
part of his tail to pay for it, sat up at a safe distance from a hole in the wall where he lived.
“Take care!” the old Rat cried. “You're very clever, madam, no doubt. But you may turn yourself into a bag
of meal hanging there, if you like, yet you won't catch us coming anywhere near you. Whatever it is, it is
wisest to keep at a safe distance.”
Moral: The wise do not let themselves be tricked a second time.
Glossary: wits: power of intelligent observation, keen perception plump: chubby, fat, fleshy
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Section A: Reading
Spend 30 minutes in this section
Read the passage and answer the following questions.
1. Who are the main characters?
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2. What was strange about the Cat’s behavior that made the mice celebrate?
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3(a) Which verb tense is used in the text?
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(b) Give evidence to support your answer.
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4. How many mice did the Cat had for treat?
a. two to three
b. three to four
5. Was the Old Rat caught by the Cat?
a. Yes
b. No
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6. Give a word that means the same as fearfully in second paragraph.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. (a) What is the genre of this text?
Fables
Play script
Myths and Legends
(b) Give two features of the genre you chose in 8(a)
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8. True or False:
a. The Cat kept both her eyes open in the flour bin.
b. The Old Rat had much more experience with the Cats.
9. Write an adjective from the text that describes the Cat.
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10. Identify one direct speech from the text.
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11. Which word is opposite of the word ‘bravely’ in the second paragraph?
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12. What is the purpose of long sentences in the text?
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13. What caused the Old Rat’s tail to be lost?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
14. Where did the Mice live?
a. shelf
b. dens
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SECTION B- Writing
Spend 30 min in this section
15. Read the beginning of the fable given below. Complete it and give moral.
The Fox & the Grapes
A Fox one day spied a beautiful bunch of ripe grapes hanging from a vine trained along the branches
of a tree. The grapes seemed ready to burst with juice, and the Fox's mouth watered as he gazed
longingly at them.
The bunch hung from a high branch, and the Fox had to jump for it. The first time he jumped he
missed it by a long way. So he walked off a short distance and took a running leap at it, only to fall
short once more. Again and again he tried, but …………………………………………….
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