Fables!

The Lion and the Mouse

Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn some of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let him go.
Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a waggon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse.

Questions:

1. Why did the Lion let the Mouse go?
   He thought the Mouse might be able to help him as well another time.
   The Mouse said something that amused the Lion.
2. What did the hunters not want to do with the Lion?
   kill him
   take him to their king.
   put him into a waggon
3. Which part of his body did the Mouse use to free the Lion?
   hands
   teeth
   tail
4. What is the moral of the fable?
   One bad turn deserves another.
   Little friends may prove great friends.
   There is always someone worse off than yourself.

   Put the following sentence into active voice.

5. The Lion was caught by the hunters. -

Note
to check wether your answers are correct or not, please visit this highly recommended website: http://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/literature/aesop-fables?03


The Bundle of Sticks

An old man on the point of death summoned his sons around him to give them some parting advice. He ordered his servants to bring in a faggot of sticks, and said to his eldest son, "Break it." The son strained and strained, but with all his efforts was unable to break the Bundle. The other sons also tried, but none of them was successful. "Untie the faggots," said the father, "and each of you take a stick." When they had done so, he called out to them, "Now, break," and each stick was easily broken. "You see my meaning," said their father.

Questions:

1. Why did the sons get together?
   It was their father's birthday.
   Their father was dying.
   They wanted to count their father's sticks.
2. When did the sons manage to break the sticks?
   When the sticks were tied up in a bundle.
   When they all tried together.
   When everyone had only one stick.
   They were not able to break them at all.
3. What moral did the father try to teach his sons?
   Kindness effects more than severity.
   Union gives strength.
   It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

   Transform the following sentence into reported speech.

4. The father said to his eldest son, »Break the sticks.« -

   Change into a relative clause.

5. The servant brought some sticks. The old man gave the sticks to his eldest son.
   The servant

Note
to check wether your answers are correct or not, please visit this highly recommended website: http://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/literature/aesop-fables?03

English must-know Grammer! Lesson No.2

Grammer Lesson No.2:

    "Backward" Versus "Backwards"           

Did you know that using "Backward" or "Backwards" depends on where you live?
Yeah! that is true.

Most references say that, like "towards," "backwards" is standard in Britain and "backward" is standard in America. The exception is that when you are using "backward" as an adjective, as in "her grandmother's backward ways" or "the program has backward compatibility," then you never use the "s." It is always "backward" as an adjective.

If you are in the U.S., you have it easier because you can just remember that it's always "backward" without the "s." We like shortcuts here, such as eating dinner in our cars, so you can remember that we've lopped off the "s." But if you are using British English, you have to remember that it's "backwards" as an adverb and "backward" as an adjective.

English must-know Grammer! Lesson No.1

Here is a must-know grammer lesson. You've got to know the difference between them!Each has a different meaning...

Sometimes, Some Time, and Sometime  

  

"Sometimes" means "now and then" or "occasionally,"

"Sometime" means "at some unspecified time": Let's get dinner and reminisce over Depeche Mode sometime.

"Some time" means "quite a while": I think I'll spend some time listening to that old Depeche Mode tape again

     

الدرس الاول في العربية

   هل تعلم أن كتابة العدد في اللغة العربية خاضع لقواعد معينة؟
ففي اللغة العربية لا يكتب العدد بالأحرف بالطريقة نفسها دوما بل يتغير حسب المعدود فيتبعه من حيث التذكير و التأنيث.



علاقة العدد بالمعدود من حيث التذكير و التأنيث

العدد من حيث التذكير و التأنيث يكون: إما

من 3-10 عكس المعدود تأنيثا و تذكيرا

من 11-12 مطابق للمعدود

 من 13-19 الجزء الأول معاكسا للمعدود و الثاني مطابقا له-

 من 23-29 و 33-39 ...الخ. الجزء الأول معاكس للمعدود و الثاني لا يتغير

من 21-22 الجزء الأول مطابق للمعدود و الثاني لا يتغير

أما العقود و الآلاف فلا يتغير لفظها

مثال

قضيت في الريف خمسة أيام و خمس ليال

اشتريت ثلاثة عشر كتابا و سبع عشرة مجلة

قال ابن بطوطة:" فاذا بلغت زيادة النيل ستة عشر ذراعا،كان الخصب في العام و الصلاح التام، فان بلغ ثمانية عشر ذراعا أضر بالضياع و أعقب الوباء". ا

تنفع معرفة هاته القاعدة الهامة جدا للجميع من حيث التعبير السليم دون أخطاء عن الأرقام في العربية و كذا في الترجمة....؛لذا الحرص على تعلمها هام جدا.؛

يمكنكم طرح الأسئلة و المناقشة حول الموضوع و سأرد عليكم باذن الله..؛



Passages of Shakespear!

John F. Kennedy's Favorite Passage from Shakespeare

    Although we cannot say with absolute certainty that it was his favorite, Jacqueline Kennedy was known to recite spontaneously for her husband the King's monologue from act IV, scene 3 of Henry V. At the dinner honoring Nobel Prize winners, Jacqueline Kennedy asked the British actor Basil Rathbone to present this passage.

King.
What's he that wishes so?
My Cousin Westmerland. No, my faire Cousin:
If we are markt to dye, we are enow
To doe our Countrey losse: and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
Gods will, I pray thee wish not one man more.
By Iove, I am not covetous for Gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost:
It yernes me not, if men my Garments weare;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sinne to covet Honor,
I am the most offending Soule alive.
No 'faith, my Couze, wish not a man from England:
Gods peace, I would not loose so great an Honor,
As one man more me thinkes would share from me,
For the best hope I have. O, doe not wish one more:
Rather proclaime it (Westmerland) through my Hoast,
That he which hath no stomack to this fight,
Let him depart, his Pasport shall be made,
And Crownes for Convoy put into his Purse:
We would not dye in that mans companie,
That feares his fellowship, to dye with us.
This day is call'd the Feast of Crispian:
He that out-lives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named,
And rowse him at the Name of Crispian.
He that shall see this day, and live old age,
Will yeerely on the Vigil feast his neighbours,
And say, to morrow is Saint Crispian.
Then will he strip his sleeve, and shew his skarres:
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot:
But hee'le remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our Names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words,
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing Cups freshly remembred.
This story shall the good man teach his sonne:
And Crispine Crispian shall ne're goe by,
From this day to the ending of the World,
But we in it shall be remembred;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers:
For he to day that sheds his blood with me,
Shall be my brother: be he ne're so vile,
This day shall gentle his Condition.
And Gentlemen in England, now a bed,
Shall thinke themselves accurst they were not here;
And hold their Manhoods cheape, whiles any speakes,
That fought with us upon Saint Crispinesday.

Coming Soon!

I will start soon by publishing some of the greatest stories of all time..."ألف ليلة و ليلة"
Both in arabic and frensh, and if you want in english as well...Stay tuned!

Hello!

Hi! This is Hafsa.A student in traslation.I hope you'll like my blog.It will be for all of those interested in languages(arabic,english or frensh)...I'll try to give my best...Poems, favorit passages from novels, lessons in arabic(to improve your language..to make less mistakes =))).)
Enjoy my blog...any suggestion...all is well wellcomed)..