READING

Read the story and do some tasks below.

The King and a Painter.

There was a king who thought that he could paint very well. His pictures were bad, but the people to whom he showed them were afraid of the king. They all said that they liked his pictures very much.

One day the king showed his pictures to a great painter who lived in his country and asked:

"I want to know what you think of my pictures. Do you like them? Am I a good painter or not?"

The painter looked at the king's pictures and said:

"My king, I think that your pictures are bad and that you will never be a good painter".

The king got very angry and sent the painter to prison.

After two years the king wanted to see the painter again.

"I was angry with you", he said, "Because you did not like my pictures. Now forget all about it. You are a free man again and I'm your friend".

For many hours the king talked with the painter, and even asked him to dine.

After dinner the king showed his pictures to the painter and asked: "Well, how do you like them now?"

The painter did not answer anything. He turned to the soldier who was standing near him and said:

"Take me back to prison".

Mark the sentences T (true) or F (false)

1.     The king was proud of his pictures.

2.     The painter told the king the truth.

3.     Some years later the king became a good painter.

4.     The king sent the painter to the prison.

5.     The king’s pictures were very good.

Answer the questions:

1.     Why were people afraid to tell the king the truth about his pictures?

2.     What happened to the great painter who told them the truth?

3.     Did the painter change his mind when he met the king two years later?

Translate into Russian.

1.                     "My king, I think that your pictures are bad and that you will never be a good painter".

2.                     "I was angry with you … Because you did not like my pictures.”

Now forget all about it. You are a free man again and I'm your friend".