1 Match the two parts of the sentences.

1) Alyosha wanted

2) The King wanted

3) Alyosha asked Blacky

4) Alyosha promised

a) to keep Blacky's secret.

b) to know his homework without learning it.

c) to thank Alyosha for saving his minister.

d) to take him to the garden and to the zoo.

2 Complete the sentences.

1) A little boy brought a gold plate with ___.

a) an apple seed

b) a gold key

c) a hemp seed

2) The Minister and Alyosha went to ___ first.

a) the garden

b) the zoo

c) the library

3) Alyosha saw ___ in a gold cage.

a) a horse

b) two rats

c) a rat

3 Fill in the words.

1) I want to know my ___ without reading it.

2) You can always get good ___ without studying.

3) Thank you for the ___, sir.

4) The King bought this ___ far from here. He gave a lot of ___ for it.

5) Many of your people can't keep a ___.

6) It's always a ___ to leave our things and go somewhere with all our children and animals.

4 Complete the chart.

5 Explain why:

1) the King called Alyosha a lazy boy.

2) Alyosha didn't have anything for supper with Blacky.

3) Blacky asked Alyosha to keep their secret.

6 Imagine that you are Minister Blacky. Say:

a) why you are a hen;

b) why you are afraid of the old Dutch ladies.