Exercises for The Longest Pole in the World
A. How much did you understand?
In the first part of this story, the king sends the Mattoni people out of his country. Then he sends his servants to find the longest pole in the world.
Match the first parts of these sentences about the story with the endings from the list below to show the reasons for the characters' actions.
- The new king did not like his father's advisors because ..….
- The soldiers killed some Mattoni people because ……
- The king wanted a big, beautiful palace because ……
- The king needed a very long pole because ……
- The king's servants travelled through the forest because ……
- …… the pole would make the pillar in the middle of the palace.
- …… they were looking for the tallest tree in the world.
- …… they refused to leave the country.
- …… he thought they were too clever and he did not trust them.
- …… the kings of other countries had big palaces.
In the second part of the story, the king's servants come at last to the village of the Mattoni boy, and he gives them good advice.
Match the first parts of these sentences about the story with the endings from the list below to show the reasons for the characters' actions.
- The king's servants did not go home to their families because……
- The people ran away from the king's servants because……
- At first, the king's servants did not want to talk to the young man because……
- The servants couldn't tell the king that their pole was the longest in the world because……
- The king's servants were very happy because……
- …… his clothes were old and dirty.
- …… at last they could go home to their families.
- …… they were afraid that the king would kill them.
- …… they were frightened of them.
- …… they didn't have a measuring rod.
In the third part of the story, the servants go back to the king and ask for a measuring rod. They tell the king about the clever boy in the forest. Soldiers bring the boy back to the king, and he becomes the king's advisor.
Match the first parts of these sentences about the story with the endings from the list below to show the reasons for the characters' actions.
- The king was happy when he saw his servants because ……
- The king was angry because……
- The servants told the king about the boy in the forest because ……
- The king saw that the boy was not a Manno boy because ……
- The king was ashamed because ……
- …… his face was not like a Manno face, and his voice was not like a Manno voice.
- …… he had been wrong to punish the Mattoni people.
- …… he thought his servants were playing a trick on him.
- …… he thought they had found the longest pole in the world.
- …… he threatened to kill them.
B. Where, who, what
Answer these questions
- The Manno people were tanners. What did they make?
- When the king sent the Mattoni people away, where did they go?
- Who looked after the little Mattoni boy?
- The king wanted something big and beautiful. What was it?
- What did the king need to make the pillar of his palace?
- Where did the king's servants go to look for the pole?
- The king's servants came to a village. Who lived there?
- What did the king's servants fetch, before they began to sing and dance?
- Who went to the forest, to find the Mattoni boy?
- After his return from the forest, where did the Mattoni boy live?
C. What do you think?
The king's servants said, "Your Majesty is the best king in the world." Were they foolish to talk to him like that?
What did you think of the Mattoni boy? Can you find words to describe him?
Can you think of another title for this story?
