The banker and the pauper

Once upon a time, there lived a poor pauper and a rich banker. So it was inevitable that the rich man would be happier than the pauper. However, their natures were opposite, for the poor man was happy whereas the banker was not. The banker was annoyed by the fact that when he tossed and turn in his bed at night, the pauper slept peacefully and always awoke rested and full of energy.

One day the banker could stand it no longer. He decided to find out why the pauper was happy in spite of his poverty. So he summoned him to his house and asked him his yearly income because he believed that happiness could only be measured in terms of wealth.

“i don’t count too well, nor do i really care. I live each day as it comes and never worry about the next”

“well then, just tell how much you earn in one day,” insisted the rich man.

“i earn what i need”

The banker liked the pauper. He wished to thank him for coming to his house, so he presented the poor man with a bag of hundred gold coins.

Now, these coins, which meant so little to the banker, seemed a great fortune to the pauper. He decided to hide the bag , so that he would have the money if ever he should need it. So, when he returned to his house, he dug a big hole in secluded corner of the garden, threw the bag into it, and covered it with the dirt.

However, from that day on the poor man’s life changed. He began to worry about the safety of his money. Every night he slept a little less, and each time he heard the slightest sound, he became anxious about the safety of his coins.

Finally, he could bear his happiness no longer. He went to the garden, dug up the coins and returned them to the banker.

The pauper had learned an important lesson, and so had the banker.

1. why did the pauper always feel happy?

a. he had much money

b. he had happy family

c. he always dreamt about the future

d. he lived each day as it came and never worried aboout the future

2. what did the pauper feel after having a bag of hundred gold coins?

a. he was happy

b. he was anxious

c. he was proud

d. he was disappointed

3. what can we learn from the story above?

a. living in poor means that we are happy

b. happiness can only be measured in terms of wealth

c. happiness cannot only be measured in terms of wealth

d. we must give some money to poor people

Posted in: English Class