A1 Reading Plan · Week 1 · Day 1 of 30

The Hare and the Tortoise

From Aesop's Fables·~250 words·~2 min read

A slow tortoise challenges a fast hare to a race. Everyone laughs. The lesson is simple and lives in every language.

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A Hare was one day making fun of a Tortoise for being so slow upon his feet. "Wait a bit," said the Tortoise; "I'll run a race with you, and I'll wager that I win." "Oh, well," replied the Hare, who was much amused at the idea, "let's try and see"; and it was soon agreed that the fox should set a course for them, and be the judge. When the time came both started off together, but the Hare was soon so far ahead that he thought he might as well have a rest: so down he lay and fell fast asleep. Meanwhile the Tortoise kept plodding on, and in time reached the goal. At last the Hare woke up with a start, and dashed on at his fastest, but only to find that the Tortoise had already won the race.

Slow and steady wins the race.

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5 short questions. Taking it is the best way to make the story and its new words actually stick. Scroll up to re-read any time.

Question 1 of 5vocabulary
What does 'plodding' mean in the story?
Question 2 of 5vocabulary
What does 'wager' mean in the story?
Question 3 of 5vocabulary
What does 'dashed' mean when the Hare 'dashed on'?
Question 4 of 5comprehension
Why did the Hare lose the race?
Question 5 of 5comprehension
What is the moral of the story?
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Source: V. S. Vernon Jones translation, public domain. The original tale, not a simplified or adapted version.
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