Lesson 5 Words Which Deceive

One day a man gave his son some wood to saw^① . The boy did not want to do such work; so after his father had gone away, he threw the saw down, and it broke.

“I did not break the saw,” said the boy to himself; “it broke itself.” He tried to deceive himself with words; but he knew in his heart that they were false^② words, and he was afraid to meet his father.

One day a mother said to her son, who had just returned from school, “It is six o’clock, and your school closes at four—where have you been, my boy?”

“O, mother,” said Ned, “when we play at ball, we forget everything else. We do not think of the time, or of coming home. Is tea ready?”

The boy’s mother was deceived. Ned’s answer led her to think that he had been playing with his companions. But he had not been playing at all.

He had been “kept in” by his teacher, because he had not learned his lessons. He did not like to tell his mother that. He wished her to think that he had been playing.

“What a shame^③ and a mistake for you to try to deceive your mother,” said something in Ned’s heart, as he sat down to his tea.

“I don’t care,” said the boy to himself, “I don’t care. I did not tell a lie—I did not say that I was playing.”

“But,” said the voice, “you used words which made your mother think that you had been playing, and that was the same as if you had said so.”

“I did not tell a lie,” said Ned.

What do you think, my little reader? Did Ned tell a 1ie, or did he not? I am sure you will say, “Of course he did.”

If we use words which are intended to deceive, we tell a lie; and Ned’s lie was a very bad one, for it looked so like the truth. A lie that looks like the truth is the worst kind of lie.

Notes

① saw [s??] vt.& vi. 用鋸；拉鋸

n. 鋸；諺語，格言

② false [f??ls] adj. 虛偽的；不正確的，非法的；假造的

③ shame [?e?m] n. 羞愧；羞辱

Exercises

Ⅰ. How well did you read?

1. [Evaluate the information] Which of the following is probably true about the boy?

A. The boy didn’t want to saw the wood, so he broke the saw.

B. The boy didn’t think he broke the saw.

C. The boy didn’t want his father to know he broke the saw.

2. [Give the reason] Why did Ned deceive his mother?

A. To make her think he was playing with his friends.

B. To lead her to think he was playing with his friends.

C. To stop her from knowing the truth.

3. [Give the reason] Why does the writer say Ned’s lie was a very bad one?

A. Because he deceives his mother.

B. Because it looks like the truth.

C. Because his mother believes him.

4. [Note the fact] Which of the following is true about Ned?

A. He played ball after school with his companions.

B. He had to stay at school for he didn’t learned his lesson.

C. He went back home after school closed at four.

5. [Draw a conclusion] How many examples are given to show words which deceive?

A. One.                       B. Two.                         C. Three.

Ⅱ. Read for words.

Choose the best paraphrase or Chinese meaning for the underlined words.

1. He tried to deceive himself with words; but he knew in his heart that they were false words, and he was afraid to meet his father. (Para. 2, Line 2) 

A. wrong                       B. cheat                          C. tell

2. Ned’s answer led her to think that he had been playing with his companions. (Para. 5, Line 2)

A. neighbours

B. classmates

C. friends

3. If we use words which are intended to deceive, we tell a lie. (Para. 12, Line 1)

A. 以……為目的

B. 有……特點

C. 有……傾向

Ⅲ. Writing practice.

In no more than 60 words describe how the boy deceived his mother. Do not include anything that is not in the passage.

Answer these questions in note form to get your points.

1. What had made Ned late?

2. What did he wish his mother to think?

3. What did his mother say to him?

4. What did Ned reply?

5. What effect did Ned’s words had on his mother’s mind?

6. What did something in Ned’s heart say?

7. What did Ned say?

8. Did Ned know he was telling a lie?

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