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Daily 
Warm-Up
9
Fiction: Fairy Tales/Folklore
The Stag at the Pool
One warm summer day, a thirsty stag went down to a 
refreshing pond to drink. As he bent over the surface, 
he saw his own reflection in the water and was struck 
with admiration for his fine antlers. At the same time, 
he felt nothing but disgust for the weakness and 
slenderness of his legs.
While he stood there looking at himself, a lion advanced 
from the forest. The lion crouched to attack, but the stag 
leapt away across the meadow. In the chase which 
ensued, the stag easily maintained a distance from his 
pursuer. The stag kept his lead as long as the ground 
over which he ran was open and free of trees. But as he 
approached a wooded area, his antlers became entangled 
in the branches. The lion quickly caught up with him, 
and the stag fell victim to the teeth and claws of his 
enemy. “Woe is me!” the stag cried with his last breath.
“I despised my legs, which might have saved my life, but 
I reveled in my horns, and they have proved my ruin.”
Text Questions
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 1 . What does the word ensued mean as it is used in the text?
a. made sure something happened
b. succeeded at a task
c. followed at a distance
d. happened as a result
 2 . What is the moral of the story?
a. Do not let danger sneak up on you.
b. Those who are proud often meet with ruin.
c. What is worth most is often valued least.
d. Stay away from that which may easily entangle you.
 3 . What did the stag view as his most valuable asset?
a. his agility
b. his magnificent antlers
c. his delicate feet and legs
d. his ability to outwit pursuers
 4 . How does the setting affect the outcome of the story?
a. The stag is vulnerable to the lion when crossing the meadow.
b. The forest provides a place for the stag to conceal himself from the lion.
c. The stag’s antlers become entangled in the branches of the forest.
d. The pond attracts the lion to prey on the stag.
 5 . Give an example of a time when you have observed the moral of this story in real life.
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#3658 Daily Warm-Ups: Reading

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