Cloze Test 4

Once upon a time, there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess, but she would have to be a real princess. He travelled all over the world to find one, but nowhere could he get what he wanted.

One evening during a terrible storm; there was thunder and lightning, and the rain poured down in torrents. Suddenly a knocking was heard at the palace door, and the old king went to open it. It was a princess standing out there. But, good gracious! What a sight the rain and the wind had made her look. The water ran down her hair and clothes; into the toes of her shoes and out again at the heels.

And yet she insisted that she was a real princess. Well, we’ll soon find out, thought the old queen. But she said nothing, went into the bedroom, took all the bedding off the bedstead, and placed a pea on the bottom; then she took twenty mattresses and laid them on the pea, and then twenty quilts on top of the mattresses.

And yet she insisted that she was a real princess. Well, we’ll soon find out, thought the old queen. But she said nothing, went into the bedroom, took all the bedding off the bedstead, and placed a pea on the bottom; then she took twenty mattresses and laid them on the pea, and then twenty quilts on top of the mattresses.

And yet she insisted that she was a real princess. Well, we’ll soon find out, thought the old queen. But she said nothing, went into the bedroom, took all the bedding off the bedstead, and placed a pea on the bottom; then she took twenty mattresses and laid them on the pea, and then twenty quilts on top of the mattresses.

On this, the princess had to lie all night. In the morning she was asked how she had slept. 'Oh, very badly!' said she. 'I scarcely closed my eyes all night.'

'Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, as a result I am black and blue all over my body. It’s horrible!' Now they knew that she was a real princess because she had felt the pea right through the twenty mattresses and the twenty quilts.

'Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, as a result I am black and blue all over my body. It’s horrible!' Now they knew that she was a real princess because she had felt the pea right through the twenty mattresses and the twenty quilts.

Nobody but a real princess could be as sensitive as that. So, the prince took her for his wife, for now he knew that he had a real princess.

Nobody but a real princess could be as sensitive as that. So, the prince took her for his wife, for now he knew that he had a real princess.

Fourteen centuries ago when the world was much younger, the ruler of all India, Rajah Balhait, was concerned about his people.

A new game of dice, called Hard, had captured the imagination of his subjects, teaching them that chance alone-a-roll of the dice guided the destiny of men.

A new game of dice, called Hard, had captured the imagination of his subjects, teaching them that chance alone-a-roll of the dice guided the destiny of men.

All who played this game of fortune lost their interest in the virtues of courage, prudence, wisdom and hope.

It bred a fatalism that was overwhelming the spirit of the kingdom.

Raja Balhait commissioned Sissa, an intelligent courter at his court to find an answer to this destiny.

After much deliberation the clever Sissa invented another game.

Chaturanga, the exact opposite of Hard, in which the four elements of the Indian army were the key pieces. In the game these pieces – chariots, horses, elephants and foot soldiers – joined with a royal counsellor to defend their king and defeat the enemy.

Forceful concentration was demanded of the players? not luck. Chaturanga soon became more popular than Hard, and the threat to the Kingdom was over.

Forceful concentration was demanded of the players? not luck. Chaturanga soon became more popular than Hard, and the threat to the Kingdom was over.