Category: fill the gaps

Cosa fare:

1. Ascolta senza leggere il testo cercando di capire il racconto solo con l’audio;
2. Ascolta leggendo il testo per confermare e/o chiarire dubbi sorti dal primo ascolto;
3. Copia il testo, incollalo in un documento vuoto e stampalo;
4. Riascolta inserendo le parole che mancano;
5. Controlla con la versione completa in fondo alla pagina.
6. Lascia nei commenti una tua breve riflessione sul racconto (in inglese).

The Waterbug

(adapted for didactic purposes from the original story by Doris Stickney)

[per sapere il significato delle parole evidenziate,
passaci sopra con il mouse senza cliccare]

Down below the surface of a _________ pond, lived a little colony of waterbugs. It was a happy little colony, living _________ away from the sun. Most of the time the waterbugs _________ very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice, however, that every once in a while one of their companions seemed to _________ interest in just scurrying about. Clinging to the stalk of a lily leaf, it _________ slowly climb upwards and never be seen again.
“Look!” said one of the waterbugs one morning. “Another of _________ companions is climbing up a lily stalk. Where do you think she’s going?”
Up and up went the waterbug, higher and higher, until eventually it disappeared from _________. Its friends waited and waited, but it didn’t return.
“That’s strange!” said one waterbug.
“_________ she happy here?” asked a second.
“Where do you suppose she’s gone?” wondered a third.
No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled. Finally, one of the waterbugs, a leader in the colony, gathered its companions together.
“I have an idea,” she said. “The next one of _________ who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where she went and why.”
“We promise,” they all replied solemnly.
One _________ day, not long after, the same waterbug who had suggested the plan, found _________ climbing up the lily stalk. Up and up she climbed until, _________ really understanding what was happening, she had broken _________ the surface of the water and _________ unceremoniously onto the broad, green lily leaf above. Picking herself back up, she looked down in surprise, _________ to believe what she saw.
A complete change _________ come to her old body. It had somehow acquired four glorious silvery wings and a splendid long tail. As the _________ of the sun rapidly dried the moisture from her new body, an irresistible urge to try out her new wings _________ hold of her and, in a flash of silvery light, she found herself soaring up above the pond.
She had turned into a dragonfly!
Swooping and dipping in great curves, she _________ freely through the air, exhilarated _________ the wonderful new sensation, until eventually she came to rest on a large lily leaf. Looking down _________ the surface of the water to the bottom of the pond, she suddenly remembered her old companions, the waterbugs. They were _______ there, scurrying around over the soft mud, just _________ she had done until that day.
On seeing _________ old companions, the dragonfly remembered the promise they had all made and, without thinking, she flew up into the air and _________ to dive into the pond. But, to her great surprise, as she hit the surface of the water, she _________ bounced back up into the air. Now that she was a dragonfly, she _________ no longer go below the water.
“I can’t return to my companions,” she said to herself in dismay. “I’ve tried, but I _________ keep my promise. And _________ if I could go back, none of my old companions _________ recognize me in my new body. I guess I’ll just _________ to wait until they become dragonflies, too. Then they’ll understand what _________ happened to me, and where I went when I left the pond.”
And the dragonfly flew _________ away into its wonderful new world of sun and air.

ATTENZIONE
VERSIONE CORRETTA QUI SOTTO

Down below the surface of a quiet pond, lived a little colony of waterbugs. It was a happy little colony, living far away from the sun. Most of the time the waterbugs were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice, however, that every once in a while one of their companions seemed to lose interest in just scurrying about. Clinging to the stalk of a lily leaf, it would slowly climb upwards and never be seen again.
“Look!” said one of the waterbugs one morning. “Another of our companions is climbing up a lily stalk. Where do you think she’s going?”
Up and up went the waterbug, higher and higher, until eventually it disappeared from sight. Its friends waited and waited, but it didn’t return.
“That’s strange!” said one waterbug.
“Wasn’t she happy here?” asked a second.
“Where do you suppose she’s gone?” wondered a third.
No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled. Finally, one of the waterbugs, a leader in the colony, gathered its companions together.
“I have an idea,” she said. “The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where she went and why.”
“We promise,” they all replied solemnly.
One spring day, not long after, the same waterbug who had suggested the plan, found herself climbing up the lily stalk. Up and up she climbed until, without really understanding what was happening, she had broken through the surface of the water and fallen unceremoniously onto the broad, green lily leaf above. Picking herself back up, she looked down in surprise, unable to believe what she saw.
A complete change had come to her old body. It had somehow acquired four glorious silvery wings and a splendid long tail. As the warmth of the sun rapidly dried the moisture from her new body, an irresistible urge to try out her new wings took hold of her and, in a flash of silvery light, she found herself soaring up above the pond.
She had turned into a dragonfly!
Swooping and dipping in great curves, she flew freely through the air, exhilarated by the wonderful new sensation, until eventually she came to rest on a large lily leaf. Looking down below the surface of the water to the bottom of the pond, she suddenly remembered her old companions, the waterbugs. They were all there, scurrying around over the soft mud, just as she had done until that day.
On seeing her old companions, the dragonfly remembered the promise they had all made and, without thinking, she flew up into the air and turned to dive into the pond. But, to her great surprise, as she hit the surface of the water, she simply bounced back up into the air. Now that she was a dragonfly, she could no longer go below the water.
“I can’t return to my companions,” she said to herself in dismay. “I’ve tried, but I can’t keep my promise. And even if I could go back, none of my old companions would recognize me in my new body. I guess I’ll just have to wait until they become dragonflies, too. Then they’ll understand what has happened to me, and where I went when I left the pond.”
And the dragonfly flew happily away into its wonderful new world of sun and air.