Text interpretation activity, proposed for students in the eighth or ninth year of elementary school, with exercises based on the fable “The eagle and the chicken”.
This Portuguese language activity is available for download in an editable Word template, ready to print in PDF and also the completed activity.
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SCHOOL: DATE:
PROF: CLASS:
NAME:
Text for questions 01 to 07
I tell a story that comes from a small West African country, Ghana, told by a popular educator, James Aggrey, when the struggles for decolonization were taking place.
Once upon a time, a peasant went to the neighboring forest to catch a bird in order to keep it captive at home. He managed to catch a baby eagle. He placed it in the chicken coop next to the chickens. Grew up like a chicken.
After five years, this man received a visit from a naturalist in his home. As they walked through the garden, the naturalist said: “That bird is not a chicken over there. It's an eagle.”
-"Indeed," said the man. “It's an eagle. But I raised her like a chicken. She is no longer an eagle. It's a chicken like the others”.
-"No", replied the naturalist. "She is and will always be an eagle. It has an eagle's heart. This heart will make her soar to the heights one day”.
-"No", insisted the peasant. “She became a chicken and will never fly like an eagle”.
So they decided to do a test. The naturalist took the eagle, raised it high and defiantly said: – “Since you are indeed an eagle, since you belong to the sky and not to the earth, then spread your wings and fly!”.
The eagle sat on the naturalist's outstretched arm. He looked around absently. He saw the chickens below, scratching grain. And he jumped to join them.
The Peasant commented: "I told you, she turned into a simple chicken."
-“No”, the naturalist insisted again. “She is an eagle. And an eagle will always be an eagle. Let's try it again tomorrow.”
The next day, the naturalist climbed with the eagle on the roof of the house. He whispered to her: “Eagle. Since you are an eagle, spread your wings and fly!”.
But when the eagle saw the chickens scratching the ground below, he jumped up and went to join them.
The peasant smiled and returned to the load: "I told you, she turned into a chicken."
-“No”, replied the naturalist firmly. “She is an eagle and always has an eagle's heart. Let's try it one last time. Tomorrow I will make it fly”.
The next day, the naturalist and the peasant got up very early. They took the eagle, took it to the top of a mountain. The sun was rising and gilding the mountain peaks.
The naturalist lifted the eagle into the air and ordered him: "Eagle, since you are an eagle, since you belong to the sky and not to the earth, spread your wings and fly!"
The eagle looked around. She trembled, as if she experienced new life. But she didn't fly. Then the naturalist held her tightly, right up to the sun, so that her eyes could fill with light and take on the dimensions of the vast horizon. That's when she spread her mighty wings. It rose, sovereign, over itself. And it began to fly, to fly up and fly higher and higher. He flew. And never returned. Peoples of Africa (and Brazil). We were created on the margins and likeness of God. But there were people who made us think like chickens. And we still think we are effectively chickens. But we are eagles. So spread your wings and fly. Fly like eagles, never content with the grain that is thrown at your feet to scratch.
Leonardo Boff
1) Answer what you understand by reading the text.
2) In your opinion what made the eagle fly?
3) Do you believe that if the eagle was not stimulated by the naturalist it would fly one day or would live eternally like a chicken? Comment.
4) In his opinion, are there people who think like a chicken, that is, are content with injustices and with the grain that falls at their feet?
5) Do you consider yourself at that moment, like an eagle or like a chicken? Because?
6) At some point in your life, were you afraid like the eagle? In which situation?
7) If you were an eagle where would you fly at that moment? Because?
Read the text and answer questions 8 to 10
The Eagle is the bird that has the longest longevity of the species. Lives about 70 years. However, to reach that age, at 40, she has to make a serious and difficult decision.
At 40 years of age, its nails are long and flexible and can no longer grip the prey on which it feeds.
The beak, elongated and pointed, curves, its wings become heavy due to the thickness of its feathers, they are aged by time.
40 years have passed since the day the young eagle took flight for the first time.
Today, for the experienced eagle, flying is hard enough!
In this situation, the eagle has only two alternatives: to let itself die…or to face a painful process of renewal that will last 150 days. This process consists of flying to the top of a mountain and there to retreat to a nest that is close to a wall. A safe place from other predators and from where, in order to return, it needs to take a steady and full flight.
Upon finding this place, the eagle begins to beat its beak against the wall until it manages to pull it out, bravely facing the pain that this attitude entails. Patiently, it waits for the birth of a new beak, with which it will pull out its old nails.
With the new nails she starts pulling out the old feathers. After five months, “Esta reborn”, leaves for the famous flight of renewal, certain of victory and of being prepared to live, then, for another 30 years(…)
THE HISTORY OF THE EAGLE'S RENEWAL
8) Is it sometimes necessary in life to reflect and start a process of renewal? Do you agree with this idea? What would you renew in your life? Comment.
9) The eagle needs to face a hard renewal process to gain new life. Choose three attitudes which you think are the most important for human beings to get rid of pessimism, bad attitudes and prejudice. After justifying the reason for your choice.
() have humility
( ) respect others
() be worthy
( ) cooperate with everyone around you
( ) not be an individualist
() be a friend
( ) keep patience and calm
( ) treat people with care and attention
( ) be polite
( ) have focus, faith, believe and fight for a decent life.
Justification:
10) What lesson did reading the two texts provide for your life?
11) How about making the renovation mural? Select images and create phrases that present positive attitudes and exhibit them on the living room wall. Good work!
By Rosiane Fernandes Silva – Graduated in Letters
At answers are in the link above the header.
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