There was once a rich, wise father who became very sickly because there was always trouble in his
family. His sons were always quarreling among themselves. He loves his family so well that he tried to
unite his sons with words of good counsel. His efforts to unite them were in vain. He was so sad that his
sickness got worse. One day, when he was at the point of death, he called his sons to his room. Before
him lay a bundle of sticks which he had tied together.
He commanded his sons to take turns in breaking the bundle into two. No one was able to break it. Then
he asked one of his sons to disunite the bundle.
"Now break the sticks one by one, " the father commanded.
The sons broke every stick with ease.
After all the sticks were broken, the father said, " This is a lesson to you. As long as you remain United
nobody can destroy you or do you harm but when you quarrel with each other and separate, you will be
weak. Your enemies will defeat you easily. "
(186 words)
1. The family troubles made the father _____.
A. Wise
B. Sick
C. Rich
D. Old
2. What happened after the bundle of sticks was disunited?
A. The sons easily broke each stick apart.
B. The sons strained to break the sticks but they failed.
C. The sons quickly tied the sticks back together.
D. The sons gave the sticks to their father.
3. How did the father unite his family?
A. by giving them words of good counsel
B. by giving them their inheritances
C. by using the bundle of sticks in teaching them unity
D. by whipping them with the bundle of sticks
4. What message does the author want to convey?
A. Life is too short to waste in hating each other.
B. Unity is strength.
C. Envy is a waste of time.
D. Family is important.
5. Which is the most appropriate title for this story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Bundle of Sticks
The Quarrelsome Sons
The Sick Father and his Clashing Sons
The Wise Father