(A) Read the English folktale given below and fill up the blank spaces with suitable words.
There were once three tortoises – a father, a mother (a) ________. a baby (b) ________ one fine morning during Spring, they decided (c) ________ picnic. They picked the place (d) ________ they would go; a nice wood at some distance, (e) ________ they began to put their things together. They got tins of cheese, vegetables, meat, and fruit preserves. In about three months, they were ready. They set out carrying their baskets (f) ________ eighteen months, they sat down for a rest. They knew (g) ________ they were already halfway to the picnic place. In three years they reached there. They unpacked (h) ________ spread out the canned food. Then, mother began to search inside the basket. She turned it upside down and shook it (i) ________ something important was missing.
“We’ve forgotten the tin-opener. Baby, you’ll have to go back. We can’t start without a tin-opener. We’ll wait for you”.
“Do you promise (j) ________ you won’t touch a thing (k) ________ I come back?”
“Yes, we promise faithfully,” Mother and father said together.
Soon after, he was lost among the bushes.
So, they waited and waited. A year went by and they were getting hungry. They had promised (l) ________ they waited. They began to feel hungry (m) ________ the sixth year was about to end.
Mother tortoise said, “He’d never know the difference.”
“No,” said the father tortoise.
Mother tortoise said, “He ought to be back by now. Let’s just have one sandwich (n) ________ we are waiting.”
They picked up the sandwiches, (o) ________ as they were going to eat them, a little voice said, “Aha! I knew you’d cheat! It’s a good thing I didn’t start for that tin opener,” baby Tortoise said.
(B) Based on your reading of the passage, complete the statements using the given connectors.
(a) The mother, father ______ thought ______ (and)
(b) They planned to walk to the woods ______ (which)
(c) They reached the place ______ in eighteen months (which)
(d) They eagerly unpacked their picnic basket ______ (but)
(e) It was ______, when the three tortoises arrived at the picnic place, (after)
(f) The mother tortoise ordered the baby to go home for the opener, saying ______ (that).
(g) ______ (but) was not willing at first.
(h) The mother and father promised to wait ______ (until)
(i) ______ they began to get very hungry, (after)
Note: You have combined and completed each sentence with the help of words called connectors.
