Read the story and answer the questions below.

DRAGONS       

In Europe, dragons have stood for evil since ancient times. Brave heroes fought great battles with them. Saint George was one such fearless soldier. One day he was stopped by a frightened crowd. "Please help us!" they begged. "A fierce dragon lives in the swamp beyond town. He has eaten all our sheep. Now he has taken the king's daughter, too!"

    The brave knight galloped off to the dragon's home. There he saw an awful sight. The beautiful princess stood facing a most terrible beast. Black mud dripped from its skin as it crawled out of the swamp. Flames shot from its nose. Its mean, red eyes were fixed on the frightened girl.

    George raced ahead. He drew his sword and thrust it deep into the dragon's mouth. With a great roar, the monster fell dead. George lifted the weeping princess onto his horse and took her home.

    Dragons in the Far East were not like George's beast at all. They usually stood for something good. In Chinese stories, for example, dragons are kind creatures. They enjoy talking to people and helping them. Chinese dragons sometimes speak in riddles, too. A person who can answer a dragon's riddle becomes a Dragon Lord.

Chinese dragons love sparkling jewels. They gather gold and other treasure. They have a special way of guarding their wealth. One look from a dragon puts a spell on people. No wonder Chinese rulers took the powerful dragon as their symbol.

    In the Chinese stories, dragons come in several lovely colors. They even glow at night. Dragons are magical, too. They can change their size whenever they wish. Some may be as tiny as a finger. Others may be as long as a city block. Sometimes dragons have wings, and sometimes they don't. But either way, they can fly. Dragons can also change into people. Grandfather dragons often have long, white beards just like elderly Chinese men.

    Dragons in Chinese stories breathe mist. This forms the oceans, lakes, and streams. The dragons also make the clouds and cause rain. In fact, some floods have been blamed on angry dragons. If a dragon is sad, rain may fall for days and days. So, it's best to keep dragons happy and calm.

Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.

1. If a 1. If the story is written in ancient times, it is:
a. modern              b. new              c. old

2. Dra2. Dragons are:
a. make-believe animals     c. always frightening
b. still alive today             d. pets of rulers

3. In Europe, people facing dragons had to be brave because:

a. dragons could cast spells

b. Dragon Lords were evil

c. dragons liked to eat people

d. dragons were kind and good

4. Why do you think that the princess was crying?
a. She was afraid of George.
b. She had been very scared.
c. She felt sorry for the dead dragon.
d. She was angry at the dragon.

5. A Chinese dragon can be seen at night because:
a. it is so big
b. it glows
c. it is a bright color
d. its eyes shine

6. People who answer a Chinese dragon's riddle:
a. get rich
b. become rulers
c. are killed
d. become Dragon Lords

7. Chinese dragons are rarely robbed because they:
a. look so ugly
b. are protected by the ruler
c. can stop a thief with a look
d. don't have any treasure

8. An elderly person:

a. is old            b. has a beard           c. is a ruler
9. On sunny days, the Chinese dragons must have been:
a. angry            b. sad         c. fierce

10. Which of these sentences is true?
a. All dragons look alike.
b. Most dragons are very big.
c. Dragons without wings cannot fly.
d. Dragons come in many colors and sizes.