READING "THE TRUTH"

THE TRUTH

One day, Socrates was sitting under a tree by the side of the road leading into Athens when a atraveller approached.

"Good afternoon" said the traveller, "I'm from Macedonia and I'm coming to start a new life in Athens.  Can you tell me:   what are the people of Athens like?
Socrates looked at the man and asked:  "What are the people of Macedonia like?"
"Terrible", answered the traveller.  "They're cruel and arrogant".
"I think that you will find the people of Athens very similar", said Socrates.

After a while, a second traveller came along the road towards Socrates.
"Good afternoon", he started, "I'm from Macedonia and I'm coming to live in Athens.  I wonder if you can tell me:  what are the people of Athens like?
Socrates looked at the second traveller and asked:  "what are the people of Macedonia like?"
"Well, they are excellent people", replied the traveller.  "Generous, noble and friendly".

"I think you will find the people of Athens very similar", said Socrates.

PRACTICE

1.- Read the text and say if these statements are True or False.

- Socrates was walking along the road to Athens when the travellers approached him.
- The two travellers were going to Macedonia.
- The first traveller thinks that people from Macedonia have very positive qualities.
- Socrates gives the same answer to both travellers.

2.- ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.
- Do you think Socrates told the first traveller the truth?  And the second traveller?
- What is the meaning of the story?
- Can it help in people's life?

* PAY ATTENTION TO THIS QUESTION:  What are the people of Athens like? : ¿Cómo es la gente de Atenas?

Siempre que queremos saber "cómo" es una persona, animal o cosa, ésta es la forma de preguntar.  Veréis que la palabra "like" aparece al final de la pregunta.  Pues bien, aquí no se refiere al verbo To like : gustar, sino que significa "cómo", por eso va colocada al final y además ya tenemos el verbo is (what's) al principio.

Otros ejemplos:
- What's the weather like today? ¿Qué tiempo hace hoy? ¿Cómo está el tiempo hoy?
- What's your English teacher like?  ¿Cómo es tu profesor de inglés?
- What's her new car like? ¿Cómo es su nuevo coche?
- What's his dog like?  ¿Cómo es su perro?

* Ya veis que no hemos utilizado la palabra "how" que literalmente en inglés significa "Como" por lo que tendréis que tenerlo en cuenta si queréis hacer este tipo de preguntas.

SEE YOU!