Pre-reading Activities
 
First Listening

Having ideas about a story before you read it is an important reading skill. Please listen to a very short piece of recording.
    In this story, a son describes how shamed he felt as a youth when he walked down the street with his crippled father. The son did not like how people stared at them. His father never let on that he saw any of this. He was very active and enjoyed life. He often took part in activities through his son. Over time, the son learned that his father had a good heart. His father has been gone many years and the son is sorry he did not tell him how much he admired him. Now, he often remembers his father's example.

 
Second Listening
Now listen to the recording for the second time and try to the best of your ability to answer the following questions.

1．Why do you think people stared at the father and the son? 
2. What do you think a 'good heart' is?
3. What is the difference between how the son felt about his father as a youth and how he feels many years later?
4. Now read the story below. How close did you come to knowing the answers before you read the whole story?