Summary
The story is about a little boy who learns to control his bad temper with the help of his father and a bag of nails. The boy realizes that hurtful words leave lasting scars, just like the holes left in the fence after removing the nails.
- Bad Temper — a tendency to get angry easily.
Example: The boy had a bad temper and said hurtful things. - Control — the ability to manage one's emotions or actions.
Example: The boy learned to control his temper over time. - Scar — a mark left on something after damage.
Example: The holes in the fence represented the scars left by hurtful words.
Exam Tips
Key Definitions to Remember
- Bad Temper: A tendency to get angry easily
- Control: The ability to manage one's emotions or actions
- Scar: A mark left on something after damage
Common Confusions
- Thinking that saying sorry completely erases the hurt caused
- Believing that controlling temper is easy and quick
Typical Exam Questions
- Why did the little boy's father give him a bag of nails?
To help him control his temper by making him aware of the impact of his words. - What did the boy discover over the next few weeks?
He found it easier to control his temper than to hammer nails into the fence. - Which word in paragraph 3 has the same meaning as ‘advised’?
Suggested
What Examiners Usually Test
- Understanding of the moral lesson in the story
- Ability to identify key vocabulary and their meanings
- Comprehension of the sequence of events in the passage