There once lived a rich businessman who had a lazy son. The businessman wanted his son to realize the value of hard work and said," Today, I want you to go out and earn something, or you won't have your meals tonight."
The son went crying straight to his mother. Her heart melted at her son's eyes. She gave him a gold coin. When the father asked his son what he had earned, the son presented him the gold coin. The father asked him to earn more money.
This time since there was no one to help him, the son had to go to the market. One shopkeeper told him he would pay him two coins if ne carried his wood to his house. He did so and sweated plenty. As he returned home he was asked to do the same. The son almost cried out. He could not imagine throwing his hard-earned money like this. He cried, "My whole body is aching. You are asking me to throw the money into the well."
At this moment, the businessman told him one feels the pain only when the fruits of hard work are wasted. On the earlier two occasions(时机) he was helped and therefore had no pain in throwing the into the well. The son had now realized the value of hard work. He promised never to be lazy and to safely keep the father's wealth. The father handed over the keys of his shop to the son and promised to guide him through the rest of the life.
a. The boy's mother gave him a coin.
b. The boy went to ask his mother for help.
c. The boy was handed the keys of his father's shop.
d. The boy was asked to throw his hard-earned money into the well.
