读前想一想
1. Do you have a temper?
2. When you feel angry, what do you do?
A Boy with a Temper
Little Matt had a bad temper. When he felt angry, he often shouted at his family and friends.

Matt’s dad tried to find a way to help him. He gave Matt some nails.

On the first day, Matt hammered about 30 nails into the fence. Two weeks later, he hammered about 15 nails each day.

Two months later, Matt didn’t need to hammer any nails. He felt happy and told his dad about his progress. His dad praised him.

Six months later, there were no nails left in the fence. He felt proud.

The boy learned a lesson. When people say things in anger, they leave scars just like the holes in the fence.

读后做一做
Answer the questions. 回答问题。
1. Why did Matt’s dad tell him to hammer nails?
2. How many nails did Matt hammer on the first day?
3. Why didn’t Matt need to hammer any nails two months later?
4. What can you learn from the story?

1. Yes, I do. But I try to control it.
2. When I feel angry, I usually take a deep - breath, count to ten, or do something I like, such as listening to music or going for a walk.
读后做一做
1. To help him keep his temper.
2. About 30 nails.
3. Because he stopped losing his temper.
4. When people say things in anger, they leave scars just like the holes in the fence.

1. 由文中“Matt’s dad tried to find a way to help him. He gave Matt some nails.”及插图中爸爸所说“Every time you fail to keep your temper, hammer a nail into the fence.”可知，爸爸让Matt钉钉子是为了帮助他控制脾气。
2. 文中明确提到“On the first day, Matt hammered about 30 nails into the fence.”，所以第一天钉了30个钉子。
3. 根据“Two months later, Matt didn’t need to hammer any nails. He felt happy and told his dad about his progress.”及Matt所说“I stopped losing my temper, Dad.”可知，两个月后他不需要钉钉子是因为他不再发脾气了。
4. 故事结尾提到“The boy learned a lesson. When people say things in anger, they leave scars just like the holes in the fence.”，这就是从故事中学到的道理。