TOEFL Listening Practice Skill 1-3 (Longman TOEFL PBT)

Text 4

The Unfortunate Lebai[1] (Mosque Servant)

(Malay, Riau)

A Malay proverb says, "Any person who suffers a loss or falls to achieve his deal, not because of another person's conduct but merely because of his own negligence is called Lebai Malang (the unfortunate Mosque Servant). He only looks disappointedly at another person's good fortune. "That's why he called Lebai Malang by the Malay people. Here is the story of one incident in the life of Lebai Malang, the unfortunate person.

There lived a Lebai Malang between two big villages inhabited by many people near a river. So, one day, the two big villages were having ritual meals and inviting great and wealthy people including all the poor people so that the people of the two villages were all happy. When the people were gathering around for the ritual meal, Lebai Malang was coming too. He was invited by the two villages. In his way to the feast, he was tempted by greed, and said to himself, "I have been invited by people. The village upstream is closer, but they slaughter only one buffalo. Those of the village downstream slaughter two buffaloes. If I ask for the downstream village, I will get two horns and if I ask for the upstream village, I will get one horns, but the cooking is delicious, while the downstream village offers less delicious cooking. I know since I am used to eating in both places."

Thinking that way, he went down the river rowing in a sampan. When he has rowed a certain distance downstream he remembered he would get two horns, upstream he would get one but with delicious cookings. And he returned upstream. Rowing upstream for a certain distance, he remembered the downstream village with the delicious meals. He did so twice or three times, and then he rowed upstream. In arriving, the Imam (leader) of the ritual meals was already reciting the prayer. So, his share upstream was gone. Then he rowed seriously downstream. On arriving at the downstream village, the Imam was also already reciting the prayer. He, again lost his share.

So, he said to himself, "I had better get my fishing line to catch fish for sale or side dish. And will take hunting dog. If I cannot catch any fish I can hunt mouse deer."

Thinking so, he rowed back to fetch the fishing line and some cold rice. So, he wrapped himself some cold rice in a leaf sheath of areca palm with sauce of chili and shrimp paste condiment in a bamboo cylinder. And he put the dog in the back.

Upon reaching the fishing spot he did his fishing. He threw his line with a snail at the bait. When the fishing line was in the water, he felt hungry, and opened the puck of rice. While taking the chili sauce, he knocked the flask against the edge of the sampan. Suddenly, the chili was thrown out into the water. Lebai then dipped his hand into the water to get it and when he bowed his head and his hand was in the water, his dog jumped at the rice and ate it.

And so he lost all his wishes. Therefore, he has been called Lebai Malang up to now. His experience has been made into a Malay proverb. Anyone who behaves the way will be called Lebai Malang.

[1] National Library Manuscript No. V.D.W. 212 (Jakarta: Naskah Perpustakaan Nasional, n.d.).

11. The term Lebai Malang refers to

Question 11 options:

	a disappointed man who is unlucky
	a Malay proverb for the unlucky one
	the unfortunate man because of his own negligence
	a person who has good fortunate
	a person who is so greedy

12. The word deal in Any person who suffers a loss or falls to achieve his...

Question 12 options:

	negligence
	good job
	transaction
	good fortune
	conduct

13. A. Lebai Malang is surrounded by many people near a river.

	The two villagers were all happy invited to the meals, except Lebai Malang.
	Lebai Malang lived between two big villages occupied by many people.
	The ritual meals were for great and wealthy people of the two villages.
	Lebai Malang was not invited to have the ritual meals.

14. It can be inferred from the text that in a ritual meal, the buffalo horn ...

	The head of village upstream
	The Lebai (Mosque Servant)
	The head of village downstream
	The respected man in the upstream village
	The respected man in the downstream village

15. A. Lebai was thinking to get two horns of buffalo so that he rowed his sampan to the upstream village

	When Lebai was thinking about eating delicious cooking so that he turned his sampan to downstream village even though he was closer to the upstream village.
	Lebai was tempted by greed to get two horns of buffalos so that he turned his sampan to downstream village when he was almost on half way to upstream village.
	Lebai was thinking to get delicious cooking so that he turned his sampan to down-stream village when he was on half way to upstream village
	Lebai was tempted to get delicious cooking so that he turned his sampan to down-stream village

 16. They in The village upstream is closer, but they slaughter only one ...

	the village downstream
	the village upstream
	people of the two villages
	leaders of the two villages
	people of the upstream village

17. The word slaughter in Those of the village downstream slaughter two ...

	seller
	cookery
	barter
	butchery
	have

18. When Lebai arrived in upstream village, the Imam (leader) of the ritual ...

	The meals were finished
	The meals were in progress
	The meals were about to finish
	The meals were cancelled
	The meals were about to begin

19. After Lebai lost his share (the meals) in the two villages,

	he ate some cold rice in a leaf sheath with sauce of chili and shrimp paste
	he then went back to his home preparing his fishing line and dog hunting
	he then managed to catch fish and hunt mouse deer
	he felt hungry, tired, and disappointed.

20. The moral values of this story

	hard work will bring success to someone life
	Sometimes the things we like most are not good for us
	being honest is one of important things in life
	greediness will make you lose the chance of getting something valuable

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