6
The hard-hearted one
Textbook: Part 1, pp. 29–33
GoalEvaluate a character’s actions with evidence; reflect on compassion for nature.
New words
hard-hearted, merciless · toshbag‘irmercy · rahmcaptivity · tutqunlikregretful · pushaymon
Explanation
The textbook has the story “Toshbag‘ir” (The hard-hearted one) by Jabbor Razzoqov. The word “toshbag‘ir” describes a merciless person. The story is about how we treat nature and living things. We do not retell it. When we judge a character we answer “Why do you think so?” with evidence from the text: what he did, what he said, how he changed at the end. Opinions may differ even about the same event, but they must rest on evidence.
Worked examples
“The frog in the jar”. Classmate Javlon caught a big frog by a canal and put it into a glass jar. “I’ll take it home,” he said. His friend Mansur said: “Frogs eat insects and help the garden, but in a jar it suffers.” At first Javlon laughed, but when he saw the frog close its eyes and stay motionless he began to think. He carefully put the jar by the water and let the frog go. After washing his hands with soap Javlon felt relieved.
Judgement: Javlon was careless at first, then understood his mistake – evidence: “he let the frog go”. If you touch wild animals, an adult should help, and wash your hands.
Class activity
“Court of fairness”: the class splits in two; one group defends Javlon, the other shows his mistake with evidence from the text.
Practice
1
Where did Javlon catch the frog?
By a canal
2
What benefit of frogs did Mansur mention?
They eat insects and help the garden.
3
What did Javlon see that made him think?
The frog closed its eyes and stayed still
4
What did Javlon do in the end?
He let the frog go and washed his hands.
5
How do you judge Javlon? Give evidence.
He understood and corrected his mistake (he let it go).