Mythical stories

A myth is a story with a purpose. It tries to explain the way the world is.  Myths also try to explain the relationship between gods and humans. Even though the events in a myth are usually impossible, they try to send a message that has an important social or religious meaning. The Man Who Couldn’t Die

Eos, Goddess of Dawn fell in love with a youth named Tithonius, and the two spent many happy years together. But while Eos being a goddess retained her youth, Tithonius began to age. He asked his beloved to grant him immortality. She couldn’t do it on her own so she pleaded his case with Zeus, the supreme deity. Zeus reluctantly granted the boon. The story unfortunately does not have a happy ending. Tithonius had forgotten to ask for eternal youth. So though he could not die he could age. As his age advanced he became wrinkled and hunchbacked and revoltingly ugly. He pleaded with Eos to help him. She could not take back the gift of immortality nor could she give him back his youth. But she could change his form. She turned him into a grasshopper. The Best Artist A despotic sultan who was blind in one eye invited three artists to paint his picture. “If you do a bad portrait, I will punish you,” he warned, “ but if you do a good one I will reward you. Now start!” The first artist produced a picture that showed the sultan as he was: blind in one eye. The sultan had him executed for showing disrespect to his monarch. The second artist showed him with both eyes intact. The sultan had him flogged for trying to flatter him. The third artist drew him in profile, showing only his good eye. The sultan, pleased, rewarded him with gold and honours. An Old Joke An elderly man went to a doctor with multiple complaints. "I see spots before my eyes," he said. "It's due to old age," said the doctor. "No food agrees with me," said the man. "That too is due to old age," said the doctor. "The digestive system becomes weaker as we grow older." "My back is giving trouble," persisted the man. "Sometimes the pain becomes unbearable." "Old age," said the doctor. This was too much for the man. "Why do you go on saying 'old age, old age'," he screamed. "If you cannot cure me, say so. I'll go elsewhere." "See how easily you lost you temper," said the doctor. "That is another characteristic of old age."

--- Modals Verbs ---

Modals are special verbs which behave very irregularly in English.

1. Modal verbs do not take "-s" in the third person.

Examples:

• He can  speak Chinese.
• She should  be here by 9:00.

2. You use "not" to make modal verbs negative, even in Simple Present and Simple Past.

Examples:

• He should not be late.
• They might not come to the party.

3. Many modal verbs cannot be used in the past tenses or the future tenses.

Examples:

• He will can go with us. Not Correct
• She musted study very hard. Not Correct

Common Modal Verbs

Can Could May Might Must

Ought to Shall Should Will Would Modals verbs table

	normal verb	modal verb
affirmative	he works	he can work
negation	he does not work	he cannot work
emphatic	he does work hard	he can work hard
question	does he work here?	can he work at all?
negation + question	does he not work here?	can he not work at all?