In the picturesque Swiss town of Altdorf, lived William Tell, a skilled marksman known for his exceptional archery. Switzerland was under the harsh rule of Austrian governor, Albrecht Gessler. Gessler's tyranny included placing his hat on a pole in the town square and demanding everyone bow to it as a sign of submission.
One fateful day, William Tell and his young son Walter entered the town square. Refusing to bow to the hat, Tell was immediately arrested. As punishment, Gessler devised a cruel challenge: Tell must shoot an apple off Walter's head with his crossbow. Failure would mean both their deaths.
The townsfolk gathered, breathless with fear and anticipation. With unwavering determination and a steady hand, Tell readied his crossbow. He carefully aimed, the tension palpable. The bolt flew true, splitting the apple cleanly without harming Walter.
Impressed but suspicious, Gessler asked why Tell had a second arrow. Tell boldly replied it was meant for Gessler if the first had harmed his son. Enraged, Gessler ordered Tell's imprisonment, but Tell escaped, leading a rebellion against the oppressor.
William Tell's defiance and remarkable skill became a symbol of Swiss independence, inspiring generations to fight for freedom and justice.
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words based on the story. Answers are at the end.
1. The Swiss town where William Tell lived was ______.
2. William Tell was known for his exceptional ______.
3. Switzerland was under the harsh rule of Austrian governor ______.
4. Gessler demanded everyone bow to his ______ placed on a pole.
5. William Tell's son was named ______.
6. Tell was arrested for refusing to bow to the ______.
7. Gessler challenged Tell to shoot an ______ off his son's head.
8. The punishment for failure in the challenge was ______.
9. Tell's second arrow was meant for ______ if the first arrow had harmed his son.
10. William Tell's defiance and skill became a symbol of Swiss ______.
Answers: 1. Altdorf, 2. archery, 3. Albrecht Gessler, 4. hat, 5. Walter, 6. hat, 7. apple, 8. death, 9. Gessler, 10.independence
Match the items in Column A with their correct descriptions in Column B.
