CHAPTER XXVII

WHAT ELSA SAW IN THE MOONLIGHT

It will be remembered that some weeks before Elsa's forced marriage in the Red Mill, Foy, on their escape from the Gevangenhuis, had been carried upon the naked back of Martin to the shelter of Mother Martha's lair in the Haarlemer Meer. Here he lay sick many days, for the sword cut in his thigh festered so badly that at one time his life was threatened by gangrene, but, in the end, his own strength and healthy constitution, helped with Martha's simples, cured him. So soon as he was strong again, accompanied by Martin, he travelled into Leyden, which now it was safe enough for him to visit, since the Spaniards were driven from the town.

How his young heart swelled as, still limping a little and somewhat pale from recent illness, he approached the well-known house in the Bree Straat, the home that sheltered his mother and his love. Presently he would see them again, for the news had been brought to him that Lysbeth was out of danger and Elsa must still be nursing her.

Lysbeth he found indeed, turned into an old woman by grief and sore sickness, but Elsa he did not find. She had vanished. On the previous night she had gone out to take the air, and returned no more. What had become of her none could say. All the town talked of it, and his mother was half-crazed with anxiety and fear, fear of the worst.

Answer the following questions:
1. who was carried?
2. on what?
3. where to?
4. what event was this prior to?
5. where?
6. how long before?
7. what were they esaping?
8. where was the lair?
9. who was ill?
10. for how long?
11. why?
12. was it serious?
13. how bad?
14. did he get better?
15. how?
16. where was he travelling to?
17. why was it now safe?

1. Foy
2. the naked back of Martin
3. the shelter of Mother Martha's lair
4. Elsa's forced marriage
5. the Red Mill
6. some weeks
7. the Gevangenhuis
8. the Haarlemer Meer.
9. Foy
10. many days
11. the sword cut in his thigh
12. yes
13. his life was threatened by gangrene
14. yes
15. his own strength and healthy constitution, helped with Martha's simples
16. Leyden
17. the Spaniards were driven from the town


Aragon ( or , Spanish and , or ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to south): Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza (also called "Saragossa" in English). The current Statute of Autonomy declares Aragon a "nationality" of Spain.

Aragon's northern province of Huesca borders France and is positioned in the middle of the Pyrenees. Within Spain, the community is flanked by Catalonia to the east, Valencian Community and Castilla–La Mancha to the south, and Castile and León, La Rioja, and Navarre to the west.

Covering an area of , the region's terrain ranges diversely from permanent glaciers to verdant valleys, rich pasture lands and orchards, through to the arid steppe plains of the central lowlands. Aragon is home to many rivers—most notably, the river Ebro, Spain's largest river in volume, which runs west-east across the entire region through the province of Zaragoza. It is also home to the Aneto, the highest mountain in the Pyrenees.

, the population of Aragon was 1,317,847, with slightly more than half of it living in Zaragoza, its capital city. The economy of Aragon generates () a GDP of €33,162 million which represents 3.13% of Spain's national GDP, and is currently 6th in per capita production behind Madrid, Basque Country, Navarre, Catalonia and La Rioja.

1. Where is Aragon located?
2. What are the people of the community referred to as?
3. Does it have a diverse terrain?
4. What is its most notable body of water called?
5. Does it run North and South?
6. Are there any mountains?
7. What is the name of one of them?
8. How many Providences are there?
9. What are they?
10. What is the population of Aragon?
11. Is the population widespread?
12. What is the capital city?
13. Does it have a large population?
14. Does Aragon generate a lot of income?
15. What country does it border?
16. Are there glaciers?
17. Does it have land that is good for agriculture?
18. What is Aragon declared as?
19. What declares it as such?
20. What is the English version of the capital?

1. in northeastern Spain
2. the Aragonese
3. yes
4. the river Ebro
5. no
6. yes
7. Aneto
8. three
9. Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel
10. 1,317,847
11. Not really
12. Zaragoza
13. yes, I would say so.
14. not in the big picture
15. borders France
16. yes
17. yes
18. a "nationality" of Spain
19. The current Statute of Autonomy
20. "Saragossa"


Once there was a white horse named Bob, who lived in a house with his best friend. His friend was a cat named Shelly who loved to play baseball. The two of them would go to the park and play baseball with Lucy a lamb who lived next door.

It was Friday morning and Bob and Shelly were in the park waiting for Lucy. She was late and when she finally showed up she had forgotten the ball.

"What can we use for a ball?" Bob asked. They looked around. There were rocks but they were too hard. There could get mud out of the pond but that would be too soft and splat when they hit it with the wooden bat. Finally Bob, being the tallest, saw that in a pile of plants that there were melons growing. "Let's use a melon," Bob said. "That's stupid," said Shelly, the practical one. "No hear him out," said Lucy. "It might work. "It'll work," said Bob, and he picked a melon and handed it to Shelly. "You pitch." "This is going to end badly, I'm afraid," Shelly said, throwing the melon at Bob who stood over home plate. "I know what I'm doing," Bob said, swinging the bat as hard as he could. When the bat hit the melon it splatted into a million pieces, raining sticky pieces down on Bob and Shelly and Lucy and a wedding party that had been setting up nearby. "Oops," said Bob.

Based on the article and the following list of answers, write a list of questions.

1. yes
2. Bob
3. a cat
4. yes
5. Shelly
6. the park
7. play baseball
8. the ball
9. a melon
10. it splattered into a million pieces

1. Did the horse have a name?
2. what was it?
3. who was his friend?
4. does it have a name?
5. what is it?
6. where'd they go?
7. to do what?
8. what'd they forget?
9. What'd they use?
10. what happened?


The main passenger airport serving the metropolis and the state is Melbourne Airport (also called Tullamarine Airport), which is the second busiest in Australia, and the Port of Melbourne is Australia's busiest seaport for containerised and general cargo. Melbourne has an extensive transport network. The main metropolitan train terminus is Flinders Street Station, and the main regional train and coach terminus is Southern Cross Station. Melbourne is also home to Australia's most extensive freeway network and has the world's largest urban tram network.

Between 1836 and 1842 Victorian Aboriginal groups were largely dispossessed[by whom?] of their land. By January 1844, there were said to be 675 Aborigines resident in squalid camps in Melbourne. The British Colonial Office appointed five Aboriginal Protectors for the Aborigines of Victoria, in 1839, however their work was nullified by a land policy that favoured squatters to take possession of Aboriginal lands. By 1845, fewer than 240 wealthy Europeans held all the pastoral licences then issued in Victoria and became a powerful political and economic force in Victoria for generations to come.

What are the answers to this following set of questions:

1. Which is the busiest seaport?
2. How would you describe their transportation options?
3. What happens at the Flinders Street Station?
4. What is the name of the airport for passengers?
5. Where do the coach trains arrive to?
6. What happened in 1836?
7. until when?
8. Where did they go?
9. How many were there?
10. What was done to help them?
11. Did it work?

1. Port of Melbourne
2. extensive transport network
3. The main metropolitan train terminus
4. Melbourne Airport
5. Southern Cross Station
6. Victorian Aboriginal groups were largely dispossessed
7. 1842
8. Melbourne
9. 675 Aborigines
10. The British Colonial Office appointed five Aboriginal Protectors
11. their work was nullified by a land policy that favoured squatters


The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justin Welby. His enthronement took place at Canterbury Cathedral on 21 March 2013. Welby is the 105th in a line which goes back more than 1400 years to Augustine of Canterbury, the "Apostle to the English", sent from Rome in the year 597. Welby succeeded Rowan Williams.

From the time of St Augustine of Canterbury in the 6th century, until Archbishop Reginald Pole in the 16th century, the Archbishops of Canterbury were in full communion with the See of Rome and they usually received the pallium. During the English Reformation, based upon King Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon, the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church.

In the Middle Ages there was considerable variation in the methods of nomination of the Archbishop of Canterbury and other bishops. At various times the choice was made by the canons of Canterbury Cathedral, the Pope, or the King of England. Since the English Reformation, the Church of England has been more explicitly a state church and the choice is legally that of the Crown; today it is made by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, who receives a shortlist of two names from an "ad hoc" committee called the Crown Nominations Commission.

What are the answers to this following set of questions:

1. Until when were the archbishops in full communion with the See of Rome?
2. What did they usually receive?
3. Who is the current archbishop?
4. When did he become one?
5. Who came before him?
6. What number in the line is he?
7. How far back does it go?
8. Who got divorced?
9. During what?
10. What happened as a result?
11. Who did the king divorce?
12. What was Augustine of Canterbury also known as?
13. When was he sent?
14. Were the nomination methods all the same in the middle ages?
15. Who is the decision made by today?
16. Who helps her?
17. How many people does he choose from?
18. Who gives them to him?
19. What kind of committee is it?
20. What is it called?

1. 16th century
2. the pallium
3. Justin Welby.
4. 21 March 2013
5. Rowan Williams.
6. 105th
7. more than 1400 years
8. King Henry VIII
9. the English Reformation
10. the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church
11. Catherine of Aragon
12. Apostle to the English
13. 597
14. no
15. the Queen
16. the Prime Minister
17. Two
18. a committee
19. "ad hoc"
20. Crown Nominations Commission


(CNN) -- American journalist Michael Scott Moore, held for more than two years by Somali pirates, has been freed, Moore's family and a Somali official told CNN on Tuesday.

"We are just elated," Marlis Saunders, Moore's mother, said in a brief conversation. "It took a lot of work for us to get this point. And to hear he is free -- just joyful, I can't describe it."

"All this is just so new," said Saunders, who lives in Redondo Beach, California. "I did not have much time to talk with him. We just have a lot of things to do and I cannot talk anymore. We need a little time to evaluate all this."

The governor of Somalia's Mudug region, Ahmed Muse, told CNN that local elders negotiated Moore's release, adding that the journalist is "physically and mentally" worn out.

Moore boarded a plane at an airport in Galkayo, in the north-central part of Somalia, Muse said.

Muse would not say where the journalist is headed.

"I'm absolutely thrilled," said Michel Todd, who was Moore's web editor at Pacific Standard magazine. "It's like seeing somebody come back from the dead. It's a marvelous resurrection."

Todd said Moore was a weekly freelance columnist who wrote often about Somalia. He had been researching Somali pirates.

"As a news organization, we wanted to write about his capture," Todd said. "But we had been encouraged by the FBI and State Department to (not) write about it because this would hurt his cause. They said, if you really care about the guy, that is not a good idea, raising his profile would make his release more difficult."

1. Who had 2 years of being held?
2. what happened to him?
3. from who?
4. after how long?
5. Did anyone feel about this?
6. who?
7. who was that?
8. how did she feel?
9. why?
10. how does she describe it?

1. Michael Scott Moore
2. freed
3. Somali pirates
4. more than two years
5. Yes
6. Marlis Saunders
7. Moore's mother
8. elated
9. to hear he is free
10. She can't.


Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch of the Commonwealth realms, members of the monarch's family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the monarch. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, is the Sovereign of the order, its motto is "Victoria", and its official day is 20 June. The order's chapel is the Savoy Chapel in London.

There are no limits on the number honoured, and admission remains at the sole discretion of the monarch, with each of the order's five grades and one medal with three levels representing different levels of service. While all those honoured may use the prescribed styles of the order—the top two grades grant titles of knighthood, and all grades accord distinct post-nominal letters—the Royal Victorian Order's precedence amongst other honours differs from realm to realm and admission to some grades may be barred to citizens of those realms by government policy.

Prior to the close of the 19th century, most general honours within the British Empire were bestowed by the sovereign on the advice of her British ministers, who sometimes forwarded advice from ministers of the Crown in the Dominions and colonies (appointments to the then most senior orders of chivalry—the Most Noble Order of the Garter and the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle—had been made on ministerial advice since the 18th century and were not restored to the personal gift of the sovereign until 1946 and 1947, respectively). Queen Victoria thus established on 21 April 1896 the Royal Victorian Order as a junior and personal order of knighthood that allowed her to bestow directly to an empire-wide community honours for personal services. The organisation was founded a year preceding Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, so as to give the Queen time to complete a list of first inductees. The order's official day was made 20 June of each year, marking the anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne.

1. What is the name of the order being discussed?
2. What type of order is it?
3. Where is its chapel?
4. Before the 19th century, who gave honors?
5. What is the official day of the order?
6. What's the date mark?
7. When did she create the order?
8. On what day?
9. What's its motto?
10. What type of service does it reward?
11. How many can be rewarded?

1. The Royal Victorian Order
2. a dynastic order of knighthood
3. Savoy Chapel
4. bestowed by the sovereign on the advice of her British ministers,
5. 20 June.
6. Queen Victoria's accession to the throne.
7. 1896
8. 21 April 1896
9. "Victoria"
10. distinguished personal service
11. unlimited


Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Indian state of Gujarat. It is part of the greater Indo-European language family. Gujarati is descended from Old Gujarati ("circa" 1100–1500 AD). In India, it is the official language in the state of Gujarat, as well as an official language in the union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Gujarati is the language of the Gujjars, who had ruled Rajputana and Punjab.

According to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 4.5% of the Indian population (1.21 billion according to the 2011 census) speaks Gujarati, which amounts to 46 million speakers in India. There are about 50 million speakers of Gujarati worldwide, making it the 26th-most-spoken native language in the world. Gujarati was the first language of Mahatma Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Gujarati (also sometimes spelled "Gujerati", "Gujarathi", "Guzratee", "Guujaratee", "Gujarati", "Gujrathi", and "Gujerathi") is a modern IA (Indo-Aryan) language evolved from Sanskrit. The traditional practice is to differentiate the IA languages on the basis of three historical stages: Another view postulates successive family tree splits, in which Gujarati is assumed to have separated from other IA languages in four stages:

The principal changes from Sanskrit are the following:

Gujarati is then customarily divided into the following three historical stages:

Based on the article and the following list of answers, write a list of questions.

1. Gujarati
2. Old Gujarati
3. 1100–1500 AD
4. it is the official language in the state of Gujarat
5. in the union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli
6. it is an Indo-Aryan language
7. Indo-European language family.
8. the Gujjars
9. 4.5%
10. the CIA
11. Central Intelligence Agency
12. Gujarathi
13. 46 million speakers
14. according to the 2011 census
15. 1.21 billion
16. about 50 million
17. 26th
18. Mahatma Gandhi
19. Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
20. three

1. What is descended from an old language?
2. What is the old language called?
3. When was it around?
4. Where is it the official language?
5. Where else?
6. Whta kind of language is it?
7. What language family is it a part of?
8. Who spoke this language?
9. What percent of the indian population speaks it?
10. According to who?
11. What does that stand for?
12. How else is Gujarati spelled?
13. What number of people speak it?
14. According to what census?
15. What is the population of India?
16. How many speakers of it are there worldwide?
17. Where does it rank in most spoken language?
18. Who specifically spoke it?
19. Anyone else?
20. How many historical stages is it divided into?


(CNN)The widow of the man whose life was portrayed in the acclaimed film "American Sniper" has penned a heartfelt letter to him on their 13th anniversary.

Taya Kyle posted her letter March 16 on the Chris Kyle Facebook page, where she proclaimed, "I miss you and I love you. I feel you in my heart and soul so strongly. I am more blessed to have been your wife than anything else in my life."

"Today, I have a choice. I can bury myself under the covers and acknowledge the pain of missing you and mourn the future anniversaries without you," she wrote. "Or, I can celebrate never having a day without you in my heart because you loved me enough to leave me a lifetime of memories and beauty."

Kyle, a Navy SEAL, has been credited as the most successful sniper in United States military history. Bradley Cooper was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Kyle in this winter's film "American Sniper," which was based on Kyle's bestselling autobiography.

The film, directed by Clint Eastwood, has become the highest-grossing war movie ever.

Why 'American Sniper' is a smash hit

Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield were shot and killed at a gun range in 2013 by Eddie Ray Routh. A Texas jury found Routh guilty of capital murder in February, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Jury finds Eddie Ray Routh guilty in 'American Sniper' case

Based on the article and the following list of answers, write a list of questions.

1. Chris Kyle
2. yes
3. Taya Kyle
4. 2013
5. shot
6. Eddie Ray Routh
7. most successful sniper in United States military history
8. yes
9. Bradley Cooper
10. Clint Eastwood
11. nominated for an Academy Award
12. Kyle's bestselling autobiography
13. it was their 13th anniversary.
14. celebrate never having a day without him in her heart
15. it was the highest-grossing war movie ever
16. life in prison

1. who is a a Navy SEAL?
2. was he married?
3. whats her name?
4. when did Kyle die?
5. how?
6. by who?
7. what title has Kyle been given?
8. was a movie made about him?
9. who was the actor that played kyle?
10. who directed it?
11. did copper win any awards?
12. what was the movie based on?
13. why did his widow recently write about him?
14. what does she chose to do?
15. did the movie break any records?
16. what punishment was his killer given?


CHAPTER XXIX

A QUESTION OF TITLE

It was as if each person who had doubted Sam's honesty felt it necessary to call at Mrs. Byram's and congratulate him upon what now appeared to be good proof of his innocence.

Fred and the miners also came in for their share of attention, and even Bill, whose limb was paining him severely, joined his partners in celebrating their victory, which now seemed certain.

Before returning home Mr. Hunter called to consult with his clients relative to making a stock company of the new mine, and, when he left, it was with full authority to do whatever he believed their interests demanded.

Among the visitors in the evening was Donovan, and he had no hesitation in calling himself very severe names for having been so stupid as to think it possible his old friends could have been engaged in any questionable transaction.

"The cashier is about as sore a man as can be found in town," he said, "an' if I ain't way off in my reckonin' he'll be lookin' for another job mighty soon."

"Does he say anything against us?" Bill asked.

"He's glum as a fish. Every feller who goes in wants to know where Gus is, an' he keeps out of sight all that's possible."

"Have you seen Mr. Wright to-day?"

"No; but I heard he an' that lawyer of yours had a long chin about the business. Say, Bill, by the time you get out of this scrape you'll owe a pretty penny for law, I reckon. Why don't you try to make the company pay it?"

1. Who was a visitor in the evening?
2. Did he hesitate?
3. What did he call himself?
4. Why?
5. What did people doubt about Sam
6. What did they feel it was necessary to do?
7. Did they then berate him?
8. What did they do?
9. Who was in pain from his limbs?
10. Who came in with Fred?
11. Did Mr. Hunter have clients?
12. What did he call them about?
13. When did he do this?
14. Did he leave?
15. with what?
16. Who is a sore man?
17. According to who?
18. What does Donovan compare him to?
19. Had they seen Mr. Wright?
20. Did Mr. Hunter have full authority when he left?

Provide a numbered list of answers.

1. Donovan
2. no
3. very severe names
4. Being stupid
5. His honesty
6. call at Mrs. Byram's
7. No
8. congratulate him
9. Bill
10. the miners
11. Yes
12. making a stock company of the new mine
13. Before returning home
14. Yes
15. to do whatever he believed their interests demanded
16. The cashier
17. Donovan
18. a fish
19. No
20. Yes


CHAPTER XXX. HOW THE BRUSHWOOD MEN CAME TO THE CHATEAU OF VILLEFRANCHE.

It was late ere Alleyne Edricson, having carried Sir Nigel the goblet of spiced wine which it was his custom to drink after the curling of his hair, was able at last to seek his chamber. It was a stone-flagged room upon the second floor, with a bed in a recess for him, and two smaller pallets on the other side, on which Aylward and Hordle John were already snoring. Alleyne had knelt down to his evening orisons, when there came a tap at his door, and Ford entered with a small lamp in his hand. His face was deadly pale, and his hand shook until the shadows flickered up and down the wall.

"What is it, Ford?" cried Alleyne, springing to his feet.

"I can scarce tell you," said he, sitting down on the side of the couch, and resting his chin upon his hand. "I know not what to say or what to think."

"Has aught befallen you, then?"

"Yes, or I have been slave to my own fancy. I tell you, lad, that I am all undone, like a fretted bow-string. Hark hither, Alleyne! it cannot be that you have forgotten little Tita, the daughter of the old glass-stainer at Bordeaux?"

"I remember her well."

"She and I, Alleyne, broke the lucky groat together ere we parted, and she wears my ring upon her finger. 'Caro mio,' quoth she when last we parted, 'I shall be near thee in the wars, and thy danger will be my danger.' Alleyne, as God is my help, as I came up the stairs this night I saw her stand before me, her face in tears, her hands out as though in warning--I saw it, Alleyne, even as I see those two archers upon their couches. Our very finger-tips seemed to meet, ere she thinned away like a mist in the sunshine."

1. Did Alleyene seek his chamber early?
2. What did he have to do first?
3. To who?
4. Where was his room?
5. Did he share it?
6. with how many others?
7. Who cam in after him?
8. Was he calm?
9. Who is his betrothed?
10. Is she here?
11. Where?
12. Why did he see her?
13. Who is her father?
14. Did he think she was trying to warn him of something?
15. Where was he sitting?
16. Was she crying?

Provide a numbered list of answers.

1. No
2. serve wine
3. Sir Nigel
4. On the 2nd floor
5. Yes
6. 2 people
7. Ford
8. No
9. Tita
10. In some form, perhaps
11. Upon the stairs
12. unknown
13. the old glass-stainer
14. Yes
15. on the side of the couch
16. Yes


Make use of the article to answer the questions.

Discogs, short for discographies, is a website and crowdsourced database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are located in Portland, Oregon, US. While the site lists releases in all genres and on all formats, it is especially known as the largest online database of electronic music releases, and of releases on vinyl media. Discogs currently contains over 8 million releases, by nearly 4.9 million artists, across over 1 million labels, contributed from nearly 346,000 contributor user accounts—with these figures constantly growing as users continually add previously unlisted releases to the site over time.

The discogs.com domain name was registered on 30 August 2000, and Discogs itself was launched in November 2000 by programmer, DJ, and music fan Kevin Lewandowski originally as a database of electronic music.

He was inspired by the success of community-built sites such as Slashdot, eBay, and Open Directory Project, and decided to use this model for a music discography database.

The site's original goal was to build the most comprehensive database of electronic music, organized around the artists, labels, and releases available in that genre. In 2003 the Discogs system was completely rewritten, and in January 2004 it began to support other genres, starting with hip hop. Since then, it has expanded to include rock and jazz in January 2005 and funk/soul, Latin, and reggae in October of the same year. In January 2006 blues and non-music (e.g. comedy records, field recordings, interviews) were added. Classical music started being supported in June 2007, and in October 2007 the "final genres were turned on" – adding support for the Stage & Screen, Brass & Military, Children's, and Folk, World, & Country music genres, allowing capture of virtually every single type of audio recording that has ever been released.

1. Who owns the websites servers?
2. Where are they located?
3. When was the website registered?
4. How many different releases are on the site?
5. artists?
6. labels?
7. Do they continue to catalogue more material?
8. Who started the website?
9. What were his inspirations?
10. What type of music did the site originally focus on?
11. Has it since expanded beyond this particular type of music?
12. When did it start branching out into different genres?
13. What is the ultimate goal of the platform?
14. Is the information crowd sourced?

1. Zink Media, Inc
2. Portland,
3. 30 August 2000
4. 8 million releases
5. 4.9 million
6. 1 million
7. yes
8. Kevin Lewandowski
9. community-built sites
10. electronic music
11. yes
12. January 2004
13. to build the most comprehensive database of music
14. Yes


Zen () is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty as Chan Buddhism. Zen school was strongly influenced by Taoism and developed as a distinct school of Chinese Buddhism. From China, Chan Buddhism spread south to Vietnam, northeast to Korea and east to Japan, where it became known as Japanese Zen.

The term Zen is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the Middle Chinese word 禪 (Chan) which traces its roots to the Indian practice of Dhyana ("meditation"). Zen emphasizes rigorous self-control, meditation-practice, insight into Buddha-nature, and the personal expression of this insight in daily life, especially for the benefit of others. As such, it de-emphasizes mere knowledge of sutras and doctrine and favors direct understanding through zazen and interaction with an accomplished teacher.

The teachings of Zen include various sources of Mahayana thought, especially Yogachara, the Tathāgatagarbha sūtras and the Huayan school, with their emphasis on Buddha-nature, totality, and the Bodhisattva-ideal. The Prajñāpāramitā literature and, to a lesser extent, Madhyamaka have also been influential in the shaping of the "paradoxical language" of the Zen-tradition.

The word "Zen" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the Middle Chinese word 禪 () (pinyin: "Chán"), which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word "dhyāna" (ध्यान ), which can be approximately translated as "absorption" or "meditative state".

1. Zen is part of which religion?
2. What is it a school of?
3. Where did that type come from?
4. When?
5. What influenced Zen?
6. Name a country to which it spread from China.
7. Name something the teachings of Zen emphasizes.
8. What else?
9. And what else?
10. When should that insight be expressed?
11. Does Zen value mere knowledge of doctrine?
12. What does it value instead?
13. Through what?
14. What Chinese word does Zen trace back to?
15. What Sanskrit word does this come from in turn?
16. What is a meaning of this word?
17. Who practiced Dhyana?
18. Is Zen present in Vietnam?
19. What about Cambodia?
20. What is it called in Japan?

Provide a numbered list of answers.

1. Buddhism
2. Mahayana Buddhism
3. China
4. During the Tang dynasty
5. Taoism
6. Japan
7. Meditation-practice
8. Rigorous self-control
9. Insight into Buddha's nature
10. All the time, especially for the benefit of others.
11. No
12. Direct understanding
13. Through "zazen" and interaction with an accomplished teacher.
14. 禪
15. ध्यान
16. "absorption" or "meditative state"
17. Indians
18. Yes
19. unknown
20. Japanese Zen


Louisiana is a state located in the Southern United States. Louisiana is the 31st most extensive and the 25th most populous of the 50 United States. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are the local government's equivalent to counties. The largest parish by population is East Baton Rouge Parish, and the largest by total area is Plaquemines. Louisiana is bordered by Arkansas to the north, Mississippi to the east, Texas to the west, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south.

Much of the state's lands were formed from sediment washed down the Mississippi River, leaving enormous deltas and vast areas of coastal marsh and swamp. These contain a rich southern biota; typical examples include birds such as ibis and egrets. There are also many species of tree frogs, and fish such as sturgeon and paddlefish. In more elevated areas, fire is a natural process in the landscape, and has produced extensive areas of longleaf pine forest and wet savannas. These support an exceptionally large number of plant species, including many species of orchids and carnivorous plants. Louisiana has more Native American tribes than any other southern state, including four that are federally recognized, ten that are state recognized, and four that have not yet received recognition.

Answer the following questions:
1. Which southern state has the most tribes?
2. How many in total?
3. Are there any not recognized?
4. How many?
5. How many do the feds recognize?
6. What about the state?
7. Where is LA located?
8. How does it rank as far as people?
9. And in size?
10. What are the counties known as?
11. Do other states have these?
12. What is the capitol?
13. And the biggest city?
14. What formed the land?
15. Are there many plants?
16. What body of water is to the south?
17. Are any states neighbors?
18. Which ones?
19. What kind of fish?
20. And birds?

1. Louisiana
2. 18
3. yes
4. four
5. four
6. 10
7. in the Southern United States
8. 25th
9. 31st
10. parishes
11. no
12. Baton Rouge
13. New Orleans
14. from sediment washed down the Mississippi River
15. yes
16. the Gulf of Mexico
17. yes
18. Arkansas to the north, Mississippi to the east, Texas to the west
19. sturgeon and paddlefish
20. ibis and egrets


It is easy to say "to be Best Friends Forever (BFF)". However, a true BFF helps out when the other is in trouble, not just once or twice, but for a lifetime. Milo is six years old. He has become Eddie's BFF. They are special because they are not humans, but dogs. Their owner, Angie Baker, brought them up. They spent many years playing together. However, last year, Eddie suddenly started walking into dustbins and walls. Soon he lost his eyesight. When Milo felt something was wrong, he decided to act as Eddie's "guide" dog. He leads Eddie through the house. When they go for walks, he holds Eddie's leash . Once, Milo had to spend a few nights at the hospital himself. Poor Eddie often bumped into walls and furniture. Ever worse, he got lost during walks. Angie realized how much Eddie depended on his friend. Luckily, Milo is now fine and back at his BFF's side, guiding him through life again.

Answer this series of questions:

1. What does BFF stand for?
2. Who is Eddie's BFF?
3. How old is he?
4. How are they special?
5. Were they new BFFs?
6. Did one of them start to lose their hearing?
7. What did he lose?
8. How could they tell this was happening?
9. Did he bump anything else?
10. Did his best buddy decide to let him figure things out himself?
11. What did he do instead?
12. Who owned the two?
13. What did she realize?
14. Does she take them for runs?
15. What would they take instead?
16. Did their human mom get them only a few years ago?

1. Best Friends Forever
2. Milo
3. six
4. they're dogs
5. no
6. no
7. his eyesight.
8. he was walking into walls
9. dustbins
10. no
11. became his guide dog
12. Angie Baker
13. how much Eddie depended on his friend
14. no
15. walks
16. no


Janet walked past the barn, the big tree, and through the back yard to reach the chicken pen. Janet gathered the eggs from the chicken pen, so that her father could make scrambled eggs for breakfast. He would need at least 5 eggs for the meal, two for Janet and three for himself. Janet could only find four eggs in the chicken pen. She looked under every chicken, and in every nest, but could not find another egg. She placed the four eggs in her basket, and began to walk toward the house, when she heard a quacking sound. She went toward the sound and found a nest near the pond, with large brown eggs inside. "Quack" said a nearby duck, as Janet took an egg from the nest. Now she had enough for breakfast.

Based on the article and the following list of answers, write a list of questions.

1. the barn
2. the chicken pen
3. so her father could make scrambled eggs
4. Five
5. four
6. a quacking sound
7. a nest
8. eggs
9. brown
10. no
11. an egg
12. yes

1. What did Janet walk past first?
2. What was Janet going to?
3. Why did she gather eggs?
4. How many eggs were needed?
5. How many did she find?
6. What did she hear?
7. What did she discover near the water?
8. What was inside it?
9. What color?
10. Were they small?
11. Did she take anything?
12. Was she satisfied with the amount needed for the meal?


CHAPTER XII

THE MEETING OF THE GEE EYES

When Link Merwell went down again Dave looked at Nat Poole, thinking that lad might possibly attack him. But the dudish fellow was too scared to do anything but back away to a safe distance.

"Don--don't you dare to hit me, Porter!" he cried, in a trembling voice. "Don't you dare! If you do I'll tell Doctor Clay!"

"If you behave yourself I'll not lay my fingers on you, Nat Poole," was the reply. "Merwell brought this on himself--you know that as well as I do."

"He's pretty badly hurt, I fear."

"Oh, he'll come around all right," answered Dave. "You had better see to it that he gets to the Hall safely."

"Are you going to leave me?"

"Yes, I want to find Henshaw and the others."

Nat Poole wanted to argue, but he did not dare. Dave waited until Link Merwell sat up and opened his eyes. Then he leaped on the ice-boat and flung off the three skates he found there.

"Going away?" mumbled Merwell, when he could speak.

"Yes, and after this, Link Merwell, see that you keep a civil tongue in your head," answered Dave, and then he trimmed the sail of the ice-boat, shoved the craft around, and started for the river.

Dave was a good deal "worked up," but he had not deemed it wise to let his enemies see it. To be called a "poorhouse rat" had stung him to the quick, and once again when touched on that subject he had found his temper as ungovernable as ever.

1. What is the title of the chapter?
2. Who is badly injured?
3. Does Dave think he will recover?
4. What does he tell Merwell to do?
5. How did Dave leave?
6. What did he throw off the boat?
7. What insult had Dave been called?
8. True or False: This made Dave very angry.
9. Was he able to keep his temper?
10. Had he ever been able to?
11. Who does Dave say he wants to find?
12. Did Poole want him to leave?
13. What was Poole afraid Dave would do to him?
14. Who did he threaten to tell if Dave did?
15. Did Dave hit him?
16. Where does Dave say Poole needs to bring Merwell?
17. What is Poole's first name?
18. And Merwell's?
19. What is Dave's last name?
20. Did Poole shout at him in a strong voice?

1. The meeting of the gee eyes
2. Merwell
3. yes
4. keep a civil tongue in your head
5. he left on an ice-boat
6. three skates
7. "poorhouse rat"
8. true
9. no
10. no
11. Henshaw and the others.
12. no
13. hit him
14. Doctor Clay
15. no
16. the Hall
17. Nat
18. Link
19. Porter
20. no


Make use of the article to answer the questions.

The day is like any other day in his life. Tom walks past the shop at the street corner. He stops to look at the front row of shoes, and he feels happy to see that pair of shoes he wants very much is still there. But he feels sorry for himself. He really wants to have them for his birthday. He sadly walks away and thinks how to tell his mother about it. He knows she will give him anything he likes if she can. He also knows very well that she has little money. He decides not to go home so quickly, because he looks worried and his mother will see it. So he goes to the park and sits on the grass. Then he sees a boy in a wheel chair. He notices that the boy moves the wheel chair with his hands. Tom looks at him carefully and is surprised to see the boy has no feet. He looks at his own feet. "It's much better to be without shoes than without feet," he thinks. He smiles and he is happier.

1. What special occasion is coming up?
2. Does he want something specific for it?
3. What?
4. Is he happy and excited about his existence?
5. Why?
6. Is today normal or unusual?
7. Where did he see the things he wanted?
8. Was he riding a bike?
9. How was he traveling then?
10. Where does he have a seat?
11. Where at?
12. What does he notice?
13. Someone else's chair?
14. Why doesn't he just walk?
15. Does this shock Tom?
16. Does it make his more upset?
17. How does he react?
18. Why?
19. Is his mom rich?
20. Why didn't he leave for home immediately?

1. Tom's birthday
2. yes
3. a certain pair of shoes
4. no
5. He feels sorry for himself.
6. normal
7. the shop at the street corner
8. no
9. he was walking
10. on the grass
11. the park
12. That the boy moves the wheel chair with his hands.
13. no
14. He has no feet.
15. yes
16. no
17. He smiles.
18. Because he thinks it's better to be without shoes than without feet.
19. no
20. Because he looks worried and his mother will see it.


CHAPTER XI Peter Rabbit and Jerry Muskrat Are Puzzled.

Jerry Muskrat was more and more sure that his big cousin, Paddy the Beaver, didn't know quite so much as he might about house-building. Jerry would have liked to offer some suggestions, but he didn't quite dare. You see, he was very anxious not to displease his big cousin. But he felt that he simply had got to speak his mind to someone, so he swam across to where he had seen Peter Rabbit almost every night since Paddy began to build. Sure enough, Peter was there, sitting up very straight and staring with big round eyes at the platform of mud and sticks out in the water where Paddy the Beaver was at work.

"Well, Peter, what do you think of it?" asked Jerry

"What is it?" asked Peter innocently. "Is it another dam?"

Jerry threw back his head and laughed and laughed.

Peter looked at him suspiciously. "I don't see anything to laugh at," said he.

"Why, it's a house, you stupid. It's Paddy's new house," replied Jerry, wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes.

"I'm not stupid!" retorted Peter. "How was I to know that that pile of mud and sticks is meant for a house? It certainly doesn't look it. Where is the door?"

"To tell you the truth, I don't think it is much of a house myself," replied Jerry. "It has got a door, all right. In fact it has got three. You can't see them because they are under water, and there is a passage from each right up through that platform of mud and sticks, which is the foundation of the house. It really is a very fine foundation, Peter; it really is. But what I can't understand is what Paddy is thinking of by building that great pile of mud right in the middle. When he gets his walls built, where will his bedroom be? There won't be any room at all. It won't be a house at all--just a big useless pile of sticks and mud.

What are the answers to this following set of questions:

1. Who was laughing a bunch?
2. Who was annoyed by it?
3. What were they talking of at that moment?
4. What did the annoyed boy this is was at first?
5. Was the laughing boy polite about the misunderstanding?
6. What did he call him?
7. Why didn't the annoyed boy believe it wasn't a home?
8. What's missing?
9. How many does the laughing boy point out there actually are?
10. Why can't they be easily noticed?
11. What is the base made of?
12. Is the builder related to anyone?
13. Who?
14. Does he say his critiques to the builder?
15. Why not?
16. Who had been there watching most of the process?
17. Was he slouching?
18. What was his posture then?
19. What living space will the builder have trouble adding?
20. Why?

1. Jerry
2. Peter
3. Paddy's new house
4. Another dam
5. No
6. Stupid
7. It  doesn't look it
8. the door
9. Three
10. because they are under water
11. mud and sticks
12. Yes
13. Jerry Muskrat
14. No
15. He was anxious not to displease his big cousin
16. Peter Rabbit
17. No
18. sitting up very straight
19. his bedroom
20. There won't be any room


The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Russian SFSR or RSFSR; Russian: Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, tr. Rossiyskaya Sovetskaya Federativnaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika listen (help·info)) commonly referred to as Soviet Russia or simply as Russia, was a sovereign state in 1917–22, the largest, most populous, and most economically developed republic of the Soviet Union in 1922–91 and a sovereign part of the Soviet Union with its own legislation in 1990–91. The Republic comprised sixteen autonomous republics, five autonomous oblasts, ten autonomous okrugs, six krais, and forty oblasts. Russians formed the largest ethnic group. To the west it bordered Finland, Norway and Poland; and to the south, China, Mongolia and North Korea whilst bordering the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Black sea and Caspian Sea to the south. Within the USSR, it bordered the Baltic republics (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia), the Byelorussian SSR and the Ukrainian SSR to the west. To the south it bordered the Georgian, Azerbaijan and Kazakh SSRs.

Now, provide a numbered list of answers to these questions:

1. what is commonly referred to as Soviet Russia ?
2. what kind of state was it ?
3. was if from 1817-22 ?
4. was it a small poor state ?
5. when was it  a  part of the Soviet Union with its own legislation
6. how many autonomous republics does it make ?
7. how many areas did it border to the west ?
8. what does it border to the north ?
9. how many oblasts is it made of ?
10. what area does china border ?
11. how many Baltic republics ?
12. what are they ?

1. Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
2. sovereign
3. yes
4. no, not at all
5. 1990–91
6. sixteen
7. three
8. Arctic Ocean
9. five
10. south
11. three
12. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia


Tom goes everywhere with Catherine Green, a 54-year-old secretary. He moves around her office at work and goes shopping with her. "Most people don't seem to mind Tom," says Catherine, who thinks he is wonderful. "He's my fourth child," she says. She may think of him and treat him that way as her son. He moves around buying his food, paying his health bills and his taxes, but in fact Tom is a dog.

Catherine and Tom live in Sweden, a country where everyone is expected to lead an orderly life according to rules laid down by the government, which also provides a high level of care for its people. This level of care costs money.

People in Sweden pay taxes on everything, so aren't surprised to find that owning a dog means more taxes. Some people are paying as much as 500 Swedish kronor in taxes a year for the right to keep their dog, which is spent by the government on dog hospitals and sometimes medical treatment for a dog that falls ill. However, most such treatment is expensive, so owners often decide to offer health and even life _ for their dog.

In Sweden dog owners must pay for any damage their dog does. A Swedish Kennel Club official explains what this means: if your dog runs out on the road and gets hit by a passing car, you, as the owner, have to pay for any damage done to the car, even if your dog has been killed in the accident.

Answer this series of questions:

1. How old is Catherine?
2. where does she live?
3. Who is Tom?
4. Who provides care for its people?
5. is it expensive?
6. How do they afford it?
7. Are there taxes on most things in Sweden?
8. even dogs?
9. how much?
10. what is that money used for?
11. What happens if a dog is hit by a car?
12. but what if the dog is killed?
13. What does Catherine do for work?
14. Does Tom bother most people?
15. What does she consider Tom as?
16. is treatment for a dog expensive?
17. Does Tom buy his own food?
18. HOw many children does she have besides tom?
19. Does he go to the office with her?
20. how about shopping?

1. 54
2. Sweden
3. a dog
4. the government
5. Yes
6. owners offer health and even life _ for their dog.
7. Yes
8. Yes
9. 500 Swedish kronor
10. dog hospitals and sometimes medical treatment
11. the owner, has to pay for any damage done to the car,
12. even if your dog has been killed in the accident.
13. secretary
14. No
15. fourth child
16. Yes
17. No
18. Three
19. Yes
20. Yes


Make use of the article to answer the questions.

(CNN) -- A body discovered at Churchill Downs on Sunday, a day after the storied Louisville racetrack hosted the Kentucky Derby, may have been the victim of a homicide, police said.

Workers in the barn area discovered the body early in the morning and notified track security, which called police, said Robert Biven, a spokesman for the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department.

"We just got the call just prior to 5 a.m. to respond to the backside" of the racetrack, Biven told CNN.

Police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley said police suspect foul play.

The body, which has not been identified, appears to be a Latino man in his 30s or 40s, Biven said.

About 400 people were located Saturday night in the rear of the racetrack, he said. "So we are trying to speak with as many people as we possibly can," he said. "We do have a few leads coming in." An autopsy is to be carried out Monday morning.

Biven described the track's backside as "like a mini city," with 48 barns, workers' dormitories and areas where trainers live. "It's a 24-hour operation," he said.

I'll Have Another wins Kentucky Derby

Operations at the racetrack were to continue normally on Sunday, Churchill Downs spokesman John Asher said. No races are scheduled at the track for three days, but cleanup from Saturday's race was to continue and the racetrack museum was to be open, he said.

CNN's Kara Devlin and Christine Sever contributed to this report

1. What time of day did workers locate the body?
2. Whom did they contact about it?
3. And whom did they call?
4. Who is Robert Biven?
5. On what day was the body found?
6. Where?
7. Is that a racetrack?
8. In what city?
9. What event had the track hosted the day before?
10. What news outlet did Biven speak with?
11. What side of the track did he say they went to?
12. When did they receive a call about the body?
13. Who is the police spokesperson?
14. Is the racetrack in operation 24 hours a day?
15. Who is John Asher?
16. For how many days are no races scheduled at the track?
17. Was the museum to remain open?
18. What was the age of the person found dead?
19. What is his racial background?
20. When will the autopsy take place?

1. early in the morning
2. track security
3. police
4. a spokesman for the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department
5. on Sunday
6. at Churchill Downs
7. Yes
8. Louisville
9. the Kentucky Derby
10. CNN
11. the backside
12. just prior to 5 a.m.
13. Alicia Smiley
14. Yes
15. Churchill Downs spokesman
16. three
17. Yes
18. 30s or 40s
19. a Latino man
20. Monday morning


(The Frisky) -- By T-minus 18 days until the Oscars and, of course, we are all starting to place bets on who we think will walk away with little golden men this year. Luckily, the Academy has proven itself to be pretty darn predictable over the years. If you're America's Sweetheart, you'll probably win Best Actress. If you sing in a flick, you are almost guaranteed Oscar gold. But there's another trend we've been noticing lately: the winners for Best Actress and Best Actor tend to be the person who's taken on the based-on-a-true-story role. In fact, 10 of the 20 top honors given in the 2000s went to actors who portrayed real people. Let's take a look, shall we?

Last year, Sandra Bullock won Best Actress -- just days after taking home a Razzie -- for playing Leigh Anne Tuohy, the Southern mom who took in Michael Oher and helped coach him toward football greatness. The real Leigh Anne was in the theater to see Sandra accept her award.

The Frisky: 12 Female Celebs Reveal Their True Size

In 2008, Sean Penn won the Academy Award for Best Actor -- again! -- for playing Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California.

I still remember the gorgeous mermaid-scale gown that Marion Cotillard won when she accepted the Oscar for Best Actress in 2007 for her role in "La Vie En Rose." In the movie, she played Edith Piaf, an extremely popular singer in France who was also known for her out-of-control social life. In many ways, Marion won for playing the Britney Spears of 1950s France.

What are the answers to this following set of questions:

1. What is becoming predictable?
2. Who might just winn the best actress?
3. What about singers?
4. Can a true story moive produce best performers?
5. Who got best actress last year?
6. Did she get another one earlier?
7. in what character?
8. What sports was in the storyline?
9. What the real life charactere present there?
10. How many charecters were in the film?
11. Who got the 2008 one?
12. What was his character?
13. What was the man's sexual orientation?
14. Did he come out?
15. What was his other accomplishment?
16. In which state?
17. Who got the 2007 one?
18. What was the film?
19. What was here character?
20. Who was she?
21. Where?
22. Whs she bit unruly?

1. The Academy.
2. America's Sweetheart.
3. They are almost guaranteed Oscar gold.
4. Yes.
5. Sandra Bullock.
6. Yes.
7. Leigh Anne Tuohy.
8. Football.
9. Yes.
10. unknown
11. Sean Penn.
12. Harvey Milk.
13. Gay.
14. Yes.
15. He was elected to public office.
16. California.
17. Marion Cotillard.
18. La Vie En Rose.
19. Edith Piaf.
20. A singer.
21. France.
22. Yes.


Make use of the article to answer the questions.

Richmond, Virginia (CNN) -- The Virginia governor's race, billed as the marquee battle of an otherwise anticlimactic 2013 election cycle, is shaping up to be a foregone conclusion.

Democrat Terry McAuliffe, the longtime political fixer and moneyman, hasn't trailed in a poll since May. Barring a political miracle, Republican Ken Cuccinelli will be delivering a concession speech on Tuesday evening in Richmond.

In recent cycles, the Virginia race has been a key off-year barometer of national political sentiment. Four years ago, Republican Bob McDonnell won in blowout fashion, a victory that presaged the following year's GOP midterm wave. In 2005, Democrat Tim Kaine captured the governor's mansion, tapping into anxiety about President George W. Bush's handling of the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina.

Not so this year. The McAuliffe-Cuccinelli race has been defined by small-bore issues and character attacks rather than sweeping national concerns.

But despite the lack of late fireworks, there are plenty of crucial insights to be gleaned from the Virginia campaign.

Here's what you need to know about this year's most important race:

1. The 2012 playbook is still potent for Democrats

McAuliffe isn't exactly squeaky-clean. A longtime wheeler-dealer who has been less than forthcoming with his tax returns, "the Macker" has a history of eyebrow-raising business ventures that make for dangerous campaign fodder. The opposition research book on the former Democratic National Committee chairman is as thick a Virginia live oak.

But Democrats have successfully turned the race into a referendum on Cuccinelli, defining him over the summer as a right-wing zealot. A Washington Post poll last week showed that two-thirds of McAuliffe supporters said they were voting against Cuccinelli, rather than for McAuliffe.

1. What are the candidates running for?
2. Where?
3. Who is the democratic candidate?
4. Who is his opponent?
5. What party does he belong to?
6. Which of them is winning?
7. Has he ever fallen behind?
8. Does the other guy plan on quitting?
9. Will he be giving a concession speech?
10. When is it planned?
11. Where will he give the speech if he makes it?

1. Governor
2. Virginia
3. Terry McAuliffe
4. Ken Cuccinelli
5. Republican
6. Democrat Terry McAuliffe
7. He hasn't trailed since May.
8. unknown
9. Likely.
10. Tuesday evening.
11. Richmond.


Read the text and answer the questions.

(CNN) -- With a fourth video released, Gruber-gate is now in full swing.

The latest caught-on-tape remarks from economist Jonathan Gruber, one of the architects of the Affordable Care Act, has him asserting back in 2010 that the "American public" -- that's you and me -- "doesn't actually care that much about the uninsured." He thinks he knows us so well.

In another video released earlier, he said that to pass new health care legislation, the Obama administration successfully relied on an electorate -- again, you and me -- that didn't really understand it.

"It's a very clever, you know, basic exploitation of the lack of economic understanding of the American voter," he tells the Honors Colloquium 2012 at the University of Rhode Island.

There appears to be a bottomless well of Gruber's greatest hits.

In yet another, from a speech at the University of Pennsylvania in 2013, he explains that the very function of the law -- doing what it was designed to do -- was totally unpalatable to voters (that is, if only we'd turned away from our Cheetos bags and NASCAR races long enough to catch it).

"If you had a law which said healthy people are going to pay in -- if you made it explicit that healthy people pay in and sick people get money, it would not have passed."

To hammer the point home, he admits that the sales pitch was one big cover-up operation: "Lack of transparency is a huge advantage. And basically, you know, call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever. But basically that was really, really critical to getting the thing to pass."

1. what happened in 2013 ?
2. where ?
3. what was unacceptable ?
4. doing what ?
5. who is now in full swing ?
6. did he release 20 videos ?
7. what video was this ?
8. who had rekarks caught ?
9. what did he srtat ?
10. the american public is who ?
11. what year was all this in ?
12. Obama group relied on what ?
13. did it fail ?
14. its clever" who did he tell that to  ?
15. in 2013 ?
16. what appears to be a bottomless well ?
17. what did he say the sales pitch was ?
18. Lack of transparency is what ?
19. only we'd turned away from what ?
20. and what else ?

1. a speech
2. University of Pennsylvania
3. he very function of the law
4. it was designed to do
5. Gruber-gate
6. no
7. fourth
8. Jonathan Gruber,
9. Affordable Care Ac
10. you and me
11. 2010
12. electorate
13. no
14. Honors Colloquium
15. 2012
16. Gruber's greatest hits.
17. one big cover-up
18. huge advantage
19. Cheetos bags
20. NASCAR races


Buckinghamshire ( or ), abbreviated Bucks, is a county in South East England which borders Greater London to the south east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north east and Hertfordshire to the east.

Buckinghamshire is one of the home counties and towns such as High Wycombe, Amersham, Chesham and the Chalfonts in the east and southeast of the county are parts of the London commuter belt, forming some of the most densely-populated parts of the county. Development in this region is restricted by the Metropolitan Green Belt. Other large settlements include the county town of Aylesbury, Marlow in the south near the Thames and Princes Risborough in the west near Oxford. Some areas without direct rail links to London, such as around the old county town of Buckingham and near Olney in the northeast, are much less populous. The largest town is Milton Keynes in the northeast, which with the surrounding area is administered as a unitary authority separately to the rest of Buckinghamshire. The remainder of the county is administered by Buckinghamshire County Council as a non-metropolitan county, and four district councils. In national elections, Buckinghamshire is considered a reliable supporter of the Conservative Party.

1. what county is this article discussing
2. where is it located
3. what borders it to the southeast
4. to south?
5. west?
6. north?
7. and East?
8. what is located in the east and southeast of the county
9. what kind of thing, not place?
10. does this make the county densely populated in some areas
11. what is restricted in the area
12. by what
13. are areas without link to London less populous
14. what is the largest town
15. where is it located
16. they are a supporter of which party?

Provide a numbered list of answers.

1. Buckinghamshire
2. South East England
3. Greater London
4. Berkshire
5. Oxfordshire
6. Northamptonshire
7. Hertfordshire
8. High Wycombe, Amersham, Chesham and the Chalfonts
9. London commuter belt
10. Yes.
11. Development
12. the Metropolitan Green Belt
13. Yes.
14. Milton Keynes
15. the northeast
16. Conservative Party


Greta ran to the corner with her older brother Tony. He had money for the ice cream truck in his pocket and she was very happy. The ice cream truck had been parked at the curb waiting for children for a very long time. The ice cream truck driver thought that no more children were coming to get ice cream so he started pulling away from the curb when they got to the corner. They yelled. They screamed, "Stop! Stop!" and jumped up and down on the side walk trying to get him to see them. The driver of the truck saw them, waved at them and smiled, pulled back to the curb and opened his truck up so that they could see everything that he had for sale. They were so excited. They saw some new treats. Tony wanted to try something new. He got an ice cream sundae with chocolate ice cream and nuts. He almost got a snow cone. Greta looked at everything that the ice cream truck had. She saw candy, ice cream cones, snow cones, and everything else. It all looked so good. But after looking at everything, she wanted to get an ice cream sandwich. She got the ice cream sandwich. She bit into it and smiled. It tasted so good. She felt so happy. Her brother, Tony, was happy too. He bit into his ice cream cone sundae and grinned. They walked home with their ice cream and told their mom about how close they came to not getting their ice cream at all. Their mom was happy that the truck had stopped for them. She said that they were very lucky to have gotten to the curb before the ice cream truck left.

Now, provide a numbered list of answers to these questions:

1. Did the ice cream truck start to leave?
2. how did the kids get its attention?
3. did the driver see them?
4. what were the kid's names?
5. who was older?
6. were they excited?
7. what kind of ice cream did Tony order?
8. instead of what?
9. what did Greta want?
10. did she get it?
11. was it good?
12. where did they go with their goodies?

1. Yes
2. They screamed and jumped.
3. Yes
4. Greta and Tony
5. Tony
6. Yes
7. an ice cream sundae with chocolate ice cream and nuts.
8. a snow cone
9. an ice cream sandwich
10. Yes
11. Yes
12. home


CHAPTER XXX

THE RESCUE--CONCLUSION

The Rovers and the others on the steam tug could scarcely wait for the old man in the dilapidated rowboat to come up alongside.

"You have a message for us?" said Dick. "Hand it over, quick."

"The message says as how you-uns will pay me twenty-five dollars fer delivering of it in twenty-four hours," said the old man, cautiously.

"Who is it from?"

"It is signed Dora Stanhope and Nellie Laning."

"Give it to me--I'll pay you the money," cried Tom.

"All right, reckon as how I kin trust you-uns," said the old man.

It was Jake Shaggam, who had received the message the evening before. He had read it with interest and started out at daylight to find out something about the Rovers and where they might be located. Good fortune had thrown him directly in our young friends' way.

"This is really a message from the girls!" cried Tom, reading it hastily. "It is in Nellie Laning's handwriting."

"And Dora Stanhope has signed her name too," added Dick. "I know her signature well."

"Of course you do," put in Fred, dryly, but nobody paid attention to the sally.

"They are on the houseboat, and the craft is hidden up Shaggam Creek," put in Sam. He turned to the captain of the tug. "Where is Shaggam Creek?"

"This ere is Shaggam Creek, an' I'm Jake Shaggam," answered the hermit. "But you-uns said you'd pay me thet twenty-five dollars."

"I will," said Tom, and brought out the amount at once.

Now, provide a numbered list of answers to these questions:

1. What was someone delivering?
2. Who delivered it?
3. What compensation did he expect?
4. Who was the message from?
5. Was the messenger young?
6. Who spoke first to the messenger?
7. Who agreed to pay for the letter?
8. Who actually wrote it?
9. Who signed it as well?
10. Who upset Fred for knowing the signature?
11. Who asked the captain a question?
12. What did he ask him?
13. Who answered him?
14. Did Tom pay up?
15. Within what time frame did it have to be delivered to receive the money?

1. a message
2. Jake Shaggam
3. twenty-five dollars
4. Dora Stanhope and Nellie Laning
5. No
6. Dick
7. Tom
8. Nellie Laning
9. Dora Stanhope
10. Dick
11. Sam
12. Where is Shaggam Creek?
13. the hermit
14. yes
15. in twenty-four hours


Read the text and answer the questions.

(CNN) -- Smart, successful, funny and handsome. Robin Williams seemed to have it all. And yet, today he is dead. Apparently, by his own choice.

But why? What went wrong?

The joy, spontaneity and humor of Robin Williams likely masked the daily torment he endured in his on-again-off-again struggle with depression. He made us laugh out here, but he was in pain in there. Unfortunately, I know that pain.

In his death, we have lost one of the most talented and creative spirits on the planet. Still, his death by suicide should be a wake-up call for us all. It is to remind us that many of us are walking a fine line -- smiling on the outside while slowly dying on the inside.

I didn't know Robin personally, so I am unable to speak with any certainty as to why he chose to end his life. But I have experienced that kind of torment and pain. For years, I, too, struggled with depression. And many days, I still do.

Complete coverage on Robin Williams

Those who are suffering will do just about anything not to feel the pain anymore. And in those moments, their brains become their worst enemies. It often takes an outside force to provide light, to make sure those dark thoughts aren't, as in the case of Robin, our last thoughts.

According to the Centers for Disease Center, suicide rates increased from 2000 to 2011 from 10.4 deaths per 100,000 to 12.3 deaths per 100,000.

The rate of suicide is higher and rising among men. In 2011, 78.5% of suicides were by men, at a rate of 20.2 deaths per 100,000.

1. Is Robin Williams still living?
2. What happened to him?
3. What made him do that?
4. Did that effect him all the time?
5. What hid his struggle from other?
6. What did it look like he had?
7. Does suicide occur most often in males or females?
8. What percentage were they responsible for in 2011?
9. How many is that for every 100,000?
10. What happened with suicide between 2000 and 2011?
11. What was it in 2000?
12. And in 2011?
13. Was Robin Williams successfu?
14. What does the author say about his spirit?
15. What will someone suffering do to get rid of the pain?
16. What can their brains be?
17. How can their thoughts turn?
18. What do they need to help?
19. When was he born?
20. When did he die?

1. no
2. suicide
3. depression
4. no
5. his humor
6. Heseemed to have it all.
7. males
8. 78.5
9. 20.2
10. the rate increased
11. 10.4 deaths per 100,000
12. 12.3 deaths per 100,000.
13. yes
14. it was talented and creative
15. just about anythinh
16. their worst enemies
17. dark
18. an outside force
19. unknown
20. unknown


Make use of the article to answer the questions.

Chapter VIII

The House in Onslow Crescent

Harry, as he walked away from the house in Bolton street, hardly knew whether he was on his heels or his head. Burton had told him not to dress--"We don't give dress dinner parties, you know. It's all in the family way with us"--and Harry, therefore, went direct from Bolton street to Onslow Crescent. But, though he managed to keep the proper course down Piccadilly, he was in such confusion of mind that he hardly knew whither he was going. It seemed as though a new form of life had been opened to him, and that it had been opened in such a way as almost necessarily to engulf him. It was not only that Lady Ongar's history was so terrible, and her life so strange, but that he himself was called upon to form a part of that history, and to join himself in some sort with that life. This countess, with her wealth, her rank, her beauty, and her bright intellect, had called him to her, and told him that he was her only friend. Of course he had promised his friendship. How could he have failed to give such a promise to one whom he had loved so well? But to what must such a promise lead, or rather to what must it not have led had it not been for Florence Burton? She was young, free, and rich. She made no pretence of regret for the husband she had lost, speaking of him as though in truth she hardly regarded herself as his wife. And she was the same Julia whom he had loved, who had loved him, who had jilted him, and in regret for whom he had once resolved to lead a wretched, lonely life! Of course she must expect that he would renew it all--unless, indeed, she knew of his engagement. But if she knew it, why had she not spoken of it?

1. Who lost her husband?
2. Who was walking somewhere?
3. From where?
4. Where?
5. Did he have a clear head?
6. Where was he going next?
7. Who was engaged?
8. Who had a bad past?
9. What was another of her titles?
10. Did she have a lot of money?
11. Who had he loved earlier?
12. Did she break up with him?

1. Lady Ongar
2. Harry,
3. the house
4. in Bolton street
5. No
6. Onslow Crescent
7. Harry
8. Lady Ongar
9. countess
10. yes
11. Julia
12. Yes


Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

CHAPTER LXXI.

SHEWING WHAT HUGH STANBURY THOUGHT ABOUT THE DUTY OF MAN.

In the conference which took place between Sir Marmaduke and his wife after the interview between him and Nora, it was his idea that nothing further should be done at all. "I don't suppose the man will come here if he be told not," said Sir Marmaduke, "and if he does, Nora of course will not see him." He then suggested that Nora would of course go back with them to the Mandarins, and that when once there she would not be able to see Stanbury any more. "There must be no correspondence or anything of that sort, and so the thing will die away." But Lady Rowley declared that this would not quite suffice. Mr. Stanbury had made his offer in due form, and must be held to be entitled to an answer. Sir Marmaduke, therefore, wrote the following letter to the "penny-a-liner," mitigating the asperity of his language in compliance with his wife's counsels.

Manchester Street, April 20th, 186--.

MY DEAR SIR,--

Lady Rowley has told me of your proposal to my daughter Nora; and she has told me also what she learned from you as to your circumstances in life. I need hardly point out to you that no father would be justified in giving his daughter to a gentleman upon so small an income, and upon an income so very insecure.

I am obliged to refuse my consent, and I must therefore ask you to abstain from visiting and from communicating with my daughter.

1. Who did Sir Marmaduke have a conference with?
2. Was this before or after his other interview?
3. Who was that one with?
4. Who would Nora be forbidden to see?
5. Where would she go?
6. Would she be allowed to write Stanbury?
7. Did Lady Rowley agree to this arrangement?
8. Why not?
9. Who proposed?
10. To whom?
11. Why wasn't she being allowed to marry him?
12. Was it secure, albeit small?
13. Who is Nora's father?

1. his wife
2. after
3. Nora
4. Stanbury
5. Mandarins
6. no
7. no
8. Mr. Stanbury was entitled to an answer.
9. Mr. Stanbury
10. Nora
11. small income
12. no
13. Sir Marmaduke


Read the text and answer the questions.

The kitchen comes alive at night in the Sanderson house. Vegetables, fruit, bread, and more come out to play. The knives and forks dance on the tables. There are games and prizes. Milk is used for swimming races. The cereal often wins those. Fruit gets used as balls in some games. Blueberries scream in joy as they are kicked into soccer goals in games between the spoons and vegetables like celery and carrots. Their cousins, the raspberries, like to watch the games. Everyone has a great time and laughs. They are happy to come out and be friends. If someone, like little John or his sister Kim, comes down to get water, they all hide until they leave. The father, Ryan, sometimes wakes up and thinks he hears something downstairs. His wife, Susan, tells him he needs to go back to bed. She tells him he is imagining things. He is not. The kitchen got too loud. They were having so much fun they woke up the family!

1. What is the dad's name?
2. What is his last name?
3. Is he married?
4. Who is his wife?
5. What does she tell her husband to do when he wakes up?
6. Does she believe him?
7. What does she think he's doing?
8. Who's a good swimmer?
9. What does it swim in?
10. What do they all do when the kids come in?

1. Ryan
2. Sanderson
3. yes
4. Susan
5. go back to bed
6. no
7. imagining things
8. The cereal
9. Milk
10. they all hide


Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

(CNN)The family of a Jordanian fighter pilot mercilessly killed by ISIS is calling for total revenge.

Lt. Moath al-Kasasbeh, 27, was burned alive while confined in a cage.

In response, Jordan executed two prisoners -- Sajida al-Rishawi, a would-be suicide bomber whose release ISIS had previously demanded as part of a prisoner exchange, and Ziad Karbouli, a former top aide to the deceased leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

The pilot's father is demanding his country do more.

"These were criminals and there is no comparison between them and Moath. His blood is more valued than Sajida al-Rishawi and Ziad Karbouli," said al-Kasasbeh's father, Safi. "I demand that revenge should be bigger than executing prisoners."

His son's horrific death was recorded and the video was posted online Tuesday.

CNN is not showing the images, which drew global condemnation and prompted protests and vows of retaliation in Jordan.

King Abdullah has promised a strong response, saying that ISIS isn't just fighting his nation, but warring against "noble Islam" itself.

The country now wants to step up airstrikes against the terrorist organization, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation.

But the pilot's uncle, Yassin Al Rawashdeh, told CNN that he also wants to see ground troops involved in the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Said the pilot's father: "I demand that this criminal organization (ISIS) ... should be annihilated."

What comes next?

Demonstrators took to the streets in Amman and the pilot's hometown immediately after the video was made public.

1. Where was the pilot from?
2. Who was he killed by?
3. how old was the lieutenant?
4. What was he trapped in when burnt alive?
5. How many prisoners did Jordan kill?
6. Was either of them a suicide bomber?
7. What is the parent of the pilot asking his country to do?
8. What does he demand revenge should be larger than?
9. Was the recording uploaded on the internet?
10. Is CNN broadcasting the images?
11. The king has promised his country will do what?
12. A source mentioned that Jordan will use what against the terrorists?
13. The uncle of the murdered man has asked for what kind of soldiers to be deployed in Iraq and Syria?
14. Did the dad of the man say that ISIS should be annihilated?
15. Did protesters in the man's home city take to the streets?

1. jordan.
2. ISIS i
3. 27
4. A cage.
5. Two prisoners
6. One would have been.
7. more.
8. Executing prisoners."
9. Yes.
10. CNN is not.
11. Have a strong response
12. airstrikes.
13. Ground troops.
14. Yes.
15. Demonstrators took to the streets in Amman and the pilot's hometown immediately after the video was made


I shall never forget the night, a few years ago, when Marion J. Douglas was a student in one of my calsses. (I have not used his real name for personal reasons. As he requested.) But here is his real story as he told it before one of our adult - education classes. He told us how tragedy had struck at his home, not once, but twice. The first time he had lost his five-old daughter, a child he adored. He and his wife thought they couldn't bear that first loss; but, as he said:"Ten months later, God gave us another little girl and she died in five days."

This double

was almost too much to bear. "I couldn't take it," this father told us. "I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, I couldn't rest or relax. My nerves were entirely shaken and my confidence gone." At last he went to doctors; one recommended sleeping pills and another recommended a trip. He tried both, but neither helped. He said:"My body felt as if it was surrounded in a vice , and the jaws of the vice were being drawn tighter and tighter." The tension of grief ----if you have ever been paralyzed by sorrow, you know what he meant.

But thank God, I had one child left ----a four --year-- old son. He gave me the solution to my problem. One afternoon as I sat around feeling sorry for myself, he asked; 'Daddy, will you build a boat for me?' I was in no mood to build a boat; in fact, I was in no mood to do anything. But my son is a persistent little fellow! I had to give in.

Building that toy boat took me about three hours. By the time it was finished, I realized that those three hours spent building that boat were first hours of mental relaxation and peace that I had had in months! I realized that it is difficult to worry while you are busy doing something that requires planning and thinking. In my case, building the boat had knocked worry out of the ring. So I determined to keep busy.

The following night, I went from room to room in the house, making a list of jobs that ought to be done. Scores of items needed to be repaired: bookcase, stair steps, storm windows, window-shades, locks, leaky taps. Amazing as it seems, in the course of two weeks I had made a list of 242 items that needed attention.

"During the last two years I have completed most of them. I am busy now that I have no time for worry."

No time for worry! That is exactly what Winston Churchill said when he was working eighteen hours a day at the height of the war. When he was asked if he worried about his huge responsibilities, he said :"I am too busy. I have no time for worry."

1. What was the father asked to build?
2. Who asked?
3. Are there other children in the household?
4. What is his supposed name?
5. Did he loose a son?
6. A daughter?
7. how many?
8. The time frame of their departures?
9. How old is the boy?
10. Did he build a real boat?
11. what kind?
12. What realization did he come to while building it?
13. Where did he go the next night?
14. Doing what?
15. How many were there in total?
16. an example?
17. What quote by Churchill is included?
18. Who was telling this story?
19. Was he taking any medication?
20. What kind?

Provide a numbered list of answers.

1. a boat
2. his son
3. no
4. Marion J. Douglas
5. no
6. yes
7. Two
8. Ten months apart
9. Four
10. no
11. toy boat
12. it is difficult to worry while you are busy
13. from room to room in the house
14. making a list of jobs
15. 242
16. storm windows
17. I am too busy. I have no time for worry.
18. his teacher
19. yes
20. sleeping pills


Make use of the article to answer the questions.

CHAPTER XVII

THE MAN AT THE ASTOR

Refraining from discussing with Master Maloney the alleged bone-headedness of girls, Smith went through into the inner room, and found John sitting in the editorial chair, glancing through the latest number of _Peaceful Moments_.

"Why, John, friend of my youth," he said, "where have you been hiding all this time? I called you up at your office weeks ago, and an acid voice informed me that you were no longer there. Have you been fired?"

"Yes," said John. "Why aren't you on the _News_ any more? Nobody seemed to know where you were, till I met Faraday this morning, who told me you were here."

Smith was conscious of an impression that in some subtle way John had changed since their last meeting. For a moment he could not have said what had given him this impression. Then it flashed upon him. Before, John had always been, like Mrs. Fezziwig in "The Christmas Carol," one vast substantial smile. He had beamed cheerfully on what to him was evidently the best of all possible worlds. Now, however, it would seem that doubts had occurred to him as to the universal perfection of things. His face was graver. His eyes and his mouth alike gave evidence of disturbing happenings.

In the matter of confidences, Smith was not a believer in spade-work. If they were offered to him, he was invariably sympathetic, but he never dug for them. That John had something on his mind was obvious, but he intended to allow him, if he wished to reveal it, to select his own time for the revelation.

1. Did John used to be something of an optimist?
2. Who had he been like?
3. Is that a novel?
4. Did John smile a lot?
5. Does he still believe in the universal perfection of things?
6. What had now occurred to him?
7. And his face is now what?
8. What tidings does he likely bring news of?
9. Is Smith someone who likes to try to gossip?
10. Was Smith going to press John to reveal anything before he was ready?
11. Who had John met that morning?
12. Where had he missed seeing Smith?
13. Did anyone before Faraday seem to know where Smith had been?
14. Had John been fired from his job?
15. How long has he and Smith known each other?
16. Did John do an outside job, like construction?
17. What did he work in, then?
18. Was the person who informed Smith of John's firing very friendly?
19. What was John reading when Smith found him?
20. Who was allegedly bone-headed?

1. Yes
2. Mrs. Fezziwig in "The Christmas Carol"
3. unknown
4. Yes
5. No
6. Doubts
7. Graver
8. Disturbing happenings.
9. No
10. No
11. Faraday
12. At the News
13. No
14. Have yoYesu been fired?" "Yes,"
15. Since Smith's youth
16. No
17. As an editor
18. No
19. Peaceful Moments
20. Girls


Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. Historically in Yorkshire's West Riding, the history of Leeds can be traced to the 5th century, when the name referred to a wooded area of the Kingdom of Elmet. The name has been applied to many administrative entities over the centuries. It changed from being the name of a small manorial borough in the 13th century, through several incarnations, to being the name attached to the present metropolitan borough. In the 17th and 18th centuries Leeds became a major centre for the production and trading of wool.

During the Industrial Revolution, Leeds developed into a major mill town; wool was the dominant industry but flax, engineering, iron foundries, printing, and other industries were important. From being a compact market town in the valley of the River Aire in the 16th century Leeds expanded and absorbed the surrounding villages to become a populous urban centre by the mid-20th century. Leeds has a population of around 781,700 (2016) making it the third largest city in the United Kingdom. The city lies within the United Kingdom's fourth-most populous urban area, with a population of 2.3 million.

Today, Leeds has the most diverse economy of all the UK's main employment centres and has seen the fastest rate of private-sector jobs growth of any UK city and has the highest ratio of public to private sector jobs of all the UK's Core Cities. Leeds has the third-largest jobs total by local authority area with 480,000 in employment and self-employment at the beginning of 2015. Leeds is also ranked as a gamma world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network; and is considered the cultural, financial and commercial heart of the West Yorkshire Urban Area. Leeds is served by four universities, and has the fourth largest student population in the country and has the country's fourth largest urban economy.

1. What city referred to a wooded area?
2. What kingdom was this area in?
3. In what country is it?
4. What part?
5. When did wool trade become popular?
6. Was it the strongest industry?
7. How many were close behind?
8. Name them.
9. How can the city's economy be described today?
10. How many were working in 2015?
11. What does the GWCRN rank it?
12. What three things constitute its "heart" in the WYU Area?
13. Are there any colleges/universities there?
14. How many?
15. What is the ranking in the country in terms of people studying?
16. What about in urban economy?
17. How many lived there in 2016?

Provide a numbered list of answers.

1. Leeds
2. the Kingdom of Elmet
3. England
4. West Yorkshire
5. In the 17th and 18th centuries
6. yes
7. four and others
8. flax, engineering, iron foundries and printing
9. the most diverse of all the UK's main employment centres
10. 480,000
11. a gamma world city
12. cultural, financial and commercial
13. yes
14. four
15. the fourth largest population
16. it has the country's fourth largest
17. 781,700


Read the text and answer the questions.

Yorkshire ( or ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Due to its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform. Throughout these changes, Yorkshire has continued to be recognised as a geographical territory and cultural region. The name is familiar and well understood across the United Kingdom and is in common use in the media and the military, and also features in the titles of current areas of civil administration such as North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Within the borders of the historic county of Yorkshire are areas which are widely considered to be among the greenest in England, due to the vast stretches of unspoilt countryside in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors and to the open aspect of some of the major cities. Yorkshire has sometimes been nicknamed "God's Own County" or "God's Own Country".

The emblem of Yorkshire is the White Rose of the English royal House of York, and the most commonly used flag representative of Yorkshire is the White Rose on a blue background, which after nearly fifty years of use, was recognised by the Flag Institute on 29 July 2008. Yorkshire Day, held annually on 1 August, is a celebration of the general culture of Yorkshire, ranging from its history to its own dialect.

1. what is the emblem of the country
2. what does their flag look like
3. how many years was it used before it was finally recognized
4. what organization recognized it
5. what holiday is celebrated annually
6. what day is it celebrated
7. What was the country formally known as
8. does it have a nickname
9. what is it
10. what other nickname/ "phrase"
11. where is the country located
12. is this a large country
13. does it have some of the greenest land
14. why is this

1. the White Rose of the English royal House of York
2. the White Rose on a blue background
3. fifty years
4. the Flag Institute
5. Yorkshire Day
6. 1 August
7. the County of York,
8. Yes
9. Yorks
10. God's Own County
11. Northern England
12. yes
13. yes
14. due to the vast stretches of unspoilt countryside


Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

As Michael put each finger on the white laces of the football like his dad had shown him he thought about his school trip to the zoo tomorrow. He could not wait to get to the zoo and most of all could not wait to see his favorite animal, the lion. Aiming the football at the tire swing that hung in his back yard, he remembered the second thing his dad had taught him about throwing a football which was making sure his shoulder and the football were in a straight line before he threw it. He watched the football sail toward the tire, right as his mom called him in for dinner. His mom had made his favorite food, hotdogs. He sat in the kitchen and watched as ketchup fell on to his plate as he ate his hotdog. His mom told him that in order to get his after dinner treat he would have to eat his corn, carrots, and drink all of his milk too.

That night as his mom tucked him in to bed he starred out the window and wondered if the lions at the zoo were looking up at the moon too. Michael, wondered if his best friends Joe, Nick, and Ryan were as excited as he was about going to the zoo the next day. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.

The next day he hopped from one foot to the other as his class lined up to get on the bus that would take him to the zoo. On the bus he sat with Ryan. The bus driver started the engine and turned the big steering wheel leading them out on to the road. Finally, at the zoo Michael began to imagine how cool it would be to finally get to see the lion cage. First his class went to see the monkeys and then headed over to see the long necked giraffes. As their teacher announced that they would then be going to see the elephants, we wondered if he would ever get to see the lions. Finally after learning about the elephants it was time to see the lions. The lion stood on a huge rock and swung its long tail from side to side. The lion licked his lips with its long pink tongue and Michael wondered if it was thinking about having a class full of kids for its lunch.

1. What sport was Michael playing?
2. What was he throwing the ball at?
3. What was his favorite food?
4. Where was he going the next day?
5. Who did he sit beside on the bus?
6. What did the class go see first?
7. Then where?
8. What was he really anxious to see?
9. What was it standing on?
10. Who were Michael's other friends?

1. football
2. a tire swing
3. hotdogs
4. go to the zoo
5. Ryan
6. the monkeys
7. giraffes
8. the lion
9. a rock
10. Joe and Nick


This year marks the 100thanniversary of Leo Tolstoy's death. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest novelists of all time. Much of the West is marking the anniversary with new translations of the author's works, including War and Peace. Movies are being released, including a black-and-white documentary and a feature film. In short, everyone is celebrating. Everyone, that is, except for people in Tolstoy's home country, Russia.

The English newspaper the Guardian reports that the Russian government has scheduled nothing for November, the official anniversary of Tolstoy's death. The quiet is amazing, considering the importance of this man's contribution to global culture.

"Across the whole world there is a huge Tolstoy boom ," Andrei Deryabin, co-producer of a new film about the author's final days titled The Last Station, told the Guardian. "He's esteemed everywhere apart from here in Russia."

Experts explain the government's silence in various ways. Some refer to Tolstoy's disagreement with state-backed religion. Tolstoy's Christian views often _ those of the Roman Catholic church.

His great grandson, Vladimir Ilyich Tolstoy, thinks Russia's cool attitude has more to do with history and the author's positive worldview. After all, the last century was a difficult one of the country's people. The darker writings of Fyodor Dostoevsky, he says, better fit the national character. Tolstoy hopes that as Russians grow more optimistic they will rediscover one of their own national treasures.

"Tolstoy gives positive answers to the questions mankind is asking," he told the Guardian. " In this sense he gives more hope. I hope the 21stcentury is Tolstoyan."

1. What was the name of the great author?
2. What great moment does this year mark?
3. How many years ago?
4. What book did he write?
5. what country is he from?
6. Does Russia appreciate his works?
7. Why is that?
8. Does the rest of the world admire him?
9. What newspaper is reporting about the lack of enthusiasm?
10. What is the name of his grandson?
11. Which writer is a better fit for Russian character?
12. Who is helping to make a film about the authors final days?
13. What is it's title?
14. Where is the author looked up to?
15. Do we know the authors view on Religion?
16. What were they?
17. Did he agree with the states view on Religion?

Provide a numbered list of answers.

1. Leo Tolstoy
2. His death
3. 100
4. War and Peace
5. Russia.
6. no
7. He has a positive worldview
8. yes
9. The Guardian
10. Vladimir Ilyich Tolstoy
11. Fyodor Dostoevsky
12. Andrei Deryabin
13. The Last Station
14. everywhere except Russia
15. yes
16. Christian
17. no


CHAPTER XII. TRANSFORMATION

'Well, now for the second stage of our guardianship!' said Aunt Ada, as the two sisters sat over the fire after Valetta had gone to bed. 'Fergus comes back to-morrow, and Gillian---when?'

'She does not seem quite certain, for there is to be a day or two at Brompton with this delightful Geraldine, so that she may see her grandmother---also Mr. Clement Underwood's church, and the Merchant of Venice---an odd mixture of ecclesiastics and dissipations.'

'I wonder whether she will be set up by it.'

'So do I! They are all remarkably good people; but then good people do sometimes spoil the most of all, for they are too unselfish to snub. And on the other hand, seeing the world sometimes has the wholesome effect of making one feel small---'

'My dear Jenny!'

'Oh! I did not mean you, who are never easily effaced; but I was thinking of youthful bumptiousness, fostered by country life and elder sistership.'

'Certainly, though Valetta is really much improved, Gillian has not been as pleasant as I expected, especially during the latter part of the time.'

'Query, was it her fault or mine, or the worry of the examination, or all three?'

'Perhaps you did superintend a little too much at first. More than modern independence was prepared for, though I should not have expected recalcitration in a young Lily; but I think there was more ruffling of temper and more reserve than I can quite understand.'

'It has not been a success. As dear old Lily would have said, "My dream has vanished," of a friend in the younger generation, and now it remains to do the best I can for her in the few weeks that are left, before we have her dear mother again.'

What are the answers to this following set of questions:

1. Who were sitting over the fire?
2. Who had gone to bed?
3. Who is coming back tomorrow?
4. Where is Gillian spending a day or two?
5. who does she want to see there?
6. Do they think they're bad people?
7. Has Gillian been pleasant?
8. especially when?
9. Is Lily old?
10. Is there anger?

1. the two sisters
2. Valetta
3. Fergus
4. Brompton
5. her grandmother
6. no
7. no
8. the latter part of the time
9. no
10. yes


The Board Meeting had come to an end. Bob started to stand up and knocked into the table, spilling his coffee over his notes. "How embarrassing! I am getting so clumsy in my old age."

Everyone had a good laugh, and soon we were all telling stories of our most embarrassing moments. It came around to Frank, who sat quietly listening to the others. Someone said, "Come on, Frank. Tell us your most embarrassing moment."

Frank laughed and began to tell us of his childhood. "I grew up in San Pedro. My Dad was a fisherman, and he loved the sea. He had his own boat, but it was hard making a living on the sea. He worked hard and would stay out until he caught enough to feed the family. Not just enough for our family, but also for his Mom and Dad and the other kids that were still at home."

He looked at us and said, "I wish you could have met my Dad. He was a big man, and he was strong from pulling the nets and fighting the seas for his catch. When you got close to him, he smelled like the ocean. He would wear his old canvas, foul-weather coat and his bibbed overalls. His rain hat would be pulled down over his brow. No matter how much my mother washed them, they would still smell of the sea and of fish."

Frank's voice dropped a bit. "When the weather was bad he would drive me to school. He had this old truck that he used in his fishing business. That truck was older than he was. It would wheeze and rattle down the road. You could hear it coming for blocks. As he would drive toward the school, I would shrink down into the seat hoping to disappear. Half the time, he would slam to a stop and the old truck would belch a cloud of smoke. He would pull right up in front, and it seemed like everybody would be standing around and watching. Then he would lean over and give me a big kiss on the cheek and tell me to be a good boy. It was so embarrassing for me. Here, I was twelve years old, and my Dad would lean over and kiss me goodbye!"

He paused and then went on, "I remember the day I decided I was too old for a goodbye kiss. When we got to the school and came to a stop, he had his usual big smile. He started to lean toward me, but I put my hand up and said, "No, Dad." It was the first time I had ever talked to him that way, and he had this surprised look on his face. I said, "Dad, I'm too old for a goodbye kiss. I'm too old for any kind of kiss." My Dad looked at me for the longest time, and his eyes started to tear up. Then he turned and looked out of the windshield . "You're right," he said. " You are a big boy....a man. I won't kiss you anymore."

Frank got a funny look on his face, and the tears began to well up in his eyes, as he spoke. "It wasn't long after that when my Dad went to sea and never came back. It was a day when most of the fleet stayed in, but not Dad. He had a big family to feed. They found his boat adrift with its nets half in and half out. He must have gotten into a strong wind and was trying to save the nets and the floats."

I looked at Frank and saw that tears were running down his cheeks. Frank spoke again. "Guys, you don't know what I would give to have my Dad give me just one more kiss on the cheek...to feel his rough old face... to smell the ocean on him... to feel his arm around my neck. _ . If I had been a man, I would never have told my Dad I was too old for a goodbye kiss."

Based on the article and the following list of answers, write a list of questions.

1. Dad went to sea and never came back.
2. San Pedro.
3. fisherman
4. Yes
5. yes
6. the ocean
7. yes
8. During bad weather.
9. 12
10. No
11. Truck
12. Older than his dad.
13. Yes
14. It would wheeze.
15. in front
16. A cloud of smoke
17. save the nets.
18. Yes
19. No
20. A kiss

1. Why is Frank crying?
2. Where did he grow up?
3. What did his dad do for a job?
4. Did he own a boat
5. Was this a hard job?
6. What did he smell like?
7. Did he ever transport his kid to school?
8. When?
9. How old was he?
10. Was he proud of his dad's vehicle?
11. What was it?
12. How old was it?
13. Did you know when it was close?
14. How?
15. Where did he park to drop of his son?
16. What did the car emit when it came to a sudden stop?
17. What was he attempting to do when a strong wind happened?
18. Did they find the boat?
19. Did they find his dad?
20. What would he like now from his dad?