Q: (CNN) -- Mohammed Alshaya owns more high street brands than most fashion addicts could stuff in their closets.

Mohammed Alshaya, CEO of Alshaya's retail division, tells MME he sees a new mindset in the Gulf

Topshop, Coast, NEXT and River Island are just some of the big names he's imported from the United Kingdom to shopping centers in the Middle East.

As chief executive of M.H. Alshaya, he knows what sells: tried and tested Western brands that will appeal to local shoppers.

And his empire is not limited to clothing. In the past month, he's taken Mothercare and The Body Shop to Central Eastern Europe.

With the addition of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, M.H. Alshaya now operates in 16 markets including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Cyprus, Turkey, Poland and Russia.

John Defterios spoke with Mohammed Alshaya, and started by asking him for his thoughts on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) plans for a single currency.

(JD): I would imagine as a retail operation you'd be a huge proponent of a single currency within the GCC. Is it realistic within the next 4 to 5 years?

(MA): I think it can be, as long as there is a will of the leaders to get together and decide. It is a huge leap towards efficiency, conciliation, getting closer between the six countries. One single Central Bank that governs and regulates is much better than the current six, I believe.

(JD): Have you ever done any calculations of what impact it would have on your back office operations?

1. Mohammed Alshaya
2. Alshaya
3. CEO of retail division
4. Topshop, Coast, NEXT and River Island
5. the Middle East
6. Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia
7. 16
8. John Defterios
9. Gulf Cooperation Council
10. six
11. 4 to 5 years

Numbered questions:
1. Who own lots of high street brands?
2. What company does he work for?
3. What is his title?
4. What does he imports?
5. Where to?
6. And where else?
7. How many countries?
8. Who interviewed him?
9. Who did they say needed a common money?
10. How many nations are in it?
11. How much time will it take them to make it happen?

Q: CHAPTER VIIITHE MAIL GUARD

Somewhere about two in the morning a squall had burst upon the castle, a clap of screaming wind that made the towers rock, and a copious drift of rain that streamed from the windows. The wind soon blew itself out, but the day broke cloudy and dripping, and when the little party assembled at breakfast their humours appeared to have changed with the change of weather. Nance had been brooding on the scene at the river-side, applying it in various ways to her particular aspirations, and the result, which was hardly to her mind, had taken the colour out of her cheeks. Mr. Archer, too, was somewhat absent, his thoughts were of a mingled strain; and even upon his usually impassive countenance there were betrayed successive depths of depression and starts of exultation, which the girl translated in terms of her own hopes and fears. But Jonathan was the most altered: he was strangely silent, hardly passing a word, and watched Mr. Archer with an eager and furtive eye. It seemed as if the idea that had so long hovered before him had now taken a more solid shape, and, while it still attracted, somewhat alarmed his imagination.

At this rate, conversation languished into a silence which was only broken by the gentle and ghostly noises of the rain on the stone roof and about all that field of ruins; and they were all relieved when the note of a man whistling and the sound of approaching footsteps in the grassy court announced a visitor. It was the ostler from the 'Green Dragon' bringing a letter for Mr. Archer. Nance saw her hero's face contract and then relax again at sight of it; and she thought that she knew why, for the sprawling, gross black characters of the address were easily distinguishable from the fine writing on the former letter that had so much disturbed him. He opened it and began to read; while the ostler sat down to table with a pot of ale, and proceeded to make himself agreeable after his fashion.

1. Nance
2. brooding
3. female
4. Jonathan
5. silent
6. eager
7. urtive eye
8. yes
9. noises of the rain
10. roof
11. ostler
12. Green Dragon
13. Archer
14. ostler
15. ale
16. note of a man whistling
17. footsteps
18. a visitor
19. two in the morning
20. castle

Numbered questions:
1. who was at the river ?
2. what was he doing ?
3. is nance male or female ?
4. who was altered ?
5. what else was he ?
6. how was he looking at archer ?
7. and what ?
8. did the conversation grow quiet ?
9. and what broke the silence ?
10. and the roof was made of what ?
11. who gave archer a letter ?
12. from where ?
13. who began to read ?
14. who sat at the table ?
15. what was in the pot ?
16. what relieved everybody ?
17. anything else ?
18. and what did it announce ?
19. what time was the squall ?
20. where ?

Q: Valentine's Day was coming. Helen felt hurt and lonely because this was her first Valentine's Day after the divorce .

Helen's twelve-year-old son, Jack, looked at his mother, knowing that this was a difficult time for both of them. In order to make his mother happy, he prepared a present, and handed it to her on Valentine's Day.

It was a beautiful gift package .Helen couldn't believe what was happening. She opened it and took out a lovely card and a small box.

"Now," he said, "read the card." It read as follows:

"I know that this isn't easy for you because it has been a hard year for both of us. I know that Valentine's Day is a special day for people in love. I want you to know that I love you. I know that Valentines are supposed to get chocolate. I went to the store today to buy some for you. Luckily, I got the last piece. I told the clerk it was just perfect."

Helen stood there for a moment and looked at her son. Her eyes sparkled in the light as tears formed in each corner. Jack knew he had done the right thing. Slowly she opened the small box, careful not to tear the paper. She would never forget the moment. She found a chocolate heart that was broken into pieces along with a note:

"I am so sorry that Dad left us, Mom. And all you were left with was a broken heart. But I just want you to know we still have each other.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Your son,

Jack"

1. Valentine's Day
2. She felt hurt.
3. A present.
4. A card

Numbered questions:
1. What holiday was coming?
2. Why was Helen sad about Valentine's Day?
3. What did Jack get his mom for Valentine's Day?
4. What was the present made out of?