question: When Steve Maxwell graduated from college, he had an engineering degree and a high tech job -- but he couldn't balance his checkbook. "I took one finance class in college but dropped it to go on a ski trip," says the 45-year-old father of three, who lives in Windsor, Colorado. "I actually had to go to my bank and ask them to teach me how to read my statement."

One of the biggest obstacles to making money is not understanding it: Thousands of us avoid investing because we just don't get it. But to make money, you must be financially literate. "It bothered me that I didn't understand this stuff," says Steve, "so I read books and magazines about money management and investing, and I asked every financial whiz I knew to explain things to me."

He and his wife started applying the lessons: They made a point to _ . They never bought on impulse, always negotiated better deals (on their cars,cable bills, furniture) and stayed in their home long after they went for an expensive vacation. They also put 20 percent of their annual salary into investments.

Within ten years, they were millionaires, and people were coming to Steve for advice. "Someone would say, 'I need to refinance my house -- what should I do? 'A lot of times, I wouldn't know the answer, but I'd go to find it and learn something in the process," he says.

In 2003, Steve quit his job to become part owner of a company that holds personal finance seminars for employees of corporations like Wal Mart. He also started going to real estate investment seminars, and it's paid off: He now owns $ 30 million worth of investment properties, including apartment complexes, a shopping mall and a quarry.

"I was an engineer who never thought this life was possible, but all it truly takes is a little self education," says Steve. "You can do anything once you understand the basics."
1. What type of degree did Steve have?
2. Did he have a high-tech job as well?
3. Why did he drop his finance class?
4. How many children does he have?
5. How old is Steve?
6. In what year did Steve quit his job?
7. Is Steve a multi-millionaire?
8. How long did it take him to become a millionaire?
9. Do people ask Steve for advice?
10. How much of his annual salary does he put into Investments?
****
answer: 1. an engineering degree
2. yes
3. to go on a ski trip
4. three
5. 45
6. 2003
7. yes
8. Within ten years
9. yes
10. 20 percent

question: Many young people want to be pop stars. Pop stars are rich. Many people think they are leading a happy and easy life. Is that true? The answer is definitely no. In fact, they have very hard lives. They spend much of their time on travel. Sometimes the travel is interesting, but in most time it is boring to pop stars. The following chart is a day's life of a pop star. Feb. l0, 2016 5:00 Woke up and had breakfast in the hotel. Took taxi to airport. 7:30 Plane took off half an hour later than usual for the bad weather. 8:30 Plane landed. Waited for luggage for half an hour. Signed for fans at the airport. 9:45 Arrived at the hotel and had a short rest. 10:00 Started out to attend the meeting with fans and gave an interview to the local reporters. 11:00 Went to radio station to attend the live show. 12:00 Had lunch with local producer I3:00 Went to theatre and prepared for the night's show. 17:00 Back to hotel. Tried to have a rest. Still worried about the band. 18:00 Had supper, but ate little. 18:30 Went to theatre again and got ready for show. 19:30 Sang very well, and audience gave a warm welcome. The band improved a little. 22:00 Show was over. Very tired from it. 23:00 Back to hotel. Took a bath. Too excited to sleep, so watched TV. 0:00 Fell asleep, with TV on.
1. Who is rich?
2. How many young people want to be them?
3. are there lives easy?
4. what do they spend a lot of time doing?
5. what day is the itinerary from?
6. what happened at 7:30
7. what time did they arrive at the hotel?
8. who did they have lunch with?
9. Did they take a shower/.
10. Did they eat caviar/.
11. who did they give an interview to?
12. did they sing horribly?
****
answer: 1. Pop stars
2. Many
3. no
4. travel
5. Feb. l0, 2016
6. Plane took off
7. 9:45
8. local producer
9. no
10. no
11. local reporters
12. no

question: CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

A SLEEPLESS BUT A PLEASANT NIGHT.

The evening which followed the day that has just been described was bright, calm, and beautiful, with the starry host unclouded and distinctly visible to the profoundest depths of space.

As it was intended to send the _Smeaton_ to Arbroath next morning for a cargo of stones from the building-yard, the wrecked party were prevailed on to remain all night on board the _Pharos_, instead of going ashore in one of the ship's boats, which could not well be spared at the time.

This arrangement, we need hardly say, gave inexpressible pleasure to Ruby, and was not altogether distasteful to Minnie, although she felt anxious about Mrs Brand, who would naturally be much alarmed at the prolonged absence of herself and the captain. However, "there was no help for it"; and it was wonderful the resignation which she displayed in the circumstances.

It was not Ruby's duty to watch on deck that night, yet, strange to say, Ruby kept watch the whole night long!

There was no occasion whatever for Minnie to go on deck after it was dark, yet, strange to say, Minnie kept coming on deck at intervals _nearly_ the whole night long! Sometimes to "look at the stars", sometimes to "get a mouthful of fresh air", frequently to find out what "that strange noise could be that had alarmed her", and at last-- especially towards the early hours of morning--for no reason whatever, except that "she could not sleep below."
1. what was the weather like?
2. what could you see?
3. what were they trying to obtain?
4. where would they get them from?
5. what were they going to send there?
6. what couldn't be spared?
7. who did it please that it didn't work out?
8. Who would worry about them being missng?
9. Could they control the situation?
10. who stayed alert all night?
****
answer:
1. Bright, calm, and beautiful.
2. The starry sky.
3. A cargo of stones from the building-yard.
4. Arbroath.
5. The Smeaton.
6. One of the ship's boats.
7. Ruby.
8. Mrs Brand.
9. No.
10. Ruby.