Problem: Chapter VIII.--THE MARTIAL BOY AND HIS ENGLISH versus THE LAWS OF NATURE.

"Glorious Campaign in the Netherlands, Siege of Tournay, final ruin of the Dutch Barrier!" this is the French program for Season 1745,--no Belleisle to contradict it; Belleisle secure at Windsor, who might have leant more towards German enterprises. And to this his Britannic Majesty (small gain to him from that adroitness in the Harz, last winter!) has to make front. And is strenuously doing so, by all methods; especially by heroic expenditure of money, and ditto exposure of his Martial Boy. Poor old Wade, last year,--perhaps Wade did suffer, as he alleged, from "want of sufficient authority in that mixed Army"? Well, here is a Prince of the Blood, Royal Highness of Cumberland, to command in chief. With a Konigseck to dry-nurse him, may not Royal Highness, luck favoring, do very well? Luck did not favor; Britannic Majesty, neither in the Netherlands over seas, nor at home (strange new domestic wool, of a tarry HIGHLAND nature, being thrown him to card, on the sudden!), made a good Campaign, but a bad. And again a bad (1746) and again (1747), ever again, till he pleased to cease altogether. Of which distressing objects we propose that the following one glimpse be our last.

BATTLE OF FONTENOY (11th May, 1745).

... "In the end of April, Marechal de Saxe, now become very famous for his sieges in the Netherlands, opened trenches before Tournay; King Louis, with his Dauphin, not to speak of mistresses, play-actors and cookery apparatus (in wagons innumerable), hastens to be there. A fighting Army, say of 70,000, besides the garrisons; and great things, it is expected, will be done; Tournay, in spite of strong works and Dutch garrison of 9,000, to be taken in the first place.
1. What season was this?
2. did something contradict?
3. who secured windsor
4. to prevent what?
5. what risked exposure?
6. did luck favor the royalty
7. who suffered?
8. from what?
9. what happened to Saxe?
10. when?
11. for what?
12. what was opened?
13. who was the king?
14. who was the king?
15. were mistresses talked about
16. what about cookery
17. was there an army?
18. how large?
19. Was there a battle?
Answer: 1. 1745
2. no
3. Belleisle
4. German enterprises
5. his Martial Boy
6. no
7. Wade
8. want of sufficient authority
9. become very famous
10. the end of April,
11. his sieges in the Netherlands
12. trenches
13. Louis
14. Louis
15. no
16. no
17. yes
18. 70,000,
19. yes

Problem: Can you write down a Chinese word being read to you? Sometimes it can be difficult when you find the word is not included in most dictionaries. Lu Jialei, 14, from Hangzhou Foreign Language School, won the CCTV Chinese Character Spelling Contest on Oct 18th, 2013. About 160 people competed. The host read a word to the contestant, explained its meaning and gave sample sentences. The contestant was required to write down the word. Winning the contest was a "surprise" to Lu. "I was not the smartest one," she said. "But I paid attention to details." To prepare for the contest, she and her teammates studied the Modern Chinese Dictionary for 10 days. There are more than 56,000 entries including characters, words and phrases in it. She also had a secret weapon. She studied how Chinese characters were formed. "When others paid attention to the plot of a story, she looked at how authors use words and sentences to express themselves," said Su Yunsheng, Lu's Chinese teacher. Su is happy to see students like Lu find the beauty of Chinese language. "Besides using something Chinese and having Chinese traditional festivals, learning to write Chinese characters is also an important part of inheriting Chinese culture," said Su.
1. Who won the spelling contest?
2. Was she surprised?
3. How many people entered?
4. Was she the smartest one?
5. What was her secret weapon?
6. Who is Su Yunsheng?
7. What does she say is important to her culture?
8. How many words and phrases were in the contest?
9. Was Lu required to spell the word?
10. What did she need to do to win?
11. What school did she attend?
12. Did she study alone?
13. Who was she with?
14. What did they study?
15. for how long?
16. When did the contest take place?
17. Was her teacher pleased?
Answer: 1. Lu Jialei
2. Yes
3. About 160
4. No
5. she looked at how authors use words and sentences to express themselves
6. Lu's Chinese teacher
7. Several things
8. more than 56,000
9. No
10. write down the word
11. Hangzhou Foreign Language School
12. No
13. her teammates
14. the Modern Chinese Dictionary
15. 10 days
16. Oct 18th, 2013
17. Yes

Problem: CHAPTER V

WOLF'S OFFER

Jefferson sat in the shade of the bougainvillea and pondered some letters. Austin lounged in a basket-chair opposite and read the _Diario_. They had combined their business as far as possible, but Pancho Brown would not agree to a formal amalgamation. All was quiet. One heard the fountain splash and Betty's typewriter rattle. Sometimes a voice came from the room where Jefferson's Spanish clerks were occupied, but this was all.

Presently Austin put down the newspaper.

"The tomato crop was light and the vines are doing badly. It's ominous that the Palma import houses are cutting down their orders."

"Martinez allowed he wanted to get out of the deal in chemical fertilisers. Trade is looking sick," Jefferson agreed.

"When I joined Pancho Brown I used to study the accounts and congratulate myself when I saw our credits going up," Austin remarked with a smile. "To feel I could write a cheque for a good sum was something very new. Now I'm bothered because we have money at the bank. I don't see how it's going to be usefully employed."

"You want to keep money moving. Well, I met Wolf a day or two since, and he hinted he knew about a deal. I wasn't keen, but he said he might come around and see us. I rather expect him."

"You don't trust the fellow?"

"Sure thing! Reckon it's instinctive. I like straightforward folks. Wolf's a mystery man."

Austin looked up and laughed. "He's coming."

Wolf crossed the flags, and when he stopped by the bougainvillea his face was red. He was fat and his thin, black alpaca jacket looked very tight.
1. Was Jefferson sitting in the shade?
2. Of what?
3. What was he thinking about?
4. Who was lounging near him?
5. What was he reclined in?
6. What newspaper was he reading?
7. Is Austin Jefferson's wife?
8. What kind of partners are they?
9. Did Jefferson have any clerks around?
10. What country did they hail from?
11. Who was typing somewhat noisily?
12. Is the tomato crop doing well?
13. Who wanted to get out of fertilizers?
14. What houses are cutting down their orders?
15. What company had Austin joined?
16. What did he study then?
17. When did he tell himself he had done a good job?
18. Was it a new experience being able to write a large check?
19. Where does it bug him now to have money kept?
20. Who hinted he knows about a deal and is expected to come around?
Answer:
1. Yes
2. The bougainvillea
3. Some letters
4. Austin
5. a basket-chair
6. The Diario
7. unknown
8. Business
9. Yes
10. Spain
11. Betty
12. No
13. Martinez
14. Palma import houses
15. Pancho Brown
16. The accounts
17. When the credits went up
18. Yes
19. At the bank
20. Wolf