question: CHAPTER III

LIGHTFOOT TELLS HOW HIS ANTLERS GREW

It is hard to believe what seems impossible. And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else. So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be. Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't. If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter. But he hadn't seen Lightfoot since the very last of winter, and then Lightfoot had worn just such handsome antlers as he now had. So Peter really couldn't be blamed for not being able to believe that those old ones had been lost and in their place new ones had grown in just the few months of spring and summer.

But Peter didn't blame Lightfoot in the least, because he had told Peter that he didn't like to tell things to people who wouldn't believe what he told them when Peter had asked him about the rags hanging to his antlers. "I'm trying to believe it," he said, quite humbly.

"It's all true," broke in another voice.

Peter jumped and turned to find his big cousin, Jumper the Hare. Unseen and unheard, he had stolen up and had overheard what Peter and Lightfoot had said.

"How do you know it is true?" snapped Peter a little crossly, for Jumper had startled him.

"Because I saw Lightfoot's old antlers after they had fallen off, and I often saw Lightfoot while his new ones were growing," retorted Jumper.
1. What had been hanging from Lightfoot's antlers?
2. What kind of animal was Peter?
3. What kind of animal was Jumper?
4. Were they related?
5. How?
6. What kind of animal was Lightfoot?
7. When did Peter last see him?
8. Did Lightfoot say he lost something?
9. What?
10. Did he say he got new ones?
11. Was Peter able to believe Lightfoot's story?
12. Who was able to believe it?
13. What's one of the reasons that Jumper does?
14. What's another reason ?
15. Was Jumper big?
16. Had he been eavesdropping?
17. Why was Peter snappish with him?
18. Did Peter want to believe Lightfoot?
19. Did Lightfoot like to tell everybody things they might not believe?
20. What did Peter say to Lightfoot about it?
****
answer: 1. rags
2. a rabbit
3. a hare
4. yes
5. they were cousinss
6. a deer
7. since the last winter
8. yes
9. his antlers
10. yes
11. no
12. Jumper the Hare
13. because he saw Lightfoot's old antlers after they had fallen off
14. and he often saw Lightfoot while his new ones were growing
15. yes
16. yes
17. Jumper had startled him
18. yes
19. no
20. "I'm trying to believe it,"

question: Bum rate is the speed at which a startup business consumes money. My rate would be $ 50,000 a month when my new media company started. So, I began looking around for individuals who would be my first investors. "Angel money" it was called. But when I reviewed my list of acquaintances to find those who might be able to help, I found the number got small.

With no other choices, I began meeting with the venture-capital companies. But I was warned they took a huge share of your company for the money they put in. And if you struggled, they could drop you cold.

As I was searching for "angel money", I started to build a team who trusted me even though I didn't have money for paychecks yet.

Bill Becker was an expert in computer programming and image processing at a very famous Media Lab at M. I.T. With his arrival, my company suddenly had a major technology "guy" in-house.

Katherine Henderson, a filmmaker and a former real-estate dealer, joined us as our director of market research. Steve White came on as operating officer. He had worked for the developer of a home-finance software, Quicken. We grabbed him.

We had some really good people, but we still didn't have enough money. One night, my neighbor, Louise Johnson, came for a visit. She and I were only nodding acquaintances, but her boys and ours were constant companions. She ran a very good business at the time.

Louise was brilliant and missed nothing. She had been watching my progress closely. She knew I was dying for money and I had prospects but could offer no guarantees of success.

She told me that her attorney had talked to mine and the terms had been agreed upon. She handed me an envelope. Inside was a check for $ 500,000.

I almost fell down. I heard her voice as if from heaven.

"I have confidence in your plan," she said. "You' 11 do well. You're going to work hard for it, but it' s satisfying when you build your own company."

Who would have thought I'd find an angel so close to home? There were no words sufficient for the moment. We just said good night. She left and I just stood there, completely humbled and completely committed.
1. What is early investment money called?
2. How much did the author's new enterprise cost per month?
3. What term is used to define that?
4. Did they have a lot of friends willing to assist?
5. Who else did the author look to for assistance?
6. What is one disadvantage to bringing them aboard?
7. What is another?
8. Where was Bill Becker working?
9. Was he in an unknown lab?
10. What was nice about Becker joining the group?
11. Who else came on?
12. Anybody else?
13. Which of them had software development experience?
14. Which software?
15. What did Katherine Henderson do before?
16. Was the owner of the company able to pay all these people right away?
17. Why did they join then?
18. Who came to the rescue?
19. Who was that?
20. How much did she contribute?
****
answer: 1. Angel money
2. $ 50,000
3. Bum rate
4. Yes
5. venture-capital companies
6. they took a huge share of your company
7. if you struggled, they could drop you cold.
8. M. I.T.
9. No
10. they had a major technology "guy" in-house.
11. Katherine Henderson
12. Steve White
13. Steve White
14. Quicken
15. a filmmaker and a former real-estate dealer,
16. no
17. They trusted him
18. his neighbor
19. Louise Johnson
20. $ 500,000.

question: Separation of powers is a political doctrine originating in the writings of Montesquieu in The Spirit of the Laws where he urged for a constitutional government with three separate branches of government. Each of the three branches would have defined abilities to check the powers of the other branches. This idea was called separation of powers. This philosophy heavily influenced the writing of the United States Constitution, according to which the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of the United States government are kept distinct in order to prevent abuse of power. This United States form of separation of powers is associated with a system of checks and balances.

During the Age of Enlightenment, philosophers such as John Locke advocated the principle in their writings, whereas others, such as Thomas Hobbes, strongly opposed it. Montesquieu was one of the foremost supporters of separating the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. His writings considerably influenced the opinions of the framers of the United States Constitution.
1. What concept influenced the US form of government?
2. What did he write?
3. What was the concept that he recommended?
4. How many separate powers did he recommend?
5. What are the three powers in the US government?
6. What is hoped to be gained by keeping them separate?
7. What kind of a system will accomplish that?
8. Who agreed with such systems?
9. How do we know that?
10. Was there any opposition?
11. Who might that be?
12. Montesquieu influenced who?
13. And what are we talking about?
14. The three branches are found where?
15. When did John Locke live?
****
answer:
1. writings of Montesquieu
2. The Spirit of the Law
3. Separation of powers
4. three
5. Legislative, Executive, and Judicial
6. prevent abuse of power
7. system of checks and balances
8. philosophers such as John Locke
9. advocated the principle in their writings
10. yes
11. Thomas Hobbes strongly opposed it
12. the framers of the United States Constitution.
13. Separation of powers
14. United States Constitution
15. During the Age of Enlightenment