Problem: More than 40 years ago, John Williams gave away all of his belongings and went off to the mountains to live the way people lived 100 years ago. For food he traps wild animals, fishes in the rivers, and plants whatever he can. John lives in a cabin he made by hand, out of trees he chopped down with an ax. Though he has no s he knows of, he does have a deer he raised from a fawn. The deer lives in the house in the winter and goes with John when he goes into the forest for food. Nobody lives within fifty miles of his cabin in the mountains and John has not been out of the mountains during the entire forty years. One day last year I hiked in to see how John lives. It was like going back in time. There were no roads, no stores, no noise, no pollution, not even a post office.

Most notable of all, there were no people and that's just the way John Williams wants to keep his part of the world--without people. But there is a paradox in his story. John is an educated man. He has books and nobody knows how he got them. Mostly he reads about his world, the forest, the animals, the plants, and the mountains. He has seen airplanes flying overhead but does not want to know about them. For him, electricity is lightning, not light bulbs, refrigerators, televisions, or washing machines. John Williams is 85 years old and had not had a sick day in his life. He attributes his long life to the fact that it has nothing to do with people and in order that he might enjoy many more years of health, happiness, and solitude, I will not tell you where his kingdom lies. There is no room there for you or me.
1. Who gave away all his stuff
2. Why
3. What did he do for food
4. What else
5. Who made his house
6. What pet does he have
7. Where does it stay in winter
8. How far is the closest neighbor
9. How long has he lived there
10. Are there any roads or stores around
11. What does John have in his possession that confuses others
12. What does he read about
13. What does he not want to learn about
14. What does he compare lightning to
15. Has he ever seen an airplane
16. What does he want to stay away from more than anything
17. How old is John
18. Has he ever had a sick day
19. Why does he believe he's lived so long
Answer: 1. John Williams
2. he went off to the mountains to live
3. he traps wild animals
4. he fishes in the rivers, and plants whatever he can
5. He did
6. a deer
7. in the house
8. unknown
9. More than 40 years
10. No
11. books
12. his world
13. airplanes
14. electricity
15. Yes
16. people
17. 85
18. No
19. the fact that it has nothing to do with people

Q: Bob walked out the door with a huge grin on his face. It was his first day of middle school. His mom, who is a nurse at the high school, waved at him as he entered the bus. The bus driver said "good to see you Bob". Bob said "you too Mr. Smith". Bob was so excited to see his friends that he could barely breathe. As he walked down the school bus, Bob's friends Jill, Jim, Jeff and Chris all waved to him. Instead of sitting next to his best friend Chris, Bob turned left and sat next to Jill. Jeff and Jim started laughing at him and teased "Bob and Jill sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G". Bob's face turned red from embarrassment. Chris felt bad for Bob and reached into his pockets to help his friend. When he reached in, he felt a pencil, a rock and a folded up piece of paper. Chris's eyes twinkled. He had a plan. Without Jim and Jeff seeing, Chris quickly made a paper airplane with the piece of paper he found in his pocket. He threw the paper airplane at Jim. The plane hit Jim in the face. Both Jim and Jeff stopped laughing. Bob looked over to Chris and smiled.

Answer the following questions:
1. Who has his first day of middle school today?
2. What does his mom do for work?
3. Why was he so excited?
4. Who did he sit next to?
5. How many friends does he have?
6. Who teased them?
7. Who is his closest friend?
8. Did he like what they were doing to his friend?
9. What did he do to make them stop?
10. Who is Mr. Smith?
11. How did Bob feel after his friend helped him?
A: 1. Bob
2. nurse
3. to see his friends
4. Jill
5. Four
6. Jeff and Jim
7. Chris
8. No
9. Made a paper airplane and threw it
10. bus driver
11. Happy

Problem: CHAPTER LXVIII King Media Dreams

That afternoon was melting down to eve; all but Media broad awake; yet all motionless, as the slumberer upon the purple mat. Sailing on, with open eyes, we slept the wakeful sleep of those, who to the body only give repose, while the spirit still toils on, threading her mountain passes.

King Media's slumbers were like the helmed sentry's in the saddle. From them, he started like an antlered deer, bursting from out a copse. Some said he never slept; that deep within himself he but intensified the hour; or, leaving his crowned brow in marble quiet, unseen, departed to far-off councils of the gods. Howbeit, his lids never closed; in the noonday sun, those crystal eyes, like diamonds, sparkled with a fixed light.

As motionless we thus reclined, Media turned and muttered:--"Brother gods, and demi-gods, it is not well. These mortals should have less or more. Among my subjects is a man, whose genius scorns the common theories of things; but whose still mortal mind can not fathom the ocean at his feet. His soul's a hollow, wherein he raves."

"List, list," whispered Yoomy--"our lord is dreaming; and what a royal dream."

"A very royal and imperial dream," said Babbalanja--"he is arraigning me before high heaven;--ay, ay; in dreams, at least, he deems himself a demi-god."

"Hist," said Mohi--"he speaks again."

"Gods and demi-gods! With one gesture all abysses we may disclose; and before this Mardi's eyes, evoke the shrouded time to come. Were this well? Like lost children groping in the woods, they falter through their tangled paths; and at a thousand angles, baffled, start upon each other. And even when they make an onward move, 'tis but an endless vestibule, that leads to naught. In my own isle of Odo--Odo! Odo! How rules my viceroy there?--Down, down, ye madding mobs! Ho, spearmen, charge! By the firmament, but my halberdiers fly!"
1. Who was wide awake?
2. Who was similar to a deer?
3. What was said about his rest?
4. What did the king say?
5. How come?
6. Who whispered about the dream?
7. Who else was there?
8. Anyone else?
9. What was Odo?
10. Whose island?
11. Where was the king thought to travel to during slumber?
Answer:
1. all but Media
2. King Media
3. that he never slept
4. it is not well
5. These mortals should have less or more
6. Yoomy did
7. Babbalanja
8. Mohi too
9. an island
10. the King's
11. heaven