Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

When Marilynne Robinson published her first novel, Housekeeping, in 1980, she was unknown in the literary world. But an early review in The New York Times ensured that the book would be noticed. "It's as if, in writing it, she broke through the ordinary human condition with all its dissatisfactions, and achieved a kind of transfiguration ," wrote Anatole Broyard, with an enthusiasm and amazement that was shared by many critics and readers. The book became a classic, and Robinson was recognized as one of the outstanding American writers of our time. Yet it would be more than twenty years before she wrote another novel.

During the period, Robinson devoted herself to writing nonfiction. Her essays and book reviews appeared in Harper's and The New York Times Book Review, and in 1989 she published Mother Country: Britain, the Welfare State, and Nuclear Pollution, criticizing severely the environmental and public health dangers caused by the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in England--and the political and moral corruption . In 1998, Robinson published a collection of her critical and theological writings, The Death of Adam: Essays on Modern Thought, which featured reassessments of such figures as Charles Darwin, John Calvin, and Friedrich Nietzsche. Aside from a single short story--"Connie Bronson," published in The Paris Review in 1986--it wasn't until 2004 that she returned to fiction with the novel Gilead, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Her third novel, Home, came out this fall.

Her novels could be described as celebrations of the human--the characters in them are unforgettable creations. Housekeeping is the story of Ruth and her sister Lucille, who are cared for by their eccentric Aunt Sylvie after their mother commits suicide. Robinson writes a lot about how each of the three is changed by their new life together. Gilead is an even more close exploration of personality: the book centres on John Ames, a seventy-seven-year-old pastor who is writing an account of his life and his family history to leave to his young son after he dies. Home borrows characters from Gilead but centers on Ames's friend Reverend Robert Boughton and his troubled son Jack. Robinson returned to the same territory as Gilead because, she said, "after I write a novel or a story, I miss the characters--I feel like losing some close friends."

1. Which book by Robinson is about Ruth and her sister Lucille?
2. When was it written?
3. How many years passed before she wrote another novel?
4. What did she write in between?
5. What did she publish in 1989?
6. And where did some of her essays and book reviews show up?
7. What did she publish in 1998?
8. What figures did it reassess?
9. What single short story did she write?
10. What did Anatole Broyard say about Housekeeping?
11. Who published Connie Bronson?
12. In what year?
13. When did Robinson start writing fiction again?
14. What was the name of the novel she wrote then?
15. When does her novel, Home, come out?
16. What happens to Ruth and Lucille's mother in Housekeeping?
17. Who takes care of them then?
18. What does the book Gilead center on?
19. How old is Ames?
20. Who is he writing his book for?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. Housekeeping.
2. 1980.
3. More than twenty.
4. Nonfiction.
5. Mother Country: Britain.
6. Harper's and The New York Times Book Review
7. The Death of Adam: Essays on Modern Thought,
8. Charles Darwin and John Calvin.
9. Connie Bronson
10. "It's as if, in writing it, she broke through the ordinary human condition with all its dissatisfactions, and achieved a kind of transfiguration
11. The Paris Review.
12. 1986
13. 2004
14. Gilead.
15. This fall.
16. She commits suicide.
17. Their Aunt Sylvie.
18. John Ames.
19. 77.
20. His son.

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

CHAPTER XIV

OUT OF AN UNPLEASANT SITUATION

Not one of the party was just then in a position to give poor Hans any assistance. All were stuck in the ooze, and one horse after another was slowly but surely sinking.

"We must turn back," cried Songbird, "and do it in a hurry, too."

"Easier said than done," grunted Fred. "My, this is worse than glue!"

"I think the ground on our left is a bit firmer than here," said Sam. "I am going to try it, anyway."

Not without considerable difficulty, he turned his steed, and after a struggle the spot he had indicated was gained. Dick followed, and so did Tom.

The Rovers were safe, but not so their chums. Hans was the worst off, but Fred and Songbird were likewise in positions of serious peril. Wags was flying around, barking dismally, as though he understood that all was not right.

"Turn this way!" called out Sam. "It's your one hope!"

"Let me have that rope you are carrying, Tom," said Dick, and having received the article, he threw one end to Hans, who was still floundering around. "Catch hold, Hans, and I'll haul you over!"

As the rope fell across the German youth's body, he caught it tightly in both hands, and, as Dick, Tom and Sam pulled with might and main, he fairly slid on his breast to where they were standing.

"Mine gracious, dot vos somedings awful!" he exclaimed. "It vos so sticky like molasses alretty!"

"Now, we must help the others," said Dick.

1. Who was the worst off?
2. Who could help him?
3. What were they stuck in?
4. What was it worse than?
5. According to who?
6. What did Songbird want to do?
7. How quickly?
8. Was there any firm ground?
9. Where?
10. Did anyone go that way?
11. Who?
12. Was it easy?
13. Did anyone else go that way?
14. Who?
15. Anyone else?
16. What did Dick ask Tom for?
17. What did Dick do with it?
18. What did Hans catch it with?
19. Who pulled Hans?
20. Were they successful?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. Hans
2. The Rovers
3. in the ooze,
4. glue
5. Fred
6. turn back
7. in a hurry
8. yes
9. on their left
10. yes
11. Sam
12. no
13. yes
14. Dick
15. Tom
16. rope
17. he threw one end to Hans
18. both hands
19. Dick, Tom and Sam
20. yes

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

One day a young princess named Amelia was looking out of the window of her castle. Amelia loved to sing, but was tired of singing only the songs her mother, Queen Anne, allowed her to sing. Princess Amelia thought it might be fun to write her own songs instead.

So, on Saturday Princess Amelia went to the garden with a pen and paper. She thought and thought, but couldn't come up with any words for a song. What could she write about? Daisy, her cow? Her frog, Pete?

Nothing came to mind. She sat there all day. And the next day too. Amelia was tired and hungry. But she wanted to stay until she had a song. Finally, on Monday, Queen Anne came looking for Amelia and forced her to return to her room.

She gave Amelia a large book of songs to sing. Amelia was happy.

1. What did the Princess love to do?
2. Where did she live?
3. What did she sing?
4. Was she old?
5. What was her name?
6. Who told her she was only allowed certain songs?
7. Who was she?
8. Was Amelia satisfied with this arrangement?
9. Why not?
10. Did she ever try to do it?
11. When?
12. Where?
13. What did she take with her?
14. How many ideas did she have for a subject?
15. How long did she try?
16. And did she succeed in writing a song?
17. Who came looking for her?
18. What did Anne do when she found her?
19. Did Amelia like that?

Numbered answers:

A:
1. To sing
2. A castle
3. What she was allowed to.
4. No
5. Amelia
6. Queen Anne
7. Her mother
8. No
9. She wanted to write her own
10. Yes
11. on Saturday
12. the garden
13. pen and paper
14. None
15. 3 days
16. No
17. Anne
18. She gave her a book of songs
19. Yes