question: The bird by the river chirped twice before breaking into song, to tell all the other animals to sing along. The dog barked, the other birds sang, the squirrel squeaked, and the rabbit clapped its ears together. The cat did not because his mouth was hot from some very strong mustard. He thought to himself that he wouldn't have eaten that hot dog if he knew it was on it. He tried to look for water, but that mustard drove his nose crazy and he couldn't smell anything. Not even water.

Luckily for the cat, cats have very good eyes, and he saw a puddle out of the corner of his eye. He ran to it. He wondered why the water was kind of yellow, and thought it must be from the leaves floating in the puddle. The cat took a big drink. It made his tongue felt so much better that it made him want to sing, but the others were done and the bird had flown away.
1. What is the main character in this story?
2. What was bothering the cat?
3. From where?
4. What negative effects was the mustard having on him?
5. Since he couldn't do that, what senses was he relying on?
6. What did this sense help him accomplish?
7. What was strange about the water?
8. Why?
9. Did he drink it anyway?
10. Did it solve the problem with his mouth?
11. What did he desire to do after he felt normal again?
12. So did he?
13. How many different animals were singing at the beginning of the story?
14. Did they all use their voices only?
15. What else did they use besides their voices?
16. What sound did the squirrel make?
17. What was the bird's cue for all the others?
****
answer: 1. The cat
2. his mouth was hot from strong mustard
3. a hot dog
4. couldn't smell
5. sight
6. find water
7. it was yellow
8. maybe the floating leaves
9. Yes
10. Yes
11. sing
12. no
13. Four
14. No.
15. ears
16. a squeak
17. two chirps

question: A mandolin (Italian: mandolino pronounced [mandolino]; literally "small mandola") is a musical instrument in the lute family and is usually plucked with a plectrum or "pick". It commonly has four courses of doubled metal strings tuned in unison (8 strings), although five (10 strings) and six (12 strings) course versions also exist. The courses are normally tuned in a succession of perfect fifths. It is the soprano member of a family that includes the mandola, octave mandolin, mandocello and mandobass.

There are many styles of mandolin, but four are common, the Neapolitan or round-backed mandolin, the carved-top mandolin and the flat-backed mandolin. The round-back has a deep bottom, constructed of strips of wood, glued together into a bowl. The carved-top or arch-top mandolin has a much shallower, arched back, and an arched topboth carved out of wood. The flat-backed mandolin uses thin sheets of wood for the body, braced on the inside for strength in a similar manner to a guitar. Each style of instrument has its own sound quality and is associated with particular forms of music. Neapolitan mandolins feature prominently in European classical music and traditional music. Carved-top instruments are common in American folk music and bluegrass music. Flat-backed instruments are commonly used in Irish, British and Brazilian folk music. Some modern Brazilian instruments feature an extra fifth course tuned a fifth lower than the standard fourth course.
1. How many strings do the most common mandolins have?
2. How are they tuned?
3. Are there other string combinations?
4. How many strings in those?
5. Are there specialized styles of mandolins?
6. How many are common?
7. What are they?
8. Are they used specifically for different music?
9. What is the flat-backed used in?
10. What are the Neapolitan most used in?
11. What about the carved-top?
12. What is the mandolin called in Italian?
13. What does it mean literally?
****
answer: 1. 8 strings
2. in a succession of perfect fifths
3. yes
4. 10 strings and 12 strings
5. yes
6. four
7. the Neapolitan or round-backed mandolin
8. yes
9. Irish, British and Brazilian folk music
10. European classical music and traditional music
11. American folk music and bluegrass music
12. mandolino
13. small mandola

question: Bob was flying a toy plane in his yard. He was having a great time! Bob had a dog and a cat that were also playing in the yard. He was also singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Bob flew his toy plane too high. It landed on the roof of his house. Bob asked his dad to get it. Bob's dad said he had to borrow a ladder from next door. Bob's dad took a walk next door. On the way, Bob's dad waited for a duck to cross the road. Finally, Bob's dad went next door and asked his neighbor, Frank, for a ladder. Frank gave the ladder to Bob's dad. Frank also gave Bob's dad a toy car, a toy train, a toy boat, and a coloring book that Bob could play with in case he couldn't get the plane. Bob's dad walked back to the house. Bob's dad climbed the ladder and took the plane from the roof. Bob laughed and flew the plane again. Afterward, they wanted to go to the beach. Bob wanted to bring his bicycle. Bob's dad wanted to bring a towel and beach ball. They made a big sand castle. They saw a seagull walking on the sand. It was getting late, so they went home and turned on the TV for a little bit. They then went to bed, looking forward to another day of fun tomorrow!
1. How many pets does Bob have?
2. Where did Bob's toy plane land?
3. Did Bob climb on the roof and get it?
4. Who got rescued the toy from the roof?
5. Did he have a ladder?
6. Who did he borrow it from?
7. What was crossing the street when Bob's dad was walking to Frank's house?
8. Why did Frank give Bob's dad toys and a coloring book?
9. Was Bob's father upset when ge got the plane off of the roof?
10. Where did they go after flying the plane?
11. Who wanted to bring a bicycle?
12. What animal did they see at the beach?
13. What did they do when they returned to their house?
****
answer:
1. Two
2. on the roof
3. no
4. Bob's dad
5. he borrowed one
6. Frank
7. a duck
8. So he could play if he didn't get the plane
9. unknown
10. the beach
11. Bob Bob
12. a seagull
13. turned on the TV