Q: When two Bangs meet

Sheldon Cooper is a scientific genius on the popular American TV show, The Big Bang Theory (<<>> ). He finally met his match last year: Stephen Hawking.

This is not the first time that the scientist has appeared on TV. He has also been on Star Trek (in 1987) and The Simpsons (in 1989). Each time, he played himself.

Hawking, 71, is perhaps the world's most famous scientist after Albert Einstein. He has spent his whole life studying the beginning and the end of the universe, including the Big Bang theory.

The Big Bang theory explains the early development of the universe. According to the theory, about 13.7 billion years ago everything was all squeezed together in a tiny, tight little ball, and then the ball exploded. The results of that explosion are what we call the universe.

Hawking has always tried to make science more popular with people. His book: A Brief History of Time was published in 1988. In the book he shares his understanding of the universe in simple language. The book tries to explain many subjects about the universe to common readers, including the Big Bang, black holes and light cones .

Hawking's achievements are even greater if you think about his disability. When he was 21, Hawking caught a bad illness that slowly stopped him from moving or talking. Now he sits on a wheelchair with a computer by his side. To communicate, he moves two fingers to control the computer's mouse. He chooses his words from the screen, which are then spoken by a voice synthesizer .

Hawking also believes that there might be aliens in space. However, he believes they are probably very dangerous, so we should not look for them. "I imagine they might exist in very big ships ... having used up all the resources from their home planet," Hawking said in a British documentary named Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking.

1. Sheldon Cooper
2. Yes
3. The Big Bang Theory
4. Stephen Hawking.
5. Star Trek and The Simpsons
6. 1987
7. 1989
8. perhaps
9. Albert Einstein
10. the ball
11. No
12. little
13. about 13.7 billion years ago

Numbered questions:
1. Who met his match last year?
2. Is he a real person?
3. What show is his character on?
4. Who did he meet?
5. What other shows has he been on?
6. When was he on Star Trek?
7. And the Simpsons?
8. Is he the most reckognizable scientist?
9. Who might be a tad more well known?
10. What exploded in theory?
11. Was it a large ball?
12. How big was it?
13. When did this likely occur?

Q: Chapter IX

A Break in the Chain

It was late in the afternoon before I woke, strengthened and refreshed. Sherlock Holmes still sat exactly as I had left him, save that he had laid aside his violin and was deep in a book. He looked across at me, as I stirred, and I noticed that his face was dark and troubled.

"You have slept soundly," he said. "I feared that our talk would wake you."

"I heard nothing," I answered. "Have you had fresh news, then?"

"Unfortunately, no. I confess that I am surprised and disappointed. I expected something definite by this time. Wiggins has just been up to report. He says that no trace can be found of the launch. It is a provoking check, for every hour is of importance."

"Can I do anything? I am perfectly fresh now, and quite ready for another night's outing."

"No, we can do nothing. We can only wait. If we go ourselves, the message might come in our absence, and delay be caused. You can do what you will, but I must remain on guard."

"Then I shall run over to Camberwell and call upon Mrs. Cecil Forrester. She asked me to, yesterday."

"On Mrs. Cecil Forrester?" asked Holmes, with the twinkle of a smile in his eyes.

"Well, of course Miss Morstan too. They were anxious to hear what happened."

"I would not tell them too much," said Holmes. "Women are never to be entirely trusted,--not the best of them."

I did not pause to argue over this atrocious sentiment. "I shall be back in an hour or two," I remarked.

1. Sherlock Holmes
2. Yes
3. his violin
4. afternoon
5. Yes
6. Women
7. Yes
8. Mrs. Cecil Forrester
9. Camberwell
10. Yes
11. Miss Morstan

Numbered questions:
1. who is reading?
2. had he put something down?
3. what?
4. what time of day is it?
5. is there someone that is worth complete trust?
6. who?
7. are there any of them in this story?
8. who?
9. where does she live?
10. any other ladies?
11. who?

Q: Pearl and June were good friends and spent most of their time together. They were both very old and they worried about their health. Most of the time they talked about nothing else. They worried about their food. Was it clean? Would it give them pains in the stomach? They worried about the weather. Was it too cold and wet? Would it give them pains in their bones? They worried about pollution in the air. would it give them pains in their chests and throats? They worried about being hurt in a car accident, killed in a plane crash, getting sick, and so on. All they could think about was being ill or hurt. One day they went on a train journey together. "We'll need some food," Pearl said. "We'll buy some bananas," June said. "They are good to eat and always clean." And so they bought two bananas to eat on the train. It was not long before they were hungry. Pearl took out the bananas and gave one to June. Then she peeled the skin of her banana and took a large bite of it. At that moment the train went into a tunnel. Everything went black. "Don't eat your banana," Pearl shouted at June. "Mine has made me go blind!"

1. Pearl
2. most of their time
3. no
4. their health
5. it might not be clean
6. it give them pains
7. weather, pollution, car accidents, plane crashes, getting sick
8. it might give them pains in their chests and throats
9. train
10. the train went into a tunnel
11. she went blind
12. . Don't eat your banana

Numbered questions:
1. Who was Jane's friend?
2. How much time did they spend together?
3. Were they young?
4. What did they discuss?
5. Why did they worry about their food?
6. What did they thin would happen?
7. What else were they concerned about?
8. What was their concern about pollution?
9. What kind of journey did they go on?
10. Why did everything go black when Pearl took a bite?
11. What did she think happened?
12. What did she tell June?