question: Edmund Halley was an English scientist who lived over 200 years ago. He studied the observations of comets which other scientists had made. The orbit of one particular comet was a very difficult mathematical problem. He could not figure it out. Neither could other scientists who dealt with such problems.

However, Halley had a friend named Isaac Newton, who was a brilliant mathematician. Newton thought he had already worked out that problem, but he could not find the papers on which he had done it. He told Halley that the orbit of a comet had the shape of an ellipse .

Now Halley set to work. He figured out(,)the orbits of some of the comets that had been observed by scientists. He made a surprising discovery. The comets that had appeared in the years 1531, 1607, and 1682 all had the same orbit. Yet their appearance had been 75 to 76 years apart.

This seemed very strange to Halley. Three different comets followed the same orbit. The more Halley thought about it, the more he thought that there had not been three different comets as people thought. He decided that they had simply seen the same comet three times. The comet had gone away and had come back again.

It was an astonishing idea! Halley felt certain to make a prediction of what would happen in the future. He decided that this would appear in the year 1758. There were 53 years to go before Halley's prediction could be tested. In 1758 the comet appeared in the sky. Halley did not see it, for he had died some years before. Ever since then that comet had been called Halley's comet, in his honor.
1. Who is the article about?
2. Was Halley from France?
3. Where was he from?
4. What did he do for a living?
5. Who was Halley's friend?
6. What shape orbit did Newton say comets had?
7. What surprising discovery did Halley make?
8. What prediction did Halley make?
9. Was Halley alive to see it?
10. What was the comet called in his honor?
****
answer: 1. Edmund Halley
2. no
3. england
4. Studied comets
5. Newton
6. Ellipse
7. Multiple comets had the same orbit
8. The comet would appear 1758
9. no
10. Halley's comet

question: Cole Bettles had been rejected by a number of universities when he received an e-mail from the University of California, San Diego, last month, congratulating him on his admission and inviting him to tour the campus. His mother booked a hotel in San Diego, and the 18-year-old Ojai high school senior arranged for his grandfather, uncle and other family members to meet them at the campus for lunch during the Saturday tour.

"They were like 'Oh my God, that's so awesome ', " Bettles said. Right before he got in bed, he checked his e-mail one last time and found another message saying the school had made a mistake and his application had been denied.

In fact, all 28, 000 students turned away from UC San Diego, in one of the toughest college entrance seasons on record, had received the same incorrect message. The students' hopes had been raised and then dashed in a cruel twist that shows the danger of instant communications in the Internet age.

UCSD admissions director Mae Brown called it an "administrative error" but refused to say who had made the mistake, or if those responsible would be disciplined .

The e-mail, which began, "We're thrilled that you've been admitted to UC San Diego, and we're showcasing our beautiful campus on Admit Day, " was sent to the full 46, 000 students who had applied, instead of just the 18, 000 who got in, Brown said.

The error was discovered almost immediately by her staff, who sent an apology within hours.

"It was really thrilling for a few hours; now he's crushed , " said Cole's mother, Tracy Bettles. "It's really tough on them."

The admissions director said she was in the office on Monday until midnight answering e-mails and phone calls from disappointed students and their parents. She said she took full responsibility for the error. "We accessed the wrong database. We recognize the incredible pain receiving this false encouragement caused. It was not our intent."
1. what school did the boy visit?
2. did he go alone?
3. who went with him?
4. did they eat?
5. what is his name?
6. how old is he?
7. is he still in school?
8. what grade is he in?
9. where?
10. what is his mom's name?
****
answer: 1. University of California, San Diego
2. No
3. His mother, grandfather, uncle and other family members
4. unknown
5. Cole Bettles
6. 18
7. Yes
8. senior
9. Ojai high school
10. Tracy Bettles.

question: CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

A KNOTTY QUESTION.

"Tom Blunt," said Richard Sharp, "I deny your premises, condemn your reasoning as illogical, and reject your conclusions with scorn!"

The youth who made this remark with very considerable assurance and emphasis was a student. His fellow-student received it with an air of bland good-nature.

"Dick," said he, "your oratory is rotund, and if it were convincing might be impressive; but it fails to some extent in consequence of a certain smack of self-assertion which is unphilosophical. Suppose, now, that we have this matter out in a calm, dispassionate manner, without 'tooth,' or egotism, or prejudice, which tend so powerfully to mar human disputation and render it abortive."

"With all my heart, Tom," said the other, drawing close to the fire, placing one foot against the mantelpiece, as being a comfortable, though not elegant posture, resting his elbows on the arms of his chair, and placing his hands in that position--with all the finger tips touching each other--which seems, from the universal practice of civilised society, to assist mental elucidation. "I am quite prepared. Come on!"

"Stay; while my mind is working I like to have my hands employed. I will proceed with my monkey while we talk," said Blunt, taking up a walking-stick, the head of which he had carved into the semblance of a monkey. "Sweet creature!" he added, kissing the object of his affection, and holding it out at arm's-length. "Silent companion of my solitary rambles, and patient auditor of my most secret aspirations, you are becoming quite a work of art. A few more touches of the knife, and something like perfection shall have been attained! Look here, Dick, when I turn it towards the light--so--isn't there a beauty about the contour of that upper lip and nose which--"
1. Who is having a conversation?
2. What is Richard's nickname?
3. What is their occupation?
4. Does Dick agree with Tom?
5. Are they indoors?
6. What are they sitting by?
7. Is Dick sitting on a stool?
8. What is he sitting on?
9. What did he put on the chair's arms?
10. What might help him think?
11. What's special about that?
12. Is he sitting in a refined position?
13. What does Tom want to do to help him think?
14. What is he working on?
15. What is he doing to it?
16. Which part?
17. What animal is he making it look like?
18. Does he think he's doing a good job?
19. What does he think about Dicks speech?
20. Is this a friendly debate?
****
answer:
1. Tom Blunt and Richard Sharp
2. Dick
3. they're students
4. no
5. yes
6. a fire
7. no
8. a chair
9. his elbows
10. the position of his hands
11. all the fingertips are touching
12. no
13. have his hands employed
14. a walking-stick
15. carving it
16. the head
17. a monkey
18. yes
19. it's unconvincing
20. yes