question: Chapter 20: The Triumph Of Venice.

Francis rowed off to the ship, got the flags in readiness for hoisting, and stood with the lines in his hand.

"Can you make them out, yet?" he hailed the men at the mastheads.

"They are mere specks yet, signor," the man at the foremast said.

The other did not reply at once, but presently he shouted down:

"Far as they are away, signor, I am almost sure that one or two of them, at least, have something white flying."

There was a murmur of joy from the men on the deck, for Jacopo Zippo was famous for his keenness of sight.

"Silence, men!" Francis said. "Do not let a man shout, or wave his cap, till we are absolutely certain. Remember the agony with which those on shore are watching us, and the awful disappointment it would be, were their hopes raised only to be crushed, afterwards."

Another ten minutes, and Jacopo slid rapidly down by the stays, and stood on the deck with bared head.

"God be praised, signor! I have no longer a doubt. I can tell you, for certain, that white flags are flying from these boats."

"God be praised!" Francis replied.

"Now, up with the Lion!"

The flag was bent to the halyards and Francis hoisted it. As it rose above the bulwark, Pisani, who was standing on a hillock of sand, shouted out at the top of his voice:

"It is Zeno's fleet!"

A shout of joy broke from the troops. Cheer after cheer rent the air, from ship and shore, and then the wildest excitement reigned. Some fell on their knees, to thank God for the rescue thus sent when all seemed lost. Others stood with clasped hands, and streaming eyes, looking towards heaven. Some danced and shouted. Some wept with joy. Men fell on to each other's necks, and embraced. Some threw up their caps. All were wild with joy, and pent-up excitement.
1. Who did Francis hail?
2. Did anyone reply?
3. How did Francis arrive at the ship?
4. What did he do when reaching the ship?
5. Did the men on deck see anything flying on the other ships?
6. What was it?
7. How many were there?
8. Who spotted she ships?
9. What was he known for?
10. How did the men react to the news?
11. How long did Jacopo wait before coming down?
12. Did he come down slowly?
13. How then?
14. How did he come down?
15. On what?
16. Did he sit down when reaching the bottom?
17. What did he do?
18. Did he have an announcement to make?
19. Was he sure it was correct?
20. Who shouted as Francis rose the flag?
****
answer: 1. the man at the foremast
2. he did not reply at once, but yes
3. he rowed to the ship
4. got the flags in readiness for hoisting, and stood with the lines in his hand.
5. yes
6. flags are flying from these boats
7. unknown
8. Jacopo Zippo
9. his keenness of sight
10. God be praised!
11. ten minutes
12. no
13. rapidly
14. slid
15. the stays
16. no
17. stood
18. yes
19. yes
20. Pisani

question: I had to knock on the taxi to get his attention.Finally,the driver,a man about 60,looked up from behind the wheel and apologized,"I'm sorry,but I was reading a letter." He sounded as if he had a cold or a cough.

Since I was in no hurry,I told him to finish his letter.He shook his head,explaining that he had already read it several times and almost knew it by heart.Curious,I asked whether it was from a child or maybe a grandchild."This isn't family,"he replied."though he might just as well have been a regular member of the family.Old Ed and I grew up together."

They were always friends.But since he moved away from the neighborhood 30 years ago,it'd generally just been postcards at Christmas time between them.A couple of weeks ago,Ed died."I should have kept in touch." He repeated this,more to himself than to me.To comfort him,I said sometimes we just didn't seem to find the time."But we used to find the time," he said."Take a look." He handed the letter over to me.

The first sentence "I've been meaning to write for some time,but I've always delayed it." reminded me of myself.It went on to say that he often thought about the good times they had had together.When I read the part where it said "Your friendship really means a lot to me,more than I can say because I'm not good at saying things like that",I found myself nodding in agreement.

We had gone several kilometers and were almost at my hotel, so I read the last paragraph: "So I thought you'd like to know that I was thinking of you." And it was ended with "Your Old Friend, Tom."

"I thought your friend's name was Ed," I said.

"I'm Tom," he explained. "It's a letter I wrote to Ed before I knew he'd died. I never put it in the mailbox. I guess I should have written it sooner." His face was pale as he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief.

When I got to my hotel room I didn't unpack right away.I had to write a letter and post it.
1. What was the man riding in?
2. How old was the man driving?
3. What was he doing?
4. How did he sound?
5. How long ago did he move?
6. What holiday did they have contact on every year?
7. What did he say his friends name was at first?
8. What did he claim his friends name was later?
9. What is the drivers name?
10. Who wrote the letter?
****
answer:
1. a taxi
2. about 60
3. reading a letter
4. as if he had a cold
5. 30 years ago
6. Christmas
7. Ed
8. Tom
9. Tom
10. the driver