Q: CHAPTER VI: HERR VON KWARL

Herr Von Kwarl sat at his favourite table in the Brandenburg Cafe, the new building that made such an imposing show (and did such thriving business) at the lower end of what most of its patrons called the Regentstrasse. Though the establishment was new it had already achieved its unwritten code of customs, and the sanctity of Herr von Kwarl's specially reserved table had acquired the authority of a tradition. A set of chessmen, a copy of the Kreuz Zeitung and the Times, and a slim- necked bottle of Rhenish wine, ice-cool from the cellar, were always to be found there early in the forenoon, and the honoured guest for whom these preparations were made usually arrived on the scene shortly after eleven o'clock. For an hour or so he would read and silently digest the contents of his two newspapers, and then at the first sign of flagging interest on his part, another of the cafe's regular customers would march across the floor, exchange a word or two on the affairs of the day, and be bidden with a wave of the hand into the opposite seat. A waiter would instantly place the chessboard with its marshalled ranks of combatants in the required position, and the contest would begin.

Herr von Kwarl was a heavily built man of mature middle-age, of the blond North-German type, with a facial aspect that suggested stupidity and brutality. The stupidity of his mien masked an ability and shrewdness that was distinctly above the average, and the suggestion of brutality was belied by the fact that von Kwarl was as kind-hearted a man as one could meet with in a day's journey. Early in life, almost before he was in his teens, Fritz von Kwarl had made up his mind to accept the world as it was, and to that philosophical resolution, steadfastly adhered to, he attributed his excellent digestion and his unruffled happiness. Perhaps he confused cause and effect; the excellent digestion may have been responsible for at least some of the philosophical serenity.

Answer the following questions:
1. Where is the Cafe located?
2. What is its name?
3. Who sat at his chosen table?
4. How old is he?
5. Of what country?
6. What was his stature like?
7. What did it suggest of his personality?
8. Was this the reality?
9. When did he arrive at the cafe?
10. Was it an old place of business?
11. What did he read?
12. For how long?.
13. What game did he play thereafter?
14. With whom?
A: 1. Brandenburg
2. Brandenburg Cafe
3. Herr Von Kwarl
4. middle-age
5. North Germany
6. heavily built man
7. stupidity and brutality
8. No
9. shortly after eleven o'clock
10. No
11. two newspapers
12. For an hour or so
13. chess
14. A waiter
Q: Family traditions were important in our house, and none was more appreciated than the perfect Christmas tree

"Dad, can we watch when you trim the tree?" My eldest son. Dan, nine, and his seven -year-old brother John, asked

"I won't be cutting this year," my husband Bob said. "Dan, you and John are old enough to measure things. Do it all by yourselves. Think you boys can handle it?

Dan and John seemed to _ in their chairs at the thought of such an amazing responsibility. "We can handle it." Dan promised. "We won't let you down." .

A few days before Christmas. Dan and John rushed in after school. They gathered the tools they'd need and brought them out to the yard .where the tree waited. I was cooking when I heard the happy sounds as the boys carried the tree into the lying room. Then I heard the sound that every mother knows is trouble: dead silence I hurried out to them. The tree was cut too short. John crossed his arms tight across his chest. His eyes filled with angry tears.

I felt worried The tree was central to our holiday. I didn't want the boys to feel ashamed every tune they looked at it. I couldn't lower the ceiling, and I couldn't raise the floor either. There was no way to undo the damage done. Suddenly, a thought came to my mind, which turned the problem into the solution. www..com

"We can't make the tree taller." I said. "But we can put it on a higher position"

Dan nodded his head sideways. "We could put it on the coffee table. It just might work! Let's try it!"

When Bob got home and looked at the big tree on top of the coffee table, Dan and John held their breath.

"What a good idea!" he declared "Why didn't I ever think of such a thing?"

John broke into a grin Dan's chest swelled with pride.

Answer the following questions:
1. Who was supposed to cut down the tree this time?
2. What did they do wrong?
3. Who was about to cry over it?
4. Who came up with a great idea to fix it?
5. Were family traditions a big deal to them?
6. Which was the biggest deal?
7. Which boy was the youngest?
8. How old was Dan?
9. What was dad's name?
10. What did Dan promise his dad?
A:
1. Dan and John
2. The tree was cut too short
3. John
4. the dad
5. yes
6. perfect Christmas tree
7. John
8. nine
9. Bob
10. that he could handle it