Problem: Two men, Alan and Henry, both seriously ill, shared a hospital room. Alan was allowed to sit up in his bed and his bed was next to the room's only window. Henry had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours, of their wives, families, their homes and their jobs. And every afternoon when Alan, in the bed next to the window, could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm among flowers. Trees and skyline could be seen in the distance. As he described all this, Henry, on the other side of the room, would close his eyes and imagine the scene.

One warm afternoon Alan described a parade passing by. Although Henry could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind. Unexpectedly, an _ though: entered his head: why should he have all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never got to see anything? It doesn't seem fair. Henry felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sight, his envy grew and soon let him down. He began to find himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window ---- and that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling. Alan began to cough. He was choking. Henry watched in the dim room as the struggling man tried hard to reach for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only silence ---- deathly silence.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, Henry asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he struggled to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He looked out, but faced a black wall.
1. What two men are sharing a hospital room in the story?
2. Who was allowed to sit up in his bed?
3. What did they talk about?
4. How did they pass the time every afternoon?
5. Was Henry envious of Alan's view?
6. What could Henry hear, but not see, one warm afternoon?
7. Who began to cough late one night?
8. Did Henry help Alan call for a nurse?
9. What did Henry call the nurse for?
10. Did Henry hear Alan talk after the choking stopped?
Answer: 1. Alan and Henry,
2. Alan
3. their wives, families, their homes and their jobs.
4. Alan would describe what he could see from the window
5. Yes
6. a band
7. Alan
8. no
9. move next to the window.
10. deathly silence.

Q: The Hellenistic period covers the period of ancient Greek (Hellenic) history and Mediterranean history between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire as signified by the Battle of Actium in 31 BC and the subsequent conquest of Ptolemaic Egypt the following year. At this time, Greek cultural influence and power was at its peak in Europe, Africa and Asia, experiencing prosperity and progress in the arts, exploration, literature, theatre, architecture, music, mathematics, philosophy, and science. For example, competitive public games took place, ideas in biology, and popular entertainment in theaters. It is often considered a period of transition, sometimes even of decadence or degeneration, compared to the enlightenment of the Greek Classical era. The Hellenistic period saw the rise of New Comedy, Alexandrian poetry, the Septuagint and the philosophies of Stoicism and Epicureanism. Greek Science was advanced by the works of the mathematician Euclid and the polymath Archimedes. The religious sphere expanded to include new gods such as the Greco-Egyptian Serapis, eastern deities such as Attis and Cybele and the Greek adoption of Buddhism.

Answer the following questions:
1. What is the main topic?
2. Whos history does it cover?
3. Were sports played?
4. What else did this period see a rise of?
5. Did this include religion?
6. Can you name one?
7. And from the east?
8. Did they adopt any other beliefs?
9. What was this considered a period of?
10. Were they moral?
11. Who died in 323?
12. What countries power and influence peaked during this time?
13. What happened in 31?
A: 1. The Hellenistic period
2. Ancient Greek (Hellenic) and Mediterranean history
3. Yes, there were competitive public games
4. the arts, exploration, literature, theatre, architecture, music, mathematics, philosophy, and science
5. The religious sphere expanded to include new gods
6. Serapis
7. Attis and Cybele
8. Buddhism
9. transition, sometimes even decadence or degeneration
10. unknown
11. Alexander the Great
12. Greece
13. The Battle of Actium

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

There was once a young bear who lived in a small cave in the woods. His cave was comfy, warm, and dark, and had a bit of a yard in front of it. The bear lived with his mother and father, and spent his days walking around and his nights curled up asleep. He liked to look for berries to eat. His favorite berries were blueberries, but he would eat any berries he found: strawberries, raspberries, cherries, anything.

There was a river near the bear's cave, and he loved to sit on the bank and look at the fish and frogs, and at his own reflection in the water. One sunny afternoon, when he was looking into the river, he saw a family of ducks swimming by. He got up and followed them. They swam along in the river, and he walked along the bank. They traveled like this until they reached a small clearing in the forest. The bear stopped and looked around, and saw that the clearing was completely filled with blueberries -- more than he had ever seen!

The young bear ate his fill of blueberries, then took home as many as he could carry in his paws. He went to bed happy. It was a wonderful day.

1. who did the bear live with?
2. what did he like to eat?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. his mother and father
2. berries

Problem: What do you call a school with no tests, no grades, no classes, and no teachers? Students of the Met School and their parents think it to be the best school in the world. The school is in Rhode Island, USA. Dennis Littky opened it in 1996. He was fired from two other schools, because many parents of the school students were happy with his unusual ideas. The school takes poor kids who are failing at schools. Nearly everybody has already given up these students and their parents want to try anything. The Met School gives Littky a great place to try out his new ideas. "The word that most kids use when they talk about high school is 'boring'," says Littky. "But no one would say the Met was boring." Advisors (not teachers) work with small groups of students for four years. Students spend almost half of their school time learning real-life skills , such as working for business , spending time with government people, and helping teach younger children. Instead of tests, the students give shows about their work outside school. In fact, students work harder here than in other schools. All the students from the Met graduate and can choose to go to a good university . Now, Bill Gates is starting schools like this one around the USA.
1. What school did Dennis Littky open?
2. Where is it?
3. What year did it open?
4. Does it only take rich youth?
5. How many things does it have none of?
6. What's one of those things?
7. What do the youth learn about one-half the time?
8. Are the instructors called Chairmen?
9. What are they called?
10. Do the pupils make more effort there than in some other educational institutions but not all?
11. Do only some finish their schooling?
12. Was the founder laid off from other jobs?
13. From how many places?
Answer:
1. the Met School
2. Rhode Island, USA.
3. 1996
4. no
5. four
6. no teachers
7. real-life skills
8. no
9. Advisors
10. students work harder here than in other schools
11. they all graduate
12. He was fired
13. two