Problem: Chapter 4: Among The Islands.

"Now, let us go through our calculations again," the captain said when they entered his cabin.

"How long will you be, Captain?" the first mate asked.

"Half an hour, Standing."

"Then I will come again or, if you want me before that, send for me," and the first mate went out on deck again, for though well skilled to handle a ship in all weathers, and as brave and hardy a seaman as sailed out of Plymouth, James Standing could neither read nor write; and though in a rough sort of way he could reckon the course a ship should lie, and make allowance for leeway and currents and baffling winds, and could bring a ship into any port in England or the Low Countries, he was of no use in a matter of this kind.

Pengarvan was a good scholar, and Reuben had taught him what he knew of navigation, and always made him keep a log from the time when he first became a mate; at first comparing their calculations every day, and then but once a week; arguing over the allowances each had made for tide and leeway; and sometimes finding to his surprise, on arriving in port, that Pengarvan's calculations were even nearer to the truth than his own.

This was a great satisfaction to him, for he felt that, if aught should happen to himself when on a voyage, Pengarvan could be trusted to bring the Swan home, as safely and surely as he could himself. Roger had, for the last two years, been going through the same schooling; but as yet he was very far from attaining accuracy, being unwilling to make sufficient allowance for the great leeway that a vessel, in those days, made with the wind abeam.
1. Who begins the dialogue in the cabin?
2. Who is he talking to?
3. What does the captain want to double-check?
4. Does the first mate ask him the time something will take?
5. How much time will elapse?
6. Will it involve sitting?
7. Does someone offer to return?
8. Where did the first officer depart to?
9. Was he an inept sailor?
10. Was he courageous?
11. Did he possess good endurance?
12. What skills was he lacking?
13. What was his name?
14. Who had good scholastic ability?
15. Did he know anything about navigating?
16. Who had instructed him?
17. What did he record?
18. Did Reuben feel his work was inaccurate?
19. How did he feel about this?
20. What did he trust Pengarvan to do as well as he could?
Answer: 1. the captain
2. the first mate
3. calculations
4. Yes.
5. Half an hour.
6. No.
7. Yes.
8. out on deck
9. No.
10. Yes.
11. Yes.
12. He could neither read nor write.
13. James Standing
14. Pengarvan
15. Yes.
16. Reuben
17. a log
18. No.
19. great satisfaction
20. bring the Swan home

Problem: Once there was a group of adventurers who went on an adventure in a place named Hyperion where there was a lot of snow. Their names were Thor, Bravos, and Pierre. Thor and Bravos were from Norway, but Pierre was from Paris, France. Because of where he was from, he wasn't used to the cold. To stay warm, Pierre wore three jackets. One day during their adventure the men saw a strange cave. Thor and Bravos wanted to go inside, but Pierre was afraid. He had heard that a horrible bug monster named Vlastos lived in the caves of Hyperion. Thor and Bravos told him that was only a fairy tale. They told him the only thing he really needed to worry about was hitting his head on a rock in the cave. Finally they got Pierre to go into the cave. Inside there were lots of tunnels. They chose the middle tunnel. The tunnel went down into the earth. After a long time it ended. The men were in a huge room. There were beautiful ice shapes on the walls.
1. What kind of people were in the group?
2. Did they go on an adventure?
3. Where?
4. Was it hot there?
5. How many were there?
6. What were their names?
7. Who was from Norway?
8. Where was Pierre from?
9. Was he used to the cold?
10. How many jackets did he wear?
11. What strange thing did they see?
12. Who didn't want to go inside it?
13. Why not?
14. What did the others say that was?
15. What did they say he should really worry about?
16. Did he go in?
17. Were there tunnels inside?
Answer: 1. adventurers
2. yes
3. Hyperion
4. no
5. three
6. Thor, Bravos, and Pierre
7. Thor and Bravos
8. Paris
9. no
10. three
11. a cave.
12. Pierre
13. He had heard that a horrible bug monster named Vlastos lived in the caves of Hyperion
14. a fairy tale
15. hitting his head on a rock
16. yes
17. yes

Problem: My brother Ryan is 12 years older than me. He is my best friend, and the coolest human on Earth. Right before I turned 7 one summer, he left home to join the Army. He thought about joining the Marines, the Air-Force, or the Navy, but he liked the Army better. He was away for a long time. I didn't see him again until I was almost 8! He wrote me letters when he was gone, and sent me stripes from his uniform that Mom sewed on my jacket. We hung the flag on our front porch. We missed seeing him, so we talked to him on Skype. We could see the smile on his face when we talked to him. I missed him a lot. When Ryan came home again that Monday, it was the best day of my life! We went to the airport to pick him up. He had a long trip. It took many days for him to travel back home. He left the Army base 4 days before he finally got home. He was glad to sleep in his own room again. He let me camp out in his room. We stayed up late talking in whispers. He told me stories about the Army. Mom let me miss school the next day. I spent the whole day with my brother. He likes to chase me around and tickle me when he catches me. He lets me ride on his shoulders. I like to ride in his truck. I like to watch TV with him. We went on adventures. We laughed a lot. Ryan's visit went by too fast. Soon, it was time for him to go back. He left for the Army on Friday. It was a long way for him to ride in the airplane. He got back on Tuesday. I can't wait to see him again. Next time, we'll visit him on vacation. I want to see the Army trucks and helicopters.
1. How old is he brother?
2. and what is his name?
3. who is the kewlest person on the planet?
4. why did he leave home?
5. why didn't he join another branch?
6. How did he stay in touch?
7. what did they hang on the porch?
8. How did they talk to him?
9. Where did they go to pick him up?
10. WHen did he leave on go back?
11. When did he get back?
12. What does he want to see when they go to visit his sibling?
Answer:
1. 12 years older than me
2. Ryan
3. Ryan
4. to join the Army
5. he liked the Army better
6. He wrote me letters
7. the flag
8. on Skype
9. the airport
10. Friday
11. on Tuesday
12. Army trucks and helicopters