Q: Kate's parents planned a family trip to Europe! This would be Kate's first big vacation out of America. She loves to be on planes. The plane ride was fun and they landed in Paris, France. They went to the Eiffel Tower and the Seine River. Kate even learned how to say hello in French! They ate delicious food. Then they took a train to London, England. They drank tea and toast and went to see art. Then they took another plane to Spain. They went to the beach and ate delicious Spanish food. Spanish food was her favorite so far. A new friend taught her "Hola," which is hello in Spanish. Finally, they went to Italy. They ate pasta and pizza and saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Her mom took a funny picture of her pretending to hold the tower. She learned to say hello in Italian, too. Kate had such a fun time on her vacation. She took a lot of pictures and then made a photo album to show to her friends at school. Kate wants to go back to Europe one day. She loves to travel and see new and different places.

1. Europe
2. no
3. was fun
4. Paris
5. Eiffel Tower
6. yes
7. to say hello in French
8. yes
9. a train
10. art
11. Spain
12. yes
13. Spanish
14. Italy
15. the Leaning Tower of Pisa
16. yes
17. back to Europe

Numbered questions:
1. Where did Kate's family plan a trip to?
2. Had she ever traveled outside America?
3. What did she think about the plane?
4. Where did they land?
5. Where did they go after that?
6. Did Kate learn anything new?
7. What did she learn?
8. Did they visit London?
9. How did they get there?
10. What did they see in London?
11. Then where did they go?
12. Did Kate like the food there?
13. What kind of food was it?
14. What other city did they visit?
15. What did they look at there?
16. Did she have a good time?
17. Where does she want to travel to someday?

Q: Why are we addicted to upgrades? According to Donald Norman, American author of the book The Design of Everyday Things, "planned obsolescence" is the trick behind the upgrading culture of today's consumer electronics industry.

The New York Times cited Norman last month, saying that electronics manufactures strategically release new upgrades periodically, both for hardware and software, so that customers on every level feel the need to buy the newest version.

"This is an old-time trick- they're not inventing anything new," he said.

Thomas Wensma, a Dutch designer, despises the "planned obsolescence" of companies, as recently reported by UK-based The Guardian.

Wensma said this is a wasteful system through which companies - many of them producing personal electronics - release shoddy products simply because "they know that, in six months or a year, they'll put out a new one".

But the new psychology of consumers is part of this system, as Wensma said to the newspaper: "We now want something new, something pretty, the next shiny thing."

_

"It's to the damage of the consumer and the environment," as the New York Times quoted Norman. "But perhaps to the betterment of the stockholder."

In its most recent fiscal year, Apple's profit margin was more than 21 percent, reported the Los Angeles Times. At Hewlett-Packard, the world's biggest PC manufacturer, it was only 7 percent.

"Steven Jobs pushed the principle of 'planned obsolescence' to new heights," the newspaper commented on the company's profits and marketing strategy. "Apple's annual upgrades of its products generate sales of millions of units as owners of one year's MacBook or iPhone line up to buy the newest version, even when the changes are incremental."

Peer pressure

As to Li Jijia, the need for upgrading his smart phone comes mainly from friends and classmates. When the majority of friends are switching to the latest devices, he worries about feeling left out.

"Some apps and games require better hardware to run," said Li. "If you don't join in, you lose part of the connection to your friends."

1. Donald Norman
2. The Design of Everyday Things
3. "planned obsolescence"
4. upgrading culture
5. today's consumer electronics industry.
6. Thomas Wensma
7. Dutch
8. designer
9. The Guardian.
10. the UK
11. The New York Times
12. upgrades for hardware and software
13. yes
14. they feel the need to buy the newest version.
15. yes
16. electronics companies
17. shoddy products
18. six months or a year
19. the new psychology of consumers
20. We now want something new, something pretty, the next shiny thing.

Numbered questions:
1. Who was the author of the book?
2. Name of the book?
3. What trick he talked about?
4. What culture it represents?
5. Of whom?
6. Did anyone oppose the idea?
7. What's his nationality?
8. and profession?
9. Who reported about him?
10. From which country?
11. going back - who reported about Norman?
12. What upgraded he talked about?
13. Did it give wrong feeling to the customers?
14. about what?
15. Did Wensma think it's wasteful?
16. Who did he blame?
17. What they released?
18. What timeline usually they target?
19. What Wensma thing is part of the system?
20. To him what we now want?

Q: Chapter 9

TWO PLACES VACATED

Set down by the omnibus at the corner of Saint Mary Axe, and trusting to her feet and her crutch-stick within its precincts, the dolls' dressmaker proceeded to the place of business of Pubsey and Co. All there was sunny and quiet externally, and shady and quiet internally. Hiding herself in the entry outside the glass door, she could see from that post of observation the old man in his spectacles sitting writing at his desk.

'Boh!' cried the dressmaker, popping in her head at the glass-door. 'Mr Wolf at home?'

The old man took his glasses off, and mildly laid them down beside him. 'Ah Jenny, is it you? I thought you had given me up.'

'And so I had given up the treacherous wolf of the forest,' she replied; 'but, godmother, it strikes me you have come back. I am not quite sure, because the wolf and you change forms. I want to ask you a question or two, to find out whether you are really godmother or really wolf. May I?'

'Yes, Jenny, yes.' But Riah glanced towards the door, as if he thought his principal might appear there, unseasonably.

'If you're afraid of the fox,' said Miss Jenny, 'you may dismiss all present expectations of seeing that animal. HE won't show himself abroad, for many a day.'

'What do you mean, my child?'

'I mean, godmother,' replied Miss Wren, sitting down beside the Jew, 'that the fox has caught a famous flogging, and that if his skin and bones are not tingling, aching, and smarting at this present instant, no fox did ever tingle, ache, and smart.' Therewith Miss Jenny related what had come to pass in the Albany, omitting the few grains of pepper.

1. The old man
2. Miss Wren,
3. Saint Mary Axe
4. the dolls
5. Jenny
6. 'Mr Wolf
7. to the place of business
8. unknown
9. His principal?
10. Jenny

Numbered questions:
1. Who took their glasses off?
2. who was sitting beside a jew?
3. What corner were they at?
4. Who's dressmaker was it?
5. Who was the old man speaking with?
6. What was the old man's name?
7. where was the dressmaker headed?
8. Who's place of business?
9. Who was hiding in the door?
10. Who wanted to ask a question ?