Q: CHAPTER XXXIX

Doctor Crofts Is Turned Out

"Have you heard the news, my dear, from the Small House?" said Mrs Boyce to her husband, some two or three days after Mrs Dale's visit to the squire. It was one o'clock, and the parish pastor had come in from his ministrations to dine with his wife and children.

"What news?" said Mr Boyce, for he had heard none.

"Mrs Dale and the girls are going to leave the Small House; they're going into Guestwick to live."

"Mrs Dale going away; nonsense!" said the vicar. "What on earth should take her into Guestwick? She doesn't pay a shilling of rent where she is."

"I can assure you it's true, my dear. I was with Mrs Hearn just now, and she had it direct from Mrs Dale's own lips. Mrs Hearn said she'd never been taken so much aback in her whole life. There's been some quarrel, you may be sure of that."

Mr Boyce sat silent, pulling off his dirty shoes preparatory to his dinner. Tidings so important, as touching the social life of his parish, had not come to him for many a day, and he could hardly bring himself to credit them at so short a notice.

"Mrs Hearn says that Mrs Dale spoke ever so firmly about it, as though determined that nothing should change her."

"And did she say why?"

"Well, not exactly. But Mrs Hearn said she could understand there had been words between her and the squire. It couldn't be anything else, you know. Probably it had something to do with that man, Crosbie."

Answer the following questions:
1. How many are leaving the aged home?
2. Who are they?
3. Who was gossiping about it to her man?
4. Who was she telling?
A: 1. Three
2. Mrs Dale and the girls
3. Mrs Boyce
4. her husband

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

CHAPTER XX

WOMAN'S WILES

Arnold sprang to his feet. It was significant that, after his first surprise, he spoke to Fenella with his head half turned towards his companion, and an encouraging smile upon his lips.

"I had no idea that we were coming here," he said. "We should not have thought of intruding. It was your chauffeur who would not even allow us to ask a question."

"He obeyed my orders," Fenella replied. "I meant it for a little surprise for you. I thought that it would be pleasant after your drive to have you call here and rest for a short time. You must present me to your friend."

Arnold murmured a word of introduction. Ruth moved a little in her seat. She lifted herself with her left hand, leaning upon her stick. Fenella's expression changed as though by magic. Her cool, good-humored, but almost impertinent scrutiny suddenly vanished. She moved to the side of the motor car and held out both her hands.

"I am so glad to see you here," she declared. "I hope that you will like some tea after your long ride. Perhaps you would prefer Mr. Chetwode to help you out?"

"You are very kind," Ruth murmured. "I am sorry to be such a trouble to everybody."

Arnold lifted her bodily out of the car and placed her on the edge of the lawn. Fenella, a long parasol in her hand, was looking pleasantly down at her guest.

"You will find it quite picturesque here, I think," she said. "It is not really the river itself which comes to the end of the lawn, but a little stream. It is so pretty, though, and so quiet. I thought you would like to have tea down there. But, my poor child," she exclaimed, "your hair is full of dust! You must come to my room. It is on the ground floor here. Mr. Chetwode and I together can help you so far."

1. Who murmured?
2. What did he murmur
3. What did Ruth do
4. In what?
5. What did she do next
6. Whose expression changed
7. Who else murmured
8. What did she say
9. Who lifted her
10. Where did he place her
11. Who had a parasol
12. What kind of parasol was it
13. Was she watching someone
14. Who?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. Arnold
2. a word of introduction
3. moved a little
4. her seat
5. She lifted herself with her left hand
6. Fenella's
7. Ruth
8. "You are very kind,"
9. Arnold
10. on the edge of the lawn
11. Fenella
12. long
13. yes
14. her guest.

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

(CNN) -- Hilary Duff says her new album is "very positive" but admits that it started out "a lot heavier and a lot darker" because of the separation from her husband, Mike Comrie.

"I'm separated from my husband right now, which has been a very difficult thing to go through," she told Billboard's "Pop Shop" podcast. "In the beginning, the album was a lot heavier and a lot darker, because I had to get that out. Once I did get that out, a lot of fun came."

Duff married Comrie, a former pro hockey player, in 2010 after dating for three years. Their son, Luca, was born in 2012. Duff and Comrie announced their separation in January.

Duff, 26, admits that she's "nervous" after being away from music for seven years. Her just-released single, "Chasing the Sun," is from her still-untitled album, which will be her first studio release since 2007's "Dignity."

She says she first started thinking of new material when she was pregnant with her son. After having the child and taking another year, she was even more anxious.

"I felt like I was missing a big part of myself," she said.

Duff established a successful singing career on the heels of her popular Disney show, "Lizzie McGuire," which aired from 2001 to 2004. She spent most of her teenage years touring and says that turning 20 was a big factor in leaving the road.

"It was time for me to be a person, and the break just ended up being a long time," she said.

1. Who has a new album?
2. Who was she married to?
3. What was his job?
4. How long did they date?
5. Are they still together?
6. When did that happen?
7. Do they have a son?
8. His name is?
9. What song did she put out recently?
10. Does the album have a title?
11. What was her previous song?
12. When was that out?
13. What program was she on?
14. On what channel?
15. When?
16. What did she do after that?
17. How many years was she apart from music?
18. Who interviewed her
19. Is her album negative?
20. Was it always that way?

Numbered answers:

A:
1. Hilary Duff
2. Mike Comrie
3. pro hockey player
4. three years
5. separated
6. unknown
7. Yes
8. Luca
9. Chasing the Sun
10. still-untitled album
11. Dignity
12. 2007
13. Lizzie McGuire
14. Disney
15. 2001 to 2004
16. took a break
17. seven years
18. CNN
19. very positive
20. no