input: In 1883. John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However, bridge building experts throughout the world thought this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea, but Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.

"We told them so." "Crazy men and their crazy dreams.'' "It's foolish to chase wild visions." Evcryone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap, Washington was never discouraged.

One day he was lying on his bed in hospital, seeing the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment with the sunlight streaming through the windows, and a gentle breeze bowing the flimsy white curtains apart when an idea hit him. He decided to make the best use of the only finger he could move. Thus, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm until the bridge was finally completed. 1. When did John get the idea?
2. What was the idea for?
3. What did it connect?
4. Did people tell him it was not possible?
5. Did he listen?
6. What was his son's name?
7. What the son's profession.
8. What happened to the bridge shortly after start?
9. Did someone die?
10. Who?
11. What was Washighton's injury? Return numbered answers in your output.

output: 1. In 1883
2. build a spectacular bridge
3. connecting New York with the Long Island
4. Yes
5. yes
6. Washington
7. engineer
8. tragic accident
9. Yes
10. John Roebling
11. brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.

input: Robert Spring, a 19

century forger ,was so good at his profession that he was able to make his living for 15 years by selling false signatures of Americans. Spring was born in England in 1813 and arrived in Philadelphia in 1858 to open a bookstore. At first he became rich by selling his small but real collection of early U.S. autographs . Discovering his ability at copying handwriting, he began imitating signatures of George. Washington and Ben Franklin and writing them on the title pages of old books. To lessen the chance of detection , he sent his forgeries to England and Canada for sale.

Forgers have a hard time selling their products. A forger can't deal with a respectable buyer but people who don't have much knowledge in the field. Forgers have many ways to make their work look real. For example, they buy old books to use the aged paper of the title page, and they can treat paper and ink with chemical.

In Spring's time right after the Civil War, Britain was still fond of the Southern states, so Spring invented a respectable maiden lady known as Miss Fanny Jackson, the only daughter of General "Stonewall" Jackson. For several years Miss Fanny's financial problems forced her to sell a great number of letters and manuscripts . Spring had to work very hard to satisfy the demand. All this activity did not prevent Spring from dying in poverty, leaving sharp-eyed experts the difficult task of separating his forgeries from the originals. 1. What was Robert Spring good at?
2. When was he born?
3. Where?
4. Did he stay there?
5. Where did he move?
6. When?
7. Why?
8. Where did he send his "work"?
9. Why?
10. Who "sold" them ?
11. And she was suppose to be who?
12. Why was she selling?
13. Was there a big demand?
14. Was everything he sold a forgery?
15. Who were some of the people he copied?
16. Was he rich at one time?
17. Did he die rich? Return numbered answers in your output.

output: 1. selling false signatures
2. 1813
3. England
4. no
5. Philadelphia
6. 1858
7. open a bookstore
8. England and Canada
9. lessen the chance of detection
10. Miss Fanny
11. only daughter of General "Stonewall" Jackson
12. financial problems
13. yes
14. no
15. George. Washington and Ben Franklin
16. yes
17. no

input: Teenagers in the UK and the US get to watch some wonderful TV shows. Why not have a look at a few of them yourself and take the chance to practice your English at the same time?

Modern Family

Network: ABC

Number of seasons: 3

The TV drama features two families, modern and traditional. The first is a typical American family with 3 adolescent children. Claire is a traditional mom, while Phil, the father, wants to be friends with his three children; he can name all the songs in the hit film High School Musical.

The second family is made up of a 60- year-old man, Jay, his attractive young Latin American wife, Gloria , and her 11-year-old son, Alex. Jay is 30 years older than Gloria and everyone thinks they are father and daughter.

2 Broke Girls

Network: CBS

Number of seasons: 1

Max Black is a cafe waitress and babysitter in Brooklyn, New York; Caroline Channing is the daughter of a Manhattan millionaire.

Neither of them ever imagined making friends with the other. But when Caroline loses all of her fortune after her father goes to prison, she applies for a job as a waitress in the same cafe and has to learn from Max.

Problems are unavoidable, but luckily, kind-hearted girls can always make things work out. They turn out to be great at helping each other out in their endless struggle against strange customers and picky bosses. Gradually a friendship develops.

True Blood

Network: HBO

Number of seasons: 4

Vampires live on in countless books, movies and television shows. If the Twilight series got you interested in vampire myths, then look no further than True Blood for another exciting adventure. Sookie Statckhouse is a small-town waitress. She is also telepathic . A meet with Bill Compton in a bar turns her life upside down. Bill is a vampire and that night Sookie saves him from a murder attempt. Sookie then becomes involved in a series of murder cases. The love between Sookie and Bill adds a touch of romance to a thrilling story.

Merlin

Network: BBC

Number of seasons:4

King Arthur is one of the most important mythical figures in England. But the BBC tells a slightly different story from the legend. Instead of focusing on Arthur, it is Merlin, the wizard who helps Arthur all the way through his adventures, who takes the lead role. Rather than the wise old wizard who instructs Arthur in the legend, the TV dram turns him into a handsome young man. Merlin meets Arthur in the kingdom of Camelot and believes that he is an arrogant bully . Arthur, likewise, has a less than great opinion of Merlin. The series focuses on how a friendship grows between the two. 1. How many seasons are there of the show?
2. what network?
3. what genre?
4. how many families?
5. how are they different?
6. how many kids in the modern one?
7. who is the mom?
8. what kind of dad do they have?
9. what songs can he list?
10. how much older is Jay then his wife?
11. what is the other show?
12. is it on the same network?
13. which show has more seasons?
14. who are the girls in 2 broke girls?
15. do they have the same job?
16. what network is true blood on?
17. is it about normal people?
18. what is Merlin about? Return numbered answers in your output.

output:
1. Three
2. ABC
3. drama
4. two
5. modern and traditiona
6. Three
7. Claire
8. wants to be their friend
9. all from High School Musical
10. 30 years older
11. 2 Broke Girls
12. no
13. merlin and true blood
14. max and caloine
15. yes
16. HBO
17. no
18. Merlin, the wizard