input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. CHAPTER XX

THE PLUNGE

Supper was over at the Farnam homestead and Agatha enjoyed the cool of the evening on the veranda with her hosts and George. The school had closed for the holidays, and George had arrived as the meal from which they had just got up was served. Although he had not stated his object yet, Agatha knew why he had come and shrank from the vigorous protest she expected him to make. In the meantime, she had something else to think about and listened for the noise of wheels.

Farnam's hired man had driven across to the settlement in the afternoon and she wondered, rather anxiously, whether he would bring her a telegram. She had written to Thirlwell, telling him when she would be ready to begin her search for the ore, and now waited his reply. Her letter might take some time to reach him, and she must allow for his messenger's journey to the railroad from the mine; but she knew she would feel restless until the answer came.

The evening was calm, the air was fresher than in the city, and she found the quiet soothing. A field of timothy grass near the house rippled languidly, the dark heads rising stiffly upright when the faint breeze dropped. Sometimes there was a movement among the tall blades and feathery plumes of the Indian corn, and then the rustle stopped and everything was still. Beyond the zig-zag fence, the fruit trees ran back in rows that converged and melted into a blurred mass at the edge of the bush. The narrow landscape had no prominent feature. It was smooth and calm, and Agatha found it rested her eyes and brain. She wanted to be tranquil, but must shortly rouse herself when Mrs. Farnam and George began their joint attack. George had an ominously determined look, and she knew Mabel would give him her support. 1. Did they already have dinner?
2. Where?
3. who are guests at the house?
4. Is George a guest?
5. Did he get there in time to eat?
6. Why is school not in session?
7. Where are they hanging out?
8. What time of day is it?
9. How's the temperature?
10. What does she want to hear?
11. Is she expecting something?
12. Who might deliver it?
13. who is it from?
14. How is the wait making her feel?
15. Where is Thirlwell?
16. Do they grow crops here?
17. What is one of them?
18. Do you know of another?
19. Who will team up for an assault?
numbered_answers: 1. yes
2. at the Farnam homestead
3. Agatha
4. no
5. no
6. The school had closed for the holidays
7. on the veranda
8. evening
9. it was cool
10. the noise of wheels.
11. a telegram.
12. Farnam's hired man
13. Thirlwell
14. anxious
15. the mine;
16. yes
17. Indian corn
18. fruit trees
19. Mrs. Farnam and George

input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. CHAPTER XXVI.

WILD TURKEYS AND ANOTHER TRAIL.

One day, early in February, Amos Radbury came riding back from a trip to Gonzales with news that he had heard from Carlos Martine.

"The man has been at San Felipe," he declared, "and I have it on good authority that he intends to claim my land."

"Well, what are ye going to do?" queried Poke Stover, who was still at the ranch.

"I hardly know. But I wish I could have a talk with Martine. It might be the means of saving a good deal of trouble."

"Is Martine still at San Felipe?"

"No, Gusher told me that he had gone to San Antonio."

"Then why not take a trip to San Antonio and find him?" suggested the old frontiersman. "I reckon that is what I would do."

"I think you are right, Poke, and I'll start tomorrow," answered the planter.

He went in to talk the matter over with his sons, and the land claim was the chief topic of conversation for the balance of the evening.

"I now wish I had kept Hank Stiger here," said Mr. Radbury. The half-breed had left the ranch but three days before, apparently very grateful for the manner in which he had been treated.

"Well, one thing is certain," declared Dan, "I don't stand for giving up the claim. I'll fight first. Those Mexican officials can do as they please, but they can't budge me."

"Good fer Dan!" shouted Stover. "He's the kind the State o' Texas will want in days to come." 1. What month did this happen?
2. Where are they returning from?
3. Who did he have information from?
4. What is trying to be claimed?
5. Who does he need to have a talk with?
6. Who is in San Antonio?
7. Who gave him advice to go after him?
8. Who does he need to discuss this with?
9. What is the discussion about?
10. What won't they give up?
numbered_answers: 1. February
2. Gonzales
3. Carlos Martine
4. land
5. Martine
6. Martine
7. the old frontiersman
8. with his sons,
9. the land claim
10. the claim.

input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. It seems that politicians around the world are thinking about the health of their countries. While in China, Chen Zhu has announced his plans for a universal health service and reform across health services. Gordon Brown, the UK Prime Minister, has also announced he is planning to make some changes in our health service.

The crux of Mr. Brown's proposals are related to giving the NHS (National Health Service) a greater focus on prevention, rather than just curing patients.

He is planning to introduce increased screening for common diseases such as heart disease, strokes, and cancer, for example, breast cancer. In Britain there are 200,000 deaths a year from heart attacks and strokes, many of which might have been avoided if the condition had been known about.

Initially, the diagnostic tests will be available for those who are vulnerable, or most likely to have the disease. One example is a plan to offer all men over 65 an ultrasound test to check for problems with the main artery , a condition which kills 3,000 men a year.

The opposition have criticized Mr. Brown's proposals, saying that they are just a trick, and claiming that there is no proper timetable for the changes. They also say that Mr. Brown is reducing the money available for the treatment of certain conditions while putting more money towards testing for them.

The NHS was founded in 1948, and is paid for by taxation. The idea is that the rich pay more towards the health service than the poor. However in recent years there has been a great increase in the use of private healthcare, because it's much quicker. NHS waiting lists for operations can be very long, so many people who can afford it choose to pay for medical care themselves. 1. What are politicians focusing on around the world?
2. Who is thinking about it in the UK?
3. Who is he?
4. What does he want to do?
5. What is his plan for doing so?
6. Instead of what?
7. What is one way he thinks this can be accomplished?
8. Such as?
9. Who would be screened?
10. Don't only 50,000 die a year from heart attacks?
11. How many?
12. Are any of them able to be avoided?
13. How many men a year are killed from problems with their main blood vessels?
14. What does kill 3,000 men a year?
15. Who do they want to screen for that problem?
16. Is the test invasive?
17. How do they screen them?
18. What occured in 1948?
19. Who covers the cost?
numbered_answers:
1. Health
2. Gordon Brown
3. The UK Prime Minister
4. Make some changes in health service.
5. give the NHS a greater focus on prevention
6. just curing patients.
7. Increase screenings for Common diseases
8. Heart disease, strokes, cancer, and breast cancer.
9. Initially, the the vulnerable.
10. No
11. 200,000 from heart attacks and strokes
12. Might have been.
13. unknown
14. Problems with the main artery
15. All men over 65.
16. no
17. ultrasound
18. The NHS was founded.
19. Citizens through taxation.