input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. CHAPTER 21

Madam Mantalini finds herself in a Situation of some Difficulty, and Miss Nickleby finds herself in no Situation at all

The agitation she had undergone, rendered Kate Nickleby unable to resume her duties at the dressmaker's for three days, at the expiration of which interval she betook herself at the accustomed hour, and with languid steps, to the temple of fashion where Madame Mantalini reigned paramount and supreme.

The ill-will of Miss Knag had lost nothing of its virulence in the interval. The young ladies still scrupulously shrunk from all companionship with their denounced associate; and when that exemplary female arrived a few minutes afterwards, she was at no pains to conceal the displeasure with which she regarded Kate's return.

'Upon my word!' said Miss Knag, as the satellites flocked round, to relieve her of her bonnet and shawl; 'I should have thought some people would have had spirit enough to stop away altogether, when they know what an incumbrance their presence is to right-minded persons. But it's a queer world; oh! it's a queer world!'

Miss Knag, having passed this comment on the world, in the tone in which most people do pass comments on the world when they are out of temper, that is to say, as if they by no means belonged to it, concluded by heaving a sigh, wherewith she seemed meekly to compassionate the wickedness of mankind.

The attendants were not slow to echo the sigh, and Miss Knag was apparently on the eve of favouring them with some further moral reflections, when the voice of Madame Mantalini, conveyed through the speaking-tube, ordered Miss Nickleby upstairs to assist in the arrangement of the show-room; a distinction which caused Miss Knag to toss her head so much, and bite her lips so hard, that her powers of conversation were, for the time, annihilated. 1. What was Kate Nickleby's profession?
2. How long was she out of work?
3. Due to what?
4. Who was the boss of the business?
5. Who made rude comments about Kate?
6. Was she happy that Kate was back to work?
7. Where did Madame Mantalini order Nickleby to go after returning to work?
8. To do what?
9. In the organization of what?
10. Was Miss Knag happy about that?
11. What phsyical signs did she show?
12. Did she do anything with her mouth?
13. What?
14. Did she say anything to protest?
15. Did any of the other employees stand up for Kate?
numbered_answers: 1. dressmaker
2. three days
3. agitation
4. Madame Mantalini
5. Miss Knag
6. no
7. upstairs
8. to assist
9. the show-room;
10. no
11. she tossed her head
12. yes
13. bit her lips
14. noi
15. yes

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

One thing is wanting in the beamy cup Of my young life! one thing to be poured in; Ay, and one thing is wanting to fill up The measure of proud joy, and make it sin.--F. W. F.

Hopes that Dr. May would ever have his mind free, seemed as fallacious as mamma's old promise to Margaret, to make doll's clothes for her whenever there should be no live dolls to be worked for in the nursery.

Richard and Ethel themselves had their thoughts otherwise engrossed. The last week before the holidays was an important one. There was an examination, by which the standing of the boys in the school was determined, and this time it was of more than ordinary importance, as the Randall scholarship of 100 a year for three years would be open in the summer to the competition of the first six boys. Richard had never come within six of the top, but had been past at every examination by younger boys, till his father could bear it no longer; and now Norman was too young to be likely to have much chance of being of the number. There were eight decidedly his seniors, and Harvey Anderson, a small, quick-witted boy, half a year older, who had entered school at the same time, and had always been one step below him, had, in the last three months, gained fast upon him.

Harry, however, meant Norman to be one of the six, and declared all the fellows thought he would be, except Andersen's party. Mr. Wilmot, in a call on Ethel and Flora, told them that he thought their brother had a fair chance, but he feared he was over-working himself, and should tell the doctor so, whenever he could catch him; but this was difficult, as there was a great deal of illness just then, and he was less at home than usual. 1. Who's thoughts were engrossed?
2. For what reason?
3. Who told Ethel and Flora their brother had a chance?
4. How much was the Randall scholarship worth a year?
5. What was Mr. Wilmot's concern?
6. What was mamma's old promise to Margaret?
7. What is the name of the small quick witted buy who was always one step below Richard?
8. what is the number of boys that were in the top of the compition who would have a chance at the scholarship?
9. what is the name of the boy who is most likely to be to young to have a chance at it?
10. Did Mr. Wilmot think the doctor should be told he is over working himself?
numbered_answers: 1. Richard and Ethel
2. they had an examination
3. Mr. Wilmot
4. 100 a year for three years
5. he was over-working himself
6. to make doll's clothes for her whenever there should be no live dolls to be worked for in the nursery
7. Harvey Anderson
8. Six
9. Norman
10. yes

input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. At Dulles High school in Sugar Land, Texas, the roster for Advanced Chinese begins with Jason Chao and ends with Kathy Zhang. In between comes an unexpected name: Elizabeth Hoffman. Hoffman, now a 12thgrader, began learning Chinese in the eighth grade, has spent a summer studying in Nanjing and plans to perfect her Mandarin next fall. When asked by her peers---why she is learning Chinese, she responds with a question: "why aren't you?"

As China rushes toward superpower status, America's schools and government officials are responding to Hoffman's opinion. Earlier this year Eush Holt of New Jersey introduced legialation calling for increased money of programs for less commonly taught languages, "For reasons of economics, culture and security, we should have much better facilities with Chinese languages and dialects," he said. The State Department has pointed out Chinese is becoming a "critical language", but the most recent data show that only 24,000 students in Grade 7 to Grade 12 study Chinese.

Still, the number is growing. In Chicago public schools, enrollment in Chinese classes has skyrocked from 5000 students in 2005 to nearly 35,000 students this year. In the Santa Clara County, California, enrollment has quadrupled during the same period. In 2007, when the College Board first introduces advanced-placement language exams in Chinese and Italian, 2,400 high school plan to offer AP Chinese---10 times the number of students that plan to offer AP Italian.

Much of the interest can be explained by China's increasing competiviveness. "People are always trying to judge what languages are going to be useful for the future," says Marty Abbot, the director of education at the National Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Stephanie Wong, a student At Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California, chose Chinese so that she could speak with her grandfather. Wong also predicted that Chinese will be important if she becomes a doctor. 80 percent of people in her hometown are Asians. 1. What was the name of the school?
2. Where was it?
3. Whose name was unexpected?
4. What grade is she in?
5. What language is she learning?
6. Why is she learning it?
7. What does she say when people ask her that?
8. What status does China want to get?
9. How many kids learn Chinese?
10. In what grades?
11. Is the number growing or decreasing?
12. How many students enrolled to learn the language in 2005?
13. How did the number of enrolled students grow in California?
numbered_answers:
1. Dulles High school
2. Sugar Land, Texas
3. Elizabeth Hoffman
4. 12th
5. Chinese,
6. unknown
7. "why aren't you?"
8. superpower
9. 24000
10. Grade 7 to Grade 12
11. growing
12. 35000
13. quadrupled