Q: Many languages in the United States are used, or historically have been used. Over 500 languages are spoken at various levels by the U.S. population. The most commonly used language is English (specifically American English), which is the de facto national language of the United States. Since the 1965 Immigration Act, Spanish is the second most common language in the country. The state government of Louisiana offers services and documents in French, as does New Mexico in Spanish.

There are many languages indigenous to North America or to U.S. states or holdings in the Pacific region. Hawaiian, although having few native speakers, is an official language along with English at the state level in Hawaii. Alaska recognizes twenty Native languages as official.

According to the American Community Survey 2016, endorsed by the United States Census Bureau, the languages spoken at home with over 100,000 (in millions) speakers older than five are:

While modern estimates indicate that American Sign Language was signed by as many as 500,000 Americans, as of 1972the last official survey, closer estimates range around 100,000 as of 2011. (Although various cultural factors, such as passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, have resulted in far greater educational opportunities for deaf children, which could double or triple the number of current ASL users.).

1. English, Spanish, and French
2. American English is the de facto national language of the United States
3. as many as 500,000 Americans
4. various cultural factors
5. Americans with Disabilities Act
6. twenty
7. Louisiana
8. Over 500
9. American Community Survey
10. Hawaiian

Numbered questions:
1. What are the three most used languages in the US?
2. What's the national language?
3. How many people use ASL?
4. What influences these numbers?
5. And what government law?
6. How many indigenous languages are in Alaska?
7. Where is French most common?
8. How many languages are used?
9. Who measures the use of languages by the American populace?
10. Other than English, what language is official in Hawaii

Q: One day John and Sally's mother made up her mind to bake a very special cake for her son and daughter, but she didn't have the ingredients. She told John and Sally to go to the grocer's to buy the things she would need.

"I'll need some popcorn, a pea, some melon balls, and a cup of yogurt. I'm going to make a very special cake today," she said.

"Wow, that sounds horrible," said John.

"Yeah, we'd rather watch TV and eat potato chips," said Sally.

"Don't talk back, kids. Do what I said and head into town. It's a beautiful day. Go the long way and follow the river until you get there. Don't take the short way through the forest. A lion has escaped from the zoo. He might be hiding in the forest."

So John and Sally started the walk into town, but because they were disobedient children, they didn't follow the river like their mother told them. Instead they took the short way through the forest.

"I'm not afraid of a lion in the forest," said John. "Besides, I think mom has been eating too many melon balls and is letting her imagination get away from her again. If there were a lion in the forest, we would know about it."

So they wandered along the forest path, jumping in mud puddles and throwing sticks at one another. But as soon as John and Sally were in the darkest part of the forest, they heard a terrible roar. It was the lion! Horrified, they ran for their lives out of the forest, all the way back home.

"We're sorry!" they both said to their mother. "We'll never be disobedient again!"

And from that day forward, whenever their mother told them to do something, they did it right away like they were told.

1. John and Sally's mother made up her mind to bake a very special cak

Numbered questions:
1. Who wants to bake a special cake?

Q: CHAPTER XXIX

THE ARM OF THE LAW

Soon Dick and Sam were on the way to where they had left the chauffeur and the big touring car. They fairly ran down the woodland trail, stumbling over the rocks and tree roots in the darkness. Once Sam went down, and scratched his hand, but he got up without complaining.

They were almost in sight of the machine when they heard a peculiar sound. Dick's heart gave a bound.

"Listen!" he cried. "He's trying to crank up! He must have gotten free of his bonds!"

The oldest Rover boy was right, the chauffeur had worked at the straps and ropes until he had liberated himself. Now he was working at the crank of the touring car, hoping to get away in the machine.

"He won't get started," muttered Sam, remembering what he and Tom had done to the automobile.

They sneaked up behind the man, and before he could resist had thrown him flat on his back. Then, while Dick held him down, Sam ran and got the straps and ropes.

"You let me go!" yelled the man. "Let me go, or it will be the worse for you!" And he tried to get away. But then Dick put a pistol to his head and he collapsed and offered no more resistance.

As soon as the chauffeur was again secured, the boys bundled him into the enclosed portion of the car and tied him fast to the foot rail and the robe rail. Then the youths lost no time in readjusting the machine so it could be used, and lighting all the front lamps.

1. no
2. Dick
3. where they had left the chauffeur
4. darkness.
5. chauffeur
6. no
7. Dick put a pistol to his head
8. they heard a peculiar sound
9. he was working at the crank of the touring car
10. straps and ropes

Numbered questions:
1. Did Sam cry when he fell?
2. who was the older of the 2 boys?
3. where were they running to?
4. was it daytime or night?
5. who did they sneak up on?
6. was he happy to see them?
7. what did they do after tying him up again?
8. what made Dicks heart jump?
9. what was the sound?
10. what did they tie the chauffeur up with?

Q: An old problem is getting new attention in the United States--bullying. Recent cases included the tragic case of a 15-year-old girl whose family moved from Ireland. She hanged herself in Massachusetts following months of bullying. Her parents criticized her school for failing to protect her. Officials have brought criminal charges against several teenagers.

Judy Kuczynski is president of an anti-bullying group called Bully Police USA. Her daughter Tina was also the victim of severe bullying starting in middle school in the state of Minnesota. She said,"Our daughter was a very outgoing child. She was involved in all kinds of things and had lots of friends. And over a period of time her grades fell completely. She started having health issues. She couldn't sleep. She wasn't eating. She had terrible stomach pains and didn't want to go to school."

Bullying is defined as negative behavior repeated over time against the same person. It can involve physical violence, or it can be verbal--for example, insults or threats. Spreading lies about someone or excluding a person from a group is known as social or relational bullying.

And now there is cyber-bullying, which uses the Internet, e-mail or text messages. It has easy appeal for the bully because it does not involve face-to-face contact and it can be done at any time.

The first serious research studies into bullying were done in Norway in the late 1970s. The latest government study in the United States was released last year. It found that about one-third of students age twelve to eighteen were bullied at school.

Susan Swearer is a psychologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and co-director of the Bullying Research Network. She says schools should treat bullying as a mental health problem to get bullies and victims the help they need. She says bullying is connected to depression, anxiety and anti-social behavior and bullies are often victims themselves.

1. depression
2. anxiety and anti-social behavior
3. Susan Swearer
4. a psychologist
5. one-third
6. twelve to eighteen
7. negative behavior
8. Massachusetts
9. Ireland
10. Tina
11. middle school
12. Norway
13. late 1970s
14. yes
15. last year
16. Internet, e-mail or text messages
17. Judy Kuczynski
18. yes
19. Bully Police USA
20. anti-bullying group
21. yes

Numbered questions:
1. what is bullying connected to?
2. and what else?
3. according to who?
4. who is she?
5. how many students are bullied?
6. of what age?
7. what is bullying defined as?
8. where was the girl who died from?
9. where was the family from?
10. who else is mentioned as a victim?
11. when did her bullying start?
12. where was the first research?
13. when?
14. is it an old problem?
15. when was US study released?
16. what does cyber-bullying include?
17. who is Tina's mom?
18. is she involved in any groups?
19. which one?
20. what is that?
21. was anyone charged for the girl in Mass.?