Question: CHAPTER XXXVII

THE END OF A BOYHOOD

Convinced of his own worthlessness, Tommy was sufficiently humble now, but Aaron Latta, nevertheless, marched to the square on the following market day and came back with the boy's sentence, Elspeth being happily absent.

"I say nothing about the disgrace you have brought on this house," the warper began without emotion, "for it has been a shamed house since afore you were born, and it's a small offence to skail on a clarty floor. But now I've done more for you than I promised Jean Myles to do, and you had your pick atween college and the herding, and the herding you've chosen twice. I call you no names, you ken best what you're fitted for, but I've seen the farmer of the Dubb of Prosen the day, and he was short-handed through the loss of Tod Lindertis, so you're fee'd to him. Dinna think you get Tod's place, it'll be years afore you rise to that, but it's right and proper that as he steps up, you should step down."

"The Dubb of Prosen!" cried Tommy in dismay. "It's fifteen miles frae here."

"It's a' that."

"But--but--but Elspeth and me never thought of my being so far away that she couldna see me. We thought of a farmer near Thrums."

"The farther you're frae her the better," said Aaron, uneasily, yet honestly believing what he said.

"It'll kill her," Tommy cried fiercely. With only his own suffering to consider he would probably have nursed it into a play through which he stalked as the noble child of misfortune, but in his anxiety for Elspeth he could still forget himself. "Fine you ken she canna do without me," he screamed. 1. Who is playing a parent like role for Tommy?
2. What is the name of the warper?
3. Who does Tommy seem fond of?
4. Does it seem that Tommy has been behaving well in the time shortly before this all takes place?
5. Will Tommy be likely to move soon?
6. Where to?
7. What will he do when there?
8. Does he want to move there?
9. Where would he rather go?
10. Why does he prefer the one place over the other?
11. Did Tommy have a choice of continuing his education more?
12. Did he decide to continue his schooling? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. the warper
2. Aaron Latta,
3. Elspeth
4. no
5. yes
6. The Dubb of Prosen
7. help a farmer
8. no
9. Thurms
10. it's closer
11. yes
12. no

Question: WASHINGTON (CNN) -- There are no immediate plans to commit more U.S. troops to the ongoing war in Afghanistan, President Obama said Wednesday.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, left, and President Obama meet in Washington on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters alongside Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Obama said he would consult with U.S. allies before determining a strategy in Afghanistan after last month's elections there.

"I'm going to take a very deliberate process in making those decisions," Obama said. "There is no immediate decision pending on resources, because one of the things that I'm absolutely clear about is you have to get the strategy right and then make a determination about resources."

The United States has about 62,000 U.S. troops in the country, and NATO allies -- including Canada -- have another 35,000. The Pentagon is planning to add 6,000 troops by the end of the year.

There have been indications that Obama soon could be asked to commit even more American troops. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, however, has signaled he would like to gauge the impact of the 6,000-troop increase before considering whether to send more.

Support in the United States for the war in Afghanistan has dipped to an all-time low. Just 39 percent of Americans favor the war, while 58 percent oppose it, according to a national CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Tuesday.

Recent polling suggests that the increasing violence and slow pace of progress are also taking a toll on support for the war in Canada.

Obama thanked Harper for his country's commitment to Afghanistan, where more than 2,800 Canadian troops and dozens of civilians are stationed. 1. Who made a statement on Wednesday?
2. Does he plan to send more troops to Afghanistan?
3. Who is he meeting with?
4. Where is the meeting?
5. Does the President intend a unilateral U.S. strategy?
6. What event took place in Afghanistan to prompt this discussion?
7. How many soldiers does the U.S. have in Afghanistan?
8. And their allies?
9. How many more are planned to be added?
10. Who is the current Secretary of Defense?
11. Is support in the U.S. for the conflict high?
12. How many people favor it?
13. How many are against it?
14. Who conducted the poll gauging support for the war?
15. Are matters progressing quickly in Afghanistan?
16. Is bloodshed decreasing?
17. Did Obama thank the Canadian leader?
18. How many Canadian soldiers are in Afghanistan?
19. How many non-soldiers?
20. Does the President favor a quick decision about strategy? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. Obama
2. no
3. Harper
4. Washington, D.C.
5. no
6. increasing violence
7. about 62,000
8. 35,000
9. 6,000
10. Gates
11. no
12. 39 percent of Americans
13. 58
14. CNN/Opinion Research Corp
15. no
16. no
17. yes
18. more than 2,800
19. dozens
20. no

Question: CHAPTER XXXVIII

"Speak not of niceness, when there's chance of wreck," The captain said, as ladies writhed their neck To see the dying dolphin flap the deck: "If we go down, on us these gentry sup; We dine upon them, if we haul them up. Wise men applaud us when we eat the eaters, As the devil laughs when keen folks cheat the cheaters." --THE SEA VOYAGE.

There was nothing in Duke's manner towards Christian which could have conveyed to that latter personage, experienced as he was in the worst possible ways of the world, that Buckingham would, at that particular moment, rather have seen the devil than himself; unless it was that Buckingham's reception of him, being rather extraordinarily courteous towards so old an acquaintance, might have excited some degree of suspicion.

Having escaped with some difficulty from the vague region of general compliments, which bears the same relation to that of business that Milton informs us the _Limbo Patrum_ has to the sensible and material earth, Christian asked his Grace of Buckingham, with the same blunt plainness with which he usually veiled a very deep and artificial character, whether he had lately seen Chiffinch or his helpmate?

"Neither of them lately," answered Buckingham. "Have not you waited on them yourself?--I thought you would have been more anxious about the great scheme."

"I have called once and again," said Christian, "but I can gain no access to the sight of that important couple. I begin to be afraid they are paltering with me." 1. did someone ask something?
2. who?
3. what?
4. who did he ask?
5. was something losing it's life?
6. what?
7. where?
8. who claps?
9. who laughed?
10. who was looking for a couple?
11. did he find them?
12. was someone extra polite?
13. who informed? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers:
1. yes
2. Christian
3. whether he had seen Chiffinch or his helpmate?
4. his Grace of Buckingham
5. Yes
6. dolphin
7. the deck
8. Wise men
9. the devil
10. Christian
11. No
12. No
13. Milton