Problem: Many people like animals and raise one or more as pets--dogs, cat or some kinds of birds. I love dogs, too. My aunt gave me a dog on my birthday. We call it Wangwang. It is a little black dog. He is friendly and helpful. Most of the time he likes to run and play with me. Sometimes he follows my father around in the fields. One day, my father took off his grey coat and put it on the ground under a big tree. Wangwang stood watching him. My father said, "Watch over my coat, Wangwant." Wangwant sat down beside the coat. My father went on working. After he finished his work, he forgot all about his coat and went home. Late in the evening I didn't see my dog. I looked everywhere for him calling, "Wangwang, Wangwang!" But Wangwang didn't come back. Soon my father wanted something that was in his coat pocket. Then he remembered what he had done. He went back to the big tree. What do you think he saw? Wangwang was sitting on the coat so that nobody could take it away.
1. Do people like animals?
2. Which kinds?
3. Did someone get a pet?
4. What kind of pet?
5. What did they name it?
6. What color is he?
7. Is he a big pup?
8. Does he like to follow someone around?
9. Who?
10. Did Dad give someone a task?
11. What?
12. Did he do a good job?
13. Why did Dad go back to his coat?
14. Where did he leave it?
15. What did he discover there?
Answer: 1. Yes.
2. Dogs, cats, or some kinds of birds.
3. Yes.
4. a dog
5. They call it Wangwang.
6. Black.
7. No, he's little.
8. Yes he does.
9. Father.
10. Yes.
11. To watch over his coat.
12. Yes he did.
13. He remembered where he left it.
14. At the big tree.
15. Wangwang was sitting on the coat still.

Problem: Buffalo () is a city in and the seat of Erie County in Western New York. Located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern shore of Lake Erie at the head of the Niagara River. , Buffalo is the state's second most populous city after the city it is named for, with 256,902 residents. The metropolitan area has a population of 1.13 million, while the larger, cross-border Buffalo Niagara Region includes 8 U.S. counties and 2 Canadian municipalities and has a population of 2,493,869.

Buffalo grew significantly in the 19th and 20th centuries as a result of the Erie Canal, railroads and Lake Erie, providing an abundance of fresh water and an ample trade route to the midwestern United States, while grooming its economy for the grain, steel and automobile industries during the 20th century. After an economic downturn in the latter half of the 20th century, Buffalo's economy has transitioned to sectors that include financial services, technology, biomedical engineering and education.

Buffalo is known as "The Queen City", "The Nickel City" and "The City of Good Neighbors". Its residents are called Buffalonians.

The city of Buffalo received its name from a nearby creek called Buffalo Creek. British military engineer Captain John Montresor made reference to 'Buffalo Creek' in his journal of 1764, which may be the earliest recorded appearance of the name. There are several theories regarding how Buffalo Creek received its name. While it is possible that Buffalo Creek's name originated from French fur traders and Native Americans calling the creek "Beau Fleuve" (French for "Beautiful River"), it is also possible Buffalo Creek was named for the American buffalo, whose historical range may have extended into western New York.
1. what city is Erie County located?
2. where is that?
3. what is the population?
4. what is one body of water nearby?
5. and where is that?
6. how do they rank for population in NY?
7. what encouraged the city's growth?
8. when?
9. what else helped them grow?
10. anything else?
11. what about the railroad?
Answer: 1. Buffalo
2. in Western New York.
3. 256,902
4. Lake Erie
5. at the head of the Niagara River
6. Buffalo is the state's second most populous city
7. the Erie Canal
8. in the 19th and 20th centuries
9. the steel and automobile industries
10. the grain industry
11. yes

Problem: I have a good memory of my grandfather,Jack. He was sitting in his armchair in the front room.

I sat next to him. We were reading aloud,our heads bent over the page in front of us,a finger marking the words;separated by seven decades,brought together by words. It's a common scene in British families;however,in our case,the usual order of things is reversed .Granddad had been blind since I was tiny,so I was reading to him.When reading aloud,people usually read something that's of interest to the listener. So I didn't read children's books;I read the sorts of things Granddad liked to hear about. Much of the vocabulary in Granddad's reading material was far beyond me. When I met unfamiliar words,I'd spell them out.

Granddad would help me. It must have been painful for him to hear news;but he never hurried me along or complained. Our reading wasn't really about getting knowledge. It was a way for us to spend time together.

My grandfather wasn't always blind. He had been a good carpenter .The first Christmas of my parents' marriage,he built my mother a bookcase,which now belongs to my son Jonah,providing a link between four generations.

I was a fortunate child;I spent a lot of time with my grandfather,and he opened the world to me in a particular way. Reading was our way of building a relationship that has had a lasting effect on me. In the school holidays,I sometimes accompanied him on trips to the seaside with the local association for the blind. This might seem strange,but I felt that my personal value was realized because I could finally do something for Granddad.

A decade later,I found a position in a nursing home,which reminded me of my early experiences;reading to senior citizens was a connection back to Granddad. More than simple conversation,reading aloud is a connection between two individuals and it can have a big emotional effect on elderly people.
1. Could the author's grandfather see?
2. Had he always been blind?
3. What was his previous profession?
4. What is his name?
5. Where does the author work later in life?
6. Can reading to senior citizens have a positive effect?
7. What piece of furniture has been passed down for generations in the author's family?
8. How many generations?
9. Who owns it now?
10. Where did the author and Jack sometimes go on trips?
11. What group accompanied them?
12. Is reading together common in British households?
13. Did the author and Jack read kids books together?
14. Did his grandfather get annoyed with him?
15. What reminds the author of his Granddad?
Answer:
1. no
2. no
3. carpenter
4. Jack
5. nursing home
6. yes
7. a bookcase
8. four
9. Jonah
10. seaside
11. the local association for the blind
12. yes
13. no
14. no
15. reading to senior citizens