Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
CHAPTER XV

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

"If she is really Lucy Rogers, she'll be missing tomorrow morning," said Beth when she had told her cousins of the encounter in the corridor.

But Eliza Parsons was still at Elmhurst the next day, calmly pursuing her duties, and evidently having forgotten or decided to ignore the young man who had so curiously mistaken her for another. Beth took occasion to watch her movements, so far as she could, and came to the conclusion that the girl was not acting a part. She laughed naturally and was too light-hearted and gay to harbor a care of any sort in her frivolous mind.

But there was a mystery about her; that could not be denied. Even if she were but a paid spy of Erastus Hopkins there was a story in this girl's life, brief as it had been.

Beth was full of curiosity to know this story.

As for Tom Gates, he had been so horrified by his mistake that he tried to avoid meeting Eliza again. This was not difficult because the girl kept pretty closely to the linen room, and Tom was chiefly occupied in the library.

Kenneth had little chance to test his secretary's abilities just then, because the girls pounced upon the new recruit and used his services in a variety of ways. Tom Gates's anxiety to give satisfaction made him willing to do anything, but they refrained from sending him often to town because he was sensitive to the averted looks and evident repulsion of those who knew he had recently been a "jail-bird." But there was plenty for him to do at Elmhurst, where they were all as busy as bees; and whatever the young man undertook he accomplished in a satisfactory manner.
1. Who was mysterious?
2. Who was at Elmhurst?
3. Was anyone else there?
4. Who was recently out of jail?
5. Who did Beth say might be Lucy?
6. Who had mistaken her identity?
7. What did Beth decide about Eliza?
8. How come?
9. Was she mysterious?
10. Where did Eliza remain?
11. What about Tom?
12. Were they needing more things to do?
13. How did Beth evaluate Eliza?
14. Where did the mistake take place?

Numbered answers:
1. Lucy Rogers
2. Eliza Parsons
3. Tom Gates
4. Tom Gates
5. paid spy
6. young man
7. the girl was not acting a part
8. She laughed naturally and was too light-hearted and gay
9. yes
10. at Elmhurst
11. library
12. no
13. there was a story in this girl's life, brief as it had been.
14. at Elmhurst

Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
George had stolen some money, but the police had caught him and he had been put in prison. Now his trial was about to begin, and he felt sure that he would be found guilty and sent to prison for a long time.

Then he discovered that an old friend of his was one of the members of the jury at his trial. Of course, he did not tell anybody, but he managed to see his friend secretly one day. He said to him, "Jim, I know that the jury will find me guilty of having stolen the money. I cannot hope to be found not guilty of taking it ---- that would be too much to expect. But I should be grateful to you for the rest of my life if you could persuade the other members of the jury to add a strong recommendation for mercy to their statement that they consider me guilty."

"Well, George,"answered Jim. "I shall certainly try to do what I can for you as an old friend, but of course I cannot promise anything. The other eleven people on the jury look terribly strong-minded to me."

George said that he would quite understand if Jim was not able to do anything for him, and thanked him warmly for agreeing to help.

The trial went on, and at last the time came for the jury to decide whether George was guilty or not. It took them five hours, but in the end they found George guilty, with a strong recommendation for mercy.

Of course, George was very pleased, but he did not have a chance to see Jim for some time after the trial. At last, however, Jim visited him in prison, and George thanked him warmly and asked him how he had managed to persuade the other members of the jury to recommend mercy.

"Well, George," Jim answered, "as I thought, those eleven men were very difficult to persuade, but I managed it in the end by tiring them out. Do you know, those fools had all wanted to find you not guilty!"
1. Who stole some money?
2. Was he friends with any of the jury members?
3. What was the friend's name?
4. What was George asking Jim for?
5. How many other people were on the jury?
6. Did George react positively to Jim's answer?
7. How many hours did it take the jury to deliberate?
8. What was the verdict?
9. Did George get what he asked Jim for?
10. Did George ever see Jim again?
11. Was guilty the original verdict the jurors were going to give?

Numbered answers:
1. George
2. Yes.
3. Jim
4. mercy
5. eleven
6. Yes
7. five
8. guilty
9. Yes.
10. Yes
11. No

Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
(CNN)The Mormon church has excommunicated a popular podcaster, saying his public dissents from the religion's core beliefs have led others away from the church.

John Dehlin, founder of the podcast "Mormon Stories," describes himself as an "unorthodox" Mormon whose church roots reach back five generations. Under Tuesday's penalty, however, Dehlin may not participate in church sacraments for at least one year. He has the right to appeal the decision.

Dehlin is the second Mormon to be excommunicated in the past year, following Kate Kelly, who was kicked out last June for pushing the church to admit women to its all-male priesthood.

Tuesday's excommunication was announced in a letter to Dehlin from Brian King, the stake president, or local church leader, in North Logan, Utah.

King said that Dehlin was not excommunicated for criticizing the church, which he has openly admitted to, but for denying core Mormon doctrines. The church has concluded that Dehlin's views on the following amount to apostasy:

-- Questioning the nature of God and divinity of Christ;

-- Calling the Book of Mormon and Book of Abraham, two central texts, fraudulent;

-- Teaching that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormon church's official name, is not the "true church with power and authority from God."

"You have spread these teachings widely via the Internet to hundreds of people in the past and have shared with me, in previous correspondence, that you will continue to do so," King wrote to Dehlin in a letter dated February 9.
1. who was the first person to be excommunicated?
2. when was she thrown out?
3. for?
4. who was next?
5. what was he the founder of?
6. and how does he describe himself in that?
7. how did they communicate with him?
8. from who?
9. who is that?
10. where?
11. what is the church's official name?
12. when was the letter written?
13. what did Dehlin teach about the church?
14. did he do this by word of mouth?
15. then how?
16. what else do they say he said?
17. and?
18. can he take church sacraments?
19. for how long?
20. how old is this church?
Numbered answers:
1. Kate Kelly
2. last June
3. pushing the church to admit women to its all-male priesthood.
4. John Dehlin
5. the podcast "Mormon Stories,"
6. as an "unorthodox" Mormon
7. in a letter
8. Brian King
9. local church leader
10. in North Logan, Utah.
11. he Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
12. February 9.
13. that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is not the "true church with power and authority from God."
14. no
15. via the Internet
16. Questioning the nature of God and divinity of Christ;
17. Calling the Book of Mormon and Book of Abraham fraudulent;
18. no
19. at least one year.
20. unknown