Problem: Robert Burns, the son of a hard-working and intelligent farmer, was the oldest of seven children. Although always hard pressed financially, their father encouraged his sons with their education. As a result, Burns not only read the Scottish poetry of Ramsay and the collections by Hailes and Herd, but also the works of Pope, Locke, and Shakespeare.

By 1781, Burns had tried his hand at several agricultural jobs without success. Although he had begun writing, and his poems were spread widely in manuscript , none were published until 1786, when Burns published Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect (1786), which was an immediate success. Later Burns brought out a second edition of his poems at Edinburgh in 1787, and for two winters he was socially active in the Scottish city. In 1788 he retired to a farm at Ellis land. By 1791 Burns had failed as a farmer, and he moved to Dumfries, where he held a position as a tax collector. He died of illness at 37.

Burns's art is at its best in songs such as My Heart's in the Highlands. Some of his songs, such as Auld Lang Syne and Comin' thro' the Rye, are among the most familiar and best-loved songs in the English language. But his talent was not limited to songs; two descriptive pieces, Tam o' Shanter and The Jolly Beggars, are among his masterpieces.

Burns had a fine sense of humor, which was reflected in his satirical , descriptive, and playful poems. His great popularity with the Scots lay in his ability to describe the life of his fellow rural Scots. His use of dialect brought an energetic, much-needed freshness into English poetry.
1. Who was Robert Burns?
2. Was he a middle child?
3. How many kids were there?
4. Were they rich?
5. How did there father encourage them?
6. What did he read?
7. What else?
8. anything else?
9. What kind of jobs did Burns try?
10. Did he succeed?
11. When were his first works published?
12. What did he publish?
13. Was that successful?
14. When did he retire?
15. Where?
16. What songs were his works in?
17. Name 2 others?
18. Are they popular?
19. What are his best pieces?
20. What age did he die?
Answer: 1. the son of a hard-working and intelligent farmer,
2. No
3. Seven
4. No
5. with their education
6. Scottish poetry of Ramsay
7. the collections by Hailes and Herd
8. the works of Pope, Locke, and Shakespeare.
9. several agricultural jobs
10. no
11. 1786
12. published Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect
13. Yes
14. In 1788
15. to a farm at Ellis land.
16. My Heart's in the Highlands
17. Auld Lang Syne and Comin' thro' the Rye,
18. Yes
19. Tam o' Shanter and The Jolly Beggars,
20. 37

Problem: (AOL Autos) -- With car companies going in into bankruptcy and shedding famous names left and right, it's important to remember that today's automotive titans started out as tiny startups, not unlike Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.

General Motors was almost called International Motors Co.

Names like Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota and Porsche call to mind the huge corporate successes of the past and the great automotive families that survive today.

But behind every brand name, there is a flesh-and-blood inventor, entrepreneur or industrialist. Most of the time, they gave their name to the companies. And that fame was often about all they ended up with.

David Buick, who invented the overhead valve engine, founded the Buick Motor Car Co. in 1903. William C. Durant, the industrialist who would eventually found GM, took over the company in 1904, when it ran into financial trouble.

Buick stayed on as a director, but left in 1908, never making much money from the enterprise. He reportedly died in 1929, unable to afford one of his cars.

Durant kept the name for one of his company divisions and for the car, even though he worried that people might pronounce it "Boo-ick," according to one author. Strangely enough, the man who practically created General Motors single-handedly never really liked the idea of a 'Durant' car.

In another example, Robert Hupp invented the Hupmobile,'a two-seat runabout, in 1908. But he sold his stock in his Hupp Motor Car Company in 1911. He turned around and founded the Hupp Corp. that same year. Investors in his first firm took him to court to make him drop the "Hupp" from his new company's name and they won. His own automotive glory quickly faded, although the Hupmobile survived until the 1940s.
1. What company was almost call International Motors?
2. Who invented the overhead valve engine?
3. What company did he found?
4. Who took over the company?
5. When did this happen?
6. What did Buick do after that?
7. Did he become rich?
8. When did he die?
9. What did Durant worry about Buick?
10. What did he worry it would be pronounced?
11. Who invented the Hupmobile?
12. And when?
13. When did the Hupmobile die?
Answer: 1. General Motors
2. David Buick
3. Buick Motor Car Co
4. William C. Durant
5. 1904
6. stayed on as a director
7. no
8. 1929
9. mispronounciations
10. "Boo-ick,"
11. Robert Hupp
12. 1908
13. 1940s

Problem: CHAPTER IX

SETTLING DOWN TO STUDY

Dick meant what he said concerning coming back to Putnam Hall for the sake of learning something. He felt that he had lost too much time from school already to lose more, and he pitched in with a vigor that was indeed surprising.

"I don't see how you can do it," said Tom one day. "I can't, to save my life." Yet Tom was by no means a poor scholar, and if he did not stand at the head of his class he was not far from it. Sam was also doing his best, and all of this gratified Captain Putnam exceedingly.

"It shows they can work as well as play," was what the captain told himself, and he wrote Anderson Rover a long letter, in which he praised the boys for their efforts.

The boys fell into their places at the academy with a naturalness that was surprising when one considered the adventures that had but lately befallen them. Over and over again did they have to tell of their doings while on the Pacific, and as Crusoes, and some of the cadets never tired of listening to the stories. A few, including Lew Flapp, did not believe them true, but the majority did, and that was enough for the Rovers.

Dick was now advancing in years, and he knew that before long he would either have to go into business or to college, which he had not yet fully decided. To tell the truth, the thought of separating from his brothers was exceedingly distasteful to him.
1. What is the name of this Chapter?
2. What school was Dick coming back to?
3. Had he lost time from school?
4. How did he pitch in?
5. Could Tom do what Dick did?
6. Was Tom a poor student?
7. How far was he from head of his class?
8. Was Captain Putnam pleased?
9. To whom did Putnam write?
10. Was is a long letter?
11. Did it contain praise?
12. What did he tell himself?
13. Had the boys had adventures lately?
14. Who listened to their stories?
15. Did Lew Flapp believe the stories?
16. Did most cadets?
17. Where did some of the stories take place?
18. Were the boys acting like the Crusoes in their stories?
19. Was Dick going into business?
20. What else was he considering?
Answer:
1. SETTLING DOWN TO STUDY
2. Putnam Hall
3. Yes
4. With vigor
5. No
6. No
7. not far from it
8. Yes
9. Anderson Rover
10. Yes
11. Yes
12. "It shows they can work as well as play
13. Yes
14. the cadets
15. No
16. Yes
17. the Pacific
18. Yes
19. He hadn't yet decided
20. Going to college