Q: The Black Death is thought to have originated in the arid plains of Central Asia, where it then travelled along the Silk Road, reaching Crimea by 1343. From there, it was most likely carried by Oriental rat fleas living on the black rats that were regular passengers on merchant ships. Spreading throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, the Black Death is estimated to have killed 3060% of Europe's total population. In total, the plague reduced the world population from an estimated 450 million down to 350375 million in the 14th century. The world population as a whole did not recover to pre-plague levels until the 17th century. The plague recurred occasionally in Europe until the 19th century.

The plague disease, caused by Yersinia pestis, is enzootic (commonly present) in populations of fleas carried by ground rodents, including marmots, in various areas including Central Asia, Kurdistan, Western Asia, Northern India and Uganda. Nestorian graves dating to 133839 near Lake Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan have inscriptions referring to plague and are thought by many epidemiologists to mark the outbreak of the epidemic, from which it could easily have spread to China and India. In October 2010, medical geneticists suggested that all three of the great waves of the plague originated in China. In China, the 13th century Mongol conquest caused a decline in farming and trading. However, economic recovery had been observed at the beginning of the 14th century. In the 1330s a large number of natural disasters and plagues led to widespread famine, starting in 1331, with a deadly plague arriving soon after. Epidemics that may have included plague killed an estimated 25 million Chinese and other Asians during the 15 years before it reached Constantinople in 1347.

Answer the following questions:
1. How much of Europe's population was killed by the Black Death?
2. What is the bacterium that caused it?
3. Where is it often found?
4. where do the fleas live?
5. How did it get to Europe?
6. What do many scientists believe was the start of the plague?
7. how many people died before the disease came to Turkey?
8. When did the population rebound?
9. Were there any more outbreaks?
10. when did they stop?
A: 1. 3060%
2. Yersinia pestis
3. In flea populations?
4. In Central Asia
5. From fleas on merchant ships
6. A plague in China
7. unknown
8. 17th century.
9. Yes
10. 19th century.
Q: CHAPTER IX.

The curse of growing factions and divisions Still vex your councils! Venice Preserved.

The prudence of Morton found sufficient occupation in stemming the furious current of these contending parties, when, two days after his return to Hamilton, he was visited by his friend and colleague, the Reverend Mr Poundtext, flying, as he presently found, from the face of John Balfour of Burley, whom he left not a little incensed at the share he had taken in the liberation of Lord Evandale. When the worthy divine had somewhat recruited his spirits, after the hurry and fatigue of his journey, he proceeded to give Morton an account of what had passed in the vicinity of Tillietudlem after the memorable morning of his departure.

The night march of Morton had been accomplished with such dexterity, and the men were so faithful to their trust, that Burley received no intelligence of what had happened until the morning was far advanced. His first enquiry was, whether Macbriar and Kettledrummle had arrived, agreeably to the summons which he had dispatched at midnight. Macbriar had come, and Kettledrummle, though a heavy traveller, might, he was informed, be instantly expected. Burley then dispatched a messenger to Morton's quarters to summon him to an immediate council. The messenger returned with news that he had left the place. Poundtext was next summoned; but he thinking, as he said himself, that it was ill dealing with fractious folk, had withdrawn to his own quiet manse, preferring a dark ride, though he had been on horseback the whole preceding day, to a renewal in the morning of a controversy with Burley, whose ferocity overawed him when unsupported by the firmness of Morton. Burley's next enquiries were directed after Lord Evandale; and great was his rage when he learned that he had been conveyed away over night by a party of the marksmen of Milnwood, under the immediate command of Henry Morton himself.

Answer the following questions:
1. When did a group of people walk?
2. Where at?
3. Was it done well?
4. When did someone finally get information about it?
5. Who was it?
6. How many people did he first ask about?
7. Who were they?
8. Did both make it?
9. Who made it?
10. Who was approached by a buddy and coworker?
11. When?
12. Who was it?
13. Where had he gone from in the morn?
14. Was he full of vigor when telling?
15. Why not?
16. Who sent a message for a sudden meeting?
17. To whom?
18. Who was sent for next?
19. Where was he?
20. Was Burley happy after learning what had happened?
A: 1. At night
2. Morton
3. Yes
4. when the morning was far advanced
5. Burley
6. Two
7. Macbriar and Kettledrummle
8. No
9. Macbriar
10. Morton
11. two days after his return to Hamilton
12. the Reverend Mr Poundtext
13. the vicinity of Tillietudlem
14. No
15. because of the hurry and fatigue of his journey
16. Burley
17. Morton
18. Poundtext
19. his own quiet manse
20. No
Q: There was once a magical lightning wand that contained special powers. When held by a human, it is believed to have given the human special powers that would allow them to take over the skies and the sea. Because of its dangerous power, a king named Ogthar wanted to hide the wand on a planet where no one could find it. Before Ogthar went out to hide his wand, he had to tie his shoelaces. Instead of tying them with his hands, he waved the wand to make it do it for him. Instead of tying his shoes, the wind and sky blew the shoes right off of Ogthar. Ogthar cried and cried because he no longer had shoes. After 17 days of crying, Ogthar saw that his life was not terrible without shoes, because he still had a magical wand. Ogthar then forgot about his shoes and instead made a magical land called "Wind and Sky Land" for children to gather and play in the fun wind and seas. Ogthar forgot about his shoes after a couple of years and even went on to go to school and get smarter. Ogthar is now a fireman and is glad that he never hid the wand. He now can never die and whenever he thinks of his shoes, he says to himself "Stop it!"

Answer the following questions:
1. What did the wand have?
2. what could it do?
3. who wanted to hide the wand
4. why?
5. did he tie his laces by hand?
6. was he able to tie them?
7. was he happy
8. how long did he cry?
9. what area did he make?
10. why
11. what is he now?
12. does he think about his shoes?
13. did he go to school
14. How long did it take to forget about the shoes
15. can he die
16. did he hide the wand
17. what does he say to himself
A:
1. special powers.
2. allow them to take over the skies and the sea.
3. Ogthar
4. Because of its dangerous power
5. no
6. no
7. no
8. 17 days
9. "Wind and Sky Land"
10. for children to gather and play in the fun wind and seas.
11. fireman
12. yes
13. yes
14. a couple of years
15. no
16. no
17. "Stop it!"