Problem: CHAPTER V. THE FIRST SPARK PASSES

"Now, gentlemen," shouted the auctioneer when he had finished his oration upon the girl's attractions, "what 'tin I bid? Eight hundred?"

Stephen caught his breath. There was a long pause no one cared to start the bidding.

"Come, gentlemen, come! There's my friend Alf Jenkins. He knows what she's worth to a cent. What'll you give, Alf? Is it eight hundred?"

Mr. Jenkins winked at the auction joined in the laugh.

"Three hundred!" he said.

The auctioneer was mortally offended. Then some one cried:--"Three hundred and fifty!"

It was young Colfax. He was recognized at once, by name, evidently as a person of importance.

"Thank you, Mistah Colfax, suh," said the auctioneer, with a servile wave of the hand in his direction, while the crowd twisted their necks to see him. He stood very straight, very haughty, as if entirely oblivious to his conspicuous position.

"Three seventy-five!"

"That's better, Mistah Jenkins," said the auctioneer, sarcastically. He turned to the girl, who might have stood to a sculptor for a figure of despair. Her hands were folded in front of her, her head bowed down. The auctioneer put his hand under her chin and raised it roughly. "Cheer up, my gal," he said, "you ain't got nothing to blubber about now."

Hester's breast heaved and from her black eyes there shot a magnificent look of defiance. He laughed. That was the white blood.

The white blood!

Clarence Colfax had his bid taken from his lips. Above the heads of the people he had a quick vision of a young man with a determined face, whose voice rang clear and strong,-- "Four hundred!"
1. Who was the second person to bid?
2. What did he offer?
3. Did that make Jenkins get more serious?
4. What was his new bid?
5. What was his first?
6. Did he act goofy with his first?
7. What did the auctioneer suggest for the first bid?
8. Was there a fourth?
9. from who?
10. Who was getting ready to bid when this new man did?
11. What is being sold?
12. What is her name?
13. Is she scared?
14. How does she feel?
15. What does the auctioneer see that as?
16. How does she show it to him?
17. What kind of look does she give him?
18. Where was she looking before that?
19. where were her hands?
20. Does the auctioneer like the first bid?
Answer: 1. Colfax
2. Three hundred and fifty
3. Yes
4. Three seventy-five
5. Three hundred
6. Yes
7. Eight hundred
8. Yes
9. a young man with a determined face
10. Clarence Colfax
11. a girl
12. Hester
13. No
14. defiant
15. the white blood.
16. from her black eyes
17. a magnificent look of defiance
18. down
19. folded in front of her
20. No

Problem: Alexia Sloane is from Cambridge. She was told by the doctor she had a brain tumor when she was on holiday "with her parents in France. After that the two-year-old girl became blind. Though the little girl can't see anything, she has great talent for languages and at the age of 10 she is already fluent in English, French, Spanish and Chinese-and is learning German. Now her dream of working as an interpreter has come true. East of England MEP Robert Sturdy invited her to the European Parliament . "Usually a person who enters the European Parliament should be 14 at least. So it was amazing for Alexia to work there at the age of 10. " said Alexia's mother Isabelle. Alexia can speak three languages since birth. As her mum is hah" French and half Spanish and her dad Richard is English. " She has always been very good at languages and shown an interest from a very young age. " added Isabelle, who also has a four-year-old daughter Melissa. Alexia has dreamed of becoming an interpreter since she was six and chose to go to the European Parliament as her prize when she won the Young Achiever Community Award of the Year . She asked if she could learn from the interpreters and HEP Robert Sturdy agreed to take her along as his guest. " It was fantastic and I decided to become an interpreter, "said Alexia. "Nothing can stop me. "
1. When did Alexia Sloane become blind?
2. Where was she when she was told she had a tumor?
3. What dream did she have?
4. What languages is she fluent in?
5. What award did she win?
6. How many languages did she speak since birth?
7. Is her dad Irish?
8. Where is he from?
9. What did Robert Sturdy invite her to?
10. What age do you usually have to be to join?
11. Since what had has Alexia dreamed of being an interpreter?
12. What nationalities is her mom?
13. What is her name?
14. What is Alexia's sister's name?
15. Is she older?
16. How old is she?
17. What did Robert Sturdy agree to?
18. What does Alexia say will stop her?
19. What did she choose as her prize?
20. What language is she learning?
Answer: 1. two
2. France
3. working as an interpreter
4. English, French, Spanish and Chinese
5. Young Achiever Community Award of the Year
6. three
7. No
8. English
9. European Parliament
10. 14 at least
11. she was six
12. hah" French and half Spanish
13. Isabelle
14. Melissa
15. No
16. four
17. take her along as his guest
18. Nothing
19. to go to the European Parliament
20. German

Problem: Abidjan, Ivory Coast (CNN) -- The European Union announced a recovery package of 180 million euros for the Ivory Coast on Tuesday as residents of the African nation attempted to adjust to life with a clear leader and relative stability after months of bloodshed.

Forces arrested former President Laurent Gbagbo after storming his residence on Monday. Gbagbo defied calls to step down after an electoral commission declared he lost a presidential election in November to Alassane Ouattara. Ouattara has been recognized internationally as the legitimate winner.

A violent power struggle followed the standoff, with supporters loyal to both sides taking to the streets in protests since December. Hundreds have been killed, according to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Andris Piebalgs, EU commissioner for development, announced the recovery package on Tuesday.

"We will stand by Ivory Coast and its people by immediately starting to work with the government of President Ouattara to support him in getting the country on the right track towards reconciliation, democracy, economic recovery and sustainable development," he said.

The funding will provide support to ensure basic needs for citizens such as health, water, sanitation and to support the agricultural sector, Piebalgs said in a statement. It also will clear the Ivory Coast's debt accumulated through the European Investment Bank.

Top military brass pledged their support to Ouattara in a ceremony Tuesday at a hotel in Abdijan. Gen. Phillipe Mangou, Gbagbo's former army chief of staff, said on state television that the generals were received by Ouattara and given orders to take measures to restore order in the country.
1. Which country is this article about?
2. Who was arrested on Monday?
3. What office had he had?
4. But did he lose the last election?
5. Were people telling him to step down?
6. Did he do it ?
7. So what happened to him?
8. Who really won the election?
9. Has there been fighting about the election results?
10. Was anybody killed?
11. How many people?
12. Who is Andris Piebalgs?
13. What does EU stand for?
14. What did he announce?
15. Name one of the needs this package will meet?
16. Anything else?
17. Anything involving the European Investment Bank?
18. Were the military in support of Quattara?
19. When did they say so?
20. Where?
Answer:
1. Ivory Coast
2. Laurent Gbagbo
3. President
4. yes
5. yes
6. no
7. he was arrested
8. Alassane Ouattara
9. yes
10. yes
11. Hundreds
12. EU commissioner for development
13. European Union
14. a recovery package
15. economic recovery
16. health, water, sanitation
17. Ivory Coast's debt
18. yes
19. Tuesday
20. a hotel