Q: CHAPTER VIII

"I don't think I shall marry you, after all," Maggie announced that evening, as she stood looking at herself in one of the gilded mirrors with which the drawing-room at Belgrave Square was adorned.

"Why not?" Nigel asked, with polite anxiety.

"You are exhibiting symptoms of infidelity," she declared. "Your flirtation with Naida this afternoon was most pronounced, and you went out of your way to ask her to dine to-night."

"I like that!" Nigel complained. "Supposing it were true, I should simply be obeying orders. It was you who incited me to devote myself to her."

"The sacrifices we women make for the good of our country," Maggie sighed. "However, you needn't have taken me quite so literally. Do you admire her very much, Nigel?"

He smiled. His manner, however, was not altogether free from self-consciousness.

"Of course I do," he admitted. "She's a perfectly wonderful person, isn't she? Let's get out of this Victorian environment," he added, looking around the huge apartment with its formal arrangement of furniture and its atmosphere of prim but faded elegance. "We'll go into the smaller room and tell Brookes to bring us some cocktails and cigarettes. Chalmers won't expect to be received formally, and Mademoiselle Karetsky will appreciate the cosmopolitan note of our welcome."

"We do look a little too domestic, don't we?" Maggie replied, as she passed through the portiere which Nigel was holding up. "I'm not at all sure that I ought to come and play hostess like this, without an aunt or anything. I must think of my reputation. I may decide to marry Mr. Chalmers, and Americans are very particular about that sort of thing."

Answer the following questions:
1. Did Maggie decide she didn't want to get married, after all?
2. When did she make this proclamation?
3. Who was she looking at, at the time?
4. In what?
5. And in what room?
6. What's the name of the fine house she lives in?
7. Who is it she decided not to marry?
8. Is he violently angry about it?
9. Do Americans care about a woman's reputation?
10. Who's the American mentioned in this fun fable?
11. Is he someone Maggie might decide to wed?
12. Are they going to retire to a larger or smaller room?
13. What do they want to have with their cigarettes?
A: 1. yes
2. in the evening
3. herself
4. a mirro
5. tthe drawing room
6. Belgrave Square
7. Nigel
8. no
9. yes
10. Mr. Chalmers
11. Iyes
12. smaller
13. cocktails

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

There was once a land named Catatonia where cats ran things. Cats walked and talked much as you do except they walked on four legs. There were cat policemen, cat firemen, cat teachers, and even a cat bus driver. Most of the cats were very busy. The King of Catatonia was a small cat named Diggs. He had two brothers named Pouncer and Flash who helped him rule in Catatonia. Pouncer was head of the Milk, Cheese and Cream center and Flash's job was to blow things up. Together the three of them made sure all the cats were happy, had plenty to drink and got to enjoy bright fireworks shows in the distance. One day Pouncer's wife brought the kittens to see Pouncer at his office. There were white kittens and lots of black and white spotted kittens walking around in the Milk, Cheese and Cream center. Well that is all the time we have for now. I hope this short story of the Cats of Catatonia made at least one person in the room smile.

1. Where does the story take place?
2. And who were the inhabitants?
3. Was it a Democracy or a Monarchy?
4. How many brothers did the King have?
5. What was the brothers name in charge of dairy?
6. What was the name of the Kings other brother?
7. Who had a wife and kittens?
8. Were is kittens orange?
9. Did the inhabitants of Catatonia verbally communicate?
10. What was Flash's job?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. Catatonia
2. cats
3. Monarchy
4. Two
5. Pouncer
6. Flash
7. Pouncer
8. No
9. Yes
10. To blow things up

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

CHAPTER XIV.

HOW KING BOABDIL EL CHICO MARCHED OVER THE BORDER.

The defeat of the Christian cavaliers among the mountains of Malaga, and the successful inroad of Muley Abul Hassan into the lands of Medina Sidonia, had produced a favorable effect on the fortunes of the old monarch. The inconstant populace began to shout forth his name in the streets, and to sneer at the inactivity of his son Boabdil el Chico. The latter, though in the flower of his age and distinguished for vigor and dexterity in jousts and tournaments, had never yet fleshed his weapon in the field of battle; and it was murmured that he preferred the silken repose of the cool halls of the Alhambra to the fatigue and danger of the foray and the hard encampments of the mountains.

The popularity of these rival kings depended upon their success against the Christians, and Boabdil el Chico found it necessary to strike some signal blow to counterbalance the late triumph of his father. He was further incited by his father-in-law, Ali Atar, alcayde of Loxa, with whom the coals of wrath against the Christians still burned among the ashes of age, and had lately been blown into a flame by the attack made by Ferdinand on the city under his command.

Ali Atar informed Boabdil that the late discomfiture of the Christian knights had stripped Andalusia of the prime of her chivalry and broken the spirit of the country. All the frontier of Cordova and Ecija now lay open to inroad; but he especially pointed out the city of Lucena as an object of attack, being feebly garrisoned and lying in a country rich in pasturage, abounding in cattle and grain, in oil and wine. The fiery old Moor spoke from thorough information, for he had made many an incursion into these parts, and his very name was a terror throughout the country. It had become a by-word in the garrison of Loxa to call Lucena the garden of Ali Atar, for he was accustomed to forage its fertile territories for all his supplies.

1. what did Ali tell Boabdil?
2. what did the popularity of the kings depend on?
3. who lost in the the mountains of Malaga?
4. what did this lead to?
5. who was inactive?
6. had the son ever used his weapon?
7. what did he prefer?
8. what did Boabdil el Chico think was necessary?
9. who is his father in law?
10. who attacked the city?
11. what city has lots of cows and grain?

Numbered answers:

A:
1. that the late discomfiture of the Christian knights had stripped Andalusia of the prime of her chivalry and broken the spirit of the country
2. upon their success against the Christians
3. the Christian cavaliers
4. a favorable effect on the fortunes of the old monarch
5. The populace
6. yes
7. he preferred the silken repose of the cool halls of the Alhambra to the fatigue and danger of the foray and the hard encampments of the mountains.
8. to strike some signal blow to counterbalance the late triumph of his father.
9. Ali Atar
10. Ferdinand
11. Lucena