Problem: Random House is the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. As of 2013, it is part of Penguin Random House, which is jointly owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann and British global education and publishing company Pearson PLC.

Random House was founded in 1925 by Americans Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer, two years after they acquired the Modern Library imprint from publisher Horace Liveright, which reprints classic works of literature. Cerf is quoted as saying, "We just said we were going to publish a few books on the side at random," which suggested the name Random House. In 1934 they published the first authorized edition of James Joyce's novel "Ulysses" in the Anglophone world.

In October 1959, Random House went public at $11.25 a share. This move drew other publishing companies, such as Simon & Schuster, to later go public.

Random House entered reference publishing in 1947 with the "American College Dictionary", which was followed in 1966 by its first unabridged dictionary.

American publishers Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and Pantheon Books were acquired by Random House in 1960 and 1961, respectively; works continue to be published under these imprints with editorial independence, such as Everyman's Library, a series of classical literature reprints.
1. When was Random House founded?
2. Are there any larger gemeral interest paperback publishers in the world?
3. When did Random House start publishing reference books?
4. With what dictionary?
5. Who were the publishing houses founders?
6. When did they first publish the book Ulysses?
7. When did the Random House company go public?
8. At what price per share was the stock originally?
9. Who did they aquire Mordern Library imprint from?
10. What does it do?
11. Which publishers were aquired by Random House in 1960 and 1961?
12. How was the name for Random House came up with
Answer: 1. 1925
2. no
3. 1947
4. "American College Dictionary"
5. Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer,
6. 1934
7. October 1959
8. $11.25
9. publisher Horace Liverigh
10. reprints classic works of literature.
11. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and Pantheon Books
12. Cerf is quoted as saying, "We just said we were going to publish a few books on the side at random," which suggested the name Random House

Q: One day John and Sally's mother made up her mind to bake a very special cake for her son and daughter, but she didn't have the ingredients. She told John and Sally to go to the grocer's to buy the things she would need.

"I'll need some popcorn, a pea, some melon balls, and a cup of yogurt. I'm going to make a very special cake today," she said.

"Wow, that sounds horrible," said John.

"Yeah, we'd rather watch TV and eat potato chips," said Sally.

"Don't talk back, kids. Do what I said and head into town. It's a beautiful day. Go the long way and follow the river until you get there. Don't take the short way through the forest. A lion has escaped from the zoo. He might be hiding in the forest."

So John and Sally started the walk into town, but because they were disobedient children, they didn't follow the river like their mother told them. Instead they took the short way through the forest.

"I'm not afraid of a lion in the forest," said John. "Besides, I think mom has been eating too many melon balls and is letting her imagination get away from her again. If there were a lion in the forest, we would know about it."

So they wandered along the forest path, jumping in mud puddles and throwing sticks at one another. But as soon as John and Sally were in the darkest part of the forest, they heard a terrible roar. It was the lion! Horrified, they ran for their lives out of the forest, all the way back home.

"We're sorry!" they both said to their mother. "We'll never be disobedient again!"

And from that day forward, whenever their mother told them to do something, they did it right away like they were told.

Answer the following questions:
1. Who was baking a cake?
2. Who was it for?
3. WHo did she send to get what she needed?
4. Where did they go?
5. What did she need?
6. What did they say they would rather do than shop?
7. Did she listen to them and give in?
8. How did she tell them to go?
9. Was this the shortest way?
10. What animal had escaped?
11. and where from?
12. Did they do as they were told?
13. Did they come across the animal that had escaped?
A: 1. John and Sally's mother
2. her son and daughter
3. John and Sally
4. the grocer's
5. groceries
6. watch TV and eat potato chips
7. no
8. follow the river
9. no
10. A lion
11. the zoo
12. no
13. yes

Problem: Peter Fern was mad on mountains. Climbing was the love of his life. Church towers, seaside cliffs, rock faces, ice mountains, anything --- "If it's there," he used to say, "then I want to climb it." so the news of his marriage gave me surprise. I'd never known him to take much interest in girls. Well, well, Peter Fern, a married man! I couldn't get over it. I wondered whether his wife would try to stop some of his risky adventures.

She was French perhaps --- from that place where he usually spent his holidays. Chamonix, wasn't it? From Chamonix he's climbed Mont. Blanc on his seventeenth birthday, and one of the Aifuilles the day after! That was it, then; she was French, from a family, most of whom liked climbing. No doubt --- No other explanation.

A month later I met them both in town. Anna surprised me because she was English. She was a dancer in the theatre. "never climbed more than sixty steps in my life." she told me. "Peter has his interests, and I've got mine. No problem." "None at all, " Peter said, smiling. "Where did you spend your honeymoon?" I asked. "Somewhere far from theater and mountains, was it?" "We had a week's holiday," Anna said, "I flew toprefix = st1 /New Yorkto see the drake Dancers on Broadway. a wonderful show!" Peter said, "Didn't want to miss the good weather. So I went toSwitzerlandand climbed the north face of the Eiger with Allen Dunlop. Great fun, the Eiger. Grand place for a honeymoon! I'll show you the photographs we took one day."
1. What was his love?
2. What was a surpirse?
3. Where was she from?
4. Where did he think she was from?
5. What town?
6. What is her name?
7. What age did he take a big climb?
8. What is her interest?
9. Where did she do that?
10. What did they do after the wedding?
Answer:
1. Climbing
2. news of his marriage
3. she was English.
4. France
5. Chamonix
6. Anna
7. 17
8. dance
9. in the theatre.
10. had a week's holiday