Problem: CHAPTER IV. STEPPING-STONES

When Nat went into school on Monday morning, he quaked inwardly, for now he thought he should have to display his ignorance before them all. But Mr. Bhaer gave him a seat in the deep window, where he could turn his back on the others, and Franz heard him say his lessons there, so no one could hear his blunders or see how he blotted his copybook. He was truly grateful for this, and toiled away so diligently that Mr. Bhaer said, smiling, when he saw his hot face and inky fingers:

"Don't work so hard, my boy; you will tire yourself out, and there is time enough."

"But I must work hard, or I can't catch up with the others. They know heaps, and I don't know anything," said Nat, who had been reduced to a state of despair by hearing the boys recite their grammar, history, and geography with what he thought amazing ease and accuracy.

"You know a good many things which they don't," said Mr. Bhaer, sitting down beside him, while Franz led a class of small students through the intricacies of the multiplication table.

"Do I?" and Nat looked utterly incredulous.

"Yes; for one thing, you can keep your temper, and Jack, who is quick at numbers, cannot; that is an excellent lesson, and I think you have learned it well. Then, you can play the violin, and not one of the lads can, though they want to do it very much. But, best of all, Nat, you really care to learn something, and that is half the battle. It seems hard at first, and you will feel discouraged, but plod away, and things will get easier and easier as you go on."
1. What does the teacher tell Nat to when he sits beside him?
2. What's something he gives as an example?
3. Which student can't?
4. But what is he good at?
5. And what's something else he said Nat could do?
6. Can any of the other kids?
7. Do they want to?
8. What else does he do?
9. Does he think learning will become more simple for him?
10. What day was this?
11. What time of day?
12. Where was Nat?
13. Did he feel anxious?
14. What was he afraid of?
15. Where did he go to sit down?
16. What made him thankful for sitting there?
17. What else?
18. And lastly?
19. Who gave him that seat?
20. What did he tell Nat not to do?
Answer: 1. You know a good many things which they don't,
2. You can keep your temper.
3. Jack.
4. Numbers.
5. Play the violin.
6. No.
7. Very much.
8. Really care to learn something.
9. Yes,
10. Monday.
11. Morning.
12. School.
13. Yes.
14. He should have to display his ignorance.
15. In the deep window.
16. He could turn his back on the others.
17. No one could hear his blunders.
18. No one could see he blotted his copybook.
19. Mr. Bhaer.
20. Work so hard.

Problem: First published in 2001, the book Life of Pi written by Canadian author Yann Martel won the Man Booker Prize and an Asian American Prize for Literature. It is the story of a young boy named Pi who spends 227 days at sea with a small group of animals after disaster strikes their ship and is an account of his journey of survival and hardship.

Piscine "Pi" Molitor Patel, on whom Life of Pi is based, is a young boy living in Pondicherry, India, where his father owns a zoo. The story starts when Patel's family decide to move to Canada, along with their zoo animals for their new home.

However, because of the bad weather, the ship sinks. Pi along with an orangutan , an injured zebra, a hyena and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker are the only survivors who take shelter in a small lifeboat. Both the injured zebra and the orangutan are soon killed and eaten by the hyena. The tiger in turn kills and eats the hyena, leaving just the two of them alone on the boat now.

In an effort to avoid being eaten by Richard Parker, Pi acts himself as the head of the group and remains safe from harm. Since he does not want the tiger to die for fear of going mad by being alone on the boat, he fishes and feeds the two of them in order to stay alive.

The life of Pi then enters its third stage when their lifeboat washes up on the shores of Mexico and the tiger escapes into a nearby forest leaving Pi alone. After the Mexicans refuse to believe Pi's story, he changes his tale by replacing the animals with his mother, a cook and a sailor and asks the Mexicans which one they prefer. They prefer hearing the first story though they do not believe a word of it.

In my view, Life of Pi is a must read book for all those who love reading.
1. What's the name of the book being discussed?
2. Who wrote it?
3. Whois the main character?
4. Who came with Pi and his family when they left Canada?
5. What did they travel on?
6. What happens to it?
7. Does Pi survive?
8. Who else survives?
9. What happens to the oragutan and zebra?
10. What happens to the hyena?
11. By what?
12. What is its name?
13. /who feeds him?
14. With what?
15. Where does Pi end up?
16. And Richard Parker?
17. Do the Mexicans believe Pi?
18. Why did Pi feed Richard Parker?
19. When was the book published?
Answer: 1. Life of Pi
2. Yann Martel
3. Pi
4. their zoo animals
5. A ship
6. the ship sinks
7. Yes
8. an orangutan , an injured zebra, a hyena and a Bengal tiger
9. Both the injured zebra and the orangutan are soon killed
10. It is eaten
11. The tiger
12. Richard Parker
13. Pi
14. he fishes
15. Mexico
16. a nearby forest
17. No
18. fear of going mad by being alone
19. 2001

Problem: CHAPTER XI

THAT HERO OTTER

"Help me to secure the gate," said Leonard presently.

In another minute the great iron bar had been dropped into its place, and Leonard withdrew the key and put it in his pocket.

"Why do you secure the door, Baas?" whispered Otter.

"To keep the real Pierre out, in case he should come this way. Two Pierres would be one too many at this game. Now we must win or perish."

Then they crept along the embankment till they gained the shelter of the hut or barrack-shed which stood with its back to the dike that separated the Nest from the slave camp. Happily none saw them, and there were no dogs in the place. Dogs make a noise at inconvenient times, therefore slave-dealers do not love them.

The end of the shed behind which they were crouching was situated some eight or ten paces from the drawbridge, that formed the only path of entry to the slave camp.

"Baas," said Otter, "let me go forward and look. My eyes are the eyes of a cat; I can see in the dark. Perhaps the bridge is down."

Without waiting for an answer, he crept forward on his hands and knees so quietly that they could scarcely hear a movement. Notwithstanding his white dress, there was little chance of his being seen, for the shadow of the shed was dense and a fringe of rushes grew along the edge of the dike.

Five minutes passed--ten minutes passed, and Otter did not return. Leonard's anxiety grew very keen.
1. Who wanted to adjust the gate?
2. Who helped him?
3. Where was the key placed?
4. Who needed to be kept out?
5. Where did they crawl to?
6. How far from the bridge?
7. What was unique to the bridge?
8. Who claimed to have cat eyes?
9. What did he volunteer to do?
10. What was he wearing?
11. Did he end up leaving?
12. How long before he returned?
Answer:
1. Leonard
2. Otter
3. in his pocket.
4. the real Pierre
5. the hut
6. eight or ten paces
7. it's the only path of entry
8. Otter
9. go forward and look.
10. a white dress
11. yes
12. he did not return