Q: Valentine's Day was coming. Helen felt hurt and lonely because this was her first Valentine's Day after the divorce .

Helen's twelve-year-old son, Jack, looked at his mother, knowing that this was a difficult time for both of them. In order to make his mother happy, he prepared a present, and handed it to her on Valentine's Day.

It was a beautiful gift package .Helen couldn't believe what was happening. She opened it and took out a lovely card and a small box.

"Now," he said, "read the card." It read as follows:

"I know that this isn't easy for you because it has been a hard year for both of us. I know that Valentine's Day is a special day for people in love. I want you to know that I love you. I know that Valentines are supposed to get chocolate. I went to the store today to buy some for you. Luckily, I got the last piece. I told the clerk it was just perfect."

Helen stood there for a moment and looked at her son. Her eyes sparkled in the light as tears formed in each corner. Jack knew he had done the right thing. Slowly she opened the small box, careful not to tear the paper. She would never forget the moment. She found a chocolate heart that was broken into pieces along with a note:

"I am so sorry that Dad left us, Mom. And all you were left with was a broken heart. But I just want you to know we still have each other.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Your son,

Jack"

Answer the following questions:
1. What holiday was coming?
2. Why was Helen sad about Valentine's Day?
3. What did Jack get his mom for Valentine's Day?
4. What was the present made out of?
A: 1. Valentine's Day
2. She felt hurt.
3. A present.
4. A card
Q: Jim found a job in a shop two years ago. Mrs. White, the shopkeeper trusts the able young man and pays him more. He's happy and works harder. Once Jim knew a beautiful girl called Mabel at a friend's party. They danced for several times and the girl was deeply in love. But Mabel's parents didn't agree to marry their daughter to a poor young man. So they began to travel in America and didn't let the girl come back to London. She wrote a letter to Jim and told him about it. Of course the young man hadn't enough money to go to see her. He was so sad that he began to drink. It was Saturday one day. Jim didn't go to work. He came to a bar and sat down to drink. Just then an old friend of his came in. He asked him to drink with him. Crying, he told Mike all and the young man felt sorry for him. After a while they were both drunk and left. Mike wanted to take his friend home. When they passed a zoo, they went in and walked to a cage in which there were two tigers. Having seen them, a tiger roared. Mike was afraid and said, "Let's go. Let's go. It's dangerous to stand here." "I don't think so," said Jim. " I'm watching TV now".

Answer the following questions:
1. Jim found a job when?
2. Where?
3. Who was Mrs. White?
4. Does she trust Jim?
5. How does she show this?
6. Is he appreciative?
7. Where did Jim meet Mabel?
8. Did they interact much there?
9. How?
10. What did Mabels parents think of Jim?
11. Where did they take Mabel?
12. Did she keep in contact with Jim?
13. How did he feel about her leaving?
14. What did he resort to for comfort?
15. Did he go to work on Saturday?
16. Where did he go, instead?
17. Did he talk to anyone there?
18. Did they leave together?
19. Where did they go?
20. What cage did they see?
21. Was Mike afraid?
A: 1. two years ago
2. a shop
3. shopkeeper
4. Yes
5. pays him more
6. Yes
7. friend's party
8. Yes
9. danced for several times
10. a poor young man
11. America
12. Yes
13. sad
14. drinking
15. No
16. a bar
17. Yes
18. Yes
19. zoo
20. Tiger cage
21. Yes
Q: CHAPTER II.

THE EXPEDITION INTO SPAIN.

1623

The Palatinate.--Wars between the Protestants and Catholics.--Frederic dispossessed of his dominions.--Flees to Holland.--Elizabeth.--James's plan.--Donna Maria.--Negotiations with Spain.--Obstacles and delays.--Buckingham's proposal.--Nature of the adventure.--Buckingham's dissimulation.--Charles persuaded.--James's perplexity.--He reluctantly yields.--James's fears.--Royal captives.--Buckingham's violence.--Angry disputes.--James's distress.--Charles and Buckingham depart.--Charles and Buckingham's boisterous conduct.--Arrested at Dover.--Arrival at Paris.--Princess Henrietta.--Bourdeaux.--Entrance into Madrid.--Bristol's amazement.--Charles's reception.--Grand procession.--Spanish etiquette.--The Infanta kept secluded.--Athletic amusements.--Charles steals an interview.--Irregularities.--Delays and difficulties.--Letters.--The magic picture.--The pope's dispensation.--The treaty signed.--Buckingham is hated.--He breaks off the match.--Festivities at the Escurial.--Taking leave.--Return to London.--The Spanish match broken off.

In order that the reader may understand fully the nature of the romantic enterprise in which, as we have already said, Prince Charles embarked when he was a little over twenty years of age, we must premise that Frederic, the German prince who married Charles's sister Elizabeth some years before, was the ruler of a country in Germany called the Palatinate. It was on the banks of the Rhine. Frederic's title, as ruler of this country, was Elector Palatine. There are a great many independent states in Germany, whose sovereigns have various titles, and are possessed of various prerogatives and powers.

Now it happened that, at this time, very fierce civil wars were raging between the Catholics and the Protestants in Germany. Frederic got drawn into these wars on the Protestant side. His motive was not any desire to promote the progress of what he considered the true faith, but only a wish to extend his own dominions, and add to his own power, for he had been promised a kingdom, in addition to his Palatinate, if he would assist the people of the kingdom to gain the victory over their Catholic foes. He embarked in this enterprise without consulting with James, his father-in-law, knowing that he would probably disapprove of such dangerous ambition. James was, in fact, very sorry afterward to hear of Frederic's having engaged in such a contest.

Answer the following questions:
1. who married Charles's sister?
2. what was his title?
3. how old was Prince Charles when the story takes place?
4. was there a war happening?
5. what kind of war was it?
6. where was it taking place?
7. who were the combatants?
8. which side was Frederic on?
9. what was Frederic's exact title?
10. where was the Palatinate?
A:
1. Frederic
2. he was a prince
3. twenty years of age
4. yes
5. a civil war
6. in Germany
7. Catholics and the Protestants
8. the Protestant side
9. Elector Palatine
10. It was on the banks of the Rhine.