Q: "Food in France is still primarily about pleasure,"says Mark Singer, technical director of cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris."Cooking and eating are both pastimes and pleasure."The French might start their day with bread, butter, jam, and perhaps something hot to drink -- it's a time of the day when the whole family can be united. Singer, born in Philadelphia, has lived in France for more than 40 years.

"Although things have changed greatly in the past 20 years when it comes to food in the country,"he says,"and what was a big affair with eating has been slowly softened up, there are still events in the year, like birthdays and New Year's Eve and Christmas Eve that are still really anchored in traditional food and cooking. But it's not every day."

Some people think French food life may be a performance, adds Jennifer Berg, director of graduate food studies at New York University."They want to believe that France is this nation where people are spending five hours a day going to 12 different markets to get their food. The reality is most croissants are factory-made, and most people are buying convenience food, except for the very small group of people in high society. But part of our identity relies on believing that myth."

In Italy, as in France, takeout is still ly rare."Eating fast is not at all part of our culture,"says Marco Bolasco, editorial director of Slow Food and an Italian food expert. Our meals are relaxed, even during a lunch break. Food in Italy is love, and nutrition, and pleasure, he says. An Italian child's first experience with food is not small round cakes or rice or eggs, but probably ice cream, notes Bolasco. Status and wealth play less of a role in food.

Answer the following questions:
1. Contrary to reputation, how are most croissants made?
2. Which group of people don't buy fast food?
3. What's a French holiday that is still associated with traditional food?
4. Who is the technical director at Le Cordon Bleu?
5. What does he say French food is about?
6. Where was he born?
7. How long has he lived in France?
8. What is Jennifer Berg's profession?
9. Who is the editorial director of Slow Food?
10. Does he feel like Italian meals are hurried?
11. What does he say a child's first food might be?
A: 1. Most croissants are factory-made
2. Italians
3. New Year's Eve
4. Mark Singer
5. Pleasure
6. Philadelphia
7. More than 40 years.
8. Director of graduate food studies
9. Marco Bolasco
10. No
11. Ice cream
Q: A senior Palestinian Authority official died Wednesday after a confrontation with Israeli troops, prompting President Mahmoud Abbas to halt security coordination with Israel, according to Palestinian officials.

Ziyad Abu Ein died after clashes with Israeli soldiers midday Wednesday in the Palestinian village of Turmusaya, which is northeast of the West Bank city of Ramallah, longtime chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said in a statement. Abu Ein -- a minister in Abbas' Fatah party and head of the Committee to Resist the Wall and Settlements -- was there participating in nonviolent demonstrations to mark international Human Rights Day, according to Erakat's statement.

There were varying reports of exactly how Abu Ein died, including what role -- if any -- Israeli authorities played in it.

Pictures from various news agencies depict an Israeli soldier with his hands to Abu Ein's neck, followed by another showing him on the ground. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA, meanwhile, reported that the Palestinian official lost consciousness after he inhaled tear gas and an Israeli soldier hit him in the chest.

"The Israeli soldiers called Abu Ein by name and seemed to be focused on him," witness Kamal Abu Safaka told CNN. "There was a lot of pushing, kicking and punching by the soldiers. ... When Abu Ein tried to intercede, they hit him on the chest with a rifle butt and grabbed him by the throat and pushed him back and then threw a large amount of tear gas and stun grenades."

Dr. Ahmed Bitawi, the director of the Ramallah hospital that inspected Abu Ein's body, said he died from asphyxiation after choking on vomit brought on by tear gas inhalation.

Answer the following questions:
1. What did pictures show about the demonstration?
2. Who was Abu Ein?
3. What is one theory about how he died?
4. Who thought that?
5. What asphyxiated him?
6. What made him vomit?
7. Where did this happen?
8. What special day did it happen on?
9. Was it meant to be a violent demonstration?
10. Which US news agency spoke with a witness?
11. And what was the witness"s name?
12. Did the Israeli soldiers focus on Abu Ein?
13. Why ? What did they do?
14. He was head of which committee?
A: 1. An Israeli soldier with his hands to Abu Ein's neck
2. a minister in Abbas' Fatah party
3. asphyxiation
4. Dr. Ahmed Bitawi
5. vomit
6. tear gas
7. Turmusaya
8. international Human Rights Day
9. no
10. CNN
11. Kamal Abu Safaka
12. yes
13. hit him and grabbed him
14. Committee to Resist the Wall and Settlements
Q: CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

A SOIREE WILDLY INTERRUPTED, AND FOLLOWED UP BY SURPRISING REVELATIONS.

One afternoon Captain Lee and Emma called on Mrs Tipps, and found her engaged in earnest conversation with Netta. The captain, who was always in a boiling-over condition, and never felt quite happy except when in the act of planning or carrying out some scheme for the increase of general happiness, soon discovered that Netta was discussing the details of a little treat which she meant to give to the boys and girls of a Sunday-school which she and her mother superintended. With all his penetration he did not, however, find out that the matter which called most for consideration was the financial part of the scheme--in other words, how to accomplish the end desired with extremely limited means. He solved the question for them, however, by asserting that he intended to give all the scholars of all the Sunday-schools in the neighbourhood a treat, and of course meant to include Netta's school among the rest-- unless, of course, she possessed so much exclusive pride as to refuse to join him.

There was no resisting Captain Lee. As well might a red-skin attempt to stop Niagara. When once he had made up his mind to "go in" for something, no mortal power could stop him. He might indeed be _turned_. Another object of interest, worthy of pursuit and judiciously put before him, might perhaps induce him to abandon a previous scheme; but once his steam was up, as John Marrot used to say, you could not get him to blow it off into the air. He was unlike the iron horse in that respect, although somewhat like him in the rigour of his action. Accordingly the thing was fixed. Invitations were sent out to all the schools and to all who took an interest in them, and the place fixed on was a field at the back of Mrs Tipps's villa.

Answer the following questions:
1. Who was irresistible?
2. What is his will compared to?
3. Was he easily swayed?
4. Was it at all possible to sway him?
5. How?
6. Who made an analogy about his will?
7. What was it?
8. What was sent to educational facilities?
9. Who did Lee visit?
10. Was he with anyone?
11. Was anyone else there?
12. When did he feel most satisfied?
13. What had they been talking about?
A:
1. Captain Lee
2. iron horse
3. No
4. Yes
5. Another object of interest, worthy of pursuit
6. John Marrot
7. once his steam was up, you could not get him to blow it off into the air
8. Invitations
9. Mrs Tipps
10. Netta
11. Emma
12. when in the act of planning or carrying out some scheme for the increase of general happiness
13. the details of a little treat