Q: Many languages in the United States are used, or historically have been used. Over 500 languages are spoken at various levels by the U.S. population. The most commonly used language is English (specifically American English), which is the de facto national language of the United States. Since the 1965 Immigration Act, Spanish is the second most common language in the country. The state government of Louisiana offers services and documents in French, as does New Mexico in Spanish.

There are many languages indigenous to North America or to U.S. states or holdings in the Pacific region. Hawaiian, although having few native speakers, is an official language along with English at the state level in Hawaii. Alaska recognizes twenty Native languages as official.

According to the American Community Survey 2016, endorsed by the United States Census Bureau, the languages spoken at home with over 100,000 (in millions) speakers older than five are:

While modern estimates indicate that American Sign Language was signed by as many as 500,000 Americans, as of 1972the last official survey, closer estimates range around 100,000 as of 2011. (Although various cultural factors, such as passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, have resulted in far greater educational opportunities for deaf children, which could double or triple the number of current ASL users.).

1. English, Spanish, and French
2. American English is the de facto national language of the United States
3. as many as 500,000 Americans
4. various cultural factors
5. Americans with Disabilities Act
6. twenty
7. Louisiana
8. Over 500
9. American Community Survey
10. Hawaiian

Numbered questions:
1. What are the three most used languages in the US?
2. What's the national language?
3. How many people use ASL?
4. What influences these numbers?
5. And what government law?
6. How many indigenous languages are in Alaska?
7. Where is French most common?
8. How many languages are used?
9. Who measures the use of languages by the American populace?
10. Other than English, what language is official in Hawaii

Q: Where did that number come from? Eleven and Twelve The reason behind the change in number naming is that eleven comes from the German term ainlif, which translates to "one left". Twelve follows the same rule. It comes from twalif--"two left". Why teen is used instead of lif for 13 through 19? There is something sadly lost in history. 911 for US Emergency Calls Early phones didn't use phone numbers--the operator had to connect your call by hand--and this led to the need for an emergency code . But later phone numbers became popular, that changed. In 1967, 911 was chosen as the nationwide emergency call because it was easy to remember and could be quickly dialed on the phone. 26.2 Miles in a Marathon The story began with an ancient Greek soldier carrying message from a battlefield in Marathon to Athens. The modern marathon was born as a flagship event in the first Olympic Games, in 1896, with a distance of about 25 miles (40 km), as long as the distance from Marathon to Athens. But race organizers for the 1908 Olympic Games in London wanted to add something special. The race began at Windsor Castle and ended at White City Stadium, with runners finishing only after passing the royal box. The distance was 26.2 miles (42.1 km). And since 1924 this distance has been kept in marathon. 28 Days in February Before using the Gregorian calendar that we use today, one of the first Roman calendars had only 304 days and ten months (March through December), with six months of 30 days and four of 31 days. The second king of Rome improved the old calendar. He added 50 days for January and February. To make the new months longer, he took one day from each of the 30-day months, making 56 days to divide between January and February (or 28 days each). Later January was given one more day to add up to 355 days a year, but February still had 28 days. That's how it became the shortest month and it stayed that way ever since.

1. Numbers
2. Where did that number come from
3. 26.2 Miles in a Marathon
4. an ancient Greek soldier carrying message from a battlefield in Marathon to Athens
5. No
6. 1908 Olympic Games in London
7. The race began at Windsor Castle and ended at White City Stadium, with runners finishing only after passing the royal box
8. Yes
9. Eleven and Twelve
10. the German term ainlif,
11. "one left"
12. twalif--"two left"
13. 911 for US Emergency Calls
14. it was easy to remember and could be quickly dialed on the phone
15. There is something sadly lost in history
16. 28 Days in February
17. the first Roman calendars had only 304 days
18. The second king of Rome
19. He added 50 days for January and February
20. he took one day from each of the 30-day months, making 56 days to divide between January and February

Numbered questions:
1. What is the article about?
2. What about them?
3. For example?
4. How did that come about?
5. It was 26.2 miles?
6. So how did they get to 26.2?
7. Why did they change it?
8. And that was 26.2?
9. What other numbers have a weird history?
10. Where did those come from?
11. What does that mean?
12. What about twelve?
13. Any others?
14. Why is that used?
15. Why do the numbers 13 and after end in "teen"?
16. What other numbers have a fascinating history?
17. How did that come to be?
18. When did they change it?
19. What did he do?
20. So how did they get to 28?

Q: CHAPTER XXII.

CAUGHT.

"We're early," said Beth, as they came to the edge of the woods and sighted the farm house; "but that is better than being late."

Then she stopped suddenly with a low cry and pointed to the right wing, which directly faced them. Bob West turned the corner of the house, tried the door of Uncle John's room, and then walked to one of the French windows. The sash was not fastened, so he deliberately opened it and stepped inside.

"What shall we do?" gasped Patsy, clasping her hands excitedly.

Beth was always cool in an emergency.

"You creep up to the window, dear, and wait till you hear me open the inside door," said she. "I'll run through the house and enter from the living-room. The key is under the mat, you know."

"But what can we do? Oughtn't we to wait until Uncle John and father come?" Patsy asked, in a trembling voice.

"Of course not. West might rob the cupboard and be gone by that time. We've got to act promptly, Patsy; so don't be afraid."

Without further words Beth ran around the back of the house and disappeared, while Patsy, trying to control the beating of her heart, stole softly over the lawn to the open window of Uncle John's room.

She could not help looking in, at the risk of discovery. Bob West--tall, lean and composed as ever--was standing beside the cupboard, the doors of which were wide open. The outer doors were of wood, panelled and carved; the inner ones were plates of heavy steel, and in the lock that secured these latter doors were the keys that had so long been missing. Both were attached to a slender silver chain.

1. Beth
2. Patsy
3. Bob West
4. Rob the cupboard
5. Creep up to the window
6. Yes
7. Under the mat
8. The key
9. unknown
10. Through a window
11. Woods
12. The keys
13. The inner doors of the cupboard
14. Tall and lean
15. A slender silver chain
16. On a farm
17. When she heard Beth open the inside door
18. unknown

Numbered questions:
1. Who made a low cry?
2. Who rubbed their hands together?
3. Who was walking through the house?
4. What was his objective?
5. What did Beth tell Patsy to do?
6. Was Beth brave?
7. Where was the thing Patsy need to get inside?
8. What was it?
9. What would they do once they got in there?
10. How did Bob get into John's room?
11. Where did the two girls come from?
12. What had been lost?
13. To what?
14. What was Bob's appearance?
15. What held the keys together?
16. Where was this house located?
17. When was Patsy to go inside?
18. Were Patsy and Beth related?