Q: A 90-year-old tortoise is going twice its usual speed after being equipped with a set of wheels. The animal, called Mrs T, was facing a terrible future after losing her two front legs in a mouse attack while she was sleeping in winter, but her owners glued the wheels onto her shell . "She's going double the speed she used to," said the owner Jude Ryder, "She uses her back legs to push herself along and seems quite happy." The 58-year-old owner was surprised when she went to check on her loved pet last month and found her front legs had been eaten in the mouse attack. The local animal doctor tried his best to save Mrs T. But he was afraid that the tortoise would not survive without being mobile. After paying PS1,000 for the treatment, Mrs Ryder turned to her son Dale for help. Dale designed the front wheels and used resin to add them to the front of the shell. Mrs Ryder said: "She liked them immediately, but she must learn how to turn and stop. She can get a good speed up, much faster than before. Mrs T is still quite young for a tortoise. She could go on for another 50 years. All she needs is a new set of tyres sometimes." When Mrs T was sixty years old, she was bought as a pet for Dale, an 8-year-old boy. It liked running happily in Mrs Ryder's garden in spring and summer. When winter came, Mrs T slept in the garden shelter. A mouse got in last month and chewed off both her front legs. Mrs Ryder said: "We were afraid she would be sure to die, but her new set of wheels have saved her life. She can run in the garden again and we can always find her because she leaves very strange footprints behind wherever she goes." Mice attacking tortoises is not uncommon around us--in 2013 Britain's oldest tortoise died after a mouse attack. The tortoise called Thomas was 130 when he was bitten at his home in Guernsey. He spent five days on strong antibiotics , but the wound became so infected that his owner had no choice but to have him put to sleep.

Answer the following questions:
1. What is the tortoise's name?
2. How old is she?
3. What happened to her?
4. how?
5. Are mouse attacks common for tortoises?
6. Did she have an owner?
7. who owned her?
8. What happened after the attack was discovered?
9. Did they take her to the vet?
10. Did the vet design the tires?
11. Who did?
12. Who is that?
13. How old is he?
A: 1. Mrs T
2. 90
3. she lost her two front legs
4. in a mouse attack
5. No
6. Yes
7. Jude Ryder
8. her owners glued wheels onto her shell
9. Yes
10. No
11. Dale
12. her son
13. Eight
Q: CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

LINCH-PINS.

"And leave them laughing, Ho! Ho Ho!"--_Robin Goodfellow_.

Notice was sent from the Bishop of the diocese that he was about to hold a Confirmation at Poppleby in six weeks' time. This was matter of rejoicing to Mr Harford, who had mourned over the very few communicants. Before he came the Celebrations had been only three times a year, and were attended by most of the aged paupers. To the joy of the Carbonels, the feast was monthly after his coming; but the first time the aged people were there, and all lingered, George Hewlett, the clerk, said, when the curate looked to him for information--

"The alms, sir. They be waiting for the money in the plate."

"Why, that is to be reserved for sick and distressed."

"Mr Selby, he always give it out to them, and so did Mr Jones afore him, sir. They be all expecting of it."

Mr Harford thought that it might be best not to disappoint the old people suddenly, so he stood at the vestry door counting heads, and numbering among them two whom he had already been somewhat startled to see present themselves, namely, Dame Spurrell, whom he had heard abusing her neighbour with a torrent of foul words, and who pretended to be a witch, and Tom Jarrold, whom Hewlett had described to him as the wickedest old chap in the parish.

He took counsel with the churchwardens, Farmers Goodenough and Rawson, who both agreed that they were a bad lot, who didn't deserve nothing, but it helped to keep down the rates. Then he talked to Captain Carbonel, who, being a reverent man, was dismayed at what he heard.

Answer the following questions:
1. What is in the plate?
2. Who was it supposed to be for?
A: 1. money
2. Mr Harford
Q: CHAPTER VI.

THE WATER-SOLDIER.

'Presumptuous maid, with looks intent, Again she stretched, again she bent, Nor knew the gulf between.'--GRAY.

It all seemed like a dream to Ursula, perhaps likewise to her mother, when they rose to the routine of daily life with the ordinary interests of the day before them. There was a latent unwillingness in Mrs. Egremont's mind to discuss the subject with either aunt or daughter; and when the post brought no letter, Ursula, after a moment's sense of flatness, was relieved, and returned to her eager desire to hurry after the water-soldier. It was feasible that very afternoon. Mary Nugent came in with the intelligence.

'And can Gerard come? or we shall only look at it.'

'Yes, Gerard can come, and so will Mr. Dutton,' said Mary, who, standing about half-way between Mrs. Egremont and her daughter, did not think herself quite a sufficient chaperon.

'He will look on like a hen at her ducklings,' said Nuttie. 'It is cruel to take him, poor man!'

'Meantime, Nuttie, do you like an hour of "Marie Stuart?"'

'Oh, thank you!' But she whispered, 'Aunt Ursel, may I tell her?'

'Ask your mother, my dear.'

Leave was given, half reluctantly, and with a prohibition against mentioning the subject to any one else, but both mother and aunt had confidence in Mary Nugent's wisdom and discretion, so the two friends sat on the wall together, and Ursula poured out her heart. Poor little girl! she was greatly discomfited at the vanishing of her noble vision of the heroic self-devoted father, and ready on the other hand to believe him a villain, like Bertram Risingham, or 'the Pirate,' being possessed by this idea on account of his West Indian voyages. At any rate, she was determined not to be accepted or acknowledged without her mother, and was already rehearsing magnanimous letters of refusal.

Answer the following questions:
1. did someone come in?
2. who?
3. with?
4. was she wise?
5. how do you know?
6. did she speak?
7. what did she say?
8. where was she when she spoke?
9. what roman numeral is shown?
10. did someone have a difficulty with their mind?
11. who?
A:
1. Yes
2. Mary Nugent
3. with the intelligence.
4. yes
5. both mother and aunt had confidence in Mary Nugent's wisdom
6. Yes
7. 'Yes, Gerard can come, and so will Mr. Dutton,'
8. standing about half-way between Mrs. Egremont and her daughter
9. VI
10. Yes
11. Mrs. Egremont