Q: CHAPTER XXIII

BACK AT ASHTON

The three Rovers listened in astonishment to what the auto-stage driver had to say concerning the sudden disappearance of Blackie Crowden.

"Then he must have jumped from the stage while you were running," remarked Dick.

"That's just what he did do, mister. And he took some chances, too, believe me, for I wasn't runnin' at less than twenty miles an hour."

"Did he have any baggage with him?" questioned Tom.

"He had a small handbag, that's all."

"Would you remember the place where he jumped off?" came from Sam, eagerly.

"Yes, it was on the road back of here--just before you turn into this highway."

"You mean the road that was so thick with dust?" remarked Tom.

"That's the place. He jumped off at a spot where the bushes are pretty thick, and there are three trees standin' close together just back of the bushes."

"I think I know that place," said Dick. "There is a small white cottage on the hillside just behind it."

"You've struck it," answered the stage driver. "I reckon as how he was goin' to call on somebody at the cottage. But why he didn't ask me to stop is a mystery. Why! he might have broken a leg gettin' off that way."

"That man is a criminal, and he did it to throw you off his track," announced Sam. "Do you know what I think?" he continued to his brothers. "I think Blackie Crowden must have gotten on to the fact that we were at Fernwood, and made up his mind to clear out as soon as possible. Then he got afraid that we might question folks, including this stage driver, and so jumped from the auto-stage to throw us off his trail, provided we should follow the stage."

1. the stage driver.
2. Blackie Crw=owden
3. they are brothers.
4. He jumped off
5. the stage
6. not less than twenty miles an hour.
7. yes, a small handbag
8. no
9. bushes and trees
10. a small white cottage
11. yes
12. yes
13. the brothers.
14. call on somebody at the cottage.
15. no
16. three
17. Rover

Numbered questions:
1. Who is being questioned?
2. Who may be a criminal?
3. How are the people asking questions related?
4. What dangerous stunt did Blackie Crowden do?
5. Off what?
6. How fast was it going?
7. Did he take anything with him?
8. Did he jump in to plain grass?
9. What vegetation was there?
10. What structure was near the place he jumped?
11. Would the driver have stopped if he had been asked to?
12. Was Blackie Crowden fleeing when he left Fernwood?
13. Who from?
14. What did the driver think Blackie Crowden was going to do at the cottage?
15. Do the brother think Blackie Crowden is law abiding?
16. How many people are questioning the driver?
17. What is their last name?

Q: Chapter XII

A Family Party

Maggie left her good aunt Gritty at the end of the week, and went to Garum Firs to pay her visit to aunt Pullet according to agreement. In the mean time very unexpected things had happened, and there was to be a family party at Garum to discuss and celebrate a change in the fortunes of the Tullivers, which was likely finally to carry away the shadow of their demerits like the last limb of an eclipse, and cause their hitherto obscured virtues to shine forth in full-rounded splendor. It is pleasant to know that a new ministry just come into office are not the only fellow-men who enjoy a period of high appreciation and full-blown eulogy; in many respectable families throughout this realm, relatives becoming creditable meet with a similar cordiality of recognition, which in its fine freedom from the coercion of any antecedents, suggests the hopeful possibility that we may some day without any notice find ourselves in full millennium, with cockatrices who have ceased to bite, and wolves that no longer show their teeth with any but the blandest intentions.

Lucy came so early as to have the start even of aunt Glegg; for she longed to have some undisturbed talk with Maggie about the wonderful news. It seemed, did it not? said Lucy, with her prettiest air of wisdom, as if everything, even other people's misfortunes (poor creatures!) were conspiring now to make poor dear aunt Tulliver, and cousin Tom, and naughty Maggie too, if she were not obstinately bent on the contrary, as happy as they deserved to be after all their troubles. To think that the very day--the _very day_--after Tom had come back from Newcastle, that unfortunate young Jetsome, whom Mr. Wakem had placed at the Mill, had been pitched off his horse in a drunken fit, and was lying at St. Ogg's in a dangerous state, so that Wakem had signified his wish that the new purchasers should enter on the premises at once!

1. Maggie
2. to Garum Firs
3. to pay her visit to aunt Pullet
4. Yes
5. a family party
6. at Garum
7. to discuss and celebrate
8. a change in the fortunes of the Tullivers
9. Yes
10. It was likely to carry away the shadow of their demerits
11. No
12. Yes
13. Lucy
14. to have the start even of aunt Glegg
15. Maggie
16. the wonderful news
17. the day after Tom had come back
18. Newcastle
19. Jetsome had been pitched off his horse
20. in a drunken fit

Numbered questions:
1. Who is mentioned?
2. Where did she go?
3. What for?
4. Was this planned?
5. What is going to happen soon?
6. Where?
7. For what?
8. What exactly?
9. Was this a good thing?
10. Why?
11. Does someone arrive late?
12. Early?
13. Who did?
14. Why?
15. Who did she want to talk to?
16. About what?
17. When did she say something happened?
18. From where?
19. What happened?
20. In what manner?

Q: Alex Rawlings, from Oxford University, Has been named the UK's most multilingual person. The 21-year-old British student can speak 11 language and is learning a 12th, He knows English, Greek, German, French, Dutch, Afrikaans, Spanish,Catalan,ltalian, Russian and Hebrew.Rawlings' mother, who is half Greek, spoke to him in English, Greek and some French when he was growing up. Rawlings is studying German and Russian at university now. He taught himself other languages like Dutch because he wanted to talk to people on his travels or simply because he thought the language was interesting or beautiful."When I was a kid, I always wanted to speak different languages," Rawlings said. "My parents often took me to my mom's family in Greece. My dad worked in Japan for four years. I was always frustrated that I couldn't talk to other kids in those countries because of the language. " Thanks to his talent for languages, Rawliings has made many friends. He also thinks that picking up new languages getseasier over time.Rawlings plans to perfect his Russian while studying in the small Russian city of Yaroslavi and the next language he plans to learn is Arabic."No matter how many languages I Iearn, my favorite language is always Greek because I have spoken it since childhood," he said.

1. Alex Rawlings
2. UK's most multilingual person
3. 21-year-old
4. Yes
5. university
6. Oxford University
7. 11 language
8. Greek
9. spoken it since childhood
10. English, Greek, German, French, Dutch, Afrikaans, Spanish,Catalan,ltalian, Russian and Hebrew
11. Yes
12. English, Greek and some French
13. Yes
14. Greek
15. he thought the language was interesting or beautiful
16. Yes
17. unknown
18. Rawliings has made many friends
19. Yes
20. Arabic

Numbered questions:
1. Who is this article about?
2. What is unique about him?
3. How old is he?
4. Does he go to school?
5. Where?
6. Which one?
7. How many languages does he speak?
8. Does he have a favorite?
9. Why?
10. What languages does he know?
11. Do his parents speak other languages as well?
12. Which ones?
13. Does he have family in those countries?
14. Which?
15. Why does he like knowing so many languages?
16. Was he always interested in different dialects?
17. Is it harder to learn new ones?
18. What advantages has this given him?
19. Is he planning to learn any new ones?
20. Which?