General Motors Company, commonly known as GM, is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, that designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes vehicles and vehicle parts, and sells financial services. With global headquarters at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, United States, GM manufactures cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2008, 8.35 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under various brands. GM reached the milestone of selling 10 million vehicles in 2016. Current auto brands are Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, and Wuling. Former GM automotive brands include McLaughlin, Oakland, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Hummer, Saab, Saturn, as well as Vauxhall, and Opel, which were bought by Groupe PSA in 2017.

The company was founded by William C. Durant on September 16, 1908 as a holding company. The company was the largest automobile manufacturer from 1931 through 2007.

In addition to brands selling assembled vehicles, GM has also had various automotive-component and non-automotive brands, many of which it divested in the 1980s through 2000s. These have included Euclid and Terex (earthmoving/construction/mining equipment & vehicles); Electro-Motive Diesel (locomotive, marine, and industrial diesel engines); Detroit Diesel (automotive and industrial diesel engines); Allison (aircraft engines, transmissions, gas turbine engines); Frigidaire (appliances including refrigeration and air conditioning); New Departure (bearings); Delco Electronics and ACDelco (electrical and electronic components); GMAC (finance); General Aviation and North American Aviation (airplanes); GM Defense (military vehicles); and Electronic Data Systems (information technology). What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who founded the company?
2. when?
3. where is it headquartered?
4. What milestone did it reach in 2016
5. Are there many brands?
6. how many current?
7. Do they own Opel?
8. who aquired it?
9. when?
10. Is the company currently the largest automobile manufacturer?
11. was it ever?
12. when?
13. how many countries do they operate in?
14. how many cars and trucks were sold in 2008?
15. Where is the global headquarters?
16. what does GM stand for?
17. What does Terex sell?
18. How about fridgidaire?
19. doe sGM own them?
20. what division sells military vehicles?
Answer: 1. William C. Durant
2. \ September 16, 1908
3. Detroit, Michigan
4. selling 10 million vehicles
5. yes
6. six
7. not anymore
8. Groupe PSA
9. 2017
10. no
11. yeas
12. 1931 through 2007
13. 35
14. 8.35 million
15. Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan
16. General Motors
17. earthmoving, construction, and mining equipment
18. appliances including refrigeration and air conditioning
19. yes
20. GM Defense

Maurice Mountain is a retired lawyer in Washington, D.C. He developed a prototype for a device he calls the Presto Emergency Boat Ladder. His invention is a small folding ladder that attaches to the side of a boat to help people who fall into the water. Mr. Mountain plans to mass-produce his boat ladder.

He created his invention at a workshop called TechShop. Mr. Mountain says, "I think it encourages innovation. I think people who probably have had ideas rolling around in the back of their minds for years but have never had the opportunity to actually put them into production or even experiment with them would find this place wonderful. Members of TechShop use high-tech equipment to develop and produce ideas they have for inventions." Isabella Musachio manages a TechShop in Arlington, Virginia. She says the shop has many different kinds of equipment.

"TechShop is a do-it-yourself maker space. So when you come in we have all these different areas of the shop, and we have a metal shop, wood shop, lasers, 3D printers, electronics. I mean, we have so many different areas and we have all the equipment that is availahle to anybody above the age of 12."

Membership costs for TechShop start at just over $ 100 per month. Members are able to use costly machines including 3D modeling tools and laser cutters. Isabella Musachio says TechShop helps its members build their dreams.

"Our motto is 'build your dreams here' because you can really come in with just an idea, and then with the help of TechShop make that leap from an idea to building your project o, your prototype or even your business."

Jim Newton is the founder of TechShop. He first introduced the idea for the technology workshops at an arts and sciences event called Maker Faire in San Mateo, California in 2006. His idea attracted hundreds of members during that event, Now, there are eight TechShop locations in the U. S. In all, there are more than 6,000 members. Two more-TechShop locations in the cities of St. Louis and Look Angeles will be set up. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who designed something?
2. Is he an inventor by trade?
3. What was his job?
4. Does he still work at a firm?
5. What did he design?
6. What is that used on?
7. What for?
8. Did he invent this at home?
9. Where at?
10. What is the name of it?
11. How many locations does this shop have in the country?
12. How many people go there through the country?
13. Who is the founder of the place?
14. Do you need a membership to go?
15. How much is it?
16. Do you have to be a certain age?
17. How old?
18. What kind of tools do they have?
Answer: 1. Maurice Mountain
2. no
3. lawyer
4. no
5. Presto Emergency Boat Ladder prototype
6. a boat
7. to help people who fall into the water
8. no
9. a workshop
10. TechShop
11. Eight
12. more than 6,000
13. Jim Newton
14. yes
15. $ 100 per month
16. yes
17. 12
18. 3D modeling tools and laser cutters

What kind of pets do people have in your country? Dogs? Cats? How about a duck, hippo or lion? Here are two cases of animal owners with unusual pets.

Barrie Hayman has a pet duck called Star. Barrie adopted him after his brothers and sisters stayed away from him at birth. Barrie, a duck breeder, realized the little duck needed special attention. So he began taking Star with him everywhere he went. "I would put him in my pocket while I did my shopping," said Barrie. Now, at five months, Star is too big for Barrie's pocket, but the two are still _ . They watch sports together and even share a drink together. Barrie said, "He is one fantastic duck. I've never known any like him." Star even has his own Facebook page, with more than 2,000 Facebook friends.

Then there's the case of Tonie and Shirley Joubert in South Africa. They live with their pet hippo, Jessica. Tonie saved Jessica from floodwaters when she was only a day old. Jessica lives outside their riverside house, but she knows how to open the kitchen door, and often goes there for a snack. Tonie recently said, "I don't know whether Jessica sees me as a hippo or whether she sees herself as a human." Shirley is more certain, "Jessica sees herself as our child and I see Jessica as my daughter. I can't imagine my life without Jessica." Jessica is free to leave, and often visits wild hippos that live nearby. But she always returns home at night. Jessica's website notes that she has three hippo boyfriends, but one in particular, Fred, is her favorite. They often go grazing together and Fred has recently moved onto the Jouberts' house as well. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who was Star?
2. 'what does Barrie Hayman do for a living?
3. What did he do with Star when he went shopping?
4. How old is STar now?
5. What kind of pet do Tonie and Shirley Joubert have?
6. What is the hippo's name?
7. What's the setting for the Joubert's house?
8. What country is it in?
9. Can Jessica leave if she wants to?
10. Does she?
11. How many boyfriends does she have?
12. What's the name of her favorite?
13. What do they do together?
Answer:
1. a pet duck
2. a duck breeder
3. put him in his pocket
4. unknown
5. hippo
6. Jessica
7. riverside
8. South Africa
9. Yes
10. she always returns home at night
11. three
12. Fred
13. go grazing