Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
Ashleigh Fraser and Leah Guskjolen, both 18, wondered why they would not be allowed to wear nail polish or artificial nails during their training to become certified nursing assistants. But when they asked, the only response which they got was that "rules are rules." Not satisfied, the teens decided to explore the issue themselves.

For their new study, Ashleigh and Leah, seniors at Willcox High School in Willcox, Arizona., borrowed materials from the hospital where they had been trained as nursing assistants. Ten nurses there agreed to give them little scrapings off the top side of their nails. Half of the participants had natural nails. The other half wore nail polish or fake nails on top of their natural nails. The teens grew bacteria from the scrapings on plates; these are plastic dishes with a gel that feeds bacterial growth.

Natural nails produced an average of 4.3 bacterial colonies. In contrast, scrapings from nail polish or artificial nails produced an average of 17.5 colonies! Leah and Ashleigh had their answer to the question. Only natural nails are allowed because polished or artificial nails tend to harbor far more bacteria. The germs could be dangerous to sick patients.

Leah notes that they are not the first to look at nails in a medical setting. Still, she says, "It is something that should be taken much more seriously than it is." To emphasize that, she points to the large list of similar studies she and Ashleigh uncovered during their research.

When nurses touch patients, they often wear gloves, but many small tasks are performed bare-handed. The teens hope to raise awareness of how dangerous artificial nails can be in the medical setting. "What shocked me," Leah says, "is how unconcerned some of the nurses were. They did not think their nails were dangerous." Ashleigh agrees and observes that to preserve their manicures , nurses with polish or fake nails tended to scrub less vigorously when washing their hands. Their nails might look nice, but this might contribute to the large numbers of germs that hang onto their nails.

Ashleigh has never really liked nail polish, so she will not have to change much to pursue her dream of being a surgeon. But the results have reminded Leah, who wants to be a nurse, to give up her artificial nails for good. "They are very pretty," she says, "I love them." But now that she knows the risks they can cause, she admits that for a health professional they just are "not worth it."
1. What question did the two 18 year olds have?
2. Who were they?
3. Their names?
4. What did Ashleigh want to become?
5. After that?
6. What about Leah?
7. What was the answer they received to their question?
8. Did they find an answer themselves?
9. What was it?
10. On average, how much more bacteria do fake nails produce?
11. What's one of the reasons for this?
12. Who helped them with this research?
13. How did they help?
14. How did they collect the bacteria?
15. Were they the first to do a study like this?

Numbered answers:
1. why they were not allowed to wear nail polish
2. teens
3. Ashleigh Fraser and Leah Guskjolen
4. certified nursing assistants
5. unknown
6. nurse
7. unknown
8. Yes
9. bacterial colonies
10. 13.2 bacterial colonies
11. bacteria
12. Ten nurses
13. give them little scrapings off the top side of their nails
14. unknown
15. No

Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
CHAPTER SEVEN.

THE MIDDY OBTAINS A DECIDED ADVANCE, AND MAKES PETER THE GREAT HIS CONFIDANT.

Many months passed, after the events narrated in the last chapter, before George Foster had the good-fortune to meet again with Hugh Sommers, and several weeks elapsed before he had the chance of another interview with the daughter.

Indeed, he was beginning to despair of ever again seeing either the one or the other, and it required the utmost energy and the most original suggestions of a hopeful nature on the part of his faithful friend to prevent his giving way altogether, and having, as Peter expressed it, "anoder fit ob de blues."

At last fortune favoured him. He was busy in the garden one day planting flowers, when Peter came to him and said--

"I's got news for you to-day, Geo'ge."

"Indeed," said the middy, with a weary sigh; "what may your news be?"

"You 'member dat pictur' ob de coffee-house in de town what you doo'd?"

"Yes, now you mention it, I do, though I had almost forgotten it."

"Ah! but I not forgit 'im! Well, yesterday I tuk it to massa, an' he bery much pleased. He say, bring you up to de house, an' he gib you some work to do."

"I wish," returned Foster, "that he'd ask me to make a portrait of little Hester Sommers."

"You forgit, Geo'ge, de Moors neber git deir portraits doo'd. Dey 'fraid ob de evil eye."

"Well, when are we to go up?"

"Now--I jist come for you."
1. who came to visit George?
2. and who came to him to deliver some news?
3. what was his news?
4. how long had it been since George met with Hugh?
5. was George beginning to despair?
6. how did Peter describe it when he felt that way?
7. who is a middy?
8. what was he doing when Peter arrived?
9. was it fortunate that Peter had come to him?
10. when were they supposed to go visit the master?
11. what was George going to do for him?
12. what did Foster wish he asked him?
13. what did Peter say they never do?
14. why don't they?
Numbered answers:
1. Hugh Sommers
2. Peter
3. His master has work for George
4. many months
5. yes
6. "anoder fit ob de blues."
7. George
8. planting flowers
9. yes
10. now
11. some work
12. to make a portrait of little Hester Sommers
13. get their portraits done
14. They're afraid of the evil eye