Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

Robert is sixteen now. He'll finish middle school in two years. His father has a shop and got much money. He hopes his son can go to university and makes him study hard. But the young man likes to play cards. He has to go out when his parents fall asleep. One night, when Robert came back, his father happened to see him. The old man was very angry and told his son to live upstairs. Robert has to go up and down quietly. Of course it troubles him. He thought and thought but didn't find a way. Last evening Robert listened carefully. And he was sure his parents went to sleep, he went out to play cards with his friends. He won some money and was happy. And he got back, he took off his shoes and was going upstairs. He heard a noise in his parents' bedroom. He stood behind the door and saw a man come out. He understood it was a thief . He stopped him at once. The man was very afraid and brought out all the things he stole in the room. "Tell me how you didn't wake my parents up," said Robert. "Or I'll take you to the police station!"

1. when will Robert finish middle school?
2. how old will he be?
3. what does his dad want him to do then?
4. what does he make Robert do?
5. What would he rather do?
6. when does he like to go out?
7. who caught him?
8. was he happy?
9. did he sneak out successfully after that?
10. did he go to play cards?
11. did he win?
12. what did he do before going up the stairs?
13. what made him pause?
14. What was it?
15. What was the intruder worried about?
16. What was Robert's concern?
17. what was he going to do if the intruder woke his parents?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. Yes
2. Eighteen
3. Go to university
4. Study hard.
5. Play cards
6. After his parents fall asleep
7. His father
8. No
9. Yes
10. Yes
11. Yes
12. Took off his shoes
13. He heard a noise
14. A thief
15. The things he stole
16. How the thief went up the stair without waking his parents.
17. ell me how you didn't wake my parents up," said Robert. "Or I'll take you to the police station

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

CHAPTER XI

OFF FOR BRILL COLLEGE

When old Ricks saw his neighbor approaching he could not at first believe his eyes. Then he ran up to the man, who was a particularly sour individual.

"Say, I thought you was dead," he gasped.

"Dead?" returned Ham Ludd. "Do I look like I was dead?" And he glared savagely at Ricks. "I ain't dead, not by a jugful!"

"Humph! Well, if you ain't dead, mebbe you'll explain about that cat, an' dog," went on old Ricks.

"Wot about 'em?"

"You told folks I poisoned the cat and starved the dog to death."

"I did not."

"You did--it was in the newspapers!" bawled old Ricks, commencing to dance around.

"I didn't! Where's them newspapers?" asked Ham Ludd, also growing excited.

"I ain't got 'em, but Tom Rover said----"

And then suddenly old Ricks stopped short. He was commencing to "smell a mouse," as the saying is.

"Wot did Tom Rover say?" demanded Ham Ludd.

"Never mind wot he said," grumbled the stationmaster. "Only you be careful o' wot you say about me in the future, Ham Ludd, thet's all!"

"Huh! I guess that Rover boy has been a'jokin' you ag'in, Ricky," said Ludd, with a grin. "How about thet busted-up bonfire, an' that snaky cigar? Ha! ha! he had you them times, didn't he?"

"You shet up, Ham Ludd!" roared the stationmaster. "Don't you say another word!"

"I'll say all I please! An' you'll put up that fence, too, or I'll have the law on ye!" retorted Ham Ludd; and then went on his way.

1. Who was Ricks neighbor?
2. Was he a pleasant man?
3. What was surprising about seeing him?
4. How did Ham reply to the accusation?
5. What did Ricks then want him to explain?
6. Why?
7. Did he admit it?
8. Who told Ricks Ham had said that?
9. How did Tom Rover hear it?
10. Did he have a copy of the paper?
11. Was it determined that Rover had been lying?
12. Did Ricks apologize?
13. What did he instead say?
14. How did Ham reply?
15. What was Ricks job?
16. What station did he work at?
17. Did the two continue walking together?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. Ham Ludd
2. no
3. thought he was dead
4. "I ain't dead, not by a jugful!"
5. that cat, an' dog
6. Ham told folks I poisoned the cat and starved the dog to death
7. no
8. Tom Rover
9. the newspapers!
10. no
11. yes
12. no
13. "You shet up, Ham Ludd!"
14. 'll say all I please! An' you'll put up that fence, too, or I'll have the law on ye!"
15. stationmaster.
16. unknown
17. no

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

Have you ever listened to young children talking in the playground? They are always boasting. They say things like, "My Dad's car is bigger than your Dad's," and "My Mom is smarter than yours." They particularly like to boast about their families. There were three little boys, Harry, Ted and Gavin, who were always boasting. Gavin was the worst. Everything about his family was always the best or the biggest or the most expensive. Whatever the others said, he could always go on better. One day when they were walking to school, Harry said, "My father had a bath twice a week," Ted spoke next. "That's nothing," he said. "Having a bath twice a week is dirty. My father has a bath every day, sometimes twice a day." Ted looked at Gavin. Now it was his turn. But what could he say? "This time," Ted thought, "I'm going to win." Gavin didn't know what to say. He couldn't say that his father had a bath three times a day. That was silly. He walked on in silence. Ted smiled at Harry, and Harry smiled back. They were sure that for once they had beaten Gavin. They reached the school gates. Still Gavin said nothing. "We've won," Ted said to Harry, but he spoke too soon. On the way home, Gavin said, "My Dad is so clean that he doesn't have to bathe at all."

1. What does it say children on the playground are always doing?

Numbered answers:

A:
1. boasting