Q: CHAPTER XXIII

HOLIDAYS AT THE FARM

Almost before they knew it, the mid-winter holidays were at hand, and the Rover boys went home to enjoy Christmas and New Year. On their way they stopped at several stores in Ithaca, where they purchased a number of Christmas presents. Some of these they mailed at the post-office. Dick sent a nice book to Dora, and Tom and Sam sent books to Grace and Nellie. The boys also united in the gift of a stick pin to Mrs. Stanhope and another to Mrs. Laning, and sent Mr. Laning a necktie. Captain Putnam was not forgotten, and they likewise remembered George Strong. The rest of their purchases they took home, for distribution there.

A number of the other students had come as far as Ithaca with them, and here the crowd had dinner at one of the hotels,--the same place where Tom had once played his great joke on Josiah Crabtree.

"By the way, who knows anything about Nick Pell?" asked one of the students, while dining.

"He has been removed to his home in the city," answered George Granbury.

"Is he better?" questioned Dick.

"They say he is better some days, but at other times he is worse. The poison somehow affected his mind."

"What a terrible thing to happen," murmured the eldest Rover, and then shuddered to think what might have ensued had the snake bitten him.

"Any news of Tad Sobber?" asked another cadet. He looked at each of the others, but all shook their heads.

1. Nick Pell
2. to his home
3. George Granbury
4. A snake bit him.
5. no
6. his mind
7. yes
8. urban
9. mid-winter
10. no
11. students
12. the Rover boys
13. in Ithaca
14. to purchase a number of Christmas presents.
15. no
16. yes
17. a necktie
18. Mr. Laning
19. Three
20. no

Numbered questions:
1. What sick person are they talking about?
2. Where had he been taken?
3. According to whom?
4. What had happened to him?
5. Has he fully recovered?
6. What part of him was messed up?
7. Does he ever have good times?
8. Does he live in an urban or rural environment?
9. What time of the year is it?
10. Are the people who are talking businessmen?
11. What then?
12. Who was going home for the holiday?
13. Where did they stop?
14. To do what?
15. Were they the only ones there?
16. Did they buy anyone apparel as a present?
17. What was it?
18. For who?
19. How many people were getting reading material as presents?
20. Did they mail every single thing they bought?

Q: What am I going to wear today? That daily question often wastes us time and causes stress. Some people have many clothes and might still think , "There 's nothing to wear . "But, what if they have only six items of clothing to choose from and wear for an entire month ? That's the idea behind Six Items or Less.

Six Items or Less is a social experiment , a gentle way of saying "no" to fashion consumerism and the high cost of clothing . Heidi Hackemer came up with the idea . She shared their idea with her friends . And all of a sudden , they had almost 100 people from around the world saying that they wanted to take part in this experiment .

It was an interesting month for them . Hackemer was surprised at how few people noticed that she was wearing the same six items the whole month . Having fewer choices reduced stress in her life . " I learned what's really important and what's really worth stressing . I also found that this simplicity exists in other parts of my life . I realized that physical things that we allow into our world , really blocks our mind . And our mind can be quite a powerful and positive thing if we cleared up a little bit ."

Kristy Hogue said the experiment inspired her to reexamine her life . With six items , at first she was really excited and everything was working out perfectly and she never got bored . Then she started to feel a little bored . Then she eventually accepted it and started to be more relaxed .

Alexander was one of the 40 men "sixers". The most difficult part for him was having to wash clothes by hand every day . But the experiment changed his opinion on what makes people happy . "We have many choices for everything . But all those choices don't necessarily lead up to any kind of satisfaction . We are crazy about novelty . In fact , slowing down a little bit and considering your choices a little tightly , actually leads to more time , more happiness and more content .

1. Six Items or Less
2. Heidi Hackemer
3. yes
4. 100
5. few people
6. No
7. man "sixers"
8. 40
9. yes
10. more happiness
11. more content

Numbered questions:
1. loosly, what is this article about?
2. Who came up with the idea?
3. Did others participate with her idea?
4. How many?
5. Did anyone notice?
6. was she stressed?
7. Who is Alexander?
8. How many?
9. Did he have more time?
10. What else did he have more of?
11. What else?