question: The concept of Germany as a distinct region in central Europe can be traced to Roman commander Julius Caesar, who referred to the unconquered area east of the Rhine as "Germania", thus distinguishing it from Gaul (France), which he had conquered. The victory of the Germanic tribes in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest (AD 9) prevented annexation by the Roman Empire, although the Roman provinces of Germania Superior and Germania Inferior were established along the Rhine. Following the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Franks conquered the other West Germanic tribes. When the Frankish Empire was divided among Charlemagne's heirs in 843, the eastern part became East Francia. In 962, Otto I became the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, the medieval German state.

In the High Middle Ages, the regional dukes, princes and bishops gained power at the expense of the emperors. Martin Luther led the Protestant Reformation against the Catholic Church after 1517, as the northern states became Protestant, while the southern states remained Catholic. The two parts of the Holy Roman Empire clashed in the Thirty Years' War (16181648), which was ruinous to the twenty million civilians living in both parts. The Thirty Years' War brought tremendous destruction to Germany; more than 1/4 of the population and 1/2 of the male population in the German states were killed by the catastrophic war. 1648 marked the effective end of the Holy Roman Empire and the beginning of the modern nation-state system, with Germany divided into numerous independent states, such as Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony.
1. when was the Frankish empire divided among Charlemange's heirs?
2. where did the two parts of the holy roman empire clash?
3. when did that happen?
4. what did it mark the end of?
5. how was germany divided after that?
6. how far back can the concept of Germany be traced?
7. what did he refer to the area as?
8. is it different than Gaul?
9. list some of the independent German states
10. are there any others?
11. what?
12. what battle prevented annexation of the Germanic tribes
13. when did it happen?
14. who was the first emperor of the holy roman empire?
15. what year?
16. who led the Protestant reformation?
17. did the norhtern states remain catholic?
18. did the southern states?
19. what country was destroyed in the 30 years war?
20. how much of the male population died?
****
answer: 1. 843
2. Thirty Years' War
3. 16181648
4. Holy Roman Empire
5. numerous independent states
6. to Julius Caesar
7. Germania
8. yes
9. Prussia & Bavaria
10. yes
11. Saxony
12. Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
13. AD 9
14. Otto I
15. 962
16. Luther
17. no
18. yes
19. Germany
20. 1/2

question: Valentine's Day was coming. Helen felt hurt and lonely because this was her first Valentine's Day after the divorce .

Helen's twelve-year-old son, Jack, looked at his mother, knowing that this was a difficult time for both of them. In order to make his mother happy, he prepared a present, and handed it to her on Valentine's Day.

It was a beautiful gift package .Helen couldn't believe what was happening. She opened it and took out a lovely card and a small box.

"Now," he said, "read the card." It read as follows:

"I know that this isn't easy for you because it has been a hard year for both of us. I know that Valentine's Day is a special day for people in love. I want you to know that I love you. I know that Valentines are supposed to get chocolate. I went to the store today to buy some for you. Luckily, I got the last piece. I told the clerk it was just perfect."

Helen stood there for a moment and looked at her son. Her eyes sparkled in the light as tears formed in each corner. Jack knew he had done the right thing. Slowly she opened the small box, careful not to tear the paper. She would never forget the moment. She found a chocolate heart that was broken into pieces along with a note:

"I am so sorry that Dad left us, Mom. And all you were left with was a broken heart. But I just want you to know we still have each other.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Your son,

Jack"
1. What holiday was coming?
2. Why was Helen sad about Valentine's Day?
3. What did Jack get his mom for Valentine's Day?
4. What was the present made out of?
****
answer: 1. Valentine's Day
2. She felt hurt.
3. A present.
4. A card

question: When Steve Maxwell graduated from college, he had an engineering degree and a high tech job -- but he couldn't balance his checkbook. "I took one finance class in college but dropped it to go on a ski trip," says the 45-year-old father of three, who lives in Windsor, Colorado. "I actually had to go to my bank and ask them to teach me how to read my statement."

One of the biggest obstacles to making money is not understanding it: Thousands of us avoid investing because we just don't get it. But to make money, you must be financially literate. "It bothered me that I didn't understand this stuff," says Steve, "so I read books and magazines about money management and investing, and I asked every financial whiz I knew to explain things to me."

He and his wife started applying the lessons: They made a point to _ . They never bought on impulse, always negotiated better deals (on their cars,cable bills, furniture) and stayed in their home long after they went for an expensive vacation. They also put 20 percent of their annual salary into investments.

Within ten years, they were millionaires, and people were coming to Steve for advice. "Someone would say, 'I need to refinance my house -- what should I do? 'A lot of times, I wouldn't know the answer, but I'd go to find it and learn something in the process," he says.

In 2003, Steve quit his job to become part owner of a company that holds personal finance seminars for employees of corporations like Wal Mart. He also started going to real estate investment seminars, and it's paid off: He now owns $ 30 million worth of investment properties, including apartment complexes, a shopping mall and a quarry.

"I was an engineer who never thought this life was possible, but all it truly takes is a little self education," says Steve. "You can do anything once you understand the basics."
1. What was Steve an expert at?
2. What did he major in during collecge?
3. Did he graduate?
4. How many chrildren does he have?
****
answer:
1. engineering
2. engineering
3. yes
4. three