input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. CHAPTER IX 

A DOSE OF TAR AND FEATHERS 

"Make some kind of a light--I can't see a thing," said Dan Baxter, as the little party came to a halt in front of a half tumbled down building. 

Stumpy Nuggs carried matches, and quickly lit a bit of candle which he produced from one of the pockets of his ragged attire. 

They entered the dwelling, forcing Tom to accompany them. This done they tied the young cadet fast to an iron ring set in the huge old fashion fireplace. 

"Now we'll turn out his pockets," said Longback, and this was quickly done. To the tramps' chagrin Tom carried no watch, but had with him two dollars in money. 

"Now we'll take dat ring," said Nuggs, pointing to the article on Tom's little finger. 

"So I have fallen in with a lot of thieves, eh?" said the boy. "Well, if you want the ring you can fight for it." 

"Shut up!" roared Dan Baxter, and struck him across the mouth, causing Tom's under lip to bleed. The boy tried to retaliate, but his bonds held him fast. 

While one tramp held his hand the other possessed himself of the ring. The ring contained an opal of which Tom was very proud, and to part with the article made the young cadet feel pretty bad. 

"You will rue this night's work," he muttered. "I'll see you in prison for it." 

"Don't waste your breath in threatening," cried Baxter. 

"All right, Baxter, wait and see. I'll put you where your father is."  1. What did Stumpy carry?
2. What did he do with them?
3. Why he do that?
4. Was he a thief?
5. What did he steal?
6. From who?
7. Was tom an old man?
8. What age is he then?
9. Was he tied up?
10. Did he sustain any injuries?
11. What caused that?
12. Did he escape?
13. Were there any threats?
14. What were they?
numbered_answers: 1. matches
2. lit a candle
3. Make some light said Dan
4. yes
5. ring
6. Tom
7. No
8. unknown
9. Yes
10. his lip bled
11. Dan struck him across the mouth
12. No
13. yes
14. I'll see you in prison

input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. The or is the period between 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when Japanese society was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional daimyō. The period was characterized by economic growth, strict social order, isolationist foreign policies, a stable population, "no more wars", and popular enjoyment of arts and culture. The shogunate was officially established in Edo on March 24, 1603, by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The period came to an end with the Meiji Restoration on May 3, 1868, after the fall of Edo. 

A revolution took place from the time of the Kamakura shogunate, which existed with the Tenno's court, to the Tokugawa, when the "samurai" became the unchallenged rulers in what historian Edwin O. Reischauer called a "centralized feudal" form of shogunate. Instrumental in the rise of the new-existing bakufu was Tokugawa Ieyasu, the main beneficiary of the achievements of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Already powerful, Ieyasu profited by his transfer to the rich Kantō area. He maintained two million "koku" of land, a new headquarters at Edo, a strategically situated castle town (the future Tokyo), and also had an additional two million "koku" of land and thirty-eight vassals under his control. After Hideyoshi's death, Ieyasu moved quickly to seize control from the Toyotomi family. 1. Which shogunate ruled Japan between 1603 and 1868?
2. How many regional daimyo did the country have during that period?
3. Was economic growth good then?
4. Were there many wars then?
5. Did the arts and culture flourish?
6. Who established this period?
7. What was the exact date of it’s establishment?
8. What was the exact date of the demise of it?
9. What city is now located at the place where there was a castle headquarters in Edo?
10. Was the Kamakura shogunate peaceful?
11. Was Ieyasu's transfer to Kantō beneficial to him?
numbered_answers: 1. Tokugawa
2. 300
3. yes
4. none
5. yes
6. Tokugawa Ieyasu
7. March 24, 1603
8. May 3, 1868
9. Tokyo
10. no
11. yes

input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. Tony was riding his bike home from school. Then he saw Cindy riding her bike in front of him. 

Tony yelled, "Hey, Cindy!" Then he rode faster to catch up with her. 

Cindy said, "Tony! Hey! Where are you going?" 

"I'm going to the empty lot on Maple Street to ride my bike. The other kids are going to be there. Do you want to come?" 

"Sure," said Cindy. 

Tony and Cindy rode to Maple Street, to the empty lot. The empty lot did not have a house on it. Instead, it had big hills of dirt, and it had trees cut down on the ground. There was a low part that became a pond after it rained. The lot had been empty for a couple of years, because times were bad and the builder couldn't find a buyer for another house. The kids had ridden their bikes over the hills of dirt, around the cut trees, and through the muddy pond. There were bike trails all over the empty lot. There were even places where the kids could jump their bikes. 

There were three other children riding their bikes at the empty lot when Tony and Cindy arrived: Lana, Billy and Chris. 

Cindy said, "I am calling my mom to let her know that I'm here." 

Tony said, "That's a good idea. Can I use your phone when you're done?" 

Cindy said "Sure! Keep it for now. I'm going to go on the jump path. I was scared to try it last time. I don't want to break my phone if I fall. I'm leaving my backpack here, too." 

"Okay." said Tony. "I'll watch. You'll do good." 1. who was riding their bike?
2. where was he going?
3. from where?
4. who did he see?
5. did he speak to her?
6. what did he say?
7. Did she speak back?
8. what did she say?
9. did they go somewhere together?
10. where?
11. were there others there?
12. how many others?
13. What were their names?
14. what were they doing there?
15. what did Cindy do?
16. did anyone else?
17. who?
18. Who's phone did they use?
19. did he give it back to her?
20. why not?
numbered_answers:
1. Tony
2. home
3. school
4. Cindy
5. yes
6. "Hey, Cindy!
7. yes
8. "Tony! Hey! Where are you going?"
9. yes
10. an empty lot
11. yes
12. Three
13. Lana, Billy and Chris.
14. riding their bikes
15. called her mom
16. yes
17. Tony
18. Cindy's
19. no
20. she was going on the jump path