If an appliance or computer is being shipped, you might call the customer to be certain it was delivered on time and in good condition and:

That the delivery people were courteous and careful

If the customer really liked the deal you gave him

If the customer has any friends that might like the item

Which of the following items would NOT be an appropriate finishing touch to your service?

Send a postcard thanking a customer for letting you help him select a gift for his wife

Call the customer to make sure he is satisfied with his purchase

Send a handwritten note thanking the customer for his business

Give the customer a business card and encourage him to return to the store

Which of the following are appropriate reasons for following up with a customer?

You finally located an item the customer asked for a while back

You are curious whether a gift your customer purchased was well received

You haven't seen the customer in a long time and are wondering if she is shopping somewhere else now

You want to know why a customer did not make it in for a special sale

Keeping records about customer preferences:

Can help you provide more personalized service to returning customers

Will make customers suspicious of your ability to remember details

Requires an expensive computer system

Which of the following staatements best describes why a client record system is called a "living" record?

You should constantly refer to it and update it with new information

You will spend more time maintaining your records than you do actually serving customers

It should be accessible to anyone who wants to read it

Your business card ro the sales receipt is a good place to make notes for a customer regarding

The date a special order is due

Your work schedule so the customer can contact you in the future

If you do not have business cards, you can help the customer remember you by:

Writing "thank you" on the sales receipt and signing your name

Asking the customer for something on which to write your name and address

Telling the customer how many sales awards you have won

Using your own name often in the conversation

If your company does not supply business cards, you should:

Check to make sure creating your own will not violate company policy

Tell customers your name and phone number and offer them a pen to write it down

Tell customer that they can find the store number in the phone directory

Tell the custome that the company is too cheap to give you business cards

Which of the following are good reasons to ask customers for their business cards?

When customers show interest in an upcoming event and you offer to remind them

So you can build up your client records with names of potential customers

To learn more about them so you can suggest items that you think they can afford

So you can claim these customers as your own and keep co-workers from making sales to them

Showing respect for a customer's business car means you should:

Make some comment to indicate you have read it

Put it in your purse or wallet for safe keeping

Acting as a personal shopper:

Can add interest and challenge to your job.

Does not require any special skills or talents.

Should be avoided since it takes you away from other customers.

When customers enlist you as their personal shopper, they probably should expect:

To save time and effort looking for items themselves

You to be available at all times

When acting as a personal shopper, you should:

Select only items that fit her interests

Choose a wide selection of items from which the customer can choose

Ignore the customer's bad taste and choose the items that you think she should wear

One of the most important skills in being a personal shopper is to:

Listen carefully for clues about the customer's preferences

Always guess correctly at what the customer wants

Convince customers to follow your advice.

If you schedule a personal shopping appointment with a customer, it would be a good idea to:

Keep your appointment book with you at all times so you don't double-book yourself

Set aside some items you think the customer will be interested in

Call and confirm the appointment the day before

Personal shopping services may be appropriate for which of the following customers?

A shopper who asks you to help select gift items for the holidays/A customer who is in a hurry and does not have time to look for specific items

A shopper who says she just wants to browse

A shopper who knows exactly what she wants

Go the Extra Mile | Quizalize

To understand melody in music, think about some music you’re familiar with. If you were asked to hum it, what would that sound like? The part of the music that you’d hum is the melody. It’s the main thread of sound that your brain tracks and holds onto when you’re listening to music. In vocal music, the melody is sung by the lead singer. Other vocalists can provide harmony and instruments can add accompaniment, but the melody is the star of the show.What are the characteristics of melody in music? How do you describe a melody in music? A melody needs to have two things. The first is a sequence of notes, or pitches, which range from high to low. The second is rhythm, which is the timing and duration of each note. These two simple elements can create an incredible variety of combinations. Even though a melody only consists of one note at a time, it can convey so much energy and emotion. Melodies can be fast and sparkly, like “The Flight of the Bumblebee.” They can be slow and majestic, like “Finlandia.” They might be sweeping and graceful, like a Strauss waltz. Or they can be fun and exciting, like your favorite pop tunes that you love to sing along with. Melodies often tell you a lot about where a piece of music comes from. It’s easy to recognize and identify melodies from different folk traditions such as the Japanese folk song “Sakura” or the Irish tune “Star of the County Down.” Learn how to play your favorite melodies on piano, and more! Sign up now. What is melody in music? Here are some examples. Here is the famous melody for the song “Lean on Me” written out on a staff. Notice the way that the notes move up, down, and then repeat. What is melody in music? Example of Lean On Me notes on treble staff. A melody all by itself is great, but music can be even more fun when there’s an accompaniment. Here are a few bars of “Lean on Me” with the accompaniment written out. As you listen to this song, notice how the accompaniment has a very similar rhythm and movement to the melody. Then there’s that one note in the bass line that comes along every measure with its own rhythm, which adds some extra energy and movement to the song. What makes a good melody? When you create a melody, there are four types of movement you can use: Repeat (same note) Step (up or down) Skip (up or down) Leap (up or down) Stepping and repeating are the most common types of melodic motion, and this makes a melody easier to sing. Most “hummable” tunes use steps and repeats almost exclusively. This kind of melody is called conjunct. Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” one of the most famous melodies of all time.Skips and leaps are generally more sparing in melodies, but when thoughtfully placed they can have a powerful emotional impact. Tunes with a lot of leaps are called disjunct. Listen to Sarah Brightman sing All I Ask of You from The Phantom of the Opera starting at 0:39. This is a very disjunct melody, and challenging to sing. Great melodies also incorporate patterns that blend unity, repetition, and contrast. Our ears love patterns, but they also love novelty and growth. A good melody incorporates all of these elements. For example, listen to John William’s “Princess Leia Theme.” Can you hear the repeated pattern in the melody that gradually moves higher as the theme progresses? Now listen to the way it changes and develops into something that fits with what came before but sounds new at the same time. This is some great melodic writing! Can melody exist without rhythm? There is no way for a melody to exist without rhythm. Even if your melody only has one note, that note has a duration, and that’s the rhythm. If your melody has two notes, how long those notes last and how much time passes between hearing them is also a rhythm. A melody in music can often be recognized even when it’s performed with different rhythms. This frequently happens in live performances of pop, rock, and jazz, in which singers typically improvise slight rhythmic differences with each performance. No two renditions are exactly the same, and this constant reinterpretation keeps the music fresh. How to make a melody for a song on piano Creating your own melodies on the piano is easy and fun! There are so many ways you can discover a melody all your own. Here are a few ideas. Get some inspiration from the world around you. What can you hear right now? A clock ticking? A bird song? A car passing by your house? See if you can find some notes on the piano that imitate the sounds you hear. Think of a feeling you’d like to put into a melody. What are some ways you could make a string of notes sound happy, sad, angry, or maybe just thoughtful. Choose a line from a poem you like, or write your own. Read it out loud and put some feeling into it. Did your voice rise and fall in pitch as you were reading? Now go to the piano, start on any note you like, and try to imitate what happened when you read. Go up when your voice naturally went up, go down when your voice naturally went down. How did that sound? Now you have the perfect melody to go with those words. Too many keys on the piano? The truth is, most melodies use only a limited number of different notes. Try creating a melody using only the black keys. These form what’s called a pentatonic scale. It’s used in a lot of folk music traditions around the world and can be a great place to start if you want to create your own melodies. Remember, when you create your melody, keep it simple. Use repeated notes and steps, but add a few skips to keep things interesting. One tip about leaps: when you do put in a big leap, try doubling back and filling in the empty space you leaped over. This keeps the melody self-contained and easier to sing. Also, see if you can use the same patterns of notes and rhythms to give the melody unity, but also change those patterns to give it variety. There is no right or wrong way to create your own music. Keep trying combinations of notes and rhythms until you find something that you like. How many bars and notes are in a melody? Many types of music tend to have a prescribed number of bars, or measures. This will vary widely between different genres, and creates an overall sense of musical structure. If you’re writing a pop song, a verse will usually have between eight and sixteen bars. The prechorus that follows often has just four bars, and this “foreshortening” creates a sense of acceleration, driving the listener toward the chorus. The number of notes can also vary widely. A melody in music needs at least two notes, and a long and complex one can have hundreds or even thousands of notes. What is a countermelody in music? How many melodies should a song have? A counter melody is a melodic line that interacts with the primary melody as an independent but supportive voice. A great example of this is the song “We Don’t Talk about Bruno.” Each character sings their own melody during the piece, but these melodies all combine at the end as countermelodies. This produces a musical texture known as counterpoint. The same thing happens in “One Day More” from Les Miserables. The different melodies are first sung separately, but end up being combined in a splendid, complex texture that leads the music to its thrilling conclusion. The difference between a countermelody and regular harmony is that harmony usually supports the rhythms of the melody. A countermelody will move more independently, with different rhythms from those of the melody, and will often sound “melodic” when sung or played all by itself. A melodic song should have one main melody. This is the part that the lead voice sings. It’s usually in the spotlight, and will be the most memorable part of the music. Anything else is either harmony, countermelody, or accompaniment. Does all music have to have a melody? A piece of music doesn’t have to have a melody. There are many different kinds of music without melody. For example, a lot of music played on percussion instruments won’t have a melody. Listen to this example of Tahitian drumming. This is some great music, exciting and fun to listen to, but you’d have a hard time humming it. It’s music, but it doesn’t have a melody. Rap music is another style of music where there doesn’t have to be a melody. In rap, words are chanted rather than sung. The performer will raise and lower the pitch of their voice for emphasis, but it’s the rhythm of the words that creates most of the music. Music can even lack any melody, at least in some sections. Listen to the opening chords of “Duel of the Fates.” This choral passage is all about harmony, with little rhythmic variance or sense of melody. But it makes an effective contrast with the next section, which is bustling with rapid instrumental melodies. In some pieces, there are multiple melodic lines but there is no one main melody. When music is made up of equally important countermelodies, it creates a contrapuntal texture. Baroque composer J.S. Bach was one of the greatest masters of this style, such as in his Little Fugue in G minor. It starts with a single melodic line, the subject, but then a countermelody is added, and then more and more until several melodic lines are playing together. It’s fun to listen to, but once all the countermelodies are playing together it becomes hard to decide which part to hum along with! You’ll also hear a lot of counterpoint in jazz music, in which the different instruments are all playing together and improvising their own melodies that combine to create a rich, thick musical texture. Experience the wonder of melody in music! Whether you’re humming your favorite tune, or creating a new song all your own, melody is a memorable, shareable part of music. Enrich your music experience by being aware of, listening for, and enjoying the melodies all around you.

Check reading comprehension of the following text:Last weekend was one of the most exciting weekends of my life. My friends and I decided to go on a hiking trip to the nearby forest. We started early in the morning, and as we walked, we chatted and laughed, enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful scenery. The sun was shining, and the birds were singing, and we felt free and adventurous. We were wearing comfortable shoes and carried backpacks with snacks and water. As we walked deeper into the forest, we suddenly heard a rustling sound in the bushes. We stopped and listened, and soon enough, a small black bear emerged from the trees. We froze, not knowing what to do, but our guide quickly instructed us to stay still and not to make any sudden movements. The bear seemed to be curious and sniffed around us, but eventually wandered off back into the forest. After the encounter with the bear, we were a bit shaken but also excited. We continued our hike, keeping a closer eye on our surroundings and being extra cautious. We talked about the bear encounter for the rest of the trip, and it became a story to tell to our friends and family back home. Even though it was a scary moment, it made the adventure even more memorable.

The Compound Book Quiz - 6th Grade Reading Comprehension 1. What is the name of the main character in "The Compound"? A. Eli Yanakakis B. Marcus Yanakakis C. Luke Yanakakis D. Rex Yanakakis 2. Where do Eli and his family go to escape? A. A mountain cabin B. An underground compound C. A secret island D. A military base 3. Who built the compound? A. The government B. Eli's grandfather C. Eli's father D. A mysterious organization 4. How long was the family supposed to stay in the compound? A. 6 months B. 15 years C. 10 years D. 1 year 5. Which family member supposedly didn't make it into the compound? A. Eli's mother B. Eli's twin brother Eddy C. Eli's younger sister D. Eli's father 6. What does Eli's father tell the family happened outside? A. An earthquake B. A terrorist attack C. A nuclear war D. A deadly virus 7. What unusual food source does Eli's father plan to use in the compound? A. Artificial meat B. Insects C. Supplements only D. A special protein formula 8. How does Eli spend most of his time in the compound? A. Reading books B. Playing video games C. Exercising D. Isolating himself 9. What discovery does Eli make that makes him suspicious? A. Hidden cameras B. A working internet connection C. Secret passages D. Extra food supplies 10. What is the name of Eli's youngest sister born in the compound? A. Lexie B. Quinn C. Terese D. Lucy 11. What hobby does Eli take up to cope with his time underground? A. Painting B. Writing C. Playing music D. Cooking 12. What does Eli find in his father's private office? A. Family photos B. A radio C. A computer D. Survival guides 13. What makes Eli realize his father might be lying? A. Found newspapers B. Working internet C. Phone signals D. Television broadcasts 14. Who helps Eli discover the truth about the compound? A. His mother B. His sister C. The supplements supplier D. His grandmother 15. What is revealed about Eddy? A. He died in an accident B. He's living with relatives C. He's alive outside D. He never existed 16. What does Eli's father do when confronted with the truth? A. Confesses immediately B. Threatens the family C. Tries to escape D. Denies everything 17. How do they eventually escape the compound? A. Through air vents B. Using explosives C. With outside help D. Through emergency exit 18. What was Eli's father's true motivation for building the compound? A. Protection from war B. A psychological experiment C. Financial gain D. Government orders 19. How many years have they actually been in the compound when they escape? A. 6 years B. 3 years C. 15 years D. 9 years 20. What happens to Eli's relationship with his twin after the escape? A. They become close again B. They remain estranged C. They never meet D. They become rivals ANSWER KEY A B C B B C D D B A C C B B C B C B A A

The endoplasmic reticulum (EN-doh-PLAZ-mik ri-TIK-yuh-luhm), abbre- viated ER, is a system of membranous tubes and sacs, called cisternae (sis-TUHR-nee). The ER functions primarily as an intracellu- lar highway, a path along which molecules move from one part of the cell to another. The amount of ER inside a cell fluctuates, depending on the cell’s activity. There are two types of ER: rough and smooth. The two types of ER are thought to be continuous. Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum The rough endoplasmic reticulum is a system of interconnected, flattened sacs covered with ribosomes, as shown in Figure 4-15. The rough ER produces phospholipids and proteins. Certain types of proteins are made on the rough ER’s ribosomes. These proteins are later exported from the cell or inserted into one of the cell’s own membranes. For example, ribosomes on the rough ER make digestive enzymes, which accumulate inside the endoplasmic retic- ulum. Little sacs or vesicles then pinch off from the ends of the rough ER and store the digestive enzymes until they are released from the cell. Rough ER is most abundant in cells that produce large amounts of protein for export, such as cells in digestive glands and antibody-producing cells. Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum The smooth ER lacks ribosomes and thus has a smooth appear- ance. Most cells contain very little smooth ER. Smooth ER builds lipids such as cholesterol. In the ovaries and testes, smooth ER produces the steroid hormones estrogen and testosterone. In skeletal and heart muscle cells, smooth ER releases calcium, which stimulates contraction. Smooth ER is also abundant in liver and kidney cells, where it helps detoxify drugs and poisons. Long-term abuse of alcohol and other drugs causes these cells to produce more smooth ER. Increased amounts of smooth ER in liver cells is one of the factors that can lead to drug tolerance. As Figure 4-15 shows, rough ER and smooth ER form an interconnected network. Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. reticulum from the Latin rete, meaning “net”; reticulum means “little net” Word Roots and Origins The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) serves as a site of synthesis for proteins, lipids, and other materials. The dark lines in the photo represent the membranes of the ER, and the narrow lighter areas between the dark lines show the channels and spaces (cisternae) inside the ER. FIGURE 4-15 Smooth ER Ribosomes Rough ER Cisternae 82 CHAPTER 4 GOLGI APPARATUS The Golgi apparatus, shown in Figure 4-16, is another system of flattened, membranous sacs. The sacs nearest the nucleus receive vesicles from the ER containing newly made proteins or lipids. Vesicles travel from one part of the Golgi apparatus to the next and transport substances as they go. The stacked membranes modify the vesicle contents as they move along. The proteins get “address labels” that direct them to various other parts of the cell. During this modification, the Golgi apparatus can add carbohydrate labels to proteins or alter new lipids in various ways. VESICLES Cells contain several types of vesicles, which perform various roles. Vesicles are small, spherically shaped sacs that are surrounded by a single membrane and that are classified by their contents. Vesicles often migrate to and merge with the plasma membrane. As they do, they release their contents to the outside of the cell. Lysosomes Lysosomes (LIE-suh-SOHMZ) are vesicles that bud from the Golgi appa- ratus and that contain digestive enzymes. These enzymes can break down large molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, car- bohydrates, and phospholipids. In the liver, lysosomes break down glycogen in order to release glucose into the bloodstream. Certain white blood cells use lysosomes to break down bacteria. Within a cell, lysosomes digest worn-out organelles in a process called autophagy (aw-TAHF-uh-jee). Lysosomes are also responsible for breaking down cells when it is time for the cells to die. The digestion of damaged or extra cells by the enzymes of their own lysosomes is called autolysis (aw-TAHL-uh-sis). Lysosomes play a very important role in maintaining an organism’s health by destroying cells that are no longer functioning properly. Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. The Golgi apparatus modifies many cellular products and prepares them for export. FIGURE 4-16 CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION 83 Peroxisomes Peroxisomes are similar to lysosomes but contain different enzymes and are not produced by the Golgi apparatus. Peroxisomes are abundant in liver and kidney cells, where they neutralize free radicals (oxygen ions that can damage cells) and detoxify alcohol and other drugs. Peroxisomes are named for the hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, they produce when breaking down alco- hol and killing bacteria. Peroxisomes also break down fatty acids, which the mitochondria can then use as an energy source. Other Vesicles Specialized peroxisomes, called glyoxysomes, can be found in the seeds of some plants. They break down stored fats to provide energy for the developing plant embryo. Some cells engulf material by surrounding it with plasma membrane. The resulting pocket buds off to become a vesicle inside the cell. This vesicle is called an endosome. Lysosomes fuse with endosomes and digest the engulfed material. Food vacuoles are vesicles that store nutrients for a cell. Contractile vacuoles are vesicles that can contract and dispose of excess water inside a cell. Protein Synthesis One of the major functions of a cell is the production of protein. The path some proteins take from synthesis to export can be seen in Figure 4-17. In step , proteins are assembled by ribosomes on the rough ER. Then, in step , vesicles transport proteins to the Golgi apparatus. In step , the Golgi modifies proteins and pack- ages them in new vesicles. In step , vesicles release proteins that have destinations outside the cell. In step , vesicles containing enzymes remain inside the cell as lysosomes, peroxisomes, endo- somes, or other types of vesicles. 5 4 3 2 1 Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. Proteins are assembled by ribosomes on the rough ER. Vesicles carry proteins from the rough ER to the Golgi apparatus. Proteins are modified in the Golgi apparatus and enter new vesicles. Some vesicles release their proteins outside the cell. Other vesicles remain in the cell and become lysosomes and other vesicles. Nucleus

Create questions based on the following text Not long ago, I grabbed breakfast at a hotel in southern Spain. The only cereal available was a local version of frosted corn flakes, so I readied myself to enjoy a bowl of my childhood favorite. But my sweet indulgence wasn't what I'd expected: The cereal milk was heated — apparently standard in this part of Spain — and my poor frosted flakes immediately turned to mush. Not so grrrrrrreat. Soggy flakes or not, I find breakfast to be a fun part of my travel day, especially because the experience varies so much from one country's breakfast table to the next. The farther north you go in Europe, the heartier the breakfasts. The heaviest is the traditional British "fry." Also known as a "Plate of Cardiac Arrest," the fry is a fundamental part of the bed-and-breakfast experience, and is generally included in your room price. A standard fry comes with cereal or porridge, a fried egg, Canadian-style bacon or sausage (and sometimes mackerel or haggis), a grilled tomato, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, and fried bread or toast. This protein-stuffed meal can tide me over until dinner. You'll quickly figure out which parts of the fry you like. Your host will likely ask you up front which breakfast items you actually like, rather than serve you the whole shebang and risk having to throw out uneaten food. The Scandinavian breakfasts buffet is the perennial favorite for the "most food on the table" award. It pays to take advantage of breakfast smorgasbords when you can. For about $20 (a cheap meal in these parts), you can dig into an all-you-can-eat extravaganza of fresh bread, cheeses, yogurt, cereal, boiled eggs, herring, cold cuts, and coffee or tea. In place of cereal and milk, Scandinavians like to pour thick yogurt over their granola. Throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and most points east of there, expect a more modest buffet — but still plenty of options (rolls, bread, jam, cold cuts, cheeses, fruit, yogurt, and cereal). In these countries, there's a good chance of finding hard-boiled eggs, but scrambled or fried eggs are relatively rare. In Poland, track down jajecznica, the local wake-up call of eggs scrambled with kielbasa sausage, served with a side of potato pancakes. The breakfast of choice in Russia is oladi, pancakes perfectly fried to be crisp on the outside but soft in the middle, then topped with sour cream, honey, or berries. Germans have an endearing habit of greeting others in the breakfast room with a slow and dour "Morgen" ("Morning" — short for "good morning"), though they have plenty to be happy about. Breakfast is usually included, and offers hearty fuel for the day: ham, eggs, cheese, bread, rolls, and pots of coffee. In Switzerland, don't miss an opportunity to try Bircher Muesli, a healthful mix of oats, nuts, yogurt, and fruit that tastes far more delicious than it looks. If breakfast is optional, take a walk to the nearest bakery — every German, Austrian, and Swiss town has at least a few bakeries offering a world of enticing varieties of bread and pastries, baked fresh every morning. As you move south and west (France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal), skimpier "continental" breakfasts are the norm. You'll mostly likely get a roll with marmalade or jam, occasionally a slice of ham or cheese, and coffee or tea. The good news? These little breakfasts compel you to sample regional favorites: In Spain, look for chocolate con churros (fritters served with a thick, warm chocolate drink), pan con tomate (a toasted baguette rubbed with fresh garlic and ripe tomato), or a tortilla española (a hearty slice of potato omelet). Italian breakfasts are particularly tiny, but the delicious red orange juice you get is made from Sicilian blood oranges. And you can buy a delightful toasted sandwich from a corner bar anywhere, anytime in Italy to make up for the minuscule breakfast. In France, locals just grab a warm croissant and coffee on the way to work. Queue up with the French and consider the yummy options: croissants studded with raisins, packed with crushed almonds, or filled with chocolate or cream. If you expect breakfast to be too sparse, plan ahead to supplement it with a piece of fruit and a wrapped chunk of cheese from a local market. Being a juice man, I keep a liter box of OJ in my room for a morning eye-opener. Coffee drinkers know that breakfast is the only cheap time to caffeinate yourself. Some hotels will serve you a bottomless cup of a rich brew only with breakfast. After that, the cups acquire bottoms and refills will cost you. Juice is generally available at breakfast, but in Mediterranean countries, you have to ask…and you'll probably be charged. In many countries, breakfast is included in your hotel bill, though if you make prior arrangements with the hotelier, you may be able to skip breakfast and pay a lower price for the room. If breakfast costs extra, it's often optional, and you can usually save money and gain atmosphere by buying coffee and a roll or croissant at the café down the street or by brunching picnic-style in the park. When deciding whether to request breakfast, consider your timing; if you need to get an early start, skip the breakfast — few hotel breakfasts are worth waiting around for. Come to the European breakfast table with an adventurous spirit. I'm a big-breakfast traditionalist at home, but when I feel the urge for an American breakfast in Europe, I beat it to death with a hard roll.

Not long ago, I grabbed breakfast at a hotel in southern Spain. The only cereal available was a local version of frosted corn flakes, so I readied myself to enjoy a bowl of my childhood favorite. But my sweet indulgence wasn't what I'd expected: The cereal milk was heated — apparently standard in this part of Spain — and my poor frosted flakes immediately turned to mush. Not so grrrrrrreat. Soggy flakes or not, I find breakfast to be a fun part of my travel day, especially because the experience varies so much from one country's breakfast table to the next. The farther north you go in Europe, the heartier the breakfasts. The heaviest is the traditional British "fry." Also known as a "Plate of Cardiac Arrest," the fry is a fundamental part of the bed-and-breakfast experience, and is generally included in your room price. A standard fry comes with cereal or porridge, a fried egg, Canadian-style bacon or sausage (and sometimes mackerel or haggis), a grilled tomato, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, and fried bread or toast. This protein-stuffed meal can tide me over until dinner. You'll quickly figure out which parts of the fry you like. Your host will likely ask you up front which breakfast items you actually like, rather than serve you the whole shebang and risk having to throw out uneaten food. The Scandinavian breakfasts buffet is the perennial favorite for the "most food on the table" award. It pays to take advantage of breakfast smorgasbords when you can. For about $20 (a cheap meal in these parts), you can dig into an all-you-can-eat extravaganza of fresh bread, cheeses, yogurt, cereal, boiled eggs, herring, cold cuts, and coffee or tea. In place of cereal and milk, Scandinavians like to pour thick yogurt over their granola. Throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and most points east of there, expect a more modest buffet — but still plenty of options (rolls, bread, jam, cold cuts, cheeses, fruit, yogurt, and cereal). In these countries, there's a good chance of finding hard-boiled eggs, but scrambled or fried eggs are relatively rare. In Poland, track down jajecznica, the local wake-up call of eggs scrambled with kielbasa sausage, served with a side of potato pancakes. The breakfast of choice in Russia is oladi, pancakes perfectly fried to be crisp on the outside but soft in the middle, then topped with sour cream, honey, or berries. Germans have an endearing habit of greeting others in the breakfast room with a slow and dour "Morgen" ("Morning" — short for "good morning"), though they have plenty to be happy about. Breakfast is usually included, and offers hearty fuel for the day: ham, eggs, cheese, bread, rolls, and pots of coffee. In Switzerland, don't miss an opportunity to try Bircher Muesli, a healthful mix of oats, nuts, yogurt, and fruit that tastes far more delicious than it looks. If breakfast is optional, take a walk to the nearest bakery — every German, Austrian, and Swiss town has at least a few bakeries offering a world of enticing varieties of bread and pastries, baked fresh every morning. As you move south and west (France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal), skimpier "continental" breakfasts are the norm. You'll mostly likely get a roll with marmalade or jam, occasionally a slice of ham or cheese, and coffee or tea. The good news? These little breakfasts compel you to sample regional favorites: In Spain, look for chocolate con churros (fritters served with a thick, warm chocolate drink), pan con tomate (a toasted baguette rubbed with fresh garlic and ripe tomato), or a tortilla española (a hearty slice of potato omelet). Italian breakfasts are particularly tiny, but the delicious red orange juice you get is made from Sicilian blood oranges. And you can buy a delightful toasted sandwich from a corner bar anywhere, anytime in Italy to make up for the minuscule breakfast. In France, locals just grab a warm croissant and coffee on the way to work. Queue up with the French and consider the yummy options: croissants studded with raisins, packed with crushed almonds, or filled with chocolate or cream. If you expect breakfast to be too sparse, plan ahead to supplement it with a piece of fruit and a wrapped chunk of cheese from a local market. Being a juice man, I keep a liter box of OJ in my room for a morning eye-opener. Coffee drinkers know that breakfast is the only cheap time to caffeinate yourself. Some hotels will serve you a bottomless cup of a rich brew only with breakfast. After that, the cups acquire bottoms and refills will cost you. Juice is generally available at breakfast, but in Mediterranean countries, you have to ask…and you'll probably be charged. In many countries, breakfast is included in your hotel bill, though if you make prior arrangements with the hotelier, you may be able to skip breakfast and pay a lower price for the room. If breakfast costs extra, it's often optional, and you can usually save money and gain atmosphere by buying coffee and a roll or croissant at the café down the street or by brunching picnic-style in the park. When deciding whether to request breakfast, consider your timing; if you need to get an early start, skip the breakfast — few hotel breakfasts are worth waiting around for. Come to the European breakfast table with an adventurous spirit. I'm a big-breakfast traditionalist at home, but when I feel the urge for an American breakfast in Europe, I beat it to death with a hard roll. Can you make 5 questions based on the text

Go for the heart

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