Chapter 3 — College in Rulevania🎓🏛️

A few years later ⏳, Tom is older now 👨, and he goes to college 🎓 in Rulevania. He thinks college should be easier 🙂, but he is wrong ❌. On the first day, a woman at the door 🚪 says, “College students must wear one bright sock 🧦 on test days 📝. They mustn’t run 🏃 to class. They have to bring a spoon 🥄 to every history lesson 📚. They can use their phones 📱, but only to check the time ⏰. They can’t say, ‘This class is boring.’ 🙅 They should thank the board 🟩 before the lesson starts.” Tom looks around 👀. Every student has a spoon 🥄. Some students have yellow socks 🟨, some have pink socks 🩷, but nobody looks surprised.

Questions for the reader:

1. What must college students wear on test days?

2. What do they have to bring to every history lesson?

3. What can’t they say in class?

Inside the college building 🏢, the rules get even stranger 😵‍💫. In the library 📚, students must walk backwards ↩️ for the last three steps. They mustn’t whisper 🤫 about pizza 🍕 near the science books. In speaking class 🗣️, students have to stand up ⬆️ if they want to disagree. In the cafeteria 🍽️, they can buy tea 🍵, but they can’t buy tea and cake 🍰 together on Fridays. Before exams 📝, students should drink water 💧 and sit quietly 🤐 for one minute. One person says to Tom, “In Rulevania, a good student must respect the rules 📜, but he should also ask good questions ❓.” Tom smiles 🙂. Maybe this strange place can teach him something after all.

Questions for the reader:

1. How must students walk for the last three steps in the library?

2. What can students buy on Fridays, and what can’t they buy together?

3. What two things should a good student do in Rulevania?