Answer:
The more you read the better. If you don't understand some of the words look them up. Good readers usually have a huge range of vocabulary. Skim or scan the text first as well.
Explanation:
Camp Green Lake was once an actual lake, but an extended drought caused the lake to dry up and become a dessert.
In this story, a young woman who is “daughter and wife of a forester” is home alone with her mother. The daughter’s wife is serving in the French army; the father is in town drilling with the local militia. This young woman is strong and unafraid. When half a dozen Germans show up demanding to be fed dinner, she tricks them into her cellar – once, apparently, an underground prison cell – until the local militia can come to take them into custody. The young woman is represented as a fine example of patriotism, courage, and quick wits; the French should be proud of her (and her father certainly is, although it is implied that the leader of the militia is happy to take credit for the capture). The militiamen, however, don’t get an uncritical treatment. I will leave this part spoiler-free, but an unfortunate and avoidable incident highlights that they are less competent than our daughter-and-wife.
The check can represent Mama’s longing for a better life
