Take a look at the sentence again:
Given 1,000 dollars as a graduation gift, Kris
wavered between putting the money toward a new computer or going to Germany
to visit his sister, finally Fräuleins and beer won out over modems and
megabytes.
Given 1,000 dollars as a graduation gift is a past participle phrase. A past participle phrase will begin with a past participle like given and must be connected to a main clause. Kris wavered ... begins the necessary main clause. When a participle phrase introduces a main clause, you need a comma between the two.
Go back to the sentence to try again.