def read_connector(connector, mode):
    """
    Called by loanpy.qfysc.Qfy.__init__

    :param connector: An iterable that defines the two symbols that connect \
the words on the left and the right side of the etymology when adapting \
vs. reconstructing. If None is passed, \
"<" is used for adapting and \
"<\*" for reconstructing.
    :type connector: iterable of str

    :param mode: the mode to choose the connector for, if "reconstruct", \
then the second element of the iterable will be chosen. If "adapt", the 1st.
    :type mode: "adapt" | "reconstruct"

    :returns: The string that connects the left and right side of an etymology.
    :rtype: str

    :Example:

    >>> from loanpy.qfysc import read_connector
    >>> read_connector(connector=None, mode="adapt")
    "<"
    >>> read_connector(connector=None, mode=None)
    "<"
    >>> read_connector(connector=None, mode="reconstruct")
    "<*"
    >>> read_connector(connector=(" from ", " from *"), mode="reconstruct")
    " from *"
    """

    if connector is None:
        connector = ("<", "<*")
    return connector[1] if mode == "reconstruct" else connector[0]