def readin_whole_file(filename:str) -> str:
    """ reads in a whole file as a single string

    Args:
      filename: name of file to read

    Returns
      file contents (str)

    Raises:
      None
    """

    with open( filename, 'r') as fh:
        lines = "".join(fh.readlines())
        fh.close()

    return lines