In this task, you will be presented with a passage and have to answer a question based on your understanding of the events inferred from the passage. Try to find the best answer that is most likely to fill in "_". Note that the URLs in the text have been replaced with [Link].

[Q]: (CNN) Fifteen years ago today, on September 11, 2001, members of the Air National Guard leapt into action -- scrambling F-16s, putting their lives at risk, and serving as the vanguard between our country and its enemies. This should come as no surprise. The first American militia, founded in 1636, consistently lives up to the motto "Always Ready, Always There." And while most Americans are aware of the National Guard's valiant contributions on domestic missions -- its effective and rapid response to hurricanes, wildfires and floods -- perhaps the most significant contribution the Guard makes is on the battlefield. Indeed, the National Guard provides a critical link between local communities and American national security.Wendy Anderson: National Guard is more than simply a critical component of our nation's fighting forceIt is also the connective tissue bridging the civil-military divide, she says 
 Question:At 42.6% of the total selected reserve, the Army National Guard represents both the largest segment of the nation's "citizen soldiers," but also a diverse cross section of the _ who serve, and whose families serve alongside them.
[A]: American


[Q]: Editor's note: Angelo Falcón, a political scientist, is president of the National Institute for Latino Policy, a nonprofit think tank on issues affecting the Latino community. He is co-editor of "Boricuas in Gotham: Puerto Ricans in the Making of Modern New York," and author of the "Atlas of Stateside Puerto Ricans." Angelo Falcón says Sonia Sotomayor's identification as a Puerto Rican has caused her joy and a little grief. NEW YORK (CNN) -- The nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States has raised the profile of Puerto Ricans in the American consciousness.Angelo Falcón: Sonia Sotomayor is part of New York's large Puerto Rican communityHe says Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship in 1917He says Puerto Ricans in the states outnumber those on the islandFalcón: Sotomayor's ethnic heritage is throughly American 
 Question:And it appears _ living stateside are as divided on this question as those in Puerto Rico.
[A]: Boricuas


[Q]: Tokyo (CNN) Japan's much-loved Emperor Akihito will stand down on April 30, 2019, becoming the first Japanese monarch to abdicate his post in two centuries. The decision was made at a meeting of the Imperial House Council and announced by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday. Crown Prince Naruhito, who has already assumed some of his father's duties, will take on the role on May 1, 2019, becoming the 126th Emperor to ascend to Japan's Chrysanthemum Throne. "I will do my upmost to ensure that the Emperor's abdication and the ascension of the Crown Prince will proceed smoothly with the blessing of all of our citizens," Abe said.Akihito hinted at his wish to retire in a rare public speech delivered in 2016The emperor will be succeed by his son, Naruhito, on May 1, 2019 
 Question:In general, _'s monarch is not allowed to step down under Japan's legal framework.
[A]:
Japan