Question: Where was the distant relative of Triceratops found?

Answer: western China

<hl> Paleontologists have discovered a distant relative of Triceratops in western China that lived 160 million years ago. <hl> Named Hualianceratops wucaiwanensis, the plant-eater stood on its hind legs and was about the size of a spaniel. Hualianceratops and another dinosaur from the region, named Yinlong downsi, are the two oldest known ceratopsians, so-called horned dinosaurs, although neither the Hualianceratops nor Yinlong had horns. There were dozens of species of ceratopsians, but Triceratops, which lived in North America about 65 million years ago, is the best known. “These small dinosaurs were related to Triceratops, but very distantly,” said Catherine A. Forster, a paleontologist at George Washington University and one of the team who discovered Hualianceratops. She and her colleagues recovered a partial skull and hind leg, and described their findings in the journal PLOS One.

Paleontologists have discovered a distant relative of Triceratops in <hl> western China <hl> that lived 160 million years ago. Named Hualianceratops wucaiwanensis, the plant-eater stood on its hind legs and was about the size of a spaniel. Hualianceratops and another dinosaur from the region, named Yinlong downsi, are the two oldest known ceratopsians, so-called horned dinosaurs, although neither the Hualianceratops nor Yinlong had horns. There were dozens of species of ceratopsians, but Triceratops, which lived in North America about 65 million years ago, is the best known. “These small dinosaurs were related to Triceratops, but very distantly,” said Catherine A. Forster, a paleontologist at George Washington University and one of the team who discovered Hualianceratops. She and her colleagues recovered a partial skull and hind leg, and described their findings in the journal PLOS One.


Question: How long ago did the Triceratops live in North America?

Paleontologists have discovered a distant relative of Triceratops in western China that lived 160 million years ago. Named Hualianceratops wucaiwanensis, the plant-eater stood on its hind legs and was about the size of a spaniel. Hualianceratops and another dinosaur from the region, named Yinlong downsi, are the two oldest known ceratopsians, so-called horned dinosaurs, although neither the Hualianceratops nor Yinlong had horns. There were dozens of species of ceratopsians, but Triceratops, which lived in North America about 65 million years ago, is the best known. “These small dinosaurs were related to Triceratops, but very distantly,” said Catherine A. Forster, a paleontologist at George Washington University and one of the team who discovered Hualianceratops. She and her colleagues recovered a partial skull and hind leg, and described their findings in the journal PLOS One.

Answer: 65 million years

Paleontologists have discovered a distant relative of Triceratops in western China that lived 160 million years ago. Named Hualianceratops wucaiwanensis, the plant-eater stood on its hind legs and was about the size of a spaniel. Hualianceratops and another dinosaur from the region, named Yinlong downsi, are the two oldest known ceratopsians, so-called horned dinosaurs, although neither the Hualianceratops nor Yinlong had horns. <hl> There were dozens of species of ceratopsians, but Triceratops, which lived in North America about 65 million years ago, is the best known. <hl> “These small dinosaurs were related to Triceratops, but very distantly,” said Catherine A. Forster, a paleontologist at George Washington University and one of the team who discovered Hualianceratops. She and her colleagues recovered a partial skull and hind leg, and described their findings in the journal PLOS One.

Paleontologists have discovered a distant relative of Triceratops in western China that lived 160 million years ago. Named Hualianceratops wucaiwanensis, the plant-eater stood on its hind legs and was about the size of a spaniel. Hualianceratops and another dinosaur from the region, named Yinlong downsi, are the two oldest known ceratopsians, so-called horned dinosaurs, although neither the Hualianceratops nor Yinlong had horns. There were dozens of species of ceratopsians, but Triceratops, which lived in North America about <hl> 65 million years <hl> ago, is the best known. “These small dinosaurs were related to Triceratops, but very distantly,” said Catherine A. Forster, a paleontologist at George Washington University and one of the team who discovered Hualianceratops. She and her colleagues recovered a partial skull and hind leg, and described their findings in the journal PLOS One.


Question: What was the name of the distant relative of the Triceratops that was the size of a spaniel?

Answer: Hualianceratops wucaiwanensis

Paleontologists have discovered a distant relative of Triceratops in western China that lived 160 million years ago. <hl> Named Hualianceratops wucaiwanensis , the plant-eater stood on its hind legs and was about the size of a spaniel. <hl> Hualianceratops and another dinosaur from the region, named Yinlong downsi, are the two oldest known ceratopsians, so-called horned dinosaurs, although neither the Hualianceratops nor Yinlong had horns. There were dozens of species of ceratopsians, but Triceratops, which lived in North America about 65 million years ago, is the best known. “These small dinosaurs were related to Triceratops, but very distantly,” said Catherine A. Forster, a paleontologist at George Washington University and one of the team who discovered Hualianceratops. She and her colleagues recovered a partial skull and hind leg, and described their findings in the journal PLOS One.

Paleontologists have discovered a distant relative of Triceratops in western China that lived 160 million years ago. Named <hl> Hualianceratops wucaiwanensis <hl>, the plant-eater stood on its hind legs and was about the size of a spaniel. Hualianceratops and another dinosaur from the region, named Yinlong downsi, are the two oldest known ceratopsians, so-called horned dinosaurs, although neither the Hualianceratops nor Yinlong had horns. There were dozens of species of ceratopsians, but Triceratops, which lived in North America about 65 million years ago, is the best known. “These small dinosaurs were related to Triceratops, but very distantly,” said Catherine A. Forster, a paleontologist at George Washington University and one of the team who discovered Hualianceratops. She and her colleagues recovered a partial skull and hind leg, and described their findings in the journal PLOS One.

Named <hl> Hualianceratops wucaiwanensis <hl> , the plant-eater stood on its hind legs and was about the size of a spaniel.


Question: What did paleontologist, Catherine A. Forster, and colleagues recover?

Answer: a partial skull and hind leg

Paleontologists have discovered a distant relative of Triceratops in western China that lived 160 million years ago. Named Hualianceratops wucaiwanensis, the plant-eater stood on its hind legs and was about the size of a spaniel. Hualianceratops and another dinosaur from the region, named Yinlong downsi, are the two oldest known ceratopsians, so-called horned dinosaurs, although neither the Hualianceratops nor Yinlong had horns. There were dozens of species of ceratopsians, but Triceratops, which lived in North America about 65 million years ago, is the best known. “These small dinosaurs were related to Triceratops, but very distantly,” said Catherine A. Forster, a paleontologist at George Washington University and one of the team who discovered Hualianceratops. <hl> She and her colleagues recovered a partial skull and hind leg , and described their findings in the journal PLOS One. <hl>

Paleontologists have discovered a distant relative of Triceratops in western China that lived 160 million years ago. Named Hualianceratops wucaiwanensis, the plant-eater stood on its hind legs and was about the size of a spaniel. Hualianceratops and another dinosaur from the region, named Yinlong downsi, are the two oldest known ceratopsians, so-called horned dinosaurs, although neither the Hualianceratops nor Yinlong had horns. There were dozens of species of ceratopsians, but Triceratops, which lived in North America about 65 million years ago, is the best known. “These small dinosaurs were related to Triceratops, but very distantly,” said Catherine A. Forster, a paleontologist at George Washington University and one of the team who discovered Hualianceratops. She and her colleagues recovered <hl> a partial skull and hind leg <hl>, and described their findings in the journal PLOS One.

She and her colleagues recovered <hl> a partial skull and hind leg <hl> , and described their findings in the journal PLOS One.


Question: What is the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences test called?

A federal judge on Friday found that an exam for New York teaching candidates was racially discriminatory because it did not measure skills necessary to do the job, the latest step in a court battle over teacher qualifications that has spanned nearly 20 years. The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the LAST-2, was administered from 2004 through 2012 and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science. But the test was found to fail minority teaching candidates at a higher rate than white candidates. According to Friday’s decision, written by Judge Kimba M. Wood of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the pass rate for African-American and Latino candidates was between 54 percent and 75 percent of the pass rate for white candidates. Once it was established that minority applicants were failing at a disproportionately high rate, the burden shifted to education officials to prove that the skills being tested were necessary to do the job; otherwise, the test would be ruled discriminatory. In creating the test, the company, National Evaluation Systems, sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching. The samples for both surveys were small, however, Judge Wood said. The judge found that National Evaluation Systems, now called Evaluation Systems, part of Pearson Education, went about the process backward.

Answer: LAST-2

A federal judge on Friday found that an exam for New York teaching candidates was racially discriminatory because it did not measure skills necessary to do the job, the latest step in a court battle over teacher qualifications that has spanned nearly 20 years. <hl> The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the LAST-2 , was administered from 2004 through 2012 and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science. <hl> But the test was found to fail minority teaching candidates at a higher rate than white candidates. According to Friday’s decision, written by Judge Kimba M. Wood of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the pass rate for African-American and Latino candidates was between 54 percent and 75 percent of the pass rate for white candidates. Once it was established that minority applicants were failing at a disproportionately high rate, the burden shifted to education officials to prove that the skills being tested were necessary to do the job; otherwise, the test would be ruled discriminatory. In creating the test, the company, National Evaluation Systems, sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching. The samples for both surveys were small, however, Judge Wood said. The judge found that National Evaluation Systems, now called Evaluation Systems, part of Pearson Education, went about the process backward.

A federal judge on Friday found that an exam for New York teaching candidates was racially discriminatory because it did not measure skills necessary to do the job, the latest step in a court battle over teacher qualifications that has spanned nearly 20 years. The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the <hl> LAST-2 <hl>, was administered from 2004 through 2012 and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science. But the test was found to fail minority teaching candidates at a higher rate than white candidates. According to Friday’s decision, written by Judge Kimba M. Wood of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the pass rate for African-American and Latino candidates was between 54 percent and 75 percent of the pass rate for white candidates. Once it was established that minority applicants were failing at a disproportionately high rate, the burden shifted to education officials to prove that the skills being tested were necessary to do the job; otherwise, the test would be ruled discriminatory. In creating the test, the company, National Evaluation Systems, sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching. The samples for both surveys were small, however, Judge Wood said. The judge found that National Evaluation Systems, now called Evaluation Systems, part of Pearson Education, went about the process backward.

The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the <hl> LAST-2 <hl> , was administered from 2004 through 2012 and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science.


Question: What was the last year the LAST-2 was given?

Answer: 2012

A federal judge on Friday found that an exam for New York teaching candidates was racially discriminatory because it did not measure skills necessary to do the job, the latest step in a court battle over teacher qualifications that has spanned nearly 20 years. <hl> The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the LAST-2, was administered from 2004 through 2012 and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science. <hl> But the test was found to fail minority teaching candidates at a higher rate than white candidates. According to Friday’s decision, written by Judge Kimba M. Wood of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the pass rate for African-American and Latino candidates was between 54 percent and 75 percent of the pass rate for white candidates. Once it was established that minority applicants were failing at a disproportionately high rate, the burden shifted to education officials to prove that the skills being tested were necessary to do the job; otherwise, the test would be ruled discriminatory. In creating the test, the company, National Evaluation Systems, sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching. The samples for both surveys were small, however, Judge Wood said. The judge found that National Evaluation Systems, now called Evaluation Systems, part of Pearson Education, went about the process backward.

A federal judge on Friday found that an exam for New York teaching candidates was racially discriminatory because it did not measure skills necessary to do the job, the latest step in a court battle over teacher qualifications that has spanned nearly 20 years. The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the LAST-2, was administered from 2004 through <hl> 2012 <hl> and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science. But the test was found to fail minority teaching candidates at a higher rate than white candidates. According to Friday’s decision, written by Judge Kimba M. Wood of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the pass rate for African-American and Latino candidates was between 54 percent and 75 percent of the pass rate for white candidates. Once it was established that minority applicants were failing at a disproportionately high rate, the burden shifted to education officials to prove that the skills being tested were necessary to do the job; otherwise, the test would be ruled discriminatory. In creating the test, the company, National Evaluation Systems, sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching. The samples for both surveys were small, however, Judge Wood said. The judge found that National Evaluation Systems, now called Evaluation Systems, part of Pearson Education, went about the process backward.


Question: What group of teaching candidates failed the LAST-2 more often?

Answer: African-American and Latino

A federal judge on Friday found that an exam for New York teaching candidates was racially discriminatory because it did not measure skills necessary to do the job, the latest step in a court battle over teacher qualifications that has spanned nearly 20 years. The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the LAST-2, was administered from 2004 through 2012 and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science. But the test was found to fail minority teaching candidates at a higher rate than white candidates. <hl> According to Friday’s decision, written by Judge Kimba M. Wood of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the pass rate for African-American and Latino candidates was between 54 percent and 75 percent of the pass rate for white candidates. <hl> Once it was established that minority applicants were failing at a disproportionately high rate, the burden shifted to education officials to prove that the skills being tested were necessary to do the job; otherwise, the test would be ruled discriminatory. In creating the test, the company, National Evaluation Systems, sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching. The samples for both surveys were small, however, Judge Wood said. The judge found that National Evaluation Systems, now called Evaluation Systems, part of Pearson Education, went about the process backward.

A federal judge on Friday found that an exam for New York teaching candidates was racially discriminatory because it did not measure skills necessary to do the job, the latest step in a court battle over teacher qualifications that has spanned nearly 20 years. The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the LAST-2, was administered from 2004 through 2012 and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science. But the test was found to fail minority teaching candidates at a higher rate than white candidates. According to Friday’s decision, written by Judge Kimba M. Wood of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the pass rate for <hl> African-American and Latino <hl> candidates was between 54 percent and 75 percent of the pass rate for white candidates. Once it was established that minority applicants were failing at a disproportionately high rate, the burden shifted to education officials to prove that the skills being tested were necessary to do the job; otherwise, the test would be ruled discriminatory. In creating the test, the company, National Evaluation Systems, sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching. The samples for both surveys were small, however, Judge Wood said. The judge found that National Evaluation Systems, now called Evaluation Systems, part of Pearson Education, went about the process backward.


Question: What was the average percentage rate white teaching candidates received on the LAST-2?

Answer: 75

A federal judge on Friday found that an exam for New York teaching candidates was racially discriminatory because it did not measure skills necessary to do the job, the latest step in a court battle over teacher qualifications that has spanned nearly 20 years. The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the LAST-2, was administered from 2004 through 2012 and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science. But the test was found to fail minority teaching candidates at a higher rate than white candidates. <hl> According to Friday’s decision, written by Judge Kimba M. Wood of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the pass rate for African-American and Latino candidates was between 54 percent and 75 percent of the pass rate for white candidates. <hl> Once it was established that minority applicants were failing at a disproportionately high rate, the burden shifted to education officials to prove that the skills being tested were necessary to do the job; otherwise, the test would be ruled discriminatory. In creating the test, the company, National Evaluation Systems, sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching. The samples for both surveys were small, however, Judge Wood said. The judge found that National Evaluation Systems, now called Evaluation Systems, part of Pearson Education, went about the process backward.

A federal judge on Friday found that an exam for New York teaching candidates was racially discriminatory because it did not measure skills necessary to do the job, the latest step in a court battle over teacher qualifications that has spanned nearly 20 years. The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the LAST-2, was administered from 2004 through 2012 and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science. But the test was found to fail minority teaching candidates at a higher rate than white candidates. According to Friday’s decision, written by Judge Kimba M. Wood of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the pass rate for African-American and Latino candidates was between 54 percent and <hl> 75 <hl> percent of the pass rate for white candidates. Once it was established that minority applicants were failing at a disproportionately high rate, the burden shifted to education officials to prove that the skills being tested were necessary to do the job; otherwise, the test would be ruled discriminatory. In creating the test, the company, National Evaluation Systems, sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching. The samples for both surveys were small, however, Judge Wood said. The judge found that National Evaluation Systems, now called Evaluation Systems, part of Pearson Education, went about the process backward.


Question: What was the original name of the Evaluation Systems?

Answer: National Evaluation Systems

A federal judge on Friday found that an exam for New York teaching candidates was racially discriminatory because it did not measure skills necessary to do the job, the latest step in a court battle over teacher qualifications that has spanned nearly 20 years. The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the LAST-2, was administered from 2004 through 2012 and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science. But the test was found to fail minority teaching candidates at a higher rate than white candidates. According to Friday’s decision, written by Judge Kimba M. Wood of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the pass rate for African-American and Latino candidates was between 54 percent and 75 percent of the pass rate for white candidates. Once it was established that minority applicants were failing at a disproportionately high rate, the burden shifted to education officials to prove that the skills being tested were necessary to do the job; otherwise, the test would be ruled discriminatory. <hl> In creating the test, the company, National Evaluation Systems , sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching. <hl> The samples for both surveys were small, however, Judge Wood said. The judge found that National Evaluation Systems, now called Evaluation Systems, part of Pearson Education, went about the process backward.

A federal judge on Friday found that an exam for New York teaching candidates was racially discriminatory because it did not measure skills necessary to do the job, the latest step in a court battle over teacher qualifications that has spanned nearly 20 years. The exam, the second incarnation of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, called the LAST-2, was administered from 2004 through 2012 and was designed to test an applicant’s knowledge of liberal arts and science. But the test was found to fail minority teaching candidates at a higher rate than white candidates. According to Friday’s decision, written by Judge Kimba M. Wood of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the pass rate for African-American and Latino candidates was between 54 percent and 75 percent of the pass rate for white candidates. Once it was established that minority applicants were failing at a disproportionately high rate, the burden shifted to education officials to prove that the skills being tested were necessary to do the job; otherwise, the test would be ruled discriminatory. In creating the test, the company, <hl> National Evaluation Systems <hl>, sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching. The samples for both surveys were small, however, Judge Wood said. The judge found that National Evaluation Systems, now called Evaluation Systems, part of Pearson Education, went about the process backward.

In creating the test, the company, <hl> National Evaluation Systems <hl> , sent surveys to educators around New York State to determine if the test’s “content objectives” were relevant and important to teaching.


Question: What is the nationality of Stephane Heuet?

Proust For The People: Almost 100 years after his death, Marcel Proust has finally cracked the best-seller list. Sort of. The French artist Stéphane Heuet’s illustrated interpretation of “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of Proust’s sprawling semiautobiographical novel “In Search of Lost Time,” is at No. 5 in its seventh week on the graphic novel hardcover list. Heuet has been adapting the book since 1988, when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay. Le Figaro called the project “blasphemous” and “catastrophic,” with the critic Hervé de Saint-Hilaire taking special exception to the depiction of the young Marcel (“a formless little boy with idiotic eyes’’). Heuet defended himself, telling The New York Times: “Proust has been kept in a ghetto of snobs as a sort of precious gold and diamond object. For me, any effort to democratize Proust is valid.” And, as it happens, lucrative. Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in three weeks. Of course, comics play a surprisingly large and vital role in French publishing. According to Publishers Weekly, graphic novel sales in France have been put at about $458 million, and they make up about 12.5 percent of all books published, compared with about 3 percent in America. And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and Arthur Goldhammer, the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing. “Stéphane Heuet and I have tried to preserve the ‘flavor’ of Proust . . . his ‘fragrance’ — as un menu de dégustation, or tasting menu, tries to give a full sampling of the dishes in the repertoire of a great chef,” Goldhammer writes in the preface. “Those who find the taste to their liking will want to return often to savor fuller portions.”

Answer: French

Proust For The People: Almost 100 years after his death, Marcel Proust has finally cracked the best-seller list. Sort of. <hl> The French artist Stéphane Heuet’s illustrated interpretation of “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of Proust’s sprawling semiautobiographical novel “In Search of Lost Time,” is at No. 5 in its seventh week on the graphic novel hardcover list. <hl> Heuet has been adapting the book since 1988, when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay. Le Figaro called the project “blasphemous” and “catastrophic,” with the critic Hervé de Saint-Hilaire taking special exception to the depiction of the young Marcel (“a formless little boy with idiotic eyes’’). Heuet defended himself, telling The New York Times: “Proust has been kept in a ghetto of snobs as a sort of precious gold and diamond object. For me, any effort to democratize Proust is valid.” And, as it happens, lucrative. Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in three weeks. Of course, comics play a surprisingly large and vital role in French publishing. According to Publishers Weekly, graphic novel sales in France have been put at about $458 million, and they make up about 12.5 percent of all books published, compared with about 3 percent in America. And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and Arthur Goldhammer, the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing. “Stéphane Heuet and I have tried to preserve the ‘flavor’ of Proust . . . his ‘fragrance’ — as un menu de dégustation, or tasting menu, tries to give a full sampling of the dishes in the repertoire of a great chef,” Goldhammer writes in the preface. “Those who find the taste to their liking will want to return often to savor fuller portions.”

Proust For The People: Almost 100 years after his death, Marcel Proust has finally cracked the best-seller list. Sort of. The <hl> French <hl> artist Stéphane Heuet’s illustrated interpretation of “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of Proust’s sprawling semiautobiographical novel “In Search of Lost Time,” is at No. 5 in its seventh week on the graphic novel hardcover list. Heuet has been adapting the book since 1988, when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay. Le Figaro called the project “blasphemous” and “catastrophic,” with the critic Hervé de Saint-Hilaire taking special exception to the depiction of the young Marcel (“a formless little boy with idiotic eyes’’). Heuet defended himself, telling The New York Times: “Proust has been kept in a ghetto of snobs as a sort of precious gold and diamond object. For me, any effort to democratize Proust is valid.” And, as it happens, lucrative. Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in three weeks. Of course, comics play a surprisingly large and vital role in French publishing. According to Publishers Weekly, graphic novel sales in France have been put at about $458 million, and they make up about 12.5 percent of all books published, compared with about 3 percent in America. And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and Arthur Goldhammer, the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing. “Stéphane Heuet and I have tried to preserve the ‘flavor’ of Proust . . . his ‘fragrance’ — as un menu de dégustation, or tasting menu, tries to give a full sampling of the dishes in the repertoire of a great chef,” Goldhammer writes in the preface. “Those who find the taste to their liking will want to return often to savor fuller portions.”


Question: How long did it take to sell the first 12,000 copies?

Answer: three weeks

Proust For The People: Almost 100 years after his death, Marcel Proust has finally cracked the best-seller list. Sort of. The French artist Stéphane Heuet’s illustrated interpretation of “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of Proust’s sprawling semiautobiographical novel “In Search of Lost Time,” is at No. 5 in its seventh week on the graphic novel hardcover list. Heuet has been adapting the book since 1988, when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay. Le Figaro called the project “blasphemous” and “catastrophic,” with the critic Hervé de Saint-Hilaire taking special exception to the depiction of the young Marcel (“a formless little boy with idiotic eyes’’). Heuet defended himself, telling The New York Times: “Proust has been kept in a ghetto of snobs as a sort of precious gold and diamond object. For me, any effort to democratize Proust is valid.” And, as it happens, lucrative. <hl> Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in three weeks . <hl> Of course, comics play a surprisingly large and vital role in French publishing. According to Publishers Weekly, graphic novel sales in France have been put at about $458 million, and they make up about 12.5 percent of all books published, compared with about 3 percent in America. And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and Arthur Goldhammer, the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing. “Stéphane Heuet and I have tried to preserve the ‘flavor’ of Proust . . . his ‘fragrance’ — as un menu de dégustation, or tasting menu, tries to give a full sampling of the dishes in the repertoire of a great chef,” Goldhammer writes in the preface. “Those who find the taste to their liking will want to return often to savor fuller portions.”

Proust For The People: Almost 100 years after his death, Marcel Proust has finally cracked the best-seller list. Sort of. The French artist Stéphane Heuet’s illustrated interpretation of “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of Proust’s sprawling semiautobiographical novel “In Search of Lost Time,” is at No. 5 in its seventh week on the graphic novel hardcover list. Heuet has been adapting the book since 1988, when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay. Le Figaro called the project “blasphemous” and “catastrophic,” with the critic Hervé de Saint-Hilaire taking special exception to the depiction of the young Marcel (“a formless little boy with idiotic eyes’’). Heuet defended himself, telling The New York Times: “Proust has been kept in a ghetto of snobs as a sort of precious gold and diamond object. For me, any effort to democratize Proust is valid.” And, as it happens, lucrative. Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in <hl> three weeks <hl>. Of course, comics play a surprisingly large and vital role in French publishing. According to Publishers Weekly, graphic novel sales in France have been put at about $458 million, and they make up about 12.5 percent of all books published, compared with about 3 percent in America. And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and Arthur Goldhammer, the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing. “Stéphane Heuet and I have tried to preserve the ‘flavor’ of Proust . . . his ‘fragrance’ — as un menu de dégustation, or tasting menu, tries to give a full sampling of the dishes in the repertoire of a great chef,” Goldhammer writes in the preface. “Those who find the taste to their liking will want to return often to savor fuller portions.”

Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in <hl> three weeks <hl> .


Question: Who wrote In Search of Lost Time?

Answer: Marcel Proust

<hl> Proust For The People: Almost 100 years after his death, Marcel Proust has finally cracked the best-seller list. <hl> Sort of. The French artist Stéphane Heuet’s illustrated interpretation of “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of Proust’s sprawling semiautobiographical novel “In Search of Lost Time,” is at No. 5 in its seventh week on the graphic novel hardcover list. Heuet has been adapting the book since 1988, when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay. Le Figaro called the project “blasphemous” and “catastrophic,” with the critic Hervé de Saint-Hilaire taking special exception to the depiction of the young Marcel (“a formless little boy with idiotic eyes’’). Heuet defended himself, telling The New York Times: “Proust has been kept in a ghetto of snobs as a sort of precious gold and diamond object. For me, any effort to democratize Proust is valid.” And, as it happens, lucrative. Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in three weeks. Of course, comics play a surprisingly large and vital role in French publishing. According to Publishers Weekly, graphic novel sales in France have been put at about $458 million, and they make up about 12.5 percent of all books published, compared with about 3 percent in America. And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and Arthur Goldhammer, the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing. “Stéphane Heuet and I have tried to preserve the ‘flavor’ of Proust . . . his ‘fragrance’ — as un menu de dégustation, or tasting menu, tries to give a full sampling of the dishes in the repertoire of a great chef,” Goldhammer writes in the preface. “Those who find the taste to their liking will want to return often to savor fuller portions.”

Proust For The People: Almost 100 years after his death, <hl> Marcel Proust <hl> has finally cracked the best-seller list. Sort of. The French artist Stéphane Heuet’s illustrated interpretation of “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of Proust’s sprawling semiautobiographical novel “In Search of Lost Time,” is at No. 5 in its seventh week on the graphic novel hardcover list. Heuet has been adapting the book since 1988, when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay. Le Figaro called the project “blasphemous” and “catastrophic,” with the critic Hervé de Saint-Hilaire taking special exception to the depiction of the young Marcel (“a formless little boy with idiotic eyes’’). Heuet defended himself, telling The New York Times: “Proust has been kept in a ghetto of snobs as a sort of precious gold and diamond object. For me, any effort to democratize Proust is valid.” And, as it happens, lucrative. Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in three weeks. Of course, comics play a surprisingly large and vital role in French publishing. According to Publishers Weekly, graphic novel sales in France have been put at about $458 million, and they make up about 12.5 percent of all books published, compared with about 3 percent in America. And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and Arthur Goldhammer, the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing. “Stéphane Heuet and I have tried to preserve the ‘flavor’ of Proust . . . his ‘fragrance’ — as un menu de dégustation, or tasting menu, tries to give a full sampling of the dishes in the repertoire of a great chef,” Goldhammer writes in the preface. “Those who find the taste to their liking will want to return often to savor fuller portions.”


Question: Who translated the book?

Answer: Arthur Goldhammer

Proust For The People: Almost 100 years after his death, Marcel Proust has finally cracked the best-seller list. Sort of. The French artist Stéphane Heuet’s illustrated interpretation of “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of Proust’s sprawling semiautobiographical novel “In Search of Lost Time,” is at No. 5 in its seventh week on the graphic novel hardcover list. Heuet has been adapting the book since 1988, when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay. Le Figaro called the project “blasphemous” and “catastrophic,” with the critic Hervé de Saint-Hilaire taking special exception to the depiction of the young Marcel (“a formless little boy with idiotic eyes’’). Heuet defended himself, telling The New York Times: “Proust has been kept in a ghetto of snobs as a sort of precious gold and diamond object. For me, any effort to democratize Proust is valid.” And, as it happens, lucrative. Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in three weeks. Of course, comics play a surprisingly large and vital role in French publishing. According to Publishers Weekly, graphic novel sales in France have been put at about $458 million, and they make up about 12.5 percent of all books published, compared with about 3 percent in America. <hl> And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and Arthur Goldhammer , the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing. <hl> “Stéphane Heuet and I have tried to preserve the ‘flavor’ of Proust . . . his ‘fragrance’ — as un menu de dégustation, or tasting menu, tries to give a full sampling of the dishes in the repertoire of a great chef,” Goldhammer writes in the preface. “Those who find the taste to their liking will want to return often to savor fuller portions.”

Proust For The People: Almost 100 years after his death, Marcel Proust has finally cracked the best-seller list. Sort of. The French artist Stéphane Heuet’s illustrated interpretation of “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of Proust’s sprawling semiautobiographical novel “In Search of Lost Time,” is at No. 5 in its seventh week on the graphic novel hardcover list. Heuet has been adapting the book since 1988, when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay. Le Figaro called the project “blasphemous” and “catastrophic,” with the critic Hervé de Saint-Hilaire taking special exception to the depiction of the young Marcel (“a formless little boy with idiotic eyes’’). Heuet defended himself, telling The New York Times: “Proust has been kept in a ghetto of snobs as a sort of precious gold and diamond object. For me, any effort to democratize Proust is valid.” And, as it happens, lucrative. Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in three weeks. Of course, comics play a surprisingly large and vital role in French publishing. According to Publishers Weekly, graphic novel sales in France have been put at about $458 million, and they make up about 12.5 percent of all books published, compared with about 3 percent in America. And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and <hl> Arthur Goldhammer <hl>, the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing. “Stéphane Heuet and I have tried to preserve the ‘flavor’ of Proust . . . his ‘fragrance’ — as un menu de dégustation, or tasting menu, tries to give a full sampling of the dishes in the repertoire of a great chef,” Goldhammer writes in the preface. “Those who find the taste to their liking will want to return often to savor fuller portions.”

And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and <hl> Arthur Goldhammer <hl> , the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing.


Question: In what year did Heuet begin adapting the book?

Answer: 1988

Proust For The People: Almost 100 years after his death, Marcel Proust has finally cracked the best-seller list. Sort of. The French artist Stéphane Heuet’s illustrated interpretation of “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of Proust’s sprawling semiautobiographical novel “In Search of Lost Time,” is at No. 5 in its seventh week on the graphic novel hardcover list. <hl> Heuet has been adapting the book since 1988 , when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay. <hl> Le Figaro called the project “blasphemous” and “catastrophic,” with the critic Hervé de Saint-Hilaire taking special exception to the depiction of the young Marcel (“a formless little boy with idiotic eyes’’). Heuet defended himself, telling The New York Times: “Proust has been kept in a ghetto of snobs as a sort of precious gold and diamond object. For me, any effort to democratize Proust is valid.” And, as it happens, lucrative. Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in three weeks. Of course, comics play a surprisingly large and vital role in French publishing. According to Publishers Weekly, graphic novel sales in France have been put at about $458 million, and they make up about 12.5 percent of all books published, compared with about 3 percent in America. And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and Arthur Goldhammer, the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing. “Stéphane Heuet and I have tried to preserve the ‘flavor’ of Proust . . . his ‘fragrance’ — as un menu de dégustation, or tasting menu, tries to give a full sampling of the dishes in the repertoire of a great chef,” Goldhammer writes in the preface. “Those who find the taste to their liking will want to return often to savor fuller portions.”

Proust For The People: Almost 100 years after his death, Marcel Proust has finally cracked the best-seller list. Sort of. The French artist Stéphane Heuet’s illustrated interpretation of “Swann’s Way,” the first volume of Proust’s sprawling semiautobiographical novel “In Search of Lost Time,” is at No. 5 in its seventh week on the graphic novel hardcover list. Heuet has been adapting the book since <hl> 1988 <hl>, when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay. Le Figaro called the project “blasphemous” and “catastrophic,” with the critic Hervé de Saint-Hilaire taking special exception to the depiction of the young Marcel (“a formless little boy with idiotic eyes’’). Heuet defended himself, telling The New York Times: “Proust has been kept in a ghetto of snobs as a sort of precious gold and diamond object. For me, any effort to democratize Proust is valid.” And, as it happens, lucrative. Despite the negative reviews, the first printing of 12,000 copies sold out in three weeks. Of course, comics play a surprisingly large and vital role in French publishing. According to Publishers Weekly, graphic novel sales in France have been put at about $458 million, and they make up about 12.5 percent of all books published, compared with about 3 percent in America. And critics should have no cause for concern; Heuet and Arthur Goldhammer, the book’s translator, envision it as a tantalizing introduction to “In Search of Lost Time” — not a substitute for the real thing. “Stéphane Heuet and I have tried to preserve the ‘flavor’ of Proust . . . his ‘fragrance’ — as un menu de dégustation, or tasting menu, tries to give a full sampling of the dishes in the repertoire of a great chef,” Goldhammer writes in the preface. “Those who find the taste to their liking will want to return often to savor fuller portions.”

Heuet has been adapting the book since <hl> 1988 <hl> , when the first installment was published in France — to violent dismay.


Question: What position was Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list?

Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. 18, is another work of semiautobiographical fiction: “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler.

Answer: 18

Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. <hl> 18 , is another work of semiautobiographical fiction: “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler. <hl>

Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. <hl> 18 <hl>, is another work of semiautobiographical fiction: “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler.

<hl> 18 <hl> , is another work of semiautobiographical fiction: “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler.


Question: When did Lucia Berlin cease to be alive?

Answer: 2004

<hl> Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. 18, is another work of semiautobiographical fiction: “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler. <hl>

Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. 18, is another work of semiautobiographical fiction: “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in <hl> 2004 <hl> and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler.


Question: What was the nationality of Lucia Berlin?

Answer: American

<hl> Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. 18, is another work of semiautobiographical fiction: “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler. <hl>

Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. 18, is another work of semiautobiographical fiction: “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known <hl> American <hl> writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler.


Question: What was the title of Lucia Berlin's work that was published after her death?

Answer: A Manual for Cleaning Women

<hl> Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. 18, is another work of semiautobiographical fiction: “ A Manual for Cleaning Women ,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler. <hl>

Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. 18, is another work of semiautobiographical fiction: “<hl> A Manual for Cleaning Women <hl>,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler.

Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. 18, is another work of semiautobiographical fiction: “ <hl> A Manual for Cleaning Women <hl> ,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler.


Question: What genre was Lost And Found: New?

Answer: semiautobiographical fiction

<hl> Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. 18, is another work of semiautobiographical fiction : “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler. <hl>

Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. 18, is another work of <hl> semiautobiographical fiction <hl>: “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler.

Lost And Found: New on the extended hardcover fiction list this week, at No. 18, is another work of <hl> semiautobiographical fiction <hl> : “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” a posthumously published story collection by Lucia Berlin, a little-known American writer who died in 2004 and who has been championed by Lydia Davis and August Kleinzahler.


Question: What country is Turkey's second largest market for export?

Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after Germany. Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using sugar beets from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about $30 million worth of cookies, cakes, crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce. Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the European Union.

Answer: Germany

<hl> Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after Germany . <hl> Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using sugar beets from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about $30 million worth of cookies, cakes, crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce. Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the European Union.

Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after <hl> Germany <hl>. Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using sugar beets from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about $30 million worth of cookies, cakes, crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce. Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the European Union.

Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after <hl> Germany <hl> .


Question: Eskisehir has a large refinery for what?

Answer: sugar beets

Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after Germany. <hl> Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using sugar beets from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about $30 million worth of cookies, cakes, crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce. <hl> Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the European Union.

Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after Germany. Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using <hl> sugar beets <hl> from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about $30 million worth of cookies, cakes, crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce. Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the European Union.


Question: About how much the city of Eskisehir has exported to Russia?

Answer: $30 million

Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after Germany. <hl> Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using sugar beets from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about $30 million worth of cookies, cakes, crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce. <hl> Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the European Union.

Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after Germany. Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using sugar beets from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about <hl> $30 million <hl> worth of cookies, cakes, crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce. Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the European Union.


Question: Because of the conflict between Russia and the West, who reduced their food imports to Russia?

Answer: European Union

Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after Germany. Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using sugar beets from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about $30 million worth of cookies, cakes, crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce. <hl> Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the European Union . <hl>

Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after Germany. Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using sugar beets from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about $30 million worth of cookies, cakes, crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce. Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the <hl> European Union <hl>.

Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the <hl> European Union <hl> .


Question: The listed example of exports to Russia are cookies, crackers, and what?

Answer: cakes

Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after Germany. <hl> Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using sugar beets from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about $30 million worth of cookies, cakes , crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce. <hl> Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the European Union.

Russia is one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports, after Germany. Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using sugar beets from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about $30 million worth of cookies, <hl> cakes <hl>, crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce. Turkey had been stepping up food exports to Russia in recent months as political frictions between Russia and the West led to a reduction in Russian food imports from the European Union.

Eskisehir (pronounced Es-ki-SHARE) itself has a large sugar refinery, using sugar beets from nearby fields as its raw material; the city exports about $30 million worth of cookies, <hl> cakes <hl> , crackers and other foods to Russia, according to the local chamber of commerce.


Question: What was Russia the biggest source of Turkey of, before the past year?

Russia had also been one of Turkey’s biggest sources of tourists until the past year, when the combination of the fall of the ruble and Western sanctions on Russia for its support of Ukrainian insurgents began steeply eroding the number of Russians who could afford to travel. The decline in tourism was a worry for economists here even before the Russian jet was shot down. “The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said Erinc Yeldan, the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara. Still, Cengiz Kamil Firat, the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem.

Answer: tourists

<hl> Russia had also been one of Turkey’s biggest sources of tourists until the past year, when the combination of the fall of the ruble and Western sanctions on Russia for its support of Ukrainian insurgents began steeply eroding the number of Russians who could afford to travel. <hl> The decline in tourism was a worry for economists here even before the Russian jet was shot down. “The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said Erinc Yeldan, the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara. Still, Cengiz Kamil Firat, the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem.

Russia had also been one of Turkey’s biggest sources of <hl> tourists <hl> until the past year, when the combination of the fall of the ruble and Western sanctions on Russia for its support of Ukrainian insurgents began steeply eroding the number of Russians who could afford to travel. The decline in tourism was a worry for economists here even before the Russian jet was shot down. “The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said Erinc Yeldan, the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara. Still, Cengiz Kamil Firat, the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem.


Question: What was declining that got the economists worried?

Answer: tourism

Russia had also been one of Turkey’s biggest sources of tourists until the past year, when the combination of the fall of the ruble and Western sanctions on Russia for its support of Ukrainian insurgents began steeply eroding the number of Russians who could afford to travel. <hl> The decline in tourism was a worry for economists here even before the Russian jet was shot down. <hl> “The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said Erinc Yeldan, the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara. Still, Cengiz Kamil Firat, the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem.

Russia had also been one of Turkey’s biggest sources of tourists until the past year, when the combination of the fall of the ruble and Western sanctions on Russia for its support of Ukrainian insurgents began steeply eroding the number of Russians who could afford to travel. The decline in <hl> tourism <hl> was a worry for economists here even before the Russian jet was shot down. “The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said Erinc Yeldan, the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara. Still, Cengiz Kamil Firat, the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem.


Question: Other than the fall of ruble, what else was mentioned as a cause for Russians being unable to afford to travel?

Answer: Western sanctions

<hl> Russia had also been one of Turkey’s biggest sources of tourists until the past year, when the combination of the fall of the ruble and Western sanctions on Russia for its support of Ukrainian insurgents began steeply eroding the number of Russians who could afford to travel. <hl> The decline in tourism was a worry for economists here even before the Russian jet was shot down. “The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said Erinc Yeldan, the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara. Still, Cengiz Kamil Firat, the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem.

Russia had also been one of Turkey’s biggest sources of tourists until the past year, when the combination of the fall of the ruble and <hl> Western sanctions <hl> on Russia for its support of Ukrainian insurgents began steeply eroding the number of Russians who could afford to travel. The decline in tourism was a worry for economists here even before the Russian jet was shot down. “The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said Erinc Yeldan, the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara. Still, Cengiz Kamil Firat, the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem.


Question: At the Bilkent University near Ankara, who is the dean of economics faculty?

Answer: Erinc Yeldan

Russia had also been one of Turkey’s biggest sources of tourists until the past year, when the combination of the fall of the ruble and Western sanctions on Russia for its support of Ukrainian insurgents began steeply eroding the number of Russians who could afford to travel. The decline in tourism was a worry for economists here even before the Russian jet was shot down. <hl> “The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said Erinc Yeldan , the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara. <hl> Still, Cengiz Kamil Firat, the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem.

Russia had also been one of Turkey’s biggest sources of tourists until the past year, when the combination of the fall of the ruble and Western sanctions on Russia for its support of Ukrainian insurgents began steeply eroding the number of Russians who could afford to travel. The decline in tourism was a worry for economists here even before the Russian jet was shot down. “The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said <hl> Erinc Yeldan <hl>, the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara. Still, Cengiz Kamil Firat, the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem.

“The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said <hl> Erinc Yeldan <hl> , the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara.


Question: Who is Turkey's Deputy Director General?

Answer: Cengiz Kamil Firat

Russia had also been one of Turkey’s biggest sources of tourists until the past year, when the combination of the fall of the ruble and Western sanctions on Russia for its support of Ukrainian insurgents began steeply eroding the number of Russians who could afford to travel. The decline in tourism was a worry for economists here even before the Russian jet was shot down. “The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said Erinc Yeldan, the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara. <hl> Still, Cengiz Kamil Firat , the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem. <hl>

Russia had also been one of Turkey’s biggest sources of tourists until the past year, when the combination of the fall of the ruble and Western sanctions on Russia for its support of Ukrainian insurgents began steeply eroding the number of Russians who could afford to travel. The decline in tourism was a worry for economists here even before the Russian jet was shot down. “The trade deficit is out of hand, exports cannot meet the import bill, so tourism revenues are a major item in our balance sheet,” said Erinc Yeldan, the dean of the economics faculty at Bilkent University near Ankara. Still, <hl> Cengiz Kamil Firat <hl>, the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem.

Still, <hl> Cengiz Kamil Firat <hl> , the deputy director general of general and bilateral economic affairs at Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that the nation’s economy was in better shape than it might seem.


Question: According to Mr. Firat, who caused resentment in some places?

Mr. Firat at the foreign ministry said that the Syrian refugees had caused resentment in some places, but also made cheap labor available that might help some businesses stay competitive. Eskisehir’s economic difficulties, and Turkey’s, go beyond coping with migrants or an interruption in tourism. Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in global trade, Turkey among them. Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the Middle East, two regions where demand is weak right now. That is partly because of geopolitics and partly because Chinese industries with overcapacity at home have been exporting at low prices to Turkey’s longtime markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Answer: Syrian refugees

<hl> Mr. Firat at the foreign ministry said that the Syrian refugees had caused resentment in some places, but also made cheap labor available that might help some businesses stay competitive. <hl> Eskisehir’s economic difficulties, and Turkey’s, go beyond coping with migrants or an interruption in tourism. Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in global trade, Turkey among them. Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the Middle East, two regions where demand is weak right now. That is partly because of geopolitics and partly because Chinese industries with overcapacity at home have been exporting at low prices to Turkey’s longtime markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Mr. Firat at the foreign ministry said that the <hl> Syrian refugees <hl> had caused resentment in some places, but also made cheap labor available that might help some businesses stay competitive. Eskisehir’s economic difficulties, and Turkey’s, go beyond coping with migrants or an interruption in tourism. Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in global trade, Turkey among them. Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the Middle East, two regions where demand is weak right now. That is partly because of geopolitics and partly because Chinese industries with overcapacity at home have been exporting at low prices to Turkey’s longtime markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.


Question: Except for Africa and Europe, where else is China exporting lower in prices than Turkey?

Answer: Middle East

Mr. Firat at the foreign ministry said that the Syrian refugees had caused resentment in some places, but also made cheap labor available that might help some businesses stay competitive. Eskisehir’s economic difficulties, and Turkey’s, go beyond coping with migrants or an interruption in tourism. Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in global trade, Turkey among them. <hl> Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the Middle East , two regions where demand is weak right now. <hl> That is partly because of geopolitics and partly because Chinese industries with overcapacity at home have been exporting at low prices to Turkey’s longtime markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Mr. Firat at the foreign ministry said that the Syrian refugees had caused resentment in some places, but also made cheap labor available that might help some businesses stay competitive. Eskisehir’s economic difficulties, and Turkey’s, go beyond coping with migrants or an interruption in tourism. Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in global trade, Turkey among them. Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the <hl> Middle East <hl>, two regions where demand is weak right now. That is partly because of geopolitics and partly because Chinese industries with overcapacity at home have been exporting at low prices to Turkey’s longtime markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the <hl> Middle East <hl> , two regions where demand is weak right now.


Question: The emerging markets are having difficulties because of slowdown in where?

Answer: global trade

Mr. Firat at the foreign ministry said that the Syrian refugees had caused resentment in some places, but also made cheap labor available that might help some businesses stay competitive. Eskisehir’s economic difficulties, and Turkey’s, go beyond coping with migrants or an interruption in tourism. <hl> Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in global trade , Turkey among them. <hl> Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the Middle East, two regions where demand is weak right now. That is partly because of geopolitics and partly because Chinese industries with overcapacity at home have been exporting at low prices to Turkey’s longtime markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Mr. Firat at the foreign ministry said that the Syrian refugees had caused resentment in some places, but also made cheap labor available that might help some businesses stay competitive. Eskisehir’s economic difficulties, and Turkey’s, go beyond coping with migrants or an interruption in tourism. Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in <hl> global trade <hl>, Turkey among them. Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the Middle East, two regions where demand is weak right now. That is partly because of geopolitics and partly because Chinese industries with overcapacity at home have been exporting at low prices to Turkey’s longtime markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in <hl> global trade <hl> , Turkey among them.


Question: What helps some business stay competitive that are available because of the refugees?

Answer: cheap labor

<hl> Mr. Firat at the foreign ministry said that the Syrian refugees had caused resentment in some places, but also made cheap labor available that might help some businesses stay competitive. <hl> Eskisehir’s economic difficulties, and Turkey’s, go beyond coping with migrants or an interruption in tourism. Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in global trade, Turkey among them. Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the Middle East, two regions where demand is weak right now. That is partly because of geopolitics and partly because Chinese industries with overcapacity at home have been exporting at low prices to Turkey’s longtime markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Mr. Firat at the foreign ministry said that the Syrian refugees had caused resentment in some places, but also made <hl> cheap labor <hl> available that might help some businesses stay competitive. Eskisehir’s economic difficulties, and Turkey’s, go beyond coping with migrants or an interruption in tourism. Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in global trade, Turkey among them. Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the Middle East, two regions where demand is weak right now. That is partly because of geopolitics and partly because Chinese industries with overcapacity at home have been exporting at low prices to Turkey’s longtime markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.


Question: Demand is weak for manufactured goods partly because of China and partly because of what?

Answer: geopolitics

Mr. Firat at the foreign ministry said that the Syrian refugees had caused resentment in some places, but also made cheap labor available that might help some businesses stay competitive. Eskisehir’s economic difficulties, and Turkey’s, go beyond coping with migrants or an interruption in tourism. Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in global trade, Turkey among them. Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the Middle East, two regions where demand is weak right now. <hl> That is partly because of geopolitics and partly because Chinese industries with overcapacity at home have been exporting at low prices to Turkey’s longtime markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa. <hl>

Mr. Firat at the foreign ministry said that the Syrian refugees had caused resentment in some places, but also made cheap labor available that might help some businesses stay competitive. Eskisehir’s economic difficulties, and Turkey’s, go beyond coping with migrants or an interruption in tourism. Many emerging markets are facing difficulties with the slowdown in global trade, Turkey among them. Turkey has long depended on exporting manufactured goods to Europe and the Middle East, two regions where demand is weak right now. That is partly because of <hl> geopolitics <hl> and partly because Chinese industries with overcapacity at home have been exporting at low prices to Turkey’s longtime markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.


Question: In Eskisehir, who is the leading industrialist that was mentioned?

“They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said Savas M. Ozaydemir, a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and real estate. “But of course, it might be 30 percent of what it was.” The route around Iraq and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish trucks, ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran. Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally, have not helped.

Answer: Savas M. Ozaydemir

<hl> “They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said Savas M. Ozaydemir , a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and real estate. <hl> “But of course, it might be 30 percent of what it was.” The route around Iraq and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish trucks, ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran. Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally, have not helped.

“They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said <hl> Savas M. Ozaydemir <hl>, a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and real estate. “But of course, it might be 30 percent of what it was.” The route around Iraq and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish trucks, ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran. Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally, have not helped.

“They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said <hl> Savas M. Ozaydemir <hl> , a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and real estate.


Question: Through Iran, the route is much longer and costlier between Syria and what country?

Answer: Iraq

“They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said Savas M. Ozaydemir, a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and real estate. “But of course, it might be 30 percent of what it was.” <hl> The route around Iraq and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish trucks, ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran. <hl> Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally, have not helped.

“They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said Savas M. Ozaydemir, a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and real estate. “But of course, it might be 30 percent of what it was.” The route around <hl> Iraq <hl> and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish trucks, ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran. Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally, have not helped.


Question: Who is the President of Syria?

Answer: Bashar al-Assad

“They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said Savas M. Ozaydemir, a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and real estate. “But of course, it might be 30 percent of what it was.” The route around Iraq and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish trucks, ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran. <hl> Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad , an Iranian ally, have not helped. <hl>

“They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said Savas M. Ozaydemir, a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and real estate. “But of course, it might be 30 percent of what it was.” The route around Iraq and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish trucks, ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran. Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, <hl> Bashar al-Assad <hl>, an Iranian ally, have not helped.

Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, <hl> Bashar al-Assad <hl> , an Iranian ally, have not helped.


Question: The Iran government has imposed huge fees on Turkish what?

Answer: trucks

“They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said Savas M. Ozaydemir, a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and real estate. “But of course, it might be 30 percent of what it was.” <hl> The route around Iraq and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish trucks , ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran. <hl> Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally, have not helped.

“They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said Savas M. Ozaydemir, a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and real estate. “But of course, it might be 30 percent of what it was.” The route around Iraq and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish <hl> trucks <hl>, ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran. Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally, have not helped.

The route around Iraq and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish <hl> trucks <hl> , ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran.


Question: Ozaydemir has holdings in wiring manufacture, roofing tile manufacturing, and what?

Answer: real estate

<hl> “They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said Savas M. Ozaydemir, a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and real estate . <hl> “But of course, it might be 30 percent of what it was.” The route around Iraq and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish trucks, ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran. Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally, have not helped.

“They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said Savas M. Ozaydemir, a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and <hl> real estate <hl>. “But of course, it might be 30 percent of what it was.” The route around Iraq and Syria through Iran is much longer and costlier — and Iran has imposed a hefty fee on Turkish trucks, ostensibly because they may fill up on subsidized diesel fuel while in Iran. Turkey’s strong support for democracy in Syria and for the removal of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, an Iranian ally, have not helped.

“They’re not closed — there’s a lot of smuggling, people have to live” in Syria, said Savas M. Ozaydemir, a leading Eskisehir industrialist with holdings in roofing tile manufacturing, wiring manufacture and <hl> real estate <hl> .


Question: What percentage of the world's reserve in commercial marble Turkey has?

Turkey has 40 percent of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to China, where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow. But the value and tonnage of China’s marble imports have plunged by nearly a third just in the past year, paralleling a steep drop in housing starts there. For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off a third of the 450 workers. The company had designed for sale to China an automated production line that costs $550,000 and helps turn 25-ton blocks of Turkish marble into slim tiles. But after expecting to sell 10 a year, the company actually sold one last year and none this year, with leads for the sale of two next year.

Answer: 40 percent

<hl> Turkey has 40 percent of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to China, where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow. <hl> But the value and tonnage of China’s marble imports have plunged by nearly a third just in the past year, paralleling a steep drop in housing starts there. For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off a third of the 450 workers. The company had designed for sale to China an automated production line that costs $550,000 and helps turn 25-ton blocks of Turkish marble into slim tiles. But after expecting to sell 10 a year, the company actually sold one last year and none this year, with leads for the sale of two next year.

Turkey has <hl> 40 percent <hl> of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to China, where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow. But the value and tonnage of China’s marble imports have plunged by nearly a third just in the past year, paralleling a steep drop in housing starts there. For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off a third of the 450 workers. The company had designed for sale to China an automated production line that costs $550,000 and helps turn 25-ton blocks of Turkish marble into slim tiles. But after expecting to sell 10 a year, the company actually sold one last year and none this year, with leads for the sale of two next year.


Question: What country has unattractive yellow tint and heavily cracked marbles?

Answer: China

<hl> Turkey has 40 percent of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to China , where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow. <hl> But the value and tonnage of China’s marble imports have plunged by nearly a third just in the past year, paralleling a steep drop in housing starts there. For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off a third of the 450 workers. The company had designed for sale to China an automated production line that costs $550,000 and helps turn 25-ton blocks of Turkish marble into slim tiles. But after expecting to sell 10 a year, the company actually sold one last year and none this year, with leads for the sale of two next year.

Turkey has 40 percent of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to <hl> China <hl>, where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow. But the value and tonnage of China’s marble imports have plunged by nearly a third just in the past year, paralleling a steep drop in housing starts there. For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off a third of the 450 workers. The company had designed for sale to China an automated production line that costs $550,000 and helps turn 25-ton blocks of Turkish marble into slim tiles. But after expecting to sell 10 a year, the company actually sold one last year and none this year, with leads for the sale of two next year.

Turkey has 40 percent of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to <hl> China <hl> , where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow.


Question: How many workers did Cekicler Marble let go out of the 450 employees?

Answer: a third of the 450 workers

Turkey has 40 percent of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to China, where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow. But the value and tonnage of China’s marble imports have plunged by nearly a third just in the past year, paralleling a steep drop in housing starts there. <hl> For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off a third of the 450 workers . <hl> The company had designed for sale to China an automated production line that costs $550,000 and helps turn 25-ton blocks of Turkish marble into slim tiles. But after expecting to sell 10 a year, the company actually sold one last year and none this year, with leads for the sale of two next year.

Turkey has 40 percent of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to China, where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow. But the value and tonnage of China’s marble imports have plunged by nearly a third just in the past year, paralleling a steep drop in housing starts there. For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off <hl> a third of the 450 workers <hl>. The company had designed for sale to China an automated production line that costs $550,000 and helps turn 25-ton blocks of Turkish marble into slim tiles. But after expecting to sell 10 a year, the company actually sold one last year and none this year, with leads for the sale of two next year.

For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off <hl> a third of the 450 workers <hl> .


Question: This year, Cekicler Marble expected to sell ten 25-ton blocks of marble but actually sold how many?

Answer: none

Turkey has 40 percent of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to China, where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow. But the value and tonnage of China’s marble imports have plunged by nearly a third just in the past year, paralleling a steep drop in housing starts there. For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off a third of the 450 workers. The company had designed for sale to China an automated production line that costs $550,000 and helps turn 25-ton blocks of Turkish marble into slim tiles. <hl> But after expecting to sell 10 a year, the company actually sold one last year and none this year, with leads for the sale of two next year. <hl>

Turkey has 40 percent of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to China, where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow. But the value and tonnage of China’s marble imports have plunged by nearly a third just in the past year, paralleling a steep drop in housing starts there. For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off a third of the 450 workers. The company had designed for sale to China an automated production line that costs $550,000 and helps turn 25-ton blocks of Turkish marble into slim tiles. But after expecting to sell 10 a year, the company actually sold one last year and <hl> none <hl> this year, with leads for the sale of two next year.


Question: The drop in price for China's marble also reflected the drop in what?

Answer: housing

Turkey has 40 percent of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to China, where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow. <hl> But the value and tonnage of China’s marble imports have plunged by nearly a third just in the past year, paralleling a steep drop in housing starts there. <hl> For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off a third of the 450 workers. The company had designed for sale to China an automated production line that costs $550,000 and helps turn 25-ton blocks of Turkish marble into slim tiles. But after expecting to sell 10 a year, the company actually sold one last year and none this year, with leads for the sale of two next year.

Turkey has 40 percent of the world’s commercial marble reserves and has been by far the dominant supplier to China, where domestic marble tends to be heavily cracked and often an unattractive yellow. But the value and tonnage of China’s marble imports have plunged by nearly a third just in the past year, paralleling a steep drop in <hl> housing <hl> starts there. For Cekicler Marble in Eskisehir, that has meant closing three of the company’s nine marble quarries and laying off a third of the 450 workers. The company had designed for sale to China an automated production line that costs $550,000 and helps turn 25-ton blocks of Turkish marble into slim tiles. But after expecting to sell 10 a year, the company actually sold one last year and none this year, with leads for the sale of two next year.


Question: What is AMC reluctant to switch?

AMC, however, is more reluctant to switch game plans. “With all the changes of the world today — whether it’s technology, volume of programming, fewer and fewer shows breaking through — what we remain focused on are many of the things that got us to the dance in the first place,” Mr. Collier said. That strategy, he said, is matching the quality of premium cable on basic cable, and becoming a home for the industry’s best writers and showrunners. AMC had a small setback in the last few years when it was forced to adjust a development process that was described by some in the industry as onerous. The system, dismissively referred to as the “bake-off,” required producers to sketch out in extensive detail what their prospective show would look like after the pilot — forecasting what would happen several seasons down the line. Even then, AMC was not guaranteed to put the show on the air.

Answer: game plans

<hl> AMC, however, is more reluctant to switch game plans . <hl> “With all the changes of the world today — whether it’s technology, volume of programming, fewer and fewer shows breaking through — what we remain focused on are many of the things that got us to the dance in the first place,” Mr. Collier said. That strategy, he said, is matching the quality of premium cable on basic cable, and becoming a home for the industry’s best writers and showrunners. AMC had a small setback in the last few years when it was forced to adjust a development process that was described by some in the industry as onerous. The system, dismissively referred to as the “bake-off,” required producers to sketch out in extensive detail what their prospective show would look like after the pilot — forecasting what would happen several seasons down the line. Even then, AMC was not guaranteed to put the show on the air.

AMC, however, is more reluctant to switch <hl> game plans <hl>. “With all the changes of the world today — whether it’s technology, volume of programming, fewer and fewer shows breaking through — what we remain focused on are many of the things that got us to the dance in the first place,” Mr. Collier said. That strategy, he said, is matching the quality of premium cable on basic cable, and becoming a home for the industry’s best writers and showrunners. AMC had a small setback in the last few years when it was forced to adjust a development process that was described by some in the industry as onerous. The system, dismissively referred to as the “bake-off,” required producers to sketch out in extensive detail what their prospective show would look like after the pilot — forecasting what would happen several seasons down the line. Even then, AMC was not guaranteed to put the show on the air.

AMC, however, is more reluctant to switch <hl> game plans <hl> .