Indicate a text span in the passage about which an inquisitive question is asked. (note, don't answer the question).

[Q]: Sentence: The industry is " seeing a softening somewhat in volume and certainly in price in petrochemicals , " Glenn Cox , president of Phillips Petroleum Co . , said in an interview . " That change will obviously impact third and fourth quarter earnings " for the industry in general , he added .<sep>Question: what does softening mean?
[A]: softening

[Q]: Sentence: Mr . Reed admitted he conspired to conceal an agreement not to enforce loan guarantees executed by Dallas real - estate developers A . Starke Taylor III and George S . Watson , both of whom were FirstSouth stockholders .<sep>Question: How did he think he'd get away with that?
[A]: conspired to conceal an agreement

[Q]: Sentence: Elcotel Inc . expects fiscal second - quarter earnings to trail 1988 results , but anticipates that several new products will lead to a " much stronger " performance in its second half .<sep>Question: What are the new products that will lead to stronger performance?
[A]:
several new products will