Question: I had my first job at a local diner called the Buttercup Bakery when I was 22. I worked there for seven years and learned so many lessons, especially from a fellow waitress Helen who had incredible self-respect and did what she loved--serving people. She made everyone smile and feel good, customers and co-workers alike.

Being a waitress changed my life. One of my regular customers was Fred Hasbrook, an electronics salesman. Thanks to the newfound confidence I picked up from Helen, I dreamed of having my own restaurant. But when I called my parents to ask for a loan, they said, "We just don't have the money."

The next day, I shared my dream with him and said, "Fred, I know I can do more if somebody would just have faith in me."

He walked over to some of the other diner regulars and the next day handed me checks totaling $50,000--along with a note that I have to this day. It reads, "The only collateral on this loan is my trust in your honesty as a person. Good people with a dream should have the opportunity to make that dream come true."

I took the checks to Merrill Lynch--the first time I had ever entered a brokerage house--where the money was invested for me. I continued working at the Buttercup, making plans for the restaurant I would open. My investments soured, though, and I lost the money.

After great deliberation I decided to apply for a job at Merrill Lynch. Even though I had no experience, I was hired and ended up becoming a pretty good broker. Eventually I paid back Fred and my customers the $50,000, plus 14-percent annual interest. Five years later, I was able to open my own firm.

I got a thank-you note from Fred, which will be imprinted on my head forever. He had been sick and wrote that my check had helped cover his mounting medical bills. His letter read, "That loan may have been one of the best investments that I will ever make." 1. Where does the narrator work?
2. How old was she when she worked there?
3. Who helped her become a good person and a positive person?
4. Name one of their regular customer?
5. Did he support her in her dream?
6. What about her parents?
7. What was the amount check that he handed her?
8. Who invested the money for her?
9. Did she get more money or she lost?
10. Was Fred happy of her accomplishments at the end?
11. Where did she work then?
12. How much interest did she pay back to Fred? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. Buttercup Bakery
2. 22
3. Helen
4. Fred Hasbrook
5. Yes
6. No
7. $50,000
8. Merrill Lynch
9. She lost it
10. Yes
11. Merrill Lynch
12. 14-percent annual interest

Question: Ken and Anthony were childhood friends. They went to elementary and high school together. They went to college in different states, and then they lost touch. That was twenty years ago. One morning Ken was reading the newspaper with his morning coffee. Inside he saw an announcement for a poetry reading at a nearby bookstore. He was surprised to find that the featured poet was none other than his friend Anthony. Ken decided to see what his old pal was up to. Ken sat in the last row of the area set up inside the bookstore. When Anthony was introduced and came up the podium, Ken hardly recognized him. Anthony was almost completely bald and had a little potbelly . When Anthony was in high school, he was very handsome. What Anthony had lost in looks was made up for in talent. Anthony's poetry was quite good. Anthony recognized Ken sitting in the back row. When the reading was over, Ken stood in line with the others waiting for Anthony to sign a copy of his book. When it was Ken's turn, Anthony stood up and hugged his long lost friend. Anthony invited Ken to stay until he had finished signing books. Ken did, and the two men grabbed a cup of coffee at a nearby cafe. Even though so many years had passed since the two had seen each other, both men had a lot in common. Both graduated from college with degrees in comparative literature . Both went to graduate school. Anthony got his Master's of Fine Art in writing. Ken went to law school. Both men married Mexican women. Both men also had sons that were only a year apart. Ken and Anthony decided not to lose touch again. They planned to meet once a month for breakfast on Saturdays. 1. Who went to primary school together?
2. Who was a poet?
3. What was Ken doing the day he say the announcment?
4. Did the boys talk after school?
5. did Ken go to the poetry reading?
6. Was Anthony different?
7. What happened after the poetry reading?
8. Were both men married?
9. What was the ethnicity of their spouses?
10. Who went to law school?
11. What does Anthony look like now?
12. WHat did he get his Masters in?
13. Will the two meet again?
14. When?
15. For what? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. Ken and Anthony
2. Anthony
3. reading the newspaper
4. no
5. yes
6. yes
7. Ken waited for Anthony to sign a copy of his book
8. yes
9. Mexican
10. Ken
11. almost completely bald with a little potbelly
12. Fine Art in writing
13. yes
14. once a month on Saturdays
15. breakfast

Question: HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Political corruption in Zimbabwe threatens efforts to save millions of people from malaria in the southern African country, according to aid agency officials.

HIV-positive 13-year-old orphan Evans Mahlangu, left, and his brother Edmond, 8, had to jump Zimbabwe's border with Mozambique to get anti-retroviral drugs.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has demanded that Zimbabwe's government return $7.3 million placed in the country's reserve bank to pay for the distribution medicine that can cure malaria, according to the group's spokesman.

A senior western diplomat in Zimbabwe told CNN he believes the money was taken by Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's government to fund political activities. He accused reserve bank governor Gideon Gono of involvement.

"This could put millions of people in Zimbabwe at risk of malaria in the current malaria season," said John Linden, spokesman for the group which is a leading international financing institution for those diseases.

Linden said his group has given Zimbabwe until Thursday to repay the money or else no more aid will be sent to the country.

"At this stage we do not have confidence in the reserve bank's ability to release the money when needed, so we have demanded that all the money be released immediately," Linden said.

The money was intended to train thousands of health workers to distribute the malaria cure, medicine that is already available but sits on shelves.

CNN's Kim Norgaard in Johannesburg, South Africa contributed to this report.

1. Who is the President of Zimbabwe?
2. How much money is he accused of misusing?
3. Who does he claim is responsible, instead?
4. What illness, in particular, could be cured by those funds?
5. How long does the country have to repay the funds?
6. Or what will be witheld?
7. According to whom?
8. What was the money intended for?
9. How many workers are in need of training?
10. Is the medicine readily available?
11. How many people are at risk of Malaria in Zimbabwe? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers:
1. Robert Mugabe
2. $7.3 million
3. Gideon Gono
4. malaria
5. until Thursday
6. aide
7. Linden
8. to pay for distribution medicine
9. thousands
10. Yes
11. millions