Q: New Year's resolutions are great, unless you don't really resolve to do anything. Then they become a list of wishes. Unless you are going to determine steps to make your wishes turn into goals AND you're going to follow through with those steps, you probably should not make New Year's resolutions. Full disclaimer before we completely dive in: I'm not against setting goals. I have always been a goal setter and sometimes even a goal achiever. If you're the same, you may enjoy this audible, or if you're interested in developing and achieving SMART goals try this e-book or this book. Why You Shouldn't Make New Year's Resolutions You'll probably write the same things on a sheet of paper that you did the year before. Some of the common resolutions we've all heard are: Lose weight, exercise, spend less, save more, travel, go to church, and so on and so forth. There's a reason these are common. We hear them (or write them) time and time again andnothing changes. By mid-January, they'll be long forgotten. Maybe even before January 15th, they aren't a thought in our minds. They were good ideas two weeks prior (and the years before that), but that's what they have remainedideas. You didn't think of a route to your destination. Saving money sounds great, but do you know what you're already spending? Do you know what you need to cut and where you'll put that amount? Have you factored in your new gym membership? What will you do with it? Will the autodraft payment that comes out each month help you shed those pounds? What churches are in your area? Do they have programs your family will be interested in? Do you know when the services are? You're overwhelmed. You try to better yourself constantly. Maybe. Let's say some of you try to better yourselves constantly. Which can be a good thing. But it can also be the reason you fail yourselves time and time again. You say yes when you should say no, sign up when you should wait a few more months, and have a list of ten New Year's resolutions when you should focus on two. How long do most people stick to their resolutions? Pick the correct answer from the following options: - a few weeks - 2 years - 9 months - not enough information
A: a few weeks

Q: It was another landmark week in the presidency of Donald Trump. He hosted key U.S. allies Emmanuel Macron of France and Angela Merkel of Germany; but, he also had to weather more turmoil in his Cabinet as well as the ongoing Russia investigation and intensifying scrutiny of his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. What might be an extraordinary week for another president has quickly become "situation normal" for the man elected as the nation's 45th chief executive. Trump wound up his chaotic week Friday by meeting with German Chancellor Merkel. During an Oval Office photo opportunity, Trump was eager to embrace a report from Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee that found no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. "It was a great report. No collusion, which I knew anyway. No coordination, no nothing," said Trump with Merkel looking on. "It is a witch hunt. That is all it is. No collusion with Russia, if you can believe this one." Representative Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, issued a statement criticizing the Republican conclusions. Schiff asserted the committee did find evidence of collusion in "secret meetings and communications" between Trump campaign officials and others with links to the Russian government. The matter remains the focus of the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. Earlier in the week, Trump bonded with French President Macron during a formal state visit that was noted for the warm physical interactions between the two leaders. "He is going to be an outstanding president. One of your great presidents and it is an honor to call you my friend. Thank you," Trump told Macron at the end of their joint news conference. Trump also received more good news this week when his choice for secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, finally won Senate confirmation. There were, however, some significant setbacks as well, including the withdrawal of Ronny Jackson as the next head of the Department of Veterans Affairs and intense congressional... How did Merkel fee about Trump's comments about no collusion with Russia? Pick the correct answer from the following options: - Merkel was probably relieved - Merkel was probably indifferent - not enough information - Merkel was probably livid
A: not enough information

Q: I was about 14 and lived near a large tract of undeveloped land where people would go and park to fool around. There was a dirt road through the tract, but further down, it crossed two huge concrete pipes. The dirt was washed out between them, and the deep gulch made it impossible to cross in a car. Sometimes, eight or ten of us would go looking for parked cars. If we found one or more, we would go move this incredibly heavy stump onto the road and lay a telephone pole across it. It took all of us and it was incredibly heavy. It was impossible to drive around it because of the ditches and there was no way two or three people could move it. We'd go back to the car and set off a big string of fire crackers or shake the cat and slap on it and run like crazy. We'd watch from the woods as they drove like heck and come to a screeching stop at our roadblock. The guy would get out and try to lift the pole. Never happen. Then the car would drive the other way. That wouldn't happen because of the pipes. We'd go home leaving them in there. This was before cell phones, and it was miles to a pay phone. We'd go back the next day and find the stump and pole moved. We thought it was real funny until one night we set it up and beat on the trunk of a car. A couple was inside, getting it on. We hadn't noticed a guy sitting on the hood with a bottle of booze and a pistol. As we ran, he was shooting and we could hear bullets going through the underbrush. No one was hit, thank goodness. That was the end of that stunt. Why was the man kissing his girlfriend mad? Pick the correct answer from the following options: - Pranksters knocked on his trunk - Pranksters kissed his girlfriend - not enough information - Pranksters flattened his tire
A: Pranksters knocked on his trunk