Q: Late in the evening, the wind blew hard around the little house. The sound of the wind is like someone crying. It made the old woman nervous. She had not been getting much sleep lately, but with the wind making the spooky noise, she didn't know what else to do but lie down and try to rest a little.

Once she lay down to try to sleep, many memories of her life in the little house kept her mind busy. She still was having trouble falling asleep. She remembered being a little girl and her dad putting the finishing touches on the house. Her mom loved the big kitchen, and she and her younger sister had their own room in the back.

It was in this, her old bedroom, that she was trying to sleep. The crying sound got louder. It didn't seem like it was outside. It sounded like it was coming from the other side of the bed. When she turned and looked, she saw her younger sister. She still looked five years old. The old woman couldn't remember her any other way, as she had died from a sickness at age five.

"What's wrong?" she asked her sister. "I miss you. I am so lonely," answered the little girl, who was so thin you could see through her. The old lady closed her eyes and reached for her sister. That is how they found her the next day, holding her pillow and smiling.

"She died in her sleep." "It is best that way."

1. wind
2. around the house
3. old woman
4. no
5. no
6. memories
7. her life
8. being a little girl
9. yes
10. three
11. dad, mom, younger sister
12. no
13. yes
14. sister
15. wind
16. no
17. sister
18. no
19. "What's wrong?"
20. died

Numbered questions:
1. what blew hard?
2. where?
3. who was trying to sleep?
4. was it scaring her?
5. could she sleep easily?
6. what occupied her thoughts?
7. of what?
8. what else did she think about?
9. did she think about other people?
10. how many?
11. who?
12. were their names told?
13. did she share a room?
14. with whom?
15. what sounded like crying?
16. was it outside?
17. who was making the noise?
18. was she alive?
19. what did she say to her?
20. what happened to the old woman?

Q: Robin's First Flight

Robin was a little baby bird who was born only 6 weeks before. Her mother took care of her and her brothers and sister by feeding them bugs and worms. Robin had 2 brothers. She also had one sister. During this time, Robin grew and grew and got stronger and stronger. Her feathers got longer, too.

The day had finally come when mother bird told Robin and her brothers and sister that they would be learning to fly for the first time. Chirps of joy were heard from all the baby birds. All except for Robin. She was too afraid to fly out into the world. She wanted to stay in her comfy nest with all of her family for the rest of her life. She also wanted her mother to feed her for the rest of her life. Mother bird told Robin how exciting it was to fly and see all the beautiful flowers and trees and told her she would help her learn like she did when she was a baby bird. She told her that she would meet lots of other bird friends, too.

So Robin tried not to be scared, even as she saw both of her brothers and sister fly off the nest and out into the world. They looked so happy. Then it was her turn. She spread her wings, closed her eyes and jumped out of the nest. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes to see that she was actually flying. Oh happy day! It was everything her mother said it would be. The world looked so big and Robin couldn't wait to see it all.

1. Robin
2. 6 weeks old
3. no
4. Her mother
5. no
6. a little baby bird
7. no
8. four. Robin, wo brothers and a sister.
9. no
10. Her feathers got longer
11. no
12. mother bird
13. no
14. She was too afraid
15. to fly out into the world
16. her comfy nest
17. no
18. her mother
19. no
20. told Robin how exciting it was to fly

Numbered questions:
1. Who grew stronger?
2. how old is Robin?
3. Does she care for herself?
4. Who does?
5. Is Robin a person?
6. What is she?
7. Is she the only one?
8. How many are there?
9. DId she have short feathers?
10. Why not?
11. Could they always fly?
12. Who taught them?
13. Was Robin excited to fly?
14. Why not?
15. of what?
16. Where did Robin want to be?
17. Did she want to hunt for food?
18. Who did she think should feed her?
19. Was her mother mad?
20. What did she do?

Q: (CNN) -- Right-wing U.S. Republicans are up in arms over Cuba again. Their ostensible cause for concern is last week's visit to the island by Beyonce and Jay-Z, who were photographed in Havana, apparently celebrating their wedding anniversary.

Read more: Lawmakers ask why Beyonce and Jay-Z went to Cuba

These blinkered conservatives need to get over themselves. The 60-year stand-off between the U.S. and Cuba is absurd. It is counterproductive and harmful to both countries. It is time to end this Cold War anachronism, kiss and make up.

Anger over Beyonce's supposed breach of the U.S. embargo rules restricting American citizens' travel to Cuba is symbolic of a deeper fear among right-wingers. Two key factors have changed since the days -- not so long ago -- when Washington seemed to be regularly threatening the Castro government with Iraq-style overthrow.

One is that George W. Bush has been replaced by a Democrat. As Barack Obama enters his second and final term, immune to electoral imperatives, conservatives worry he may use his freedom of action to effect an historic rapprochement with Cuba. American liberals certainly believe he should do so.

The second change is in Cuba itself, where the government, now led by Fidel Castro's brother, Raoul, has embarked on a cautious program of reform. The government -- dubbed the world's longest-running dictatorship by the American right -- has even set a date for its own dissolution.

Doing what "dictators" rarely do, Raoul Castro announced in February that in 2018, he would hand over power and that any successor would be subject to term limits. The Castro brothers have reportedly chosen a career communist, first vice president Miguel Diaz-Canel, to succeed them. But in reality, once their grip on power is relaxed, anything may happen.

1. final
2. use his freedom of action
3. to effect an historic rapprochement with Cuba
4. American liberals
5. Beyonce and Jay-Z
6. Yes
7. celebrating their wedding anniversary.
8. 60 years
9. Raoul Castro
10. Fidel Castro
11. program of reform.
12. No
13. world's longest-running dictatorship

Numbered questions:
1. What term is this for Barack Obama?
2. What do Republicans fret over he might do?
3. To what?
4. Who thinks he should?
5. Who was seen in Cuba?
6. Is there evidence they were there?
7. What were they doing?
8. How long has there been conflict between the US and Cuba?
9. Who is in control of Cuba?
10. Who is his brother?
11. What kind of program are they launching?
12. Are they diving in head first?
13. What is their government known for?