Q: Cotton farmers in some Indian villages are busily buying Coca-Cola and Pepsi, believing that the sugar in the fizzy( ) drinks kills pests.

Farmers say scientists advised them to mix pesticides with a sugary juice to control pests, and they found the mixture cheaper and more effective than pure chemicals-- although soft drink makers and scientists dismissed the remarks. N. Hamunayya, who has become a famous person in his village in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, said his crop survived an attack of pests which had resisted other pesticides. "We found that all the colas had uniform effect on pests. The pests became dead and fell to the ground, "he said. He said the drinks had all the elements they needed : they were cheaper, sticky, fizzy, and attracted ants, which ate the young of the pests. But Thinupathi Reddy, assistant director of the Regional Agri-Research Station, Guntur, says tests had proved such results wrong. "We conducted some field trials on cotton crop at our research station. There was no obvious productivity or destruction of pests, "he says.

Statements from Pepsi and Coca-Cola said there was " no scientific basis" for _ . But their dealers are enjoying increasing sales. Mantan Wall, who sells soft drinks in 17 villages in the region, said sales rose up, thanks to the farmers. " For the 10 days between August and September I had successful business. Instead of just 30 cases( each containing a dozen one-litre bottles) of cola, I started selling almost 200 cases, "he said. " We expected the sales to drop after the news over pesticide residues( ) in the cola drinks. Now I have to keep extra supply for the cotton farmers, "he said.

In February, an Indian environment group made a report saying drinks made by Coca-Cola and Pepsi contained pesticides and called for tougher safety standards. The U. S firms strongly rejected the findings of the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment and said their products were safe.

1. they contained pesticides
2. Coca-Cola and Pepsi
3. an environment group
4. In February
5. he New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment
6. Coca-Cola and Pepsi
7. The U. S
8. Cotton farmers
9. Indian villages
10. to kill pests
11. a sugary juice
12. scientists
13. it's cheaper
14. ants
15. the pest's young
16. N. Hamunayya's
17. yes
18. other pesticides
19. August and September
20. 300

Numbered questions:
1. What did an Indian report claim about cola products?
2. Who are the makers of these products?
3. What kind of organization made the report?
4. When
5. What is the name of the group?
6. Who is refuting those claims?
7. Where are they based?
8. Who is stocking up on cola products?
9. Where?
10. What are they using it for?
11. What were they told to combine pesticides with?
12. Who told them that?
13. Why are they using pop?
14. What does the cola attract?
15. What doe the ants consume?
16. Whose crop made it through a pest attack with the help of cola?
17. Had he tried other things?
18. What?
19. When is there a bump in sales?
20. How many cases did one store sell during that period?

Q: A court in eastern China sentenced Bo Xilai -- the former rising star of the ruling Communist Party who fell from power amid a scandal involving murder, betrayal and financial skullduggery -- to life in prison Sunday.

Bo received the life sentence for bribe-taking, as well as 15 years for embezzlement and seven years for abuse of power.

The sentences, which came shortly after the guilty verdicts, surprised some analysts.

"I'm actually a little bit surprised. I think it's a very strong verdict" compared to some previous cases, said Yuhua Wang, a political science professor at University of Pennsylvania.

"He was a political star before falling from grace. He was ... the son of a revolutionary veteran. His father was Mao's colleague," he added.

During the hearings of the politically sensitive trial that took place over several days last month, Bo, 64, denied the charges and strongly challenged the prosecution's case against him, according to accounts published by the Jinan Intermediate People's Court.

The closely watched trial was considered to be much more transparent than most cases in China. But international and independent journalists weren't allowed inside the courtroom, and doubts were raised about the fullness of the court's version of events.

'I can bear the suffering'

Days before the court announced the date for delivering the verdict, Bo reiterated his innocence but said he anticipated a lengthy imprisonment in a letter written to his family.

"I was dragged into this and really wronged, but the truth will come out one day," wrote Bo in a letter dated September 12, referring to the bribes allegedly taken by his wife and other scandals involving her and her friends.

1. A court
2. China
3. Bo Xilai
4. took a bribe
5. Yes
6. embezzlement
7. Yes
8. abused power.
9. Yuhua Wang
10. unknown
11. unknown

Numbered questions:
1. What is the setting of this story?
2. Where?
3. Who was being sentenced there?
4. What did he do?
5. Was there anything else?
6. What?
7. Anything else?
8. What else?
9. Who is a teacher at the University of Pennsylvania?
10. How did he know Bo?
11. That was my fault - I misread.

Q: Is there intelligent life on other planets? For years, scientists said "no" or "We don't know." But today this is changing. Seth Shostak and Alexandra Barnett are astronomers. They believe intelligent life exists somewhere in the universe. They also think we will soon contact these beings. Why do Shostak and Barnett think intelligent life exists on other planets? The first reason is time. Scientists believe the universe is about 12 billion years old. "This is long enough for other planets to have intelligent life," say Shostak and Barnet. The second reason is size--the universe is huge. "Tools like the Hubble telescope have shown that there are at least 100 billion galaxies," says Shostak. "And our galaxy, the Milk Way, has at least 100 billion stars. Some planets going around these stars might be similar to Earth." In the past, it was hard to look for signs of intelligent life in the universe. But now, powerful telescopes allow scientists to discover smaller planets--the size of Mars or Earth in other solar systems. These planets might have intelligent life. Have beings from space already visited Earth? "Probably not," says Shostak. "It's a long way away. However, intelligent beings may contact us in other way, such as radio signs. In fact, they may be trying to communicate with us now, but we don't have the right tools to receive their messages. However, this is changing. By 2025, we could make contact with other life forms in our universe and we might help each other."

1. they are astronomers
2. They believe intelligent life exists somewhere in the universe
3. the Milk Way
4. 100 billion stars
5. powerful telescopes
6. the Hubble telescope
7. no
8. no
9. radio signs
10. no
11. yes

Numbered questions:
1. What scientific field do Seth Shostak and Alexandra Barnett work in?
2. What do they believe about intelligent life existing on other planets?
3. What galaxy do we live in?
4. How many stars does it have?
5. What type of tool allows us to see other planets?
6. What famous one is mentioned?
7. Does Shostak believe beings from space have already visited Earth?
8. Did Barnett express an opinion on that topic?
9. What is one way that we may be contacted?
10. Does Shostak believe beings from space will visit Earth soon?
11. Does Shostak believe beings from space could make contact with Earth soon?