question: The fate of three U.S. citizens who have disappeared or been imprisoned in Iran was discussed during Friday's historic conversation between the two nations' presidents, a senior U.S. administration official said.

U.S. President Barack Obama, during his phone call with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, "noted our concern about three American citizens who have been held within Iran -- Robert Levinson, Saeed Abedini, and Amir Hekmati -- and noted our interest in seeing those Americans reunited with their families," the official said.

Two of the Americans have been tried and convicted in Iranian courts, and the whereabouts of another have been unknown for more than six years.

Here are the most recent developments in the stories of the detained U.S. citizens:

Bob LevinsonThe family of Levinson, a retired FBI agent, has been anxiously waiting for news, any news, about his fate since he vanished during a business trip to Iran in March 2007.

When Rouhani, Iran's new president, arrived in New York, Levinson's wife and children were watching closely for a sign that efforts to find Levinson might move forward.

During an exclusive interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Rouhani offered little when asked what he can tell Levinson's family.

"We don't know where he is, who he is," Rouhani said. "He is an American who has disappeared. We have no news of him."

Yet, like former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Rouhani spoke of cooperation.

"We are willing to help, and all the intelligence services in the region can come together to gather information about him to find his whereabouts," Rouhani told Amanpour.
1. Who is the President of Iran?
2. Who spoke with him?
3. regarding?
4. Has anyone been convicted?
5. How many?
6. Where is the other one?
7. When did Bob Levinson disappear?
8. What was his occupation?
9. Is he still working?
10. Does he have family?
11. Who?
****
answer: 1. Hassan Rouhani
2. Barack Obama
3. concern about three American citizens
4. yes
5. Two
6. it is unknown
7. March 2007
8. FBI agent
9. no
10. yes
11. wife and children

question: (Mental Floss) -- Over the centuries, people have had some very good reasons to dress up like a member of the opposite sex.

And I'm not talking about people who live this way out of personal preference, or those who dress up for theater and entertainment.

Here are just five examples.

1. Cross-dressing to join the army

Until recently, women have rarely been allowed to serve as soldiers.

So what was a gal to do if she wanted to serve her country? Naturally, disguise herself as a man and join the troops.

At least 400 Civil War soldiers were women in drag. These included Union Army soldier "Frank Thompson" (also known as Sarah Edmonds), whose small frame and feminine mannerisms (rather than causing suspicion) made her an ideal spy, as she could spy on the Confederates disguised as... a woman!

She wasn't the first woman to don a male disguise and join the army, though. During the Revolutionary War, women fought as men on both sides.

Hannah Snell, for example, joined the British army to find her husband, who had walked out on her to enlist.

Once her true sex was discovered (thanks to a pesky groin injury), she became a national celebrity in Britain, and made a post-war career of performing in bars as the "Female Warrior." Mental Floss: The Confederacy's plan to conquer Latin America

2. Cross-dressing to keep a royal family together

With all the power play that went on in the court, the French royal family would go to great lengths to avoid sibling rivalry. In one of the more extreme cases, Philippe I, Duke of Orleans (1640-1701), was raised as a girl to discourage him from any political or military aspirations.
1. Were women always allowed in the military?
2. How could a women participate, despite the regulations against it?
3. During which war did this happen?
4. Was it limited to only one side of the conflict?
5. What name did Sarah Edmonds use to enlist?
6. In what war did she fight?
7. How many other women joined her?
8. Sarah's statue made her an ideal candidate for what position?
9. Why did Hannah Snell join the army?
10. Which army had he joined?
11. Did Hannah become famous?
12. How was she caught?
13. Where did she perform?
14. As what character?
15. Which royal family member was raised as a member of the opposite sex?
16. When did he live?
17. What did his family want to discourage him from?
18. What type of competition was being avoided?
19. In what country did Hannah Snell become famous after her discharge?
****
answer: 1. no
2. disguise herself as a man
3. Revolutionary War
4. no
5. Frank Thompson
6. Civil War
7. At least 400
8. a spy
9. to find her husband
10. the British army
11. yes
12. a groin injury
13. bars
14. the "Female Warrior"
15. Philippe I
16. 1640-1701
17. political or military aspirations
18. sibling rivalry
19. Britain

question: Jack Johnson is one of the most popular singer-songwriters in the world. Jack was born on May 18, 1975 in Hawaii. Being the son of a famous surfer, Jack naturally has an interest in surfing. Most of his life lessons were learned in the water. At the age of 17, Jack entered the finals of the Pineline Masters---the world's most famous surfing competition. Everyone thought Jack would become a professional surfer like his father. Unluckily, one month later, he had a deadly accident while surfing and was seriously hurt. Life is like a revolving door. When it closes, it also opens. Jack started to practice playing the guitar and write songs when he was staying in hospital. At first, his father thought Jack only did it for fun, but soon he was surprised at the great progress his son had made. When studying in the university, Jack didn't stop practicing his guitar skills. He played the guitar for school parties. He wrote songs and sang for his teachers and friends. They liked his songs. His first music album Brushfire Fairytalescame out in 2001. It was a great success. His second album,On and On, was much like his first one. They were filled with sweet, easy-going songs that everybody liked listening to. Later, Jack had lots of concerts in and out of America. He became popular all over the world. Jack had five albums by 2010 and more than 15 million copies of them were sold. His music doesn't fit into any of the popular music styles like pop, rock, R&B or hip-hop. It is more like fold music, played with a guitar and beautiful voice. When listening to his songs, you feel like lying on the beach enjoying the warm sunshine. Jack is a talent, though he himself says he is only a surfer who loves music. In his songs we can find his secret of success: Whatever happens in our lives, we have to accept it and do the best we can.
1. What did Jack's dad do for a living?
2. Did he surf also?
3. Did he do it competitively?
4. What competition did he enter?
5. At waht age?
6. What did he practice in college?
7. Did he play for others?
8. Were his pieces liked?
9. By who?
10. Is college where he first started playing?
11. Where did he start?
12. Why was he there?
13. Did he do anything else while there?
14. What?
15. When was his first album released?
16. What was its title?
17. What type of music does he play?
18. What does he think of himself as?
19. What is his secret?
20. Where is it found?
****
answer:
1. professional surfer
2. yes
3. yes
4. the Pineline Masters
5. 17
6. guitar
7. yes
8. yes
9. his teachers and friends
10. no
11. in the hospital
12. he had a accident
13. yes
14. he wrote songs
15. 2001
16. Brushfire Fairytales
17. fold music
18. a surfer who loves music
19. accepting whatever happens and doing the best we can
20. In his songs