Q: By-elections also spelled bye-election (known as special elections in the United States, and bypolls in India) are used to fill elected offices that have become vacant between general elections.

In most cases these elections occur after the incumbent dies or resigns, but they also occur when the incumbent becomes ineligible to continue in office (because of a recall, ennoblement, criminal conviction, or failure to maintain a minimum attendance). Less commonly, these elections have been called when a constituency election is invalidated by voting irregularities.

In the United States, these contests have been called "special elections" because they do not always occur on Election Day like regular congressional elections. A 2016 study of special elections to the United States House of Representatives found "that while candidate characteristics affect special election outcomes, presidential approval is predictive of special election outcomes as well. Furthermore, we find that the effect of presidential approval on special election outcomes has increased in magnitude from 1995 to 2014, with the 2002 midterm representing an important juncture in the nationalization of special elections."

The procedure for filling a vacant seat in the House of Commons of England was developed during the Reformation Parliament of the 16th century by Thomas Cromwell; previously a seat had remained empty upon the death of a member. Cromwell devised a new election that would be called by the king at a time of the king's choosing. This made it a simple matter to ensure the seat rewarded an ally of the crown.

Answer the following questions:
1. What is the term used for special elections?
2. Why are they special?
3. What sways these elections?
4. What is the main thing?
5. How do you know? What was done?
6. When was the study done?
7. On all elections or specific ones?
8. On what offices?
9. Is it having more of an impact over time?
10. What year was the turning point?
A: 1. By-elections
2. do not always occur on Election Day
3. candidate characteristics
4. presidential approval
5. increased in magnitude
6. 2016
7. specific
8. United States House of Representatives
9. Yes
10. 2002
Q: Smart Exercise

Doctors are starting to find more and more information that suggests a connection between exercise and brain development. Judy Cameron, a scientist at Oregon Health and prefix = st1 /ScienceUniversity, studies brain development. According to her research, it seems that exercise can make blood vessels, including those in the brain, stronger and more fully developed. Dr. Cameron claims this allows people who exercise to concentrate better. As she says: "While we already know that exercise is good for the heart, exercise can literally cause physical changes in the brain."

The effects of exercise on brain development can even be seen in babies. Babies who do activities that require a lot of movement and physical activity show greater brain development than babies who are less physically active. With babies, even a little movement can show big results. Margaret Barnes, a pediatrician , believes in the importance of exercise. She thinks that many learning disabilities that children have in elementary school or high school can be traced back to a lack of movement as babies. "Babies need movement that stimulates their five senses. They need to establish a connection between motion and memory. In this way, as they get older, children will begin to associate physical activity with higher learning," says Margaret.

Older people can beef uptheir brains as well.CornellUniversitystudied a group of seniors ranging in age from seventy to seventy-nine. Their study showed a short-term memory increase of up to 40 percent after exercising just three hours a week. The exercise does not have to be very difficult, but it does have to increase the heart rate. Also, just like the motion for infants, exercise for older people should involve some complexity. Learning some new skills or motions helps to open up memory paths in the brain that may not have been used for a long time.

For most people, any type of physical activity that increases the heart rate is helpful. The main goal is to increase the brain's flow of blood. And your brain can benefit from as little as two to three hours of exercise a week.

Answer the following questions:
1. Are doctors starting to think there is a connection between exercise and brain development?
2. What does judy Cameron's research say about the topic?
3. Can exercise cause physical changes in the brain?
4. What does it say children need to associalte physical activity with?
5. What percentage increase in short term memory was a result of exercise in older people?
6. What should one learn to open up memory paths in the brain that may not have been used in a long time?
7. Does Dr. Cameron calm exercise helps concentration?
8. What does the exercise need to increase to help?
9. How low of time is said to be needed?
10. What University does Judy Cameron work for?
A: 1. yes
2. exercise can make your brain stronger
3. yes
4. physical activity shows greater brain development
5. up to 40 percent
6. Learning some new skills or motions
7. yes
8. the brain's flow of blood
9. two to three hours of exercise a week.
10. Oregon Health
Q: Guan Moye, better known as Mo Yan, is a Chinese novelist and short story writer. He has been referred to by Donald Morrison of U.S. news magazine, TIME, as "one of the most famous and widely pirated of all Chinese writers". He is best known to Western readers for Red Sorghum Clan , which was later adapted for the film, Red Sorghum. In 2012, Mo was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Mo Yan was born in Gaomi County, Shandong Province. He was 11 years old when the Cultural Revolution started, at which time he left school to work as a farmer. At the age of 18, he began to work at a factory. During this period, his access to literature was largely limited to novels. At the close of the Cultural Revolution in 1976, Mo joined the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and began writing. During this period, the works of Chinese literature, as well as translations of foreign authors such as William Faulkner, made an impact on his works. In 1984, he received a literary award from the PLA Magazine, and at the same year he began attending the Military Art Academy, where he first used the pen name of Mo Yan. "Mo Yan" means "don't speak" in Chinese. He explained that the name came from a warning from his father and mother about not saying what he thought when he was outside. It also related to the subject matter of his writings. Mo's first novel was Falling Rain on a Spring Night, published in 1981. Several of his novels were translated into English by Howard Goldblatt, professor of East Asian languages and literature, at the University of Notre Dame. He published his first novella , A Transparent Radish, in 1984, and released Red Sorghum Clan in 1986, making him a nationally recognized novelist. Five years later, he obtained a Master's degree in literature from Beijing Normal University.

Answer the following questions:
1. what prize did Mo receive?
2. what else were they awarded?
3. what else is Mo Yan known as?
4. where are they from?
5. how old was he when the cultural revolution started?
6. what foreign author made an impact on him?
7. what county was Mo born?
8. what province is that in?
9. what year did the cultural revolution start?
10. when did it end?
11. what does his name mean?
12. when did he get the PLA Magazine award?
13. who translated his novels into English?
14. when did his first novel get published?
15. what university was Goldblatt a professor at?
16. what dept?
17. what was the name of Mo's first novel
18. and the name of his first novella?
19. when was that published?
20. did he eventually get a Master's degree?
A:
1. a literary award from the PLA Magazine
2. the Nobel Prize in Literature
3. Guan Moye
4. China
5. 11 years old
6. William Faulkner
7. Gaomi County
8. Shandong Province
9. unknown
10. 1976
11. "don't speak"
12. In 1984
13. Howard Goldblatt
14. in 1984
15. the University of Notre Dame
16. East Asian languages and literature
17. Falling Rain on a Spring Night
18. A Transparent Radish
19. in 1984
20. yes