Read the text and answer the questions.

Syria may be embroiled in a brutal three-year civil war, but that's not stopping the government from holding controversial presidential elections this week.

The election, which has been branded a sham by the West and by the Syrian opposition, is widely expected to return President Bashar al-Assad to power.

CNN International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen has reported from inside Syria numerous times during the conflict, which has left an estimated 150,000 people dead. He breaks down the key questions ahead of Tuesday's election.

Why is it happening now?

The government says Syria's new constitution stipulates that presidential elections must be held now. The regime says it shows the country is moving forward and that it is the first time a president will be elected by the people rather than appointed. The opposition says the election is a fraud, that voting will be rigged and that the poll serves only to cement Assad's power.

Who are the other candidates?

The other two candidates are relative unknowns. One is Maher Hajjar, an entrepreneur and member of parliament. He keeps out of the limelight and has not been heard from much. Hajjar's election posters declare that "Syria is with Palestine," which seems like a very narrow slogan. Other than that it is unclear what he would change should he win.

The more intriguing candidate is Hassan Nouri, a former economics professor and cabinet minister who told me he had to resign because he was too critical of Assad's government. Nouri studied at the University of Wisconsin and still refers to himself as a Badger. He says the election is an uphill battle for him, but feels he is making headway. His main message is economic. He is for market liberalization and fighting corruption in government and in the private sector. But when it comes to fighting Syria's civil war, Nouri says he wouldn't do anything differently -- and much like Assad, he refers to the regime's three-year assault on the opposition as "fighting terrorism."

1. How many people have died?
2. Who is expected to win the election?
3. What does the constitution stipulate?
4. What does the regime say about it?
5. What does the opposition say?
6. Did they say anything else?
7. What?
8. Who is Maher Hajjer?
9. What do he do for a living?
10. Is he well known?
11. Does he have an election slogan?
12. What is it?
13. What does he plan to change besides that?
14. Is there another candidate running?
15. What is his name?
16. What is his profession?
17. Why is he a former economics professor and cabinet minister?
18. Where did he get his education?
19. How does he feel about the election?
20. What is his main message?
21. What are his economic views?
1. 150,000
2. President Bashar al-Assad
3. that presidential elections must be held now.
4. it is the first time a president will be elected by the people rather than appointed
5. the election is a fraud
6. Yes
7. that voting will be rigged to keep Assad in power.
8. One of the candidates.
9. is an entrepreneur and member of parliament.
10. No
11. Yes
12. "Syria is with Palestine,"
13. it is unclear what he would change
14. Yes
15. Hassan Nouri,
16. he is a former economics professor and cabinet minister
17. because he was too critical of Assad's government
18. the University of Wisconsin
19. That it is an uphill battle but feels he is making headway.
20. economic
21. Market liberalization and fighting corrupt government