Problem: Following the earthquake, Joseph I gave his Prime Minister even more power, and Sebastiao de Melo became a powerful, progressive dictator. As his power grew, his enemies increased in number, and bitter disputes with the high nobility became frequent. In 1758 Joseph I was wounded in an attempted assassination. The Tavora family and the Duke of Aveiro were implicated and executed after a quick trial. The Jesuits were expelled from the country and their assets confiscated by the crown. Sebastiao de Melo prosecuted every person involved, even women and children. This was the final stroke that broke the power of the aristocracy. Joseph I made his loyal minister Count of Oeiras in 1759.

Following the Tavora affair, the new Count of Oeiras knew no opposition. Made "Marquis of Pombal" in 1770, he effectively ruled Portugal until Joseph I's death in 1779. However, historians also argue that Pombal's "enlightenment," while far-reaching, was primarily a mechanism for enhancing autocracy at the expense of individual liberty and especially an apparatus for crushing opposition, suppressing criticism, and furthering colonial economic exploitation as well as intensifying book censorship and consolidating personal control and profit.
1. Who was the Prime Minister under Joseph 1?
2. When was he given more power?
3. What did he do with it?
4. Did he get along with the nobles?
5. Who was blamed for trying to Assassinate Joseph?
6. What happened to them?
7. What was De Melo's role?
8. what title was he given after?
9. For how many years did he rule Portugal?
10. was he a proponent of individual liberty?
11. did he tolerate dissenters well?
12. When did Joseph 1 die?
Answer: 1. Sebastiao de Melo
2. after the earthquake,
3. became a dictator
4. no
5. The Tavora family and the Duke of Aveiro
6. they were executed
7. he prosecuted every person involved
8. Count of Oeiras
9. 9 years
10. no
11. no
12. in 1779

Problem: (CNN) -- They were a Parisian group of artists that gave birth to the Impressionism art movement, so it is perhaps fitting that one of their devotees records the French Open with those broad brushstrokes.

Year after year, Joel Blanc makes the short pilgrimage from his Paris studio to the Stade Roland Garros for the tennis year's second grand slam, aiming to encapsulate the tournament's magic onto his canvas.

In a style reminiscent of those Impressionist forefathers, he brings to life in his paintings what he witnesses taking place in front of him on the famous red clay courts.

"When I begin the painting, I don't know exactly what will happen but I know what I want to introduce in the beginning. After, it's a story of life," he told CNN's Open Court show.

"I know how it begins, but I don't know how it finishes."

A key principle of Impressionism was to paint outdoors rather than inside a studio, so it's a style tailor-made to Blanc's own way of working.

It's an approach that has won over tennis stars such as Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal -- both fans and owners of the Frenchman's paintings -- or television companies, who invite him to cover sporting events.

Making his first visit to depict the action on the main court of Philippe Chatrier in 2004, Blanc has returned every year since, attracted by both the stadium and the French Open's allure and charm.

"Roland Garros is my favorite place," says the 68-year-old. "It's very special, it's near to my studio, I'm like a neighbor.
1. Does Blanc know how it begins?
2. What about how to finish it?
3. Does he like to paint outside?
4. What movement is painting outdoors a key principle of?
5. Versus painting where?
6. What sport is Federer famous for playing?
7. Who else is good at tennis?
8. Do Federer and Nadal dig Blanc's paintings?
9. Do they own any?
10. Who invites Blanc to come cover sporting events?
11. When did he make the first of such visits?
12. Which court was that on?
13. Has he ever come back since that first time?
14. How often?
15. Is he attracted to a woman's allure and charm?
16. What is he attracted by?
17. Is it a far pilgrimage from his studio to the Stade?
18. Is Roland Garros one of his favorite places?
19. How old is he, anyway?
20. What brush strokes does he use to record the French Open with?
Answer: 1. Yes
2. No
3. Yes
4. Impressionism
5. inside a studio
6. Tennis
7. Rafael Nadal
8. Yes
9. Yes
10. television companies
11. 2004
12. the main court of Philippe Chatrier
13. Yes
14. Every year
15. unknown
16. both the stadium and the French Open's allure and charm
17. no
18. Yes
19. 68
20. broad brushstrokes

Problem: Jean is a bright young woman who comes from a rich and famous family. She goes to a good university and has everything that money can buy, well, almost everything. The problem is that the people in Jean's family are so busy that they can hardly find time to be with her. In fact, Jean is quite lonely. So Jean spends a lot of time on her QQ. She likes being anonymous , talking to people who do not know about her famous family and her rich life. She uses the name Linda on QQ and has made a lot of friends who she keeps in touch with quite often. Last year Jean made a very special friend on QQ. His name was David and lived in San Francisco. David was full of stories and jokes. He and Jean had a common interest in rock music and modern dance. So it always took them hours to talk happily on QQ and sometimes they even forgot their time. Of course, they wanted to know more about each other. David sent a picture of himself. He was a tall, good-looking young man with a big happy smile. As time went by, they became good friends and often sent cards and small things to each other. When Jean's father told her that he was going on a business trip to San Francisco, she asked him to let her go with him so that she could give David a surprise for his birthday. She would take him the latest DVD of their own rock singer. But when she knocked on David's door in San Francisco, she found that her special friend was a twelve-year-old boy named Jim.
1. What messaging tool does Jean use?
2. Why does she use it?
3. Why?
4. Do they make a lot of cash?
5. What's her username on the messenger?
6. How many friends does she have?
7. Has she had any serious relationships on it?
8. What was his name?
9. What about his real name?
10. What did Jean's parents think of the relationship?
11. Did David send her an image?
12. Did she send him one?
13. What did they mostly chat about?
14. What was Jean's reaction to his true identity?
Answer:
1. QQ.
2. she is lonely
3. Jean's family is busy
4. Yes
5. Linda
6. a lot
7. Yes
8. David
9. Jim.
10. They were Ok with it
11. Yes
12. Not sure
13. rock music and modern dance.
14. unknown