question: Kuwait (; ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in Western Asia. Situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, it shares borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. , Kuwait has a population of 4.2 million people; 1.3 million are Kuwaitis and 2.9 million are expatriates. Expatriates account for 70% of the population.

Oil reserves were discovered in 1938. From 1946 to 1982, the country underwent large-scale modernization. In the 1980s, Kuwait experienced a period of geopolitical instability and an economic crisis following the stock market crash. In 1990, Kuwait was invaded by Iraq. The Iraqi occupation came to an end in 1991 after military intervention by coalition forces. At the end of the war, there were extensive efforts to revive the economy and rebuild national infrastructure.

Kuwait is a constitutional state with a semi-democratic political system. It has a high income economy backed by the world's sixth largest oil reserves. The Kuwaiti dinar is the highest valued currency in the world. According to the World Bank, the country has the fourth highest per capita income in the world. The Constitution was promulgated in 1962. The Kuwait National Cultural District is a member of the Global Cultural Districts Network.
1. what percent of Kuwait's population are expats?
2. how many people is that?
3. what is the total population?
4. is it a democratic country?
5. when was oil discovered there?
6. what did it experience in the 1980s?
7. how big are its oil reserves?
8. when did Kuwait undergo modernization?
9. when was the constitution promulgated?
10. where is kuwait situated?
11. who does it share borders with?
12. when was it invaded by Iraq?
13. who intervened?
14. when did the occupation come to an end?
15. did they have to rebuild their infrastructure?
****
answer: 1. 70%
2. 2.9 million
3. 4.2 million
4. semi-democratic
5. 1938
6. a period of geopolitical instability and an economic crisis
7. very
8. From 1946 to 1982
9. 1962.
10. northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf,
11. Iraq and Saudi Arabia
12. 1990
13. coalition forces
14. 1991
15. yes

question: Few of us haven't read Cinderella, the story of a young woman living in poverty who meets the prince of her dreams. Some might not want to admit it, but there is a hidden Cinderella in everyone's heart--we all wish we could achieve recognition or success after a period of obscurity .

Mary Santiago has that secret dream, too. Her story is featured in Another Cinderella Story, a film set in a US high school.

Mary is shy but loves to dance. Compared with other girls, she is invisible. However, her world changes completely when a famous teenager pop singer, Joey Parker, appears.

Joey is everything the rest of the boys in her class are not--kind, handsome and desirable. Mary and Joey's paths cross at a ball. They meet and fall in love with each other. But when Mary has to rush back home, she leaves behind her MP3 player, which becomes the only clue Joey has to find the girl of his dreams. Of course, there is a wicked stepmother, who turns out to be Dominique Blatt and she takes in Mary after her dancer mother dies. Dominique treats Mary like a maid and does everything she can to make sure Mary doesn't get into the top dance school. Her two daughters are equally determined to stop Joey falling for Mary, even if that means embarrassing her.

The story, though it mostly follows Cinderella, does add a few modern day twists to the classic fairy tale. Refreshingly, the film, unlike many high school films, does not focus on looks, although the actors are all beautiful. There is also a lot less materialism in Another Cinderella Story than in many similar movies.

"The movie takes the Cinderella fairytale as its jumping off point," writes movie critic Amber Wilkinson. "The focus is firmly on following your dream."
1. What is the focus of the movie?
2. What critic talked about it?
3. What is the name of it?
4. Where is is set?
5. Who is it about?
6. Who does she meet?
7. Who is he?
8. Where do they find each other?
9. What does Mary love?
10. Who was her mother?
11. What happened to her mother?
12. Who also lives with her?
13. What does Mary leave behind?
14. What did her step mother do?
15. And did she make sure Mary did not get?
****
answer: 1. a young woman living in poverty
2. Amber Wilkinson
3. Another Cinderella Story
4. in a US high school
5. Mary Santiago
6. Joey Parker
7. a famous teenager pop singer
8. a ball
9. to dance
10. Dominique Blatt
11. She died
12. Her two daughters
13. her MP3 player
14. she takes in Mary
15. yes

question: (CNN) -- Mohammed Alshaya owns more high street brands than most fashion addicts could stuff in their closets.

Mohammed Alshaya, CEO of Alshaya's retail division, tells MME he sees a new mindset in the Gulf

Topshop, Coast, NEXT and River Island are just some of the big names he's imported from the United Kingdom to shopping centers in the Middle East.

As chief executive of M.H. Alshaya, he knows what sells: tried and tested Western brands that will appeal to local shoppers.

And his empire is not limited to clothing. In the past month, he's taken Mothercare and The Body Shop to Central Eastern Europe.

With the addition of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, M.H. Alshaya now operates in 16 markets including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Cyprus, Turkey, Poland and Russia.

John Defterios spoke with Mohammed Alshaya, and started by asking him for his thoughts on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) plans for a single currency.

(JD): I would imagine as a retail operation you'd be a huge proponent of a single currency within the GCC. Is it realistic within the next 4 to 5 years?

(MA): I think it can be, as long as there is a will of the leaders to get together and decide. It is a huge leap towards efficiency, conciliation, getting closer between the six countries. One single Central Bank that governs and regulates is much better than the current six, I believe.

(JD): Have you ever done any calculations of what impact it would have on your back office operations?
1. Who own lots of high street brands?
2. What company does he work for?
3. What is his title?
4. What does he imports?
5. Where to?
6. And where else?
7. How many countries?
8. Who interviewed him?
9. Who did they say needed a common money?
10. How many nations are in it?
11. How much time will it take them to make it happen?
****
answer:
1. Mohammed Alshaya
2. Alshaya
3. CEO of retail division
4. Topshop, Coast, NEXT and River Island
5. the Middle East
6. Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia
7. 16
8. John Defterios
9. Gulf Cooperation Council
10. six
11. 4 to 5 years