Problem: Brownie and Spotty were neighbor dogs who met every day to play together. Like pairs of dogs you can find in any neighborhood, these two loved each other and played together so often that they had worn a path through the grass of the field between their houses. One evening, Brownie's family noticed that Brownie hadn't returned home. They went looking for him with no success. Brownie didn't show up the next day, and, although they made their efforts to find him, by the next week he was still missing, Curiously, Spotty showed up at Brownie's house alone, barking and jumping. Busy with their own lives, they paid no attention to the nervous little neighbor dog. Finally, one morning Spotty refused to take "no" for an answer. Ted, Brownie's owner, was continuously disturbed by the angry, determined little dog. Spotty followed Ted about, barking all the time, then rushing toward a nearby empty lot and back, as if to say, "Follow me! It's urgent!" Eventually, Ted followed Spotty across the empty lot as Spotty stopped to race back and barked encouragingly. The little dog led the man to a deserted spot a half mile from the house. There Ted found his beloved Brownie alive, one of his legs crushed in a steel trap . Frightened, Ted now wished he had taken Spotty's earlier appeals seriously. Then Ted noticed something. Spotty had done something else besides leading Brownie's human owner to his trapped friend. In a circle around the injured dog, Ted found some food remains of every meal. Brownie had been fed that week! Spotty had been visiting Brownie regularly, in the hope of keeping his friend alive. Spotty had actually stayed with Brownie to protect him from hunger and other dangers, and keep his spirits up. Brownie's leg was carefully treated and he soon got well again. For many years thereafter the two families watched the faithful friends chasing each other down that well-worn path between their houses.
1. Who loved each other and played together?
2. Who noticed that Brownie didn't return home
3. Who arrived to help look for Brownie
4. And who was getting mad about it?
5. who was led by spotty to an empty lot
6. and who was there
7. who kept brownie alive
8. how?
9. what body part of brownie was cared for
10. did their owners remain in contact after
Answer: 1. Brownie and Spotty
2. Brownie's family
3. Spotty
4. Spotty
5. Ted
6. Brownie
7. Spotty
8. fed him and protected him from hunger and other dangers to keep his spirits up
9. Brownie's leg was carefully treated
10. yes

Q: Rome, Italy (CNN) -- A Nigerian man who sang in a Vatican choir arranged gay liaisons for an Italian government official who served in the unpaid role of papal usher, according to transcripts of wiretaps collected by Italian authorities.

The wiretaps were gathered as part of an investigation into how public-works contracts were awarded.

The purported conversations were between Angelo Balducci, who oversaw the Italian government's awarding of construction contracts -- including work on the airport at Perugia -- and Thomas Chinedu Ehiem, a 39-year-old Nigerian singer. They were recorded between April 14, 2008, and January 20, 2010.

In addition to working for the government, Balducci served as a "gentleman of his holiness," also known as a papal usher or "Vatican gentleman." The main responsibility of the ceremonial position is to welcome heads of state to the Vatican and escort them to see the Pope.

Balducci is one of three public officials who, along with a businessman, have been jailed on charges related to corruption in the public works department. The public officials are alleged to have awarded contracts to businessmen who offered them favors, money, sex, and/or house remodeling in exchange. The suspects, who deny the charges, are in "cautionary custody" though they have not been charged or indicted.

The Italian news media have nicknamed the scandal "grande opere," which translates as "big works." The transcripts of the wiretaps were made public on Wednesday and widely disseminated in the media.

Balducci's lawyer, Franco Coppi, lambasted investigators' handling of his client.

Answer the following questions:
1. What is the name of the Nigerian performer?
2. What did he arrange?
3. For who?
4. Who caught him doing so?
5. How?
6. When did this happen?
7. What other role did Balducci serve?
8. What other phrase is that position known as?
9. What does that entail?
10. And take them where?
11. How many public officials have been arrested?
12. What allegedly happened/
13. For what else?
14. Have they been indicted?
15. What has the scandal been nicknamed?
16. What does that mean?
17. Who is Franco Coppi?
A: 1. Thomas Chinedu Ehiem
2. gay liaisons
3. an Italian government official
4. Italian authorities.
5. wiretaps
6. 2008, to 2010.
7. a papal usher
8. gentleman of his holiness
9. welcome heads of state to the Vatican
10. to see the Pope
11. three
12. they awarded contracts for favors
13. money, sex, and house remodeling
14. yes
15. grande opere
16. big works
17. Balducci's lawyer

Problem: Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- An earthquake in Pakistan, powerful enough to prompt the appearance of a small island off the coast, has killed more than 200 people, Pakistani officials said.

The 7.7-magnitude quake struck in a remote area of southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, but it had severe consequences.

At least 208 people were killed in the district of Awaran and the city of Turbut in Balochistan province, Asad Gilani, the provincial home secretary, said Wednesday.

In addition to the fatalities, around 350 people have been injured, he said, and more people are still trapped in rubble.

The quake was strong enough to cause a mass 20 to 30 feet high to emerge from the Arabian Sea like a small mountain island off the coast of Gwadar, local police official Mozzam Jah said. A large number of people gathered to view the newly formed island, he said.

Large quakes can cause significant deformation to the earth's crust, particularly visible along coastlines.

The island is about 100 feet in diameter and about one mile off the coast, GEO TV reported.

Zahid Rafi, principal seismologist for the National Seismic Monitoring Center, confirmed the island had formed. He said it was "not surprising," considering the magnitude of the earthquake.

But John Bellini, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said that generally it would be unlikely for such a large island to emerge from a quake like Tuesday's.

Many things, such as the tide, could come into play regarding the rise of the island, he said.
1. How many died?
2. Why?
3. Where?
4. Was it a shock?
5. How many hurt?
6. What did it make?
7. Where?
8. Was it looked at?
9. Who agreed that it happened?
10. Who is he?
11. How big was it?
12. How big was the shake?
Answer:
1. more than 200
2. An earthquake
3. Pakistan
4. no
5. 350
6. a mass 20 to 30 feet high
7. off the coast of Gwadar
8. yes
9. Zahid Rafi
10. principal seismologist for the National Seismic Monitoring Center,
11. 100 feet in diameter
12. unknown