Q: The Qing dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: Qing Chao; WadeGiles: Ch'ing Ch'ao; IPA: [ti t]), officially the Great Qing (Chinese: ; pinyin: Da Qing), also called the Empire of the Great Qing, or the Manchu dynasty, was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China. The Qing multi-cultural empire lasted almost three centuries and formed the territorial base for the modern Chinese state.

The dynasty was founded by the Jurchen Aisin Gioro clan in Manchuria. In the late sixteenth century, Nurhaci, originally a Ming vassal, began organizing Jurchen clans into "Banners", military-social units. Nurhaci formed these clans into a unified entity, the subjects of which became known collectively as the Manchu people. By 1636, his son Hong Taiji began driving Ming forces out of Liaodong and declared a new dynasty, the Qing. In 1644, peasant rebels led by Li Zicheng conquered the Ming capital Beijing. Rather than serve them, Ming general Wu Sangui made an alliance with the Manchus and opened the Shanhai Pass to the Banner Armies led by Prince Dorgon, who defeated the rebels and seized Beijing. The conquest of China proper was not completed until 1683 under the Kangxi Emperor (r. 16611722). The Ten Great Campaigns of the Qianlong Emperor from the 1750s to the 1790s extended Qing control into Central Asia. While the early rulers maintained their Manchu ways, and while their official title was Emperor they were known as khans to the Mongols and patronized Tibetan Buddhism, they governed using Confucian styles and institutions of bureaucratic government. They retained the imperial examinations to recruit Han Chinese to work under or in parallel with Manchus. They also adapted the ideals of the tributary system in international relations, and in places such as Taiwan, the Qing so-called internal foreign policy closely resembled colonial policy and control.

1. Qing
2. China
3. Manchu dynasty
4. No
5. Jurchen Aisin Gioro clan
6. in Manchuria
7. By 1636
8. Kangxi Emperor
9. Confucian styles and institutions of bureaucratic government
10. Li Zicheng
11. Ming capital Beijing
12. Central Asia.
13. yes
14. Tibetan Buddhism
15. almost three centuries
16. Nurhaci
17. Ming general Wu Sangui
18. No
19. khans

Numbered questions:
1. Which dynasty is the story about?
2. Which country is it in?
3. Is it referred to by any other names other than Qing?
4. Was it the first imperial dynasty of China?
5. Who founded it?
6. Where did that happen?
7. What year did Hong Taiji declare a new dynasty?
8. The conquest of China was done under what emperor?
9. What kind of style and institution of governing did the early rulers use?
10. In 1644 rebels were led by whom?
11. Where did he conquer?
12. Qing control was extended into where from the 1750's to the 1790's?
13. DId their internal foreign policy resemble colonial policy?
14. What religion was patronized?
15. How long did the empire last?
16. Who organized the clans into Banners?
17. Who forged a pact with the Manchu to open Shanhai Pass?
18. Was he happy about doing this?
19. What were the early rulers known as to the Mongols?

Q: In 50 years of traveling, Colin McCorpuodale has visited every country in the world except three. And everywhere he goes, he sends himself a postcard. He always chooses a postcard with beautiful scenery . Usually he writes just a short message to himself. However, he wrote an interesting story on his latest one, from the Malians Island. Mr. McCorpuodale lives in London. On one of the walls in his room, you can see a large map of the world. There are hundreds of little red pins stuck in it. "These pins mean a lot to me." says Mr. McCorpuodale, "I follow the rule. I'm allowed to stick one in only if I've been in a place for more than 24 hours." Naturally, Mr. McCorpuodale has his favorite places. New Zealand, he describes as "a wonderful country". About China, he says, "This is the country in the world which is completely different. There is no European influence." Wherever he goes, Mr. McCorpuodale takes with him a photo of his wife, a candle, a shirt with a secret pocket and a pen. So why does he do it? For the postcards or the travels? Mr. McCorpuodale laughs, "Neither. Only for the meaningful life."

1. Malians
2. London
3. 50
4. a map
5. three
6. a postcard
7. little red pins
8. 24 hours
9. beautiful scenery
10. short
11. an interesting one
12. it's wonderful
13. a photo of his wife, a candle, a shirt and a pen
14. not at all

Numbered questions:
1. Which islands did Colin visit recently?
2. where does he live?
3. how many years has he been traveling?
4. what is on the wall of his room?
5. how many countries has he yet to visit?
6. what does he send himself after visiting each place?
7. what is stuck in the map?
8. how long does he have to visit a country before he can mark it with a pin?
9. what is pictured on the postcards?
10. does he write short messages or long ones usually?
11. did he write a short or long one this time?
12. what does he think of New Zealand?
13. what does Colin take with him everywhere he goes?
14. does he think China is influenced by Europe?

Q: A senior Palestinian Authority official died Wednesday after a confrontation with Israeli troops, prompting President Mahmoud Abbas to halt security coordination with Israel, according to Palestinian officials.

Ziyad Abu Ein died after clashes with Israeli soldiers midday Wednesday in the Palestinian village of Turmusaya, which is northeast of the West Bank city of Ramallah, longtime chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said in a statement. Abu Ein -- a minister in Abbas' Fatah party and head of the Committee to Resist the Wall and Settlements -- was there participating in nonviolent demonstrations to mark international Human Rights Day, according to Erakat's statement.

There were varying reports of exactly how Abu Ein died, including what role -- if any -- Israeli authorities played in it.

Pictures from various news agencies depict an Israeli soldier with his hands to Abu Ein's neck, followed by another showing him on the ground. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA, meanwhile, reported that the Palestinian official lost consciousness after he inhaled tear gas and an Israeli soldier hit him in the chest.

"The Israeli soldiers called Abu Ein by name and seemed to be focused on him," witness Kamal Abu Safaka told CNN. "There was a lot of pushing, kicking and punching by the soldiers. ... When Abu Ein tried to intercede, they hit him on the chest with a rifle butt and grabbed him by the throat and pushed him back and then threw a large amount of tear gas and stun grenades."

Dr. Ahmed Bitawi, the director of the Ramallah hospital that inspected Abu Ein's body, said he died from asphyxiation after choking on vomit brought on by tear gas inhalation.

1. An Israeli soldier with his hands to Abu Ein's neck
2. a minister in Abbas' Fatah party
3. asphyxiation
4. Dr. Ahmed Bitawi
5. vomit
6. tear gas
7. Turmusaya
8. international Human Rights Day
9. no
10. CNN
11. Kamal Abu Safaka
12. yes
13. hit him and grabbed him
14. Committee to Resist the Wall and Settlements

Numbered questions:
1. What did pictures show about the demonstration?
2. Who was Abu Ein?
3. What is one theory about how he died?
4. Who thought that?
5. What asphyxiated him?
6. What made him vomit?
7. Where did this happen?
8. What special day did it happen on?
9. Was it meant to be a violent demonstration?
10. Which US news agency spoke with a witness?
11. And what was the witness"s name?
12. Did the Israeli soldiers focus on Abu Ein?
13. Why ? What did they do?
14. He was head of which committee?