Q: Moscow, Russia (CNN) -- The mortality rate in Moscow, Russia, has "doubled recently" because of an extended streak of heat and smog, Andrei Seltsovsky, the head of the city health department, told Russian news agencies Monday.

Seltsovsky said that the average daily mortality rate in Moscow is 360 to 380 cases, but "today the rate is around 700."

Out of 1,500 slots in city morgues, 1,300 were occupied, he added.

The death toll directly attributed to the country's recent spate of wildfires remained at 52, the Russian Health and Social Development Ministry said on its website Monday. Another 62 people across Russia were in hospitals with wildfire-related ailments, and in all, 741 people had sought wildfire-related medical assistance, it said.

CNN iReport: See and share images of Russia wildfires

The ministry said 22 out of the country's 83 regions, mostly in central Russia, are affected by wildfires. And no relief is in sight, with temperatures forecast to remain high in central and northwestern Russia through August 20.

The Russian meteorological service Roshydromet said on its website Monday that the level of air pollution will remain high in and around Moscow in the coming days.

"The air will remain filled with products burning in forest and peat fires, and with toxic emission coming from motor vehicles and industrial enterprises," Roshydromet said.

It asked Moscow's industrial businesses to start cutting emissions by 20 to 40 percent from 3 p.m. Monday until 3 p.m. Wednesday to help reduce air pollution.

Alexander Frolov, who heads Roshydromet, appeared live on Russian state TV on Monday. He said high levels of pollutants in the Moscow air pose a serious danger to Muscovites' health.

Answer the following questions:
1. In what country does the article take place?
2. What is causing health problems?
3. Is it a brief period of these?
4. What negative effects have the population felt?
5. Was is the normal number of people dying in a day in Moscow?
6. But what was it increased to?
7. Does the article mention another way people are dying in Russia?
8. What is the cause of these other deaths?
9. How many people have been killed in this way?
10. How many people needed attention from doctors due to the fires?
11. Is the entire country affected by the fires?
12. How many regions?
13. What part of the country are those regions in?
14. Are temperatures thought to drop soon?
15. What about pollution levels?
16. What is the country's weather service called?
17. What has Roshydromet asked of businesses in Moscow?
18. By what percent?
19. When?
20. Who's the leader of that agency?
A: 1. Russia
2. heat and smog
3. no
4. The mortality rate has doubled
5. 360 to 380
6. 700
7. Yes
8. Wildfires
9. 52
10. 741
11. No
12. 22
13. Mostly in central Russia
14. No
15. No
16. Roshydromet
17. to start cutting emissions
18. 20 to 40 percent
19. from 3 p.m. Monday until 3 p.m. Wednesday
20. Alexander Frolov
Q: Edda, a Little Valkyrie's First Day of School

Written and illustrated by Adam Auerbach.

32 pp. Christy Ottaviano/Holt. $15.50.

Edda's home is in Asgard, "a land full of magic and adventure." But Edda, the littlest Valkyrie, doesn't have quite enough to do, until her father flies her "all the way to Earth for the first day of school."

The contrast between home and school is hard to get used to (in one, she can ride reindeer; in the other she gazes guinea pig through glass at the classroom). In his first picture book, Auerbach mixes the two worlds perfectly. Children are likely to appreciate the joke.

Planet Kindergarten

By Sue Ganz-Schmitt. Illustrated by Shane Prigmore.

32 pp. Chronicle. $14.99.

After careful preparations and a successful blastoff, a boy finds himself in a very unfamiliar environment. "We're aliens from many galaxies on Planet Kindergarten," he reflects as he sees his very varied classmates for the first time.

Prigmore, who designs for the movie industry, uses black backgrounds and bright colors to give this space adventure visual excitement and humor.

The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade

By Justin Roberts. Illustrated by Christian Robinson.

42 pp. Putnam. $18.99.

It makes sense that the author of the long, rhyming lines in "The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade" is a children's music performer. The story is about the power of one small person to fight prejudice.

Sally, whom no one ever seems to notice, is "paying super extra special attention" to the "terrible stuff" happening around her. When she decides to take action, she's not alone for long.

And Two Boys Booed

By Judith Viorst.

32 pp. Margaret Ferguson/Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $16.59.

Ever felt quietly confident one minute, and a shaking mess the next? In Viorst's story about determination, a little boy wakes up thinking about singing his song in the class talent show.

Answer the following questions:
1. What book is written by Justin Roberts?
A: 1. The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade
Q: Elshijh, an Egyptian doctoral candidate at Beijing Language and Cultural University, said he felt fairly excited when he learned that Mo Yan had won the literary prize. "Mo's winning of the prize is pushing Egypt to translate more of his works into Arabic," Elshijh said, adding that there is already an Arabic edition of "Red Sorghum," but Egypt's Ministry of Culture recently announced that it will translate another of Mo's works from Chinese to Arabic. Although Chinese literature is getting more attention around the world, translated versions of Chinese works remain in small supply in places like the United States and Europe. Jonathan Chuck, an American who has been working in social media for three years in China, has read some ancient Chinese classics in Englishand can name several ancient poets such as Li Bai. Chuck said works of Chinese literature are hard to get in the United States, as bookstores simply don't carry many English translations. "Besides, China is considered a mysterious country and far away from our daily life." Chuck said when he was in school, pupils mostly studied Western literature translated from French, German and Portuguese, not literature translated from Asian languages. "China's Nobel prize will inspire more Westerners to notice Chinese literature, and I may read some of Mo's works," he added. Li Ling, a professor at Beijing Language and Cultural University, said Chinese literature has less of a market than English-language literature because Western culture is the dominant culture. Moreover, it is difficult to fully express some Chinese words in English, which can limit Chinese literature to a Chinese-literate audience, Li added. "Western readers are more picky about what they read," he said, explaining that if a Chinese book is not translated well, it would be " _ " to recommend it to Western readers. Li expects China's Nobel laureate to expand foreign readership.

Answer the following questions:
1. who won something?
2. what did he win?
3. who was happy about it?
4. who is that?
5. at what school?
6. why was he so happy about Mo Yan winning?
7. translate them to what?
8. Are any of his works already in Arabic?
9. which ones?
10. any others?
11. which one will be translated next?
12. why is it so difficult to find Chinese Literature in the US?
13. which languages were most readings translated from?
14. what might the Chinese Nobel prize inspire?
15. what about Asian?
16. Which is the most dominant culture?
17. what limits Chinese literature to an audience?
18. who are the picky readers?
19. what is expected to expand foreign readership?
20. who is Li Bai?
A:
1. Mo Yan
2. a literary prize
3. Elshijh
4. a doctoral candidate
5. Beijing Language and Cultural University
6. pushing Egypt to translate more of his works
7. into Arabic
8. yes
9. Red Sorghum
10. unknown
11. unknown
12. bookstores don't carry translations
13. French, German and Portuguese
14. Westerners to notice Chinese literature
15. expand foreign readership
16. Western
17. translation
18. Western
19. China's Nobel laureate
20. ancient poet