instruction:
Indicate a text span in the passage about which an inquisitive question is asked. (note, don't answer the question).
question:
Sentence: The oil industry ' s middling profits could persist through the rest of the year .<sep>Question: why the rest of yeatr?
answer:
the rest of the year

question:
Sentence: Mr . Mosbacher called for concrete results by next spring in negotiations over fundamental Japanese business practices that supposedly inhibit free trade .<sep>Question: What are Japanese businesses doing that inhibit free trade?
answer:
business practices

question:
Sentence: The software company said revenue slid 28 % to $ 53 . 9 million .<sep>Question: What was the reason for the slide?
answer:
slid