Tokugawa Takes All: When Hideyoshi died in 1598, he hoped to have his five-year-old son continue his "dynasty," initially under the tutelage of five regents. But one of the regents was Ieyasu Tokugawa, who had been biding his time at Edo for 12 years, nurturing dynastic ambitions of his own. Of the cunning, ruthless triumvirate that came out on top at the end of the country's century of civil war, Tokugawa was without doubt the most patient, the most prudentand most treacherous. He moved quickly to eliminate his strongest rivals, crushing them in 1600 at the great Battle of Sekigahara (near modern Nagoya). During its subsequent two and a half centuries of rule from the new capital established at Edo, the Tokugawa organized a tightly controlled coalition of some 260 daimyo in strategic strongholds throughout the country. The allegiance of this highly privileged and prestigious group was ensured by cementing their ethical principles in the code of bushido, "The way of the warrior": loyalty to one's master, defense of one's status and honor, and fulfillment of all obligations. Loyalty was further enforced by holding the vassals' wives and children hostage in Edo. All roads into Edo, the most famous being the Tokaido Highway, had checkpoints for guns coming in and for wives going out. One of the most effective ways of keeping a tight rein on the country was to cut it off from the outside world, to keep Japan Japanese. At first, Ieyasu Tokugawa was eager to promote foreign trade. He wanted silk and encouraged the Dutch and British as good, nonproselytizing Protestants just interested in trade. But he didn't like the Portuguese and Spanish Catholic missionaries, who he felt were undermining traditional Japanese values. He banned their activities in 1612 and two years later ordered the expulsion of all missionaries and unrepentant Japanese converts. Executions and torture followed. Converts were forced to renounce their faith by trampling crucifixes and effigies of Jesus and Mary. The Catholic Church has counted 3,125 martyrs in Japan from 1597 (beginning under Hideyoshi) to 1660. In 1635 the Japanese were forbidden, on pain of death, to attempt to travel abroad, and Japanese citizens already overseas were prevented from returning, in case they brought back subversive Christian doctrines. Western books were banned, as were Chinese books that mentioned Christianity.

Question: "What was one cruel way in which the Bushido Code was enforced?"

OPTIONS:
- no
- yes

Answer: "Beating the vassalls"

Response: no

(CNN) -- Horror-meister, Stephen King calls George Pelecanos "perhaps the greatest living American crime writer." His stories are set in Pelecanos' hometown of Washington, D.C., but this is not the side of the U.S. capitol that you see portrayed on TV with white marble monuments, lawyers and lobbyists. Pelecanos is more interested in working families struggling to get by, the racial tensions in its ethnic neighborhoods and the low-lifes on the edges. His crime-writing peers call Pelecanos the "undisputed poet" of Washington's gritty side. The best-selling and award-winning author is out this week with his 17th and latest novel, "The Cut." It's the first in a new series featuring Iraq war veteran and private investigator Spero Lucas. When he's not working for a Washington defense attorney, Lucas recovers stolen property for a 40% cut. Now, a high-profile crime boss hires Lucas to find out who's been stealing from him, and it could turn out to be Lucas' biggest payday or an untimely end. While Pelecanos made his bones in the noir tradition, there's a definite "Western" feel to "The Cut." The new novel takes place in a morally gray and often violent world. It's peppered with pitch-perfect dialogue and captures the sights, sounds and taste of Washington in rich detail. In short, Pelecanos reads like the real deal. Pelecanos knows a thing or two about capturing the authenticity of urban America with an ethnically and socially diverse cast. In addition to his success as a novelist, Pelecanos is a producer and writer for HBO's New Orleans-set, "Treme." He was previously a producer and Emmy-nominated writer on the hit series "The Wire" and the miniseries "The Pacific." Read an excerpt from "The Cut" CNN recently spoke to Pelecanos about his new novel. The following is an edited transcript. CNN: Tell me more about your new character, Spero Lucas.

Question: "According to the article, what is specifically different about how Washington DC (and its people) is portrayed in Pelecanos's stories to the typical portrayal?"

Response: "western feel"
OPTIONS:
- no
- yes

A: yes

Problem: Elaan is a declaration of war against the reign of terror unleashed by the ganglords . The story revolves around an upright and principled Police Officer , A.C.P. Ramakant Chaudhary whose eldest son Vikas is killed in a pre-planned accident . But the A.C.P. is unable to nab the culprits for want of valid evidence . Consequently , the A.C.P. , his wife Revati and younger son Vishal are griefstricken over the loss of young Vikas . While the atmosphere in the city is already vitiated by the atrocities of ganglords Baba Khan and Manna Shetty who enjoy the support of some unscrupulous police personnel , the A.C.P. vows to make the ruthless gangsters bite the dust , without taking the law in his own hands . On the other hand , Vishal an angry young man , can not stand this injustice since the police had failed to arrest his brother's killers , and he silently resents his A.C.P father's inaction in dealing with the culprits . The ideologies of the father and son clash - Which lead to a conflict between a dutiful father and a reckless son . The only one who understands the agony of Vishal is Mohini , the daughter of head constable Devkinandan Sharma . The day comes when Vishal confronts Baba Khan and Manna Shetty Which leads to tension and gory situation for the A.C.P. , as the ganglords threaten to eliminate the A.C.P. as well as his wife Revati and son Vishal .

Question: "What are the names of 2 individuals who were unleashing a reign of terror?"

Answer: "Devkinandan and Sharma"

OPTIONS:
- no
- yes
Answer: no

Born in Moscow, Pushkin published his first poem at the age of fifteen. By the time he finished school as part of the first graduating class of the prestigious Imperial Lyceum in Tsarskoe Selo near Saint Petersburg, his talent was already widely recognized within the Russian literary scene. After school, Pushkin plunged into the vibrant and raucous intellectual youth culture of the capital, Saint Petersburg. In 1820 he published his first long poem, Ruslan and Lyudmila, amidst much controversy about its subject and style. Pushkin gradually became committed to social reform and emerged as a spokesman for literary radicals. This angered the government, and led to his transfer from the capital (1820). He went to the Caucasus and to the Crimea, then to Kamenka and Chisinau, where he became a Freemason.

Question: "Why did Pushkin move to the Caucasus and Crimea?"

OPTIONS:
- no
- yes

Answer: "He became committed to social reform which angered the government which caused him to move to the Caucasus and Crimea"

Response:
yes