question: Item 1: JK Rowling, the Harry Potter author, has signed a publishing deal with Little Brown, to release her first ever novel for adults. The deal means that Rowling's long-standing relationship with Bloomsbury, the London-based publisher that launched the Harry Potter books, has come to an end, at least in terms of new works by the author. Rowling, who is worth an estimated PS530 million, said that the new novel will be nothing like the Harry Potter series, which sold over 30 million copies in the UK alone. She said that with the move from children's to adult fiction, a move to a new publisher seemed like a logical step.

Item 2: China's hurdler Liu Xiang was disqualified Thursday at the Stockholm indoor athletics tournament due to false start, giving his rival Dayron Robles of Cuba an easy win of 7.66 seconds. Liu was not willing to explain the reason of his false start, but he told Xinhua that it was not related to his foot injury. Another Cuban Orlando Ortega followed in 7.68 seconds and Balazs Baji of Hungary stood third in 7.70 seconds. Last Saturday, Liu won the men's 60m hurdle final in 7.41 seconds at the Birmingham indoor tournament, setting a new Asian record. He said Wednesday that he hoped to have an even better performance than he did in Birmingham at the Stockholm indoor tournament. Item 3: Former NBA star and current Bobcats owner Michael Jordan filed suit in a Chinese court against Qiaodan Sports Company Limited, a sportswear and footwear manufacturer, for the use of his name without permission. Jordan says "This complaint is not about money, it's about principle and protecting my name." The Chinese company has registered and uses the name "Qiaodan". Jordan has been known in China since he gained widespread popularity in the mid-1980s.

Item 4: A commuter train crashed at a busy central station in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, killing 49 passengers and injuring more than 600 people, the deadliest in a series of train accidents in Argentina over the past years. The train crashed at about 8:30 a.m. at its final stop at the Once Station, not far from downtown Buenos Aires. The train was carrying more than 800 passengers and traveling at an estimated 16 miles per hour when it entered the station, slamming into the barrier of the platform, destroying the engine.
1. Who signed a publishing deal with Little Brown?
2. What is the deal for?
3. How much is Rowling worth?
4. What happened to Liu Xiang on Thursday?
5. why?
6. Who won instead?
7. Where is he from?
8. What was his winning time?
9. Who placed 2nd?
10. What did Liu win last Saturday?
11. Where?
12. Who owns the NBA Bobcats?
13. Who did Jordan sue?
14. Why?
15. Is Jordan popular in China?
16. What happened in Buenos Aires on Wednesday?
17. How many passengers were killed?
18. How many injured?
19. Where did the train crash?
20. What city was the crash near?
****
answer: 1. JK Rowling
2. to release her first ever novel for adults
3. an estimated PS530 million
4. he was disqualified
5. a false start
6. Dayron Robles
7. Cuba
8. 7.66 seconds
9. Orlando Ortega
10. men's 60m hurdle final
11. Birmingham indoor tournament
12. Michael Jordan
13. Qiaodan Sports Company Limited
14. for the use of his name without permission
15. yes
16. A commuter train crashed
17. 49
18. more than 600 people
19. at its final stop at the Once Station
20. Buenos Aires

question: Jack Benny was one of the most famous names in show business.He was born in Chicago,Illinois,on February 14th,1894.His parents,Meyer and Emma Kubelsky,were religious Jews.They had moved to the United States from Eastern Europe.Benny was a quiet boy.For much of the time,his parents were busy working in his father's store.As a child,Benny learned to play the violin.After finishing his school,he joined the Navy.He continued using his violin to perform for sailors.In one show he was chosen more for his funny jokes than for his skill with the violin.That experience made him believe that his future job was a comedian.

Benny developed a show personality that had all the qualities people dislike.He was known for being so _ --he refused to spend any money unless forced to do so.On his shows Benny often spoke of his appearance,especially his baby blue eyes.As he grew older,he always claimed to be 39 years old.Benny rarely made jokes that hurt other people.Instead,he would let the other actors on the show tell jokes about him.

In real life,he was very giving and he was a person people liked having as their employer.Benny entered the new media of television in 1950.Five years later,he dropped his radio programme to spend more time developing his television show.At first his appearances on television were rare.By 1960 the Benny Show was a weekly television programme.It continued until 1965.Benny appeared in about twenty films during his life.A few became popular.But most were not.In 1963 Benny returned to Broadway for the first time since 1931.

Benny received many awards during his lifetime.Perhaps the one honour that pleased him most was that his hometown of Waukeegan named a school for him.This was a special honour for a man who had never finished high school.

Benny continued to perform.He died of cancer in 1974.At his funeral his friend Bob Hope said,"Jack Benny was stingy to the end.He gave us only eighty years."
1. Who is the story talking about?
2. Where was he born in?
3. What month and year?
4. From where did they move?
5. Did he ever join the Navy?
6. How old did he always say he was?
7. Was he a charitable person?
8. What was the one award that made him very happy?
9. What was the cause of his death?
10. What year did he die?
****
answer: 1. Jack Benny
2. Chicago,Illinois
3. February 14th,1894
4. Eastern Europe
5. yes
6. 39 years old
7. yes
8. his hometown of Waukeegan named a school for him
9. cancer
10. in 1974

question: Professional wrestling (colloquially abbreviated to pro wrestling or wrestling) is an athletic form of entertainment based on a portrayal of a combat sport. Taking the form of live events held by touring promotions, it portrays a unique style of combat based on a combination of adopted styles, which include classical wrestling, catch wrestling and various forms of martial arts, as well as an innovative style based on grappling (holds/throws), striking, and aerialism. Various forms of weaponry are sometimes used.

The content including match outcomes is choreographed and the combative actions and reactions are executed in special manners designed to both protect from, yet simulate, pain. These facts were once kept highly secret, but they are now openly declared as the truth. By and large, the true nature of the content is ignored by the performing promotion in official media in order to sustain and promote the willing suspension of disbelief for the audience by maintaining an aura of verisimilitude. Fan communications by individual wrestlers and promotions through outside media (i.e., interviews) will often directly acknowledge the fictional nature of the spectacle.
1. What is professional wrestling?
2. What will directly acknowledge the fictional nature of it?
3. Is weaponry used?
4. What does it portray?
5. What is choreographed?
6. What are teh combative actions and reactions designed to protect from and simulate?
7. Were these facts always known?
8. What is professional wrestling abbreviated to?
9. What are some of the adopted styles?
10. What is ignored by and large?
****
answer:
1. athletic form of entertainment
2. interviews
3. sometimes
4. unique style of combat
5. the content
6. pain
7. no
8. pro wrestling or wrestling
9. classical wrestling, catch wrestling and martial arts
10. the true nature of the content