Q: Turkmenistan ( or ; , ), formerly known as Turkmenia, is a country in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north and east, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest, and the Caspian Sea to the west.

Turkmenistan has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. In medieval times, Merv was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road, a caravan route used for trade with China until the mid-15th century. Annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1925, Turkmenistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR); it became independent upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Turkmenistan possesses the world's fourth largest reserves of natural gas resources. Most of the country is covered by the Karakum (Black Sand) Desert. Since 1993, citizens have been receiving government-provided electricity, water and natural gas free of charge.

Turkmenistan was ruled by President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov until his death in 2006. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was elected president in 2007. According to Human Rights Watch, "Turkmenistan remains one of the world's most repressive countries. The country is virtually closed to independent scrutiny, media and religious freedoms are subject to draconian restrictions, and human rights defenders and other activists face the constant threat of government reprisal." After suspending the death penalty, the use of capital punishment was formally abolished in the 2008 constitution.

1. Merv
2. the Silk Road,
3. yes
4. for trade with China
5. until the mid-15th century.
6. at the crossroads of civilizations
7. no
8. Most of the country is covered by the Karakum (Black Sand) Desert.
9. electricity, water and natural gas
10. natural gas resources
11. President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov
12. capital punishment
13. the death penalty,
14. Iran
15. Turkmenia
16. It was annexed by the Russian Empire
17. 1991.
18. the dissolution of the Soviet Union
19. yes
20. no

Numbered questions:
1. What was an important stop on the Silk Road?
2. What is that road?
3. Is it a caravan route?
4. What business did it aid?
5. Until when?
6. Turkmenistan has been where for centuries?
7. Is most of the country forest?
8. What is it, then?
9. What's one thing the residents get for free?
10. What natural resources is in abundance there?
11. Who ruled there until 2006?
12. What punishment did they end there in 2008?
13. What other punishment is no more?
14. What's to the southwest of this country?
15. What did the place used to be called?
16. What happened in 1881 there?
17. When did it become it's own country?
18. What caused that to happen?
19. Is it a repressed country?
20. Do the people have much freedom?

Q: Joey went to the doctor yesterday. He was a little scared because he might have to get a shot, but his mother promised that it wouldn't hurt. During the time they were in the waiting room, Joey played with some blue and green blocks and some toy cars that the doctor kept there for the children who came to see him. He also met another little boy named Bobby who also had to see the doctor. Bobby liked playing with the cars more than the blocks, but Joey liked playing with both of them. Joey also met a little girl named Sandy who was playing with some dolls the doctor also had for the children. When it was Joey's turn to see the doctor, his mother led him into one of the rooms and had him sit on a yellow chair. The doctor was a friendly man who wore glasses. He took Joey's temperature and looked in his ears, then asked him a few questions about how he had been feeling. When Joey said his throat hurt a little, the doctor took a look at it as well. He said everything looked okay, and Joey wouldn't need any shots this visit. On the way out Susan the nurse let Joey take a red lollipop from a basket on her desk. By the time Joey got home, he thought the doctor wasn't so scary after all.

1. to the doctor
2. yesterday
3. a shot
4. scared
5. it wouldn't hurt.
6. played
7. blocks and car
8. blue and green
9. yes
10. another little boy
11. Bobby
12. yes
13. a little girl
14. Sandy
15. playing with dolls
16. into one of the rooms
17. on a yellow chair
18. glasses.

Numbered questions:
1. Where did Joey go?
2. when?
3. For what?
4. HOw did he feel?
5. What did his mother say?
6. What did he do in the waiting room?
7. with what?
8. What color were they?
9. Was anyone else there?
10. Who?
11. named?
12. Anyone else?
13. who?
14. named?
15. What was she doing?
16. Where did Joey go?
17. Where did he sit?
18. What did the doctor wear?

Q: It was just three degrees above zero."That's cold", thought Jane as she got ready to deliver her morning papers . Jane had 50 customers ,and on cold mornings when she couldn't ride her bicycle , it took her more than an hour to make her rounds. As she collected her papers and put them into a big canvas bag , Jane regretted that she hadn't finished her maths homework the night before . There was still time . She would hurry with the papers and finish the maths before breakfast. Less than an hour later Jane nearly finished. She had only five customers to go. She could then go home to finish her maths homework while her Mom cooked breakfast . As she rounded the corner , she saw a car in the middle of the street . It was Mr Zimmerman , the elderly man who walked with a walking stick . His car was out of gas . "I'd like to help Mr Zimmerman," thought Jane ,"but if I do , I won't have time to do my homework." She hated to think what Mr Robert would say if she didn't finish papers. "It's his own fault for running out of gas," Jane talked to herself. "The station is only a half mile down the street . Surely Mr Zimmerman can walk that far, even on a cold morning like this...can't he?" As she walked down the street , Jane still wondered what to do.

1. Do homework or help the man
2. No
3. three degrees above zero
4. deliver morning papers
5. 50 customers
6. No
7. more than an hour
8. Mr Zimmerman
9. His car was out of gas
10. homework
11. math
12. half mile

Numbered questions:
1. What dilemma does she face?
2. Is it hot outside?
3. How cold is it?
4. How does she earn money?
5. How many does she have to do?
6. Does she use her bike today?
7. How long will her route take?
8. Who does she see?
9. What happened to him?
10. What did she want to do at home?
11. What kind?
12. Was the gas station close?