input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. From 1989 through 1996, the total area of the US was listed as 9,372,610 km2 (3,618,780 sq mi) (land + inland water only). The listed total area changed to 9,629,091 km2 (3,717,813 sq mi) in 1997 (Great Lakes area and coastal waters added), to 9,631,418 km2 (3,718,711 sq mi) in 2004, to 9,631,420 km2 (3,718,710 sq mi) in 2006, and to 9,826,630 km2 (3,794,080 sq mi) in 2007 (territorial waters added). Currently, the CIA World Factbook gives 9,826,675 km2 (3,794,100 sq mi), the United Nations Statistics Division gives 9,629,091 km2 (3,717,813 sq mi), and the Encyclopdia Britannica gives 9,522,055 km2 (3,676,486 sq mi)(Great Lakes area included but not coastal waters). These source consider only the 50 states and the Federal District, and exclude overseas territories.

By total area (water as well as land), the United States is either slightly larger or smaller than the People's Republic of China, making it the world's third or fourth largest country. China and the United States are smaller than Russia and Canada in total area, but are larger than Brazil. By land area only (exclusive of waters), the United States is the world's third largest country, after Russia and China, with Canada in fourth. Whether the US or China is the third largest country by total area depends on two factors: (1) The validity of China's claim on Aksai Chin and Trans-Karakoram Tract. Both these territories are also claimed by India, so are not counted; and (2) How US calculates its own surface area. Since the initial publishing of the World Factbook, the CIA has updated the total area of United States a number of times. 1. Is the US larger than China?
2. Is it larger than Russia?
3. How does the US rank in size with land only?
4. Who is larger than US?
5. What was the US total area listed as in 1992?
6. what areas did that include?
7. what did the area change to when they added the Great Lakes and Coastal water?
8. when was that?
9. What did they add later on?
10. when?
11. what did that bring the total area to?
12. Which source currently lists the US area the largest amount?
13. what does it list?
14. which source lists the smallest area?
15. what is it?
16. are there any other sources?
17. how much does it list?
18. which source includes the overseas territories?
19. how many areas' claim is disputed?
20. what are they?
21. which 2 areas are disputed by 2 nations claiming them?
22. which 2 nations disagree on claim?
numbered_answers: 1. Maybe according to how it is measured
2. No
3. third largest country
4. Russia and China
5. 9,372,610 km2
6. land + inland water only
7. 9,629,091 km2
8. 1997
9. territorial waters
10. 2007
11. 9,826,630 km2
12. CIA World Factbook
13. 9,826,675 km2
14. Encyclopdia Britannica
15. 9,522,055 km2
16. United Nations Statistics Division
17. 9,629,091 km2
18. None
19. Two
20. China's territory claim and how the US calculates its own surface area.
21. Aksai Chin and Trans-Karakoram Tract
22. China and India

input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. One of the traditions which is now a necessary part of Christmas is a that of Father Christmas, or Santa Claus. According to the modern legend, he is a magical figure who visits all the children of the world during the night before Christmas Day, leaving presents which they find the next morning. He flies through the night sky in a sledge pulled by reindeer, and enters houses by climbing down chimneys. This strange legend is based on the life of a man called Nicholas, but in fact we know very little about him. Historians think he was a Christian bishop in Turkey in about 285--350 A.D. One of the stories about him is that he helped three poor girls. No one would marry them because they were so poor. To provide them with money for their weddings, Nicholas secretly dropped some gold coins down the chimney of their house. After Nicholas died, he was made a saint by the church.(The name Santa Claus thus comes from St Nicholas.) His feast day was celebrated in December, and parents started giving their children secret presents from St Nicholas. Over the years, this custom became part of our Christmas traditions.

Recently, a psychologist has claimed that Father Christmas is "the perfect fantasy" for children. According to Professor Anthony Clare, children love the character of Father Christmas because he is like an ideal father: he loves children and gives them presents, but he never criticizes them, is never angry, and children do not even need to thank him for the presents. Other writers, however, point out that Father Christmas can be a frightening character to some children. Jane Bidder says that some children are terrified of this fat, bearded old man. It can certainly confuse many children. As parents, we warn our children to be careful of strangers and never to let them into the house, and yet we tell children that a strange man will come into their bedroom at night! Some children can become very worried about this idea and fear that he is a kind of burglar.

Most children, however, understand from their parents and from the media that Father Christmas is basically a _ character, and look forward to his annual visit with joy and excitement. 1. How did the legend of Santa Claus start?
2. What was his name?
3. How does he get into people's houses?
4. When did Nicholas live?
5. Why did he want to help the poor girls?
6. What is the theory of why children like Santa Claus so much?
7. What makes him so ideal?
8. Do all children feel that way about him?
9. Why not?
10. Why would they be frightened?
11. What did Nicholas drop down the chimneys?
12. Did he tell anyone that he was doing this?
numbered_answers:
1. a Christian bishop in Turkey
2. Nicholas
3. down the chimney
4. 285--350 A.D.
5. to provide them with money so they could get married
6. he is like an ideal father
7. he loves children and gives them presents, but he never criticizes them and is never angry
8. no
9. he can be frightening to some children
10. they may think he is a burglar
11. gold coins
12. no