Question: A number of sporting contests have become part of Lakeland tradition.
some sporting contests are part of the tradition.

Answer: yes

Question: Even the manager rushed outside to give us room to talk.
The manager of the restaurant ran outside so we could talk.

Answer: it is not possible to tell

Question: He would take notes on his yellow pad and sum up the sense of our meetings in an orderly manner, as he had always done.
He writes things on the pad of paper.

Answer:
yes