Problem: Fifty-five years ago Barbie Millicent Roberts first came out in the world of toys. Since then, Barbie doll, as everyone called her, has become the most famous toy doll in history. Her parent, the Mattel Company, said that 90% of all American girls between 3 and 10 have at least one Barbie at home. However, Barbie is facing some trouble at present, There are many similar dolls on the market in competition with her. Another doll named Bratz, for example, came to life fifteen years ago. She looks more like today's pop stars with heavy makeup and miniskirts. It seems that Barbie has lost her magic among older girls. "For young girls, playing with a Barbie is much fun. But when you get older, you want something smarter and more modern," Says Vera Shepherd, a shopkeeper in a New York toy shop. It is good news that on the international market Barbie is still No. 1. Although Mattel is selling fewer Barbies in the United States these years, sales in other countries are still going up. In January 2009, Mattel opened its first Barbie store in Shanghai, where girls can shop, eat, drink or even become _ for their own Barbies. Mattel is planning big celebrations for Barbie's 55th birthday. Fashion designers from all over the world will make new dresses for Barbie. How long will Barbie stay popular in the world of toy dolls? It is hard to say, but 55 is surely not the age to retire .
1. How old is Barbie?
2. What is her full name?
3. How many American girls have her?
4. Why is she having problems?
5. Why?
6. Like who?
7. What happened in Singapore?
8. What is happening for her birthday?
9. Who is Vera?
10. When should Barbie retire?
11. Who are her parents?
12. Where is Barbie still number 1?
13. Why do the older girls like Bratz better?
Answer: 1. Fifty-five.
2. Barbie Millicent Roberts
3. 90% of all American girls.
4. Mattel is selling fewer Barbies in the United States.
5. There are many dolls in competition with her.
6. Bratz.
7. unknown
8. Fashion designers from all over the world will make new dresses for Barbie.
9. a shopkeeper.
10. Surely not at 55!
11. unknown
12. The international market.
13. when you get older, You want something modern.

Problem: Recently I fully understood that a little favor could really make a big difference. My daughter and I were, accidentally, in time to catch a falling heart just before it hit the ground.

It all started when Charlene, one of my co-volunteers at the library, asked if I could do her duty on Tuesday since her doctor appointment had been unexpectedly changed. I agreed, which meant I was home on Friday instead of volunteering as previously planned.

My daughter, Mary, managers a book store in town. Mid-morning, she called to ask me for help. Would I buy a fifty dollar gift card, birthday card, and cake for one of Mary's assistant managers, Cindy?

Mary explained she had to call Cindy in to take the place of another assistant manager who was sick, but felt terrible about it when she discovered it was Cindy's birthday. Cindy insisted that it was just fine. But that was not what Mary thought, so she gathered enough money from other employees to throw a surprise party for Cindy. Since neither Mary, nor any of the other employees, could leave to pick up the _ , they were turning to me for help. Days later, Mary told me the wonderful rest of the story, "Cindy cried and cried when we surprised her. After the party, Cindy told us that her boyfriend had chosen that morning to break up with her. To top that off, she only had 26 cents left in her bank account."

We were surprised at the series of unexpected events that took place in order to circle Cindy with love and catch her falling heart just before it hit the ground.
1. Who is a volunteer at the library?
2. What did the author request of her?
3. What did the author agree to?
4. What is Mary's job?
5. Where?
6. At what kind of business?
7. What did Mary ask her father to do?
8. For whom?
9. What relation is Cindy to Mary?
10. Why did Mary want her father to buy items for Cindy?
11. What did Mary ask Cindy to do on her birthday?
12. Did she complain?
13. What event did Mary plan for Cindy?
14. Does Cindy know about it?
15. Why couldn't anyone at the bookstore buy the items?
16. Why not?
17. Did Mary's father buy the items?
18. What reaction did Cindy have at the surprise party?
19. What significant event had happened that morning to Cindy?
20. Anything else?
Answer: 1. Charlene
2. unknown
3. Do Charlene's duty
4. Manager
5. In town
6. a book store
7. Help her buy some items
8. Cindy
9. Her assistant manager
10. Because it was her birthday
11. Work
12. No
13. Party
14. No
15. They couldn't leave
16. Another assistant manager had called in sick and they were short-handed
17. Yes
18. She cried
19. She realized she needed to learn how to budget, as she only has 26 cents left in her bank account.
20. Also, her boyfriend dumped her.

Problem: James lives in Hawaii and his mother lives in Korea. James speaks English (he never learned Korean), and his mom only speaks Korean. They communicate perfectly.

Eric is from Honduras, but he lives in the U.S. Eric just started learning English and speaks very little. But, everyday Eric reads the latest local US news on the Web, with no problem.

What these people (and close to 60 million others around the world) share is a remarkable, free software program called Babylon.

Babylon may well be the most advanced translation software in the world, and it's a must-have for anyone whose life goes beyond the borders of their own language or those who want it to.

Once you download it, you can simply highlight the part in practically any format, and it's instantly translated into the language of your choice. You can use it to translate a website, email, word doc, pdf, and actually any document in any format you can think of.

You can write a document in your native language, and Babylon will instantly translate it into another before you send it.

The program translates 75 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Indian, and Russian. It also includes up-to-date encyclopedias , dictionaries, and spell checkers.

Babylon is a long way from early translation software that would, more often than not, make an unreadable text with grammar errors that was better suited for making laughs than comprehension. Babylon's ability to understand and translate is perfect. In fact, businesses are adopting Babylon as the standard when it comes to translating commercial communications and other important documents.

Babylon is also a great tool for people who are learning another language. Use it anytime you come across a word or passage you don't understand.

What users enjoy most is the program's ability to open up a different world to them. Whether it's surfing a news site in a different country, or being able to properly communicate with a family member or friend overseas, Babylon can make it happen.

Best of all, Babylon is free! To get your free copy, visit Babylon.com.
1. What is the name of the software program?
2. How much does it cost?
3. How many people use it?
4. What will it do if you write a story in your native language?
5. How many languages does it include?
6. Does it have an encyclopedia?
7. Does it have spell check?
8. Does it have a dictionary?
9. ARe businesses using it?
10. Where does James live?
11. What language does he s peak?
12. Where does his mom live?
13. What does she speak?
14. Where is Eric from?
15. Where does he live?
16. Is he fluent in English?
17. What does he read every day?
18. Where does he read it?
19. What is one language it translates?
20. What's another?
Answer:
1. Babylon.
2. It's free.
3. Close to 60 million.
4. Translate it.
5. 75.
6. Yes.
7. Yes.
8. Yes.
9. Yes.
10. Hawaii.
11. English.
12. Korea.
13. Korean.
14. Honduras.
15. U.S.
16. No.
17. US news.
18. The Web.
19. Spanish.
20. Chinese.