Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
That median is the value separating the higher half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower half. For a data set, it may be thought of as the "middle" value. For example, in the data set {1, 3, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9}, the median is 6, the fourth largest, and also the fourth smallest, number in the sample. For a continuous probability distribution, the median is the value such that a number is equally likely to fall above or below it.

The median is a commonly used measure of the properties of a data set in statistics and probability theory. The basic advantage of the median in describing data compared to the mean (often simply described as the "average") is that it is not skewed so much by extremely large or small values, and so it may give a better idea of a "typical" value. For example, in understanding statistics like household income or assets which vary greatly, a mean may be skewed by a small number of extremely high or low values. Median income, for example, may be a better way to suggest what a "typical" income is.

Because of this, the median is of central importance in robust statistics, as it is the most resistant statistic, having a breakdown point of 50%: so long as no more than half the data are contaminated, the median will not give an arbitrarily large or small result.
1. What is of great importance in robust statistics?
2. The median is a measure of what?
3. A data set within what?
4. What is the advantage of the median?
5. Skewed so much as what?
6. What other helpful measure does it give?
7. What can skew a mean?
8. In robust statistics, is the median is the most resistant statistic?
9. For a continuous probability distribution, how do you explain a median?
10. For a data set, how could you describe the median?
11. In robust statistics, the median has a breakdown point of what?
12. And can't have more than half the data, what?
13. Then what will happen?

Numbered answers:
1. The median.
2. The properties of a data set.
3. Statistics and probability theory.
4. It is not skewed so much.
5. Extremely large or small values.
6. It may give a better idea of a "typical" value.
7. By a small number of extremely high or low values.
8. Yes.
9. The value such that a number is equally likely to fall above or below it.
10. The "middle" value.
11. 50%:
12. Contaminated.
13. The median will not give an arbitrarily large or small result.

Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
Bucharest, Romania (CNN) -- Romania's president Traian Basescu was suspended on Friday, after the impeachment motion filed by the ruling coalition passed the Parliament's vote.

Romania's coalition of Social Democrats and Liberals argued their action by saying that President Traian Basescu has breached the Constitution and overstepped his authority.

The motion passed with 256 votes, 39 more than the minimum required. The country is expected to hold a referendum on July 29, when Romanians will have to vote whether they want Basescu to remain in office.

During the suspension, National Liberal Party leader Crin Antonescu, who is also the president of the Senate, will assume the interim presidency. Earlier this week, Antonescu was appointed the president of the Senate. This position allows him to assume the president's attributions, in case the latter is suspended, according to the Constitution.

Crin Antonescu said on Friday he is ready to step out of politics if Basescu wins the referendum.

During his speech in parliament, before the vote, Basescu accused the ruling coalition of taking control of the country's judicial system and public institutions.

He also expressed concern about the country's state of law and said this political turmoil will have long-term negative impacts on Romania.

"Take care of the country!" Basescu said at the end of his speech. It is the second time Basescu has faced suspension since he took the power, eight years ago. The first time was in 2007, after which he won a referendum and returned to office.

Earlier on Friday, Romania's Constitutional Court gave an ambiguous statement regarding the constitutional status of this impeachment motion. The judges approved some of the points from the motion, but they didn't make it clear whether Basescu has violated the Constitution or not. In any case, the Court played an advisory role this time, leaving the final word to the Parliament. The court issued a statement saying that one of its judges, Aspazia Cojocaru, received threats prior to court debates on the impeachment motion.
1. who is the leader of the National Liberal Party?
2. what is he also the president of?
3. who was being suspended?
4. what did he say at end of his speech?
5. was this the first time he had been suspended?
6. when was the first time he was?
7. what country is he president of?
8. who will assume the presidency after?
9. how many votes did the motion pass with?
10. how many did it need to be passed?
11. when is the referendum going to be held?
12. will Crin stay on if Basescu wins?
13. did the judges approve the motion?
14. who has the final word?
15. did anyone receive threats?
16. who?
17. when did he get them?
18. when did the court give its statement?
19. was the statement super duper clear?
20. so it was ambiguous?

Numbered answers:
1. Crin Antonescu
2. the Senate
3. president Traian Basescu
4. "Take care of the country!"
5. no
6. 2007
7. Romania
8. Crin Antonescu
9. 256
10. 217
11. July 29
12. no
13. some of the points from the motion
14. the Parliament
15. yes
16. Aspazia Cojocaru
17. prior to court debates
18. earlier on Friday
19. The judges approved some of the points from the motion, but they didn't make it clear whether Basescu has violated the Constitution or not.
20. yes

Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
(CNN) -- Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is known for bold disagreement, conservative arguments, pointed questions and the occasional crude hand gesture, and still, it's been an intense few months for one of the high court's most polarizing figures, with biting insults hurled in his direction.

Last month, Scalia dissented in the U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 health care ruling, writing that the court undermined values of "caution, minimalism, and the understanding that the federal government is one of limited powers."

Three days earlier, when the high court mostly rejected Arizona's immigration law, Scalia's minority opinion showed he was "more than usually outraged," CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said. In a solo dissent read from the bench, the 76-year-old dressed down the Obama administration and suggested Arizona wouldn't have entered the union if it had known how the ruling would come down: "If securing its territory in this fashion is not within the power of Arizona, we should cease referring to it as a sovereign state."

While many call Scalia a brilliant legal mind, his dissent on the court's Arizona immigration decision was accused of being too political, "more like a right-wing blogger or Fox News pundit," according to Politico. The Daily Beast called it "his churlish and self-aggrandizing and probably unethical tirade."

An opinion in Salon called Scalia an "increasingly intolerant and intolerable blowhard: a pompous celebrant of his own virtue and rectitude" -- in short, the headline said, a "ranting old man." Liberal Washington Post opinion writer E.J. Dionne Jr. called for Scalia to resign.
1. who called for Scalia to resign?
2. who is he?
3. what does Scalia do?
4. What was the health care ruling?
5. was he happy about the ruling?
6. would Arizona have entered the Union if they knew about the ruling?
7. what is Arizona wanting to do?
8. what was rejected?
9. how angry was he?
10. who reported that?
11. who is he?
12. what was accused of being too political?
13. How old is Scalia?
14. what is he known for?
15. and?
16. was he happy with the Obama administration?
17. was he compared to a Fox news pundit?
18. by who?
19. what did Salon call him?
20. what did the Daily Beast call it?
Numbered answers:
1. E.J. Dionne Jr.
2. Liberal Washington Post opinion writer
3. Supreme Court Justice
4. 5-4
5. no
6. no
7. secure its territory
8. Arizona's immigration law
9. more than usually outraged
10. Jeffrey Toobin
11. CNN senior legal analyst
12. his dissent on the court's Arizona immigration decision
13. 76
14. bold disagreement, conservative arguments, pointed questions
15. occasional crude hand gesture,
16. no
17. yes
18. Politico.
19. increasingly intolerant and intolerable blowhard
20. his churlish and self-aggrandizing and probably unethical tirade.