Q: (CNN) -- The Syrian government has told the parents of a missing American journalist that it doesn't know where their son is, the man's father said Monday at a news conference in Beirut, Lebanon.

Austin Tice last contacted his family on August 13 while in Syria reporting on the uprising there against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. He was reportedly preparing to leave Syria for Lebanon when he went missing, according to his family.

Read more: Family working for journalist's release plans visit to Lebanon

In October, a shaky video surfaced on YouTube showing a man believed to be Tice surrounded by armed men walking him up a hill.

Tice's father, Marc Tice, said that family members have been in touch, "directly and indirectly," with Syrian government officials, but they have learned nothing about his son's location despite traveling to Beirut to seek his release.

"We're reaching out to everyone that we can get in touch with," he said.

Tice's parents say they are willing to go to Syria if that what it will take to get their son back.

"We have no idea what will be required, and we would like to know from whoever is holding him what it is that we need to do," Marc Tice said.

Austin is the oldest of the couple's seven children.

"We are a big, close family. We have all felt the void [of] his absence," said his mother, Debra Tice.

With the holiday season approaching, they are "dismayed by the empty chair at our family table," she said. "We miss Austin. Knowing his smile, big laugh, great storytelling."

Answer the following questions:
1. Who is missing?
2. Who is looking for him?
3. When did he last communicate with his family?
4. Where was he?
5. What was he doing there?
6. Where was he going to be heading after he left Syria?
7. Does he have any siblings?
8. Is he the youngest of them?
9. Will the family go to Syria to look for him?
10. Has there been video evidence that he is still alive?
11. What did it show?
12. When was this?
13. Where could the video be found?
A: 1. Austin Tice
2. The Syrian government
3. August 13
4. in Syria
5. Reporting
6. Lebanon
7. Yes
8. No
9. Yes
10. Yes
11. Tice surrounded by armed men walking him up a hill
12. October
13. YouTube

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

CHAPTER III.

THE END OF THE BALL.

THE priest's long journey did not appear to have fatigued him. He was as cheerful and as polite as ever--and so paternally attentive to Stella that it was quite impossible for her to pass him with a formal bow.

"I have come all the way from Devonshire," he said. "The train has been behind time as usual, and I am one of the late arrivals in consequence. I miss some familiar faces at this delightful party. Mr. Romayne, for instance. Perhaps he is not one of the guests?"

"Oh, yes."

"Has he gone away?"

"Not that I know of."

The tone of her replies warned Father Benwell to let Romayne be. He tried another name.

"And Arthur Penrose?" he inquired next.

"I think Mr. Penrose has left us."

As she answered she looked toward Lady Loring. The hostess was the center of a circle of ladies and gentlemen. Before she was at liberty, Father Benwell might take his departure. Stella resolved to make the attempt for herself which she had asked Lady Loring to make for her. It was better to try, and to be defeated, than not to try at all.

"I asked Mr. Penrose what part of Devonshire you were visiting," she resumed, assuming her more gracious manner. "I know something myself of the north coast, especially the neighborhood of Clovelly."

Not the faintest change passed over the priest's face; his fatherly smile had never been in a better state of preservation.

1. Was anyone still with full vigor?
2. Who was it?
3. Why the author thought he would be tired?
4. Was he amiable?
5. Who was nearby?
6. Did she greet him?
7. What she did?
8. Where he was coming from?
9. What mode of tranportaion he took?
10. Was the train delayed?
11. Was he looking for someone specifically?
12. Did he ask for any other person?
13. Who was that person?
14. Were he there?
15. Who was the hostess?
16. Did anyone ask about anyone's whereabout?
17. Was the person touring some place?
18. Did the priest show any emotions?
19. Where all these were happeneing?
20. What happened to Mr. Romayne anyway?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. yes
2. the priest
3. he had a long journey
4. yes
5. Stella
6. yes
7. unknown
8. Devonshire
9. The train
10. yes
11. Mr. Romayne
12. yes
13. Arthur Penrose
14. no
15. Lady Loring
16. yes
17. unknown
18. no
19. unknown
20. unknown

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

Once there was a fish who had lived his whole life in his bowl. He often got bored and wished to see the rest of the world, but because he was a fish, he couldn't leave the water. So one day he made a special fish suit that would allow him to walk on land and breathe air like humans. He knew this would change his life, and make him rich, but first he would have to test it out.

He put the suit on and leaped from the bowl that until now had been his whole world. The suit worked! Now he could go where he wanted.

First he went to the kitchen of the house. There he saw a parrot eating a cracker. Second he went outside to the yard. He saw squirrels there running around looking for food. Third he went to the barn in the field. He saw a mommy cow. She was teaching her calf how to run. Finally he went to forest where he saw more trees than he had ever seen in his whole life.

But after all this he was tired, and made up his mind to go back to his home in the bowl. It was a lot of work trying to see the world. He took off the special suit and splashed back into the water. His suit had passed the test and he was very happy, but he had made up his mind that his bowl was the place for him.

1. Where did the fish live?
2. For how long?
3. Did he find that exciting?
4. So how'd he feel?
5. And what did he want to do?
6. Could he?
7. Why?
8. Why not?
9. So what'd he do to change that?
10. What'd it do?
11. And what else?
12. Like who?
13. What'd he know?
14. But what'd he have to do first?
15. Did the suit work?
16. Where could he now go?
17. So where'd he go first?
18. What'd he see there?
19. Doing what?
20. Where did he go next?

Numbered answers:

A:
1. in his bowl.
2. his whole life
3. No
4. He often got bored
5. see the rest of the world
6. No
7. he couldn't leave the water.
8. because he was a fish
9. he made a special fish suit
10. allow him to walk on land
11. breathe air
12. humans
13. this would change his life, and make him rich
14. test it out
15. Yes
16. where he wanted
17. the kitchen of the house
18. a parrot
19. eating a cracker
20. outside to the yard.