Question: Time was running out, and Mark Dickinson wasn't sure whether he'd get to see his dying 2-year-old grandson one last time. A long line at Los Angeles International Airport's security checkpoint had kept him from getting to his gate on time.

His grandson Caden would be taken off life support in a matter of hours in Denver, Colorado, with or without his grandfather's presence, according to CNN affiliate KABC.

"I was kind of panicking because I was running late, and I really thought I wasn't going to make the flight," Dickinson told KABC.

That's when a pilot from Southwest Airlines stepped up and held the flight at the gate until Dickinson arrived. The pilot was standing by the air bridge waiting for him when Dickinson arrived in socks, so rushed that he just grabbed his shoes at security and ran through the terminal.

"I told him, 'Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciated that.' And he said, 'No problem. They can't leave without me anyway,'"Dickinson told KABC.

Authorities say Dickinson's grandson, Caden Rodgers, suffered a head injury after his mother's boyfriend threw him across the room. The boyfriend reportedly told police he was drunk and high on marijuana at the time. The child later died and the boyfriend has been charged with first-degree murder, according to the Aurora Sentinel.

Thanks to the pilot, Dickinson made it to Colorado in time to say goodbye to his grandson. Most airlines would punish any staff member who holds up a flight, according to consumer advocate Christopher Elliott, who broke the story of the sympathetic pilot on his blog. However, a Southwest spokeswoman said the pilot's actions were praiseworthy.

"You can't hold a plane for every late customer, but I think we would all agree that these were extenuating circumstances and the pilot absolutely made the right decision," Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said. "I don't think you could ask for a better example of great service for our customers." 1. Who is dying?
2. Who's grandson?
3. What is his grandson's name?
4. What are they removing from him? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. grandson
2. Mark Dickinson
3. Caden
4. life support

Question: Environmental protection was stressed at Kanas, a growing tourism destination in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, famous for its attractive scenery and its "lake monster".

"All of the hotels and restaurants will _ from the scenic site to 30 kilometers away," said Jim Liquan, an official with the Kanas Environment and Tourism Bureau. The move aims to protect environment of Kanas, a scenic site that is part of the European ecosystem and bordersprefix = st1 /Kazakhstan,RussiaandMongolia. Meanwhile, construction of environmental facilities including sewage and rubbish treatment plants will be completed soon.

According to Mao Ken, chief of AltayPrefecturewhere Kanas is located, the government invested 1 billion yuan (US $ 120 million) on environmental facilities. "Education for tourists is also important," he said. An education center is being created to provide information on how to protect the environment in Kanas. But he vowed that the government would not interfere with the lives of traditional residents in Kanas.

It is expected that Kanas will receive more than 500,000 tourists this year, 4,000 more than last year, according to the official. "However, there are still few overseas visitors," he said. Statistics showed that only 2 percent of the total number of tourists is foreigners. "This is partly because the transportation facilities connecting Kanas are still not convenient enough," Mao said. At present, there is only one highway connecting Kanas.

"Upon request from tourists, construction of an airport will start this month and will be completed by the end of next year," the official said. A railway line connecting Kuitun and Altay will also open to traffic in 2008 to make it possible to travel to Kanas by train, probably bringing in more tourists. 1. How much did the government invest in the environmental facilities?
2. How much is that in US dollars?
3. What information will the new education center provide?
4. What role does Jim Liquan play?
5. With what agency?
6. Who is Mao Ken?
7. What is Kanas known for?
8. What did Ken promise?
9. Is it estimated that Kanas will have more tourists this year?
10. How many more?
11. Are there many tourists from other countries?
12. Why does Ken say that is?
13. How many highways lead to Kanas?
14. When will the railway line open?
15. What will begin being built this month?
16. The railway will connect which two places? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. 1 billion yuan
2. $120 million
3. . how to protect the environment
4. he's an official
5. Kanas Environment and Tourism Bureau
6. chief of Altay Prefecture
7. lake monster
8. the government would not interfere
9. yes
10. 4,000
11. no
12. transportation isn't convenient enough
13. one
14. 2008
15. an airport
16. Kuitun and Altay

Question: Robin's First Flight

Robin was a little baby bird who was born only 6 weeks before. Her mother took care of her and her brothers and sister by feeding them bugs and worms. Robin had 2 brothers. She also had one sister. During this time, Robin grew and grew and got stronger and stronger. Her feathers got longer, too.

The day had finally come when mother bird told Robin and her brothers and sister that they would be learning to fly for the first time. Chirps of joy were heard from all the baby birds. All except for Robin. She was too afraid to fly out into the world. She wanted to stay in her comfy nest with all of her family for the rest of her life. She also wanted her mother to feed her for the rest of her life. Mother bird told Robin how exciting it was to fly and see all the beautiful flowers and trees and told her she would help her learn like she did when she was a baby bird. She told her that she would meet lots of other bird friends, too.

So Robin tried not to be scared, even as she saw both of her brothers and sister fly off the nest and out into the world. They looked so happy. Then it was her turn. She spread her wings, closed her eyes and jumped out of the nest. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes to see that she was actually flying. Oh happy day! It was everything her mother said it would be. The world looked so big and Robin couldn't wait to see it all. 1. Who grew stronger?
2. how old is Robin?
3. Does she care for herself?
4. Who does?
5. Is Robin a person?
6. What is she?
7. Is she the only one?
8. How many are there?
9. DId she have short feathers?
10. Why not?
11. Could they always fly?
12. Who taught them?
13. Was Robin excited to fly?
14. Why not?
15. of what?
16. Where did Robin want to be?
17. Did she want to hunt for food?
18. Who did she think should feed her?
19. Was her mother mad?
20. What did she do? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers:
1. Robin
2. 6 weeks old
3. no
4. Her mother
5. no
6. a little baby bird
7. no
8. four. Robin, wo brothers and a sister.
9. no
10. Her feathers got longer
11. no
12. mother bird
13. no
14. She was too afraid
15. to fly out into the world
16. her comfy nest
17. no
18. her mother
19. no
20. told Robin how exciting it was to fly