Question: I bought a jasmine plant for my office. When I bought it, I was told it would bloom and the sweet smell would fill my office. I had the plant for two months, and every day I looked at it, but there weren't any flowers or pleasant smell. I was not happy, so I gave the plant to my friend Linda. One day, another friend Mary called and invited me to her office. When I walked in, her jasmine flowers surprised me. I reached out to touch the flowers. Mary cut some and gave them to me. I couldn't help smelling them. Surrounded by the sweet smell of only a handful of these flowers, I suddenly understood something. Mary bought her plant the same time I did. It took a year for her jasmine to bloom. I was so impatient for mine to bloom; regretfully, I gave it away. In a way my life is like the jasmine plant. I need to be patient and let things happen. Last Sunday Linda told me that she was going abroad the next week. Before she left, she returned the plant to me. This time I am going to wait. I have learned that when we want something in our life, we have to be patient. I am slowly learning to have that patience to wait for my jasmine to bloom. 1. Who did I give the jasmine to?
2. Why?
3. What did I buy it for>
4. What was she told the plant would do for her office?
5. How long did she keep it?
6. How often did she check it?
7. Why did Linda give it back?
8. When?
9. When did she tell her about the trip?
10. When did she give the plant back?
11. Who else has a plant like this?
12. When did Mary get her plant?
13. What is different about Mary's?
14. How long did it take?
15. Where does she keep her plant?
16. How does it smell?
17. Why did she cut some?
18. What could she not resist doing?
19. How does she feel now about giving hers away?
20. What has she learned from these plants? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. Linda
2. she was impatient for it to bloom
3. her office
4. fill it with a sweet smell
5. two months
6. every day
7. she was going abroad
8. next week
9. Last Sunday
10. Before she left
11. Mary
12. at the same time as her
13. it had bloomed
14. a year
15. her office
16. sweet
17. to give to her
18. smelling them
19. regretful
20. to be patient

Question: Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are decorated eggs that are usually used as gifts on the occasion of Easter or springtime celebration. As such, Easter eggs are common during the season of Eastertide (Easter season). The oldest tradition is to use dyed and painted chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs wrapped in colourful foil, or plastic eggs filled with confectionery such as chocolate. Although eggs, in general, were a traditional symbol of fertility and rebirth, in Christianity, for the celebration of Eastertide, Easter eggs symbolize the empty tomb of Jesus, from which Jesus resurrected. In addition, one ancient tradition was the staining of Easter eggs with the colour red "in memory of the blood of Christ, shed as at that time of his crucifixion." This custom of the Easter egg can be traced to early Christians of Mesopotamia, and from there it spread into Russia and Siberia through the Orthodox Churches, and later into Europe through the Catholic and Protestant Churches. This Christian use of eggs may have been influenced by practices in "pre-dynastic period in Egypt, as well as amid the early cultures of Mesopotamia and Crete".

The practice of decorating eggshells as part of spring rituals is ancient, with decorated, engraved ostrich eggs found in Africa which are 60,000 years old. In the pre-dynastic period of Egypt and the early cultures of Mesopotamia and Crete, eggs were associated with death and rebirth, as well as with kingship, with decorated ostrich eggs, and representations of ostrich eggs in gold and silver, were commonly placed in graves of the ancient Sumerians and Egyptians as early as 5,000 years ago. These cultural relationships may have influenced early Christian and Islamic cultures in those areas, as well as through mercantile, religious, and political links from those areas around the Mediterranean. 1. what animal's eggs were found in africa that are 60,000 years old?
2. were they decorated?
3. what else are easter eggs called?
4. what season are they commonly used?
5. what is another name for the easter season?
6. in mesopotamia and crete, what were eggs associated with?
7. what else?
8. what did they decorate?
9. did they also use representations of eggs?
10. with what materials?
11. what do modern people substitute dyed eggs with?
12. is the foil used colorful?
13. what do Easter eggs symbolize to christians?
14. does it also resemble an empty tomb?
15. of who?
16. to what period can the custom of easter eggs be traced? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. ostrich
2. yes
3. Paschal eggs
4. the Easter season
5. Eastertide
6. death and rebirth
7. kingship
8. ostrich eggs
9. yes
10. gold and silver
11. Chocolate or plastic eggs
12. yes
13. fertility and rebirth
14. yes
15. Jesus
16. the pre-dynastic period

Question: The 71-year-old ex-police officer accused of shooting dead a man inside a Florida movie theater won't get the chance to go home -- at least for now -- after a judge Friday decided not to grant him bail.

Judge Pat Siracusa made his decision after two days of wrenching, evocative, at times seemingly contradictory testimony inside a Dade City, Florida, courtroom.

"The state did, in fact, meet their standard," Siracusa said of prosecutors argument that Curtis Reeves shouldn't be allowed to post bond. "And I am going to detain Mr. Reeves, pretrial. He will remain in custody."

Reeves' lawyer signaled his intention to appeal a decision that -- while not unexpected, given this is a homicide case -- he believes is unwarranted. The attorney, Richard Escobar, said that he's optimistic about not only the appeal on bail, but that a jury of six citizens will side with his client.

"Mr. Reeves is truly an innocent man," Escobar told reporters. "And we look forward to proving that at a jury trial at some point."

The widow of the man that Reeves killed, meanwhile, applauded Siracusa's decision.

"I'm just very happy and relieved," Nicole Oulson said. "... I have no doubt in my mind that it was the right decision."

No threats before shooting, widow says

Was it self-defense or an overreaction?

As Siracusa took pains to point out, his opting not to grant bail has nothing to do with his or others assessment of Reeves' guilt or innocence. That won't happen until trial. 1. What was the ex-police officer accused of?
2. Where?
3. How old was he?
4. Who was the judge?
5. How long did it take him to make a decision?
6. Where was the courtroom?
7. Who met their standard?
8. Who was the widow of the man?
9. Was she happy and relieved?
10. Were there threats before the shooting?
11. What did the widow applaud?
12. Did she have a doubt in her mind?
13. Was the attorney optimistic?
14. Did he believe the decision is unwarranted?
15. Does he believe Mr. Reeves is truly an innocent man?
16. Does he look forward to proving that?
17. When? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers:
1. shooting a man dead
2. inside a Florida movie theate
3. 71
4. Pat Siracusa
5. two days
6. Dade City, Florida
7. The state
8. Nicole Oulson
9. yes
10. No
11. Siracusa's decision
12. no
13. yes
14. yes
15. yes
16. yes
17. at a jury trial