Problem: Comets are parts of our solar system. Like the planets, they go around the sun. But comets are not made of solid rocks like planets. A comet is a ball of dust, stones, and ice. Many people call comets dirty snowballs. The "snowball" may be only a few miles across. But when the sun heats the "snowball," much of it is changed to gases. The gases spread out and form the comet's head, which may be thousands of miles across. A comet moves fast in its trip around the sun. But when we see it, the comet does not seem to move. That's because it is so far away. The moon moves fast, but when you look at it, you can't see any motion . That's because the moon is far away. Each year astronomers discover new comets. Some of them are seen only once. They make one trip around the sun and then go away out into space. The sun's gravity cannot hold them. Other comets, like Halley, keep returning. They have been captured by the sun. Halley's earliest visit was probably 3,000 years ago. It may keep returning for another 3,000 years. But every time a comet goes around the sun, the comet loses part of itself. Gases and dust are pulled out of the comet. That's why Halley is now dimmer than it used to be. Next time it visits us, in 2062, it may be even dimmer. Each visit it may get dimmer and dimmer, until it finally disappears.
1. What is a dirty snowball?
2. What is it composed of?
3. Where do they travel?
4. Does something else travel around the sun?
5. How are they different than comets?
6. Do all comets make just one trip around the sun?
7. Why do some comets only go around once?
8. What is Halley?
9. When was Halley first seen?
10. How long will it be around?
Answer: 1. comets
2. dust, stones, and ice
3. around the su
4. planets
5. made of solid rocks
6. yes
7. They have been captured by the sun
8. comet
9. 3,000 years ago
10. another 3,000 years

Problem: Buckingham Palace has a history that dates back over 500 years and has changed hands on numerous occasions, however, much of the building that remains standing today is from the original structure built in the early 1700's.

In the beginning Buckingham Palace was originally known as Buckingham House. However, in 1762 George III liked the house so much that he bought it for 28,000 and renamed it "The Queen's House". The reason for this was down to the fact that he bought the house to give to his wife Charlotte. Shortly after he did this, work soon began in order to remodel the house with the help of Sir William Chambers. This trend then continued with the accession of George IV in 1820 when he decided to reconstruct the house but he still used it for the same purpose that his father did.

One of the biggest physical changes to the house occurred several years later when the king had a change of mind. It was in 1826 that King George IV set about transforming the house into what it is known today, Buckingham Palace. He did this with the help of an architect known as John Nash.

The work that Nash carried out involved doubling the size of the main block through adding a new suite of rooms on the garden side facing the west. He then faced this with mellow Bath stone, which reflected the French neo-classical influence favored by George IV. Many of the rooms that Nash added still remain pretty much unchanged today.

The palace as it stands today acts as not only the London residence of Her Majesty the Queen but also the administrative headquarters of the Royal Household. It is in fact one of the few working royal palaces that remain in the world today. The state rooms are extensively used by the Queen as well as members of the royal family as a way of receiving and entertaining guests on state, ceremonial and official occasions.
1. When was the palace built?
2. What is the name?
3. Does the same family control the palace?
4. Why not?
5. What was the original name of the palace?
6. Was it called something else after that?
7. By WHO?
8. wHAT DID HE CALL IT?
9. wHEN DID HE GAIN CONTROL OF IT?
10. hOW DID HE DO SO?
11. For how much?
12. Who did he buy it for?
13. Who resided there next?
14. What year did he assume control?
15. What happened in 1826?
16. Into what?
17. Upon who's orders?
18. What is the palace besides home to the queen?
19. For whom?
20. Which rooms are used most often by the queen?
21. Are there many other functioning palaces in the world?
Answer: 1. Early 1700's
2. Buckingham Palace
3. No
4. It has changed hands on numerous occasions,
5. Buckingham House
6. Yes
7. George III
8. "The Queen's House"
9. in 1762
10. hE BOUGHT IT.
11. 28,000
12. his wife Charlotte
13. George IV
14. 1820
15. Transforming the house.
16. what it is known as today
17. King George IV
18. Administrative headquarters.
19. The Royal Household.
20. The state rooms
21. No.

Problem: Yaounde, Cameroon (CNN)Cameroonian troops and their allies have freed a German man who was held for six months by Islamist terror group Boko Haram, Cameroonian President Paul Biya said.

Boko Haram kidnapped German citizen Robert Nitsch Eberhard in Nigeria in July, Biya said in a statement read Wednesday on state-run broadcaster CRTV. He did not detail how, when or where the rescue operation took place.

"A special operation of Cameroonian armed forces and security services of friendly countries" freed the man, he said.

Eberhard told journalists he was glad to be alive.

"I am happy to see all these people around me, who have rescued me and made sure that I survived, because until the last minute, I did not know whether I would survive or I would not survive. It was for me a big problem. Because it was darkness, total darkness, and you see nobody around you. Then this is a big problem to say OK, I will survive or not survive," Eberhard said.

Eberhard was flown in from Cameroon's Far North Region to Yaounde shortly after noon Wednesday.

He said he was grateful to all those who worked to secure his release.

The German ambassador to Cameroon, Klaus-Ludwig Keferstein, also thanked Cameroonian authorities, particularly because "we could find a solution to this problem of hostage-taking," he said.

Eberhard spoke amid heavy security and mentioned that he was teaching at a vocational school in Gombe, Adamawa state, Nigeria, before the insurgents took him hostage in July.

He has been taken to the residence of the German ambassador in Yaounde. The ambassador said initial medical care will be given to him before he is flown back to Germany for more medical attention.
1. Who is Cameroonian President?
2. What is the name of the German citizen?
3. who kidnapped him?
4. Which group is it?
5. where was he kidnapped?
6. When?
7. Who saved him?
8. Where was he teaching?
9. Which area?
10. which school?
11. Where is he taken now?
12. at which house?
13. What would be done before he is flown back to her home country?
14. What did he told to journalists?
15. Where was the Biyas statement read broadcasted?
16. Did he explained all things in detail?
Answer:
1. Paul Biya
2. Robert Nitsch Eberhard
3. Boko Haram
4. Islamist terror group
5. Nigeria
6. July
7. A special operation of Cameroonian armed forces
8. Gombe
9. Adamawa state, Nigeria
10. a vocational school
11. Yaounde.
12. the German ambassador's residence
13. initial medical care will be given to him
14. he was glad to be alive.
15. CRTV
16. No