Question: (CNN) -- As Easter comes into view, the thoughts of billions of Christians turn to Jerusalem, to a sacred weekend that includes the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Of course, people regard these events with various degrees of literalness. But Easter retains its power.

It is, in fact, the essential Christian celebration, as the Gospels focus hugely on this part of the Jesus story. They describe in slow motion his entry into Jerusalem and the final week leading up to the crucifixion on Good Friday, the uncertain stillness of Holy Saturday, when the world seems to have slipped into total darkness, then the joy of the Resurrection itself, with a sense that boundaries have been broken -- most aggressively, the membrane between life and death.

Questions arise, of course. Did Jesus really rise from the dead? What would that look like? Many Christians imagine some literal wakening from the dead and refuse to accept the slightest hint that the Resurrection might be regarded as symbolic without denigrating it.

Indeed, if you read the Gospel narratives closely, it's not easy to say what actually happened. All four of them skip the actual Resurrection. That is, we never see Jesus waken. The first inkling of change comes when a few women close to him visit the tomb. Accounts differ on who turned up at the tomb that morning: Mary Magdalene, a close friend of Jesus, alone or with Mary, his mother, and with Salome (who is either Mary's sister or the mother of apostles James and John). 1. What type of celebration is this passage talking about?
2. When its there what do Christians think of? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. Easter
2. Jerusalem

Question: 1 always figured that comedians were the best kind of people to hang around with as a kid. They tell funny stories, make joke after joke, and happiness seems never to leave them. But time goes on, and we come to see these same people as clowns on the outside, but crying a river in the inside. Comedy from these people comes from a deep pain and sadness in their lives, or out of a deep-seated anger they have at the world around them.

Look at Richard Pryor, need I say more? Richard seemed to have everything. For Superman m , he ended up getting more money than Christopher Reeve did. Yet he said while he was in his forties that the last truly happy moment he remembered in his life was when he was jumping around in the dirt while pretending to be a cowboy at the age of 10. This guy set himself on fire, and he played that for laugh while performing live at the Sunset Strip ! Comedy was his constant weapon against pain, and he never held anything back.

The movie Funny People understand very well this gloomy field many comedians have to survive in. It stars Adam Sandler as George Simmons, a famous comedian in the movie. Simmons has it all: a beautiful mansion overlooking the sea, a swimming pool,great cars, and so on. But in his eyes, we see that he is a sad man who has come to truly look down upon himself for what he has become. All the wealth he has collected only serves to separate him from the rest of the world and it makes him defensive when around total strangers who cannot see him as a normal person. But now, he hears from his doctor that he has a terminal disease and has only months left to live. Simmons reacts to this news as if someone took away his blood in the heart, and it makes him clearly see just how much he hates his life. So now he has to make every minute count.

Then come a series of funny stories.

Comedy is just life as it is, isn't it? 1. Who is the lead in Funny People?
2. What did the author like about comedians as a child?
3. Why?
4. What truth did he come to find out about them?
5. What outrageous thing did Richard Pryor do?
6. Why did he do that?
7. Who played the original Superman?
8. What was the last happy moment that Richard Pryor remembers?
9. How old was he at that time?
10. What is the author's conclusion about comedy?
11. What bad news did George Simmons get?
12. And what was his reaction to this news?
13. And what does he come to realize? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. Adam Sandler
2. They were the best kind of people to hang around with
3. They tell funny stories, make joke after joke, and happiness seems never to leave them
4. Their comedy comes from deep pain and sadnessde. Comedy from these people comes from a deep pain and sadness in their lives
5. This guy set himself on fire
6. For a laugh
7. Christopher Reeve did.
8. Jumping around in the dirt while pretending to be a cowboy.
9. f 10
10. Comedy is just life as it is
11. He has only months to live
12. As if someone took away the blood in his heart
13. That he hates his life and now needs to make every minute count

Question: "My dear lady," says Holmes. "You're shaking. Are you cold? Do you want a cup of hot tea?" "I'm not cold," the woman replies, "I fear for my life!" "We are here to help you. Don't worry about anything. I don't know you. But I know many things about you. For example, I know how you travel. You came to London by train. You also ride to the train station on a horse-drawn wagon ."[:] "Why, yes. You're right. But how do you know these things?" "I see a return ticket in your glove. I see fresh mud on the left arm of your dress. Now tell us your problem." "My name is Helen Stoner," she states, "My mother and father are dead. I am living with my stepfather , Dr Grimesby Roylott. He comes from a rich family. But they are no longer rich. They have nothing except a small piece of land and a big old house. We are living in the house. Dr Roylott is using my mother's money for expenses . Part of it was for my sister and me. It was for our marriages." Holmes is sitting in his chair. His eyes are closed. He is listening carefully to Helen's story. He hears every detail. Helen continues. "My stepfather has no friends. He fights with everyone. He is strong and gets angry quickly. Everyone is afraid of him." "He has no friends at all?" asks Holmes. "No. He talks to no one except the gypsies . They are poor people who travel from place to place. A band of gypsies is staying on our land right now." "Are you and your sister afraid of the gypsies?" "My dear Mr Holmes. You are making me so sad. My sister is dead. That is why I am standing here in this room." 1. who syas my dear lady ?
2. whos My mother and father are dead ?
3. who is listening carefully to Helen's story ?
4. Does the stepfather have friends ?
5. who fights with everyone ?
6. is everyone afrad of him ?
7. who is staying on the land right now ?
8. who is making her so sad ?
9. how did they get to london ?
10. who travels from place to place ? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers:
1. Holmes
2. Helen Stoner
3. Holmes
4. Grimesby Roylott. He comes from a rich family. But they are no longer rich. They have nothing except a small piece of land and
5. stepfather
6. yes
7. A band of gypsies
8. Holmes
9. by train
10. gypsies