Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

The Roaring Twenties was the period of Western society and Western culture that occurred during and around the 1920s. It was a period of sustained economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge in the United States and Western Europe, particularly in major cities such as Berlin, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York City, Paris, and Sydney. In the French Third Republic, the decade was known as the ""annees folles"" ("Crazy Years"), emphasizing the era's social, artistic and cultural dynamism. Jazz music blossomed, the flapper redefined the modern look for British and American women, and Art Deco peaked. Not everything roared: in the wake of the hyper-emotional patriotism of World War I, Warren G. Harding brought back normalcy to the politics of the United States. This era saw the large-scale use of automobiles, telephones, motion pictures, radio, and electric appliances. Aviation became a business. The economies saw rapid industrial growth, accelerated consumer demand, plus significant changes in lifestyle and culture. The media focused on celebrities, especially sports heroes and movie stars, as cities rooted for their home teams and filled the new palatial cinemas and gigantic sports stadiums. In most major democratic states, women won the right to vote.

The social and cultural features known as the Roaring Twenties began in leading metropolitan centers, then spread widely in the aftermath of World War I. The United States gained dominance in world finance. Thus, when Germany could no longer afford to pay World War I reparations to the United Kingdom, France and the other Allied Powers, the United States came up with the Dawes Plan; named after banker, and later 30th Vice President Charles G. Dawes, respectively. Wall Street invested heavily in Germany, which repaid its reparations to countries that, in turn, used the dollars to pay off their war debts to Washington. By the middle of the decade, prosperity was widespread, with the second half of the decade known, especially in Germany, as the "Golden Twenties".

1. What important world event did the roaring twenties occur in the wake of?
2. Did Germany benefit during this period?
3. What became an industry in this time?
4. What musical genre became popular?
5. What seemed to be the only thing that receded during the era?
6. What fashion statement became more common?
7. What group did television often focus on?
8. Anyone else?
9. Who gained suffrage?
10. Where did it originate?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. World War I.
2. Yes
3. Aviation
4. Jazz
5. American politics
6. Flapper
7. Celebrities
8. Sports heroes and movie stars
9. Women
10. Leading metropolitan centers

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

Computers have been used in teaching for more than twenty years. But a new book says that only now are they changing education. And it predicts that a lot more is about to happen.

The book is called "Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns." "Disruptive Innovation" is a theory developed by lead author Clayton Christensen, a professor at the prefix = st1 /HarvardBusinessSchool. He says organizations almost always use new, creative technology only to continue what they already do.

New technology should change organizations, he says, and disrupt them in a good way. They should use the technology to do things differently--for example, to serve more needs. The book says the needed disruptive force in education is computer-based learning.

Michael Horn, another author of "Disrupting Class", told us about a Bostonpublic that he visited. Every student at Lilla G. Frederick Middle School inDorchester,Massachusetts, has a laptop computer. One class was learning about storms. Michael Horn says the laptops made it possible to truly individualize the lessons, to divide materials by ability level and learning style. At the end of the class, the students all took part in a discussion led by the teacher.

Computer-based learning offers a way for students to take advanced courses not offered at their school, or to retake classes they failed. It also serves those who cannot physically attend school, and students who receive home schooling.

Computer-based learning includes online courses. Enrollments in online courses have grown sharply. In 2007, the United Stateshad about one million enrollments, not including college courses. Students could be enrolled in more than one course, through schools or education companies. High school students make up about seventy percent of the enrollment. Still, nationally, only about one percent of all high school courses last year were taught online.

But the authors of "Disrupting Class"predict it will be ten percent in about six years. And their research suggests that the number will be about fifty percent by 2019. And Michael Horn says the future of online learning could be even greater in developing countries.

1. How long does it say computers have been used for teaching?
2. What is the book called that says they are changing education?
3. What is the name of the author?
4. Is their other authors involved in the book?
5. What did Michael Horn say about students using laptops at Frederick Middle School learning?
6. Has Enrollments in online courses grown much?
7. What percent of all high school students are taught online?
8. What does the authors of Disrupting Class predict the percent will be in ten years?
9. What about by 2019?
10. does the book think computers are a needed disruptive force in education?
11. Does computer based learning offer students anything not offered in normal schools?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. twenty years
2. "Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns."
3. Clayton Christensen
4. yes
5. the laptops made it possible to truly individualize the lessons, to divide materials by ability level and learning style.
6. yes
7. about one percent
8. ten percent
9. about fifty percent
10. yes
11. it offers a way for students to take advanced courses not offered at their school, or to retake classes they failed. It also serves those who cannot physically attend school, and students who receive home schooling.

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

(CNN) -- UK lawmakers have voted in the House of Commons to recognize Palestine as a state "as a contribution to securing a negotiated two state solution."

The motion was backed overwhelmingly Monday by 274 votes to 12. However, fewer than half of the 650 MPs in the House of Commons took part in the debate.

The motion passed was, "That this House believes that the Government should recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel, as a contribution to securing a negotiated two state solution.

The measure is mainly symbolic and is not binding on the government. However, it lends added weight within Europe to calls for Palestinian statehood.

Ten days earlier, the new government in Sweden said it would recognize a Palestinian state.

"A two-state solution requires mutual recognition and a will to coexist peacefully. Therefore, Sweden will recognise the State of Palestine," said Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in his first statement of government policy.

'Not a gift, but a right'

The UK vote came after five hours of debate in the House.

Former Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind, of the Conservative Party, told MPs that during his time in office in the 1990s, the United Kingdom committed "for the first time to a two-state solution with a Palestinian state."

"I have never wavered in that view and I believe that the earlier that state comes about the better, both for the Palestinians and for the Middle East as a whole," he said.

Shadow foreign minister Ian Lucas, of the opposition Labour Party, said the motion would be supported by his party but that the timing and manner of deciding whether to recognize Palestinian statehood was a matter for the current coalition government.

1. Does Sweden recognize a Palestine state?
2. Does the UK?
3. Where did the voting to do so take place?
4. Its recognition is a contribution to what?
5. Was there a large gap in voting numbers?
6. How many were opposed to it?
7. Did all of the MPs vote?
8. How many are there?
9. Does the government recognize the the motion?
10. What is a benefit of it regarding Europe?
11. How much sooner did Sweden make the same decision?
12. What is stated that a two-state solution requires?
13. What else?
14. Who said this?
15. What is his name?
16. When did he declare this?
17. Who represents the conservative party?
18. What did he tell the Mps?
19. When?
20. Did he ever doubt that view?

Numbered answers:

A:
1. yes
2. yes
3. House of Commons
4. securing a negotiated two state solution
5. yes
6. 12.
7. Not sure, but less than half took part in the debate.
8. 650 MPs
9. yes
10. to calls for Palestinian statehood.
11. Ten days earlier
12. mutual recognition
13. a will to coexist peacefully.
14. Prime Minister
15. Stefan Lofven
16. his first statement of government policy.
17. Secretary Malcolm Rifkind
18. the United Kingdom committed "for the first time to a two-state solution with a Palestinian state."
19. during his time in office
20. no