Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

Helen Thomas, born on August 4, 1920, is a famous news reporter, a Hearst Newspapers columnist, and member of the White House Press Corps. She served for fifty-seven years as a correspondent and White House bureau chief for United Press International (UPI). She is called "First Lady of the Press".

Born in Kentucky, Helen Thomas was raised in Detroit, Michigan where she attended public schools and later graduated from Wayne State University. Upon leaving college, Helen served as a copy girl in an old company in Washington. In 1943, Ms. Thomas joined United Press International and the Washington Press Corps. Thomas served as president of the Women's National Press Club from 1959 to 1960.

In November, Helen began covering then President-elect John F. Kennedy, following him to the White House in January 1961 as a UPI correspondent. She later became White House Bureau Chief for UPI, where she was employed until her resignation on May 17, 2000. Thomas then became a White House correspondent and columnist.

Thomas was the only woman journalist traveling with then President Nixon to China in January, 1972. She has traveled around the world several times with Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, during the course of which she covered every Economic Summit.The World Almanachas cited her as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in America.

On March 21, 2006, Thomas was called upon directly by President Bush for the first time in three years. Thomas asked Bush about Iraq. Helen Thomas has written four books and she is also a popular speaker at events nationwide.

1. WHere was he born?
2. Where was she raised?
3. When was she born?
4. What Date?
5. What was she knwon for?
6. Where did she attend uni?
7. What was her first job?
8. Where?
9. What was her next step?
10. What Club?
11. During what time period?
12. Who was the first big person for her to report on?
13. How long was she employed for that agency?
14. How many years was that?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. Kentucky
2. Detroit, Michigan
3. 1920
4. August 4
5. news reporting
6. Wayne State University
7. copy girl
8. Washington
9. she joined United Press International and the Washington Press Corps
10. Women's National Press Club
11. 1959 to 1960
12. President-elect John F. Kennedy
13. until her resignation on May 17, 2000
14. 39

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

One day, the mouse, Rudd, got a splinter in his paw when he was putting a new fence around his house. His turtle friend with a weird name, Dig, came up to Rudd after he heard him yelling, "Ouch, I've got a splinter in my paw! Can someone help?" Dig, being the ever helpful turtle, took the splinter in his mouth and tugged it. The splinter popped right out of Rudd's paw and flew right into the air and then landed in the middle of the river.

Rudd looked happy and gave Dig a hug. "Thank you so much, Dig! And for helping me, I'll give you the choice of one of these three desserts I found. What would you like to have? A cake? A cookie? Or maybe this brownie?"

"Oh, Rudd, you are so silly and know you don't even have to ask me which one I'd take. You know I love brownies!" Dig smiled happily as Rudd gave him his treat and another hug for helping with the splinter.

After the two friends finish their dessert, Dig helped Rudd put up the rest of his fence until the sun went down that day. It was a good day for both friends.

1. What is the mouse's name?
2. What did he get in his paw?
3. What was he doing when he got it?
4. Who is his friend?
5. What is he?
6. Did he come to help him?
7. Did he take it in his mouth?
8. Did he get it out?
9. Where did it land?
10. Did he look happy?
11. What did he give him?
12. How many desserts were there?
13. What were they?
14. What does he choose?
15. Why?
16. Who smiles then?

Numbered answers:

A: 1. Rudd.
2. A splinter.
3. Putting a new fence around his house.
4. Dig.
5. A turtle.
6. Yes.
7. Yes.
8. Yes.
9. In the middle of the river.
10. Yes.
11. A hug.
12. Three.
13. A cake, cookie, and brownie.
14. The brownie.
15. He loves brownies.
16. Dig.

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

The quality of water supply in southern Beijing has been improving in recent years, an official said.

In addition to improvements in the network of pipes, the government has been upgrading three recycled water plants in the south of the capital, said Zhao Lei, spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform.

"The transformation of the three plants has increased the recycled water processing capacity by 160,000 cubic meters per day," he said.

In addition, the city is also speeding up the construction of sewage treatment plants to further recycle the sewage, Zhao said.

Zhang Xiang, a researcher from Nature University, an environmental protection NGO in Beijing, said recycled water use should be promoted, especially in water-scarce cities such as Beijing.

Setting up more recycled water plants in the capital will not only promote efficient water use, but also reduce costs because recycling water is much cheaper than transferring it over long distances, he said.

According to the Beijing Water Authority, the capital will set up 46 more recycled water plants citywide in the next three years while upgrading 20 sewage treatment plants.

The treatment rate of domestic sewage in downtown Beijing will reach 98 percent by the end of 2015, it said.

The capital's recycled water is mainly used for industry, landscaping and cleaning, Zhang said.

Many new communities in southern Beijing are equipped with a network to recycle water.

In the past, people were not enthusiastic about using recycled water. However, as the government has boosted the quality of recycled water and set up more recycled water plants, more residents are gradually accepting it.

Residents in southern Beijing will also enjoy more clean energy, as the government will replace traditional coal-burning stoves with electric radiators as part of a three-year plan to develop southern Beijing from 2013 to 2015.

Since 2010, Beijing has taken measures to develop its southern areas. Earlier efforts have seen the region, which used to rely heavily on low-end industries such as cement factories and small coal mines, being turned into a bustling commercial center and home to many educational institutions.

1. Which city is this story about?
2. Which section of the city?
3. Are things getting better there?
4. What specifically is getting better?
5. Is the entirety of the sewage treated in Beijing?
6. What uses does the treated water have?
7. Previously, did people get excited about treated water?
8. Has that changed at all?
9. What brought about that change?
10. What kind of heating is used there?
11. Is that going to change?
12. To what?
13. When?
14. How many parts are there to the plan for that?
15. What are the traditional industries of the region?
16. What kinds of things have been developed there more recently?
17. When did the city begin to make changes to this area?
18. How many new plants are there plans to open?
19. Will some plants also be improved?
20. How many?

Numbered answers:

A:
1. Beijing
2. southern
3. yes
4. quality of water supply
5. unknown
6. industry, landscaping and cleaning
7. no
8. yes
9. government has boosted the quality of recycled water
10. traditional coal-burning stoves
11. yes
12. electric radiators
13. 2013 to 2015
14. three
15. cement factories and small coal mines
16. commercial center and educational institutions
17. 2010
18. According to the Beijing Water Authority, the capital will set up 46 more recycled water plants
19. yes
20. 20