Problem: Take a class at Dulangkou School, and you'll see lots of things different from other schools, You can see the desks are not in rows and students sit in groups. They put their desks together so they're facing each other. How can they see the blackboard? There are three blackboards on the three walls of the classroom! The school calls the new way of learning "Tuantuanzuo", meaning sitting in groups. Wei Liying, a Junior 3 teacher, said it was to give students more chances to communicate. Each group has five or six students, according to Wei, and they play different roles .There is a team leader who takes care of the whole group. There is a "study leader"who makes sure that everyone finishes their homework. And there is a discipline leader who makes sure that nobody chats in class. Wang Lin is a team leader. The 15-year-old said that having to deal with so many things was tiring. "I just looked after my own business before,"said Wang. "But now I have to think about my five group members." But Wang has got used to it and can see the benefits now. "I used to speak too little. But being a team leader means you have to talk a lot. You could even call me an excellent speaker today." Zhang Qi, 16, was weak in English. She used to get about 70 in English tests. But in a recent test, Zhang got a grade of more than 80. "I rarely asked others when I had problems with my English tests. But now I can ask the team leader or study leader. They are really helpful."
1. How many blackboards are there?
2. What do they call this new way of learning?
3. What does it mean?
4. What is the name of the school?
5. Who is the teacher?
6. What year do they teach?
7. What does this allow the pupils a better chance to do?
8. How many leaders are there?
9. What is the first one's role?
10. The next one?
11. And the last?
12. How many pupils usually make up a grouping?
13. Who is 15?
14. What role do they have?
15. Who is 16?
16. Were they weak in Spanish?
17. What were they weak in?
18. Were the old scores 60?
19. What were they?
20. And the new scores?
Answer: 1. three blackboards
2. Tuantuanzuo
3. sitting in groups
4. Dulangkou School
5. Wei Liying
6. Junior 3
7. give students more chances to communicate
8. Three
9. team leader
10. study leader
11. discipline leader
12. 5-6
13. Wang Lin
14. team leader
15. Zhang Qi
16. no
17. English
18. no
19. 70
20. more than 80

Problem: CHAPTER X.

ON DETACHMENT.

Ralph was soon at home in the regiment. He found his comrades a cheery and pleasant set of men, ready to assist the newly-joined young officers as far as they could. A few rough practical jokes were played; but Ralph took them with such perfect good temper that they were soon abandoned.

He applied himself very earnestly to mastering the mystery of drill, and it was not long before he was pronounced to be efficient, and he was then at Captain O'Connor's request appointed to his company, in which there happened to be a vacancy for an ensign. He had had the good luck to have an excellent servant assigned to him. Denis Mulligan was a thoroughly handy fellow, could turn his hand to anything, and was always good tempered and cheery.

"The fellow is rather free and easy in his ways," Captain O'Connor told Ralph when he allotted the man to him; "but you will get accustomed to that. Keep your whisky locked up, and I think you will be safe in all other respects with him. He was servant to Captain Daly, who was killed at Toulouse, and I know Daly wouldn't have parted with him on any account. His master's death almost broke Denis' heart, and I have no doubt he will get just as much attached to you in time. These fellows have their faults, and want a little humoring; but, take them as a whole, I would rather have an Irish soldier servant than one of any other nationality, provided always that he is not too fond of the bottle. About once in three months I consider reasonable, and I don't think you will find Mulligan break out more frequently than that."
1. Who was new to the group?
2. Did he try hard to do well?
3. Who was in charge?
4. Was someone to work for him?
5. Who?
6. What country is he from?
7. Is he an angry person?
8. What is he like then?
9. Did people ever play pranks on Ralph?
10. Did it go on incessantly?
11. What is it recommended that he keep away from his helper?
12. Who did Denis previously serve?
13. What happened to him?
14. Where?
15. Did this make Denis happy?
16. How did he feel then?
17. Does the leader think he'll make a good helper?
18. What other type of person would he rather have as a helper?
19. How often does he think drinking is ok?
20. Does he think Denis will overdo the drinking?
Answer: 1. Ralph
2. yes
3. Captain O'Connor's
4. yes
5. Denis
6. Irish
7. no
8. good tempered
9. yes
10. no
11. whisky
12. Captain Daly
13. killed
14. Toulouse
15. no
16. broke Denis' heart,
17. thoroughly handy fellow
18. Mulligan
19. once in three months
20. yes

Problem: (CNN) -- Presidential candidates Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain are detailing their plans for solving the country's energy crisis and criticizing each other's proposals this week as they campaign in battleground states.

Here's a look at the candidates' energy proposals:

Overall strategy

McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, has proposed a national energy strategy that would rely on the technological prowess of American industry and science.

McCain has said he would work to reduce carbon emissions 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. He has said he would commit $2 billion annually for 15 years to advance clean coal technology.

He also has pledged to oppose a windfall profits tax on oil companies that, according to his campaign Web site, "will ultimately result in increasing our dependence on foreign oil and hinder investment in domestic exploration."

McCain also believes the U.S. needs to deploy SmartMeter technologies, which collect real-time data on the electricity use of individual homes and businesses.

Meanwhile, Obama laid out his comprehensive energy plan Monday in Lansing, Michigan.

"If I am president, I will immediately direct the full resources of the federal government and the full energy of the private sector to a single, overarching goal -- in 10 years, we will eliminate the need for oil from the entire Middle East and Venezuela," the presumptive Democratic nominee told a crowd.

Obama's plan also would invest $150 billion over the next 10 years and leverage billions more in private capital to build a new energy economy that he said would harness American energy and create 5 million new jobs.
1. Who are the two presidential hopefuls?
Answer:
1. Barack Obama and John McCain