Problem: Southern California, often abbreviated SoCal, is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises California's southernmost 10 counties. The region is traditionally described as "eight counties", based on demographics and economic ties: Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. The more extensive 10-county definition, including Kern and San Luis Obispo counties, is also used based on historical political divisions. Southern California is a major economic center for the state of California and the United States.

The 8- and 10-county definitions are not used for the greater Southern California Megaregion, one of the 11 megaregions of the United States. The megaregion's area is more expansive, extending east into Las Vegas, Nevada, and south across the Mexican border into Tijuana.

Southern California includes the heavily built-up urban area stretching along the Pacific coast from Ventura, through the Greater Los Angeles Area and the Inland Empire, and down to Greater San Diego. Southern California's population encompasses seven metropolitan areas, or MSAs: the Los Angeles metropolitan area, consisting of Los Angeles and Orange counties; the Inland Empire, consisting of Riverside and San Bernardino counties; the San Diego metropolitan area; the OxnardThousand OaksVentura metropolitan area; the Santa Barbara metro area; the San Luis Obispo metropolitan area; and the El Centro area. Out of these, three are heavy populated areas: the Los Angeles area with over 12 million inhabitants, the Riverside-San Bernardino area with over four million inhabitants, and the San Diego area with over 3 million inhabitants. For CSA metropolitan purposes, the five counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura are all combined to make up the Greater Los Angeles Area with over 17.5 million people. With over 22 million people, southern California contains roughly 60 percent of California's population.
1. How many counties make up the focus area?
2. Name all the counties starting with a consonant.
3. Which are the two remaining?
4. SoCal's population includes how many metro areas?
5. Which is one area?
6. Which counties make up that area?
7. What is another MSA?
8. How many counties is it made up of?
9. Which is one?
10. And the other?
11. Which counties make up the Greater LA area?
12. What is the population in that area?
13. What percent of the Cali population is that?
Answer: 1. eight
2. Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
3. Imperial and Orange
4. seven
5. the Los Angeles metropolitan area
6. Los Angeles and Orange
7. the Inland Empire
8. two
9. Riverside
10. San Bernardino
11. Los Angeles and Orange
12. over 17.5 million
13. roughly 60 percent

Problem: We spent a few days in Paris last week. We visit the famous city quite regularly. After all, it only takes three hours from London to Pairs. It's always a pleasure visiting places we really like, exploring areas we've never been. The only unlucky thing this time was the weather. As soon as we got there the temperature reached almost 35 degrees C (which lasted until we left). It was so hot that Matthew just couldn't _ it -- for him, it wasn't the most enjoyable trip. I felt sorry for him because every time we go there he has to put up with my endless shopping spree ... Because of the heat, we ended up just having lots of ice-cream and drinks most of the time, although we managed to pay a few visits to the new Herme shop on rue de Vaugirard at least. It's not as busy as the shop on rue Bonaparte so you can choose whatever you like without worrying about a queue behind you! I really enjoyed his bread this time as well as the cakes. And I must say that his Croissant aux Amandes and Bostock were simply the best I've ever had.
1. What did the author have the was the best she'd ever eaten?
2. Where did it come from?
3. Where is that located?
4. Where are the shops busier?
5. Who didn't enjoy the trip?
6. Why?
7. What did they do to keep cool?
8. Why did she feel bad for him?
9. Can you take your time in the Herme shop without a line of people behind you waiting?
10. Where we they visiting?
11. Where were they from?
12. How far is Paris from London?
13. Do they go there very often?
14. How often?
15. Do they usually enjoy it?
16. What do they like doing there?
17. When did it got hot there?
18. How long did they stay there?
19. When did they go?
20. Did it stay hot during the entire visit?
Answer: 1. Croissant aux Amandes and Bostock.
2. New Herme shop.
3. Onn rue de Vaugirard.
4. On rue Bonaparte.
5. Matthew.
6. The temperature reached almost 35 degrees C.
7. Lots of ice-cream and drinks.
8. He has to put up with endless shopping spree.
9. Yes.
10. Paris.
11. London.
12. Three hours.
13. Yes.
14. Quite regularly.
15. Yes.
16. Exploring areas we've never been.
17. As soon as they got there.
18. A few days.
19. Last week.
20. Yes.

Problem: (CNN) -- It began as horseplay, with two teenage stepbrothers chasing each other with blow guns and darts. But it soon escalated when one of the boys grabbed a knife.

Michael Barton, Quantel Lotts' stepbrother, was stabbed to death at age 17.

The older teen, Michael Barton, 17, was dead by the time he reached the hospital, stabbed twice.The younger boy, Quantel Lotts, 14, would eventually become one of Missouri's youngest lifers.

Lotts was sentenced in Missouri's St. Francois County Circuit Court in 2002 to life in prison without parole for first-degree murder in his stepbrother's stabbing death.

It made no difference that at the time of the deadly scuffle, Lotts was barely old enough to watch PG-13 movie and too young to drive, vote or buy beer.

"They locked me up and threw away the keys," Lotts, now 23, said from prison. "They took away all hope for the future."

His stepmother, the victim's mother, has forgiven Lotts and is working with lawyers to gain his release.

Lotts is one of at least 73 U.S. inmates -- most of them minorities -- who were sentenced to spend the rest of their lives in prison for crimes committed when they were 13 or 14, according to the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit organization in Alabama that defends indigent defendants and prisoners.

The 73 are just a fraction of the more than 2,000 offenders serving life sentences for crimes they committed as minors under the age of 18.

Across the country, most juvenile offenders and many adults are given a second chance. Charles Manson, convicted in seven notorious murders committed when he was 27, will be eligible for his 12th parole hearing in 2012. He's been denied parole 11 times. Even "Son of Sam" killer David Berkowitz, who confessed to killing six people in the 1970s when he was in his 20s, has had four parole hearings, though he has said he doesn't deserve parole and doesn't want it.
1. Who was the youngest boy?
2. At what age?
3. How many teens did he kill?
4. Was he related to the deceased?
5. What weapons did they play with initially?
6. Which weapon was fatal?
7. What year did this occur?
8. In what state?
9. How many years was the sentence?
10. What was the official crime?
11. How many other youth received life sentences in the U.S.?
12. How many were only 13 or 14 at the time of their crime?
13. According to whom?
14. Based where?
15. Has Lott's stepmother forgiven him?
16. Does she want him to be released?
17. Who is she working with to that end/
Answer:
1. Quantel Lotts
2. Quantel Lotts, 14,
3. Quantel Lotts' stepbrother, was stabbed to death at age 17
4. stepbrother
5. Blow guns and darts
6. A knife.
7. 2002
8. Missouri
9. life in prison
10. first-degree murder
11. More than 2,000
12. 73
13. Equal Justice Initiative
14. Alabama
15. Yes
16. Yes
17. To gain his release.