instruction:
Given a text, write a compressed version of it in a single sentence.
question:
At times, adults tell children stories that carry important self-relevant lessons. For example, recently I listened in as a father and his 5-year-old son waited in the foyer of a synagogue for a Jewish New Year service to begin.
answer:
At times, adults tell children stories that carry important self-relevant lessons. For example, I listened in as a father and his son waited for a Jewish New Year service.

question:
In California, two petition drives for next year's election are " essentially finished, " says David Schmidt, author of " Citizen Lawmakers. "
answer:
Two petition drives in California for next year are done says David Schmidt.

question:
The blurb on this book / disk package reads, Supplies you with 470,000 true synonyms for 40,000 entries. My guess is that such a quantity might be reached if one counted all the permutations and combinations; in reality, though, there are probably far fewer actual words.
answer:
My guess is the book/disk package's claim of "470,000 true synonyms for 40,000 entries" is probably far fewer in reality.