Problem: Passage 1

The information Highway is the road that links computer users to a large number of on-line services; the Web, e-mail, and software, to mention just a few. Not long ago, the information Highway was a new road, with not many users. Now, everyone seems to want to take a drive, with over 30 million families connected worldwide. Not surprisingly, this well-traveled highway is starting to look like a well-traveled highway. Traffic jams can cause many serious problems, forcing the system to close down for repair. Naturally, accidents will happen on such a crowed road, and usually victims are some files, gone forever. Then, of course, there's Mr. Cool, with his new broad-band connection, who speeds down the highway faster than most of us can go. But don't trick yourself; he pays for that speeding.

Passage 2

Want to know more about global warming and how you can help prevent it? Doctor Herman Friedman, who is considered a leading expert on the subject, will speak at Grayson Hall next Friday. Friedman studied environmental science at three well-known universities around the world before becoming a professor in the subject. He has also traveled around the world observing environmental concerns. The gradual bleaching of the Grate Barrier Reef, which came into the public eye in 2002, in his latest interest. Signed copies of his colorful book, which was published just last month, will be on sale after his talk.
1. Who is Doctor Friedman?
2. What is his first name?
3. Where is he speaking?
4. When?
5. Where has he studied?
Answer: 1. a leading expert on global warming
2. Herman
3. Grayson Hall
4. next Friday
5. three universities

Problem: (CNN) -- Steve Landesberg, best known for his role as a cerebral detective on the TV sitcom "Barney Miller," has died of cancer, his agent said. He was 65.

"Steve was a true 'Gentleman,' " Landesberg's agent Jeffrey Leavitt said late Monday, shortly after the actor's death. "Working with Steve was an honor both personally and professionally. ... He will be missed."

Landesberg played with deadpan delivery Detective Arthur Dietrich on "Barney Miller," an often infuriatingly intellectual member of a New York City police station in Greenwich Village, who toyed with those who crossed his path in the precinct. The series ran from 1975 to 1982.

In addition to his stint on the sitcom, Landesberg made guest appearances on a number of shows, including "Saturday Night Live," "The Golden Girls" and "Law & Order." He also appeared in the 2008 movie "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

He is credited with the quote "Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defense," according to WorldofQuotes.com.

CNN's Matthew Carey contributed to this report.

1. Who died?
2. What is he credited with?
3. What was he famous for?
4. How old was he?
5. What did he die from?
6. Was he famous for anything else?
7. For what?
8. How long did his show last for?
9. Was people honored to work with him?
10. Who stated they was?
11. When?
Answer: 1. Steve Landesberg
2. A quote
3. His role as a detective on "Barney Miller."
4. 65
5. Cancer
6. Yes
7. Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
8. From 1975 to 1982.
9. Yes
10. Jeffrey Leavitt
11. Late Monday, shortly after the actor's death

Problem: (CNN) -- On February 26, 2012, George Zimmerman, a Hispanic Neighborhood Watch volunteer at the Retreat at Twin Lakes housing complex in Sanford, Florida, shot and killed Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African-American 17-year-old.

Initially, Zimmerman was not arrested, and no charges were brought against him. Rallies, protests and a media firestorm followed, even eliciting a comment from President Obama that "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon."

The Rev. Al Sharpton came to Sanford and admonished residents that they were "risking going down as the Birmingham and Selma of the 21st century" if nothing was done.

Benjamin Crump, one of the attorneys representing Martin's parents and an instrumental advocate for bringing charges against Zimmerman after they were initially declined, maintains that the case is about civil rights.

Whether the killing turns out to have been racially motivated, responded to in self-defense, the act of a resident concerned about the safety of his neighborhood or the act of a trigger-happy cop wannabe, race is an inescapable issue.

In 2012: Did politics drive prosecution in Trayvon Martin case?

Sanford is the county seat of Seminole County, Florida. Although it experienced explosive growth during the economic boom and has several large, modern upscale subdivisions, it remains relatively poor.

With approximately 54,000 residents, it has a per capita income of only about $21,000, with about 18.5% of the city below the poverty line, according to the 2010 census. It is approximately 30% African-American and 20% Hispanic. It has a documented history of racial tensions between its police and its black residents.
1. Where is Sanford?
2. Which county is it the seat of?
3. Is this a rich or poor area?
4. What is the statistic on income?
5. How much of the population lives in poverty?
6. Does Zimmerman live there?
7. Where?
8. Who did he shoot?
9. How did that turn out for Martin?
10. How old was he?
11. Do his parents have a lawyer?
12. Who?
13. What is he trying to convince police to do?
14. What does he say this case is about?
Answer: 1. Florida
2. Seminole County
3. poor
4. a per capita of about $21,000
5. 18.5%
6. Yes
7. Twin Lakes housing complex
8. Trayvon Martin
9. killed
10. 17
11. Yes
12. Benjamin Crump
13. bringing charges against Zimmerman
14. civil rights

Problem: Do you remember the game "Telephone"? A message gets passed from person to person, and everyone laughs at how distorted it becomes. As a game, telephone can be fun. In real life, sending messages through third parties fouls things up. It is important for family members who have "business" with other family members to take it up directly.

When tension arises in a relationship between two people, a frequent way of dealing with this is to send messages through a third person. Family doctors refer to the process as 'triangulation". Following a quarrel, a mother may say to her son, "Tell your father to pass the salt", which may be answered by, "Tell your mother to get her own salt." In many long cases of triangulation, the middleman becomes severely disturbed.

Two years ago, Ruth and Ralph Gordon brought their 17-year-old daughter for treatment. Lucille was not doing well in school, using drugs heavily. When I began to work with her, she was uncommunicative and aggressive. After some time, however, she opened up and told me her parents rarely talked to each other, but both used her as a middleman. Mrs. Gordon was sexually unsatisfied and suggested to Lucille that she ask her father to go for marriage advice. Mr. Gordon told Lucille that he was seeing another woman, and he urged Lucille to speak to her mother about improving her behaviour. Caught in this confusing situation, Lucille became more and more troubled. It wasn't until she refused to play middleman that she began to improve. When either parent began to send a message through her, she learned to say, "Tell him/her yourself!"

You'll find that when family members learn to dial each other directly, there's rarely a busy signal or wrong number. With direct dialing, a sense of freshness is created.
1. How old is Lucille?
2. How has Ralph broken his marriage vows?
3. How many classes is the teen getting straight A's in?
4. What kind of occupation does the narrarator have?
5. How did everything get better around the house for the 17 year old?
6. How did the girl initially respond to therapy?
7. What is a long term effect of constantly saying stuff through a third party?
8. What do some practitioners call this method of communication?
9. Would the therapist suggest that one go behind each others' backs to talk?
10. What was the name of Mr. Gordon's girlfriend?
Answer:
1. 17
2. He was seeing another woman,
3. None
4. Therapist
5. She started refusing to be her parents' middleman.
6. She was uncommunicative and aggressive.
7. Middleman becomes severely disturbed.
8. Triangulation
9. No
10. unknown