The task is about reading the given story and question, then finding an answer to the given question. Based on the passage provided and the given question, you should identify the shortest continuous text span from the passage that serves as an answer to the given question. Avoid answers that are incorrect or provides incomplete justification for the question.

Example Input: story: Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port city, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the San Francisco Bay Area, the eighth largest city in California, and the 45th largest city in the United States, with a population of 419,267 . It serves as a trade center for the San Francisco Bay Area; its Port of Oakland is the busiest port in the San Francisco Bay, the entirety of Northern California, and the fifth busiest in the United States of America. The city was incorporated in 1852.

Oakland's territory covers what was once a mosaic of California coastal terrace prairie, oak woodland, and north coastal scrub. Its land served as a rich resource when its hillside oak and redwood timber were logged to build San Francisco, and Oakland's fertile flatland soils helped it become a prolific agricultural region. In the late 1860s, Oakland was selected as the western terminal of the Transcontinental Railroad. Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, many San Francisco citizens moved to Oakland, enlarging the city's population, increasing its housing stock and improving its infrastructure. It continued to grow in the 20th century with its busy port, shipyards, and a thriving automobile manufacturing industry., question: What was the land like before?
Example Output: Mainly coastal terrace prairie, oak woodland, and north coastal scrub

Example Input: story: CHAPTER XVIII.

_A BRICK TURNS UP_.

The snow had been all night falling silently over the long elm avenues of Springdale.

It was one of those soft, moist, dreamy snow-falls, which come down in great loose feathers, resting in magical frost-work on every tree, shrub, and plant, and seeming to bring down with it the purity and peace of upper worlds.

Grace's little cottage on Elm Street was imbosomed, as New-England cottages are apt to be, in a tangle of shrubbery, evergreens, syringas, and lilacs; which, on such occasions, become bowers of enchantment when the morning sun looks through them.

Grace came into her parlor, which was cheery with the dazzling sunshine, and, running to the window, began to examine anxiously the state of her various greeneries, pausing from time to time to look out admiringly at the wonderful snow-landscape, with its many tremulous tints of rose, lilac, and amethyst.

The only thing wanting was some one to speak to about it; and, with a half sigh, she thought of the good old times when John would come to her chamber-door in the morning, to get her out to look on scenes like this.

"Positively," she said to herself, "I must invite some one to visit me. One wants a friend to help one enjoy solitude." The stock of social life in Springdale, in fact, was running low. The Lennoxes and the Wilcoxes had gone to their Boston homes, and Rose Ferguson was visiting in New York, and Letitia found so much to do to supply her place to her father and mother, that she had less time than usual to share with Grace. Then, again, the Elm-street cottage was a walk of some considerable distance; whereas, when Grace lived at the old homestead, the Fergusons were so near as to seem only one family, and were dropping in at all hours of the day and evening. , question: Who had gone to their Boston homes?
Example Output: . The Lennoxes and Wilcoxes

Example Input: story: CHAPTER XXLANDING ON CAVE ISLAND

At the end of a week Dave was more worried than ever. Each day he and his chums went down to the shipping offices and each day returned to the hotel disappointed. Not a word had been heard concerning the missing vessel and those on board.

The _Golden Eagle_ was all ready to sail on her return trip to the United States, but Phil told Captain Sanders to wait.

"Perhaps we'll hear to-day," he said, and this was repeated day after day.

It was very warm and the boys were glad they had brought along some thin clothing. They scarcely knew what to do with themselves, and Dave was particularly sober.

"I suppose Mr. Wadsworth and the rest are waiting to hear from me," he said to his chums. "But what is the use of sending a message when I haven't anything to say?"

Another Sunday passed, and on Monday the boys visited the _Golden Eagle_, and then went with Captain Sanders to the nearest shipping office.

"Something is going on!" cried the senator's son, as he noticed an unusual crowd congregated. "Must be news of some sort."

"Let us find out what it is!" returned our hero, quickly.

"The _Emma Brower_ has been heard from," said a man, standing near. "That's the vessel that was missing, don't you know," he added.

"What of her?" asked Dave.

"Went down in that terrible storm we had about ten days ago."

"Down!" gasped all of the boys, while Captain Sanders looked the concern he felt. , question: what was he worried about?
Example Output:
A missing vessel