Q: Insects (from Latin insectum, a calque of Greek [entomon], "cut into sections") are a class of invertebrates within the arthropod phylum that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes and one pair of antennae. They are the most diverse group of animals on the planet, including more than a million described species and representing more than half of all known living organisms. The number of extant species is estimated at between six and ten million, and potentially represent over 90% of the differing animal life forms on Earth. Insects may be found in nearly all environments, although only a small number of species reside in the oceans, a habitat dominated by another arthropod group, crustaceans.

The life cycles of insects vary but most hatch from eggs. Insect growth is constrained by the inelastic exoskeleton and development involves a series of molts. The immature stages can differ from the adults in structure, habit and habitat, and can include a passive pupal stage in those groups that undergo 4-stage metamorphosis (see holometabolism). Insects that undergo 3-stage metamorphosis lack a pupal stage and adults develop through a series of nymphal stages. The higher level relationship of the Hexapoda is unclear. Fossilized insects of enormous size have been found from the Paleozoic Era, including giant dragonflies with wingspans of 55 to 70 cm (2228 in). The most diverse insect groups appear to have coevolved with flowering plants.

Answer the following questions:
1. What is the life cycle of insects?
2. How is it's growth constrained?
3. How else?
4. How many stages of metamorphosis are there?
5. What are insects?
6. How many body parts do they have?
7. What are they?
8. Are they diverse?
9. How many species?
10. How many extant species are there?
11. What does that represent?
12. What kind of environment can they be found?
13. Even in oceans?
14. What have they found in the Paleozoic Era?
15. What kind was found in this era?
16. How big?
17. Have they coevolved with anything?
18. What?
19. What is the metamorphosis stage of an adult?
20. What do they lack when the go through 3-stage metamorphosis?
A: 1. It varies but most hatch from eggs
2. by the inelastic exoskeleton
3. development involves a series of molts
4. Four
5. a class of invertebrates
6. Three
7. head, thorax and abdomen
8. Yes
9. more than a million
10. estimated at between six and ten million
11. represent over 90% of the differing animal life forms on Earth.
12. nearly all
13. Yes
14. Fossilized insects of enormous size
15. giant dragonflies
16. with wingspans of 55 to 70 cm
17. Yes
18. flowering plants.
19. series of nymphal stages
20. a pupal stage
Q: When Charles Stratton was five, he stopped growing. His mother took him to see the famous showman, P.T.Barmum. Mr Barmum thought a small person would be the perfect addition to his show. He hired Charles' parents along with him, and they traveled the world together.

He gave the two-foot-tall Charles a name, General Tom Thumb. He taught Tom how to sing, dance, act, and tell jokes. When he felt Tom was ready to perform on stage, he made up ads. To stir up great interest, he said that Tom was eleven years old and had come from England.

During the show, Tom fought battles pretendedly with tall people. He also danced upon a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall.

Tom's act was very popular and brought in a lot of money. By the time Tom was an adult, he had grown very rich. He had become a billionaire at the age of twenty-five.

Fortunately for Tom, Mr. Barmum added more little people to his show, and Tom became lucky in love as well. One of the little people was Lavinia Warren, a school teacher. Tom was able to win her love, and they married.

The ceremony and reception were _ They were attended by many rich and famous people and by about two thousand guests. Crowds filled the streets ofprefix = st1 /New Yorkto have a look at their tiny wedding carriage. The couple even met with President Abraham Lincoln on their honeymoon just before going to live in Tom's house inConnecticut.

Their wedding, which took place during the Civil War, provided a welcome escape from the sad problems of war. Not willing to let this bit of sunshine fade , communities throughout the country sponsored "Tom Thumb"weddings. In these weddings, small boys and girls, all dressed up, went through marriage ceremonies for fun.

Answer the following questions:
1. What was Charles Stratton's nickname?
2. Who did Stratton work for?
3. What did he do for Barnum?
4. How old was Tom when he became a billionaire?
5. Who did Tom marry?
6. How many guests came to the wedding?
7. What president did the couple meet?
8. Did they live in Connecticut?
9. What were the weddings called that people imitated?
10. Who participated in Tom Thumb weddings
A: 1. General Tom Thumb
2. P.T.Barmum
3. sing, dance, act, and tell jokes.
4. unknown
5. Lavinia Warren
6. about two thousand
7. President Abraham Lincoln
8. Yes
9. "Tom Thumb"weddings.
10. small boys and girls
Q: Kerry was born in Aurora, Colorado and attended boarding school in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He graduated from Yale University class of 1966 with a political science major. Kerry enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1966, and during 19681969 served an abbreviated four-month tour of duty in South Vietnam as officer-in-charge (OIC) of a Swift Boat. For that service, he was awarded combat medals that include the Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and three Purple Heart Medals. Securing an early return to the United States, Kerry joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War organization in which he served as a nationally recognized spokesman and as an outspoken opponent of the Vietnam War. He appeared in the Fulbright Hearings before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs where he deemed United States war policy in Vietnam to be the cause of war crimes.

After receiving his J.D. from Boston College Law School, Kerry worked in Massachusetts as an Assistant District Attorney. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts under Michael Dukakis from 1983 to 1985 and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1984 and was sworn in the following January. On the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he led a series of hearings from 1987 to 1989 which were a precursor to the IranContra affair. Kerry was re-elected to additional terms in 1990, 1996, 2002 and 2008. In 2002, Kerry voted to authorize the President "to use force, if necessary, to disarm Saddam Hussein", but warned that the administration should exhaust its diplomatic avenues before launching war.

Answer the following questions:
1. What awards did Kerry receive?
2. Where was he born?
3. Did he go to a normal public school?
4. What college did he attend?
5. What did he study?
6. What war did he serve in?
7. Did he do any other schooling?
8. What degree did he get?
9. What committee was he on?
10. When was his last election?
A:
1. Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and three Purple Heart Medals. Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts.
2. Aurora, Colorado. Aurora, Colorado
3. attended boarding school. No.
4. Yale University. Yale University.
5. political science. Political Science.
6. South Vietnam. The Vietnam War.
7. .D. from Boston College Law School. Yes.
8. J.D. . J.D.
9. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
10. 2008. In 2008.