Q: Baghdad (CNN) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters in Baghdad that his current visit to Iraq will probably be his last.

He has previously announced that he intends to retire sometime this year.

Gates made the comment while speaking to reporters at the U.S. Division-Center headquarters, where he addressed about 200 soldiers from Kansas and Hawaii. He called it "the high point of my trip."

Gates also addressed the possible U.S. government shutdown. He explained that, even if troops didn't get a paycheck due to a government shutdown, they would be paid back.

Differences between U.S. Democrats and Republicans have kept them from reaching agreement on a budget for this year. If there is no deal by midnight Friday, when the current spending authorization measure expires, parts of the government will close down.

"As a historian, it always occurred to me the smart thing for government was always to pay the guys with guns first," he said in response to a query on a shutdown's possible impact.

Earlier Thursday, Gates met with the Commanding General of U.S. Forces in Iraq, General Lloyd Austin, and with the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, James Jeffrey, at Al Faw Palace in Baghdad.

Later, Gates will meet with Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdish regional government, said a senior defense official who agreed to talk on background

Gates message to Iraq's leadership will be "that it is important for them to complete the government-formation process, particularly to get the security ministries dealt with," a senior defense official said.

Answer the following questions:
1. Who was talking to reporters?
2. And what's his title?
3. And where was he talking to them?
4. And what did he tell them?
5. And when?
6. What other issues did he speak on?
7. And what is causing the possible shut down?
8. How soon must they act to prevent it?
9. If they don't prevent it, will all of it be shut down?
10. How much will be?
11. And who did the secretary talk to on Thursday?
12. And?
13. Where?
14. In what city?
15. Will Gates speak with anyone else in the future?
16. Who?
17. What's his title?
18. And will Gates say something to Iraq's leaders?
19. What will he say?
20. According to who?
A: 1. Robert Gates
2. Defense Secretary
3. Baghdad
4. he intends to retire
5. sometime this year
6. possible U.S. government shutdown
7. Differences between U.S. Democrats and Republicans
8. Friday
9. No
10. parts of the government
11. General Lloyd Austin
12. James Jeffrey
13. Al Faw Palace
14. Baghdad
15. Yes
16. Massoud Barzani
17. president of the Kurdish regional government
18. Yes
19. "that it is important for them to complete the government-formation process, particularly to get the security ministries dealt with,"
20. a senior defense official
Q: (CNN) -- Charlize Theron won an Oscar for covering up her beauty and finding grains of sympathy, as well as revulsion, for the serial killer Aileen Wuornos in "Monster."

She deserves to win a second nomination for playing the sexy, unmoored, utterly reprehensible Mavis Gary in "Young Adult." Mavis is one of those people blessed with good looks, talent and brains, but whose sense of entitlement far outstrips any civilized social boundaries. She's a pure narcissist, oblivious to other people's feelings and contemptuous of any experience that doesn't feed her own ego. In other words, Mavis is another monster, but a monster who can pass for beautiful with only a couple of hours in the salon.

As we know (you see it spread all over the supermarket tabloids every week), there's a perverse thrill in watching one of the beautiful people fall apart. And there's some of that same schadenfreude in play while watching the new black comedy from the "Juno" combo, writer Diablo Cody and director Jason Reitman.

Mavis is a ghostwriter for a successful young adult book series, and even that minor claim to fame is soon to be extinguished: The series is played out and the novel she is working on will be the last of them. Perhaps that's why she feels compelled to head back home when she receives an e-mail from an ex-boyfriend, Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson), announcing the birth of his first child. Figuring, very, very, wrongly, that this message must be some kind of coded cry for help, Mavis hops into her Mini and heads straight to Mercury, Minnesota, where she grew up, and where she means to reconnect with Buddy and free him from his domesticated servitude.

Answer the following questions:
1. Who did Charlize Theron portray in Monster?
2. was she awarded for her perfomace?
3. What was Aileen known for
4. Who else does the article mention she has played
5. What does mavis do for a living?
6. Is her job stable?
7. What prompts her to go home?
8. from who?
9. What does it say?
10. Does he need her assistance?
11. Where does she go?
12. How does she get there?
A: 1. Aileen Wuornos
2. an Oscar
3. for being a serial killer
4. Mavis Gary
5. a ghostwriter
6. no
7. an e-mail
8. its from an ex-boyfriend
9. the birth of his first child
10. no
11. to Mercury, Minnesota
12. by car
Q: Educators across the U.S. are calling for major changes to the admission process in higher education.

The National Center for Educational Statistics (or NCES) reported that U.S. colleges and universities received more than 9 million applications between 2013 and 2014 and admitted more than 5 million students. But the problem is not in the number of students, a new report says. The report is called "Turning the Tide -- Making Caring Common."

The report argues that the process schools use to choose students causes major problems. David Hawkins is the Executive Director for Educational Content and Policy. He says that most colleges and universities require many things from students when they apply.

Schools usually require an essay describing a student's interests or why they want to study at that school. The schools also ask for letters from teachers describing why a student is a good candidate. But, Hawkins says, schools are most concerned with a student's high school grades and standardized test results.

The Education Conservancy is an organization that fights to make higher education equal and available. Lloyd Thacker is the Executive Director of the Education Conservancy, saying that the college admission process has changed a lot.

"Over the past 30 years, college admissions have become more complex." He says that ranking systems for colleges and universities are a big part of the problem.

U.S. News and World Report is a media company that creates a list of what it calls "America's Best Colleges." The company bases the list on information collected from colleges and universities across the country. This information includes results of standardized tests like the SAT from all of a school's students. Higher average test results help put schools higher on the list.

Thacker claims, "Too many students are learning to do whatever it takes in order to get ahead, even if that means sacrificing their own individuality, their health, their happiness and behavior..."

"The impact on students and on parents is that college is all about where you go. The rank has nothing to do with the quality of education that goes on at the college."

The Harvard report states that the best way to change the admission process is by changing college applications.

Answer the following questions:
1. Who is calling for major changes?
2. To what?
3. What is the NCES?
4. What do they report on?
5. What is the problem?
6. What causes major problems?
7. Who is David Hawkins?
8. What do schools require?
9. What are schools most concerned with?
10. What is the education conservancy?
11. Who is Lloyd Thacker?
12. What does he say?
13. Have admissions become more complex?
14. What does he say?
15. What is the U.S. News and World Report
16. What is an example of a standardized test?
17. What does the Harvard report state?
A:
1. unknown
2. to the admission process in higher education.
3. The National Center for Educational Statistics (or NCES)
4. reported that U.S. colleges and universities received more than 9 million applications between 2013 and 2014 and admitted more than 5 million students.
5. the problem is not in the number of students
6. The report argues that the process schools use to choose students causes major problems
7. David Hawkins is the Executive Director for Educational Content and Policy.
8. require an essay describing a student's interests or why they want to study at that school.
9. schools are most concerned with a student's high school grades and standardized test results.
10. The Education Conservancy is an organization that fights to make higher education equal and available
11. Executive Director of the Education
12. saying that the college admission process has changed a lot.
13. Yes, over the past 30 years, college admissions have become more complex
14. He says that ranking systems for colleges and universities are a big part of the problem.
15. U.S. News and World Report is a media company that creates a list of what it calls "America's Best Colleges.
16. SAT
17. The Harvard report states that the best way to change the admission process is by changing college applications.