Q: The International Bureau of Weights and Measures () is an intergovernmental organization, one of three such organisations established to maintain the International System of Units (SI) under the terms of the Metre Convention ("Convention du Metre"). The organisation is usually referred to by its French initialism, BIPM.

The BIPM reports to the International Committee for Weights and Measures (), which is in turn overseen by periodic meetings of the General Conference on Weights and Measures (). These organizations are also commonly referred to by their French initialisms.

The BIPM was created on 20 May 1875, following the signing of the Metre Convention, a treaty among 51 nations (). It is based at the Pavillon de Breteuil in Sevres, France, a site (originally ) granted to the Bureau by the French Government in 1876, where it enjoys extraterritorial status, a status that was clarified by the French decree No 70-820 of 9 September 1970.

Under the authority of the Metric Convention, the BIPM helps to ensure uniformity of SI weights and measures around the world. It does so through a series of consultative committees, whose members are the national metrology laboratories of the Convention's member states, and through its own laboratory work.

1. The International Bureau of Weights and Measures
2. maintains the International System of Units
3. the Metre Convention
4. to the International Committee for Weights and Measures
5. the General Conference on Weights and Measures
6. yes
7. 1875
8. 20 May
9. the Metre Convention
10. 51
11. the Pavillon de Breteuil
12. in Sevres, France
13. the French Government
14. 1876

Numbered questions:
1. What organization is this passage talking about?
2. What does it do?
3. Under which terms?
4. Where does the BIPM report?
5. and that is overseen by what?
6. Is BIPM a French initialism?
7. When was it created?
8. What month and day?
9. By the signing of who?
10. Which was a treaty that was between how many nations?
11. Where is it located?
12. Where exactly?
13. Who granted them this site?
14. In what year?

Q: Beijing (CNN) -- It's the Chinese crime story of the century and a major embarrassment for the country's all-powerful Communist Party.

In late July, Bo Xilai, a former darling of the party, was finally indicted on corruption charges. His trial is expected to begin on Thursday, August 22, the latest chapter in a gripping tale of murder, betrayal and political factionalism.

The authorities claim he abused his official state position to seek financial benefits, resulting in "huge losses to the nation and the people."

"The circumstances are extremely serious," a statement in the state-run Xinhua news agency declared a few days later.

But a source close to the Bo family for decades says the claims are "ridiculous."

"The charges go way back when Bo was in Dalian. That's more than 20 years ago. So they cannot find anything more recent?"

READ MORE: Bo Xilai indicted for corruption

Until March 2012, the charismatic, populist leader was a member of the policy-making politburo of the Communist Party and party chief of Chongqing, a megacity in southwestern China.

Bo, 64, is currently in detention, awaiting a trial that could cap the biggest political scandal to hit China in decades. He has not been seen in public since news of the scandal emerged, and he was stripped of his role as Chongqing party chief and later his prestigious politburo post.

TIMELINE: Bo's fall from grace

Bo stands accused of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power. According to the indictment documents, as a civil servant he took advantage of his position to seek profit from others and accepted an extremely large amount of money and properties, Xinhua reported. The documents don't quantify the amount of bribes allegedly accepted, but published reports say it could be as much as 20 million yuan ($3.3 million).

1. Bo Xilai
2. August 22
3. corruption
4. yes
5. it's ridiculous
6. more than 20 years ago
7. Dalian
8. policy-making politburo
9. China
10. 64
11. in detention
12. no
13. news of the scandal emerged
14. his role as chief
15. bribery
16. embezzlement
17. no
18. buse of power
19. no
20. 20 million yuan

Numbered questions:
1. Who was indicted?
2. When will the trial start?
3. What he he accused of?
4. Is it a serious offense?
5. What does the famiy think?
6. How long ago did this start?
7. Where was he?
8. What was he a member of until 2012?
9. Where is Chongging?
10. How old is he?
11. Where is he now?
12. Has he been seen recently?
13. Since when?
14. What was he stripped of?
15. What is one o f the charges he is accused of?
16. What is another?
17. Is that all?
18. What's the third?
19. Do the documents include the amount?
20. What is the estimated amount?

Q: Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Rebels pushed Thursday northward on three fronts toward the coastal cities of al-Zawiya, Aziziya and Sorman, with their ultimate goal being Tripoli, rebel field commander Adel Al-Zintani told CNN.

Six rebels died and dozens more were wounded in fighting Wednesday and Thursday, he said.

He predicted that the fighters would reach the coastal road that leads to the capital city within days.

Zawiya is strategically important because the coastal road through the city is the main supply line from the Tunisian border to areas held by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Regime officials were not available Thursday evening for comment.

Fighting was continuing around Misrata, where rebel spokesman Mohamed Ibrahim said the main hospital reported four rebels killed and 54 wounded.

Meanwhile, in New York, a spokesperson for Ban Ki-moon said the U.N. secretary-general "is deeply concerned by reports of the unacceptably large number of civilian casualties as a result of the conflict in Libya."

Ban is urging "all Libyan parties" to engage with his special envoy, Abdel-Elah Al-Khatib, "and respond concretely and positively to the ideas presented to them, in order to end the bloodshed in the country," the spokesperson said.

His remarks came three days after allegations that a NATO strike in the village of Majer near Zlitan wound up killing 85 civilians --- 33 children, 32 women and 20 men.

The Tripoli government called it "a massaacre" of civilians; NATO has said its warplanes struck two farms used as a staging point for Gadhafi's forces

1. northward
2. Three
3. Aziziya
4. Sorman
5. al-Zawiya
6. Tripoli
7. Libya
8. within days
9. Moammar Gadhafi
10. Zawiya and Tunisia
11. yes
12. 85
13. Adel Al-Zintani
14. no
15. main hospital
16. 54
17. yes

Numbered questions:
1. In what direction were the rebels headed on Thursday?
2. On how many fronts?
3. What's one of them?
4. Can you name another?
5. And the last?
6. Which was the main city on their agenda?
7. In what country?
8. How long would it take them to arrive at the capital?
9. Who was the leader there?
10. What two places shared a common supply line?
11. Were there any casualties during this midweek battle?
12. How many?
13. Which field commander spoke with CNN?
14. Was it peaceful in Misrata?
15. Who reported the dead and wounded there?
16. How many were wounded?
17. Did any die?