(CNN) -- Before the Arab Spring came the Damascus Spring. When Bashar al-Assad succeeded his father Hafez Assad in 2000, there was the promise of a modern and more democratic Syria.

In his inauguration speech, al-Assad indicated he would be a very different kind of leader to his father. "I shall try my very best to lead our country towards a future that fulfils the hopes and legitimate ambitions of our people," he said.

And for a while that promise was kept. His official website says he has built free-trade zones, licensed more private newspapers and private universities, and fought government waste and corruption. He has also worked on social and economic reform.

But while there have been some changes during his rule, many say al-Assad's promises have largely not been delivered.

Human Rights Watch has called his time as president "the wasted decade" with a media that remains controlled by the state, a monitored and censored internet and prisons still filled with dissidents.

Two former regime insiders -- now its opponents -- recalled their time with the younger al-Assad. Former vice president Abdel Halim Khaddam said Bashar was often the victim of his elder brother's cruelty. "His brother Basil bullied him as a child. His father never gave him as much attention as Basil," Khaddam said.

Al-Assad's uncle Rifaat, who left Syria in 1984 after being involved in a failed coup, also recalled the future president.

"He is very different than his father. Hafez was a leader, the head of the entire regime, while Bashar was never that close to being one and never fell within that framework. He is being perceived as the leader but he follows what the regime decides on his behalf." What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. What came before the Arab Spring?
2. Who succeeded his father?
3. Who was his father?
4. When?
5. Was there a promise?
6. of what?
7. What does his website say he built?
8. Anything else?
9. What kind of reform has he worked on?
10. Have there been changes under his rule?
11. Has he delivered on his promise?
12. What did a group call his time as president?
13. Who said that
14. who is Abdel Halim Khaddam?
15. Who is Basil?
16. Who is Rifaat?
17. When did he leave Syria?
18. Why?
19. Did he say Bashar was different than his father?
20. Does he think Bashar is a leader?
Answer: 1. Damascus Spring
2. Bashar al-Assad
3. Hafez Assad
4. 2000
5. Yes
6. A more modern and democratic Syria
7. Free-trade zones
8. He fought government waste and corruption
9. Social and economic
10. Yes
11. Many say no.
12. The wasted decade
13. Human Rights Watch
14. Former vice president of Syria
15. Bashar's brother
16. Al-Assad's uncle
17. 1984
18. He was involved in a failed coup
19. Yes
20. No

When the swim season began, my 11-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, and I cut a deal. She would go to practice three times a week and try really hard, and I wouldn't make her compete in the swim meets because on the day of a meet, she would be nervous all day. Her nerves rooted from the possibility that she would do something horribly wrong and let everyone down.

Recently, they had a T-shirt relay, which works like this: one person from each relay team puts on a T-shirt and a pair of socks, swims 50 meters, and gets out of the pool. She takes off the clothes and puts them on the next person, who then swims 50 meters. This continues until everyone on the team has completed a lap.

By the last leg, Elizabeth's team had built up a moderate lead. Then it was Elizabeth's turn to swim. She seemed to swim faster in the T-shirt and socks than when she wasn't wearing them.

Approaching the halfway mark, she was still in the lead. Then one of Elizabeth's socks fell off and was floating in the pool. "She has to get that sock on before the end of the race," a swimming official told her team, "or you will be disqualified."

Everybody on her team started screaming, "Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Stop! Get the sock!" But she couldn't hear them. As she started her last 25 meters, a girl in Lane 2 was gaining on Elizabeth. It was time for desperate measures. A girl on my daughter's team jumped in the pool, grabbed the sock, and swam after Elizabeth. She grabbed Elizabeth's foot. "You have to put the sock on," the girl screamed. Elizabeth continued swimming while her teammate put on the sock.

By now, the girl in Lane 2 was about to pass Elizabeth. With the sock finally on, Elizabeth swam her heart out for the last 15 meters. It was close, but Elizabeth beat the other girl to the wall for the victory.

On the ride home, she relived her moment of glory again and again. She told me that if the T-shirt relay was an Olympic event, her team would win the gold medal. I told her that in my professional opinion, she was absolutely right. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. who is the story about?
2. what is the daughters name?
3. what fell off and floated?
4. did she have to wear it?
5. what would happen if not?
6. according to who?
7. what did they have to remove?
8. how long did they have to swim in them?
9. what is the race called?
10. could she hear her mates?
11. what were they shouting?
12. how old is she?
13. did she win?
14. did she put the sock on?
15. who did?
16. how much did she have to swim finally?
17. what happens to her on meet day?
18. how many times per week was she to go?
19. did she swim better with clothes on?
20. who nearly beat her?
Answer:
1. a parent and their daughter
2. Elizabeth
3. a sock
4. yes
5. she would be disqualified
6. a swimming official
7. T-shirt and a pair of socks
8. 50 meters
9. T-shirt relay
10. no
11. Stop! Get the sock!
12. 11
13. yes
14. no
15. her teammate
16. 15 meters
17. she would be nervous
18. Three
19. yes
20. a girl in Lane 2