Q: Ashton Carter, the former second-in-command at the Pentagon, appears to be the top choice to replace outgoing Secretary Chuck Hagel.

Barring any last minute complications, Ash Carter will be President Barack Obama's choice as the new Secretary of Defense, several U.S. administration officials told CNN.

An administration official had said that Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, a former General Counsel at the Pentagon, was also still on the list of possibilities, but on Tuesday morning, sources said Johnson was no longer being considered. The prospect of an additional confirmation hearing for Johnson's replacement if he were to move to the Pentagon as the Senate switches to Republican control would have been problematic for the White House.

Related: Was Hagel doomed from the start?

Hagel announced his resignation last week, but has said he will stay on until his successor is confirmed by the Senate.

Carter, who served as Deputy Defense Secretary under both Leon Panetta and Hagel, would bring a wide range of experience to a department confronting multiple crises in the Middle East and preparing to enter a new phase in Afghanistan as the NATO combat mission ends.

Carter's ability to hit the ground running from his past experience at the Pentagon, in addition to the respect many senior military leaders have for him are seen as major benefits to winning confirmation should Obama nominate him.

"His career has sort of prepared him perfectly for this kind of a moment," says Michael O'Hanlon, a defense industry analyst at the Brookings Institution.

1. Jeh Johnson
2. Hagel
3. until his successor is confirmed
4. the Senate
5. Barack Obama
6. Ash Carter
7. second-in-command
8. Pentagon
9. the respect many senior military leaders have for him
10. Leon Panetta and Hagel
11. Deputy Defense Secretary
12. yes
13. Michael O'Hanlon,
14. a defense industry analyst
15. Brookings Institution
16. Johnson
17. yes
18. Chuck
19. yes
20. Middle East
21. preparing to enter a new phase in Afghanistan

Numbered questions:
1. who is the homeland security secretary?
2. who resgined last week?
3. how long will he stay?
4. by?
5. who is the president in question here?
6. who is his choice as the new secretary of Defense?
7. what was carter doing before?
8. where?
9. what is one benefit for him?
10. who has he served under?
11. as?
12. has his career prepared him?
13. according to who?
14. who is Michael?
15. where?
16. who was not being considered anymore?
17. could there be complications?
18. what is Hagel's first name?
19. has carter handled crises internationally?
20. where?
21. and what else?

Q: One day my dad was walking home and he had a big ice-cream cone. He had chocolate and vanilla and strawberry ice-cream on top of each other. He was moving his head back and forward to some music that he was playing when a spider dropped on his ice-cream for a little bite. My dad saw right away that a spider was on it and he brushed the spider off. After the spider was put on the floor, a fly flew into his ice-cream, right where the spider had been! Oh how terrible! My dad made the spider leave and right after that he saw an alligator come running up to him wanting a bite of his ice-cream too! My dad dropped his cone, ran away, and bought a yoghurt instead. He thought about buying a dingdong, but since dinner time was so close and he had such a big lunch, he thought a yoghurt would be better. It's a much safer and better dessert.

165 words.

1. walking home
2. an ice-cream cone.
3. yes
4. chocolate and vanilla and strawberry
5. a spider dropped on it
6. a little bite
7. e brushed the spider off
8. the floor
9. a fly flew into his ice-cream
10. right where the spider had been
11. He saw an alligator
12. running up to him
13. wanting a bite of his ice-cream
14. dropped his cone
15. ran away
16. he bought a yoghurt
17. a dingdong
18. dinner
19. no
20. he thought a yoghurt would be better

Numbered questions:
1. What was his dad doing one day?
2. with what?
3. Was it big?
4. What kind?
5. What happened to it?
6. why?
7. What did he do?
8. Where did it go?
9. then what?
10. Where?
11. Then what?
12. Doing what?
13. Why?
14. What did he do?
15. And?
16. What else?
17. What did he think of buying?
18. What was close?
19. Did he buy it?
20. Why?

Q: (CNN) -- Barcelona will meet arch-rival Real Madrid in the semifinal of the Copa del Rey after Leo Messi fired the Catalans past Malaga Thursday.

The Argentina international scored his 40th goal of the season as Barca claimed a 4-2 win to prevail 6-4 on aggregate and set up two more 'El Clasico' games.

It will give Barcelona, which is top of La Liga, the opportunity to avenge its defeat by Jose Mourinho's men in the 2010 final.

Messi and Ronaldo ensure honors shared in 222nd El Clasico

With Real trailing Barca by 15 points in the league, Mourinho will be desperate to regain the trophy which Pep Guardiola lifted in his final game in charge at the Camp Nou last season.

But if the current Spanish champions are to triumph, they will have to stop Messi and his accomplices, who continue to prosper despite the absence of coach Tito Vilanova.

Vilanova, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, left deputy Jordi Roura in charge, but it made little difference as Barca continued its hot streak.

The statistics are frightening. Barcelona have now scored 100 goals in its 34 goals this season.

It is the fourth year in succession that Messi has reached the 40-goal mark, while his late header also made it 23 goals in his past 15 starts.

With the tie level at 2-2 going into the second leg, Barcelona made the perfect start when Pedro headed home after just eight minutes.

Messi leads Barcelona to new record

But Malaga fought back and Joaquin equalized four minutes later with a neat finish following wonderful interplay.

1. unknown
2. Barcelona and Real Madrid
3. no
4. the semifinal
5. Barcelona
6. Jose Mourinho's men
7. Vilanova
8. Jordi Roura i
9. Mourinho
10. 100
11. the 40-goal mark
12. 23
13. 15
14. Barcelona
15. unknown
16. in 222nd El Clasico

Numbered questions:
1. What sport is the story about?
2. What teams are mentioned?
3. Will they meet in the final?
4. What will the match be?
5. Who was in the 2010 final?
6. Who beat them?
7. Who has cancer?
8. Who takes his place?
9. What team do they coach?
10. How many goals has Barcelona scored?
11. What has Messi accomplished?
12. How many has he scored recently?
13. in how many starts?
14. What team does he lead?
15. What team does Ronaldo play for?
16. What honor did he share?