A1.

Test scores from an international standardized test (PISA) just came out for
Shanghai, which is part of China. Their scores were much better than any other
country, including Singapore, South Korea, and European nations. This is importa
nt because it shows the gap between China and the US, and also that the US needs
to re-catch-up to the rest of the world.
A2. The US will not reconvene six-party talks (which include North Korea) until
North Korea halts its nuclear activities. North Korea withdrew from these talks
in April of 2009, and it also expelled international inspectors from its country
. North Korea has revealed that it now has a modern uranium enrichment facility.
It is important to note that the US sides with South Korea, while China is some
what of an ally to North Korea.
A3. In recent years, India has decided to harden its attitude towards China. Rec
ently, China has threatened canceling its bilateral talks with India, and China
also has a trade surplus with India. These two problems, as well as boundary dis
putes, have caused India to take a harsher stance towards China. India has chose
n to strengthen its relationship with the United States and also wishes to becom
e part of the UN Security Council.
A4. In the past five years, Vietnam has become much more relevant in the worldwi
de economy, mostly due to Chinaâ s rise in the past few decades. Due to a free trade
agreement with China and a growing population, Vietnam has followed in Chinaâ s econo
mic footsteps as of late. In these past few years, Vietnam has been seen as an a
ttractive new option, as it is becoming much cheaper than China. However, Vietna
m still has a trade deficit with China and the climate for business is rougher i
n Vietnam.
A5. Last year, the old START treaty, which limits nuclear capabilities for the U
S and Russia, expired. As a result, a New START treaty (with some tighter limits
on nuclear weapons) was agreed upon by the US and Russia in 2010, but needed tw
o-thirds ratification from congress. Some Republicans would not vote for the new
treaty because they believed there were missing parts; however, the Obama Admin
istration and even some notable Republicans viewed this disagreement as merely p
olitical.
B1. In the past few years, Arizona has struggled over how it should approach chi
ldren born to illegal immigrants. Some lawyers suggest that they might attack th
e 14th amendment, one which gives instant citizenship to anyone born in the US.
While this is not an extreme view, some see the move as un-American, as it would
defy the constitution. Others argue that it is over-emphasized, as most illegal
immigrants come to the US for economic reasons, not for citizenship of their un
born children.
B2. A new study shows that when girls tanned indoors for the first time, they we
re often following their mom. Over the past decade, indoor tanning has been show
n to have very negative effects on the body, including a huge jump in the risk f
or skin cancer. This is important because it shows how much a motherâ s actions can a
ffect her daughterâ s actions, and also that they should stay away from indoor tannin
g.
B3. Recently, a panel of judges ruled that a cross at a war memorial, which is o
n federal land, is unconstitutional. They ruled this way because it appears as i
f the government is promoting Christianity, which is clearly prohibited by the f
irst amendment. Critics of this ruling say that it dishonors the soldiers who ar
e supposedly honored by this memorial, and that no one is forcing non-Christians
to look at the cross.
B4. When the new Republican congress convened, they began to debate on many topi
cs. First, they read aloud the entire constitution, a clear mandate from the new
 Tea Party. Immediately after, the Republicans want to repeal Obamaâ s health care bi
ll, a measure that will fail in the Senate. Some other important topics for the
Republicans are the high spending levels as of late, filibuster procedures, and
raising the debt ceiling. However, Republicans will only raise the important deb
t ceiling with cuts in federal spending.
B5. In the past month, a new school budget was proposed by Superintendent Bookma
n. The proposed budget, which is $90 million and almost a 4% increase from last
year, accounts for much new expenditure. This includes more teaching positions d
ue to an increase in the number of students, more buses due to older buses curre
ntly in the fleet, and also higher health insurance premiums.