Q: WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A spending bill that funds the U.S. government for the rest of the budget year passed the Senate on Tuesday despite complaints about nearly $8 billion in what critics called "pork-barrel" projects. 

The Senate passes a bill to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year. 

Senators voted 62-35 to cut off debate on the $410 billion measure and passed it on a voice vote immediately afterward. 

The omnibus spending bill includes more than 8,000 congressional "earmarks," which total almost $8 billion. The earmarks have caused critics to question President Obama's pledge to end wasteful spending, but Obama administration officials said the bill is a holdover from the previous Congress. 

"It is in America's best interest to close the book on the last administration and let the new one hit the ground running," said Sen. Daniel Inouye, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. See where the money is going » 

But Sen. John McCain, a longtime critic of congressional spending and Obama's Republican opponent in the 2008 election, said the vote shows "business as usual" remained the order of the day. 

"If the president were serious about his pledge for change, he would veto this bill. He won't," McCain said. 

The bill funds the U.S. government through September, when the 2008 budget year ends. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, postponed the vote last week because he wasn't sure supporters had the 60 votes needed to break a potential GOP filibuster. 

Republican critics, led by House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, have urged Obama to veto the bill because of the earmarks, targeted spending provisions inserted by Democratic and Republican lawmakers. 

Answer the following questions:
1. what kind of spending received criticism?
2. what is their total in dollars?
3. what is another term used by critics for these expenditures?
4. How long will this bill keep the government funded for?
5. who promised to curtail wasteful spending?
6. what is his excuse for the spending?
7. What does McCain think should be done with the bill?
8. Has anyone else recommended the bill be vetoed?
9. who?
10. who leads them?
11. where is he from?
12. who put the earmarks into the bill?'
13. were Democrats concerned about a filibuster?
14. how many votes did they need to avoid one?
15. in which year did McCain and Obama both run for president?
16. has McCain always been critical of too much spending?
17. how many earmarks were put in the bill?
A: 1. congressional "earmarks"
2. almost $8 billion
3. "pork-barrel" projects
4. through the end of the fiscal year
5. President Obama
6. holdover from the previous Congress
7. presidential veto
8. yes
9. Republican critics
10. House Minority Leader John Boehner
11. Ohio
12. Democratic and Republican lawmakers
13. yes
14. 60
15. 2008
16. yes
17. more than 8,000

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

What am I going to wear today? That daily question often wastes us time and causes stress. Some people have many clothes and might still think , "There 's nothing to wear . "But, what if they have only six items of clothing to choose from and wear for an entire month ? That's the idea behind Six Items or Less. 

Six Items or Less is a social experiment , a gentle way of saying "no" to fashion consumerism and the high cost of clothing . Heidi Hackemer came up with the idea . She shared their idea with her friends . And all of a sudden , they had almost 100 people from around the world saying that they wanted to take part in this experiment . 

It was an interesting month for them . Hackemer was surprised at how few people noticed that she was wearing the same six items the whole month . Having fewer choices reduced stress in her life . " I learned what's really important and what's really worth stressing . I also found that this simplicity exists in other parts of my life . I realized that physical things that we allow into our world , really blocks our mind . And our mind can be quite a powerful and positive thing if we cleared up a little bit ." 

Kristy Hogue said the experiment inspired her to reexamine her life . With six items , at first she was really excited and everything was working out perfectly and she never got bored . Then she started to feel a little bored . Then she eventually accepted it and started to be more relaxed . 

Alexander was one of the 40 men "sixers". The most difficult part for him was having to wash clothes by hand every day . But the experiment changed his opinion on what makes people happy . "We have many choices for everything . But all those choices don't necessarily lead up to any kind of satisfaction . We are crazy about novelty . In fact , slowing down a little bit and considering your choices a little tightly , actually leads to more time , more happiness and more content .

1. loosly, what is this article about?
2. Who came up with the idea?
3. Did others participate with her idea?
4. How many?
5. Did anyone notice?
6. was she stressed?
7. Who is Alexander?
8. How many?
9. Did he have more time?
10. What else did he have more of?
11. What else?

Numbered answers:

A:
1. Six Items or Less
2. Heidi Hackemer
3. yes
4. 100
5. few people
6. No
7. man "sixers"
8. 40
9. yes
10. more happiness
11. more content