1. Two U.S. hikers face court date on spy charges Two Americans, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal are scheduled for a final hearing this Sunday in the capital of Tehran, Iran. Both, with another American, were arrested two years ago on the Iraq-Iran border. All three are accused of spying for the American government. All three, according to one of their parents, had no idea they were too close to the border. The possible release coincides with the Muslim period Ramadan.final hearing

2. Questions To The Author 1.Why did the three Americans go to a war- torn country for a vacation? 2.Why does the United States have no diplomatic relations with Iran? 3.Why is freeing prisoners common in Muslim countries during Ramadan?

3. Personal Response If there is no real evidence against the hikers, why has the Iranian government detained them for so long? How would you feel being imprisoned for two years knowing you are innocent? How did one of the hikers come up with $500,000 in bail, but the others were left to stay in prison? Should she be treated differently?

4. Vocabulary in the Article 1.Protracted (verb): to draw out or lengthen, especially in time; prolong. 2.Espionage (noun): the act or practice of spying; the use of spies by a government to discover military and political secrets of other nations. 3.Ramadan (noun): the ninth month of the Muslim calendar; the sunrise and sundown fast during this month

5. Objective Summary Two American hikers imprisoned two years ago in Iran face the possibility of being released during the Muslim period of Ramadan.