Terri Ridlon, age 12, of Kennebunkport, Me., for her question:

WHAT IS AN ANNIE OAKLEY?

An Annie Oakley is a free ticket, or a complimentary pass, to a show or sporting event. The nickname came about because free tickets are usually punched with round holes  and because a famous American markswoman named Annie Oakley used to shoot holes into cards.

Annie Oakley became an expert with a rifle when she was 9 years old. In 1885 she joined Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and was one of its stars for 17 years.

One of Annie Oakley's spectacular displays was hitting the thin edge of a playing card at 90 feet and then puncturing the card five or six times while it fell to the ground. Annie also once shot a cigarette from the mouth of Germany's crown prince and also hit 4,772 glass balls out of 5,000 which were tossed into the air. For the last trick she used a .22 rifle.