Tom Chambers, age 12, of Hutchinson, Kans., for his question:

WERE ADAM AND EVE REAL PEOPLE?

Adam and Eve were real people, according to the Bible. They were the first two people on Earth. The word Adam means "man" in Hebrew and Assyrian.

According to the Bible story, Adam was created by God, who then created Eve from one of Adam's ribs to be his companion. They lived in a paradise called the Garden of Eden.

God forbade Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A serpent tempted Eve to eat the fruit and then she convinced Adam to try it, too. As a punishment, Goo sent Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.

Most biblical scholars today say the story of Adam and Eve is a Hebrew legend of human origins that has much in common with the myths of other ancient people. They point out, however, that this does not lessen the religious value of the story of Adam and Eve.