1.   Between friendly punches, the pair begin swapping confessions of mutual betrayals that span many years.

2.   But the delay may span years.

3.   It spans a year in the life of several struggling artists in New York, at a time when AZT was the main treatment for AIDS.

4.   The miniseries, to be broadcast on HBO, spans a year in an inner-city neighborhood.

5.   The quake has devastated public works, and officials said rebuilding would be long and laborious, probably spanning years.