The Solution to Situation 1

The question: 

 while participating in a revolution against an unjust tyrant,you are caught and thrown into a prison cell that has a dirt floor, thick stone walls, no Windows. There's only a skylight, very high above,to provide light and air. To prevent escape, there are no tables or chairs, only a very small mattress on the floor. Just before you are locked in,a comrade whispers to you that it is possible to escape through the skylight by digging a hole in the floor. How can we do this?

:The solution 

 It would be possible to use the dirt that has been dug out of the ground to make a sort of pile. A large enough pile of dirt in combination with the mattress could provide you with just enough height to reach the skylight.