def madlib(template)
    // loop through and find/remove all of the replacements
    replacements = {}
    ind = 0
    while ind < len(template)
        // check if we have found a replacement to perform
        if template[ind] = "<"
            // get the name of the replacement and add it to the list
            // if we haven't already encountered it
            ind += 1
            replace_name = ""
            while template[ind] != ">"
                replace_name += template[ind]
                ind += 1
            end while

            if not replace_name in replacements
                replacements.append(replace_name)
            end if
            ind += 1
        else
            ind += 1
        end if
    end while

    // prompt the user for replacement values
    replacement_values = {}
    for phrase in replacements
        replacement_values.append(input("enter " + phrase + ": "))
    end for
    println

    // make replacements and output the story
    ind = 0
    while ind < len(template)
        // check if we have found a replacement to perform
        if template[ind] = "<"
            // get the name of the replacement
            ind += 1
            replace_name = ""
            while template[ind] != ">"
                replace_name += template[ind]
                ind += 1
            end while

            // output the replacement
            print replacement_values[replacements[replace_name]]
            ind += 1
        else
            print template[ind]
            ind += 1
        end if
    end while
end madlib

madlib("<name> went for a walk in the park. <he or she> " + \
       "found a <noun>. <name> decided to take it home.")