def read_records_from_file(filename):
    """takes a file name and returns the list of records in the file"""
    result = []
    reader = False
    done = False
    with open(filename, 'r') as f_filename:
        while not done:
            line = f_filename.readline()
            if line:
                if reader:
                    result.append(line[:-1])
                if line == '<begin count data>\n':
                    reader = True
                elif line == '<end count data>\n':
                    reader = False
            else:
                done = True
    return result[:-1]