code: def read_mda(attribute):
          
          lines = attribute.split('\n')
          mda = {}
          current_dict = mda
          path = []
          prev_line = None
          for line in lines:
              if not line:
                  continue
              if line == 'END':
                  break
              if prev_line:
                  line = prev_line + line
              key, val = line.split('=')
              key = key.strip()
              val = val.strip()
              try:
                  val = eval(val)
              except NameError:
                  pass
              except SyntaxError:
                  prev_line = line
                  continue
              prev_line = None
              if key in ['GROUP', 'OBJECT']:
                  new_dict = {}
                  path.append(val)
                  current_dict[val] = new_dict
                  current_dict = new_dict
              elif key in ['END_GROUP', 'END_OBJECT']:
                  if val != path[-1]:
                      raise SyntaxError
                  path = path[:-1]
                  current_dict = mda
                  for item in path:
                      current_dict = current_dict[item]
              elif key in ['CLASS', 'NUM_VAL']:
                  pass
              else:
                  current_dict[key] = val
          return mda
docs: Read HDFEOS metadata and return a dict with all the key/value pairs.