$VAR1 = 'key_2';
$VAR2 = 'value_2';
$VAR3 = 'key_1';
$VAR4 = 'value_1';

##</code><code>##

@VAR = ('key_2', 'value_2', 'key_1', 'value_1');

##</code><code>##

%VAR = ( key_1 => 'value_1', key_2 => 'value_2');
print "value for key 2: '$VAR{key_2}'\n";
__END__
value for key 2: 'value_2'