CREATE TABLE t(id INT)

INSERT INTO t VALUES(1)
INSERT INTO t VALUES(1)
INSERT INTO t VALUES(2)
INSERT INTO t VALUES(2)
INSERT INTO t VALUES(2)
INSERT INTO t VALUES(3)
INSERT INTO t VALUES(4)
INSERT INTO t VALUES(4)
INSERT INTO t VALUES(5)

SELECT * from t
------
| id |
------
| 1  |
| 1  |
| 2  |
| 2  |
| 2  |
| 3  |
| 4  |
| 4  |
| 5  |
------

Query: Find the smallest. [Here 0,1, means skip first 0 row and print next 1 row]
SELECT id FROM t ORDER BY id LIMIT 0,1

Query: Find the largest.
SELECT id FROM t4 ORDER BY DESC id LIMIT 0,1

Query: Find the second smallest. 
(As id is not DISTINCT so we have used DISTINCT. If we ignore DISTINCT before id then we get 1)
SELECT DISTINCT id FROM t ORDER BY id LIMIT 1,1 [Here 1,1, means skip first 1 row and print next 1 row]

SELECT id from t order by id LIMIT 5
------
| id |
------
| 1  |
| 1  |
| 2  |
| 2  |
| 2  |
------

SELECT id from t order by id DESC LIMIT 5
------
| id |
------
| 5  |
| 4  |
| 4  |
| 3  |
| 2  |
------