Datasets:
mengru
/
data_for_STA

Dataset card Data Studio Files
xet
Community
1
train
dict
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "We can store time in it whenever we like.", "Someone puts $ 86, 400 in it every day.", "Someone helps you spend your time every night.", "The time in it will surely get lost if you don't use it." ], "question": "Imagine there is a bank that puts $ 86, 400 in your account each morning. It carries over no _ from day to day. Every evening the bank writes off the balance that you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Take out every cent, of course! Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it puts in 86, 400 seconds. Every evening it writes off, as it is lost. There is no balance or overdraft. If you fail to use the day's savings, the lost is yours. There is no going back. There is no taking from \"tomorrow\". You must make good use of it so as to get more in health, happiness and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today. To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade; To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby; To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper; To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet; To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train; To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident. Make good use of every moment that you have. Remember that time waits for no one. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called \"The Present\". What is special about the TIME bank we each have?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "The Bank of Money", "The Clock is Running", "The Bank of Time", "The Value of One Hour" ], "question": "Imagine there is a bank that puts $ 86, 400 in your account each morning. It carries over no _ from day to day. Every evening the bank writes off the balance that you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Take out every cent, of course! Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it puts in 86, 400 seconds. Every evening it writes off, as it is lost. There is no balance or overdraft. If you fail to use the day's savings, the lost is yours. There is no going back. There is no taking from \"tomorrow\". You must make good use of it so as to get more in health, happiness and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today. To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade; To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby; To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper; To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet; To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train; To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident. Make good use of every moment that you have. Remember that time waits for no one. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called \"The Present\". What can be the best title of the passage?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "find out the most common cause of colds", "infect the student volunteer", "find out the role physical contact plays in the common colds", "find out the role virus-laden air plays in the infection of colds" ], "question": "Dr. Jack M. Gwaltney, Jr. a professor at the University Of Virginia School Of Medicine infected six student volunteers with virus, the most common cause of colds. A few days later, when they were coughing and sneezing, he gathered 37 more people and divided them into three groups. Group 1 members spent three days and nights in the same room with one of the infected students, separated by a screen so they couldn't touch one another. Group 2 sat around a table while an infected volunteer talked, coughed and sang to them. Group 3 held hands with an infected student for ten seconds, and then touched their own noses or eyes. Although most scientists at the time, the mid-70s, believed colds were spread by virus-laden droplets spread through the air when infected people coughed or sneezed, Gwaltney suspected physical contact might play an important role. Sure enough, of the 15 people who had touched a student volunteer, 11 became infected--compared with only one of those who had been sitting at the table, and none who had spent three days and nights together. \"The best evidence we have is that hand-to-hand contact is the most efficient way of transmitting virus,\" says Gwaltney. The study was one of a series that helped establish Gwaltney's reputation as a leading authority. Dr. Robert Couch says, \"It would not be inappropriate to call him Mr. Common Cold.\" When Gwaltney is asked how close scientists are to finding a cure, he replies: \"If you mean 'get rid of', I don't think we're going to be able to do that with cold viruses any time soon. But if you look in the dictionary, you'll see that 'cure' is explained as a successful treatment. And we're not just getting more effective at treating the symptoms --we're getting at the root cause too. \" Dr. Jack M. Gwaltney conducted the experiment in order to _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "sneezing at the infected person", "touching the infected person", "sitting together with the infected person", "talking with the infected person" ], "question": "Dr. Jack M. Gwaltney, Jr. a professor at the University Of Virginia School Of Medicine infected six student volunteers with virus, the most common cause of colds. A few days later, when they were coughing and sneezing, he gathered 37 more people and divided them into three groups. Group 1 members spent three days and nights in the same room with one of the infected students, separated by a screen so they couldn't touch one another. Group 2 sat around a table while an infected volunteer talked, coughed and sang to them. Group 3 held hands with an infected student for ten seconds, and then touched their own noses or eyes. Although most scientists at the time, the mid-70s, believed colds were spread by virus-laden droplets spread through the air when infected people coughed or sneezed, Gwaltney suspected physical contact might play an important role. Sure enough, of the 15 people who had touched a student volunteer, 11 became infected--compared with only one of those who had been sitting at the table, and none who had spent three days and nights together. \"The best evidence we have is that hand-to-hand contact is the most efficient way of transmitting virus,\" says Gwaltney. The study was one of a series that helped establish Gwaltney's reputation as a leading authority. Dr. Robert Couch says, \"It would not be inappropriate to call him Mr. Common Cold.\" When Gwaltney is asked how close scientists are to finding a cure, he replies: \"If you mean 'get rid of', I don't think we're going to be able to do that with cold viruses any time soon. But if you look in the dictionary, you'll see that 'cure' is explained as a successful treatment. And we're not just getting more effective at treating the symptoms --we're getting at the root cause too. \" The result of the experiment shows that _ plays an important role in the infection of colds.", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "Dr. Gwaltney was sure that hand-to-hand touch is the cause of the common cold.", "Only one of the people who had spent three days and nights together became infected.", "Dr. Gwaltney conducted many an experiment as to the cause of colds.", "Dr. Gwaltney tested altogether 43 volunteers to see how they could develop colds." ], "question": "Dr. Jack M. Gwaltney, Jr. a professor at the University Of Virginia School Of Medicine infected six student volunteers with virus, the most common cause of colds. A few days later, when they were coughing and sneezing, he gathered 37 more people and divided them into three groups. Group 1 members spent three days and nights in the same room with one of the infected students, separated by a screen so they couldn't touch one another. Group 2 sat around a table while an infected volunteer talked, coughed and sang to them. Group 3 held hands with an infected student for ten seconds, and then touched their own noses or eyes. Although most scientists at the time, the mid-70s, believed colds were spread by virus-laden droplets spread through the air when infected people coughed or sneezed, Gwaltney suspected physical contact might play an important role. Sure enough, of the 15 people who had touched a student volunteer, 11 became infected--compared with only one of those who had been sitting at the table, and none who had spent three days and nights together. \"The best evidence we have is that hand-to-hand contact is the most efficient way of transmitting virus,\" says Gwaltney. The study was one of a series that helped establish Gwaltney's reputation as a leading authority. Dr. Robert Couch says, \"It would not be inappropriate to call him Mr. Common Cold.\" When Gwaltney is asked how close scientists are to finding a cure, he replies: \"If you mean 'get rid of', I don't think we're going to be able to do that with cold viruses any time soon. But if you look in the dictionary, you'll see that 'cure' is explained as a successful treatment. And we're not just getting more effective at treating the symptoms --we're getting at the root cause too. \" Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "a newly-found virus", "a nickname of respect to Dr. Gwaltney", "a method to cure colds", "a way by which the other scientists laughed at Dr. Gwaltney" ], "question": "Dr. Jack M. Gwaltney, Jr. a professor at the University Of Virginia School Of Medicine infected six student volunteers with virus, the most common cause of colds. A few days later, when they were coughing and sneezing, he gathered 37 more people and divided them into three groups. Group 1 members spent three days and nights in the same room with one of the infected students, separated by a screen so they couldn't touch one another. Group 2 sat around a table while an infected volunteer talked, coughed and sang to them. Group 3 held hands with an infected student for ten seconds, and then touched their own noses or eyes. Although most scientists at the time, the mid-70s, believed colds were spread by virus-laden droplets spread through the air when infected people coughed or sneezed, Gwaltney suspected physical contact might play an important role. Sure enough, of the 15 people who had touched a student volunteer, 11 became infected--compared with only one of those who had been sitting at the table, and none who had spent three days and nights together. \"The best evidence we have is that hand-to-hand contact is the most efficient way of transmitting virus,\" says Gwaltney. The study was one of a series that helped establish Gwaltney's reputation as a leading authority. Dr. Robert Couch says, \"It would not be inappropriate to call him Mr. Common Cold.\" When Gwaltney is asked how close scientists are to finding a cure, he replies: \"If you mean 'get rid of', I don't think we're going to be able to do that with cold viruses any time soon. But if you look in the dictionary, you'll see that 'cure' is explained as a successful treatment. And we're not just getting more effective at treating the symptoms --we're getting at the root cause too. \" Mr. Common Cold is _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "they have found the fundamental cause of colds", "they have managed to wipe out the cold viruses", "they have meant to experiment more", "they have made much progress in dealing with colds" ], "question": "Dr. Jack M. Gwaltney, Jr. a professor at the University Of Virginia School Of Medicine infected six student volunteers with virus, the most common cause of colds. A few days later, when they were coughing and sneezing, he gathered 37 more people and divided them into three groups. Group 1 members spent three days and nights in the same room with one of the infected students, separated by a screen so they couldn't touch one another. Group 2 sat around a table while an infected volunteer talked, coughed and sang to them. Group 3 held hands with an infected student for ten seconds, and then touched their own noses or eyes. Although most scientists at the time, the mid-70s, believed colds were spread by virus-laden droplets spread through the air when infected people coughed or sneezed, Gwaltney suspected physical contact might play an important role. Sure enough, of the 15 people who had touched a student volunteer, 11 became infected--compared with only one of those who had been sitting at the table, and none who had spent three days and nights together. \"The best evidence we have is that hand-to-hand contact is the most efficient way of transmitting virus,\" says Gwaltney. The study was one of a series that helped establish Gwaltney's reputation as a leading authority. Dr. Robert Couch says, \"It would not be inappropriate to call him Mr. Common Cold.\" When Gwaltney is asked how close scientists are to finding a cure, he replies: \"If you mean 'get rid of', I don't think we're going to be able to do that with cold viruses any time soon. But if you look in the dictionary, you'll see that 'cure' is explained as a successful treatment. And we're not just getting more effective at treating the symptoms --we're getting at the root cause too. \" When Dr. Gwaltney gives a reply in the end of the passage, he means that _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "she wanted John to get a part in the play he was trying out for", "she wanted to tell John that he shouldn't give up acting.", "she wanted to tell John how to become an actor.", "she was unhappy with John." ], "question": "475 Riverside Drive New York N.Y. 10027 Jan.15, 2011 Dear John, I'm sorry you didn't get the part you tried out for in that play. I know how much you wanted to be in the play. Now you feel that maybe acting isn't the right future for you. I think you're wrong. You're a good actor. Do you remember when you played Caesar in your summer theatre group's play? You were excellent . People clapped every time you walked on stage . Even the other actors loved you. All actors have to get used to being turned down for a job. It's part of an actor's life. Even famous actors don't get every part they want. I think you should give acting another chance. You love it so much, and you're good at it. Don't be discouraged because you lose one part in the play. Wait a bit, and try for another one. After all , you can always give up some other time. Love, Jane Jane wrote this letter because _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "they are as bad as he is", "acting is a hard life", "they sometimes get turned down for parts they want", "they are lucky enough" ], "question": "475 Riverside Drive New York N.Y. 10027 Jan.15, 2011 Dear John, I'm sorry you didn't get the part you tried out for in that play. I know how much you wanted to be in the play. Now you feel that maybe acting isn't the right future for you. I think you're wrong. You're a good actor. Do you remember when you played Caesar in your summer theatre group's play? You were excellent . People clapped every time you walked on stage . Even the other actors loved you. All actors have to get used to being turned down for a job. It's part of an actor's life. Even famous actors don't get every part they want. I think you should give acting another chance. You love it so much, and you're good at it. Don't be discouraged because you lose one part in the play. Wait a bit, and try for another one. After all , you can always give up some other time. Love, Jane Jane talks about other actors to show John that _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "He is a good actor, and some day he will be successful.", "He is too easily discouraged to become a good actor.", "He is a better actor than the person who has got the part.", "He is as unlucky as the other actors." ], "question": "475 Riverside Drive New York N.Y. 10027 Jan.15, 2011 Dear John, I'm sorry you didn't get the part you tried out for in that play. I know how much you wanted to be in the play. Now you feel that maybe acting isn't the right future for you. I think you're wrong. You're a good actor. Do you remember when you played Caesar in your summer theatre group's play? You were excellent . People clapped every time you walked on stage . Even the other actors loved you. All actors have to get used to being turned down for a job. It's part of an actor's life. Even famous actors don't get every part they want. I think you should give acting another chance. You love it so much, and you're good at it. Don't be discouraged because you lose one part in the play. Wait a bit, and try for another one. After all , you can always give up some other time. Love, Jane What does Jane think of John?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "is an actress.", "cares about John", "wants to be an actress some day", "envies at John's success" ], "question": "475 Riverside Drive New York N.Y. 10027 Jan.15, 2011 Dear John, I'm sorry you didn't get the part you tried out for in that play. I know how much you wanted to be in the play. Now you feel that maybe acting isn't the right future for you. I think you're wrong. You're a good actor. Do you remember when you played Caesar in your summer theatre group's play? You were excellent . People clapped every time you walked on stage . Even the other actors loved you. All actors have to get used to being turned down for a job. It's part of an actor's life. Even famous actors don't get every part they want. I think you should give acting another chance. You love it so much, and you're good at it. Don't be discouraged because you lose one part in the play. Wait a bit, and try for another one. After all , you can always give up some other time. Love, Jane The person who wrote this letter probably _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "men's heart cells", "women's ageing process", "the gender difference", "hearts and long life" ], "question": "Why do men die earlier than women? The latest research shows that the reason could be that men's hearts go into rapid decline when they reach middle age. The largest study of the effects of aging on the heart has found that women's longevity may be linked to the fact that their hearts do not lose their pumping power with age. \"We have found that the power of the male heart falls by 20-25 percent between 18 and 70 years of age,\" \"Within the heart there are millions of cells that enable it to beat. Between the ages of 20 and 70 , one-third of those cells die and are not replaced in men,\" . What surprises scientists is that the female heart sees very little loss of these cells. \"This gender difference might just explain why women live longer than men,\" said Goldspink. The team has yet to find why aging takes a greater toll on the male heart, said Goldspink.. The good news is that men can improve the health of their heart with regular exercise. The passage mainly talks about _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "women have more cells than men when they are born", "women can replace the cells that enable the heart to beat", "the female heart loses few of the cells with age", "the female heart never loses the pumping power with age" ], "question": "Why do men die earlier than women? The latest research shows that the reason could be that men's hearts go into rapid decline when they reach middle age. The largest study of the effects of aging on the heart has found that women's longevity may be linked to the fact that their hearts do not lose their pumping power with age. \"We have found that the power of the male heart falls by 20-25 percent between 18 and 70 years of age,\" \"Within the heart there are millions of cells that enable it to beat. Between the ages of 20 and 70 , one-third of those cells die and are not replaced in men,\" . What surprises scientists is that the female heart sees very little loss of these cells. \"This gender difference might just explain why women live longer than men,\" said Goldspink. The team has yet to find why aging takes a greater toll on the male heart, said Goldspink.. The good news is that men can improve the health of their heart with regular exercise. According to the passage, the UK scientists have known that _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "enable your heart to beat much faster", "find out the reason for aging", "exercise regularly", "prevent your cells from being lost" ], "question": "Why do men die earlier than women? The latest research shows that the reason could be that men's hearts go into rapid decline when they reach middle age. The largest study of the effects of aging on the heart has found that women's longevity may be linked to the fact that their hearts do not lose their pumping power with age. \"We have found that the power of the male heart falls by 20-25 percent between 18 and 70 years of age,\" \"Within the heart there are millions of cells that enable it to beat. Between the ages of 20 and 70 , one-third of those cells die and are not replaced in men,\" . What surprises scientists is that the female heart sees very little loss of these cells. \"This gender difference might just explain why women live longer than men,\" said Goldspink. The team has yet to find why aging takes a greater toll on the male heart, said Goldspink.. The good news is that men can improve the health of their heart with regular exercise. If you want to live longer, you should _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "the reason why ageing causes a greater loss to the male heart has been found out", "scientists are still doing research into why the male heart loses more of the cells", "team has done something to prevent the male from suffering the greater loss of the cells", "women over 70 could lose more cells than those at the age of 20." ], "question": "Why do men die earlier than women? The latest research shows that the reason could be that men's hearts go into rapid decline when they reach middle age. The largest study of the effects of aging on the heart has found that women's longevity may be linked to the fact that their hearts do not lose their pumping power with age. \"We have found that the power of the male heart falls by 20-25 percent between 18 and 70 years of age,\" \"Within the heart there are millions of cells that enable it to beat. Between the ages of 20 and 70 , one-third of those cells die and are not replaced in men,\" . What surprises scientists is that the female heart sees very little loss of these cells. \"This gender difference might just explain why women live longer than men,\" said Goldspink. The team has yet to find why aging takes a greater toll on the male heart, said Goldspink.. The good news is that men can improve the health of their heart with regular exercise. We can know from the passage that _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "To inspire their children for the future.", "To prove a travel without motorized transport.", "To explore the secret of global warming.", "To promote Earth-friendly ways of life." ], "question": "Travelling around the world with children is difficult enough, but attempting it without using motorized transport is even more of challenge. But Dario Schworer, a 42-year-old climatologist and mountain guide, and his 33-year-old wife Sabine are on a journey to do just that. The Swiss couple want to travel across the world's oceans and climb the highest mountain on every continent to promote Earth-friendly ways of life. \"We are collecting good examples of dealing with climate change and living in harmony with nature and we want to spread such ideas,\" Schworer said. \"We want to help people affected by global warming and to inspire children for the future.\" Recently after having spent three months teaching children in the Everest region, the couple want to show it is possible to travel through as the world's climate zones using just human-power and forces of nature. In the 47 countries they have visited so far they have collected 22 tons of trash, taught people in Ecuador how the sun's rays can be used to clean water and inspired a person in Chile to build a house on water with recycled plastic bottles as a foundation. They have also collected trash in the mountains of Nepal with school children. So far they have communicated with 45,000 children from South America, Australia and Asia, giving presentations about the importance of recycling and using alternative energy like solar and wind power. \"We need to motivate children,\" said Sabine. When they began their adventure in 2003 they had no children of their own. But since then two has become five: daughter Sabine is now five years old, Andri was born in Chile and baby Noe was born in Australia. _ the couple thought they would complete their travels in four years, but now, seven years later, they believe it could take seven more. \"Since our belief is the need to respect nature, we travel only when conditions are good,\" Schworer said. Why do the Swiss couple travel around the world?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "build a house with recycled plastic bottles", "collect rubbish and waste", "communicate with local children", "show people how to use energy" ], "question": "Travelling around the world with children is difficult enough, but attempting it without using motorized transport is even more of challenge. But Dario Schworer, a 42-year-old climatologist and mountain guide, and his 33-year-old wife Sabine are on a journey to do just that. The Swiss couple want to travel across the world's oceans and climb the highest mountain on every continent to promote Earth-friendly ways of life. \"We are collecting good examples of dealing with climate change and living in harmony with nature and we want to spread such ideas,\" Schworer said. \"We want to help people affected by global warming and to inspire children for the future.\" Recently after having spent three months teaching children in the Everest region, the couple want to show it is possible to travel through as the world's climate zones using just human-power and forces of nature. In the 47 countries they have visited so far they have collected 22 tons of trash, taught people in Ecuador how the sun's rays can be used to clean water and inspired a person in Chile to build a house on water with recycled plastic bottles as a foundation. They have also collected trash in the mountains of Nepal with school children. So far they have communicated with 45,000 children from South America, Australia and Asia, giving presentations about the importance of recycling and using alternative energy like solar and wind power. \"We need to motivate children,\" said Sabine. When they began their adventure in 2003 they had no children of their own. But since then two has become five: daughter Sabine is now five years old, Andri was born in Chile and baby Noe was born in Australia. _ the couple thought they would complete their travels in four years, but now, seven years later, they believe it could take seven more. \"Since our belief is the need to respect nature, we travel only when conditions are good,\" Schworer said. They did a lot during the travel except _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "A Swiss family' journey across the world", "An eco-friendly adventure across the world", "We have a long way to make a good travel", "Nature needs respecting and protecting" ], "question": "Travelling around the world with children is difficult enough, but attempting it without using motorized transport is even more of challenge. But Dario Schworer, a 42-year-old climatologist and mountain guide, and his 33-year-old wife Sabine are on a journey to do just that. The Swiss couple want to travel across the world's oceans and climb the highest mountain on every continent to promote Earth-friendly ways of life. \"We are collecting good examples of dealing with climate change and living in harmony with nature and we want to spread such ideas,\" Schworer said. \"We want to help people affected by global warming and to inspire children for the future.\" Recently after having spent three months teaching children in the Everest region, the couple want to show it is possible to travel through as the world's climate zones using just human-power and forces of nature. In the 47 countries they have visited so far they have collected 22 tons of trash, taught people in Ecuador how the sun's rays can be used to clean water and inspired a person in Chile to build a house on water with recycled plastic bottles as a foundation. They have also collected trash in the mountains of Nepal with school children. So far they have communicated with 45,000 children from South America, Australia and Asia, giving presentations about the importance of recycling and using alternative energy like solar and wind power. \"We need to motivate children,\" said Sabine. When they began their adventure in 2003 they had no children of their own. But since then two has become five: daughter Sabine is now five years old, Andri was born in Chile and baby Noe was born in Australia. _ the couple thought they would complete their travels in four years, but now, seven years later, they believe it could take seven more. \"Since our belief is the need to respect nature, we travel only when conditions are good,\" Schworer said. The best title of the passage can be _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "To take pictures.", "To attend lessons.", "To visit friends.", "To enjoy sunrise." ], "question": "Earlier this week, I wrapped up a 5-day trip in San Francisco. I woke up a few hours before sunrise, drove through the darkness and out of the city, hiked for 30 minutes to the top of a hill overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, and snapped this photo. As I stood there soaking in the early morning light, I was reminded of an important lesson. When I arrived in San Francisco, I told myself, \"Just take photos as you do other things.\" My primary goal was to meet with friends and so I figured I could take pictures as we walked around the city. This resulted in exactly zero photos worth sharing. I had vague ideas like, \"I'd like to do some street photography,\" but I never went out with the intent of photographing something specific. Finally, on the last morning, I went out with the intent of capturing a specific picture and I ended up with something worth sharing. My mistake was that I assumed that because I wanted to take photos, I would end up getting a desirable result. How often do you do this in your own life? We go to the gym to \"work out\" without trying to become better at something specific. We wish that we were more creative, but never work on a particular project. When you commit to a task, however, then the next step is obvious. You want to take a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise? Next step: find a good spot. You've found a good spot? Next step: wake up early and drive there. This is perhaps the most shocking thing: if box yourself in, then you'll begin to break out and achieve something greater than you ever imagined. What's the author's original purpose of the trip?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "A given task leads to achievement.", "Stick to your own decision.", "Get ready for challenges.", "Hard work pays off." ], "question": "Earlier this week, I wrapped up a 5-day trip in San Francisco. I woke up a few hours before sunrise, drove through the darkness and out of the city, hiked for 30 minutes to the top of a hill overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, and snapped this photo. As I stood there soaking in the early morning light, I was reminded of an important lesson. When I arrived in San Francisco, I told myself, \"Just take photos as you do other things.\" My primary goal was to meet with friends and so I figured I could take pictures as we walked around the city. This resulted in exactly zero photos worth sharing. I had vague ideas like, \"I'd like to do some street photography,\" but I never went out with the intent of photographing something specific. Finally, on the last morning, I went out with the intent of capturing a specific picture and I ended up with something worth sharing. My mistake was that I assumed that because I wanted to take photos, I would end up getting a desirable result. How often do you do this in your own life? We go to the gym to \"work out\" without trying to become better at something specific. We wish that we were more creative, but never work on a particular project. When you commit to a task, however, then the next step is obvious. You want to take a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise? Next step: find a good spot. You've found a good spot? Next step: wake up early and drive there. This is perhaps the most shocking thing: if box yourself in, then you'll begin to break out and achieve something greater than you ever imagined. What lesson did the author learn?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "Make a detailed outline.", "Go to work out immediately.", "Discuss the ways with coaches.", "Choose a certain muscle group." ], "question": "Earlier this week, I wrapped up a 5-day trip in San Francisco. I woke up a few hours before sunrise, drove through the darkness and out of the city, hiked for 30 minutes to the top of a hill overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, and snapped this photo. As I stood there soaking in the early morning light, I was reminded of an important lesson. When I arrived in San Francisco, I told myself, \"Just take photos as you do other things.\" My primary goal was to meet with friends and so I figured I could take pictures as we walked around the city. This resulted in exactly zero photos worth sharing. I had vague ideas like, \"I'd like to do some street photography,\" but I never went out with the intent of photographing something specific. Finally, on the last morning, I went out with the intent of capturing a specific picture and I ended up with something worth sharing. My mistake was that I assumed that because I wanted to take photos, I would end up getting a desirable result. How often do you do this in your own life? We go to the gym to \"work out\" without trying to become better at something specific. We wish that we were more creative, but never work on a particular project. When you commit to a task, however, then the next step is obvious. You want to take a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise? Next step: find a good spot. You've found a good spot? Next step: wake up early and drive there. This is perhaps the most shocking thing: if box yourself in, then you'll begin to break out and achieve something greater than you ever imagined. What are you advised to do first when you want to get stronger physically?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "They are four basic steps to keep warm.", "Gloves can't protect us from cold sometimes.", "We should keep ourselves as dry as possible.", "They can protect us from injuries completely." ], "question": "Freezing weather can mean frostbite and _ unless a person is prepared. Do you know how to stay warm, dry and safe in such cold winter? Frostbite is damage that happens when skin is exposed to extreme cold for too long. It mainly happens on the hands, feet, nose and ears. People with small cases of frostbite that affect only the skin may not suffer any lifelong damage. But if deeper tissue is affected, a person is likely to feel pain every time the area gets cold. If blood vessels are damaged, people can suffer an infection of gangrene . Sometimes, doctors have to remove frostbitten areas like fingers and toes. Hypothermia happens when the body cannot produce as much heat as it releases. The condition comes on slowly. Signs of hypothermia include uncontrollable shaking, very slow breathing and unclear thinking. If not treated properly, Hypothermia can be deadly. A simple way to avoid cold-related injuries is to remember four basic steps. Think of COLD -- C.O.L.D. The C stands for cover. Wear a hat and a scarf to keep heat from escaping through the head, neck and ears. And wear mittens instead of gloves. In gloves, the fingers are separated, so the hands might not stay as warm. The O stands for overexertion . Avoid activities that will make you sweaty. Wet clothes and cold weather are a bad mix. L is for layers. Wearing loose, lightweight clothes, one layer on top of another, is better than wearing a single heavy layer of clothing. Also, make sure outerwear is made of material that is water-resistant and tightly knit. Can you guess what the D in C.O.L.D. stand for? D is for dry. In other words, stay as dry as possible. Pay attention to the places where snow can enter, like the tops of boots, the necks of coats and the wrist areas of mittens. And here are two other things to keep in mind -- one for children and the other for adults. Eating snow might be fun but it lowers the body's temperature. And drinking alcohol might make a person feel warm. But what it really does is weaken the body's ability to hold heat. Which of the following is NOT true about the C.O.L.D. according to the text?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "No market could be held.", "The police had done little to help.", "The town looked different.", "Fallen trees had not been removed." ], "question": "Many trees in the Brackham area were brought down in the terrible storms that March. The town itself lost two great lime trees from the former market square. The disappearance of such striking features had changed the appearance of the town center entirely, to the annoyance of its more conservative inhabitants . Among the annoyed, under more normal circumstances, would have been Chief Inspector Douglas Pelham, head of the local police force. But at the height of that week's storm, when the wind brought down even the mature walnut tree in his garden, Pelham had in fact been in no fit state to notice. A large and healthy man, he had for the first time in his life been seriously ill with an attack of bronchitis. When he first complained of an aching head and tightness in his chest, his wife, Molly, had tried to persuade him to go to the doctor. Convinced that the police force could not do without him, he had, as usual, ignored her and attempted to carry on working. Predictably, though he wouldn't have listened to anyone who tried to tell him so, this had the effect of fogging his memory and shortening his temper. It was only when his colleague, Sergeant Lloyd, took the initiative and drove him to the doctor's door that he finally gave in. By that time, he didn't have the strength left to argue with her. In no time at all, she was taking him along to the chemist's to get his medicine and then home to his unsurprised wife who sent him straight to bed. When Molly told him, on the Thursday morning, that the walnut tree had been brought down during the night, Pelham hadn't been able to take it in. On Thursday evening, he had asked weakly about damage to the house, groaned thankfully when he heard there was none, and pulled the sheets over his head. It wasn't until Saturday, when the medicine took effect, his temperature dropped and he got up, that he realized with a shock that the loss of the walnut tree had made a permanent difference to the appearance of the living-room. The Pelhams' large house stood in a sizable garden. It had not come cheap, but even so Pelham had no regrets about buying it. The leafy garden had created an impression of privacy. Now, though, the storm had changed his outlook. Previously, the view from the living-room had featured the handsome walnut tree. This had not darkened the room because there was also a window on the opposite wall, but it had provided interesting patterns of light and shade that hid the true state of the worn furniture that the family had brought with them from their previous house. With the tree gone, the room seemed cruelly bright, its worn furnishings exposed in all their shabbiness. And the view from the window didn't bear looking at. The tall house next door, previously hidden by the tree, was now there, dominating the outlook with its unattractive purple bricks and external pipes. It seemed to have a great many upstairs windows, all of them watching the Pelhams' every movement. \"Doesn't it look terrible?\" Pelham whispered to his wife. But Molly, standing in the doorway, sounded more pleased than dismayed. \"That's what I've been telling you ever since we came here. We have to buy a new sofa, whatever it costs.\" Why were some people in Brackham annoyed after the storm?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "was pleasantly lighter", "felt less private", "had a better view", "was in need of repair" ], "question": "Many trees in the Brackham area were brought down in the terrible storms that March. The town itself lost two great lime trees from the former market square. The disappearance of such striking features had changed the appearance of the town center entirely, to the annoyance of its more conservative inhabitants . Among the annoyed, under more normal circumstances, would have been Chief Inspector Douglas Pelham, head of the local police force. But at the height of that week's storm, when the wind brought down even the mature walnut tree in his garden, Pelham had in fact been in no fit state to notice. A large and healthy man, he had for the first time in his life been seriously ill with an attack of bronchitis. When he first complained of an aching head and tightness in his chest, his wife, Molly, had tried to persuade him to go to the doctor. Convinced that the police force could not do without him, he had, as usual, ignored her and attempted to carry on working. Predictably, though he wouldn't have listened to anyone who tried to tell him so, this had the effect of fogging his memory and shortening his temper. It was only when his colleague, Sergeant Lloyd, took the initiative and drove him to the doctor's door that he finally gave in. By that time, he didn't have the strength left to argue with her. In no time at all, she was taking him along to the chemist's to get his medicine and then home to his unsurprised wife who sent him straight to bed. When Molly told him, on the Thursday morning, that the walnut tree had been brought down during the night, Pelham hadn't been able to take it in. On Thursday evening, he had asked weakly about damage to the house, groaned thankfully when he heard there was none, and pulled the sheets over his head. It wasn't until Saturday, when the medicine took effect, his temperature dropped and he got up, that he realized with a shock that the loss of the walnut tree had made a permanent difference to the appearance of the living-room. The Pelhams' large house stood in a sizable garden. It had not come cheap, but even so Pelham had no regrets about buying it. The leafy garden had created an impression of privacy. Now, though, the storm had changed his outlook. Previously, the view from the living-room had featured the handsome walnut tree. This had not darkened the room because there was also a window on the opposite wall, but it had provided interesting patterns of light and shade that hid the true state of the worn furniture that the family had brought with them from their previous house. With the tree gone, the room seemed cruelly bright, its worn furnishings exposed in all their shabbiness. And the view from the window didn't bear looking at. The tall house next door, previously hidden by the tree, was now there, dominating the outlook with its unattractive purple bricks and external pipes. It seemed to have a great many upstairs windows, all of them watching the Pelhams' every movement. \"Doesn't it look terrible?\" Pelham whispered to his wife. But Molly, standing in the doorway, sounded more pleased than dismayed. \"That's what I've been telling you ever since we came here. We have to buy a new sofa, whatever it costs.\" As a result of the storm, the Pelhams' living-room _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "It proved that he was well again.", "She agreed about the tree.", "She thought he meant the sofa.", "It was what she expected him to say." ], "question": "Many trees in the Brackham area were brought down in the terrible storms that March. The town itself lost two great lime trees from the former market square. The disappearance of such striking features had changed the appearance of the town center entirely, to the annoyance of its more conservative inhabitants . Among the annoyed, under more normal circumstances, would have been Chief Inspector Douglas Pelham, head of the local police force. But at the height of that week's storm, when the wind brought down even the mature walnut tree in his garden, Pelham had in fact been in no fit state to notice. A large and healthy man, he had for the first time in his life been seriously ill with an attack of bronchitis. When he first complained of an aching head and tightness in his chest, his wife, Molly, had tried to persuade him to go to the doctor. Convinced that the police force could not do without him, he had, as usual, ignored her and attempted to carry on working. Predictably, though he wouldn't have listened to anyone who tried to tell him so, this had the effect of fogging his memory and shortening his temper. It was only when his colleague, Sergeant Lloyd, took the initiative and drove him to the doctor's door that he finally gave in. By that time, he didn't have the strength left to argue with her. In no time at all, she was taking him along to the chemist's to get his medicine and then home to his unsurprised wife who sent him straight to bed. When Molly told him, on the Thursday morning, that the walnut tree had been brought down during the night, Pelham hadn't been able to take it in. On Thursday evening, he had asked weakly about damage to the house, groaned thankfully when he heard there was none, and pulled the sheets over his head. It wasn't until Saturday, when the medicine took effect, his temperature dropped and he got up, that he realized with a shock that the loss of the walnut tree had made a permanent difference to the appearance of the living-room. The Pelhams' large house stood in a sizable garden. It had not come cheap, but even so Pelham had no regrets about buying it. The leafy garden had created an impression of privacy. Now, though, the storm had changed his outlook. Previously, the view from the living-room had featured the handsome walnut tree. This had not darkened the room because there was also a window on the opposite wall, but it had provided interesting patterns of light and shade that hid the true state of the worn furniture that the family had brought with them from their previous house. With the tree gone, the room seemed cruelly bright, its worn furnishings exposed in all their shabbiness. And the view from the window didn't bear looking at. The tall house next door, previously hidden by the tree, was now there, dominating the outlook with its unattractive purple bricks and external pipes. It seemed to have a great many upstairs windows, all of them watching the Pelhams' every movement. \"Doesn't it look terrible?\" Pelham whispered to his wife. But Molly, standing in the doorway, sounded more pleased than dismayed. \"That's what I've been telling you ever since we came here. We have to buy a new sofa, whatever it costs.\" Why did Molly sound pleased by her husband's comment?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "Uncertainty", "Pure enjoyment.", "Successes and challenges.", "Experimentation with life." ], "question": "Make the most of college Dear Daughter, As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind. First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are. Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn't critical for your life, the learning skills you acquire will be something you will cherish forever. Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don't be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind. Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life. Pick a few friends and become really close to them - pick the ones who are genuine to you. Don't worry about their hobbies, grades, looks or even personalities. Start planning early - what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses. Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver's seat - this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you'll love it! College is the four years where you have: l The greatest amount of free time l the first chance to be independent l the most flexibility to change l the lowest risk for making mistakes So please treasure your college years - make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, be to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges. May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be. Love, Dad (&Mom) What does the author think college life holds in store for his daughter? _", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "Plan everything.", "Party with friends in her free time.", "Ignore what others think or say.", "Treasure and make the best of her college years." ], "question": "Make the most of college Dear Daughter, As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind. First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are. Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn't critical for your life, the learning skills you acquire will be something you will cherish forever. Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don't be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind. Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life. Pick a few friends and become really close to them - pick the ones who are genuine to you. Don't worry about their hobbies, grades, looks or even personalities. Start planning early - what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses. Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver's seat - this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you'll love it! College is the four years where you have: l The greatest amount of free time l the first chance to be independent l the most flexibility to change l the lowest risk for making mistakes So please treasure your college years - make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, be to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges. May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be. Love, Dad (&Mom) What does the author advise his daughter to do in college? _", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "is worried about his daughter", "is strict with his daughter", "is optimistic about his daughter's future", "is sad that his daughter is leaving home" ], "question": "Make the most of college Dear Daughter, As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind. First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are. Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn't critical for your life, the learning skills you acquire will be something you will cherish forever. Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don't be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind. Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life. Pick a few friends and become really close to them - pick the ones who are genuine to you. Don't worry about their hobbies, grades, looks or even personalities. Start planning early - what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses. Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver's seat - this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you'll love it! College is the four years where you have: l The greatest amount of free time l the first chance to be independent l the most flexibility to change l the lowest risk for making mistakes So please treasure your college years - make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, be to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges. May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be. Love, Dad (&Mom) From the text, we can conclude the father _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "the changing of the weather in southern Africa", "the warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean", "the weather which brings drought to Africa", "the weather phenomenon that brings heavy rains to Africa" ], "question": "Scientists around the world have been studying the warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean known as El Nino . The appearance of El Nino is known to affect the weather around the world. Scientists still do not completely understand it. Yet they now find they can use it to tell about the future in different areas of the world. One example is the work of two scientists at Columbia University in New York, Mark Cane and Gordon Eshel. A scientist of Zimbabwe , Roger Buckland worked with them. They have found that when El Nino appears, Zimbabwe has little or no rain. This means corn crops in Zimbabwe are poor. The last El Nino was in 1991 to 1993. That was when southeastern Africa suffered a serious lack of rain. The scientists wrote about their recent work in the publication Nature. Their computer program can tell when an El Nino will develop up to a year before it does. They suggest that this could provide an effective early warning system for southern Africa, and could prevent many people from starving. El Nino is known as _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "they can provide a kind of early warning to the place that will suffer from drought", "they can tell why Zimbabwe has little or no rain", "they can do some research work in this field.", "they can put all this information into their computers." ], "question": "Scientists around the world have been studying the warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean known as El Nino . The appearance of El Nino is known to affect the weather around the world. Scientists still do not completely understand it. Yet they now find they can use it to tell about the future in different areas of the world. One example is the work of two scientists at Columbia University in New York, Mark Cane and Gordon Eshel. A scientist of Zimbabwe , Roger Buckland worked with them. They have found that when El Nino appears, Zimbabwe has little or no rain. This means corn crops in Zimbabwe are poor. The last El Nino was in 1991 to 1993. That was when southeastern Africa suffered a serious lack of rain. The scientists wrote about their recent work in the publication Nature. Their computer program can tell when an El Nino will develop up to a year before it does. They suggest that this could provide an effective early warning system for southern Africa, and could prevent many people from starving. Scientists study El Nino in order that _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "Scientists come to understand how El Nino appears.", "Three scientists from the USA work on this subject.", "Southern Africa suffered a serious drought and many people died from hunger.", "El Nino has something to do with Zimbabwe's poor crops." ], "question": "Scientists around the world have been studying the warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean known as El Nino . The appearance of El Nino is known to affect the weather around the world. Scientists still do not completely understand it. Yet they now find they can use it to tell about the future in different areas of the world. One example is the work of two scientists at Columbia University in New York, Mark Cane and Gordon Eshel. A scientist of Zimbabwe , Roger Buckland worked with them. They have found that when El Nino appears, Zimbabwe has little or no rain. This means corn crops in Zimbabwe are poor. The last El Nino was in 1991 to 1993. That was when southeastern Africa suffered a serious lack of rain. The scientists wrote about their recent work in the publication Nature. Their computer program can tell when an El Nino will develop up to a year before it does. They suggest that this could provide an effective early warning system for southern Africa, and could prevent many people from starving. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "The computer is used in this research work.", "Scientists know when an El Nino appears by means of the computer program.", "The scientists published their results of the research work.", "Nature is the name of the article written recently by the scientists." ], "question": "Scientists around the world have been studying the warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean known as El Nino . The appearance of El Nino is known to affect the weather around the world. Scientists still do not completely understand it. Yet they now find they can use it to tell about the future in different areas of the world. One example is the work of two scientists at Columbia University in New York, Mark Cane and Gordon Eshel. A scientist of Zimbabwe , Roger Buckland worked with them. They have found that when El Nino appears, Zimbabwe has little or no rain. This means corn crops in Zimbabwe are poor. The last El Nino was in 1991 to 1993. That was when southeastern Africa suffered a serious lack of rain. The scientists wrote about their recent work in the publication Nature. Their computer program can tell when an El Nino will develop up to a year before it does. They suggest that this could provide an effective early warning system for southern Africa, and could prevent many people from starving. Which of the following is NOT true according to the article?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "Appearance of El Nino is Predictable", "Drought in Zimbabwe", "Early Warning System", "Weather in Africa" ], "question": "Scientists around the world have been studying the warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean known as El Nino . The appearance of El Nino is known to affect the weather around the world. Scientists still do not completely understand it. Yet they now find they can use it to tell about the future in different areas of the world. One example is the work of two scientists at Columbia University in New York, Mark Cane and Gordon Eshel. A scientist of Zimbabwe , Roger Buckland worked with them. They have found that when El Nino appears, Zimbabwe has little or no rain. This means corn crops in Zimbabwe are poor. The last El Nino was in 1991 to 1993. That was when southeastern Africa suffered a serious lack of rain. The scientists wrote about their recent work in the publication Nature. Their computer program can tell when an El Nino will develop up to a year before it does. They suggest that this could provide an effective early warning system for southern Africa, and could prevent many people from starving. What's the best title for this passage?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "By asking questions.", "By giving examples.", "By offering suggestions.", "By doing experiments." ], "question": "Are you a bookworm? Is your head stuck in a book for long? If so,that's a good thing.There are many benefits to reading.Getting into a good novel improves our literacy .But who or what encourages us to pick up a book and start reading? Of course,when we are young,our parents and teachers inspire us by introducing us to characters that we love--or love to hate.And there are the authors--the people who invent and write about these characters.Good writing can really catch our imagination. One modern-day children's author is J.K.Rowling,who's known for her books about the wizard,Harry Potter.Last year she was named as a'literacy hero'for her part in improving people's love of reading.The UK's National Literacy Trust awarded her the title for\"turning a generation of children into readers.\" The Trust also honoured schoolchildren,a librarian and teachers for their effort in trying to get people to read.The actor, Henry Winkler, who has dyslexia ,was also named for the books he has written about a boy with learning difficulties. Reading books is more than an enjoyable pastime;it can also help people in difficult circumstances.The author Pat Winslow worked as a writer in prisons and found reading and discussing stories helped prisoners reflect on their patterns of behaviour.She says\"Very often we would have discussions about the moral compass of a character, what was the motivation of somebody, why did they behave that way?\" Today I like to read factual books such as biographies,where you get an insight into the lives of important and well-known people.I also enjoy looking at travel books and learning about journeys and new destinations.It's a good substitute if you can't visit in person. But the main benefit of reading is the improvement it brings to our literacy.The more we do it,the better we get and who knows--one day you may become the next Tolstoy,Jackie Collins or even William Shakespeare. How does the author introduce the topic of this text?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "For her struggle against unfortunate life.", "For her inspiring children to love reading.", "For her experience of learning difficulties.", "For her well-known books of Harry Potter." ], "question": "Are you a bookworm? Is your head stuck in a book for long? If so,that's a good thing.There are many benefits to reading.Getting into a good novel improves our literacy .But who or what encourages us to pick up a book and start reading? Of course,when we are young,our parents and teachers inspire us by introducing us to characters that we love--or love to hate.And there are the authors--the people who invent and write about these characters.Good writing can really catch our imagination. One modern-day children's author is J.K.Rowling,who's known for her books about the wizard,Harry Potter.Last year she was named as a'literacy hero'for her part in improving people's love of reading.The UK's National Literacy Trust awarded her the title for\"turning a generation of children into readers.\" The Trust also honoured schoolchildren,a librarian and teachers for their effort in trying to get people to read.The actor, Henry Winkler, who has dyslexia ,was also named for the books he has written about a boy with learning difficulties. Reading books is more than an enjoyable pastime;it can also help people in difficult circumstances.The author Pat Winslow worked as a writer in prisons and found reading and discussing stories helped prisoners reflect on their patterns of behaviour.She says\"Very often we would have discussions about the moral compass of a character, what was the motivation of somebody, why did they behave that way?\" Today I like to read factual books such as biographies,where you get an insight into the lives of important and well-known people.I also enjoy looking at travel books and learning about journeys and new destinations.It's a good substitute if you can't visit in person. But the main benefit of reading is the improvement it brings to our literacy.The more we do it,the better we get and who knows--one day you may become the next Tolstoy,Jackie Collins or even William Shakespeare. Why was the author J.K.Rowling called a'literacy hero'?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "help them enjoy their pastime", "1ead them to be prison writers", "guide them to gain new knowledge", "instruct them to start to a new life" ], "question": "Are you a bookworm? Is your head stuck in a book for long? If so,that's a good thing.There are many benefits to reading.Getting into a good novel improves our literacy .But who or what encourages us to pick up a book and start reading? Of course,when we are young,our parents and teachers inspire us by introducing us to characters that we love--or love to hate.And there are the authors--the people who invent and write about these characters.Good writing can really catch our imagination. One modern-day children's author is J.K.Rowling,who's known for her books about the wizard,Harry Potter.Last year she was named as a'literacy hero'for her part in improving people's love of reading.The UK's National Literacy Trust awarded her the title for\"turning a generation of children into readers.\" The Trust also honoured schoolchildren,a librarian and teachers for their effort in trying to get people to read.The actor, Henry Winkler, who has dyslexia ,was also named for the books he has written about a boy with learning difficulties. Reading books is more than an enjoyable pastime;it can also help people in difficult circumstances.The author Pat Winslow worked as a writer in prisons and found reading and discussing stories helped prisoners reflect on their patterns of behaviour.She says\"Very often we would have discussions about the moral compass of a character, what was the motivation of somebody, why did they behave that way?\" Today I like to read factual books such as biographies,where you get an insight into the lives of important and well-known people.I also enjoy looking at travel books and learning about journeys and new destinations.It's a good substitute if you can't visit in person. But the main benefit of reading is the improvement it brings to our literacy.The more we do it,the better we get and who knows--one day you may become the next Tolstoy,Jackie Collins or even William Shakespeare. Reading and discussing stories with prisoners _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "Because they are more interesting.", "Because they supply inspirations for life.", "Because they help people save a lot of money.", "Because they completely take the place of personal travel." ], "question": "Are you a bookworm? Is your head stuck in a book for long? If so,that's a good thing.There are many benefits to reading.Getting into a good novel improves our literacy .But who or what encourages us to pick up a book and start reading? Of course,when we are young,our parents and teachers inspire us by introducing us to characters that we love--or love to hate.And there are the authors--the people who invent and write about these characters.Good writing can really catch our imagination. One modern-day children's author is J.K.Rowling,who's known for her books about the wizard,Harry Potter.Last year she was named as a'literacy hero'for her part in improving people's love of reading.The UK's National Literacy Trust awarded her the title for\"turning a generation of children into readers.\" The Trust also honoured schoolchildren,a librarian and teachers for their effort in trying to get people to read.The actor, Henry Winkler, who has dyslexia ,was also named for the books he has written about a boy with learning difficulties. Reading books is more than an enjoyable pastime;it can also help people in difficult circumstances.The author Pat Winslow worked as a writer in prisons and found reading and discussing stories helped prisoners reflect on their patterns of behaviour.She says\"Very often we would have discussions about the moral compass of a character, what was the motivation of somebody, why did they behave that way?\" Today I like to read factual books such as biographies,where you get an insight into the lives of important and well-known people.I also enjoy looking at travel books and learning about journeys and new destinations.It's a good substitute if you can't visit in person. But the main benefit of reading is the improvement it brings to our literacy.The more we do it,the better we get and who knows--one day you may become the next Tolstoy,Jackie Collins or even William Shakespeare. For what purpose does the author like to read factual books?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "from the left to the right", "from the outside to the inside", "from the inside to the outside", "from the right to the left" ], "question": "Do you know anything about the history of weather? Don't look at the sky. Don't look for old weather reports. Looking at the tree rings is more important. Correct weather reports date back only one century, but some trees can provide an exact record of weather even further back. It is natural that a tree would grow best in a climate with plenty of sunlight and rainfall. It is also expected that little sunlight or rainfall would reduce the growth of a tree. The change from a favorable to an unfavorable climate can be found out by the reading pattern of rings in a tree trunk. To find out the weather of ten years ago, you can count the rings of a tree trunk from the outside to the inside. If the tenth ring is far from the other rings, then it is certain that plenty of sunny and rainy weather occurred. If the rings are close together, then the climate was bad for the tree. Studying trees is important not only for the history of weather, but also for the history of man. In an area of New Mexico you can find only sand -- no trees or people. However, many centuries ago a large population lived there. They left suddenly. Why? A scientist studied the pattern of the rings of dead trees that had grown there. He made up his mind that the people had to leave because they had cut down all the trees. Trees were necessary to make fires and buildings. So, after the people destroyed the trees, they had to move. In this example studying tree rings uncovered an exciting fact about the history of man. We can find out the weather of five years ago by counting the rings of a tree trunk _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "bad", "sunny", "rainy", "favorable" ], "question": "Do you know anything about the history of weather? Don't look at the sky. Don't look for old weather reports. Looking at the tree rings is more important. Correct weather reports date back only one century, but some trees can provide an exact record of weather even further back. It is natural that a tree would grow best in a climate with plenty of sunlight and rainfall. It is also expected that little sunlight or rainfall would reduce the growth of a tree. The change from a favorable to an unfavorable climate can be found out by the reading pattern of rings in a tree trunk. To find out the weather of ten years ago, you can count the rings of a tree trunk from the outside to the inside. If the tenth ring is far from the other rings, then it is certain that plenty of sunny and rainy weather occurred. If the rings are close together, then the climate was bad for the tree. Studying trees is important not only for the history of weather, but also for the history of man. In an area of New Mexico you can find only sand -- no trees or people. However, many centuries ago a large population lived there. They left suddenly. Why? A scientist studied the pattern of the rings of dead trees that had grown there. He made up his mind that the people had to leave because they had cut down all the trees. Trees were necessary to make fires and buildings. So, after the people destroyed the trees, they had to move. In this example studying tree rings uncovered an exciting fact about the history of man. If the ring was far from the others, we can conclude that the weather of that year was _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "what the people had to eat", "where the people had to go", "why the people had to leave", "how the people left" ], "question": "Do you know anything about the history of weather? Don't look at the sky. Don't look for old weather reports. Looking at the tree rings is more important. Correct weather reports date back only one century, but some trees can provide an exact record of weather even further back. It is natural that a tree would grow best in a climate with plenty of sunlight and rainfall. It is also expected that little sunlight or rainfall would reduce the growth of a tree. The change from a favorable to an unfavorable climate can be found out by the reading pattern of rings in a tree trunk. To find out the weather of ten years ago, you can count the rings of a tree trunk from the outside to the inside. If the tenth ring is far from the other rings, then it is certain that plenty of sunny and rainy weather occurred. If the rings are close together, then the climate was bad for the tree. Studying trees is important not only for the history of weather, but also for the history of man. In an area of New Mexico you can find only sand -- no trees or people. However, many centuries ago a large population lived there. They left suddenly. Why? A scientist studied the pattern of the rings of dead trees that had grown there. He made up his mind that the people had to leave because they had cut down all the trees. Trees were necessary to make fires and buildings. So, after the people destroyed the trees, they had to move. In this example studying tree rings uncovered an exciting fact about the history of man. By studying the rings of dead trees in an area of New Mexico, the scientist found _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "trees were materials for fires and buildings", "trees could supply them with fruit and food", "rees could supply them with shades", "trees provided an exact record of weather" ], "question": "Do you know anything about the history of weather? Don't look at the sky. Don't look for old weather reports. Looking at the tree rings is more important. Correct weather reports date back only one century, but some trees can provide an exact record of weather even further back. It is natural that a tree would grow best in a climate with plenty of sunlight and rainfall. It is also expected that little sunlight or rainfall would reduce the growth of a tree. The change from a favorable to an unfavorable climate can be found out by the reading pattern of rings in a tree trunk. To find out the weather of ten years ago, you can count the rings of a tree trunk from the outside to the inside. If the tenth ring is far from the other rings, then it is certain that plenty of sunny and rainy weather occurred. If the rings are close together, then the climate was bad for the tree. Studying trees is important not only for the history of weather, but also for the history of man. In an area of New Mexico you can find only sand -- no trees or people. However, many centuries ago a large population lived there. They left suddenly. Why? A scientist studied the pattern of the rings of dead trees that had grown there. He made up his mind that the people had to leave because they had cut down all the trees. Trees were necessary to make fires and buildings. So, after the people destroyed the trees, they had to move. In this example studying tree rings uncovered an exciting fact about the history of man. The ancient people usually lived where there were plenty of trees mainly because _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "that studying trees is important for the history of man", "trees can't live in the area without population", "what the relation is between tree rings and the history of man", "the history of man is important for the history of trees" ], "question": "Do you know anything about the history of weather? Don't look at the sky. Don't look for old weather reports. Looking at the tree rings is more important. Correct weather reports date back only one century, but some trees can provide an exact record of weather even further back. It is natural that a tree would grow best in a climate with plenty of sunlight and rainfall. It is also expected that little sunlight or rainfall would reduce the growth of a tree. The change from a favorable to an unfavorable climate can be found out by the reading pattern of rings in a tree trunk. To find out the weather of ten years ago, you can count the rings of a tree trunk from the outside to the inside. If the tenth ring is far from the other rings, then it is certain that plenty of sunny and rainy weather occurred. If the rings are close together, then the climate was bad for the tree. Studying trees is important not only for the history of weather, but also for the history of man. In an area of New Mexico you can find only sand -- no trees or people. However, many centuries ago a large population lived there. They left suddenly. Why? A scientist studied the pattern of the rings of dead trees that had grown there. He made up his mind that the people had to leave because they had cut down all the trees. Trees were necessary to make fires and buildings. So, after the people destroyed the trees, they had to move. In this example studying tree rings uncovered an exciting fact about the history of man. By giving the example of an area of New Mexico, the author tries to prove _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "1,969 islands of various sizes.", "The concentrated zone of stone islands.", "989 islands that have been given names.", "Man's Head Island." ], "question": "Situated in the Northeast region of Vietnam, Halong Bay is made up of 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names. The concentrated zone of stone islands is famous for its spectacular scenery of caves, and forms the central zone of Halong Bay. Seen from above, Halong Bay looks like a geographic work of art. While exploring the bay, you feel lost in a wonderful world. There is Man's Head Island, which resembles a man standing and looking towards the mainland. Dragon Island looks like a dragon winding above the blue water. La Vong Island resembles an old man fishing. There are also the islands of the Sail, the Pair of Roosters, and the Incense Burner, which are all astonishingly like their names. It has been proven by scientists that Halong Bay was one of the first places of human existence. It is also a region of highly-concentrated biological diversity with many ecosystems of coral reefs, and tropical forests, which are home to thousands of species of animals and rare plants. The beach located along the coast of Halong Bay has a year-round average temperature of 20degC. Among the palm trees are large hotels. Visitors are seen on white sand and under the green trees are small family-run restaurants. After swimming, tourists can enjoy cold drinks. No wonder the 18h meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO officially recognized Halong Bay as a natural heritage site of worldwide importance. What forms the central zone of Halong Bay?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "have something to do with theirs shapes.", "were given by the visitors in Halong Bay", "were given by the geologists of Vietnam", "are related to their history" ], "question": "Situated in the Northeast region of Vietnam, Halong Bay is made up of 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names. The concentrated zone of stone islands is famous for its spectacular scenery of caves, and forms the central zone of Halong Bay. Seen from above, Halong Bay looks like a geographic work of art. While exploring the bay, you feel lost in a wonderful world. There is Man's Head Island, which resembles a man standing and looking towards the mainland. Dragon Island looks like a dragon winding above the blue water. La Vong Island resembles an old man fishing. There are also the islands of the Sail, the Pair of Roosters, and the Incense Burner, which are all astonishingly like their names. It has been proven by scientists that Halong Bay was one of the first places of human existence. It is also a region of highly-concentrated biological diversity with many ecosystems of coral reefs, and tropical forests, which are home to thousands of species of animals and rare plants. The beach located along the coast of Halong Bay has a year-round average temperature of 20degC. Among the palm trees are large hotels. Visitors are seen on white sand and under the green trees are small family-run restaurants. After swimming, tourists can enjoy cold drinks. No wonder the 18h meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO officially recognized Halong Bay as a natural heritage site of worldwide importance. We can infer that the names of most islands _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "tell some information about the history of Vietnam", "introduce the average temperature in Vietnam", "introduce the beach of Vietnam", "tell readers something about Halong Bay" ], "question": "Situated in the Northeast region of Vietnam, Halong Bay is made up of 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names. The concentrated zone of stone islands is famous for its spectacular scenery of caves, and forms the central zone of Halong Bay. Seen from above, Halong Bay looks like a geographic work of art. While exploring the bay, you feel lost in a wonderful world. There is Man's Head Island, which resembles a man standing and looking towards the mainland. Dragon Island looks like a dragon winding above the blue water. La Vong Island resembles an old man fishing. There are also the islands of the Sail, the Pair of Roosters, and the Incense Burner, which are all astonishingly like their names. It has been proven by scientists that Halong Bay was one of the first places of human existence. It is also a region of highly-concentrated biological diversity with many ecosystems of coral reefs, and tropical forests, which are home to thousands of species of animals and rare plants. The beach located along the coast of Halong Bay has a year-round average temperature of 20degC. Among the palm trees are large hotels. Visitors are seen on white sand and under the green trees are small family-run restaurants. After swimming, tourists can enjoy cold drinks. No wonder the 18h meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO officially recognized Halong Bay as a natural heritage site of worldwide importance. The author writes the passage mainly to _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "divisions between teenagers and their parents", "children's high consumption of products", "what is popular among children at the moment", "how to spend money wisely" ], "question": "It is normal for parents to question their children's hairstyle or the clothes they wear. But today teenagers and their parents argue over something else: money. Children are spending lots of it. Parents used to say to their children, \"You're wearing that?\" Now they say, \"You paid how much for that?\" Children in the US today spend five times more money than their parents did when they were young. So what are all these children buying? The list is long: ipods trainers , cellphones and jeans are typical items that children \"have to\" buy. And they will do anything to get them. They ask their parents over and over until they buy them. But parents also need to take the blame for spending so much money. They want their children to have the best stuff. They end up competing with other parents over what their children have. So no wonder children find it hard to learn the importance of saving money rather than spending it all the time. And it's hard to save when companies use advertising and clever slogans to encourage young people to buy their products. They even encourage children to keep asking their parents for something until they get it. Today, you don't even need to have money in order to buy something. Banks give out credit cards and loans all the time so people are saving less and less. We are used to there being lots of money around. And if you don't have much you can always borrow some. But this hasn't always been the case. When our grandparents were young there was very little money and everyone had to save hard for things they bought. They only bought things they needed, not things they just wanted. The older generation made the wise expression, \"Money doesn't grow on trees.\" This is as true now as it was 50 years ago. They give money a great deal of value. And we all have a lot to learn from them. The text mainly tells us _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "they encourage children to care about the latest fashion", "their consumption habits set a bad example for children", "they always give children too much pocket money", "they do nothing to help children establish healthy consumption habits" ], "question": "It is normal for parents to question their children's hairstyle or the clothes they wear. But today teenagers and their parents argue over something else: money. Children are spending lots of it. Parents used to say to their children, \"You're wearing that?\" Now they say, \"You paid how much for that?\" Children in the US today spend five times more money than their parents did when they were young. So what are all these children buying? The list is long: ipods trainers , cellphones and jeans are typical items that children \"have to\" buy. And they will do anything to get them. They ask their parents over and over until they buy them. But parents also need to take the blame for spending so much money. They want their children to have the best stuff. They end up competing with other parents over what their children have. So no wonder children find it hard to learn the importance of saving money rather than spending it all the time. And it's hard to save when companies use advertising and clever slogans to encourage young people to buy their products. They even encourage children to keep asking their parents for something until they get it. Today, you don't even need to have money in order to buy something. Banks give out credit cards and loans all the time so people are saving less and less. We are used to there being lots of money around. And if you don't have much you can always borrow some. But this hasn't always been the case. When our grandparents were young there was very little money and everyone had to save hard for things they bought. They only bought things they needed, not things they just wanted. The older generation made the wise expression, \"Money doesn't grow on trees.\" This is as true now as it was 50 years ago. They give money a great deal of value. And we all have a lot to learn from them. Parents are to blame for children's spending a lot of money because _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "banks provide credit cards and loans", "advertisements draw people's attention to new products", "people have more money than in the past and saving is out of date", "people's living standard has improved and they can buy what they want" ], "question": "It is normal for parents to question their children's hairstyle or the clothes they wear. But today teenagers and their parents argue over something else: money. Children are spending lots of it. Parents used to say to their children, \"You're wearing that?\" Now they say, \"You paid how much for that?\" Children in the US today spend five times more money than their parents did when they were young. So what are all these children buying? The list is long: ipods trainers , cellphones and jeans are typical items that children \"have to\" buy. And they will do anything to get them. They ask their parents over and over until they buy them. But parents also need to take the blame for spending so much money. They want their children to have the best stuff. They end up competing with other parents over what their children have. So no wonder children find it hard to learn the importance of saving money rather than spending it all the time. And it's hard to save when companies use advertising and clever slogans to encourage young people to buy their products. They even encourage children to keep asking their parents for something until they get it. Today, you don't even need to have money in order to buy something. Banks give out credit cards and loans all the time so people are saving less and less. We are used to there being lots of money around. And if you don't have much you can always borrow some. But this hasn't always been the case. When our grandparents were young there was very little money and everyone had to save hard for things they bought. They only bought things they needed, not things they just wanted. The older generation made the wise expression, \"Money doesn't grow on trees.\" This is as true now as it was 50 years ago. They give money a great deal of value. And we all have a lot to learn from them. Nowadays people find it hard to save money because of all of the following reasons EXCEPT that _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "the writer's mother might often wakes him up rudely", "the writer's mother is always kind to him", "the writer's mother hates him", "never wakes him up in the morning" ], "question": "I stayed in bed for a few minutes. I was reluctant to leave its warmth and comfort, and reluctant to face the problem that I'd let myself forget for the past six months. Finally, I dragged myself out of bed. I finished getting ready and tried to settle down. It didn't work, so I decided that my mum and I should go. We had a little time, so I thought we could practice parking. I failed, with the wheel hitting the pavement. After that, the little bit of confidence I'd had was gone. I tried two more times, but didn't improve much. Then we headed to the test site. I went into a room for some paperwork. And I waited for 20 minutes--just enough time to make myself believe that I was going to fail. Then, finally, it was my turn. I just wanted to get it over and make sure that I had to come back next Thursday. I stepped outside and the sky was the light blue I love. It offered me some comfort and I realized something: sometime between when I pulled myself off the seat and when I got outside, I had become calmer. The first thing I had to do was parking, which I did quite well. The confidence that came with it hit me like a wave. The rest of the test went well and I passed it all. As I drove back, the instructor told me I would not be coming back for a second test next Thursday. Back in the building I didn't have to say a word. My mum knew just by looking at me. Her smile made her face softer. And I'm sure it was at least as big as mine. But, her eyes looked kind of teary, so, I knew she was happy for me. We can infer _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "He has been ill in bed.", "He has been learning to drive.", "He has prepared to deal with failure.", "He has been looking after his mother." ], "question": "I stayed in bed for a few minutes. I was reluctant to leave its warmth and comfort, and reluctant to face the problem that I'd let myself forget for the past six months. Finally, I dragged myself out of bed. I finished getting ready and tried to settle down. It didn't work, so I decided that my mum and I should go. We had a little time, so I thought we could practice parking. I failed, with the wheel hitting the pavement. After that, the little bit of confidence I'd had was gone. I tried two more times, but didn't improve much. Then we headed to the test site. I went into a room for some paperwork. And I waited for 20 minutes--just enough time to make myself believe that I was going to fail. Then, finally, it was my turn. I just wanted to get it over and make sure that I had to come back next Thursday. I stepped outside and the sky was the light blue I love. It offered me some comfort and I realized something: sometime between when I pulled myself off the seat and when I got outside, I had become calmer. The first thing I had to do was parking, which I did quite well. The confidence that came with it hit me like a wave. The rest of the test went well and I passed it all. As I drove back, the instructor told me I would not be coming back for a second test next Thursday. Back in the building I didn't have to say a word. My mum knew just by looking at me. Her smile made her face softer. And I'm sure it was at least as big as mine. But, her eyes looked kind of teary, so, I knew she was happy for me. What has the author done probably in the past six months?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "As he did well at the beginning of the text, his confidence grew.", "He didn't doubt that he could pass the driving test.", "As soon as he got to the test site, he calmed down.", "He was happy that he had to come back next Thursday." ], "question": "I stayed in bed for a few minutes. I was reluctant to leave its warmth and comfort, and reluctant to face the problem that I'd let myself forget for the past six months. Finally, I dragged myself out of bed. I finished getting ready and tried to settle down. It didn't work, so I decided that my mum and I should go. We had a little time, so I thought we could practice parking. I failed, with the wheel hitting the pavement. After that, the little bit of confidence I'd had was gone. I tried two more times, but didn't improve much. Then we headed to the test site. I went into a room for some paperwork. And I waited for 20 minutes--just enough time to make myself believe that I was going to fail. Then, finally, it was my turn. I just wanted to get it over and make sure that I had to come back next Thursday. I stepped outside and the sky was the light blue I love. It offered me some comfort and I realized something: sometime between when I pulled myself off the seat and when I got outside, I had become calmer. The first thing I had to do was parking, which I did quite well. The confidence that came with it hit me like a wave. The rest of the test went well and I passed it all. As I drove back, the instructor told me I would not be coming back for a second test next Thursday. Back in the building I didn't have to say a word. My mum knew just by looking at me. Her smile made her face softer. And I'm sure it was at least as big as mine. But, her eyes looked kind of teary, so, I knew she was happy for me. Which is TRUE according to the passage?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "Uneasy.", "Unhappy.", "Unconfident.", "Unlucky." ], "question": "I stayed in bed for a few minutes. I was reluctant to leave its warmth and comfort, and reluctant to face the problem that I'd let myself forget for the past six months. Finally, I dragged myself out of bed. I finished getting ready and tried to settle down. It didn't work, so I decided that my mum and I should go. We had a little time, so I thought we could practice parking. I failed, with the wheel hitting the pavement. After that, the little bit of confidence I'd had was gone. I tried two more times, but didn't improve much. Then we headed to the test site. I went into a room for some paperwork. And I waited for 20 minutes--just enough time to make myself believe that I was going to fail. Then, finally, it was my turn. I just wanted to get it over and make sure that I had to come back next Thursday. I stepped outside and the sky was the light blue I love. It offered me some comfort and I realized something: sometime between when I pulled myself off the seat and when I got outside, I had become calmer. The first thing I had to do was parking, which I did quite well. The confidence that came with it hit me like a wave. The rest of the test went well and I passed it all. As I drove back, the instructor told me I would not be coming back for a second test next Thursday. Back in the building I didn't have to say a word. My mum knew just by looking at me. Her smile made her face softer. And I'm sure it was at least as big as mine. But, her eyes looked kind of teary, so, I knew she was happy for me. Which word can be used to describe the writer's character?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "bring his son newspapers", "give his grandchildren some food", "take exercise by walking", "see his son and grandchildren" ], "question": "My grandfather lived only half a mile away from where I grew up in New York. Every day, he would walk down to our house and bring my dad newspapers. Along with the papers he would bring a small bag of treats for my two brothers and me. Western New York had terrible winter weather: rain, sleet , or even 3 feet of snow. Even when he was 81, he still walked the half mile every single day. As a child, I looked forward to the daily treats, but now I'm older and I realize he braved the rough weather each day just to see us smile; I now value that more than anything else. My grandfather touched many lives. A woman who had been in hospital for five years told me her story. She said my grandfather would visit her twice a week at her home: to read to her, play bridge, or just chat. It lasted for years without stop. She had few visitors. Even a _ who had traveled by getting free rides from passing cars told me of my grandfather's influence on his life. My grandfather had picked him up for free and took the traveler to his home. After learning that the man was homeless, my grandfather gave him a place to stay. The man told me that no one had ever been so nice to him. He later found a job in a supermarket. I was touched, but not surprised to know all of the touching stories from which I understood my grandfather's selflessness. I have since tried to learn from him to help others. Although he died years ago, we still respect him. The writer's grandfather walked to his grandson's home each day in order to _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "kind", "selfless", "strict", "helpful" ], "question": "My grandfather lived only half a mile away from where I grew up in New York. Every day, he would walk down to our house and bring my dad newspapers. Along with the papers he would bring a small bag of treats for my two brothers and me. Western New York had terrible winter weather: rain, sleet , or even 3 feet of snow. Even when he was 81, he still walked the half mile every single day. As a child, I looked forward to the daily treats, but now I'm older and I realize he braved the rough weather each day just to see us smile; I now value that more than anything else. My grandfather touched many lives. A woman who had been in hospital for five years told me her story. She said my grandfather would visit her twice a week at her home: to read to her, play bridge, or just chat. It lasted for years without stop. She had few visitors. Even a _ who had traveled by getting free rides from passing cars told me of my grandfather's influence on his life. My grandfather had picked him up for free and took the traveler to his home. After learning that the man was homeless, my grandfather gave him a place to stay. The man told me that no one had ever been so nice to him. He later found a job in a supermarket. I was touched, but not surprised to know all of the touching stories from which I understood my grandfather's selflessness. I have since tried to learn from him to help others. Although he died years ago, we still respect him. All of the following can describe the writer's grandfather EXCEPT _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "the writer didn't know his grandfather's selflessness until years later", "the writer's grandfather went to his house except on snowy days", "the writer's grandfather ever looked after a woman in hospital for five years", "the writer's grandfather ever helped a stranger find a job in a supermarket" ], "question": "My grandfather lived only half a mile away from where I grew up in New York. Every day, he would walk down to our house and bring my dad newspapers. Along with the papers he would bring a small bag of treats for my two brothers and me. Western New York had terrible winter weather: rain, sleet , or even 3 feet of snow. Even when he was 81, he still walked the half mile every single day. As a child, I looked forward to the daily treats, but now I'm older and I realize he braved the rough weather each day just to see us smile; I now value that more than anything else. My grandfather touched many lives. A woman who had been in hospital for five years told me her story. She said my grandfather would visit her twice a week at her home: to read to her, play bridge, or just chat. It lasted for years without stop. She had few visitors. Even a _ who had traveled by getting free rides from passing cars told me of my grandfather's influence on his life. My grandfather had picked him up for free and took the traveler to his home. After learning that the man was homeless, my grandfather gave him a place to stay. The man told me that no one had ever been so nice to him. He later found a job in a supermarket. I was touched, but not surprised to know all of the touching stories from which I understood my grandfather's selflessness. I have since tried to learn from him to help others. Although he died years ago, we still respect him. From the text we can infer that _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "felt a little surprised at first", "followed the example of his grandfather", "was much sad all the time", "didn't like his grandfather's action" ], "question": "My grandfather lived only half a mile away from where I grew up in New York. Every day, he would walk down to our house and bring my dad newspapers. Along with the papers he would bring a small bag of treats for my two brothers and me. Western New York had terrible winter weather: rain, sleet , or even 3 feet of snow. Even when he was 81, he still walked the half mile every single day. As a child, I looked forward to the daily treats, but now I'm older and I realize he braved the rough weather each day just to see us smile; I now value that more than anything else. My grandfather touched many lives. A woman who had been in hospital for five years told me her story. She said my grandfather would visit her twice a week at her home: to read to her, play bridge, or just chat. It lasted for years without stop. She had few visitors. Even a _ who had traveled by getting free rides from passing cars told me of my grandfather's influence on his life. My grandfather had picked him up for free and took the traveler to his home. After learning that the man was homeless, my grandfather gave him a place to stay. The man told me that no one had ever been so nice to him. He later found a job in a supermarket. I was touched, but not surprised to know all of the touching stories from which I understood my grandfather's selflessness. I have since tried to learn from him to help others. Although he died years ago, we still respect him. After learning about his grandfather's stories, the writer _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "It once ran for 104 days nonstop.", "It is the one most difficult to ride.", "It is most modernly equipped.", "It is in a German town." ], "question": "Richard Rodriguez from the United States is a great roller coaster fan. Recently he broke his 15th world record after he spent 104 days riding the world's largest roller coaster. \"It got more difficult to ride and ride because of the muscle tiredness,\" Rodriguez, a teacher at the University of Chicago, said as he stepped down from the ride in a German park. He spent 10 hours a day on the roller coaster. Rodriguez tried to keep himself busy during the rides on the big roller coaster in a southwestern town in Germany. \"I read the newspapers...I have a walkman, I have my cellphone, so I try to talk to people and message people during the day,\" he said. Although the 42yearold said he felt sick on the first few days, he said he soon got over the problem. \"My face hurts sharply and I have a little backache, but I am good.\" The \"Expedition GeForce\" is one of the world's biggest roller coasters. It measures 62 meters at its highest point. On his 95th day on the coaster, after travelling over 25,000 kilometers, Rodriguez had a toothache and was treated by a local dentist. He went on after that and succeeded in breaking the record. Rodriguez celebrated with members of the park staff and his supporters, who had sent him postcards and emails encouraging him not to give up. What do we know about Expedition GeForce?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "he wanted to show the world the very best he could do", "he was having great fun doing that", "the roller coaster can't stop once it starts running", "he was able to live and work as usual on the coaster" ], "question": "Richard Rodriguez from the United States is a great roller coaster fan. Recently he broke his 15th world record after he spent 104 days riding the world's largest roller coaster. \"It got more difficult to ride and ride because of the muscle tiredness,\" Rodriguez, a teacher at the University of Chicago, said as he stepped down from the ride in a German park. He spent 10 hours a day on the roller coaster. Rodriguez tried to keep himself busy during the rides on the big roller coaster in a southwestern town in Germany. \"I read the newspapers...I have a walkman, I have my cellphone, so I try to talk to people and message people during the day,\" he said. Although the 42yearold said he felt sick on the first few days, he said he soon got over the problem. \"My face hurts sharply and I have a little backache, but I am good.\" The \"Expedition GeForce\" is one of the world's biggest roller coasters. It measures 62 meters at its highest point. On his 95th day on the coaster, after travelling over 25,000 kilometers, Rodriguez had a toothache and was treated by a local dentist. He went on after that and succeeded in breaking the record. Rodriguez celebrated with members of the park staff and his supporters, who had sent him postcards and emails encouraging him not to give up. Rodriguez kept on riding that long because _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "kept on working as a university teacher", "kept enjoying good health", "kept in touch with the world around him", "broke his world record 15 times" ], "question": "Richard Rodriguez from the United States is a great roller coaster fan. Recently he broke his 15th world record after he spent 104 days riding the world's largest roller coaster. \"It got more difficult to ride and ride because of the muscle tiredness,\" Rodriguez, a teacher at the University of Chicago, said as he stepped down from the ride in a German park. He spent 10 hours a day on the roller coaster. Rodriguez tried to keep himself busy during the rides on the big roller coaster in a southwestern town in Germany. \"I read the newspapers...I have a walkman, I have my cellphone, so I try to talk to people and message people during the day,\" he said. Although the 42yearold said he felt sick on the first few days, he said he soon got over the problem. \"My face hurts sharply and I have a little backache, but I am good.\" The \"Expedition GeForce\" is one of the world's biggest roller coasters. It measures 62 meters at its highest point. On his 95th day on the coaster, after travelling over 25,000 kilometers, Rodriguez had a toothache and was treated by a local dentist. He went on after that and succeeded in breaking the record. Rodriguez celebrated with members of the park staff and his supporters, who had sent him postcards and emails encouraging him not to give up. During the roller coaster ride, Rodriguez _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "16 times", "104 days and 10hour a day", "10 hours a day", "over 25,000 kilometers" ], "question": "Richard Rodriguez from the United States is a great roller coaster fan. Recently he broke his 15th world record after he spent 104 days riding the world's largest roller coaster. \"It got more difficult to ride and ride because of the muscle tiredness,\" Rodriguez, a teacher at the University of Chicago, said as he stepped down from the ride in a German park. He spent 10 hours a day on the roller coaster. Rodriguez tried to keep himself busy during the rides on the big roller coaster in a southwestern town in Germany. \"I read the newspapers...I have a walkman, I have my cellphone, so I try to talk to people and message people during the day,\" he said. Although the 42yearold said he felt sick on the first few days, he said he soon got over the problem. \"My face hurts sharply and I have a little backache, but I am good.\" The \"Expedition GeForce\" is one of the world's biggest roller coasters. It measures 62 meters at its highest point. On his 95th day on the coaster, after travelling over 25,000 kilometers, Rodriguez had a toothache and was treated by a local dentist. He went on after that and succeeded in breaking the record. Rodriguez celebrated with members of the park staff and his supporters, who had sent him postcards and emails encouraging him not to give up. The new world record was keeping on riding for _ on a roller coaster.", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "whether to give up her best friend", "what to do without her best friend", "whom to choose between two friends", "how to stop missing her former friend" ], "question": "Dear SJ, Losing a best friend is never easy. Your problem, is not just that you miss your best friend, it is that you feel empty and lost without her friendship. It takes time to get over a lost, and during that time, your mind is getting used to _ . This is usually a good thing, even if it feels like a bad thing. Now that you are on your own, you are being forced to learn to be by yourself and to rely upon your own inner voice for guidance. I am sure that this feels strange for you, but if you can hang on for a bit longer, it may work to your advantage. Best friends are cool, but it is important to know the difference between missing someone and being too independent upon them. At your age, girls do tend to stick together and having a good boyfriend may not yet be the better choice. Your friend is leaving you, her best friend, for a boyfriend. Boyfriends are completely different from best friends. The distinction is that boyfriends come and go, while girl friends often stay in your life throughout high school, and even afterwards. It is a completely different sort of bond. I suggest that you take advantage of this period in your life to expand your horizons. Enjoy the freedom of having no best friend for a while, and hang with the group. By the time your former best friend breaks up with her boyfriend, you will be in a completely different place, a far better place. And, by the way, next time you feel empty and lost, try to write about it in a diary. In several months, you will look back and read it with curiosity about yourself. \"Who was I then, and what could I have been thinking?\" Judging from the letter, SJ's problem was that she didn't know _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "take revenge on her former friend", "comfort her former friend", "feel more independent and confident", "continue friendship with her former friend" ], "question": "Dear SJ, Losing a best friend is never easy. Your problem, is not just that you miss your best friend, it is that you feel empty and lost without her friendship. It takes time to get over a lost, and during that time, your mind is getting used to _ . This is usually a good thing, even if it feels like a bad thing. Now that you are on your own, you are being forced to learn to be by yourself and to rely upon your own inner voice for guidance. I am sure that this feels strange for you, but if you can hang on for a bit longer, it may work to your advantage. Best friends are cool, but it is important to know the difference between missing someone and being too independent upon them. At your age, girls do tend to stick together and having a good boyfriend may not yet be the better choice. Your friend is leaving you, her best friend, for a boyfriend. Boyfriends are completely different from best friends. The distinction is that boyfriends come and go, while girl friends often stay in your life throughout high school, and even afterwards. It is a completely different sort of bond. I suggest that you take advantage of this period in your life to expand your horizons. Enjoy the freedom of having no best friend for a while, and hang with the group. By the time your former best friend breaks up with her boyfriend, you will be in a completely different place, a far better place. And, by the way, next time you feel empty and lost, try to write about it in a diary. In several months, you will look back and read it with curiosity about yourself. \"Who was I then, and what could I have been thinking?\" The writer believes by the time SJ's former friend loses her boyfriend, SJ will _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "the writer came to the cafe for the first time", "the old man made a living by telling jokes in the cafe", "the writer had known about the old man before", "what had happened to his best friend made the old man mad" ], "question": "I met the old man at a cafe. \"Did you hear the radio news yesterday?\" he asked me. \"No,\" I replied. \"Anything exciting?\"\"Exciting? NO! Something very sad. A group of hungry dogs killed and ate my best friend.\" \"Oh, dear!\" I cried. \"How did it happen?\"\"He was working on the hillside when the dogs attacked him. When he didn't return, I went to the hillside and found...\"\"His body?\" I asked. The old fellow drank half of his coffee. \"No. I told you they were hungry dogs, didn't I? The big bones were lying every where. But they found this.\" He pushed open a match box he was holding in his hand. In it was a man's thumb, lying on some white bloody material. \"This is my friend's right thumb. The dogs ate the rest of him\". The old man began to cry. He finished his coffee quickly and left the cafe. I drank mine and called the waiter. \"I'll pay the gentleman's bill. His poor friend--how terrible!\"\"You've heard the news?\" The waiter laughed. \"Sure. There's a hole in the bottom of the match box. He put his own thumb through the hole. The blood is red ink, I believe. Is the story worth a cup of coffee, sir?\"\"But he held the box in his right hand.\"\"Yes, but listeners look into the box. They just can't take their sight off that terrible thing.\"\"And when he tells the story, he gets free cup of coffee!\" I said, laughing. \"Yes, sir, but only from strangers who come to this town, and, of course, he does us no harm!\" We can learn from this passage _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "couldn't help laughing immediately", "showed great mercy upon him", "didn't believe him at all", "bought the old man another cup of coffee" ], "question": "I met the old man at a cafe. \"Did you hear the radio news yesterday?\" he asked me. \"No,\" I replied. \"Anything exciting?\"\"Exciting? NO! Something very sad. A group of hungry dogs killed and ate my best friend.\" \"Oh, dear!\" I cried. \"How did it happen?\"\"He was working on the hillside when the dogs attacked him. When he didn't return, I went to the hillside and found...\"\"His body?\" I asked. The old fellow drank half of his coffee. \"No. I told you they were hungry dogs, didn't I? The big bones were lying every where. But they found this.\" He pushed open a match box he was holding in his hand. In it was a man's thumb, lying on some white bloody material. \"This is my friend's right thumb. The dogs ate the rest of him\". The old man began to cry. He finished his coffee quickly and left the cafe. I drank mine and called the waiter. \"I'll pay the gentleman's bill. His poor friend--how terrible!\"\"You've heard the news?\" The waiter laughed. \"Sure. There's a hole in the bottom of the match box. He put his own thumb through the hole. The blood is red ink, I believe. Is the story worth a cup of coffee, sir?\"\"But he held the box in his right hand.\"\"Yes, but listeners look into the box. They just can't take their sight off that terrible thing.\"\"And when he tells the story, he gets free cup of coffee!\" I said, laughing. \"Yes, sir, but only from strangers who come to this town, and, of course, he does us no harm!\" Having heard the old man's story, the writer _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "the right thumb of his best friend", "the thumb he stole from the dead body of an unknown person", "something made of bloody white materials", "his own right thumb" ], "question": "I met the old man at a cafe. \"Did you hear the radio news yesterday?\" he asked me. \"No,\" I replied. \"Anything exciting?\"\"Exciting? NO! Something very sad. A group of hungry dogs killed and ate my best friend.\" \"Oh, dear!\" I cried. \"How did it happen?\"\"He was working on the hillside when the dogs attacked him. When he didn't return, I went to the hillside and found...\"\"His body?\" I asked. The old fellow drank half of his coffee. \"No. I told you they were hungry dogs, didn't I? The big bones were lying every where. But they found this.\" He pushed open a match box he was holding in his hand. In it was a man's thumb, lying on some white bloody material. \"This is my friend's right thumb. The dogs ate the rest of him\". The old man began to cry. He finished his coffee quickly and left the cafe. I drank mine and called the waiter. \"I'll pay the gentleman's bill. His poor friend--how terrible!\"\"You've heard the news?\" The waiter laughed. \"Sure. There's a hole in the bottom of the match box. He put his own thumb through the hole. The blood is red ink, I believe. Is the story worth a cup of coffee, sir?\"\"But he held the box in his right hand.\"\"Yes, but listeners look into the box. They just can't take their sight off that terrible thing.\"\"And when he tells the story, he gets free cup of coffee!\" I said, laughing. \"Yes, sir, but only from strangers who come to this town, and, of course, he does us no harm!\" It turned out that the thumb in the match box was actually _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "he was nobody but the best friend of the old man", "the old man wouldn't pay for his coffee if he did", "the waiter hadn't seen through the old man's trick", "the old man helped the cafe in some way" ], "question": "I met the old man at a cafe. \"Did you hear the radio news yesterday?\" he asked me. \"No,\" I replied. \"Anything exciting?\"\"Exciting? NO! Something very sad. A group of hungry dogs killed and ate my best friend.\" \"Oh, dear!\" I cried. \"How did it happen?\"\"He was working on the hillside when the dogs attacked him. When he didn't return, I went to the hillside and found...\"\"His body?\" I asked. The old fellow drank half of his coffee. \"No. I told you they were hungry dogs, didn't I? The big bones were lying every where. But they found this.\" He pushed open a match box he was holding in his hand. In it was a man's thumb, lying on some white bloody material. \"This is my friend's right thumb. The dogs ate the rest of him\". The old man began to cry. He finished his coffee quickly and left the cafe. I drank mine and called the waiter. \"I'll pay the gentleman's bill. His poor friend--how terrible!\"\"You've heard the news?\" The waiter laughed. \"Sure. There's a hole in the bottom of the match box. He put his own thumb through the hole. The blood is red ink, I believe. Is the story worth a cup of coffee, sir?\"\"But he held the box in his right hand.\"\"Yes, but listeners look into the box. They just can't take their sight off that terrible thing.\"\"And when he tells the story, he gets free cup of coffee!\" I said, laughing. \"Yes, sir, but only from strangers who come to this town, and, of course, he does us no harm!\" The waiter hadn't let out the truth of the old man's story earlier because _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "The writer refused to pay the old man's bill.", "The writer decided to make the trick known to the public.", "More strangers would hear the old man's story.", "The old man wouldn't visit the cafe any more." ], "question": "I met the old man at a cafe. \"Did you hear the radio news yesterday?\" he asked me. \"No,\" I replied. \"Anything exciting?\"\"Exciting? NO! Something very sad. A group of hungry dogs killed and ate my best friend.\" \"Oh, dear!\" I cried. \"How did it happen?\"\"He was working on the hillside when the dogs attacked him. When he didn't return, I went to the hillside and found...\"\"His body?\" I asked. The old fellow drank half of his coffee. \"No. I told you they were hungry dogs, didn't I? The big bones were lying every where. But they found this.\" He pushed open a match box he was holding in his hand. In it was a man's thumb, lying on some white bloody material. \"This is my friend's right thumb. The dogs ate the rest of him\". The old man began to cry. He finished his coffee quickly and left the cafe. I drank mine and called the waiter. \"I'll pay the gentleman's bill. His poor friend--how terrible!\"\"You've heard the news?\" The waiter laughed. \"Sure. There's a hole in the bottom of the match box. He put his own thumb through the hole. The blood is red ink, I believe. Is the story worth a cup of coffee, sir?\"\"But he held the box in his right hand.\"\"Yes, but listeners look into the box. They just can't take their sight off that terrible thing.\"\"And when he tells the story, he gets free cup of coffee!\" I said, laughing. \"Yes, sir, but only from strangers who come to this town, and, of course, he does us no harm!\" As suggested by the passage, what might happen in the end?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "Florida", "Australia", "The Bahamas", "Colorado" ], "question": "No one goes on an adventure tour with the thought that he won't make it back alive. It is unclear what Markus Groh thought when he signed up for a late February dive that could put him face-to-face with killer Sharks--without a cage to separate him from the man-eaters. He surely didn't expect to end up dead. But the 49-year-old man from Australia died on February 24 after being bitten on the leg while swimming with the sharks in the Bahamas. Every year, thousands of people die while living life to the fullest-- battling white-water rapids (every year a great number of people go white-water rafting in states like California and Colorado), climbing the world's tallest mountain peak, or descending to the depths of the ocean. The extreme sports are dangerous and you take your chances. Diving with dangerous sharks without a cage appeals to the thrill seekers. The tour , provided by Scuba Adventurers of River Beach, Florida, promoted its dives as great shark expeditions . \"To ensure the best results, we will put fish and fish parts in the water,\" The Scuba Adventures website stated. \"Consequently, there will be food in the water at the same time. Please be aware that these are not 'caged' dives; they are open water experiences. We will have crew members in the water at all times to ensure divers' safety.\" Rodney Barreto, chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, maintains there's no way the crew could ensure the safety of the divers. \"That's not a controlled environment, \" Barreto says. In 2001, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission banned the practice of fish feeding off the coast of Florida. Because the tour operator couldn't legally attract sharks with chum in Florida, Groh went to the Bahamas. Barreto says, \" We are not discouraging people from going diving. We are telling them to be responsible and obey the law. One of the reasons why they went to the Bahamas was that they were doing something outside the law.\" Where was Markus Groh from?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "They keep the sharks caged.", "They keep the divers caged.", "They feed the sharks before a dive.", "They have crew members in the water." ], "question": "No one goes on an adventure tour with the thought that he won't make it back alive. It is unclear what Markus Groh thought when he signed up for a late February dive that could put him face-to-face with killer Sharks--without a cage to separate him from the man-eaters. He surely didn't expect to end up dead. But the 49-year-old man from Australia died on February 24 after being bitten on the leg while swimming with the sharks in the Bahamas. Every year, thousands of people die while living life to the fullest-- battling white-water rapids (every year a great number of people go white-water rafting in states like California and Colorado), climbing the world's tallest mountain peak, or descending to the depths of the ocean. The extreme sports are dangerous and you take your chances. Diving with dangerous sharks without a cage appeals to the thrill seekers. The tour , provided by Scuba Adventurers of River Beach, Florida, promoted its dives as great shark expeditions . \"To ensure the best results, we will put fish and fish parts in the water,\" The Scuba Adventures website stated. \"Consequently, there will be food in the water at the same time. Please be aware that these are not 'caged' dives; they are open water experiences. We will have crew members in the water at all times to ensure divers' safety.\" Rodney Barreto, chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, maintains there's no way the crew could ensure the safety of the divers. \"That's not a controlled environment, \" Barreto says. In 2001, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission banned the practice of fish feeding off the coast of Florida. Because the tour operator couldn't legally attract sharks with chum in Florida, Groh went to the Bahamas. Barreto says, \" We are not discouraging people from going diving. We are telling them to be responsible and obey the law. One of the reasons why they went to the Bahamas was that they were doing something outside the law.\" What does Scuba Adventures do to make sure the divers are safe?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "Be aware of sharks.", "Notice the danger of adventures.", "Choose a reliable travel agency.", "The law can protect you." ], "question": "No one goes on an adventure tour with the thought that he won't make it back alive. It is unclear what Markus Groh thought when he signed up for a late February dive that could put him face-to-face with killer Sharks--without a cage to separate him from the man-eaters. He surely didn't expect to end up dead. But the 49-year-old man from Australia died on February 24 after being bitten on the leg while swimming with the sharks in the Bahamas. Every year, thousands of people die while living life to the fullest-- battling white-water rapids (every year a great number of people go white-water rafting in states like California and Colorado), climbing the world's tallest mountain peak, or descending to the depths of the ocean. The extreme sports are dangerous and you take your chances. Diving with dangerous sharks without a cage appeals to the thrill seekers. The tour , provided by Scuba Adventurers of River Beach, Florida, promoted its dives as great shark expeditions . \"To ensure the best results, we will put fish and fish parts in the water,\" The Scuba Adventures website stated. \"Consequently, there will be food in the water at the same time. Please be aware that these are not 'caged' dives; they are open water experiences. We will have crew members in the water at all times to ensure divers' safety.\" Rodney Barreto, chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, maintains there's no way the crew could ensure the safety of the divers. \"That's not a controlled environment, \" Barreto says. In 2001, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission banned the practice of fish feeding off the coast of Florida. Because the tour operator couldn't legally attract sharks with chum in Florida, Groh went to the Bahamas. Barreto says, \" We are not discouraging people from going diving. We are telling them to be responsible and obey the law. One of the reasons why they went to the Bahamas was that they were doing something outside the law.\" What would be the best title for the passage?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "Yale", "Harvard", "Princeton", "Columbia" ], "question": "Started in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest of all the many colleges and universities in the United States. Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth were opened soon after Harvard. In the early years, these schools were much alike. Only young men went to college. All the students studied the same subjects, and everyone learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Little was known about science then, and one kind of school could teach everything that was known about the world. When the students graduated, most of them became ministers or teachers. In 1782, Harvard started a medical school for young men who wanted to become doctors. Later, lawyers could receive their training in Harvard's law school. In 1825, besides Latin and Greek, Harvard began teaching modern languages, such as French and German. Soon it began teaching American history. As knowledge increased, Harvard and other colleges began to teach many new subjects. Students were allowed to choose the subjects that interested them. Today, there are many different kinds of colleges and universities. Most of them are made up of smaller schools that deal with special fields of learning. There's so much to learn that one kind of school can't offer it all. The oldest university in the US is _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "Latin and Greek", "Latin, Green, French and German", "American history and German", "French and German" ], "question": "Started in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest of all the many colleges and universities in the United States. Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth were opened soon after Harvard. In the early years, these schools were much alike. Only young men went to college. All the students studied the same subjects, and everyone learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Little was known about science then, and one kind of school could teach everything that was known about the world. When the students graduated, most of them became ministers or teachers. In 1782, Harvard started a medical school for young men who wanted to become doctors. Later, lawyers could receive their training in Harvard's law school. In 1825, besides Latin and Greek, Harvard began teaching modern languages, such as French and German. Soon it began teaching American history. As knowledge increased, Harvard and other colleges began to teach many new subjects. Students were allowed to choose the subjects that interested them. Today, there are many different kinds of colleges and universities. Most of them are made up of smaller schools that deal with special fields of learning. There's so much to learn that one kind of school can't offer it all. Modern languages the Harvard taught in 1825 were _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "everything that was known", "law and something about medicine", "many new subjects", "the subjects that interested students" ], "question": "Started in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest of all the many colleges and universities in the United States. Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth were opened soon after Harvard. In the early years, these schools were much alike. Only young men went to college. All the students studied the same subjects, and everyone learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Little was known about science then, and one kind of school could teach everything that was known about the world. When the students graduated, most of them became ministers or teachers. In 1782, Harvard started a medical school for young men who wanted to become doctors. Later, lawyers could receive their training in Harvard's law school. In 1825, besides Latin and Greek, Harvard began teaching modern languages, such as French and German. Soon it began teaching American history. As knowledge increased, Harvard and other colleges began to teach many new subjects. Students were allowed to choose the subjects that interested them. Today, there are many different kinds of colleges and universities. Most of them are made up of smaller schools that deal with special fields of learning. There's so much to learn that one kind of school can't offer it all. As knowledge increased, colleges began to teach _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "how to start a university", "the world-famous colleges in America", "how colleges have changed", "what kind of lesson each college teaches" ], "question": "Started in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest of all the many colleges and universities in the United States. Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth were opened soon after Harvard. In the early years, these schools were much alike. Only young men went to college. All the students studied the same subjects, and everyone learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Little was known about science then, and one kind of school could teach everything that was known about the world. When the students graduated, most of them became ministers or teachers. In 1782, Harvard started a medical school for young men who wanted to become doctors. Later, lawyers could receive their training in Harvard's law school. In 1825, besides Latin and Greek, Harvard began teaching modern languages, such as French and German. Soon it began teaching American history. As knowledge increased, Harvard and other colleges began to teach many new subjects. Students were allowed to choose the subjects that interested them. Today, there are many different kinds of colleges and universities. Most of them are made up of smaller schools that deal with special fields of learning. There's so much to learn that one kind of school can't offer it all. On the whole, the passage is about _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "be no trouble at all", "be too easy for Gilbert", "be beyond Gilbert's ability", "require no skills" ], "question": "My son Gilbert was eight years old and had been in the Cub Scouts only a short time. Once he was handed a sheet of paper, a block of wood and four tires and told to return home and give them all to his father. That was not an easy task for Gilbert to do. The piece of paper was a set of instructions about how to build a wooden racing car. Gilbert's father laughed when he read the instructions. The block of wood remained untouched as the weeks passed. Finally, I stepped in to see if I could figure it all out. Having no skills, I decided it would be best if I simply read the instructions and let Gilbert do the work. And he did. Within days, his block of wood was turning into a pinewood racing car. Then the big night came. With his pinewood racing car in his hand and pride in his heart we headed to the big race. As the race was done in elimination fashion , you could keep racing as long as you were the winner. Finally, it was between Gilbert and the fastestlooking car there. As the race was about to begin, Gilbert asked if they could stop for a minute, because he wanted to pray. Then the race stopped. Gilbert prayed in earnest for a very long minute. The Master came up to Gilbert and asked the obvious question, \"So you prayed to win, Gilbert?\" My young son answered, \"Oh, no Sir. It wouldn't be fair to ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked him to make it so I don't cry when I lose.\" Children seem to have wisdom far beyond us. Perhaps we spend too much of our prayer time asking God to control the race, make us the champion, or remove us from the struggle, when we should be seeking God's strength to get through what lies in our way. Gilbert's father thought the task given by the Cub Scouts could _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "Gilbert.", "Gilbert's father.", "Gilbert's mother.", "The whole family." ], "question": "My son Gilbert was eight years old and had been in the Cub Scouts only a short time. Once he was handed a sheet of paper, a block of wood and four tires and told to return home and give them all to his father. That was not an easy task for Gilbert to do. The piece of paper was a set of instructions about how to build a wooden racing car. Gilbert's father laughed when he read the instructions. The block of wood remained untouched as the weeks passed. Finally, I stepped in to see if I could figure it all out. Having no skills, I decided it would be best if I simply read the instructions and let Gilbert do the work. And he did. Within days, his block of wood was turning into a pinewood racing car. Then the big night came. With his pinewood racing car in his hand and pride in his heart we headed to the big race. As the race was done in elimination fashion , you could keep racing as long as you were the winner. Finally, it was between Gilbert and the fastestlooking car there. As the race was about to begin, Gilbert asked if they could stop for a minute, because he wanted to pray. Then the race stopped. Gilbert prayed in earnest for a very long minute. The Master came up to Gilbert and asked the obvious question, \"So you prayed to win, Gilbert?\" My young son answered, \"Oh, no Sir. It wouldn't be fair to ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked him to make it so I don't cry when I lose.\" Children seem to have wisdom far beyond us. Perhaps we spend too much of our prayer time asking God to control the race, make us the champion, or remove us from the struggle, when we should be seeking God's strength to get through what lies in our way. Who finally made the pinewood racing car?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "He made it in the final race.", "His performance inspired his mom.", "He thought the Master unfair.", "He was very afraid of losing the race." ], "question": "My son Gilbert was eight years old and had been in the Cub Scouts only a short time. Once he was handed a sheet of paper, a block of wood and four tires and told to return home and give them all to his father. That was not an easy task for Gilbert to do. The piece of paper was a set of instructions about how to build a wooden racing car. Gilbert's father laughed when he read the instructions. The block of wood remained untouched as the weeks passed. Finally, I stepped in to see if I could figure it all out. Having no skills, I decided it would be best if I simply read the instructions and let Gilbert do the work. And he did. Within days, his block of wood was turning into a pinewood racing car. Then the big night came. With his pinewood racing car in his hand and pride in his heart we headed to the big race. As the race was done in elimination fashion , you could keep racing as long as you were the winner. Finally, it was between Gilbert and the fastestlooking car there. As the race was about to begin, Gilbert asked if they could stop for a minute, because he wanted to pray. Then the race stopped. Gilbert prayed in earnest for a very long minute. The Master came up to Gilbert and asked the obvious question, \"So you prayed to win, Gilbert?\" My young son answered, \"Oh, no Sir. It wouldn't be fair to ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked him to make it so I don't cry when I lose.\" Children seem to have wisdom far beyond us. Perhaps we spend too much of our prayer time asking God to control the race, make us the champion, or remove us from the struggle, when we should be seeking God's strength to get through what lies in our way. What can we learn about Gilbert?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "adults should communicate more with children", "we should have faith in our ability to win", "victory is the power to overcome difficulties", "friendship is more important than winning" ], "question": "My son Gilbert was eight years old and had been in the Cub Scouts only a short time. Once he was handed a sheet of paper, a block of wood and four tires and told to return home and give them all to his father. That was not an easy task for Gilbert to do. The piece of paper was a set of instructions about how to build a wooden racing car. Gilbert's father laughed when he read the instructions. The block of wood remained untouched as the weeks passed. Finally, I stepped in to see if I could figure it all out. Having no skills, I decided it would be best if I simply read the instructions and let Gilbert do the work. And he did. Within days, his block of wood was turning into a pinewood racing car. Then the big night came. With his pinewood racing car in his hand and pride in his heart we headed to the big race. As the race was done in elimination fashion , you could keep racing as long as you were the winner. Finally, it was between Gilbert and the fastestlooking car there. As the race was about to begin, Gilbert asked if they could stop for a minute, because he wanted to pray. Then the race stopped. Gilbert prayed in earnest for a very long minute. The Master came up to Gilbert and asked the obvious question, \"So you prayed to win, Gilbert?\" My young son answered, \"Oh, no Sir. It wouldn't be fair to ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked him to make it so I don't cry when I lose.\" Children seem to have wisdom far beyond us. Perhaps we spend too much of our prayer time asking God to control the race, make us the champion, or remove us from the struggle, when we should be seeking God's strength to get through what lies in our way. The author writes this passage to tell us that _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "About 99% of 15- to-19-year-olds are safe at school.", "Fewer students have died in car accidents than in shootings.", "Students shot to death at school are half of all students.", "Fatal shootings of students are less than 1% of all homicides." ], "question": "School violence is in the headlines again after recent shootings at schools in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Colorado. After hearing the news, it's natural for students -- no matter how old they are or where they go to school -- to worry about whether this type of incident may someday happen to them. So how safe are schools? It's actually safer to be in a school than in a car. Twice as many 15-to-19-year-olds die in car accidents than in shootings (and that's all shootings, not just the ones that happen in schools). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 1% of all homicides among school-age children happen on school grounds or on the way to and from school. So the vast majority of students will never experience violence at school. However, some schools have re-evaluated their safety needs in response to the concerns of families and communities. Some now require that guests check in at the office or have more guards on duty. Some schools have fixed metal detectors. Another thing that helps make schools safer is greater awareness of problems like bullying and discrimination. Many schools have practiced programs to fight these problems and to help teachers and administrators know more about protecting students from this type of violence. The cause of school violence isn't easy to understand. There is no single reason why students become violent. Some are just copying behavior they've seen at home, in the streets, or in video games, movies, or television. There's one thing experts do agree on, though: Having access to guns or other weapons makes it easier for some people to lash out against the things or people they don't like. Which of the following statements can prove that schools are safe?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "families will be more concerned about schools", "communities will be responsible for schools", "teachers will pay more attention to shootings", "administrators will arrange to have more guards on duty" ], "question": "School violence is in the headlines again after recent shootings at schools in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Colorado. After hearing the news, it's natural for students -- no matter how old they are or where they go to school -- to worry about whether this type of incident may someday happen to them. So how safe are schools? It's actually safer to be in a school than in a car. Twice as many 15-to-19-year-olds die in car accidents than in shootings (and that's all shootings, not just the ones that happen in schools). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 1% of all homicides among school-age children happen on school grounds or on the way to and from school. So the vast majority of students will never experience violence at school. However, some schools have re-evaluated their safety needs in response to the concerns of families and communities. Some now require that guests check in at the office or have more guards on duty. Some schools have fixed metal detectors. Another thing that helps make schools safer is greater awareness of problems like bullying and discrimination. Many schools have practiced programs to fight these problems and to help teachers and administrators know more about protecting students from this type of violence. The cause of school violence isn't easy to understand. There is no single reason why students become violent. Some are just copying behavior they've seen at home, in the streets, or in video games, movies, or television. There's one thing experts do agree on, though: Having access to guns or other weapons makes it easier for some people to lash out against the things or people they don't like. After schools have re-evaluated their safety needs, _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "an analysis report", "a realistic novel", "a case investigation", "a news journal" ], "question": "School violence is in the headlines again after recent shootings at schools in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Colorado. After hearing the news, it's natural for students -- no matter how old they are or where they go to school -- to worry about whether this type of incident may someday happen to them. So how safe are schools? It's actually safer to be in a school than in a car. Twice as many 15-to-19-year-olds die in car accidents than in shootings (and that's all shootings, not just the ones that happen in schools). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 1% of all homicides among school-age children happen on school grounds or on the way to and from school. So the vast majority of students will never experience violence at school. However, some schools have re-evaluated their safety needs in response to the concerns of families and communities. Some now require that guests check in at the office or have more guards on duty. Some schools have fixed metal detectors. Another thing that helps make schools safer is greater awareness of problems like bullying and discrimination. Many schools have practiced programs to fight these problems and to help teachers and administrators know more about protecting students from this type of violence. The cause of school violence isn't easy to understand. There is no single reason why students become violent. Some are just copying behavior they've seen at home, in the streets, or in video games, movies, or television. There's one thing experts do agree on, though: Having access to guns or other weapons makes it easier for some people to lash out against the things or people they don't like. We could probably see this passage in _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "The stable income.", "Good heath care.", "Practical profits.", "Low work stress level." ], "question": "The huge thirst for jobs in the civil service has made the national civil servant exam one of China's most competitive tests. The first exam was held in 1995, and since then more and more people have signed up for it, with applications reaching a peak over the last two years. The latest online survey, carried out by China Youth Daily and www.qq.com, found that more than 73 percent of young people want to work as civil servants. Of the 17,330 respondents, about 83 percent said they were attracted by the job's stability, guaranteed health care and pension . Meanwhile, 55 percent said it could bring \"practical profits\". Nearly 1 million people applied to take the exam last year, yet only just over 10,000 were finally employed. This year the competition continued. The exact number of applicants is not known, with the final day for applications today. But the flood of applicants has already broken the exam's website once. China Youth Daily reported that the site was forced to close for _ due to unusually high traffic on the night of October 16, which has never happened in the past. In a typical year several hundred applicants will apply for many of the jobs listed. For example, the five job vacancies provided by the secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPC have attracted more than 3,880 applicants this year. Positions as civil servants are attractive, not only because of the stable income and good health care, but also because of the low risks compared with the power and resources the positions enjoy. Among the total 6 million public servants, around 20,000 were dismissed between 1996 and 2007. Which of the following could NOT be the reason for the attraction of civil servant?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "835.", "750.", "776.", "3,880." ], "question": "The huge thirst for jobs in the civil service has made the national civil servant exam one of China's most competitive tests. The first exam was held in 1995, and since then more and more people have signed up for it, with applications reaching a peak over the last two years. The latest online survey, carried out by China Youth Daily and www.qq.com, found that more than 73 percent of young people want to work as civil servants. Of the 17,330 respondents, about 83 percent said they were attracted by the job's stability, guaranteed health care and pension . Meanwhile, 55 percent said it could bring \"practical profits\". Nearly 1 million people applied to take the exam last year, yet only just over 10,000 were finally employed. This year the competition continued. The exact number of applicants is not known, with the final day for applications today. But the flood of applicants has already broken the exam's website once. China Youth Daily reported that the site was forced to close for _ due to unusually high traffic on the night of October 16, which has never happened in the past. In a typical year several hundred applicants will apply for many of the jobs listed. For example, the five job vacancies provided by the secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPC have attracted more than 3,880 applicants this year. Positions as civil servants are attractive, not only because of the stable income and good health care, but also because of the low risks compared with the power and resources the positions enjoy. Among the total 6 million public servants, around 20,000 were dismissed between 1996 and 2007. How many people on average will compete for one post provided by the secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPC this year?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "Advantages of civil servants", "Deadline for applications", "Many applicants for one position", "Civil servant exam turns tougher" ], "question": "The huge thirst for jobs in the civil service has made the national civil servant exam one of China's most competitive tests. The first exam was held in 1995, and since then more and more people have signed up for it, with applications reaching a peak over the last two years. The latest online survey, carried out by China Youth Daily and www.qq.com, found that more than 73 percent of young people want to work as civil servants. Of the 17,330 respondents, about 83 percent said they were attracted by the job's stability, guaranteed health care and pension . Meanwhile, 55 percent said it could bring \"practical profits\". Nearly 1 million people applied to take the exam last year, yet only just over 10,000 were finally employed. This year the competition continued. The exact number of applicants is not known, with the final day for applications today. But the flood of applicants has already broken the exam's website once. China Youth Daily reported that the site was forced to close for _ due to unusually high traffic on the night of October 16, which has never happened in the past. In a typical year several hundred applicants will apply for many of the jobs listed. For example, the five job vacancies provided by the secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPC have attracted more than 3,880 applicants this year. Positions as civil servants are attractive, not only because of the stable income and good health care, but also because of the low risks compared with the power and resources the positions enjoy. Among the total 6 million public servants, around 20,000 were dismissed between 1996 and 2007. What would be the best title for the passage?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "Indians used to hunt grey wolves to make a living.", "Tourists can only visit the park by walking or hiking.", "The number of grey wolves is smaller than that of deer.", "Food provided by Rock Harbor Lodge is shipped from outside." ], "question": "Nearly 60 million visitors flooded to the 384 national parks across America every year. And you won't have to wander far from home to enjoy one of these national treasures, with Michigan's Isle Royale National Park nearby. Located 56 miles from Copper Harbor on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the park remains _ that can only be reached by tour boat. With the exception of the Rock Harbor Lodge, which offers both rooms with private baths and accommodations in the form of small cottages, the 572,000 acres that make up the 45-mile-long park are rough, threaded with hiking paths that lead to tents-only campsites. You are likely to see a deer crossing mist-covered ponds in search of breakfast, gaze bald eagles flying overhead, or hear a beaver clapping its tail on the water. If you are especially lucky, you might even glimpse a grey wolf, nearly dying out from hunting on the mainland. Plenty of hiking paths open the area to exploration. The 4-mile Stroll Path winds through various trees and offers a tour of the island's history, including prehistoric Indian mines. The Jungle Path leads to Scoville Point----a perfect picnic spot surrounded on three sides by the shining waters of Lake Superior. You can also rent a boat at the park's service center and row down the shore to the Rock Harbor Lighthouse. Here park's service employees use nets to show how lake fishes used to be caught by the original local people. Their catch ends up on the dinner menu at the Rock Harbor Lodge. The park is open from mid-April through October; Rock Harbor Lodge is open from Memorial Day weekend until just after Labor Day. What can we infer from the passage?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "Safety tips of the natural park.", "Attractions of the natural park.", "Tourist service of the natural park.", "Environmental protection of the natural park." ], "question": "Nearly 60 million visitors flooded to the 384 national parks across America every year. And you won't have to wander far from home to enjoy one of these national treasures, with Michigan's Isle Royale National Park nearby. Located 56 miles from Copper Harbor on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the park remains _ that can only be reached by tour boat. With the exception of the Rock Harbor Lodge, which offers both rooms with private baths and accommodations in the form of small cottages, the 572,000 acres that make up the 45-mile-long park are rough, threaded with hiking paths that lead to tents-only campsites. You are likely to see a deer crossing mist-covered ponds in search of breakfast, gaze bald eagles flying overhead, or hear a beaver clapping its tail on the water. If you are especially lucky, you might even glimpse a grey wolf, nearly dying out from hunting on the mainland. Plenty of hiking paths open the area to exploration. The 4-mile Stroll Path winds through various trees and offers a tour of the island's history, including prehistoric Indian mines. The Jungle Path leads to Scoville Point----a perfect picnic spot surrounded on three sides by the shining waters of Lake Superior. You can also rent a boat at the park's service center and row down the shore to the Rock Harbor Lighthouse. Here park's service employees use nets to show how lake fishes used to be caught by the original local people. Their catch ends up on the dinner menu at the Rock Harbor Lodge. The park is open from mid-April through October; Rock Harbor Lodge is open from Memorial Day weekend until just after Labor Day. What is the main idea of the passage?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "Supportive", "Objective", "Indifferent", "Neutral" ], "question": "We like to think our intelligence is self-made; it happens inside our heads, the product of our inner thoughts alone. But the rise of Google, Wikipedia and other online tools has made many people question the impact of these technologies on our brains. Is typing in \"Who has played James Bond in the movies?\" the same as our knowledge about the names like Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig? Can we say we know the answer as long as we know how to rapidly get the information on Google? Here the question is about how we define intelligence itself. The answer appears to be interesting, because the evidence from psychological studies suggests that much of our intelligence comes from how we coordinate ourselves with other people and our environment. An influential theory among psychologists is that we're cognitive misers . This is the idea that we are unwilling to do mental work unless we have to. We try to avoid thinking things fully when a short cut is available. If you've ever voted for the presidential candidate with the most honest smile, or chosen a restaurant based on how many people are already sitting in there, then you are a cognitive miser. The theory explains why we'd much rather type a zip code into Google Maps than memorize and recall the location of a place - it's so much easier to do so. Research shows that people don't tend to rely on their memories for things they can easily access. Buildings can somehow disappear from pictures we're looking at, or the people we're talking to can be changed with someone else, and often we won't notice - a phenomenon called \"change blindness\". This isn't an example of human stupidity - far from it, in fact - this is an example of mental efficiency. The mind relies on the world as a better record than memory. Philosophers have suggested that thinking is really happening in the environment as much as it is happening in our brains. The philosopher Andy Clark called humans \"natural born cyborgs \", those naturally capable of absorbing and combining new tools, ideas and abilities. In Clark's view, the route to a solution is not the issue - having the right tools really does mean you know the answers, just as much as already knowing the answer. Rather than being forced to rely on our own resources for everything, we can share our knowledge. Technology keeps track of things for us so we don't have to, while large systems of knowledge serve the needs of society as a whole. I don't know how a computer works, or how to grow vegetables, but that knowledge is out there and I can get to benefit. The internet provides even more potential to share this knowledge. Wikipedia is one of the best examples - an increasingly large database of knowledge from which everyone can benefit. So as well as having a physical environment - like the rooms or buildings we live or work in - we also have a mental environment, which means that when I ask you where your mind is, you shouldn't point toward the centre of your forehead. As research shows, our minds are made up just as much by the people and tools around us as they are by the brain cells inside our skull. What is the writer's attitude towards the rise of technologies like Google and Wikipedia?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "Intelligence is something that is made by one's brain itself.", "Intelligence is something that only happens inside one's head.", "Intelligence is the product of one's inner thoughts alone.", "Intelligence is a mixture of the environment, people and one's brain cells." ], "question": "We like to think our intelligence is self-made; it happens inside our heads, the product of our inner thoughts alone. But the rise of Google, Wikipedia and other online tools has made many people question the impact of these technologies on our brains. Is typing in \"Who has played James Bond in the movies?\" the same as our knowledge about the names like Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig? Can we say we know the answer as long as we know how to rapidly get the information on Google? Here the question is about how we define intelligence itself. The answer appears to be interesting, because the evidence from psychological studies suggests that much of our intelligence comes from how we coordinate ourselves with other people and our environment. An influential theory among psychologists is that we're cognitive misers . This is the idea that we are unwilling to do mental work unless we have to. We try to avoid thinking things fully when a short cut is available. If you've ever voted for the presidential candidate with the most honest smile, or chosen a restaurant based on how many people are already sitting in there, then you are a cognitive miser. The theory explains why we'd much rather type a zip code into Google Maps than memorize and recall the location of a place - it's so much easier to do so. Research shows that people don't tend to rely on their memories for things they can easily access. Buildings can somehow disappear from pictures we're looking at, or the people we're talking to can be changed with someone else, and often we won't notice - a phenomenon called \"change blindness\". This isn't an example of human stupidity - far from it, in fact - this is an example of mental efficiency. The mind relies on the world as a better record than memory. Philosophers have suggested that thinking is really happening in the environment as much as it is happening in our brains. The philosopher Andy Clark called humans \"natural born cyborgs \", those naturally capable of absorbing and combining new tools, ideas and abilities. In Clark's view, the route to a solution is not the issue - having the right tools really does mean you know the answers, just as much as already knowing the answer. Rather than being forced to rely on our own resources for everything, we can share our knowledge. Technology keeps track of things for us so we don't have to, while large systems of knowledge serve the needs of society as a whole. I don't know how a computer works, or how to grow vegetables, but that knowledge is out there and I can get to benefit. The internet provides even more potential to share this knowledge. Wikipedia is one of the best examples - an increasingly large database of knowledge from which everyone can benefit. So as well as having a physical environment - like the rooms or buildings we live or work in - we also have a mental environment, which means that when I ask you where your mind is, you shouldn't point toward the centre of your forehead. As research shows, our minds are made up just as much by the people and tools around us as they are by the brain cells inside our skull. Which of the following might the philosopher Andy Clark agree with?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "are stupid not to notice the changes", "are efficient in mental work", "are blind to changes around them", "rely on memory when dealing with things" ], "question": "We like to think our intelligence is self-made; it happens inside our heads, the product of our inner thoughts alone. But the rise of Google, Wikipedia and other online tools has made many people question the impact of these technologies on our brains. Is typing in \"Who has played James Bond in the movies?\" the same as our knowledge about the names like Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig? Can we say we know the answer as long as we know how to rapidly get the information on Google? Here the question is about how we define intelligence itself. The answer appears to be interesting, because the evidence from psychological studies suggests that much of our intelligence comes from how we coordinate ourselves with other people and our environment. An influential theory among psychologists is that we're cognitive misers . This is the idea that we are unwilling to do mental work unless we have to. We try to avoid thinking things fully when a short cut is available. If you've ever voted for the presidential candidate with the most honest smile, or chosen a restaurant based on how many people are already sitting in there, then you are a cognitive miser. The theory explains why we'd much rather type a zip code into Google Maps than memorize and recall the location of a place - it's so much easier to do so. Research shows that people don't tend to rely on their memories for things they can easily access. Buildings can somehow disappear from pictures we're looking at, or the people we're talking to can be changed with someone else, and often we won't notice - a phenomenon called \"change blindness\". This isn't an example of human stupidity - far from it, in fact - this is an example of mental efficiency. The mind relies on the world as a better record than memory. Philosophers have suggested that thinking is really happening in the environment as much as it is happening in our brains. The philosopher Andy Clark called humans \"natural born cyborgs \", those naturally capable of absorbing and combining new tools, ideas and abilities. In Clark's view, the route to a solution is not the issue - having the right tools really does mean you know the answers, just as much as already knowing the answer. Rather than being forced to rely on our own resources for everything, we can share our knowledge. Technology keeps track of things for us so we don't have to, while large systems of knowledge serve the needs of society as a whole. I don't know how a computer works, or how to grow vegetables, but that knowledge is out there and I can get to benefit. The internet provides even more potential to share this knowledge. Wikipedia is one of the best examples - an increasingly large database of knowledge from which everyone can benefit. So as well as having a physical environment - like the rooms or buildings we live or work in - we also have a mental environment, which means that when I ask you where your mind is, you shouldn't point toward the centre of your forehead. As research shows, our minds are made up just as much by the people and tools around us as they are by the brain cells inside our skull. It is true about the phenomenon called \"change blindness\" that human beings _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "They make us much more intelligent.", "They make us lazier and more stupid.", "They have little to do with our intelligence.", "They have a negative effect on our intelligence." ], "question": "We like to think our intelligence is self-made; it happens inside our heads, the product of our inner thoughts alone. But the rise of Google, Wikipedia and other online tools has made many people question the impact of these technologies on our brains. Is typing in \"Who has played James Bond in the movies?\" the same as our knowledge about the names like Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig? Can we say we know the answer as long as we know how to rapidly get the information on Google? Here the question is about how we define intelligence itself. The answer appears to be interesting, because the evidence from psychological studies suggests that much of our intelligence comes from how we coordinate ourselves with other people and our environment. An influential theory among psychologists is that we're cognitive misers . This is the idea that we are unwilling to do mental work unless we have to. We try to avoid thinking things fully when a short cut is available. If you've ever voted for the presidential candidate with the most honest smile, or chosen a restaurant based on how many people are already sitting in there, then you are a cognitive miser. The theory explains why we'd much rather type a zip code into Google Maps than memorize and recall the location of a place - it's so much easier to do so. Research shows that people don't tend to rely on their memories for things they can easily access. Buildings can somehow disappear from pictures we're looking at, or the people we're talking to can be changed with someone else, and often we won't notice - a phenomenon called \"change blindness\". This isn't an example of human stupidity - far from it, in fact - this is an example of mental efficiency. The mind relies on the world as a better record than memory. Philosophers have suggested that thinking is really happening in the environment as much as it is happening in our brains. The philosopher Andy Clark called humans \"natural born cyborgs \", those naturally capable of absorbing and combining new tools, ideas and abilities. In Clark's view, the route to a solution is not the issue - having the right tools really does mean you know the answers, just as much as already knowing the answer. Rather than being forced to rely on our own resources for everything, we can share our knowledge. Technology keeps track of things for us so we don't have to, while large systems of knowledge serve the needs of society as a whole. I don't know how a computer works, or how to grow vegetables, but that knowledge is out there and I can get to benefit. The internet provides even more potential to share this knowledge. Wikipedia is one of the best examples - an increasingly large database of knowledge from which everyone can benefit. So as well as having a physical environment - like the rooms or buildings we live or work in - we also have a mental environment, which means that when I ask you where your mind is, you shouldn't point toward the centre of your forehead. As research shows, our minds are made up just as much by the people and tools around us as they are by the brain cells inside our skull. According to the text, how do technologies like Google, Wikipedia affect us?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "to help those homeless people in the room", "to apply for a permit for ABC", "to call on the government to help those homeless children", "to get permission to look after babies during the day" ], "question": "While others look away from trouble, this lady digs in and gets to work. Gretchen Buchenholz, the native New Yorker and mother of six, has worked on behalf of needy and margin1alized families for years in the city. She does everything from buy groceries for homeless families to start schools for children. In 1974 she founded Merricat's Castle, a nursery school that opened its doors to kids of all racial and economic backgrounds, the able-bodied as well as those with disabilities or terminal illnesses. She founded the Association to Benefit Children (ABC), the nonprofit group, some 20 years ago. The story of how she started ABC is pretty amazing. In 1984 she was on her way to a government office to get a day-care permit when, by accident, she entered a room where homeless families were waiting to be placed in a \" welfare hotel.\" She saw three bare cribs with babies lying in them. The children wore no diapers (their parents couldn't afford them), and the room was filthy . After talking to the parents and learning that they and their children were hungry, Gretchen marched out and bought bread, peanut butter, apple juice and diapers. Then she started making phone calls. She dialed the American Red Cross, City Hall and The New York Times. Gretchen has made many people see that we need to recognize these children are not different from our own, and we need to join in and help. Too often, people look away from suffering. But she sets us an example that we should gain strength to do something about it. She went to the government office _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "they had no parents", "their parents were waiting for the government's help", "their parents had no money to buy diapers", "Gretchen Buchenholz would buy diapers for them" ], "question": "While others look away from trouble, this lady digs in and gets to work. Gretchen Buchenholz, the native New Yorker and mother of six, has worked on behalf of needy and margin1alized families for years in the city. She does everything from buy groceries for homeless families to start schools for children. In 1974 she founded Merricat's Castle, a nursery school that opened its doors to kids of all racial and economic backgrounds, the able-bodied as well as those with disabilities or terminal illnesses. She founded the Association to Benefit Children (ABC), the nonprofit group, some 20 years ago. The story of how she started ABC is pretty amazing. In 1984 she was on her way to a government office to get a day-care permit when, by accident, she entered a room where homeless families were waiting to be placed in a \" welfare hotel.\" She saw three bare cribs with babies lying in them. The children wore no diapers (their parents couldn't afford them), and the room was filthy . After talking to the parents and learning that they and their children were hungry, Gretchen marched out and bought bread, peanut butter, apple juice and diapers. Then she started making phone calls. She dialed the American Red Cross, City Hall and The New York Times. Gretchen has made many people see that we need to recognize these children are not different from our own, and we need to join in and help. Too often, people look away from suffering. But she sets us an example that we should gain strength to do something about it. The children wore no diapers because _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "called up City Hall to get help for those homeless people", "moved to New York at a young age", "treats the children equally whether they are normal or disabled", "starts schools for those homeless children" ], "question": "While others look away from trouble, this lady digs in and gets to work. Gretchen Buchenholz, the native New Yorker and mother of six, has worked on behalf of needy and margin1alized families for years in the city. She does everything from buy groceries for homeless families to start schools for children. In 1974 she founded Merricat's Castle, a nursery school that opened its doors to kids of all racial and economic backgrounds, the able-bodied as well as those with disabilities or terminal illnesses. She founded the Association to Benefit Children (ABC), the nonprofit group, some 20 years ago. The story of how she started ABC is pretty amazing. In 1984 she was on her way to a government office to get a day-care permit when, by accident, she entered a room where homeless families were waiting to be placed in a \" welfare hotel.\" She saw three bare cribs with babies lying in them. The children wore no diapers (their parents couldn't afford them), and the room was filthy . After talking to the parents and learning that they and their children were hungry, Gretchen marched out and bought bread, peanut butter, apple juice and diapers. Then she started making phone calls. She dialed the American Red Cross, City Hall and The New York Times. Gretchen has made many people see that we need to recognize these children are not different from our own, and we need to join in and help. Too often, people look away from suffering. But she sets us an example that we should gain strength to do something about it. We can infer from the passage that Gretchen Buchenholz _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 0, "choices": [ "Great happiness", "Great surprise", "Great pride", "Great honor" ], "question": "As Rosalie Warren stood at the mailbox in the lobby of her apartment building in May 1980, she shared the anxiety of many other college seniors. In her hand was an envelope containing her final grades. As she nervously opened it, Warren wondered whether her hundreds of hours of studying had paid off. They had. \"I got five 'A's,\" she still recalls with elation. \"I almost fell on the floor!\" Warren would graduate from Suffolk University with a bachelor of science degree in philosophy and history at age 80.Three years later, at age 83, she would receive her second degree from Suffolk, a master's in education. Now, with both diplomas proudly displayed in her apartment, Warren is not finished with learning. \"That's what I love.\" Warren was born Rosalie Levey on Aug.29, 1900. Two years after she entered high school, her father died. Warren had to leave school for factory work to help support her family's 10 children. Warren describes herself as a \"person who always liked school,\" and she says the move \"broke my heart completely because I couldn't finish high school.\" In the end, however, \"I went to school nights,\" she recalls. \"Any place I could find an outlet of learning and teaching, I was there.\" A short time later, her mother became ill, and Warren had to care for her, once again putting her education on hold. Finally, in 1921, her mother, now recovered, drew from her saving to send Warren to Boston University for two years to study typing, stenography, and office procedures. Those courses helped Warren gain several long-term office positions over the next 60 years, but her great desire \"to be in the academic field\" continued. In 1924, she married Eugene Warren, and seven years later, her daughter, Corinne, was born. In 1955, by then a widow and a grandmother, Warren took a bus tour across the United States that was to last nine months. She said she wanted to see \"things you never see in the West End.\" When she returned home, she took a bookkeeping position and also enrolled in courses in philosophy, sociology And Chinese history. free program for senior citizens.\" I was at the registrar's office the very next day.\"she recalls. At first ,she took one or two courses at a time , but encouraged by her professors , she enrolled as a In 1975, when she was 75, Warren learned from a neighbor about Suffolk University's tuition- degree candidate. \"I had not studied for so many years,\" she says, \"but I was determined.\" For the next four years, Warren, who calls herself a \"student of philosophy,\" worked toward her degree. Nancy Stoll, dean of students at Suffolk, says Warren is \"an interesting role model for our younger students---that learning is a lifetime activity....She is genuinely enthusiastic about being here, and that permeates her activities and is contagious to students and faculty.\" What does the word elation mean in the sentence \"I got fives 'A's\", she still recalls with elation\"?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "She was 79", "She was 23", "She was 80", "She was 75" ], "question": "As Rosalie Warren stood at the mailbox in the lobby of her apartment building in May 1980, she shared the anxiety of many other college seniors. In her hand was an envelope containing her final grades. As she nervously opened it, Warren wondered whether her hundreds of hours of studying had paid off. They had. \"I got five 'A's,\" she still recalls with elation. \"I almost fell on the floor!\" Warren would graduate from Suffolk University with a bachelor of science degree in philosophy and history at age 80.Three years later, at age 83, she would receive her second degree from Suffolk, a master's in education. Now, with both diplomas proudly displayed in her apartment, Warren is not finished with learning. \"That's what I love.\" Warren was born Rosalie Levey on Aug.29, 1900. Two years after she entered high school, her father died. Warren had to leave school for factory work to help support her family's 10 children. Warren describes herself as a \"person who always liked school,\" and she says the move \"broke my heart completely because I couldn't finish high school.\" In the end, however, \"I went to school nights,\" she recalls. \"Any place I could find an outlet of learning and teaching, I was there.\" A short time later, her mother became ill, and Warren had to care for her, once again putting her education on hold. Finally, in 1921, her mother, now recovered, drew from her saving to send Warren to Boston University for two years to study typing, stenography, and office procedures. Those courses helped Warren gain several long-term office positions over the next 60 years, but her great desire \"to be in the academic field\" continued. In 1924, she married Eugene Warren, and seven years later, her daughter, Corinne, was born. In 1955, by then a widow and a grandmother, Warren took a bus tour across the United States that was to last nine months. She said she wanted to see \"things you never see in the West End.\" When she returned home, she took a bookkeeping position and also enrolled in courses in philosophy, sociology And Chinese history. free program for senior citizens.\" I was at the registrar's office the very next day.\"she recalls. At first ,she took one or two courses at a time , but encouraged by her professors , she enrolled as a In 1975, when she was 75, Warren learned from a neighbor about Suffolk University's tuition- degree candidate. \"I had not studied for so many years,\" she says, \"but I was determined.\" For the next four years, Warren, who calls herself a \"student of philosophy,\" worked toward her degree. Nancy Stoll, dean of students at Suffolk, says Warren is \"an interesting role model for our younger students---that learning is a lifetime activity....She is genuinely enthusiastic about being here, and that permeates her activities and is contagious to students and faculty.\" How old was Warren when she got her first college degree?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "Studying", "Factory work", "Typing", "Office work" ], "question": "As Rosalie Warren stood at the mailbox in the lobby of her apartment building in May 1980, she shared the anxiety of many other college seniors. In her hand was an envelope containing her final grades. As she nervously opened it, Warren wondered whether her hundreds of hours of studying had paid off. They had. \"I got five 'A's,\" she still recalls with elation. \"I almost fell on the floor!\" Warren would graduate from Suffolk University with a bachelor of science degree in philosophy and history at age 80.Three years later, at age 83, she would receive her second degree from Suffolk, a master's in education. Now, with both diplomas proudly displayed in her apartment, Warren is not finished with learning. \"That's what I love.\" Warren was born Rosalie Levey on Aug.29, 1900. Two years after she entered high school, her father died. Warren had to leave school for factory work to help support her family's 10 children. Warren describes herself as a \"person who always liked school,\" and she says the move \"broke my heart completely because I couldn't finish high school.\" In the end, however, \"I went to school nights,\" she recalls. \"Any place I could find an outlet of learning and teaching, I was there.\" A short time later, her mother became ill, and Warren had to care for her, once again putting her education on hold. Finally, in 1921, her mother, now recovered, drew from her saving to send Warren to Boston University for two years to study typing, stenography, and office procedures. Those courses helped Warren gain several long-term office positions over the next 60 years, but her great desire \"to be in the academic field\" continued. In 1924, she married Eugene Warren, and seven years later, her daughter, Corinne, was born. In 1955, by then a widow and a grandmother, Warren took a bus tour across the United States that was to last nine months. She said she wanted to see \"things you never see in the West End.\" When she returned home, she took a bookkeeping position and also enrolled in courses in philosophy, sociology And Chinese history. free program for senior citizens.\" I was at the registrar's office the very next day.\"she recalls. At first ,she took one or two courses at a time , but encouraged by her professors , she enrolled as a In 1975, when she was 75, Warren learned from a neighbor about Suffolk University's tuition- degree candidate. \"I had not studied for so many years,\" she says, \"but I was determined.\" For the next four years, Warren, who calls herself a \"student of philosophy,\" worked toward her degree. Nancy Stoll, dean of students at Suffolk, says Warren is \"an interesting role model for our younger students---that learning is a lifetime activity....She is genuinely enthusiastic about being here, and that permeates her activities and is contagious to students and faculty.\" What kind of work did she do for 60 years?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "came from a wealthy family", "didn't like working in an office", "put her family before her education", "didn't like her family very much" ], "question": "As Rosalie Warren stood at the mailbox in the lobby of her apartment building in May 1980, she shared the anxiety of many other college seniors. In her hand was an envelope containing her final grades. As she nervously opened it, Warren wondered whether her hundreds of hours of studying had paid off. They had. \"I got five 'A's,\" she still recalls with elation. \"I almost fell on the floor!\" Warren would graduate from Suffolk University with a bachelor of science degree in philosophy and history at age 80.Three years later, at age 83, she would receive her second degree from Suffolk, a master's in education. Now, with both diplomas proudly displayed in her apartment, Warren is not finished with learning. \"That's what I love.\" Warren was born Rosalie Levey on Aug.29, 1900. Two years after she entered high school, her father died. Warren had to leave school for factory work to help support her family's 10 children. Warren describes herself as a \"person who always liked school,\" and she says the move \"broke my heart completely because I couldn't finish high school.\" In the end, however, \"I went to school nights,\" she recalls. \"Any place I could find an outlet of learning and teaching, I was there.\" A short time later, her mother became ill, and Warren had to care for her, once again putting her education on hold. Finally, in 1921, her mother, now recovered, drew from her saving to send Warren to Boston University for two years to study typing, stenography, and office procedures. Those courses helped Warren gain several long-term office positions over the next 60 years, but her great desire \"to be in the academic field\" continued. In 1924, she married Eugene Warren, and seven years later, her daughter, Corinne, was born. In 1955, by then a widow and a grandmother, Warren took a bus tour across the United States that was to last nine months. She said she wanted to see \"things you never see in the West End.\" When she returned home, she took a bookkeeping position and also enrolled in courses in philosophy, sociology And Chinese history. free program for senior citizens.\" I was at the registrar's office the very next day.\"she recalls. At first ,she took one or two courses at a time , but encouraged by her professors , she enrolled as a In 1975, when she was 75, Warren learned from a neighbor about Suffolk University's tuition- degree candidate. \"I had not studied for so many years,\" she says, \"but I was determined.\" For the next four years, Warren, who calls herself a \"student of philosophy,\" worked toward her degree. Nancy Stoll, dean of students at Suffolk, says Warren is \"an interesting role model for our younger students---that learning is a lifetime activity....She is genuinely enthusiastic about being here, and that permeates her activities and is contagious to students and faculty.\" It can be inferred from this passage that Rosalie Warren _ .", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 2, "choices": [ "Rosalie Warren's family", "Rosalie Warren's life", "Rosalie Warren's education", "Rosalie Warren's studying at Suffolk University" ], "question": "As Rosalie Warren stood at the mailbox in the lobby of her apartment building in May 1980, she shared the anxiety of many other college seniors. In her hand was an envelope containing her final grades. As she nervously opened it, Warren wondered whether her hundreds of hours of studying had paid off. They had. \"I got five 'A's,\" she still recalls with elation. \"I almost fell on the floor!\" Warren would graduate from Suffolk University with a bachelor of science degree in philosophy and history at age 80.Three years later, at age 83, she would receive her second degree from Suffolk, a master's in education. Now, with both diplomas proudly displayed in her apartment, Warren is not finished with learning. \"That's what I love.\" Warren was born Rosalie Levey on Aug.29, 1900. Two years after she entered high school, her father died. Warren had to leave school for factory work to help support her family's 10 children. Warren describes herself as a \"person who always liked school,\" and she says the move \"broke my heart completely because I couldn't finish high school.\" In the end, however, \"I went to school nights,\" she recalls. \"Any place I could find an outlet of learning and teaching, I was there.\" A short time later, her mother became ill, and Warren had to care for her, once again putting her education on hold. Finally, in 1921, her mother, now recovered, drew from her saving to send Warren to Boston University for two years to study typing, stenography, and office procedures. Those courses helped Warren gain several long-term office positions over the next 60 years, but her great desire \"to be in the academic field\" continued. In 1924, she married Eugene Warren, and seven years later, her daughter, Corinne, was born. In 1955, by then a widow and a grandmother, Warren took a bus tour across the United States that was to last nine months. She said she wanted to see \"things you never see in the West End.\" When she returned home, she took a bookkeeping position and also enrolled in courses in philosophy, sociology And Chinese history. free program for senior citizens.\" I was at the registrar's office the very next day.\"she recalls. At first ,she took one or two courses at a time , but encouraged by her professors , she enrolled as a In 1975, when she was 75, Warren learned from a neighbor about Suffolk University's tuition- degree candidate. \"I had not studied for so many years,\" she says, \"but I was determined.\" For the next four years, Warren, who calls herself a \"student of philosophy,\" worked toward her degree. Nancy Stoll, dean of students at Suffolk, says Warren is \"an interesting role model for our younger students---that learning is a lifetime activity....She is genuinely enthusiastic about being here, and that permeates her activities and is contagious to students and faculty.\" What is the main topic of this passage?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 3, "choices": [ "Magazine technique section.", "Newspaper education section.", "Government report.", "Website news section." ], "question": "WASHINGTON -- President Obama brought together the leaders of Japan and South Korea to discuss cooperation on containing North Korea and its nuclear weapons programs. Japan and North Korea have had tense relations over unresolved issues, some of them dating back 100 years. The three leaders emphasized the importance of cooperation in dealing with North Korea. The meeting took place Tuesday in the Hague, after a twoday nuclear security summit. President Obama praised South Korean President Park Geunhye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for overcoming their differences to discuss a serious threat to regional peace. He emphasized the importance of cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue. Obama said the three discussed steps to deepen diplomatic and military cooperation, including joint military exercises and missile defense against Pyongyang. He said further discussions would take place next month, during his visits to Seoul and Tokyo. The South Korean president stressed the importance of a united response to North Korea, but also called on the North to choose a peaceful path. \"I sincerely hope that this meeting will offer a chance for us to reconfirm our trilateral coordination and strengthen the cooperation on the nuclear front,\" said Park. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed. \"Particularly it is extremely important that we were able to confirm close cooperation among Japan, the United States and the Republic of Korea on the issue of North Korea, the three countries who would like to cooperate so that North Korea will be able to take a positive position with regard to nuclear and missile issue,\" said Abe. Japan and South Korea have several unresolved issues, including Japan's refusal to apologize again for crimes committed 70 years ago. Former U.S. diplomat Richard Armitage told an audience this week that painful historic injustices take a long time to heal, and that it is in Japan's interest to continue apologizing for as long as necessary. \"There is a historical record of enormous generosity, achievement and respect for human rights and human freedom,\" said Armitage. Where can we find this article?", "subject": "" }
{ "answer": 1, "choices": [ "To build a nuclear front against North Korea.", "To apologize for crimes Japan committed during the Second World War.", "To join a military exercise among three countries.", "To confirm close cooperation between the two countries." ], "question": "WASHINGTON -- President Obama brought together the leaders of Japan and South Korea to discuss cooperation on containing North Korea and its nuclear weapons programs. Japan and North Korea have had tense relations over unresolved issues, some of them dating back 100 years. The three leaders emphasized the importance of cooperation in dealing with North Korea. The meeting took place Tuesday in the Hague, after a twoday nuclear security summit. President Obama praised South Korean President Park Geunhye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for overcoming their differences to discuss a serious threat to regional peace. He emphasized the importance of cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue. Obama said the three discussed steps to deepen diplomatic and military cooperation, including joint military exercises and missile defense against Pyongyang. He said further discussions would take place next month, during his visits to Seoul and Tokyo. The South Korean president stressed the importance of a united response to North Korea, but also called on the North to choose a peaceful path. \"I sincerely hope that this meeting will offer a chance for us to reconfirm our trilateral coordination and strengthen the cooperation on the nuclear front,\" said Park. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed. \"Particularly it is extremely important that we were able to confirm close cooperation among Japan, the United States and the Republic of Korea on the issue of North Korea, the three countries who would like to cooperate so that North Korea will be able to take a positive position with regard to nuclear and missile issue,\" said Abe. Japan and South Korea have several unresolved issues, including Japan's refusal to apologize again for crimes committed 70 years ago. Former U.S. diplomat Richard Armitage told an audience this week that painful historic injustices take a long time to heal, and that it is in Japan's interest to continue apologizing for as long as necessary. \"There is a historical record of enormous generosity, achievement and respect for human rights and human freedom,\" said Armitage. According to the passage, what is the unsolved issue between Japan and Korea?", "subject": "" }