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The writer believes that _ | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Since the end of World War I (WWI) in 1918,Canadians, and millions of others around the world have paused at the 11thhour of the 11thday of the 11thmonth to honour the sacrifices our soldiers have made in different wars, fighting for the freedoms that we all enjoy today.
Known as Remembrance Day, the day originated as a tribute to the soldiers of WWI, a dark period for our young country, which claimed the lives of over 60,000 military personnel and civilians and over 16 million dead worldwide.
As there are no more surviving soldiers of WWI,today we rely on the wisdom and words of those soldiers who fought in the wars that followed,and this day now also recognizes their heroic contribution.
They tell us to always remember what those brave souls fought for, and all they ask in return is that we never forget.
That's why we wear the red poppy ;that's why when we see a soldier in uniform we should stop him or her and say "Thank you" ; that's why we take a pause from our busy lives for two short minutes today to honor that request.
Yet this message is fading away, year after year.
Take for example the terrible decision to allow parents to excuse students from Remembrance Day ceremonies at school.
Not only is this disrespectful, it distances the student from his or her classmates.
It is difficult to understand why any Canadian parent would want to remove their child from the time-honored tradition of reading the poem In Flanders Fields, while a wreath of poppies is laid.
It is more important than ever to teach school-aged children about our history,no matter how violent it was. Sheltering them from the realities of war is a great disservice.
Understanding why conflicts happened, or happen today, can help shape choices and decisions they make as adults.
Of course, because we live in a free society, we cannot force an individual to do something. _ is unfortunate, but some parents now have their child "opt-out" of the services. These people should be reminded they are free to make such choices only because of the men and women the rest of us are remembering.
Question:
The writer believes that _
Choices:
A. the sacrifice of the soldiers should always be remembered
B. Remembrance Day is becoming less important for soldiers
C. schools - no longer think Remembrance Day is necessary
D. people should be forced to learn about the realities of war | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high3643.txt | Since the end of World War I (WWI) in 1918,Canadians, and millions of others around the world have paused at the 11thhour of the 11thday of the 11thmonth to honour the sacrifices our soldiers have made in different wars, fighting for the freedoms that we all enjoy today.
Known as Remembrance Day, the day originated as a tribute to the soldiers of WWI, a dark period for our young country, which claimed the lives of over 60,000 military personnel and civilians and over 16 million dead worldwide.
As there are no more surviving soldiers of WWI,today we rely on the wisdom and words of those soldiers who fought in the wars that followed,and this day now also recognizes their heroic contribution.
They tell us to always remember what those brave souls fought for, and all they ask in return is that we never forget.
That's why we wear the red poppy ;that's why when we see a soldier in uniform we should stop him or her and say "Thank you" ; that's why we take a pause from our busy lives for two short minutes today to honor that request.
Yet this message is fading away, year after year.
Take for example the terrible decision to allow parents to excuse students from Remembrance Day ceremonies at school.
Not only is this disrespectful, it distances the student from his or her classmates.
It is difficult to understand why any Canadian parent would want to remove their child from the time-honored tradition of reading the poem In Flanders Fields, while a wreath of poppies is laid.
It is more important than ever to teach school-aged children about our history,no matter how violent it was. Sheltering them from the realities of war is a great disservice.
Understanding why conflicts happened, or happen today, can help shape choices and decisions they make as adults.
Of course, because we live in a free society, we cannot force an individual to do something. _ is unfortunate, but some parents now have their child "opt-out" of the services. These people should be reminded they are free to make such choices only because of the men and women the rest of us are remembering. | [
"the sacrifice of the soldiers should always be remembered",
"Remembrance Day is becoming less important for soldiers",
"schools - no longer think Remembrance Day is necessary",
"people should be forced to learn about the realities of war"
] |
About Alice Pyne's "Bucket List", which is NOT true? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
A cancer-stricken British teenager said on Thursday she had been moved by messages of support from around the world after writing an online "Bucket List" of things she wanted to do before dying.
Alice Pyne, 15, created an Internet blog in which she described her fight against a cancer of the white blood cells. "I've been fighting cancer for almost four years and now I know that the cancer is gaining on me and it doesn't look like I'm going to win this one," she wrote.
For her list, at the site www. alicepyne. blogspot. com, she has included making everyone sign up to be a bone marrow donor , swimming with sharks, meeting boy band Take That and getting a purple iPad computer.
Messages of support and offers of help quickly flooded her webpage and it became one of the most talked about subjects on Twitter.
"Oh dear! And I thought that I was just doing a little blog for a few friends!" she wrote after her site attracted huge attention. "Thank you so much for all your lovely messages to me."
Alice, who lives with her family in the northwest English town of Ulverston, said the manager of Take That had arranged for her to see the band after reading her blog. A group of local lawmakers have also made efforts with the Anthony blood cancer charity to encourage people to join its stem cell projects.
Question:
About Alice Pyne's "Bucket List", which is NOT true?
Choices:
A. To ask people to donate bone marrow.
B. To get a cool computer.
C. To swim with sharks.
D. To meet a boy. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high14443.txt | A cancer-stricken British teenager said on Thursday she had been moved by messages of support from around the world after writing an online "Bucket List" of things she wanted to do before dying.
Alice Pyne, 15, created an Internet blog in which she described her fight against a cancer of the white blood cells. "I've been fighting cancer for almost four years and now I know that the cancer is gaining on me and it doesn't look like I'm going to win this one," she wrote.
For her list, at the site www. alicepyne. blogspot. com, she has included making everyone sign up to be a bone marrow donor , swimming with sharks, meeting boy band Take That and getting a purple iPad computer.
Messages of support and offers of help quickly flooded her webpage and it became one of the most talked about subjects on Twitter.
"Oh dear! And I thought that I was just doing a little blog for a few friends!" she wrote after her site attracted huge attention. "Thank you so much for all your lovely messages to me."
Alice, who lives with her family in the northwest English town of Ulverston, said the manager of Take That had arranged for her to see the band after reading her blog. A group of local lawmakers have also made efforts with the Anthony blood cancer charity to encourage people to join its stem cell projects. | [
"To ask people to donate bone marrow.",
"To get a cool computer.",
"To swim with sharks.",
"To meet a boy."
] |
_ are under a big tree. | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
It' s Sunday morning. There are many people in the park, some boys are playing basketball. There are some girls under a big tree. They' re singing and dancing. What are those women doing? They are drinking tea. Look at the woman in a blue coat. Who' s she? She' s my mother. She is talking to Edward. Edward is her student. He is a good student. He studies hard . He' s good at all the subjects. And he' s friendly to all his teachers and his friends.
Question:
_ are under a big tree.
Choices:
A. Some people.
B. Some women.
C. Some girls.
D. Some boys. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle588.txt | It' s Sunday morning. There are many people in the park, some boys are playing basketball. There are some girls under a big tree. They' re singing and dancing. What are those women doing? They are drinking tea. Look at the woman in a blue coat. Who' s she? She' s my mother. She is talking to Edward. Edward is her student. He is a good student. He studies hard . He' s good at all the subjects. And he' s friendly to all his teachers and his friends. | [
"Some people.",
"Some women.",
"Some girls.",
"Some boys."
] |
David Sabgir often runs on _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Do you know Walk With A Doc? It is a new program . This program helps people to be healthy. It's not difficult to do it. You only need sports shoes and then go for a walk in a store or a park with two or more people at a time.
David Sabgir is a doctor in the U.S.A. He starts the new health program. Every Saturday morning, Sabgir runs in a park and he starts thinking, "I run to help myself to be healthy. But I think I can help more people to be healthy."
So he tells his friends and other people about this. They all like the idea. For the first walk, 101 people join. Later , more and more people join this health program.
Question:
David Sabgir often runs on _ .
Choices:
A. Saturday morning
B. Sunday morning
C. Saturday evening
D. Sunday evening | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle5967.txt | Do you know Walk With A Doc? It is a new program . This program helps people to be healthy. It's not difficult to do it. You only need sports shoes and then go for a walk in a store or a park with two or more people at a time.
David Sabgir is a doctor in the U.S.A. He starts the new health program. Every Saturday morning, Sabgir runs in a park and he starts thinking, "I run to help myself to be healthy. But I think I can help more people to be healthy."
So he tells his friends and other people about this. They all like the idea. For the first walk, 101 people join. Later , more and more people join this health program. | [
"Saturday morning",
"Sunday morning",
"Saturday evening",
"Sunday evening"
] |
Mrs. Garcia pays her insurance quarterly at $378. How much does she pay in a year for her insurance? | Since there are three months in a quarter, then there are 12/3 = <<12/3=4>>4 quarters in a year.
So, Mrs. Garcia pays $378 x 4 = $<<378*4=1512>>1512 in a year for her insurance.
#### 1512 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Mrs. Garcia pays her insurance quarterly at $378. How much does she pay in a year for her insurance? | Since there are three months in a quarter, then there are 12/3 = <<12/3=4>>4 quarters in a year.
So, Mrs. Garcia pays $378 x 4 = $<<378*4=1512>>1512 in a year for her insurance.
#### 1512 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
Which of the following CANNOT be learned from the passage? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
It's high time someone spoke up for today's college students. They're probably the most hardworking, ambitious people in America and their problems are not properly appreciated.
People like the Secretary of Education simply don't know what they're talking about when they knock students. Nor do those who complain about falling academic standards.
The vast majority of the nation's 12 million students are struggling to pay for their educations. They are part of the invisible workforce. Many hold down full-time jobs. They're frying hamburgers, photographing weddings, working in construction, and waiting on tables. The fact that they even show up for classes is a wonderful event.
The financial situation of most students explains a lot about what is happening in schools. Why are the traditional courses so unpopular? Why are students flocking to accounting and computer science and any professional programs that seem to lead to careers?
Answer: Today's working student has been forced into a kind of premature matter-of-fact way of viewing things. Romance is gone. The notion of transforming one's self through study alone has disappeared. Today's students seek freedom from manual labor, and the status conferred by a good job.
There are other consequences. Today's students don't have much time or energy to be devoted, and carry out independent research or even do serious homework. That's the secret behind falling academic standards. Students have become consumers. They want grades and certifications. Their professors can't be expected to give a grade of failure to students who are clearly tired from the effort to pay their bills.
There's a lot wrong with this situation. It's twisting the definition of education out of shape. Worse, it's creating a generation that is totally unpleasant. The brightest students turn out to be yuppies . The vast majority are, at least, good-natured semi-literates.
The time has run out for philosophical debates about fixed courses of study. What this country needs is someone to stand up and say that being a full-time student during one's formative years is an honorable calling worthy of support. If families can't or won't give it to their children, then the government should.
Question:
Which of the following CANNOT be learned from the passage?
Choices:
A. Many students are often absent from classes.
B. Traditional courses are not popular.
C. Students commit crimes with computers.
D. Students don't devote much time and energy to their homework. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high8960.txt | It's high time someone spoke up for today's college students. They're probably the most hardworking, ambitious people in America and their problems are not properly appreciated.
People like the Secretary of Education simply don't know what they're talking about when they knock students. Nor do those who complain about falling academic standards.
The vast majority of the nation's 12 million students are struggling to pay for their educations. They are part of the invisible workforce. Many hold down full-time jobs. They're frying hamburgers, photographing weddings, working in construction, and waiting on tables. The fact that they even show up for classes is a wonderful event.
The financial situation of most students explains a lot about what is happening in schools. Why are the traditional courses so unpopular? Why are students flocking to accounting and computer science and any professional programs that seem to lead to careers?
Answer: Today's working student has been forced into a kind of premature matter-of-fact way of viewing things. Romance is gone. The notion of transforming one's self through study alone has disappeared. Today's students seek freedom from manual labor, and the status conferred by a good job.
There are other consequences. Today's students don't have much time or energy to be devoted, and carry out independent research or even do serious homework. That's the secret behind falling academic standards. Students have become consumers. They want grades and certifications. Their professors can't be expected to give a grade of failure to students who are clearly tired from the effort to pay their bills.
There's a lot wrong with this situation. It's twisting the definition of education out of shape. Worse, it's creating a generation that is totally unpleasant. The brightest students turn out to be yuppies . The vast majority are, at least, good-natured semi-literates.
The time has run out for philosophical debates about fixed courses of study. What this country needs is someone to stand up and say that being a full-time student during one's formative years is an honorable calling worthy of support. If families can't or won't give it to their children, then the government should. | [
"Many students are often absent from classes.",
"Traditional courses are not popular.",
"Students commit crimes with computers.",
"Students don't devote much time and energy to their homework."
] |
How is Ann's school life? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Ann is my classmate. She comes from New York, and she lives in Shanghai with her parents now. Every morning, she goes to KFC to have breakfast. Sometimes she buys a hamburger for me. She can't speak Chinese well. In the evening, her father often helps her with it. He's a teacher in our school. He can speak Chinese very well.
Ann thinks the school life in China is very interesting. Ann likes reading Chinese books because she wants to know more about China. She tries to talk with her Chinese friends in Chinese. She hopes to speak Chinese well. She is very happy to live in China. She loves people here.
Question:
How is Ann's school life?
Choices:
A. Boring .
B. Busy.
C. Bad.
D. Interesting. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle4234.txt | Ann is my classmate. She comes from New York, and she lives in Shanghai with her parents now. Every morning, she goes to KFC to have breakfast. Sometimes she buys a hamburger for me. She can't speak Chinese well. In the evening, her father often helps her with it. He's a teacher in our school. He can speak Chinese very well.
Ann thinks the school life in China is very interesting. Ann likes reading Chinese books because she wants to know more about China. She tries to talk with her Chinese friends in Chinese. She hopes to speak Chinese well. She is very happy to live in China. She loves people here. | [
"Boring .",
"Busy.",
"Bad.",
"Interesting."
] |
After learning about his grandfather's stories, the writer _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
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.
Question:
After learning about his grandfather's stories, the writer _ .
Choices:
A. felt a little surprised at first
B. followed the example of his grandfather
C. was much sad all the time
D. didn't like his grandfather's action | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high9381.txt | 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. | [
"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"
] |
Which of the sentences from Ogilvie defeated the Duchess completely? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Ogilvie the detective arrived. Both the Duke and Duchess were extremely nervous.
The Duchess went to the door herself. The detective's piggy eyes surveyed her. His gaze moved on to sweep the spacious, well-decorated room, and the Duke.
"Pretty neat set-up you've got."Ogilvie said slowly.
The Duchess said sharply, "Imagine you didn't come here to discuss the decoration."
"No, Madame. I like nice things, though. Like that expensive car of yours. The one you keep here in the hotel."
"In what way does our car concern you?"The Duchess had sat in a straight-backed chair.
"Now," he said."You two were in the hit-and-run."
She met his eyes directly. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play games, lady. You saw the newspapers. There's been plenty on radio, too." Ogilvie's words spat forth with sudden strength. "You listen to me. This city's mad -- everybody. When they find who killed that kid and her mother, and run away, what will they do? Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should, there'll be police here. But I come to you first, so you could tell your side of it to me." The piggy eyes blinked, then hardened. "If you want it the other way, just say so."
The Duchess--three centuries and a half of in-born pride behind her--did not give in easily. Springing to her feet with great anger, gray-green eyes burning, she faced the detective straightly. Her tone would have frightened anyone who knew her well. "You unspeakable blackguard! How dare you!"
Ogilvie said nothing. But the Duke cut in, "It's no go, old girl, I'm afraid. It was a good try." Facing Ogilvie, he said, "What you accuse us of is true. I was driving the car and killed the little girl."
"That's more like it," Ogilvie said, "now we're getting somewhere."
The Duchess sank back into her chair. She asked, "What is it you know?"
"I'll tell you, I got a curious nature. You and your wife drove home, you were driving, after a drink. Last night I saw you come in--through the basement, looking shaken, the pair of you. I got wondering why. Like I said, I got a curious nature."
The Duchess breathed, "Go on."
"Late last night the word was out about the hit-and-run. I went over the garage and took a quiet look at your car. On your car you got a damaged headlight. There's plenty of blood."
"Oh, my God!"A hand to her face, the Duchess turned away.
Her husband asked, "What do you suggest?"
The fat man rubbed his hands together, "Like I said, I come to hear your side of it."
The Duke said desperately, "What can I possibly say? You know what happened. You'd better call the police."
"There's no way bringing back the kid nor her mother. Besides, what they'd do to you, Duke, you wouldn't like it at all. I was hoping," Ogilvie said, "that you could suggest something."
The Duke said uncertainly, "I don't understand."
"I understand," the Duchess said. "You want money. You came here to blackmail us."
The house detective shrugged . "Whatever names you call things, they don't matter to me. All I come for is to help you people out of trouble. But I've got to live too."
"You'd accept money to keep silent about what you know?"
"I think so."
"How much do you want?"
The piggy eyes blinked."Ten thousand dollars."
"What would we receive in return?"
The fat man seemed puzzled. "Like I said, I keep quiet about what I know."
"No." The statement was clear. "We will not pay you."
Ogilvie's round face reddened, "Now listen, lady...."
She cut him off. "I won't listen. Instead, you will listen to me. We won't pay you $10,000. But we will pay you $25,000. In return, you will drive our car north."
"$25,000," she repeated. "$10,000 now. $15,000 more when you meet us in Chicago."
The fat man's piggy eyes were focused upon hers. The silence hung. Then, he gave the slightest of nods.
Question:
Which of the sentences from Ogilvie defeated the Duchess completely?
Choices:
A. "Now, you two were in the hit-and-run."
B. "On your car you got a damaged headlight. There's plenty of blood."
C. "Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should, there'll be police here."
D. "Last night I saw you come in--through the basement, looking shaken, the pair of you." | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high10270.txt | Ogilvie the detective arrived. Both the Duke and Duchess were extremely nervous.
The Duchess went to the door herself. The detective's piggy eyes surveyed her. His gaze moved on to sweep the spacious, well-decorated room, and the Duke.
"Pretty neat set-up you've got."Ogilvie said slowly.
The Duchess said sharply, "Imagine you didn't come here to discuss the decoration."
"No, Madame. I like nice things, though. Like that expensive car of yours. The one you keep here in the hotel."
"In what way does our car concern you?"The Duchess had sat in a straight-backed chair.
"Now," he said."You two were in the hit-and-run."
She met his eyes directly. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play games, lady. You saw the newspapers. There's been plenty on radio, too." Ogilvie's words spat forth with sudden strength. "You listen to me. This city's mad -- everybody. When they find who killed that kid and her mother, and run away, what will they do? Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should, there'll be police here. But I come to you first, so you could tell your side of it to me." The piggy eyes blinked, then hardened. "If you want it the other way, just say so."
The Duchess--three centuries and a half of in-born pride behind her--did not give in easily. Springing to her feet with great anger, gray-green eyes burning, she faced the detective straightly. Her tone would have frightened anyone who knew her well. "You unspeakable blackguard! How dare you!"
Ogilvie said nothing. But the Duke cut in, "It's no go, old girl, I'm afraid. It was a good try." Facing Ogilvie, he said, "What you accuse us of is true. I was driving the car and killed the little girl."
"That's more like it," Ogilvie said, "now we're getting somewhere."
The Duchess sank back into her chair. She asked, "What is it you know?"
"I'll tell you, I got a curious nature. You and your wife drove home, you were driving, after a drink. Last night I saw you come in--through the basement, looking shaken, the pair of you. I got wondering why. Like I said, I got a curious nature."
The Duchess breathed, "Go on."
"Late last night the word was out about the hit-and-run. I went over the garage and took a quiet look at your car. On your car you got a damaged headlight. There's plenty of blood."
"Oh, my God!"A hand to her face, the Duchess turned away.
Her husband asked, "What do you suggest?"
The fat man rubbed his hands together, "Like I said, I come to hear your side of it."
The Duke said desperately, "What can I possibly say? You know what happened. You'd better call the police."
"There's no way bringing back the kid nor her mother. Besides, what they'd do to you, Duke, you wouldn't like it at all. I was hoping," Ogilvie said, "that you could suggest something."
The Duke said uncertainly, "I don't understand."
"I understand," the Duchess said. "You want money. You came here to blackmail us."
The house detective shrugged . "Whatever names you call things, they don't matter to me. All I come for is to help you people out of trouble. But I've got to live too."
"You'd accept money to keep silent about what you know?"
"I think so."
"How much do you want?"
The piggy eyes blinked."Ten thousand dollars."
"What would we receive in return?"
The fat man seemed puzzled. "Like I said, I keep quiet about what I know."
"No." The statement was clear. "We will not pay you."
Ogilvie's round face reddened, "Now listen, lady...."
She cut him off. "I won't listen. Instead, you will listen to me. We won't pay you $10,000. But we will pay you $25,000. In return, you will drive our car north."
"$25,000," she repeated. "$10,000 now. $15,000 more when you meet us in Chicago."
The fat man's piggy eyes were focused upon hers. The silence hung. Then, he gave the slightest of nods. | [
"\"Now, you two were in the hit-and-run.\"",
"\"On your car you got a damaged headlight. There's plenty of blood.\"",
"\"Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should, there'll be police here.\"",
"\"Last night I saw you come in--through the basement, looking shaken, the pair of you.\""
] |
From the text we know that _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
A fad diet is a diet that suddenly becomes popular, usually because it promises people that they will lose a lot of weight overnight. Although dieters may really show weight loss from a fad diet, they will almost certainly get back the weight if their usual eating habits remain unchanged. Moreover, fad diets continuously call for special products of questionable value or for "health foods" that may cost twice as much as supermarket foods. Worse yet, certain fad diets don't include nutrients good for health. People have been known to become very ill as a result of following medically unhealthy diets.
The worse fact of fad diets, though, is that they keep people who are over-weight or sick from receiving the medical care that they truly need.
Question:
From the text we know that _ .
Choices:
A. people refuse to accept fad diets
B. fad diets can help people to lose weight
C. a man can lose weight after eating a fad diet
D. fad diets are now welcomed by people | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high48.txt | A fad diet is a diet that suddenly becomes popular, usually because it promises people that they will lose a lot of weight overnight. Although dieters may really show weight loss from a fad diet, they will almost certainly get back the weight if their usual eating habits remain unchanged. Moreover, fad diets continuously call for special products of questionable value or for "health foods" that may cost twice as much as supermarket foods. Worse yet, certain fad diets don't include nutrients good for health. People have been known to become very ill as a result of following medically unhealthy diets.
The worse fact of fad diets, though, is that they keep people who are over-weight or sick from receiving the medical care that they truly need. | [
"people refuse to accept fad diets",
"fad diets can help people to lose weight",
"a man can lose weight after eating a fad diet",
"fad diets are now welcomed by people"
] |
In order to _ the writer would like to save a child from a burning building. | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
It's not easy to be an astronaut's son.Everybody expects you to be special or perfect. I often wonder how my father ever had a son like me. I mean he's so special and so good at everything he does. Even in middle school he was monitor and captain of the football team.
Well, to be honest, I often dream about being some kind of hero or doing something special--like saving a child from a burning building One morning my teacher said there would be a Father's Day writing competition for the whole school."I hope we have a winner right here in my class."
When I got home,I started to think about what to write.My father is an astronaut. No, I wouldn't start like that. That was the way others saw him.How did I see my father?
Hmm...I saw him sitting with me in the dark when I had a terrible dream.I remembered how he hugged me for hours when my dog Spotty was killed by a car. Yes, these were the things I was going to write. To me,he wasn't just a famous astronaut. He was my dad.
My parents and l went to school Thursday night. There were so many people in the big hall! My dad looked at me, and I shrugged .
The third prize was announced and it was not me.1 was relieved and disappointed at the same time. The second prize was announced. it was me. I went up to the stage and read what I had written,"My father's son".When I finished,Dad put his hand on my shoulder."Son,this is the proudest moment of my life.''
It was the proudest moment of my life, too. Maybe I'll never be a great hero or win a Nobel Prize, but it was enough just to be my father's son.
Question:
In order to _ the writer would like to save a child from a burning building.
Choices:
A. become astronaut
B. become a great hero
C. be made school team captain
D. be made monitor | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle1185.txt | It's not easy to be an astronaut's son.Everybody expects you to be special or perfect. I often wonder how my father ever had a son like me. I mean he's so special and so good at everything he does. Even in middle school he was monitor and captain of the football team.
Well, to be honest, I often dream about being some kind of hero or doing something special--like saving a child from a burning building One morning my teacher said there would be a Father's Day writing competition for the whole school."I hope we have a winner right here in my class."
When I got home,I started to think about what to write.My father is an astronaut. No, I wouldn't start like that. That was the way others saw him.How did I see my father?
Hmm...I saw him sitting with me in the dark when I had a terrible dream.I remembered how he hugged me for hours when my dog Spotty was killed by a car. Yes, these were the things I was going to write. To me,he wasn't just a famous astronaut. He was my dad.
My parents and l went to school Thursday night. There were so many people in the big hall! My dad looked at me, and I shrugged .
The third prize was announced and it was not me.1 was relieved and disappointed at the same time. The second prize was announced. it was me. I went up to the stage and read what I had written,"My father's son".When I finished,Dad put his hand on my shoulder."Son,this is the proudest moment of my life.''
It was the proudest moment of my life, too. Maybe I'll never be a great hero or win a Nobel Prize, but it was enough just to be my father's son. | [
"become astronaut",
"become a great hero",
"be made school team captain",
"be made monitor"
] |
Tang and his wife turned to overseas surrogacy services because _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Tang Zhou and his wife are planning to have their second child, a test-tube baby. His wife had a natural delivery when she was 34 and their first child, a boy, is now 7. The couple are now hoping to have a daughter through _ in the US. "My wife couldn't bear another delivery because of her heart condition and her age. Surrogacy helps avoid the risks to older mothers," Tang said, "Moreover, our second child will be born in the US and become a citizen there. That is not a bad choice."
The couple spent weeks researching their move, looking for a reliable agency that provides surrogacy services overseas. Surrogacy is still illegal in many countries, including China. "We will be taking much higher risks by relying on a surrogate mother in China because we are not protected by any regulation or law. You pay a lot of money but may meet with many problems," Tang said. "You might not even get your baby back."
Tang and his wife are part of an increasing number of Chinese couples who are turning to surrogacy services. Tang also considered surrogacy in Thailand but dropped the idea after recent reports about a baby with Down Syndrome who was delivered through surrogacy and said to have been deserted in Thailand by the biological parents from Australia. Instead, Tang chose the California Surrogacy Center agency as his first option after reading the detailed introduction on its website. Compared with many other agencies that he could contact only via e-mail, the center has a consulting office in Beijing, Tang said.
The center is in San Diego, California, and has satellite offices in Los Angeles and Beijing. According to Liu, the center has been operating for more than eight years, and about 100 surrogate mothers live in California.
Question:
Tang and his wife turned to overseas surrogacy services because _ .
Choices:
A. surrogacy remains illegal in China
B. they call for less money
C. it is more convenient to contact them
D. most of them are experienced | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high9549.txt | Tang Zhou and his wife are planning to have their second child, a test-tube baby. His wife had a natural delivery when she was 34 and their first child, a boy, is now 7. The couple are now hoping to have a daughter through _ in the US. "My wife couldn't bear another delivery because of her heart condition and her age. Surrogacy helps avoid the risks to older mothers," Tang said, "Moreover, our second child will be born in the US and become a citizen there. That is not a bad choice."
The couple spent weeks researching their move, looking for a reliable agency that provides surrogacy services overseas. Surrogacy is still illegal in many countries, including China. "We will be taking much higher risks by relying on a surrogate mother in China because we are not protected by any regulation or law. You pay a lot of money but may meet with many problems," Tang said. "You might not even get your baby back."
Tang and his wife are part of an increasing number of Chinese couples who are turning to surrogacy services. Tang also considered surrogacy in Thailand but dropped the idea after recent reports about a baby with Down Syndrome who was delivered through surrogacy and said to have been deserted in Thailand by the biological parents from Australia. Instead, Tang chose the California Surrogacy Center agency as his first option after reading the detailed introduction on its website. Compared with many other agencies that he could contact only via e-mail, the center has a consulting office in Beijing, Tang said.
The center is in San Diego, California, and has satellite offices in Los Angeles and Beijing. According to Liu, the center has been operating for more than eight years, and about 100 surrogate mothers live in California. | [
"surrogacy remains illegal in China",
"they call for less money",
"it is more convenient to contact them",
"most of them are experienced"
] |
Another student told Bob that _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Bob was happy. He was at a new school, and the other students were friendly. "Hi, Bob!" They said. But some students said, "Hi, Peter!" Bob didn't understand. He asked another student, " Why do some students call me Peter?"
"Oh, that is easy to answer," the student said. "Peter was a student here last year. Now, he goes to a different school. You like Peter. Some students think that you are Peter."
Bob wanted to meet Peter. He got Peter's address from a student and went to Peter's house. Peter opened the door. Bob couldn't believe his eyes. He looked really like Peter! Bob and Peter had the same color eyes and the same smile. They had the same black hair. They also had the same birthday.
Bob and Peter found out that they were twin brothers. They both were adopted by two different families. Soon after the boys born, one family adopted Bob, and another family adopted Peter. Bob's family never knew about Peter, and Peter's family never knew about Bob, either.
Question:
Another student told Bob that _ .
Choices:
A. students liked Peter
B. he looked liked Peter
C. Peter was a good student in that school
D. Peter liked his studies very much | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle628.txt | Bob was happy. He was at a new school, and the other students were friendly. "Hi, Bob!" They said. But some students said, "Hi, Peter!" Bob didn't understand. He asked another student, " Why do some students call me Peter?"
"Oh, that is easy to answer," the student said. "Peter was a student here last year. Now, he goes to a different school. You like Peter. Some students think that you are Peter."
Bob wanted to meet Peter. He got Peter's address from a student and went to Peter's house. Peter opened the door. Bob couldn't believe his eyes. He looked really like Peter! Bob and Peter had the same color eyes and the same smile. They had the same black hair. They also had the same birthday.
Bob and Peter found out that they were twin brothers. They both were adopted by two different families. Soon after the boys born, one family adopted Bob, and another family adopted Peter. Bob's family never knew about Peter, and Peter's family never knew about Bob, either. | [
"students liked Peter",
"he looked liked Peter",
"Peter was a good student in that school",
"Peter liked his studies very much"
] |
Lucy found a _ in the library. | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Found:
A black pen is in the library. Is it yours? I am Lucy. E-mail me at lucy556@hotmail.com.
Lost:
I am Anna. I lost my computer game. It is blue. My telephone number is 471-4295. Call me! Thanks!
Lisa,
Is this your dictionary? Your name is on it. I found it in Classroom 6A.
Tom
Found:
I found a ring. It is nice. Please e-mail me at frank996@gmail.com.
Frank
Question:
Lucy found a _ in the library.
Choices:
A. pen
B. computer game
C. dictionary
D. ring | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle8077.txt | Found:
A black pen is in the library. Is it yours? I am Lucy. E-mail me at lucy556@hotmail.com.
Lost:
I am Anna. I lost my computer game. It is blue. My telephone number is 471-4295. Call me! Thanks!
Lisa,
Is this your dictionary? Your name is on it. I found it in Classroom 6A.
Tom
Found:
I found a ring. It is nice. Please e-mail me at frank996@gmail.com.
Frank | [
"pen",
"computer game",
"dictionary",
"ring"
] |
What are magnetites naturally attracted to? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | What are magnetites naturally attracted to? | iron | science | null | null | null | glass | stone | aluminum | iron | Magnetite naturally attracts iron nails and filings. Its natural magnetism was discovered thousands of years ago. | null | null | null |
Sally Ride lost the match on June, 1969 just because _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
When Sally Ride was ten years old, she had no idea that she would some day grow up to be one of America's first woman astronauts. In fact, if you had asked her then what wanted to be, she would have said, " I want to play shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers." Sally collected baseball cards by the boxful, and she knew the name and batting average of every player in the National League.
But major league baseball didn't seem much of a possibility for a girl, even an athletic one like Sally, so her father and mother talked her into taking tennis lessons when she was twelve. At first she hated to trade in her baseball bat for a tennis racket, but it wasn't long before she started to win tournaments in her new sport. " Tennis became much more fun when I started winning," Sally remembers. Soon a row of trophies replaced her box of baseball cards, and tennis star Billie Jean King replaced Dodger shortstop Maury Wills as her sports idol.
Sally first became interested in the space program in 1962 when astronaut John Glenn orbited the earth in his Mercury space capsule. Sally was ten years old at the time, but she remembers the launch and the splashdown as if they happened yesterday. The girl who used to memorize batting averages became a space fan. She quickly learned the name of every NASA astronaut(there were only eight of them in 1962), the date of every launch, and the name and number of every spacecraft from Freedom 7 to Skylab 3. She could tell you the speed of light (186,300 miles per second), the distance to the moon (238,860 miles), and the names of the three nearest stars( the Sun, Alpha Centauri, and Barnard's Star).
By the time she was sixteen, Sally had decided to become an astrophysicist, a scientist who studies space. She had also become a nationally ranked tennis player. She remembers yawning through an important tennis match on June 20, 1969, after staying up all night to watch Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon. Sally lost the match.
As Sally got older, many of her friends started playing professional tennis. Some of them tried to talk her into quitting school to join them on the professional tennis circuit. But Sally said no. " Black holes are more interesting to me than backhands," she told them. Now she knows that she made the right choice, but in 1970 Sally had no way of knowing that NASA would open the space program to women.
Question:
Sally Ride lost the match on June, 1969 just because _ .
Choices:
A. she was tired
B. she couldn't decide whether to be an astrophysicist
C. she couldn't decide whether to take part in a professional tennis circuit
D. she wasn't interested in tennis | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high5003.txt | When Sally Ride was ten years old, she had no idea that she would some day grow up to be one of America's first woman astronauts. In fact, if you had asked her then what wanted to be, she would have said, " I want to play shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers." Sally collected baseball cards by the boxful, and she knew the name and batting average of every player in the National League.
But major league baseball didn't seem much of a possibility for a girl, even an athletic one like Sally, so her father and mother talked her into taking tennis lessons when she was twelve. At first she hated to trade in her baseball bat for a tennis racket, but it wasn't long before she started to win tournaments in her new sport. " Tennis became much more fun when I started winning," Sally remembers. Soon a row of trophies replaced her box of baseball cards, and tennis star Billie Jean King replaced Dodger shortstop Maury Wills as her sports idol.
Sally first became interested in the space program in 1962 when astronaut John Glenn orbited the earth in his Mercury space capsule. Sally was ten years old at the time, but she remembers the launch and the splashdown as if they happened yesterday. The girl who used to memorize batting averages became a space fan. She quickly learned the name of every NASA astronaut(there were only eight of them in 1962), the date of every launch, and the name and number of every spacecraft from Freedom 7 to Skylab 3. She could tell you the speed of light (186,300 miles per second), the distance to the moon (238,860 miles), and the names of the three nearest stars( the Sun, Alpha Centauri, and Barnard's Star).
By the time she was sixteen, Sally had decided to become an astrophysicist, a scientist who studies space. She had also become a nationally ranked tennis player. She remembers yawning through an important tennis match on June 20, 1969, after staying up all night to watch Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon. Sally lost the match.
As Sally got older, many of her friends started playing professional tennis. Some of them tried to talk her into quitting school to join them on the professional tennis circuit. But Sally said no. " Black holes are more interesting to me than backhands," she told them. Now she knows that she made the right choice, but in 1970 Sally had no way of knowing that NASA would open the space program to women. | [
"she was tired",
"she couldn't decide whether to be an astrophysicist",
"she couldn't decide whether to take part in a professional tennis circuit",
"she wasn't interested in tennis"
] |
Ben supports the position that _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Do you want to spend a holiday in space? Dennis Tito, a businessman, has become the world's first "space tourist". He went on a 10-day visit to the International Space Station. He paid 14 million pounds for his journey. A year later, Martin, a musician from an American band, wanted to do the same. He was only 22 years old and probably very rich too. He had to go for a lot of training to see whether he was fit enough to travel. He is still waiting for his holiday of a lifetime.
Many people believe that this is only the start of something new. We made interviews among teenagers from around the world and the following is what they said about space travel.
"It's a great idea. I hope space travel will be common in about 50 years' time. I'd really love to do it and I think Mr. Tito was very lucky." (Kate from Australia)
"I would like to see our beautiful Earth from space. There are lots of secrets to explore in space and I would go into space if I could." (Ben from China)
"I think space travel is really bad for the environment. Maybe in the future they will make a cleaner way of travelling but until they do, I don't want to go. We should look after our own planet first."(Richard from Canada)
"It must be very boring and dangerous to sit in that small space shuttle . I'd rather take a plane and go to another place on earth." (Lisa from the UK)
So, as you can see, many of our teenagers had different opinions. Whether you like it or not, space travel is going to become an important thing in the future. We are looking forward to hearing your opinions.
Question:
Ben supports the position that _ .
Choices:
A. we will explore in space and discover its secrets
B. we would rather travel on the earth than in space
C. all of us can make a space travel in about 50 years
D. we will take actions and look after the earth first | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle6489.txt | Do you want to spend a holiday in space? Dennis Tito, a businessman, has become the world's first "space tourist". He went on a 10-day visit to the International Space Station. He paid 14 million pounds for his journey. A year later, Martin, a musician from an American band, wanted to do the same. He was only 22 years old and probably very rich too. He had to go for a lot of training to see whether he was fit enough to travel. He is still waiting for his holiday of a lifetime.
Many people believe that this is only the start of something new. We made interviews among teenagers from around the world and the following is what they said about space travel.
"It's a great idea. I hope space travel will be common in about 50 years' time. I'd really love to do it and I think Mr. Tito was very lucky." (Kate from Australia)
"I would like to see our beautiful Earth from space. There are lots of secrets to explore in space and I would go into space if I could." (Ben from China)
"I think space travel is really bad for the environment. Maybe in the future they will make a cleaner way of travelling but until they do, I don't want to go. We should look after our own planet first."(Richard from Canada)
"It must be very boring and dangerous to sit in that small space shuttle . I'd rather take a plane and go to another place on earth." (Lisa from the UK)
So, as you can see, many of our teenagers had different opinions. Whether you like it or not, space travel is going to become an important thing in the future. We are looking forward to hearing your opinions. | [
"we will explore in space and discover its secrets",
"we would rather travel on the earth than in space",
"all of us can make a space travel in about 50 years",
"we will take actions and look after the earth first"
] |
The passage mainly tells us that _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Throughout the centuries, various writers have contributed greatly to the literary treasure trove of books lining the shelves of today's libraries. In addition to writing interesting material, many famous writers, such as Edgar Allan Poe, were larger-than-life characters with personal histories that are as interesting to read as the stories they wrote. Poe's rocky life included being driven off from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1831 and an ongoing battle with alcohol. Yet, despite heavy gambling debts, poor health, and terrible unemployment, Poe managed to produce a body of popular works, including "The Raven" and "The Murders in the Rue Morgue."
Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick, once lived among the man-eaters in the Marquesas Islands and wrote unusual tales inspired by his years of service in the U.S. Navy. Dublin-born Oscar Wilde was noted for his charismatic personality, his outrageous lifestyle, and creating witty catchphrases such as, "Nothing succeeds like excess." D.H. Lawrence wrote shameful novels that were often cut, and Anne Rice led a double life writing bestselling horrible novels under her real name and using "A.N. Roquelaure" for the lowbrow unhealthy novels she penned on the side.
Nonconformist author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau once fled to the woods and generated enough interesting material to fill his noted book Walden. Thoreau wrote on the issue of passive resistance protest in his essay "Civil Disobedience" and served time in jail for refusing tax payments in protest of the United States government's policy towards slavery. American short story writer O. Henry's color1ful life was ruined by tragic events, such as being accused and sentenced for stealing money from an Austin, Texas bank. Despite his success selling his short stories, O. Henry struggled financially and was nearly bankrupt when he died.
As diverse as these famous authors' backgrounds were, they all led unconventional lives while writing great literary works that will endure throughout the ages. The next time you read an interesting book, consider learning more about the author by reading his or her biography so you can learn about the unique life experiences that shaped his or her writing.
Question:
The passage mainly tells us that _ .
Choices:
A. many famous writers lived nontraditional lives
B. most famous writers were usually troublemakers
C. writers had to lead interesting lives to generate materials
D. the biographies of famous writers are always inspirational | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high23011.txt | Throughout the centuries, various writers have contributed greatly to the literary treasure trove of books lining the shelves of today's libraries. In addition to writing interesting material, many famous writers, such as Edgar Allan Poe, were larger-than-life characters with personal histories that are as interesting to read as the stories they wrote. Poe's rocky life included being driven off from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1831 and an ongoing battle with alcohol. Yet, despite heavy gambling debts, poor health, and terrible unemployment, Poe managed to produce a body of popular works, including "The Raven" and "The Murders in the Rue Morgue."
Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick, once lived among the man-eaters in the Marquesas Islands and wrote unusual tales inspired by his years of service in the U.S. Navy. Dublin-born Oscar Wilde was noted for his charismatic personality, his outrageous lifestyle, and creating witty catchphrases such as, "Nothing succeeds like excess." D.H. Lawrence wrote shameful novels that were often cut, and Anne Rice led a double life writing bestselling horrible novels under her real name and using "A.N. Roquelaure" for the lowbrow unhealthy novels she penned on the side.
Nonconformist author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau once fled to the woods and generated enough interesting material to fill his noted book Walden. Thoreau wrote on the issue of passive resistance protest in his essay "Civil Disobedience" and served time in jail for refusing tax payments in protest of the United States government's policy towards slavery. American short story writer O. Henry's color1ful life was ruined by tragic events, such as being accused and sentenced for stealing money from an Austin, Texas bank. Despite his success selling his short stories, O. Henry struggled financially and was nearly bankrupt when he died.
As diverse as these famous authors' backgrounds were, they all led unconventional lives while writing great literary works that will endure throughout the ages. The next time you read an interesting book, consider learning more about the author by reading his or her biography so you can learn about the unique life experiences that shaped his or her writing. | [
"many famous writers lived nontraditional lives",
"most famous writers were usually troublemakers",
"writers had to lead interesting lives to generate materials",
"the biographies of famous writers are always inspirational"
] |
What type of tissues are major barriers to the entry of pathogens into the body? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | What type of tissues are major barriers to the entry of pathogens into the body? | mucosal | science | null | null | null | nasal | skin | vascular | mucosal | The Mucosal Immune Response Mucosal tissues are major barriers to the entry of pathogens into the body. The IgA (and sometimes IgM) antibodies in mucus and other secretions can bind to the pathogen, and in the cases of many viruses and bacteria, neutralize them. Neutralization is the process of coating a pathogen with antibodies, making it physically impossible for the pathogen to bind to receptors. Neutralization, which occurs in the blood, lymph, and other body fluids and secretions, protects the body constantly. Neutralizing antibodies are the basis for the disease protection offered by vaccines. Vaccinations for diseases that commonly enter the body via mucous membranes, such as influenza, are usually formulated to enhance IgA production. Immune responses in some mucosal tissues such as the Peyer’s patches (see Figure 21.11) in the small intestine take up particulate antigens by specialized cells known as microfold or M cells (Figure 21.27). These cells allow the body to sample potential pathogens from the intestinal lumen. Dendritic cells then take the antigen to the regional lymph nodes, where an immune response is mounted. | null | null | null |
Saturn is made mostly of helium and what else? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | Saturn is made mostly of helium and what else? | hydrogen | science | null | null | null | hydrogen | nitrogen | carbon | hydrogen | Saturn’s composition is similar to Jupiter's. The planet is made mostly of hydrogen and helium. These elements are gases in the outer layers and liquids in the deeper layers. Saturn may also have a small solid core. Saturn's upper atmosphere has clouds in bands of different colors. These clouds rotate rapidly around the planet. But Saturn has fewer storms than Jupiter. Thunder and lightning have been seen in the storms on Saturn ( Figure below ). | null | null | null |
Which of the following is NOT true? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
If you have time, if you love sunshine and swimming, why not come to Australia to have a lovely holiday? You will enjoy every minute of being here. Of course, there is still some information that you have to know before you come.
The sun
In Australia, you can see many kinds of plants and animals and many beautiful views. However, you should be careful. Our sunlight is very strong and you may get sunburn, If you want to go out, you had better wear a hat and a shirt with collar and long sleeves and don't forget to take your sunglasses and sun cream, Don't look at the sun directly.
Swimming
We have so many beautiful places to swim, beaches, lakes, rivers and _ . Most of our public beaches have lifesaving service. Yellow and red flags tell you the area that you are advised to swim in. If there are no flags or lifeguards on the beach, you'd better ask the local people before you go into the water.
Banks and money
Banks are usually open between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Monday to Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Travellers can change money at all the banks and some of the larger hotels.
.
Question:
Which of the following is NOT true?
Choices:
A. Yellow and red flags show the safe place to swim.
B. Not all the beaches have lifesaving service.
C. You can go to all the banks and all the hotels to change money.
D. You can change money before 5:00 p.m. on Friday. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle7846.txt | If you have time, if you love sunshine and swimming, why not come to Australia to have a lovely holiday? You will enjoy every minute of being here. Of course, there is still some information that you have to know before you come.
The sun
In Australia, you can see many kinds of plants and animals and many beautiful views. However, you should be careful. Our sunlight is very strong and you may get sunburn, If you want to go out, you had better wear a hat and a shirt with collar and long sleeves and don't forget to take your sunglasses and sun cream, Don't look at the sun directly.
Swimming
We have so many beautiful places to swim, beaches, lakes, rivers and _ . Most of our public beaches have lifesaving service. Yellow and red flags tell you the area that you are advised to swim in. If there are no flags or lifeguards on the beach, you'd better ask the local people before you go into the water.
Banks and money
Banks are usually open between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Monday to Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Travellers can change money at all the banks and some of the larger hotels.
. | [
"Yellow and red flags show the safe place to swim.",
"Not all the beaches have lifesaving service.",
"You can go to all the banks and all the hotels to change money.",
"You can change money before 5:00 p.m. on Friday."
] |
. Which of the following best describes Doniece Sandoval? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
San Francisco, unofficially regarded as one of the homeless capitals of the US, counts nearly 6,500 homeless people, with 4,300 living on the street.
Among the many problems that the homeless face is little or no access to showers. San Francisco only has about 16 to 20 shower stations to accommodate _ . But Doniece Sandoval has made it her task to change that. [:"Homelessness is something you can't really miss," the 51-year-old woman said. She started Lava Mae, a sort of showers on wheels, a new project that aims to turn old city buses into shower stations for the homeless.
"One day I passed a woman in the street and she was very dirty and basically crying, and I heard her say that she would never be clean. But I was wondering what her opportunities were to actually get clean," Sandoval said.
Sandoval was inspired to start Lava Mae. The project has already been welcomed with open arms in the city. The Transportation Agency has donated one bus for the cause and is willing to donate three more if the project succeeds. Sandoval hopes the first bus will be able to hit the road in May this year. The Public Commission has also agreed to let the buses plug into fire hydrants around the city if Lava Mae pays for the water.
One of Lava Mae's biggest supporters is Bevan Dufty, the director of Housing Opportunity, Partnerships & Engagement under the mayor of San Francisco. "For people who are unhoused, access to showers is very difficult. Shower buses are something that could potentially be deployed in response to an emergency, so it is relevant to all San Franciscans," Dufty said. "Doniece has done an incredible job as a citizen who cares about helping the poor. We are very excited to see Lava Mae become real soon. "
Each bus will have two shower stations and Sandoval expects that by 2015, they'll be able to provide 2000 showers a week.
Question:
. Which of the following best describes Doniece Sandoval?
Choices:
A. Brave and independent.
B. Caring and responsible.
C. Honest and determined.
D. Friendly and humorous. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high10366.txt | San Francisco, unofficially regarded as one of the homeless capitals of the US, counts nearly 6,500 homeless people, with 4,300 living on the street.
Among the many problems that the homeless face is little or no access to showers. San Francisco only has about 16 to 20 shower stations to accommodate _ . But Doniece Sandoval has made it her task to change that. [:"Homelessness is something you can't really miss," the 51-year-old woman said. She started Lava Mae, a sort of showers on wheels, a new project that aims to turn old city buses into shower stations for the homeless.
"One day I passed a woman in the street and she was very dirty and basically crying, and I heard her say that she would never be clean. But I was wondering what her opportunities were to actually get clean," Sandoval said.
Sandoval was inspired to start Lava Mae. The project has already been welcomed with open arms in the city. The Transportation Agency has donated one bus for the cause and is willing to donate three more if the project succeeds. Sandoval hopes the first bus will be able to hit the road in May this year. The Public Commission has also agreed to let the buses plug into fire hydrants around the city if Lava Mae pays for the water.
One of Lava Mae's biggest supporters is Bevan Dufty, the director of Housing Opportunity, Partnerships & Engagement under the mayor of San Francisco. "For people who are unhoused, access to showers is very difficult. Shower buses are something that could potentially be deployed in response to an emergency, so it is relevant to all San Franciscans," Dufty said. "Doniece has done an incredible job as a citizen who cares about helping the poor. We are very excited to see Lava Mae become real soon. "
Each bus will have two shower stations and Sandoval expects that by 2015, they'll be able to provide 2000 showers a week. | [
"Brave and independent.",
"Caring and responsible.",
"Honest and determined.",
"Friendly and humorous."
] |
Which is TRUE according to the passage _ ? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability. People with autism have trouble communicating and with social skills. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the person also might repeat some behaviors and not want change in their daily activities. Some people with the condition need a lot of help. Others need less.
CDC officials say autism affects one in every 68 children in the United States. More boys than girls are believed to have the condition. But the number of cases appears to be growing. It is unclear whether the growing number shows a real increase or comes from more knowledge about this disorder.
Symptoms of autism
Common signs of autism include trouble making eye contact and a delay in learning how to speak. Some people with severe autism never learn how to talk. Many people with autism also have difficulty understanding facial expressions and the feelings of others. They also have trouble making friends of the same age.
Doctors have learned how to recognize autism, but much is still unknown about its causes.
Researchers at Harvard University have come closer to finding answers. They found that women exposed to the highest levels of fine particulate air pollution late in their pregnancies are two times more likely to give birth to a child with autism. The findings appeared in Environmental Health Perspectives -- a publication of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
The study found that the women who were around high levels of fine particulate matter air pollution were at highest risk of having an autistic child. The increased risk of these women was two times that of women who lived in areas with low levels of fine particulate pollution.
The researchers found that the timing of exposure to pollution was important. They found no increased risk of autism in children whose mothers were around high levels of pollution before becoming pregnant. And the study found air pollution does not seem to increase the risk of children developing autism after they are born.
What can pregnant women do?
Mr. Weisskopf says pregnant women should avoid air pollution as much as possible. But he warns that other things may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder.
"You can avoid being in extremely polluted cities during pregnancy if possible. You can also choose to go running in a park rather than next to a street. But that said, I think also it's very important to recognize that autism spectrum disorders is a very multi-factorial disorder. And there are lots of reasons why risk could be increased."
Autism is believed to result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors.
For now, Marc Weisskopf says researchers are trying to identify the exact substances in air pollution that increase the risk of autism.
Question:
Which is TRUE according to the passage _ ?
Choices:
A. the growing number of cases shows a real increase
B. women exposed to high levels of fine particulate air pollution during their pregnancies are more likely to have a child with autism
C. high levels of fine particulate air pollution have no effect on autism
D. doctors have learned the causes of autism | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high9762.txt | Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability. People with autism have trouble communicating and with social skills. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the person also might repeat some behaviors and not want change in their daily activities. Some people with the condition need a lot of help. Others need less.
CDC officials say autism affects one in every 68 children in the United States. More boys than girls are believed to have the condition. But the number of cases appears to be growing. It is unclear whether the growing number shows a real increase or comes from more knowledge about this disorder.
Symptoms of autism
Common signs of autism include trouble making eye contact and a delay in learning how to speak. Some people with severe autism never learn how to talk. Many people with autism also have difficulty understanding facial expressions and the feelings of others. They also have trouble making friends of the same age.
Doctors have learned how to recognize autism, but much is still unknown about its causes.
Researchers at Harvard University have come closer to finding answers. They found that women exposed to the highest levels of fine particulate air pollution late in their pregnancies are two times more likely to give birth to a child with autism. The findings appeared in Environmental Health Perspectives -- a publication of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
The study found that the women who were around high levels of fine particulate matter air pollution were at highest risk of having an autistic child. The increased risk of these women was two times that of women who lived in areas with low levels of fine particulate pollution.
The researchers found that the timing of exposure to pollution was important. They found no increased risk of autism in children whose mothers were around high levels of pollution before becoming pregnant. And the study found air pollution does not seem to increase the risk of children developing autism after they are born.
What can pregnant women do?
Mr. Weisskopf says pregnant women should avoid air pollution as much as possible. But he warns that other things may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder.
"You can avoid being in extremely polluted cities during pregnancy if possible. You can also choose to go running in a park rather than next to a street. But that said, I think also it's very important to recognize that autism spectrum disorders is a very multi-factorial disorder. And there are lots of reasons why risk could be increased."
Autism is believed to result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors.
For now, Marc Weisskopf says researchers are trying to identify the exact substances in air pollution that increase the risk of autism. | [
"the growing number of cases shows a real increase",
"women exposed to high levels of fine particulate air pollution during their pregnancies are more likely to have a child with autism",
"high levels of fine particulate air pollution have no effect on autism",
"doctors have learned the causes of autism"
] |
In a copper wire, a temperature increase is the result of which of the following? | null | Answer this science question and explain your reasoning. | In a copper wire, a temperature increase is the result of which of the following?
Choices:
A. an increase in the size of the copper particles
B. a decrease in the mass of the copper particles
C. an increase in the motion of the copper particles
D. a decrease in the distance between the copper particles | Correct answer: C | science | MCAS_2006_9_5-v1 | {
"text": [
"an increase in the size of the copper particles",
"a decrease in the mass of the copper particles",
"an increase in the motion of the copper particles",
"a decrease in the distance between the copper particles"
],
"label": [
"A",
"B",
"C",
"D"
]
} | C | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
Which might be the best title for this passage? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
As one approaches some crossroads, one comes to a sign which says that drivers have to stop when they come to the main road ahead. At other crossroads, drivers have to go slow, but they do not actually have to stop (unless, of course, there is something coming along the main road); and at still others, they do not have either to stop or to go slow, because they are themselves on the main road.
Mr. Williams, who was always a very careful driver, was driving home from work one evening when he came to a crossroads. It had a "Slow" sign, so he slowed down when he came to the main road, looked both ways to see that nothing was coming, and then drove across without stopping completely.
At once he heard a police whistle, so he pulled in to the side of the road and stopped. A policeman walked over to him with a notebook and pencil in his hand and said, "You didn't stop at the crossing." "But the sign there doesn't say "Stop"," answered Mr. Williams. "It just says "Slow", and I did go slow." The policeman looked around him, and a look of surprise came over his face. Then he put his notebook and pencil away, scratched his head and said, "Well, I'll be scolded. I am in the wrong street!"
Question:
Which might be the best title for this passage?
Choices:
A. Signs at the crossroads
B. A careful driver
C. A policeman and a driver
D. Policeman in the wrong street | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high21949.txt | As one approaches some crossroads, one comes to a sign which says that drivers have to stop when they come to the main road ahead. At other crossroads, drivers have to go slow, but they do not actually have to stop (unless, of course, there is something coming along the main road); and at still others, they do not have either to stop or to go slow, because they are themselves on the main road.
Mr. Williams, who was always a very careful driver, was driving home from work one evening when he came to a crossroads. It had a "Slow" sign, so he slowed down when he came to the main road, looked both ways to see that nothing was coming, and then drove across without stopping completely.
At once he heard a police whistle, so he pulled in to the side of the road and stopped. A policeman walked over to him with a notebook and pencil in his hand and said, "You didn't stop at the crossing." "But the sign there doesn't say "Stop"," answered Mr. Williams. "It just says "Slow", and I did go slow." The policeman looked around him, and a look of surprise came over his face. Then he put his notebook and pencil away, scratched his head and said, "Well, I'll be scolded. I am in the wrong street!" | [
"Signs at the crossroads",
"A careful driver",
"A policeman and a driver",
"Policeman in the wrong street"
] |
Upon leaving for America the author felt _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see--the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost--having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to "the hard times. "
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: Almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.
Question:
Upon leaving for America the author felt _ .
Choices:
A. confused
B. excited
C. worried
D. amazed | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high813.txt | I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see--the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost--having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to "the hard times. "
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: Almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy. | [
"confused",
"excited",
"worried",
"amazed"
] |
Who writes this letter? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Dear friends,
My name is Tony. I am English. I am thirteen years old this year. I am tall, and I am good at playing football. I am in Grade Seven. There are thirty boys and twenty girls in my class. We are learning Chinese in our school. Our Chinese teacher is Mr. Wu. He is a little short, but he is very strong. He is very nice to us. I have some good friends in my class. Tom is a tall boy and has short black hair. He is good at playing football, too. Alice is short and she loves wearing red dresses. She is good at English. Shelly has long hair. She can speak Japanese and she likes running. We all study hard.
What about your school and your friend? Please write soon.
Yours,
Tony
Question:
Who writes this letter?
Choices:
A. Tony
B. Tom
C. Shelly
D. We don't know | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle1190.txt | Dear friends,
My name is Tony. I am English. I am thirteen years old this year. I am tall, and I am good at playing football. I am in Grade Seven. There are thirty boys and twenty girls in my class. We are learning Chinese in our school. Our Chinese teacher is Mr. Wu. He is a little short, but he is very strong. He is very nice to us. I have some good friends in my class. Tom is a tall boy and has short black hair. He is good at playing football, too. Alice is short and she loves wearing red dresses. She is good at English. Shelly has long hair. She can speak Japanese and she likes running. We all study hard.
What about your school and your friend? Please write soon.
Yours,
Tony | [
"Tony",
"Tom",
"Shelly",
"We don't know"
] |
The writer saw people _ in Shanghai that day. | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
"Why does the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side!"
That's an old joke in the west, but it came to my mind again when I saw people crossing the road at the _ of Shanxi Road and Huaihai Road in Shanghai.
When the traffic light was red, a group of people were waiting for the light to change. Suddenly one man began rushing to the other side of the road. Soon others followed him at the crossing and more people did the same. Just like chickens, they didn't mind the honking horns and kept crossing the road in a mess.
Every year several thousand people are either killed or hurt on the roads in Shanghai. And at least one third of them were jaywalking . Jaywalking is very common in Shanghai. It seems that jaywalkers are not afraid of the danger to themselves.
Traffic laws are to keep people safe. So we should obey them, and have good road-crossing habits. When someone starts to jaywalk, we should stop him, and never follow him. That way we can avoid the traffic accidents.
Question:
The writer saw people _ in Shanghai that day.
Choices:
A. crossing the road in a mess
B. waiting for the green light patiently
C. crossing the road with chickens
D. hurting each other in the street | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle1753.txt | "Why does the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side!"
That's an old joke in the west, but it came to my mind again when I saw people crossing the road at the _ of Shanxi Road and Huaihai Road in Shanghai.
When the traffic light was red, a group of people were waiting for the light to change. Suddenly one man began rushing to the other side of the road. Soon others followed him at the crossing and more people did the same. Just like chickens, they didn't mind the honking horns and kept crossing the road in a mess.
Every year several thousand people are either killed or hurt on the roads in Shanghai. And at least one third of them were jaywalking . Jaywalking is very common in Shanghai. It seems that jaywalkers are not afraid of the danger to themselves.
Traffic laws are to keep people safe. So we should obey them, and have good road-crossing habits. When someone starts to jaywalk, we should stop him, and never follow him. That way we can avoid the traffic accidents. | [
"crossing the road in a mess",
"waiting for the green light patiently",
"crossing the road with chickens",
"hurting each other in the street"
] |
Different activities are mentioned to show that Sun Veil Sunscreen is _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
What's the weather like today? Harmful rays are dangerous even on cold, cloudy days. Sunscreen is important year-round protection no matter where you are.
Remember, you're being struck by the sun's powerful rays when you are
*walking on the street *playing on the ground
*relaxing on the beach or pool *taking part in outdoor activities
Sun Veil Sunscreen can reduce the harmful effects of the sun.
Sun Veil Sunscreen is guaranteed 100% effective or you will get a full refund. Sun Veil Sunscreen provides long-lasting waterproof protection from the sun's burning rays that will last for a full 6 hours in or out of water.
Instructions:
Apply Sun Veil's disappearing blue-colored sunscreen to all exposed skin. The blue color disappears as you rub Sun Veil Sunscreen onto the skin. The coloring is safe and easily washes from most clothing. For best results, allow Sun Veil Sunscreen to dry for 15-30 minutes before exposure to the sun.
Warning:
Discontinue use immediately, if the skin becomes painful or there are some red spots.
Sun Veil Sunscreen is not recommended for pregnant women and babies under the age of six months.
If you're interested in our product, just order now! $20.00 for one bottle. There will be a 10% discount if you buy two at a time, and a 15% discount for three or more!
Question:
Different activities are mentioned to show that Sun Veil Sunscreen is _ .
Choices:
A. popular with all the ages
B. available wherever you are
C. better than others on the market
D. necessary whatever you do | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high13631.txt | What's the weather like today? Harmful rays are dangerous even on cold, cloudy days. Sunscreen is important year-round protection no matter where you are.
Remember, you're being struck by the sun's powerful rays when you are
*walking on the street *playing on the ground
*relaxing on the beach or pool *taking part in outdoor activities
Sun Veil Sunscreen can reduce the harmful effects of the sun.
Sun Veil Sunscreen is guaranteed 100% effective or you will get a full refund. Sun Veil Sunscreen provides long-lasting waterproof protection from the sun's burning rays that will last for a full 6 hours in or out of water.
Instructions:
Apply Sun Veil's disappearing blue-colored sunscreen to all exposed skin. The blue color disappears as you rub Sun Veil Sunscreen onto the skin. The coloring is safe and easily washes from most clothing. For best results, allow Sun Veil Sunscreen to dry for 15-30 minutes before exposure to the sun.
Warning:
Discontinue use immediately, if the skin becomes painful or there are some red spots.
Sun Veil Sunscreen is not recommended for pregnant women and babies under the age of six months.
If you're interested in our product, just order now! $20.00 for one bottle. There will be a 10% discount if you buy two at a time, and a 15% discount for three or more! | [
"popular with all the ages",
"available wherever you are",
"better than others on the market",
"necessary whatever you do"
] |
According to the text, the author most probably thinks that his life in Chile was _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Last year I lived in Chile for half a year as an exchange student with the American Field Service. Compared to most visitors, I didn't travel much. I lived with a Chilean family and had the responsibilities of any Chilean teenager. I went to school every day, in uniform. I had good days and bad days and days that I didn't understand.
Chuquicamata, my host community, is a mining camp in the Atacama Desert. There is no disco, no shopping center, no museum or beach. Driveways must be watered daily to keep the dust down.
When I arrived here, I was scared. It was so different from the urban middle-class America I was accustomed to. There were lost dogs on the streets, and a constant cloud of brick-colored dust came from the mine. There was no downtown, few smoothly paved streets, and little to do for amusement. The people worked extremely hard. Rain was a rare phenomenon; earthquakes and windstorms were frequent.
I had studied Spanish for two and a half years and was always one of the best students in my class. But in my first week in Chile I was barely able to communicate and desperate for one person to whom I could explain my shock. I couldn't speak the thoughts in my head --- and there were so many.
Most exchange students experience this like me. Culture shock presents itself in everything from increased aggression toward the people to lack of appetite or weight gain and depression. I was required to overcome all difficulties. Being an exchange student is not easy.
As time passed, everything changed. I began to forget words in English and to dream in Spanish and love Chilean food. I got used to not depending on expensive things for fun. Fun in Chuquicamata was being with people. And I took math, physics, chemistry, biology, Spanish, art, and philosophy --- for which I received half a credit in global studies. Somehow my high school couldn't figure out a way to relate my experience to its curriculum.
But the sacrifices were nothing compared to the gain. I learned how to accept as well as to succeed in another culture. I now know the world is my community and have a much deeper understanding of both myself and others.
Question:
According to the text, the author most probably thinks that his life in Chile was _ .
Choices:
A. wonderful but tiring
B. hard but meaningful
C. difficult and terrible
D. boring and disappointing | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high13561.txt | Last year I lived in Chile for half a year as an exchange student with the American Field Service. Compared to most visitors, I didn't travel much. I lived with a Chilean family and had the responsibilities of any Chilean teenager. I went to school every day, in uniform. I had good days and bad days and days that I didn't understand.
Chuquicamata, my host community, is a mining camp in the Atacama Desert. There is no disco, no shopping center, no museum or beach. Driveways must be watered daily to keep the dust down.
When I arrived here, I was scared. It was so different from the urban middle-class America I was accustomed to. There were lost dogs on the streets, and a constant cloud of brick-colored dust came from the mine. There was no downtown, few smoothly paved streets, and little to do for amusement. The people worked extremely hard. Rain was a rare phenomenon; earthquakes and windstorms were frequent.
I had studied Spanish for two and a half years and was always one of the best students in my class. But in my first week in Chile I was barely able to communicate and desperate for one person to whom I could explain my shock. I couldn't speak the thoughts in my head --- and there were so many.
Most exchange students experience this like me. Culture shock presents itself in everything from increased aggression toward the people to lack of appetite or weight gain and depression. I was required to overcome all difficulties. Being an exchange student is not easy.
As time passed, everything changed. I began to forget words in English and to dream in Spanish and love Chilean food. I got used to not depending on expensive things for fun. Fun in Chuquicamata was being with people. And I took math, physics, chemistry, biology, Spanish, art, and philosophy --- for which I received half a credit in global studies. Somehow my high school couldn't figure out a way to relate my experience to its curriculum.
But the sacrifices were nothing compared to the gain. I learned how to accept as well as to succeed in another culture. I now know the world is my community and have a much deeper understanding of both myself and others. | [
"wonderful but tiring",
"hard but meaningful",
"difficult and terrible",
"boring and disappointing"
] |
Mary and Mike are sharing a jar of paint. Mary paints a dragon using 3 square feet worth of paint. Mike paints a castle using 2 square feet more paint than Mary used on her dragon. They both then work together to paint the biggest sun possible. If there was originally enough paint in the jar to cover 13 square feet, how many square feet of paint can be used to paint the sun? | The castle uses 3 + 2 = <<3+2=5>>5 square feet of paint.
The sun uses 13 - 3 - 5 = <<13-3-5=5>>5 square feet of paint.
#### 5 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Mary and Mike are sharing a jar of paint. Mary paints a dragon using 3 square feet worth of paint. Mike paints a castle using 2 square feet more paint than Mary used on her dragon. They both then work together to paint the biggest sun possible. If there was originally enough paint in the jar to cover 13 square feet, how many square feet of paint can be used to paint the sun? | The castle uses 3 + 2 = <<3+2=5>>5 square feet of paint.
The sun uses 13 - 3 - 5 = <<13-3-5=5>>5 square feet of paint.
#### 5 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
Where is Dave from? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
On 22nd January, 2007, Dave Cornthwaite from the UK became the first person to skateboard across Australia. He made a new world record, by skating a total of 5,823 kilometers. Jack Smith, the previous champion, had skated a total of 4,830 kilometers across the US in 2003. Dave's journey started in Perth and ended in Brisbane traveling about 60 kilometers a day. It took him five months and 13 pairs of shoes. He had great physical pain and he got really sore feet.
If Dave hadn't believed in making his dreams come true, none of this would have happened. Dave left his job two weeks after he had bought a skateboard and decided to go on a journey. He wanted this journey to be about something more than him, so he created an association that would raise money for charities. "If people follow my journey and donations, then I'm doing many people a lot of good," said Dave. This journey had plenty of challenges. He traveled across the Australian desert where temperatures reached 48degC in the day and 0degC at night. He had a serious accident in Adelaide when he jumped on a piece of metal that cut through his foot.
Dave helped raise more than PS50,000 for children's charities, wrote a book and encouraged others to follow in his footsteps. I wish we had more people like him leading the way!
Question:
Where is Dave from?
Choices:
A. The US.
B. Australia.
C. The UK
D. France | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle2985.txt | On 22nd January, 2007, Dave Cornthwaite from the UK became the first person to skateboard across Australia. He made a new world record, by skating a total of 5,823 kilometers. Jack Smith, the previous champion, had skated a total of 4,830 kilometers across the US in 2003. Dave's journey started in Perth and ended in Brisbane traveling about 60 kilometers a day. It took him five months and 13 pairs of shoes. He had great physical pain and he got really sore feet.
If Dave hadn't believed in making his dreams come true, none of this would have happened. Dave left his job two weeks after he had bought a skateboard and decided to go on a journey. He wanted this journey to be about something more than him, so he created an association that would raise money for charities. "If people follow my journey and donations, then I'm doing many people a lot of good," said Dave. This journey had plenty of challenges. He traveled across the Australian desert where temperatures reached 48degC in the day and 0degC at night. He had a serious accident in Adelaide when he jumped on a piece of metal that cut through his foot.
Dave helped raise more than PS50,000 for children's charities, wrote a book and encouraged others to follow in his footsteps. I wish we had more people like him leading the way! | [
"The US.",
"Australia.",
"The UK",
"France"
] |
From the passage, we can conclude that _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
One day, Jack threw some papers on my desk. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Next time you want to change anything, ask me first," he said, and left. I had made just one small change. But it's not that I hadn't been warned. My colleagues had said he was responsible for the resignations of the two previous secretaries. As the weeks went by, I came to look down on Jack.
After another of his episodes had left me in tears I stormed into his office. "what?" he said suddenly. "Jack, the way you've been treating me is wrong. I've never had anyone speak to me that way. As a professional, it's wrong for me to allow it to continue," I said. Jack smiled nervously, "Susan, I make you a promise that I will be a friend. I will treat you as you deserve to be treated, with respect and kindness."
Jack avoided me the rest of the week, and never questioned my work again. I brought cookies to the office one day and left some on his desk. Another day I left a note: "Hope your day is going great. " Over the next few weeks, there were no more Jack episodes. One year later
I discovered I had breast cancer, and was scared. The statistics were not great for my long-term survival.
One day, however, Jack visited me in the hospital and silently handed me a bundle with several bulbs inside. "Tulips ," he said. I smiled, not understanding. "If you plant them when you get home, they'll come up next spring. I think you will be there to see them when they come up. Next spring you will see the colours I picked out for you." Tears clouded my eyes and he left. I have seen those red and white striped tulips push through the soil every spring for over ten years now. This past September the doctor declared me cured. At a moment when I was praying for just the right word, a man with very few words said all the right things. After all, that's what friends do.
Question:
From the passage, we can conclude that _ .
Choices:
A. Jack cares about his employees
B. Jack gets along well with his employees
C. Jack is always particular about his work
D. Jack doesn't care about the feelings of others | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high4385.txt | One day, Jack threw some papers on my desk. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Next time you want to change anything, ask me first," he said, and left. I had made just one small change. But it's not that I hadn't been warned. My colleagues had said he was responsible for the resignations of the two previous secretaries. As the weeks went by, I came to look down on Jack.
After another of his episodes had left me in tears I stormed into his office. "what?" he said suddenly. "Jack, the way you've been treating me is wrong. I've never had anyone speak to me that way. As a professional, it's wrong for me to allow it to continue," I said. Jack smiled nervously, "Susan, I make you a promise that I will be a friend. I will treat you as you deserve to be treated, with respect and kindness."
Jack avoided me the rest of the week, and never questioned my work again. I brought cookies to the office one day and left some on his desk. Another day I left a note: "Hope your day is going great. " Over the next few weeks, there were no more Jack episodes. One year later
I discovered I had breast cancer, and was scared. The statistics were not great for my long-term survival.
One day, however, Jack visited me in the hospital and silently handed me a bundle with several bulbs inside. "Tulips ," he said. I smiled, not understanding. "If you plant them when you get home, they'll come up next spring. I think you will be there to see them when they come up. Next spring you will see the colours I picked out for you." Tears clouded my eyes and he left. I have seen those red and white striped tulips push through the soil every spring for over ten years now. This past September the doctor declared me cured. At a moment when I was praying for just the right word, a man with very few words said all the right things. After all, that's what friends do. | [
"Jack cares about his employees",
"Jack gets along well with his employees",
"Jack is always particular about his work",
"Jack doesn't care about the feelings of others"
] |
What can we know from the passage? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Schoolgirls have been wearing such short skirts that a Staffordshire school has ordered them to wear trousers instead. All skirts will be banned from September at Paget High School in Branston. Tight-fitting trousers will also be banned and Muslim head-dressed will have to be "School blue" colour.
Head teacher Don Smith said, "one of the big problems for us at the school has been the number of girls who have been wearing improperly short skirts. This has been an area of special concern at a time when there have been a lot of wrong ideas of being beautiful." Mr Smith said it would be impossible to determine how long girls' skirts should be and that _ would be easier for teachers to carry out.
The head teacher said pupils' and other teachers' opinions were asked for before the new rule was set. The new clothing policy has been explained in a letter sent to parents of the school's 1,000 pupils and will come into force after the summer holiday.
The school also wants pupils to wear clip-on ties instead of traditional neckwear. This rule will be gradually out over the next year and support will be given to parents unable to afford the new tie.
One parent, whose teenage daughter studies at school, said, "I completely agree some girls were wearing skirts that were too short. However, I think girls should be allowed to wear skirts. Other school manage to let girls wear skirts while making sure they are not improperly dressed. I don't see why Paget can't do the same"
Question:
What can we know from the passage?
Choices:
A. Teachers called the pupils' parents to explain the new rule.
B. Pupils will have to wear clip-on ties after the summer holiday.
C. Paget High School will provide clip-on ties for pupils for free.
D. Opinions were collected before the new clothing policy was made. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle3834.txt | Schoolgirls have been wearing such short skirts that a Staffordshire school has ordered them to wear trousers instead. All skirts will be banned from September at Paget High School in Branston. Tight-fitting trousers will also be banned and Muslim head-dressed will have to be "School blue" colour.
Head teacher Don Smith said, "one of the big problems for us at the school has been the number of girls who have been wearing improperly short skirts. This has been an area of special concern at a time when there have been a lot of wrong ideas of being beautiful." Mr Smith said it would be impossible to determine how long girls' skirts should be and that _ would be easier for teachers to carry out.
The head teacher said pupils' and other teachers' opinions were asked for before the new rule was set. The new clothing policy has been explained in a letter sent to parents of the school's 1,000 pupils and will come into force after the summer holiday.
The school also wants pupils to wear clip-on ties instead of traditional neckwear. This rule will be gradually out over the next year and support will be given to parents unable to afford the new tie.
One parent, whose teenage daughter studies at school, said, "I completely agree some girls were wearing skirts that were too short. However, I think girls should be allowed to wear skirts. Other school manage to let girls wear skirts while making sure they are not improperly dressed. I don't see why Paget can't do the same" | [
"Teachers called the pupils' parents to explain the new rule.",
"Pupils will have to wear clip-on ties after the summer holiday.",
"Paget High School will provide clip-on ties for pupils for free.",
"Opinions were collected before the new clothing policy was made."
] |
Which of the following is not mentioned in the three advertisements? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Read the advertisements, and then choose the right answer.
1
Driver Wanted
(1) Clean driving license.
(2) Must be of smart appearance.
(3) Aged over 25.
Apply to: Capes Taxi,17 Palace Road, Boston.
2
Air Hostesses for International Flights Wanted
(1)Applicants must be between 20 and 33 years old.
(2) Height 1.6m to 1.75m.
(3)Education to GCSE(General Certificate of Secondary Education)standard.
(4)Two languages. Must be able to swim.
Apply to: Recruitment office, Southern Airline, Heathrow Airport West.HR37KK.
3
Teachers Needed
(1For private language school. .
(2)Teaching experience unnecessary.
Apply to: The Director of Studies. Instant Language Ltd,279 Canal street, Boston.
Question:
Which of the following is not mentioned in the three advertisements?
Choices:
A. Marriage .
B. Male or female.
C. Education.
D. Working experience. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high8645.txt | Read the advertisements, and then choose the right answer.
1
Driver Wanted
(1) Clean driving license.
(2) Must be of smart appearance.
(3) Aged over 25.
Apply to: Capes Taxi,17 Palace Road, Boston.
2
Air Hostesses for International Flights Wanted
(1)Applicants must be between 20 and 33 years old.
(2) Height 1.6m to 1.75m.
(3)Education to GCSE(General Certificate of Secondary Education)standard.
(4)Two languages. Must be able to swim.
Apply to: Recruitment office, Southern Airline, Heathrow Airport West.HR37KK.
3
Teachers Needed
(1For private language school. .
(2)Teaching experience unnecessary.
Apply to: The Director of Studies. Instant Language Ltd,279 Canal street, Boston. | [
"Marriage .",
"Male or female.",
"Education.",
"Working experience."
] |
What opinion does Alan Greenberger hold? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is America's fifth largest city. Once a major American colonial city, it is the home of America's first library, its first hospital, and its first zoo. Now it is also the first US city to be named a World Heritage City. On November 6, 2015, Philadelphia joined more than 260 other cities that have been recognized for their influence on the world. These cities include Paris, France, Florence, Italy, and Cairo, Egypt.
"Today marks the start of a new and exciting chapter in the history of Philadelphia," remarked Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter when the announcement was made. "As a World Heritage City, Philadelphia is being officially recognized on the global stage for its wealth of contributions to the world.
To be named a World Heritage City, a city must be home to a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO World Heritage sites are selected for their universal value and significance. For Philadelphia, the site is Independence Hall.
Independence Hall is where two of the most important documents in US history--the Declaration of Independenceand theUS Constitution--were adopted. TheDeclaration of Independence, approved on July 4, 1776, united the 13 former British colonies and declared them independent from British rule. TheUS Constitution, signed in 1787, established the American democratic system of government. A democracy is a system of government in which the people elect their leaders. TheConstitutionlater spelled out the basic freedoms American citizens have.
Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger says the city's selection as a World Heritage City also reflects its educational, cultural, and economic achievements. The city is home to dozens of colleges and universities, and many museums, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art. "Philadelphia has rightfully earned its place as one of the greatest cities in the world." Greenberger says.
Question:
What opinion does Alan Greenberger hold?
Choices:
A. It's easy for the city to win the honor.
B. The honor will bring the city a better future.
C. It won't be long before the city takes off.
D. The city really deserves the honor. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high14473.txt | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is America's fifth largest city. Once a major American colonial city, it is the home of America's first library, its first hospital, and its first zoo. Now it is also the first US city to be named a World Heritage City. On November 6, 2015, Philadelphia joined more than 260 other cities that have been recognized for their influence on the world. These cities include Paris, France, Florence, Italy, and Cairo, Egypt.
"Today marks the start of a new and exciting chapter in the history of Philadelphia," remarked Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter when the announcement was made. "As a World Heritage City, Philadelphia is being officially recognized on the global stage for its wealth of contributions to the world.
To be named a World Heritage City, a city must be home to a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO World Heritage sites are selected for their universal value and significance. For Philadelphia, the site is Independence Hall.
Independence Hall is where two of the most important documents in US history--the Declaration of Independenceand theUS Constitution--were adopted. TheDeclaration of Independence, approved on July 4, 1776, united the 13 former British colonies and declared them independent from British rule. TheUS Constitution, signed in 1787, established the American democratic system of government. A democracy is a system of government in which the people elect their leaders. TheConstitutionlater spelled out the basic freedoms American citizens have.
Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger says the city's selection as a World Heritage City also reflects its educational, cultural, and economic achievements. The city is home to dozens of colleges and universities, and many museums, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art. "Philadelphia has rightfully earned its place as one of the greatest cities in the world." Greenberger says. | [
"It's easy for the city to win the honor.",
"The honor will bring the city a better future.",
"It won't be long before the city takes off.",
"The city really deserves the honor."
] |
Which of the following films is set in ancient Britain? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
It's summer movie time again.And heroes are ready to try their strength and magic on the silver screen.Check out our list of four films that look most promising to young audience.
Question:
Which of the following films is set in ancient Britain?
Choices:
A. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
B. Around the world in 80 Days.
C. Spider-Man 2
D. King Arthur | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high15705.txt | It's summer movie time again.And heroes are ready to try their strength and magic on the silver screen.Check out our list of four films that look most promising to young audience. | [
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.",
"Around the world in 80 Days.",
"Spider-Man 2",
"King Arthur"
] |
The stadium seats 60,000 fans, but only 75% of the seats were sold for the music show. Because of the threat of rain, 5,000 fans stayed home. How many attended the show? | The number of seats sold was 0.75*60,000=<<0.75*60000=45000>>45,000.
And 45,000-5,000=<<45000-5000=40000>>40,000.
#### 40,000 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | The stadium seats 60,000 fans, but only 75% of the seats were sold for the music show. Because of the threat of rain, 5,000 fans stayed home. How many attended the show? | The number of seats sold was 0.75*60,000=<<0.75*60000=45000>>45,000.
And 45,000-5,000=<<45000-5000=40000>>40,000.
#### 40,000 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
If you go to see the Thai elephants on Sundays. You'll see the show at _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Long march exhibits. The Shenzhen History Museum is putting on an exhibition to mark the 81st anniversary of the Long March. On show are more than 220 photos and some other things that show how the Red Army made the Long March from Jiangxi Province and to northern Shanxi Province in the mid-1930s.
Time: 10:00 am --- 4:00 pm
Address: 1368 Shennan Road
Admission: 8 yuan for Chinese / 15 yuan for foreigners
Thai elephants. Eight elephants from Thailand are entertaining visitors at the Window of the World by riding bicycles, playing basketball, balancing on a beam , dancing and blowing a harmonica . People are encouraged to lie on the ground and have the elephants step over them. The elephants give three shows a day at 9:30am, 3:30pm and 8:00pm and there is an additional show at 1:30 pm at weekends.
Address: West Huaqiaocheng
Admission: 60 yuan
Dancing dolphins. Dolphins leaping from the water to touch a ball, waving their bodies to music, kissing people and doing maths by tapping their tails have made the delphinium in Shenzhen Ocean Park an attraction for children. Seals and sea lions also perform. Hours: 10:30pm, 4:00am, and 7:30pm
Admission: 40 yuan for adults and 20 yuan for children.
Question:
If you go to see the Thai elephants on Sundays. You'll see the show at _ .
Choices:
A. 9:30am, 3:30pm , 8:00pm and 1:30 pm
B. only 1:30 pm
C. 9:30am, 3:30pm , and 8:00pm.
D. 10:30am, 4:00pm , and 7:30 pm | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle6995.txt | Long march exhibits. The Shenzhen History Museum is putting on an exhibition to mark the 81st anniversary of the Long March. On show are more than 220 photos and some other things that show how the Red Army made the Long March from Jiangxi Province and to northern Shanxi Province in the mid-1930s.
Time: 10:00 am --- 4:00 pm
Address: 1368 Shennan Road
Admission: 8 yuan for Chinese / 15 yuan for foreigners
Thai elephants. Eight elephants from Thailand are entertaining visitors at the Window of the World by riding bicycles, playing basketball, balancing on a beam , dancing and blowing a harmonica . People are encouraged to lie on the ground and have the elephants step over them. The elephants give three shows a day at 9:30am, 3:30pm and 8:00pm and there is an additional show at 1:30 pm at weekends.
Address: West Huaqiaocheng
Admission: 60 yuan
Dancing dolphins. Dolphins leaping from the water to touch a ball, waving their bodies to music, kissing people and doing maths by tapping their tails have made the delphinium in Shenzhen Ocean Park an attraction for children. Seals and sea lions also perform. Hours: 10:30pm, 4:00am, and 7:30pm
Admission: 40 yuan for adults and 20 yuan for children. | [
"9:30am, 3:30pm , 8:00pm and 1:30 pm",
"only 1:30 pm",
"9:30am, 3:30pm , and 8:00pm.",
"10:30am, 4:00pm , and 7:30 pm"
] |
What does the passage mainly talked about? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Dr. Marie Curie is known to the world as the scientist who discovered radioactive metals i.e. Radium and Polonium.
Marie Curie was a Polish physicist and chemist. Together with her husband, Pierre, she discovered two new elements and studied the x-rays they emitted. She found that the harmful properties of x-rays were able to kill tumors. By the end of World War I, Marie Curie was probably the most famous woman in the world. She had made a conscious decision, however, not to patent methods of processing radium or its medical applications.
Marie Curie was born on November 7, 1867 in Poland and died on July 4, 1934. Her co-discovery with her husband Pierre Curie of the radioactive elements radium and polonium represents one of the best known stories in modern science for which they were recognized in 1901 with the Nobel Prize for Physics. In 1911, Marie Curie was honored with a second Nobel prize, this time for chemistry, to honor her for successfully isolating pure radium and determining radium's atomic weight.
As a child, Marie Curie amazed people with her great memory. She learned to read when she was only four years old. Her father was a professor of science and the instruments that he kept in a glass case fascinated Marie. She dreamed of becoming a scientist, but that would not be easy. Her family became very poor, and at the age of 18, Marie became a governess. She helped pay for her sister to study in Paris. Later, her sister helped Marie with her education. In 1891, Marie attended the Sorbonne University in Paris where she met and married Pierre Curie, a well-known physicist.
Marie Curie contributed greatly to our understanding of radioactivity and the effects of x-rays. She received two Nobel prizes for her brilliant work, but died of leukemia, caused by her repeated exposure to radioactive material.
Question:
What does the passage mainly talked about?
Choices:
A. Marie Curie discovered radium
B. Marie Curie, a famous chemist
C. Marie Curie won two Noble Prizes
D. The brief biography of Marie Curie | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high11782.txt | Dr. Marie Curie is known to the world as the scientist who discovered radioactive metals i.e. Radium and Polonium.
Marie Curie was a Polish physicist and chemist. Together with her husband, Pierre, she discovered two new elements and studied the x-rays they emitted. She found that the harmful properties of x-rays were able to kill tumors. By the end of World War I, Marie Curie was probably the most famous woman in the world. She had made a conscious decision, however, not to patent methods of processing radium or its medical applications.
Marie Curie was born on November 7, 1867 in Poland and died on July 4, 1934. Her co-discovery with her husband Pierre Curie of the radioactive elements radium and polonium represents one of the best known stories in modern science for which they were recognized in 1901 with the Nobel Prize for Physics. In 1911, Marie Curie was honored with a second Nobel prize, this time for chemistry, to honor her for successfully isolating pure radium and determining radium's atomic weight.
As a child, Marie Curie amazed people with her great memory. She learned to read when she was only four years old. Her father was a professor of science and the instruments that he kept in a glass case fascinated Marie. She dreamed of becoming a scientist, but that would not be easy. Her family became very poor, and at the age of 18, Marie became a governess. She helped pay for her sister to study in Paris. Later, her sister helped Marie with her education. In 1891, Marie attended the Sorbonne University in Paris where she met and married Pierre Curie, a well-known physicist.
Marie Curie contributed greatly to our understanding of radioactivity and the effects of x-rays. She received two Nobel prizes for her brilliant work, but died of leukemia, caused by her repeated exposure to radioactive material. | [
"Marie Curie discovered radium",
"Marie Curie, a famous chemist",
"Marie Curie won two Noble Prizes",
"The brief biography of Marie Curie"
] |
Beginners often complain that listening to spoken English is too hard,because _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Many people especially beginners,often complain that listening to spoken English is too hard for them.
But if you don't understand what people are saying,how can you converse with them?It may be difficult,but learning by listening is necessary. It can be done.
It is a common fact that different people have different pronunciations of the same word. Stanronunciation is the basis for English study,especially of listening.
If your pronunciation is not standard,it is hard for other people to understand you as it is for you to understand them.
You may know the words when they are written down. That's important.You should plan to read every time you practise speaking and listening.
Select a set of good books with cassettes. Do the exercises, from the simple to the difficult, step by step.As for listening, you have many choices: Watch English-language films, listen to English-language radio and television programs.
Try to listen every day,even if only for a few minutes. At first,you may understand few words or perhaps only familiar names such as Clinton. Don't give up. Just listen.
On TV,you can guess some of the words from watching what is happening on the screen.Gradually, you will find yourself recognizing some words.Try to pronounce them. Do you sound like the person on TV?
Are you speaking standard English? Remember to read and practise speaking. It will help you to listen better. You may find many words that you missed or didn't understand when you were listening. Every day, spend an hour reading English.
Talk to English-speaking foreigners whenever possible. Talking face to face is the liveliest textbook.In general, foreigners will speak more slowly with you, use simple words, and use gestures to help you understand them.
Question:
Beginners often complain that listening to spoken English is too hard,because _ .
Choices:
A. they can't pronounce standardizedly
B. they spend little time listening English
C. they are not familiar with the words they've learnt
D. all mentioned above | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high18570.txt | Many people especially beginners,often complain that listening to spoken English is too hard for them.
But if you don't understand what people are saying,how can you converse with them?It may be difficult,but learning by listening is necessary. It can be done.
It is a common fact that different people have different pronunciations of the same word. Stanronunciation is the basis for English study,especially of listening.
If your pronunciation is not standard,it is hard for other people to understand you as it is for you to understand them.
You may know the words when they are written down. That's important.You should plan to read every time you practise speaking and listening.
Select a set of good books with cassettes. Do the exercises, from the simple to the difficult, step by step.As for listening, you have many choices: Watch English-language films, listen to English-language radio and television programs.
Try to listen every day,even if only for a few minutes. At first,you may understand few words or perhaps only familiar names such as Clinton. Don't give up. Just listen.
On TV,you can guess some of the words from watching what is happening on the screen.Gradually, you will find yourself recognizing some words.Try to pronounce them. Do you sound like the person on TV?
Are you speaking standard English? Remember to read and practise speaking. It will help you to listen better. You may find many words that you missed or didn't understand when you were listening. Every day, spend an hour reading English.
Talk to English-speaking foreigners whenever possible. Talking face to face is the liveliest textbook.In general, foreigners will speak more slowly with you, use simple words, and use gestures to help you understand them. | [
"they can't pronounce standardizedly",
"they spend little time listening English",
"they are not familiar with the words they've learnt",
"all mentioned above"
] |
Music for Little Mozarts is intended for_. | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Music for Little Mozarts is a programme designed to help your little ones develop a love of music. Learning music at an early age helps develop minds and expand cognitive ability. While listening to music can certainly help your youngster pick up songs, actually learning to play the piano can help your child's development.
This programme focuses on little creatures that both entertain and teach. By grasping the attention of a young child's mind and engaging them with stories along with hands on experience, you can provide them with a positive experience that may produce a little Mozart in later years.
Within this multi-book and multi-year lesson plan there are ten little characters that help draw the child into the lesson plan. These little creatures actually can be used to help the child grasp basic concepts in music. The series starts out in the preschool years and provides day by day lessons that can aid the child or a classroom of children right through early adolescence .
The series is designed for both classroom and preschool use and for those at home with homeschoolers. It contains a series of books along with audio CD's, flash cards, and other visual aids that can help very young children develop an ear and an eye for music.
It can be hard to hold the attention spans of children for very long. However, with the right creativity and the proper attention along with simple, easy to master daily lessons, most children will not only grasp music rather quickly, they will also develop a love of real music, not just banging on a piano keyboard and making sounds.
The short, daily lessons are planned out so that children learn to play music by ear. They learn to play real songs and master real passages quickly and easily. This element keeps them involved. They also master playing by ear and then later by reading rather quickly.
Question:
Music for Little Mozarts is intended for_.
Choices:
A. children at home
B. children at school
C. preschool students
D. all of above | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high18088.txt | Music for Little Mozarts is a programme designed to help your little ones develop a love of music. Learning music at an early age helps develop minds and expand cognitive ability. While listening to music can certainly help your youngster pick up songs, actually learning to play the piano can help your child's development.
This programme focuses on little creatures that both entertain and teach. By grasping the attention of a young child's mind and engaging them with stories along with hands on experience, you can provide them with a positive experience that may produce a little Mozart in later years.
Within this multi-book and multi-year lesson plan there are ten little characters that help draw the child into the lesson plan. These little creatures actually can be used to help the child grasp basic concepts in music. The series starts out in the preschool years and provides day by day lessons that can aid the child or a classroom of children right through early adolescence .
The series is designed for both classroom and preschool use and for those at home with homeschoolers. It contains a series of books along with audio CD's, flash cards, and other visual aids that can help very young children develop an ear and an eye for music.
It can be hard to hold the attention spans of children for very long. However, with the right creativity and the proper attention along with simple, easy to master daily lessons, most children will not only grasp music rather quickly, they will also develop a love of real music, not just banging on a piano keyboard and making sounds.
The short, daily lessons are planned out so that children learn to play music by ear. They learn to play real songs and master real passages quickly and easily. This element keeps them involved. They also master playing by ear and then later by reading rather quickly. | [
"children at home",
"children at school",
"preschool students",
"all of above"
] |
Why did the writer's doctor advise her to keep a pet? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
When I was very young, I wanted to become a veterinarian one day, because I loved animals very much, especially dogs. However, there was no room in my adult life for a dog. Then, last year, I could not stand the fact that I developed cancer . I wanted to keep a dog, but I knew my illness made it impossible for me to keep one. In early September, to my surprise, my doctor told me that I could keep a pet as my friend, because my immune system was strong to keep a pet.
The same day I went to an animal market with my friends. When I saw a 9-week-old dog with big brown eyes, nice ears and white _ all over the body, I took it home.I'm happy these days since Oscar came into my life. My new favorite pastime is to watch him sleep, eat and run. And I have been spending more time caring about him, taking long walks with him in the park.
Now I still have the physical examination once a week at the hospital. But my illness has taken a turn for the better with the company of a dog. My immune system is getting stronger, my doctor tells me. Thanks to Oscar, my life has changed a lot.
Question:
Why did the writer's doctor advise her to keep a pet?
Choices:
A. Because she developed cancer.
B. Because a dog is friendly to her.
C. Because she had a strong immune system to do that.
D. Because she had enough room in her house to keep a pet. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle3631.txt | When I was very young, I wanted to become a veterinarian one day, because I loved animals very much, especially dogs. However, there was no room in my adult life for a dog. Then, last year, I could not stand the fact that I developed cancer . I wanted to keep a dog, but I knew my illness made it impossible for me to keep one. In early September, to my surprise, my doctor told me that I could keep a pet as my friend, because my immune system was strong to keep a pet.
The same day I went to an animal market with my friends. When I saw a 9-week-old dog with big brown eyes, nice ears and white _ all over the body, I took it home.I'm happy these days since Oscar came into my life. My new favorite pastime is to watch him sleep, eat and run. And I have been spending more time caring about him, taking long walks with him in the park.
Now I still have the physical examination once a week at the hospital. But my illness has taken a turn for the better with the company of a dog. My immune system is getting stronger, my doctor tells me. Thanks to Oscar, my life has changed a lot. | [
"Because she developed cancer.",
"Because a dog is friendly to her.",
"Because she had a strong immune system to do that.",
"Because she had enough room in her house to keep a pet."
] |
Which of the following isTRUE? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Like many other places in the world, recently, Indiana education officials decided that the schools of the state will not be required to teach handwriting skills to students any longer. Instead, they will focus their energies on teaching students how to type. Is handwriting still an important skill? An online survey received some surprising responses.
Handwriting is not necessary. Students only need to know how to read it, and the only time that they must write something is to make a signature. Why stress them more than they need to be stressed? We already put so much pressure on them to perform on state tests. --Rita
Children don't write letters now. They send e-mails or text messages. A lot of those old ways are going away. How many bills do you pay by writing a check anymore? --Brown
Although my son is not comfortable with writing, I bought a workbook for him to practice his handwriting. Can you imagine being an adult and not being able to sign a document? --Susan
What a shame! I guess one day it will be a lost art, because handwriting is that personal and beautiful. It has personality --Anna
The school where I worked dropped handwriting several years ago. Unless the students have computers in class, they will not be able to take notes at high speed. I have to speak very slowly and stop after a sentence or two because many students write very slowly. --Helen
The same thing happened here in Tennessee this past year. I think it's a shame. I just received a handwritten letter from my stepmother and it meant that she spent time sitting and writing. Such a letter brought me a good feeling. --Kathy
Children should still learn writing, for the sake of having a skill that all people can communicate with. I certainly appreciate a handwritten note of thanks or news from my children and grandchildren. --Ruth
Question:
Which of the following isTRUE?
Choices:
A. It's of no use for students to learn writing at school.
B. Susan values her son's handwriting very much.
C. Handwriting has already become a lost art.
D. Kathy doesn't like the typed letters from others. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high9370.txt | Like many other places in the world, recently, Indiana education officials decided that the schools of the state will not be required to teach handwriting skills to students any longer. Instead, they will focus their energies on teaching students how to type. Is handwriting still an important skill? An online survey received some surprising responses.
Handwriting is not necessary. Students only need to know how to read it, and the only time that they must write something is to make a signature. Why stress them more than they need to be stressed? We already put so much pressure on them to perform on state tests. --Rita
Children don't write letters now. They send e-mails or text messages. A lot of those old ways are going away. How many bills do you pay by writing a check anymore? --Brown
Although my son is not comfortable with writing, I bought a workbook for him to practice his handwriting. Can you imagine being an adult and not being able to sign a document? --Susan
What a shame! I guess one day it will be a lost art, because handwriting is that personal and beautiful. It has personality --Anna
The school where I worked dropped handwriting several years ago. Unless the students have computers in class, they will not be able to take notes at high speed. I have to speak very slowly and stop after a sentence or two because many students write very slowly. --Helen
The same thing happened here in Tennessee this past year. I think it's a shame. I just received a handwritten letter from my stepmother and it meant that she spent time sitting and writing. Such a letter brought me a good feeling. --Kathy
Children should still learn writing, for the sake of having a skill that all people can communicate with. I certainly appreciate a handwritten note of thanks or news from my children and grandchildren. --Ruth | [
"It's of no use for students to learn writing at school.",
"Susan values her son's handwriting very much.",
"Handwriting has already become a lost art.",
"Kathy doesn't like the typed letters from others."
] |
Morning sunlight can help the air plant _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
The air plant has wonderful and amazing features. It takes in moisture from the air through its leaves.Although it is seen growing on another object or plant to support itself.
To prevent the roots from being too wet,avoid planting it in soil. Keep the roots in a well--ventilated environment. Air plants can grow well hanging from fishing lines. They can also be hung from seashells, teacups or even on wood.
Water the air plant once in a while. Simply let the water fall from the roots. The roots will take in the water for the air plant. The air plant can live between 0degCdeg and 51 degC. It does not need to be in the light all the time. However, sunlight(morning and evening only)helps it to reproduce faster. When it flowers,it turns a colorful pink, red or orange.At most 8 young plants can grow from the air plant.When these grow to half the size of the parent plant, simply pull them away gently from the parent plant and plant them in another place.
The lifespan of an air plant _ the care it gets and the environment it is placed in. Generally, all air plant can live for many years.
Because they are so beautiful and easy to take care of, air plants are excellent as birthday gifts or housewarming gifts.
Question:
Morning sunlight can help the air plant _ .
Choices:
A. become drier
B. produce young plants faster
C. turn into different colors
D. become half the size of the parent plant | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle5053.txt | The air plant has wonderful and amazing features. It takes in moisture from the air through its leaves.Although it is seen growing on another object or plant to support itself.
To prevent the roots from being too wet,avoid planting it in soil. Keep the roots in a well--ventilated environment. Air plants can grow well hanging from fishing lines. They can also be hung from seashells, teacups or even on wood.
Water the air plant once in a while. Simply let the water fall from the roots. The roots will take in the water for the air plant. The air plant can live between 0degCdeg and 51 degC. It does not need to be in the light all the time. However, sunlight(morning and evening only)helps it to reproduce faster. When it flowers,it turns a colorful pink, red or orange.At most 8 young plants can grow from the air plant.When these grow to half the size of the parent plant, simply pull them away gently from the parent plant and plant them in another place.
The lifespan of an air plant _ the care it gets and the environment it is placed in. Generally, all air plant can live for many years.
Because they are so beautiful and easy to take care of, air plants are excellent as birthday gifts or housewarming gifts. | [
"become drier",
"produce young plants faster",
"turn into different colors",
"become half the size of the parent plant"
] |
" _ " has the same meaning as Sentence A. | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Here is some information about some of the wonders of the world. I am sure you will be interested in them.
The Pyramids of Egypt
There are about eighty pyramids known today. The most well-known was for Pharaoh Khufu. It is known as the "Great Pyramid". It's also the largest one. Workers used about 2.3 million blocks of stone to build it. (A)20.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The garden sat on a hill. It was a large and wonderful structure . Many parts of the garden were high up on large columns . There were many big and green trees with lovely flowers. Although there are many different ideas about the garden, we are not sure whether this wonder ever existed !
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was designed about 2,000 years ago. It was in Egypt, too. (B) It was one of the ancient wonders of the world, about 135 metres high. It was once the highest building in the world. Although it doesn't exist now, many people come to see its relic every year.
Question:
" _ " has the same meaning as Sentence A.
Choices:
A. We built it for twenty years.
B. It spent twelve years building it.
C. It took twenty years to build it.
D. Workers took twelve years to build it. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle942.txt | Here is some information about some of the wonders of the world. I am sure you will be interested in them.
The Pyramids of Egypt
There are about eighty pyramids known today. The most well-known was for Pharaoh Khufu. It is known as the "Great Pyramid". It's also the largest one. Workers used about 2.3 million blocks of stone to build it. (A)20.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The garden sat on a hill. It was a large and wonderful structure . Many parts of the garden were high up on large columns . There were many big and green trees with lovely flowers. Although there are many different ideas about the garden, we are not sure whether this wonder ever existed !
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was designed about 2,000 years ago. It was in Egypt, too. (B) It was one of the ancient wonders of the world, about 135 metres high. It was once the highest building in the world. Although it doesn't exist now, many people come to see its relic every year. | [
"We built it for twenty years.",
"It spent twelve years building it.",
"It took twenty years to build it.",
"Workers took twelve years to build it."
] |
The mole fraction of the solvent is just one minus the mole fraction of what? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | The mole fraction of the solvent is just one minus the mole fraction of what? | solute | science | null | null | null | molecules | nutrients | solution | solute | The molarity is 0.0129 M, the molality is 0.0129 m, the mole fraction is 2.33 × 10 , and the solution contains 1830 ppm Na2HPO4. Mole fraction is most useful for calculating vapor pressure, because Raoult’s law states that the vapor pressure of a solution containing a non-volatile solute is equal to the mole fraction of solvent times the vapor pressure of the pure solvent. The mole fraction of the solvent is just one minus the mole fraction of solute. | null | null | null |
When did the movie Kung Fu Panda first published? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American computer-animated action comedy movie made by DreamWorks. It was directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne. It tells the story about a big fat panda named Po who is a kung fu fan. The movie came out in 2008 and stars Jack Black as Po. It received critical acclaim and became a box office success. A successful sequel , Kung Fu Panda 2 was released in 2011.
A big, fat panda named Po the panda dreams of becoming a kung fu master, but he doesn't know kung fu. One day, kung fu teacher Master Shifu holds a competition to see who will become the Dragon Warrior , the most powerful kung fu master in the land. Everyone thinks one of Shifu's students, the Furious Five will become the Dragon Warrior, but Po is chosen instead and begins learning kung fu. Shifu and the Furious Five don't like Po the panda and try to make him quit, but he becomes friends with them. When Master Shifu learns that the evil Tai Lung the snow leopard is coming to the land, he quickly teaches Po kung fu so he can be given the Dragon Scroll that will help him beat Tai Lung. Nothing is written on the scroll, but Po finds out that he doesn't need the scroll to be the Dragon Warrior and beats Tai Lung without it. Po becomes a kung fu master and Dragon Warrior loved by everyone and peace returns to the land.
Question:
When did the movie Kung Fu Panda first published?
Choices:
A. 2008
B. 2009
C. 2010
D. 2011 | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle6880.txt | Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American computer-animated action comedy movie made by DreamWorks. It was directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne. It tells the story about a big fat panda named Po who is a kung fu fan. The movie came out in 2008 and stars Jack Black as Po. It received critical acclaim and became a box office success. A successful sequel , Kung Fu Panda 2 was released in 2011.
A big, fat panda named Po the panda dreams of becoming a kung fu master, but he doesn't know kung fu. One day, kung fu teacher Master Shifu holds a competition to see who will become the Dragon Warrior , the most powerful kung fu master in the land. Everyone thinks one of Shifu's students, the Furious Five will become the Dragon Warrior, but Po is chosen instead and begins learning kung fu. Shifu and the Furious Five don't like Po the panda and try to make him quit, but he becomes friends with them. When Master Shifu learns that the evil Tai Lung the snow leopard is coming to the land, he quickly teaches Po kung fu so he can be given the Dragon Scroll that will help him beat Tai Lung. Nothing is written on the scroll, but Po finds out that he doesn't need the scroll to be the Dragon Warrior and beats Tai Lung without it. Po becomes a kung fu master and Dragon Warrior loved by everyone and peace returns to the land. | [
"2008",
"2009",
"2010",
"2011"
] |
Why did people return a wallet with a photograph of a cute baby in it? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
If you lose your wallet, how often do you think someone will be kind enough to return it to you, with cash and credit cards?
Some people may be greedy, and others are simply too lazy to bother with the trip to the post office to send back a wallet to a stranger. But according to a psychology study by Dr. Richard Wiseman, there's one thing that'll greatly increase your odds of being reunited with a lost wallet: a photograph of a cute baby.
In the study, hundreds of wallets were scattered around the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland. The psychologists wanted to see how many strangers would take the trouble to return them to the addresses listed on the drivers' licenses inside--but more than that, they wanted to find out what would make a person more likely to help out a stranger.
To finish this, they included personal things in most of the wallets: some included a photo of a happy elderly couple, some contained a cute puppy, some contained a family portrait, and some held a photo of a lovely baby. Others had receipts showing that the wallet's owner had recently donated to a charity . Some contained no personal details.
As the psychologists soon discovered, the sight of a smiling baby is enough to warm nearly any heart: only one in ten of the strangers who _ such wallets did not return them. In contrast, the second most successful image, the puppy, had a 53% return rate. When the wallet included no photograph, it stood only a one in seven chance of being returned to the owner.
The success of the baby photograph shows a human compassion for the young that's been passed down through the ages, according to Dr. Wiseman. "The baby kicked off a caring feeling in people, which is not surprising from an evolutionary perspective ," he told theTimes.
To ensure our species' survival, scientists think that we must feel empathy and compassion for our young. Scientists say that this study supports the argument that we won't feel compassion only for our own babies, but for any that we see--hence, the strong desire a stranger would feel to return a wallet to the baby's parent.
On a more basic level, the study also provides a great tip to help ensure that if your wallet is ever lost, you're more likely to get it back. "If you want to increase the chances of your wallet being returned if lost, gain a photograph of the cutest baby you can find and ensure that it is clearly displayed," said Dr. Wiseman.
Question:
Why did people return a wallet with a photograph of a cute baby in it?
Choices:
A. Because the wallet was not attractive enough to keep.
B. Because the sight of a baby could cause a caring feeling in them.
C. Because they were curious to know the parents of the baby
D. Because the sight of a cute baby reminded them of their own children. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high3366.txt | If you lose your wallet, how often do you think someone will be kind enough to return it to you, with cash and credit cards?
Some people may be greedy, and others are simply too lazy to bother with the trip to the post office to send back a wallet to a stranger. But according to a psychology study by Dr. Richard Wiseman, there's one thing that'll greatly increase your odds of being reunited with a lost wallet: a photograph of a cute baby.
In the study, hundreds of wallets were scattered around the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland. The psychologists wanted to see how many strangers would take the trouble to return them to the addresses listed on the drivers' licenses inside--but more than that, they wanted to find out what would make a person more likely to help out a stranger.
To finish this, they included personal things in most of the wallets: some included a photo of a happy elderly couple, some contained a cute puppy, some contained a family portrait, and some held a photo of a lovely baby. Others had receipts showing that the wallet's owner had recently donated to a charity . Some contained no personal details.
As the psychologists soon discovered, the sight of a smiling baby is enough to warm nearly any heart: only one in ten of the strangers who _ such wallets did not return them. In contrast, the second most successful image, the puppy, had a 53% return rate. When the wallet included no photograph, it stood only a one in seven chance of being returned to the owner.
The success of the baby photograph shows a human compassion for the young that's been passed down through the ages, according to Dr. Wiseman. "The baby kicked off a caring feeling in people, which is not surprising from an evolutionary perspective ," he told theTimes.
To ensure our species' survival, scientists think that we must feel empathy and compassion for our young. Scientists say that this study supports the argument that we won't feel compassion only for our own babies, but for any that we see--hence, the strong desire a stranger would feel to return a wallet to the baby's parent.
On a more basic level, the study also provides a great tip to help ensure that if your wallet is ever lost, you're more likely to get it back. "If you want to increase the chances of your wallet being returned if lost, gain a photograph of the cutest baby you can find and ensure that it is clearly displayed," said Dr. Wiseman. | [
"Because the wallet was not attractive enough to keep.",
"Because the sight of a baby could cause a caring feeling in them.",
"Because they were curious to know the parents of the baby",
"Because the sight of a cute baby reminded them of their own children."
] |
What are proteins encoded by? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | What are proteins encoded by? | genes | science | null | null | null | codons | DNA | RNA | genes | null | null | null | |
After supper she _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Miss Li is a teacher. She teaches in a middle school. She gets up at half past five in the morning. She has breakfast at 6:00.After that she goes to school by bike. She gets there very early. She cleans her desks and chairs for other teachers. Classes begin at 8:00.She and the other teachers work hard. She goes home at 4:00 in the afternoon. Then she does some housework .After dinner she reads books and goes over the students' homework. She goes to bed at about ten.
Question:
After supper she _ .
Choices:
A. reads books
B. goes over the students' homework
C. both A and B
D. watches TV | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle1720.txt | Miss Li is a teacher. She teaches in a middle school. She gets up at half past five in the morning. She has breakfast at 6:00.After that she goes to school by bike. She gets there very early. She cleans her desks and chairs for other teachers. Classes begin at 8:00.She and the other teachers work hard. She goes home at 4:00 in the afternoon. Then she does some housework .After dinner she reads books and goes over the students' homework. She goes to bed at about ten. | [
"reads books",
"goes over the students' homework",
"both A and B",
"watches TV"
] |
Which of the following statements is TRUE? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
I was born an albino.No one in my family had ever known what an albino was,what it meant to be an albino,and what had to be done differently because I was an albino.
My parents treated me just like they treated everybody else.That was just about the best thing they could have done.It helped me trust myself,so when the annoyances came along,I could deal with them.
True,my photo always looked like a snowball with two pieces of coal for eyes.Kids would tease me,asking if I was joining the circus and calling me "Whitey".Like most albinos,I had terrible eyesight,and my grades suffered until eventually I overcame my feeling ashamed of myself and realized it was okay to ask to sit in the front of the classroom so I could see the blackboard better.People stared at me when I held reading material right at the tip of my nose so I could see it well enough to read.Even when I was eight or nine.movie-theater clerks started asking me to pay adult prices because I "looked older".
The worst part for me was that because my eyesight was so bad,I couldn't play sports very well.I didn't give up trying,though.And I studied harder.
Eventually,I got better at school and loved it.By the time I got to college 1 was double majoring,going to summer school and devoting myself to every kind of extracurricular activity I could find.I had learned to be proud of being an albino.I did my best to make "albino" a positive word.And I decided to make my living with my eyes.
I couldn't see well enough to play spots,but with a solid education and the drive to do it.I could make a living involved in the field I loved.I've done it now for more than thirty years in print and in video,and now in cyberspace.People make jokes about how I'm the only "blind editor" they know,but most of the time the jokes are signs of respect.And I make jokes about being an albino.
I was just a proud albino kid from the coal country of Pennsylvania.I now realize that being born an albino helped me to overcome difficulties,gain confidence,and be proud of my personal achievement and humble about my professional accomplishments.
Question:
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
Choices:
A. The author's study was affected by his eyesight at first.
B. The author had to pay adult prices for movies when he was still young
C. Despite his bad eyesight,the author played sport well.
D. "Albino" has already become a positive word now. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high24093.txt | I was born an albino.No one in my family had ever known what an albino was,what it meant to be an albino,and what had to be done differently because I was an albino.
My parents treated me just like they treated everybody else.That was just about the best thing they could have done.It helped me trust myself,so when the annoyances came along,I could deal with them.
True,my photo always looked like a snowball with two pieces of coal for eyes.Kids would tease me,asking if I was joining the circus and calling me "Whitey".Like most albinos,I had terrible eyesight,and my grades suffered until eventually I overcame my feeling ashamed of myself and realized it was okay to ask to sit in the front of the classroom so I could see the blackboard better.People stared at me when I held reading material right at the tip of my nose so I could see it well enough to read.Even when I was eight or nine.movie-theater clerks started asking me to pay adult prices because I "looked older".
The worst part for me was that because my eyesight was so bad,I couldn't play sports very well.I didn't give up trying,though.And I studied harder.
Eventually,I got better at school and loved it.By the time I got to college 1 was double majoring,going to summer school and devoting myself to every kind of extracurricular activity I could find.I had learned to be proud of being an albino.I did my best to make "albino" a positive word.And I decided to make my living with my eyes.
I couldn't see well enough to play spots,but with a solid education and the drive to do it.I could make a living involved in the field I loved.I've done it now for more than thirty years in print and in video,and now in cyberspace.People make jokes about how I'm the only "blind editor" they know,but most of the time the jokes are signs of respect.And I make jokes about being an albino.
I was just a proud albino kid from the coal country of Pennsylvania.I now realize that being born an albino helped me to overcome difficulties,gain confidence,and be proud of my personal achievement and humble about my professional accomplishments. | [
"The author's study was affected by his eyesight at first.",
"The author had to pay adult prices for movies when he was still young",
"Despite his bad eyesight,the author played sport well.",
"\"Albino\" has already become a positive word now."
] |
Which of the following isn't the damage to the ocean? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Boris Worm of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, led the international team that did the study. Professor Worm says species have recently been disappearing from oceans at increasing speed. At this rate, he says, all seafood species could collapse by 2048 and seafood supplies from the world's ocean could be almost gone by then.
Other studies have also warned about the dangers of overfishing and the effects on ocean environments. But not everyone thinks the oceans are likely to be empty in fifty years. Some scientists said parts of the world do have problems, but others are doing a good job of protecting fish populations. Government officials in several countries with large fishing industries also questioned the research.
The study appeared earlier this month in Science magazine.
The researchers say damage to oceans affects not only fish populations but also the productivity of ecosystems. These complex systems help control water quality. The scientists say the loss of different kinds of sea life appeared to increase the risk of fish kills and beach closures from harmful algae growth.
The scientists examined the results of thirty-two experiments and observed forty-eight protected areas. They also looked at records of catches worldwide. They studied records from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization for nineteen fifty to two thousand three. And they examined archeological information and other historical records for twelve coastal areas. That research reached back over a thousand years.
Boris Worm says the findings were, in his words, "beyond anything we suspected." But he also said the situation is not too late to correct. He said that with good fisheries management, some species could completely recover in three to ten years.
Question:
Which of the following isn't the damage to the ocean?
Choices:
A. The species of fish in the ocean are reducing.
B. Sea water is polluted.
C. Sea water quality is improved.
D. Less productivity of ecosystem. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high12457.txt | Boris Worm of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, led the international team that did the study. Professor Worm says species have recently been disappearing from oceans at increasing speed. At this rate, he says, all seafood species could collapse by 2048 and seafood supplies from the world's ocean could be almost gone by then.
Other studies have also warned about the dangers of overfishing and the effects on ocean environments. But not everyone thinks the oceans are likely to be empty in fifty years. Some scientists said parts of the world do have problems, but others are doing a good job of protecting fish populations. Government officials in several countries with large fishing industries also questioned the research.
The study appeared earlier this month in Science magazine.
The researchers say damage to oceans affects not only fish populations but also the productivity of ecosystems. These complex systems help control water quality. The scientists say the loss of different kinds of sea life appeared to increase the risk of fish kills and beach closures from harmful algae growth.
The scientists examined the results of thirty-two experiments and observed forty-eight protected areas. They also looked at records of catches worldwide. They studied records from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization for nineteen fifty to two thousand three. And they examined archeological information and other historical records for twelve coastal areas. That research reached back over a thousand years.
Boris Worm says the findings were, in his words, "beyond anything we suspected." But he also said the situation is not too late to correct. He said that with good fisheries management, some species could completely recover in three to ten years. | [
"The species of fish in the ocean are reducing.",
"Sea water is polluted.",
"Sea water quality is improved.",
"Less productivity of ecosystem."
] |
Are cnidarians typically found in ocean or fresh water habitats? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | Are cnidarians typically found in ocean or fresh water habitats? | ocean | science | null | null | null | freshwater | lakes | rivers | ocean | Cnidarians can be found in almost all ocean habitats. A few species live in fresh water. | null | null | null |
Why does the writer compare the Holly Father with his friend? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
The word "death" is a word many Chinese friends tell me I should not say aloud. They advise me to avoid the word because only speaking of it may bring ill fortune. I deeply believe, however, that to know how to live, we must also know how to die. The problem is how we talk about death.
Like everyone in Taiwan this week, I have had "Tomb Sweeping Day". I am proud to be part of a people whose culture sends millions of families to cemeteries on this special day to share memories and endless love.
Today, eight days after the death of Pope John Paul II, millions of people of all backgrounds still grieve his passing away. He was a deeply human person who knew how to laugh and show emotions, a writer with a gift for words a leader who appealed to us by the sheer light of his love for life.
On the same day and only hours before the Holy Father left us, a friend of mine named Veronica McBride died of cancer in a small Wisconsin city. My friend Veronica was 52 years old. She was an attractive, humorous young woman who, as the saying goes, "never married". She published several humor books with her mother, Mary McBride. She enjoyed traveling, and for years sent Christmas card photos of herself standing beside monuments or odd animals. She fought cancer for five years. She joked about her treatment keeping her pretty because it kept her thin, and told me she didn't mind losing her hair because of
. "I get to wear nice wigs!"
The last time I saw Veronica was when I visited her family on a sunny day in August in 2003. When she burst into the front door later and saw me in the living room, she ignored me completely in her hurry to hug her newest baby nephew, leaving me shaking my head in laughter at her.
As we look to the significance of the Holy Father and his life, surely we must also keep our eyes open to see the wonder and goodness in ordinary people who show us how to live and how to die.
Question:
Why does the writer compare the Holly Father with his friend?
Choices:
A. Because they are both the persons he admires.
B. Because they have a lot in common.
C. Because he wants to show that ordinary people can be great as well.
D. Because he wants to memorize them both. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high15502.txt | The word "death" is a word many Chinese friends tell me I should not say aloud. They advise me to avoid the word because only speaking of it may bring ill fortune. I deeply believe, however, that to know how to live, we must also know how to die. The problem is how we talk about death.
Like everyone in Taiwan this week, I have had "Tomb Sweeping Day". I am proud to be part of a people whose culture sends millions of families to cemeteries on this special day to share memories and endless love.
Today, eight days after the death of Pope John Paul II, millions of people of all backgrounds still grieve his passing away. He was a deeply human person who knew how to laugh and show emotions, a writer with a gift for words a leader who appealed to us by the sheer light of his love for life.
On the same day and only hours before the Holy Father left us, a friend of mine named Veronica McBride died of cancer in a small Wisconsin city. My friend Veronica was 52 years old. She was an attractive, humorous young woman who, as the saying goes, "never married". She published several humor books with her mother, Mary McBride. She enjoyed traveling, and for years sent Christmas card photos of herself standing beside monuments or odd animals. She fought cancer for five years. She joked about her treatment keeping her pretty because it kept her thin, and told me she didn't mind losing her hair because of
. "I get to wear nice wigs!"
The last time I saw Veronica was when I visited her family on a sunny day in August in 2003. When she burst into the front door later and saw me in the living room, she ignored me completely in her hurry to hug her newest baby nephew, leaving me shaking my head in laughter at her.
As we look to the significance of the Holy Father and his life, surely we must also keep our eyes open to see the wonder and goodness in ordinary people who show us how to live and how to die. | [
"Because they are both the persons he admires.",
"Because they have a lot in common.",
"Because he wants to show that ordinary people can be great as well.",
"Because he wants to memorize them both."
] |
From the article we can see it is hard to keep the cities _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
New York,London,Paris and other big cities are exciting places to live in. There are many interesting things to see and to go to. You can go to different kinds of museums,plays and films. You can also buy things from all over the world.
But there are some problems in big cities too. It is expensive to live there and there are too many people in some places of big cities. Every year many people move to the cities to find jobs,to study at good schools.
But sometimes these people can't find work or a good place to live in. Also it is hard to keep the cities safe and clean.
Some people enjoy living in big cities,others do not. Before moving to a big city,they should think about the problem of living there.
Question:
From the article we can see it is hard to keep the cities _ .
Choices:
A. busy and noisy
B. safe and clean
C. cool and sunny
D. fine and large | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle386.txt | New York,London,Paris and other big cities are exciting places to live in. There are many interesting things to see and to go to. You can go to different kinds of museums,plays and films. You can also buy things from all over the world.
But there are some problems in big cities too. It is expensive to live there and there are too many people in some places of big cities. Every year many people move to the cities to find jobs,to study at good schools.
But sometimes these people can't find work or a good place to live in. Also it is hard to keep the cities safe and clean.
Some people enjoy living in big cities,others do not. Before moving to a big city,they should think about the problem of living there. | [
"busy and noisy",
"safe and clean",
"cool and sunny",
"fine and large"
] |
A good reader may read fastest _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
A good reader is very much like a driver. He must change his reading speed to fit what he is reading and what he is reading for, just as a driver does to fit the road situation.
A good reader may read at 1,000 WPM(... )when he looks for something for a report in the library. But once he finds what he needs, he may slow down to 100 WPM. A good reader may read newspapers and story books at 600 WPM. But he may read his science or maths books at 150 WPM. Just as a driver has a wide change of driving speed, so a good reader has a wide change of reading speed.
Question:
A good reader may read fastest _ .
Choices:
A. when he reads newspapers and story books
B. when he reads something most useful to him
C. when he is trying to work out a maths problem
D. when he is trying to find something for his report | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle345.txt | A good reader is very much like a driver. He must change his reading speed to fit what he is reading and what he is reading for, just as a driver does to fit the road situation.
A good reader may read at 1,000 WPM(... )when he looks for something for a report in the library. But once he finds what he needs, he may slow down to 100 WPM. A good reader may read newspapers and story books at 600 WPM. But he may read his science or maths books at 150 WPM. Just as a driver has a wide change of driving speed, so a good reader has a wide change of reading speed. | [
"when he reads newspapers and story books",
"when he reads something most useful to him",
"when he is trying to work out a maths problem",
"when he is trying to find something for his report"
] |
A cable is different from an overhead wire, because it _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Ever since man began to use the telephone, there have been new problems arising from the carrying of messages. At first, each message was carried by a pair of overhead wires. As a result, telephone exchanges were soon surrounded by thousands of wires. The wires were then replaced by cables ,each containing many pairs of wires. Each cable is capable of carrying many messages. These cables, laid underground, replaced the overhead wires.
The more _ telephone services have become, the more demand for these services has increased, particularly the demand for long-distance services. In China, for example, this growth is now over 30% every year. Long-distance telephone exchanges are usually in crowded cities, where is not easy to lay new labels for expanding services.
The use of radio to send telephone message and to link all telephone exchanges makes it possible to get rid of overhead wires and some underground cables.
Now man has invented the microwave system ( ). In a microwave system messages from various places can be brought together, and then they are sent out and received by radio. After that, the messages are split into their original form. Finally, they are sent to the places where they are going to be sent.
Question:
A cable is different from an overhead wire, because it _ .
Choices:
A. is made of wood
B. needs more exchange
C. carries more messages
D. is much longer | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high4147.txt | Ever since man began to use the telephone, there have been new problems arising from the carrying of messages. At first, each message was carried by a pair of overhead wires. As a result, telephone exchanges were soon surrounded by thousands of wires. The wires were then replaced by cables ,each containing many pairs of wires. Each cable is capable of carrying many messages. These cables, laid underground, replaced the overhead wires.
The more _ telephone services have become, the more demand for these services has increased, particularly the demand for long-distance services. In China, for example, this growth is now over 30% every year. Long-distance telephone exchanges are usually in crowded cities, where is not easy to lay new labels for expanding services.
The use of radio to send telephone message and to link all telephone exchanges makes it possible to get rid of overhead wires and some underground cables.
Now man has invented the microwave system ( ). In a microwave system messages from various places can be brought together, and then they are sent out and received by radio. After that, the messages are split into their original form. Finally, they are sent to the places where they are going to be sent. | [
"is made of wood",
"needs more exchange",
"carries more messages",
"is much longer"
] |
Leila eats cake almost every week. Last week, she ate 6 cakes on Monday, 9 cakes on Friday, and on Saturday, she ate triple the number of cakes she ate on Monday. How many cakes does Leila eat? | Combining Monday and Friday, Leila ate 6 + 9 = <<6+9=15>>15 cakes.
On Saturday, she ate 6 * 3 = <<6*3=18>>18 cakes.
Altogether, Leila ate 15 + 18 = <<15+18=33>>33 cakes.
#### 33 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Leila eats cake almost every week. Last week, she ate 6 cakes on Monday, 9 cakes on Friday, and on Saturday, she ate triple the number of cakes she ate on Monday. How many cakes does Leila eat? | Combining Monday and Friday, Leila ate 6 + 9 = <<6+9=15>>15 cakes.
On Saturday, she ate 6 * 3 = <<6*3=18>>18 cakes.
Altogether, Leila ate 15 + 18 = <<15+18=33>>33 cakes.
#### 33 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
People like to drink water for sports because _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
As summer arrives, it's important to drink more, to keep us cool. Let's look to see what drinks are popular in the US.
Sports drinks and fruit drinks are quite popular. But there are two main drinks that Americans enjoy most: water and soda. Around 10.9 billion gallons of water is drunk each year, and 12.8 billion gallons of soda. Soda is the most popular drink. It's fizzy and enjoyed with friends. Perhaps it is the drink of choice for parties.
However, if you are playing sports, soda is not a good drink. The fizzy and sweet drinks may make you uncomfortable while exercising. The best drink for sports is water. That's because it has no calories and keeps you fresh during sports. Besides, doctors tell us that drinking water each day is healthy.
For many kids, juice or milk are their favorites. These drinks are healthy and give kids vitamins and energy during the day. Adults usually choose between tea or coffee.
Question:
People like to drink water for sports because _ .
Choices:
A. it gives vitamins
B. it's dizzy
C. it has no calories
D. it's popular | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle5320.txt | As summer arrives, it's important to drink more, to keep us cool. Let's look to see what drinks are popular in the US.
Sports drinks and fruit drinks are quite popular. But there are two main drinks that Americans enjoy most: water and soda. Around 10.9 billion gallons of water is drunk each year, and 12.8 billion gallons of soda. Soda is the most popular drink. It's fizzy and enjoyed with friends. Perhaps it is the drink of choice for parties.
However, if you are playing sports, soda is not a good drink. The fizzy and sweet drinks may make you uncomfortable while exercising. The best drink for sports is water. That's because it has no calories and keeps you fresh during sports. Besides, doctors tell us that drinking water each day is healthy.
For many kids, juice or milk are their favorites. These drinks are healthy and give kids vitamins and energy during the day. Adults usually choose between tea or coffee. | [
"it gives vitamins",
"it's dizzy",
"it has no calories",
"it's popular"
] |
What's the text mainly about? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
When Julia Rhodes is asked what she does for a living,she says she is a "wind farmer".While her job is operation manager for wind farm owner RES-Gen:Rhodes is responsible for making sure their l4 wind farms in the UK and Ireland are using the power of the wind to produce power for homes and businesses.
RES-Gen is a division of leading renewable energy group Renewable Energy Systems(RES),a UK-based company with global operations. RES was one of the pioneers of wind energy technology.It built the UK's second wind farm in l992.Since then:RES has built more than 40 wind farms across four continents.
Rhodes graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in manufacturing engineering. Following that,she received a master's degree in renewable energy systems technology specializing in wind energy. Rhodes has worked in the wind sector ever since, providing technical support for two leading wind farm developers before joining RES in 2001.
RES's projects are continually monitored by computer and checked remotely on a daily basis.Regular servicing is carried out by contractors ,usually every six months. Rhodes always has a top--level view of how well the wind turbines are operating.
Rhodes is a supporter of wind--energy engineering.She also works closely with other departments to keep good relations with the communities around RES's wind farms.The open days and government officials' visits show that wind power is popular and that wind projects-are viewed positively.
Renewable energy is a growing sector with attractive career prospects. For Rhodes.as the RES wind farms expand,the team that she manages is expected to increase.She enjoys working for a company with strong engineering roots and a highly respected track record .Her job as a wind farmer is challenging and enjoyable."It's great knowing that you are helping to bring about a clean.environment and are contributing to the global community."
Question:
What's the text mainly about?
Choices:
A. Julia Rhodes and her work.
B. Why Julia Rhodes works in RES.
C. The importance of renewable energy.
D. Howe wind can produce Dower. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high20270.txt | When Julia Rhodes is asked what she does for a living,she says she is a "wind farmer".While her job is operation manager for wind farm owner RES-Gen:Rhodes is responsible for making sure their l4 wind farms in the UK and Ireland are using the power of the wind to produce power for homes and businesses.
RES-Gen is a division of leading renewable energy group Renewable Energy Systems(RES),a UK-based company with global operations. RES was one of the pioneers of wind energy technology.It built the UK's second wind farm in l992.Since then:RES has built more than 40 wind farms across four continents.
Rhodes graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in manufacturing engineering. Following that,she received a master's degree in renewable energy systems technology specializing in wind energy. Rhodes has worked in the wind sector ever since, providing technical support for two leading wind farm developers before joining RES in 2001.
RES's projects are continually monitored by computer and checked remotely on a daily basis.Regular servicing is carried out by contractors ,usually every six months. Rhodes always has a top--level view of how well the wind turbines are operating.
Rhodes is a supporter of wind--energy engineering.She also works closely with other departments to keep good relations with the communities around RES's wind farms.The open days and government officials' visits show that wind power is popular and that wind projects-are viewed positively.
Renewable energy is a growing sector with attractive career prospects. For Rhodes.as the RES wind farms expand,the team that she manages is expected to increase.She enjoys working for a company with strong engineering roots and a highly respected track record .Her job as a wind farmer is challenging and enjoyable."It's great knowing that you are helping to bring about a clean.environment and are contributing to the global community." | [
"Julia Rhodes and her work.",
"Why Julia Rhodes works in RES.",
"The importance of renewable energy.",
"Howe wind can produce Dower."
] |
Why did Mumbet run away from the Ashleys? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves. At the age of six months she was acquired, along with her sister, by John Ashley, a wealthy Massachusetts slaveholders. She became known as "Mumbet" or "Mum Bett."
For nearly 30 years Mumbet served the Ashley family. One day, Ashley's wife tried to strike Mumbet's sister with a spade. Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. Furious, she left the house and refused to come back. When the Ashleys tried to make her return, Mumbet consulted a lawyer, Theodore Sedgewick. With his help, Mumbet sued for her freedom.
While serving the Ashleys, Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the new Massachusetts constitution. If the constitution said that all people were free and equal, then she thought it should apply to her. Eventually, Mumbet won her freedom---- the first slave in Massachusetts to do so under the new constitution.
Strangely enough, after the trial, the Ashleys asked Mumbet to come back and work for them as a paid employee. She declined and instead went to work for Segdewick. Mumbet died in 1829, but her legacy lived on in her many descendants . One of her great-grandchildren was W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the founder of the NAACP, and an important writer and spokesperson for African American civil rights.
Mumbet's tombstone still stands in the Massachusetts cemetery where she was buried. It reads, in part: "She was born a slave and remained a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years. She could neither read nor write, yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal."
Question:
Why did Mumbet run away from the Ashleys?
Choices:
A. She found an employer
B. She wanted to be a lawyer
C. She was hit and got angry
D. She had to take care of her sister | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high7131.txt | Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves. At the age of six months she was acquired, along with her sister, by John Ashley, a wealthy Massachusetts slaveholders. She became known as "Mumbet" or "Mum Bett."
For nearly 30 years Mumbet served the Ashley family. One day, Ashley's wife tried to strike Mumbet's sister with a spade. Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. Furious, she left the house and refused to come back. When the Ashleys tried to make her return, Mumbet consulted a lawyer, Theodore Sedgewick. With his help, Mumbet sued for her freedom.
While serving the Ashleys, Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the new Massachusetts constitution. If the constitution said that all people were free and equal, then she thought it should apply to her. Eventually, Mumbet won her freedom---- the first slave in Massachusetts to do so under the new constitution.
Strangely enough, after the trial, the Ashleys asked Mumbet to come back and work for them as a paid employee. She declined and instead went to work for Segdewick. Mumbet died in 1829, but her legacy lived on in her many descendants . One of her great-grandchildren was W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the founder of the NAACP, and an important writer and spokesperson for African American civil rights.
Mumbet's tombstone still stands in the Massachusetts cemetery where she was buried. It reads, in part: "She was born a slave and remained a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years. She could neither read nor write, yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal." | [
"She found an employer",
"She wanted to be a lawyer",
"She was hit and got angry",
"She had to take care of her sister"
] |
Tim has 30 toads. Jim has 20 more toads than Tim does. Sarah has twice as many toads as Jim does. How many toads does Sarah have? | Jim has 30+20 = <<30+20=50>>50 toads
Sarah has 50*2 = <<50*2=100>>100 toads
#### 100 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Tim has 30 toads. Jim has 20 more toads than Tim does. Sarah has twice as many toads as Jim does. How many toads does Sarah have? | Jim has 30+20 = <<30+20=50>>50 toads
Sarah has 50*2 = <<50*2=100>>100 toads
#### 100 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
Why is Baymax popular? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Baymax, a new Disney character, has made everyone like him and want to hug him. The big robot is from the Disney movie--- Big hero 6. He lives with a fourteen-year-old smart boy called Hiro Hamada. Baymax has helped Hiro get through hard times after Hiro's elder brother died in an accident. Soon Hiro finds that some bad people are behind his brother's death and want to take the city. To stop it , he uses his high-tech gadgets and turns Baymax and his four other friends into super heroes. The movie has received very good feedback . In February, the movie won the best animation feature of the 87thOscar Awards. Baymax has become popular thanks to his big soft body and his comforting voice. People say his love can be found on the screen.
Mothers in Japan have started to make Baymax-sharped white rice balls for children. In China, fans warmly call him "the big white". The friendship between Baymax and Hiro makes many people cry in the cinema. As a nursing robot, Baymax is never designed to be a super hero. He dares to love you without expecting anything for himself. I think we all love him because of his love.
Question:
Why is Baymax popular?
Choices:
A. Because he is a Disney character.
B. Because he won the best animation feature of the 87the Oscar Awards.
C. Because he has a big soft body and comforting voice.
D. Because he has received very good feedback. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle5459.txt | Baymax, a new Disney character, has made everyone like him and want to hug him. The big robot is from the Disney movie--- Big hero 6. He lives with a fourteen-year-old smart boy called Hiro Hamada. Baymax has helped Hiro get through hard times after Hiro's elder brother died in an accident. Soon Hiro finds that some bad people are behind his brother's death and want to take the city. To stop it , he uses his high-tech gadgets and turns Baymax and his four other friends into super heroes. The movie has received very good feedback . In February, the movie won the best animation feature of the 87thOscar Awards. Baymax has become popular thanks to his big soft body and his comforting voice. People say his love can be found on the screen.
Mothers in Japan have started to make Baymax-sharped white rice balls for children. In China, fans warmly call him "the big white". The friendship between Baymax and Hiro makes many people cry in the cinema. As a nursing robot, Baymax is never designed to be a super hero. He dares to love you without expecting anything for himself. I think we all love him because of his love. | [
"Because he is a Disney character.",
"Because he won the best animation feature of the 87the Oscar Awards.",
"Because he has a big soft body and comforting voice.",
"Because he has received very good feedback."
] |
In the study by the US research team, students were asked to _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Scientists say they now have proof to support the old-fashioned advice that it's best to sleep on a problem. They say sleep strengthens the memory and helps the brain organize the masses of information we receive each day.
Lead researcher Bob Stickgold at the Harvard Medical School said, "Sleep helps us draw rules from our experiences. It's like knowing the difference between dogs and cats even if it's hard to explain."
The US research team studied how well students remembered connections between words and symbols , reports New Scientist. They compared how the students performed if they had had a sleep between seeing the words and having the test, and if they had not slept. They found that people were better able to remember lists of related words after a night's sleep than after the same time spent awake during the day. They also found it easier to remember themes that the words had in common. But they forgot around one in four more themes if they had been awake. Prof. John Groeger, of Surrey University's Sleep Research Centre, said, "People have been trying for years to find out what the purpose of sleep is, as we know that only certain parts of it have a restorative value. " "We form and store huge numbers of experiences in the head every day, and sleep seems to be the way the brain deals with it all."
Question:
In the study by the US research team, students were asked to _ .
Choices:
A. put together words of similar meanings
B. remember words and their meanings
C. show their knowledge of words
D. make up lists of related words | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high4890.txt | Scientists say they now have proof to support the old-fashioned advice that it's best to sleep on a problem. They say sleep strengthens the memory and helps the brain organize the masses of information we receive each day.
Lead researcher Bob Stickgold at the Harvard Medical School said, "Sleep helps us draw rules from our experiences. It's like knowing the difference between dogs and cats even if it's hard to explain."
The US research team studied how well students remembered connections between words and symbols , reports New Scientist. They compared how the students performed if they had had a sleep between seeing the words and having the test, and if they had not slept. They found that people were better able to remember lists of related words after a night's sleep than after the same time spent awake during the day. They also found it easier to remember themes that the words had in common. But they forgot around one in four more themes if they had been awake. Prof. John Groeger, of Surrey University's Sleep Research Centre, said, "People have been trying for years to find out what the purpose of sleep is, as we know that only certain parts of it have a restorative value. " "We form and store huge numbers of experiences in the head every day, and sleep seems to be the way the brain deals with it all." | [
"put together words of similar meanings",
"remember words and their meanings",
"show their knowledge of words",
"make up lists of related words"
] |
According to Olsen-Santana, he must be feeling that. | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
More than 50 music students of New Milford High School in New Jersey, US, got a letter from their headmaster. The letter said that the music department of the school was in big trouble. The students had to pass a test, or the department would be closed.
The test came on Saturday. The nervous students were required to play a piece of music created by Richard Strauss. And they had to sing the words to the music -- German words! There were also other difficult tasks. One student had to sing Mary Had A Little Lamb, a children's song, in an operatic voice.
After three hours of testing, the students all waited for the results. They met some students from the New Jersey Youth Orchestra while waiting. They had the same test and only got a passing grade.
The worried New Milford High School students started to realize they had no chance. "I thought it was over," said Bryan Olsen-Santana. "The girl next to me was crying. I felt bad for her. I felt bad for myself, too, because music is everything to me."
But then the headmaster came and told them something very dramatic , "Someone has played a joke on you!"
What was going on?
The test was part of a new reality TV show called "Schooled". The students' parents, the school and a TV network had made it together. Everything was _ . The "students from New Jersey Youth Orchestra" were students from another school. There were hidden cameras.
The students' parents were hiding as they watched.
As a reward for putting up with the joke, the students got gifts: MP3 players, digital cameras and school supplies . They were all from the show's sponsor .
Question:
According to Olsen-Santana, he must be feeling that.
Choices:
A. they had failed the test
B. he could have passed the test
C. the test was just a joke
D. the test was never over | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle7771.txt | More than 50 music students of New Milford High School in New Jersey, US, got a letter from their headmaster. The letter said that the music department of the school was in big trouble. The students had to pass a test, or the department would be closed.
The test came on Saturday. The nervous students were required to play a piece of music created by Richard Strauss. And they had to sing the words to the music -- German words! There were also other difficult tasks. One student had to sing Mary Had A Little Lamb, a children's song, in an operatic voice.
After three hours of testing, the students all waited for the results. They met some students from the New Jersey Youth Orchestra while waiting. They had the same test and only got a passing grade.
The worried New Milford High School students started to realize they had no chance. "I thought it was over," said Bryan Olsen-Santana. "The girl next to me was crying. I felt bad for her. I felt bad for myself, too, because music is everything to me."
But then the headmaster came and told them something very dramatic , "Someone has played a joke on you!"
What was going on?
The test was part of a new reality TV show called "Schooled". The students' parents, the school and a TV network had made it together. Everything was _ . The "students from New Jersey Youth Orchestra" were students from another school. There were hidden cameras.
The students' parents were hiding as they watched.
As a reward for putting up with the joke, the students got gifts: MP3 players, digital cameras and school supplies . They were all from the show's sponsor . | [
"they had failed the test",
"he could have passed the test",
"the test was just a joke",
"the test was never over"
] |
People have less joy of simple life nowadays mainly because they _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Everywhere I go, people are speaking on their cell telephones regardless of their surroundings . This happens when people are walking around a lake or through town, or even driving. I have even seen a person attempting to speak on her cell phone while ordering ice cream at Dairy Queen, thus speaking to two people at once.
As the over-spending of technology increases, people begin to take less joy in the simple pleasures of life--joys that don't cost money--from observing clouds, playing with children to thinking or reading. And it is not just telephones that take the responsibility; too much value is placed on items from computers to cars. Many things are purchased merely to show off. Do you really need a cell phone that plays games, shows movies and takes pictures? No, cell phones should be purchased to use in urgent situations.You do not need to use your telephone when you are at someone else's house or in a restaurant.
Technology and possessions do not bring joy. While some technology is necessary, it can get ridiculous . Each possession just makes us want more, while simple pleasures can be enjoyed now and then.
Instead of spending our time buying a third television or looking into the newest cell phone models, we should be acting more productively to improve the world by volunteering, for example. Or, we should reconsider playing computer games or taking pictures on our cell phones and read a book or imagine what shapes the clouds are in the sky instead.
Question:
People have less joy of simple life nowadays mainly because they _ .
Choices:
A. focus on technology and their belongings.
B. use cell phones in less urgent situations.
C. buy private cars just to show off.
D. place too much value on computers. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high1926.txt | Everywhere I go, people are speaking on their cell telephones regardless of their surroundings . This happens when people are walking around a lake or through town, or even driving. I have even seen a person attempting to speak on her cell phone while ordering ice cream at Dairy Queen, thus speaking to two people at once.
As the over-spending of technology increases, people begin to take less joy in the simple pleasures of life--joys that don't cost money--from observing clouds, playing with children to thinking or reading. And it is not just telephones that take the responsibility; too much value is placed on items from computers to cars. Many things are purchased merely to show off. Do you really need a cell phone that plays games, shows movies and takes pictures? No, cell phones should be purchased to use in urgent situations.You do not need to use your telephone when you are at someone else's house or in a restaurant.
Technology and possessions do not bring joy. While some technology is necessary, it can get ridiculous . Each possession just makes us want more, while simple pleasures can be enjoyed now and then.
Instead of spending our time buying a third television or looking into the newest cell phone models, we should be acting more productively to improve the world by volunteering, for example. Or, we should reconsider playing computer games or taking pictures on our cell phones and read a book or imagine what shapes the clouds are in the sky instead. | [
"focus on technology and their belongings.",
"use cell phones in less urgent situations.",
"buy private cars just to show off.",
"place too much value on computers."
] |
L. H. Gray would like to see _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Sir,
Last Saturday I watched the TV coverage of the latest Grand Prix motor race and could not fail to notice how much advertising there was. In particular, the leading car (and the one that eventually won) was almost constantly on the screen; it was painted to look like a packet of well-known cigarettes. Not only that, but the car was, on more than one occasion, referred to by the commentator not by the name of the driver or the motor company, but by the name of the product. However, the football team that I support is not allowed to wear shirts advertising anything when their matches are being televised.
The rule preventing sportsmen and sportswomen from carrying advertisements on television is a good one. Keep it and do it. To take one example, what is the effect, I wonder, on the young and old, of the apparent connection between cigarette smoking and an exciting sport like motor-racing?
L. H. Gray, London
Sir,
What a ridiculous situation our television companies find themselves in with regard to sport and advertising!
I watched a televised football match in which the players did not carry any advertisements on their shirts, and yet there was advertising all around the ground. (Do the TV producers think we viewers are blind or something?) And when a well-known international player was interviewed after the match, both he and the interviewer referred by name to the make-ups firm! And as if that were not enough, the sports item that followed was the National Bank Golf Tournament.
Advertising is all around us every day. Long live advertising, I say, and let the television companies recognize it and allow football players, athletes, racing drivers and others to wear sponsors' advertisements. At least we would all know where we were!
Mrs. R. P. Laing, Bristol
Question:
L. H. Gray would like to see _ .
Choices:
A. advertising officially forbidden from televised sport
B. cigarette advertisements made illegal
C. football teams wear shirts advertising certain products
D. the law forbidding commercials will come into effect soon | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high23856.txt | Sir,
Last Saturday I watched the TV coverage of the latest Grand Prix motor race and could not fail to notice how much advertising there was. In particular, the leading car (and the one that eventually won) was almost constantly on the screen; it was painted to look like a packet of well-known cigarettes. Not only that, but the car was, on more than one occasion, referred to by the commentator not by the name of the driver or the motor company, but by the name of the product. However, the football team that I support is not allowed to wear shirts advertising anything when their matches are being televised.
The rule preventing sportsmen and sportswomen from carrying advertisements on television is a good one. Keep it and do it. To take one example, what is the effect, I wonder, on the young and old, of the apparent connection between cigarette smoking and an exciting sport like motor-racing?
L. H. Gray, London
Sir,
What a ridiculous situation our television companies find themselves in with regard to sport and advertising!
I watched a televised football match in which the players did not carry any advertisements on their shirts, and yet there was advertising all around the ground. (Do the TV producers think we viewers are blind or something?) And when a well-known international player was interviewed after the match, both he and the interviewer referred by name to the make-ups firm! And as if that were not enough, the sports item that followed was the National Bank Golf Tournament.
Advertising is all around us every day. Long live advertising, I say, and let the television companies recognize it and allow football players, athletes, racing drivers and others to wear sponsors' advertisements. At least we would all know where we were!
Mrs. R. P. Laing, Bristol | [
"advertising officially forbidden from televised sport",
"cigarette advertisements made illegal",
"football teams wear shirts advertising certain products",
"the law forbidding commercials will come into effect soon"
] |
To know how to help a slow classmate better, you'd better go to " _ ". | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Penguin Group
Ordinary People Change The World!
Penguin Group and TFK have partnered together to help teachers show their students how they can make the world a better place. Building the encouraging lives of historic figures including Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein, this attractive program takes a look at the real life stories of ordinary young people who grew up to become extraordinary adults!
Download the classroom poster, student worksheets and teacher's guide provided below.
Classroom Poster : You can be a Hero, too. Classroom Poster
Teachers Guide : Ordinary People Series Teacher's Guide
Student Worksheet : Who's Your Hero? Worksheet
Student Worksheet : Hero Matchup Worksheet
PGA Junior League Golf
It Takes a Team!
TIME For Kids and PGA Junior League Golf have developed a program all about using teamwork to reach goals. Download this poster to get your students involved in the power and fun of teamwork and cooperation.
Encourage your class to go to timeforkids.com/teampoll and take the poll!
Classroom Poster : It Takes a Team!
International Fund for Animal Welfare(IFAW)
Cats, Dogs, & Us
TIME for Kids has partnered with IFAW to present an educational animal awareness program called Cats, Dogs, & Us. This project is sure to attract and engage students with discussion starters, in-class activity ideas, a video viewing guide, and many other in-depth and fun resources. Preview IFAW's Cats, Dogs, & Us video at http://ifaw.org/cats-dogs-and-us
Classroom Poster : Cats, Dogs, & Us Classroom Poster
Classroom Poster / Teachers Guide : Cats, Dogs, & Us Teachers Guide Full View
Teachers Guide : Cats, Dogs, & Us Teachers Guide Pages
Special Olympics
Special Olympics Project UNIFY(r)
in TIME and Special Olympics have teamed up to promote understanding of people's differences in the classroom, school and community. Special Olympics Project UNIFY(r) is an education-based project that uses sports and education programs to activate young people to develop communities where all youth are agents of change-promoting respect, dignity and support for people with mental disabilities.
TFK Extra : in TIME Project UNIFY(r) Student Guide
Teachers Guide : in TIME Project UNIFY(r) Teachers Guide
Question:
To know how to help a slow classmate better, you'd better go to " _ ".
Choices:
A. timeforkids.com/teampoll
B. Hero Matchup Worksheet
C. http://ifaw.org/cats-dogs-and-us
D. In TIME Project UNIFY(r) Student Guide | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high10326.txt | Penguin Group
Ordinary People Change The World!
Penguin Group and TFK have partnered together to help teachers show their students how they can make the world a better place. Building the encouraging lives of historic figures including Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein, this attractive program takes a look at the real life stories of ordinary young people who grew up to become extraordinary adults!
Download the classroom poster, student worksheets and teacher's guide provided below.
Classroom Poster : You can be a Hero, too. Classroom Poster
Teachers Guide : Ordinary People Series Teacher's Guide
Student Worksheet : Who's Your Hero? Worksheet
Student Worksheet : Hero Matchup Worksheet
PGA Junior League Golf
It Takes a Team!
TIME For Kids and PGA Junior League Golf have developed a program all about using teamwork to reach goals. Download this poster to get your students involved in the power and fun of teamwork and cooperation.
Encourage your class to go to timeforkids.com/teampoll and take the poll!
Classroom Poster : It Takes a Team!
International Fund for Animal Welfare(IFAW)
Cats, Dogs, & Us
TIME for Kids has partnered with IFAW to present an educational animal awareness program called Cats, Dogs, & Us. This project is sure to attract and engage students with discussion starters, in-class activity ideas, a video viewing guide, and many other in-depth and fun resources. Preview IFAW's Cats, Dogs, & Us video at http://ifaw.org/cats-dogs-and-us
Classroom Poster : Cats, Dogs, & Us Classroom Poster
Classroom Poster / Teachers Guide : Cats, Dogs, & Us Teachers Guide Full View
Teachers Guide : Cats, Dogs, & Us Teachers Guide Pages
Special Olympics
Special Olympics Project UNIFY(r)
in TIME and Special Olympics have teamed up to promote understanding of people's differences in the classroom, school and community. Special Olympics Project UNIFY(r) is an education-based project that uses sports and education programs to activate young people to develop communities where all youth are agents of change-promoting respect, dignity and support for people with mental disabilities.
TFK Extra : in TIME Project UNIFY(r) Student Guide
Teachers Guide : in TIME Project UNIFY(r) Teachers Guide | [
"timeforkids.com/teampoll",
"Hero Matchup Worksheet",
"http://ifaw.org/cats-dogs-and-us",
"In TIME Project UNIFY(r) Student Guide"
] |
Which of the following statements about " forest boy" is TRUE? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Germany's mystery English-speaking "forest boy" is said to be having trouble adjusting to conventional life.
Source close to the case claim he is having difficulty sleeping in a proper bed and wants to return to the wild. Other creature comforts , such as soap, hot showers, and running water, are also " unsettling" the youngster. Known only as Ray, and believed to be around 17, the boy is thought to have spent at least five years sleeping rough in woods south of the German capital.
He handed himself into officials on September 5, and was carrying a rucksack ,tent and sleeping bag. He told police his father had recently died after a fall and he had buried him in a shallow grave. He then walked north for a fortnight for help until he got to the German capital.
Despite the bizarre nature of the story, police have said it is credible. The source said it was " unsurprising" the teenager found a soft bed so unusual if he had been sleeping rough for so long. "He has indicated that he would be far more comfortable on the forest floor and would prefer to return there to sleep," the source added.
The boy claimed that his father had taken him into the woods south of Berlin after his mother, Doreen, died in a car crash.
Now detectives have begun a search for the grave, or any other place where Ryan's body might be lying. The boy is unable to tell them exactly where he buried his father, but claimed he " followed his compass northwards". In the meantime, they are trying to make Ray a ward of court, so that an official can be appointed to make important decisions on his behalf.
DNA, fingerprint and dental records can also then be handed to Interpol so that his records can be checked against those of missing children. A police spokesman confirmed that a search had started for Ryan's grave after the boy said that he was buried under the stones " two weeks south of Berlin". Police are puzzled by the case, but say that everything Ray has told them so far adds up.
Officials believe the teenager could be British because he speaks English but only basic German. The British Consul is also working with police to try to solve the mystery.
Ray, who is 5 feet 11 inches, with blond hair, is in good physical shape and had no signs of abuse apart from a small scar that was at least 3 years old.
Question:
Which of the following statements about " forest boy" is TRUE?
Choices:
A. He has no difficulty adapting to the common life.
B. He is about 17 years old now.
C. He suffered great hardship in the forest.
D. He has spent 10 years in woods. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high18470.txt | Germany's mystery English-speaking "forest boy" is said to be having trouble adjusting to conventional life.
Source close to the case claim he is having difficulty sleeping in a proper bed and wants to return to the wild. Other creature comforts , such as soap, hot showers, and running water, are also " unsettling" the youngster. Known only as Ray, and believed to be around 17, the boy is thought to have spent at least five years sleeping rough in woods south of the German capital.
He handed himself into officials on September 5, and was carrying a rucksack ,tent and sleeping bag. He told police his father had recently died after a fall and he had buried him in a shallow grave. He then walked north for a fortnight for help until he got to the German capital.
Despite the bizarre nature of the story, police have said it is credible. The source said it was " unsurprising" the teenager found a soft bed so unusual if he had been sleeping rough for so long. "He has indicated that he would be far more comfortable on the forest floor and would prefer to return there to sleep," the source added.
The boy claimed that his father had taken him into the woods south of Berlin after his mother, Doreen, died in a car crash.
Now detectives have begun a search for the grave, or any other place where Ryan's body might be lying. The boy is unable to tell them exactly where he buried his father, but claimed he " followed his compass northwards". In the meantime, they are trying to make Ray a ward of court, so that an official can be appointed to make important decisions on his behalf.
DNA, fingerprint and dental records can also then be handed to Interpol so that his records can be checked against those of missing children. A police spokesman confirmed that a search had started for Ryan's grave after the boy said that he was buried under the stones " two weeks south of Berlin". Police are puzzled by the case, but say that everything Ray has told them so far adds up.
Officials believe the teenager could be British because he speaks English but only basic German. The British Consul is also working with police to try to solve the mystery.
Ray, who is 5 feet 11 inches, with blond hair, is in good physical shape and had no signs of abuse apart from a small scar that was at least 3 years old. | [
"He has no difficulty adapting to the common life.",
"He is about 17 years old now.",
"He suffered great hardship in the forest.",
"He has spent 10 years in woods."
] |
After we buy the fruit and vegetables, _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
We go shopping on Sunday. I often go to the supermarket with my mother on Sunday morning. Father likes fruit very much. We buy some bananas for him. Mother likes red apples, but the apples in the supermarket are green. We don't buy them. The strawberries are very nice. Mother likes them very much and buys some for herself . The oranges are very nice, too. Mother buys some for me. I like oranges very much.
We need some vegetables. The vegetables in the supermarket are very good. We buy some broccoli. I don't like broccoli, but my parents like it. I like carrots very much. We buy lots of carrots. After shopping, mother and I have some salad, French fries and ice cream. Then we go back home with the fruit and vegetables.
Question:
After we buy the fruit and vegetables, _ .
Choices:
A. we go back home
B. we want to buy some new clothes
C. we eat some apples
D. we have some salad, French fries and ice cream | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle4673.txt | We go shopping on Sunday. I often go to the supermarket with my mother on Sunday morning. Father likes fruit very much. We buy some bananas for him. Mother likes red apples, but the apples in the supermarket are green. We don't buy them. The strawberries are very nice. Mother likes them very much and buys some for herself . The oranges are very nice, too. Mother buys some for me. I like oranges very much.
We need some vegetables. The vegetables in the supermarket are very good. We buy some broccoli. I don't like broccoli, but my parents like it. I like carrots very much. We buy lots of carrots. After shopping, mother and I have some salad, French fries and ice cream. Then we go back home with the fruit and vegetables. | [
"we go back home",
"we want to buy some new clothes",
"we eat some apples",
"we have some salad, French fries and ice cream"
] |
This passage mainly tells us something about . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
An inventor has created his perfect girlfriend,a robot who can do the cleaning,remember his favorite drink and read the newspaper to him.
Le Trung,33,has spent 14000 dollars creating the robot.He made the robot look like a woman in her twenties with shiny hair and blue eyes.
She can speak English and Japanese and she is also good at math.She can help Mr.Trung deal with his accounts.
Mr.Trung comes from Canada.He said he has never had time to find a real girlfriend--so he designed and created a robot as his girlfriend using the latest technology.He used to be a software programmer.In order to make this robot,he has taken out his credit cards,sold his car and spent all his life saving.
Now he is trying to find a corporate sponsor to help him complete and perfect his robot.He said his robot is what happens when science meets beauty.He said."I want to make her look,feet and act as human as possible so she can be the perfect companion.I chat a lot with her and hope to improve her knowledge."
So far the robot can understand and speak 13,000 different sentences in English and Japanese,so she's already fairly intelligent.She can _ faces and says hello when any of his family comes around to visit.She helps him what to have for dinner and knows what drinks he likes.
She doesn't need holidays,food or rest,she will work almost 24 hours a day and never goes shopping.She is very patient and never complains.What a perfect woman she is !
Question:
This passage mainly tells us something about .
Choices:
A. how to make a new robot.
B. an inventor and his robot girlfriend.
C. how much you need to make a robot.
D. why the inventor made a robot as his girlfriend | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle4292.txt | An inventor has created his perfect girlfriend,a robot who can do the cleaning,remember his favorite drink and read the newspaper to him.
Le Trung,33,has spent 14000 dollars creating the robot.He made the robot look like a woman in her twenties with shiny hair and blue eyes.
She can speak English and Japanese and she is also good at math.She can help Mr.Trung deal with his accounts.
Mr.Trung comes from Canada.He said he has never had time to find a real girlfriend--so he designed and created a robot as his girlfriend using the latest technology.He used to be a software programmer.In order to make this robot,he has taken out his credit cards,sold his car and spent all his life saving.
Now he is trying to find a corporate sponsor to help him complete and perfect his robot.He said his robot is what happens when science meets beauty.He said."I want to make her look,feet and act as human as possible so she can be the perfect companion.I chat a lot with her and hope to improve her knowledge."
So far the robot can understand and speak 13,000 different sentences in English and Japanese,so she's already fairly intelligent.She can _ faces and says hello when any of his family comes around to visit.She helps him what to have for dinner and knows what drinks he likes.
She doesn't need holidays,food or rest,she will work almost 24 hours a day and never goes shopping.She is very patient and never complains.What a perfect woman she is ! | [
"how to make a new robot.",
"an inventor and his robot girlfriend.",
"how much you need to make a robot.",
"why the inventor made a robot as his girlfriend"
] |
By saying "they are hunting ducks", Ali _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Something roared like thunder. The earth shook a little and we heard the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire. "Father!" Hassan cried. We sprung to our feet and raced out of the living room.
"Father! What's that sound? Hassan screamed, his hands outstretched toward Ali. Ali wrapped his arms around us. A white light flashed and lit the sky in silver. It flashed again and was followed by rapid sharp sounds of gunfire. "They're hunting ducks." Ali said in a hoarse voice. "They hunt ducks at night, you know." Don't be afraid.
A siren went off in the distance. Somewhere glass broke and someone shouted. I heard people on the street, jolted from sleep and probably still in their pajamas, with ruffled hair and puffy eyes. Hassan was crying. Ali pulled him close, clutched him with tenderness.
We stayed huddled that way until the early hours of the morning. The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour, but they had frightened us badly, because none of us had ever heard gunshots in the streets. They were foreign sounds to us then. The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire was not yet born. Huddled together in the dining room and waiting for the sun to rise, none of us had any notion that a way of life had ended. The end came when Russian tanks were rolling into the very same streets where Hassan and I played, bringing the death of the Afghanistan I knew and marking the start of a still ongoing era of bloodletting.
Just before sunrise, Baba's car peeled into the driveway. His door slammed shut and his running footsteps pounded the stairs. Then he appeared in the doorway and I saw something on his face. Something I didn't recognize right away because I'd never seen it before: fear. "Amir! Hassan!" He cried as he ran to us, opening his arms wide. "They blocked all the roads and the telephone didn't work. I was so worried!"
We let him wrap us in his arms and, for a brief moment, I was glad about whatever had happened that night.
Question:
By saying "they are hunting ducks", Ali _ .
Choices:
A. told the children the truth
B. tried to calm the children
C. played a joke on the children
D. cheered the children up | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high5154.txt | Something roared like thunder. The earth shook a little and we heard the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire. "Father!" Hassan cried. We sprung to our feet and raced out of the living room.
"Father! What's that sound? Hassan screamed, his hands outstretched toward Ali. Ali wrapped his arms around us. A white light flashed and lit the sky in silver. It flashed again and was followed by rapid sharp sounds of gunfire. "They're hunting ducks." Ali said in a hoarse voice. "They hunt ducks at night, you know." Don't be afraid.
A siren went off in the distance. Somewhere glass broke and someone shouted. I heard people on the street, jolted from sleep and probably still in their pajamas, with ruffled hair and puffy eyes. Hassan was crying. Ali pulled him close, clutched him with tenderness.
We stayed huddled that way until the early hours of the morning. The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour, but they had frightened us badly, because none of us had ever heard gunshots in the streets. They were foreign sounds to us then. The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire was not yet born. Huddled together in the dining room and waiting for the sun to rise, none of us had any notion that a way of life had ended. The end came when Russian tanks were rolling into the very same streets where Hassan and I played, bringing the death of the Afghanistan I knew and marking the start of a still ongoing era of bloodletting.
Just before sunrise, Baba's car peeled into the driveway. His door slammed shut and his running footsteps pounded the stairs. Then he appeared in the doorway and I saw something on his face. Something I didn't recognize right away because I'd never seen it before: fear. "Amir! Hassan!" He cried as he ran to us, opening his arms wide. "They blocked all the roads and the telephone didn't work. I was so worried!"
We let him wrap us in his arms and, for a brief moment, I was glad about whatever had happened that night. | [
"told the children the truth",
"tried to calm the children",
"played a joke on the children",
"cheered the children up"
] |
The best title for the passage would be _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
English is an important global language, but that doesn't mean it's easy to learn. Many experts have tried to make English easier for students to learn--but they weren't always successful.
In 1930, Professor CK Ogden of Cambridge University invented Basic English. It had only 850 words (and just eighteen verbs) and Ogden said most people could learn it in just thirty hours. The problem was that people who learned Basic English could write and say simple messages, but they couldn't understand the answers in "real" English! It was also impossible to explain a word if it wasn't in the Basic English word list. For example, if you wanted a watermelon, you asked for "a large green fruit with the form of an egg, which has a sweet red inside and a good taste"!
RE Zachrisson, a university professor in Sweden, decided that the biggest problem for learners of English was spelling, so he invented a language called Anglic. Anglic was similar to English, but with much simpler spelling. "Father" became "faadher", "new" became "nue' and "years" became "yeerz". Unfortunately for some students of English, Anglic never became popular.
Even easier is the language which ships' captains use: it's called "Seaspeak". Seaspeak uses a few simple phrases for every possible situation. In Seaspeak, for example, you don't say, "I'm sorry what did you say?" or "I didn't understand, can you repeat that?" It's just "Say again." No more grammar!
In the age of international communication through the Internet who knows? ... a new form of English might appear. A large number of the world's e-mails are in English and include examples of "NetLingo" like OIC (Oh, I see) and TTYL (Talk to you later). In another fifty years, English might not exist ... we will probably all speak fluent Internetish!
Question:
The best title for the passage would be _ .
Choices:
A. Seaspeak
B. Basic English
C. Internetish
D. Easy English | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high7038.txt | English is an important global language, but that doesn't mean it's easy to learn. Many experts have tried to make English easier for students to learn--but they weren't always successful.
In 1930, Professor CK Ogden of Cambridge University invented Basic English. It had only 850 words (and just eighteen verbs) and Ogden said most people could learn it in just thirty hours. The problem was that people who learned Basic English could write and say simple messages, but they couldn't understand the answers in "real" English! It was also impossible to explain a word if it wasn't in the Basic English word list. For example, if you wanted a watermelon, you asked for "a large green fruit with the form of an egg, which has a sweet red inside and a good taste"!
RE Zachrisson, a university professor in Sweden, decided that the biggest problem for learners of English was spelling, so he invented a language called Anglic. Anglic was similar to English, but with much simpler spelling. "Father" became "faadher", "new" became "nue' and "years" became "yeerz". Unfortunately for some students of English, Anglic never became popular.
Even easier is the language which ships' captains use: it's called "Seaspeak". Seaspeak uses a few simple phrases for every possible situation. In Seaspeak, for example, you don't say, "I'm sorry what did you say?" or "I didn't understand, can you repeat that?" It's just "Say again." No more grammar!
In the age of international communication through the Internet who knows? ... a new form of English might appear. A large number of the world's e-mails are in English and include examples of "NetLingo" like OIC (Oh, I see) and TTYL (Talk to you later). In another fifty years, English might not exist ... we will probably all speak fluent Internetish! | [
"Seaspeak",
"Basic English",
"Internetish",
"Easy English"
] |
What can we infer from the passage? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Matt and his wife lived in the country. Matt was very mean and hated spending money. One day a fair came to the nearby town.
They went to the fair and looked at all the things to buy. Matt's wife wanted to buy a hat only costing $28, but was refused. Later on, a comb of $5 attracted her attention, but he would not let her spend any money.
Then, in a nearby field, they saw a small airplane. "Fun flight!" the notice said, "$10 for 10 minutes."
Matt had never been in an airplane and he wanted to go on a fun flight. However, he didn't want to pay for his wife either. "I've only got $10," he told the pilot. "Can my wife come with me for free?" The pilot wasn't selling many tickets, so he said, "I'll make a bargain with you. If your wife doesn't scream, she can have a free flight."
Matt agreed, and got into the small airplane with his wife. The pilot took off and made his airplane do all kinds of things. At one moment it was flying upside down.
When the plane landed, the pilot said, "OK, your wife didn't make a sound. She can have her ride free."
"Thank you," Matt said, "it wasn't easy for her, you know, especially when she fell out."
Question:
What can we infer from the passage?
Choices:
A. Matt loved money more than his wife.
B. Matt would like to buy everything for his wife.
C. The pilot didn't mind whether Matt's wife would pay.
D. Matt's wife enjoyed her riding in the plane. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high2924.txt | Matt and his wife lived in the country. Matt was very mean and hated spending money. One day a fair came to the nearby town.
They went to the fair and looked at all the things to buy. Matt's wife wanted to buy a hat only costing $28, but was refused. Later on, a comb of $5 attracted her attention, but he would not let her spend any money.
Then, in a nearby field, they saw a small airplane. "Fun flight!" the notice said, "$10 for 10 minutes."
Matt had never been in an airplane and he wanted to go on a fun flight. However, he didn't want to pay for his wife either. "I've only got $10," he told the pilot. "Can my wife come with me for free?" The pilot wasn't selling many tickets, so he said, "I'll make a bargain with you. If your wife doesn't scream, she can have a free flight."
Matt agreed, and got into the small airplane with his wife. The pilot took off and made his airplane do all kinds of things. At one moment it was flying upside down.
When the plane landed, the pilot said, "OK, your wife didn't make a sound. She can have her ride free."
"Thank you," Matt said, "it wasn't easy for her, you know, especially when she fell out." | [
"Matt loved money more than his wife.",
"Matt would like to buy everything for his wife.",
"The pilot didn't mind whether Matt's wife would pay.",
"Matt's wife enjoyed her riding in the plane."
] |
What is the author's intention of writing this passage? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
I've just got to talk about this problem I'm having with my postman. It all began a year ago, after the birth of his first child. Not wanting to appear rude, I asked him about the baby. The next week, not wanting him to think I had asked out of mere politeness the week before, I asked all about the baby again. Now I can't break the habit. I freeze whenever I see him coming. The words "How's the baby?" come out on their own. It holds me up. It holds him up. So why can't I stop it? The answer is that I want him to like me. Come to think of it, I want everyone to like me.
My sister had the same problem with the caretaker of her block of flats: "All he ever does is complain; he talks at me rather than to me, never listens to a word I say, and yet for some reason I'm always really nice to him. I'm worried in case I have a difficulty one day, and he won't lift a finger to help."
What about at work? Richard Lawton, a management trainer, warns: "Those managers who are actually liked by most of their staff are always those to whom being liked is not the primary goal. The qualities that make managers popular are being honest with staff, treating them as human beings and observing common politeness like saying hello in the morning." To explain the point, Richard mentions the story of the company chairman who desperately wanted to be liked and who, after making one of his managers fired, said with moist eyes that he was so, so sorry the man was leaving. The employee replied: "If you were that sorry, I wouldn't be leaving." The lesson being, therefore, that if you try too hard to be liked, people won't like you.
The experts say it all starts in childhood. "If children feel they can only get love from their parents by being good," says Zelda West-Meads, a marriage guidance consultant, "they develop low self-confidence and become _ ." But is there anything wrong in being a giver, the world not being exactly short of takers? Anne Cousins believes there is. "There is a point at which giving becomes unhealthy," she says. "It comes when you do things for others but feel bad about it."
I am now trying hard to say to people "I feel uncomfortable about saying this, but..." and tell myself "Refusal of a request does not mean rejection of a person" and I find I can say almost anything to almost anyone.
Question:
What is the author's intention of writing this passage?
Choices:
A. To show how to let others like you more.
B. To prove how to create a harmonious atmosphere.
C. To encourage people to have more self-confidence.
D. To suggest ways of dealing with difficult people. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high10031.txt | I've just got to talk about this problem I'm having with my postman. It all began a year ago, after the birth of his first child. Not wanting to appear rude, I asked him about the baby. The next week, not wanting him to think I had asked out of mere politeness the week before, I asked all about the baby again. Now I can't break the habit. I freeze whenever I see him coming. The words "How's the baby?" come out on their own. It holds me up. It holds him up. So why can't I stop it? The answer is that I want him to like me. Come to think of it, I want everyone to like me.
My sister had the same problem with the caretaker of her block of flats: "All he ever does is complain; he talks at me rather than to me, never listens to a word I say, and yet for some reason I'm always really nice to him. I'm worried in case I have a difficulty one day, and he won't lift a finger to help."
What about at work? Richard Lawton, a management trainer, warns: "Those managers who are actually liked by most of their staff are always those to whom being liked is not the primary goal. The qualities that make managers popular are being honest with staff, treating them as human beings and observing common politeness like saying hello in the morning." To explain the point, Richard mentions the story of the company chairman who desperately wanted to be liked and who, after making one of his managers fired, said with moist eyes that he was so, so sorry the man was leaving. The employee replied: "If you were that sorry, I wouldn't be leaving." The lesson being, therefore, that if you try too hard to be liked, people won't like you.
The experts say it all starts in childhood. "If children feel they can only get love from their parents by being good," says Zelda West-Meads, a marriage guidance consultant, "they develop low self-confidence and become _ ." But is there anything wrong in being a giver, the world not being exactly short of takers? Anne Cousins believes there is. "There is a point at which giving becomes unhealthy," she says. "It comes when you do things for others but feel bad about it."
I am now trying hard to say to people "I feel uncomfortable about saying this, but..." and tell myself "Refusal of a request does not mean rejection of a person" and I find I can say almost anything to almost anyone. | [
"To show how to let others like you more.",
"To prove how to create a harmonious atmosphere.",
"To encourage people to have more self-confidence.",
"To suggest ways of dealing with difficult people."
] |
What does the text mainly talk about? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Many of us use them several times a day without really noticing.And yet the way we in lifts,or elevators as they are known in the US,reveals a hidden anxiety.
Passengers seem to know instinctively how to arrange themselves in an elevator,like the dots on a die.With each additional passenger, the bodies shift,going into the open spaces.
On your own,you can do whatever you want--it's your own little box.If there are two of you,you take different corners, creating the greatest distance. When a third person enters, you will unconsciously form a triangle .And when there is a square, with someone I every corner.A fifth person is probable going to have to stand in the middle.
Why are we so awkward in lifts?
"You don't have enough space," says Professor Babette Renneberg, a clinical psychologist at the Free University of Berlin."Usually when we meet other people we have about an arm's length of distance between us. And that's not possible in most elevators, so it's a very unusual setting. It's unnatural."
But perhaps there is more to it than just social awkwardness.
"In the back of our minds we are a little anxious," says Nick White,an office in New York who was unfortunate enough to be trapped in a lift for41 hours. "We don't like to be locked into a place.We want to get out of the elevator as soon as possible, you know, it's a frightening place to be."
During his terrible experience, he began to think of another encloses space-a tomb.
Dr.Lee Gray agrees that a sense of disempowerment is the main cause of life anxiety.
"You're in a machine that's moving, over which you have no control. You cannot see the elevator engine, you don't know how it's working," he says.
Question:
What does the text mainly talk about?
Choices:
A. Differences between lifts and elevators.
B. The function of lifts.
C. People's behavior in lifts.
D. Accidents in lifts. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high23243.txt | Many of us use them several times a day without really noticing.And yet the way we in lifts,or elevators as they are known in the US,reveals a hidden anxiety.
Passengers seem to know instinctively how to arrange themselves in an elevator,like the dots on a die.With each additional passenger, the bodies shift,going into the open spaces.
On your own,you can do whatever you want--it's your own little box.If there are two of you,you take different corners, creating the greatest distance. When a third person enters, you will unconsciously form a triangle .And when there is a square, with someone I every corner.A fifth person is probable going to have to stand in the middle.
Why are we so awkward in lifts?
"You don't have enough space," says Professor Babette Renneberg, a clinical psychologist at the Free University of Berlin."Usually when we meet other people we have about an arm's length of distance between us. And that's not possible in most elevators, so it's a very unusual setting. It's unnatural."
But perhaps there is more to it than just social awkwardness.
"In the back of our minds we are a little anxious," says Nick White,an office in New York who was unfortunate enough to be trapped in a lift for41 hours. "We don't like to be locked into a place.We want to get out of the elevator as soon as possible, you know, it's a frightening place to be."
During his terrible experience, he began to think of another encloses space-a tomb.
Dr.Lee Gray agrees that a sense of disempowerment is the main cause of life anxiety.
"You're in a machine that's moving, over which you have no control. You cannot see the elevator engine, you don't know how it's working," he says. | [
"Differences between lifts and elevators.",
"The function of lifts.",
"People's behavior in lifts.",
"Accidents in lifts."
] |
Viruses may damage or kill cells by causing the release of hydrolytic enzymes from where? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | Viruses may damage or kill cells by causing the release of hydrolytic enzymes from where? | lysosomes | science | null | null | null | glands | capillaries | lipids | lysosomes | null | null | null | |
Which organ protects the body from injury, water loss, and microorganisms? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | Which organ protects the body from injury, water loss, and microorganisms? | skin | science | null | null | null | liver | kidney | stomach | skin | Skin protects the body from injury, water loss, and microorganisms. It also plays a major role in maintaining a stable body temperature. | null | null | null |
The latest blatantly false was the supposed death of _ | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
An unpleasant habit of announcing the death of a celebrity has sprung in recent years, when in fact the subject is alive and well. The latest blatantly false was the supposed death of Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan from a heart attack.
It spread rapidly on the Chinese blogosphere and Twitter in the West, and there was even, supposedly, a message from US President Barack Obama paying homage to the martial arts hero. "Jackie Chan is a man who can talk through talent, he is a constant reminder of the strength of humanity. He will forever be in our hearts, a true inspiration who inspired many generations,"
Cruelly, it was the actor's son, Jaycee Chan, who had to prove if the news was true, by making a phone call and finding him, fortunately, "busy as hell" organizing, with other Hong Kong celebrities, a charity concert on Friday to raise money for those struck down by the earthquake in Japan. Jaycee Chan described the false news as an "insane joke", but Jackie Chan was not angry at the news. He said, " It is not the first time to hear that I was dead."
The Hong Kong-based The Sun Newspaper reported on Wednesday that a blogger with the handle "SKIPHOPZ" was the source of the false news.
, .
Question:
The latest blatantly false was the supposed death of _
Choices:
A. Jackie Chan
B. Jackie Chan's son
C. Jaycee Chan
D. Jaycee Chan's son | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle3938.txt | An unpleasant habit of announcing the death of a celebrity has sprung in recent years, when in fact the subject is alive and well. The latest blatantly false was the supposed death of Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan from a heart attack.
It spread rapidly on the Chinese blogosphere and Twitter in the West, and there was even, supposedly, a message from US President Barack Obama paying homage to the martial arts hero. "Jackie Chan is a man who can talk through talent, he is a constant reminder of the strength of humanity. He will forever be in our hearts, a true inspiration who inspired many generations,"
Cruelly, it was the actor's son, Jaycee Chan, who had to prove if the news was true, by making a phone call and finding him, fortunately, "busy as hell" organizing, with other Hong Kong celebrities, a charity concert on Friday to raise money for those struck down by the earthquake in Japan. Jaycee Chan described the false news as an "insane joke", but Jackie Chan was not angry at the news. He said, " It is not the first time to hear that I was dead."
The Hong Kong-based The Sun Newspaper reported on Wednesday that a blogger with the handle "SKIPHOPZ" was the source of the false news.
, . | [
"Jackie Chan",
"Jackie Chan's son",
"Jaycee Chan",
"Jaycee Chan's son"
] |
Which of the following might Mark Tyrell agree to? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
The hit movieNotting Hillbegins with a famous scene. Hugh Grant bumps into Julia Roberts and spills orange juice all over her. After the _ , Grant repeatedly says: " I am so sorry. I am so sorry."
His actions in this scene are very British. If Roberts' character were from Britain then she would probably apologize repeatedly as well--even if the crash were not her fault. But this doesn't happen in the film, as Roberts is from the US.
A report in The Telegraph last week said that three-quarters of British people apologize when they bump into someone in the street -- regardless of whether they are responsible or not. In fact, we Britons use "sorry" in many situations. For example, if we mishear someone, we say "Sorry?" The person we are talking to will also apologize by replying: "No, I am sorry!" This can go on for up to five minutes as we compete over who is the most sorry.
Life is never as simple as "duibuqi" and "meiguanxi".
How we use "sorry" has changed. Traditionally, "sorry" was used to express deep regret, but a survey in 2007 showed that we use it to mean anything from "what" to "whatever".
Why are Britons so sorry? Mark Tyrell, a psychology writer in the UK, thinks about our apologetic tendencies are rooted in the British class system. We say sorry because historically the new middle classes in Britain had to apologize for not being working class, but also for not really being upper class. Another theory is that we apologize to avoid confrontation . For example, if you bump into someone they might get angry. To avoid this we instantly say "Sorry!".
True manners are about being considerate and the modern day obsession with apologizing show that we are perhaps not as thoughtful as we once were. The word has lost some of its meaning. Do you see my point? Sorry, it might just be a British thing...
Question:
Which of the following might Mark Tyrell agree to?
Choices:
A. British people are sincere while saying sorry.
B. Now more British people say sorry because of the British class system.
C. British people say sorry to avoid quarrels.
D. British people apologize for not working hard. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high3357.txt | The hit movieNotting Hillbegins with a famous scene. Hugh Grant bumps into Julia Roberts and spills orange juice all over her. After the _ , Grant repeatedly says: " I am so sorry. I am so sorry."
His actions in this scene are very British. If Roberts' character were from Britain then she would probably apologize repeatedly as well--even if the crash were not her fault. But this doesn't happen in the film, as Roberts is from the US.
A report in The Telegraph last week said that three-quarters of British people apologize when they bump into someone in the street -- regardless of whether they are responsible or not. In fact, we Britons use "sorry" in many situations. For example, if we mishear someone, we say "Sorry?" The person we are talking to will also apologize by replying: "No, I am sorry!" This can go on for up to five minutes as we compete over who is the most sorry.
Life is never as simple as "duibuqi" and "meiguanxi".
How we use "sorry" has changed. Traditionally, "sorry" was used to express deep regret, but a survey in 2007 showed that we use it to mean anything from "what" to "whatever".
Why are Britons so sorry? Mark Tyrell, a psychology writer in the UK, thinks about our apologetic tendencies are rooted in the British class system. We say sorry because historically the new middle classes in Britain had to apologize for not being working class, but also for not really being upper class. Another theory is that we apologize to avoid confrontation . For example, if you bump into someone they might get angry. To avoid this we instantly say "Sorry!".
True manners are about being considerate and the modern day obsession with apologizing show that we are perhaps not as thoughtful as we once were. The word has lost some of its meaning. Do you see my point? Sorry, it might just be a British thing... | [
"British people are sincere while saying sorry.",
"Now more British people say sorry because of the British class system.",
"British people say sorry to avoid quarrels.",
"British people apologize for not working hard."
] |
Where did the woodcutter find the box of gold? _ | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
A woodcutter was working in the forest one day when he found a box full of gold coins. Unfortunately, his wife was the kind of woman who could not keep a secret. Somehow, he knew, he had to prevent her from talking about the gold.
He thought about this for a long time, then had an idea.
" I found something in the forest", he told his wife, "come with me and I'll show you.".His wife followed him into the forest and soon they came to a tree." Look at that!" the woodcutter said to his wife, and pointed to the tree. "There's a fish growing on that branch!" His wife was surprised ,especially when he climbed up the tree and brought down the fish for her to see.They walked on and soon came to the river. "I'll just pull in my net and see what I've caught", the woodcutter said.
He pulled in his net and inside there were several hares . "How interesting!" he said "there are now hares in the river." After that, they came to where the woodcutter had found the box of gold. "Look, wife", he said "this is what I have found. A box of gold coins."
The next day, his wife could not stop herself from telling her friends about all the wonderful things she had seen.Of course, nobody believe her!
Question:
Where did the woodcutter find the box of gold? _
Choices:
A. When he was working
B. In his garden
C. In the forest where he was working
D. On his farm fields, where he was farming | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle1495.txt | A woodcutter was working in the forest one day when he found a box full of gold coins. Unfortunately, his wife was the kind of woman who could not keep a secret. Somehow, he knew, he had to prevent her from talking about the gold.
He thought about this for a long time, then had an idea.
" I found something in the forest", he told his wife, "come with me and I'll show you.".His wife followed him into the forest and soon they came to a tree." Look at that!" the woodcutter said to his wife, and pointed to the tree. "There's a fish growing on that branch!" His wife was surprised ,especially when he climbed up the tree and brought down the fish for her to see.They walked on and soon came to the river. "I'll just pull in my net and see what I've caught", the woodcutter said.
He pulled in his net and inside there were several hares . "How interesting!" he said "there are now hares in the river." After that, they came to where the woodcutter had found the box of gold. "Look, wife", he said "this is what I have found. A box of gold coins."
The next day, his wife could not stop herself from telling her friends about all the wonderful things she had seen.Of course, nobody believe her! | [
"When he was working",
"In his garden",
"In the forest where he was working",
"On his farm fields, where he was farming"
] |
Bill and Ted went into the forest to gather some wild mushrooms. Bill gathered 12 red mushrooms and 6 brown mushrooms. Ted gathered 14 green mushrooms and 6 blue mushrooms. If half of the blue mushrooms, two-thirds of the red mushrooms, and all of the brown mushrooms have white spots, how many white-spotted mushrooms did they gather? | Of the 12 red mushrooms, 2/3 had spots, for a total of (2/3)*12=<<2/3*12=8>>8 white-spotted mushrooms.
Of the 6 brown mushrooms, 100% had spots, for a total of (100/100)*6=<<6*100/100=6>>6 white-spotted mushrooms.
Of the 14 green mushrooms, 0% had white spots, for a total of 14*0=<<14*0=0>>0 white-spotted mushrooms.
And of the 6 blue mushrooms, half had spots, for a total of (1/2)*6=<<6*1/2=3>>3 white-spotted mushrooms.
In total, they gathered 8+6+0+3=<<8+6+0+3=17>>17 white-spotted mushrooms.
#### 17 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Bill and Ted went into the forest to gather some wild mushrooms. Bill gathered 12 red mushrooms and 6 brown mushrooms. Ted gathered 14 green mushrooms and 6 blue mushrooms. If half of the blue mushrooms, two-thirds of the red mushrooms, and all of the brown mushrooms have white spots, how many white-spotted mushrooms did they gather? | Of the 12 red mushrooms, 2/3 had spots, for a total of (2/3)*12=<<2/3*12=8>>8 white-spotted mushrooms.
Of the 6 brown mushrooms, 100% had spots, for a total of (100/100)*6=<<6*100/100=6>>6 white-spotted mushrooms.
Of the 14 green mushrooms, 0% had white spots, for a total of 14*0=<<14*0=0>>0 white-spotted mushrooms.
And of the 6 blue mushrooms, half had spots, for a total of (1/2)*6=<<6*1/2=3>>3 white-spotted mushrooms.
In total, they gathered 8+6+0+3=<<8+6+0+3=17>>17 white-spotted mushrooms.
#### 17 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
We can conclude from the passage that _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
I had worked long and hard on this project. Knowing it was finally completed gave me great satisfaction. "Perfect!"I said "Now, all I have to do is to keep the dogs off it."I went about setting . Up barriers using old fence, deck chairs, planters, and anything I could find so as to avoid footprints both on the oil paint and our carpet . It worked perfectly .
Just before returning to the house and to a much needed shower, I took one last look at this fine work of art. "What is that?"I said. "Where did that come from ?"
Clearly marked and evenly spaced across the entire area, the tiny marks ran in straight lines. .I carefully stepped to our flower garden. It was there I found several of the small markings. Now, almost frozen in place by this shocking discovery, I remained in position so as to prevent further damage to my work.. Just then, off to my left, it appeared. A chipmunk . He was as surprised as I was . We stood there face to face looking at each other, wondering who would make the first move .
The warm , humid air was now getting the best of me . Sweat now ran freely over my head, and in poor timing into my eyes . I reached up to rub them and when I opened my eyes he was gone .
My only satisfaction was in thinking that when he returned home he tracked oily footprints into his own home . And , hoping he was married , his wife would not let him live it down for the rest of his life . I stood up, shook my head, laughing about it and walking into my house.
Yes, I tracked oil on the carpet. I am married. My wife will not let me live it down for the rest of my life .
Question:
We can conclude from the passage that _ .
Choices:
A. the author was not satisfied with his family life
B. the author was quite satisfied with his project
C. the barriers the author set up were quite successful
D. the chipmunk had a happy family just like the author | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high14094.txt | I had worked long and hard on this project. Knowing it was finally completed gave me great satisfaction. "Perfect!"I said "Now, all I have to do is to keep the dogs off it."I went about setting . Up barriers using old fence, deck chairs, planters, and anything I could find so as to avoid footprints both on the oil paint and our carpet . It worked perfectly .
Just before returning to the house and to a much needed shower, I took one last look at this fine work of art. "What is that?"I said. "Where did that come from ?"
Clearly marked and evenly spaced across the entire area, the tiny marks ran in straight lines. .I carefully stepped to our flower garden. It was there I found several of the small markings. Now, almost frozen in place by this shocking discovery, I remained in position so as to prevent further damage to my work.. Just then, off to my left, it appeared. A chipmunk . He was as surprised as I was . We stood there face to face looking at each other, wondering who would make the first move .
The warm , humid air was now getting the best of me . Sweat now ran freely over my head, and in poor timing into my eyes . I reached up to rub them and when I opened my eyes he was gone .
My only satisfaction was in thinking that when he returned home he tracked oily footprints into his own home . And , hoping he was married , his wife would not let him live it down for the rest of his life . I stood up, shook my head, laughing about it and walking into my house.
Yes, I tracked oil on the carpet. I am married. My wife will not let me live it down for the rest of my life . | [
"the author was not satisfied with his family life",
"the author was quite satisfied with his project",
"the barriers the author set up were quite successful",
"the chipmunk had a happy family just like the author"
] |
Other people believe that if they know enough they will find this thing.This sentence means _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
There is one thing that everyone wants more than anything else. Some people try to get it by making money. They think that when they have enough money to buy such things as houses, farms, and cars, they will have the one thing that everyone wants.
Other people believe that if they know enough they will find this thing. They study all their lives in search of it. Still others think that if they have power,they will find this thing. They keep telling themselves:When I am a boss,I will no longer have to search for this thing.
What is it that everyone wants more than anything else?What is it that all of us keep working and striving for each day?It is happiness.Happiness is a strange thing. It does not mean the same to all men. What _ will _ make _ one _ man _ happy _ may _ not _ make _ another _ man _ happy. Some men say that happiness comes from helping others;other men say that happiness comes from making life more pleasant for everyone. What do you mean when you say: "That makes me happy."
Read what different people have said about happiness. Perhaps you will learn something that will bring you peace of mind, comfort, money or it may be what you search for--happiness.
Question:
Other people believe that if they know enough they will find this thing.This sentence means _ .
Choices:
A. other people think if they know enough they will find enough money and that will make them happy
B. other peolpe think it true that enough knowledge will bring them enough money
C. other people hold the opinion that the more they know the happier they will become
D. other people hold the opinion that if they become knowledgeable enough, they will feel happy | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high18569.txt | There is one thing that everyone wants more than anything else. Some people try to get it by making money. They think that when they have enough money to buy such things as houses, farms, and cars, they will have the one thing that everyone wants.
Other people believe that if they know enough they will find this thing. They study all their lives in search of it. Still others think that if they have power,they will find this thing. They keep telling themselves:When I am a boss,I will no longer have to search for this thing.
What is it that everyone wants more than anything else?What is it that all of us keep working and striving for each day?It is happiness.Happiness is a strange thing. It does not mean the same to all men. What _ will _ make _ one _ man _ happy _ may _ not _ make _ another _ man _ happy. Some men say that happiness comes from helping others;other men say that happiness comes from making life more pleasant for everyone. What do you mean when you say: "That makes me happy."
Read what different people have said about happiness. Perhaps you will learn something that will bring you peace of mind, comfort, money or it may be what you search for--happiness. | [
"other people think if they know enough they will find enough money and that will make them happy",
"other peolpe think it true that enough knowledge will bring them enough money",
"other people hold the opinion that the more they know the happier they will become",
"other people hold the opinion that if they become knowledgeable enough, they will feel happy"
] |
Which is probably the BEST title for the passage ? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Different countries have different greeting customs.Now let's learn more about the greeting customs in different cultures.
France
France people greet each other with a handshake ,but close friends kiss each other on the cheek when they meet.They do this when meeting and before leaving.
Korea
In Korea ,it is a sign of respect for people to bow when greeting each other.In Korea, a bow is followed by a handshake.However ,Korea women do not shake hands with western men ,instead ,they bow slightly.
Brazil
Kissing women on the cheek is a common way of greeting.In a formal situation ,a handshake is often done to show respect.Men should shake hands before and after meeting, and once they have become familiar with each other ,a light hug is often given to each other.
Ghana
In a social situation, it's polite to greet everyone in the room.A handshake is used in greeting,and the palm must directly touch the palm of the other.It's considered impolite to touch the back of the hand.
Question:
Which is probably the BEST title for the passage ?
Choices:
A. Greeting Customs in Different Cultures
B. How to Behave Politely
C. All Bad Ways to Greet People
D. Friends Should Greet Each Other | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high13016.txt | Different countries have different greeting customs.Now let's learn more about the greeting customs in different cultures.
France
France people greet each other with a handshake ,but close friends kiss each other on the cheek when they meet.They do this when meeting and before leaving.
Korea
In Korea ,it is a sign of respect for people to bow when greeting each other.In Korea, a bow is followed by a handshake.However ,Korea women do not shake hands with western men ,instead ,they bow slightly.
Brazil
Kissing women on the cheek is a common way of greeting.In a formal situation ,a handshake is often done to show respect.Men should shake hands before and after meeting, and once they have become familiar with each other ,a light hug is often given to each other.
Ghana
In a social situation, it's polite to greet everyone in the room.A handshake is used in greeting,and the palm must directly touch the palm of the other.It's considered impolite to touch the back of the hand. | [
"Greeting Customs in Different Cultures",
"How to Behave Politely",
"All Bad Ways to Greet People",
"Friends Should Greet Each Other"
] |
Radioisotopes may vary greatly in their rate of decay, decaying faster if their nuclei are more what? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | Radioisotopes may vary greatly in their rate of decay, decaying faster if their nuclei are more what? | unstable | science | null | null | null | stable | mature | immature | unstable | Different radioisotopes may vary greatly in their rate of decay. The more unstable their nuclei are, the faster they decay. | null | null | null |
Herbert is 10 years younger than Kris. If Kris is 24 years old now, how old will Herbert be next year? | Herbert is 24 - 10 = <<24-10=14>>14 years old now.
Thus, Herbert will be 14 + 1 = <<14+1=15>>15 years old next year.
#### 15 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Herbert is 10 years younger than Kris. If Kris is 24 years old now, how old will Herbert be next year? | Herbert is 24 - 10 = <<24-10=14>>14 years old now.
Thus, Herbert will be 14 + 1 = <<14+1=15>>15 years old next year.
#### 15 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
Why do Sardinians live so long according to the study? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
The Italian island of Sardinia recently lost its oldest citizen. Family members say Antonio Todde died in his sleep early this month. Mr. Todde was 112 years old. It was less than three weeks away from his 113thbirthday. Record-keeping experts say he was the world's oldest man.
His long life and that of other very old Sardinians are the subjects of a scientific project called Akea. Luca Deiana of Sassari University is directing the study. He says the name Akea comes from a traditional greeting on Sardinia. It means"health and life for 100 years". Professor Deiana and his team started to collect information for the study in 1997. They identified more than 220 Sardinians who were centenarians--100years old or older. His team required three documents to confirm a person's age. They were a government birth record, a church record and a statement by a close family member.
The Akea study has produced two major findings. The first is Sardinia's extremely high number of centenarians. The island had about 135 centenarians for every one million people. In other Western countries, the average is about seventy five centenarians for every one million people. The second major finding is an unusual rate of female to male centenarians. Sardinia has two women centenarians for every male centenarian. In central Sardinia there are equal numbers of female and male centenarians.
Studies in other parts of the world have shown a much higher percentage of female centenarians. The Akea study collected information about the health and diet of about 140 of the centenarians. About ninety percent of those in the study agreed to provide blood for scientific testing. The study team hope to identify genetic material in the blood that can be linked to successful aging. Study leaders say there is no single reason why people on Sardinia live so long. They believe the answer is a combination of genetic and environmental conditions.
Question:
Why do Sardinians live so long according to the study?
Choices:
A. Because the environment on Sardinia is very good
B. Because they have special genetic material in their blood.
C. Because they have a glass of wine every day.
D. Because they enjoy special genetic and environmental conditions. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high20697.txt | The Italian island of Sardinia recently lost its oldest citizen. Family members say Antonio Todde died in his sleep early this month. Mr. Todde was 112 years old. It was less than three weeks away from his 113thbirthday. Record-keeping experts say he was the world's oldest man.
His long life and that of other very old Sardinians are the subjects of a scientific project called Akea. Luca Deiana of Sassari University is directing the study. He says the name Akea comes from a traditional greeting on Sardinia. It means"health and life for 100 years". Professor Deiana and his team started to collect information for the study in 1997. They identified more than 220 Sardinians who were centenarians--100years old or older. His team required three documents to confirm a person's age. They were a government birth record, a church record and a statement by a close family member.
The Akea study has produced two major findings. The first is Sardinia's extremely high number of centenarians. The island had about 135 centenarians for every one million people. In other Western countries, the average is about seventy five centenarians for every one million people. The second major finding is an unusual rate of female to male centenarians. Sardinia has two women centenarians for every male centenarian. In central Sardinia there are equal numbers of female and male centenarians.
Studies in other parts of the world have shown a much higher percentage of female centenarians. The Akea study collected information about the health and diet of about 140 of the centenarians. About ninety percent of those in the study agreed to provide blood for scientific testing. The study team hope to identify genetic material in the blood that can be linked to successful aging. Study leaders say there is no single reason why people on Sardinia live so long. They believe the answer is a combination of genetic and environmental conditions. | [
"Because the environment on Sardinia is very good",
"Because they have special genetic material in their blood.",
"Because they have a glass of wine every day.",
"Because they enjoy special genetic and environmental conditions."
] |
According to the article, what is "Latin mentality"? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
French soccer player David Trezeguet holds the record for the fastest shot in a soccer match. It happened during a match between his club Juventus and England's Manchester United in 1998.
At that time, he was unknown outside of French soccer. But nine years later, Trezeguet, 29, has become one of the world's most famous strikers .
In September, 2007, he scored his 100th goal in the Italian League. "One hundred goals with Juventus, one of the greatest clubs in the world, that is important," he said.
Although Trezeguet was born in France, he grew up in Argentina and he says his " _ " helped him become one of the world's best soccer players.
"Most people in Argentina have to work hard for everything they want," he explained. "This mentality gave me a hunger and an ambition to become the best."
Trezeguet has had a great career. He has won nearly every major competition in soccer - the World Cup, the European Championships, the European Cup, as well as the French and Italian league titles.
But Trezeguet knows all about heartache too. In the French World Cup in 1998, after playing every match in the competition, he was not chosen to play in the final when France went on to win.
Then in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, his miss in the penalty shoot-out handed victory to Italy. But Trezeguet refuses to let this get him down.
"I accept my responsibility. It's part of football," he said. "You just have to move on and start thinking about focusing on the next thing."
Question:
According to the article, what is "Latin mentality"?
Choices:
A. Being a soccer player can bring you a lot.
B. One should get everything they want.
C. Playing soccer for the best team can change your life.
D. One should work hard to be their best. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle5661.txt | French soccer player David Trezeguet holds the record for the fastest shot in a soccer match. It happened during a match between his club Juventus and England's Manchester United in 1998.
At that time, he was unknown outside of French soccer. But nine years later, Trezeguet, 29, has become one of the world's most famous strikers .
In September, 2007, he scored his 100th goal in the Italian League. "One hundred goals with Juventus, one of the greatest clubs in the world, that is important," he said.
Although Trezeguet was born in France, he grew up in Argentina and he says his " _ " helped him become one of the world's best soccer players.
"Most people in Argentina have to work hard for everything they want," he explained. "This mentality gave me a hunger and an ambition to become the best."
Trezeguet has had a great career. He has won nearly every major competition in soccer - the World Cup, the European Championships, the European Cup, as well as the French and Italian league titles.
But Trezeguet knows all about heartache too. In the French World Cup in 1998, after playing every match in the competition, he was not chosen to play in the final when France went on to win.
Then in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, his miss in the penalty shoot-out handed victory to Italy. But Trezeguet refuses to let this get him down.
"I accept my responsibility. It's part of football," he said. "You just have to move on and start thinking about focusing on the next thing." | [
"Being a soccer player can bring you a lot.",
"One should get everything they want.",
"Playing soccer for the best team can change your life.",
"One should work hard to be their best."
] |
What is the name for the stratospheric gas layer that protects living things from uv radiation? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | What is the name for the stratospheric gas layer that protects living things from uv radiation? | ozone layer | science | null | null | null | toposphere | carbon layer | atmospheric layer | ozone layer | The stratosphere contains a layer of ozone gas. Ozone consists of three oxygen atoms (O 3 ). The ozone layer absorbs high-energy UV radiation. As you can see in Figure below , UV radiation splits the ozone molecule. The split creates an oxygen molecule (O 2 ) and an oxygen atom (O). This split releases heat that warms the stratosphere. By absorbing UV radiation, ozone also protects Earth’s surface. UV radiation would harm living things without the ozone layer. | null | null | null |
What is probably the best title for the article? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
What's your dream vacation? Watching wildlife in Kenya? Boating down the Amazon? Sunbathing in Malaysia? New chances are opening up all the time to explore the world. So we visit travel agents, compare packages and prices, and pay our money.
We know what our vacation costs us. But do we know what it might cost someone else? It's true that many poorer countries now depend on tourism for foreign income. Unfortunately, though, tourism often harms the local people more than it helps them.
It might cost their homes and lands. In Myanmar, 5,200 people were forced to leave their homes among the pagodas in Bagan so that tourists could visit the pagodas.
Tourism might also cost the local people their livelihood and dignity. Local workers often find only menial jobs in the tourist industry. And most of the profits do not help the local economy. Instead, profits return to the tour operators in wealthier countries, When the Maasai people in Tanzania were driven from their lands, some moved to city slums. Others now make a little money selling souvenirs or posing for photos.
Problems like these were observed more than 20 years ago. But now some non-government organizations, tour operators and local governments are working together to begin correcting them. Tourists, too, are putting on the pressure.
The result is responsible tourism, or "ethical tourism." Ethical tourism has people at its heart. New international agreements and codes of conduct can help protect the people's lands, homes, economies and cultures. The beginnings are small, though, and the problems are complex.
But take heart. The good news is that everyone, including us, can play a part to help the local people in the places we visit. Tour operators and companies can help by making sure that local people work in good conditions and earn reasonable wages.
They can make it a point to use only locally owned hotel, restaurants and guide services. They can share profits fairly to help the local economy. And they can involve the local people in planning and managing tourism.
What can tourists do? First, we can ask tour companies to provide information about the conditions of local citizens. We can then make our choices and tell them why. And while we're abroad, we can:
Buy local foods and products, not imported ones.
Pay a fair price for goods and services and not bargain for the cheapest price.
Avoid flaunting wealth.
Ask before taking photographs of people.
They are not just part of the landscape!
Let's enjoy our vacation and make sure others do, too.
Question:
What is probably the best title for the article?
Choices:
A. Tourism Causes Bad Effects.
B. Tourism Calls for Good Behavior.
C. Vacations Bring a Lot of Fun.
D. Vacations Cost More Than You Think | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high19184.txt | What's your dream vacation? Watching wildlife in Kenya? Boating down the Amazon? Sunbathing in Malaysia? New chances are opening up all the time to explore the world. So we visit travel agents, compare packages and prices, and pay our money.
We know what our vacation costs us. But do we know what it might cost someone else? It's true that many poorer countries now depend on tourism for foreign income. Unfortunately, though, tourism often harms the local people more than it helps them.
It might cost their homes and lands. In Myanmar, 5,200 people were forced to leave their homes among the pagodas in Bagan so that tourists could visit the pagodas.
Tourism might also cost the local people their livelihood and dignity. Local workers often find only menial jobs in the tourist industry. And most of the profits do not help the local economy. Instead, profits return to the tour operators in wealthier countries, When the Maasai people in Tanzania were driven from their lands, some moved to city slums. Others now make a little money selling souvenirs or posing for photos.
Problems like these were observed more than 20 years ago. But now some non-government organizations, tour operators and local governments are working together to begin correcting them. Tourists, too, are putting on the pressure.
The result is responsible tourism, or "ethical tourism." Ethical tourism has people at its heart. New international agreements and codes of conduct can help protect the people's lands, homes, economies and cultures. The beginnings are small, though, and the problems are complex.
But take heart. The good news is that everyone, including us, can play a part to help the local people in the places we visit. Tour operators and companies can help by making sure that local people work in good conditions and earn reasonable wages.
They can make it a point to use only locally owned hotel, restaurants and guide services. They can share profits fairly to help the local economy. And they can involve the local people in planning and managing tourism.
What can tourists do? First, we can ask tour companies to provide information about the conditions of local citizens. We can then make our choices and tell them why. And while we're abroad, we can:
Buy local foods and products, not imported ones.
Pay a fair price for goods and services and not bargain for the cheapest price.
Avoid flaunting wealth.
Ask before taking photographs of people.
They are not just part of the landscape!
Let's enjoy our vacation and make sure others do, too. | [
"Tourism Causes Bad Effects.",
"Tourism Calls for Good Behavior.",
"Vacations Bring a Lot of Fun.",
"Vacations Cost More Than You Think"
] |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage. | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
When the world was very young, people lived in hot places .They didn't live in cold places because they could not keep warm there.
At first men didn't know how to make a fire. Sometimes trees were hit by lightning .Then a fire was started .People took some of the fire near their homes. A fire was very important for three reasons. It kept them warm. Wild animals were frightened when they saw it. And when food was cooked, it tasted much better.
But men didn't know how to make a fire. When they had a fire, they didn't let it stop burning. If it went out, they couldn't start it again. They had to wait for lightning to start another fire. Sometimes they had to wait for years.
Later, they learned how to make a fire. But it was not easy to make something burn . Now we have matches. We can carry them in our pockets and make a fire when we want to.
Question:
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage.
Choices:
A. People are much cleverer now than they were long before.
B. A fire could be made by lightning.
C. We can make a fire with matches
D. After man knew how to make a fire, it became very easy to burn something . | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle1431.txt | When the world was very young, people lived in hot places .They didn't live in cold places because they could not keep warm there.
At first men didn't know how to make a fire. Sometimes trees were hit by lightning .Then a fire was started .People took some of the fire near their homes. A fire was very important for three reasons. It kept them warm. Wild animals were frightened when they saw it. And when food was cooked, it tasted much better.
But men didn't know how to make a fire. When they had a fire, they didn't let it stop burning. If it went out, they couldn't start it again. They had to wait for lightning to start another fire. Sometimes they had to wait for years.
Later, they learned how to make a fire. But it was not easy to make something burn . Now we have matches. We can carry them in our pockets and make a fire when we want to. | [
"People are much cleverer now than they were long before.",
"A fire could be made by lightning.",
"We can make a fire with matches",
"After man knew how to make a fire, it became very easy to burn something ."
] |
The pilot flew the airplane upside down in order to _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Matt and his wife lived in the country. Matt was very mean and hated spending money. One day a fair came to the nearby town.
They went to the fair and looked at all the things to buy. Matt's wife wanted to buy a hat only costing $28, but was refused. Later on, a comb of $5 attracted her attention, but he would not let her spend any money.
Then, in a nearby field, they saw a small airplane. "Fun flight!" the notice said, "$10 for 10 minutes."
Matt had never been in an airplane and he wanted to go on a fun flight. However, he didn't want to pay for his wife either. "I've only got $10," he told the pilot. "Can my wife come with me for free?" The pilot wasn't selling many tickets, so he said, "I'll make a bargain with you. If your wife doesn't scream, she can have a free flight."
Matt agreed, and got into the small airplane with his wife. The pilot took off and made his airplane do all kinds of things. At one moment it was flying upside down.
When the plane landed, the pilot said, "OK, your wife didn't make a sound. She can have her ride free."
"Thank you," Matt said, "it wasn't easy for her, you know, especially when she fell out."
Question:
The pilot flew the airplane upside down in order to _ .
Choices:
A. throw the wife out of the plane
B. get another $10 by making the wife shout
C. show off his perfect flying skills
D. provide the couple with pleasure of excitement | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high2924.txt | Matt and his wife lived in the country. Matt was very mean and hated spending money. One day a fair came to the nearby town.
They went to the fair and looked at all the things to buy. Matt's wife wanted to buy a hat only costing $28, but was refused. Later on, a comb of $5 attracted her attention, but he would not let her spend any money.
Then, in a nearby field, they saw a small airplane. "Fun flight!" the notice said, "$10 for 10 minutes."
Matt had never been in an airplane and he wanted to go on a fun flight. However, he didn't want to pay for his wife either. "I've only got $10," he told the pilot. "Can my wife come with me for free?" The pilot wasn't selling many tickets, so he said, "I'll make a bargain with you. If your wife doesn't scream, she can have a free flight."
Matt agreed, and got into the small airplane with his wife. The pilot took off and made his airplane do all kinds of things. At one moment it was flying upside down.
When the plane landed, the pilot said, "OK, your wife didn't make a sound. She can have her ride free."
"Thank you," Matt said, "it wasn't easy for her, you know, especially when she fell out." | [
"throw the wife out of the plane",
"get another $10 by making the wife shout",
"show off his perfect flying skills",
"provide the couple with pleasure of excitement"
] |
Tim decided to become a doctor at fifteen mainly because | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
As a boy,Tim was much influenced by books about the sea, but in fact by the age of fifteen he had decided to become a doctor rather than a sailor. His father was a dentist and as a result Tim had the opportunity of meeting many doctors either at home or elsewhere. When he was fourteen he was already hanging around the clinic of a local doctor where he was supposed to be helping to wrap up medicine bottles,but was actually trying to listen to the conversations taking place between the doctor and his patients in the next room.
During the war Tim served in the Navy as a surgeon ."That was the happiest time of my life. I was dealing with very real suffering and on the whole making a success of it ."In California he taught the country people simple facts about medicine. He saw himself as a life-saver. He had proved his skills to himself and his ability to take decisions. Thus,while he was able to tell them what to do, he could feel he was serving them. After the war, he got married and chose to be a doctor in the countryside,working under an old doctor who was popular in the area,but who hated the sight of blood and believed that the secret of medicine was faith. This gave the younger man many opportunities to go on working as a life -saver.
Question:
Tim decided to become a doctor at fifteen mainly because
Choices:
A. hisfather wanted him to be so
B. his father was a surgeon himself
C. e had read many books about medicine
D. e had chances to meet many doctors through his father | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high11724.txt | As a boy,Tim was much influenced by books about the sea, but in fact by the age of fifteen he had decided to become a doctor rather than a sailor. His father was a dentist and as a result Tim had the opportunity of meeting many doctors either at home or elsewhere. When he was fourteen he was already hanging around the clinic of a local doctor where he was supposed to be helping to wrap up medicine bottles,but was actually trying to listen to the conversations taking place between the doctor and his patients in the next room.
During the war Tim served in the Navy as a surgeon ."That was the happiest time of my life. I was dealing with very real suffering and on the whole making a success of it ."In California he taught the country people simple facts about medicine. He saw himself as a life-saver. He had proved his skills to himself and his ability to take decisions. Thus,while he was able to tell them what to do, he could feel he was serving them. After the war, he got married and chose to be a doctor in the countryside,working under an old doctor who was popular in the area,but who hated the sight of blood and believed that the secret of medicine was faith. This gave the younger man many opportunities to go on working as a life -saver. | [
"hisfather wanted him to be so",
"his father was a surgeon himself",
"e had read many books about medicine",
"e had chances to meet many doctors through his father"
] |
The production of multiple copies of a single gene is called? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | The production of multiple copies of a single gene is called? | gene cloning | science | null | null | null | gene change | cell cloning | gene variation | gene cloning | null | null | null | |
There are _ students in the classroom. | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
What do you usually do after class? When class is over , most students in my class go out of the classroom, We have 20 minutes' rest between classes. Look! Most of us are playing during the rest time. Some students are on the playground . They are having a basketball match. Oh, a boy is running with a ball and another boy is trying to stop him. They are so cool. And some girls are watching the match. Some students are still in the classroom. They are talking. A few of them are reading and doing homework. A girl is looking at the birds in the trees, and she has a _ on her face. She is very happy.
Where are the teachers? Some of them are working in the office, and some are talking with students. We are all busy and happy.
Question:
There are _ students in the classroom.
Choices:
A. no
B. some
C. a lot of
D. I don't know. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle5669.txt | What do you usually do after class? When class is over , most students in my class go out of the classroom, We have 20 minutes' rest between classes. Look! Most of us are playing during the rest time. Some students are on the playground . They are having a basketball match. Oh, a boy is running with a ball and another boy is trying to stop him. They are so cool. And some girls are watching the match. Some students are still in the classroom. They are talking. A few of them are reading and doing homework. A girl is looking at the birds in the trees, and she has a _ on her face. She is very happy.
Where are the teachers? Some of them are working in the office, and some are talking with students. We are all busy and happy. | [
"no",
"some",
"a lot of",
"I don't know."
] |
What does the move of Real Networks suggest? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Focus on what you do best. This age-old strategy has worked well for Real Networks, Microsoft's main competitor in multimedia software for the Internet. Now, the smaller Seattle-based firm is trying a novel way to contain the software giant. On October 29th, it released the underlying recipe, or source-code, of its RealPlayer software and will soon do the same for its other programs--giving away a big chunk of its intellectual property .
This may sound like a desperate echo of 1998, when Netscape, struggling in Microsoft's chokehold, published the source-code of its web browser. Yet Real Networks is not playing defence. It is trying to encourage the creation of a common multimedia software infrastructure for every kind of file format and device, thus thwarting Microsoft's ambitions in this promising market.
The firm hopes that others in the industry (volunteer programmers, media firms and hardware makers) will take the code, called Helix DNA, improve it and make it run on new devices, such as mobile phones and home stereos, turning Real Networks' software into an industry standard. Clever licensing terms are supposed to ensure that this standard does not splinter and that the firm still makes money.
Individual developers, universities and other non-profit organisations can modify the software as they please, and even redistribute it for free, so long as they also publish the source-code for their changes. This is a sort of payment in kind, for Real Networks is then allowed to use these contributions. Firms, on the other hand, must pay royalty fees if they distribute more than 1m copies of the code. They also have to make sure that their software works with other Helix DNA products. The software's development community already has 2,000 members. And several hardware makers back the effort. But there are risks. Afraid of piracy, media groups are suspicious of anything that might be related to hackers. The self-created competition could also hurt Real Networks if customers decide its commercial products, which will be based on the open source-code but with extra features, are not worth paying extra for.
Real Networks' move is another sign that the software industry is going hybrid. Mixing elements of proprietary software, where the source-code is tightly controlled, with open-source programs enables firms to expand a market, harvest the ideas of others and, they hope, still make money. Even Microsoft is edging this way: it recently announced that partners can now look at--but not modify or re-use--the source-code for Passport, its controversial digital-identity service.
Question:
What does the move of Real Networks suggest?
Choices:
A. Microsoft fails to control the software market.
B. Software market is becoming a mixed market.
C. Real Networks wants to make more money.
D. Software market is not fixed and stable. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high22081.txt | Focus on what you do best. This age-old strategy has worked well for Real Networks, Microsoft's main competitor in multimedia software for the Internet. Now, the smaller Seattle-based firm is trying a novel way to contain the software giant. On October 29th, it released the underlying recipe, or source-code, of its RealPlayer software and will soon do the same for its other programs--giving away a big chunk of its intellectual property .
This may sound like a desperate echo of 1998, when Netscape, struggling in Microsoft's chokehold, published the source-code of its web browser. Yet Real Networks is not playing defence. It is trying to encourage the creation of a common multimedia software infrastructure for every kind of file format and device, thus thwarting Microsoft's ambitions in this promising market.
The firm hopes that others in the industry (volunteer programmers, media firms and hardware makers) will take the code, called Helix DNA, improve it and make it run on new devices, such as mobile phones and home stereos, turning Real Networks' software into an industry standard. Clever licensing terms are supposed to ensure that this standard does not splinter and that the firm still makes money.
Individual developers, universities and other non-profit organisations can modify the software as they please, and even redistribute it for free, so long as they also publish the source-code for their changes. This is a sort of payment in kind, for Real Networks is then allowed to use these contributions. Firms, on the other hand, must pay royalty fees if they distribute more than 1m copies of the code. They also have to make sure that their software works with other Helix DNA products. The software's development community already has 2,000 members. And several hardware makers back the effort. But there are risks. Afraid of piracy, media groups are suspicious of anything that might be related to hackers. The self-created competition could also hurt Real Networks if customers decide its commercial products, which will be based on the open source-code but with extra features, are not worth paying extra for.
Real Networks' move is another sign that the software industry is going hybrid. Mixing elements of proprietary software, where the source-code is tightly controlled, with open-source programs enables firms to expand a market, harvest the ideas of others and, they hope, still make money. Even Microsoft is edging this way: it recently announced that partners can now look at--but not modify or re-use--the source-code for Passport, its controversial digital-identity service. | [
"Microsoft fails to control the software market.",
"Software market is becoming a mixed market.",
"Real Networks wants to make more money.",
"Software market is not fixed and stable."
] |
Today vegetables are most commonly dried _ | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Centuries ago, man discovered that removing moisture from food helps to store it, and that the easiest way to do this is to expose the food to sun and wind. In this way the North American Indians produce pemmican(dried meat ground into powder and made into cakes), the Scandinavians make stockfish and the Arabs dried dates.
All foods include water--cabbage and other leaf vegetables contains as much as 93% water, potatoes and other root vegetables 80%, lean meat 75% and fish, anything from 80% to 60%, depending on how fatty it is. If this water is removed, the activity of the bacteria which cause food to go bad is checked.
Fruit is sun-dried in Asia Minor, Greece, Spain and other Mediterranean countries, and also in California, South Africa and Australia. Various methods are used, but in general, the fruit is spread out on trays in drying yards in the hot sun.
Nowadays most foods are dried mechanically. The method of such dehydration is to put food in chambers through which hot air is blown at temperatures of about 110degC at entry to about 43degC at exit. This is the usual method for drying such things as vegetables, minced meat, and fish.
Dried foods take up less room and weigh less than the same food packed in cans or frozen, and they do not need to be stored in special conditions. For these reasons they are invaluable to the climbers, explorers and soldiers in battle, who have little storage space. They are also popular with housewives because it takes so little time to cook them. Usually it is just a case of replacing the dried-out moisture with boiling water.
Question:
Today vegetables are most commonly dried _
Choices:
A. on hot and sunny days
B. in hot-air chambers
C. in the sun and wind
D. using the open tray method | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high10026.txt | Centuries ago, man discovered that removing moisture from food helps to store it, and that the easiest way to do this is to expose the food to sun and wind. In this way the North American Indians produce pemmican(dried meat ground into powder and made into cakes), the Scandinavians make stockfish and the Arabs dried dates.
All foods include water--cabbage and other leaf vegetables contains as much as 93% water, potatoes and other root vegetables 80%, lean meat 75% and fish, anything from 80% to 60%, depending on how fatty it is. If this water is removed, the activity of the bacteria which cause food to go bad is checked.
Fruit is sun-dried in Asia Minor, Greece, Spain and other Mediterranean countries, and also in California, South Africa and Australia. Various methods are used, but in general, the fruit is spread out on trays in drying yards in the hot sun.
Nowadays most foods are dried mechanically. The method of such dehydration is to put food in chambers through which hot air is blown at temperatures of about 110degC at entry to about 43degC at exit. This is the usual method for drying such things as vegetables, minced meat, and fish.
Dried foods take up less room and weigh less than the same food packed in cans or frozen, and they do not need to be stored in special conditions. For these reasons they are invaluable to the climbers, explorers and soldiers in battle, who have little storage space. They are also popular with housewives because it takes so little time to cook them. Usually it is just a case of replacing the dried-out moisture with boiling water. | [
"on hot and sunny days",
"in hot-air chambers",
"in the sun and wind",
"using the open tray method"
] |
Which sentence is best to be filled in the blank in the passage? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
What is most likely to affect your success at school or at a job? The ability to read. And that goes for your kids too. The declining literacy of our society has been a main concern of educators for a while now, and yet things are not getting better.
In most cases, how well we learn to read will depend largely on our exposure to language as children. If we hear people around us talking about all kinds of subjects as children, we naturally pick up the words and phrases they use. If we pick up a lot of words, we will learn to read better.
Much of the traditional advice to struggling readers, theses days, seems to include developing "cognitive strategies" . In this way, readers are asked to centre more, to think, to be interested and ask questions, to analyze, to predict, to reason, and to check their understanding, or worse still to answer questions of what they have read. In other words they are asked to become self-conscious readers. I do not agree with this approach.
Here are my several strategies for reading improvement.
Read about things that interest you. If you are interested in what you are reading about, the words will come alive, and you will understand better. The more you read, the better you will become at reading. Just get started and it will become a habit, as long as you are interested in what you are reading.
Read material that is at your level or just a little difficult for you. Read material that you find easy to read, or just a little challenging. Looking up many unknown words in a dictionary is dull, and the results of the dictionary search are quickly forgotten.
_ If you can hear the new words and phrases that you are reading, you will have an easier time understanding and remembering them. Hearing the rhythm of someone reading a text will help your own reading.
Don't worry about what you don't understand. Most of your reading should be for pleasure. You can still enjoy reading without understanding all of what you read. You may even understand some things in your own personal way.
Unfortunately not all reading is just for pleasure. When you are reading a textbook or report or other material for school, you may need to underline, take notes and read some parts over again. However, if you have developed the habit of reading for pleasure, you will find that the skills you need will come naturally, and that you will understand a lot better than before.
Question:
Which sentence is best to be filled in the blank in the passage?
Choices:
A. Listen as much as possible.
B. Try to use your imagination.
C. Great works need to be read out loud.
D. Listen first if you have trouble reading. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high12465.txt | What is most likely to affect your success at school or at a job? The ability to read. And that goes for your kids too. The declining literacy of our society has been a main concern of educators for a while now, and yet things are not getting better.
In most cases, how well we learn to read will depend largely on our exposure to language as children. If we hear people around us talking about all kinds of subjects as children, we naturally pick up the words and phrases they use. If we pick up a lot of words, we will learn to read better.
Much of the traditional advice to struggling readers, theses days, seems to include developing "cognitive strategies" . In this way, readers are asked to centre more, to think, to be interested and ask questions, to analyze, to predict, to reason, and to check their understanding, or worse still to answer questions of what they have read. In other words they are asked to become self-conscious readers. I do not agree with this approach.
Here are my several strategies for reading improvement.
Read about things that interest you. If you are interested in what you are reading about, the words will come alive, and you will understand better. The more you read, the better you will become at reading. Just get started and it will become a habit, as long as you are interested in what you are reading.
Read material that is at your level or just a little difficult for you. Read material that you find easy to read, or just a little challenging. Looking up many unknown words in a dictionary is dull, and the results of the dictionary search are quickly forgotten.
_ If you can hear the new words and phrases that you are reading, you will have an easier time understanding and remembering them. Hearing the rhythm of someone reading a text will help your own reading.
Don't worry about what you don't understand. Most of your reading should be for pleasure. You can still enjoy reading without understanding all of what you read. You may even understand some things in your own personal way.
Unfortunately not all reading is just for pleasure. When you are reading a textbook or report or other material for school, you may need to underline, take notes and read some parts over again. However, if you have developed the habit of reading for pleasure, you will find that the skills you need will come naturally, and that you will understand a lot better than before. | [
"Listen as much as possible.",
"Try to use your imagination.",
"Great works need to be read out loud.",
"Listen first if you have trouble reading."
] |
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