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According to the writer, some kids feel lonely at break because they _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Feeling left out?
A reader wrote in to say that she was feeling lonely at break because her best friend wasn't around.Here's our advice to her--and to all kids who feel lonely sometimes.
It's hard when a best friend isn't around--maybe because she moved to a different school or a different class.You may feel lonely at break or lunchtime.You want to have new friends.but how do you make them? Maybe it seems like everybody else already has their friends.But remember, there's always room for more friends.
Start by looking around your classroom--think about which kids you'd like to play with at break.Look for chances to say hi to them,smile,and be friendly.Offer to share something or express your appreciation to them.Invite someone to play with you or say "Do you want to sit here?" in the lunchroom.When you're at break,walk over to kids you want to play with.act friendly,and say "Hi,can l play, too?" or just join in.If you have trouble doing _ or if you're feeling shy, ask your teacher to help you make new friends.Teachers are usually pretty good at matching up friends.The best way to make friends is to be a friend.Be kind,be friendly,share,say nice things,offer to help--and pretty soon,you'll have one,or two,or even more new friends.
You might still miss that special best friend.But when you see each other, you can share something you didn't have before she left:You can introduce her to your new friends!
Question:
According to the writer, some kids feel lonely at break because they _ .
Choices:
A. have trouble with their studies
B. don't have their best friends around
C. need their parents to be with them
D. are too young to look after themselves | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle184.txt | Feeling left out?
A reader wrote in to say that she was feeling lonely at break because her best friend wasn't around.Here's our advice to her--and to all kids who feel lonely sometimes.
It's hard when a best friend isn't around--maybe because she moved to a different school or a different class.You may feel lonely at break or lunchtime.You want to have new friends.but how do you make them? Maybe it seems like everybody else already has their friends.But remember, there's always room for more friends.
Start by looking around your classroom--think about which kids you'd like to play with at break.Look for chances to say hi to them,smile,and be friendly.Offer to share something or express your appreciation to them.Invite someone to play with you or say "Do you want to sit here?" in the lunchroom.When you're at break,walk over to kids you want to play with.act friendly,and say "Hi,can l play, too?" or just join in.If you have trouble doing _ or if you're feeling shy, ask your teacher to help you make new friends.Teachers are usually pretty good at matching up friends.The best way to make friends is to be a friend.Be kind,be friendly,share,say nice things,offer to help--and pretty soon,you'll have one,or two,or even more new friends.
You might still miss that special best friend.But when you see each other, you can share something you didn't have before she left:You can introduce her to your new friends! | [
"have trouble with their studies",
"don't have their best friends around",
"need their parents to be with them",
"are too young to look after themselves"
] |
It can be inferred from the underline words "delightfully shocked" that . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
In a nation with a one-child family planning policy, it's understandable for parents to worry over whether they are petting their children. Are the children truly as fragile as sometimes made out to be?
The concern has been brought into focus with the popularity of a hit reality TV series, Hunan TV's Dad! Where Are We Going? and Zhejiang TV's First Time In Life. In both, children as young as three have become new public figures. In the show First Time In Life, children chosen from ordinary families are given small tasks to complete by themselves;the ongoing Dad! show centers on five celebrity fathers and their children who are forced to live a simple life in rural areas, far outside their comfort zone.
Regardless of their family background, the children's reactions to new environments have struck the public.
In one episode of Dad! , the five-year-old daughter of former Olympic diving champion Tian Liang cries and hides behind her father when they arrive at a rural village. In an episode of the other series, a young girl in Tianjin breaks down into a tearful fit after being asked by her father to go out alone to buy eggs and a pancake.
In the eyes of some observers, these kids show no sense of independence, and the reason is put down to parents who are overly sheltering. But television viewers and parents were heartened when the sobbing Tianjin girl finally wiped away her tears as she returned holding the pancake. In the case of Tian's daughter, she eventually began to take care of her younger companions and learned to seek help from people she didn't know.
The father of the Tianjin girl felt "delightfully shocked" and said. "She used to have to be accompanied by her mother or grandmother. Now she has the courage to do it all by herself. "
The shows have led many parents to change how they raise their children. Shanghai mother Liang Jing said she would try to "give some training" to her shy son, asking him to tidy up his toys. Lin Yi, a parenting expert in Beijing, said giving kids a chance to do things for themselves helps to raise their sense of achievement, which carries benefits throughout their lives. "
Question:
It can be inferred from the underline words "delightfully shocked" that .
Choices:
A. father is more important than mother in a family
B. children deserve a chance to be independent
C. parents should provide a safe environment
D. the children are as fragile as parents expected | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high17330.txt | In a nation with a one-child family planning policy, it's understandable for parents to worry over whether they are petting their children. Are the children truly as fragile as sometimes made out to be?
The concern has been brought into focus with the popularity of a hit reality TV series, Hunan TV's Dad! Where Are We Going? and Zhejiang TV's First Time In Life. In both, children as young as three have become new public figures. In the show First Time In Life, children chosen from ordinary families are given small tasks to complete by themselves;the ongoing Dad! show centers on five celebrity fathers and their children who are forced to live a simple life in rural areas, far outside their comfort zone.
Regardless of their family background, the children's reactions to new environments have struck the public.
In one episode of Dad! , the five-year-old daughter of former Olympic diving champion Tian Liang cries and hides behind her father when they arrive at a rural village. In an episode of the other series, a young girl in Tianjin breaks down into a tearful fit after being asked by her father to go out alone to buy eggs and a pancake.
In the eyes of some observers, these kids show no sense of independence, and the reason is put down to parents who are overly sheltering. But television viewers and parents were heartened when the sobbing Tianjin girl finally wiped away her tears as she returned holding the pancake. In the case of Tian's daughter, she eventually began to take care of her younger companions and learned to seek help from people she didn't know.
The father of the Tianjin girl felt "delightfully shocked" and said. "She used to have to be accompanied by her mother or grandmother. Now she has the courage to do it all by herself. "
The shows have led many parents to change how they raise their children. Shanghai mother Liang Jing said she would try to "give some training" to her shy son, asking him to tidy up his toys. Lin Yi, a parenting expert in Beijing, said giving kids a chance to do things for themselves helps to raise their sense of achievement, which carries benefits throughout their lives. " | [
"father is more important than mother in a family",
"children deserve a chance to be independent",
"parents should provide a safe environment",
"the children are as fragile as parents expected"
] |
From the passage we can know that inflation is a situation in which _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
It is a matter of common observation that although money income keeps going up over the years, we never seem to become richer. Prices are rising continuously. This condition is what we call inflation: the money supply is becoming inflated so that each unit of it becomes less valuable. We have got used to higher and higher rates of inflation in recent years. What could be bought twenty years ago for one pound now costs well over 2 pounds. And at present this rate of inflation seems to be rising rather than falling. If in the real world our money incomes go up at the same rate as prices do. One might think that inflation doesn't matter. _ When money is losing value it also loses one of the qualities of a good money--stability of value. It is no longer acceptable as a store of value; and it becomes an unsuitable means of delayed payment. Nobody wants to hold a wasting possession, so people try to get rid of money as quickly as possible. Inflation therefore simply stimulates our spending and discourages saving.
Question:
From the passage we can know that inflation is a situation in which _ .
Choices:
A. everyone's incomes rise
B. money will hold its value
C. we can watch our money grow
D. money constantly loses its value | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high1770.txt | It is a matter of common observation that although money income keeps going up over the years, we never seem to become richer. Prices are rising continuously. This condition is what we call inflation: the money supply is becoming inflated so that each unit of it becomes less valuable. We have got used to higher and higher rates of inflation in recent years. What could be bought twenty years ago for one pound now costs well over 2 pounds. And at present this rate of inflation seems to be rising rather than falling. If in the real world our money incomes go up at the same rate as prices do. One might think that inflation doesn't matter. _ When money is losing value it also loses one of the qualities of a good money--stability of value. It is no longer acceptable as a store of value; and it becomes an unsuitable means of delayed payment. Nobody wants to hold a wasting possession, so people try to get rid of money as quickly as possible. Inflation therefore simply stimulates our spending and discourages saving. | [
"everyone's incomes rise",
"money will hold its value",
"we can watch our money grow",
"money constantly loses its value"
] |
Global warming is a big problem but _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
The Earth has warmed by about half a degree(0.50degC)over the last 100 years. It could be getting warmer on its own, but many scientists think that people are making the Earth warmer by making a greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is important. Without it, the Earth would not be warm enough for us to live on. But just a little warmer than it is now could cause problems for humans, plants and animals.
Many of the things we do every day can change the Earth's temperature by sending greenhouse gases into the air. We send greenhouse gases into the air when we watch TV, turn on lights, dry hair, play video games, wash or dry our clothes or drive cars. The rubbish from factories and homes also produces greenhouse gases.
Even a small change in temperature can affect our weather. This can cause changes in the sea levels, the air, flooding, and our fresh water.
The change in the temperature can also cause changes in the living places for animals and plants, endangering many animals.
Global warming is a big problem, and every little bit we do can help. We can save electricity. We can save energy in other ways such as by taking buses or walking rather than driving cars. We can recycle to reduce the rubbish and save natural resources such as trees, oil and metals. We can buy products that don't do bad to the environment and we can turn to solar energy. Remember the little bit that you do will bring a better world.
Question:
Global warming is a big problem but _ .
Choices:
A. we can't do anything to help
B. we don't need to do anything
C. we can do something to help
D. we can do something to stop it | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle2112.txt | The Earth has warmed by about half a degree(0.50degC)over the last 100 years. It could be getting warmer on its own, but many scientists think that people are making the Earth warmer by making a greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is important. Without it, the Earth would not be warm enough for us to live on. But just a little warmer than it is now could cause problems for humans, plants and animals.
Many of the things we do every day can change the Earth's temperature by sending greenhouse gases into the air. We send greenhouse gases into the air when we watch TV, turn on lights, dry hair, play video games, wash or dry our clothes or drive cars. The rubbish from factories and homes also produces greenhouse gases.
Even a small change in temperature can affect our weather. This can cause changes in the sea levels, the air, flooding, and our fresh water.
The change in the temperature can also cause changes in the living places for animals and plants, endangering many animals.
Global warming is a big problem, and every little bit we do can help. We can save electricity. We can save energy in other ways such as by taking buses or walking rather than driving cars. We can recycle to reduce the rubbish and save natural resources such as trees, oil and metals. We can buy products that don't do bad to the environment and we can turn to solar energy. Remember the little bit that you do will bring a better world. | [
"we can't do anything to help",
"we don't need to do anything",
"we can do something to help",
"we can do something to stop it"
] |
According to professor Naomi White, when one's kids are criticized, their parents will probably feel _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
It was a lovely day at the park and Stella Bianchi was enjoying the sunshine with her two children when a young boy, aged about four, approached her two-year-old son and pushed him to the ground.
"I'd watched him for a little while and my son was the fourth or fifth child he'd pushed," she says. "I went over to them, picked up my son, turned to the boy and said, firmly, 'No, we don't push.'" What happened next was unexpected.
"The boy's mother ran toward me from across the park," Stella says, "I thought she was coming over to apologize, but instead she started shouting at me for blaming her child. All I did was let him know his behavior was unacceptable. Was I supposed to sit back while her kid did whatever he wanted and hurt other children?"
Getting your own children to play nice is difficult enough. Dealing with other people's children has become a hidden danger.
In my house, jumping on the sofa is not allowed. In my sister's house it's encouraged. I find myself saying "no" a lot when her kids are over at mine. That's OK between sisters but becomes dangerous when you're talking to the children of friends or acquaintances.
"Kids aren't all raised the same," agrees Professor Naomi White of Monash University." But there is still an idea that they're the property of the parent. We see our children as a mirror of ourselves, so if you're saying that my child is behaving improperly, then that's somehow a criticism of me."
In those situations, it's difficult to know whether to approach the child directly or the parent first. There are two opinions.
"I'd go to the child first," says Andrew Fuller, author of Tricky Kids. "Usually a quiet reminder that 'we don't do that here' is enough. Kids have antennae for how to behave in different settings."
He points out bringing it up with the parent first may make them feel careless, which could cause problems. Of course, approaching the child first can bring its own headaches, too.
This is why White recommends that you approach the parents first. Raise your concerns with the parents and ask them to deal with it," she says.
Asked how to approach a parent in this situation, psychologist Meredith Fuller answers: "Explain your needs as well as stressing the importance of the friendship. Start with something like: 'I know you'll think I'm silly but in my house I don't want...'"
Question:
According to professor Naomi White, when one's kids are criticized, their parents will probably feel _ .
Choices:
A. discouraged
B. hurt
C. puzzled
D. affected | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high11737.txt | It was a lovely day at the park and Stella Bianchi was enjoying the sunshine with her two children when a young boy, aged about four, approached her two-year-old son and pushed him to the ground.
"I'd watched him for a little while and my son was the fourth or fifth child he'd pushed," she says. "I went over to them, picked up my son, turned to the boy and said, firmly, 'No, we don't push.'" What happened next was unexpected.
"The boy's mother ran toward me from across the park," Stella says, "I thought she was coming over to apologize, but instead she started shouting at me for blaming her child. All I did was let him know his behavior was unacceptable. Was I supposed to sit back while her kid did whatever he wanted and hurt other children?"
Getting your own children to play nice is difficult enough. Dealing with other people's children has become a hidden danger.
In my house, jumping on the sofa is not allowed. In my sister's house it's encouraged. I find myself saying "no" a lot when her kids are over at mine. That's OK between sisters but becomes dangerous when you're talking to the children of friends or acquaintances.
"Kids aren't all raised the same," agrees Professor Naomi White of Monash University." But there is still an idea that they're the property of the parent. We see our children as a mirror of ourselves, so if you're saying that my child is behaving improperly, then that's somehow a criticism of me."
In those situations, it's difficult to know whether to approach the child directly or the parent first. There are two opinions.
"I'd go to the child first," says Andrew Fuller, author of Tricky Kids. "Usually a quiet reminder that 'we don't do that here' is enough. Kids have antennae for how to behave in different settings."
He points out bringing it up with the parent first may make them feel careless, which could cause problems. Of course, approaching the child first can bring its own headaches, too.
This is why White recommends that you approach the parents first. Raise your concerns with the parents and ask them to deal with it," she says.
Asked how to approach a parent in this situation, psychologist Meredith Fuller answers: "Explain your needs as well as stressing the importance of the friendship. Start with something like: 'I know you'll think I'm silly but in my house I don't want...'" | [
"discouraged",
"hurt",
"puzzled",
"affected"
] |
Jackson is laying tile in a courtyard that measures 10 feet by 25 feet. He needs 4 tiles per square foot of space. 40% of the tiles are green marble that costs $3/tile, and the rest are red tile that costs $1.50/tile. How much does he pay total for tile? | First find the area of the courtyard: 10 feet * 25 feet = <<10*25=250>>250 feet
Then multiply the area by the number of tiles per square foot to find the total number of tiles needed: 250 feet * 4 tiles/square foot = <<250*4=1000>>1000 tiles
Then multiply the number of tiles by the percentage that are green to find the total number of green tiles: 1000 tiles * 40% = <<1000*40*.01=400>>400 tiles
Subtract that number from the total number of tiles to find the number of red tiles: 1000 tiles - 400 tiles = <<1000-400=600>>600 tiles
Multiply the number of red tiles by the price per red tile to find the cost of the red tiles: 600 tiles * $1.50/tile = $<<600*1.5=900>>900
Multiply the number of green tiles by the price per green tile to find the cost of the green tiles: 400 tiles * $3.00/tile = $<<400*3=1200>>1200
Then add the cost of each type of tile to find the total cost: $900 + $1200 = $<<900+1200=2100>>2100
#### 2100 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Jackson is laying tile in a courtyard that measures 10 feet by 25 feet. He needs 4 tiles per square foot of space. 40% of the tiles are green marble that costs $3/tile, and the rest are red tile that costs $1.50/tile. How much does he pay total for tile? | First find the area of the courtyard: 10 feet * 25 feet = <<10*25=250>>250 feet
Then multiply the area by the number of tiles per square foot to find the total number of tiles needed: 250 feet * 4 tiles/square foot = <<250*4=1000>>1000 tiles
Then multiply the number of tiles by the percentage that are green to find the total number of green tiles: 1000 tiles * 40% = <<1000*40*.01=400>>400 tiles
Subtract that number from the total number of tiles to find the number of red tiles: 1000 tiles - 400 tiles = <<1000-400=600>>600 tiles
Multiply the number of red tiles by the price per red tile to find the cost of the red tiles: 600 tiles * $1.50/tile = $<<600*1.5=900>>900
Multiply the number of green tiles by the price per green tile to find the cost of the green tiles: 400 tiles * $3.00/tile = $<<400*3=1200>>1200
Then add the cost of each type of tile to find the total cost: $900 + $1200 = $<<900+1200=2100>>2100
#### 2100 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
Jesse is desperately trying to finish a book for a school book report due on Monday so he can play this weekend. Friday afternoon, he read the first 5 chapters, which were 10, 15, 27, 12, and 19 pages, respectively, before taking a break. To his dismay, he found that he was only 1/3 of the way through the book. How many pages does he still have to read? | So far, Jesse has read 10 + 15 + 27 + 12 + 19 = <<10+15+27+12+19=83>>83 pages.
That's 1/3 of the book, so the remainder of the book is twice as many pages, or 2 * 83 = 166 pages.
#### 166 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Jesse is desperately trying to finish a book for a school book report due on Monday so he can play this weekend. Friday afternoon, he read the first 5 chapters, which were 10, 15, 27, 12, and 19 pages, respectively, before taking a break. To his dismay, he found that he was only 1/3 of the way through the book. How many pages does he still have to read? | So far, Jesse has read 10 + 15 + 27 + 12 + 19 = <<10+15+27+12+19=83>>83 pages.
That's 1/3 of the book, so the remainder of the book is twice as many pages, or 2 * 83 = 166 pages.
#### 166 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
What will the author do if she wants something from her husband now? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Our cat has a sweet nature, and she can let us know what she wants. When we fail to meet her needs, she gently leads us in the proper direction. When I forget to fill her water bowl early in the morning, she runs after my legs, and then pushes me in the direction of her bowl. She doesn't get irritated ; instead, she expresses her wishes in the best way. And I always understand what she is telling me.
One day I found myself envying her simple expression. How many times had I expected my husband or my children to know my wants without my ever giving voice to them? How many times had I been disappointed that they couldn't understand when I needed a hug, a compliment or a chocolate bar?
After a pleasant afternoon with my husband, I wanted to stop somewhere nice and have dinner, but he didn't understand my hints . "Couldn't you see that I wanted to go out to dinner?" I complained when he pulled into our driveway.
"Why didn't you say so? I can't read your mind," he answered in impatience. _ . Had I expected him to read my mind? Why hadn't I expressed my desire more clearly? I realized I had fallen into the female trap of "If you love me, you can read my mind."
Now, I state my needs clearly and directly. I look at my cat and know she agrees.
Question:
What will the author do if she wants something from her husband now?
Choices:
A. She will give him her hints.
B. She lets him guess what she wants.
C. She tells him her needs directly.
D. She buys what she wants herself. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high3890.txt | Our cat has a sweet nature, and she can let us know what she wants. When we fail to meet her needs, she gently leads us in the proper direction. When I forget to fill her water bowl early in the morning, she runs after my legs, and then pushes me in the direction of her bowl. She doesn't get irritated ; instead, she expresses her wishes in the best way. And I always understand what she is telling me.
One day I found myself envying her simple expression. How many times had I expected my husband or my children to know my wants without my ever giving voice to them? How many times had I been disappointed that they couldn't understand when I needed a hug, a compliment or a chocolate bar?
After a pleasant afternoon with my husband, I wanted to stop somewhere nice and have dinner, but he didn't understand my hints . "Couldn't you see that I wanted to go out to dinner?" I complained when he pulled into our driveway.
"Why didn't you say so? I can't read your mind," he answered in impatience. _ . Had I expected him to read my mind? Why hadn't I expressed my desire more clearly? I realized I had fallen into the female trap of "If you love me, you can read my mind."
Now, I state my needs clearly and directly. I look at my cat and know she agrees. | [
"She will give him her hints.",
"She lets him guess what she wants.",
"She tells him her needs directly.",
"She buys what she wants herself."
] |
What was Jessica's mother's attitude toward her singing? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Both of Jessica's parents were lawyers and expected her to follow suit. So she went to law school, got a job at a great firm in Washington, DC, and worked as a lawyer for a decade. But her heart was never in it. "I had a big salary but no personal satisfaction," she says.
Jessica found pleasure in the same thing that had brought her joy since joining the church choir at the age of 12. "Singing always felt like communicating something real at a spiritual and emotional level," says Jessica. Yet she never considered it a career option. "That seemed like something people did in fairy tales, and I would never let my parents down," she says.
It was her mom's diagnosis of brain cancer in 2009 that made Jessica realize she had to write her own happy-ever-after. "Work was busy and my mother was _ . So I was flying back and forth from Washington, DC to Houston to see her," Jessica says. "I finally said, 'Enough!' and quit." While caring for her mom, Jessica made a plan. She would spend her savings and study music for a year, and then open a part-time law practice so she could pursue her passion. Before her mother passed away two years later, she encouraged Jessica to follow her dream. Her song Live This Life was inspired by her mom, and her dad came to watch her perform at clubs.
In 2012, Jessica moved to Nashville to try singing and songwriting. A decade of presenting cases in court gave her the confidence to sing for a crowd. "At 20, I would have been too shy to perform," says Jessica.
"Doing music is so free," Jessica says. "There's no pressure to be a star. Success, to me, isn't a dollar amount or a record deal; it's doing what I love."
Question:
What was Jessica's mother's attitude toward her singing?
Choices:
A. Unknown.
B. Doubtful.
C. Supportive.
D. Negative. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high7453.txt | Both of Jessica's parents were lawyers and expected her to follow suit. So she went to law school, got a job at a great firm in Washington, DC, and worked as a lawyer for a decade. But her heart was never in it. "I had a big salary but no personal satisfaction," she says.
Jessica found pleasure in the same thing that had brought her joy since joining the church choir at the age of 12. "Singing always felt like communicating something real at a spiritual and emotional level," says Jessica. Yet she never considered it a career option. "That seemed like something people did in fairy tales, and I would never let my parents down," she says.
It was her mom's diagnosis of brain cancer in 2009 that made Jessica realize she had to write her own happy-ever-after. "Work was busy and my mother was _ . So I was flying back and forth from Washington, DC to Houston to see her," Jessica says. "I finally said, 'Enough!' and quit." While caring for her mom, Jessica made a plan. She would spend her savings and study music for a year, and then open a part-time law practice so she could pursue her passion. Before her mother passed away two years later, she encouraged Jessica to follow her dream. Her song Live This Life was inspired by her mom, and her dad came to watch her perform at clubs.
In 2012, Jessica moved to Nashville to try singing and songwriting. A decade of presenting cases in court gave her the confidence to sing for a crowd. "At 20, I would have been too shy to perform," says Jessica.
"Doing music is so free," Jessica says. "There's no pressure to be a star. Success, to me, isn't a dollar amount or a record deal; it's doing what I love." | [
"Unknown.",
"Doubtful.",
"Supportive.",
"Negative."
] |
What is the term for the dark brown or black coating found on exposed desert rocks, which is formed of iron and manganese oxides? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | What is the term for the dark brown or black coating found on exposed desert rocks, which is formed of iron and manganese oxides? | desert varnish | science | null | null | null | desert rust | desert patina | desert shadow | desert varnish | Exposed rocks in desert areas often develop a dark brown or black coating called desert varnish ( Figure below ). Wind transports clay-sized particles that chemically react with other substances at high temperatures. The coating is formed of iron and manganese oxides. | null | null | null |
According to the text, which of the following is the Hopeless Ant in need of at present? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Dear Michelle,
My Dad hates my Mom. He tells me that she is a liar and that I should not trust her. Of course, they are divorced but they have "joint custody" . What a joke! I am 15, my brother is nine, and we have a life of hell, frankly.
We live one week on and one week off. This was the brilliant idea of both of my parents, which was fair to them but ruining my life. I cannot get away from his voice and his putting my mom down. Sometimes I think about running away.
A Hopeless Ant
Dear Hopeless Ant,
First, thank you for trusting me with your problem. If all you said is correct, then there are several things that you can and should do to help yourself, your brother, and oddly enough, your parents.
You need a family counselor. Such a person could listen to each family member alone and then meet together to talk about the situation.
If refused, you need to talk to a counselor in your school. You need to be heard, and you need an adult who will listen. A school counselor can organize a meeting with your parents.
Perhaps you need to write to your mother. Writing things down allows people to go over it more than one time.
I cannot imagine that she will stand passively by and do nothing at all to help once she reads how you feel. Your father needs a letter as well. He may not realize the destructive effect that it has on his children.
Lastly, have a plan in mind when all else fails that is not self-destructive. Life passes very quickly, sweetheart, and you will grow up and have your own life.
Until then, you need to keep yourself safe. Never doubt that it will get better. Write back and let me know how everything is going.
Michelle
Question:
According to the text, which of the following is the Hopeless Ant in need of at present?
Choices:
A. Keep himself/herself away from danger.
B. Have a talk with his/her parents.
C. Have his/her own family plan.
D. Write letters to families. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high16725.txt | Dear Michelle,
My Dad hates my Mom. He tells me that she is a liar and that I should not trust her. Of course, they are divorced but they have "joint custody" . What a joke! I am 15, my brother is nine, and we have a life of hell, frankly.
We live one week on and one week off. This was the brilliant idea of both of my parents, which was fair to them but ruining my life. I cannot get away from his voice and his putting my mom down. Sometimes I think about running away.
A Hopeless Ant
Dear Hopeless Ant,
First, thank you for trusting me with your problem. If all you said is correct, then there are several things that you can and should do to help yourself, your brother, and oddly enough, your parents.
You need a family counselor. Such a person could listen to each family member alone and then meet together to talk about the situation.
If refused, you need to talk to a counselor in your school. You need to be heard, and you need an adult who will listen. A school counselor can organize a meeting with your parents.
Perhaps you need to write to your mother. Writing things down allows people to go over it more than one time.
I cannot imagine that she will stand passively by and do nothing at all to help once she reads how you feel. Your father needs a letter as well. He may not realize the destructive effect that it has on his children.
Lastly, have a plan in mind when all else fails that is not self-destructive. Life passes very quickly, sweetheart, and you will grow up and have your own life.
Until then, you need to keep yourself safe. Never doubt that it will get better. Write back and let me know how everything is going.
Michelle | [
"Keep himself/herself away from danger.",
"Have a talk with his/her parents.",
"Have his/her own family plan.",
"Write letters to families."
] |
What is the passage mainly about? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Carmen Arace Middle School is situated in the town of Bloomfield,but four years ago it faced many of the same challenges as inner--city schools nearby:low scores in standardized tests and dropping enrollment of students.Then the hard-driving headmaster, Delore Bolton,persuaded her school to shake up the place by buying a laptop computer for each student and teacher to use in school and at home.For good measure,the board provided wireless Internet access at school.Total cost :$5 million.
Now an hour before classes start,every seat in the library is taken by students eager to get online.The teacher talks about rocks as students view them at a colorful website,after school students on buses pull laptops from backpacks to get started on homework.Since the computers arrived,scores in state tests are up 35%and the enrollment increases by 20%.
Indeed,school systems in rural areas are eager to follow Carmen Arace Middle School's example.Angus King,the state governor, has proposed using$50 million from an unexpected budget to supply computers for students.
However, the school is seeking federal grant money to expand the laptop program.In the meantime,most of the problems have been worked out.Some students use computers to visit unauthorized websites,but teachers have the ability to track where students have been and restrict them."That is the worst when they disable you" says a boy.The habit is rubbing off on parents."I taught my mom to use e-mail."says the honorable girl."And now she is taking computer classes.I'm so proud of her!''
Question:
What is the passage mainly about?
Choices:
A. Middle schools are faced with challenges today.
B. A school with high enrollment can do well.
C. Computers are of importance in modern education.
D. Laptops can help improve students' school performance. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high8136.txt | Carmen Arace Middle School is situated in the town of Bloomfield,but four years ago it faced many of the same challenges as inner--city schools nearby:low scores in standardized tests and dropping enrollment of students.Then the hard-driving headmaster, Delore Bolton,persuaded her school to shake up the place by buying a laptop computer for each student and teacher to use in school and at home.For good measure,the board provided wireless Internet access at school.Total cost :$5 million.
Now an hour before classes start,every seat in the library is taken by students eager to get online.The teacher talks about rocks as students view them at a colorful website,after school students on buses pull laptops from backpacks to get started on homework.Since the computers arrived,scores in state tests are up 35%and the enrollment increases by 20%.
Indeed,school systems in rural areas are eager to follow Carmen Arace Middle School's example.Angus King,the state governor, has proposed using$50 million from an unexpected budget to supply computers for students.
However, the school is seeking federal grant money to expand the laptop program.In the meantime,most of the problems have been worked out.Some students use computers to visit unauthorized websites,but teachers have the ability to track where students have been and restrict them."That is the worst when they disable you" says a boy.The habit is rubbing off on parents."I taught my mom to use e-mail."says the honorable girl."And now she is taking computer classes.I'm so proud of her!'' | [
"Middle schools are faced with challenges today.",
"A school with high enrollment can do well.",
"Computers are of importance in modern education.",
"Laptops can help improve students' school performance."
] |
The writer _ | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
I often dreamed about Pisa when I was a boy .I read about the famous building called the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But when I read the word Pisa, I was thinking of pizza. I thought this tower was a place to buy pizza. It must be the best place to buy pizza in the world, I thought.
Many years later finally saw the Leaning Tower . I knew then that it was Pisa and no pizza. But there was still something special about it for me. The tower got its name because it really does lean to one side. Some people want to try to fix it. They are afraid it may fall over and they don't like it leans over city.
I do not think it's a good idea to try to fix it. The tower probably will not fall down. It is 600 years old. Why should anything happen to it now? And , if you ask me, I like what it looks like. To me it is a very human kind of leaning. Nothing is perfect, it seems to say.
And who cares? Why do people want things to be perfect? Imperfect things may be more interesting. Let's take the tower in Pisa. Why is it so famous? There are many other older, more beautiful towers in Italy. But Pisa tower is the most famous. People come all over the world to see it.
Question:
The writer _
Choices:
A. doesn't like what the tower looks like
B. likes what the tower looks like
C. thinks it's the most beautiful tower in Italy
D. doesn't like towers | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle4295.txt | I often dreamed about Pisa when I was a boy .I read about the famous building called the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But when I read the word Pisa, I was thinking of pizza. I thought this tower was a place to buy pizza. It must be the best place to buy pizza in the world, I thought.
Many years later finally saw the Leaning Tower . I knew then that it was Pisa and no pizza. But there was still something special about it for me. The tower got its name because it really does lean to one side. Some people want to try to fix it. They are afraid it may fall over and they don't like it leans over city.
I do not think it's a good idea to try to fix it. The tower probably will not fall down. It is 600 years old. Why should anything happen to it now? And , if you ask me, I like what it looks like. To me it is a very human kind of leaning. Nothing is perfect, it seems to say.
And who cares? Why do people want things to be perfect? Imperfect things may be more interesting. Let's take the tower in Pisa. Why is it so famous? There are many other older, more beautiful towers in Italy. But Pisa tower is the most famous. People come all over the world to see it. | [
"doesn't like what the tower looks like",
"likes what the tower looks like",
"thinks it's the most beautiful tower in Italy",
"doesn't like towers"
] |
According to the passage, if a teenager doesn't plan to go to college, and if his parents both smoke, he will _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Until the twentieth century cigarettes were not an important threat to public health. Men used tobacco mainly in the form of cigars. They chewed tobacco, piped tobacco, and snuffed. Most women did not use tobacco at all.
The cigarette industry began in 1870s with the development of the cigarette manufacturing machine. This made it possible to produce great numbers of cigarettes very quickly, and it reduced the price.
Today cigarette smoking is a widespread habit. About forty-three percent of the adult men and thirty-one percent of the adult women in the United States smoke cigarettes regularly. It is encouraging to note, however, that millions of people have quit smoking. Seventy-five percent of the male population and forty-six percent of the female population have smoked cigarettes for some time during their lives, but twenty-six percent of these men and eleven percent of the women have stopped smoking. The number of persons who have given up smoking is increasing. Men as a group smoke more than women. Among both men and women the age group with the highest proportion of smokers is the age group 24--44.
Income, education, and occupation all play a part in determining a person's smoking habit. City people smoke more than people living on farms. Well-educated men with high incomes are less likely to smoke cigarettes than men with fewer years of schooling and lower incomes. On the other hand, if a well-educated man with a higher income smokes, he's likely to smoke more packs of cigarettes per day.
The situation is somewhat different for women. There are slightly more smokers among women with higher family incomes and higher education than among the lower income and lower educational groups. These more highly educated women tend to smoke more heavily.
Among teenagers the _ is similar. There are fewer teenager smokers from upper-income, well-educated families, and also fewer from families living in farm areas. High school students who are preparing for college are less likely to smoke than those who don't plan to continue their education after high school. Children are most likely to start smoking if one or both of their parents smoke.
Question:
According to the passage, if a teenager doesn't plan to go to college, and if his parents both smoke, he will _ .
Choices:
A. probably not smoke in the future.
B. probably start to smoke in the future.
C. persuade his parents to give up smoking.
D. hate his parents as well as other smokers. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high4962.txt | Until the twentieth century cigarettes were not an important threat to public health. Men used tobacco mainly in the form of cigars. They chewed tobacco, piped tobacco, and snuffed. Most women did not use tobacco at all.
The cigarette industry began in 1870s with the development of the cigarette manufacturing machine. This made it possible to produce great numbers of cigarettes very quickly, and it reduced the price.
Today cigarette smoking is a widespread habit. About forty-three percent of the adult men and thirty-one percent of the adult women in the United States smoke cigarettes regularly. It is encouraging to note, however, that millions of people have quit smoking. Seventy-five percent of the male population and forty-six percent of the female population have smoked cigarettes for some time during their lives, but twenty-six percent of these men and eleven percent of the women have stopped smoking. The number of persons who have given up smoking is increasing. Men as a group smoke more than women. Among both men and women the age group with the highest proportion of smokers is the age group 24--44.
Income, education, and occupation all play a part in determining a person's smoking habit. City people smoke more than people living on farms. Well-educated men with high incomes are less likely to smoke cigarettes than men with fewer years of schooling and lower incomes. On the other hand, if a well-educated man with a higher income smokes, he's likely to smoke more packs of cigarettes per day.
The situation is somewhat different for women. There are slightly more smokers among women with higher family incomes and higher education than among the lower income and lower educational groups. These more highly educated women tend to smoke more heavily.
Among teenagers the _ is similar. There are fewer teenager smokers from upper-income, well-educated families, and also fewer from families living in farm areas. High school students who are preparing for college are less likely to smoke than those who don't plan to continue their education after high school. Children are most likely to start smoking if one or both of their parents smoke. | [
"probably not smoke in the future.",
"probably start to smoke in the future.",
"persuade his parents to give up smoking.",
"hate his parents as well as other smokers."
] |
The story happens _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
One day, a little boy comes into a shop and says to the shop worker, "I want to buy twelve exercise books of 6 cents each and nine pencils of 10 cents each. How much is that altogether ?"
The shop worker writes these numbers down on a piece of paper and thinks for a minute. Then she says, "1 dollars 62 cents." "If I give you ten dollars, how much money will I get back?" "You will get 8 dollars 38 cents for _ Here you are. These are the things you want."
"No, thank you. I don't want to buy anything." The boy looks at the piece of paper and says politely, "This is my math homework. Thank you. Can I take it away?"
Question:
The story happens _ .
Choices:
A. at school
B. at a station
C. in a shop
D. in a supermarket | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle6926.txt | One day, a little boy comes into a shop and says to the shop worker, "I want to buy twelve exercise books of 6 cents each and nine pencils of 10 cents each. How much is that altogether ?"
The shop worker writes these numbers down on a piece of paper and thinks for a minute. Then she says, "1 dollars 62 cents." "If I give you ten dollars, how much money will I get back?" "You will get 8 dollars 38 cents for _ Here you are. These are the things you want."
"No, thank you. I don't want to buy anything." The boy looks at the piece of paper and says politely, "This is my math homework. Thank you. Can I take it away?" | [
"at school",
"at a station",
"in a shop",
"in a supermarket"
] |
The students want to show their love for _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Teachers' Day is coming soon. Miss Wang is talking to her students and her students are listening to her.
"Good morning, boys and girls!"says Miss Wang,"Teachers' Day is on September l0th. I hear some students are going to buy some presents for your teachers. You want to show your love for your teachers. That is very good, of course. But teachers don't like to get presents from students. So please don't buy any! I think on Teachers' Day, a card from you all is enough . And the best present for our teachers is your good work. "
Question:
The students want to show their love for _ .
Choices:
A. their parents
B. their friends
C. their classmates
D. their teachers | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle8167.txt | Teachers' Day is coming soon. Miss Wang is talking to her students and her students are listening to her.
"Good morning, boys and girls!"says Miss Wang,"Teachers' Day is on September l0th. I hear some students are going to buy some presents for your teachers. You want to show your love for your teachers. That is very good, of course. But teachers don't like to get presents from students. So please don't buy any! I think on Teachers' Day, a card from you all is enough . And the best present for our teachers is your good work. " | [
"their parents",
"their friends",
"their classmates",
"their teachers"
] |
Johnny wrote an essay with 150 words. Madeline wrote an essay that was double in length, and Timothy wrote an essay that had 30 words more than Madeline's. If one page contains 260 words, how many pages do Johnny, Madeline, and Timothy's essays fill? | Madeline's essay was 150 x 2 = <<150*2=300>>300 words.
Timothy's essay was 300 + 30 = <<300+30=330>>330 words.
All together, they wrote 150 + 300 + 330 = <<150+300+330=780>>780 words.
Their essays fill 780/260 = <<780/260=3>>3 pages.
#### 3 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Johnny wrote an essay with 150 words. Madeline wrote an essay that was double in length, and Timothy wrote an essay that had 30 words more than Madeline's. If one page contains 260 words, how many pages do Johnny, Madeline, and Timothy's essays fill? | Madeline's essay was 150 x 2 = <<150*2=300>>300 words.
Timothy's essay was 300 + 30 = <<300+30=330>>330 words.
All together, they wrote 150 + 300 + 330 = <<150+300+330=780>>780 words.
Their essays fill 780/260 = <<780/260=3>>3 pages.
#### 3 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Passing a store, you might just step in and see if the store has received any new CDs. Once in the store, you're delighted to discover some new CDs that you must have. You could buy them later, of course, but you're already here, so why not now? In the checkout line you wonder whether to write a check or pay with a credit card. Either way would be OK, you suppose. The trouble with writing a check, though, is that you don't have much money left in your checking account. Using the credit card you won't have to pay at once, and when you do pay, you will only have to pay a little a month. So you hand the salesperson your plastic card, and that's the deal!
There are a few good things about credit cards. For one thing, it's almost impossible to rent a car without a credit card. For another, they are helpful if you are in a situation where you don't have your checkbook or you have little cash with you.
What are the disadvantages? One is that few people have the discipline to use their credit cards wisely. Instead, many fall into the buy-now-pay-later trap. Many become "addicted to plastic." Another disadvantage is that credit cards are more abstract than money or checks and thus contribute to our having less control over our money. Bank notes are physical things, and you have to _ your checking account every month when you pay with a check. This takes a bit of work, and although it's painful, it's more realistic. Credit cards represent the abstract, lending a certain air of unreality to the stage of managing your finances. All you do is sign your name; someone else does the math for you.
Question:
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
Choices:
A. The ABC of Credit Cards.
B. Credit Cards, Checks or Cash.
C. Why Not Credit Cards?
D. Watch out Your Credit Cards! | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high22662.txt | Passing a store, you might just step in and see if the store has received any new CDs. Once in the store, you're delighted to discover some new CDs that you must have. You could buy them later, of course, but you're already here, so why not now? In the checkout line you wonder whether to write a check or pay with a credit card. Either way would be OK, you suppose. The trouble with writing a check, though, is that you don't have much money left in your checking account. Using the credit card you won't have to pay at once, and when you do pay, you will only have to pay a little a month. So you hand the salesperson your plastic card, and that's the deal!
There are a few good things about credit cards. For one thing, it's almost impossible to rent a car without a credit card. For another, they are helpful if you are in a situation where you don't have your checkbook or you have little cash with you.
What are the disadvantages? One is that few people have the discipline to use their credit cards wisely. Instead, many fall into the buy-now-pay-later trap. Many become "addicted to plastic." Another disadvantage is that credit cards are more abstract than money or checks and thus contribute to our having less control over our money. Bank notes are physical things, and you have to _ your checking account every month when you pay with a check. This takes a bit of work, and although it's painful, it's more realistic. Credit cards represent the abstract, lending a certain air of unreality to the stage of managing your finances. All you do is sign your name; someone else does the math for you. | [
"The ABC of Credit Cards.",
"Credit Cards, Checks or Cash.",
"Why Not Credit Cards?",
"Watch out Your Credit Cards!"
] |
Parents encourage their children to work because they want them to _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Life in an American high school is an interesting and exciting learning experience. High school in America is not just a place for studying some subjects. It is also an important social centre, where students can develop other interests and talents.
The high school course is divided into four years. School usually starts at about 8:00 am, and ends at about 3 pm. There's no class on Saturday.
Students have lunch at the school cafeteria , where they can choose from a variety of good things to eat and drink. After lunch they can play sports, talk to friends or simply relax. The lunch break lasts about an hour.
When the school day ends, some students go home, but many still stay at school for after-school activities. There are many activities to take part in and clubs to join. With the headmaster's agreement, students can start any kind of club that is educational and fun!
American high school students like to be "popular". This means being a good student, being active in the community and being well-liked by others. Popular students are elected to take part in Student Union. Every year in June there are prizes for the best athletes.
Most American high school students have a part-time job during the school year and a full-time job during the summer. Parents encourage their children to work because it's part of growing up and becoming responsible and independent.
Most high schools have a job list to help students find work. Teenagers are fond of their jobs!
Question:
Parents encourage their children to work because they want them to _ .
Choices:
A. become responsible and independent
B. be active in the community
C. earn some pocket money by themselves
D. develop other interests and talents | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high20707.txt | Life in an American high school is an interesting and exciting learning experience. High school in America is not just a place for studying some subjects. It is also an important social centre, where students can develop other interests and talents.
The high school course is divided into four years. School usually starts at about 8:00 am, and ends at about 3 pm. There's no class on Saturday.
Students have lunch at the school cafeteria , where they can choose from a variety of good things to eat and drink. After lunch they can play sports, talk to friends or simply relax. The lunch break lasts about an hour.
When the school day ends, some students go home, but many still stay at school for after-school activities. There are many activities to take part in and clubs to join. With the headmaster's agreement, students can start any kind of club that is educational and fun!
American high school students like to be "popular". This means being a good student, being active in the community and being well-liked by others. Popular students are elected to take part in Student Union. Every year in June there are prizes for the best athletes.
Most American high school students have a part-time job during the school year and a full-time job during the summer. Parents encourage their children to work because it's part of growing up and becoming responsible and independent.
Most high schools have a job list to help students find work. Teenagers are fond of their jobs! | [
"become responsible and independent",
"be active in the community",
"earn some pocket money by themselves",
"develop other interests and talents"
] |
Janessa has a plan to give her brother Dexter his first collection of baseball cards. She currently has 4 cards in addition to the 13 that her father gave her. She ordered a collection of 36 cards from eBay. After inspecting the cards she found 4 cards are in bad shape and decides to throw them away. Janessa ended up giving Dexter 29 cards. How many cards did Janessa keep for herself? | Janessa starts with 4 cards + 13 cards = <<4+13=17>>17 cards.
She adds 17 cards + 36 cards = <<17+36=53>>53 cards from the eBay purchase.
Janessa decides to throw away 53 cards - 4 cards = <<53-4=49>>49 cards due to damage.
After giving Dexter the present we know that Janessa kept 49 cards - 29 cards = <<49-29=20>>20 cards for herself.
#### 20 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Janessa has a plan to give her brother Dexter his first collection of baseball cards. She currently has 4 cards in addition to the 13 that her father gave her. She ordered a collection of 36 cards from eBay. After inspecting the cards she found 4 cards are in bad shape and decides to throw them away. Janessa ended up giving Dexter 29 cards. How many cards did Janessa keep for herself? | Janessa starts with 4 cards + 13 cards = <<4+13=17>>17 cards.
She adds 17 cards + 36 cards = <<17+36=53>>53 cards from the eBay purchase.
Janessa decides to throw away 53 cards - 4 cards = <<53-4=49>>49 cards due to damage.
After giving Dexter the present we know that Janessa kept 49 cards - 29 cards = <<49-29=20>>20 cards for herself.
#### 20 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
What's people's attitude towards the electronic newspaper according to the BBC? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
A British-designed electronic newspaper which is made of plastic and no larger than a table mat is to enter the market next year. The new newspaper was conceived by Cambridge University scientists. They came up with the idea of replacing silicon chips with plastic ones. it is being developed by Plastic Logic, a company based in Dresden, Germany.
"It looks just like a table mat, and is as light as a magazine. But you can download hundreds of newspapers at the touch of a button, and read them quite safely," the BBC reported on its website.
The plastic paper is produced in a safe "clean room" at the Plastic Logic factory, which opened last month as the world's first plastic-electronics factory. Every part of the product, from the screen to the electronics, is made of plastic. And it is described by engineer Dean Baker as "top quality". Baker says the plastic newspaper could help solve the problem of waste material associated with traditlional newspapers.
"There's a huge amount of waste . We have paper distributed all over the country each day and then thrown into the bin. This doesn't need to happen any more. All of the copies could be made electronically and stored on a single e-reader with the appearance of paper." he says.
People can expect to see the plastic newspaper next year, the BBC says.
Question:
What's people's attitude towards the electronic newspaper according to the BBC?
Choices:
A. Hopeful.
B. Doubtful.
C. Disappointed.
D. Worried | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high8398.txt | A British-designed electronic newspaper which is made of plastic and no larger than a table mat is to enter the market next year. The new newspaper was conceived by Cambridge University scientists. They came up with the idea of replacing silicon chips with plastic ones. it is being developed by Plastic Logic, a company based in Dresden, Germany.
"It looks just like a table mat, and is as light as a magazine. But you can download hundreds of newspapers at the touch of a button, and read them quite safely," the BBC reported on its website.
The plastic paper is produced in a safe "clean room" at the Plastic Logic factory, which opened last month as the world's first plastic-electronics factory. Every part of the product, from the screen to the electronics, is made of plastic. And it is described by engineer Dean Baker as "top quality". Baker says the plastic newspaper could help solve the problem of waste material associated with traditlional newspapers.
"There's a huge amount of waste . We have paper distributed all over the country each day and then thrown into the bin. This doesn't need to happen any more. All of the copies could be made electronically and stored on a single e-reader with the appearance of paper." he says.
People can expect to see the plastic newspaper next year, the BBC says. | [
"Hopeful.",
"Doubtful.",
"Disappointed.",
"Worried"
] |
What do three cities in this passage have in common? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
prefix = st1 /SPAIN is unique. Enough sunshine, gorgeous beaches and delicious food make it a favourite holiday spot for millions of Europeans. But eating and sunbathing is not all this Mediterranean country has to offer. Its wild nightlife has given Spaniards a well--earned reputation as non-stop party animals. The traditional afternoon nap known as a "siesta" means millions of Spanish people can live a crazy life every day. Not into drinking and dancing? Take a look at the vibrant arts scece, with numerous galleries and museum featuring Spain's many famous artists like Salvador Dail, Pablo Picasso and Antonio Gaudi. Take our tour around the country.
Barcelona, located on the Mediterranean sea, is famous as the host city for the 1992 Olympic Games. It is Spain's second largest city, afterMadrid. Barcelona is filled with landmark places and world-class museums, including Antonio Gaudi's famed La Sagrada Familia cathedral, the Museu Picasso, and the Las Ramblas street.
Barcelona also has great nightlife. There are many outdoor squares in the city. So when the weather is good, which it usually is, there are also popular places for people to get together. Nightlife kicks off from about 8 or 9 pm. Then things quiet down until a second surge of energy brings out the post-dinner crowds from 11pm to midnight.
Madrid, the capital of Spain, located in the center of the Iberian Peninsula , has a number of places, castles, museums and other unique places, such as the Plaza Mayor, the Cibeles Fountain, and the Palacio Real, as well as the fantastic bullring , Las Ventas. The city of 3.5 million people also has many theatres, live music venues and nightclubs because dinner is served late in Spain, usually around 9 pm, nightlife doesn't really get under way until after 11 pm. Native people are so fond of wandering around at night that they are known in Spain as gatos(cats.) Young people love to meet in nightclubs to drink and sing together.
Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast, isSpain's third--largest city. It is usually a quiet city with a population of half a million. But during the Las Falls Festival in March, the number can reach 3 million.Valenciais famous for its nightlife and bars. In the summer, people enjoy gathering at open--air bars. The bars play music, often have dance floors, and are open from late May to September. The nightlife lasts from 7 or 8 pm to 2 am on weekdays, and 5 am on weekends.
Question:
What do three cities in this passage have in common?
Choices:
A. They all have world--class museums
B. They all have wonderful nightlife.
C. They are all wealthy and crazy.
D. They are all crowded and noisy cities. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high22876.txt | prefix = st1 /SPAIN is unique. Enough sunshine, gorgeous beaches and delicious food make it a favourite holiday spot for millions of Europeans. But eating and sunbathing is not all this Mediterranean country has to offer. Its wild nightlife has given Spaniards a well--earned reputation as non-stop party animals. The traditional afternoon nap known as a "siesta" means millions of Spanish people can live a crazy life every day. Not into drinking and dancing? Take a look at the vibrant arts scece, with numerous galleries and museum featuring Spain's many famous artists like Salvador Dail, Pablo Picasso and Antonio Gaudi. Take our tour around the country.
Barcelona, located on the Mediterranean sea, is famous as the host city for the 1992 Olympic Games. It is Spain's second largest city, afterMadrid. Barcelona is filled with landmark places and world-class museums, including Antonio Gaudi's famed La Sagrada Familia cathedral, the Museu Picasso, and the Las Ramblas street.
Barcelona also has great nightlife. There are many outdoor squares in the city. So when the weather is good, which it usually is, there are also popular places for people to get together. Nightlife kicks off from about 8 or 9 pm. Then things quiet down until a second surge of energy brings out the post-dinner crowds from 11pm to midnight.
Madrid, the capital of Spain, located in the center of the Iberian Peninsula , has a number of places, castles, museums and other unique places, such as the Plaza Mayor, the Cibeles Fountain, and the Palacio Real, as well as the fantastic bullring , Las Ventas. The city of 3.5 million people also has many theatres, live music venues and nightclubs because dinner is served late in Spain, usually around 9 pm, nightlife doesn't really get under way until after 11 pm. Native people are so fond of wandering around at night that they are known in Spain as gatos(cats.) Young people love to meet in nightclubs to drink and sing together.
Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast, isSpain's third--largest city. It is usually a quiet city with a population of half a million. But during the Las Falls Festival in March, the number can reach 3 million.Valenciais famous for its nightlife and bars. In the summer, people enjoy gathering at open--air bars. The bars play music, often have dance floors, and are open from late May to September. The nightlife lasts from 7 or 8 pm to 2 am on weekdays, and 5 am on weekends. | [
"They all have world--class museums",
"They all have wonderful nightlife.",
"They are all wealthy and crazy.",
"They are all crowded and noisy cities."
] |
Bobby Brown holds the opinion that _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Bobbi Kristina Brown's family has been gathered around her since she was hospitalized on Saturday after being found unconscious in the bathtub of her suburban Atlanta townhome.
Whitney Houston's only child is now at Emory University Hospital and is still fighting for her life, as a family statement said on Monday.
Nothing has changed, despite reports that are popping up and painting a more serious picture.
Fox News reported Wednesday that the situation is horrific. "It's now a matter of when the family wants to let go and accept that she's pretty much not going to make it," a source told FOX411. "They've left it up to the family as to how long they want to keep her alive."
People Magazine is also reporting that a doctor told Brown's family on Wednesday that nothing more could be done. "Everyone is coming to the hospital to say goodbye," said a family member.
And the Daily Mail says Brown has been taken off life support.
But Bobby Brown issued a statement late Thursday denying these reports.
"If we issued a statement every time the media published a false report regarding this matter, that's all we would be doing 24 hours a day. This is false, just as is the vast majority of the other reporting that is currently taking place," he said, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
A source close to the family tells USA TODAY that it's wrong to say the family is gathering to say goodbye, because the family has been there since the beginning, so nothing is any different today for them.
Also, Brown is "not brain dead," as has been reported.
And, as for other stories saying that the Houston family is feuding with Bobbi Kristina's dad, Bobby Brown? Those aren't true either. They "are NOT fighting," says our source.
Question:
Bobby Brown holds the opinion that _ .
Choices:
A. they are busy issuing statements all day
B. the family is saying goodbye to Kristina
C. he is getting along well with the Houston family
D. most journalists are getting the wrong end of the stick. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high9977.txt | Bobbi Kristina Brown's family has been gathered around her since she was hospitalized on Saturday after being found unconscious in the bathtub of her suburban Atlanta townhome.
Whitney Houston's only child is now at Emory University Hospital and is still fighting for her life, as a family statement said on Monday.
Nothing has changed, despite reports that are popping up and painting a more serious picture.
Fox News reported Wednesday that the situation is horrific. "It's now a matter of when the family wants to let go and accept that she's pretty much not going to make it," a source told FOX411. "They've left it up to the family as to how long they want to keep her alive."
People Magazine is also reporting that a doctor told Brown's family on Wednesday that nothing more could be done. "Everyone is coming to the hospital to say goodbye," said a family member.
And the Daily Mail says Brown has been taken off life support.
But Bobby Brown issued a statement late Thursday denying these reports.
"If we issued a statement every time the media published a false report regarding this matter, that's all we would be doing 24 hours a day. This is false, just as is the vast majority of the other reporting that is currently taking place," he said, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
A source close to the family tells USA TODAY that it's wrong to say the family is gathering to say goodbye, because the family has been there since the beginning, so nothing is any different today for them.
Also, Brown is "not brain dead," as has been reported.
And, as for other stories saying that the Houston family is feuding with Bobbi Kristina's dad, Bobby Brown? Those aren't true either. They "are NOT fighting," says our source. | [
"they are busy issuing statements all day",
"the family is saying goodbye to Kristina",
"he is getting along well with the Houston family",
"most journalists are getting the wrong end of the stick."
] |
Which of the following is TURE? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
These days, young children can enjoy directly what it is like to be a marine biologist at a marine association. What they discover can lead them to appreciate and protect the ocean and also the animals living in it.
At the present time, learning isn't only limited to the classroom. It's quite common for kids to learn from outdoor experiences. Teachers commonly take their pupils on field trips to museums as well as other interesting areas. If you wish to help pupils to take care of the ocean, one of the best areas to take them to is a marine association, the place where the ocean biome is shown.
Taking your pupils to a marine association is a prefect way to help them learn. Education professionals agree that there are topics that children can learn more successfully whenever they experience them directly.
Several organizations that focused on protecting the ocean now operate on the coast of different areas in America and all around the world. It's quite common for marine associations nowadays to open their doors several times a week to kids, parents, and ocean lovers to learn more about the ocean biome.
A marine association has different programs for children of different ages. You'll find programs that are developed specially for pupils. Pupils are involved in interactive learning. This learning experience allows young children to recognize the value of the role each species performs in their environment. They not only get to research creatures from the ocean, but they also get to see, touch, and smell most of these animals and plants. This type of _ offers students an idea about the life of a marine scientist. It could help them choose a career afterwards.
These programs are generally held on Saturdays and Sundays in order that kids and parents can have more hours in which to have fun. Teachers who want to arrange these activities for their students can call a local marine association near them.
Question:
Which of the following is TURE?
Choices:
A. Young children can enjoy indirectly what it is like to be a marine biologist at a marine association.
B. To help your pupils to take care of the ocean, the best area to take them to is a marine association.
C. Children can learn the topics more successfully when they experience them directly.
D. A marine association has the same program for children of different ages. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high3231.txt | These days, young children can enjoy directly what it is like to be a marine biologist at a marine association. What they discover can lead them to appreciate and protect the ocean and also the animals living in it.
At the present time, learning isn't only limited to the classroom. It's quite common for kids to learn from outdoor experiences. Teachers commonly take their pupils on field trips to museums as well as other interesting areas. If you wish to help pupils to take care of the ocean, one of the best areas to take them to is a marine association, the place where the ocean biome is shown.
Taking your pupils to a marine association is a prefect way to help them learn. Education professionals agree that there are topics that children can learn more successfully whenever they experience them directly.
Several organizations that focused on protecting the ocean now operate on the coast of different areas in America and all around the world. It's quite common for marine associations nowadays to open their doors several times a week to kids, parents, and ocean lovers to learn more about the ocean biome.
A marine association has different programs for children of different ages. You'll find programs that are developed specially for pupils. Pupils are involved in interactive learning. This learning experience allows young children to recognize the value of the role each species performs in their environment. They not only get to research creatures from the ocean, but they also get to see, touch, and smell most of these animals and plants. This type of _ offers students an idea about the life of a marine scientist. It could help them choose a career afterwards.
These programs are generally held on Saturdays and Sundays in order that kids and parents can have more hours in which to have fun. Teachers who want to arrange these activities for their students can call a local marine association near them. | [
"Young children can enjoy indirectly what it is like to be a marine biologist at a marine association.",
"To help your pupils to take care of the ocean, the best area to take them to is a marine association.",
"Children can learn the topics more successfully when they experience them directly.",
"A marine association has the same program for children of different ages."
] |
Why was the writer dumbfounded when he opened his suitcase? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
I'd just got in a taxi at the railway station when suddenly I found one of my suitcases missing. Just then, I saw a young fellow about 30 walking away with it, opening it and drawing out the valuables. "Stop thief! Stop thief!" I shouted and threw open the car door and rushed out to him, followed by the driver and half a dozen passers-by. Very soon the thief was cornered at the turn of the road. My driver caught the thief by the neck and put his hand into his trouser pocket, drawing out money, credit card, telephone book and so on and put them back into my suitcase.
Half an hour later, the car was running at full speed on the express highway. I sat back and breathed a long sigh of relief . But as I pulled out those stolen things from the suitcase and started to check them, I became dumbfounded . Before my eyes were 200 yuan instead of 100. And a blood test report of a 58-year-old woman appeared. I suddenly realized that the taxi driver must have mistaken the thief's belongs and put his into my suitcase. The pitiful and begging look of the poor young man flashed across my mind again. My heart began to sink.
Two years has passed since then. But this event keeps coming back to me. Was the young man a habitual robber or a dutiful son who had been driven to desperation to find money to save his mother's life? My heart aches for him. How I wish I had gone back that summer afternoon to return the 200 yuan and say sorry to him. For the first time in my life, I realized that hate and love are very close.
Question:
Why was the writer dumbfounded when he opened his suitcase?
Choices:
A. Because he was now searching a different suitcase.
B. His own blood test report has changed into an old woman's.
C. An old woman had put her savings into his suitcase.
D. He was facing things that did not belong to himself. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high1445.txt | I'd just got in a taxi at the railway station when suddenly I found one of my suitcases missing. Just then, I saw a young fellow about 30 walking away with it, opening it and drawing out the valuables. "Stop thief! Stop thief!" I shouted and threw open the car door and rushed out to him, followed by the driver and half a dozen passers-by. Very soon the thief was cornered at the turn of the road. My driver caught the thief by the neck and put his hand into his trouser pocket, drawing out money, credit card, telephone book and so on and put them back into my suitcase.
Half an hour later, the car was running at full speed on the express highway. I sat back and breathed a long sigh of relief . But as I pulled out those stolen things from the suitcase and started to check them, I became dumbfounded . Before my eyes were 200 yuan instead of 100. And a blood test report of a 58-year-old woman appeared. I suddenly realized that the taxi driver must have mistaken the thief's belongs and put his into my suitcase. The pitiful and begging look of the poor young man flashed across my mind again. My heart began to sink.
Two years has passed since then. But this event keeps coming back to me. Was the young man a habitual robber or a dutiful son who had been driven to desperation to find money to save his mother's life? My heart aches for him. How I wish I had gone back that summer afternoon to return the 200 yuan and say sorry to him. For the first time in my life, I realized that hate and love are very close. | [
"Because he was now searching a different suitcase.",
"His own blood test report has changed into an old woman's.",
"An old woman had put her savings into his suitcase.",
"He was facing things that did not belong to himself."
] |
Explosions happened when _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
QINGDAO--Water and power supplies have been _ in the East Chinese city of Qingdao, the site of an oil pipeline explosion on Friday, the local government said on Monday.
Crude oil began leaking from the pipeline at 3:00 an Friday in Qingdao in Shandong province. The valves of the Huangdao oil warehouse were shut about 15 minutes later.
The oil spill then flowed into the city's rainwater pipe network, which empties into Jiaozhou Bay. Explosions occurred at two locations around 10:30 am Friday when workers were clearing the spill.
According to the local government, about 85 percent of public heating and 90 percent of the gas supply were also brought back to normal as of Monday.
Residents who have been taken to the temporary settlements are receiving bottled water and bread.
Many schools and kindergartens have reopened classes after Friday's oil pipeline explosion. No injures and deaths of students or teachers have been reported following the explosions at an underground pipeline operated by Sinopec. The school buildings of one middle school in the district were seriously damaged during the explosions. Education authorities have arranged psychological help for students and teaching staff. All other 18 schools and kindergartens in the district reopened classes on Monday.
As of Monday noon, the death toll from the explosion had risen to 55, with 9 people still missing and 136 hospitalized. According to local police, 49 bodied have been identified so far, and 42 of them were male victims. As of Monday morning, the blood supply in Qingdao was enough for the injured after more than 950 people in the city donated more than 340,000 ml of blood in the wake of the incident.
Question:
Explosions happened when _ .
Choices:
A. workers were cleaning the spill
B. valves of the oil warehouse were shut
C. the oil spill flowed into the city's water network
D. crude oil began to leak from an underground pipeline | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high5651.txt | QINGDAO--Water and power supplies have been _ in the East Chinese city of Qingdao, the site of an oil pipeline explosion on Friday, the local government said on Monday.
Crude oil began leaking from the pipeline at 3:00 an Friday in Qingdao in Shandong province. The valves of the Huangdao oil warehouse were shut about 15 minutes later.
The oil spill then flowed into the city's rainwater pipe network, which empties into Jiaozhou Bay. Explosions occurred at two locations around 10:30 am Friday when workers were clearing the spill.
According to the local government, about 85 percent of public heating and 90 percent of the gas supply were also brought back to normal as of Monday.
Residents who have been taken to the temporary settlements are receiving bottled water and bread.
Many schools and kindergartens have reopened classes after Friday's oil pipeline explosion. No injures and deaths of students or teachers have been reported following the explosions at an underground pipeline operated by Sinopec. The school buildings of one middle school in the district were seriously damaged during the explosions. Education authorities have arranged psychological help for students and teaching staff. All other 18 schools and kindergartens in the district reopened classes on Monday.
As of Monday noon, the death toll from the explosion had risen to 55, with 9 people still missing and 136 hospitalized. According to local police, 49 bodied have been identified so far, and 42 of them were male victims. As of Monday morning, the blood supply in Qingdao was enough for the injured after more than 950 people in the city donated more than 340,000 ml of blood in the wake of the incident. | [
"workers were cleaning the spill",
"valves of the oil warehouse were shut",
"the oil spill flowed into the city's water network",
"crude oil began to leak from an underground pipeline"
] |
If a circle has a radius of 14 feet, how many 6-inch pencils can be placed end-to-end across the diameter of the circle? | A circle with a radius of 14 feet has a diameter of 2*14=<<14*2=28>>28 feet.
A six-inch pencil is 6/12=<<6/12=0.5>>0.5 feet long.
Thus, across a 28-foot diameter, one can place 28/0.5=<<28/0.5=56>>56 6-inch pencils.
#### 56 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | If a circle has a radius of 14 feet, how many 6-inch pencils can be placed end-to-end across the diameter of the circle? | A circle with a radius of 14 feet has a diameter of 2*14=<<14*2=28>>28 feet.
A six-inch pencil is 6/12=<<6/12=0.5>>0.5 feet long.
Thus, across a 28-foot diameter, one can place 28/0.5=<<28/0.5=56>>56 6-inch pencils.
#### 56 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
In the years after World War Two,many Americans prefer to _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Traffic problems are an everyday concern in many cities,including Washington,DC.A growing number of Washingtonians are turning to bicycles to get to and from work.In fact,the number of commuters who use bicycles has doubled in the city since 2007.
Ralph Buehler teaches urban planning at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,popularly known as Virginia Tech.He has written a book about urban biking,called "City Cycling". He says there is a reason why urban bike tiding is now becoming more popular.
"Over the last 60 to 70 years.cities in the U.S.have been adapted to the automobile."
"Most cities took advantage of the money coming for the interstate highway system,from the federal government,starting in 1956.There was a 90 percent federal match so the cities only had to put up 10%.It was very tempting."
In the years after World War Two,many Americans moved to suburban communities,just outside major cities,They decided to travel great distances to and from work in exchange for a home in the suburbs.Their cars became a symbol of freedom.
But today,many people believe they can save money by living in the city.
Greg Billing is with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association."When a person makes a change from 04 using a car to using a bike,they are saving anywhere between 8 or$9,000 a year."
Ralph Buehler says governments save money when people use bicycles."Building bicycling facilities is much cheaper than building and maintaining road facilities or public transport."
Washington,DC has also taken steps to protect bike riders.It approved a safe passing law and created areas on the road between cars and bikes.
The United States Census Bureau says 4%of the city's workers ride to work by bike.The only city on the East Coast with more bike commuters is New York.
Question:
In the years after World War Two,many Americans prefer to _ .
Choices:
A. 1ive in the city
B. 1ive in the suburbs
C. travel great distances
D. rent houses | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high18016.txt | Traffic problems are an everyday concern in many cities,including Washington,DC.A growing number of Washingtonians are turning to bicycles to get to and from work.In fact,the number of commuters who use bicycles has doubled in the city since 2007.
Ralph Buehler teaches urban planning at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,popularly known as Virginia Tech.He has written a book about urban biking,called "City Cycling". He says there is a reason why urban bike tiding is now becoming more popular.
"Over the last 60 to 70 years.cities in the U.S.have been adapted to the automobile."
"Most cities took advantage of the money coming for the interstate highway system,from the federal government,starting in 1956.There was a 90 percent federal match so the cities only had to put up 10%.It was very tempting."
In the years after World War Two,many Americans moved to suburban communities,just outside major cities,They decided to travel great distances to and from work in exchange for a home in the suburbs.Their cars became a symbol of freedom.
But today,many people believe they can save money by living in the city.
Greg Billing is with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association."When a person makes a change from 04 using a car to using a bike,they are saving anywhere between 8 or$9,000 a year."
Ralph Buehler says governments save money when people use bicycles."Building bicycling facilities is much cheaper than building and maintaining road facilities or public transport."
Washington,DC has also taken steps to protect bike riders.It approved a safe passing law and created areas on the road between cars and bikes.
The United States Census Bureau says 4%of the city's workers ride to work by bike.The only city on the East Coast with more bike commuters is New York. | [
"1ive in the city",
"1ive in the suburbs",
"travel great distances",
"rent houses"
] |
Children enjoy the life in Coober Pedy mainly because they _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
You may think that an underground town of 3,500 people is something out of a science-fiction film. You may not believe that such a town has shops car parks, hotels, restaurants, cafes and much more. Well, Coober Pedy in Australia is just such a place.
Miners and their families choose to live like this, hoping to get rich looking for the precious stones that Australia is famous for --- opals . Living underground is the only way to be away from the sandstorms and the high temperatures above ground. Deep down in the town far below the desert surface, the temperature is between 19degC and 20degC and life is cool.
Mary Deane and her husband Jim are among the lucky ones. They live in a home, built with money from the opals Jim has found. "Whenever people hear we live underground, they always imagine a dusty cave," says Mary, "but they are amazed at my clean kitchen, our furniture and electrical appliances in here."
However, not everything is perfect in Coober Pedy. Mary has a tiny garden that she is very proud of, but the grass is not real. Plant life is rare. Water is five times more expensive underground than it is overground. Recycling is a way of life, so Jim usually washes his car with bath water and they have a special system to reuse the water from the dishwasher and washing machine.
Even so, most families enjoy life in Coober Pedy. The children can make as much noise as they want and there are no complaints from the neighbors because the thick walls stop sounds from traveling. Adults enjoy the peace and quiet away from the world above.
Question:
Children enjoy the life in Coober Pedy mainly because they _ .
Choices:
A. enjoy traveling around with their parents
B. can get many expensive toys from their parents
C. enjoy the peace and quiet while doing their homework
D. can enjoy themselves without disturbing their neighbors[ | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high12275.txt | You may think that an underground town of 3,500 people is something out of a science-fiction film. You may not believe that such a town has shops car parks, hotels, restaurants, cafes and much more. Well, Coober Pedy in Australia is just such a place.
Miners and their families choose to live like this, hoping to get rich looking for the precious stones that Australia is famous for --- opals . Living underground is the only way to be away from the sandstorms and the high temperatures above ground. Deep down in the town far below the desert surface, the temperature is between 19degC and 20degC and life is cool.
Mary Deane and her husband Jim are among the lucky ones. They live in a home, built with money from the opals Jim has found. "Whenever people hear we live underground, they always imagine a dusty cave," says Mary, "but they are amazed at my clean kitchen, our furniture and electrical appliances in here."
However, not everything is perfect in Coober Pedy. Mary has a tiny garden that she is very proud of, but the grass is not real. Plant life is rare. Water is five times more expensive underground than it is overground. Recycling is a way of life, so Jim usually washes his car with bath water and they have a special system to reuse the water from the dishwasher and washing machine.
Even so, most families enjoy life in Coober Pedy. The children can make as much noise as they want and there are no complaints from the neighbors because the thick walls stop sounds from traveling. Adults enjoy the peace and quiet away from the world above. | [
"enjoy traveling around with their parents",
"can get many expensive toys from their parents",
"enjoy the peace and quiet while doing their homework",
"can enjoy themselves without disturbing their neighbors["
] |
The passage mainly tells us about _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. That was long, long ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. I didn't like Emperor Claudius, and I wasn't the only one! A lot of people shared my feelings.
Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! I certainly wasn't going to support that law!
Did I mention that I was a priest ? One of my favourite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers. One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death.
I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love.
On the day I was to die, February 14, 269 A.D. I left my friend a little note thanking a girl, who helped me keep my spirits up, for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine."
Question:
The passage mainly tells us about _ .
Choices:
A. how Valentine died
B. the Emperor of Rome
C. the origin of Valentine's Day
D. how Valentine's Day is celebrated | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high17566.txt | My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. That was long, long ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. I didn't like Emperor Claudius, and I wasn't the only one! A lot of people shared my feelings.
Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! I certainly wasn't going to support that law!
Did I mention that I was a priest ? One of my favourite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers. One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death.
I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love.
On the day I was to die, February 14, 269 A.D. I left my friend a little note thanking a girl, who helped me keep my spirits up, for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine." | [
"how Valentine died",
"the Emperor of Rome",
"the origin of Valentine's Day",
"how Valentine's Day is celebrated"
] |
Why did ancient Chinese cities seem like a maze? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Walls and wall building have played a very important role in Chinese culture. In ancient times, not only towns and villages, but also the houses and the temples within them were surrounded with walls. Also, the houses had no windows overlooking the street. Thus, walking in a city would give the feeling of wandering around a huge maze . The word "city" in Chinese also means "wall". The god of walls and mounts, whose duty was, and still is, to protect and be responsible for the welfare of the residents in these cities, villages, houses and temples. So a great and extremely hard task such as constructing a wall, which was supposed to run the length of the country, might not sound absurd .
However, it is indeed a common mistake to think of the Great Wall as a single building structure, and it would also be a mistake to assume that it was built during a single dynasty. Actually, several dynasties somehow contributed to the construction of the Great Wall, the foundations of which had been laid many centuries ago. It was during the fourth and third centuries BC that warring states started building walls to protect their kingdoms, both against one another and against the northern nomads .
The Great Wall played an important role in the growth of Chinese economy in history. Many settlements were established along the new border. Armies were instructed to reclaim wasteland and to plant crops there. Also, roads and canals were built. All of the work greatly helped increase the country's trade and cultural exchanges with many remote areas and also with the southern, central and western parts of Asia.
Question:
Why did ancient Chinese cities seem like a maze?
Choices:
A. Because there were usually more walls than houses.
B. Because the outside walls of houses had no windows.
C. Because the word "city" means "wall".
D. Because there were legends about the god of walls. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high17928.txt | Walls and wall building have played a very important role in Chinese culture. In ancient times, not only towns and villages, but also the houses and the temples within them were surrounded with walls. Also, the houses had no windows overlooking the street. Thus, walking in a city would give the feeling of wandering around a huge maze . The word "city" in Chinese also means "wall". The god of walls and mounts, whose duty was, and still is, to protect and be responsible for the welfare of the residents in these cities, villages, houses and temples. So a great and extremely hard task such as constructing a wall, which was supposed to run the length of the country, might not sound absurd .
However, it is indeed a common mistake to think of the Great Wall as a single building structure, and it would also be a mistake to assume that it was built during a single dynasty. Actually, several dynasties somehow contributed to the construction of the Great Wall, the foundations of which had been laid many centuries ago. It was during the fourth and third centuries BC that warring states started building walls to protect their kingdoms, both against one another and against the northern nomads .
The Great Wall played an important role in the growth of Chinese economy in history. Many settlements were established along the new border. Armies were instructed to reclaim wasteland and to plant crops there. Also, roads and canals were built. All of the work greatly helped increase the country's trade and cultural exchanges with many remote areas and also with the southern, central and western parts of Asia. | [
"Because there were usually more walls than houses.",
"Because the outside walls of houses had no windows.",
"Because the word \"city\" means \"wall\".",
"Because there were legends about the god of walls."
] |
According to the passage,an HB pencil is best for people like _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
You cannot go without a pencil when writing or drawing something. You have probably noticed letters H and B printed on your pencils.What,for example,do HB,2H or 3H mean?
Those are letters showing the hardness of the lead or graphite in a pencil.H refers to hard lead.The bigger the Arabic number before the letter H,the harder the lead,and the lighter will be the colour. The hardest pencil has 6H on it.Such pencils are often used in making engineering drawings.People seldom write with them.B stands for soft lead.The bigger the number before the letter B,the softer the lead,and the darker will be the colour, the softest being the 6B pencil.Such pencils are favoured by artists.
The HB pencil has a lead core that is neither too soft nor too hard.Its colour is medium in its blackness.It is most suitable for ordinary writing and drawing.
Question:
According to the passage,an HB pencil is best for people like _ .
Choices:
A. students
B. artists
C. printers
D. engineers | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle4830.txt | You cannot go without a pencil when writing or drawing something. You have probably noticed letters H and B printed on your pencils.What,for example,do HB,2H or 3H mean?
Those are letters showing the hardness of the lead or graphite in a pencil.H refers to hard lead.The bigger the Arabic number before the letter H,the harder the lead,and the lighter will be the colour. The hardest pencil has 6H on it.Such pencils are often used in making engineering drawings.People seldom write with them.B stands for soft lead.The bigger the number before the letter B,the softer the lead,and the darker will be the colour, the softest being the 6B pencil.Such pencils are favoured by artists.
The HB pencil has a lead core that is neither too soft nor too hard.Its colour is medium in its blackness.It is most suitable for ordinary writing and drawing. | [
"students",
"artists",
"printers",
"engineers"
] |
Which of the following is True according to the passage? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Once upon a time, there was a farmer in central China. He didn't have money, so instead of a tractor , he used an old horse to plow his field .
One afternoon, while working in the field, the horse fell down, dead. Everyone in the village said, "Oh, what a horrible thing!" The farmer said simply, "We'll see." He was so peaceful and so calm that everyone in the village got together and, admiring his attitude, gave him a new horse as a gift.
Everyone's reaction now was, "What a lucky man!" And the farmer said, "We'll see."
A couple of days later, the new horse jumped over a fence and ran away. Everyone in the village shook their heads and said, "What a poor fellow!"
The farmer smiled and said, "We'll see."
Eventually, the horse found his way home, and everyone said, "What a fortunate man!"
The farmer said, "We'll see."
Later in the year, the farmer's young boy went out riding the horse and fell and broke his leg. Everyone in the village said, "What a poor boy!"
The farmer said, "We'll see."
Two days later, the army came into the village to draft new recruits .When they saw the farmer's son had a broken leg, they decided not to recruit him.
Everyone said, "What a fortunate young man!"
The farmer smiled again and said, "We'll see."
There's no use in overreacting to the events and circumstances of our everyday lives. When our hearts are in the right place, all events and circumstances are gifts that we can learn valuable lessons from.
Question:
Which of the following is True according to the passage?
Choices:
A. The farmer didn't use a tractor to plow his field.
B. The farmer was very sad because his own horse was dead.
C. The new horse ran away and never came back.
D. Because the army came into the village to draft new recruits, the son had his leg broken. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high22501.txt | Once upon a time, there was a farmer in central China. He didn't have money, so instead of a tractor , he used an old horse to plow his field .
One afternoon, while working in the field, the horse fell down, dead. Everyone in the village said, "Oh, what a horrible thing!" The farmer said simply, "We'll see." He was so peaceful and so calm that everyone in the village got together and, admiring his attitude, gave him a new horse as a gift.
Everyone's reaction now was, "What a lucky man!" And the farmer said, "We'll see."
A couple of days later, the new horse jumped over a fence and ran away. Everyone in the village shook their heads and said, "What a poor fellow!"
The farmer smiled and said, "We'll see."
Eventually, the horse found his way home, and everyone said, "What a fortunate man!"
The farmer said, "We'll see."
Later in the year, the farmer's young boy went out riding the horse and fell and broke his leg. Everyone in the village said, "What a poor boy!"
The farmer said, "We'll see."
Two days later, the army came into the village to draft new recruits .When they saw the farmer's son had a broken leg, they decided not to recruit him.
Everyone said, "What a fortunate young man!"
The farmer smiled again and said, "We'll see."
There's no use in overreacting to the events and circumstances of our everyday lives. When our hearts are in the right place, all events and circumstances are gifts that we can learn valuable lessons from. | [
"The farmer didn't use a tractor to plow his field.",
"The farmer was very sad because his own horse was dead.",
"The new horse ran away and never came back.",
"Because the army came into the village to draft new recruits, the son had his leg broken."
] |
Rico went into the room _ times to find a new toy he did not know. | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Rico is a dog who lives in Germany . His owners trained him from a young age to find his toys. When they say the name of a certain toy, Rico can find it. In fact, he seems to know the names of 200 toys!
Some researchers in Germany wanted to test Rico. They put his toys in a room and then told him to go in the room and find a certain toy. Since nobody was in the room with Rico, he had no help from anyone finding the right toy. The researchers did this test forty times. Rico found the right toy thirty-seven times!
Then the researchers tried something else. They put seven of Rico's toys in the room together with one new toy that Rico had never seen before. Then they told Rico to go into the room and get the new toy. This new toy had a name Rico had never heard before. Rico found the right toy seven out of ten times!
Researchers cannot really say that Rico knows words or language. However, these tests seem to show that Rico can think about what he hears and think about what he knows. In fact, Rico seems to think and remember things as well as a three-year-old child.
From these tests, animal researchers know one thing for sure. Rico has given them a lot to think about.
Question:
Rico went into the room _ times to find a new toy he did not know.
Choices:
A. seven
B. thirty-seven
C. ten
D. forty | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle1961.txt | Rico is a dog who lives in Germany . His owners trained him from a young age to find his toys. When they say the name of a certain toy, Rico can find it. In fact, he seems to know the names of 200 toys!
Some researchers in Germany wanted to test Rico. They put his toys in a room and then told him to go in the room and find a certain toy. Since nobody was in the room with Rico, he had no help from anyone finding the right toy. The researchers did this test forty times. Rico found the right toy thirty-seven times!
Then the researchers tried something else. They put seven of Rico's toys in the room together with one new toy that Rico had never seen before. Then they told Rico to go into the room and get the new toy. This new toy had a name Rico had never heard before. Rico found the right toy seven out of ten times!
Researchers cannot really say that Rico knows words or language. However, these tests seem to show that Rico can think about what he hears and think about what he knows. In fact, Rico seems to think and remember things as well as a three-year-old child.
From these tests, animal researchers know one thing for sure. Rico has given them a lot to think about. | [
"seven",
"thirty-seven",
"ten",
"forty"
] |
Which of the following topics is not mentioned in the passage.'? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
While she may be best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, Emma Watson would rather be known for something else in her mind.
The 18-year-old British actress intends to stop her acting career for the moment to pursue higher studies at a university after she finished the films, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Watson, whose parents are both Oxford graduates, is now on a gap year before starting university.
Earlier this month, Watson applied to two of the top universities in the United States -- Harvard and Yale. She admitted that Harry Potter series has brought her fame and financial security . She has made more than $10 million so far, but now she "has a need to study".
"I think the entertainment business is such a _ one. One minute you' re up there and the next -- nothing," she said.
Watson is growing up in front of millions of viewers ( ). She was only nine years old when she started playing the role of Hermione. And the way she figured out how to deal with media attention is "try not to read too much of what is said and try to distance myself a bit from _ ".
Watson has other interests. These include, interestingly, fishing and she has helped raise money for the Wild Trout Trust.
Question:
Which of the following topics is not mentioned in the passage.'?
Choices:
A. Watson' s interests.
B. Watson's intention.
C. Watson's success.
D. Watson's worries. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high21030.txt | While she may be best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, Emma Watson would rather be known for something else in her mind.
The 18-year-old British actress intends to stop her acting career for the moment to pursue higher studies at a university after she finished the films, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Watson, whose parents are both Oxford graduates, is now on a gap year before starting university.
Earlier this month, Watson applied to two of the top universities in the United States -- Harvard and Yale. She admitted that Harry Potter series has brought her fame and financial security . She has made more than $10 million so far, but now she "has a need to study".
"I think the entertainment business is such a _ one. One minute you' re up there and the next -- nothing," she said.
Watson is growing up in front of millions of viewers ( ). She was only nine years old when she started playing the role of Hermione. And the way she figured out how to deal with media attention is "try not to read too much of what is said and try to distance myself a bit from _ ".
Watson has other interests. These include, interestingly, fishing and she has helped raise money for the Wild Trout Trust. | [
"Watson' s interests.",
"Watson's intention.",
"Watson's success.",
"Watson's worries."
] |
Which recognition technology is already in use? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Soon computers and other machines will be able to remember you by looking at your eyes! The programme works because everyone's eyes are different. So in the future you won't have to remember a number when you want to use a machine or take money out of a bank. You'll just have to look at the machine and it will be able to tell who you are. The eye-recognition programme is tested in shops and banks in the USA, Britain and Italy.
Scientists are working on other systems, such as knowing you from the shape of your face or hand or even your smell! And machines can already tell who you are from your voice or your fingerprint . But eye-recognition will replace other ways of finding out who you are. It is better, because your eyes don't change as you get older, or get dirty like hands or fingers. And even twins have different eyes, so the programme can be up to 94% correct, depending on how good the technology is. In Britain, it was found that 91% of people said that they liked the idea of eye-recognition.
,.
Question:
Which recognition technology is already in use?
Choices:
A. Remembering eyes or smell.
B. Remembering fingerprints or voices.
C. Remembering faces or voices.
D. Remembering hands or faces. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle952.txt | Soon computers and other machines will be able to remember you by looking at your eyes! The programme works because everyone's eyes are different. So in the future you won't have to remember a number when you want to use a machine or take money out of a bank. You'll just have to look at the machine and it will be able to tell who you are. The eye-recognition programme is tested in shops and banks in the USA, Britain and Italy.
Scientists are working on other systems, such as knowing you from the shape of your face or hand or even your smell! And machines can already tell who you are from your voice or your fingerprint . But eye-recognition will replace other ways of finding out who you are. It is better, because your eyes don't change as you get older, or get dirty like hands or fingers. And even twins have different eyes, so the programme can be up to 94% correct, depending on how good the technology is. In Britain, it was found that 91% of people said that they liked the idea of eye-recognition.
,. | [
"Remembering eyes or smell.",
"Remembering fingerprints or voices.",
"Remembering faces or voices.",
"Remembering hands or faces."
] |
How would the cracked pot feel at the end of the story? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
A water bearer in India had two large pots,each hung on each end of a pole which he neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full load of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For two years this went on daily. The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishment. Of course,the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection. After two years of this sense of bitter failure, it spoke one day to the water bearer by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. "
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able for these last two years to deliver only half my load, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back. And you do no get full value for your efforts" the pot explained.
The water bearer, hearing this, said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path. "
As they wnet up the hill, the cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it a little.
The bearer said, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side ?" That is because I have known about you, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you have watered them. For two years I have been able to pick those beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty in his house. "
Question:
How would the cracked pot feel at the end of the story?
Choices:
A. Much happier with itself.
B. Disappointed with itself.
C. Prouder than the perfect pot.
D. Still ashamed of itself. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high17003.txt | A water bearer in India had two large pots,each hung on each end of a pole which he neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full load of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For two years this went on daily. The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishment. Of course,the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection. After two years of this sense of bitter failure, it spoke one day to the water bearer by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. "
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able for these last two years to deliver only half my load, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back. And you do no get full value for your efforts" the pot explained.
The water bearer, hearing this, said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path. "
As they wnet up the hill, the cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it a little.
The bearer said, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side ?" That is because I have known about you, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you have watered them. For two years I have been able to pick those beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty in his house. " | [
"Much happier with itself.",
"Disappointed with itself.",
"Prouder than the perfect pot.",
"Still ashamed of itself."
] |
Who probably led Richard Bach to his writing career? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Born in 1936 in Oak Park, Illinois, the American Richard Bach is the direct descendant of J.S. Bach, the famous composer. He attended Long Beach State College in 1955.
As an airplane pilot, Bach got married to his first wife and had six children, but divorced later and then left his family because he didn't believe in marriage. Everything concerning airplane was his field, including an aviation technical writer and flight instructor.
Though aviation was his true love, Bach always wanted to write. During his high school years, one of his teachers made him realize his potential. In 1959 he had this idea of a bird learning to pass beyond the walls of limitations--Jonathan Livingston Seagull. In almost all his books he used airplanes as a way to pass the message. In Running from Safety, Bach shares with us his childhood: at age 8, he lost one of his brothers: Bobby.
In 1970, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a story about a seagull who flew for the sake of flying rather than merely to catch food, was published by Macmillan Publishers after the manuscript was turned down by many other publishers. The book, which included unique photos of seagulls in flight, became a best-seller. In 1973, the book was turned into a movie. It's said that Bach charged the production with changing the movie without his permission. In fact, those who saw the movie noticed that his name wasn't mentioned.
Question:
Who probably led Richard Bach to his writing career?
Choices:
A. His family
B. His teacher
C. His publisher
D. His brother | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high17321.txt | Born in 1936 in Oak Park, Illinois, the American Richard Bach is the direct descendant of J.S. Bach, the famous composer. He attended Long Beach State College in 1955.
As an airplane pilot, Bach got married to his first wife and had six children, but divorced later and then left his family because he didn't believe in marriage. Everything concerning airplane was his field, including an aviation technical writer and flight instructor.
Though aviation was his true love, Bach always wanted to write. During his high school years, one of his teachers made him realize his potential. In 1959 he had this idea of a bird learning to pass beyond the walls of limitations--Jonathan Livingston Seagull. In almost all his books he used airplanes as a way to pass the message. In Running from Safety, Bach shares with us his childhood: at age 8, he lost one of his brothers: Bobby.
In 1970, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a story about a seagull who flew for the sake of flying rather than merely to catch food, was published by Macmillan Publishers after the manuscript was turned down by many other publishers. The book, which included unique photos of seagulls in flight, became a best-seller. In 1973, the book was turned into a movie. It's said that Bach charged the production with changing the movie without his permission. In fact, those who saw the movie noticed that his name wasn't mentioned. | [
"His family",
"His teacher",
"His publisher",
"His brother"
] |
Why did the boy have tears in his eyes in the end? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Before I had my son, I spent two years working with children with disabilities. I learned that shouting and threats of punishment would result in a disaster. Coming up against their behaviour could only make the job harder and their behaviour more extreme. I found something that worked, though.
There was a very naughty boy in the nursery and a teacher who was generally very confident with the children was asked to take charge of him. One day the boy joined a session in the room next to mine. His appearance created an atmosphere of tension. He spent the entire session running around, hitting and kicking, and destroying property.
I was in the craft room working with some other children when my co-worker told me that this boy's teacher was in tears, and could not get control of the situation. As we were talking,the boy ran in. I told my co-worker that I would take care of him.
I closed the door. He was full of energy, throwing things around and making a huge mess. But I could see that he was doing all these to annoy me. He needed connection, and this was the only way he knew how to ask for it. So I sat back down and kept quiet. Then he slowed down and began making a rocket. I talked to him about it. We continued like this for a few minutes before I slipped into the conversation:
"So what happened today?"
It was purely a question, no blame or anger in my tone. I believe that if I had criticized him, the gate that was slowly opening would have shut firmly closed. He told me that the teacher didn't let him do what he knew well due to safety but asked him to do what he disliked. He also admitted that he had enjoyed making her run around and saw it as a game. I explained that his teacher had not seen it as a game and was very upset. This again was stated simply as a fact. I suggested that next time he had a session, he talk about what he hoped to do at the start,which might be easier for everyone. He agreed and was quiet for a moment. Then he looked at me with tears in his eyes before quietly asking if he could go to find his teacher to apologize.
Question:
Why did the boy have tears in his eyes in the end?
Choices:
A. He was sorry about his reputation.
B. He was regretful about his behavior.
C. He was fearful of the author's warning.
D. He was sad for the author's misunderstanding. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high6820.txt | Before I had my son, I spent two years working with children with disabilities. I learned that shouting and threats of punishment would result in a disaster. Coming up against their behaviour could only make the job harder and their behaviour more extreme. I found something that worked, though.
There was a very naughty boy in the nursery and a teacher who was generally very confident with the children was asked to take charge of him. One day the boy joined a session in the room next to mine. His appearance created an atmosphere of tension. He spent the entire session running around, hitting and kicking, and destroying property.
I was in the craft room working with some other children when my co-worker told me that this boy's teacher was in tears, and could not get control of the situation. As we were talking,the boy ran in. I told my co-worker that I would take care of him.
I closed the door. He was full of energy, throwing things around and making a huge mess. But I could see that he was doing all these to annoy me. He needed connection, and this was the only way he knew how to ask for it. So I sat back down and kept quiet. Then he slowed down and began making a rocket. I talked to him about it. We continued like this for a few minutes before I slipped into the conversation:
"So what happened today?"
It was purely a question, no blame or anger in my tone. I believe that if I had criticized him, the gate that was slowly opening would have shut firmly closed. He told me that the teacher didn't let him do what he knew well due to safety but asked him to do what he disliked. He also admitted that he had enjoyed making her run around and saw it as a game. I explained that his teacher had not seen it as a game and was very upset. This again was stated simply as a fact. I suggested that next time he had a session, he talk about what he hoped to do at the start,which might be easier for everyone. He agreed and was quiet for a moment. Then he looked at me with tears in his eyes before quietly asking if he could go to find his teacher to apologize. | [
"He was sorry about his reputation.",
"He was regretful about his behavior.",
"He was fearful of the author's warning.",
"He was sad for the author's misunderstanding."
] |
In the geologic past, abiotic factors such as volcanic eruptions have had an impact on the availability of resources. How can volcanic eruptions impact the availability of resources? | null | Answer this science question and explain your reasoning. | In the geologic past, abiotic factors such as volcanic eruptions have had an impact on the availability of resources. How can volcanic eruptions impact the availability of resources?
Choices:
A. by decreasing the thickness of soil
B. by causing more heavy rains to erode topsoil
C. by disrupting the sunlight from reaching producers
D. by causing the surface of Earth to be warmer than usual | Correct answer: C | science | Mercury_411029 | {
"text": [
"by decreasing the thickness of soil",
"by causing more heavy rains to erode topsoil",
"by disrupting the sunlight from reaching producers",
"by causing the surface of Earth to be warmer than usual"
],
"label": [
"A",
"B",
"C",
"D"
]
} | C | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
In fact , few of millionaires _ | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
In today's world many people seem to be hungry for money. Money does have its most useful effect on the poor. But once a person has a rich life, a lot more money doesn`t mean more happiness.
If money were everything, all millionaires would have real love, true friendship, good health and a long life. However, this is not always true .But can love be bought ?I`m afraid not . Love means to give , not to take . To every person , health and long life are probably the most precious things . Well , can health and a long life be bought with money ? The answer is "No".
Of all the longest living people in the world, few of them are millionaires. True friendship can't be bought, either. In a word, where money is dreamed too much, it can cause brothers to quarrel, marriage to end, lovers to hate, and strangers to fight. No matter how much money you have, it is still not enough to make a happy person if you have no one to laugh with, no one to cry for.
,.
Question:
In fact , few of millionaires _
Choices:
A. have much money
B. have the longest living
C. love their money
D. have true love | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle2132.txt | In today's world many people seem to be hungry for money. Money does have its most useful effect on the poor. But once a person has a rich life, a lot more money doesn`t mean more happiness.
If money were everything, all millionaires would have real love, true friendship, good health and a long life. However, this is not always true .But can love be bought ?I`m afraid not . Love means to give , not to take . To every person , health and long life are probably the most precious things . Well , can health and a long life be bought with money ? The answer is "No".
Of all the longest living people in the world, few of them are millionaires. True friendship can't be bought, either. In a word, where money is dreamed too much, it can cause brothers to quarrel, marriage to end, lovers to hate, and strangers to fight. No matter how much money you have, it is still not enough to make a happy person if you have no one to laugh with, no one to cry for.
,. | [
"have much money",
"have the longest living",
"love their money",
"have true love"
] |
In the experiments, _ male rats freed their trapped partners. | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
New experiments discover rats showing sympathy and helping other rodents .It is a characteristic some scientists thought was reserved only for humans and higher animals.
In repeated tests, rats freed another trapped rat in their cage, even when yummy chocolate served as an attraction.24 of the 30 rats opened the trap by pushing in a door.The rats could have eaten the chocolate before freeing their partners, but often didn't, choosing to help and share the goodies.
"Basically they told us freeing another rat is as important as eating chocolate," said study author Peggy Mason of the University of Chicago."That's a very striking thing."
In some cases, the rats first took the chocolate chips out of a container, but didn't eat them, then freed the other rat and shared "almost as if they were serving them chocolate," Mason said.The research is reported in Thursday's journal Science.
Also, females showed more consistent care and help than males, Mason said.All six females freed their trapped partner while three quarters of the 24 males did so.This confirms other studies that show females showing more pro-social behavior than males.There were time when the male rats took the day off from helping their trapped partner, but the females never did, she said.
Jeff Mogil at McGill University in Canada, who wasn't part of the study, said it was a little surprising but even more convincing.
Both scientists said social understanding is probably a characteristic that is important in the evolution of animals.
Mason joked that if rats can be so caring and helpful, "there's a sense of optimism.It's something we could be."
Question:
In the experiments, _ male rats freed their trapped partners.
Choices:
A. 6
B. 18
C. 24
D. 30 | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high21657.txt | New experiments discover rats showing sympathy and helping other rodents .It is a characteristic some scientists thought was reserved only for humans and higher animals.
In repeated tests, rats freed another trapped rat in their cage, even when yummy chocolate served as an attraction.24 of the 30 rats opened the trap by pushing in a door.The rats could have eaten the chocolate before freeing their partners, but often didn't, choosing to help and share the goodies.
"Basically they told us freeing another rat is as important as eating chocolate," said study author Peggy Mason of the University of Chicago."That's a very striking thing."
In some cases, the rats first took the chocolate chips out of a container, but didn't eat them, then freed the other rat and shared "almost as if they were serving them chocolate," Mason said.The research is reported in Thursday's journal Science.
Also, females showed more consistent care and help than males, Mason said.All six females freed their trapped partner while three quarters of the 24 males did so.This confirms other studies that show females showing more pro-social behavior than males.There were time when the male rats took the day off from helping their trapped partner, but the females never did, she said.
Jeff Mogil at McGill University in Canada, who wasn't part of the study, said it was a little surprising but even more convincing.
Both scientists said social understanding is probably a characteristic that is important in the evolution of animals.
Mason joked that if rats can be so caring and helpful, "there's a sense of optimism.It's something we could be." | [
"6",
"18",
"24",
"30"
] |
. The actress got the painter's bill _ . | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
A beautiful and very successful actress was the star for a new musical show. Her home was in the countryside, but she did not want to go back there every night, so she bought an expensive house in the centre of the city, got some beautiful furniture and got a man to paint the rooms in new colours.
It was very difficult to get tickets for her show, because everybody wanted to see it. So she decided to give the painter two of the best seats. She hoped that this would make him work better for her. He took the tickets without saying anything, and she heard no more about them until the end of the month, when she got the painter's bill . At the bottom of it were these words: " Four hours watching Miss Hall sing and dance : 3 pounds," with this note: " After 5 p.m. I get 15 shillings an hour instead of 10 shillings."
Question:
. The actress got the painter's bill _ .
Choices:
A. to ask for the money of his painting work.
B. to ask her to pay for his watching her show
C. in which he showed his thanks for the tickets
D. in which he expressed his dissatisfaction | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high6884.txt | A beautiful and very successful actress was the star for a new musical show. Her home was in the countryside, but she did not want to go back there every night, so she bought an expensive house in the centre of the city, got some beautiful furniture and got a man to paint the rooms in new colours.
It was very difficult to get tickets for her show, because everybody wanted to see it. So she decided to give the painter two of the best seats. She hoped that this would make him work better for her. He took the tickets without saying anything, and she heard no more about them until the end of the month, when she got the painter's bill . At the bottom of it were these words: " Four hours watching Miss Hall sing and dance : 3 pounds," with this note: " After 5 p.m. I get 15 shillings an hour instead of 10 shillings." | [
"to ask for the money of his painting work.",
"to ask her to pay for his watching her show",
"in which he showed his thanks for the tickets",
"in which he expressed his dissatisfaction"
] |
The passage is mainly developed by _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
It is hardly surprising that clothing manufacturers follow certain uniform standards for various features of clothes. What seems strange, however, is that the standard adopted for women is the opposite of the one for men. Take a look at the way your clothes button. Men's clothes tend to button from the right, and women's from the left. Considering most of the world's population--men and women--are right-handed, the men's standard would appear to make more sense for women. So why do women's clothes button from the left?
History really seems to matter here. Buttons first appeared only on the clothes of the rich in the 17thcentury, when rich women were dressed by servants. For the mostly right-handed servants, having women's shirts button from the left would be easier. On the other hand, having men's shirt button from the right made sense, too. Most men dressed themselves, and a sword drawn from the left with the right hand would be less likely to get caught in the shirt.
Today women are seldom dressed by servants, but buttoning from the left is still the standard for them. Is it interesting? Actually, a standard, once set, resists change. At a time when all women's shirts buttoned from the left, it would have been risky for any single manufacturer to offer women's shirts that buttoned from the right. After all, women had grown so used to shirts which buttoned from the left and would have to develop new habits and skills to switch. Besides, some women might have found it socially awkward to appear in public wearing shirts that buttoned from the right, since any one who noticed that would believe they were wearing men's shirts.
Question:
The passage is mainly developed by _ .
Choices:
A. analyzing causes
B. making comparisons
C. examining differences
D. following the time order | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high742.txt | It is hardly surprising that clothing manufacturers follow certain uniform standards for various features of clothes. What seems strange, however, is that the standard adopted for women is the opposite of the one for men. Take a look at the way your clothes button. Men's clothes tend to button from the right, and women's from the left. Considering most of the world's population--men and women--are right-handed, the men's standard would appear to make more sense for women. So why do women's clothes button from the left?
History really seems to matter here. Buttons first appeared only on the clothes of the rich in the 17thcentury, when rich women were dressed by servants. For the mostly right-handed servants, having women's shirts button from the left would be easier. On the other hand, having men's shirt button from the right made sense, too. Most men dressed themselves, and a sword drawn from the left with the right hand would be less likely to get caught in the shirt.
Today women are seldom dressed by servants, but buttoning from the left is still the standard for them. Is it interesting? Actually, a standard, once set, resists change. At a time when all women's shirts buttoned from the left, it would have been risky for any single manufacturer to offer women's shirts that buttoned from the right. After all, women had grown so used to shirts which buttoned from the left and would have to develop new habits and skills to switch. Besides, some women might have found it socially awkward to appear in public wearing shirts that buttoned from the right, since any one who noticed that would believe they were wearing men's shirts. | [
"analyzing causes",
"making comparisons",
"examining differences",
"following the time order"
] |
Why is Sonia in support of shorter school holidays? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
In many countries, schools have long summer holidays, with shorter holidays in between.However, a new report suggests shortening school holidays to stop children forgetting what they have learnt during the long summer break.Instead of three school terms, it says, there should be five eight-week terms.And there should be just four weeks off in the summer, with a two-week break between the other terms.
Sonia Montero has two children at primary school and works full-time.She supports the idea."The kids," she says, " have much longer holidays then and I can't afford to take several weeks off work, so I need someone to take care of them.But nobody wants the work in the summer holidays -- they all have holidays of their own.
Not surprisingly, some young people disagree.Student Jason Panos says , "It's a stupid idea.I would hate staying at school in the summer.It's unfair, too.The people who suggest this had long school holidays when they were young, but now they want to stop us enjoying the summer.The kids in Spain and American have much longer holidays than here, but they don't forget everything they've learnt in a few months."
Nadia Salib agrees."Sure," she says, "the first week at school after the summer is never easy, but you soon get back into it.The real problem round here is that kids get bored after so many weeks out of school, and then some of them start causing trouble.But the answer is to give them something to do, not make everyone stay in school longer."
Question:
Why is Sonia in support of shorter school holidays?
Choices:
A. She doesn't get any summer holidays in her jobs.
B. She is worried that her children will forget what they've learnt.
C. She can't afford to pay someone to look after her children.
D. She can't get anyone to look after her children in summer. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high10681.txt | In many countries, schools have long summer holidays, with shorter holidays in between.However, a new report suggests shortening school holidays to stop children forgetting what they have learnt during the long summer break.Instead of three school terms, it says, there should be five eight-week terms.And there should be just four weeks off in the summer, with a two-week break between the other terms.
Sonia Montero has two children at primary school and works full-time.She supports the idea."The kids," she says, " have much longer holidays then and I can't afford to take several weeks off work, so I need someone to take care of them.But nobody wants the work in the summer holidays -- they all have holidays of their own.
Not surprisingly, some young people disagree.Student Jason Panos says , "It's a stupid idea.I would hate staying at school in the summer.It's unfair, too.The people who suggest this had long school holidays when they were young, but now they want to stop us enjoying the summer.The kids in Spain and American have much longer holidays than here, but they don't forget everything they've learnt in a few months."
Nadia Salib agrees."Sure," she says, "the first week at school after the summer is never easy, but you soon get back into it.The real problem round here is that kids get bored after so many weeks out of school, and then some of them start causing trouble.But the answer is to give them something to do, not make everyone stay in school longer." | [
"She doesn't get any summer holidays in her jobs.",
"She is worried that her children will forget what they've learnt.",
"She can't afford to pay someone to look after her children.",
"She can't get anyone to look after her children in summer."
] |
The main idea of the passage is that _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly black one.
In first grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through the scary halls.
In second grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you stand up to the class bully .
In third grade your idea of a good friend was the person who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus.
In fourth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who was willing to _ square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't have to be stuck with Nasty Nicky or Smelly Susan.
In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat on the back of the bus for you.
In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who went up to Nicky or Susan , your new crush and asked them to dance with you, so that if they said no you wouldn't have to be embarrassed.
In seventh grade your idea of a friend was the person who let you copy the social studies homework from the night before that you had forgotten to do.
In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball, but didn't laugh at you when you finished and broke out into tears.
In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who would go to a party held by a senior so you wouldn't end up being the only freshman there.
Question:
The main idea of the passage is that _ .
Choices:
A. Everyone needs friends in his life
B. Friends are important in our daily life
C. We need the same friends no matter how old we are
D. We need different friends in our different life stages | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle4125.txt | In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly black one.
In first grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through the scary halls.
In second grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you stand up to the class bully .
In third grade your idea of a good friend was the person who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus.
In fourth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who was willing to _ square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't have to be stuck with Nasty Nicky or Smelly Susan.
In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat on the back of the bus for you.
In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who went up to Nicky or Susan , your new crush and asked them to dance with you, so that if they said no you wouldn't have to be embarrassed.
In seventh grade your idea of a friend was the person who let you copy the social studies homework from the night before that you had forgotten to do.
In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball, but didn't laugh at you when you finished and broke out into tears.
In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who would go to a party held by a senior so you wouldn't end up being the only freshman there. | [
"Everyone needs friends in his life",
"Friends are important in our daily life",
"We need the same friends no matter how old we are",
"We need different friends in our different life stages"
] |
Leif’s apple tree has 14 apples and his orange tree has 2 dozen oranges. How many more oranges does he have than apples? | He has 2 x 12 = <<2*12=24>>24 oranges.
He has 24 - 14 = <<24-14=10>>10 more oranges than apples.
#### 10 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Leif’s apple tree has 14 apples and his orange tree has 2 dozen oranges. How many more oranges does he have than apples? | He has 2 x 12 = <<2*12=24>>24 oranges.
He has 24 - 14 = <<24-14=10>>10 more oranges than apples.
#### 10 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
Why Mencius and his mother were quite poor? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
When Mencius was a little boy, his father died. Mencius and his mother were quite poor. One day Mencius returned home from school and found his mother making some cloth. It was very beautiful and expensive.
"How much of the book have you read today?" Mencius' mother asked him. "I haven't read any of it yet." Mencius replied, "I played with some friends of mine in the fields."
When his mother heard this, she picked up a pair of scissors and cut the cloth.
"Why did you cut your cloth?" Mencius asked, "It was beautiful but now you've wasted it." "You have wasted your time," his mother said, "now I have wasted mine. Look what terrible things we have done."
Mencius learnt a lot from this lesson. After that, he always studied hard.
,.
Question:
Why Mencius and his mother were quite poor?
Choices:
A. Because his father died when Mencius was a child.
B. Because his father was ill in bed.
C. Because his mother cut the cloth.
D. Because the cloth his mother made was very cheap. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle5570.txt | When Mencius was a little boy, his father died. Mencius and his mother were quite poor. One day Mencius returned home from school and found his mother making some cloth. It was very beautiful and expensive.
"How much of the book have you read today?" Mencius' mother asked him. "I haven't read any of it yet." Mencius replied, "I played with some friends of mine in the fields."
When his mother heard this, she picked up a pair of scissors and cut the cloth.
"Why did you cut your cloth?" Mencius asked, "It was beautiful but now you've wasted it." "You have wasted your time," his mother said, "now I have wasted mine. Look what terrible things we have done."
Mencius learnt a lot from this lesson. After that, he always studied hard.
,. | [
"Because his father died when Mencius was a child.",
"Because his father was ill in bed.",
"Because his mother cut the cloth.",
"Because the cloth his mother made was very cheap."
] |
Some people in Japan take foreign language classes to _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
When you finish high school or university, is learning done? The answer is "no". In many countries, people continue learning all their lives. Why is lifelong learning important? How can it help you? Let's look at one example of lifelong learning in Japan.
Why is lifelong learning important?
You go to school and learn. You take tests. But learning doesn't only happen in school. And learning doesn't stop when you graduate from high school or college. You are learning all the time. For example, learning can happen when you go to a museum. It can also happen when you get a job. You learn when you play a sport or when you take a trip. Learning is life! We never stop learning. Every day, you can improve yourself by learning something new.
Lifelong learning in Japan
In Japan, life learning is very important. People in Japan like to try new learning activities. Except music calligraphy, flower arranging, and foreign languages are some of their favorite classes. The Japanese take classes to improve their skills and learn new things.
Conclusion
When we graduate from school, we can continue to learn. Make lifelong learning one of your goals!
Question:
Some people in Japan take foreign language classes to _ .
Choices:
A. get a job
B. learn new things
C. get good grades
D. finish college | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle413.txt | When you finish high school or university, is learning done? The answer is "no". In many countries, people continue learning all their lives. Why is lifelong learning important? How can it help you? Let's look at one example of lifelong learning in Japan.
Why is lifelong learning important?
You go to school and learn. You take tests. But learning doesn't only happen in school. And learning doesn't stop when you graduate from high school or college. You are learning all the time. For example, learning can happen when you go to a museum. It can also happen when you get a job. You learn when you play a sport or when you take a trip. Learning is life! We never stop learning. Every day, you can improve yourself by learning something new.
Lifelong learning in Japan
In Japan, life learning is very important. People in Japan like to try new learning activities. Except music calligraphy, flower arranging, and foreign languages are some of their favorite classes. The Japanese take classes to improve their skills and learn new things.
Conclusion
When we graduate from school, we can continue to learn. Make lifelong learning one of your goals! | [
"get a job",
"learn new things",
"get good grades",
"finish college"
] |
The word " density" in the text suggests a measurement of the planet's _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
For the first time, scientists have found a planet beyond the solar system that not only is the same size as Earth, but has the same proportions of iron and rock, a key step in an ongoing quest to find potentially habitable sister worlds.
The planet, known as Kepler-78b, circles a star that is slightly smaller than the sun located in the constellation Cygnus , about 400 light years away.
Kepler-78b was discovered last year with NASA's now-idled Kepler space telescope, which detected potential planets as they circled in front of their parent stars, blocking a bit of light.
That measurement not only revealed that Kepler-78b was ly small, with a diameter just 20 percent larger than Earth's, but that it was practically orbiting on the surface of its host star.
Scientists do not know how the planets ended up so close to their host stars.
While the planet's presumably molten surface and hot temperatures make it ill-suited for life, two independent teams of astronomers jumped at the opportunity to follow up the discovery with ground-based measurements to try to determine the density of Kepler-78b.
In two papers in this week's journal Nature, the teams report that not only were they successful, but that they came to the same conclusion: Kepler-78b has roughly the same density as Earth, suggesting that it also is made primarily of rock and iron.
Kepler-78b is among a dozen or so recently discovered small planets that orbit very close to their parent stars. Kepler-78b, for example, completes an orbit in just 8.5 hours.
Question:
The word " density" in the text suggests a measurement of the planet's _ .
Choices:
A. volume
B. size
C. weight
D. thickness | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high18520.txt | For the first time, scientists have found a planet beyond the solar system that not only is the same size as Earth, but has the same proportions of iron and rock, a key step in an ongoing quest to find potentially habitable sister worlds.
The planet, known as Kepler-78b, circles a star that is slightly smaller than the sun located in the constellation Cygnus , about 400 light years away.
Kepler-78b was discovered last year with NASA's now-idled Kepler space telescope, which detected potential planets as they circled in front of their parent stars, blocking a bit of light.
That measurement not only revealed that Kepler-78b was ly small, with a diameter just 20 percent larger than Earth's, but that it was practically orbiting on the surface of its host star.
Scientists do not know how the planets ended up so close to their host stars.
While the planet's presumably molten surface and hot temperatures make it ill-suited for life, two independent teams of astronomers jumped at the opportunity to follow up the discovery with ground-based measurements to try to determine the density of Kepler-78b.
In two papers in this week's journal Nature, the teams report that not only were they successful, but that they came to the same conclusion: Kepler-78b has roughly the same density as Earth, suggesting that it also is made primarily of rock and iron.
Kepler-78b is among a dozen or so recently discovered small planets that orbit very close to their parent stars. Kepler-78b, for example, completes an orbit in just 8.5 hours. | [
"volume",
"size",
"weight",
"thickness"
] |
Which of the following is a reason for the cutting and burning of forests? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
It is often said that man has become the enemy of our planet. This is no exaggeration , for reports show that man's greed has done much to destroy the earth. Man, in his greedy desire for financial growth, has polluted the air, land and water, and has robbed our valuable natural resources. Man's industrial plants pour out poisonous waste that pollutes the sea and puts life in the sea under the threat of dying out; at the same time, they release alarming amounts of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other pollutants. Small wonder that the air now is much warmer and more impure than ever before.
Of course, this is not just because of man's greed--it is man's pressing need as well. For instance, in developing countries, huge financial foreign debts have forced governments to approve the cutting of forests for agriculture or ranching. As a result, forests are cut down just to meet man's immediate needs.
Perhaps unknowingly,man has changed the make-up of the earth's atmosphere. Scientific studies have shown that CFCs used in refrigerators and industrial cleaners are fast destroying the ozone layer--a protective layer in the atmosphere that protects us against the harmful effects of the sun's ultraviolet rays. In fact, documented reports have shown a terrible fact that there are "holes" in the ozone layer over the Antarctic. And they appear to be expanding.
Faced with these environmental problems, world leaders have shown deep concern. The UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) has arranged international agreements like the Vienna convention of 1985 and the Montreal Protocol of 1989 to preserve the ozone layer by controlling the production, use and trade of destructive chemicals.
There may be some doubt as to how effectual these agreements may be, given that some countries still maintain an "I-don't-care" attitude. Their attitude is probably due to their failure to grasp the importance of the problem. Then, there is no doubt that environmental education on an international scale is greatly needed, so that all countries, great and small--the "haves" and the "have nots"--may realize their responsibilities for our planet.
In the meantime, the UNEP seems to have taken steps in the right direction, and it is hoped that in the not so distant future, all nations of the world will join hands in saving mother earth.
Question:
Which of the following is a reason for the cutting and burning of forests?
Choices:
A. To build houses for more population.
B. To have land for agriculture.
C. To export trees to other countries.
D. To build industrial plants. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high5288.txt | It is often said that man has become the enemy of our planet. This is no exaggeration , for reports show that man's greed has done much to destroy the earth. Man, in his greedy desire for financial growth, has polluted the air, land and water, and has robbed our valuable natural resources. Man's industrial plants pour out poisonous waste that pollutes the sea and puts life in the sea under the threat of dying out; at the same time, they release alarming amounts of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other pollutants. Small wonder that the air now is much warmer and more impure than ever before.
Of course, this is not just because of man's greed--it is man's pressing need as well. For instance, in developing countries, huge financial foreign debts have forced governments to approve the cutting of forests for agriculture or ranching. As a result, forests are cut down just to meet man's immediate needs.
Perhaps unknowingly,man has changed the make-up of the earth's atmosphere. Scientific studies have shown that CFCs used in refrigerators and industrial cleaners are fast destroying the ozone layer--a protective layer in the atmosphere that protects us against the harmful effects of the sun's ultraviolet rays. In fact, documented reports have shown a terrible fact that there are "holes" in the ozone layer over the Antarctic. And they appear to be expanding.
Faced with these environmental problems, world leaders have shown deep concern. The UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) has arranged international agreements like the Vienna convention of 1985 and the Montreal Protocol of 1989 to preserve the ozone layer by controlling the production, use and trade of destructive chemicals.
There may be some doubt as to how effectual these agreements may be, given that some countries still maintain an "I-don't-care" attitude. Their attitude is probably due to their failure to grasp the importance of the problem. Then, there is no doubt that environmental education on an international scale is greatly needed, so that all countries, great and small--the "haves" and the "have nots"--may realize their responsibilities for our planet.
In the meantime, the UNEP seems to have taken steps in the right direction, and it is hoped that in the not so distant future, all nations of the world will join hands in saving mother earth. | [
"To build houses for more population.",
"To have land for agriculture.",
"To export trees to other countries.",
"To build industrial plants."
] |
We can learn from the passage that _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Outline programme for the State Visit of the President of The People's Republic of China, Mr XiJinping, accompanied by Madame Peng Liyuan, 20 to 23 October 2015.
MONDAY 19 OCTOBER
The President of The People's Republic of China will arrive privately in the UK on Monday evening, 19th October, at Heathrow Airport. They will be greeted by The Viscount Hood, Lord-in-Waiting.
TUESDAY 20TH OCTOBER
The Queen will formally welcome the President at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade. The President will inspect the Guard of Honour. Following a private lunch at Buckingham Palace, given by The Queen, Her Majesty will invite the President to view an exhibition in the Picture Gallery of items from the Royal Collection relating to China. In the evening The Queen will give a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace for the President. Her Majesty and the President will both make speeches at the start of the banquet.
WEDNESDAY 21 OCTOBER
President Xi will meet with the Prime Minister, David Cameron, at No.10 Downing Street for a bilateral meeting. They will visit the UK-China Business Summit at Mansion House, which will focus on investment, infrastructure and innovation. Then, the President will visit Huawei Technologies, where he will receive presentations looking at Huawei's 14 years in the UK, its innovation work with UK partners and the latest technology trends. In the evening, the President will attend a banquet at Guildhall given by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor and the President will both make speeches at the end of the banquet.
THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER
The President will formally bid farewell to The Queen at Buckingham Palace in the morning. Afterwards, he will join a Confucius Institute conference. Later he will fly up to Manchester ahead of the final day of the State Visit.
FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER
In the morning, the President will visit the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester. Later he will visit the Manchester City Football Group. The Lord Chamberlain will bid farewell to President Xi. Their Excellencies will depart from Manchester Airport.
Question:
We can learn from the passage that _ .
Choices:
A. speeches are usually given at the start of a Banquet
B. The Queen will greet and see off President Xi at the Airport
C. a welcome ceremony and farewell ceremony will be arranged by the UK
D. Huawei Technologies has been cooperating with British for more than a decade | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high12928.txt | Outline programme for the State Visit of the President of The People's Republic of China, Mr XiJinping, accompanied by Madame Peng Liyuan, 20 to 23 October 2015.
MONDAY 19 OCTOBER
The President of The People's Republic of China will arrive privately in the UK on Monday evening, 19th October, at Heathrow Airport. They will be greeted by The Viscount Hood, Lord-in-Waiting.
TUESDAY 20TH OCTOBER
The Queen will formally welcome the President at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade. The President will inspect the Guard of Honour. Following a private lunch at Buckingham Palace, given by The Queen, Her Majesty will invite the President to view an exhibition in the Picture Gallery of items from the Royal Collection relating to China. In the evening The Queen will give a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace for the President. Her Majesty and the President will both make speeches at the start of the banquet.
WEDNESDAY 21 OCTOBER
President Xi will meet with the Prime Minister, David Cameron, at No.10 Downing Street for a bilateral meeting. They will visit the UK-China Business Summit at Mansion House, which will focus on investment, infrastructure and innovation. Then, the President will visit Huawei Technologies, where he will receive presentations looking at Huawei's 14 years in the UK, its innovation work with UK partners and the latest technology trends. In the evening, the President will attend a banquet at Guildhall given by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor and the President will both make speeches at the end of the banquet.
THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER
The President will formally bid farewell to The Queen at Buckingham Palace in the morning. Afterwards, he will join a Confucius Institute conference. Later he will fly up to Manchester ahead of the final day of the State Visit.
FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER
In the morning, the President will visit the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester. Later he will visit the Manchester City Football Group. The Lord Chamberlain will bid farewell to President Xi. Their Excellencies will depart from Manchester Airport. | [
"speeches are usually given at the start of a Banquet",
"The Queen will greet and see off President Xi at the Airport",
"a welcome ceremony and farewell ceremony will be arranged by the UK",
"Huawei Technologies has been cooperating with British for more than a decade"
] |
What is the purpose of the passage? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Repeated cases of child abuse in China have shocked the country. They also have led to more protection of children's rights. But rights activists say the government and private groups need to do more to help children in need.
A small child protection service in Shanghai is trying to stop neglect and violence against children.
Gege is seven years old. She has been homeless for almost half her life. Her mother suffers from a mental condition. They lived on the streets in Shenzhen for more than three years. A man named Xiao Xudong learned about Gege. He told her story to the local media earlier this year. Government officials heard the story and found help for Gege and her mother. The mother began to receive treatment for her mental problems. Gege was sent to a centre for children who had lost both parents. She was later re-united with her father.
Her story has a happy ending. But social workers are not yet celebrating.
Xiao Xudong spoke on Skype: "We have many child protection organizations, but why do we still have so many children being abused and neglected?"
Recently, Chinese newspapers and magazines reported on repeated cases of child abuse in the country. The reports shocked many people and led the government to strengthen measures to protect children's rights.
Xie Chang'e is a lawyer. She offers legal assistance at a child protection service called Hope Home. Ms. Xie said that China has laws to protect children's rights. But the laws are often unclear, she added, and difficult to put into effect.
However, the government is starting to recognize the problems in the child welfare system. New rules state that parents or legal guardians who sexually abuse, sell, abandon or violently hurt children will lose their legal right to care for them.
Ms. Xie supports the new regulations. She says they are a good way to help protect children. But she says police and other officials do not know about the regulations or do not always follow them. She also notes that the new regulations have the force of law, but they have not yet been written into laws.
Question:
What is the purpose of the passage?
Choices:
A. To explain the bad need to solve child abuse in China.
B. To call on people to have pity on abused children.
C. To help abused children find a happy ending.
D. To raise the government's concerns to protect children. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high13426.txt | Repeated cases of child abuse in China have shocked the country. They also have led to more protection of children's rights. But rights activists say the government and private groups need to do more to help children in need.
A small child protection service in Shanghai is trying to stop neglect and violence against children.
Gege is seven years old. She has been homeless for almost half her life. Her mother suffers from a mental condition. They lived on the streets in Shenzhen for more than three years. A man named Xiao Xudong learned about Gege. He told her story to the local media earlier this year. Government officials heard the story and found help for Gege and her mother. The mother began to receive treatment for her mental problems. Gege was sent to a centre for children who had lost both parents. She was later re-united with her father.
Her story has a happy ending. But social workers are not yet celebrating.
Xiao Xudong spoke on Skype: "We have many child protection organizations, but why do we still have so many children being abused and neglected?"
Recently, Chinese newspapers and magazines reported on repeated cases of child abuse in the country. The reports shocked many people and led the government to strengthen measures to protect children's rights.
Xie Chang'e is a lawyer. She offers legal assistance at a child protection service called Hope Home. Ms. Xie said that China has laws to protect children's rights. But the laws are often unclear, she added, and difficult to put into effect.
However, the government is starting to recognize the problems in the child welfare system. New rules state that parents or legal guardians who sexually abuse, sell, abandon or violently hurt children will lose their legal right to care for them.
Ms. Xie supports the new regulations. She says they are a good way to help protect children. But she says police and other officials do not know about the regulations or do not always follow them. She also notes that the new regulations have the force of law, but they have not yet been written into laws. | [
"To explain the bad need to solve child abuse in China.",
"To call on people to have pity on abused children.",
"To help abused children find a happy ending.",
"To raise the government's concerns to protect children."
] |
Henry was the first to _ cars. | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Cars are the most important part of life in the United States. Without a car most people feel that they are poor. And even if a person is poor he doesn't feel really poor when he has a car.
Henry Ford was the man who first started making cars in large numbers. He probably doesn't know how much the car was going to affect American culture. The car made the United States a nation on wheels. And it helped to make the United States what it is today.
There are many reasons that the car became so popular in the United States. First of all, the country was a large one and Americans like to move around in it. The car provides the most comfortable and cheapest from of transportation. With a car people can go to any place without spending a lot of money.
The second reason that cars are popular is the fact that the United States never really developed an efficient and inexpensive form of public transportation. Long distance trains have never been as common in the United States as they are in the other parts of the world. Nowadays there is good system of air service provided by planes. But it is too expensive to be used frequently.
The third reason is the most important one. The American spirit of independence is what really made cars popular. Americans don't like to wait for a bus, or a train or even a plane. They don't like to have to follow an exact schedule. A car gives them the freedom to plan their own time. And this is the freedom that Americans want most to have.
The gas shortage has caused a big problem for Americans. But the answer will not be a bigger system of public transportation. The real solution will have to be a new kind of car, one that does not use so much gas.
Question:
Henry was the first to _ cars.
Choices:
A. find out
B. find
C. sell
D. produce | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high22366.txt | Cars are the most important part of life in the United States. Without a car most people feel that they are poor. And even if a person is poor he doesn't feel really poor when he has a car.
Henry Ford was the man who first started making cars in large numbers. He probably doesn't know how much the car was going to affect American culture. The car made the United States a nation on wheels. And it helped to make the United States what it is today.
There are many reasons that the car became so popular in the United States. First of all, the country was a large one and Americans like to move around in it. The car provides the most comfortable and cheapest from of transportation. With a car people can go to any place without spending a lot of money.
The second reason that cars are popular is the fact that the United States never really developed an efficient and inexpensive form of public transportation. Long distance trains have never been as common in the United States as they are in the other parts of the world. Nowadays there is good system of air service provided by planes. But it is too expensive to be used frequently.
The third reason is the most important one. The American spirit of independence is what really made cars popular. Americans don't like to wait for a bus, or a train or even a plane. They don't like to have to follow an exact schedule. A car gives them the freedom to plan their own time. And this is the freedom that Americans want most to have.
The gas shortage has caused a big problem for Americans. But the answer will not be a bigger system of public transportation. The real solution will have to be a new kind of car, one that does not use so much gas. | [
"find out",
"find",
"sell",
"produce"
] |
The author loves the charity shop mainly because of _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
I love charity shops and so do lots of other people in Britain because you find quite a few of them on every high street. The charity shop is a British institution, selling everything from clothes to electric goods, all at very good prices. You can get things you won't find in the shops anymore. The thing I like best about them is that your money is going to a good cause and not into the pockets of profit-driven companies, and you are not damaging the planet, but finding a new home for unwanted goods.
The first charity shop was opened in 1947 by Oxfam. The famous charity's appeal to aid postwar Greece had been so successful that it had been flooded with donations. They decided to set up a shop to sell some of these donations to raise money for that appeal. Now there are over 7,000 charity shops in the UK. My favorite charity shop in my hometown is the Red Cross shop, where I always find children's books, all 10 or 20 pence each.
Most of the people working in the charity shops are volunteers, although there is often a manager who gets paid. Over 90% of the goods in the charity shops are donated by the public. Every morning you see bags of unwanted items outside the front of shops, although they don't encourage this, rather ask people to bring things in when the shop is open.
The shops have very low running costs, and all profits go to charity work. Charity shops raise more than PS110 million a year, funding medical research, overseas aid, supporting sick and poor children, homeless and disabled people, and much more. What better places to spend your money? You get something special for a very good price and a good moral sense. You provide funds to a good cause and step lightly on the environment.
Question:
The author loves the charity shop mainly because of _ .
Choices:
A. its convenient location
B. its great variety of goods
C. its spirit of goodwill
D. its nice shopping environment | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high11985.txt | I love charity shops and so do lots of other people in Britain because you find quite a few of them on every high street. The charity shop is a British institution, selling everything from clothes to electric goods, all at very good prices. You can get things you won't find in the shops anymore. The thing I like best about them is that your money is going to a good cause and not into the pockets of profit-driven companies, and you are not damaging the planet, but finding a new home for unwanted goods.
The first charity shop was opened in 1947 by Oxfam. The famous charity's appeal to aid postwar Greece had been so successful that it had been flooded with donations. They decided to set up a shop to sell some of these donations to raise money for that appeal. Now there are over 7,000 charity shops in the UK. My favorite charity shop in my hometown is the Red Cross shop, where I always find children's books, all 10 or 20 pence each.
Most of the people working in the charity shops are volunteers, although there is often a manager who gets paid. Over 90% of the goods in the charity shops are donated by the public. Every morning you see bags of unwanted items outside the front of shops, although they don't encourage this, rather ask people to bring things in when the shop is open.
The shops have very low running costs, and all profits go to charity work. Charity shops raise more than PS110 million a year, funding medical research, overseas aid, supporting sick and poor children, homeless and disabled people, and much more. What better places to spend your money? You get something special for a very good price and a good moral sense. You provide funds to a good cause and step lightly on the environment. | [
"its convenient location",
"its great variety of goods",
"its spirit of goodwill",
"its nice shopping environment"
] |
Where can we most likely read this text? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Apparently your mom had it right when she threatened to wash your mouth out with soap if you talked dirty. Lying really does create a desire to clean the "dirty" body part, according to a study by University of Michigan.
"The references to 'dirty hands' or 'dirty mouths' in everyday language suggest that people think about abstract issues of moral purity in terms of more experiences with physical purity," said Spike W.S. Lee, a U-M doctoral candidate, who conducted the study with Norbert Schwarz, a psychologist at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR), the Ross School of Business, and the U-M psychology department.
For the study, Lee and Schwarz asked 87 students to play the role of lawyers competing with a colleague, "Chris", for a promotion. Each was asked to imagine they found an important document that Chris had lost, and that returning the document would help his career and hurt their own career. Each participant was instructed to leave Chris a message by either voice mail or email, telling him who they were and either lying that they could not find his document or telling the truth that they had found the document.
Next, participants rated the desirability of several products as part of a supposed marketing survey and reported how much they were willing to pay for each product. The products included mouthwash and hand sanitizer .
Study participants who lied on the phone, leaving an untrue and mean voicemail, felt a stronger desire for mouthwash and were willing to pay more for it than those who lied on e-mail. And conversely, those who lied on e-mail, typing the same mean message, felt a stronger desire for hand sanitizer and were willing to pay more for _ . Saying nice and morally correct things, on the other hand, made it less appealing to clean the body part involved in conveying the message.
In scientific terms, the findings showed that the embodiment of moral purity is specific to the modality involved in the moral misbehavior. Verbal lying increased participants' assessment of mouthwash while lying on e-mail, using their hands, increased the assessment of hand sanitizer's value.
"This study shows how 'concrete' the symbolic links are between abstract and concrete domains of life," Schwarz said. "Not only do people want to clean after a dirty deed, they want to clean the specific body part involved."
Question:
Where can we most likely read this text?
Choices:
A. In a scientist's diary.
B. In a class experiment report.
C. In a social column of a newspaper.
D. In a popular science magazine. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high21288.txt | Apparently your mom had it right when she threatened to wash your mouth out with soap if you talked dirty. Lying really does create a desire to clean the "dirty" body part, according to a study by University of Michigan.
"The references to 'dirty hands' or 'dirty mouths' in everyday language suggest that people think about abstract issues of moral purity in terms of more experiences with physical purity," said Spike W.S. Lee, a U-M doctoral candidate, who conducted the study with Norbert Schwarz, a psychologist at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR), the Ross School of Business, and the U-M psychology department.
For the study, Lee and Schwarz asked 87 students to play the role of lawyers competing with a colleague, "Chris", for a promotion. Each was asked to imagine they found an important document that Chris had lost, and that returning the document would help his career and hurt their own career. Each participant was instructed to leave Chris a message by either voice mail or email, telling him who they were and either lying that they could not find his document or telling the truth that they had found the document.
Next, participants rated the desirability of several products as part of a supposed marketing survey and reported how much they were willing to pay for each product. The products included mouthwash and hand sanitizer .
Study participants who lied on the phone, leaving an untrue and mean voicemail, felt a stronger desire for mouthwash and were willing to pay more for it than those who lied on e-mail. And conversely, those who lied on e-mail, typing the same mean message, felt a stronger desire for hand sanitizer and were willing to pay more for _ . Saying nice and morally correct things, on the other hand, made it less appealing to clean the body part involved in conveying the message.
In scientific terms, the findings showed that the embodiment of moral purity is specific to the modality involved in the moral misbehavior. Verbal lying increased participants' assessment of mouthwash while lying on e-mail, using their hands, increased the assessment of hand sanitizer's value.
"This study shows how 'concrete' the symbolic links are between abstract and concrete domains of life," Schwarz said. "Not only do people want to clean after a dirty deed, they want to clean the specific body part involved." | [
"In a scientist's diary.",
"In a class experiment report.",
"In a social column of a newspaper.",
"In a popular science magazine."
] |
The article tells us that_. | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Steve Jobs-A surprising success.
Nothing in the early years of Steve Job's life suggested that he would be so successful. Born in San Francisco, the child of two students, he was adopted and grew up close to Silicon Valley. While at company-and he and his best friend Steve Wozniak got summer jobs there.
After finishing high school in 1972, Jobs studied at an expensive liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon but he dropped pout after one after one term. He grew his hair and a beard, slept on friends' floors, and sometimes went to a Hare Krishna temple for free meals. Like many drop-outs at that Beatles-inspired time, his ambition was to visit a guru([])in India, which he eventually did with a friend. When they got there, the guru had died.
At this point, Jobs has a limited education, and no obvious talents, apart from a notorious ability to talk. However, he did have a devoted friend who was an electronics genius. They were a great team. Without Jobs' s ambition, high design standards, the ability to make deals and great maketing skills-Wozniak might well have spent a quiet life designing hardware at HP.
Question:
The article tells us that_.
Choices:
A. Steve Jobs's parents lived in San Francisco
B. Steve Jobs's parents were rich
C. Steve Jobs's parents worked at Hewlett-Packard
D. Steve Jobs didn't know his real parents | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high15315.txt | Steve Jobs-A surprising success.
Nothing in the early years of Steve Job's life suggested that he would be so successful. Born in San Francisco, the child of two students, he was adopted and grew up close to Silicon Valley. While at company-and he and his best friend Steve Wozniak got summer jobs there.
After finishing high school in 1972, Jobs studied at an expensive liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon but he dropped pout after one after one term. He grew his hair and a beard, slept on friends' floors, and sometimes went to a Hare Krishna temple for free meals. Like many drop-outs at that Beatles-inspired time, his ambition was to visit a guru([])in India, which he eventually did with a friend. When they got there, the guru had died.
At this point, Jobs has a limited education, and no obvious talents, apart from a notorious ability to talk. However, he did have a devoted friend who was an electronics genius. They were a great team. Without Jobs' s ambition, high design standards, the ability to make deals and great maketing skills-Wozniak might well have spent a quiet life designing hardware at HP. | [
"Steve Jobs's parents lived in San Francisco",
"Steve Jobs's parents were rich",
"Steve Jobs's parents worked at Hewlett-Packard",
"Steve Jobs didn't know his real parents"
] |
What is defined as a repeating series of events that include growth, dna synthesis, and cell division? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | What is defined as a repeating series of events that include growth, dna synthesis, and cell division? | cell cycle | science | null | null | null | puberty | photosynthesis | meiosis | cell cycle | Cell division is just one of several stages that a cell goes through during its lifetime. The cell cycle is a repeating series of events that include growth, DNA synthesis, and cell division. The cell cycle in prokaryotes is quite simple: the cell grows, its DNA replicates, and the cell divides. In eukaryotes, the cell cycle is more complicated. | null | null | null |
What is responsible for the foul smell of rancid butt? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | What is responsible for the foul smell of rancid butt? | butyric acid | science | null | null | null | ibogaine acid | Fatty Acid | affixed acid | butyric acid | 25°C is 4.83. Butyric acid is responsible for the foul smell of rancid butter. | null | null | null |
Long time ago, people spent their weekends _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Weekends are important for us. We can relax ourselves. Do you know what Americans in the early twentieth century (1900~1925) did on weekends? What do you do on weekends now? In the early twentieth century, people spent lots of time at home on weekends. Then, new inventions changed the weekends.
*People used electric streetcars to travel in the cities. On weekends, they rode the streetcars to the parks. Young people like roller coasters.
* The first movie _ only one minute. In the 1920s, movie theaters sold millions of tickets each week! In 1927, movies finally had sound. Sometimes people stayed at home and listened to another new invention --the radio.
* People in cities worked indoors during the weekdays, so they wanted to be outdoors on weekends. Bicycling became a popular activity.
* Now there are more inventions in our life. People have more time and money, too. So they have many ways to spend their weekends.
* People travel by their own cars. Or they can visit big parks like Disney World and ride modern roller coasters and go higher and faster than ever before. *
They can choose from lots of different movie theatres. Or they can watch videos at home.
* More and more people begin to do all kinds of sports at gym.
Others turn on their TV and watch sports on "Family Night".
Question:
Long time ago, people spent their weekends _ .
Choices:
A. at home
B. in the theatres
C. outdoors
D. in Disney World | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle7319.txt | Weekends are important for us. We can relax ourselves. Do you know what Americans in the early twentieth century (1900~1925) did on weekends? What do you do on weekends now? In the early twentieth century, people spent lots of time at home on weekends. Then, new inventions changed the weekends.
*People used electric streetcars to travel in the cities. On weekends, they rode the streetcars to the parks. Young people like roller coasters.
* The first movie _ only one minute. In the 1920s, movie theaters sold millions of tickets each week! In 1927, movies finally had sound. Sometimes people stayed at home and listened to another new invention --the radio.
* People in cities worked indoors during the weekdays, so they wanted to be outdoors on weekends. Bicycling became a popular activity.
* Now there are more inventions in our life. People have more time and money, too. So they have many ways to spend their weekends.
* People travel by their own cars. Or they can visit big parks like Disney World and ride modern roller coasters and go higher and faster than ever before. *
They can choose from lots of different movie theatres. Or they can watch videos at home.
* More and more people begin to do all kinds of sports at gym.
Others turn on their TV and watch sports on "Family Night". | [
"at home",
"in the theatres",
"outdoors",
"in Disney World"
] |
As for the application of windmills,Europe _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Windmills dot the landscape,producing a renewable energy source.Our pioneer ancestors established windmills as a means of bringing water to the surface.To tell the truth,the history of wind energy is very long.Since early recorded history,people have been _ the energy of the wind.Wind energy drove boats along the Nile River as early as 5000 BC.By 200 BC,simple windmills in China were pumping water,while well-designed windmills were grinding grain in Persia and the Middle East.
New innovations and curiosity helped spread interest in windmills and wind power.Middle Eastern citizens used them for food production by the 11th century.Merchants along trade routes returned to Europe and shared the idea.Windmills caught on,especially in Holland,and the Dutch improved their use.Here,windmills drained lakes and other bodies of water.In France,the windmill pumped irrigation water.Elsewhere in Europe,windmills were used to grind grain.
By the 19th century,settlers in the United States realized the importance of the simple windmill.Pioneers pumped water for livestock and farming.As estimated six million windmills dotted America's landscape by the end of the 1880s.Charles Brush,the US inventor,invented a windmill capable of producing electricity in 1888.And now the machines are called wind turbines.As late as the 1920s,Americans used small windmills to provide electricity in rural areas without electric service.When power lines began to transport electricity to rural areas in the 1930s,local windmills were used less and less,though they can still be seen on some Western farms.
In the 1970s,oil shortages pushed the development of alternative energy sources,paving the way for the re-entry of the windmill to produce electricity.In the early 1980s,wind energy really took off in California,partly because of State policies that encouraged renewable energy sources.In the 1990s,the push came from a renewed concern for the environment in response to scientific studies indicating potential changes to the global climate if the use of fossil fuels continues to increase.Wind energy is an economical power resource in many areas of the country.
Wind energy isn't a new phenomenon,but using wind turbines to create and use electricity is a trend that continues to sweep across the globe.
Question:
As for the application of windmills,Europe _ .
Choices:
A. became well-known all over the world first
B. first began food production
C. increased trade activities with other places
D. followed the example of the Middle East | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high13998.txt | Windmills dot the landscape,producing a renewable energy source.Our pioneer ancestors established windmills as a means of bringing water to the surface.To tell the truth,the history of wind energy is very long.Since early recorded history,people have been _ the energy of the wind.Wind energy drove boats along the Nile River as early as 5000 BC.By 200 BC,simple windmills in China were pumping water,while well-designed windmills were grinding grain in Persia and the Middle East.
New innovations and curiosity helped spread interest in windmills and wind power.Middle Eastern citizens used them for food production by the 11th century.Merchants along trade routes returned to Europe and shared the idea.Windmills caught on,especially in Holland,and the Dutch improved their use.Here,windmills drained lakes and other bodies of water.In France,the windmill pumped irrigation water.Elsewhere in Europe,windmills were used to grind grain.
By the 19th century,settlers in the United States realized the importance of the simple windmill.Pioneers pumped water for livestock and farming.As estimated six million windmills dotted America's landscape by the end of the 1880s.Charles Brush,the US inventor,invented a windmill capable of producing electricity in 1888.And now the machines are called wind turbines.As late as the 1920s,Americans used small windmills to provide electricity in rural areas without electric service.When power lines began to transport electricity to rural areas in the 1930s,local windmills were used less and less,though they can still be seen on some Western farms.
In the 1970s,oil shortages pushed the development of alternative energy sources,paving the way for the re-entry of the windmill to produce electricity.In the early 1980s,wind energy really took off in California,partly because of State policies that encouraged renewable energy sources.In the 1990s,the push came from a renewed concern for the environment in response to scientific studies indicating potential changes to the global climate if the use of fossil fuels continues to increase.Wind energy is an economical power resource in many areas of the country.
Wind energy isn't a new phenomenon,but using wind turbines to create and use electricity is a trend that continues to sweep across the globe. | [
"became well-known all over the world first",
"first began food production",
"increased trade activities with other places",
"followed the example of the Middle East"
] |
Which of the following is true according to the passage? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
There once lived a young man who thought himself to be poor. One day he went to a wise man to ask how to become rich. The wise man said, "Young man, you are already rich now."
"But where is my wealth?" the young man asked.
"It is with you. Your eyes are your wealth. You use them to see this world. You use them to see all the beautiful things in this world. Your hands are your wealth. You can use them to work. You can use them to hug your beloved ones. Your legs are your wealth. You can go to any place..." the wise man said.
"You call these wealth? But everyone has them," the young man said.
"These are wealth. What you have now is not what someone else can luckily have. Would you like to give your eyes to me? I'd like to give you a lot of money to exchange for them," the wise man said.
"No, I'm not going to do so! My eyes are important to me!" the young man said.
Everyone is rich. We should treasure our wealth, and take care of it. We should not overuse it because once it is gone, it is gone forever. Remember it is our wealth that we do not want to lose.
Question:
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
Choices:
A. We can overuse our wealth.
B. We should treasure our wealth.
C. The wise man told the young man how to make money.
D. What you have now is what someone else can luckily have. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle6727.txt | There once lived a young man who thought himself to be poor. One day he went to a wise man to ask how to become rich. The wise man said, "Young man, you are already rich now."
"But where is my wealth?" the young man asked.
"It is with you. Your eyes are your wealth. You use them to see this world. You use them to see all the beautiful things in this world. Your hands are your wealth. You can use them to work. You can use them to hug your beloved ones. Your legs are your wealth. You can go to any place..." the wise man said.
"You call these wealth? But everyone has them," the young man said.
"These are wealth. What you have now is not what someone else can luckily have. Would you like to give your eyes to me? I'd like to give you a lot of money to exchange for them," the wise man said.
"No, I'm not going to do so! My eyes are important to me!" the young man said.
Everyone is rich. We should treasure our wealth, and take care of it. We should not overuse it because once it is gone, it is gone forever. Remember it is our wealth that we do not want to lose. | [
"We can overuse our wealth.",
"We should treasure our wealth.",
"The wise man told the young man how to make money.",
"What you have now is what someone else can luckily have."
] |
The passage is most probably _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
How many coins have you got in your pocket right now? Three? Two? or One?
With a phonecard you can make up to 200 calls without any change at all.
1. _
Go to a telephone box marked "Phonecard". Put in your card to start, make your call and when you have finished, a screen tells you how much is left on your card.
It costs no extra for the cards, and the calls cost 10p per unit, the same as any other pay-phone call.
You can buy them in units of 10, 20, 40, 100 or 200.
2. _
Near each phonecard place you will find a shop where you can buy one. They're at bus, train and city tube stations.
At many universities, hospitals and clubs, restaurants and gas stations on the highway and shopping centers.
At airports and seaports.
3. _
Most broken payphones are like that because they've been damaged. There are no coins in a cardphone to excite thieves' interest in it. So you're not probably to find a broken one.
Get a phonecard yourself and try it out. Or get a bigger wallet.
Question:
The passage is most probably _ .
Choices:
A. a warning
B. a notice
C. an advertisement
D. an announcement | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high12445.txt | How many coins have you got in your pocket right now? Three? Two? or One?
With a phonecard you can make up to 200 calls without any change at all.
1. _
Go to a telephone box marked "Phonecard". Put in your card to start, make your call and when you have finished, a screen tells you how much is left on your card.
It costs no extra for the cards, and the calls cost 10p per unit, the same as any other pay-phone call.
You can buy them in units of 10, 20, 40, 100 or 200.
2. _
Near each phonecard place you will find a shop where you can buy one. They're at bus, train and city tube stations.
At many universities, hospitals and clubs, restaurants and gas stations on the highway and shopping centers.
At airports and seaports.
3. _
Most broken payphones are like that because they've been damaged. There are no coins in a cardphone to excite thieves' interest in it. So you're not probably to find a broken one.
Get a phonecard yourself and try it out. Or get a bigger wallet. | [
"a warning",
"a notice",
"an advertisement",
"an announcement"
] |
Theresa has 5 more than thrice as many video games as Julia. Julia has a third as many video games as Tory. If Tory has 6 video games, how many video games does Theresa have? | Julia has 1/3*6=<<1/3*6=2>>2 video games.
Theresa has 3*2+5=<<3*2+5=11>>11 video games.
#### 11 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Theresa has 5 more than thrice as many video games as Julia. Julia has a third as many video games as Tory. If Tory has 6 video games, how many video games does Theresa have? | Julia has 1/3*6=<<1/3*6=2>>2 video games.
Theresa has 3*2+5=<<3*2+5=11>>11 video games.
#### 11 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
What is the main idea of the passage? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
SHANGHAI - Health experts in Shanghai are calling for more protection for young children as the latest research shows about half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke.
About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in families, 50 percent in public places, and almost 6 percent on public transportation, shows a research released by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center on Tuesday.
"Not only adults but also children and newborn babies are at risk for the adverse effects of passive smoking," said Tang Jingyan, a doctor at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center.
"Actually, those young children whose bodies are still growing and developing are more sensitive to the effects of secondhand smoke."
Research has shown that children who are exposed to secondhand smoke will suffer from more colds, coughs and sore throats, and they are more likely to suffer from bronchitis, pneumonia and will have a higher risk of developing cancer.
Doctors even suggested that children suffering passive smoking are more likely to have behavioral problems and may not develop mentally as quickly as their peers.
Other research by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center has found that more than 80 percent of child patients in the center live in a smoke-filled household, where one or both parents smoke.
"Though doctors have stressed the harm of passive smoking over and over, it is still hard to reach a totally 'smoke free' home," said a pediatrician named Zhang Yiwen, noting that parents are often tempted to smoke even though they have learned the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
China has 540 million people suffering from passive smoke, 180 million of them younger than 15.The age of smokers is also getting lower, earlier reports said.
"There are more young smokers than before.You can see young people wearing a school uniform and carrying a schoolbag light a cigarette on the street.Some of them are even female students," said Jing Xingming, a professor of children's developmental behavior at the center.
"Children like to imitate adults, especially their parents.If parents often smoke at home, it is very likely children will develop a smoking habit, which can cause a vicious circle," Jin said.
Reports from the Ministry of Health said China has about 350 million smokers, of whom 15 million are underage smokers.Also, around 40 million of the country's 130 million children aged between 13 and 18 had tried smoking, and 15 million had become addicted to tobacco.
Question:
What is the main idea of the passage?
Choices:
A. About half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke.
B. Experts are calling for more protection for youngsters from smoking.
C. More and more youngsters are picking up the habit of smoking.
D. Smoking does great harm to the health of the youngsters. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high15933.txt | SHANGHAI - Health experts in Shanghai are calling for more protection for young children as the latest research shows about half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke.
About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in families, 50 percent in public places, and almost 6 percent on public transportation, shows a research released by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center on Tuesday.
"Not only adults but also children and newborn babies are at risk for the adverse effects of passive smoking," said Tang Jingyan, a doctor at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center.
"Actually, those young children whose bodies are still growing and developing are more sensitive to the effects of secondhand smoke."
Research has shown that children who are exposed to secondhand smoke will suffer from more colds, coughs and sore throats, and they are more likely to suffer from bronchitis, pneumonia and will have a higher risk of developing cancer.
Doctors even suggested that children suffering passive smoking are more likely to have behavioral problems and may not develop mentally as quickly as their peers.
Other research by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center has found that more than 80 percent of child patients in the center live in a smoke-filled household, where one or both parents smoke.
"Though doctors have stressed the harm of passive smoking over and over, it is still hard to reach a totally 'smoke free' home," said a pediatrician named Zhang Yiwen, noting that parents are often tempted to smoke even though they have learned the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
China has 540 million people suffering from passive smoke, 180 million of them younger than 15.The age of smokers is also getting lower, earlier reports said.
"There are more young smokers than before.You can see young people wearing a school uniform and carrying a schoolbag light a cigarette on the street.Some of them are even female students," said Jing Xingming, a professor of children's developmental behavior at the center.
"Children like to imitate adults, especially their parents.If parents often smoke at home, it is very likely children will develop a smoking habit, which can cause a vicious circle," Jin said.
Reports from the Ministry of Health said China has about 350 million smokers, of whom 15 million are underage smokers.Also, around 40 million of the country's 130 million children aged between 13 and 18 had tried smoking, and 15 million had become addicted to tobacco. | [
"About half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke.",
"Experts are calling for more protection for youngsters from smoking.",
"More and more youngsters are picking up the habit of smoking.",
"Smoking does great harm to the health of the youngsters."
] |
What can we know from the passage? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
The day was Thankful Thursday. It's a weekly tradition that my two little girls and I began years ago. Thursday has become our day to go out and make a positive contribution. On this particular Thursday, we had no idea exactly what we were going to do. At noon, I drove to a McDonald's with my daughters because they kept complaining that they hadn't had enough to eat at breakfast. There we saw some homeless people in the street and we bought lunch for them.
We were about to complete when we found a small woman standing at the corner, asking for change. We handed her some food, and then started to head home. Suddenly from the mirror of the car, I saw the woman waving at us, so I had to turn around and stopped where the small woman stood. She walked to our car, and said, "Thank you, lady! No one has ever done anything like this for me before." I replied, "Well, I'm glad that we were the first." Feeling uneasy, and wanting to move the conversation along, I asked, "So, when do you think you'll eat your lunch?"
She just looked at me with her huge, tired brown eyes and said, "Oh honey, I'm not going to eat this lunch." I was confused, but before I could say anything, she continued. "You see, I have a little girl of my own at home and she just loves McDonald's, but I can never buy it for her because I just don't have the money. But you know what...tonight she is going to have McDonald's!"
I don't know if the kids noticed the tears in my eyes. So many times I had questioned whether our Acts of Kindness were too small to have effect on those poor people. Yet at that moment, I realized the truth of Mother Teresa's words: "We cannot do great things -- only small things with great love."
Question:
What can we know from the passage?
Choices:
A. The author finally realized what she did was of use to the poor.
B. The author would stop doing her acts of kindness to the poor.
C. The author's daughters found their mother cried at the end of the day.
D. The author's daughters would make friends with the woman's daughter. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high15871.txt | The day was Thankful Thursday. It's a weekly tradition that my two little girls and I began years ago. Thursday has become our day to go out and make a positive contribution. On this particular Thursday, we had no idea exactly what we were going to do. At noon, I drove to a McDonald's with my daughters because they kept complaining that they hadn't had enough to eat at breakfast. There we saw some homeless people in the street and we bought lunch for them.
We were about to complete when we found a small woman standing at the corner, asking for change. We handed her some food, and then started to head home. Suddenly from the mirror of the car, I saw the woman waving at us, so I had to turn around and stopped where the small woman stood. She walked to our car, and said, "Thank you, lady! No one has ever done anything like this for me before." I replied, "Well, I'm glad that we were the first." Feeling uneasy, and wanting to move the conversation along, I asked, "So, when do you think you'll eat your lunch?"
She just looked at me with her huge, tired brown eyes and said, "Oh honey, I'm not going to eat this lunch." I was confused, but before I could say anything, she continued. "You see, I have a little girl of my own at home and she just loves McDonald's, but I can never buy it for her because I just don't have the money. But you know what...tonight she is going to have McDonald's!"
I don't know if the kids noticed the tears in my eyes. So many times I had questioned whether our Acts of Kindness were too small to have effect on those poor people. Yet at that moment, I realized the truth of Mother Teresa's words: "We cannot do great things -- only small things with great love." | [
"The author finally realized what she did was of use to the poor.",
"The author would stop doing her acts of kindness to the poor.",
"The author's daughters found their mother cried at the end of the day.",
"The author's daughters would make friends with the woman's daughter."
] |
What made Huang Naihui disabled? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Huang Naihui was born in 1964 in Taipei. When he was a child, he had a very high fever, which made him partially paralyzed.
His parents were afraid that he would bring bad luck to the family and abandoned him. But his grandmother brought him up. It was at the age of 13 that he went to school. At the age of 22, he would study and work part-time. He would sell flowers during the day and attend classes at night. During his spare time he would study. The learning made him very happy.
He used his knowledge very well in his business of selling flowers. He would go door to door selling flowers during the day. He would sell flowers at pubs and night clubs at night. At times, in order to sell, he had to sing. He was often tricked. However, he would face the next customer with a smile. His grandmother passed away when he was 24. It was the darkest day of his life.
Today Huang Naihui owns 3 flower shops and employs disabled people to work for him. He would spend his spare time doing charity work. His book Facing the sun and his story have encouraged many people.
,.
Question:
What made Huang Naihui disabled?
Choices:
A. A high fever.
B. The hot weather.
C. The hunger.
D. The cold. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle3864.txt | Huang Naihui was born in 1964 in Taipei. When he was a child, he had a very high fever, which made him partially paralyzed.
His parents were afraid that he would bring bad luck to the family and abandoned him. But his grandmother brought him up. It was at the age of 13 that he went to school. At the age of 22, he would study and work part-time. He would sell flowers during the day and attend classes at night. During his spare time he would study. The learning made him very happy.
He used his knowledge very well in his business of selling flowers. He would go door to door selling flowers during the day. He would sell flowers at pubs and night clubs at night. At times, in order to sell, he had to sing. He was often tricked. However, he would face the next customer with a smile. His grandmother passed away when he was 24. It was the darkest day of his life.
Today Huang Naihui owns 3 flower shops and employs disabled people to work for him. He would spend his spare time doing charity work. His book Facing the sun and his story have encouraged many people.
,. | [
"A high fever.",
"The hot weather.",
"The hunger.",
"The cold."
] |
Mr Johnson was _ last night. | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Mr. Johnson worked in a hospital. Three years ago, when he was sixty-eight, he retired. But a lot of people come to ask him to look them over. He's very busy in the daytime and he wants to have a good rest at night.
Half a year ago a young man moved in the room upstairs. At first he was quiet. The old man was satisfied with him. But now he has several friends. They often came to see him in the evening. They talked loudly, sang and danced. Mr Johnson was unhappy, but he didn't say anything.
It was the young man's birthday yesterday. All his friends came at seven in the evening. They drank too much and made a lot of noise. The old man couldn't fall asleep the whole night. This morning, as soon as he got up, he went upstairs and began to knock at the door. The young man opened for him and asked him to come in.
"Did you hear me beat the ceiling last night, young man?" asked Mr Johnson.
"It doesn't matter, sir," said the young man, " I don't mind it. It was very noisy in my room, too."
Question:
Mr Johnson was _ last night.
Choices:
A. angry
B. happy
C. sad
D. strange | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle695.txt | Mr. Johnson worked in a hospital. Three years ago, when he was sixty-eight, he retired. But a lot of people come to ask him to look them over. He's very busy in the daytime and he wants to have a good rest at night.
Half a year ago a young man moved in the room upstairs. At first he was quiet. The old man was satisfied with him. But now he has several friends. They often came to see him in the evening. They talked loudly, sang and danced. Mr Johnson was unhappy, but he didn't say anything.
It was the young man's birthday yesterday. All his friends came at seven in the evening. They drank too much and made a lot of noise. The old man couldn't fall asleep the whole night. This morning, as soon as he got up, he went upstairs and began to knock at the door. The young man opened for him and asked him to come in.
"Did you hear me beat the ceiling last night, young man?" asked Mr Johnson.
"It doesn't matter, sir," said the young man, " I don't mind it. It was very noisy in my room, too." | [
"angry",
"happy",
"sad",
"strange"
] |
According to the passage, what do we know about Yeats's life? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
William Butler Yeats, a most famous Irish writer, was born in Dublin on June 13, 1865. His childhood lacked the harmony that was typical of a happy family. Later, Yeats shocked his family by saying that he remembered "little of childhood but its pain". In fact, he inherited excellent taste in art from his family--both his father and his brother were painters. But he finally settled on literature, particularly drama and poetry.
Yeats had strong faith in the coming of new artistic movements. He set himself the fresh task in founding an Irish national theatre in the late 1890s. His early theatrical experiments, however, were not received favorably at beginning. He didn't lose heart, and finally enjoyed success in his poetical drama.
Compared with his dramatic works, Yeats's poems attract much admiring notice. The subject matter includes love, nature, history, time and aging. Though Yeats generally relied on very traditional forms, he brought modern sensibility to them. As his literary life progressed, his poetry grew finer and richer, which led him to worldwide recognition.
He had not enjoyed a major public life since winning the Nobel Price in 1923. Yet, he continued writing almost to the end of his life. Had Yeats stopped writing at age 40, he would probably now be valued as a minor poet, for there is no other example in literary history of a poet who produces his greatest works between the ages of 50 and 75. After Yeats' death in 1939, W. H. Auden wrote, among others, the following lines:
Earth, receive an honored guest:
William Yeats is laid to rest.
Let the Irish vessel lie
Emptied of its poetry.
Question:
According to the passage, what do we know about Yeats's life?
Choices:
A. Yeats founded the first Irish theater
B. Yeats stuck to modern forms in his poetry
C. Yeats began to produce his best works from the 1910s
D. Yeats was not favored by the public until the 1923 Noble Prize | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high5362.txt | William Butler Yeats, a most famous Irish writer, was born in Dublin on June 13, 1865. His childhood lacked the harmony that was typical of a happy family. Later, Yeats shocked his family by saying that he remembered "little of childhood but its pain". In fact, he inherited excellent taste in art from his family--both his father and his brother were painters. But he finally settled on literature, particularly drama and poetry.
Yeats had strong faith in the coming of new artistic movements. He set himself the fresh task in founding an Irish national theatre in the late 1890s. His early theatrical experiments, however, were not received favorably at beginning. He didn't lose heart, and finally enjoyed success in his poetical drama.
Compared with his dramatic works, Yeats's poems attract much admiring notice. The subject matter includes love, nature, history, time and aging. Though Yeats generally relied on very traditional forms, he brought modern sensibility to them. As his literary life progressed, his poetry grew finer and richer, which led him to worldwide recognition.
He had not enjoyed a major public life since winning the Nobel Price in 1923. Yet, he continued writing almost to the end of his life. Had Yeats stopped writing at age 40, he would probably now be valued as a minor poet, for there is no other example in literary history of a poet who produces his greatest works between the ages of 50 and 75. After Yeats' death in 1939, W. H. Auden wrote, among others, the following lines:
Earth, receive an honored guest:
William Yeats is laid to rest.
Let the Irish vessel lie
Emptied of its poetry. | [
"Yeats founded the first Irish theater",
"Yeats stuck to modern forms in his poetry",
"Yeats began to produce his best works from the 1910s",
"Yeats was not favored by the public until the 1923 Noble Prize"
] |
Animals that have been modified to express recombinant dna are called what? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | Animals that have been modified to express recombinant dna are called what? | transgenic animals | science | null | null | null | aquatic animals | reproducing animals | mammalian animals | transgenic animals | Transgenic Animals Although several recombinant proteins used in medicine are successfully produced in bacteria, some proteins require a eukaryotic animal host for proper processing. For this reason, the desired genes are cloned and expressed in animals, such as sheep, goats, chickens, and mice. Animals that have been modified to express recombinant DNA are called transgenic animals. Several human proteins are expressed in the milk of transgenic sheep and goats, and some are expressed in the eggs of chickens. Mice have been used extensively for expressing and studying the effects of recombinant genes and mutations. | null | null | null |
My mother had to go back to work partly because _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Just after my birth I remember lying in the stable with my mother and looking out the door, I could see a lovely, big field with trees around the edge and a good-sized pond to drink from. And there in the stable, while all of the other horses ate grass, I remember drinking my mother's milk.
Usually, in the morning and afternoon, I would run with my mother or play with other young horses in the field. Sometimes, this play became too dangerous and my mother would come and take me away.
The farmer was a good horse owner. He took good care of us all, but he seemed to prefer my mother to the other horses. And because I was her baby, he started to like me as well. Pretty soon I was eating grass like all of the other horses. Because I no longer needed her milk, and because she was his favorite horse, the farmer quickly put my mother back to work, pulling his carriage to and from the market, always coming back in the early evening.
One evening I was playing with the other horses when my mother called me over to her. She told me that she never again wanted to see me playing so roughly with the others. I must grow up to be as wonderful as my ancestors, always working hard, walking proudly, and never hurting others. I promised her that I would do as she said. However, I had to admit that it was sometimes difficult to be kind to people like Dick, the worker-boy. He was always throwing rocks at us when he should have been picking fruit. We had to running around trying to avoid the rocks. Luckily, one day the farmer caught Dick behaving this way. The letter was given some money and then left the farm. That was the last time we ever saw the boy.
Question:
My mother had to go back to work partly because _ .
Choices:
A. the horse owner no longer liked my mother
B. I no longer needed my mother
C. no other horses could help the farmer
D. I was old enough to eat grass | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high19960.txt | Just after my birth I remember lying in the stable with my mother and looking out the door, I could see a lovely, big field with trees around the edge and a good-sized pond to drink from. And there in the stable, while all of the other horses ate grass, I remember drinking my mother's milk.
Usually, in the morning and afternoon, I would run with my mother or play with other young horses in the field. Sometimes, this play became too dangerous and my mother would come and take me away.
The farmer was a good horse owner. He took good care of us all, but he seemed to prefer my mother to the other horses. And because I was her baby, he started to like me as well. Pretty soon I was eating grass like all of the other horses. Because I no longer needed her milk, and because she was his favorite horse, the farmer quickly put my mother back to work, pulling his carriage to and from the market, always coming back in the early evening.
One evening I was playing with the other horses when my mother called me over to her. She told me that she never again wanted to see me playing so roughly with the others. I must grow up to be as wonderful as my ancestors, always working hard, walking proudly, and never hurting others. I promised her that I would do as she said. However, I had to admit that it was sometimes difficult to be kind to people like Dick, the worker-boy. He was always throwing rocks at us when he should have been picking fruit. We had to running around trying to avoid the rocks. Luckily, one day the farmer caught Dick behaving this way. The letter was given some money and then left the farm. That was the last time we ever saw the boy. | [
"the horse owner no longer liked my mother",
"I no longer needed my mother",
"no other horses could help the farmer",
"I was old enough to eat grass"
] |
Unemployment in the Netherlands has affected _ | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
They are among the 250, 000 people under the age of 25 who are out of work in the Netherlands, a group that makes up 40 percent of the nation's unemployed. A storm of anger boils up at the government-sponsored youth center, even among those who are continuing their studies.
"We study for jobs that don't exist," Nicollets Steggerda, 23, said.
After thirty years of prosperity, unemployment among 10 member nations of the European Community has reached as much as 11 percent, affecting a total of 12.3 million people, and the number is climbing.
The bitter disappointment long expressed by British youths is spreading across the Continent. The title of a rock song "No Future" can now be seen written on the brick walls of closed factories in Belgium and France.
One form of protest tends to put the responsibility for a country's economic troubles on the large numbers of "guest workers" from Third World nations, people welcomed in Western Europe in the years of prosperity.
Young Europeans, brought up in an extended period of economic success and general stability, seem to be similar to Americans more than they do their own parents. Material enjoyment has given them a sense of expectation, even the right to a standard of living that they see around them.
"And so we pass the days at the discos, or meet people at the cafe, and sit and stare," said Isabella Cault. "There is usually not much conversation. You look for happiness. Sometimes you even find
."
Question:
Unemployment in the Netherlands has affected _
Choices:
A. about 0.6 million people
B. 250,000 people
C. 1ess than half of the population
D. one million people | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high16125.txt | They are among the 250, 000 people under the age of 25 who are out of work in the Netherlands, a group that makes up 40 percent of the nation's unemployed. A storm of anger boils up at the government-sponsored youth center, even among those who are continuing their studies.
"We study for jobs that don't exist," Nicollets Steggerda, 23, said.
After thirty years of prosperity, unemployment among 10 member nations of the European Community has reached as much as 11 percent, affecting a total of 12.3 million people, and the number is climbing.
The bitter disappointment long expressed by British youths is spreading across the Continent. The title of a rock song "No Future" can now be seen written on the brick walls of closed factories in Belgium and France.
One form of protest tends to put the responsibility for a country's economic troubles on the large numbers of "guest workers" from Third World nations, people welcomed in Western Europe in the years of prosperity.
Young Europeans, brought up in an extended period of economic success and general stability, seem to be similar to Americans more than they do their own parents. Material enjoyment has given them a sense of expectation, even the right to a standard of living that they see around them.
"And so we pass the days at the discos, or meet people at the cafe, and sit and stare," said Isabella Cault. "There is usually not much conversation. You look for happiness. Sometimes you even find
." | [
"about 0.6 million people",
"250,000 people",
"1ess than half of the population",
"one million people"
] |
What does the writer advise people to do? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
"You are what you eat," says the old saying. So how can we know what food is healthy? Unluckily, a lot of food that looks good may have pollution. Where is the pollution from? It has something to do with how people produce food: growing it on the farm, processing it in factories, and making it ready for you to eat.
Here's what happens:
Most farmers use chemicals to stop their crops from getting sick. Many of these chemicals remain in the food that you eat. Some people believe this may cause cancer. These chemicals may also pollute water and air, and kill animals and even people by accident.
Most drinks are just flavored water . Every drink coming in plastic bottles which you then throw away means a waste. Sugary drinks make you fat.
In the factories, much of what you eat and drink gets messed. Often things are put into food to make it delicious and look good but they might be harmful to people. And some food like meat often gets polluted by bacteria. What you can do:
Try to get organic food. Organic food doesn't have any ingredients that are bad for the land, air or water. Don't eat processed food or drinks. Eat fresh food whenever you can and cook at home.
Question:
What does the writer advise people to do?
Choices:
A. To have processed drinks.
B. To grow vegetables by themselves.
C. To cook at home.
D. To visit farms. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle6714.txt | "You are what you eat," says the old saying. So how can we know what food is healthy? Unluckily, a lot of food that looks good may have pollution. Where is the pollution from? It has something to do with how people produce food: growing it on the farm, processing it in factories, and making it ready for you to eat.
Here's what happens:
Most farmers use chemicals to stop their crops from getting sick. Many of these chemicals remain in the food that you eat. Some people believe this may cause cancer. These chemicals may also pollute water and air, and kill animals and even people by accident.
Most drinks are just flavored water . Every drink coming in plastic bottles which you then throw away means a waste. Sugary drinks make you fat.
In the factories, much of what you eat and drink gets messed. Often things are put into food to make it delicious and look good but they might be harmful to people. And some food like meat often gets polluted by bacteria. What you can do:
Try to get organic food. Organic food doesn't have any ingredients that are bad for the land, air or water. Don't eat processed food or drinks. Eat fresh food whenever you can and cook at home. | [
"To have processed drinks.",
"To grow vegetables by themselves.",
"To cook at home.",
"To visit farms."
] |
What attitude does Dr. Fiona Adshead have towards the campaign? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Getting in touch with nature can help keep people fit, reducing the burden of sickness on the health service, conservation experts say.
Natural England is starting a campaign to get people to spend more time outside among the country's wildlife and natural environment. The aim of the campaign is to get people to have more contact with nature by promoting green spaces and encouraging health professionals to incorporate (......) the thought into the advice and care plans that they give to patients.
Being close to nature can cut stress and increase physical activity. Dr. William Bird from Natural England said: "Increasing evidence suggests that both physical and mental health are improved through contact with nature. Yet people are having less contact with nature than at any time in the past. This has to change. Children with attention disorders have been shown to improve when they have contact with nature. People recovering from operations have been shown to need fewer painkillers if they look out at green fields." He also said people were more likely to keep up with their regular exercise in natural settings, rather than in a gym or leisure centre.
Natural England is working with the BBC and more than 300 partners to promote its campaign, which will be the first of four campaigns to get people more involved in nature.
Liz Cleaver, from the BBC, said: "These campaigns now provide the public with the opportunity to get outside and to get actively involved in nature close to where they live. That's great for wildlife --but it's also fantastic for everyone's health and well-being."
The campaign has also received support from the government. Dr. Fiona Adshead, England's deputy chief medical officer, said: "I welcome Natural England's commitment to encourage and enable people to make use of the country's outdoor space for physical activity."
Question:
What attitude does Dr. Fiona Adshead have towards the campaign?
Choices:
A. Unconcerned.
B. Objective.
C. Supportive.
D. Disappointed. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high21925.txt | Getting in touch with nature can help keep people fit, reducing the burden of sickness on the health service, conservation experts say.
Natural England is starting a campaign to get people to spend more time outside among the country's wildlife and natural environment. The aim of the campaign is to get people to have more contact with nature by promoting green spaces and encouraging health professionals to incorporate (......) the thought into the advice and care plans that they give to patients.
Being close to nature can cut stress and increase physical activity. Dr. William Bird from Natural England said: "Increasing evidence suggests that both physical and mental health are improved through contact with nature. Yet people are having less contact with nature than at any time in the past. This has to change. Children with attention disorders have been shown to improve when they have contact with nature. People recovering from operations have been shown to need fewer painkillers if they look out at green fields." He also said people were more likely to keep up with their regular exercise in natural settings, rather than in a gym or leisure centre.
Natural England is working with the BBC and more than 300 partners to promote its campaign, which will be the first of four campaigns to get people more involved in nature.
Liz Cleaver, from the BBC, said: "These campaigns now provide the public with the opportunity to get outside and to get actively involved in nature close to where they live. That's great for wildlife --but it's also fantastic for everyone's health and well-being."
The campaign has also received support from the government. Dr. Fiona Adshead, England's deputy chief medical officer, said: "I welcome Natural England's commitment to encourage and enable people to make use of the country's outdoor space for physical activity." | [
"Unconcerned.",
"Objective.",
"Supportive.",
"Disappointed."
] |
Jay & Gloria were hosting a 4th of July party at their house. Jay invited 22 people and Gloria invited 36. They wanted to buy small American flags for everyone. The craft store was having a sale on small flags, 5 flags for $1.00. If they wanted all of their guests to have a flag and they also wanted 1 flag each, how much would they spend at the craft store? | Jay invited 22 guests and Gloria invited 36 so they invited 22+36 = <<22+36=58>>58 guests
They also each wanted a flag so in total they would need 1+1+58 = <<1+1+58=60>>60 flags
The craft store has them on sale at 5 for $1.00 and they need 60 flags so the flags will cost them 60/5 = $12.00
#### 12 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Jay & Gloria were hosting a 4th of July party at their house. Jay invited 22 people and Gloria invited 36. They wanted to buy small American flags for everyone. The craft store was having a sale on small flags, 5 flags for $1.00. If they wanted all of their guests to have a flag and they also wanted 1 flag each, how much would they spend at the craft store? | Jay invited 22 guests and Gloria invited 36 so they invited 22+36 = <<22+36=58>>58 guests
They also each wanted a flag so in total they would need 1+1+58 = <<1+1+58=60>>60 flags
The craft store has them on sale at 5 for $1.00 and they need 60 flags so the flags will cost them 60/5 = $12.00
#### 12 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
The trade winds are nearest what? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | The trade winds are nearest what? | equator | science | null | null | null | inland | boundary plates | poles | equator | The wind belts have names. The Trade Winds are nearest the equator. The next belt is the westerlies. Finally are the polar easterlies. The names are the same in both hemispheres. | null | null | null |
Which of the following doesn't affect the sound of a guitar? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
It all starts with a tree.In fact, it starts with several trees.Since the first modern guitars were made in northern Spain over 150 years ago, crafts persons have known the wood to be used is important in making a guitar.
Every guitar is made of several different kinds of wood.Each piece is carefully chosen and then cut to fit the part of the guitar for which it is designed.The most important part of a guitar is the soundboard--the piece of wood with a large hole that lies under the strings(,).Guitar makers are careful to make the soundboard just the right shape and thickness.Then they fix stripes of wood across the inside in a special pattern, which helps strengthen the soundboard and improves the tone of the guitar.
Wood for the curvy sides of the guitar must be soaked in water and bent over a hot iron pipe.When all the pieces of the guitar are ready, they are carefully stuck together with glue .Special woodworking tools are used to shape and smooth the neck of the guitar.The craftsperson must make sure that the neck is perfectly centered over the soundboard.
Then it is time to use varnish .This brings out the beauty of the wood.Varnish also improves the sound of the guitar but too much varnish makes the guitar sound flat and dull.
Finally guitar strings are attached and tightened to make just the right musical tones.Then it's time to play a song.
Question:
Which of the following doesn't affect the sound of a guitar?
Choices:
A. soundboard
B. strings
C. neck
D. color1 | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high20754.txt | It all starts with a tree.In fact, it starts with several trees.Since the first modern guitars were made in northern Spain over 150 years ago, crafts persons have known the wood to be used is important in making a guitar.
Every guitar is made of several different kinds of wood.Each piece is carefully chosen and then cut to fit the part of the guitar for which it is designed.The most important part of a guitar is the soundboard--the piece of wood with a large hole that lies under the strings(,).Guitar makers are careful to make the soundboard just the right shape and thickness.Then they fix stripes of wood across the inside in a special pattern, which helps strengthen the soundboard and improves the tone of the guitar.
Wood for the curvy sides of the guitar must be soaked in water and bent over a hot iron pipe.When all the pieces of the guitar are ready, they are carefully stuck together with glue .Special woodworking tools are used to shape and smooth the neck of the guitar.The craftsperson must make sure that the neck is perfectly centered over the soundboard.
Then it is time to use varnish .This brings out the beauty of the wood.Varnish also improves the sound of the guitar but too much varnish makes the guitar sound flat and dull.
Finally guitar strings are attached and tightened to make just the right musical tones.Then it's time to play a song. | [
"soundboard",
"strings",
"neck",
"color1"
] |
Bob has a cube of silver that measures 3 inches on each side. A cubic inch of silver weighs 6 ounces. Each ounce of silver sells for $25. He sells it for 110% of its silver value. How much does he sell it for? | The silver has a volume of 3*3*3=<<3*3*3=27>>27 cubic inches
So it weighs 27*6=<<27*6=162>>162 ounces
So its value is 162*25=$<<162*25=4050>>4050
That means he sold it for 4050*1.1=$<<4050*1.1=4455>>4455
#### 4455 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Bob has a cube of silver that measures 3 inches on each side. A cubic inch of silver weighs 6 ounces. Each ounce of silver sells for $25. He sells it for 110% of its silver value. How much does he sell it for? | The silver has a volume of 3*3*3=<<3*3*3=27>>27 cubic inches
So it weighs 27*6=<<27*6=162>>162 ounces
So its value is 162*25=$<<162*25=4050>>4050
That means he sold it for 4050*1.1=$<<4050*1.1=4455>>4455
#### 4455 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
What is the official suggestion of drinking alcohol? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
In Britain,it's bottoms up from the week before Christmas till the last firework explodes in the sky announcing the new year,.The last Friday before Christmas popularly known as'Mad Friday'--is one of the busiest periods for the country's pubs and clubs.
But it's not just the bars that get busy.Ambulances and A&E departments around Britain get packed out too.Head injuries,,cuts,falls...it's easy to end up hurting yourself or others when self-control disappear and your head is spinning due to alcoho1.Revelers have been warned by the health authorities about the dangers of deadly drinking but drinking crazily seems to be part of the festivities for some.
The charity Alcohol Concern is running a campaign of restriction by encouraging people to have a dry January.
Jackie Ballard,the charity's Chief Executive,believes the campaign has been successful in recent years.She says:"More than two-thirds of people even six months later are drinking at reduced levels having had a month off drink.But also a study has shown the impact it has on people's health reducing their blood pressure and blood sugar levels."
The study by the University of Sussex followed up nearly 900 participants in Alcohol Concern's Dry January campaign and found out that 72%of them had kept harmful drinking sessions down and 4%were still not drinking.
Moderation seems to be the key to everything.The official recommendation for women is not to regularly drink more than 2 to 3 units of alcohol a day.The limit for men is 3 to 4 units of alcohol--no more than a pint of 5.2%ABV lager,beer or cider.
Question:
What is the official suggestion of drinking alcohol?
Choices:
A. Women shouldn't drink any alcoho1.
B. People should stay away from alcoho1.
C. Men may drink 3 to 4 units of alcohol at least.
D. Moderate alcohol drinking can be accepted. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high13773.txt | In Britain,it's bottoms up from the week before Christmas till the last firework explodes in the sky announcing the new year,.The last Friday before Christmas popularly known as'Mad Friday'--is one of the busiest periods for the country's pubs and clubs.
But it's not just the bars that get busy.Ambulances and A&E departments around Britain get packed out too.Head injuries,,cuts,falls...it's easy to end up hurting yourself or others when self-control disappear and your head is spinning due to alcoho1.Revelers have been warned by the health authorities about the dangers of deadly drinking but drinking crazily seems to be part of the festivities for some.
The charity Alcohol Concern is running a campaign of restriction by encouraging people to have a dry January.
Jackie Ballard,the charity's Chief Executive,believes the campaign has been successful in recent years.She says:"More than two-thirds of people even six months later are drinking at reduced levels having had a month off drink.But also a study has shown the impact it has on people's health reducing their blood pressure and blood sugar levels."
The study by the University of Sussex followed up nearly 900 participants in Alcohol Concern's Dry January campaign and found out that 72%of them had kept harmful drinking sessions down and 4%were still not drinking.
Moderation seems to be the key to everything.The official recommendation for women is not to regularly drink more than 2 to 3 units of alcohol a day.The limit for men is 3 to 4 units of alcohol--no more than a pint of 5.2%ABV lager,beer or cider. | [
"Women shouldn't drink any alcoho1.",
"People should stay away from alcoho1.",
"Men may drink 3 to 4 units of alcohol at least.",
"Moderate alcohol drinking can be accepted."
] |
What would be the best title for the text? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Many cities around the world today are heavily polluted. Careless methods of production and lack of consumer demand for environment friendly products have contributed to the pollution problem. One result is that millions of tons of glass, paper, plastic and metal container are produced, and these are difficult to get rid of.
However, today, more and more consumers are choosing "green" and demanding that the products they buy should be safe for the environment. Before they buy a product, they ask questions like these, "Will this shampoo damage the environment?" "Can this metal container be reused or can it only be used once?"
A recent study showed that two out of five adults now consider the environment safety of a product before they buy it. This means that companies must now change the way they make and sell their products to make sure that they are "green", that is, friendly to the environment.
Only a few years ago, it was impossible to find green products in supermarkets, but now there are hundreds. Some supermarkets' products carry labels to show that the product is green. Some companies have made producing of clean and safe products their main selling points and emphasize it in their advertising.
The concern for a safer and cleaner environment is making companies rethink how they do business. No longer will the public accept the old attitude of "Buy it, use it, throw it away, and forget it." The public pressure is on, and gradually business is cleaning up its act.
Question:
What would be the best title for the text?
Choices:
A. Business and People
B. Business Goes Green
C. Shopping Habits Are Changing
D. Supermarkets and Green Products | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high19055.txt | Many cities around the world today are heavily polluted. Careless methods of production and lack of consumer demand for environment friendly products have contributed to the pollution problem. One result is that millions of tons of glass, paper, plastic and metal container are produced, and these are difficult to get rid of.
However, today, more and more consumers are choosing "green" and demanding that the products they buy should be safe for the environment. Before they buy a product, they ask questions like these, "Will this shampoo damage the environment?" "Can this metal container be reused or can it only be used once?"
A recent study showed that two out of five adults now consider the environment safety of a product before they buy it. This means that companies must now change the way they make and sell their products to make sure that they are "green", that is, friendly to the environment.
Only a few years ago, it was impossible to find green products in supermarkets, but now there are hundreds. Some supermarkets' products carry labels to show that the product is green. Some companies have made producing of clean and safe products their main selling points and emphasize it in their advertising.
The concern for a safer and cleaner environment is making companies rethink how they do business. No longer will the public accept the old attitude of "Buy it, use it, throw it away, and forget it." The public pressure is on, and gradually business is cleaning up its act. | [
"Business and People",
"Business Goes Green",
"Shopping Habits Are Changing",
"Supermarkets and Green Products"
] |
Global warming is an important cause of koalas' reduction because _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Australia's koalas could be wiped out within 30 years unless urgent action is taken to stop the losing in population, according to researchers They say development, climate change and bushfires have all combined to reduce the number of wild koalas sharply. The Australian Koala Foundation said a recent survey showed the population could have dropped by more than half in the past six years. Previous estimates put the number of koalas at more than 100,000, but the latest calculations suggest there could now be as few as 43,000.
The foundation collected field data from 1,800 sites and 80,000 trees to calculate the numbers. In one area in northern Queensland estimated to have 20,000 koalas a decade ago, a team of eight people could not find a single animal in four days of searching.
The foundation said besides problems caused by cutting down forests, hotter and drier conditions because of global warming had reduced the nutritional value of their staple food, eucalyptus leaves, leading to poor nutrition for them.
Koalas, which live in the forests in Australia's east and south, are very fussy about what types of the leaves they eat.
Foundation chief Deborah Tabart said: "The koalas are missing everywhere we look. It's really no tree, no me. If you keep cutting down trees you don't have any koalas."
She is hoping the new figures will persuade the government's Threatened Species Steering Committee (TSSC) to list the koala as threatened. But committee chairman Bob Beeton said a decision was not likely recently and the koala's status as one of the country's favourite animals would not be a factor. "There's a number of species which are attractive and people have special feelings towards them. We don't consider that," Mr Beeton was reported as saying by the AFP agency.
Question:
Global warming is an important cause of koalas' reduction because _ .
Choices:
A. koalas can hardly stand the hot weather
B. koalas cannot get enough water to drink
C. the leaves koalas eat are losing nutritional value
D. the leaves koalas eat cannot grow in hot weather | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high9724.txt | Australia's koalas could be wiped out within 30 years unless urgent action is taken to stop the losing in population, according to researchers They say development, climate change and bushfires have all combined to reduce the number of wild koalas sharply. The Australian Koala Foundation said a recent survey showed the population could have dropped by more than half in the past six years. Previous estimates put the number of koalas at more than 100,000, but the latest calculations suggest there could now be as few as 43,000.
The foundation collected field data from 1,800 sites and 80,000 trees to calculate the numbers. In one area in northern Queensland estimated to have 20,000 koalas a decade ago, a team of eight people could not find a single animal in four days of searching.
The foundation said besides problems caused by cutting down forests, hotter and drier conditions because of global warming had reduced the nutritional value of their staple food, eucalyptus leaves, leading to poor nutrition for them.
Koalas, which live in the forests in Australia's east and south, are very fussy about what types of the leaves they eat.
Foundation chief Deborah Tabart said: "The koalas are missing everywhere we look. It's really no tree, no me. If you keep cutting down trees you don't have any koalas."
She is hoping the new figures will persuade the government's Threatened Species Steering Committee (TSSC) to list the koala as threatened. But committee chairman Bob Beeton said a decision was not likely recently and the koala's status as one of the country's favourite animals would not be a factor. "There's a number of species which are attractive and people have special feelings towards them. We don't consider that," Mr Beeton was reported as saying by the AFP agency. | [
"koalas can hardly stand the hot weather",
"koalas cannot get enough water to drink",
"the leaves koalas eat are losing nutritional value",
"the leaves koalas eat cannot grow in hot weather"
] |
What is author's purpose in writing to alcohol? | B | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
To Mr. Alcohol
You've been with us for a long time. I won't forget all the pain you've caused for us.
Do you remember the night you almost took my father's life? I do. He loves you. Sometimes I think he loves you more than he loves me. He's addicted to you, to the way you promise to rid him of his problems only to cause more of them. You just sat back and laughed as his car went spinning through the street, crashing into two other cars. He wasn't the only one hurt by you that night.
Do you remember the night of my first high school party? You were there. My friends were _ by you. They treated you as if they were never going to see you again, drinking all of you that they could. I spent two hours that night helping my friends who had fallen completely. "I'm so embarrassed," they said as I held their hair back so that they could vomit . "I'm sorry," they said when I called taxies for them, walking them out and paying the driver in advance. "This won't happen again," they said as they were sent to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped . Two 15-year-old girls slept in hospital beds that night thanks to you.
Do you remember the night when you took advantage of my 17-year-old neighbor who had to drive to pick up his sister from her dance lessons? Do you know how we all felt when he hit another car and killed the two people in the other car? He died the next morning too. His sister walked home from her dance lesson, and passed police cars and a crowd of people gathering on the sidewalk just two blocks away from the dance studio. She didn't realize her brother was in the midst of it all. She never saw him again. And it's all your fault.
I wish you'd walk out of my life forever. I don't want anything to do with you. Look at all the pain you've caused. Sure, you've made people happy too from time to time. But the damage you've caused in the lives of millions is inexcusable. Stop luring in the people I love. Stop hurting me, please.
Question:
What is author's purpose in writing to alcohol?
Choices:
A. To introduce Mr. Alcohol to the readers
B. To show how much alcohol can hurt people.
C. To describe the harm alcohol did to his family.
D. To show the great fun that alcohol can bring to people's life. | Answer: B | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high13977.txt | To Mr. Alcohol
You've been with us for a long time. I won't forget all the pain you've caused for us.
Do you remember the night you almost took my father's life? I do. He loves you. Sometimes I think he loves you more than he loves me. He's addicted to you, to the way you promise to rid him of his problems only to cause more of them. You just sat back and laughed as his car went spinning through the street, crashing into two other cars. He wasn't the only one hurt by you that night.
Do you remember the night of my first high school party? You were there. My friends were _ by you. They treated you as if they were never going to see you again, drinking all of you that they could. I spent two hours that night helping my friends who had fallen completely. "I'm so embarrassed," they said as I held their hair back so that they could vomit . "I'm sorry," they said when I called taxies for them, walking them out and paying the driver in advance. "This won't happen again," they said as they were sent to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped . Two 15-year-old girls slept in hospital beds that night thanks to you.
Do you remember the night when you took advantage of my 17-year-old neighbor who had to drive to pick up his sister from her dance lessons? Do you know how we all felt when he hit another car and killed the two people in the other car? He died the next morning too. His sister walked home from her dance lesson, and passed police cars and a crowd of people gathering on the sidewalk just two blocks away from the dance studio. She didn't realize her brother was in the midst of it all. She never saw him again. And it's all your fault.
I wish you'd walk out of my life forever. I don't want anything to do with you. Look at all the pain you've caused. Sure, you've made people happy too from time to time. But the damage you've caused in the lives of millions is inexcusable. Stop luring in the people I love. Stop hurting me, please. | [
"To introduce Mr. Alcohol to the readers",
"To show how much alcohol can hurt people.",
"To describe the harm alcohol did to his family.",
"To show the great fun that alcohol can bring to people's life."
] |
Why do dolphins join others from different groups? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Many people say dolphins are very intelligent. They seem to be able to think, understand, and learn things quickly. But are they smart like humans or more than cats or dogs? Dolphins use their brains differently from people. But scientists say dolphin intelligence and human intelligence are similar in some ways. How?
Fact 1: Talk to me
Like humans, every dolphin has its own "name". The name is a special whistle. Each dolphin chooses a specific whistle for itself, usually by its first birthday. Actually, scientists think dolphins, like people, "talk" to each other about a lot of things, such as their age, their feelings, or finding food. And, like humans, dolphins use a system of sounds and body language to communicate. But understanding their conversations is not easy for humans. No one speaks "dolphin" yet, but some scientists are trying to learn.
Fact 2: Let's play
Dolphins are also social animals. They live in groups, and they often join others from different groups to play games and have fun--just like people. In fact, playing together is something only intelligent animals do.
Fact 3: Fishermen's helper
Dolphins and humans are similar in another way: both make plans to get something they want. In the seas of southern Brazil, for example, dolphins use an interesting strategy to get food. When fish are near a boat, dolphins show signs to the fishermen to put their nets in the water. Using this method, the men can catch a lot of fish. What is the advantage for the dolphins in doing so? They get to eat some of the fish.
Question:
Why do dolphins join others from different groups?
Choices:
A. To learn to "talk".
B. To meet their families.
C. To play games.
D. To find food. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high8566.txt | Many people say dolphins are very intelligent. They seem to be able to think, understand, and learn things quickly. But are they smart like humans or more than cats or dogs? Dolphins use their brains differently from people. But scientists say dolphin intelligence and human intelligence are similar in some ways. How?
Fact 1: Talk to me
Like humans, every dolphin has its own "name". The name is a special whistle. Each dolphin chooses a specific whistle for itself, usually by its first birthday. Actually, scientists think dolphins, like people, "talk" to each other about a lot of things, such as their age, their feelings, or finding food. And, like humans, dolphins use a system of sounds and body language to communicate. But understanding their conversations is not easy for humans. No one speaks "dolphin" yet, but some scientists are trying to learn.
Fact 2: Let's play
Dolphins are also social animals. They live in groups, and they often join others from different groups to play games and have fun--just like people. In fact, playing together is something only intelligent animals do.
Fact 3: Fishermen's helper
Dolphins and humans are similar in another way: both make plans to get something they want. In the seas of southern Brazil, for example, dolphins use an interesting strategy to get food. When fish are near a boat, dolphins show signs to the fishermen to put their nets in the water. Using this method, the men can catch a lot of fish. What is the advantage for the dolphins in doing so? They get to eat some of the fish. | [
"To learn to \"talk\".",
"To meet their families.",
"To play games.",
"To find food."
] |
Guanfu Museum, according to the city government, _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Ma Weidu is the founder and curator of Guanfu Museum, which is the first private museum in China. With mainly Chinese artifacts on exhibition, the museum was founded on Jan. 18,l 997.It was not well-known by the public until 2008.
On Jan. l,2008,Ma Weidu was invited to be the guest in the flagship CCTV program "Lecture Room". He talked about his museum and more importantly, he introduced Chinese artifacts and their underlying historical, cultural significance.
In 2009,Ma Weidu initiated Beijing Guanfu Cultural Foundation. Creating a culture foundation had been Ma's dream for many years. Beijing Guanfu Cultural Foundation is committed to spreading Chinese traditional culture, funding the development of Guanfu Museum, heritage research and conservation projects, building a platform for public culture, promoting and guiding the public in the spirit of "charity&culture sponsorship ".
Guanfu Museum is currently located at No.18 Jinnan Road, Zhangwanfen, Dashanzi, Chaoyang district, Beijing. But due to the city planning, it has to move. Guanfu Museum, which has experienced relocation for three times, is now looking for a new place. According to Mr. Ma, it should be around 20,000-30,000 square meters.
Question:
Guanfu Museum, according to the city government, _ .
Choices:
A. will be painted
B. has to hold a new exhibition
C. has to move to a new place
D. has to be enlarged | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high2672.txt | Ma Weidu is the founder and curator of Guanfu Museum, which is the first private museum in China. With mainly Chinese artifacts on exhibition, the museum was founded on Jan. 18,l 997.It was not well-known by the public until 2008.
On Jan. l,2008,Ma Weidu was invited to be the guest in the flagship CCTV program "Lecture Room". He talked about his museum and more importantly, he introduced Chinese artifacts and their underlying historical, cultural significance.
In 2009,Ma Weidu initiated Beijing Guanfu Cultural Foundation. Creating a culture foundation had been Ma's dream for many years. Beijing Guanfu Cultural Foundation is committed to spreading Chinese traditional culture, funding the development of Guanfu Museum, heritage research and conservation projects, building a platform for public culture, promoting and guiding the public in the spirit of "charity&culture sponsorship ".
Guanfu Museum is currently located at No.18 Jinnan Road, Zhangwanfen, Dashanzi, Chaoyang district, Beijing. But due to the city planning, it has to move. Guanfu Museum, which has experienced relocation for three times, is now looking for a new place. According to Mr. Ma, it should be around 20,000-30,000 square meters. | [
"will be painted",
"has to hold a new exhibition",
"has to move to a new place",
"has to be enlarged"
] |
Why are you expected to return your key when you leave? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Staying in a Homestay in Canada will give you an excellent opportunity to improve your English conversation skills and know more about Canada customs and cultures. Our homestay families are located in areas of Vancouver,Toronto and Montreal,Canada,living from 40 to 60 minutes from the school. These homes are safe,secure,inspected and approved by our homestay program coordinators.
Your homestay family in Canada will be different from your own,especially the food and customs,but you will become one of the family!
Most Canadians work outside the home and are active in community affairs. Family members have duties around the home and do many things for themselves. For example,family members are expected to take their own dishes from the dining room to the kitchen and take care of their own possessions. This will apply to you too!
There will be many differences,both personal and cultural between you and your homestay family in Canada. We ask both you and your new family to be accepting of these differences.
Each family will assist you in learning the arrangement of your new home. You will be asked to respect the rules and regulations that are suitable for their household. If any questions arise about your new home,please feel free to ask your family.
You will be provided with a clean,comfortable,private room. The room will be furnished with a desk,bed,dresser,closet and good lighting. You are expected to keep your own room neat and tidy. You will have your own house key. Please respect the security of the household. Make sure you return the key when you leave.
Question:
Why are you expected to return your key when you leave?
Choices:
A. The homestay family can stay safe.
B. There are not enough keys.
C. The room can be cleaned easily.
D. The key may be lost. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high19620.txt | Staying in a Homestay in Canada will give you an excellent opportunity to improve your English conversation skills and know more about Canada customs and cultures. Our homestay families are located in areas of Vancouver,Toronto and Montreal,Canada,living from 40 to 60 minutes from the school. These homes are safe,secure,inspected and approved by our homestay program coordinators.
Your homestay family in Canada will be different from your own,especially the food and customs,but you will become one of the family!
Most Canadians work outside the home and are active in community affairs. Family members have duties around the home and do many things for themselves. For example,family members are expected to take their own dishes from the dining room to the kitchen and take care of their own possessions. This will apply to you too!
There will be many differences,both personal and cultural between you and your homestay family in Canada. We ask both you and your new family to be accepting of these differences.
Each family will assist you in learning the arrangement of your new home. You will be asked to respect the rules and regulations that are suitable for their household. If any questions arise about your new home,please feel free to ask your family.
You will be provided with a clean,comfortable,private room. The room will be furnished with a desk,bed,dresser,closet and good lighting. You are expected to keep your own room neat and tidy. You will have your own house key. Please respect the security of the household. Make sure you return the key when you leave. | [
"The homestay family can stay safe.",
"There are not enough keys.",
"The room can be cleaned easily.",
"The key may be lost."
] |
Microfilaments are mostly concentrated just beneath what? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | Microfilaments are mostly concentrated just beneath what? | the cell membrane | science | null | null | null | the cytoplasm | the nucleus | the cell wall | the cell membrane | Microfilaments , shown as (b) in Figure below , are made of two thin actin chains that are twisted around one another. Microfilaments are mostly concentrated just beneath the cell membrane, where they support the cell and help the cell keep its shape. Microfilaments form cytoplasmatic extentions, such as pseudopodia and microvilli , which allow certain cells to move. The actin of the microfilaments interacts with the protein myosin to cause contraction in muscle cells. Microfilaments are found in almost every cell, and are numerous in muscle cells and in cells that move by changing shape, such as phagocytes (white blood cells that search the body for bacteria and other invaders). | null | null | null |
What is required for both the synthesis and breakdown of molecules? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | What is required for both the synthesis and breakdown of molecules? | energy | science | null | null | null | heating | sunlight | mixing | energy | Introduction Virtually every task performed by living organisms requires energy. Energy is needed to perform heavy labor and exercise, but humans also use a great deal of energy while thinking, and even during sleep. In fact, the living cells of every organism constantly use energy. Nutrients and other molecules are imported, metabolized (broken down) and possibly synthesized into new molecules, modified if needed, transported around the cell, and may be distributed to the entire organism. For example, the large proteins that make up muscles are actively built from smaller molecules. Complex carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars that the cell uses for energy. Just as energy is required to both build and demolish a building, energy is required for both the synthesis and breakdown of molecules. Additionally, signaling molecules such as hormones and neurotransmitters are transported between cells. Pathogenic bacteria and viruses are ingested and broken down by cells. Cells must also export waste and toxins to stay healthy, and many cells must swim or move surrounding materials via the beating motion of cellular appendages like cilia and flagella. The cellular processes listed above require a steady supply of energy. From where, and in what form, does this energy come? How do living cells obtain energy, and how do they use it? This chapter will discuss different forms of energy and the physical laws that govern energy transfer. This chapter will also describe how cells use energy and replenish it, and how chemical reactions in the cell are performed with great efficiency. | null | null | null |
Wynter went to her local town bike shop to buy her sister a bicycle as her birthday gift. While at the shop, Wynter counted 50 bicycles and 20 tricycles. How many wheels in total did the vehicles she saw have? | The bicycles had a total of 50 bikes * 2 wheels/bike = <<50*2=100>>100 wheels.
There were 20 trikes * 3 wheels/trike = <<20*3=60>>60 wheels for the tricycles.
The total number of wheels is 100 wheels + 60 wheels = <<100+60=160>>160 wheels
#### 160 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | Wynter went to her local town bike shop to buy her sister a bicycle as her birthday gift. While at the shop, Wynter counted 50 bicycles and 20 tricycles. How many wheels in total did the vehicles she saw have? | The bicycles had a total of 50 bikes * 2 wheels/bike = <<50*2=100>>100 wheels.
There were 20 trikes * 3 wheels/trike = <<20*3=60>>60 wheels for the tricycles.
The total number of wheels is 100 wheels + 60 wheels = <<100+60=160>>160 wheels
#### 160 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
When did Jolin Tsai publish "Jolin's English Diary Book" ? | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
JOLIN Tsai , a famous singer, has become an English teacher! But she is not staying in a classroom to give you talks in English.Instead, she has published a new book, "Jolin's English Diary Book".It came out in Taiwan in March.Jolin is helping you learn English in a _ way and give you useful words for life outside your textbooks.
"I hope it's a happy English book," she said, "When you learn English in a fun way, you will keep on doing it." This certainly doesn't mean just reciting words.Jolin has a lot of clever ways of learning.She likes to listen to English songs or find friends to talk to in English.She has been good at English since Grade 3 in primary school .Because of this, she hosted news programme on the radio herself.
Jolin knows it's important to put English to good use.So, in her English diaries, she wrote something about her everyday life, like study, fashion , travel and family.After each diary, she gives you lots of notes.You can use them often, too! Jolin also asks you to keep diaries like hers.
Question:
When did Jolin Tsai publish "Jolin's English Diary Book" ?
Choices:
A. In May
B. In April
C. In March
D. In June | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle2563.txt | JOLIN Tsai , a famous singer, has become an English teacher! But she is not staying in a classroom to give you talks in English.Instead, she has published a new book, "Jolin's English Diary Book".It came out in Taiwan in March.Jolin is helping you learn English in a _ way and give you useful words for life outside your textbooks.
"I hope it's a happy English book," she said, "When you learn English in a fun way, you will keep on doing it." This certainly doesn't mean just reciting words.Jolin has a lot of clever ways of learning.She likes to listen to English songs or find friends to talk to in English.She has been good at English since Grade 3 in primary school .Because of this, she hosted news programme on the radio herself.
Jolin knows it's important to put English to good use.So, in her English diaries, she wrote something about her everyday life, like study, fashion , travel and family.After each diary, she gives you lots of notes.You can use them often, too! Jolin also asks you to keep diaries like hers. | [
"In May",
"In April",
"In March",
"In June"
] |
"Look out " here means _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
First Frenchman: I once heard someone shout, "Look out." I put my head out of a window and a glass of water fell on me. It seems that "look out" may mean "Don't look out."
Second Frenchman: I was once on a ship and heard the captain shout, "All hands on deck . I put my hands on the deck and someone walked on them."
Third Frenchman: I once went early in the morning to the doctor's and his nurse came to the door and said, "he's not up yet. Come back in half an hour." When I went a second time for him, she said, "he's not down yet." I had to go away again. Later I thought the doctor should be in the house in the evening, so I went there once more. "Oh, how sorry I am! He's not in ! I'd better tell him to wait for you if you could come tomorrow." said the nurse. "Well! He's not up, he is not down, and he is not in. please tell me where he stays!" I said angrily.
Question:
"Look out " here means _ .
Choices:
A. Help me.
B. A glass of water fell from the window.
C. Take care.
D. Put your head out of the window and look out. | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle3618.txt | First Frenchman: I once heard someone shout, "Look out." I put my head out of a window and a glass of water fell on me. It seems that "look out" may mean "Don't look out."
Second Frenchman: I was once on a ship and heard the captain shout, "All hands on deck . I put my hands on the deck and someone walked on them."
Third Frenchman: I once went early in the morning to the doctor's and his nurse came to the door and said, "he's not up yet. Come back in half an hour." When I went a second time for him, she said, "he's not down yet." I had to go away again. Later I thought the doctor should be in the house in the evening, so I went there once more. "Oh, how sorry I am! He's not in ! I'd better tell him to wait for you if you could come tomorrow." said the nurse. "Well! He's not up, he is not down, and he is not in. please tell me where he stays!" I said angrily. | [
"Help me.",
"A glass of water fell from the window.",
"Take care.",
"Put your head out of the window and look out."
] |
We can learn from the passage that story-writing teachers _ . | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
While most teachers enjoy the summer break from work, other teachers try to find part-time work during that time. If you're one of those teachers who are finding part-time work during the summer, writing for children might be the right job you're looking for.
During the school year, you're very familiar with children in your classroom. That means you know what children think about, how they talk and how they act. If you read stories and books for children with your students during the school year, you also know the kinds of story that children are fond of.
As a teacher, you can go to the school library and find out what kinds of books students are most interested in. Also, what kinds of books seem to be in short supply? Use this information to create stories and novels.
If you continue writing for children during the school year, you won't have enough time to write as much while you're teaching, but you can probably manage to work on at least one short story for children each month. Even if you don't finish these pieces during the school year, when school ends for the summer you will have lots of writing projects to finish and hand in to editors .
Recently, many teachers have turned to writing for children as a part-time job. If you enjoy writing as much as you enjoy teaching, then writing for children might be the second job for you, too.
Question:
We can learn from the passage that story-writing teachers _ .
Choices:
A. should read their stories to the students
B. should borrow books from the school library
C. think writing stories is a difficult part-time job
D. think teaching can provide them with ideas for stories | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high9210.txt | While most teachers enjoy the summer break from work, other teachers try to find part-time work during that time. If you're one of those teachers who are finding part-time work during the summer, writing for children might be the right job you're looking for.
During the school year, you're very familiar with children in your classroom. That means you know what children think about, how they talk and how they act. If you read stories and books for children with your students during the school year, you also know the kinds of story that children are fond of.
As a teacher, you can go to the school library and find out what kinds of books students are most interested in. Also, what kinds of books seem to be in short supply? Use this information to create stories and novels.
If you continue writing for children during the school year, you won't have enough time to write as much while you're teaching, but you can probably manage to work on at least one short story for children each month. Even if you don't finish these pieces during the school year, when school ends for the summer you will have lots of writing projects to finish and hand in to editors .
Recently, many teachers have turned to writing for children as a part-time job. If you enjoy writing as much as you enjoy teaching, then writing for children might be the second job for you, too. | [
"should read their stories to the students",
"should borrow books from the school library",
"think writing stories is a difficult part-time job",
"think teaching can provide them with ideas for stories"
] |
I run 12 miles in 90 minutes. What is my average speed in miles per hour? | First convert 90 minutes to hours: 90 minutes / 60 minutes/hours = <<90/60=1.5>>1.5 hours.
In 1 hour, I run 12 miles / 1.5 hours = <<12/1.5=8>>8 miles/hour.
#### 8 | Solve the following math problem and explain your reasoning step by step. | I run 12 miles in 90 minutes. What is my average speed in miles per hour? | First convert 90 minutes to hours: 90 minutes / 60 minutes/hours = <<90/60=1.5>>1.5 hours.
In 1 hour, I run 12 miles / 1.5 hours = <<12/1.5=8>>8 miles/hour.
#### 8 | math | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
This article mainly tells about _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
When you buy a T-shirt, or a fur coat in a store, it often carries a label telling who made it or from what store it was bought. Instead, some labels show the dress is famous and it is very expensive, so buyers secretly wish they could be carried forever. On the other hand, buyers who deal with the cheapest products would be pleased to be away with labels _ .
However, there is another label more important than the one showing from which store the dress was bought. When a person buys a fur coat, or a jacket from a store, a label telling what the product is made of should be carried to it.
The label is required by law. Besides telling what the product on show is made of, the label should be in clear English and be where one can find it easily. The information on the label must be true.
The reason for this is that most buyers today aren't expert enough to know exactly what kind of fur or material they are buying. The buyers must believe in the store that sells the products or in what the label says.
Question:
This article mainly tells about _ .
Choices:
A. making clothes
B. protecting buyers by law
C. keeping the buyers informed
D. businessmen and sellers | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high20830.txt | When you buy a T-shirt, or a fur coat in a store, it often carries a label telling who made it or from what store it was bought. Instead, some labels show the dress is famous and it is very expensive, so buyers secretly wish they could be carried forever. On the other hand, buyers who deal with the cheapest products would be pleased to be away with labels _ .
However, there is another label more important than the one showing from which store the dress was bought. When a person buys a fur coat, or a jacket from a store, a label telling what the product is made of should be carried to it.
The label is required by law. Besides telling what the product on show is made of, the label should be in clear English and be where one can find it easily. The information on the label must be true.
The reason for this is that most buyers today aren't expert enough to know exactly what kind of fur or material they are buying. The buyers must believe in the store that sells the products or in what the label says. | [
"making clothes",
"protecting buyers by law",
"keeping the buyers informed",
"businessmen and sellers"
] |
The author wrote the passage to _ . | C | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Driving to a friend's house on a recent evening, I was attracted by the sight of the full moon rising just above my friend's rooftops. I stopped to watch it for a few moments, thinking about what a pity it was that most city people, myself included, usually miss sights like this because we spend most of our lives indoors.
My friend had also seen it. He grew up living in a forest in Europe, and the moon meant a lot to him then. It had touched much of his life.
I know the feeling. Last December I took my seven-year-old daughter to the mountainous jungle of northern India with some friends. We stayed in a forest rest-house with no electricity or running hot water. Our group had campfires outside every night, and indoors when it was too cold outside. The moon grew to its fullest during our trip. Between me and the high mountains lay three or four valleys. Not a light shone in them and not a sound could be heard. It was one of the quietest places I have ever known, a bottomless well of silence. And above me was the full moon, which struck me deeply.
Today our lives are filled with glass, metal, plastic and fibre-glass. We have televisions, cell phones, pagers, electricity, heaters and ovens and air-conditioners, cars, computers.
Struggling through traffic that evening at the end of a tiring day, most of it spent indoors, I thought: before long, I would like to live in a small cottage. There I will grow vegetables and read books and walk in the mountains And perhaps write, but not in anger. I may become an old man there, and wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled and measure out my life in coffee spoons. But I will be able to walk outside on a cold silent night and touch the moon.
Question:
The author wrote the passage to _ .
Choices:
A. advise modern people to learn to live
B. show the love for the moonlight
C. express the feeling of returning to nature
D. want to communicate longing for modern life | Answer: C | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high223.txt | Driving to a friend's house on a recent evening, I was attracted by the sight of the full moon rising just above my friend's rooftops. I stopped to watch it for a few moments, thinking about what a pity it was that most city people, myself included, usually miss sights like this because we spend most of our lives indoors.
My friend had also seen it. He grew up living in a forest in Europe, and the moon meant a lot to him then. It had touched much of his life.
I know the feeling. Last December I took my seven-year-old daughter to the mountainous jungle of northern India with some friends. We stayed in a forest rest-house with no electricity or running hot water. Our group had campfires outside every night, and indoors when it was too cold outside. The moon grew to its fullest during our trip. Between me and the high mountains lay three or four valleys. Not a light shone in them and not a sound could be heard. It was one of the quietest places I have ever known, a bottomless well of silence. And above me was the full moon, which struck me deeply.
Today our lives are filled with glass, metal, plastic and fibre-glass. We have televisions, cell phones, pagers, electricity, heaters and ovens and air-conditioners, cars, computers.
Struggling through traffic that evening at the end of a tiring day, most of it spent indoors, I thought: before long, I would like to live in a small cottage. There I will grow vegetables and read books and walk in the mountains And perhaps write, but not in anger. I may become an old man there, and wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled and measure out my life in coffee spoons. But I will be able to walk outside on a cold silent night and touch the moon. | [
"advise modern people to learn to live",
"show the love for the moonlight",
"express the feeling of returning to nature",
"want to communicate longing for modern life"
] |
Wu Yuan started to cut her finger with a knife because _ . | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
A recent report from Fuzhou Daily says about 18% of Fuzhou teenagers can have problems with their minds(,).Some students become worried because they have to study very hard. Others have trouble getting on well with people like their parents and classmates.
Zhang Qiong, a junior 2 student from Fuzhou, could not understand his teachers in class and was doing badly in his lessons. He was afraid of exams. When he looked at the exam paper, he couldn't think of anything to write. Another student, a15-year-old girl called Wu Yuan from Xiamen often argued ( ) with herclassmates even her parents because of some difficult ideas. She became so angry with them that she started to cut her finger with a knife.
However, many students who have problems won't go for advice or help. Some think they will look stupid if they go to see a doctor. Others don't want to talk about their secrets. here is some advice for the teenagers to solve the problems: Firstly, talk to your parents or teachers often. Secondly, take part in group activities and do sports. Thirdly, go to see a doctor if you feel unhappy or unwell.
Question:
Wu Yuan started to cut her finger with a knife because _ .
Choices:
A. She couldn't get on well with her classmates even her parents
B. She couldn't understand her teachers in class.
C. She was afraid of exams.
D. She had no money for a new shirt. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle6358.txt | A recent report from Fuzhou Daily says about 18% of Fuzhou teenagers can have problems with their minds(,).Some students become worried because they have to study very hard. Others have trouble getting on well with people like their parents and classmates.
Zhang Qiong, a junior 2 student from Fuzhou, could not understand his teachers in class and was doing badly in his lessons. He was afraid of exams. When he looked at the exam paper, he couldn't think of anything to write. Another student, a15-year-old girl called Wu Yuan from Xiamen often argued ( ) with herclassmates even her parents because of some difficult ideas. She became so angry with them that she started to cut her finger with a knife.
However, many students who have problems won't go for advice or help. Some think they will look stupid if they go to see a doctor. Others don't want to talk about their secrets. here is some advice for the teenagers to solve the problems: Firstly, talk to your parents or teachers often. Secondly, take part in group activities and do sports. Thirdly, go to see a doctor if you feel unhappy or unwell. | [
"She couldn't get on well with her classmates even her parents",
"She couldn't understand her teachers in class.",
"She was afraid of exams.",
"She had no money for a new shirt."
] |
Which animal is preparing for a seasonal change in the environment? | null | Answer this science question and explain your reasoning. | Which animal is preparing for a seasonal change in the environment?
Choices:
A. a bat flying at night
B. a deer drinking water
C. an owl eating a mouse
D. a squirrel storing nuts | Correct answer: D | science | NYSEDREGENTS_2005_4_14 | {
"text": [
"a bat flying at night",
"a deer drinking water",
"an owl eating a mouse",
"a squirrel storing nuts"
],
"label": [
"A",
"B",
"C",
"D"
]
} | D | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
What regulates the cell cycle only when they are tightly bound to cdks? | null | Answer the following science question clearly and accurately. | What regulates the cell cycle only when they are tightly bound to cdks? | cyclins | science | null | null | null | hormones | kinases | subclades | cyclins | Cyclins regulate the cell cycle only when they are tightly bound to Cdks. To be fully active, the Cdk/cyclin complex must also be phosphorylated in specific locations. Like all kinases, Cdks are enzymes (kinases) that phosphorylate other proteins. Phosphorylation activates the protein by changing its shape. The proteins phosphorylated by Cdks are involved in advancing the cell to the next phase. (Figure 10.12). The levels of Cdk proteins are relatively stable throughout the cell cycle; however, the concentrations of cyclin fluctuate and determine when Cdk/cyclin complexes form. The different cyclins and Cdks bind at specific points in the cell cycle and thus regulate different checkpoints. | null | null | null |
How does the author advise kids to keep in touch with relatives? | A | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Finding time to read is an important part of developing reading and writing skills for all kids. And there are many easy and convenient ways to make reading a part of each day -- even when it's tough to find time to sit down with a book.
Car trips, waits in checkout lines and the doctor's office are all opportunities for reading. Keep books or magazines in your car, or backpack to pull out whenever you're going to be in one place for a while. Even if you can't finish a book, read a few pages or discuss some of the pictures.
Encourage kids to bring favorite books and magazines along wherever you go. While it's attractive to provide electronic games and readers, be sure to alternate electronic media with plenty of opportunities to read traditional print books.
Reading opportunities are everywhere you go. While riding in the car, for example, encourage kids to spot words and letters (on billboards, store signs, etc.), turning it into a game ("Who'll be the first to find a letter B?").
Even daily tasks like cooking can provide reading moments. Kids can assist you as you cook by telling you how much flour to measure. Give your child a catalogue to read while you sort through the mail. Ask relatives to send your child letters, e-mail, or text messages, and read them together. Help your child create letters or messages to send back to the relatives. These types of activities help kids see the purpose of reading and of print.
Even when you're trying to get things done, you can encourage reading. While cleaning, for instance, you might ask your child to read a favorite book to you while you work.
Make sure kids get some time to spend quietly with books, even if it means cutting back on other activities, like watching TV or playing video games.
Most important, be a reader yourself. Kids who see their parents reading are likely to imitate them and become readers, too!
Question:
How does the author advise kids to keep in touch with relatives?
Choices:
A. Make written communication.
B. Make a dialogue with each other.
C. Learn skills from them.
D. Read a catalogue together. | Answer: A | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high14280.txt | Finding time to read is an important part of developing reading and writing skills for all kids. And there are many easy and convenient ways to make reading a part of each day -- even when it's tough to find time to sit down with a book.
Car trips, waits in checkout lines and the doctor's office are all opportunities for reading. Keep books or magazines in your car, or backpack to pull out whenever you're going to be in one place for a while. Even if you can't finish a book, read a few pages or discuss some of the pictures.
Encourage kids to bring favorite books and magazines along wherever you go. While it's attractive to provide electronic games and readers, be sure to alternate electronic media with plenty of opportunities to read traditional print books.
Reading opportunities are everywhere you go. While riding in the car, for example, encourage kids to spot words and letters (on billboards, store signs, etc.), turning it into a game ("Who'll be the first to find a letter B?").
Even daily tasks like cooking can provide reading moments. Kids can assist you as you cook by telling you how much flour to measure. Give your child a catalogue to read while you sort through the mail. Ask relatives to send your child letters, e-mail, or text messages, and read them together. Help your child create letters or messages to send back to the relatives. These types of activities help kids see the purpose of reading and of print.
Even when you're trying to get things done, you can encourage reading. While cleaning, for instance, you might ask your child to read a favorite book to you while you work.
Make sure kids get some time to spend quietly with books, even if it means cutting back on other activities, like watching TV or playing video games.
Most important, be a reader yourself. Kids who see their parents reading are likely to imitate them and become readers, too! | [
"Make written communication.",
"Make a dialogue with each other.",
"Learn skills from them.",
"Read a catalogue together."
] |
What can we infer from the passage? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
Last week when I was sitting in my office,I heard an elderly lady talking on the phone about her husband.Her husband's name was Ed.He dropped her off for her doctor's appointment and was going to park the car and wait for her.She was so upset that she started to cry.I knew I should take action.
The lady told me her name was Helen and she called the restaurant she and her husband were going to have lunch at after her appointment to see if he was waiting for her there.She explained that she thought her husband parked the car in the parking lot and waited for her in the car but she didn't find him there so she returned to see if he entered the medical building,but Ed was not there either.She regretted making her husband park the car alone since some signs of Alzheimer's had happened in his behavior.I asked a few nurses to help look for Ed inside and outside the medical building according to Helen's description.Then I offered to drive Helen to the restaurant to see if Ed was waiting for her there.
On arriving at the parking lot of the restaurant,Helen began to search for Ed's car but she failed,which suggested Ed wasn't there.We decided to have a talk with the manager before we returned to the hospital.On our way to the manager's office.I received a call from a nurse,who said they had found Ed.What a relief! But we still needed to go on searching since he forgot where he parked his car! Fortunately, we didn't have much difficulty finding it.
As I waved good-bye to the couple, I thought "This is true love in life.The love is not romantic but it stays with us all the time."
Question:
What can we infer from the passage?
Choices:
A. The author was Helen's friend.
B. The author had seen Ed before.
C. The author went to see his doctor.
D. The author worked in the hospital. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | middle7502.txt | Last week when I was sitting in my office,I heard an elderly lady talking on the phone about her husband.Her husband's name was Ed.He dropped her off for her doctor's appointment and was going to park the car and wait for her.She was so upset that she started to cry.I knew I should take action.
The lady told me her name was Helen and she called the restaurant she and her husband were going to have lunch at after her appointment to see if he was waiting for her there.She explained that she thought her husband parked the car in the parking lot and waited for her in the car but she didn't find him there so she returned to see if he entered the medical building,but Ed was not there either.She regretted making her husband park the car alone since some signs of Alzheimer's had happened in his behavior.I asked a few nurses to help look for Ed inside and outside the medical building according to Helen's description.Then I offered to drive Helen to the restaurant to see if Ed was waiting for her there.
On arriving at the parking lot of the restaurant,Helen began to search for Ed's car but she failed,which suggested Ed wasn't there.We decided to have a talk with the manager before we returned to the hospital.On our way to the manager's office.I received a call from a nurse,who said they had found Ed.What a relief! But we still needed to go on searching since he forgot where he parked his car! Fortunately, we didn't have much difficulty finding it.
As I waved good-bye to the couple, I thought "This is true love in life.The love is not romantic but it stays with us all the time." | [
"The author was Helen's friend.",
"The author had seen Ed before.",
"The author went to see his doctor.",
"The author worked in the hospital."
] |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? | D | Read the passage and answer the question. | Passage:
For many people in the US,sports are not just for fun. They're almost a "religion".Thousands of sports fans buy expensive tickets to watch their favorite teams and athletes play in person .Other fans watch the games at home,sticking to their TV sets,never missing a game. Many a wife becomes a "sports widow" during her husband's favorite season. Americans' devotion to sports has created a new class:professional athletes. Sports stars often receive milliondollar salaries. Some even make big money by appearing in advertisements for soft drinks,shoes and almost everything.
Sports are an important part of American culture. Throughout their school life,Americans learn to play many sports. Many students try out for the school teams. Athletic events at universities attract scores of fans and benefit the whole community. Many people also enjoy noncompetitive activities,like hiking,cycling,horseback riding,camping or hunting.
Many sports were imported from other countries. Europeans brought tennis,golf,bowling and boxing to America .Football and baseball came from other Old World games. Only basketball has a truly American origin. Americans export sports fever as well. Satellites broadcast games to sports fans around the globe. NBA is a good example. The names of American superstars like basketball great Michael Jordan have become household words all over the world.
Question:
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
Choices:
A. The US sports stars can earn a large sum of money via the media.
B. American students go in for various sports and athletic events.
C. Lots of American people take part in noncompetitive activities.
D. American people like to exchange different sports from each other. | Answer: D | reading | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | high20350.txt | For many people in the US,sports are not just for fun. They're almost a "religion".Thousands of sports fans buy expensive tickets to watch their favorite teams and athletes play in person .Other fans watch the games at home,sticking to their TV sets,never missing a game. Many a wife becomes a "sports widow" during her husband's favorite season. Americans' devotion to sports has created a new class:professional athletes. Sports stars often receive milliondollar salaries. Some even make big money by appearing in advertisements for soft drinks,shoes and almost everything.
Sports are an important part of American culture. Throughout their school life,Americans learn to play many sports. Many students try out for the school teams. Athletic events at universities attract scores of fans and benefit the whole community. Many people also enjoy noncompetitive activities,like hiking,cycling,horseback riding,camping or hunting.
Many sports were imported from other countries. Europeans brought tennis,golf,bowling and boxing to America .Football and baseball came from other Old World games. Only basketball has a truly American origin. Americans export sports fever as well. Satellites broadcast games to sports fans around the globe. NBA is a good example. The names of American superstars like basketball great Michael Jordan have become household words all over the world. | [
"The US sports stars can earn a large sum of money via the media.",
"American students go in for various sports and athletic events.",
"Lots of American people take part in noncompetitive activities.",
"American people like to exchange different sports from each other."
] |
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