questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he has to do his job as a volunteer firefighter"
},
"options": [
"he has to work part-time at weekends",
"he has some sleeping problems",
"he has to do his job as a volunteer firefighter",
"he alway"
],
"questio... | On Saturday nights, A.J.Coston doesn't get a lot of sleep. Usually three or four times a night, a loud bell rings, a red light flashes, and he has to jump out of his bed. That's because he's a weekend volunteer firefighter with Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Station 13 in Northern Virginia. During the week, he lives at home with his mom, dad and sister and does his main job which is going to high school.
"I have always wanted to get into firefighting since I was a little kid watching fire trucks go by," he says. "One day on the Internet I noticed that Loudoun County offered a junior firefighter program." He was only 16, but he got it.
Fighting fires is dangerous work. Firefighters never stop practicing the skills they need to stay safe. Once Coston learned those skills, he was allowed to work inside burning buildings.
"Teamwork is most important," he says. "It's the whole team that puts the fire out."
Firefighters feel great about helping people. "My most unbelievable call was probably the time four kids were struck by lightning," says Coston. He will be off to college next fall, building on his dream job. "I'll get my degree in emergency medical care. and then work in a fire and rescue company for a while. I want to be a flight doctor on a helicopter in the end, but I will never forget the days as a firefighter. These are my unforgettable experiences," he says. | high16087.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "decide the place on your interest"
},
"options": [
"spend time discussing with fun people",
"decide the place on your interest",
"choose famous places",
"find a new area"
],
"question": "To choose a place for a ... | Tips for Getting the Most out of a "Photo walk"
Photo walks are a great way to get out and get clicking, either by yourself, with a couple of friends, or with a group of people. They can be wonderful for seeing a neighborhood or wild space with new eyes, getting inspired to be more creative with angles and subjects, as well as simply spending time with fun people. Here are a few tips for making sure you get the most out of a photo walk.
Pick a spot with lots of interest
A photo walk is a perfect excuse to go exploring a new area. However, if you've never been to the scene before, you might be disappointed at the final photos. Base your chosen spot on what you feel like photographing---whether that is buildings, people, busy streets, a festival, nature and so on, and make sure the place you're heading for is filled with what you most want to shoot. It will pay off in a satisfying walk if you research your chosen spot beforehand and know what to expect.
Invite anyone, no matter what their skill level is
You'll be surprised at what you learn from people who seem to know nothing about photography. Even with a simple camera, they can catch some outstanding photos. So bring Aunt Betty or your 10-year-old nephew or anyone else whose company you might enjoy on a walk and keep an open mind.
Don't forget them
Be sure to take the important small things, such as an extra memory card (or two), an extra fully charged battery, comfortable shoes and clothing. And remember a notepad and pen for taking down notes about places, times, conditions, the names and information of people you meet and any other information you might want to remember about certain shots.
Keep an eye out for danger
Apart from watching the sky for rain, you'll want to watch out for other people as well. Smartphones are always a target for thieves but they have become much clearer about the value of digital cameras. Don't make yourself a target by standing for a very long time holding your camera out in front of you. If you're in an area that is really busy or you aren't super comfortable, then just be careful about when to use your camera. Imagine your shot in your head before holding up your camera, or use a camera belt wrapped around your wrist or shoulder. | high11703.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "cheerful"
},
"options": [
"forgetful",
"confused",
"cheerful",
"uneasy"
],
"question": "Which of the following is NOT the symptom of the mother of the author?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {... | For as early as I could remember, my mother had been a bright, cheerful woman deeply interested and involved in the world around her. However, in the last fifteen years of her life, she had to live with senile dementia . I would go to my home to pay her a visit in California and she would curiously look at me and then ask, "Who are you?" I would answer, "I'm your own son, of course." "Where do you live?" She would ask. "In Virginia", I would tell her. "Isn't that interesting," she would say, "I have a son in Virginia."
Mother seemed only forgetful as well as confused at the beginning of that disease, but sometime later she would go through different time of intense anxiety. She would keep walk ing through the house she used to live in most of her life crying uneasily that she would like to go home. Or sometimes she left home and wandered away if she were unattended for a short time.
Hoping to make her happy and put her mind at ease I would take her in my car, visiting sites where she used to live when she was a child. In the yard of the hillside house in Shipman I sat in the car and admired the view of the old oaks and long green lawn . I _ my mother there was a little girl playing with the pet lamb she had been so fond of. I looked to her for some response. She shook her head and said, "I want to go home."
Over the years I have decided that what my mother was calling home was not a place, but a time. I think it was a time when she was much younger, when her children were still underfoot, when her husband was still energetic and attentive.
Watching my mother's suffering set me wondering where I would have in mind if someday I couldn't find home and wanted to go there. In this family we tend to be long-lived and we grow fuzzy minded as the years go by. At eighty I have already noticed some alarming symptoms. My doctor says the forgetfulness is only natural and that it comes with age. Still the fear of senile dementia is haunting there. Someday if and when I become even more cloudy minded than I am now, unable to drive and unable to tell you where "home" is, my dear son, I expect I will ask you to take me home, I know you will do your best to find the place I need to be. I leave these notes for your guidance. | high5635.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Warmth"
},
"options": [
"Warmth",
"Milk",
"contact",
"trust"
],
"question": "Psychologically, what does the baby monkey desire most during the first two weeks of its life?",
"question_type": "factiod_questio... | The baby monkey is much more developed at brith than the human baby. Almost from the moment it is born,the baby monkey can move around and hold tightly to its mother. During the first few days of its life the baby will approach and hold onto almost any large,warm, and soft object in its environment , particularly if that object also gives it milk. After a week or so , however, the baby monkey begins to avoid newcomers and focuses its attentions on "mother"-----the real mother or the mother-substitute .
During the first two weeks of its life warmth is perhaps the most important psychological thing that a monkey mother has to give to its baby. The Harlows, a couple who are both psychologists, discovered this fact by offering baby monkeys a choice of two types of mother-substitutes ----one covered with cloth and one make of bare wire. IF the two artificial mothers were both the same temperature, the little monkeys always preferred the cloth mother. However, if the wire model was heated, while the cloth model was cool, for the first two weeks after brith the baby monkeys picked the warm wire mother-substitutes as their favorites. Thereafter they switched and spent most of their time on the more comfortable cloth mother.
Why is cloth preferable to bare wire? Sometime that the Harlows called contact comfort seems to be the answer, and a most powerful influence it is. Baby monkeys spend much of their time rubbing against their mothers' skins, putting themselves in as close contact with the parent as they can. Whenever the young animal is frightened, disturbed, or annoyed, it typically rushes to its mother and rubs itself against her body. Wire does n't "rub"as well as does soft cloth. Prolonged "contact comfort" with a cloth mother appears to give the babies confidence and is much more rewarding to them than is either warmth or milk.
According to the Harlows, the basic quality of a baby's love for its mother is trust. If the baby is put into an unfamiliar playroom without its mother, the baby ignores the toys no matter how interesting they might be. It screams in terror and curls up into a furry little ball. If its cloth mother is now introduced into the playroom, the baby rushes to it and holds onto it for dear life. After a few minutes of contact comfort, it obviously begins to feel more secure. It then climbs down from the mother-substitute and begins to explore the toys, but often rushes back for a deep embrace as if to make sure that its mother is still there and that all is well. Bit by bit its fears of the new environment are gone and it spends more and more time playing with the toys and less and less time holding onto its mother". | high18041.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Marco Dorigo."
},
"options": [
"Mike Litman.",
"Marco Dorigo.",
"The Master Creator.",
"James Allen."
],
"question": "Who spent time imagining what he planned to do every night before going to bed?",
"questi... | How many times have you heard the expression that most people spend more time planning their vacation than they do planning their lives. I would explain that expression by adding that most people spend more time "thinking" about their vacation than they do thinking about what's important in their life.
While rest and relaxation are a must in living a balanced life, it's not what we were created to do. After all, the Master Creator took his R&R (Rest and Recreation) on the seventh day, only after six days of "definitely directed thought." 1
My friend Mike Litman wrote an article this week. 2It's called "The Millionaire Composite" and it analyzes one of the big differences between super-successful people and everyone else. He wrote "I recently visited a Real Estate Multi Millionaire Mogul. What did I see next to his desk? His vision statement, along with a list of what he values in life-handwritten."
"A few months back, I interviewed an individual Marco Dorigo who sold over a billion dollars worth of products on television. He told me that he read his life and business vision and goals daily, and that he took time to imagine exactly what he wanted to create each night before falling asleep."
What is your life's purpose or your personal task statement? Is it written down? Do you review it and think about it often? 3Is your life organized around your purpose and a set of goals that support that purpose?
Without purpose and goals - certainly directed thought-you are like "ship without a rudder. " There is power in your purpose and in your goals.4
One of my favorite passages of James Allen is one he wrote in The Mastery of Destiny:
"All successful people are people of purpose. They hold fast to an idea, a project, a plan, and will not let it go; they treasure it and develop it; and when upset by difficulties, they refuse to give in; the greater the difficulties are, the stronger the purpose is. " And that's worth thinking about. | high17372.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "watch their weight rather than their diet"
},
"options": [
"try out a variety of diet foods",
"hesitate before they enjoy diet foods",
"pay attention to their own eating habits",
"watch their weight rather than their di... | Diet Coke, diet Pepsi, diet pills, no-fat diet, vegetable diet... We are surrounded by the word "diet" everywhere we look and listen. We have so easily been attracted by the promise and potential of diet products that we have stopped thinking about what diet products are doing to us. We are paying for products that harm us psychologically and physically.
Diet products significantly weaken us psychologically. On one level, we are not allowing our brain to admit that our weight problems lie not in actually losing the weight, but in controlling the consumption of fatty, high-calorie, unhealthy foods. Diet products allow us to jump over the thinking stage and go straight for the scale instead. All we have to do is to swallow or recognize the word "diet" in food labels.
On another level, diet products have greater psychological effects. Every time we have a zero-calorie drink, we are telling ourselves without our awareness that we don't have to work to get results. Diet products make people believe that _ , and that life can be without resistance and struggle.
The danger of diet products lies not only in the psychological effects they have on us, but also in the physical harm that they cause. Diet foods can indirectly harm our bodies because consuming them instead of healthy foods means we are preventing our bodies from having basic nutrients . Diet foods and diet pills contain zero calorie only because the diet industry has created chemicals to produce these wonder products. Diet products may not be nutritional, and the chemical that go into diet products are potentially dangerous.
Now that we are aware of the effects that diet products have on us, it is time to seriously think about buying them. Losing weight lies in the power of minds, not in the power of chemicals. Once we realize this, we will be much better able to resist diet products, and therefore prevent the psychological harm that comes from using them . | high21818.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "People are happy when their friends leave them."
},
"options": [
"People are happy when their friends leave them.",
"People may never see their friends after their friends move away.",
"Everyone needs friends.",
"People... | Everyone needs friends. We all like to feel close to someone. It is nice to have a friend to talk, laugh and do things with. Surely, there are times when we need to be alone. We don't always want people around. But we would feel lonely if we never had a friend.
No two people are the same. Sometimes friends don't get along well, which doesn't mean that they no longer like each other. Most of the time they will go on being friends. Sometimes friends move away, then we feel very sad. We miss them much, but we can call them and write to them. Maybe we would never see them again, and we can make new friends. It is surprising to find out how much we like new people when we get to know them. Families sometimes name their children after a close friend. Many places are named after men and women, if they are friendly to people in a town. Some libraries are named this way. So are some schools. We think of these people when we go to these places.
There's more good news for people, if they have friends. These people live longer than those people if those don't have friends. Why? It could be that they are happier. Being happy helps you stay well. Or it could be just knowing that someone cares, if someone cares about you, you take better care of yourself. | high1453.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "useful for his future work"
},
"options": [
"a waste of time that could have been spent on study",
"useful for his future work",
"a good way to earn extra money",
"a good way to find out his weak points"
],
"que... | What should you think about in trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work .So it is important to do well at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong or weak subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. Knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.
Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metal work or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills.
If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else, you may have learned how to get to work on time, to follow instructions and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a particular industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job.
Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools; perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is bitter to face any weaknesses than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.. | high15565.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Jim's parents were patient with him"
},
"options": [
"Jim was always ashamed of himself",
"Jim did very well in his studies",
"Jim's parents were patient with him",
"Jim failed to finish his high school"
],
"que... | When I was an education official in Palo Alto, California, Polly Tyner, the president of our school board, wrote a letter that was printed in the Palo Alto Times. Polly's son, Jim, had great difficulty in school. He was classified as the educationally disabled and required a great deal of patience on the part of his parents and teachers. But Jim was a happy kid with a great smile that lit up the room. His parents acknowledged his academic difficulties, but always tried to help him see his strengths so that he could walk with pride. Shortly after Jim finished high school, he was killed in a motorcycle accident. After his death, his mother submitted this letter to the newspaper:
Today we buried our 20-year-old son. He was killed instantly in a motorcycle accident on Friday night. How I wish I had known when I talked to him last that it would be the last time. If I had only known I would have said, "Jim, I love you and I'm very proud of you."
I would have taken the time to count the many blessings he brought to the lives of the many who loved him. I would have taken the time to appreciate his beautiful smile, the sound of his laughter, his genuine love of people.
When you put all the good qualities on the scale and try to balance all the _ phenomena such as the radio which was always too loud, the haircut that wasn't to our liking, the dirty socks under the bed, etc., your angry feelings won't amount to much.
I won't get another chance to tell my son all that I would have wanted him to hear, but, other parents, you do have a chance. Tell your young people what you would want them to hear if you knew it would be your last conversation. The last time I talked to Jim was the day he died. He called me to say, "Hi, Mom! I just called to say I love you. Got to go to work. Bye." He gave me something to treasure forever.
If there is any purpose at all for Jim's death, maybe it is to make others appreciate more of life and to have people, especially family members, take the time to let each other know just how much we care.
You may never have another chance. | high8311.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a bus tour company"
},
"options": [
"a tourist guides organization",
"a bus tour company",
"a travel magazine",
"a public transport system"
],
"question": "The Original London Sightseeing Tour is_.",
"questi... | The Original London Sightseeing Tour-Hop On Hop Off
"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford. ----Dr Samuel Johnson 1709-1784."
Duration: 24 hours pass
Welcome to London and welcome to The Original Tour. Providing more than just a great way to travel around the capital, founded nearly 60 years ago at the time of The Festival of Britain, The Original Tour is now the largest and most popular sightseeing operator in the world.
The Original Tour has become set up as the basic introduction to London. You are invited to experience all the magical sights and sounds of London in a comfortable and safe environment.
There is a full commentary in English and a choice of six other languages on selected routes. Live English speaking guides appear on the yellow route service. Your tour tickets are completely unrestricted . Each route makes frequent stops-simply hop off where want to and return to the same stop to continue your tour.
You can relax and enjoy the tour while your children (and everyone else's) are entertained and informed by the highly praised "Kids' Club" commentary and their free London activity packs. "Kids' Club" is featured on the red route service.
Your ticket includes a free Thames River cruise .You can choose between a 24 hour river cruise hopper pass OR the 50-minute circular tour depending on the time you have available. | high23969.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "home prices and living costs there are very high."
},
"options": [
"it is not easy to find jobs there.",
"home prices and living costs there are very high.",
"they can't make full use of their knowledge and skills there.",
... | Some 80 percent of graduate students in East China's Zhejiang Province said in a survey they will give up trying to find jobs in Beijing,Shanghai and Guangzhou,first-tier cities in China that have been considered dream places for many,because of the untouchable home prices and high living costs.
The Yangtse Evening Post conducted the survey among 50 job seekers who were attending Sunday's job fair in Jiangsu for graduate students.The survey showed graduates are becoming more realistic in their job search despite the job market becoming better.
The fair attracted more than 10,000 graduate students with 7,382 positions.
"The pressure of buying a house in Beijing is unbelievable,"said Wang Jian from Nanjiing Normal University,who acknowledged he had thought about finding a job in Beijing,Shanghai or Guangzhou,but in the face of huge pressures,he has no choice but to be "realistic".
People can have a very comfortable life in Nanjing with a monthly salary of between 3,000 yuan($450)and 4,000 yuan,but in Shanghai,5,000 yuan a month can only help you survive and buying a house will remain a dream.
A student from Nanjing University of Science and Technology said he just turned down an offer from a Shanghai company of 7,000 yuan a month because"living costs in Shanghai are too high."
An unnamed male student from Nanjing University said he will try first-tier cities only if he can get a high salary."I would go to Beijing only if I can earn 200,000 yuan a year,"he said.
"Beijing,Shanghai and Guangzhou once had the advantages that other cities don't have,but the high housing prices and living costs make young people barely able to breathe,"said Ren Leiming from the job service center of Jiangsu's colleges and universities.
"First-tier cities have plenty of talents that make it hard for people to be outstanding,and if you go work in smaller cities you can become a dominant player at your position much more easily,"said Ren. | high879.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the history of popular breakfast foods in the United States."
},
"options": [
"famous places to eat breakfast.",
"why people in the United States eat breakfast",
"the most popular types of pancakes in the United States",
... | Popular breakfast foods in the United States, as in many other countries around the world, include coffee, milk , juice, eggs, and bread. Some other breakfast items served in the United States are thought by many to be traditionally American. However, they actually come from other cultures.
A very popular breakfast food in America is the pancake--- a thin , flat cake made out of flour and often served with maple syrup. The idea of the pancake is very old. In fact, pancakes were made long ago in ancient China.
Bagels, a round thick bread with a hole in the middle , are also popular for breakfast in America. Polish people in the late 1600s came up with the idea for the first bagels and this new kind of bread soon took off across Eastern Europe.
In the late 1800s, thousands of Jews from Eastern Europe travelled to the United States and brought the recipe for bagels with them. Today, New York bagels are said to be the best in the world. Many people have them with cream for breakfast on the go.
Doughnuts (usually spelled "donut" in the United States) came from France. They were served to American soldiers in France in the World War I. After the war, American soldiers asked cooks in the United States to make doughnuts for them. Now , served with coffee, they are a very popular breakfast food across the United States. | high15203.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Jasmine Meyers' mom"
},
"options": [
"Jasmine Meyers.",
"Jasmine Meyers' husband",
"Jasmine Meyers' mom",
"The hotel manager"
],
"question": "Who witnessed the disaster first according to the passage?",
"que... | Jasmine Meyers had the last laugh when the ocean swallowed her SUV Monday morning and brought it up an hour later, damaged, on the beach. Meyers was staying in Campbell River's Eagles Nest Motel during the wild storm that attacked the east coast of Vancouver Island early this week.
"We woke up to my mom screaming 'Your car! Your car! Your car's about to go in the water,'"she said Wednesday.
She'd parked her car in the hotel's parking lot that she described as a sort of a sea wall.
The storm that swept throughout coastal areas hit extra hard in the Campbell River area.
At about 8:30 am the bank below the parking lot gave way. Huge waves caught hold of the Toyota and took it into the water.
Her mother took pictures while the terrible waves pulled the car out to sea. Then Meyers and her family members could only watch helplessly as the car was struck and pushed around in front of the hotel.
"It floated around out there for about an hour."
Then the ocean spit the car back up on the beach. Meyers said it sat there until Wednesday, when a tow truck finally recovered the destroyed car.
That's the crazy part of the story. The fun part is what happened next.
"I went mad," said Meyers. "I didn't cry because I knew that I had insurance, but I went mad and I didn't know what to do."
Yeah, insurance: not just insurance, but replacement insurance.
"Replacement insurance only ever lasts for three years,"said Meyers. "Mine ends on Nov.22 I would have been crying if it had been 10 days later." | high8477.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To celebrate Dr. Seuss's achievements."
},
"options": [
"To introduce Dr. Seuss's life.",
"To analyze Dr. Seuss's books.",
"To describe Dr. Seuss's writing style.",
"To celebrate Dr. Seuss's achievements."
],
"q... | One-hundred-and seventh birthdays aren't usually celebrated for authors who aren't alive anymore. But Theodor Seuss Geisel---better known as the children's books author Dr. Seuss ---who came into the world on 2 March, 1904, was an unusual man.
Like generations of children I was raised on his wonderful stories. But when I now read them to my children it's not just the childhood memories I enjoy. His writing is brilliant and imaginative and flows with a self-confidence as sure as the words of a Shakespeare poem. Readers ride his characteristic rhythm with an effortless joy that cannot be matched by any other modern writer:
You have brains in your head
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself any direction you choose
And will you succeed?
Yes indeed, yes indeed!
Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed.
Seuss's brilliant cartoons and clever words make his books a delight for adults but they attract mostly children of course. His stories teach kids moral lessons but in indirect and entertaining ways.
The first Seuss book I was given was The Lorax, written just as the 60s were becoming the 70s. Seuss was ahead of his time, and in this book the dawn of concern for environmental problems are shown as the Lorax "who speaks for the trees" battles against an evil businessman who wants to destroy the forest and make goods "which everyone needs".
It's not only a warning of the heavy price of environmental destruction, written well before most people had thought to worry, but it's also a smart analysis of consumer societies: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." This is of course a moral message, but not of the kind designed to persuade the youngsters into behavior that adults want.
I could go on, but hey, it's a birthday, and I'm sure you folks have some good toasts to raise for the party... | high7744.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "certain that evil will be widespread if good men do nothing about it"
},
"options": [
"unnecessary for good people to do anything in face of evil",
"certain that evil will be widespread if good men do nothing about it",
"only... | A wise man once said that the only thing necessary for the victory of evil is for good men to do nothing. So, as a police officer, I have some urgent things to say to good people. Day after day my men and I struggle to hold back a tidal wave of crime. Something has gone terribly wrong with our once-proud American way of life. It has happened in the area of values. A key ingredient is disappearing, and I think I know what it is: accountability.
Accountability isn't hard to define. It means that every person is responsible for his or her actions and liable for their consequences.
Of the many values that hold civilization together --- honesty, kindness, and so on --- accountability may be the most important of all. Without it, there can be no respect, no trust, no law --- and, ultimately, no society.
My job as a police officer is to impose accountability on people who refuse, or have never learned, to impose it on themselves. But as every policeman knows, external controls on people's behavior are far less effective than internal restraints such as guilt, shame and embarrassment.
Fortunately there are still communities --- smaller towns, usually --- where schools maintain discipline and where parents hold up standards that declare: "In this family certain things are not tolerated --- they simply are not done!"
Yet more and more, especially in our larger cities and suburbs, these inner restraints are loosening. Your typical robber has none. He considers your property his property; he takes what he wants, including your life if you annoy him.
The main cause of this breakdown is a radical shift in attitudes. Thirty years ago, if a crime was committed, society was considered the victim. Now, in a shocking reversal, it's the criminal who is considered victimized: by his underprivileged upbringing, by the school that didn't teach him to read, by the church that failed to reach him with moral guidance, by the parents who didn't provide a stable home.
I don't believe it. Many others in equally disadvantaged circumstances choose not to engage in criminal activities. If we free the criminal, even partly, from accountability, we become a society of endless excuses where no one accepts responsibility for anything. We in America desperately need more people who believe that the person who commits a crime is the one responsible for it.. | high9769.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "get the government's permission"
},
"options": [
"try new methods of teaching",
"prove its management ability",
"obey the local and state laws",
"get the government's permission"
],
"question": "If a private com... | Most American students go to traditional public schools.There are about 88, 000 public schools, all over the US.Some students attend about 3000 independent public schools called charter schools.
Charter schools are self-governing.Private companies operate some charter schools.They are similar in some ways to traditional public schools.They receive tax money just as other public schools do.Charter schools must prove to local or state governments that their students are learning.These governments provide the schools with the agreement called a charter that permits them to operate.
Charter schools are different because they do not have to obey most laws governing traditional public schools.Local, state, or federal governments cannot tell them what to teach.Each school can choose its own goals and decide the ways it wants to reach them.Class size is usually smaller than in traditional public schools.
The Bush Administration strongly supports charter schools as a way to re-organize public schools that are failing to educate students.But some education agencies and unions oppose charter schools.One teachers' union has just made public the results of the first national study comparing the progress of students in traditional schools and charter schools.
The American Federation of Teachers criticized the government's delay in releasing the results of the study, which is called the National Assessment of Educational Progress.Union education experts say the study shows that charter school students performed worse on math and reading tests than students in regular public schools.
Some experts say the study is not a fair look at charter schools because students in those schools have more problems than students in traditional schools.Other education experts say the study results should make charter school officials demand improved student progress. | high39.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "About $ 25. 3."
},
"options": [
"About $ 22. 7.",
"About $ 25.",
"About $ 25. 3.",
"About $ 26. 2."
],
"question": "How much should people pay for a month if they buy the newspaper for a half year?",
"questi... | USA Today
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Your name and address will also be shared with a circulation-auditing organization. We may share your email with the publisher, but you can know how it will be used in Subscription Manager. We will not share your credit card information. | high13672.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Three singers will perform it to gether at the opening ceremony of the 2014 World Cup."
},
"options": [
"It was the first number one of 2014 in the Official Singles Chart.",
"Its video has been viewed almost 600 million times on Yo... | Fifa has announced a track by Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez as the official the me
song for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
We are one,which also features Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte,will be performed at the
opening ceremony at the Arena de Sao Paulo on 12 June.
The track will be released later this year in the lead up to the World Cup.It will also be included on the upcoming official 2014 Fifa WorldCup album.
Pitbull said,"I truly believe that this great game and the power of music will help unify us,because we are best when we are one."The 33-year-old singer, also known as Mr.Worldwide,has had 11 top 10 tracks in the Official Singles Chart to date.His most recent single,"Timber which features Kesha,was the first number one of 2014.
"I grew up in a house that loved football.so I am thrilled to be performing at the World Cup Opening Ceremonies, with Pitbull and Claudia Leitte,"said Jennifer Lopez."This is all
amazing celebration of global unity,competition and the sport."
The last Fifa World Cup song for the South Africa tournament in 2010 was Waka Waka by Shakira.The track peaked at number 21 in the Official Singles Chart and the video has been
viewed almost 600 million times on YouTube.
Talking about this year's track,Fifa General Secretary Jerome Valcke added,"In my many
visits to this country I've seen and heard a lot about the great Brazilian music tradition and it
gives me great pleasure to see a Brazilian artist at the heart of this song.I'm sure,like me,
millions of football and music fans all over the world will be eagerly awaiting the song's release." | high17414.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because it is seen as a representative match between humans and AI."
},
"options": [
"Because the match was the first one between humans and AlphaGo.",
"Because it is seen as a representative match between humans and AI.",
"B... | A "match of the century" between human champion of the Chinese board game Go and Google's computer program kicked off in Seoul on Wednesday, which drew great attention.
The first game of the five-game match started at about 1 p.m.local time (0400 GMT) at Four Seasons Hotel in central Seoul.It will run through next Tuesday to determine the winner between South Korean Lee Sedol, the world Go champion in the past 10 years, and AlphaGo, developed by Google's London-based subsidiary DeepMind.
The match of the century drew great attention from news organizations, Go fans and the general public across the world as well as in South Korea as it is seen as a representative match between humans and artificial intelligence (AI).
The Korea Baduk Association, a body for South Korean Go professionals, had received advance applications for an explanatory event of the match, but the limit of 60 seats had already surpassed.
South Korea's public broadcaster KBS plans to broadcast live the match from 12:40 to 5 p.m., extending its initial plan to air it for two hours from 3 p.m.due to great interests from the general public.It is unusual for the public broadcaster to broadcast live the Go game for more than four hours.
Cable channel TV Chosun will broadcast the match's development every 10 minutes on Wednesday and Thursday, while planning to air live the whole matches on Saturday and Sunday.
The match is being aired live through YouTube around the world, while various Internet websites and TVs are broadcasting the landmark match.
Hundreds of journalists from around the world gathered at the venue to report on the match between Lee and AlphaGo.
AlphaGo took the world by surprise as it defeated European Go champion Fan Hui in October last year.Some experts had predicted it would take decades of years for AI to defeat humans at the ancient Chinese board game.
Go, which originated in China more than 2,500 years ago, has been viewed as a grand challenge for AI due to its complexity and intuitive nature.It involves two players, who take turns putting markers on a grid-shaped board to gain more areas on it.One can occupy the markers of the opponent by surrounding the pieces of the other. | high19439.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "encourage herself"
},
"options": [
"make a living",
"entertain the public",
"rise to fame",
"encourage herself"
],
"question": "At first McElrah began singing and dancing in public in order to _ .",
"ques... | Erica McElrath calls herself " The Happy Lady". And by now, you may have caught her singing and dancing with her mp3 player on any of several city street corners. " I don't want money," said McElrah, 40, of St. Louis. " I come out here to make people smile."
McElrah lost her full-time job in January. Since then, she has spent her days doing what she loves-dancing in the street. Her message to people in hard times: do something that you enjoy, no matter what your circumstances. " Life isn't that bad," she said. " If you're working 40 hours a week, you shouldn't be complaining."
McElrah graduated from parkway Central High School and has spent the past 21 years working as a nursing assistant, She began singing and dancing publicly on her days off a few years ago to help her through the pain of her second divorce.
Her favorite spot is the northwest corner of Chouteau Avenue and South Grand Boulevard near St. Louis University. McElrah's mp3 player is loaded with hundreds of classic rock hits and 80's pop songs, including those by Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, Neil Diamond and Toto. But her favorite artist, by far, is Stevie Nicks.
Videos of McElrah have appeared on YouTube, a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share, and view videos. "People think I'm crazy, but I don't care," She said. " I can dance a little. I just go with the music." Even a rude gesture from a passing motorist doesn't bother her either. " I just smile and wave," she said.
McElrah's show of bravery recently earned her a job opportunity with Liberty Tax Service, which temporarily offered her a job as a dancer Statute of Liberty to promote a new place near Grand Center starting in January.
" Just be happy and do what you love," she said. "The money will come." | high11065.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "people can reach any floor by elevator"
},
"options": [
"people can reach any floor by elevator",
"there are sofas at either end of the first floor",
"there are exhibits on the museum history",
"the Information Desk can... | The Museum of Childhood is spread over 4 floors, with the first floor acting like a balcony around the edge of the building, so you can look down over the ground floor central hall with the shop, Information Desk, and Benugo Cafe.
The museum of Childhood is housed in a large Victorian building in east London. It has been on this site since 1872. It has undergone refurbishment and reopened in 2006 and an elevator now makes all floors accessible.
This is not a quiet place and children are allowed to have fun here. Child safety is extremely important and a member of staff remains by the front door at all times. Also, note the "Code of Behavior" notices, which include: children under 12 must be supervised by an adult; no eating in the galleries, and no running.
Toy exhibits are in glass cases and there are plenty of low-level exhibits for younger children to see. The glass cases have lots of thought-inspiring questions on them to encourage discussion between adults and children. When you or the children need some quiet time, there are sofas at either end of the second floor with reading books available.
Pros: Many free activities for kids
Cons: Can be too warm inside
Visit Duration: 1.5 hours
Opening Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.
Last admission is 5:30 p.m.
The Museum is closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 January every year.
Admission: Admission to the Museum is free. There is a small charge for some activities. | high3522.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "young students will travel home for Christmas"
},
"options": [
"young students will travel home for Christmas",
"young people will travel in every direction",
"it is a large movement of human beings",
"the traffic flows... | At railway stations all across Britain next week, groups of students will gather with their backpacks to wait for the trains that will carry them home for Christmas. This is as large a movement of human beings as before, but with more contradictory traffic flows, so that trains filled with the young pass each other travelling in every direction.
At first, I went home every weekend with my washing, but then those visits became less regular. How did I let my parents know I was coming? They had no phone. Perhaps I wrote to them ("Expect me with dirty shirts this Friday afternoon"), but more likely I didn't let them know, and just turned up or didn't turn up, not understanding that my parents' dashed hopes of seeing me were a greater casualty of my carelessness than a spoiled tea.
And in all this I suspect I was typical, at least of young men. As for our fathers and mothers, none of them talked of "empty-nest syndrome", even though its implication that the principal human duty is to protect and feed the young would have suited their generation better than ours. Then, the feelings of loss went without a name. Today, it's a condition with _ , which will make parents feel more enjoyable in their life. The Mayo Clinic, for example, suggests you try to maintain regular contact with your children through "visits, phone calls, emails, texts or video chats". If you feel depressed, lean on loved ones or your mental health provider. Above all, stay positive: "Thinking about the extra time and energy you might have to devote to your marriage or personal interests after your last child leaves home might help you adapt to this major life change."
What can't be denied, however, is that children often leave home. In modern societies, this is what they do. Christmas is the very time they can be depended on to return. For the non-religious, that may be this season's true comfort and significance. | high2628.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "an athlete, inventor and businessman"
},
"options": [
"a teacher, boy-maker and businessman",
"an athlete, inventor and businessman",
"an athlete, writer and businessman",
"a magician, writer and toy-maker"
],
"... | Alfred Carlton Gilbert(1884-1961) was a man of many ideas and talents. As a small boy, he kept trying new things. At age 12, he started a sports club for his friends and got their school to have a field day with active games and prizes. As he grew and practiced, Gilbert became skilled at pole vaulting , pull-ups, the long jump and football.
Gilbert broke the world record for pull-ups in 1900 and the distance record for running long dive in 1902. And he won a gold medal in the pole vault at the Olympic Games in 1908. By that time, he had nearly finished medical studies. Choosing not to make medicine his career, Gilbert co-founded Mysto Manufacturing, a manufacturer of magic sets, in 1907. Gilbert had amused his friends and earned college money by doing magic tricks, so he knew what was needed. One day, Gilbert saw workers using steel girders to build towers for power lines. That gave him the idea for the Erector Set, a popular construction toy.
In 1917, the Council of National Defense thought no toys should be produced for Christmas because the country was fighting in World War I. Gilbert and other men from the Toy Manufacturers of America went to Washington, with about 40 different toys. They had 15 minutes to speak. This meeting was at the end of a long, hard day. Gilbert told the government men at the meeting how toys helped children learn. His helpers brought out the toys. Soon, the tired government men were on the floor, playing with building sets, models of navy ships, and other toys. The time limit was forgotten; so was the Christmas toy ban .
Gilbert spent the rest of his life improving erector sets. His company made and sold the sets, plus chemistry and other science sets and toy trains. He made items for homes, businesses, and the army. When he died in 1961, he had 150 patents for his many inventions. But his main joy was in helping children learn and have fun at the same time. | high18733.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because they have a lot in common."
},
"options": [
"Because they have a lot in common.",
"Because they have common family values.",
"Because they have no generation gap.",
"Because they keep a constant relationship."
... | There is an old Chinese proverb that states "One Generation plants the trees; another gets the shade," and this is how it should be with mothers and daughters. The relationship between a mother and daughter is sometimes confusing. If close, the relationship can be similar to friendship. However, the mother and daughter relationship has unique characteristics that distinguish it from a friendship. These characteristics include a hierarchy of responsibility and unconditional love, which _ mothers and daughters from being best friends.
Marina, 27 years old, says, "I love spending time with my mom, but I wouldn't consider her my best friend. Best friends don't pay for your wedding. Best friends don't remind you how they carried you in their body and gave you life! Best friends don't tell you how wise they are because they have been alive at least 20 years longer than you." This doesn't mean that the mother and daughter relationship can't be very close and satisfying.
While some adult relationships are still troubled, many find them to be extremely rewarding. This generation of mothers and adult daughters has a lot in common which increases the likelihood of shared companionship. Mothers and daughters have always shared the common experience of being homemakers, responsible for maintaining and passing on family values and traditions. Today contemporary mothers and daughters also share the experience of the workforce and technology, which may bring them even closer together.
Best friends may or may not continue to be best friends, but for better or worse, the mother and daughter relationship is permanent, even if for some unfortunate reason they aren't speaking. The mother and child relationship is closer than any other. There is not an equal relationship. Daughters should not feel responsible for their mother's emotional well-being. It isn't that they don't care deeply about their mothers. It's just that they shouldn't be burdened with their mother's well being.
The mother and daughter relationship is a relationship that is not replaceable by any other. Mothers never stop being mothers, which includes frequently wanting to protect their daughters and often feeling responsible for their happiness. Mother always "trumps" friend. | high5147.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Sweetened soft-drinks may increase the risk of depression."
},
"options": [
"Sugary sodas aren't good for the physical health of old people.",
"Americans have a special tooth for sweet foods.",
"Sweetened soft-drinks may incr... | We know that sugary sodas aren't good for our bodies. Now it turns out that they may not be good for our minds, either. A new study of more than 260,000 people has found a link between sweetened soft-drinks and depression, and diet sodas may be making matters worse.
Americans drink far more sodas than people in other countries-- as much as 170 liters per person per year. But the impact of this study isn't limited to the United States. "Sweetened drinks, coffee and tea are commonly consumed worldwide and have important physical consequences. And they may have important mental-health consequences as well," study author Dr Honglei Chen said in a statement.
The study studied 263,925 people between the ages of 50 and 71. Researchers followed their consumption of drinks like soda, tea coffee, and other soft drinks from 1995 to 1996 and then. 10 years later, asked them if they had been diagnosed with depression since the year 2000. More than 11,3000 of them had.
Participants who drank more than four servings of sodas per day were 30 percent more likely to develop depression than participants who did not drink sodas at all. People who stuck with fruit punch , had a 38 percent higher risk than people who didn't drink sweetened drinks. And all that extra sugar isn't the actual problem. Researchers say that the artificial sweetener _ may be to blame.
The study found a link but could not surely determine whether sodas and other sweet soft drinks cause depression. Still, the results "are consistent with a small but growing body of evidence suggesting that artificially sweetened beverages may be linked to poor health outcomes."
But there's a bright side for those who can't live without their daily sodas. Adults who drank coffee had a 10 percent lower risk of depression compared to people who didn't drink any coffee, according to the study. "Our research suggests that cutting out or down on sweetened diet drinks or replacing them with unsweetened coffee may naturally help lower your depression risk," said Chen. | high4259.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "She was seriously injured in a traffic accident."
},
"options": [
"She was coldly deserted by her father.",
"She got a strange and serious disease.",
"She had to give performances to make a living.",
"She was seriously ... | When Christina Brouder was five years old, a drunk driver ran over her as she and her father were crossing the street in front of their home.Hurt badly, the young girl was forced to spend a long time in a full-body cast to recover from her injuries.Mostly, she traveled between the hospital and her home.Once out of the cast, Brouder sat in a wheelchair for almost a year.
In spite of the horrible accident, Christina was grateful for her recovery.She was so grateful, in fact, that she and her four talented siblings ( three sisters and a brother) started a music group, Gilbride.The group performed at local hospitals and nursing homes, performing for the patients.Among them, the children could sing, dance and play about 20 different musical instruments.At their first show in 1988, held at Montefiore Hospital, the kids were 2,3,6,8 and 9 years old.That year alone, the group made over a hundred appearances.
From the local public entertainment places, the group expanded to charity performances.They also entertained people at Disney World, Radio City Music Hall, and even the White House.
Christina balanced her happy and successful musical career with academics.First graduating from New York City's High School of Music and Art,and then from Fordham.In 2000,as t he youngest graduate from Fordham,1 8year--old Christina and her siblings went on tour for a year.Not pleased with the applause she received from the audience, she entered Pace University Law School.On May 19,Christina Brouder realized part of her dream when at only 22,she received Health Law Certificate . | high11071.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "research shows that American government should take measures to ensure income equality for college graduates"
},
"options": [
"there is a big income gap between female and male college graduates in America.",
"college graduates fin... | Commencement is a time for idealism.
But economic reality is cruel everywhere; especially for new graduate. They have been told repeatedly that a college degree is an open sesame to the global economy. But that's not necessarily so, according to new research by two economists at he Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Frank Levy and Peter Temin.
It is true that people with college degrees make more money than people without degrees. The gap has narrowed somewhat in recent years, which is disturbing. But the earning power of college graduates still far outpaces that of less-educated workers.
The bad news, though, is that a college degree does not ensure a bigger share of the economics pie for many graduates. In recent decades Mr. Levy and Mr. Temin show, only college-educated women have seen their income grow in line with economy wide gains in productivity. The earnings of male college graduates have failed to keep pace with productivity gains.
Instead, a huge share of productivity growth, which expands the nation's income, is going to Americans on the top of the income scale. In 2005, the latest year with available data, the top of 1 percent of Americans---whose average annual income was $ 1.1 million--- took in 21.8 percent of the nation's income, their largest share since 1929.
Administration officials, and other politicians and economists, often, believe that income inequality, reflects an education gap. But Mr. Levy and Mr. Temin show that in the case of men, the average bachelor's degree is not enough to catch the rising tide of the global economy.
They argue that the real reason that inequality is worsening is the lack of strong policies that broadly distribute economic gains. In the past, for example, a more progressive income tax and unions promote equality. Positive measures have been _ and new ones have not yet emerged, making the income gap even greater.
Mr. Levy and Mr. Temin conclude that only a new government policy can restore general prosperity. That's a challenge to the nation's leader and today's graduates. America needs them to contribute to the development of the nation in global economy. | high3536.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Children are likely to fulfill their potential with a loving home and adequate stimulation"
},
"options": [
"Children should be protected from any dangers by their parents",
"The more conscientious parents are, the more children wi... | In 1693 the philosopher John Locke warned that children should not be given too much "unhealthy fruit" to eat.Three centuries later, misguided ideas about child-raising are still popular.Many parents fear that their children will die unless ceaselessly watched.In America the law can be equally paranoid .In South Carolina this month Debra Harrell was jailed for letting her 9-year-old daughter play in a park unsupervised .
Her severe punishment reflects the rich world's worry about parenting.By most objective measures, modern parents are far more conscientious than previous generations.Dads are more hands-on than their fathers were, and working mothers spend more time nurturing their children than the housewives of the 1960s did.However, there are two problems in this picture, connected to class.One is at the lower end.Even if poor parents spend more time with their children than they once did, they spend less than rich parents do.America is a _ here: its government spends abundantly on school-age kids but much less than other rich countries on the first two or three years of life.If America did more to help poor parents with young children, it would have huge returns.
The second one, occurs at the other end of the income scale, and may even apply to otherwise rational Economist readers: well-educated, rich parents try to do too much.Safety is part of it--they fear that if they are not constantly watching their children may break their necks, which is the least rational.Despite the impression you get from watching crime dramas, children in rich countries are safe, so long as they look both ways before crossing the road.The other popular parental fear--that your children might not get into an Ivy League college--is more rational.Academic success matters more than ever before.But beyond a certain point, parenting makes less difference than many parents imagine.Studies in Minnesota and Sweden, for example, found that identical twins grew up equally intelligent whether they were raised together or apart.A study in Colorado found that children that adopted and raised by brainy parents ended up no brainier than those adopted by average parents.
This doesn't mean that parenting is irrelevant.The families who adopt children are carefully screened, so they tend to be warm, capable and middle-class.But the twin and adoption studies indicate that any child given a loving home and adequate stimulation is likely to fulfill her potential.Put another way, better-off parents can afford to relax a bit.And if you are less stressed, your children will appreciate it, even if you still make them eat their fruit and vegetables. | high12578.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "they thought they can pass the final easily"
},
"options": [
"they were afraid of the final",
"there was a party there",
"the final would be held there",
"they thought they can pass the final easily"
],
"questio... | Introductory Chemistry was taught at Duke University for many years by professor Bonk. One year, two guys took the class and did pretty well on all the quizzes and mid-terms. They each had a solid A. These two friends were so confident in going into the final that the weekend before finals week, despite the Chemistry final being on Monday, they decided to go to the University of Virginia to party with some friends.
They had a great time there. However, with their hangovers and tiredness, they overslept all day Sunday and didn't make it back to Duke until early Monday morning. Rather than taking the final then, they found professor Bonk after the final and explained to him how they missed the final. They told him they went up to the University of Virginia for the weekend and had planned to come back in time to study, but they had a flat tire on the way back and didn't have a spare. So they were late getting back to campus.
Bonk thought this over and agreed that they could take the final the following day. The two guys, happy and relieved, studied that night and went in the next day at the time that Bonk had told them. He placed them in separate rooms and handed each of them a test booklet. He told them to begin.
They looked at the first problem which was something simple about solution . It was worth 5 points. "Cool," they thought, "this is going to be an easy final". They then turned the page. They were unprepared, however, for what they saw on it. The question contained only two words: (95 points) Which tire? | high15217.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "how to balance friendship and work"
},
"options": [
"how to balance friendship and work",
"how to spend our spare time",
"whether we should keep friendship",
"whether we should invite friends to dinner"
],
"ques... | If you feel at present that you don't have enough friends in your life,one reason may be that you have let yourself become too busy to make time for the relationships you already have.Starting and keeping friendship requires effort and commitment.
Many of us let our lives become so busy with work and other commitments that we don't get around to scheduling time for pleasure and renewal with the friends,relatives and acquaintances we already have.
Making the effort to call your friends more regularly and to accept more of the invitations you receive from others can improve your social life in a hurry!
Are there any people you could call right now and be assured of a pleasant welcome? Are there people that you could count on to help you in time of difficulty? Can you have close talks with them? Do you have fun when you are together? Are you happy to have them in your life?
If you haven't seen much of them lately. is it because you have become too busy? Have you grown apart? Was there an argument?
If the main reason you haven't been getting together with the people you already know is that you have gotten too busy,take a good look at how you spend your time.Compare it with your real values and priorities in life.Is your busy lifestyle really bringing you the quality of life that you want?
If you have become too busy for friends,why has this happened? Are you seeking material toys in your life at the expense of relationships with other human beings? Have you allowed your time to be over.committed because you never say"No"to anyone? Do you insist on doing things yourself that could be delegated to others? If so,why? Do you believe that everything depends on you?
Examine whether the way you are now spending your time accurately reflects your deepest values and priorities.Make sure that you schedule enough time for the things that are truly most important to you.
If you really want to keep friends in your lire,make a space in your schedule,and a space in your heart for them. | high7750.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "For four days."
},
"options": [
"For two days.",
"For three days.",
"For four days.",
"For five days."
],
"question": "How long will Harvard ARTS FIRST FESTIVAL last?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
... | Celebrate the arts at Harvard
ARTS FIRST: April 28-May l, 2012
Experience non-stop art! Over 200 performances, exhibitions, films, and multimedia presentations Highlighting student and faculty creativity at Harvard.
Schedule of events: www.ofa.fas.harvard.edu/arts, or call 617 495 8676 to request a program guide.
Join us in honoring Susan Meiselas, winner of the 2012 Harvard Arts Medal
Photographer Susan Meiselas will be awarded the Arts Medal by President Drew Gilpin Faust and will take part in a conversation organized by John Lithgow.
Friday, April 29, 4 pm
New College Theatre, 10-12 Holyoke St., Cambridge
Admission free: tickets required. Those who receive this announcement may request up to two tickets by emailing www.ofa.fas.harvard.edu/arts or calling 617 495 8676. Please indicate one or two tickets, and reply by April 25. | high14109.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Many other people have changed Edison's life."
},
"options": [
"Edison invented the electric light.",
"Many other people have changed Edison's life.",
"Edison has changed the life of many other people.",
"Few men in his... | Thomas Edison was one of ten said to be the greatest genius of his age. There are only a few men in all of the history, who have changed the lives of other men as much as the inventor of the first useful electric light. But Edison could never be happy only because someone said he was a genius." There is no such thing as genius," Edison said. He said that what people called genius was mostly hard work.
But Edison was a dreamer as well as a worker. From his earliest days as a child he wondered about the secrets of nature. Nature, he often said, is full of secrets. He tried to understand them; then, he tried to learn what could usefully be done with them.
Edison enjoyed thinking. He knew that most people will do almost anything instead of the difficult work of thinking, especially if they do not think very often. But he knew, too, that thinking can give men enjoyment and pleasure.
Edison could not understand how anyone could be uninterested in life. As he loved to think, he also loved to work. On the day he became 75 years old, someone asked him what ideas he had about life. "Work," he answered. "Discovering the secrets of nature and using them to make men happier." He said he had enough inventions in his mind to give him another 100 years of work. | high1321.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "they are pesticide-free and tasteful"
},
"options": [
"they contain many nutritious elements",
"they have a different scent",
"they are pesticide-free and tasteful",
"they are cheaper and bigger"
],
"question": ... | In early summer, one of the most popular fruit is strawberry . It is said strawberry is the "Queen of fruit" as it has many nutritious elements. But many people feel that the strawberry in the current market tastes different as many strawberries are artificially grown and some even have a scent of pesticides . So finding naturally-grown strawberries is a hot issue. There are some places where you can not only find tasteful strawberries, but also enjoy picking them.
Tianxing Strawberry- Picking Garden
As one of the biggest strawberry-growing areas, Tianxing is known for its healthy fruits. The strawberries here are pesticide-free with no artificial coloring. And now the farm has a special offer that you can get a kilogram of strawberries for only 12 yuan. Here, visitors can have fun picking strawberries as well as taste their freshness. And if you are a newcomer, you can get a discount card and enjoy an extra 20 percent discount on your purchase.
Address: Xinzhuang Village, Xingshou Town, Changping District, Beijing.
Tel: 13910667270
Taolin Strawberry Garden
This garden is not as famous as the first one, but it is a quiet place and relaxing. The strawberries here are much cheaper than those sold in markets. It only costs 6 yuan per kilogram.You can also buy freshly-picked lettuce and Tonghao, a green vegetable. You can have fun picking strawberries in person, but you can't taste them for free.
Address: Linzhuang Village, Xingshou Town, Changping District, Beijing.
Tel: 010--88413840
Baihe Green Strawberry Garden
Baihe Town is the biggest strawberry-picking area. Known for the freshest and healthiest strawberries, this place is named as the "Hometown of Strawberries". The price for this fruit is about 12 yuan per kilogram. And you can bargain with the local sellers for further discounts.
Address: Zhaotun Village, Baihe Town, QingpuDistrict, Shanghai.
Tel: 13803456780 | high13666.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "how to help a teenager grow up"
},
"options": [
"how to get along with a teenager",
"how to respect a teenager",
"how to understand a teenager",
"how to help a teenager grow up"
],
"question": "The main purpose ... | It's not easy being a teenager(1319)--nor is it easy being the parent of a teenager. You can make your child feel angry, hurt, or misunderstood by what you say without realizing it yourself. It is important to give your child the space he needs to grow while gently letting him know that you you'll still be there for him when he needs you.
Expect a lot from your child, just not everything.Except for health and safety problems, such as drug use or careless driving; consider everything else open to discussion. If your child is unwilling to discuss something, don't insist he tell you what's on his mind. The more you insist, the more likely that he'll clarn up. Instead , let him attempt to solve things by himself. At the same time, remind him that you're always there for him should he seek advice or help. Show respect for your teenager's privacy . Never read him his mail or listen in on personal conversions.
Teach your teenager that the family phone is for the whole family. If your child talks on the family's telephone for too long, tell him he can talk for15 minutes, but then he must stay off the phone for at least an equal period of time. This not only frees up the line so that other family members can make and receive calls, but teaches your teenager moderation . Or if you are open to the idea, allow your teenager his own phone that he pays for with his own pocket money or a part -time job | high7988.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "who want to be healthier"
},
"options": [
"who are ill",
"who want to be healthier",
"who are Crystal Collins' good friends",
"who are not interested in taking exercise"
],
"question": "The students may most pro... | The Five Rules for Keeping Fit
Hi, there! I'm Grystal Collins, and I'm very happy to share some time with you. So, you want to keep fit, huh? Well, you surely came to the right place. Together we can keep fit and healthy, and succeed in doing that. It's easy. Everybody can do it, you hear? Just remember the five golden rules.
Number one: Always wear comfortable clothes when you are exercising. You need to feel comfortable and relaxed .
Number two: You should always do some warming-up exercise first to get your body ready for the real thing.
Number three: Never try to do too much exercise too soon. Take it nice and easy now, you hear? There's no rush about this.
Number four: Don't forget to relax for about five minutes when you've finished your exercise. You need to rest a little bit after you've been exercising.
And here is the golden rule Number five. Stop at once if you feel any pain in your neck, head or any part of your body. | high1447.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "What did the writer's parents say when he dropped out?"
},
"options": [
"When did the writer leave school?",
"How was the writer's life as a dropout?",
"What future plans did the writer have in San Francisco?",
"What di... | As a high school dropout myself, I often feel it is my duty to defend my fellow non-scholars. Common wisdom would have you believe we are the "bad kids", the future criminals, the worst sort of people. But not all dropouts will deal drugs, shoplift, or even shoot pool all day.
My own favorite hooky hangout was always the public library. My early retirement meant that at last I had the time to read everything I wanted to.
Best of all was the time I finally had to myself. I felt uncontrolled and free. I had been in school nearly my whole life. I wanted to find out for myself who I was, and until I did, everything else felt like a waste of time.
To be honest, though, my daily life as a dropout consisted mostly of long hot baths, afternoon naps, and microwave food. After nearly three years of such self-centered pleasure, a series of strange thoughts began to enter my mind continuously.
Images of myself at the age of 35-still living at home, collecting dust balls on the couch, reading the same book over and over-began to bother me in my sleep. And a voice in my head began asking over and over, "Who is paying the hot water bills? Who buys the microwave pizza?"
The answer, of course, was my poor old parents. Sure, I was having a wonderful time doing plenty of nothing, discovering myself and all, but they were getting a raw deal. What parents long to see their child drop out of school, with no plans for the future? Could they be expected to support me forever?
Certainly not. I had been visited by Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility, and there was no looking back. I immediately moved out of the house and out of town, in search of a future for myself.
And it is here, in my new home of San Francisco, that I have decided to do what was once unthinkable: go back to school. I plan to take adult education classes and get me GED (General Educational Development), and then enroll in City College.
So next time you see a dropout, that unchangeable anti-student, be understanding. And please don't push him to do something he doesn't want to do. It never works. He'll come around when he's ready. | high13100.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "learn the value of money"
},
"options": [
"show off their wealth of family",
"let them make more money",
"learn the value of money",
"help children manage family finance"
],
"question": "Parents give their child... | Many children first learn the value of money by receiving an allowance (pocket money). The purpose is to let children learn from experiences at an age when financial mistakes are not very costly.
The amount of money that parents give to their children to spend as they wish differs from family to family. Timing is another consideration. Some children get a weekly allowance. Others get a monthly allowance.
In any case, parents should make clear what, if anything, the child is expected to pay for with the money. At first, young children may spend all of their allowance soon after they receive it. If they do this,they will learn the hard way that spending must be done within a budget . Parents are usually advised not to offer more money until the next allowance. The object is to show young people that a budget demands a choice between spending and saving. Older children may be responsible enough to save money for larger costs, like clothing or electronics.
Many people who have written on the subject of allowances say it is not a good idea to pay your child for work around the home. These jobs are a normal part of family life. Paying children to do extra work around the house, however, can be useful. It can even provide an understanding of how a business works.
Allowances give children a chance to experience the three things they can do with money. They can share it in the form of gifts or giving to a good cause. They can spend it by buying things they want. Or they can save it.
Saving helps children understand that costly goals require sacrifice. You have to cut costs and plan for the future. Requiring children to save part of their allowances can also open the door to future saving and investing. Many banks offer services to help children and teenagers learn about personal finance. A saving account is an excellent way to learn about the power of _ .
Compounding works by paying interest. So, for example, one dollar invested at two percent interest for two years will earn two cents in the first year. The second year, the money will earn two percent of one dollar and two cents, and so on. That may not seem like a lot, but over time it adds up. | high6328.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to strongly recommend an e-book"
},
"options": [
"to strongly recommend an e-book",
"to show the author's attitude to money",
"to introduce the general idea of an e-book",
"to tell us Rich Ezzo isn't money hungry"
]... | A week ago, I read When Money Talks, Listen! by Rich Ezzo. It took only about an hour to read, and that included one trip to the coffee maker and about 10 distractions from Alex, our cat, who thinks he is the center of the universe.
When I first received a copy, I thought it was a get-rich-quick type of publication. There is nothing wrong with that kind of book, but my mind just doesn't chase after dreams of wealth. I figure that if God ever wants me to be rich, he knows where to find my purse.
When I began reading When Money Talks, Listen!, I was overjoyed to find that Rich Ezzo isn't money hungry either. He, too, is hungry for things far more important than money.
I absolutely love this e-book. Why did I wait a week to write the review ? simple. I wanted to see if the impact it had on me could keep up. After reading the last word of the e-book, I totally agreed with the subtitle which promised to forever change the way we thought about money. I had so many thoughts running around my mind that I had to install a stop light to stop some while others made their way into the picture. I had a mental traffic jam, which only goes to show how slow the traffic usually is.
It has been a week and the impact is the same. I guarantee this is an e-book you'll want to read. I urge you to visit the author's website, MysterMoney. Com, and to download the e-book. You won't
regret it. | high8305.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "there are differences in many ways"
},
"options": [
"the greatest difference is in spelling",
"there are differences in many ways",
"people can't understand each other",
"students don't know the difference"
],
"... | Englishmen speak British English and Americans speak American English. A student is learning to speak British English. He often asks himself, "Can Americans understand me when I speak British English?" Learners often ask "What's the difference between British English and American English?"Certainly there are some differences between British and American English. The Englishmen say "Have you a pen?" While Americans say "Do you have a pen?" The pronunciation is sometimes different. Americans often sound "r" in words like "bird" and "hurt". The British speakers don't sound the "r" in these words. There are differences in spelling. For example, "colour" and "neighbour" are British while "color" and "neighbor" are American. These differences in grammar, pronunciation and spelling are not important, however. For the most part, British and American English are the same language. When Englishmen and Americans are talking with each other, they don't need an interpreter . Maybe some day they need, but not now. | high15571.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "People from other countries also enjoy reading British newspapers."
},
"options": [
"Printed newspapers are disappearing.",
"The most popular newspapers has the most popular newspaper website as well.",
"People from other cou... | There was simply too much news and too much information freely available on the net.But was it accurate? Whose opinion should we trust? A survey found that 60% of UK adults think it is worth paying for a "good newspaper", and most of those said they believed more of what they read in the paid-for newspapers.
Here was something newspapers understood--here was what they could offer: news plus comment and opinion.
And the Internet now offered opportunities.A newspaper was just that: news printed on paper.But the Internet now offered newspapers different places to print, and in different media.
This may explain why the readership of newspapers online in the UK is very different from people who read printed newspapers.
The most popular newspaper in the UK is The Sun and is also the most popular newspaper in the world.The "mid--market" audience mainly reads The Daily Mail.Of the "quality" newspapers, the most popular is the Daily Telegraph.
Online, it's a different story.The most popular site is The Mail, which has 2.3 million "browsers" every day.And the next most popular site is The Guardian. | high11717.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "she didn't want to waste her life"
},
"options": [
"she wanted to make more money",
"she was not willing to look after me",
"she didn't want to waste her life",
"she likes keeping busy"
],
"question": "Lili quit... | She is quiet, soft-spoken and has a kind face and a strong heart. She is my mom, Lili.
When I was nine, Lili quitted her job and started her own business. She said she didn't want to stay at home and work as a housewife: "It's a waste of life." Lili became so busy that she spent less and less time with me. She didn't help me with my schoolwork. It was, in her words, "so that you can develop your independence". We quarreled because she rarely showed up at parents' meetings.
Like mother, like daughter. I have many things in common with Lili. I want everything to be under control. I want to be perfect and I don't expect other people to help me. I push myself hard to achieve my goals.
After I started to go to high school, Lili and I were too busy to communicate much with each other.
In biology class I began to be depressed. When the teacher showed us a picture of a butterfly, I was scared and screamed. I had a vision of thousands of butterflies flying toward me.
That night I told Lili about it. The next morning, I saw that she had red eyes with black circles around them.
She took me to see a therapist . Three hours later, the therapist told Lili that my life was like a wheel spinning faster and faster and that was the reason for what had happened to me. I only realized it when my body couldn't stand the pressure anymore. At these words, Lili burst into tears. "It's all my fault, she's just a kid and I didn't have time to take care of her...." To be honest, I had never seen Lili cry before.
After that, Lili began to spend more time at home, cooking and dragging me to do sports. I realized she was the one who would always be there when I was in real trouble. No mom is perfect, but she is the one who really cares about her kid. | high3250.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "From paper clip to house"
},
"options": [
"A lucky paper clip",
"From poor to rich",
"A lucky young man",
"From paper clip to house"
],
"question": "The best title for this passage is \" \".",
"question_t... | A 26-year-old Montreal man appears to have succeeded in his quest to barter a single, red paper clip all the way up to a house. It took almost a year and 14 trades, but Kyle MacDonald has been offered a two-storey farmhouse in Kipling, Sask., for a paid role in a movie.
MacDonald began his quest last summer when he decided he wanted to live in a house. He didn't have a job, so instead of posting a resume, he looked at a red paper clip on his desk and decided to trade it on an Internet website. The response was immediate --a fish pen was offered for exchange. MacDonald then bartered the fish pen for a handmade doorknob from a potter in Seattle.
In Massachusetts, MacDonald traded the doorknob for a camp stove. He traded the stove to a U.S. soldier in California for a generator. Then he exchanged the generator for an "instant party kit" -- an empty keg and an illuminated Budweiser beer sign. MacDonald then traded the keg and sign for a snowmobile. He bartered all the way up to an afternoon with rock star Alice Cooper, a KISS snow globe and finally a paid role in a Corbin Bernsen movie.
"Now, I'm sure the first question on your mind is, 'Why would Corbin Bernsen trade a role in a film for a snow globe? A KISS snow globe,' MacDonald said on his website."Well, Corbin happens to be arguably one of the biggest snow globe collectors on the planet.
Now, the town of Kipling, Sask., Canada, with a population of 1,100,has offered MacDonald a farmhouse in exchange for the role in the movie. The town is going to hold a competition for the movie role.
MacDonald said: "There're people all over the world that are saying that they have paper clips clipped to the top of their computer, or on their desk or on their shirt, and it proves that anything is possible and I think to a certain degree it's true."
MacDonald, who has attracted international media attention in his quest, said the journey has turned out to be more exciting than the goal. "This is not the end. This may be the end of this part of the story, but this story will go on." | high16078.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Their peers"
},
"options": [
"The environment.",
"Mother's sensitivity.",
"Their peers",
"Education before birth."
],
"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is NOT the factor that influenc... | Not long ago, people thought babies were not able to learn things until they were five or six months old. Yet doctors in the United States say babies begin learning on their first day of life.
Scientists note that babies are strongly influenced by their environment. They say a baby will smile if her mother does something the baby likes. A baby learns to get the best care possible by smiling to please her mother or other caregiver. This is how babies learn to connect and communicate with other human beings.
One study shows that babies can learn before they are born. The researchers placed a tape recorder on the stomach of a pregnant woman. Then, they played a recording of a short story. On the day the baby was born, the researchers attempted to find if he knew the sounds of the story repeated while in his mother. They did this by placing a device in the mouth of the newborn baby. The baby would hear the story if he moved his mouth one way. If the baby moved his mouth the other way, he would hear a different story. The researchers say the baby clearly liked the story he heard before he was born. They say the baby would move his mouth so he could hear the story again and again.
Another study shows how mothers can strongly influence social development and language skills in their children. Researchers studied the children from the age of one month to three years. The researchers attempted to measure the sensitivity of the mothers. The women were considered sensitive if they supported their children's activities and did not interfere unnecessarily. They tested the children for thinking and language development when they were three years old. Also, the researchers observed the women for signs of depression.
The children of depressed women did not do as well in tests as the children of women who did not suffer from depression. The children of depressed women did poorly in tests of language skills and understanding what they hear.
These children also were less cooperative and had more problems dealing with other people. The researchers noted that the sensitivity of the mothers was important to the intelligence development of their children. Children did better when their mothers were caring, even when they suffered from depression. | high5621.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "what activities are available at the holiday village"
},
"options": [
"the best way to get to the holiday village",
"the best time of year to visit the holiday village",
"what activities are available at the holiday village",... | If you want to take the whole family on holiday,and keep everybody happy.then I have found just the place for you.I recently went with a group of friends to stay at the Greenwood Holiday Village, which is open from May until October.
Built in the centre of a forest,Greenwood is a great place to stay whatever the weather is like, Its main attraction for families is the indoor World of Water,where young and old Can have fun in the different pools.Some of these,however,are for serious swimmers only.
For sporty, people,the Country Club offers tennis,squash and badminton.If your children are too young to join in these sports,there are activity clubs.Greenwood is a good place for families as it is traffic-free----you explore on foot or by bike.Some people complained that this was inconvenient,but I was pleased to be out in the fresh air.For evening entertainment,there are shows and cinemas.
Accommodation is in a variety of apartments of different sizes.These have up to four bedrooms,a kitchen and a bathroom,as well as a dining area.Before going,I thought the apartments might not be big enough for all of us,but I was pleasantly surprised--it was not too crowded at all.
I'll definitely go back to Greenwood next year.Why don't you give it a try? Visit their website for further information now! | high17366.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "was too concerned to have dinner"
},
"options": [
"took a taxi to the hospital",
"didn't want to go home",
"was too concerned to have dinner",
"telephoned her father immediately"
],
"question": "After the author... | There's nothing like having a child to remind you that you are no longer the center of your own universe. But every now and then, I need to relax with some"me"time.
I booked an overnight trip to Dover, Delaware. We arrived in Delaware right after sunset. Mom and I settled into our hotel room and went downstairs to the restaurant, and then I ordered myself a drink. I had just taken two sips when my husband called me.
"I'm so sorry to bother you,"Craig said."The baby is burning up and we are on the way to the hospital."I didn't know how to reply. I was so desperate to get away to take a break. My baby was sick but I couldn't do a thing for him. The situation made me feel so helpless."I don't know what to do,"I told him."I'm five hours from home!""I know,"my husband said."You can't help that. I'll call you when I know what's wrong."My husband and my father took the baby to the emergency room. Meanwhile, I searched the restaurant for my mom. Once I found her, we went to our hotel room and waited for a phone call.
Over an hour later, Craig called to tell me that the baby had bronchitis . He seemed to be feeling better. The next morning, when I returned home, the baby was already back to his happy self.
Ever since this incident, I have really struggled with the concept of"me"time. I try to figure out why I need a break from the child who I love very much. However, sometimes I need to feel like a person and not just a mommy machine. In recent months, I have taken some"me"time. My mom helped keep the baby so I could go shopping, take a nap, and clean my house. On a couple of occasions, Craig and I went to dinner with friends. And this summer, I even managed to read an entire novel while the baby rested.
Now I've decided not to leave the baby overnight again or travel a long distance without him. I remember when I first announced my pregnancy , a friend told me there was no 'me' in mommy. Maybe there's not. But for me, I'm taking"me"time when I can. | high10409.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Royce was in his twenties"
},
"options": [
"Bill was in his thirties.",
"Bill was in his sixties",
"Royce was a teenager",
"Royce was in his twenties"
],
"question": "Bill and Royce became the best friends when ... | Bill McIntosh and Royce Wedding had been the best friends for 30 years. Now, living alone 12 miles east of the town, Bill earned his living by hunting foxes and rabbits.
"Coming to the football match this afternoon?" Bill McIntosh asked 54-year-old Royce Wedding as they drank beer at the Eureka Hotel. Royce shook his head, "I promised Mom I'd burn off the weeds in one of our fields." "I'll give you a hand," Bill said.
Driving slowly from the southern edge of the field, they worked their way upwind, leaving a line of burning weeds in their wake. Suddenly the fire was on them. Bill pushed open his door only to find himself thrown through the air, the gasoline tank exploded and the car jumped three feet off the ground. When it crashed back down Royce found himself unable to move. Bill lay where he fell. "Royce!" he cried, struggling to his feet and heading for the car. Pulling open the door, he seized Royce's arms through the smoke. "I'm stuck," Royce said. "Get yourself away!" The fire bit at Bill's arms, face and legs, but he said, "I'm not leaving you here." Now Bill pulled as hard as he could. Suddenly he fell backward. Royce was free and out of the car.
"What's the matter with that dog?" said Vicky Wedding, Royce's mom. Shocked by noise behind her, she turned to see Bill leaning against the door.
Six months after the fire, when Royce went out of hospital, he walked into the Eureka Hotel and bought Bill a beer. | high13128.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "they are fond of being connected"
},
"options": [
"it is most fashionable and cool",
"they are bored with driving cars",
"they are fond of being connected",
"it is much cheaper than a car"
],
"question": "The Am... | Well, parents, surprise! Lots of us are using Twitter and Facebook to thumb rides, and not just to school. It's awkward to be refused when you call a friend and ask for a ride. But with Twitter, you just look for other people heading the same way.
It may sound risky, so many teens stay within their own social circles to find rides, and don't branch out beyond friends when asking on Twitter just like me, but to some young people, especially those taking longer trips, stranger danger is less of a concern.
"I think the digital connection of young people is really key, because younger generations grew up sharing things on line, sharing files, photos, music, etc, so they've been very used to sharing," said Juliet Schor, a sociology professor at Boston College.
The sharing economy got big during the recession , allowing people to access more goods, services using technology and even to share costs. And that technology, for me, is what the car was for my mom, a gateway to more freedom, like what my friend Earl says, "The symbol of freedom isn't the car any more because there's technology out there connecting you to a car."
According to the researchers at the University of Michigan, 30 years ago, eight in ten American 18-year-olds had a driver's license compared to six in ten today. So it's not that surprising that on my 16th birthday I wasn't rushing to get a license but an iPhone.
"Driving, for young people, does mean they have to disconnect from their technology, and that's a negative. So if they could sit in the passage side and still be connected, that's going to be a plus." Schor continued.
To me, another plus is that ridesharing represents something, something much bigger than trying to save money. I see it as evidence that people still depend on each other. My generation shares their cars and apartments the way neighbors used to share cups of sugar. For the system to work, some of us still need our own cars. But until I get my own version of the silver Super Beetle, you can find me on Twitter. | high6300.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "is also kept by South Korea"
},
"options": [
"is also kept by South Korea",
"comes from South Korea",
"was created by South Korea",
"is South Korea's cultural heritage"
],
"question": "The Dragon Boat Festival ... | As we all know, the Dragon Boat Festival is our country's traditional festival, but do you know there is also a Dragon Boat Festival in South Korea, which also falls on May 5 of the luar calendar ? It has been reported that South Korea will apply to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) to make the celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival its own intangible cultural heritage . If successful, people from other countries may see the Dragon Festival as a Korean creation.
As the birthplace of the yearly event more than 2,000 years ago, China is not happy with the situation. "It would be a shame if another country successfully made a traditional Chinese festival part of its own cultural heritage ahead of China," said Zhou Heping, deputy culture minister. The Ministry of Culture is even thinking of making its own application to UNESCO, covering all traditional Chinese festivals, including the Dragon Boat event.
It is thought that the festival is held in memory of the great poet Qu Yuan (340-278 BC), who lived in the State of Chu during the Warring States Period. Qu was known to be a patriot and admired by ordinary people.
He is said to have jumped into Miluo River, because he had lost hope in his country's future. When people heard about Qu's death, they sailed up and down the river searching for his body. They also beat the drums to frighten away the fish and threw Zongzi into the water to stop the fish touching Qu. Dragon boat racing is said to come from this search for the poet's body.
Over the years, the Dragon Boat Festival has spread throughout the world. In Japan and Viet Nam, as well as South Korea, the festival has mixed with and become part of the local culture. | high9033.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "20 percent."
},
"options": [
"9 percent.",
"12 percent.",
"20 percent.",
"55 percent."
],
"question": "What percentage of young voters wouldn't go to vote?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | The US will have a new president this fall. Voters will decide between the Democratic candidate , Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump of the Republicans.
But the voting is not a must for each person in the US. So quite a lot of people choose not to vote, especially the young generation. According to Fox News, one-in-five young voters between the ages of 18 and 35 said clearly that they wouldn't vote for either of the two candidates. Just 12 percent of voters aged 35-54, and only nine percent of voters aged 55 and older said the same thing.
This is not only because young people don't like Clinton or Trump, according to theFortunemagazine. The truth is that they are traditionally less likely to vote than their parents.
"Young people are not at an age in their life when they think politics or government has anything to do with them," said Rodd Freitag, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, US. "But for the older age groups, they have a home, they pay taxes , they care about schools and the community."
Many believe that the civic education of an American youth is another reason why they don't vote.
Students usually just do community services like cleaning the neighborhoods. This means they haven't learned how to link real life problems to politics through voting, according to Christopher Beem, a politics professor at the Pennsylvania State University.
He said the country needs to help young people learn how to take part in politics and get them to see that they can make a difference. | high14647.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "something behind the game \"Happy Farm\""
},
"options": [
"It's time to\" steal vegetables.\"",
"a computer game called \"Happy Farm\"",
"open a farm in reality",
"something behind the game \"Happy Farm\""
],
"q... | Hurry! Time to "steal vegetables"
Don't be afraid! We are not encouraging the stealing behavior, but to tell you maybe the most popular topic from white-collars' mouth in cities. Together with "How many vegetables do you steal today," "it's harvest time for your ripe peach," "I bought you a new car today."
Are there so many people in the city really have their own farms, or are they really so rich to buy someone else cars casually?
The answer is obviously negative. They just play some games on Social Network Sites (SNS) like kaixin001.com.
Can you imagine that more than millions of people in Chinese mainland will spend lots of time on SNS to play game and talk to friends, especially white-collars who work in the cities? Take kaixin001.com as an example, the current member of it has already hit 38 million.
However, the great number of people who would like to use such SNS indicates another social problem. That is lots of people choose to escape from the reality. And SNS just offer them a Virtual space to forget the reality.
Kinds of games and various of friends do give netizens lots of fun. Though indulging, dreaming, chatting and playing , it seems like people could really escape from all the upsets in reality. But virtual world is not real and no one can live in it forever, and reality is not that simple like noodling around on the internet.
Since this kind of social phenomenon is so popular on the internet, people start thinking to remove it in the reality.After playing the "happy farm" game on kaixin001.com, would you like to put yourself among the real corps while smelling the fragrance of the countryside? Recently, a farm land service called "happy farm in reality" was opened in the suburbs of Shanghai where white-collar workers from around that region can experience the real farmer's life by themselves | high12236.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "leave college before finishing their courses"
},
"options": [
"come from wealthy families",
"leave college before finishing their courses",
"are offered credits toward a degree",
"are likely to develop their academic in... | High school graduation is worth celebrating. It marks a big change in the lives of young adults. However, it ought to mean even more. It ought to mean that the graduate is ready for college or career.
In a report issued last year, we found that almost half of recent Illinois high school graduates required remedial courses upon enrolling a community college. These courses require time and money to complete, yet offer no credits toward a degree. Too often, students never get through those remedial courses and end up dropping out of college.
Why is the remediation rate so high? A large part of the reason is that we have not set high enough standards for what our students need to learn from kindergarten to high school. They simply aren't equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
The same is true for careers. In Illinois, good jobs continue to go vacant even while we are trying hard to go through tough economic times. This is due largely to the mismatch between the skills and knowledge we provide our students with and what employers in a modern economy need workers to know.
The good news is that in Illinois we have a plan to help get our students ready for life in the real world. We have already taken an important first step by becoming one of the 45 states to adopt the Common Core State Standards and have begun introducing them to classrooms this year. The new standards provide fewer, clearer and higher benchmarks for academic progress. They focus on deeper knowledge required at each grade level, give teachers the opportunity to explore topics fully and ensure students can apply what they've learned.
Research shows that when expectations are raised, students rise to meet them. Adapting to higher standards and raising expectations may prove challenging, but they are the steps we must take so that our students are successful in high school and prepared for college and careers. Readiness is worth a celebration. | high3278.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "she was trying to help her husband in every possible way"
},
"options": [
"she knew her husband would lose his job one day",
"she knew their life would be in difficulty",
"she was very careful with money",
"she was tryi... | Nate suffered a hard blow when he lost his job.His boss had spoken rudely, "Your services are no longer needed." Nate left the building filled with disappointment.By the time he reached home, he was in a deep depression.When he entered his house, he blurted out to his wife Sophia, "I lost my job.I am a complete failure." A tense silence followed.Then a smile crept across Sophia's face."What great news!" she responded.
"Now you can write the book you have always wanted to write."
"But I have no job and no prospect of a job," he objected, completely without hope."If I struggle to be an author, then what will we live on? Where will the money come from?" Sophia took her husband by the hand and led him to the kitchen.Opening a drawer, she took out a box that was full of cash."Where on earth did you get this?" Nate gasped."To whom does it belong?"
"It's ours!" Sophia replied."I always knew that one day you would become a great writer if only you were given the chance.From the money you gave me for housekeeping every week, I have saved as much as I could so you would have your chance.Now there is enough to last us a whole year."
What a surprise! What encouragement! What a wife! The unemployed husband did concentrate on writing that year, and the novel he wrote became a literary masterpiece.The book is The Scarlet Letter.Sophia had an even greater achievement, and she turned Nathaniel Hawthorne from a poor clerk into a world famous master. | high16050.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "explore temples and tunnels"
},
"options": [
"see breathtaking waterfalls",
"explore temples and tunnels",
"ride the great waves",
"hike in the hills"
],
"question": "In Malta, you can _ .",
"question_type... | While there are many fascinating countries in the world to visit, I think there is something more adventurous, exotic and romantic about visiting an island country. Take a look at some breathtakingly beautiful island countries in the world, which everyone should certainly visit at least once in his lifetime.
Malta
Malta is a beautiful southern European country in the Mediterranean Sea, which has a rich history and culture. There are amazing sky-high cliffs to climb, splendid temples to explore and lots of wonderful places to go scuba-diving. In fact, there are plenty of interesting things to see and to do in Malta and this island country has something for everyone. The historic part of Malta is shown in its incredible architecture, great walled cities, and many underground tunnels.
Fiji
Fiji is a fabulous island that has plenty of surprises for any adventurous travelers. It is famous for the world's best surf scenes, and many surfing enthusiasts travel to Fuji yearly to ride the great waves. Well, if surfing is not for you and you love sitting on the beach and relaxing, hiking or seeing breathtaking waterfalls, Fiji is certainly the best island country to visit.
Maldives
Not only is Maldives one of the most beautiful island countries, but it is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations. Situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Maldives is made up of a series of ancient coral reefs that grow up along the sides of ancient volcanoes, with fascinating beaches and luxurious resorts. | high19363.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it was safe there"
},
"options": [
"she wanted to be a ballerina",
"her parents were from Britain",
"it was safe there",
"the education there was excellent"
],
"question": "The reason why Audrey lived and studie... | Audrey Hepburn(*)won an Academy Award as Best Actress for her first major American movie, Roman Holiday, which was released in 1953,But she is remem bered as much for her aid work as for her acting.
Born in Belgium in 1929, Audrey's father was British and her mother was Dutch, Audrey was sent to live at a British school for part of her childhood , During World war ll , she lived and studied in the Netherlands , Her mother thought it would be safe from German attacks ,Audrey studied dance as a teenager and during college when she returned to London after the war, But she realized she wasn't going to be a ballerina ,So she began taking acting parts in stage shows, Later she began to get small parts in movies.
But it was Audrey Hepburn's move to America that brought her true fame ,In 1951 she played the character"Gigi"in the Broadway play of the same name to great critical praise, Two years later, Roman Holiday made her a star at the age of 24.
Audrey make more than 25 movies, Among her most popular roles was Hoolly Golinghtly in Breakfast at Tiffany's in 1961, There years later she played Eliza Doolittle in my Fair Lady.
She was married two times and had one by each husband, In 1989,the UN Children's Fund named Audrey a goodwill ambassador, She travelled all over the world in support of UNICEF projects ,The UN agency said she was a tireless worker, She often gave 15 interviews a day to gain money and support for UNICEF projects.
Audrey Hepburn often said her loyalty to UNICEF was the result of her experiences as a child during World War II, She said she knew what it was like to be starving and to be saved by international aid , She was a goodwill ambassador until her death in 1993 from colon cancer. | high4517.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Tiara"
},
"options": [
"Jackson",
"Lee",
"Tiara",
"Subotai"
],
"question": "Who doesn't think tattoos and piercings except ear piercing are beautiful?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"ans... | Tattoos and body piercings have moved up on the trend list in recent years. Around Western schools lots of teens are sporting new holes and "flesh ink" . As with all other subjects, the Chinese will surely have to deal with this situation with respect to their children. To get a better view of what has happened in the West, 1et's sit down and hear what they say.
Tiara from Indiana:
I personally think body piercing is sickening. If there were supposed to be holes in your body,you would have been born with them. I do,however,think that ear piercing is not wrong. There is a difference between ear piercing and belly button piercing. Ear piercing is not nearly as dangerous. I would be sick if someone stuck a needle in my belly button.
Lee from Illinois:
Hi! I live in Illinois. I am 23. I have 12 tattoos and three piercings. I love my tattoos and consider myself an art collector. You would be surprised at who has given me the thumbs up on my art work. People on the street stop me to look at the tattoo on my leg. Most of them don't know what it is. They just think the work itself is great.
Subotai from California:
I'm not forbidden of self-expression,but when I see high school students getting these piercings, I really wonder. In some cases, the drive is deeper and darker than mere fashion. A friend of mine tried piercing her own tongue with a safety pin. It got infected and she had a tongue the size of a cow's.
Jackson from Ohio:
I don't think it is wrong, but when people do it all over the place like their face and everything--I think that's ridiculous. People who get the big "dragons that cover the whole body--I don't think that's necessary." When I see naked chicks on guys, I think, "You have no respect for women." | high2166.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Impress the employer with good behavior."
},
"options": [
"Recognize who is the right employer",
"Have a good impression of the employer",
"Find a chance to show your talent off",
"Impress the employer with good behavio... | When you get a job interview, it is the chance that you impress them employer and prove you really are the right person for the job. The following key points may he the important steps you can take to ensure you make a good impression from the get-go
Be Prepared
Research the company thoroughly before the job interview. Read through the company website to gain a thorough understanding of what" does its values, clients or audience and any technologies it uses. You should also Google the company and read any press releases. Note important issues or points you can discuss at the interview. Take copies of the job description with you to the interview. Don't he afraid of showing off, you can bet the other candidates won't be holding back!
Interview Questions
All this preparation work will go a long way to helping you for questions you might be asked during the interview. As well as preparing for the standard questions, you also need to come up with relevant questions to ask the interviewer about the company and your role. You may want to ask something along the lines of "what's it like to work here?",
"what are the career prospects l like?"
Timekeeping
Plan your route in advance and make a dry run to the interview location a few days beforehand to make sure you're clear on where you're going. Print out directions and maps from sites like Google Maps and make sure you should he there without any problems
After the Interview
If you're unsuccessful, use it as an opportunity to improve. Ask for feedback from the interviewer. This will improve your future interview success chances; the interviewer might consider you for future vacancies at the company based on this action alone | high10421.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a way for treating AIDS"
},
"options": [
"a way for treating AIDS",
"a heat-sensitive virus",
"the immune system of the human body",
"the function of high temperature"
],
"question": "This passage is mainly conc... | An experimental treatment that causes AIDS patients to develop a dangerously high fever has shown promise as a way of prolonging and improving the patients' life.Called the Biologic-HT System, the new treatment lets doctors extract the blood of a patient and heat it before circulating it back into the body. The heated blood causes the patient's body temperature to rise above 42 degrees Celsius. In people with AIDS, that increase in temperature kills some heat-sensitive HIV, the virus, most doctors say, causes AIDS.
Heating the blood of AIDS patients has been tried before, say doctors. But during previous attempts, the treatment induced deadly chemical changes in the blood. The Biologic-HT System prevents those changes from happening, allowing the heat to kill viruses with few ill side effects.
The new heat treatment cannot be considered a cure for Aids, says president of the company that makes the system. He says the treatment doesn't kill all traces of the virus. However, it kills enough virus particles to give a patient's immune system a reprieve in its deadly duel with HIV.
Tests of the Biologic-HT treatment began on 36 patients earlier this year. The treatment takes about four hours, and the patient normally feels well enough to leave the hospital or clinic the following morning.
So far, the patients who have had the treatment say they feel better and have developed no new opportunistic infections--disease that strike people with damaged immune systems. The patients also have experienced about a 50 percent increase in the number of T cells in their bodies. T cells are key disease-fighting cells of the immune system and the main target of HIV. | high2600.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To share the story of Finland's success in education."
},
"options": [
"To introduce a Finnish official.",
"To compare the education systems of Finland and the US.",
"To share the story of Finland's success in education.",
... | Forty years ago, Finland was a small, country with mediocre public schools. Today, Finland is still small but no one calls Finland's public schools mediocre any more.
In 2000, the Finns surprised the world when their 15-year-olds scored at the top of a closely watched international exam called the PISA. Finland has stayed near the top ever since, while the U.S. scores around the middle.
Pasi Sahlberg, an official with Finland's Ministry of Education and Culture, is in Seattle this week to share the story of Finland's success, and what states like Washington can learn from it.
Sahlberg's message, although he is too polite to put it so bluntly: Stop testing so much, trust teachers more; give less homework; shorten the school day.
On Tuesday, in a room filled with teachers, principals, professors, school-board members and policy makers, Sahlberg joked about the Finns' reputation for being a quiet, humble people. "When Finland hit the top of the PISA," he said, "the biggest disbelievers were Finns."
More seriously, Finland never set out to create the world's top school system. Instead, he said, the country decided in the 1970s that it wanted to ensure that a student's success didn't depend on family background.
"Finland relied on cooperation among teachers and schools, rather than on competition. Rather than judging teachers and schools based on test scores," he said, "Finland puts trust in its teachers and principals. Teachers develop the curriculum in Finland, and design their own tests. There are no national tests, except one at the end of high school."
That's just the start. Along with a shorter school day, Finnish students don't even start school until they are 7 years old. Many primary schools have a policy against giving homework.
"But Finland," he said, " succeeded in part by adopting ideas from the U.S. and other countries. And those countries, he said, can learn from Finland, too." | high10347.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "speech training"
},
"options": [
"speech training",
"computer languages",
"the activities one joins in",
"the information being dealt with"
],
"question": "Dr. Merzenich's training method mainly depends on _ ... | Sorry to say, our brains naturally start slowing down at the cruelly young age of 30. it used to be thought that this couldn't be helped, but new studies show that people of any age can train their brains to work faster . "Your brain is a learning machine," says prefix = st1 /UniversityofCaliforniascientist Dr. Micha3el Merzenich. Given the right tools, we can train our brains to act like they did when we were younger. All that's required is the practice designed just for the purpose: a few exercises for the mind.
Merzenich has developed a computer-based training method to speed up the process in which the brain deals with information (positence. com). Since much of the data we receive comes through speech, the Brain Fitness Program works with language and hearing to better speed and accuracy .
Over the course of training, the program starts asking you to distinguish sounds (between "dog" and "dog", for example) at an increasingly faster speed. It's a bit like tennis instructor, says Merzenich, hitting balls at you faster and faster to keep you challenged . You may start out slow, but before long you're pretty quick.
The biggest finding in brain research in the last ten years is that _ If you ask your brain to learn, it will learn. And it may even speed up while in the process.
To keep your brain young and plastic you can do one of a million new activities that challenge and excite you: playing table tennis or bridge, doing crossword puzzles, learning a language...."When it comes to preventing ageing, you really do 'use it or lose it", says Barbara Sahakian, professor at CambridgeUniversity. | high16736.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the changed proteins"
},
"options": [
"the folded proteins",
"the changed proteins",
"the defensive measures",
"the stress response genes"
],
"question": "According to the text, an alarm in the plant cells is ca... | Like people, plants experience stress. And also, like people, the response to that stress can determine success.
Bad environmental conditions, such as drought, flood, heat and other stresses, affect yields more than crop pests and diseases. We are trying to find a way to equip plants with the ability to tolerate environmental stress and maintain high yields, said Stephen Howell, a professor of genetics and cell biology.
Plant cells produce proteins and ship them to different parts of the cell. Under normal conditions, these proteins are folded into their normal, healthy structures as they are produced. When a plant is under stress, its cells produce poorly folded or unfolded proteins. Then a built-in system senses this and "sets off an alarm in the cell," said Howell.
In response to the alarm, another protein (IRE1) starts working and creates a different process which activates the stress response genes whose products bring about defensive measures that help the plant survive.
"As it turns out, responses that are activated under stress conditions actually inhibit the growth of plants," said Howell. "This allows them to preserve their energy to survive the stress conditions."
For plants in the wild, this response is a help for survival, he said. In production of agriculture crops, however, this response reduces yields.
"You don't want crop plants to stop growing," Howell said. "You want them to continue to grow and produce even though they are under stress."
With the new understanding of this stress response, the next step may be to silence the alarm system, said Howell. "What may be important is to disable some of these stress responses. That may make the plant more productive under stress conditions." | high19405.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Mandy"
},
"options": [
"Mandy",
"Lucy",
"Amrita",
"Sarah"
],
"question": "If you are interested in teaching, you can get in touch with _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | We are looking for energetic volunteers who might be willing to volunteer their time. It's a great way to build your volunteer experience, get involved in your community, meet new people and show your pride.
Computer Teacher
The computer teacher will be responsible for teaching older adults computer skills, including basic skills such as turning on computer or more media skills such as setting up email. This position requires patience, dedication and long hours on your feet. Computer skills needed. Ask Mandy, 01313377227.
Meals on Wheels
Do you have time in your schedule to make a difference in the lives of seniors in your community? Meals on Wheels drivers deliver nutritious lunchtime meals to homebound seniors on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Our aim is to help seniors who are unable to go out themselves due to age or disability. A valid driver's license and personal vehicle is required. Call Lucy,(781)2727177.
Tree Nursery Volunteer
Tasks are different according to season, but may include: collecting tree seeds from ancient woodland, preparing seeds for sowing, planting trees and tree aftercare. Some of the work is physical and outdoors, others such as seed preparation can be done indoors. No experience is necessary, but a knowledge or interest in botany would certainly be helpful. Ask Amrita, 07748623073.
Photography Volunteer
If you have a talent for photography, this may be the role for you. We need someone who can take great photos for posters and websites. We especially need photos of our events and volunteers. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable work experience. You'll also gain the satisfaction of seeing your work being displayed on the National Trust website and in literature. Ask Sarah, 01248600954. | high4271.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It will help a company run smoothly."
},
"options": [
"It can deal with a11 the routines in the business.",
"It is simple to follow or complete a system.",
"Your company will be successful so long as you have a system.",
... | A lot of small business owners put themselves in _ in their own companies.Consider this scene:the company owner who has thirty individuals working for him in the business does all the work.
Stop the actual wrong belief that you're the only one who can do the JOB!
You are an individual. _ .The best way to replace yourself is not through someone else,but with a System! A system or program doesn't always make reference to something high-tech.It's more about the actual administration process flow that gets issues running smoothly.
Systemizing your business is vitally important for the success of the company.About 80%of what's completed in your business can be systemized.Take a moment to determine all of the routine things that are done in your company.Now record the best way to achieve these duties.
However,creating systems isn't enough.You have to ensure that the methods are simple to follow,and easy to complete.If you do not allow it to be easy,it won't be done,or at best it won't be consistent.
With systems and processes in position.it's simply using a few people to operate individual systems.A great number of companies that possess established systems have made great achievements through the years.Burger King is a good actual life example.
To construct a great business,replace yourself with a good program right now! | high11059.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Africa."
},
"options": [
"Asia.",
"Africa.",
"Europe.",
"North America."
],
"question": "Which area will experience the largest increase in population at the end of the century?",
"question_type": "factiod_q... | Our planet is home to about seven billion people. Since the 1990s, population experts have predicted the number would grow to nine billion before it begins to slow down and possibly decrease.
But a new report predicts the world's population is likely to increase to almost 11 billion by 2100. Based on the most modern statistical tools, the new report makes use of government records and considers expert predictions, including death rates, birthrates and international migration, or people moving across borders. The report says during the rest of this century, Africa's population will grow from about 3.5 billion to 5.1 billion over the next 85 years
John is director of the United Nations Population Division. He says that in the past, researchers thought population growth in Africa would be similar to that of other areas. They expected slower growth rates as birth control use became more widespread. But he says those ideas were wrong.
"The level of contraception use has continued to increase but slowly -- more slowly than expected, and birthrate therefore has been falling less rapidly than expected, and the population therefore continues to grow somewhat more rapidly than we expected.The new findings are based on a joint research project of the United Nations and the University of Washington.
The researchers believe the population of Asia will reach five billion by 2050. That is up from the current 4.4 billion. And then begin to decline. The researchers also believe that North America, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean area will have a total population of below one billion.
John says the pressure of feeding the rising population is likely to be less than that might be expected.
"The relatively good news is that the world has been winning the race between population growth and food production. If you look back historically over the last 50 years, certainly for the world as a whole and for many, most individual countries and regions, the increase in food production has outpaced the increase of population.||" | high12550.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Parents mustn't enter the room if not permitted."
},
"options": [
"Parents mustn't enter the room if not permitted.",
"Children's decision is more important than parents'.",
"Parents should show respect to their children.",
... | Many Chinese parents think as long as the child is watched by people, there is no danger. But from the start, when the child is born, he needs to communicate with others, especially the communication with parents. Many children in our country are growing up in the environment which lacks a sense of security and love. They want to get back the love lost in childhood but never catch it.
On the one hand, Chinese like saving faces; on the other hand, they want to encourage their children to be aspirants . They often say how hard somebody else is studying, how good their grades are, and what prize they get. This comparison is the worst thing especially when they say it before many people. Each time you compare your children to others, you will only bring them much disappointment and pain.
Parents should knock at the door when they go into the room of their children. They should get permission before they move something of their children. Parents should first communicate with their children and consider their decisions. Parents should respect their children, and consider them as adults. This respect should begin from changing diapers. Before changing diapers for the children, parents should tell them. Children who do not be respected also do not know how to respect others.
Many parents have high hopes for their children, and force them to the way that they think is right, even if the kids do not fit, or do not like, such as playing the piano or going abroad. Under this kind of pressure, children become unhappy and the quality time becomes a struggling period. When children recall their childhood, all memories are unhappy, which is indeed the failure of some parents. | high23955.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The 2010 Shanghai World Expo is expected to last about half a year."
},
"options": [
"The 2010 Shanghai World Expo is expected to last about half a year.",
"The disabled people will be forbidden to enter the Expo Site.",
"Vis... | Expo 2010 Shanghai China
Duration: May 1 to Oct 31, 2010
Welcome to the World Expo 2010 Shanghai China. In order to ensure a safe and orderly visit, the organizer of Expo 2010 has formulated these rules.
Operation Time
The operation time of the Expo Site shall be 9:00~24:00. The opening hours of the pavilions shall be 9:30 ~ 22:30. Visitors shall enter the Expo Site before 21:00 and leave before 24:00 on the day of admission. Those with evening admission tickets may enter the Expo Site between 17:00 and 21:00.
Orderly Entry
Visitors shall go through ticket check and security check before entering the Expo Site. Those who refuse to cooperate may be denied entry. Children eligible for free admission and other visitors with walking difficulties may only enter the Expo Site when accompanied by adults.
Codes of Conduct
Visitors are required to observe public order within the Expo Site, and shall queue up to enter the pavilions or event venues . In the Expo Site, visitors are prohibited from:
(1) damaging any buildings, facilities or exhibits.
(2) climbing over any buildings or fences
(3) conducting any exhibitions or promotional or fundraising activities without permission.
Special Management Measures
In case of bad weather, too many visitors and technical problems, the organizer may restrict the entry of visitors into the Expo Site, pavilions or event venues.
_
Visitors Service Centers are available in the Expo Site, providing visitors with such services as inquiries, rental, lost and found, first aid, mother-baby service, and assistance for lost persons. The centers also accept and process visitors' complaints. Free rental of wheelchairs are available for the disabled. | high845.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "People can read e-books there with the help of the new facilities."
},
"options": [
"It is the first-ever library in America.",
"It is of no practical use although it costs so much.",
"It holds an exhibition of much electroni... | Picture a library without books? Well, I can't. Ever since I was little I would go to the library and take out numerous books. From picture books to beginning chapter books to YA books, books have always been a part of my life. Unlike many people today, I don't own a Kindle or a Nook or any type of e-reader. I prefer the old-fashioned book. There is something about holding a book and being able to turn the pages that I find comforting. In today's 21st century, books may become _ . For me that's something I find scary.
I am a fan of the old TV science-fiction series Twilight Zone. One episode is about a librarian who has become obsolete. _
In fact, in San Antonio, Texas the first-ever bookless library in the country opened. The library is full of iMacs, tablets and iPads which cost a huge $2. 3 million. The library offers around 10,000 e-books. So the question is, is this what the future will soon be? Mary Graham, vice president of South Carolina's Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce states, "This is the future...If you're going to be building new library facilities, this is what you need to be doing."
It is our generation that will be the guinea pigs of increasing technology like this. Is this a good or bad thing? Well, digital libraries may help the environment by not using paper; however, I feel like something will always be lacking with a digital book. A digital library is just the beginning.
With all of this new technology, people seem to be more absorbed in their own world. One of my biggest complaints is when I am with my friends and they can't seem to get off their smart phone and talk to me. To make plans with a friend and then have them stuck on their phone the whole time is extremely rude. Not only is it disrespectful, but it reflects the direction of where human interactions are heading. Though social media is great, it also is addicting and has negative effects.
Often when I go on Facebook it just makes me feel worse about myself. I'll see many of my 800 Facebook friends showing off their newest accomplishment or acceptance to college. Additionally, our society is becoming increasingly lazy. For instance, instead of doing mental math, people use their phone to solve 89 + 74. It is simple tasks like these that are allowing people to lack important educational and social skills.
It is up to us to find a balance between technology and human values and interactions. With new technology being created every day, we need to learn how to use it alongside our great minds. After all, inventions are supposed to benefit society not harm it. In the day of technology, who knows what's next? | high6466.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "get benefits from the books."
},
"options": [
"buy some cheap books easily.",
"get benefits from the books.",
"collect and treasure the books",
"promote good books."
],
"question": "For a reader, the most import... | All the wisdom of the ages, all the stories that have delighted mankind for centuries, are easily and cheaply available to all of us within the covers of books but we must know how to avail ourselves of this treasure and how to get the most from it. The most unfortunate people in the world are those who have never discovered how satisfying it is to read good books.
Readingis pleasure of the mind, which means that it is a little like a sport: your eagerness and knowledge and quickness make you a good reader. Reading is fun, not because the writer is telling you something, but because it makes your mind work. Your own imagination works along with the author's or even goes beyond his. Your experience, compared with his, brings you to the same or different conclusions, and your ideas develop as you understand his.
Every book stands by itself, like a one family house, but books in a library are like houses in a city. Although they are separate, together they all add up to something, they are connected with each other and with other cities. The same ideas, or related ones, turn up in different places; the human problems that repeat themselves in life repeat themselves in literature, but with different solutions according to different writings at different times. Books influence each other; they link the past, the present and the future and have their own generations, like families. Wherever you start reading you connect yourself with one of the families of ideas, and in the long run, you not only find out about the world and the people in it; you find out about yourself, too.
Readingcan only be fun if you expect it to be. If you concentrate on books somebody tells you "ought" to read, you probably won't have fun. But if you put down a book you don't like and try another till you find one that means something to you, and then relax with it, you will almost certainly have a good time -- and if you become, as a result of reading, better, wiser, kinder, or more gentle, you won't have suffered during the process. | high9755.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he was waiting for the lights to turn"
},
"options": [
"he was driving on the expressway",
"he was trapped in a traffic jam",
"he was waiting for the lights to turn",
"he was looking for a new friend"
],
"questi... | Life's coincidences can be good or bad, but they always surprise us. I moved to Anderson in 2004 from a small town in New York. One day I stopped at a red light and was behind a car with a license plate that read "Pearl Harbor Survivor". My father was a Pearl Harbor survivor, so I jumped out of my truck and tapped to his window. He rolled the window down and I asked if he was a Pearl Harbor survivor.
"Yes," he said. The lights turned green so I got back in my truck, turned left and went home straight. Then, I said to myself, "Why didn't I get his name and phone number?" I went to the local Legion Post and asked if there was a Pearl Harbor survivor here on their roster . They told me yes and his name was Bronsil Metz. I looked up his name in the phone book and gave him a call. However, I failed to reach him anyway. I then drove to his address. With no answer to the door, I left a note saying that I would like to speak with him.
The next day Metz called me back and we arranged to meet at his house. I gathered my father's picture albums and drove to his house the next morning. My father passed away years ago, so I was filled with excitement about talking to someone with similar experiences. We two went through the albums. As I turned the pages, he started pointing out the people he knew as well as those familiar buildings. My father was a great record keeper, so after Metz named people in some pictures, I took the photos out and on the back, in my father's handwriting, were the names, _ that Metz did really know the people. At that moment, I was stunned . | high14121.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because people love watching magicians make the impossible happen."
},
"options": [
"Because Liu Qian is known for his interaction with his audiences.",
"Because people love watching magicians make the impossible happen.",
"B... | Here's an unusual story: a diamond ring was recently found in an egg. The magician , Liu Qian, discovered it, in front of an audience of millions at CCTV's Spring Festival Gala. Liu's magic tricks have made the centuries old art of magic fashionable once again, and made him the hottest magician in China.
As a _ young magician from Taiwan, Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he has performed in include the United States, Japan, South Korea and the UK.
Witnessing something impossible happen right before your eyes is the root of people's love for magic.
Liu is known for his interaction with his audiences. He has a unique understanding of showmanship .
"It is actually thinking, rather than one's manipulation skills, that is more important to achieving a successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively, to make them appear more intriguing ,"Liu said.
Liu Qian's success dates back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan, he found himself attracted to a magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12, he won Taiwan's Youth Magic Contest, which was judged by the great American magician, David Copperfield.
Yet, Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university and only hoped to be an amateur magician in his spare time. However, his failure to find a decent job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.
To refine his performing skills, he has performed on streets, roads and fields, for pedestrians , policemen and farmers.
"Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and tough crowds," Liu said. | high1309.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a chance to enjoy nature outdoors"
},
"options": [
"the exciting experience technology brings them",
"a chance to enjoy nature outdoors",
"becoming popular on social media",
"being cool with a new wearable device on the... | Anybody who's noticed so many sweaty Sunday-morning photos on the Internet must think that marathons have recently regained popularity.According to Running USA,an organization that tracks the sport's growth,52 percent of runners today track themselves with some sort of GPS-enabled device,like a smart phone or a fitness tracker.This statistic has likely played a role in running's growing appeal--the easily available tracking information has attracted people to the sport,and kept them going,for it's possible for anyone to see in real time how it's affecting their bodias.
Today,free smart phone apps can give runners information on things like the number and length of their steps,their heart rate,even the estimated volume of oxygen they consume per minute.All this information can act as a reward and a motivator for the runner."It's one thing to hear encouragement from a coach."Bryan Boyle,editor of Runner's World magazine,explains."It's quite another,however,to appreciate-at a glance-progress made during weeks and months of running.''
But run--tracking technology doesn't just help runners train harder. It also gives them the power to train more intelligently.Recreational runners today no longer have to guess how far or how fast they've run,or what their body is doing.If they can monitor their heart rate,they can make sure they're hitting the most strategic pace on each run,which can significantly increase their chances of having a positive experience on the course during race day.
No matter how much technology can promote the experience of running,though,many runners argue that the biggest benefit of the sport remains the chance to get outdoors,away from the computer,for an hour."There's so much more to experience," adds Boyle."fresh air,travel,shoot,just overall feeling better.There's no app for that." | high12544.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "help the firemen"
},
"options": [
"watch it",
"ask for help",
"help the firemen",
"warn the villagers"
],
"question": "Seeing the fire, the boys ran to the village to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questio... | One afternoon Peter and Jim went out for a bicycle ride. When they passed a place they saw a large area of grass and bushes on fire and a strong wind was blowing the flames towards a village. The firemen had already arrived and were trying to put out the fire. The boys left their bicycles and ran towards the village to see if they could help to fight the fire. On the way they met two firemen.
"Quick, you boys," said one of the firemen. "Come and help us to pull a pump to the stream. We can't beat out the fire. The wind is too strong. The pump is our only hope."
The two boys ran further until they came to a heavy pump. They helped to pull it to a stream not far from the village.
Soon the pump was working well so the boys went to watch the fire. It had already reached the edge of the village. The boys saw that two houses were on fire, and the flames were attacking a third building. Suddenly there was a shout from one of the villagers.
"Keep away!" a voice shouted. "There's paint stored in that building." The boys and villagers moved away quickly. With a loud explosion , the whole building burst into flames, sending clouds of thick black smoke into the sky.
At this time Peter and Jim began to think that the whole village would be burnt to the ground. The firemen had left the burning buildings and were pouring water onto the neighboring houses, trying to stop the fire from spreading. Then the wind died down. A second pump was brought up to help, and the fire was gradually put out.
"It's soon finished," Peter said to his friend. "We must go or we shall get home late." "Yes, come on," agreed Jim, and with a last look at the ruins, they walked back to their bicycles. | high23941.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "mentioning habitual activities"
},
"options": [
"presenting abnormal things",
"asking related questions",
"mentioning habitual activities",
"comparing different opinions"
],
"question": "The writer begins the pa... | Surfing the net when you should be finishing a work report, changing clothes when you have a train to catch, or perhaps even lying in bed when you've promised yourself you'll work out. Sound familiar? You aren't alone. We all procrastinate sometimes, especially when it comes to things we aren't really fond of. And while the number of activities we delay doing in any given week varies from person to person, it's fair to say that none of us is super-efficient 100 percent of the time.
A study revealed that we spend about 218 minutes procrastinating every day, which amounts to 55 days of lost time each year. We might not think these figures particularly worthy of worry, but when we look at the overall impact of procrastination on our lives, _ Not only does this cost financial loss, it also affects peace of mind. And procrastination isn't just a money thief ---- it steals time too. In general, people who continually put things off are unhappier, as well as being less wealthy and healthy.
So why do we do it? "When we avoid taking action, we're really avoiding pain," explains psychiatrist Phil Stutz. For most of us, pain avoidance isn't limited to one situation. It applies to almost anything that's painful. Most of us try our best never to leave a comfort zone. That's why we sacrifice something much more valuable: time. "Our time on earth is limited," Stutz adds. "Every moment is an opportunity we'll never have again. Procrastinators act as if they have all the time in the world. But deep down, they know they're wasting parts of their life. The trouble is, most of them don't know how to free themselves."
One way he says we can reach this level of freedom is by overcoming the pain of avoidance using daily visualization . "Picture the pain you're avoiding as a black cloud in front of you," Stutz says. "Notice how you're fed up with the ways this pain has held you back in life, and tell yourself that you're determined to conquer it. Then it's time to get through the cloud and to the other side -- where you're free." It is obvious that this tool works when we want to procrastinate. We then get into the habit of moving "towards" pain instead of away from it.
In addition to the fact that procrastinators suffer more health problems, procrastination also destroysteamwork and personal relationships because it shifts the burden of responsibilities onto others. So next time you think about putting something off, remember the impact it will have. Experts insist: procrastinators can change their behavior, it takes a lot of self-work but in the end, it's worth the effort. And start today, not tomorrow. | high9999.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "15."
},
"options": [
"2.",
"3.",
"15.",
"25."
],
"question": "How many days does Tibetan Losar last?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_tex... | Yuanxiao, Chinese Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The festival ends the New Year's celebration. It is a fun festival. People carry lanterns and go into the streets at night to watch lion or dragon dances, play games and light firecrackers. Yuanxiao, a sweet dumpling made of rice flour, is the traditional food eaten during the festival. In Chinese, the festival is named after this food, which is said to represent family unity and happiness because it is sticky, round and sweet.
The Dai WaterSplashing Festival
The Dai minority in Yunnan celebrate the WaterSplashing Festival in the middle of April. The festival celebrates the Dai Lunar New Year and lasts for three days. There are dragon races and fireworks displays on the first day and a fair on the second day. At the fair, young lovers throw love pouches to each other. The third day is the actual watersplashing day, people splash water on each other to wash away illnesses and bad luck and bring good luck for the coming year.
Losar
Losar is a Tibetan word for New Year."Lo" means "year" and "sar" means "new". As the most popular festival among Tibetans, it is celebrated from the first day in the first month to the fifteenth day based on the traditional Tibetan calendar.
On the last day of the year, people clean their houses and prepare for the festival. On the first day of the New Year, Tibetan women usually wake up early at about 5 o'clock, and prepare for a special kind of barley wine for the family which have tsamba, brown sugar, and milk dregs. The whole family have to drink the wine in their beds and then continue to sleep, while the housewives sit in front of their windows, waiting for the sunrise. As soon as they see the sun rays in the east, they go to the well for the first bucket of water in the New Year. It is said that water in the well is the freshest and sweetest at this time and the family who get the lucky water earliest will be the most fortunate. | high13882.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Grown-ups who hold on to child---- like emotion"
},
"options": [
"children who can't wait to grow up.",
"Grown-ups who hold on to child---- like emotion",
"people who enjoy playing sports.",
"young people who pretended ... | Every kid wishes to be an adult. But now as grown-ups, some adults find they cannot leave childhood behind. They become "kidults" (kid+adult). Being a kidult has become a lifestyle-choice among young people across Asia.
Some kidults collect toys they once played with. Hello Kitty, Garfield, and Snoopy have many adult fans around the world. It is not unusual to see a 20-something woman with a big, Garfield-shaped cushion on her sofa or a Hello Kitty mobile phone accessory.
Other kidults still enjoy children's stories and fairy tales. For example, Bloomsbury even published the Harry Potter novels with an adult cover. That way, no one else on the subway will know that an adult is actually reading a children's book!
"Kidults can be like vitamins to society. Adults who value their childhood and hold on to pure, child-like emotion may be needed in such a rough and dry society," said Lee Sojung, professor of Foreign Studies at Hankuk University. He added that kidult culture may fill the generation gap between adults and kids. It could give children and their parents books, movies, and cartoon shows to enjoy together. He may be right.
Tim Greenhalgh, a professor, explained that some kidults just refuse to grow up. They cling to childhood because life in a busy and stressful city frightens them. Kidults would like to forget their age and openly show their fear of society and adulthood.
" So, they can escape from increasingly complex and stressful lives that are hard to deal with." Greenhalgh said. | high22487.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the development of toys is related to science and technology"
},
"options": [
"only children like to play with toys",
"toys have nothing to do with children's future life",
"the development of toys is related to science and t... | Through history, children have played with toys and they help to prepare children for adult life. But the toys are changing all the time. As science and technology have changed the way adults live, the toys children play with have changed as well. Developments in science and technology have had a big effect on the toys that children play with. Today trains and mobile phones are popular toys for young children, but there were no toys of this kind before real trains and mobile phones were invented. The materials that toys are made of have also changed. Today lots of toys are made of plastic. Plastic is a modern, man-made material that did not exist in the past. On the other hand, some other toys that you have might not be all that different from the ones children played with 1,000 years ago. Scientists have found some bone dice in Aberdeen. In medieval times dice were used for playing games as much as they are today.
A recent survey found that half of all the children aged from 4 to 6 have played video games, a quarter of them regularly. The increasing use of electronic toys troubles Dr Singer, a professor at Yale. "One thing we know is that kids in early years need to be in touch with the real world," he said, "No matter how brilliant they are, they're not going to learn to walk, to move or to talk to others unless their hands or feet have a direct role in such activities."
Some toy experts argue that the best toys are the ones that increase a child's creativity and imagination. Traditional toys can be used for different kinds of purposes and be used in group settings, individually , and one-to-one. They are also used differently depending on the child's age and skill level. And these toys made of natural materials are valuable for children because they teach children what the world is made of. | high851.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it can climb up stairs as humans"
},
"options": [
"it can do any housework for us",
"it can talk with patients or old people",
"it can climb up stairs as humans",
"it can walk smoothly with its wheels"
],
"quest... | Robots industry is developing so rapidly that there is no denying that we may one day find ourselves surrounded by robots.
The humanoid (human like) robots with two legs such as Honda Motor Co. Ltd's ASIMO would likely have an easier time climbing up stairs inside homes than a robot that moves on wheels, developers say.
But it will be some time before such devices make their way into people's homes.
"They may look smart, but they are still quite stupid," Shimoyama said. "I don't think they will ever be as smart as humans."
While safety is an obvious concern, robots also need to be sensitive to people's needs.
Researchers at Fujitsu Frontech Ltd and Fujitsu Laboratories responsible for developing "Enon", a guide and patrol robot designed for use in shopping malls and corporate facilities , are working on this.
Enon, which has a humanoid upper body but no legs, is equipped with a touch screen on its chest and space in its stomach to carry loads weighting up to 10 kg.
In guide mode, it will check a newcomer and approach the person with a nod and a greeting: "Are you a visitor? Hello."
Visitors requiring directions can point to icons displayed on Enon's chest screen. If the restroom icon is pressed, the screen will display a map that shows the way.
The robot will then face and point in the direction of the restroom, although it won't actually walk the visitor there.
Enon is now in use at four locations in Japan, including a shopping mall near Tokyo. The main goal is to make it more helpful for the elderly.
"People who work in the transportation sector often ask whether we can build a robot that will find elderly people who look lost in train stations, and ask them if they are all right," said Toshihido Marita, director of Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd's autonomous system laboratory. "Actually that is hard to do, very hard," he said. | high6472.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "watch a ballet"
},
"options": [
"watch a ballet",
"buy some good clothes",
"attend the conference",
"visit her sister"
],
"question": "The author planned to _ in Budapest.",
"question_type": "cloze_quest... | It all started when my sister was invited to speak at a threeday conference in Budapest. Mom and I thought we would join her because she was not able to take her husband or daughter. After all, how often does a trip to Budapest come along? We began planning a week long trip to Budapest. It was the first visit to Europe for all three of us, and there was so much we wanted to see that we couldn't narrow our base destinations down any further than Venice, Budapest, Rome, Sorrento and Florence.
We immediately applied for passports. We looked over maps and through books trying to decide exactly where to stay. I spent hours and days researching hotels, transportation, museums. We waited and waited to book tickets so we had a starting point on our dates. Finally everything fell into place and we decided our plans. The excitement continued to build day by day.
I researched packing tips online and my list of necessities grew. Mom and I compared notes for weeks trying to decide what to wear, what to bring, what to buy ... in the end, however, we just chose whatever was comfortable and to be honest, mainly wore the same couple of clothes day after day, washing them in the hotel as necessary. The only good clothes we took were for the ballet in Budapest. And thank goodness for that -- I can't imagine lugging a larger suitcase on and off during the journey to Florence, and some other places.
The big day arrived and with bags packed and repacked, it was off to the airport for our first European adventure! | high14135.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "looks for the good and bad points of the material he has read"
},
"options": [
"asks what he does not understand",
"talks back to the author",
"understand the background on which the works are based",
"looks for the goo... | Criticism is judgement.A critic is a judge.A judgement study and think about the material presented to him, accept it, correct it, or reject it after thinking over what he has read, watched or heard.
Another word for criticism is appreciation.When I criticize or appreciate some objector another, I look for its good points and bad points.In reading any printed or written matter, I always have a pencil in hand and put any comments in the book or on a separate paper.In other words, I always talk back to the writer.
That sort of critical reading might well be called creative reading because I am thinking along with the author, asking him questions, seeing whether he answers the questions and how well he answers them.I mark the good passages to store them in my memory piece of writing; where, how and why could or should I improve upon it?
You might think that doing what I suggested is work.Yes, it is, but the work is a pleasure because I can feel my brain expanding, my emotion reacting and my way of living change.
Reading exercises is a great influence on a person.If pictures, still or moving, accompany the reading, the memory will retain the material for a long time.
Just as evil books can corrupt, so also can good books gradually work a change on a corrupt person.
Let's get back to the beneficial effects of thinking while reading.It helps us to enlarge our minds.We understand more about the universe, its people and many of its wonders.We learn to think and observe in new ways.We certainly do get a feeling for the language we are reading.All good writers in any language have been readers who read critically and continuously. | high9741.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "High school graduates preparing to have at-home training."
},
"options": [
"College students preparing to work in some big companies.",
"College students preparing to study for a degree.",
"High school graduates preparing to ... | Get Your Degree at Home!
Have you ever wondered what a degree might be worth to you in your job or career? It means a lot of Americans with an Associate Degree average nearly $10,000 more in yearly earnings than those with just a High School Diploma .
1 Harcourt Learning Direct offers you a way to get a Specialized Associate Degree in 11 of today's growing fields without having to go to college full time. 2 With Harcourt, you can study at home, in your spare time--so you don't have to give up your present job while you train for a better one. Choose from exciting majors like Business Management, Accounting, Dressmaking & Design, Bookkeeping, Photography, Computer Science, Engineering, and more!
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Simply fill in your name and address on the coupon above. Then, write in the name and number of the one program you're most interested in, and mail it today. We'll send you free information about how you can take advantage of the opportunities in the field you've chosen. Act today!
Mail coupon today or call the number below!
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E-mail: harcourt@learning.com | high2614.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Cycling around a lake."
},
"options": [
"Cycling around a lake.",
"Motor racing in the desert.",
"Playing basketball in a gym.",
"Swimming in a sports center."
],
"question": "Which of the following is the autho... | Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature.However,whether you are on the mountains,in the waves,or on the grassland,you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry.Golf,as you may know,eats up not only large areas of countryside,but also tons of water.Besides,all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses in good condition.This causes major environmental effects.For example,in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain,golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports.Power walking is one of them that you could take up today.You don't need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes;and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse.Simple and free,power walking can also keep you fit.If you walk regularly,it will be good for your heart and bones.Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious,sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up,you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials.But the final goal should be"green gyms".They RYe better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors,in the countryside or other open spaces.There is no special requirement for you to start your membership.And best of all,it's free. | high10353.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It provides drop-off locations nationwide."
},
"options": [
"It offers secondhand electronics for free.",
"It will open on January 13, 2011 in Tustin.",
"It provides drop-off locations nationwide.",
"It has no head quar... | Founded two years ago, All Green Electronics Recycling is a full-service electronics recycler and collector. It offers pick-up services as well as hundreds of convenient drop-off locations, nationwide. Currently, it collects more than two million pounds of electronics per month. All Green Electronics Recycling announces its new national headquarters' grand opening on January 13, 2011 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ---- a Green Carpet Event ---- followed by a free, three-day electronics recycling event aimed at giving back to the local community in Orange County. Both are open to the public and are located at: 15561 Del Amo Ave. in Tustin.
"We are particularly excited about the promising new job opportunities available for California residents," says Arman Sadeghi, CEO, All Green Electronics Recycling.
All Green is growing at jaw-dropping rates. While many companies continue to cut back and lay off valuable employees, All Green has hired a new person every 4.1 days since its incorporation and is predicted to hire another 100 employees in the next six months.
In addition to new jobs, many local non-profits and schools will also benefit. All Green is creating community partnerships and setting up collection events while donating a percentage of the proceeds from the recycled electronics.
Rather than allowing old televisions or computers to end up at the dump, All Green provides the public with a way of recycling their old working or non-working electronics safely and responsibly for free. In fact, those with at least 10 computers, monitors and televisions can go to:http://www.allgreenrecycling.com to schedule a free pick up in many areas.
Unlike many of its competitors, the company sorts and separates all e-waste within their warehouse and does not ship anything overseas for processing. It also ensures that any electronics placed in its care will never find its way into a landfill.
All Green already has a recycling facility in Sacramento and is set to expand its New York operations within 60 days.
For more information: to check out the Electronics Recycling Carbon Footprint Calculator; or to locate a facility in your area, visit: www.allgreenrecycling.com. | high20290.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "By tying a string to her hand."
},
"options": [
"By throwing water all over her and her bed.",
"By carrying her to safety with his brother.",
"By pushing and pulling at her.",
"By tying a string to her hand."
],
... | It was 3:12 a.m. when nine-year-old Glenn Kreamer awoke to the smell of burning. Except for the crackling of flames somewhere below there was not a sound in the two-storey house at Baldwin, Long Island. With his father away on night duty at a local factory, Glenn was worried about the safety of his mother, his sister Karen, 14 and his 12-year-old brother Todd. He ran downstairs through the smoke-filled house to push and pull at Karen and Todd until they sat up. Then he helped each one through the house to the safety of the garden. There, his sister and brother, taking short and quick breaths and coughing, collapsed on the lawn.
The nine-year-old raced back into the house and upstairs to his mother's room. He found it impossible to wake her up. Mrs. Kreamer, a victim of the smoke, was unconscious, and there was nobody to help Glenn carry her to the garden. But the boy remained calm and , as a fireman said later, "acted with all the self-control of a trained adult."
On the bedroom telephone, luckily still working, Glenn called his father and, leaving Mr. Kreamer to telephone the fire brigade and ambulance service, got on with the task of saving his mother.
First he filled a bucket with water from the bathroom and threw water over his mother and her bed. Then, with a wet cloth around his head he went back to the garden.
He could hear the fire engine coming up, but how would the firemen find his mother in the smoke-filled house where flames had almost swallowed up the ground floor?
Grasping firmly a ball of string from the garage, Glenn raced back into the house and dashed upstairs to his mother's room. Tying one end of the string to her hand, he ran back, laying out the string as he went, through the hall and back out into the garden.
Minutes later he was telling fire chief John Coughlan: "The string will lead you to my mother." Mrs. Kreamer was carried to safety as the flames were breaking through her bedroom floor. | high16722.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "All three rafting rivers are suitable for the whole family."
},
"options": [
"All three rafting rivers are suitable for the whole family.",
"All three rafting rivers are boring to access and reliable",
"All three rafting rive... | Amazing Rafting Adventures
White water rafting is one of the classic, wild, activities in the outdoors. It is also an opportunity for an unbelievable family adventure. Around the country, there are several rivers--and rafting outfitters--that are perfectly suited to the entire family.
Here are three of the best:
New River Gorge, West Virginia
Rafting in West Virginia is renowned for its established infrastructure, reliability, and easy access. These things make it an obvious choice for a family vacation. Famous areas, including the New River Gorge, offer everything from lazy floats to intense Class IV runs.
READ MORE: Water Water Rafting: Top 5 U.S. Locations
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Jackson Hole provides a full range of opportunities in the outdoors--and white water rafting is certainly one of them. Popular trips include the rough rapids of the Snake River and gentle floats in nearby Yellowstone National Park.
READ MORE: What You Need to Know Before Visiting Yellowstone National Park
Grand Canyon, Arizona
For really bold families, a multi-day trip down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon is the penultimate adventure. Guided trips typically pack in boats-worth of supplies so the overnight adventures are far from "roughing it." Instead, evenings are catered in a rugged luxury style, allowing everyone to rest up for the next day's activities.
Whether looking for a casual float or a challenging adventure, white water rafting is a great option for any active family vacation. | high4265.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "easy"
},
"options": [
"difficult",
"easy",
"funny",
"interesting"
],
"question": "The author thinks making friends is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index"... | Have you ever felt that you want more friends? Have you found that you don't know how to make friends? Don't worry. It's easier than it looks.
Start with small actions. If you're uncomfortable with long conversations with people, start by just saying "hi" and asking what the person is doing. Even if you do more listening than talking in the beginning, people will usually still like you. When it comes to conversations, remember "F.O.R.". It stands for family, occupation and recreation . You are most likely to be asked about these three topics when you meet someone new. Most people feel comfortable talking about the three topics. The great thing is that you also can communicate with someone new in these three areas.
Honesty is the best policy. In friendship, "honesty" is the fundamental quality that one must have. One should always be honest with his or her friends. Don't laugh at people's fault. Praise them honestly and openly. Say you are sorry if you hurt your friend.
Give more than you take. Be there when they need you, encourage them; we all need encouragement now and then. Encourage their dreams. Life seems meaningless without them. Wish your friends good luck. Examine your purpose before you "help out". Love and never forget them. | high19411.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "They used it for work and daily life."
},
"options": [
"They used it for work and daily life.",
"It was their only possessions .",
"It was a nice Kona 18 Speed.",
"The man's job was bike racing."
],
"question": ... | It was a winter morning,just a couple of weeks before Christmas of 2005. While most people were warming up their cars,Trevor,my husband,had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival,he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike,a black Kona 18 Speed,was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work,putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get foods, saving us from having to walk along long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that,several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike,then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another,but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it made us believe more in the beauty of humanity as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we,too,can share with others. No matter how big or how small,an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can last forever. | high16044.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The search for adventure."
},
"options": [
"The search for religious freedom.",
"The search for adventure.",
"Unwillingness to join the army.",
"Economics."
],
"question": "What is not the cause for people to le... | The USA is a land of immigrants. Between 1815 and 1914, the world witnessed the greatest peaceful migration in its history: 35 million people, mostly Europeans, left their homelands to start new lives in America. Why did these people risk everything by leaving their homes and families?
First, what forced emigrants to make the decision to leave? One major cause for European farmers to leave was the rise in population which in turn led to land hunger. Another was politics. There was an increased taxation and the growth of armies, and many young men fled eastern Europe to avoid being forced to join the army.
Physical hunger provided another pressing reason. Following the collapse of the economy of southern Italy in the 1860s, hundreds of thousands decided to start a new life in America. Religion also encouraged millions to leave the Old World.
In short, people chose to leave their homes for social, economic and religious reasons. As a result, by 1890 among a total population of 63 million, there were more than nine million foreign-born Americans.
But what were the attractions? First of all, there was the promise of land which was so scarce in Europe. Next, factories were calling for workers, and pay conditions were much better than back home. Men were needed to open up the West and build the long railroads, and new towns needed settlers to live in and to develop business. There was the space for religious people to practice their faith in peace.
This immigration meant that by around the 1850s Americans of non-English had started to be more than those of English. As we know, there were losers. To start with, there were those unwilling immigrants, the slaves who had been used as a source of cheap labour. Nor should we forget the equally unlucky American Indians. By 1860 there were 27 million free whites, four million slaves and a mere 488,000 free blacks.
Nowadays, the USA is still seen by millions as the Promised Land. As always, it remains an attractive place to those who think it will offer them a second chance. | high4503.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "almost all the weekdays and weekends"
},
"options": [
"every day from 10 a. m. to 8 p. m.",
"almost all the weekdays and weekends",
"on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day",
"4.24 hours a day, 7 day>> a week"
],
... | The Maryland Science Center is more than fun. You can enjoy the First three floors of exciting things, watch the larger-than-life play on the 4th floor, and travel to other worlds, to far away stars, on the 5th floor.
Don't just look. You arc expected to feel, to turn, to push. Build your own house and learn why it stands or fails. Use computers to work out plans just as famous scientiats have done. There is always something new to Learn at the Maryland Science Center.
Children and group visitors enjoy half price.
The excitement of the Maryland Science Center does not end when you leave. Visit the Science Store for gift you'd like to keep. Electronic jewelry, games, books, and more - take part of the Science Center home with you.
Important information :
Where to call
24 hour general information (410)685 -5225
24 hour STARLINE night sky information (410)539
STAR Group visitor information (410 ) 685 - 2370 Hours
The Maryland Science Center open 7 days a week (except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day). Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p. m.
Saturday and Sunday 10 a. m. -8 p. ra. | high19377.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it is made up of many cities, towns and villages"
},
"options": [
"it is larger and wider",
"it is made up of a city and its suburbs",
"it is made up of many cities, towns and villages",
"it has a large population"
... | When we think of Paris, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, Athens and other European capitals, we think of them as "cities". When we think of the whole of modern London, that great area covering several hundred square miles, we do not think of it as a "city", not even a city and its suburbs. Modern London is not one city that has steadily grown larger through the centuries: it is a number of cities, towns and villages that have, during the past centuries, grown together to make one vast urban area.
London today extends for nearly thirty miles from north to south and for nearly thirty miles from east to west. This is the area known as "Greater London", with a population of nine million. The "city of London" is a very small part of the whole. It is only one square mile in area, and the number of people who live and sleep in the "city" is only about ten thousand. | high18069.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "improve the health of population all over the world"
},
"options": [
"improve the health of population all over the world",
"improve the health of population in America alone",
"avoid leaving his children too much money",
... | Microsoft founder Bill Gates said that he planned to give away almost all of his fortune ,largely to the cause of global health,during the course of his lifetime.With an estimated worth of more than $40 billion,according to Forbes,the project will be no small fate for Gates.Having already provided the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with $24 billion to address global health issues,Gates said that finally his entire fortune will be put towards the cause except "a few percent left for the kids".
So what has made the richest man in the world to channel his resources so heavily into one interest?Gates believes that "the equality of opportunity "in which Americans take such pride needs to extend to other nations around the world. Improving the health of the populations,he says,has proven to be an essential method in helping poor countries to be financially successful."National borders allow inequalities,"said Gates."We all need to take a more global view,rather than just saying my country is doing well.We have to step up these health issues,knowing how few resources are going into them."
Gates said that both his parents set up an example for him as a child.His father,William H.Gates,was the head of the local Planned Parenthood,and his mother,Mary,volunteered for the United Way.As he gathered his fortune,Gates knew he would finally want to give back as well,but he didn't expect to devote himself wholeheartedly to one project until he was about 60.
However,Gates,47,began to question his ability to wait that long."It seemed there was a real time urgency,"Gates said."I started to think how many lives I could save before then." | high2172.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "by sharing their feeling and reading their minds"
},
"options": [
"by talking to them about what we thought",
"by experiencing what they have gone through in life",
"by sharing their feeling and reading their minds",
"b... | A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps; for there is a companionship of books as well as of men; and one should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men.
A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the same today that it always was, and it will never change. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It does not turn its back upon us in times of adversity or distress. It always receives us with the same kindness; amusing and instructing us in youth, and comforting and consoling us in age.
Men often discover their affinity to each other by the mutual love they have for a book just as two persons sometimes discover a friend by the admiration which both entertain for a third. There is an old proverb, 'Love me, love my dog." But there is more wisdom in this:" Love me, love my book." The book is a truer and higher bond of union. Men can think, feel, and sympathize with each other through their favorite author. They live in him together, and he in them.
A good book is often the best urn of a life enshrining the best that life could think out; for the world of a man's life is, for the most part, the world of his thoughts. Thus the best books are treasuries of good words, the golden thoughts, which, remembered and cherished, become our constant companions and comforters.
Books possess an essence of _ . They are by far the most lasting products of human effort. Temples and statues decay, but books survive. Time is of no account with great thoughts, which are as fresh today as when they first passed through their author's minds, ages ago. What was then said and thought still speaks to us as vividly as ever from the printed page. The only effect of time have been to sift out the bad products; for nothing in literature can long survive but what is really good.
Books introduce us into the best society; they bring us into the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived. We hear what they said and did; we see them as if they were really alive; we sympathize with them, enjoy with them, grieve with them; their experience becomes ours, and we feel as if we were, in a measure, actors with them in the scenes which they describe.
The great and good do not die, even in this world. Embalmed in books, their spirits walk abroad. The book is a living voice. It is an intellect to which one still listens. | high10435.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Some influential Chinese words appeared on one of BBC's recent programs."
},
"options": [
"Dama and hukou have made it into Oxford English dictionary.",
"Some influential Chinese words appeared on one of BBC's recent programs.",
... | China's new term, tuhao, may be in next year's Oxford English Dictionary. The word caught the attention of the dictionary's editing team after BBC's recent program on influential Chinese words. "If its influence continues, it is very likely to appear on our updated list of words," said Julie Kleeman, project manager with the editing team.
In Chinese tu means uncouth and hao means rich. It has traditionally been referred to rich people who _ in China's countryside. The word became more popular in September with the launch of Apple's new gold-colored iPhone, which is loved by China's rich people. The color became known as "tuhao gold." The word is now also used by the online community to refer to people who have the cash but lack the class to go with it. Kleeman also mentioned two other Chinese words -- dama and hukou -- which may also make it into the dictionary.
People can have an intuitive grasp of the meanings if they see pinyin, Kleeman said, adding that people avoid using an English word to keep the original meaning.
"We have nearly 120 Chinese-linked words now in Oxford English Dictionary," she said. Some of them are: Guanxi, which means "connection"; Taikonaut, a mix of taikong, meaning outer space, and astronaut.
The new words will be first uploaded on the official website before the dictionaries arrive. The online version is also renewed every three months. "It at least broke our old rules. It used to take 10 years to include a new word but now we keep the pace with the time," according to a statement from ex-chief-editor John Simpson. | high6314.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Depressed people do not always feel sad."
},
"options": [
"Sad people are always depressed.",
"Depressed people are sad all the time.",
"Happy people will never feel depressed.",
"Depressed people do not always feel sad... | One of the most popular and enduring myths about depression is that depressed people are sad all the time--and that by extension, people who are happy can't be experiencing depression, even if they say they are. It is a mistaken version of depression. Depression doesn't make you sad all the time.
When I'm having a depressive feeling, I'm not walking around in black clothes, and weeping. I go out with friends. I play jokes. I keep working, and have friendly chats with the people I work with. I read books. Above all, I experience moments of happiness. Yet I feel a strange conflicting pressure. On the one hand, I feel like I need to engage in a sort of sadness for people to understand that I really am depressed and that each day is a struggle for me. Because that way I will appear suitably sad, and thus, depressed--and then maybe people will recognize that I'm depressed and perhaps they'll even offer support and assistance.
On the other hand, I feel an extreme pressure to perform just the opposite, because sad depressed people are boring and no fun, as I am continually reminded every time I speak openly about depression or express feelings of sadness and frustration. I'm caught in a trap where if I don't perform sadness, I'm not really depressed, but if I express sadness at all to any degree, I'm annoying and boring and should stop being so self-centered. Depression can become your master, but you can slip out from under it occasionally. And many depressed people don't actually spend it fainting dramatically on the couch and talking about how miserable they are. | high14653.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "it easy for us to live"
},
"options": [
"it easy for us to live",
"our daily life more stressful",
"our work easily done",
"us work less time"
],
"question": "Our past inventions have made _ .",
"question_... | People have always been wondering about what our future will look like. Go on reading this text, and you will know what will happen in the next fifty years.
How can we know what the future will look like? To be able to understand the future, you must know the past. What has taken us to where we are today and what has changed along the way? The world has changed a lot in the last 150 years, but we humans are driven by the same basic needs as we were 150 years ago. Will this change in the next 150 years? No.
What inventions have really made a difference in the last 150 years? In the past years, the inventions that have affected most people around the world for everyday living are the telephone, electricity, radio, television, computer, the car and the ability to communicate through the Internet. Then we of course have a lot of inventions that have made life easier, like new medicine, faster transports etc. In general, human beings have been working hard in the last 150 years to make the inventions so that they will be able to get control of the time and the world. Since there is still much to do in this area, this will be the focus at least for the next 150 years.
Why do we need to predict the future? Predicting the future is important for two reasons first we need to start to think about what kind of future we would like for ourselves and to pass on to the next generation, and then we need to know what decisions we need to make today that will give the best result in the future. | high8339.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "People are born to hear and remember bad news."
},
"options": [
"It is one's delight in others' misfortune.",
"It is one's habit of reacting quickly to potential threats.",
"It is a signal with which we can avoid danger.",
... | Why are newspapers and TV broadcasts filled with disaster, corruption and incompetence? It may be because we're drawn to depressing stories without realizing, according to psychologists.
When you read the news, sometimes it can feel like the only things reported are terrible, depressing events. Why do the media concentrate on the bad things in life, rather than the good? In fact, many people often say that they would prefer good news.
The researchers present their experiment as solid evidence of a so called "negativity bias ", psychologists' term for our collective hunger to hear, and remember bad news.
It isn't just delight in other people's misfortune, the theory goes, but that we've evolved to react quickly to potential threats. Bad news could be a signal that we need to change what we're doing to avoid danger.
As you'd expect from this theory, there's some evidence that people respond quicker to negative words. In lab experiments, flash the word "cancer", "bomb" or "war" up at someone and they can hit a button in response quicker than if that word is "baby", "smile" or "fun". We are also able to recognize negative words faster than positive words, and even tell that a word is going to be unpleasant before we can tell exactly what the word is going to be.
There's another interpretation that researchers put on their evidence: we pay attention to bad news, because on the whole, we think the world is more hopeful than it actually is. When it comes to our own lives, most of us believe we're better than average, and that, like the cliches, we expect things to be all right in the end. This pleasant view of the world makes bad news all the more surprising and arresting. It is only against a light background that the dark spots are highlighted.
So our attraction to bad news may be more complex than just journalistic prejudice or a hunger springing from the darkness within. | high12222.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Twenty-one"
},
"options": [
"Seven.",
"Fourteen",
"Fifteen.",
"Twenty-one"
],
"question": "How many houses could no longer be lived in after the storm?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"an... | Last Friday a storm tore through two villages and destroyed fourteen homes. Seven others were so badly damaged that their owners had to leave them, and fifteen others had broken windows or torn roofs. One person was killed, seven were badly injured and taken to hospital, and a number of other people received smaller injuries. Altogether over two hundred people were homeless as a result of the storm.
A farmer, Mr. C.Y. Tan said that the storm began early in the morning and lasted for over an hour. " I was in the kitchen with my wife and children ,"he said, "when we heard a loud noise. A few minutes later our house fell down on top of us. We managed to climb out but then I saw that one of my children was missing. I went back inside and found him, safe but very frightened."
Mrs. Fong said that her husband had just left for work when she noticed that her house was shaking. She rushed outside immediately with her children. " There was no time to take anything, " she said. " A few minutes later, the roof came down. "
Soldiers helped to bring people out of the flooded area and the Welfare Department provided food, clothes and _ | high23160.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the singing angels"
},
"options": [
"the singing angels",
"the giant trees",
"the sleeping village",
"the sparkling stars"
],
"question": "Looking at the paintingStarry Night, we can see all the following except... | Have you ever seen a real night sky that looks like Van Gogh's Starry Night? I hope not! So, why would an artist paint the sky this way? Perhaps I can answer that with another question. When you're happy, why do you sing instead of speaking? Or when you're in love, why do you speak of roses and honey? When we do these things, we, too are artists. We're using something that goes beyond a mere scientific description in order to communicate our feelings more powerfully than straightforward words can. So consider for a moment that Van Gogh might not have been hallucinating on the night he painted this. Maybe he felt something so powerful that he had to go beyond the familiar to express it.
I hope I'mreminding you of something you already know as I describe the experience of being outside at night under a crystal clear sky that makes everything seem clean and refreshing. So you look up. And suddenly you see the sky that you've seldom seen before. It's not just the same old dark night sky tonight. Instead, the blackness is a deep, rich blue that is more bottomless than any ocean. The stars are not spots of light but brilliant, magical diamonds that dance like tiny angels. In just this special moment, the sky is somehow alive, and it seems to speak to you silently about the meaning of infinity.
Now look at the painting again. Can you see something of what makes this such a famous and well-loved image? But there's more here than that. Van Gogh paintedthis while he was quite struck down by a mental disease. It is natural to imagine that he frequently battled the fear that he would never escape hisprisonto true freedom. It is natural for us to imagine this because each of us has faced our own personal prison, whether it be disease, the loss of a loved one, serious financial problems ... In such moments it is tempting to give up to despair and collapse in hopelessness.
Looking at this painting, I imagine Van Gogh in just such a moment of despair, when he isstruck by the memory of one of those amazing night skies. He recalls the sense that he is not alone, that there is a living, infinite world with rich colorful creatures and scenes all around.
And so the sky flows across the canvas full of vitality and power. The stars don't just sparkle; they explode. Looking closer, we notice that the earth itself seems to respond to the movement in the sky, forming its own living waves in the mountain and rolling trees. In the sleepy village, the windows of the houses glow with the same light that brightens the universe. The giant trees at the left seem to capture the joy by stretching upwards toward the sky.
What a tremendous message of hope there is in this masterpiece! Even if our troubles persist, the world around us assures us that life is worth living. That's what the angels sing about. Doesn't it make you want to sing, too? | high14914.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the same social groups"
},
"options": [
"body size and shape",
"shorter word length",
"thicker vocal cords",
"the same social groups"
],
"question": "In terms of voice preferences,the new findings highlight _ ... | We are naturally drawn to friends and colleagues with familiar voices, scientists have found.People prefer those who have a similar accent,intonation and tone of voice to themselves , they discovered.
Previous research has focused on how masculine or feminine a voice sounds.Men with deeper voices and women with slightly higher voices were thought to sound more attractive,because they suggest a bigger or a smaller body.
But the new study,published by a linguistics expert in Canada,suggests there is a
more complex mechanism at play.Dr Molly Babel, from the University of British Columbia in Canada, said,"The voice is an amazingly flexible tool that we use to construct our identity.Very few things in our voices are changeless,so we felt that our preferences had to be about more than a person's shape and size.''
She recorded 30 volunteers' voices and asked each to rate the others' attractiveness on a scale of one to nine.Each participant was from western America,with similar accents.The people we assessed were all in the same dialect group,but they showed that dialect to different degrees.
"We seem to like people who sound like we sound,we like people who fit within what we know,"Dr Babel said.She also found that breathy voices in women-typified by the famous American actress Marilyn Monroe-were seen as more attractive.
The breathy tone,caused by younger and thinner vocal cords ,implied youthfulness
and health A creaky voice,suggesting a person has a cold,is tired or smokes,was seen as unattractive.The participants preferred men who spoke with a shorter average word length and deeper voices.
The linguist,whose work is published in the journal PLOS One,said,"Once you're outside of a certain range of familiarity,novel and exotic sounding voices might become more attractive.We also have to keep in mind we find some accents more preferable than others because of social fixed ideas." | high7195.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "catch a cough or feel tired"
},
"options": [
"get much dirtier",
"be covered by bacteria",
"get a frail immune system",
"catch a cough or feel tired"
],
"question": "According to the finding of Norman R.Pace, af... | Most of us think that when we step under a shower we're getting clean.We are, but we're also giving a home to lots of tiny little creatures we didn't even know about.
A showerhead carries thousands of bacteria called Mycobacterium.These can cause problems like coughs and tiredness, and a general feeling of poorliness .When you turn on the water, the bacteria go from the showerhead onto and into your body.
This is a finding of Norman R.Pace and his team at the University of Colorado, in the US.The scientists investigated bacteria in all kinds of human environment, including showers.
Pace's team looked at 45 showerheads in nine American cities.They discovered that 30 percent of them had large amounts of flying Mycobacterium.
But Pace said that they pose few threats to the health.Only those with a frail immune system might need to worry.
He told the New York Times that the bactertia are not as unpleasant as might be thought.He said that having a shower is no more dangerous than anything else we do in the morning.
But for those who feel sick about the idea of all those microorganisms , he had some advice.
Let the water run for 30 seconds before getting into the shower.Why? The number of bacteria is smaller than when the water is just turned on.If that seems like a waste of water, he added that you could also change your showerhead every few months.
But Pace had good news too.He has also been testing the air in US subways.Apart from iron particles , which are ground off the track by the wheels of trains, subway air is fresh.The reason is that a train's movement pumps fresh outdoor air into the tunnels .
Pace explained that he wanted to understand the natural microbial environments of public places.This kind of knowledge might help _ the microbes to be used in a bioterrorist attack. | high21777.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "It hadn't done a good job in helping the passing ships."
},
"options": [
"It was too old to repair properly.",
"It hadn't done a good job in helping the passing ships.",
"It was destroyed in a storm in October 1841.",
"... | Before the opening of the Cape Cod Canal in 1914,the only way ships could leave Boston was on a route around Race Point--the northern tip of Cape Cod.However,navigation during the 18th century was a nightmare,because the floating cross current around Race Point caused countless accidents.So building a lighthouse to lighten the place was very necessary.
As early as 1808,the people of Provincetown requested a lighthouse on Race Point,but it took Congress eight years to react when they finally paid $ 8,000 on April 27,1816 to build a lighthouse --Race Point Light,which was located in the town of Provincetown,Massachusetts.It was first built of stone 25 feet high with no foundation and its light was 30 feet above the sea.It was equipped with one of the nation's earliest revolving lights.
Actually,there were two other lighthouses on Cape Cod,but they were hit by a storm in October 1841.In the following year,Race Point Light was examined by I.W.P.Lewis,who realized the light's importance.He said,"The light should be useful to all ships leaving Boston.However,its _ power is so weak that people would hardly be able to differentiate it from the lights set on the ships which stay in the bay,or close by.It hasn't played its role as a lighthouse well."
The result was that old lighthouse was destroyed and a new iron lighthouse with a proper foundation was put up to take its place.The new lighthouse was 45 feet high.Although the original keeper's house was in good repair,it was destroyed too and a new one was built.Today the lighthouse has been automated and Race Point Light is still an active aid to navigation.
You can park at Race Point Beach and walk about 45 minutes to the lighthouse.Sunset at Race Point Light is one of the Cape Cod's most popular scenes.And at times whales can be seen in the lighthouse.For reservations to stay one night in the keeper's house at Race Point call(508)487-9930. | high5782.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "are friendly to each other"
},
"options": [
"don't work well together",
"are friendly to each other",
"teach each other new ways of building houses",
"spend eight weeks together,working as farmers"
],
"question"... | Young people and older people do not always agree.They sometimes have different ideas about living,working and playing.But in one special programme in New York State,adults and teenagers live together in a friendly way.
Each summer 200 teenagers and 50 adults live together for eight weeks as members of a special work group.Everyone works several hours each day.They do so not just to keep busy but to find meaning and fun in work.Some teenagers work in the forests or on the farms near the village.Some learn to make things like tables and chairs and to build houses.The adults teach them these skills.
There are several free hours each day.Weekends are free,too.During the free hours some of the teenagers learn photo-taking or drawing.Others sit around and talk or sing.Each teenager chooses his own way to pass his free time.
When people live together,they should have rules.In this programme the teenagers and the adults make the rules together.If someone breaks a rule,the problem goes before the whole group.They talk about it and ask,"Why did it happen?What should we do about it?"
One of the teenagers has said something about it,"You have to stop thinking only about yourself.You learn how to think about the group." | high18690.txt |
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