questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"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 devastating blow when he lost his job. His boss had spoken rudely, "Your services are no longer needed." Nate left the building filled with despair . 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, utter 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 (hope) 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. | high16865.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "by asking her to write in various ways."
},
"options": [
"by guiding her after class.",
"by asking her to write in various ways.",
"by helping her to see the world differently.",
"by allowing her to pick up as many skil... | Most of us remember our teachers well. Three successful Americans talk about the teachers who encouraged them.
Kevin Henkes is an excellent author and illustrator whose books include Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, The Year of Billy Miller, and Kitten's First Full Moon, which won the Caldecott medal. "I grew up in the school days of silent hallways and desks in neat,evenrows. One day, our forth-grade teacher allowed the class to move the desks out of rows intogroups of four. It might seem like a small thing now, but it taught me that you could do things differently; you could think outside the box. That teacher helped me view my world differently. Good teachers can change lives."
Katherine Applegate has won many awards for her books, including the Newbery Medal for The One and Only Ivan. She also created the Animorphs series with her husband, Michael Grant."My sixth-grade teacher in Michigan sensed that 1 wanted to write,so one day she sent me home to write about the word'blue'in as many ways as possible. Because of that,for the first time in my life, I thought of myself as someone with special skills as a writer, someone who was unique. My teacher's actions said'I see something special in you.'"
In his role as U.S.Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan is in charge of the department that collects data and directs research on America's schools."My high school English teacher was amazing. She challenged us to express our ideas clearly in class and in our writing. There was no such thing as a bad question. She wanted to hear from us and encouraged us to speak up and express ourselves. She pulled things out of me that I didn't know I had inside. I think that is the genius of good teachers." | high18848.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To store his large quantity of books."
},
"options": [
"To help him get away from the sudden rain.",
"To store his large quantity of books.",
"To carry it back home with his books inside.",
"To make it easier for him to... | A few days ago, I went to school with lots of books,hoping to get a locker . Suddenly, it started raining heavily. I hurried to pay for my locker, but I was disappointed when they informed me they only accepted cash. I was $ 7.00 short, which meant I had to carry the books back home. It would be an exhausting two-hour journey back home with all those books.
An elderly gentleman nearby noticed my problem. He asked how much cash I needed. When I told him I was $7 short, he quickly took out the money from his wallet ."You don't have to pay me back ,"he said. I was speechless; I didn't know whether to take the money or come back with the books the next day. A young student who was working there noticed my hesitation. "He's really nice ,"said the student. I was starving this morning and he bought breakfast for me. He always helps people in different ways.
The next day, I went to him and thanked him for trusting me and lending me the money. He said he forgot about it and didn't expect I would give it back. "I'm very happy," he said,"not because I'm getting my money back, but because this is the right way to go---whatever you get from this world, give it back as much as you possibly can. Spread kindness around the world with the smallest things you can do."
Later, I found out he wasn't involved with any charity organizations. He has been performing these types of acts for years. Earlier, someone had done something incredibly kind for him and he has been spreading the kindness ever since.
He taught me a very important lesson in life. We come to this world with nothing and we will leave with nothing. Whatever we own, it will become somebody else's and whatever we leave, it will become somebody else's. | high2953.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To show the importance of books in the home."
},
"options": [
"To display the close relations between jobs and books.",
"To reveal the good effect of focusing on diplomas.",
"To show the differences in education levels in dif... | Children who grow up in households where books are plentiful go further in school than those without books, a new study finds.
This book benefit was seen across countries, and held regardless of the parent's educational back-ground, father's occupation or the political system of the country, the researchers say.
The results, based on data from 73,249 people living in 27 countries, including the United States, show that having a 500-book library boosted a child's education by 3.2 years on average. "You get a great effect for your books," said study researcher Mariah Evans, a sociologist at the University of Nevada, Reno. "It's quite a good return-on-investment in a time of scarce resources."
For years, educators have thought the strongest predictor of attaining high levels of education was having parents who were highly educated. But according to the findings, a good-sized book library is just as good as university-educated parents in terms of increasing education level. "Even a little bit goes a long way," in terms of the number of books in a home, Evans said. Having as few as 20 books in the home still has a significant impact on propelling a child to a higher level of education, and the more books are added, the greater the benefit.
In some countries, such as China, having 500 or more books in the home propels children 6. 6 years further in their education. In the United States, the effect is less, 2.4 years. But, Evans points out that 2.4 years is still a significant advantage in terms of educational achievement. For example, Americans who have some college or an associate's degree, but not a bachelor's degree, earn an average of $ 7,213 more annually than those with just a high school education. Those who attain a bachelor's degree earn $ 21,185 more each year, on average, than those with just high school diplomas.
Having books in the home is twice as important as the father's education level, and more important than whether a child was educated in China or the United States. | high21011.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A shoe with self-tying laces"
},
"options": [
"A fantastical prediction",
"A great invention in Germany",
"A shoe with self-tying laces",
"A popular lifestyle product"
],
"question": "Which of the following can ... | A team of scientists from University of Freiburg in Germany are developing a shoe with a sensor to automatically tie its laces that could be taken off when users click their heels together.
It's been 26 years since we saw them magically tightening Marty McFly's Nike boots in the film Back to The Future.
Now,self-tying shoelaces could actually become a reality this year,proving right one of the film's fantastical predictions for what 2015 would be like.
Engineers have designed a shoe that can automatically lace up,adjusting itself to the shape of your foot.
Simply slip the controller on and pressure sensors will tell the 'smart shoe' when your foot is in position,triggering a tiny motor in the heel that pulls the laces tight.
When you want to take off the shoes,you click your heels together twice and the motor will release a spring in the shoe's tongue,which loosens the laces enough for you to slip them off.
And the invention doesn't even need to be plugged in to charge or have its battery replaced because it runs on power generated by the swing of your foot as you walk.
Engineer K1evis Ylli,of the Institute for Micromachining and Information Technology in southern Gemany,said the shoes could help a variety of different people.[:Zxxk.Com]
"One focus is that it could be used in shoes for elderly people who have mobility problems,"he said."But it could also work for children,or as a lifestyle product.".
The design,which is still in a prototype stage,cleverly gets the energy of the foot's swing when opposing magnets in each shoe move past each other. It then uses that power to charge a battery.An hour of walking is enough to tighten the laces once,and it requires no energy to undo the shoes because that relies on the spring alone. | high9806.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The virus can rarely change and cause polio."
},
"options": [
"Sudan had been polio-charged since two thousand five.",
"Nigeria has had already seventy new cases of polio since two thousand and five. last month.",
"There are ... | A nurse prepares a polio vaccination for a baby in the Otash refugee camp in South Darfur.
United Nations and Sudanese agencies will carry out the campaign this week and again in November. Sudan had been polio-free since two thousand and five. The new case of wild polio virus was _ last month in South Darfur.
Health officials also announced last month that Nigeria has had almost seventy new cases of polio since two thousand and five. Those cases, however, were caused by the polio vaccine itself.
There are two kinds of polio vaccine . The one given by injection contains killed virus, which cannot cause polio. The one given by mouth contains live but weakened virus. In very rare cases the virus can change and cause polio.
The way to stop the spread now is more vaccinations. But officials worry that people in northern Nigeria may, once again, fear the vaccine. In recent years, local leaders spread stories that Western nations had poisoned the vaccine with the virus that causes AIDS.
The United States Food and Drug Administration had told parents not to give them to children under age two unless a doctor says to use them.
The F.D.A. gave the advice as it announced a meeting of experts to discuss cold medicines for children. That advisory committee met last week -- and voted that these drugs should not be given to children under the age of six.
Members said there is not enough evidence to show that these drugs work in children. They called for more research.
The committee also said that liquid medicines should all use the same measurement terms. This could reduce the risk of parents giving their children too much. _
The drug industry says its products are safe and effective for children. But it says parents need to be better educated about how to use them. A week before the meeting, the industry decided to end sales of cold products for children under two. | high1282.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Everything about Bond himself."
},
"options": [
"The violent fighting scenes.",
"The sexy women.",
"Everything about Bond himself.",
"The car racing."
],
"question": "What attracts the audience most in James Bon... | Fifty has never looked better.
It's been 50 years since the first James Bond film, Dr. No, premiered in cinemas. As first embodied by Scottish actor Sean Connery, Agent 007 was a fearless, cool-as-ice spy who excelled at sleuthing , fighting and saving the world.
Since then, more than 20 films featuring the iconic spy have been released-making it one of the longest-running franchises in the history of cinema. On Nov 9, the 23rd Bond movie, Skyfall, celebrated the legend's 50th birthday.
Over the years, audiences have changed. It doesn't matter. Six different actors have acted 007 and it doesn't matter. Even shocking technological and cultural changes can't bend Bond. Why? Is it the action, the sexy women, the cars, the gadgets and the exotic locations? Yes, but the most important reason is still the man himself. Bond can challenge his boss and shoot a bad guy in mere minutes. He is an expert in literature, languages, art and fine wines. He has a sharp tongue besides his wits.
In the first film Dr. No, as Connery lit a cigarette, we heard James Bond's voice and saw his cafe for the first time. The simple scene and short phrase have defined the character for half a century.
"Next to the Beatles and Stones, James Bond was the greatest British import of the 1960s," David Kamp, a US contributing editor for Vanity Fair, wrote in a recent article about the birth of Bond and its influence on the US.
The Bond phenomenon has clearly affected movie culture, pop culture and spy culture. But perhaps the most amazing thing is that 007 has survived in the age of feminism . "Talking of objectifying women, Bond is essential Huge Henfner (founder of Playboy magazine) with a gun," movie critic Xan Brooks told The Guardian. "But women liked Bond, too. He couldn't have run for 50 years with male fans alone."
We love Bond for many reasons--after all 50 years, Bond is still breathtaking. thrilling ride into the very heart of an icon like no other. But most of all, we may love him for one reason: "he always gets away with it." one said. | high24169.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "after the visiting team has batted in the seventh inning"
},
"options": [
"a few moments after the beginning",
"after the visiting team has batted in the seventh inning",
"between the sixth and seventh innings",
"after ... | The seventh-inning stretch is one baseball tradition that helps make the game one of America's favorite pastimes. In the middle of the seventh inning fans ritualistically stand and stretch before the home team comes to bat.
No one really knows the origin of the custom, but there are theories on how it started. Baseball historian Dan Daniel provided this explanation: "It probably began as an expression of fatigue. That would explain why the stretch comes late in the game instead of at the halfway point."
A more popular story involves President William Howard Taft and the birth of two baseball traditions. According to the account, Taft attended the first game of the 1910 baseball season. On the spur of the moment, plate umpire Billy Evans gave Taft the ball. He asked him to throw it over the plate. Taft did so, and the custom of having the president launch the baseball season with the first pitch was born.
The story continues that later that same day, President Taft, who weighed well over 300 pounds, became uncomfortable in his small chair. In the middle of the seventh inning, he stood up to stretch his legs. The crowd thought that the president was leaving, so they stood up out of respect. A few moments later, Taft sat down again. The fans followed, and the seventh-inning stretch was born. What a day for traditions!
No matter how the tradition began, fans have since added to the fun. Now, as they stand to stretch during the seventh inning, they can sing along to Jack Norworth's 1927 version of the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" after the visiting team has batted. | high23606.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She was kind and devoted."
},
"options": [
"She died at an early age.",
"She refused the national award.",
"She was kind and devoted.",
"She was not easy to get along with."
],
"question": "Which of the followin... | When Josephine Cooper was growing up,she learned the importance of _ from her parents.Although they made a modest living for their family of 10,they insisted on sharing with those less fortunate.
Half a century later,Mrs Cooper became a beloved volunteer at the San Diego Food Bank,where she devoted herself to helping others.She organized and ran a distribution center from a church,helping it become the organization's largest emergency food distribution center in San Diego.She was one of 25 outstanding senior volunteers in the nation selected and invited to Washington D.C.to receive the award.
"She was the main person who helped us make that program grow," said Mike Doody,former director of the Food Bank."She had a way of getting people to work together and to work hard.She was determined and stubborn,but in a good way.She had a good heart." People knew her as "Grandma" because of her selflessness and her devotion to helping hungry children and families."She reminded people of their Grandma." Doody said.
As a widow with a young child in 1979,Mrs.Cooper was helped through a difficult financial time when the Food Bank provided her with groceries."She dedicated her life to giving back," said her daughter,Monica Cooper.It wasn't unusual for a local church to call Mrs Cooper to ask her to aid a needy family."She would give people food out of her cupboard.Sometimes we would cook a meal for a family living out of their car," Cooper said.
Although Mrs Cooper was honored to receive the national award for her volunteer work,she said being able to help others was her reward.She died of liver disease and kidney failure,aged 93. | high9812.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "might be closed down"
},
"options": [
"has more supporters",
"has produced good films",
"might be closed down",
"has lost all its assets"
],
"question": "MGM is becoming the focus in Hollywood because it _ ."... | You need to be of a certain age to understand why so many people in Hollywood are caring about the possible closing down of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .For the past 40 years, its output has been good, but now it is on the ropes, with debts of $ 3.7 billion and will have to sell off its most valuable assets.
In its golden time, MGM stood for something.If Warner Brothers meant social dramas and gangster movies, and Disney meant cartoon films, then MGM was healthy fantasy.This business model found its most glorious expression in its musicals of the post-war era.It also featured such many famous stars as Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Judy Garland.
But MGM had always put its hopes on the quality of stars it could attract.From the time MGM became a company in 1924, the studio and his associate proved themselves good at creating big names.
For 35 years, this worked well enough, but the growing power of television disturbed Hollywood.MGM continued to throw money into making gorgeous-looking musicals, but despite some big successes audiences gradually started to drift away.Throughout the sixties, MGM's decline set in.Things went from bad to worse.In 1973, MGM stopped distributing its own films.Since then, the Lion's roar has been reduced to a whimper .
How far MGM has fallen can be shown by its recent releases.This was a studio that for years offered a reliable supply of first-class films.Yet last year its total output was three.To make it worse, all were co-produced with other studios.And this year? Only one so far, and maybe the last.
What now? MGM will probably be sold, though recent buyers have been cautious about a price thought to be around $ 2 billion. | high702.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because a thief had used the same name as his."
},
"options": [
"Because his handwriting was like a thief's.",
"Because a thief had used the same name as his.",
"Because he didn't sign his name correctly.",
"Because his... | An old and very rich friend of mine told me he had an unpleasant experience. He went to a famous jewelry shop and asked to be shown some gold necklaces. After examining several minutes, he decided to buy a gold necklace with a precious diamond, and asked if he could pay by cheque . The assistant said that was quite in order, but the moment my friend signed his name, he was invited into the manager's office. The manager was very polite, but he explained that someone with exactly the same name had given them a worthless cheque not long ago. My friend got very angry when he heard this and said that he would buy a diamond necklace somewhere else. When he got up to go, the manager told him that the police would arrive at any moment and he had better stay unless he wanted to get into serious trouble. Sure enough, the police arrived soon afterwards. They were polite, too, but explained that a person who had used the same name as his was responsible for a number of recent robberies. Then the police asked my friend to copy out a note which had been used by the thief in a number of stores. The note read, "I have a gun in my pocket. Ask no question and give me all the money in the drawer."
Luckily, my friend's handwriting was quite unlike the thief's. He was not only allowed to go without further delay,but also to take the diamond necklace with him. | high18684.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Breaking the News"
},
"options": [
"The Lottery",
"Breaking the News",
"Good News",
"Bad News"
],
"question": "The best title for this passage should be \" _ \"",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | A very old lady won a million dollars in a lottery . Her son and his wife heard the news on the radio."How are we going to tell your mother?" the wife asked. "The shock might kill her!
"That's true." the son said. "Perhaps we'd better speak to her doctor about it. He'll know how to break the news to her gently."
They explained the situation to the old lady's doctor.
"I'm glad you told me." he said. "A shock, even a happy one,could give her a heart attack. Leave it to me. I 'll find a way of breaking the news to her."
He thought about the problem for several days, and then decided what he would say. He called on the old lady and sat by her side. He took her hand in his."Let's play a game, my dear." he said. "A 'Let's Pretend' game." ks5u
"Oh, yes." the old lady said. "I love 'Let's Pretend' games."
"Good. I'll ask you a question first." the doctor said. "Then you can ask me one."
He pretended to think for a few moments. Then he said, "Tell me, what would you do if you won a million dollars in the lottery?"
"Oh, that's an easy one." the old lady said. "I'd give most of it to you, doctor, because you have been so good to me all these years. Doctor!"
But the doctor was now lying on the floor. He had died of shock. | high16871.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a software"
},
"options": [
"a software",
"a webcam",
"a microphone",
"a smart phone"
],
"question": "What is the essential part of a 3D tape measure?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"ans... | Online clothes shoppers will be told exactly what size is best. for them using new software which combines with their web camera or smart phone to form a"3D tape measure".
Scientists from Surrey University and design experts from the London College of Fashion are developing a program which can take precise waist, hip, chest and other measurements from camera images.
Using the person's height as a starting point,the software will be able to build up a 3D image and estimate their size at various different points on the body, based on their overall proportions.
The result will be a more accurate sizing guide than previous systems based on waist size or a "small/medium/large"scale, which rely on limited measurements and the buyer's perception of their own body size.
Shoppers and retailers who choose to sign up for the project could save millions of pounds a year in postage costs by removing the need to order multiple sizes of the same garment and send back ill-fitting clothes, researchers claimed.
The project, sponsored by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council(EPSRC), is expected to be brought to market within two years.
After choosing an item, the shopper will activate the software, enter their height, stand in front of their webcam or smart phone in their underwear and take a photograph.
The software will not store or transmit the image to the internet, but will use it to judge the person's dimensions at various points on their body.
Philip Delamore of the London College of Fashion said:"The potential benefits for the fashion industry and for shoppers are huge. Currently, it's common for online shoppers to order two or three different sizes of the same item of clothing at the same time, as they're unsure which one will fit best." | high3481.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "God Will Help Me"
},
"options": [
"A Man in Floods",
"God Will Help Me",
"A Town in Floods",
"Different Ways to Help People out of Water"
],
"question": "Which of the following do you think is the best title for... | A man stayed in his house as a flood engulfed his town. Two men in a boat came to his house and offered to take him to safety. "No, thank you," said the man, "God will help me."
As the waters rose, the man retreated to the second floor of his house. Now, two men in a motorboat came by and offered to rescue him. Again, the man refused, saying, "No, thank you. God will help me. "
As the waters rose still higher, the man retreated again to the rooftop of his house. A plane came by, and someone inside it threw down a rope, urging the man to grab it and be pulled up into the airplane. Once more, the man declined and said, "No, thank you. God will help me. " Just then a powerful voice called out to the man, "You idiot! I sent you a boat, a motorboat and now a plane. What more do you want me to do?" | high2947.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "have completed the first year of their IB Diploma"
},
"options": [
"have finished their first year of college",
"intend to apply for Oxford University",
"don't know how to spend their summer vacation",
"have completed t... | Mid-IB at a glance
The summer vacation is the time to consolidate your learning and prepare for the year ahead. In July and August Oxford Study Courses will once again hold its Mid-IB Summer School for students half way through their IB Diploma .
We'll be back giving another generation of IB students a unique opportunity to sample a way of life enjoyed by students at famous universities.
Students who have completed the first year of their IB Diploma can join us and we can help them prepare for their important second year.
Students can choose how many subjects they study. Each subject is studied for one week. You can attend up to 5 weeks.
The Mid-IB Summer School is held at Cambridge University in the UK (between June 20th and August 1 st) and at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)in Boston, USA (between July 6th and July 25th).
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---------------------------
Student comments
* "The classes have shown me new approaches to learning. I have also learned how to approach exam questions and now feel confident in doing so."
* "It was cool creating tight and close relationships with other students from around the world, realizing we all had a connection to each other."
* "I really enjoyed the level of independence, although I felt like people were watching out for us. I also felt like an Oxford student!"
* "I have enjoyed the learning style and the course work has been extremely beneficial academically."
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Enjoy the summer
Our Summer School gives you an action-packed social scene with visits to the fun places in the area, organized sports and social events, and advice on how to enjoy your free time in these amazing cities with your new friends. Welcome to contact us at ose@ose-ib.com or on +44(0)1865 521802! | high4488.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they settle there now"
},
"options": [
"they have their houses there",
"they settle there now",
"they want to make their home there",
"they like that land very much"
],
"question": "More than 250 million people ... | Who are these people rushing by you on the street? More than 250 million people now call America" home" , but most of them can trace their families back to other parts of the world. If you, look at the names on shop windows, you will see that Americans come from many different lands. The idea that these people, who once were strangers to the United States,have lost the customs and cultures of their original countries and have become "Americans"is really not true. In fact, what exists in America is - more often a kind of " side - by - side" living in which groups of people from other countries often have kept many of their own customs and habits. They join the general American society only in certain areas of their lives such as in schools,business,and sportsbut they keep many of their own native customs and manners socially and at home. This " side - by - side" living has both advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes it may cause disagreements to develop between groups whose ways of life are very different from one another. However, there are also great advantages that come from the variety of cultures brought by settlers from other lands. There is great freedom of choice among ideas ' dress, food, and social customs in America. Everyone can find some part of his or her own familiar world in the United States, in churches, music, food, national groups, or newspaper. | high11878.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He takes exercise to keep fit."
},
"options": [
"He takes exercise to keep fit.",
"He goes there to count flowers.",
"He takes photos in the forest.",
"He goes to see photography subjects."
],
"question": "Why d... | I do a lot of hiking.And I can step out of my house and within minutes reach a beautiful forest where I walk for exercise every day.I see many photography subjects such as parrots,snakes,hares,big trees and flowers.There are so many different flowers around my place that once I decided to see how many types I could count in a onehourlong walk,and I counted over 100.
Needless to say,as a keen amateur photographer,I always take a camera with me.I have three favorites: a Pentax Optio RZ10,a Sony Alpha 390 and a Panasonic Lumix FZ100.I mostly take the Pentax pocket camera with me.This Pentax pocket camera takes images as good as those from much more expensive Single Lens Reflex cameras.It allows you to get to just 1 cm from the subject,and these images are of astonishing clarity .I can stick the camera right into a flower.And the photo shows fantastic details.
The Pentax is also good at taking landscapes.The color is natural and price again the details even of distant objects are great.Sometimes,even when I have one of my other cameras with me,I still just use the Pentax pocket camera.About half of all the images on my website were taken with the Pentax.
The Pentax takes quality images in poor light and the zoom works well.You have to work hard to get a blurry shot.This is an especially good feature at parties and gatherings.You get fantastic photos of people.You don't have to wait for them to keep still.
Keep this camera in your pocket or in the car.It takes up little room;it's light and you'll never regret it! | high5796.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He runs a website named Federal Research Service to help people find government jobs."
},
"options": [
"He works for the Office of Personnel Management",
"He is a famous economist in U.S.",
"He runs a website named Federal Re... | As the economic crisis forces corporations and small businesses to shed jobs , one large employer still has the "help wanted " sign out :the U.S .government
Experts say the federal governments' civilian workforce of 2.8 million is likely to expand significantly over the next several years as it aims at stimulating the economy , rescue troubled banks, _ health care and pursue other elements of President Barack Obama's agenda
With the economy in turmoil the stability of a government career now holds greater appeal. And it doesn't hurt that the new boss, President,Barack Obama, has encouraged citizens to consider public service-a marked contrast to predecessor George W. Bush who disparaged government
"It's the same thing that happened 40-some-old years ago when Kennedy came in "said Ross Harris whose Federal Research Service helps applicants find government jobs, "It was a new generation and there was the same type of excitement behind it , and we're seeing the same type of thing with Obama"Harris said he has seen the number of unique visitors to his website double over the past year as the recession has taken hold, He estimated that the $ 787 billion economic stimulus package signed into laws last month could create at least 100,000 more government jobs next year and 120,000 by 2012
Government hiring has increased steadily over the past four years, from 79,000 in the year 2004 to 99,000 in 2007 according to the Office of Personnel Management | high23174.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They may have a higher ability to adapt to the environment."
},
"options": [
"They may lose their ability to produce lay eggs.",
"They may have a higher ability to adapt to the environment.",
"They move to other fields free f... | Experiments under way in several labs aim to create beneficial types of genetically modified foods, including starchier potatoes and caffeine-free coffee beans. Genetic engineers are even trying to transfer genes from a cold-winter fish to make a frost-resistant tomato.
A low-sugar GM strawberry now in the works might one day allow people with health problems such as diabetes to enjoy the little delicious red fruits again. GM beans and grains rich in protein might help people at risk of developing kwashiorkor. Kwashiorkor, a disease caused by severe lack of protein, is common in parts of the world where there are severe food shortages.
Commenting on GM foods, Jonathon Jones, a British researcher, said: "The future benefits will be enormous , and the best is yet to come". To some people, GM foods are no different from unmodified foods. "A tomato is a tomato," said Brian Sansoni, an American food manufacturer.
Critics of GM foods challenge Sansoni's opinion. They worry about the harm that GM crops might do to people, other animals, and plants.
In a recent lab study conducted at Cornell University, scientists tested pollen made by BT corn, which makes up one-fourth of the U.S. corn crop. The scientist dropped the pollen onto milkweed, a plant that is the only known food source of a butterfly caterpillar . Within four days of feeding on the leaves, almost half of a test group of caterpillars died. "This is a warning bell." said Cornell researcher Linda Raynor.
Some insects that are not killed by GM foods might find themselves made stronger. How so? The insecticides are used on the crops to kill the pests. But GM plants produce a continuous level of insecticide. Insects relying on those crops may develop resistance to the plants and they may also develop a resistance to the insecticide.
At the forum on GM food held last year in Canada. GM crops that have been made resistant to the herbicide might crossbreed with wild plants, creating "superweeds" that could take over whole fields.
So where do you stand? Should GM food be banned in the United States, as they are in parts of Europe? Or do their benefits outweigh any of the risks they might carry? | high14900.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he felt worried about his school life"
},
"options": [
"he was afraid to be late for class.",
"he wanted to share his joy with his mother",
"he felt worried about his school life",
"he was frightened of his new teacher"... | When we talked about the upcoming start of school, Seth hadn`t expressed anything but excitement. So when the sunny and promising "big day" arrived, he was ready. He was armed with a cool haircut, wearing his prized shoes, and was ready for the action.
Ten minutes before the bus was to arrive, he asked me to take him in my car. I complained about it being at the last minute. I said "no" at first. He begged me again and I finally agreed.
In the car , I secretly had a look at him through the rearivew mirror . He looked sad. "What is the matter, honey?" "I am nervous. I don`t know if I will be able to learn everything in the first grade. What if I can`t pay attention in class?"
My heart melted. I remembered being nervous on the first day of school and I thought I was the only student who felt that way. I was a nervous kid full of self-doubt. Seth behaved much better than I did.
We walked into his school together. He remembered where his new classroom was and recognized his teacher from the ice cream social party they had the day before. He sat down at his desk and chatted with a few of his classmates. He took a few photos of them (with a camera phone because I didn`t allow him to bring the real camera) and then he said in a very serious manner, "Mom, you can go home now. I`ll be OK." And so he was. | high7181.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Hiring a car."
},
"options": [
"Having a pair of good shoes.",
"Preparing early and well.",
"Joining a tour group.",
"Hiring a car."
],
"question": "How can you save time during your trip in La Lucciola accordin... | Bali is home to most of Indonesia's Hindu minority. Here's how to get the most out of a 48hour visit:
FRIDAY
3pm--There's nothing like a good meal. La Lucciola is the place to go, with its good food, great service and a beautiful view of the sea.
You can hire a car for some 450,000 rupiah per day. This will help you have more to spare during your trip there.
5pm--About an hour away from La Lucciola is Uluwatu. This southern tip of the island is famous for its temple that lies on the edge, high above the sea. Fire dance is performed here daily at sunset.
8pm--To finish off the evening, head to Jimbaran Bay where restaurants offer candles, dances, boys singing songs. Kick off your shoes, feel the sand, and enjoy the night.
SATURDAY
9:30am--Start the day with another taste of culture by heading for a "barong and keris" dance performance. It's held in many places. One is the Catur Eka Budi in Denpasar, capital of Bali.
12pm--About 50km from Denpasar is Kintamani, a favorite with tourists for the view of active volcano Mt. Batur. It's a good idea to reach Kintamani early as it gets cloudy after 3pm. Have lunch at a local restaurant with a view of Mt. Batur. Tourists can climb to Mt. Batur to catch the sunrise.
6:30pm--Spa time! Spa Hati is a good place. Book ahead.
SUNDAY
6am--It's time to go to the sea. Don't forget the camera.
10:30am--Another halfday trip to two of the most famous temples in Bali. Drive down to the Taman Ayun temple at Mengwi.
12am--Next up is the Tanah Lot temple, perhaps the most famous of them all. Built on a rock, it's best seen in the afternoon when it's against the sun or at sunset. | high5966.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "quiet and peaceful"
},
"options": [
"active and allergic",
"quiet and peaceful",
"colorful and tasty",
"small and smelly"
],
"question": "All the dormitory pets mentioned in the text are _ .",
"question_t... | Dogs and cats are not for students who live in the dormitory. Just think about the noise, the smell and all that wild behavior--chewing on whatever they can get their teeth on, or knocking over the trash can. But don't feel sad. There are smaller and less destructive pets to make your dormitory life colorful.
Betta fish
They make great pets with their big personality and astonishing colors, ranging from bright red, dark blue to lemon yellow. Unlike many fish, most bettas react to their owner's presence and become more active when they are nearby, which is unusual in the fish world.
Chinchillas
Without bad smell, about the size of a rabbit and with fur so dense that they can't get pests such as fleas , the friendly creature originally from the Andes Mountains in South America makes an ideal indoor pet. Chinchillas are very social animals, so if you only have one, you will become its family. In cold winter days, in a glance at this fury pet in a dorm will bring you a lot of warmth.
Land hermit crabs
In a society where owners are often asked "Are they tasty?", land hermit crabs are among the most unlucky animals commonly kept as pets. But they are easy to care for, inexpensive and fascinating to watch. And the fact that they don't cause any allergic reactions makes them perfect for college dormitories.
Red-eared sliders
If you're interested in a lifelong friend, a red-eared slider makes a wonderful pet. If well cared for, they can live for around 40 years. But there are a couple of things you should know. Red-eared can grow to an adult size of up to 30cm! So you may need a larger tank quickly. In addition, you will need to provide UV lighting, water heater, and a swimming area and a basking area. Housing a red eared slider is not easy. | high10596.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "about one-tenth of a second."
},
"options": [
"the time to read a word on the web.",
"about one-twentieth of a second.",
"about one-tenth of a second.",
"the time to put the thumbs up or down."
],
"question": "H... | Internet users can give websites a thumbs up or thumbs down in less than the blink of an eye, according to a recent study by Canadian researchers.
Specifically, a positive or negative decision is made within one-twentieth of a second -- less than half the time it takes to blink.It is also about the time for users to read just one word on the website.
In the study at the Carleton University in Ottawa, websites were flashed up on a screen for participants to view for 50 milliseconds, and then rated by the viewer.
Later when the pages were viewed again for longer periods of time, the viewers' opinion were the same.
The study was published in the March/April issue of the journal Behaviour & Information Technology.
"It really is just a physiological response.If the first impression is negative, you'll probably drive people off," said Dr.Gitte Lindgard, the leading researcher, "So Web designers have to make sure they're not offending users visually."
However, the results did not show how to win a positive reaction from users."When we looked at the websites that we tested, there is really nothing there that tells us what leads to dislike or to like," Dr.Lindgard said.
Usually the appeal of a website is tied to color1, movement and interactivity .And while further research may offer more clues , personal taste would always be a limiting factor, according to Lindgard.
"If the designs were _ to a set of principles, wouldn't we find an awful lot of similar houses, gardens, cars?" she said."We'd have no variety." | high20455.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "are watered"
},
"options": [
"are lack of care",
"are watered",
"are weeded out",
"are beaten"
],
"question": "According to Dr. Gibbs' theories, trees will become weaker if they _ .",
"question_type": "cl... | When I was growing up, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn't look like any doctor I'd ever known. He never yelled at us for playing in his yard. I remember him as someone who was a lot nicer than most of the adults in our community.
When Dr. Gibbs wasn't saving lives, he was planting trees. His house sat on ten acres, and his life's goal was to make it a forest.
The good doctor had some interesting theories concerning plant care and growth. He never watered his new trees, which flew in the face of conventional wisdom. Once I asked why. He said that watering plants spoiled them so that each successive tree generation would grow weaker and weaker. So you have to make things rough for them and weed out the weaker trees early on. He talked about how watering trees made for shallow roots, and how trees that weren't watered had to grow deep roots in search of moisture. I took him to mean that deep roots were to be treasured.
So he never watered his trees. He planted an oak and, instead of watering it every morning, he beat it with a rolled-up newspaper. Smack! Slap! Pow! I asked him why he did that, and he said it was to get the tree's attention.
Dr. Gibbs passed away a couple of years after I left home. Every now and again, I walked by his house and looked at the trees that I'd watched him plant some twenty-five years ago. They're extremely tall, big and robust since they have deep roots now. However, the trees in my garden trembled in a cold wind although I had watered them for several years.
It seems that adversity and suffering benefit these trees in ways comfort and ease never could. I stood there deep in thought.
Every night before I go to bed, I check on my two sons. I stand over them and watch their little bodies, the rising and falling of life within. I often pray for them. Mostly I pray that their lives will be easy. But I think that it's time to change my prayer because now I know my children are going to encounter hardship. | high11850.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "by asking about people after their dreams"
},
"options": [
"by recording higher level brain activity",
"by comparing people's memories of their dreams with an electronic visualization",
"by asking about people after their dre... | Scientists think it will be possible to record people's dreams and then interpret them, according to a new report.
They claim to have developed a system which allows them to record higher level brain activity.
Dr Moran Cerf told the journal Nature: "We would like to read people's dreams."
Previously the only way to access people's dreams is for psychologists to ask about them after the event and try to interpret them.
Dr Cerf hopes to eventually compare people's memories of their dreams with an electronic visualization of their brain activity.
He told the BBC: "There's no clear answer as to why humans dream. And one of the questions we would like to answer is when do we actually create this dream?"
The scientist believes his latest research shows that certain neurons or individual brain cells are linked with specific objects or concepts.
He found that a particular neuron lit up when a volunteer thought about Marilyn Monroe.
If a database was built up identifying various neurons with concepts, objects and people it would allow them to "read the subject's minds", according to Dr Cerf.
However, Dr Roderick Oner, a clinical psychologist and dream expert, said that this kind of visualisation would be of limited help when it came to interpreting the "complex dream narrative".
In addition to get a detailed picture of individual neurons subjects had to have electrodes implanted deep in the brain using surgery.
The Nature researchers used data from patients who had electrodes implanted to monitor and treat them for brain seizures .
However, Dr Cerf said he hoped that it would be possible at a later stage to monitor people without invasive surgery. He said it would be "wonderful" to be able to read the minds of _ patients who are unable to communicate. | high12381.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A shop."
},
"options": [
"A town.",
"A website.",
"A shop.",
"An organization."
],
"question": "What is Ten Thousand Villages?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | Primary Source Holiday Shopping Night at Ten Thousand Villages
* Shop for your holiday gifts and give back to Primary Source at Ten Thousand Villages on Friday, December 4! 15% of all sales from 3:00 p. m.--7:00 p. m. that day will be donated to Primary Source. Join us for light refreshments and enjoy beautiful handmade gifts from artisans around the world. All are welcome!
Primary Source's Holiday Shopping Night
Friday, December 4, 2014
3:00 p. m.--7:00 p. m.
Ten Thousand Villages
226 Harvard Street, Brookline, Massachusetts (Coolidge Corner)
Download our _ and tell your friends!
Ten Thousand Villages provides vital, fair income for the people from developing countries by marketing their handicrafts and telling their stories in North America. Learn more and preview toys, home decor, jewelry, and other gifts online.
* Can't join us on Dec. 4? At GoodShop, 30% of your spending will be given to Primary Source. The next time you're ready to make an online purchase , visit www. goodshop. com and enter "Primary Source" in the space provided. Click "verify" and choose from more than seven hundred popular stores and sites, from Apple to Zappos. GoodShop is free and easy to use, and each purchase you make will help Primary Source provide global education materials for schools all over New England. | high14928.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "failure and success"
},
"options": [
"failure and success",
"two sides of failure",
"the \"spider-story\"",
"the invention of light bulb"
],
"question": "This passage deals with _ .",
"question_type": "cl... | Another Way of Thinking "Failure"
In one way of thinking, failure is part of life. In another way, failure may be a way towards success. The "spider-story" is often told. Robert Bruce, the leader of the Scots in the 13th century, was hiding in a cave from the English. He watched a spider spinning a web. The spider tried to reach across a rough place in the rock. He tried six times to span the gap. On the seventh time he made it and went on to spin his web. Bruce is said to have taken heart and to have gone to defeat the English. Edison, the inventor of the light bulb , made hundreds of models that failed before he found the right way to make one. Once he was asked why he kept on trying to make a new type of battery when he had failed so often, he replied, "Failure? I have no failure. Now I know 50 000 ways it won't work."
So what? First, always think about your failure. What caused it? Were conditions right? Were you in top form yourself? What can you change so things will go right next time?
Second, is the goal you're trying to reach the right one? Try to do some thinking about what your real goals may be. Think about this question: "If I do succeed in this, where will it get me?" This may help you prevent failure in things you shouldn't be doing anyway.
The third thing to bear in mind about failure is that it's a part of life. Learn to live with yourself, even though you maybe have failed. | high22242.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the cost of transporting goods will be relatively low"
},
"options": [
"there will be no limitation to the size of ships through it",
"it will have a total capacity of 500 million tons a year",
"the cost of transporting goods... | The Panama Canal opened almost 100 years ago.It connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and reduces travel by about 13,000 kilometers and avoids the need for ships to sail around Cape Horn at the bottom of South America.
Built from 1904 to 1914,the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 ships in 2008.In total,over 815,000 ships have passed through the canal.It has been named one of the seven modern wonders of the world.More than forty ships pass through the canal each day.
Now,a major expansion project will permit more ships and bigger ships to pass through the canal.Jorge Quijano,the Panama Canal's executive vice president of engineering,says,"The present canal has a total capacity of about 340 million tons a year.With the expansion we expect to double that."
For years,shipbuilders limited the size of many ships so that they could pass through the Panama Canal.But now many shipping companies use bigger ships to transport more goods as a way to reduce costs.Mr.Quijano says the expansion project will allow many of these larger ships to use the canal.
Workers are building the new locks alongside the old ones,which will remain in use.The existing locks are 305 meters long and 33.5 meters wide.The new ones will be 427 meters long and 55 meters wide.They will be able to handle ships with drafts of more than 15 meters.At present,ships can ride only 12 meters deep in the canal.
Engineers could not make the new locks too big.Mr.Quijano says the plans have to balance the size of the locks with the cost for ships to use the canal.
The cost of the expansion is estimated at more than five billion dollars.The new locks are set to open in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Panama Canal. | high13921.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "most of their work is dealing with the students"
},
"options": [
"they have most of their work done by the students",
"most of their work is getting rid of their students",
"most of their work is dealing with the students",
... | The Guidance Department at Burrville High School has a staff of eleven. Most of their work is done with the students. But the staff sees a lot of parents, too.
"Parent meetings form a clear monthly pattern," says Mildred Foreman, Guidance Director. "This pattern stays much the same from year to year. The busy months are October, March and May."
September starts rather slowly. Few parents come in. Most of them want to discuss the schedules. October brings many behaviour problems. Some parents are called in. Others come by themselves. Things quiet down in November. December is a quiet month. "It's the holiday," Ms. Foreman says. "People want to come in, I know, but they decide to wait until after New Year's Day."
Report cards go home just before Christmas holidays. Bad marks bring parents in as school reopens. This happens again in March, another report card month. May is always the year's busiest month. That's when parents realize that their children might be held back . They come in to see if anything can be done before things are decided in June. | high22524.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the gods"
},
"options": [
"the gods",
"the earth",
"the sky",
"nature"
],
"question": "People once thought lightning came from _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answ... | In earliest times, men considered lightning to be one of the great mysteries of nature. Some ancient people believed that lightning and thunder were the weapons of the gods.
In reality, lightning is a flow of electricity formed high above the earth. A single flash of lightning 1.6 kilometers long has enough electricity to light one million light bulbs .
The American scientist and statesman, Benjamin Franklin, was the first to show the connection between electricity and lightning in 1752. In the same year he also built the first lightning rod . This device protects buildings from being damaged by lightning.
Modern science has discovered that one stroke of lightning has a voltage of more than 15 million volts . A flash of lightning between a cloud and the earth may be as long as 13 kilometers, and travel at a speed of 30 million meters per second.
Scientists judge that there are about 2,000 million flashes of lightning per year. Lightning hits the Empire State Building in New York City 30 to 48 times a year. In the United States alone it kills an average of one person every day.
The safest place to be in case of an electrical storm is in a closed car. Outside, one should go to low ground and not get under tress. Also, one should stay out of water and away from metal fences. Inside a house, people should avoid open doorways and windows and not touch wires or metal things. | high24155.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "more ghrelin and less leptin-feeling hungry-eating more"
},
"options": [
"more ghrelin and less leptin-feeling hungry-eating more",
"feeling hungry-eating more-more ghrelin and less leptin",
"burning more energy-feeling hungr... | There are new findings that not enough sleep may cause people to gain weight.Researchers say a lack of sleep can produce hormonal changes that increase feelings of hunger.
In one study,researchers in the United States examined information on more than 1000 people.The people had taken part in a long-term study of sleep disorders.
Some people slept less than five hours a night.They had 15 percent higher blood levels of a hormone called ghrelin than people who slept eight hours.And they had 15 percent less of the hormone leptin.Experts say ghrelin helps make people feel hungry;leptin makes you feel full.
The scientists say these hormonal changes may be a cause of obesity in Western societies.They note the combination that limitation is common and is widely available.
The results were not affected by how much people exercised.People who are awake longer have more time to burn energy.But the researchers say loss of sleep may increase hunger especially for high-calorie foods,so people gain weight.It seems that,for survival,the body may be designed to store more fat during times with less sleep.
Researchers from Stanford University in California and the University of Wisconsin did the study.They found that the best amount of sleep for weight control is 7.7 hours a night.
The Public Library of Science published the findings in its journal Medicine.Internet users can read the full study,free of charge,at plos.org. | high7817.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The child"
},
"options": [
"The Internet",
"The electronic transaction",
"The child",
"The father or mother"
],
"question": "_ is playing a more and more important role in the family management.",
"questio... | "The child has become part of the management of family life, "says Adele Schwartz, researchdirector for Stars for Kids, a children's market---research firm. "This is a big role change in family life. Housework is changing. It used to be to take out the garbage and walk the dog. This is a little bit bigger than that."
Three---quarters of students between the ages of 8 and 14 say they have completed an online transaction ,according to a national survey on May 9. Nearly one---fourth of the 6,000 young people asked say they shop with their parents' credit cards, 26 percent use gift cards, and 8 percent say they use their own credit card. Almost half say they help with electronic transactions because their parents are helpless online. One--third help because their parents don't have enough time to shop.
"Kids do a large amount of comparison shopping,"Ms. Schwartz says, "including clothing, household items, family vacations, and even large items like a car.
All this cyber---help "clearly gives kids a power that they might not have had before,"says Gary Rudman, in San Francisco. "Parents still make the decisions, but kids have more and more effect than ever before, because they have access to information. They are more involved with the household, so they have more effect on some of the decisions."
Parents have different opinions about letting their children use credit cards online. Mr. Rudman says, "Some parents are open to it, others are not for it." Like many parents, Mrs, Hanstein keeps a watchful eye on Jacob's Internet use."he loves toorder something, but it's always with our guidance. He doesn't understand that a lot of the pop--up advertisement 'You've won this!'or 'You can get this for $1.'is a scam." | high14096.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "How to Help"
},
"options": [
"Japan Earthquake and Tsunami",
"International Organizations",
"How to Help",
"How to Donate Money"
],
"question": "What's the best title for the passage above?",
"question_type"... | For readers interested in contributing to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan and the Pacific region on March 11, 2011, here is a list of contact information and links for some agencies that plan to provide relief.
Locating Loved Ones
If you are looking for information on people in the quake zone, Google has opened a Person Finder page.
Ushahidi, a crowd sourcing mapping tool, has set up a local platform for Japan that allows people in the area affected by the earthquake to _ the location of people who may be trapped in damaged buildings.
Inquiries concerning U.S citizens living or traveling in Japan should be referred to the U.S Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 1 - 888 - 407 - 4747 or 202 647 -5225.
Aid and Charitable Organizations
Each of the following groups has set up fundraising sites specifically for the victims of Friday' s earthquake and tsunami.
AMERICAN RED CROSS
Red Cross officials say donors can text REDCROSS to 90999 and a $ 10 donation will automatically be charged to donor's phone bill, or donations can be made directly on its Web site GLOBALGIVING.ORG.
Global Giving is working with International Medical Corps, Save the Children, and other organizations on the ground to disburse funds to organizations providing relief and emergency services to victims of the earthquake and tsunami.Donors can text JAPAN to 50555 to give $ 10, and larger increases can be submitted on Global Giving' s Web site.
THE SALVATION ARMY
The Salvation Army has been providing food and shelter to Tokyo commuters who were stranded when public transportation was interrupted by the earthquake.They are to send a team to Sendai, a city about 250 miles from Tokyo, to assess the situation there.Text JAPAN or QUAKE to 80888 to make a $ 10 donation.(Make sure to respond "YES" to the Thank You message you receive.) Donations can also be made on the organization' s Web site or by calling 1 - 800 - SAL - ARMY.
SAVE THE CHILDREN
To make a donation, visit Save the Children's Web site, call 1 - 800 - 728 - 3843 , or text JAPAN to 20222 to donate $ 10.
SHELTERBOX.ORG
Shelterbox. org is a disaster-relief organization that focuses on providing survival materials such as tents and cooking equipment to families displaced by disasters.
UJA-FEDERATION OF NEW YORK
Information is available on the organization's Web site or by calling (212) 836-1486. | high20333.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "La Nina."
},
"options": [
"La Nina.",
"El Nino.",
"Typhoon.",
"Frost."
],
"question": "What partially caused south China's freeze-up at the beginning of 2008?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | GENEVA, Feb.11 (Xinhua) --The current La Nina weather phenomenon may just be a partial cause of south prefix = st1 /China's freeze-up at the start of 2008, said the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Monday.
The latest La Nina pattern, which began in the third quarter of 2007, has picked up strength in the past three months, with sea surface temperatures now about 1. 5 to 2 degrees Celsius colder than average over large parts of the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean, said the latest report issued by the WMO.
Presenting the Geneva-based body's report, Rupa Kumar Killi, a WMO climate expert, said the recent month-long snow and ice-storms in China's central, southern and eastern regions could be connected with the La Nina phenomenon, the climatic opposite of El Nino .
However, he said China's freeze-up was a result of several causes combined and was partly caused by a cold surge from the north and west.
He also said the present La Nina cycle may last at least until mid-2008 and it is also possible, if less likely, that the cycle could stretch into the third quarter.
La Nina is a large pool of unusually cold water in the equatorial Pacific that develops every few years and influences global weather. It is the climatic opposite of El Nino, a warming of the Pacific, and both have been associated with extreme weather around the globe.
Since Jan. 10, snow, sleet and low temperatures have swept China's southern regions, a rare occurrence for the area. | high16859.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "have a short growth cycle"
},
"options": [
"have lower yield than normal plants",
"need little care from people",
"resist various kinds of diseases",
"have a short growth cycle"
],
"question": "According to the ... | Plant cloning has been an agricultural technique used by farmers and gardeners for centuries. Grafting is a common form of plant cloning. Many plants in nature actually clone themselves and reproduce asexually.
Cloned plants are much more predictable than normal plants, so their yield is more reliable. Cloned plants also reproduce faster, limiting the amount of time between planting and harvesting. It is also often cheaper to produce seeds through cloning than through traditional methods. Plants can essentially be optimized so that farmers or individual growers always have the best seeds available. With more yield at a faster rate, farms can produce more food for more people while decreasing overall costs.
Cloning can be used to wipe out diseases that previously killed off entire fields of crops. This would make plants immune to the kinds of diseases that farmers and gardeners around the world fear each year. Crop failures due to disease and virus could become a thing of the past. Also, plants that are near extinction can be brought back to life through cloning.
Through cloning scientists can develop "super" fruits and vegetables of superior nutritional quality. This could make for a healthier population overall. This is already being done through selective pollination , and genetic cloning could take it to the next level.
By plant cloning we have a population of identical plants and all these plants equally suffer from the same diseases, but in nature the weak would die and the strong would survive. While there are some dangers to consider with plant cloning, there are plenty of benefits that could prove vital to the propagation of the human species. | high16681.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Chinese is becoming hot in the USA"
},
"options": [
"Americans enjoy learning foreign languages",
"Chinese is becoming hot in the USA",
"Language is a cultural bridge between the US and China",
"Economy decides language... | China is casting a huge shadow on the United States that many Americans are struggling to learn Chinese in order to maintain their competitive edge.
"Interest in learning Chinese among American youth and their parents has grown dramatically in the past five years," said Vivien Stewart at the Asia Society, a US grow trying to bridge the gap between Americans and people of Asia and the Pacific.
China, the world's most popular nation, is very important to the United States because it is a leading trader, consumer and investor. Its political influence is also rising across the globe. It has replaced the United States as the world's largest consumer and could become the second largest economy country in the world, after the superpower status and its telling effects politically, economically and culturally are driving the interest to learn the language, experts say.
From kindergartens to high schools, studies by the Asia Society show, there is a "rapid rise" in interest among pupils to study the Chinese language.
Even though the US State Department has stressed the Chinese language "important " to national prosperity and security, the "current infrastructure to support recruitment of students and teachers as well as the growth of high quality programs is badly inadequate," an Asia Society study says. The Society has set a target of having at least 5% of American high school students learning Chinese by 2015. " Millions of Chinese are learning English, but only 24,000 Americans are learning Chinese," said Andrew Corcoran of the San Francisco - based Chinese American International School. | high20327.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They expected the trade to be successful."
},
"options": [
"Russian bears are famous for their cruelty.",
"They managed to find a bear for hunting.",
"They expected the trade to be successful.",
"There was a bear in Mos... | A German company was concerned about talks in Moscow trying to sell some 100 million dollars worth of equipment to a Russian State company. Talks went smoothly but differences remained. So Martin Bayer himself, the CEO of the German Company, decided to come to Moscow to head the talks. Besides caring about his business, the CEO wanted to go to Russia to hunt bears.
Martin Bayer was one of the greatest hunters of our time (and the Russians knew about it). He went to the Sahara more than hundred times and hunted lions, crocodiles; he hunted polar bears in the North Pole and tigers in the rain forests of India. But he had never hunted Russian bears.
So the Russians decided to organize a bear hunt for Mr. Bayer to sweeten the talks. This wasn't a simple task. Some people in the west still believe that bears may be found and seen everywhere in Russian cities just like squirrels may be seen in our back yards. This is not true. The closest place one may find bears in the wild is maybe 2,500 miles away from Moscow. However, a solution was quickly found. The Russian businessmen went to Moscow Circus and for $2,000 bought a very old bear. This bear used to amuse and amaze audiences in many countries for 30 years, but got and looked too old, and was retired.
"Be careful, the Russian bears are very dangerous, and frightening," they told to Mr. Bayer. "If compared to the Russian bears, your African lions are nothing more than harmless cats." The bear was brought to a forest 50 miles from Moscow and was left there. Mr. Bayer was told that bears were plentiful in that forest and that many cattle and even people had been eaten in the surrounding villages.
Meanwhile, an 18-year old female drove through the forest on a motorcycle and suddenly saw a bear (no bears had been seen in those places for 200 years). She was frightened, fell, left her helmet and her motorcycle and ran away.
Mr. Bayer was excited and ready to hunt. This could become the most successful part of his extraordinary hunting experience. The next moment Mr. Bayer saw a bear in a helmet driving on a motorcycle through the forest in front of him. The bear had a happy expression on his face, as he was doing something he had been doing in the circus for 30 years: circling on a motorcycle!
Mr. Bayer lives in a private mental institution near Hamburg happily ever after. The equipment was never sold to Russia. It was sold to Iraq instead. | high18860.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "get there in another way"
},
"options": [
"give up their efforts at last",
"look for others' help",
"wait for a chance to come",
"get there in another way"
],
"question": "If ants have trouble reaching somewhere... | Over the years I've been teaching kids about a simple but powerful spirit--the ant philosophy. I think we should study ants.
Ants have an amazing four-part philosophy, and here is the first part:they never _ . That's a good philosophy. If they're heading somewhere and you try to stop them,they'll look for another way. They'll climb over, and they'll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What a neat philosophy, to never quit looking for a way to get where they're supposed to go!
Second,ants think about winter all summer. That's an important perspective(,). You can' t be so naive as to think summer will last forever. So ants are gathering their winter food in summer. An ancient story says, "Don't build your house on the sand in summer. "There is some reason in what it says. It is important to think ahead. In summer, you've to think about the storm. You've got to think about freezing while you are enjoying the sand and the sun.
The third part of the ant philosophy is that ants think about summer all winter. That is also important. During the winter, ants remind themselves,"This won't last long;we'll soon be out of here. "And on the first warm day,the ants are out. If it turns cold again,they'll go back,but then they come out again if it is warm. They can't wait to get out.
And here is the last part of the ant philosophy. How much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All that it possibly can. What an incredible philosophy, the "all-that-you-possibly-can" philosophy!
What a great philosophy to have--the ant philosophy! Never give up,look ahead,stay active and do all you can. | high21039.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Admission principles of amusement parks."
},
"options": [
"Attractions of amusement parks .",
"Admission fees of amusement parks.",
"Admission principles of amusement parks.",
"Sources of income of amusement parks."
... | Amusement parks make most of their money from admission fees paid by guests attending the park. Other sources include parking fees, food and drink sales and souvenirs. Practically all amusement parks operate using one of two admission principles:
Pay-as-you-go In this form, a guest enters the park at little or no charge. The guest must then buy rides one by one, either at the attraction's entrance or by buying ride tickets. The cost of the attraction is often based on its complexity or popularity. The park may allow guests to buy unlimited admissions to all attractions within the park. A pass is then shown at the attraction entrance to gain admission.
Disneyland opened in 1955 using the pay-as-you-go form. Initially, guests paid the ride admission fees at the attractions. Soon, the problems of dealing with so many coins led to the development of a ticket system that, while now out of use, is still part of the amusement-park vocabulary. In this new form, guests bought ticket books that contained a number of tickets, with "A," "B" and "C." Rides and attractions using an "A-ticket" were generally simple, with "B-tickets" and "C-tickets" used for the larger, more popular rides. Later, the "D-ticket" was added, then finally the now-famous "E-ticket," which was used for the biggest rides, like Space Mountain. Smaller tickets could be traded up for use on larger rides. Disneyland, as well as the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, gave up this practice in 1982.
The advantages include:
guests pay for only what they choose to experience
attraction costs can be changed easily
The disadvantages include:
guests may get tired of spending money almost continuously
guests may not spend as much on food or souvenirs | high16695.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "proud"
},
"options": [
"annoyed",
"proud",
"upset",
"concerned"
],
"question": "Sara'performance in the last few years makes his parents _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Dear Sara,
As we drove off from Columbia,I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.First,I want to tell you how proud we are.Getting into Columbia College shows what a great well-rounded student you are.Your academic,artistic,and social skills have truly blossomed in the last few years.Whether it is getting the highest grade in mathematics,completing your elegant fashion design,successfully selling your painted running shoes,or becoming one of the top speakers in Model United Nations,you have become a talented and accomplished young woman.You should be as proud of yourself as we are.
College will be the most important years in your life.It is in college that you will truly discover what learning is about.This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired,after which you must become self-learner.So do take each subject seriously,and even if what you learn isn't critical for your life,the skills of learning will be important to you forever.
Follow your passion in college.Take courses you think you will enjoy.Don't be trapped in what others think or say.Do your best in classes,but don't let pressure get to you.Your mother and I have no expectations for your grades.If you graduate and learn something in your four years,we would feel happy.So please don't give yourself pressure.
I told your mom I'm writing this letter,and asked what she wanted me to say.She thought and said:"Just ask her to take care of herself."Please listen to your mother and take care of yourself.
So please treasure your college years,make the best of your free time,and become an independent thinker;learn and grow through your successes and challenges.
Love,
Dad(& Mom) | high13935.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "getting examination system improved"
},
"options": [
"working hard at all lessons",
"taking examinations",
"testing a student' s knowledge",
"getting examination system improved"
],
"question": "The passage tell... | We may be very pleased with the rapid progress we have made in every field of study. But the way to test a student's knowledge and ability still remains as poor as it was. We have almost done nothing to improve our examination system.
It is well known that the examination system we are now using may be a good way of testing a student's memory, but it can tell you nothing about a student's ability. It does no good to students and teachers.
As soon as a child begins school, he enters a world of examination that will decide his future of job.
In fact a good examination system should train a student to think for himself. But it now does nothing about that. So students are encouraged to member what is taught. It does not enable them to gain more and note knowledge. The students who come out first in the examination often may not be the best in their studies.
Besides, the examinations often force teachers to train students what to do with the coming examination from time to time. There must be some simpler and better way to test a student' s ability besides knowledge. And that is what we should do at once. | high22530.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Chocolate may help keep people slim."
},
"options": [
"Chocolate may be healthy for us.",
"Eating too much chocolate might be harmful.",
"Allowing yourself a treat like chocolate.",
"Chocolate may help keep people slim.... | People who eat chocolate regularly tend to be thinner, new research suggests.
The findings come from a study of nearly 1,000 US people that looked at diet, calorie intake and body mass index(BMI)----a measure of obesity. It found those who ate chocolate a few times a week were, on average, slimmer than those who ate it occasionally.
Even though chocolate is loaded with calories, it contains ingredients that may favour weight loss rather than fat synthesis , scientists believe. Despite boosting calorie intake, regular chocolate consumption was related to lower BMI in the study. The link remained even when other factors, like how much exercise individuals did, were taken into account.
And it appears it is how often you eat chocolate that is important, rather than how much of it you eat. The study found no link with quantity consumed. Lead author Dr. Beatrice Golomb, from the University of California at San Diego, said, "Our findings appear to add to a body of information suggesting that the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining their ultimate impact on weight."
This is not the first time scientists have suggested that chocolate may be healthy for us. Other studies have claimed chocolate may be good for the heart. Consumption of certain types of chocolate has been linked to some favourable changes in blood pressure and insulin sensitivity.
And chocolate does contain antioxidants which can help to absorb free radicals----unstable chemicals that can damage our cells. Mice fed for 15 days with epicatechin (present in chocolate) had improved exercise performance and observable changes to their muscle composition. They say clinical trials are now needed in humans to see if this is the case.
But before you reach for a chocolate bar, there are still lots of unanswered questions. And in the absence of conclusive evidence, experts advise caution.
While there's no harm in allowing yourself a treat like chocolate now and then, eating too much might be harmful because it often contains a lot of sugar and fat too. | high24141.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "objective"
},
"options": [
"critical",
"objective",
"hostile",
"unjust"
],
"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that the author's attitude towards only children is _ .",
"question_type": "summa... | To be sure, only children experienced some things differently from those with sisters and brothers. Many feel more pressure to succeed. In the absence of brothers and sisters, only children also tend to look more _
In India, 10-year-old Saviraj Sankpal founded a support group for the tiny minority of only children. Among other things, the group does volunteer work to counter the myth that they are not responsible. "People think we're treated too kindly and ruined," says Sankpal, a computer engineering student. "But I'd like to remind them how lonely it can get."
Most only children, however, say they wish for sisters or brothers only when it comes to caring for aging, unhealthy parents. Britain's David Emerson, coauthor of the book The Only Child, says that such a person bears a terrible burden in having to make all the decisions alone. Emerson knows from experience: After his father died, he chose to move his elderly mother from their family home, where she was vulnerable to house breakers, to a new one with more security . "The move was quite hard on her, and she might feel that I pushed her into it," he says. "After all, _ ."
In the future, more and more only children will likely face similar choices. With working mothers increasingly the rule, many families are finding they simply don't have the time, money or energy to have more than one child. As only children become common, perhaps the world will realize that the charge made against them is unjust. | high14082.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Going online for yearbooks"
},
"options": [
"Going online for yearbooks",
"How to select yearbooks",
"Two clever students in America",
"A famous social-networking site"
],
"question": "What can be the best title... | "I don't want to buy a traditional yearbook. I can keep and share memories of my high school on the Internet."You may often hear this from many American high school students now. Instead of buying a book, more and more students choose to sign up at My Yearbook.com.
My Yearbook.com was created by two teenagers, Catherine Cook and her brother, 18-year-old David Cook, in 2005. They built it up to about 950,000 members in a year. The site allows people to create a profile with separate sections for high school, college, graduate school and professional life. Students who sign up are linked to other people at their school. Acting as their own editors, they can select friends from their classmates. The site also connects students through clubs and spprts pages. Like other so-called social-networking sites, it allows members to show photos and post messages. Students can do lots of things that old-fashioned yearbooks can't offer, including hearing music and watching videos.
Catherine and David developed the idea because they thought that their own yearbooks weren't good enough and were too expensive. "We just think yearbooks are obsolete," said Catherine Cook, 16."If you think about it, all you're going to do with it is put it on the shelf and never really look at it." Many American teenagers want different things out of their yearbooks than their parents did. They like the idea of creating an online yearbook. That is the reason why My Yearbook.com is becoming more and more popular.
Some people, however, still wonder if this free website can ever truly replace the traditional printed book of high-school memories-even for the generation that have grown up with the Internet. Some students would like to be the users of the My Yearbook.com as well as buy a traditional yearbook. The"war" between the tradition and the new technology will never end. Everyone is free to choose what he prefers and even has both. | high23148.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To celebrate the New Year's Eve."
},
"options": [
"To meet their old friends and relatives.",
"To pick up bank notes.",
"To watch an annual 3D laser show.",
"To celebrate the New Year's Eve."
],
"question": "Acc... | (Reuters) --- A stampede killed at least 36 people during New Year's Eve celebrations in Shanghai, authorities said, but the police denied reports that it was caused by people rushing to pick up fake money thrown from a building overlooking the city's famous waterfront.
It was the worst disaster in the modern city since 58 died in an apartment building fire in 2010.
The cause of the crush has still to be confirmed, though state media and some witnesses have said it was at least partly aroused when people rushed to pick up coupons that looked like bank notes.
A man named Wu said the fake money had been thrown down from a bar above the street as part of the celebrations.
"This incident happened after the stampede," police said in a brief statement, without saying what the real cause was.
Another witness said there had been a problem away from the area where the fake bills were thrown, with people trying to get on to a raised platform overlooking the river.
Xinhua news agency said that people had been trampled on after falling down on the steps up to the platform.
Authorities had shown some concern about crowd control in the days leading up to New Year's Eve. They recently canceled an annual 3D laser show on the Bund, which last year attracted as many as 300,000 people.
On New Year's Eve, Beijing also canceled a countdown event in the central business district, Chinese media said, due to police fears about overcrowding.
The Shanghai government said on its official microblog that an inquiry had begun, and that all other New Year events had been canceled.
In 2004, 37 people died in a stampede in northern Beijing, on a bridge at a scenic spot, during the Lunar New Year holiday. | high9190.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It releases dangerous gases to pollute the air."
},
"options": [
"It may be the most expensive car in the world.",
"It is one of the most environmentally friendly cars.",
"It releases dangerous gases to pollute the air.",
... | A California family drives a car that could help protect the environment. When Jon and Sandy go to the store or to their daughters' soccer games, they drive in high-tech style. They drive a $1 million, fuel-cell-powered car. It may be the world's most expensive car and one of the most environmentally friendly cars. The FCX is the first fuel-cell-powered car to be used by a family anywhere in the world. The FCX uses hydrogen and oxygen for fuel. Car makers have been working to develop vehicles that are better for the environment. They are developing cars that use fuel other than gasoline. And then what is fuel cell technology? Fuel cell technology works by changing the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water. This process produces electricity, and water vapor which comes out of the exhaust pipe. Most cars release dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Many scientists say these gases are major contributors to global warming. "The FCX is driven just like any other vehicle on the road, but without the gases which pollute the environment," scientists say. Fuel cell technology has been around since the 1800s, but scientists have yet been to perfect it. They say it may take years before the technology is ready for widespread use. Another earth-friendly car is already on the market. Hybrid cars use both gasoline and an electric motor. They are becoming more popular with customers because they cut pollution and improve fuel efficiency. | high12395.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 find... | Commencement is a time for idealism.
But economic reality is cruel everywhere; especially for new college graduates. 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 the 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 economic 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 total income, is going to Americans on the top of the income scale. In 2005, the latest year with available data, the top 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 I929.
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 also helped and probably accounts, in part, for the pay growth of college-educated women. But such measures have been eroding 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 leaders and today's graduates.prefix = st1 /Americaneeds them to contribute to the development of the nation in a global economy. | high22256.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They are actually ordinary people."
},
"options": [
"They always treat others rudely.",
"They always talk about something dull.",
"They are actually ordinary people.",
"They are usually honest and polite."
],
"q... | People think what I do is so wonderful because I interview stars.And I have to admit that when I first started working at Sassy in 1987 I was excited about that part of my job for the first couple of months,anyway.Then I noticed how stars would fool me around for months.I could never get enough time with a star to find out anything interesting,and some acted just simply rudely.I started hating the way I was treated,and I was really disappointed to see that these people I had worshipped before were pretty ordinary.So I decided I would just tell the truth instead of keeping up their myths .If the star was a bad guy,I would say so.If I thought anyone was stupid,I did not hold back that information.
I thought readers would appreciate that kind of honesty.Surprisingly,many of them hated me for it.I have gotten so many attacks on my character.In their eyes,being famous is everything,even more desirable that being truly creative and talented.
Why do we need stars?In fact,the media created stars to satisfy our basic need for gossip .Over time,talking about people we have never met and we are never likely to meet has become what we are crazy about.Thus,some people are more interested in the personal lives of the stars than in the lives of their own family and their own friends.That is why it is so ridiculous when a star wants to discuss only his or her work in an interview--as we care.We want the dirt on their personal lives.
There is another reason we worship stars.As a whole,our society is not as religious as it once was.It seems that people need something to fulfill them the way religion once did.Star worship exists as an unfulfilling desire for true heroes.
We make them stars,but then their reputation makes us feel unimportant,and we truly feel better about ourselves when they die.I am part of this whole process.No wonder I feel soiled at the end of workday. | high5972.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "suffered severe illnesses"
},
"options": [
"first met in 2005",
"suffered severe illnesses",
"were in the same hospital for a long time",
"both liked the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume"
],
"question": "Wal... | Walter Wetzel had met Ryan Lamantia nearly eight years ago in a hospital waiting room. Both were very sick----Ryan with brain cancer, Walter with leukemia . Ryan, who was 3 at the time, began making silly faces at Walter and chatted about going home to change into his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume. Several days later, Ryan moved to another hospital. Though they saw each other only a handful of times after that, Walter never forgot Ryan.
"He inspired me to fight against my cancer," said Walter, now 17, a football player. Then one day, Walter saw a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt at a mall, which made him decide to search out Ryan. Back home, Walter typed in "Ryan Lake in the Hills brain cancer" on his computer, and a link to a Facebook page for Ryan came up. But, the news was shocking.
Ryan had died on Sept. 8, 2005. He was 6. The Facebook page was for the Ryan Lamantia Foundation, a non-profit organization that Ryan's family formed after his death to raise money for brain cancer research.
Walter left this message right away: ."Ryan is my hero. My trips to the hospital were always horrible, until the day I met Ryan."
Ryan's mom's eyes were filled with tears as she read Waiter's message. "We always knew Ryan was special, but to hear it from somebody else, it really means the world to us," Lamantia said.
Walter wasn't the only person who was greatly impressed with Ryan.
"He was a little superhero," said Wendy Stellpflug, a nurse at Children' s Memorial Hospital. "Ryan always kept his spirits high, even after he suffered hearing loss and experienced 14 operations."
"Ryan didn' t let his illness stop him. He always had a smile on his face," said Dr. Stewart Goldman, the doctor who treated Ryan.
Walter and his family have been in touch with the Lamantias for the past few weeks. And last week, they met for the first time since Ryan's death. The families told stories of being affected by cancer so young and Walter expressed his hope to volunteer with Ryan' s foundation. | high10582.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To advise protecting environment and saving energy."
},
"options": [
"To provide some health advice on how to work.",
"To suggest some ways how to make full use of solar energy.",
"To advise protecting environment and saving ... | We can all contribute to a greener world.Just follow these ten golden rules:
*Stop getting junk mail.Billions of junk mail can be sent every year.Half of it is never opened.Get-your name off mailing lists.If 100,000 people stopped getting junk mail today, it would save 150,000 trees a year.
*Stop reading newspapers.All over the world, millions of newspapers are thrown away every day, 44 million newspapers in the USA alone --that's half a million trees a week.Either recycle your newspapers or read the hews online.
*Buy clothes made from organic materials.Conventional cotton farming seriously pollutes the environment, most of which uses chemical pesticides and fertilizers.Organic is better!
*Switch to solar energy.In one day, the sun will provide enough energy to power the planet.Why aren't we using it?
*If you have to drive, share the ride.Most cars in the USA have only one occupant.Also, 25 percent of car rides are less than 1.5 kilometres.Get out and walk!
*Unplug your PC, TV and VCR.Simply turning them off isn't enough.Sets _ are still using 25 percent of their power.
*Hold on to your balloons.Helium-filled balloons which fly away usually end up in a lake or river, where they can choke aquatic creatures.Save your balloons and use them again.Or better still, don't use them at all.
*Feed the birds.Wild birds need food, especially in v/inter when other sources can be scarce.The greater the range of foodstuffs you put out for them, the more types of birds you will attract.
*Plant a garden at your school.Learn the connection between the land and the table.Plant vegetables to eat, flowers to admire and trees to improve the air. | high20441.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She hated the rule."
},
"options": [
"She thought that was cool.",
"She didn't care about hair at all.",
"She hated the rule.",
"She thought that must be helpful."
],
"question": "What did the author think of ha... | When I grew up, all the schools in the village demanded that girls cut their hair. The teachers would measure our hair and make sure it was not too long. I remember crying and begging as the scissors cut my hair.
My dad told me that a girl who was in school needed to concentrate on books and that hair was a distraction . I cut my hair all the way through primary school and middle school. Then I went to a high school that allowed long hair but no styles or braids during class hours. Even then, still adhering to my dad's words, I never wore my hair long.
When I graduated from high school, I started growing my hair. I spent hours looking in the mirror and shaping my hair. My sister complained, wondering why I had to have two styles in a day.
In college I heard the word perm . Girls had some strong chemicals put on their heads and made the hair look beautiful. I quickly sat in a salon and changed my hair. I returned to the salon once every month. Even during the days when I had no money for food, I had to find money for my hair.
After college, I was jobless and broke. I had to have my hair cut. At that time I saw a bald black model. Her style shocked me and I admired her so much that I began to follow her. Therefore, there I was. I wore some large earrings and walked around like a model. And many people admired my style.
At this point the journey with my hair stopped completely. I decided to have natural hair. I soon found out natural hair is the cheapest, easiest and healthiest way to wear African hair. | high10569.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "things to do for the weekend"
},
"options": [
"visiting teams",
"famous players",
"things to do for the weekend",
"prices to pay for the sports events"
],
"question": "The main purpose of announcing the above ev... | Bicycle tour and race
A bike tour and race will be held on August 26 and 27(Sat. & Sun. ). At 5:30am, the riders will leave Tian'anmen Square and ride the first 35 kilometres as a training leg. Then the next 55 kilometre leg, from Yanjiao to Jixian, will be the first competitive part of the tour. The riders and their bikes will then be taken from Jixian to Changli.
The second racing leg of the tour will be from Changli to the seaside of Nandaibe, covering a distance of 20 kilometres. Saturday night includes the stay at Nandaihe and supper. Sunday morning is free for play at the seaside. At noon all the people and their bikes will be taken back to Beijing.
Cost: 200 yuan Telephone: 4675027
Brazilian footballers
The Brazilian Football Club will play Beijing Guo'an Team at the Workers Stadium on August 26. The club has four national team players. Also coming is 1994 US World Cup star Romario ho has promised to play for at least 45 minutes.
Ticket prices: 60,100,150 yuan
Time/Date: 4:30 pm, August 26(Sat. ) Telephone: 5012372
Rock climbing
The Third National Rock Climbing Competition will be held on August 26-27 at the Huairou Mountain-climbing Training Base. More than 10 teams from Beijing, Wuhan, Dalian, Jilin and other places will take part in it. A Japanese team will give an exhibition climbing. Free for spectators .
Take a long-distance bus from Dongzhimen to Huairou.
Time/Dates: 9-12 am, August 26 and 27
Telephone: 7143177, 7144850, Wang Zhenghua | high18135.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "strongly recommend an e-book"
},
"options": [
"strongly recommend an e-book",
"show the author's attitude to money",
"introduce the general idea of an e-book",
"point out Rich Ezzo isn't money hungry"
],
"questi... | A week ago, I had the great pleasure of reading an e-book, When Money Talks, Listen! by Rich Ezzo. It took only about an hour to read.
When I first received a copy, I thought it was a Get Rich Quick type of publication. Nothing is wrong with Get Rich Quick, but my mind just doesn't run after dreams of wealth. I think 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 more important than money.
Since I love this e-book so much, why wait a week to write the review? Simple. I wanted to see if the effect it had on me was a keeper. 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 stoplight to stop some while others made their way into the picture, then I yielded them as a few ones arrived in town. I had a mental traffic jam, which only goes to show how slow the traffic usually is.
It has been a week and the effect is the same. I truly do look at money differently and have even done a few things differently this week. This is an e-book you 'll want to read, I promise. I often recommend books to my daughter, and this is one that I didn't just "suggest"----I left it open at the bottom of the compute and told each one ,"Read it, you'll love it ".
I would never point someone in a direction I wouldn't go myself. I strongly advise you to visit the author's website, Myster Money, and to download the e-book. You won't regret it. | high5741.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "it takes a lot of time to succeed"
},
"options": [
"one tends to enjoy his work",
"work makes one feel pain",
"one gives up his work easily",
"it takes a lot of time to succeed"
],
"question": "Successful people... | Some people think that success is only for those with talent or those who grow up in the right family, and others believe that success mostly comes down to luck. I'm not going to say luck, talent, and circumstances don't come into play because they do. Some people are born into the right family while others are born with great intelligence, and that's just the reality of how life is.
However, to succeed in life, one first needs to set a goal and then gradually make it more practical. And, in addition to that, in order to get really good at something, one needs to spend at least 10,000 hours studying and practicing. To become great at certain things, it'll require even more time, time that most people won't put in.
This is a big reason why many successful people advise you to do something you love. If you don't enjoy what you do, it is going to feel like unbearable pain and will likely make you quit well before you ever become good at it.
When you see people exhibiting some great skills or having achieved great success, you know that they have put in a huge part of their life to get there at a huge cost. It's sometimes easy to think they got lucky or they were born with some rare talent, but thinking that way does you no good, and there's a huge chance that you're wrong anyway.
Whatever you do, if you want to become great at it, you need to work day in and day out, almost to the point of addiction, and over a long period of time. If you're not willing to put in the time and work, don't expect to receive any rewards. Consistent, hard work won't guarantee you the level of success you may want, but it will guarantee that you will become really good at whatever it is you put all that work into. ks5u | high17206.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To make arrangements for Professor Hume's class."
},
"options": [
"To make arrangements for Professor Hume's class.",
"To introduce to the students Rosa Parks.",
"To help the students organize a lecture.",
"To answer Pr... | Dear all,
Please read Professor Hume's email about his next lecture on Rosa Parks.
Susan Miller
Secretary
***************************************
Dear Susan,
Please forward this message to students of my history class.
Besides the life story of Rosa Parks in the textbook, the students are also required to read the passage below and some related stories that can be borrowed from the school library.
Ted Hume
The early experiences of Rosa Parks(1913-2005), long known as the "mother of the civil rights movement, "were not different from those of many African-Americans at that time. The black woman, however, turned the course of American history in December 1955 when she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. "By sitting down, "remarked John Lewis, "she was standing up for all Americans. "
Among the numerous awards Parks received in her life were the Presidential Medal of Freedom(1996)and the Congressional Gold Medal(1999).
Parks died on Oct. 24, 2005. At St. Paul A. M. E. Church in Montgomery, a large crowd including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice celebrated her life. Rice said she and others, who grew up when the political activities of Parks held public attention, might not have realized her impact on their lives, "but I can honestly say that without Mrs. Parks, I probably would not be standing here as Secretary of State. "
After her casket was placed at the Capitol, U. S. President Bush, members of Congress and ordinary Americans paid their respects. In American history Parks is the first woman to lie in state at the Capitol, a very high regard usually reserved for Presidents of the United States. | high16118.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Good housing."
},
"options": [
"Good housing.",
"Better research condition.",
"Good job possibility",
"Better chances of study.."
],
"question": "Which of the following is not the reason for \"the brain drain\"?... | In recent years, especially during the l960s, there was much discussion about "the brain drain (, )," which dealt with the problem of students and learned people who left their own countries for other countries that offered better chances for study, research, and employment.For example, according to a report from U.N., between 1962 and l966 more than 50 percent of all engineering graduates of Iran and 14 percent of Iranian scientists left their country for work abroad.Over 30 percent of Chilean engineers and 15 percent of Turkish physicians also went to work in other countries.Probably the greatest brain drain occurred among young scientists who had gone abroad to study.Many of them had planned to return to their countries to teach but chose to remain in more industrialized nations where they were able to continue their work and their research in fields in which there were no job possibilities at home.The countries that attracted most of these scientists were the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Canada, and Australia.
Recent studies show that the brain drain to the United States may be decreasing.Many foreign scientists are going home again, and in some cases American scientists are leaving the United States for employment in other countries.The main reasons are that good jobs are becoming fewer here, money for national research has been sharply cut, and university fellowships reduced too.However, in the field of medicine the drain to the United States still goes on.Today more than one of every five American doctors is foreign - born, and several thousand foreign doctors immigrate to the United States each year.Over eighty countries have asked the State Department to send students who are skilled in important fields such as medicine back home when their study programs are over. | high11677.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Questionable"
},
"options": [
"Surprising",
"Confusing",
"Illogical",
"Questionable"
],
"question": "What does the author thinks of the conclusion that people in America are unhappier than 50 years ago?",
"q... | I usually doubt about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago.While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, 1 was struck by a report which concluded that today's children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children between 9 and 17 have a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.
Why are America's kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes: increasing physical isolation brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.
Given that _ , adults can still do plenty to help the next generation to cope.
At the top of the list,nurturing is a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.
To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later.They will then have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.
Limit the amount of virtual violence your children are exposed to. It's not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.
Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale.
Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you deal with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable,but it doesn't have to ruin your life. | high3330.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "had finished his high school education"
},
"options": [
"was a high school student",
"had finished his high school education",
"was a college student",
"was returning home from a swim competition"
],
"question":... | I am a 21-year-old boy, and this is my story.
One month after I graduated from high school in 2009, I was coming home from swim practice and was involved in a car accident. I was so seriously injured that I was in a coma for over two months at Prince Georges Hospital.
I died eight times during my coma and I couldn't talk or communicate when I woke up. Walking was never going to happen again due to all the extreme injuries. Just like my body, my dreams were almost _ . But I was not going to let my injuries prevent me from living my dreams.
After 14 operations and blood transfusions, I had to learn how to talk, eat, walk, shower and live independently again. When I was out of hospital, I still had to go to outpatient therapy in Waldorf, Maryland. After spending a few months in a wheelchair, I took baby steps to walk on my own. It was a miracle that I could walk again, but I wanted to prove that I could not only walk, but run. When it came true, I wanted to get back in the pool again. After a few lung tests, I was able to go in the pool a little bit each week. After a few months of swim training, I began my freshman year at St. Mary's College of Maryland and became a proud member of the swim team.
By telling my story, I want to make a positive influence on the world. I am just trying to live each day to the fullest and inspire other people never to give up their dreams no matter how bad a situation is. I remember when I was still in my hospital bed, I would have my mom and dad push me around in my wheelchair to the other rooms to see the other patients and talk to them and their families. I wanted to let them know that everything was going to be okay. Somehow, things would work out for the best. | high8265.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "women passengers can get some desserts onboard."
},
"options": [
"women passengers can visit the toilet before boarding.",
"women passengers can get some desserts onboard.",
"women passengers can visit the toilet on boards fr... | Japan's All Nippon Airways, which has asked passengers to visit the toilet before boarding to help the environment, said Tuesday it will fit its jets with a women-only lavatory .
ANA will introduce one female-only toilet per aircraft on international flights next month after a survey of women fliers identified it was the second most attractive service they wished for after being offered desserts. The rest of the toilets onboard will be for men and women as usual.
"We received many comments that having a women-only lavatory would be a factor in differentiating our airline from others," said an NAN spokesman.
"Many women said that they feel uncomfortable taking their time in the lavatory knowing that a male is waiting just behind them in line," he said. The spokesman denied that the new service was introduced following complaints about men soiling the bathrooms, telling reporters: "Those opinions may exist, but we do not have that data on hand".
Since 2006 ANA has pursued a one - month awareness campaign each year in which it asks fliers on 38
flights and four international flights to visit the bathroom before boarding to reduce their body weight and therefore cut he plane's carbon-dioxide emissions.
The airline is also planning to install "washlets" in it's aircraft-electric toilet seats with water sprays for washing-a common sight in Japan and generally a source of amusement for first-time visitors and users.
The "washlets" will be installed in the Boeing777-300ER,due to begin operating in April, and the Boeing 787 fleet set to start flying this year. | high15411.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A special educational program."
},
"options": [
"A best selling coffee.",
"A special educational program.",
"Government support for schools.",
"A new type of teacher- student relationship."
],
"question": "What ... | EDGEWOOD-EVERY morning at Dixie Heights High School, customers pour into a special experiment; the district's first coffee run mostly by students with special learning needs.
Well before classes start, students and teachers order Lattes Cappuccinos and Hot Chocolates. Then, durning the first period teachers call in orders on their room phones, and students make deliveries.
By closing tome at 9.20 a.m., the shop usually sells 90 drinks.
"Whoever made the chi tea, Ms. Schatzman says it was good," Christy McKinley, a second year student, announced recently, after hanging up with the teacher.
The shop is called the Dixie PIT, which stands for Power in Transition. Although some of the students are not disabled, many are, and the PIT helps them prepare for life after high school.
They learn not only how to run a coffee shop but also how to deal with their affairs. They keep a timecard and receive paychecks, which they keep in check registers.
Special-education teachers Kim Chevalier and Sue Casey introduced the Dixie PIT from a similar program at Kennesaw Mountain High School in Georgia.
Not that it was easy. Chevalier's first problem to overcome was product-related. Should school be selling coffee? What about sugar content?
Kenton County Food Service Director Ginger Gray helped. She made sure all the drinks, which use non fat milk, fell within nutrition guidelines.
The whole school has joined in to help.
Teachers agreed to give up their lounge in the mornings. Art students painted the name of the shop on the wall. Business students designed the paychecks. The basketball team helped pay for cups. | high7156.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A book review"
},
"options": [
"A fascinating story",
"A book review",
"News report",
"A TV programme"
],
"question": "What kind of article does this passage belong to?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"... | WHAT happens to a teenage kid when the world he thought he knew suddenly changes? Find out in Little Brother by American author Cory Doctorow. It is a fascinating book for a new generation of sci-fi readers.
Marcus Yallow, 17, from San Francisco is much more comfortable in front of a computer than obeying the rules of society. Smart, fast and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his high school's monitoring system.This way he and his friends get to head off to play a popular online game in real life.
While they are playing, a bomb explodes on the Bay Bridge. Marcus stops a military vehicle to get help for his injured friend, but this simple act throws him into a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secret prison.There he is treated as a possible terrorist. He is eventually let go after four days, but his injured friend disappears.
When he returns, Marcus discovers that there are many "security measures" in place and that now all citizens are treated like potential terrorists. While some consider this government action necessary for public safety, Marcus sees this as a complete _ of the rights he is supposed to have as a citizen.
He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him with only one thing to do: to take down the DHS himself. He helps organize a large network called Xnet to spread the truth, anonymously .
The book presents a young man who is irresponsible, but learns about himself, and grows, in the course of the story. As part of this learning and growing he becomes aware of very serious issues about his society. | high1527.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "PS8"
},
"options": [
"PS4",
"PS6",
"PS8",
"PS10"
],
"question": "The pocket money for a child in Scotland per week may be _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | Most teenagers in Britain receive pocket money from their parents. A report by the Bank of Scotland interviewed over 1,000 young people in Britain and found that 77% get pocket money. Different families give different amounts of pocket money. The average for eight-to-fifteen-year-olds in the UK is about PS6 a week. Children in Scotland receive slightly more than the national average and Londoners get the most. Teenagers, logically, get more money than younger children. Some fifteen-to-nineteen-year-olds receive more than PS100 a month. The report found that many children save at least a quarter of their weekly pocket money and that more boys than girls save their money. Lots of young people have to do housework to get their pocket money. They help at home with jobs like cleaning and cooking.
A part-time job is a choice for teenagers who don't have pocket money or who want to earn extra money. About 15% of teenagers have a job. Popular part-time jobs for teenagers include delivering newspapers, shop work, and working in a restaurant or cafe. There are strict government laws about working hours. Only children over 13 can work (there are some exceptions, for example, for actors.) On a school day they can work a maximum of 2 hours a day but not during school hours. At weekends and during school holidays they can work longer hours. The national minimum wage for people aged 16-17 is PS3.57 per hour. 18-year-olds must earn a minimum of PS4.83. There isn't a national minimum waged for people under 16.
In Britain some children and teenagers have a bank account. There is no legal age limit at which you can open a bank account but a bank manager can decide whether to allow a child or young person to open an account. Parents can put pocket money directly into their child's bank account and then children can use it to pay for things without carrying money.
Saving or spending pocket money, working part-time and dealing with banks are all parts of the process of becoming a financially independent adult and having to earn and look after your own money. | high13060.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Vessel operators."
},
"options": [
"Tour guides.",
"Whale watchers.",
"Vessel operators.",
"Government officials."
],
"question": "For whom is this text written?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | Do's and Don'ts in Whale Watching
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has developed guidelines for whale watching in Johnstone Strait,where killer whales are found on a daily basis each summer. It is strongly recommended that vessel operators follow these guidelines for all kinds of whales.
* Approach whales from the side, not from the front or the back.
* Approach no closer than 100 metres, then stop the boat but keep the engine on.
* Keep noise levels down-no horns, whistles or racing of engines.
* Start your boat only after the whales are more than 100 metres from your vessel.
* Leave the area slowly, gradually moving faster when you are more than 300 metres from the whales.
* Approach and leave slowly, avoiding sudden changes in speed or direction.
* Avoid disturbing groups of resting whales.
* Keep at low speeds and remain in the same direction if travelling side by side with whales.
* When whales are travelling close to shore, avoid crowding them near the shore or coming between the whales and the shore.
* Limit the time spent with any group of whales to less than 30 minutes at a time when within 100 to 200 metres of whales.
* If there is more than one vessel at the same observation spot, be sure to avoid any boat position that would result in surrounding the whales.
* Work together by communicating with other vessels, and make sure that all operators are aware of the whale watching guidelines. | high1241.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Relaxed."
},
"options": [
"Angry.",
"Curious.",
"Nervous.",
"Relaxed."
],
"question": "How would the newcomer probably feel after hearing what the shop owner said?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
}... | In America, each of the states likes to promote itself with a slogan .I currently live in Utah, where the slogan is "Life Elevated". It's a nod to outdoor entertainment in the high country,including the ski industry. I previously lived in Colorado, a land with red dirt,
great mountains and golden plains. T he slogan there is "Colorful Colorado". Years ago I lived in the "Peach State" of Georgia, and I grew up in New Mexico as a little boy, whose slogan is "Land of Enchantment ".
We never seemed to get away from dust in New Mexico, so I appreciate the story of a newcomer to the Land of Enchantment who learned about dusty breezes. She was visiting an antique shop and the owner wiped down every item before showing it. The newcomer said,"
Everything gets dusty here pretty quickly, doesn't it?""That's not dust, honey," the shop owner replied, "That's ENCHANTMENT.".
That made the problem more acceptable. That an escalator broke. He posted a sign to warn customers. He chose not to use the traditional "Out of Order" or "Do Not Use" warnings. Instead, his sign read,"This Escalator Is Temporarily a Stairway."He turned a minus into humor and made it a plus.
And in fact there are some things, like the weather, we can't change. All we can change is our ways that we think and feel about them. I believe one of the best techniques to do this is to find some humor in the situation. Finding something amusing or enjoyable of difficulty, an irritation or a troublesome problem can be one of the most creative and effective things we can do. Sometimes the only sense you can make of a situation is a sense of humor. | high14069.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the basic principles of the income tax"
},
"options": [
"the basic principles of the income tax",
"how the government works",
"everyone should pay income tax",
"how much tax one should pay for his income"
],
"qu... | One day a teacher was giving her young students a lesson on how the government works . She was trying to explain the principle of income tax .
"You see ," she began , speaking slowly and carefully , "each person who works must pay part of his or her salary to the government . If you make a high salary , your taxes are high . If you don't make much money , your taxes are low ."
"Is that clear ?" she asked . "Does everyone understand the meaning of income tax ?" The students nodded. "Are there any questions ?" she asked . The students shook their heads .
"Very good !" she said . "Now ,I would like you to take a piece of paper and write a short paragraph on the subject of income tax ."
Little Joey was a slow learner . He had lots of problems with spelling and grammar , but this time he at least seemed to understand the task . He took his pen and after a few minutes , he handed the teacher the following composition :
Once I had a dog . His name was Tax .
I opened the door and in come Tax . | high8503.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Change your parents' behaviors."
},
"options": [
"Listen to your parents.",
"Work for your family.",
"Build their trust.",
"Change your parents' behaviors."
],
"question": "What's NOT the proper way to improve r... | As a teen, you're going through big changes physically and mentally. Your interests are expanding. And your desire to take control of your own life is growing.
Here is the challenge: Kids need to explore the world in new ways, and parents need to protect them from the dangers that are out in that world. These conflicts can easily set off fireworks in otherwise calm houses. Sometimes conflicts can't be avoided. But by paying attention to the building blocks of successful relationships, you can work towards making home a happy and healthy place for you and your parents.
For instance, try to find a time to talk when your parents are not angry, tired, distracted, or hungry. A good time to talk is when you're all relaxed . Timing is everything. If the conversation begins to turn into an argument, you'd better calmly and coolly ask to stop the conversation for now. You can pick it up again when everyone's more relaxed. Listen to what your parents are saying, and repeat it back to them. This shows them that you're listening. It also gives them a chance to clear things up if you're not on the same page.
Respect is the building block of good communication. People who respect each other and care about each others' feelings can disagree without things getting ugly.
You are more likely to get along with your parents and have more independence if your parents believe in you. How do you build trust? Trust comes by actually doing what you say you're going to do. Some teens find that doing fun activities with their parents can improve their relationships. Sometimes we forget that parents are more than rule-makers---they're interesting people who like to watch movies, and go shopping ---just like their teenagers!
What do you do if you are trying your best, but your relationship with your parents continues to be rocky ? You may consider seeking outside help. You can find supportive adults, such as a teacher or a coach, who can
r.
Remember you can only change your own behavior; your parents are the only ones who can change theirs. | high15377.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They have no sense of what is right or wrong."
},
"options": [
"They are fast, flexible and accurate.",
"They usually function normally.",
"They have no sense of what is right or wrong.",
"They are honest and have no re... | In many businesses, computers have largely replaced paperwork, because they are fast, flexible, and do not make mistakes. As one banker said, "Unlike humans, computers never have a bad day." And they are honest. Many banks advertise that their transactions are "untouched by human hands" and therefore safe from human temptation. Obviously, computers have no reason to steal money. But they also have no conscience, and the growing number of computer crimes shows they can be used to steal.
Computer criminals don't use guns. And even they are caught, it is hard to punish them because there are no witnesses and often no evidence. A computer cannot remember who used it: it simply does what it is told. The head teller at a New York City Bank used a computer to steal more than one and a half billion dollars in just four years. No one noticed this theft because he moved the money from one account to another. Each time a customer he had robbed questioned the balance in his account, the teller claimed a computer error, then replaced the missing money from someone else's account. This man was caught only because he was a gambler. When the police broke up an illegal gambling operation, his name was in the records.
Some employees use the computer's power to get revenge on employers they consider unfair. Recently, a large insurance company fired its computer-tape librarian for reasons that involved her personal rather than her professional life. She was given thirty days' notice. In those thirty days, she erased all the company's computerized records.
Most computer criminals have been minor employees. Now police wonder if this is "the tip of the iceberg". As one official says, "I have the feeling that there is more crime out there than we are catching. What we are seeing now is all so poorly done. I wonder what the real experts are doing--the ones who really know how a computer works." | high7630.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "At 8:00 am ."
},
"options": [
"At 6 am .",
"At 9 am .",
"At 8:00 am .",
"At 9:30 am ."
],
"question": "If you are a student in Britain, when do you begin to go to school?",
"question_type": "factiod_question... | The British are very polite and have good manners--they are never tired of saying "Thank you","I am sorry", or "Excuse me." They have good table manners. They enjoy their breakfasts and most of all the traditional tea around 4 or 5 o'clock.
The normal working week has five days. Factory workers usually start at 8 am and offices, shops and schools open at 9 am. Workers have 3 weeks' holidays and professional workers(people with higher education ) have usually longer holidays (a month or more). Except these holidays they have public holidays: e.g. New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
An average Englishman like to live in his own house. Houses are made of red bricks, stone and wood. The house usually has from 4 to 6 rooms, two floors, small front and back gardens. On the ground floor there is a hall, a kitchen, a living room with a fireplace and on the first floor there are parents' and children's bedrooms and a bathroom. The prices of houses depend on the area--the most expensive are the houses in London and South England (about 200,000 pounds); smaller houses in other areas may cost about 50,000 pounds.
Social Welfare--The National Health Service gives largely free treatment for everyone living in Britain. People can choose their family doctors. In case of emergency you can call the ambulance by dialing 999 from everywhere. Health centres are run by local authorities. About 7 percent of hospitals, dentists and family doctors work as private.
There are about 130 daily and Sunday newspapers and a lot of weekly papers and magazines. The oldest newspaper is The Times. Other famous newspapers are Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Financial Times, etc. | high12418.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "work more than 10 hours a day"
},
"options": [
"work more than 10 hours a day",
"devote himself to accounting",
"fly to some places in the world",
"have a day off in a week"
],
"question": "Most new business own... | Who is there among us who hasn't dreamed of having his or her own small (maybe , several years later , even big )business , and having wonderful freedom , both from a boss and from the time clock ; the freedom to make up our own rules for our work , and our own plans --arranging our own hours of work ? That way work would be both painless and fun. Or, so we imagine.
Well, in fact it isn't quite as simple as that. Yes , it is true that being the boss has its satisfactions and that you can arrange your working hours freely if you own your own small business . But in those early years of starting your own business, you shouldn't think of a free day, not to mention flying off for a month's vacation. It is not unusual for new business owners to work seventy or eighty hours a week , and if there is a day off , that day might need to be devoted to accounting .
But this negative picture doesn't destroy the beautiful hopes. The possibility of getting something wonderful in return--both material and mental--continues to drive that large number of people who start up small businesses each year in the United States. | high11111.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "October1"
},
"options": [
"January1",
"May 1",
"October1",
"December25"
],
"question": "From the passage we know that China's National Day is _",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {... | A holiday is any day when people lay aside their ordinary duties and cares. The word came from Old English. At first, holidays honored some holy events or persons. People in Great Britain and other countries speak of holidays as Americans speak of vacations.
Every nation has its special holidays. China _ New Year's Day (January 1), May Day and National Day as legal holidays , as it was on Oct.1,1949 that the People's Republic of China was founded. The Chinese have long celebrated the Chinese lunar year. In the United States, congress has declared several days as legal holidays such as New Year's Day (January 1), Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday, Washington's birthday, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day and so on. Some holidays celebrated special events in the development of a country, such as Greece's Independence Day, Italy's Liberation Day and India's Independence Day.
In the United States, banks and schools usually close on a legal holiday. When such a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday is usually observed. Schools and organizations often observe days known as traditional holidays, although schools and business do not close then. Those holidays include Valentine's Day and Halloween. | high3456.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Three."
},
"options": [
"One.",
"Two.",
"Three.",
"Four."
],
"question": "From the text, how many places have the name Valencia?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_... | Valencia is in the east part of Spain . It has a port on the sea, two miles away on the coast. It is the capital of a province that is also named Valencia.
The city is a market centre for what is produced by the land around the city. Most of the city's money is made from farming. It is also a busy business city, with ships, railways, clothes and machine factories.
Valencia has an old part with white buildings, colored roofs, and narrow streets. The modern part has long, wide streets and new buildings. Valencia is well known for its parks and gardens. It has many old churches and museums. The University in the centre of the city was built in the 13th century.
The city of Valencia has been known since the 2nd century. In the 8th century it was the capital of Spain. There is also an important city in Venezuela named Valencia. | high2990.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Methods of reducing traffic congestion"
},
"options": [
"Methods of reducing traffic congestion",
"Solutions to decrease traffic problems",
"How to manage car traffic service",
"How to control the number of cars"
],... | Road congestion costs drivers billions of dollars every year due to wasted gas and time.In addition, traffic on roads results in increased engine idling and unnecessary emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.Some of the major reasons for road congestion are narrow streets, accidents, parking on roads due to shortage of parking facilities, avoidance of public transportation and more private vehicles.Traffic congestion can have stressful effects on commuters , the economy and the environment. Are there any solutions?
Use public transportation, such as trains, trams, buses and taxis. These modes of transport carry a large number of people at one time and greatly reduce the number of cars on the road.Moreover, it will save you from driving stress, save time and help the environment.
If you have an empty seat in your car, consider car pooling by finding other people who might be headed to a destination near yours. This will not only help reduce traffic congestion, but also journey expenses.In addition, it will decrease driving stress as each person would get a break from driving.This is also environmentally friendly and a sustainable way to travel as it would reduce carbon. emissions.
By raising gasoline taxes, the government would have extra funds to construct highways, subways and alternative roads. Moreover, it will also reduce congestion as commuters would find it cheaper to use other modes such as carpools and public transportation.
Introduction of road toll would also help reduce congestion.Road tolls requires commuters to pay a fee for using the particular road. This will encourage commuters to use other modes where they would not have to pay this fee every day.
While commuting, keep your radio on so that you can stay informed about all live traffic updates aired.Avoid using roads that are already congested due to accidents or other reasons.This will help reduce congestion to some extent. | high18653.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He sings songs on his way to work."
},
"options": [
"He repeats the words of songs.",
"He sings songs on his way to work.",
"He dances in his own home.",
"He shares music with other drivers."
],
"question": "Acc... | We all, at one time or another, have pretended to be a rock star, singing and dancing along to our favorite song. Most of us have done this in the privacy of our own room when we were kids and as adults, in the privacy of our homes. Me? I love to do that when I drive! I turn on the radio, find a song that I can sing along too and pretty soon my arms are in the air and I am moving along to the rhythm. Most of the time, I do this on my way to work.
Yes, that is true, I will be in my nice work clothes, jamming while driving or stopped at a traffic light I get weird looks from some people and others laugh. Personally, I love to get lost in the rhythm of a song which leads me to share with you the importance of being silly!
The definition for the word silly, according to the dictionary is: stupid, foolish and nonsensical. I know many people do not want to look foolish. So they walk around all serious, which in all honesty, is foolish!
No one is perfect, I repeat: no one is perfect. I don't care how educated, how thin, how beautiful, how simple, how frugal , how rich, and so on...No one is perfect! So why pretend to be something you are not?
Life is so short. You never know when this beautiful journey will be over, so why waste a single second on being so full of rigidity ? Here is a quote by Souza, that I think says it all and is a great recipe for life:
"Dance as though no one is watching you,
Love as though you have never been hurt before,
Sing as though no one can hear you,
Live as though heaven is on earth."
When we were kids, we had no idea of what limitations were and we had no care in the world so we could do things without worrying about how we appeared to others. However, as we grew up, we lost that childlike innocence.
So don't lose the child that still lives within you. The next time you feel down, go turn on your favorite song, and sing and dance along like there is no tomorrow or watch something that makes you laugh. Laughter is the best medicine to whatever ails (......) you and nothing is better than laughing so hard that your stomach hurts. Trust me, you will feel a whole lot better, and who doesn't want to feel good? | high5027.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He fell from the 13th floor."
},
"options": [
"He fell from the 13th floor.",
"He was hit by an ambulance.",
"He got caught in a serious flood.",
"He made a record for high-diving"
],
"question": "What do we lea... | The man traveling in the back of the ambulance which was running at a high speed along the streets of Baltimore that morning in2008 had no business to be alive. By everything that was reasonable, and there were plenty of such things before, he should have been very dead indeed. But he wasn't. As the people in the hospital pointed out after they had examined him, he was only slightly hurt. Yet he had just fallen 150 feet down a hotel lift shaft!
Unknown to the man, two things had occurred which were to affect his life that day. On the thirteenth floor of the hotel, somebody had carelessly left the lift gate open. Down in the basement, a pipe had burst and it had flooded from the bottom of the lift shaft to a depth of two feet.
Modern lifts have all sorts of fail-safe system to prevent accidents, but this was ancient equipment unreliable, slow, dangerous, and unsuitable material to recycle.
The man had plenty of things to occupy his mind that morning. He had overslept. The hotel had forgotten to call him and now he was late for an important business appointment. He dressed quickly, shaved hurriedly, took hold of his briefcase and hurried off down the hotel corridor.
Good! The lift gate was open. The lift must be there. He need not press the button and wait while the large, clumsy lift made its way upwards. Without looking or thinking, he stepped out into space, The lift cage was, in fact, one floor above him on the fourteenth. The lift shaft which he had walked was a narrow space of not very fresh air, ending150 feet below in two feet of dirty water.
The man fell, making his journey to the ground at a speed he had never dreamed of. Confused patterns, a rush of air, time enough to be afraid, split-second thoughts of death, then crash!
Perhaps this gave him the record for some sort of high-diving act. No doubt in future he always looked before he jumped. Certainly he learnt that this was no way to save time. The experts said that those two feet of water had saved his life. | high17560.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Book campgrounds in advance."
},
"options": [
"Know the permitted paths.",
"Book campgrounds in advance.",
"Make sure not to make a fire.",
"Stop at Mather and Desert View."
],
"question": "What can you do first... | Five million people visit Grand Canyon in the US every year. For the purpose of helping project Grand Canyon for your fellow visitors and future generations, please follow the guidelines below.
Camping
To protect the park, camping is allowed only within permitted campgrounds. Permits are required for overnight camping at the North Rim. Advance booking can be received by mail. Please write: Information Center, P. O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023
Fires
Because of the extreme fire danger, campfires are not allowed except at Mather and Desert View campgrounds. Collection of firewood is not allowed either.
Hiking
Please stay on permitted paths. If you don't do so, you may destroy desert plants. _ , so you leave no signs of your visit. It is important to keep in mind that you are in a national park where wildlife exists.
Weather
The weather at Grand Canyon can change very quickly. With so much rock, lightning causes a particular danger during sudden summer storms. These storms also frequently bring floods inside valleys, a danger to hikers. Watch the skies and check daily weather reports.
Wildlife
Do not feed park wildlife. There have been a few cases at Grand Canyon National Park where deer were purposely shot because they ate plastic bags that left them sick and weak. Hungry deer can be a danger and have kicked and bitten visitors at Grand Canyon. Some other animals will also beg and bite. For your own safety and the well-being of the animals, please do not feed wildlife, no matter how gentle they may appear. | high3442.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "helping the disabled ride their bike safely"
},
"options": [
"winning James Dyson Awards",
"helping people become confident",
"applying for a patent for the invention",
"helping the disabled ride their bike safely"
... | Inspired by a 9-year-old cyclist who uses only part of one hand, a group of University of Guelph students has won an international award for their invention--a bike brake lever . It pulls both the front brake and the back brake at the same time.
Lauren Turner was able to ride her bike, but not as confidently and quickly as her friends.
"She couldn't use the front brake. She was only using the back brake, but the front brake makes you stop twice as fast," says Micha Wallace, who with Katie Bell, Anina Sakaguchi and Andrew Morris won second prize in the James Dyson Awards for their single-handed bike braking lever.
"She used it all last summer and she had no problems. She said it helped her go faster because she felt more confident in her braking abilities. She felt safer." says Wallace.
The invention was the fourth-year design project for the four students. They designed, tested and created a prototype within a four-month period.
When Wallace heard about the James Dyson Awards on the news, she and her co-inventors entered their project in the UK-based contest. The contest mainly rewards student designers who create products that improve the way we live. The Guelph students collected the second prize -PS2,000 for them, plus PS500 for their school.
As well, they had a chance to meet James Dyson, a UK inventor. While praising the students for their creativity, Dyson said the single-handed lever could improve safety for all cyclists. "By using both brakes at once," he explains, "you could prevent the possibility of flying over the handlebars and ending up with an injury."
The students are hoping to sell the patent to a major company. It may be used in other devices that require two hands for operation. | high19559.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "always look for praise"
},
"options": [
"always look for praise",
"increase self-confidence",
"become strong",
"do better in their studies"
],
"question": "According to some researchers, if parents praise their ... | According to some researchers, you should not praise children for everything that they do. It does not help them build self-confidence.
Most parents and teachers agree that praise can help increase children's self-confidence --the more, the better. However, according to some researchers, only proper praise is good for children. If adults praise everything children do, it makes children look for praise all the time, not trying to do their best. "Teachers should not say things like 'good job' or 'nice work' whenever a child does anything. They should encourage them to continue to improve," some researchers advise.
Another idea is that children with high self-confidence are happier, and do better at school. About this, Marshall Duke, a researcher in children, says, "High self-confidence brought in by too much praise does not make children happier, get more, or become able to do more. Finding a child's advantages and developing them can help build confidence more than too much praise can." Praise also loses its effect if it is given equally to all students.
"It's important to tell children the truth about what they've done. Honest feedback is far better than empty praise," Duke adds. "People have got into the habit of not telling children when they're wrong. That makes it hard for them to deal with difficulties when they grow up. That's just how the world is." | high2984.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "should go and buy tickets all by yourself"
},
"options": [
"call 60605 - 2496(312) - 922 - 9410 to register a ticket",
"should go and buy tickets all by yourself",
"can ask others to buy a ticket for you",
"should make ... | The Field Museum
Hours
Regular hours are 9:OOam - -5 :00 pm, daily. Last admission at 4:00 pm. Open every day except Christmas.
Admission We have several ticket choices for you to choose from. Advance tickets may be purchased at the will - call booth in person at the museum before 4 :00 pm.
Getting Here
The Field Museum is located on Chicago's Museum Campus, at 1400S, Lake Shore Drive , just south of Roosevelt Rd.
How to get here : by car or public transit or free trolley.
Parking
Visitor parking in all lots on the Museum Campus is $ 15 per day. This includes the Adler lot, the north garage, the Waldron garage and the east museum lot.
Hours for the north garage and Adler lot are 5 :00am - 5 :00pm. Mon - Fri and 6:00am - 5 :00pm weekends ; east museum lot 9 :00am - 3 :00pm. Designated handicapped parking is available in every lot.
When all other lots are full, parking will be made available in the remote south lot for $8 per day.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the parking lot will only accept cash payment,which will need to be paid upon entering the garage.
Please note :These hours and rates are for daytime only and do not apply when special events are scheduled at the museums or Soldier Field.
Getting here during Chicago Bears Home Games
During bears home games and other major special events at Soldier Field, access to the Museum Campus can be challenging. No museum visitor parking is available on the Museum Campus during bears home games. However,public transit remains a great way to get to the Campus every day of the year. For more information , call the Regional Transportation Authority at ( 312) 836 - 7000 or visit www. rtachicago. com. Additional parking is available at the Monroe Street garage, located at 350East Monroe Street. | high5033.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They can't resist the temptation of the products."
},
"options": [
"They are not allowed to hang out long.",
"They are protected from strangers and injuries.",
"They enjoy themselves most when playing outside.",
"They c... | Children spend more time messaging each other on phones and websites than talking in Person ,a survey has revealed. Text messages and social networking sites have become the common mode of youngsters aged 8 to 14.
A survey of modem childhood found that many youngsters are conscious that they are spending too much time on their computers and enjoy themselves the most 'when playing outside. But the lure of electronic products proves too strong for a quarter, while a fifth say their parents don't like them playing outside because they are worried about strangers and injuries.
The "iGeneration report" suggested that youngsters are increasingly health-conscious and skeptical of commercialization, including gender-based labelling on toys and pop videos released by singers. More than half of those questioned care about eating healthily and one in 10 lectures their own parents about the food they are eating or buying. 42 percent of those questioned own a smartphone , with 36 percent admitting to spending more time communicating with friends via instant messaging, such as texts or networking websites, than talking in person Only one child in 100 said that being happy, having a loving family and being clever were taken as the most crucial elements in their lives.
Cary Cooper, the professor of organizational psychology and health at Lancaster University , said social media were contributing to youngsters becoming more independent. They had a sense of individuality due to exposure to a range of media.
The survey follows major statebacked research which found that youngsters are turning their back on drink, drugs and smoking. It found a dramatic drop in the number of secondary school students trying and regularly using drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Some analysts said that thanks to the rise of social media, millions of teenagers are spending their time at home in their rooms rather than out on the streets. | high18647.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the International Potato Center"
},
"options": [
"the World Health Organization",
"the International Potato Center",
"the government of Mozambique and Uganda",
"the United Nations Food and Agriculture organization"
... | People who do not get enough vitamin A in their diet may develop night blindness.But in the developing world a lack of vitamin A causes much more serious harm to children.The World Health Organization links the lack of vitamin A to as many as 250.000 child deaths every year.
One excellent source of vitamin A is found in sweet potatoes with orange flesh.Orange sweet potatoes contain high levels of beta-carotene ,which our body can change into vitamin A. Experts say orange sweet potatoes specially bred (,) for growing conditions in Africa
could help solve the lack of vitamin A there.
But, first, more people will need to be persuaded to eat them. Jan Low with the International Potato Center, a research organization says the sweet potato needs a better image in Africa. Jan Low says,... We do have an image problem with sweet potato in general in sub-Saharan Africa. It is seen as a crop of the poor. " Ms Low explains that sweet potatoes are mainly grown by poor women to feed their families in case another crop fails. The sweet potatoes commonly grown if Africa have white or yellow flesh. But, more importantly, they are low in vitamin A.
Jan Low took part in a project to study how best to market orange sweet potatoes to Africans.She worked on an information campaign in Mozambique and Uganda.The campaign included radio messages about the nutritional benefits of the orange sweet potato.They advertised its ability to" fight diseases, make you strong, clear your skin and make you look healthy." In areas without radio, the campaigners spread the message through community theater.The performances included singing, dancing and storytelling.And everywhere they went, the campaigners wore orange T-shirts and hats.They even drove orange vehicles.Jan Low says the color1 made it easier to gain public attention.
Dan Gustafson heads the Washington office of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. He points to efforts in the past to increase the popularity of other nutritious crops. He says most of these efforts failed because organizers of the campaigns did not consider what people wanted to eat.But Mr.Gustafson sees a better chance for the efforts to increase the popularity of the orange sweet potato in Africa. For one thing, except for the color1, the vegetable is similar to what people already use. | high17574.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "introduce a newly-developed robot in Japan"
},
"options": [
"give praise to advanced robots in Japan",
"introduce the development of robots in Japan",
"tell readers the advantage of the robots in Japan",
"introduce a ne... | It can greet people, show DVDs and hand out balloons. "Ubiko", a robot-on -wheels with a catlike face, is joining the crew of temporary workers supplied by a Japanese job-referral company, Ubiquitous Exchange, to stores, events and even weddings. Next month, the 44-inch tall robot will be selling mobile phones at a store.
Ubiko can be hired as a temporary worker for two hours for 105,000 yen, or $890.
"We see this as serious business. There are jobs that robots are better at," Akiko Sakurai said "people do develop a relation with the robot, and it's lovable."
The $255,000 robot, which is equipped with a camera and sensors, greets customers with a nasal electronic voice, shows DVDs with a projector in its head and hands out balloons and other goods with wireless remote-controllable arms.
Ubiko sounds like a Japanese female name, which often ends with "ko".
Tmsuk, the Japanese company that makes the robot, sold three last month to hospital, where they are working as full-time, rather than temporary, receptionists and guides. One of the hospital's robots serves as a receptionist and has been programmed to greet visitors. It also has a touch-panel on its body, and visitors can use it to get directions for where they want to go.
"Just give it electricity, and a robot can work for long hours, even do repetitive work, and you don't have to worry about labor laws," Sudo said.
Japan's lower birth rate means that in the coming years it could face a labor shortage, and some experts believe robots could be part of the key to that problem. Robots are very popular in Japan partly because of the popularity of cartoons that describe robots as friends and assistants to humans. | high1255.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "supportive"
},
"options": [
"supportive",
"negative",
"defensive",
"sensitive"
],
"question": "The auther's attitude towards a gap year may best described as _",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
}
] | Whether or not to go to university will probably be the biggest educational decision you ever make. After battling with student finance, deciding whether or not to take a year out can be as terrifying as deciding where to move to for the three years.
Some students will have planned their year out for months, but, for others, slipped grades may force a gap year , either to retake exams or to apply to different universities. Others might just need time to think. Thankfully, for U.K. students, taking a gap year remains a good option and it can be one of the most productive and fulfilling years of their life.
Whether you've planned and budgeted for a year abroad, or have made a last-minute decision to delay your first year, the options are endless. Traveling, volunteering and so on are all there for the talking. With so many things on offer, it's important to remember that 12 months won't be enough time to do all of them, so decide early and work towards making whatever you want to do a reality.
Researching a gap year is exciting, and often the place to start is at home. Family and friends can be a great source of inspiration. Your school or college might be fully equipped to advise you on what to do when further education is _ . Don't underestimate the power of the Internet, either. Typing a "gap year" into a search engine might seem too obvious, but planning to travel around the world for months on your own is not appropriate.
To stay at home or go abroad is likely to be the first question you consider, but in this era of budget flights, doing both is practicable. A European inter-rail ticket can be as little as PS 159. For those loving traveling, they must be on the special watchfulness for tricks in the process. Agencies can organize your year abroad for you, and often, it is more effective to make the bookings through the agencies. But flights and other forms of transport within Asia and America are much cheaper when bought in the countries rather than bought in advance. | high13712.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Intelligent networks."
},
"options": [
"Steam engines.",
"Mass production.",
"Use of electronics.",
"Intelligent networks."
],
"question": "What marks the coming of Industry 4.0?",
"question_type": "factiod_... | The term "Industry 4.0" refers to the fourth industrial revolution. The first industrial revolution was the production of goods with machines like steam engines, which was followed by the second industrial revolution that introduced mass production with the help of electric power, followed by the digital revolution --the use of electronics and IT in production.
Industry 4.0 is a high-tech project, which promotes the computerization of manufacturing . The basic principle of Industry 4.0 is that by connecting machines, work pieces and systems, we are creating intelligent networks along the entire value chain that can control each other automatically. The goal is the Smart Factory, which adapts well and uses resources efficiently as well as linking customers and business partners with great intelligence. Technological basis are the Internet systems and advanced factories. Experts believe that Industry 4.0 could be a reality in about 10 to 20 years.
So, what effects does this change have on the classic manufacturing? According to an expert, "it is highly likely that the world of production will become more and more networked until everything is connected with everything else." Networks and processes have so far been limited to one factory. But in the time of Industry 4.0, the boundaries of individual factories will most likely no longer exist. Instead, they will be lifted in order to inter-connect multiple factories or even geographical regions.
How is an Industry 4.0 factory different from a today's factory? In current industry environment, providing high-end quality service or product with the least cost is the key to success. Factories are trying to increase their profit as much as possible. In the time of Industry 4.0, various data sources are available to provide worthwhile information about different aspects of the factory. Using data for understanding the current condition and checking faults and failures is a natural thing. _ will enable these connected systems to manage themselves independently, work more efficiently and identify any errors quickly.
The good news is that Europe is much better prepared for the Industry 4.0 revolution than one might think. Europe will position itself as a pioneer in the fourth revolution. Industry 4.0 is a project in the high-tech strategy of the German government. Meanwhile, in the U.S., some companies are also working hard on it. But the success of industry depends on whether business and politics can work together. It's not only politics that needs to help open the door for Industry 4.0. Every company is advised to seize the new digital opportunities. | high9609.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "he was fond of getting close to nature"
},
"options": [
"he was fond of getting close to nature",
"he liked living in the countryside",
"he was free from worry",
"he often spent holidays with his family"
],
"que... | Love, success, happiness, family and freedom--how important are these values to you? Here is one interview which explores the fundamental questions in life.
Question: Could you introduce yourself first?
Answer: My name is Misbah, 27 years old. I was born in a war-torn area. Right now I'm a web designer.
Q: What are your great memories?
A: My parents used to take us to hunt birds, climb trees, and play in the fields. For me it was like a holiday because we were going to have fun all day long. Those are my great memories.
Q: Does your childhood mean a lot to you?
A: Yes. As life was very hard, I used to work to help bring money in for the family. I spent my childhood working, with responsibilities beyond my age. However, it taught me to deal with problems all alone. I learnt to be independent.
Q: What changes would you like to make in your life?
A: If I could change something in my life, I'd change it so that my childhood could have taken place in another area. I would have loved to live with my family in freedom. Who cares whether we have much money, or whether we have a beautiful house? It doesn't matter as long as I can live with my family and we are safe.
Q: How do your get along with your parents?
A: My parents supported me until I came of age. I want to give back what I've got. That's our way. But I am working in another city. My only contact with my parents now is through the phone, but I hate using it. It filters out your emotion and leaves your voice only. My deepest feelings should be passed through sight, hearing and touch. | high919.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Sleep to Succeed"
},
"options": [
"Too Much Sleep",
"It's Homework Time",
"Sleep to Succeed",
"Math Problems"
],
"question": "What is the best title for the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"ans... | Have you ever stayed up late? If so, you know that not getting enough sleep can leave you tired and grumpy . Not sleeping enough can also make it harder to think clearly the next day.
Sleep experts have long known that getting a good night's sleep is important.
It helps kids perform their best during the day. A recent study shows that sleep helps improve problem--- solving skills and creative thinking.
For the study, two groups of volunteers answered a math problem. The group that slept for eight hours solved the problem correctly more often than the group that did not get enough sleep.
While you sleep, your brain is busy doing its "homework". It sorts out information from your day. Getting enough sleep each night can _ your brainpower. That will help you do your best in school. Experts say that, in return, can lead to better grades. | high15363.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "tell us some unwritten rules of lift etiquette"
},
"options": [
"remind us to enjoy ourselves in the lift",
"tell us some unwritten rules of lift etiquette",
"share an interesting but awkward lift ride",
"analyze what m... | You may not pay much attention to your daily lift ride. Many of us use a lift several times during the day without really thinking about it. But Lee Gray, PhD, of the University of North Carolina, the US, has made it his business to examine this overlooked form of public transport. He is known as the "Lift Guy".
"The lift becomes this interesting social space where etiquette is sort of odd ," Gray told the BBC. "They (Lifts) are socially very interesting but often very awkward places."
We walk in and usually turn around to face the door. If someone else comes in, we may have to move. And here, according to Gray, lift users unthinkingly go through a set pattern of movements. He told the BBC what he had observed.
He explained that when you are the only one inside a lift, you can do whatever you want--it's your own little box.
If there are two of you, you go into different corners, standing diagonally across from each other to create distance.
When a third person enters, you will unconsciously form a triangle. And when there is a fourth person, it becomes a square, with someone in every corner. A fifth person is probably going to have to stand in the middle.
New entrants to the lift will need to size up the situation when the doors slide open and then act decisively. Once in, for most people the rule is simple--look down, or look at their phones.
Why are we so awkward in lifts?
"You don't have enough space," Professor Babette Renneberg, a clinical psychologist at the Free University of Berlin, told the BBC. "Usually when we meet other people, we have about an arm's length of distance between us. And that's not possible in most lifts."
In such a small, enclosed space it becomes very important to act in a way that cannot be construed as threatening or odd. "The easiest way to do this is to avoid eye contact,"she said. | high8517.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "3."
},
"options": [
"3.",
"4.",
"7.",
"8."
],
"question": "The number of the countries which have been reported on death cases of Ebola so far mainly is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | David Nabarro, the UN special envoy , told the reporter the number of Ebola cases was currently increasing rapidly, but greater community awareness would help contain the virus.
People were becoming aware that isolating those infected was the best way to prevent transmission, he added. So far, there have been more than 8,300 confirmed and suspected cases of Ebola, and at least 4,033 deaths. Most deaths - 4,024 - have occurred in the west African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Cases have also been reported in Nigeria, Senegal, Spain and the US.
Mr Nabarro said that the number of new cases was "quite frightening", as the spread of the disease was currently accelerating. At the beginning, many west African communities did not understand that the outbreak was an infectious disease, he said.
"I think we've got much better community involvement which leads me to believe that getting it under control within the next three months is a reasonable target," he continued.
"By under control I mean... the numbers of new cases each week _ compared with the previous week to the point where there is no new transmission."
The Ebola virus is spread by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or animal.
Meanwhile, New York's JFK airport began screening passengers from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea for the Ebola virus on Saturday, in an attempt to stop the outbreak. Passengers from those countries will have their temperatures taken and have to answer a series of questions.
Checks at O'Hare in Chicago, Newark, Washington's Dulles and Atlanta's airport will begin in the coming days. The screening system is being introduced after the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the US died in Texas on Wednesday. | high7624.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "anyone who wants to take up exercise"
},
"options": [
"a social worker",
"a physician who is in charge of physical checkups",
"any would-be sportsman",
"anyone who wants to take up exercise"
],
"question": "Who ... | The first step in exercising for most people is determining whether or not they should. This is particularly true with anyone over thirty-five, especially if they have been heavy smokers. Likewise, young adults who have been very inactive should proceed slowly and with caution. A physical evaluation from a physician is recommended, preferably one that includes an exercise-stress test. While a person is exercising, a stress test detects cardiovascular problems that might not show up when the body is at rest. This is done by monitoring blood pressure, pulse rate, oxygen consumption, and the heart's electrical activity while exercising.
Whatever exercise program is selected, it is important to start with warm-up periods. These should include stretching exercises, jumping jacks, or active walking. The idea is to increase heart rate and circulation slowly without placing a sudden strain on the heart or the muscles that are starting to work.
The next phase in developing an exercise program is to determine the amount of exercise that is enough to condition the muscles and cardiovascular system without excessively exhausting the body. This involves taking one's pulse and finding one's target zone. This target zone, or safe-training pulse rate, is established by subtracting one's age from 220 and then taking 60 percent to 80 percent of that total. If you are just starting to exercise, 60 percent is recommended; 80 percent is recommended if you are already in good condition. | high23809.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It grows quickly after it's cut short."
},
"options": [
"It is thin and easy to cut.",
"It grows everywhere.",
"It grows quickly after it's cut short.",
"It is short and green."
],
"question": "How is bamboo lik... | Bamboo is one of the nature's most surprising plants. Many people call this plant a tree, but it is a kind of grass.
Like other kinds of grass, a bamboo plant may be cut very low to the ground, but it will grow back very quickly. A Japanese scientist recorded one bamboo plant that grew almost 1.5 meters in 24 hours! Bamboo grows almost everywhere in the world except Europe . There are more than 1,000 kinds of bamboo that grow around the world on both mountains and plains.
Not all bamboo looks the same. Some bamboo plants are very thin. They may only grow to be a few centimeters wide while others may grow to more than 30 centimeters across. This plant also comes in different colors, from yellow to black to green.
Many Asian countries have been using bamboo for hundreds of years. They often use bamboo for building new buildings. As a matter of fact, the cables hold up the hanging bridge across the Min River in Sichuan are made of bamboo. The bridge has been in use for more than 1,000 years, and is still holding strong.
In Africa, engineers are teaching poor farmers how to find water using bamboo. These African countries need cheap ways to find water because they have no money, and their fields often die from no rain and no water. It seems that bamboo is one of the best things they can use. Bamboo pipes and drills can help to make the poor thirsty fields be watered. | high15405.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Dolan made the film \"Mommy\" at the age of 25."
},
"options": [
"Xavier Dolan made a film called \"J'ai tue ma mere\" when he's 17.",
"When Suzanne Clement first met Dolan, she doubted his talents.",
"Dolan made the film \"M... | Suzanne Clement first met Xavier Dolan when he was 17 -- an "ambitious, intelligent, hyperactive" young director who wanted to make a film called "J'ai tue ma mere" ("I Killed My Mother").
The Quebecois actress never doubted his talents. Now eight years later, she stars in his acclaimed film "Mommy," which has been selected as Canada's foreign-language entry to the Oscars.
"I think 'Mommy' is like a continuation of this amazing authenticity that he puts into his work," said Clement in a recent telephone interview. "He's saying something very deep. And he started to say those deep things about his life when he was doing his first movie."
The film focuses on a trio of troubled characters: widowed mother Diane (Anne Dorval), her violent son Steve (Antoine-Olivier Pilon), and Kyla, a shy, mysterious neighbour with a terrible stammer who offers to help (Clement).
While the dynamic between Diane and Steve is perhaps the most important, Kyla's character is equally _ . The viewer knows she is on leave from her teaching job and she recently stammered, but the reasons are left somewhat vague.
She said Dolan contacted her last summer, shortly before "Mommy" began filming, and sought help in fleshing out Kyla's story. "He told me, 'I have this third character and I'd love you to play her, but she's not very, very definite now. If you want to talk about her and give your input, I'd like to build her.'" she recalled.
"Mommy" opens in Toronto on Friday before screening in other Canadian cities. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where audiences gave it a lengthy standing applause before it was awarded with the prestigious Jury Prize.
After appearing in Dolan's "J'ai tue ma mere" in 2009, Clement went on to star in his film "Laurence Anyways," for which she won the Cannes Un Certain Regard award for Best Actress in 2012. | high8271.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Polite and humorous ."
},
"options": [
"Polite and humorous .",
"Happy and romantic .",
"Kind and friendly .",
"Out-going and humorous ."
],
"question": "Which of the following words can best describe Danes ?",
... | Denmark is one of the happiest nations on earth with some of the best quality of life . You don't need statistics to understand the Dane's happy lot . Walk around any Danish town and you'll experience some of the most harmonious civic spaces anywhere . Their intimate scales and perfect transport systems combine the rich history and bold modern lines of the built environment to delight the eye , and the locals' manners and sense of humor is refreshing .
Denmark's capital Copenhagen is a remarkable city with well-preserved medieval streets , renowned art galleries , Michelin-starred restaurants and a healthy business center . Finding something to do is never a problem and if all else fails , just admiring the streets with a hotdog in hand is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours .
Beyond the capital and the bigger cities , Denmark offers a mix of lively towns such as Ribe and Odense plus rural countryside , medieval churches , Renaissance castles and tidy 18th-century villages .
The coastline of Denmark with its sand dunes and greenery is a sight that always attracts visitors . So , no matter what time of year you're in Denmark , you shouldn't miss out on a trip to the nearest beach .
It's hard , in short , to find fault with the place . The visitor's most heartfelt complaint is usually the cost of visiting Denmark . True , it is not a cheap destination , but no more so than the UK , and which nation's public transport system would you rather use ?
Cheer yourself up by thinking of the country's remarkable organization and clockwork railway timetable as being financed by the extremely high taxes paid by your hosts . When viewed in this way , this first-rate destination seems like good value , and you get the fairy tales thrown in for free : the Danish royal family is genuinely loved and respected by the vast majority of its citizens , not least handsome Prince Frederik , his beautiful Australian-born princess-bride , Mary , and their young family . | high7142.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because his school would shut down without her money."
},
"options": [
"Because his school would shut down without her money.",
"Because Mrs White learned many things during school time.",
"Because no businessman wanted to em... | White was the owner of a private school in a town. Last year, he married one of his classmates.The beautiful woman spent much time in learning nothing during middle school. But she wasn't worried about anything in the future, because her parents were very rich and could provide her with everything.So he could make poor Mr White listen to her. Mr White was busy in dealing with school affairs and his wife had to stay at home alone.But she hated the lonely and boring life.Her father introduced her to some businessmen who wanted to employ her .But she wanted to stay with children.So her husband was asked to allow her to work in his school.At first her husband didn't agree with her. She didn't supply money to him any more, so the poor man had to give in.Otherwise , his school would shut down for lack of her money. The woman could not teach students, because she knew neither maths nor physics.She thought she often played in the zoo,so she decided to teach biology.But she didn't know how to teach the subject at all.She thought hard, and finally she decided to bring the students to the zoo.
Pointing to a crocodile, she shouted ,"Look at it carefully! It's a whale!"
"Excuse me ,madam," said a student. "It's a crocodile!"
"Shut up!" Mr White said angrily. "It's a whale!" | high1533.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They love plants and flowers."
},
"options": [
"They are pet lovers.",
"They love plants and flowers.",
"They are fond of catching lizards.",
"They hate technology."
],
"question": "What do we know about the aut... | We are much happier in our new house because it has a large garden, and you know how enthusiastic we both are about gardening. When we moved in a month ago, Mary wanted to get a dog to keep out burglars. However, we finally decided that it would be cheaper to put an iron grille in front of the door and get a burglar alarm.
Last week, I went to a shop and bought an alarm for just over PS200. It consists of a control unit with three smaller units. I put the control unit in the lounge and put the other units in place by the front door, back door and lounge windows.
That night I soon fell asleep because I was confident that no one could get into our house undetected. At about 1:50 a.m. I woke up suddenly and heard the siren. It was like an ambulance driving right through our bedroom. I couldn't leave the siren on all night. I went downstairs in the dark. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I switched on the light and looked around. Oh my gosh. The back door was unlocked. I rushed to lock it and it was just at that exact moment that the 'burglar' disappeared behind a curtain. Guess what? It was an ordinary house lizard .Apparently the alarm system had been made for American or European homes in which lizards are never seen. I switched the alarm off and sat down to watch. A few moments later, a lizard ran across a wall, right in front of one of the alarm units.
I won't bother to finish this story but if you'd like a burglar alarm system free of charge, just let us know. | high13074.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Marion Jones"
},
"options": [
"the writer himself",
"Marion Jones",
"IAAF president",
"US federal agents"
],
"question": "The main character in this passage is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},... | US track star Marion Jones owned a trophy case filled with medals. She had worldwide fame. She held the high honor of being the first female track and field athlete to win five medals at an Olympics -- the 2000 Sydney Games.
But last Friday, the 31-year-old track star tearfully confessed that she had lied to fans, sports official and US federal agents about taking steroids.
The five Olympic medals in her trophy case? Gone. Meaningless. The worldwide fame? Exchanged for infamy. The honor of being the first female track and field athlete to win five medals at an Olympics? Forgotten, wiped off the record books.
"It is with a great amount of shame that I stand before you and tell you that I have betrayed your trust." Jones confessed.
She'd posed for pictures with fans. She'd attended parties and talked about her accomplishments. But for years she'd slept --- or tried to sleep -- knowing that much of what she had done was built on a lie.
Now, finally, she'd decided to tell the truth.
"If she had trusted her own natural gifts and allied them to self-sacrifice and hard work, I sincerely believe that she could have been an honest champion at the Sydney Games." IAAF President Lamine Diack said over the weekend. "Instead, Mario Jones will be remembered as one of the biggest frauds in sporting history."
Sadly, she won't be the last. There are still others lurking behind their trophies. They too appear to have everything. They're superstars, the envy of every young person who has played a sport. But for how long? And at what cost? Every time they look at their trophies and medals they remember that the awards really belong to someone else. | high21978.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Being focused while eating is a good way to have a good figure."
},
"options": [
"Being focused while eating is a good way to have a good figure.",
"Adults' weight is not affected by their eating habits.",
"There exist many i... | Imagine you are doing this reading in this text on the computer; what else are you doing? Maybe you're eating a sandwich or drinking a cup of Starbucks. Should you eat while reading?
There aren't many believable numbers, but we do know the number of people who eat while sitting in front of some type of screen is growing. A recent study found that 33 percent of families always have the TV on during meal times and another 27 percent people have it on at least half the time. Another 10 percent may be texting, emailing or talking on a cell phone while eating.
Any type of these behaviors is bad, considering the following evidence:
A Canadian study found that children who watch more than three hours of cartoons a day are 50 percent more likely to be fat than children who watch fewer than two hours. The researchers concluded that more than 60 percent of overweight incidents can be connected with screen watching too much.
A three-week study found that adults who usually play with smartphones less burned 119 more calories per day.
One Chicago researcher found that people eat more potato chips while reading online than when they have the laptop turned off.
There has been very little investigation into eating with your eyes staring at a screen or reading a book, but it is likely that his mindless eating is related to weight gain. Simply speaking, your brain has no idea what is going on with your mouth because it is occupied by other things. You don't notice how full your stomach is, and you often don't even notice the taste or the act of chewing and swallowing, as a result of which, developing an adapted dietary habit is a must. | high5755.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Inspiring."
},
"options": [
"Diligent.",
"Faithful.",
"Inspiring.",
"Stubborn."
],
"question": "Which word best describe Clay Dyer's deed?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | The other day I was watching Sportscenter when one of those "human interest " stories came on and really caught my attention.
The hero was about a 27-year-old professional Bass Fisherman named Clay Dyer. At first, they played it off as another guy trying to make the cut on the Bassmaster tour until they showed a picture of him. No legs, no arms, or rather, he was only1/3 of his right arm. That's all that he has.
It was such an amazing story that I was wondering what this guy could do. Growing up, he learned to play baseball and basketball, but found that fishing was his true calling. And he does it all on his own. He holds the fishing pole under his chin and uses that and his stub arm to cast and reel in the fish. He uses his teeth to help him unhook fish. He ties his own hooks on with his mouth, never really asking anyone else to help. Clay Dyer even knows how to swim. Since his body can't produce enough sweat on its own, he has to take a dip in the lake every few hours to keep cool. He dives in just like anyone else, then somehow treads water with his stub arm, then, with a little help, pulls himself back up into the boat and goes on fishing.
Clay Dyer has never looked for others' pity, nor has he allowed his physical disabilities to prevent him from becoming a professional fisherman. His motto for life is "If I can, you can."He refuses to use special equipment, saying, "I want to do it with one hand the way they do it with two. | high18121.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The entrance fees of the two parties will not be charged."
},
"options": [
"The two parties will be held on the same day.",
"Both ads give the contact number.",
"The entrance fees of the two parties will not be charged.",
... | Ad 1
April Fool's party
On Friday, April 1, Inner Affair goes back to the days of funk! Classic Tunes from the 70's and 80's by DJs Den & Sion, 9pm till late.
Tickets: Free entrance for those in costume, otherwise 50 yuan (US$6)
Time/Date: 9 pm, April 1
Place: Inner Affair, 1/F Qiankun Dasha, 6 Sanlitun Xiliujie, Chaoyang District
Tel: 8454-0321
Ad 2
The "worst" party
Organized by ozone productions, the party is set to be "the worst ever", with the lamest music from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Special prizes will be awarded to the worst dressed or for bad fashion sense.
Tickets: Free entrance
Time/Date: 9 pm, April 1
Place: Pula Pula, Tianze Lu, Oriental Seven Colours Plaza, Chaoyang District
Tel: 6466-8575
Ad 3
La Nuit Francaise
Again on the 2nd Thursday of the month La Nuit Francaise will be held at Le Rendezvous. The monthly event is an opportunity for all French people and everyone interested in France or speaking French to gather together.
The evening features three glasses of wine for participants and a special exhibition.
Time/Date: 7 to 10 pm, April 14
Place: Le Rendezvous, 3 Gongti Beilu, across from the Pacific Century Plaza, Chaoyang District
Tel: 6462-9110
Ad 4
Marco V
Dutch DJ Marco V drops by Banana for a gig which is supported by Hong Kong's DJ Spark.
Marco V has been around for many years, as an inventive, style blending deejay and a successful and devoted producer. His spinning is energetic, crowd pleasing and never sees an empty dance floor. He was ranked No. 15 in this year's international DJ MAG DJ Top100.
Tickets: 40 yuan (US$4.80) in advance, 50 yuan (US$6) at the door, both including a free drink
Time/Date: 10 pm to 4 am, March 31, April 1
Place: Banana, in the lobby of the Scitech Hotel, 22 Jianwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
Tel: 6528-3636 | high11663.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A team of the Girl Scouts."
},
"options": [
"A team of the Boy Scouts.",
"An army.",
"A team of the Girl Scouts.",
"A sports team."
],
"question": "What is Alaska's Troop 34?",
"question_type": "factiod_ques... | Last spring, members of Alaska's Troop 34, based in Fairbanks, trudged out into the snowy wilderness to take part in their state's Take a Kid Trapping program. In many parts of the state, beavers are pests and need to be controlled.
The 10-to-12-year-old girls found out where beavers lived, set traps, and skinned the two animals they caught. The girls hope to catch ten more beavers so that the entire troop can make mittens and hats with the fur. They also want to cook beaver meat.
Troop leaders and members say the Scouts are doing a good deed by helping control the state's beaver population. But animal-rights activists say trapping is cruel. They want the Girl Scouts to stop in their tracks.
Beavers aren't only causing a problem in Alaska. Residents in Sampson County, N.C., have turned to a local committee to help them battle the growing beaver population there.
County landowners are frustrated after the county spent more than $ 50,000 in eight years trying to reduce the beaver population through a government program. The joint state and federal program included paying money to trappers for every beaver carcass they trapped.
Many local residents say that the program didn't work because there were too few trappers. That's why the county set up its own committee to investigate other ways to control the area's beaver population.
The county will rely on its own beaver-trapping program. It has hired a trapper to set traps in various areas. The county will pay $10 for every beaver carcass.
Why do many people say that beavers are a nuisance? For beavers to survive, they need lots of water. Water provides the large rodent with a place to hide from meat - eating animals. Beavers also store food underwater for the winter. When there's not enough water in a particular area, beavers get busy building dams.
Beaver dams can cause major flooding and damage to the surrounding countryside as the animals cut down trees to use in their construction projects. Beavers build canals to transport heavy objects. | high3324.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Nancy's office gathers used clothes from women"
},
"options": [
"Low-income women can get jobs at \"Dress for Success\"",
"Nancy's office gathers used clothes from women",
"Nancy's grandfather lent her the money to set up the... | When Nancy Lublin got $5,000 from her grandpa in 1996, she never once considered taking a vacation or paying off student loans .Instead, the 24-year-old New York University law student began thinking about helping low-income women get better jobs. "If a woman goes for a job interview poorly dressed, she won't get the job." Lublin says. " but without a job, she can't afford suitable clothes."
So with the money Lublin founded "Dress for Success" and began collecting women's clothes which were still in good condition but which their owners no longer needed. "So many women have clothes lying around that they will never wear again," one of Lublin's assistants says "Nancy's idea is so simple and yet so important to women."
Many women come to Lublin's office before going to a job interview. Here, they receive a suit, shoes and any other things they need. Since it was set up, more than 1,000 women have turned to "Dress for Success" for help. Many of them have won jobs. Some have round jobs after being out of work for many years. Jenny, a 32-year-old woman who was recently hired as a law-firm office manager , says, "I made a good impression because of "Dress for Success" | high8259.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "American Idol was started earlier than Super Girl."
},
"options": [
"Male applicants from Hong Kong won't be accepted to attend Happy Boy show.",
"American Idol was started earlier than Super Girl.",
"It was Hunan TV that mad... | Chinese mainland's star-making reality TV show "Happy Boy" will not be open to male applicants from Hong Kong, prefix = st1 /Taiwan, Macau or other foreign cities, said the country's top TV industry committee yesterday.
Happy Boy is the male version of Super Girl, which is regarded as the Chinese version of American Idol. The girl's event, operated by central China's Hunan TV, drew an audience of 400 million for the final match in 2005. The country's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television approved the male version earlier this month. However, the regulation that only mainland's male applicants are allowed to register was released just days before the application procedure began on Wednesday inChangsha, one of the five mainland cities to hold the contest. The other four includesChengduand three undecided cities.
The regulation _ Hunan TV's ambition to extend the series to the overseas market, an official with the TV station told the Hunan-based Xiaoxiang Morning yesterday. "My Hero," another star-making reality show byShanghai's SMG Dragon TV, said it was not informed of the regulation, and it is still receiving foreign applicants, said an official with Dragon TV. A previous regulation by the administration has made clear that televised talent shows can't run for more than six weeks at a time. While the first "Happy Boy" may last for five months, according to a previous report.
Last year there were about 10 influential star-making TV shows across the country, among which those from CCTV, Hunan Satellite TV and SMG's Dragon TV, were the most popular. "Super Girl" ran for almost five months and "My Hero" lasted four months. While the shows have proven popular, they have also earned many complaints from people who say they are crude and not satisfactory. | high22281.txt |
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