questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Because he treats the audiences as brilliant adults and knows how to explain complex ideas."
},
"options": [
"Because he knows how to use a notebook and how to play jokes.",
"Because he is handsome and has a writing team.",
"... | You might say that one reason Barack Obama is president of the US is because he knows how to give a good speech.
Since 2004, Obama has written and delivered thousands of speeches. These are usually praised for two reasons: he treats the audiences like intelligent adults, and he is able to express complicated ideas in a straightforward, natural way.
Before becoming president, Obama was a lawyer, a college professor, and a successful writer---his two memories have become best-sellers.
What's more, he has some secret weapons.
Teleprompter: Obama doesn't go anywhere without his Teleprompter. The textbook-sized panes of glass holding the president's prepared remarks follow him wherever he goes to speak.
Writing team: Obama has a team of people who write his speeches. The writers chat with Obama for hours about what he wants to say. They listen to recordings of past presidential addresses and seek advice from advisers. Obama usually edits and rewrites the drafts several times.
Tricks for lighthearted speeches:
Make fun of the guests: Obama starts his speech by gently teasing his guests. His opening lines grab the audience's attention while giving them an opportunity to relax and laugh at themselves and each other.
Make fun of yourself: A good rule for speechmakers: If you're going to make a joke about someone else, be sure to make one about yourself, too. Obama mocks his own poor choices for filling the position of Commerce Secretary, saying, "No president in history has ever named three Commerce Secretaries this quickly." In fact, his first two nominees for the position withdrew their names for different reasons. In a process that had otherwise gone smoothly, the Obama Administration was tripped up by the problem of filling the Commerce seat. | high22435.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The Tower of London."
},
"options": [
"Whitehall Palace.",
"The Globe Theatre.",
"The Tower of London.",
"Tower Bridge."
],
"question": "Which of the following places has the longest history?",
"question_typ... | The following are the world-renewed attractions in London, so don't miss them while touring there.
Shakespeare's Globe
Shakespeare's Globe, which officially opened in 1997, is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, built in 1599, and brings Shakespeare's world to life. As a visitor to the exhibition,you'll discover how shows were produced in the theatres during Shakespeare's time. The guide-storytellers take you on a fascinating half-hour tour.
Price: Adult PS9.00;Child(5-15) PS6.50; Student PS7.50; Under 5 FREE.
The Tower of London
The tower, nearly 100 feet high, with walls 15 feet thick, was built in the early 1080s. King Henry III made this tower his home. King Edward V and his younger brother were murdered inside by their uncle. Queen Elizabeth I was shut up in the tower for two months by her half sister Mary who felt that her throne was being threatened . In 1603, part of the tower became a museum.
Price: Adult PS16.50; Child (5-15) PS9.50; Under 5 FREE; Student PS13.50; Family (two adults with three children) PS46.00.
Banqueting House
Banqueting House is the remains of Whitehall Palace which was built in 1529 and was home to the English kings. It was destroyed by fire. Famous for its architecture and painting, the building is also known for being the scene of Charles I's execution .
Price: Adult PS4.50; Child PS2.25; Student (with ID) and senior citizen (60+) PS3.00; Under 5 FREE.
Tower Bridge Exhibition
Tower Bridge has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the finest, most recognizable bridges in the world. At the Tower Bridge Exhibition you can enjoy breath-taking views from the high-level walkways and learn about the history of the bridge and how it was built. You can then visit the Victorian engine rooms, home to the original steam engines that used to power the bridge.
Price: AdultPS6.00; Child (5-15) PS3.00; Under 5 FREE; Senior citizen(60+) PS4.50; StudentPS4.50. | high15299.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Be a good listener."
},
"options": [
"Don't be too clever",
"Be a good listener.",
"Don't miss anything critical",
"Think of the speaker"
],
"question": "Which is the best title for this passage?",
"question... | Too often we accuse others of not listening, pretending that we ourselves are faultless, yet in our hearts we know that many of the mistakes we make come about because we haven't listened carefully enough. We get things wrong because we haven't listened carefully enough. We get things wrong because we haven't quite understood what someone meant when they were talking to us. Anyone who has ever taken the minutes of a long meeting will know how hard it is to remember-- despite the benefit of notes-- exactly what everyone said. But success depends on getting things right--and that means listening.
Listening is not the same thing as hearing; it is not an effort actively. It demands attention and concentration. It may mean quizzing the speaker for additional information or for clarification------ it is always better to ask than to continue regardless and get things wrong. However, if you allow your mind to wander onto something else, even for a few minutes, you'll miss what the speaker is saying------ probably at the very moment when he or she is saying something critical. And not having heard, you won't know you've missed anything until it's too late.
The most common bad habit we have is to start thinking of what we are going to say about the subject long before the other speaker has finished. We then stop listening. Even worse, this often adds rudeness to inattentiveness, as once you have decided what to say there is a fair chance you will interrupt to say it. Good listeners don't interrupt. In fact it is often worth explaining the main idea of what you have just been told before going on to make your own points. Nobody is offended by this and it shows that you have listened well.
Above all be patient and accept that many people are not very good communicators. It's helpful to remember that the ways people move and position themselves while they are speaking can reveal a great deal about what they are saying. Equally important you should put yourself in the other person's place, both intellectually and emotionally; it will help you to understand what they are getting at and form a response. But don't be too clever. Faced with a know-all, many people keep quiet because they see no point in continuing. | high22353.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "At the Eiffel Tower."
},
"options": [
"At the Eiffel Tower.",
"At St Pancras International.",
"At the Champs Elysees",
"On the Seine River."
],
"question": "Where will the tourists have their lunch?",
"quest... | Enjoy an unforgettable day in the French capital on this luxury day trip from London to Paris,with an included Champagne lunch at the Eiffel Tower! Travel on Eurostar from St Pancras International and enjoy a panoramic sightseeing tour taking in Paris'top sights.
Highlights
/Romantic experience,perfect for couples
/Round--trip fares
/Travel by boat and see the sights from the water
/Lunch included
Make your own way to St Pancras International station and meet your professional guide.The departure time is 6 am.Board the Eurostar and relax as it takes you to Paris in Just over 2 hours.If you wish,upgrade to 1st Class and enjoy breakfast served on board and dinner on your return journey.
Once you arrive in Paris ,join your guide on an air-conditioned coach for a patioramic sightseeing tour.See top Paris attractions such as the Champs-Elysees,Arc de Triomphe and Opera House as you hear fascinating facts about the city.
Next,arrive at the Eiffel Tower for your Champagne lunch.Skip the possible long admission lines with your fast-aecess ticket and ride the elevator to the stylish 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant on the first floor.Take your seat and enjoy a glass of Champagne and delicious 2-course lunch with the full views of the city providing a truly magical baekdrop!
Afterward,enjoy a 1-hour sightseeing tour along the Seine River.Take photos and listen to the helpful commentary as you pass sights, such as soaring Notre Dame Cathedral and the island,Ile de la Cite
Next,either choose to use some free time to shop or sightsee,or take a guided visit to the magnificent Louvre Museum(own expense)to see Leonardo da Vinci's exquisite Mone Lisa and other masterpieces.
In the late afternoon,return to Gard du Nord,station and catch the Eurostar back to St.Pancras.Your tour ends when you arrive at around 8:30pm. | high9095.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The cold is a very common illness in America"
},
"options": [
"America has a population of at least 1 billion.",
"Americans tend to suffer colds because they live in cold areas.",
"The cold is a very common illness in America... | Don't worry, be happy and, according to new research, you will also be healthy. It is estimated that over the course of one year, Americans suffer 1 billion colds. But new research shows that all it may take to avoid this common affliction is a positive and upbeat attitude.
People who are energetic, happy and relaxed are less likely to catch a cold than those who are depressed, nervous or angry, finds a new study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine. Healthy volunteers first underwent an emotional assessment in which they were asked to rate their tendency to experience positive and negative emotions--how often they felt pleased, relaxed, happy, or anxious, depressed and hostile. The subjects were next given a squirt up the nose of a rhinovirus, the nasty little germ that causes colds.
Researchers then watched the volunteers to see who came down with a cold and waited to see how the unlucky ill manifested their cold symptoms. "We found that people who regularly experience positive emotions, when exposed to rhinovirus, are ly protected from developing illness," said Dr. Sheldon Cohen, lead author of the study and a psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University." Increases in positive emotional styles were linked with decreases in the rate of clinical colds, but a negative emotional style had no effect on whether or not people got sick," Cohen said.
So how can your emotions influence your health? In simple terms, when the brain is "happy" it sends messages to our organs that help keep the body healthy and sound." It's like a drug that is released by your state of mind and simply changing the state of mind can produce effects on the rest of the body through the nervous system and hormones," said Dr. Neil Shulman, associate professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and author of Doc Hollywood. "Your chance of developing the common cold, pneumonia, or even cancer may very well be decreased by keeping your brain in a healthy state."
In addition, happy and relaxed people tend to better health practices than their negative and stressed counterparts. They are more likely to get plenty of sleep and to engage in regular exercise, and have been shown to have lower levels of certain stress hormones. | high21882.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Jackson's L."
},
"options": [
"Rolls Royce is now for show and will finally be sold",
"Jackson has sold 10.4 million albums since June",
"Jackson's L.",
"Jackson's stock in music and his image will keep on earning money... | On March 5, 2009, Michael Jackson stood in front of crowds of fans. Before screaming fans, he pronounced with pumping arms: "This is it!"
A few months later, Jackson was dead. With the late pop star's return to radio, television and the cultural events, Forbes judges that Jackson has made $90 million since his death June 25. This figure is based on his royalties from album sales, radio play, rights to his name and royalties from his stock in the Sony/ATV music catalog .
Jackson's music was his most easily-seen source in the last months. "Nothing increases the value of an artist than death ... an untimely death," says Barry Massarsky, a music industry economist.
The music's immediate value was clear. Since June, Jackson has sold more than 5.9 million albums in the U.S. and another 4.5 million overseas. In the first weeks after his death, there were 5.6 million single downloads across North America, Europe and Australia. Jackson recently has three of the top 20 best-selling albums of the year in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan. His 2003 hits album Number Ones is the best seller of the year, beating Taylor Swift's Fearless.
More than 500,000 Jackson ringtones and 100,000 music videos were sold. In the week following his death, songs by The Jackson 5, The Jacksons and Michael were played over 100,000 times on the radio, according to Nielsen BDS.
Jackson's estate will likely see more money by the end of this year, as it has rights to some of the profits from This Is It as well as the two-disc album of the same name. The estate will share 90% of the film profits with AEG.
Ticket sales from an exhibit opening in London will also contribute a likely profit. Hundreds of Jackson's personal belongings-his L.A. Rolls Royce etc-will remain on show for three months at the O2 for fans willing to shell out $25 for a view.
The pop singer bought ATV Publishing, for $47.5 million in 1985. Ten years later, he sold the catalog to Sony for $95 million and took a 50% stock in Sony/ATV, which is now worth about $1.7 to $2 billion. So he still owned half the Sony/ATV catalog at his death.
Jackson's future earning potential is based on his stock in valuable music and as well as the value of his image . As many musicians, actors and artists before him, Jackson's fame could have a long tail on the market with allowable products, advertising and entertainment events. | high10487.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a wooden greenhouse"
},
"options": [
"a metal greenhouse",
"a grass greenhouse",
"a wooden greenhouse",
"a brick greenhouse"
],
"question": "According to the author, it is better to build _ .",
"question_... | What a great project this is, building your own greenhouse! If you're a gardener, then a greenhouse is necessary no matter where you live. As long as you've got some good plans, it's possible to build a backyard greenhouse within just a few days. It's a great way to impress the neighbors!
Metal greenhouses are practical, I agree, but they look ugly. If you build your own backyard greenhouse from wood, you'll end up with a lovely looking Victorian-style greenhouse, which will last very long if you treat it with the correct wood protection.
Of course you'll save a lot of money in the process too. How much exactly? It's difficult to say as it depends on how much glass costs where you live. After all, there isn't much wood required, as it's only the actual frame that is wooden.
To make sure you save the most money, it's best to take your plans to wherever you plan to buy your materials. That way you won't end up wasting any money on unnecessary materials.
To be honest, saving money is not the main reason for building your own greenhouse. It's the fun you'll get from building it and the pleasure you'll get from showing it off to your friends and family that makes the project worth doing.
Nothing beats the feeling when someone asks you where you bought something and you turn around and say "Oh, actually, I built it myself!" That feeling is priceless! You'll never feel like that over something you've bought! | high20544.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He did some basic and easy things."
},
"options": [
"He was a very lucky man.",
"He didn't come across difficulties.",
"He did some basic and easy things.",
"He set himself long-term life goals."
],
"question": ... | People often ask me how I became successful in that six-year period of time while many of the people I knew did not. The answer is simple: The things I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do.
I found it easy to set the goals that could change my life. They found it easy not to. I found it easy to read the books that could affect my thinking. They found that easy not to. I found it easy to attend the classes. They said it probably really wouldn't matter. Six years later, I'm a millionaire and they are all still blaming the economy, the government and company policies. They neglected to do the basic, easy things.
In fact, the primary reason most people are not doing can be summed up in a single word: neglect. It is not the lack of money - banks are full of money. It is not the lack of opportunity - the government continues to offer the most opportunities. It is not the lack of books - libraries are full of books - and they are free! It is not the schools - the classrooms are full of good teachers. We have plenty of good advisors. The major reason that so few take advantage of all that we have is neglect.
Don't do the things which cause us to feel guilty and guilt _ our self-confidence. As our self-confidence reduces, so does the level of our activity. And as our activity goes down, so do our results. And as our results suffer, our attitude begins to weaken. And as our attitude begins changing from positive to negative, our self-confidence becomes even less ... and on and on it goes.
So my suggestion is that when giving choice of "easy to" and "easy not to", do not neglect to do the simple, basic, "easy" but potentially life-changing activities. | high11941.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Serious educators."
},
"options": [
"Top managers.",
"Language learners.",
"Serious educators.",
"Science organizations."
],
"question": "Who are most probably interested in Ralph W. Tyler's memoir?",
"quest... | Anyone who cares about what schools and colleges teach and how their students learn will be interested in the memoir of Ralph W. Tyler, who is one of the most famous men in American education.
Born in Chicago in 1902, brought up and schooled in Nebraska, the 19-year-old college graduate Ralph Tyler became _ while teaching as a science teacher in South Dakota and changed his major from medicine to education.
Graduate work at the University of Chicago found him connected with honorable educators Charles Judd and W. W. Charters, whose ideas of teaching and testing had an effect on his later work. In 1927, he became a teacher of Ohio State University where he further developed a new method of testing.
Tyler became well-known nationality in 1938, when he carried his work with the Eight-Year Study from Ohio State University to the University of Chicago at the invitation of Robert Hutchins.
Tyler was the first director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, a position he held for fourteen years. There, he firmly believed that researchers should be free to seek an independent spirit in their work.
Although Tyler officially retired in 1967, he never actually retired. He served on a long list of educational organizations in the United States and abroad. Even in his 80s he traveled across the country to advise teachers and management people on how to set objectives that develop the best teaching and learning within their schools. | high5877.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "how to keep a knocked-out tooth healthy"
},
"options": [
"how a dentist can save a knocked-out tooth",
"how to keep a knocked-out tooth healthy",
"how Dr.Courts and other researchers made their experiments",
"how to put... | What do you do if you are hit in the mouth and one of your teeth is knocked out? A dentist may be able to put the tooth back in for you, but you have to get to the dentist first.In the meantime, you have to store the tooth so that it will stay healthy.
The simplest thing to do is put the tooth back into your mouth, or you could put it in milk.Frank Courts, a dentist at the University of Florida, worked with other researchers to find the safest way of keeping knocked-out teeth.He tried putting teeth into milk, into water, and into cell-culture medium .He also tried, just drying the teeth in the open air.He used teeth that had to be removed from people's mouths for various reasons.The teeth were put into one of the solutions or stored in the air for one hour.Then cells from the root of the teeth were scraped-off the teeth.Dr.Courts and the others then studied how healthy these cells were.
The cell-culture medium worked best to keep a knocked-out tooth healthy outside the mouth.However, few people keep cell-culture medium handy at home or in school.
The next best thing was milk.But Dr.Courts said that the best thing of all was to wash the tooth and put it right back into its socket in the mouth.For some people, though, this is just too painful or upsetting.So milk will do, until you get your tooth (and your mouth)to a dentist. | high11799.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "On top of the Shard"
},
"options": [
"On top of the Shard",
"On River Thames",
"In a London restaurant",
"At the Houses of Parliament"
],
"question": "Where can you overlook the whole city when touring London?",... | Headington Oxford Summer School welcomes all students throughout the world and provides a fantastic summer school experience. It is close enough to visit London, which is a beautiful city in its own right and also has a number of attractions nearby.
London:
A trip to the UK would not be complete without a visit to the capital city of London. During the 'London Day' all students will have a chance to see famous tourist attractions such as Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square. The students will also enjoy a boat trip on River Thames and a ride to the top of the Shard, an 87-storey building in London for a breathtaking view of the city. There will also be dinner in a London restaurant before heading back to the school.
Thorpe Park:
With over thirty extreme rides and attractions, and one of the world's most terrifying roller coasters, enjoy an exciting day out at one of the nation's most popular theme park
Bath:
Spend the day exploring this beautiful historic city with impressive architecture, including a visit to the famous Roman baths. Students also have the opportunity of a fantastic shopping experience in this famous market towns!
Thinktank Science Museum & Birmingham:
Spend the morning in the interactive state of the art science centre followed by an afternoon exploring Birmingham with time for shopping in the Bullring Shopping Centre.
Warwick & Stratford:
Visit one of medieval England's most beautiful castles full of history, tales and adventure. Afterwards, enjoy exploring the picturesque streets of Stratford Upon Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
Brighton:
This beautiful seaside town provides a fun-filled day out for all students. The day includes a visit to the Royal Pavilion and its museum as well as Brighton Pier and beach. There is also time for shopping in the famous Brighton Lanes before heading back to school. | high7090.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "to prove that his father could do anything he wanted to"
},
"options": [
"to show that his father-s real interest was not in making violins",
"to prove that his father could do anything he wanted to",
"to give an example prov... | When I was a boy, my father told me that he could do anything he wanted to.Dad said that he wanted to be the first to develop color1 prints in our city, and so he did.
When I was 16, Dad looked closely at the violin I played and announced that he wanted to make one. He read about violin making, and then became a violinmaker at the age of 43.He bought the tools and materials, opened a small store and set Mom up as the shopkeeper, while he worked at a local company. He retired from the company 17 years later and continued to make violins and other instruments.
Dad often guessed why the Stradivarius violins sound so beautiful. Some experts claimed that it was the unique varnish that gave those instruments their beautiful sound. Dad argued that chemists could analyze the varnish--if that were the answer.
One of Dad's friends asked him once which kind of wood was used to make violins.When Dad explained that the top was made of spruce , his friend said that he had an old piece of spruce Dad might be interested in.
He worked for the next 12 months making a violin from the wood that his friend had given him. It proved to be a superior violin and it would become Dad's masterpiece. He was convinced that the secret of the Stradivarius sound was in the wood itself.
Later, the instrument was stolen.Dad's spirit was broken by the robbery, and he stopped making instruments. But he kept the music shop until he was 80 years old, selling guitars and violins.
My father has been gone for 14 years now. The violin has been missing for more than 25 years.Somewhere a musician is playing a late 20th century violin with an excellent tone. The owner today may never understand why this ordinary-looking violin sounds so much like a Stradivarius. | high23065.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the author's mum enjoyed good health at 83."
},
"options": [
"the author's office was not far from her home.",
"the author's mum enjoyed good health at 83.",
"the author was completely wet that night.",
"the author open... | It was just a windy January day here in the North East of Scotland. When I left home for the office where I worked in the next town, the weather forecasters said, "Windy and cold, but no rain." However, by the time I was about to leave work in the early evening, it was pouring!
My office was close to the bus stop so that there was no problem; I just shot out the door and onto the bus. Unfortunately, once I got home to Montrose, I had about a mile to walk from the bus stop to my home.
As I stepped off the bus that night to walk home, I struggled to get my tiny umbrella to go up in the strong wind. It was obviously designed for a very light shower. Then, suddenly and to my amazement, I heard my mum's voice.
"Quickly! Come under here, before you get soaked! "
I nipped under my bigger umbrella and stared at mum in surprise. "What on earth are you doing here in this weather?" I asked her. My mum was eighty-three that year, and although fit and healthy, she did not usually like going out in strong wind and heavy rain. "You said to come round for tea tonight, but I came early before the rain got too heavy. Eric told me that your car was in for a service and I saw your big umbrella lying on the chair. Eric was on the phone, so I just picked it up and came out so that I could meet you and you would not get soaked!''
My mum passed away the following year. This simple act remains in my mind, and reminds me how completely my mum loved me. She would not have gone out in the wind and rain for herself, but, at eighty-three, she never gave a second thought about the bad weather so I would not get wet. | high175.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "made her feel her mother's care"
},
"options": [
"made her heart broken",
"made her feel beautiful right then",
"made her feel much better",
"made her feel her mother's care"
],
"question": "The beautiful nightg... | Remember your first romantic disappointment? Remember the pain and unhappiness of breaking up - the _ ? Winne recalls feeling very sad after her first true love deserted her. Her mother came into her room carrying a beautiful nightgown and handed it to her, gave her a hug and said, "I know you are feeling heartbroken. I thought you could use something to make you feel beautiful right now." The nightgown didn't make Winne's hurt go away, but she knew that her mother understood and cared about her feelings.
As a parent, as much as you want to make it all better for your teen, give them space. Tell him or her that break - ups are hard and you are there for him or her whenever he or she wants to speak to you. Then let it go.
Teenage girls often deal with break - ups by talking on the phone with their friends or diving into the Internet for a long chat. They review all the hurts and pains which are being cured. Boys react to broken relationships differently. Boys often become angry since that, unfortunately, is the only emotional choice that society accepts for boys. Some boys hide their pain. Respect your teen, when a relationship breaks up. It takes time to get over it, and the only way to get through that is to get through it.
Sometimes teenagers get into trouble while trying to feel accepted again or win back a loved one. Keep reaching out to troubled teenagers. At first, teens will refuse a parent's attempts to help. Don't be afraid to insist.
Teen break - ups can cause heart - wrenching pain , but sooner or later teenagers should be ready to date again. How can you lead your child toward a healthy relationship? Teens are likely to meet others like themselves through activities. The secret to attracting good people is to become your own independent person who feels good about who he or she is and what he or she is about. | high21672.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "don't value friendship as much as girls"
},
"options": [
"don't care about others as much as girls",
"don't value friendship as much as girls",
"have the same friendship as girls",
"have healthier friendship than girls"... | Boys need friends, suffer when they don't believe they have any, and worry over the ups and downs of relationships. Many adults believe that somehow boys need friends less than girls do, in truth, though, no boy is an island; boys value their friends throughout childhood and adolescence and are happier and healthier when they have solid relationships with peers .
Despite the common belief that girls are better at relationships, most boys consider their friends a very important part of their lives, and boys may actually be better at keeping friendships than girls are. A recent study of 10 to 15yearold boys and girls found that girls' friendships are actually more fragile. Girls tend to say and do hurtful things to each other more frequently than boys, and girls are more hurt by the end of a friendship.
Boys are the living definition of the phrase "peer group"; they love games with rules, competition, and doing things together. Boys seem to enjoy, even need the opportunity to test themselves against others, and many lasting friendships begin in karate class or on the basketball court. Competence and skill are widely respected; being picked last for a team or left out altogether is an experience that can haunt a boy for years.
As boys mature , the friendship becomes even more important, and it frequently widens to include girls. During the teen years, friends can become the most important part of a boy's life--and a part in which his parents are not included. The confusion of being a teenager leads boys to form close bonds with friends. There is the sense for many boys that a friend is someone who is "always there for me", someone he can trust. They may be partners in crime or partners in study, but the friendship of adolescent boys can run surprisingly deep. | high3590.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "necessary"
},
"options": [
"useless",
"easy",
"necessary",
"impractical"
],
"question": "The author thinks that making parents pay for their children's crimes is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | Many crimes and social problems are caused by children. Despite the damage these teenage criminals cause, parents are not responsible in most countries. This article will discuss whether parents should be forced to pay for their children's crimes.
There are many reasons why parents should not be responsible for crimes committed by teenage children. First of all, teenagers today are independent. They often move out of the parents' house at 18 years of age or younger. They are expected to learn to take care of themselves and make their own decisions, and not to stay like small children attached to their parents. Secondly, parents are working. They cannot watch their adolescent children all the time. A third point is that even children from good families can sometimes commit crimes. Parents should not be responsible if they have worked hard to raise their children properly.
However, young troublemakers cause many problems, and I feel we should make parents responsible. Firstly, most juvenile crimes are committed by adolescents whose parents do not care or make any effort to control their children. If parents had to pay fines , they might make more effort. Another point is that even though the children may seem mature, they are not really able to make good decisions. Parents should be responsible for raising and teaching their children until they are fully grown. Furthermore, if children know that their parents will have to pay, they will think carefully before getting into trouble.
In summary, there are good reasons both for and against making parents pay for acts committed by their children. However, I feel strongly that if we want to reduce the number of such crimes, we need to make parents take more responsibility. | high2856.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Power facilities are severely destroyed."
},
"options": [
"Hundreds of people are still missing.",
"A large number of people are homeless.",
"Power facilities are severely destroyed.",
"Factories are closed and many peo... | October 21 was a very dark day in Texas.Not only did Hurricane Hanna destroy homes,it caused the largest business damage in Texas's history.The worst thing is Hanna's destructive force nearly wiped out most power poles and power lines.According to Center Point Energy,Hurricane Hanna affected 2.15 million customers.Currently, more than 4,000 of them are still in the dark.Crews have worked 16-hour shifts to restore power to residents.
Most of Houston seems to be returning to normal.Schools,restaurants,retail stores and gas stations are open.Smiles are back.But harder-hit places,including Galveston,will take much longer to recover. Hundreds of people are still missing,and coastal towns are a mess.Some ruins from storm have drifted south to other beaches in Texas.Several public schools in Galveston are closed due to water damage.Parents are registering kids in other area schools which are scheduled to begin class on November 13.Many school supplies were destroyed.
Clara Barton Village is an emergency shelter located at Alamo Elementary School in Galveston,Texas.This is where Paula Reed and her family are staying.Believe it or not,Paula Reed and her family consider this hurricane a blessing.When Paula was a girl,she was an orphan,but was taken in by her stepmom,Antonia Flores.Reed lost contact with Flores and had been trying desperately to locate her for the past few years.Before the hurricane,Reed and her family moved away from Galveston to a San Antonio shelter.There,she reunited with Flores after 30 long years! The moment they saw each other, their lives were changed. | high18795.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "he was too weak to travel"
},
"options": [
"he was too weak to travel",
"he could hardly be able to speak",
"he could not afford the trip",
"he was waiting for his grandchild to be born"
],
"question": "Ollie di... | My husband Ollie had retired from teaching and we were making plans to travel together to Florida. Then he was terribly ill and became very weak, hardly able to speak. Weeks passed and it became clear that Ollie was near death, but I prayed day and night that he could get better.
One of us was always in Ollie's hospital room--either me, or our grown children, Bruce and Karen. One day, in his broken and weak speech, Ollie told Bruce, "Go home. You should be with Gwen." Gwen was Bruce's wife. They had been married for six years and lived hundreds of miles away. Gwen was about to have a baby. We felt an extra sadness, knowing Ollie would never see his first grandchild.
"I don't want to leave you, Dad," Bruce said. Ollie repeated, "You should be with Gwen." _ , Bruce left. "When the baby comes," he promised Ollie, "you will be the first to know." A few days later, around 2 p.m., Ollie awoke from a sleep. He turned and looked at me. I sat close to hear his weak words. "The baby is coming now. It's a boy," he said. For a moment his eyes were filled with tears. Then he went back to sleep again. Not long after that, Karen ran into the room. "Bruce called," she said, a smile lighting her face. "Gwen gave birth to a healthy baby boy around two o' clock."
Ollie smiled; he had been the first to know. That night, Ollie died in his sleep. | high1387.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "you will stick to"
},
"options": [
"is very relaxing",
"you will stick to",
"produces good results",
"you can spare time on"
],
"question": "In the author's eyes, the best exercise is the one that _ .",
"... | We get it: You're tired. You're busy. And your shoes are away over there. Excuses are OK sometimes, but not every day--and especially not today. So put on your sneakers, get up off the couch, and let us kick your excuses to the curb .
"I...dislike...panting !"
Being really out of breath may mean you're trying too much too soon, which will kill your confidence. But you don't have to be _ to get a workout. Being active doesn't have to mean high-intensity. It's just about moving.
"I hate exercise."
It may seem unbearable, but you just have to get started. Exercise releases endorphins (your brain's own feel-good chemicals), which can be habit-forming. What' s the best exercise? The one you'll do regularly. So you may hate running. Don't run! Ride your bike or just dance. Even cleaning your room is active. As long as you're moving and getting your blood pumping, it counts. So get creative.
"I don't have time."
You may not have lots of time to spare when you're busy with schoolwork, but we bet you can find 10 minutes. Bonus: An activity break will send oxygen to your brain, making you super-alert and more creative too. Famous thinkers like Aristotle and Steve Jobs liked "walking meetings," and you can follow in their footsteps by moving around while you brainstorm about a tough task or memorize your English vocabulary.
"I never see results!"
Even if you train with the help of a professional, you won't see results right away. But you will feel them almost immediately. Don't focus on how your body looks--focus on how you feel. Keep a journal of when you exercise (or don't) and how you feel that day: Stressed? Focused? Tired? When you start noticing the amazing effects of exercise, you'll have no excuses. | high13818.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "one may lose his hearing when he hears a terribly loud noise."
},
"options": [
"one may lose his hearing when he hears a terribly loud noise.",
"one may become deaf when he hears a loud noise.",
"loud noises can cause damage ... | Doctors have known for a long time that extremely loud noises can cause hearing damage or loss. The noise can be the sound of a jet airplane or machines in factories of loud music or other common sound at home and at work. A person only needs to hear the noise for little more than one second to be affected.
An American scientist has found that using aspirin increase the temporary hearing loss or damage from loud noise. He did an experiment using a number of students at a university who all had normal hearing. He gave them different amounts of aspirin for different periods of time, then he tested their hearing ability. He found that students who were given four grams of aspirin a day for two days suffered much greater temporary hearing loss than those who did not use aspirin. The hearing loss was about two times as great.
The scientist said millions of persons in the U.S. use much larger amounts of aspirin than were used in his experiment. He said these persons face a serious danger of suffering hearing loss from loud noise. | high1393.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "optimism can help us overcome our anger and irritation"
},
"options": [
"we should control our anger and irritation",
"we must get well prepared for the future",
"optimism can help us overcome our anger and irritation",
... | How many times have you gotten upset because someone wasn't doing their job, because your child isn't behaving?How many times have you been annoyed when you've planned something carefully and things didn't go as you'd hoped?
This kind of anger and irritation happens to all of us -- it's part of the human experience.
One thing that annoys me is when people talk during a movie. Or cut me off in traffic. Actually, I have a lot of these little annoyances -- don't we all? And it isn't always easy to find peace when you've become upset or annoyed.
Let me tell you a little secret to finding peace of mind: _
See, the cause of our stress, anger and irritation is that things don't go the way we like, the way we expect them to. Think of how many times this has been true for you. And so the solution is simple: expect things to go wrong, expect things to be different than we hoped or planned, expect the unexpected to happen. And accept it.
One quick example: on our recent trip to Japan, I told my kids to expect things to go wrong -- they always do on a trip. I told them, "See it as part of the adventure."
And this worked like a charm. When we took the wrong train on a foreign-language subway system, or when it rained on the day we went to Disney Sea, or when we took three trains and walked 10 blocks only to find the National Children's Castle closed on Mondays ... they said, "It's part of the adventure!" And it was all OK -- we didn't get too bothered.
So when the nice glass you bought inevitably falls and breaks, someday, you might get upset. But not if you see the glass as already broken, from the day you get it. You know it'll break someday, so from the beginning, see it as already broken. Be a time-traveler, or someone with time-traveling vision, and see the future of this glass, from this moment until it inevitably breaks. And when it breaks, you won't be upset or sad -- because it was already broken, from the day you got it. And you'll realize that every moment you have with it is precious. | high607.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the discovery of the largest ozone hole"
},
"options": [
"the discovery of the largest ozone hole",
"the discovery of the Antarctica ozone hole",
"the history of the Antarctica ozone hole",
"the size of the largest ozon... | Washington -- The largest ozone hole ever observed has opened up over Antarctica, according to the scientists of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). They believe it is a sign that ozone -- destroying gases produced years ago are just now causing the largest quantities of ozone to disappear.
This year's South Pole ozone hole spreads over about 28.5 million square kilometers, an area three times larger than the landmass of the prefix = st1 /United States.
Pictures of the hole have been offered by NASA. The hole appears as a giant blue mass, totally covering Antarctica and stretching to the southern tip of South America.
"The last time the ozone hole was close to this size was in 1998, when it spread over about 27.2 million square kilometers," NASA said.
Paul Newman, who works with NASA's Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument on a NASA satellite, said ozone watchers had expected a big hole this year, but not this big.
The Antarctica ozone hole, first observed in 1985, is caused by the depletion of Earth protecting ozone by human-made chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons, known as CFCs.
"Even though these chemicals were not allowed to use from the beginning of 1987, they remain in the atmosphere and will continue to do so for years," Newman said.
"This year's large hole may have been caused by a change in a swirling high-level air current over Antarctica, which circles the area and contains the zone hole," Newman said. | high24078.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Mr. Rochester tries to communicate more with Mr Eyre"
},
"options": [
"Mr. Rochester tries to communicate more with Mr Eyre",
"Mr. Rochester is a man who has bad temper",
"Miss Eyre is critical of Mr. Rochester",
"Miss ... | For several days I saw little of Mr. Rochester. In the morning he seemed much occupied with business, and in the afternoon gentlemen from the neighborhood called and sometimes stayed to dine with him. When his foot was well enough, he rode out a great deal,and all my knowledge of him was limited to occasional meetings about the house, when he would sometimes pass me coldly, and sometimes bow and smile. His changes of manner did not offend me, because I saw that I had nothing to do with the cause of them.
One evening, several days later, I was invited to talk to Mr. Rochester after dinner. There was a smile on his lips, and his eyes were bright, probably with wine. As I was looking at him, he suddenly turned, and asked me, "Do you think I'm handsome, Miss Eyre?"
The answer somehow slipped from my tongue before I realized it: "No, sir."
"Ah, you really are unusual! You are a quiet, serious little person, but you can be almost rude."
"Sir, I'm sorry. I should have said that beauty doesn't matter, or something like that."
"No, you shouldn't! I see, you criticize my appearance, and then you stab me in the back! You have honesty and feeling. There are not many girls like you."
I thought to myself that he might have too. He seemed to read my mind, and said quickly, "Yes, you're right. I have plenty of faults. I went the wrong way when I was twenty-one, and have never found the right path again. I might have been as good as you, and perhaps wiser. I am not a bad man, take my word for it, but I have done wrong. It wasn't my character, but circumstances that were to blame. Why do I tell you all this? Because you're the sort of person people tell their problems and secrets to, and because you're sympathetic and give them hope."
It seemed he had quite a lot to talk to me. He didn't seem to like to finish the talk quickly, as was the case for the first time.
"Don't be afraid of me, Miss Eyre." He continued, "you don't relax or laugh very much, perhaps because of the effect Lowood school has had on you. But in time you will be more natural with me, and laugh, and speak freely. You're like a bird in a cage. When you get out of the cage, you'll fly very high." | high23717.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it helps to prevent heart attacks and strokes"
},
"options": [
"an aspirin a day keeps the doctor away",
"it can make people feel less painful",
"it helps to prevent heart attacks and strokes",
"it doesn' t have any ser... | An aspirin a day keeps the doctor away. Aspirin has long been praised as a wonder drug and has been in your family since you can remember. Not only does it cure pain, it also lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke . But taking the pills daily may not work for everyone.
Although taking an occasional aspirin or two is safe for most adults to use for headaches,body aches or fever, daily use of aspirin can have serious side effects. Up to 60 per cent of us,both healthy people and those being treated for all types of heart disease, may have some level of resistance to aspirin' s benefits.
Aspirin keeps platelets from sticking, lowering the risk of clotting . People who are aspirin - resistant still get pain relief but not the full blood - thinning effects.
How do you know whether you' re resistant? New blood tests can help your doctor decide whether to give you a different medicine, especially if you' re at risk or are being treated for heart disease. The tests aren' t yet widely available, but it doesn' t hurt to ask.
People taking aspirin daily should limit the amount of alcohol they drink because of its additional blood - thinning effects and potential to upset your stomach. Thus you should not have more than one drink if you' re a woman or two dr/nks a day if you' re a man. Does daily aspirin treatment differ between men and women? Recent studies have focused on the effects of aspirin in women, finding that its effects differ between the sexes, and for women, between age groups.
All in all, aspirin is still an effective, affordable and simple option for many people at risk of heart attack and stroke. Though it is readily available, always check with your doctor before starting daily aspirin treatment. | high22409.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he was never short of anything"
},
"options": [
"he got on well with his classmates",
"his teachers liked him very much",
"he had many good friends",
"he was never short of anything"
],
"question": "The author n... | In our schooldays, everyone has the memories they can cherish and treasure for their whole life. Schooldays are the most joyful and fun filled with many mysteries to solve and many fights to resolve.
In my schooldays, I had many friends and some foes. We used to gossip, play and sometimes fight over silly things. I had two best friends. They were very' nice and loyal to me. Every teacher in my school liked us, although we weren't brilliant students. In fact we were average ones but still we respected our elders and loved our youngsters. Since my childhood, I've never been complaining to anyone about anything as I had everything I needed or wanted. I miss my schooldays since they are all about having fun and no competitions. The most exciting part is "the exchange of lunch boxes". Usually my best friends and I liked each other's lunch and soon developed a habit of exchanging lunches. Apart from sharing lunches, we also used to share our silly secrets.
We used to play our self-created games and draw photos for fun. We also used to have bets and treats for rewards on childish things but we never played jokes on anyone. My childhood was indeed really amazing and simple. We found fun in small but beautiful things. It was surely surrealistic but also exciting at times. In my schooldays, we sometimes played in the rains, made paper boats, ate ice-creams and enjoyed every drop of water and after getting all bathed up in water, we had hot chocolate drinks.
These were some of the memories of my schooldays in my childhood, which I still cherish today. I hope everyone's childhood days are just as carefree and joyous as mine. | high18959.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "More attention is paid to the pictures ,with words and letters being ignored."
},
"options": [
"More attention is paid to the pictures ,with words and letters being ignored.",
"Preference is given to the shape of letters and the or... | Teachers and parents usually call attention to the pictures when they read storybooks to pre-school children. But a new study suggests that calling attention to the words and letters on the page may lead to better readers.
The two-year study compared children who were read in this way in class with children who were not. Those whose teachers most often discussed the print showed clearly higher skills in reading, spelling and understanding. These results were found one year and even two years later.
Shayne Piasta, an assistant professor of teaching and learning at Ohio State University, was an author of the study. She says most pre-school teachers would find this method manageable and would need only a small change in the way they teach. They already read story-books in class. The only difference would be increased attention to the printed text. "If you get children to pay attention to letters and words, it makes sense that they will do better at word recognition and spelling." But she says research suggests that very few parents and teachers do this in a systematic way.
More than 300 children aged four and five were observed in classrooms. They came from poor families and were below average in their language skills. For thirty weeks, the children took part in a program called Project STAR--- Sit Together and Read. The project is based at Ohio State. It tests the short-term and long-term results of reading regularly to pre-school children in their classrooms.
There are different ways that adults can talk to children about print. They can point to a letter and discuss it, and even trace the shape with a finger. They can point out a word and discuss the meaning of the print or how the words tell the story. And they can talk about the organization of the print--- for instance, showing how words are written left to right in English. | high3584.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It grows quickly after its cut short."
},
"options": [
"It is thin and easy to cut.",
"It grows everywhere.",
"It grows quickly after its cut short.",
"It is short and green."
],
"question": "How is bamboo like ... | 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 _ . 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 that 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 to be watered. | high2842.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Xiaomi's strategy and business plan worked."
},
"options": [
"When founded, Xiaomi sold cheap smart phones in supermarkets.",
"Xiaomi expects to sell 500 million smart phones in 2015.",
"Xiaomi smart phones are not available ... | Over the summer, a Chinese company , Xiaomi, took the No.1 position in China's competitive market and became the world's third largest phone maker.
Xiaomi was founded in 2010 as a company to sell smartly designed phone at cheap prices over the Internet. A clever social media strategy and a business plan that emphasized selling services helped the company build enthusiastic support from young and trendy Chinese people. With people in China expected to buy 500 million smart phones in 2015, Xiaomi plans to solidify its position as one of the most powerful phone makers in the world's most important market.
The company's founders, including the Chinese entrepreneur Lei Jun and the former Google executive Lin Bin, hope that they will take the brand globally. Although Xiaomi is already sold internationally, next year will be the true test of whether it can continue its rise beyond China. Avoiding markets like the United States and Europe, Mr. Lei and Mr. Lin are looking at huge developing countries like Brazil and India. And they hope to use e-commerce networks to sell cheap and high-quality phones, and create their Chinese success.
Xiaomi fans have a high level of organization. They love Xiaomi. Han Yu, a 24-year-old boy studying for his master's degree, is one of those lovers. He helps Xiaomi test its user interface by looking for bugs and offering suggestions. Mr. Han moderates several pages on the company's online forum, which averages 200,000 posts a day and is where fans interact with the company. Much of his personal life revolves around Xiaomi and he said he was honored when his suggestions to create a private photo folders was adopted by Xiaomi.
Although Xiaomi makes some money on phone sales, the company's plan is to increase profitability by selling services like entertainment and apps through the phone. The company has also started to sell other devices, like a smart television, a tablet and a fitness band. | high18781.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "What are the names of the toys you played with today?"
},
"options": [
"Where are you off to with your friends this weekend?",
"Who played the best in your football match today?",
"What science project are you doing at the mo... | After commuting, cooking dinner and doing household chores, the average parent has just 30 minutes to devote to their children in the evenings, according to a new study. One in four working parents worry that half an hour simply isn't enough, while almost half fret that they aren't a good enough parent during the week.
However, parenting experts believe just 12 minutes a day may be enough for mothers and fathers to fully _ with their child -- as long as they ask the right questions. Child psychologist Dr Claire Halsey said asking a series of open-ended questions can help improve parents' relationship with their children.
Among the questions recommended in the research are: "How many times have you smiled today -- what made you laugh?"; "Can you act out what you did at breaktime?"; "Who is taller -- mummy or your teacher?" and "What are the names of the toys you played with today?" Parents of older children are advised to start up a conversation with: "I've got a great story for you but I want one in return... you first!" or "Tell me some school gossip ... _ !"
Dr Halsey, working with the makers of Ribena Plus, who commissioned the research, said: "There is no one as tough on their own parenting skills as a parent -- but this study shows there is no need for parents to be so harsh. It's hard for working parents to juggle all their responsibilities and it can feel like guilt is simply a parent's lot -- but it's absolutely not. By using clever tactics such as a little preparation alongside use of open-ended questions -- such as 'Tell me what the best bit about your day was?' -- parents can reduce the time worrying about chores and work and spend more time learning about their children's day." | high5693.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They are not worth helping."
},
"options": [
"They should be given a check-up.",
"They really need money to live.",
"They have no pleasure in life.",
"They are not worth helping."
],
"question": "What does the a... | Why I Don't Spare "Spare Change"
"Poor but honest." "The deserving poor." These words always come to my mind when I think of "the poor." But I also think of people who, perhaps through alcohol or drugs, have ruined not only their own lives but also the lives of others in order to give way to their own pleasure. Perhaps alcoholism and drug addiction really are "diseases," as many people say, but my own feeling ---- based, of course, not on any serious study ---- is that most alcoholics and drug addicts belong to the "undeserving poor." And that is largely why I don't give spare change to beggars.
But surely among the street people there are also some who can rightly be called "deserving." Deserving what? My spare change? Or simply the government's assistance? It happens that I have been brought up to believe that it is proper to make contributions to charity, but if I give some change to a beggar, am I making a contribution to charity and thereby helping someone, or, am I perhaps simply encouraging someone not to get help? Or, maybe even worse, am I supporting a cheat?
If one believes in the value of private charity, one can either give to needy people or to charitable organizations. In giving to a beggar one may indeed be helping a person who badly needs help, but one cannot be certain that one is giving to a needy person. In giving to an organization, on the other hand, one can feel that one's money is likely to be used wisely. True, facing a beggar one may feel that this particular unfortunate person needs help at this moment ----a cup of coffee or a sandwich ----and the need will not be met unless I put my hand in my pocket right now. But I have come to think that the beggars whom I meet can get along without my spare change, and indeed perhaps they are actually better off for not having money to buy alcohol or drugs.
I know nothing about these beggars, but it's my impression that they simply prefer begging to working. I am not generalizing about street people. I am talking about the people whom I actually meet. That's why I do not give "spare change," and I don't think I will in the future. | high20578.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "very hard"
},
"options": [
"well-paid",
"very hard",
"worth doing",
"dangerous"
],
"question": "The passage implies that the job of Santa Claus is_.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer"... | He wishes the holiday season would end already . His back aches , his red suit feels like a spacesuit , his cheeks have gone tight from smiling for 12 hours --and still the kids keep coming and coming , like ants at a picnic . As Christmas becomes more commercialized across the U. S. and Canada , so must Santas . As the holiday begins earlier each year , so must its _ .
The questions from children these days are harder than ever . Now, with thousands of children expecting a father or mother serving in Iraq or Afghanistan , the questions are as heart-breaking as they are unanswerable . For example , "Can you please bring Daddy home from the war in time for Christmas morning ?"
Santas also have a pretty good chance of getting sued . A professional Santa Claus in Canada told a story : A Santa had a girl on his knee , and he commented , "You have nice eyes and nice hair ." The girl later said it was sexual harassment . When a Santa feels anxious , he often shows it in the same ways ordinary people do : The Santas were always seen to hang around at the dinner table when the show ended . Many of them just sleep in bed for several days and don't see other children again . | high21666.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "can serve to strengthen a relationship"
},
"options": [
"functions as a form of self-expression",
"is an inexpensive way to show appreciation",
"requires the gift-receivers to return",
"can serve to strengthen a relatio... | Every day, millions of shoppers hit the stores in full force--both online and on foot--searching for the perfect gift. Aside from purchasing holiday gifts, most people regularly buy presents for other occasions throughout the year, including weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and baby showers. This frequent experience of gift-giving can cause _ feelings in gift-givers. Many enjoy the opportunity to buy presents because gift-giving offers a powerful means to build stronger bonds with one's closest persons. At the same time, many fear the thought of buying gifts; they worry that their purchases will disappoint rather than delight the intended receivers.
What is surprising is that gift-givers have considerable experience acting as both gift-givers and gift-recipients, but nevertheless tend to overspend each time they set out to purchase a meaningful gift. In the present research, we propose a unique psychological explanation for this overspending problem -- i.e., that gift-givers equate how much they spend with how much receivers will appreciate the gift (the more expensive the gift, the stronger a gift-recipient's feelings of appreciation). Although a link between gift price and feelings of appreciation might seem intuitive to gift-givers, such an assumption may be unfounded. Indeed, we propose that gift-receivers will seldom tend to base their feelings of appreciation on the significance weight of a gift than givers assume.
Why do gift-givers assume that gift price is closely linked to gift-recipients' feelings of appreciation? Perhaps givers believe that bigger (i.e., more expensive) gifts convey stronger signals of thoughtfulness and consideration. According to Camerer (1988) and others, gift-giving represents a symbolic ritual , by which gift-givers attempt to signal their positive attitudes toward the intended receiver and their willingness to invest resources in a future relationship. In this sense, gift-givers may be motivated to spend more money on a gift in order to send a "stronger signal" to their intended receiver. As for gift-receivers, they may not consider smaller and larger gifts as representing smaller and larger signals of thoughtfulness and consideration.
In practical terms, people spend hundreds of dollars each year on gifts, but somehow never learn to measure their gift expenses according to personal insight. | high14805.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "they believe the tall tales about chewing gum"
},
"options": [
"they believe the tall tales about chewing gum",
"chewing gum will stay in their body for years",
"their heart will be wrapped by chewing gum",
"chewing gum... | It is a tall tale that terrifies most young children. Swallow a piece of chewing gum and it will remain in your body for seven years before it is digested. An even worse tale is that swallowed gum can wrap itself around your heart.
But what does happen if you should accidentally eat a stick of gum? Chewing gum is made out of gum base, sweeteners, coloring and flavoring. The gum base is pretty indigestibleit is a mixture of different ingredients that our body can't absorb.
Most of the time, your stomach really cannot break down the gum the way it would break down other foods. However, your digestive system has another way to deal with things you swallow. After all, we eat lots of things that we are unable to fully digest. They keep moving along until they make it all the way through the gut and come out at the other end one or two days later.
The saliva in our mouths will make an attempt at digesting chewing gum as soon as we put it in our mouths. It might get through the shell but many of gum's base ingredients are indigestible. It's then down to our stomach muscleswhich contract and relax, much like the way an earthworm moves to slowly force the things that we swallow through our systems.
Swallowing a huge piece of gum or swallowing many small pieces of gum in a short time can cause a blockage within the digestive system, most often in children, who have a thinner digestive tube than adults but this is extremely rare. | high7084.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "often take a long time in learning to listen properly"
},
"options": [
"may have problems with their listening",
"probably do not hear enough language spoken around them",
"usually pay close attention to what they hear",
... | Language learning begins with listening. Children are greatly different in the amount of listening they do before they start speaking, and later starters are often long listeners. Most children will "obey" spoken instructions some time before they can speak, though the word"obey"is hardly exact as a description of the eager and delighted co- operation usually shown by the child. Before they can speak, many children will also ask questions by gestures and by making questioning noises.
Any attempt to study the development from the noises babies make to their first spoken words leads to considerable difficulties. It's agreed that they enjoy making noises, and that during the first few months one or two noises sort themselves out as particular expression like delight, pain, friendliness and so on. But since these can't be said to show the baby's intention to communicate, they can hardly be regarded as early forms of language. It is agreed too, that from about three months they play with sounds for enjoyment, and that by six months they are able to add new words to their store. This self - imitation leads out to deliberate imitation of sounds made or words spoken to them by other people. The problem then arises to the point at which one can say that these imitations can be considered as speech.
It is a problem we need to get our teeth into. The meaning of a word depends on what a particular person means by it in a particular situation and it is clear that what a child means by a word will. change as he gains more experience of the world. Thus the use, at seven months, of" mama" as a greeting for his mother cannot be dismissed as a meaningless sound simply because he also uses it at another time for his father, his dog, or anything else he likes. Playful and meaningless imitation of what other people say continues after the child has begun to speak for himself. I doubt, however , whether anything is gained when parents take advantage of his ability in an attempt to teach new words. | high23071.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The Future Energy- SPS"
},
"options": [
"The Future Energy- SPS",
"The Concept of SPS",
"Humans and SPS",
"Advantages of SPS"
],
"question": "Which of the following may be the best title for the passage?",
"... | The concept of solar power satellites, or SPS, first put forward in the 1960s, is still not widely known by the general public. For example, at many public exhibitions about energy, SPS is not even mentioned. This is mainly because very little money has been spent on SPS research
There are people who claim that SPS is unrealistic - because launch costs are much too high today; or because it is too far away. So why do we believe that it is important to continue to do researches on SPS? The reason is very simple.
Humans are going to need huge amounts of electric power in coming decades. Within 50 years the world population is expected to double, while economic growth will continue around the world, especially in the poorer countries. But existing energy sources already face serious problems. They are limited; they are polluted; they are dangerous. So 50 or 100 years from now, where is our power going to come from? Nobody knows. And so we believe that new large-scale possibilities should be studied further.
We must remember that humans have some choices concerning our future. To some extent we can choose the direction in which our civilization develops. And choices that are made in the coming decades - such as the energy sources that we will or will not use, will have major, long-term meaning for human life on earth. We believe that if research continues to show that SPS is environmentally and economically attractive, SPS will open the door to a much more attractive future for human civilization than any ground-based energy source, and one that the public will support and that young people will find challenging and exciting. Furthermore energy from SPS can be readily used in developing countries, as the SPS 2000 project will show, thus aiding economic development worldwide. In addition, by creating large commercial fund for space engineering, SPS will open the frontier of space to economic development, thus creating a limitless new field for the growth of the world economy. | high161.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "introduce a touching but sad love story"
},
"options": [
"draw attention to the damage that wars cause",
"persuade people to give up private interest",
"arouse the awareness of being environmentally friendly",
"introduc... | I was puzzled! Why was this old woman making such a fuss about an old copse which was of no use to anybody? She had written letters to the local paper, even to a national, protesting about a projected by-pass to her village, and, looking at a map, the route was nowhere near where she lived and it wasn't as if the area was attractive. I was more than puzzled, I was curious.
The enquiry into the route of the new by-pass to the village was due to take place shortly, and I wanted to know what it was that motivated her. So it was that I found myself knocking on a cottage door, being received by Mary Smith and then being taken for a walk to the woods. "I've always loved this place," she said, "it has a lot of memories for me, and for others. We all used it. They called it 'Lovers lane'. It's not much of a lane, and it doesn't go anywhere important, but that's why we all came here. To be away from people, to be by ourselves. " she added.
It was indeed pleasant that day and the songs of many birds could be heard. Squirrels watched from the branches, quite bold in their movements, obviously few people passed this way and they had nothing to fear. I could imagine the noise of vehicles passing through these peaceful woods when the by-pass was built, so _ but as I hold strong opinions about the needs of the community over-riding the opinions of private individuals, I said nothing. The village was quite a dangerous place because of the traffic especially for old people and children, their safety was more important to me than an old woman's strange ideas.
"Take this tree," she said pausing after a short while. "To you it is just that, a tree. Not unlike many others here." She gently touched the bark, "Look here, under this branch, what can you see?"
"It looks as if someone has done a bit of carving with a knife." I said after a cursory inspection.
"Yes, that's what it is!" she said softly.
She went on, "He had a penknife with a spike for getting stones from a horse's hoof, and I helped him to carve them. We were very much in love, but he was going away, and could not tell me what he was involved in the army. I had guessed of course. It was the last evening we ever spent together, because he went away the next day, back to his Unit."
Mary Smith was quiet for a while, then she sobbed. "His mother showed me the telegram. 'Sergeant R Holmes ...Killed in action in the invasion of France.'..."
"I had hoped that you and Robin would one day get married." she said, "He was my only child, and I would have loved to be a Granny, they would have been such lovely babies'- she was like that! "
"Two years later she too was dead. 'Pneumonia , following a chill on the chest' was what the doctor said, but I think it was an old fashioned broken heart. A child would have helped both of us."
There was a further pause. Mary Smith gently caressed the wounded tree, just as she would have caressed him. "And now they want to take our tree away from me." Another quiet sob, then she turned to me. "I was young and pretty then, I could have had anybody, I wasn't always the old woman you see here now. I had everything I wanted in life, a lovely man, health and a future to look forward to."
She paused again and looked around. The breeze gently moved through the leaves with a sighing sound. "There were others, of course, but no one can match my Robin!" she said strongly. "And now I have nothing - except the memories this tree holds. If only I could get my hands on that awful man who writes in the paper about the value of the road they are going to build where we are standing now, I would tell him. Has he never loved, has he never lived, does he not know anything about memories? We were not the only ones, you know, I still meet some who came here as Robin and I did. Yes, I would tell him!"
I turned away, sick at heart. | high6371.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It is surprising and attractive."
},
"options": [
"It lies to the northeast part of Washington, free to visit it.",
"In fact it is a short walk from Metrorail, the local train system.",
"It is surprising and attractive.",
... | Washington, D.C. is home to famous buildings, memorials and museums that visitors love. But it is also home to a large and beautiful green space. There are many _ in the city. Today, we take you to the United States National Arboretum, an active center for both scientific research and public education.
Many people who come to Washington are astonished when they first visit the National Arboretum. The Arboretum is only a short drive from the center of the city. However, visitors often feel like they are remote from the busy American capital. The Arboretum covers one hundred eighty hectares of green space in the northeast part of Washington. The area is famous for its beautiful flowers, tall trees and other plants. About nine thousand different kinds of plants grow there.
The National Arboretum was established by an act of Congress in 1927. Today, the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service operates the Arboretum.
The goal of the Arboretum is to carry out studies and provide education in an effort to improve the environment. The goal includes protecting trees, flowers and other plants and showing them to the public. The National Arboretum is a popular stop for visitors to Washington. It is open every day of the year except December twenty-fifth, the Christmas holiday. Money is not necessary to visit the Arboretum.
As many as six hundred thousand people visit the Arboretum's grounds each year. Hundreds of thousands of people also visit with the help of computers. They use the Arboretum's Internet web site to learn about current research programmes and how to care for plants. Director Thomas Elias says Arboretum officials would like to see even more visitors. He says they believe that many people do not know it exists. Part of the problem might result from the fact that the Arboretum is about five kilometers from the closest train station. Many famous places in Washington are a short walk from Metrorail, the local train system.
The Arboretum is easy to reach by automobile or bus, however. About fifteen kilometers of roads have been built on the property. The roads connect to major collections and seasonal flowers. The Arboretum also welcomes people on bicycles. Disabled persons or those who want to walk only short distances may visit four beautiful areas that are close to each other. | high9042.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Its milk has larger nutritional value than others'."
},
"options": [
"It is as heavy as Jersey cows.",
"It is the first cow with a human gene.",
"Its milk has the same proteins as human breast milk.",
"Its milk has larg... | Scientists in Argentina have created the world's first cow to own two human genes that will enable it to produce human-like milk, which is matchless up to now. It is a breakthrough in the area of clone.
Genetic engineering was used to introduce the "mothers' milk" genes into the animal before birth, according to the National Institute of Agribusiness Technology in Buenos Aires.
As an adult, the cloned cow "will produce milk that is similar to humans" in what will prove "a development of great importance for the nutrition of infants", it said in a statement.
"The cloned cow, named Rosita ISA, is the first one born in the world that owns two human genes that contain the proteins present in human milk," the statement said.
In April, scientists in China published details of research showing that they had created GM Holstein dairy cows which produced milk containing proteins found in human breast milk.
But the Argentine team says the Chinese only introduced one human gene, whereas their research involved two genes meaning the milk will more closely resemble that of humans.
Rosita ISA was born on April 6 and was delivered by Caesarean section because she weighed around 100 pounds, roughly twice the normal weight of Jersey cows.
Adrian Mutto, from the National University of San Martin said "Our goal was to raise nutritional value of cows' milk by adding two human genes, the protein lactoferrin and lysozyme, which can provide newly-born babies with anti-bacterial and anti-viral protection."
Cristina Kirchner, President of Argentina, said that the scientific institute "makes all proud." She also revealed that she had rejected the "honor" of having the cow named after her. "They came to tell me that the name is Cristina, but what woman would like to have a cow named after her? It appeared to me to be more appropriate to call it Rosita." | high14636.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "By collecting money for the National Dog Mill Rescue."
},
"options": [
"By saving dogs from a puppy mill.",
"By operating the American Humane Association.",
"By collecting money for the National Dog Mill Rescue.",
"By g... | He may not have an "S" across his chest but this dog is most certainly a hero.
Harley, who was rescued from a puppy mill four years ago, was named the American Humane Association's 2015 American Hero Dog. Harley, who is missing an eye and has other medical issues from his time at the mill, is now a "spokes-dog" against puppy mills. He serves as the adorable furry face of the"Harley to the Rescue"campaign, which raises funds for the National Dog Mill Rescue, according to a press release.
The pup was rescued back in 2011 and adopted by Rudi and her husband, Dan. "It was just four years ago that he was pulled from the cage in the puppy mill and left to die," Harley's owner, Rudi, said during the awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles this past weekend, according to Today. com. "We never would have ever thought he would live this long and make such a difference for so many puppies. "
The dog was one of eight finalists up for the American Hero Dog and was chosen as the winner through public votes. The finalists all won $ 1,500 to be donated to one of American Humane Association' s charity partners, with Harley receiving another $ 5 ,000 to go toward his charity partner, New Leash On Life.
According to the release, Harley spent 10 years at the puppy mill, and endured rough treatment there, which led to his many medical issues. He lost his eye as a result of his cage being power-washed with him inside.
The dog isn't just the face of his campaign, he also goes on rescue missions and makes public appearances at events and schools to raise awareness for puppy mills.
This incredible work is all due to the dog' s fighting spirit. That spirit is allowing him now to be the voice for dogs who cannot speak for themselves and give everybody hope that tomorrow's going to be a better day. | high13159.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The similarities between the world we live in and that of 1984."
},
"options": [
"The similarities between the world we live in and that of 1984.",
"The surprise at how Americans are spied on by the government.",
"The fact th... | It appears that the police now have a device that can read license plates and check if a car is unregistered, uninsured or stolen. We already know that National Security Agency can dip into your Facebook page and Google searches. And it seems that almost every store we go into these days wants your home phone number and ZIP code as part of any deal.
So when Edward Snowden -- now cooling his heels in Russia -- revealed the extent to which the NSA is spying on Americans, collecting data on phone calls we make, it's not as if we should have been surprised. We live in a world that George Orwell predicted in 1984. And that realization has caused sales of the 1949, dystopian novel to spike dramatically upward recently -- a 9,000% increase at one point on Amazon. com.
Comparisons between Orwell's novel about a tightly controlled totalitarian future ruled by the everywhere-present Big Brother and today are, in fact, quite similar. Here are a few of the most obvious ones.
Telescreens -- in the novel, nearly all public and private places have large TV screens that broadcast government propaganda , news and approved entertainment. But they are also two-way monitors that spy on citizens, private lives. Today websites like Facebook track our likes and dislikes, and governments and private individuals hack into our computers and find out what they want to know. Then there are the ever-present monitoring cameras that spy on the ordinary people as they go about their daily routine.
The endless war -- In Orwell's book, there's global war that has been going on seemingly forever, and as the book's hero, Winston Smith, realizes the enemy keeps changing. One week we're at war with Eastasia and friends with Eurasia. The next week, it's just the opposite. There seems little to distinguish the two opponents, and they are used primarily to keep the people of Oceania, where Smith lives, in a constant state of fear, thereby making disagreement unthinkable -- or punishable. Today we have the so-called war on terror, with no end in sight, a generalized societal fear, suspensionof certain civil liberties, and an ill-defined enemy who could be anywhere, and anything.
Newspeak -- the fictional, stripped-down English language, used to limit free thought. OMG (Oh my God), RU (Are you) serious? That's so FUBAR (Fucked Beyond Ail Recognition). LMAO (Laugh My Ass Off).
Memory hole -- this is the machine used in the book to change or disappear embarrassing documents. Paper shredders had been invented, but were hardly used when Orwell wrote his book, and the concept of wiping out a hard drive was years in the future. But the memory hole foretold both technologies.
So what's it all meant? In 1984, Winston Smith, after an intense round of "behavioral modification" -- read: torture-- learns to love Big Brother, and the difficult world he was born into. Jump forward to today, it seems we've willingly given up all sorts of freedoms, and much of our right to privacy. Fears of terrorism have a lot to do with this, but dizzying advances in technology, and the ubiquity of social media, play a big part.
There are those who say that if you don't have anything to hide, you have nothing to be afraid of. But the fact is, when a government agency can monitor everyone's phone calls, we have all become suspects. This is one of the most frightening aspects of our modem society. _ Unless you spend your life in a wilderness cabin, totally off the grid, there is simply no way the government won't have information about you stored away somewhere.
What this means, unfortunately, is that we are all Winston Smith. And Big Brother is the modem surveillance state. | high12247.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "get caught in terrible traffic jams"
},
"options": [
"drive home in Germany",
"get caught in terrible traffic jams",
"meet other foreign workers",
"get to the place where he worked by a special quick route"
],
"... | Friedrich Dobl, a Yugoslav working in Germany, was fed up with traffic jams. At long weekends and holiday times when he wanted to get him quickly he always found himself behind hundreds of other cars moving slowly along the notorious foreign workers' route through Germany and Austria.
How easy it all was for police and emergency services. A siren, a flashing light? And like magic everyone was out the way. Going home from work one night he passed a garage. And there in front of him was the answer to his problems. An old ambulance was for sale. The red cross had been removed. But not the flashing light, and the siren. He tried the light. It flashed magnificently. He tried the siren. That too sounded impressive. He bought the ambulance and opened up for himself a dream world of motoring. It began early in the morning, all his luggage in the back of the ambulance and motorway in Germany looking reasonably clear. Soon, as always, a long line of traffic appeared ahead. He switched on the flashing light and set off the siren. Cars swiftly slowed and pulled off the fast lane. Other cars stopped and drivers waved him ahead to an open road all his own. In record time he crossed the border into Austria. The big bluff was working. Police even waved him through the confusion caused by an accident.
But then the Yugoslav made his big mistake. Until then he had only stopped for petrol. Now he was driving past a real accident, lights flashing , to late realize that it was not another traffic jam as he assumed. They stopped him, and after hearing the story of his ride across two countries fined him 12. 5 pounds. | high15528.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The champion of the Olympics."
},
"options": [
"Having wrestling leagues.",
"Taking part in the Olympics.",
"Taking part in the Super Bowl.",
"The champion of the Olympics."
],
"question": "What is the ultimate ... | Soccer has the FIFA World Cup. Tennis has the majors. Golf has the majors. Football has the Super Bowl. Basketball has the NBA. These major sports all have established leagues for professionals and amateurs, so why do they have a spot in the Olympics?
The Olympics isn't the most desirable title in these sports. An Olympic gold medal, for example, can't motivate some footballers to work hard, because they have to reserve sufficient physical strength for the supremacy--the FIFA Cup. Every year the Olympic committee votes, and every year someone gets let down.
A sport endangered of being cut is very close to my heart, wrestling. I grew up with it: the first 8 years of my life were in a college wrestling room, watching my dad coach his team and the countless hours continue to this day. Wrestling meant everything to my dad: he was an Olympian, Pan American winner, World champion, Olympic coach, and Division 1 coach. In February 2013, they dropped wrestling, softball, and baseball. In May, they allowed the three sports to be short-listed. However, in September they voted on the return of wrestling.
My point is that it isn't fair that basketball, tennis, football (soccer), and golf all take spots on the summer Olympics outline for sports. They all have leagues that the whole world participates in. I can't say for all of the sports that an Olympic gold is the ultimate title, but I can tell you a fact that in wrestling, both freestyle and Greco-Roman, it truly is.
These "smaller" sports, that maybe don't make boatloads of money, need the Olympics. It means so much to so many people, fans, athletes, and families. They deserve spots, they don't have professional leagues, and can't fill entire stadiums, and they need the support of the Olympic Games. The whole point of the Olympics is to bring people together, so shouldn't less popular sports be included? | high19312.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "wanted to thank the waitress for her good attitude"
},
"options": [
"had a habit of giving tips to waitresses",
"thought the meal was delicious",
"wanted to thank the waitress for her good attitude",
"learned the secret... | The secret of happiness
An old man walked slowly with a cane into the restaurant .His old jacket, worn-out shoes and warm personality made him stand out from the usual crowd.
A young waitress watched him move toward a table by the window. She ran over to him, and said: "Here, sir......let me help you with that chair."
Without saying a word, he smiled and nodded a thank you. She pulled the chair away from the table and helped him sit. Then she put his came against the table.
"Thank you, miss."he said, kindly.
"You're welcome, sir."she said.
After he had finished his breakfast, the waitress brought him the change from his bill. He left it on the table. She helped him up and walked with him to the front door.
When she went to clean his table, she found a business card under his plate and note on a napkin . Under the napkin was a 100-dollar bill.
The note on the napkin read: "Dear miss, I respect you very much and I can see you respect yourself, too. It shows by the way you treat others. (3) _ ."
The man she had _ was the owner of the restaurant where she worked. This was the first time that she or any of the other workers had ever seen him in person.
By Steve Brunkhorst | high4566.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a boy was attacked by a shark at a Sydney beach"
},
"options": [
"shark attacks on humans are on the rise",
"sharks attacked humans three times in one month",
"a boy was attacked by a shark at a Sydney beach",
"shark nu... | Sydney--A shark _ a schoolboy's leg while he was surfing with his father at a beach in Sydney on February 23. It was the third shark attack along the coast of Australia's largest city in a month.
The 15yearold boy and his father were in the water off Avalon, on Sydney's northern beaches, around dawn when he was attacked. The city's beaches are packed with locals and tourists during the summer months.
"The father heard a scream and turned to see his son thrashing about in the water," police said. "Fortunately, the shark swam away and the boy was helped to the shore by his father."
Lifesaving Club spokesman Nick Miller said, "It got him around the top of his left leg and the father came and dragged him out of water." He said the boy was bleeding heavily when he was brought to the shore. "There was a lot of pain, as you can imagine." The teenager was airlifted to hospital for treatment for leg injuries.
Police said the bites "cut through to the bone", but the boy did not appear to have sustained any fractures . He was in a stable condition now.
Several beaches were closed after the attack. Water police and lifeguards were searching for the shark, while police hoped to identify its species by the shape of the bite marks. But they said it was too early to say what type of shark attacked the boy. "I don't even know if he saw it," Miller said.
Many shark species live in the waters off Sydney's beaches, but attacks on humans are still relatively rare. However, there were two attacks on successive days earlier this month, one on a navy diver in Sydney harbor,not far from the famous Opera House, and the other on a surfer at the city's worldfamous Bondi beach.
Fishermen say shark numbers are on the rise. There is a ban on commercial fishing in the harbor, which has increased fish stocks. Marine experts also claim environmental protection has created a cleaner environment, attracting sharks closer to the shore as they chase fish. Many shark species, including the Great White--the maneaters made famous in Steven Spielberg's Jaws--are protected in Australian waters. | high3209.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "What Exactly Is A Hero?"
},
"options": [
"Why Should You Be A Hero?",
"What Exactly Is A Hero?",
"I Am A Hero",
"Everyone Is A Hero"
],
"question": "Which of the following would be the best title for this passag... | Once many years ago, I pulled a family out of a burning car somewhere in Wyoming. Last week I received a telephone call from a woman who could not stop crying as she told me that one of my stories had saved her son from committing suicide. In closing she called me a hero.
That got me thinking about what a hero is. Was I a hero because I pulled a family from a burning car? If so, how could I be a hero just because I wrote a story that saved someone's life?
Today I decided to look up the word "hero" in the dictionary to see exactly what it meant. It read "a person who does. something brave". As I read on, it also said "a person who is good and noble ".
That statement impressed me more than the part about being brave. So I thought about something very important. Say I was walking into the local Wal-Mart Store and I happened to open, and hold the door for someone as a _ . As they passed me by, I say, "How are you today?" Most of the time that would be no big deal, but this time let's say it was for someone who was deeply depressed and near the end of the rope. That may have very well been the only kindness or courtesy shown to them in a very long time.
Having been near "the end of my rope", after my marriage of twenty years ended, I was in such a condition. I was within hours trying to get enough courage to end the pain and misery. When I returned home, someone had sent me a card in the mail which told me how much they would appreciate me as a friend. That wonderful card probably saved my life. That person, without even knowing it, saved a life and became a hero.
Gee, who would have ever thought that anyone can become a hero, and possibly save a life just by being kind and courteous to others? The best part of all is that becoming a hero is free to all who wish to wear such an honor. | high21855.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "non-fictional"
},
"options": [
"non-fictional",
"controversial",
"subjective",
"thoughtful"
],
"question": "Which of the following is the most proper to describe documentaries?",
"question_type": null
},
... | A Bite of China, made by CCTV's Documentary Channel, sparked discussion not only on Chinese food, but also on locally made documentary programs.
When you think of documentaries, you may think of them as long, boring programs. But documentaries can be wonderful and bring stories from the real world into our homes. With fascinating footage and stories, documentaries encourage us to think about interesting issues we wouldn't necessarily know about.
So, what makes a good documentary, and what should we pay attention to when we watch one? Here, we offer a few easy strategies to help you get the most out of watching documentaries.
Pay attention to the themes
While watching a documentary, keep your eyes and ears peeled for the themes people talk about and what ideas they focus on. Is it meant to be informative or raise a certain emotional response?
Think critically
Listen to what the people in the documentary are saying and ask yourself the following questions: If you were debating with someone or introducing a new concept, would you say the things the people in the documentary are saying? Do the arguments make sense?
Check the sources
If you're sitting at the computer and can't think of anything to do, why not look up the points the documentary made and see if they are accurate? You could even read more about what is presented in the documentary.
Who are the creators?
The creators or financial backers of a film will usually be involved with how the subject matter is presented. For instance, as the documentary 2016: Obama's America was directed in large part by a conservative writer, it's not surprising that it's critical of President Obama from the beginning. | high10450.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Optimistic."
},
"options": [
"Worried.",
"Optimistic.",
"Uncertain",
"Disappointed"
],
"question": "What is John Searle's attitude towards the future of technology?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answ... | Close your eyes and imagine you are living in the next two centuries or more. You'll be living in a world filled with smart robots, which will be helping you to take care of your children, or your elderly parents in your home. You'll live much longer thanks to the medicine made by genetic science. And mankind may be going farther in space than ever before---you will be living on the moon or Mars.
How should we view the changes that wait for us in the future? Should we be optimistic about the years ahead, or worried about what the future holds? Some scientists and experts are having a discussion about how technology, science and society will develop in the future.
"I'm looking forward to the day when more technology will come to my life." Says Hohn Searle, a professor at the University of California Berkeley Philosophy, "because I think further research in such areas as genetics, physics, chemitry and medicine will help us to overcome poverty , improve health, and make life longer."
Hugh Herr, at MIT's Biomechatronecs Group, considers very powerful weapons as concern over the future. Another is the growing role of technology in our lives. "Machines taking over what humans do is not a good thing," Herr says.
That is a similar concern shared by Danisla Cerqui, a social and cultural scientist. "I am afraid that the long-term future we are building will have no space left for human beings,"says Cerqui. " The main values of our society are related to information that must progress as quickly as possible, and computers are much better than humans in these tasks." (293words) | high20593.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "one in ten of the world's population"
},
"options": [
"one in ten of the world's population",
"more than six billion people",
"a total of 200,000,000 people",
"much less than 10 percent of the world's population"
],... | Of the six-billion-plus people in the world,600 million live on islands.In other words,one in ten of the world's population is an island dweller.This is not so hard to imagine when you consider that more than 200 million people live in Indonesia alone--and about 60 million more live on the island of Britain.
No island,or group of islands,is the same.Indonesia,for example,is a nation which consists entirely of islands,nearly 14,000 of them,of which 6,000 are inhabited.Britain is a small, crowded island,with a population density of 243 people per square kilometer,almost twice as much as China.Britain is also the only island in the world which is connected to a continent by a tunnel,the Channel Tunnel between southeast England and North France.
If you ignore Australia,which is an island-continent,the largest island in the world is Greenland,an unusual name for a place which is almost permanently covered in ice! On the other hand,Iceland,which is Greenland's ly near neighbor to the east,is much greener.
Why is this?Iceland is far enough north,like Greenland,to be entirely covered by ice,but more than one third of Iceland is volcanically active.Magma,which is molten volcanic rock below the surface of the ground,heats the terrain above it,keeping it green.The story goes that an early settler from Iceland gave Greenland its name in order to encourage more people to live there!
Even the smallest islands have a story to tell.The remotest inhabited island in the world is Tristan da Cunha,which is in the South Atlantic Ocean.Fewer than 250 people live there and they are all related to each other,with only seven surnames between them.The island capital has the romantic name of Edinburgh of the South Seas. | high17459.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Kindly explaining to him you need to use the computer."
},
"options": [
"Kindly explaining to him you need to use the computer.",
"Politely asking him to stop using the computer at once.",
"Introducing other toys to him to pl... | We may have hosted some difficult house guests once or on even more occasions. Are you still worrying about how to deal with them? Here below are some tips on how to deal with those difficult house guests.
You've been waiting an hour to eat breakfast but your guests are still sleeping.
"Unless you adjusted a time for breakfast the evening before, let your guests sleep-in and enjoy your breakfast without them. If possible, keep their breakfast warm. Or better yet, when entertaining it's always a good idea to have cold breakfast (as well as lunch, dinner and snack) food on-hand."
----Pamela Eyring,president and director of The Protocol School of Washington
Your guest's teenage son is a Facebook addict and hogs your computer all day long.
"If you have a guest whose fingers are fixated to your keyboard, kindly let him know that you are expecting work email and give him enough time to finish using it."
----Ummu Bradley Thomas, founder of the Freddie Bell Jones Modeling and Finishing School, Inc.
Your couch surfing, unemployed nephew has been here a month and is showing no sign of leaving.
"There is nothing wrong with saying 'John, you have been here a month and have not put in any applications. What can I do to help you get your resume together? I would like to make a plan that will assist you in getting back on your feet and allow me to eventually have my extra room back for guests that will soon be arriving.'"
----Diane Gottsman, owner of The Protocol School of Texas
Your guests expect you to accompany them to every single tourist attraction in your city. It's tiring and expensive.
"If your guests didn't offer to treat you, politely decline and offer to meet them afterwards for dinner or drinks. That way they know you enjoy their company."
----Pamela Eyring, president and director of The Protocol School of Washington
You gave your friend a closet shelf for her stuff but her clothes are thrown all over the place.
"You should simply say 'I am happy to have you use my closet but your clothes seem to have a mind of their own. Would you mind keeping your clothes on the top shelf? It would make it easier for me to find my things when I am in a rush and looking for them. Thank you.'"
----Diane Gottsman, owner of The Protocol School of Texas | high2671.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Show positive attitude toward them."
},
"options": [
"Just give up.",
"Ask someone else for help.",
"Show positive attitude toward them.",
"Try your best to fit in with them."
],
"question": "According to the au... | The trouble with school is that you can't choose the people you get to see every day. If you're unlucky enough to be stuck with classmates who don't really "get" you, you've just got to try to make the best of it.
But that doesn't mean you need to "fit in", or at least in the way that people think. If you try to transform yourself into a clone of everyone else, it won't help you make friends. It'll just make you feel like a fake.
You also shouldn't shut down or refuse to be friends with everyone who doesn't like you. If you do that, you'll just make yourself miserable. Instead, you've got to work on being comfortable and confident with whom you are while ignoring all the haters. Keep on speaking up, asking questions and getting to know people better. If you send out positive energy, then people will generally send some back to you. A couple of them will stay the same, and you're allowed to forget about them.
If you feel like you're doing all that but still not getting anywhere, then don't give up. Just expand your circle. Get a part-time job at a cool-looking place, join an after-school art class or youth group--do whatever it takes to find a couple of like-minded people to connect with. Even if you don't find anyone right away, you'll still be getting some more social experiences under your belt, and that's always a good thing.
A fun book called Uncool, by Erin Elisabeth Conley, has some tips for folks like you who want to stay positive at school while being true to your personality:
*Throw caution to the wind.
*Don't tolerate others' mistakes.
*Have patience with people who are different from you.
*Don't change just because someone else thinks you should.
*Know that even though you may be a misfit, there's always some place where you will be welcomed in the world. | high10336.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "People's sense of happiness is determined by many factors."
},
"options": [
"Happiness has nothing to do with money.",
"A man with healthy body must have the most happiness.",
"A man who has a strong social relationship is su... | It might not come as a surprise that China fell behind Western countries in a recent UN report on global happiness. China was only ranked 112th happiest country out of 156 in the UN's World Happiness Report in April.
The happiest country, it seems, is Denmark, closely followed by three more northern European countries- Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands.
But apart from income and lifestyle differences, there are also cultural reasons for this divide. They show that Chinese people and Westerners have different perceptions of happiness.
According to a survey conducted by CCTV, income levels most affected Chinese people's sense of well- being (55.5 percent), followed by health (48.9 percent) and quality of marriage or love life (32 percent).
It seems that all these criteria are lagging in China, and that the obvious explanation for greater happiness in the West is higher incomes.
But not so, says Professor John Helliwell, an American economist at the University of British Columbia and coauthor of the UN report.
According to Helliwell, low-income individuals may experience an initial jump in happiness when their money increases, but this feeling decreases as they adapt to their new circumstances. He stresses the example of the US, where, despite GDP figures rising consistently for the past 50 years, happiness has been steadily declining.
This is because people desire more than money and material wealth. "To be happy, we need to feel connection, trust and meaningful relationships," explains Helliwell.
Dr Deborah Swallow, a UK expert on cultural diversity however, believes there are some differences in the perceptions of happiness in the West and China.
"For North Americans and Europeans, happiness tends to be defined in terms of personal achievement, and is best predicted by self-esteem" she says.
"For East Asians, happiness tends to be defined in terms of interpersonal connectedness, and is best predicted by how well involved the self is in a social network."
Living standards are not necessarily the last word on happiness, as suggested by China's Urban Happiness Ranking 2012, released by the Hong Kong-based China Institute of City Competitiveness in July.
According to the survey's results, Qingdao in Shandong province is China's happiest city with a score of 95.08.
Surprisingly, China's first-tier cities scored ly low, with Shenzhen ranking 94th, Beijing 96th and Shanghai in 99th position. | high16747.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Once Forgotten Cities"
},
"options": [
"Once Forgotten Cities",
"Why a City Has to Be Abandoned",
"Famous Cities in History",
"The Loss of Important Cities"
],
"question": "What's the best title of the passage?"... | It's hard to imagine how an entire city can get lost but that's exactly what has happened to the following lost cities. There are actually many reasons why a city has to be abandoned. War, natural disasters, climate change and the loss of important trading partners to name a few. Whatever the cause, these lost cities were forgotten in time until they were rediscovered centuries later.
Troy is a legendary city in what is now northwestern Turkey, made famous in Homer's epic, the Iliad. According to the epic, this is where the Trojan War took place. The archaeological site of Troy contains several layers of ruins.
Sanchi site has a building history of more than one thousand year, starting with the stupas of the 3rd century BC and concluding with a series of Buddhist temples, now in ruins, that were build in the 10th or 11th centuries. In the 13th century, after the decline of Buddhism in India, Sanchi was abandoned and the jungle quickly moved in. The lost city was rediscovered in 1818 by a British officer.
Palenque in Mexico is much smaller than some of the other lost Mayan cities, but it contains some of the finest architecture and sculptures the Maya ever produced. Most structures in Palenque date from about 600 AD to 800 AD. The city declined during the 8th century. An agricultural population continued to live here for a few generations, then the lost city was abandoned and was slowly grown over by the forest.
In the 2nd century BC a new civilization arose in the valley of Mexico. This civilization built the flourishing city of Teotihuacan and huge step pyramids. A decline in population in the 6th century AD related to lengthy droughts. Seven centuries after the demise of the Teotihuacan empire the pyramids of the lost city were honored and used by the Aztecs and became a place of pilgrimage. | high19474.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "refuse to obey its master"
},
"options": [
"refuse to obey its master",
"immediately fall ill",
"require its master to offer some food",
"seek for food on its own"
],
"question": "When an animal doesn't get enou... | Of the thousands of different kinds of animals that exist in the world man has learned to make friends with an enormous number. Some are pets, and offer him companionship; some give protection, and some do hard work which man cannot do for himself. Dogs, which serve man in all three capacities, are found in various species in all countries of the world. The Husky can live in the cold polar regions, and the Saluki is at home in the hottest parts of Central Africa. The inhabitants of certain countries are dependent for their very lives on the camel. In the West Indies the little donkey, strong and sure-footed, carrying heavy loads even in mountainous places, is a familiar sight.
Trained and tamed for many generations, domestic animals are not accustomed to roaming in search of food and shelter. They look to their masters to provide for their needs, and as long as these are supplied, they are content to do what their masters require.
All domestic animals need proper food. It must be suitable for them, sufficient in quantity, fresh and clean. Some people feed a pet dog or cat on odds and ends of table scraps , and then wonder why the animal seems tired and dull. The quantity of food depends on the size of the animal and the amount of exercise it takes. Overfeeding is as bad as underfeeding. Containers for food and water must be washed regularly if the animal is to maintain good health.
Even well cared for animals may sometimes fall ill. If this happens, the wise master seeks the best advice he can get. All sorts of medicines and treatments are available for sick animals, and in some countries organizations exist to provide them free or at a cheap price. Useful, friendly, hardworking animals deserve to have some time, money and attention spent on their health. | high4200.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the protection of the gorillas"
},
"options": [
"Diane Fossey",
"the gorillas in Rwanda",
"the protection of the gorillas",
"the film Gorillas in the Mist"
],
"question": "The text mainly talks about _ .",
... | The famous American gorilla expert Diane Fossey had a completely new way to study gorillas -- she pretended to be one of them. She copied their actions and way of life -- eating plants and getting down on her hands and knees to walk the way a gorilla does. It was a new relationship.
Diane Fossey was murdered in Rwanda in 1985 and her story was made into the popular filmGorillas in the Mist. It was a long way fromKing Kong, which is about a gorilla as a monster (a frightening animal), and helped to show a new idea: the real monster is man, while the gorilla is to be admired.
Today there are thought to be around 48,000 lowland gorillas and maybe 400--450 mountain gorillas in the wild. From the Congo in West Africa, to Rwanda and Uganda further east, they are endangered by hunting and by the cutting down of their forest homes.
Some time ago, I found in my letterbox a little magazine from the World Wide Fund for Nature. It had two photos side by side. One was of a young gorilla. "This is a species of mammal ," said the words below it. "It is being destroyed by man. We must save it for our own good." The other photo showed a human baby. The words also read, "This is a species of mammal," but then went on: "It is the most destructive on earth. We must retrain it for its own good." | high7709.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A father never talks to his daughter and shows no interest in what she does."
},
"options": [
"A father scolds his son because he doesn't pass the exam in school.",
"A car knocks down a woman but the driver doesn't take her to hosp... | Abuse can be defined as "to treat wrongfully or harmfully". There are different categories of abuse that have been recognized and within our case study there appear to be two distinct forms of abuse, family abuse and child abuse. These can be subdivided into terms of physical abuse and psychological abuse. Physical abuse is the intentional physical injury or harm or deliberately not preventing harm occurring. The minimum physical signs seen in our study of James are _ but they might feel more painful to his heart than the more serious invisible injuries. Emotional abuse is the continual failure to meet basic emotional needs. Emotional development is prevented and well-being harmed. The emotional signs in our case study can be seen in James by his actions of being withdrawn and non-communicative. The behavioural sign to abuse taking place to James is his aggressive behaviour.
The short term effect of physical abuse on James is physical pain. In the long term, injuries that often happen can result in secondary illness and complications, permanent scars or even disabilities. His emotional effects in the short term are a fear of people, withdrawal, and poor relationship with others. The long term emotional effects could be low self-respect, depression, inability to form relationships.
Abuse can arise for many reasons and there are a number of theoretical views which may be useful in clarifying why the abuse has taken place. The female view believes that sex and family roles give approval to a culture of abuse. Considering the historical and fixed ideas, men have power and control. In James' case he lives in a re-constructed family with the father being rude and a heavy drinker. From a psychological angle, alcohol misuse can bring mental health problems which may increase aggression in the person and so James is more at risk from abuse by his stepfather. The relationship between the mother and James involves a dependency of James on his mother. With other problems in James' mother's life, this leads to increasing stress and the inability of his mother to cope with and manage a family with four children borne by two mothers. The attachment theory states that significant separations of a child from the carer in the early years can have an effect on their emotional development and can lead to psychological and social difficulties in later life. The loss of both his father and his half sister's father with whom he lives may have contributed to his behaviour.
Abusive behaviour can sometimes be the result of mental health problems, brain damage or being abused themselves. By becoming the abuser they believe they are taking control; some even believe that they are not doing anything wrong and cannot stop themselves. When working with individuals who have abused, it is important to be aware that they may go on to abuse again and there is a need to protect the community from the abuser. | high834.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They helped First Lady Michelle Obama to plant a garden."
},
"options": [
"They gave shovels, rakes and wheelbarrows to the First Lady.",
"They did research on what life is like for the First Lady.",
"They helped First Lady M... | A Groundbreaking Event
It was an unforgettable field trip. Twenty-six fifth-graders from George Bancroft Elementary School, in Washington, D.C., went to the White House on Friday. They used shovels, rakes and wheelbarrows to help First Lady Michelle Obama break ground on a new vegetable garden.
This White House garden is the first since World War II. In the 1940s, First lady Eleanor Roosevelt planted a White House "Victory Garden" to encourage Americans to grow gardens at home. Mrs. Obama's new garden is an L-shaped patch near the fountain on the South Lawn. Vegetables to be planted include lettuce, peas, collard greens, onions and spinach. A herb garden will grow garlic, sage and cilantro. These herbs are used in Mexican food, an Obama family favourite. White House chefs will prepare meals for the First Family with food from the garden and some of the produce will be donated to Miriam's Kitchen, a soup kitchen near the White House.
Health food is important to Mrs. Obama. She said that the purpose of the garden is to make sure that her family, the White House staff, and guests eat fresh vegetables. Mrs. Obama has also said that she hopes the new White House garden will help educate Americans about the importance of fresh, nutritious food at a time when obesity is a national crisis. A diet high in natural, unprocessed foods helps people maintain a healthy weight.
Mrs. Obama said she has found that her daughters, Malia, 16, and Sasha, 13, like vegetables more if they have been involved in growing them. "If they have been involved in planting and picking the vegetables, they are much more curious about giving them a try," she said. When Bancroft students go back to the White House this summer they will get to taste the vegetables they helped to grow. After they help to harvest the crops, they will cook them in the White House kitchen and then eat them. | high12521.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the Earth's turning motion causes the sun to rise in the east"
},
"options": [
"the sun and planets generally travel westward",
"Kepler studied the orbit of the planets in 1619",
"Copernicus' theory well explained the motion ... | Last week, we explained that the planet Mars has passed "opposition. "It passed a point opposite the Sun. This week, we tell about the planet's surprising motion among the stars.
For thousands of years, people have recognized that planets travel among the stars. The planets generally follow the path taken by the Sun through the sky. The Sun's path is called the ecliptic. The groups of stars along the ecliptic are called the Zodiac.
The motion of the planets can be confusing at times. Everyone knows the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. But this is caused by the turning motion of the Earth. Planets generally move from west to east.
However, Mars will appear to move backward for about two months this year. This happens because the Earth is overtaking Mars on its way around the Sun. Mars began its backward, or westward, motion on May 11th, It will start moving eastward again on July 19th.
Mars' apparent motion has been a mystery to astronomers for hundreds of years. Most early theories of the solar system argued that the Sun and planets turned around the Earth. But the sudden westward motion of Mars presented a problem. Why would Mars move west for two months when it nears "opposition"?
In 1543, a Polish church worker named Nicolas Copernicus published a different theory. His theory said the Earth and planets moved around the Sun in perfectly circular orbits. Copernicus' theory was simpler. But his Sun - centered system still did not explain the observed motion of Mars very well.
Finally, a German mathematician named Johannes Kepler published a complete theory of the motion of the planets in 1619. He had carefully studied the motion of Mars for many years.
Johannes Kepler discovered that the planets do not move in circular orbits around the sun. Instead, they travel in flattened orbits called ellipses. Mars' elliptical orbit is the cause of its unusual brightening this year and its apparent large size.
During the next several weeks, you can see for yourself why the mysterious motion of Mars has caused so many people to wonder. | high23924.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Someone with some kind of disease."
},
"options": [
"Someone with bad eyesight.",
"Someone with some kind of disease.",
"Someone who looks older than his age.",
"Someone who joins the circus."
],
"question": "Wh... | I was born an albino.No one in my family had ever known what an albino was,what it meant to be an albino,and what had to be done differently because I was an albino.
My parents treated me just like they treated everybody else.That was just about the best thing they could have done.It helped me trust myself,so when the annoyances came along,I could deal with them.
True,my photo always looked like a snowball with two pieces of coal for eyes.Kids would tease me,asking if I was joining the circus and calling me "Whitey".Like most albinos,I had terrible eyesight,and my grades suffered until eventually I overcame my feeling ashamed of myself and realized it was okay to ask to sit in the front of the classroom so I could see the blackboard better.People stared at me when I held reading material right at the tip of my nose so I could see it well enough to read.Even when I was eight or nine.movie-theater clerks started asking me to pay adult prices because I "looked older".
The worst part for me was that because my eyesight was so bad,I couldn't play sports very well.I didn't give up trying,though.And I studied harder.
Eventually,I got better at school and loved it.By the time I got to college 1 was double majoring,going to summer school and devoting myself to every kind of extracurricular activity I could find.I had learned to be proud of being an albino.I did my best to make "albino" a positive word.And I decided to make my living with my eyes.
I couldn't see well enough to play spots,but with a solid education and the drive to do it.I could make a living involved in the field I loved.I've done it now for more than thirty years in print and in video,and now in cyberspace.People make jokes about how I'm the only "blind editor" they know,but most of the time the jokes are signs of respect.And I make jokes about being an albino.
I was just a proud albino kid from the coal country of Pennsylvania.I now realize that being born an albino helped me to overcome difficulties,gain confidence,and be proud of my personal achievement and humble about my professional accomplishments. | high24093.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "five hours a day"
},
"options": [
"five hours a day",
"Six hours a day",
"Eight hours a day",
"Twelve hours a day"
],
"question": "How many hours of sunshine are enough to keep tomato plants growing in Hoffman's... | Not all vegetables need lots of sunshine. Mark Hoffman and his wife own a bed-and-breakfast guesthouse in rural Kempton, Illinois. They often serve their guests fresh products from the garden.
The Hoffmans have been growing food and flowers for twenty-five years. For almost ten of those years, Mr. Hoffman has been experimenting and working with shade plantings. He says, "The bottom line here is that most plants will produce more in full sun. But if you do not have full sun, there are other choices."
For example, he grows tomatoes near oak trees. Oak trees can produce a lot of shade. But Mr. Hoffman says his tomato plants grow as long as they get five hours' direct sunshine a day, especially morning sun. Not only does this go against the traditional advice that tomatoes need six, eight, even twelve hours' full sun a day. It also shows how plants and tree roots can share nutrients and water.
Mr. Hoffman says plants with wider leaves seem to do better in shady environments. He also found that his potatoes did better partly in shade than in full sun.
Moving them out of the sun helped control an insect problem. Mr. Hoffman does not use pesticide . Instead, he planted the potatoes in the shade, especially on the east side of the tree. The potatoes get morning sun, but they are shaded during the hottest part of the day. Some insects dislike shade, and the hottest part day is when they do the worst of their damage.
Time of day, sun intensity , shadows from trees, walls and buildings all influence how much sunlight falls on plants. And people interested in shade planting should also remember something else. The term "shade" can describe different amounts of darkness. It can even mean different things in different parts of the world. | high1378.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the purpose of man was to seek freedom and wisdom"
},
"options": [
"all men were equal when they were born",
"the lower classes should be ruled by the upper class",
"the purpose of man was to seek freedom and wisdom",
"... | Kong Zi , also called Confucius (551-479 B.C) , and Socrates (469-399 B. C) lived only a hundred years apart , and during their lifetimes there was no contact between China and Greece, but it is interesting to look at how the world that each of these great philosophers came from shaped their ideas , and how these ideas in turn ,shaped their societies.
Confucius suggested the Golden Rule as a principle for the conduct of life:" Do not do to others what you would not want others to do to you." He assumed that all men were equal at birth, though some bad more potential than others, and that it was knowledge that set men apart. Socrates focused on the individual, and thought that the greatest purpose of man was to seek wisdom. He believed that the superior class should rule the inferior classes.
For Socrates, the family was of no importance, and the community of little concern. For Confucius, however, the family was the centre of the society, with family relations considered much more important than political relations.
Both men are respected much more today than they were in their lifetimes. | high74.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "humorous"
},
"options": [
"serious",
"cold",
"crazy",
"humorous"
],
"question": "Rose made herself known to the author in a _ manner.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"... | The first day our professor challenged us to get to know someone we didn't know. I looked around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady smiling at me.
She said, "Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I'm 87. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze. "Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked. She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of children." "No seriously," I said. "I want to realize my dream!" she told me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and everyone liked to listen to this "time machine".
At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet and I'll never forget what she taught us. "There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are 19 and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn 20. If I am 87 and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn 88. We have less time to live on. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do."
At the year's end, Rose finished the college degree she had dreamed about all those years. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over 2,000 students attended her funeral honoring the wonderful woman who taught us such an important message. | high6417.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the leaves koalas eat are losing nutritional value"
},
"options": [
"koalas can hardly stand the hot weather",
"koalas cannot get enough water to drink",
"the leaves koalas eat are losing nutritional value",
"the leaves... | Australia's koalas could be wiped out within 30 years unless urgent action is taken to stop the losing in population, according to researchers They say development, climate change and bushfires have all combined to reduce the number of wild koalas sharply. The Australian Koala Foundation said a recent survey showed the population could have dropped by more than half in the past six years. Previous estimates put the number of koalas at more than 100,000, but the latest calculations suggest there could now be as few as 43,000.
The foundation collected field data from 1,800 sites and 80,000 trees to calculate the numbers. In one area in northern Queensland estimated to have 20,000 koalas a decade ago, a team of eight people could not find a single animal in four days of searching.
The foundation said besides problems caused by cutting down forests, hotter and drier conditions because of global warming had reduced the nutritional value of their staple food, eucalyptus leaves, leading to poor nutrition for them.
Koalas, which live in the forests in Australia's east and south, are very fussy about what types of the leaves they eat.
Foundation chief Deborah Tabart said: "The koalas are missing everywhere we look. It's really no tree, no me. If you keep cutting down trees you don't have any koalas."
She is hoping the new figures will persuade the government's Threatened Species Steering Committee (TSSC) to list the koala as threatened. But committee chairman Bob Beeton said a decision was not likely recently and the koala's status as one of the country's favourite animals would not be a factor. "There's a number of species which are attractive and people have special feelings towards them. We don't consider that," Mr Beeton was reported as saying by the AFP agency. | high9724.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "How to plant sunflowers."
},
"options": [
"How to plant sunflowers.",
"Different kinds of sunflowers.",
"Ways to preserve sunflowers.",
"Tips on making your garden bright."
],
"question": "What is the passage ma... | In late summer or early fall the large, yellow seed heads of sunflowers will be ripening. If gardeners can keep off the birds and other wildlife trying to eat the seeds, they can have a large harvest. The bright yellow blooms will make a rainbow garden, brightening up any space.
However, planting the sunflower seeds is a skilled job. Plant seeds no deeper than the full length of itself. Smaller sized sunflowers can be spaced a foot apart. Larger varieties will need to be spaced as far apart as three feet. This allows ripe plants enough space for the seed heads to ripen without knocking the ripe seeds off before gardeners have a chance to harvest them.
Most sunflower seeds, especially those with eatable seeds, are large enough to handle without the need for seed sorters. This is why sunflowers make an excellent choice for a children's garden as well. Gardeners will want to mix plenty of soil fertilizers into the ground as sunflowers tend to be heavy feeders.
Sunflowers can be slow starters and the tiny new plants don't seem to grow very rapidly. Gardeners should protect the new plants as they begin to grow. Once they get going, sunflowers are able to _ many weeds, making them easier to grow in the home vegetable garden than many other plants.
Most pests and diseases are not a bother to the sunflower, however, more than one gardener has said that their lovely looking plants were destroyed overnight by hungry squirrels, mice or birds. To preserve their harvest, gardeners can cover the ripening seed head with stockings or net cloth to help keep the destroyers off the seeds.
Planting sunflower seeds is easy and can help even the smallest gardener feel successful in their gardening attempts. | high14150.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Experts urge more efforts to fight cancer in poor countries."
},
"options": [
"Cancer - a leading cause of death in poor countries",
"What should we do in preventing and treating cancer?",
"What makes the first killer in deve... | Health experts are calling for action to expand cancer care and control in the developing world. A medical research paper says cancer was once thought of as a problem mostly in the developed world. But now cancer is a leading cause of death and disability in poor countries as well. Experts from Harvard University and other organizations urge the international community to fight cancer aggressively, saying it should be fought in the way HIV/AIDS has been fought in Africa.
Cancer kills more than 7.5 million people a year worldwide. Almost two-thirds are in low-income and middle-income countries.
They discover cancer dills more people in developing countries than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. But the world spends only 5% of its cancer resources in those countries.
Felicia Knaul from Harvard Medical School was one of the authors of the paper. She was in Mexico when she was found to have breast cancer. She received treatment there and her experience showed her the sharp difference between the rich and the poor in treating breast cancer.
Felicia Knaul says, "And we are seeing how this is attacking young women. It's the number two cause of death in Mexico for women thirty to fifty-four. All over the developing world, it's the number one cancer-related death among young women. I think we have to again say that there is much more we could do about it than we are doing about it."
Professor Knalul met community health workers during her work in developing countries. They were an important part of efforts to reduce deaths from the cancer. They were able to persuade people to get tested to prevent the illness. The experts say cancer care does not have to be costly. For example, patients can be treated with lower-cost drugs. | high820.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The North Star, together with some other stars, make up the Little Dipper."
},
"options": [
"The North Star is the brightest star in the night sky.",
"The North Star, together with some other stars, make up the Little Dipper.",
... | Even if you're not an astronomy fan, chances are that you can easily recognize certain constellations and stars such as the Big Dipper and the North Star.
The North Star is the brightest star in the constellation known as the Little Dipper. It is so-called because of the special position. If you were to stay up all night looking at the stars, you'd slowly see them move around a point in the sky known as the North Celestial Pole.
You would notice, however, that one star remains still. This is the North Star, so named for its location almost directly in line with the North Celestial Pole.
Due to its position in the sky, at one time sailors used the North Star as a navigational tool. By measuring the angle between the northern horizon and the North Star, a navigator could accurately determine the ship's latitude.[:ZXXK]
But latitude, or the imaginary lines stretching across the globe parallel to the equator, was not enough to plot a ship's location. Knowing latitude only allowed navigators to locate themselves on a particular latitude line at a particular distance from the equator. It was only with the invention of a way to accurately measure longitude that precise navigation became possible.
Although the North Star is no longer used by navigators, it remains a heavenly symbol of human curiosity and exploration. | high12535.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "In West Virginia."
},
"options": [
"Near the White House.",
"In West Virginia.",
"In a community.",
"We don't know."
],
"question": "Where did the tragedy probably happen?",
"question_type": "factiod_questio... | All that hard work, all that hardship, all the time spent underground, it was all for the families. It was all for you. For a car in the driveway, a roof overhead. For a chance to give their kids opportunities that they would never know, and enjoy retirement with their loves and lovers. It was all in the hopes of something better. And so these miners lived - as they died - dreaming of the American Dream.
There, in the mines, for their families, they became a family themselves -- sharing birthdays, relaxing together, watching Mountaineers football or basketball together, spending days off together, hunting or fishing. They may not have always loved what they did, said a sister, but they loved doing it together. They loved doing it as a family. They loved doing it as a community.
That community was showed for all to see in the minutes, and hours, and days after the tragedy. Rescuers, risking their own safety, searching for narrow tunnels filled with methane and carbon monoxide , hoping against hope they might find a survivor. Friends keeping porch lights on in a nightly vigil ; hanging up homemade signs that read, "Pray for our miners, and their families." Neighbors consoling each other, and supporting each other and leaning on one another.
I've seen it, the strength of that community. In the days that followed the disaster, emails and letters poured into the White House. Postmarked from different places across the country, they often began the same way: "I am proud to be from a family of miners." "I am the son of a coal miner." "I am proud to be a coal miner's daughter." (Applause.) They were always proud, and they asked me to keep our miners in my thoughts, in my prayers. Never forget, they say, miners keep America's lights on. (Applause.) And then in these letters, they make a simple plea: Don't let this happen again. (Applause.) Don't let this happen again.
How can we fail them? How can a nation that relies on its miners not do everything in its power to protect them? How can we let anyone in this country put their lives at risk by simply showing up to work; by simply pursuing the American Dream?
We cannot bring back the 29 men we lost. They are with the Lord now. Our task, here on Earth, is to save lives from being lost in another such tragedy; to do what must do, individually and collectively, to assure safe conditions underground -- (applause) -- to treat our miners like they treat each other -- like a family. (Applause.) Because we are all family and we are all Americans. (Applause.) And we have to lean on one another, and look out for one another, and love one another, and pray for one another.
God bless our miners. (Applause.) God bless their families. God bless West Virginia. (Applause.) And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.) | high23930.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Improvement on the verbal fluency can be achieved by working out with the music."
},
"options": [
"The volunteers only didn't feel better mentally after working out with out the music.",
"Improvement on the verbal fluency can be ac... | If music makes you smarter, and exercise helps brain function, can exercising to music really boost brainpower? Some researchers said it could.
Volunteers who listened to Vivaldi~ "Four Seasons" while working out on a treadmill did much better on a test of verbal ability than when they exercised without music, a team at prefix = st1 /OhioStateUniversityfound. "Evidence suggests that exercise improves the cognitive performance of people with coronary artery disease ," said psychologist Charles Emery, who led the study. "And listening to music is thought to enhance brainpower. We wanted to put the _ together," Emery added in a statement.
Writing in the latest issue of the journal Heart & Lung, Emery and colleagues said they studied 33 men and women taking part in a cardiac rehabilitation program after having bypass surgery, angioplasty or other procedures to treat clogged arteries. The volunteers said they felt better emotionally and mentally after working out with or without the music. But their improvement on the verbal fluency test doubled after listening to music on the treadmills ."Exercise seems to cause positive changes in the nervous system, and these changes may have a direct effect on cognitive ability," Emery said. "Listening to music may influence cognitive function through different pathways in the brain. The combination of music and exercise may stimulate and increase cognitive arousal while helping to organize cognitive output."
Emery said he now wanted to test people using music of their own choice. "We used The Four Seasons' because of its moderate tempo and positive effects on medical patients in previous research," Emery said. "But given the range of music preferences among patients, it's especially important to evaluate the influence of other types of music on cognitive outcomes." | high24087.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "how he is feeling."
},
"options": [
"how he is feeling.",
"whether the boss had breakfast.",
"whether he is on deadline.",
"whether he had taken a vacation."
],
"question": "If you want to ask the boss for anyth... | Before you argue with your boss, check with the boss's secretary to determine his mood. If he ate nails for breakfast, it is not a good idea to ask him for something. Even without the boss's secretary, there are keys to timing: don't approach the boss when he's on deadline; don't go in right before lunch, when he is apt to be distracted and rushed; don't go in just before or after he has taken a vacation.
If you're mad, that will only make your boss mad. Calm down first. And don't let a particular concern open the floodgates for all your accumulated frustration. The boss will feel that you think negatively about the company and it is hopeless trying to change your mind. Then, maybe he will dismiss you.
Terrible disputes can result when neither the employer nor the employee knows what is the problem the other wants to discuss. Sometimes the fight will go away when the issues are made clear. The employee has to get his point across clearly in order to make the boss understand it.
Your boss has enough on his mind without your adding more. If you can't put forward an immediate solution, at least suggest how to approach the problem. People who frequently present problems without solutions to their boss may soon find they can't get past the secretary.
To deal effectively with a boss, it's important to consider his goals and pressures. If you can put yourself in the position of being a partner to the boss, then he will be naturally more inclined to work with you to achieve your goals. | high6403.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Change with the changes"
},
"options": [
"Never change in our life",
"Change when you like to do",
"Change with the changes",
"Pay attention to the changes"
],
"question": "What does the text mainly discuss _ ... | The American book Who Moved My Cheese has been a bestseller all over the world. It teaches people how to face changes in their lives. Now its author Spence Johnson has written a book just for teens. The book tells us that when facing change in our lives, like a new school or new friends, don't be afraid. Instead, use this change to make a better life. The book gives an example of a change at school. A school is changing from having two terms to three terms because there are too many students.
Several teens are talking about this. Most of them are unhappy and worried. But Chris is not. He laughs and tells a story about two mice, two "little people" and some cheese.
The _ are in a maze looking for the cheese. Here, cheese means something important in life, like moving to a new class or getting into college. But they find the cheese is gone. The mice realize that they can't change what has happened and have to find more cheese. This means finding different dreams. The little people, however, can't do this. They are afraid of change so they find no cheese.
After Chris finishes the story, the friends understand one thing: to get more cheese, move in a new direction quickly. His friends understand how this can be used in the changes all teens face, such as doing well at school or having good relationships or just feeling good about yourself. | high60.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "to make you feel energetic"
},
"options": [
"to help you keep calm and sleepy",
"to make you feel energetic",
"to lead you to slowness",
"to increase serotonin in your brain"
],
"question": "The function of prot... | Who hasn't found themselves reaching for the closest food available when they're tired and stressed? More and more research is proving that this isn't all in our mind. Some foods really do lead to a change in our moods .
Carbohydrate for calm
This is how some people medicate themselves with food -- by reaching for cookies or pasta whenever they're upset. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work. You must eat a meal consisting of 100% carbohydrate, on an empty stomach, to obtain the serotonin increase so that you have a good mood.
To get the wishedfor effect, you must not eat anything for four hours and then eat at least 30 grams of straight carbohydrate. Dry cereal , a piece of bread with jam, or a potato should _
Protein for power
Of course, sometimes we don't need to be calm and sleepy.Sometimes we need a great deal of mental concentration, so this is when it's important to mix protein and carbohydrate. The protein will prevent the tryptophan from flooding your brain,and the rise in serotonin won't occur.
Why dessert makes us happy
Fat and sugar cause the brain to let go endorphins , which send pleasure signals throughout the body. This would be fine, except humans are not particularly good at stopping at one cookie or cake.
You can also satisfy your sweet tooth by choosing fruit for dessert.
Timing your meals for energy
Blood sugar drops after four hours of going without food, causing a decrease in energy. Eating usually fixes this within 20 to 30 minutes, but don't suppose that eating more will cause a faster increase in energy.
When you eat has as much of an effect on your mood as what you eat. If you regularly go for a long period of time between meals, rethink your schedule and plan ahead. | high9730.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "can learn to deal with their own problems by helping others"
},
"options": [
"have few challenges",
"should be kept out of schools",
"can learn to deal with their own problems by helping others",
"are living much better... | Bushwick is a tough place to grow up. This part of Brooklyn, in New York City, has a lot of crime. More than half of its 100,000 residents rely on aid from the government. Only 50% of students at Bushwick High School graduate in four years.
Some people might say, "We should help these poor kids who have so many challenges." But Malaak Compton-Rock looks at the teens in Bushwick and says, " Go to help kids who have even bigger challenges than you do." She believes that once young people see the power they have to make things better, they can handle their own problems more easily. So her service group, the Angel Rock Project, took 30 Bushwick kids to Soweto, in South Africa, to help poor families there. Soweto is a township outside the city of Johannesburg. The effort, called Journey for Change, aims to show that any kid can change the world.
"Kids in Bushwick face pressure to drop out of school or become involved in gangs and drugs." Says Compton-Rock. "We want them to live a life of purpose and service."
In Soweto, many parents have died of AIDS, a deadly disease. When that happens, a grandparent or a child must lead the family. The Bushwick volunteers helped such families. They tended vegetable gardens, cared for babies and bought groceries.
"The saddest thing was when we visited an orphanage and I helped a little boy who had been abandoned because he had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS," says Queen Clyde, 12. "It's been good to be on this trip. But what's also important is what we do when it's finished. That's what counts." " I never appreciated what I had until I saw some people who had nothing," says Sadara Lewis, 12 "It's really changed my attitude. I want to make a difference."
The trip was two weeks long. But the kids, aged 12 to 15, will spend all year speaking about their experience, fund-raising and more. | high2665.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "social support can reduce the risk of having a cold"
},
"options": [
"hugs can hide serious illness symptoms",
"social conflicts can monitor signs of infection",
"social support can reduce the risk of having a cold",
"d... | We know that hugs make us feel easy inside. And this feeling, it turns out, could actually _ stress and protect r the immune system, according to a new research from Carnegie Mellon University.
It's a well-known fact that stress can weaken the immune system. In this study, the researchers sought to determine whether hugs----like social support more broadly ----could protect individuals from the increased sensitivity to illness brought on by the particular stress that come with interpersonal conflict.
"We know that people experiencing ongoing conflicts with others are less able to fight off cold viruses. We also know that people who report having social support are partly protected from the effects of stress on psychological states, such as depression and anxiety, "the study's lead author, psychologist Dr. Sheldon Cohen , said in a statement. "We tested whether awareness of social support is equally effective in protecting us from sensitivity to infection caused by stress and also whether receiving hugs might partially account for those feeling of support and thus protect a person against infection."
In the experiment , over 400 healthy adults filled out a questionnaire about their perceived social support and also participated in a nightly phone interview for two weeks . They were asked the frequency they engaged in interpersonal conflicts and received bugs that day.[:++Z+X+X+K]
Then, the researchers exposed the participants to a common cold virus, and monitored them to assess signs of infection. They found that both perceived social support and more frequent hugs reduced the risk of infection associated with experiencing interpersonal conflict. Regardless of whether or not they experienced social conflicts, infected participants with greater perceived social support and more frequent hugs had less severe illness symptoms.
"This suggests that being hugged by a trusted person may act as an effective means of conveying support and that increasing the frequency of hugs might be an effective means of reducing the effects of stress," Cohen said. "The apparent protective effect of hugs may result from the physical contact itself or hugging being a behavioral indicator of support and closeness. Either way, those who receive more hugs are somewhat more protected from infection."
If you need any more reason to go wrap your arms around someone special, consider this: hugs also lower blood pressure, reduce fearsome around death and dying, improve heart health and decrease feeling of loneliness. | high10322.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "find out how the Chinese will express their love to parents"
},
"options": [
"find out how the Chinese will express their love to parents",
"make preparations for Mother's Day",
"survey how many people will say \"I love you\"... | Despite great affection for their parents,many Chinese people remain "too shy" to express love for them,according to an online survey.
The poll of around 6,000 people,conducted by Beijing--based recruitment website Zhaopin.com,was conducted as the nation gears up (......)for Mother's Day on Sunday.
Although 74.6 percent of participants said they knew their mothers' birthday,only 25.5 percent would like to actually tell her "I love you".
"This figure suggests mothers occupy an important place in most participants' mind. Yet,many people still find it 'embarrassing' to express their affection," the survey's organizer said.
As to the form of celebration on Mother's Day,67 percent of participants said they would prepare some gifts,with 70 percent saying that they would spend no more than 500 yuan (74 US dollars),while 51 percent said they planned to phone their mother because they would either be too busy at work or be away from home.
"I do love my mother deeply but I have never said 'I love you' that often. It just feels quite weird for me to say it to her in person,"said Stella Wang,a 27yearold office worker,noting that she prefers to express her feelings in writing on birthday or Christmas cards.
"I have to say that it's difficult for me to express my love for my mother. I think if I did say it out loud,it might confuse her," said Liang Hao,a 32yearold engineer.
"Very few Chinese,at least those I know,are used to saying 'I love you',they may never even say it once," said Mike Denver,an American working in Shanghai as an English teacher.
Hu Shoujun,a sociology professor from Shanghai's Fudan University said,"The personality of the Chinese people is generally quiet,reserved and serious. For Chinese,it's unnecessary and even regarded as 'odd' to display their affection for s and friends." | high16753.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She was inspired by her trip for a BBC TV program."
},
"options": [
"She wanted to enjoy a different Christmas.",
"She wanted to make more money.",
"She was inspired by her trip for a BBC TV program.",
"She hoped to pre... | This Christmas, maybe different from previous years, a strong desire drives me to make my own Christmas gifts. Honestly speaking, I've promised myself this more than once. As a crafter , I've frequently thought I am supposed to turn it into action. However, this year I really plan to stick to it. It's partly because I run short of money. More importantly, I've recently returned from an inspiring trip around Britain, collecting some information about crafting for BBC's Newsnight.
Actually I planned the trip couples of months ago. The idea of traveling the country -- making things as I went, meeting artists and craftspeople -- sounded perfect to spend the summer. I'd pack a tent and a sewing machine and I'd set off. But by the time I determined my plans and hit the road, leaves made a sighing sound under foot. It seemed crazy to camp with winter on the way; Luckily, Newsnight viewers offered me accommodations in return for help with a craft task.
My tasks ranged from sewing worn-out clothes to making trousers. Textile students in Harpenden offered to pay for my petrol in return for a talk about hats. In Derby, Amy needed help to change an old pair of curtains.
I was really struck by people's increasing enthusiasm for making things. When I asked some people if they could sew, only a few raised their hands. But when I asked who wanted to learn, nearly everyone responded positively, hoping to learn something practical.
Craft is definitely popular at the moment. But besides fashion, we're learning to appreciate effort and quality again. Perhaps once people rediscover the pleasure to be gained from making something unique, it may stick.
Sue is director of quilts at the V&A, where next spring she'll be putting on the museum's first major quilting exhibition. Sue believes the return to crafting is related to how we rethink ourselves. "People, especially women, are beginning to think about the way they live their lives. It's 40 years since the first women's liberation conference was held in Oxford. Since then we've been in the workplace, and we've had the opportunity of choice. Now we're carefully choosing to go back into the home."
Whether you agree with that or not, there's something about Christmas that brings out the artistic flavor in everyone. Whether it's baking bread or pies or decorating the halls or rooms, we're all prepared to have a try at any time. So if you fancy having a different and joyful party or holiday and making a few presents, try these really simple ideas, each inspired by my recent journey there. They make small and interesting gifts, and take no longer than 30 minutes each. Enjoy Christmas songs and settle down with a cup of hot cocoa, and the cold is gone. You'll save yourself a small quantity of money and spread a little bit of love, too! | high4214.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a big city"
},
"options": [
"a small town",
"a big city",
"a small village",
"a farm"
],
"question": "The Smiths moved to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | Mr. Smith lived in a small village. He grew vegetables. Years ago he found work in a big city and moved there with his family.
On the first Saturday in their new home, Mr. Smith took his new car out of the garage and washed it. A man came at the moment. When he saw Mr. Smith's new car, he stopped and looked at it for a few minutes. Then Mr. Smith turned and saw him.
The man said, "That's a nice car. Is it yours?"
"Sometimes," Smith answered with a smile.
"Sometimes?" The man said. "What do you mean?"
"Well," answered Smith slowly, "When there's a party in town, it is my daughter's, Mary. When there's a football game, it's my son's, John. After I wash it, and it looks really nice and clean, it's my wife's. And when it needs gas, it's mine." | high19460.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "less than 62"
},
"options": [
"63",
"over 66",
"62",
"less than 62"
],
"question": "In the past ten years, most working Americans retired at the age of .",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | Working Americans expect to retire at age 66, up from 63 in 2002, according to a recent Gallup poll .But most retirees don't stay on the job nearly that long.
The average retirement age among retirees is 62, Gallup found.And even retirement at age 62 is a recent development.The average retirement age has been around 60 for most of the past decade.
"Americans have two reasons for which they may project a later retirement year.One is financial, and they simply think they will need to work longer because there are fewer pensions, and now people may have a more psychologically positive view of work," says Frank Newport, editor-in-chief of Gallup poll.But a plan to work longer isn't the same as keeping a job into your mid- or late 60s.
Other surveys have similarly found a significant gap between the age workers expect to retire and when they actually leave their jobs.A 2014 Employee Benefit Research Institute survey found that 33 percent of workers expect to retire after age 65, but only 16 percent of retirees report staying on the job that long.Just 9 percent of workers say they are planning to retire before age 60, but 35 percent of retirees say they retired that early.The average retirement age in the survey was 62.
Many of these early retirements are unexpected and due to unforeseen circumstances.About half (49 percent) of retirees say they left the workforce earlier than planned, often as a result of a health problem or disability (61 percent) or to care for a family member (18 percent), EBRI found.Other retirees are forced out of their jobs due to changes at their company, such as a downsizing or closing (18 percent), changes in the skills required for their job (7 percent) or other work-related reasons (22 percent).
"The difference is between what you know you want to do and what factors outside your control ultimately require you to do," says Dallas Salisbury, president of EBRI. | high19306.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "was found in a dustbin"
},
"options": [
"was found in a shop",
"was sent to the judge",
"was found in a dustbin",
"was never to be found"
],
"question": "The wallet the businessman lost _ .",
"question_ty... | A businessman lost his wallet. There was plenty of money in it. So he made a promise, "If someone finds my wallet and returns it to me, I'll give half the money to him."
A dustman found the wallet in a dustbin. He sent it back to the loser. But the businessman changed his mind.
"There was still a diamond ring in my wallet," said the loser, "I won't give half the money in my wallet to you until you return it to me!"
"I've never seen a diamond ring in the wallet," said the dustman.
They began to quarrel. The businessman refused to do what he had said. The dustman became angry and took him before a judge.
After the judge heard what had happened to them, he said to the businessman, "I'm sure you are an honest man. It's true that you have lost a wallet in which there was a diamond ring. But it's also clear that there is only a lot of money in this wallet. I don't think it's yours. Wait for some time. Perhaps someone will be able to return your wallet to you!"
Then the judge turned to the dustman and said, "Take the wallet home. If the loser doesn't go to get it back in three days, it will belong to you!" | high2103.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the gods"
},
"options": [
"the sky",
"the gods",
"the earth",
"the nature"
],
"question": "People once thought lightning came from _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"a... | 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 trees.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.
With lightning, it is better to be safe than sorry! | high21841.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "has a very wide coverage of signals."
},
"options": [
"has a very wide coverage of signals.",
"deducts fees directly from users' bank account.",
"offers a nearly free communicating service",
"requires people to speak qu... | The next generation telephone is called Superphone or personal Communication Network (PCN). Your superphone goes wherever you go, in your pocket. You can use it in the street, in an aeroplane, a boat, or a taxi; you can call from anywhere on the globe to anywhere else. Calls travel at the speed of light, via satellites using ultraviolet, high-frequency wave bands and each communication is automatically billed to your account.
This new phone is the size and shape of a billfold . You unfold it to use it., making it long enough to reach from your ear to your mouth. There is a miniaturized touch pad, on which to enter the number you are calling. There is also a tiny liquid crystal screen on which you can read weather, news or financial reports. These news items are constantly updated by the company that sells the service. Letter keys on the touch pad also allow you to use this electronic marvel as a computer or word processor. You can plug it into your large home or office computer in order to transfer any data that you feed in during a business trip. The PCN also stores any useful information of your own that you might need as you travel, such as the names, addresses and phone numbers of several hundred people, important meetings, flight details and so on. When you need information, you simply call it up on the screen. You can even use your PCN to activate electronically controlled equipment at home. For example, you could switch your oven on or off, start the sprinkler system in your garden during a dry spell, get your video recorder to record a show on television, turn off the central heating, and so on. All of this from thousands of miles away, perhaps from the back of a camel in the desert. Prototypes are already being trialed. In spite of the complex technology, they will be cheap because of the enormous sales that will be made. | high20587.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "A college freshman should be careful when choosing a credit card."
},
"options": [
"A college freshman should be careful when choosing a credit card.",
"Students should take a lesson about how to use a credit card wisely.",
"... | The moment a college student arrives on campus, he or she _ credit card offers. Advertisements for student credit cards are everywhere: in bags at the bookstore, in the campus newspaper, in your regular mailbox, in the residence halls.
With so many college students graduating with large amounts of credit card debt (figures vary, but most are at least in the thousands), learning how to manage a student credit card can be an important lesson for any student. While using a card wisely can be an important part of building credit and making it through a difficult time, knowing how to use a card wisely can be the hard part.
Stick to the following rules when, and if, you need to use a credit card:
You can repay the charge(s) within the card's next billing cycle.
You must meet your basic needs, like food, clothing and shelter, but set rules and be aware that you will need to repay those charges at the end of the month.
You can talk to the financial aid office in your school for an alternative in "emergency" situations.
If you do want a credit card, just be smart about it. (They let you in to that school because of your brain, right?) Don't automatically get the first one you find. Shop around for a card that has the lowest interest rate possible, and consider places that may not be advertising on campus. Additionally, be aware of any card's repayment options: When will payments be due? How much will they be? A credit card is not like a loan that comes with a grace period after you graduate and waits until you are done with school. That new sweater and nice dinner out will need to be paid back right away. | high11982.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "you've chosen to learn engineering"
},
"options": [
"you're good at engineering",
"you've finished learning engineering",
"you've chosen to learn engineering",
"you can find work relating to engineering"
],
"que... | In today's society, a college degree tells little about what you know in comparison to what it tells about what you can learn.For example, the IT world is constantly changing. Anything you learn today will probably be useless in a few short years. The point is to learn to learn.
Blogging works exactly the same way. And I believe this to be true regardless of your end goal. If you're trying to make money, this is very clear. There's always more money to be made. If you're teaching on a subject, you are constantly looking for new information to share. Even if you're just sharing your words with others for pleasure, you're continuously improving your writing and storytelling so people don't get bored of you.
This is one of the reasons that bloggers burn out. They forget this. They think they have an unlimited amount of content just waiting to burst from their brain. They get comfortable. Then they start to run out of juice. _ . They are experts in their fields and will simply feed us with invaluable content forever. But this is not true. Pay attention. Even famous bloggers would run out of content eventually without constant learning.
The point is easy to see. Don't think you've succeeded. There is no summit. What happens when someone thinks they've hit the summit? They quickly begin falling down the other side. Always be learning from your experiences. See what posts work for your readers. Which get the best response? Which are completely ignored? Which bring in the most Google traffic, or get the most Absence clicks? Don't settle or your blog will close for ever eventually. | high18018.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The writer has cultural differences with his friends."
},
"options": [
"The writer doesn't care his family.",
"The writer has cultural differences with his friends.",
"The writer often quarrels with his family member.",
... | Twice in the past few days, I've witnessed families arguing to the point of having major 'falling outs' (when you get so angry with each other that there is threat of withdrawing love from a family member and/or abandoning the relationship). Last night, one of those situations occurred and a friend contacted me on QQ and asked my advice.
Their situation arose where a son-in-law had disagreements with his wife and then got into a quarrel with his mother-in-law and father-in-law. In the end, the son-in-law threatened to cut off all relationship with his in laws and also to deny his in laws a relationship with his own daughter, their granddaughter.
Not only did the son-in-law threaten his wife's parents, but he has followed through with his threat and hasn't allowed his wife or his child to have any contact with his wife's parents in almost a year.
The first question my friend asked me was, "Michael, what do you do when you get into a quarrel with your family?" I said, "I don't know." They said, "Well what about when you quarrel with your mother or one of your siblings (brother or sister)?" I said, "I don't know." He said, "Well, what would you do if you got into an argument with your in laws when you were married?" I said, "I don't know." He said, "What do you mean that you don't know?" I said, "Well, I never got into a quarrel with my in-laws, my mother or my siblings." He said, "Be serious, Michael. I need some help with this situation." I said, "I am serious. I never quarreled with mother, brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law or brother-in-law. At least not in my adult life (since I turned 18 years old)." My friend found it hard to believe that I never did any of these things. I suppose (I really don't know; Ha!) that many people wouldn't believe that an entire family could maintain a such a level of peace, harmony, respect and love. The truth is, my family doesn't do those things.
You may wonder 'why' we don't do that. Well, I never really thought about 'why' we don't do that. But I do know, we don't. So, I did the most logical thing I could think of. I asked my mother 'why' we don't quarrel, argue, fight and have such situations. Some people believe that if you don't argue, quarrel and fight, then, you don't care enough. I would say that my family cares very deeply for each other and love each other and express our love to each other, very often. We don't believe that you have to quarrel, argue and fight in order to show that you care and that you love the other. Instead, we show that we love, care and respect each other by, well, loving, caring and respecting each other. | high6365.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "promote its sales in China"
},
"options": [
"promote Shenzhen's economy",
"promote its sales in China",
"get help of Chinese experts",
"join in local competition"
],
"question": "Apple is going to open a researc... | Apple is to open a research lab in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, according to Tim Cook, its chief executive, as it seeks to boost sales in the country and improve ties with the authorities.
Beijing has been encouraging foreign technology companies to carry out more high-end work on the mainland as part of efforts to revitalize local industry.
It will be Apple's second facility in China. It already has a new research and development facility in Beijing.
The two R&D centers were "aimed at strengthening relationships with local partners and universities as we work to support talent development across the country", Apple said in a statement.
A closer relationship with the Chinese authorities has been a priority following setbacks for the US technology company this year.
The iPhone has been losing market share to high-end handsets made by local competitors including Huawei, Vivo and Oppo, which topped the rankings in the second quarter, while Apple languished in fifth place, according to Canalys data.
Analysts said the announcement of the R&D centre was Mr. Cook's latest attempt to gain favour with Beijing, following the US group's $1billion investment in Didi Chuxing, the Chinese car-hailing company, in May.
Apple has had to change its approach in China as it faces rising nationalism and high-quality local competition, according to Ge Jia, a tech blogger, who wrote yesterday: "It's time for Apple to cast aside their pride." "Their previous strategy of only selling devices to China without leaving anything behind is not working any more and they are starting their process of localisation in China through the Shenzhen lab." | high14622.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because it addresses the subjects faced by the youth."
},
"options": [
"Because it is a breakthrough in the producing style.",
"Because it is the most influential sitcom of all time.",
"Because it addresses the subjects faced... | If a sitcom that lasts for l0 years is considered popular,then surely one that still arouses emotions after 20 must be considered a classic.Friends first aired in the US in 1994,featuring a cast of six young men and women in New York.In the time since,it's become one of the most famous titles in the sitcom style,aired in over 100 countries and regions in the world.
The show is typical among those who grew up in the 1990s because it explores basic yet important themes like friendship,struggling to survive in a big city,and finding independence and identity,all of which are still relevant to young audiences today.
Against the background of the Internet age,IT staff who were once marginalized and laughed at have experienced a revival due to the popularity of hit show The Big Bang Theory,in which four talents lacking normal social skills make an attempt at living on a college campus.
At the same time,Gossip Girl,describing a young cast of New Yorkers born with silver spoons in their mouths,demonstrates the difficulties upper-class adolescents experience.The show's fashion and mature subject matter allowed it to capture the interest of both teenagers and adults.
Although these typical TV shows span a wide timeline and feature a variety of themes,they all have a universal topic.Love,money,friendship,career aspirations and identity are things all young people struggle to understand.Why are they still fascinating? It remains to be found out. | high9056.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Dining in the dark"
},
"options": [
"The fun in the dark restaurant",
"Dining in the dark",
"The troubles in the dark restaurant",
"The advantages in the dark restaurant"
],
"question": "What's the best title of... | Consumers at the Whale Inside Dark Restaurant are led by a waiter with night - vision Goggles . Inside Dark Restaurant in prefix = st1 /Beijing, a table of 30 diners was getting quarrelsome."I'm touching your head!"said one, like a talkative child. "Who just said that?"another replied. Such voices floated across the 90-plus-seat restaurant, but no one could see who was talking, except the waiters, who were equipped with military-grade night-vision goggles.
In the new conceptual dining, restaurants are turning off the lights to focus attention on the food. The trend seems to have started inZurichand has since spread all over the world, with diners sitting in _ rooms and, lately, being served by waiters in night-vision goggles. The idea is that by depriving one sense (sight), other senses are heightened.
Darkness has other benefits. ''Chinese people tend to be shy,'' said Chen Long, who owns Whale Inside Dark, which opened in January. ''People have found it easy to break the ice here.''
The first dark restaurant, which opened inZurichin 1999, had a simple intention. The goal ''was creating jobs for the blind and handicapped people,'' said the manager. The concept has been popular in Paris, London,Sydneyand elsewhere, offering new variations on sight deprivation, by which people can experience a lot in a completely dark condition.
In Beijing, the Whale Inside Dark Restaurant is not only about heightening the sense of taste, but lowering social inhibitions . It is popular with Internet daters, who met on matchmaking Web sites that are spreading throughout China. Diner for two is about 225 yuan, or $29 at 7.76 yuan to the dollar.
Eating in the dark is not without its troubles. Instead of family-style dining, food is served on single-serving plates. When each dish arrives, the server guides your hand to the plate and offers helpful tips like, ''This course is eaten with a spoon.''
The style seems to be working . ''People feel a lot more comfortable when they can't be seen by others,'' said Mr. Chen, who is opening a second branch in Shang-hai, ''Couples get to know each other without seeing other's faces.'' | high22390.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to be a clerk in a certain government"
},
"options": [
"to be a clerk in a certain government",
"his friend to introduce him job",
"to visit the head of the department",
"to get an answer from the department"
],
... | A man heard that a certain government wanted a clerk, so wrote and asked for the position. But while he was waiting for an answer, a friend of his introduced him to the head of the department, who gave him the job. Several months later, while the man was working in the department, he got a letter that had been sent to him from the place he used to live in. This letter said,
"Dear sir,
We are sorry to have to tell you that we cannot offer work in this department because we do not think that you would be able to do the work successfully.
Your faithfully."
The man laughed, but when he looked at the letter more carefully, he saw that he had signed it himself. | high11772.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "encouraging"
},
"options": [
"caring",
"moving",
"encouraging",
"interesting"
],
"question": "What Kemmons'mom often told him during his childhood was _",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"an... | Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own. My mom was one of those people.
My father died when I was nine months old, making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen. While I was growing up, we lived a very hard life.
We had little money, but my mom gave me a lot of love. Each night, she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life, "Kemmons, you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it."
At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again. Every day,my mother spoke to me in her gentle,loving voice, telling me that no matter what those doctors said, I would walk again if I want to badly enough. She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her.A year I returned to school--walking on my own !
When the Great Depression hit, my mom lost her job. Then I left school to support the both of us. At that moment, I was determined never to be poor again.
Over the years, I experienced various levels of business success. But the real turning point occurred on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in1951. I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child. That was too expensive for the average American family. I told my wife that I was going to open a motel for families that would never charge extra for children. There were plenty of doubters at that time.
Not surprisingly, Mom was one of my strongest supporters. She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style. As in any business,we experienced a lot of challenges. But with my mother's words deeply rooted in my soul, I never doubted we would succeed.Fifteen years later,we had the largest hotel system in the world--Holiday Inn. In 1979 my company had 1759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $1billion a year.
You may not have started out life in the best situations. But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you. | high3235.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "making people think positively"
},
"options": [
"letting people have a good sleep",
"making people think positively",
"showing something new to people",
"making people focus only on important things"
],
"questio... | "If music is the medicine of the soul , let it play on," said a famous person. I think he said so because probably he got some help from music. Music has some strange abilities. Medical scientists have found that a person that feels stressed can actually listen to some kind of music and become well.
The researchers said that since stress comes as a result of life events such as starting a new family, starting a new business, and starting a new job, one can actually listen to good music and feel good because good music touches the human mind in a positive way. Music helps you to forget the life events that make you worried and remember the important events that once happened in your life.
Depression is a disease cause by stress, smoking, social problems and so on. Depression is also caused by problems such as failure in business. Depression may bring us weakness, headache, and loss of concentration. Good music makes one remember happy moments or good days. If you play music about love, it makes you feel like falling in love again though you may have had several upset experiences. And such good feeling make you healthy.
Anxiety is another health problem that can be controlled by music. Anxiety is a side effect of some major health problems such as cancer of the liver and cancer of the breast. Good music makes you feel relaxed and removes the pains from these diseases and you feel all right.
Good music can send you to sleep. And you need to know that sleep puts your body in a healthy condition. Sleep takes away the effects of stress, depression and anxiety from a person. | high5644.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "opposed"
},
"options": [
"neutral",
"opposed",
"approving",
"supportive"
],
"question": "The author's attitude towards cloning is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"a... | The Food and Drug Administration is, again, threatening to impose milk and meat from cloned animals on a public that opposes the technology and its products.
Respected polls report that more than 60% of Americans think animal cloning is immoral, and that most people said they wouldn't knowingly eat the products even if the FDA approved them. But because the FDA would allow cloned meat and milk to be sold without identifying labels, consumers wouldn't be able to avoid them. The FDA has consistently tilted toward those who want cloned milk and meat in our food. Agency officials have repeatedly asserted that science shows cloned milk and meat are safe for humans. But the FDA has never published the complete scientific studies it says support that claim.
The argument that cloning is safe for animals is unconvincing. Cloned meat and milk offer no public economic benefits. Having cloned cows produce more milk wouldn't reduce milk prices. prefix = st1 /USfarmers produce more milk than we drink, and the government is required to buy the surplus. Since 2000, dairy support programs have cost taxpayers more than $ 5 billion.
Most important, this first decision to advance animal biotechnology raises ethical issues beyond the FDA's expertise. Techniques used to clone animals will advance the ability to clone humans-and create animals with human genes. Neither the agency nor animal scientists are qualified to tell us whether and when it is ethically acceptable for humans to alter the essential nature of animals. We need a national discussion, including ethicists and religious leaders, to consider the wisdom of cloned and transgenic animals. Given the risk of unintended consequences, we should proceed cautiously. The president should halt further FDA action on cloning and set in motion a process for beginning this broader discussion. | high17303.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "people's common experience"
},
"options": [
"his favorite songs",
"his own experience",
"people's common experience",
"singing along with the radio"
],
"question": "In Paragraph 1,the author proves his point thr... | Homeschool materials are every where .In fact, as a homeschool parent, one of the best learning tools you can use is making use of songs. Think of it .When you hear your favorite songs come on the radio and as soon as the lyrics begin , you can join in at once and sing along. Perhaps, you haven't heard this song for months or even years! Doesn't it amaze you? There is no doubt that learning through lyric and rhyme is a great way!
With some careful searching , you can come up with many songs ,lyrics ,and rhymes that fit well with your homeschool lesson plan or unit study. Some places even have songs that have the same themes with the lessons.
are perfect to be used to add to your homeschool materials ! Even if you don't find a particular great song for what you may be teaching at the time, you can write your own. With a little practice, you can not only write your own songs over time but also be surprised how good you can become.
Take any of the traditional chidren's songs and modify them to meet your needs .This is an interesting exercise for both you and your children. It helps you with reading , recognizing sounds, and improving memory. Soon you'll have your children want to write and sing their own songs!
Song and singing is such a great way to teach your children. It's fun and relaxing. Sometimes. you really need such a break from your study and work .It will cost nothing. So turn your creativity and imagination loose and have fun .Whisrle while you work! | high15514.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "provide a new means of family education"
},
"options": [
"show the importance of reading aloud",
"discuss food culture in children's books",
"provide a new means of family education",
"introduce some interesting books"
... | My husband is reading The Secret Garden (<<>> )aloud to our kids. They are at the part where Mary has told Colin that she's found the garden her mother loved. It's an exciting moment. But the passage I'm waiting for is a few chapters on, after Colin has tasted his first breaths of fresh air and Mary has grown strong running in the garden. It's just a detail, but my kids will notice it: a delicious description of toasted potatoes and eggs.
We have a tradition of trying foods from the books we read aloud. It started when we read Elizabeth Enright's The Saturdays, and one of the boys asked, "What are petit fours ?" An answer, my husband and I felt, wouldn't be as good as a sample. So one Saturday we all sat down having tea and little cakes, covered with pink, green, and yellow. It was exciting for the kids to try a dessert they had learned about in a book. The petit fours they tried didn't tell them what it was like to live in New York City 60 years ago, but tasting them made the book's words alive.
Later, when we read C.S.Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, we had _ . We read The Penderwicks, written by Jeanne Birdsall, and had gingerbread .We read Paddington Bear and tried marmalade .
Soon we will reach the part of The Secret Garden where Mary, Colin, and Dickon roast potatoes and eggs in a small oven in the earth. My kids will go out into the woods to find the perfect place for an oven of our own. Yes, we've eaten potatoes and eggs, but never in the open air.
The world that a good book creates is whole and real, but it lies flat on the page until a reader gives life to it. | high8360.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "saving money"
},
"options": [
"going to college",
"getting a better job",
"finding a place to live in retirement",
"saving money"
],
"question": ". Many Americans move from place to place for the following reaso... | Few Americans remain in one position or one place for a lifetime. They move from town to city to suburb, from high school to college in a different state, from a job in one region to a better job elsewhere, from the home where they raise their children to the home where they plan to live in retirement . With each move they are forever making new friends, who become part of their new life at that time.
For many of them summer is a special time for forming new friendships. Today millions of Americans vacation abroad, and they go not only to see new sights but also with the hope of meeting new people. No one really expects a vacation trip to produce a close friend, but the beginning of a friendship is possible.
The word "friend " can be applied to a wide range of relationships ---- to someone one has known for a few weeks in a new place, to a fellow worker, to a childhood playmate, to a man or woman, to a trusted confidant . | high7053.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To realize his childhood dream to be an actor ."
},
"options": [
"To study kungfu to build up his strength .",
"He has seen through the human society .",
"To realize his childhood dream to be an actor .",
"To make money... | Five years ago, Wang Baoqiang was a nobody to most Chinese people. However, he is now a household film star in China.
Wang is the youngest child of a poor family in Hebei province . Dreaming of becoming an actor, he left home at the age of 8 to study kung fu at Shaolin Temple, since kung-fu actors seemed to appear most often on the big screen.
At 14, he moved to Beijing for his acting career for the first time, with little money in his pocket. He worked at a construction site for 20 to 25 yuan per day, and spent his free time standing in front of the Beijing Film Studio, eager to be chosen as temporary actors.
This was the most difficult time for the boy. His opportunity finally came one day after he went for a role in the movie "Blind Shaft". He was chosen to play a young coal miner. The movie won him three prizes in Thailand, France and Taiwan. But his success didn't make any difference to his life.
That year, he went home for the Spring Festival. He gave his family his earnings from the movie, around US$250 and then returned to Beijing with 500 yuan, the same amount he had when he first set foot in the city. His life was as simple as before.
Thanks to his natural performance in "Blind Shaft," he was invited by the famous director Feng Xiaogang to act in the film "A World Without Thieves" in 2004, which made him famous
immediately. People called him "Shagen," the name of his character in the movie.
Wang's latest work, "Soldiers' Sortie" has made him the most popular actor on the Chinese mainland . For the actor, it's a dream coming true.
"Dreams come true. I think my life is exactly a course of pursuing dreams. No matter how tough one thing is, I can make it as long as I put great effort into it," he said. | high15272.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "it's good for people from other countries to learn English"
},
"options": [
"it's very hard to plant many kinds of flowers in a garden",
"it's good for people from other countries to learn English",
"more and more people like... | Who taught you to speak English? Your parents, while you were a child? Your teacher at school? Perhaps even the BBC as a grown-up. Whoever it was, somehow you have developed an understanding of what is rapidly becoming a truly global language.
There are now about 376 million people who speak English as their first language, and about the same number who have learnt it in addition to their mother tongue. There are said to be one billion people learning English now and about 80% of the information on the Internet is in English.
Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? Should we celebrate the fact that more and more of us can communicate, using a common language, across countries and cultures? Or should we worry about the dangers of " mono-culturalism", a world in which we all speak the same language, eat the same food and listen to the same music?
Does it matter if an increasing number of people speak the same language? I would have thought the other way around although I have never accepted the argument that if only we all understood each other better, there would be fewer wars. _ ...
If we all speak English, will we then all start eating McDonalds burgers? Surely not. If English becomes more dominant , it will kill other languages? I doubt it. When I travel in Africa or Asia, I am always surprised by how many people can speak not only their own language but often one or more other related languages, as well as English and perhaps some French or German as well.
When we discussed this on Talking Point a couple of years ago, we received a wonderfully poetic email from a listener in Ireland. "The English language is a beautiful language. Maybe it's like a rose," he said. "But who would ever want their garden just full of roses?"
Well, I love roses, and I think they make a beautiful addition to any garden. But the way I see it, just by planting a few roses, you don't necessarily need to pull out everything else. If more and more people want to plant English roses, that's fine by me. | high7735.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Kendall/ MIT Station"
},
"options": [
"Kendall/ MIT Station",
"Harvard Square",
"The MBTA Red Line",
"the main MIT campus"
],
"question": "If you go to the Museum by subway, you should go to_first and then walk ... | The MIT Museum is located near the north shore of the Charles River Basin in Cambridge, MA, a few blocks from the central part of the MIT campus.
The MIT Museum is accessible via public transportation, and is within three miles of two major interstate highways. The Museum is approximately a 30 minute walk from downtown Boston or from Harvard Square.
BY SUBWAY
Take the Red Line to either Central Square Station or Kendall Square/MIT Station.
From Central Square: Walk down Mass. Ave. toward Boston and the main MIT campus. The Museum is on the left at the corner of Front St.
From Kendall/MIT Station at the east end of campus: Walk down Main St., away from Boston, to Windsor St., turn left, take the second right onto Front St., and continue to the museum entrance.
BY BUS
The Dudley/Harvard Square bus travels along Massachusetts Ave. between Boston and Harvard Square. The MIT Museum is across the street from Novartis and a gas station.
From Harvard Square, get off at either Sidney St. or Albany St.
From Boston, get off at Front St.
BY CAR
For directions from your doorstep to MIT, Google offers excellent mapping services including directions from anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.
Recorded Directions to the Museum: (415) 561-0399
Besides, you can go the Museum via Commuter Rail. You can easily connect to the MBTA Red Line from South Station, or take the green line to the red line from North Station and get off at Central or Kendall Square. | high23918.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "new"
},
"options": [
"new",
"wonderful",
"popular quickly",
"loved by people"
],
"question": "The word \"fad\" in the first sentence means _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {... | A fad diet is a diet that suddenly becomes popular, usually because it promises people that they will lose a lot of weight overnight. Although dieters may really show weight loss from a fad diet, they will almost certainly get back the weight if their usual eating habits remain unchanged. Moreover, fad diets continuously call for special products of questionable value or for "health foods" that may cost twice as much as supermarket foods. Worse yet, certain fad diets don't include nutrients good for health. People have been known to become very ill as a result of following medically unhealthy diets.
The worse fact of fad diets, though, is that they keep people who are over-weight or sick from receiving the medical care that they truly need. | high48.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Chinmoy's"
},
"options": [
"Franklin's",
"Edison's",
"Chinmoy's",
"Einstein's"
],
"question": "Whose saying supports the idea that patience makes a person joyful?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | "He who can have patience can have what he wants," said Benjamin Franklin. They say patience is a virtue seldom found in women and never in men. This may or may not be true, but it's fair to say that there is nobody on the earth who couldn't benefit from more patience.
Patience is necessary for success.
It is said that "all good things come to those who wait". Many of the great scientists have remarked that their scientific discoveries came only through patient perseverance . Edison said, "Genius was 99% perspiration and only 1% inspiration." Patience teaches us to value the effort and not just the success. It is a mistake to think that happiness can only be obtained through achievements.
Patience brings peace of mind.
When we desire certain outcomes , we'll have no peace of mind. Even if one desire is filled, the nature of desire is that more will appear in its place. There is no end to human desires. Patience means we will work with an attitude of detachment .
Patience can transform suffering into joy.
Throughout life we suffer injustice; the best healer is patience. Through being patient and accepting our situation, it's quite possible for our suffering to be transformed.
Sri Chinmoy said, "If failure has the strength to turn your life into bitterness itself, then patience has the strength to turn your life into the sweetest joy." | high5122.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "gained much knowledge from the picture shows"
},
"options": [
"was a year senior to Jem and had a wide knowledge of dramas",
"was a dull boy and unwilling to talk about his father",
"left for Maycomb County for another Beauti... | When I was almost six and Jem nearly ten,our summertime boundaries were Mrs. Henry
Lafayette Dubose's house two doors to the north of us,and the Radley Place three doors to the south.The Radley Place was said to be a ghostly house
That was the summer Dill came to us.
Early one morning Jem and I heard something next door in Miss Rachel Haverford's baekyard.We looked to the right and found someone looking at us.
"Hey."
"Hey yourself.How old are you?"asked Jem.
"Goin' on seven.''
"You look right puny for goin' on seven."said Jem.
"I'm little but I'm old."he said.
Jem looked at him,"Charles Baker Harris? Lord, what a name!"
"Folks call me Dill,"said Dill,struggling under the fence
"Do better if you go over it instead of under it,"I said"Where'd you come from? "
Dill,from Meridian,Mississippi,was spending the summer with his aunt,Miss Rachel.His family was from Maycomb County originally;his mother worked for a photographer in Meridian,had entered his picture in a Beautiful Child contest and won five dollars.She gave the money to Dill,who went to the picture show twenty times on it.
"Don't have any picture shows here."said Jem."Ever see anything good?"
Dill had seen Dracula,a revelation that moved Jem to envy him."Tell it to us."
Dill was a curiosity He was a year my senior but I towered over him.
When Dill reduced Dracula to dust,and Jem said the show sounded better than the book ,I asked Dill where his father was,"You ain't said anything about him."
"I haven't got one."
"Is he dead?"
"No''
"Then if he's not dead you've got one,haven't you? "
Seeing Dill uneasy, Jem told me to hush,a sure sign that Dill had been studied and found acceptable.Thereafter the summer passed in drama sharing.Dill played the character parts
before us-the ape in Tarzan, Mr. Crabtree in The Rover Boys.Thus we came to know Dill as a pocket Merlin,whose head was full of strange plans and fancies
But by the end of August Dill gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out.
Word went that any stealthy small crimes in Maycomb were committed by the evil phantom living in the Radley Place.Once pigs in town were found killed on a cold night; although the criminal was Crazy Addie,people still looked at the Radley Place in doubts | high17465.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "some telephone techniques for business purpose"
},
"options": [
"how to become a dependable company",
"how to ensure public relations",
"some service a company should have",
"some telephone techniques for business purpo... | Most of us use the telephone several times a day to talk with friends or make social arrangements . These calls are usually quite easy and require little planning.
Using the telephone for business purpose is different. In any organization the person on the telephone represents the company and gives an impression of the firm to the outside world.
If you want to ensure good public relations, you need to master effective telephone techniques.
You should try to give an impression of an efficient, friendly, progressive company eager to give good service.
Before calling
Choose the right time. Consider the cost, urgency and convenience. When calling overseas, you need to consider the time difference.
Check the number. A great deal of money is wasted each year on dialing wrong numbers.
Plan your call. Make a list of points and questions to be raised.
Be prepared. Gather any files, papers or information that may be needed during the call. It is unprofessional to have to say "Hold on while I look for that."
If you have to ask a caller to hold on, keep going back and assuring him/her that you will be as quick as possible.
Avoid interruptions. Call at a time when you are unlikely to be distracted .
During the call
Be courteous, polite. Make time for suitable greetings like "How are you today, Jim?" and "Did you enjoy your holiday"?
Put a smile in your voice. Remember, your caller can not see you, so use intonation to good effect and try to sound confident, decisive, helpful, and interested.
Check your notes. Look back at your notes to ensure that you have covered everything and quote figures and other data correctly.
Get feedback. Make sure the caller understands the message correctly, especially deadlines and actions that are involved.
Be courteous. Finish by thanking the caller for his or her time and trouble.
After the call
Make notes. Let it become a habit to make notes of the call and place them in an appropriate file.
Take actions. If you need to send a letter of confirmation or inform someone in your organization about any details of the call, do it immediately so that you do not forget important points. | high3553.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "She is not familiar with her work very much."
},
"options": [
"She appreciates the author very much.",
"She is not familiar with her work very much.",
"She is an operations manager, helping other employees.",
"She's a p... | I've been home from Hawaii less than a week, and I've almost adjusted to being back at work (the 30 degree temperatures are a different story). I came back from my trip with a ton of energy, a great fun and so many wonderful memories. I also came back with some unexpected realizations about my business and my role as chief executive.
Here's what I've decided:
First and foremost, I'm still too caught up in the details. When I glanced at my e-mail each day I was away, I noticed so many messages,customer requests, etc. that I would have addressed immediately if I had been at the office. By putting myself in a position where I "couldn't" respond to these e-mails, I realized that the majority of them didn't require my response.
I was worried that our new operations manager Amaya might get stuck in things without me there, but it turned out that she was just fine. When she had questions about the storage history of a customer, for example, she turned to the team and got her answers. It gave me new appreciation for my employees and their ability to help each other.
I often get involved with the engineers on decisions related to our data centers. While I was gone, they had to make important decisions on a number of data center projects. They analyzed the options, and determined the proper course of action. I now realize that I don't need to be as involved in the details of this aspect of the business.
Finally, I learned that having an auto--response message on my e-mail is the BEST. People immediately knew my status and were given contact information for other people who could help them. I saw all of my e-mails but didn't need to answer them. Somehow, everything just got done.
So what does this mean for me? Well, that's a big, important question that involves my ever evolving role here. I thought I was doing a pretty good job pulling out myself from the details, but now I realize I can step back even more, so long as I'm keeping an eye through ongoing team and individual checkpoints. It'll require some restriction on my part, but it'll give me more time to work on other projects, like some marketing ideas I've been toying with. I may even plan a few more vacations! | high19448.txt |
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