questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To make online banking attractive ."
},
"options": [
"To make online banking attractive .",
"To open new services all over the world .",
"To offer online banking for free .",
"To take care of business 24 hours a day ."
... | Banks view online banking as a powerful "value-added" tool to attract and keep new customers while helping to _ costly paper handling or teller interactions in an increasingly competitive banking environment .
Today , most large national banks , many local banks and credit unions offer some form of online banking , variously known as PC banking , home banking , electronic banking or Internet banking . Online banks are sometimes referred to as "brick-to-click" banks , both to tell them from "brick-to-mortar" banks that haven't yet offered online banking , as well as from "virtual" banks that have no physical branches or tellers whatsoever .
The challenge for the banking industry has been to design this new service channel in such a way that its customers will readily learn to use and trust it . Most of the large banks can now offer fully safe ,fully functional online banking for free or for a small cost . As more banks succeed online and more customers use their sites , fully functional online banking will likely become as commonplace as automated teller machines (ATM).
Online banking has a lot of advantages . Unlike your corner bank , online banking sites never close; they're at hand 24 hours a day , seven days a week , and they're a mouse click away . If you're out of state or even out of the country when a money problem appears , you can log on instantly to your online bank and take care of business . Online bank sites generally carry out and confirm deals at or quicker than ATM processing speeds . Many online banking sites now offer fashionable tools to help you manage all of your valuable items more effectively . | high9536.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "flag; three crosses"
},
"options": [
"flag; three crosses",
"ship; four crosses",
"flag; two crosses",
"ship; three crosses"
],
"question": "The Union Jack is a kind of _ and contains _ .",
"question_... | Sailors used to speak of a "Jack"when they meant a flag which was set near the bow of a sailing ship. The flag showed the country to which the ship belonged. The Union Jack became the flag of Great Britain. Australia's flag has the Union Jack in the top left hand corner together with the stars of the Southern Cross. They have kept this small part of Britain on their flag because their country was first settled by people from Britain.
Australia's flag is the same color as the Union Jack--red, white and blue. The act of joining together is called a "Union". The Union Jack was the name of the flag made when England, Scotland and Ireland joined together to make one country.
It all began in 1707 when England and Scotland joined together to become one nation. A flag was made using two crosses--one for the patron saint of each country. The word "patron" means protector. Many centuries before the English had taken St George as their patron saint, his emblem was a red cross on a white background. The Scottish patron saint was St Andrew. In memory of him, they used a white cross on a blue background. This cross was shaped like the letter "X". The new flag was a mixture of both flags with two sets of crosses. When Ireland joined England and Scotland in 1800, another cross was added. St Patrich's cross of Ireland was red and also shaped like an "X". All three flags now made up the Union Jack. | high14342.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "being a tracker required more than brute strength"
},
"options": [
"66-year-old Dai is a boat tracker along the Yangtze River",
"being a tracker required more than brute strength",
"Dai lives at the entrance to Xialong villag... | 66-year-old Dai once worked as a boat tracker along the Yangtze River.
"It was something that required brute strength,but not that alone, "Dai said at his home in Xialong village, which sits at the entrance to Wuxia Gorge, one of the famous Three Gorges in Southwest China. "You needed a lot of skills to do what we did."
When outboard motors became available in the 1980's,boat trackers became a thing of the past. Today, they are seen only occasionally along the river during festivals and cultural events.
However, Dai can still remember a time when being pulled by tracker along the Yangtze was the only way for people to travel from village to village in the mountainous Wushan county. Due to the area's rich mining resources,his services were vital for companies that wanted to ship their goods.
"I was 15 or 16 when I started", said the retiree,explaining that his father also worked as a tracker. "He died in 1964, when I was a teenager. I can't even remember us tracking together, but we did. It was so long ago."
Dai said that boats crews worked in teams with a first, second and third master. The first master was the most essential because he sat in the boat and steered it along the safest route.
"It was a key role. He had to guide the boat past jagged rocks and whirlpools," he said, adding that first masters were often the most experienced boatmen and the most familiar with the Yangtzer River.
"My tracker days were dangerous," Dai said. "If the boat got caught in a whirlpool, it could have swallowed the boat and all the trackers down with it. The same thing would have happened if the halter broke."
Dai's days as a tracker finally came to an end when his family invested in a motorboat in the early 1980s. He successfully applied for a license from Wushan shortly after. | high22828.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "roll a wooden cheese in their own lane"
},
"options": [
"wear various formal clothes",
"roll a wooden cheese in their own lane",
"kick or throw their cheese",
"use a real cheese weighing about four kilos"
],
"qu... | Food festivals around the world
Stilton Cheese Rolling
May Day is a traditional day for celebrations, but the 2,000 English villagers of Stilton must be the only people in the world who include these rolling in their annual plans. Teams of four,dressed in a variety of strange and funny clothes , roll a complete cheese along a 50-metre course. On the way, they must not kick or throw their cheese, or go into their competitors' lane. Competition is fierce and the chief prize is a complete Stilton cheese weighing about four kilos (disappointingly, but understandably the cheeses used in the race are wooden ones). All the
competitors arc served with beer or port wine, the traditional accompaniment for Stilton cheese.
Fiery Foods Festival--The Hottest Festival on Earth
Every year more than 10,000 people head for the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They come from as far away as Australia, the Caribbean and China, but they all share a common addiction--food that is not just spicy ,but hot enough to make your mouth burn, your head spin and your eyes water. Their destination is the Fiery Eood and BBQ Festival which is held over a period of three clays every March. You might like to try a chocolate-covered habanero pepper--officially the hottest pepper in the world--or any one of the thousands of products that are on show. But one thing's for sure--if you don't like the feeling of a burning tongue, this festival isn't for you!
La Tomatina--The World's Biggest Food Fight
On the last Wednesday of every August, the Spanish town of Bunol hosts Ea Tomatina--the world's largest food fight. A week-long celebration leads up to an exciting tomato battle as the highlight of the week's events. The early morning sees the arrival of large trucks with tomatoes--official fight-starters get things going by casting tomatoes at the
crowd.
The battle lasts little more than half an hour, in which time around 50,000 kilograms of tomatoes have been thrown at anyone or anything that moves, runs, or fights back. Then everyone heads down to the river to make friends again--and for a much-needed wash! | high10124.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "prevent pains in your joints"
},
"options": [
"strengthen your heart and lungs",
"strengthen leg muscles",
"control body weight",
"prevent pains in your joints"
],
"question": "Running can help you a lot, but it... | Exercise. Get fit. Watch your weight. We see these messages all around us in magazines and newspapers, but how do you choose the right activity?
There are three main goals for fitness. First, strengthening the heart and lungs. Second, strengthening the muscles. Third, controlling body weight. Not all activities will meet each goal. You may center on one goal or, for total fitness, all three.
Running
No other exercise will help you lose weight faster than running. It also strengthens your heart, lungs, and leg muscles. But it can hurt your joints. If you feel pain in your knees, you need to stop and choose a different activity.
Walking
This activity puts less stress on the body than running. But to see results you need to get your heart beating faster. This means you'll need to walk fast.
Swimming
Swimming is a great way to strengthen different pasts of your body. But if weight loss is your goal, you may want to pass on the pool. The water in a swimming pool is cooler than our body temperature. The body naturally protects itself from the cold by keeping fat.
Cycling
Riding a bicycle will help you lose weight and work your leg muscles. But be careful! If you live in the city, stay on bike path, away from traffic. Or you can ride indoors on a stationary bike.
Weight lifting
We often hear of elderly people falling and hurting themselves. They just don't have the strength to catch themselves. Lifting weights can prevent that. It also helps prevent injury form other activities. The drawback to weight lifting is that you'll need to pay for a membership at a gym. | high18578.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "PS36.94."
},
"options": [
"PS33.94.",
"PS36.94.",
"PS39.94.",
"PS44.94."
],
"question": "How much should you pay for a mop delivered to Isle of Man?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answe... | Easy Steam Mop
PS29.99
WASPS79.99
SavePS50
Buy 2 or more and get an extra 5% off
Product Description
Use the power of steam to clean and disinfect your home in minutes without using expensive and harmful detergents .
Perfect for use throughout the home, this steam mop heats up almost instantly and takes just eight seconds to kill bacteria from any area it targets.
It works by changing water into steam using a microfiber cloth to enhance the ability to absorb liquid, and features a clever triangular mop head and swivel joint to allow it to reach into comers and other spaces that many similar cleaning tools cannot. The 1,300W motor helps the mop reach temperatures of between 90-100degC, making it suitable for all heat-resistant floors including hardwood, tiles and stone.
Comes apart for easy storage. 2 x microfiber cloths included.
Additional pack if three spare mop heads are also available
Easy Steam Mop White/Green: D6430
Easy Steam Mop White/Blue: D7149
Spare Pads~3 packs: D6431
Standard Delivery--Only PS 3. 95
Please note standard delivery on all items is only PS 3.95;delivery charge applies per order
regardless of number of items purchased. Delivery to Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Scottish Highlands and Islands is PS 6.95. Delivery to the Channel Islands and Scilly Isles is PS 14.95. Delivery to Eire is PS 9.95 and deliveries to BFWO postal addresses are PS 6.95.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
For your complete piece of mind, our Home and Garden products may be returned to us within 30 days of purchase for a refund of the purchase price. Items must be returned unused. | high19666.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Los Angeles"
},
"options": [
"San Francisco",
"New York",
"Chinatown",
"Los Angeles"
],
"question": "If you like to enjoy the most sunshine of the year, you'll probably book the ticket to _ .",
"question_t... | Our travel experts are eager to assist you with your cheap flight tickets and package deal bookings.
Call us for cheap air ticket deals on flights from all UK airports.
Cheap Flights to Los Angeles
Those who are indeed booking tickets on flights to this city of USA will surely be impressed by the sheer vastness and popular tourist attractions like Disneyland, Hollywood's Universal Studios, Six Flags and downtown Los Angeles. With warm and sunny climate, LA is a year-round destination and one can seek cheap deals on flights tickets any month of the year.
Book your cheap flight to Los Angeles from PS484 only.
Cheap Flights to New York
The inspiring skyline of Manhattan is an unforgettable sight when first glimpsed. and New York is a city that knows how to attract the visitor. Visit the Statue of Liberty, take a horse-drawn carriage round Central Park, take a photo at Times Square,see a show on Broadway, or explore Chinatown
Book your cheap flight to New York from PS459 only.
Cheap Flights to San Francisco
San Francisco is a big city with a small-town charm delighting its visitors. This "City by the Bay,,has a gorgeous ocean setting, wonderful architecture, and the Golden Gate Bridge that dominates the landscape. There's so much to see and do. You can enjoy a ride in a cable car, visit fashionable Nob Hill and Union Square. And the city's long-established Chinatown are essential. There's no shortage of amazing nightlife with restaurants, night clubs, and bars of every description.
Book your cheap flight to San Francisco from PS564 only.
Hurry! Call us now to get this cheap flight deal. Call Southall Travel 24/7 to book cheap flights. | high4012.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "painted things she saw in everyday life"
},
"options": [
"didn't like painting in her childhood",
"painted things she saw in everyday life",
"learned from a lot of famous artists in the US",
"led a poor life throughout ... | Mary Cassette is one of the first great female American painters. She followed her dreams and became an artist. She was born on May 22, 1844, and lived in Europe for several years as a child .
Her family returned to the United States and at the age of 16,Mary attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.Four years later she found she couldn't learn any more in Philadelphia,so her parents sent her back to Europe.There she studied the techniques of the masters in Rome,Seville,Antwerp,and Paris.
Mary received the chance of a lifetime in 1877 when the famous French painter,Edgar Degas,asked her to join a group of painters that included now--famous artists like Monet and Renoir.Their style of paintings is called Impressionism .They used primary color1s and short brush strokes in their works.They recognized Mary's powerful talent and invited her to exhibit in the Impressionist art shows.
Mary painted what she saw:gardens, and portraits,especially of mothers and children in everyday life.One of her paintings,Young Mother and Two Children,was donated to the White House in 1954 where it hangs today.
Mary never married and,in 1877,her parents and sister moved to Europe to join her.Mary devoted much of her time to them for the next 1 8 years.Mary painted until 1914 when her failing eyesight made it impossible to continue.She died in 1926 at the age of 82. | high17893.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Chengdu"
},
"options": [
"Xinjiang",
"Qinghai-Tibet",
"Heilongjiang",
"Chengdu"
],
"question": "According to the weather report, we know it doesn't rain in many areas except _ .",
"question_type": "cloz... | Weather Report
(8:00 a.m. December 17--8:00 a.m. December 18)
Influenced by a cold front northern Xinjiang, the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the northern and eastern parts of Heilongjiang are expected to experience light snow today. Drizzle is forecast for most areas of Sichuan and western coastal areas of South China. Northerly winds of force 4-6 are expected to affect western and southwestern Inner Mongolia, and most parts of Northeast China while northerly winds of force 5-7 will sweep across the Bohai Sea, the northern parts of the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, the Taiwan Straits, and the central and northern parts of the South China Sea.
Weather forecast for major Chinese cities | high16233.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "O. Henry once stayed in Galveston."
},
"options": [
"O. Henry once worked in Houston.",
"O. Henry once stayed in Galveston.",
"O. Henry once moved to Des Moines.",
"O. Henry once taught at SMU."
],
"question": "... | When I told my father that I was moving to Des Moines , Iowa , he told me about the only time he had been there . It was in the 1930s, when he was an editor of the literary magazine of Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas , Texas . He also worked as a professor at SMU , and there was a girl student in his class who suffered from a serious back disease . She couldn't afford the operation because her family was poor.
Her mother ran a boarding house in Galveston , a seaside town near Houston , Texas . She was cleaning out the attic one day when she came across an old dusty manuscript . On its top page were the words , "By O. Henry". It was a nice story , and she sent it to her daughter at SMU , who showed it to my father . My father had never read the story before , but it sounded like O. Henry, and he knew that O. Henry had once lived in Houston . So it was possible that the famous author had gone to the beach and stayed in the Galveston Boarding house , and had written the story there and left the manuscript behind by accident. My father visited an O. Henry expert at Columbia University in New York , who authenticated the story as O. Henry's .
My father then set out to sell it . Eventually , he found himself in Des Moines , meeting with Gardner Cowles , a top editor at the Des Moines Register . Cowles loved the story and bought it on the spot. My father took the money to the girl . It was just enough for her to have the operation she so desperately needed.
My father never told me what the O. Henry story was about . But I doubt that it could have been better than his own story . | high19100.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "A system to estimate flu activity levels."
},
"options": [
"A tool to identify flu symptoms.",
"An organization for disease control.",
"A network of 1,500 doctors.",
"A system to estimate flu activity levels."
],
... | If you have a fever, headache and runny nose, you might go to Google and type in the words "flu symptoms" to see whether you've come down with the disease.
Google knows that you might do something like that, and it also knows which state you're in if you are in the United States. Now, it's putting that information together in a tool that could find out flu outbreaks faster than traditional systems currently in use, according to CNN report. It is called Google Flu Trends.
"What's exciting about Flu Trends is that it lets anybody---doctors, health officials, moms with sick children---learn about the current flu activity level in their own state based on the data that's coming in this week," said Jeremy Ginsberg, the lead engineer who developed the tool.
The tool operates on the idea that there's likely to be a flu outbreak in states where flu-related search terms are currently popular.
To test the accuracy of the data, Google compared its figures against statistics filed over the past five years by the US Centers for Disease Control. It has a network of 1,500 doctors across the US who provide weekly reports on the number of patients complaining of flu-like symptoms.
"We found we could highly accurately estimate what the flu activity levels would be in those years," Ginsberg said. They also found that the Google statistics, which can be gathered daily, were up to two weeks ahead of the government's data. The government's data took time to collect because it came from so many doctors.
The ability to speed up the response of health services could prove invaluable when a serious outbreak happens.
The results of Google's comparisons with official health statistics will be published in the science journal Nature.
Google hopes to extend the service to other countries, and may in time include other illnesses. At present, the flu data is given for each of the 50 American states.
The company says there are no privacy issues involved as the trends are gathered through combining millions of anonymous searches. | high20781.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the technique of separating plasma from the whole blood"
},
"options": [
"the combination of blood cells",
"the rapid breakdown of red blood cells",
"the development of refrigerating technique",
"the technique of separa... | It's impossible to determine how many people would have lost their lives without the contribution of African-American inventor Dr Charles Drew.
Charles Drew was born on June 3, 1904, in Washington, DC. His early interest was in education, but he was also an outstanding athlete. While in college, he was awarded as the man who contributed the most to sports during his four years in school. Drew's sister Elsie suffered from tuberculosis and died in 1920. Her death influenced his decision to study medicine.
After becoming a doctor and working as a college instructor, Drew went to Columbia University, where he earned his Doctor of Medical Science degree. During this time he became involved in research on blood and blood transfusions.
At Columbia, he wrote a paper on "banked blood", in which he described a technique he developed for the long-term preservation of blood plasma. Before his discovery, blood could not be stored for more than two days because of the rapid breakdown of red blood cells. Drew had discovered that by separating the plasma from the whole blood and then refrigerating them separately, they could be combined a week later for a blood transfusion. Drew became the first African American to receive a PhD in medical science.
After World War II broke out, Drew was called upon to put his techniques into practice. He was named a project director for the American Red Cross but soon quit his post after the government issued an order that blood taken from white donors should be separated from that of black donors.
On April 1, 1950, after he attended the annual free clinic at the John A. Andrew Memorial Hospital, he and other three physicians decided to drive back home. As he was tired from spending the night before in the operating room, he lost control of his car. Drew was badly injured and was taken to Alamance General Hospital in Burlington, North Carolina. He was pronounced dead half an hour after he first received medical attention. Drew's funeral was held on April 5, 1950, at the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, DC.
But contrary to popular thought, he was not refused a blood transfusion by an all-white hospital. He indeed received a transfusion but was beyond the help of the doctors attending to him. As Dr. John Ford, one of the doctors who survived the accident, later explained, "We all received the very best of care. The fact that he was a Black did not in any way limit the care that was given to him." Over the years, Drew has been considered one of the most honored figures in the medical field. | high2305.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the US's top army official in Iraq"
},
"options": [
"the US top administrator",
"the leader of Iraq",
"the US's top army official in Iraq",
"the US president"
],
"question": "Richardo Sanchez is _ .",
"que... | "Ladies and gentlemen,we got him!"
With those words,Paul Bremer,the US's top administrator in Iraq,told the world that Saddam Hussein had been caught.
Saddam was found last Saturday night hiding in a hole on the land of his former cook.He had a gun with him when he was found by US soldiers,but did not use it.He also had US $750 000."He was quite cooperative .Not one shot was fired,"said Richardo Sanchez,the US's top army official in Iraq.
Saddam Hussein was the leader of Iraq from 1979 to April 2003.In 1990,he went to war with Kuwait ,one of Iraq's neighbours.Iraq's army killed many Kurds living there.The US and other countries went to war with Iraq in 1991 to get the Iraq army out of Kuwait.The war was won quickly by the American-led army.But Saddam was left to lead Iraq.
In 2003,America said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and decided to go to war with Saddam again.
The US-led army occupied Iraq in April.But they could not find Saddam.Saddam had around 30 hiding places in the country and he moved among them every four hours.The US-led army only found him after being told where he was by one of his former workers.
America and Britain now want to put Saddam on trial for "war crimes ",such as killing Kurds in the 1990s.
George W.Bush,the US President,wants Saddam to "pay the ultimate penalty " for such crimes.By that,he means the death penalty.The UN and European countries,though,do not want Saddam to be put to death. | high10642.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Old Thinker with a Big Future"
},
"options": [
"Forgotten Wisdom in America",
"Huge Fans of the Chinese Language",
"Chinese Culture for Westerners",
"Old Thinker with a Big Future"
],
"question": "What is the be... | If Confucius were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art, history and philosophy . Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is. | high398.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Not everyone in the world could see the longest eclipse."
},
"options": [
"Not everyone in the world could see the longest eclipse.",
"Any of the Asians was excited to watch the eclipse.",
"All people saw the longest solar ec... | The longest solar eclipse of the century cast a wide shadow for several minutes over Asia and the Pacific Ocean on 22th July, drawing people outside to watch the sight in the sky.
Day turned into night. Temperature turned cooler in cities and villages filled with fans of astronomy. The total eclipse could be seen starting in India on Wednesday morning and moving eastward across China and parts of the Pacific. Millions cast their eyes towards the heavens to catch an unusual view of the sun's colorful ring. Cloud in some areas prevented people from fully enjoying the sight. Still, many were frightened.
The total eclipse occurs about twice a year as the moon passes between the earth and the sun on the same plane as earth's circle.
The local astronomy society gave a flash on how an eclipse happens. Wednesday's event lasted up to more than six minutes in some places. In India, thousands bathed in the Ganges River in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi to clean their souls. It was sunny sky in Hong Kong for the eclipse, where students, parents and the elderly flooded in a primary school to watch.
In Shanghai, children climbed up ladders to look through two large telescopes on the school roof to catch sight of the moon moving across the sun. Others looked through a pair of glasses covered with solar filter paper, where they could take pictures of the moon moving over the sun.
In some cultures, many old stories are about eclipse. In India, a eclipse was considered unfavorable. In Chinese tradition, there is a story about a heavenly dog eating the sun. As the story goes, people would make noise to frighten off the dog and save the sun. | high6163.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "named after their birthplaces"
},
"options": [
"considered best in England",
"named after their birthplaces",
"brought to the islands by the Germans",
"raised on well-known farms by the French"
],
"question": "J... | The Channel Islands are a group of British-owned islands lying in the English Channel 10 to 30 miles off the French coast, and 70 to 90 miles from the English coast. There are ten islands with a total land area of 75 square miles and a total population of 123,000. The three largest islands, Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney, have long been known for the fine breeds of cattle that are raised on them and named after them.
In earliest known history the islands were considered part of Normandy, which was part of France, but the ruler of Normandy became king of England in 1066, and from then on the islands were looked upon as British land. English control was unbroken until World War II, when the Germans held the islands for five years.
Although people on the islands speak both languages and they are considered English, their customs are more French than English. | high23288.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Headmaster and Mrs. White."
},
"options": [
"Headmaster and Mrs. White.",
"Editor and Mr. White.",
"Mr. and Mrs. White.",
"Businessman and Headmaster."
],
"question": "Who have the same opinion?",
"question_... | Editor: Today our topic is part-time job. Are they good for school children or not?
Headmaster: Certainly not. Children have got two full-time jobs already: growing up and going to school. Part-time jobs make them so tired that they fall asleep in class.
Mrs. White: I agree. I know school hours are short, but there's homework as well, and children need a lot of sleep.
Mr. White: Young children, perhaps some boys, stay at school until they're eighteen or nineteen. A part-time job can't harm them. In fact, it's good for them. They earn their pocket money instead of asking their parents for it. And they see something of the world outside school.
Businessman: You're quite right. Boys learn a lot from a part-time job. And we mustn't forget that some families need the extra money. If the pupils didn't take part-time jobs, they couldn't stay at school.
Editor: Well, we have got two for, and two against. What do our readers think? | high14424.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Chinese Drama"
},
"options": [
"The Classical Chinese Drama",
"Chinese Drama and Western Plays",
"The Forms of Chinese Drama",
"Chinese Drama"
],
"question": "What is the best title for the passage?",
"quest... | The classical Chinese theatre developed during the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368). Plots of Yuan plays came from story cycles made familiar by storytellers. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the drama used the plots of popular novels. Until the 19th century, Chinese drama was not spoken; it was a mixture of music and declamation . Like the Sanskrit drama, Chinese drama avoids tragedy as that term is understood in the West. However, it is frequently filled with a feeling of pity and sympathy, often involving the deaths of women. Chinese drama is more social and less concerned with romantic love than the Sanskrit. One's family and country are frequently regarded as more important than the individual.
In contrast to the Sanskrit drama, Chinese drama was written for the popular audience, and dramatic performances took place in every village. There are many Chinese plays in existence. Among the _ of them areThe Injustice Suffered by Dou Eby Guan Hanqing,The Western Chamber by Wang Shifu,The Peony Pavilionby Tang Xianzu, andThe Palace of Eternal Youthby Hong Sheng.
In the West, Chinese drama has traditionally been regarded as an entertainment rather than a serious art form. One of the reasons for this judgment is the formlessness of Chinese plays. For example, Hong Sheng's The Palace of Eternal Youth, a play in 49 scenes doesn't have any act divisions. In Chinese drama, no attempt is made at realism. The scenery is symbolic. For instance, a flag represents an army and characters at times directly address the audience. Since the early 19th century, the Beijing opera has been the leading force in the Chinese theatre. After World War I, a realistic, spoken drama, patterned after Western plays, developed. | high22196.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "more people would prefer to remain single for the time being"
},
"options": [
"men would choose working women as their marriage partners",
"more women would get married to seek financial security",
"even working women would w... | Some futurologists have assumed that the vast upsurge of women in the workforce may mean a rejection of marriage. Many women, according to this hypothesis, would rather work than marry. The converse of this concern is that becoming a multi-paycheck household could encourage marriage. In the past, only the earnings and financial prospects of the man counted in the marriage decision. Now, however, the earning ability of a woman can make her more attractive as a marriage partner. Data show that economic downturns tend to put off marriage because the parties cannot afford to establish a family or are concerned about rainy days ahead. As the economy comes to life, the number of marriages also rises.
The increase in divorce rates follows to the increase in women working outside the home. Yet, it may be wrong to jump to any simple cause-and-effect conclusions. The impact of a wife's work on divorce is no less cloudy than its impact on marriage decisions. The realization that she can be a good provider may increase the chances that a working wife will choose divorce over an unsatisfactory marriage. But the reverse is equally plausible . Tensions grounded in financial problems often play a key role in ending a marriage. By raising a family's standard of living, a working wife may strengthen her family's financial and emotional stability.
Psychological factors also should be considered. For example, a wife blocked from a career outside the home may feel caged in the house. She may view her only choice as seeking a divorce. On the other hand, if she can find fulfillment through work outside the home, work and marriage can go together to create a stronger and more stable union.
Also, a major part of women's inequality in marriage has been due to the fact that, in most cases, men have remained the main breadwinners. A working wife may rob a husband of being the master of the house. Depending upon how the couple reacts to these new conditions, it could create a stronger equal partnership or it could create new insecurities. | high12055.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He told her to write down all that her \"enemy\" had said about her and pay attention only to the things that were true."
},
"options": [
"He told her not to pay any attention to what her \"enemy\" had said.",
"He criticized her ... | When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings. Week by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn't a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.
He listened to me quietly, then he asked. "Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn't you ever wonder what you're really like ? Well, you now have that girl's opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said."
I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn't change (like being very thin), but a good number I could--and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself.
I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it."That's just for you," he said."You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you'll find it will be of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don't shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do."
Daddy's advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I've never had a better piece of advice. | high1618.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "develop a sense of marine protection"
},
"options": [
"have a good time at the seaside",
"develop a sense of marine protection",
"make a further study about sea life",
"complete a course about marine wildlife"
],
... | Founded in 1966,Seacamp,the first program dedicated to the education of youth in marine sciences,is the result of a cooperative effort of parents,scientists,businessmen and camp leaders.Preservation practices and a respect for the marine environment are the philosophy of the Seacamp.
Seacamp's tropical marine location in the lower Florida Keys enables it to offer a truly unique marine science program.This program is the heart of Seacamp.Young scientists participate in a variety of courses under the guidance of academically trained marine science instructors and biologists.All science activities include studies in both the field and the laboratory.Each session,140 to 160 campers come to Seacamp,mostly from the US,but also from across the world.There are about 30 international campers each summer from an average of twelve countries.Many Seacamp program graduates have gone on to careers as environmental educators and marine scientists.
One of Seacamp's unique aspects is that campers create their schedules.In addition to science classes,campers choose from a variety of programs to ensure that there is something interesting and exciting for everyone.Campers interested in journalism may work on the camp newspaper,SEASCOPE,which is published periodically during camp sessions.Arts activities are also included.Photography allows campers to take home memories of friends,wildlife,and underwater experiences.
Seacamp teaches the fun and skills of sailing.It's an excellent way for future marine scientists to become familiar with the winds,tides and currents that are of primary concern in oceanography.Basic Red Cross certification is offered to beginners in sailing.The Red Cross course in advanced lifesaving is taught at Seacamp.The course is designed to increase the campers' ability to recognize and avoid dangerous water conditions and practices and to use selfrescue skills to get out of dangerous situations.
Parents may bring campers by car to Big Pine Key.Counselors also meet participants at the Miami International Airport on the opening day of camp and accompany them to Big Pine Key on a bus.The fee for roundtrip service is $90.To join the Seacamp adventure,interested campers should contact Seacamp for an application.
We love to talk about camp!For more information or to ask any questions you might have,please give our friendly staff a call and we'll be glad to help! | high6177.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "help others as much as possible"
},
"options": [
"not help others",
"help those who may be helpful to us",
"get as much help as we can",
"help others as much as possible"
],
"question": "According to the French ... | A great French writer says that we should help everyone as much as possible because we often need help ourselves. The small even can help the great. Then he tells a simple story. An ant is drinking at a small stream and falls in. She tries to reach the side but makes no progress at all. The poor ant, almost exhausted, is still doing her best when a bird sees her. Moved with pity the bird throws a blade of grass into the water. It supports the ant like a boat, and the ant reaches the bank. When she is having a rest in the grass, she sees a man walking along barefooted and carrying a gun in his hand. He wants to kill the bird nearby. When he raises his gun to fire, the ant bites him in the foot. So he stops to look down and the bird flies away quickly. It is an animal much weaker and smaller than herself that has saved her life. | high14430.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "started troubling people in recent years"
},
"options": [
"are mainly caused by neurons firing",
"affect people mostly working on farms",
"help our brains better process information",
"started troubling people in recent... | Phantom vibrations-the phenomenon where you think your phone is vibrating but it's not-have been around since the mobile age. Today, they're so common that researchers have devoted studies to them.
For Valerie Kusler, who works on a cattle farm, the feeling is complicated by the cows"The cows'moo is very muffled, it kinda sounds like...errrr,"she says."So that's very similar to what my phone sounds like when it vibrates on my desk or in my purse."
Other people may not confuse cows for their phones, but research shows phantom vibration symptom is a near-universal experience for people with smartphones.
Nearly 90 percent of college undergraduates in a 2012 study said they felt phantom vibrations. The number was just as high for a survey of hospital workers, who reported feeling phantom vibrations on either a weekly or monthly basis.
"Something in your brain is being triggered that's different than what was triggered just a few short years ago," says Dr Larry Rosen, a research psychologist who studies how technology affects our minds.
"If you'd asked me 10 years ago, or maybe even five years ago if I- felt an itch beneath where my pocket of my jeans was, and asked me what I would do, I'd reach down and scratch it because it was probably a little itch caused by the neurons firing ,"he says. Now, of course, the itch triggers him to reach for his phone. Rosen says it's an example of how our devices are changing how our brains process information.
"we're seeing a lot of what looks like obsessive behavior. People who are constantly picking up their phone look like they have an obsession. They don't look much different from someone who's constantly washing their hands. I'm not saying that it is an obsession, but I'm saying that it could turn into one, very easily," Rosen says.
While 9 out of 10 participants in the study of college students said the vibration feeling bothered them only a little or not at all, Rosen still recommends backing away from our phones every once in a while to keep our anxiety levels down.
"One of the things I'm really _ about in spite of being very pro-technology, is just away from the technology for short periods," Rosen says."And by short periods. I mean; maybe just 30 minutes or an hour." | high7269.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "encourage people to grow their own food"
},
"options": [
"improve health",
"get food",
"encourage people to grow their own food",
"tell what a successful farmer is"
],
"question": "The author writes this passage... | Growing your own fruit and vegetables is one of the best things in the world. It is very good for your health and also brings happiness to you. To be a successful fruit-and-vegetable grower, check out these tips:
*A family affair
Get all family members to take part in growing. Children will learn where food comes from, and they may like to have their own little field.
*Size doesn't matter
You can work in any place you like, not just in a common vegetable garden. Grow fruit and vegetables in a window box, or use your flowerbed to grow vegetables and beautiful flowers together.
*The natural way
If you want to grow foods organically, you can't use sprays that would harm children, pets and wildlife. You should work with nature rather than against it.
Growing your own food doesn't take up too much time and costs little. A few seeds and some basic tools will be OK. Second-hand tools can often be both cheap and good to use. | high22182.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Shakespeare's portrait."
},
"options": [
"The remains of the first theatre.",
"Shakespeare's portrait.",
"Early life of Shakespeare.",
"Great works of Shakespeare."
],
"question": ".What is the story mainly abou... | It's not every week that England's greatest playwright William Shakespeare hits the headlines, but the Bard of Avon has been the subject of two news stories in recent days as new information has come to light about the writer and his working environment.
In the first development, a portrait of Shakespeare, which is believed to be the only picture painted of him during his lifetime, was _ in London.
The artwork has been dated back to 1610, meaning it was painted six years before the writer's death.
The painting had been owned by a family descended from Shakespeare's literary patron tor hundreds of years without them ever knowing who the man in the picture was.
Alec Cobbe, who inherited the portrait, realized that the painting was a likeness of Shakespeare after visiting an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery where he saw a portrait that had, until 70 years ago, been accepted as a life portrait of Shakespeare.
Mr Cobhe immediately realized he was looking at a copy of the painting that had been in his family for centuries.
The painting will now go on display in Shakespeare's hometown Stratford-upon-Avon.
In a separate story, archaeologists in London believe they have unearthed the remains of Shakespeare's first theatre.
The site was excavated by a team from the Museum of London last summer, and is believed to have been built in 1576.
Experts think that Shakespeare himself acted at the theatre, which may have been where the play Romeo and Juliet was premiered .
It is believed that 25 years after construction, the building was pulled down and moved timber by timber to the South Bank of the Thames, where a reconstruction of the theatre now stands. | high12041.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the elderly"
},
"options": [
"the elderly",
"the homeless",
"the disabled",
"the abandoned"
],
"question": "The nursing home in the passage is mainly for _",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | I may not be the wisest person on this planet.but I will tell you a little secret to happiness:Help other,,and live life.It is that simple.Just help a friend study for a test,or volunteer at a nursing home .I learned this after a long,hard search.
I was feeling really down because my long4ime friend had died.Then I started a six-week volunteering at a nursing home all day every Saturday.My routine was to serve the meal and clean up.After that,I would wait for the head nurse to tell me what to do.
One day I was told to go to Room 117 to make sure the patient was all right.In the room I found a boy of eight sitting in his bed watching a movie.I was shocked to see a child in this seemingly forgotten nursing home for the old.He was so small and weak that you had to look closely to find him.He motioned for me to sit down.I grabbed his medical chart from which later I found out he had a terminal illness.
We started to talk,and I found out that his family rarely visited,and all he did ever7 day was watch TV.I wanted to cry for him,and for my lost friend.As we talked,he had a smile on his face,and I asked him why.
"The entire two hours I've been here you've never lost that smile.With this horrible disease,how do you still manage to stay happy?"
He thought for a moment,and then said that too many people are dead even before they die.
They walk around feeling that God has cursed them and that they have nothing to live for.
The boy said that he would not be like that.He wakes every morning thankful to see another sunrise.He keeps his window open so that he can smell the flowers and feel the heat of the sun.He also said that he has hope.
"Too many people haven't seen much of that around here," he said," Life is full of hope and we need to live life before it is gone."
I don't know what happened to him.I assume he passed away,but his lesson lives on.I now wake up and live each day to the fullest.The key to life is not money or fame,but the lessons we learn from it. | high11548.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "drift the boat downstream"
},
"options": [
"go to the beach",
"explore caves",
"do some outdoor activities",
"drift the boat downstream"
],
"question": "If you love river rafting trips, you can _ .",
"q... | In summer, some people avoid outdoor activities because they don't want to get hot and sticky or sun burnt.Luckily, there are some outdoor activities which don't involve breaking sweat.
River rafting
Hot summer weather and cool water-what a perfect match! River rafting can be both scenic and exciting.When the raft follows a gentle stream, the views of the countryside or valley is like a traditional Chinese painting.And when you enter white water where the riverbed creates a natural roller coaster, you feel a rush of adrenaline .Paddle your raft to the riverbank to have a picnic or barbecue which will taste best when you are starving.
Where to find: River rafting trips are usually on offer in mountainous or valley regions such as the Three Gorges.
Tips: Wear a helmet and life jacket at all times; bring enough sunscreen; and bring lots of water.
Caving
People say that the only naturally air-conditioned place in summer is a big cave.It is true.Cave tours featuring light shows are
.Now it's time to wear a lamp on your helmet like a mineworker to explore caves in darkness.Exploring unknown caverns and navigating underground rivers is what makes caving so thrilling.Plus, caving can be a very healthy sport, for the oxygen level is usually higher so basically you are having an oxygen spa as the bonus.
Where to find: caving can be very risky, so consult local travel agents and go in groups with professional cavers.
Tips: Follow your guides; drink enough water to avoid dehydration ; and wear strong and not easily damaged hiking boots.
Coastal walking/cycling and beach activities
For those who live far away from mountains, coastal regions and beaches are good places to spend time in the summer.With sea breezes in your hair, it is nice to take a hike or cycle ride while enjoying the coastline.If you want to be sportier, try beach games, such as soccer and volleyball.It's a totally different experience from playing on hard courts or grass.
Where to find: Just go to the beach or find an urban artificial beach such as the one in Chatoyant Park in Beijing or the man-made lake beach in Wuhan.
Tips: Loads of sunscreen needed; water and snacks are necessary; be aware of jellyfish and garbage floating in the water. | high16227.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "show the direction"
},
"options": [
"store the list of phone numbers",
"remind you of your daily affairs",
"be used as a calculator",
"show the direction"
],
"question": "According to the passage, a multi-functi... | In today's world of cell phones, mini laptops and MP5 players, most people have at least one time-telling tool with them. Since these devices are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is "an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function". Many young adults agree and use their cell phones to tell time. It is said that fewer young people wear watches today than five years ago. As a result, some people claim that the watch industry is at a crossroads.
However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches _ popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality watch that doesn't just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers boasted about their products' accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has transformed itself into an accessory business. And for many today, the image a watch communicates has become more important than the time it tells.
"Complications" --- features that go beyond simple timekeeping--- are an important part of a watch's image. Today's watches offer lots of features that meet almost any personality. These features include compasses, lunar calendars, USB drives, and even devices that measure the effectiveness of golf swings !
Creativity is also a key element in today's watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don't even look like watches. The company's popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell the time. It looks more like a fashionable bracelet than a watch.
Whether a watch communicates fashion sense, creative flair or a love of sports, consumers want their timepieces to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what's on their wrists. Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell! | high4760.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "inform people of baggage inspection"
},
"options": [
"introduce one of the security acts",
"persuade people to contact TSA",
"inform people of baggage inspection",
"warn against the damage of locking the baggage"
],... | To protect you and your fellow passengers,the Transportation Security Administration(TSA)is required by law to inspect all checked baggage. As part of this process. some bags are opened and inspected. Your bag was among those selected for inspection
During the inspection,your bag and its contents may have been searched for items forbidden by law such as fireworks,fuels,gun powder, etc. At the completion of the inspection,the contents were returned to your bag,which was resealed with a"special"1ock.
If the TSA screener was unable to open your bag for inspection because it was locked,the screener may have been forced to break the locks on your bag TSA sincerely regrets having to do this,and has taken care to reseal your bag upon completion of inspection. However. TSA is not _ for damage to your locks resulting from this necessary security precaution .
For packing tips and other suggestions that may assist you during your next trip,visit:
WWW. TSATravelTips. us
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. If you have questions,comments,or concerns,please feel free to contact the Transportation Security Administration Consumer Response Center:
Phone:toll--free at(866)289. . 9673
Email:TellTSA@tas. dot. gov
Section 110(b)of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001,49. U, S. C.
SS44901(c)(e) | high19114.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Sandstorms happened on the first day of the new year."
},
"options": [
"Sandstorms took place in Gansu.",
"Sandstorms happened on the first day of the new year.",
"Sandstorms are very serious,compared to last year.",
"E... | Sandstorms hit northwestern China's Gansu Province and North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on the first day this year. According to Sun Landong,a meteorologist with the Lanzhou Meteorology Observatory,visibility was less than 100 meters in Minqin, a Gansu county near Inner Mongolia,because of sand. When visibility drops to less than 1 kilometer, it is called a sandstorm. The sandstorm in Minqin blew up dust in neighboring towns, such as Baiyin,Wuwei,Jinchang and Lanzhou,the capital city of Gansu Province Dust-laden winds also swept into Beijing. Brought by northwesterly blowing at more than 20 meters per second, dust first reached the capital's suburbs at 7 a. m.,downtown areas at 9 a. m. The winds,which died down during the night,brought the temperature down to as low as 8 0C below zero and many flights put off their planned time from the city's airport.
It is quite rare for sandstorms,which are frequent between March and June,to happen in winter,when the earth is frozen. The sandstorms in Gansu and Inner Mongolia do not necessarily mean there will be more of them in the spring than last year,when they were serious,but Beijing is taking it very seriously. It is reported that Beijing will spend 6 billion yuan( US 725 million) in preventing sandstorms in the capital and has already set up a special team to make sure what causes them. | high20795.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "all the people were kind and equal in different activities"
},
"options": [
"all the people were kind and equal in different activities",
"all the people quarreled with each other in every fightings",
"people often took part ... | Going back as far as I can remember as a child in an Indian area, I had no senses of knowing about the other people around me except that we were all somehow equal...There was only one class. Nobody was interested in getting on top of anybody else.
You could see it in our games. Nobody organized them. There weren't any _ sports. But we took part in lots of activities and we were organized, but not in the sense that there were wars of finding out who had won and who had lost. We played balls like everyone else, but no one kept scores. Even if we did formally take part in the games we played, no one was a winner though someone may have won. It was only at that moment. If you beat someone by pulling a bow and arrow and shooting the arrow further, it didn't mean you were better in any why. It just meant that at that particular time the arrow went further; maybe it was just the way you let the bow go. These kinds of things are very important to me and that is why I am talking about them.
One of the very important things was the relationship we had with our families. We didn't always live at home. We lived wherever we happened to be at that particular time when it got dark. If you were two or three miles away from home, then that was where you slept. | high17139.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "when somebody was leaving"
},
"options": [
"at a welcome meeting",
"at the opening of a new school term",
"when somebody was leaving",
"when they had a new manager"
],
"question": "The speech was made _ .",
... | It gives me great pleasure today to say a few words in praise of a man we will all miss very much. To be honest, I can't imagine we will do without him when he's gone.
Bill Masters almost single-handed built up our sales force in the Houston area and developed the market position that we enjoy today. In only six years, he has brought the firm from a very low fifth position in the area sales to the point where we now outsell all but one of our competitors. Not only have we got 37 per cent of the market under Bill's leadership; we are increasing our share with each passing month.
As you know, the company has moved Bill to northern California to work his sales magic in one of this company's most competitive areas. But we know that if anyone can do it, Bill Masters can, and I know you all join me in wishing him the best of luck in his new work. | high2311.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He never throws anything away."
},
"options": [
"He always forgets to clean it.",
"He shares the room with his brother.",
"He has no time to clean it.",
"He never throws anything away."
],
"question": "Why is Ju... | Justin's bedroom was so full of flat bicycle tires, bent tennis rackets, deflated basketballs, and games with missing pieces that you could barely get in the door. His parents _ him to clean out his room.
"What use is a fish tank with a hole in the bottom?" his father asked. But Justin simply smiled and repeated his motto, "Never throw anything out, you never know when it might come in handy."
When Justin was away from home, he always carried his blue backpack--a smaller version of his bedroom--a place to store the many objects that he collected. It was so worn and stretched that it hardly resembled a backpack anymore.
Justin had earned a reputation for figuring things out and getting people out of otherwise hopeless situations. Many of his classmates and neighbors sought him out when they needed help with a problem. On the first day of school, his friend Kenny, came looking for Justin.
"Do you think you have something in your bag that could help me remember my locker combination?" he asked. "I lost the piece of paper it was written on. I have a science class in two minutes and if I'm late on the first day it'll make me look bad for the rest of the year." Kenny looked really worried.
"Relax," Justin said, taking his backpack off and unzipping the top. "Remember how you borrowed my notebook in homeroom to write the combination down? Well, I know how we can recover what you wrote."
He took the notebook and a soft lead pencil out of his bag. The page that Kenny had written on had left faint marks on another page in the notebook. Justin held the pencil on its side and rubbed it lightly over the marks. Slowly but surely the numbers of the locker combination appeared in white, set off by the gray pencil rubbings.
"That's amazing!" Kenny said. "I owe you one." And he dashed off to open his locker.
It was just another day in the life of the boy whose motto was "Never throw anything out, you never know when it might come in handy." | high10656.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Ossi Arvela suggested there were great risks in the sauna contest and it never be held in the future."
},
"options": [
"There was no prize other than \"some small things\", which the world champion would refuse to accept.",
"Ossi A... | The Sauna World Championships ended in tragedy at the weekend when one of the two finalists collapsed and died. Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy, a Russian amateur wrestler in his 60s, suffered severe burns in the bizarre annual event in the southern Finnish town of Heinola. He was pronounced dead late on Saturday after he collapsed alongside reigning champion Timo Kaukonen of Finland roughly six minutes into the final round. The "sport" calls on participants to sit in a 230-degree (110 Celsius) room as water was tossed onto a _ stove, officials and witnesses said. Medical workers pulled both men out of the sauna in front of nearly 1,000 horrified spectators.
Both were shaking and bleeding from what appeared to be severe burns, said Hakon Eikesdal, a photographer with the Norwegian daily Dagbladet. Kaukonen, about 40, was in hospital in stable condition Sunday, contest spokesman Ossi Arvela said. The event, which had over 130 participants from 15 countries, had been held since 1999. It will never be held again, Arvela said. A pint of water is added to the stove every 30 seconds and the last person to remain at the sauna is the winner. There was no prize other than "some small things" Arvela said. He declined to provide details. Arvela said Kaukonen -- the defending world champion -- had refused to leave the sauna despite getting sick. Sauna bathing is a popular past-time in Finland, which has an estimated 1.6 million saunas for a population of 5 million.
Temperatures are normally kept around 158 to 176 degrees (70~80 degrees Celsius). "I know this is very hard to understand to people outside Finland who are not familiar with the sauna habit," Arvela said. "It is not so unusual to have 110 degrees in a sauna. A lot of competitors before have sat in higher temperatures than that." Arvela said all rules in Saturday's competition were followed and the temperatures and times were similar to those in previous years. | high2477.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "On September 24, 2005."
},
"options": [
"On January 23, 2005.",
"On September 24, 2005.",
"On February 5, 2007.",
"On March 11, 2007."
],
"question": "When was the environmental symbol of Beijing Olympics made p... | Below is a web page from Google.
The completer results archive of summer and winter Olympic games, with winners lists, statistics, national anthems and flags of all contries since 1896.
www. olympic. it/english/home-16k
Beijing steel plants to run at the lowest level of cost during 2008 Olympics [2007-03-11] Beijing able to treat 90 pct of waste water [2007-02-05] *Air quality in Beijing has improved over the past six years [2007-02-01]*Green Olympics dream coming true ...
en. Beijing2008.com/80/67/column211716780.shtml-52k
Beijing announced the 2008 Olympic Games torch relay route and set off the Olympic Games torch on Thursday. ... Green Olympics is one of the three concepts of the Beijing Games. ...
english.china.com/zh _ cn/news/sports/110592227/14069663.html-26k
Environmental Symbol of Beijing Olympics --'Green Olympics', officially announced on Saturday, 24 September 2005. The symbol, created using a calligraphic art form, is composed of human and tree-like shapes, ...
my.opera.com/green _ head/blog/show.dml/92155-18k
On behalf of BOCOC, Wang Wei, executive vice president of BOCOC, gave a presentation about Green Olympics, introduced the environment protection work of BMC and BOCOC, and answered several questions such as protection of cultural relics ...
en.beijing2008.com/84/91/article211929184.shtml-36k
Who was the founder of the Modern Olympics? In which cities were the modern Olympic Games due to be held/ scheduled during the 'war years', i.e., 1916, 1940, and 1944? ... In which three years of the Modern Olympic Games were ... More questions ...
www.funtrivia.com/quizzes/sports/ olympic _ games.html-12k
... aimed at young researchers engaged in scholarly research on the Olympic Movement, its history and values, and the impact of the ...[ Full story] SPORT ACCORD[2005-01-23]...
www.olympic.org/
As put forward in the various official texts, the Olympic symbols of ancient Olympia, the Olympic flame and the Marathon race are bridges between the ancient and the modern Olympic Games, ...
www.c2008.org/rendanews/knowledge _ detail.asp?id=911-106k | high16541.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "everyone can pay a visit to without buying tickets"
},
"options": [
"where only adults can take part in some educational activities",
"everyone can pay a visit to without buying tickets",
"where one can touch anything he like... | The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC has thousands of objects on display, including the 1903 Wright Flyer, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, and a lunar rock you can touch. In addition to our exhibition galleries, you may want to visit the Albert Einstein Planetarium, Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, and the Public Observatory on the east end. There are many things to do at the Museum in DC. We offer daily tours and educational activities for both children and adults. We also have scheduled lectures and events throughout the year.
Hours and Admission:Open every day except December 25. Admission is free.
Regular Hours:1000 am to 5:30pm
Extended Hours: 10:00 am to 7:30pm
December 26----30,2014 March 30----April 20, 2015
Fridays and Saturdays, April 24----May 16,2015
May 17----September 7, 2015
VISITING TIPS:
Limit the number of bags: All visitors are screened through metal detectors upon entry. The fewer items you bring inside the Museum, the faster your entry. Before you visit, please review the list of prohibited items,which include pocket knives and tripods . Visitors carrying
prohibited items will not be allowed inside the Museum, so please leave them at home or in your car.
No Food or Drink: Only bottled water is permitted in the Museum. You may only consume food and other drinks in the Food Court, not in the Museum. Groups who bring food are encouraged to picnic on the National Mall.
Please Take Photos: You are welcome to take photos for personal use. However, tripods and monopods are not permitted without approval.
First Aid: The Museum has a First Aid office and a nurse on duty. Please contact the nearest security officer or the Welcome Center for assistance.
Visit the Welcome Center: At our Welcome Center in the South Lobby, staff and volunteers can answer any questions you have during your visit.
Open:10:00 am to 5:30 pm
Phone: 202-633-2214
E-mail: NASM-visitorservice@si.edu | high19672.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to make sound-smell connections"
},
"options": [
"to become active during sleep",
"to tell the difference between smell",
"to learn new words and scientific facts",
"to make sound-smell connections"
],
"question... | Scientists have proved that sleeping and learning go hand in hand. Even a short nap can boost our memory and sharpen our thinking. But the relationship goes deeper than that.
"The brain is not passive while you sleep," scientist Anat Arzi said. "It's quite active. You can do many things while you are asleep."
Arzi and her coworkers didn't try to teach the sleeping volunteers any complex information, like new words or facts. Instead, the scientists taught volunteers to make new connections between smells and sounds.
When we smell something good, like a flower, we take deep breaths. When we smell something bad, we take short breaths. Arzi and her co-workers based their experiment on these reactions.
Once the volunteers fell asleep in the lab, the scientists went to work. They gave them a whiff of something pleasant and meanwhile played a particular musical note. They didn't wake up, but they heard--and sniffed deeply. Then the scientists gave the volunteers a whiff of something terrible and played a different musical note. Again, the volunteers heard and smelled--a short snort this
time--but didn't wake up. The researchers repeated the experiment.
After just four repetitions, volunteers made a connection between the musical notes and their paired smells. When the scientists played the musical tone that went with good smells, the sleepers breathed deeply. And when the scientists played the musical tone that went with bad smells, the sleepers breathed briefly--despite there being no bad smell.
The next day, the volunteers woke up with the sound-smell connection. They breathed deeply when hearing one tone and cut their breaths short when hearing the other, which must have been unusual for them. Imagine walking down the street and taking a deep breath upon hearing a particular sound! | high3769.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "there will be some difficulty in promoting the technology"
},
"options": [
"no car manufacturers show interest in the technology",
"the technology is now widely used in the US",
"there will be some difficulty in promoting the... | You're on the third lap around the car park, there are no open spaces, and you're already 15 minutes late for your appointment. Right now you're wishing you could jump out of the car and let it go to find its own spot.
Now there's an app for that. Virtual Valet lets your smartphone tell your car to park without you in it. "You pull up to the roadside, push a button on your smartphone and the car takes care of everything else," says Aeron Steinfeld, the lead researcher for the project at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
To find its own spot, the system uses a sensor suite similar to ones found in many luxury cars. This includes a motion sensor that scans for moving cars and pedestrians, and a forward-facing laser rangefinder normally found in adaptive cruise control to determine the distance of objects in front of the car. Information from these sensors is then fed to an onboard computer to plot the vehicle's course. The users can watch the whole process from their phone.
Better still, it will be affordable. The team has spent the last year moving from high-end imaging and processing equipment to less expensive components. In experiments, the vehicle was able to navigate through a crowded parking structure, find an empty spot, and park all on its own. And the greatest appeal of the Virtual Valet Parking App is that it requires no change to existing parking facilities or infrastructure.
For the moment, the only car equipped for control by Virtual Valet is Carnegie Mellon' modified Jeep Wrangler, which the researchers have named NavLab11. But Steinfeld hopes that major car manufacturers will adopt the technology.
It might be more than technology that holds up the show, however. Self-driving cars have been licensed in only three US states -- California, Nevada and Florida -- and it's unclear how this app would agree with self-driving laws. Until these questions are settled, your insurance provider might be unwilling to cover a ding from a parking incident. | high17887.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It saw its bike sales on the rise."
},
"options": [
"It found its bike sales unaffected.",
"It shifted its business to rentals.",
"It saw its bike sales on the rise.",
"It rented more bikes to tourists."
],
"que... | New Yorkers are gradually getting used to more bicyclers on those hot blue City Bikes.But what about local bike shops? Is City Bike rolling up riders at their expense? At Gotham Bikes in Tribeca,manager W.Ben said the shop has seen an increase in its overall sales due to the bike-share program."It's getting more people on the road,"he said.James Ryan,an employee at Danny's Cycles,said City Bike is a good option for people to ease in a city famous for its traffic jams."They can try out a bike without buying one."he said.
Rentals are not a big part of the business at either Gotham Bikes or Danny's Cycles.But for Frank's Bike Shop,a small business on Christopher St.,the bike--share program has been bad news.Owner Frank Arroyo said his rental business has decreased by 90% since City Bike was rolled out last month.Arroyo's main rental customers are European tourists,who have since been drawn away by City Bikes.
However,Ben said the bike--share is good for bike sales at his shop."People have used the bike--share and realized how great it is to bike in the city,then decide that they want something Dicer for themselves,"he noted.Andrew Crooks,owner of NYC Velo,at 64 Second Ave.,said at first he Was concerned about bike--share,though,he admitted,"I was happy to see people on bikes.It seemed like a great idea,but one that would be difficult to implement ."Crooks said he worried about inexperienced riders' lack of awareness of biking rules and strong negative reaction from non--cyclists.However,he said.it's still too early to tell if his business has been impacted.While it's possible that bike--share will cause a drop in business,Crooks thought that the idea was a positive step forward for New York City. | high12727.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The Count belittled the natural wonders in America."
},
"options": [
"The Count said something silly about the Atlantic.",
"The Count wasn't a true scientist in natural history.",
"The Count was a poet from a different countr... | Many years ago,a French naturalist,the Count de Buffon,wrote some books about natural history.The books were a great success even though some critics did not like them.Some critics said,"Count Buffon is more of a poet than a scientist."
Thomas Jefferson did not like what the Count had said about the natural wonders of the New World.It seemed to Jefferson that the Count had spoken of natural wonders in America as if they were unimportant.
This troubled Thomas Jefferson.He too was a naturalist,as well as a farmer,inventor,historian,writer and politician.He had seen the natural wonders of Europe.To him,they were no more important than those of the New World.
In 1788,Thomas Jefferson wrote about his home state,Virginia.While writing,he thought of its natural beauty and then of the words of the Count de Buffon.At that moment.Jefferson created a new word--belittle.He said."The Count de Buffon believes that nature belittles her productions on this side of the Atlantic."
Noah Webster,the American word expert,liked this word.He put it in this English language dictionary in 1806,"Belittle--to make small,unimportant."
Americans had already accepted Jefferson's word and started to use it.In 1797,the Independent Chronicle newspaper used the word to describe a politician the paper supported."He is an honorable man,"the paper wrote,"so let the opposition try to belittle him as much as they please."
In 1872,a famous American word expert decided that the time had come to kill this word.He said,"Belittle has no chance of becoming English.And as more critical writers of America,like those of Britain,feel no need of it,the sooner it is forgotten,the better."
This expert failed to kill the word.Today.belittle is used where the English language is spoken. | high6611.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To deal with the hurt from losing a job."
},
"options": [
"To ask the family for help.",
"To stay in touch with recruiters in your field.",
"To deal with the hurt from losing a job.",
"To keep your resume up-to-date."
... | Losing a job is considered one of the five most stressful life changes you can experience. Those who have been there say it feels like being robbed of your identity and is as painful as the loss of a loved one.
It may be hard to believe at first, but finally you can use this experience as your advantage--to find another, perhaps even better job, to strengthen your relationship with your family, and to make some much-needed changes in your life. Here are three essential steps.
Step1 Get emotional support. Because it's easy to feel uneasy and vulnerable , turning to others is the key to making a smooth transition . You'll need people who will listen and provide a safe place for you to cry, or to express your fears and concerns.
Don't go it alone. It takes courage to ask for help, and yet, help may be what you need most to move forward.
Step2 Seek professional guidance. Getting assistance from a recruiter or career adviser will not only help you value your experience and improve your skills, it also will ensure that you put your best foot forward. Once again, your local unemployment office should have helpful resources.
If possible, try not to let fear cause you to grab the first new job you're offered (unless it's the right one). Give yourself time to explore different choices.
Step3 _ . Meet with family members to openly discuss your feelings. Listen carefully without interrupting one another, and give everyone a turn to speak. When a man I know did this with his family, his wife agreed to leave the job search planning to him and his outplacement adviser. In turn, he agreed to keep her informed about the process on a weekly basis. When you keep the lines of communication open, you can build stronger relationships.
Once you've got a new job, create your own security. Keep your resume up-to-date, stay in touch with recruiters about the job market, and constantly improve your skills to stay marketable in your field.
Although being laid-off can turn your life upside down, many people say that it gave them push they needed to start a new life! | high14356.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Oil spills pollution."
},
"options": [
"Oil spills pollution.",
"What oil pollution is.",
"Oil tanker accidents.",
"How to reduce oil pollution."
],
"question": "What is the passage mainly talking about?",
"... | On April 24th, another natural disaster-the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, happened. Millions of dollars have been used to help stop the spill and to clean up the animals, beaches, and land spoiled by the oil. Unfortunately, when many of these chemicals are used, more damage is caused to the environment, especially to lives in the sea.
But governments seem to accept the _ of transporting mil-lions of tons of oil by ship every day so that we can fill up our cars and drive around and cause even more environmental damage. Interestingly, the biggest companies in the world produce cars, and the next biggest supply the gasoline to make them run.
Of all of today's environmental disasters, an oil spill may actually be one of the least serious. Although oil is poisonous, it is a natural material. In the end, it breaks down naturally. In 1967 the tanker Torrey Canyon sank off the Scilly Isles near the coast of England and spilled 120,000 tons of oil into the ocean. If you go there today, you will find it hard to see any sign that it ever happened.
However, we should be thinking more about reducing our dependency on oil. Governments should be encouraging research into new technologies, such as cars run by solar power, electricity, hydro-gen, and so on. Much of this research, in the past, was stopped by the oil, gas, and coal.
If the world's millions of cars were 10% more efficient ,we would need many fewer tankers crossing the oceans each year. If this happened, the risks of oil spills would be reduced, and the air we breathe would be cleaner and fresher, too. | high9522.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "analyze some important economic factors in health-care"
},
"options": [
"urge hospitals to reclaim their decision-making authority",
"inform potential patients of their health-care rights",
"criticize doctors for exercising t... | The health-care economy is filled with unusual and even unique economic relationships. One of the least understood involves the peculiar roles of producer or "provider" and purchaser or "consumer" in the typical doctor-patient relationship. In most sectors of the economy, it is the seller who attempts to attract a potential buyer with various appealing factors of price, quality, and use, and it is the buyer who makes the decision. Such condition, however, is not common in most of the health-care industry.
In the health-care industry, the doctor-patient relationship is the mirror image of the ordinary relationship between producer and consumer. Once an individual has chosen to see a physician -- and even then there may be no real choice -- it is the physician who usually makes all significant purchasing decisions: whether the patient should return "next Wednesday", whether X-rays are needed, whether drugs should be prescribed, etc. It is rare that a patient will challenge such professional decisions or raise in advance questions about price, especially when the disease is regarded as serious.
This is particularly significant in relation to hospital care. The physician must certify the need for hospitalization, determine what procedures will be performed, and announce when the patient may be discharged. The patient may be consulted about some of the decisions, but in general it is the doctor's judgments that are final. Little wonder then that in the eye of the hospital it is the physician who is the real "consumer". As a consequence, the medical staff represents the "power center" in hospital policy and decision-making, not the administration.
Although usually there are in this situation four identifiable participants-- the physician, the hospital, the patient, and the payer (generally an insurance carrier or government)-- the physician makes the essential decisions for all of them. The hospital becomes an extension of the physician; the payer generally meets most of the bills generated by the physician/hospital, and for the most part the patient plays a passive role. We estimate that about 75-80 percent of health-care choices are determined by physicians, not patients. For this reason, the economy directed at patients or the general is relatively ineffective. | high13439.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It warned its neighbors of the danger."
},
"options": [
"It warned its neighbors of the danger.",
"It argued with its neighbors loudly.",
"It had a warm talk with its friends.",
"It tried hard to cheer its friends."
... | A mouse happened to look through a hole in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered. But he was sad to discover it was a mousetrap .
Back to the farmyard, the mouse announced this warning: "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The hen clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a great concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."
Then the mouse turned to the pig. The pig sympathized, but said, "I am very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."
Then the mouse turned to the cow and repeated the same words. The cow said, "Moo, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and sadly faced the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house - the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey . The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it. It was a poisonous snake whose tail was caught in the trap. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital. When she returned home, she still had a fever.
Everyone knows fresh chicken soup is good to treat a fever. So the farmer took his knife to the farmyard. The hen was killed.
But his wife's sickness continued. Friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.
The farmer's wife did not get well but died. So many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow killed to provide enough meat for all of them for the lunch.
The mouse looked on it all from his hole in the wall with great sadness. | high10118.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Students had no one to communicate with in a crowd."
},
"options": [
"Students didn't speak to friends at a table.",
"Students didn't manage to get a seat in the cafeteria.",
"Students had no one to communicate with in a crow... | The bell rings and in a few moments. the most disordered part of the day begins-lunch. Food begins to be dished out. and some students are eager to see their friends. while others cannot bear the thought of what is about to happen. Anxie0, builds for many as they think today will be just like any other day. Press repeat and this happens every day.
But Bridport Elementary in Bridport introduced a system to solve this classic scene of loneliness and meet new friendships. There's hardly room for the question, "Will you save me a seat?" at Britiport Elementary where students are guided to assigned tables and given the. opportunity to open their hearts and minds to a new friend. The school's president Kilbourne had observed too many days in which the same kids were left alone, while the others were always accompanied by friends. Something had to change.
The school gives a new system- in which students line up to pick a numbered stick before getting their food. Each stick has a number that's linked with a table, showing where they will eat lunch for the day.
This system was used five months ago. Today, if you walked into the cafeteria. you wouldn't find any numbers or any sticks. Kilbourne made a promise to the students that the system would eventually disappear if she saw that students learned to value inclusivity and friendship.
People really saw a change. A girl was walking around by herself with her lunch in her hand. and four tables asked her to join them. At another table. a kindergartener was sitting alone for just a few moments before two sixth graders came over to sit with him. and actively included him in conversation.
Now we are left wondering: how can lessons learned from the cafeteria be used elsewhere? Students and adults all over the country could benefit from an approach in which every person is always welcome at the table in any situation. | high18544.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a scientific invention of a new kind of bacteria battery"
},
"options": [
"how to change sugar into electricity",
"a scientific invention of a new kind of bacteria battery",
"a new way to reduce pollution caused by mobile pho... | Picture the scene: the battery on your mobile phone has run out. You can't make any calls for help and no one can contact you. You are all alone - well, not quite. Just reach into your pocket and take out a piece of sugar.Put it into the battery, wait a minute, and you're back on the phone.
Thanks to a couple of American scientists, this situation could become real.Swadesh Chaudhuri and Derek Lovely have invented the "bacteria battery" - powered by bacteria that eats sugar and turns it into electricity.
"This is a special organism," Lovely said."You ean harvest enough electricity to power a cell phone battery for about four days from a spoonful of sugar."
In the past, bacteria batteries have been expensive and not long-lasting. But this battery uses more efficient bacteria that can turn 80 percent of sugar into electrical energy. This is 30 percent more than similar batteries can manage.
The bacteria battery could become as small as a household battery. It's also cheap and stable, as sugar can be taken from waste and crops.
But the sugar to electricity process is slow: it could take weeks for the bacteria to digest a cup of sugar.And it produces "greenhouse" gases which pollute the environment.
The scientists understand there is a lot more work to be done. "It is still young," said Lovely."Where we are now is where solar power was 20 0r 30 years ago."
But he believes the battery could be used in scientific equipment at the bottom of the ocean.Other ideas include using sugar in the blood to run medical devices in the human body, and taking sugar from animal waste to provide energy to power homes in rural areas. | high17677.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the Thai's belief"
},
"options": [
"living level and education",
"ages and pretty clothing",
"the Thai's customs",
"the Thai's belief"
],
"question": "Thai classical dance is related to _ .",
"question_ty... | Thailand is a country with a long and rich history. It is also one of those countries which have many traditions which modern times fortunately have not affected. Thailand is famous for its unique culture. It is well worth noting that Thai culture handed down from one generation to the next.
Thai Classical Dance
The inspiring culture includes local music and wonderful Thai dances. The dances of course have something to do with its deep rooted Buddhist religion, fighting arts and beautiful clothing. Thai classical dance performances are generally performed by gracious Thai ladies wearing beautiful Thai local costumes. Most resort areas and many hotels frequently offer these Thai culture dance shows for foreign visitors.
Thai Greeting
The Thai unique gesture of greeting another person, the wai, is especially one of the great aspects of Thai culture. The wai is when a person joins both hands to either head or chest level while bending their head slightly towards their hands. This way of greeting is especially done when a younger person greets an older person and it indicates a sign of respect to their elders. Employees would also wai their managers even if the manager would be younger than themselves.
Bangkok
Bangkok is the culture center of Thailand and has been the Thai capital since the end of the eighteenth century. Observing Thai culture in Bangkok can be great experience as the combination of modern times and traditions have created a kind of unique atmosphere. Bangkok offers a package of Thai culture which is shown by numerous beautiful Buddhist temples and many examples of modern Thai architecture.
Bangkok National Museum
Another location in Bangkok where one can enjoy and see Thai culture is at the famed Bangkok national museum, which offers tourists an opportunity to view national treasures and unique Thai art pieces with its culture feature dating back as early as the late sixteenth century. | high3999.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "A full restaurant meal is less popular."
},
"options": [
"People are dining out less.",
"Californian restaurants are becoming less popular.",
"Most people eat less than they used to.",
"A full restaurant meal is less po... | A recent trend in Californian restaurants shows new eating habits among those people out to have an interesting dining experience. Appetizers seem to be the name of the games as diners turn away from the more traditional three-course meal in favor of smaller snacks served in various types of restaurants, bars and cafes. In this way, in the course of an evening out, you might go to a restaurant for a tasty dish to eat at one end of town, to a bar with some live music at the other end, then for a coffee, and finally back to the restaurant for a further appetizer.
Reasons for this trend are the fact that so many different types of restaurants have been set up recently, each with their own particular type of food and special atmosphere, together with the increased specialty in the type of snacks being offered. Gone are the cheese sticks of the old days, when appetizers were not really taken seriously. Some favorite snacks of the moment are slices of hot pizza, creamy fish-based dishes and crispy cakes and so on.
Prices for appetizers are not equal to a full meal; however, their new popularity has meant that they are by no means as cheap as they used to be. Certainly, for that special occasion, a meal in a nice restaurant, complete with the piano performance, is hard to beat. However, if we see this trend for "butterfly eating"---moving around several different places in one evening continues, then all the traditional style restaurants may well have to provide their own appetizer bars as well! | high11206.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "you should make a self-effort of practice and exercise"
},
"options": [
"you should force yourself to remember things",
"you should make a self-effort of practice and exercise",
"you should never stop learning",
"you sh... | Memory, they say, is a matter of practice and exercise. If you have the wish and really make a self-effort, then you can quite easily improve your ability to remember things. But even if you are successful, there are times when your memory seems to play tricks on you.
Sometimes you remember things that did not happen. One morning last week, for example, I got up and found that I had left the front door unlocked all night, yet I clearly remembered locking it carefully the night before.
Memory "trick" works the other way as well. Once in a while you remember not doing something, and then find out that you did. One day last month, for example, I was sitting in a barber shop waiting for my turn to get a haircut, and suddenly I realized that I had got a haircut two days before at the barber shop across the street from my office.
We always seem to find something funny in incidents caused by people's forgetfulness or absent-mindedness . Stories about absent-minded professors have been told for years, and we never got tired of hearing new ones. Unfortunately, however, absent-mindedness is not always funny. There are times when "trick" of our memory can cause us great trouble. (words: 169) | high3741.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the people of the northern countries are much happier"
},
"options": [
"Scandinavians are the happiest people in the world",
"the research is carried out by Oxford University",
"the people of the northern countries are much h... | BC Social Report, August 14, 2010
Scandinavians may spend a lot of the winter in darkness but they are the happiest people in Europe, according to a study showed this month. Countries like Denmark and Finland scored highest on the study of happiness in Europe carried out by Cambridge University, which also found that the sunny southern countries of Italy, Portugal and Greece got the least joy out of life.
The survey entitled: "No Man is an Island" showed that countries where people enjoy time with friends and family, have trust in government and national institutions were more likely to be happy than those living in a sunny climate. The study rated respondent on their overall sense of happiness and life satisfaction on a _ of one to 10.
Danes --who expressed a high level of trust in their politicians and public institutions--came top of the field at 8.3. Italians--who reported lower levels of satisfaction with their national quality of government--came last at 6.49.' "Italy, Greece, Portugal, Germany and France report the lowest levels of happiness while the Scandinavian Countries, Netherlands and Luxembourg report the highest," the study said.
Although Europeans are generally four times wealthier than their fathers and grandfathers, their levels of happiness are either equal to or lower than 40 years ago. The study also looked at factors contributing to happiness within countries and surprisingly found that an interest in politics actually increased happiness.
Lead researcher Luisa Corrado said tax cuts and throwing money at social problems appeared to have no effect on the happiness of citizens when compared with government policies which strengthened and supported wider social networks. "People are less naive ( ) than one would expect, politicians need to adapted their policies and target specific problems in specific areas," she said. | high15060.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Foreign languages were spoken."
},
"options": [
"Habitats were lost.",
"Natural disasters struck.",
"Native cultures disappeared.",
"Foreign languages were spoken."
],
"question": "What most probably caused the ... | Can a Language Become Extinct?
A language can become extinct when the last person who can speak it passes away. Or more likely when the secondlast person who speaks it dies because then there is no one left to talk to. According to linguists there is nothing unusual about a single language dying out. But what is happening today is quite remarkable. According to the recent statistics, there are approximately 6,000 languages in the world as we speak. Of these, about half are going to die out in the next century.
There are several reasons as to why a language can eventually die out. These range from natural disasters, such as hurricanes, to sociological factors, like cultural assimilation, in which the culture of a minority group is gradually replaced by a stronger one. The former can cause tribes to leave their natural habitat and therefore become fewer and fewer in number. However, it doesn't happen very frequently. In fact, the latter is a much bigger threat and it is responsible for the extinction of a lot of languages in countries like the USA and Australia. For instance, Chemehuevi is one of the languages which is really close to dying out since its sole speaker is an old, yet healthy, man named Johnny Hill, Jr.
It is very important for as many languages as possible to be preserved. Scientists have been trying to raise people's awareness on how certain tribes have specific words which cannot be expressed in let's say English simply because there is no equal meaning. Namely, the Yupik of Alaska have 99 names to describe different layers of ice formation, or how the Tofa of Siberia classify reindeer . In other words, when languages die out, mankind's wisdom reduces.
On a happier note, there are many famous cases which show what can be done to preserve languages in danger of extinction. In particular, the Maori in New Zealand have created socalled "language nests": organizations which help children under five learn the language. They provide them with a setting where they are exposed to the language intensively so that they get to realise that communicating in Maori is as natural as communicating in English. There is always, of course, the risk that the children won't keep the language alive after they have left their "nests". Nevertheless, hope dies hard. | high6639.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "A slim shape."
},
"options": [
"Natural beauty.",
"A large sum of money.",
"A healthy lifestyle.",
"A slim shape."
],
"question": "What does Plum Kettle want before she joins the women in the adventures?",
"... | If you are a book-lover, you may be interested in the following.
Dietland, by Sarai Walker
If you're sick of the stick-thin and perfectly slim models of society today, Dietland is for you. The funny novel follows Plum Kettle, an over-weight advice journalist who answers fan mail for a teen girls' website. She's convinced that her life won't really start until she saves up enough money for her weight-loss operation -- when she'll finally look like the "perfect" woman. But after she gets pulled into a series of adventures with a group of women who live life on their own terms, she begins to reconsider her own opinions of what "beauty" really is.
Orhan's Inheritance, by Aline Ohanesian
After Orhan's Turkish grandfather dies, he learns that while he's taken over his grandfather's successful business, the house that's been in his family for generations was not left to him. Instead, it went to an 87-year-old woman who lives in L.A. that no one in his family has ever heard of. To get to the bottom of this, Orhan travels to L.A. to meet with the woman. It's then that he uncovers the secrets of his family.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari
If the story of evolution has always interested you, this book is for you. In it, Dr. Yuval Noah Harari explores how, if 100,000 years ago there were six different kinds of humans on Earth, only one lived through to today: homo sapiens. He takes both an historical and biological approach to his discussion of how humans have evolved over time. He talks about the society created by sapiens and cultural wonders. And perhaps what is most fascinating is the evolution of humans. | high13411.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "their cultures are different"
},
"options": [
"their cultures are different",
"they don't like each other",
"both of them are too proud",
"they have different political views"
],
"question": "The Americans can't... | There is a large percentage of Asian people in the US. They're hard working, respectful but strange sometimes. If you don't understand the culture, you will get some problems with them. Asian people are different from any other cultures if you think you know them, you might want to think again.
How are they different? When it comes to most Asian culture, respect is everything. You can do anything you want but don't disrespect an Asian man. You will get some real consequences afterward and especially if he is your boss. It's something called " _ " in the Asian culture. It's ridiculous sometimes but it's their culture. Sometimes their culture can come in between their relationship at work. Asian people might expect a lot of respect from their co-workers when their co-workers just see them as an equal.
Americans are very different from Asian people. If you're Asian, you might want to understand the American culture and even adapt to their culture if you work with them. It will be easier for you since you're in their countries. Imagine an American working in China, expecting Chinese co-workers to get along with him when he criticizes them straight out on every single matter in front of everyone. I think they will take him outside and take care of him. It just doesn't work that way with Asian people.
If you're an American boss giving your Asian employee a review, you will see that they will have a problem with your negative remarks. They will think that you don't like them, disrespectful, and want to get rid of them; when in fact, you're just doing your job. Of course, it's not fair for you as an American boss but just expect that it can be something that is on your Asian employee's mind. | high13377.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Benefit from the Greatness around Us"
},
"options": [
"Benefit from the Greatness around Us",
"Many Men Are Better than Me",
"Share Your Greatness with People around You",
"My Hearty Thanks to Warmer Dam"
],
"qu... | There are many people who could be Olympic Champions. I'd estimate five million people could have beaten me in the pole-vault on the years when I won it, at least five million. Men were stronger, bigger, and faster than I could have done it, but they never picked up a pole, never made the efforts to vault their legs off the ground to try to get over the bar.
Greatness is all around us. It's easy to be great because great people will help you. What was fantastic about all the conventions I went to was that the greatest in the business would come and share their ideas, their methods and their techniques with everyone else. I have seen the greatest salesmen showing young salesmen exactly how they did it. They didn't hold back. I have also found it true in the world of sports.
I'll never forget the time I was trying to break Dutch Warmer Dam's record. I was about a foot below his record, so I called him on the phone. I said, "Dutch, can you help me? I seem to have _ . I can't get any higher."
He said, "Sure, Bob, come on up to visit me and I'll give you all I got." I spent three days with the master, the greatest pole-vaulter in the world. For three days, Dutch gave me everything he'd seen. There were things that I was doing wrong and he corrected them. To make a long story short, I went up eight inches. That great guy gave me the best that he had.
Great people will share. Great people will tell you their secrets. Look for them, call them on the phone or buy their books. Go where they are, get around them and talk to them. It is easy to be great when you get around great people. | high14418.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "can cause danger to dolphins"
},
"options": [
"is the world's most popular tourist activity",
"gives fun to both tourists and dolphins",
"will make tourists busy and tired",
"can cause danger to dolphins"
],
"qu... | Top lists are lecturing people on everything from "100 places to visit" to "100 books to read ".
Aren't you just tired of being told what to do with your time?
Now you have a list to end all lists!
Take a look at the following two examples from the list of "101 things not to do":
Swim with Dolphins ?
Swimming with dolphins is one of the world's most profitable tourist activities. However, every dolphin will welcome having their busy, tiring day interrupted by tourists screaming and pushing around them in the water. Worse yet, when dolphins get too near to the boats loaded with tourists, they could get caught up in ropes and killed by propellers .
Here's a little secret. Dolphins look like smiling at you, but actually they're just opening their mouths.
Go to See the Mona Lisa?
There must be something about the mysterious smile. The 6 million people who visit the lady in the Louvre every year can't all be wrong, after all. But they can be quite annoying, standing in front of you, holding up their cameras to prevent you from seeing anything. In fact, it is hard for you to see the painting clearly because you have to stay away from it for security reasons. After queuing for hours, many tourists can remain in front of the painting only for 15 seconds at most.
If the mysterious lady in the picture knew her fate, she wouldn't just be smiling, she'd be laughing.
So, still long to see the Mona Lisa? If you want to find out more about the list, read
Visit
and buy the book at a 20% discount. | high15706.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "she was worried that she would fail the physics exam"
},
"options": [
"Terry was looking at her form the front of the line",
"she was worried that she would fail the physics exam",
"she had to take two different exams within ... | Mo was waiting in the corridor outside her class. She was feeling sick. She had two exams that day and physics was first .She really hated physics. It was her worst subject. Terry Looked back at her from the front of the line, and then looked away quickly. Mo thought she looked guilty. She didn't have a problem with physics she didn't have a problem with anything ... _ !
"Hi, Mo, it's your favorite exam today, "said Nima, laughing as she joined the line .Terry was looking at Mo again. "So what's wrong with her?" asked Nima."I thought you were friends." "Yes, so did I," said Mo." But she hasn't spoken to me for two weeks now. She promised to help me review for the physics exam too, but then she's ignored all my calls and texts .And when I rang her house, her mum just told me she was busy. She's forgotten who her friends are!" said Mo angrily. "Are you listening to me?" Mr. Reed was talking to the class and the other students were going into the exam room. Mo gave Nima a worried look and followed them.
Mo couldn't answer question number five. She looked up and saw Terry sitting two rows in front of her. Mo couldn't believe it! Terry was holding her phone on her knee under the table and reading from it. Is that how Terry always got such good grades? She felt really angry at Terry, but she didn't know what to do. She thought about telling the teacher, but what would everyone else think of her? "Stop writing and put your pens down" said Mr. Reed as he started to collect the exam papers. Oh no, Mo hadn't answered two of the questions. She was going to fail again!
Mo wanted to talk to Terry at lunch time, but she couldn't find her anywhere. The next exam was history. That was Mo's favourite subject but she wasn't feeling good. Mo went to the library to study, but she couldn't concentrate. She didn't know what to do about Terry. She thought about telling a teacher, but everyone would hate her if she did that. "It wasn't fair!" she thought. "Terry was getting good grades by cheating all that time." thought Mo. Just then, Mr. Reed walked past her table. "Mr. Reed."
Mo was sitting behind Terry again in the history exam that afternoon. Mo was feeling terrible. Why had she told Mr. Reed? But it was too late now. And anyway, Terry didn't want to be her friend! Mr. Reed wanted her to look at him and nod if she saw that Terry was cheating in the exam. She was working on the last question when she saw that Terry had her phone under the table. Without thinking, Mo looked up and nodded to Mr. Reed. Terry was too busy looking at her phone and she didn't hear him as he walked silently up to her table. Mr. Reed didn't say anything. He just picked up her exam paper, tore it in half and pointed to the door, to tell Terry to leave the room. Terry was crying as she walked to the door. Everyone was staring at her and Mo felt really guilty now. Why did she tell Mr. Reed?
Mo was walking towards the school gate, when she heard footsteps behind her. It was Terry. "Mo, please wait! I want to talk to you." Mo could see that Terry had been crying, her face was pale and her eyes were red. Mo couldn't say a word. "Listen," said Terry. "I'm really sorry I haven't answered any of your calls, but we're having a terrible time at home. My dad had a heart attack two weeks ago and he's in hospital. He had a big heart operation today and I was very worried about him. I know it was stupid, but I was reading texts from my mum to see how the operation was going, but Mr. Reed caught me with my phone. He thought I was cheating. He believes me now, but I have to take the exam again. I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was happening. I haven't forgotten that you're a good friend'. Will you forgive me? " | high7241.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "more popular"
},
"options": [
"more popular",
"less interesting",
"more uninviting",
"more informal"
],
"question": "Compared with other TV talk shows, both the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows are _... | TV talk shows dominate daytime television. And anyone who watches them regularly knows that each one is different in style. But no two shows are more opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest than the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows.
Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of "rubbish talk". The contents on his show are as surprising as possible. For example, the show takes the forever-common talk show titles of love, sex, cheating, and hate to a different level. Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is about the dark side of society, yet people are willing to eat up the troubles of other people's lives.
Like Jerry Springer, Oprah Winfrey takes TV talk show to its top, but Oprah goes in the opposite direction. The show is mainly about the improvement of society and the quality of life. Contents are from teaching your children lessons, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.
Compared with Oprah, the Jerry Springer looks like poisonous waste being poured into society. Jerry ends every show with a "final word". He makes a small speech about the main idea of the show. Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable.
Clear as it is, the Oprah show is not for everyone. The show's main viewers are middle-class Americans. Most of these people have the time, money, and ability to deal with life's tougher problems. The Jerry Springer show, on the other hand, has more of connection with the young adults of society. These are 18-to-21-year-olds whose main troubles in life include love, relationship, sex, money and drugs. They are the ones who see some value and lessons to be learned through the show's exploitation (,). | high11560.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "close our eyes"
},
"options": [
"close our eyes",
"kick a ball",
"hug our friends",
"lift a suitcase"
],
"question": "When we _ , the job is done by smooth muscles.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | The human body has hundreds of muscles. The three types are skeletal muscles, smooth muscles and cardiac, or heart muscles. Each kind of muscle has a special job to do.
The skeletal muscles are attached to the bones; they actually hold the skeleton together. Strong cords, called tendons , help connect these muscles to the bones. Skeletal muscles give us strength and allow us to move in many ways. If you look at skeletal muscles through a microscope, you will see that it has bands of fibers that look like stripes . These stripes are called striations. Skeletal muscles usually move because the brain has sent a conscious message to them telling them what to do. This is called voluntary movement.
Another type of muscle is smooth muscle. Unlike skeletal muscle, smooth muscle does not have striations. This is found in organs such as the stomach, the bladder , the lungs and the eyes. Smooth muscles are smaller than the skeletal muscles and they move involuntarily. The brain tells these muscles what to do, but we aren't even aware of it. For example, we don't have to think about breathing or digesting food. The smooth muscles just do their jobs automatically. For this reason smooth muscles are sometimes called involuntary muscles.
Like smooth muscle, cardiac muscle also works involuntarily. It is a very thick muscle that is found only in the walls of the heart. Its job is to pump blood out of the heart and into blood vessels called arteries . The arteries help carry the blood to all parts of the body. When the cardiac muscles relax, they let blood back into the heart. Cardiac muscles have striations, just like skeletal muscles do. | high3027.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "input many sentences in your head"
},
"options": [
"learn grammar very well",
"input many sentences in your head",
"read many books in the foreign language",
"write many compositions"
],
"question": "According t... | Speaking in any language is all about imitating other people. You want to be able to speak like native speakers do. Before you can form your own correct sentences, you first need to see lots of similar ones in the language you are learning.
When you speak in your native language, you don't have to think about the grammar or the words you use. Correct sentences just come to you. In fact, your brain uses sentences you've already seen or heard. If you want to speak a foreign language fluently, you have to learn it the way you learned your native language--- by massive input.
Reading and listening will help you develop language intuition . It's all about putting lots of correct sentences in your head. Then your brain can imitate them, producing similar sentences to express the meaning you want. When you read and listen a lot, paying attention to useful vocabulary, you will soon start to use new words and phrases in your speaking and writing, and you will develop language intuition. You will start to feel what sounds good and what sounds bad --- just as you do in your native language.
It may seem like you need more time to learn a language by reading and listening, as opposed to learning based on grammar rules. For example, to get a good feeling for the use of articles in English you need to read lots of sentences, analyzing them closely. Wouldn't it be easier to read a unit on articles in a grammar book? Well, the problem is that it takes lots of time to build a sentence when you have to think of grammar rules. When you talk to someone, you don't have time for that. The input-based approach may seem to be more demanding, but it's the only way to achieve fluency. | high4748.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Demark"
},
"options": [
"Demark",
"the USA",
"Germany",
"Sweden"
],
"question": "The objects of the research are women from _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_... | Women who own cats are more likely to have mental health problems and kill themselves because they can be infected by a common parasite that can be caught from cat litter, a study has found.
Researchers found women infected with the Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) parasite , which is spread through contact with cat waste or eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables, are at increased risk of attempting suicide.
The study involved more than 45,000 women in Denmark. About a third of the world's population is infected with the parasite, which hides in cells in the brain and muscles, often without producing symptoms.
The infection, which is called toxoplasmosis , has been linked to mental illness, such as schizophrenia , and changes in behavior.
The study's senior author Doctor Teodor Postolache, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the United States, said, "We can't say with certainty that T. gondii caused the women to try to kill themselves, but we did find a predictive association between the infection and suicide attempts later in life that deserves additional studies."
Doctor Albert Reece, vice president of medical affairs at the University of Maryland, said, "T. gondii infection is a major public health problem around the world, and many people don't realize they're infected.
"Dr Postolache is a leading expert on suicide neuroimmunology . Suicide is a critically important mental health issue. About one million people commit suicide and another 10 million attempt suicide worldwide each year. We hope that this type of research will one day help us find ways to save many lives that now end too early in suicide."
Dr. Postolache's research team at the University of Maryland was the first to report a connection between T. gondii and suicidal behavior in 2009. He is cooperating with researchers in Denmark, Germany and Sweden to confirm and investigate the way leading to this association.
The T. gondii parasite thrives in the intestines of cats, and it is spread through their waste. All warm-blooded animals can become infected through contact with it. Humans can become infected by changing their infected cats' litter boxes, eating unwashed vegetables, drinking water from a polluted source, or by eating undercooked or raw meat.
Not washing kitchen knives after preparing raw meat before handling another food item also can lead to infection. Pregnant women can pass the parasite directly to their unborn babies and are advised not to change cat litter boxes to avoid possible infection.
Babies don't produce antibodies to T. gondii for three months after they are born, so the antibodies present in their blood represented infection in the mothers. The scientists studied Danish health patients to determine if any of these women later attempted suicide, including cases of violent suicide attempts which may have involved guns, sharp instruments and jumping from high places.
The study found that women infected with T. gondii were one and a half times more likely to attempt suicide compared to those who were not infected, and the risk seemed to rise with increasing levels of the T. gondii antibodies.
Dr Postolache noted limitations to the study, such as the inability to determine the cause of the suicidal behavior.
The findings were published online in the Archives of General Psychiatry. | high5456.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "In March, 2013."
},
"options": [
"In March, 2013.",
"In May, 2013.",
"In March, 2012.",
"In April,2013"
],
"question": "When did the H7N9 virus hit Shanghai?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | Last March, the H7N9 virus hit Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and so on. It seemed that most people who were infected with H7N9 had the common flu . Some people suffered from a fever or a cough.
Don't be afraid--it's not easy to be infected with the virus. Here is some advice to help you protect yourself when it comes.
Wash your hands. You need to wash your hands with soap and hot water before you eat, after you use the toilet, and after you touch animals, because your hands may carry viruses.
Cover your nose and mouth. When someone sneezes or coughs, flu viruses can travel as far as one meter through the air, so you'd better stand a proper distance while talking to someone who has a cold. And always cover your mouth and nose with a piece of paper when you sneeze or cough, and then clean your hands.
Wear a mask . Some doctors say that masks can stop the flu as much as 80%, but if
you don't wash your hands often, it's no use wearing a mask. And it's necessary to wear the mask in the groups of people.
Do sports often. Exercises will help make your body strong enough to resist the virus. | high18222.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Good."
},
"options": [
"Terrible.",
"Good.",
"Worried.",
"Funny."
],
"question": "How did the author feel on the first day at his new school?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | Dear Daisy,
Phew! I'm so glad that day is over. I was so worried all summer that my first day at my new school would be terrible.
I'm really tired, but my first day at school went well and I feel much better now.
First of all, we had to meet outside the school building. I was very nervous because my primary school only had 300 pupils but in the secondary school there are about 1,300. What a difference! The older pupils are really big. I felt so small waiting there in front of the school.
The other problem was that I didn't know anyone. My family moved over the summer holidays, because of Dad's new job. So now I have to try to make some new friends. Standing in front of the school this morning, I wanted to be back at my old school with my old friends.
The head teacher came out and told us to go into the school hall. Then he called our names out to tell us which class we were in. My class teacher is called Mrs. Black. She took us to our classroom. It's on the 5th floor and ... guess what? ... We aren't allowed to use the lift. I couldn't believe it.
When we were walking up all the stairs I started talking to another boy who didn't know anyone. He said his family had moved from Hong Kong over the summer. He seemed really nice so we sat together when we got to our classroom, out of breath! He said his English was very poor but I thought it was really good.
We spent all morning with Mrs. Black looking at our timetables. Everyone in the school has a different timetable--can you believe it? Half of the school is learning Spanish as a second language and the other half learns French. I'm in the Spanish group, which sounds like fun. I'm worried that I'll forget my timetable and go to the wrong room! How will anyone help me if nobody else has the same timetable as me?
Lunchtime was OK. After lunch we started lessons. I had maths, which was complicated and difficult and then history, where we started to learn about ancient Greece. That looks interesting. I have to do some homework tonight to find out how the ancient Greek people lived.
So far so good. I'm quite looking forward to tomorrow, even though I've got science. I hate science!
Jason | high17111.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a new discovery about mental decline"
},
"options": [
"what caused mental decline",
"a new discovery about mental decline",
"the difference between middle-aged and older persons",
"how Dr Jarvik studied mental functioni... | Many of us believe that a person's mind becomes less active as he grows older. But this is not true, according to Dr Jarvik, professor of _ at the University of California. She has studied the mental functioning of aging persons for several years. For example, one of her studies concerns 136 pairs of twins , who were first examined when they were already 60 years old. As Dr Jarvik continued the study of the twins into their 70s and 80s, their minds did not generally decline as was expected.
However, there was some decline in their psycho-motor speed. This means that it took them longer to finish mental tasks than it used to. But when speed was not a factor, they lost very little intellectual ability over the years. In general, Dr Jarvik's studies have shown that there is no decline in knowledge or reasoning ability. This is true not only with those in their 30s and 40s, but with those in their 60s and 70s as well.
It is true that older people themselves often complain that their memory is not as good as it once was. However, much of what we call "loss of memory" is not that at all. There usually was incomplete learning in the first place. For example, the older person perhaps had trouble hearing, or poor vision, or was trying to learn the new thing at too fast a speed. In the cases where the older person's mind really seems to get worse, it is not necessarily a sign of decline due to old age. Often it is simply a sign of a sad emotional state. | high4990.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Students' personal information should be listed on another piece of paper."
},
"options": [
"Students can write something exactly as it is written in other books.",
"Students' personal information should be listed on another piece ... | "Write All About It"
Centerville High School Essay Contest
Rules
1. Students are asked to submit essays of 500 to 700 words of their own work. Any essay containing material plagiarized from another source will be disqualified.
2. Manuscripts should be typed double-spaced, with the student's name, address, and grade level on a separate sheet of paper.
3. Essays must be turned in by 4:00 p.m. on November 30. They can be brought to Mrs. Elton in Room 104 or to Mr. Markham in the school library.
Essay-Writing Tips
1. Catch your readers' interest-Your opening should immediately pull your readers into your essay. Asking a question or starting with an anecdote, quotation, or surprising statement are some good ways to do this.
2. Create a picture-Use active words that show your readers what is happening. Instead of telling your readers vaguely that "the room was disordered," paint a picture using active verbs and lively adjectives.
3. Have a purpose-Well-written essays do more than just describe an incident or express a viewpoint, they also communicate a message.
4.Check for mistakes-Read your paper over to check for mistakes. Ask another student to read your paper and make suggestions. Another pair of eyes will often spot a mistake you've overlooked.
5. Format your essay-Neatly type your essay on white paper. Choose an attractive cover for submission. The computer lab will be open after school from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m. each day this month so that students can use the computers.
Prizes
Winning essays will be published in the Centerville Times. Everyone who takes part in it will also receive a free pass to enter one school activity this year.
First Prize: $ 50 savings bond
Second Prize: Dictionary and reference book
Third Prize: Pen set and journal | high2339.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She became blind in one eye because of a fall."
},
"options": [
"She was blind in one eye when she was born.",
"Her blindness was caused by a traffic accident.",
"She became blind in one eye because of a fall.",
"She li... | When I was fifteen months old.I fell on a glass rabbit which cut my eye badly enough to blind it.And as I grew,this sightless eye , in so many ways controlled me that I walked with my face looking at the floor so people would not see the ugly me.
Yet Mama would hold me in her arms and stroke my hair and say,"If you hold your head up high,it will be OK.And people will see your beautiful soul."She continued this message whenever I wanted to hide.
As a little child,I thought Mama meant,"Be careful or you will fall down or bump into something because you are not looking."As a teenager, I found that my mama's words helped me begin to realize that by letting people look at my face,I let them recognize the intelligence and beauty behind my eyes.
In high school I was successful both academically and socially.I was even elected class president,but inside me I still felt like a freak .When things got really bad,I would cry to my mama and she would look at me with loving eyes and say, "Hold your head up high and face the world.Let them see the beauty that is inside."
When I met the man who became my partner for life,we looked each other straight in the eye,and he told me I was beautiful inside and out.Mama's love and encouragement were the spark that gave me the confidence to overcome my own doubt.
"Hold your head up high" has been heard many times in my home.Each of my children has felt its _ .The gift my mama gave me lives on in another generation. | high11574.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "nine planets"
},
"options": [
"nine planets",
"eight planets",
"one star and ten planets",
"the earth and the sun"
],
"question": "There are _ that travel around the sun in the sun's family.",
"question_... | The earth is not the only body that travels around the sun. With it are eight other planets, fellow members of the sun's family.
Two of them, Mercury and Venus, are nearer while the other six, namely Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, also in their given order from the sun, are farther from the sun than the earth is. The farther they are, the longer trips they make around the sun. People noticed long ago that these traveling bodies moved around in the sky in definite paths. It is a force called gravity that holds them in their paths.
We know that every little bit of matter in the universe pulls upon every other bit of matter. The pull between two bodies is proportional to the product of their masses. Because the sun is so large the pull between the sun and the planets are thus great. If it were not for this pull, the planets would fly off into space. In the same way there exists a pull between the earth and the moon, which keeps the moon traveling in its orbit around our planet, the earth. Gravity holds you to its surface, and pulls back to it the ball which you throw into the air. Of course the ball also pulls on the larger earth but the earth is so much larger that the pull is not noticed.
Now remember that large bodies exert a greater pull than smaller ones which contain less material. But each object in the universe, no matter how small, pulls on all other objects to some degree. | high3033.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because he thought that the painter wasted most of the hours."
},
"options": [
"Because he thought that the painter wasted most of the hours.",
"Because he knew that genius might be busiest when seemingly idlest.",
"Because h... | The Last Supper is regarded as one of the supreme masterpieces in the whole field of pictorial art. Tradition has it that Leonardo Da Vinci worked for ten years upon the painting, the monks in the church annoyed at the delay. It was said that Leonardo often painted continuously from dawn to night without eating his meals. But at other times he spent hours before the picture, lost in contemplation, examining, comparing, and measuring his figures.
This inactivity aroused the anger of the fussy Prior , the head of the church, who belonged to the large group of those who believed that the busier a man seems, the more he accomplishes; and so he tried to find fault with the idle painter. Leonardo was slightly unhappy and explained to somebody else that there is a great difference between the work of the creative artist and the stonemason. The creative artist needs time for contemplation; he may be busiest when his hands are idlest. Just now he needed two heads to complete the picture: that of Christ, for which no model on earth could be found, for where was the man to be found whose face would express the strength, and beauty, and tenderness, and deep sorrow of the Christ; then he also needed a head of Judas, and that was hard to find as well, for where was the man whose face could express the meanness of that base traitor . But he would look no further; if none came his way, he would be satisfied to take Prior as a model for Judas. This threat silenced the angry Prior, who quite naturally had no desire to pass to descendants in such a fashion. | high19128.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Having a good diet."
},
"options": [
"Eating less.",
"Having a good diet.",
"Taking exercise.",
"Taking some medicine."
],
"question": "Which of the following is a good way to lose weight according to the text?"... | Do you know that you can lose weight just by eating? If someone tells you that the only way to burn fat and lose weight is by eating like a mouse, you know it is not right. Now you can lose weight by eating the right kinds of foods in the right way!
Diet pills or fiber ? Diet pills, while helping you control your appetite , come with several harmful side effects. To tell the truth, when you use them, you lose more than you gain! Here is a healthier and more natural way: increase your fiber intake. Natural fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber. These foods help keep you full for a long time so that you don't feel hungry too often. Apart from vegetables and fruits, nuts and whole grains are other foods which are rich in fiber!
Soft drinks or water? If you feel thirsty, you may either drink lots of soft drinks or water. Here is an interesting fact about soft drinks: since they are rich in sugar, they not only make you fatter but also in-crease your thirst, so that you are forced to drink more of them! Not so with water! It has no unhealthy side effects! Water also cleanses your body of all harmful things and waste products, making it easier for your body to burn fat and lose weight!
A large plate or a small one? We all know how important it is to eat less for the purpose of weight loss. Here is one funny thing to note: if you put very little food on a large plate, your brain will think that you have eaten less than your requirement, even though that may not be the case. However, put that same food on a smaller plate, and you will feel completely full! You may not believe it, but this is a fact. In order to feel full, you need to satisfy not only your stomach but also your eyes! | high17105.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The papers and notes in the bag."
},
"options": [
"The cash in her bag.",
"The handbag itself.",
"The papers and notes in the bag.",
"The check book in the bag."
],
"question": "Which of the following is the mos... | This is an open letter to the three people who stole my handbag from the department store where I am employed as a shop assistant.
When you took my bag, I don't know what you thought you were going to get. With my wages, there's not much left on a Tuesday. I hope the PS5 was useful to you. If you really need a couple of pounds, I suppose you could always cash one of the two checks left in my check book. Of course, I phoned the bank right away and the check-cashing card is no longer valid, so it won't be of much use to you.
Actually I don't care about the money too much. We single parents who work to support our families understand only too well what it means to be short of cash. However, I don't suppose it went very far among the three of you. Sorry about that!
I wish you had left the bag behind and just taken the wallet and check book. There were all kinds of papers and notes that I really need. I really think that was very inconsiderate of you. I mean, how would you like something like that to happen to you?
Well, perhaps the bag will turn up. It wasn't even an expensive one, just a plain, old brown leather shoulder bag. You probably threw it in the nearest rubbish bin or threw it into the bushes. We've looked around, of course, but no one saw which way you went after you left the shop.
I'm not really angry with you. I know how the pressures of modern life can affect us, but I am sad at the loss of my personal things. I feel helpless. The police were very icy, and they just shrugged their shoulders. "It happens all the time," they told me. Some small comfort, I suppose. But I've lost just a little more faith in human nature. And as my young son said when I told him what had happened, "Why? Mummy, why us?" I couldn't answer that question. I wonder if you can. | high4984.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "His health."
},
"options": [
"His job.",
"His pay.",
"His means of transport.",
"His health."
],
"question": "Compared with ten years ago, what is worse for the author now?",
"question_type": null
},
{
... | Ten years ago I used to be very fit . I rode a bike to work and I got a lot of exercise at weekends. I used to play tennis a lot and go for long walks. In those days I didn't earn very much. I had a job in an office. It wasn't a very good job but I had a lot of time to do the things I enjoyed doing.
Then, about eight years ago, I got a much better job. The pay was better, but the hours were a lot longer. I bought a car and drove to work every day. I began to take people out to lunch. And I began to put on weight, too. I stopped playing tennis and going for long walks at weekends because I just didn't have any time for things like that any more.
There's a lot of stress in my job. Perhaps that's why I started drinking more than I used to. For example, I used to have only half a glass of whisky when I got home, but then I started filling my glass to the top, and instead of having one glass, I would have several. I started smoking a lot, too. I never used to smoke at all.
Two months ago I had a heart attack. At first I just couldn't believe it. Luckily it wasn't very serious. The doctor advised me to stop smoking and to eat less. He also advised me to work less and get more exercise. But I just haven't any time! My job takes everything out of me!
Sometimes I wonder if I should get another job. Perhaps I could do something like I used to do. But if I do that, I won't earn as much. I have a family to support. I have to think of them, too. I just don't know what I should do. What do you think? | high1624.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To suggest what would happen if uniforms became compulsory."
},
"options": [
"To show that freedom of choice is absolute in modern society.",
"To suggest what would happen if uniforms became compulsory.",
"To predict the way ... | No one should be forced to wear a uniform under any circumstance. Uniforms are controlling the human spirit and totally unnecessary in a democratic society. Uniforms tell the world that the person who wears one has no value as an individual but only lives to function as a part of the whole. The individual in a uniform loses all self-worth.
There are those who say that wearing a uniform gives a person a sense of identification with a larger, more important concept. What could be more important than the individual himself? If an organization is so weak that it must rely on cloth and buttons to inspire its members, that organization has no right to continue its existence.
Others say that the practice of making persons wear uniforms, say in school, gets rid of all envy and competition in a matter of dress, such that a poor person who cannot afford good-quality clothing is not to be looked down upon by a wealthy person who wears expensive clothing. Those persons ignore the concepts as freedom of choice, motivation, and individuality. If all persons were to wear the same clothing, why would anyone struggle to be better? It is only a short step from forcing everyone to drive the same car, have the same type of food. When this happens, all motivation to improve one's life is removed. Why would parents bother to work hard so that their children could have a better life than they had when they know that their children are going to be forced to have exactly the same life as they had?
Uniforms also hurt the economy . Right now, billions of dollars are spent on the fashion industry yearly. Thousands of people are employed in designing, creating, and marketing different types of clothing. If everyone were forced to wear uniforms, artistic personnel would be unnecessary. Salesmen would be extra as well. Why bother to sell the only items that are available? The wearing of uniforms would destroy the fashion industry which in turn would have a wave effect on such industries as advertising and sales promotion. Without advertising, newspapers, magazines, and television would not be able to remain in business. Our entire information and entertainment industries would collapse. | high9278.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Sticky sweets are damaging to our teeth"
},
"options": [
"Eating garlic is good for our eyes",
"Sticky sweets are damaging to our teeth",
"Swimming after a meal is dangerous.",
"Carrots prevent people from catching cold... | "Old wives tales" are beliefs passed down from one generation to another, For example, most of us remember our patents' telling us to eat more of certain foods or not to do certain things. Is there any truth in these teachings? Some of them agree with present medical thinking, but others have not passed the test of time
Did your mother ever tell you to eat your carrots because they are good for your eyes? Scientists now report that eating carrots can help prevent a serious eye disease called macular degeneration Eating just one carrot a day can reduce the possibility of getting this disease by 40%. Garlic is good for you, too. It can kill the type of virus that causes colds.
Unfortunately, not all of Mom's advice passed the test of medical studies. For example, generations of children have been told not to go swimming within an hour after eating. But research suggests that there is no danger in doing so. Do sweets cause tooth problems? Well, yes and no. sticky sweets made with grains tend to cause more problems than sweets made with simple sugars.
Even though science can tell us that some of our traditional beliefs don't hold water, there is still a lot of truth in the old wives' tales, After all, much of this knowledge has been accumulated from thousands of our traditional beliefs don't hold water should respect this body of knowledge even as research for clear scientific support to proven it true or false | high8166.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "On a local government website."
},
"options": [
"In classified tourism advertisements.",
"In a radio report of a tourism program.",
"In a book review about volunteering.",
"On a local government website."
],
"qu... | Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the City of Melbourne's tourism program.
If you would like to receive an email advising you of the next recruitment intake, please email
.
Information about volunteering with Tourism Melbourne
Volunteers play a vital role in the City of Melbourne's tourism services. They provide information on Melbourne to around two million visitors each year. Their love and knowledge of the city and regional Victoria adds to Melbourne's reputation as a friendly, welcoming and culturally vibrant city.
The City of Melbourne's tourism branch generally conducts two volunteer recruitment intakes each year for the following tourism programs:
Places are limited and prospective volunteers must participate in a selection process based around the following criteria. Volunteers must be:
passionate about Melbourne
customer service focused
familiar with computer
available for one four-hour shift (either morning or afternoon) each week for a minimum of one year
team players who love meeting with people
able to demonstrate a commitment to the City of Melbourne's values(as outlined in the online application)
More information
To find out more about becoming a tourism volunteer, contact us online or phone 03 9658 9658.
For other volunteering opportunities, see national volunteer recruitment website | high15712.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The book you read is so fascinating."
},
"options": [
"No one is trying to disturb you there.",
"All is so quiet and calm around you.",
"The book you read is so fascinating.",
"Our life is just far from satisfactory."
... | From good reading we can get pleasure, companionship, experience, and instruction. A good book may absorb our attention so completely that for the time being we forget our surroundings and even our identity. Reading good books is one of the greatest pleasures in life. It increases our contentment when we are cheerful, and lessens our troubles when we are sad. Whatever may be our main purpose in reading, our contact with good books should never fail to give us enjoyment and satisfaction.
With a good book in our hands we need never be lonely. Whether the characters in it are taken from real life or are purely imaginary, they may become our companions and friends. In the pages of books we can walk with the wise and the good of all lands and all times. The people we meet in books may delight us either because they resemble human friends whom we hold dear or because they present unfamiliar types whom we are glad to welcome as new acquaintances . Our human friends sometimes may bore us, but the friends we make in books need never weary us with their company. By turning the page we can dismiss them without any fear of hurting their feelings. While human friends desert us, good books are always ready to give us friendship, sympathy, and encouragement.
Of all the gifts from reading books, the most valuable one is experience. Few of us can travel far from home or have a wide range of experiences, but all of us can lead varied lives through the pages of books. Whether we wish to escape from the seemingly dull realities of daily routines or whether we long to visit some far-off place, a book will help us when nothing else can. To travel by book we need no bank account to pay our way; no airship or ocean liner or stream-lined train to transport us; no passport to enter the land of our heart's desire. Through books we may get the thrill of _ adventure without danger. We can climb high mountains, brave the perils of an Antarctic winter, or cross the scorching sands of the desert, all without hardship. In books we may visit the studios of Hollywood; we may mix with the merry crowds of the Paris boulevards; we may join the picturesque peasants in an Alpine village or the kindly natives on a South Sea island. Indeed, through books _ . The possibilities of our literary experiences are almost unlimited. The beauties of nature, the enjoyment of music, the treasures of art, the triumphs of architecture, the marvels of engineering, are all open to the wonder and enjoyment of those who read. | high7255.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "all the people"
},
"options": [
"all the people",
"grown-ups",
"boys only",
"boys and girls"
],
"question": "Football games are very popular in England among _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},... | Football is, I believe, the most popular game in England: one has only to go to one of the important matches to see this. Rich and poor, young and old, one can see them all there, shouting for their teams. One of the most surprising things about football in England is the great knowledge of the game which even the smallest boy seems to have. He can tell you the names of the players in most of the important teams. He has pictures of them and knows the results of large numbers of matches. He will tell you who he thinks will win such a match, and his opinion is usually as good as that of men three or four times of his age.
Most schools in England take football seriously -- much more seriously than nearly all European schools, where lessons are all very important and games are left for the children themselves. In England it is believed that education is not only a matter of filling a boy's mind with facts in the classroom; education also means the training of character by means of games, especially team games, where the boy or girl has to learn to work with others for his or her team instead of working for himself or herself alone. _ the school plans games and matches for its students. Football is a good team game. It is good both for the body and the mind. That is why it is every school's game in England. | high8600.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "it takes 65 procedures to make new money"
},
"options": [
"banks make new money",
"it takes 65 procedures to make new money",
"mints decide what kind of bill is needed",
"old money that is not used is forever stored in ... | Money is all surrounding us.Every day, we see it, use it, and it is on the tip of our tongue.Did you ever stop to take into consideration where the money that you carry around every day comes from?
Making new money is a very unique job and no easy task.It has up to 65 steps When the money in circulation gets dirty and worn out, it is replaced with new money The old money is taken from banks and brought to places where it is destroyed Usually, the old money is burned.The burned money is replaced by new paper money
If old money is being replaced, then new money is printed in a place called a mint .Large sheets 01 paper are printed with many pictures of some currency .These large sheets are cut into individual bills.The individual bills are then put together in big stacks and then sent to banks.
Sometimes the mint will make a new bill with a new picture (portraits of statesman and places of interest are favoured) or a new colour. It is not easy for the government to make a new bill. It takes a long time, and there are many steps to go through before a new bill can be sent to banks, first, people m the government decide that a new kind of bill is needed Then, they ask and artist to design the new bill.A different artist cuts the new picture into a soft piece of metal called a die.The dies are made and put onto large printing machines.Then, very special paper is used, which no one but the mint can have.Along with this special paper, the mint also prints currency using special colours.After the dies print the new currency onto the paper, the bills are cut, stacked, and sent off to the banks. | high15074.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "played an important part in developing New York City"
},
"options": [
"joined the Great Lakes together",
"crossed New York from north to south",
"played an important part in developing New York City",
"was the first wat... | The Erie Canal was the first important national waterway built in the US. It crossed New York from Buffalo on Lake Erie Troy to Albany on the Hudson River. It joined the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. The canal served as a route over which industrial goods could flow into the west, and materials could pour into the east. The Erie Canal helped New York develop into the nation's largest city.
The building of the canal was paid for entirely by the state of New York. It cost $ 7 143 789, but it soon gained its price many times over. Between 1825, when the canal was opened, and 1882, when toll charges were stopped, the state collected $121 461 891.
For a hundred years before the Erie was built, people had been talking about a canal which could join the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. The man who planned the Erie Canal and carried the plan through was De Witt Clinton. Those who were against the canal laughingly called it "Clinton's Ditch ". Clinton talked and wrote about the canal and drew up plans for it. He and Governor Morris went to Washington in 1812 to ask for help for the canal, but they were unsuccessful.
Clinton became governor of New York in 1817, and shortly afterwards, on July 4, 1817, broke ground for the canal in Rome, N.Y. The first part of the canal was completed in 1820. As the canal grew, towns along its course developed fast. The length of the canal is 363 miles. | high7533.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "is a problem not yet solved"
},
"options": [
"is reflected in sounds and letters",
"is handed down from generation to generation",
"dates back to the prehistoric period",
"is a problem not yet solved"
],
"questi... | How men first learned to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken, or written in letters we call words.
The power of words, then, lies in their combinations - the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases.
Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts, but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and feelings. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and rude. | high22800.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he drank too much wine"
},
"options": [
"there was something wrong with his car",
"he went home too late",
"he drank too much wine",
"the road was too crowded"
],
"question": "Mr. Gao ran his car into three othe... | On the night of May 9, 2011, musician Gao Xiaosong ran his car into three other cars in Beijing.
But it wasn't just a car accident--he was drunk .
Now, Gao has to go to prison for six months and pay a 4,000 yuan fine.
Gao is the first star to be punished under China's new drunk driving law.
From May 1 on, drunk drivers will pay a fine, and be banned from driving for five years or even forever.
Drunk driving has become a serious social problem in China.According to the Ministry of Public Security , police caught more than half a million drunk drivers last year, a 68 % increase from 2009.
The new law sees drunk driving as a crime.
In the West, drunk driving is also a crime. In the US, for example, if the police catch a drunk driver, the driver will pay a fine, lose his or her license and even go to prison. If the driver wants to drive again, he or she must do public service, and take part in educational programs.
You may think: drunk driving is a crime? Isn't this law too unkind? But experts say, "Not at all."
"It is to protect people's rights to life and health," Li Gang, lawyer in Chengdu, told China Daily. "Drunk driving is very dangerous. No matter what the results are, it should not be allowed." | high1142.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It has royal tombs."
},
"options": [
"It has royal tombs.",
"It is being well protected.",
"It is not far from the Victoria Falls.",
"It'll be listed as a World Heritage Site soon."
],
"question": "What do we kn... | The Regional Director of the National Heritage Conservation Commission Kagosi Mwamulowe said the Barotse Plains is unique and it deserves to be on the list of the World Heritage Sites.
Mr. Mwamulowe said the Barotse Plains deserves to be included on the World Heritage List because it has a rich cultural heritage which includes the burial sites of former kings.
The Director said he hoped that the landscape would be declared as a heritage site next year in June. He also said it was important to protect Zambia's unique culture for education and entertainment.
Chief Natural Heritage Officer Muyumbwa Ndiyoi said there will be a lot of benefits when the Barotse Landscape is declared a World Heritage Site because it will attract many tourists and business investments will increase.
Mr. Ndiyoi said the site will also benefit young people as knowledge will be passed down from generation to generation.
He was reacting to a question from Nalolo District Labour Officer Jason Ngoma who wanted to know how the people of Western Province will benefit once the Barotse Landscape is declared a World Heritage Site.
And University of Zambia Lecturer Charles Namate said there is a need for the site to be included on the World Heritage List because 50 years after its independence Zambia only has one heritage site, which is the Victoria Falls.
Lecturer Namate said the Barotse Landscape was facing a lot of environmental degradation , and that's why there is a need to recognize the value of its landscape and the memories of dead kings.
The National Heritage Conservation Commission together with the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs are in Western Province to hold meetings with Heads of Government Departments. The Commission also held closed-door meetings with the Litunga Lubosi Imwiko II of the Barotse Royal Establishment. | high13405.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "She is not good at socialising with local students."
},
"options": [
"She is not good at socialising with local students.",
"She is bored with the teamwork and group projects.",
"Her family can't afford her education in the U... | For Yali Liu, the hardest thing about UK higher education is having to go to the pub. "It's how much you need to invest socially with other students," she says. "I don't like going to a pub or club, but people just keep going out and I feel the pressure to go out too." This is because, unlike in China, she says, there is so much emphasis during the course on teamwork and group projects, so socialising with other students - especially British people, is crucial.
Liu, 23, who is in her final year of a BSc in business administration at the University of Bath, is one of more than 80,000 Chinese students studying in UK universities. They are responsible for a large proportion of the more than PS10bn a year that international students contribute to the UK economy. However, research shows that where their academic attainment is concerned, the picture is not satisfactory. While nearly 58% of all students - and 45% of overseas students graduated with a first-class degree last year, this was true of only 35% of students from China.
To find an explanation, Zhiqi Wang and Ian Crawford, lecturers at the University of Bath, compared the performance of Chinese and British undergraduates in each year of their degree. Taking a sample of 100 British and Chinese students and comparing their average marks and final degree classification, they found a dramatic drop in performance among the Chinese students between year one, when they performed better than their UK counterparts, and year two, when they performed worse.
They believe the drop results from two factors. First, Chinese students fail to adapt their approaches to learning and so their performance declines in the later years when the complexity of the work increases. Second, many young people in China enroll in higher education due to pressure from family rather than their own motivation.
Professor Sedghi thinks part of the problem may be the changing socio-economic background of Chinese undergraduates. While 85% of Chinese students at British universities before 2000 were mature students, often funded by the government, since 2004, however, they have been younger, most funded by their families.
Maybe UK institutions need to work harder to take into account what a big challenge it is for young people from a radically different culture and linguistic background to adapt to life in the UK. "We need to do more, contacting students before their arrival, assigning them tutors, encouraging peer-assisted learning, for example," says Sedghi. | high19896.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They are cheap to transport"
},
"options": [
"They are easier to plant.",
"Their roots develop better.",
"They are cheap to transport",
"Their leaves need no water"
],
"question": "Why does Jeffrey Dinslage sugg... | Most kinds of rose plants come from Asia. But roses are also native to other areas including northwest Africa, Europe and the United States. In 1986, Congress chose the rose as America's national flower. Technically, Congress and President Ronald Reagan declared it the "national floral emblem." Whatever the name, the decision did not smell sweet to supporters of others popular flowers.
Some people say roses are difficult to grow. But you have a good chance of success if you start with a few suggestions from experts. You should plant your roses where they can get sunshine for about six hours on bright days. You can buy roses form a garden center or by mail order. You can buy potted roses, also known as container roses, or bare-root plants. Each kind has its fans.
Some gardeners say potted roses are easier to plant. They say the roots develop better. But Jeffrey Dinslage, an expert, pint out that bare-root roses come without soil. So they weigh less to transport.
Another expert advises getting bare-foot roses as close to planting time as you can. If they arrive before you are ready to plant them, make sure the packing material is moist. Keep the plants in a cool, dark place. The resting plants have no leaves but still need water. When growing roses, the soil should feel _ deep down. Watering should be done in the morning.
But do not water too much. People often ask Jeffrey Dinslage about unhealthy discoloration on rose leaves. He says the spots are usually caused by too much water. After heavy rains or too much watering, he advises pulling away mulch, the substance used to protect the roots, temporarily from around the roots. This will help dry the soil. | high5324.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He was seriously injured and would die soon."
},
"options": [
"He was seriously injured and would die soon.",
"He knew quite well what had happened to him.",
"He once and again wanted to call his son.",
"He was knocked ... | This story took place a long time ago. But it has been repeated time and time again. Everyone is moved by the true story.
An old man was knocked down by a car and was taken to hospital. He was badly hurt, and during his few returns to consciousness, he repeatedly called for his son.
None knew where his son was. A dirty letter was found in his pockets. The nurse learned that his son was a solider inprefix = st1 /North Carolina.
The hospital called the Red Cross offices to find the young man. The young solider was rushed to the airport in time to catch the plane.
It was evening when the young solider walked into the hospital. A nurse took him into the bedsides of the old man.
"Your son is here," she said to the man. She had to repeat the words several times before the old man's eyes opened. He dimly saw the young man and got great comfort. He reached out his hand. The young solider held the old man's hand and offered words of hope.
All through the night the young solider sat besides the bed. The nurse offered to watch instead of him for a while. He refused.
At dawn the old man died. The nurse started to comfort him but the solider asked her, "Who was that old man?"
"He was your father," she answered.
"No, he wasn't. I never saw him before."
"I knew right away there was a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. I realized I was needed. So I stayed." | high17663.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "watching old movies"
},
"options": [
"watching old movies",
"taking a tractor ride",
"finding a snakeskin",
"making a fort from seed sacks"
],
"question": "The story tells about Julio and his cousins doing all o... | Julio loves to visit his grandmother.He doesn't get to visit her very often because his family lives in a city that is six hours away.His grandmother lives in a big wooden house on a farm .It is old and looks as if it has secret hiding places .
On the third Sunday of June ,Julio's parents took him to his grandmother's .Since it was summer vacation ,he was going to stay at grandmother's for a whole mother ! His cousins Mario and Linda would soon be arriving .They would also be staying at their grandmother's this summer.
A big porch wraps around two sides of the house .Julio sat in the porch swing .He could see the trees that circle the house.They had been planted as a windbreak .They protect the house from the wind and blowing dirt .The house is in the middle of a large ,flat field.
Julio watched the dirt road that leads to the house .He couldn't wait for his cousins to get there !Mario was his age ,and Linda was a year younger .They had fun together .Last summer they spent one whole morning making a fort out of sacks of seed .Then Uncle Henry had taken them on a tractor ride.
Julio remembered another time with his cousins .They had gone out to explode the fields.Julio touched an electric fence and got a shock .Then they found an old snakeskin .Nothing like that ever happened at his own home!
Julio could smell the dinner that his grandmother was cooking .It made him hungry.
Finally he saw a cloud of dust coming up the road."They 're here! There're here!" He shouted. | high11212.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They protected the city in ancient times."
},
"options": [
"They had to be rebuilt after years of use.",
"They protected the city in ancient times.",
"They were built to provide transport for the city.",
"They are the m... | You are walking along a lane and never know what you will find. It might be a shop selling oil paintings, or a place where you can buy Dutch cheese. One thing is for sure, you will end up by a canal.
Welcome to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.
The year 2013 will be a good time to explore Amsterdam as the city has a lot to celebrate: the famous canal ring will turn 400 years old. Amsterdam will also celebrate the 160th birthday of Dutch painter of the Van Gogh museum, home to the biggest collection of the artist's colorful works.
The famous canal ring is a trademark of the city. With more than 100 kilometers of canals, it is no wonder that Amsterdam is called the 'Venice of the north'. But unlike the Italian town, where boats were originally used for transport, the canals in Amsterdam were mainly used for defense in the 17th century. Today ferries on canals offer a different way to explore the city.
But to truly experience Amsterdam, you can't miss the city's historic museums and monuments, among which Van Gogh museum is the most famous one. It holds 200 paintings, 700 letters and 500 drawings by the artist. Another famous museum is Anne Frank's house. Anne Frank became famous around the world because of a diary she left explaining her and her family's experience as a Jewish girl during World War II, hiding out in a house hoping that she would not be captured by German Nazis.
Amsterdam is small enough to walk or cycle almost anywhere, but it is rarely dull. Best of all it combines its glittering past with a rebellious edginess. | high3755.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "help people keep in touch with others conveniently"
},
"options": [
"help people find their true happiness in life.",
"make it easier for people to send messages",
"improve the influence of social networking sites",
"he... | There are a lot of social networking sites these days. In order to make relationships between people strong, sites like Facebook, Twitter and QQ have become a daily "must visit" site. In fact, many people spend all day in front of the computer or are busy with their phones only to spend time on these sites.
Social networking sites provide facilities that enable people to communicate with their friends without spending time meeting them in person. In addition, they can play games. But what is quite surprising is that these sites not only give you pleasure, but can also increase risks of diseases in your body.
Despite their primary purpose, these sites make people more isolated . "Sending a message through sites can cause side effects that are very big in the body's biological changes," said Dr Aric Sigman, a psychologist, according to DailyMail.
Increased isolation may alter the workings of immune response to the feelings of anger and others. People become angry easily. In the journal, Dr. Sigman says that it can increase the risk of cancer, strokes, heart attacks and dementia .
Researchers found that the amount of time people used to meet face to face had decreased greatly since the increased use of the electronic media in 1987. To save time, people prefer to meet virtually rather than face to face; Education today even uses an online system that allows school-aged children not to come out of their rooms. Parents spend less time with their children, like the cases in England. The habit of having dinner together decreases, while the number of people who choose to work online at home increases.
"The electronic media may also reduce the ability of children and adults in social interaction, as long as they are isolated. Social networking sites should help us improve the quality of life, but what happens is the opposite, they are not a tool to improve, but a tool to replace," said Dr Sigman. | high17850.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "there had been other similar studies before the Dutch study"
},
"options": [
"researchers have concluded that eating chocolate can lead to better health",
"It's too early to say eating too much chocolate makes you gain weight",
... | A study of older men in The Netherlands, known for its delicious chocolate, showed those who ate the same amount of one-third of a chocolate bar every day had lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of death.
The researchers say, however, it's too early to conclude that it was the chocolate that led to better health. The men who ate more cocoa products could have eaten other food that made them healthier. Experts also point out that eating too much chocolate can make you fat -- a risk for both heart disease and high blood pressure.
"It's why too early to make recommendations about whether people should eat more cocoa or chocolate," said Brian Buijsse, an expert for nutrition at prefix = st1 /WageningenUniversityin The Netherlands, who co-authored the study.
Still, the Dutch Study, supported by grants from the Netherlands Prevention Foundation, appears to be the largest so far to document a health effect for cocoa beans. And it confirms findings of smaller, shorter-term studies that also linked chocolate with lower blood pressure.
Researchers examined the eating habits of 470 healthy men who were not taking blood pressure medicine. The men who ate the most products made from cocoa beans -- including cocoa drinks, chocolate bars and chocolate pudding -- had lower blood pressure and a 50 percent lower risk of death.
"This is a very important article providing epidemiological support for what many researchers have been observing is experimental models," said Cesar Fraga of the University of California Davis, who does similar research but was not involved in the new study.
Could the study results apply to women?
"Our study consisted of elderly inch," Buijsse said. "If you look at the other studies, you will see the same effects in men and women, younger people and older people. The findings may be _ to women, but you never know." | high20024.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Green tea and Yoga can benefit cats."
},
"options": [
"Cats can copy humans' schedule.",
"Humans can learn from cats in some way.",
"Cats are smart and have fl long memory",
"Green tea and Yoga can benefit cats."
],... | It's a common belief that over time, pet owners start to look like their animals, and vice versa. Now conies the terrifying news that cats look up to their owners as role models and copy their behavior.
Next time you reach for your fridge, think twice. If Kitty is watching, she is likely to overeat as well.
What is your cat's IQ?
In a new study from the University of Messina, it turns out that indoor cats who live closely to their owners "mirror" the lives of their caregivers. They sleep at the same time, eat at the same time, and can even become more or less social depending on the behavior of their owners.
"Cats are intelligent animals with a long memory, "Jane Brunt, the executive director of the CATalyst Council, told Discovery News. "They watch and learn from us, noting the patterns of our actions. as evidenced by knowing where their food is kept and what time to expect to be fed, how to open the cupboard door that's been improperly closed, and where their feeding and toileting areas fife. "Because cats copy our habits, if you spend a lot of time raiding the fridge, your cat will return to its food bowl for that midnight snack, too. According to the study, _ explains why "human and cat overweight rates often seem to match. "So. if you felt guilty about leaving your precious kitty at home while you go to work, now you call feel even worse:You fife making your cat fat!
There's no word if drinking green tea and making sure you go to Yoga will benefit your cat, but based on the study. it sounds like sticking to a healthy eating and sleeping schedule is best for both of you.
There's a lot we can learn from our cats in return. "When they sit on our laps softly purring with rhythmic breathing and half-closed eyes. the sense of peace and calm that comes over us is like a private 1esson in inner meditation. "Brant said. Sure. But cats don't have to sit in rush hour traffic for an hour a day or worry about their in-laws. They're probably pretty good at remaining calm.
So, according to science. even though we assumed that cats were not close to us all these years, it turns out they fife in fact learning from us and looking up to us. Scary, huh? | high3966.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "work hard because no one would give them money for doing nothing"
},
"options": [
"work hard because no one would give them money for doing nothing",
"never stop driving in the city",
"only work between 2 and 3 o'clock in the... | Driving a car at high speed along a highway seems to be fun. You need only to follow the bright traffic signs beside the highways and it will take you to where you wish.
But to a London taxi driver, driving is not an easy job. A taxi driver has to have not only good driving skills but also a good knowledge of the city of a London, from the smallest lane to the most popular bar around. He has to be at the service of all kinds of passengers at all times.
A certain London taxi driver told of his job as follows.
During the night it is quite usual for him to stop two or three times for some refreshments . He said. "I never drink when I'm working ---- I would lose my licence ."
He normally goes home between 2 and 3 O'clock in the night, There are times he has to stay longer and try to make more runs. He said, "That's the worst thing about working for yourself. If you don't make the money , no one is going to give it to you."
London taxi drivers not only 'take' but also 'give' , Every summer hundreds of children from London will go for a day at the sea--- by taxi! Their rides are paid by the taxi drivers, and these fares all go to the 'London Taxi Fund for Underprivileged Children.' At the sea. they are met by the mayor, and a lunch party is also held in honour of the taxi drivers and the children. After a happy day running around the sea beaches and visiting the market, the children go home again-- by taxi, and free of charge, of course! | high17688.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "2."
},
"options": [
"1.",
"2.",
"3.",
"4."
],
"question": "How many cities will President Xi visit in the UK according to the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3... | Outline programme for the State Visit of the President of The People's Republic of China, Mr XiJinping, accompanied by Madame Peng Liyuan, 20 to 23 October 2015.
MONDAY 19 OCTOBER
The President of The People's Republic of China will arrive privately in the UK on Monday evening, 19th October, at Heathrow Airport. They will be greeted by The Viscount Hood, Lord-in-Waiting.
TUESDAY 20TH OCTOBER
The Queen will formally welcome the President at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade. The President will inspect the Guard of Honour. Following a private lunch at Buckingham Palace, given by The Queen, Her Majesty will invite the President to view an exhibition in the Picture Gallery of items from the Royal Collection relating to China. In the evening The Queen will give a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace for the President. Her Majesty and the President will both make speeches at the start of the banquet.
WEDNESDAY 21 OCTOBER
President Xi will meet with the Prime Minister, David Cameron, at No.10 Downing Street for a bilateral meeting. They will visit the UK-China Business Summit at Mansion House, which will focus on investment, infrastructure and innovation. Then, the President will visit Huawei Technologies, where he will receive presentations looking at Huawei's 14 years in the UK, its innovation work with UK partners and the latest technology trends. In the evening, the President will attend a banquet at Guildhall given by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor and the President will both make speeches at the end of the banquet.
THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER
The President will formally bid farewell to The Queen at Buckingham Palace in the morning. Afterwards, he will join a Confucius Institute conference. Later he will fly up to Manchester ahead of the final day of the State Visit.
FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER
In the morning, the President will visit the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester. Later he will visit the Manchester City Football Group. The Lord Chamberlain will bid farewell to President Xi. Their Excellencies will depart from Manchester Airport. | high12928.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "She dreamed of studying animals in Africa."
},
"options": [
"She dreamed of going to college.",
"She dreamed of studying animals in Africa.",
"She dreamed of becoming a famous scientist.",
"She dreamed of traveling all ... | At 26, Jane Goodall had no college education or science training. But since childhood, she had been dreaming of working closely with animals in Africa. "All through my childhood people said you can't go to Africa. You're a girl." Goodall said. "But my mother used to say, if you really want to, there's nothing you can't do."
In 1957, the 26-year-old Goodall went to Kenya to work as a secretary. She also arranged to meet the famous scientist Louis Leakey, who was so impressed by her enthusiasm that he hired her as his assistant. She went with him on many trips to the African jungle and in 1960 Leakey sent Goodall to live among chimpanzees in a remote animal preserve, recording the animals' behavior and interactions.
For three months Goodall made little progress. But she said, "I never came close to giving up." Her breakthrough came one day when she saw a male chimpanzee stick a piece of grass into a termite hill, then put the grass in his mouth. Afterward she came to the hill and did the same. Pulling the grass out, she discovered dozens of termites on it. The discovery -- that some animals use tools -- was unknown to most scientists at the time.
Goodall saw chimpanzees exhibit human-like emotions, such as jealousy and love. But she also discovered they were capable of violent attacks against each other.
Goodall received her Ph.D. in the study of animal behavior at England's Cambridge University. Now she travels around the globe raising money to preserve wildlife. "I love being in the forest with the chimpanzees," she said. "I'd much rather be there than traveling around from city to city." | high14381.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "go to the country"
},
"options": [
"stay in the city",
"visit another city",
"go to the country",
"play with my children"
],
"question": "At the weekends I usually _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"... | I lived in a big city. It's noisy and dirty and I got very tried. At the weekends I like to leave the city and get some fresh air and a good rest. A few weekends ago I decided to see my parents. I was really looking forward to it.
My parents live a long way away. I went to see them with James, a friend, and we drove down on Friday night. In the middle of the trip it began to rain. The roads became very wet and it was difficult to drive. We arrived home just after midnight, feeling tired. The next morning it was still raining. James took his car to the local garage which was very good.
In the afternoon the weather became better. We wanted to go for a drive. My parents lent us their car. That was no good. Their car didn't work! We rang the garage. "Oh, no." they said, "your car won't be ready until tomorrow." So it wasn't possible to go for a drive. We decided to play a word game. When we didn't agree about a word we looked for a dictionary. It wasn't there. Suddenly my mother remembered. "I lent it to your sister. She took it with her when she left." The word game wasn't any good without a dictionary.
On Sunday my mother dropped a suitcase on her foot and we had to hire a taxi to take her to hospital. When James and I drove back we got stuck in a traffic jam. Next time I want to have a rest. I'll stay in the city! | high24242.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "blame your friend for not being as friendly to you as before"
},
"options": [
"develop the same interest as our friend does",
"blame your friend for not being as friendly to you as before",
"give in to the friend who has hu... | Your best friend is possibly the most important person in your life. But sometimes friendship's road is not always smooth, or it's a total dead end. What do you do when this happens?
Scenario 1: Drifting Apart
You've found that your friend no longer wants to jog with you. She'd rather hit the chat rooms, or she's become crazy about hanging with her new interest.
It's a _ when old friends start having less in common. But it might still be worth trying to get into your friend's new interest, trying something new on your own, or meet some new folks who like doing the things you enjoy. Another thing to try is talking to your friend about it- in a non-this-is-your-fault way. The goal is telling how you feel, not "winning".
Scenario 2: Fights
"Yes, he is." "No, he isn't." the argument could continue forever.
No matter how sure you are that you're right, friendship is based on RESPECT. Since you and your friend aren't clones , you will disagree sometimes! Is it worth fighting over? If it is trivial , why not give it up? Agree to disagree and get on well with life. Even if you'll never agree, try to see the other person's viewpoint. At least honor his right to have his own opinions. Never get physical. Violence can make a small problem into a disaster.
Scenario 3: End of the Road
Is the friendship over? If you are not the one ending it, it feels as if a knife cut your heart into pieces. But the thing is that you can't force someone to be your friend. Give yourself time. But don't freeze in a looking-back, holding pattern . Be open to new friendship. You never know when the "best friend forever" will come along. | high8833.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "illness"
},
"options": [
"illness",
"experience",
"genetics",
"environment"
],
"question": "Which of the following reasons for anxiety is not mentioned in the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"a... | Are you stressed out, scared or worried all the time? Do you avoid going to certain places, seeing friends or doing certain things because of your worries? Do your worries keep you awake at night? If you've answered yes, you may be suffering from anxiety.
Anxiety is a normal and necessary part of life. Anxiety is your brain's way of telling you about danger. It is anxiety which helps you jump out of the way if a car is speeding towards you. But if it gets out of hand, anxiety can get in the way of you getting on with life and can become a real problem. If this is the case for you, treatment may be a helpful way for you to get your anxiety under control.
Anxiety is a normal part of life. Some people may feel uneasy if moving to a new place and some may get overly anxious in certain situations. There are lots of reasons for this. One main reason is after a stressful thing which has happened in your life. So, if you are involved in a car crash, it's quite likely that you will be more worried than other people around cars and driving.
Being anxious also probably runs in families. If your parents suffer from anxiety then you are more likely to be anxious too. This is probably partly due to genetics, and partly because of how things are when you're growing up.
Even though people don't talk about it much, anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems. About 1 in 4 people will have an anxiety problem at some time in their life.
If you have an anxiety problem it's hard for other people to understand why something that doesn't worry them, like being in a crowd of people, can be so scary for you. This can make you feel separated and lonely, as may become worse and worse.
The good news is there are lots of excellent treatments available for anxiety. These include talking therapies and drugs. | high22633.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "At the end of the nineteenth century."
},
"options": [
"From ancient times.",
"At the end of the nineteenth century.",
"Not until this century.",
"Only very recently."
],
"question": "According to the passage, w... | Northern Europeans spend a lot of time in their cold and cloudy winters planning their summer holidays. They are proud of their healthy color when they return home after the holiday. But they also know that a certain amount of sunshine is good for their bodies and general health.
In ancient Greece people knew about the healing powers of the sun, but this knowledge was lost. At the end of the nineteenth century a Danish doctor, Niels Finsen, began to study the effect of sunlight on certain diseases, especially diseases of the skin. He was interested not only in natural sunlight but also in artificially produced rays. Sunlight began to play a more important part in curing sick people.
A Swiss doctor, Auguste Rollier, made full use of the sun in his hospital at Lysine. Lysine is a small village high up in the Alps. The position is important: the rays of the sun with the greatest healing power are the infra-red and ultra-violet rays; but ultra-violet rays are too easily lost in fog and the polluted air near industrial towns. Dr. Roller found that sunlight, fresh air and good food cure a great many diseases. He was particularly successful in curing certain forms of tuberculosis with his "sun-cure".
There were a large number of children in Dr. Roller's hospital. He decided to start a school where sick children could be cured and at the same time continue to learn. It was not long before his school was full.
In winter, wearing only shorts, socks and boots, the children put on their skis after breakfast and left the hospital. They carried small desks and chairs as well as their school books. Their teacher led them over the snow until they reached a slope which faced the sun and was free from cold winds. There they set out their desks and chairs, and school began.
Although they wore hardly any clothes, Roller's pupils were very seldom cold. That was because their bodies were full of energy which they got from the sun. But the doctor knew that sunshine can also be dangerous. If, for example, tuberculosis is attacking the lungs, unwise sunbathing may do great harm.
Today there is not just one school in the sun. There are several in Switzerland, and since Switzerland is not the only country which has the right conditions, there are similar schools in other places. | high1817.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the Aging problem of China"
},
"options": [
"the Aging problem of China",
"Who is to look after the elders",
"Chinese are afraid of getting old",
"Old Home Is Popular in China"
],
"question": "Which of the follo... | People in China are among the most fearful of getting old, a new global survey suggests.
According to Bupa, a British healthcare organization, which asked 12262 people in 12 countries about their attitudes toward aging, 28 percent of the Chinese polled said they feel depressed when they think about getting old.
And although 72 percent of all respondents aged 65 and over said they do not feel old, the survey conducted in June and July this year found more than half of those aged 45 to 54 in China already consider themselves to be elderly. About 30 percent of Chinese respondents said they worry about who will look after them in later years, while 91 percent agreed the government of the world's most populous nation should improve care for the elderly.
However, because people in China think about their future earlier, research suggests the country could be one of the best prepared for addressing the aging problem. About one third of Chinese respondents--more than double the global average--said they have put money aside for retirement, while 46 percent have taken out insurance, the poll showed. Despite being one of the best prepared nations, three fifths of those surveyed in China expect their family to care for them when they can no longer do so themselves.
A Bupa-sponsored report,however, revealed that the "informal care network" (the traditional pattern of families looking after the elderly) is disintegrating. This is due to a number of factors, said the report, including structural changes to the population, the increase of women in employment, the increase of one-person households and the rise in divorce rates.
The first batch of Chinese couples with only one child are largely in their 50s or 60s because the country's family planning policy was adopted in the late 1970s.
Li Yinping, 55, a retired accountant, said she thinks only people in their 70s can be called old. She said her pension is enough to support her in later years and that her only hope is that her son can visit regularly. "I don't worry about my later years at all," said Li. "When I'm old, I can turn to a rest home. The local hospital can deliver the medicine I need with just a phone call."
Xiao Zhe, a 26-year-old computer engineer in Beijing, is an only child whose parents live in his hometown of Chongqing. "I'm so busy with my work that I can't go back to visit them often," he said. "When they're not able to care for themselves, I will hire a nurse to look after them."
China will become the oldest society in the world by 2030, according to a recent report by a Beijing-based government think tank. The United Nations also forecasts that people aged 60 and over will account for 28 percent of the country's total population by 2040. | high22155.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "which has already been developed for building"
},
"options": [
"which has thick forests around",
"which has already been developed for building",
"where people of high income live",
"where traveling around by car is mos... | These days a green building means more than just the color of the paint. Green building can also refer to environmentally friendly houses, factories, and offices.
Green building means "reducing the impact of _ on the land"Taryn Holowka of the U.S Green Building Council in Washington, D. C. said.
According to Holowka, buildings account for 65 percent of total U.S. electricity use.
But green buildings can reduce energy and water use. Also, the buildings are often located near public transportation such as buses and subways, so that people can drive their cars less. That could be good for the environment, because cars use lots of gas and give off pollution. Green buildings are often built on developed land, so that the buildings don't destroy forests.
Marty Dettling is the project manager for a building that put these ideas into action. The Solaire has been called the country's first green high-rise building. According to Dettling, "We've reduced our energy use by one-third and our water by 50 percent."
The Solaire cuts energy in part by using solar power. "On the lace of the building we have solar panels which change the sun's energy into electricity," Dettling explained.
The Solaire also has lights that automatically turn off when people leave the room. In addition, the building has lots of windows, allowing people to use the sun for light during the day. The Solaire cuts water by reusing it.
Not everyone is eager to move into a green building, however. Some people think that things like solar panels cost more money than more traditional energy sources. Anyhow, Holowka said, "It's going to be big." | high12096.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "high positions"
},
"options": [
"communicating skills",
"high positions",
"problem-solving abilities",
"creation and imagination"
],
"question": "The benefits of enjoying arts are all of the following EXCEPT _ ... | The world moves so quickly nowadays. With so many daily responsibilities, some of us can hardly keep our heads above water. Should we make time for studying or appreciating the arts? Many people would say the arts are nice, but not necessary .In school, students should focus on languages ,math and science. Painting, drama and music are _ After graduation, listening to Mozart won't lead you to a better-paying job.
In truth, spending time learning to appreciate the arts may be more worthwhile than you think. A recent British study examined the salaries and jobs of people who spent time enjoying the arts when growing up. The researchers found those who enjoyed the arts from an early age had better jobs and higher salaries than those who didn't. What's the link? How could visiting a museum, enjoying a symphony, or honing painting skills lead to career success? It turns out that the arts help us develop many useful skills.
Other students have found students studying the arts exercise their reasoning ability. The skill helps with problem-solving. Creative and critical-thinking abilities are also developed through art study. Moreover, those who enjoy the arts have more motivation to achieve .Students who practice an art experience the rewards that come from persistence and goal-setting. These benefits also extend to those who make time to appreciate the arts beyond their school years. The best kind of art stirs our imagination and makes us think. Paintings aren't just pretty pictures. They tell stories about the lives of the subjects or about the experience of the painter. See Michelangelo's art and you'll taste the power of his faith in God. Look at the world from Picasso's point of view, and you see everyday life in new ways. Those who appreciate the arts also gain a broader perspective on the world. The arts reveal and explain the world beyond our own personal knowledge which can help us better communicate and cooperate with other people.
If you want to better yourself, go and enjoy the arts. Check out an art gallery or a museum. Take in a play. You won't regret it and it will do you more good than you can imagine. | high13388.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It will be published by Barnes & Noble"
},
"options": [
"It will come out in June.",
"It has 957 pages in all.",
"It is priced at $ 35.",
"It will be published by Barnes & Noble"
],
"question": "Which of the fol... | CHICAGO --Bill Clinton's eagerly awaited memoir , My Life, will be published this June, and is sure to ignite a firestorm of interest in an already politically charged election year. Bill Clinton said that most presidential memoirs are thought to be "dull and self-serving, but I hope mine is interesting and self-serving."
My Life, which is being published by Knopf and will sell for $ 35, is expected by many industry watchers to rise to the top of the best-seller lists.
Clinton said the book tells the story of his life from his birth and childhood in Arkansas to his years in the White House. From the book readers can have a look at his successes and _ .
He tells the story "as it happens to me, so you see what it's like to be president ... to see how everything happens at once."
Without offering specifics or mentioning Monica Lewinsky, Clinton said, "I don't spare myself" in the book.
"I have no idea if this is a great book," he said, "but it's a pretty good story. "
Clinton was reportedly paid an advance of $10 million for the book, which was supposed to be done a year ago.
"The minute that book goes on sale, people will be lined up buying the book," said Bob Wietrak, a vice-president and chief merchant for Barnes & Noble.
Some predict the 957-page book will be one of the few presidential memoirs to fly off shelves.
Booksellers have already taken pre-orders. The 1.5 million-copy first printing is bigger than the first run for Hillary Clinton's memoir Living History, which sold 1.8 million copies. | high20742.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "She can't get anyone to look after her children in summer."
},
"options": [
"She doesn't get any summer holidays in her jobs.",
"She is worried that her children will forget what they've learnt.",
"She can't afford to pay som... | In many countries, schools have long summer holidays, with shorter holidays in between.However, a new report suggests shortening school holidays to stop children forgetting what they have learnt during the long summer break.Instead of three school terms, it says, there should be five eight-week terms.And there should be just four weeks off in the summer, with a two-week break between the other terms.
Sonia Montero has two children at primary school and works full-time.She supports the idea."The kids," she says, " have much longer holidays then and I can't afford to take several weeks off work, so I need someone to take care of them.But nobody wants the work in the summer holidays -- they all have holidays of their own.
Not surprisingly, some young people disagree.Student Jason Panos says , "It's a stupid idea.I would hate staying at school in the summer.It's unfair, too.The people who suggest this had long school holidays when they were young, but now they want to stop us enjoying the summer.The kids in Spain and American have much longer holidays than here, but they don't forget everything they've learnt in a few months."
Nadia Salib agrees."Sure," she says, "the first week at school after the summer is never easy, but you soon get back into it.The real problem round here is that kids get bored after so many weeks out of school, and then some of them start causing trouble.But the answer is to give them something to do, not make everyone stay in school longer." | high10681.txt |
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