questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "offer more working opportunities"
},
"options": [
"ensure the safety of nuclear power",
"overcome the resource crisis",
"solve the pollution problem",
"offer more working opportunities"
],
"question": "According... | It is often claimed that nuclear energy is something we cannot do without. We live in a consumer society, where there is a huge demand for commercial products of all kinds. Moreover, an increase in industrial production is considered to be one solution to the problem of mass unemployment. Such an increase needs an abundant and cheap energy supply. Many people believe that nuclear energy is endless and economical. There are a number of other advantages in the use of nuclear energy. Firstly, nuclear power, except for accidents, is clean. A further advantage is that a nuclear power station can be run by ly few technical and managing staff. The nuclear power station represents a large step in our scientific research and, whatever the anti-nuclear group says, it is wrong to expect a return to more primitive sources of fuel.
However, those who disagree with nuclear energy point out that nuclear power stations bring a direct threat not only to the environment but also to the human race. Furthermore, it is doubtful whether finally nuclear power is a cheap source of energy. There have, for example, been very costly accidents in prefix = st1 /AmericaandRussia. The possibility of increases in the cost of uranium and the cost to ensure its safety could price nuclear power out of the market. In the long run, environmentalists argue, nuclear energy may bring about the destruction of the human race. Thus, if we wish to survive, we cannot afford nuclear energy. Though nuclear energy programmes are expanding, which assumes a continual growth in industrial production and consumer demands. It is doubtful whether this growth will or can continue.
Having weighed up the arguments on both sides, it seems there are good economic and environmental reasons for sources of energy other than nuclear power. | high17851.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It will be closed when it has 100 articles."
},
"options": [
"Articles must be less than 200 words.",
"Articles on any topics will be welcome.",
"It will be closed when it has 100 articles.",
"It has only one kind of pr... | This US competition is for camping related articles in which you share your tips, advice, experience, etc.
Closing: When we've received 100 articles -- so you'd better be quick.
Prizes: $100,$75,$25 -- all in VISA Gift Cards.
How to enter our writing competition
In your own words, write an article on a camping topic such as: how to's, reviews, tips and advice, or any topic camping related.The best articles will include useful information about camping, in an interesting and well-written way.Remember that it should be no less than 200 words.
Other requirements
1.Fill in all the information required, including your article, on our webpage CampTrip.com and then submit it.
2.You must be 16 years old or over to take part in the competition.
3.You must be a student who is now studying in the US.
And what's in it for you?
We are giving out a VISA Gift Card for first, second and third best articles.Simply share your experience with others and try to win a VISA cash card.The writing competition is limited to 100 articles which gives you a better chance of writing.So why don't you take up this chance? | high10680.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "cleaner"
},
"options": [
"safer",
"cheaper",
"cleaner",
"faster"
],
"question": "A future car will use electrical power, because it is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Have you ever imagined what kind of car we will be driving in 2020? It will be rather different from the type we know today, with the next 20 years bringing greater change than the past 50. The people who will be designing the models of tomorrow believe that environmental problems may well accelerate(,)the pace of the car's development. Today they are students on the transport design course at London's Royal College of Art.
Their vision is of a machine with three wheels instead of four, electrically powered, environmentally clean, and able to drive itself along "intelligent" roads equipped with built-in power supplies. Future cars will pick up their fuel during long journeys from a power source built into the road, or store it in small quantities for traveling in the city.
Instead of today's seating arrangements--two in front, two or three behind, all facing forward--the 2010 car will have a versatile interior with adults and children in a family circle.
This view of the future car is based on a much more sophisticated road system, _ Cars will not need drivers, because computers will provide safe driving control and route finding. All the driver will have to do is to say where to go and the computer will do the rest. It will become impossible for cars to crash into one another. The technology already exists for the car to become a true automobile. | high20743.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "group buying is becoming popular in China"
},
"options": [
"China is the first country to start group buying",
"the price of group buying depends on the market",
"you can't get the best you need through group buying",
"... | Group-buying in China
Modeled after US hot website Groupon.com, group buying websites are now popular in China. These websites use the power of group buying to get competitive discounts for a daily deal on some best stuff to do, see, eat and buy in the cities across China. Discounts are available within just one click. Zhao lei, a software engineer in Beijing, loves the one-hour lunch break at noon, as it is the best time for him to check "today's special" at his favorite group buying websites . Sometimes he searches for great deals at directory sites devoted to the new shopping space. Zhao spends around 800 yuan ($117.65) on group buying every month, mostly to buy food coupons for eating at some nice restaurants and occasionally to find something fun to do. ''I love group buying. In addition to the competitive discounts it offers, it helps me get something fun, exciting and new, and such surprises give me a reason to try something new," he said. When he finds a really good bargain, he will send the link to friends or colleagues through MSN,QQ, or e-mail, or share the information at some social networking websites. In doing so, he often gets a certain cut off the price. At some sites, buyers are invited to leave notes about what they want to buy and the website will consider it if similar applications reach a certain number. That is how Zuo got her digital camera after waiting for two months. "It is cool. I want to buy a new digital camera for my trip to Switzerland this winter, but I never expected such cheap prices!"Zuo said. | high9292.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "At least 5."
},
"options": [
"Only 2.",
"No more than 3.",
"Not more than 4.",
"At least 5."
],
"question": "How many people are mentioned in this passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
... | China's economic growth "hard to predict"
The worsening global economic situation makes it difficult for China to predict its growth for next year, a senior official said on Friday.
"How fast China's economy will grow next year is uncertain," Liu He, deputy director of the Office of the Central Leading Group on Finance and Economy Work, told China Daily.
"To a large
, the rate will be decided by the external situation," Liu said during a discussion with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and other economists in Beijing.
"This year, GDP is estimated to grow at 9.4 or 9.5 percent, down from 10.6 percent last year," he said. "However, the impact of the current financial turbulence on our economy is much less than on the rest of the world."
Nicholas Stern, a former UK government advisor, also told China Daily it will take at least one or two years for the world to recover from the recession, which is now spreading from the US and the UK to the rest of the world.
"We don't know how long the recession will last, but it is unlikely to be short," he said.
Liu said China can use the downturn as an opportunity to restructure its economy, which has relied heavily on government investment, foreign trade and low-cost technology over the past years.
"When the economy is experiencing fast growth, companies are unwilling to upgrade their technologies," Liu said.
"The slowdown gives such firms the opportunity to enhance their competitive edge through better technologies."
(From China Daily 2009-01-11) | high15920.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "worse than in the past"
},
"options": [
"worse than in the past",
"as bad as in the past",
"not as dangerous as in the past",
"as necessary as in the past"
],
"question": "This passage implies that war is now ... | Is it possible to persuade mankind to live without war? War is an ancient practice which has existed for at least six thousand years. It was always bad and usually foolish, but in the past, the human race managed to live with it. Modern cleverness has changed this. Either man will end the existence of war, or war will end the existence of man. For the present, it is nuclear weapons that cause the most serious danger, but bacteriological or chemical weapons may, before long, offer an even greater threat. If we succeeded in ending the existence of nuclear weapons, our work will not be done. It will never be done until we have succeeded in ending war. To do this, we need to persuade mankind to look up on international problems in a new way not as contests of force, in which the victory goes to the side which is most skillful in killing people, but by settling in accordance with(, , , ) agreed rules of law. It is not easy to change very old mental habits, but this is what must be attempted.
There are those who say that the acceptance of this or that ideology would prevent war. I believe this to be a big mistake. All ideologies are based upon dogmatic statements ,which are, at best, doubtful, and at worst, totally false. Their supporters believe in them so deeply that they are willing to go to war in support of them.
The movement of world opinion during the past few years has been very largely such as we can welcome. It has become a common place that nuclear war must be avoided. Of course very difficult problems remain in the world, but the spirit in which they are coming nearer to is a better one than it was some years ago. It has begun to be thought, even by the powerful men who decide whether we shall live or die, that negotiations should reach agreements even if both sides do not find these agreements wholly satisfactory. It has begun to be understood that the important struggle nowadays is not between different countries but between man and the atom bomb . | high12097.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Royal Jelly is a product that can help renew a person's energy and vitality"
},
"options": [
"Madeline was more than willing to take Royal Jelly at the very beginning",
"Royal Jelly is a product that can help renew a person's energ... | With their weakening bodies, advanced age or increasing pressure of work or study, people have been advised and usually persuaded to have health care products. Do you remember your first time to take a nutritional supplement ? What was your first impression?
Posted by Amy, Dec.23, 2010 8:05 P.M.
Madeline on Dec.24, 2010 7:25 P.M.
Years ago, as a young mom with two small children, I struggled to keep up with the demands of a busy life. One day, I woke up feeling so tired that I knew something had to change! A friend gave me some Royal Jelly--an amazing substance from the beehive .I was doubtful, but desperate...so I tried it! In time, I began to experience renewed energy like never before! Now, over two decades later, I travel all round the country, sharing my lifechanging experience. I'm grateful for the energy to keep up and love to share this wonderful discovery with others.
Blanca on Dec.25, 2010 7:02 P.M.
Ten years ago, when I was 73, my mind wanted to be busy and useful, but my body didn't. I became very tired. That's when my daughter Madeline tried to persuade me to try her special Royal Jelly. It made great difference in her life, so she was sure it could help me too! Hesitating for 2 days, I gave in. She was right! I no longer felt worn out. I had a new, youthful eagerness for life and I've been OK--thanks to Royal Jelly!
Lori on Dec.25, 2010 10:27 P.M.
When my mom Madeline was introduced to Royal Jelly, it affected my life, too! Mom gave me some of her fantastic Royal Jelly. Boy, things did turn around! I had more energy and _ and was finally able to keep up with high school and, eventually, college activities. Today, I'm a busy mom in my mid thirties with two active boys and a new business! I have enough energy to do it all! I'm glad I took my Mom's advice. | high7254.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Teenagers' TV time may affect their diets later."
},
"options": [
"People should keep away from TV to keep healthy.",
"Teenagers' TV time may affect their diets later.",
"Why do teenagers like TV\"",
"Parents' own habit... | Teenagers who spend hours in front of the television may have a poorer diet as young adults.
A study,which included nearly 1,400 high school students,found those who watched TV for five hours or more per day had less healthy diets than peers five years later. Why does this happen? Should the parents take any measures?
On the one hand,people who spend a lot of time in front of the TV, especially teenagers,may snack more,and that may affect their long-term diet quality.
On the other hand,TV ads for fast food,sweets and snacks tempt teenagers to eat more of those foods. And TV time might also replace exercise time for some kids.
Lead researcher Dr. Daheia J. Barr-Anderson,of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis,told Reuters Health a clear correlation between TV time during high school and diet quality in young adulthood. While the heaviest TV viewers were eating the most junk food , those who'd watched less than two hours per day had the highest intake of fruits,vegetables, whole grains and high-calcium food. In her opinion,parents should limit and monitor TV viewing.
As far as I am concerned,children should watch no more than two hours of television per day. And parents should set a good example by eating right,being physically active and
their own TV time. | high15713.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to show his pride to have a good stepfather"
},
"options": [
"to show his pride to have a good stepfather",
"to show how interesting a person Leo was",
"to remind us of our parents",
"to explain why they moved to the su... | Nine years ago, after Leo had died, people said to me. "I never knew he was your stepfather." You see, I never called him that. At first, he was no one special in my life. Then he became my friend. In time, I felt he was also my father.
Leo married my mother when I was eleven. Two years later we moved into a house in a new suburban development, where we put down roots. At first our lawn was just a mud with wild grass, but Leo saw bright possibilities. "We'll plant trees there to give us shade as well as some flowers," he said. And just these little touches made our house different from all the others. More important, a real family was forming. Leo was becoming a full-time parent, and I was learning what it meant to have a father.
Weekday mornings when the weather was bad, Leo often drove me to school. Having a father drop you off may have been something my classmates took for granted, but I always thought it was wonderful. Saturday mornings, we went to the hardware shop, then stepped into the five-and-ten, buying a sports magazine or something else. Some people might think that doing shopping together is nothing special, but I, who had ever before spent my childhood watching other families do their everyday activities, experienced them now with extreme delight. Looking back, I realized that Leo gave me what I needed most--the experience of doing ordinary things together as a family.
Soon after we moved to the suburbs, one of our new neighbors introduced herself to me. She had already met my mother and Leo. "You know," she said, "you look just like your father." I knew she was just making conversation--but even so... "Thank you", I said. Why tell her anything different? | high9279.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "by watching what you think, say and do"
},
"options": [
"by measuring what you need",
"by helping someone else",
"by watching what you think, say and do",
"by changing your intention"
],
"question": "You can hav... | Having spring around makes you feel different after such a long winter journey. The power of sunshine brings us a lot of comfort, optimism, self-confidence and of course a smile. Imagine how great it will be if we are so positive all year round!
Living like this is possible if you really think about it. In order to exist in such a state of happiness, we must have sunshine radiating from within ourselves, shining from our hearts, minds and souls. Actually,that's your choice, and if you think that way then your own life will reflect that attitude of yours!
In order to make "sunshine" or rather, "light" part of our being, it is so important that you watch your thoughts, your words and your actions so that you will accept what you really feel you'd like to create in your own life. Watch your thoughts and really become aware of how many negative thoughts pass through your mind about yourself and other people around you. Watch to see how often you gossip about other people, which is actually often attached with feelings of jealousy and insecurity about yourself.
You are also supposed to take a close look at your "intention". How many of you do something for another person without expecting to receive something in return? It might not even have to be a material or physical thing you expect; expecting to be recognized for what you have done is enough to create conditions on Having spring around makes you feel differentyour intention. Think about it!
Putting all of these together, it seems that most of us are creating monsters inside us just by simply talking, thinking and not putting our heart out with the right intention towards helping someone else. If you take all your negative attitudes in one hand and measure your need to feel "sunshine" in the other, you will see how both these elements really contradict each other.
Be brave and break your patterns and your habits this spring, and by doing so,you will allow the true sunshine to take place by radiating out from your heart and into your life and the lives of the people around you! | high13362.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "94 years old"
},
"options": [
"94 years old",
"106years old",
"40 years old",
"46 years old"
],
"question": "Thales, the famous Greek philosopher, died when he was about _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_ques... | Science, as we think, was born when the Greek philosopher ( ) Thales ( about 640-546 B.C.) asked a difficult question: What makes up our universe?
No one had a ready answer, so Thales went on studying the earth around him, the sky and the stars. He saw so much water on earth and so much water falling from the sky as rain that he decided water must be the basic substance ( ) of the universe.
Other Greek thinkers became interested in this question. They suggested other answers. One said that because air lies around the earth, it must be air that makes up all things. Another said that fire, appearing in different forms, was the building block of the universe.
The Greek philosophers were feeling their way towards the ideas on which chemistry is based. Centuries later, scientists proved that the universe is made up of certain basic substances. But the list is much more _ than the Greeks realized. We now know of 103 basic substances which we call " elements ( )". | high1625.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Cycling around a lake. ks5u"
},
"options": [
"Cycling around a lake. ks5u",
"Motor racing in the desert. ks5u",
"Playing basketball in a gym. ks5u",
"Swimming in a sports center. ks5u"
],
"question": "Which... | Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment. ks5u
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas. ks5u
There are many environment-friendly sport. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don't need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes;and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control. ks5u
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be "green gyms". They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it's free. ks5u | high17104.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "can only be entered by kids"
},
"options": [
"has been held many times",
"can only be entered by kids",
"is to choose the largest plane",
"is held by a team of designers"
],
"question": "According to the text, t... | If you're like most kids, you've probably made more than a few paper airplanes in your day. But how many kids can say their paper airplanes have been built life-size and then flown? At least one: 12-year-old Arturo Veldenegro of Tucson, Arizona, who won the Pima Air& Space Museum's first annual Great Paper Airplane Project Fly-Off in March 2012.
" The purpose of the competition is to inspire and draw kids' interest in science and flight," says Tim Vimmerstedt, director of the museum.
About 150 kids entered the competition. The young designers learned about how airplanes fly and then set to work designing their own planes.
Arturo designed and built his airplane. When hen was finished, he took his plane to the flight area and let it fly, outdistancing the other competitors in all age groups. At last, Arturo's airplane flew the farthest---more than 75 feet!
As the winner, Arturo got to meet with a team of engineers, which took his design and made a bigger one. The new paper airplane might have been the largest one ever built! Arturo named his large paper airplane Arturo's Desert Eagle.
Later a helicopter tried to lift the paper airplane over the Arizona desert, but it was unsuccessful. Engineers worked for eight hours to repair it for a second try. This time, the helicopter managed to raise it to 2700 feet and then set the plane free.
Arturo watched as his plane flew through the sky at speeds of up to 98 miles per hour for 10 seconds before falling to pieces.
"I felt happy but sad," Arturo says, " It flew really well, but it was sad to see it destroyed."
But that wasn't the end of Arturo's Desert Eagle. The Pima Air & Space Museum collected the pieces of the broken plane and put them on show to inspire other young engineers to reach for the sky. | high5443.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Sweet."
},
"options": [
"Quiet.",
"Innocent.",
"Naughty.",
"Sweet."
],
"question": "Which word could best describe the baby girl?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer... | While waiting to pick up a friend at an airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those lifechanging experiences that you hear other people talk about--the kind that happens to you unexpectedly. To me, this happened and was only two feet away from me.
Locating my friend among the passengers, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.
First he walked to his youngest son (maybe 6 years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other's face, I heard the father say,"It's so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!" His son smiled somewhat shyly, and replied softly,"Me, too, Dad!"
Then the man stood up, gazed into the eyes of his oldest son (maybe 9 or 10) and while cupping his son's face in his hands said, "You're already quite a young man. I love you very much, Zach!" They too hugged a most loving, tender hug.
While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or oneandahalfyear old) was squirming excitedly in her mother's arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said,"Hi, baby girl!" as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment.
After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared,"I've saved the best for last!" and went to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed, "I love you so much!" They stared into each other's eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands.
For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn't possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally attentive I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm's length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask,"Wow! How long have you two been married?"
"Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those." he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife's face. "Well then, how long have you been away?" I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. "Two whole days!"
Two days? I was stunned. I had assumed he'd been gone for at least several weeks--if not months. I know my expression betrayed me. "I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!"
The man suddenly stopped smiling.
He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person, "Don't hope, friend... decide!" Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said,"God bless!"
With that, he and his family turned and walked away together. I was still watching that exceptional man and his special family walk just out of sight when my friend came up to me and asked, "What are you looking at?" Without hesitating, and with a curious sense of certainty, I replied,"My future!" | high18237.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It is the first solar power station which costs over 200 million euros."
},
"options": [
"It is the first solar power station which costs over 200 million euros.",
"It is the first solar power station in the world working around th... | A unique thermo-solar power station Germasolar in southern Spain can work even on cloudy days:energy stored when the sun shines lets it produce electricity even during the night.
It is the first solar power station in the world that works 24 hours a day! This is how it works: the panels reflect the sun's rays onto the tower, transmitting energy 1,000 times stronger than that of the sun's rays reaching the earth. Energy is stored in tanks, and then steam is produced before finally turned into electricity.
It is the station's capacity to store plenty of energy that makes Gemasolar so different because it allows the plant to transmit power during the night, relying on energy it has gained during the day.
Helped by the generous state aid, renewable energies have enjoyed a boom in Spain, the world number two in solar energy and the biggest wind power producer in Europe, ahead of Germany.
For the Gemasolar solar product, foreign investors helped too: Torresol Energy is a joint enterprise between the Spanish engineering group Sener, which holds 60 percent, and Abu Dhabi-financed renewable energy firm Masdar.
This type of station is expensive, not because of the raw material we use, which is free solar energy, but because of the enormous investment these plants require. The investment cost is over 200 million euros ($ 260 million). But the day when the business has repaid that money to the banks (maybe, in 18 years, someone estimates), this station will become a 1,000-euro note printing machine!
For now, the economic crisis has nevertheless cast a shadow over this kind of project: Spain is battling to cut its deficit as it slides into a difficult time and has cancelled aid to new renewable energy projects. | high20970.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "5."
},
"options": [
"6.",
"5.",
"4.",
"3."
],
"question": "How many countries did the couple visit during their honeymoon?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index"... | A newly-wed couple on a four-month honeymoon were hit by six natural disasters, including the Australian floods, Christchurch earthquake and Japanese tsunami.
Stefan and Erika Svanstrom left Stockholm, Sweden, on December 6 and were immediately stranded in Munich, Germany, due to one of Europe's worst snowstorms. Travelling with their baby daughter, they flew on to Cairns in Australia which was then struck by one of the most tremendous tonadoes in the nation's history. From there, the couple, in their 20s, were forced to shelter for 24 hours on the cement floor of a shopping centre with 2,500 others. "Trees were being knocked over and big branches were scattered across the streets," Mr Svanstrom told Sweden's Express newspaper. _
They then headed south to Brisbane but the city was experiencing massive flooding, so they crossed the country to Perth where they narrowly escaped raging bush fires. The couple then flew to Christchurch, New Zealand, arriving just after a massive magnitude 6.3 earthquake destroyed the city on February 22. Mrs. Svanstrom said, "When we got there the whole town was a war zone." "We could not visit the city since it was completely blocked off, so instead we travelled around before going to Japan." But days after the Svanstroms arrived, Tokyo was rocked by Japan's largest earthquake since records began. "The trembling was horrible and we saw roof tiles fly off the buildings," Mr. Svantrom said. "It was like the buildings were swaying back and forth."
The family returned to Stockholm on March 29,2011 after a much calmer visit to their last destination China. But Mr. Svanstrom, who also survived the destructive Boxing Day tsunami that hit southeast Asia in 2004, said the marriage was still going strong. He added, "I know marriages have to endure some trials, but I think we have been through most of them." "We've certainly experienced more than our fair share of catastrophes, but the most important thing is that we're together and happy." Mrs. Svantrom added: " To say we were unlucky with the weather doesn't really cover it! It's so absurd that now we can only laugh." | high3032.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because of her depression caused by bad family relations."
},
"options": [
"Because her classmates often quarreled in class.",
"Because her parents used to quarrel.",
"Because of her depression caused by bad family relations.... | A quarrel at home may result in your falling ill. Don't laugh, it's true. Family matters including living habits and even the way we speak have a big effect on our health, doctors say.
Wang Xiaoyu, a Senior 2 girl from Xichang, Sichuan Province, fainted in class when she heard her classmates quarrel at the top of their voices. Quarrels between her parents also put the girl into a _ . It is because she is suffering from depression , caused by bad relations at home, doctors explained.
"We don't get sick or stay well by ourselves," says Dr Robert Ferrer from the US. Ferrer shows that family forces may explain up to a quarter of health problems, in his recent research. The genes you get from your family may cause illness. If one of your parents has a heart attack, your risk of being affected may double. But effects on health are not only written in our DNA.
Unrelated people who live under the same roof also get similar problems. Diet, lifestyle and environment affect our health, too. Ferrer's research also found that if teenagers feel they are ignored or unimportant at home they are more likely to get sick.
We may never fully understand all the effects that families have on our health. But just as individual problems can have effects on others, a small improvement can have big benefits, Ferrer said. | high11575.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "aims to reduce tiredness-related accidents"
},
"options": [
"aims to reduce tiredness-related accidents",
"has gone through testing at laboratories",
"aims to prevent drivers from sleeping",
"has been on sale for 12 mon... | A device that stops drivers from falling asleep at the wheel is about to undergo testing at Department of Transport laboratories and could go on sale within 12 months.
The system, called Driver Alert, aims to reduce deadly road accidents by 20% - 40% that are caused by tiredness. Airline pilots can also use it to reduce the 30% of all pilot-error accidents that are related to fatigue.
Driver Alert is based on a computerized wristband. The device, worn by drivers or pilots, gives out a sound about every four minutes during a car journey. After each sound the driver must respond by squeezing the steering wheel. A sensor in the wristband detects this pressing action and measures the time between the sound the driver's response.
Tiredness is directly related to a driver's response time. Usually, a watchful driver would take about 400 milliseconds to respond, but once that falls to more than 500 milliseconds, it suggests that the driver is getting sleepy.
In such cases the device gives out more regular and louder sounds, showing that the driver should open a window or stop for a rest. If the driver's response continues to slow down, the sounds become more frequent until a nonstop alarm warns that the driver must stop as soon as possible.
The device has been delivered to the department's laboratories for testing. If these tests, scheduled for six months' time, are successful, the makers will bring the product to market within about a year. | high3754.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Word Smart Junior"
},
"options": [
"Word Power",
"Grammar Smart Junior",
"Word Smart Junior",
"Grammar Smart: An Audio Guide to Perfect Usage"
],
"question": "If a ten-year-old boy wants himself to be admired be... | Word Power
Author(s): Kaplan $13.95
You'll never be at a loss for words again. Energize your vocabulary with must-know everyday words that are the essentials of a good vocabulary, engaging lessons to help you use words in text, hot words often found on tests, tips to help you figure out new words, roots, and more.
Grades: 8 & up Ages: 13 & up
Word Smart Junior
Author(s): Russell Stauffer $ 17.95
Now this is the way to add new words to your vocabulary! Word Smart Junior will make you laugh so much. You'll be amazed that you've just learned more than 120 fascinating and very useful words! Parents, teachers, and friends will marvel at your eloquence !
Grades: 3-5 Ages: 8-10
Grammar Smart Junior
Author(s): Marcia Reynolds $ 16.85
Do you quake when your teacher says, "Now it's time for grammar"? Do your verbs agree with your subjects?
Fear no more! A big Hollywood producer and a famous movie star will help you learn all those nasty elements of grammar. You'll be amazed at how quickly you learn, and how much fun it can be. You'll finally know your grammar backwards and forwards, and you'll never have to worry about it again.
Grades: 7-9 Ages: 12-14
Grammar Smart: An Audio Guide to Perfect Usage
Author(s): Julian Fleisher $ 12.68
The words you use say a lot about you ... but the way you put them together says even more. Your grammar makes an immediate and lasting impression on your teachers, and even your friends. So don't make the mistake of thinking that grammar is too complicated. We've created Grammar Smart to help you write and speak with clarity and confidence.
Grades: 6-8 Ages: 11-13 | high17662.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They eat less nutritious foods."
},
"options": [
"They eat more food.",
"They eat less nutritious foods.",
"They eat cheaper fruits.",
"They eat cheaper vegetables."
],
"question": "Why are people gaining weight... | Food prices have risen sharply over the past few years. The good news is that the rate of increase has slowed. The bad news is that prices will not go down anytime soon.
Also,the rate of global agricultural production is slowing. Yet it needs to increase 60% over the next 40 years to feed a growing world population.
These are among the findings from the OECDFAO(the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development & the Food and Agriculture Organization)Agricultural Outlook 2012-2021.
FAO DirectorGeneral Jose Graziano da Silva spoke at a news conference in Rome when the report was released. Mr.Da Silva said that,not surprisingly,the world's poorest people will feel the greatest effects of higher prices.
"For the millions and millions of extremely poor people, the effects of high food prices are clear--they might have to change their diets,usually to ones with poorer nutrition quality, "he said.
In middleincome countries, people are gaining weight as they eat fewer fruits and vegetables and more of the cheaper but less nutritious foods.
The report also shows that farmers in poorer countries will be leading efforts to feed an expected 9,000,000,000 people by 2050.The outlook predicts that farmers in Latin America,the Caribbean and subSaharan Africa will drive agricultural production in the future.
Angel Gurria,SecretaryGeneral of the OECD,said:"We can feed 9,000,000,000 people by 2050 on this planet. But we have to organize ourselves better." But there are plenty of challenges.Onefourth of all agricultural land is damaged. Many countries face water shortages .And experts believe climate change is driving increasingly unusual weather patterns.
The report says farmers need to use more growing methods that can't cause damage to the environment.At the same time,it says governments should end economically harmful supports and spend more money to increase agricultural production.Mr.Gurria says rich and poor nations need to treat agriculture more like a business.
"In many cases,agriculture is related in people's minds to the poorest. It's related to aid. It's related to very poor living conditions,etc. We have got to shake that image away,"he said. | high5325.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a rough drawing to discover her"
},
"options": [
"a pretty notice to find her",
"an inspiring story to move her",
"an exciting program to attract her",
"a rough drawing to discover her"
],
"question": "After Mob... | A modern-day love story of a man seeing the girl of his dreams across a New York subway train and tracking her down over the Internet has failed to have a fairytale ending with the relationship over.
For Web designer Patrick Moberg, then 21, from Brooklyn, it was love at first sight when he saw a woman on a Manthttan train last November. But he lost her in the crowd so he set up a website with a sketch picture to find her--www.Nygirlofmydreams.com.
Unbelievably in a city of 8 million people, it only took Moberg 48 hours to find the woman, with his phone ringing non-stop and email box overflowing. New Yorkers took pity on the subway Romeo and joined his hunt.
The mysterious girl was named as Camille Hayton, from Melbourne, Australia, who was working at the magazine Black Book and also lived in Brooklyn. One of her friends saw the sketched picture on the Web site and recognized her.
But after finding each other, appearing on TV and getting international press, the couple took their romance out of the public eye, with Moberg closing down the Web site and with both refusing to make any more comments--until now.
Hayton told Australian newspaper The Sunday Telegraph that she dated Moberg for about two months but it just didn't work out.
"I say we dated for a while but now we're just friends," Hayton, now 23, told the newspaper. Hayton said she is still recognized about three times a week on the streets of Manhattan as "that girl" and the question is always the same: "So what happened?"
"I think the situation was so intense that it linked us," she said, adding, "it linked us in a way that you could mistake, I guess, for being more romantic than it was. I don't know. But I wanted to give it a go so didn't wonder what if, what if?"
Hayton told The Sunday Telegraph that she is enjoying single life in New York, keeping busy with acting classes, working in two clothing stores. Last week she had a small role as a waitress in the long-running daytime soap As the World Turns.
"I just can't believe it happened. It feels like a long time ago," said Hayton. Moberg, however, was still refusing to comment on the relationship. | high18551.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Jack's mother in law"
},
"options": [
"The owner of the flat.",
"Jack's mother in law",
"Sylvia's mother in law",
"The author's good friend."
],
"question": "Who was Kitty?",
"question_type": "factiod_questi... | We knew Sylvia and Jack had problems with their flats, but we hadn't been told the details. Not until they came for a weekend in October, that is.
At dinner on the Friday evening Kitty said, "You wrote that the flat wasn't quite what you expected. Of course it could be too small. You're sharing with another couple, aren't you?"
"Were sharing. Mother." Sylvia replied.
"It really wasn't necessary." Jack explained proudly, "I've had a big rise, and we can easily manage. It's much better to be independent."
"Oh, much," I agreed
"What was the trouble?" Kitty asked, impatient and unwilling to let her go.
"Nothing much." Sylvia said, "The flat is fine. It was the other couple. Sally and Tom Ford. You've never seen such an untidy pair. We shared the sitting room and the kitchen and the bathroom and got fed up with the mess of it all."
"And what made it worse," Jack put in. "was that they accused us of the same sort of thing. Tom and I nearly came to blows when he locked up some of their wedding presents we were all using, as they used ours, naturally."
"You take a chance when you make a sharing arrangement." Kitty said.
"I am in my own flat." Sylvia said, "Sally and Tom left a month ago."
"We could have left instead," Jack said, "But why we should leave? After all, the flat was in out names, not theirs. We were glad to see the back of them."
Two weeks later Kitty and I retuned their visit for lunch on Sunday. It was the first time we had been to their flat. To say that we were shocked is not true, because we know our daughter extremely well. The flat had fairly recently been in quite good condition; it was now a chaos. I did not know how anyone could possibly live there. But Sylvia noticed nothing. | high19897.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "hates the heavy traffic in Los Angeles"
},
"options": [
"hates the heavy traffic in Los Angeles",
"dislikes the cold weather in Los Angeles",
"thinks Los Angeles is small and crowded",
"enjoys driving everywhere in Los ... | Michelle was a student at University of California, Los Angeles. She is here to tell us how she feels about the city.
What were the best things about Los Angeles?
One of my favorite things about Los Angeles is the weather. I hate the cold and it never really gets that cold there. Plus, most of the time it's usually sunny, which is good because I love going to the beach during the summer. There's so much to do at the beach, but my favorite thing in L.A. was having a picnic on the sand with my friends.
What were the worst things about being there?
I disliked having to drive everywhere to get around because the city is so spread out. Los Angeles has a lot of traffic and sometimes it takes a long time to get somewhere close by just because the streets are so crowded. Also, a lot of people complain about the pollution.
Did you have any problems there?
Just the normal problems of living in any city, like watching out for pickpockets . Some people think Los Angeles has a lot of crime, but I think it's as safe as any other city. Also, many people think driving is difficult because there is a lot of traffic and road rage , but it just takes a little practice and a lot of patience.
What are the people like in Los Angeles?
There are all types of people in Los Angeles since the city is pretty diverse. For the most part, though, most of the people are friendly, calm and relaxed. Some people say that everyone in Los Angeles is beautiful, but I think that's just a stereotype .
Would you go back to Los Angeles?
Certainly. Los Angeles is one of my favorite cities in the world. I love the fact that it has all the nightlife and shopping of a big city, but also has access to beaches, parks, mountains and other places you can't usually find in large cities. Between the weather and the beaches and all the fun things to do, it's a great place to be. | high13404.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "both get knowledge and improve your ability"
},
"options": [
"stop learning the subjects you don't like",
"both get knowledge and improve your ability",
"pay more attention to math and French",
"learn French instead of ... | Have you ever thought of such questions as "Why do I have to study math?"or "I am not interested in history at all. My dream is to be an actor. Should I give history up?"
Maybe you are right. After you leave school, it's not necessary for you to understand everything. But please remember that at school,besides getting knowledge, you should pay attention to some other important things.
First, try to find what you are most interested in. At school, you study many subjects. Try to find what you like and what you don't like. This may be helpful to you in the future.
Second, maybe you don't like math and you want to drop it. But the logical thinking ability from math can help you solve some problems.At school, you should practice your brain by thinking.
Third, you should believe in yourself. Maybe you learn French at school, but you don't need to speak French at all.But learning French can prove that you have the ability of learning languages. Suppose you go to France one day and find a good job well. At school I learned French well, and now I must be able to learn German. But if you have no confidence, what will happen?
Try to challenge yourself as often as possible. I think many of us like playing computer games. When we fail in a game, we always want to try it again. Why? Because it is hard for us to get the highest mark. If we want to challenge ourselves, we must face more difficult things and make greater progress. | high1143.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "why certain people age sooner than others"
},
"options": [
"how to make people live longer",
"why certain people age sooner than others",
"how people stay young",
"which people are most intelligent"
],
"question... | If you want to stay young,sit down and have a good think. This is the research finding of a team of Japanese doctors, who say that most of our brains are not getting enough exercise, and as a result,we are ageing unnecessarily soon.
Professor Taijiu Matsuzawa wanted to find out why otherwise healthy farmers in northern prefix = st1 /Japanappeared to be losing their ability to think and reason at a ly early age, and how the process of ageing could be slowed down.
With a team of partners at Tokyo National University,he set about studying the brain volumes of a thousand people of different ages and various jobs.
Computer technology enabled the researchers to get exact measurement of the volume of the front and side sections of the brain,which relate to intellect and feelings,and determine the human character. The back section of the brain,which controls functions like eating or breathing,does not connect with age. One can continue living without intellectual or feeling abilities.
Contraction of front and side parts - as cells die off - was observed in some subjects in their thirties, but it was still not obvious in some sixty and seventy year olds.
Matsuzawa concluded from his tests that there is a simple cure for the contraction normally connected with age using the brain.
The findings show in general conditions that contraction of the brain begins soon among people in the country than in the town. Those are at least at risk,says Matsuzawa,who are lawyers,followed by university professors and doctors. White collar workers doing regular work in government offices are, however,as likely to have shrink as the farm workers,bus drivers and shop assistants.
Matsuzawa's findings show that thinking can prevent the brain from shrinking. Blood must flow through a circle properly in the head to supply the fresh oxygen the brain cells need. "The best way to keep good blood movement is through using the brain,"he says. " Think hard and engage in conversation. Don't depend on pocket calculators. " | high22801.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "is an old, stone house, standing in very fine farmland"
},
"options": [
"is an old farmhouse",
"stands 25 hectares high above the River Byer",
"is an old, stone house, standing in very fine farmland",
"is twenty-five ye... | Foulsham House is a fine, large house of the 1790s.It stands high above the River Byer, in twenty--five hectares of the best farmland in the southwest.
The house was built by Smithson, and the story that George, the son of King of Whales, who fell in love with the beautiful Lady Kitty, at one of the first Foulsham's wild woods parties.Many years ago many great men rode on the hills about Foulsham.
House, and many fine girls took tea in the Green Room.
The house has eight bedrooms, three bathrooms , two living--rooms, and a dining--room with a real Adam fireplace.Its library has a good view over the park and the river.All rooms are light and airy, with good, high windows, and wood floors.
At the back of the house there is room for four cars.The third Foulsham once kept there.In many other ways, this house of the 1790s meets the needs of the 1990s.
If you wish to know more about Foulsham House, write to: Harvey.Platt, Longford &Son 6, Castle Green, Gilham, Byreside. | high7532.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To promote the country's satellite communication network for space docking'"
},
"options": [
"To test the function of a Long-March-SC carrier rocket.",
"To carry some astronauts into space to do some research.",
"To send more... | Beijing ?(13, July) China sent up a new data relays atellite , Tianlian I -02, on Monday at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in South-western Sichuan province.The new satellite will promote the country's satellite communication network for space docking .
The satellite was launched on a Long-March-SC carrier rocket at 11:41 p.m., sources at the centre told Xinhua News Agency.The satellite separated from the rocket 26 minutes after its launch and was then successfully delivered into a geostationary transfer orbit .
Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the satellite is the country's second data relay satellite.The first, Tianlian I -01, was launched on April 25.2008.
The two satellites will form a network to improve communications between China's spacecraft and bases on Earth, according to the centre.They will also be used to help the nation's first space docking, scheduled for the second half of this year.
As planned, China will launch space module Tiangong-I (1), which was designed as a platform that will dock with an unmanned spaceship, Shenzhou, for the county's first space-docking mission this year.
Two more Shenzhou spaceships will dock with Tiangong-I next year, and one will be manned by two or three astronauts, according to China Manned Space Engineering Office, which was the main user of the Tianlian I series data relay satellites.
"The new satellite can cover a greater area to track and command the country's space vehicles m low-Earth orbits, such as manned spacecraft and remote sensing satellites, from a higher position m outer space.Only three satellites of this kind are needed to form a global communication network, and China has two now." Pang Zhihao, a researcher and deputy editor-in-chief of Space International, said.
The satellite could also equip astronauts with real-time communications, which will benefit the county s future manned space flights, he said. | high15075.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "June"
},
"options": [
"January",
"April",
"June",
"October"
],
"question": "According to the passage, Americans hold outdoor activities in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {... | Outdoor picnics and parties are very popular in America in the summertime. Visit any park between Memorial Day (end of May) and Labor Day (beginning of September) and you'll find families and groups of friends enjoying the warm weather and sharing a meal. Birthday celebrations, family reunions, sporting events and holidays are all common reasons to host a get-together. But just wanting to be outside on a nice summer day is the best reason!
Food is an important part of any gathering, and in the summer Americans love to cook outside on grills . All kinds of meats, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken and sausages, and even vegetables like corn, peppers or potatoes can be cooked on the grill. Many typical families have grills in their yards, and many parks also have grills for public use. Men seem to particularly like to do the job of barbecuing the food, even if they don't usually cook at any other time. Many have "secret recipes" for a delicious barbecue sauce .
Other guests at the party will often be asked to " bring a dish to share". This means that they will make some kind of side dish (a salad or vegetable) or dessert, and share it with the others. If you make something very delicious, people may want you to make it every time! Fried chicken and sandwiches are popular at picnics too, because you eat them with your hands. Potato salads and baked beans are favorite side dishes. | high8601.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "folding chairs"
},
"options": [
"smart phones",
"folding chairs",
"cameras",
"containers"
],
"question": "Which of the following objects has already been banned in Disney theme parks before the new policy takes ... | "Walt Disney World is banning selfie-sticks from its theme parks because selfie-sticks have become a growing safety concern for both our guests and cast." Disney World spokeswoman Kim Prunty said.
Under a new policy, which takes effect Tuesday, the poles won't make it past the bag check at any Disney World theme park. The sticks also won't be allowed in Disney World water parks or Disney Quest, a gaming attraction at Downtown Disney. Selfie-sticks will also become forbidden at Disneyland Resort in California on June 30. The prohibition begins at Disney's parks in Paris and Hong Kong on July 1.
Guests will be checked for the equipment during the routine bag check that happens near the parks' entrances. They will have an option of turning in their selfie-sticks for pick-up later or to go back to their cars or hotel rooms to keep them. Visitors will be told of the policy in locations such as the parking lots and at the resort's hotels. The prohibition will be added to the park rules post on Disney World's website.
The issue has been building at Disney. Previously, the sticks were prohibited from its rides, and "no selfie-sticks" signs were at select rides, such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom. Cast members have given oral warnings to rule breakers.
Selfie-stick users put smartphones and cameras on the ends of poles to extend their reach, frequently capturing theme-park moments through self-portraits. The tools have been banned in public places - including some museums and stadiums - worldwide for _ views or causing safety issues.
Disney World already prohibits items such as skateboards, inline skates, wagon, folding chairs and glass containers, according to its official website, which also lists "other items that we determine may be harmful."
Universal Orlando has banned selfie-sticks and other loose items from certain thrill rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks, but it has not set parkwide bans. | high13410.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "started to take part in British public life."
},
"options": [
"stopped playing a part in British public life.",
"broadcast several radio message.",
"went on many tours to South Africa.",
"started to take part in British... | Queen Elizabeth II is not only the queen of the United Kingdom, but she is also the queen of other 16 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Jamaica. Her face is seen on stamps and coins all around the world.
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in London on April 21st1926. Her parents were George, the Duke of York, and Elizabeth, the daughter of the Earl and Count-ness of Strathmore. As a child, Princess Elizabeth lived with her parents and younger sister in London and Windsor. Every summer, she traveled to Scotland to visit her mother's parents. She was interested in all sorts of sports, but her favorites were horse riding and swimming. She was also fond of acting, art and music.
As princess Elizabeth grew older, she started to play a part in British public life. When she was 14, she broadcast a radio message to all the children of Britain and the Common-wealth . Two years later, she carried out her first public engagement, and started to go on official tours shortly after that. After a tour to South Africa in 1946, she married Philip Mountbatten. The couple had four children: Prince Charles, born in 1948, Princess Anne, born in 1950, Prince Andrew, born in 1960 and Prince Edward, born in 1964.
After her father died, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II in a ceremony held in London in 1953. As a queen, she has many duties, and leads a very busy life. She travels throughout the world, meeting the leaders of other countries, and attends a large number of official functions. She also holds a meeting every week with the British Prime Minister. Every year, on Christmas Day, she broadcast a message to the people of British and the Commonwealth, talking about her hopes for the future.
Queen Elizabeth has been on the throne for more than 40 years and has become one of the most famous women in the world. Lots of people in British believe that she tries hard to understand her people and be a good queen. More than her title, this quality has earned her much love and respect. | high22815.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "in poor physical condition"
},
"options": [
"facing an infrared scanner",
"sprayed with pesticides",
"in poor physical condition",
"exposed to excessive sun rays"
],
"question": "Plants will send out an increase... | Even plants can run a fever, especially when they're under attack by insects or disease. But unlike human, plants can have their temperature taken from 3,000 feet away--straight up. A decade ago, adopting the infrared scanning technology developed for military purposes and other satellites, physicist Stephen Paley came up with a quick way to take the temperature of crops to determine which ones are under stress. The goal was to let farmers precisely target pesticide spraying rather than rain poison on a whole field, which invariably includes plants that don't have pest problems.
Even better, Paley's Remote Scanning Services Company could detect crop problems before they became visible to the eye. Mounted on a plane flown at 3,000 feet at night, an infrared scanner measured the heat emitted by crops. The data were transformed into a colourcoded map showing where plants were running "fevers". Farmers could then spotspray, using 50 to 70 percent less pesticide than they otherwise would.
The bad news is that Paley's company closed down in 1984, after only three years. Farmers resisted the new technology and longterm backers were hard to find. But with the renewed concern about pesticides on produce, and refinements in infrared scanning, Paley hopes to get back into operation. Agriculture experts have no doubt the technology works. "This technique can be used on 75 percent of agricultural land in the United States, " says George Oerther of Texas A & M. Ray Jackson, who recently retired from the Department of Agriculture, thinks remote infrared crop scanning could be adopted by the end of the decade. But only if Paley finds the financial backing which he failed to obtain 10 years ago. | high1157.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the effect On a business"
},
"options": [
"the effect On a business",
"the power of Oprah's opinions",
"the impact On talk shows",
"the assessment of Oprah's talk show"
],
"question": "The Oprah Effect refers to... | Oprah Winfrey,born in 1954,is all American talk show host,best known for her multiawardwinning talk show. She is also,according to some assessments,the most influential woman in theworld. It's no surprise that her endorsement can bringovernight sales fortune that defeats most,if not all,marketingcampaigns .The star features about 20 products each year On her"Favorite Things" show.There's even a term for it: the Oprah Effect.
Her television career began unexpectedly. When she was 16 year old,she had the idea of being a journalist to tell other people's stories in a way that made a difference in their lives and the world.She was on television by the time she was 19 years old. And in 1986 she started her own television show with a continuous determination to succeed at first TIME magazine wrote,"People would have doubted Oprah Winfrey's swift rise to host of The most popular talk show on TV .In a field ruled by white males,she is a black female of big size. As interviewers go,she is no match for,say,what she lacks in journalistic toughness.She makes up for in plainspoken curiosity,rich humor and,above all understanding Guests with sad stories to tell tend to bring out a tear in Oprah's eye .They,in turn,often find themselves exposing things they would not imagine telling anyone,much less a national TV audience."
"I was nervous about the competition and then I became my own competition raising the bar every year,pushing,pushing,pushing myself as hard as I knew. It doesn't matter how far you might rise. At some point you are bound to fall if you're constantly doing what we do, raising the bar. If you're constantly pushing yourself higher,higher the law of averages,you will at some point fall. And when you do I want you to know this,remember this:there is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction"as Oprah addressed graduates at Harvard on May 30,2013. | high6638.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "an explosion inside the submarine Kursk"
},
"options": [
"a small fighting with another foreign submarine",
"an explosion inside the submarine Kursk",
"a great collision inside the submarine Kursk",
"an attack from anot... | On Saturday August 12, 2000, during Northern Fleet training exercises in the Barents Sea, the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk sank in about 100 meters of water with some 118 sailors aboard. It's known later that several officers were also aboard, observing the training exercises. The Kursk is lying on the ocean floor in the Barents Sea. The Russian Navy said that it was listing 30 degrees to port. Other sources reported it was listing as much 60 as degrees. According to a Russian newspaper, when the submarine Kursk failed to make contact with the naval command at the right time later that day, Northern Fleet Commander Admiral Vyachesav Popov ordered rescue ships into the area. It took hours to find the submarine, as it didn't launch a marking buoy before sinking.
Russian Navy Chief insisted that the submarine Kursk had been involved in a major collision , but a great deal of information shows that this is not true. Up till now, it's believed that an explosion in the torpedo compartment in the nose of the Kursk was the likely cause. Now Russian government officially asked Norway for help in recovering of sailors' bodies first of all, and Norway has agreed to offer all help. But Russian insisted that only Russians work inside the submarine Kursk and that the work last for about 10~18 working days. It is expected to recover only 25~35 bodies from the Kursk.
It was not until October 25, when a team of Russian divers entered the submarine Kursk, some 350 feet below the surface, that truth became clear. On November 7, in the morning, owing to the icy and the cold weather, a special rescue meeting held on Murmansk decided to stop the whole bodies recovering operation. | high7526.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the hermitage Museum and the Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood"
},
"options": [
"Peterhof and Kizhi Island",
"the Hcrmitagee Museum and Peterhof",
"Kizhi lsland and the Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood",
"t... | When you go to St.Petersburg, the number of attractions can seem large.If you are short of time, or just want to make sure to _ , these are the top must-see sights in St. Petersburg.
1.The Hermitage Museum
The Hermitage Museum is one of the most important sights to see for any visitor to St. Petersburg. There are lots of different paintings by the old masters in the Hermitage. Prepare to come face-to-face with classic Western artists.
2. Kizhi Island
Kizhi Island is an open-air museum of wooden architecture from the Karelia Region of Russia. These impressive structures are made entirely without nails - the wood fits together with joints and grooves .
3. Peterhof
Peterhof is as beautiful as it is fun. You'll be charged for admission, but go to Petethof when the fountaions are working--during the day in the summer. They are shut off in winter evenings.
4. The Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood
Love it or hate it, the Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood in St. Petersburg is an enthralling must-see sight. The beautiful look may make y our eyes brighten, and the painting sinside the church will make you say "Wow!"
5. The Bronze Horseman Statue
The so-called Bronze Horseman is a part of Russian culture and a symbol of St. Petersburg. Made famous by Alexander Pushkin, this statue of Peter the Great sitting on his horse can truly show Peter the Great's influence on the Russian idce of greatness. | high8615.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the Michael Carlos Museum"
},
"options": [
"the Luxor Museum",
"the Michael Carlos Museum",
"the Niagara Falls Museum",
"a Canadian Museum"
],
"question": "Where was Ramses mummy kept in just before the handover... | An ancient Egyptian mummy thought to be that of Pharaoh Ramses I has returned home after more than 140 years in North American museums. The body was carried off the plane in Cairo in a box covered in Egypt's flag.
The Michael Carlos Museum gave it back after tests showed it was probably that of the man who ruled 3,000 years ago. The US museum acquired it three years ago from a Canadian museum, which in turn is thought to have bought it from Egyptian garve robbers in 1860. The mummy was welcomed back home with songs and military band music during a ceremony at the national museum in Cairo.
Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities , traveled from the US with the body and said it would be moved next year to the Luxor Museum in southern Egypt. "We are not 100% sure that mummy is that of Ramses I," said Mr. Hawass. "But we are 100% sure that it is of a king."
Atlanta's Michael Carlos Museum acquired the mummy in 1999, but offered to return it after hi-tech scanning equipment indicated it was likely to be that of Ramses I. The museum website said it had been acquired from the Niagara Falls Museum. It is thought a Canadian collector bought the mummy for the Niagara Falls Museum around 1860 from an Egyptian family which had came across a tomb filled with royal mummies at a site near Luxor.
Mr. Hawass praised the handover as "a great, civilized gesture". And he appealed to other world museums to return Egypt's antiquities, particularly the Rosetta Stone in the Britain Museum and the Bust of Nefertiti in the Berlin Museum. | high11207.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "using the energy of the sun"
},
"options": [
"recording direct sunshine",
"knowing how strong sunlight is",
"using the energy of the sun",
"recording the hours of sunshine"
],
"question": "Neil Hunt's design wou... | Do you have bright ideas? Ideas or inventions that change society or, at least, make life easier for somebody? Perhaps we all do sometimes, but we don't often make the idea a reality. Recently, in Britain, there was a competition called British Designers for Tomorrow. The competition encourages young people to carry out their bright ideas. There were two groups in the contest: Group One was for schoolchildren under 16; Group Two was for schoolchildren over 16, and there were eleven prize-winners altogether.
Neil Hunt, one of the prize-winners, was called "Sunshine Superman". It's important when people study the weather to be able to record sunshine accurately. We need to know how many hours of sunshine we have and how strong it is. Most sunshine recorders only record direct sunlight. Neil's is more accurate and this is very important for research into the way of using solar power.
You can do so much with animated cartoon. Look at Simon West's idea for animated road signs. He uses pictures which appear to move as you go nearer to or farther from them. This isn't a new idea. But it is new to use these pictures on road signs. "We found that people were more likely to see moving signs," said Simon. So now, you can really see rocks falling, trains moving, horses running or a car falling over the edge of a cliff. Quite a warning!
The ideas in the competition were so inventive that we are surprised that British industry doesn't ask more schoolchildren for suggestions. Perhaps this will be the start of "pupil power!" | high16568.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "8,700,000 French - Canadians"
},
"options": [
"30% of the French -Canadians",
"45% of the Canadians",
"29,000,000 people",
"8,700,000 French - Canadians"
],
"question": "About _ live in Quebec.",
"questi... | Canada is a very large country. It is the second largest country in the world .By contrast it has a very small population. There are only about 29 million people there. Most Canadians are of British or French origin, and French is an official language of Canada as well as English .About 45%of the people are of British origin, that is, they or their parents or grandparents, etc, come from British. Nearly 30%are of French origin. Most of the French-Canadians live in province of Quebec.
Over the years, people have come to live in Canada from many countries in the world .They are from many countries in the world .They are from most European countries and also from China, besides other Asian countries.
However, Canada was not an empty country when the Europeans began to arrive. Canadian Indians lived along the coast, by the rivers and lakes and in forests. Today, there are only about 350,000 Indians in the whole country, with their own languages. In the far north live the Inuit There are only 27,000 Canadian-Inuit. Their life is hard in such a difficult climate. | high17676.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To discuss the issue of students' part-time work."
},
"options": [
"To show how students can find a part-time job.",
"To discuss the issue of students' part-time work.",
"To stress the importance of students' part-time work."... | For some students, especially those from poor families, taking a job is not a matter of choice, but necessity. They need to work to save for college, or even to supplement family income. Counselors should help students who have a real need to work improve time management skills and seek employment that helps their educational goals.
"College costs are high, and young adults also want the amenities that extra money brings," according to John B. Boshoven, counselor for continuing education at Community High School in Michigan. However, he warns, "School is my students' full-time job."
Studies show that students who work are more confident and possess better time management skills than students who are not employed. In addition to offering a paycheck, some independence, and satisfaction, a part-time job can provide teenagers with both training and experience. Working teaches students about responsibility and can also reinforce what they are learning in school. "Colleges want to find candidates who demonstrate maturity, responsibility, independence, and initiative, and good workers certainly demonstrate those important character traits," Boshoven says. "Employers can write excellent recommendation letters for the students who have worked for them."
On the other hand, experts agree that students who work more than 15 to 20 hours per week often experience lessened school success, which can lead to dropping out entirely. Working long hours can also limit opportunities to build friendships and explore interests that enhance a teenager's intellectual and emotional development.
The major point that students should keep in mind is the importance of balance. Dan Crabtree, college and career counselor at Wheaton Academy in Illinois, explains, "We want our students to establish a healthy balance in life and work to maintain it throughout their lives." If working will interfere with completing school work, participating in extracurricular activities, spending time with family and friends, or getting enough rest, it may not be a wise decision. | high3998.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Devices like lenses slow down the speed of light."
},
"options": [
"Light travels fastest through a vacuum.",
"There's a minimum limit to the speed of light.",
"Devices like lenses slow down the speed of light.",
"Light... | The speed of light is often called a"constant ". New experiments show that may not be true, even within a vacuum. Sometimes, light slows a bit.
The new research is"very impressive work", Robert Boyd toldScienceNews.An optical physicist at the University of Rochester in New York, he did not work on the study. He speaks of the new finding:"It's the sort of thing that's so obvious; you wonder why you didn't think of it first."
Light travels as particles and as waves. Photons are the name given to those particles that represent the smallest possible amount of light. At their fastest, photons travel nearly 300 million meters (almost 1 billion feet) in a single second. That's fast enough to get to the moon and back in about 2.6 seconds. Scientists had long known, though, that they could slow light photons down by shining them through a material such as glass or water.
Still, light moving through a vacuum has usually been assumed to move at a peak speed. That would seem to make sense. After all, a vacuum is a space with nothing in it to slow light down. In a new study, however, scientists show that even racing through a vacuum, light can slow.
So the speed of light is more of a universal speed limit than an rule for how fast photons travel, the new data suggest.
Miles Padgett led the new study. As an optical physicist, he works at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. He and his colleagues showed that the key to slowing light is to change the shape of a light wave. Padgett described how they did this in a paper published online January 22 inScience.
His team raced a pair of photons. One traveled unchanged through a cable made from optical fibers. The other passed through a pair of devices that acted like lenses. A lens changes light: It can focus a spread-out beam of light on a point, for instance. The second photon passed through one device that changed the shape of its waveand another that changed it back to its original form.
The first photon won the race. The second photon came in a tiny bit later, several quadrillionths of a second late for every meter of the race. The difference wasn't huge, but it was enough to measure. Most technology would not pick up such a small change, but it could be important to scientists who study short pulses of light.
"I'm not surprised the effect exists,"Boyd toldScienceNews."But it's surprising that the effect is so large and strong." | high19883.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because it can't be heard by human ears."
},
"options": [
"Because it can't be heard by human ears.",
"Because it can only be heard by female elephants.",
"Because people don't know its meanings.",
"Because people haven... | Researchers at San Diego Zoo have been studying what has been described as the "secret language" of elephants. They have been monitoring communications between animals that cannot be heard by human ears.
The elephant's call will be familiar to most people, but the animals also give out growls . Their growls, however, are only partly audible ; two-thirds of the call is at frequencies that are too low to be picked up by our hearing. To learn more about the inaudible part of the growl, the team attached (......) a microphone sensitive to these low frequencies and a GPS tracking system to eight of the zoo's female elephants. The researchers could then relate the noises the animals were making to what they were doing. Matt Anderson, who led the project, told BBC News, "We're excited to learn how they interact and contact with one another."
The team has already learned that pregnant females use this low frequency communication to announce to the rest of their long gestation of over two years, in the last 12 days we see the low part of the growl, which we can't hear. This we believe is to announce to the rest of the herd that the baby is upcoming," said Dr Anderson.
The researchers believe that this also warns the elephants to look out for coming danger. "You may think that a baby calf of about 300 pounds would not be as open to predation as other species," he says. "But packs of hyenas are a big threat in the wild."
Female elephants are only in season for around four days every four years and these calls can be heard by males more than two miles away. | high2338.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "suffered a lot"
},
"options": [
"suffered a lot",
"Lived a happy life",
"lived on the road half a year",
"often fought against other dogs"
],
"question": "Before being adopted by the writer, Jessie had _ .",
... | They say love can cover a lot of crimes; yet never have I seen it more beautifully showed than in the life of a dog named Jessie. Jessie came into our lives at the age of six months. By that time he had already experienced the hard knocks of life. He was found abandoned on the side of the road, where we adopted him and took him home.
From the beginning, it was obvious that Jessie was traumatized . He was afraid of everything: the car, the doors, the stairs, and just about everything else. We couldn't foresee where Jessie's fear would take us.
Jessie was with us for about six months, when we became foster parents to a mixed-breed young dog. Jessie did not like her at all. We all lived in a nervous co-existence, until dinnertime. Within moments a food fight erupted between Jessie and this foster child.
It all happened so fast, and I was in the middle. My husband managed to get in between the two dogs, grabbing Jessie by his collar. Jessie screamed all the way down the hall and into the bedroom. I, quickly put the foster dog into her own bedroom and hurried down the hall. The crashing I heard in the bedroom, scared me to death. But nothing prepared me for the scene I witnessed as I opened the bedroom door.
There was my husband, on top of a terrified Jessie, holding back his head. Blood dripped from my husband's arm. To tell you the truth, as I was sitting beside my husband in the emergency room, I just didn't know what to do with Jessie. I was so angry at that dog.
Day after day, week after week, however, my husband faithfully trained the dog that others would have put down. As his arm healed over the next months, something rare and beautiful began to take place. Jessie, under my husband's gentle persuasion, began to understand and obey. And Jessie adored him. I could see, that although the tempest had ruled Jessie's former life, affirmation and love had calmed the storm. | high4991.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They tell us, among other facts, that we do not choose our favourite colour as we grow up -- we are born with our preference."
},
"options": [
"On the other hand, black is depressing.",
"They tell us, among other facts, that we do ... | What is the colour you like best? Do you like yellow, orange, red? 61 . Do you prefer greys and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy, and you would rather follow than lead. You tend to be pessimist . At least, this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of colour preference, as well as the effect that colours have on human beings. 62 . If you happen to love brown, you did so, as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly. www.ks5u.com | high17110.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He was killed by poison."
},
"options": [
"He was killed by poison.",
"He was found missing.",
"He was poisoned but saved.",
"He went away with what he had found."
],
"question": "What may have happened to Aryan... | "How did Norman know, Sister Emma?"
"He overheard you and Aryan arguing. I suspect that he purposely overheard on you. Norman knew or concluded what profession Aryan practiced. He might well have followed Aryan on his explorations. Whether he did or not is beside the point. When Aryan came back yesterday afternoon, Norman certainly decided that he had made some find, for Aryan told Norman that he would be leaving for the capital to meet the detective the next morning. He probably followed Aryan to your room and overheard what passed between you.
"Since you could not act against the law of man and God, he would serve a natural justice in his own way. He took the jar of poison hemlock from the chemistry shop and when Aryan asked for a drink, he supplied it. Norman did not know the precise quantity needed and so Aryan did not suffer the full effects until after the bell called the community into the dining hall for the evening meal."
Abbess was following Sister Emma closely.
"And then?"
"Then I began my investigation, and then the detective arrived seeking Aryan for an explanation for his death."
"But who killed Norman?"
"Norman knew that sooner or later he would be discovered. But more importantly in his guileless mind there was also the guilt of having taken a man's life to be considered. Norman was a simple man. He decided that he should accept the punishment--the honor-price of a life. What greater honor-price for the life of Aryan could he offer than his own? He also took a draught of poison hemlock."
There was a pause. | high5457.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "an example of the lonely people"
},
"options": [
"an example of the lonely people",
"an important reminder of her friend",
"an introduction to Dutch social problems",
"an example of Dutch suspicion of strangers"
],
... | Recently a friend of mine wrote to me about her experience in Holland:
A very old man asked me to come to his apartment, and he would donate a bike to the project. I went over to get it, and it was half a bike, which was locked to a pole and had obviously been there for years. The temperature was well below zero. It became clear that he was in fact super-lonely, and torn between usual Dutch distrust of strangers and desperation for human contact. He finally begged me to come up to his apartment (where he obviously lived alone).
You may know that Dutch people are the tallest in the world, reflecting a very high standard of living. But -- if this old man is not unusual -- reducing the loneliness of old people isn't part of the Dutch social contact, admirable as _ may be.
I recently watched the Frontline program Sick Around the World. It suggested that the old man isn't unusual. In England, where doctor visits are free, a doctor said he has several patients who come weekly, purely because they're lonely. In Japan, some patients have their blood pressure measured very often -- most probably for the same reason. In Taiwan, if you see a doctor 20 times in one month, someone from the government will come to talk to you. Not about loneliness -- about overuse of medical care. The Frontline program made nothing of any of these facts, which were included to show that access was easy. Really the idea that everyone needs human contact isn't mysterious or controversial.
My explanation is there's a double blow: Not only do lonely old people have little power, it's also clear that their problem (loneliness) isn't caused by a "chemical imbalance". So no drugs can be sold to treat it. And there's no diagnostic category. When these lonely old people use what little power they have by visiting their doctor, the doctor -- I'm assuming -- doesn't do anything to get rid of the loneliness. Even if you visit 20 times in a month. | high20964.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Parents think it unnecessary to do so when children can read themselves."
},
"options": [
"Children have less time to spend with their parents after they start school.",
"Parents think it unnecessary to do so when children can read... | Reading for pleasure is declining among primary-age pupils, and increasing numbers of "time poor" parents are dropping the practice of sharing bedtime stories with their children once they start school.
Research presented to a conference last week found that, while parents read to preschoolers, this later tails off, and by the final year of primary school only around 2% read to their children every day. Once children can read skillfully, parents tend to step back, and this usually happens at the age of seven or eight. The report also found that 82% of teachers blame the government's "target--driven" education policies for the fact that fewer children are reading for pleasure.
They believe that a straitjacket of strictly organized schooling is containing young people's ability to read more widely. Two-thirds of teachers surveyed said they lacked time in the school day to introduce a variety of books and that this was a "major obstacle to being able to develop a level of reading". Teachers also cited as main factors the reduction in the number of school librarians, who could put interesting books before children, and the rise in "screen time", switching children from reading to playing games.
The majority of teachers said the curriculum's " emphasis on reading as a skill to be mastered" was increasing the pressure. This was _ by parents who saw reading just as a focus of learning, a skill critical to career advancement in a competitive world.
Reading habits and the digital revolution in publishing were key topics of debate at the conference. The theme of the lack of British culture was supported by children's writer Frank Cottrell Boyce, who wrote the scripts( ) for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics.
"We discovered the whole nation had forgotten that they did the industrial revolution," he said.
"Books are so central to it; books can be written by anyone. A lot of the pleasure of a book is listening to somebody read it to you. "
"We found a real love of reading among teachers, and a strong desire ,to encourage more children to read for pleasure ,"said Rob Cheney," However, the teachers also had an overpowering sense of frustration with their situation." "Touch-screen phone and tablets ( )are naturally attractive to children ," the survey Said ,and predicted a period of awkwardness as everyone else adapts . By 2018, children's television will have adopted the presence of this second screen, and it "will be strange not to have children, at home drawing along on tablets and then having these appearing live in the show ".
The hope is "that user-friendly screens could, if material is adapted and downloaded easily, present an opportunity for more ambitious publishing - for example, books children can either read or choose to have read to them; or digital books with moving pictures instead of photos to clarify factual and scientific points. Parental controls that are easy to use would be key, the conference was told, such as "a warning for when devices use the Wi-Fi, especially after bedtimes", to allow parents to shut off access to children in the home. | high7240.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "family"
},
"options": [
"robots",
"family",
"friends",
"art"
],
"question": "The theme of the contest is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"a... | Families come in many shapes and sizes-they can be just two people, or hundreds of aunts, uncles and cousins. Every family is different, and what makes a family is different for everyone. Families don't even have to be related -some families are formed by choice. For this contest, draw us a picture of your family.
Contest rules:
1. Your picture must be your very own artwork. Ideas and words should not be copied.
2. Be sure to include your name, age and full address on your picture.
3. Only one picture each person, please.
4. If you want your picture returned, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
5.Your picture must be signed or e-mailed by a parent, saying it's your own work and that no one helped you.
6.Mailed picture must be postmarked by April 30, 2014.
7.E-mail scanned picture to ask@askmagkids.com, or mail to: Ask Contest, 70 East Lake St., Suite 300, Chicago, IL60601. No faxes, please. | high8173.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "praise the college students helping the victims selflessly"
},
"options": [
"tell us the suffering of nine of the college students from a fire",
"praise the college students helping the victims selflessly",
"tell us how succe... | One Tuesday evening in the beginning of the fall 1996 semester at Shippensburg University, sirens sounded. These sirens were not in celebration; they were a cry to the university that something was wrong. A house, only one block away, was on fire. Nine of the university's students lived there.
From the minute the word got out that help was needed, it seemed like everyone showed up. The victims of the fire were offered endless invitations for housing for the night. The very next day, everyone
to do their part in helping them. Flyers were posted with items that were immediately needed, just to get these students through this next couple of days. Boxes for donations and money jars were placed in every residence hall .
As a residence director,I went before the students in my hall to ask them to do what they could. I knew that college students don't have much, but I asked them to do their best: "Every little bit will help." I really didn't think they could do much. I was proved wrong.
At the hall council meeting the night after the fire, my residents decided to have a wing competition, where each wing of the building would team up to see who could bring In the most donations. I announced that the wing who won would receive a free pizza party.
Thursday evening we announced over the PA system that we were beginning the wing competition. Within minutes, the place exploded. The single large box that I had placed in the lobby was over-flowing. We quickly grabbed more boxes, and we watched in amazement as they, too, filled to the brim. Members of the resident assistant staff and I began to count the items. I was astonished by what I saw, and I was inspired by these kids.
When we came to the final tally , the winners turned to me and announced that they would like to donate their winnings as well. They wanted the victims of the fire to have their pizza party.
Tears welled up in my eyes. I had watched these students jump to action, work tirelessly and donate all that they could. And then, as if that were not enough, they handed over their reward's was touched and so very proud of them. | high15707.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Stop the express train."
},
"options": [
"Stop the express train.",
"Check the signal light.",
"Meet the passengers.",
"Visit the station-master"
],
"question": "What did Kate decide to do?",
"question_type"... | Suddenly another thought went through Kate's mind like an electric shock. An express train was due to go past about thirty minutes later. If it were not stopped, that long train, full of passengers, would fall into the stream. "Someone must go to the station and warn the station-master," Kate thought. But who was to go? She would have to go herself. There was no one else.
In wind and rain she started on her difficult way. Soon she was at the bridge that crossed the Des Moines River, a bridge also built of wood, just like the bridge across Honey Creek. The storm had not washed this away, but there was no footpath across it. She would have to cross it by stepping from sleeper to sleeper. With great care she began the dangerous crossing, sometimes on her hands and knees, hardly daring to look down between the sleepers into the wild flood waters below. If she should slip, she would fall between the sleepers, into the rapidly flowing stream.
At last -- she never knew how long it had taken her -- she felt solid ground under her feet. But there was no time to rest. She still had to run more than half a mile and had only a few minutes left. Unless she reached the station before the express did, many, many lives would be lost.
She did reach the station just as the train came into sight. Fortunately the station-master was standing outside. "The bridge is down! Stop the train! Oh, please stop it!" Kate shouted breathlessly.
The station-master went pale. He rushed into the station building and came back with a signal light. He waved the red light as the train came into the station. It was not a second too early. | high14419.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Hull-O Farm was not built for overnight visitors"
},
"options": [
"Hull-O Farm was not built for overnight visitors",
"Frank and Sherry Hull run a farm out of a storybook",
"kids can sit on a gentle cow's back on Hull-O Farm"... | Hee-haw! Scores of farms across the country are opening up to overnight guests. _
Sure, you and your kids plan to conquer the theme parks. In the meanwhile, why not make a little hay? Farm stays are fast becoming the great American alternative to the pre-packaged vacation.
LIBERTY HILL FARM
Rochester, Vt.; 802/767-3926; www.libertyhillfarm.com. Adults$75, teens $50,kids 12 and under $35, including breakfast and dinner; shared baths.
Beth and Bob Kennett run a farm straight out of a storybook. You'll find Beth in the kitchen, rolling out dough for a pie. Bob's busy with other work. Guests sleep in seven sunny bedrooms right in the farmhouse and can participate in any of the farm jobs. Maybe you and your kids won't be up at 6 a.m. to meet the milk truck, but you can help with the milking twice a day, collect eggs, and pick sweet corn and wild blackberries in season.
HULL-O FARM
Durham, N.Y.; 518/239-6950; www.hull-o.com; Adults $110, kids 10--14 $60, 5--9 $50, 2--4 $35, under 2 free, including breakfast and dinner; private baths.
It started in 1993 as a way to bring in some extra money at a time of falling milk prices. But soon after Frank and Sherry Hull opened their Catskill Mountains dairy farm to overnight visitors, they discovered they loved it. As you drive up, Sherry greets you on the porch of the 1825 farmhouse with a cow-shaped cookie jar. Before long your kids are playing around with the cows, sheep, ducks, goats and getting ready for a hayride .
MERAMEC FARM CABINS
Bourbon, Mo.; 573/732-4765; http://www.wine-mo.com Doubles with private bath $75, $10 per additional person. Trail and riding fees extra.
Climb onto the back of the Ford pickup and catch up with the herd. One gentle cow named Cricket will even let the kids sit on her back. At the barn , Carol will introduce you to the horses ---15 Missouri Fox Trotters --- and lead you on a trail ride over the hills and down along the spring-fed Meramec River, where everyone swims. Grab a fishing pole and head back to the river. When you have your fill of the wild, try Carol and Dave's favorite restaurants or wineries , within 20 miles of the farm. | high10657.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Bob thought it easy to take care of the family and wanted the experience for a book"
},
"options": [
"Pat complained a lot about her doing the housework all by herself",
"Bob loved taking care of children and wanted his wife to hav... | "It was all his own idea, " says Pat Peters, the 38-year-old wife of Palo Alto, California high school . Bob had just drawn up a "motherhood contract" ----- a document stating that for 70 days this summer he would take over the care and feeding of the couple's four children, plus all household chores . Although he didn't even know how to make coffee when he signed, he was quite confident.(He thought the experience would make a nice book.) After 40 of the 70 days, he was ready to give up. "I was beaten down, completely humbled, " admits Peters. Three weeks later he spoke to the local press (also part of the bargain), stating, "Not only is motherhood a difficult task, not only is it never-ending, it is an impossible job for any normal human being." Bob and Pat were high school sweethearts. After they were married in 1960, she worked as a secretary to help put him through university. Since then Bob has been the football and wrestling coach at Palo Alto's Cubberley High while Pat raised the kids. Then two years ago Pat went back to work as a secretary at Cubberley. "I had been around children so much," she sighs , "I couldn't talk to a grown-up." She continued to run the household, however----- until Bob signed the contract, whereupon she decided to relax and enjoy it. Although Peters had consulted with his school's home economics teachers and the head of the cafeteria , his meals were sometimes a disaster.
"I tried to slip the butter I'd forgotten under the eggs after they were frying, " he says. For the last three weeks, the family ate out a lot--sometimes having Macdonald's hamburgers for lunch and dinner. As for housekeeping, a home economics teacher had told Bob that a room always looks clean if the bed is made. "I found an easier way-----I shut the doors, " he says. Soon the kids were wearing the same clothes for a week. "I made them wear their shirts inside out, and when we went to pick up Pat at work they turned them right side out so they would look clean."
Now that Bob has publicly admitted he was wrong, he is routinely sharing the child-raising and household tasks with Pat. The tentative title of his book about the summer is taken from something he shouted at the kids one day. | high2310.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "below 80"
},
"options": [
"over 100",
"over 80",
"below 243.04",
"below 80"
],
"question": "According to the passage,anyone whose blood test indicates _ milligrams of alcohol for 100 milliliters of blood is no... | Gao Xiaosong,the 42-year-old singer,music producer and director was three times over the legal alcohol limit when he crashed his Infiniti SUV into a car stopped at a red light in Beijing May 9. A blood test showed Gao had 243.04 milligrams of alcohol for 100 milliliters of blood,well over the 80 milligram limit within a 100 milliliters of blood.
On Tuesday afternoon the man known to million for his harsh comments to participants on China's Got Talent had to face the judge himself at Beijing Dongcheng District People's Court under China's newly amended Road Traffic Safety Law.
"I've nothing to defend myself only regret," he told the courtroom filled with people. "I always thought alcohol could bring me freedom,but it never occurred to me that drunk driving will rid others of their freedom. l' 11 be responsible for all the loss it has caused. This incident showed my irresponsibility for life. I'm willing to be a volunteer for my life promoting the non-drunk driving."
A day earlier at an administrative punishment hearing, wearing an orange detention suit,he was banned from driving for five years and fined 1,000 yuan for having an expired license.
On May 10 he was pictured at Beijing's traffic police headquarters where he turned down requests for interviews,but wrote on a piece of paper,"sorry,never drive when drunk."
Now he has become the first celebrity to be punished under the tough new rules that came into effect on May 1. Guo Shudong,the first driver sentenced since the new law was introduced,was jailed for four months for being twice over the legal limit on May 9.
Gao,famous for campus song "My Deskmate" in the 1990s,was replaced by music producer and composer Antonio Chen during the recording of China's Got Talent on May 10. | high20794.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they are affected by their peers"
},
"options": [
"they don't ,want to be different",
"they are affected by their peers",
"they believe they take the right direction",
"they want to make good impressions on people"
... | Most people follow others blindly just under the effect of peer pressure or because they feel it safe to follow a large number of people. In some rare cases it might be right to follow the crowd, but in most cases this' can be a big mistake. Actually there are reasons why we shouldn't follow the crowd blindly.
According to a study, people often follow the crowd when they aren't sure about the direction they should take. This means a large number of people could be following others without understanding what's right and what's wrong! This makes more people follow and as a result most people move in a certain direction even if it isn't right.
A man who wants to be successful always hopes for others' guidance and he usually follows the same path of most people, but the question this man never asks himself is: are all of those people successful ?Of course not! If you want to follow a crowd, then follow a successful one. However, in real life you'll only find one successful person among hundreds of people , and that's why following the crowd makes no sense at all
Most people act emotionally without thinking wisely. If you always follow others because they're greater than you in number, then sooner or later you'll discover that you're taking emo- tional decisions you might regret later.
However. should we never follow the crowd? No. I'm not trying to say you should never follow the crowd, but instead I'm just asking you to think wisely before you take a decision. lf you find others are right, there is no problem in following them, but if you have doubts about the direction they're moving in, don't follow them blindly. | high17138.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he is doing something personally interesting and socially valuable"
},
"options": [
"he is supposed to do what is important in his opinion",
"he has to take a job to earn a living and support his family",
"he is doing somethi... | So far as I know, Miss Hamah was the first person to give the basic difference between work and labor. To be happy, a mall must feel,firstly, free and secondly, important. He cannot be really happy if he is forced by society to do what he does not enjoy doing,or if what he enjoys doing is lowly thought of by society as valueless or unimportant. In a society where slavery in the strict sense has been got rid of, the sign that what a man does is of social value is that he is paid moneyto do it,but a laborer today can be called a Wag e slave. A man is a laborer if the job that society offers him is not interesting to himself but he has to take it just owing to the necessity 0fearning aliving and supporting his family.
The opposite side to labor is play. When we play a game,we enjoy what we are doing,otherwise we should not play it,but it is a purely private activity;and society could not care whether we play it or not.
Between labor and play stands work. A man is a worker if he is personally interested in the job which society pays him to do;what from the point view of society is necessary labor is from his own point of view willing play. Whether a job is to be classified as labor or work depends,not on the job itself, but on the tastes of the individual who does it. The difference does not. For example,agree with the difference between a physical and a mental job;a gardener or a taxi driver may be a worker, a bank clerk is a laborer. ,
Which a man is can be seen from his attitude toward leisure(1 To a worker, leisure means simply the hours he needs to relax and rest in order to work efficiently. He is therefore more likely to take too little leisure than too much;workers die of heart attack and forget their wives'birthday. To the laborer, on the other hand,leisure means freedom from compulsion ,so that it is natural for him to imagine that the fewer hours he has to spend laboring,and the more hours he is free to play, the better. | high19115.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "workers who got few praise are more likely to change their jobs"
},
"options": [
"giving workers a pay rise can't make them work hard",
"most workers not praised have no interest in their work",
"workers who got few praise ar... | It is often said that politeness costs nothing. In fact, it seems that a little more
could save businesses PS5 billion every year.
Frequently hearing the phrase "thank you" or "well done" means the same to staff as a modest pay rise, researchers say. Praise and encouragement also makes employees more likely to work hard and stay in their jobs, saving on the cost of finding replacements.
A third of 1,000 workers surveyed by the famous firm White Water Strategies said they did not get thanked at all when they did well----and a further third said they were not thanked enough, meaning they were less likely to put themselves into work and were more likely to look for employment elsewhere.
The final result is around PS5.2 billion in lost productivity from employees who would raise their interests in work if they felt more appreciated, White Water claimed. According to the company, praising staff has the same motivational kick as a 1 per cent pay rise - and works out much cheaper for bosses.
Three out of four employees said that regular acknowledgement by their bosses was important to them, but only a quarter said they were actually given as much praise as they felt they needed. The survey found that those blue-collar and manual workers were less likely to be given any recognition for doing well.
In regional terms, Scottish staff felt most undervalued. Four out of ten workers said they were never thanked and eight out of ten said they would like more praise. However, workers in the North-East are less impressed by being praised by the boss, as only 69 per cent said they felt the need to be told "well done" regularly. Older employees and women need the most praise, according to psychologist Averill Lemmon. | high16226.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "book the ticket from Warwick-Castle, corn"
},
"options": [
"buy the ticket in person",
"dial 0870 442 2371",
"book the ticket from Warwick-Castle, corn",
"book the ticket two days in advance"
],
"question": ".If... | Do you want to visit Warwick Castle in Britain? Warwick is a friendly and a memorable experience with something for all ages.Easily accessible by car, bus, train, cycling or on foot it is surrounded by historic buildings and numerous attractions.
Ticket Prices &Offers
Look at our online offers, Warwick-Castle, com is the only place to purchase the Ultimate Castle and The Castle Dungeon ticket at the best price.
Online bookings must be made 24 hours before you visit.Please note that admission to The Castle Dungeon is NOT included with standard online or on the day tickets.There are limited Dungeons tickets available, and only from Warwick-Castle, corn.Please book in advance to guarantee your Castle Dungeon experience.
One Day Tickets
Booking online is the best way to get your tickets for Britain's Ultimate Castle.Save 20% and skip the ticket queue when you arrive - it couldn't be easier!
If you're not sure when you want to visit then don't worry, you can still book a Flexible Ticket-valid for any day that the castle is open during 2010.
Buy tickets online now!
Important notes on ticketing
Please note that if you wish to visit the Castle using an on-the-day promotional voucher ,your Dungeon experience can be prebooked by calling 0870 442 2375.
A PS1.50 fee applies to all bookings made online and via telephone - one fee per booking.Children must be accompanied by an adult.Group rates are available for groups of more than 10 people.Groups can book by calling 0870 442 2371 or online. | high12040.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The group leader ensured that the project would be beneficial to both sides."
},
"options": [
"The volunteers were quite familiar with Swiss farmers' lives.",
"The volunteers worked in areas separated from the locals.",
"The ... | Volunteering abroad is great. Not only do you travel to an exotic country, you also meet like-minded people, and at the end of it all you have something to put on your CV to impress employers with. But did you ever stop to think about how great it is for the people on the receiving end?
In this context, Daniela Papi has a point---foreigners rushing heroically to volunteer in a country they've never heard of are unlikely to make a difference. But turning volunteering camps into classrooms, as Papi seems to advocate in her article, risks throwing the baby out with the bath water by putting people off of volunteering.
Rather, learning should be a natural part of the experience, and the key to creating such an environment is positioning everyone as equals. In order for _ to happen, volunteers need competent leaders who create an environment of equality:
When, a few years ago, I joined a group of international volunteers to help a small farming community in the Swiss Alps, we were all quite ignorant about the local conditions. But thanks to our group leader, it was both a helpful project for the locals and a fun and eye-opening experience for us.Before we had even traveled (at our own expense) to the mountaintop village, our group leader had spent time with the villagers preparing the project to make sure it would be of benefit to them. She arranged for us to help in different areas, ensuring that we always worked alongside locals rather than for them. It was never "us" and "them", but always "we", like a big family. As a result, conversation flowed and we learned a great deal just by casually talking to the locals as we worked.At the end, we left with a deep appreciation for the labor of love that goes into producing the food we eat every dayan appreciation we could treasure ourselves and share with our peers.
Volunteering isn't about saving someone's life, or even about changing it. It's about touching a different world and reminding ourselves that there is much, much more to life than the daily routines we take for granted.With that knowledge, maybe, just maybe, we can go on to really change the world.
By Lukas Thibaut | high7268.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Failing to live up to his mother's expectations."
},
"options": [
"Losing his freedom temporarily.",
"Being unable to phone his mother.",
"Failing to live up to his mother's expectations.",
"Having no chance to spend th... | Mum, it's me. Hopefully, this Mothering Sunday you will get to hear those three words. I will, of course, try to phone you. I hope we will be able to speak for the allowed 10 minutes. But I suspect many inmates will be using the phone, so if I don't call and if we don't speak, then this is what I would have said:
It's not your fault that I am here. I know that deep in your heart you have questioned whether my current circumstance is somehow your fault, if the reckless stupidity of my past is somehow a failure on your part. It is not. Only one person is to blame, only one person should hurt -- me. You have always taught me that when the room goes dark, you can wait for the lights to be switched back on or you can search in the dark and turn the light on yourself. You are my light. You always have been and always will be. There is nobody I admire more, nobody I have strived harder to please in my life, which is why my current failure hurts me so much.
I am so sorry that I will not be there to see you, but I want you to know that now, as always, you are here with me. In my darkest hours, and in the coldest loneliness of my past few months, my mind has so often wandered to the past, to when it was you and me -- and I have been able to smile. Yours is the strength that I draw upon.
A parent's job is to make sure that they pass on the best of themselves to their children. You have done that. It is the inner you in me that will get me through _ .
I have failed you so epically, but you have never failed me. If I think back to the tears I shed when Dad left, all those years ago, I see you through their misty glaze. You holding me and you telling me we'd be OK, and we will be. We are and always will be the best team.
Childhood heroes such as footballers, actors and rock stars are _ . If the job's done right, a child's heroes should be their parents -- you are mine. The strength you showed after the divorce from Dad to find your biological parents, to go to university and get your teaching qualifications, to begin your life again, is the strength that I draw on now. It is the belief in myself, it is the belief you have in me, that tells me that once I am released I can and will rebuild my life. I will make you proud again. I will make you happy to have me as your son. Yours is the will that gets me through every day.
I don't believe you can judge a person for the mistakes they make, as we all make them, but you can judge them for what they do afterwards. And after this, when it is all over, you will still have a son with the same hopes and dreams. They have not diminished. If you can dream it, then you have to believe it can happen -- right?
So this Mothering Sunday, please think back to that morning in the 80s, the first Mother's Day without Dad, when a six-year-old me got up early and made breakfast for you. Do you remember it? Could you ever forget? A slice of bread a doorstep thick and a wedge of cheese equally dense. You didn't have to eat it, but you did, chewing every dry mouthful. I know now why you forced yourself -- because it had been made with love. Well, things don't change this year -- this letter is that bread and cheese (it sure has plenty of the cheese!).
I love you so much. I am sorry I have let you down, but you have taught me that we will always pick ourselves up and become better than we were before. Thank you for everything and this year, more than ever:
Happy Mothering Sunday.
Love, your son | high9245.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a signal that something is wrong"
},
"options": [
"loud noises that a person hears",
"a signal that something is wrong",
"heat warnings",
"the ability to smell smoke"
],
"question": "In the final sentence, the w... | How would you like to have been born without any ability to feel pain? There are such people. One of them is being studied by doctors at a hospital in New York City. He is a 22-year-old clerk who really does not know the meaning of pain. But he wishes he did.
Not long ago a packet of matches flared up in his hand. Luckily the burn was not serious. It caused large blisters but still did not bother him. He said the burn felt like a fly crawling(......) on his fingers. It has been the same story as far back as he can remember. He has never had headaches or sore muscles. Bee stings, cuts and bruises do not hurt.
Being free from pain is not as wonderful as you may think. The young man has had to have rotted teeth pulled because he never felt toothache warnings. A sudden attack of appendicitis could be deadly. Life without pain is as risky as trying to run a cruise ship without fire alarms. | high14431.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "give advice to travelers to the country"
},
"options": [
"prepare people for international travel",
"declare the laws of different kinds",
"inform people of the punishment for breaking laws",
"give advice to travelers t... | Good afternoon,and welcome to England. We hope that your visit here will be a pleasant one. Today,I would like to draw your attention to a few of our laws.
The first one is about drinking. Now,you may not buy alcohol in this country if you are under 18 years of age,nor may your friends buy it for you.
Secondly,noise. Enjoy yourselves by all means,but please don't make unnecessary noise,particularly at night. We ask you to respect other people who may wish to be quiet.
Thirdly,crossing the road. Be careful!The traffic moves on the left side of the road in this country. Use pedestrian crossings and do not take any chances when crossing the road.
My next point is about litter (throwing away waste material in a public place).It is an offence to drop litter in the street. When you have something to throw away,please put it in your pocket and take it home,or put it in a litter bin.
Finally,as regards something,it is against the law to buy cigarettes or tobacco if you are under 16 years of age.
I'd like to finish by saying that if you require any sort of help or assistance,you should _ your local police station,who will be pleased to help you.
Now,are there any questions? | high1619.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Babies can understand emotions."
},
"options": [
"Babies can understand emotions.",
"Babies value friendship very much.",
"It's hard for babies to adapt to the world around them.",
"Babies show no reaction to speech."
... | They may be small, and unable to have an adult conversation, but babies are proving their collective cleverness.
While your baby still might not be able to speak, he or she knows about you're feeling down. Babies as young as 5 months of age can distinguish an exciting tune from a sad one, according to a study published in 2014 in the journalNeuron.
Speaking of music, it seems that babies can't resist it. Not only are their ears sensitive to the beats, babies can actually dance in time to them, according to a study published in 2010. To test their dancing ability, the researchers played recordings of classical music and speech to them, and videotaped the results. The babies moved their arms, hands, legs, feet, and heads much more in response to the music than to speech. The findings suggest this dancing ability is innate in humans.
Babies can apparently learn even while asleep. As newborn babies spend most of their time sleeping, this newfound ability might be crucial for them to adapt rapidly to the world around them, and help ensure survival, the researchers say. The study was published in the journalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Deciding whether another person is helpful or harmful is crucial in choosing friends -- and that ability starts being visible early. Kiley Hamlin of Yale University showed both 6- and 10-month-olds some anthropomorphized shapes, in which one shape helped another climb a hill, while a third shaped pushed the climber down. The little ones then got to choose which shape they preferred. For both age groups, most babies chose the helper shapes. This character-judging ability could be the first step in the formation of morals, Hamlin says. | high14357.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Students can't solve their procrastination by writing micro blogs."
},
"options": [
"College students can have their papers written if they delay them.",
"Many students don't know what to do in the library.",
"Students can't ... | As the new semester begins,millions of college students across the country are trying hard to remember how best to write a paper-or,more likely,how best to delay that paper.
_ is the thief of time and a lot of students suffer from it.They can spend whole days in the library doing nothing but staring into space,eating snacks,surfing the Internet,watching videos and looking at their pretty peers sitting around them,who,most likely,are doing nothing either.
Paralyzed by their habit to procrastinate,they write micro blogs about their fears,asking their online friends if they sometimes have the same issue.But this does nothing to solve their problems.
According to a recent report by the BBC,95 percent of us procrastinate at some point and 20 percent of the world's population are procrastinators,complicating their lives with their continual delaying of tasks.
Procrastinators like to find excuses to justify their behavior,but BBC columnist Rowan Pelling says they are all wrong.Many procrastinators tell themselves they are perfectionists who work best under pressure.Pelling says this is nonsense,as work done at the last minute is more likely to have mistakes than work done on time.
She says the behavior of procrastinators often makes them feel flustered and ashamed,inconveniences others,and annoys loved ones.
Fortunately,social seientists have made tireless efforts to understand this behavioral shortcoming and offer strategies to control it.Piers Steel,a Canadian social scientist and author of The Procrastination Equation,believes humankind is"designed"to procrastinate.Nevertheless,he suggests a couple of good ways to get through the task at hand.
The first one is obvious:Break the task down into small pieces and work your way through them methodically.
The second is clever:Give a trusted friend a sum of money and tell them that if you don't complete the task you have undertaken by a specific time,they can keep it or donate it to a cause you hate. | high6610.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "painted many pieces in nine years"
},
"options": [
"decided to visit exhibitions of young artists",
"found a new interest besides painting",
"painted many pieces in nine years",
"created artwork that others want to buy"... | Last month,my younger sister Michelle,four of my friends and I held our first charity art exhibitions.The exhibitions, containing 140 paintings,raised 44,000 yuan,all donated to Stepping Stones,a charity that supports poor children in China.
Ever since l was a little girl, I have been in love with art.I have always been fascinated with the idea of creating beauty and emotion-how imagination can transform a simple piece of paper into something beyond the possibilities of the real world.I watched others create magic by simply moving their hands,and felt thrilled as I gradually learned to do _ myself.
Passion results in creation.In nine years,I had accumulated more pieces than I could count.My finished paintings were set aside,gathering dust as time passed.So I decided to hold exhibitions to find a home and some appreciation for my artwork.
Nonetheless,I was extremely nervous.After all,I am only a l5-year-old child who has a passion,but not necessarily one who creates artwork that others want to buy.
However,the turnout was more than I could ever have imagined,and the amount of money we raised quadrupled our original target.We were very lucky to find a charity,Stepping Stone,that would show us exactly how our money would be used:to teach English to poor children in the country.I was even offered an opportunity to teach the children myself.
Through this experience,I not only gained more confidence in my art,but also discovered its impact.I realized a paintbrush could paint not only a canvas,but also new opportunities for others who don't have as many choices in who they want to be,or what they want to do.Although this cannot transform the world,this may transform the world for one child,or even more. | high12726.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "let the author know that Jordan was not that nice"
},
"options": [
"become famous himself",
"know why Jordan appeared in a poor area",
"let the author know that Jordan was not that nice",
"offer another example to show ... | Michael Jordan told me not to mention this until the season was over and I promised him at that time. Now I think it's time.
Early last season, I wrote a column about an act of kindness I had seen Jordan do to a disabled child outside the Stadium. After it _ ,I got a call from a man in the western suburbs. He said, "I read what you wrote about Jordan, but I thought I should tell you another thing I saw." Here it comes, I thought. It always does. Write something nice about a person, and people call you up to say that the person is not so nice.
A few weeks later Jordan and I were talking about something else before a game, and I brought up what the man had said. Was the man right? Has Jordan really been talking to those two boys in that poor and dirty neighborhood?
"Not two boys," Jordan said, "but four."
And he named them. He said four names.
And what did they talk about?
"Everything," Jordan said. "I've asked to see their grades so that I can check whether they're paying attention to their schoolwork. If it turns out one or two of them may need teaching, I make sure they get it."
It's just one more part of Michael Jordan's life, one more thing that no one knows about, one more thing Jordan does right. The NBA season is over now, and those boys have their memories. So do I! When the expert reviewers begin to turn against Jordan, as they surely will, I'll think about those boys under the streetlight, waiting for the man they know to come, for someone they can depend on. | high3768.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Two."
},
"options": [
"One.",
"Three.",
"Two.",
"Four."
],
"question": "How many causes of tsunamis are mentioned in the text?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | Check out our tsunami facts and learn some interesting information related to these great walls of water that can cause so much destruction. Find out what causes tsunamis and read about some recent examples of tsunamis that have occurred around the globe.
The Japanese word for tsunami means harbor wave.
Tsunamis are sometimes called tidal waves but this term has fallen out of favour because tsunamis are not related to tides.
Tsunamis are huge waves of water that are usually caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.
As a tsunami approaches the shore, water may move back from the coast. If it is shallow enough the water may be pulled back hundreds of metres. If you are in the area, you can know that a tsunami is on the way when you see this phenomenon.
Regions in tsunami danger zones often have warning systems in place to give people as much time as possible to move to a safe place.
When tsunamis hit shallow water (often near the coast) they slow down but increase in height.
An earthquake in the Indian Ocean off Indonesia in December 2004 caused a tsunami that killed over 200,000 people in 14 countries.
In March 2011, the Tohoku earthquake off the eastern coast of Japan caused a tsunami that was a major factor in the death of over 15,000 people.
The tsunami waves created by the Tohoku earthquake reached a height of over 40 metres in some areas, wiping out coastal towns and causing a number of nuclear accidents. | high17886.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "prepare for her retirement life"
},
"options": [
"meet her old friends",
"study a new language",
"go on with her teaching",
"prepare for her retirement life"
],
"question": "The writer went to her hometown to ... | After finishing my teaching for a school year, I thought that I should go back to Montreal, Quebec, my hometown for a visit. My main goal was to relax in preparation for the challenges of my retirement in the coming year.
Through my stay in Montreal, I met lots of Chinese who are struggling to succeed and then lead a better life in Canada.
Some travelled thousands of miles to get knowledge. When I spoke with some of them about the major barrier they had to face after they arrived in Canada, they all talked about the two official languages of Canada. But I was impressed by their ability to express their ideas while switching between English and French.
Almost all of those people said they often felt homesick. They miss their families and friends. Though Montreal has lots of Chinese restaurants, they long for a home-cooked meal.
I met some tourists who were trying to realize their childhood dreams of experiencing the life in a developed country. When I asked them if Montreal had lived up to their expectations, they hesitated. They said that reality never agrees with fantasies. However, they were glad to have the opportunity to visit Montreal and didn't regret taking the trip.
Not all the Chinese people I met were happy. I once met a young lady who met with a gentleman through the Internet. However, to her disappointment, he disappeared after he promised to marry her in Montreal.
I was served by another Chinese person who could not handle the challenges of studying in an English environment and ended up working in a restaurant with minimum pay.
Exploring different parts of the world, without any doubt, is an enriching experience. However, one should be realistic when it comes to leaving his hometown to set up a new life in a foreign country. One should take the time to examine the advantages and the shortcomings of the venture before they decide to chase an uncertain dream of achieving success or leading a better life. | high19673.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Stopping using it"
},
"options": [
"Stopping using it",
"Demanding traveling expenses.",
"Suing for damages.",
"Proving your case."
],
"question": "According to the text, what is essential after you inform the d... | When buying from a dealer, the law says that a car must be:
As described:
This includes the history of the car as well as its specification.For example, if the dealer described the car as previously having "one careful lady owner", it shouldn't turn out to have had several previous "boy racer" owners.
Of satisfactory quality:
It must meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as acceptable and be free from any quality problem.Also, bear in mind that a second-hand car will have a slightly different definition of what is considered "satisfactory, because there's certainly an element of wear and tear.
Fit for the purpose:
It must be reasonable fit for any normal purpose and this includes any purpose that you specify to the seller.
*If any of the above is violated, then in theory, you may have the right to reject the vehicle and get your money back if you're reasonably quick. Alternatively, the dealer might offer to replace or repair the car; reduce the price of offering a partial refund .Once you've informed the dealer that you wish to reject the car , you must stop using the vehicle.
*If the rejection is not accepted, then it's up to you to prove your case. You'll need to pay for an independent assessment of the car and sue(,)for damages. If you do choose a repair, insist the dealer provide you with a hire car or pay any reasonable traveling expenses thus produced while your new car is in the garage.
*If the car is new, it's likely that the claim will be too high to be fought. Using the small claims procedure to you may have to pay for legal representation. All this can be pretty _ and expensive. You need to weigh up the pros and cons before rejecting a car. Would a repair do just as well? Selecting a dealer who offers a clear exchange policy may help. | high4007.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He achieved great success at the expense of his health."
},
"options": [
"He set a good example to his daughter.",
"He tried to force his values on his daughter.",
"He gained much pleasure from his work.",
"He achieved ... | I believe in leaving work at five o'clock. In a nation with such a strict work ethic , this is considered strange. Working only 40 hours a week? I just don't know many people who punch out at five o'clock anymore.
My father tried to teach me the importance of hard work, long hours and devotion to a career. But then there are the things he taught me unintentionally, like when he arrived home from work for the last time and crawled up the stairs.
My father, a self-employed sales trainer, was that sick, that tired. His body was wracked with liver cancer, and he suffered the effects of a diabetic ulcer . Despite all this, he insisted on traveling a long way to give a lecture. He probably earned a lot of money that day, but he paid the price. He returned to the hospital soon afterwards and was dead within three months, aged just 58.
It's been 10 years since I saw my father come home that night and since then, I've thought a lot about work. I've decided something: I will never crawl up the stairs exhausted. As much as I love my job as a newspaper reporter, I will never work myself into the ground, physically or emotionally. _ After all, I am my father's daughter. In college, I was the girl who sat on the library steps each morning, waiting for the doors to open. I even dreamt about schoolwork.
My dad once told me he was unable to just gaze at a sunset; he had to be doing something as he looked at it--writing, reading, playing chess. You could say he was a success: He was a published author, an accomplished musician, fluent in many languages. That's an impressive list, but the thing is I want to gaze at sunsets. I don't want to meet a deadline during them or be writing a column at the same time, or glance at them over the top of a book.
This raises the question: If I leave work at five o' clock to watch the sunset, what are the consequences? Do I risk not reaching the top of my profession? Maybe, because honestly, knocking off after eight hours probably won't earn me the best promotion. But hey, leaving work at five o' clock means I eat dinner with my family. I get to hop on my bike and cycle through the streets of my hometown when there is no traffic.
And I get to take in a lot of sunsets. That's got to be worth something. | high5319.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The birth time can give signs of future development of what professions people will start."
},
"options": [
"The year when a baby is born may not be associated with the job he or she will end up with.",
"Researchers have found the ... | The time of year a baby is born can shape what profession they will embark on in later life, a new study has suggested. Being born in a certain month appears to indicate the statistical likelihood of what job a person will end up with, the study by the Office for National Statistics found. Researchers have uncovered that the month in which babies are born could also affect everything from intelligence to length of life.
A child born December is more likely to become a dentist while someone whose birthday falls in January will tend to a debt collector, they found. A February birth appears to increase the chances of being an artist while March babies appear to go on to become pilots. Meanwhile, April and May are said to have a fairly even spread of professions, births in the summer months mean a much lower chance of becoming a high-earning football player, doctor or dentist.
The study was derived by researchers who analyzed the birth months of people in 19 separate occupations using information from the last census, the Daily Mail reported. Although these trends may be difficult to explain, correlations between birth months and specific health problems have a scientific basis. Spring babies are at greater risks of illnesses including schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, asthma and autism. They may also be less clever than classmates born in other parts of the year. | high2476.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Supportive."
},
"options": [
"Doubtful.",
"Supportive.",
"Worried.",
"Changing."
],
"question": "What is the author's attitude towards walking school bus?",
"question_type": null
}
] | About ten days ago, I started to write an article on a parenting subject. I wish I could publish it. But in the days between the writing and the publishing, an unfortunate thing happened. My article discussing the lost art of walking to school was finished three days before an 8-year-old boy named Leiby Kletzky in Brooklyn tried to walk home for the first time from his summer camp.
Today I will not describe the details around the Leiby Kletzky killing, except to point out the obvious fact that it terrified every parent who heard about it. What happened this week is one of the biggest reasons why so few kids walk to school now.
In theory, walking to school is a wonderful habit, which can teach children independence, introduce them to their neighborhoods and encourage physical activity. It's better for the environment, eases traffic and is just generally the most fun choice.
However, many of us parents don't allow the habit, mentioning the problems of logistics and distance. What we talk about less often is our fear. Maybe that's the heart of the matter. Indeed, it is an understandable reaction. But it is not a necessary one. What happened this week is extremely rare.
Separating out the fact from the feelings is a difficult thing to do. Very few of us were ready to breathe easy about sending our young children off by themselves no matter what happened. We are far more worried now.
The good news is that we don't have to be. Those children who go to school by themselves can be escorted when the neighborhood forms a "walking school bus". That's when designated parents walk with groups of children from home to school. With the benefit of safety, it allows kids to enjoy one of the joys of childhood. It's an easy, affordable choice.
A walking school bus is a good idea that parents thought of. Proper measures are usually out there. Sometimes all they take is a little cooperation and some courage. | high17892.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "become a conflict zone reporter in America"
},
"options": [
"work as an English newspaper editor",
"work for China Daily",
"become a conflict zone reporter in America",
"cover his reports in Latin America"
],
"q... | Twenty years ago, Americans were a rare sight in China. But decades later, things have changed greatly. Americans are found in every Chinese province and region and in all walks of life. Much of this change is due to the increasing exchange and improving relationship between the two countries, but what attracts many here is China's rapid development and the huge opportunities that have arisen with that development.
Erik Nilsson has been working for the English newspaper China Daily as a reporter for five years since his graduation from Central Michigan University. Although his original plan was to become a conflict zone reporter in Latin America, he decided to stay at China Daily
Robert Brownell, a former IT engineer with Microsoft in Seattle, is now teaching in China and appreciates the different atmosphere in the school. His actions are a lot less restricted here than they would be in the U.S. "For good students, I can give them candy," he explains. "But in American schools, if you give food to students, they have to be sealed and tested. In China I can pat them on the back and raise my voice. But in America, everything is regulated so much, you just can't do anything."
Kodi Keith Avila, the 30-year- old Hawaiian is running a business English school, New York Minutes, in Beijing. Avila first came to China in 2007 on a scholarship program as a student of University of Hawaii. It was encouragement from his professor that finally convinced him to go to China. "He thought China would overtake other countries in trade, consumption and technology," Avila said."I saw many good opportunities for personal careers or business development in China. So many limousines Audi, Mercedes-Benz, so many businessmen and skyscrapers. One can get a business license in China as long as one has a good business plan"he told China Today.
"I came to China because I am interested in Chinese medicine. Learning Chinese language will help me learn Chinese medicine," Caponigro told China Today. She is not alone among Americans in becoming more and more fascinated with Chinese culture. | high4013.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Unwilling."
},
"options": [
"Positive",
"Satisfied.",
"Doubtful.",
"Unwilling."
],
"question": "What's the author's initial attitude towards volunteering?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
... | Back in freshman year, I found myself wondering whether it should really be called "volunteering" if students only do it because they have to.
I ended up volunteering at Weyrich Health Center, helping elderly patients with daily tasks. The more I did these tasks, the more disconnected I felt from the seniors. Though I felt bad for them, I did not want to interact with them.
Then one rainy day, I met Colonel Hemsworth. He invited me to his table and asked for some company. I regarded this as another boring task. However, when I listened to his stories, I learned that he was a brilliant war veteran ,and I found his tales interesting.
After my brief talk with the Colonel, I realized that I shared common characters with all the seniors. I felt like an oxygen molecule ---ready to form a relationship--rather than an isolated gas.
I met with many learned senior citizens who shared their experiences and wisdom. No longer did I walk aimlessly down the hallways. I found myself enjoying talking with these people as I learned their histories. Why hadn't I realized sooner that volunteer work could enlighten me?
Some people argue that volunteering and working for change does not help. However, they fail to realize that the world is constantly changing and humans must adapt My experience at Weyrich Health Center has taught me that refusing to change one's views and accept new ones leads to short-term goals that finally disappear. Communication with others is an important part of life. Volunteering is not just a requirement or a way to improve your resume, it is a time for service and personal growth.
Now I enjoy volunteering my time surrounded by seniors who bring history alive for me. By communicating with them, I have developed into a more dynamic person. | high19667.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because it has more functions."
},
"options": [
"Because it is cheaper.",
"Because it has more functions.",
"Because you can read books and surf the Internet with it.",
"Because it offers you a lot of things like maps t... | Consumer electronics once again topped the list of the most wanted gifts this holiday season.
"Seventy-six percent of consumers who plan to buy holiday gifts say that they will spend money or buy at least one technology product; definitely a solid vote of confidence for technology."
Steve Koenig is with the Consumer Electronics Association. He says the group's latest research also shows that Americans this year are spending more on technology products. "
"
From tablet computers to smart phones, American shoppers have been lining up to get the newest and coolest electronic devices on the market. There are more choices today than ever before. "It's kind of hard to make a decision."
Tablet computers are one of the best-selling products this year. Brian Tong is Senior Editor of CNET.com. The website reports on tech news and examines the latest electronic products. He says the Apple iPad Mini is one of the most popular tablets. Its starting price is $329. One of Apple's biggest competitors is the Google Nexus 7. It starts at $199.
"
is more powerful than what's in the iPad Mini, but also it offers you a lot of things like maps that work better than Apple's maps.
But Brian Tong says there is one reason why people may like the iPad Mini more than the Nexus 7. "If you just want to read books and surf the Internet, you don't really need to get an iPad Mini, but if you want the largest robust group of apps that's where the iPad and Apple's ecosystem shines the most."
Elman Chacon is with the electronics store Best Buy. He says another hot product this season is smart cameras. They connect to the Internet through WiFi. This makes it easy for users to email or upload photographs directly from the camera.
"You can literally take a picture and upload it into your Facebook in a matter of seconds. These things are pretty cool because they do a lot of things."
Streaming media boxes also connect to the Internet. People are able to watch web content such as movies and YouTube videos on their televisions. Another popular item is wireless speaker systems. The newest ones work with any device that has Bluetooth technology, including smart phones, laptops and tablets. | high16554.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the button happened to have holes in it"
},
"options": [
"the writer arrived in time",
"the writer had been taught what to do at that time",
"the button was not big enough",
"the button happened to have holes in it"
... | "A child is dying---out of breath!" I had just begun my working day in the city, when those words came through the radio of the police car I was driving. I turned on the red lights and siren and drove off as fast as I could. "Just my luck!" I thought. I did not know this city well and my first call of the day was a life-and-death sudden happening, several kilometers away.
I got to the house. A mother, filled with fear, handed me her baby, his face already blue. Was I too late? Dear me!
I did what I had been taught to do in such a serious condition. A small thing flew out of the baby's mouth onto the floor. It was a button. Thanks heavens! The holes in it let a little air through.
The doctor rushed into the room. He had with him an oxygen bag.
The child began to cry at the top of his voice, turned red and started to look for his mother. He was angry but saved. | high18579.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "appreciated his father's educational technique"
},
"options": [
"enjoyed talking about news",
"knew very well about Nepal",
"felt regret about those wasted days",
"appreciated his father's educational technique"
],
... | Papa, as a son of a dirt-poor farmer, left school early and went to work in a factory, for education was for the rich then. So, the world became his school. With great interest, he read everything he could lay his hands on, listened to the town elders and learned about the world beyond his tiny hometown. "There's so much to learn," he'd say. "Though we're born stupid, only the stupid remain that way. " He was determined that none of his children would be denied an education.
Thus, Papa insisted that we learn at least one new thing each day. Though, as children, we thought this was crazy, it would never have occurred to us to deny Papa a request. And dinner time seemed perfect for sharing what we had learned. We would talk about the news of the day; no matter how insignificant, it was never taken lightly. Papa would listen carefully and was ready with some comment, always to the point.
Then came the moment--the time to share the day's new learning.
Papa, at the head of the table, would push back his chair and pour a glass of red wine, ready to listen.
"Felice," he'd say, "tell me what you learned today. "
"I learned that the population of Nepal is .... "
Silence.
Papa was thinking about what was said, as if the salvation of the world would depend upon it. "The population of Nepal. Hmm. Well . . . . " he'd say. "Get the map; let's see where Nepal is. " And the whole family
went on a search for Nepal.
This same experience was repeated until each family member had a turn. Dinner ended only after we had a clear understanding of at least half a dozen such facts.
As children, we thought very little about these educational wonders. Our family, however, was growing together, sharing experiences and participating in one another's education. And by looking at us, listening to us, respecting our input, affirming our value, giving us a sense of dignity, Papa was unquestionably our most influential teacher.
Later during my training as a future teacher /1 studied with some of the most famous educators. They were imparting what Papa had known all along--the value of continual learning. His technique has served me well all my life. Not a single day has been wasted, though I can never tell when knowing the population of Nepal might prove useful. | high10125.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the ability to learn languages increases with age"
},
"options": [
"teenagers are more difficult to teach",
"Danish teenagers can learn Swedish faster than younger children",
"adults are more logical than children",
"th... | Most people think that the older you get, the harder it is to learn a new language. That is, they believe that children learn more easily and efficiently than adults. Thus, at some point in our lives, maybe around age 12 or 13, we lose the ability to learn languages well. Is this idea a fact or myth ?
Is it true that children learn a foreign language more efficiently than adults? On the contrary, research studies suggest that the opposite may be true. One report, on 2,000 Danish children studying Swedish, concluded that the teenagers learned more, in less time, than the younger children. Another report, on Americans learning Russian, showed a direct improvement of ability over the age range tested; that is, the ability to learn increased as the age increased, from childhood to adulthood.
There are several possible explanations for these findings. For one thing, adults know more about the world and therefore are able to understand meanings more easily than children. Moreover, adults can use logical thinking to help themselves see patterns in the language. Finally, adults have more self-discipline (self-control) than children.
All in all, it seems that the common idea that children are better language learners than adults may not be a fact, but a myth. | high2462.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He was impressed with the crowd's desire for music."
},
"options": [
"He was impressed with the crowd's desire for music.",
"He tried to encourage some cancer patients.",
"He was moved by an elderly lady.",
"He wanted t... | I've been asked a million times why I've chosen to put up with all the inconvenience of working the road all these years when I could have easily written songs for a living, and enjoyed a peaceful and comfortable existence.My reply is:Nobody applauds when you write a song.
What else would cause a person to pack his belongings and ride away from his family in order to lead such a nomadic existence? I mean,entertainers don't cure cancer or anything.
I once rode all night and half a day through a snowstorm only to arrive in a town where we were booked to perform to find our concert had been canceled because of the weather.A handful of people hadn't heard the news,however,and had managed somehow to make their way to the concert hall.
We were cold, tired and hungry. But there was something in the eyes of those few fans who had shown up that told us how badly they wanted to hear the music they knew we could play if only we would. There was certainly no place else for us to go. _ Why not drink some coffee and pick a little country music?
When our show was over,an elderly lady approached the stage."You don't know how much this evening has meant to me," she said."Thank you for playing and singing for such a small crowd.Today is the first time I've smiled since my husband died.Your music has helped me to forget my problems for a while."
Okay,so entertainers don't cure cancer.But maybe, every once in a while, we cure some other things that are almost as important. | high22829.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "can decide things without the permission of the government"
},
"options": [
"must say what the government wants to say",
"should give more time to political parties than to religious groups",
"are elected by the citizens from... | The BBC was founded in 1922, including radio and television services. It is based at Broadcasting House in London.
The BBC is controlled by some governors chosen by the government, but these people have freedom and the government can't interfere . That is, the BBC is supposed not to be the mouthpiece of the government. It has to be as fair as possible in giving radio and television time to, for example, political parties and religious groups.
There is a kind of interesting service in British-rental services. Many people prefer to rent their television sets instead of buying them.
The rent for a black and white set is about 80 pence a week. The rent of a color set is more than twice that of a black and white set. If the sets go wrong, people can have them repaired free of charge or replaced immediately.
Everyone has to buy a yearly license, since there is no advertising on BBC radio or television. It is from the sale of licenses that the BBC gets most of its money. A license for a black and white set costs 8 pounds, and for a colour set 18 pounds a year.
There are four specialized radio channels, which broadcast different kinds of programmes. Radio I is mainly pop music.Radio 2 deals with light music, sports and other programmes. Radio 3 broadcasts serious music, talks on serious subjects etc.News broadcasts are mainly given by Radio 4.
There are special programmes for Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and certain parts of England.It also broadcasts programmes about Britain--in many different languages as well as in English to all parts of the world. | high14343.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Green Schools."
},
"options": [
"Green Schools.",
"Reusing and Recycling.",
"Light Savers.",
"No Dripping."
],
"question": "What is the best title for the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answe... | Schools across the country are turning green. So-called green schools are built from recycled and environmentally friendly materials. They are designed to use less energy than traditional school buildings. In the next few years, Southern California alone plans to open 150 green schools. Studies have shown that there are good reasons to go green, including good air quality that cuts down on asthma attacks and airborne germs that can cause illnesses. Students learn better in classrooms that have natural light and ideal temperatures. Green schools have lower energy bills. Go On, Get Green
Here's how to save energy and help the environment.
Light Savers
Turn off the lights in a room when it is not in use. This bright idea can produce big savings on energy costs. Some schools use sensors that automatically shut off the lights when there is no motion in a room.
Heat Smart
Your school's thermostat should be set to 78degCin warm weather and 68degCin cooler weather. The temperature can be even farther from the comfort zone at night and on weekends, when no one is using the school building.
Reuse, Recycle
Reuse paper, cans, bottles and batteries. Use both sides of notebook paper. Carry a lunch box rather than a paper bag. Recycle whatever you can reuse.
Don't Drip
Leaky taps can waste large amounts of water. A small, steady flow can add up to hundreds of gallons a year. Report drips if you see them. | high9537.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "What your preference for dogs or cats reveals about you."
},
"options": [
"Differences between dogs and cats in their personality qualities.",
"Factors that influence people's preference for dogs or cats.",
"How raising a pet... | ARE you a dog person or a cat person?
With so many photos and videos of cats and dogs doing cute things online, it's easier than ever to answer which of these furry friends you like more. There are many reasons why people prefer one type of pet over the other. So, have you ever wondered what your preference for cats or dogs says about you?
In fact, a 2010 study done by Sam Gosling , a psychologist at the University of Texas, US, and his graduate student Carson Sandy found that dog people are more extroverted agreeable and serious than cat people.
"Cats will occasionally engage in social activities, but usually after only a few minutes they will abandon the game. Dogs, on the other hand, will often engage in play, like fetching a thrown lull, for hours at a lime," said Modem Dog magazine.
Just on the basis of dogs' nature being more sociable than cats', you may expect that the personalities of dog people also reflect higher sociability. And Cosling's study found that dog people are generally about 15 percent more extroverted and 13 percent more agreeable, both of which are associated with social altitude.
In addition, dog people are 11 percent more conscientious than cat people.
"Conscientiousness" is a tendency In show self-discipline ,to complete tasks and aim for achievement. This quality also shows a preference for planned rather than spontaneous behavior.
In comparison, cat people an; about 12 percent more anxious, but they are also 11 percent more "open" than dog people, due to a general appreciation for art, emotion, imagination, curiosity, adventure, unusual ideas and variety of experience. And people high on openness are more likely to hold unconventional beliefs.
Despite vast differences, there an some things that cat people and dog people have in common. "Both types of people consider themselves close to nature, dislike animal-print clothing and generally optimists. " noted Mother Nature Network. | high6604.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "It was too small for three men."
},
"options": [
"The key had been lost.",
"It was too small for three men.",
"No one had stayed there before.",
"It was not bright enough."
],
"question": "Why didn't Mr. Black o... | Mr. Black was the manager of a hotel in Atlanta. One weekend all of the hotels were full because of a large business meeting being held in the city. On Sunday night, three men came into Mr. Black's hotel and asked for rooms. Mr. Black told them that there were no more rooms available. The men didn't know what to do because they had no place to stay in.
Mr. Black wanted to help them. He remembered that there was an empty room at the far end of the first floor -- Room 112. It was a very small room, and had rarely been used as a guest room before. So, he asked the three men if they would mind sharing that small room. They replied that they would be very satisfied so long as there was a room for them to stay in for the night.
Mr. Black then told them that the room would cost them $ 30 in total. On hearing this, each of the three men gave Mr. Black $ 10 before they left for their room.
However, Mr. Black soon began to think that $ 30 was really too much for that small room. He called his assistant over and said, "Here is $ 5. Give it back to the three men in Room 112. Each of them paid me $10. That's too much."
The assistant took the money. While he was on the way to that small room, he thought, "How can three men divide $ 5? I'll give each of them only $ 1 and keep the $ 2 left to myself. The men will be happy to get anything back, and I can also make some money that way. After all, Mr. Black will never know anything about it." So, the assistant returned only $1 to each of the three men.
Each man had first paid $ 10. After the assistant returned $1 to him, each man had actually paid only $ 9. There were three men. $ 9x3="$27." The assistant kept $ 2. $ 27 + $ 2=" $" 29. Where is the missing dollar? | high12732.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "All the schools can't afford so many diversified classes."
},
"options": [
"The new system will work if great measures are taken.",
"All the schools can't afford so many diversified classes.",
"Students will have more time to... | Zheng Pengyu: Interest is the best teacher. Classrooms that weren't fixed could give students the chance to explore their interests. At the same time, they would be able to learn on their own because they would have to make their own decisions. All in all, the new system would be a good chance to inspire students' passion for studying.
Sun Yao: Despite its benefits, I'm worried about whether the new system would work. Going to different classrooms would take up a big part of our break time and we would have less time to relax after class. Also, not all schools could offer so many diversified classes.
Shi Zhenghan: I support students learning in different classes. It would solve the problem of some students thinking the classes are too easy while some think they are too difficult. Teachers could also teach more effectively. What's more, friendships built while in different classes might be a pleasant surprise.
Zhou Qingqing: In my opinion, studying in different classrooms might affect students' psychological development. They might find it difficult to develop deep and strong friendships with other students if they had to change classrooms constantly. They would also lose their sense of belonging to a certain class.
Hu Qile: I _ the idea. It would help teachers set up special teaching plans for different classes. For students, making choices by themselves could encourage them to be responsible. Changing classrooms could also help relive the boredom of doing the same dull routine every day.
Wang Xiaoqian: The new system might help with students' individual development, but I still prefer the current system. Studying in one fixed classroom, students with different academic levels can help each other. Spending your senior middle school years with the same classmates is an unforgettable experience. | high12054.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "School leaders."
},
"options": [
"Students.",
"Teachers.",
"School leaders.",
"Poets."
],
"question": "Who is the passage mainly written for?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | Do you still remember your favorite poem from high school or some other important periods in your life?Why is it that decades later it still stands out in your mind?Probably the main reason is that some aspect of that poem resonates with you. In the same way, you too as a school leader can touch the hearts of your teachers and students.
Poetry allows us to experience strong spiritual connections to things around us and to the past. The power that poetry has displayed over time and across cultures actually satisfies _ of the human heart and soul.
As one of the oldest art forms, poetry has successfully connected various parts of humanity from one generation to another. Referring to poetry, Hillyer makes a simple yet meaningful statement, "With this key mankind unlocked his heart."
School leaders can find and make use of the value of poetry for themselves, their students and their teachers. Beyond the simple use of poetry, techniques of poetry such as repetitions can be used to take advantage of the power of language to transform communication, create meaning and a culture of care and attention.
Since schools are mainly about people and relationships, school leaders, like poets, are required to inspire and encourage the human heart. The use of poetry--or even of some techniques of poetry--in school leadership not only helps to improve communication, but also serves to meet the human need for inspiration. | high14425.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "their GPS had given the wrong information"
},
"options": [
"there was no way to the island",
"their GPS was broken during their journey",
"their GPS had given the wrong information",
"their car was made in Korea instead... | Three Japanese tourists taking a holiday in Australia got stuck when their GPS told them they could drive from the mainland to an island, failing to mention the 15 kilometres of water and mud in between.
As they drove their hired car from Moreton Bay in Queensland to nearby North Stradbroke Island, they started to notice the firm gravel surface they were driving on giving way to the renowned bay mud.However, being confident that their GPS would direct them to a road soon, they decided to plough on, managing to travel around 500 metres before their Hyundai Getz was up to its axles tires in mud.To make matters worse, the tide started to come in and soon forced them to seek help and abandon the vehicle.Just four hours later the car was trapped in two metres of water ---- to the great amusement of onlookers on the shore and passengers on passing boats and ferries.
Yuzu Noda, 21, said she was listening to the GPS and "it told us we could drive down there.It kept saying it would navigate us to a road.But we got stuck...there's lots of mud." She and her travel companions Tomonari Saeki, 22, and Keita Osada, 21, instead had to give up their plans for a day trip to the island and headed back to the Gold Coast of a lift from the RACQ tow truck driver who was called to the trapped car.No such luck for the hired car though - after assessing the situation, no attempt was made to recover it.The students from Tokyo, who are due to return home tomorrow, said the experience would not put them off returning to Australia for another visit."We want to come back to Australia again.Everyone is very nice, even today." Ms Yuzu said.
Remaining excited, Mr. Tomonari joked that the car may have got stuck because it was built in Korea."Maybe if it was Japanese it would be okay," he said.He added, "It has rained every day on our six day holiday.Hopefully next time we come back it will be sunny." The car was covered by insurance, but the tourists will have to pay up to about $1500 in extra charges. | high9251.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "give some economic chances to businessmen"
},
"options": [
"give some economic chances to businessmen",
"is very bad to economy",
"makes some crisis come out",
"have nothing to do with the economy"
],
"question"... | With the crazy smog going on in China, businessmen are now ready to grope for your wallet. "Smog economy" is stimulating a shopping _ on certain products against the terrible weather. Now let's see what we have on the list to help us through the crisis.
1. Masks
Well, I would say you had better stay indoors to save your lives. PM 2.5 just surged up to 750 in Beijing recently. 3M just sold 220,000 masks of a kind. No.1 best-selling products!
2. Air purifiers
This kind of products is rarely seen in Chinese households in the past. They have become a necessity now. I do like these little gadgets, but they are just too expensive.
3. Oxygen inhalers
I didn't realize oxygen inhalers also get a cut in the smog economy. As a matter of fact, your oxygen uptake has nothing to with relieving the impact of smog. It might even lead to oxygen poisoning when you inhale too much oxygen. So don't get greedy.
4. Salt lamps
Compared to oxygen inhalers, salt lamps are even worse. Some stores are selling the products at several hundred yuan, saying that they can release negative ions , reduce radiation levels and purify the air. The lamps mainly contain sodium chloride. The boiling point of sodium is about 800 degrees centigrade and that of candle is 500. So how on earth can negative ions be released at only 500 degrees?
5. Plants that absorb smog
Yeah, right. Plants Vs Smog. It is scientifically justified that some plants do absorb pollutants from the air. Money plants and calla lilies are among the best-sellers in the market. Even if they don't work, it's good to have some plants in the house anyway. | high6162.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They offered low quality food."
},
"options": [
"They refused to have volunteers.",
"They offered low quality food.",
"They provided customers with a good environment.",
"They closed down because of poor management."
... | Inside the pleasingly fragrant cafe, So All May Eat(SAME) in downtown Denver, the spirit of generosity is instantly noticeable: A donation box stands in place of a cash register. Customers here pay only what they can afford, no questions asked.
A risky business plan, perhaps, but SAME Cafe has done one unchangeable thing in the Mile High City for six years: Open only at midday, the restaurant provides poor local people with healthy, delicious lunches six days a week. Those unable to pay for their meals can instead volunteer as waiters and waitresses, and dishwashers, or look after the buildings and equipment for the cafe.
"It's based on trust, and it's working all right" , says co-owner Brad Birky , who started the cafe in 2006. With his wife Libby. Previously volunteering at soup kitchens, the Birkys were dissatisfied with the often unhealthy meals they served there.
"We wanted to offer quality food in a restaurant where everyone felt comfortable ,regardless of their circumstances," Birky says. SAME's special lunch menu changes daily and most food materials are natural and grown by local farmers.
The cafe now averages 65 to 70 customers (and eight volunteers) a day. And the spirit of generosity behind the project appears to be spreading. In early 2007,one volunteer who had cleared snow for his meals during the long winter said goodbye to the Birkys," He said he was going to New Orleans to help with the hurricane cleanup," says Birky. | high399.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "who often made trouble at school"
},
"options": [
"who dropped out of school at 15 years old",
"who often made trouble at school",
"who was driven out of school because of lying",
"who was honored for fighting bravely"
... | Yamilette Colon was close to leaving a school. "I'm not even going to lie to you, and I was bad, '' said Colon, who admitted she had a gift for attracting trouble.
Three years later, though, Colon, now 18, is a school honor student on track for a May diploma, spurred in part by a sense of self-pride, but also, she says, by the economic disaster that has closed plants, deprived of jobs and dimmed the future for many young people in this depressed county.
"It's a huge factor," Colon said, "What it comes down to is, the longer you stay in school, the more education you will get, and the more money you will make."
That's a big shift in attitude in a community where 24 percent of adults older than 25 have not a high school education, where only 66 percent of students graduate from high school in four years, and where generations of kids dropped out because it was always easy to find a suitable job.
But across the country, education leaders say they're seeing what may be one bright spot in the discouraging downturn: more students choose to stay in or return to school.
"I'm hearing kids clinging to their education as the economy gets worse,'' said Clyde Riley, principal at the Tipton Street Center alternative school, where Colon is one of 240 students in a district that serves some 13,500.
Here and elsewhere, long waiting lists for adult education and GED (General Education Development) classes, enrollments at community colleges and, perhaps, a surge in returns by high school dropouts and a decline in those who leave in the first place, may all point to a renewed focus on education, experts say.
"If there's anything good coming out of this recession, it's to make educational lemonade out of these lemons." said Bob Wise, who now heads a national policy group. | high20780.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the master password only"
},
"options": [
"all passwords used",
"the last password",
"unique password each time",
"the master password only"
],
"question": "When using LastPass , users have to remember _ .",
... | Password strength has been a topic about the Internet lately. I have seen lots of clever methods for generating and remembering strong passwords. Some are better than others, but in my opinion , none are adequate . Here's the problem : it doesn't matter how strong your passwords are if you use the same one on multiple sites. All it takes is for a site to get hacked , like Gawker media, or even Sony did , and now your super-strong password has been stolen , and every site on which you used that password has been accessed .
So, the bottom line is that no matter how strong your passwords are , and no matter what clever tricks you use to help you remember them , if you surf the Internet often , the only truly secure password system is what you need .
Enter LastPass. It's not the only password manager out there, but I like it the best. You create ONE strong password that you have to memorize and use it to access your LastPass database . The LastPass database is stored online, on LastPass's servers. LastPass recognizes the site you're on and automatically logs you in (after , optionally , asking you to re-enter your master password). LastPass also has automatic form fill and automatic password generation. This means that you can have a different , unique , very strong password for every site you log into , but you only have to remember one master password . It's the best of both worlds.
One argument against LastPass is that if their database is attacked , then all of your sites are in danger, and that's true, but given that their entire line of work is keeping that information safe , I'm willing to take that chance. The alternative is rolling dice or picking phrase to create passwords, writing all of them down on a piece of paper or something , and then having to manually type them in when I go to a site . A terrible mess.
There is a free version of LastPass , with additional features unlocked if you pay $ 12 for a year's subscription .
----Joshua Bardwell | high19101.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "poor technology in food industries"
},
"options": [
"fast growing populations",
"huge demand for high-quality foods",
"poor technology in food industries",
"people's lack of concern about food shortages"
],
"que... | Up to two-fifths of a food crop is often wasted because it is "ugly", a report on food waste has shown.
Produce grown in the UK that does not meet retailer standards on appearance is often given to animals or thrown out even though it is healthy to eat.
The report from the UK's global food security program also showed that the average household throws away more than 5kg of food a week, and nearly two-thirds of that waste is avoidable.
The waste costs PS 480 a year per household on average, and PS 680 per family.
Households throw away a fifth of the food they buy, wasting it for reasons ranging from cooking too much to not using it before it goes bad, the study showed.
Consumption is the top area where food is wasted in the UK, the study said.
Farmers respond to consumer demands for high-quality food with standards that can lead to the crop being wasted. Some supermarkets have started marketing "odd shapes and sizes" of fruit and vegetables, though.
Also, more UK consumers are prepared to accept "ugly" fruit and vegetables, amid concerns over sustainability and food prices, the research said.
In developing countries, much of the loss of food occurs during post-harvesting storage, processing and packaging.
Tackling waste globally is necessary to feed a growing world population sustainably. One in eight people worldwide doesn't have enough food, the report said.
Around a third of food produced globally is lost or wasted.
Professor Tim Benton, an expert on food security at the University of Leeds, said: "Over 5 million people in the UK live in poverty, where basic food provision is a daily challenge."
Nearly 400,000 people used food banks last year, according to the Trussell Trust.
"At the same time, 15 million tons of food is wasted annually, with nearly half thrown away within UK households. Reducing the scale of losses and waste throughout the food system is a crucial step."
The report highlights priorities for research to help reduce food waste, including improving harvesting and packaging technologies and seasonal weather prediction. | high16232.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To make readers laugh."
},
"options": [
"To make readers laugh.",
"To give readers a warning.",
"To describe a delicious dinner.",
"To tell us the love of an old people."
],
"question": "Why did the author write... | As my bride of many years greeted me one evening, her voice was heard through the door, "Guess what?"
I always take a deep breath on this very leading question. "What?" I asked.
"I just won a sales contest at work and the prize is dinner for two at the new fancy restaurant down by the river front!"
Her excitement was inspiring. We knew the restaurant was superior because we could only understand parts of the menu. "See? I told you there would be a place for me to wear my new spring outfit," she shyly reminded me.
"Two can play at that game," I responded. "I will wear my gray suit, my Borsalino imported straw hat and a new silk tie. We will be dressed very well. This town will never be the same. Almost like our first date."
It was early spring and nearing dusk as the head waiter showed us to a table by a window, with a view of the river. The table was beautifully set, with a smoke-gray tablecloth decorated by bright red napkins, lemon slices in the long-stemmed water glasses, fresh flowers. A delicious meal served in such an atmosphere should be remembered a long time. As it turned out, this would probably never be forgotten.
As the shadows lengthened, the riverboats rocking in the river, I murmured, "Why don't we walk down the path like we did in Paris a few years ago? Remember the fun we had?"
Hand in hand, we walked by the stores. People smiled and nodded. Lots of smiling and nodding, in fact. "I never realized there were so many friendly people as we have seen this evening, dear," I observed.
"Probably your new straw hat. Or the fact that you're such a handsome guy," she answered.
We completed the walking tour past the store windows. After acknowledging many smiles, we found ourselves back at the restaurant, looking at our reflection in the window. It was then that I saw the reason for all the smiles.
Caught in the fly of my trousers and hanging down for all to see was a bright red napkin from the restaurant! | high20958.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": ".they live in a democratic and tolerance society"
},
"options": [
".they get much money or raise social states",
".they live in a democratic and tolerance society",
".they owns freedom and get support for sex quality",
... | "Happiness isn't just feeling good.It's good for you and for society.Happy people are more successful, have better relationships, are healthier and live longer,"said Ed Diener, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois.
Beyond your genes
Sonja, a professor of psychology at University of California Riverside, analyzed studies on identical twins and concluded that happiness is 50 percent genetic, 40 percent intentional and 10 percent circumstantial.
"Your circumstances-where you live, your health, your work, your marriage-can be tough to change .But most people are surprised that circumstances don't account for as much of their happiness as they think,"she said.
Life circumstances don't result in continuous happiness, she says, because we adapt.That new car, promotion or house feels great at first.Then we get used to it. Keeping that good feeling requires something else: control of how you act and think.
Happiness definition
To gain happiness, you need to understand what happiness is.
Martin Seligman, a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, says happiness is the pursuit of engaging and meaningful activities.
By "engaging", he means when we get so absorbed in what we are doing that we lose track of time."Meaningful" would be using what you are best at to serve others or to participate in a cause that's bigger than yourself.
"Your purpose doesn't have to be giant," says psychologist Dan Baker. "If you'reyou're your purpose can be getting into the college of your choice.When you're a parent, it can be getting your kids off to school safely and prepared for each day.
External factors
From 1981 to 2007, the World Values Survey took polls(lJ)all over the world and measured what it considers happiness and overall life satisfaction.Of the 52 countries that completed the surveys over the 17-year period, happiness increases in 45.
According to the survey analysis, economic growth helped promote happiness for some,
while Democratization and rising social tolerance contributed even more.
Democracy provides more choice, which promotes happiness.Support for sex equality and tolerance of people who are different from oneself are also strongly linked.This is not just because tolerant people are happier, but because living in a tolerant society strengthens everyone's freedom. | high21111.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Customizing and repairing iPhones."
},
"options": [
"Customizing and repairing iPhones.",
"Advertising and selling iPhones.",
"Helping students set up business.",
"Offering people medical advice."
],
"question":... | The iPhone has become one of the most popular mobile phones in the United States. An 18-year-o1d student in California has used his knowledge of the device to create his own business,gaining national recognition for his work.
Vincent Quigg is the CEO of TechWorld. His company is kind of like a hospital for iPhones,specializing in customizing and repairing iPhones. Vincent Quigg launched TechWorld while in high school. "My mom became single a couple of years ago and I had to grow up. And in order to keep my lifestyle, I had to find different ways to keep my phone, keep a car, transportation and all that stuff. So I had to find ways to be entrepreneurial." An organization cal1ed the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship. or NFTE, helped the young man get started. His mother, Carla Quigg: "He quit the class, which made me very disappointed."
"It was extremely hard for myself to find a business to start and run with it. But once I had that ' _ 'or what I knew I wanted to go with, it was really easy and extremely fun."
At the time, Vincent worked for the electronics store BestBuy. He says people always came into the store with broken electronic devices. He decided that repairing those devices was what he wanted to do. He not only re-registered for the NFTE class, but he also won the organization's national competition for best young entrepreneur.His business has grown through word-of-mouth. Vincent says he now fixes up to l0 phones per week. He earns about $l,500 each month in sales. TechWorld has two other employees. Kacee Wheeler is one of them. He works on the technical side of the business while Vincent Quigg now deals with finances and planning. He says he wants to continue to grow his business. | high2853.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "four"
},
"options": [
"three",
"four",
"five",
"six"
],
"question": "The writer had _ members in his family.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"a... | My 9-year-old daughter, Susan and 5-year-old son, Robbie went to the shopping centre with me. As we got there, we saw a big sign. It said, "Petting Zoo". The kids jumped up and asked, "Daddy, can we go?" Both my wife and I were out of work. However, I said, "Sure", giving them a quarter each. They went away, leaving only fifty cents left in my pocket.
A petting zoo is an enclosure for kids to play with little animals while parents shop. A few minutes later, I saw Susan walking along behind me. I was surprised and asked why. She said sadly, "Well, Daddy, a ticket for Petting Zoo costs fifty cents. So I gave Robbie my quarter." Then she said my family motto , "Love is Action!"
I knew no one loves little animals more than Susan. She often watched my wife and me do and say "Love is Action!", and now she had put _ it _ into her lifestyle. It had become part of her. She knew not only "Love is Action!", but also "Love is Sacrificial Action!" I was moved. We went back to the Petting Zoo. Susan stood with her hands and chin resting on the fence and just watched Robbie feeding the animals. I had fifty cents burning a hole in my pocket. I put my hand into my pocket and took out the money. Sure, I must do that! | high18948.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "is universal among parents"
},
"options": [
"should be avoided",
"is universal among parents",
"sets up dangerous states of worry in the child",
"will make the child lose interest in learning new things"
],
"que... | In bringing up children, every parent watches eagerly the child's acquisition of each new skill -- the first spoken words, the first independent steps, or the beginning of reading and writing. It is often tempting to hurry the child beyond his natural learning rate, but this can set up dangerous feelings of failure and states of worry in the child. This might happen at any stage. A baby might be forced to use a toilet too early, a young child might be encouraged to learn to read before he knows the meaning of the words he reads. On the other hand, though, if a child is left alone too much, or without any learning opportunities, he loses his natural enthusiasm for life and his desire to find out new things for himself.
Parents vary greatly in their degree of strictness towards their children. Some may be especially strict in money matters. Others are severe over time of coming home at night or punctuality for meals. In general, the controls represent the needs of the parents and the values of the community as much as the child's own happiness.
As regards the development of moral standards in the growing child, consistency is very important in parental teaching. To forbid a thing one day and excuse it the next is no foundation for morality . Also, parents should realize that "example is better than _ ". If they are not sincere and do not practice what they preach , their children may grow confused when they grow old enough to think for themselves, and realize they have been to some extent fooled.
A sudden awareness of a marked difference between their parents' principles and their morals can be a dangerous disappointment. | high3595.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The second part."
},
"options": [
"The last part.",
"The third part.",
"The second part.",
"The first part."
],
"question": "Which of the four parts of the ant philosophy means \"look ahead\"?",
"question_ty... | Over the years I've been teaching my grandchildren about a simple but powerful concept--the ant philosophy. I think everybody should study ants.
They have an amazing four-part philosophy, and here is the first part: Ants never quit. If they're headed somewhere and you try to stop them, they'll look for another way. They'll climb over, or around. They keep looking for another way to get where they're supposed to go. What a great philosophy.
Second, ants think summer all winter. That's an important perspective. You can't be so childish as to think summer will last forever. So ants are gathering their winter food in the middle of summer.
The third part of the ant philosophy is that ants think winter all summer. That is so significant. During the winter ants remind themselves, "This won't last long; we'll soon be out of here." And on the first warm day, the ants are out. If it turns cold again, they'll dive back down, but then they come out on the first warm day. They can't wait to get out.
And here's the last part of the ant philosophy. How much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All he possibly can. What an incredible philosophy, the "all-you-possibly-can" philosophy.
Wow, what a great lecture to attend--the ant seminar! | high16965.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "carry an advertisement"
},
"options": [
"leave a note",
"present a document",
"send an invitation",
"carry an advertisement"
],
"question": "This text is meant to",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | Teachers of Physics Needed for (be Middle School in Kent
Start date: Sept. 1st,2014
Hours; Full Time
Are you skilled in teaching physics? If yes, come and join us!
This school follows the idea that learning is joyful. It offers a friendly and supportive environment for its teachers and students. The primary concern is to train students' creative ability. Students enjoy benefit from positive relationships with the staff.
Requirements:
Patience with students.
--Ability to inspire students.
--Experience in teaching physics.
Excellent knowledge of physics.
Please Note: What is basic for this post is a teacher's certificate !
To apply or find more information, please consult our secretary Helen Brown. Office Tel. 0800-22-829. | high18790.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "prove his dedication to a Hindu god"
},
"options": [
"show the wealth of his kingdom",
"reflect the peculiar culture of Asia",
"prove his dedication to a Hindu god",
"treat it as a sign of his power"
],
"questio... | Angkor Wat (City Temple) is a vast temple complex near Siem Reap, about 200 miles from the capital of Phnom Penh in Cambodia. After the city of Angkor fell to invaders, Angkor Wat fell into the jungle but continued as a Buddhist temple and a pilgrimage site over the centuries.
Angkor Wat is the best preserved example of Khmer architecture in Cambodia and is so grand in design that some rank it among the Seven Wonders of the World. It appears on the Cambodian national flag, a very rare instance of a flag incorporating an image of a building.
The "lost city" of Angkor first attracted the interest of Europeans in the 1800s after Cambodia was colonized by the French. In addition to many tourists, Buddhist monks are daily visitors to Angkor Wat, their bright orange robes making a vivid contrast with the grey stone of the temple.
The city of Angkor was capital of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th centuries. The city of Angkor was founded on political and religious ideas adapted from India, and the temples of Angkor were intended as a place of worship for the king.
Angkor Wat was built by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century as a vast funeral temple that would hold his remains, and as a royal temple dedicated to a Hindu God.
During its six centuries as imperial capital, Angkor went through many changes in architectural styles and in religion. By the late 13th century, the once crazy pace of Angkor's architectural pursuits had begun to die down, and a more restrained type of religion was on the rise under the growing influence of Theravada Buddhism.
At the same time, Angkor and Khmer Empire were increasingly threatened and attacked by invading armies. By the 16th century , the golden age of Angkor was over and many of the great temples began to recede into the jungle.
From the 15th to 19th centuries, Theravada Buddhist monks cared for Angkor Wat, and it is thanks to them that the temple remains mostly intact. Angkor Wat became one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Southeast Asia. | high23706.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "help train teachers"
},
"options": [
"take a trip",
"visit a school",
"take training classes",
"help train teachers"
],
"question": "Marilyn went to Liberia to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
}... | Dear Bridge of Hope supporters,
July 2010 was a productive month for the teachers at BOH. Marilyn traveled to Liberia and helped Kathleen Ngenda with her teacher training program on Basic Adult Literacy. During the eight-day training, she helped the teachers learn to pronounce, spell and write correctly. They are currently working on personal sets of cards and lists so that they can teach this concept to students in the fall. Kathleen plans on two trips back to the school to monitor teachers in their teaching.
Marilyn found a very dedicated and enthusiastic group of elementary teachers who are focused on bettering themselves as educators. BOHUSA will offer financial support for their further educational studies this fall. Our goal is to have all staff be certified by the end of 2013.
The Liberian government recommends a C-certificate for teachers of elementary students, which can be obtained in one year of education classes (taken on Saturdays).
There is a great need to add seventh and eighth grade classrooms and a library. There is actually no room, however, and so we need to add a second floor. Currently the ground floor houses the church and the school uses this space for daily services. The first floor would give space for three more classrooms, in addition to a large reading room and computer labs. About $40,000 to 50,000 is required to meet the educational needs.
If you would like to contribute to this building project, please make out your check to:
Bridge of Hope
12002 Arnold Rd.
Orrville, Ohio 44667
Bridge of Hope Foundation is a non-profit organization. You do not have to pay tax on your contributions. | high616.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To tell her parents she had failed her exams."
},
"options": [
"To tell her parents about the fire.",
"To ask for a lot of money.",
"To tell her parents she had failed her exams.",
"To tell her parents she had to leave ... | Sarah Williams went to a boarding school. Here is one of the
letters she wrote to her parents from the school.
Wentworth Girls' School
Beachside
July 20th
Dearest Mom and Dad,
I'm afraid I have some very bad news for you. I have been very naughty and the school principal is very angry with me. She is going to write to you. You must come and take me away from here. She does not want me in the school any longer.
The trouble started last night when I was smoking in bed. This is against the rules, of course. We are not supposed to smoke at all.
As I was smoking, I heard footsteps coming towards the room. I did not want a teacher to catch me smoking, so I threw the cigarette away.
Unfortunately, the cigarette fell into the waste-paper basket, which caught fire.
There was a curtain near the waste-paper basket which caught fire, too. Soon the whole room was burning.
The principal phoned for the fire department. The school is a long way from the town and by the time the fire department arrived, the whole school was in flames. Many of the girls are in the hospital.
The principal says that the fire was all my fault and you must pay for the damage. She will send you a bill for about a million dollars.
I'm very sorry about this.
Much love,
Sarah
P. S. None of the above is true, but I have failed my exams. I just want you to know how bad things could have been! | high1382.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "giving care"
},
"options": [
"teaching",
"exploring",
"making things",
"giving care"
],
"question": "Professor Maja Mataric mainly focused on robots' function of _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | The global population is living longer,and getting older,which presents new challenges. "The question becomes:who will take care of everyone? While people will always be the best caregivers for people,there just aren't enough people. That's where robotic technology can really make a difference," says Professor Maja Mataric at the University of Southern California.
Her group is developing robots to work with stroke patients and elderly people. The research team has found that people react well to a robot gym instructor,and seem to get less frustrated with it than with instructions given on a computer screen. The robot can act as a perfect trainer,with infinite patience.
"People say things like 'I prefer this robot to my husband!Can I take it home?'" according to Professor Mataric. "In fact there's a really important point here. As we create these care giving technologies,we're helping not only the people that need the care,but also the people caring for them. We can give them a break,and help them avoid _ ."
People are going to have to like,and importantly trust robots before they welcome them into their homes,and several groups around the world are working on making it easier to communicate with them.
Much of human communication takes place through body language. Gestures, eye contact , and concepts of personal space are all things that robots are being taught. In learning about how people interact with machines,researchers are also discovering new roles for robots in our lives. Robots can communicate with humans in ways that other technologies can not.
"If someone finds the robot to be more persuasive and more reliable,that's going to affect how they interact with it," says Dr Cynthia Breazeal, director of the Personal Robots Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "We can now start to think about fields where it's the social interaction,which is the main means by which a robot helps someone." Dr Breazeal says that means robots could be used in education,learning,and health care,where social support is important. | high9906.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "their social roles are strictly determined"
},
"options": [
"their social roles are strictly determined",
"most boys would like to follow their fathers' jobs",
"boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their moth... | There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do.
In the ancient world, as is today, most boys play with some kinds of toys and most girls with another. In societies where social roles are strictly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers. This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world.
What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same. It is the universality of toys about their development in all parts of the world and their continuing to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, the Americas, China, Japan and among the Arctic peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles.
Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological progress that characterizes inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of advancement. The progress from a rattle used by a baby in 3,000 BC to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of materials then ready for use. (words: 285 ; time : 5ms) | high22418.txt |
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