questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "support poor people out of poverty"
},
"options": [
"make money out of the poor",
"support poor people out of poverty",
"set up more charity organizations",
"encourage economic growth worldwide"
],
"question": "... | Millions of families around the world have been given a helping hand out of poverty by micro-credits. These very small loans , usually less than US$200, have enabled the very poorest people to set up or expand businesses and become self-sufficient.
The micro-credit movement started with Professor Muhammad Yunus, who founded the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Professor Yunus, who won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, used his own money to set up a bank to benefit the poorest people in Bangladesh--families living on less than US$1 a day. There are now hundreds of organizations around the world following his blueprint to help people escape from poverty.
So how does the system work? Local microfinance institutions (MFIs) make contact with families and offer loans, usually to women, to enable them to start or expand a business. These are very poor people who would not normally be able to get credit, but as no collateral is required they can get micro-credits. They pay back the loan on a weekly basis, over six months to a year.
A very important aspect to the success of the micro-credit system is that receivers get local support. The MFIs educate local communities about ways to improve their lives, and offer practical support as well as collecting weekly loans payments. They encourage people to help each other, so that the whole community can pull itself out of poverty. MFIs may also help with literacy and health problems.
Micro-credits are mainly given to women. Experience has shown that women are more motivated to improve their children's lives and will spend the money they make on better nutrition and schooling for their children. This may be the first chance they've had to contribute financially to the family, and their status in the home and the local community is raised.
The micro-credit system is not charity. The payments are fixed-term loans and interest is charged. The costs of making such small loans, collecting them and giving personal support are high. This is shown in the interest rates, which range from 15 to 35 percent. Despite this, the repayment rate is very high, between 95 and 98 per cent, showing that micro-credit clients really value this opportunity to leave poverty behind. | high18427.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "lots of women in Shanghai have cancer"
},
"options": [
"the women with cancer in Shanghai",
"lots of women in Shanghai have cancer",
"the five most common cancer forms among women in Shanghai",
"The prevention and contr... | "ONE in every 50 Shanghai women has cancer, a total of more than 140,000 women currently living in the city, and cancer statistics are based on citizens with permanent residency ," officials from the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention said ahead of International Women's Day on Friday.
However, they said the city's rate of cancer in women was rising slowly along with its rising number of elderly people. Early screening for breast, colorectal and cervical cancers can help prevent 30 percent of cancer cases.
Breast, colorectal, lung, gastric and thyroid cancers are the five most common cancer forms among women, with breast cancer accounting for 16 percent of Shanghai's new cases each year and colorectal cancer 13 percent. Cervical cancer, although only the 12th leading cancer in women in Shanghai, is particularly common among women between 25 and 54 years old. Dr Zheng Ying, director of the center's tumor prevention and control department, said , "breast, colorectal and cervical cancers accounted for 32 percent of female cancers". He added, " However, the three types of cancer can be detected and treated properly through early and regular screening. Our main target of women's cancer prevention education this year is breast cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer."The prevention and control of colorectal cancer will be a new public health project this year with the city government promoting a community-based screening program.
Experts say women over 20 should examine their breasts every month and have annual clinical checks after the age of 35. Women over 50 should have mammograms(X) every two years. For cervical cancer, women over 20 should be checked every three years. Women over 50 years old should have annual medical checks. Zheng said anyone with a family history of the three types of cancer should be aware of the need for more frequent examinations and early screening. | high5535.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "S W France"
},
"options": [
"S W France",
"The Blakeney Hotel",
"Willapark Manor Hotel",
"The Country Garden Hotel"
],
"question": "All of the following hotels are close to the sea EXCEPT _ .",
"question_... | The Bay Hotel. It's a quiet, comfortable hotel overlooking the bay in an uncommercialised Cornish fishing village on England's most southerly point. If pop music is no longer your strong point, and you are considering a relaxing holiday where the scenery is breathtaking and the sound of the sea is live music to your ears, come and stay with us. For adults only. Sssh! Don't tell everyone! 01326 280464
Willapark Manor Hotel. Peaceful situation in 14 acres of separated gardens and woodland, overlooking picturesque bay. Close to coastal path and beach. Excellent cuisine. Our excellent service brings our guests back year after year. Children (reductions) and pets welcome. 01840 770782
The Country Garden Hotel. Delightful hotel set in lovely gardens; calm Island of Wight near Tennyson Downs, Great food! Garden, sea view and ground floor rooms. Please call for brochure and sample menu. Adults only and pets welcome. 0800 980 1943
Boscastle. Romantic 17th Century farmer's cottage in countryside with splendid coastal views. Well- equipped. Sleeps 5. Regret no pets/smoking.
Garden with furniture. Brochure: 01633 450417
Godshill. 4 star self-served units. Non smoking. Sleeps 2 - 4. Open all year. Good walks. Close to pubs. Peaceful. Cosy. No pets. Brochure: 01983 840371
The Blakeney Hotel. Overlooking harbour, traditional privately owned friendly hotel with bedrooms, lift, heated indoor pool, spa bath and saunas. Relax, walk, sail, play golf, explore the villages, countryside and coast. Special seasonal midweek price for aged citizens. 01263 7407
S W France. Rural setting near Cordes. Two beautifully repainted old houses, sleeps 4/5, Gardens, woodland, pool, views, excellent walks. Available all year round. Outstanding. 01962 776967 | high18341.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Tolstoy's worldview didn't suit the Russian s in the last century"
},
"options": [
"Experts hold the view that Russian people think little of Tolstoy",
"Western people believe Tolstoy provides good solutions to today's issue",
... | This year marks the 100thanniversary of Leo Tolstoy's death. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest novelists of all time. Much of the West is marking the anniversary with new translations of the author's works, including War and Peace. Movies are being released, including a black-and-white documentary and a feature film. In short, everyone is celebrating. Everyone, that is, except for people in Tolstoy's home country, Russia.
The English newspaper the Guardian reports that the Russian government has scheduled nothing for November, the official anniversary of Tolstoy's death. The quiet is amazing, considering the importance of this man's contribution to global culture.
"Across the whole world there is a huge Tolstoy boom ," Andrei Deryabin, co-producer of a new film about the author's final days titled The Last Station, told the Guardian. "He's esteemed everywhere apart from here in Russia."
Experts explain the government's silence in various ways. Some refer to Tolstoy's disagreement with state-backed religion. Tolstoy's Christian views often _ those of the Roman Catholic church.
His great grandson, Vladimir Ilyich Tolstoy, thinks Russia's cool attitude has more to do with history and the author's positive worldview. After all, the last century was a difficult one of the country's people. The darker writings of Fyodor Dostoevsky, he says, better fit the national character. Tolstoy hopes that as Russians grow more optimistic they will rediscover one of their own national treasures.
"Tolstoy gives positive answers to the questions mankind is asking," he told the Guardian. " In this sense he gives more hope. I hope the 21stcentury is Tolstoyan." | high20806.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "life in different cities"
},
"options": [
"mother",
"father",
"school life",
"life in different cities"
],
"question": "Thanks to his _ ,Du Kun could write his books.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | Du Kun,a Chinese boy is called"the youngest writer in the world."He has written three books till now.Du Kun was born in Jiangsu in 1994.When he was 7 months old.his parents started working in over 30 different cities,such as xi'an and Shenzhen.This kind of life gave him things to think and write about.When he was 9 months old,he could speak and at the age of one,he could say five to six hundred words.At three,he could look up words in the dictionary.At four,his father taught him how to learn by himself.His parents like reading very much.So does he.At the age of 5,he began writing fairy tales.At the age of 6.he wrote a novel about his life in different cities with his parents.His fairy tales are all from his life.One day,he found many mice in the house.They not only ate their food but also hurt his mother's hand.So he thought,"If we give mice the stomach of cows,they will eat grass and they will be helpful to people."This was his first fairy tales Change Stomach for Mice.Now he studies well in a middle school.
He has written his third book.The novel called Eyes of Children.He says," _ ,I just wrote several books." | high11403.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "some bits about pocket money in Britain"
},
"options": [
"teenagers everywhere get pocket money",
"how to spend pocket money",
"some bits about pocket money in Britain",
"how to get pocket money"
],
"question": ... | Most British parents give their teenagers pocket money.Teenagers get betweenPS7 andPS20 a week.They spend it on fast food,designed clothes,the cinema,concert,magazines and mobile phones.
1)Lazy parents?
37%of parents pay teenagers to clean the living room,66%of parents pay teenagers to take the rubbish out.
2)Lazy teens?
51%of teenagers don't make their beds before they leave home.
Only 1 3%of teenagers wash the car for money.
Some parents even pay their teenagers to do their homework.
3)Equality?Not Yet!
Boys get more money than girls for most odd jobs.
For washing the dishes,boys get aboutPS4 and girls get aboutPS1.
4)And if you need some more money?
Teens get an extraPS250 a year out of their parents on top of pocket money!
About 50%of teens get gifts or money from their grandparents.
Go to Mum if you need extra money! She gives more than Dad.
5)Where you live makes a difference!
Parents in Scotland and the North of England give more pocket money.
6)Spending
51%of teenagers spend their money on clothes.
39%of teenagers buy cosmetics ,jewellery and toiletries .
Less than 30%of teenagers save any money.
7)Earnings
Here are some children who tell us about their pocket money:
Emma:I getPS30 a month.I have to take the rubbish out and tidy my room.
James:I getPS10 a week.But I have to clean the car,hoover the house and load and unload the dishwasher.I usually save the money.
Lain:I getPS7.50 a week.I have to be"good"but I don't have to do any jobs for the money.
Richard;I getPS5 a week.But our neighbors go away a lot and they give mePS25 a week for looking after their cats. | high15665.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "\"reeit\""
},
"options": [
"\"hou's it gaun\"",
"\"reeit\"",
"\"eyyup\"",
"\"ahhdu\""
],
"question": "People from North West greet each other by saying _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | If you have seen or heard of the British TV series Downton Abbey, you have probably noticed an "upstairs-downstairs" class system in which the noble people are upstairs, worrying what clothes they should wear for dinner and the poor people are downstairs, working hard to make food and tea. So it's not hard to tell that people are divided into different classes. British society has changed a lot since the days of Downton Abbey, but the division still exists and the funny accents do, too.
Nowadays, what divides Britons is the so-called "North-South divide". As you make your way north from the south coast of England, the accent begins to change. The posh "How are you" in parts of the South becomes "Ahhdu" (how do you do) in the Midlands, "reeit" (are you all right) in the North West, "eyyup" (what's up) in Yorkshire, and "hou's it gaun" (how's it going) in Scotland. Besides accents, the economy also changes. The rich southern city of London slowly becomes the North where people general have less money.
So where does the "South" stop being the "South" and the "North" start being the "North"? Well, depending on where someone comes from in Britain, you'll get a different answer.
"Anywhere above London is 'the North'," you might hear a Londoner say. Or if you're in Scotland, you might hear, "Southern softer!", talking about a person from Lancashire or Yorkshire, who think of themselves as "hard (tough) Northerners". "Anywhere south of Manchester is not northern," you might hear a person from Manchester say.
Many stereotypes have come from the "North-South Divide", too. Often, southerners are seen as being rude and snobbish by northerners. And northerners are often seen as uneducated by southerners.
Today, the career you have and the person you marry don't depend on where you were born or what class you are from. But as London is getting richer and people are moving to the South for work, the North-South divide is getting bigger. Yet for all that divides us, the truth is, we couldn't live without each other! | high8011.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They want to get immediate success or quick money."
},
"options": [
"They are not fully aware of the danger.",
"They don't know how to protect themselves.",
"They want to get immediate success or quick money.",
"They do... | Today's world is very unsafe for children. We all listen to news of child abduction everyday on TV and feel concerned about the safety of our children. So, it is necessary for parents to know about the methods of protecting children from illegal elements and criminals. GPS tracking system comes in handy for such a purpose and gives a sigh of relief to the worried parents. With the help of GPS child tracking device you can locate your child
easily at any time.
GPS child tracking system is also very helpful for watching the activities of teenagers.This age is called the most risky age, as in this age it is very easy to attract child towards effortless shortcut ways of achieving success. money etc. Bad-intentioned people try to misuse the innocence of children. With the GPS child tracking system, you can keep a watch on your child and prevent him from falling in bad company.
A less than 2 inches square device, it is very easy to operate and doesn't need much technical expertise . You can put it in the backpack of your child. With this device, you can keep a watch on your child 24 hours via your personal computer. If you witness some threat or if the child feels some danger in any situation, he can press the SOS button. The device is easily rechargeable and battery runs 18~24 hours after each recharge. | high13214.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To lead into the topic of yawning."
},
"options": [
"To explain why humans yawn.",
"To explain how humans start yawning.",
"To lead into the topic of yawning.",
"To complain about being woken up by the clock."
],
... | Can you remember a morning when you've woken up to the ring of your alarm clock and wished you could stay in bed? You haven't slept well, your hair is a mess. Worse, you can't stop yawning. Yawning is universal to humans and many animals. Cats, dogs and fish yawn just like humans do! Yawning is an involuntary(,) action during which you open your mouth and breathe deeply. The average duration of a yawn is about 6 seconds.
The purpose and cause of yawning are still a mystery. Scientists are not sure what causes a yawn. People yawn when they are tired or bored, but they also yawn when they aren't. There are many ideas explaining why we yawn.
One idea is that yawning is a way for the body to become more alert by taking in more oxygen. A yawn increases the heart rate, forces carbon dioxide out of the lungs and blood stream, and brings oxygen to the brain. But one study showed that volunteers given a lot of oxygen did not yawn any less than before, while those given a lot of carbon dioxide did not yawn more.
Another idea is that early humans used yawning as a form of communication. If one decided it was time to sleep, they would tell the others by yawning and they would do it in return to show they agreed.
A third explanation comes from psychology professor Gordon Gallup of University at Albany in New York. He said that as people yawn, they cool off their brains. "Brains are like computers." he said. "They only operate efficiently and effectively when they're cool. Many things connected to yawning, like being tired, make the brain hot, and yawning can reduce the heat."
Scientists have sent people into space, and created terrible nuclear weapons, but there are lots of seemingly simple things, such as why we yawn, or hiccup , that they can't figure out. Next time you are in class in the morning, let out a big yawn and watch to see how many of your classmates yawn in response! | high1753.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "confidence"
},
"options": [
"admitting your shortcomings",
"self criticism",
"modesty",
"confidence"
],
"question": "According to the passage, _ plays an important role in making friends.",
"question_type"... | Many of us mistakenly believe that it's wrong to think we have any good qualities. We may spend a lot of time blaming ourselves for our negative qualities, thinking that self criticism is the key to improving our performance. However, a constant focus on our supposed shortcomings can stop our efforts to make friends with other people. How can we believe that others could like us if we believe our inner being is flawed?
If someone seems to dislike you, the reason for that dislike might have little or nothing to do with you. The person who doesn't like you might be fearful, or shallow or busy or shy. Perhaps you and that person are simply a mismatch for each other at this particular time.
Don't take yourself out of the game by deciding that your flaws are bigger than your good qualities. In fact, some of the very qualities you consider to be flaws may be irresistible to someone else. Although some factors that might cause one person to reject you, there are at least many factors that will work in your favor.
You might be thirty pounds over your ideal weight, but you may have a wonderful laugh and a real enthusiasm for life. There are many people who don't mind your extra pounds. You may drive a shabby car, but you might be a great dancer and a loyal friend. There are people out there looking for loyalty, or fun, or sweetness, or wisdom, and the package it comes in is not important. If you are worried that you are not beautiful enough to attract friends, keep in mind that not everyone is looking for physical beauty in their friends. You can decide to feel inferior because you don't have much money and you don't drive a nice car. You can believe that this is the reason
that you don't have many friends in your life. On the other hand, if you are very wealthy you may be suspicious that everyone is after your money and that nobody really likes you as a person.
The point is that you can focus on just about anything and believe it's the reason you do not have friends and cannot make any. | high7336.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "amuse readers"
},
"options": [
"amuse readers",
"tell an exciting adventure",
"praise Larry Belmont's bravery",
"show the danger of travelling through a forest"
],
"question": "The purpose of this passage is to ... | Once an Englishman named Larry Belmont went to Russia for a holiday. After he got back, some of his friends came. "I had a very dangerous trip while I was in Russia," Larry said. "I went to see a friend in the country when the sun went down, I was still travelling through a forest in a sleigh . It was a long way from my friend's house when about twenty wolves began to follow my sleigh." www.ks5u.com
"It was very dark in the forest. There was thick snow on the ground. First I heard the wolves. The noise was terrible! Then I saw long, grey forms among the trees, and soon the wolves were near me. They were running very fast, and they didn't seem to get tired like the horses."
"What did you do?" one of Larry's friends asked.
"When the wolves got very near," Larry answered, "I put up my gun and shot the first wolf dead. Then all the other wolves stopped and ate it, so my sleigh got away from them for a few minutes. Then they finished their meal, and I heard them coming again. The moon was shining brightly on the snow now, and after a few minutes I saw them running among the trees once more. They came nearer again, and then I shot another one of them, and the others stopped once more to eat it. The same thing happened again, and my horses became more and more tired and ran slower and slower until, after two hours, only one wolf was still alive and following me."
"Wasn't it too fat to run?" one of Larry's friends asked. | high8005.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "it is a famous place in the world."
},
"options": [
"summer heat keeps Americans away",
"experiencing the heat in it is cool",
"it is a series of salt flats",
"it is a famous place in the world."
],
"question": ... | Death Valley is the lowest, hottest, driest area in North America. This California National Park has less than 5 cm of rainfall a year and temperature up to 53degC in summer. That's enough to keep Americans away during the hottest months from June to August. But it is the high temperature and terrible heat that draw their most crazy fans, the foreign tourists. From all over the world, they come to the valley floor in cars, carrying maps and water bottles, and fanning themselves with newspapers to keep cool.
About 1.3 million visitors enter the park each year, from June through August. 90% of them are foreigners. They go there to experience the summer heat that gives Death Valley its name. The average high in July is 53.2 degC and the low 30 degC. For August, the average high is 52.2 degC and the low 29.4 degC.
So what do Americans think of the foreign visitors who arrive for the heat, just when locals from the United States try to avoid it? Park manager Brenda Henson says, " The foreigners want to experience the heat in Death Valley. We think it's crazy."
In fact, Death Valley is a series of salt flats 225 km long and 6 km to 26 km wide. Birds and animals are largely absent, and only the
plants have some chance of existence in this extreme place.
One tourist from Paris concluded, " We come to it because we can tell all our friends and family that we've been to the hottest place in the world." | high15671.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The author cares more about looking good before her girlfriends."
},
"options": [
"The author is disappointed that few men take notice of her slim figure.",
"The author cares more about looking good before her girlfriends.",
... | I feel it enormous responsibility, as a mother of two little girls, to lead you down a path that is relatively healthy when it comes to beauty and self-image.
In a lot of women's eyes I've probably already failed in that respect due to the amount of pink princess Barbie mess cluttering up Vera's room. But I will say something about Barbie: I played with that stuff for a solid decade when I was growing up and here I am now at a healthy weight with a healthy outlook on my body and image. I have a successful career. If Barbie was really so damaging to my femininity and self-image I highly doubt I could list all of the accomplishments.
But I get it too. It's hard for women to maintain a healthy self-image. I have girlfriends around whom I have to brace myself to see, because just being around them makes me self-conscious. I look at old pictures of my mother and wonder why I've never been able to be as skinny as she was. And then I have friends who are thinner than their mothers ever were. We women go round and round in circles, holding hands and trying to be one another sometimes. Men like to think we dress and style ourselves for them, but why would we when they hardly notice? I've never tried so hard to look good when I know I'm about to meet up with a stylish girlfriend. It's she who will notice my slimmed-down waist or the thinnest, little bracelet on my arm.
And I have no doubt that the two of you, Veronica and Juliette, will endlessly compare yourselves to each other. You will wonder why one of you got longer legs or shinier hair. The thing I'll tell you is this: not even the prettiest of us feel settled. The girl you think looks the most perfect in the world is probably the girl who wants to change herself more than anyone else.
Don't take these on. You are not worthless. You are so full of love and light and you should let it shine through your every second. If someone pushes you down for standing tall then just push yourself back up and stand even taller. And know that the reason they push you down in the first place is just because they're scared. | high6028.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "19 South 8th St. NY. 13214"
},
"options": [
"237 Rockledge St. Syracuse, NY. 13224",
"404 Snow Road, Syracuse, NY. 13224",
"500 Park Drive, DeWitt, NY. 13214",
"19 South 8th St. NY. 13214"
],
"question": "If you... | Help Wanted:
PAINTER
Must have at least 3 years painting experience. Commercial and new construction work. $ 10/hr. Immediate opening. Call 435-9201 with work history.
SECRETARY
Part-time position available in friendly, busy office. Good typing and general office skills. Some weekends required. High pay.
Various duties. Apply at East Side Management, 500 Park Drive, DeWitt, NY. 13214.
VETERINARIAN ASSISTANT
Person needed for busy animal hospital. Some nights and weekends.
Apply in person to Johnson-Marks Animal Hospital, 404 Snow Road, Syracuse, NY. 13224.
After 4 p.m. only please.
NURSES' ASSISTANTS
Full-time and part-time positions available for modern nursing home.
High pay. Call Mrs. Downes, R.N. at 534-7618.
COOK NEEDED
Immediately. Busy downtown restaurant. Must be good and dependable.
Experience preferred. Weekends required. Call 324-9817.
SALESPERSON
Experienced. Must have some knowledge of men's clothing industry. Available to work evenings and some Saturdays. Send resume to: Martin's Apparel, 237 Rockledge St. Syracuse, NY. 13224.
TEACHER
Small private school needs English and math teachers. Must have BS degree and at least 4 years teaching experience. Send resume to: Wales Charter School 19 South 8th St. NY. 13214.
HOTEL needs part-time FRONT DESK CLERK. No experience necessary. Excellent people and phone skills a must. Some computer skills helpful. $ 13/hr. Call: Mr Jones 357-2897. | high13200.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "borrows money but doesn't return"
},
"options": [
"makes people think about themselves",
"borrows money but doesn't return",
"helps people when they are in trouble",
"thinks about other people' s feelings"
],
"q... | A bully is a person who enjoys hurting other people. A bully can hurt people with words or by hitting them. 85% of children in the UK have been bullied at least once.
How can I tell if a person is a bully?
He or she will...
* try to find your weak point--perhaps you are shy, nervous or easily made worried.
* make fun of you in front of your friends.
* borrow money then won't pay you back.
What can I do if a bully bothers me?
* Tell the bully to leave you alone.
* Do not be afraid to ask other people for help, even though the bully tells you not to.
* Do not feel ashamed because you have been bullied. You have done nothing wrong! The bully should feel ashamed.
* Do not believe the bad things a bully says about you.
What should I do if I see a bully bothering someone?
* Help people who are being bullied, even though you don' t know them.
* Be a friend to people who are bullied.
* Tell a teacher if you see bullying.
* Tell bullies to stop, Sometimes bullies are afraid, too.
Why do some people become bullies?
Some bullies...
* have never learnt to think about other people' s feelings.
* don' t like themselves, so they are sad. They think they will be happy if they make another person sad.
* have been bullied themselves by other bullies.
Can bullies change? .
Yes! Bullies can change when they learn to think about other people' s feelings.
Sometimes bullies must be punished before they understand. Sometimes, bullies just need friends. | high1747.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "social connections"
},
"options": [
"neighbor communication",
"social connections",
"siblings' support",
"s' relations"
],
"question": "According to the research, if you want to be happy, you'd better have more ... | Happiness is _ , researchers reported on Thursday. The more happy people you know, the more likely you are yourself to be happy. And getting connected to happy people improves a person's own happiness. Researchers have been analyzing a collection of facts from tracking sheets dating back to 1971, following births, marriages, deaths, and divorces. Volunteers also listed the information of their closest friends, co-workers, and neighbors.
They assessed happiness with a simple, four-question test. "People are asked how often during the past week, one, I enjoyed life, two, I was happy, three, I felt hopeful about the future, and four, I felt that I was just as good as other people," Fowler said. The 60 percent of people who scored highly on all four questions were regarded as happy, while the rest were considered unhappy.
People with the most social connections -- friends, spouses , neighbors, s -- were also the happiest, the data showed. "Each additional happy person makes you happier," Christakis said.
And happiness is more infectious than unhappiness, they discovered. If a social contact is happy, it increases the possibility that you are happy by 15 percent. A friend of a friend, or the friend of a spouse or a sibling , if they are happy, increases your chances by 10 percent. A happy third-degree friend -- the friend of a friend of a friend -- increases a person's chances of being happy by 6 percent. But every extra unhappy friend increases the possibility that you'll be unhappy by only 7 percent.
The finding is interesting and useful. Among other benefits, happiness has been shown to have an important effect on reduced death rate, pain reduction, and improved heart function. So better understanding of how happiness spreads can help us learn how to promote a healthier society. Other data suggested having extra $5,000 increases a person's chances of becoming happier by about 2 percent. A happy friend is worth about $40,000. | high17066.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "How different cultures look at rats."
},
"options": [
"A trend of keeping rats as pets.",
"How different cultures look at rats.",
"How humans get along with animals.",
"Favored animals in different cultures."
],
... | The relationship between humans and animals has always been complex. Some cultures have developed entire belief systems around favored animals. Even in cultures with less formal belief systems, connections between people and animals still lead to commonly accepted opinions about animals.
These belief systems usually develop around the animals that interact with humans most frequently. Therefore, it should not be surprising that so many stories surround the most common of animals: rats. Rats live side by side with humans all over the world and regularly interact with people. Human-rat coexistence may be common all around the world, but different cultures respond to that closeness in different ways.
In the United States and Europe, one typical attitude is that the rat is a pest. This could be due to the common belief that rats spread disease. Actually, they don't, at least not directly, but many people don't know that. The Pied Piper of Hamlin, a well-known children's story, is one example of how rats have been described in Western literature: in that story, rats cause such a problem that a town has to hire a piper to call them all away.
In many Latin American countries, the rat is described in a very different way. The story of the tooth fairy (a fairy believed by children to leave money while they sleep in exchange for a tooth that has come out) is common all over the world, but in Latin America, the "fairy" is a rat! Rats do have very strong teeth, which could explain the association. Clearly, this shows another attitude toward rats that is much more positive.
Yet another attitude toward the rat can be seen in the Chinese Zodiac . The Rat is one of the animals of the Zodiac. Like the other zodiac animals, the Rat is neither entirely good nor entirely bad. It's described as clever and friendly, but also tricky and not entirely honest. That may be the most accurate description of the rat so far. Whether you like rats or not, it's hard to deny their reputation for cleverness.
As many people are discovering these days, rats can even make excellent pets, so long as you remember to close the cage carefully! | high5521.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The ocean quahog was 400 years old"
},
"options": [
"The ocean quahog got a deadly disease",
"The growth rings inside were so close together",
"it was accurate to count the growth rings outside",
"The ocean quahog was 4... | When scientists accidentally killed what turned out to be the world's oldest living creature, it was bad enough. Now, their mistake has been worsened after further research found it was even older - at 507 years.
The ocean quahog, a type of deep-sea clam, was dredged alive from the bottom of the North Atlantic near Iceland in 2006 by researchers. They then put it in a fridge-freezer, as is normal practice, unaware of its age. It was only when it was taken to a laboratory that scientists from Bangor University studied it and concluded it was 400 years old.
The discovery made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. However, by this time, it was too late for Ming the Mollusc , named after the Chinese dynasty when its life began. Unfortunately researchers who calculated Ming's age killed it instantly by opening its shell.
The researchers opened the ancient clam up to judge its age by counting growth rings inside. But the rings were so close together that scientists ended up having to count the rings on the outside to be accurate, leading CBS journalists to point out that if scientists had just started there, Ming could have lived on. Now, after examining the quahog more closely, using more advanced methods, the researchers have found the animal was actually 100 years older than they first thought.
Dr Paul Butler, from the University's School of Ocean Sciences, said: "We got it wrong the first time and maybe we were a bit hasty publishing our findings back then. But we are absolutely certain that we've got the right age now." The mollusc was born in 1499 - just seven years after Columbus discovered America and before Henry VIII had even married his first wife, Catherine of Aragon in 1509.
A quahog's shell grows by a layer every year, in the summer when the water is warmer and food is plentiful. It means that when its shell is cut in half, scientists can count the lines in a similar way that trees can be dated by rings in their trunks.
Jan Heinemeier, associate professor at the University of Denmark, who helped date Ming, told Science Nordic: "The fact that we got our hands on a 507-year-old animal is incredibly fascinating, but the really exciting thing is of course everything we can learn from studying the mollusk." | high16378.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a person's memory becomes weak if he does not practise remembering things"
},
"options": [
"arms or legs become weak if they are not used for some time",
"when they start using their arms or legs again, they slowly become strong ag... | If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they become weak. When you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows this. Yet there are many people who do not seem to know that one's memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by exercising it regularly. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong.
If a friend complains that his arms are weak, we know that it is his own fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, or that he is just unlucky, and few of us realize that it is really his own fault. Not all of us can become very strong or very clever, but all of us can improve our memory by the same means -- practice.
Have you ever noticed that people who cannot read or write usually have a better memory than those who can? Why is this? Of course, because people who can't read or write have to remember things: they cannot write them down in a little notebook. They have to remember dates, prices, names, songs and stories, so their memory is exercised all the time.
So if you want a good memory, learn from those who cannot read or write: practise remembering. | high3150.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Call\"Fire\"to warn your family members."
},
"options": [
"Call the fire department",
"Call\"Fire\"to warn your family members.",
"Collect your favorite belongings to save from the burning house.",
"Have a white sheet f... | What to do if a fire starts?
Imagine it's late at night. You hear the smoke detectors go off. You smell smoke when you wake up. Do you know what to do?
If a fire starts in your home, remember your escape plan and leave as quickly as possible. Keep the following things in mind to make a safe escape.
* Call"Fire!"to warn everyone in your family.
* If you know where the fire is, close as many doors as possible between you and the fire.
* If you're in bed, roll out of bed and onto the floor. Crawl on the floor next to a wall. Being near the ground makes it easier to breathe. If possible, cover your mouth and nose with a wet cloth.
* Feel the entire surface of a door before you open it. If the door is warm or hot, do not open it. The fire is probably right outside your room. Find another way to leave the room. If the door is cool, open it a little.
* Look out and try to see the fire. If it is safe, leave the room. Remember to stay on the floor.
* If your clothes catch fire, stop immediately. Drop to the ground and roll. Remember:Stop, drop and roll.
* Call the fire department from outside and wait for help to arrive. | high20812.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "using bluetooth connection"
},
"options": [
"connecting to another computer",
"switching off the Wi-Fi button",
"using bluetooth connection",
"connecting bluetooth to Wi-Fi"
],
"question": "People can enjoy a wi... | Imagine that you are sitting in a park and suddenly remember that you need to send an urgent email. You have your laptop computer with you and you connect it to a wireless access point and access the Internet. Then you send your email. This wouldn't have been possible if there were no wireless Internet for laptops. Wireless Internet has come into our life in so many ways that we don't even realize what a necessary part it has become of our day-to-day lives.
How do we connect to a wireless Internet service for laptop computers? There are two ways to do this. They are Wi-Fi connection and Bluetooth connection. Wireless networking is very easy. You just switch on the Wi-Fi button that has been provided in the laptop for Wi-Fi scanning. Once that is done, the computer will connect to the Internet.
An interesting fact about Wi-Fi networking is that you can create a network between similar wireless equipment. Consider a situation where you and your friend both have Wi-Fi laptops, and there is some data you want to exchange. Traditional networking architecture demands that you have a wireless router . But the beauty of Wi-Fi networking technology is that you can set up a network between you and your friend's laptop, and share all the data you want.
Broadband Internet connection is typically preferred by any user as it provides better speed for Internet surfing. Up until the invention of 3G mobile phones, Internet speed on mobile phones was very slow. 3G has the promise of changing the entire face of broadband technology. Just imagine browsing at speeds of more that 2MB per second. To give you a measure of the speed, 3G enables you to watch high quality live videos on the Internet.
It is amazing to see how technology changes and the rate at which it changes. There may come a time when you may be able to browse using mobile wireless Internet for laptops anywhere in the world. | high3636.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "His great contributions to Russian economy and social stability."
},
"options": [
"His successful economy policy",
"His outstanding ability of politics",
"His great contributions to Russian economy and social stability.",
... | Time magazine named Russian President Vladimir Putin its "Person of the Year" for 2007 on Wednesday, saying he had returned his country from chaos to "the table of world power" though at a cost of democratic principles.
He doesn't care about civil liberties; he doesn't care about free speech; he cares about stability. But Putin, 55, is enormously popular in Russia, presiding over a resurgent economy based on income from oil and natural gas. On the other hand, stability is what Russia needed and that's why Russians adore him.
Time magazine said on its Web site that Putin, the son of a factory worker had led Russia with persistence, a sharp vision and a sense that he showed the spirit of "Mother Russia".
The selection came days after Putin announced a plan to hold onto power after his term ends next year. Putin said on Monday that if his close ally ,Dmitry Medvedev, won the presidency, he would serve as Medvedev's prime minister. "Putin has put his country back on the map. And he intends to redraw it himself,"Time said. "He will continue to lead his country as its prime minister and attempt to transform it into a new kind of nation, beholden to neither East nor West."
Time said the person of the year distinction, which it has awarded since 1927, is not an endorsement or a popularity prize but a recognition of the individuals and forces that shape the world. "At significant cost of, the principles and ideas that free nations prize, (Putin) has performed an extraordinary _ of leadership in placing stability on a nation that has rarely known it and brought Russia back to the table of world power. For that reason, Vladimir Putin is Time's 2007 Person of the Year," the magazine said.
Time had earlier selected four other Kremlin leaders for the distinction: Stalin, who was chosen twice, Nikita Khrushchev, Yuri Andropov and Mikhail Gorbachev. | high11371.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Mount Everest explorers."
},
"options": [
"The telecom firm.",
"The local residents.",
"Travelers to Nepal.",
"Mount Everest explorers."
],
"question": "Who are most likely to benefit from the 3G services at Mou... | Climbers at the top of Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, will now be able to make video calls and surf the Internet on their mobile phones, a Nepalese telecom group claims.
Ncell, a branch company of Swedish phone giant TeliaSonera, said on Thursday it had set up a high-speed third-generation (3G) phone base station at an altitude of 5,200 metres in the Everest region.
"Today we made the world's highest video call from Mount Everest base camp successfully. The coverage of the network will reach up to the peak of Mount Everest," Ncell Nepal chief Pasi Koistinen told reporters in Kathmandu.
The installation will also help tens of thousands of tourists and hikers who visit the world's highest mountain every year.
Climbers who reached its 8,848-metre peak previously depended on expensive satellite phones and a voice-only network set up by China Mobile in 2007 on the Chinese side of the mountain.
"This is a great milestone for mobile communications as the 3G high speed Internet will bring faster, more affordable telecommunication services from the world's tallest mountain," said Lars Nyberg, chief executive of TeliaSonera, which owns 80 percent of Ncell.
The 3G services will be fast enough to make video calls and use the Internet, said the company, which also claimed the world's lowest 3G base at 1,400 metres below sea level in a mine in Europe.
Despite the installation in Mount Everest, telecom services cover less than one-third of the 28 million people of Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world.
TeliaSonera said it planned to invest $ 100 million in the next year to ensure that mobile coverage increases to more than 90 per cent of the Himalayan nation's population.
The 3G network on Mount Everest puts TeliaSonera ahead of state-controlled Nepal Telecom, Indian-owned United Telecom and China Mobile.
Around 3,000 people have climbed to the Everest summit since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first people to conquer the peak in 1953. | high4159.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because they are always hungry."
},
"options": [
"Because they have no time.",
"Because they are tired of them.",
"Because they are always hungry.",
"Because they have other interesting things to do."
],
"questi... | Earlier this year I traveled to Turkana in Kenya. I was there to take pictures of the "broken food system".
As a special visitor, I was greeted with songs and dances. The locals used to sing and dance all the time but now Turkana is silent and has been for some years. No one is singing or dancing any more because they have no food, nothing to celebrate. Many of them are surviving on a little corn a day and water, which they can get just every two days.
I met Tede Lokapelo, a local farmer who described the experience of a six-year drought . Tede used to have 200 goats, but now he has only seven left. He told me that this drought has taught him a hard lesson: It is too difficult to keep animals. He lives on animals. His traditional way of life has been completely destroyed now. Without the food aid they got, Tede is certain that they would starve because there are no other ways to feed themselves left.
Sadly, the same can be heard in almost any developing country around the world. Almost one billion people go to bed hungry each night. The food system is broken. In Turkana, not enough rain has fallen since 2005. They measure rainfall not in days or weeks but in minutes. More and more people are being forced to rely on food aid, but people like Tede don't want food aid. They want to work and develop their country. It's our responsibility to change the situation so that they can support themselves.
Drought is impossible to avoid but famine is manmade, and unless enough money is provided to develop a basic infrastructure for people in the area, thousands more lives are sure to be lost. | high5247.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a kind of politeness"
},
"options": [
"a nice way of refusal",
"an excuse of leaving",
"a kind of politeness",
"an expression of surprise"
],
"question": "The author thought of his friend's invitation --- \"You'... | I recently ran into a friend I hadn't seen for a long while.Our conversation was lively and full of news from both sides.Before we parted she said,"You'll have to drop in sometime." I immediately sensed that if I simply "dropped in'' I would take my friend by surprise,and I would be discouraged by the image of her standing in her doorway,staring at me,and asking,"Oh,err ...what brings you here?"
Whatever happened to the unannounced drop-in visit? When I was growing up in the 1960s, it seemed that people - mostly relatives, but also friends - were always _ . My parents would put coffee on,and my mom would find something in the kitchen to serve along with it.Then the conversation would begin...The neighbor lady,a worrier,was unloading her sadness while my mom quietly listened.The Irish man next door had such an accent that I remember asking what language he spoke.My Polish relatives arrived in packs...But I never heard my parents say anything like "We weren't expecting you'' or "This isn't a good time."Drop-in visitors had a certain right of way and became No.1.
What happened to such visits? Actually I know the answer.Times have changed.Everybody gets busy with work.There is no longer a stay-at-home mom keeping a pot of hot coffee or tea ready throughout the day for a surprise guest.Exploding malls and stores are now replacing homes as a central form of entertainment.
Just the other day a former student of mine showed up."I'm sorry for the surprise visit."my student began."I just wanted to see if you still lived here.I'll only stay a minute."My response was immediate." No, you won't," I said."Just come in, sit, have coffee, and we'll talk.''
I had nothing in the kitchen but we ordered pizza.And we had a lovely time.I have tried to keep the drop-in tradition alive though it takes some effort. | high2528.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "forbid the use of social networks during work time"
},
"options": [
"take legal action against the attackers",
"avoid posting embarrassing information",
"refuse to hire potential addicted employees",
"forbid the use of ... | By now, we are all aware that social media has had a tremendous influence on our culture, in business, on the world-at-large. Social media websites revolutionized the way people communicate and socialize on the Web. However, aside from seeing your friends' new baby on Facebook, or reading about Justin Bieber's latest conflict with the law on Twitter, what are some of the real influences?
Social networks offer the opportunity for people to re-connect with their old friends and acquaintances, make new friends, share ideas and pictures, and many other activities. Users can keep pace with the latest global and local developments, and participate in campaigns and activities of their choice. Professionals use social media sites like LinkedIn to enhance their career and business development. Students can work together with their peers to improve their academic and communication skills.
Unfortunately, there are a few downsides too to social networking. If you are not careful, immoral people can target you for cyber bullying and disturbance on social sites. School children, young girls, and women can fall victim to online attacks which can create tension and suffering. If you are a victim of cyber bullying, do not take it lying down, but try to take appropriate legal action against the attacker.
Many companies have blocked social networks as addicted employees can distract themselves on such sites, instead of focusing on work. In fact, studies show that British companies have lost billions of dollars per year in productivity because of social media addiction among employees.
Also, what you carelessly post on the Net can come back to trouble you. Revealing( ) personal information on social sites can make users vulnerable to crimes like identity theft, stalking, etc. Many companies perform a background check on the Web before hiring an employee. If a potential employee has posted something embarrassing on social media, it can greatly affect their chances of getting the job. The same holds true for our relationships too, as our loved ones and friends may get to know if we post something undesirable on social networks.
Social media has its advantages and drawbacks as each coin has two sides. It is up to each user to use social sites wisely to enhance their professional and social life, and exercise caution to ensure they do not fall victim to online dangers. | high13566.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "hearing"
},
"options": [
"speaking",
"hearing",
"saying",
"teaching"
],
"question": "We usually begin to learn our own language by _ it.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | A good memory is a great help in learning a language. Everybody learns his own language by remembering what he hears when he is a small child, and some children, like boys and girls who live abroad with their parents, seem to learn two languages almost as easily as one. In school it is not easy to learn a second language because the pupils have so little time for it, and they are busy with other subjects, too.
A man's mind is rather like a camera, but it takes photos not only of what we see but of what we feel, hear, smell and taste. When we take a real photo with a camera, there is much to do before the photo is finished and ready to show to our friends. In the same way there is much work to be done before we can keep a picture forever in our mind.
Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us. | high1021.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "blood"
},
"options": [
"blood",
"clouds",
"rain",
"life"
],
"question": "According to the passage, water is the _ of our earth.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer... | Water is the "life blood" of our earth. It is in every living thing. It is in the air. It runs through mountains and valleys. It forms lakes and oceans. Water is everywhere.
Nature has a great water system. Rain water finds its way to streams and the oceans.
Here at the mouth of a river there is much important plant and animal life. Pollution destroys this life, so we have to clean out streams and rivers. Man has to work with nature--not against it. | high14209.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because they protected themselves from being destroyed."
},
"options": [
"Because the gardener often touched them.",
"Because the wind were not strong.",
"Because they protected themselves from being destroyed.",
"Becau... | There was once a forest made up of tiny trees that were all growing up together. They had been planted by a very old gardener who took care that they would all grow up to be straight and healthy. However, the area was hit by strong winds, and the little trees preferred to avoid the annoying winds, so they bent their trunks and branches to protect themselves.
The old man, knowing they could never grow well like this, decided to straighten them out, and spent many hours tying their tiny trunks to supporting poles , hoping his beloved trees would understand he was doing this for their own good. But those naughty trees disliked all the wind. They always avoided the gardener's help by bending themselves, hiding from the wind. One of those trees, one standing right in the middle of the forest, forced itself to grow up straight, patiently bearing the annoying wind.
Three years passed, and the old man died. And from then on the trees could grow however they liked, bending from the wind just as they pleased, with no one bothering them about it. All, that was, except the single straight tree in the center of the forest, who decided to grow up just as a tree should.
But as the forest grew, and the trees got thicker and stronger, they began to hear cracks from inside. Their branches and trunks needed to keep growing, but the trees were so twisted that the growth they were experiencing only brought them pain and suffering.
And it was a place with a special beauty since, right in its center, surrounded by thousands of short twisted trees, rose one impressive tree that was long and straight like no others. And that tree, the only one that never cracked, continued growing, without a worry for the changeable wind. | high7450.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the British at home and abroad"
},
"options": [
"the British at home and abroad",
"the British in the UK",
"the foreigners in Britain",
"English learners across the globe"
],
"question": "The Weekly Telegraph in... | The Weekly Telegraph is Britain's global newspaper, the home-grown quality newspaper that delivers the best of The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph to the British around the world and adds its special articles, features and reports designed to be of real value to foreign readers.Telegraph.co.uk/expat, the website, increases the value of the newspaper, thus creating a complete expatriate support system, both online and offline.
Order a gift subscription for a friend or relation overseas this Christmas and they will begin to recognize what a useful investment your subscription represents, and you'll receive a FREE bottle of 10-year-old Tawny Port to enjoy at home in the UK.
Subscriptions will start early January 2010.Port can only be delivered to a UK address and receivers must be over 18 years of age.
For more details or for 6-month subscriptions, please contact our subscriptions department on Tel +44 (0) 1622 335080 or email weeklytelegraphsubs@telegraph.co.uk Office hours: 09:00-17:00 GMT).
Please contact weeklytelegraphsubs@telegraph.co.uk with any questions regarding your subscription.
Your money back if you are not satisfied
Our "no quibble" money-back policy means that we guarantee to return the money for your subscription in full if you are not satisfied with the first four issues.
YOUR PAYMENT
Select a zone of payment.Price is for 52 issues.
United Kingdom 105.00 GBP (Great Britain Pound)
USA 125.00 GBP
Canada/ Australia/ New Zealand 108.00 GBP
Zambia/ Zimbabwe /Tanzania 85.00 GBP
South Africa 80.00 GBP
Middle East/ Europe/ Rest of the world 80.00 GBP | high15117.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "improve memory"
},
"options": [
"improve memory",
"awaken emotions",
"mark time",
"stay in the mind"
],
"question": "According to the author,music can NOT _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{... | The music of your teenage years probably will stay with you for the rest of your life.I think music is deeply connected with memory because of the emotions it awakens.Music also helps to mark time because of the way the fashions and stars of pop culture come and go.I often connect some summers with particular records ( ) that came out while I was on holiday.But what's really the best way to record your youth? Is it your favorite song, or a picture of the singer?
In my teenage years, one of the special things about Britain was the huge amount of information about music.There were 3 weekly newspapers about music:Sounds, Melody Maker and the New Musical Express.Buying records was expensive and it also meant making a choice.So it was wise to read about music instead, and in some ways, it was actually better as well.It was possible for a group to get onto the front cover of one of the music papers without even having made any records--but they needed things to say for the reporters to write about.In fact, the best pop stars of the 1980s were people whose main talent was exactly _ .They weren' t great musicians or singers and they weren't especially goodlooking, but they had some unusual acts or habits and a nice way with clever phrases.They were ideal for filling music papers.
When The Face magazine first came out in May, 1980, it was meant to be a rock magazine.I have given away or sold all the records I bought as a teenager, but I think my old copies of The Face will stay with me for ever.Although it started out as a source of information about music, the writers quickly realized that it wasn't really the music that was important--it was the way people spoke and acted, and, above all, the way they looked. | high6996.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She married a music producer."
},
"options": [
"She lives in her hometown with her family now.",
"She graduated from Berklee at the age of 28.",
"She married a music producer.",
"She has released four albums."
],
... | Singer and songwriter Corrinne May's songs always try to express hope, joy and "a deeper beauty and meaning to the everyday moments of life."
Music seemed to play a part in May's life from the very beginning. Her parents say she hummed songs from the time she was two or three. May began taking classical piano lessons when she was five and started writing songs when she was eight. She won her first songwriting contest at 15.
May didn't always want to be a singer. In fact, at the National University of Singapore, May studied communications and English literature, planning to become a reporter. But upon graduation, her calling to do music was so strong that she decided to study in America at Berklee College of Music.
In 1999, after graduating from Berklee, May went to Los Angeles. She still lives there with her music producer husband, Kavin, and daughter, Claire.
In 2001 at the age of 28, May released her first album, "Corrinne May" and won an award. Since then, she has produced four more albums. May's university education turned out to be excellent preparation for writing music. She may not have become a reporter, but she learned to find material for her songs about daily life. Her understanding of literature also added beauty to her lyrics.
One personal turning point for May came in 2007 when she had a small heart operation. After that, she "began to look deeper into things I had once ignored."
May's song "Beautiful Seed" grew out of this. The song encourages people to go after their dreams and compares every person to a seed with the ability to change the world and her experiences have changed her from a "beautiful seed" into the artist she is today. | high12678.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To share the story of Finland's success in education."
},
"options": [
"To introduce a Finnish official.",
"To share the story of Finland's success in education.",
"To compare the education systems of Finland and the US.",
... | Forty years ago, Finland was a small country with ordinary public schools. Today, Finland is still small but no one calls Finland's public schools ordinary anymore.
In 2000, the Finns surprised the world when their 15yearolds scored at the top of a closelywatched international exam called the PISA, the Program for International Student Assessment. Finland has stayed near the top ever since, while the US scores around the middle.
Pasi Sahlberg, an official of Finland's Ministry of Education and Culture, is in Seattle this week to share the story of Finland's success, and what states like Washington can learn from it.
Sahlberg's message, although he is too polite to put it so directly: Stop testing so much. Trust teachers more. Give less homework. Shorten the school day.
On Tuesday, in a room filled with teachers, principals, professors, schoolboard members and policy makers, Sahlberg joked about the Finns' reputation for being a quiet, humble people. When Finland hit the top of the PISA, he said, the biggest disbelievers were Finns.
More seriously, he said, Finland never set out to create the world's top school system. Instead, he said, the country decided in the 1970s that it wanted to ensure that a student's success didn't depend on family background.
To achieve that goal, Finland relied on cooperation among teachers and schools, rather than on competition.
Rather than judges teachers and schools based on test scores, he said, Finland puts trust in its teachers and principals. Teachers develop the curriculum in Finland, and design their own tests. There are no national tests, except one at the end of high school.
That's just the start. Along with a shorter school day, Finnish students don't even start school until they are 7 years old. Many primary schools have a policy against giving homework.
But Finland, he said, succeeded in part by adapting ideas from the US and other countries. And those countries, he said, can learn from Finland, too. | high8788.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "you go over your notes carefully for the exam"
},
"options": [
"you spend all of your time on questions that you are not good at",
"you discuss the answers with your friends after exams",
"you go over your notes carefully for... | Very few people look forward to and enjoy exams. That doesn't have to mean that you should be afraid of them, though. The following tips will help you get through that terrible exam period.
Here are eight steps to help you during exams:
1. Make sure you know how much time you will have in the exam, and how many questions there will be. Then you can divide your time among the questions to make sure that they all get answered.
2. When you're doing an exam that involves long answers, it is a good idea to leave some space at the end of the answer so that you can add any extra comments that might come to mind when you reread your paper.
3. Don't spend all of your time only on questions that you know the answer to because you will get a worse mark for answering some questions very well and some not at all.
4. It is worth taking a little extra time to make sure that your handwriting is neat. Then the examiner will be able to read it! Try to _ spelling mistakes too!
5. The more prepared you are, the more likely you are to succeed.
6. Keep calm. If you feel yourself getting worried, take a deep breath.
7. Don't try to discuss the exam after you've finished it. If you've got different answers from your friends, there's no point worrying about it.
8. Once an exam is over, just forget about it. There is nothing more you can do about it. The best thing you can do is to go home and prepare for the next one. | high12693.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Travelling around the world for charity projects."
},
"options": [
"Declaring when the UK is at war.",
"Travelling around the world for charity projects.",
"Inviting other world leaders to visit the UK.",
"Signing Commo... | The British royal family is about to be slimmed down. The queen plans to reduce the number of real royals, as was recently announced. However, there seems little sign of the monarchy disappearing completely.
Up till the 17th century, the British king or queen was believed to rule by "divine right", which was the idea that God chose the king or queen to rule and that he or she was therefore above the law. However, this idea ended with the English Revolution, in which King Charles I was imprisoned and then killed in 1649.
So what role does the British royal family have today?
Well, the Queen has important formal duties: as Head of State, the Queen represents the UK on visits abroad and invites other world leaders to visit the UK. As Head of the Armed Forces, only the Queen can declare when the UK is at war or when war is over. The Queen also has constitutional duties: She has to sign many government and Commonwealth documents every day.
In addition, the royal family spends a great deal of its time traveling up and down the country in support of different charity projects. But the public in Britain do not believe there should be a royal family. Sometimes, the press and media criticize the royal family as well. One criticism is that British people should not have to pay for the royal family through their taxes.
Today, the royal family works hard to be relevant in the modern world. The queen's speech on TV is less formal every Christmas, and is now available as a podcast . In 2005, after graduation from university, Prince William spent time teaching English in Uruguay, the sort of work many young British people do at some time in their lives. | high8950.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "holiday-makers"
},
"options": [
"tourists",
"holiday-makers",
"guides",
"sportsmen"
],
"question": "This passage is written mainly for _ .w",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Weekend one -day out
A walk along the Great Wallw _ w w. k#s5 _ u.c o*m
Beijing Hikers is organizing a hike in a village along the Great Wall in Changping District, north of downtown Beijing. The walk will take around three hours covering a distance of 10 kilometres.
Time:8:30 a.m~4:30 p.m,Dec,4
Cost:200 yuan(US$25) per adult, 150 yuan ((US$18.5)for under~12s.
Meeting place:8:30 a.m. in front of Satarbucks at Lido Holiday Inn, Jiangtai Lu
To sign-up(one day before the hike)and more infrormation ,contact Huijie at 139 100 5516.
Skiing and hot springs
Cycle China plans a day's skiing fun at a resort around Beijing followed by an outdoor hot spring bath for your sore body.
Cost:.50 yuan (US$43.40)
Time :8:30 a.m~6:30p.m, Dec.4
Location: Meet at the office of Cycle China, opposite the east gate of Jinshan Park, Xicheng District.
For more information and reservation, email reserve@ cyclechina. Com or call 139 1188 6524.
Horse riding
This is a trip to a professional horse- riding club with well- trained bilingual instructors, offering lessons to people who love riding and those willing to learn more. The club is located in Hebei Province next to the Kangxi Grassland.
Time:1:30a.m~4:30p.m,Dec.4
Cost:3320 yuan (US$40.74)including one hour's riding, transportation, guide ,lunch
To sign-up and more information, contact Lucy at 8580 5080 or 130 1117 1326. | high22988.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "popular art is a kind of amusement"
},
"options": [
"popular art is better than high art",
"high art is not a real art form",
"popular art will be loved for a longer time than high art",
"popular art is a kind of amusem... | Art is sometimes divided into two kinds, high art and popular art. High art attracts a much smaller population than popular art,but the number is large and growing. People who enjoy high art go to the opera and symphony concerts ; they read serious books and go to serious plays ; they keep up with art exhibitions. Popular art is mainly a kind of amusement. Some TV programs are meant to be watched today and forgotten tomorrow. Many popular songs are hits for a few weeks ; then they disappear. Other songs remain popular for such a long time that they become _ . The line between high and popular art is not always clear,however. Many people believe that rock music, for example, is a real art form. Many films are also taken seriously ,while others disappear as nothing more than amusement. | high9496.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "dull"
},
"options": [
"busy",
"sociable",
"dull",
"changeable"
],
"question": "At the beginning Miss Eyre's impressions of Mr. Rochester were all except _",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"... | For several days I saw little of Mr. Rochester. In the morning he seemed very busy with business, and in the afternoon gentlemen from the neighborhood called and sometimes stayed to dine with him. When his foot was well enough,he rode out a great deal.
During this time,all my knowledge of him was limited to occasional meetings about the house, when he would sometimes pass me coldly,and sometimes bow and smile. His changes of manner did not offend me,because I saw that I had nothing to do with the cause of them.
One evening,several days later,I was invited to talk to Mr.Rochester after dinner. He was sitting in his armchair, and looked not quite so severe,and much less gloomy,There was a smile on his lips, and his eyes were bright, probably with wine. As I was looking at him,he suddenly turned,and asked me,"Do you think I am handsome,Miss Eyre?
The answer somehow slipped from my tongue before I realized it: "No,sir."
"Ah, you really are unusual! You are a quiet, serious little person, but you can be almost rude."
"Sir, I'm sorry. I should have said that beauty doesn't matter,or something like that,"
"No,you shouldn't! I see,you criticize my appearance,and then you stab me in the back! You have honesty and feeling. There are not many girls like you. But perhaps I go too fast. Perhaps you have awful faults to counterbalance your few good points.
I thought to myself that he might have too. He seemed to read my mind,and said quickly,"Yes,you're right. I have plenty of faults. I went the wrong way when I was twenty-one,and have never found the right path gain. I might have been very different. I might have been as good as you,and perhaps wiser. I am not a bad man,take my word for it,but I have done wrong. It wasn't my character,but circumstances which were to blame. Why do I tell you all this? Because you're the sort of person people tell their problems and secrets to,because you're sympathetic and give them hope."
It seemed he had quite a lot to talk to me. He didn't seem to like to finish the talk quickly,as was the case for the first time.
"Don't be afraid of me,Miss. Eyre,"He continued. "You don't relax or laugh very much,perhaps because of the effect Lowood school has had on you. But in time you will be more natural with me,and laugh,and speak freely. You're like a bird in a cage. When you get out of the cage,you'll fly very high. Good night." | high20147.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He thinks they are lucky."
},
"options": [
"He thinks they are lucky.",
"He is bored with them.",
"He wants to learn from them.",
"He believes their success is a bad thing."
],
"question": "What is the author's ... | It is said that usually people learn from their experiences and the mistakes they make throughout their lives. This is correct because life teaches us what is correct to do and what is not.
Let's consider a mistake that one has made while trying to learn to drive. It is true that, for a beginner, it is common to make mistakes, but after doing something wrong once, twice or three times, it is quite impossible to make the same mistake a fourth time. Everyone tries their best in order to improve their skills and they will be very pleased to notice that these improvements really happen.
On the other hand, being successful in everything he does, one cannot know what failure means. He would always see only the best side of things and it would be difficult for him to face the difficulties to come in the future. Here we can mention the case of a very successful football player, who has known what fame is from the very beginning of his career. We have to admit that most of his luck originates from the great talent that he was born with. But some fellow players can also work to achieve the same thing because they make mistakes in their games and they learn from each mistake that they make.
In the end, we can say that one needs to make mistakes in life in order to better appreciate things. And at the same time, mistakes teach us how important it is to fight for something we wish for in life. Of course, moments of happiness will come in return when we see the changes or improvements. | high3805.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Medicine"
},
"options": [
"food",
"Candles",
"A radio",
"Medicine"
],
"question": "Which of the following things has the writer NOT prepared for disasters?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
... | During a recent phone interview with a mom who had just moved to Colorado, the conversation turned to disaster planning." I am standing here looking out of the window at the smoke from wildfires," she told me, "and have absolutely no idea what we will do if the wind shifts our way." Fortunately, the fire was put out, saving her home.
Making a disaster plan isn't something anyone does for fun. But being caught without one in a time of need is worse. Emergency management officials say too few families have a disaster plan ,even in areas that have been hit hard by hurricanes or flooding.
I have prepared food, water, flashlights, candles, a battery-powered radio and firewood since our family was hit years ago by a hurricane that blocked off streets and knocked out our power for more than a week. Still we lack the medications, emergency contacts, and emergency-meeting and pet-care plans we should also have .Officials in my state of Oregon have warned us that one of us is really ready for the major disaster which is very likely to hit here---- a big earthquake.
Working parents need to coordinate their disaster plans with their children's schools or child-care centers. Many parents in the 2003 New York blackout weren't able to get home to their children because public traffic was stopped and lights were out. After that, many parents made detailed plans with child-care providers about where to meet in emergencies, an whom to contact if unable to reach each other.
Good emergency planning and training helped teachers at a child-care center in the World Trade Center successfully move children to a safe place during the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Do you have an emergency plan for your home? If not, you know what to do. | high10084.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "it resembles the tiny heroes in a set of books"
},
"options": [
"it is a figure described in the Lord of the Rings",
"it resembles the tiny heroes in a set of books",
"it proves to be a full-grown adult",
"it belongs to... | Small discoveries in Indonesia are causing a stir in the science world. Researchers have unearthed tiny bones that they believe belong to an entire new human species. If that's true, it will change how we think about our ancestors.
Clues that the little people may have lived long ago were first revealed last year in the scientific journal Nature. Scientists said that they had found the bones of a three-foot-tall female on the island of Flores, in Indonesia. When they looked more closely, they saw that the nearly complete skeleton belonged to a full-grown adult. Researchers named her Hobbit, after the tiny heroes of the Lord of the Rings books.
Now the team is saying it has unearthed even more pieces of the puzzle, including a jawbone and parts of arms, legs and hands from several individuals, as well as stone tools. They reported their find in Nature this month. "The new evidence makes it very clear that these people are a new species, distinct from modern humans," Peter Brown, a scientist on the team, said. They named these ancient humans Homo floresiensis.
Brown says that these little people lived as recently as 12,000 years ago. If Homo floresiensis was a different species from modern humans, that would make our family tree bigger than we knew. It means, says Brown, that "until recently, a shared the planet with us."
Many scientists think a new species is unlikely. Some argue that the bones must have belonged to modern humans whose small size was the result of a genetic problem.
Daniel E. Lieberman, a scientist at Harvard University, thinks that the debate over the discovery is healthy. He believes that the questions and arguments raised by critics will help us learn more about these unusual skeletons. "Disagreement is an important part of the scientific process," Lieberman said. "As far as I'm concerned, the story's only just begun." | high21259.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "You can share interests with your online friends."
},
"options": [
"It is rather difficult to make friends now.",
"You can share interests with your online friends.",
"Online friends are usually not your true friends.",
... | Are you bored and lonely? Do you want to make new friends? Do long working hours
make it difficult for you to get out and about to meet new people? Maybe you or your friends have moved to a new area and this has left you feeling lonely.
Even if you are already the proverbial social butterfly, you may still find that your existing friends do not share the same interests and feelings. You may have a satisfying social life, but you still find you have no one to travel with. You may have your circle of friends, but find that none of them will join you in the activities or sports that interest you most. These are just a few of the reasons why millions of people search online to find new friends.
Matchmaking websites are good tools to make friends online. Profile matching technologies enable you to search for new friends by age, gender, location, interests and much more. You can make friends near you or anywhere in the world and learn about new countries, cultures and lifestyles.
Making friends online is easy and anonymous as members get to know you by your username only. You can get in touch with members by sending private messages, joining in discussion forums, or sharing online chat.
When you are ready, you can take your new friendships into the real world by arranging meetings to share your common interests. If you prefer to meet in numbers, you can join or create your own local group in which members share interests and activities near you. | high20621.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "spent 25 years in Africa studying chimpanzees"
},
"options": [
"spent 25 years in Africa studying chimpanzees",
"is only interested in chimpanzee research",
"wrote a new book about what she learned about chimpanzees",
"... | When Dr Jane Goodall was a kid growing up in England, she dreamed of one day living among wild animals. That opportunity came when Goodall was 26 years old. Goodall moved to the African country and spent 25 years there. What she learned about chimpanzees fascinated people all over the world.
After studying animals for the first part of her career, Jane Goodall began working to protect not only chimpanzees, but all creatures. Her new book,"Hope for Animals and their World," is a collection of conservation success stories. Time For Kids talked to Goodall about her new book and her advice for young people.
TFK: What inspired you to write a book about conservation success stories?
Dr Goodall: Because of all my travels , I meet these extraordinary people and hear about these amazing project, and they really do give hope. They show that we can turn thing around.
TFK: Why are these stories important?
Goodall:There are a lot of young people who are going out and wanting to save species, and they are so often told,"Give up. It's hopeless." And if we have that attitude, then soon there will be noting left.
TFK: How should kids who want to help get started?
Goodall: Join Roots and Shoots. It gives them an opportunity to interact with other young people. The website at www.rootsandshoots.org is a way for them to learn more.
,A.B.C.D . (3;1.5,4.5) | high23328.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Job-hunters."
},
"options": [
"Job-hunters.",
"Net surfers.",
"Employers.",
"Educators."
],
"question": "Who might be most interested in the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"a... | Careercast.com is out with its list of best and worst jobs of 2012. It's bad news for the writer of this story, but much brighter for the folks who program the code that keeps this website busy.
Using a method that looked at physical demands, work environment, income, stress and hiring outlook, career Website Careercast.com, ranked the top 200 jobs. They also ranked the jobs with the most stress. Not surprisingly, none of the most stressful jobs show up on the best jobs list.
At the top is software engineer and at the bottom is the lumberjack. Cutting trees failed to skate above the bottom 10 percent in all ranking categories, except income. "Unemployment for lumberjacks is very high, and the demand for their services is expected to continue to fall through 2016. And while working outside all day may seem like a great job perk , being a lumberjack not only is considered the worst job, but also one of the world's most dangerous," according to Careercast.com. And, for that most dangerous job, a lumberjack earns a little more than $32,000 a year. That's about $56,000 less than the easy job of a software engineer, which has the average salary at $88,000 a year, according to Careercast.
Here's a complete look at the best and worst jobs. And, take a look at the most stressful jobs. You may be surprised.
Best Jobs Worst Jobs Most Stressful Jobs
Software Engineer Lumberjack Enlisted Soldier
Actuary Dairy Farmer Firefighter
Human Resources Manager Enlisted Military Soldier Airline Pilot
Dental Hygienist Oil Rig Worker Military General
Financial Planner Reporter (Newspaper) Police Officer
Audiologist Waiter/Waitress Event Coordinator
Occupational Therapist Meter Reader Public Relations Executive
Online Advertising Manager Dishwasher Corporate Executive Computer Systems Analyst Butcher Photojournalist
Mathematician Broadcaster Taxi Driver | high238.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the use of telemedicine"
},
"options": [
"the use of telemedicine",
"the on-line doctors",
"medical care and treatment",
"communication improvement"
],
"question": "The author mainly talks about _ .",
"q... | Want a glance of the future health care? Take a look at the way the various network of people about patient care are being connected to one another, and how this new connectivity is being exploited to deliver medicine to the patient--no matter he or she may be.
Online doctors offering advice based on normal symptoms are the most obvious example. Increasingly, however, remote diagnosis will be based on real physiological data from the actual patient. A group from the University of Kentukey has shown that by using personal data assistance plus a mobile phone, it is perfectly practical to send a patient's important signs over the telephone. With this kind of equipment, the cry asking whether there was a doctor in the house will be a thing in the past.
Other medical technology groups are working on applying telemedicine to rural(countryside) care. And at least one team wants to use telemedicine as a tool for disaster need---especially after earthquakes.
But there is one problem. Bandwidth is the limiting factor for sending complex medical pictures around the world, --CT photos being one of the biggest bandwidth users. Communication satellites may be able to deal with the short-term needs during disasters such as earthquake or wars. But medicine is looking towards both the second generation Internet and third-generation mobile phones for the future of remote medical service.
Doctors have met to discuss computer-based tools for medical diagnosis, training and telemedicine. With the falling price of broadband communications, the new technologies should start a new time when telemedicine and the sharing of medical information, expert's opinions and diagnosis are common. | high22036.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "have a bath to make himself sweet"
},
"options": [
"have a bath to make himself sweet",
"do some interesting tests",
"give people a surprise",
"make a sweet cake"
],
"question": "The man bought lots of honey and... | A middle-aged man with a long beard was caught by the police for bad behavior and property damage. The man, Bill Wild, checked into a hotel last night, telling the clerk he would pay cash in advance and would be staying for four nights. He then asked her where the nearest store was and she told him it was John-Johns.
Wild went to the store and bought three gallons of honey and four gallons of chocolate syrup . The cashier asked him why he wanted these things and he replied, "I'm trying to become a sweeter person." The cashier smiled at the joke. Wild drove back to the hotel. He opened all bottles and poured them into the bathtub . He added warm water to the mix. He tuned the radio to an opera music station, took off his clothes, jumped into the tub, and started singing loudly with the music.
Fifteen minutes later, the neighbor phoned the clerk complaining about the noise. The clerk knocked on Wild's door, but he just kept singing. She phoned his room, but he didn't answer. Then she called the police, who arrived quickly. They broke into the room. The floor was covered in water and the bathtub was full of chocolate and honey. "He seemed so nice and friendly. Who'd have thought he was a bathtub-singing nut?" said the clerk. The police said this was the third time that Wild had been arrested for this kind of behavior. | high14590.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "people there are brave and strong when facing the earthquake"
},
"options": [
"the strong trees stand still to fight the early spring's cold nights",
"some trees were cut down to make tents to live through the disaster",
"the... | At 7:49 a.m. local time on Wednesday, April 14th, a huge earthquake struck Yushu County in Qinghai, China, described as "end of the earth" in a famous poem of the Tang Dynasty.
The earthquake destroyed many houses, cut off power and caused over 2,000 deaths and injuries. On the night when the earthquake happened, many survivors had to sit or lie on the ground in terrible darkness. Some brought their own tents and others turned on the lights of motorcycles. It seemed that the earth was at an end. But their natural character made them get together to fight the early spring's cold nights. Facing the disaster, they chose to be stronger and standing still and firmly like Yushu, the name of their hometown meaning "Standing like Trees".
The disaster drew much attention both at home and abroad. Our country leaders ordered rescuers to value every life and never to give up. Thousands of rescuers and medical teams rushed to Yushu from many areas of China, bringing machines, medicines and something necessary to the quake-hit town. They entered every village to search for survivors. Governments, organizations and volunteers are offering money and materials to the areas.
We believe that under the leadership of the Central Government, people in the disaster areas are sure to restore production and rebuild homeland as soon as possible. And the overall victory can be achieved in the earthquake rescue work. | high15856.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a brief introduction to the museum"
},
"options": [
"the way to get to the museum",
"the purpose to build the museum",
"a brief introduction to the museum",
"a detailed description of the museum"
],
"question": ... | Welcome to the National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum is the largest of its kind in the world, with over two million items in its collections. Twenty galleries display some of the finest sea affairs in historic buildings, which were formerly a school for the sons of seamen.
Opening times
10:00 - 17:00 Winter hours
10:00 - 18:00 Summer hours
Last admission is thirty minutes before closing. Smoking is not allowed in the museum. Eating and drinking are only allowed in the designated areas. Photography and video are not permitted inside the building.
Bookings
Our Central Booking Group handles all group visit enquiries ,from schools, group organizers and tour operators.
Education and Interpretation
Schools' programs operate in term-time. Programs of talks, tours, work-shops, storytelling, living history and interpretation are run throughout the year, especially at weekends and during school holidays.
E - library
Facilities are provided for electronic access to the museum's collections. Please ask a member of staff for directions to the nearest terminals . These facilities are also available from the comfort of your own home. | high22022.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "iPhones"
},
"options": [
"iTunes",
"iPhones",
"computers",
"microphones"
],
"question": "All of the options are strongly recommended to the users of _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"... | One of the major functions of an iPhone is, of course, to play music. The iTunes app has been designed in such a way as to take advantage of the iPhone's touch screen. But what if you want to listen to music that isn't in your iTunes library, or you want to discover new music without sitting in front of computer?
There are plenty of ways to access music, but not everyone knows what options are available. Either that, or there are so many options that going through all of them is tiring. For these reasons, here we offer a few convenient ways of listening to music on your iPhone without using iTunes.
Stream some radio (Tuneln Radio)
Tunnel Radio provides a quick and easy way to listen thousands of Internet radio stations on your Apple products. In addition to local radio stations, this app compiles more than 40 000 radio stations from around the country. What makes the app special is that it allows you to pause and rewind live radio----pause your station to take a phone call or rewind to replay a favorite song. You can also browse by genre of location, and the app includes plenty of talks, news, sports and weather stations in addition to music.
From desktop to smartphone (QQ Music)
QQ Music seems like obvious choice, and it is. It's a streaming service based on the Tencent technology that is already wildly popular on the Internet and now also offers a (free) app. Through this app you can listen to existing playlists or create new ones based on the patterns of music you like. It works amazingly well and everything can be saved to your QQ account for access from a computer.
What was that song? (Shazam)
Shazam is an innovative and free app that cures your"what was that song?"problem. It happens to all of us : we hear a song (on TV or in a store ), love it, know we have heard it before but just can't remember what it is called . With Shazam you don't need to. Just hold your iPhone up and through its microphone, Shazam will identify the album, artist and song title for you. You can then either purchase the song in iTunes or search it on other apps for streaming. How cool is that? | high4818.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Quick and violent."
},
"options": [
"Slow and boring.",
"Fast and interesting",
"Peaceful but exciting",
"Quick and violent."
],
"question": "Which of the following best describes blitz chess?",
"question_ty... | With kings, artists and writers playing chess, you might get the idea that chess is the most civilized game. But you'd be wrong.
A Scandinavian manuscript ,900 years old, tells of how one player, who lost a game, picked up the board and hit his opponent on the head with it. _
Grandmasters have called it "a blood sport", like a fight to the death with broken bottles" and "very dangerous--you have to kill people."
If you agree with the old saying that life is too short for chess, play blitz chess. Five minutes on the clock. Now players think chess is slow and boring, but blitz is an extremely exciting sport, and as aggressive as any martial art . In parks in Russia, where they gather in summer to play blitz, the players don't just take pieces, they knock them off the board onto the ground. And in the classic game, even world championship players have been known to kick each other under the table.
With all this aggression, and the stories of nervous breakdowns among chess players, it's worth remembering that chess can heal as well as harm. My own favorite chess story is that of John Healy. His autobiography , The Grass Arena , was made into a great film by the BBC. Healy was a failed boxer who became the most serious kind of alcoholic. He became homeless. The bottle nearly killed him. But in prison, he discovered chess, and managed to give up drinking completely. He is now a successful chess player, journalist and writer.
Healy is played in the film by the British actor Mark Rylance. It's the performance of a lifetime--chess makes surprisingly good cinema. There is a moving scene where Healy tries to find the words to describe how his life has changed. "It's like boxing again...,but not with fists... with the mind." | high20635.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "She wanted to help the \"old woman\" out in the bad weather"
},
"options": [
"\"the old woman\" asked her to do so",
"she recognized \"the old woman\"",
"She knocked \"the old woman \"down",
"She wanted to help the \"ol... | A young woman was driving through the lonely countryside. It was dark and raining. Suddenly she saw an old woman by the side of the road, holding her hand out as if she wanted a lift. "I can't leave her out in this weather," the woman said to herself, so she stopped the car and opened the door. "Do you want a lift?" she asked. The old woman nodded and climbed into the car. After a while, she said to the old woman, "Have you been waiting for a long time?" The old woman shook her head. "Strange," thought the young woman. She tried again. "Bad weather for the time of year," she said. The old woman nodded. No matter what she said, the hitchhiker gave no answer except for a nod of the head or a shrug.
Then the young woman noticed the hitchhiker's hands which were large and hairy.
Suddenly she realized that the hitchhiker was actually a man! She stopped the car. "I can't see out of the rear screen," she said, "Would you mind clearing it for me?"
The hitchhiker nodded and opened the door. As soon as the hitchhiker was out of the car, the terrified young woman raced off.
When she got to the next village she pulled up. She noticed that the hitchhiker had left his handbag behind. She picked it up and opened it. She gave a gasp; inside the bag was a gun. | high17099.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "schools' decision"
},
"options": [
"schools' decision",
"their thinking",
"neighborhood area",
"their beliefs"
],
"question": "Parents who choose schools for their children mainly depend on the following factors... | While considering the importance of education in the life of children, according to a recent survey on the net, most of the parents want to send their children to the best of the schools. There is no doubt that many schools must be located near to your neighborhood area that provides good education to your children.
However, you need to do a little research about the lessons of various schools so that you can be sure that your children are also following path as you have been since your childhood. Besides public and private schools, there are Christian schools that teach knowledge about Christianity along with the school lessons. A parent can compare between all the schools and their decision will depend entirely on their beliefs, thinking and neighborhood area.
The main focus of Christian schools is religion and you can send your children to such schools if you want to focus on religion in your child's life. Every person has his own priority and no one can force anyone with their own personal beliefs. If you feel that your child is not able to gain the right principles in other schools, then you can consider Christian schools for the right education of your children. There are Christian elementary schools that focus on reading, writing and arithmetic so as to strengthen the primary skills in children.
These schools take students from pre-school to high school to make them prepare for handling all types of situations in the future. So, use Internet to search a good school that help your child to have a better and brighter future. | high10090.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "her poor health and her mother's death"
},
"options": [
"her bad temper",
"her unhealthy diet",
"her unhappy family",
"her poor health and her mother's death"
],
"question": "The author's mother never thought sh... | My mother celebrates her 90th birthday today. She has asked me to keep it a secret and tell people she is only 89. For some reason she seems to think this sounds better. We really have our share of disagreements, but on this one I stand firm: I think 90 sounds pretty fantastic.
My mother says she never thought she would live this long. She was weak and had two near fatal illnesses under the age of 12. And then there was the fear of cancer. Her mother died of breast cancer when my mother was just 17, at a time when there was no such thing as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
When I was 17 years old, I was worried that my life would parallel hers. I never shared my fears. Instead I would lie awake at night in my bed with the yellow and orange flowered bedspread she had made for me, counting how much time we had left together.
What I didn't know until years later was that she had had the same fear. She told me how she would write away for every piece of information she could find on how to prevent the fatal disease until my father made her stop. He told her she had to relax and stop worrying so much. She was going to be OK. He was right. And one October, many years into the future, we would celebrate her 90th birthday.
My mother is the reason I live the life I do. Her fierceness and independence was how I learned to walk the path I have chosen. She was always a forward thinker, reading up on what's new and willing to try something different. She taught me kindness and to look out for those less fortunate than us.
When Dad died far too young, my mother was the one who sat me down the afternoon after the funeral and told me life would go on, and that as hard as it was to imagine, I would be happy again. She helped me to understand that death was a part of life we could never escape and we must learn to accept it.
Our roles have changed in recent years. She turns to me for help now. She asks me what to do. She is the one to call me when she is worried or concerned or needs help with something. I am the one who takes her shopping instead of her taking me. I am the one baking her favorite Greek cookies instead of her surprising me.
She tells me constantly how proud she is of me and how grateful she is for what I do for her. She doesn't know from where I get my calm and how I do all I do. She says that now she learns from me. And while I know that is all true, I am still learning from her. My mother is one of the strongest people I know. I am more fortunate. I have had her to lead the way. And I am so grateful. The gift of her long life has been a gift to me.
While my mother thinks we should keep this birthday quiet, I am not listening. I am celebrating her and the great fortune I have had to call her Mom.
Happy 90th! | high17927.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the relationship between communication and culture"
},
"options": [
"the basic building materials of communication",
"the importance of understanding a person in communication",
"how to communicate well in a foreign language"... | As the basic building materials of communication, words communicate meaning, but as we have seen, the meanings of words are very much influenced by culture. Meaning is in the person, not in the word, as each person is the product of a particular culture which passes on shared and appropriate meanings. Thus, if we want to learn to communicate well in a foreign language, we must understand the culture that gives that language meaning, Culture gives meaning and provides the context for communication, and the ability to communicate allows us to act out our cultural values and to share our language and our culture.
But our own native language and culture are so much a part of us that we take them for granted. When we travel to another country, it's as if we carry along with our passports. We view the new environment using our own culture as the standard, and although not purposely, our ways of thinking and acting often get in the way of our understanding other languages and cultures. The ability and willingness to change lenses when we look at a different culture is both the cure and the prevention for such cultural blindness. Studying a new language provides us the opportunities to practise changing lenses when we also learn the context or the culture to which _ belongs. | high22744.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Reputation affects students' decisions when choosing universities."
},
"options": [
"No Asian universities are among the Top 10.",
"At least five UK universities are among Top 20.",
"The Times Higher Education magazine is fro... | Harvard University in the United States has been ranked as the university with the best "reputation" in the world.
The Times Higher Education magazine has listed 200 top universities all over the world based on how they are regarded by a group of international college teachers. That is to say the list measures how universities are regarded, rather than how they actually performed.
A subjective, word-of-mouth quality such as "reputation" has genuine economic value for universities, said Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at the University of Melbourne in Australia.
"Reputation is not just an impression, though it might be not as reliable as performance by objective indicators ," said Prof Marginson.
Based on the views of 13,000 college teachers around the world, it confirms the power of the big US universities, which _ this list. Seven of the top 10 are US universities, headed by Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Furthermore, 14 of the top 20 are from the US. Cambridge is the highest ranking UK university in the list, in third place, with Oxford ranked as sixth.
For students applying to university, reputation might be hard to quantify, but was an important part of the attractiveness, said the president of Cambridge University's students' union, Rahul Mansigani.
"Reputation makes a huge difference. If there is an idea that somewhere is great, it will get lots of good people applying whether it's true or not. Factors such as a sense of history and the presence of outstanding college teachers were part of the reputation of Cambridge," he said. | high6969.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The car wash facilities."
},
"options": [
"The car wash facilities.",
"Any public place.",
"Your home.",
"The forest."
],
"question": "Where should you go to wash your car when you are in Moscow?",
"question... | There are some strange driving laws in different countries.
Vietnam: If you're in Vietnam without a Vietnamese driver's license, you risk a prison sentence of up to 3years.
Russia: In Moscow, if your car is dirty enough to draw dust art, you will be fined about 2,000 rubles. Worse yet, it's not legal to wash your car by hand in public places--forcing you to take it to one of the few car wash facilities.
Thailand: Drivers--males or females--can't drive shirtless, whether it's a car, a bus or a tuk-tuk.
France: France requires its drivers to carry a potable breathalyzer all the time when driving a car. The one-time breathalyzer cost around US $ 5, and if you don't have one, you will be fined US $ 15.
Cyprus: Raising your hands in the car can get you fined of US $ 35. The law states a driver can be fined if the person is not in a regular position inside the car or raises his hands from the steering wheel unnecessarily.
Japan: Politeness isn't just the culture in Japan; it's part of driving laws. Splashing a person by driving through a puddle with your car will cost you over US $ 60. The country is also strict with its DUI laws---riding with or lending your car to a driver who gets caught drinking can lead to a fine costing thousands of dollars. | high13599.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "fisherman"
},
"options": [
"hero",
"fisherman",
"mermaid",
"soldier"
],
"question": "Wars was a _ when he met Sawa for the first time",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"a... | (Warsaw)? .
Long long ago,there was a young man.His name was Wars.He lived in a little house near the River Vistula.He went there fishing every day for a living.
One day he saw a beautiful girl in the river.The girl's name was Sawa.From then on,the young man and the beautiful girl met every day.They fell in love with each other.When Wars asked Sawa to marry him.Sawa was very sad.She told him that she was mermaid and she couldn't marry man.But she said she would give him something when they met again.
The next day,Wars went to the river and met Sawa. Sawa was waiting for him with a sword in her
right hand and a shield in her left hand.She told Wars that they wouldn't meet again.She gave the
sword and the shield to him.She said he would be successful with the sword and the shield and become a great hero.Then she went away.
Wars missed Sawa very much.He always remembered his first love.What the mermaid had told him came true.Wars became a great hero.He got the land by the River Vistula.There he set up a city. He called it Warsaw. | high9482.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "spent most of his time in working and had no time to make friends"
},
"options": [
"was famous",
"didn't want to have friends",
"was not good at making friends",
"spent most of his time in working and had no time to mak... | Even people who don't understand English can enjoy Chaplin's films because they are mostly silent. It isn't what he says that makes us laugh. It depends upon actions which mean the same thing to people all over the world. He is _ of the art - a kind of world language.
As a young man, he and his brother traveled to America in a small company of actors. Chaplin was then invited to join a new company that was making film comedies. Very soon he had made dozens of short films for this company. And it was in his second film that he wore the clothes which made his reputation - black hat, tight coat, baggy trousers, huge shoes, moustache and walking stick. He intended simply to make people laugh. But the odd make-up made him look both comic and sad.
By the time he was thirty, Chaplin was the greatest, best known and best loved comedian in the world. He received thousands of dollars for each film he made. He had formed his own manner of acting. He was welcomed by excited crowds wherever he went. But he worked very hard and had few close friends. Perhaps that is why the sad side of the little tramp began to show more clearly in the films he made. The little man began to want more than food and a roof over his head. He began to want love.
In one of his most famous films "The Gold Rush" a girl plays tricks on the little man. Then she begins to feel sorry for him and treats him kindly. He mistakes her pity for love. The girl in "City Lights" is blind. She thinks he is the most wonderful man she has ever met. But then she recovers her sight and sees what a foolish figure he is. This sadness gives Chaplin's films a depth of human experience which few comedians can equal.
After living in America for forty years he moved to Switzerland. There he died on Christmas Day 1977. He once described himself as a citizen of famous pictures that were made during the 1920s and 1930s, the time of the silent films. But, to many people all over the world Chaplin will always be the king of comedy. | high3839.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a cure for colds"
},
"options": [
"bottles",
"a cure for colds",
"a cure for old age",
"a medicine that made people live forever"
],
"question": "What did the man sell at first at the fair?",
"question_type"... | A man was selling medicine at a fair .At first he sold bottles of a cure for colds for just a dollar a bottle.
Many people wanted to buy it and the man's young assistant moved quickly through the crowd collecting money and handing out bottles of the cure.
Then,when he had a big crowd, the man held up a very small bottle.
"And now,ladies and gentlemen,he shouted,"Here is the medicine you have been waiting for.The cure for old age.Drink just one bottle of this and you will live forever.
"And,ladies and gentlemen,the man continued,"I'm not going to charge(............)you a hundred dollars a bottle for this wonderful medicine.I'm not going to charge you fifty dollars a bottle.I'm not going to charge you twenty-five dollars a bottle.Now,ladies and gentlemen,I'm going to charge you just ten dollars a bottle. Think,my friends,for ten dollars you can live forever.
Most of the people in the crowd did not believe this.
One person shouted,"If it can make you live forever,why don't you drink it?Then another person cried,"Yes, you look as if you're at least sixty years old.
"Thank you,sir,thank you,the man answered,"I'm so glad you said that. My real age is three hundred and twenty-nine.
The crowd laughed at this but there were still some people who wanted to believe the man .One of them spoke to the man's assistant as she passed by,"Is that true?he asked."Is he three hundred and twenty-nine?
"Don't ask me,the assistant said,"I've only worked for him for a hundred and fifty years. | high5290.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a market town famous for its Bakewell pudding"
},
"options": [
"a market town famous for its Bakewell pudding",
"a small town far away from tea rooms and pubs.",
"a quiet town with only local visitors",
"a modern town w... | You'd expect the home of the Bakewell pudding to know a thing or two about keeping its visitors cosy and well-fed,and in this attractive market town,you're never more than a few steps away from a tea room or pub. And to walk off all the cake and ale, the spectacular Peak District is on the doorstep.
Eat/drink The Manners is a traditional stone-built pub a few minutes' walk from the town centre, serving well-executed pub fare such as local venison with root veg and red wine sauce, and apple and plum crumble. Wyes Waters (Unit 8, Granby Road)is a charming little cafe with gingham table cloths and a great-value menu of homemade pies, sandwiches and cakes.
Shopping Bakewell's thriving Monday market is always popular and its attractive cobbled courtyards and market square are home to independent shops and galleries. And of course, no visit to Bakewell is complete without a visit to the Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop which will gift-wrap and post sweet treats to anywhere in the world. Out of town, the excellent Chatsworth Estate farm shop is the place to stock up on Derbyshire specialities such as oatcakes, handmade chocolates from family-run business Holdsworth, and bottled ales brewed on the estate.
Stay On the river in the centre of Bakewell, One Castle Street (doubles from PS90 B&B), is a quaint B&B in a Grade II listed building, where substantial breakfasts will set you up for a day exploring. Alternatively, three miles out of town, Haddon Grove Farm has 11 attractive holiday cottages in converted farm buildings (from PS490 for a four night December break in a cottage for four). There's a communal games room and indoor heated pool, making it a perfect winter escape for families. Cottages sleep between two and 10. | high19922.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "teachers should give careful consideration to summer homework"
},
"options": [
"more summer homework causes students' learning difficulties",
"students should go to summer school if they have no homework",
"teachers should gi... | The New York Times' Room for Debate blog has a panel considering the pluses and minuses of summer homework. This has been the subject of debate in our house. Our 11th-grade daughter's summer assignments were very challenging, to the point where I sometimes wondered if more of her time would have been better spent just riding a bicycle or swimming around a pool.
Here are some opinions from the panel:
Harris Cooper, psychologist, Duke University: "The long summer vacation disrupts the rhythm of instruction, leads to forgetting and requires time be spent reviewing old material when students return to school in the fall. My advice? Teachers, you need to be careful about what and how much summer homework you assign. Summer homework shouldn't be expected to overcome a student's learning deficits ; that's what summer school is for. Parents, if the assignments are clear and reasonable, support the teachers. "
Nancy Kalish, co-author of the Case Against Homework: "Schools should rethink summer homework, and not just because it stresses out kids (and parents). The truth is, homework doesn't accomplish what we assume it does. According to a Duke University review of more than 175 studies, there is little or no connection between homework and standardized test score or long-term achievement in primary school."
Mark Bauerlein, professor of English at Emory University: "To the general question of whether or not schools should assign summer homework, the answer is 'Yes.' The reason comes not only from the brain drain of summer. It relates also to an attitude young people take toward education. They tie knowledge to the syllabus , not to themselves. They read and study to write the paper and score highly in the test, not to furnish their minds. In a word, they regard learning as a classroom thing. That's all."
It seems to me that summer homework is a good idea to keep the brain cells moving, but like everything else it should be given in moderation. | high6941.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Laughter can make you become old quickly."
},
"options": [
"Laughter is good for health.",
"Laughter can make you become old quickly.",
"Laughter helps to reduce pain.",
"Laughter, just like physical exercise, is good f... | There is an English saying, "Laughter is the best medicine." Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found that laughter really can improve people's health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their heart, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, makes the heart beat quicker and makes people breathe deeper; it also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programmes. The group that tolerated the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny programme. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which _ both stress and pain.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients' condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter. | high562.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "angry bees"
},
"options": [
"loud noises",
"some crops",
"video cameras",
"angry bees"
],
"question": "We know from the passage that elephants may be frightened of _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | Recordings of angry bees are enough to send big, tough African elephants running away, a new study says. Beehives -either recorded or real-may even prevent elephants from damaging farmer's crops.
In 2002, scientist Lucy King and her team found that elephants avoid certain trees with bees living in them. Today, Lucy wants to see if African honeybees might discourage elephants from eating crops. But before she asked farmer to go to the trouble of setting up beehives on their farms, she needed to find out if the bees would scare elephants away.
Lucy found a wild beehive inside a tree in northern Kenya and set up a recorder. Then she threw a stone into the beehive, which burst into life. Lucy and her assistant hid in their car until the angry bees had calmed down. Next,Lucy searched out elephant families in Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya and put a speaker in a close to each family.
From a distance, Lucy switched on the pre-recorded sound of angry bees while at the same time recording the elephants with a video camera. Half the elephant groups left the area within ten seconds. Out of a total of 17 groups, only one group ignored the sound of the angry bees. Lucy reported that all the young elephants immediately ran to their mothers to hide under them. When Lucy Played the sound of a waterfall instead of the angry bees to many of the same elephant families, the animals were undisturbed. Even after four minutes, most of the groups stayed in one place.
Lucy is now studying whether the elephants will continue to avoid the sound of angry bees after hearing it several times. She hasn't tested enough groups yet to know, but her initial results were promising enough to begin trials with farmers. She has now begun placing speakers in the fields to see if elephants are frightened away. | high6799.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They followed some pedestrians in the street."
},
"options": [
"They called on most pedestrians.",
"They tried texting while they were walking.",
"They followed some pedestrians in the street.",
"They showed pedestrians... | People who have the habit of texting while walking tend to develop a robot-like posture, lose their balance, and involve themselves in traffic accidents, according to a research from the University of Queensland. Researchers said that text-walkers are in danger of walking into traffic and train tracks among others. They suggest pedestrians stop aside, type a text and then continue walking.
For the study, the researchers tracked body movements of 26 young men and women while walking in a straight line over a distance of about 8.5 m ---once without a mobile phone, once while reading a text message and once while typing a message.
They found that participants' body movements were greatly changed when they used their phone. The difference in their posture was more _ while sending a text than while reading a message. They further said that when those people began texting while walking, they slowed down their pace, went off course and moved their necks less than when reading a message.
"We found that they 'locking' their arms, trunk and head together walked with a posture that was robot-like, all in aid of keeping their phone in their field of vision. So there is less movement between each of their body parts." Researcher Siobhan Schabrun said, Daily Mail UK reports.
"In recent years, there have been many reports of people involved in traffic accidents because they were texting while walking. The number of pedestrian accidents is rising and texting has been blamed," Schabrun said.
Despite such repeated accidents, only few studies have analyzed the impact of texting on body language. If more studies concentrate on walking styles adopted while texting, their findings can be used to lower whole accidents.
While a few U.S. states have introduced laws on texting while driving, Fort Lee, a New Jersey town, went further ahead and recently fined some walkers an $85 for catching them texting. It is hoped that other American states and countries will follow. | high12877.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "who are poor and often get into trouble for breaking rules"
},
"options": [
"who are poor in their lessons at school",
"who get along well with the soc group",
"who go between the poor and the rich children",
"who are p... | Below are reviews for three books and two book series. Each has been read and loved by students across the country.
The Outsiders
This book, first published in 1967. has become a classic for teens across the nation. It focuses on Ponyboy , who has been labeled all his life as a greaser. The greaser's opposing group is the " socs ". kids who have lots of money and can break any rules without getting in trouble. As the novel develops, S. E. Hinton allows the reader to see exactly how these labels affect teens in both the greaser and the soc group.
If you've ever watched the movie The Outsiders, this story may sound familiar, as the movie was based on the book . The Outsiders gives teens a look into life in the 50's and 60's, offering timeless lessons that still apply to today's youth.
Out of the Dust
Any student interested in the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl should read Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. Hesse is able to capture the mood and spirit of this era through the use of poetry. The main character of the book, Billie Jo, is growing up in Oklahoma, the heart of the Dust Bowl. Through free verse poetry, Billie Jo narrates her tale of poverty and survival during this difficult time.
Out of the Dust is an excellent lesson in history . Due to the short length and writing style, the book is a quick but worthwhile read. By the end of the book, the reader is eager to start the story over again . Hesse is able to pack a lot of emotions and details into her short book , making the story very real and believable.
The Giver
The Giver depicts a perfect society in which citizens experience no pain, have never felt fear, and life is completely under control. However, as the reader progresses through the story, it's easy to see that this community is far from utopia . Instead, through the experiences felt by the main character Jonas, the reader learns there is a missing from life in this world..
During the Ceremony of the Twelves, each 12--year --old is assigned their life --long career in the community . Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver of Memories, a very special job assigned to one person at a time . When Jonas receives his training . he learns many truths about his community that change how he feels about his life, making him determined to do something to change it .
The Giver is a good book for teens who enjoy science fiction and fantasy. The book makes you examine your own life, values, and beliefs, striving to find how you would define the perfect society.
Anne of Green Gables
This eight-book series depicts the life of Anne Shirley, an orphan that is adopted in Prince Edward Island, Canada . The books are set in the 1800s to the 1900s, the last one taking place during World War I. Anne is a loveable spirit who has many misfortunes and laughable experiences when growing up and going to college.
The Anne of Green Gables series is fun to read. creating a strong attachment to the reader and making the last book a bitter -sweet experience. Teenage girls who are looking for a female role model will love Anne Shirley.
Harry Potter
J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series has sold more copies than any other series in history. The series , which includes seven books in all , fallows a boy wizard named Harry Potter.
Harry attends Hogwarts School of Witcheraft and Wizardy. The seven books follow Harry through seven years of wizarding school . During this time , readers experience the wizarding world through Harry's eyes and watch him make friends. Learn magic and fight a wizard.
The Harry Potter books are an enchanting read for all ages. No matter who you are. you will find yourself absorbed in the magical world created by J. K. Rowling. | high23314.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "eating apples regularly does lots of good to our health."
},
"options": [
"eating apples regularly does lots of good to our health.",
"the apple is the best among all kinds of fruits",
"apples can take the place of doctors",
... | Your body, which has close relations with the food you eat, is the most important thing you own, so it needs proper treatment and proper nourishment . The old saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." is not as silly as some people think. The body needs fruit and vegetables because they contain vitamins. Many people take extra vitamins in pill form , believing that these will make them healthy. But a good diet is made up of nutritive food and this gives all the vitamins you need. The body doesn't need or use extra vitamins, so why they waste money on them?
In the modern Western world, many people are too busy to bother about eating properly. They throw anything into their stomachs, eating hurriedly and carelessly. The list of illnesses caused or made worse by bad eating habits is frightening. | high204.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "sells the right, the guidance to a business under its name"
},
"options": [
"sells name-brand goods to a private investor",
"rents proven ideas and techniques for investment",
"sells the right, the guidance to a business unde... | Holiday Inns and McDonald's. both saw unmatched growth in the 1960s. Their growth opened another direct business operation--franchising.
These operations have the same general pattern. The franchisor, the parent company, first establishes a successful retail business. As it expands, it sees a profit potential in offering others the right to open similar business under its name. The parent company's methods and means of identification with consumers are included in this right. The parent company supplies skill, and may build and rent stores to franchisees. For these advantages the franchisee pays the franchisor a considerable fee. However, some of the advantages and disadvantages are different.
By extending a "proven" marketing method, a parent can profit in several ways. First, the franchisee's purchase price gives the parent an immediate return on the plan. Then the sale of supplies to the franchisee provides a continuing source of profits. As new businesses are added and the company's reputation spreads, the values of the franchise increases and sales of franchises become easier. The snowballing effect can be dramatic. Such growth, too, bring into play the economies of scale. Regional or national advertising that might be financially impossible for a franchisor with 20 franchises could be profitable for one with 40.
The parent, then, finds immediate gains from the opportunity to expand markets on the basis of reputation alone, without having to put up capital or take the risk of owning retail stores. Added to this advantage is a less obvious but material one, Skilled, responsible retail managers are rare. People who invest their capital in franchises, though, probably come closer to the ideal than do paid managers. In fact, the franchisee is an independent store operator working for the franchisor, but without an independent's freedom to drop supplies at will. Of course the factory's costs of selling supplies are less. But also certainly the franchisee buying goods that have had broad consumer acceptance will not casually change supplies, even when the contract permits. If the hamburger is not what the customer expected, they may not return. Having paid for the goodwill, the franchisee won't thoughtlessly destroy it. | high1790.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "New immigrants will have to take a test"
},
"options": [
"New immigrants will have to take a test",
"New immigrants should speak perfect English",
"New immigrants must bring enough money",
"New immigrants must be health... | Australia is largely a nation of immigration , with one in four of Australia's 21 million population born overseas. But immigrations hoping to become Australian citizens will soon have to take a test examining their knowledge of the country's history and institutions.
While Australia prides itself on its multicultural background, the government wants newcomers to integrate more fully . Form later this year, new immigrants will have to show an understanding of the English language. They will also be required to answer 20 questions from a list of 200. Anyone who gives fewer than 12 correct responses will not be accepted.
Immigrants will also have to accept what the government considers to be 10 important Australia values, including "mateship" and "giving people a fair go". Other important Australia values are said to include tolerance, compassion, gender equality and freedom of speech.
The new citizenship application procedures are detailed in a 40-pages booklet . It describes Australia as "a nation at ease with the world and itself" but says that newcomers are expected to respect its values. The booklet sums up mateship as voluntary helping and receiving help from others, especially in difficult times. The immigration Minister said they aimed to achieve a balance between ethnic diversity and social stability , "particularly as we now draw people from so many different countries and so many different cultures".
Critics have attacked the English language requirement, pointing out many immigrants could not speak English when they arrived. But the minister said, "We are trying to encourage people to learn English, because we think that is the way they will achieve their dreams in Australia." | high1948.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "would make his class lively and interesting"
},
"options": [
"would record all historical events onto the radio",
"would get very excited when giving lessons",
"would always teach the students the American Revolution",
... | Many university students dislike studying history because there is little to get excited about when historical events are presented in a boring manner. However, I'll never forget my American History professor, Dr. Williamson. Each event leaped from the pages of our text and became as real as the daily news report on the radio.
My favorite lecture concerned the American Revolution. Dr. Williamson set the mood for the study by imitating Pall Revere, a well-known silversmith, working in his shop. The American colonists were angry because of the British control over their lives. Revere felt that war between the British and the colonists was inevitable. Then, Dr Williamson told us about Revere rowing across the Charles River from Boston on April 18,1775. I could see the professor row as he raised his hand to his forehead as if he were looking across the Charles River to the old North Church in Boston. Suddenly, Revere spotted two lanterns, a signal which meant that the British would attack by sea. He jumped on his horse to warn the villagers of the attack.
Professor Williamson reminded us that the first battles of the American Revolution were fought at Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts, the year before the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Never before had history seemed so alive to me. And all because a professor cared enough to put his heart into his teaching. | high21503.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the effect of light on sleep"
},
"options": [
"natural wake-up cycles",
"the effect of light on sleep",
"personal and health concerns",
"functions of computer monitors"
],
"question": "The passage is mainly abou... | Lights Out at Bedtime
There are plenty of good reasons to power up a personal desktop or laptop computer in the evening -- writing e-mails,chatting on social networks or making purchases over the Internet,for instance.But various studies indicate that people who stare at a PC's bright monitor shortly before going to bed probably sleep less soundly than they would otherwise because the light seriously affects their natural wake-sleep cycle."They haven't proved it though," says Dieter Kunz,the team's director at Charite's Psychiatric Clinic in St.Hedwig's Hospital in Berlin.
Similarly,exposure to just 10 minutes of normal bathroom lighting is enough to free the sleep hormone melatonin,which regulates people's natural wake-sleep cycle and makes them sleepy at nightfall.
Ten years ago,a team of British and American researchers detected a photo-pigment in the human eye that signals to the body whether it is day or night,summer or winter.The photo-pigment is especially sensitive to blue light.
"The blue light more or less tells the body,'It's daytime,be awake,'" Kunz says.Monitors have a mostly cold white light content and scientists suspect the photo-pigment may react similarly to it.So the longer people look into the bright light,the more awake they become - and then sleep poorly.
A lot of people have difficulty "switching off" in the evening.About half of the women in Germany and a quarter of the men sleep poorly.
Environmental factors are only one of the possible causes.Job stress as well as personal and health concerns are also the main reasons for their sleep problems.
In addition,electronic objects' standby lights and indicator lamps can be annoying in the dark and affect sleep."Sound scientific evidence is still lacking on this matter," Kunz notes.
According to Kunz,those who cannot go without their computer in the evening should turn down the blue content if possible and lower the brightness somewhat."But nobody does that because,after all,you want to concentrate while working at the computer and the light helps the brain." | high10906.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "shortly before 1851"
},
"options": [
"in the 1950s",
"in the 1900s",
"shortly before 1851",
"before 1951"
],
"question": "The Crystal Palace was built up _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | Perhaps the most extraordinary building put up in the nineteenth century was the Crystal Palace which was built in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Crystal Palace was different from all the other buildings in the world, for it was made of iron and glass. It was one of the biggest buildings of all the time and a lot of people from many countries came to see it. Plenty of goods were sent to the exhibition from all parts of the world. There was also a great deal of machinery on show. Though in those days, traveling was not as easy as it is today, steamboats carried thousands of visitors across the Channel from Europe. On arriving in England, they were taken to the Crystal Palace by train. There were six million visitors in all, and the money from the exhibition was used to build museums and colleges. Later the Crystal Palace was moved to the South London. It remained one of the most famous buildings in the world until it was burnt down in 1936. | high3187.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To find out if laughter was good to health."
},
"options": [
"To find out if laughter was good to health.",
"To discover the best medicine to cure diabetes.",
"Because the number of diabetic patients is the largest in the wor... | Not all think laughter is the best medicine, but it seems to help.So scientists carried on a new study of diabetes patients who were given a good dose of humor for a year to prove it.
Researchers divide 20 high-risk diabetic patients into two groups.Both groups were given standard diabetes medicine.Group L viewed 30 minutes of humor of their choice, while Group C, the control group, did not.This went on for a year of treatments.
By two months into the study, the patients in the laughter group had lower level of the hormones epinephrine , considered to cause stress, which is known to be deadly.After the 12 months, _ rises 26 percent in Group L but only 3 percent in Group C.In another measure, C-reactive proteins, a maker of heart disease, drop 66 percent in the laughter group but only 26 percent in the control group.
"The best doctors believe that there is a physical good brought about by the positive emotion, happy laughter," said study leader Lee Berk of Loma Linda University.And other research has found that humor makes us more hopeful.Still, more study is needed, Berk said.The research by Berk found that humor can bring about similar changes in body chemistry, which was proved in the new study.The research result will be presented this month at the meeting in the US.Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine shows that laughter causes the inner lining of blood vessels to expand, increasing blood flow in a way thought to be healthy.
"Lifestyle choices have an important effect on health and these are choices which we and patients should pay attention to, rather than prevention and treatment," Berk said in a statement this week. | high2299.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "At 6 p.m."
},
"options": [
"At 9 p.m.",
"At 6 p.m.",
"At 5 p.m.",
"At 5:30 p.m."
],
"question": "When do the post office main branches close?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | You can mail a letter or package under 16 oz. (unit of weight, 454g) in a mailbox, a blue box found on many street corners in U.S. cities and towns. Each mail box should have pick-up times clearly posted on top.
!Packages over 16 oz. placed in a mailbox will not be sent. Bring the package to the post office or retail mailing shop instead. The clerk will process if for you.
The Post Office
In the larger cities, when you go to the post office you must take a number and wait in line. Post offices tend to be extremely crowded around Christmas. Try to go as early in the morning as possible. Post office branches open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. while main branches close at 6 p.m.
Buying Stamps
! The cost of a first-class postage stamp to mail a letter is currently 39 cents, although rates tend to change often.
Stamps are sold individually or in booklets of 10 (US$3.90) or 20(US$7.80) or in rolls of 100(US$9.00). You can buy stamps at the following locations:
*online, if you have a computer.
Link to the U.S. Postal Service website (http://www. usps.com) and click on "stamps online".
*at your local post office
*at some ATMs (automated teller machine)
*at some supermarkets
*by mail
*retail mailing stores(you may have to pay extra for stamps and to mail packages through the U.S. Postal Service)
Postal Rates and Fees
The U.S. Postal Service's online postage calculator tells you the cost to mail a letter or package anywhere in the world. But you should know the weight of the package and the post code of the package's origin and destination. If you don't know the weight of the letter or package to be mailed, you can go to your local post office and the postal clerk will weigh it for you. | high4830.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "has a very complex nervous system"
},
"options": [
"is the cleverest animal in the sea",
"has nine small brains and a big one",
"has a very complex nervous system",
"has all its brains behind its eyes"
],
"quest... | The more we learn about the octopus , the more intelligent we discover they are. Octopuses possess not one but nine "brains", one in each of their legs and a central brain behind the eyes. Octopuses can solve problems, can be trained to learn behavior and are extremely good at figuring out how to get out of an aquarium and get into food. We can learn a lot from an octopus.
An octopus doesn't have a backbone, which doesn't mean that they lack nerve. On the contrary, their nervous system, which goes all the way down each leg, is very complex. They are able to take in a lot of information about their world and seem to be able to remember, learn and adapt to new situations.
The suckers on their long legs can not only feel, but also taste. Each sucker works individually, so an octopus can just focus on one leg or one sucker. Their eyesight is sharp. Although their brains are quite small in comparison to ours, they still have very large brains for invertebrates . They have many physical characteristics of a human brain.
Perhaps you've seen the video of an octopus in a German aquarium that learned to open a jar to get its food. Octopuses have also been taught to go through mazes and to pick out different shapes of patterns. Their short term and long term memory seems to be excellent. It is thought that octopuses are as intelligent as dogs in their capacity to learn certain behavior, solve problems, and make use of objects.
In the movie "Octopus Intelligence: Deep Sea Aliens," some species of octopuses are letting young octopuses watch the adults in order to train them. If this keeps up, in a hundred thousand generations the octopus may rule the seas. Clearly, there is more to an octopus than just a lot of legs. | high18382.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "doubts if McDonald's food meets health standards"
},
"options": [
"keeps the record of the food by smelling it",
"manages The Happy Meal Project in Boston",
"is a Manhattan artist who likes meat very much",
"doubts if M... | Looking almost as fresh as the day it was bought, this McDonald's Happy Meal is in fact a staggering six months old. Photographed every day for the past half a year by Manhattan artist Sally Davies, the kids meal of fries and burger shows no sign of mould or decomposition .
In a work named The Happy Meal Project, Mrs. Davies, 54, tries to provide evidences that McDonald's food really is the worst you can put in your body.
Sitting on a shelf in her apartment, Sally has watched the Happy Meal with increasing shock and even her dogs have resisted the urge to try and steal a free tasty snack. "I bought the meal on April 10 of this year and brought it home with the intention of leaving it out to see how it changed," she said. "I chose McDonald's because it was nearest to my house. The first thing that struck me on day two of the experiment was that it no longer gave out any smell. And then the second point of note was that on the second day, my dogs stopped circling the shelf it was sitting on trying to see what was up there."
Expecting the food to begin moulding after a few days, Mrs Davies' surprise turned to shock as the fries and burger still had not shown any signs of decomposition after two weeks. "It was then that I realised that something strange might be going on with this food that I had bought," she explained. "The overall appearance of the food did not change as the weeks turned to months. And now, at six months old, the food is plastic to the touch. The only change that I can see is that it has become hard as a rock."
As a strict vegetarian, Mrs. Davies' experiment has brought her amusement rather than fear. "Maybe I would be frightened at seeing this if I was a meat eater. Why hasn't even the bread become with mould? It is strange. | high21517.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "predicting the weather is more difficult than predicting the path of a satellite"
},
"options": [
"a large planet is able to change the size of a tiny planet",
"ground controllers can affect the gravitational force of planets",
... | It is easy to lose patience with science today. The questions are pressing: How dangerous is air pollution? What about low-level radiation? When will that horrible earthquake strike California? And why can't we predict weather better? But the evidence is often described as "uncertain", forcing scientists to base their points of view almost as much on intuition as on science.
When historians and philosophers of science listen to these questions, some conclude that science may not be able to solve all these problems any time soon. The unknowns can grow into riddles that are impossible to solve. Because of the unstable and changing state of the earth's atmosphere, for example, scientists have struggled for centuries to predict the weather with precision but failed.
The case is different for scientists of astronomy. For example, they think that the gravitational force of a nearby space vehicle, though tiny, is able to change the path of a much larger planet if the vehicle spends enough time close to it. With the aid of Newton's laws of gravitational attraction, ground controllers can predict the path of a planetary probe -or satellite-with incredible accuracy. They do this by calculating the gravitational force from each of the passing planets until the probe speeds beyond the edge of the solar system.A much more difficult task is to calculate what happens when two or three times of such force pull on the probe at the same time. Such procedures can, of course, be very difficult, but for experiments, they are effective.
This range of questions-from simple problems to those impossibly complex-has resulted in nicknames for various fields of study: "soft" sciences and " hard " sciences."Soft" sciences admit a great degree of uncertainty. Academicians tend to judge fields such as sociology, psychology, and political science as "soft" because they are assumed to be understandable, of unnecessary mathematical accuracy, and concerned with everyday affairs such as interpersonal relationships. However, "hard" sciences, such as astronomy and chemistry, are said to offer precise answers. Precise definitions for "hard" sciences vary, but the characteristics of "hard" sciences include: producing testable predictions; performing controlled experiments; relying on quantifiable data and mathematical models; a high degree of accuracy and objectivity; and generally applying a pure form of the scientific method | high10912.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "teacher"
},
"options": [
"doctor",
"model",
"teacher",
"reporter"
],
"question": "We can know from the passage that the author works as a_.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Last week I talked with some of my students about what they wanted to do after they graduated, and what kind of job prospects they thought they had.
Given that I teach students who are training to be doctors, I was surprised do find that most thought that they would not be able to get the jobs they wanted without "outside help". "What kind of help is that?" I asked, expecting them to tell me that they would need a or family friend to help them out.
"Surgery ," one replied.
I was pretty alarmed by that response. It seems that the graduates of today are increasingly willing to go under the knife to get ahead of others when it comes to getting a job .
One girl told me that she was considering surgery to increase her height. "They break your legs, put in special extending screws, and slowly expand the gap between the two ends of the bone as it re-grows, you can get at least 5 cm taller!"
At that point, I was shocked. I am short, I can't deny that, but I don't think I would put myself through months of agony just to be a few centimetres taller. I don't even bother to wear shoes with thick soles, as I'm not trying to hide the fact that I am just not tall!
It seems to me that there is a trend towards wanting "perfection" , and that is an ideal that just does not exist in reality.
No one is born perfect, yet magazines, TV shows and movies present images of thin, tall, beautiful people as being the norm. Advertisements for slimming aids, beauty treatments and cosmetic surgery clinics fill the pages of newspapers, further creating an idea that "perfection" is a requirement, and that it must be purchased, no matter what the cost. In my opinion, skills, rather than appearance, should determine how successful a person is in his/her chosen career. | high19088.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25"
},
"options": [
"on the same date every year",
"on Sunday on March 22",
"on Sunday on April 25",
"on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25"
],
"question": "Easter come... | The most important holiday in spring, especially for Christians, is Easter. This Christian holiday is not on the same date every year,but it's always on a Sunday. It can be any Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Many people celebrate Easter by buying new clothes. Children celebrate by hunting for colored eggs that their parents have hidden around the house. People also give Easter baskets filled with candy and other goodies to one another to celebrate the day.
But the holiday is more than new clothes and good things to eat. On Easter, many people go to church to celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Most people color Easter eggs. Some people hide them. Others just eat them. But no matter what one does with Easter eggs,they are an important Easter tradition throughout the Western world. People from many different cultures celebrate Easter. In both America and Belgium, children look for Easter eggs hidden on lawns and in bushes. In America, children believe the eggs are hidden by the Easter bunny .But in Belgium, the hidden eggs are supposed to have fallen from church bells. In Bulgaria , red Easter eggs are lucky in churches. Bulgarian families also hit these Easter eggs together to see whose is the strongest. The winner looks forward to good fortune that year. Still dozens of other Easter traditions exist. In parts of Austria,for example,children sing from door to door and are rewarded with colorful eggs. | high3193.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To introduce."
},
"options": [
"To educate.",
"To persuade.",
"To instruct.",
"To introduce."
],
"question": "What is the purpose of the text?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_i... | A public high school in the rural town of Boonsboro,Maryland,offers a special program recently. Top students in the ninth and tenth grades can attend single-sex classes for math,science,English and social studies.
The aim is to help teenagers keep their mind on their work by keeping males and females apart. Rebecca Brown chooses the students for what Boonsboro High School calls the Academy. "What we really want to do is take that top group of kids and take them to the very highest level they can achieve here,so that they're prepared for college," she said. They need high marks and test scores and strong teacher recommendations. They also need to be involved in activities.
Michael Bair has been at Boonsboro High School for twenty years and directs the Academy. His ninth-grade English class for boys centers on books that he believes boys find interesting. "The novels they're reading now,are very manly novels. They're novels that deal with the arrogance of man and the pride of man." One of those books,for example,is "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London. This classic story tells of a dog stolen from his home and sold to work as a sled dog in Canada's Klondike Gold Rush.
On this day,the students are working in small groups. Vincent and Logan explain why they're drawing pictures that relate to the story. Vincent said,"The main character,Buck,gets abducted , and they send him off to the Yukon in a train. So I'm drawing part of the story where he's in the train. It gets you to _ the setting of the story and gets you to think more about what's going on in the story,the important events of the story."" Instead of just doing work sheets about it,this is a lot more fun," Logan added happily.
Morgan Van Fleet likes being in the Academy. She says boys and girls act differently when they are together in a classroom. "To me,it almost seems like it's hindering your chances at developing yourself because you're more focused on 'Oh,I wish they'd shut up. Oh,what do they think of me?' instead of focusing on what's the homework or what's going on in this class,what's the lesson." | high4824.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The passage doesn't tell us directly."
},
"options": [
"He was hungry and had no place to live in.",
"His owner went away on weekends.",
"He couldn't find his way to his owner's house.",
"The passage doesn't tell us dir... | After my husband died suddenly from a heart attack on the tennis court, my world crashed around me. I was overwhelmed with the responsibilities of earning a living, caring for the children and just _ .
I was fortunate to find a wonderful housekeeper to care for the children during the week, but from Friday nights to Monday mornings, the children and I were alone, and frankly I was uneasy.
One Friday evening I came home from work to find a big beautiful German shepherd on our doorstep. He gave every indication that he intended to enter the house and make it his home. I agreed to let him sleep in the basement until the next day.
The following morning we made phone calls and checked lost-and-found ads for German's owner, but with no results. German, meanwhile, actually made himself part of the family. Saturday night he was still with us, sleeping in the basement.
On Sunday I had planned to take the children on a picnic. When we stopped to get gas at a local station, we were amazed to see German racing to the gas station after us. He settled down in the back for the ride to the picnic.
Monday morning I let him out for a run while the children got ready for school. He didn't come back. As evening came and German didn't appear, we were all disappointed. We were convinced that he had gone home or been found by his owner, and that we would never see him again. We were wrong. The next Friday evening, German was back on our doorstep. Again we took him in, and again he stayed until Monday morning, when our housekeeper arrived.
This pattern repeated itself every weekend for almost 10 months. We grew more and more fond of German and we took comfort in his strong, warm presence, and we felt safe with him near us.
Each week, between German's visits, I grew a little stronger, a little braver and more able to cope; every weekend I enjoyed his company. Then one Monday morning we patted his head and let him out for what turned out to be the last time. He never came back. We never saw or heard of German again.
I think of him often. I believe German was sent because he was needed, and because no matter how abandoned and alone we feel, somehow, somewhere, someone knows and cares. We are never really alone. | high20609.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "taking consequences into consideration1]"
},
"options": [
"avoiding making the same mistakes",
"accepting the punishment willingly",
"taking consequences into consideration1]",
"trying things out one by one"
],
... | It's good to make mistakes,and here is why. First of all,mistakes are a clear sign that you are trying new things. It's always good to try new things because when you are trying new things you are growing. If you never try anything new,how can you improve?How can you expand?The simple answer is"You can't."Look around you. With very few exceptions,either every-thing you see in your world or every single detail of every single thing is the result of someone trying something new.
Another good thing about mistakes is this:When you are making mistakes,you are learning.Consider this:Edison failed 10,000 times before he perfected the 1ight bulb.When asked how it felt to fail that many times,he said that he hadn't failed 10,000 times,but rather had learned 10,000 things that didn't work.
Finally,when you make a mistake you are much closer to success.Why?Because when all is said and done,you will have tried some numbers of things before you succeed.Every time you make a mistake you eliminate one of those things and are one step closer.But this all doesn't mean that you should go ahead without considering the consequences of a mistake.Quite the contrary,when you try something new you have to be willing to set some reasonable limits so that in the event that it doesn't work out the way you want it to,you will he in a position to try again.
We all have limited time and money so don't blow them all on one approach to a problem.Realize that it probably won't be perfect the first time and allocate these resources properly so you can learn,make corrections,and try it again.If you accept and use your mistakes in this way,you can make great progress in your business and your career.
There is an old saying that goes,"If you're not making mistakes,you're not trying hard enough."So go ahead and make mistakes.And learn.And grow.And succeed. | high18396.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Gratitude is of vital importance to happiness."
},
"options": [
"Being thankful will keep you fit.",
"Mom is great for her being thankful.",
"There are many ways of being thankful.",
"Gratitude is of vital importance to... | Mom was right! If you say thank you, for even the smallest gift or slightest show of kindness, you'll fell happy.
Gratitude , says Robert A. Emmons, a professor of psychology at the University of California, is an extremely important element of happiness, In his most recent book, Thanks! (Houghton Mifflin, $30.95), Emmons uses the first major study on gratitude to prove mom's point. In acknowledging and promoting this much-ignored expression of thankfulness, he explains how people have benefited --even improved their health.
As one of the leading scholars of the positive psychology movement, he admits gratitude may be difficult to express. He recommends you begin by acknowledging that life is good and full of events and elements that make daily existence a wonder.
Second, recognize that the source of life's goodness is more than just you. That source may be your mom, a friend, partner, child, colleague at work or play, a caregiver or God --or any combination of these.
Expressing gratitude should not be a reaction. Instead, it should be a state of mind, To feel grateful when life is a breeze and you have more than what you need is easy, To be grateful in times of crisis --anger, hatred and bitterness--is easier. Also, too many people are aware of life's blessings only after these are lost.
It's crisis and chaos--danger, disease, disability and death -- that bring many individuals to realize just how dependent they are on others. Yet it's the way each of us begins life and ends it. It's too hard that so many people waste those decades in between laboring under the illusion that they are self-sufficient, says Emmons.
I'm not a reader or advocate of self-help books, but I am thankful for the reference I found in a newspaper article to the research Emmons was conducting on gratitude involving organ donors and recipients . The chance discovery led me to this book.
Mom implied that kindness seems to find its way back to the giver because life really is all about giving, receiving and repaying. So I'll follow her advice and say: Thank you, Professor Emmons. | high23300.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It is a brief introduction to Qian, a famous Chinese scientist."
},
"options": [
"It gives a short history of Chinese missile and space programs.",
"It is about how Qian contributed to the Chinese space program.",
"It lists i... | China in the 21st century is making great progress in space technology. In 2003, the country sent up the manned spacecraft Shenzhou-V. Four years later, Chang'e-I went into orbit around the moon. In 2008 a Chinese man did the country's first spacewalk.
These achievements would have been unthinkable without the contribution of Qian Xuesen, a key scientist on space programs and rocketry of the People's Republic of China. This pioneering scientist passed away in Beijing on October 31 in 2009 at the age of 98.
Once called "the father of our space industry", Qian began working on China's missile and space technology in 1956, when China had little technology. When asked by General Chen Geng whether the Chinese could develop their own missiles, Qian said Chinese could do anything that foreigners could.
His research helped lead to the explosion of China's first atomic bomb in1964, as well as to its first man-made satellite in 1970 and its first manned spacecraft in 2003.
Qian was born in Shanghai. He graduated from Shanghai Jiaotong University in 1934.Then he studied in the US at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and later at the California Institute of Technology. During World WarII, Qian's research contributed to the development of rocket technology that the US military began using in the 1940s. He was once prevented from leaving the country because it was decided that he knew too much about certain military matters. It was not until in 1955 that Qian returned to China with the help of the late premier Zhou Enlai.
"I plan to do my best to help the Chinese build a nation where they can live with dignity and happiness, " Qian told reporters before sailing for China in 1955. The great scientist devoted all his life to keeping the promise. | high1784.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to report some celebrations of Darwin's 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of his books"
},
"options": [
"to say something about Darwin and his wife",
"to introduce Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution",
"to sing ... | London: It's well known that Charles Darwin's famous theory of evolution annoyed many people because it was against the Biblical view of creation. But few know that it also created problems for Darwin at home with his deeply religious wife, Emma.
"Darwin _ the publication of On the Origin of Species to avoid offending his wife," says Ruth Padel, the naturalist's great - great - granddaughter. "Emma told him that he seemed to be putting God further and further off", Padel says in her north London home. "But they talked it through, and Emma once said, 'Don't change any of your ideas for fear of hurting me.'"
As the world celebrates the 200th birthday of the man who changed scientific thought forever and the 150th anniversary of his book today, even his opponents admitted he was a giant figure.
Though opposition to his theory continues, it is the elegant explanation of how species evolutes through natural selection that makes his 200th birthday such a major event.
More than 300 celebrations have been planned in Britain alone, where Darwin's face graces the 10-pound bill along with that of Queen Elizabeth II.
Shrewsbury, the central England town where Darwin was born and raised, is holding a month-long festival for its most famous son. Down House, his former home near London, will hold a permanent exhibition recreating some of his most famous experiments.
Many more events have been planned all over the world.
What would he be doing if he were alive today? Padel thinks he would properly be studying DNA and the immune system. | high210.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The report is compiled every year."
},
"options": [
"The report is compiled by the Ministry of Education alone.",
"The report is compiled every year.",
"The report is compiled every two years.",
"The report is based on ... | Does technology pose a threat to the purity of Chinese language?
Many Chinese use instant messenger tools such as MSN or QQ, listen to music on MP3 players and log on the Internet using ADSL--most without knowing the literal Chinese translation of the abbreviations . But they don't have to, as many English letters have become part of the local vocabulary.
A dozen abbreviations including GDP, NBA, IT, MP3, QQ, DVD and CEO are among the 5,000 most-frequently used words in the Chinese media last year, according to a report on the 2006 Language Situation in China.
The report said some parents are so keen on English letters that a couple tried to name their baby "@", claiming the character used in email addresses reflects their love for the child. While the "@"is obviously familiar to Chinese e-mail users, they often use the English word "at" to pronounce it "ai ta",or "love him".
The study collected more than 1 billion language samples from newspapers, magazines, TV, radio and websites. The annual report is jointly compiled by the Ministry of Education and the State Language Commission.
"Nowadays, more and more English abbreviations are being used in Chinese, making them an important part of modern language," said Hou Min, a professor at Communication University of China.
"The abbreviations have gained popularity because of the ease of usage," Hou said. For example, DNA is much simpler to use than its Chinese version. "As more Chinese people learn foreign languages, especially English, in recent years, using abbreviations has become a trend among educated people," she added.
Some language scholars fear such usage will contaminate the purity of Chinese and cause confusion in communication. | high7493.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Three."
},
"options": [
"Six.",
"Two.",
"Three.",
"Four."
],
"question": "How many languages are mentioned in this passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"an... | The fourth-graders at Chicago's McCormick Primary School are unaware of the difficulty in learning Chinese. For most, who speak Spanish at home, it's becoming their third language. They've been learning and using Chinese words since kindergarten, and it's now second nature to give a hearty "ni hao" when strangers enter the classroom.
The classroom scene at McCormick is unusual, but it may soon be a common fixture in American schools, where Chinese is rapidly becoming the hot new language. Government officials have long wanted more focus on security--useful languages like Chinese, and pressure from them--as well as from business leaders, politicians, and parents--has driven a quick growth in the number of programs.
Chicago itself is home to the largest effort to include Chinese in US public schools. The program here has grown to include 3,000 students in 20 schools, with more schools on a waiting list. Programs have also spread to places like Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and North Carolina. It's true that the number of students learning Chinese is tiny compared with how many study Spanish or French.
_ see knowledge of the Chinese language and culture as a help in a global economy where China is growing in importance. "This is an interesting way to begin to engage with the world's next superpower," says Michael Levine, director of education at the Asia Society, which has started five new public high schools that offer Chinese. "Globalization has already changed the arrangements in terms of how children today are going to need to think about their careers... The question is, when not whether, the schools are going to adjust."
In Chicago, the trend extends beyond schools with high numbers of Asian students. "The fact that my students are 98% low income and 99% Latino and they are succeeding in _ , tells me everyone should have a try at learning languages," says Virginia Rivera, principal at McCormick. "We want to give our young people opportunities to advance... and Chinese is a great opportunity to survive in today's economy," says Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago. | high6955.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "both buses and trains"
},
"options": [
"both buses and trains",
"only trains",
"both buses and taxis",
"only rental cars"
],
"question": "By an EZ-Link care, you can take _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_que... | Singapore's public transport system is one of the best in the world, so you should have no problem finding your way around like a local. There are three main forms of public transport that you would find in any other major city--trains, buses and taxis.
TRAINS
Trains run from 6:00 am to midnight. Single trip tickets start at 80 cents. If you buy an EZ-Link cars for $15, you can ride the trains and buses as you like.
If you need more information, just call Transit Link on 1800 767 4333.
BUSES
There are several bus services in Singapore and fares start at 80 cents. Be sure always to ask the driver the cost of your ticket as he can not give change.
If you need help, just call Transit Link on 1800 767 4333.
TAXIS
There are three main taxi companies--City Cab (6552 2222), Comfor (6552 1111) and Tibs (6552 8888). Booking can also be easily by calling the numbers listed above.
RENABLE CARS
Driving in Singapore is a pleasure and if you like to travel at your own pace, renting a car is a good choice. Renting takes away the _ of getting to places around Singapore. Just sit back and enjoy the city. It also means you'll get to see a lot more that a train or a bus won't let you see.
For car rental, call Avis on + 65 6737 1668. | high576.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Join his family"
},
"options": [
"Go shopping",
"Find a house",
"Join his family",
"Take his family"
],
"question": "What did Rashid plan to do after his arrival in Sydney?",
"question_type": "factiod_questi... | Arriving in Sydney on his own from India, my husband, Rashid, stayed in a hotel for a short time while looking for a house for me and our children.
During the first week of his stay, he went out one day to do some shopping. He came back in the late afternoon to discover that his suitcase was gone. He was extremely worried as the suitcase had all his important papers, including his passport .
He reported the case to the police and then sat there, lost and lonely in strange city, thinking of the terrible troubles of getting all the paperwork organized again from a distant country while trying to settle down in a new one.
Late in the evening, the phone rang. It was a stranger. He was trying to pronounce my husband's name and was asking him a lot of questions. Then he said they had found a pile of papers in their trash can that had been left out on the footpath.
My husband rushed to their home to find a kind family holding all his papers and documents. Their young daughter had gone to the trash can and found a pile of unfamiliar papers. Her parents had carefully sorted them out, although they had found mainly foreign addresses on most of the documents. At last they had seen a half-written letter in the pile in which my husband had given his new telephone number to a friend.
That family not only _ the important documents to us that day but also restored our faith and trust in people. We still remember their kindness and often send a warm wish to their way. | high8978.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the effect of cup color on coffee's taste"
},
"options": [
"the popularity of sweet coffee.",
"an experiment made in Oxford.",
"the effect of cup color on coffee's taste",
"useful tips on how to make coffee."
],
... | More than 2.25 billion cups of coffee are drunk throughout the world each day, and it's likely that many taste bitter. Now, a new study suggests that coffee fans can make their drink sweeter by changing the color of their cups.
Researchers from Oxford set out to prove whether the claim that coffee drunk from a white cup tastes biter was true. They used 36 volunteers and three different colored cups---blue, white and transparent glass--- to examine the claim.
In one experiment, the white cup increased the intensity of the coffee taste relative to the transparent cup. Then, in a second experiment, coffee drunk from the white cup was found to taste less sweet when compared to the other colored cups, while the blue cup made the coffee taste the sweetest.
The scientists believe that the color brown may be associated with bitterness, and coffee in a white cup appears the brownest. "Our study clearly shows that the color of a cup does influence our sense of the coffee taste," leading author Dr George Doorn, wrote in an article for The Conversation. "The effect of the color of the cup on the taste of the coffee reported here suggests that cafe owners should carefully consider the color of their cups," he said. "The potential effects may spell the difference between a one-time purchase and a return customer." Actually, the idea that color can change the food and drink taste came out many years ago. A study published last year reported that red, strawberry-flavored cake served on a white plate was rated as 10 percent sweeter than the same food presented on a black plate. | high12863.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "obtain data on atmospheric conditions over a wide area"
},
"options": [
"design a project of weather modification",
"interpret the weather condition before the time of observation",
"obtain data on atmospheric conditions over... | A weather map is an important tool for geographers. A succession of three or four maps presents a continuous picture of weather changes. Weather forecasters are able to determine the speed of air masses and fronts to determine whether an individual pressure area is deepening or becoming shallow and whether a front is increasing or decreasing in intensity. They are also able to determine whether an air mass is retaining its original characteristics or taking on those of the surface over which it is moving. Thus, a most significant function of the map is to reveal a synoptic picture of conditions in the atmosphere at a given time.
All students of geography should be able to interpret a weather map accurately. Weather maps contain an enormous amount of information about weather conditions existing at the time of observation over a large geographical area. They reveal in a few minutes what otherwise would take hours to describe. The United States Weather Bureau issues information about approaching storms, floods, frosts, droughts, and all climatic conditions in general. Twice a month it issues a 30-day "outlook" which is a rough guide to weather conditions likely to occur over broad areas of the United States. These 30-day outlooks are based upon an analysis of the upper air levels which often set the stage for the development of air masses, fronts, and storms.
Considerable effort is being exerted today to achieve more accurate weather predictions. With the use of electronic instruments and earth satellites, enormous gains have taken place recently in identifying and tracking storms over regions which have but few meteorological stations . Extensive experiments are also in progress for weather modification studies. But the limitations of modification have prevented meteorological results except in the seeding of super-cooled, upslope mountainous winds which have produced additional orographic precipitation on the windward side of mountain ranges. Nevertheless, they have provided a clearer understanding of the fundamentals of weather elements. | high23466.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "in the bedroom"
},
"options": [
"in the living room",
"in the bedroom",
"in the office",
"on the move"
],
"question": "According to a recent survey, most tablet owners use their iPad _ .",
"question_type"... | About 35 percent of British adults sleep with teddy bears. Many more share a bed with a partner or spouse. Others still co - sleep, alongside children in a family bed.
But lying with your iPad? A recent survey by marketing agency Rosette found that 68 percent of tablet owners use the device in the bedroom, more than in any other location. The living room took a close second place, at 63 percent, reports AdAge. com, and only 45 percent of respondents said they use their tablets on the go.
But bringing devices into the bedroom is a bad idea, if quality rest is your goal. One of the most important factors of sleepiness is darkness, which signals to the brain that it's time to start speeding up production of the sleep - inducing hormone melatonin. But as the New York Times points out, in our modern world, we are exposed to light long after the sun sets. While any type of light can disturb your sleep, the blue wavelength light given off by cell phones, laptops, tablets and other gadgets is particularly troublesome. Research shows that this blue light causes alertness so decisively that it can actually be used to fight tiredness.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, 95 percent of Americans use some device, whether it's a TV, laptop, cell phone or other products, within an hour of killing time. "Artificial light exposure between dusk and the time we go to bed at night push our sleeping sense to a later hour - making it more difficult to fall asleep," said Charles Czeisler, Ph. D. , M. D. , chief of the division of sleep medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Instead, experts recommend turning off all devices an hour before bedtime and finding another method for relaxation, like reading a book, taking a warm bath or performing a series of calming yoga poses. It's also a good idea to exercise and lay off the caffeine several hours before bedtime. | high5284.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Because her breast have a higher risk of developing cancer."
},
"options": [
"Because her breast cancer is more serious.",
"Because ovarian cancer is ly easy to treat.",
"Because an operation for ovarian cancer costs too muc... | My mother fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56. She held out long enough to meet the first of her grandchildren and to hold him in her arms. But my other children will never have the chance to know her and experience how loving and gracious she was.
We often speak of "Mommy's mommy," and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is that I carry a "faulty" gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman.
Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much as I could. I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex.
On April 27, I finished the three months of medical procedures. During that time I have been able to keep this private and to carry on with my work. But I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people's hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today it is possible to find the way out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.
My own process began on February 2. The operation took eight hours. Then I woke up with tubes in my breasts. It did feel like a scene out of a science-fiction film. But days after surgery I can be back to a normal life. There have been many advances in this procedure in the last few years, and the results can be beautiful.
I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a surgery operation was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made. My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don't need to fear they will lose me.
It is a comfort that they see nothing that makes them scared. They can see my small scars and that's it. Everything else is just Mommy, the same as she always was. And they know that I love them and I will do anything to be with them as long as I can. On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman.
For any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options. I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life, and to make your own informed choices.
I acknowledge that there are many wonderful holistic doctors working on alternatives to surgery. My own regimen will be posted in due course on the Web site of the Pink Lotus Breast Center. I hope that this will be helpful to other women.
I choose not to keep my story private because there are many women who do not know that they might be living under the shadow of cancer. It is my hope that they, too, will be able to get gene tested, and that if they have a high risk they, too, will know that they can take measures.
Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of. | high19936.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Einstein made some very important discoveries in 1905"
},
"options": [
"Einstein was working in Switzerland in 1905",
"Einstein was 26 years old in 1905",
"Einstein made some very important discoveries in 1905",
"Einste... | What will you be doing when you are 26 years old? Studying at university or working for a living? Take a look at what Albert Einstein was doing at the age of 26.
100 years ago, Einstein was working in Switzerland. His hobby was physics. Without much money or help, he wrote five papers for a physics magazine. Three of these greatly changed the study of physics and our understanding of space, time, light and matter . His most famous work is on the Theory of Relativity . Einstein was given the Nobel Prize for his discoveries. Although he also did many other things later, the years 1905 has been called Einstein's "Year of Wonders". It has been 100 years since then. Because of this, the UN has named 05 the World Year of Physics.
Today, over fifty years after Einstein's death, a question is asked, " Will there ever be another Einstein?" It may take a long time. After all, Einstein was born more than 200 years after Sir Isaac Newton, another great scientist. Besides, physics is a different field now, and education is different, too. Even if you can't be the next great scientist, it is still helpful to remember some of the things that made Einstein great. He thought independently and read widely. He left with us a formula for life: If A is a success in life, then A="X+Y+Z." X is work, Y is play, and Z is keeping your mouth shut. | high16152.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because she couldn't find her parents' present."
},
"options": [
"Because she couldn't find her stockings.",
"Because her stocking hung at the fireplace disappeared.",
"Because she couldn't find her parents' present.",
... | Jo was the first to wake in the gray dawn of Christmas morning. No stockings hung at the fireplace, and for a moment she felt as much disappointed as she did long ago, when her little sock fell down because it was crammed so full of goodies. Then she remembered her mother's promise and, slipping her hand under her pillow, drew out a little red-covered book. She knew it very well, for it was that beautiful old story of the best life ever lived, and Jo felt that it was a true guidebook for any pilgrim going on a long journey.
She woke Meg with a "Merry Christmas," and asked her to see what was under her pillow. A green-covered book appeared, with the same picture inside, and a few words written by their mother, which made their one present very precious in their eyes. Presently Beth and Amy woke to find their little books also, one grey-color1ed, the other blue, and all sat looking at and talking about them, while the east grew rosy with the coming day.
"Girls," said Meg seriously, "Mother wants us to read and love and mind these books, and we must begin at once. I shall keep my book on the table here and read a little every morning as soon as I wake, for I know it will do me good and help me through the day."
Then she opened her new book and began to read. Jo put her arm round her and, leaning cheek to cheek, read also, with the quiet expression so seldom seen on her restless face. Much impressed by the pretty books and her sisters' example, the other two started reading too. And then the rooms were very still while the pages were softly turned, and the winter sunshine crept in to touch the bright heads and serious faces with a Christmas greeting.
"Where is Mother?" asked Meg, as she and Jo ran down to thank her for their gifts, half an hour later.
"Your ma went straight off to see what was needed in a poor woman's home." Replied Hannah, who had lived with the family since Meg was born, and was considered by them all more as a friend than a servant.
"She will be back soon, I think, so fry your cakes, and have everything ready," said Meg, looking over the presents which were collected in a basket and kept under the sofa, ready to be produced at the proper time."
"There's Mother. Hide the basket, quick!" cried Jo, as a door slammed and steps sounded in the hall. The girls rushed to the table, eager for breakfast.
"Merry Christmas, Mummy! Thank you for our books. We read some, and mean to every day," they all cried happily together.
"Merry Christmas, little daughters! I'm glad you began at once, and hope you will keep on. But I want to say one word before we sit down. Not far away from here lies a poor woman with a little newborn baby. Six children are huddled into one bed to keep from freezing, for they have no fire. There is nothing to eat over there, and the oldest boy came to tell me they were suffering hunger and cold. My girls, will you give them your breakfast as a Christmas present?"
They were all unusually hungry, having waited nearly an hour, and for a minute no one spoke, only a minute, for Jo exclaimed excitedly, "I'm so glad you came before we began!"
Then the four girls put the cream, the muffins and the buckwheat bread into a big basket.
"I thought you'd do it," said Mrs. March, smiling as if satisfied." You shall all go and help me, and when we come back we will have bread and milk for breakfast, and make it up at dinner time."
They were soon ready, and the procession set out. A poor, bare, miserable room it was, with broken windows, no fire, ragged bedclothes, a sick mother, crying baby, and a group of pale, hungry children cuddled under one old quilt, trying to keep warm.
How the big eyes stared and the blue lips smiled as the girls went in.
"Ach, mein Gott! It is good angels come to us!" said the poor woman, crying for joy.
"Funny angels in hoods and mittens ," said Jo, and set them to laughing.
In a few minutes it really did seem as if kind spirits had been at work there. Hannah, who had carried wood, made a fire and stopped up the broken panes with old hats and her own cloak . Mrs. March gave the mother tea and gruel , and comforted her with promises of help, while she dressed the little baby as tenderly as if it had been her own. The girls meantime spread the table, set the children round the fire, and fed them like so many hungry birds, laughing, talking, and trying to understand the funny broken English.
That was a very happy breakfast, though they didn't get any of it. When they went away, leaving comfort behind, there were not in all the city four merrier people than the hungry little girls. They gave away their breakfasts and contented themselves with bread and milk on Christmas morning. | high19261.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "violence"
},
"options": [
"thrilling goals",
"the players",
"violence",
"the fans"
],
"question": "The charm of football includes all except _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": ... | There are many dimensions to football's allure and appeal: top-class moves, thrilling goals, majestic star players, thunderous encounters and passionate fans. Football stirs the emotions all over the globe, brings people from contrasting cultures together, and promotes solid virtues such as fairness, team spirit and tolerance. All these facts will emerge in their most intense form at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil next summer.
Millions of people will be transfixed(...)by this unique festival of sport and friendship. We are thoroughly looking forward to football of the highest quality. We're delighted to welcome the biggest names in the sport as well as those nations set to appear at the finals for the first time. And we're looking forward to greeting fans from all over the world as they fill our cities with even more colour and life. A heartfelt welcome to everyone!
Brazil is a cosmopolitan country with a passion for football. The people will devote themselves to the job of ensuring the 2014 FIFA World Cup is an unforgettable experience, a fact demonstrated by the thousands of ordinary folk who have come forward as volunteers.
Brazil is well prepared to host the FIFA World Cup. We have finished constructing our new, modern stadiums and an outstanding transportation system. The organization is in the enormously capable hands of the Organizing Committee headed by RonaldoLuiz Nazario de Lima. The slogan "A time to make friends" perfectly describes our intention to ensure everyone delighted in a secure and peaceful festival of football.
The FIFA World Cup is a unique opportunity for Brazil to present herself as a hospitable, joyful and modern nation bursting with ideas. I am convinced that the flames of passion and togetherness _ by the FIFA World Cup in Brazil will spread to the entire world.
I'm personally looking forward to a festival of goals, excitement and fair play. We Brazilians will be right behind our national team, but our aim is to act as welcoming hosts and friends to every team and their fans. Passionate and cosmopolitan Brazil is delighted to welcome visitors to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. | high4415.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "two to three times the size of Earth"
},
"options": [
"the same size as Earth",
"about 0.5--2 times as big as Earth",
"twice the size of Earth",
"two to three times the size of Earth"
],
"question": "Through Kep... | Scientists added a record of 715 more planets to the list known to the world beyond the solar system, astronomers said on Wednesday, in February 2014. The additions include four planets about 0.5-2 times as big as Earth that are the right distance from their parent stars for liquid surface water, which is believed to be fit for life.
The discoveries were made with the NASA's planet-hunting Kepler space telescope. The telescope, launched in 2009, spent four productive years observing 160,000 target stars for signs of planets passing by, within the telescope's sight.
The numbers of planets announced at a NASA press conference on Wednesday increased Kepler's confirmed planets from 246 to 961. Combined with other telescopes' results, the total number of planets beyond the solar system now is nearly 1,700. "We almost doubled, just today, the number of planets known to humans," astronomer Douglas Hudgins, head of planet exploration at NASA Headquarters in Washington, told reporters on a conference call.
Many planets' discovery is due to a new technique that analyzes potential planets in _ rather than one at a time. The method was developed after scientists realized that most planets, like those in the solar system, have similar worlds orbiting a common parent star.
The newly found planets strengthen the evidence that small planets, two to three times the size of Earth, are common throughout the galaxy .
"Generally, wherever (Kepler) can see them, it finds them," said astronomer Sara Seager, with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "That's why we have confidence that there will be planets like Earth in outer space."
Like the solar system, which has eight planets plus Pluto and other so-called "dwarf planets," the newly found planets belong to families. But unlike the solar system's planets, which are about 150 times farther from the sun than Earth. Most of the planets fly nearer to their parent stars than Venus orbits the sun, a distance of about 67 million miles (108 million km.)
NASA and other space agencies are designing new telescopes to discover planets in so-called "habitable zones" around their parent stars where temperatures would be suitable for liquid surface water. Two papers on the new Kepler research will appear in an upcoming issue of 'The Astrophysical Journal'. | high10523.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "your body loses a lot of water every day"
},
"options": [
"your body needs too much water",
"water does all kinds of jobs in your body",
"your body loses a lot of water every day",
"the more water you drink the better y... | As you can see,water works hard in your body every day.That's why it's important to give your body the water it needs to carry out all its different jobs.On a regular day,your body loses 2 to 3 quarts of water--enough to fill a 2liter soda bottle.You probably guess that water is lost when you sweat--especially on a hot day.
But your body also loses water in an almost invisible way--evaporation .Water escapes from your body through your skin and in your breath.How?Your breath contains droplets of water that are usually too tiny to see.They become visible for a quick second in the cold when you can "see your breath".But water evaporates this way all year round.Your skin also contains water,which escapes in tiny droplets that go into the air.The water in your skin evaporates into the air,but fortunately,your body can replace the water it loses so your skin doesn't dry out.
Eating and drinking is one way to replace the water your body loses.Most foods have a lot of water in them,especially fruits and vegetables.Grapes,watermelons,oranges,and cantaloupes are delicious and full of water.
But you can't _ food alone to get that water back,and that's why it's also a good idea to drink water every day.You might have heard someone say that people need to drink 6 to 8 cups (1.4 to 1.9 liters) of water each day.Depending on how much water you're getting from foods and other liquids,6 to 8 cups might not be necessary.If you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables,or you like to eat soup every day,you'll get some of the water your body needs. | high6202.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because she is really shocked at Lucy's rudeness."
},
"options": [
"Because she wants to offer some other helpful advice.",
"Because she has prepared the conversation for nine years.",
"Because she is really shocked at Lucy's... | "OK,"I said to my daughter as she bent over her afternoon bowl of rice."What's going on with you and your friend J.?" J.is the leader of a group of third-graders at her camp-- a position Lucy herself occupied the previous summer. _ and every day at snack time, she tells me all about it, while I offer the unhelpful advice all summer long.
"She's fond of giving orders, "Lucy complained."She's turning everyone against me.She's mean.And she's fat." "Excuse me," I said, struggling for calm."What did you just said?" "She's fat." Lucy mumbled ."We're going upstairs," I said, my voice cold."We're going to discuss this." And up we went.I'd spent the nine years since her birth getting ready for this day, the day we'd have the conversation about this horrible word.I knew exactly what to say to the girl on the receiving end of the teasing, but in all of my imaginings, it never once occurred to me that my daughter would be the one who used the F word-Fat.
My daughter sat on her bed, and I sat beside her."How would you feel if someone made fun of you for something that wasn't your fault?" I began."She could stop eating so much," Lucy mumbled, mouthing the simple advice a thousand doctors have given overweight women for years.
"It's not always that easy," I said ."Everyone's different in terms of how they treat food." Lucy looked at me, waiting for me to go on.I opened my mouth, then closed it.Should I tell her that, in teasing a woman's weight, she's joined the long tradition of critics? Should I tell her I didn't cry when someone posted my picture and commented , "I'm sorry, but aren't authors who write books marketed to young women supposed to be pretty?"
Does she need to know, now, that life isn't fair ? I feel her eyes on me, waiting for an answer I don't have.Words are my tools.Stories are my job.It's possible she'll remember what I say forever, and I have no idea what to say.
So I tell her the only thing I can come up with that is absolutely true.I say to my daughter, "I love you, and there is nothing you could ever do to make me not love you.But I'm disappointed in you right now.There are plenty of reasons for not liking someone.What she looks like isn't one of them."
Lucy nods, tears on her cheeks."I won't say that again," she tells me, and I pull her close, pressing my nose against her hair.As we sit there together, I pray for her to be smart and strong.I pray for her to find friends, work she loves, a partner who loves her.And still, always, I pray that she will never struggle as I've struggled, that weight will never be her cross to bear.She may not be able to use the word in our home, but I can use in my head.I pray that she will never get fat. | high9131.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Films and fashion."
},
"options": [
"Films and fashion.",
"Stars' fashion.",
"Influential films.",
"Film cultures."
],
"question": "What is the best title of the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
... | My daughter went to see The Wild One recently and she commented that Marlon Brando was wearing jeans so long ago. Of course he helped set the trend, so that got me thinking about the link between films and trends in fashion. Fashion and films have gone hand in hand for long. The Wild One is a good example: it appeared in 1954, starring Brando. Dressed in a black leather motorcycle jacket, leather cap and jeans, he created a look which is still considered "cool" today. Everyone from Madonna to middle-aged men is seen wearing the classic leather motorcycle jacket.
Another strong influence on fashion trends was Breakfast at Tiffany's, starring Audrey Hepburn. She made famous the simple black dress that looks perfect at either a cocktail party or just standing around an expensive department store like Tiffany's with a pastry and coffee in your hand, as Audrey Hepburn does in the film. She looks so elegant, wearing simple but beautiful dresses, big dark glasses and a string of pearls around her neck. Audrey Hepburn still influences women's fashion with her "Tiffany's look".
In more modern times, the film star Uma Thurman created a major fashion trend when she appeared in the film Pulp Fiction, made in 1994. Her style was very simple. Her black trousers, crisp white shirt and hair style was copied by women in the world.
Influencing fashion trends can often be about timing. The movie Memoirs of a Geisha came just in time to start a trend in Japanese fashion. It started the Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, who wore beautiful silk kimonos , and it won an Oscar for Costume Design. Many travel companies picked up on the trend and ran "geisha trips" to Japan. The film has also led to a regained interest in kimonos. It is now quite common to see young Japanese women wearing kimonos not just on traditional occasions, but at various social events. The fashion is also beginning to spread to western countries. | high14745.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Some unusual pets are adopted by people."
},
"options": [
"Some websites are set up to protect pets.",
"Some unusual pets are adopted by people.",
"People should take good care of their pets.",
"Pets sometimes can be ve... | What kind of pets do people have in your country? Dogs? Cats? How about a duck, hippo or lion? Here are two cases of animal owners with unusual pets.
Barrie Hayman has a pet duck called Star. Barrie adopted him after his brothers and sisters stayed away from him at birth. Barrie, a duck breeder, realized the little duck needed special attention. So he began taking Star with him everywhere he went. "I would put him in my pocket while I did my shopping," said Barrie. Now, at five months, Star is too big for Barrie's pocket, but the two are still _ . They watch sports together and even share a drink together. Barrie said, "He is one fantastic duck. I've never known any like him." Star even has his own Facebook page, with more than 2,000 Facebook friends.
Then there's the case of Tonie and Shirley Joubert in South Africa. They live with their pet hippo, Jessica. Tonie saved Jessica from floodwaters when she was only a day old. Jessica lives outside their riverside house, but she knows how to open the kitchen door, and often goes there for a snack. Tonie recently said, "I don't know whether Jessica sees me as a hippo or whether she sees herself as a human." Shirley is more certain, "Jessica sees herself as our child and I see Jessica as my daughter. I can't imagine my life without Jessica." Jessica is free to leave, and often visits wild hippos that live nearby. But she always returns home at night. Jessica's website notes that she has three hippo boyfriends, but one in particular, Fred, is her favorite. They often go grazing together and Fred has recently moved onto the Jouberts' house as well. | high12334.txt |
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