questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "tiny-love.com"
},
"options": [
"flaxart.com",
"tiny-love.com",
"robosapienonline.com",
"minicar.com"
],
"question": "What website can you visit if you want a baby toy for your kid?",
"question_type": "factio... | YOUR KIDS ARE AMAZING --especially compared with everybody else's (who seem to cry all the time). How do you show your love for your kids this holiday season? With toys that are smooth and colorful, interactive and exciting. And with ones that have educational value -- because you are the boss.
FLAX ART HOSPITAL PUZZLE AND PLAY SET
Here is a toy that doesn't need power, and the kids have to put it together themselves. This 50-piece-puzzle set is made of soft-edged hardwood and makes a complete hospital, with an X-ray room. It also includes eight patients, a car and a driver. $135.
TINY LOVE ACTIVITY BALL
Sure, it's cool, but this colorful baby toy also develops problem solving and motor skills. It has a head and legs, a magnetic hand and a tail. Suitable for little ones from 6-36 months. $19.95; tiny-love.com.
ROBOSAPIEN
This small, remote-control robot is really powerful. It performs 67 preprogrammed functions, including throwing, kicking, picking up and dancing. You can even program your own function -- which, sadly, does not include doing windows. $99 robosapienonline.com.
MINI PEDAL CAR
Want a mini Cooper but can't fit the family inside? Get one for the kids. They can jump into this mini car, which comes in hot orange with a single adjustable seat, and ride away. But it could spoil them for that used car they'll be driving when they turn 16. For ages 3 to 5. $189; minicar.com (click on "gear up" then "mini motoring gear") | high14778.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "difficult"
},
"options": [
"difficult",
"interesting",
"easy",
"exciting"
],
"question": "The writer found it _ to run again after a few years.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {... | This is new for me and I don't know what to say really, so I just want to have a try.I was always a runner and in pretty good shape for most of my life.Then unluckily, I couldn't get myself out to run.
I put on weight and it made me feel worse about myself.I found it was much harder to begin to run again after a few years than it used to be and I tried my best through even the shortest, slowest jog.
I was out in a run the other day and I had almost decided to give up before I heard someone say ,"You can do it ! It's hard ,but you can do it !"there was a lady walking the other way and had the biggest smile on her face.
Those words encouraged me at a time when I was ready to give up.I finished my run and now every time I feel like giving up ,I can "hear"her encouragement.
I've never seen her again ,so I've never been able to thank her and let her know that something so simple as a few words of encouragement from a stranger influenced (and still influence)me so much. | high13017.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Plants Fight back with Poisons"
},
"options": [
"Plants Fight back with Poisons",
"Plants Can Kill Animals",
"Animals and Plants",
"Lions and Antelopes"
],
"question": "Which of the following can be the best tit... | When you watch TV programs about wild animals, it is surprising to see how an antelope can escape a lion's attack. In the wilderness, everyone has a stunt. Even plants have their own ways of fighting off enemies.
Over millions of years of evolution, plants have developed a unique defence system. Chemicals are wildly used for survival. By making their leaves, flowers, roots and fruits distasteful or poisonous to enemies, plants can fight back.
One such plant is the Golden Wattle tree. The British scientist David Cameron has found when an animal eats the tree's leaves, the amount of poison increases in the other leaves. "It's like the damaged leaves telephoning the others telling them to fight together against the enemy, " he said.
The tree also sends defence messages to neighboring plants by giving out a special smell. Golden Wattle trees in the surrounding 45 meters will get the message and produce more poison within 10 minutes. Now, if an enemy eats too many of the trees' leaves, it will die.
Every species of plant or tree is good at the production of a particular set of chemicals. A _ that can safely eat the leaves of one tree may be poisoned by its neighbor.
In this way, plants have developed not only individual defence system, but also shared it with others. This makes it impossible for a single animal to destroy even a small area of forest. | high1550.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "She envied what the lady owned."
},
"options": [
"She thought of Liz Taylor.",
"She had no such expensive car.",
"She disliked her own eyes and teeth.",
"She envied what the lady owned."
],
"question": "Why did ... | One day,I noticed the most beautiful Cadillac pull in the lot while waiting for my husband.A pretty female driver pulled into the spot beside our car.There was a striking resemblance to Liz Taylor.Her eyes were as blue as the sea,and teeth like an even row of pearls.A few minutes 1ater,a nice looking man entered her car,leaned over and kissed her and she drove away.
Sitting there,I wanted to cry.How could some people have it all?
Then it became almost routine to see her about once a week.She seemed friendly and always waved,flashing a big smile.My envy continued to exist long after she drove away.
A couple of weeks later,sitting in our usual parking lot,I was holding a book,watching her over the top of it.Her husband came to the car,took her arm and helped her out of the car.I could see very well as she moved to get out.She unsteadily walked around to the passenger side very slowly, leaning on a walking cane.Sitting sideways.she lifted one leg with her hands and then the other.The beautiful lady had a prosthesis on the left Ieg and a brace on the right leg.
I couldn't watch them drive away as the tears were blinding me.Through my tears,I told my husband about the beautiful lady.He said he knew her husband and the story.The lady and her parents were in a car that got caught on the railroad tracks and was hit by a train.Both parents were killed and she was severely injured.She was only 12 years old.The railroad made a large settlement with her because the crossing had no signals.He explained her car was specially built for her needs as well as the home.
I prayed for forgiveness all the way home.The lady I thought had everything I didn't.I realized how lucky I was to have my parents,the ability to walk,run or dance through life and many wonderful things money can't buy.I would not have traded places with the beautiful lady for anything.
When you meet a person who seems to be much better off than you,don't be fooled. | high13771.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The effect of the Sept. 11 attack and Hollywood films."
},
"options": [
"The relationship between the Sept. 11 attack and Hollywood films.",
"The effect of the Sept. 11 attack and Hollywood films.",
"The response Hollywood ma... | As the world watched the twin towers of the World Trade Center come under attack, a common phrase was repeated:" It looks like a movie."
But this time there was no superman to save the people or the famous building. The attack destroyed one of the world's highest skyscrapers and left 5,000 people dead or missing.
Movie fans have become used to such events after years of Hollywood films showing disasters, terrorism and danger. The Empire State Building, the White House, New York City and even the American president himself have all been threatened by terrorist attacks in these exciting films. The film" True Lies", released in 1994, is considered to be a good example of this kind of movie. The special effects, including explosions and missiles, make the action look like a real thing.
"Independence Day" in 1996 took this type of movie one step further by blowing up the White House. This science fiction movie is about a war between human beings and aliens from another planet. In the movie, the World Trade Center towers are destroyed.
Violence has become a major part of Hollywood movies. And this is what people enjoy. Soon after the attacks, many famous film companies stopped the planned releases of some of their new movies, especially if their films showed terrorist attacks or plane crashes. "Swordfish" was top of the American box office in June. But the movie's story was frighteningly similar to the Sept. 11 disaster. The film would have been stopped in American and British cinemas after the attack. But it's unlikely that Hollywood will stay quiet for long. It is already waiting for the feeling in America to calm down. | high1236.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "find your favorite tent"
},
"options": [
"meet your different needs",
"find the answer for every camper",
"help you out of trouble",
"find your favorite tent"
],
"question": "You can make use of the Internet to ... | A tent can be one of the more costly items on your camping equipment shopping list. It is definitely something that you need to consider carefully.
By seeing a tent for real you will be able to get a better impression of its size and construction in the traditional shop. However,the _ is that,unless you are experienced,you may miss out some of the details that the manufacturer's promotional material makes clear. Cheap tents often look similar to the quality models they are mimicking ,but you can be sure that they use inferior materials and probably have lower design standards.
Shop staff are often campers themselves. That means they usually can give lots of advice. If a shop assistant agrees with your own conclusions,that will be great;if they try to change your decision with a clear and reasonable argument,then that will be worth considering;if they just try to bamboozle ,or even bully,you then walk away.
The Internet is a wonderful tool,and so long as you know how to make the most of search engines and put in a little effort,you really have the perfect answer waiting to be found. That answer will be different for every camper as each of us has different needs. Don't be surprised to see your favorite criticized somewhere,but if you see too much criticism,then you had better start thinking again. No problem. You won't have spent anything yet,so think of it positively as a large expense saved.
Probably the best approach,if you have the time,is to research tents online and make a short list. Then try to inspect those tents at nearby shops. Then you can make a final decision on where to buy your chosen model based purely on total cost. | high6559.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "what we eat can affect the whole planet"
},
"options": [
"what we eat can affect the whole planet",
"the way we live affects the environment",
"how we can save energy on the Earth",
"how we can produce environmentfriend... | Recently,scientists attending a meeting in Chicago presented new studies showing how food and its production affect global warming.They offered some suggestions for how to eat in a more environmentally friendly way.
For many years,scientists have warned us that our planet is getting warmer.If current trends continue,animals may start to die off and life could get very difficult for everyone.The temperature is rising because humans have been releasing massive amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,which surround the planet and keep heat from escaping.One of these gases is carbon dioxide.
Most carbon dioxide we produce comes from the process of making and eating food,the scientists reported in Chicago.The production of meat contributes to a lot of carbon dioxide.And much of meat's contribution comes from beef,which is responsible for releasing even more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
The process of making a hamburger,for example,requires a lot of energy.A cow has to be fed and raised,and cow's wastes are a major source of greenhouse gases.After the cow is killed,the meat has to be processed and shipped to a consumer,which takes fuel.And most of the cow won't even be used for meat people eat.
By the time a hamburger finally lands on a dinner plate,it has taken a heavy toll on the environment.It is believed that the process of making a halfpound allbeef burger adds about 19 times the weight of hamburgers in carbon dioxide.
The message is clear:We can greatly reduce the production of greenhouse gases by eating less beef.Other kinds of meat like pork and chicken do less harm to the environment--at least in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases released.Nathan Pelletier,a scientist at Dalhousie University in Canada,reported that if everyone in industrial countries ate chicken instead of beef,we would cut the Earth's greenhouse gases by more than half.
All kinds of meat,the scientists reported,are harder on the planet than vegetables.To grow and eat a pound of potatoes,for example,sends less than one quarter pound of carbon dioxide into the air.So shifting our diet to less meat and more vegetables may do the world some good. | high7647.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "supported Panamanian revolutionaries in their fight for independence from Columbia."
},
"options": [
"at first wished to build a canal through Nicaragua",
"promised to pay Columbia $ 10 million for Panama",
"wished to build a... | Relation between the United States and Columbia suffered for many years because of an incident involving the Republic of Panama. By the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, many Americans felt that an easier and faster way was needed to get ships from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Some people in the United States first believed that a canal across Nicaragua was the answer. However, President Theodore Roosevelt decided that a canal through Panama would be a better choice.
In order to build the canal , the United States had to negotiate a treaty with Columbia , which at that time controlled Panama . Roosevelt offered Columbia $ 10 million plus $ 250,000 a year for 99 years for a six-mile-wide strip of land across Panama. Columbia rejected the United States' offer. This ranged President Roosevelt, and negotiations with Columbia ended.
In 1903, a revolution broke out in Panama. The United States ships were sent by President Roosevelt to protect the Panamanian revolutionaries from Columbian forces. The revolution succeeded, and Panama declared its independence from Columbia. The United States then negotiated with the newly formed government. A treaty was signed, and the United States began building the canal.
As a result of the incident, Columbia and the United States remained on bad terms for many years. Not until 1921, when the United States agreed to pay Columbia some compensation for its territory, did relations between the two countries improve. | high8574.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "CCTV-1"
},
"options": [
"Zhejiang Channel",
"Shandong Channel",
"Sichuan Channel",
"CCTV-1"
],
"question": "Which channel is not mentioned in the passage.",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
... | These days, there's a popular cartoon named happy sheep and gray wolf. It's an excellent Chinese cartoon, which tells the stories of happy sheep and gray wolf. The poor gray wolf is always trying hard to catch the sheep, but the sheep could always run away from the danger. The sheep are so clever and lovely that the cartoon gets all the children's love. At the same time, the cartoon is full of humor. The children could learn more knowledge and enjoyment from it.
The cartoon is shown repeatedly on many TV channels.The Zhejiang Channel broadcasts the cartoon on weekends and the vacations; the Sichuan Channel broadcasts the cartoon for an hour in the evening; the Shandong Channel broadcasts it in the morning, while CCTV-3 broadcasts it at noon every day.
On one hand, the cartoon gets the children's love because the happy sheep is really clever. He always has a way to work out any problem and save his friends. What's more , there're many things about happy sheep and gray wolf, such as the books, the toys, the pencil-box, the clothings, and so on. Children are happy to buy them. On the other hand, many adults also like the cartoon, for the gray wolf is regarded as the perfect husband with skills and effort. He invents many things just to catch a sheep for his wife. Though he is often hit by his wife, he always makes her happy without complaining .
We can learn more from the cartoon, including the skills, the stories, the details, the humor, and so on. We could see the humor of Chinese type during the cartoon. But I don't like its being shown so often. It may make the children spend more time on watching TV and it is bad for their health and study. | high15300.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Because he / she found that the productivity was higher."
},
"options": [
"Because he / she wanted to have more sleep time.",
"Because he / she wanted to do morning exercise.",
"Because he / she wanted to test which school is... | Are _ born or made? In my case it was definitely made. In my early 20s, I hardly went to bed before midnight, and I would always get up late the next morning.
But after a while I couldn't ignore the high relationship between success and rising early. On those rare occasions where I did get up early, I noticed that my productivity was always higher. So I set out to become a habitual early riser. But whenever my alarm went off, my first thought was always to stop that noise and go back to sleep. Eventually some sleep research showed that my strategy was wrong.
The most common wrong strategy is this: supposing you're going to get up earlier, you'd better go to bed earlier. It sounds very reasonable, but will usually fail.
There are two main schools of thought on sleep patterns. One is that you should go to bed and get up at the same time every day. The second school says you should go to bed when you're tired and get up when you naturally wake up. However, I have found both are wrong if you care about productivity. If you sleep at fixed hours, you'll sometimes go to bed when you aren't sleepy enough. You're wasting time lying in bed awake.
My solution is to combine both methods. I go to bed when I'm sleepy and get up with an alarm clock at a fixed time. So I always get up at the same time (in my case 5 a.m.), but I go to bed at different times every night.
However, going to bed only when I'm sleepy, and getting up at a fixed time every morning are my ways. If you want to become an early riser, you can try your own. | high3421.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "more pizza with French fries"
},
"options": [
"more than two slices of pizza in a day",
"two slices of pizza for a meal",
"pizza along with salad",
"more pizza with French fries"
],
"question": "According to the... | Children in the United States eat too much pizza that some researchers now argue the food should join the ranks of sugary drinks and fast food for the harm they do to health.
In a new study, the researchers found that pizza is a large source of calories, saturated fat and salt in children's diets.Children should not eat more than two slices of pizza for a meal,and should pair that with salad, rather than with another high-calorie food,the researchers concluded.
"Parents should aim to control pizza consumption , particularly as a snack where it was shown to have a very adverse impact on children, and they should put their pizza dollars toward healthier brands."Said Lisa Powel, director of the Illinois Prevention Research Center.
Pizza has become a matter of focus in recent years for researchers who look at the meals children eat, rather than the nutrients within them.Studies have found pizza is among the greatest sources of calories for children.
"Since pizza remains a common part of children's diet, we need to make 'healthy' pizza."Powel said.To make pizza healthier, food producers should reduce its saturated fat and salt, and increase its whole grain content," she said.
Whether or not pizza is harmful enough to be picked out as an unhealthy food, the study attracts attention to a larger issue with the modern American lifestyle, said Alexis Tindall, who was not involved in the flow research. "Many foods are eaten too frequently and in large sizes," said Tindall.To solve the problem, people don't have to give up eating pizza, but instead, they can eat smaller and healthier pizza,"she said.
"Make it at home, instead of ordering it out where you don't have any control over how it's made." Tindall said. "When we make it at home, we can choose healthier ingredients,increase the vegetables, reduce fat, and put in less cheese.Pizza doesn't have to be just pepperoni and cheese." | high11166.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "difficult to move his body"
},
"options": [
"less likely to achieve dreams",
"difficult to move his body",
"eager to learn how to survive",
"easy to be recognized"
],
"question": "According to the passage, the d... | Mattie Stepanek died at the age of 13 from a rare disease called muscular dystrophy. Because of the disease, Mattie had to get around in a wheelchair, but it did not stop him from staying positive and inspiring others with his message of peace. As a best-selling author and role model, Mattie provided a voice for people who suffer from muscular dystrophy. He spoke to people about the disease and about his dream for world peace.
"Mattie was something special, something very special," said Jerry Lewis, the chair of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, a group that works to find a solution to the disease. "He was an example that made people want to reach for the best within themselves."
Mattie moved many people through his speeches and interviews, but he may have touched the most people through his poetry. During his life, Mattie wrote five books of poetry. Three of those books were The New York Times best-sellers. His books all had the word "Heartsongs" in the title. Mattie called his inner voice that encouraged him to work for peace his "Heartsongs".
When his first book came out, just 200 copies were printed to be handed out to friends and supporters. But after the news of the book spread, 500,000 more copies were printed. People think Mattie's poems are very thoughtful.
Mattie first started writing poetry at the age of 3 to help him face the death of his brother, who also suffered from muscular dystrophy.
The magazine Time For Kids once interviewed Mattie. He told the reporter, "Life is a gift. We have to make the best of it." Mattie said his task was to bring peace to the world. | high16609.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He is very fond of traveling."
},
"options": [
"He is very fond of traveling.",
"He doesn't drink wine now.",
"He cannot speak a foreign language.",
"He used to be a housekeeping manager."
],
"question": "What d... | Juanito Estrella has been a housekeeping manager on the US-based large passenger ship Carnival Spirit for 18 months and feels he has found the suitable position in his career .He has always wanted to travel. "I guess I am a really restless spirit. I like traveling, so when the chance came, I jumped at it," he says.
The chance came in the form of a newspaper advertisement for work on cruise ships .At the time Estrella was the housekeeping manager at a Melbourne hotel. He applied and, after two interviews, a medical check and police clearance, the job was his.
Estrella is responsible for the cleanliness of the ship, making sure that 160 crew work properly. "I enjoy it because there is no other work-you wake up each day in a different place and a different culture. It's exciting when you go to the next country and you don't understand the language," he says.
Estrella likes being busy and getting to know people from all over the world. The 1,000 crew come from 94 countries, and Estrella has learnt Spanish and a little Croatian.
But there is a downside ."You cannot get really drunk...because you have safety responsibilities to yourself and others," he says. "You don't really think about home. You start to think about home only when you get closer to your vacation and wonder what you'll be doing."
Life on the ship is anything but cruising. Estrella and his fellows work at least 10 hours a day, seven days a week. He warns the job is not for everybody. "You have to love being busy and be prepared to work every day-and to give up drinking too much alcohol." In his spare time, if the ship sails into a port, Estrella explores it, otherwise he works out in the crew's gym, goes on the internet or calls home. | high17517.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "cellphones"
},
"options": [
"forks",
"cellphones",
"napkins",
"knives"
],
"question": "When having meal in Eva Restaurant, we are not offered _ on the table.[,",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{... | It's become part of the restaurant table setting: knife, fork, napkin and cell phone.
Distracted dining is the new concern with customers constantly texting friends, uploading a Weibo photo of the meal they're about to chew down or emailing the boss. For many smart-phone users, it's hard just to focus on the meal and company at hand.
Now, one restaurant in Los Angeles is giving diners a reason to turn off the digital world, by offering customers willing to check their phones at the door a 5-percent discount on their bill. Owner and chef Mark Gold of Eva Restaurant, located on Beverly Boulevard near N. Gardner Street, hopes this gives customers a way to truly sit back and relax, enjoy their meal and actually talk with friends and family in person.
"For us, it's really not about people disturbing other guests. Eva is home, and we want to create that environment of home, and we want people to connect again," he explained. "It's about two people sitting together and just connecting, without the distraction of a phone, and we're trying to create an atmosphere where you come in and really enjoy the experience and the food and the company."
Gold said applying the suggestion reminds him to avoid cell phone usage, too. "I'm guilty of it as well. When my wife and I go to dinner it seems like the cell phone is part of the table setting now. Every table you look at, it's a wine glass, the silverware and the cell phone," he joked.
The husband and wife team runs Eva, a 40-person space with European flair. Gold said a little less than half take advantage of the deal, and no one has gotten upset about it.
"I think once the server approaches the table and they're presented with the offer, they like the idea of actually talking to each other again," he said. | high5050.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Mr. Nordyke's music entertained and comforted people in the community."
},
"options": [
"The neighbors often dropped in to hear Mr. Nordyke's performance.",
"Mr. Nordyke's music entertained and comforted people in the community.",
... | My father's playing the violin lights up any room. To him, it is an instrument of faith, hope and charity. My mother used to joke, "Your papa would play his violin if the world was about to blow up."
_
In the early years of the 20th century, the boll weevil began destroying the cotton farms in the southern USA.
In May 1910, folks all over the nation were talking about Halley's Comet . There were all sorts of frightening stories about it, the main one being that the world would pass through its tail, said to be millions of miles long.
Between the threats of the comet and weevils, the farmers were running low on optimism. One night, they gathered at our farm to discuss what to do. Will Bowen, a local man, suggested, "Charley, how about giving us a little music?"
"I don't think anybody'd want to hear me tonight," Dad replied.
"Come on, Mr. Nordyke," one of the younger women urged. "Play for us!"
Dad got the hang of getting people in the mood for his music. He played church songs, and then switched to war songs. By the time he had finished performing, people were stamping their feet, clapping their hands and yelling.
All of our neighbors went home whistling. Very few remembered to look to see whether the comet was still around.
Another evening, Will Bowen called Dad on the telephone and said, "Charley, I'm downhearted and blue. Could you play a tune or two for me through the phone?"
Dad handed the receiver to me and then set about playing the songs he had performed that night. I could hear Mr. Bowen whistling and yelling.
By the time the tune was finished there were half a dozen neighbors on the line. They talked about how wonderful the music sounded over the telephone. They made numerous requests; I relayed them to Dad and he played.
Our broadcasts became regular features of community life. When the weather was bad in winter and farmers were forced to remain in the house, someone would ring us and ask Dad to play. Usually it developed into a network affair. Our phone kept ringing with requests for music until radio came into fashion. | high10278.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The threat of cell phone viruses."
},
"options": [
"The operating system of cell phones.",
"The threat of cell phone viruses.",
"The wide use of cell phones.",
"Computer viruses."
],
"question": "What is the pas... | Since the Internet came into homes, the daily life has never been the same again. But the thing that worries most of us is that we can get viruses from the Internet. But can we catch viruses on our cell phones? A new study in the journal Science says yes, but the spread of such mobile software that can bring harm to our cell phones won't reach dangerous levels until more cell phones are on the same operating system.
Computers are easily attacked by viruses because they share data, especially over the Internet. Of course, nowadays, more people are using their cell phones more and more frequently. They use them for emailing, text messaging and downloading troublesome ring tones, etc.,so it is obvious that cell phone viruses are a threat as well.
Scientists used nameless call data from more than six million cell phone users to help model a possible outbreak. And they concluded that viruses that spread from phone to phone by Bluetooth are not much concerned, because users have to be in close physical relation for their phones to "see" one another. However, viruses that spread through multimedia messaging services can move much faster, because they can come in disguise , such as a cool tune sent by a friend. The good news is that to be effective, these viruses need their victims to all use the same operating system, which not enough of us do. Because there is no Microsoft operating system for mobile phones, yet. Thank goodness. | high9642.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Someone created the grammar first and then people learn the language according to it."
},
"options": [
"Grammar is the system of a language.",
"Someone created the grammar first and then people learn the language according to it.",... | Grammar is the system of a language. People sometimes describe grammar as the "rules" of a language; but in fact no language has rules. If we use the word "rules", we suggest that somebody created the rules first and then spoke the language, like a new game. But languages did not start like that. Languages started by people making sounds which evolved into words, phrases and sentences. No commonly-spoken language is fixed. All languages change over time. What we call "grammar" is simply a reflection of a language at a particular time.
Do we need to study grammar to learn a language? The short answer is "no". Very many people in the world speak their own, native language without having studied its grammar. Children start to speak before they even know the word"grammar". But if you are serious about learning a foreign language, the long answer is "yes, grammar can help you to learn a language more quickly and more efficiently." It's important to think of grammar as something that can help you, like a friend. When you understand the grammar (or system) of a language, you can understand many things yourself, without having to ask a teacher or look in a book.
So think of grammar as something good, something positive, something that you can use to find your way---like a signpost or a map.
Except invented languages like Esperanto . And if Esperanto were widely spoken, its rules would soon be very different. | high14036.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the disturbance of the daily life cycle of workers who have to change shifts too frequently"
},
"options": [
"the inconveniences brought about to the workers by the introduction of automation",
"the disturbance of the daily life cy... | We all know that the normal human daily cycle of activity is of some 7-8 hours' sleep alternating with some 16-17 hours' wakefulness and that the sleep normally coincides with the hours of darkness. Our present concern is with how easily and to what extent this cycle can be modified.
The question is no mere academic one. The ease, for example, with which people can change from working in the day to working at night is a question of growing importance in industry where automation calls for round-the-clock working of machines. It normally takes from five days to one week for a person to adapt to a reversed routine of sleep and wakefulness, sleeping during the day and working at night. Unfortunately, it is often the case in industry that shifts are changed every week; a person may work from 12 midnight to 8 a.m. one week, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the next, and 4 p.m. to 12 midnight the third and so on. This means that no sooner has he got used to one routine than he has to change to another, so that much of his time is spent neither working nor sleeping very efficiently.
The only real solution appears to be to hand over the night shift to a number of permanent night workers. An interesting study of the domestic life and health of night-shift workers was carried out by Brown in 1957. She found a high incidence of disturbed sleep and other disorders among those on alternating day and night shifts, but no abnormal occurrence of these phenomena among those on permanent night work.
This latter system then appears to be the best long-term policy, but meanwhile something may be done to relieve the pressure of alternate day and night work by selecting those people who can adapt most quickly to the changes of routine. One way of knowing when a person has adapted is by measuring his body temperature. People occupied in normal daytime work will have a high temperature during the hours of wakefulness and a low one at night; when they change to night work the pattern will only gradually go back to match the new routine and the speed with which it does so parallels, broadly speaking, the adaptation of the body as a whole, particularly in terms of performance. Therefore, by taking body temperature at two-hour intervals throughout the period of wakefulness, it can be seen how quickly a person can adapt to a reversed routine, and this could be used as a basis for selection. So far, however, such a form of selection does not seem to have been applied in practice. | high6571.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Clever but unlucky."
},
"options": [
"Clever but unlucky.",
"Stupid but lucky.",
"Selfless.",
"A great man."
],
"question": "What can we say about the statesman?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | The pilot knew that there was nothing he could do to keep the plane long in the air. So he rushed back to where his passengers sat and explained the dangerous situation. In the end he said, "I'm a married man with two small children. I'm sorry to tell you that there are only three parachutes in the plane." And with that he took up one and jumped out.
One of the passengers reacted quickly. "I'm a great statesman !" he said. "I've a very bright brain and the world can't do without me!" And with that he jumped out too.
The other two passengers, an old man and a young soldier, were quiet for a moment. "Son," the man said, "I'm old and have lived a full life. I'm ready to meet my God."
"You'll have to give up that," the young man said, smiling. "The world's smartest man just jumped out with my backpack." | high22584.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he had noble personalities"
},
"options": [
"he was very intelligent",
"he had won many honors",
"he had noble personalities",
"he was very determined"
],
"question": "The professor was admired because _ .",
... | A professor I have worked pretty closely with has been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. It has been devastating for his family and heartbreaking for his students.
What made him extraordinary was not only that he was a rising star. He had only recently collected the highest honors for young researchers at the White House. We truly admire him--as someone put it, 'He always has a smile and a kind word for everyone." It is very hard to find someone who is extremely intelligent should be so nice a human being.
I decided that we needed him to know _ and also how we are all praying for his recovery. I bought him a simple card which read, 'Healing thoughts and wishes coming your way." I met all the students he worked closely with and got them to sign on it. Each student in his laboratory signed and also added a message. 'We love you so much", 'We miss you! We need you back here--recover soon"... These were some of the messages that were written. Most of the students were really glad we were doing this and said it was a very good idea to give it to him.
He is still undergoing intense treatment, and along with his family is trying his best to stay optimistic and hopeful. I didn't see a trace of self-pity or sadness when I met him last week. Instead, he paid attention to every word of my presentation and asked me several questions related to my work. I was amazed at how much he gave his 100% on that day in spite of being in pain because of chemotherapy( ),he did not know if he even had another month to live. "I am trying to focus on staying positive, hoping to be back this summer," he said.
Needless to say, I saw an expression of joy and hope on his face as he opened the card. He said he was truly touched to see the messages from the students he worked closely with.
There is one thing I learnt from last week: It is so important to tell people how much they mean to us and what an inspiration they are before it becomes too late. My professor, in spite of being too sick to teach classes, has managed to continue being a great teacher, introducing his last valuable message to us. | high15328.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To check the arrangement."
},
"options": [
"To check the arrangement.",
"To exchange ideas.",
"To decide the topics.",
"To ask for leave."
],
"question": "Why are you advised to contact Mandi?",
"question_ty... | English Conversation
Leader: Mandi Ashmore
english@ iwc-lausanne. org
We meet on Mondays at 14:30 at the IWC clubhouse. We chat for about an hour and discuss everything. Mandi asks "students" to contact her on Monday to confirm the class as sometimes she needs to cancel for various reasons or occasionally she may choose to hold the class at a different venue or at an earlier time for us to be able to have lunch together.
French Conversation, Advanced Beginner
Leader: Marielle Sulmoni
frenchconvo@ iwc-lausanne. org
I'm French (born in Bordeaux) and Swiss by marriage. I hold an advanced beginners' French conversation class on Tuesday afternoons from 14:30 16:00. We meet weekly at the clubhouse in a friendly atmosphere. I hope to help you use your knowledge of French, allowing you to speak with no fear of making mistakes, which in time will become fewer and fewer.
French Language Lab, Beginner
Leader: Maija Remlinger
frenchlab@ iwc-lausanne. org
The group meets on Thursday afternoons from 15:00-16:30 at the clubhouse. The first half of the class is devoted to reading out loud from the book "Easy French Reader", working on pronunciation and phrasing. During the second half, we listen to audio recordings from "New French with Ease" and work on oral comprehension.
French Conversation, Advanced
Leader: Juliette Brull
french@ iwc-lausanne, org
We meet every Tuesday at the IWC clubhouse from 9:30-11:00. Most of our time is devoted to very lively discussions about current events and various topics. We also read a book written by a French author and sometimes we see a French movie. | high13981.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "she knew the rules well and was fair"
},
"options": [
"they wanted to make her happy",
"she called them brothers",
"no one else wanted to do it for them",
"she knew the rules well and was fair"
],
"question": "H... | Amanda Clement grew up in Hudson,South Dakota.Baseball was always her favorite sport.Once in a while her brother Hank and his friends would let her play first base in their games.More often,however,they asked her to umpire for them,because they knew her calls would be fair and there would be no arguing.
One day in 1904,Amanda and her mother traveled to Hawarden,Iowa,to watch Hank play for the home team against Hawarden.When they arrived at the ball field,two local teams were waiting to play a preliminary game.The umpire hadn't arrived,so Hank argued that the teams should let his sister serve as umpire.The players finally agreed.
Amanda,then sixteen and standing five feet,ten inches tall,made perfect calls.She was so good that players for the main game asked her 10 umpire for them and even offered to pay her.Thus,at sixteen,Amanda Clement became the first paid female baseball umpire on record.She is honored in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown,New York. | high3409.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Giving examples."
},
"options": [
"Giving examples.",
"Cause-effect analysis.",
"Comparative analysis.",
"Process analysis."
],
"question": "What method does the author mainly use to develop the text?",
"que... | Psychologists have discovered that even the most independent-minded of us will conform to social pressure when we are with a group of people. In one classie experiment, people were showna vertical line and asked to find a line of identical length from a selection of three.
You might think that this is an absurdly easy task, and when people perform it by themselves they do it very well. However, psychologists have discovered that we are very easily swayed by the opinions of other people when we do this task in a group. In one study, a group of three people was set up,where two of the people were confederates of the experimenter.When the confederates deliberately gave wrong answers,people were often swayed to give the wrong answer also. In fact, 75% of people gave at least one wrong answer, with some people conforming to peer pressure on every occasion.
But why do people conform in this way? In an easy task like this, it seems that people do not want to step out of line with the prevailing opinion of the group. On more difficult tasks, people also conform because they lose onfidence in their own ability to make decisions and prefer to trust the majority opinion instead.
A typical example of this kind of conformity arises when we come across people in distress. Would you help a woman who has been attacked in the street?It turns out that you are much more likely to go to her assistance if you are alone.When other people are also around,a diffusion of responsibility occurs. People are paralysed into inaction, because everyone assumes that someone else will go to the woman' s assistance. | high19512.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Handwriting."
},
"options": [
"Keyboarding.",
"Shorthand",
"Handwriting.",
"Block letters."
],
"question": "What is the author concerned about after 2011 SAT exams?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answ... | The computer keyboard helped kill shorthand---a system of rapid handwriting, and now it's threatening to finish off handwriting as a whole. When handwritten essays were introduced on the SAT exams for the class of 2011, just 15% of the most 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive .The rest? Block letters.
And those college hopefuls are just the first edge of a wave of US students who no longer get much handwriting instructions in the primary grades, frequently 10 minutes a day or less. As a result, more and more students struggle to read and write cursive.
At Keene Mill Elementary School in Springfield, all their poems and stories are typed. Children in Fairfax County schools are taught keyboarding beginning in kindergarten. Older students who never mastered handwriting say it doesn't affect their grades.
There are those who say the culture is at a crossing, turning from the written word to the typed one. If handwriting becomes a lost form of communication, does it matter?
It was at University of Virginia that researchers recently discovered a previously unknown poem by Robert, written in his unique script. Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers, historians say, because their authenticity can be confirmed. Students also find them more fascinating.
The loss of handwriting also may be a cognitive opportunity missed. Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better-a lifelong benefit.
It doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills. At some schools in Prince George's County, elementary school students use a program called Handwriting Without Tears for 15 minutes a day. They learn the correct formation of manuscript letters through second grade, and cursive letters in third grade.
There are always going to be some kids who struggle with handwriting because of their particular neurological wiring, learning issues or poor motor skills. Educators often point to this factor in support of keyboarding. | high4366.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Sad and puzzled."
},
"options": [
"Surprised and disappointed.",
"Happy but confused.",
"Proud but frightened.",
"Sad and puzzled."
],
"question": "How did Rose feel when she received roses a year after her husb... | Red roses were her favorites; her name was also Rose. And every year her husband sent them, tied with pretty bows. The year he died, the roses were delivered to her door. The card said, "Be my Valentine " , like all the years before.
Each year he sent her roses, and the note would always say, "I love you even more this year, than last year on this day. My love for you will always grow, with every passing year." She knew this was the last time that the roses would appear. She thought, he ordered roses in advance before this day. Her loving husband did not know that he would pass away. He always liked to do things early. Then, if he got too busy, everything would work out fine. She cut away some stems, placed them in a very special vase, and set the vase beside the picture of his smiling face. She would sit for hours in her husband's favorite chair, staring at his photo and the roses sitting there.
A year went by, and it was hard to live without her mate. Loneliness and solitude had become her fate. Then, the very hour, as on Valentine's Day before, the doorbell rang, and there were roses, sitting by her door. She brought the roses in, and just looked at them in shock. Then, she went to get the telephone to call the florist shop. The owner answered, and she asked him, if he would explain why someone would do this to her, causing her such pain.
"I know your husband passed away, more than a year ago," the owner said, "I knew you'd call, and you would want to know. The flowers you received today were paid for in advance. Your husband always planned ahead. He left nothing to chance."
"There is a standing order that I have on file down here. And he has paid, well in advance; you'll get them every year. There is also another thing that I think you should know. He wrote a special little card ... he did this years ago." "Then, should ever, I find out that he's no longer here. That's the card ... that should be sent to you the following year." She thanked him and hung up the phone ,her tears now flowing hard. Her fingers shaking, she slowly reached to get the card. Inside the card, she saw that he had written her a note.
Then,as she stared in total silence, this is what he wrote: "Hello my love, I know it's been a year since I was gone. I hope it hasn't been too hard for you to overcome. I know it must be lonely, and the pain is very real. If it was the other way, I know how I would feel. The love we shared made everything so beautiful in life. I loved you more than words can say. You were the perfect wife."
"You were my friend and lover; you satisfied my every need. I know it's only been a year, but please try not to grieve. I want you to be happy, even when you shed your tears. That is why the roses will be sent to you for years."
"When you get these roses, think of all the happiness that we had together, and how both of us were blessed. I have always loved you and I know I always will. But, my love, you must go on; you have some living still."
"Please ... try to find happiness, while living out your days. I know it is not easy, but I hope you find some ways. The roses will come every year, and they will only stop when your door's not answered, when the florist stops to knock. He will come five times that day, in case you have gone out. But after his last visit, he will know without a doubt. To take the roses to the place, where I've instructed him, and place them where we are, together once again." | high16621.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "play a joke on the owner"
},
"options": [
"steal them",
"find their owner",
"play a joke on the owner",
"give the owner some money"
],
"question": "When the student saw the shoes, he wanted to _ .",
"ques... | One day a student was taking a walk with his teacher. As they went along, they saw a pair of old shoes lying in the path. They were a poor farmer's, who was working in the nearby field.
The student turned to the teacher, saying: "we will hide his shoes, and hide ourselves behind those trees, and wait to see what he will do."
"My young friend," answered the teacher, "we should never make fun of the poor. Why not put a coin in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch?" The student did so and they both hid themselves behind the trees. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes.
After putting on his coat, he put his foot into one of his shoes, and felt something hard. Then he bent down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Surprised, he looked at the coin, turned it around and looked at it again. He then looked around, but no person was seen. He put the money into his pocket, and continued to put on the other shoe. His surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.
He couldn't control his feelings and fell to his knees, looked up to the sky and expressed his thanks. Then he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread. He said the help would save them from dying.
The student stood there deeply moved, and his eyes filled with tears. "Now," said the teacher, "are you not much happier than if you had hidden the shoes?" | high5078.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "tell who really cared about the baby"
},
"options": [
"cut the baby into halves",
"to kill the mother who lied",
"tell who really cared about the baby",
"kill all of them"
],
"question": "A sword was brought to ... | In Jewish history, King Solomon is considered to be the wisest man who ever lived. There are many stories about the wisdom of King Solomon. Here's one.
One day two women came before the King. They carried with them a little baby, which was set down on the floor, at the foot of Solomon's throne.
One of the women said "Five days ago I gave birth to a child. This woman and I live in the same house, and three days later she also gave birth, but that same night her child died, and at midnight she arose and, while I was sleeping, took my son away from me, and laid her dead child in its place. When I awoke in the morning I thought at first that my son was dead, until I realized that it was not my child."
"No," interrupted the second woman, "she is lying, my lord, she is lying! The living child is mine and the dead is hers!" "No," cried the first woman, wildly. "No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine."
King Solomon raised his hand for silence. "One of you says 'my child lives and yours is dead ', and the other says 'your child is dead and my child lives': there is a simple way to resolve the matter. Bring me a sword."
A sword was brought, and the crowd waited to see what the King would do. "Very well," he said, "cut the child in half, and give them each half." The first woman turned pale. She said in a trembling voice. "Give her the child. I beg you, do not kill it." But the other woman's face remained hard. "Let it be neither mine nor yours," she said, "divide it as the King has ordered."
Then Solomon arose, and pointed to the first woman. "The child belongs to her," he said. "Give her the child, and do not kill it. She is its mother." Word of this judgment spread throughout Israel, and people marveled at the wisdom of the King.
The lesson of this story is rather simple. It is easy to tell the people who really care: they are willing to give up their half in order to keep the whole alive. In short, sometimes insisting on getting your fair share is still a losing strategy. | high20393.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "behave within the laws and value systems"
},
"options": [
"regard their life as their own business",
"seek gains as their primary object",
"behave within the laws and value systems",
"treat others with kindness and pity... | Freedom and Responsibility
Freedom's challenge in the Digital Age is a serious topic. We are facing today a strange new world and we are all wondering what we are going to do with it.
Some 2,500 years ago Greece discovered freedom. Before that there was no freedom. There were great civilizations, splendid empires, but no freedom anywhere. Egypt and Babylon were both _ , one very powerful man ruling over helpless masses.
In Greece, in Athens , a little city in a little country, there were no helpless masses. And Athenians willingly obeyed the written laws which they themselves passed, and the unwritten, which must be obeyed if free men live together. They must show each other kindness and pity and the many qualities without which life would be very painful unless one chose to live alone in the desert.The Athenians never thought that a man was free if he could do what he wanted. A man was free if he was self-controlled. To make yourself obey what you approved was freedom. They were saved from looking at their lives as their own private affair. Each one felt responsible for the welfare of Athens, not because it was forced on him from the outside, but because the city was his pride and his safety. The essential belief of the first free government in the world was liberty for all men who could control themselves and would take responsibility for the state.
But discovering freedom is not like discovering computers. It cannot be discovered once for all. If people do not prize it, and work for it, it will go. Constant watch is its price. Athens changed. It was a change that took place without being noticed though it was of the extreme importance, a spiritual change which affected the whole state. It had been the Athenian' s pride and joy to give to their city. That they could get material benefits from her never entered their minds. There had to be a complete change of attitude before they could look at the city as an employer who paid her citizens for doing her work. Now instead of men giving to the state, the state was to give to them. What the people wanted was a government which would provide a comfortable life for them; and with this as the primary object, ideas of freedom and self-reliance and responsibility were neglected to the point of disappearing. Athens was more and more looked on as a cooperative business possessed of great wealth in which all citizens had a right to share.
Athens reached the point when the freedom she really wanted was freedom from responsibility. There could be only one result. If men insisted on being free from the burden of self-dependence and responsibility for the common good, they would cease to be free. Responsibility is the price every man must pay for freedom. It is to be had on no other terms. Athens, the Athens of Ancient Greece, refused responsibility; she reached the end of freedom and was never to have it again.
But, "the excellent becomes the permanent", Aristotle said. Athens lost freedom forever, but freedom was not lost forever for the world. A great American, James Madison, referred to: "The capacity of mankind for self-government." No doubt he had not an idea that he was speaking Greek. Athens was not in the farthest background of his mind, but once man has a great and good idea, it is never completely lost. The Digital Age cannot destroy it. Somehow in this or that man's thought such an idea lives though unconsidered by the world of action. One can never be sure that it is not on the point of breaking out into action only sure that it will do so sometime. | high10250.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "needs a lot of thoughts"
},
"options": [
"is not difficult at all",
"needs a lot of dreams",
"is an interesting thing",
"needs a lot of thoughts"
],
"question": "According to the author choosing the right career... | There is a wide and deep choice of a career. Whether he's a hand in construction or sitting behind the desk working on a computer, everyone has some ideas of what is an attractive career. However, making a career choice is not simply a matter of following a dream; for most people it means a lot of research and soul searching. Choosing the right career becomes one of the most important decisions of an individual's life.
It used to be that one followed in the footsteps of their father or grandfather or took over the family's business when it came to making a career choice. These days, a career path can start anywhere and then _ into something totally different.
Career choices must be realistic and well thought out. It is not uncommon for persons to start a career path and realize they have made a terrible mistake, feeling as if it may be too late to turn around. Not only does a career choice concern your strongest skills and interest, it is also something that you will be doing continuously to bring in income. This is why a career choice can be such a personal decision. Formerly it used to be unusual for someone to change occupations or careers more than once or twice in a lifetime; it is now even more unusual to keep the same career during someone's working life.
There are a great many measures in helping one choose the right profession. A number of websites offering tools such as career tests and information, educational resources, resume services and the kind can be found. It is important for one to research one's career in this changing economy situation, and choose the best from several related career choices. | high2717.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "have fun as well as bring him money"
},
"options": [
"taste the wine made in the USA",
"raise and hunt animals",
"do wedding business",
"have fun as well as bring him money"
],
"question": "On Malcolm Baldwin's ... | As weather cools across the United States, a growing number of Americans visit farms. They harvest fruits, enjoy hay wagon rides and walk in the fields. These people are called "agri-tourists." They improve the economy of rural areas and help farmers increase their profits.
School children are walking in a corn field _ . The corn is cut into tricky passageways that make it difficult to find a way out. The children are from Yorktown Elementary School in Bowie Maryland. They have traveled to Montpelier Farms in Prince George's County which is also in Maryland. The farm is about 40 kilometers from The White House.
Debbie Pierson is the student's teacher. "We go on these kind of field trips so that the children will have a hands-on experience of what it's like to be on a farm," Pierson said.
In Loudoun County Virginia, there are farms where grapes are grown for use in making wine. Many of the farms let people visit, and drink the wine that is made there. Bill Hatch owns the Zephaniah Farm Vineyard. He holds wine tastings in his home. "We are doubling the number of visitors to our farm every year. We have an average of 250 people on a weekend," Hatch said.
As more people visit farms, more farmers are adding activities in which visitors can take part.
Malcolm Baldwin owns WeatherLea Farm and Vineyard in Loudoun County. Six years ago, he began letting people be married at his farm. They can also sleep at the farm overnight. Mr. Baldwin says the money he makes from these activities let him keep his small farm operating. "But without the animals, and without the vines, the wedding business wouldn't be as profitable , because people like to see the vines. They like to see the animals and without which I don't think this will be a popular place," Baldwin said. | high10536.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "1614"
},
"options": [
"1579",
"1614",
"1616",
"1620"
],
"question": "Captain John Smith arrived at the area New England in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | In the year Shakespeare died in 1616, New England was born. This was in fact four years before any English speakers permanently settled in _ But in 1616 it was already the subject of the bookA Description of New England, by that busy explorer and promoter Captain John Smith, who had visited the land two years before.
According to Smith, New England owes its name to Sir Francis Drake. Not that Drake ever saw or talked about New England, but in sailing around the world he stopped in 1597 at a place on the Pacific coast of North American and called it Nova Albion, the Latin for "New England". Following Drake's lead, Smith called the area at a similar latitude on the Atlantic coast by the same name, translated into plain English.
The very words New England show the direction of Smith's thinking. This was to be an extension of Old England, not a new kind of community. The map in his book gives only English names for the places of New England, and he provides a special list showing thirty American Indian names replaced by English ones: Accormack by Plymouth, Massachusets River by Charles River, Kinebeck by Edenborough, to list a few. Some of those changes succeeded. But what finally happened after the Plymouth colonists landed four years later has turned out differently than Smith had imagined, for Indian names as well as English ones still cover the new England area. | high21933.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "get a mineral from turtle tears"
},
"options": [
"help the turtles get sodium",
"get a mineral from turtle tears",
"rid waste from the turtles' bodies",
"take turtles to the best water source ."
],
"ques... | Deep in the western Amazon rainforest, live butterflies that drink turtle tears. That sounds like a line straight out of a fantasy novel, but it's one hundred percent real life! It's an unusual sight--a crowd of butterflies flying around the eyes of yellow-spotted river turtles, trying to get a little tear.s. The poor turtles try to avoid them, hut the butterflies insist drinking their tears until they've had their fill.
The butterflies are likely attracted to the turtles' tears because the liquid drops contain salt, specifically sodium, an important mineral that is rare in the western Amazon rainforest, said Phil Torres, a scientist who does much of his research at the Tambopata Research Center in Peru and is associated with Rice Univtrsity. Turtles get plenty of sodium through their largely carnivorous diet. Meat contains significant levels of the salt, Torres told LiveScience. But herbivores butterflies sometimes .struggle to get this extra mineral source, he added.
Torres explained the western Amazon rainforest is lower in sodium than many places on earth, because it t is over l,000 miles away from the Atlantic Ocean---a main source of salt. The region is also cut off from the mineral dirt blown towards the west from the Andes Mountains. Most of these windblown minerals are removed from the air by the rain before they have a chance to reach the western Amazon.
In fact, the butterflies have other sources to get sodium besides turtles' tears, which include animal urine , muddy river banks, sweaty clothes and so on.
People can't help wondering if the process is painful for turtles. Torres said it's not completely clear, but the teary effort probably has little effect on the turtles, other than perhaps making them more vulnerable to their enemies like big cats, since the butterflies can block out their vision. | high19274.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "it is biologically difficult for students to rise early"
},
"options": [
"it is really tough for parents to enforce bedtime",
"it is biologically difficult for students to rise early",
"students work so late at night that the... | A Brown University sleep researcher has some advice for people who run high schools: Don't start classes so early in the morning. It may not be that the students who
at their desks are lazy. And it may not be that their parents have failed to enforce bedtime. Instead, it may be that biologically these sleepyhead students aren't used to the early hour.
"Maybe these kids are being asked to rise at the wrong time for their bodies," says Mary Carskadon, a professor looking at problem of adolescent sleep at Brown's School of Medicine.
Carskadon is trying to understand more about the effects of early school time in adolescents. And, at a more basic level. she and her team are trying to learn more about how the biological changes of adolescence affect sleep needs and patterns.
Carskadon says her work suggests that adolescents may need more sleep than they did at childhood, no less, as commonly thought.
Sleep patterns change during adolescence, as any parent of an adolescent can prove. Most adolescents prefer to stay up later at nigh and sleep later in the morning. But it's not just a matter of choice -their bodies are going through a change of sleep patterns.
All of this makes the transfer from middle school to high school--which may start one hour earlier in the morning ---- all the more difficult , Carskadon says. With their increased need for sleep and their biological clocks set on the "sleep late, rise late" pattern, adolescent are up against difficulties when it comes to trying to be up by 5 or 6 a.m. for a 7:30 a.m. first bell. A short sleep on a desktop may be their body's way of saying. "I need a timeout." | high16147.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Jack's light was not turned off"
},
"options": [
"Jack had fallen asleep while reading",
"Jack had been reading for some time",
"Jack's light was not turned off",
"Jack was ready to answer the doctor"
],
"questi... | It must have been around nine o'clock when I drove back home from work because it was already dark. As I came near to the gates I turned off the head lights of the car so as to prevent the beam from swinging through the window and waking Jack, who shared the house with me. But I needn't have done so. I noticed that his light was still on, so he was awake anyway--unless he had fallen asleep while reading. I put the car away and went up the steps.
Then I opened the door quietly and went to Jack's room. He was in bed awake, but he didn't even turn towards me.
"What's up, Jack?" I asked.
"For God's sake, don't make a noise," he said.
The way he spoke reminded me of someone in pain who is afraid to talk in case he does himself serious injury.
"Take your shoes off, Neville," Jack said.
I thought that he must be ill and that I had better give way to him to keep him happy. "There is a snake here," he explained. "It's asleep between the sheets. I was lying on my back reading when I saw it.I knew that moving was _ . I could not have moved even I'd wanted to." I realized that he was serious. "I was depending on you to call a doctor as soon as you came home," Jack went on. "It has not bitten me yet but I dare not do anything to upset it. It might wake up. I'm sick of this," he said."I took it for granted that you would have come home an hour ago."
There was no time to argue or apologize for being late.I looked at him as encouraging as I could and went to telephone the doctor. | high11628.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "An app"
},
"options": [
"An app",
"A book",
"A map",
"An advertisement"
],
"question": "What is Geneva Tourist Guide?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
... | Geneva Tourist Guide
Universal compact app for iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus / iPhone 5 / iPhone / iPod / iPad GENEVA TOURIST GUIDE with attractions, museums, restaurants, bars, hotels, theatres and shops with traveler reviews and ratings, pictures, rich travel information, prices and opening hours.
Discover what's on and places to visit in Geneva with our new cool app. It will guide you to top attractions and shopping malls, and tell you directions to hotels, bars, and restaurants. This is an all-in-one app for all the local attractions. Our travel guide to Geneva features up-to-date information on attractions, hotels, restaurants, shopping, nightlife, travel tips and more.
Highlights:
* Geneva Information -- Overview, climate, geography, history and travel
* Attractions -- Ancient sites, beaches, botanical gardens, coffee farms, museums, scenic drives, towns, waterfalls, religious and historical sites, etc.
* Hotels -- From luxury hotels to budget accommodations, including reviews, price comparison, address and more.
* Map -- It is an interactive map and get turn-by-turn driving directions. Find traffic details, road conditions, street maps, multi map, satellite photos, and aerial maps. Allow you to easily search and find local businesses with directions.
* Gallery -- Picture galleries of Geneva's most beautiful sights, interesting events, unusual occasions and more.
* POI Search -- Search everything at Geneva.
Enter any keyword or name to search. Find Name, address, distance, route map, call, and directions to every business location.
* Translator -- Supports 52 languages, Large text Translation.
* World Clock -- All major cities of the world (1000 Cities). | high14988.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "is most popular with girls under the age of ten"
},
"options": [
"plays a role in a film directed by Scarlett O'Hara",
"is most popular with girls under the age of ten",
"has rarely changed its image since its birth 50 years ... | 50 years ago Barbie Millicent Roberts first appeared in the world of toys. Barbie, as everyone called her, has become the most successful toy in history. According to Barbie's parents, the Mattel Company, 90% of all American girls between 3 and 10 have at least one Barbie at home.
In today's world, however, Barbie is facing an identity crisis. There are many rivals on the market. For example, Bratz dolls, which are very popular among older girls, came to life seven years ago. They look more like today's pop stars with heavy make-up and fashionable miniskirts. Today Bratz is a challenge for Barbie, because the company offers a wide variety of clothing, too.
It seems that Barbie has lost her appeal to older girls. "For younger girls playing with a Barbie is much fun, but when you get older you want something _ , says Alina Foley, a shop assistant in a New York toy store. Indeed, sales have been going down over the past year, partly because of the world's economic crisis.
Barbie still has a lot going for her. More and more doll lovers all over the globe have become collectors. They trade Barbies or buy them on eBay. Others look for special and rare Barbie dolls, like Scarlett O'Hara from "Gone with the Wind".
On the international market, Barbie remains number one. Although Mattel has been selling fewer Barbies in the United States over the past year, sales in other countries have been going up. In January Mattel opened its first Barbie store in Shanghai, where girls can shop, eat or even become their own fashion designer.
Barbie has changed her image many times over the past decades. Originally she worn blond pony tails and had bright red lips. In the 80s she changed to a more colorful new look.
For her 50th birthday Mattel is planning some big events. Fashion designers from all over the world have been called to make new clothes for Barbie. She is also scheduled to be a big star during the New York Fashion Week.
How long will Barbie stay on as a celebrity in the world of toy dolls? Hard to say, but 50 is definitely not the age to retire. | high7109.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The nectar of lemon plants contains caffeine."
},
"options": [
"Caffeine has no effect on the rat brain.",
"Bee population has been increasing.",
"The nectar of lemon plants contains caffeine.",
"Bees dislike nectar fro... | Humans aren't the only ones getting a buzz from coffee.Caffeine can improve memory among honeybees and lead to better pollination .According to a recent study published in the journal Science.
The study was conducted by a team of researchers at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.They found that the nectar of some flowers,such as those from grapefruit and lemon plants,as well as certain coffee flowers,contains low doses of caffeine.To get bees to feed on these flowers,the team trained the insects to associate food with the smell of the flowers.They also trained another group of bees to feed on nectar from flowers that were sweetened with a sugar, but did not contain caffeine.After 24 hours,the bees trained on caffeinated flowers returned to these plants three times as often as those trained on the sweetened flowers returned to the uncaffeinated plants.
Professor Geraldine Wright led the researchers."Remembering floral traits is difficult for bees to perform at a fast pace as they fly from flower to flower and we found that caffeine helps the bee remember where the flowers are,"Wright said in a statement.
Improved memory led to the better pollination.That's because once bees sip the caffeine nectar, they continue to look for more coffee plants to pollinate.This also suggests that caffeine plays a role in improving the bees'ability to search for food.
Researchers found that caffeine's effect on the bee brain is similar to its effect on mammals."The change is similar to that produced by caffeine in neurons associated with learning and memory in the rat brain,"Wright said.
Bee populations have declining since 2007.The dramatic drop in the insects'numbers has serious effects for ecosystems and the farming industry.Bees are needed in the reproduction of crops and spreading wild flower species.Understanding what keeps bees buzzing could help to make sure that the insects are able to remember and pollinate their favorite flowers. | high9124.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "EUR160"
},
"options": [
"EUR56",
"EUR280",
"EUR160",
"EUR80"
],
"question": "If a couple want to stay in Le Val de Cantobre for two days, they will have to pay about _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions... | Le Val de Cantobre, Aveyron (France)
It's in the grounds of a medieval house. There's a swimming pool, a river and a pizza restaurant. The scenery around the park is beautiful and great for walking. A week's stay will cost you about EUR280.
For more information please go to www.eurocamp.co.uk.
Four Seasons Tented Camp, Golden Triangle (Thailand)
This must be one of the best campsites ( ) in the world. Instead of tents, there are "canvas cabins ". And there's a gourmet restaurant, a spa and a pool. There are only 15 of cabins to rent so you'll have to book early. The campsite can only be reached by river boat, but once there you can learn to ride an elephant. Unfortunately, it isn't cheap, and two nights at the Four Seasons will cost you about EUR1,500!
For more information please go to www.Fourseasons.com/goldentriangle.
Three Cliffs Bay, Gower (Wales)
The Three Cliffs Bay is in a beautiful part of the country, and it won't cost you much either: a family tent (2 adults, 2 children) is about EUR28 a day. There's a camp shop where you can buy food and drinks, and there are pubs and restaurants nearby so you won't even have to cook. You can water-ski from the beach, or go walking along the Gower Way.
For more information please go to www.Threecliffsbay.com.
Longitude 131, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Australia)
Situated in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, near the massive red rock formerly known as Ayer's Rock, this is more like a hotel than a campsite. There's a restaurant, a pool and even a library. The only problem is that it's a bit expensive -- around EUR1,500 a night.
For more information please go to www.Longitude131.com.au. | high12335.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To give him some advice."
},
"options": [
"To congratulate her son.",
"To give him some advice.",
"To show her pity.",
"To talk things through."
],
"question": "Why did the mother write the letter to Charlie?",
... | To my Charlie on his wedding day--
I know you think these notes are silly. I have watched you wear a long face over the years when I give them to you. But understand that sometimes I want to tell you something and I want to get it just right. Putting it down on paper helps me do that. I wish I had been a better writer. I wish I had gone to college. If I had, I think I would have studied English and maybe my vocabulary would have improved. So many times I feel I am using the same words over and over. Like a woman wearing the same dress every day. So boring!
What I want to say to you, Charley, is you are marrying a wonderful girl. I think of Catherine in many ways like I think of Roberta. Like a daughter. She is sweet and patient. You should be the same with her, Charley.
Here is what you are going to find out about marriage: you have to work at it together. And you have to love three things. You have to love
1) Each other.
2) Your children (when you have some).
3) Your marriage.
What I mean by that last one is, there may be times that you fight, and sometimes you and Catherine won't even like each other. But those are the times you have to love your marriage. It's like a third party. Look at your wedding photos. Look at any memories you've made. And if you believe in those memories, they will pull you back together.
I'm very proud of you today, Charley. I am putting this in your tuxedo pocket because I know how you lose things.
I love you every day!
Mom | high14744.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "put it into the uncooked rice"
},
"options": [
"warm it up under your arm",
"remove the battery after you dry it",
"put it into the uncooked rice",
"press it with both of your hands"
],
"question": "If your cell... | Fix it on your own
Did you know that a bowl of rice could save your iPod if you drop it in a swimming pool by accident? Or that the camera on your phone could tell you what's wrong with your TV remote control? The experts at Geek Squad (geelsquad.co.uk) have made a gadget rescue guide.So, let's take a look at some of their useful advice.
How to get more juice out of your phone batter
If your battery goes dead but you need to get a number or send one last text, try warming it up.That may give you a tiny bit of power.Take the battery from the phone and rub it between your hands.Or warm it under your arm for a few minutes.Then try to start the phone but use it quickly.
What to do if your gadget gets wet
First, try drying it out with a vacuum cleaner .If a vacuum cleaner isn't at hand, fill a pot or bowl with uncooked rice and put your wet gadget inside.The dry, uncooked rice will absorb all the water and, after a few hours, you should be able to use the gadget.Don't forget to remove the battery and SIM card before you dry it.
What to do if your TV remote control stops working
If replacing the batteries doesn't work, get the camera function up on your phone and point the remote at the lens .When you press a button on the remote, if it is working, the glass bobble at the front of the remote will light up when you look at it on the screen of your phone.This is because the screen on a phone or digital camera picks up infrared rays , even though your eyes don't.If the glass bobble doesn't light up, the remote is broken.If it does, the receiving device is broken. | high9130.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "does help to make illness less serious"
},
"options": [
"is as effective as the polio and the measles vaccines",
"is worse,compared with the polio and the measles vaccines",
"does help to make illness less serious",
"is... | Did you get a flu shot this year?For the first time,the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US is recommending that all children aged from 6 months to 18 years receive the flu _ .
Vaccines battle diseases caused by bacteria and viruses.A weakened form of the germ is introduced into the body.The body makes special substances called antibodies to fight the germs.If the actual germs were to attack,the antibodies would fight.Because there are many kinds of flu viruses,scientists must create a new vaccine formula each year.Researchers must make a prediction.
It is like forecasting the weather.Sometimes they are right on,and sometimes they are off.But even when the vaccine does not closely match circulating flu types,it can make the illness less serious.
"The flu vaccine is not as effective as the polio vaccine or the measles vaccine," says Dr.William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine."It's not a great vaccine,but it is in fact quite a good vaccine."
But a flu vaccine doesn't work for everyone.There are certain people who should be careful about taking it,because the vaccine is produced in eggs.Those who are allergic to eggs should not take it.If you have a fever,you should wait until you recover.
Some people are afraid that they might get the flu from the flu shot.Scientists say that it is not possible,because the viruses in the flu shot are inactivated.But some minor side effects such as lowgrade fever and body ache could occur.If they do,they begin soon after the shot and usually last only one to two days.
Did you know?Smallpox was the first disease people tried to prevent by putting a virus into a healthy person.In 1796,English scientist Edward Jenner placed some infected material under a boy's skin. | high6203.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "152"
},
"options": [
"145",
"152",
"174",
"260"
],
"question": "We learn from the passage that the number of survivors except the crew members is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"ans... | The Sewol ferry was carrying 476 people, most of whom were students from a high school near Seoul, when it sank off South Korea's southern coast on April 16. Only 174 survived, including 22 of the 29 crew members. The sinking left more than 260 people dead with about 40 others still missing.
On Tuesday, one ordinary diver died at a hospital, government spokesman Ko Myung-seok said. He is the first death among divers organized following the ferry's sinking, according to the coast guard.
The 53-year-old diver was pulled to the surface by his teammates after losing communication about five minutes after he began underwater searches, Ko said. It was his first search attempt, Ko added. Despite his death, divers are continuing their searches for the remaining missing people. Ko said that divers had searched all those 64 areas at least once and plan to visit them again to look for more victims. Darkness, floating rubbish, bodies, and cabins on board have made the search difficult, and divers entered the last three unopened areas on Monday night, Ko said.
Investigators have made their first arrests of people who were not on board the Sewol when it sank. The three people arrested on Friday and Sunday are accused of failure to handle of cargo on the ferry well. In all, 19 people have been arrested in the investigation , 15 of whom were crew members accused of abandoning passengers. A leader was arrested on suspicion of malpractice related to company finances.
Improper stowage and overloading of cargo is suspected as a possible reason why the ferry sank. The ferry was carrying about 3,608 tons of cargo, more than three times what it could safely carry. A ferry loaded too heavily could lose its balance making even a small turn.
The sinking has caused a national sadness. On Sunday 1.1 million people paid respects at 131 memorial sites around the nation, according to a governmental funeral support committee set up for the ferry victims. Monday was a holiday for Children's Day, but various events were canceled or put off because of the ferry's sinking. Tuesday was also a national holiday in South Korea for Buddha's Birthday, and more people are expected to visit those mourning stations. | high10522.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "lose"
},
"options": [
"pass",
"succeed",
"lose",
"fall"
],
"question": "What does the word \"fail\" mean?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answe... | Be positive about school! Don`t say things are difficult or boring. Be interested in school life and your school subjects. Join lots of activities. Be quick to put your hand up. Go round the school with a big smile.
Expect to work. School is not a holiday camp. If you are not working, you are not learning, and you are wasting your time at school. Teachers cannot make everything enjoyable.
Keep fit. If you do not eat a good breakfast, you will be thinking about food in class. If you go to bed late and do not have enough sleep, you will be sleepy in class. Play some sports to keep your body strong.
Don`t be too disappointed if things sometimes go badly. Everyone _ some tests, lose some matches and has bad days. Friends are not always perfect, and they sometimes say and do unpleasant things. Don`t let small problems seem very big and important.
Talk about problems. Sometimes they are only the result of misunderstanding. Don`t be too embarrassed to ask for help. You are young. No one thinks you can do everything. | high21927.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Terraforming Mars."
},
"options": [
"Terraforming Mars.",
"Saving the Earth",
"Travelling to Mars.",
"A Newly-found Place"
],
"question": "What would be the best title for this passage?",
"question_type": nu... | Sometime early in the next century, human beings will move to Mars. They will live there for about a year, and then will be replaced with another group of pioneers. Building the base on Mars will advance our knowledge of the solar system and aid in our understanding of the earth.
We already know that Mars resembles the earth in many aspects: general size, presence of water, length of day, range of temperatures. These resemblances have caused many people to consider a centuries-long project: to terraform Mars. Terraforming means _ a planet's surface so that Earth's life forms can survive there. This concept, previously found only in science fiction is now being seriously considered by scientists.
Terraforming Mars is theoretically simple: add nitrogen and oxygen to the atmosphere; pump water to the surface; and add the earth's plants and animals in the order in which they developed on Earth. But it will take at least 300 years.
Some people think that such a project is too huge for humans to undertake, but there are very good reasons to make the attempt. The earth now contains some 6 billion people, and no one has any idea of how many humans the earth can support. Our very existence and numbers are threatening many other species. We also have had some experience with terraforming our own planet: altering the landscape, the atmosphere and the climate. Currently terraforming earth has become a wiser activity as we try to control global warming, air and water pollution, and preserve some natural living places.
While the possibility of such a project is small, it is not impossible .Even if earth -bound societies come and go in the next 300 years, the project can continue through the work of the Mars settlers without the need for constant backing from the earth.
The future existence of all the people in our world may very well depend upon our ability to terraform Mars. | high4414.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "One's independence."
},
"options": [
"One's beautiful looks.",
"One's knowledge.",
"One's young age.",
"One's independence."
],
"question": "What did the examiner value most?",
"question_type": "factiod_ques... | A famous foreign company that invested in China wanted to employ a reception secretary for its public relation department.
A beautiful girl with a master degree in electric engineering became a winning candidate through the difficult process of employment. At its last stage she faced an oral test together with another girl who was her equal not only in good looks but also in education standard. The girl we talk about was confident in herself and successful in the oral test. It seemed that she would get the chance. The examiner told her on behalf of the company that she could come to office of company next Monday as a new employee. At last he asked her, "Have you anything else to say? Shocked by the unexpected question, the beautiful girl was quite at a loss, saying with hesitation ,""I have to talk with my parents before I give an answer."Surprised, the examiner said calmly,"In that case, let's wait till you are ready."
The next day the girl came to tell that her parents agreed to her beginning work next Monday. But the examiner said regretfully,"Sorry, the job position is filled by another suitable candidate. You had better have a try in another place."The beautiful girl was surprised. She asked for an explanation and was told,"What is needed here is a person who knows her own mind."
That was how a good opportunity slipped away right under the nose of a beautiful girl. | high16153.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it benefits both the farmers and the environment"
},
"options": [
"the local farmers are very friendly",
"you will be offered services without asking for money",
"it benefits both the farmers and the environment",
"they... | Pumpkins are not only the most important symbol of Halloween; they are the star vegetable in decoration and cooking uses. Often, we pay no attention to how many different ways it can be used.
The pumpkin is a wonder vegetable. It includes vitamins A, C, E, fiber, minerals and so on. It is also low in salt.
When buying your pumpkins, always get them from your local farmers to support their business and the environment, also you can make sure that they are freshly grown. If you are feeling interested, you can grow your own pumpkins!
When carving your jack-o'-lanterns, don't throw away the seeds! They are delicious when they are fried, which is healthy for you.
When your jack-o'-lantern is useless, don't throw it away at once. Instead, put it in a certain place and let nature do all the work. Be sure to remove the candle inside, and cut the pumpkin into pieces. Those remaining parts will help your soil.
Make a pie--a great way to bring family and friends together. If you are feeling even more interested, try cooking something new with the pumpkins and see what wonderful delicious dishes you can produce in your very own kitchen. And don't think of the pumpkin just around Halloween--it's great all year round. | high19506.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Teenagers tend to overestimate their future earnings."
},
"options": [
"Students understand personal finances differently.",
"University tuition fees in prefix = st1 /Englandhave been rising.",
"Teenagers tend to overestimate... | A study involving 8,500 teenagers from all social backgrounds found thai most of them are ignorani when it comes to money. The findings, the first in a scries of reports from NatWesl that has started a five-year research project into teenagers and money, arc particularly worrying as this generation of young people is likely to be burdened with greater debts man any before.
University tuition fees are currently capped at PS3,000 annually, but this will be reviewed next year and the Government is under enormous pressure to raise the ceiling.
In the research, the teenagers were presented with die terms of four different loans but 76 per cent failed to identify the cheapest. The young people also predicted that they would be earning on average PS 31.000 by the age of 25, although the average salary for those aged 22 to 29 is just PS 17,815. The teenagers expected to be in debt when they finished university or training, although half said that they assumed the debts would be less than PS 10.000. Average debts for graduates are PS 12,363.
Stephen Moir, head of community investment at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group which owns NatWest, said. "The more exposed young people are to financial issues, and the younger they become aware of them, the more likely they arc to become responsible, forward-planning adults who manage their finances confidently and effectively."
Ministers are deeply concerned about the financial pressures on teenagers and young people because of student loans and rising housing costs. They have just introduced new lessons in how to manage debts. Nikki Fairweathcr. aged 15. from St Helens, said that she had benefited from lessons on personal finance, but admitted thai she still had a lot to learn about money. | high21099.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Research shows caffeine may reduce the risk of skin cancer."
},
"options": [
"Many Americans like Sarah Green enjoy drinking caffeine.",
"Hairless mice are not easily harmed by ultraviolet radiation.",
"Research shows caffein... | "I drink caffeine to stay awake. It has positive effects on me. I'm healthy, and there's nothing wrong with me," said Sarah Green, a freshman, who consumes many caffeine drinks to stay awake in completing the many tasks in her busy schedule.
Caffeine is known to have many positive and negative consequences, and now that there might be an additional positive effect may have been discovered. A study suggests that a skin lotion containing caffeine, which is also found in green tea, may reduce the risk of skin cancer. Two lotion tests were conducted on hairless mice that were exposed to high levels of ultraviolet radiation . As a result, the lotion reduced the number of tumors each mouse developed.
Unlike sunscreen , the new lotion is applied after exposure to the ultraviolet rays. Rays from the sun can cause genetic changes in the skin that can lead to skin cancer. Caffeine obstructs this action and causes the diseased cells to kill themselves.
"I know that caffeine has been found in certain drinks and it causes increased activity of the nervous system, and increased blood pressure on blood vessels . I don't know of any positive effects of caffeine," health teacher Montego Estes said.
Caffeine, found commonly in tea, coffee and soft drinks, provides people with an increase in energy. Half of all American adults consume more than 300 milligrams of caffeine per day. Caffeine is addictive because it uses the same mechanisms as amphetamines , and cocaine and heroin to excite the brain.
"This new cream doesn't sound to me as though it would work," junior David Bobbit said, "Caffeine seems to have more negative effects than positive ones."
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers in the US. About one million cases will be diagnosed in the country this year. There will be more than 88,000 new cases of melanoma , the disease's deadliest form of skin cancer. | high16635.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The iPad is so expensive that he cannot afford it."
},
"options": [
"The iPad is expensive and the author wants to make sure an iPad is worthy.",
"He has already got an iPhone and expects to test the better quality of iPad.",
... | Because I am extremely vulnerable to both slick advertising and peer pressure, I've been thinking about getting an iPad. But here's the problem: I'm cheap, and the iPad's not. If I'm going to fork over at least $499 for a new device, I want to try it out and make sure it's not just a larger, shinier version of my iPhone. But if I went to my local Apple Store, I'd get to spend only a few minutes testing out the machine. I wanted more time than that, so I rented one for $15 a day from a guy on SnapGoods.
The Internet start-up in Brooklyn runs on simple reasoning: there are people who want to borrow stuff - camping equipment, food processors, robot vacuums, etc. - and there are people who have stuff they want to lend. SnapGoods helps these two groups connect over the Web. SnapGoods is one of many sites that have sprung up to facilitate offline sharing. Some sites have a narrow, obvious focus (like SwapBabyGoods.com) while others are more obscure (Neighborhood Fruit helps people share what's growing in their yards or find fruit trees on public land). But regardless of whether the sharing is free or involves a fee, these transactions often come with a stick-it-to-the-man attitude. "Borrow these things from your neighbors," reads one earnest request on neighborrow.com, "The owner-ship has SAILED!"
All of these sites are encouraging something academics call collaborative consumption - in other words, peer-to-peer sharing or renting. Renting something you don't need to use very often makes a lot more sense than buying it and letting it collect dust in your garage. There's a green aspect as well, since sharing helps cut down on overall use of resources. But one of collaborative consumption's most surprising benefits turns out to be social. In an era when families are scattered around the country and we may not know the people down the street from us, sharing things - even with strangers we've just met online - allows us to make meaningful connections.
"This isn't just about saving the environment or saving a dollar," says SnapGoods CEO Ron Williams, who came up with the idea after renting a stranger's motorcycle via Craigslist. "This is about saving yourself by making informed consumer decisions."
I'm not sure if I got a thrill when I borrowed Goodwin's iPad, but it did feel good to make a connection. In the end, though, I decided not to purchase an iPad. Sorry, Steve Jobs. I'm just not that into owning things anymore. | high18618.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "it is in a hilly area with sandy soil"
},
"options": [
"it has a large population",
"it is cut off from big cities",
"it has many beautiful gardens",
"it is in a hilly area with sandy soil"
],
"question": "Hilve... | Hilversum is a medium-sized city between the major cities of Amsterdam and Utrecht in the Gooi area of North Holland, the Netherlands. Unlike most of the Netherlands, Hilversum is actually in a hilly area with the soil mostly consisting of sand. Once called the Garden of Amsterdam, it still attracts travelers to come over to cycle and walk through the surrounding forests. They visit it for a relaxing day off from the urban madness. For Dutch people, Hilversum is all about textile and media industries, and modern architecture.
In history, Hilversum was largely an agricultural area. Daily life was marked by farming, sheep raising and wool production. A railway link to Amsterdam in 1874 attracted rich traders from Amsterdam to Hilversum. They build themselves large villas in the wooded surroundings of the town. One of the families moving in was the Brenninkmeijers, currently the wealthiest family of the Netherlands. They moved in after big success in the textile industry and aided a substantial textile industry in Hilversum. But the textile boom lasted only several decades. The last factory closed in the 1960s.
The change to a media economy started in 1920, when the Nederlandse Seintoestedllen Fabriek (NSF) established a radio factory in Hiversum. Most radio stations called in the large villas in the leafy areas of the town. Television gave another push to the local economy. Hilversum became the media capital of the Netherlands, and Dutch televison stars moved into the leafy neighborhoods surrounding the town.
In the early 1900s, modern architcts W.M. Dudok and J. Duiker placed hundreds of remarkable buildings in Hilversum. These modern architectural masterpieces are so many that Hilversum almost feels like an open air museum. Dudok alone shaped most 20th century Hilversum and approximately 75 buildings in 1928-1931. It has wide international fame and is included in many architecture textbooks. The building has a remarkable shape and looks like a combination of "blocks". Actually, one may start his journey of modern architecture by walking or biking the W.M. Dudok Architectural Route in Hilversum. | high10244.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Shy fish losing fights grow more confident in exploring new food."
},
"options": [
"Bold losing fish become--e bolder when presented With a novel food item.",
"Losing their fights causes the bold fish to be much more courageous.",
... | Fish have different personalities which change as they experience life's highs and lows.according to British biologists.
Researchers identified different"personalities" in their fish by observing the boldness or shyness of individuals,according to The Nature.Like people,some fish are very confident in the face of novelty or conflict;while others are silent and fear.
The scientists selected particularly bold and shy rainbow trout,and tested whether they changed their outlook depending on what life threw at them.They arranged some fish to fight and others to watch to see how both the participants and observers responded to victories and defeats.Winning or losing a fight,or even watching fellow fish overcome the difficulties influenced the future behavior of the _ studied in the lab.
The researchers made fish compete with much larger or smaller opponents.to ensure that they would win or lose their fights.These bold fish that won their fights tended to be even bolder when later presented with a novel food item;losing their fight caused them to be much more cautious.
Fish also learn by watching others.Bold fish watching a shy fish exploring a mystery object were much more nervous when later given a novelty item for themselves.
Predictably,shy fish that won a fight also gained more confidence,but surprisingly,shy fish that lost their fights also grew bolder when exploring strange new food,Sneddon said,adding that this could be due to what she calls a"desperado effect" .
The new research suggests that animals can gradually adapt their personalities.The results echo the effects that life experience can have on human. | high2703.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "much of our communication is nonverbal on many occasions"
},
"options": [
"most people speak different languages",
"much of our communication is nonverbal on many occasions",
"people usually make gestures before saying anythi... | Nonverbal Communication
When you are in another country, it is important to know the language, but it is equally important to know how to communicate nonverbally. Before saying anything, people communicate nonverbally by making gestures. According to an investigation ,only 30 to 35 percent of our communication is verbal. When people don't know the language, the most common way to communicate is through gestures. However, many gestures have different meanings, or no meaning at all, in different parts of the world.
In the United States, for example, nodding your head up and down means "yes". In some parts of Greece and Turkey, however, this motion can mean "no". In Southeast Asia, nodding your head is a polite way of saying "I've heard you."
In ancient Rome, when the emperor wanted to spare someone's life, he would put his thumb up. Today in the United States, when someone puts his/her thumb up, it means "Everything is all right." However, in Sardinia and Greece, the gesture is insulting and should not be used there.
In the United States, raising your clasped hands above your head means "I'm the champion" or "I'm the winner". It is the sign that prizefighters make when they win a fight. When a leading Russian statesman made this gesture after a White House meeting, Americans misunderstood and thought he meant he was a winner. In Russia, however, it is a sign of friendship.
There are other nonverbal signals that people should be aware of when they go to another country, such as the distance to maintain between speakers. Americans stand closer to each other than English people. English people don't like touching somebody or being touched. Now in America, touch is important. For example friends touch each other on the arm. They often put an arm around a friend when they say "hello" or "goodbye". | high14022.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Having fun and saving green."
},
"options": [
"Having fun and saving green.",
"Saving money and obeying school rules.",
"Offering food and training skills.",
"Bringing teachers together and saving money."
],
"qu... | There's always a lot to do to get the kids ready to go back to school, let alone trying to get them excited about the idea. To help your kids get ready, save a few dollars in the process and have some fun with them in the dying days of summer, try a few of these fun filled activities.
*********************************************************************************
UP-CYCLING
Every student needs school supplies. But a lot of what they need is already littering around your house. If you don't have reusable school supplies at home, you might have the materials to make them.
Try up-cycling with your kids and change old or useless products into new ones.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
*Sew blue jeans into pencil cases.
*Turn shoeboxes into arts storage boxes.
*Use an old belt as a books belt.
*Wrap book covers in old posters.
Up-cycling is a great way to develop artistic talent and creative thinking in your children.
*********************************************************************************
PLAN TO PACK AHEAD
Most teachers and schools reward green behavior among students. To help your kids stay green, be sure to have these items on hand so you can pack them litter-less lunches.
Here's what you need:
*Reusable lunch containers.
*A firm lunchbox and thermos .
*Reusable napkins .
*********************************************************************************
MAP IT OUT
Across the country, kids are thinking about how they'll get to school. Do I walk? Do I bike? Either way, avoid driving them if at all possible.
Kids need to stay active and want to connect with other local kids on the way to school. Help your children map out their route or get them involved with a local walking school bus. A walking school bus is groups of children walking to school with one or more adults.
*********************************************************************************
We hope these activities will help you and your kids get ready for the new school year, and that you'll have some fun in the process. Last but not least, some activities may require encouragements ... may we suggest some organic chocolate ice cream. | high9656.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Lonely."
},
"options": [
"Proud.",
"Lonely.",
"Worried.",
"Happy."
],
"question": "How did the writer feel when his brothers' friends came?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | As a boy I was always small for my age. I was also five years younger than one of my brothers and seven years younger than the other. As a result I often felt left out when their friends came over to play. I was either too small or too young for whatever they were doing and they didn't want their younger brother listening in on their conversations either. More often than not I found myself outside playing alone and feeling forgotten.
I remember one spring afternoon feeling especially lonely as I sat in the yard behind our house. We lived miles from town and I rarely saw my own friends outside of school. I heard my brothers laughing from inside the house and felt a single tear coming down my cheek. At that moment I saw a large brown dog walking over to me. He looked happy and his tail was wagging as well. Even though he didn't know me he greeted me like a long lost friend, licking my chin and sitting beside me on the spring grass. It must have been at least an hour that I petted and talked to this four-legged angel. He let me pour out all my troubles and share my deepest thoughts before he kissed my cheek goodbye and ambled off either to Heaven or his home. I went back inside feeling happy, knowing that no matter what life may hold I was loved. Now over 40 years later I still remember that angel with a smile.
I believe that God sent him in that moment of sadness to remind me just how much he loved me. There is nothing more important than knowing we are loved. When we are loved, we will learn to love others. Learning to love helps us to understand ourselves and other people better. | high6565.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "she hated slavery from the bottom of her heart"
},
"options": [
"she wanted to earn money to support her family",
"she hated slavery from the bottom of her heart",
"she tried to set an example to her six children",
"she... | The novelist Harriet Beecher Stowe, born 200 years ago, was a poor housewife with six children, who suffered from various illnesses. And yet, driven by a passionate hatred of slavery, she found time to write "Uncle Tom's Cabin" which became the most influential novel in American history and aroused radical change both at home and abroad.
Today, however, the book has a different reputation, owing to the popular image of its character, Uncle Tom-whose name has become a saying for a cowardly black man who betrays his race.
But this view is wrong: The original Uncle Tom was physically and morally strong, an inspiration for blacks and other oppressed people worldwide.
Indeed, that's why in the mid-19th century Southerners attacked "Uncle Tom's Cabin" as a dangerously destructive book, while Northern reformers-especially blacks-often praised it.
The book was influential overseas, too.In Russia it inspired Vladimir Lenin, who recalled it as his favorite book in childhood. It was the first American novel to be translated and published in China, and it fueled antislavery causes in Cuba and Brazil.
The book's progressive appeal was the character of Uncle Tom himself: a strong man who is notable because he does not betray his race; one reason he gave up escaping from his plantation is that he doesn't want to put his fellow slaves in danger. And he is finally killed because he refuses to tell his master where two runaway slaves are hiding.
Unfortunately, these themes were lost in many of the stage versions of "Uncle Tom's Cabin".
The play, seen by more people than those who read the book, remained popular up to the`1950s and still appears occasionally. But in the play Stowe's revolutionary themes were drowned.
But it doesn't have to be that way; indeed, during the civil rights era it was those who most closely resembled Uncle Tom-Stowe's Tom, not the sheepish one of popular myth-who proved most effective in promoting progress. Both Stowe and Tom deserve our reconsideration and our respect. | high8548.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the bear can't find you by the smell of the food"
},
"options": [
"the bear can't find you by the smell of the food",
"you can have a better sleep at night",
"the bear can't find out your food easily",
"you can protect ... | Even if you are an experienced backpacker or climber,you need to know what to do if something goes wrong.It is not that Alaska is that much more dangerous than other places.It is no more _ than elsewhere,as long as the proper precautions are taken.So, being prepared is crucial to ensure a safe trip.
First of all,make sure you pack everything you will need for your trip.Even if you are traveling by car,pack clothes and gear for backpacking.Because of the bad weather, cars break down frequently. Pack a survival kit full with:a down coat, boots ,mittens, a hat, snow-pants,sleeping bags,candles,a flashlight,and high-energy food. If you are traveling by car , also pack extra belts, a shovel, and a chain.
If you are camping or hiking,make sure you know how to avoid bears.If you are lost in the wilderness, there is no doubt you will encounter them.
However,there is no need to be nervous.Just take these precautions:make noise as you walk,bears will avoid you;cook your food away from where you sleep,and store your food away from where you sleep,so the bears are not attracted.Both of these should keep the bear away.However,if you do encounter a bear,there are two different schools of thought.One is to make noise and scare the bear away.The other is to stand still and speak softly to get the bear to leave.If you are dealing with a brown bear,you can climb a tree,since it cannot follow.But,black bears can climb.If for some reason the bear attacks,play dead.Try to protect your head and neck,and hopefully the bear will leave its"dead" prey. | high946.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To encourage people to join a volunteer program."
},
"options": [
"To encourage people to help those sick children.",
"To encourage people to join a volunteer program.",
"To advise people to join a travel program to Africa.",... | Imagine yourself halfway across the world in the beautiful hills of South Africa surrounded by the smiling faces of African children.Each day you wake to the sounds of laughing children.This place is Botshabelo, "place of refuge".However, these children were not always laughing, happy or safe.Nearly all of these children have been abused or ignored.Many are HIV positive and all have lost some or all of their family to AIDS.Here at Botshabelo, they are safe from hunger, cold, illness, poverty, hopelessness and fear.
These children may live in Africa, but like all children they belong to the world.Through volunteering at the Children's Village, our global student ambassadors will experience themselves in a larger context of life, gain an expanded world view, build confidence and develop understanding of the balance between all living creatures.
EXPERIENCES: Our global group will volunteer for two weeks at a Children's Village. Here we will take care of 150 children.The days are always full and never dull.We will volunteer at a lion reserve later, where we will help care for baby lions.We will also spend one day at another reserve taking in the beauty of the African landscape and hoping to catch sight of giraffes, zebras and the African elephants.
WHO: Students aged 16 and above are invited to participate as our valued Student Ambassadors.A working knowledge of the English language is required.Adults are invited and needed to participate in the program as Adult Mentors, who will lend your unique skills and support throughout the program.We can promise you all an unforgettable, life-changing journey!
WHEN: July 24, 2012 to August 7, 2012
COST: $ 1, 750 plus the cost of airfare | high22590.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "not make him or her stay indoors"
},
"options": [
"teach the child a lesson",
"understand the child and forgive him or her",
"not make him or her stay indoors",
"not forgive him or her at all"
],
"question": "Ac... | Many times when children make a mistake,starting with breaking a window while playing football or skipping classes and ending with stealing something or fighting with another child,parents are always blamed by the society for not having known how to educate their offsprings .The situation is not that easy to explain.
Parents always look for the best interest of their children and many times they are ready to take measures only for their sake.They know their children are suffering when they are forced to stay indoors or when they have no money,but they have to teach them a lesson so that they won't repeat the same mistakes over and over again.When a child realizes that his father is talking seriously about him not being allowed to do something,he understands the seriousness of his deeds and he knows he will think twice before making the same mistake again.
These are the cases of the responsible parents,who suffer when they see that their children are not happy but who resist the temptation of forgiving them so easily so that they realize the gravity of their actions not only at present but also in the future.
On the other hand there are parents who always find excuses for their children's behavior,who never consider they make mistakes or if they just do what they call "childish" things.
When you buy your children everything he has ever dreamt of or when you tell him he can wear a necklace even if he is only 13,he will become so spoiled that he won't take into consideration anything of what you are telling him later on.He will get to the point where he steals from the house or from a shop so that he can afford to buy cigarettes or drugs. | high13995.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "advertising officially forbidden from televised sport"
},
"options": [
"advertising officially forbidden from televised sport",
"cigarette advertisements made illegal",
"football teams wear shirts advertising certain products... | Sir,
Last Saturday I watched the TV coverage of the latest Grand Prix motor race and could not fail to notice how much advertising there was. In particular, the leading car (and the one that eventually won) was almost constantly on the screen; it was painted to look like a packet of well-known cigarettes. Not only that, but the car was, on more than one occasion, referred to by the commentator not by the name of the driver or the motor company, but by the name of the product. However, the football team that I support is not allowed to wear shirts advertising anything when their matches are being televised.
The rule preventing sportsmen and sportswomen from carrying advertisements on television is a good one. Keep it and do it. To take one example, what is the effect, I wonder, on the young and old, of the apparent connection between cigarette smoking and an exciting sport like motor-racing?
L. H. Gray, London
Sir,
What a ridiculous situation our television companies find themselves in with regard to sport and advertising!
I watched a televised football match in which the players did not carry any advertisements on their shirts, and yet there was advertising all around the ground. (Do the TV producers think we viewers are blind or something?) And when a well-known international player was interviewed after the match, both he and the interviewer referred by name to the make-ups firm! And as if that were not enough, the sports item that followed was the National Bank Golf Tournament.
Advertising is all around us every day. Long live advertising, I say, and let the television companies recognize it and allow football players, athletes, racing drivers and others to wear sponsors' advertisements. At least we would all know where we were!
Mrs. R. P. Laing, Bristol | high23856.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because it was scared by the noise made by Ian's shouting."
},
"options": [
"Because it was scared by the noise made by Ian's shouting.",
"Because Hagar rushed to grab the baby from its jaws.",
"Because it wanted to attack Ir... | He was a hero that saved two children from the jaws of a cougar . Standing barely 1.7 meters, the 22-year-old with black-frame glasses might pass more for a Chinese Harry Potter. Yet Shen Huigang is now getting recognition for his bravery in fighting off a cougar on Vancouver Island, Canada, during a family outing. Shen, also known as Ian, was then an exchange student. With him was a friend, Myles Hagar, and Hagar's two grandchildren. Silently and suddenly a cougar appeared out of nowhere. By the time they spotted the cat, it already had the head of 18-month-old Julien in its mouth.
"At first, my brain was nothing but blank," Shen recalled. "But I believed I could get the child back." He gestured as if he were ready for a fight, and tried to scare the beast off with his bag. Hearing the noise Shen made, the animal dropped the baby and Hagar rushed to grab his grandson. But the animal didn't run, instead turned toward 3-year-old Iris standing beside Shen. "Had Ian not been there, shouting at the cougar, remaining calm and standing firm, it would certainly have attacked Iris." Hagar recalled.
They chased the animal back into the woods. "We moved slowly to our vehicle as we waved our fists and bags, pretending to wrestle it," Shen said. "The vehicle wasn't far away but it felt like it took us a century to travel the short journey." As Hagar drove for help, Shen held the heavily-bleeding boy in the passenger seat and calmly kept him awake by hugging and kissing him in case he would go into a coma . The boy was flown to a hospital nearby. Doctors later said his little skull had been punctured through to his brain in two places. Luckily, Julien made a full recovery.
"Any hesitation, even a second delay, would have resulted in certain death for Julien, but Ian was there..." Hagar said. Following the incident, the story appeared on Canadian TV networks in every city, and in many small town newspapers---plus many US Internet news sites. The Royal Canadian Humane Association planned to give Shen a Canada Bravery Award, but it couldn't reach him because he had returned to China. | high211.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "taking consequences into account"
},
"options": [
"avoiding making the same mistakes",
"accepting the punishment willingly",
"taking consequences into account",
"trying things out one by one"
],
"question": ". A... | 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 everything you see in your physical 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 light 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 number of things before you succeeded. Every time you make a mistake you _ 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 be in a position to try again.
We all have limited resources in the form of 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 appropriately so you can learn, make corrections, and try it again. Only by accepting and using your mistakes in this way can you make significant advances 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 forth and make mistakes. And learn. And grow. And prosper . | high1785.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "wasn't very difficult for Marlon Brando"
},
"options": [
"requires actors to use their imagination in acting",
"made Marlon Brando a great and famous actor",
"wasn't very difficult for Marlon Brando",
"can be most effec... | Marlon Brando is widely considered the greatest movie actor of all time. He was born in Omaha Nebraska in 1924. He was named after his father, a salesman. His mother, Dorothy, was an actress in the local theater.
Marlon Brando moved to New York City when he was 19 years old in 1943. He took acting classes at the New School for Social Research. One of his teachers was Stella Adler, who taught the "Method" style of realistic acting. The Method teaches actors how to use their own memories and emotions to identify with the characters they are playing.
Marlon Brando learned the Method style quickly and easily. Critics said he was probably the greatest Method actor ever. One famous actress commented on his natural ability for it. She said teaching Marlon Brando the Method was like sending a tiger to jungle school.
Marlon Brando appeared in several plays. He got his first major part in a Broadway play in 1947, at the age of 23. He received great praise for his powerful performance at Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' play, A Streetcar Named Desire. His fame grew when he acted the same part in the movie version, released in 1951.
Marlon Brando won the Best Actor Oscar for The God Father, but he rejected it. He sent a woman named Sasheen Littlefeather to speak for him at the Academy Awards ceremony. She said that Brando could not accept the award because of the way the American film industry treated Native Americans. The people at the Academy Awards ceremony did not like the speech. But some experts think the action helped change the way American Indians were shown in movies.
Marlon Brando acted in about forty movies. He was nominated for a total of eight Academy Awards. But he earned a "bad boy" reputation for his public outbursts and unusual behaviours. According to Los Angeles magazine, "Brando was rock and roll before anybody knew what rock and roll was". His later life was marked with family tragedies. His son Christian went to prison for killing his daughter Cheyene's boyfriend. Cheyene later committed suicide. Brando became lonely. He worked occasionally for the money. But, in his prime, Marlon Brando was an actor other actors could only hope to become. | high23301.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "damage its surface"
},
"options": [
"remove any marks",
"damage its surface",
"make any noises",
"change its position"
],
"question": "\"Be careful not to scratch the furniture\" most probably means \"Be careful... | Below is an entry taken from an English dictionary.
Scratch
Verb. noun. adjective
#Verb
rub with your nails
1~(at sth) to rub your skin with your nails, usually because it is ITCHING:[(VN)] John yawned and scratched his chin.* The dog scratched itself behind the ear. *[(V)] Try not to scratch. * She scratched at the insect bites on her arm.
cut skin
2~ (sb/ sth/ yourself) (on sth) to cut or damage. Your skin slightly with sth sharp: [(VN)] I'd scratched my leg and it was bleeding. * She scratched herself on a nail. *[(V)] Does the cat scratch?
damage surface
3[(VN)] to damage the surface of sth, especially accidentally, by making thin shallow marks on it: The car's paintwork is badly scratched
make/ remove mark
4[(VN+adv./prep.)] to make or remove a mark, ect. on sth deliberately, by rubbing it with sth hard or sharp: They scratched lines in the dirt to mark out a pitch. *We scratched some of the dirt away. *(figurative) You can scratch my name off the list.
Make sound
5[(V)] [(usually+adv./prep.)] to make an irritating noise by rubbing sth with sth sharp: The dog kept scratching at the door to go out. *His pen scratched away on the paper. *We could hear mice scratching behind the wall.
a living
6[(VN)] ~ a living, to make enough money to live on, but with difficulty: 75% of the population scratch a living from the soil
cancel
7 ~(sb/ sth)(from sth), to decide that sth cannot happen or sb/sth cannot take part in sth, before it starts: [(VN)] to scratch a rocket launch *The horse was scratched from the race because of injury.
IDIOMS: scratch your head(over sth), to think hard in order to find an answer to sth: Experts have been scratching their heads over the increase in teenage crime.
scratch the surface(of sth), to deal with, understand, or find out about only a small part of a subject or problem: We left feeling that we had just scratched the surface of this fascinating country.
you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours (saying), used to say that if sb helps you, you will help them, even if this is unfair to others
Phrasal Verbs: scratch about/ around ( for sth), to search for sth, especially with difficulty scratch sth out, to remove a word, especially a name, from sth written, usually by putting a line through it
#Noun
mark/ cut
1[(C)] a mark, a cut or an injury made by scratching sb's skin or the surface of sth: Her hands were covered in scratches from the brambles. *a scratch on the paintwork *It's only a scratch(=a very slight injury). *He escaped without a scratch(=was not hurt at all).
sound
2[(sing.)] the unpleasant sound of sth sharp or rough being rubbed against a surface
with your nails
3[(sing.)] the act of scratching a part of your body when it ITCHES: Go on, have a good scratch!
IDIOMS: from scratch, without any previous preparation or knowledge: They decided to dismantle the machine and start again from scratch. *He built the orchestra up from scratch.
(be/ come) up to scratch, (bring sb / sth) up to scratch, as good as sth/ sb should be; satisfactory: His work simply isn't up to scratch. *It'll take months to bring the band up to scratch.
#adjective(BrE)
1 put together in a hurry using whatever people or materials are available: a scratch team
2 (especially in golf) with no HANDICAP: a scratch player | high18397.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The crisis of identity."
},
"options": [
"The importance of identity.",
"The crisis of identity.",
"Differences between Eastern and Western cultures.",
"Difficulty in living in foreign counties."
],
"question": ... | In the modern world more and more people meet the problem of identity.The most interesting example is that of a so - called " _ ", which refers to an American who has an Asian face but holds Western values.
In Shanghai, there now live a group of people from abroad.They look no different from the locals and speak fluent Chinese or even Shanghai dialect, but when it comes to writing Chinese characters, they are almost illiterate .Jack is such an example.He never learned to read or write Chinese characters, which he finds mysterious and difficult.From time to time, he files to the US as he does not feel Shanghai is where he comes from."But when I am in the States, I feel that's not my home either," he said.
At De Gaulle Airport in France, there is a Swiss man who has been living in the waiting - room for a long time because he lost h is passport during his travels.He was refused entry into several countries.But when he was eventually allowed to return to Swizerland, he refused to leave the airport.His reason was very simple--"I am sure who I am.I need no acknowledgement from others," he said during an interview.For th is reason he was honored by the Western media as "the Hero of identity."
As the Internet becomes more and more popular, the problem of identity becomes more serious.In a virtual world, people can have different addresses registered with different names.In the Internet chat room, even one's gender is hard to determine.It seems that in the glohal village, people are saying hello every day to each other without knowing whom they are talking to.
What will be the next crisis of identity? With the development of cloning technology, it might be: who is the real "I"? | high20608.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a mother dog"
},
"options": [
"a mother dog",
"the little boy's name",
"the farmer's son",
"one of the puppies"
],
"question": "It can be inferred that \"Dolly\" in the passage was _ .",
"question_type": ... | A little boy went to a farmer who had some puppies to sell and said, "I want to buy one of your puppies." Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. "I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look."
"Sure," said the farmer. Then he called his dog, "Here, Dolly!"
Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight.
As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else moving inside the doghouse. Slowly, another little ball appeared. This one was much smaller than the others. Down the ramp it slid . Then in a somewhat awkward manner the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up...
"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the slow dog.
The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs will."
With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of trousers. There was a steel brace running down both sides of his leg. It was joined to a specially made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see, sir, I don't run very well myself, and he will need someone who understands."
The world is full of people who need someone who understands. | high4825.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "learn something about different places in the world"
},
"options": [
"realize the importance of travelling",
"become familiar with mountain countries",
"learn how to make things such as fishing nets",
"learn something a... | Welcome to Adventureland!
Everyone loves Adventureland !The Parks and Exhibitions were built for you to explore ,enjoy,and admire their wonders.Every visit will be an unforgettable experience.You will go away enriched,longing to come back.What are you going to do this time?
The Travel Pavilion
Explore places you have never been to before,and experience different ways of life.Visit the Amazon jungle village,the Turkish market,the Tai floating market,the Berber mountain house and others.Talk to the people there who will tell you about their lives,and things they make.You can try making a carpet,making nets,fishing...
The Future Tower
This exhibition shows how progress will touch our lives.It allows us to look into the future and explore the cities of the next century and the way we'll be living then.Spend some time in our space station and climb into our simulator for the Journey to Mars!
The Nature Park
This is not really one park but several.In the Safari Park you can drive among African animals in one of our Range Cruisers:see lions,giraffes,elephants in the wild.Move on to the Ocean Park to watch the dolphins and whales.And then there is still the Aviary to see...
The Pyramid
This is the center of Adventureland.Run out of film,need some postcards and stamps?For all these things and many more,visit our underground shopping center.Come here for information and ideas too. | high10913.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "special"
},
"options": [
"traditional",
"ordinary",
"special",
"serious"
],
"question": "The author considers Ursula K. Le Guin's writing style _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer... | When it comes to the choice of books,I always manage to find a hidden jewel or two,which led to my journey to Earthsea. Ursula K. Le Guin has her own voice in fantasy literature-that's something I had to admit as soon as I passed the first page.She doesn't imitate anybody-she is herself. I followed Ged's adventures and his gradual transformation from a wild and proud kid into a wise,powerful wizard.
A Wizard of Earthsea begins in Ged's own village where he,a kid of 7,learns his first magic from his aunt. Five years later he starts to learn from Ogion the Wizard. But Ogion teaches him patience-not magic-so Ged leaves him and sails to the island of Roke to learn the art in a real School of Magic. There the boy is so proud that he plays with forbidden spells -he frees into this world a terrible shadow horn the land of the dead,leading to the death of Nemmerle,the head of the school. Now Ged must try to overcome this shadow before it controls him. Finally,Ged guesses its secret and saves the world-and himself-from a terrible danger. He knows now the patience is indeed the greatest of arts,and names Ogion his only true master. Ursula K. Le Guin makes every word sing-her language is more poetic than poetry and more musical than some music.She draws the reader's attention without effort. She's made me want to try my own hand at fantasy-and I might one day. | high19089.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "deal with problems rather than blame others"
},
"options": [
"deal with problems rather than blame others",
"meet with fewer difficulties in their lives",
"have responsible and able colleagues",
"blame themselves rather... | When something goes wrong, it can be very satisfying to say, "Well, it's so-and-so's fault." Or "I know I'm late, it's not my fault; the car broke down." It is probably not your fault, but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation, you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to _ the situation. This is the winner's key to success.
Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need, For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person . Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.
This is what being a winner is all about----creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don't have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on "Whose fault it is." Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just the stepping stone for success. | high21516.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "wish to enjoy the achievements of the society"
},
"options": [
"are tired of their present life",
"want to help find a comfortable place to work in",
"hope to change their way of life",
"wish to enjoy the achievements o... | Our surroundings are being polluted faster than man's present efforts to prevent pollution. Time is bringing us more people, and more people will bring us more industry, more cars, larger cities and the growing use of man-made materials.
What can explain and solve the problem? The fact is that pollution is caused by man--by his desire for a modern way of life. We make "increasing industrialization" our chief aim. So we are often ready to offer everything:clean air,pure water,good food,our health and the future of our children. There is a constant flow of people from the countryside into the cities, eager for the benefits of our modern society. But as our technological achievements have grown in the last twenty years,pollution has become a serious problem.
Isn't it time we stopped to ask ourselves where we are going--and why? It makes one think of the story of the airline pilot who told his passengers over the loudspeaker, "I've some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we are making rapid progress at 530 miles per hour. The bad news is that we are lost and can't know where we are going." The sad fact is that this becomes a true story when we speak of our modern society. | high21270.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Lack of professional equipment."
},
"options": [
"Lack of international cooperation.",
"Not sharing timely information.",
"Lack of professional equipment.",
"Too many natural disasters."
],
"question": "What is ... | Weeks have passed since the world lost contact with Malaysia Airlines flightMH370and its 239passengers and crew.
Although there is little hope of finding any of the passengers and crew alive,China has been making all-out efforts to find what remains of the plane in the southern Indian Ocean,where the plane is believed to have crashed.The search operations involve the navy,the marine police,scientific research and so on.While China's authorities and military forces have passed the test,the search operations have also shown some weaknesses.It is necessary to address these problems because China is a nation that faces many natural disasters.
Lack of professional equipment has been the most notable problem.Among all the ships involved in the search for MH370,only Nanhai jiu 115and Donghai jiu 101and a few other ships have professional rescue equipment.There are also gaps between China and the US in other technologies such as sea-probing equipment and telecommunications.China mainly sent transporter planes,which lacked the necessary equipment to probe the ocean.While the United States sent P-3C and P-SA planes and MH60-R helicopters with equipment that can probe to depths of 76meters and cover 770sq kilometers in four hours.
China's technology clearly needs to be improved,After the plane lost contact on March 8,more than one satellite received signals from it,but there is no report of any of China's satellites receiving a signal.
Besides technology,China urgently needs to strengthen its international soft power,because almost all the important information was first obtained by Western media,which put pressure upon the Malaysian government for more timely and accurate information.Chinese media mainly forwarded the news broken by their Western colleagues.
Last but not least,more attention should be paid to international cooperation.The search and rescue efforts could well have been a race against time to save lives,but limited by international laws and the absence of cooperation mechanisms,China and some other countries involved did not fully share timely information. | high19937.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Her interest was in public health."
},
"options": [
"She could afford tuition at Erasmus University.",
"Her job required more professional skills.",
"She was bored with healthcare industry.",
"Her interest was in public... | With the cost of college rising in the U.S., some students are washing their hands of the American education system, grabbing their passports, and seeking cheaper degrees abroad. The number of students doing so has increased 2 percent annually in recent years, according to the Department of Education.
In 2009, Jessica Fuller, then 25, was employed at a small private university in Philadelphia as a clerk in an office. Bored with her job and becoming increasingly interested in healthcare industry, Fuller knew she would need a master's degree in public health for her dream career.
At first, Fuller wanted a school in New York and Pennsylvania, but with many programs costing over $30,000 per year for tuition alone, she decided on an option she could better afford ---- the Netherlands. A similar degree in health economics cost less than $ 17,000 for a one-year program.
To finance her education at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Fuller took out a $30,000 bank loan through her mother's credit, which covered tuition and fees, as well as air travel and living expenses for her year abroad.
The cost may be lower, but is the quality of education overseas just as good as an American university? Jessica Fuller says in her case, yes: she found a consulting job with Marsh Inc. as an International Knowledge Manager shortly after she graduated from Erasmus University, and says that the university ---and its location---- were definitely a factor.
"Many Erasmus professors were world famous experts in their fields," says Fuller. "Considering the variety of the students, the class discussions were very robust. Having an "international" advantage made a huge difference." | high23467.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "BOK Center"
},
"options": [
"Kings Point.",
"Convention Center.",
"Blue Dome",
"BOK Center"
],
"question": "Where should a runner go to pick up his packet at 8:30 am on Friday?",
"question_type": "factiod_qu... | Thanks for signing up for the 2014 Black Friday Turkey Trot! This email will provide some basics about the race and some great news!
First, your race packet is ready and can be picked up at the Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa location you've specified during registration.
Hours for pickup.
Tuesday, 10 am to 8 pm (Fleet Feet Kings Point)
Tuesday, 10 am to 7 pm (Fleet Feet Blue Dome)
Wednesday, 10 am to 5 pm (both stores, closing early for Thanksgiving)
Packets can also be picked up on the race day at BOK Center, beginning at 8:30 am.
Race Start Times
1) 5 mile, 8:30 am 2) 1 mile fun run, 9:30 am
Parking
There is surface parking to the east of the BOK Center, and some surface parking to the west of the Convention Center. Many lots will be pay-lots. Please pay attention to the signs. We suggest arriving early to find parking.
Racing Timing
The 5 km run will be timed using the BIB-TAG system. Your race number will have a timing device attached to the back of the race number; don't remove or bend this device. Simply wear the Bib on the front of your body on the outside of your clothing so it is visible and facing forward. You don't need to return the Bib, which is disposable.
The Turkey Trot is also a kick-off event for our weekend long "FITNATIC" celebration---we also have a huge number of events and specials all weekend. For more information, please visit _ .
See you on Friday. | high12862.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "lived in so many underground cities"
},
"options": [
"knew so much about the earth",
"understood their language",
"lived in so many underground cities",
"were ahead of them in space technology"
],
"question": "T... | In 1901, H. G. Wells, an English writer, wrote a book describing a trip to the moon. When the explorers landed on the moon, they discovered that the moon was full of underground cities.
They showed their surprise to the "moon people" they met. In turn, the "moon people" showed their surprise. "Why," they asked, "are you traveling to outer space when you don't even use your inner space?"
H. G. Wells could only imagine travel to the moon. In 1969, human beings did land on the moon. People today know that there are no underground cities on the moon. However, the question that the "moon people" asked is still an interesting one. A growing number of scientists are seriously thinking about _ .
Underground systems are already in place. Many cities have underground car parks. In some cities, such as Tokyo, Seoul and Montreal, there are large underground shopping areas. The "Channel", a tunnel connecting England and France, is now completed.
But what about underground cities? Japan's Taisei Corporation is designing a network of underground systems, called "Alice Cities". The designers imagine using surface space for public parks and using underground space for flats, offices, shopping, and so on. A solar dome would cover the whole city.
Supporters of underground development say that building down rather than building up is a good way to use the earth's space. The space, they say, can be used for farms, parks, gardens and wilderness. H. G. Well's "moon people" would agree. Would you? | high577.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Broadened ban on smoking in public places took effect in order to set up a non-smoking Olympic Games."
},
"options": [
"There will be more places where smoking is forbidden.",
"More people should give up smoking.",
"Broadened... | Beijing's broadened ban on smoking in public places took effect Thursday, adding force to the effort to hold a smoke-free Olympics.
The new rules extend existing anti-smoking regulations to more places, including fitness centers, cultural relic sites, offices, meeting rooms, dining halls, toilets and lifts. Restaurants, Internet cafes, parks, and waiting halls at airports, railway stations and coach stations are required to set up smoking areas. Hotels will have to offer smoke-free rooms or floors, but the regulations do not specify a proportion.
However, some restaurant owners have complained that it would be difficult to have a separate smoking room as required by the new regulations. "We plan to issue specific rules to solve this problem as soon as possible," Rao Yingsheng, vice-director of the Beijing Committee for Patriotic Public Health Campaign, was quoted by the Beijing News as saying Thursday. He said small restaurants without a separate room should set aside at least 70 percent of their area for non-smokers. He also said customers and restaurant owners would be asked for their thoughts on the new rule.
Local authorities dispatched about 100,000 inspectors to make sure the ban was being enforced Thursday. Everyone has the right to dissuade people from smoking in public places, Liu Zejun, who works for the Beijing committee, said. "Citizens are encouraged to expose those who refuse to obey the rule by calling the free telephone line 12320," Liu said.
People caught smoking in forbidden areas will be fined 10 yuan ($1.40), while enterprises and institutions that violate the ban will face fines of between 1,000 yuan and 5,000 yuan. Smoking was forbidden in hospitals, kindergartens, schools, museums, sports venues and other places before the new regulations took effect. From Oct 1 last year, the city also banned smoking in its 66,000 cabs, and imposed fines of 100 yuan to 200 yuan on drivers caught smoking in taxis.
China has pledged a cigarette-free, green Olympics. This year's event will be the first non-smoking Olympic Games since the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), of which China is a signatory , went into effect in 2005. | high7492.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "unreal drugs"
},
"options": [
"unclean water",
"acetaminophen",
"unreal drugs",
"online medicines"
],
"question": "Last year twenty children in Bangladesh died because of _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_que... | Counterfeit medicines are a widespread problem in developing countries. Like other _ , they look like real products. But counterfeit drugs may contain too much, too little or none of the active ingredients of the real thing.
People do not get the medicine they need. And in some cases the counterfeits cause death. Twenty children in Bangladesh died last year after being given acetaminophen . The medications contained ingredients that looked, smelled and tasted like the real thing. The medicine was produced by a local drug company that used a dangerous substitute to save money.
The problem of counterfeit medicines is especially serious in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The WHO estimates that up to thirty percent of medicines on sale in many of those countries are counterfeits. The problem is less widespread among industrialized countries. The WHO says counterfeits make up less than one percent of the illegal drug market in countries like the United States, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand.
But the agency also says as much as fifty percent of the medicine sold on the Internet is counterfeit.
Much is being done to fight counterfeit drugs. Several companies are developing ways to make counterfeits easier to identify . And there are existing methods, like a machine that can quickly identify chemicals in pills to confirm if the pills are real. Other ideas include things like special tracking codes for drug packages. People could send a text message with the code and get a message back, which proves that what they bought is listed in a database. Some drug makers and other companies put three-dimensional images called holograms on their products as a security device. | high6798.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "They are provided by DoSomething.org."
},
"options": [
"They are provided by DoSomething.org.",
"They offer a small gift to every attendant.",
"They require attendants to be top students.",
"They require attendants to p... | DoSomething.org is the country's largest non-profit organization for young people and social change. They provide some scholarships to reward teens who are social action leaders in their community. You may be interested in the following ones.
1. $2,000 Fight Climate Change like a Ninja Scholarship
Ninjas release 86% less CO2 than the average person. Why? Because ninjas use a green form of transport ---- parkour . DoSomething.org wants to teach you their ways of going green---- and offer the chance for a $2,000 scholarship. Submit one of your friends' phone numbers. You'll both receive a text message with ways to protect the planet, and you'll be entered for the scholarship. Bonzail!
2. $3,000 Puppy Mills are Bad Scholarship
Use your phone to fight for millions of puppies born in abusive factory farms. Share a text messaging game on puppy mills with 6 friends and you'll be entered to win a $3000 scholarship. Millions of puppies are born in horrible conditions each year, so puppy mills can make a profit. Invite your friends to step into the shoes of a pet store employee who discovers their store supports puppy mills. To enter for the $3,000 scholarship, visit www. Dosomething.org/puppy and submit six friends' phone numbers.
3. $5,000 Safe Driving Scholarship
When you text while driving at 55 mph, your eyes go off the road for the length of an entire football field. Tell your friends about the danger of texting while driving to enter to win a $5000 scholarship. After entering, we'll send you a free pair of "thumb socks" ---- a physical reminder to stop texting while driving. Send us a picture of you with your thumb socks and you'll double your chance of winning the $5,000 scholarship. | high12876.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Pretending to be a doctor."
},
"options": [
"Pretending to be a super hero.",
"Preparing a delicious dinner with mud.",
"Helping a doctor to attend patients.",
"Pretending to be a doctor."
],
"question": "Which ... | Children like to imagine they are someone else in a game. As a parent you might never guess how it can benefit your child. It helps your child:
Develop Social Skills
As children play pretend games,they explore relationships between family members,friends and coworkers and learn more about how people interact.Playing doctors,they imagine how physicians care for their patients.Imaginative play helps develop empathy with others.If children can imagine how it feels to be left out of a game or to lose a pet,they are better able to help those in need.They become more willing to play fair,to share,and to cooperate.
Build Selfconfidence
Young children have very little control over their lives.Imagining oneself as a builder of skyscrapers or a super hero defending the planet is inspiring to children.It helps them develop confidence in their abilities and their potential.
Promote Intellectual Growth
Using imagination is the beginning of abstract thought.Children who can see a king's castle in a mound of sand or a delicious dinner in a mud pie are learning to think symbolically.This skill is important in school where a child will have to learn that numbers symbolize groups of objects,letters symbolize sounds,and so on.
Practice Language Skills
Kids who pretend with their friends do a lot of talking.This helps increase their vocabulary,improve sentence structure and develop communication skills.
Get Rid of Fears
Pretending can help children get rid of their fears and worries.When children roleplay the big,bad monster under the bed,they gain a sense of control over him and he doesn't seem quite so big or so bad. | high563.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Interactive television advertising has not achieved the anticipated results."
},
"options": [
"Interactive television advertising has not achieved the anticipated results.",
"Interactive television advertising is successful when in... | Interactive television advertising,which allows viewers to use their remote controls to click on advertisements, has been pushed for years. Nearly a decade ago it was predicted that viewers of "Friends", a popular situation comedy, would soon be able to purchase a sweater like Jennifer Aniston's with a few taps on their remote control. "it's been the year of interactive television advertising for the last ten or twelve years," says Collin Dixon of a digital-media consultancy.
So the news that Cablevision, an American cable company, was rolling out interactive advertisements to all its customers on October 6th was greeted with some skepticism. During commercials, an overlay will appear at the bottom of the screen, prompting viewers to press a button to request a free sample or order a catalogue. Cablevision hopes to allow customers to buy things with their remote controls early next year.
Television advertising could do with a boost. Spending fell by 10% in the first half of the year. The popularization of digital video recorders has caused advertisers to worry that their commercials will be skipped. Some are turning to the Internet, which is cheaper and offers concrete measurements like click-through rates-especially important at a time when marketing budgets are tight. With the launch of interactive advertising, "many of the dollars that went to the Internet will come back to the TV," says David Kline of Cablevision. Or so the industry hopes.
In theory, interactive advertising can engage viewers in a way that 30-second spot or not. Unilever recently ran an interactive campaign for its Axe deodorant , which kept viewers engaged for more than three minutes on average.
The amount spent on interactive advertising on television is still small. Magna, an advertising agency, reckons it will be worth about $138 million this year. That falls far short of the billions of dollars people once expected it to generate. But DirecTV, Comcast and Time Warner Cable have all invested in it.
Yet there are doubts whether people watching television, a "lean back" medium, crave interaction. Click-through rates have been high so far (around3-4%, compared with less than 0.3% online), but that may be a result of the novelty. Interactive ads and viewers might not go well together. | high19923.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "tell the world that they were intelligent"
},
"options": [
"damage the computers",
"test their ability",
"play a trick on operators of the computers",
"tell the world that they were intelligent"
],
"question": "... | On October 12, 1987, some Chinese scientists were working at the computers to look for information they needed. Suddenly they saw a lot of very bright spots( )crossing the computers' screens. At the same time the computers were working much slower. To find out what was happening they stopped their work to check some parts of the computers. To their horror , they found out that most of their stored information was got rid of( ) by computer viruses! Obviously all these computers had been infected( ) by computer viruses.
It is said that the computer viruses were made by a group of young man fond of playing tricks. They all had excellent education. They created the viruses just to show their intelligence. These kinds of computer viruses are named Jerusalem( )Viruses. These viruses can stay in computers for a long time. When the time comes they will attack the computers by lowering the function , damaging their normal programs or even getting rid of all the information.
We now come to know that Jerusalem Viruses often attack computers on Fridays and that they are spreading to a list of computers. Among the countries that suffering computer viruses are Britain, Australia, Switzerland and the U.S. But till now, how to get rid of the terrible remains a problem. | high5291.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a kind of horse"
},
"options": [
"a kind of horse",
"a kind of fish",
"the god of the ocean",
"one of Neptune's pets"
],
"question": "In the past, Romans thought the sea horse to be _ .",
"question_type":... | The sea horse is a magical animal, which has puzzled people for thousands of years. In ancient Rome sea horses were believed to be the babies of Neptune's horses. And Neptune was the god of the ocean. Now we know they are not horses at all -- they are a kind of fish. They still seem as magical as ever, especially to divers who have watched them horsing around in the sea. But today, sea horse populations face an uncertain future. Fishermen are catching too many of them, and their undersea habitats are being destroyed.
At least 20 million sea horses are taken from the ocean each year. More than 95% are used for traditional medicines in Asian countries. The sea horses are usually dried and then made into powder which is used to treat such problems as asthma , throat infections, skin diseases and cuts. How well the medicines work is unclear.
Sea horses are also bought and sold in large numbers as pets. Sea horse expert Amanda Vincent warns against buying pet sea horses. "A lot of people treat them as if they're goldfish," she says. But sea horses require very special care and live food. Most captive sea horses _ diseases and die.
Sea horse experts are trying to teach fishermen to become sea horse farmers. Instead of pulling nets of sea horses from the ocean, fishermen could learn to raise them in specially designed saltwater "farms". That way, fishermen would have sea horses to sell, but ocean populations would not be hurt.
Vincent and her team have only discovered the 35 different species of sea horses, and they still have plenty of sea horse secrets left to unlock. That is why, Vincent told TFK, protecting future sea horse populations is especially important: "I promise your readers that by the time they grow up to be marine biologists, we'll still have a lot to learn." | high3838.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Blogs are updated much more often."
},
"options": [
"Blogs are updated much more often.",
"Blogs contain links to other websites.",
"Blogs use special software.",
"Blogs contain personal information."
],
"questi... | When important events are happening around the world, most people turn to traditional media sources, such as CNN and BBC for the news. However, during the war in Iraq in 2003, many people followed the war from the point of view of an unknown Iraqi citizen who called himself "Salam Pax", which means peace.
Salam Pax wrote a diary about everyday life in Baghdad during the war, and posted it on his website. Pax's online diary was a kind of website known as a "blog". Blogs are online diaries, usually kept by individuals, but sometimes by companies and other groups of people. They become the fastest growing type of website on the Internet.
A blog differs from a traditional website in several ways. Most importantly, it is updated much more regularly. Many blogs are updated every day, and some are updated several times a day. Also, most blogs use special software or websites, which can help ordinary people easily set up and start writing their own blogs.
There are many different kinds of blogs. The most popular type is an online diary of links where the blog writer surfs the Internet and then posts links to sites or news articles that they find interesting, with a few comments about each one. Other types are personal diaries, where the writer talks about their life and feelings. Sometimes these blogs can be very personal.
There is another kind of blogging, called "moblogging", short for "mobile blogging". Mobloggers use mobile phones with cameras to take photos, which are posted instantly to the Internet. The use of mobile phones in this way made the headlines in Singapore when a high school student posted a movie he had taken of a teacher shouting at another student on the Internet. Many people were shocked by what the student did, and wanted phones with cameras to be banned from schools.
Many people think that as blogs become common, news reporting will rely less on big media companies, and more on ordinary people posting news to the Internet. They think that then the news will be less like a lecture, and more like a conversation, where any one can join in. | high18383.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "plenty of people had the opportunity to watch the live broadcast o the launch on TV"
},
"options": [
"China plans to build a permanent space station on the moon in the near future",
"the Shenzhou-9 will dock with Tiangong-1 for the... | JIUQUAN, China--China's Shenzhou-9 spacecraft blasted off at 6:37 pm Saturday, from a remote desert in western China, sending a crew of three, including the country's first female astronaut, into space.
The successful launch, powered by a Long March 2F rocket, was shown live on state television Saturday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert in western China.
The Chinese astronauts will complete the country's first manned space docking mission , an important step in Beijing's ambitious plan to build a permanent space station by 2020. Possible future missions could include sending a man to the moon.
The crew is expected to spend more than 10 days in space and dock with the Tiangong-1 space lab module, which China launched in September 2011. Two of them will live and work inside the module to test its life-support systems, while the third will remain in the capsule to deal with any unexpected emergencies.
China first launched a man into space in 2003, followed by a two-man mission in 2005 and a three-man trip in 2008 that featured the country's first spacewalk. In November 2011, the unmanned Shenzhou-8 successfully docked twice with Tiangong-1 by remote control. The manned docking would be considered a milestone for China's space program.
China is hoping to join the United States and Russia as the only countries to send independently maintained space stations into orbit . It is already one of just three nations to have launched manned spacecraft on their own.
The program is a source of enormous national pride for China, reflecting its rapid economic and technological progress and ambition to rank among the world's leading nations. | high4831.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The opposition from business circles."
},
"options": [
"The incompetence of the Democrats.",
"The opposition from business circles.",
"The lack of a precedent in American history.",
"The existing Family and Medical Leav... | Only two countries in the advanced world provide no guarantee for paid leave from work to care for a newborn child.Last spring one of the two,Australia,gave up the bad distinction by setting up paid family leave starting in 2011.I wasn't surprised when this didn't make the news here in the United States--we're now the only wealthy country without such a policy.
The United States does have one explicit family policy,the Family and Medical Leave Act,passed in 1993.It entitles workers to as much as 12 weeks' unpaid leave for care of a newborn or dealing with a family medical problem.Despite the modesty of the benefit,the Chamber of Commerce and other business groups fought it bitterly,describing it as "government-run personnel management" and a "dangerous precedent ." In fact,every step of the way,as (usually) Democratic leaders have tried to introduce work-family balance measures into the law,business groups have been strongly opposed.
As Yale law professor Anne Alstott argues,justifying parental support depends on defining the family as a social good that,in some sense,society must pay for.Parents are burdened in many ways in their lives: there is "no exit" when it comes to children.Society expects--and needs--parents to provide their children with continuity of care.And society expects--and needs--parents to persist in their roles for 18 years,or longer if needed. | high10907.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "in the earthquake"
},
"options": [
"in an accident",
"in the war",
"from the disease",
"in the earthquake"
],
"question": "Dick's parents died _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer... | Dick was a twenty-year-old man. His father was a teacher and taught chemistry in a middle school and his mother worked in a shop. They lived a happy life until his parents died one night when suddenly an earthquake broke out. Luckily his sister took him to see their aunt in the city and they did not stay at home. Everything was destroyed in the earthquake and the two children got into trouble. Thanks to their aunt who was not rich enough, they grew up but they lived a hard life. His sister was so sad that she became a nun . After he finished middle school, he was introduced to an owner of a hotel and began to work there.
One day the young man fell to the ground while he was cleaning a window on the second floor. He was sent to the hospital and the doctor looked him over. One of his legs was broken and he had to be in hospital. He said to the nurse, "I'm a poor man, madam. Arrange a third-class ward for me, please."
"Can't anybody help you?"
"No, madam," answered Dick. "I have only a sister. She's a nun and she's poor, too."
"I don't think so," the nurse said angrily. "Nuns usually marry God. And God is the richest in the world, you know!"
"Well, then," Dick said with a smile. "Please arrange a first-class ward for me and post the bill to my brother-in-law." | high21502.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "she understood the joke being talked about"
},
"options": [
"she liked people telling jokes.",
"she had remembered all that had happened",
"she was excited that she got her life back",
"she understood the joke being tal... | "Oh please God, no, no!" Stephen Eldredge cried out when he saw his wife, Shelli, badly wounded on the side of the road. She had broken actually every long bone in her body, along with her pelvis, jaw, and cheekbones. He was terrified his bride would bleed to death.
Stephen and Shelli had married just six months before near their home in South Jordan, Utah. They were in Hawaii on a family vacation with two of their sons. The family had rented electric motors and headed towards a nature preserve near Waikiki. But Shelli had fallen behind and the family turned back to make sure she was okay.
Shelli lost so much blood that her heart couldn't function properly and she went into shock at the hospital. Physicians were able to make her come to herself. On the first and second days there, she lived through half a dozen operations. On day three, the worst of Stephen's fears came true. Shelli didn't wake. She had shown heart failure and lung failure. "I thought every heartbeat would be her last," Stephen says.
As days passed with no change, one doctor gently asked if it was time to let Shelli go. An MRI showed her brain didn't have much chance of supporting life. Stephen couldn't bear the thought of trapping his wife's beautiful spirit in a body that would never work. If he kept her alive, what kind of life would she have ? He called family, religious leaders, and physician friends in Utah for guidance.
And he decided there still was a chance.
The family moved Shelli to a Utah hospital closer to home. In the next few weeks she started opening her eyes, but it wasn't entirely clear how conscious she was. Nearly seven weeks after the accident, Stephen was joking with his sister in the hospital room when he saw Shelli smile, a big toothy grin. "Did you understand that?" he asked. She smiled again. Stephen fell to his knees in thanks.
Shelli's recovery has been slow but steady. Initially, she couldn't remember much of the previous months, including her own wedding. Shelli has endured 17 operations so far and may require more surgery. She will definitely need more months of recovery. But she is able to walk. "She's got her life back. She's able to love and be loved, and be the person she was." Elovie says.
When Shelli hears about each step in her recovery, she calls it "miracle after miracle". As for his experience, Stephen says, "This is a story of fear that was slowly replaced by faith." | high1791.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "are flooded caves found mostly on islands"
},
"options": [
"are now a popular choice for tourists",
"are flooded caves found mostly on islands",
"have appeared as rocks pile up year by year",
"can give off bright blue l... | A blue hole is a flooded sea cave with a hole that opens up at the land's surface. These cave systems form in carbonate rock, often on islands. Some blue holes have very special rock formations and water chemistry. Far below sea level, they contain some of the harshest environments on Earth, with no oxygen and no light. Yet these areas are filled with life forms that have adapted to the extreme conditions.
Information gathered from these blue holes is helping scientists to increase their understanding of biology, archaeology and geology. But exploring these blue hole environments brings danger as well as discovery.
Blue holes get their name from the color1 some have when seen from the air. The color1 is usually a reflection of the sky on the water. But not all of these cave systems have blue surfaces. Some contain dark or muddy water.
Blue holes are the result of erosion in which water breaks down rock. Rain falling thousands of years ago contained chemicals which slowly wore away at the limestone landmass. These holes were later filled with sea water as the sea level changed. The rising and falling of sea levels and the mixture of salt and fresh water further wore away at these cave formations. Blue holes are vertical caves. But they can also have horizontal cave formations that may be hundreds of meters long.
These flooded cave systems can be found in the ocean, or they can be found inland. Ocean caves are affected by tides, so they always have water movement. But blue holes on land are very still. They have several layers of water, chemicals, and bacteria. The top layer of fresh water comes from rainfall. This layer acts like a cap on top of the layered mixture, and keeps out oxygen from the atmosphere. The fresh water floats on a denser layer of saltwater. Underneath this is a layer of poisonous hydrogen sulfide, produced by bacteria living in the water. Underneath this layer is anoxic seawater -- water that does not contain any oxygen.
Underwater caves are probably one of the least explored ecosystems on the planet. One reason blue holes have not been fully explored is that they can be extremely dangerous. There are many safety rules that divers must follow to help ensure their survival.
First, divers must have training and experience to swim in these caves. Those who explore a cave for the first time must establish a thin rope called a guideline. This line helps them to safely enter and bring more than one set of breathing equipment in case one device fails. Meanwhile, they must pay careful attention to their air supply. The rule is to use a third of their air to enter the cave, a third to exit, and a third for emergencies.
For most explorers, though, the possibility of discovery in these cave environments makes the experience worth the risk. You can jump into what looks like an insignificant little hole in the ground, and come out with information that's of value to many different disciplines, Scientists are interested in these caves because oxygen-free conditions there are similar to those on Earth long ago, before oxygen existed on our planet., as well as similar to space. | high23315.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "People with hemophilia don't have any physical damage and can lead normal lives."
},
"options": [
"It is caused by a fault gene and is passed from parents.",
"It causes uncontrolled bleeding.",
"People with hemophilia don't h... | Hemophilia results when a gene fails to produce the protein needed for the blood to clot ,or change from a liquid to a solid .The fault gene is passed from parents to children .People with hemophilia suffer uncontrolled bleeding .This can result in pain , tissue swelling and permanent damage to joints and muscles.
One in every ten thousand males has the most common kind of hemophilia .It is extremely rare for females to have it. Patients can be treated with the missing clotting substance .They generally can lead normal lives.
Scientists say gene treatment may be a possible way to cure hemophilia in the future .Researchers consider hemophilia the best disease for gene treatment because it is caused by a single fault gene .Also ,only a small increase in the missing clotting substance could provide good results .They tested gene treatment in six patients with severe hemophilia.
First ,they removed skin cells from the patients' arms .The researchers grew the cells in the laboratory .They added copies of the needed gene taken from healthy people .Then they created hundreds of millions of genetically changed cells .They placed these cells into the patients' stomachs.After four months ,the amount of blood clotting substance in the blood increased in four of the six patients .Some of the patients reported a decrease in bleeding problems .However ,ten months later ,the clotting substance was no longer in the patients' blood .It is not clear if the implanted cells died or the added genes stopped working.
The researchers say the study showed that gene treatment is safe for people with the most common kind of hemophilia .But others expressed concern about the treatment because the effects were only temporary. | high20634.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Change is not always for the worst"
},
"options": [
"My new family",
"My stepfather and I",
"Change is not always for the worst",
"The change happening in my life"
],
"question": "The best title for the passage ... | Big things were happening in my life the summer after I turned 13. In the middle of that summer, my parents shook my whole world and turned it upside down when they told me they were getting a divorce . I couldn't believe that our family was going to break up. Though I always knew my parents weren't very happy and they often fought, I still wanted my family to stay the same.
My life changed a lot after the divorce. My mother and I moved into a small apartment across town, while my father and brother, Bill, stayed in our house. I now became a visitor whenever I went to see my dad and Bill on weekends. And later I had my soon-to-be stepfather, Dan, whom I showed no interest in. I was clearly depressed, especially after Dan and my mother married and I realized that there was no way that things could changed back to the way they were.
Even though I resisted all Dan's attempts to get to know me and wasn't very nice to him, he never gave up on me. Gradually, I began to believe in him. I realized that we actually had some thing in common especially when it came to movies and TV shows. We spent a lot of time together hanging out and watching TV. That gave us a chance to talk and get to know each other.
Better still, Dan showed an interest in me, which I had never experienced from my own father. Dan was always around when I needed advice on school or friends. Once I begin to warm up to Dan, the three of us began spending a lot of time together. We often went out to eat and took short trips. Eventually, I discovered that I finally had the happy family that I had always wanted.
I now realize my parents were right about getting the divorce. Their breakup was the best thing to happen for all of us. My father also found happiness-- he remarried and had another child, my half -sister, Michelle. | high17098.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "You perhaps be given more responsibility."
},
"options": [
"You might lose all your friends.",
"You will lose both health and wealth.",
"You perhaps be given more responsibility.",
"You may be misunderstood by your love... | Work-life balance: Ways to restore harmony and reduce stress
Finding work-life balance in today's frenetically paced world is no simple task.
Spend more time at work than at home, and you miss out on a rewarding personal life. Then again, when you face challenges in your personal life, such as caring for an aging parent or coping with marital problems, concentrating on your job can be difficult.
Whether the problem is too much focus on work or too little, when your work life and your personal life feel out of balance, stress -- along with its harmful effects -- is the result.
The good news is that you can take control of your work-life balance -- and give yourself the time to do the things that are most important to you. The first step is to recognize how the world of work has changed. Then you can evaluate your relationship to work and apply some specific strategies for striking a healthier balance.
How work invades your personal life
There was a time when employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight- to nine-hour days. The boundaries between work and home were fairly clear then. But the world has changed and, unfortunately, the boundaries have blurred for many workers. Here's why:
*Global economy. As more skilled workers enter the global labor market and companies outsource or move more jobs to reduce labor costs, people feel pressured to work longer and produce more just to protect their jobs.
*International business. Work continues around the world 24 hours a day for some people. If you work in an international organization, you might be on call around the clock for troubleshooting or consulting.
*Advanced communication technology. Many people now have the ability to work anywhere -- from their home, from their car and even on vacation. And some managers expect this.
*Longer hours. Employers commonly ask employees to work longer hours than they're scheduled. Often, overtime is mandatory. If you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself regularly working more than 40 hours a week to achieve and exceed expectations.
*Changes in family roles. Today's married worker is typically part of a dual-career couple, which makes it difficult to find time to meet commitments to family, friends and community.
Married to your work
It can be tempting to rack up the hours at work -- especially if you're trying to earn a promotion or some extra money for a child's education or a dream vacation. For others, working more hours feels necessary in order to manage the workload.
But if you're spending most of your time at work, your home life will likely pay the price. Consider the pros and cons of working extra hours on your work-life balance:
*Fatigue. Your ability to think and your eye-hand coordination decrease when you're tired. This means you're less productive and may make more mistakes. These mistakes can lead to injury or rework and negatively impact your professional reputation.
*Family. You may miss out on important events, such as your child's first bike ride, your father's 60th birthday or your high-school reunion. Missing out on important milestones may harm relationships with your loved ones.
*Friends. Trusted friends are a key part of your support system. But if you're spending time at the office instead of with them, you'll find it difficult to nurture those friendships.
*Expectations. If you regularly work extra hours, you may be given more responsibility. This could create a never-ending and increasing cycle, causing more concerns and challenges.
Sometimes working overtime is important. If you work for a company that requires mandatory overtime, you won't be able to avoid it, but you can learn to manage it. Most importantly, say no when you're too tired, when it's affecting your health or when you have crucial family obligations.
Striking the best work-life balance
_ With so many demands on your time -- from overtime to family obligations -- it can feel difficult to strike this balance. The goal is to make time for the activities that are the most important to you.
Here are some ideas to help you find the balance that's best for you:
*Learn to say no. Whether it's a co-worker asking you to spearhead an extra project or your child's teacher asking you to manage the class play, remember that it's OK to respectfully say no. When you quit doing the things you only do out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you'll make more room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.
*Leave work at work. Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When with your family, for instance, turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer.
*Manage your time. Organize household tasks efficiently. Do one or two loads of laundry every day, rather than saving it all for your day off. A weekly family calendar of important dates and a daily list of to-dos will help you avoid deadline panic. If your employer offers a course in time management, sign up for it.
*Get enough sleep. There's nothing as stressful and potentially dangerous as working when you're sleep-deprived. Not only is your productivity affected, but also you can make costly mistakes. You may then have to work even more hours to make up for these mistakes.
*Communicate clearly. Limit time-consuming misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully. Take notes if necessary.
*Nurture yourself. Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as walking, working out or listening to music.
*Set aside one night each week for recreation. Take the phone off the hook, power down the computer and turn off the TV. Discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends, such as playing golf, fishing or canoeing. Making time for activities you enjoy will rejuvenate you.
Remember, striking a work-life balance isn't a one-shot deal. Creating balance in your life is a continuous process. Balance doesn't mean doing everything. Examine your priorities and set boundaries. Be firm in what you can and cannot do. Only you can restore harmony to your lifestyle. | high4819.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "your personal ID"
},
"options": [
"your student ID",
"your credit card",
"your personal ID",
"your passport"
],
"question": "If you are stopped by a policeman in the street, you should show _ to the police... | Want to travel as cheaply as possible while enjoying the great scenery as much as you like?
Backpacking is the way. As the most popular traveling choice among young western people, backpacking allows you to travel at your own free will. Carrying a tent, sleeping bag and clothes,
.
It is a thrill to put our ability to test and challenge ourselves with sorts of difficulties we might come across. So, backpacking is something young people can hardly deny.
Young people in Europe often travel around by train. Now, with plane tickets dropping in price, more are traveling to distant countries, such as Australia and China. And some just travel within their own countries.
But no matter where a backpacker travels, planning in advance is important if he or she wants to enjoy the trip.
Clothing
In summer, light,
clothes are best. Backpackers must remember to travel lightly and not pack too many clothes.
Medicine
There are many medicines, especially for summer, such as those for sunstroke, snake bites and mosquitoes. Others are useful in every season, such as those for common colds, poisoning and diarrhea.
Cards
Three types of cards are of great value for backpacks: student Identity Card, personal ID and a credit card.
A student ID card can be helpful for saving money. It often gets train tickets and entrance tickets for cheaper prices in many Western countries.
Personal ID card can, not only get you out of trouble with local police, but also prove useful in all sorts of other situations.
Carrying a credit card can be a safe way of carrying money, as cash can easily get lost, stolen or wet.
And of course, don't forget to enjoy your trip! | high16386.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "unacceptable"
},
"options": [
"natural",
"sensible",
"unacceptable",
"important"
],
"question": "The British used to think crying in public _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": ... | British men are abandoning(,) their stiff (, )upper lips but still do not wear their hearts on their sleeves like Americans, a new survey showed. When it comes tostrong emotion, the onceseriousBritish are now happy to shed tears quite openly.
"Thirty percent of all British males have cried in the last month. That is a very high figure," said Peter Marsh, director of the Social Issues Research Center which took the emotional temperature of Britain. "Only two percent said they could not remember when they last cried," the head of the independent research group said.
Long gone is the "No Tears -- We're British" time when emotion was considered distinctly bad form. "In our survey of 2,000 people, very few people in their forties or fifties had seen their father cry. Now it is twice as many," he told reporters. "Seventy-seven percent of men considered crying in public increasingly acceptable." Almost half the British men opened the floodgatesover a sad movie, book or TV program. Self-pity got 17 percent crying. Nine percent cried at weddings.
From the days of Empire, the British have always considered themselves models of reserve , laughing at "excitable foreigners" who show no self-control.
Marsh argued the divide was still there: "We have probably not caught up with the Americans or the Italians when it comes to the actual display of emotions."
"But we are clearly changing. What we take as typical British reserve has significantly faded "
Women's battle for equal rights has certainly had an effect -- both in the workplace and at home. "Men in their twenties or thirties are interacting with women on equal terms much more than a generation ago. They have to relate to the opposite sex. Women become more man-like and men become more female. That transfers into the work place too," Marsh said. | high22023.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "in his early nineties"
},
"options": [
"at the age of 91",
"in his eighties",
"in his early nineties",
"in his 1994"
],
"question": "Rockefeller lost his wife when he was _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_qu... | James Stallman Rockefeller, the oldest-known U. S. Olympic medal winner and the former head of the bank that became Citigroup, died Tuesday. He was 102. Records of the U. S. Olympic Committee show that Rockefeller was the oldest American medal winner. He was the captain of Yale University's eight-man rowing team with coxswain that won gold at the 1924 Paris Olympics - beating the Canadian team by less than 16 seconds. The oars from the winning race and the gold medal were prominently displayed in Rockefeller's house. "I think he was really proud of that - probably more than the bank career," said his grandson.
Rockefeller suffered a stroke on Thursday, said his grandson, who lived with him at his Greenwich home for two years, attributed his long life to a regimented lifestyle: breakfast at eight a. m. , lunch at 1 p. m. , cocktails at 6 p. m. and dinner promptly at 7 p. m. . He liked plain food, without sauces or cheese, and plenty of fresh vegetables, including those grown in the garden of his estate. Rockefeller was in good health until shortly before he died. He drove his car up until last year and would review documents from the various charities and businesses he helped lead.
Rockefeller, born on June 8, 1902, was a grandson of William Rockefeller, who founded Standard Oil with his brother, John D. Rockefeller. He graduated from Yale in 1924 and served in the Airborne Command during World War II. He started at the bank, and then called the National City Bank, in 1930, following his uncle and grandfather, who were leaders of the bank. He became president in 1952, chairman in 1959 and retired in 1967. In 1955, under Rockefeller's leadership, the bank merged with the First National Bank of New York to form Citigroup. Rockefeller also was a director of numerous companies, including Pan American Airways, Northern Pacific Railroad, NCR and Monsanto, and served on the boards of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the American Museum of Natural History.
Rockefeller and his wife. Nancy Carnegie Rockefeller, had four children. His wife died in 1994. | high15857.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To show his artwork to her."
},
"options": [
"To introduce Stephanie to her.",
"To prevent her from seeing his painting.",
"To put the material back in the yard.",
"To show his artwork to her."
],
"question": "W... | When you are little, the whole world feels like a big playground.I was living in Conyers, Georgia the summer it all happened.I was a second grader, but my best friend Stephanie was only in the first grade.Both of our parents were at work and most of the time they let us go our own way.
It was a hot afternoon and we decided to have an adventure in Stephanie's basement.As I opened the basement door, before us lay the biggest room, full of amazing things like guns, dolls, and old clothes.I ran downstairs, and spotted a red steel can.It was paint.I looked beyond it and there lay even more paint in bright colors like purple, orange, blue and green.
"Stephanie, I just found us a project for the day. Get some paintbrushes.We are fixing to paint." She screamed with excitement as I told her of my secret plans and immediately we got to work.We gathered all the brushes we could find and moved all of our materials to my yard.There on the road in front of my house, we painted bit stripes of colors across the pavement.Stripe by stripe, our colors turned into a beautiful rainbow.It was fantastic!
The sun was starting to sink.I saw a car in the distance and jumped up as I recognized the car.It was my mother.I couldn't wait to show her my masterpiece.The car pulled slowly into the driveway and from the look on my mother's face, I could tell that I was in deep trouble.
My mother shut the car door and walked towards me.Her eyes glaring, she shouted, "What in the world were you thinking? I understood when you made castles out of leaves, and climbed the neighbors' trees, but this! Come inside right now!" I stood there glaring back at her for a minute, angry because she had insulted my art.
"Now go clean it up!" Mother and I began cleaning the road.Tears ran down my checks as I saw my beautiful rainbow turn into black cement .
Though years have now passed, I still wonder where my rainbow has gone.I wonder if, maybe when I get older, I can find my rainbow and never have to brush it away.I guess we all need sort of _ to brighten our lives from time to time and to keep our hopes and dreams colorful. | high14591.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Robbie didn't believe what he said."
},
"options": [
"he was tired after a day's work",
"he didn't earn enough money",
"Robbie was unwilling to work",
"Robbie didn't believe what he said."
],
"question": "The au... | I am a taxi driver. One Monday morning, I had stopped at New York Hospital when I found _ man dashing down the steps. He was waving to me. I waited until he jumped into the cab. " LaGuardia Airport, please," he said.
As always, I wondered about my passenger. " What do you do?" " I am in the neurology department at the hospital." For some unknown reason, I decided to ask for his help.
" Could I ask a favor of you?" He didn't answer. " I have a son, 16. He's doing well in school. He wants a job this summer. Is there any possibility that you might get him a summer job?" After a pause, he said, " The medical students have a research project. Maybe he could fit in. Have him send me his school records." He searched his pocket and handed me a card.
That evening, I pulled the card from my pocket. " Robbie," I announced proudly, " this could be a summer job for you. Send him your school records." He read it out loud, " Fred Plum, New York Hospital." " Is this a joke?" he said in disbelief. After I shouted and threatened to cut off his pocket-money, Robbie promised to send off his grades the next morning.
Two weeks later, when I arrived home, my son handed me a letter from Plum. He was to phone Plum's secretary for an interview.
Robbie got the job. The white coat he wore made him feel more important than he really was. As high school graduation neared, Plum was kind enough to write letters of recommendation for universities. To our delight, Robbie was admitted to New York Medical College.
It never occurred to me that a stranger should change my son's future. | high13598.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to stay young forever."
},
"options": [
"to make themselves more attractive",
"to improve their appearance and find better job opportunities",
"to seek better opportunities in marriage.",
"to stay young forever."
],... | Plastic surgery is becoming popular with young people. But just a few days ago, it took the life of a pop singer in China. Wang Bei, 24, a former singer on Super Girl, died on Nov 15 during plastic surgery in Wuhan, Hubei province. The young singer's jaw suddenly started bleeding during the procedure, blocking her throat and causing her to suffocate.
The Ministry of Health stepped in on Nov 27, calling on health authorities all over China to increase supervision of the country's medical plastic surgery industry. It also told the Hubei health department to look into Wang's death and "to make the results of the investigation public as soon as possible"
Wang's death has raised concerns about the dangers of plastic surgery in China. In China, people, especially youngsters, are becoming more and more conscious of their looks and are willing to _ to make themselves look more attractive. Today, many young people see plastic surgery as the key to love, wealth and success.
Ding Xiaobang, a plastic surgeon at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said that in the past decade, he had seen a growing number of patients, like Wang Bei, who were young and naturally good-looking. "They want to improve their appearance to find better opportunities in work and in marriage," said Ding.
Zhao, 23, a student at the Beijing International Studies University, spent 3,000 yuan on a eyelid tuck before graduating this year. She said: " Of course I want to look prettier. I want to make a good impression on potential employers."
Ding also owed this trend to frustration. "Some are frustrated with life and use surgery as a way to try and recover," said Ding.
But a lot of people ignore the risk and danger of plastic surgery. In 12 years as a doctor, Zhu Wenbo from Chengdu has often seen unsuccessful plastic surgeries." I've met several people whose faces were ruined by plastic surgery, and helping them recover is difficult," said Zhu.
Being yourself is the most beautiful thing in the world. But if you are considering plastic surgery, here is some advice from experts:
1. Choose qualified hospitals, especially those with a good reputation for plastic surgery. Avoid beauty salons.
2. Do not expect too much from changing your appearance. It can only change your face or another body part in certain ways. And safety should always come first. | high8945.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "give information about services available for the unemployed"
},
"options": [
"tell people how to become an Employment Adviser",
"teach the unemployed people how to get registered for work",
"give information about services a... | Thousands of jobs come into our Job Centre every week, but they get snapped up quickly. So although we shall do all we can to help you, it's important for you to do all you can to help yourself. This passage tells you how.
Registered for work
Once you have registered for work we will match you will available vacancies. If you want to claim unemployment benefit , you also have to get registered at our Job Centre. But you actually apply for and claim it at the local Unemployment Office.
Getting a job through self- service
Jobs that come in are put on self- service show as soon as possible. Half the people who find jobs through our Job Centre find them through self- service. You can call in at any time to look at the jobs shown.
Come to our Employment Advisers
If you want more help or advice, don't forgot that's what we're here for. Our Employment Advisers can help you with things like:
thinking about the different sorts of jobs you could do and which are best for you.
jobs available locally or elsewhere.
whether you are suitable for a TOPS training course.
funds to help you look for, and move to, work in other parts.
Even though you have a clear idea of the sort of job and pay you want, you may find that something different will suit you quite well. Keep this in mind when you are talking with Employment Advisers.
If you don't find a job on your fast visit
Go into self- service as often as you can to look at the jobs on show there. Good vacancies are coming in all the time just because you've been registered for work. | high22745.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "His visit to a high school on the Eastern seaboard."
},
"options": [
"His meeting with a confident businessman.",
"His appointment as a headmaster.",
"His beginning to teach geography.",
"His visit to a high school on t... | Last week, on a flight to Washington, I met a confident businessman who asked me about my profession when sitting himself down comfortably next to me. I told him that I am an educator, and for twelve years I have been trying to develop and promote critical thinking about learning in mainstream education. "Goodness, it must be the most difficult task in the world!" He thought for a moment. "Why do you do this?"
I talked about how I had started teaching geography. I told him about the struggles of being a headmaster. And then I told him what I have come to regard as my real turning-point experience.
It was back in 1984, when I visited what was known at the time as one of the most outstanding high schools on the Eastern seaboard. After two days there I was totally amazed. I had never met such a fine collection of young people, every one of them apparently confident, enthusiastic, sensitive and well able to manage their futures. I asked the principal how this had been achieved and he smiled. "We believe in functional literacy for all young people; that is, the ability to feel confident that you can handle the challenges of modern society. That confidence comes when you know that you are able to manage your own learning and will be able to handle that throughout a lifetime. And that," he concluded, "requires the highest possible skills in thinking, communicating, collaborating and decision-making."
"But, for goodness' sake, those are just the skills I'm looking for among my employees," exclaimed my companion. "That's just what industry has been trying to tell the academic world for years. Instead of listening, you continue to perpetuate a set of practices which are opposite to those very skills needed in employment. You teachers think that life is about working alone on some piece of academic research in an ivory tower different from the daily routines. You just don't understand about working with confusion, nor do you accept the importance of rule-of-thumb calculations or even simple guesswork! This is the real world. There are real issues. What are you or anyone else going to do about just that?" | high17926.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "should be well managed for our own good"
},
"options": [
"could be regulated by a timepiece such as a clock or a watch",
"could be managed by the internal clock of human bodies",
"should be well managed for our own good",
... | What time is it? Most people are pretty accurate in their answer. And if you don't know for sure, it's a very likely that you can find out. There may be a watch on your wrist, there may be a clock on the wall, desk, or computer screen; or maybe you're riding in a car that has a clock in the dashboard .
Even if you don't have a timepiece of some sort nearby, your body keeps its own beat. Humans have an internal clock that regulates the beating of our heart, the pace of our breathing, the discharge of chemicals within our bloodstream, and many other bodily functions.
Time is something from which we can't escape. Even if we ignore it, it's still going by, ticking away, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour. So the main issue in using your time well is, "Who's in charge?" We can allow time to slip by and let it be our enemy. Or we can take control of it and make it our _ .
By taking control of how you spend your time, you'll increase your chances of becoming a more successful student. Perhaps more importantly, the better you are at managing the time you devote to your studies, the more time you'll have to spend on your outside interests.
The aim of time management is not to schedule every moment so we become slaves of a timetable that governs every waking moment of the day. Instead, the aim is to make informed choices as to how we use our time. Rather than letting the day go by, largely without our awareness, what we are going to discuss next can make us better able to control time for our own purposes. | high3810.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Stories behind the names of NBA Teams"
},
"options": [
"History of NBA",
"Stories behind the names of NBA Teams",
"Famous NBA Teams",
"Interesting Stories about NBA"
],
"question": "This passage can be entitled ... | Have you ever wondered how your favorite NBA team received its famous name? All NBA teams have an interesting story or a history behind their names. Some of the names reflect the city's culture or history, others came from previous owners and many were selected through "Name the Team" contests.
For teams like Los Angeles and Utah, the names were not always a reflection of the city. Even though Los Angeles has no lakes, the Laker name has been a city treasure for almost 40 years. Before going to Los Angeles, the team originated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1948, team officials chose the name for its direct relationship to the state's motto, "The Land of 10,000 Lakes." The team name went unchanged after moving to Los Angeles in 1960.
Because Utah's team originated in New Orleans, Louisiana, it was called the Jazz. In 1974, New Orleans club officials chose the name to represent the city for its reputation as the "jazz capital of the world." The name stayed with the team even after finding a new home in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1979.
The Chicago Bull's original owner, Richard Klein, named the team the Bulls. He picked the name because a fighting bull is relentless, and never quits. Klein, who founded the club in1966, believed these qualities were necessary for a championship team and hoped his Chicago athletes would live up to the team name. A belief that Bulls----winner of the six NBA championships have definitely followed.
In 1967, the Indian Pacers selected their team name in a different way from most other teams. Their decision was based on what they wanted to accomplish in the NBA. Team officials chose the Pacers name because the organization wanted to set the "pace" in professional basketball | high21258.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They were waiting for the neighbour's cats to appear."
},
"options": [
"They were about to start a snowball fight.",
"They were waiting to see if there any fires this year.",
"They were waiting to hear Mrs. Porthero's first c... | It was on the afternoon of the day of Christmas Eve, and I was in Mrs. Prothero's garden, waiting for cats, with her son Jim. It was snowing. Patient and cold, our hands wrapped in socks, we waited to snowball the cats. The wise cats never appeared. We were so still in the snows that we never heard Mrs. Prothero's first cry from the bottom of the garden. Or, if we heard it at all, it was, to us, like the cry of the neighbor's Polar cat. But soon the voice grew louder. " Fire!" cried Mrs. Prothero.
And we ran down the garden, with the snowballs in our arms, towards the house; and smoke, indeed, was pouring out of the dining room.
This was better than all the cats in Wales standing on the wall in a row. We loaded with snowballs, stopped at the open door of the smoke-filled room. Something was burning all right; perhaps it was Mr. Prothero, who always slept there after midday dinner with a newspaper over his face; but he was standing in the middle of the room, saying, " A fine Christmas!"
There was no fire to be seen, only clouds of smoke and Mr. Prothero standing in the middle of them, waving his slipper as though he were conducting.
" Do something," he said.
And we throw all our snowballs into the smoke---I think we missed Mr. Porthero---and ran out of the house.
" Let's call the police," Jim said.
"And Ernie Jenkins, he likes fires." But we only called the fire-brigade, and soon the fire-engine came. Mr. Porthero gout out just in time before they turned the hose on. | high17932.txt |
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