questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "About seven and a half to eight hours."
},
"options": [
"About six or seven hours.",
"About 10 hours.",
"About nine and a half to 10 hours.",
"About seven and a half to eight hours."
],
"question": "What is the ... | One of the tough things about being a high school student is that you never seem to get enough sleep at night, which often leaves you nodding off during classes.
"The best amount of sleep to get is about seven and a half to eight hours," Peter Venn at Queen Victoria Hospital, UK, told The Telegraph. Spending either less than six or more than nine hours in sleeping puts your health at risk.
A popular solution to a lack of sleep at night is to take a "power nap" during the day, but does this work?
Generally speaking, it can be beneficial. Research shows that a nap in the middle of the day --even a brief one as short as five or 10 minutes ---can clear your mind and leave you with increased energy and improved productivity , according to Forbes.
However, as refreshing as it might be, if you are getting adequate sleep at night, taking a power nap isn't such a wise choice. The reason is that sleeping during the day can interfere with your body's biorhythms . The brain gets used to going to bed at roughly the same time each night and getting up at the same time each day, and you don't want to disturb this routine.
One more thing to keep in mind is that a power nap should never be used as a replacement for a good night's sleep. "Twenty minutes of power nap during the day is not like a tablet which will definitely work," Rahul Mukherjee, an Indian sleep specialist, told The Telegraph. "An hour's sleep before midnight is worth a couple of hours' sleep after midnight." | high17320.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To determine whether the polar bear was in danger."
},
"options": [
"To determine whether the polar bear was in danger.",
"To measure how fast the sea ice melts in the Arctic.",
"To check the predictions of the computer model... | WASHINGTON--Two-thirds of the world's polar bear population could be gone by 2050 if predictions of melting sea ice hold true, the US Geological Survey reported on Friday.
The fate of polar bears could be even worse than that estimate, because sea ice in the Arctic might be disappearing faster than the available computer models predict, the geological survey said in a report aimed at determining whether the big white bear should be listed as a threatened species.
"There is a definite link between changes in the sea ice and the welfare of polar bears," said Steve Amstrup, who led the research team. He says Arctic sea ice is already at the lowest this year and is expected to retreat farther this month.
That means that polar bears--some 16,000 of them -- will disappear by 2050 from parts of the Arctic where sea ice is melting most rapidly, along the north coasts of Alaska and Russia, researchers said in a telephone briefing .
Other polar bears could survive beyond that date but many of those could be gone by 2100, Amstrup said. By this century's end, the only polar bears left might live in the Canadian Arctic islands and along the west coast of Greenland.
"It is likely to result in loss of approximately two-thirds of the world's current polar bear population by the mid 21st century," the report's executive summary said.
"Because the observed trajectory of Arctic sea ice decline appears to be underestimated by currently available models, this assessment of future polar bear status may be conservative ."
In January, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the polar bear as a threatened species, noting polar bears depend on sea ice as a platform to hunt seals, their main food.
Without enough sea ice, polar bears would be forced onto land, but they are poor hunters once they get out of the water and ice, the researchers said. The bears' disappearance would probably take place as young cubs failed to survive to adulthood and females were unable to reproduce successfully. | high2108.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "organization"
},
"options": [
"organization",
"person",
"lifestyle",
"honor"
],
"question": "According the passage, Cittaslow is a(n) _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Cittaslow has discovered China, and it is awarding a little village in Jiangsu the title of "slow city"
The bored teenagers of Gaochun are impatient with the leisurely pace of hometown life.For them there is no nightlife to speak of, no bright lights, no excitement and they cannot wait to grow up and leave for the urban attractions of the big cities.But it is this laid-back lifestyle that has attracted international attention.At least, a quiet village within Gaochun county has come under the spotlight.Yaxi village, population 20,000, is about to be designated China's first "slow city" by Cittaslow, the sustainable lifestyle movement that first surfaced in Italy 11 years ago.
At home, the residents at Yaxi are unfazed and pretty much unimpressed by the honor.To them, life has been like this for as long as they can remember.Here, growing old gracefully is natural.
Nobody living in this little county had heard of Cittaslow or the words "slow city" before this.
"The first time I heard the term was last July, when the vice-president of Cittaslow, Angelo Vassallo, visited Yaxi village," says Zuo Niansheng, the chief editor of local newspaper Gaochun Today.
"Vassallo was deeply impressed by this village's natural and cultural resources and said it perfectly fitted the requirements for a slow city," says Zuo."That was how Yaxi became connected with Cittaslow.
The Slow City must also be committed to protect and maintain the natural environment as well as promote a sustainable way of development ?all of which are the current strategies adopted in Gaochun."We've been doing this for years," adds Zuo.
Cittaslow was founded in Tuscany, Italy in 1999.It was a spin-off from the Slow Food movement which started, also in Italy, in 1986 as a protest against the first McDonald ' s opening near the Spanish Steps in Rome.The movement championed a return to healthy, nutritious home-grown, home -cooked food.
Slow Food has since expanded globally to more than 130 countries.Its mission has also broadened to include the promotion of sustainable foods and local small businesses, and the localization as opposed to globalization of food production.
Cittaslow is an expansion of the Slow Food movement, and it actively advocates a lifestyle that is sustainable, that will improve quality of life, and will preserve cultural and culinary heritage. | high11751.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It aims to explore new lands in the universe."
},
"options": [
"It has cost NASA around $10 billion.",
"It is expected to be conducted on Mars in 2030.",
"It aims to explore new lands in the universe.",
"It is a project... | The US space agency NASA is looking for people to go to Mars, and stay there. This attractive career is for people who want a huge change of scenery and planet. The project is called the Hundred Years Starship, which aims to colonize other lands such as the red planet Mars.
Settlers would travel to the red planet and live there forever. NASA says it would be too expensive to bring humans back to Earth. The space agency can afford, however, to send supplies to the astronaut pioneers from Earth. Astronauts would be landed on the planet's surface and would never be able to return home due to the cost.
NASA has started the project with $1.6 million, and hopes to attract investment from space-living billionaires. Google co-founder Larry Page told NASA he would be interested if the cost of a one-way ticket can go down from $10 billion to $2 billion.
The journey to Mars could take 4 months. Setting on the red planet would be extremely dangerous, especially given the freezing temperatures there. The thin atmosphere would be another problem as it is mostly carbon dioxide, so oxygen supplies are a must. A director in NASA said that he believed the trip might start with visiting Mars's moons first. He claimed that humans could be on Mars's moons by 2030.
Many scientists think colonizing space is absolutely necessary. Steven Hawking believes we must move to other planets to survive as a species. He said: "Once we spread out into space and establish independent colonies, our future should be safe." Scientists Dirk' Schulze-Makuch and Paul Davies also call it a "desirable goal", though there surely are huge risks to explore new lands. | high3216.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "(212)363-3260"
},
"options": [
"(212)344-0996",
"(212)363-7620",
"(212)363-3260",
"(212)269-5755"
],
"question": "Which number would you call if your friend were suddenly ill?",
"question_type": "factiod_que... | Ellis Island is located in New York. Harbor Ellis Isl and is open daily year-round from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p. m. , with extended hours during summer. It is closed December 25. There is no admission charge to Ellis Island; donations are gratefully accepted.
At Your Fingertips
Park information (212)363-7620
Emergencies (212)363-3260
Ferry boat information (212)269-5755
Lost and found (212)363-7620
Dining, gifts, & audio tour (212)344-0996
Transportation
Statue of Liberty a nd Ellis Island Ferry: Boats leave from Battery Park, Manhattan, and from Liberty State Park, New Jersey. They run about every 30 to 45 minutes beginning at 9:15 a. m. (ferry schedule subject to change)
Hours: May vary; call the number below
Closed: December 25
Ferry fees: (Includes Liberty and Ellis Islands) adults, $7; senior citizens, $6; children(age 3 to 17), $3. (group rates are available for 25 or more adults)
Ticket & schedule information: (212)269-5755 | high4579.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "many parents are at a loss on dealing with grown children"
},
"options": [
"middle-aged people even have fewer job opportunities than young people",
"few of American young people live with their parents",
"the rate of divorce... | After being laid off from her job, Ann Bauer struggled financially. She worked at several lower-paid jobs, relocated to a new city and even declared bankruptcy. Then in December, she finally moved back into her parents' home at age 52. "I'm back living in the bedroom that I grew up in," she said.
Taking shelter with parents isn't uncommon for young people, especially when the job market is poor. But now the declining economy is forcing some children to do so later in life---even at middle age.
Financial planners report receiving many calls from parents seeking advice about taking in their grown children after divorces and lay-offs. Kim Erickson, a financial planner in California, said she has never seen older children, even those at 50, depending so much on their parents as in the last six months. "These are 40-and-50-year-old children of my clients that they're helping out. We have a hard time saying no as a culture to our children, and they keep asking for more," she said.
Bauer's parents won't take rent money. She's trying to save several hundred dollars a month for a house while working as a meeting coordinator. Bauer would prefer to live on her own, but without her parents' help, she would "probably be renting again," she said. "Buying groceries for another person isn't stretching my budget too much," said her mother, Shirley Smith, aged 80.
Parents usually feel guilty if they don't offer help. But a large number of well-meaning parents must delay retirement or scale back their dreams because they have to help their children, Erickson said. And the sliding economy might threaten their jobs.
"I almost have to act like a financial therapist," she said to Shirley. "Here is the line I'm drawing for you. That's fine. You can do up to this point, but at this point, now you're starting to erode ( ) your own wealth." | high21692.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Nothing in the wallet was missing."
},
"options": [
"The owner of the wallet found a twenty-dollar bill gone.",
"The writer wasn't surprised when the man gave her a reward.",
"Nothing in the wallet was missing.",
"The m... | I worked for a short time as a cashier at a restaurant a few months ago. I also helped to clean up the tables when it was very busy. One night, just before Christmas, I found a large black wallet on the floor near one of the tables. I guessed I should check it to find out who was the owner, but I was very busy at the time. And I imagined that if there was something valuable in the wallet, the owner would be back. Sure enough, an hour later a man came up to the counter and asked if anyone had found a wallet. I asked him to describe the lost wallet, and after he described it exactly, I gave him the wallet. He expressed his thanks when I handed it to him. He asked me if I had opened it, and when I told him "no". At once he opened it and showed that it had nearly $ 800 in cash . He took out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to me and I was amazed at this. "A reward for your honesty," he said and then turned and walked away.
Thinking about it later, I began wondering whether I would have been honest if I had known what was in the wallet! I thought that if I had no way to find the owner and no one returned to get it, I might keep it. But it also came into my mind that I actually saved someone's Christmas plans by finding and returning the wallet. The good feeling it gave me was worth more than anything could buy. | high15537.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "an airline company"
},
"options": [
"an airline company",
"a well-known travel destination",
"a travel agency for cheap vacations",
"a search tool for low-cost air tickets"
],
"question": "We can infer from the ... | Higher hotel prices, airline capacity cuts and rising travel demand mean travelers will have to work harder to find a good deal in 2013. But there are plenty of online tools to help keep your vacation expenses _ . Here are some websites to help you save money on air tickets this year.
Looking for sales on a specific routs, or just want to go somewhere cheap? AirfareWatchdog. com searches for deals computers tend to miss, like promotion codes airlines include in e-mail advertisements. It also finds sales from Allegiant and Southwest, which typically aren't listed on major airfare search engines. You can sign up for specific fare notifications or a list of all the cheap round-trip fares from your local airport.
Where can you go for $500 or less? Kayak.com/explore will show you where you can go for a vacation for a particular price .You can narrow your search by month, region, flight length, weather or activity. Clicking on a price reveals dates the fare is available.
If you already know where you want to go, use itasoftware.com to find the cheapest dates to fly. To purchase, you must go to the airline's website or online agencies like Travelocity.
To figure out whether to buy that plan ticket now or wait, go to Bing.com/travel. Its Price Predictor can determine how likely a fare is to rise or fall during the next seven says from more than 250 cities in the Unites States to top domestic destinations and major airports in Europe. The site claims that its predictions are about75 percent accurate and save customers more than $50 on average for a round trip.
After you've booked your tickets at an airline site, enter your flight information at Yapta.com to track the price so you don't miss out on savings if the price drops. | high8343.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he wanted to revenge the customer"
},
"options": [
"he was good at self-control",
"he wanted to show his professionalism",
"he wanted to revenge the customer",
"he knew well the airport rules"
],
"question": "Th... | I was waiting in a check-in line at Arlanda International Airport. The man ahead of me was quite a big guy. As an airport baggage handler checked through a customer at the roadside, he accidentally knocked over the man's luggage. He quickly collected the fallen bags and apologized for his mistake. However,the traveler burst into anger, shouting at the baggage handler for his carelessness.
The baggage handler calmly apologized and smiled all the time. The customer continued to berate the man, even as he turned away and headed for his gate. Through it all the baggage handler smiled and remained calm.
The other customers in line witnessed the incident and admired the baggage handler's professionalism and self-control. "I have never seen such restraint and humility," one of the customers sighed, "How do you keep your cool when somebody is attacking you so viciously?"
"It's easy," the baggage handler answered. "He's going to London, but his bags are going to Tokyo."
I won't recommend that we use revenge to relieve stress. But let me tell you about one of my friends who has found a way to go through most of his life unaffected by the _ that disturbs most people. He is one of the calmest people I've ever known and he describes how he keeps his cool no matter how turbulent a situation becomes. He says, "I look at it this way. A traffic jam has no power to make me angry. It just stops my car. And that's the way I try to look at most of what happens to me." With that philosophy, this guy goes through life with a calmness I can only envy.
My friend likes to say things like, "A rude customer has no power to make me angry; he just fusses." And, "A mistake I made has no power to make me upset; it's just a chance to do better." He shows how we can truly find calmness in the midst of chaos. | high12258.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "one is born with his color preference"
},
"options": [
"one can choose his color preference",
"one is born with his color preference",
"one's color preference is changeable",
"one has to choose his favorite color as soo... | What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange, and red? If you do, you must be an optimist , a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer grays and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined. You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference , and the effect that colors have on human beings. They tell us that we don't choose our favorite color as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.
A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one, and a red dress rings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing . Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark gray.
Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colorful things. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colors they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief. | high195.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "dogs' ancestors come from gray wolves"
},
"options": [
"dogs mainly lived in Europe and the Far East",
"dogs would like to live in Central Asia",
"dogs' ancestors come from gray wolves",
"the Near East has many gray wol... | Where do dogs come from?
Gray wolves are their ancestors. Scientists are pretty consistent about that. And researchers have suggested that dogs' origins can date back to Europe, the Near East, Siberia and South China. Central Asia is the newest and best candidate, according to a large study of dogs from around the world.
Laura M. Shannon and Adam R. Boyko at Cornell University, and an international group of other scientists, studied not only purebred dogs, but also street or village dogs.
Dr. Shannon analyzed three different kinds of DNA, Dr. Boyko said, the first time this has been done for such a large and diverse group of dogs from 38 countries. And that led them to Central Asia as the place of origin for dogs in much the same way that genetic studies have located the origin of modern humans in East Africa.
The analysis, Dr. Boyko said, pointed to Central Asia, as the place where "all the dogs alive today" come from. The data did not allow precise dating of the origin, he said, but showed it occurred at least 15,000 years ago.
Greger Larson of Oxford University, who is leading a large international effort to analyze ancient DNA from fossilized bones, said he was impressed by the study. "It's really great to see not just the number of street dogs, but also the geographic breadth and the number of remote locations where the dogs were sampled," he said in an email. He also praised the sampling of different kinds of DNA and the analytic methods.
Dr. Larson, who was not involved with the study, said he thought the Central Asia finding required further testing. He said he suspected that the origins of modern dogs were "extremely messy" and that no amount of sampling of living populations will be definitive. He said a combination of studies of modern and ancient DNA is necessary. | high13146.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "advertisements benefit busy people in many ways"
},
"options": [
"advertisements benefit busy people in many ways",
"advertisements encourage more business competitions",
"advertisements provide main features of new products"... | Advertising actually has a dual function:to sell,as well as to inform.If you stop to think of it,advertisements(ads)provide information of almost everything in our household and immediate environment,from shampoo to fuel for cars.An obvious purpose is to inform consumers of new products and services as well as to remind them of established ones.Performance,price,value for money,quality and reliability are some of the main features mentioned in ads.
Yet there is another important side of advertising that should not be forgotten:choice.A number of ads for different brands of the same product,e.g.toothpaste,shampoo or washing powder allow the consumer to choose.Choice is an important part of buying.
In this busy day and age,there is little time for _ .To determine which product is the best to buy,and at the most competitive price,consumers these days rely on advertising in its various forms.This saves time and energy and makes shopping easier.
Few can deny that ads benefit the consumer since they encourage healthy competition.When companies compete for the consumer's dollar,this is good for the purchaser of the product or service.Advertising tends to increase competition since it informs consumers of what is available.One company's offer will be either matched or bettered by another company in its advertising.
It was unheard of ten years ago to buy products directly using a personal computer,but it has become a matter of course for some people to browse the Internet,surfuntil they find an e commerce site and then select the product.Marketing products has been almost turned upside down by new ways of selling and buying.More than at any time in history,the choice of goods is unlimited.The whole world is a customer's marketplace.For busy people like you and me,advertisements actually do us a favor. | high14629.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "motivate students to be creative"
},
"options": [
"raise funds to design solar-powered buildings",
"motivate students to be creative",
"integrate solar systems with buildings",
"develop new kinds of energy"
],
"... | Have you ever wondered what you will be when you grow up? Perhaps you have thought of becoming an engineer or an environmentalist. Here's good news: you can combine all of these career goals by designing, building and operating a solar-powered house.
That is what students from 20 universities did as they competed in the U.S. Department of Energy 2009 Solar Decathlon . Like a game show where teams compete against each other, the Solar Decathlon's student teams competed against each other in ten separate events to see who could build the best solar-powered house. The team from Germany took the top honor.
The contest is held on the National Mall in Washington D.C., and is open to the public. In order to win, the Decathlon's teams have to successfully host a dinner party, do the laundry, run the dishwasher, and maintain a comfortable temperature in their solar-powered houses. They also have to make their houses look attractive. Team Germany's winning "Cube House" produced a surplus of power, even during three days of rain. This is the fourth time the Solar Decathlon has been held. The houses keep getting better and better.
"The Department of Energy does research on solar and building technologies. In the 1990s, we were seeking expertise to help design houses that would integrate solar systems in a reliable way. I came up with the idea of having a competition to challenge students at architecture and engineering schools to design solar-powered houses from the ground up. I thought that having a competition would motivate these students to be creative. The new generation of our country should be innovative . They may come up with solutions that would help our country," said Richard J. King, the Decathlon's Director. | high23085.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "learns to live in a society"
},
"options": [
"learns to live in a society",
"travels from one country to another",
"learns to act independently",
"learns how to live happily"
],
"question": "Socialization is the... | Mirth Pham was born in Vietnam. He left his native country when he was 21 years old. Minh has been in America for almost two years. There is still much he does not understand about America.
Once Minh was in a supermarket. He saw an old man and an old woman. They wanted a box of cereal .The box was on a high shelf. The man and the woman couldn't reach it. Minh saw a ladder. He got on the ladder and got the box. He handed it to the elderly couple. They thanked him.
"Where are your children?" asked Minh. "Why don' t they help you buy food?"
"Our children have their own lives," said the man and the woman. "We like to be independent." Mirth doesn't think this is right. In his country, .children help their parents. Minh gave the elderly couple his phone number. He told them to call him if they needed help. One night they asked Mirth to dinner, but they never asked him for help.
One day, Minh was walking with a Vietnamese friend. The two were going to a movie. Minh wanted to go to a restaurant first. Minh took his friend's hand. He pulled him toward the restaurant. People on the street stared at Minh. In Vietnam, friends often hold hands. Minh found out that people in America are not used to holding hands.
Minh Pham is going through a process known as re-socialization. Socialization is the process in which a person learns to live in a society. Everyone goes through this process. Minh went through it when he lived in Vietnam. But the Vietnamese way of life is much different from the American way of life. When Mirth came to America, he had to learn a new way of life. He had to learn how to live in a new society.
Minh has learned a lot about American life in two years. He still has a lot to learn. The process of re-socialization can take many years. | high8357.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the story behind \"The Praying Hands\""
},
"options": [
"the early life of Albrecht Durer",
"the story behind \"The Praying Hands\"",
"the sacrifice Albrecht made for his brother",
"a young man showing his talent throug... | Born into a poor family,two of the Durers' children still had a dream for art,but they knew their father could not afford to send either of them to the academy .
After discussions,the two boys finally agreed to toss a coin.The loser would go to the nearby mines and support his brother while he attended the academy.Then,when the winner completed his studies,he would support the other brother,either with sales of his art work or,if necessary,by working in the mines.So they tossed a coin.Albrecht Durer won the toss and went to Nuremberg.Albert went to the dangerous mines and financed his brother,whose work at the academy was almost an immediate success,and by graduation,he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his works.
When the Durer family held a dinner to celebrate Albrecht's homecoming, Albrecht drank a toast to his brother,"Now,Albert,it is your turn to go to Nuremberg and follow your dream,and I will take care of you."
Albert wiped the tears from his cheeks,glanced at the faces he loved,and said softly,"No,brother.It is too late for me.Look....look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been broken at least once,and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast,much 1ess make lines on canvas with a pen or a brush.No,brother ...for me it is too 1ate."
Therefore,Albrecht took pains to draw his brother's injured hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward.The entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and named it "The Praying Hands". | high15523.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "inform us of a recent discovery of ecological research."
},
"options": [
"introduce how grasshoppers make noises to attract mates.",
"raise the awareness of protecting bow-winged grasshoppers.",
"inform us of a recent discove... | Grasshoppers are having to change their song -- one of the iconic sounds of summer -- to make themselves heard above the noise of road traffic, ecologists have discovered. The study, published in the British Ecological Society's journal Functional Ecology, is the first to show that human-made noise affects natural insect populations. Animals use sound to communicate for many reasons, including marking out territory, warning of predators and finding mates, and although previous research shows birds, whales and even frogs change their calls in noisy environments, the impact of human-made noise on insects has been neglected until now. Ulrike Lampe and colleagues from the University of Bielefeld in Germany caught 188 male bow-winged grasshoppers, half from quiet locations and half from beside busy roads. The grasshoppers use their song to attract mates.
The team then studied the differences in the two groups' songs in the laboratory. To encourage them to sing they exposed the males to a female grasshopper, and then recorded their courtship songs. Analysis of almost 1,000 recordings revealed grasshoppers living beside noisy roads produced different songs to those living in quieter locations.
According to Lampe: "Bow-winged grasshoppers produce songs that include low and high frequency components. We found that grasshoppers from noisy habitats increase the volume of the lower-frequency part of their song, which makes sense since road noise can mask signals in this part of the frequency spectrum ."
The team's findings are important because traffic noise could be upsetting the grasshopper's mating system . "Increased noise levels could affect grasshopper courtship in several ways. It could prevent females from hearing male courtship songs properly, prevent females from recognizing males of their own species, or _ females' ability to estimate how attractive a male is from his song," Lampe explains.
Having discovered that human-made noise affects insect communication, the researchers now want to learn more about how the mechanism works, and whether the grasshoppers adapt to noise during their development as larvae , or whether males from noisy habitats produce different songs due to genetic differences.
The bow-winged grasshopper is a common species in Central Europe. Adults occur mainly between July and September, preferring dry grasslands. Around 1.5 cm long, they vary in colour from green and browns to red and purple. The male's song consists of 2 second-long phrases that increase in amplitude towards the end. The beginning of a phrase is characterized by slower ticking sounds that increase in speed and amplitude, leading to a buzzing sound towards the end of the phrase. A courtship song usually includes 2 phrases. | high7064.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A scientist in charge of the study of the climate change."
},
"options": [
"A scientist responsible for the climate change.",
"A scientist in charge of the study of the climate change.",
"A professor interested in the climate... | Health and climate scientists have mapped how climate change affects different parts of the world in different ways. The scientists point to the fact that changes in the past thirty years may, have been affecting human health. Possible effects include more deaths from extreme heat or cold, more storms and more crop failures in dry periods.
The health and climate scientists recently estimated that climate changes caused by human activity lead to more than one hundred and fifty thousand deaths each year. Cases of sickness are estimated at five million. And the W.H.O. says the numbers could rise quickly by the year of 2003.
Jonathan Patz of an environmental institute led the study. Professor Patz points out that climate scientists connected global warming with the heat that killed thousands in Europe in August, 2003. But he says poor countries least responsible(......) for the warming are most in danger from the health effects of higher temperatures.
Professor Patz says areas in greatest danger include southern and eastern Africa and coastlines along the Pacific and Indian oceans. Also, large cities experience what scientists call a "heat island"effect that can make conditions worse.
Representatives from about two hundred countries hold a meeting in Canada, to discuss climate change. The ten-day meeting ends on December 9th. It is the first such United Nations meeting since the Kyoto Protocol took effect earlier this year. The agreement aims to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases sent off into the air. | high1415.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The position it advertised won't accept females."
},
"options": [
"The applicants can get medical insurance once accepted.",
"The position it advertised won't accept females.",
"It mainly serves Chinese food to westerners.",
... | Are you a foreigner in Shanghai, China, wanting to find a job? Here's some information for you.
Teaching Job in High School
Description:
High school(students aged 14-18)
12 classes/week
Benefits and Compensation :
Salary: 7,000-8,000 RMB/month
Paid public holidays and winter holidays
Free accommodation with full furniture
Medical insurance
Requirements:
English native speaker
Bachelor's degree or above
New graduates are welcome
To apply, please send your resume, and one recent photo copy to: _
Coffee & Bar Manage Needed
Description:
A big Coffee & Bar in Ganghui Plaza, Xujiahui, Shanghai, is looking for a manager. The Coffee & Bar has about 300 seats; main service is western food and coffee.
Benefits and Compensation:
Salary: 12,000 RMB/month
Requirements:
Male, about or above 30
Speak fluent Chinese
5 years' experience in restaurant management
If you're qualified and interested, please send me your resume with picture: swd3rfv@gmail.com.
Office receptionist &Sales Assistant
Description:
We are a well-known tourism company in Shanghai, and started our business at the beginning of 2000.
Responsibility:
Assist the sales manager and sales representatives
Welcome the visitors
Requirements:
Female, 20 to 30 years old
Sales experience will be an advantage, but not a must
If you're interested, please send me your resume with picture(we won't accept without it): david@jobsitechina.com | high13152.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "learning environment"
},
"options": [
"learning environment",
"location",
"reputation",
"leadership potential"
],
"question": "The advantage of New Education lies in its _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_quest... | New Education is the UK's first training company devoted to the development of leadership potential in cross-cultural environment, We provide high quality training services such as effective communication, public speaking, positive attitude, life planning, career skills, Chinese and Western cultural differences and traditional Chinese business wisdom.
New Education was set up in April 2010, with headquarters in London, Our professional services are divided into personal training and corporate training.Personal training is mainly for students, professional and business managers.Corporate training is mainly for Chinese companies with branches in the UK and foreign companies interested in China.
With our deep understanding of Chinese and Western environment and high-quality training techniques, we can provide excellent professional services.Our goal is to become the best learning partner for individuals and companies seeking for overseas success.
Our training team is composed by the elites from various industries.In addition to our professional training skills and techniques, and our rich experience, we are willing to devote ourselves to helping others improve themselves and seek for success.
Easterners and Westerners are very different in their ways and means to explain concepts and information, which is important in our personal trainings.Our main value lies in the combination of the western theories and practice in individual development and the Chinese people's habits, ways of thinking and the practical problems in cross-cultural background, to effectively help you in improving your overseas competitiveness and achieving your goals. | high23091.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "making more money"
},
"options": [
"protecting the environment",
"reducing the traffic jam",
"giving more traveling choices",
"making more money"
],
"question": "The program can help the city in the following wa... | Starting next month, people in prefix = st1 /Washingtonwill be able to rent a bicycle day and night with a membership card. A new company called SmartBike will make 120 bicycles available at 10 spots in the city. "There's a lot of stress on our transit systems," said Jim Sebastian, who manages bicycle and pedestrian programs forWashington's Transportation Department. Offering another choice, Mr Sebastian said, "It will help us reduce traffic jam and pollution, as well as parking problems." In the deal, the company will have the advertising rights in the city's bus shelters and it has reached a similar deal with San Erancisco. Chicago andPortland,Ore., are also considering the program.
For a $40 annual membership fee, SmartBike users can check out three-speed bicycles for three hours at a time. The program will not provide helmets but does encourage their use. Similar programs have proved successful in Europe. The Ve1ib program in Paris and Bicing in Barcelona, Spain, both started around a year ago and already offer thousands of bicycles. Mr Sebastian, who started trying to bring bike-sharing to Washington even before its success in Paris and Barcelona, said he believed that the program could grow within a year and hoped that it would eventually offer 1 000 bicycles.
"But studies showed that many bikes would get stolen in a day, or within a few weeks," said Paul DeMaio, a Washington-area bike-sharing consultant. Improved technology allows programs to better protect bicycles. In Washington, SmartBike users who keep bicycles longer than the three-hour maximum will receive demerits and could eventually lose renting privileges. Bicycles gone for more than 48 hours will be considered lost, with the last user charged a $200 replacement fee.
The low cost could be one of the program's major selling points. At GeorgeWashingtonUniversityin Foggy Bottom, one of the program's 10 locations, students were unsure how often they would use SmartBike, but said its price made it worth a try. | high18007.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "without hate, people will have less trouble connected with blood pressure and heart disease"
},
"options": [
"without hate, people will have less trouble connected with blood pressure and heart disease",
"people who suffer from blo... | LEEDS, England--A Leeds University psychology professor is researching a course to help dozens of Britons forgive their enemies.
"The hate we hold within us is a cancer." Professor Ken Hart said, adding that holding in anger can lead to problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
More than 70 people have become volunteers in Hart's first 20-week workshop in London--a course he says is the first of its kind in the world.
These are people who are sick and tired of living with a memory. They realize their bitterness is a poison they think they can pour out, but they end up drinking it themselves, said Canadian-born Hart.
The students meet in each group of eight to ten for a two-hour workshop with a director every two weeks.
The course, ending in July, is expected to get rid of the cancer of hate in these people. "People have lots of negative attitudes towards forgiveness," he said, "People confuse forgiveness with forgetting. Forgiveness means changing from a negative attitude to a positive one."
Hart and his team have created instructions to provide the training needed.
"The main idea is to give you guidances on how to look at all kinds of angers and how they affect you, and how to change your attitudes towards the person you are angry with," said Norman Claringbull, a senior expert on the forgiveness project.
Hart said, "I believe forgiveness is a skill that can be taught, as these people want to get free of the past." | high5673.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "soft-hearted"
},
"options": [
"soft-hearted",
"irresponsible",
"indifferent",
"strict"
],
"question": "According to the passage, when the woman was in middle school, Mr. Rao was probably_.",
"question_type":... | The man beside her looked familiar. She felt like she knew him. Then when he opened the book on his knees, she at once knew who he was.
"Now, if anyone ever has a doubt regarding factorisation , just once, read page number thirteen in your textbook. There would be no more doubt."
She smiled at the memory, remembering his patient, cool face. She recalled one by one, all the memories of her middle school Math teacher.
He was a widower , always looking sad. He looked tailor-made for a librarian, silent as his books, or a romantic poet, but a mathematics teacher was the last guess anyone could make about him.
Oh, how they used to make fun of him, play tricks on him and laugh behind his back! He never laughed but smiled politely at everybody. Sometimes he would make silly mistakes on the blackboard, and then apologize as he erased it out. He always gave in to the girls' demands of shortening his class. His correction was always careless and merciful , and the middle school girls relied on this fact to pass through the hardest of mathematics exam papers.
But she didn't remember him for this.
Long shiny hair and soulful big eyes. A tall, slim frame. His daughter. They had been best friends and always hung about together. She recalled eagerly all the fun they had in middle school, wild and carefree...until his daughter went down with pneumonia . She could never forget the suddenness and the meaninglessness of it, the feeling of emptiness.
After that, he looked even sadder. But, life went on.
Now, after almost 25 years, sitting beside him, with a dirty city bus aisle between them, she gathered her courage and said, "Mr. Rao? I'm an old student of yours. You taught me in middle school."
He looked at her for a while. "I do not even seem to remember any student."
She knew he was lying. "I am sorry about your daughter."
There was a pause in their conversation, and it was filled with all kinds of noises. Then he spoke, looking away. "I do not need any sympathy. In fact, all my new students think I never had any kids." He had a smile, but his eyes were sad.
"Where do you work now?" she asked.
"Future Generation High School."
She swallowed, in excitement. The school where her daughter studied.
"Do you happen to know Jaya Kumari?"
Something flashed across his face. Anyone else would consider the expression as recalling something. But she knew it was pain. Then his face was calm again.
"No." His answer was short.
"Well, she is my daughter."
Her daughter was a topper, a gold medalist in the Math State Competitions. He was pretending.
The bus stopped. She stood up and looked down at him. "I was your daughter's best friend. You must surely remember me..."
"Excuse me," he said, looking nervous. "I do not want this conversation. Someday, you'll see that it is easier to bury the past." He said, and went back to his graph.
"Her loss was hard on me too," she continued calmly. "I named my daughter after her." | high17334.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "WCDMA is not the only 3G standard in the world."
},
"options": [
"WCDMA is not the only 3G standard in the world.",
"Apple Inc sells its products in the market of the Chinese mainland all by its own stores.",
"The consumers i... | BEIJING--Apple Inc is one step closer to beginning sales of iPad2 tablet computers with cellular network compatibility for the first time in the Chinese mainland, where the consumer-electronics giant is _ an aggressive expansion.
According to China's Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center, a device by Apple with third-generation high-speed wireless data capabilities was issued the network access license needed for the company to begin official sales in China.The device, listed under model number "A1396", is compatible with the 3G standard WCDMA, and would work with the cellular network operated by Apple's local iPhone partner, China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd.
China Unicom declined to comment.
Apple already offers the 3G iPad2 in Hong Kong through its partners, but currently only offers Wi-Fi versions of the device in the Chinese mainland.Still, consumers in China, which according to research firm IDC surpassed the US as the world's largest PC market in the second quarter, have been purchasing 3G tablets through unofficial channels.
Separately, Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu said Sept 6 that the company's first Hong Kong store, set to open this quarter, will be located in the city's central shopping and business district in the International Finance Center's upscale IFC mall, a commercial center and sightseeing spot along the city's waterfront.Wu also said that Apple is planning a new store in Shanghai later this quarter, which will be its biggest store in China.She declined to give more details or to comment on the 3G iPad2.
Apple currently has four full-service Apple stores in the mainland, which receive the most traffic of any Apple stores in the world.The company otherwise relies on resellers to get its products into the market.
The new stores reflect Apple's confidence in rising demand for its products such as smart phones and tablet computers.Sales in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan helped boost the company's third-quarter results, newly appointed Chief Executive Tim Cook said in July.China revenue surged six-fold to about $3.8 billion during the three months ended June 25.
"This has been a substantial opportunity for Apple and I firmly believe that we're just scratching the surface right now," Cook said at the time, referring to strong sales in China."I see an incredible opportunity for Apple there."
From China Daily 2011-09-08 | high20598.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "steps in practicing meditation for beginners"
},
"options": [
"steps in practicing meditation for beginners",
"tips on how to breathe slowly",
"the benefits of practicing meditation",
"the best way to stay relaxed"
... | It's well-known that meditation has many benefits, but do you know how to practice it for a beginner?
Set a proper scene
Find a space for meditation.It should be private and quiet.Make sure the temperature is comfortable.Sit on a cushion if the floor is uncomfortable.You may play soft music if you like.
Take a moment to loosen up.Remember that the goal of meditation is to relax.Loosen your clothing, remove your shoes and have a good stretch.Do your best to ease any muscle tension that might keep you from achieving relaxation.Make an effort to relax your facial muscles.
Focus on your breath
Sit down in the space you've prepareD. Close your eyes and breathe.Each time you breathe in, count "one".Each time you breathe out, count "one".The idea is to strengthen being in the moment -- the last breath doesn't matter, and the next one doesn't matter; only this one matters.
Feel your breath inflate your lungs and push on your diaphragm .Feel how sweet it is to _ the fresh air.As you do this, your body will gradually begin to relax and all of your attention will be centered within your minD.
Return to real life
Once you feel fully centered in your mind, allow yourself to gradually drift back to real life.Move your fingers and toes and slowly wake your body up.Open your eyes and remain there for a few minutes until your senses come back, and then slowly stand up.
Even if you can't make it fully into your mind, you still get some benefits from it.If you want to feel better, you just need to practice.Set about 10 minutes around the same time every day and repeat this exercise. | high11745.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "full of humors"
},
"options": [
"full of special effects",
"with the best actors",
"full of humors",
"with great lights"
],
"question": "According to the author, \"Rush Hour 2\" is a perfect movie particularly ... | Do you like sitting on the edge of your seat? How about falling off it laughing? If so, "Rush Hour 1" is the perfect movie for you. Although it didn't get the best reviews, it is perfect for those who like a good comedy.
Just as in the first "Rush Hour," Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) and LAPD Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) are partners. This time, they are on vacation in China and Carter is looking for a good time, but they are on the job again when a bombing at the American Embassy kills two customs agents. Lee and Carter go to look for a suspect named Ricky Tan. For Lee this is a serious case because Tan killed his father. Will Carter and Lee be able to capture Tan?
Another reason to see this movie perhaps is for the thrilling action, which includes karate fights with Jackie Chan. One of my favorite scenes shows Carter and Lee in a massage parlor when everything goes crazy.
"Rush Hour 2" is, of course, really funny with Chris Tucker in the lead role. Chan and Tucker have many clever jokes and remarks. Some of the jokes aren't enjoyed by the critics, but most will find them entertaining.
With no doubt, the movie was great. I was filled with anxiety about what was going to happen next. Many critics say that sequels are not as good as the original but this one is great. I especially enjoyed it because the special effects are minimal so everything looks as though it actually happened. The lighting effect is great as well as the sound.
So, if you are looking for a great action movie that leaves you at the edge of your seat and makes you laugh quite a bit, you should rush to see "Rush Hour 2." | high3202.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Asking for some advice"
},
"options": [
"Telling us how to get along with family members",
"Calling on mothers to love their children",
"Saying sorry to her sister",
"Asking for some advice"
],
"question": "The ... | Dear Sara,
Can you please help me improve my relationship with my mother? She is in her late 70s, and will probably need me to care for her in the future. I am willing to take on this responsibility but I find seeing her and talking to her stressful because I am so angry ab out what she and my father did to my elder sister.
My sister was born "out of wedlock" in the 1950s. My sister's father disappeared and never turned up again. My mother loved my sister a lot even if she was an unwanted baby. But then my mother met and married my father. A few years later I was born.
But my father didn't love my sister and my mother failed to protect her. We moved frequently, and my sister was not allowed to come along. She never came on holiday with us; instead she was sent to holiday camps. As she grew up, she started to use drugs and became an alcoholic.
My sister is now in her mid-50s, jobless, living on benefits and mixing with a crowd of drunks. She has no partner, no children, no possessions and no company except for her dog. Her health is ruined, though she no longer drinks. I support her financially, but our relationsh ip is rocky as she hates the fact that my father loved me. She has no contact with my mother and is to this day excluded from any family event, including my father's funeral.
My mother refuses even to mention my sister. I hate her because I think that if she could manage to apologize to my sister, things might be a little better. But there is ly no chance of this. How will I be able to take care of my mother with this always standing between us?
Annie | high19319.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "She liked the cat."
},
"options": [
"She wanted a companion.",
"The cat's owner abandoned him.",
"The cat was hopeless.",
"She liked the cat."
],
"question": "Why did Kennon decide to keep the cat?",
"questi... | A black and white kitten with a broken back lay on animal doctor Betsy Kennon's examination table. A regular customer had rushed him to her office after his pet dog brought the cat home in his mouth. The dog's owner was horrified, believing that his pet had caused the cat's injuries. But Kennon found no teeth marks or bite wounds, which showed that the dog had probably saved, not harmed, the kitten.
In Kennon's opinion, however, the cat was a hopeless case. Many doctors would have _ such a badly hurt animal. But she couldn't be so cruel. The kitten's bright eyes and sad face had won her over. There was no way of finding his owner, so Kennon, a single woman aged 56, decided to keep him.
She gave him a round of shots and fed him food mixed with medicines. He couldn't move his back legs but soon started pulling himself forward with his front legs. The doctor named him Scooter and contacted a company that makes carts for disabled animals. Scooter took to his new wheels like a natural. In no time he was able to move freely, but somewhat awkwardly, around Kennon's office, home and even her backyard. The sight of the determined Scooter was uplifting and amusing in equal measure and Kennon had to smile each time the cat entered the room.
Kennon was convinced that her kitten could share his high spirits with others. So she took Scooter to the local hospital to see if he could help the patients. His first patient was an elderly woman who'd had a stroke and hadn't spoken to anyone for two days. Scooter jumped out of Kennon's arms and onto the bed, rolled over to the patient, and lay gently near her cheek, purring softly. The woman looked at Scooter. "Kitty," she murmured as she began to talk to him. Amazed, Kennon turned to the doctor --- and saw that she was in tears. The cat had engineered a small miracle.
Today Scooter spends about ten hours a month working with patients who are recovering from strokes and injuries. Again and again, Kennon watches as her cat provides hope and comfort. As one patient who'd lost her leg in a car accident said, "If he can do it, so can I." | high21686.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "maglev"
},
"options": [
"maglev",
"magnets",
"levitation",
"electricity"
],
"question": "This passage is about _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
... | A Train Floating On Air
A train that floats on air? It's not magic--it's magnets .And it's close to reality.
In Virginia USA the fall of 2002, a train with no wheels traveled on air and carried college students across their campus.In Japan, a whisper-quiet railway engine hovered and raced at 350 miles per hour using magnets and electricity as the power.And in China, a magnet train line linked Shanghai with nearby Pudong Airport.
These trains use magnetic levitation technology, "maglev" for short. They use the same rules as the magnets you pick up at home or school: opposite poles of magnets attract each other, and like poles _ each other.
How does it work?
Powerful magnets on the bottom of the train repel magnets on the track, which is actually just a magnet-filled guiding way. With a magnetic field of sufficient force, the train will go hovering on air, which seemed impossible to us in the past.
When an electrical current is sent through the track, the train moves. Turn the current backwards and the train slows down.
Maglev doesn't rely on the friction of wheels on track, so it can climb a much steeper hill than a traditional train. And it can travel easily in snow and ice, something that could bring normal trains to a screaming stop. | high11023.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because we always want to get something special"
},
"options": [
"Because we want to save money",
"Because mothers don't like gifts.",
"Because we always want to get something special",
"Because mothers are very difficu... | Mother's Day is coming. It is a time to let Mom know she's special to you. Finding the right for Mom on that day is not always easy. We often want something personal and thoughtful. But how can we make it? These following ideas may help you.
Gift of Time
Moms just want to spend time with their children so make it a Mother-Daughter/Son day. Spend the whole day with her. Do the things she likes doing with her.
Home Video
Take your family videos and make them a short home video. She can enjoy it whenever she misses you. Although it may take a lot of time, the process can be great fun and the result is often priceless .
Mom Mix
Make a CD for her. It's a collection of all the songs that _ her of you and your growing up.
Write a Letter
Write a letter instead of a simple card. Write about all the good memories you have with her and all the things she has done for you.
Flowers
People send carnations on Mother's Day. You can easily spend a lot of money on them. If you have flowers in your garden, or can handpick them, it can be a great gift.
Dinner
Make a dinner and invite her over. You can also take it over to her house and surprise her. Just don't' forget to wash the dishes after the dinner. | high3564.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It has a highly conductive copper cover."
},
"options": [
"It doesn't have a battery or a charger.",
"It is properly marketed and sells well.",
"It's continuously charging from any area.",
"It has a highly conductive co... | Batteries are included, but the charger's not. The Nokia E-Cu concept phone doesn't need to plug in, it charges from any heat source. Designer Patrick Hyland says it can even work off the warmth of your pocket. The first time "it would take approximately seven hours to reach full charge, then after that it's continuously charging by keeping the phone in areas between 86 degrees and 104 degrees Fahrenheit." That's one hot pocket.?
He's put a thermogenerator inside the phone that transforms heat into electric potential energy. To better conduct the heat to that little power plant in your pocket, the E-Cu (E for energy, Cu for copper) is coated by copper backing with heat sinks like those normally used to keep electronics from overheating.
Nokia doesn't have current plans to build the phone, so for now it remains a concept. But Hyland says he's open to anyone who wants to cooperate.
For Americans this technology would certainly be convenient. It would also save a bit on energy bills and waste. "Annually, unwanted phone chargers produce 51,000 tons of waste in addition to the greenhouse gases created by the production of the electricity needed to charge them," Hyland says. So a charger-free phone is also a green phone. Though adapting our plug in habits would help a group of people, most cell phone related energy use comes from leaving your charger plugged in all day unnecessarily.
The real potential for charger-free cell phone technology is what it could enable places where plugging in isn't an option, like rural areas in the developing world.
Cell phones are spreading faster than power lines and bringing with them countless opportunities, aid and health advances. A phone like the E-Cu, if it ever comes to be, would enable all manner of expanded aid and development by phone projects. Let's hope Patrick finds a partner. | high16994.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "people's eating habits can be used to develop new food."
},
"options": [
"Children in Uganda should eat fewer bananas.",
"Vitamin A is largely found in fruits like bananas.",
"Super bananas are definitely a safe biological pr... | The year of 2014 saw smart people always busy inventing useful things, which have hepled to make the world better, smarter and a little for fun. Now, let's take a look at some of the inventions.
Super banana
Australian biogeneticist James Dale visited Uganda, a poor African country, in the early 2000s, where he found that 15-30 percent of children under 5 were at risk of going blind because they did not get enough Vitamin A. Dale also learned that people there love bananas. They eat three to 11 bananas a day. So he came up with the idea to plant bananas containing added nutrition in order to improve Ugandans' health. With the help of Bill Gates' foundation, Dale developed the "super banana". He added a gene to the fruit, making it rich in Vitamin A.
Coaching basketball
Basketball is popular worldwide, partly because you only need a hoop and a ball to play the game. But this simple game has experienced a technology makeover this year with the development of a smart-sensor basketball.
The ball, called the 94Fifty Basketball, has nine sensors inside. They can tell you anything from how fast you are going to how accurate your shot angles are.
With a Bluetooth chip inside, the basketball can connect to your smartphone and tell you in the voice of a coach to "snap your wrist ", or"go faster", depending on the data.
The Hovercraft
Thanks to the California-based company Hendo, flying past your friends on a floating board could soon become a reality.
The Hovercraft has four small engines. These create a special magnetic field which produce enough force to lift the board off the ground.
At the moment, the hoverboard can only float an inch off the ground for 15 minutes and must fly over a metal material. It's expensive too, at $10,000 (61,810 yuan), but the company hopes that one day the technology could be used.
Wireless electricity
Most of us could not bear to live without wireless Internet. We use it every day for everything from our phones to our cars. But one company wants to go a step further, by combining wireless technology with electricity.
That's right, no more tangled wires and no more having to sit and hold your cell phone near a power socket in the corner of the room. WiTricity, a US company, has invented technology that can power objects up to 2.4 meters away. It uses a special plug-in coil that creates a magnetic field! | high18761.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Development is not necessarily the result of growth."
},
"options": [
"Development is a reliable measure of growth.",
"Growth always brings about development.",
"Development is not necessarily the result of growth.",
"G... | We often use the words growth and development as if they meant essentially the same thing. But this may not always be the case. One can easily imagine instances in which a country has achieved higher levels of income (growth) with little or no benefit coming to most of its citizens (development).
In the past, most development policies were aimed increasing the growth rate of income per capita. Many still are, based on the theory that benefits of economic growth will come to all members of society. If this theory is correct, growth should promote development.
By the early 1970s, however, the relationship between growth and development was being questioned. A major study by the World Bank in 1974 concluded that it is now clear that more than a decade of rapid growth in underdeveloped countries has been of little benefit to a third of their population.
The World Bank study indicated that increases in GNP per capita did not promise important improvements in such development indicators as nutrition, health, and education. Although GNP per capita did indeed rise, its benefits come down to only a small part of the population. This realization gave rise to a call for new development policies. These new policies favored agriculture over industry, called for domestic redistribution of income and wealth, and encouraged programs to satisfy such basic needs as food and shelter.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the international macroeconomic crises of high oil prices, worldwide recession, and third world debt forced attention away from programs designed to get rid of poverty. However, the lesson remains: economic growth does not promise economic development. Efforts may be required to change growing output capacity into economic benefits that reach most of a nation's people. | high5115.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "acceptable"
},
"options": [
"perfect",
"acceptable",
"unreasonable",
"Crazy"
],
"question": "The writer probably thinks the DINK lifestyle_,",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Many would consider it crazy, but what has caused the sudden popularity of the DINK (double income,no kid) lifestyle? Mr. Buchanan lists three factors that lead to the DINK lifestyle and help explain why today's culture _ the old idea that "the good tile for a woman means a husband and a houseful of kids."
The first factor is what is generally called"the greatest movement of the 20th century".The movement of women from their homes to offices,which is similar to the 19th century migration of men from the farm to the factory.
The second factor is some women begin choosing to follow a career rather than raise a family.Modern industries offer well-paid jobs to able women,who can compete successfully with men. With more women working,families become wealthier and smaller.
The third factor is the end of the"family wage". Before 1964,employers paid a man a "family wage" enough to support a wife and family However, as women's pay has greatly increased.men's pay has dropped,and the traditional marriage and family have suffered Young women are now more likely to be financially independent and more likely to delay their marriage,or just not marry at all Some choose to be DINKs.
Though not necessarily the best,to be a DINK has become an increasingly popular lifestyle choice,one that has gained more and more recognition in our society. | high17452.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "doing meaningful things together with them"
},
"options": [
"watching TV with them",
"staying with them as long as possible",
"doing meaningful things together with them",
"giving up jobs to stay with them"
],
"... | Spending time with your kids is the best way to give them you attention. No matter whether you stay at home or work outside the home, you can still give quality time to your kids. Quality time doesn't mean the whole family sitting for four hours watching TV. It means turning the TV off and playing games together, reading books, going for walks---anything!
Giving kids your attention means listening to them when they talk. I don't mean half-way listening and saying "uh huh" like we do to our spouses when they're talking about their day at work. I mean sitting down, looking children in the eye, and listening. Ask questions. Be interested. It shows that you're paying attention, even if your question is just, "So you say you painted the cat blue?"
Raising kids is not the time to be selfish with your time. You can be selfish later on when they're grown and having kids of their own. If you feel guilty about not being able to spend enough time with your kids, resist trying to buy their attention. You don't have to make every weekend a Disneyland day. And you don't have to continually buy them gifts as a means of letting them know you love them. The answer is "time". Time is what they want most from you.
Your kids, no matter what age, are on some type of schedule. They get up, eat breakfast, eat lunch, eat dinner, etc. What do they do the rest of the time? Fill up some of the empty spots in their schedules with activities. Have them help you do something around the house or make them take part in a project with you. This is how day care workers are able to keep so many kids under control---they fill up the day with activities. | high13634.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "In a travel booklet"
},
"options": [
"In a textbook",
"In a travel booklet",
"In a magazine",
"In a book on Shakespeare"
],
"question": "Where can we most probably find this passage?",
"question_type": null
... | The five Shakespeare Houses in and around Stratford - upon - Avon offer you an authentic experience of the prefix = st1 /Stratfordworld in which the famous dramatist was born, lived and died. Intimately connected with William Shakespeare or his immediate family, these original houses are now owned and cared for by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
OPENING TIMES
September - May Mon - Sat : 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Sunday: 10:30 am - 4:00 pm
June - August Mon - Sat : 9:00am - 5:00 pm Sunday: 9:30am - 5:00 pm
BEST VALUE TICKETS
THE THREE IN - TOWN SHAKESPEARE HOUSES
Adult PS8.50 ChildPS4.20 FamilyPS20.00
ALL FIVE SHAKESPEARE HOUSES
Adult PS12.00 ChildPS6.00 FamilyPS29.00
CHILDREN AND STUDENTS TICKETS
Under 5: Free Between 5&16: Child rate 17 and over: Adult rate
17 and over and in secondary education: Family ticket
GROUP VISITS
Groups of 20 or more visitors qualify for a 10% discount on ticket prices. For more information telephone 01789 201806 or 201836.
SPECIAL VISITS
The Houses are open out of hours by special arrangement. They offer a unique setting for functions, dinners, receptions and other events. For more information telephone 01789 201808.
EDUCATION GROUPS
We welcome visits by organized groups. One member of staff is admitted free with every 10 pupils or students. Additional adults and helpers will be charged at the adult rate. Pupils of primary and secondary schools will be charged at the child rate (valid student ID may be requested). Education groups of 20 or more visitors also qualify for a 10% discount on admissions. For more information telephone 0178 201806 or 201836.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
The Education Department at the Trust organizes many special projects, day schools, courses and lectures. If you would like further information telephone 01789 201805. | high24098.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "1731"
},
"options": [
"1731",
"1800",
"1886",
"1919"
],
"question": "Benjamin Franklin founded the first lending library in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_... | Libraries give kids a quiet and safe place to read and learn. For over 100 years, libraries have played an important role in Americans' education. But how are these book-filled buildings changing with the times? You may be surprised to find out.
Benjamin Franklin famously founded America's first lending library in 1731. But the public library system got its biggest development in the American history in the late 1800's. Businessman Andrew Carnegie donated millions of dollars to help build free public libraries across the country. Between 1886 and 1919, Carnegie's donations helped build 1,679 new libraries.
Carnegie believed that libraries could offer the chances to Americans, young and old. He knew that the more libraries there were, the more people would have opportunities to read and use books, speeches and news.
If you can easily find a public library in your community , you'll get more chances. After all, the United States has 9,225 public libraries. Today, libraries keep growing. Seven tenths of the libraries have free Internet. It provides much more information and opportunities) to ask for jobs online.
Libraries are also teaching kids about the fun of reading. The new program Read! Build! Play! adds reading into playtime. As kids listen to a book that is being read aloud, they use Legos to build images from the story happily. Today's libraries are always looking for creative programs to bring people into the library.
Benjamin Franklin once said, "The doors of wisdom are never shut." As long as the doors of public libraries are open, what he said is most certainly correct! | high8431.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "can cause problems"
},
"options": [
"brings the people a lot of fun",
"can cause problems",
"often causes injuries and deaths",
"helps bears survive"
],
"question": "Feeding bears on people's food_.",
"quest... | Bears and humans often meet in National Parks. Although campers and hikers are warned not to feed the bears, many people ignore these warnings and feed the beasts anyway. When bears are used to people's food, problems soon arise.
Bears like to eat a large variety of things, both meat and vegetable. Without human assistance, bears live nicely on roots, twigs, leaves of trees, insects and small animals. With people around, the bears' tastes quickly expand to include sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, and anything else they can temp humans into giving up.
Bears often develop clever strategies for getting people to let go their food supplies. More often than not, an unsuspecting hiker has taken off his or her pack for a rest only to have a bear charge out of the woods, grab the pack and quickly disappear into the underbrush with it. Hanging the pack on a tree branch won't help. Bears have been known to climb up, jump off, and catch the pack on the way down. One mother bear stretched up with her baby on her shoulders to reach a pack stored on a pole. Many bears threaten people into giving up their supplies. Although a bear is unlikely to attack a person and would probably run away if screamed at, few people are willing to do so. Most people drop the pack and run the other way. This, of course, delights the bear. In some places, the Park Service installed some metal barrels with lids to help campers keep their supplies safe from bears. Although the bears were unable to open these containers, the effort was less than successful. Most campers, unable to tell the metal drums from rubbish cans, never used them for the intended purpose. | high15245.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Fifty kilograms"
},
"options": [
"One kilogram",
"Fifteen kilograms",
"Fifty kilograms",
"Forty kilograms"
],
"question": "How much paper does each person use in a year in some countries now?",
"question_typ... | How much paper do you use every year? Maybe you can't answer this question quickly. In 1900 the world's use of paper was about one kilogram for each person in a year. Now some countries use 50 kilograms of paper for each person in a year. But countries like America, England and Sweden certainly use more paper than other countries.
Paper was first made in China about 2000 years ago. It was made from the hair-like parts of certain plants. Paper was not made in southern Europe until about the year 1100. In 1500, a German named Schaeffer found out that one could make the best paper from trees. After that the forest countries of Canada, Sweden, America, Finland became the most important ones in paper making.
When we think of paper, we think of newspapers, books and writing paper. But there are many other uses. Only half of the paper is used for books and things like that. Paper is very good for keeping you warm. Houses are often insulated(, ) with paper. You may see some men asleep on a large number of newspapers. They're insulating themselves from the cold. In Finland the temperature is sometimes -40 centigrade (C). The farmers wear paper boots in the snow. Nothing could be warmer.
Each year more and more things are made of paper. We have had paper cups and plates for a long time. But now we hear that chairs, tables and even beds can be made of paper. With paper boots and shoes, you can wear paper hats, paper dresses and paper raincoats. When you have used them away and buy new ones. People have made paper boats, but they haven't made paper planes or cars. Just wait they perhaps will. | high7702.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "there was a seat that he had hoped to have"
},
"options": [
"a notice was put in a window seat",
"some of the seats were not occupied",
"there was a seat that he had hoped to have",
"the plane was not very crowded"
... | Mr. Robinson had to travel somewhere on business and as he was in a hurry, he decided to go by air. He liked to sit beside a window when he was flying. So, when he got on to the plane, he looked for a window seat. He found all of them had already been taken except one. There was a soldier sitting in the seat beside this one and Mr. Robinson was happy that he had not taken the one by the window; but, anyhow, he at once went towards it. When he reached it, however, he saw there was a notice on it. It was written in ink and said "This seat is reserved for proper load balance. Thank you." Mr. Robinson had never seen such a notice in a plane before, but he thought that the plane must be carrying something heavy in its baggage room which made it necessary to have the passengers properly balanced, so he walked on and found another empty seat, not beside a window, to sit in. Then, when the plane was quite full, a very beautiful girl stepped into the plane. The soldier quickly took the notice off the seat beside him and in this way succeeded in having the girl beside him during the whole trip. | high4223.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a simple physical treatment."
},
"options": [
"a complex medical process.",
"a psychological treatment.",
"a difficult scientific theory.",
"a simple physical treatment."
],
"question": "From the passage we know... | Are you having difficulty falling asleep? Try drinking a glass of warm milk. If that doesn't work, listen to some soft, beautiful music. Still no luck? Try think about sheep jumping over a fence. If you are still awake, take a sleeping pill. People who take pills often become dependent on the drugs. So you lie awake knowing that the new workday will soon arrive. If you have been in such condition for at least one month, you may have primary insomnia .
A new study has found that you might fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer if you try "cerebral hypothermia." It is not a complex medical process. It just means cooling down your brain. Eric Nofzinger and Naniel Buysse from the University of Pittsburgh Medical School led the study. They examined twelve people who had sleeping problems. Twelve others had no sleeping problems. Each of them wore a soft plastic cap on their head at bedtime.
The caps had tubes inside filled with water. The researchers moved the water through the tubes and then changed the temperature of the water. Other studies showed that people who had sleeping problems often had more chemical reactions in the front of their brain. The researchers thought cooling down the brain might help.
On the first two nights of testing, the patients wore caps with no water. On the next two nights, the caps were worn, but the water was not cooled. Then the researchers cooled the water a little for another two nights. On the final two nights of the study, the temperature of the water was made much cooler. The researchers found that the water caps didn' t help the patients until the temperature was about 14degC. Most of the patients fell asleep faster and slept better when the coolest water was moving around their head.
Dr Nfzinger and Dr. Buysse noted that this was only the beginning of the brain temperature study. But they believed they had discovered something important that needed more research. | high18991.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "are anxious and terrified while speaking in public"
},
"options": [
"are shy in all situations",
"feel they don't understand themselves",
"are anxious and terrified while speaking in public",
"feel it is unreasonable to... | Most of us fear getting up and speaking in public. Many people don't like to go gathering where they don't know anyone, but while most of us soldier on , those with social anxiety disorder are often stopped by the terror and worry.
Research shows that around fifteen million Americans suffer from social anxiety disorder. People in this condition feel that they are always being watched. Even though they know these fears are unreasonable, they cannot overcome their fears on their own.
Social anxiety disorder sufferers are often misdiagnosed with conditions such as schizophrenia and personality disorder. Many feel lonely, and are unsure whether anyone else can understand their thoughts and emotions. This can lead to withdrawal from most social situations, even to being unable to hold employment.
Those who suffer from social anxiety disorder are often dismissed as being shy. This is simply not the case; shyness is not even a symptom of social anxiety disorder. The majority of sufferers find their symptoms linked to specific situations, rather than all types of social interactions.
An important step in overcoming social anxiety disorder is seeking out a therapist who specializes in training this type of disorder. Group treatment has been shown to be especially effective. Medication also help reduce the symptoms, but it should not be used as a replacement for psychotherapy .
On your own, you can help reduce the symptoms by taking deep breaths and practising medication or prayer. Alcohol and nicotine should be avoided, as both can cause panic attacks. Exercises can relieve the symptoms, because it burns up the chemicals in your body that cause stress. | high2652.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Podcast has its origin in the traditional radio broadcasts."
},
"options": [
"Radio is developing more quickly than mediums with images, videos, music and news.",
"Podcast has its origin in the traditional radio broadcasts.",
... | Every day we are bombarded with images, videos, music and news. In this age of visual and aural hyper-stimulation, the medium of radio is making a phenomenal comeback.
"We're at the dawn of a golden age of audio," said US-based podcaster Alex Blumberg in an article in The Sydney Morning Herald. In the last month alone, 15 percent of US adults listened to a radio podcast. These statistics, released by Edison Research, reveal the successful evolution of traditional radio broadcasts to the present day's digital podcast format. The term "podcast," was coined in 2004, but the trend only started gaining mainstream popularity in recent years. Since the leap in consumer demand for smartphones and tablets, podcast subscription rates have only accelerated.
The appeal of the podcast partially resides in its multiplatform delivery and on-demand capabilities. You can tune in during those extra minutes of the day when you're walking to the shops, waiting in a queue or riding the subway. Similar to television shows, podcasts are generally free to download and most offer new content every week.
Donna Jackson, 22, Sydney university media graduate, listens to podcasts two or three times a week, via iTunes ."I listen while I'm pottering around the house doing something else. It makes completing a boring task a lot more enjoyable..... And it's an easy way of keeping in touch with what's going on in the rest of the world," she said.
Unlike television and music, the audio format has the potential to create a deep impression on readers. Blumberg says this comes down to the podcast's ability "to create intimacy and emotional connection." Sydney University undergraduate Hazel Proust, major in social work and arts, agrees. "When you're tuned in, it feels as if the voice of the podcast's narrator is talking directly to you. It's comforting," said Proust. | high10315.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "wasn't sure whether to accept the job to teach in China"
},
"options": [
"wasn't interested in teaching abroad at all",
"wasn't sure whether to accept the job to teach in China",
"knew she would be popular as a teacher in Chi... | For me,my great moment came when I actually decided to accept an opportunity to teach English in Shanghai.There were times when I almost gave up because of fear.But in the end I came here.
Last summer,a CanadianChinese woman who teaches in Shanghai just happened to come to the place where I was working in the Seattle area.We talked and I said I had always wanted to teach abroad.She said,"Come to our school.""Okay."I replied,but I wasn't sure if I meant it.
We met later for coffee.She answered all of my questions about the school,and gave me the website address and the email address of the person to contact.It took six months for me to finally decide on the job.
First of all,in Shanghai there are many western places to eat western food and lots of interesting things to do.Also,there is a great subway system with directions and stops posted in English.Finding your way around is a challenge in a new place.But that isn't hard here.Taxis are very cheap;you can always jump in one and get home.There are also a lot of westerners in Shanghai,so it is fairly easy to ask for directions.Young Chinese people are much more likely to speak English and they are wonderfully helpful.
I earn almost $1,000 per month and live in a nice rentfree apartment.My biggest expense has been food as I am a vegetarian and also on a diet.I still have not got used to the traditional Chinese food,but if you like it,you'll be in heaven.
Here I have a good place to live in,new friends,a high salary,and a good job.In the US,getting a job at my age has been next to impossible for a woman. | high18749.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "A free website encyclopedia."
},
"options": [
"A free website encyclopedia.",
"A computer game.",
"A free encyclopedia in book form.",
"An online university."
],
"question": "According to the passage, what is Wi... | Wikipedia: The Online Know-It-All
If you want to find out a piece of information about anything, the best place to search for it is Wikipedia. The name "Wikipedia" is from the Hawaiian word wiki, meaning "quick". This online encyclopedia is written by thousands of people around the world. Anyone with Internet access can write, add or make changes to Wikipedia articles if he or she finds it incorrect or not well written. In this way, people who know a lot about a certain subject can write about it even if they are not university professors. But contributions cannot damage Wikipedia because many experienced editors are watching pages and techies can write editing programs to keep track of or correct bad edits. Where there are disagreements on how to present facts, editors work together to arrive at an article that fairly represents current expert opinion on the subject.
Wikipedia is quite different from paper-based reference sources in important ways. Unlike printed encyclopedias, it is continually created and updated, with articles on historic events appearing within minutes, rather than months or years.
What's more, Wikipedia includes articles written in about 285 languages. This fact makes it one of the few websites on the Internet that are truly international. It was started in 2001 by Larry Sanger and Jimmy Wales, as a free online English-language encyclopedia project. Since its creation, it has grown rapidly into one of the largest reference websites, attracting nearly 500 million unique visitors monthly. There are more than 77,000 active contributors working on more than 22,000,000 articles in different languages. As of today, there are 4,396,866 articles in English.
So, if you are looking for some information, why not try Wikipedia? It's free, multilingual,and informative. | high6434.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "may develop lower IQs than their peer"
},
"options": [
"are less aggressive toward others when they get older",
"have slower physical development",
"benefit from occasional spanking",
"may develop lower IQs than their p... | Should parents ever hit their children?
Research suggests many of us are likely to respond "no", and public support for spanking has been falling over the years.But surveys also show that 75 percent to nearly 90 percent of parents admit to spanking their child at least once.
I was raised in a zero-tolerance home for disrespect, and my parents often turned to physical punishment.And, no, I don' t feel I was damaged by it.
Nothing is more annoying than watching ill-mannered behavior from children.
But there is data to suggest that a return to old-school spanking isn't the answer.
Two years ago, Newsweek reported that it had found data suggesting that teens whose parents used physical punishment were more likely to become aggressive.
Murray Straus, professor at the University of New Hampshire in America, has studied the topic of children and spanking for decades.He said that children who were physically punished have lower IQs than their peers.It may be that children with lower IQs were more likely to get spanked, but the punishment may have been counterproductive to their mental development, as well.
Some researchers make the argument that occasional open-handed smacks on the bottom are not only harmless but can have some benefit.
Last year, Marjorie Gunnoe, a psychologist at Calvin College, studied teens who have never spanked.There are a greater number of children growing up without ever having been physically punished.Gunnoe's research suggests they don' t turn out any better than those who were sometimes spanked.
There are some parents who simply cannot control their tempers .But I still believe that the best parents are the ones who are able to offer fair and firm discipline without ever turning to physical punishment. | high9707.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Female bosses get more stress from work than male bosses."
},
"options": [
"Female bosses get less stress from work than male bosses.",
"Female bosses get the same stress from work as male bosses.",
"Female bosses get the sam... | Depression is much higher amongst female bosses than male bosses,a new US survey finds.Dr Tetyana Pudrovska,the study's first author,explained:"Women with job authority-the ability to hire,fire,and influence pay-have greatly more symptoms of depression than women without this power.But men with job authority have fewer symptoms of depression than men without such power."
The study followed 1,500 middle-aged women and 1,300 middle-aged men who all graduated from high schools in Wisconsin.The men and women were surveyed in 1993 and 2004 to look at the connection between how much authority they had at work and symptoms of depression.
The results showed that amongst men and women with lower levels of authority at work,women had slightly higher levels of depression.This is normal since overall women suffer from depression slightly more than men.Amongst men and women with higher levels of authority at work,however,it was women who had many more symptoms of depression than men.Men in authority actually had a 10% lower risk of depression,while authority increased the risk of women having depressive symptoms by 9%.
Dr Pudrovska continued:"What shocked us is that women with job authority in our study are advantaged in terms of most characteristics that are strong signs of positive mental health.These women have more education,higher incomes,better jobs,and higher levels of job satisfaction than women without job authority.Yet,they have worse mental health than lower-status women."
The cause of this _ is not known,but Dr Pudrovska says:"Years of social science research suggests that women in authority positions deal with interpersonal anxiety,negative social interactions,negative stereotypes,prejudice,social isolation ,as well as resistance from colleagues.Women in authority positions are viewed as lacking in the assertiveness and confidence of strong leaders.But when these women display such characteristics,they are judged negatively for being unfeminine .This causes mental stress."
Men,on the other hand,do not have to face these kinds of negative stereotypes about their abilities. | high14173.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Goods are much cheaper during this period of time."
},
"options": [
"They have earned a lot of money.",
"Goods are much cheaper during this period of time.",
"It is time for shops to sell goods.",
"Businessmen like Chri... | Walking down any of Shanghai's main shopping streets this week, newcomers might think the locals have been celebrating Christmas for centuries. Christmas may not be a customary holiday in China, but businessmen in Shanghai know it will bring something more valuable than tradition: people are willing to spend money. Most Chinese may feel little connection with the Christmas celebration, but with most shops offering discount , the message couldn't be clearer-- it is the season to part with one's hard-earned cash.
Much of that marketing drive is directed towards thousands of foreigners and foreign companies that call Shanghai home. But for Shanghai's 13 million locals, regardless of personal interest, there seems no avoiding the season's commercial greetings. Along some major roads, nearly every shop window displays some symbols to the holiday: a man-made fir tree with lights, or a snowman.
With an increasing number of westerners arriving in the city for work, young Shanghainese, eager to keep pace with the latest western fashions, have begun to show their interest in Christmas. But some people still don't think Christmas is an important festival in China. At least it is less important than the New Year and China's Spring Festival. | high12502.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he came to life and struggled to his feet himself eventually."
},
"options": [
"the passers-by went up to him and helped him up.",
"his friends turned up and helped him up in the end .",
"he told the whole story to his friend... | London--- A mother has criticised "selfish" passers-by for failing to help her teenage son after he fainted on a packed tram platform.
Oliver Tiplady was on his way to school when he fainted at the tram stop. But instead of helping the 14-year-old, who was in school uniform,those nearby simply walked around him. Her mother, Susan Tiplady , said, "How can people leave a child for that matter, on the floor like that? How could they all have ignored him? They must have lacked any basic humanity and had no piry on a child." She said her son regained consciousness about ten minutes after fainting at the tram stop last week. "He managed to get up and sit down before his friends turned up, but by then he was too embarrassed to tell them what had happened. It wasn't until he got to school that he told a teacher." she added.
BEIJING - At least 15 pupils were confirmed dead after a school bus rolled over in Xuzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.
The accident occurred around 6 pm on Monday .There were 29 pupils on the bus .The bus was traveling on the road when two electric bikes suddenly cut in and the driver was trying to avoid them.. The bus was produced by Shaolin Auto Co Ltd in Henan province and had a full capacity of 52 passengers.
South Korea ---South Korea's largest mobile phone operator said Thursday that it will offer cell phone users a new noise service that it says will drive away mosquitoes .
SK Telecom Co. said consumers can pay 3,000 won ( ) ($2.50) to download a sound wave that can't be heard by human ears but annoys mosquitoes within a range of three feet. Customers can then play the sound just by hitting a few buttons on their mobile phones. The company claimed that the service worked during tests .The service, which begins Monday, has one drawback: it consumes as much battery power as normal cell phone rings. | high23907.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "why she couldn't be loved"
},
"options": [
"where she should go",
"why she couldn't be loved",
"how she could be a sweet girl",
"why she was hurt so deeply"
],
"question": "When she grew up, the little girl wond... | There was a wonder-filled little girl who was hurt so badly that when she entered adult life, she thought she was so bad that others just couldn't be nice to her.
But she had a lot of curiosity, which kept her going. She sought many wise people to help her understand why she was so bad that her mother hurt her and why she was unable to be better so that men wouldn't hurt her.
She was on a journey that she thought was to help her be "better". She carried a big bag with her everywhere she went. Inside it were all the hurts she had experienced. Because she was so eager to please those who offered their wisdom, she willingly agreed with what they said about forgiving. But she held that bag of hurts tightly.
After 50 years of carrying that bag around and showing it to all she met as if it were proof that she was a good person, she decided to open it up and just see what happened.
When she looked inside it was filled with bits of paper. At one time they had words on them, detailing the hurts. But time had faded the words and all that was left was some useless paper. She had been struggling to carry this bag that held nothing but the image of something that once was.
She saw the absurdity of carrying that bag around. It made her laugh. By letting go of the paper and having pity for those that hurt her, this little girl was able to become a woman with beautiful hair. The woman looked in the mirror and said, "I am lovable."
Although it took many years, she was finally open to bringing love and respect into her life. | high817.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "About 4"
},
"options": [
"About 40",
"Over 5,400",
"About 4",
"Over 100"
],
"question": "_ thoughts per minute you had are the same as yesterday and the day before.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},... | It is said that a person has about 6,000 thoughts every day, Yet, of the 6,000 thoughts you have today, ninety percent of these are the same as the 6,000 you had yesterday and the day before, leaving little room for new thoughts. No wonder life can seem _ at times. Unless you start to think differently, you are to continue to create and repeat the same old reality every day. Is it not time to change your thoughts, enliven your dreams and let reality catch up?
Most of our thoughts and actions are habits, and we go thought the same motions each day, with little change in our behaviors or outlook. What would happen if you challenged these habits or customs? What if you were to step out of your comfort zone and explore new ideas or new ways or doing things? Would your life not change as a result?
Thought is a form of energy. Does this energy keep you forward or hold you back? You have a choice about the thoughts you think. How many times in the past have you chosen to disregard your positive thoughts and focus on your negative thoughts? At this moment, if you were to be at ease and to focus on your positive thoughts while discounting your negative thoughts, how would your life change?
To realize your dreams, pay attention to what is happening around you. Be curious. Notice how your thoughts about yourself, your thoughts about others and your thoughts about what others may be thinking of you influence and what you are able to achieve. Start to think, see and experience things, people, places and events in new ways. Recognize what happens when you begin to think differently about yourself and what you are capable of achieving. | high8419.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Nervous and excited."
},
"options": [
"Excited but worried.",
"Nervous and excited.",
"Easy and curious.",
"Helpless but excited."
],
"question": "What did the author feel on her way?",
"question_type": null... | Since my family were not going to be helpful about my taking a cooking job, I decided I would look for one all by myself and not to tell them about it till I'd got a permanent one.
I had seen an agency advertised in a local paper, so as soon as there was no one about to say "Where are you going?" I rushed out of the house in search of it. I was wildly excited, and as nervous as if I were going on the stage. Finding the place quite easily, I tore up three flights of stairs, and swung breathlessly through a door which said "Enter without knocking, if you please."
The simple atmosphere of the office calmed me, and I sat down on the edge of a chair. The woman at the desk opposite looked carefully at me. Then she questioned me in a low voice. I answered softly and started to feel helpless. She wondered why I was looking for this sort of job, so I felt I had to give her the idea of a widowed mother struggling against poverty. But I felt more helpless when she told me that it would be difficult to get a job without experience or references. Suddenly, the telephone on her desk rang. While having a mysterious conversation, she kept looking at me. Then I heard her say:
"In fact, I've got someone here who might suit." She wrote down a number, and my spirits rose as she held out the paper to me, saying: "Ring up this lady. She wants a cook immediately. Cook a dinner for ten people tomorrow. Could you manage that, I wonder?"
"Oh, yes," say I--never having cooked for more than four. Then I rushed out and called the lady, Miss Cathy. I said confidently that I was just what she was looking for. "Are you sure?" she kept saying. Anyway she decided to employ me and a permanent position if I carried out the promise of my self-praise. I asked her what tomorrow's menu was to be.
"Just a small, simple dinner: lobster cocktail, soup, turbot Mornay, fruit salad and a savory." In a rather shaken voice I promised to turn up in good time tomorrow and rang off. | high12264.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Getting something extra for free is better than getting the same for less."
},
"options": [
"The first number has little influence on which item should be bought.",
"Consumers never use visual clues to decide how much should be pai... | You are careful with your money: you collect all kinds of coupons; look for group-buy deals if you eat out; you don't buy clothes unless in a sale. Does all this make you a wise consumer?
Let's do the math first: you walk into a coffee shop and see two deals for a cup of coffee. The first deal offers 33 percent extra coffee. The second takes 33 percent off the regular price. What's the better deal? Well, they are about the same, you'd think. And you'd be wrong. The deals appear to be equal, but in fact, they are different. Here's the math: Let's say the standard coffee is 10 yuan and let's divide the amount of coffee into three portions . That makes about 3.3 yuan per portion, The first deal gets you 4 portions for 10 yuan (2.5 yuan per portion) and the second gets you 3 portions of coffee for 6.6 yuan (2.2 yuan per portion) and is therefore a better deal.
In a new study published by the Journal of Marketing, participants were asked the same question, and most of them chose the first deal, the Atlantic website reported. Why? Because getting something extra for free feels better than getting the same for less. The applications of this view into consumer psychology are huge. Instead of offering direct discounts, shops offer larger sizes or free samples.
According to the study, the reason why these marketing tricks work is that consumers don't really know how much anything should cost, so we rely on parts of our brains that aren't strictly quantitative.
There are some traps we should be aware of when shopping. First of all, we are heavily influenced by the first number. Suppose you are shopping in Hong Kong. You walk into Hermes, and you see a 100,000 yuan bag. "That's crazy." You shake your head and leave. The next shop is Gucci, a handbag here costs 25,000 yuan. The price is still high, but compared to the 100,000 yuan price tag you just committed to your memory, this is a steal. Stores often use the price difference to set consumers' expectation. zxxk
Another trap we often fall to Is that we are not really sure what things are worth. And so we use clues to tell us what we ought to pay for them. US economist Dan Ariely has done an experiment to prove this. According to the Atlantic, Ariely pretended he was giving a lecture on poetry. He told one group of students that the tickets cost money and another group that they would be paid to attend. Then he informed both groups that thelecture was free. The first group was anxious to attend, believing they were getting something of value for free. The second group mostly declined, believing they were being forced to volunteer for the same event without reward.
What's a lecture on poetry by an economist worth? The students had no idea. That's the point. Do we really know what a shirt is worth ? What about a cup of coffee? What's the worth of a life insurance.policy? Who knows? Most of us don't. As a result, our shopping brain uses only what is knowable: visual clues, invited emotions, comparisons, and a sense of bargain. We are not stupid. We are just easily influenced. | high2134.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "thirty"
},
"options": [
"twenty-five",
"twenty-nine",
"twenty-two",
"thirty"
],
"question": "According to the World Health Organization, a person is considered obese if he / she has a BMI of over _ .",
"qu... | Last week a study of one hundred ninety-nine countries confirmed what many people may have already noticed. People around the world are getting fatter. The study found that obesity has almost doubled since 1980.
Majid Ezzati, who led the research team, says the results show that obesity, high blood pressure and high blood pressure are no longer just found in wealthy nations. These are now worldwide problems.
The study appeared shows that in 2008, almost ten percent of men were obese. That was up from about five percent in 1980. That same year, almost eight percent of women were obese. By 2008, the rate of obesity among women was almost fourteen percent.
Obesity is commonly measured by body mass index , or BMI. This is a measure of a person's weight in relation to height. A person with a BMI of twenty-five to twenty-nine is considered overweight. The World Health Organization defines obesity as a body mass index of thirty or more.
Pacific island nations have an average BMI of around thirty-five -- the highest in the world. But the study found that the United States had the single highest average among wealthy countries. Men and women had an average BMI of over twenty-eight. New Zealand was next. Japan had the lowest, at about twenty-two for women and twenty-four for men.
The report had some good news, however, about high blood pressure. The percentage of people with this major cause of heart attacks and strokes has fallen since 1980. Dr. Ezzati credits improved testing and treatment in wealthy countries. He says a decrease in the use of salt and unhealthful fats probably also helped.
In the United States, new guidelines urge Americans to reduce salt, sugar and fatty meats and to eat more fish and whole grains. People are being urged to choose water over sugared drinks and to eat more fruits and vegetables. But whatever they eat, Americans are being urged to follow new advice from the government: eat less. | high21876.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "parents tried to avoid affecting their kids with their dialects"
},
"options": [
"parents were worried that their relatives might affect their kids' language",
"parents tried to avoid affecting their kids with their dialects",
... | Thanksgiving time came and all the relatives were gathered around the long table, or seated behind TV trays.The television was on and some folks were watching it while talking with one another.Something on television got their attention and one of the adults said, "Listen at it!" Someone else replied."Well, if that don't beat all."
Simple phrases were spoken by folks whose language was simple and brief.They had several idioms that were just as colorful phrases and words that brightened the room and warmed the conversation.In school we were taught to speak differently.The way our relatives spoke was discouraged.Sometimes our parents would say things we weren't taught in school.They'd often correct themselves, as if getting rid of a mistake.Of course we learned some of their phrases and used them.They were comfortable words to pronounce, familiar.
Our father's side of the family was from Arkansas and Oklahoma and they spoke with the accents native to their birth states.Their voices musical and often high , it was easy to pick up that effect in our own speech and at school my brother and I were often teased for the way we spoke.Our mother's side of the family came from Illinois and they had a tendency to talk fast.They had an accent, too, and my brother and I added that to our own speech, confusing the kids at school all the more.Our father's side of the family loved to laugh and have a good time.Our mother's side of the family was more serious about how they took life in; their joys more silently experienced and enjoyed.It was a rich picture of culture and it gave my brother and me a colorful view in life.
Thanksgiving holiday was always an easy comfortable going day.It was the first real holiday of the season when everyone came together in one place, and a good time was spent happily together by all. | high10473.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "At Birthdays."
},
"options": [
"At Christmas.",
"At Birthdays.",
"At Advent Calendars.",
"At Christmas-stocking fillers."
],
"question": "If you want to send some invitations to your daughter's classmates, where... | Christmas, Easter and birthday parties can be difficult times for grandmothers and parents as they rush around trying to arrange the perfect celebration or making everyone as happy as possible! What's better than a birthday party that makes your grandchild smile throughout or a celebration that impresses relatives and close friends?
That is why Granny Look has supplied in this section, one of the most comprehensive guides to making these special occasions that happen perhaps once a year a real success.
From a selection of Advent calendars to party planning or Christmas-stocking fillers we have all the possibilities covered so that your children and grandchildren will really have a memorable time with attractive gifts and original ideas.
Bring that festive spirit to all those traditional days, and ensure you are always ready for any possibility. Granny Look's extensive links are bound to make every special occasion an entirely different experience from the year before and allow everyone to feel entertained and content.
CHRISTMAS-STOCKING FILLERS
Look no further! Granny Look helps the family to prepare in time for FATHER CHRISTMAS. Give SANTACLAUS some ideas. He can fill all the children's Christmas-stockings with goodies! Unique Christmas gifts for children -- stocking fillers.
A Granny Look favorite!
ADVENT CALENDARS
All children love the build-up to CHRISTMAS! What is better than choosing one of Granny Look's selection of Advent Calendars! Here you will find a list of websites to buy traditional or fun Advent calendars for children at Christmas time.
A Granny Look favorite!
BIRTHDAYS
LOOKING for a SPECIAL BIRTHDAY GIFT? Explore Granny Look's selection of PRESENTS, PARTYPLANNING, PARTY TOYS and PARTY GAMES for your Children and Grandchildren's BIRTHDAYS.
Plan and organize the KIDDIE'S PARTIES ahead of time!!
Don't forget the PERSONALISED INVITATIONS!
CHRISTMAS
LOOK and BOOK now!! Granny Look's selection of CHRISTMAS GIFTS for children.
Some guides to "What's on in your area"... for the kids, PANTOS, SHOWS, THEATRES... at Christmas time!
UNIQUE Christmas gifts for Children. Spend QUALITY TIME with your Children's Children this FESTIVE SEASON ! | high5883.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Jodie became famous at a young age because of her mature performance."
},
"options": [
"it was in a TV series that Jodie made her first TV appearance.",
"some of Jodie's performances as a child actress were thought to be very bad."... | Jodie Foster was born on Nobember 19,1962,in Los Angeles, Carlif., US. She is an American film actress who began her career as a mature child actress.
Jodie began her performing career as a very young child in television, appearing first in commercials . She starred in her own short-lived series, Paper Moon (1974), based on the 1973 film of the same name. She appeared in a number of Disney films, beginning with Napoleon and Samantha (1972).
Director Martin Scorsese cast Jodie in a bit part in Alice Doesn't live Here Anymore (1974) before giving her the role of Iris in Taxi Driver (1976). Her mature performance in Taxi Driver earned her an Academy Award nomination as best supporting actress. Her later films as child actress were less impressive, but her performances were always admired. Jodie graduated from Yale University in 1985.
Perhaps because of her screen image of early maturity, Foster was abler to make a relatively smooth transition to adult roles. In The Accused (1988), she gave a perfect performance as Sarah Tobias. In The Silence of the Lames (1991), she tracks a killer as FBI agent Clarice Starling. Both performances won her Academy Awards as best actress.
In 1990s, Jodie went into other areas of filmmaking. She directed her best film, Little Man Tate, in 1991,in which she also co-starred. In 1994, she co-produced Nell, for which she also received an Oscar nomination for best actress. In 1997, Foster starred in Contact. Her later films included Panic Room (2002), Inside Man (2006), and The Brave One (2007). | high5.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "kind-hearted and wise"
},
"options": [
"bad-tempered and lonely",
"kind-hearted and wise",
"careless about money",
"cruel to her nephew"
],
"question": "From the story ,we learn that Hilary's aunt was _ .",
... | Hilary Smith belonged to a good family.But by the age of twenty, he had spent all the money the good old family had.He then had some trouble with the bank and was put in prison.He escaped from the prison and ran to Australia without delay.
Hilary did not like Australia. What he could do seemed to be one of two things: die or work.Then he remembered that he was not alone in the world.He had an aunt.
She was his father's only sister, but his father used to say she brought no glory to the family.Hilary, of course, tried to discover what she had done.It seemed that she had failed to marry a nobleman.Instead, she had chosen a husband who was connected with "trade".Of course as soon as she became "Mrs Parks" ,her brother considered her dead.Later on, Mr Parks died and left her a lot of money; but that did not bring her back to life in her brother's opinion.
Hilary discovered his aunt's address.Fortunately she remained faithful and honest to him even after she fell ill.So Hilary's star shone again, and soon he moved into her house and lived as comfortably as a sailor who had just reached harbour.He had only about a six pence in his pocket.
One thing was soon clear: his aunt was seriously ill, and nothing could cure her illness.Hilary was very worried.Fate had found a home for him, and was now going to throw him out of it.There was only one thing that could save him: her will.
"Will?" she said, "yes, I have made one.That was when I was a girl and had not much money.I left all my money to some religious people."
"Didn't you make another will when you were married?" Hilary asked.
His aunt shook her head."No," she said in a low voice, "There was no need.When I finally had a lot of money I found I had no relations."
On the next day he went to the public library and examined a book of law.It told him what he already believed.When a woman is married, an earlier will lose its value.A new will must be made.If no new will is made, the money goes to the nearest relation.Hilary knew that he was his aunt's only relation.His future was safe.
After a few months had passed, Hilary's problems became serious.He badly needed money.He had expensive tastes, and owed a lot of money to shopkeepers.They trusted him because his aunt was rich; but the debt was terrible.
Unfortunately his aunt did not want to discuss money matters at all.In the end they had a quarrel about the small amount of ten pounds.Hilary was not very angry.He began to wonder about a new problem.Was it kind to want his aunt to live.any longer? Was it not better for her to die now? While he was considering what to do, his aunt told him that she was going to send for her lawyer.So she was going to make a new will, Hilary thought.She might leave all her money to someone else.Soon he reached a clear decision. _
One night when the old servant who had been nursing his aunt went off, he doubled the amount of some medicine.The total amount was too great and it could just put her to sleep forever.
"Thank you," his aunt took the glass from his hand with a grateful look."I want more than anything to sleep, and never to wake up again.Is that what you wish, Hilary? Don't blame me if I have some doubts about what you intended to do.Sick people get these ideas, you know.One thing I ought to explain to you.Mr Parks never married me.He already had a wife and couldn't marry again.That made your foolish father very angry with me...Well, if I am alive tomorrow I shall make another will in your favour.If I die tonight, you'll get nothing...No, Hilary, don't try to take the glass away.If you do that, I shall know and I don't want to know.Goodnight, Hilary."
Then, very carefully, she raised the glass to her mouth and drank. | high2120.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Tom's mother is coming to see them that day"
},
"options": [
"she is afraid of the traffic",
"Tom's mother is coming to see them that day",
"she prefers to come on 22nd",
"she is terribly busy with the children"
],
... | 79 Mayfair Road
Plumton, Kent
October 10th
Dear Rosemary,
I was very glad to get your letter this morning. I really ought to have written to you---it was my turn, I know----but I have been terribly busy. The children seem to take up all my time. I am thinking of sending Ann to a nursery school. She'll be four next month. Baby has just started to walk and doesn't give me a moment's peace. But you know what it is like! How are all your children? I'm sure they love living in the country.
I'm afraid we can't come over to see you next Sunday, as you suggest. Tom's mother is coming to spend the day with us. What about the Sunday after that----- the twenty-second? We are free that day and should love to come. We're longing to see your house.
Let me know, then, if the Sunday after next suits you. May we come for lunch? We'd like to leave fairly early in the evening to avoid the heavy traffic on the roads.
Love from us all,
Edna | high11779.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "31 million yuan"
},
"options": [
"312 million yuan",
"50 million yuan",
"31 million yuan",
"600 million yuan"
],
"question": "Sponsorship rights for the show's first season were sold for about _ .",
"quest... | Where Are We Going, Dad? has become one of China's most popular television shows, since its debut in October, averaging more than 600 million viewers each week. Sponsorship rights for the show's second season were sold for 312 million yuan (about $ 50 million), more than ten times higher than the rights to the first season.
What accounts for its popularity? The show features a new generation of Chinese fathers, who, as part of the country's new middle class, have faced more problems with modern child-raising techniques such as taking an active role with their children.
Part of the appeal of the show is the chance to throw a glance at the lives of Chinese celebrities and their children. Audiences are interested in watching the failed attempts of celebrity dads making dinner, doing hair, and disciplining children -- tasks often left to mothers in a society still influenced by the saying that "men rule outside and women are inside." "In traditional Chinese culture, fathers are strict and mothers are kind. But on the show, we see fathers who are much gentler on their kids and more involved in their upbringing, " said Li Minyi, an associate professor. "This show raises an important question for modern Chinese society -- what is the role of fathers in today's China?"
After each episode goes to air, the Chinese internet explodes with comments on each celebrity's parenting style.
Actor Guo Tao tries to communicate with his son, Shitou, but is seen as a more traditional Chinese father, and has been criticised online for being too _ . Zhang Liang, a supermodel, is an audience favorite for treating his son, Tiantian, more like a friend. The show's most famous celebrity, Lin Zhiying, a film star, was originally praised as patient with his son Kimi. But as the season progresses, fans begin to criticise him for raising a spoiled, undisciplined boy. Director Wang Yuelun is at a complete loss when it comes to care of his daughter's hair.
Even the People's Daily is pleased with the success of the show. | high5897.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "really sit on the horse"
},
"options": [
"really sit on the horse",
"lean forward on his legs",
"use much arm strength",
"get any mud on wet track"
],
"question": "When a jockey is riding a fast horse, he doesn'... | Jockeys are the smallest athletes. They are rarely over five feet six, or 120 pounds. The lighter the weight on the horse, the faster it can go.
Riding fast horses on the track is tough on the small jockeys. The jockey doesn't"sit"on the horse. He leans forward on his legs. The strain is on his thighs and calf muscles. As jockeys age, their legs"go"first. Jockeys also need arm strength. It's a strain holding a 1000-pound racehorse.
On muddy days, jockeys get a pounding of mud. The mud comes flying off the hooves of the horses in front. "It feels like someone is punching you all over,"says one rider.
And a jockey can be hurt. A jockey can have a leg jammed between two horses. Or it can get caught between horse and the rail. The worst accidents are from falls. A horse may fall on his rider. Or horses behind may trample if he hits the track. In one year about 240 riders are hurt badly. That's one out of six jockeys.
But the jockeys are well-paid. A jockey keeps about ten percent of the money his horses win. Jacinto Vasquez, a five-foot-three comer, has ridden horses to $7,000,000 in wins in the last eight years, which means he does almost $100,000 a year.
Why do some jockeys do better than others? "It isn't the way a boy sits on a horse or uses the reins or the whip,"says Conn McCreary. McCreary was a top jockey of the 1950's. He rode two Kentucky Derby winners. "Most jockeys do this the same. It's the 'feel' he has for the horses."
"When you come right down to it, it just seems that horses run better for some riders," McCreary says. "A real good jockey doesn't lose with the best horse. And sometimes he'll win with the second or third best."
Many Latin-American riders, like Jacinto, seem to have the _ . "Maybe it's because we grew up with horses,"says Jacinto. "Maybe it's because we like to ride. There was a strike at Aqueduct last year. We, Jorge Velasquez, and Angel Cordero (two other top Latin riders) went to a park. We rented horses, and rode around the bridle path !" | high4551.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because they have used e-mails in place of traditional letters."
},
"options": [
"Because they don't care much about their pen pals.",
"Because they have stopped keeping in touch with their pen pals.",
"Because they have used... | Much of the world does have electricity, though, and electricity makes using the Internet possible. Now that so many have Web access, you might have noticed that people don't write letters to each other very often. But that doesn't mean they have stopped keeping in touch. "Key pals," who use a computer keyboard and e-mail account instead of a pen and paper, still continue the pen pal tradition today.
E-mail and handwritten letters have different advantages. With e-mail, your pen pal can receive your note almost instantly , and you can attach digital photos. Letters take longer to arrive, but you can include stickers, pictures, or drawings.
Maybe you want to know more about what having a pen pal is like before you jump into the experience. If so, there are plenty of books that can give you a taste of different pen pal adventures. Look for them at a bookstore or library.
There are things to remember when communication with pen pals, especially in the digital age: Make sure to share all letters and e-mails with your parents so they know you are safe. If something seems _ , stop writing letters. Never meet a pen pal in person unless a grown-up is with you.
And, of course, have fun! Your pen pal could become your new best friend. Or a pen pal relationship could bring you closer to someone you already know. With a pen pal, you can have your own taste of far-away places, someone to share your own discoveries with, and the adventure of opening your mailbox to find a letter in it just for you. | high19325.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Robert Eagle"
},
"options": [
"Robert Eagle",
"Brian Gambles",
"Mr. McMahon",
"Matt Ridley"
],
"question": "Who should you get in touch with if you want to be a Spanish teacher?",
"question_type": "factiod_q... | Modern Foreign Language Teacher
A successful, popular school in central South London has a new vacancy for an MFL Teacher of Spanish to start immediately after the Christmas holidays.
We required a specialist Spanish teacher; therefore Spanish should be your major language. Besides this, you need to make the lessons interesting and you should also have teaching experience.
Please contact Robert Eagle at 88143425.
General Manager
We are seeking a General Manager for our new workshop facility in Doha, Qatar. The successful individual should possess a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, along with 19 to 15 years' work experience in the Oil & Gas, Petrochemicals, Fertilizer or Marine industry and CNC machinery tools and equipment. A minimum of five years'; experience in a senior managerial capacity is essential. Candidates that have work experience in Gulf countries or in the Middle East are encouraged to apply.
Please contact Brian Gambles at 88146725.
Finance Manager
The successful individual will be able to demonstrate substantial commercial experience working within a corporate, blue-chip environment. You will be able to interact with and present confidently to senior management. The business offers an excellent working culture and genuine opportunities for significant career advancement and development.
Please contact Mr. McMahon at 88147959.
HR Manager
We are looking for an HR Manager to join our project team who will be responsible for a new HR and Payroll project.
A minimum of three years' HR management experience is required for this position.
The successful individual will need to have managed HR teams and supported Payroll.
If you have the relevant experience and are available for a new assignment, contact Matt Ridley at 88146550. | high12270.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A website."
},
"options": [
"A newspaper.",
"A magazine.",
"A website.",
"A research report."
],
"question": "Where does this passage come from?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer... | This site contains 100 original short stories about life in America. These stories are written for ESL(English as a second language ) learners who are, at least, high beginners. We want to help ESL students learn English as quickly and effortlessly as possible. Learning should be interesting, not boring. We hope that learners will find that these stories are of some help to improve their English.
The stories have interesting topics and are easy to understand. Each story comes with an audio narrative so that learners can listen as they read. The audio requires downloading the free Real Player. Each story contains a search for pictures, definitions, and pronunciation." Following each story are four sets of exercises, and each containing 10 items.
Exercise A is "Yes / No Questions". The learner is asked questions like, "Does Sara have children?" The learner can then type in, "Yes, she does." Then the learner can check whether it's the right answer or not.
Exercise B is "Wh-Questions". The learner is asked questions like, "Where does Sara live?" The learner can then type in, "She lives in Pasadena." Then the learner can check his answer.
Exercise C is "Ask Questions". The learner is given an answer like, "They have two children." The learner must then type in a question like, "How many children do they have?"The learner can then check to see whether he is correct or not. Exercise D is "Dictation". The learner listens to a sentence. Most of the sentences duplicate the sentences in the stories. The learner types the dictation and then checks to see whether he is correct or not.
Work on the site is in progress. Help us make it better as the years go by. We welcome all comments, suggestions, complaints, new ideas, and questions. Click here to send us emails. | high1429.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "she tried very hard"
},
"options": [
"she could smell well",
"she asked the dove to save her",
"she tried very hard",
"she cried for help"
],
"question": "The ant could not reach the side though _ .",
"qu... | One day an ant was drinking at a small stream and fell in. She made desperate efforts to reach the side, but made no progress at all. The poor ant almost exhausted was still bravely doing her best when a dove saw her. Moved with pity, the bird threw her a blade of grass, which supported her like a raft, and thus the ant reached the bank again. While she was resting and drying herself in the grass, she heard a man come near. He was walking along barefooted with a gun in his hand. As soon as he saw the dove, he wished to kill it. He would certainly have done so, but the ant bit him in the foot just as he raised his gun to fire. He stopped to see what had bit him, and the dove immediately flew away. It was an animal much weaker and smaller than herself that had saved her life. | high14601.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the star could block our view of the new planet"
},
"options": [
"there is iron on the new planet",
"we could go to the new planet in winter",
"the star could block our view of the new planet",
"scientists are studying ... | If you dream of going to someplace warm to escape the cold winter weather, a trip to a recently discovered planet would certainly warm you right up. The planet, named OCLE-TR-56b, has temperatures of more than 3,000 degF. "This is the hottest planet we know about," says Dr. Dimitar Sasselov, a scientist who led the discovery team, "It is hot enough to have an iron fog and to rain hot iron droplets "
The new planet is 30 times farther away than any planet discovered by scientists before. It is in the Milky Way but it is not in our solar system The new planet moves around a star much like our sun, however. Scientists discovered the planet by using a new planet-searching method, called"transit technique" They were able to catch sight of the planet when it moved in front of its star, causing the star's light to dim .Scientists compare the method to discovering the shadow of a bee flying in front of a searchlight 200 miles away. "We believe the door has been opened wide to go and discover planets like Earth," says Sasedlov. | high9075.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Everyone knows that body contact can make people happier."
},
"options": [
"Everyone knows that body contact can make people happier.",
"People may work harder because of body contact.",
"Your fingertips can do something.",
... | You might not know it, but there is something wonderful at your fingertips. You can make people happier, healthier and more hard-working just by touching their arms or holding their hands.
Doctors say that body contact is a kind of medicine that can work wonders. When people are touched, the quantity of hemoglobin -a type of matter that produces the red color in blood increases greatly. This results in more oxygen reaching every part of the body and the whole body benefits. In experiments, bottle-fed baby monkeys were separated from their mothers for the first ten days of life. They became sad and negative. Studies showed the monkeys were more probable to become ill than other babies that were allowed to stay with their mothers.
Human babies react in much the same way. Some years ago, a scientist noticed that some well-fed babies in a clean nursery became weak. Yet babies in another nursery were growing healthily, even though they ate less well and were not kept as clean. The reason, he concluded, was that they often had touches from nurses.
Experiments show that most people like being touched. And nearly all doctors believe touch helps to reduce patients' fear of treatment. Of course there is time when a touch is not welcome. But even if we don't like being touched, a smile can make us feel better. Smiling increases blood flow and starts the production of "happy brain" chemicals. So let's have a big smile and don't forget to keep in touch. | high6420.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Sleeping in bed."
},
"options": [
"Walking in the street.",
"Having class at school.",
"Sleeping in bed.",
"Playing with Sam in a park."
],
"question": "What was Cecilia doing when the earthquake happened?",
... | "Ceci, wake up. It's an earthquake!" That's what Cecilia Wallace heard her mother shouting on the early morning of February 27th.
Cecilia is a 7th-grader. She, her parents and her brother, Sam, were in Chile's capital city, Santiago, the day a big earthquake hit Chile. And like just about everyone else, they were shaken out of their sleep.
"It was so frightening," Sam wrote. "The shaking was so huge that I will never go on a ride again." Cecilia and Sam wrote about their earthquake experiences. Their reports were later posted on the website.
Cecilia, Sam and their parents were staying in an apartment on the 15th floor of a building. They were lucky. Their building stayed standing, because it was built to withstand earthquakes.
Not everyone was as lucky as the Wallace family. More than 800 people died. Many older buildings fell down during the earthquake.
The damage in Santiago wasn't as bad as in other parts of Chile. So the supermarkets were open for business on the morning of the quake. But it wasn't business as usual. "The supermarkets have been crazy with people rushing to buy their food for the next while," Sam wrote.
Not everyone was able to get money to buy food that morning. So Cecilia and Sam made food bags to _ to people who were begging outside the supermarket. "We gave some to a kid of my age. I made sure he got cookies and bread." Sam and Cecilia's mother wrote that the kids also collected money for the Red Cross.
It's certainly an experience Cecilia, Sam and their parents will never forget. Thankfully, they lived to tell their stories. | high14167.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the bad effects of sugar on people's health"
},
"options": [
"the advantages and disadvantages of sugar",
"the bad effects of sugar on people's health",
"the genetic structure of mice",
"American's eating habit."
],... | We live in a sweet world. The average American kid eats more than 20 teaspoons of sugar per day, and adults eat 50% more sugar today than they did in the 1970s. We all know that too much sugar isn't good for you. But did we know it could be dangerous? A team of researchers at the University of Utah used mice to do a study on the bad effects of sugar. They found it could have serious effects on people's health.
Sugar is found not only in sweets and candies, but also in many household items like pasta and crackers.
During the 58-week-long study, mice were fed a diet containing 25% more sugar. This percentage equals a healthy human diet along with three cans of soda daily. The team found that these mice were twice as likely to die as mice fed a similar diet without the sugar. Though the mice did not show signs of obesity or high blood pressure, male mice produced 25% fewer offspring than the other mice.
Scientists often use mice for research because they have a similar genetic structure to humans. "Since most substances that are dangerous in mice are also dangerous in people, it's likely that those physical problems that cause those mice to have increased deaths also work in people,"says study author James Ruff of the University of Utah. Findings from this study show bad effects that are not as noticeable as weight gain or heart problems. Sugar can contribute to long-term changes in the body that can change development and even shorten lives.
Cutting sugar out of the American diet altogether may be difficult. But making the effort to control our nation's sugar need will provide for a truly sweeter future. | high9713.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "seemed very helpful"
},
"options": [
"seemed very helpful",
"let scientists down",
"needed to be changed",
"made people like great whites"
],
"question": "The law passed in 1997 _ .",
"question_type": "cl... | Great white sharks! Just hearing that name _ . In reality, these big fish have more to fear from us than we do from them. For many years, people killed countless great white sharks in the waters around the United States.
But thanks to conservation efforts, great whites are making a comeback in the U.S. Two recent studies show that the population of these sharks is rising along the east and west coast.
Why is the growing population of a killer fish something to celebrate? "When you fish too many of them, you start to lose balance in the environment," says shark researcher Tobey Curtis. As the biggest killer, sharks help keep the populations of fish, seals, and other creatures they eat from growing too large.
In spite of their importance, great white sharks had long been hunted for their meat and their fins . Then, in 1997, the U.S. government passed a law that didn't allow the hunting of great whites. Afterwards, the numbers of these sharks in the U.S. waters started to increase.
The law wasn't the only thing that has helped great whites. Conservationists have also played a part in the sharks' comeback. The research group OCEARCH is using a method called tagging to help change people's attitudes about great white. They let the public follow each shark as it travels the world's oceans. OCEARCH also gives each tagged shark a name to help people form a closer connection with the big fish.
The group's most well-known shark is named Katharine. She was tagged last year near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Since then, thousands of people have tracked Katharine's movements on Twitter and the OCEARCH website.
This helps people see sharks in a new way. Chris Fischer, the founder of OCEARCH believes learning to appreciate great whites will encourage people to do more to protect them. | high12516.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a man would be inhuman without it"
},
"options": [
"you are likely to be cruel and thoughtful without it",
"a man would be inhuman without it",
"men can't bear any pain on themselves and animals",
"only sympathy makes a... | It is men's nature to live together in families and tribes , and cities and nations, and therefore men have learned to prize those qualities in each other which make social life the happiest and best.
Of these qualities one of the most important is sympathy-fellow-feeling. If a man had no fellow-feeling, we should call him "inhuman"; he would be no true man. We think so much of this quality that we call a kind man "human"-that is, man-like in his conduct, first to other men, and afterwards to all living things.
If you are cruel to animals, you are not likely to be kind or thoughtfull to men; and if you are thoughtful towards men, you are not likely to be cruel and thoughtful towards animals. This is why the wise man of old wrote, "The merciful man is merciful to his beast."
What a pleasure it is also to be loved by our pets or domestic animals; and to feel that we are caring for them and are deserving of their love; or to watch the ways of wild creatures, and gradually to make friends with them!
Treating animals kindly does not mean that we must never inflict any pain on them. We ourselves are trained by pains as well as by pleasures; so too, punishment is sometimes needed to train our dogs and horses to obey us. We endure pains at the hands of the surgeon, to cure some wound or to heal some disease; so too, animals must submit to being doctored.
We send out our bravest men to face wounds, sickness and death, for the good of the nation; so too, we let our horses share the risk of battle. For similar reasons, we cannot hesitate to destroy dangerous creatures like wolves and show senseless ferocity . It is no excuse to say that these animals deserve to be treated cruelly on account of their own cruelty. They are not really cruel, for they tear and kill not from love of unkindness, but because they must do so in order to live. | high15279.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Individuals perform different functions."
},
"options": [
"They do not need to search for food.",
"They do not need to look for shelter.",
"Individuals vary in social status.",
"Individuals perform different functions."... | Through a series of experiments an American scientist has gained an understanding of the social structure of the most complex of ant societies. The ants examined are the only creatures other than man to have given up hunting and collecting for a completely agricultural way of life. In their underground nests they cultivate gardens on soil made from finely chopped leaves. This is a complex operation requiring considerable division of labour. The workers of this type of ants can be divided into four groups according to the size. Each of the groups performs a particular set of jobs.
The making and care of the gardens and the nursing of the young ants are done by the smallest workers. Slightly larger workers are responsible for chopping up leaves to make them suitable for use in the gardens and for cleaning the nest. A third group of still larger ants do the construction work and collect fresh leaves from outside the nest. The largest are the soldier ants, responsible for defending the nest.
To find out how good the various size-groups are at different tasks, the scientist measured the amount of work done by the ants against the amount of energy they used. He examined first the gathering and carrying of leaves. He selected one of the size-groups, and then measured how efficiently these ants could find leaves and run back to the nest. Then he repeated the experiment for each of the other size-groups. In this way he could see whether any group could do the job more efficiently than the group normally undertaking it.
The intermediate-sized ants that normally perform this task proved to be the most efficient for their energy costs, but when the scientist examined the whole set of jobs performed by each group of ants it appeared that some sizes of worker ant were not ideally suited to the particular jobs they performed. | high16770.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He can save money for plastic bags are cheaper."
},
"options": [
"He can use plastic bags to carry trash later.",
"He finds paper bags heavier than plastic bags.",
"He finds plastic bags more convenient to carry.",
"He ... | You've bought what you need. The grocery cashier asks, "Will that be paper or plastic? You reply "Plastic, please."
This seems like a simple question and there are plenty of reasons we choose plastic: easier to carry, lighter than paper bags, possibly less damaging to the environment, less expensive to the shop owners, able to be used as trash bag, and so on. There are different opinions on plastic and paper. Now let's follow the travels of 3 plastic bags. It begins at the grocery store with the customer's choice.
Plastic Bag 1: As the waste engineer come by and pick up the trash, the first plastic bag falls out. It sits on a small street for a couple of hours until a car comes along and takes it down to the road. Then a gust of wind blows it across the road, then another car, then another gust of wind finally makes its way to the beach. Water fills the plastic bag and makes it look like a jellyfish. A seal swims by, thinking it looks very interesting, and swallowed it. The plastic bag may stay in the seal's stomach for months, maybe years. You see, our lovely animals have been living thousands of years in a world where everything can be eaten.
Plastic Bag 2: This bag does make its way to landfill . Before they have a chance to cover up the thousands of pounds of daily waste, a strong wind comes up and blows these plastic bags out of the landfill. Once the wind stops, workers will be sent to collect thousands of bags around. But they can't possibly get them all. So our little bag continues his adventure getting caught in trees, eaten by birds or making its way to our lakes or rivers.
Plastic Bag 3: The last bag also blows away but is caught in a landfill where it sits for many years, as all the trash is wrapped in a big plastic bag, making natural degradation impossible. Although workers do much work to make sure water and air system won't be polluted, some do. Guess what, plastic bags are made from petrol, a harmful waste material, which in one way or another makes its way to the environment.
Another problem with putting plastic bags in out trash is that our landfills for most cities may be filled in about 20 years. More importantly, since we are running out of land to build homes, you might have the pleasure of one day living on top of your plastic bags!
One of the best suggestions is not to use a bag at all or bring your own cloth bags. If you must, please choose paper bags, which, though not suggested, can be eaten by animals. And there are more opportunities recycle paper bags. It does take a little extra effort. But please have a thought about the little seal next time you say, "Plastic please." | high4237.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "330 dollars."
},
"options": [
"150 dollars.",
"165 dollars.",
"300 dollars.",
"330 dollars."
],
"question": "How much should a couple pay for a helicopter-boat tour?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
... | Helicopter Aerial Tour
Explore the Grand Cannon from the eyes of the eagle. A wonderful 12- to 15-minute helicopter tour will soar through the canyon for an aerial experience of wonderful views. Our aerial tour is not available anywhere else in the world! Ticket:$120. 00 per person, plus 10% tax. Please call us at 1-888-868-9378 for seasonal rates, specials or to book by phone.
Helicopter-Boat Tour
Helicopter tour starts at the Grand Canyon, West Side. Take a 4,000-foot fall to the Colorado River below. Helicopters fall 4,000 feet from the canyon side to the banks of the Colorado River where visitors can enjoy a 15- to 20-minute boat ride down the Colorado.
Ticket:$150. 00 per person, plus 10% tax.
Champagne Helicopter Tour
Experience the beauty of the Grand Cannon: Soar above the Hoover Dam and the dead volcanoes. You go aboard a million-dollar helicopter with all forward facing seats allowing 180 degrees of views in air-conditioned comfort. You will see the Hoover Dam, the Colorado River, the Grand Cannon and more! You land to have a champagne picnic lunch at the Grand Cannon.
Las Vegas Adventure Tour
Helicopter tours to the Grand Canyon West include a wonderful Las Vegas adventure tour. Aerial sightseeing tours originating in Las Vegas, Nevada include breathtaking views of Lake Mead, the Mohave Desert, and the west edge of the Grand Canyon. Aerial tours including the round trip as well as combination tours attract many visitors.
Visitors arriving at the Hualapai elation's Grand Cannon West Airport may select one of the activities above. | high19443.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "her love for her grandma"
},
"options": [
"her sadness at losing her grandma",
"her desire to collect more salt cellars",
"her love for her grandma",
"her curiosity about her grandma's possessions"
],
"question"... | A mystery surrounds my grandmother's collection of salt cellars . No one in the family seems to know when she started collecting them, or exactly how many she had.
My grandmother died just over two years ago. At 91, she had spent 30 years without her right leg, which was removed due to cancer the year I was born. She was a poet, an artist, a food lover and a salt cellar collector. The funny thing about the salts, as she called them -- I never once heard her say salt cellar -- was that although everybody knew they were her hobby and everyone was always searching for them at yard sales or in stores, nobody seemed to know what they meant to her and they just wanted to make her happy. Grandma kept her salts in a dark wooden corner display case in the living room. Since her death the case has remained exactly as she left it. Grandpa tries his best to preserve his memories of her just as they are.
Now I am collecting, too. Collecting memories about my grandmother's hobby, a way she spent her time. And as I hold one of them in my hand, I picture her holding it in her hand on the day she got it. She is smiling. My mother and her two sisters all have small collections, but my mother admits that she was more interested in finding salts to send to Grandma.
Grandma once wrote a poem titled "When April Comes". The poem contains the line, "When April comes and I am not around, remember me when daffodils are found." Now, Grandpa is working on a poem with the line, "April came and you were not around".
But she was, somehow. She was there in the memories left behind by her possessions. | high18985.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It may place a great pressure on the state budget."
},
"options": [
"It may change the existing social structure.",
"It may pose a threat to their economic status.",
"It may decrease .their financial burden.",
"It may p... | At the heart of the debate over illegal immigration lies one key question: are immigrants good or bad for the economy? The American public overwhelmingly thinks they're bad. Yet the agreement among most economists is that immigration, both legal and illegal, provides a small net boost to the economy. Immigrants provide cheap labor, lower the prices of everything from farm produce to new homes, and leave consumers with a little more money in their pockets. So why is there such a discrepancy between the perception of immigrants' impact on the economy and the reality?
There are a number of familiar theories. Some argue that people are anxious and feel threatened by an inflow of new workers. Others highlight the stress that undocumented immigrants place on public services, like schools, hospitals, and jails. Still others emphasize the role of race, arguing that foreigners add to the nation's fears and insecurities. There's some truth to all these explanations, but they aren't quite sufficient.
To get a better understanding of what's going on, consider the way immigration's impact is felt. Though its overall effect may be positive, its costs and benefits are distributed unevenly. David Card, an economist at UC Berkeley, notes that the ones who profit most directly from immigrants' low-cost labor are businesses and employers --meatpacking plants in Nebraska, for instance, these producers' savings probably translate into lower prices at the grocery store, but how many consumers make that mental connection at the checkout counter? As for the drawbacks of illegal immigration, these, too, are concentrated. Native low-skilled workers suffer most from the competition of foreign labor. According to a study by George Borjas, a Harvard economist, immigration has reduced the wages of American high-school dropouts by 9%.
Among high-skilled, better-educated employees, however, opposition was strongest in states with both high numbers of immigrants and relatively generous social services. What worried them most, in other words, was the financial burden of immigration. That conclusion was reinforced by another finding: that their opposition appeared to soften when that financial burden decreased, as occurred with welfare reform in the 1990s, which curbed immigrants' access to certain benefits.
The irony is that for all the overexcited debate, the net effect of immigration is minimal. Even for those most acutely affected -- say, low-skilled workers, or California residents -- the impact isn't all that dramatic. "The unpleasant voices have tended to dominate our perceptions," says Daniel Tichenor, a professor at the University of Oregon. "But when all those factors are put together and the economists calculate the numbers, it ends up being a net positive, but a small one." Too bad most people don't realize it. | high2646.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "made him popular in many British homes"
},
"options": [
"helped him to gain many prizes for Essex",
"kept him playing for Leeds United",
"offered him the chance to join the national team",
"made him popular in many Brit... | David Beckham was born on 2nd May, 1975, in the suburbs of London, at a place called Leytonstone. When he was a young boy, his greatest passion was football. He played it whenever he had the chance. Sometimes he would go and watch a game with his friends. When David Beckham was 12 years old, he won the Bobby Charlton Soccer Skill award. This was an important step forward for this young boy, and it led to him going for a visit to a football training camp in Spain. As a boy at secondary school he played for the schools of Essex and also for his county team.
On 8th July, 1991, he became a trainee with Manchester United. This meant that he could practice football as much as he wanted to and play for the highly successful Manchester United Youth Cup team and Under- 21 team. On 2nd April, 1995, he played his first major football league game against Leeds United. During 1995 and 1996, David became a regular member of the team and Manchester United won in both seasons , with David scoring many goals.
His goals made him a household name. In the first game of the 1997/7 season, he scored an amazing goal from beyond the halfway line. Seeing the goalkeeper a little way out of his goal, David sent the ball over the goalkeepers head and into the goal. It was a wonderful goal and Beckham became famous overnight. He continued to score astonishing goals, especially from free-kicks. The speed of one of his shots was timed at 157kph. He also had the ability to make the ball curl from left to right, or right to left, whenever he chose. He could made it glide high through the air, or dive down steeply. Goalkeepers were never sure where the ball was going, and it regularly ended up in the goal. | high10301.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Holly stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brakes."
},
"options": [
"The brakes weren't working.",
"Holly stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brakes.",
"Holly was drinking a soft drink while driving.",
"The car g... | We lived in a very quiet neighborhood. One evening I heard a loud crash in the street. Earlier that evening my wife had asked me to go to the store to get some soft drinks. It seemed like this would be a good time to let my teenage daughter Holly practice her driving, so I sent her to the store in my truck. At dinner my son talked about how much he liked my truck. I enjoyed having it, but I said, "Guy, my heart is not set on that truck. I like it but it is just metal and won't last forever. Never set your heart on anything that won't last." After hearing the loud noise, the whole family ran outside. My son shouted, "Dad! Dad! Holly crashed your truck."
My heart sank and my mind was flooded with conflicting thoughts. Was anyone hurt? Who else was involved? As I ran to the door, I heard a voice in my heart say, "Here is a chance to show Holly what you really love. She'll never forget it."
The accident had occurred in my own driveway. Holly had crashed my truck into our other vehicle, the family van. In her inexperience, she had confused the brakes and the gas pedal . Holly was unhurt physically but when reached her, she was crying and saying, "Oh, Dad, I'm sorry. I know how much you love this truck." I held her in my arms as she cried.
Later that week a friend dropped by and asked what had happened to my truck. I told her the whole story. Her eyes moistened and she said, "That happened to me when I was a girl. I borrowed my dad's car and ran into a log that had fallen across the road. I ruined the car. When I got home, my dad knocked me to the ground and began to kick me."
Over 40 years later, she still felt the pain of the night. _ I remember how sad Holly was on the night she crashed our truck, and how I comforted her. One day, when Holly thinks back on her life, I want her to know that I love her a thousand times more than any piece of property. I repaired the van, but the dent in my truck is still there today. Every day it reminds me of what really matters in my life. | high5129.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a columnist"
},
"options": [
"Tom's friend",
"Tom's teacher",
"a woman reporter",
"a columnist"
],
"question": "In the letter, Anne is probably _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answe... | Dear Anne,
I like your column very much. I met a girl four years ago at a gym. She was the one who originally approached me and we became good friends. Then one day, she made me really angry, so angry that I just left and we never saw each other again.
Looking back, I really regret ending things that way. It was a cowardly act on my part, but I had a terrible temper at that time and let the smallest thing get to me. Recently, I've started thinking about her again and I looked up her e-mail address. I thought about writing to say "Hi" and apologize for what I did but I'm not sure. She could still be angry with me, or maybe she has forgotten me. I feel very lonely and I want to see her again. What should I do?
Tom
Dear Tom,
She may still be angry with you, and she may have forgotten the friendship between you, but that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve an apology. Tom, how many of us have wished for the day that someone who treated us badly saw the light and finally owned up? But we rarely get that kind of expected result. So sure, e-mail her and say "Hi".
Tell her you have been thinking about her and just want to apologize for getting angry and being a coward by walking out on her. But you should remember if she thinks you're apologizing just because you are lonely, she might dismiss your sincerity. Therefore, don't mention that. If she wants to see you again, she'll make sure that happens.
Even if she doesn't want to be your friend, I can assure you, she'll appreciate the gesture. And it might make you think twice next time you get angry.
Anne | high17485.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "are more or less important in order for animals to survive"
},
"options": [
"help animals grow bigger and stronger",
"are less common among young animals",
"help animals move a lot to fit the environment",
"are more or ... | If you are afraid of the dark,it's not a big deal.It's perfectly normal to feel afraid After all,animals do too. "Fear matters,"says Karen Warkentin,an ecologist."It's a good thing," she adds, "because fear makes you do things that keep you alive."
Like kids,many animals experience fear and they respond to the feeling in variety of ways.A frightened turtle pulls its head and legs inside its shell.A small fish will swim away when a big,hungry fish approaches.
Some animals respond to fear in ways you might not expect.The first example is that the fear of being eaten can scare some frogs right out of their eggs. Warkentin made the surprising discovery while studying red--eyed tree frogs in Costa Rica.
In this species,female frogs attach jellylike clumps of their eggs to the undersides of leaves.The leaves hang on branches that dangle over ponds.After they hatch from the eggs,the tadpoles then fall into the water,where they eventually grow into adult frogs.
Tree frog eggs usually grow for 6 days before hatching.If they sense that a hungry snake is about to attack,however,they can hatch up to 2 days ahead of schedule. As the snakes are unable to swim,by falling into the water early,the tadpoles can escape.
If hatching early helps protect red--eyed tree frogs from snakes,you might wonder why their eggs don't always hatch sooner.It turns out that hatching early brings its own danger.Once tadpoles land in the water,hungry fish and other animals like to eat them too.Staying in their eggs for a full 6 days,then,allows frog embryos to grow big and strong.This extra growth improves their chances of surviving in the water. | high2875.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "took the fourth place"
},
"options": [
"joined the fourth team",
"took the fourth place",
"was the fourth to start shooting",
"shot with the other three"
],
"question": "Mr. Frank once _ in a competition.",
... | Mr. Frank shot well and once he had come in fourth in a competition.
Then he went to a big city on business. There he joined the local rifle club. The club had a very good team, which used to take part in a lot of important shooting competitions. One of these took place while Frank was with them. But one of the members of the club's team suddenly fell ill just before the match. The captain had heard of Mr. Frank. He therefore invited Mr. Frank to take the sick man's place.
Mr. Frank felt greatly happy to be asked to shoot for such a good team, but he also felt very nervous, because he was afraid of making a fool of himself.
In fact, he was so nervous that he could not keep his hands from trembling while he was shooting, with the result that he did very badly in the competition. When he took his score card to his captain, he said:" After seeing my score, I want to go outside and shoot myself. " The captain looked at the card for a few seconds and then said, "Well, you'd better take two bullets with you if you want to do that. " | high21137.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "1200s"
},
"options": [
"1400s",
"1300s",
"1200s",
"1100s"
],
"question": "Rochester Cathedral was built in the _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
... | You still don't know what to do this summer? Well, here's your chance to win a one-week language course in Kent, England! Free4Fun and ETC (English Travel Connections)are giving away two trips to Rochester. This historic city is less than an hour's drive from London and close to the sea resort of Heine Bay. It is also the home of one of England's most famous writers, Charles Dickens. The town of Rochester is in Southeast England. Charles Dickens often wrote about it in his books. His home, Gad's Hill, is there, too. A popular attraction is Rochester Castle, a large Norman fortress . It was built in the 11th century and rebuilt during the 14th century. Other attractions are Rochester Cathedral, which was built during the 13th century, and Dickens Centre. It has got its name in honour of Dickens himself.
The trip to England includes:
* travel by train( via the Eurotunnel)to and from any railway station in Germany
* room and full board with a guest family for one week
* language course in small groups
* two trips to London
* large choice of sports and entertainment
* German-speaking advisors available 24 hours a day
Interested? All you have to do is to answer the following question: When was Charles Dickens born?
So, take the chance and send your answer by May 1 to:
Free4Fun "Rochester"
Free4Fun,24 Elphinstone Road, Hastings ,2FQ6VJ
fax :089/85-763-103
e-mail :free4fun@ netlight, com
The two winners will be contacted directly before May 5. They will also be announced in the June issue of Free4Fun.
Good luck!
For further information contact.
phone: (03212) 144-43
fax: (03212) 144-42
e-mail :info@ etc. com | high9920.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "sea waves"
},
"options": [
"sea waves",
"sea winds",
"his strength",
"petrol"
],
"question": "Horie's boat was mainly powered by _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"an... | Japanese sailor Kenichi Horie has finished a 110-day solo voyage across the Pacific Ocean in a boat pushed by sea waves to win another world first.
Weak waves and ocean water movements made his arrival late, which was going to be in late May.
"When waves were weak, the boat slowed down. That's a problem that needs to be solved," the adventure told reporters from his boat in western Japan. His 9.5-meter-long boat can move like a dolphin's tail, and it rises or falls with the waves.
Horie reached his destination in the channel between the main Japanese islands just before midnight after covering about 7,000 kilometers from Hawaii.
Horie first made world record in 1962 when, at the age of 23, he became the first person to sail alone across the Pacific. He made the three-month voyage from his hometown in spite of breaking Japanese law, which did not allow his citizens to sail on their own out of the country, and without a passport or money.
He was arrested upon arrival in San Francisco but the city mayor freed him, gave him a 30-day visa and made him an honorary citizen. News of his achievement made him a hero back home in Japan and his book of the voyage In the Pacific was made into a film. Since then, he has completed many sailing trips across the Pacific and around the world.
After his latest adventure with an environmentally friendly theme, Horie planned to return to his hometown on Sunday. He said, "Throughout history, mankind has used wind for power, but no one has appeared to be serious about wave power." Horie told the reporter, "I think I'm a lucky boy as this wave power system has remained untouched in fact." | high630.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "18"
},
"options": [
"18",
"20",
"24",
"30"
],
"question": "The fat of the recommended daily allowance for women is _ grams.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_inde... | A new graph has revealed exactly how long you'11 need to sweat it out in the gym to neutralize swallowing a favorite fast food.
While eating fried chicken, pizza and burgers will all entail a gym session of over an hour doing cardio or lifting weights, women have it far harder than men and must work extra hard to banish calorie-packed meals.
After a classic McDonald's favorite, the Big Mac, men would need to do 42 minutes of cardio or 57 minutes of weightlifting.
As for women, fifty one minutes of cardio would help counter the 24 grams of fat in a Big Mac---over a quarter of the recommended daily allowance - --or an hour and eight minutes of weightlifting.
However, the 450g Tesco chocolate cake was by far the worst offender. Clocking in at a whopping 1,710 calories and 90 grams of fat, only a hardcore gym session is going to shift the calories you've absorbed from this dessert. The average woman would have to lift weights for almost four hours to work off the calories in this cake.
Comparatively a chocolate bar seems healthy, with 237 calories which would take 25 minutes for the average woman to run off. Alternatively you could spend thirty three minutes doing weightlifting exercises.
Men will have to complete 40 minutes of cardio and 53 minutes of weightlifting while women will have to complete 48 minutes of cardio and 64 minutes of weightlifting against the calories in French fries. | high13185.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "How strict parents should be with their children"
},
"options": [
"How to take care of young trees",
"How strict parents should be with their children",
"How the young father should get on with his old neighbor",
"How t... | A young father was visiting an old neighbor.They were standing in the old man's garden,and talking about children.The young man said,"How strict should parents be with their children?"
The old man pointed to a string between a big strong tree and a thin young one.
"Please untie that string,"he said.The young man untied it,and the young tree bent over to one side.
"Now tie it again, please."said the old man."But first pull the string tight so that the young tree is straight again.''
The young man did so.Then the old man said,"There,it is the same with children.You must be strict with them, but sometimes you must untie the string to see how they are getting on.If they are not yet able to stand alone,you must tie the string tight again.But when you find that they are ready to stand alone,you can take the string away.'' | high23046.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To lead to the topic."
},
"options": [
"To amuse the reader.",
"To persuade the reader.",
"To support a conclusion.",
"To lead to the topic."
],
"question": "What's the writer's purpose in giving the saying?",
... | We've all heard the old saying,"Sticks and stones can break my bones,but words can never hurt me." Don't you believe it?Words are powerful,and they can hurt--a lot. In fact,if you're not careful,you can even hurt yourself,by using the wrong word in your writing.
Recently a friend sent me a copy of an email she received from the customer service department of her credit card company,after she contacted them with a question about her account. She was happy with their positive response. But as I read the email,one line jumped out at me:"In lieu of good customer service..."
Did they really mean they were offering her a few extra reward points instead of good customer service?I doubt it. More likely,what the customer service department meant to say was,"Because good customer service is important to us..." followed by the details of what they were doing to make sure she remained a happy customer.
So why didn't the writer say that?I can only guess that perhaps the writer liked the phrase "in lieu of",thought it sounded more interesting than saying "because",and so used it--without bothering to check the true meaning.
Have you ever done that?Try to impress others with a big word,only to find out you've used the word incorrectly?It's just the opposite effect,isn't it?You may impress people all right,but it's not the impression you were going for.
When you write,remember to choose your words carefully. People may still disagree with what you say,but they won't be able to dismiss you because you made careless mistakes in how you said it. | high8380.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he was not paid enough for what he was doing"
},
"options": [
"he was not as free as slaves",
"he worked too long hours like slaves",
"he was not paid enough for what he was doing",
"he was working so hard without getti... | Three months ago, Mariza Castro leftprefix = st1 /Honduras. Today, she is in theUnited Statesand she has a job. Castro works behind the counter at McDoald's. Speed is an important part of her work life. Fast - food counter workers are expected to serve customers in less than a minute. At McDonald's they say, "Work fast or you don't last."
Are McDonald's workers lucky to have their jobs? Or are they being _ ? The answer depends on who you talk to.
McDoald's does many good things. For example, no other company hires more young people than McDonald's. More than half of its workers are under 20 years old. McDonald's also has a good record of hiring minority workers. Thirteen percent of its workers are black. This is better than any otherUScompany.
But the burger house has its critics as well. The pay bothered Edward Rodriguez. He worked for nearly a year at a Los Angeles McDonald's. During that time he got only one 10 - cent raise. "I used to joke that working for McDonald's is the closest thing to slave labour in theUStoday," he days. Today, most McDonald's pay about $ 5.00 an hour. They hire new workers constantly. The restaurant has no other choice because 70 percent of its workers quit or are fired every year.
But McDonald's also gets its share of praise. Its best workers move up quickly. Just talk to 17 - year - old Ameer Abdur - Razaaq of Harlem, New York City. "They call me 'Young Crew Chief' around my block," he says. "When else can I go at my age and be in charge of this many people?" He sees the job as the first step in his career.
However, most McDoald's crew members never make it to manager because the job pressure is so intense, and the rewards so few. As one worker put it, "They expect a lot and they don't pay you much." | high22358.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "They have learned to think critically."
},
"options": [
"They have learned to think critically.",
"They are concerned about social issues.",
"They are curious about specific features.",
"They have learned to work indepe... | More than a decade ago, cognitive scientists John Bransfgord and Daniel Schwartz, both then at Vanderbilt University, found that knowledge was not the ability to retain facts or apply previous knowledge to a new situation but a quality they called "preparation for future learning." The researches asked fifth graders and college students to create a recovery plan to protect bald eagles from extinction. Shockingly, the two groups came up with plans of similar quality (though the college students had better spelling skills). From the standpoint of a traditional educator, this outcome indicated that schooling had failed to help students think about ecosystems and extinction, major scientific ideas.
The researches decided to go deeper, however. They asked both groups to generate questions about important issues needed to create recovery plans. On this task, they found large differences. College students focused on critical issues. The college students had cultivated the ability to ask questions, the foundation of critical thinking. They had learned how to learn.
Museums and other institutions of informal learning may be more suitable to teach this skill than elementary and secondly schools. At the Exploratorium in San Francisco, we recently studied how learning to ask good questions can affect the quality of people's scientific inquiry. We found that when we taught participants to ask "What if?" and "How can?" questions that nobody present would know the answer to and that would spark exploration, they engaged in better inquiry at the next exhibit--asking more questions, performing more experiments and making better interpretations of their results. Specially, their questions became more comprehensive at the new exhibit.
This type of learning is not limited to museums of institutional settings. Informal learning environment tolerate failure better than schools. Perhaps many teachers have too little time to allow students to form and pursue their own questions and too much ground to cover in the curriculum. But people must acquire this skill somewhere. Our society depend on them being able to make critical decisions about their own medical treatment, says, or what we must do about global energy needs and demands. For that, we have a robust informal system that gives no grades, takes all comers, and is available even on holidays and weekends. | high14832.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A limited place in our mind where we feel safe."
},
"options": [
"A place in our realistic life where we obtain comfort.",
"A mental place in our mind where we stick to our beliefs.",
"A limited place in our mind where we fee... | Comfort zone is the mental place surrounded by borders in our mind where we feel secure.Even though this comfort area and its boundaries are just a state of mind that has nothing to do with reality,it plays a huge role in the progress of our development.Since the comfort zone is limited,there is not much benefit for you inside your comfort zone.Nothing new will happen until you open yourself and leave your comfort zone.
Even though your background may be affecting your present situation,what really matters is not where you were born,your skin color,race,age,gender,religion,government,or even the poor environment in which you have been living for so many years,but what really matters and makes a big difference in your life is your attitude,to understand your comfort zone,how you limit yourself within it,who you are,why you behave the way you do it,and mainly where you are going.
Sadly many people don't go anywhere because they stay within their comfort zone.They accept defeat after defeat before even trying or knowing how capable or valuable they really are.These circumstances are not the cause of our actual situation but the conformism and the poverty of our thoughts and therefore the weakness of our broken spirit. Leave your past behind;constantly transcend your comfort zone!Your past within this comfort zone is nothing but a wasted load that you don't need to carry at all.
Take constant action as many times as it is required and never,never quit. As Napoleon Hill said,"A quitter never wins and a winner never quits. Defeat is never a failure;no circumstance ever is failure until it is accepted by the individual as a failure." Nothing is impossible for an optimist attitude;everything is possible when we start blindly trusting ourselves,when we have a burning desire to succeed and a blind determination to make our dreams come true;everything is possible when we don't take a no for an answer. | high11792.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "attracts many migrant workers"
},
"options": [
"talks about experiences of a group of thieves",
"deals with the life of migrant workers",
"explains how to catch thieves on trains",
"attracts many migrant workers"
],... | Beijing ---- A recent Chinese blockbuster "A World Without Thieves" is based on the experiences of a young migrant worker carrying 60,000 yuan on a train packed with thieves.But while the image of a warm-hearted but somewhat naive migrant worker may have made film fans chuckle, it's a sure bet that most of China's migrant workers are yet to step into a cinema to admire it.
"Forty yuan a ticket? I can't afford it," said Shen Jie, a migrant worker at a construction site in Dongzhimen, east Beijing.
Shen found it hard to remember when he last watched a film, or what it was about."It must be 10 years ago," he said.
Though they are the builders of the nation's theaters and cinemas, a limited cultural life is common among China's 120 million migrant workers.
Shen arrived from East China's Zhejiang Province in1991.Life was better then; money seemed to come more easily."Now, as more and more workers are rushing to the capital, it's too hard to earn money, and none of us dare think about watching films," he said.
For many like Shen, the dream is earning enough to pay for their children's education so they can find jobs in the cities and say goodbye to the hardships of rural life forever.This drives them to work hard and save as much as possible.
With a monthly salary of less than 500 yuan, Shen has to send money home to his little son and silver-haired parents.
In Shen's small dormitory, which he shares with seven other co-workers, there is a well-thumbed copy of a magazine published in 1998.
A recent survey by local media revealed that 80 percent of migrant workers spent their spare time sleeping and chatting because of exhaust and a lack of income.The same survey found that 47 percent of migrant workers have to work for more than 10 hours a day.Around 40 percent do not even possess a book, and nearly 60 percent say they are dissatisfied with their cultural life.
Like many of Shen's co-workers, reading newspapers and hanging out in Beijing's streets provide evening entertainment.
From China Daily | high21651.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "teaching methods"
},
"options": [
"teaching methods",
"mathematic philosophy",
"model math teachers",
"solutions to mathematic models"
],
"question": "The book released by the Ministry of Education in Singapore ... | The Ministry of Education in Singapore is releasing a new book this month that summarizes the thinking behind the model method for teaching math.The approach has drawn interest from many comers of the world thanks to the country's top performance on international exams.Last night, education officials and researchers from the US and Singapore highlighted some key differences between the two systems.
Singapore's method is highly visual and explores fewer topics, but in greater depth.While Singapore's text books have an average of 34 lessons with 15 pages of explanation for each, much bulkier texts in the US include an average of 157 lessons, with about four pages of explanation per lesson.There arc some more surprising differences.
Professional development is intensive for all teachers in Singapore, but strangely about half of the elementary teachers do not have university degrees.That is certain to change, though, as education standards for entering teachers are increasing, said Madame Low, the director of curriculum, planning and development with Singapore's Ministry of Education." Starting salaries for math teachers match public sector accountants or engineers.Teachers are treated as professionals," added Madame Low.
Mentoring programs for new teachers in Singapore last five years! Teacher evaluations there are extremely comprehensive, and teachers who succeed receive bonuses worth one to three months of salary.Grades one and two have smaller class sizes--only 30 students.Students are taught in English, not their native tongue.Many are bilingual or trilingual.
People often ask, how applicable is a successful model in Singapore to the more diverse and much larger US? I'm also interested in the practical challenges.Given that books in the US are written with state standards and assessments in mind, matching them up with another country's approach might be tough.
What do you think? How applicable is a successful model in Singapore to the US? | high21889.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a good place to live and study in"
},
"options": [
"the mild year-round climate",
"its beautiful scenery",
"shops and restaurants, bars and night-life",
"a good place to live and study in"
],
"question": "That S... | San Francisco has long been a favorite place for travelers who are ready to learn languages.The mild year-round climate, shops and restaurants, bars and night-life, and some of the most beautiful scene in the US attract many visitors to this relaxing and welcoming city.Students are sure to find the San Francisco Bay Area an interesting, safe and friendly place in which they can live and study.This is the most important.
English School in San Francisco is located in the heart of the city.It is one of the best San Francisco English language schools.You can see views of the city from your classroom! Many buses stop less than a five-minute walk from the school, which is also just a two-minute walk from the famous Union Square, San Francisco Shopping Centre, the Financial District, Yerba Buena gardens and the Museum of Modern Art.The school is minutes away from the cable cars to Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf and a boat ride on the bay.
San Francisco is a great place to study English and learn about American culture, offering excellent opportunities in sports, entertainment and arts.The city borders excellent beaches, and you can sail or surf all year round.
San Francisco has more restaurants than any other city in the US, and is the home of many theaters, music and dance companies, as well as museums.Just walking through the many areas of San Francisco, you are certain to find something wonderful. | high11786.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "National Geographic Kids"
},
"options": [
"Zootles",
"Wild Animal Baby",
"National Geographic Kids",
"Click"
],
"question": "A mother would most probably choose _ for her one-year-old baby.",
"question_t... | Kids love animals, so children's magazines about wildlife are a great way to plant a love of reading in young kids. If your kids love animals, check out these magazines.
National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids brings animals, nature, science, and fun to the little learners. Its animal stories develop pre-reading and reading skills. They also answer questions about kids' favorite creatures. Features about different cultures bring the world to your child and inspire a sense of understanding. Interactive experiments introduce simple science, and fun puzzles and games teach logic, counting, and so much more! It is for children aged from 6 to 14.
Click
Click opens up a universe of wonder by introducing kids aged 3-7 to the world around them. Click is about science, nature, and the environment. From the publishers of Ladybug, Click is written so that children will love the challenge of new learning.
Wild Animal Baby
It helps a child develop a lifelong love of reading and learning. This sturdy , board format magazine is designed especially for babies and toddlers between the ages of 12 months and 3 years. Each issue is filled with rhymes, stories and lovable baby animals. Wild Animal Baby is a fun, interactive reading experience for children and parents alike.
Zootles
It was created for children aged 2 to 6 years old. Each issue includes a featured animal, numbers, and phoneme sounds. Counting and sound recognition games are built into the content, along with read-aloud stories, poems and more! This magazine is so much fun that little kids won't realize how much they are learning. | high10498.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To stress what touched her and made her decide to help the hopeless family."
},
"options": [
"To create an atmosphere of fear and depression brought by the tornado.",
"To appeal to unconcerned people to donate for the poor families... | When a tornado touched down in a small town nearby, many families were left completely destroyed. Afterward all the local newspapers carried many human-interest stories featuring some of the families who suffered the hardest.
One Sunday, a particular picture especially touched me. A young woman stood in front of an entirely shattered mobile home, a depressed expression twisting her features. A young boy, seven or eight years old, stood at her side, eyes downcast. Clutching at her skirt was a tiny girl who stared into the camera, eyes wide with confusion and fear.
The article that went with the picture gave the clothing sizes of each family member. With growing interest, I noticed that their sizes closely matched ours. This would be a good opportunity to teach my children to help those less fortunate than themselves. I taped the picture of the young family to our refrigerator, explaining their difficulty to my seven-year-old twins, Brad and Brett, and to three- year-old Meghan.
" We have so much. And these poor people now have nothing," I said."We'll share what we have with them."
I brought three large boxes down from the room upstairs and placed them on the living room floor. Meghan watched seriously, as the boys and I filled one of the boxes with canned goods and foods.
While I sorted through our clothes, I encouraged the boys to go through their toys and donate some of their less favorite things. Meghan watched quietly as the boys piled up discarded toys and games.
"I'll help you find something for the little girl when I'm done with this," I said.
The boys placed the toys they had chosen to donate into one of the boxes while I filled the third box with clothes. Meghan walked up with Lucy, her worn, faded, much-loved rag doll hugged tightly to her chest. She paused in front of the box that held the toys, pressed her round little face into Lucy's flat, painted-on-face, gave her a final kiss, then laid her gently on top of the other toys.
"Oh, Honey," I said."You don't have to give Lucy. You love her so much."
Meghan nodded seriously, eyes glistening with held-back tears. '"Lucy makes me happy, Mommy. Maybe she'll make that other little girl happy, too."
_ , I stared at Meghan for a long moment, wondering how I could teach the boys the lesson she had just taught me. For I suddenly realized that anyone can give their cast-offs away. True generosity is giving that which you value most.
Honest benevolence is a three-year-old offering a valuable, though shabby, doll to a little girl she doesn't know with the hope that it will bring this child as much pleasure as it brought her. I, who had wanted to teach, had been taught.
The boys had watched, open-mouthed, as their baby sister placed her favorite doll in the box. Without a word, Brad rose and went to his room. He came back carrying one of his favorite action figures. He hesitated briefly, clutching the toy, then looked over at Meghan and placed it in the box next to Lucy.
A slow smile spread across Brett's face. Then he jumped up, eyes twinkling as he ran to fetch some of his prized Matchbox cars.
Astonished, I realized that the boys had also recognized what little Meghan's gesture meant. Swallowing back tears, I pulled all three of them into my arms.
Taking the cue from my little one, I removed my old jacket from the box of clothes. I replaced it with the new hunter green jacket that I had found on sale last week. I hoped the young woman in the picture would love it as much as I did.
It's easy to give that which we don't want any more, but harder to let go of things we cherish, isn't it? However, _ | high142.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "was seated in a chair"
},
"options": [
"was controlled by Android system",
"was seated in a chair",
"can give an order herself",
"was the only IFairy in use"
],
"question": "The conductor of the wedding _ .",
... | Almost everyone stood when the bride walked down the aisle in her white dress,but not the wedding conductor,because she was fixed on her chair.
The wedding was led by "IFairy",a 1.5meter tall seated robot with flashing eyes and plastic hair. Sunday's wedding was the first time a marriage had been led by a robot,according to manufacturer,Kokoro Co.
"Please lift the bride's veil ," the robot said in a tinny voice,waving its arms in the air as the newlymarried couple kissed in front of about 50 guests.
The wedding took place at a restaurant in Hibiya Park in central Tokyo,where the IFairy wore flowers and directed a rooftop ceremony. Wires led out from beneath it to a black curtain a few feet away,where a man clicked commands into a computer.
Japan has one of the most advanced robotics industries in the world,with the government actively supporting the field for future growth. Industrial models in factories are now standard,but recently Japanese companies have been making a push to inject robots into everyday life.
Honda makes a walking childshaped robot,and other firms have developed robots to entertain the elderly or play baseball. Kokoro,whose corporate goal is to "touch the hearts of the people",also makes giant dinosaur robots for exhibitions and lifelike Android models that can smile and laugh. The company is a subcompany of Sanrio Co.,which owns the rights to Hello Kitty and other Japanese characters.
"This was a lot of fun. I think that Japanese people have a strong sense that robots are our friends. Those in the robot industry mostly understand this,but people mainly want robots near them to serve some purpose," said the bride,Satoko Inoue,36,who works at Kokoro.
The IFairy sells for about 6.3 million yen ($68,000) and three are in use in Singapore,the US and Japan,according to company spokeswoman,Kayako Kido. | high13191.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The researchers got the result from those who were given help."
},
"options": [
"Older people are more likely to help others.",
"The researchers got the result from those who were given help.",
"Altruistic actions may result ... | People who offer love, listening and help to others may be rewarded with better mental health themselves, according to a new study of churchgoers in the September/October issue of Psychosomatic Medicine.
The study is one of the first to track the positive health benefits of altruistic behavior, says Carolyn Schwartz, Sc.D. of the University of prefix = st1 /MassachusettsMedicalSchool.
"The findings really point up how helping others can help oneself," Schwartz says.
Schwartz and his workmates analyzed the information collected by the Presbyterian Church for 2,016 church members. The members were asked about how often they "made others feel loved and cared for" and "listened to others", and how often they received this attention in return.
The members also answered the questions about their mental and physical health. Most of the church members were in good physical and mental health to begin with, experiencing only normal levels of anxiety and depression. While the researchers did not find any significant differences in physical health clearly related to giving and receiving help, they concluded that giving help was a better predictor of good mental health than receiving help. But feeling crushed by others' demands can have negative psychological effects, according to the researchers.
"Although our findings suggest that people who help others experience better mental health, our findings also suggest that giving beyond one's own resources is related with worse reported mental health," Schwartz says. Church leaders, older people, women and those who took satisfaction from prayer were more likely to be helpers rather than receivers, according to the study. People who give help to others may be less likely to focus inward on their own anxieties and depression or more likely to see their own troubles in mind, leading to better mental health, say the researchers.
Alternatively, it may be that "people who are functioning well psychologically are better able and hence more likely to give help," Schwartz says. | high23052.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A program of learning a new job on holiday."
},
"options": [
"The best way of enjoying time with one's family.",
"A program of learning a new job on holiday.",
"A chance to learn how to operate a hotel.",
"The most popu... | Americans do many different things during their vacations. Some people stay at home and enjoy time with their families. They may go to a local swimming pool, zoo or museum. Other people travel to enjoy large national parks, the mountains, the ocean, or large amusement parks. Many people visit interesting American cities or historic areas. Some people visit family members in other states. Still other Americans visit foreign countries.
Recently there is a new use for vacation time -- learning about a new kind of job. This program is called Vocation Vacations. People pay between six hundred and five thousand dollars to work at a job for a few days or a week.
Brian Kurth of Portland, Oregon, started Vocation Vacations. He says it serves a valuable purpose. It gives people a chance to try out a job they always wanted without leaving their present job.
People use Vocation Vacations to try many kinds of jobs around the United States. These are jobs that anyone can learn to do. For example, they can learn how to make beer, wine, cheese or cakes. They can help train dogs or horses. They can learn how to be a hunting and fishing guide or a gardener. They can work with a sports announcer, television producer, wedding planner or photographer. Or they can learn how to operate a very small hotel, called a "bed and breakfast".
Vocation Vacations recently added several new jobs. They include comedians, dog-sled drivers and hair stylists. The company says the most popular job so far is winemaking.
The Vocation Vacations Website recently asked visitors what prevents them from working at their dream job. More than two thousand people answered. Forty-two percent said the main block is money. Lack of the right education or experience was the answer given by twenty-five percent. Other answers included fear of failure and lack of family support. | high8394.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "according to the law"
},
"options": [
"after 25 years",
"according to the law",
"as a result of those important jobs",
"because women are as strong as men"
],
"question": "Women should have the chance of doing t... | The law says women should have the chance of doing the same jobs as men and earn the same as them. The reality is very different. Women lose because, 25 years after the Equal Pay Act, many of them still get paid less than men. They lose because they do lower-paid jobs which men just won't consider. And they lose because they are the ones who interrupt a career to have children. All this is reported in an independent study ordered by the Government's women's unit. The biggest problem isn't equal pay in workplaces such as factories. It is the sort of work women do.
Make a list of low-paid-jobs, then consider who does them. Try nurses, secretaries, cleaners, clerks, teachers in primary schools, dinner ladies and child-care helpers. Not a lot of men among that group, are there? Yet some of those jobs are really important. Surely no one would deny that about nurses and teachers, for a start. So why do we reward the people who do them so poorly? There can be only one answer--because they are women. This is not going to be put right overnight. But the government, which employs a lot of them, and other bosses have to make a start.
It is disgraceful that we have gone into the 21st century still treating women like second-class citizens. | high14826.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "are the most controversial food."
},
"options": [
"are as delicious as octopus.",
"are disliked in his hometown.",
"are the most controversial food.",
"are as popular as fried potatoes."
],
"question": "The auth... | People become quite illogical when they try to decide what can be eaten and what cannot be eaten. If you lived in the Mediterranean, for instance, you would consider octopus a great delicacy. You would not be able to understand why some people find it _ . On the other hand, your stomach would turn at the idea of frying potatoes in animal fat --the normally accepted practice in many northern countries. The sad truth is that most of us have been brought up to eat certain foods and we stick to them all our lives.
No creature has received more praise and abuse than the common garden snail . Cooked in wine, snails are a great luxury in various parts of the world. There are countless people who, ever since their early years, have learned to associate snails with food. My friend, Robert, lives in a country where snails are not liked. As his flat is in a large town, he has no garden of his own. For years he has been asking me to collect snails from my garden and take them to him.
The idea never appealed to me very much, but one day, after heavy shower, I happened to be walking in my garden when I noticed a huge number of snails taking a stroll on some of my prized plants. Acting on a sudden impulse, I collected several dozen, put them in a paperbag,and took them to Robert. Robert was delighted to see me and equally pleased with my little gift. I left the bag in the hall and Robert and I went into the living room where we talked for a couple of hours. 1 had forgotten all about the snails when Robert suddenly said that I must stay to dinner. Snails would, of course, be the main dish. I did not fancy the idea and I reluctantly followed Robert out of the room. To our dismay, we saw that there were snails everywhere: they had escaped from the paper bag and had taken complete possession of the hall! I have never been able to look at a snail since then. | high9934.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Envious."
},
"options": [
"Indifferent.",
"Envious.",
"Curious.",
"Annoyed."
],
"question": "What's the attitude of the man's sister toward famous people?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | Once upon a time, there was a man who was so famous that everyone in his country knew him.
One day, the famous man was sitting in a restaurant with his sister. "It must be great to be famous. Everyone tries to please you, and you can do whatever you want to," said his sister. "It's quite the opposite sometimes, in fact. Because I'm famous, I can't do what I want to," he denied. "But look, we're sitting at the best table and eating the best food. We couldn't sit here and eat this if you weren't famous," said his sister. "I'll show you what I mean," said he.
The next day, the famous man picked up his sister and took her to another country. "I'm not at all famous here," he said. "Let's see how we get on." Soon they found a restaurant, but it was very busy, so they had to queue. "This wouldn't have happened if you were famous," said his sister, but the famous man just smiled.
When they finally got a table, it took the waiter years to bring what they ordered. And the food supposed to be hot was cold, and the food supposed to be cold was hot! Eventually, the famous man couldn't stand any more and asked to see the manager. "This food is awful. We had to wait an hour for a seat, and the service is also very poor. Look, even my spoon is dirty!"
Showing his horribly yellow teeth, the manager, smiling, said, "Well, that's just bad luck for you."
"Don't you know who I am?" asked the famous man.
"I've no idea," replied the manager.
So the famous man and his sister ran away, without paying. | high15286.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "helped her to explore the wilderness"
},
"options": [
"showed her love for long tours",
"helped her to explore the wilderness",
"earned her high admiration in college",
"gave her a chance to learn horse riding"
],
... | Anne LaBastille was born in New York City and grew up in New Jersey. Her first experience with the wilderness was in the Adirondacks in the northeast of New York, where she worked at a summer resort to earn money for college tuition by caring for the horses, giving riding lessons, and working as a waitress. And she had many chances to begin her adventure in the Adirondack wilderness.
Anne returned to school in the fall, but she continued to spend as much time as she could in the Adirondacks. She grew to love her time alone in the mountains. Anne graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in conservation of natural resources and began working for the National Audubon Society in Florida as a wildlife tour leader.
Although Anne took great pleasure in showing people the animals living in the Florida Keys and the Everglades National Park, she longed for the mountains in the northern parts of New York. Finally she decided to build a cabin near Black Bear Lake. Over the years, however, more and more tourists began hiking near her cabin. As a result, Anne decided to build another cabin deeper in the woods at Lily Pad Lake.
Anne lived in the woods for most of her life. She enjoyed living alone in the woods, and her life was far too busy for her to be lonely. When she was not writing books, she wrote articles for National Geographic, Reader's Digest, and other magazines. In her later years, Anne conducted research in Guatemala on an endangered bird called the grebe. She also lectured nationwide about ecology. Besides, Anne worked with a number of organizations dedicated to conservation.
As a respected guide, author, and conservationist, Anne not only loved the land but also had found a way to become part of it. | high14198.txt |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.