questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The dreaius of the Indian child."
},
"options": [
"The name of a certain animal.",
"Onc of the child's ancestors.",
"The dreaius of the Indian child.",
"An event before the child's birth."
],
"question": "Which ... | Parents are not only looking for a unique name for their baby, but they also want a name that has a special meaning. American Indians usually have pretty interesting names. These names are given to them through various methods and usually by an elder. American Indians feel very strongly abouL naming their child, and it is almost treated like a ritual. In some American Indian cultures. they even hold a ceremony when they are to name a child
Amcrican Indian children are usually named by an elder who could be eheir grandmother, grandfather. mother or father. The name given by the elder comes to them in many different forms such as charactcnstics of the person, dreams that the elder may have. or the name of a family member who has died It is also true that some Amerlcan Indians arc named after some sort of animal while others are named after nature Some tribes name their children after events that happen before thiir birth.
Also in different tribes. two of the American Indians in the same tribe can't share the same name Once the person with the name has died. then the name may be used again. It is said that Amcrican Indians believe that they shoutd not address the baby by the name that they are given because if the name is too well-known. the child or baby may be called back to the spirit world; this is what causes many American Indians to be given nicknames . Many Amcrican Indians arc more commonly known by their nicknames instead of their names given at birth | high4785.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "warn kids against game addiction"
},
"options": [
"share his great skills on games",
"warn kids against game addiction",
"tell about his fairy tale as a kid",
"deliver a message for video games"
],
"question": "... | Scott Langteau has this message for kids:spend less time playing video games.
It's a message that many a mom and dad have tried to impress upon many a youngster (and some notsoyoungsters) who spend perhaps a bit too much time with game controllers in hand.
But the 40yearold Langteau isn't a parent.He's a veteran of the video game industry--one who played producer on three "Medal of Honor" games and cofounded his own game development company.
Langteau has just published a children's books called Sofa Boy,which tells the story of a kid who spends too much time sitting on the couch with controller clutched in hand and the rather terrible consequences that follow.
It's a fairy tale plucked straight from Langteau's own experiences as a lad with a fondness for video games and his own bouts with a bit of game addiction.But first,Langteau would like to make one thing clear,"I'm not saying that you shouldn't play video games.I think video games are great.I think they do great things for kids."Instead,Langteau says his book is all about a little something called moderation .
"It's about being well rounded," he says."Just like with anything else,we all need to make sure that there's a variety in what we do."
Video gamers can be rather badtempered when it comes to accepting criticism about their favorite entertainment.And understandably so.After all,most people who go around talking about the dangers of playing video games tend to be outsiders--people who don't play video games and certainly don't understand that they can be a valuable and healthy form of entertainment.
But Langteau and Sofa Boy seem to be in a unique position to deliver a message of gaming moderation that the young game masses might actually listen to.After all,this is a man who understands what it means to be a kid with a passion for games.His early experience has taught him a lesson. | high6192.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "This passage doesn't tell us."
},
"options": [
"Because he found much more fun from other games.",
"Because he couldn't get progression sometimes.",
"Because he followed his girlfriend's advice.",
"This passage doesn't ... | I quit the game, WOW, a couple of years ago. My life has improved dramatically. I went from being single to being engaged, I received a second promotion in my career, and life couldn't be hatter. But even then, I still had an urge to play and I thought about it every day.
About a month ago, I decided to start playing again. My friends still played and claimed that it's better than before. So I figured I'd give it a shot, and so far I've managed my time well. But the funny thing is that I'm not enjoying it as much as I thought I would. That sense of accomplishment I used to have back then is gone. I figured out why...
My enjoyment in the game came from progression. 1 loved accomplishing quests and hitting 60, then beating the basses with 40 other people. Some nights sucked ,when nothing was done. But other nights, when we beat the hell out of a main boss, it felt incredible. I was actually progressing and improving in something. It may not have been real life, but it was there, on my screen, and it was visible for all to see.
But now I've actually pursued tangible goals, and realized the sense of accomplishment in WOW is worthless. I don't get excited when the list of epic drops from a boss is sent to me from my friends. I haven't even been interested in getting a flying mount, or PVP gear. I just don't really care about them. I actually don't care about anything that happens in the game, except for some quests. 1 out of every 10 quests you do has an enjoyable story that makes it more interesting. But even so, they are what you can get out of a book, or a good single player game.
Even though WOW is enjoyable in some aspects, it's extremely boring in others. Now to
me, above all, it's not worth my time to go through it, just to have temporary fun. | high23279.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "She hoped to achieve her dream"
},
"options": [
"She expected to prevent herself from doing housework",
"She hoped to achieve her dream",
"She wanted to support her husband",
"She wanted to make her own bread"
],
... | I got married in 2008. My husband and I are very emotional and have loads of dreams in life. Now I want to share a hidden part of my life.
After one month of my marriage, I started working because I could not sit home. To accomplish our dreams, we are both working hard day and night in spite of belonging to a good family. Life is very strange. When any turn happens, one cannot know.
I started working because I was very ambitious. I used to wonder about people who worked to earn their bread but I never knew in my wildest dreams that I would be part of the crowd who work to earn a livelihood.
I was blessed with a daughter in November, 2009. She was just three months and 15 days old when I rejoined my job. My husband supported me and my family supported me but I never wanted to work again because I belonged to a family where a mother should give her full attention to her child.
Keeping all the values aside that I learnt from my parents, I went back to work and will work till my last breath.
I missed my daughter every second. She has started recognizing and throwing expressions for likes and dislikes. I cannot share my feelings with anyone, as I do not want anyone to know that I am broken completely from inside.
My husband and my daughter are my greatest strength but I ignore them just to earn money and fulfill my dreams that I have.
If one day, my daughter complains to someone about her mom, please tell her that she is my reason for survival and happiness and she is the only one who brings smile to my face. | high22601.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because she missed her daughter very much."
},
"options": [
"Because she might have a fear of darkness.",
"Because she missed her daughter very much.",
"Because she was suffering from Alzheimer's.",
"Because she was jea... | Yesterday I went to the nursing home to visit my step mom's grandma. When I got there she was happy to see me. Then I heard a woman crying. It was my great grandma's roommate. The curtain was drawn so I could not see her. She started calling out a name that wasn't mine but she was definitely talking to me, begging me to go to her side of the room.
Then she started begging and saying, "Please, come see me!" So I went to see her. She looked so old and weak but flashed me the biggest smile! She opened her arms wide for me to hug her so I bent low and gave her a hug. Then I sat on her bed and talked with her for a few minutes. She kept calling me by the other name but I did not correct her. She told me stories like I had been there when they happened.
Eventually I went back to visit with my great grandma. Then the other woman started crying again, saying, "Please, come back."
I stopped by the nurse's station and the nurse told me that the lady was suffering from Alzheimer's. I mentioned the name she had called me. The nurse told me it was the lady's daughter's name.
It was a heartbreaking experience but it gave me a new perspective on life. We will all get old someday.Some of us will have broken minds like my great grandma's roommate and some of us will have broken bodies like my great grandma.But what was beautiful was the fact that both ladies,one 86 and the other 90,did not have broken spirits.As I was leaving I promised I would go back and visit the lady,even after my great grandma moves back to her home state. | high24270.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "follow some habits of thin people"
},
"options": [
"go on a diet",
"give up your favorite foods",
"join a gym",
"follow some habits of thin people"
],
"question": "The text is to encourage you to _ .",
"qu... | This is not a diet. It's a simple way to lose weight. You don't have to give up the food you love or join a gym. You just follow some habits thin people have. Keep them, and you'll become thin.
*Wake-up When you wake up in the morning, sit up slowly without using your hands. With legs straight out, lean forward until you feel sore in your back. It will use up 10 calories.
*Start with soup Order a clear soup, and have it before the main food. In this way, you'll feel fuller, so you'll eat less when the main food comes.
*An apple or more a day Apples are full of fiber and water, so your stomach will want less. Studies show that people who eat at least three apples or pears a day may lose weight.
*Talk it up Every time you use the cell phone, stand up and walk around. Heavy people sit on average two and a half hours more each day than thin people. This skill is very important and standing up and walking around will burn up 50 or more calories.
Use these skills, and you will have a big weight loss. | high8801.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "was a musician of much influence"
},
"options": [
"looked like a musician",
"traveled to play modern music",
"showed an interest in music",
"was a musician of much influence"
],
"question": "Armstrong was called... | Louis Armstrong had two famous nicknames . Some people called him Bagamo. They said his mouth looked like a large bag. Musicians often called him Pops, as a sign of respect for his influence on the world of music .
Born in 1901 in New Orleans, he grew up poor, but lived among great musicians. Jazz was invented in the city a few years before his birth. Armstrong often said," Jazz and I grew up together."
Armstrong showed a great talent for music when he was taught to play the cornet at a boy's home. In his late teens, Armstrong began to live the life of a musician. He played in parades, clubs, and on the steamboats that traveled on the Mississippi River. At that time, New Orleans was famous for the new music of jazz and was home to many great musicians. Armstrong learned from the older musicians and soon became respected as their equal.
In 1922 he went to Chicago. There, the tale of Louis Armstrong began. From then until the end of his life, Armstrong was celebrated and loved wherever he went. Armstrong had no equal when it came to playing the American popular song.
His cornet playing had a deep humanity and warmth that caused many listeners to say, "Listening to Pops just makes you feel good all over." He was the father of the jazz style and also one of the best-known and most admired people in the world. His death, on July 6, 1971, was headline news around the world. | high2492.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The passage doesn't mention it."
},
"options": [
"The English Channel Tunnel.",
"The tunnel between Lyon and Turin.",
"The prefix = st1 /Taiwanstraits tunnel _",
"The passage doesn't mention it."
],
"question": ... | Experts have put forward detailed plans for a tunnel to join Taiwan with the Chinese mainland.
The shortest proposed route would be 126 kilometers--more than twice the length of the English Channel Tunnel.And the longest proposed route would be 207 kilometers.
A recent conference in xiamen,Fujian Province brought together more than 70 experts.The event was cosponsored by universities from Taiwan and the Chinese mainland.Fujian is the province where both proposed mutes would begin.
There is no direct passenger access between the mainland and Taiwan by air or sea at the moment.
Experts say that it is better to start research sooner rather than later,although there is a lack of government funding .There are no technical problems t0 build a Taiwan tunnel.But it will require an improved political relationship across the Straits.
A professor of TsinghHa University said,"A special feature of huge projects is that the period of preparation is longer than the period of construction."
For example,he said,the English channel Tunnel took 14 years of planning and had been discussed for two centuries.And preparations for the huge Three Corges dam on the Yangze River began in the 1950s.
The xiamen conference focused on the longest southern route,which would use the Taiwan-controlled islands of Jinmen and Penghu as steppingstones.
The first stage of the new project could be a bridge to cross the five kilometers between Xiamen and Jinmen.This would mean that traveling from Xiamen to Jinmen by car would only take five minutes.
The longest tunnel now being planned anywhere in the world is the 54-kilometer land tunnel to link Lyon in France with Turin in Italy.The tunnel will not be completed until 2015-2020. | high20016.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the experiment is easily done"
},
"options": [
"the experiment is done in the laboratory",
"the experiment is done outside the room",
"the experiment is easily done",
"the experiment is carried out indoors"
],
"... | Air is an odorless , invisible gas that surrounds the earth. It is everywhere on the planet. An "empty" drinking glass and an "empty" room, to give two examples, are not really empty. Each is filled with air. When the glass is filled with water, the water pushes the air out of the glass.
Air, as a gas, has no definite shape, but, because it is matter, it takes up space. It is easy to prove that air is something that takes up space. _ a dry handkerchief into the bottom of a glass so that it will not fall out when the glass is turned upside-down. Push the upside-down glass; hold it straight into a jar of water till the glass is completely covered. When the glass is taken out of water, the handkerchief will be dry. The air inside the glass takes up space and keeps the water from coming in. | high3954.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Wet n' Wild Paterpark"
},
"options": [
"North Beach",
"Xpu Ha Beach",
"Wet n' Wild Paterpark",
"Playa Brujas"
],
"question": "If someone has appreciation for caving adventures, he or she should go to _ .",
... | Playa la Audiencia, Manzanillo
Playa la Audiencia is one of the most popular beaches in Manzanillo for families and one of the best beach spots along Mexico's Pacific coast Playa 1a Audiencia is a stunning little beach with a golden shoreline which overlooks the bay and offers great conditions for swimming, diving, and other cool water sports such as jet-skiing and kayaking. If you are a diving enthusiast, you'll definitely love spending time in Playa la Audiencia since its waters are shallow, calm and filled with rocks covered with corals.
Playa Brujas, Mazatlan
Playa Brujas is probably one of the best surfing spots in Mazatlan. Playa Brujas is located 20 minutes' drive from the heart of Mazatlan and it's a popular spot among local surfers. If you are a surfer looking to hit some waves along the west coast of Mexico, you'1l find Playa Brujas a very good spot to visit since Brujas possesses satisfactory waves all year round.
North Beach, Isla Mujeres
North Beach is one of the nicest beaches in Isla Muieres and it is one of Mexico's finest beaches in the Yucatan Peninsula. North Beach boasts a nice stretch of beach with white-powdery sand, warm turquoise waters and great diving spots.
The best bit about North Beach besides its private location is that the beach is iust minutes away by boat from Cancun, so you're never too far from Cancun's tourist attractions such as Wet n' Wild Paterpark and Xplor Eco Park. where you can enjoy caving adventures and zip-line rides.
Xpu Ha Beach
Xpu Ha Beach is located roughly between Tulum and Playa del Carmen and it is a nice spot for relaxing under the sun, walking and horseback riding. Xpu Ha is located along the stunning Riviera Maya and unlike other beaches along the Mexican Riviera, Xpu Ha Beach boasts a subtle beach club atmosphere. Xpu Ha Beach isn't as busy as Mamita's beach club but it still possesses cool beach clubs, a rental shop and a hotel. | high18589.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a kind of protein"
},
"options": [
"a kind of medicine",
"a kind of protein",
"a kind of illness",
"a kind of food"
],
"question": "From the text we know that Ace inhibitors are _ .",
"question_type": "cl... | Starting the day on an egg could keep your blood pressure under control, research suggests. Scientists have shown that eggs produce proteins with a function similar to that of powerful blood pressure-lowering drugs.
The research, from the University of Alberta in Canada, showed that when eggs come in contact with stomach enzymes they produce a protein that acts in the same way as _ , but more work is needed to show the effects outside a lab and in the human body.
Earlier this month, British researchers declared that, contrary to popular beliefs, it is healthy to go to work on an egg.They concluded that the type of cholesterol found in eggs has little effect on increasing heart disease risks.
Researcher Professor Bruce Griffin, from the University of Surrey, said: "The wrong beliefs linking egg eating to high blood cholesterol and heart disease must be corrected.The amount of fat in our diet has an effect on blood cholesterol that is several times greater than the ly small amounts of cholesterol found in eggs.The UK public do not need to be limiting the number of eggs they eat.They can be encouraged to include them in a healthy diet as they are one of nature's most nutritious foods."
The British Heart Foundation dropped its three-egg-a-week limit in 2005.However, almost half of Britons believe the limit still applies. | high21308.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "In South America."
},
"options": [
"In Russia.",
"In Libya.",
"In South America.",
"At the Oregon-Idaho border."
],
"question": "Where is the longest mountain range in the world?",
"question_type": "factiod_... | Our planet was born some billions of years ago. Ever since this planet has developed, it has surprised us human beings. No matter how much we human beings have developed technologically, we cannot ever create this kind of natural planet. The human race can only discover some amazing facts about it. Let us find out what some of them are.
On September 13, 1922 El Azizia, a place in Libya, recorded a temperature of 136 degrees Fahrenheit. This was the highest temperature ever measured on the planet Earth. The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela, which drops from an amazing height of 3,212 feet. The waterfall drops over the edge of Auyantepui in the Canaima National Park. The gravitational pull of the Earth can be escaped if someone moves at a speed of 6.95 miles per second. At such a speed, one could travel from New York to Philadelphia in just 20 seconds. If the entire water in the world's oceans evaporated, the salt we got from these oceans could cover the entire planet with a 500-foot deep layer of salt. The deepest lake on Earth is Lake Baikal in Russia. Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake in the world, containing about 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water. The Andes in South America spreads over 4,525 miles. This is the longest mountain range in the world.
Did you know that the biggest valley in the world is the Grand Valley in Mesa County, Colorado and Grand County, Utah? It is about 30 miles (48 km) long and 5 miles (8 km) wide, along the Colorado River. The amazing facts about the earth are too many to be told completely above. | high19697.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "start an attack"
},
"options": [
"catch shore birds",
"start an attack",
"protect the children",
"set up a barrier for itself"
],
"question": "The brown bear approached the family in order to _ .",
"quest... | The Brown Bear
My wife Laura and I were on the beach, with three of our children, taking pictures of shore birds near our home in Alaska when we spotted a bear. The bear was thin and small, moving aimlessly.
Just a few minutes later, I heard my daughter shouting, "Dad! The bear is right behind us!" An agreesive bear will usually rush forward to frighten away its enemy but would suddenly stop at the last minute. This one was silent and its ears pinned back---- the sign of an animal that is going in for the kill. And it was a cold April day. The bear behaved abnormally, probably because of hunger.
I held my camera tripod in both hands to form a barrier as the bear rushed into me. Its huge head was level with my chest and shoulders, and the tripod stuck across its mouth. It bit down and I found myself supporting its weight. I knew I would not be able to hold it for long.
Even so, this was a fight I had to win: I was all that stood between the bear and my family, who would stand little chance of running faster than a brown bear.
The bear hit at the camera, cutting it off the tripod. I raised my left arm to protect my face; the beast held tightly on the tripod and pressed it into my side. My arm could not move, and I sensed that my bones were going to break.
Drawing back my free hand, I struck the bear as hard as I could for five to six times. The bear opened its mouth and I grasped its fur, trying to push it away. I was actually wrestling with the bear at this point. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the fight ended. The bear moved back toward the forest, before returning for another attack----- The first time I felf panic.
Apparently satisfied that we caused no further threat, the bear moved off, destroying a fence as it went. My arm was injured, but the outcome for us could hardly have been better. I'm proud that my family reminded clear-headed when panic could have led to a very different outcome. | high6804.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he thought the police officer wanted to stop him"
},
"options": [
"he was racing with another driver on the road",
"he realized he had to hurry to the accident scene",
"he thought the police officer wanted to stop him",
... | It seems that some people go out of their way to get into trouble.That's more or less what happened the night that Nashville Police officer Floyd Hyde was on duty.
"I was on the way to a personal-injury accident in West Nashville.As I got onto Highway 40,blue lights and sirens going.I fell in behind a gold Pontiac Firebird that suddenly seemed to take off quickly down the highway.The driver somehow panicked at the sight of me.He was going more than a hundred miles an hour and began passing cars on the shoulder."
But Hyde couldn't go after him.Taking care of injured people is always more important than worrying about speeders,so the officer had to stay on his way to the accident.But he did try to keep the Firebird in sight as he drove,hoping another nearby unit would be able to step in and stop the speeding car.As it turned out,keeping the Firebird in sight was not that difficult.Every turn the Pontiac made was the very turn the officer needed to get to the accident scene.
Hyde followed the Pontiac all the way to his destination .At that point he found another unit had already arrived at the accident scene.His help wasn't needed.Now he was free to try to stop the driver of the Firebird,who by this time had developed something new to panic about.
"Just about that time," Hyde said,"I saw fire coming out from under that car,with blue smoke and oil going everywhere.He'd blown his engine.Now he had to stop."
"After I arrested him.I asked him why he was running.He told me he didn't have a driver's license ."
That accident cost the driver of the Firebird plenty---a thousand dollars for the new engine---not to mention the charges for driving without a license,attempting to run away,and dangerous driving. | high15085.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because the Congress wants to encourage the students to create something."
},
"options": [
"Because the Congress wants to keep it in case of emergency.",
"Because the Congress wants to use it to support the poor students.",
"... | The federal government is about to make a huge investment in high school. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Congress has put aside more than $100 billion, including a competitive "Race to the Top" fund that encourages innovation in public schools.
But the real revolution, hidden in the Race to the Top guidelines released by the Department of Education last month, is that high school has a new mission. No longer is it enough just for senior graduate students, or even prepare them for college. Schools must now show how they increase both college enrollment and the number of students who complete at least a year of college. In other words, high schools must now focus on grade 13.
Some states, school districts and nonprofit educational organizations have begun to gather data about how freshmen get along in college after graduation, but they haven't made fast progress. Florida has one of the best systems, but even it can't explain a high school graduate who enrolls in college in another state. The nation is asking principals to deliver students who can succeed in college, without ensuring they know whether what they're doing is working.
The Department of Education has begun to solve this problem by instructing states on how to keep good records of its graduates' progress in college. This gives high schools the two pieces of information they most need: their college enrollment rate and "college proficiency" rate (the speed with which graduates complete a year of college-level coursework).
Race to the Top has finally established a realistic purpose for high school in the 21st century. If principals can now get the support they need to fulfill that purpose, high schools can once again be top producers of American potential . | high22629.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "an increased workload"
},
"options": [
"the desire to earn more money",
"more early-rising customers",
"an increased demand for milk",
"an increased workload"
],
"question": "We are told that the milkman now sta... | The man who brings my milk used to knock for his money for the week's milk while I was having breakfast on Saturday morning. Just lately he has been arriving before I get up. Staff shortages mean that four men are sharing five rounds, so he has to start earlier.
Delivering milk to people's homes is scarcely good business, especially when the customer may have a choice of two or three firms serving a single road. In spite of my local difficulties, however, labor troubles are not as sharp as a few years ago. There are enough men prepared to make an early morning for the sake of an open-air job with a fair measure of freedom. If they did stop calling, women would find it hard work to collect all the milk they need from self-service stores . Dairies are aware that stopping deliveries resulted in falling sales.
Marketing ideas have included introducing extra lines, in addition to dairy products, which the milkman can carry to increase turnover. Already they have taken over many rounds given up by bakeries. One dairyman said, "It wont' be long before the milkman delivers more bread that milk. " Some milkmen deliver potatoes, and it seems as if diversification will be limited only by the size of the vans.
So the milkman is likely to remain a familiar figure. Even the returnable bottle continues to be used. As long as it has a reasonable life--30 to 40 trips are usual-- the cost of collection and cleaning is worthwhile. | high23537.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "couldn't touch them with hands"
},
"options": [
"couldn't touch them with hands",
"kept comforting them with hands",
"held their hands to show sympathy",
"couldn't help comforting them with hands"
],
"question":... | "Can I hug you?" community nurse Joyce Jebambula asks with a smile as she welcomes me back to her village. "Of course," I say as I put my arms around her. It's an unbelievable moment. Just at the height of the outbreak more than a year ago, there was an "avoid body contact" rule here. It's now been removed.
One of the most challenging parts of reporting this outbreak over the past 18 months is that I haven't been able to touch anyone in the worst-affected countries. When Ebola survivors described in tears describing losing their families, I had to almost sit on my hands to avoid reaching out to comfort them.
The outbreak was declared over in Sierra Leone on 7 November. I returned for the celebrations. But despite reaching this long-awaited milestone, all is not well.
Ibrahim Koroma, 21, clings to his survivor's certificate outside the home. All 17 of his family are now dead. The certificate is one of his most prized possessions. "He does not pose any risk to the community" it reads.
Ibrahim tells me how his landlord has allowed him to stay in one of the rooms of his former family home until the end of the year. He says he doesn't know what he'll do after that. He does some part-time work, relying heavily on help from neighbours. His two little sisters and little brother died in the very room where he now sleeps. He says he often lies awake thinking about them, feeling very bad.
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the worst on record. In past outbreaks there had only been a few hundred deaths and a few hundred survivors. It was thought Ebola could live for only three months. But research has now shown it can linger for at least nine months. Scientists are still trying to find how long it could be infectious. | high12932.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Albert Einstein gave up his German citizenship for political reasons"
},
"options": [
"no scientist is as great as Albert Einstein during this century",
"Albert Einstein was likely to be the greatest scientist of his time",
"... | Albert Einstein was probably the most famous scientist of the twentieth century. He changed scientific thinking in the modern world. He is generally considered as the greatest physicist who ever lived. What's more, he devoted a lot of his time and energy to working for human rights and progress.
In 1933, while Einstein was visiting England and the United States, the Nazi government of Germany took all his things away, including his position and his citizenship. Einstein then settled down in the United States. In 1939, Einstein, who loved peace--afraid of a world in which only Hitler would had an atomic bomb --tried hard to persuade President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a famous letter to have the United States start uranium research. That Germany, after all, had no bomb, and that the first bomb would fall on Japan, could not have been expected. After the war, Einstein never stopped working for peace and reducing the number of soldiers in the world.
Although he wasn't connected with any accepted religion , Einstein felt that trust in a personal God was too special an idea to be suitable to the God at work in this universe, but he never believed that the universe was one of chance or disorder. The universe to him was one of pure law and order. He once said, "God may know everything, but he is not hateful." | high24258.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "being thin is viewed as a much desired quality"
},
"options": [
"looking slim is a symbol of having a large fortune",
"being thin is viewed as a much desired quality",
"the Duchess of Windsor is regarded as a woman of virtue"... | No woman can be too rich or too thin. This saying often attributed to(...) the late Duchess of Windsor represents much of the strange spirit of our times. Being thin is assumed as such a virtue.
The problem with such a view is that some people actually attempt to live by it. I myself have fantasies of slipping into narrow designer clothes. Consequently, I have been on a diet for the better --or worse-- part of my life. Being rich wouldn't be bad either, but that won't happen unless an unknown dies suddenly in some distant land, leaving me millions of dollars.
Where did we go off the track? When did eating butter become a sin , and a little bit of extra flesh unappealing, if not unpleasant? All religions have certain days when people stop from eating and overeating is one of Christianity's seven deadly sins. However, until quite recently, most people had a problem getting enough to eat. In some religious groups, wealth was a symbol of probable high morals, and fatness a sign of wealth and well-being.
Today the opposite is true. We have shifted to thinness as our new mark of virtue. The result is that being fat -- or even only somewhat overweight -- is bad because it implies a lack of moral strength.
Our obsession with thinness is also fueled by health concerns. It is true that in this country we have more overweight people than ever before, and that in many cases, being overweight correlates with an increased risk of heart and blood vessel disease. These diseases, however, may have as much to do with our way of life and our high-fat diets as with excess weight. And the associated risk of cancer in the digestive system may be more of a dietary problem -- too much fat and a lack of fiber -- than a weight problem.
The real concern, then, is not that we weigh too much, but that we neither exercise enough nor eat well. Exercise is necessary for strong bones and both heart and lung health. A balanced diet without a lot of fat can also help the body avoid many diseases. We should surely stop paying so much attention to weight. Simply being thin is not enough. It is actually dangerous if those who get (or already are) thin think they are automatically healthy and thus free from paying attention to their overall life-style. Thinness can be pure vain glory. | high19867.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They lack enough support and motivation."
},
"options": [
"They are looked down upon at school.",
"They are eager to work before graduation.",
"They lack enough support and motivation.",
"They can do as well in society ... | Dropout rates are rising, and what are parents and teachers doing? Though some may deeply regret these students dropping out, our schools continue to lack plans to teach motivation. Parents and teachers don't stress the fact that staying in school will help students succeed in life.
A recent study by the Department of Education found that 31 percent of American students are dropping out or failing to graduate in the nation's 100 largest school districts. From what I can see, many parents are letting their children drop out, which shows that some students do not have enough support or encouragement to continue.
It is reported that about 2,500 students drop out of high schools every day. Writer Ruth Wells says, "Schools expect youth and children to act as though school is important, but they never teach them to believe that. " That is why many students do not feel motivated to stay in school. Since some families are not helping their children become more involved in school, it's up to teachers, counselors , and youth professionals to provide this training.
Researchers say they were surprised to find that a majority of 456 dropouts interviewed were not what most people would consider underachieving troublemakers. One third of the students said they were failing in school, but more than six out of ten were keeping C averages or better when they quit. Almost half said they were bored or that the classwork seemed unrelated. Another dropout said, "There wasn't any learning going on; they make you take classes you're never going to use in life. " Three out of four said if they could turn the clock back they would choose to stay in school, and eight out of ten said they now recognize that a high school diploma is important to succeeding in life-a lesson learned too late.
Teachers need to convince students why they should stay in school. One is to have students name jobs that they can " always" do without a diploma. This will quickly highlight that jobs with the best pay and benefits require a diploma. There may be students who are happy they dropped out, but it is better to get an education and make the best of life. | high17692.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "work hard every day"
},
"options": [
"work hard every day",
"work hard a few days before the examination",
"be lazy every day",
"take an examination every day"
],
"question": "You should _ in order not to fa... | A good way to pass an examination is to work hard every day in the year. You may fail in an examination if you are lazy for most of the year and then work hard only a few days before the examination. If you are taking an English examination, do not only learn rules of grammar.
Try to read stories in English and speak English whenever you can. A few days before the examination you should start going to bed early. Do not stay up late at night studying and learning things. Before you start the examination, read the question paper over carefully. Try to understand the exact meaning of each question before you pick up your pen to write. When you have at last finished your examination, read your answers over. Correct the mistakes if there are any and make sure that you have not _ anything _ . | high21320.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It has a golf course for guest"
},
"options": [
"It has a golf course for guest",
"It provides a beautiful view of Kaaterskill Falls",
"It's decorated with wood floors",
"It allows guests to take their dog or cat with t... | The Catskill Mountains are a year-round playground for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. You will find a number of relaxing inns ready to meet your needs.
Caleb Street's Inn
Located in the historic village of Catskill at the base of the mountains, Caleb Street's Inn was built in 1785. It provides a view of the garden and Catskill Creek or guests can step outside for a walk along the Hudson River. A full breakfast is served every morning. Each of the four Pet-friendly rooms offers a private bath and a view of the river and neighboring buildings. Hiking trails , golf courses and historic sites are only a short drive away.
Winter Clove Inn
Nature lovers can enjoy a pleasant location in the Northern Catskill Wilderness Preserve at Winter Clove Inn. With wood floors, each room has a private bath and air conditioning . With active days of tennis, hiking or cross- country skiing ahead, guests don't have to go far for a breakfast, lunch or dinner beside the fireplace at inn's restaurant.
Windham House
A former pub built in 1805, Christman's Windham House is the oldest inn continually operating in the Catskills. The 300 acres of grounds in the town of Windham include a tennis court, golf course, heated pool and a restaurant. Guests can relax on private balconies overlooking a golf course and take their meals at Christman's Windham House Restaurant. The inn is less than 2 miles from the hiking trails of Windham Mountain.
Washington Irving In
If you're looking for a mountain inn with a Victorian feel, Washington Irving Inn has much to offer. Furnished with antiques, each of the 15 rooms has a private bath. Free breakfast is served. Hikers are a short walk from Kaaterskill Falls and Hunter Mountain trails. | high11585.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "How the writer got her first ticket."
},
"options": [
"The writer's most unforgettable experience.",
"How the writer got her first ticket.",
"An accident caused by the writer.",
"Why the writer is always so careful."
... | I had been rather proud of myself when my friends and family got the ticket, whether it was for speeding, parking or stop sign violations . It was something that happened to others. But last Friday I joined _ .
I was asked to do a new project last week. On Friday morning on my way to work, I suddenly remembered that I had spent the past six weeks without considering that I had a week's vacation planned during that time. I was very disappointed with myself for not remembering it.
The truth is that I was not paying enough attention to my driving and I did not come to a complete stop at the stop sign in front of a school. I was so distracted that I didn't even notice I had a policeman on my tail with his lights flashing. Finally I looked in my mirror and caught on.
The policeman was rude and took my papers. Fortunately, I had everything up to date and since I had never had a ticket before, there was nothing for him to do but write me a ticket. While I was sitting there in the seat of "shame", I felt bad. If I had been that distracted and a child had run onto the road, perhaps I would have not reacted as well as I could have. It was a wake-up call.
People at work asked me if I tried to talk my way out of it . Frankly, it never occurred to me. I felt sorry. Now I no longer have a clean driving record. Please be careful out there, as a moment's distraction can lead to tragedy. | high341.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "silk"
},
"options": [
"silk",
"fiber",
"cotton",
"linen"
],
"question": "In ancient China, only wealthy people could afford clothes made from _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer":... | China is home to the invention of silk and has a long tradition of producing fine materials for clothing. Not all clothing in ancient or contemporary( ) China is made of silk, however. In fact, silk was only available to the wealthy classes for much of China's history. Until the introduction of cotton during the Ming Dynasty, from the 14th to the 17th century, the poorer classes wore rough clothing made from fibers .
In ancient China, the tunic was particularly popular . Called hanfu , both men and women could be seen wearing tunics made of different materials. Women's tunics were long and loose , extending all the way down to their feet and often _ with a belt or rope to get tighter . Men's tunics were shorter, usually only extending down to their knees. During the winter, both men and women would wear cotton jackets for warmth. In the winter, men would also wear pants or ankle-length skirts into their clothes to keep warm and protect their legs against the cold winter conditions.
Contemporary Chinese clothing is now made of many of the same materials as contemporary clothing found in other countries. Much of the traditional Chinese clothing produced now is made of cotton and silk, but generally contemporary Chinese clothing also contains synthetic fibers in with the cotton and silk, such as nylon . In addition, linen is now commonly used in contemporary Chinese clothing, especially during the summer months because it is light and breathable. | high13392.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Foyer Activity area"
},
"options": [
"Classroom area",
"Computer area",
"Internet Training area",
"Foyer Activity area"
],
"question": "A 70-year-old teacher want to see how to use writing brush well, he should ... | Festival Activities Programme
TIME AND PLACE
October 24~30
Oct. 24,30:9:00 am~4:00 pm
Oct. 25~29:12:00 pm~9:00 pm
at Kerry Center Hotel
Classroom area
(1) English Taster l,esson
(2) Food health-keeping method presentation
Computer area
(3)E-photography and Techno-Music
(4) Education Software Demonstration
Internet Training area
SINA and Capital On-Line will provide Internet training for the public. The focus will be on browsing the Internet; how to find useful information on the web; and how to design an elementary Web page.
Foyer Activity area
(5) The students from Beijing TV University for the aged will provide a calligraphy (handwriting) demonstration
(6)Children activities
Lectures
21st Century, the educational weekly of China Daily, will invite experts from English-speaking countries to hold lectures from 18:30 on October 27 to 29 and in the daytime on October 30. | high23251.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He will pay no attention to you."
},
"options": [
"He will give you an immediate reply.",
"He will stop looking at his cell phone.",
"He will pay no attention to you.",
"He will be very angry with you."
],
"ques... | Last month, Justin Valdez, a college student, was shot in a subway station in San Francisco. The surveillance video showed that before Justin was killed, the killer pulled out his gun several times, and even wiped his nose with it. However, nobody noticed the killer. The surrounding passengers all focused on their cell phones.
We may see the same scene everywhere in our life: in subway stations, restaurants, elevators and so on, people are watching their cell phones. From a family reunion to a date with a friend, people couldn't stop checking their twitter and facebook on the cell phones and ignoring the persons in front completely, Phubbing not only involves young people, but also the elderly and kids.
"Phubbing" is a new term which comes from the words "phone'' and "snub ". It describes the habit of snubbing someone in favor of a cell phone. The word "phubbing" was included in the Australian National Dictionary in 2012. Obviously, the indifference) and rudeness of the information age are spreading globally. A Stop Phubbing campaign website has been set up. You can find the slogan of the website as follows: "stop twittering, stop posting photos...enjoy your food, enjoy the music and respect others."
Phubbing appears harmless. However, it does influence our life. Jimmy, an epicure , wrote in his blog: "I can no longer focus on what I am eating since I started twittering. My skill of food photography has improved very fast, while my interest in food drops as a result."
Let us put down our cell phones and re-enjoy the real taste of our food and the warmth of interpersonal communication. | high9289.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "devotion"
},
"options": [
"experience",
"enthusiasm",
"confidence",
"devotion"
],
"question": "What the volunteers for this expedition need most is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"a... | (Reuters) -- A group of Chinese scientists and explorers are looking for international help to organize a new search for the country's answer to Bigfoot, known locally as the "Yeren", or "wild man".
Over the years, more than 400 people have said they saw the half-man, half-ape Yeren in a remote, mountainous area of the central province of Hubei, state news agency Xinhua said on Saturday.
Expeditions in the 1970s and 1980s found hair, a footprint, and a sleeping nest suspected of belonging to the Yeren, but there has been no _ , the report added.
Witnesses describe a creature that walks upright and is more than 2 meters tall with grey, red or black hair all over its body, Xinhua said.
Now the Hubei Wild Man Research Association is looking for volunteers from around the world to join them on another expedition to look for the Yeren.
"We want the team members to be devoted, as there will be a lot of hard work in the process," Luo Baosheng, vice president of the group, told Xinhua.
But the team will have to come up with about 10 million yuan ($1.50 million) first, and is talking to companies and other bodies to secure the money, so there is no timetable yet for when they may start, the report added.
China is no stranger to _ . There are many tales about mysterious, monster-like creatures in remote parts of the country. For example, Tibetans have long talked about the existence of the Yeti , or "Abominable Snowman", in the high mountains of their snowy homeland. | high8197.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "China"
},
"options": [
"Japan",
"Canada",
"China",
"America"
],
"question": "Which country is the writer most possibly from?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_inde... | Australia is the smallest continent in the world. It is a little smaller than China. It is on the Southern Hemisphere of the earth. Australia is big, but its population is small. The population of Australia is nearly as large as that of Shanghai.
Enough laws have been made to fight against pollution. The cities in Australia have little air or water pollution. The sky is blue and the water is clean. You can clearly see fish in the rivers. Plants grow very well.
Last month we visited Perth, the biggest city in Western Australia, and went to a wild flower _ . There we saw large numbers of wild flowers on show, most of which we had never seen before. We had a wonderful time. Perth is famous for its beautiful wild flowers. Every year in spring Perth has wild flower exhibitions. After visiting Perth, we spent a day in the countryside. We sat down and had a rest near a path at the foot of a hill. It was quiet and we enjoyed ourselves very much. When we heard bells ringing at the top of the hill, we looked up, but what we saw made us pick up all our things and run back to our car as quickly as we could. There were about three hundred sheep coming towards us along the path.
Australia is famous for its sheep and kangaroos . After a short drive from any town, you will find yourself among the white sheep. Sheep, sheep, everywhere you can see sheep. | high355.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Those trying to avoid risks tend to be less interested in spicy food."
},
"options": [
"what we eat actually helps to develop our personalities.",
"Males are more likely to enjoy spicy food than females.",
"Those trying to av... | What's your opinion on spicy food? Some people cannot handle even the smallest amount of chili in their dinner while others can't get enough of it.
Scientists have long been puzzled by why some people love chili and others _ it. Plenty of research has been done on the subject, dating as far back as the 1970s. Previous results showed that a love of chili is related to childhood experiences, and cultural influences affect our taste buds, too. But the latest study has found that a person's love of spicy food may be linked to his or her personality more than anything else, CBC News reported.
"We have always assumed that liking drives intake---we eat what we like and we like what we eat. But no one has actually directly bothered to connect these personality traits with intake of chili peppers," said Professor John Hayes from Pennsylvania State University, who led the study.
But before you look at the study, you should first know that "spicy" is not a taste, unlike sour, sweet, bitter and salty. It is, in fact, a burning sensation that you feel on the surface of your tongue. This got scientists thinking that maybe a love of spicy food is brought about by people's longing for thrill, something they usually get from watching action movies or riding a roller coaster.
In the study, 97 participants, both male and female, were asked to fill out questionnaires about certain traits of their personality, for example. Whether they like new experiences or tend to avoid risks. They were then given cups of water with capsaicin , the plant chemical that makes chili burn, mixed into them.
By comparing the answers to questionnaires and what participants said they felt about the spicy water. Researchers found that those who most tended to enjoy action movies or take risks were about six times more likely to enjoy the spicy water.
Interestingly, we used to believe that the reason some people can withstand spicy food is that their tongue have become less sensitive to it. However, this latest study has found otherwise. It's not that it doesn't burn as badly, it's that you actually learn to like the burn," Hayes explained. | high13386.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The complex process of remove"
},
"options": [
"When and where to move",
"Having no time to remove",
"The complex process of remove",
"Where to find moving companies"
],
"question": "What troubles people most wh... | Often you are not aware that you have to remove,but one day your job demands your move to another place in no time.You are at a loss about how to manage the whole complex process of remove with all your valuable possessions.You need not worry about this as moving boxes and supplies axe there to care for all your possessions.They have become very popular in New York in recent years!
Redline Movers is unique in our city and is specially talked about for their durable form and varieties.Redline Movers offers a wide range of moving boxes and supplies specially designed for remove.They are available in various shapes and sizes.These moving boxes ale so designed that they guarantee the maximum load with safety and without any damage.There are different forms of moving boxes.For example,you get moving boxes for TVs,glassware,wall hangings and even a piano.The sizes vary according to the size of the item and you can select from the wide range.No matter what kinds of possessions you intend to move,we always have some moving boxes to satisfy your demand.
Redline Movers has obvious advantages over other moving companies.Moving boxes and supplies of Redline Movers are low priced with quality guaranteed.We also provide storage facilities where customers can use our storage space for keeping their possessions for a month or two.If you take our storage facility,these moving boxes will help you the most.You can keep your articles in those moving boxes in our storage room, till you have time or enough room to arrange them.Of course,they are in safe and sound form!
If you have to remove but scared of the complex process,don't worry.Redline Movers is there to help you in your safe and trouble--free moving.If you are interested in us, please visit www.redlinemovers.com for more details. | high23245.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "igniters"
},
"options": [
"idlers",
"igniters",
"fuels",
"serious people"
],
"question": "According to the text, \" _ \" are the persons that can light many people so that their energy can be released to give ... | There are two kinds of people in the world. Those of the first kind are born idlers , taking interest in nothing. It seems what they live for is to pass time idly. They simply don't know why they have to do so, nor will they bother to ask. The other kind are those who take things seriously and never wish to idle away their life. But only a part of the second group are eager enough to make success. All the others fail to make enough effort to make their dreams come true.
Why do things so happen to them? What are the reasons?
I later find out that some people are determined. They are "igniters" that catch fire of their own, giving light and heat. But that's not the case with others. They may be fuels but not igniters. As pieces of wood or coal, they need a match or a lighter to make them burn so that their energy can be released to give off light and heat.
The majority of people need some igniter to light them. Thus igniter becomes a must for those people to succeed. Unless a suitable igniter comes their way, they will always remain idle like cold unused firewood or coal.
Fortunately, such an igniter is not difficult to meet. One may find it in an instructive book, a film story, a few words of a close friend, some advice of a good teacher, a pleasant journey, or an unexpected love.
Any of these, coming at the right time, can serve as an igniter to start one's enthusiasm for learning or for a better career, to turn him from a passive state of waiting to an active state of pursuing, to lend him strength to go ahead bravely. In that case, what he has prepared for years will be quickly turned into fruitful reality.
Such an igniter may turn up of itself, but most likely we have to find it ourselves. Never let a chance slide away, for it is the key to your success. | high1819.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the biodiversity of our earth"
},
"options": [
"the environment for plants",
"the biodiversity of our earth",
"the wastes of natural resources",
"the importance of human values"
],
"question": "We learn from the... | Edward Wilson The Future of Life, .
Edward Wilson is America's, if not the world's, leading naturalist. In The Future of Life, he takes us on a tour of the world's natural resources . How are they used? What has been lost? What remains and is it able to continue with the present speed of use? Wilson also points out the need to understand fully the biodiversity of our earth.
Wilson begins with an open letter to the pioneer in environment protection, Henry David Thoreau. He compares today's Walden Pond with that of Thoreau's day. Wilson will use such comparisons for the rest of the book. The problem is clear: man has done great damage to his home over the years. Van the earth, with human help, be made to return to biodiversity levels that will be able to support us in the future?
Biodiversity, Wilson argues, is the key to settling many problems the earth faces today. Even our agricultural crops can gain advantages from it. A mere hundred species are the basis of our food supply, of which but twenty carry the load. Wilson suggests changing this situation by looking into ten thousand species that could be made use of, which will be a way to reduce the clearing of the natural homes of plants and animals to enlarge farming areas.
At the end of the book, Wilson discusses the importance of human values in considering the environment. If you are to continue to live on the earth, you may well read and act on the ideas in this book. | high8183.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "lived in North Carolina"
},
"options": [
"lived in North Carolina",
"gave away food to the poor",
"came to help the poor in his hometown",
"stayed at the home of the author's brother"
],
"question": "When the fa... | I was stopped at a red light only a mile or so from my goal of my brother's house. We were planning to drive down together to North Carolina to be with my father who was badly ill.
As I waited at the stop light experiencing this forced slowdown, I noticed Sharper's Florist over to the left. It was the same place where I had experienced many things-- floods of memories went through my mind as the light seemed a blessing. I noticed the wine store straight ahead where my father and I had been many times before, picking out the beer of the week. We both liked German beer.
The light finally became green and I made my left turn and drove through the poor section of our hometown. I remembered how each thanksgiving my family would be together. I also remembered how my father would take some time out of each thanksgiving to make sure there was no one hungry in the neighborhoods surrounding where we lived. I can remember as a young boy going with him to deliver some food. I was scared. I had never been into this part of town this deeply before.
My father seemed unfazed by this and went about his business. The people we went to seemed to know him and gratefully accepted what he came to offer. My father seemed able to give away the food in a way that honored those he was giving to. This was not an _ act. He would stop at each place and talk a little, which I can remember totally pissing me off (...). I wanted to get the hell out of there. My father wanted to be sure everyone had food. If there were people he found who didn't have food, he would take the time to go back and get more. That's the kind of man he was. | high12098.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "enjoy rock'n' roll"
},
"options": [
"make some money",
"enjoy rock'n' roll",
"stay with parents",
"have their own cars"
],
"question": "In America,it is essential that young people should _ .",
"question_t... | So you're beween the ages of 13 and 24.What makes you happy?
A worried,weary parent might imagine the answer to sound something like this:sex,drugs,a little rock 'n' roll .Maybe some cash,or at least the car keys.
It turns out the real answer is quite different Spending time with family is the top answer to that open-ended question,according to an extensive sur-vey--more than 100 questions asked of 1,280 people aged 13-24--conducted by The Associated Press and MTV on the nature of happiness among America's young people.
Next is spending time with friends,follwed by time with a significant other.And even better for parents:Nearly three quarters of young people say their relationship with their parents makes them happy.
"They're my foundation,"says Kristiana St.John,17,a high-school stu-dent from Queens in New York."My mom tells me that even if I do something stupid,she's still going to love me no matter what.Just knowing that makes me feel very happy and blessed."
You might thik money would be cleauly tied to a general sense of happi-ness.But almost no one says"money" when asked what makes them happy,though people with the highest family incomes are generally happier with life.However,having highly educated parents is a stronger predictor of happiness than income.
From the body to the soul:Close to half say religion and spirituality are very important.And more than half say they believe there is a higher power that has an influence over things that make them happy.Beyond religion religion,simply belonging to an organized relious group makes people happier.
And parents,here's some more for you:Most young people in school say it makes them happy.Overwhelingly ,young people think mar-riage would make them happy and want to be married some day,Most also want to have kids.
Finally,when asked to name their heroes,nearly half of respondents men-tioned one or both of their parents.The winner,by a nose:Mom. | high20994.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "choose the right training"
},
"options": [
"look for a new job",
"turn to a training provider",
"choose the right training",
"start your own business"
],
"question": "In order to gain new skills, you need to _ ... | Education and Training
Make sure your skills are up-to-date
If you're looking for a new job or you want to change your career, having up-to-date skills is the key to a successful job search and your future earning power.
Choose the right training
If you need training to learn new skills or enhance existing skills, make sure you got to know the following : What training program is the best for you? How will you pay for your training? You need to consider all these and more when you choose your training.
Search for training providers
Massachusetts school information is made available by the Massachusetts career information system (CIS). This directory includes most of the training providers and colleges in the states. The data for trade schools covers programs, admissions, schedules and costs. Descriptions for two-year, four-year, and graduate schools include information about school size, setting, programs, admissions, schedules, and costs. A link to the school's Internet home page is provided when available.
Learn about the Entrepreneurial training program
The Entrepreneurial training program (ETP) provides training and technical assistance to individuals with good business ideas and the desire to start their own business.
Learn about Apprenticeship programs
Division of apprentice training is a system for teaching highly technical skills through a combination of on-the-job training and related classroom instruction. Also, it is responsible for promoting, developing and providing services for apprenticeship programs in the state.
Many apprentice programs are in traditional building trade areas such as Carpentry, Electrical and Ironwork. In addition, apprentice programs are being developed in areas such as Information Technology, Banking and Finance, Childcare, Culinary Arts and Telecommunications.
Use Online Resources
Link directly to the websites of colleges and universities in the state of Massachusetts. Explore other online job databases. | high4961.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The Roof on Wilshire."
},
"options": [
"The Roof on Wilshire.",
"Whiskey Red's.",
"High Rooftop lounge.",
"Carbon Beach Club."
],
"question": "Which restaurant will you choose if you want to watch the fireworks ... | Wondering where to watch the fireworks on the fourth Friday of July? Here are some restaurants where you can sit, grab a bite to eat and watch the show.
The Roof on Wilshire offers a view of the city, so chances are that you'll be able to catch a fireworks show while you're up there. The restaurant will also offer an all-you-can-eat menu for $20 that includes all beef hot dogs and sweet potato chips. The festivities will take place from 2 to 11 p.m. Reservations are recommended. 6317 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 852-6002.
Whiskey Red's is located in Marina Del Rey. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., it will include live music from Jack of Hearts. Drink specials include $3 select "Old School" beers and $5 Fireball shots from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. A custom menu of hamburgers and hot dogs will be available. Guests can make reservations from 5:30 to 10 p.m. It costs $59 to reserve a seat on the patio and $49 for indoor seating. Kids aged 5 to 12 need $25 for a seat outside and $20 for an indoor seat. Kids aged four and below are free. 13813 Fiji Way, Marina Del Rey, (310) 823-4522.
High Rooftop lounge in Venice at the top of the Hotel Erwin offers views of the Venice coastline. The fireworks show starts at 9 p.m. The rooftop lounge offers a full menu of cocktails and a selection of snacks. 1697 Pacific Avenue, Venice Beach, (800) 786-7789.
The last one is Carbon Beach Club at the Malibu Inn. Here you can see fireworks from the restaurant's oceanfront balcony from 6 to 9:30 p.m. The restaurant offers a menu of cheese, steak, fish, as well as a selection of raw shellfish. Reservations are recommended. 22878 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, (310) 456-6444. | high19873.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "East Africa had little rain"
},
"options": [
"the UK had a warm November",
"the US had many wildfires",
"the UK had a dry summer",
"East Africa had little rain"
],
"question": "According to the passage, in 2012 ... | The summer of 2012 was full of reports of extreme weather: one of the warmest years on record in the US, the wettest summer in the UK, and the worst drought in East Africa. In short, extreme weather seems to be becoming the new normal. Weather extremes are not that extreme any more. Heatwaves, droughts and wildfires are the new reality of a warming world.
And this should not come as a surprise. Scientists have been warning for years that as the planet heats up, we will have to deal with more dreadful weather. Although not every extreme weather event is the result of climate change, scientists are now much more confident about connecting weather events with climate change. In 2011, the UK had a warm November. Researchers say that it was at least 60 times more likely to happen because of climate change than because of natural changes in the earth's weather systems.
All the news shows that climate breakdown is occurring faster than most climate scientists had expected. But isn't it too expensive to stop the climate from changing? Well, yes it costs. So everything is just as usual. It would be wrong to believe that to let things continue as they always do is the cheap choice. Instead, it is very expensive. Just one example: droughts in the US, Russia and the Ukraine sent food prices to a record high. According to the World Bank, the price for corn increased by 113% in some markets in Mozambique and in Sudan. This is the kind of cost that often gets ignored.
I believe intelligent climate action can help create new opportunities for jobs in Europe, for encouraging creativity and competitiveness, for spending less money on energy. | high3968.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "all the inner planets are better observed than Pluto"
},
"options": [
"Charon was not discovered until the late 1960s .",
"Charon is the largest satellite in the solar system",
"all the inner planets are better observed than ... | prefix = st1 /LONDON-The tiny, distant and frozen planet Pluto, for 30 years believed to have just one moon, has suddenly been found to have two more satellites.
Only discovered in 1930 because of its vast distance from Earth, Pluto has remained a largely mysterious object ever since.
Some three billion miles from the Sun, Pluto, a dwarf planet, remains to be visited by a spacecraft.
Its first known satellite is called Charon . With a diameter of 1,200 km , it is half that of Pluto-unusually large for a moon in relation to its _ .
But now , using images from the Hubble Space Telescope , scientists from Johns Hopkins University , Southwest Research Institute and the Massachusetts instituteofTechnologysay they have found two more tiny orbiting satellites , P1 and P2.
Both are traveling outside the orbit of Charon and are tiny by comparison , the scientists wrote in the journal Nature.
P1, the more distant of the two from Pluto , has a diameter of between 60 and 165 km while P2 is 20 percent smaller .
"Although definitive orbits cannot be obtained , both new satellites appear to be moving in circular orbits in the same orbital plane as Charon with orbital periods of about 38 days for P1 and 25 days for P2," they wrote .
The discovery of the two new members of P1uto's family makes it the only object in the Kuiper belt--a vast region of rock and ice beyond Neptune which contains debris from the formation of the solar system--known to have multiple satellites , the scientists said . | high17686.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To tell the story of the western alphabet."
},
"options": [
"To share something of the Phoneacian history.",
"To tell the story of the western alphabet.",
"To compare the western alphabet with others.",
"To describe the... | The western alphabet, which is used in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Australia and New Zealand as well as in other countries, originated in the Middle East. The people who gave the world this alphabet were the Phoneacians, a people who established colonies all over the Mediterranean, including Carthage in Africa and Gades in Spain. In their alphabet, the letters were represented by little pictures which represented sounds. The Phoneacian A was aelph, which means "bull", and it was made from a little picture of a bull's head. The letter B wasbethwhich meant "house", and showed the round-roofed buildings which you can still see today in Syria.
The Phoneacians had contact with another nation of sailors, the Greeks, with whom they fought and traded. The Greeks also started to use the Phoneacian alphabet. They changed the names, so aelphandbethbecamealphaandbeta. The shapes of the letters are the same, but they have been turned sideways. If you know any Greek, you can try turning the letters around again, and see how they look. You will see that the curve on the right of the Greek A becomes the horns of a little bull.
Of course, the first two letters of the alphabet give it its name. Over the years there have been changes. Latin developed an alphabet with some different letters to the Greeks, and other letters have been added since. But really westerners are using the same system of writing which has served them so well for thousands of years. | high21334.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "agrees with EU targets for non-carbon energy generation"
},
"options": [
"is more rapid than that of carbon-based power",
"guarantees an increase in energy output",
"is expected to be much better than that of nuclear power",
... | As has been all too apparent in recent days at Balcombe, few issues cause greater concern than energy policy. Many village communities feel their countryside is being ruined by the power-producing machines of wind farms; yet they never take "direct action", even though the planning laws put them at a severe disadvantage. And the generous subsidies , which encourage the expansion of wind power, are not favorable to the village communities and set landowners in conflict with other residents .
Those who disagree with the rapid expansion of wind farms state that the damage they cause is out of proportion to the benefits they bring, because their energy output cannot match that of the carbon-based power stations they are supposed to replace. Supporters insist that wind must be part of a mix of renewables, nuclear and carbon, and that the country is committed to meeting EU ( European Union) targets for non-carbon energy generation. ZXXK
Against this background, the fact that there is an argument within the Government over whether to publish an official report on wind farms' impact on the countryside becomes even more extraordinary. The two parties in the coalition government are in disagreement over what it should say.
We have some advice for the two parties: publish the report, and let the country be the judge. Even if it contains evidence that wind farms are harmful, it will hardly be a pleasant surprise to people who do not like them. Equally, supporters must argue their case by acknowledging the concerns and explaining why they are either misplaced or worthy of much attention.
The suggestion that further negotiations are to take place to produce an "acceptable" report suggests that the politics of coalition government are doing the country harm in a certain way. Given the sensitivities involved, all the information should be available so that people can reach their own conclusions, rather than being left with the suspicion that facts are being replaced by political beliefs. | high6810.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "High school graduates preparing to have at-home training."
},
"options": [
"College students preparing to work in some big companies.",
"College students preparing to study for a degree.",
"High school graduates preparing to ... | Have you ever wondered what a Degree might be worth to you in your job or career?It means a lot---Americans with an Associate Degree average nearly $10,000 more in yearly earnings than those with just a High School Diploma.
Harcourt Learning Direct offers you a way to get a Specialized Associate Degree in 11 of today's growing fields--without having to go to college full time.With Harcourt,you study at home,in your spare time---so you don't have to give up your present job while you train for a better one.Choose from exciting majors like Business Management,Accounting,Dressmaking & Design,Bookkeeping,Photography,Computer Science,Engineering,and more!
Your training includes everything you need
Books,lessons,learning aids--even professional quality tools and equipment--everything you need to master your training and move ahead to a new career is included in the low tuition price you pay.
Your education is nationally recognized!
Nearly 2,000 American companies---including General Electric,IBM,Mobil,General Motors,Ford,and many others have used our training for their employees.If companies like these recognize the value of our training,you can be sure that employers in your area will,too!
Earn yomr degree in as little as two years!Get a career diploma in just six months!
The career of your dreams is closer than you think!Even if you have no experience before,you can get valuable job skills in today's hottest fields!Step-by-steplessons make learning easy.Prepare for promotions,pay rises,even start a business of your own!
Send today for FREE information about Harcourt at-home training!
Simply fill in your name and address on the coupon above.Then,write in the name and number of the one program you're most interested in,and mail it today.We'll rush you free information about how you can take advantage of the opportunities in the field you've chosen.Act today!
Mail coupon today!Or call the number below 1-800-372-1589. Call anytime.24 hours a day,7 days a week.
www.harcourt-learning.com
E-mail:harcourt@learning.com | high15091.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "It's a fruitful and wise time."
},
"options": [
"It's a pity that people have to get old.",
"It's a fruitful and wise time.",
"It's stupid to try to stay young.",
"It's a pity that society looks down upon the old."
... | I look in the mirror, and I'm not happy with what I see. I don't have a "perfect" face. I look in the magazines and all I see are girls with fair hair, blue eyes, and, of course, a pretty little nose. They're on the outside of the buses that I take home, the television programs I watch, and the billboards I walk under. Almost every advertisement I see shows this human physical "perfection". These billboards not only tell me what to drink, but also how to look.
Our society place more importance on a person's physical beauty, rather than their ability, honesty and character. We have influenced women to go through painful surgeries and starve themselves to become this society built physical model. To be a beautiful woman in the 21st century doesn't mean that you are a brilliant doctor or caring mother. It means you have the perfect jaw, eyes and lips. It means that you can be six feet tall and weigh one hundred and ten pounds.
But what about the women who are starting to leave their youth? Instead of looking at aging as a sign of wisdom, we try to prevent the aging process . It's a kind of funny thing to want to look eighteen when fifty. Fifty is a relaxed age, when you can step back and look at all you've achieved (successfully complete something). It is when your hard work pays off. Unfortunately, our society just sees you as "old". To stop the aging process, women buy wrinkle creams, do eye lifts and face lifts. They spend thousands of dollars to win the hopeless battle against age.
I remember when I was about thirteen years old and going through teens, I had oily hair, and a half developed body. I hated the way I looked. I used to cry to my mother all the time, but she would just laugh and tell me that "you don't want anyone to like your appearance. It's your heart that is important, because beauty fades. " I knew that she was right. If you work on your heart enough, people will start to see the beauty in you, which lasts and remains on even after you die. | high12926.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Angry and surprised."
},
"options": [
"Very disappointed.",
"Angry and surprised.",
"Very puzzled.",
"Touched."
],
"question": "How did the German Chancellor Angela Merkel feel about the tragedy?",
"question... | Angry survivors demanded answers on Sunday after a terrible stampede at "Love Parade 2010", a music festival in Germany, killed 19 people and left hundreds hurt.
The German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her shock over Saturday's tragedy in the western city of Duisburg. "This was a very sad day," Merkel said. "We must do everything we can to ensure that something like this never happens again."
Witnesses said that people pushed into the narrow tunnel, the only entrance to the Love Parade festival, from both sides until it was dangerously overcrowded. The panic began as festival-goers began to lose consciousness as they were crushed against the walls and each other. The dead included eight foreigners, from Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, China, Bosnia and Spain. More than 340 people were injured.
After the panic, a lot of emergency vehicles, including helicopters, could be seen parked on the highway leading to helicopters, could be seen parked on the highway leading to the festival site, carrying away the injured people. The festival itself, however, went on. Police were afraid that ending the music altogether could cause further unrest among the crowd.
"The event was a real mess," Patrick Guenter, a 22-year-old baker, said. "Although the festival was full, they kept letting people in." he added. "It seems the organizers didn't plan the route. The road was very narrow, and no one knew what was going on." Said Taggart Bowen-Gaddy,20,an American from Philadelphia.
Officials said 4,000 police officers and 1,000 security guards provided security for the event, which attracted up to 1.4 million people. The authorities had only given organizers permission for 250,000 people to attend.
"I warned one year ago that Duisburg was not a suitable place for the Love Parade. The city is too small and narrow for such events. It is a pity that..." German police union chief Rainer Wendt told the Bild.
The chief organizer, Rainer Schaller, said the popular event would never be held again, "out of respect for the victims and their families".
First held in Berlin in 1989 just months before the fall of the Wall, the Love Parade is one of the biggest music festivals in Europe. It left Berlin from 2007 onwards after disagreements with the city authorities over security and has been held in several other German cities in recent years. | high433.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the management was preparing to close the department"
},
"options": [
"he knew the author didn't want to stay there",
"his company was too small to hire so many people",
"he believed the author could get more pay that way",
... | When I started my career in management, I was really green, but I always tried to stay positive on the job. I was working for a new company that was having a difficult time with its customers. Actually, at one point my General Manager told me he liked me and suggested I should start looking for a new job as we were about to lose our only order. Every day we faced people leaving the company, customers complaining, and upper management preparing to close the place.
One night, I went home thinking about the problems. My wife told me to forget about work and see a movie. We went and saw Slumdog Millionaire. Jamal, an eighteen-year-old Indian young man, is from a poor family and becomes rich later. He tries his best to change his position. I realized what we needed to do was to correct the situation.
The next day I called my customers to have a talk. I promised to do my best to solve the problems if they would give us some time. As a result, we were given one month to turn the situation around. This was our only chance to correct the situation. To achieve this, I worked day and night with my team. I can remember working from 6 a. m. and not going home until 2 a. m. the next day.
To make a long story short, we succeeded in solving all of the problems and at the same time increased our productivity . The customers and management were very happy, and I knew at that moment we had saved our jobs. Actually things went so well that we ended up having our pay doubled.
Through this experience I understand that you can achieve what you desire as long as you work at it and stay positive. | high6623.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "an increasing number of animals are killed in road accidents"
},
"options": [
"an increasing number of animals are killed in road accidents",
"the driving conditions have improved greatly",
"the measure for protecting wildlif... | Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side. Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more worried about how the grizzly bear and mountain lion can cross the road.
" Millions of animals die each year on the U. S. roads, " the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact, only about 80 ocelots , an endangered wild cat, exist in the U. S. today. The main reason? Roadkill.
"Eco-passages" may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. " These ecopassages can be extremely useful,so that wildlife can avoid road accidents ," said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Protection Society.
But do animals actually use the eco-passages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an eco-passage that went under a highway. This showed that the lions used the passage.
Builders of eco-passages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.
The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animal over-pass ! | high9510.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the increased use of the Internet"
},
"options": [
"the rapid development of small businesses",
"the opening up of new markets",
"the printing of high quality copies",
"the increased use of the Internet"
],
"que... | At one time, computers were expected largely to remove the need for paper copies of documents because they could be stored electronically. But for all the texts that are written, stored and sent electronically, a lot of them are still ending up on paper.
It is difficult to measure the quantity of paper used as a result of use of Internet-connected computers, although just about anyone who works in an office can tell you that when e-mail is introduced, the printers start working overtime. "I feel in my bones this revolution is causing more trees to be cut down," says Ted Smith of the Earth Village Organization.
Perhaps the best sign of how computer and Internet use pushes up demand for paper comes from the high-tech industry itself, which sees printing as one of its most promising new markets. Several Internet companies have been set up to help small businesses print quality documents from a computer. Earlier this week Hewlett-Packard Co. announced a plan to develop new technologies that will enable people to print even more so they can get a hard copy of a business document, a medical record or just a on-line e-mail, even if they are nowhere near a computer. As the company sees it, the more use of the Internet the greater demand for printers.
Does all this mean environmental concerns have been forgotten? Some activists suggest people have been led to believe that a lot of dangers to the environment have gone away.
"I guess people believe that the problem is taken care of, because of recycling ," said Kelly Quirke, director of the Rainforest Action Network in San Francisco. Yet Quirke is hopeful that high-tech may also prove helpful. He says printers that print on both sides are growing in popularity.
The action group has also found acceptable paper made from materials other than wood, such as agricultural waste. | high14364.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To raise money for children."
},
"options": [
"To raise money for children.",
"To publish a photobook.",
"To find the best picture.",
"To take pictures of different places."
],
"question": "What is the main goal... | Make a difference with your photography
Take the chance to make a real difference with your photography and contribute to One Minute on Earth, a project aiming to help street children around the world.
We all live on the planet Earth, in different time zones and different parts of the world. When you read this, it will be night in one part of the world and morning somewhere else. A sunset and a sunrise is always there at any minute on earth.
In 2015 on the 7thof April at 13:00 (New York time), 200 photographers all around the world clicked on the button of their cameras all within the same minute on earth. From all these amazing landscape photos and stories, a photobook was made which was sold to raise money for charity.
100% of this profit was donated to the Ashalayam Deutschland organisation which used this money to support a street children center in Kolkata India. You can still buy this book from our website, which will help us continue to support the kids.
We plan to hold this event annually, with the next one scheduled on June 21st2017 at 21:00 (New York time). Money raised from the sale of the new photobook will go to a home in South Africa where 75 parentless children live. This year's event will include not only landscape photos but also street photos. The main rule is that the sky must be shown in the photo, so all can see at what time it was shot when this year's One Minute on Earth got to you. | high12715.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Oktoberfest provides a chance to drink, eat, and dance."
},
"options": [
"Oktoberfest 2016 is mainly celebrated in October.",
"Participants can drink beer for free during Oktoberfest.",
"Oktoberfest provides a chance to drink... | Munich sincerely invites you to join the 2016 0ktoberfest--the biggest celebration of its kind in Europe. Drink beer by the liter, eat traditional Bavarian food, listen to traditional Bavarian music as well as more up-to-date music, and enjoy yourself with hundreds of other people from all over the world, dancing and singing the hours away.
Oktoberfest 2016 begins on Saturday 17th September and runs through to Monday 3rd October 2016. Don't miss the events during Oktoberfest!
Grand entry of the Oktoberfest landlords and breweries
Date: Saturday, 17th September 2016
Duration: about 45 minutes
This is the official prelude to the opening of the Oktoberfest and involves about 1,000 participants, including the landlords' families in decorated carriages, the magnificent horse-drawn drays, waitresses on decorated floats and all the beer tent bands.
Oktoberfest Costume and Riflemen-s Parade
Date: Sunday, 18th September 2016
Duration:2-2 1/2 hours, about 8000 performers,7 km distance
A varied succession of regional costume groups, "troops" in historical uniforms, marching bands, riflemen, thoroughbred horses, oxen, cows, goats, floats displaying typical local traditions and historic carriages all pass by in a 7-kilometer-long procession through the streets of the city center.
Open-Air Oktoberfest Music
Date: Sunday, 25th September 2016
Place: on the steps of the Bavaria statue
At the traditional open-air concert on the second Sunday of the Oktoberfest, all the instruments that make up typical Bavarian wind band music can be heard. The bands from all of the tents come together at the steps under the Bavaria statue to play the most well-known songs and marches of Oktoberfest together while being conducted by distinguished Munich personalities. | high19640.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Smith didn't do so"
},
"options": [
"Smith pulled the pilot up",
"Smith did so",
"Smith didn't do so",
"Smith didn't hear him"
],
"question": "When the pilot asked Smith to grab the rope, _ .",
"question_... | A man named Smith was sitting on his roof during a flood, and the water was up to his feet. Before long a fellow in a canoe passed and shouted, "Can I give you a lift to higher ground?"
"No, thanks," said Smith. "I have faith in God and he will save me."
Soon the water rose to Smith's waist.(,) At this point a motor boat pulled up and someone called out, "Can I give you a lift to higher ground?"
"No, thanks, I have faith in God and he will save me."
Later a helicopter flew by, and Smith was now standing on the roof with water up to his neck. "Grab the rope, "shouted the pilot. "I'll pull you up."
"No, thanks," said Smith. "I have faith in God and he will save me. "But after hours of struggling with water, poor exhausted Smith drowned and went to his reward. As he arrived at the Pearly Gates, Smith met God and complained about this. "Tell me, God, "he said, "I had such faith in you to save me and you let me drown. What happened?"
To which God replied, "What do you want from me? I sent you two boats and a helicopter." | high4034.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "languages"
},
"options": [
"money",
"languages",
"opportunities",
"diploma"
],
"question": "From the passage, we know that an interpreter's job must have something to do with _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_... | Many job opportunities are offered to those who wish to work. It helps if you know more than one language. There are good jobs for interpreters and typists who know English and another language.
There are many good jobs in government. In most cases, you must be a citizen of this country, and you must take a civil service examination. These examinations are open to everyone, regardless of race, religion, or color.
For many civil service jobs you need a high school diploma. The person who does not have a high school diploma can get one. There are several ways. You can study high school subjects at home and then take special tests. If you pass the tests, then you get a diploma. Or you can go to night school. There are classes that prepare you to take special tests to earn a diploma.
You can attend a night school that grants a high school diploma if you complete certain courses. If you do this, you do not have to take the special tests. Be as well trained as you can. Get as much training as you can. Opportunity knocks at every door. Be sure that when it knocks at your door you are ready. | high2445.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It's becoming increasingly popular among the children."
},
"options": [
"It's declining due to the safety worries.",
"Girls can be admitted as long as they're willing to.",
"It's becoming increasingly popular among the childr... | In the gym of Croxteth Community School, Liverpool, 50 boys have completed a course on boxing that is seen as a pilot for its return to state schools.
The Schools Amateur Boxing Association (SABA) has developed the Kid Gloves scheme ( ),a -non-contact version of the sport where outside coaches teach a range of basic skills.
Chris Andrews, assistant secretary of the SABA, said the scheme was regarded as a way of changing the decline in boxing in state schools which began 25 years ago.
Safety fears and the poor image of professional boxing had accelerated the sport's decline. Concern was worsened by incidents such as the death of the professional boxer Bradley Stone. But the Croxteth example was winning more supporters. Mr. Andrews said the idea was particularly well received in the north-east of England.
"The interest shown so far has been enormous," he said. "I believe that boxing will come back into schools. A video has been produced to promote boxing in schools, and a bid has been made for a Sports Council grant ."
He said, "I think there is a genuine recognition that there are aspects to boxing, if it is controlled and properly run, that really are very beneficial for children. This scheme takes away the dangers. I hope boxing can be promoted throughout the country in a more coordinated way." Such an idea horrifies such groups as the British Medical Association (BMA) and the British Safety Council, both critics of the idea.
Dr Jeffrey Cundy, the joint author of a BMA report on boxing, accepted that the scheme in Liverpool was non-contact, but he was still opposed. He said, "We feel that children should still not be introduced to boxing, because they will then be encouraged to take up an activity which is uniquely dangerous when actual contact takes place."
He added, "There is a whole range of sports which will teach the discipline that comes from boxing without the dangers. We see this reintroduction in schools as an unhealthy development."
At the 800-pupil Croxteth school, Steve Stewart, head of PE, said boxing had helped to improve self-confidence, self-discipline, self-awareness and self-respect in those taking part. Everybody could get involved and, because all were starting from scratch, the improvements could be quickly seen.
Certificates were presented to the pupils at the end of the course by Paul Hodgkinson, a local boxer who is a former world champion. Next year, the course will be repeated and if possible girls will be allowed to take part following requests from them.
Gerry Thompson and Tony Curry, both 12,have enjoyed the boxing sessions and say they will both join a local boxing club. "I thought it was brilliant," said Gerry. "I would rather be a professional boxer than a footballer. It's more enjoyable*" | high10102.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Religious activities developed gradually from ceremonies."
},
"options": [
"Three theories about how drama came into being are mentioned.",
"The majority of people believe drama came from ceremonies.",
"Stories were made up t... | There are many theories about how drama came into being in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama developed gradually from ceremonies. The argument for this view goes as follows.
In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world as unpredictable, and they sought through various means to control these unknown powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then kept and repeated until they hardened into fixed ceremonies. Eventually stories arose which explained the mysteries of the ceremonies. As time passed, some of them were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths , provided materials for art and drama
Those who believe that drama came out of ceremonies also argue that those ceremonies contained the seed of theater because music, dance, and masks were almost always used. In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the rules of ceremonies, religious leaders usually assumed that task. Wearing masks, they often impersonated other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and performed the desired effect by gestures -- success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun -- as an actor might. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities.
Another theory finds out the theater came from the human Interest in storytelling. According to this view, tales (about the hunt, war, or other events) are gradually formed, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a speaker and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person A closely related theory about drama _ those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds. | high3983.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a creative engineer"
},
"options": [
"a successful businessman",
"a creative engineer",
"a famous astronaut",
"a generous expert"
],
"question": "From the passage we know Dennis Tito probably was _ .",
"q... | Billionaire Dennis Tito, tired of being told that we can't send humans to Mars just yet, on Wednesday revealed his scheme for launching two astronauts to the red planet as early as December 2017.
Titled "Inspiration Mars," the flyby mission would exploit a rare line of Earth and Mars that minimizes the time and the fuel it would take to get to Mars and back home again. The astronauts would come within 100 miles of the Martian surface before being taken back to Earth.
"It would be a voyage of around 800 million miles around the sun in 501 days," Tito testified Wednesday at a hearing of the House subcommittee on space. "No longer is a Mars flyby mission just one more theoretical idea. It can be done. Not in a matter of decades, but in a few years."
Tito is a former engineer who made a fortune in investment management and, in 2001, became the first person to pay his way into space, buying a seat on a Russian rocket. Now he's pitching Inspiration Mars as a national priority for the United States. Grab this rare chance to go to Mars quickly or risk seeing China or Russia get there first, he told members of Congress.
Tito mentioned a backup plan that would offer Inspiration Mars four more years of development time. Another line of planets in 2021 offers a second chance to go to Mars fairly quickly, but the journey would last 80 days longer and require that the astronauts fly much closer to the sun, within the orbit of Venus, in one portion of the trip. That would add to the already considerable radiation hazards.
When Tito talked of the idea of Inspiration Mars early this year, he thought he could use primarily private rockets and minimize the need for NASA involvement. But the possibility study led Tito back to NASA. NASA is building a huge rocket, the Space Launch System, that is supposed to be ready for its originally, uncrewed test flight in 2017. The second launch, carrying a crew in NASA's new Orion capsule for the first time, isn't scheduled until 2021.
Tito's plan would essentially borrow the SLS for the Mars mission, if NASA agreed. And NASA would have to pay for a lot of this. Tito described Inspiration Mars as a "charity partnership with government." He said private donors would probably give about $300 million for the mission, and the government would need to provide about $700 million -- in addition to the money NASA is already spending, under current programs, on rocket and spacecraft development.
NASA reacted coolly to Tito's proposal.
"Inspiration Mars's proposed schedule is a significant challenge due to life support systems, space radiation response, habitats and the human psychology of being in a small spacecraft for over 500 days," spokesman David Weaver said in a statement. "The agency is willing to share technical and programmatic expertise with Inspiration Mars but is unable to commit to sharing expenses with them. However, we remain open to further cooperation as their proposal and plans for a later mission develop." | high18238.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The lifestyle of green collars."
},
"options": [
"Differences between white-and-blue collars and green collars.",
"The increasing awareness of environmental protection.",
"New trends of life in China's big cities.",
"Th... | There's been a lot of talk about white-and-blue collar workers, and you may have even heard of gold collar workers, but lately a new color of collar is making its way into China's urban vernacular --green. Green collars say no when work is life and life is work. They choose to get out of the fast lane , and explore new ways of living "green".
Living green doesn't mean someone is working as an environmentalist, biologist or scientist. Instead it is more of a lifestyle choice. A typical green collar is well educated like a white-collar but physically tough like a blue-collar, likely born in the 70s or 80s of the last century and living in one of China's big cities, with a monthly income well above 5,000 yuan (about US $700).
The life of a green collar may go something like this; Turn off the mobile phone after work, eat only healthy food rich in vitamins, go on hikes every weekend, and like to help _
Green collars even have their own club. In Beijing, the Green Collar Club is for people who share a "be happy, healthy and helpful" spirit. The club often holds charity parties and uses the donations for environmental protection and poverty relief projects in China.
"They are successful in their careers, but do not miss the pleasures in life. They have a lot of money, but do not fall slave to it." said Zuo Shiguang, one of the founding members of the club. | high2323.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The economic recession has affected men more than women."
},
"options": [
"Women workers are paid less than men.",
"More women now have higher education than men.",
"The economic recession has affected men more than women.",
... | Women are on their way to holding more than half of all American jobs. The latest government report shows that their share of non-farm jobs nearly reached fifty percent in September, 2009.
The job market continues to suffer the effects of last year's financial crash. On the one hand more women have entered the labor market over the years, and on the other hand the economic recession has hit men harder than women. In October the unemployment rate for men was almost 11% compared to 8% for women.
Industries that traditionally use lots of men have suffered deep cuts. For example, manufacturing and building lost more jobs last month. But health care and temporary employment services have had job growth. Both of those industries employ high percentages of women.
Thirty years ago, women earned sixty-two cents for every dollar that men earned. Now, for those who usually work full time, women earn about eighty percent of what men earn. And a recent study from the University of California, Davis, reveals that women hold fifty-one percent of well-paid management and professional jobs. Yet the study also shows that men still hold about nine out of every ten top positions at most companies. The results have remained largely unchanged for five years.
Also, a new research paper in the journalSex Roleslooks at the experiences of women who are the main earners in their families. Rebecca Meisenbach at the University of Missouri in Columbia interviewed fifteen women. She found that they all value their independence and many enjoy having the power of control, though not all want it. But they even feel more pressure and worry. That is partly because of cultural expectations that working women should still take care of the children. Also, men who are not the main earners may feel threatened. | high10664.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it has liquid water on its surface"
},
"options": [
"because animals need water",
"the water makes it look blue from space",
"it has liquid water on its surface",
"Earth is the third planet from the sun"
],
"que... | Earth is the third planet from the sun.It is one of the four inner planets.The other three inner planets are Mercury,Venus,and Mars.The inner planets are also called the rocky planets,because they are made of rocks.
Earth is often called the "Water Planet",because it is the only planet in our solar system which has liquid water on its surface.About 70% of the surface of Earth is covered by water! The other part of Earth is made up of continents and islands which have different landforms on them.Examples of landforms are mountains and plains.Plants and animals can live on Earth,because it has so much water.
Earth spins very quickly compared to other planets.It only takes Earth 24 hours to spin around its axis one time.One Earth day is 24 hours long!Earth orbits the sun in 365 days! This makes one Earth year 365 days long!
Earth is the only planet in our solar system where humans,other animals,and plants can live.There is plenty of water to drink or to live in.Water is present on Earth in its big oceans and in the air! Clouds are made of water vapor.The atmosphere has a lot of oxygen in it for animals to breathe,but the rest of our "air" is made up of water vapor,nitrogen,carbon dioxide,and other gases.The air is perfect for plants to grow.Earth temperature is not the same in all places,but the temperature is just right for plants,animals,and humans in most places on Earth.
Like the other inner planets,Earth has volcanoes.Volcanoes on Earth are different from those on other planets,because they still erupt.Scientists think that there may be active volcanoes on other planets and moons in our solar system,but they are still studying this.
Earth has one planet which we call the Moon.The surface of the Moon has many craters on it These were caused when meteorites hit it.It has many volcanoes on it which do not erupt anymore.We can see the moon at night without using a telescope.It is the closest space object to our planet,Earth. | high16215.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "before 700 BC"
},
"options": [
"a thousand years ago",
"in the seventh century AD",
"in modern times",
"before 700 BC"
],
"question": "The first old Olympic Games took place _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_... | In ancient Greece,there were four major athletic meetings and the Olympian meeting played the most important part in the lives of the people. As time passed,the Olympian meeting gradually lost its local character and became first a national event and then international. No one knows exactly how far back the Olympic Games go but some official records date from 776 BC.
The Games took place every four years on the plain by Mount Olympus. Thousands of people came from all parts of the Greek world to watch the games. The winner of the foot race had the great honor of giving his name to the year of his history.
After a long history of almost 1,200 years,the Games were stopped for religious reasons. It was then decided in 1896 to start the Olympic Games again. The meeting was held in Athens and 311 athletes from 13 countries took part in it but the idea of such an international meeting attracted the world's attention. After the 1908 London Olympics,many nations sent their best athletes. Although the Games have been time and again threatened by some unfavorable political events, the Games have taken place every four years.
Nowadays, the Games are held in different countries in turn. As the biggest international gathering of any kind in the world,athletes from different countries play games together and this provides them with good chances to learn to live together. The friendly feelings in the Olympic Village make people think of the world as one big family. The Olympic Games will be hosted in Beijing in 2008. It is believed that the Games will be a wonder of the world. | high19126.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "were involved in a truck accident"
},
"options": [
"were lost on a country road",
"had limited time to find their way",
"were involved in a truck accident",
"knew little of what happened to them"
],
"question": ... | Rocky Lyons was five years old when his mother, Kelly, was driving along the country road with him. He was asleep on the front seat of their truck, with his feet resting on her lap. As his mom drove carefully down the winding country road, she turned onto a narrow bridge. The truck hit a rock and slid off the road. She attempted to bring it back up onto the road by pressing hard on the gas pedal and turning the steering wheel to the left. But Rocky's foot got caught between her leg and the steering wheel and she lost control of the truck.[ X.JTYJY.COM/]
The truck fell into a 20-foot ravine . When it hit bottom, Rocky woke up. "What happened, Mama?" he asked. "Our wheels are pointing toward the sky."
Kelly was seriously wounded and blinded by blood. "I'll get you out, Mama," announced Rocky, who had surprisingly escaped injury. He climbed out from under Kelly, slid through the open window and tried to yank his mother out. But she didn't move.
"Just let me sleep," begged Kelly, who was out of consciousness. Rocky insisted, "Mom, you can't go to sleep."
Rocky managed to push Kelly out of the truck and told her he'd climb up to the road and stop a car to get help. Fearing that no one would be able to see her little boy in the dark, Kelly refused to let him go alone. Instead they slowly moved up to the road. The pain was so great that Kelly wanted to give up, but Rocky wouldn't let her.
Rocky kept repeating the inspirational phrase, "I know you can, I know you can." When they finally reached the road, Rocky broke into tears seeing his mother's torn face clearly for the first time. Waving his arms and shouting, "Please stop!" the boy stopped a truck. His mother was sent to hospital.
It took 8 hours to rebuild Kelly's face. She looks quite different today---"I used to have a straight long nose, thin lips and high cheekbones; now I've got a flat cheeks and much bigger lips"--- but she has few scars and has recovered from her injuries.
Rocky's heroics were big news. Everyone was surprised at this little boy's power. "It's not like I wanted it to happen," The boy explained. " I just did what anyone would have done." "If it weren't for Rocky, I'd have died," said his mother. | high4752.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Watching wildlife is a memorable experience."
},
"options": [
"Dogsledding is the most popular sport among local people.",
"Watching wildlife is a memorable experience.",
"Travelers should bring their own sports equipment.",
... | Welcome to Banff, Canada's first, most famous and arguably most fascinating national park. If you've come to ski or snowboard, we'll see you on the slopes. Skiing is a local favourite too.
While you're here, try other recreational activities available in our mountains. Popular choices include a Banff Gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain, bathe in the natural mineral waters at the Upper Hot Spring, horse-drawn sleigh ride, drive-your-own-team dog sled excursion, and snowmobile tour to the highland(but not in the national park).
We also recommend you make time to enjoy simple pleasures. After looking around Banff Ave shops, walk a couple of blocks west or south to the scenic Bow River.
True ice skating on frozen Lake Louise where Ice Magic International Ice Sculpture Competition Works are displayed after Jan 25. You can rent skates in Banff or at the sport shop in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel.
Banff's backcountry paths access a wilderness world of silence and matchless beauty--cross country skis and snowshoes provide the means. Banff sport shops rent equipment and clothes, or join an organized tour. Although we've been many times, we still find the cliffs and icefalls of our frozen canyons worth visiting.
Wildlife watching also creates satisfying memories. We have seen hundreds of the elk and bighorn sheep that attract visitors, yet they still arouse a sense of wonder. And the rare spotting of a cougar, wolf or woodland caribou takes our breath away.
See if simple pleasure work for your Fight in the snow with your kids, walk beside a stream or climb to a high place and admire the view.
--Banff Resort Guide Editors | high8168.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the world population is growing up."
},
"options": [
"the world population is growing up.",
"there will be more wars about water.",
"people don't have efficient management of the water industry.",
"water services will b... | We always read reports about costs of oil going up and we will think this is our most valuable material. However, water is the most valuable resource . People in the Middle East are more worried about this than oil. Maybe the next war will be about water.
In the future, to control the quality and quantity , you will use different water for different usages. The water used to wash your car, water your flowers or wash your clothes doesn't need to be as clean as the water you drink.
One in five people live in countries without enough fresh water and in 25 years, the number is believed to be one in every three people. Our world population is increasing. What do you suppose this will suggest for us in the future? Population control?
Traditional management of the water industry has been out of date since the 1990s. When technologies develop so rapidly in the world, we have loads of information for technologies in the business world, but in the water industry we don't have any.
Britain and France have already taken measures to successfully improve their water industries. All the water services in Britain have been provided by private companies since 1991. Since then, improvement has been made in the rules for their water quality and pricing.
What can you do now for the future? Using water more efficiently in your house can make a great difference not only to the world but to your money. Even if you don't have to pay much now, you will when you start to pay big prices for different water usages. | high12073.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "In 2013."
},
"options": [
"In 1973.",
"In 1982.",
"In 2013.",
"In 2014."
],
"question": "When did Hunt Midwest's two parks start to share one ticket?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answ... | Worlds of Fun
Location: Worlds of Fun is located off Highway 435 in Kansas City, Missouri.
History: Worlds of Fun was opened on May 26, 1973, at a cost of 25 million dollars. Loosely themed around the Jules Verne book, Around the World in Eighty Days, the park was founded by Hunt Midwest Company. In 1982, Hunt Midwest bought a nearby waterpark, Oceans of Fun. In 2013, Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun were combined to a one ticket admission, providing all guests with access to 235 acres of amusement and water rides.
Hours: Worlds of Fun is open from April through Halloween.
Tickets: Buy and print online. Always try to buy your tickets in advance, to save time when you get to the park.
Reservations: Worlds of Fun sells "Fast Lane" cards that save riders' time by allowing them to bypass the majority of wait for most of rides and attractions including Mamba, Prowler, and Patriot. Ride as many times as you want all day long.
Strategy : Most visitors tend to begin the day with Prowler, the hottest attraction in the park. Use that tendency to your advantage and head to the Patriot first. After that, try the Dragons. Then work your way back to the Prowler. After riding the Prowler, there is only one coaster left, Mamba. Hit it next. If the park is not very crowded, you can ride Boomerang on the way to Mamba. After riding Mamba, head back for a ride on the Wolf. By then you will have tried most of the popular rides and attractions in the shortest possible time.
News: In 2014, Worlds of Fun is adding Steel Hawk, a ride that will take guests up 301 feet in the air and spin them at a 45-degree angle for a 60-second flight. Wait to have a try! | high6145.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "fighters performing a task in an unknown land"
},
"options": [
"treasure hunters seeking big fortunes",
"generals seeking power over another country",
"soldiers going to war to fight for their freedom",
"fighters perfor... | In 1880, fourteen-year-old Matthew Henson loved to hear sailors tell tales of their exciting lives at sea. The travel, the adventure, the danger, and the steady pay were all attracting young Henson. One day, he found a job as a cabin boy on a beautiful ship called the Katie Hinds. For the next five years, Henson sailed around the world. With the help of the ship's captain and other members of the crew, Henson learned mathematics, navigation, history, geography, and many other subjects. By the time he left the Katie Hinds in 1885, Henson was well educated and had become an excellent seaman.
Unable to find work anywhere else, Henson took a job in a hat shop in Washington, D.C. One day in 1887, a man came in to buy a hat. The man, Robert Peary, asked the owner if he knew anyone with experience at sea. Peary would soon travel to South America for the U.S. government. He needed experienced men to accompany him. The shop owner knew about his young employee's skills and experience on ocean journeys, so he introduced Peary to Henson.
Using his map-reading and sailing skills, Henson proved himself to be a worthy and smart seaman. Peary soon made Henson his assistant, and they became close friends. One day Peary told Henson about his real dream: to be the first man to stand on "the top of the world" at the North Pole. He asked Henson to help him make his dream come true. Over the next five years, the two explorers made two trips together to the Arctic. However, they were not able to reach the pole either time. The cold, wind, and ice were worse than either of them had ever imagined.
In 1908, Peary and Henson were ready to make their final attempt at reaching the North Pole. Both men were over forty years old. The years of hardship in the arctic cold had made them suffer a lot. This would be their last chance. With four Inuit guides, they made a mad rush straight across the ice toward the pole. Peary's feet were injured and he had to be pulled on a dogsled. In April 1909, Henson's instruments showed they were standing at the North Pole. Together Henson and Peary planted the American flag in the snow.
In later years, Robert Peary and Henson were greatly honored for their achievements. Today, the two friends and fellow explorers lie in heroes' graves not far apart in the Arlington National Cemetery. | high9276.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "make medicine"
},
"options": [
"make medicine",
"make food",
"get award",
"do the experiment"
],
"question": "Artemisinin is used to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Tu Youyou, an 84-year-old female scientist, became the first Chinese to win a Nobel Prize in science on Oct 5. Before that, she ever won the 2011 Lasker Award for finding out artemisinin (Qinghaosu), which saved millions of lives. She was grateful for the Lasker prize, but said, "It is just a scientist' duty. I will go on fighting for the health of all humans."
Tu kept her work in the 1960s and 1970s. In that age, Malaria could took away people's health. Scientists all over the world had already tried over 240, 000 times but failed. Tu Youyou, a member of the Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, began to study Chinese herbs.
Before 2011, people didn't know Tu very much. Many friends played jokes with her "the Professor of Three None's" : no degree , no study experience abroad, not a member of any Chinese national colleges. But she is hard-working. She read a lot of traditional Chinese medicine books and did a lot of researches on the disease.
In February, 2012, Tu was named National Outstanding Females (One of the Ten) Tu is now a model of Chinese medical workers. | high14402.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because they didn't have a ciear plan to save their industry."
},
"options": [
"Because the government had no extra money to help.",
"Because they didn't have a ciear plan to save their industry.",
"Because they had wasted to... | The United States is already one year into a depression That was the news this week from the Na-tional Bureau of Economic Research. The downturn is the longest since a depression that began in 1981and lasted sixteen months.
Economists generally wait for production to shrink for six months in a row before they declare a re-cession. But the bureau, a private group, uses a wider set of information to measure the economy. Thenews only confirmed what many people already knew: that the world's largest economy is weak and maynot recover soon.
Worsening conclitions have led to a big drop in spending, especially on costly products like new cars. Even Japanese automaker Toyota saw its sales fall thirty - four percent in the United States in November from a year ago.
The heads of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors retumed to Congress this week to again ask for federal aid. Congressional leaders denounced them two weeks ago after they came in private jets with no clear plans for saving their industry. This time, the chiefs drove to Washington in fuel- saving hybrid vehicles. And their companies presented detailed restructuring plans. The reguest for aid has risen from twenty-five billion dollars two weeks ago to thirty-four billion in loans and credit lines.
G.M. wants almost half of that, and says it needs four billion dollars this month. It warned that without support it cannot continue to operate.
Ford is in a better position, But the sharing of suppliers means it could be affected if G.M. or
Chrysler fails. Ford is asking for a nine billion dollar credit line in case it needs it.
Chrysler is the smallest and most trouble of America's Big Three. It says it needs a seven billion dollar loan by the end of the month.
Two days of congressional hearings began Thursday in the Senate Banking Committee. The chairman, Democrat Chris Dodd, said he would support helping the automakers for the good of the economy.
But the committee's top Republican, Richard Shelby, continued to express opposition to a bailout .
A main root of the world financial crisis is the weak housing market in the United States. The Trea-sury Department has been under pressure to help troubled homeowners. Now comes news that the depart-ment is developing a plan aimed at reducing interest rates on mortgage loans for some buyers of homes. That could be good for homeowners trying to sell. | high15708.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "who have a drinking habit"
},
"options": [
"who produce wine",
"who have a drinking habit",
"who go on a diet",
"who are eager to lose weight"
],
"question": "The passage is mainly for those _ .",
"questio... | It has always been thought that alcohol causes people to put on weight because it contains a lot of sugar, but new research suggests glass a day could form part a diet. Looking at past studies they found that, while heavy drinkers do put on weight; those who drink _ can actually lose weight.
A spokesman for the research team at Navarro University in Spain says, "Light to moderate alcohol intake, especially of wine, may be more likely to protect against, rather than promote, weight gain." The International Scientific Forum on Alcohol research reviewed the findings and agreed with most of the conclusions, particularly that data do not clearly indicate if moderate drinking increases weight.
Boston University's Dr. Harvey Finkel found that the biologic mechanisms relating alcohol to changes in body weight are not properly understood. His team pointed out the strong protective effects of moderate drinking on the risk of getting conditions like diabetes , which relate to increasing obesity. Some studies suggest that even very obese people may be at lower risk of diabetes if they are moderate drinkers.
The group says alcohol provides calories that are quickly absorbed into the body and a enot stored in fat, and that this process could explain the differences in its effects from those of other foods. They agree that future research should be directed towards assessing the roles of different types of alcoholic drinks, taking into consideration drinking patterns and including the past tendency of participants to gain weight.
For now there is little evidence that consuming small to moderate amounts of alcohol on a regular basis increases one's risk of becoming obese. What's more, a study three years ago suggested that resveratrol, a compound present in grapes and red wine destroys fat cells. | high12067.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because he had to escape being bullied"
},
"options": [
"Because his mother was strict with him.",
"Because he was afraid of his mother.",
"Because he had to escape being bullied",
"Because he didn't like to go to schoo... | On a hot summer's day Jonathan and his classmates were anxiously sitting in their classroom, waiting for the final bell of the day to sound. Jonathan prayed that the bell would ring soon, because he wanted to quickly run home before the three huge, fat, smelly bullies could see him. Every day the three bullies would wait there for an innocent school kid to tease and bully.
The moment the bell sounded, Jonathan rushed out with his bag. He sped off across the school field and out onto the walkway. However, all of his effort was useless because leaning on a fence were the three bullies.
Jonathan thought about crossing the street next to him, but it would be too risky. So he hid behind a small bush in hope that the three would leave. But he moved too quickly and was seen by one of the bullies. They approached him then.
One bully grabbed Jonathan by the collar of his shirt and grabbed the money out of Jonathan's pocket and put it into his own.
"G-Give it back", Jonathan weakly said.
"G-G-Give it b-back", mocked the bully. The other two bullies laughed.
Beside them was a small dirty stream.
"Let's throw him in there", said one of the bullies.
Then they threw Jonathan into the stream and walked off down the walkway. Jonathan shakily picked himself up out of the creek and continued his walk home with his head down and tears in his eyes. He dared not cry because he knew boys didn't cry.
Jonathan arrived at his house where his mother was waiting outside the front door with an angry look on her face.
"Why are you so late and dirty?" she asked curiously.
"I slipped", he quietly replied. | high13379.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "had toured around the world"
},
"options": [
"had toured around the world",
"had visited local prisons",
"had tried doing exercise to recover himself",
"had been friends with the prison minister"
],
"question": ... | There is a story about a man who lost his legs and left arm in an accident. After the accident, only a finger and thumb on his right hand remained.
He was a brilliant, creative, and educated man. He had gained a lot of experience while traveling around the world, so he became very depressed after his accident. He was afraid that he would spend the rest of his life suffering and would no longer be able to spend his life in a meaningful way. Then, he realized that he still had partial function of his right hand and could still write even though it was very difficult. An idea occurred to him. "Why not write to other people who need encouragement?"
He wrote to the prison ministry about sending letters to the prisoners. The prison minister replied, "Writing to the prisoners is acceptable, but your letters will not be answered."
Filled with excitement, the man knew he could write his letters. He began sending one-way messages of God's love, hope, strength, and encouragement. He wrote twice a week, testing his strength and ability to the limit. He poured his heart and soul into his words and shared his experience, sense of humor, optimism, and faith.
It was difficult to write those letters, especially without hope of a reply. One day he received a letter from the prison ministry. It was a short note from the officer who monitored and checked the prison mail.
The letter said, "Please write on the best paper you can afford. Your letters are passed from cell to cell until they literally fall to pieces!"
No matter what circumstances life may present, we all have unique experiences, abilities, and God-given talents. We can discover ways to reach others who desperately need messages of encouragement and strength. | high6151.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To introduce the idea that crows are smart."
},
"options": [
"To introduce the idea that crows are smart.",
"To show that fables about crows are wrong.",
"To explain why crows can solve problems.",
"To prove that crows ... | When it comes to problem solving, many of us have heard of the skills of the crow in Aesop's Fables (<<>> ).
In the story, a thirsty crow comes across a bottle of water, but the water level is out of its reach. The bird then drops small stones into it until the water level rises enough for the bird to drink.
"Oh, it's just a fable," you may think. After all, it's hard to imagine birds knowing about "problem solving".
But new research has found that crows' brains may sometimes be better than those of 6-year-old children.
In a recent experiment, US scientist Corina Logan and her team caught six crows to test them. There were two tubes of water, one wide and the other narrow . Each crow was given four stones, enough to help them get the water in the narrow tube, but not the wide one.
Surprisingly, the crows dropped all or most of the stones into the narrower tube and got the food reward! They had found out the cause-and-effect relationship.Using such brains, crows are making their lives easier. For example, some crows in cities have learned to use road traffic for breaking nuts, National Geographic News reported.
But how are their wits compared to humans'? Logan's team did another experiment, this time on both crows and children.
Here, the crows and children had to choose between two sets of tubes.
With the red set, when they dropped a stone into a wide tube, the water level raised in a connected narrow tube that contained food.
The blue set of tubes, however, had no connection between them. So dropping a stone in the wide tube did not cause the water level to rise in the narrow tube.
Children aged 7 to 10 were able to learn the rule. Children aged 4 to 6, however, failed.
Five of the six crows failed the test. But Kitty, a 6-month-old crow, passed it. She put all or most of the stones into the red tube.
So, could a bird be more clever than a kindergartner? Don't be too quick to say no. | high9262.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "make a conversation"
},
"options": [
"find common ground",
"impress the other person",
"make a conversation",
"make the room warmer"
],
"question": "According to the article, starting by talking about the settin... | How did your friendships begin? Most start with a short conversation on a random day. Asking about a homework assignment in class or complaining about your painful legs after playing in a soccer game, you found your best pal by accident.
"Small talk is where all your relationships begin," Forbes magazine summed up.
The following is a five-step guide to making small talk from Bernardo J. Carducci, the director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast, US. Let's have a look.
Getting started
Begin by talking about the setting, such as the weather outside or the room you are in ("It's cold in here, isn't it?"). The purpose of talking about the setting is to show the other person that you are willing to make a conversation.
2The personal introduction
You should mention something about yourself, such as your name. A good personal introduction helps move the conversation forward.
3Looking for topics
At this point, you and your conversation partner need to find common ground. This is a good time to ask questions or to refer back to things you've said or heard earlier. Don't worry if it gets quiet. The other person is probably just thinking of something to say.
4Expanding the topic
The goal is to keep the conversation going. At every stage, you should be careful not to talk too much. But don't let the other person _ the conversation either. If that starts to happen, mention something about yourself when he or she takes a breath.
5A polite ending
When ending a conversation, let the person know you'll be leaving soon, express gratitude for the conversation and set the stage for a future conversation. For example, you could say, "I really must be going soon, but I had a great time chatting with you. I really liked hearing your opinion about that new movie. Here's my phone number. Call or text me if you know of any other movies you think I might enjoy." | high5458.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "skill in drumming that only a few people possess"
},
"options": [
"how to teach lessons in French or English",
"what the largest guitar contest in Canada is",
"more information about the Drummer Contest",
"skill in drum... | Elite Lessons
Experienced music performer is offering one-on-one drum lesson. As the winner of the Drummer Contest, the largest drummer contest in Canada, I can teach you secret techniques that only an elite group knows, but the group doesn't share them with the public. The result is instant improvement in your speed and ability to play the drum. Lessons are taught in French or English, $25 an hour. Call at 514-585-5054 if you want to know more information.
Private Tutoring
Professional French tutor is offering French tutoring, $15 an hour. I possess a BA in translation from Concordia University and have over 5 years' teaching experience. The course consists of conversational French, grammar, reading comprehension ,etc. Courses are given in the downtown area. For more information please call at 514-835-1834.
Customized Tutoring
Hello, my name is Christopher Marion. I am a graduate students at Concordia University, 21 years of age. I was born and lived in France for 17 years. I will be happy to provide customized help in French writing or speaking. The lesson's style can be whatever suits your needs. I am charging $19 an hour. I live in downtown Montreal. Feel free to contact me at 514-785-5654.
Basic Lessons for Beginners
Always wanted to learn the guitar? This is your chance and it only costs $14 an hour. I can teach you to play any style of music you like in a fun and relaxed way. I start from the basics, showing you how to play the songs you love, and improving your technique as we go along. If you don't already have a guitar, that's not a problem. Please call at 514-880-8872 or email totarungeo@gmail.comif interested. Thanks!. | high2337.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "because it was to be the nation's capital city"
},
"options": [
"because a French engineer was invited to design it",
"because President George Washington liked to live in it",
"because the British invaders lived in it in1812... | In Washington D.C., 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is a very special address. It is the address of the White House, the home of the president of the United States.
Originally the White House was gray and was called the presidential Palace. It was built from 1792 to 1800. At this time, the city of Washington itself was being built. It was to be the nation's new capital city. George Washington, the first president, and Pierre Charles L'Enfant, a French engineer, chose the place for the new city. L'Enfant then planned the city. The president's home was an important part of the plan.
A contest was held to pick a design for the president's home. An architect named James Hoban won. He designed a large three-story house of gray stone.
President Washington never lived in the Presidential Palace. The first president to live there was John Adams, the second president of the United States, and his wife Mrs.Adams did not really like her new house. In her letters, she often complained about the cold. Fifty fireplaces were not enough to keep the house warm.
In 1812 the United States and Britain went to war. In 1814 the British invaded Washington. They burned many buildings, including the Presidential Palace.
After the war James Hoban, the original architect, partially rebuilt the president's home. To cover the marks of the fire, the building was painted white. Before long it became known as the White House.
The White House is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States. Every year more than 1.5 million visitors go through the five rooms that are open to the public. | high10670.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a policeman"
},
"options": [
"a policeman",
"a driver",
"a doctor",
"the boy's father"
],
"question": "The writer of the story is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"a... | "A child is dying---out of breath!" I had just begun my working day in the city, when these words came through the radio of the police car I was driving. I turned on the red lights and siren and drove off as fast as I could. "Just my luck!" I thought. I didn't know this city well and my first call of the day was a life-and-death sudden happening, several kilometers away.
I got to the house. A mother, filled with fear, handed me her baby, his face already blue. Was I too late? Dear me!
I did what had been taught to do in such a serious condition. A small thing flew out of the baby's mouth on to the floor. It was a button. Thank heaven! The holes in it let a little air through.
A doctor rushed into the room. He had with him an oxygen bag.
The child began to cry at the top of his voice, burned red and started to look for his mother. He was angry but was saved. | high3029.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to tell us what the school is like"
},
"options": [
"to describe the talents and intelligent students",
"to make a list of all the great achievements",
"to show us how to get fully developed",
"to tell us what the schoo... | Chengdu No.7 High School has formed a bright character and good tradition in school operation in the long period education and teaching practices. It mainly focuses on compulsory subjects, with a combination of selected subjects. It has formed a practical teaching system which mainly focuses on subject practical teaching, social practices teaching and campus extracurricular activities teaching. In the year of 1994, Mr. Li Lanqing, who was the then Prime Minister of the State Council, highly evaluated Chengdu No.7 High School when he visited here and said: "The happiest thing I have seen in the school is that students can get fully developed".
With 100 years' history, Chengdu No.7 High School has many talents. Large numbers of alumni became academic masters, talents and government backbones by holding key positions in education and scientific research departments, key businesses, national defense authorities and governments. Famous people Sun Zhen and Tian Jiaying once studied at No.7 High School, while academicians from Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engieering like Chen Jiayong, Li Yinyuan, Pu Fuke graduated from Chengdu No.7 High School.
Chengdu No.7 High School has many intelligent students. There are about 400 students every year from Chengdu No.7 High School who get municipal-above level prizes in various competitions. Up to the year of 2010, 9 gold medals have been obtained in International High School Students' Subjects Olympic Competitions. Every year more than half of the school graduates are accepted into famous Chinese universities. Its acceptance rate ranks top. Also there are about 100 students every year who are accepted by famous overseas universities.
Chengdu No.7 High School has four student organizations, two newspapers, four magazines as well as more than 30 student communities and more than 80 selective courses and activity classes. All of these provide a great stage and diversified options for student full development.
Chengdu No.7 High School is the window for international communication and one of the first Chinese communication bases with foreign schools in Sichuan Province. It has friendly cooperative relationship with schools from more than 10 countries for mutual visiting and exchanging in teaching. | high19132.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because there is oil climbing up the wick."
},
"options": [
"Because there is oil.",
"Because there is oil climbing up the wick.",
"Because the other end is immersed.",
"Because the wet end is lighted."
],
"ques... | You must have seen an oil lamp before. But do you know how it works?
One end of the lamp wick is immersed(............) in oil and the other end is not immersed. When you light the end which is not immersed, it
will burst into flame . This is because the oil is able to rise up the lamp wick thus helping it to burn.
In the same way, if you immerse the end of a piece of chalk into a glass of water, the water will soon climb up the chalk making it wet.
If a piece of ordinary glass tubing is heated in a gas flame until it becomes soft,it can be pull into a tube of a very small hole. Immerse the tube into water or any other liquid which wets glass, you will find that the liquid rises to a height of several centimeters. This is known as capillary action. The liquid rises because there is an attractive force between the liquid and the glass. The attractive force depends on the diameter of the tube and the type of liquid used. | high16567.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Worrying about health and family problems."
},
"options": [
"Worrying about their children.",
"Worrying about some social problems.",
"Worrying about the living expense.",
"Worrying about health and family problems."
... | A new research shows that in Britain more and more people are returning to the old tradition that the whole family have a meal at table. Worrying about the obesity and breakdown of a family, people change their eating habits so greatly, according to analysis. They find the number of the family having a meal together increases by 5% from 2002 to 2004, and most people who have meals with their family come from the rich social class.
The new discovery makes doctors and the people struggling against obesity extremely excited. Giving up the tradition that the whole family have a meal together is exactly one of the reasons for a series of problems including children's overweight. If a child has a meal in front of the television or the computer alone, he will often eat some fast food.
Jason Collins is one of the persons returning to the old tradition. Collins is a manager of a bake house. He finds after he gets used to having a meal at home with his child, the child becomes much more obedient . Dr. Jin is a child psychologist, and she expresses welcome to this result of the study. She says it can make parents have a very good chance to chat with the child when the whole family have a meal together. | high11208.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to sell a service"
},
"options": [
"to share information about party planning",
"to introduce the joys of a birthday party",
"to announce a business plan",
"to sell a service"
],
"question": "The main purpose of... | A child's birthday party doesn't have to be a _ ; it can be a basket of fun, according to Beth Anaclerio, an Evaston mother of two, ages 4 and 18 months.
"Having a party at home usually requires a lot of running around on the part of the parents, and often the birthday boy or girl gets lost in wild excitement. But it really doesn't have to be that way," said Anaclerio. Last summer, Anaclerio and her friend Jill Carlisle, a Northbrook mother of a 2-year -old, founded a home party-planning business called "A Party in a Basket." Their goal is to help parents and children share in the fun part of party planning, like choosing the subject or making a cake, while they take care of everything.
Drawing on their experiences as mothers, they have created 10 ready-to-use, home party packages. Everything a family needs to plan a party, except the cake and ice cream, is delivered to the home in a large basket.
"Our parties are aimed for children 2 to 10, " Anaclerio said, "and they're very interactive and creative in that they build a sense of drama based on a subject. For example, at the Soda Shoppe party the guests become waiters and waitresses and build wonderful ice cream creations."
The standard $ 200 package for eight children includes a basket filled with invitations, gifts, games and prizes, paper goods, a party planner and the like. For more information, call Anaclerio at 708-864-6584 or Carlisle at 708-205-9141. | high2451.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Crime novels."
},
"options": [
"Poetry.",
"Medieval sagas.",
"Crime novels.",
"Children's stories."
],
"question": "What kind of book is the most popular in Iceland?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
... | Iceland is experiencing a book boom .
It is hard to avoid writers in Reykjavik. There is a phrase in Icelandic, "ad ganga med bok I maganum", meaning everyone gives birth to a book. Literally, everyone "has a book in their stomach". One in 10 Icelanders will publish one.
"Does it get rather competitive?" I ask the young novelist, Kristin Eirikskdottir. "Yes. Especially as I live with my mother and partner, who are also full-time writers. But we try to publish in alternate years so we do not compete too much."
"Writers are respected here," Agla Magnusdottir tells me. "They live well. Some even get a salary." Magnusdottir is head of the new Icelandic Literature Centre, which offers state support for literature and its translation. "They write everything --- modern sagas , poetry, children's books, literary and extraordinary fiction --- but the biggest boom is in crime writing," she says.
So what has led to this phenomenal book boom? I would say it is due to a crop of good writers, telling interesting tales with elegant economy and fantastic characters.
Iceland's black lava riverbeds, its steaming, bubbling earth, with its towering volcanoes and fairytale streams also make it the perfect setting for stories. Solvi Bjorn Siggurdsson, an Icelandic novelist, says writers owe a lot to the past. "We are a nation of storytellers. When it was dark and cold we had nothing else to do," he says. "Thanks to the poetic works and medieval sagas, we have always been surrounded by stories. After independence from Denmark in 1944, literature helped define our identity."
Siggurdsson shows respect to Iceland's Nobel Literature winner, Halldor Laxness, whose books are sold in petrol stations and tourist centres across the island. Locals name their cats after Laxness and pay a visit to his home. "When Laxness won the Nobel Prize in 1955 he put modern Icelandic literature on the map," Siggurdsson tells me. "He gave us confidence to write." | high10116.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the generation gap is becoming wider and wider"
},
"options": [
"the generation gap is becoming wider and wider",
"teens quarrel a lot with their parents",
"teens don't want to live with other family members",
"some par... | It is not unusual at all for teens to answer their parents with oneword answers."Where are you going?""Places.""When will you be back?""Sometime.""Who will you be with?""People."
That means that the days of your children standing in the front door with the details of their day are over.They are breaking away from you so that they'll be able to stand on their own as a young adult.
Some parents feel sad about this loss of their children's closeness.Of course you miss those conversations and friendly talks.Once your children move out after high school and establish themselves confidently as a young adult,they'll come back for easy conversations and even ask for advice.But in order to determine who are right now,they need to separate from you.
Your job,however,is to keep them safe--and that requires knowing where they are and who they are with.Let them know clearly that it's not because you want to dominate their life and control them;it's because it's a safety issue for family members to keep track of one another.
When they're home and sit down to eat a meal,sit down with them.You need to open up to them about your life.Tell them of an interesting incident at the office,let them in on a bit of family gossip ,discuss a piece of news with them.They are glad that you see them as old enough to be in on a few experiences of your life.By letting a teen in on your life,they just may let you in on theirs. | high17679.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The engineering solutions to water resource and their limitation."
},
"options": [
"The engineering solutions to water resource and their limitation.",
"The challenge for the future.",
"The basic means of controlling water.",... | Life on earth depends on water, and there is no substitute for it. The current assumption is that our basic needs for water--whether for drinking, agriculture, industry or the raising of fish--will always have to be met. Given this premise , there are two basic routes we can go; more equal access to water or better engineering solutions.
Look at the engineering solutions first. A lot of my research concentrates on what happens to wetlands when you build dams in river basins, particularly in Africa. The ecology of such areas is almost entirely driven by the seasonal changes of the river--the pulse of the water. And the fact is that if you build a dam, you generally spoil the downstream ecology. In the past, such problems have been hidden by a lack of information. But in the near future, governments will have no excuses for their ignorance.
The engineers' ability to control water flows has created new kinds of unpredictability, too. Dams in Africa have meant fewer fish, less grazing and less floodplain agriculture, none of which were expected. And there average economic life is assumed to be thirty years. Dams don't exist forever, but what will replace them is not clear.
The challenge for the future is to find new means of controlling water. Although GM technology will allow us to breed better dry-land crops, there is no market for companies to develop crops suitable for the micro-climates of the Sahel and elsewhere in Africa. Who is going to pay for research on locally appropriate crops in the Third World? | high3997.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "boredom can be potentially dangerous"
},
"options": [
"boredom can be potentially dangerous",
"air traffic controllers usually feel bored",
"brief moments of boredom are not common",
"making mistakes is a major caus... | What were you doing before you started reading this? Were you fully focused on another article? Or eating breakfast? Organizing your day? Or were you staring out of the window, feeling restless and bored?
It is likely to have been the latter. Brief moments of boredom are universal, and are frequently what drives us to stop what we are doing and move to something that we hope will be more exciting.
But although boredom is common, it is neither unimportant nor favorable, according to Dr John Eastwood, a psychologist at York University, Toronto. Eastwood is the joint author ofThe Unengaged Mind, a major new paper on the theory of boredom.
Boredom, he points out in the paper, has been connected with overeating, depression, anxiety, and an increased risk of making mistakes. Mistakes at work might not be a matter of life and death for most of us, but if you are an air traffic controller, pilot or nuclear power plant operator, they most certainly can be.
Commercial polo Sami Franks confirms that boredom can make pilots lose attention. "When you fly a lengthy distance, there are two pilots, one of whom is monitoring all the screens while the other does the paperwork, talks to air traffic control and so on. You need to be alert for landing and takeoff, but once you're 500 ft above the runway, the plane's on autopilot and it can be very quiet and boring. In a study I saw of pilots who woke up after a short sleep. 30% of them reported seeing the other pilot asleep too," said Franks.
However, Dr Esther Priyadharshini, a senior lecturer in education at the university of East Anglia, has studied boredom and says it can be seen in a positive light. "We can't prevent boredom--it's an unavoidable human emotion. We have to accept it and find ways to control it. We all need downtime. There's no need to be fully busy with work at all times." she says.
Children who complain that they have nothing to do on rainy holidays may try to find other things to focus on. The artist Grayson Perry has reportedly spoken of how long periods of boredom in childhood may have improved his creativity.
"We all need vacant time to mull things over," says Priyadharshini. | high14370.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Not clearly talked about in the passage."
},
"options": [
"To make a voyage from Southampton, England to New York.",
"To mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.",
"To realize Mr. Palmer's dream of constructi... | Just weeks after a special memorial voyage to mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, an Australian billionaire has announced plans to build an exact replica of the Titanic, which is just as similar to the original one as possible. The Titanic replica will make its first voyage from Southampton, England to New York in 2016.
The Titanic is a famous ship that sank in 1912. The attractive story of the ocean liner has made millions of people interested in it around the world. It was believed to be an unsinkable ship but it hit an iceberg and sank on its first voyage. More than 1,500 people died in the sinking of the Titanic, which at the time was the world's largest and most luxurious ocean liner.
When fully built, the Titanic II will be 270 meters (886 feet) long and capable of holding 1,680 passengers. Unlike the original Titanic which was powered by coal-fired boiler and steam engines, the Titanic II will have modern diesel and electric engines. Also unlike the first Titanic, the Titanic II will have more than enough lifeboats to accommodate everyone on board if something should go wrong.
When asked whether the new replica would sink, Mr. Palmer replied: "Of course it will sink if you put a hole in it. He also added "It will be designed as a modern ship with all the technology to ensure that doesn't happen."
When Mr. Palmer was asked if he expected hisTitanic to be successful, he simply said: "At my age, you don't really worry so much about whether you'll make money or lose money on something, but I believe that it is worth building it." | high9504.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "by order in time"
},
"options": [
"by examples",
"by cause and effect",
"by comparison",
"by order in time"
],
"question": "The author develops the passage mainly _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | Barack Obama makes his first trip to Asia as president this week, leaving behind a host of domestic problems with the visit that recognizes the region's economic and diplomatic importance. "Obama"s trip includes stops in Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea, and his message will be simple, says Nicolas Lardy at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. "Well, I think his broadest aim is to convince Asians that the United States is fully committed to the region that we have an agenda that's much broader than they saw over the past eight years of the very heavy focus on anti-terrorism."
Obama's first stop is Japan, where he meets with the new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama who has promised to steer a diplomatic course more independent of Washington. While Japan is seen as a getting-to-know-you stop, when Obama heads to the Singapore for the APEC meeting, he will likely face pressure on trade. "Many Asians are concerned about what US trade policy will be, and they've been somewhat alarmed by the fact that the president really hasn't set out very much revision for what US trade policy is in his administration."
But the critical _ of the trip will come in China, his third stop where Obama will have to navigate the complex relationship with the country that is the largest holder of US debt. "As you say, you know, if you owe the bank one dollar, it's your problem, if you owe the bank, you know, 3 million dollars, it's the bank's problem, so it's similar with China. I mean they have no interest in trying to use the influence with us, because eventually, they're the one that they own all those dollars."
Also on the table will be North Korea and Iran's nuclear ambitions as well as cooperation on Afghanistan.
With Obama enjoying sky high popularity level in the countries he is visiting, detailed results may be beside the point, given that Obama is still in his first year in office, analysts say this trip is mostly about laying the ground work for the future. | high1158.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "PS 260"
},
"options": [
"PS 130",
"PS 260",
"PS 160",
"PS 320"
],
"question": "If a couple with their child of 15 join in Canyoning for a day, they will pay _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | Canyoning
The sports of canyoning explore the high-energy environment where water meets rock on the coast, or in river canyons. Protected by wetsuits and helmets , people jump from cliffs and waterfalls and explore caves and river canyons that would not normally be arrived at.
It was pioneered in the U.K. by TYF Adventure (01437 721611, www.tyf.com) and several thousand people leap from the cliffs near St David's each year. A half day canyoning trip costs PS50 (PS30 for children under 16).
Scuba diving
Diving is not popular with British people. The challenges of wild waters are greater because the water is colder and not clear enough, but the coasts of Cornwall, Wales and Scotland have some of the best wreck diving in the world.
The British Sub Aqua Club (0870 112 9133 www.bsac.com) and the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (01580 819688 www.padi.com) run courses teaching the important skills right up and to instructor level.
Surfing
The best surfing places in the UK are on the southwest coast where it is warmer and the surf is relatively steady, particularly in Cornwall. The best time of year to surf in the UK is late summer and autumn when water temperatures are at their mildest.
The British Surfing Association (01479 861256 www.britsurf.co.uk) has a list of famous surf schools around the country.
Rock climbing
The most popular natural rocks in Britain include the Peak District, the Lake District, coastal regions, while vast areas of Scotland are a climber's paradise . Climbing courses and climbing walls can be located on the website of the British Mountaineering Council (0870 010 4878, www.thebmc.co.uk) which offers a series of short films that take the new climber through a step-by-step guide to visiting a climbing wall for the first time. | high12701.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "she was an excellent teacher and communicator"
},
"options": [
"she was popular with the news media",
"she expected to give history lessons in space",
"she was an excellent teacher and communicator",
"she made the stude... | The majority of astronauts from America have been men. At the start of the space programme there was strong resistance from some people against having women in space. However, some women were very keen to become astronauts and in the end they were successful. In 1978, NASA began the first training programme for women astronauts.
Judy Resnick and Christa McAuliffe were both astronauts and they were both women, but in many other ways they were very different. Both of them were on Flight STS-5L-L. Judy Resnick was born in 1949 and studied engineering at university and went on to obtain a PhD in 1977. She was a member of the first group of women selected for astronaut training in 1978, and in 1984, she became the second woman in space. During that flight, she helped to launch three new satellites and she carried out a programme of research. She was, in many ways, a professional astronaut whose whole life was devoted to space travel.
Christa McAuliffe was born in 1948 and she was an astronaut almost by accident. In 1984, NASA decided to find a teacher who could accompany astronauts into space. They hoped that she would be able to communicate with students from space and encourage every one of them to be interested in space travel. Christa was a secondary teacher in history and social studies. She was a gifted teacher and she was selected from over 11,000 applicants to go on flight STS-51-L. She was also a very good communicator and she immediately established a very good relationship with the news media(radio, television and newspapers). It was partly because of this that there was a great deal of interest and excitement about the flight. Thousands of students in schools and universities all around the country were looking forward to communicating with Christa in space. Millions of people were watching her flight with great interest. It is partly because of the excitement over McAuliffe's place in the flight that the disaster in 1986 had such an effect on people. | high7529.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "phones are used in public places more than people realize"
},
"options": [
"people love to share their phones more than they realize",
"our personal items could be as risky to our health as public items",
"phones are used in ... | Your smartphone can do a lot of things. It can call people. It connects to the Internet. It enables you to play fun games. But there is a _ side to this smart little equipment of yours----- it might also spread disease.
"People are just likely to get sick from their phones as from handles of the bathroom, " Jeffrey Cain, the president of the American Academy of Family Physicians , told The Wall Street Journal.
This may be hard to believe, but scientists reached this conclusion after they tested eight cell phones from an office in Chicago. All the tested phones showed high numbers of coliforms , a kind of bacteria found in human waste , with about 2700 to 4200 units of the bacteria on each phone. The bacteria can cause flu, pinkeye and other diseases . That is right --- your phone is covered in our human waste.
Although computers, keys and pens carry germs , our phones get far dirtier. They touch a lot of things, including our hands and the inside of our pocket or purse. We take them almost everywhere: the bus, the subway and who hasn't played Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja while sitting on the toilet?
"Some things that we think are personal are actually more public than we imagine," Cain said. What is even worse is that after the phone returns from its dirty trip, it then spends most of its time cozying up to our faces. You don't think about how often you touch your phone to your face, do you? Our noses, mouths and ears are all warm and rich in grease , an environment that germs really like.
So how do you keep your phone clean? Alcohol is effective when used to kill germs from the back and side of your phone. But it might harm the screen. There is one simple and reliable way you can reduce the germs on your phone's surface: wash your hands regularly. | high3767.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The long-lost twins, Paula and Elyse, were reunited."
},
"options": [
"We always hope to have twins for much good.",
"We are often attracted by twins because of the mystery.",
"The long-lost twins, Paula and Elyse, were reuni... | Human beings have always been fascinated by twins. Romulus and Remus, Jacob and Esau, Mary-Kate and Ashley.
As children, many of us imagine having a twin: a permanent playmate, a partner in trouble, someone who'd love us unconditionally. Somewhere out there is someone who is exactly like us! What would it feel like to look into a face exactly like our own?
And what if she suddenly appears in my life? That's essentially what happened to Brooklyn writer Paula Bernstein. I'd known Paula slightly for years; she wrote a lovely essay for Redbook many years ago refuting the persistent belief that all adoptees want to search for their birth parents. Her adoptive family was her family, she wrote; her adoptive mother was her mother. But then, out of the blue, an adoption agency called her and told her about the identical twin sister she didn't know she had. Her sister, Elyse Schein, wanted to meet her.
I met them for coffee at Cafe Mogador, three years after their first meeting. Now 38, they have different haircuts, have made different choices in hair color1, do their makeup differently. But they clearly look alike, with thick hair, upturned noses. They quickly discovered they had the same childhood habit of sucking their middle fingers, the same adult habit of forgetfully typing their thoughts on an invisible keyboard while thinking. Both edited their high school newspapers and studied film in college. Paula wrote film criticism; Elyse became a filmmaker. They both collected Alice in Wonderland dolls and kept them in the boxes.
They're now regulars at Cafe Mogador. The women's journey from strangers to sisters has clearly been rocky. But as they got to know each other, and struggled to piece together their history, their search united them.
"For me, the search began when I reached the age when my adoptive mother died," Elyse said. "I realized that my birth mother could be dead. Time was passing. I was ready to solve the mystery that had shadowed my life." Elyse had always felt a part of her was missing. "I'd felt so different from my adoptive family." she said.
Paula was raised in a more typical Jewish intellectual family, and was at first a little threatened by Elyse's appearance in her life. "My first response was both fear and excitement. The moment we met, I felt I was meeting my long-lost best friend. I could tell her anything. And then as that first excitement wore off, I thought, oh my God, I've committed to a long-term relationship with a stranger. I wished we hadn't been separated, but also that I hadn't been contacted. What would it mean to be in each other's lives?" | high17889.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because professional workers were very cheap."
},
"options": [
"Because they could not do it themselves.",
"Because professional workers were very cheap.",
"Because they had no time.",
"Because professional workers coul... | Thirty years ago not many people would have dreamed of doing the repairs and decorations in their own homes. In those days labor was fairly cheap and most people would have thought it worthwhile to employ a professional painter and decorator, unless of course they were either very hand up or were in the trade themselves.
Today, however, it is quite a different story. Men and women in all walks of life turn their hands to all sorts of jobs round the house including painting, papering, putting up shelves and wall units, and tiling walls and floors. Some people with no professional training of any kind have even successfully built their own houses. These jobs have been made easier today by the introduction of prepared materials, which require the minimum amount of skill to use. In every high street throughout Britain nowadays there is at least one "Do-It-Yourself" shop containing a vast range of timber, tiles, paints, wallpapers and floor coverings besides tools of every description including power drills and many accessories. "Do-It-Yourself" is a booming business; all these shops do a roaring trade and look like continuing to do so. Probably the main reason for the craze is the high cost of present-day labor and the shortage of building firms willing to do small jobs. | high2479.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "an American student"
},
"options": [
"a Chinese student",
"an American student",
"a Chinese teacher",
"an American teacher"
],
"question": "This passage is written by _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questio... | Aside from doing schoolwork and studying, American students must also participate in various extra-curricular activities. Many students get involved in their communities by doing volunteer work at various local organizations. In fact, the school I attend even requires students to perform a certain number of hours of volunteer work per semester. It is part of our study hall grade, as well as a graduation requirement.
There are many places to do volunteer work in the community. Some of my classmates volunteer at the local animal shelter, the community table (which provides free meals for needy families), charity stores, and many others. Finding a suitable place to volunteer usually depends on what's available, as well as personal interests. For example, a friend of mine who enjoys swimming volunteers at the recreation center to teach young children how to swim.
With all these options out there, I ended up doing most of my volunteer work at a school library and a non-profit bookstore called Friends of the Library. This bookstore sells donated books at cheap prices, and all the profits made are donated to the local library.
I thought it was very fitting that I do my volunteer work at a library and a bookstore, because reading has always been very important to me. I love working in the bookstore now, because every sale we make helps our public library expand, and gives it the funds needed to purchase new books.
I think everyone should have the opportunity to read, and that we each should do our part to help those who don't have the chance. There is a charity event, called One Book for A Window of Opportunity, in which Chinese students can donate a book to the children of the poor village Fangmaping. They don't have a lot of resources, so reading can be a challenge. To find out more about this event, please visit: http://bbs.enfamily.cn/thread-739278-1-1.html. | high5316.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the church songs helped Elvis' development in his singing"
},
"options": [
"the church songs didn't help Elvis develop his own style",
"Elvis forgot his church music at a later age",
"Elvis didn't get any help from his parent... | One of the most popular American singers of the twentieth century was Elvis Presley. He made the rock & roll music popular all over the world. He sold millions of records and made many successful films, and he helped change the direction of popular music in the 1960 s.
Elvis Presley was born in a poor family in 1935. His parents were simple country people who often took him to church, where he learned to sing, and he never forgot the kind of songs that he used to sing in church as a child.
When he was young, Elvis moved from Toledo to Memphis in Tennessee, where he attended high school. But he was not a good student. His only real interest was singing. He began to sing in the style that is called "country and western".
In 1955 he recorded some songs for his mother's birthday. The people at the recording studio liked his singing and his music. It was country and western music, but it also sounded a little like the music which black people used to sing in the American South. It was called "blues".
Shortly after that, Elvis met Tom Parker, who became his manager and arranged concerts for him across the United States and new recordings as well. Soon Elvis became famous around the country. Later Elvis went to Hollywood and began to appear in films such as Love Me Tender and King Creole.
But Elvis found it difficult to live with success. Like many other famous people, He began to take drugs and his health started to suffer. When he died at an early age of 42 in 1977,his many millions of fans were shocked. "The King Is Dead!" the newspaper said. But today his memory and his music live on and will always be remembered as the King of Rock & roll. | high18562.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "China provided their names for votes."
},
"options": [
"Good morning America named them.",
"Zoo Atlanta gave them the names.",
"China provided their names for votes.",
"The US decided their names."
],
"question"... | Mei Lun and Mei Huan have been the first giant twin pandas born in the US since 1987. The names of these twin male giant panda cubs were announced at Atlanta Zoo last year. Lun Lun, a 15-year-old giant panda, gave birth to the cubs on July 15, 2013. Zoo officials followed Chinese custom and named the brothers after waiting 100 days. Until then, they were simply known as "Cub A" and " Cub B".
Mei Lun and Mei Huan are the first twin panda cubs to survive in the Unite States. "We're delighted to finally be able to place two youngsters with names. They have not only made a mark on the history of Atlanta Zoo, but also have made history in the US," Raymond B. King , the zoo's president and CEO, said in a statement.
Atlanta Zoo teamed up with Good Morning America that month to put the pandas' names to a public vote. China's Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding provided the choices of names. In just 13 days, 51,000 votes poured in on the show's website.
Under a deal between China and the US, giant pandas originally from China are only lent to foreign zoos for scientific study for several years. Zookeepers at Atlanta Zoo are giving regular updates on the twins' progress in an online blog. Mei Lun and Mei Huan are the fourth and fifth offspring of Lun Lun and a male giant panda named Yang Yang.
The pandas made their first public appearance in a US exhibit last fall. For the three months before their appearance, the online world had watched the twins grow strong and healthy. "We share this joy with our colleagues in China and with the cub's fans around the world," King said. | high17651.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "At home."
},
"options": [
"At the teacher's office.",
"At the net bar.",
"At the classroom.",
"At home."
],
"question": "Where do students usually misuse social networking sites?",
"question_type": "factiod_... | The Internet can be a great way to connect with people. The latest web craze is social networking on websites such as MySpace. More than 65 million young people use online social networking sites.
That cyberspace trend is causing problems in school, however. In a recent survey, nearly 36 percent of school administrators said that social networking sites troubled learning in their districts. Should school districts ban sites like MySpace?
Teachers are worried that some students use social networking to post personal information and to cyber bully other students. One of the biggest dangers comes from people who find out kid's personal information.
Many districts have blocked students from accessing or using social networking sites from school computers, and some have suspended students for posting harmful material on those sites from their home computers. Nearly two-thirds of US kids have computers in their homes, according to the US Census Bureau.
"It is important to keep in mind that just blocking access to social web sites at school is not the end of the story," warns NSBA executive director Anne Bryant, "Most of the misuse of these sites takes place at home but still affects the classroom."
_ . They say the main problem with sites like MySpace is that students don't understand the dangers involved in using them. "Many students are posting personal information about themselves without regard to who has access to that information," Jim Hirsch said, "Schools should focus on educating their students and their parents on how to be safe online."
Experts argue that too many schools are forbidding students to use social networking web sites without thinking about their educational benefits. "Social networking web sites can help connect students in the United States to their peers in other countries, providing invaluable lessons in foreign cultures," explains Hirsch. | high14358.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Whether to forbid bake sales at schools."
},
"options": [
"How to fight childhood obesity.",
"How to raise money for school programs.",
"Whether to eat food with higher calories.",
"Whether to forbid bake sales at schoo... | Some schools are now forbidding or restricting bake sales in an effort to fight a rise in obesity among kids.
In February,the New York City Board of Education ordered that only fruits,vegetables,and approved packaged foods be sold at schools. Many students and parents objected to the restrictions on bake sales , which have long been a way to raise money for schools and community causes , including athletic events and Haitian earthquake relief.New York City finally compromised,allowing each school to hold one bake sale a month.But California and school districts in other states still limit bake sales.Should all schools forbid bake sales?
Childhood obesity has been a growing problem for decades.The number of obese school-age children in the U.S.has increased by three times in the past 20 years.According to Eric Goldstein,the head of food services for New York City schools.40 percent of the city's 1.1 million pupils are obese.
"We have a big problem in the city,state,and the country with obesity,"Goldstein said."During the school day, we have to focus on what is healthy for the mind and the body."
A. J. Juarez, a community organizer for the Massachusetts Public Health Association,agrees.Restricting the kinds of food sold in schools is ''about teaching kids good habits,"he said.
Nutrition experts believe schools are supposed to be a place where teachers and students set up a model environment, and the last thing kids need is an extra source of pointless calories.
But many parents and students _ ."It's not fair. Bake sales have always been a positive way to raise money for school programs,and to make that against the rules is not appropriate," said a parent.
"I don't think they should forbid bake sales,''Reese Butler,12,told The New York Times.A sixth-grader from Wrightstown,New Jersey,he reasoned that,"Money raised by selling cookies is sometimes used for field trips and for community causes,including Haitian earthquake relief."
For Alyssa Howell,11,a fifth-grader in Ann Arbor, Michigan,the issue of choosing what to eat is about freedom."It is the child's decision to make the right choice."she said. | high22832.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents."
},
"options": [
"The laws of some countries about driving are too lax.",
"Traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists.",
"Thousands of people the world over are kille6 e... | From the health point of view we are living in an amazing age. We are free from many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once deadly illnesses can now be cured by modern medicine. It is almost certain that one day medicines will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases. The expectation of life has increased greatly. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the unbelievable killing of men, women and children on the roads. Man vs the motor-car. It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel , his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man's very worst qualities.People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They say, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-year-olds and completely selfish.All their hidden angers and disappointments seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving.
The surprising thing is that society smiles so gently on the motorist and seems to forgive his behavior. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy traffic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is ruined by road networks; and the deaths become nothing more than a number every year, to be easily forgotten.
It is high time a world rule was created to reduce this senseless waste of human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are unbelievably lax and even the strictest are not strict enough. A rule which was universally accepted could only have an obviously beneficial effect on the accident rate.Here are a few examples of some of the things that might be done. The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through strict tests for safety each year. Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can damage a person's driving ability. Present drinking and driving laws (where they exist) should be made much stricter. Speed limits should be required on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for car factories, as has been done in the USA. All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned. These measures may not sound good enough. But surely nothing should be considered as too severe if it results in reducing the number of deaths. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars. | high1170.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Amazed."
},
"options": [
"Amazed.",
"Excited.",
"Disappointed.",
"Worried."
],
"question": "How did the kids feel when Gregg Murset first told the family about his plan?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions... | Most kids hate to see their summer end, perhaps none more than the Murset children. This summer, the Murset family decided to travel across the country to help families in need, which proved to be a wonderful experience.
People. comreported that Gregg Murset and his wife, Kami, decided to take their six children, ranging from 7 to 16 years old, from their home in Phoenix, Arizona, across the country to spend 20 days on the road to help 25 families in need. "I told the kids and my wife over breakfast that I wanted to do this," Gregg Murset, 40, told People. com. "They all looked at me like I was crazy," he said, "but when we started to read the stories of people we were going to help, their attitudes completely changed."
Through Gregg's company, he was able to be matched with groups such as Autism Speaks, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and others that connected the Mursets to families with children who have cancer and other serious illnesses.
"When you have a kid who is struggling, the last thing you're thinking of is cleaning the house," says Gregg.
The family traveled to many cities in their journey, including Albuquerque, Denver, Kansas City, Chicago, and Buffalo. The trip covered 6,500 miles. "It's been amazing to watch my own children open their eyes and see that the world is bigger than they think," he said. "Even the little kids are learning from this experience."
And the families they've helped feel blessed to have met them. "They showed up at 8 a.m. and we had a list of things we needed help with," said Jim Spencer, a 61-year-old father in Warren, Michigan, whose 12-year-old daughter, Lexi, was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago.
The Mursets also used their travels as an opportunity to visit areas they had never been to, including the Statue of Liberty. But for Gregg, the main purpose of the trip was to teach his children to show concern for the happiness of other people rather than for themselves.
"There is nothing wrong with your kid getting off the sofa, doing some work and sweating," said Gregg. "It's good for the kid and it's good for the soul." | high12729.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "website"
},
"options": [
"economic magazine",
"trade speech",
"website",
"global news"
],
"question": "The text likely take from the _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Time:2017-01-24 From:kekenet.com Editor: clover
The head of China's largest online seller Alibaba does not think China and the United States will have a trade war despite comments from the Trump administration.
Jack Ma is the chairman of the Alibaba Group. At the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, he said, "China and (the) U.S. will never have a trade war. Give Trump some time. He's open-minded, he's listening."
_ said he would do all he could to prevent trade relations between the countries from getting worse.
Last week, Ma met with Trump at the Trump Tower in New York City. The Chinese billionaire is said to have discussed a plan to permit one million small U.S. businesses to sell goods on Alibaba's online shopping platform.
During the campaign and after winning the presidential election, Trump strongly criticized the Chinese government's support for its businesses. He blamed unfair trade policies for taking away U.S. jobs. And he said that China unfairly controls the exchange value of its currency, the yuan.
Trump also has threatened to place import taxes on goods from China and other countries in response to their trade policies.
According to theSouth China Morning Post, Ma said, "American international companies made millions and millions of dollars from globalization." He added that the U.S. should not blame the loss of jobs and companies on globalization.
However, a new study by an American business group says many U.S. businesses feel unwelcome in China. The companies say the cost of doing business in China is increasing. They add that rules and regulations are unclear or not enforced in a consistent way.
The American Chamber of Commerce in China led the study, which looked at responses from 462 companies.
William Zarit is chairman of the chamber. He says trade policies in China make it difficult for American companies. He says, "we feel that over the last few years that we've been taken advantage of to some extent, with our open market and the lack of open areas in the Chinese market."
Another major concern for U.S. companies in China is fake products. Fake products are copies of the originals that cost businesses with the legal right to sell them millions of dollars each year.
Ma defended Alibaba's efforts to fight fake products on its shopping platform. He said his company is doing all it can to fight the problem.
"Fighting against fake products is a war against human greediness," Ma said.
I'm Mario Ritter. | high15046.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "hoped she could make some new friends"
},
"options": [
"hoped she could make some new friends",
"only knew a few people at her school",
"met some old friends at her new school",
"hoped she could go to her old friends' s... | When I first entered high school, I knew no one at my school. All my friends in middle school went to other schools. I wanted to make some new friends. However, I was shy and wasn't good at making new friends. On my first day at school, I looked at others who were talking in groups happily. How I wish I were one of them!
I guess I was very lucky then. At lunch in the dinning hall, when I was eating at a table alone, a girl came to me. "Excuse me, is this seat taken?" she asked. I immediately shook my head. She smiled and sat down opposite to me. I felt a little _ and didn't know what to say at all, but I really wanted to communicate with her. It was a good opportunity to make friends with her. When I looked up, I found she was smiling at me. Her smile calmed me down. "I really like this school. It's beautiful, but I don't know anyone here. All my friends went to other schools," said the girl. Hearing her words, I immediately said, "my friends are not here either. Can we be friends?" I was surprised. I couldn't believe I would say something like that, and to my surprise, that girl immediately said "yes". We both smiled.
We became very good friends. Now it's the beginning of a new term again. Many students may have no friends at their new schools. If you are also as shy as I used to be, please don't be afraid to talk to others. You may get a surprise and make a new friend. After all, others want to make new friends, too. | high8632.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "objective"
},
"options": [
"objective",
"personal",
"spoken",
"written"
],
"question": "The kind of exams where students must select answers are",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": ... | In ancient times the most important examinations were spoken, not written. In the schools of ancient Greece and Rome, testing usually was made up of saying poetry aloud and giving speeches.
In the European universities of the Middle Ages, students who were working for advanced degrees had to discuss questions in their field of study with people who had made a special study of the subject. This custom exists today as part of the process of testing candidates for the doctor's degree.
Generally, however, modem examinations are written. The written examination, where all students are tested on the same questions, was probably not known until the nineteenth century. Perhaps it came into existence with the great increase in population and the development of modem industry. A room full of candidates for a state examination timed exactly by electric clocks and carefully watched over by managers, looks like a group of workers at an automobile factory. Certainly, during examinations teachers and students are expected to act like machines.
One type of test is sometimes called an "objective" test. It is intended to deal with facts, not personal opinions. To make up an objective test, the teacher writes a series of questions, each of which has only one correct answer. Along with each question the teacher writes the correct answer and also three statements that look like answers to students who have not learned the material properly. | high7501.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Bookish"
},
"options": [
"Good-mannered",
"Modest",
"Childish",
"Bookish"
],
"question": "Which of the followings best describes Uncle Theo?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_ind... | I would like to tell you a story about my uncle Theo. He is my oldest uncle, a tall, thin, grey-haired man whose thoughts are always on learning and nothing else. He is quiet, gentle and absent-minded and with about as much sense as a child where money is concerned. Well, he applied a post in Camford University. It was a very good post and there were hundreds of candidates who applied for it, and about fifteen, including Theo, were asked to be interviewed.
Camford is a very small town; there is only one hotel in it, and it was so full that they had to put many of the candidates two in a room. Theo was one of these, and the man who shared the room with him was a self-confident fellow called Adams, about twenty years younger than Theo, with a loud voice, and a laugh that you could hear all over the hotel. But he was a clever fellow all the same and had a good post in Iscaiot College, Narkover. Well, the Dean, who was the head of the department of the University, and the committee interviewed all the candidates; and as a result of this interview, the number of the candidates was reduced to two, Uncle Theo and Adams. The committee couldn't decide which of the two to take, so they decided to make their final choice after each of the candidates had given a public lecture in the college lecture-hall. The subject they had to speak on was "The Civilization of the Ancient Summerians"; and the lecture had to be given in three days' time.
Well, for these three days Uncle Theo never left his room. He worked day and night at that lecture, writing it out and memorizing it, almost without eating or sleeping. Adams didn't seem to do any preparation at all. You could hear his voice and his laughter where he had a crowd of people around him. He came to his room late at night, asked Uncle Theo how he was getting on with his lecture, and then told him how he had spent the evening playing bridge, or at the music hall. He ate like a horse and slept like a log; and Uncle Theo sat up working at his lecture.
The day of the lecture arrived. They all went into the lecture hall and Theo and Adams took their seats on the platform. And then, Theo discovered, to his horror, that typewritten copy of his speech had disappeared! The Dean said they would call on the candidates on the alphabetical order, Adams first; and the despair in his heart, Theo watched Adams calmly take the stolen speech out of pocket and read it to the professors who were gathered to hear it. And how well he read it! Even Uncle Theo had to admit he couldn't have read it nearly so eloquently himself, and when Adams finished there was a great burst of applause. Adams bowed and smiled, and sat down.
Now, it was Theo's turn. But what could he do? He had put everything he knew into the lecture. His mind was too much upset to put the same thoughts in another way. With a burning face he could only repeat, word for word, in a low, dull voice, the lecture that Adams had spoken so eloquently. There was hardly any applause when he sat down.
The Dean and the committee went out to decide who the successful candidate was, but everyone was sure what their decision would be. Adams leaned across to Theo and patted him on the back and said, smilingly, "Hard luck, old fellow, but after all, only one of us could win".
Then the Dean and the committee came back, "Gentlemen", the Dean said, "the candidate we have chosen is Mr. Hobdell." Uncle Theo had won! The audience were completely taken by surprise, and the Dean continued, "I think I ought to tell you how we arrived at the decision. We were all filled with admiration at the learning and eloquence of Mr. Adams. I was greatly impressed. But, you will remember, Mr. Adams read his lecture to us. When Mr. Hobdell's turn came, he repeated that speech, word by word from memory, though, of course, he couldn't have seen a line of it before. Now a fine memory is absolutely necessary for this post; and what a memory Mr. Hobdell must have! This is why we decided that Mr. Hobdell was exactly the man we wanted! "
As they walked out of the room, the Dean came up to Uncle Theo, who was so confused but so happy that he hardly knew whether he was standing on his head or heels; and as he shook Theo's hand he said, "Congratulations, Mr. Hobdell! But, my dear fellow, when you are on our staff, you must be more careful and not leave valuable papers lying about!" | high7267.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "protect squirrels"
},
"options": [
"offer squirrels a place to eat nuts",
"set up a local landmark",
"help improve traffic",
"protect squirrels"
],
"question": "The Nutty Narrows Bridge was built in order to _... | San Francisco has its cable cars. Seattle has its Space Needle. And, Longview has its squirrel bridge. The bridge, which has attracted international attention, is now a local landmark.
The Nutty Narrows Bridge was built in 1963 by a local builder, Amos Peters, to give squirrels a way to cross the busy road without getting flattened by passing cars.
The original bridge was built over Olympia Way on the west edge of the library grounds. Before the bridge was built, squirrels had to avoid traffic to and from the Park Plaza office building where office staff put out a nutty feast for the squirrels. Many times, Peters and others who worked in and near Park Plaza witnessed squirrels being run over.
One day Peters found a dead squirrel with a nut still in its mouth, and that day's coffee break discussion turned into squirrel safety. The group of businessmen cooked up the squirrel bridge idea and formed a committee to ask the blessing of the City Council .The Council approved, and Councilwoman Bess LaRiviere named the bridge "Nutty Narrows."
After architects designed the bridge, Amos Peters and Bill Hutch started Construction, They built the 60-foot bridge from aluminum and lengths of fire hose . It cost 1,000.
It didn't take long before reports of squirrels using the bridge started. Squirrels were even seen guiding their young and teaching them the ropes. The story was picked up by the media, and Nutty Narrows became know in newspapers all over the world.
In 1983, after 20 years of use, Peters took down the worn-out bridge. Repairs were made and crosspieces were replaced. The faded sign was repainted and in July 1983, hundreds of animal lovers attended the completion ceremony of the new bridge.
Peters died in 1984, and a ten-foot wooden squirrel sculpture was placed near the bridge in memory of its builder and his devotion to the project. | high382.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "reduce the pressure of the flight"
},
"options": [
"buy what he wants in the airport",
"have a good rest in the airplane",
"reduce the pressure of the flight",
"get on the airplane immediately"
],
"question": "A... | Plan to get to the airport at least an hour early, or two during holidays and other busy times; this will reduce the stress of the flight. If all goes well, you will have time to relax, shop for last-minute items, or have a meal My before the flight.
Flight Delays
Find out why your flight is delayed. Call the free call numbers. Find out if other airlines are experiencing similar delays. If you believe the delay is due to something other than weather or air traffic problems, then mention your suspicion and ask the airline agent to book you on the next available flight, either on the same air-line or a competing one. This is called "Rule 240", and all airlines are required to do it.
Flight Cancellations
If your flight is canceled, then make a reservation on the next flight to your destination. Usually, air-line personnel will try to book everyone on their next flight. Often they will put you on a competitor's next flight only if you request it.
If on-time arrival is important to you, when you check flights through our reservation system you can rate your choices based on their on-time arrival records. Be sure to also check the weather conditions, as they often affect flight schedules. | high13351.txt |
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