questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He felt quite satisfied with her functions."
},
"options": [
"He felt quite satisfied with her functions.",
"He didn't care what functions she had at all.",
"He felt unsatisfied with her limited functions.",
"He felt sh... | Late last summer, I was introduced to a new special someone. We met at an Apple product announcement. She was helpful, smart, and even funny, talking of jokes and making me laugh. What more could a man ask for?
Since then, we have had some major communication issues. She frequently misunderstands what I'm saying. Sometimes she is just unavailable. Often, she responds with the same repetitive statement. Her name is Siri.
At first, Siri, the voice-activated digital assistant on Apple Iphones, seemed a little too good to be true. Siri cheated me into a relationship promising to help me set up appointments, to gently wake me in the morning for work, and to give me the ability to text someone while I was driving.
It didn't work out that way. "There's something wrong, and I can't answer your questions right now. Please try again in a little while," Siri will say when I ask something, or: "I'm really sorry about this, but I can't take any requests right now. Please try again in a little while." She is always polite. But I'm starting to suspect that "I'm really sorry" is just something Siri says to shut me up.
Apple introduced Siri as a beta test, meaning it was still a work in progress. That was unusual for Apple. It wanted a head start. But it doesn't seem ready to change anything yet. Many people I have spoken to have switched Siri off and turned to the iPhone's voice dictation service, which is more reliable because it doesn't use Siri's artificial intelligence software.
Over time, things have really gone bad between Siri and me. We hardly speak anymore. Although she doesn't know this, I've started seeing someone else. Her name is Google Voice Search (GVS). GVS, available in the latest operating software, is a much better listener. It's ly smarter. If I ask GVS a question, like, "Who is Tim Cook?", it responds with an answer " He's the chief executive of Apple". If I ask Siri the same question, the response is: "I don't see Tim Cook in your contacts." | high17445.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the Blacks lived a hard life"
},
"options": [
"Morrison is the first woman writer to win the Nobel Prize",
"The Bluest Eyetells the story of two black girls",
"the Blacks lived a hard life",
"Morrison studied at Cornell... | Tony Morrison has won this year's Nobel Prize for Literature. Tony Morrison is sixty-two years old. She was born in Lorain, Ohio. She is the daughter of farmers who moved to Ohio from the southern state of Alabama. She studied at Harvard University in Washington D.C. and Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
Her first success came in 1970 with the book calledThe Bluest Eye. It tells the story of a young black girl in a society where golden hair and blue eyes are considered beautiful. Her next book was calledSulla. It tells the story of two black girls and pain in their lives as they grow up in a small town in Ohio. Her bookThe Song of Solomonis about a black man who tries to forget his past as a slave and begin a new life. AndTar Babyexplores the relationship of a black man and a black woman. In the story the writer argues that black men and women can not get along with each other until they join together to fight racial hatred .
Miss Morrison won America's highest prize for literature, the Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for her bookBeloved. It is a powerful story of a slave woman who kills her baby daughter so she will not grow up to be a slave, too. Her latest bookJazzwas published last year. It tells about the sad stories in the lives of a black man and woman who moved from a small town in the south to New York City. It took place in the 1920s,a time when Jazz music became popular in America.
Tony Morrison is a professor in literature at Princeton University in New Jersey. She says the most wonderful thing about winning the Nobel Prize is that it has finally been awarded to an African American writer. The prize is valued at more than 800,000 dollars. It will be awarded on Dec.10 in Stockholm in Sweden. | high14164.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A Perfect Place"
},
"options": [
"A place without war",
"A Good Idea",
"A Perfect Place",
"The Utopian Community"
],
"question": "Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?",
"question_... | Utopia is a perfect place. It is a place without war, hunger, poverty, or crime. It is a place where the people work together and share. There is no money in Utopia because the people do not need money. They do not have personal possessions because everything belongs to everyone. All of the people are equal in Utopia, and the laws are all fair.
Utopia is not a new place. Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, described a perfect society in his famous dialogue The Republic. In Plato's Republic, philosophers were the kings, and every person had a place in the society. In 1516, Sir Thomas More wrote about an island in the Pacific Ocean where everything was perfect. He named the island
" Utopia". In 1602, Tommaso Campanella wrote The City in the Sun about a perfect community on the island of Ceylon ( now Sri Lanka ) ; and in 1872, Samuel Butler wrote a novel about a perfect country which he named " Erewhon". " Utopia" is a Greek word that means " not a place", and "Erewhon" is the English word " nowhere" spelled backwards.
Utopia is a perfect place, but it is not a real place. Most 'real' Utopias last only a short time. This is because everyone wants to live in it, but no one knows how to make it work. As a result, when we say something is ' Utopia' today, we mean that it is a good idea, but it is not realistic. | high9710.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Because the students' ideas were lacking in creativeness."
},
"options": [
"Because there is one group presenting a catering service.",
"Because the six groups made projects for restaurant chains.",
"Because all the students ... | I once had my Chinese MBA students brainstorming on "two-hour business plans". I separated them into six groups and gave them an example: a restaurant chain. The more original their idea, the better, I said. Finally, five of the six groups presented plans for restaurant chains. The sixth proposed a catering service. Though I admitted the time limit had been difficult, I expressed my disappointment.
My students were middle managers, financial analysts and financiers from state owned enterprises and global companies. They were not without talent or opinions, but they had been shaped by an educational system that rarely stressed or rewarded critical thinking or inventiveness. The scene I just described came in different forms during my two years' teaching at the school. Papers were often copied from the Web and the Harvard Business Review. Case study debates were written up and just memorized. Students frequently said that copying is a superior business strategy, better than inventing and creating.
In China, every product you can imagine has been made and sold. But so few well developed marketing and management minds have been raised that it will be a long time before most people in the world can name a Chinese brand.
With this problem in mind, partnerships with institutions like Yale and MIT have been established. And then there's the "thousand talent scheme": this new government program is intended to improve technological modernization by attracting top foreign trained scientists to the mainland with big money. But there are worries about China's research environment. It's hardly known for producing independent thinking and openness, and even big salary offers may not be attractive enough to overcome this.
At last, for China, becoming a major world creator is not just about setting up partnerships with top Western universities. Nor is it about gathering a group of well-educated people and telling them to think creatively. It's about establishing a rich learning environment for young minds. It's not that simple. | high40.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Animals in circuses can't live their life naturally."
},
"options": [
"Animals in circuses are given more respect and care.",
"Animals in circuses bring a lot of fun for people.",
"Animals in circuses can't live their life na... | Lately, Bolivia has outlawed (......) the use of animals in circus performances, and officials in the South American nation aren't doing it in a silly way! They say all Bolivian circuses must stop using animals.
Some people welcome the law. They say animals should not be forced to work and that circus creatures are caged in tight spaces when they travel. However, other people say that many of the four legged performers are cared for by animal experts. Plus, they point out, circus animals entertain millions of fans.
Should animals perform in circuses? Student reporters Michael and Emily have done some work on the issue.
Yes, I think animals should be allowed in circus acts. Most circus trainers love and respect the animals they work with and treat them well. Certain rules and regulations also help to ensure that the animals are treated humanely, or with kindness. Millions of people love circus animals. They look forward to seeing elephants and tigers perform. Many of the animals are exotic , so people might not get the chance to see them anywhere else. "Circus animals shouldn't be banned," says Parker, a sixth grader from Oregon City, "One of the main reasons people go to the circus is to see animals they don't see every day and to see them do cool tricks."
Animals should not perform in circuses. When animals are in circuses, they are forced to learn new behaviors in order to entertain humans. Those behaviors may go against their natural instincts . For example, bears _ in the winter, but bears in a circus have to perform and can't hibernate as their bodies tell them to. Also, circus animals have to travel all the time in cages. All that traveling may cause them to become confused or upset because their environment keeps changing. "When animals are removed from their habitat and held in cages ... it changes their behaviors," points out Anne Northam, a teacher from Friendswood, Texas. "They are no longer selfsufficient ." | high6423.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Cross-country skiing"
},
"options": [
"Hiking",
"Mountain biking",
"Hose-riding",
"Cross-country skiing"
],
"question": "In Summer, which sport is ideal in Davos except_.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions... | Davos----the highest Alpine resort in Europe offers all the amenities of a small town, while nestling in landscape of unspoilt natural beauty and marvelous mountain splendor . Davos is ideal for an active holiday in a magnificent mountain setting. Whether in summer or winter, you can almost enjoy every type of sport. Skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing and ice-sports in winter. Hiking, running, mountain biking, golfing and water sports in summer. Tennis, squash, horse-riding, hand-gliding and paragliding are year-round attractions, Spengler Cup Ice Hockey Tournament and the UBS Snowboard World Championships are just a few of the highlights from an impressive palette of sporting attractions.
During the last 35 years, Davos has firmly established itself as a successful and competitive international congress venue , despite its slightly distant location. World Economic Forum for example, is held here annually. The town's strong point lies in its contrast to the conventional congress resort, offering an inviting combination of education and relaxation far from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Davos boasts a long skiing tradition. At the turn of the 19thcentury it was mainly the British, who together with a few local people influenced the beginning of Alpine ski sport. The world's first ski lift was opened at Bolgen in 1934. Parts of this lift are now exhibited in the Davos Winter Sports Museum. But Davos was not just one of the pioneers of Alpine skiing. It was also one of the first resorts to recognize and support snowboarding as a sign of the times rather than just an insignificant passing trend. By the beginning of the 1990's,Davos had already gained a reputation as a snowboarding Mecca ,a reputation which has grown with every passing year.
Wonderful winter days can be spent without skis. At the coldest time of year, 84 km of well-prepped winter walking paths offer an irresistible invitation to discover the fresh Davos countryside. Thy snowshoe hiking, definitely different way to cheer up on sunshine and energy. And if you dream of soaring the Alpine skies with a paraglider or a color1ful hang-glider,wintertime Davos can make your dreams come true!
Davos,the largest mountain resort of Europe,offers unforgettable natural experiences and a broad range of delights. And anyone favoring the tranquil idyll over the anxious life in the thriving center, will find peace and quiet at heart of nature in the wide Davos outdoors. | high23910.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "some grown--up children couldn't afford a separate home"
},
"options": [
"young couples should live in a two--bedroom home",
"families with three or so children couldn't afford a home",
"parents should buy houses for their gr... | When you see homework covering the kitchen table and toys are piling up around the sofa,you probably wish there was a bit more space.You are not alone.Nearly a third of parents say they feel squeezed into their homes but cannot afford to move to a bigger property,a report reveals today.
Twenty--nine percent say 'their property is too small to fit the size of their family'--rising to 40 percent for those 34 and under.One in four children is 'forced to share' a bedroom,according to the Finda Property,com website.Property analyst Samantha Baden said:"Afford ability remains a key issue for families,with the average cost of a three-bedroom home around PS193,000."Very few can afford to buy--or to rent--a property of the size they want and in the area they desire to live in,according to Miss Baden.
A recent report,from investment firm LV,also found that many' space--starved parents' are pushed into a two--bedroom home which was perfect when they were a young couple,but has no space for three or so children.Grown--up children who cannot afford to leave home are also adding to the problem facing families in Britain's 'big squeeze'.
For a home to be the correct size, which means it is not overcrowded,parents must have their own bedroom.Children under ten can share, as well as same--sex children between ten and 20.Anyone over 21 also needs their own room.
The report comes as official figures,published yesterday by the Land Registry,revealing house prices are falling sharply in every region except London.The worst--hit area is the North East,where, average house prices have fallen to belowPS100,000 for the first time in seven years. However,they remain unaffordable for millions. | high800.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "bring about a drop in the divorce rate"
},
"options": [
"tear many troubled families apart",
"contribute to enduring family ties",
"bring about a drop in the divorce rate",
"cause a lot of conflicts in the family"
]... | In times of economic crisis. Americans turn to their families for support. If the Great Depression is any guide, we may see a drop in our skyhigh divorce rate. But this won't necessarily represent. an increase in happy marriages. In the long run, the Depression weakened American families, and the current crisis will probably do the same.
We tend to think of the Depression as a time when families pulled together to survive huge job losses, By 1932. when nearly one-quarter of the workforce was unemployed, the divorce rate had declined by around 25% from 1929 But this doesn't mean people were suddenly happier with their marriages. Rather, with incomes decreasing and insecure jobs, unhappy couples often couldn't afford to divorce. They feared neither spouse could manage alone.
Today, given the job losses of the past year, fewer unhappy couples will risk starting separate households, Furthermore, the housing market meltdown will make it more difficult for them to finance their separations by selling their homes.
After financial disasters family members also tend to do whatever they can to help each other and their communities, A 1940 book. The Unemployed Man and His Family, described a family in which the husband initially reacted to losing his job "with tireless search for work."He was always active, looking for odd jobs to do.
The problem is that such an impulse is hard to sustain Across the country, many similar families were unable to maintain the initial boost in morale . For some, the hardships of life without steady work eventually overwhelmed their attempts to keep their families together. The divorce rate rose again during the rest of the decade as the recovery took hold.
Millions of American families may now be in the initial stage of their responses to the current crisis, working together and supporting one another through the early months of unemployment.
Today's economic crisis could well generate a similar number of couples whose relationships have been irreparably ruined. So it's only when the economy is healthy again that we'll begin to see just how many broken families have been created. | high4234.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "you can enjoy many different kinds of meat in Australia"
},
"options": [
"you can enjoy many different kinds of meat in Australia",
"a lot of restaurants in Australia only serve ethnic groups",
"classic European dishes are th... | Australians are some of the largest consumers of meat in the world and the quality is extremely high. The methods of cooking meat have changed greatly over the past years, partly because of the European and Asian comers who have introduced cooking traditions, and partly because of a new health idea.
Classic European dishes are still popular, but Asian food--with Japanese and Thai joining Chinese, has long been a favorite. Australians, however, also like a traditional roast of beef, lamb or pork and visitors will find these on many restaurant menus. There is a seemingly endless supply of ethnic restaurants providing food for the many nationalities that now live here. High-quality local foods with ethnic cooking methods have produced some of the best meals in the world.
Most Australian families have outdoor barbecue facilities. Many parks and beaches have barbecue areas. You will hear the steady sizzle of meat and seafood over coals around the country in summer evenings and during weekends. Many small hotels and clubs have outdoor eating or barbecue facilities, where customers can choose and cook their own steak.
Chicken is the most commonly used bird for eating. Duck, goose, and turkey are also bred and Australian pigeon is among the best in the world. Kangaroos and water buffaloes are also slaughtered for meat in some states. | high16773.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "find a new job"
},
"options": [
"look for a good restaurant",
"hand out gifts to passers-by",
"find a new job",
"show his new car to others"
],
"question": "The young man was traveling across the country in 1971... | In 1971, a young man who grew up very poor was traveling across the country, trying to make a new start for himself. Along the way he had completely run out of money and was forced to spend the night in his car. This continued until one morning, after a week of sleeping in his car, he walked nervously into a restaurant and ordered a big breakfast.
After eating his first good meal in weeks, he lied to the waiter, telling him he had lost his wallet. This waiter, who was also the owner of the restaurant, walked behind the chair where the young man had been sitting. He bent down, and came up with a $20 bill that looked as if it had fallen on the floor and said, "You must have dropped this," the owner said. The young man couldn't believe his luck. He quickly paid for the breakfast, left a tip, bought gas with the money, and went to the West.
On the way out of town, he began to understand what that man did. Maybe nobody dropped the money. "Maybe that man knew I was in trouble and he helped me in a way that didn't hurt me. So I just made a promise to help other people if I can."
Later, he worked very hard and became a rich man. Now, he lives in Kansas City. Each year he gives away thousands of dollars. He is known as the "Secret Santa " because at Christmas time each year, he personally hands money out to those on the street and at restaurants. | high18986.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "lead an exciting life by using the Internet"
},
"options": [
"waste much time visiting the Internet",
"lead an exciting life by using the Internet",
"don't have to learn their lessons in their classrooms",
"spend too mu... | Way of Life for Students
The Internet is way of life for US college students, with research showing them to be one of the most connected groups.
A recent study by Harris Interactive and 360 Youth found that 93 percent of American college students visit the Internet, and this market is expected to grow from 15.2 million in 2003 to 16.4 million in 2007. That is slow but could be the result of the already high number of college Internet users.
About 88 percent of American college students own a computer, and more than half have broadband connections. Furthermore, 67 percent own cell phones and 36 percent use their mobile devices to visit the Internet. Study findings are that 42 percent go online mainly to communicate socially, and 72 percent of college students check emails at least once a day, with 66 percent using at least two email addresses.
The most popular online social activity is forwarding messages to friends or family, with 37 percent of college students saying they do so. The study also looked beyond the Internet surfing habits and into the buying habits of this group, and found them responsible for more than US $ 210 billion in sales last year alone.
College students have learned how to spend their money, with 93 percent saying low prices were important when shopping.
The study also showed that 65 percent make loan payments; 41 percent of freshmen have a credit card; and 79 percent of seniors have a credit card. A significant number of charges on these credit cards are likely to be for entertainment and leisure expenses. | high10302.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Search the websites you like."
},
"options": [
"Buy what you like .",
"Watch films and listen to music.",
"Search the websites you like.",
"Leave a message for your friends."
],
"question": "What can you do thro... | Google works miracles
Google is a daily miracle to millions of people. You can type almost anything into the space provided, and soon it wil come up with hundreds, if not thousands, of references . It is said that you can get into billions of websites through Google.
Yahoo becomes giant
Yahoo was the first wonder of the Web, and in many parts, it still is.
It started in January 1994 when two Californian graduate students, Jerry Yang and David Filo, started building a database of links , mainly for their personal use. Well before the end of the year, it had become known as the Yahoo we know today.
Ebay enables everyone to buy and sell
Ebay, which carries out online auctions , is one of the most important Internet companies. It has, for example, opened up a global marketplace in which people from Beigjing, San Francisco, Moscow or Buenos Aires can bid against each other for products (new or old )put up auction by someone in London.
Amazon makes buying a new experience
For regular users, amazon has made itself the shortest possible path between wanting and buying. With amazon you can get something more cheaply and perhaps more quickly.
The search engine and one-click ordering system let you find and order something in seconds.But this is not the whole story. Amazon also uses technology very cleverly to keep you on the site, and to make you buy more. | high18038.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "they meant to rob somebody"
},
"options": [
"they had nothing to do",
"they were homeless",
"they meant to rob somebody",
"they were guarding the shop"
],
"question": "The two youths stood in a dark shop doorway... | One night, Mrs. Riley, an elderly woman, was walking along a dark London street. She was carrying her handbag in one hand and a plastic carrier bag in the other. There was nobody else in the street except two youths. They were standing in a dark shop doorway. One of them was very tall with fail hair, the other was short and fat with a beard.
The youths waited for a few moments, and then ran quickly and quietly towards Mrs. Riley. The tall youth held her from behind while the other youth tried to seize her handbag.
Suddenly, Mrs. Riley threw the tall youth over her shoulder. He crashed into the other youth and they both landed on the ground. Without speaking, Mrs. Riley struck both of them on the head with her handbag and walked calmly away.
The two surprised youths were still sitting on the ground when Mrs. Riley crossed the street towards a door with a lighted sign above it. Mrs. Riley paused, turned round, smiled at the youths and walked into the South West London Judo Club. | high10464.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Roberto Clemente was a fine person as well as a baseball star."
},
"options": [
"Roberto Clemente was one of the best baseball stars of all time.",
"Roberto Clemente was a fine person who died helping others.",
"Roberto Cleme... | People in the United States love baseball. The best baseball players are stars. Great players are heroes. They are given a place in the baseball Hall of Fame. Roberto Clemente is in the Baseball Hall of Farm. He belongs there. For eight years in a row his batting average was over 300. He was batting champion four times. He was named most valuable player in 1966. He won the 1971 World Series for his team. His average in that series was 414.
But to many people Roberto was a hero not just for his baseball playing, but for his life. He spent it helping others and he died helping others.
He was born in Puerto Rico in 1934. His family was large. His parents worked hard to give their children the things they needed. He began to play baseball when he was young. He was so good that he was a star at the age of seventeen. At nineteen he joined a team in the United States. The next year he went to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and played in that team for eighteen years.
Roberto took pride in his career. He was not easy to give up. He went on with the game and played his best even when he was hurt and was in pain. He was proud of his game. He used to say: "For me, I am the best baseball player in the world." He meant that he believed in himself.
Roberto loved to help others. He found many ways to help people, both in the United States and in Puerto Rico. Later in 1972 there was an earthquake in Nicaragua. Many people were killed and a lot more were hurt. Many were homeless and hungry. Food and clothing were badly needed. Of course Roberto was one of the first to help. He formed a group to get the things that were needed. He was on the plane that was going to deliver them.
The plane crashed in the sea near Puerto Rico. Roberto was killed, but his life still shines like a light in people's hearts. | high21861.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Charlie Chaplin has a great effect on today's sound film."
},
"options": [
"\"The little Tramp\" was the only character that Charlie Chaplin acted.",
"Charlie Chaplin signed to Keystone Studios in 1906.",
"Charlie Chaplin mad... | Charlie Chaplin was one of the greatest and widely loved silent movie stars. From "Easy Street" (1917) to "Modern Times" (1936), he made many of the funniest and most popular films of his time. He was best known for his character, the naive and lovable Little Tramp. The Little Tramp, a well meaning man in a raggedy suit with cane, always found himself wobbling into awkward situations and strangely wobbling away. More than any other figure, it is this kind-hearted character that we associate with the time before the talkies (sound films).
Born in London in 1889, Chaplin first visited America with a theater company in 1907. Appearing as "Billy" in the play "Sherlock Holmes", the young Chaplin toured the country twice. On his second tour, he met Mack Sennett and was signed to Keystone Studios to act in films. In 1914 Chaplin made his first one-reeler, "Making a Living". That same year he made thirty-four more short films, including "Caught in a Cabaret", "Caught in the Rain", "The Face on the Bar-Room Floor", and "His Trysting Place". These early silent shorts allowed very little time for anything but physical comedy, and Chaplin was a master at it.
Though Chaplin is of the silent movie era, we see his achievements carried through in the films of today. With the appearance of the feature-length talkies, the need for more subtle acting became apparent. To maintain the audience's attention throughout a six-reel film, an actor needed to move beyond constant comedy. Chaplin had demanded this depth long before anyone else. His strictness and concern for the processes of acting and directing made his films great and led the way to a new, more sophisticated, cinema. | high2123.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "to get the children prepared for the kindergarten"
},
"options": [
"to develop the children's communication",
"to give orphaned children good care and education",
"to get the children prepared for the kindergarten",
"to... | Is early childhood education really necessary? Early childhood education primarily focuses on learning through playing to develop the child's physical, sensory, communicational and social development.Early childhood education has become a concern of the government, who pushes poor children to be formally trained before they are old enough for Kindergarten.
There are good reasons for the government to push early childhood education.Studies have shown that orphaned children who did not receive good care and education become developmentally delayed causing failure in school, and even in life.Further studies show that poor children who take part in Head Start programs are more prepared for school, less likely to end up in Special Education classes, and are less likely to receive public help or go to jail.
There are also negative parts to putting a child in formal education programs too early.Time Magazine online explains that "the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work." I have personally witnessed many children of my generation who went to Head Start programs become frustrated and bored with school before they finished high school.Yet parents have been sure that the earlier the child starts school, the better off he or she is, so they push to start children earlier.
Actually while early formal education of poor children does show great gains in the early elementary years, studies also show that this head start is really a "false start", as the gains are lost in middle and high school years.It seems that environment is a bigger factor on life's success than early education.Head Start programs have not achieved its original goal in closing the achievement gap in poor and middle school children.Perhaps it is time to find other ways to close that gap. | high5894.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Using a camera system."
},
"options": [
"In the space station.",
"In the spaceship.",
"Using a camera system.",
"Teaming up with astronauts."
],
"question": "How have thousands of students experienced similar ex... | While only about 200 astronauts have had the excitement of looking down at Earth and commanding systems on the International Space Station, actually thousands of everyday middleschool students have experienced by Middle School Students, or EarthKAM, a camera system.
EarthKAM is an educational activity and outreach investigation that also results in remote Earth sensing and observation. Using the Internet, the students control a special digital camera fixed aboard the space station, enabling them to photograph the Earth's coastlines, mountain ranges and other geographic items of interest from the unique advantage point of space.
While EarthKAM offers a powerful way for students to investigate Earth from the unique perspective of space, it is also inspiring the next generation of flight controllers for space programs--involving university students to control and operate the camera system and related activities from the ground.
In the interview, Brion Au, one of the investigation developers at NASA's Johnson Space Centre, said,"EarthKAM is a payload by students, for students. They are in charge. This system provides a viewpoint that the astronauts have...it's just aweinspiring!"So far, students have captured more than 40,000 photos of the Earth from the space station as it orbited the Earth once every 90 minutes, traveling at 17,500 miles an hour. The team at EarthKAM posts these photographs online for the public and participating classrooms around the world to view.
Au explains that this education investigation is inspiring students to explore the world by examining Earth, while promoting social studies, art, geography, science, technology, and math, among other important lessons involving research and teamwork. EarthKAM was started by Dr. Sally Ride, originally flying on the shuttles. The camera is located in the window Observational Research Facility, also known as the WORF, one of many the station's research facilities. | high4552.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "tired"
},
"options": [
"disappointed",
"worried",
"frightened",
"tired"
],
"question": "We can infer that children attending a Jump'n Jive birthday party will be _ .",
"question_type": "summarization_ques... | If your life is just too busy for the added stress of planning a birthday party, consider having someone else do all the work. There are several great places in Amarillo that would be happy to host the party for you. Here are a few party places for children's birthday parties in Amarillo, Texas.
Jump'n Jive
Jump' n Jive birthday parties are a hit in Amarillo. It is basically a giant indoor playground full of inflatable jumpers and slides. The kids will enjoy pretending to be popcorn, and you'll enjoy not having to plan the activities. It's great exercise and parents may content for wearing out their kids for a good short sleep. They can supply the cake, ice cream, tableware, pizza, good bags and much more. They are located at 7302 W. 34th Street and you can reach them at (806) 367-8954.
Brush With Art
If you've ever found your child color1ing on the wall (or even if you haven't) Brush With Art is a fantastic birthday party place. It is a paint-you-own pottery studio where the guests and your birthday star will enjoy painting items such as a plate, a cup and other items. Brush With Art is located at 1948 Civic Circle in Wolflin Square. You can reach them at (806) 355-7911.
The Amarillo Zoo
Want to celebrate the birthday with monkeys, lions and pot-bellied pigs? The Amarillo Zoo is a great place for a birthday party. The kids will enjoy seeing and talking about the animals. It will definitely provide a memorable experience. It even includes a private encounter with an animal such as a snake or a rabbit. For more details on birthday parties at the Amarillo zoo, call at least 3 weeks in advance at (806)381-7911.
Don Harrington Discovery Center
Want an entertaining birthday party with an educational twist? The Don Harrington Discovery Center is a fantastic place to go. Kids will enjoy interacting with fun exhibits such as a bubble area where you can make giant bubbles. Their birthday parties include the use of a private party room for two hours. It also includes a hands-on activity with a staff person. It definitely makes for a unique, but exciting birthday party. To learn more about their party packages, give them a call at (806)355-9547. The museum's address is 1200 Streit Drive in Amarillo. | high19326.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Make a schedule, and follow it"
},
"options": [
"Advantages of starting a timetable",
"Keep to it, and you will succeed",
"Make a schedule, and follow it",
"Learn to love your timetable"
],
"question": "What is ... | The words "timetable" and "schedule" make most final year students want to eat their own vomit. Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that final year students must develop a timetable. If you don't have a schedule or plan for studying, you will have no way of allocating your valuable time when the unexpected arises. A well-thought-out timetable can be a lifesaver. It is up to you to learn how to develop a schedule that meets your needs. Change it if necessary, but most important, follow it . All timetables should be made with the idea that they can be changed. A good one will keep you from wandering off course.
A good timetable should make every hour count--every class ,social event and other activity you engage in .You must focus on the other "free time" available and how you will use it .Make a weekly schedule and divided each day into one-hour increments. Indicate times for classes, socializing, and work time. Also block off a period for sleeping every day. In the precious hours left over, plan time for study. This gives you a rough road map of the time available. Of course, you can change your schedule as circumstances need.
The timetable you develop should guide you in how to distribute the available time in the most productive manner. Sticking to your schedule can be tough, but don't dribble away valuable time. Avoiding study is the easiest thing in the world. It is up to you to follow the schedule you've prepared. A good deal of your success in high school and with any future study depends on this simple truth.
Remember, there is a learning curve. You learn the most in the first 30 minutes of study; after that, it progressively deteriorates. After four or five hours of studying the same material in the same way, you are learning virtually nothing. The solution is to keep switching subjects and study styles. | high16015.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To introduce the topic."
},
"options": [
"To introduce the topic.",
"To express his sympathy.",
"To describe the human-animal relationship.",
"To warn people of the danger of keeping animals."
],
"question": "Wh... | If you are interested in animals, you probably heard about the tragedy at Seaworld Orlando. On February 24, Tillicum, a six-ton orca ,was performing with his trainer, Dawn Brancheau, who stood on a platform by his pool.
They had done the same show together many times before, without incident. This time, though, events took a terrible turn. Without warning, Tillicum leaped from the water, took hold of Branchcheau by her hair, and dragged her deep below the water's surface. Before other trainers could react, Brancheau drowned.
Although known as killer whales, orcas are the largest member of the dolphin family. They are easy to train, and performances like Tillicum's have been done safely thousands of times. Yet Dawn Brancheau's death was a shocking reminder of what can happen when human being act together with wild animals. People began to ask, "Should orcas be kept in captivity "
Yes
Worldwide, only 42 orcas are being kept by humans. Scientists know very little about these huge sea animals, which are difficult to study in the wild. However, they do know that orcas are easily harmed by pollution. As our oceans become ever more damaged by human activity, observing orcas up close helps us understand them and do a better job of protecting them in nature.
"I think that some dangerous animals, such as killer whales, should be kept in captivity because it raises awareness about them and educates people about wild animals," says Lauren, 12, a 6-grader from Colorado. "Keeping some in captivity will help protect their species."
No
Enclosed habitats can be painful to wild animals, and make them act in unpredictable even harmful ways.
"It is wrong to keep these animals in captivity", says Prathm, 12. The 7th-grader from New Jersey, adds, "They should live in their own habitats, not be used as entertainment slaves."
Richard Ellis, a marine conservationist in New York, agrees. "It is part of human nature to keep wild animals in small spaces and train them to do tricks," he says. "I' m against it because I think it _ the animals." | high8368.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Just ignore it."
},
"options": [
"Talk to friends.",
"Just ignore it.",
"Go to see a doctor.",
"Ask your teachers for guidance."
],
"question": "How would you treat temporary loneliness according to the passage?... | Most people feel lonely sometimes, but it usually only lasts between a few minutes and a few hours. This kind of loneliness is not serious. In fact, it is quite normal. For some people, though, loneliness can last for years. Now researchers say there are three different types of loneliness.
The first kind of loneliness is temporary. This is the most common type. It usually disappears quickly and does not require any special attention. The second kind, situational loneliness, is a natural result of a particular situation -- for example, family problem, the death of a loved one, or moving to a new place. Although this kind of loneliness can cause physical problems, such as headaches and sleeplessness, it usually does not last for more than a year.
The third kind of loneliness is the most severe. Unlike the second type, habitual loneliness usually lasts more than two years and has no specific cause. People who experience habitual loneliness have problems socializing and becoming close to others. Unfortunately, many chronically lonely people think there is little or nothing they can do to improve their condition.
Psychologists agree that one important factor in loneliness is a person's social contacts, e.g. friends, family members, co-workers, etc. We depend on various people for different reasons. For instance, our families give us emotional support, our parents and teachers give us guidance, and our friends share similar interests and activities. However, psychologists have found that, though lonely people may have many social contacts, they sometimes feel they should have more. They question their popularity.
Psychologists are trying to find ways to help habitually lonely people for two reasons: they are unhappy and unable to socialize and there is a connection between habitual loneliness and serious illness such as heart disease. While temporary and situational loneliness can be a normal, healthy part of life, habitual loneliness can be a sad and sometimes dangerous condition. | high12273.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Polynesia"
},
"options": [
"Mongolia",
"an East African town",
"Polynesia",
"Arabia"
],
"question": "People turn their backs to others while they eat in some places in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questio... | Good manners are important, but you can easily make a social blunder when you visit a foreign country, because sometimes good manners in one place are bad manners in other places.
Suppose you visit some friends in Mongolia and they ask you to eat with them. What kind of manners do they want you to have? They want you to give a loud "burp" after you finish eating. Burping shows that you like your food. But in some other countries, if you give a loud "burp", you are supposed to say, "Excuse me, please."
In many places people like to eat together. But in some parts of Polynesia it is bad manners to be seen eating together. People show their good manners by turning their backs on others while they eat.
What are manners like in an East African town? The people try not to see you. When you are visiting a friend, he may not see you at all. If you are polite, you will sit down beside him. You will wait until he finishes what he is doing. Then he will talk to you.
If you visit a friend in Arabia you should walk behind other tents until you come to his tent. If you pass in front of other tents, you will be asked into each one. The people will ask you to eat with them. And it is bad manners if you say no.
Manners are different all over the world. But it is good to know that all manners help people show that they want to be friends. | high14602.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The children"
},
"options": [
"David",
"The writer",
"The children",
"The writer's husband"
],
"question": "Who trimmed the Christmas trees this year?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"ans... | Family traditions were important in our house, and one was more appreciated than our annual trip to the woods for the perfect Christmas tree.
"Dad, can we watch when you trim it?" my eldest son ,John ,asked on the way home.
"I won't be cutting this year," my husband said." You and your brother Dan are old enough to measure things, fit the tree to the stand and do it by yourselves. Think you boys can handle it?"
They seemed to _ in their chairs at the thought of such an amazing responsibility. "We can handle it," Dan promised. We won't let you down."
A few days before Christmas, Dan and John rushed in after school. They gathered the tools they'd need and brought them out of yard, where the tree waited. I left the older boys to their work and brought David inside for his early supper. A moment later I heard the happy sounds as the boys carried the trees into the living room. Then I heard the sound become dead silence. I hurried out to them. The tree was too short. John crossed his arm tight across his chest. His eyes were filled with angry tears.
The tree was central to our holiday, but it was not what I worried about. I didn't want the boys to feel ashamed every time they looked at it. We had a terrible problem on our hands. I couldn't lower the ceiling, and I couldn't raise the floor either. There was no way to repair the damage. If I couldn't fix the problem, maybe I could get creative with it. A thought came to my mind, which turned to the solution.
I followed them back into the living room.. "We can't make the tree taller," I said. "But we can put it on a higher position." Dan turned his head sideways, measuring the distance with his eyes . "We can put it on the coffee table and put the lights and decorations on before we lift it up . Thus, we won't need a ladder. It just might work! Let's try it!"
When my husband got home and looked at the big tree on top of the coffee table, Dan and John held their breath.
"What a good idea!" he declared, as if the boys had gone beyond all his expectations. "Why didn't I ever think of such a thing ?"
John broke into a grin. Dan's chest swelled with pride. David squealed. | high9076.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "covers a lot of characters"
},
"options": [
"is full of terrifying scenes of bleeding and killing",
"received the title of Tony Awards Winning Play",
"covers a lot of characters",
"tells the story happening in the Secon... | Joey is loyal, encouraging and self-sacrificing, always putting others' interests ahead of his own. He is a hard worker, who also loves to run and play. In short, he's an ideal friend and a heroic character.
Here is the thing: Joey is a horse, who appears as the main character in Steven Spielberg's new film War Horse.
It is based on Michael Morpurgo's 1982 novel, which also caused the same-titled Tony Awards winning play.
The film follows the saga of Joey, a racehorse that's trained for farm work under the loving care of Albert (Jeremy Irvine )after Albert's drunk father Ted(Peter Mullan ) overpays for the animal at auction .
Then the World War I tears Albert and Joey apart. Joey is sold into the war effort for the British and starts his episodic adventures in Europe.
Splendidly staged, the battle plots in the film are visually
and impressive.
And with Spielberg's unique, top-notch direction and storytelling skills, War Horse cannot escape its episodic nature, calling to mind another Spielberg film about the horrors of war and its effects upon soldiers and civilians--Saving Private Ryan.
While that film shocked with horrific scenes of bleeding, it relied on a company of easily-described characters and a focused storyline to present heroic themes.
Like Saving Private Ryan, War Horse clings to a series of characters, not only Albert, but also British officers, French civilians and German soldiers, who display courage in the face of danger. Everyone who comes in contact with Joey is either already in touch with their inner angel or is quickly moved to become more humane.
Although none of this covers the fact that we've seen this stuff elsewhere before, the lovely sentiment will steal your heart.
And the emotional signature of Spielberg can be felt as he establishes the relationship between the boy and the horse and the mood of the piece - there will be tears.
Therefore, calling this beautiful, dramatically incomplete film " Saving Private Joey", is entirely justifiable. | high15508.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Citizens shared them."
},
"options": [
"The communities bought them.",
"Tod Bol donated them.",
"US government provided them.",
"Citizens shared them."
],
"question": "How do Little Free Libraries get their book... | The sharing economy has grown in recent years to include everything from apartment sharing to car sharing to community tool sharing. Since 2009, a new form of sharing economy has been emerging in neighborhoods throughout the US and around the world---- Little Free Library. The libraries are boxes placed in neighborhoods from which residents can withdraw and deposit books. Little Free Libraries come in all shapes and sizes. Some libraries also have themes, focusing on books for children, adults, or tour guides.
In 2009, Tod Bol built the first Little Free Library as a gift to his mother, who was a devoted reader. When he saw the people of his community gathering around it, exchanging conversation as well as books, he knew he wanted to take his simple idea further. "I think Little Free Libraries open the door to conversations we want to have with each other," Bol said.
Since then, his idea has become a movement, spreading from state to state and country to country. According to Little FreeLibrary.org, there are now 18,000 of the little structures around the world, located in each of the 50 US states and 70 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia.
The Internet has helped to spread Little Free Libraries. But an Atlantic article says the little structures serve as a cure for a world of e-reader downloads. The little wooden boxes are refreshingly physical and human. For many people, the sense of discovery is Little Free Libraries' main appeal. "A girl walking home from school might pick up a graphic novel that gets her excited about reading; a man on his way to the bus stop might find a volume of poetry that changes his outlook on life," says the Atlantic article. "Every book is a potential source of inspiration". | high12267.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "completed the task better"
},
"options": [
"forgot their task",
"completed the task better",
"made no errors in their task",
"remembered which lever they had pressed for a shorter time"
],
"question": "When thei... | A team led by Professor Theoder Berger, from the University of Southern California, can now manipulate brain cells in rats so that memories stored in the hippocampus, a brain area crucial for memory formation, are activated or suppressed . It's said that _ could one day have medical applications.
In the study, researcher first trained rats to remember which of two levers they pressed first, then to press the other lever.
As the rats performed the task, the scientists carefully monitored the electrical activity in each creature's hippocampus to find the pattern of nerve-cell activity involved in making a solid memory.
Using the same glass needles they had used to record the nerve activity, they stimulated nerves in the same pattern and found that the animals' performance in the task got even better. The rats made fewer errors and were able to remember which lever was the"correct"one for a longer period of time.
The scientists went a step further and suppressed the rats' memories with a drug called Mk801, which caused them to forget their task. When the animals' brain cells were later stimulated with the"correct"pattern, they remembered again which lever to press.
"What's really exciting about this study is that when they played back the'good' patterns--the patterns when the animal got the task right--it did appear to improve memory,"said Dean Buonomano, an associate professor at the University of California.
The final goal, Berger said, is to help people with stroke and epilepsy and the like strengthen memories and to help doctors treat them. The technology might even help sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder.
But first, researchers would have to show that they can stimulate or suppress far more complex memories than the ones in the rat experiment.
"Here ,it's a simple task,"Buonomano said. In contrast, humans' memories are very rich and specific...
"We have very many steps to go before this can be achieved,"he said. | high13179.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It's better to be angry than to be frightened."
},
"options": [
"It's better to be angry than to be frightened.",
"Different reactions reflect different outlooks on life.",
"Don't control your anger and it makes you powerful.... | Anger is good for you, as lon g as you control it, according to new psychology research. A new study from Carnegie Mellon University shows anger may help people reduce the negative impacts of stress and help you become healthier.
"Here getting emotional is not bad for you if you look at the case of anger," said Jennifer Lerner of Carnegie Mellon. "The more people display anger, the lower their stress responses."
Lerner studied 92 UCLA students by asking them to count back from 6,200. They must say out loud every thirteenth number. Researchers disturbed them by asking them to count faster or ask them other questions. If they made any mistakes, they had to restart from the very beginning. Many students felt depressed about making so many mistakes or got angry because the researchers were interrupting them.
Lerner used a hidden video camera and recorded all their facial expressions during the test. The researchers describe their reactions as fear, anger and disgust.
Other researchers recorded the students' blood pressure, pulse and production of a high-stress hormone called cortisol. People whose faces showed more fear during th e experiment had higher blood pressure and higher levels of the hormone. Both can have lasting effects such as diabetes , heart disease, depression and extra weight gain.
When people feel fear, negative impacts increase, but when they get angry, those negatives go down, according to the study.
"Having that sense of anger leads people to actually feel some power in what otherwise is maddening situation,"
Lerner said. Lerner previously studied Americans' emotional response to the 911 terrorist attacks two months after the incident. She found people who reacted with anger were more optimistic. These people are healthier compared with those who were frightened during the event. So in maddening situations, anger is not a bad thing to have. It's a healthier response than fear. | high9062.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Open doors and unlock his car with a wave of his hand."
},
"options": [
"Make a safety gate open with a knock of a card.",
"Make bridge and tunnel traffic flow smoothly with an E-Zpass.",
"Open doors and unlock his car with a... | A small group of people around the world have started implanting microchips to link the body and the computer.
Mr. Donelson and three friends, who had driven 100 miles from their homes in Loockport, New York, to have the implants put in by Dr. Jesse Villemaire, whom they had persuaded to do the work, are part of a small group, about 30 people around the world, who have independently put in microchips into their bodies, according to Web-based reports.
At a shop William Donelson was having a four-millimeter-wide needle put into his left hand. "I'm set,"he said with a deep breath. He watched as the needle pierced the fleshy webbing between his thumb and a microchip was set under his skin. At last he would be able to do what he had long imagined: strengthen his body's powers through technology.
By putting the chip inside--a radio frequency identification device (RFID)--Mr. Donelson would have at his fingertips the same magic that makes safety gates open with a knock of a card, and bridge and tunnel traffic flow smoothly with an E-Zpass. With a wave of his hand he plans to connect with his computer, open doors and unlock his car.
Implanting the chip was relatively simple task but very meaningful to Mr. Doneselson, a 21-year-old computer networking student so interested in the link between technology and the body that he has data-input jacks inside his body. _ might lead to an imagined future when people can be connected directly into computers. His new chip is enclosed in a glass container no bigger than a piece of rice and has a small memory where he has stored the words "Technology".
Some doctors have done the piercing in people's homes, and others have implanted chips in their offices after patients signed forms showing the fact that long-term studies have not been done on their safety. Piercers treat the implants much like any other medical operation steps, instructing people to keep the site dry, and advising them that swelling and redness should last a week. | high14616.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He liked it very much."
},
"options": [
"He didn't like it.",
"He liked it very much.",
"He didn't say anything.",
"He supported Justin Bieber."
],
"question": "What did Chris Brown think of Justin Bieber's sing... | You love Jay Chou's songs and you can sing some quite well. So you make a video of your performance and post it online for your friends to see. But what if this led to something beyond your wildest
imagination--a career in music?
Canadian teenager Justin Bieber, 16, has just had the magical experience: He posted homemade videos of his versions of songs by American singer Chris Brown online for his relatives. He received a phone call from Brown, telling him how much he liked his performance. His singing eventually earned him a fan base and a record contract. After releasing a popular record in November 2009, his album My world 2.0 came out last Tuesday.
Bieber sings ballads and songs about puppy love. But is he just another gooey teen idol? David Malitz, a columnist with the Washington Post, doesn't think so. "If we truly want the best forAmerican children, let us pause and give thanks for Justin Bieber," he writes. "After years of humdrum bubblegum from Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers, the 16yearold has thrown a candycoated wrench into Disney's heartthrob assembly line by giving young fans something worth screaming their lungs out for lovable pop songs."
From a boy who grew up below the poverty line with his divorced mom to a star who caused nearriots in shopping malls, even Bieber himself can't believe his overnight fame, although his kind of success is becoming more and more common in the Internet era.
Interested in hockey, the national sport of Canada, the boy once put up pictures of players on the walls of his bedroom. He dreamed of being a hockey star and used to practice signing his autograph. He doesn't need practice now. He signs autographs, if the girls can get close enough, as a music star. | high5658.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "can choose your roommates"
},
"options": [
"have to cook yourself",
"can choose your roommates",
"can enjoy the washing services for free",
"must share a room with others"
],
"question": "If you choose First Sto... | Student Residences
Banbury House Tel: 564839
Enjoy mixing with other students in comfortable accommodation ? 10 minutes' walk to the university district and close to all main bus stops. Single and double rooms. All cleaning services offered. Please bring your own bedding.
Three Seasons Tel: 445987
We can provide all types of accommodations for all types of single students. Rooms are fully furnished with bedding and there are four bathrooms each floor. Meals provided. 20minutes' walk to the university and city center.
First Stop Tel: 223300
Suitable for new students. We provide double rooms. If you wish, we can offer help in finding a suitable person to share a room with. All washing and cleaning services offered at extra charge. Large canteen and three bathrooms on each floor.
Sturtin Hotel Tel: 876333
Located in pleasant countryside surroundings. We offer scenic views and old-world attractiveness. Relax after a long day by swimming in the pool or using the exercise gym. Separate study rooms; bar & restaurants available. No children.
Downtown Digs Tel: 882312
Do you worry that you'll not have enough money to see the term through? Don't waste it on expensive housing. This is a hostel run by students. No references and no rules. Shared bathroom, dormitory accommodation. 30 minutes' walk to the university and city center.
Hilton Hostel Tel: 846241
It is not quite the Hilton Hotel but all rooms are fully provided with meals, bedding and cleaning services included. 5minutes' walk to the university and bus stops to the city downtown. Minimum stay period of six months. Singles only. | high21875.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "No air conditioners were fixed in."
},
"options": [
"It was designed in a smaller size.",
"No air conditioners were fixed in.",
"Its heating system was less advanced.",
"It used rather different building materials."
... | The extraordinary Eastgate Building in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital city, is said to be the only one in the world to use the same cooling and heating principles as the termite mound .
Architect Mick Pearce used precisely the same strategy when designing the Eastgate Building, which has no air-conditioning and almost no heating. The building--the country's largest commercial and shopping complex--uses less than 10% of the energy of a conventional building of its size. The Eastgate's owners saved $3.5 million on a $36 million building because an air-conditioning equipment didn't have to be imported.
The complex is actually two buildings linked by bridges across a shady, glass-roofed atrium open to the air. Fans suck fresh air in from the atrium, blow it upstairs through hollow spaces under the floors and from there into each office through baseboard vents . As _ rises and warms, it is drawn out via ceiling vents and finally exists through forty-eight brick chimneys.
During summer's cool nights, big fans blow air through the building seven times an hour to cool the empty floors. By day, smaller fans blow two changes of air an hour through the building, to circulate the air which has been in contact with the cool floors. For winter days, there are small heaters in the vents.
This is all possible only because Harare is 1600 feet above sea level, has cloudless skies, little dampness and rapid temperature changes--days as warm as 31degC commonly drop to 14degC at night. "You couldn't do this in New York, with its hot summers and cold winters," Pearce said.
The engineering firm of Ove Arup&Partners monitors daily temperatures. It is found that the temperature of the building has generally stayed between 23degC and 25degC, with the exception of the annual hot period just before the summer rains in October and three days in November, when a doorkeeper accidentally switched off the fans at night. And the air is fresh--far more so than in air-conditioned buildings, where up to 30% of the air is recycled. | high5880.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "In a mountain"
},
"options": [
"In a forest",
"In a mountain",
"Along a river",
"Near an airport"
],
"question": "Where did the writer ever go hiking?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"ans... | After we finished thirteen miles of hiking, we were tired and our muscles ached as we made our way back to New England. The car ride to the airport followed by a two-hour flight left our legs more worse condition than they were when we first came off the mountain we just climbed.
When we heard that two seats in first class on our next flight were available for a bit higher price, we jumped at the opportunity. Our spirits lifted immediately. After all, flying first class was a new experience for us, and we would end our adventure in comfort and style.
As we boarded the plane, we noticed that the stewardess was working non-stop to ensure the comfort of the first class passengers. She could not walk by a seat without receiving an order. How much she must love her job! She smiled kindly at each one while attending to their needs.
As the stewardess walked by our seats near the end of the flight, I looked at her and said, "Thank you and I hope you have a great night." She stopped, bent down, looked at me and said, "Excuse me." I repeated my words and she smiled in a rather funny way, almost as if I had asked her a question that she did not know how to answer.
After a few moments she returned to our seats. "I can tell you work with the public," she said. "Why do you think so?" I asked. She answered very quietly, "Because you are the only passenger here to say something nice to me tonight and I really appreciate your kindness."
The sense of belonging to the elite group of people in first class disappeared as we heard her words. Our first class seats offered us more than a comfortable ride. We were reminded that without kindness, we would be flying in no class. | high6.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "8 years"
},
"options": [
"11 years",
"9 years",
"8 years",
"7 years"
],
"question": "How long will you spend at least in total if you want to finish your Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degrees in Canada?",
... | There is no doubt that to study abroad gives you an excellent opportunity to learn things which are very helpful in your career building. Today Canada has earned a good name in providing quality education and safe healthy environment for its students. That is why more than 130,000 international students enroll every year in famous Canadian universities. It is an ideal education destination and gives students a unique experience of education and its versatile arts and culture. Canada spends a lot on education and is ranked the highest in G-8 countries.
To study in Canada is very cost effective. These universities are affordable compared to other universities in the world such as in the US, New Zealand and UK where cost of education and living is very high. According to a survey in 2006, "Canada offered the lowest tuition fees for foreign students compared to UK and Australia."
The low rate of crimes and the peaceful safe environment of the country also attracts a lot of international students to Canadian universities. Canada has 92 universities and 175 community colleges and university degrees have three levels--Bachelor's , Master's and Doctoral .
A Bachelor's degree in Canada is for three or four years' full-time study depending on the nature of the program you are doing. On the other hand, a Master's degree consists of two years of study. For a Doctoral program in Canadian universities, you require a minimum (/) of three to four or sometimes five years of research and study.
You can also find many diploma and certification program in Canadian universities where the time is generally one year. Some of the Canadian universities are well-regarded worldwide and the degree and diploma obtained from these Canadian universities are recognized globally and promise bright future. After the completion of studies, a person could also find great job offers in Canada itself. International students require a work permit to work on campus. | high3229.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "introduce a topic"
},
"options": [
"make a comparison",
"describe a person",
"introduce a topic",
"tell a story"
],
"question": "In Paragraph 1, the writer uses Bleed's case to _ .",
"question_type": "c... | Last year, Jack Bleed cut through the bone of his ring finger while working. The 31-year-old resident of North Little Rock, Arkansas, waited for about six hours at a nearby medical center while the medical staff there called all over town -- even as far away as Dallas and Memphis -- to find a hand surgeon to reattach his finger. Finally, a willing doctor was located in Louisville, Kentucky. But even though Bleed had insurance , he would have to hire a private plane to get himself there, at a cost of $4,300. In the end, he charged the cost to two credit cards, and his finger was saved. His insurance company eventually covered the cost of the plane, but his experience makes people aware of the fact that trauma care in the United States is not only geographically limited, but in many places, non-existent.
Only eight states -- New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, New Mexico, California, Oregon, and Washington -- have local, fully functional trauma systems. The remaining states have partial systems, and 12 -- including Arkansas -- have no trauma system at all.
Although the President has signed a bill of $12 million for the purpose of supporting trauma care systems nationwide, many in Congress are unwilling to spend government money for a service they think should be paid for by states, says Wayne Meredith, medical director for trauma programs at the American College of Surgeons. Meanwhile, many states have also failed to find the dollars to support trauma systems. To make matters worse, many people without insurance depend heavily on the emergency care services, placing a huge financial burden on the medical centers that serve them.
For the same reason, doctors, too, often go unpaid. They are unwilling to perform emergency care, worsening critical shortages of neurosurgeons, orthopedists, and hand surgeons -- the very types of specialists Bleed needed at short notice.
Supporting a trauma care system doesn't take much. A half-penny sales tax in Miami-Dade County makes its outstanding system work. In Arkansas alone, says Wayne Meredith, a well-funded trauma system would possibly prevent 200 to 600 deaths each year. If trauma care systems were to work well across the nation, experts say, many thousands of lives each year could be saved. "You don't get much better return on your investment than that," Meredith says. | high16001.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "no money"
},
"options": [
"no money",
"$ 68.00",
"$ 2.50",
"$ 65.50"
],
"question": "From the letter we know that Mr. Albertson actually paid _ for the furniture",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},... | 136 Crestview Circle
Dover, Connecticut
November 16, 2015
Gander's Furniture Store
Stamford, Connecticut, 09876
Dear Sir,
I am writing about your November bill, which I am returning with this letter. I am not going to pay this bill. Last month I bought a table and four chairs for $65.50. They were sent to me on October 18. That night one leg of the table broke while my wife was putting our dinner on it. It fell on one of the chair, and that broke, too. Our $ 2.50 steak landed on the floor, and the dog ate it.
I spoke to the salesmen who had sold me the table and the chairs. He told me to write you a letter. I wrote you on October 20, saying that I was not going to pay for the furniture. On October 21 some men came and took it back to the store.
Please do something about your records. I do not want to receive another bill for the furniture which I returned.
Yours truly
Albertson | high19454.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "faces danger"
},
"options": [
"leaves the group itself",
"has breeding rights",
"eats its competitor",
"faces danger"
],
"question": "When a goby grows to within 5-10% of the size of its larger competitor,it _... | People diet to look more attractive.Fish diet to avoid being beaten up,thrown out of their social group,and getting eaten as a result.That is the fascinating conclusion of the latest research into fish behavior by a team of Australian scientists.
The research team have discovered that subordinate fish voluntarily diet to avoid challenging their larger competitors."In studying gobies we noticed that only the largest two individuals,a male and female,had breeding rights within the group," explains Marian Wong."All other group members are nonbreeding females,each being 5-10% smaller than its next largest competitor.We wanted to find out how they maintain this precise size separation."
The reason for the size difference was easy to see.Once a subordinate fish grows to within 5-10% of the size of its larger competitor,it causes a fight which usually ends in the smaller goby being driven away from the group.More often than not, _ is then eaten up.
It appeared that the smaller fish were keeping themselves small in order to avoid challenging the boss fish.Whether they did so voluntarily,by restraining how much they ate,was not clear.The research team decided to do an experiment.They tried to fatten up some of the subordinate gobies to see what happened.To their surprise,the gobies simply refused the extra food they were offered,clearly preferring to remain small and avoid fights,over having a feast.
The discovery challenges the traditional scientific view of how boss individuals keep their position in a group.Previously it was thought that large individuals simply used their weight and size to threaten their subordinates and take more of the food for themselves,so keeping their competitors small.
While the habits of gobies may seem a little mysterious,Dr.Wong explains that understanding the relationships between boss and subordinate animals is important to understand how hierarchical societies remain stable.
The research has proved the fact that voluntary dieting is a habit far from exclusive to humans."As yet,we lack a complete understanding of how widespread the voluntary reduction of food intake is in nature," the researchers comment."Data on human dieting suggests that,while humans generally diet to improve health or increase attractiveness,rarely does it improve long-term health and males regularly prefer females that are fatter than the females' own ideal." | high4220.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "recognize"
},
"options": [
"understand",
"recognize",
"like",
"surprise"
],
"question": "People often think that they would _ the speaker when they saw the speaker.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | People often hear each others' voices without ever seeing the faces they belong to. "Nowadays we are talking away on the phone without meeting people," says Seung-Jae Moon. And from business conference calls to chat lines, people often imagine they would recognize the speaker if they saw him or her. Seung-Jae Moon, a linguist of Korea found that, under certain conditions, they're actually right.
Moon decided to see just how close those mental pictures match up with reality and if there was any relation to how people speak rather than what they are saying. He recorded 16 Koreans, half men and half women, reading the same passage, and took a full-body photo and head shot of each speaker. Then he played the tapes for 361 Koreans and 173 Americans who did not speak Korean and asked his subjects to match up voice and picture. The Korean participants viewing full-body photos were quite perceptive. A majority linked 6 of the 8 women to the correct voice and did so for 5 of the 8 men. With the Korean group shown only faces, accuracy plummeted, but more than 20 percent of the subjects selected the same incorrect picture. The Americans showed no accuracy in matching the foreign voices to photos, but they too were consistent in their errors. That disconnection reveals conflicting ideas of physical and vocal beauty. Moon asked people to pick a favorite face and voice. Seventy percent of the Koreans picked one voice, but there was no agreement on a face. Americans didn' t agree on either count. And over 65 percent of both Koreans and Americans did not match their favorite face with their favorite voice.
Moon hopes to use software to break voices into components like pitch and hoarseness to narrow down which elements trigger certain mental pictures. "If we can map which characteristics of the voice triggers what kind of linage, and it doesn't matter whether that image is the right or wrong one of the actual speaker, then we can create an image through voice,' he says. That capacity could help to create computer-synthesized voices tailored to conjure up specific associations -- audio books for children that inspire motherly visages, or warning alerts that bring to mind a stern police officer. | high2889.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "people who are available to work and earn income"
},
"options": [
"people who are available to work and earn income",
"self-employed people who have the ability to work",
"people who are looking for an employment",
"emp... | Labor force is defined as being the total number of people who are available to work and earn income. This definition includes everyone who is employed or seeking paid employment, so it includes employers and the self-employed. Labor is one of the country's resources which can be combined with other resources to produce the goods and services wanted by the community.
Although the size of the workforce depends a great deal on the size of the total population, there are several other influences which also affect it. The age distribution of the total population has a very marked effect on the available workforce. If the population has a high proportion of very young people or of those too old to work, then the available workforce would be lower than if there were a balanced spread age distribution. If the population naturally grows rapidly, the number of births greatly exceeds the number of deaths then as a total population increases proportion of the workforce declines.
Sometimes a population is described as aging which means that the birth rate is either falling or growing very slowly, and as people retire from the workforce there are insufficient numbers of young people entering it to replace those who are leaving it. In that situation the population is top-heavy with older people. So the percentage of the population in the workforce declines when there is either a rapid increase in births or a falling birth rate.
The age distribution of the population has several important effects on the economy. If the population is aging and there is an increase in the number of people retiring without a corresponding increase in the number entering the workforce, this raises the problem of the ability of the economy to provide a reasonable level of social services to the retired group. If the aged are to be cared for in special homes, finance must be available for that purpose. If the size of the workforce is small to the total population, then the government tax revenue is ly low and either the government has less money available to it or workforce members have to be taxed more heavily. | high16767.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He was not as clever as his brothers."
},
"options": [
"He was not as clever as his brothers.",
"He considered himself to be a fool.",
"He didn't behave himself at school.",
"He didn't cook meals for his mother."
],... | The story began with a young mother who had three sons. Unfortunately, the youngest son developed slow thinking skills, not having the intelligence of his brothers.
With double duty as the mother of the household, she was exhausted, so that the youngest was often the target of anger and annoyance. Bad words, such as "you little fool" and the like, served as a daily meal for the youngest.
The words and curses he got from the mother and ridicule from friends convinced him that he was distressing and embarrassing his family. Every morning he woke up with his own face staring from the mirror reflection, he started to say quietly and sadly, "The fool is going to school."
As adult citizens, there was compulsory military service which should be lived. Thus, the youngest son also signed up and started to follow the various tests: a medical, physical ability test and other tests. On the day of the announcement, he was called into the board of examiners.
In his mind, he convinced himself that he was the fool and couldn't pass the tests this time as he entered the room with his head down. It was not expected at all. The tests turned out to have the highest praise from the board of examiners.
"Congratulations, young man! Your test results are incredible! You are really a great and talented young man. "Words from the board of examiners became the discovery of a new side of himself that was not known in advance. Voice kept echoing in his mind, such as "I, the great man, am in the shower", "The great man washes his face", "The talented young man again brushes his teeth" and so on. Confidence and improved self-image came beyond usual.
20 years later, the youngest established himself as a successful businessman who was admired and respected, and received many awards.
The mindset and belief are the power behind the success that is within us. Whatever we think and believe in or minds continuously, it will eventually materialize in reality. That's the universally applicable law. | high11008.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "tell how a kid changed after learning street dance"
},
"options": [
"tell the advantages of learning street dance",
"warn about the dangers of a difficult childhood",
"give advice on how to handle rebellious teenagers",
... | "He was a nightmare ," his mother, Mary said as I talked with her and her son Jamie. "I was sure he was going to end up in prison, or worse". Seeing Jamie so full of life with his new friends, there was no room for imagination that he was ever a rebellious kid.
Jamie was raised by his mother after his father left ten years ago. They lived in a small flat with little money. Most of their neighbors were alcoholics, so crime was very common. At middle school, he quickly got in with the wrong crowd and began to steal everything from shoes to phones.
Mary didn't realize the result of the trouble Jamie made until he told her he had been stopped from going to school for three weeks. Mary was very angry, but now she has realized that it was the best thing that had happened to both of them.
During the three weeks, Mary made him volunteer at the local community centre where he saw the street dancers for the first time. "They were so cool and able to express themselves in a way I had never seen before. I asked to join them and they agreed. Because of them I am who I am now." Jamie told me, tears in his eyes.
Back at school, his whole attitude and behavior improved. "I realized the boys I was hanging out with weren't cool, stealing wasn't cool and getting out of school wasn't cool either. It made me find something I love and have a goal in life." he said.
Yes, street dance makes him happy. This kind of dance speaks to people, and gives them a purpose. | high18992.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Researchers find air pollution shortens life"
},
"options": [
"PM2.5 is of especially great health concern",
"Researchers find air pollution shortens life",
"the government provided free coal for heating in North China",
... | A new study links heavy air pollution from coal burning to shorter lives in northern China.Researchers guess that the half-billion people alive there in the 1990s will live an average of 5 years less than the southerners because they breathed dirtier air.
China itself made the comparison possible for decades, a then government policy provided free coal for heating, but only in the colder north. Researchers found great differences in both air pollution and the length of life in the two areas.
"This study provides a unique basis for the question about the life span in northern China because the heating policy dramatically changes pollution concentrations ," Michael Greenstone, a professor of environmental economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said in an email, "Further,due to the low rates of migration in China in this period, we can know people's exposure over long periods".
The policy gave free coal for fuel boilers to heat homes and offices to cities north of the Huai River which divides China into north and south. It was in effect for much of the 1950-1980 period, of central planning,and though such policy was stopped after 1980, the practice of heavy coal burning in the north goes on, which releases heavy pollutants into the air that can harm human health.Researchers found no other government policies that treated China's north differently from the south.
The researchers collected data for 90 cities, from 1981 to 2000, on the annual daily average concentration of total particulates sent out from power stations,construction sites and vehicles. Among them, PM2.5 is of especially great health concern because it can go deep into the lungs.
The researchers estimated the impact on the length of life using death data from 1991-2000.They found that in the north, the concentration of pollutants was 184 micrograms per cubic meter, 55 percent higher than in the south, and life length is 55 years lower on average. | high17479.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Dealing with stress in modern education."
},
"options": [
"Getting rid of the modern education.",
"Helping children live a happy life.",
"Dealing with stress in modern education.",
"Taking measures to learn at school."
... | Our children feel stressed out by an educational system that actually uses stress as an educational technique. It's a constant pressure of homework deadlines,essays and exams. And our children are told at a young age that failing a test means that they are failures in life. They'll end up nowhere if they don't pass this or that exam. Our educational system is based on a very Western idea that life is a struggle and you'd better measure up. It's survival of the fittest. While there is some truth to this,not as much as people think.
Our ancestors didn't develop a constant stress environment. Back then,stress came quickly and was over quickly,it wasn't like the stress of modern education. Stress was originally just a shortterm biological response to danger;however,the constant stress of modern education rarely stops. It's long term,at least ten years and usually more.
Recent research has shown that the neurological response to stress is the same response that is found in depression. So,what's the solution? A number have been proposed,including but not limited to the following.
_ .Exercise consumes energy that would otherwise build up in the stress response and could cause physical and mental problems.
Teach relaxation exercises. Allowing the mind and body to relax cuts off the stress response and reduces the neurological fatigue ,enabling the individual to recover at least somewhat.
Pay attention to thinking. Training the stressed student to pay attention to his or her own mind to a point where he or she is sufficiently aware to shut off the stress response when necessary.
Of course,there's a logical answer to the problem. Just rearrange our teaching methods to encourage,rather than prevent,the natural curiosity and joy in learning that we are all born with. This would remove the stress and probably cut learning time in half. | high9704.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Good morning."
},
"options": [
"All the best.",
"Congratulations.",
"Never mind.",
"Good morning."
],
"question": "What does \"Moghrey mie\" mean according to the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
... | Just 50 years ago Manx seemed to be on the point of disappearing. "If you spoke Manx in a pub on the island in the 1960s, it was considered provocative and you were likely to find yourself in a fight," recalls Brian Stowell, a 76-year-old islander who has written a Manx-language novel,The Vampire Murders, and presents a radio show on Manx Radio spreading the language every Sunday.
The language itself is similar to the Gaelic tongues spoken in the island's neighbours, Ireland and Scotland. A century ago, "Moghrey mie" would have been commonly heard instead of good morning on the island.
"In the 1860s there were thousands of Manx people who couldn't speak English," says Stowell. "But only a century later it was considered to be so backwards to speak the language that there were stories of Manx speakers getting stones thrown at them in the towns. "I learnt it myself from one of the last surviving native speakers back in the 1950s."
Recession( ) in the mid 19th Century forced many Manx residents to leave the island to seek work in England. And parents were not willing to pass the language down through the generations, with many believing that to have Manx as a first language would affect job opportunities overseas.
There was a fall in the language. By the early 1960s there were perhaps as few as 200 who spoke the tongue. The last native speaker, Ned Maddrell, died in 1974. Unesco pronounced the language died out in the 1990s.
Now there is even a Manx language primary school in which all subjects are taught in the language, with more than 60 pupils attending. Manx is also taught in other schools across the island. | high14170.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a Thriller album"
},
"options": [
"an iPod",
"a CD player",
"a Thriller album",
"a music skin featuring the star"
],
"question": "By dialing 414-479-9860, a fan of Michael Jackson can buy _ from the seller.",... | Read the following advertisements:
AD1
The Michael Jackson "Michael09" T-shirt is a great way to remember an American music legend!
We also sell Jackson's Thriller album. Why not turn up the volume on your CD player or iPod and dance around the house in this original Michael Jackson T-shirt? Michael Jackson Tee is available in sizes S-XL, in White, Red or Pink. Printed on junior cut fitted T-Shirt.
Limited edition, selling quickly-Michael Jackson Tee will ship on Friday, July 3. Order yours today before they sell out.
Phone: 414-479-9860
Price: $21.99
AD2
Music Skins-Vinyl protective covers for laptops , with images of your favorite musicians. Protect your laptop with our long-lasting music skins! Music Skins LLC produces high quality skins that are easy to remove, so you can change skins whenever you want! It doesn't matter what kind of computer you have. You might be a country music fan or a rock music lover; a fan of reggae or pop music. Music Skins LLC has something for everyone!
Phone: 646-827-4264
Price: $39.99
AD3
Earn up to $25,000 a year as a Medical Transcriptionist!
No experience is needed. Work the hours you choose. Train at home in your spare time. The medical profession needs skilled transcriptionists. So if you can type, or are willing to learn, we can train you to work at home doing medical transcriptions from tapes dictated by doctors. Get free information!
At-Home Profession Corp.
Call Toll Free 1-800-475-0100 or visit www. athome. com | high6437.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Some pairs of shoes."
},
"options": [
"One shoe.",
"Two pairs of shoes.",
"Only three shoes.",
"Some pairs of shoes."
],
"question": "How many pairs of shoes did the woman take to the shoemaker to be mended?",
... | One day I took several pairs of shoes to the shoemaker to be mended. After a week I went to take them back. Four months later, my husband and I were invited to dinner. I took out a pair of shoes. I hadn't worn them since they were mended. I put one shoe on my right foot, and then I put the other on my left. But I felt that the other one was on the wrong foot. I took both shoes off for a closer look. They were nearly the same style , color and size, but each was for the right foot. Then I thought of the shoemaker. Though I was sure he wouldn't remember me after such a long time, I called him. "Thank goodness you called me at last!" He said happily. "An angry woman has been troubling me for months!" | high54.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "using cell phones while driving will be banned because most Americans don't like it"
},
"options": [
"most Americans don't like cell phone",
"a ban on the use of cell phones has been made",
"few people use cell phones while d... | Tokyo: The world's oldest man, retired Japanese silkworm breeder Yukichi Chuganji, died in his home at the age of 114, on Monday. Family members found him dead on his mattress. Born on March 23, 1889, Chuganji worked as a silkworm breeder and bank employee after leaving school. He also served as a community welfare officer. He had been in god health, talking daily with his family members.
Washington: Every American dislikes people who talk on cell phones while driving, even those who do that kind of act. In the State of New Jersey, 84 percent of 968 cell phone owners said in recent telephone survey that they would support a state ban on the use of cell phones while driving. However, 42 percent of cell phone owners also said they used the devices "very often" or "sometimes" while driving. Although most agree that the banning is good, only 38 percent believed such a ban would be easy to enforce .
New York: A woman in the US who was being attacked by a dog said she was saved from further harm when her 13-year-old daughter distracted the dog by screaming "You want a piece of me?" and kicked it repeatedly in the head. Jane Howell said she and her daughter, Elizabeth, were taking a walk around the neighborhood on Saturday evening when they came across he big dog, unchained. | high1358.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "9:30 a. m on Sunday."
},
"options": [
"4:00 p. m on Sunday.",
"4:00 p. m on Friday.",
"9:00 a. m on Friday.",
"9:30 a. m on Sunday."
],
"question": "If you want to visit the Swansea Zoo, what is the best time to... | There is a poster below. Read it carefully.
VISIT SWANSEA ZOO!
Come and see the African elephants and the new tigers from India. The Arctic bears are waiting to meet you, and the monkeys from Zaire are waiting to throw things at you. The hyenas (a _ animal, like a wolf, with a howl that sounds like wild laughter) from Tanzania are waiting to laugh at you, and the giraffes from Zambia are waiting to look down on you.
Tickets
Adult: $1.20
Children: Over 12: 80 cent
Under 12 : Free
Opening Time: 9: 00a. m. ~4: 00p. m.
Except Fridays: 10: 00a. m. ~3: 00p. m.
KEEP THE ZOO CLEAN!
DO NOT FEED,TOUCH OR GO NEAR THE ANIMALS! | high814.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "might be a great scientist who did research on bacteria."
},
"options": [
"made great contributions to keeping human body from getting spoiled from chronic diseases.",
"has developed the Reverse My Disease program with Dr. Patel.",... | Quickly ask yourself: What did you eat today? Now tell me how you actually feel. If you're complaining of stress, anxiety, depression, aches and pains, foggy thinking, or just a general lack of energy, a new medical theory will blow your mind. The chances are that those disease-like symptoms are all the result of what's called hidden food allergies .
This is what Ken Drew found out when he was lucky enough to be recommended to medical practitioner Dr. Patel. Patel is considered something of a genius, and has been called a modern day Louis Pasteur. You've heard of him, of course--Pasteur figured out how to keep milk from getting spoiled. Dr. Patel is like a Louis Pasteur for keeping your body from getting spoiled from chronic diseases.
"Foggy thinking, slightly constipated , heart pain,...you name it. It's part of getting old," you say. "It's just stress." Most of the body's immune defenses are all located in your stomach, so when you have a hidden food allergy and you expose yourself to harmful foods, your defenses malfunction and disease-carrying bacteria take over. Had you not eaten that one food you were allergic to for breakfast, you would never have got sick.
Together, Dr Patel and Ken Drew have developed the Reverse My Disease program, which claims it can _ your body against diseases like arthritis , Alzheimer's, diabetes, heart disease and cancers. You won't need a prescription and there isn't any kind of medical procedure involved. There's no medical jargon, no complicated diet to do. What it does do is claim to tell you how to hack your body's natural defense system.
Dr. Patel has remained under the radar of the entire medical establishment because his ideas are so threatening to doctors who don't want you to stop being sick enough for them to write you prescriptions. Those doctor visits cost you, so check out Reverse My Disease if you want to prevent disease by learning how to eat food that won't harm your body. | high9937.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "an American"
},
"options": [
"a Chinese",
"a Japanese",
"an Englishman",
"an American"
],
"question": "According to the passage, we know the writer is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | We Americans are wasteful people, not used to saving. Early settlers, our forefathers set us an example of wasting everything, for they thought nature's resources were so plentiful that none of them ever imagined that natural materials would be used up in time. Within a few years of the first Virginia settlement, for example, pioneers burned down their houses when they were ready to move west. They burned down their houses with only one aim to get the nails for future use. No one ever gave a thought to the priceless hardwoods that went up in smoke. As a people we destroy many valuable things that other people save. I noticed this when I was living in Britain. I received a letter from one England's largest banks. It was enclosed in a used envelope that had been readdressed to me. Such a practice would be unthinkable in the United States. American banks, even the smallest, always use expensive stationery with the names of all twenty - eight vice - presidents lists on side of the page. | high15285.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "In Hum t County."
},
"options": [
"In Santa Rosa.",
"In Crescent City.",
"In Hum t County.",
"In Southern California."
],
"question": "Where did Sandy finish her primary school?",
"question_type": "factiod_q... | My younger sister Sandy was born on May 30 in Hum t County California. She grew up there in her early years and together we moved to Southern California, and then my parents moved back to Hum t County and this was where Sandy finished primary school and high school. She took her art classes at College of the Redwoods and she became an artist, along with our mother Bea East.
I lived with her. She painted paintings of the Pacific Ocean and the forest. Their paintings were hung in the art galleries and in the banks and they were sold to people as far as Los Angeles. We called our business Wood Creations. We would go out to the forest and cut down the trees to make wood planters out of them. They were very creative and very beautiful with the plants growing out of them.
Our business lasted for two years, and I moved away to Santa Rosa and time moved on very fast. Sandy came to live with us in Santa Rosa and together we were going to school to become grocery clerks. She soon moved back to the country and she married and had two children, first Johnny and then Cheri, who was born from another marriage and they moved to Queen City, Missouri.
Last year, I was able to go and visit with Sandy, when I first heard that she had cancer. My oldest sister and came to be with Sandy. Also my sister Judi and her two daughters came to be with us. We all rented a room in Kirksville, Missouri at the Days Inn. We all prayed together, and the time we spent together was priceless.
This is the precious memories that I keep in my heart. Sandy is now unconscious. She will no longer be in all the pain and she will be in heaven watching over us. God bless you Sandy, rest in the arms of, Jesus. | high22429.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "optimistic, hardworking and kind"
},
"options": [
"optimistic, hardworking and kind",
"lovely, inspiring and hardworking",
"mean, optimistic and lucky",
"brave, nervous and clever"
],
"question": "Which of the f... | You don't run across a story this inspiring every day.
Dawn Loggins, a North Carolina high school senior who was left homeless by her parents the summer before her senior year, has graduated from Burns High School in Lawndale, NC. While that's quite the accomplishment, what comes next is truly amazing: Dawn has been admitted Harvard University .
Dawn grew up in a less-than-ideal situation, to say the least. Her house had no electricity or running water, so she was forced to do her homework in the dark and go days, even weeks, without showering. She lived with parents who abused drugs.
At Burns, Dawn was accepted to Governor's School, a one-month summer program in North Carolina for gifted high school juniors. But when she returned to Lawndale from the program in July t,she found her house empty, with a notice on the front door,saying the house has been taken back.Dawn was officially homeless.
Dawn didn't let her situation stop her drive to be successful. As a senior, she participated in typical high-school activities at Burns: band club, photography club, cross-country and National Honor Society. She also worked as a janitor to earn extra money -- all while making straight A's.
And like any other bright high school senior, she decided to go to college.
Dawn applied at four North Carolina schools and her dream school, Harvard.Then she got an acceptance letter from the Ivy League school. On top of being accepted, Dawn received a full scholarship to attend.
CNN wrote that since Dawn's story has circulated worldwide, people have sent encouragement and money to the teen. Dawn doesn't want the money for herself, though.
"When I get to college, I can work for what I need. And I know my future is going to be great," she told CNN. Dawn hopes to start an organization to help other students with similar barriers in continuing their education. | high23737.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Daniel Craig."
},
"options": [
"Albert Finney.",
"Sean Connery.",
"Daniel Craig.",
"Sam Mendes."
],
"question": "According to the text, who will play Bond in film Skyfall?",
"question_type": "factiod_questio... | Details of the latest James Bond film Skyfall have been shown to the public. It comes 50 years to the day after actor Sean Connery first played Bond -- the superspy in Dr No.
The new film, known at the moment only as Bond 23, will be the third to star Daniel Craig as the secret agent . Other names in the cast include Albert Finney, Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes.
British film-maker Sam Mendes, who won an Oscar for American Beauty, will direct the latest adventure.
Ajay Chowdhury, from the James Bond International Fan Club, said, "Daniel Craig's third time as 007 has been looked forward to by Bond fans around the world. The fans have been made to wait extra long for this film since the global economic crisis delayed the film for some time."
"Mendes has an unusual way of directing, and with the acting gift and the precedent set by the previous two films in which Craig played Bond, Skyfall promises a Bond film where the sky may not be the limit."
It is reported that the film will send 007 to South Africa and India to hunt for a criminal organization. Other reported locations for filming include Duntrune Castle, near Lochgilphead in Argyll, Scotland, which is believed to be the spy's home.
The film is set to be released in the UK this October.
Craig' s performance as Bond gave new life to the film series, leading to the highest ever 007 box office takings of PS367 million for his role in Casino Royale in 2006. Quantum of Solace, the most recent film in the series released in 2008, made PS353 million. | high24058.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "what U.S. workers do at after-work drinks"
},
"options": [
"how U.S. workers spend their after-work time",
"what U.S. workers do at after-work drinks",
"the relationships between U.S. workers",
"who are most likely to a... | NEW YORK---One in five U.S. workers regularly attends after-work drinks with coworkers, where the most common mishaps range from badmouthing another worker to drinking too much, according to a study released on Tuesday.
Most workers attend so-called happy hours to bond with colleagues, although 15 percent go to hear the latest office gossip and 13 percent go because they feel necessary, said the survey conducted for CareerBuilder. com, an online job site. As to what happens when the after-work drinks flow, 16 percent reported bad-mouthing a colleague, 10 percent shared a secret about a colleague and 8 percent said they drank too much and acted unprofessionally. Five percent said they had shared a secret about the company, and 4 percent confessed to singing karaoke. While 21 percent of those who attended said happy hours were good for networking, 85 percent said attending had not helped them get closer to someone higher up or get a better position. An equal number of men and women said they attended happy hours with co-workers, with younger workers aged 25 to 34 most likely and workers over 55 least likely to attend. Overall, 21 percent of workers attend happy hours with co-workers and of those nearly a quarter go at least once a month.
The survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder. Com among 6,987 full-time employees between February 11 and March 13. Harris Interactive said the results had a sampling error of plus or minus 1.2 percentage points. | high627.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "John O'Connor."
},
"options": [
"Presidio Branch.",
"The King's Giraffe.",
"John O'Connor.",
"Toni Bernardi."
],
"question": "Who is the \"Reading Wizard\"?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | SAN FRANCISCO--The "Reading Wizard", an 11 - year - old - boy, whose offer to read to children without being paid at a local library was refused by libraries, will get to read to younger kids after all.
Mayor Willie Brown last Wednesday ordered San Francisco Public Library officials to allow John O'Connor to read to preschool children to get them interested in books and stop them from watching television and video games.
"I didn't expect this kind of attention. " John said, "It's just shocking."
John has chosen his first book, "The King's Giraffe", and made up fliers inviting neighborhood children, aged from three to six, to the Presidio Branch every Wednesday afternoon. He planned to call himself the "Reading Wizard" and wear a special hat, fake glasses and a black coat.
But his idea was refused - on the phone, in person and finally with a letter from Toni Bernardi, the chief of the library's children and youth services. Using terms like "age appropriate material" ,she wrote that only library workers are allowed to read to children.
John then went to a member of the city board of supervisors , who advised him to write letters to the library officials.
"Our libraries are supposed to turn kids on, not to turn them off." Brown said he enjoyed "the creative idea, the sense of civic duty and the caring for others that John clearly showed us." | high16954.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To charge for the fees"
},
"options": [
"To apologize to her",
"To solve her problem",
"To provide better service",
"To charge for the fees"
],
"question": "Why did the author try to call the woman?",
"quest... | One morning there was a massage on the answering machine from an angry customer, complaining about her lack of service----service that had been stopped because her check had bounced.
As it is my job to handle payments received, it was my duty to collect the check. As is often the case when a check bounces, I soon found that this woman's phone number was no longer in service. A check of the caller L.D told us the call had come from the manager's office of the apartment building where our customer lived. We left a message with the manager and within the hour our call was returned.
I told our customer gently, sympathetically that a check she had written had been returned for lack of funds. I told her I always want to let people know about returned checks quickly because the huge fees the bank charge can cause more checks to be returned and more fees to be charged. I told her I hope she could contact the bank and get things straightened out before her problem got worse. I also told her, gently once more, that I hated to add to her problem but she would owe us a fee because the bank charges us a fee when a check is returned.
She told me she had difficulties because of being on a fixed income and being in poor health. She told me she had no children but had raised several that belonged to her husband and after living with him thirty years he had left her for another woman.
Finally, after she had promised to pay, I told her not only do I care about her situation, but she taught me something. When a person is angry, there may be reasons you don't know about. If you don't react with anger, you may learn what the real problem is and may in some way be able to help, if only with a little sympathy. | high17492.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a newspaper"
},
"options": [
"a notice",
"a magazine",
"a poster",
"a newspaper"
],
"question": "The author learned the news that the company wanted to employ staff members from _ .",
"question_type": "cl... | Sir,
In reply to your advertisement in today's China Daily regarding a vacancy in your office, I wish to apply for the position of senior clerk, which you have specified.
I feel sure that I can meet your special requirements that the candidate must have a high command of English, for I graduated from the English Language Department of Wuhan University three years ago.
In addition to my study of English in the university, I have worked for three years as a secretary in the firm of ABC Trading Co. Ltd.
The main reason for changing my employment is to gain more experience with a superior trading company like yours.I believe that my education and experience will prove useful for work in your office.
I am enclosing my resume, certificate of graduation and a letter of recommendation from the president of the university.I shall be obliged if you will give me a personal interview at your convenience.
Very truly yours,
Li Mei | high21120.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "when he was in college"
},
"options": [
"when he was in college",
"when he was a small boy",
"because his father encouraged him to do so",
"because it was one of his school assignments"
],
"question": "Arthur Mi... | Arthur Miller was born on October 17th, 1915 and died on February 10th, 2005.Over the course of seven decades of literature career , Arthur Miller created some of the most memorable stage plays in American Literature. He is the author ofDeathofaSalesmanandTheCrucible. Born and raised in Manhattan, Miller went through the best and the worst of American society.
Arthur Miller's childhood:His father was a productive shopkeeper and clothing manufacturer until the Great Depression dried up nearly all business opportunities.Yet, despite being faced with poverty, Miller made the best of his childhood. He was a very active young man, in love with such sports as football and baseball. When he wasn't playing outside, he enjoyed reading adventure stories. He was also kept busy by his many boyhood jobs. He often worked alongside his father. During other times in his life, he delivered bakery goods and worked as a clerk in a car parts warehouse.
College life: In 1934, Miller left the east coast to attend the University of Michigan. He was accepted into their school of journalism. His experiences during the Depression made him skeptical about religion. Politically, he began leaning towards the "Left".And since the theater was the cutting edge way for socioeconomic liberals to express their views, he decided to enter the Hopwood Drama competition. His first play,NoVillain, received an award from the university.It was an impressive beginning for the young playwright; he had never studied plays or playwriting, and he had written his play in just five days!
Miller's later years: In 1987, his autobiography was published. Many of his later plays dealt with personal experience. In particular, his final play,FinishingthePicturemirrors the last days of his marriage to Marilyn Monroe.In 2005, Arthur Miller passed away at the age of 89. | high2862.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "George felt as lonely as before when the other boys tried to find out what kind of a boy he was."
},
"options": [
"George felt more lonely because the other boys wanted to test him.",
"George felt as lonely as before when the other... | George had just moved into the street and he felt strange that he was not wanted. He knew that perhaps the other boys were trying to get an idea of what kind of a boy he was. This did not help to make him less lonely. He was new and he had to be tested. Still, proving himself would not be all that easy. He did not want to run with bad boys or get into something against the law to prove that he was strong . No!He must show what he was made of in a more helpful way. That was when he got the idea.
The next day was Saturday. He knew that most of the boys would be down on the playground and choose up sides for the Saturday game. George knew he could play well and just might be enough to prove he was strong and to make friends with them. He arrived early and did his step exercises. He shot the ball several times and did some other exercises--the most difficult and most wonderful in basketball. Then the boys came. George went through what he had done before the game and showed what he could do.
No one said a word. The boys just looked at each other and thought about it. In the end, when it was all over, the biggest of the group just smiled and nodded his head. George knew he had made it. | high18979.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "listing questions"
},
"options": [
"listing questions",
"describing",
"comparing",
"giving examples"
],
"question": "The author mainly shows his ideas by _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | Do you know how to tell a story? The following are some tips:
Who Will Listen?
Will you tell your story to children of your own age? Will they be friends or young people you haven't met before? Perhaps you will tell it to younger children.Or, will it be an audience of adults? Will it be just a few people, a small group, or a large audience?
Why Are You Telling It?
There are many reasons for telling a story.Knowing why you are telling it may be the most helpful reason for choosing a story for a particular audience.
Many storytellers choose tales just to entertain .They tell jokes or silly stories.Others want to teach something, such as how to be kinder to animals, the environment, or other people.One storyteller likes to encourage his listeners to try new things.Some babysitters tell stories to help children feel not afraid of thunder, lightning or scary shadows in their rooms.Others want to make people think or to help people remember.Some like to frighten their audiences with ghost stories.
Where Will You Speak?
How you tell your story and what story helpers you use depend on where you will be speaking.Will you be talking at an evening party, in your classroom, in a library storytelling program, at a family dinner, at a museum, at a storytelling festival, or during a religious program? | high11785.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She couldn't find the place to have lunch."
},
"options": [
"She couldn't find her new classroom.",
"She didn't know how to use her new desk.",
"She couldn't find the place to have lunch.",
"She didn't get along with he... | Remember those highly charged first days? They were full of real-life tests where there was always something new to learn, and not always from a book. One of my first lessons occurred on my first day of kindergarten, when I got on the wrong bus --- as my older sister still likes to remind me.
Life's minor embarrassments do happen, and I know I can't protect my own children from them. I just try to teach them to laugh at theirs like I do at mine.
My daughter Erin started on the wrong foot in the 1st grade, at a new school where she knew no one. All the other 1st graders couldn't resist opening and closing, closing and opening their new desks. Wouldn't you know Erin would neither open nor close? She came to find out she was sitting on the wrong side!
Even getting around in a new school can be a challenge. Erin's older sister, Molly, almost missed her first lunch in junior high. The school secretary came to her rescue, arming her with the knowledge that while the gym and flex space were next door to each other, lunch was served only in the latter.
The first day sometimes has _ for Mom and Dad, too. Once, I managed tostockpile Molly and Erin's school supplies as they went on sale the previous year. I thought everything was ready for the first day --- oh, yeah! My victory dance was short-lived, however. After day one my ladies rushed off the bus, both worried and confused, saying "Mom, we need wide-rule not college-rule paper, and three 2-inch notebooks instead of two 3-inch ones! And for standardized testing, standardized No. 2 pencils only, please."
Perhaps my favorite first-day memory happened the first time my two daughters went to full-day public school together, when I was understandably emotional. Erin noticed my red eyes and white smile. "You are happy and sad, huh, Mommy?" Such a sensitive girl! She added, "Just like the time when you were crying and laughing after the car stopped running on the ice and we were OK." Well, at least I could laugh! | high21646.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "his grandmother had great influence on him"
},
"options": [
"his grandmother had great influence on him",
"they had a dog which often attacked people",
"people had forgotten her until the boy appeared",
"his grandmother... | People say teenagers are no good. They make too much noise in shopping malls; they drive recklessly up and down America's main streets; they carry chips on their shoulders as big as the Sears Tower. And at least some of the time those things are true. But we shouldn't forget that there are hard moments in the life of a teenager too.
I watched such a moment not long ago at a woman's funeral. I didn't expect the event to affect me. Through much of the ceremony, in fact, I remained unmoved.
The teenage grandson stepped forward. With his very first deep breath, every heart in that church was achingly reminded of something we had all forgotten. Softly he began: "I want to share a few values that Nana taught me. She never failed to see light in any situation. When our family dog would truly attack her, what would Nana say? 'oh, what beautiful barking that dog has!' That was Nana. "
"She was a strong woman who often lived in the shadow of my grandpa, who was a successful businessman in this city. But she was the one behind the scenes who provided the strength and support for my grandpa's career," he said, with a voice now trembling, "That was Nana's way."
Through a low sob, he continued, "Whenever she did anything worth recognition, you'd have to hear about it from a different source, because she was never one to show off."
Finally, in a voice breaking free of sorrow, he looked up and said, "Nana taught me courage. She put up an incredible fight to the end, when she died peacefully, which is how she lived her life. That was Nana's way, and I hope I can carry on in the same manner."
There are no hearts as sensitive as those of teenagers, because everything is happening to them for the first time. The trouble with teenagers is that they haven't learned to be controlled.
When that boy rose to speak about the woman who surely had been his truest and closest friend, his honest voice dragged each of us out into the open where we could no longer hide in the calm ceremony. He exposed us to the truth about this very real woman who believed in a boy who probably tried the patience of many adults. He reminded us that his grandmother was more than another dot on the chart of life and death.
All over again we felt those powerful losses crossing our own hearts, and we knew that when you say good-bye to something happy, something young in yourself. And that something never really returns, and the pain never really goes away. | high141.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Puerto Rico belongs to the USA"
},
"options": [
"Puerto Rico belongs to the USA",
"Puerto Rico is part of Spain",
"Puerto Rico is an independent country",
"Puerto Rico has the highest peak in Latin America"
],
"... | Puerto Rico may be part of the USA but its music and dance is a mixture of both Spanish and American rhythms . The country, as a result, is a mixture of the new and the old. It exhibits the open American way of life yet remains the more formal Spanish influences . This is showed in the buildings, not just the difference between the old and the modern in urban areas but also in the countryside, where older buildings sit side by side with schools and houses. It is found in the cooking, too many fast food restaurants together with local cooking which has its roots in the mixture of culture of all the Caribbean and in the music --- rock music is played in beach holiday centers but in the hilly center, Puerto Rican music can be heard. Old volcanic mountains, long motionless, take up a large part of the center, with the highest peak, Cerro de Punta, at 1,338 metre in the Cordillera Central. The mountains are surrounded by a coastal plain with the Atlantic shore beaches cooled all the year round by trade winds.
The population is 3.8 million, of which about 1.5 million live in San Juan, although about another two million Puerto Ricans live in the prefix = st1 /USA. The average life is 73.8 years and GDP per person is US$12, 212, the highest in Latin America, although not up to the level of mainlandUSA. The people are largely a mixture of Amerindian, Taino-Arawak, Spanish and African. Most Puerto Ricans do not speak English and less than 30% speak it well. The people are very friendly and _ but there is law-breaking action, linked to drugs and unemployment. | high23051.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "destroyed the Pentagon completely"
},
"options": [
"terrorists hijacked three planes",
"destroyed the Pentagon completely",
"killed six people and injured more than 1,000",
"two planes knocked into New York's World Trad... | Foreign attacks on U. S. soil
1812 ---- During the War of 1812, British forces burned the new capital at Washington, D. C. They also attacked Baltimore and New Orleans and captured Detroit, which at the time was a remote military outpost .
1846 ---- A brief invasion by Mexican troops across the Rio Gande began the U. S. - Mexican War in 1846. But the remaining action in that conflict occurred in California, New Mexico and in Mexico. California and New Mexico belonged to Mexico at the time.
1916 ---- Mexican revolutionaries led by Pancho Villa attacked the town of Columbus, N. M., on March 9, 1916.
1941 -- Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941, killing nearly 2,400 people and forcing America into World War II.
1993 ---- Terrorists blew up a truck bomb in the basement of the World Trade Center in February 1993, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000.
2001 ---- Terrorists hijacked several planes on Sep.11, 2001. Two ploughed into New York's World Trade Center (WTC), _ the two highest buildings in the city; a third seriously damaged the Pentagon . The fourth hijacked plane crashed in Pennsylvania. Several thousand people were killed in the attacks. | high9089.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Her song l,000 Kisses didn't win the Grammy award"
},
"options": [
"She has created the best works in the world.",
"Her mother and her grandmother taught her to sing.",
"Her song l,000 Kisses didn't win the Grammy award",
... | Patty Griffin
Patty Griffin is a songwriter, and has been highly respected for her works in music. Her childhood. was full of music because both her mother and her grandmother liked singing. She bought her first guitar at 16, began writing songs in high school and soon started playing with a band called Patty the Executive.
Her song l,000 Kisses won her a Grammy nomination although she lost the award.
Judy Collins
Judy Collins was an important artist in the peace movement of the 1960s. She started her own record company, Wildflower. Records. She began as a classical pianist at 13. In the 40 years that followed, Judy became known as an important American folk singer.
Odetta
One thing you always hear when people talk about Odetta is the excellent power of her voice. Known for her powerful stage presence and her skillful ability to command the simplest instruments -- her voice as well as her guitar. Odetta rose to fame singing the classic African-American folk songs and spirituals.
She has also touched the blues.
Joan Baez
Joan Baez is one of the most remarkable singers in American folk music in the 20th century. Her Father was a physicist and was forced to move the family often throughout Joan's childhood. Inspired by her experiences as a could traveling the world, Joan's music includes the peace and civil rights movement
She has been a constant voice for peace and social justice . | high8397.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "get some information"
},
"options": [
"learn as much knowledge as they want",
"learn about the most important news",
"get some information",
"learn about whatever they want"
],
"question": "People read newspaper... | Newspapers are an important source of information. Many people begin their days by reading the paper. In this way they learn what is going on in the world. Sometimes,however,they don't have the time to read the news carefully and must be satisfied with a quick look at the front page,at other times they may be in such a hurry that they have time only to _ at the headlines. There are newspapers to satisfy every reader. In big cities there are many types with several different editions every day. In small towns there are few newspapers and perhaps only one edition each day. In some areas the paper is printed weekly.
Most papers have several editions,especially on Sundays when the editions are larger than usual. There are,besides the front page with the most important news,the sports news,the society page,the amusement section,a business page and so on. | high14825.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Goal conflict."
},
"options": [
"Goal conflict.",
"High pressure.",
"Too much expectation.",
"Lack of exercise."
],
"question": "What makes people feel rushed today?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
... | Want to add some hours to your day? Ok, you probably can't change the fabric of time. But a new study suggests that the way you feel about your goal can change your concept of time and that some simple strategies could make you feel less rushed.
In a series of experiments, Jordan Etkin, a professor of marketing at Duke, and her co-authors, Loannis Evangelidis and Jennifer Aaker, looked at what happens when people see their goals as conflicting with one another. In one, they asked some participants to list two of their goals that they felt were in conflict, and others simply to list two of their goals. Those who were forced to think about conflicting aims felt more time pressure than those who weren't. In another experiment, the researchers gave participants a similar prompt regarding goal conflict, but this time measured their anxiety levels as well as their attitudes toward time. They found that participants who thought about conflicting goals had more anxiety than those who didn't, and that this, in turn, led to feelings of being short on time.
"Stress and anxiety and time pressure are closely linked concepts," D. Etkin explained. "When we feel more stress and anxiety in relation to our personal goals, that manifests as a sense of having less time."
Technological advances that allow people to do lots of things at once may increase the fe'eling of goal conflict, she said."I think the easier it is for us to try to deal with a lot of these things at the same time," She said"the more opportunity there is for us to feel this conflict between our goals."She isn't the first to suggest that actual busyness isn't the only thing that can make us feel busy At the Atlantic, Derek Thompson wrote that "as a country, we're working less than we did in the 1960s and 1980s." He offered a number of possible reasons some Americans still feel so overworked, including "the fluidness ffl+-) of work and leisure." As he put it:"The idea that work begins and ends at the office is wrong. On the one hand, flexibility is nice, On the other, mixing work and leisure together creates an always-on expectation that makes it hard for white-collar workers to escape the shadow of work responsibilities."
And Brigid Schulte writes in her 2014 book Overwhelmed: How to Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time that some researchers believe "time has no sharp edges. What often matters more than the activity we're doing at a moment in time, they have found, is how we feel about it.Our concept of time is indeed,our reality."
Fortunately, Dr. Etkin and her team did find ways of making us feel better about time--or, at least, of reducing the negative influence of goal conflict. When participants performed a breathing exercise that reduced their anxiety, the impact of such conflict on their perception of time was less pronounced. Reframing anxiety as excitement (by reading the phrase "I am excited!" aloud several times) had a similar effect.
Breathing and reframing may not solve everyone's time problems--Ms. Schulte writes that some Americans are indeed working more than they used to. She cites the work of the sociologists Michael Hout and Caroline Hanley, who have "found that working parents combined put in 13 more hours a week on the job in 2000 than they did in 1970. That's 676 hours of additionally paid work a year for a family. And that's on top of all the unpaid hours spent caring for children and keeping the house together." Sometimes, we may feel short on time because we actually are. However, Dr. Etkin believes her findings suggest we may "have the ability to influence our experience of time more than we think we do."
"We're all going to have times in our lives when our goals seem to be in more conflict than others," she said. But with techniques like the ones her team tested, "we really can help ourselves feel like we have more time." | high13186.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "doing business"
},
"options": [
"doing business",
"making whisky",
"cheating",
"buying and selling land"
],
"question": "Johnson became a rich man through _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | Not many years ago, a wealthy and rather strange old man named Johnson lived alone in a village in the south of England. He had made a lot of money in trading with foreign countries. When he was seventy-five, he gave PS 12,000 to the village school to buy land and equipment for a children's play ground.
As a result of his kindness, many people came to visit him. Among them was a newspaperman, During their talk, Johnson remarked that he was seventy-five and expected to live to be a hundred. The newspaperman asked him how he managed to be healthy at seventy-five, Johnson had a sense of humor . He liked whisky and drank some each day. "I have an injection in my neck each evening." He told the newspaperman, thinking of evening glass of whisky.
The newspaperman did not understand what Johnson meant. In his newspaper he reported that Johnson was seventy-five and has a daily injection in his neck. Within a week Johnson received thousands of letters from all over Britain, asking him for the secret of his daily injection. | high155.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The students can save a lot of money."
},
"options": [
"The classes are free of charge.",
"The students can save much time.",
"The students can save a lot of money.",
"It is convenient for students to live in the colleg... | Suppose you are thinking about attending college in the United States, but perhaps you might not be ready for a university with a four-year program. About 88,000 international students have found solution. They are attending U.S. community colleges. Such colleges are sometimes called junior colleges. They offer two years of education above the secondary or high school level.
Community college students can choose from subjects like medical assistance, computer science or law. At the end of their study program, they receive a document of completion, called a certificate. Some students work toward an associate degree in traditional academic subjects like science or history. After getting it, the students can move on to a four-year college or university. They may have only two years of study left before they receive a bachelor's degree.
Many educational experts agree that saving money is the major reason to consider a community college. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) says that a public two-year college costs 3,000 dollar a year on average. That is true if the student lives in the same state as the school. A student at a four-year public college may pay 8,500 dollars a year for classes and user fees. That does not include books and other materials.
Some international students may need more preparation in English before entering a community college in the United States. For example, Istrif Montgomery came to the U.S. from Kosovo in 2006. First, he worked to improve his English at Montgomery College for a year. Then for the next two years, he attended classes in basic subjects in a community college.
The international students at two-year colleges need to find a place to live. Most community colleges do not provide student housing on their grounds. But Mr Montgomery had a home nearby. He was able to ride the bicycle, and he was able to walk if he wanted. In fact, most community college students live within five to ten miles off the college. | high8383.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the inventor of a medicinal drink"
},
"options": [
"the inventor of a medicinal drink",
"a well-known businessman",
"a doctor",
"a carpenter"
],
"question": "Candler bought the rights to Coca-Cola from _ .",
... | In the 1880s, people drank John Pemberton's tonic to cure headaches. It wasn't a very popular drink, and he sold only about a dozen drinks a day. That's why Pemberton was willing to sell the rights to his medicinal drink. The buyer, Asa Griggs Candler, paid just $ 2,300 for the rights to Coca-Cola. Today, Coca-Cola (or Coke) is worth billions of dollars. It controls 50 percent of the world market in soft drinks.
How did Coca-Cola become so popular? One answer is that Asa Candler was a very clever businessman. He was one of the first people to use mass marketing. How did he do this? First, he made his product unique. When he bought the rights to Coca-Cola, it came in ordinary bottles. It looked like every other drink on the market. To make Coca-Cola look different, Candler modernized the bottles. He also made an eye-catching logo for his products. _
In addition to the unique bottle and logo, Candler spent a lot of time and money advertising his product. He used advertising to make a powerful image of Coca-Cola in the minds of his customers. He gave away free bottles of Coke. He put the name of his drink on pencils, trays, Japanese fans, matches, and many other things. Then he gave the things to people for free. He advertised Coca-Cola in the newspaper and painted the words "Drink Coca-Cola" on the sides of buildings and barns. By 1902, Coca-Cola was the best known product in the United States.
Candler was also able to make memorable advertisements. They often had catchy slogans such as "The Pause That Refreshes." He also used famous athletes to advertise his product. They helped people to think of Coca-Cola as a delicious drink for everyone.
Today, businesses all over the world use mass marketing, but the makers of Coke were the first. | high12298.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "NSE and S-100B will increase."
},
"options": [
"NSE and S-100B will increase.",
"The brain damage will be likea head injury.",
"You will suffer from concussion.",
"The brain will get rid of poisonous substances."
],... | Ever feel like you've been hit on the head after a bad night's sleep? According to scientists, the thought isn't as unbelievable as it seems.
A study found going without sleep for just one night causes changes in the brain similar to those that occur after a blow to the head. The researchers said the healthy young men examined in the study showed a sudden increase in the same chemicals which indicate brain damage. Professor Christian Benedict, of Uppsala University, Sweden, explained that the chemicals NSE and S-100B are biomarkers for brain damage, such as concussion . He said, "What we found was their levels in the blood rose in the group that went without sleep for a night. This was not to the extent that would happen after a head injury, for instance, but it was still significant. During sleep, the brain cleans poisonous substances off itself."
Benedict also said previous studies which linked a lack of sleep with increased risk of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis could applaud his study. The rise of the chemicals in the blood after sleep loss may suggest not getting enough sleep contributes to a loss of brain tissue, he explained. Benedict, whose study is published in the journalSleep, added, "In conclusion, the findings of our experiment indicate a good night's sleep may be critical to maintaining brain health."
A third of the UK population suffer from sleep-related problems, while the average person now sleeps for only seven hours a night, compared with almost nine a few decades ago. Many scientists believe irregular sleeping patterns lead to illnesses ranging from aches and pains to heart disease, while less than eight hours' sleep a night can lower the IQ the next day. | high14831.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Boundary Dam and Pend Oreille River"
},
"options": [
"Boundary Dam and Pend Oreille River",
"Beacon Rock State Park",
"Fort Casey State Park",
"Sun Lakes State Park"
],
"question": "If we want to see wild animal... | Beacon Rock State Park
There are 33 tent sites in this park, as well as primitive camping areas. Seven miles of trails make this a nice location for bikers and hikers, too. The towering Beacon Rock, the result of a volcano thousands of years ago, is climbable. There's a 4, 500 feet trail up the rock, which promises the best view in all of Washington.
34841 State Route 14
Skamania, WA 98648
(800)4525687
Boundary Dam and Pend Oreille River
The Boundary Dam area sits on 1,000 acres in northeast Washington. Primitive campsites are nestled into forested areas along the Pend Oreille River. Wildlife is common here. Bear, deer and small animals are a frequent site. If primitive camping isn't your style, there's a second campground within the park, 2 miles north of the dam which is outfitted with grills, picnic tables and toilets.
Hwy. 31
Metaline Falls, WA 99153
(509) 5361200
Fort Casey State Park
Located on Whidbey Island in Washington, Fort Casey State Park used to be home to a US Coast Guard Artillery Fort dating back to the late 1890s. With 63 picnic tables, 1.25 miles of trails, 35 standard camping sites and 3 primitive tent sites, this park is filled with things to see and do. Boating, fishing and hiking are all available on the island.
PO Box 774
Coupeville, WA 98239
(800) 4525689
Sun Lakes State Park
A chain of 7 lakes and rocky canyons make up this State Park. Hiking trails, boat rentals, fishing equipment and more, make this a camping area full of fun. There are 162 standard campsites. Ten group sites are also available. With 15 miles of hiking trails, canyons and rocky desert lands, this park is not only beautiful, but enjoyable.
34875 Park Lake Road NE
Coulee City, WA 99115
(800)2330321 | high11791.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They are written for the same grades and their prices are the same."
},
"options": [
"Their prices are the same and they are all about famous leaders.",
"They are all about Africans and their contributions to society.",
"They... | Book 1 : Brack Obama
Grades: 3-5
Our Price: $ 8.95
His mother came from Kansas. His father came from Kenya. He grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia, far from the center of American politics. Few people had even heard of Brack Obama before 2004. But one powerful speech in Boston changed all that for the Illinois senator . In 2008, this inspiring leader ran for the country's top job, President.
Book 2: Danica Patrick
Grades: 3-5
Our Price: $ 8.95
Growing up, Danica Patrick dreamed of racing in the Indianapolis 500. In 2005, her dream came true. Danica finished the race in fourth place, the best ever result by a woman. Three years later, she became the first female to win an IndyCar race. As a woman competing in a sport dominated by men, Danica faced many obstacles. But she never stopped believing in herself, no matter what the difficulties.
Book 3: Ellen Ochoa
Grades: 3-5
Our Price: $ 8.95
Some people dream of becoming stars. Ellen Ochoa dreamed of living among them! She worked hard to make her dream of becoming an astronaut come true. On April 8, 1993, she strapped herself in for the ride of her life aboard the space shuttle Discovery. Ochoa aimed high and ly went where no Hispanic woman had gone before. Find out about Ochoa's amazing journey in her own words and photos from her personal collection!
Book 4: LeBron James
Grades: 3-5
Our Price: $ 8.95
Fans, teammates, and opponents know him as King James. Many people consider LeBron James to be the most talented basketball Player of his generation. But there is much more to his story. He overcame hard times as a kid and rose to national fame as a teenager. He then jumped right from high school to the pros. Along the way, LeBron never lost sight of where he came from or who he is. | high21652.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They all have a three star ratings."
},
"options": [
"They all provide a room with a mini bar.",
"They all have the same number of rooms",
"They are all close to the airport",
"They all have a three star ratings."
]... | Aava Whistler Hotel
Star Ratings: Location: Whistler
Rooms:192
Stay at the Aava Whistler Hotel (formerly Coast Whistler Hotel) and experience a great vacation. The Aava Whistler Hotel is within minutes from over a hundred shopping malls and restaurants. It also has a great number of recreational facilities, including swimming, diving and even skiing. Hotel services include 24-hour reception, laundry and room service. Guests can stay in cozy rooms equipped with air-conditioning, bathroom and television. From CNY=496 per night.
Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel
Star Ratings: Location: East Lundy's Lane
Room:l66
Relax and unwind at the Best Western Cairn Hotel. This resort-style hotel is located just minutes from the airport. At the Best Western Cairn Croft, guests can enjoy a large number of recreational facilities, including children's activities, sightseeing and a swimming pool. Business travelers can also take advantage of spacious meeting and banqueting facilities for hosting corporate events. All rooms come with basic amenities . From CNY=439 per night.
Clarion Hotel&Suites Downtown Montreal
Star Ratings: Location:Montreal
Rooms:266
Conveniently located just 20 minutes from the airport, the Clarion Hotel&Suite Downtown Montreal is a moderately-priced three-star hotel that provides services to both business and leisure travelers. The Clarion has spacious meeting facilities and modern business centers for business travelers. It also has a sauna and whirlpool where guest can relax. All rooms come with basic amenities, including cable TV and a kitchenette. From CNY=553 per night.
Delta Bow Valley Hotel
Star Ratings: Location:Calgary
Rooms:398
The Delta Bow Valley Hotel is located a couple of blocks north of Olympic Plaza, east of James Short Park, and north-east of the Petro-Canada Centre. Apart from business and recreational services such as a business centre, fitness centre and restaurant, all rooms in the Delta come with a mini-bar and in-house movies. From CNY=l, 227 per night. | high11949.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "it looks more like a person than Readybot does."
},
"options": [
"It performs fewer functions than readybot can.",
"it looks more like a person than Readybot does.",
"It speaks more languages than Readybot does.",
"It c... | What if you arrived home to find a delicious hot meal waiting for you,prepared by your very own kitchen robot? It might sound like science fiction,but professors at the university of Tokyo have taken the first steps toward making that scenario a reality.The team recently introduced a humanoid kitchen robot that can pour tea and other drinks into cups and serve them to guests.When teatime is over,the robot can also wash the dishes and put them away.
In California,another interesting kitchen robot has been developed.Called the Readybot,it can pick up objects and either store them in cabinets or put them in the trash.It also carries a separate floor-cleaning robot that can operate by itself.Unlike the Japanese robot,Readybot is not humanoid.Instead,it looks more like a large box with arms and wheels.
Readybot was created by engineers and designers who established a club called the Readybot Challenge.They believe that in the future millions of robots will be needed in homes to perform ordinary household tasks.Readybot is just the first step in their plan to create a robot that can tackle jobs not only in kitchens but in other rooms of homes and in offices as well.
Clearly there are technological hurdles to overcome before robots can cook a complete dinner,and there are also many safety concerns.Not everyone(especially parents)would be comfortable with the idea of robots in their house,manipulating hot pans and sharp knives.The European Commission recently funded a project to study these concerns. | high16940.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "4"
},
"options": [
"2",
"3",
"4",
"5"
],
"question": "The author mentioned_Olympic Games except the one in 1916 in the passage.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_ind... | On the Olympic flag, the rings appear on a white background. The flag reinforces the idea of the Olympic Movement's universality , as it brings together all the countries of the world.
Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games, explains the meaning of the flag: "The Olympic flag has a white background, with five interlaced rings in the centre: blue, yellow, black, green and red. This design is symbolic; it represents the five continents of the world, united by Olympism, while the six color1s are those that appear on all the national flags of the world at the present time." (1931)
Combined in this way, the six color1s of the flag (including the white of the background) represent all nations. It is wrong, therefore, to believe that each of the color1s corresponds to a
certain continent!
At the Olympic Games, the flag is brought into the stadium during the opening ceremony. Since the 1960 Games in Rome (prefix = st1 /Italy), it has been carried horizontally by a delegation of athletes or other people well known for their positive work in society.
After its arrival, the flag is hoisted up the flagpole. It must fly in the stadium during the whole of the Games. When the flag is lowered at the closing ceremony, it signals the end of the Games.
The mayor of the host city of the Games passes the Olympic flag to the mayor of the next host city of the Games.
In the history, even though Pierre de Coubertin intended the Olympic Games to be an international event from the time of their re-establishment in 1896 in Athens (Greece), it was only at the 1912 Games in Stockholm (Sweden) that, for the first time, the participants came from all five continents. One year later, in 1913, the five rings appeared at the top of a letter written by Pierre de Coubertin. He drew the rings and color1ed them in by hand. He then described this symbol in the Olympic Review of August 1913.It was also Coubertin who had the idea for the Olympic flag. He presented the rings and flag in June 1914 in Parisat the Olympic Congress.
The First World War prevented the Games from being celebrated in 1916 in Berlin (Germany) as planned. It was not until 1920 in Antwerp (Belgium) that the flag and its five rings could be seen flying in an Olympic stadium.
The universality conveyed by the rings and the flag was a new idea at the beginning of the 20th century. Nationalism was very strong and tension between certain countries was high. It was in this climate, however, that Coubertin proposed a symbol which aimed to encourage world unity. | high17486.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "had no interest in Rufus and thought it was none of his business"
},
"options": [
"was very excited for Rufus was his good friend",
"was upset because his father loved Rufus more than him",
"had no interest in Rufus and thoug... | "Norton," Sheppard said, "I saw Rufus Johnson yesterday. Do you know what he was doing?" The child looked at him with a kind of half attention, his eyes forward but not yet engaged. They were a paler blue than his father's as if they might have faded like the shirt; one of them listed, almost imperceptibly , toward the outer rim.
"He was in a path," Sheppard said, "and he had his hand in a garbage can. He was trying to get something to eat out of it." He paused to let this soak in. "He was hungry," he finished, and tried to pierce the child's conscience with his gaze.
The boy picked up the piece of chocolate cake and began to bite it from one corner.
"Norton," Sheppard said, "do you have any idea what it means to share?"
A flicker of attention. "Some of it is yours," Norton said.
"Some of it is his," Sheppard said heavily. It was hopeless. Almost any fault would have been preferable to selfishness--a violent temper, even a tendency to lie.
The child turned the bottle of tomato sauce upside-down and began thumping sauce onto the cake.
Sheppard's look of pain increased. "You are ten and Rufus Johnson is fourteen," he said. "Yet, I'm sure your shirts would fit Rufus." Rufus Johnson was a boy whom he had been trying to help at the reformatory for the past year. He had been released two months ago. "When he was in the reformatory, he looked pretty good, but when I saw him yesterday, he was skin and bones. He hasn't been eating cake with peanut butter on it for breakfast."
The child paused. "It's not fresh," he said. "That's why I have to put stuff on it."
Sheppard turned his face to the window at the end of the bar. The side lawn, green and even, sloped fifty feet or so down to a small suburban wood. When his wife was living, they had often eaten outside, even breakfast on the grass. He had never noticed then that the child was selfish. ks5u
"Listen to me," he said, turning back to him, "look at me and listen."
The boy looked at him. At least his eyes were forward.
"I gave Rufus a key to the house when he left the reformatory---to show my confidence in him and so he would have a place he could come to and feel welcome any time. He didn't use it, but I think he'll use it now because he's seen me and he's hungry. And if he doesn't use it, I'm going out and find him and bring him here. I can't see a child eating out of garbage cans."
The boy frowned. It was dawning upon him that something of his was threatened.
Sheppard's mouth stretched in disgust. "Rufus's father died before he was born," he said. "His mother is in the state penitentiary . He was raised by his grandfather in a shack without water or electricity and the old man beat him every day. How would you like to belong to a family like that?"
"I don't know" the child said lamely.
"Well, you might think about it sometime," Sheppard said.
Sheppard was City Recreational Director. On Saturday he worked at the reformatory as a counselor, receiving nothing for it but the satisfaction of knowing he was helping boys no one else cared about. Johnson was the most intelligent boy he had worked with.
Norton turned what was left of the cake over as if he no longer wanted it.
"You started that, now finish it," Sheppard said.
"Maybe he won't come," the child said and his eyes brightened slightly. | high16798.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "how aggressive pedestrians cause traffic accidents"
},
"options": [
"how aggressive pedestrians cause traffic accidents",
"why so many Americans were killed on roads last year",
"what the traffic rules of the road about pedes... | Aggressive pedestrians are in fact as dangerous as careless drivers. They cause traffic accidents, injury and death.
These dangerous walkers can be seen in any big city over the world. About 69% of last year's pedestrian deaths in the US occurred in urban areas. They cross streets ignoring "DON'T WALK" signals, suddenly appear without warning from behind parked vehicles, walk slowly at crossroads with cell phones attached to heads, blocking traffic.
These pedestrians and drivers share a common disregard for the rules of the road, both for selfish reasons. The drivers believe in the power of their machines. If their machines can go faster, they believe they have the right to go faster. If their machines are bigger, they believe they have the right to push smaller vehicles aside. Aggressive pedestrians, on the other hand, believe in the primacy of the individual, the idea that they are first in any environment, under any circumstances, even when they are on foot in a roaring tide of steel and rubber.
Last year, an estimated 5,220 pedestrians died in traffic accidents. Some 69,000 pedestrians were injured. On average, that worked out to one pedestrian killed in a traffic crash every 101 minutes, and one injured every eight minutes.
The good news is that the accident rate is dropping. For example, the number of pedestrians killed last year was 24 percent less than the number killed in traffic accidents a decade earlier. The bad news is that the basic causes of pedestrian deaths remain pretty much the same----disregard for traffic signals, inattention and crossing roads under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Alcohol, in fact, was involved in 46 percent of the traffic accidents that resulted in pedestrian deaths. Of those, 31 percent of the pedestrians were found to be drunk.
The bottom line is that the pedestrians must do more to protect their lives as well as the lives of other road users. They can start by obeying traffic signals, using marked cross-walks and calling a cab when they've had too much to drink. | high2876.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Ferry."
},
"options": [
"Bus.",
"Train.",
"Ferry.",
"Plane."
],
"question": "Which means of transport is NOT available during the special period?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer":... | TransLink is urging customers to avoid non-essential travel today and to stay home where possible in the difficult weather conditions.
TransLink chief executive officer Peter Strachan said bus and train services were continuing to run where possible, however all CityCat and CityFerry services had been cancelled until further notice.
"These are extremely difficult conditions for South East Queensland---we are running essential services where possible but safety remains to be the most important," Mr Strachan said.
"Severe weather and associated flooding has impacted on all modes of public transport, with bus, ferry and train services all impacted to varying degrees.
"If you are planning to use public transport at anytime over the next few days, then I would recommend you check that your intended service is still running."
Service disruptions for today include:
l City network trains running hourly on all lines.
l Bus diversions, delays and cancellations in some regions, particularly across Brisbane, Ipswich and the Sunshine Coast.
l CityCat and CityFerry services cancelled.
Queensland Rail Chief Executive Officer Paul Scurrah said rising waterways had closed some train lines, and road closures and damage to property throughout the South-East had contributed to a shortage of available rail employees.
"We intend to run trains hourly on all lines, similar to the timetable we operate on Christmas Day. We will also be looking to run other additional services to meet demand as required. At this stage we will run services stopping at all stations which will depart at the same time on the hour, however, this is all subject to the weather conditions and the availability of traincrew."
Mr Scurrah encouraged all customers to visit the Translink website for specific departure times for their station, and asked for patience in the event of delays.
"Queensland Rail appreciates that reduced services may cause disruptions but it is simply unavoidable. We have a dedicated and experienced team monitoring the situation around the clock and will be working to reopen the network as soon as practicably possible," Mr Scurrah said.
The latest service disruption information is available on the TransLink website www.translink.com.au. | high21134.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "How to start a wildlife habitat."
},
"options": [
"How to start a wildlife habitat.",
"Making a place where animals can hide.",
"How to gather food for a wildlife habitat.",
"Creating places for people to plant gardens.... | Bluebirds looking secretly from nest boxes. Tadpoles swimming in a pond. Tiger swallowtails flying quickly around a butterfly bush. And over here, a class of students watching it all. A field trip to a nature center? No, it's a schoolyard. With some work on your part, it could even be your schoolyard.
Interested in building a schoolyard habitat? Here's how to get started.
Gather a Team
Students can do a lot on their own, but you'll need adults for a project this big. Get teachers, parents, and even the headmaster interested. Don't forget the maintenance staff--they know more about your school's yard than anyone else and can give you lots of help. Also, ask around your neighborhood for gardeners, naturalists, and others willing to give advice.
Map Your Site
Which part of the schoolyard can you turn into a habitat? Is there an unused corner of the playground? Part of a lawn or field you could let go wild? You'll need to make a map of the area showing what's there now. Then you can figure out how you want to change it. For that, you need a plan.
Plan a Habitat
Here's what you'll need to make your area attractive to wildlife.
Food: Plant flowers, bushes, and trees. These provide seeds, berries, leaves, flowers, and sweet liquids. And all of these feed birds, and insects. You can also add some feeders for squirrels and birds. Where possible, stick with native plants--wild plants that grow naturally in your area. They need less care, which means less work for you.
Water: A small pond, birdbath, or even a shallow dish of clean water in the ground will attract birds. Other small animals like insects may visit as well.
Shelter: Bushes and trees make great escapes for birds. Tall grass and "weeds" are home to grasshoppers, garter snakes, and some ground-nesting birds. You can also add stone piles and brush piles.
Places to Raise Young: Butterflies need special plants to lay their eggs on. Frogs and toads lay eggs only in shallow water. Many birds use birdhouses; others nest in trees and bushes. In fact, nearly all your shelters may become homes for wild young.
Put It on Paper
Using the map you made of your area, draw in the changes you want to make. Mark where the plants, nest boxes, and other items will go. Remember, this is a long-term plan--you don't have to do everything this spring. Maybe you could put up a few birdhouses and plant some butterfly bushes now and save the trees and bushes for next year. Even a small start is a big step for wildlife.
Reach for Resources
To make the habitat happen, you'll need lots of plants, seeds, and other supplies. You'll also need to buy or borrow tools and maybe even some heavy equipment. Now's the time to reach out for donations. Start by asking your parent-teacher organization. Then go to garden clubs, garden stores (they might give you a discount), local government agencies, and businesses. If they can't donate supplies or money, ask if they can donate workers!
The workers can help build the habitat. You'll also need people to help maintain it. Some schools ask their students' families to take turns during the summer. Each family maintains the habitat for a couple of weeks.
Build Your Design
Now you can dig in. Set a date, and get growing! | high9923.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The Secrets of Relationships"
},
"options": [
"Happiness Now",
"Balancing Work & Life",
"Shift Happens",
"The Secrets of Relationships"
],
"question": "If you find it hard to get along with others, which book ca... | Shift Happens by Robert Holden
Price: $ 6.49
It's an excellent book that will greatly improve your life. It has insightful wisdom that is easy toapply in everyday life. It's written in a very thoughtful and humorous way. Read it when you are stressed and it will help you remember what is important in your life.
Balancing Work & Life by Robert Holden
Price: $ 10.50
The book deals with the key challenges of our life. It is a must-read for anyone who is trying to balance work success, family joy and daily life.
Practical techniques show you how to set your goals and make proper choices.
Clear text and illustrations cover every aspect of defining success and achieving balance.
Accessible charts and diagrams explore different choices for taking actions and provide examples.
Happiness Now by Robert Holden
Price:$8.00
This book explains what holds us back from being happy in our lives. Holden analyzes these similar questions and inthe process you will become more informed about what's really going on in your mind. This is a must-have book for anyone wanting to understand how your thoughts keep you from your happiness.
The Secrets of Relationships by Renshaw
Price: $9.50
Are you looking for a satisfying relationship? If so, you should read this book and discover:
The secret of findingthe right partner
The secret of communicating successfully
The secret of getting along well with others
The secret of getting what you want
This book is your passport to a whole new relation-ship experience.
Order online now and you can get a 20% discount.
For more information, please click here. | high15291.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "parents don't share the same amount of child-care"
},
"options": [
"both fathers and mothers take it as a hobby",
"neither fathers nor mothers spend enough time on child-care",
"parents don't share the same amount of child-ca... | Can it be true that Australian men spend more time during the week brushing their teeth than they do alone with their children?
A new study from the University of the New South Wales has discovered that during the working week, Aussie fathers only spend an average of just over a minute each day alone with their children. Australian mothers, on the other hand, spend three hours a week looking after their children -a much greater disparity than in other countries like America, Denmark, Italy and France, where couples divide the child-care more evenly.
These findings will upset those who want to shake off the perhaps unfair image of the Australia as a land of old-fashioned male chauvinism .
According to the study, Australian fathers appear to like the fun aspects of parenthood, but shy away from the drudgery. So while they tend to be happy taking the kids to the park or to sports events, they are unlikely to participate regularly in feeding, bathing, or taking the kids to school. In short, parenting is seen as a woman's job and a man's hobby in Australia.
Many people believe that in Europe the last twenty years have seen the arrival of the so-called "new man"--the man who is willing to share the housework and child-care. The "new man" never misses his children's school plays and he always gets home in time to read their bedtime story. Indeed, a questionnaire conducted in the UK indicated that almost 70% of British women thought that men were as good at raising children as women. | high23723.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "disappointed"
},
"options": [
"frightened",
"pleased",
"disappointed",
"annoyed"
],
"question": "The number of American adult Internet users _ Mary Madden.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | More Americans are Googling themselves ------ and many are checking out their friends, co-workers and romantic interests, too.
In a report Sunday, the Pew Internet and American Life Project said 47 percent of U.S. adult Internet users have looked for information about themselves through Google or another search engine.
That is more than twice the 22 percent of users who did in 2002, but Pew senior research specialist Mary Madden was surprised the growth wasn't higher.
"Yes it's doubled, but many Internet users have never done this simple act of plugging their name with search engines," she said.
Americans under 50 and those with more education and income were more likely to self-Google because their jobs demand a certain online persona.
Meanwhile, Pew found that 53 percent of adult Internet users admit looking up information about someone else, not including celebrities.
Often, it's to find someone _ have lost touch with. But looking up information about friends, relatives, colleagues and neighbors also was common.
Although men and women equally searched for online information about themselves, women were slightly more likely to look up information about someone they are dating.
In many cases, the search is done to find someone's contact information. But a third of those who have conducted searches on others have looked for public records, such as bankruptcies and divorce proceedings. A similar number have searched for someone else's photo.
Few Internet users say they Google themselves regularly ---- about three-quarters of self-searchers say they have done so only once or twice. And most who have done so consider what they find accurate.
Pew also found that teens were more likely than adults to restrict who can see their information at an online hangout like Facebook or News Corp's MySpace. | high633.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because they had to sign forms to enter France properly."
},
"options": [
"Because they looked for their luggage.",
"Because they went to buy something special.",
"Because they had to sign forms to enter France properly.",
... | The plane landed with a gentle stop at the airport in Paris. I looked out of the window and noticed the boiling hot sun was shinning down on the city.
I stepped down the stairs into the luggage room, and my family were practically busy. I walked down to the convey belt and waited for my suitcase to come along. I must wait there for about ten minutes before it actually came, by then my family had signed forms so we could be let into the country properly.
I met up with my dad by the main entrance. My extremely annoying sister Talia was waving at us from the exit of the airport. My dad and I walked over and left the airport.
We walked around for an hour before we actually found our hotel. The French taxi driver had dropped us off at the wrong hotel, and we found out the hotel he had dropped us off about an hour away from where our hotel was. We walked around different streets. We walked into different shops, but they all had the same answer "sorry". My mom was so annoyed that she took about several mouthfuls of her vodka she'd bought at this alcohol shop before.
When we finally made it to the hotel, we checked in and made our way to our rooms. We were on the 17th floor, so the elevator ride up was rather long. I also had to share a room with Talia, which didn't really make my day. Ks5u
I got into my room and sat on my bed. I took my shoes and socks off and rubbed my hurt feet. Could this day get any worse? Well it could. "Let's go," my mom said excitedly. "Go where?" I said unwillingly. "Outside of course, we're in France! I want to taste the snails, the frogs' legs, the ... French wine!" she said.
We stepped out of the hotel entrance and lights came from everywhere. It looked wonderful and a bit like New York, but the building weren't as high and everyone looked so kind.
We walked down to the Eiffel Tower which was amazing, it was beautiful. I know I had to see this again, but maybe when I wasn't so tired. I sat down on the grass, and looked up at the sky, Paris looked wonderful at night, and the stars in the sky added to the effect. I looked back down and someone caught my eye, his face was not very familiar... | high16968.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "know the country and its people better"
},
"options": [
"find out what its people are like",
"argue in favor of this country and the language",
"know the country and its people better",
"like its inhabitants and their l... | Every country tends to accept its own way of life as being the normal one and to praise or criticize others, as they are similar to or different from it. And unfortunately, our picture of the people and the way of life of other countries is often a distorted one.
Here is a great argument in favor of foreign travel and learning foreign languages. It is only by traveling in a country and getting to know its inhabitants and their language that one can find out what a country and its people are really like. And how different the knowledge one gains this way frequently turns out to be from the second-hand information gathered from other sources! How often we find that the foreigners whom we thought to be such different people from ourselves are not very different at all!
Differences between peoples do, of course, exist and, one hopes, will always continue to do so. The world will be a dull place indeed when all the different nationalities behave exactly alike, and some people might say that we are rapidly approaching this state of affairs. With the much greater rapidity and ease of travel, there might seem to be some truth in this at least as far as Europe is concerned. However this may be, at least the greater ease of travel today has revealed to more people than ever before that the Englishman or Frenchman or German is not some different kind of animal from themselves. | high18945.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The MP3 player helps Joey in finding Mary."
},
"options": [
"Joey is just like other boys in Mary's class.",
"Mary's mother influences her a lot in singing.",
"Not many people have a dream to be realized.",
"The MP3 pla... | Few of us haven't read Cinderella , the story of a young woman living in poverty who meets the prince of her dreams. Some might not want to admit it, but there is a hidden Cinderella in everyone's heart--we all wish we could achieve recognition or success after a period of obscurity . Mary Santiago has that secret dream, too. Her story is featured in Another Cinderella Story, a film set in a US high school.
Mary is shy but loves to dance. Compared with other girls, she is invisible. However, her world changes completely when a famous teenager pop singer, Joey Parker, appears. Joey is everything the rest of the boys in her class are not--kind, handsome and desirable. Mary and Joey's paths cross at a ball. They meet and fall in love with each other. But when Mary has to rush back home, she leaves behind her MP3 player, which becomes the only clue Joey has to find the girl of his dreams. Of course, there is a wicked stepmother, who turns out to be Dominique Blatt and she takes in Mary after her dancer mother dies. Dominique treats Mary like a maid and does everything she can to make sure Mary doesn't get into the top dance school. Her two daughters are equally determined to stop Joey falling for Mary, even if that means embarrassing her.
The story, though it mostly follows Cinderella, does add a few modern day twists to the classic fairy tale. Refreshingly, the film, unlike many high school films, does not focus on looks, although the actors are all beautiful. There is also a lot less materialism in Another Cinderella Story than in many similar movies.
"The movie takes the Cinderella fairytale as its jumping off point," writes movie critic Amber Wilkinson, "The focus is firmly on following your dream." | high3598.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He is a student who pays to live and have meals at the Carsons' house."
},
"options": [
"He is a brother of Andrew Carson.",
"He is a close friend of the Carsons.",
"He is a student of Judy Carson.",
"He is a student wh... | I'm a Chinese student studying in Canada. I have been a boarder with the Carsons for more than a year and a half.
The Carsons live in their own house, which has four bedrooms including the one in the basement which I live in. Judy does all the work in the house and Andrew is responsible for the work in the garden. When they go out in they evening, they often ask me to look after their children.
Judy's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Morris, lived in another city. Judy was their only child and naturally they doted on Judy's children. They often sent the children presents.
Last April Mr. Morris died. Now that Mrs. Morris was quite alone, I expected that Judy would want her to come and live with them. One day, Margaret, Judy's daughter, told me grandma was coming to live with them and her daddy and mummy would want my room back. The news didn't surprise me and the next day I went to Judy and asked her about it. I said I couldn't think of living in their basement room any longer if it was needed for Mrs. Morris. Judy seemed surprised at first. Then she told me there was no deed for me to move, for they hadn't yet come to any decision about her mother coming to live with them. "Naturally I'm worried about my mother. She has been in poor health." She smiled sadly and added. "To be honest, Andrew and my mother have never got on well. We'll wait a bit and see what happens. Perhaps Mohter will be all right living herself, or perhaps they will both change their minds."
That was six months ago. During this time I've heard that Mrs. Morris has had two illnesses and that her health has got worse. A nursing home was mentioned once but Mrs. Morris refused to go there. So up to now she's still living alone and I'm still living in the basement room. | high22415.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "are receiving no formal education"
},
"options": [
"skip math classes for no reason",
"are receiving no formal education",
"are busy supporting their families",
"make full contributions to their countries"
],
"q... | Right now, 62 million girls worldwide are not in school. They're receiving no reading, no writing, no math--none of the basic skills they need to provide for themselves and their families, and contribute fully to their countries.
Often, understandably, this issue is considered as a matter of result of a failure to invest enough money in educating girls. We can solve this problem, the argument goes, if we provide more scholarships and safe transportation and build more school bathrooms for girls. And it's true that investments like these are important for addressing our global girls' education crisis. But we cannot solve our girls' education problem until we deal with the broader cultural beliefs and practices that can help cause this crisis and make it continue.
We know that legal and cultural change is possible because we've seen it countries around the world, including our own. A century ago, women in American couldn't even vote. Decades ago, it was perfectly legal for employers to refuse to hire women. But in each generation, brave people -both men and women--stood up to change these practices. They did it through individual acts like taking their bosses to court and even through national movements that brought changes.
Cultural changes like these can encourage countries to make greater investments in girls' education. And when they do, that can cause a powerful effect that can cause even greater cultural and political progress for women. Girls who are educated marry later. Educated girls also can earn higher salaries. And when educated girls became healthy, financially secure, empowered women, they're far better equipped to achieve their needs and wishes, and challenge unjust laws and harmful practices and beliefs.
But for me, this issue isn't just about politics or economics --- for me, this is a moral issue. As I've traveled the world, I've met so many of these girls. They're so hungry to realize their promise. They walk for hours each day to school, learning at rickety desks in bare concrete classrooms. These girls aren't different from my daughters or any of our daughters. None of us here in the USA would accept this for our own daughters and granddaughters, so why would we accept it for any girl on our planet?
As a first lady, a mother, and a human being, I cannot walk away from these girls, and I plan to keep raising my voice on their behalf for the rest of my life. I plan to keep talking about this issue here at home, because I believe that all of us--men and women, in every country on this planet--have a moral obligation to give all of these girls a future worthy of their promise and their dreams. | high13810.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a hotel manager"
},
"options": [
"a hotel manager",
"a police officer",
"an experienced traveler",
"a tour guide"
],
"question": "The suggestions are most probably from _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_quest... | Safety and Security Procedures
Your safety and the security of your personal property are of the primary concern to those of us who welcome you as our guest. We urge you to take advantage of the following suggestions.
YOUR VEHICLE
Lock it and don't leave money or valuable items inside. We are not responsible for their loss.
TRAVELING
Be good at noticing things around you when sightseeing or traveling. Stay in well-lit and heavily traveled areas. Don't display large amounts of cash.
GUEST ROOM SECURITY
For additional security use the deadbolt provided on your door and make sure the windows are locked. As an additional precautious measure, please secure the secondary locks provided. Do not admit anyone to your room without first making identification . A one-way viewer is provided in your door to assist with identification. If there is any doubt about the person's identity, please contact the Front Desk.
SAFETY BOXES
Do not leave money or valuables in your room or vehicle. We provide free safety boxes for your use. Hotel is not responsible for items left in the room valued over $200.
KEYS
Safeguard your key. Please do not leave it in the door. Do not give your key to others or leave it unattended. Please leave your key at the Front Desk when you check out.
REPORTING
Please report any suspicious activity, or safety concerns to management.
FIRE
Please familiarize yourself with the nearest fire exits. Report fire or smoke to the hotel guard. In the unlikely event of a fire, please move quickly and calmly to the nearest safe exit and leave the building. Avoid the use of elevator. | high83.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "show how to succeed"
},
"options": [
"recall his whole life",
"tell his grandson how great he was",
"explain how to keep passion",
"show how to succeed"
],
"question": "The young man's grandpa wrote this letter ... | One day, a young man was cleaning out his late grandfather's belongings when he came across a bright red envelope. Written on the front were the words, "To my grandson." Recognizing his grandfather's handwriting, the young man opened the envelope. A letter inside read:
Dear Ronny,
Years ago you came to me for help. You said, "Grandpa, how is it that you've accomplished so much in your life? You're still full of energy, and I'm already tired of struggling. How can I get that same enthusiasm that you've got?"
I didn't know what to say to you then. _ , I figure that I owe you an answer. So here is what I believe.
I think a lot of it has to do with how a person looks at things. I call it "keeping your eyes wide open".
When you meet up with challenges, welcome them. They'll leave you wiser, stronger, and more capable than you were the day before. When you make a mistake, be grateful for the things it taught you. Resolve to use that lesson to help you reach your goals.
And always follow the rules, even the little ones. When you follow the rules, life works. If you think you ever really get by with breaking the rules, you're only fooling yourself.
It's also important to decide exactly what you want. Then keep your mind focused on it, and be prepared to receive it.
But be ready to end up in some new places, too. As you grow with the years, you'll be given bigger shoes to fill. So be ready for endings as well as challenging beginnings.
Sometimes we have to be brave enough to move from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Life isn't just reaching peaks. Part of it is moving from one peak to the next. If you rest too long in between, you might be tempted to quit. Leave the past in the past. Climb the next mountain and enjoy the view.
Remember that your choices will create your successes and your failures. So consider all the pathways ahead, and decide which ones to follow. Then believe in yourself, get up, and get going.
And be sure to take breaks once in a while. They'll give you a renewed commitment to your dreams and a cheerful, healthy perception of the things that matter the most of you.
Most important of all, never give up on yourself. The person that ends up a winner is the one who resolves to win.Give life everything you've got, and life will give its best back to you.
Love always,
Grandpa | high7926.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because the rich tend to decide a thing."
},
"options": [
"Because the rich tend to decide a thing.",
"Because money can tell us something.",
"Because it is hard to earn much money.",
"Because everyone loves to have mon... | People often say that money talks. They mean that a person with a lot of money can say how he or she wants things done. But it is not easy to earn enough money to gain this kind of power.
Ask anyone in business. They will tell you that it is a jungle out there. The expression probably began because a jungle is filled with wild animals and unknown dangers that threaten people.
People in business have to be careful if they are to survive the jungle out there. They must not be led into making bogus investments. Bogus means something that is not real.
Nobody is sure how the word got started. But it began to appear in American newspapers in the 1800s. A newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts, said the word came from a criminal whose name was Borghese. Borghese wrote checks to people although he did not have enough money in the bank. After he wrote the checks, he would disappear. So, people who were paid with his checks received nothing. The newspaper said Americans shortened and changed the criminal's name Borghese to Bogus.
People trying to earn money must be also aware of the risk of being ripped off. A writer for a magazine said he first saw the expression used in 1971. It was on a sign that a student carried during a protest demonstration at a university. The message on the sign was that the student felt cheated.
To be successful, a person in business works hard and tries to get down to brass tacks. This expression means to get to the bottom or the most important part of something. For example, a salesman may talk about his product without saying the price. You get down to brass tacks when you say, "it sounds good, but how much does it cost?"
Word expert Charles Funk thinks the expression comes from sailors on ships. They clean the bottom of a boat. When they have removed all the dirt, they are down to the copper pieces that hold the ship together. So, if we get down to brass tacks, we can prevent rip-offs and bogus ways of earning money in that jungle out there. And, some good luck will help, too. | high6386.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They think children should text properly."
},
"options": [
"They hate it.",
"They encourage it.",
"They think children should text properly.",
"They think parents should text for children."
],
"question": "What ... | BLOOMINGTON --- Once Staci Roper, 14, starts sending text messages, she finds it hard to stop. " Sometimes I text from the time I get up until I go to bed, except during school," said the eighth-grader at Kingsley Junior High.
Her sister Sara Roper, 18, also texts a lot, saying "It is a lot easier than using the telephone."
For teens, technology has become a common way to start and keep social contacts.
Richard Sullivan, a teacher at Illinois State University, said text messaging has become "the new way of passing notes."
"It is an important tool for social communication, especially for the youth," Sullivan said.
But the girls have to store their mobile phones during school because they can be a distraction , Sullivan said.
That is why parents must monitor their children's mobile phone use, said Tim Shannon, a child psychologist at Carle Clinic in Bloomington.
The same technologies that can help communication can be _ if children use them to ignore their family at supper, Shannon said.
While Linda Roper does not allow her children to text massages during meals, she usually does not need to intervene . "My kids are both very disciplined and good about doing their homework," she said.
Gary and Mary Carstens also do not allow their children to text at supper or at family get-togethers.
Their daughter, Kayla, 14, usually texts more on weekends when she has more free time. Kayla likes text messaging "because others can't hear you."
The Carstens got Kayla a mobile phone several years ago because she is active in after-class sports and the phone allows her parents to keep in touch with her.
Mary Carstens believes all the communication allowed by modern technology is good for her kids. | high22373.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "call on people to protect the oceans and humans"
},
"options": [
"introduce the present situation of the polar areas",
"warn people against extreme weather",
"call on people to protect the oceans and humans",
"advertise... | In recent years, temperatures in the polar areas are rising faster than anywhere else on Earth. As a result, the ice and the snow are melting at record-setting rates. One result is that sea levels are rising around the world, putting animals and people at risk.
A sheet of ice acts like a huge mirror, reflecting the sun's energy. But ocean water, which is darker than ice, absorbs a lot of it. This causes the ocean to warm, which in turn speeds up ice melting and which leads to even more open waters. The cycle continues until all the ice is gone.
"As the ice melts, water flows into the oceans, making them less salty. That, along with warmer water temperatures, can harm the creatures that live in, under, and near the ice," says zoologist Michael Stoddard. "Cold-adapted animals -- including polar bears, foxes, hares, and seals -- also need ice for travel and survival."
"Most species of fish, sea spiders, and many other animals and plants that live in the waters of Antarctica don't live anywhere else," Stoddard says. "Many of them have special proteins in their bodies keeping them from freezing to death and have other adaptation to the cold that has yet to be explored."
Therefore, experts are urging us to reconsider the way we live. The fuels that we burn in cars, power stations, and factories are largely to blame for the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are trapping overmuch heat in our atmosphere. If we can produce fewer of these gases, we can help save the polar ice. "Even small things would make a difference, if everyone did them." Michael Stoddard says, "That's what we have to figure out in the near future to help save the polar ice and thus protect the oceans and us." | high7098.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "encourage students to apply for a certain position in the bank"
},
"options": [
"sell a bank",
"give a brief introduction to HSBC",
"tell the readers some experience in bank management",
"encourage students to apply for... | 2016 HSBC China Campus Recruitment
COMMERCIAL BANKING
Commercial Banking is at the heart of growth at HSBC, partnering with our business customers to help them move in the right direction by providing dedicated products and services.
Commercial Banking Global Graduate Programme
This programme appeals particularly to individuals who are self-starters, highly driven and passionate about growing commercial business. Over two years and involving four placements, each lasting six months, you'll gain broad experience in different areas of the bank. On completion, you'll then be ready to move into a specialist role.
Commercial Banking Internship
This eight-week internship gives you first-hand experience of how we provide our customers with solutions to support their growth ambitions. You'll learn about the foundations of Commercial Banking and the drivers of customer satisfaction. Perform well and you could secure a place on our global graduate programme.
RETAIL BANKING AND WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Retail Banking and Wealth Management caters to millions of customers worldwide through our branch network, call centers, internet and mobile banking.
Retail Banking and Wealth Management Global Graduate Programme
The two-year programme offers four rotations in customer-facing and head office roles , equipping you to become a future leader of our branches or contact centres , or one of our specialist teams.
Retail Banking and Wealth Management Internship
Your time on this eight-week internship will be split between a branch or contact centre and a role in one of our specialist teams in head office so you can appreciate the range and complexity of our business. Prove yourself and you could secure a place on our global graduate programme. Welcome to join HSBC!
Please click here to submit online application before the deadline (30 Nov.2015). | high14819.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A kind of new energy source found in tap water."
},
"options": [
"A kind of solar power discovered by scientists.",
"A kind of new energy source found in tap water.",
"The breakthrough to generate electricity 160 yeas ago.",
... | Scientists who discovered a new way of generating electricity from water say they may have come across an alternative source of clean energy to rival wind and solar power.
The breakthrough, which scientists say is the first new way to generate electricity in 160 years, could lead to batteries that use water instead of poisonous substances.
The scientists made the discovery when they were investigating what happens when tap water is forced through extremely narrow glass tubes. Water squeezed down the tubes, each of which was narrower than a tenth the thickness of a human hair, generating a small electric current that ran the length of the tube. To produce a larger electric current, the team tried forcing water through a glass water filter that contained thousands of narrow channels lined up side by side. "When we took a syringe of water and squeezed it through the filter, we got enough power to light a light bulb," said Larry Kostiuk of the University of Alberta in Canada. "The harder you push the syringe, the more electric current you get."
The current is produced because of an effect in the glass tubes. When they are filled with water, positively charged ions fixed in the tubes are washed away, leaving a slight negative charge on the glass surface. When water is then forced along the tube, the surface _ negatively charged ions in the water while positively charged ions are attracted down the tube. The result is a net flow of positively charged ions that sets up an electric current.
According to Dr Kostiuk, no one has ever thought to use water to produce electricity in this way. "The last time someone came up with a way of generating electricity was Michael Faraday in 1839," he said. "So this is the first new way of generating electricity in 160 years, which is why we are so excited about it."
Dr Kostiuk says water batteries might one day be used to power mobile phones and calculators, but admitted that the engineering challenges might make other applications more realistic. "You'd need to be sure it wouldn't leak, and you'd need to make sure it wouldn't freeze," he said.
More likely would be to install the electricity-generating devices where water is already being pumped, such as at city water filtration sites, he said. "It could compete with wind and solar power," he added. | high5857.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "technology"
},
"options": [
"Parship",
"the help of go-betweens",
"technology",
"the revolution of dating game"
],
"question": "Singles in Britain can look for love online mainly because of _ .",
"questio... | Two thirds of the singles looking for love in Britain turned to the Internet last year, according to figures made in public yesterday. Special sites offer introductions to smokers, to Roman Catholics, tall people, beautiful people, frequent flyers and vegans . Technology has brought about a great change in the dating game.
A survey by Parship, a British branch of Europe's largest dating service with more than 1.5 million members, says that 65 percent of the 5.4 million Britons looking for a relationship used online dating services last year.
A spokeswoman for Relate, the relationship advisor, confirmed that a figure of two third feel it all right. "Doing it online allows people quite a lot of privacy, because they can do a bit of quiet research and look around from the comfort of their own home. You don't have to meet a middleman or go to an actual dating agency office, which takes a lot of courage," she said.
There are more than 100 independent online dating agencies in Britain. Parship says that 50 percent of single people believe they will meet a suitable partner through the Internet, up from 35 percent six months ago.
Mary Balfour, the founder, says that the Internet has changed the dating industry completely. "It's like a return to old-fashioned love letters," she said. "You don't base your initial judgment on how someone looks or what his or her figure is like. You e-mail or talk before you actually see each other. Everybody you know who is single these days has at least had a good look at a dating website, introduction agency or personal ad. They have to, because all the old matchmaking institutions have gone. People work harder, settle down later and live more isolated lives. They're much more likely to end the day with a DVD and a can of beer than by going to a village dance." | high4591.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Patient and inspiring."
},
"options": [
"Patient and inspiring.",
"Creative and modest.",
"Determined and strict.",
"Considerate and proud."
],
"question": "Which of the following words best describe Mary Anne a... | EACH of us fails from time to time. If we are wise, we accept these failures as a necessary part of the learning process. But all too often we convey to our children either by words or by actions that failure is something to be ashamed of, that nothing but top performance meets our approval.
Donnie was my youngest third-grader. His fear of failure kept him from classroom games that other children played excitedly. He seldom answered questions - he might be wrong. He seldom finished his work because he repeatedly checked with me to be sure he hadn't made a mistake.
I tried my best to build his self-confidence. But nothing changed until midterm, when Mary Anne, a student teacher, was assigned to our classroom. She was young and pretty, and she loved children. My pupils, Donnie included, adored her. But even enthusiastic, loving Mary was _ by this little boy who feared he might make a mistake.
Then one morning we were working math problems. Donnie had copied the problems with painstaking neatness and filled in answers for the first row. Pleased with his progress, I left the children with Mary. But when I returned, Donnie was in tears. He'd missed the third problem.
Mary looked at me in despair. Suddenly her face brightened. From the desk we shared, she got a canister filled with pencils.
"Look, Donnie," she said, "I've got something to show you." She removed the pencils and placed them on his desk. "See these pencils, Donnie?" she continued. "They belong to Mrs. Lindstrom and me. See how the erasers are worn? That's because we make mistakes too. Lots of them. But we erase the mistakes and try again. That's what you must learn to do, too."
She kissed him and continued: "I'll leave one of these pencils on your desk so you'll remember that everybody makes mistakes, even teachers." Donnie looked up with love in his eyes and just a glimmer of a smile.
The pencil became Donnie's prized possession. That, together with Mary Anne's frequent encouragement and praise for even Donnie's small successes, gradually persuaded him that it's all right to make mistakes - as long as you erase them and try again. | high11961.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Shoppers would rather tell their unhappy experiences to people around them."
},
"options": [
"Most shoppers won't complain even if they have had unhappy experiences.",
"It is difficult for customers to have easy access to store man... | High-quality customer service is preached by many, but actually keeping customers happy is easier said than done.
Shoppers seldom complain to the manager or owner of a retail store , but instead will warn their friends, relatives, co-workers, strangers and anyone who will listen. Store managers are often the last to hear complaints. "Storytelling hurts retailers and entertains consumers," said Paula Courtney, President of the Verde group. "The store loses the customer, but _ ."
The most common complaints include filled parking lots, cluttered shelves, overloaded racks, out-of-stock items, long check-out lines, and rude sales people.
During peak shopping hours, some retailers solved the parking problems by getting moonlighting local police to work as parking attendants to direct customers to empty parking spaces. Retailers can relieve the headaches by redesigning store display, pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy and experienced cashiers, and having sales representatives on hand to answer questions. Most importantly, sales people should be skillful and polite with angry customers.
"Retailers who're enthusiastic and friendly are more likely to smooth over issues than those who aren't so friendly." said Professor Stephen Hoch. "Maybe something as a greeter at the store entrance would help."
Customers can also improve future shopping experiences by filling complaints to the retailer, instead of complaining to the rest of the world. Retailers are hard-pressed to improve when they have no idea what is wrong. | high4585.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "have biological limitations"
},
"options": [
"are not interested in it",
"have biological limitations",
"have not invented proper tools",
"are afraid to make an attempt"
],
"question": "Walking on water hasn't b... | The idea of being able to walk on water has long interested humans greatly. Sadly, biological facts prevent us ever accomplishing such a thing without artificial aid--we simply weigh too much, and all our mass pushes down through our relatively small feet, resulting in a lot of pressure that makes us sink.
However, several types of animals can walk on water. One of the most interesting is the common basilisk. Basilicus, a lizard native to Central and South America. It can run across water for a distance of several meters, avoiding getting wet by rapidly hitting the water's surface with its feet. The lizard will take as many as 20 steps per second to keep moving forward. For humans to do this, we'd need huge feet that we could bring up to our ears in order to create adequate "hitting. "
But fortunately there is an alternative: cornflour. By adding enough of this common thickening agent to water (and it does take a lot), you can create a "non-Newtonian" liquid that doesn't behave like normal water. Now, if the surface of the water is hit hard enough, particles in the water group together for a moment to make the surface hard. Move quickly enough and put enough force into each step, and you really can walk across the surface of an adequately thick liquid of cornflour.
Fun though all this may sound, it's still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice, if you must do it, then keep the water wings handy in case you start to sink--and take a shower afterward! | high11975.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "did not have anything better to do"
},
"options": [
"loved her very much",
"hoped she would join him in Chicago",
"did not have anything better to do",
"had a lot of interesting things to tell her"
],
"question"... | When she was a girl of sixteen and before she began to work in the store , Alice had dated a young man. The young man, named Ned Currie, was older than Alice. He was employed on the local newspaper and for a long time he went to see Alice almost every evening. Together the two walked under the trees through the streets of the town and talked of what they would do with their lives. Alice was then a very pretty girl and one night Ned took her into his arms and kissed her. He became excited and said things he did not intend to say and Alice, betrayed by her desire to have something beautiful come into her narrow life, also grew excited. She also talked. The outer crust of her life , all of her natural shyness and reserve, was torn away and she gave herself over to the emotions of love.
When,late in the fall,Ned went away to Cleveland to try to get a place on a city newspaper and rise in the world , she wanted to go with him. _ she told him what was in her mind. "I will work and you can work,she said. "I don't want to tie you to a needless expense that will stop you making progress. Don't marry me now. We'll get along without that and we can be together. Even though we live in the same house, no one will say anything. In the city we'll be unknown and people will pay no attention to us."
Ned was puzzled by his sweetheart's determination and was also deeply touched. He had wanted a girlfriend just to relieve the boredom of his life but had changed his mind. He now wanted to protect her and care for her. "You don't know what you're talking about,he said sharply; "I'll let you do no such thing. As soon as I get a good job , I'll come back. For the present you'll have to stay here. It's the only thing we can do.
On the evening before he left Winesburg, Ned went to call on Alice. They walked about through the streets for an hour and then went for a drive in the country. The moon came up and they found themselves unable to talk. They stopped at a place where a long meadow ran down to the bank of Wine Creek and there in the dim light he kissed her and promised he would love her forever. When they returned to town, it did not seem to them that anything in the future could blot out the wonder and beauty of that evening. ''Now we will have to stick to each other; whatever happens, we will have to do that," Ned said as he left the girl at her father's door.
He did not succeed in getting a place on a Cleveland newspaper and went west to Chicago. For a time he was lonely and wrote to Alice almost every day. Then he was caught up by the life of the city ;he began to make friends and found new interests in life. In Chicago he boarded at a house where there were several women. One of them attracted his attention and he forgot Alice in Winesburg. At the end of a year he had stopped writing letters, and only once in a long time when he was lonely or when he went into one of the city parks and saw the moon shining on the grass as it had shone that night on the meadow by Wine Creek did he think of her at all. | high20570.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "is offered to all the students of Grade Two in high school"
},
"options": [
"is carried on at the same time as other courses",
"is given to anyone wanting to get a driver's license",
"is offered to all the students of Grade T... | In prefix = st1 /America, drivers' education is part of high school. Every student in his or her second year of high school is required to take a course in drivers' education. However, unlike other courses, it isn't given during the regular school year. Instead, it is a summer course.
The course is divided into two parts: class time for learning the laws and regulations, and driving time for practice. The students study the basic traffic laws they must know to pass the written driving test, which is given to anyone who wants to get a driver's license.
Driving time is a chance for the students to sit behind the steering wheel and practice all kinds of skills that are required to drive a car. Each student is required to drive for a total of six hours. The students are divided into groups of four. The students and the instructor go out driving for two hours. Thus, each student gets half an hour of driving time per outing. The instructor and the "driver" sit in the front seats and the other three students sit in the back.
The cars for drivers' education are different from other ears. In this kind of car there are two sets of brakes, one on the driver's side and the other on the instructor; s side. Thus, if the student driver runs into difficulties, the instructor can take over. This kind of car also has another special feature. On the rear window of the car is a sign that reads: STUDENT DRIVER. That lets nearby drivers know that they should be more careful because the student driver isn't very experienced.
After the student has passed the drivers' education course and reached the proper age to drive, they can go to a designated state office to take the driving test, which is made up of an eye examination, a written test, and a road test. The student must pass all the three tests in order to get a driver's license. If the student does well in the drivers' education class, he or she will have no problem passing the test with flying color1s and getting licensed. | high23079.txt |
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