questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To ask people to face challenges bravely."
},
"options": [
"To show her hard way to success.",
"To prove shy people can also be great.",
"To show it is easy to overcome shyness.",
"To ask people to face challenges brave... | Valerie Jarrett, 58, is serving as a top adviser to President Obama and has been close to the first family since the early 1990s. Joe Heim fromWashingtonPosthad an interview with her.
Joe Heim: What do you think of a reporter who interviews you for 25 minutes, then later finds out his recorder stopped working and asks you to do the interview again?
Valerie Jarrett: _ . You could have just tried to pretend that it didn't happen.
Joe Heim: You're considered the president's closest adviser. Have you ever given him bad advice since he became president?
Valerie Jarrett: I'm sure that I have. I think one of the reasons why the president's management style is very effective is because all of his advisers feel very comfortable being open about their advice. Finally, there's only one decision-maker. And that's the president.
Joe Heim: What misunderstandings are there of you?
Valerie Jarrett: A little-known fact is that I started my life very shy and remained very shy well into adulthood. Painfully shy, I would call it. And I often share this, particularly with young people, because it's something I really had to work hard to overcome. And for all the shy people out there I say, you, too, can overcome it. But it took a lot of hard work on my part, and I discovered along the way that just because you're nervous and you have butterflies in your stomach doesn't mean that it has to show. My point in sharing it with you is that part of life is pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone . And if you're going to grow, you have to learn how to take on new challenges that you might not be good at.
Joe Heim: Will you stay until the end of his term?
Valerie Jarrett: I serve at the pleasure of the president. If he wants me to stay, I will. | high14411.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "parents"
},
"options": [
"children",
"teachers",
"doctors",
"parents"
],
"question": "The intended readers of the passage are _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer... | Earlier this year,my oldest daughter got braces on her teeth,and let's just say she did not go quietly into that dentist's chair.Fear and hate pretty much describe the days leading up to her first appointment.
So when she finally walked out with shiny teeth,a sore mouth and a broken spirit,I told her I was proud of her and took her to Ben &Jerry's for an ice cream reward.Two weeks later,we returned to the scene of the crime.The dentist spent about 45 seconds checking her teeth before sending her on her merry way.Before I could start the car, she was placing her ice cream order.She was shocked when I told her that she wasn't going to get a reward every time we get her teeth checked.
Clearly,she's not alone.According to some parenting experts,kids are easily addicted to a benefit--producing system of parental rewards and bribes--it's not all ice creams,candies and cool toys.Some parents are offering their children prizes to just let them sit down and behave in a restaurant--or sleep in their own beds--or score a goal in the next soccer game.
While the experts agree that occasional awards are okay, the danger lies in the system's overuse.Kids quickly gain a sense of entitlement ,where they come to expect a big reward for every good thing that they do,no matter how small.To keep things in check,experts say parents should reduce the number of rewards they offer,make sure rewards match the behavior and explain the real benefits of behaving for the sake of behaving.
Have you used bribery or a reward system with your kids? Was it successful? Do your kids expect more because of that system? | high12706.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "provide some advice on how to form a healthy lifestyle"
},
"options": [
"tell the readers how to take proper exercise every day",
"provide some advice on how to form a healthy lifestyle",
"ask people to care about their healt... | Modern science suggests that a healthy lifestyle matters much to how long you can live and how well you live. Here are some tips for you to form a healthy lifestyle.
Keep a scientific diet. Keep in mind that sugar can be removed from our diet completely. Over intake of sugar is one of the main reasons for getting fat. Over intake of protein or fat and low intake of fiber can also lead to getting fat. We need only a few grams of protein every day to keep our body in order. Like rain to crops, not the more the better.
Be always in a good mood. There is a relation- ship between the mood and health. A good mood keeps you in high spirits. Thanks to the internet, we can enjoy and learn much without going out. Take a look at some online shops and pick up some bargains, enjoy music and movies and chat with some good friends. Just keep happy.
Enough sleep. Two studies show the reasons why teens and adults don't have enough sleep. With teens, a major reason is mobile phone use; with adults, it's work. Meanwhile, a third study of young children shows that a lack of sleep in early life may lead to serious problems in future. Everyone needs at least 8-hour sleep to recover from tiredness and the hurt caused by hard work in the daytime.
Proper exercise. Do exercise to keep away from fatness. Because of the quick pace of modern life, you don't have time to do exercise every day, but at least three times a week and 45 minutes each time. | high6630.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Give her a medal: Woman saves family members from Ebola."
},
"options": [
"A courageous and selfless nurse.",
"Give her a medal: Woman saves family members from Ebola.",
"A family survived Ebola with the help of government.",... | Fatu Kekula is a hero. The 22-year-old Liberian nursing student, in her final year, managed to save the members of her immediate family from the Ebola virus, all without the help and convenience of a hospital.
Kekula reduced the rate to 25 percent. Four of her family members were infected with the virus. Her father, Moses, her mother, Victoria, her sister, Vivian and her 14-year-old cousin, Alfred Winnie. Sadly, Kekula's cousin _ the virus. It's also impressive to note that while Kekula was treating her family members she managed to avoid Ebola entirely.
On July 27, Kekula's father, Moses, went to a hospital in Kanata, after his blood pressure rose sharply. The only reason the hospital had a bed to offer him was because someone had just died. But the staff in the hospital didn't realize the patient died from an Ebola infection. Shortly, after he was admitted to the hospital, Moses developed a fever, started vomiting and was suffering from diarrhea. Once nurses started dying of Ebola, the hospital shut down and Moses had to leave. Kekula drove 90 minutes to Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, to seek treatment. Three hospitals turned them away because there is no spare bed for patients at all.
Kekula made the drive back to Kanata to another hospital. They told Moses he had typhoid fever and did very little to treat him. So Kekula took him home. Once he was there, he infected three other family members. Her mother, sister and their cousin who was living with them.
Kekula only lost one patient, her cousin. Her method proved so effective that international aid workers, including UNICEF, began teaching it to others in West Africa who may not be able to get to hospitals for treatment.
Her father, mother and sister were already recovering when space became available at the JFK Medical Center on August 17. Alfred passed away at the hospital the next day. Kekula's father, Moses said, "I'm very, very proud. She saved my life through the almighty God." | high9503.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "make too much noise"
},
"options": [
"make too much noise",
"get angry easily",
"sleep right next to them",
"stay in the economy-class aisle"
],
"question": "Britons dislike flying with babies because they _ .... | They are the little sweeties who look pretty cute in a photo, or when sleeping--but a lot less appealing at 30, 000 ft, crying loudly in the seat right next to you.
According to a new survey, almost seven in ten Britons dislike flying with babies so much that they would like to see child-free areas introduced on planes. As for long-distance flights where people want to sleep, almost one in four British travelers believes that no-kid-zones should be fixed as required sections.
The survey was conducted by bookings website LateDeals.co.uk, with 1,108 UK consumers questioned as to what they hate most about air travel.
And our dislike of noisy children and babies on planes runs deep, it seems.
More than a third of us--35 percent--would pay extra to travel on a childless service.
Long-distance passengers would be prepared to pay an additional PS63 to the cost of a return ticket if it meant adults only on board. And on short-distance flights, an extra PS28 on the price of a return fare would be considered good value if it guaranteed an absence of angry babies in the middle of the economy-class aisle .
However, screaming babies are not the only source of annoyance for British travelers. In fact, according to the research on the most annoying types of airline passengers, a crying baby ranks as only the fourth. Over half of those surveyed--58 percent--selected "drunk travelers" as their _ . People with "bad personal hygiene " and travelers who kick the back of the seat in front were also near the top of the list, causing anger to 48 and 47 percent of us respectively .
Crying babies came in at fourth on the list, a pet peeve for 43 percent of those surveyed. | high14377.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "influenced the author's later life greatly"
},
"options": [
"taught the author how to paint",
"found the author had a gift for painting",
"influenced the author's later life greatly",
"encouraged the author to change he... | My name is Amanda LaMunyon. I have Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism . I don't see myself as a person with a disability. I share who I am when I paint, sing and write.
I started writing poetry because I wanted to tell people what it was like to have Asperger's syndrome. I don't know how my life would be different without Asperger's, but I know I look at the world differently than most people. I'm also learning that you don't have to be like everybody else. You just have to be confident in who you are.
I discovered I could paint when I was 7. My math teacher Mrs. Brock loved one of my paintings so much that she hung it on the wall in her bedroom. I was so encouraged by her and since then my life has changed greatly.
Soon after, people asked me to show my art for charity events. I began to donate prints of my work for charity auctions . I was glad that I really made a difference. I learned that when you give, you receive happiness.
I think it is very important for teens to express themselves. It's a way to know yourself more clearly. You can turn your thoughts and feelings into a piece of artwork or a poem.
For example, when you paint, colors can help you express different emotions. When you write a poem, you have to get really honest with yourself and not be afraid to write down what you feel.
Creativity makes you unique and sets you apart from others. Creative ideas also help you make your dreams come true. They help you look at things in a new way.
I hope my story helps people to believe they can overcome their challenges and achieve their dreams. I like to encourage others. I know what encouragement has meant to me. | high2456.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "excited"
},
"options": [
"depressed",
"frustrated",
"excited",
"frightened"
],
"question": "How do you think the youn eel when he gets something to read?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"... | The young boy was sitting on the ground in the refugee camp playing with an empty tin.Other children were standing around watching him with envious eyes.
Envy? Of an empty tin?
This tin was indeed no worthless piece of trash--it was a splendid truck,complete with wheels and grille and floor.The vehicle even had remote control,a frayed piece of string from the"engine"to the hand of the owner.
The tin had lost all its original markings.But its first load had probably been sardines .Later the tin had been left with other rubbish behind the refugee camp clinic,and the boy had found it on one of his daily expeditions into the"big world".
For thousands of refugee children,a tin 1ike this rates high on their list of wants.It can be used for many purposes,as jewellery,as a toy,for drinking or as a medicine box.
Many refugee children would consider it the happiest day of their lives if they received a handful of marbles as a present.
They dream of gifts which children in developed countries take for granted.Maybe a book to read.or a pencil and an exercise book of their very own.
Their imagination can create toys,but it cannot create books.Someone else must provide them.A more costly and valuable gift they cannot imagine. | high10111.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they have grasped much practical experience"
},
"options": [
"they will help the business not to fail quickly",
"they have grasped much practical experience",
"they need to have a sense of achievement",
"they want to le... | Retirement Age
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely.The " standard" retirement age varies from country to country, but it is generally between 50 and 70, according to the latest statistics, 2011.However, for a long time, people have got into an argument about whether the age of retirement should be increased or reduced in their own countries.
There are several arguments for allowing older people to continue working as long as they are able.Many people think that older employees have a large amount of knowledge and experience which can be lost to a business or organization if they are made to retire.Besides, older employees are often extremely faithful employees to and are more willing to _ company policies than the young.A more important point is regarding the attitudes in society to old people.To force someone to resign or retire at 60 or 65 indicates that the society does not value the input of these people and that effectively their useful life is over.
Allowing old people to work indefinitely , however, is not always a good policy.Some people took the strong view that age alone is no guarantee of ability.Many young employees have more experience or skills than older staff, who may have been stuck in one area for most of their working lives.Having compulsory retirement allows new ideas in an organization.On the other hand, older people should be rewarded by society for their life' s labor by being given generous pensions and the freedom to enjoy leisure.They can have time to do whatever they like, that is, they can have their own plans or roles and achieve their retirement goals.
With many young people unemployed or frustrated in low-level positions, there are often calls to compulsorily retire older workers.However, this can affect the older individual' s freedom--and right--to work.In my opinion, giving workers more choices over their retirement age will benefit society and the individual. | high3990.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Father's day Sunset Live Music Dinner Cruise."
},
"options": [
"Father's day Sunset Live Music Dinner Cruise.",
"Rancho Days Fiesta.",
"Annual Silverado Counter Fair and Art Festival.",
"Starr Ranch Sanctuary."
],
... | Father's day Sunset Live Music Dinner Cruise
Sunday, June 16th, 2013
6:30pm-8:30pm
Join us abroad the 95' Dana Pride for our special Father's Day Dinner Cruise. Enjoy a unique evening of fun on the water, complete with live music by Mike O' Brien and a delicious barbecue dinner.
Adult--$ 59
Kids (3-12)--$29
Two and under are Free
LOCATION: Dana Point Harbor
BOOK ONLINE OR CALL: 949-496-5794
Rancho Days Fiesta
July 13, 2013
Celebration the history of Saddleback Valley, there will be children's activities including free crafts projects. Help make and taste homemade ice cream and butter, warm bread from the oven. Dip water and grind corn while learning about the early days of Orange County.
Admission is $ 3 for children 3 to 12 years old and $4 for adults.
LOCATION: Heritage Hill Historical Park
INFORMATION: 949-923-2230
Annual Silverado Counter Fair and Art Festival
October 5-6, 2013
The 42thAnnual Silverado Country Fair explores the wonders of the area's Old West rustic culture, great live music tasty food, handmade arts, crafts and family games under the oak-trees below Orange Country's famous Saddleback Mountain.
Daytime adult admission: $4/ Kids under 12: only $2
Saturday Night Music Fest : $ 5 for everyone
LOCATION: Silverado Community Center
INFORMATION: 714-997-3968
Starr Ranch Sanctuary
October 20-21, 2013
Audubon California's Starr Ranch Sanctuary invites you to our fall classes for adults. Join our wildlife biologist for two peaceful days at beautiful 4,000 acre Starr Ranch in southeast Orange County and experience nature hands-on as a wildlife researcher.
Cost: $ 95 for those not camping (including dinner) $100 for those camping (dinner and breakfast provided)
LOCATION: Starr Ranch Sanctuary
RESERVATIONS OR INFORMATION: 949-858-0309 | high5339.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "about the same as that of North and South America"
},
"options": [
"about the same as that of North and South America",
"larger than that of North and South America",
"hardly equal to that of North and South America",
"... | The next great land area that man hopes to control is the moon. In size it is nearly equal to the area of North and South America. However, it presents a hostile environment. Temperatures range +120 to -150 degrees Centigrade. There is no air, and no water.
Today there is considerable scientific speculation about living on the moon. When man will begin life on the moon surface is still not determined. But experts believe that settlement will take place in three steps. First, there will be increasing periods of exploration with temporary shelters. These periods will be followed by longer stays with housing under the surface of the moon and daily necessities brought by the settlers themselves from the earth. Finally, settlements that are self-supporting will be founded.
The main job of the early settlers will be to stay alive. They will have to plant crops under huge domes to produce food and oxygen and find water sources. After this is done, the settlers will have time to explore the possibilities of commercial development and to make discoveries important to science. The characteristics of the moon that make it bad for human staying alive may make it ideal for certain kinds of manufacturing . Operations requiring a vacuum or extreme cold are examples. Therefore, industrial diamonds might be produced on the moon. | high16560.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Join the local people in building castles."
},
"options": [
"Join the local people in building castles.",
"Design igloos with the tourists.",
"Play with the pandas in the wild.",
"Go fishing and hiking."
],
"que... | Have you ever been to the following places? If not, try to find a chance to visit them.
Fez, Morocco
Fez, about 240 miles northeast from Marrakesh,a wonderful scene is taking root slowly. It started with immigrants building castles, and continues as hotels and restaurants. The biggest news is that the Hotel Sahrai is completed with a bar and 50 rooms, many overlooking a pool.
Catskills, New York
The region that welcomed Jewish families in the 50s,hippies in the 60s, and soon, casino gamblers . Many stylish B&Bs have opened. Among them are the Hotel Dylan in Woodstock, the Arnold House in Livingston Manor,with its bar and diminutive spa . So now is the time to enjoy fly-fishing, hiking and other peaceful experiences.
Rotterdam, Netherlands
The constantly unfolding city center in Rotterdam has become one amazing explosion of style, which surprised the tourists greatly. The latest attraction, and reason enough to visit, is the MVRDV-designed Markthal, an igloo -like horseshoe that houses 20 shops, nine restaurants, and 228 apartments. It also happens to be Holland' s largest artwork.
Chengdu, China
Famous for its 1,600 pandas, most of which still live in the wild, Chengdu has introduced a 72-hour no-visa policy that makes it easier for Americans to drop in on one of the city' s three major panda research facilities. But it' s worth sticking around longer to experience what' s doing in Chengdu, a city on the rise. One of the shiniest attractions is New Century Global Centre, the world' s largest building, complete with an artificial beach. | high19653.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The relationship between pigs' mood and judgment."
},
"options": [
"The influence of pigs' living environment.",
"The influence between humans and pigs.",
"The didferences of two types of pigs' presonality.",
"The ... | Some pigs lend lo be optimistic while others have a more pessimisitic view , according to a new research that is meaningful to animal welfare. The study, published in the journal Biology Letters, is the first to show that mood and personality interact in an animal, influencing judgment.
Asher, a researcher at ihc University of Newcastle's Institute of Neurowcience, and her team housed groups of pigs in the two types of environments. One reflected sandard commercial conditions and the other was _ with more space and plenty of sell, deep straw. After the pigs got accusitomed to these new homes over a few weeks , the rescarchers picked 18 pigs from each type of housing arrangement to train and test their judgment.
" To do this, we trained each pig that in one comer of a training room there would be a bowl wilh chocolate sweets -- specifically M&Ms, pigs love M&Ms -- and in a bowl at the opposite side of the room there would be a bowl that would contain coffee beans, which pigs find bitter-tasting," senior author Lisa Collins of the Univerersty of Lincoln's School of Life Sciences said.
Over n number of training trials , pigs leamed to go to the bowl reliably when it was in the corner where they had figured out to expect M&Ms.On the contrary,they quickly leamed to avoid the bowl when it was't in the comer where they would expect to find the coffee beans.
The rescearchers next placed an unfamimliar bowl in different locations , to see how the pigs would react. Some gaily dashed to the bowl no matter what, exhibiting optimism that it would contain there favorite sweds. Others, however, behaved as though they expected it to contain coffee beans, displaying pessimism.
The findings suggest that a one -- size- fits - all answer to animal welfare issues does not exist. Even if pigs are just equal lo bacon or other meal for some people, there is still cause for conccrn . Student have suggested that how an animal is trented during is lifetime can directly affect meal quality and taste. | high15041.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A general introduction of Clara Barton's life."
},
"options": [
"The establishment of the American Red Cross.",
"A general introduction of Clara Barton's life.",
"Clara Barton's contribution to the Red Cross.",
"Clara B... | At the age of 16, Clara Barton was advised to become a teacher, since she was quite shy. She taught in Massachusetts for ten years, and was invited to Bordentown, New Jersey, to teach in a private school. She saw personally that these communities needed free education for their citizens, and she responded by creating a free school, one of the first in her state. Later, officials ignored her and appointed a male as principal instead. She resigned and moved to Washington DC, becoming the first woman employed by the U. S. Patent Office.
Clara Barton was forever changed by her experience with the troops in the Civil War. She saw surgeons dressing wounds with cornhusks , since they had nothing else. The medical supplies for the Army were well behind the troops, who were moving faster than their medical supply lines. She brought in a wagon of bandages and medical supplies that she had collected personally beforehand. Barton continued to work on the battlefields throughout the war.
She helped in the identification process of 13,000 dead Union soldiers. Afterward, she was an important figure in a campaign to identify missing soldiers from the Civil War. This non-stop work _ her, and upon recommendation by her physicians, she traveled to Europe to recover herself.
While in Europe, and still in poor health Miss Barton was moved by the hardship on civilians brought about by the France-Prussia war. She helped in their relief effort, and in that work she was inspired to create the Red Cross, which served all troops and civilians.
Clara Barton returned to America and then began the establishment of the American Red Cross. The US government did not think there would ever be another war, after the horror of the Civil War. But she convinced them that the Red Cross would be valuable to serve in times of natural disasters, as well. This was her lasting legacy , an agency that still provides aid to victims today. | high6618.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Puppy love may bring young people depression."
},
"options": [
"Puppy love may bring young people depression.",
"Parents should agree to their children's love.",
"Romance is a twoedged sword for grownups.",
"Romance is ... | A new study of 8,000 young people in the journal ofHealthandSocialBehaviorshows that although love can make grownups live healthily and happily,it is a bad thing for young people.Puppy love may bring trouble for young people and can cause depression .The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys,and young girls are the worst of all.
The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is "loss of self".According to the study,even though boys would say "lose themselves in a romantic relationship",this "loss of self" is much more likely to cause depression when it happens to girls.Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions.They won't tell that to their parents.
Dr.Marianm Kaufman,who works on young people problems,says 15% to 20% of young people will have depression during their growing.Trying romance often causes the depression.She advises kids not to jump into romance too early.During growing up,it is important for young people to build strong friendship and a strong sense of self.She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends,attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family.
Parents should watch for their children's eating or mood changes.If they see some,they need to give help.The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age.Love will always make us feel young,but only maturity gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects. | high1177.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "satellite images"
},
"options": [
"airborne remote sensing",
"national geographical information system",
"global positioning system",
"satellite images"
],
"question": "The scientists will rely on the following ... | China news, Oct. 26--China Great Wall Society's secretary-general Zhang Ji says that the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) would join hands with the Society to produce a 3D picture of the Great Wall so that _ could view its original looks.
When the website opens, a picture of the revolving earth will appear against the background of the universe. A click on the Great Wall will bring the earth nearer, and slowly a white line is seen across the Chinese land in the north. A closer view shows that this is the Great Wall.
Netizens will be able to appreciate the Great Wall with the eye of a tourist and "walk" from Shanhai Pass in the east of the Great Wall to Jiayu Pass in the west in just a couple of days. They can also take a look at the mineral resources and economic status of regions along the Great Wall. CASS and the Great Wall Society are trying their best to make this dream come true through working together closely.
According to Zhang, to achieve the above effects, scientists will rely on airborne remote sensing, national geographical information system and global positioning system to collect detailed data of the Great Wall, analyze and process the data, apply them to satellite images for 3D translation, and thereafter create a 3D digital image of the Great Wall for the entire world to appreciate the really great Great Wall of China via the Internet. | high22835.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Watching for Early Signs of Autism in Babies"
},
"options": [
"Watching for Early Signs of Autism in Babies",
"How to Confirm a Diagnosis of Autism",
"Children with Autism Have Difficulty in Communication",
"Ways to Hel... | Children with autism have difficulty with social skills and communication. They often behave in restricted and repetitive ways and have what seem like abnormally intense interests.
Autism is more common in boys than girls. What causes it is not clear. Scientists are studying genes and possible environmental influences.
Doctors usually cannot confirm a diagnosis of autism until a child is about three years old. Rebecca Landa is a researcher at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland. Professor Landa wanted to find out what differences in development might be seen earlier. She led a new study that observed 235 babies between six and 36 months of age.
"At six months of age, the signs of some risk for developing communication and social delays, including autism, include motor delays. Like when you lay your baby on their back and you pull them by the arms gently into a seated position, the baby's head may nod back behind the shoulders, like poor head control. So that does not mean that the baby is going to have autism, but it does mean the baby needs to have some exercises to strengthen their body. And when they strengthen their body, they are better able to play with toys and engage with people, which then goes on to help them have better outcomes."
By the time a baby is one year old, signs of possible autism include difficulty in using words and not looking eye-to-eye or reaching out to other people. By 14 months, the baby might smile less and use language less. However, Professor Landa says these signs can be so small that they might be missed during a short health exam.
"It's important for parents to stay tuned into their children's development, and if a parent is concerned about a child's development, for professionals to listen to them."
The earlier parents notice delays, she says, the sooner they can begin doing simple things that may help improve their child's development. For example: talking to the child about what they are doing, commenting when the child shows them something, and playing simple games that keep the child's attention. | high13430.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "In ancient Greece."
},
"options": [
"In ancient Greece.",
"In the US.",
"In England.",
"In Italy."
],
"question": "Where was the earliest Mothers' Day celebrated?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | You may know your mother, but how well do you really know Mothers' Day? Cards, flowers, sales, TV specials, and a day off for someone who really deserves it -- those are what probably come to mind for many people when they think of Mothers' Day. But there's more to the story.
The earliest Mothers' Day celebrations were held during spring in ancient Greece. The celebrations honored Rhea, the mother of the gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called Mothering Sunday. On this day even servants were given the day off to spend with their families. A mothering cake was even served with the family meal.
In the US, Mothers' Day began in 1872 when Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the words to the famous song The Battle Hymn of the Republic, suggested it as a day devoted to peace. But it didn't really become popular until 1907 when Anna Jarvis started a campaign to honor mothers. She believed that mothers could help people get over the pain they experienced during the Civil War. The US isn't alone in devoting a day to mothers. Many other countries including Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Japan, and Belgium also honor their mothers in May. Other countries honor their mothers at different times of the year.
Learning more about Mothers' Day and celebrating Mothers' Day are important, but probably not as important as understanding what your own mother, or grandmother, or aunt has really done for you. And that will certainly be appreciated more than one day in year. | high10139.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "large enough for several families"
},
"options": [
"with openings in the trunk walls",
"large enough for several families",
"in a ring shape with bark and mud",
"by bending young trees to form the shape"
],
"que... | In the United States, there were some well-constructed houses for native Indians, ranging from the simple brush shelter to the five-storied pueblo.
In the eastern United States, one of the existing types was that commonly know under the Algonkian name of wigwam in which the Iroquois Indians lived. The wigwams were of wagon-top shape with straight sides and ends, made by bending young trees to form the round shape. Over this shape pieces of tree bark were laid to protect the Indians from bad weather. Over the bark dried grass was added. A small hole allowed smoke to escape from the top. Doorways at each end served also as windows, The Iroquois Indians built trunk walls all around their villages. The wall had only one opening, They could quickly close this opening if their enemies came near.
Interestingly, the Choctaw Indians in Mississippi also lived in a wigwam of a most primitive construction, but different from those of the Iroquois Indians. The Choctaw Indians' wigwams, made from mud, cane and straw, were in the form of a bee-hive. The covering was made of a long, tough grass. A post in the centre supported the roof. A hole in the top admitted the light, and allowed the smoke to pass out.
The tipi tent-housing of the upper lake and plains area was put up with poles set lightly in the ground, tied together near the top, and covered with bark and grass in the lake country. It was easily portable, and two women could set it up or take it down within an hour.
The Pawnee, Mandan and other Indian tribes along the Missouri built solid ring-shaped structures of trunk, covered with earth and dried grass, housing a dozen families.
The Wichita and other tribes of the Texas border built large ring-shaped houses covered with dried grass. K^S*5U.C
Apart from the regular housing, almost every tribe had some style of housing. | high18565.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "had better take your academy into account"
},
"options": [
"needn't consider about your ability",
"had better take your academy into account",
"are supposed to choose merely one most fit",
"are required to pick out more... | While applying to college may seem easy, getting in can be tough! When you apply for college, you will have to be honest with yourself and do a bit of research to find the right fit. Here are three steps to take when applying to colleges for the best chances at getting into the best college for you.
Step l: Making A List Of Colleges To Apply To
With over 6,000 colleges in the United States, the first step in applying to college is to do some research and make a college list . This process will be different for everyone. The number of colleges you apply to can vary, from applying to 1 school (not recommended) to 30 schools (not recommended),each applicant can choose how many colleges they apply to. Many limit the number because applications are accompanied by a fee. .
Step2: Splitting The List Into Target, Reach and Safety Schools
In general, students will want to apply to three types of schools: Target, Reach and Safety schools. It is up to you how many applications you send, but a good mix would be more target than reach, and at least one safety. You will need to take your list, and now decide which are your top picks, which are attainable for you academically, which are affordable for you only with aid, and refine your broad list into a group of schools that gives you the best chance for success. Talk to an admissions counselor at your high school if you have questions about this.
Step 3: Completing and Sending Applications to Colleges
Once your list is complete you are ready to apply to college by completing and sending in applications! College applications take time to complete --you have to write essays, ask for recommendations and get test scores sent to schools--so stay organized! All colleges will require these types of application materials, so start thinking about these items well before October or December. Once you complete and send them, then you have successfully applied to college. | high5311.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame."
},
"options": [
"Lady Gaga and the Economy of the Fame.",
"Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame.",
"Biochemistry and the Sociology of the Fame.",
"Internet Trade and Lady Gag... | The University of South Carolina has developed a sociology course dedicated to the life, work and rise to fame of pop star Lady Gaga.
Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame is to be taught by Professor Mathieu Deflem, a fan of the singer.
The course, which has its own blog, is due to start in spring 2011.
The Belgian born sociologist, whose research interests also include counter-terrorism, international policing, crime control and internet technology, says he has seen Lady Gaga in concert 30 times.
"We're going to look at Lady Gaga as a social event," Prof Deflem told the USC student newspaper, the Daily Gamecock.
"So it's not the person, and it's not the music. It's more this thing out there in society that has 10 million followers on Facebook and six million on Twitter. I mean, that's a social phenomenon.".
It will look at business and marketing strategies, the role of old and new media, fans and live concerts, gay culture, religious and political themes, sex and sexuality, and the cities of New York and Hollywood, it says.
Prof Deflem said he initially planned to call the course the Sociology of Fame or the Sociology of Celebrity, and to use Lady Gaga as an example.
Also a fan of Frank Zappa, Prince, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, Status Quo and Ritchie Blackmore, Prof Deflem says his interest in Lady Gaga began when he first saw her perform on television on 9 January 2009.
"They don't have to be hardcore fans. The better fan will not necessarily be the better student. But you have to have some interest in the topic. So if you really don't like her, you probably shouldn't take the course." | high17656.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "unhappy because he had done something wrong"
},
"options": [
"frightened because he might be caught",
"excited that he had succeeded",
"pleased that nobody knew it",
"unhappy because he had done something wrong"
],
... | I cheated on a unit test in math class this morning during second period with Mr. Burke. Afterward, I was too sick to eat lunch just thinking about it.
I came straight home from school, went to my room, and lay on the floor trying to decide whether it would be better to run away from home now or after supper. Mostly I wished I was dead.
Yesterday Mr. Burke announced there'd be a unit test and anyone who didn't pass would have to come to school on Saturday, most particularly me, since I didn't pass the last unit test. I did plan to study just to prove to him that I'm plenty smart--which I am mostly--except in math.
Anyway, I got my desk ready to study on . Just when I was ready to work, Nicho came into my room with our new rabbit and it jumped on my desk and knocked the flashcards all over the floor. What a mess! Nicho and I finally took the rabbit outside but then Philip came to my room and also Marty from next door and before long it was dinner.
After dinner my father said I could watch a special on television if I'd done all my homework. Of course I said I had. That was the beginning. I felt terrible telling my father a lie about the homework.
It was nine o'clock when I got up to my room and that was too late to study for the unit test so I lay in my bed with the light off and decided what I would do the next day when I was in Mr. Burke's math class not knowing the 8- and 9-times tables. So, you see, the cheating was planned after all.
The next day, I'd go into class as usual, acting like things were going just great. I'd sit down next to Stanley Plummer--he is so smart in math it makes you sick--and from time to time, I'd glance over at his paper to copy the answers.
Lying on the floor of my room, I begin to think that probably I've been bad all along. It just took this math test to clinch it. I'll probably never tell the truth again. I tell my mother I'm sick when she calls me to come down for dinner. She doesn't believe me, but puts me to bed anyhow. I lie there in the early winter darkness wondering what terrible thing I'll be doing next when my father comes in and sits down on my bed.
"What's the matter?" he asks. "I've got a stomachache," I say. Luckily, it's too dark to see his face. "Is that all?" "Yeah." "Mommy says you've been in your room since school." "I was sick there too," I say. "She thinks something happened today and you're upset." That's the thing that really drives me crazy about my mother. She knows things sitting inside my head the same as if I was turned inside out.
"Well," my father says. I can tell he doesn't believe me. "My stomach is feeling sort of upset." I hedge. "Okay," he says and he pats my leg and gets up.
Just as he shuts the door to my room I call out to him in a voice I don't even recognize as my own. "How come?" he calls back not surprised or anything. So I tell him I cheated on this math test. To tell the truth, I'm pretty much surprised at myself. I didn't plan to tell him anything.
He doesn't say anything at first and that just about kills me. I'd be fine if he'd spank me or something. And then he says I'll have to call Mr. Burke. It's not what I had in mind. "Now?" I ask surprised. "Now," he says. He turns on the light and pulls off my covers. "I'm not going to," I say.
But I do it. I call Mr. Burke, and I tell him exactly what happened, even that I decided to cheat the night before the test. He says I'll come on Saturday to take another test, which is okay with me, and I thank him a whole lot for being understanding and all.
"Today I thought I was turning into a criminal," I tell my father when he turns out my light. Sometimes my father kisses me good night and sometimes he doesn't. I never know. But tonight he does. | high16548.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "drive cars designed for the disabled"
},
"options": [
"give food to some animals",
"to make clothes from woolen or cotton thread",
"drive cars designed for the disabled",
"help with the housework"
],
"question":... | Nodira, 18, lives in the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan. She was born with a rare disease and is now paralyzed from the waist down. Her life is confined to a wheelchair but _ Her hopes for the future include attending university, riding in her father's car and being able to walk like other children.
Nodira, which means 'unique' in Uzbek, is one of five children in a poor family. Every morning, after reciting her prayers, Nodira feeds the hens and goats from her wheelchair. The rest of her day is spent knitting for other people and helping her mother with the household chores.
Nodira has never been to school because it is too far from her home and inaccessible for her wheelchair. A local teacher used to come and _ her at home and, as a result, she was able to finish third grade. After that, her parents moved to another town and the tutor could not visit as much.
Despite the many difficulties in Nodira's life she is lucky to be living with her family. The stigma attached to the children living with disabilities, combined with the lack of wheelchair access in schools and the economic difficulties faced by many Uzbek families, have led many parents to place children with disabilities in special institutions.
These days, Nodira does homework exercises at home and reads as much as she can. Still, it is unlikely that she will be able to finish her primary education, much less attend university. While missing out on an education is a great disappointment to Nodira, her greatest wish, for a true friend, can still come true. "What I want more than anything is a friend who also has a disability," she says. "Somebody will not feel sorry for me or make fun of me, and will understand what my life is like." | high11227.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "blueberries"
},
"options": [
"sushi",
"blueberries",
"pomegranates",
"Vitamin D"
],
"question": "To prevent yourself from catching colon cancer, you should eat _ as often as possible.",
"question_type": ... | Below is some advice on how to prevent cancer:
8 Ways to Avoid Cancer in Your Life
1. Eat Blueberries
Aside from being a healthy and delicious snack, blueberries contain pterostilbene, which has important colon cancer-fighting prosperities. But wait, it gets better. Blueberries also offer a large dose of vitamins C (14 milligrams per cup). So at breakfast, try to take in a cup and a half of blueberries in your cereal or yogurt, or mixed with other berries.
2. Drink Pomegranate Juice
The deep red juice of the pomegranate contains polyphenols, isoflavones and ellagic acid, which together create a powerful anticancer mixture. Most recently, researchers from the University of Wisconsin at Madison has discovered that 16 ounces of pomegranate juice per day also may inhibit the growth of lung cancer.
3. Relax
Feeling stressed or worried? Find ways to relax and you may reduce your chances of developing cancer. Purdue University researchers tracked 1,600 men over 12 years and found that half of those with high levels of worry died during the study period. Only 20 percent of the optimists died before the study were completed, while 34 percent of the extremely anxious men died of some type of cancer. Instead of stressing about the past or future, focus on the present and relax!
4. Take Selenium
Selenium is well known for its cancer-fighting properties. In a study of almost 1,000 men, researchers from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that when men with the lowest initial levels of selenium in their bodies received a daily supplement over a 4 year period, they cut their prostate cancer risk by a remarkable 92 percent. However, it is possible to get too much of a good thing, so monitor your intake of selenium-containing supplements, Brazil nuts, tuna, meats and grains carefully.
5. Eat Sushi
Seaweed may not be your idea of a great snack, but it is high in fiber, calcium and iron, and dry, roasted seaweed sheets used in sushi provide the additional benefits of vitamins A and C. Sushi rolls are also high in protein-- a typical spicy tuna roll has only 290 calories but packs 24 grams of protein. So don't skimp on the Sushi!
6. Enjoy the Outdoors
Vitamin D causes early death of cancer cells. A study published in the American Journey of Clinical Nutrition reported that women who supplemented their diets with 1,000 international. Units of vitamin D every day had a 60 percent to 77 percent lower incidence of cancer ever a four-year period that did women taking a placebo . Experts recommend supplementing your fun in the sun with 1,100 to 2,000IU of vitamin D each day.
7. Breathe Clean Air
There's no question that secondhand smoke kills. A recent American Journal of Public Health study showed that nonsmokers working in smoky places had three times the amount of carcinogen in their urine than nonsmokers working in smoke-free locations. What's worse, their levels of the carcinogen rose 6 percent for every hour worked. Nine states have banned smoking in all workplaces, bars and restaurants. The message is clear: Do whatever you can to avoid the cloud of smoke.
8. Break a Sweat
Even a small amount of exercise can offer major cancer-fighting benefits. In a study of 29,110 men published in the International Journal of Cancer, men who exercised just once a week had a percent lower risk of metastasis prostate cancer than men who didn't work out at all. The better the frequency, duration and intensity of the exercise, the bigger the reduction in risk, according to the study. | high3760.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The Eiffel Tower."
},
"options": [
"The Notre Dame.",
"The Eiffel Tower.",
"L'Arc de Triomphe.",
"The Orsay Museum."
],
"question": "Which of the following symbolizes Paris most?",
"question_type": null
},... | If you're planning to visit lots of museums and attractions in Paris, the following five are not to be missed.
The Notre Dame
Description: The Notre Dame is a magnificent Gothic cathedral in the oldest part of Paris.
Location: Place du Parvis Notre Dame
Opening hours: 07:45 to 18:45 Monday to Saturday
Admission: Donation only
Website: www.cathedraledeparis.com
The Eiffel Tower
Description: The Eiffel Tower is the most famous symbol of Paris. Take the lift or stairs up to the top for fabulous views of the city.
Location: Champ de Mars
Opening hours: Open daily throughout the year -- January to June and September to December 09:30 to 23:45, July and August 09:00 to 00:45
Admission: 11EUR to the top
Website: www.tour-eiffel.fr
L'Arc de Triomphe
Description: This grand arch was built by Napoleon to honour the French Army.
Location: Place de l'etoile
Opening hours: Open daily throughout the year -- April to September 10:00 to 23:00, October to March 10:00 to 22:30
Website: www.monum.fr / prehome / prehome.dml
The Louvre Museum
Description: The Louvre Museum is a spectacular Renaissance building.
Collections: Egyptian, Roman and Oriental antiquities, and European paintings from the 12th to the 19th centuries, including Leonardo's Mona Lisa.
Location: Rue de rivoli
Opening hours: 09:00 to 18:00 every day except Tuesday
Admission: 8.50EUR. Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month.
Website: www.louvre.fr
The Orsay Museum
Description: This art gallery has an impressive collection of art from 1850 to 1950.
Collections:Impressionism(Renoir,.Monet,Degas),post-impressionism (Van Gogh, Gaugin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Cezanne).
Location: 1 rue de bellechasse
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09:30 to 18:00, Thursday 09:30 to 21:45, closed on Mondays
Admission: 7.50EUR. Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month.
Website: www.musee-orsay.fr | high20944.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Obesity."
},
"options": [
"Over nutrition.",
"Obesity.",
"Unbalance diets.",
"Junk food."
],
"question": "What may cause the risk of diseases according to the text?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
}... | Since 1950, the amount of information about the nutrition of food has increased by nearly 900 percent. Besides this fact, obesity has risen by 214 percent and nearly two out of every three adults in America are overweight or obese. Being overweight is not only an appearance problem, and it also increases the risk of various diseases including diabetes, sleep disorder and cancer.
With so much nutritional knowledge easy to find, we cannot simply ignore our present obesity epidemic . We know that fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin. Though we are overweight, many of us choose junk food over healthy food out of habits. One explanation for our strong desire for junk food is that we learn to connect junk food with positive feelings when we are young, and changing this attitude requires a huge amount of confidence and determination. Fortunately, new research published in May 2012 has shown a simple and _ way to make healthier food choices- the one that doesn't rely on great determination.
The research was based on two separate studies and it was carried out by T. Bettina Cornwell of the University of Oregon and Anna R. McAlister of Michigan State University. In the first study, 60 adults between the ages of 19 and 23 were questioned about the role of food and drinks. The survey tells us that adults prefer sweetened drinks with high-calorie, salty foods, to sweetened drinks with vegetables.
In the second study, 75 children between the ages of 3 and 5 were gathered for some experiments including drinks served with vegetables. The preschooler experiments were carried out under different situations and on different days. The researchers found that the children chose to take more green vegetables when they were served with water instead of a sweetened drink.
According to Cornwell, children learn to connect high calorie, sugary drinks such as cola, with high fat foods such as French fries, from a very early age. McAlister adds that early taste development appears to play an important role in food choices later in life. Meals served at home and meals offered at restaurants, set the stage for this idea and for the preference to choose junk food over healthy food, when beginning to take sweetened drinks.
"Our taste preferences are heavily influenced by regularly eating particular food and drinking particular drink," states Cornwell. "If the drink on the table goes against both adults and children eating their vegetables, then perhaps it is time to change that drink... and to serve water with all meals. Restaurants could easily use water as free drink for children's meals and charge extra money for other drinks." Both McAlister and Cornwell are confident that serving water with meals could effectively reduce the nation's obesity rates, diabetes rates and ever rising healthcare costs. | high3006.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "another poet"
},
"options": [
"Hand",
"Crick",
"one of his friends",
"another poet"
],
"question": "The poem Hand read one evening was written by _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answ... | One evening, a young man at a certain college who was known to be something of a poet read one of his poems to a small group of his friends in a room.The poem was greatly admired.But afterwards, one of them, who was called Crick, said, "I was very interested in Hand's poem, but it was stolen from a book."
His words were reported to Hand, who was very angry and required an apology."Well," said Crick, "I don't often take back what I said, but this time I admit I was mistaken.When I got to my room, I looked in the book which I thought the poem was stolen from, and I saw it was still here!" | high10887.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a dark sky with twinkling stars"
},
"options": [
"neon advertisements",
"residential buildings",
"a dark sky with twinkling stars",
"high office blocks"
],
"question": "If you walk out at night in Hong Kong, you... | Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, but with night skies around 1,000 times brighter than globally accepted levels, it gains a bad reputation for its light pollution.
A study by Hong Kong University found that brightness levels in the southern Chinese city's popular shopping district of Tsim Sha Tsui were 1,200 times greater than the international dark sky standard.
The crowded city of 7 million residents , full or residential high-rises, towering office blocks and neon advertisements, has no laws to control outdoor lightning.
The result is that light pollution is thought to be much worse than in other large cities, including London, Sydney, Tokyo and Shanghai.
"In Hong Kong , you can't go anywhere outdoor in the evening without your eyes being blinded by this really disturbing outdoor lightning," the light pollution survey's head Jason Pum told AFP.
"The fact that we have all this light in the sky means energy is wasted," he said, adding that too much artificial lightning also affects nightly wildlife.
Research has suggested that light pollution can cause a number of harmful health effects in humans, including sleeplessness and headaches and can also interrupt body clocks and hormones .
The university survey, the result of five million measurements taken from points across the city, was released just days before the start of the annual Earth Hour event, organized by the World Wildlife Fund.
People around the world will be encouraged to turn off the lights for an hour on Saturday night to raise awareness of climate change. Last year, a number of Hong Kong's major buildings along Victoria Harbour went dark to mark Earth Hour.
"Anyway, we should do our best to reduce the amount of lightning and adjust it for the benefit of the environment." | high4769.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "A new-born Baby"
},
"options": [
"A new-born Baby",
"Their engagement",
"Black History Month",
"A newly married couple"
],
"question": "What is the Benjiamins' announcement about?",
"question_type": "factiod... | What's in the news? Here are some articles from the Winfield Daily News.
Engaged to be married
Mr. and Mrs. Eduardo Silva of Bogota, Colombia, are happy to announce that engagement of their daughter Cristina Ana Silva to Gino Antonio Leone. Miss Silva is studying art history at Winfield Community College and Mr. Leone is working at the Roma Restaurant. The wedding will take place at St. Mark's Church in Winfield on October 5th. The reception will be at the Roma.
Black History Month
Winfield Public Library is pleased to announce a special program to celebrate Black History Month. The well-known actor Albert Eaton will perform a one-man show named MLK:His life and Times. In the show, Eaton recreates the life and times of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., through music and drama. Performances are at 3:30 and 7:30, Thursday through Saturday. Admission free. Telephone: 5365400.
Benjamins have a daughter
Mr. and Mrs. Leon Benjamin are proud to announce the birth of their first child, Andrea Jean. She was born at Winfield Hospital on June 9 at 11:10 PM.
SPORTS
High School--Parents Beat Students
The parents' football team beat the students 4 to 2 in a wild and exciting match yesterday at Winfield Stadium. It was the first win for the parents since the yearly event started five years ago. Adela Logan led the parents to victory with three goals. Her son, Bob Logan, scored the only two goals for the losing team, it was both a happy and a sad day for the Logan family!
College--Winfield Community College Senior Wins State Tournament
Ginny Lewis took the title away from defending state tennis winner, Susan Murray, yesterday in three straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4. this was the first time a Winfield student has played in the state finals. Ginny brought home a trophy and a $1000 prize for her studies at college. | high21482.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A Chance in a Million"
},
"options": [
"Living Not Far",
"Coming Back to Life",
"A Chance in a Million",
"Back after the War"
],
"question": "Which of the following can be used as the best title of the passage?"... | A German taxi-driver, Franz Bussman, recently found his brother who was thought to have been killed twenty years ago.
While on a walking tour with his wife, he stopped to talk to a workman. After they had gone on, Mrs. Bussman said that the workman was closely like her husband and even suggested that he might be his brother. Franz laughed at the idea, pointing out that his brother had been killed in action during the war. Though Mrs. Busman knew this story quite well, she thought there was a chance in a million that she might be right.
A few days later, she sent a boy to the workman to ask him if his name was Hans Bussman. Needless to say, the man's name was Hans Bussman. And he really was Franz's long-lost brother.
When the brothers were reunited, Hans explained how it was that he was still alive.
After having been wondered towards the end of the war, he had been sent to hospital and was separated from his unit . The hospital had been bombed and Hans had made his way back into Western Germany on foot. Meanwhile, his unit was lost and all records of him had been destroyed. Hans returned to his home, but the house had been bombed up. Guessing that his family had all been killed during an air-raid , Hans settled down in a village fifty miles away where he had remained ever since. | high18203.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "they are still not satisfied"
},
"options": [
"they are really poor in fact",
"they don't know how to give",
"they don't know who to give",
"they are still not satisfied"
],
"question": "According to the passage... | There's a body of water in Israel that is actually below sea level. Water constantly runs into it, but, because of the law of gravity ,nothing can flow out of it. Do you know the name of this famous lake? It's called the Dead Sea. It's called this because no living thing could live there. The water is almost dead, compared to what happens with "living water".
When you think of the term "living water", the image that comes to mind is a rushing river that is flowing. It's filled with life and movement. It doesn't just "receive", but is also "giving" simultaneously.
Many of us believe that we need to receive more of something in order to be happy. Whether what we desire is money or something else, we think we need more of it in order to be fulfilled.
As a result, we begin to operate in fear and therefore don't give anything because we're afraid that we won't have enough. The result? Like the Dead Sea, we become lifeless. Life is meant to flow. when a pool stops flowing, it becomes stagnant . Stagnant water breeds disease and death. It can't breathe. It can't receive any more. If nothing is flowing out, there's no room for anything else to come in.
The solution? Give. As you give, you'll receive. It's a universal law. You see it at work everywhere. we've somehow been deceived ( )into believing that if we don't give, we'll have more. Or we're afraid that if we do give, we won't have anything left. On one hand, this seems to make sense. But it doesn't work. Because when we don't give, we shut off the flow of what's coming in. | high5477.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "It's hidden in trees."
},
"options": [
"It's small in size.",
"It's hidden in trees.",
"It's covered with wax.",
"It's hard to recognize."
],
"question": "Why is it difficult to find a wild bees' nest?",
"qu... | Honey from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious. Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get that honey is to find a wild bees' nest and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals looking for honey have a strange and unexpected helpera little bird called a honey guide.
The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax in the beehives . The little bird cannot reach this wax, which is deep inside the bees' nest. So, when it finds a suitable nest, it looks for someone to help it. The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or people as it leads them to the nest. When they
finally arrive at the nest, _ reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share.
Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but it is very determined in its efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when beeswax candles are being lit. | high385.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "is well-known in Harvard University"
},
"options": [
"is richer than any other man in the world",
"is well-known in Harvard University",
"finally finished his study at Harvard and got a doctorate degree",
"is the only f... | In modern society, receiving systematic college education seems a necessary way for success as a graduate from first-class university may always get more opportunities than others. However, if it is gold, it will shine one day. In this article, we will get to know three most successful people in U.S. who never finished their college education. Following experiences of these successful _ s may give you some inspiration.
1. Bill Gates
Harvard's campus paper "Harvard Crimson" called Bill Gates "Harvard's most successful dropout," while the rest of the world preferred to name him "the world's richest man" for more than a decade. Now, even not on the top, he is still among the list of the world's wealthiest people.Gates entered Harvard in the fall of 1973. Two years later, he dropped out to found Microsoft with friend Paul Allen. And in 2007, he finally received an honorary doctorate from Harvard.
2. Steve Jobs
The iPad, even Buzz Lightyear probably wouldn't have existed if Steve Jobs stayed in school. Because his family couldn't afford his college education, Jobs had to drop out of Reed College just after entering for 6 months. Then he found Apple, NeXT Computer and Pixar, which had made great influences on development of modern technique and culture. However, this wizard thought that his brief college education was not worthless.
3. Frank Lloyd Wright
As the America's most celebrated architect, Wright spent more time on designing colleges rather than attending classes in them. Once spent one year in the University of Wisconsin-Madison, then he left for Chicago and started to learn from Louis Sullivan, the "father of modernism." Wright' s splendid resume included more than 500 works, most famous of which are Fallingwater and New York City's Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. | high1611.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "they work besides attending classes"
},
"options": [
"they throw parties a lot",
"they stay up late every night",
"they pay no attention to exams",
"they work besides attending classes"
],
"question": "According... | In colleges around the country, most students are also workers.
The reality of college can be pretty different from the images presented in movies and television. Instead of the students who wake up late, party all the time, and study only before exams, many colleges are full of students with pressing schedules of not just classes and activities, but real jobs, too.
This isn't a temporary phenomenon.The share of working students has been on the rise since the 1970s, and one-fifth of students work yearround. About one-quarter of those who work while attending school have both a full-courseload and a full-time job. The arrangement can help pay for tuition and living costs, obviously. And there's value in it beyond the direct cause: such jobs can also be critical for developing important professional and social skills that make it easier to land a job after graduation. With many employers looking for students with already-developed skill sets, on-the-job training while in college can be the best way to ensure a job later on.
But it's not all upside. Even full-time work may not completely cover the cost of tuition and living expenses. The study notes that if a student worked a full-time job at the federal minimum wage, they would earn just over $15,000 each year, certainly not enough to pay for tuition, room, and board at many colleges without some serious financial aid. That means that though they're sacrificing time away from the classroom, many working students will still graduate with at least some debt. And working fulltime can reduce the chance that students will graduate at all, by cutting into the time available for studying and attending classes.
There is little reward for attending but not finishing college. Students who wind up leaving school because of difficulty in managing work and class are likely to find themselves stuck in some of the same jobs they might have gotten if they hadn't gone at all. The difficulty of working too much while in school can create a cycle that pushes students further into debt without receiving any of the financial or career benefits. | high13356.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The man showed no fear as he passed by."
},
"options": [
"They were no longer hungry when they saw him.",
"The man showed no fear as he passed by.",
"They were too far away to catch the man.",
"The man was already known... | During my travels through the mountains of Greece, I was only ever scared once. It was dusk and as I walked alone I came across six large wolves that were feeding on the body of a dead animal. I had heard many stories about wolves as a child and it was this animal that I feared more than any other. The wolves before me were huge, at least 6 feet long and covered with thick grey fur.
As I went near, the wolves left the blood-covered snow that surrounded the body and started walking towards me, one after another. They stopped about 20 metres from me and stared. The lead wolf raised his head into the air and took in a deep breath, as if he was smelling my presence. The animals looked both beautiful and frightening, but I knew I could not show them my fear. As I drew nearer, the lead wolf raised its head once more but this time let out a long, loud cry. The awful cry rang out across the silent valley. I had never heard a more frightening sound. I was almost certain it was a sign to be death.
Every moment I expected to see the pack of wolves dash at me, I knew my only hope was to pretend I had no fear. I walked past the line of wolves, like a general moving among his soldiers. They cried out loud again. But when they saw that their cry did not cause me to change my direction or make me run they feared to come after me, so they let me pass and returned to the dead animal.
If I had turned back or tried to run away when they marched out to meet me, I am certain the whole pack would have attacked me in a moment. But my show of false courage scared them and kept them back. | high23295.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The World Islands are bigger than the Palm Jumeriah."
},
"options": [
"Some Dutch engineers are experienced in reclaiming land from the sea.",
"The islands are being built in the shallow water of the sea.",
"All the luxury ho... | The Palm Islands are the largest artificial islands in the world and are under construction in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. They are being developed as tourist, leisure, and residential resorts, and will increase the coastline of the country by 120 kilometres.
After four years of planning and careful consideration of the environmental issues, construction started in 2001. Dutch engineers with experience of reclaiming land from the sea were employed in the building of the first two islands. The site for all three islands is an area of the sea where the water is not very deep. Sand is taken from the seabed and sprayed into the construction site. Although the shallow water _ this process, the islands are still very exposed to the currents and tidal movements of the sea. Rocks are used to hold the sand in place resulting in a large crescent structure. This acts as a breakwater and protects the islands from the sea.
The first two islands are in the shape of date palm trees and consist of a trunk and 17 frond, or leaves coming off the trunk. The first island, named Palm Jumeirah, has three five-star hotels in the trunk, and luxury homes in the leaves. It is astonishing that when these homes went on sale in 2004, they were all sold within three days.
The second palm, Jebel Ali, was started in 2002 and is designed to be an entertainment centre. Six marinas are planned, with a water theme park, and homes built on stilts in the water.
The Palm Deira planned to be the largest of the three islands, with a length of 14 km and a width of 8.5 km, an area larger than the city of Paris. It will consist of residential properties, marinas, shopping malls, sports facilities, and clubs. These will be open to both residents and tourists.
More artificial islands, the World Islands, are now being constructed near the Palm Jumeirah. They consist of 300 private islands grouped into the shape of the continents of the world and will be used for estates, private homes, community islands, and resorts.
Unquestionably, these artificial islands are one of the wonders of the modern world. They will also maintain Dubai's status as one of the leading tourist destinations in the region. | high8153.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "3"
},
"options": [
"3",
"4",
"5",
"6"
],
"question": "The number of the buildings of the Elysee Palace is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
... | The Elysee Palace in France enjoys equal popularity in the world with the Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom, the Kremlin in Russia as well as the White House in the U. S. It is the residence of the president of the French Republic and the symbol of the supreme authority in France.
The Elysee palace, with an area of 11,000 square metres, is at the eastern end of the Champs Elysee in the city of Paris proper and backed by a large and peaceful garden of more than twenty thousand square metres. Its main building, quite handsome and graceful, is a two-story classical stone architecture of European style, and beside it are two side buildings facing each other and with an extensive rectangular courtyard in the middle. There are altogether 369 halls and rooms of different sizes.
The Elysee Palace, built in 1718, has a ling history of close to300 years to date. This house was at first a private residence of a count named d'Evreau, so it was called Hotel d'Evreau. It had later gone through many changes and its owners had been changed for many times, but all the residents in it were distinguished persons and high officials. The house was renamed Bonaparte Mansion when it was owned by Louis X V and Louis X VI successively when they acted as emperors. Napoleon I signed his act of abdication here when he had suffered defeat in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Nopoleon III moved in the Mansion in 1848 when he was elected president, and the house became a Royal Palace when he declared himself as emperor. The Third French Republic issued a decree in 1873, appointing officially the Elysee Palace as the residence president of the French Republic. Over the hundred years since then, almost all the president of the French Republic worked and lived there. Starting from 1989, the Elysee Palace is open to the public every year in September on the French Castles Day. | high15727.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the locals"
},
"options": [
"New Yorkers",
"tourists",
"the locals",
"foreigners"
],
"question": "The new branches of Steve's Pizza are mainly intended for _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{... | Restaurants in the USA
_
So many pizza chains compete for the attention of tourists in South Beach, but ask a Miami Beach local where to get the best pizza and they'll tell you about Steve's. This is New York-style pizza, handmade with care and good ingredients . New branches of Steve's are opening elsewhere in Miami, all in non-tourist areas.
Opening hours: 11am-3am
_
This place is 20 miles east of the city, but local folks would probably drive 200 miles to eat here. The food is good, and the scenery is even better. Come early and wander around the grounds of Indian Cliffs Ranch, where you'll see everything from rabbits to buffalo , then catch the sunset either before or after your meal.
Opening hours: 5pm-10pm
_
The screen door is always swinging open at this town hot spot with giant breakfasts. Try the green chili on eggs - it's made from scratch, as are the organic breads. Lunch includes salads, big sandwiches and local grass-fed beef burgers. Don't miss a square of soft, fresh carrot cake.
Opening hours: 7am-2pm
_
Everybody's favorite for fresh fish (some drive in from LA), Walt's packs them in on weekends. You can't make reservations for dinner (though they're accepted for lunch), but it's worth the wait for the tree fire-grilled seafood and steaks in the many-windowed ground floor or upstairs in captain's chairs.
Opening hours: 11am-3:30pm | high7260.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A moviemaker."
},
"options": [
"An engineer.",
"An official.",
"A moviemaker.",
"A professor."
],
"question": "What is Cara's father?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"an... | Cara Lang is 13. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts, in the U. S. Last Thursday, she didn't go to school. She went to work with her father instead. Every year, on the fourth Thursday in April, millions of young girls go work. This is Take Our Daughters to Work Day. The girls are between the ages of 9 and 15. They spend the day at work with an adult, usually a mother, father, aunt, or uncle. They go to offices, police stations, laboratories, and other places where their parents or other family members work. Next year, the day will include sons, too.
The Ms. Foundation, an organization for women, started the program about ten years ago. In the U.S., many women work outside the home. The Ms. Foundation wanted girls to find out about many different kinds of jobs. Then, when the girls grow up, they can choose a job they like.
Cara's father is a film director. Cara says, "It was very exciting for me to go to the studio with my dad. I saw a lot of people doing different jobs." Many businesses have special activities for girls on this day. Last year, Cara went to work with her aunt at the University of Massachusetts. In the engineering department, the girls learned to build a bridge with toothpicks and Candy. In the chemistry department, they learned to use scales. They learned about many other kinds of jobs, too.
Right now, Cara does not know what job she will have when she grows up. But because of Take Our Daughters to Work Day, she knows she has many choices. | high1605.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "They could enjoy free and relaxing travel."
},
"options": [
"They could enjoy free and relaxing travel.",
"They needed the clock to tell the time.",
"They preferred traveling on horseback.",
"They could travel with thei... | For those who make journeys across the world, the speed of travel today has turned the countries into a series of villages.Distances between them appear no greater to a modern traveler than those which once faced men as they walked from village to village. Jet planes fly people from one end of the earth to the other, allowing them a freedom of movement undreamt of a hundred years ago.
Yet some people wonder if the revolution in travel has gone too far. A price has been paid, they say, for the conquest of time and distance. _ . The boat offers leisure and time enough to appreciate the ever-changing sights and sounds of a journey. A journey by train also has a special charm about it. Lakes and forests and wild, open plains sweeping past your carriage window create a grand view in which time and distance mean nothing. On board a plane, however, there is just the blank blue of the sky filling the narrow window of the airplane. The soft lighting, in-flight films and gentle music make up the only world you know, and the hours progress slowly.
Then there is the time spent being "processed" at a modern airport. People are conveyed like robots along walkways; baggage is weighed, tickets produced, examined and produced yet again before the passengers move to another waiting area. Journeys by rail and sea take longer, yes, but the hours devoted to being "processed" at departure and arrival in airports are luckily absent. No wonder, then, that the modern high-speed trains are winning back passengers from the airlines.
Man, however, is now a world traveler and cannot turn his back on the airplane. The working lives of too many people depend upon it; whole new industries have been built around its design and operation. The holiday maker, too, with limited time to spend, patiently endures the busy airports and limited space of the flight to gain those extra hours and even days, relaxing in the sun. speed controls people's lives; time saved, in work or play, is the important thing--or so we are told. Perhaps those first horsemen, riding free across the wild, open plains, were enjoying a better world than the one we know today. They could travel at will, and the clock was not their master. | high391.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "study students' ways of learning math"
},
"options": [
"know the effects of teaching on learning",
"study students' ways of learning math",
"prove women teachers were unfit to teach math",
"find better teaching methods ... | Going to school means learning new skills and facts in different subjects. Teachers teach and students learn, and many scientists are interested in finding ways to improve both teaching and learning processes.
Sian Beilock and Susan Leving, two psychologists at the University of Chicago, are trying to learn about learning. In a new study about the way kids learn math in primary school, Beilock and Levine found a surprising relationship between what female teachers think and what female students learn: If a female teacher is uncomfortable with her own math skills, then her female students are more likely to believe that boys are better than girls at math. "If these girls keep getting math-anxious female teachers in later grades, _ ," Levine told Science News. The study suggests that if these girls grow up believing that boys are better at math than girls are, then these girls may not do as well as they would have if they were more confident.
Just as students find certain subjects to be difficult, teachers can find certain subjects to be difficult to learn--and teach. The subject of math can be particularly difficult for everyone.
The new study involved 65 girls, 52 boys and 17 first-and second-grade teachers in primary schools in the Midwest. The students took math achievement tests at the beginning and end of the school year, and the researchers compared the scores.
The researchers also gave the students tests to tell whether the students believed a math superstar had to be a boy. Then the researchers turned to the teachers: To find out which teachers were anxious about math, the researchers asked the teachers how they felt at times when they came across math, such as when reading a sales receipt . A teacher who got nervous looking at the numbers on a sales receipt, for example, was probably anxious about math.
Boys, on average, were unaffected by a teacher's anxiety. On average, girls with math-anxious teachers scored lower on the end-of-the-year math tests than other girls in the study did. Plus, on the test showing whether someone thought a math superstar had to be a boy, 20 girls showed feeling that boys would be better at math--and all of these girls had been taught by female teachers with math anxiety.
According to surveys done before this one, college students who want to become primary school teachers have the highest levels of anxiety about math. Plus, nine of every 10 primary teachers are women, Levine said. | high23281.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "bad friend"
},
"options": [
"close friend",
"poor friend",
"good friend",
"bad friend"
],
"question": "The author believes that we can easily find a _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"a... | Finding a friend doesn't seem like a difficult job. However, bad friends are easier to find than good friends these days. If you're sitting there and wondering if you have a bad friend, let me define it for you.
A bad friend is someone whose jealousies and insecurities outweigh their love for someone. They night want to be a good friend but they're too messed up in their own head to ever actually do it. They wonder if their friends are going out without them or if they're being forgotten and left behind. People who are violently insecure don't have what it takes to be the quality of a friend.
Bad friends are narcissistic .They look for any opportunity to bring the conversation back to them. Worse, they might not even be aware that they're doing it. In their mind, they might think they are the best friend ever, which is truly frightening.
Bad friends are quick-change. They're by your side when you're fun and you have something to give them but as soon as you're going through a difficult time, they will become indifferent quickly. They won't bring you cold medicine. They won't give you a ride to the doctor, everything they do is self-serving.
If you find a friend who has these same characteristics, send them to your bad friend list immediately. Your friends are supposed to be the solution to your problems, not the source.
I believe your twenties are a time when you need positive and helpful friends. In such a time, friendships aren't easy to maintain like they once were in school. Now we actually have to put work into it, we have to make a conscious effort to keep the friendship going. You need to ask yourself, "Is this person worth it? Do they treat me like a fool or what?" if your have doubts, try to make them clear by considering the past experiences. Toxic friendships do nothing but drag you down. My point is that you have to take care of yourself and stop getting in touch with your bad friends. Only surround yourself with people who bring out the best qualities in you. It may sound cruel but it's true,. | high9259.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It was promoted in various types of copular media."
},
"options": [
"It was promoted in various types of copular media.",
"Albert Einstein argued strongly in support.",
"It was proven in scientific research.",
"Few peop... | Many psychologists in the early twentieth century believed that humans use only 10 percent of their brains, and even the great Albert Einstein once wrote that most people use only a small portion of the grey matter between their ears. It's a theory that has often been put forward in television documentaries; magazines, advertisements and books over the past century.
But nearly all scientists now agree the 10 percent theory is completely
. In fact, they question how this figure was ever arrived at in the first place and what areas of the brain are supposed to be unneeded. The theory supposes that if 90 percent of the brain were removed, a person would Still be able to function normally, while in reality it is known that damage to even a small area of the brain can result in extremely serious physical injury different activities and that many areas of the brain are used at the same time for some complex activities or thought processes.
Throughout the course of one day, most .areas of the brain are active at some time, even during sleep. The 10 percent theory suggests that certain areas o' the brain are not used, but scans slow activities throughout the entire brain and not in any separate part. The final argument against the 10 percent theory is the fact that doctors carefully map the brain before removing brain cancers so that they don't affect other essential areas.
From an evolutionary point of view, it's highly unlikely butt our comparatively larger brains would have evolved from our ancestors if the extra areas were not needed. In fact, there is absolutely no evidence support the 10 percent theory. | high15733.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "1875"
},
"options": [
"1896",
"1875",
"1883",
"1879"
],
"question": "In which year was Merits born? _",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_te... | In 1896, Einstein went to Zurich to study physics. There he met a girl from Hungary. They studied in the same class and the same interest in physics brought them together and they became good friends. Before long they fell in love. In 1903 when Einstein was 24, he married Merits, who was 4 years older than he.
After their marriage, Einstein devoted himself to the research of the great theory. To give her husband more help, Merits gave up her own work, and became a good wife and assistant. She tried her best to encourage him whenever possible. She was sure that her husband would succeed. They often discussed the theory while walking outside or sitting together in the room. They even did that in their letters when one of them was away from their home.
In1914, Einstein moved to Berlin and _ there. At that time his theory proved to be correct and he had become famous all over the world. But it was not long before the First Would War broke out. Merits as well as her two sons, who were on holiday in Switzerland, couldn't come back to Berlin any more. The war not only stopped Einstein's work but also broke up the warm, happy family. In 1919, Einstein and Merits had to get divorced . | high8147.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a person with sharp teeth looks ugly"
},
"options": [
"a person with straight, flat teeth looks ugly",
"a person with sharp teeth looks ugly",
"a teenager's teeth points must be filed off with anesthetic",
"no one will ... | If you were walking around a supermarket and saw a woman with a shaved head, a ring through her nose, a tattoo design on her arm and she has a small child in her shopping _ , what would your opinion be? Do you think this kind of body decoration is attractive or ugly? Different people have different ideas. The following are some examples of body decoration from around the world.
In many parts of Africa, it is thought that an attractive girl should have really shinny skin.
On Bali, a little island in Indonesia, they believe that a beautiful woman or handsome man must have perfectly straight, flat teeth. The Balinese believe that teeth with pointed edges make you look like an ugly wild animal. So when a girl or boy becomes a teenager, he or she is taken to a special person in their village who will file off teeth points to make them smooth and flat. There is no anesthetic and this tooth filing is really painful. It is a kind of test. If you can stand it without screaming or crying too much, then you are thought ready to become an adult.
In Myanmar, there is a small group of people who are called the "Papaung". They believe that a woman can only be really beautiful if she has a long neck. I mean a VERY long neck. Now you might think that you are either born with a long or short neck and that there's nothing whatever you can do about it. But you would be wrong! At around the age of 5, a Papaung girl has heavy metal rings fitted around her neck, tightly between the chin and shoulders. Each year more rings are added and very, very slowly their weight pushes the shoulders down, in this way making the neck look longer. A Papaung woman will wear her neck rings all her life, never once taking them off.
So now I'm sure you will all agree that different people have different ideas about what is beautiful. | high7274.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "bad martial quality affects heart health more greatly"
},
"options": [
"elderly couples are less likely to be affected by marital quality",
"the effect of marital quality on male and female is the same",
"bad martial quality ... | Older couples in a bad marriage -- particularly female spouses -- have a higher risk for heart
disease than those in a good marriage, finds the first nationally representative study of its kind.The findings suggest the need for marriage counseling and programs aimed at promoting marital quality and well-being for couples into their 70s and 80s, said lead investigator Hui Liu, a Michigan State University sociologist.
"Marriage counseling is focused largely on younger couples," said Liu. "But these results show that marital quality is just as important at older ages, even when the couple has been married 40 0r 50 years. "
The study, funded by the National Institute of Aging, an arm of the National Institutes of Health,is published online in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
Liu analyzed five years of data from about 1,200 married men and women who participated the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project. Respondents were aged 57-85 at the beginning of the study.
The project included survey questions about marital quality, lab tests and self-reported measures of cardiovascular health such as heart attacks, strokes, hypertension and high levels of C-reactive protein in the blood.
Liu set out to learn how marital quality is related to risk of heart disease over time, and whether this relationship varies by gender and/or age. Among her findings: Negative martial quality(eg.spouse criticizes, spouse is demanding) has a bigger effect on heart health than positive marital quality.In other words, a bad marriage is more harmful to your heart health than a good marriage.The effect of marital quality on cardiovascular risk becomes much stronger at older ages.Meanwhile,marital quality has a bigger effect on women's heart health than it does on men's, possibly because women tend to internalize negative feelings and thus are more likely to feel depressed and develop cardiovascular problems. Heart disease leads to a decline in marital quality for women, but not for men. It's common that wives are more likely to provide support and care to sick husbands, while husbands are less likely to take care of sick wives."In this way, a wife's poor health may affect how she assesses her marital quality, but a husband's poor health doesn't hurt his
view of marriage,"Liu said. | high11555.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the Berlin Wall"
},
"options": [
"the Berlin Wall",
"adequate food",
"their own nature",
"warm winter"
],
"question": "The following factors contribute to the boom of wild pigs EXCEPT _ .",
"question_type"... | When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, Leonard Bernstein gave a concert in Berlin, including Beethoven's Ode to Joy, with the word "Joy" changed to "Freedom" in the lyrics sung.The orchestra were drawn from both East and West Germany, as well as the United Kingdom, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States.
Freedom was in the air and it was not just for people. The wall between East and West Germany had also kept a large population of wild pigs within the eastern forests of Brandenburg.The wall's falling down made it easier for the big pigs--a very big one can weigh over 300 pounds--to leave the woodlands and walk into the town. Warm winters and easy access to food have helped the population increase. Now about 10,000 wild pigs walk around Berlin.
The nature of the beast has added to the boom ."The pigs are intelligent," says Marc Franusch, a spokesman for the Berlin forestry department. "They learn to use the neighborhoods.They get used to people, dogs, and traffic."
The wild pigs tend to travel in small groups and have been found searching rubbish and gardens, feeding their piglets in the shadow of parked cars, and crossing busy roads.On average, the animals are involved in one traffic accident every day. And despite the fact that it's illegal, some Berliners have been known to give the pigs food.
Though wild pigs are protected under German law, the city's forestry department is permitted to kill 2,000 of the creatures every year, targeting mostly young adult animals in forests surrounding Berlin. Pigs within city limits are only shot if they make an immediate threat.No humans have yet been seriously wounded by them, but local dogs have been the victims of their tusks. "The forestry department is not aiming to get rid of the pigs," explains Franusch, "but we do have to reduce dangerous situations." | high3012.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "modest"
},
"options": [
"proud",
"modest",
"honest",
"excited"
],
"question": "Keith Peiris insisted that he is \"just like any other kid\", which shows he is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | The 12-year-old CEO of a Web site design company will be one of 300 business and political leaders accompanying Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien on a trade visit to China in March.
Keith Peiris, who founded Cyberteks Design in June 1999 and now has 25 clients in North America, insisted in an interview that he is "just like any other kid".
He and his father will spend nine days on the Team Canada trip to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, where Chretien aims to showcase the best of Canadian business in the most populous country in the world.
A glance at the complex, elegant animations on his www. cyberteks, com site shows the extent of Peiris talent. "He doesn't want to be No.2," his father Deepal said proudly.
His father, who is now vice president of operations at Cyberteks, said "I am teaching my son what I know. We make decisions together. I haven't done anything my son disagreed with. He makes the final decision."
The company has seven offices in the United States and five part - time employees who, like the Peiris family, work from their London homes.
Keith Peiris admitted some potential clients change their minds when they learn his age, but the well- informed teenager tries to ignore them.
"suddenly, I've been called a whiz kid or geek, which I am not too happy about. A few people have asked if they should call me 'mister', but I stay casual, I am still a kid." | high20950.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "high blood pressure"
},
"options": [
"bone loss",
"muscle function problems",
"rickets in children.",
"high blood pressure"
],
"question": "Lack of vitamin D may cause the following problems EXCEPT _ .",
... | People should go outside and absorb some sunshine to help increase their vitamin D levels, some experts say. Arthritis Research UK. which is a British medical research organization dedicated to curing arthritis , says vitamin D deficiency can cause bone loss, muscle function problems and, in some cases, rickets in children.
The government recommends vitamin D supplements for pregnant women and children aged under five. But on sunny days, a few minutes outdoors should achieve the same results, Arthritis Research UK says.
Figures show that up to a quarter of the population has low levels of vitamin D in their blood and the majority of pregnant women do not take vitamin D supplements. People aged over 65, pregnant and breast-feeding women and children aged six months to five years old are thought to be most at risk.
Vitamin D is essential to help the body absorb calcium from food. Low levels of vitamin D can result in serious problems.
Alan Silman, the medical director of Arthritis Research UK, said, "When the days are sunny, go out for a few minutes and expose your face and arms to the sunshine." But he also had a warning on overexposure. "Don't allow your skin to go red, and take care not to burn, particularly in strong sunshine and if you have fair or sensitive skin. From June to August, just 15 minutes is generally enough time."
"In less sunny months," Alan Silman added, "we recommend that people add more vitamin D in their diet by eating more oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and foods rich in vitamin D, such as cereals ." | high19109.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "throwing stones often caused injuries"
},
"options": [
"throwing stones often caused injuries",
"throwing stones was not fun",
"games with stones did not have rules",
"rocks were too heavy to throw"
],
"question... | The first true piece of sports equipment that man invented was the ball. In ancient Egypt, as everywhere, pitching stones was a favorite children's game. But a badly thrown rock could hurt a child. Looking for something less dangerous to throw, the Egyptians made what were probably the first balls.
At first, balls were made of grass or leaves held together by vines . Later they were made of pieces of animal skin sewed together and stuffed with feathers or hay.
Even though the Egyptians were warlike, they found time for peaceful games. Before long they had developed a number of ball games, each with its own set of rules. Perhaps they played ball more for instruction than for fun. Ball playing was thought of mainly as a way to teach young men the speed and skill they would need for war. | high10893.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The age of the electronic book reader is coming"
},
"options": [
"The age of the electronic book reader is coming",
"Printed books are out of date",
"The Sony reader meets many readers' needs",
"The revolution in book r... | For many of us, printed books are satisfying in ways beyond the words they contain. Billions of printed books have been published, read and saved in the 600 years since movable type was invented, so why mess with a good things?
Sony Electronics is doing just that, betting that readers will be won over by the convenience of readability of its new electronic book devices. Sony's reader, the PRS-505, can hold 160 books in its fixed memory, enough to line the shelves on a good-sized wall in the average American home. The $299 device is about the size of a paperback book, but a half-inch thick and weighs less than a pound.
The Sony book reader is revolutionary not only in its storage capacity. The font is highly readable and adjustable by size. Unlike laptop computers, you can put the Sony in your purse, read it in direct sunlight and even bookmark the pages. And you can connect it to your PC to download books.
Surprisingly, though the reader has liberated the book from paper, electronic books aren't always a bargain. For example, David Baldacci's "Stone Cold" download retails for $15.19 at the Sony site, while Amazon will deliver a hard copy to your mailbox for $16.19.
The Sony reader also lets you store and play or display music. So what's not to like about the Sony? Well, for many _ , a lot. Book lovers like to have, hold and keep their volumes, which don't need charging. You can write notes in the margin1s, and enjoy the ambience they provide on your book shelves.
The need for electronic reading devices is likely to grow as more people worried about the billions of tons of paper used for printed material. Many believe the time will come when devices like the Sony reader are as common as printed newspapers and magazines today. | high21496.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "You should put them in the safe place and lock the door."
},
"options": [
"You should leave them in the yard.",
"You should put them in the safe place and lock the door.",
"You should lean them against the tree in the yard.",... | Don't invite crime--take basic, sensible precautions. Your house and possession are valuable and must be properly protected. When you buy a lock, you buy time --- and this is the one thing a burglar can't afford. Most thieves are casual opportunists to whom the best deterrents are delay and noise which could mean discovery.
When you leave it, lock it!
First of all, fit security locks to all doors and windows and a safety chain on the front door. Secondly, use them! If you have any ladders or tools, don't leave them lying about in the garden, lock them away. "Safe" or "secret" places for keys and valuables are not reliable - nine times out of ten, they are the first place a thief will look.
When you move house...
When you move into a new home even if it is fitted with security locks, change them. You don't know who else may have keys.
Never let strangers into your house. An official - looking cap is not enough, ask for proof of identity and look at it carefully - if you are still not satisfied, don't let the person in.
Valuables need special protection
Valuables should really be given special protection - preferably by leaving them with your bank. A small security safe works too, but not to the most determined burglar. It is also important to keep an up - to - date list of valuables and their descriptions. In the case of fine art, paintings, or jewelry, color photographs can sometimes be of assistance to the police if you are unfortunate enough to have them stolen. Enter the details on the back of the pictures. But don't keep such documents in your house, keep them at the hank or with your insurance company.
Going on holiday?
Don't talk about your holidays and future plans loudly in public. Do remember to cancel the milk and newspapers and also to draw curtains back.
Operate a "Good Neighbor" program to ensure that mail is taken in, the house is checked regularly and that lights are put on.
Call at your local police station and tell them you are going away. Make sure that they know how to contact you in case of trouble.
Don't leave cash or valuables in the house--take them with you or put them in the bank. | high5463.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "some general information about VJs"
},
"options": [
"how to become a VJ",
"the most popular VJ today",
"the differences between DJs and VJs",
"some general information about VJs"
],
"question": "The passage is m... | DJs(disc jockeys) are the people who play and present music on the radio, or in nightclub. A VJ(video jockey) is a person who introduces music videos on television.
VJs were first seen on television in the early 1980s when MTV went on the air. As MTV became popular, and the audience for music videos expanded, a variety of other music video channels started broadcasting. In addition to rock music, there were channels for people who had a lot of interest in alternative kinds of music, such as country music, light music, and R&B(rhythm and blues), and all of these channels needed VJs. By the 1990s, international music video channels like Channel V in Asia and VIVA in Europe had started.
The VJs for the new international stations had to be chosen carefully. Although some VJs did shows that focused on small audiences and showed mostly local content, other VJs presented shows for international viewers. These VJs, and the material they presented, needed to be popular in several different cultures.
One successful international VJ in Asia is Asha Gill. She is from prefix = st1 /Malaysia, but her parents and grandparents are fromIndia,FranceandEngland. She speaks three languages and has fans across Asia, fromJapanto theUnited Arab Emirates.
Another VJ who has made a big hit in Asia is Lili. She is actually a computer-
Animated VJ on MTV Asia. An actress wearing special computer equipment makes Lili move like a puppet . The actress also talks for Lili, and her shows can be seen in five languages.
When asked what makes a good video jockey, many successful VJs have given similar answers. To be a good VJ you need to know a lot about music, you need to be funny, and you can't be shy. | high18217.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a famous British airline tycoon"
},
"options": [
"a sixty-four-year old man",
"a very famous polar explorer",
"a devoted environmentalist",
"a famous British airline tycoon"
],
"question": "Steger is the followi... | Do you want to see the effects of global warming? Then head north.Will Steger is going to take all of us there.
Steger,64, the first person to make a dogsled trip to the Noah Pole,is a very famous and admired polar explorer.He's at home in frozen parts of the world where few humans ever step on.Steger is also a devoted environmentalist who was early to ring the alarm bell on global warming.He saw its effects firsthand in frequent polar expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica.
Steger is about to lead a team of six young adventurers on a 1,400-mile,60-day-long dogsled trip across Ellesmere Island, in the Canadian Arctic.The sea ice in that region should still be frozen."We want to take our audience to the front lines of global warming,"says Steger. The team will be uploading videos,stories and photos to the website global-warming 101.com as they march along,allowing armchair adventurers and kids in classrooms to follow their progress day to day."We can actually bring the audience up there,"Steger says.
Stege's team will include some already-famous young explorers.Sam Branson, the22-year-old son of British airline tycoon Richard Branson,is an experienced Arctic traveler.Also on the journey will be 27-year-old Norwegian Sigrid Ekran.Last year,Ekran became only the second woman in history to win Rookie of the Year for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race.
What they will see may be surprising.Even Steger doesn't know exactly what to expect.Climate change has already reshaped the geography of the Arctic."Within a decade or less, it's going to be impossible to reach the North Pole by dog team,without flotation ,"says Steger.
Climate change is happening,but people can change too.Their willingness to change will determine the shape of Earth's future. | high17124.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "How to direct your way out of the wild"
},
"options": [
"How to survive in the forest",
"How to protect yourself in the forest",
"How to direct your way out of the wild",
"What to do if you are lost"
],
"questio... | What would you do if you were lost in the dark forest at night? The first sensible lesson is that you shouldn't bother trying to find your way in the dark at all, but just stay put until dawn. Because then you won't trip over things? No, mainly because you'll have an idea of direction. The sun rises in the east. But you will be amazed at how many people forget they know that. Apparently, the area underneath a holly bush provides a good makeshift shelter -- they are thick, and evergreen. The next thing to do -- or rather not to do -- is panic, for the obvious reason that unless there is someone there to hear you scream, it will get you nowhere. Just try to think of nice, happy things.
There is always a point in films when a person who is lost in the desert or the snow, dehydrated and exhausted, comes across a set of their own footprints and realizes they have just walked in a huge, round circle. It is wrong to owe it to the unequal strengths or different lengths of your legs. Experiments prove that, without the sun or the moon (or landmarks) as a fixed guide, lots of small errors add up over time so the brain can't correctly identify the "straight ahead" direction. To just get out of somewhere, pick a spot on the horizon and just head for it.
There are several ways to find directions in the dark, and by far the best is to establish north using the stars. Most people can identify the Plough, which is part of Ursa Major. It looks a lot like a saucepan. The Plough rotates through the sky, but let's imagine the saucepan lying horizontally , with its handle on the left. You need to trace a line from the star at the right-hand base of the pan, through the star at the right-hand rim , and follow it upwards; the north star is roughly five times the distance between those two "pointer" stars. Then drop a vertical line from the North Star to the horizon and that's north.
"Tonight is very cloudy and I can't see the Plough." Maybe luckily, it is quite windy. Keep in mind that almost all of our weather comes from a south-westerly direction. (This only works if you are in the British Isles). To find the direction, you can throw light bits of dried-out grass in the air and see which way they blow; or, if there are clouds and patches of clear sky, see which way they blow across the stars. You can also get an idea of direction from leggy plants. If they look as if they have been blown over, they will probably be pointing north-east. If they are simply leaning in one direction as they grow, there's a good chance that is south (they will be reaching towards the sun). The last thing to do is to judge your direction and off you go. | high20788.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "One should make the best of all situations."
},
"options": [
"College is the best time of one's life.",
"Twenties were the best time of the old people.",
"One should make the best of all situations.",
"One should not lo... | An older friend once gave me a piece of advice, "Enjoy the last few weeks of college," she said, "since college is the best time of your life."
This was not the first time I'd heard such a statement, but with graduation fast coming close, her words especially struck me. It seemed a bit disappointing to reach one's life peak at only 22 years of age, but in her opinion, college had been one of the best times in my life so far. I made friends, took classes, and learned a great deal about myself. But I was also excited for the time after college--moving to a new city, starting a new job, and becoming a "real" person. I hoped that my great dreams were practical.
Then, last week I read a column in Real Simple Magazine called 100 Years of Attitude, in which women 100 years or older shared their life experiences and views. I noticed that none of them considered college as the "best" time of their life. Not all of them went to college, but still in most cases their teens and twenties were not the best times of their life. They said some of their favorite times were raising their children, traveling after retirement, and even enjoying their present time and age.
Enjoying one's present time and age was a clear theme of the interviews. A piece of advice given by the women was about the importance of making the best of all situations. I think it more accurate than that of my friend; I can say with certainty that if I am lucky enough to make it to 100, I refuse to spend the last 80 years of my life plummeting downhill, or even leveling off.
I am sure that our eagerness and devotion will make us college students live a meaningful life. We will not just look backwards or miss our college days. We will look forward in excitement about continued journey uphill. | high5305.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Paul told him about the car"
},
"options": [
"Paul received an expensive car",
"Paul told him about the car",
"he saw the shining car",
"he was walking around the car"
],
"question": "The street urchin was very ... | A friend of mine named Paul received an expensive car from his brother as a Christmas present.On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office,a street urchin was walking around the shining car."Is this your car,Paul?"he asked.
Paul answered,"Yes,my brother gave it to me for Christmas." The boy was surprised."You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you nothing?Boy,I wish..." He hesitated.
Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for.He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the boy said surprised Paul greatly.
"I wish," the boy went on,"that I could be a brother like that." Paul looked at the boy in surprise, then he said again, "Would you like to take a ride in my car?"
"Oh yes,I'd love that."
After a short ride,the boy turned and with his eyes shining,said,"Paul,would you mind driving in front of my house?"
Paul smiled a little.He thought he knew what the boy wanted.He wanted to show his neighbours that he could ride home in a big car. But Paul was wrong again. "Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked.
He ran up to the steps. Then in a short while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the step and pointed to the car.
"There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm going to give you one just like it...then you can see for yourself all the nice things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about."
Paul got out and lifted the boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began an unforgettable holiday ride.
:urchin hesitate neighbour crippled cent | high18571.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "correctly arrange his time for study and play"
},
"options": [
"only study hard without any time to play",
"spend most of his time playing different games",
"have much more time to study than to play",
"correctly arrang... | One should be moderate ( ) in all things. Moderation is always the safest way to do things, and a virtue we should have. Let's take the student life for example. There are some students who study too hard and play too little, while there are others who play too much and study too little. On the one hand, it is harmful to his health if he has too few physical exercises, and on the other hand, it is harmful to his mind if he plays too much.
In the matter of eating, one also should be moderate. Do not eat too much or too little. Too much eating will make you sick, while too little eating will make you weak.
The man of progress is he who neither has too high an opinion of himself nor thinks too poorly of himself. If he thinks too highly of himself, he is surely to become very proud, but if he has too poor an opinion of himself, he will have no courage to make an advance. Both the conditions above will make you lose your aim in life. A broadminded man is he who always moves within the orbit of reasonableness . In any activities in one's life, moderation is one of the best ways to enjoy real happiness. | high17642.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "to see his mother"
},
"options": [
"to buy shoes for his mother",
"to see his mother",
"to pay for the shoes he had bought for his mother",
"to see the manager of the shoe store"
],
"question": "My neighbor went... | A neighbor of mine, while visiting his mother in Boston, took her to a shoe store to buy a new pair of shoes. While she was trying on different styles, my neighbor took the manager aside. "When she picks out a pair that she likes," he said, "Just tell her that the price is 12 dollars. I'll pay the regular price. I don't care how much it is."
The following week, my neighbor was walking by the shoe store and the manager recognized him and called him in.
"What's the problem?" asked my neighbor as he entered the store.
"Wasn't my check any good?"
"That's not it," answered the manager, "The problem is that your mother is bringing all her friends in for those 12-dollar shoes!" | high3774.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Introducing local attractions with icons"
},
"options": [
"Introducing local attractions with icons",
"Aiming at environmental protection",
"Offering advice to independent travelers.",
"Collecting icons worldwide for lo... | Mapping Your World
Different forms of maps are appearing.They allow independent travelers to get local knowledge of places they are visiting, from the official to the unusual.Meanwhile, hi-tech developments are creating new ways for us to map the world.Here are two of our favorites:
Green Maps
Green Maps allows people to share with the world their knowledge of environmentally friendly places and attractions in the local areas.Users add information with a set of icons , making it easy to read any map, whatever the nationalities of those who produce it.At present there are over five hundred map projects being developed in 54 countries.Green Maps' advertised idea is "think global, map local".It is a wonderful way of gaining all sorts of information of a place, ranging from community gardens to good places of birdwatching.
Green Maps is not specifically intended for travelers.Not all of its maps are online, so it may be necessary for some users to communicate with the producers through the Green Maps website.
Maps Mashups
Many people use online maps developed by Google, but not many know about the mashups of them.Working in a similar way to Green Maps, Map Mashups allows people to add icons of their own to existing maps to express a certain topic.The mashups is so called because it combines all the knowledge you could ever need.It ranges from the extremely useful, such as where all the World Heritage Sites are, to the most bizarre ,such as where America's drunkest cities are.With the mashups added to the basic Google Maps, a multi-layered map can be created. | high15055.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The sunglasses wearing."
},
"options": [
"The use of sunglasses.",
"The history of sunglasses.",
"Why movie stars like to wear sunglasses.",
"The sunglasses wearing."
],
"question": "What is mainly discussed in ... | Geena David knew she wanted to be a movie star when she was very young. She was not sure what gave her the idea, but she wanted to look like a movie star. "I have a lot of pictures from my childhood of me wearing sunglasses," she says. "I used to wear them to watch TV."
Early movie actors started wearing sunglasses not because they looked good, but because their eyes hurt. The lights used on movie sets were extremely bright and could cause a painful problem known as "Klieg eyes". It was named after the Klieg brothers who invented the lights. Actors wore sunglasses to give their eyes a rest. But when movie stars began wearing their sunglasses in public, they quickly became a must.
Eventually actors started wearing sunglasses in their movies as well as on the street. Audrey Hephburn wore ultra-cool Ray-Ban sunglasses in the 1961 movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's. As a result, Ray-Ban sunglasses started to appear more and more in the movies. In 1979, Ray-Ban "Wayfarers" were worn by Jake and Elwood in The Blue Brothers. Tom Cruise wore Ray-Ban "Aviator" sunglasses in the 1986 hit, Top Gun. Then in 1997, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones made Ray-Ban "Predator" sunglasses famous in Men in Black.
Of course sunglasses aren't just a fashion statement. The main reason to wear sunglasses is to protect our eyes against UV radiation. UV radiation can damage our eyes, so people now choose their sunglasses carefully. But you don't have to give up style for safety. The choice of frames and lenses available these days is huge. So you can protect your eyes and still be the coolest person on the beach. | high8621.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The U.N. Secretary Council has decided to shorten the time of extension of the oil-for-food programme"
},
"options": [
"oil price is too low in international market.",
"The U.N. Secretary Council has decided to shorten the time of ... | Vienna-In spite of Iraq's decision to stop oil deliveries, the 11- nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC)will not increase production to make up the shortfall, ministers decided Tuesday in Vienna.
The 11 oil ministers decided to meet again on July 3 to discuss the effects of the Iraq temporary stop. The organization's president, Charkid Kheria of Algeria, said after the meeting that stocks were high and prices were stable, so quota increases were not necessary.
The E.U. Commission has expressed concern about Iraq's output stop. A speaker said OPEC had to take all possible measures to keep or lower the oil price.
Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister Ali Al-Nuaimi had earlier said there would not be any shortfall of oil in the market. The organization had already taken steps to fill the gap, he said. OPEC Secretary General Ali Rodriguez added that the period of Iraq's output stop was not known, so other exporters were not going to lift quotas yet. If the market was destabilized (......), a suitable response could be made.
Iraq on Monday stopped shipments of crude oil to protest against the U.N. Security Council's decision to extend the oil-for-food programme by only a month, instead of the normal six-month renewal. Just before the Vienna meeting, oil prices had gone up, with a barrel of OPEC crude oil selling for 27.05 dollars, up from 26.81 dollars last Friday. North Sea oil was at 29.26 dollars Monday evening.
OPEC wants the oil price to stay within a margin of 22 to 28 dollars and achieved that with cuts in January and March that reduced 2.5 million barrels per day off quotas . | high7512.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The dispute over Diaoyu islands caused more than one anti-Japan protests in China."
},
"options": [
"China and Japan relations are worsening all the time.",
"Junichiro Koizumi's apology improved their relations.",
"There is n... | China and Japan are respectively the world's secondandthirdlargest economies. In 2008, China-Japan trade grew to $266.4 billion, a rise of 12.5 percent on 2007, making China and Japan the top two-way trading partners. China was also the biggest destination for Japanese exports in 2009.
The relationship between China and Japan has been _ at times by Japan's refusal to acknowledge itswartimepast to the satisfaction of China. China joined other Asian countries, such asSouth Korea,North KoreaandSingapore, in criticizing Japanese history textbooks that whitenJapanese war crimesinWorld War II. They claimed that the rise ofmilitarismbecame evident in Japanese politics. Muchanti-Japanese emotion has risen, because of the increasing feelings ofChinese nationalismand former Prime MinisterJunichiro Koizumi's visits to theYasukuni Shrine . Although Koizumi openly declared---in a statement made on April 22, 2005 in Jakarta--- "deep regret" overJapan's wartime crimes, many Chinese observers regard the apology as insufficient and not consistent with the action.
Sino-Japan relations changed slightly after Shinzo Abebecame thePrime Minister of Japanin September 2006, and a joint historical study conducted by China and Japan released a report in 2010 which pointed toward new agreement on the issue ofWorld War II-era violent action.
However, there also remains the dispute over the Diaoyu Islands, which resulted in clashes between Taiwanese (Chinese) protesters and the Japanese government in April 2005. The incident led to anti-Japanese protests and violence across Mainland China, from BeijingtoShanghai, laterGuangzhou,ShenzhenandShenyang. In August 2012, Hong Kong activists landed on one of the disputed Diaoyu Islands, and Japanese nationalists responded by landing on the island the following week. The incidents set off the largest-scale anti-Japanese protests in China for decades in which protesters vandalized Japanese shops and cars. On the 14th of September relations worsened even further in response to Japan's announcement of plans to buy the island from its private owners. The news resulted in the Chinese government sending six surveillance ships to the islands and further anti-Japanese protests in which protesters attacked the Japanese embassies in Shanghai and Beijing. | high22821.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "using electronic devices"
},
"options": [
"cell phone use",
"various hobbies",
"favorite video games",
"using electronic devices"
],
"question": "The text is mainly about kids' _",
"question_type": "cloze_... | It's 10:30 p.m. and 11-year-old Brandon Blanco is sound asleep at home. Suddenly, a loud noise wakes him up. Naturally, Brandon reaches for his cell phone. He blinks twice, and the message on the screen becomes clear: " R U awake?"
But the late-night text does not annoy Brandon. He gets frequent messages and calls, even after bedtime. And he can't imagine life without them. " If I didn't have a cell phone, I wouldn't be able to talk to my friends or family as often," he told TFK.
Brandon's use of technology doesn't stop there. He also has a computer, a TV and three video-game consoles in his room. With so many choices, it is no surprise that when he is not at school, he spends nearly every waking minute using one or more of these devices. Brandon is hardly alone. According to a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids aged 8 to 18 are spending more time than ever before using electronic devices. How much time? More than seven and a half hours a day on average, the study found. That's about an hour more than just five years ago.
The jump is the result of a huge explosion in mobile devices, says Victoria Rideout, the lead author of the study. Today, nearly seven out of ten kids have cell phones. Just five years ago, it was four out of ten.
" These devices have opened up many more opportunities for young people to use media, whether it's on the bus, on the way to school or waiting in line at the pizza parlor," says Rideout.
Often, kids multitask, or use more than one device at a time. " If you've got a chance to do something on your computer and take a phone call and have the TV on in the background, why not?" Media expert Cheryl Olson says.
Most experts agree technology has much to offer kids. But some worry the kids could be missing out on other activities like playing outside or hanging out with friends. " It's a matter of balance," says Olson. " You've got to work on it."
Multitasking while doing homework is another concern. Some kids listen to music, watch TV or use the phone while doing their homework. "It's important to make sure that you can stop and concentrate on one thing deeply," says Rideout.
Logan Jones, 11, of Maumelle, Arkansas, describes himself as a "game freak". Still, he is glad not to have unlimited time with his PlayStation 2. "I'll tell my mom I'm going to play a game, and she'll say, 'Okay, but only for 30 minutes,'", Logan told TFK.
With new and exciting devices hitting stores every year, keeping technology use in check is more important than ever. " Kids should try," adds Rideout. ":But parents might have to step in sometimes." | high1163.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He was growing old."
},
"options": [
"He was growing old.",
"He was tired of his position.",
"He wanted to do different things.",
"He wanted to do some tests."
],
"question": "Why did the emperor decide to choos... | An emperor was almost eighty years old and knew it was time to choose his successor . Instead of choosing one of his children, he decided on something different. He called all of the young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."
The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued, "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One special seed. I want you to plant it and come back one year later with what you have grown from this seed. I will then judge the plants, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"
One boy named Ling received a seed like the others. He went home and planted the seed in a pot, watering it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
A year finally went by and all the youths brought their plants to the emperor. Ling thought he should be honest about what had happened. So he took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the plants grown by other youths. They were beautiful, in all shapes and sizes.
When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. Suddenly, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave you all boiled seeds which would not grow." | high12909.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "should be kept in a certain size"
},
"options": [
"is useless for writing well",
"should be as large as possible",
"should be kept in a certain size",
"is difficult for children to know"
],
"question": "Accordin... | People often joke that when a person has bad handwriting he must be a doctor. Handwriting is still an important part of our everyday life. We may spend a lot of time typing on a computer for work and less time writing things down, but it doesn't mean we should forget the basic skills. The following may be useful for you to help a child develop great handwriting skills.
Writing paper is very important. Since children are discovering which way the letters shape and bend , you need to give them enough room to experiment. Constricting their writing space will cause them to develop skills that won't be helpful.
Spacing between letters is a must. Before they learn to read words they see how letters of the alphabet are placed. There is a space between each letter, not a large space but enough to show that it's being reserved .When they begin to write, you can suggest that they lay their fingers between the letters they have written and the letters they are going to write.
Express praise for any effort and correct with loving kindness. When children are trying things for the first time, they want to succeed. They see their parents skillfully cooking and driving and to them, you are the master, and they want to be masters, too. Help them correct their own writing as well; don't do it for them, or they will expect it each time. Pretty soon you will have few hand written notes with backwards letters covering your refrigerator.
Find some handwriting worksheets and it will become more funny to learn how to write. Schools can offer that kind of lesson. Give them something interesting to do with their handwriting skills will help them develop more confidence. And remember that learning takes time. Try to make them learn something while they are learning to write, and you will get unexpected results sometime later. | high24263.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "visit the Maritime Museum"
},
"options": [
"take a ferry across River Mersey",
"visit the Maritime Museum",
"visit the Cavern Club",
"visit the John Lennon International Airport"
],
"question": "If you want to k... | The most enjoyable way to discover Liverpool is by boat.The first thing to do is to take a ferry (boat) across the River Mersey. It's the best way to find out about this city's long and interesting history. The Liverpool Ferry,which is the oldest ferry service in Europe, started more than 800 years ago.
In the l8th century Liverpool became an important city for international business across the Atlantic Ocean.Ships sailed from Liverpool to the United States and Africa.The place to learn more about Liverpool's importance is the Maritime Museum.
Liverpool was important because of its industry and trade in the 18th century.In the 20th century it became famous for music.The boys in the rock group,the Beatles,all came from Liverpool.The city is very proud of them.It named its airport John Lennon International Airport after one of the Beatles.Tourists can take a bus tour to visit some of the places the Beatles mention in their songs, like Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields.They can also visit the Cavern Club--the group first played there in 1961.The Beatles Story is a museum and gallery.Here you can find out more about these world--famous musicians.
But there's more to see and do in Liverpoo1.At the Walker Art Gallery you can see the best art in the North of England.If you like modern art,the place to visit is the Tate Gallery.But above all,it's the friendly and welcoming people of Liverpool who make this a city you should visit when you come to Great Britain. | high8812.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "of low quality"
},
"options": [
"of low quality",
"of high quality",
"fashionable",
"unfashionable"
],
"question": "The shirts from Mr. Hobbs' factory can be described as _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_que... | After graduation I returned home to my small town in Indiana. I didn't have a job yet. Mr. Hobbs, a friend of my father's, owned a small shirt factory in town. Within the past five years it had grown from twenty to eighty workers. Mr. Hobbs was worried that his plant was getting too big and inefficient, so he asked me to come in on a short-term basis as a consultant.
I went to the plant and spent about a week looking around and making notes. I was really a mazed at what I saw.
Most curious of all, there was no quality control at all. No one inspected the final product of the factory. As a result some of the shirts that were put in boxes for shipment were missing one or two buttons, the collar, and even a sleeve sometimes!
The working conditions were poor. The tables where the workers sat were very high and uncomfortable. Except for a half hour at lunchtime, there were no breaks in the day to relieve the boring work. There was no music. The walls of the workrooms were a dull gray color. I was amazed that the workers hadn't gone on strike.
Furthermore, the work flow was irregular. There was one especially absent-minded young man in the assembly line who sewed on buttons. After a while I recognized him as "Big Jim", who used to sit behind me in math class in high school. He was very slow and all the shifts were held up at his position. Workers beyond him in line on his shift had to wait with nothing to do; therefore, a great deal of time and efficiency were lost as Big Jim daydreamed while he worked. All week I wondered why he wasn't fired.
After I made observations for a week, Mr. Hobbs asked me for an oral report of my findings. | high1188.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "you can keep in touch with others through your blog"
},
"options": [
"you can write almost anything in a blog",
"you can make complaints in a blog",
"you can keep in touch with others through your blog",
"you can improv... | Research has long backed the therapeutic value of diary-keeping for teenage girls and boys.But according to a new study, when teenagers detail their sadness onto a blog, the therapeutic value is even greater.Blogging, it seems, can be good for you.
The study, published in the journal Psychological Services and conducted by Meyran Boniel-Nissim and Azy Barak, psychology professors at the University of Haifa, Israel, found the contact with an online community through a blog made it more effective in relieving the writer's social anxiety than a private diary would be.
To track teenagers' experiences with blogging, the researchers randomly surveyed high school students in Israel and selected 161 of them who exhibited some level of social anxiety or stress.The teenagers, who averaged 15 years old, said they had difficulty making new friends or relating to their existing friends.
The teenagers were divided into six groups.The first two groups were asked to blog about their social difficulties, with one group asked to open their posts to comments.The second two groups were asked to blog about whatever struck their adolescent fancy; again, with one group allowing comments.All four groups were told to write in their blogs at least twice a week.As a control, two more groups were told to keep either an old-fashioned print diary or to do nothing at all.
All of their blog records were then read through by four psychologists to determine the authors' social and emotional state.In all the groups, the greatest improvement in mood occurred among those bloggers who wrote about their problems and allowed commenters to respond.
Interestingly, the commenters on the blogs were quite supportive."The only kind of surprise we had was that almost all comments made by readers were very positive and constructive in trying to offer support for anxious bloggers," Dr.Barak wrote in an e-mail. | high22612.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "may not be the key to success"
},
"options": [
"is not important at all",
"makes people more likeable",
"may not be the key to success",
"helps you do better at school"
],
"question": "The conclusion drawn from ... | Everyone has good days and bad days.
Sometimes, you feel as if you're _ and all the questions on your maths test might seem easy. But occasionally you feel horrible, and you lose things and cannot focus on our schoolwork.
For more than 20 years, scientists have suggested that highself-esteem is the key to success.Now, new research shows that focusing just on building self-esteem may not be helpful. In some cases, having high self-esteem can make people less likeable or more upset when they fail in something.
"Forget about self-esteem," says Jennifer Crocker, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, US. "It's not the important thing."
Feeling good
Crocker's advice may sound a bit strange. After all, feeling good can be good for you.Studies show that people with high self-esteem are less likely to be depressed, anxious, shy, or lonely than those with low self-esteem.
However, after reviewing about 18,000 studies on self-esteem, Roy Baumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University, has found that building up your self-esteem will not necessarily make you a better person.
He believes that violent people often have the highest self-esteem of all. He also said:" There's no evidence that kids with high self-esteem do better in school."
Problems
All types of people have problems. People with high self-esteem can have bigegos that can make them less likeable, said Kathleen Vohs, a psychology professor at Columbia University.People with high self-esteem tend to think more of themselves, VOhs says. People with low self-esteem are more likely to rely on their friends when they need help.
What to do
Researchers say it is best to listen to and support other people. Find positive ways to contribute to society. If you fail in something, try to learn from the experience. "The besttherapy is to recognize your faults," Vohs says. "It's OK to say, 'I' m not so good at that,' and then move on." | high2481.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They were friendly neighbors, helping each other."
},
"options": [
"They lived a poor, miserable life.",
"They were friendly neighbors, helping each other.",
"They never spoke to each other.",
"They lived together as on... | Once upon a time two brothers who lived on neighboring farms fell into conflict . It was the first serious one in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed.
Then the long cooperation fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John' door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days' work," he said. "Could I help you?"
"Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go him one better. I want you to build me a fence--an 8-foot fence --so I won't need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow."
The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. I'll be able to do a job that pleases you." The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.
The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped.
There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge-- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work-- and his younger brother was coming across, his hand outstretched.
"You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done."
The brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter lift his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.
"I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but, I have so many more bridges to build." | high20005.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Babies pick up on tone of voice."
},
"options": [
"Babies have a better understanding of English.",
"Babies pick up on tone of voice.",
"Babies like their mothers' performances.",
"Babies like drawing from an early age.... | Babies understand what their mothers say, even when they speak a language their children have never heard before, scientists claim.
The researchers found that one-year-olds reacted in exactly same way to their mothers' voices regardless of whether they were speaking English or Greek, showing what mothers have long known - that babies pick up on tone of voice rather than the words themselves.
The researchers, from Cardiff University's School of Psychology, observed babies as they watched their mothers perform actions with toys using the English words "whoops" and "there". The scientists studied reactions from one-year-old babies to their mums' voices even when they were speaking both English and Greek, and keeping the same tone of voice. The academics found that babies reproduced the same reactions regardless of whether they knew the language.
Study leader Dr Merideth Gattis of Cardiff University's School of Psychology says, "What this work showed was that children could have access to understanding simply through tone of voice. We did 'whoops' and 'there' in two languages and got exactly the same results." The research, published in the journal Cognitive Development, was conducted on 84 babies aged between 14 and 18 months, over the course of a year, with none of the babies having any previous exposure to Greek.
Dr Gattis says that children respond to tone clues in their parents' voices from an early age.
She says, "Tone of voice is a really useful signal of what someone is thinking. We never have direct access to other people's minds, except the signals in language that they give out." She says the study shows that it is less important what parents say than how they say it.
Dr Gattis adds, "A child may ask if you like his / her drawing, for example. You might say yes, but if you don't sound enthusiastic, the meaning may not get across." Before children begin to speak, parents should use exaggerated tone when speaking to them. | high3947.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Dad has a strong love for his daughter"
},
"options": [
"Dad has a strong love for his daughter",
"Dad is very strict with his daughter",
"Dad always worries about his daughter",
"Dad is much concerned about his daughte... | Dear Daughter,
As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write to tell you all that is on my mind. First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are.
Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period when you go from teacher taught to master inspired, after which you must become a self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn is of no practical use in real life, the learning skills you get will be something you will value forever.
Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy, don't be bothered by what others think or say, but make up your own mind. Most importantly, make true friends and be happy. Don't worry about their hobbies, grades, looks, or even personalities.
Start planning early what you'd like to do. Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver's seat--this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you'll love it!
So please treasure your college years -- make the best use of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, and learn through your successes and challenges.
May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you grow into just what you dream to be.
Love
Dad & Mom
(Excerpt from Kai-Fu Lee's letter to his daughter) | high20763.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Facial appearances"
},
"options": [
"Smells",
"Facial appearances",
"body shapes",
"Voices"
],
"question": "We can learn from the article that monkeys mainly recognize each other by their _ .",
"question_... | Monkeys , face to face
DISCOVER magazine once reported on a curious event in the woods : a group of monkeys applied mud to their faces in order to keep away insects , but when they were done they seemed to have lost their ability to recognize each other ---two monkeys that were supposed to be friends even started fighting.
"Faces are really important to how monkeys and apes can tell one another apart," explained Michael Alfaro, a biologist at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to the New York -based International Science Times . This is quite different from many other animals , which depend heavily on smells.
Since faces play such a crucial part in the social lives of monkeys , could this explain why certain monkey species have such colorful faces while others have simpler, plainer ones ?
To test this theory , a group of researchers from UCLA studied 139 monkey species , mainly from Asia and Africa, and analyzed hundreds of headshot photos of those monkeys from their databases.
It was found that species that live in larger groups have faces with more complex color patterns than those that live in smaller groups. According to Live Science, researchers believe that this is nature's way of making it easier for monkeys to recognize each other since those living in larger groups have to distinguish between a greater number of faces.
This is actually not that hard to understand . Just imagine if there were 10 people standing in front of you, all wearing white clothes. It would be much more difficult to tell them apart than if they wore clothes with colorful patterns. However, if there were only two people that you had to identify, a lack of color wouldn't be much of a problem.
Apart from the need to recognize group members , researchers found that geography and environment also affect monkeys' facial colors. Species that live closer to the equator in thick, humid forests were found to have darker faces than those who live in dry areas further away from the equator. This is because darker faces help camouflage the monkeys in the woods so that they go unnoticed by predators . | high5488.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They are cheap to produce."
},
"options": [
"They are easy to make.",
"They are cheap to produce.",
"They come in varied formats.",
"They remain successful for a long time."
],
"question": "What is an advantage ... | A "talk show" is a show organized mainly around talk. Television talk shows have been around since the dawn of radio. Thus the start of talk shows' golden age can be considered as 1948, even though television wasn't common in American homes until the 1950s. From 1949 to 1973, nearly half of all daytime programming was talk.
Why are there so many talk shows? A talk show costs less than $100,000 per episode to produce whereas many of today's TV series cost more than $1 million an episode. Thus , if successful, it can produce handsome profits . Still, it takes a lot of work . Since 1948, hundreds of talk shows have come and gone, with only a few having true staying power.
There are several types of talk shows , but while the styles might vary, the format is limited.
What we are most used to is the informal guest-host format, in which shows'hosts welcome famous people or other talk -worthy persons for an informal discussion.
The second most common format is the public issues show, in which hosts interview people in the news or experts in a given field. Shows that follow this format include both morning news programs and "issue" talk shows:
The Museum of Broadcast Communications' Bernard M. Timberg notes two governing principles of all successful talk shows:
The host is everything :The host has a high degree of control over their show, from subject matter to comedic atmosphere . They are also the show's brand and are responsible for it. The host can attract and refuse guests, organize their program and , in many cases, name a successor when they retire.
Right here, right now: The second rule is that a talk show must be experienced in the present tense, whether it is broadcast live or taped in front of an audience earlier in the day. They should feel fresh, as if they are happening in the moment, even if the show is a 10-year -old rerun. | high10878.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He knows a lot about the city the author is going to visit."
},
"options": [
"He is a doctor in the army now.",
"He is going to give up his work.",
"He has been retired for many years.",
"He knows a lot about the city t... | Five people are at our table, including myself. I've already learnt a great deal about them in the short time we've been at sea, although we rarely meet except at mealtimes.
First of all, there is Dr. Stone. He is a man of about sixty-five, with gray hair and a friendly face. He gave up his work a short while ago and is now traveling round the world before he retires to some quite country village. As a young man, he served for many years as a doctor in the army and visited many countries. He's told us a great deal about the city to which they are going.
Then there is "Grandmother". I call her that because her name escapes me. In spite of being a grandmother, she looks remarkable young, no more than fifty. She is on her way to visit a daughter who went to Australia some years ago. Naturally she is very excited at the thought of seeing her again, and her three grandchildren, whom she has never seen.
Then there is a man I don't care for very much, the engineer by the name of Barlow. He has been _ in England and is now returning to his work in Singapore.
The other person who sits at our table is Mrs. Hunt. I've found out hardly anything about her. She's extremely quiet and rarely talks, except to consult the doctor about children's various illnesses. She is on her way to join her husband in India. | high1836.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "sell the old one to Simply Selluar on a reasonable price"
},
"options": [
"keep the old one in house to add your collections",
"throw the old one into the dustbin to protect your health",
"return the old one to the producer t... | There are millions of used cell phones in the world today, the most of them just lay in our houses without any purpose. Everyday dozens of new cell phone models appeared. _ But what to do with the old phones, which work well enough and not so old?
Just get some money! Simply Sellular is buying almost all models of cell phones: LG, Motorola, HP, Siemens, Samsung, Sanyo, Nokia and many others cell phones. Also they accept phones produced in every country, and in every condition. Simply Sellular can offer a good prince for your old cell phone in cash. Their mission is giving you a simple way to get money for an old phone, as simple and profitable , as it's possible. Also they offer a trade-in scheme to get another model instead of your phone, providing a good service after the sale.
Also Simply Sellular works with the so-called 911 cell phone program. So you can donate your cell phone to them to help some people who need it. They know what to do with your old phone! You can be interested in their recycling programs, where every used cell phone could be easily recycled for a few time. Some phones, which are good for refurbish , Simply Sellular donates to people who need it, for example women or military personnel. If the refurbish is impossible they just recycle cell phones.
Just think a minute: it's a good deal to get some money for your old cell phone, good deal to help somebody with your phone and really important to recycle all techniques after use. Working with Simply Sellular you get every possibility ly free. And they will pay to you! That's a really god deal! | high22174.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "most schools and colleges were open only to men."
},
"options": [
"the first profession open to them was writing.",
"most schools and colleges were open only to men.",
"they wanted to be nurses instead.",
"they had to w... | As late as 1800, women's only place was in the home. The idea of woman in the business world was unthinkable. Men were certain that no woman could do a good job outside her home. This was such a widely accepted idea that when the well-known Bronte sisters began writing books in 1864, they had to sign their books with men's names instead.
Teaching was the first profession open to women soon after 1800. But even that was not an easy profession for women to enter because most schools and colleges were open only to men. Oberlin College in Ohio was the first college in America to accept women.
Hospital nursing became respectable work for women only after Nightingale became famous. Seeing that she was not only a nurse but also a rich and well-educated woman, people began to believe it was possible for women to nurse the sick and still be "ladies". Miss Nightingale opened England's first training school for nurse in 1860.
The invention of the typewriter in 1867 helped to bring women out of the home and into the business world. By 1900, thousands of women were working at real jobs in schools, hospitals and offices in both England and America. Some women even managed to become doctors or lawyers. The idea that women could work in the business world had been accepted. | high15900.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "creative activities"
},
"options": [
"the unconscious",
"creative activities",
"dreams",
"logic and experiments"
],
"question": "Good ideas come from _ according to the writer.",
"question_type": "cloze_q... | No satisfactory way exists to explain how to form a good idea. You think about a problem until you're tired, forget it, maybe sleep on it, and then flash! When you aren't thinking about it, suddenly the answer arrives as a gift from the gods.
Of course, all ideas don't occur like that but so many do, particularly the most important ones. They burst into the mind, glowing with the heat of creation. How they do it is a mystery but they must come from somewhere. Let's assume they come from the "unconscious." This is reasonable, for psychologists use this term to describe mental processes which are unknown to the individual. Creative thought depends on what was unknown becoming known.
All of us have experienced this sudden arrival of a new idea, but it is easiest to examine it in the great creative personalities, many of whom experienced it in an intensified form and have written it down in their life stories and letters. One can draw examples from genius in any field, from religion, philosophy, and literature to art and music, even in mathematics, science, and technical invention, although these are often thought to depend only on logic and experiment. All truly creative activities depend in some degree on these signals from the unconscious, and the more highly insightful the person is, the sharper and more dramatic the signals become.
A type of creative experience is illustrated by the dreams which came to Descartes at the age of twenty-three and determined his life path. Descartes had unsuccessfully searched for certainty, first in the world of books, and then in the world of men. Then in a dream on November 10, 1619, he made the significant discovery that he could only find certainty in his own thoughts, cogito ergo sum ("I think; therefore, I exist"). This dream filled him with intense religious enthusiasm.
Descartes' experience is representative of countless others in every field of culture. The unconscious is certainly the source of instinctive activity. But in creative thought the unconscious is responsible for the production of new organized forms from ly disorganized elements. | high22160.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Up Jumped Spring"
},
"options": [
"Up Jumped Spring",
"I Dream of Spring",
"Spring Is Here",
"Spring Will be a Little Late This Year"
],
"question": "If you are in a bad mood, you'd better listen to _ .",
... | Spring is a wonderful season to celebrate rebirth and new life. The long, cold winter is over. The weather is warmer and sunnier. The trees again have leaves and the flowers are blooming. The season represents hope, joy and beauty. At this time, many people think of this classical music piece -- Spring, which shows happiness. Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi wrote it in the seventeen hundred.
However, not all songs about spring are happy. This song written and sung by K.D. Lang is about dreaming of spring in cold dark places. She recorded I Dream of Spring in 2008.
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote It Might as Well Be Spring for the movie State Fair in 1945. Frank Sinatra sings it. It is a feeling of restlessness or excitement brought on by the coming of spring. Richard Rodgers also wrote Spring Is Here, this time with Lorenz Hart. Ella Fitzgerald sings this song about feeling lonely during this season.
Frank Loesser wrote the sad song, Spring Will be a Little Late This Year. Why has the season been delayed? Because the singer's lover has left her. Sarah Vaughn released her version of the song in 1953.
By now you may be thinking, "Enough with the sad songs, already!" Ok, then how about a cowboy song? Gene Autry was one of America's most famous singing cowboys. He recorded When It's Springtime in the Rockies in 1937.
And finally, we'll leave you with a sunny song called Up Jumped Spring. Freddie Hubbard wrote this jazz song in 1977 and Billy Taylor Trio performs it. | high1822.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "National Wanna Play Music Week begins on Music Monday."
},
"options": [
"National Wanna Play Music Week begins on Music Monday.",
"People can't sing every day except on Music Monday.",
"Music Monday will last at least seven d... | Make some noise on May 7 for Music Monday.People in the U.S. and Canada will be celebrating the day by singing and playing musical instruments together.
Music Monday is the first day of National Wanna Play Music Week,which runs from May 7 to 13.The National Association of Music Merchants(NAMM) organizes the weeklong celebration every year.This marks the seventh year the organization is teaming up with Canada's Coalition for Music Education(CME),the group that started Music Monday.
"It's a day to fill the skies with music and bring young people together in song," CME Executive Director Holly Nimmons said.
The CME started Music Monday in 2005.It is held every year on the first Monday of May.It was created to help people realize the importance of music education programs in schools and in communities.The day also celebrates the benefits of playing music for people of all ages.
NAMM researches the effects of music on children.They found that playing music has positive effects on thinking skills and on confidence.It also teaches selfdiscipline and helps kids bond with their peers ."Learning musical skills can also help in your studies of other subjects,such as math,reading and language," Lora Bodmer,who works at NAMM,said.
Their studies show that music can also help people form friendships and connect with different groups.Nimmons says anyone can join in on the day,not just those who are musically gifted."I think that we all have the music in us,and it's a matter of confidence," she said."Sing with other people or beat drums,just enjoy the music."
Participants can turn on the radio to join the fun.Each year a song is assigned to Music Monday.This year the song is "Tomorrow Is Coming" by Luke Doucet.The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation(CBC) will be playing the tune at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.People across North America will play or sing the song at the exact same time.The performance is meant to connect people through melody .More than 700,000 students took part in the concert last year.
Schools,afterschool programs,organizations,groups and individuals throughout the U.S. and Canada can all participate in Music Monday.Students who would like to share in the celebration should let their teachers or organization leaders know.But NAMM also encourages people to pick up any instrument and play anytime on the day. | high6195.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "different foods or none"
},
"options": [
"no breakfast at",
"very rich breakfast",
"little food for breakfast",
"different foods or none"
],
"question": "During the test, those who were tested were given_.",
... | Will it matter if you don't take your breakfast? Recently a test was given in the United States. Those tested included people of different ages, from 12 to 83. During the experiment, these people were given all kinds of breakfasts and sometimes they got no breakfast at all. Special tests were set up to see how well their bodies worked when they had eaten a certain kind of breakfast. The results show that if a person eats a proper breakfast, he or she will work with better effect than if he or she has no breakfast. This fact appears to be especially true if a person works with his brains. If a student eats fruit, eggs, bread and milk before going to school, he will learn more quickly and listen with more attention in class. Contrary to (......) what many people believe, if you don't eat breakfast, you will not lose weight. This is because people become so hungry at noon that they eat too much for lunch, and end up gaining weight instead of losing. You will probably lose more weight if you reduce your other meals. | high20777.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "she didn't want the boss to know her living situation"
},
"options": [
"she didn't have enough time to finish it",
"she didn't want the boss to know her living situation",
"she was not allowed to answer it",
"she had no... | Silvia Garcia,a black woman.applied for a job at a small company.One question on the application form was"Who else lives at your home address?"Ms.Garcia did not answer this question.She left the space blank.
The boss,Jeff Erler, was a very religious man.He had started the company himself and felt that his employees were like his family.Mr Erler interviewed Ms.Garcia personally,He noticed that she had marked"single" on her application and he was surprised that she was not married at her age.When he mentioned this to her, she just laughed and did not answer.He decided that she was a very nice woman.He also needed to hire members of minorities,so he hired her.
Ms.Garcia did very well in the company.In a few months she got a rise and was happy with the additional money.However, seven months after Mr.Erler hired her, he overheard a conversation in the dining hall.Two other workers were talking about her and "the guy she's living with."
Mr Erler called Ms.Garcia into his office that afternoon.He questioned her about her living situation and she admitted that she was living with her boyfriend.Mr Erler told her that he was very sorry, but he did not want immoral people to work in his company.At first,she could not believe that Mr.Erler was serious.She told him that he had no right to call her immoral because she was living with her boyfriend.She said that as long as she was a good worker, her personal life was her own business and that he could not make judgments about it.However, Mr.Erler fired Ms. Garcia. | high21469.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "educate the public"
},
"options": [
"educate the public",
"change people's status",
"discuss a problem",
"sell products or services"
],
"question": "PSA are primarily designed to _ .",
"question_type": "cl... | Unlike traditional commercials, Public Service Advertisements(PSA)are primarily designed to inform and educate rather than sell a product or service. The goal of a PSA is not to make a big sale, but rather to change public opinion and raise awareness for a problem.
Smokey Bear has been a recognized symbol of the protection of America's forests from fire. It is created to educate the public about the dangers of wildfires. Smokey Bear was started in 1944 with the slogan, "Smokey Bear Says--Care will prevent 9 out of 10 forest fires". Smokey Bear's later slogan, "Remember! Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires", was created in 1947 by the Advertising Council in America. In April 2001, the message was changed to "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires".
The wildfire prevention campaign with Smokey Bear is one of the longest and most successful campaigns in advertising history. The Advertising Council often was in partnership with other organizations and groups to create various advertising for Smokey Bear since 1944.
The Advertising Council teamed with Walt Disney Company to create a series of PSAs. The ads feature(***)characters form the classic film Sleeping Beauty and aim to reach parents and children. The lovely Bambi also appeared in the advertisements. Mickey Mouse is much more popular throughout the country.
Those PSAs, which appear on television, on the radio, in the newspaper and on the website continue to remind Americans about the importance of wildfire prevention have helped to reduce the number of acres burned annually by wildfires. According to recent survey, Smokey Bear and his famous words of wisdom "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires" are recalled by 3 out of 4 adults.
In addition to the PSA campaign, Smokey Bear has his own U.S. postage stamp and website for more information about wildfire prevention. From the website, you can also learn all about wildfires and how we can protect our forests. | high4782.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "people expect less of you"
},
"options": [
"people expect less of you",
"people needn't take responsibility",
"you have to wait long",
"you will miss something important"
],
"question": "The author mentioned Mel... | The idea of not having a phone at ail could be beneficial sounds crazy to people who are addicted to the global Internet or even just Facebook.
Indeed, it sounds like a pain. But some luxuries of a phone-free lifestyle make us realize that freedom has long been absent from our lives with a phone.
According to The Wall Street Journal's Anton Troianovski. people expect less of you when you don't have a cell phone. Melissa Hildebrand, for example, doesn't even own n phone. She just leaves if her friends don't turn up on time for an event or meeting. "She gives them 15 to 30 minutes to show up," writes Troianovski. With a cell phone in hand, one receives apology calls, which will lengthen the waiting. Without a phone, that responsibility seems to reduce.
Dean Obeidallah of CNN believes that not having a cell phone gives him the ability to see things; A beautiful woman burning past while fixing her makeup; Asian tourists busy taking photos; a businessman talking on his phone and looking important. "Instead of texting or checking my e-mail, I began to actually, look at the people I sharing the streets with. It is truly like a movie set filled with extras from all walks of life, Obeidallah said.
Along with these small benefits of not having a phone, however, come all its inconvenience.
Nancy Kadlick told The Wall Street Journal that she once missed an airport pick-up due to not having a phone.
For Rebecca Greenfield, a columnist for the Atlantic Wire, the inconvenience of not having a phone outweigh(;) these small luxuries. But she also said: "Not having one every once in a while sounds like a nice practice." | high19690.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Drink water-down fruit juice."
},
"options": [
"Drink water-down fruit juice.",
"Have some drink with cream.",
"Have some cool milk.",
"Have high tea."
],
"question": "Which of the following things does the writ... | Often speakers at a meeting experience dry mouths and ask for a glass of water.You can solve the problem by activating the saliva in you mouth.First gently bite the edges of your tongue with your teeth.Or,press your entire tongue to the bottom of your mouth and hold it there until the saliva flow.Or you can imagine that you are slicing a big juicy lemon and sucking the juice.
Before you begin your talk,be kind to your voice.Avoid milk or creamy drinks which coat your throat.Keep your throat wet by drinking a little sweetened warm tea or water-down fruit juice.
If you sense that you are losing your voice,stop talking completely.Save your voice for your speech.You may feel foolish using paper to write notes,but the best thing you can do is to rest your voice.If you feel the need to see a doctor,perhaps getting some advice from a professional singer can be a better choice.In the meantime,do not even talk in a low voice.
What about drinking alcohol to wet your throat?I advise you not to touch alcohol before speaking.The problem with alcohol is that one drink gives you a little confidence.The second drink gives you even more confidence.Finally you will feel all-powerful and you will feel you can do everything,but in fact your brain and your mouth do not work together properly.Save the alcohol until after you finish speaking.
Perhaps you want to accept the advice,but you may wonder if you can ever change the habits of a lifetime.Of course you can.Goethe,who lived before indoor skating rinks or swimming pools,said,"We learn to skate in the summer and swim in the winter."Take this message to heart and give yourself time to develop your new habits.If you are wiling to change,you will soon be able to say that you will never forget these techniques because they've become a part of your body. | high19848.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "On Self-Appreciation"
},
"options": [
"On Self-Appreciation",
"Types of Appreciation",
"Power of Appreciation",
"Uses of Appreciation"
],
"question": "The best title for the passage would be _ .",
"questi... | Frankly, I very much appreciate myself. Yes, I admit I'm in many respects not as good as other people, but I don't think I'm always not good. When I find what I've done or written is okay, I'll remain pleased with myself for quite a few days, and in case I receive praise for it, I'll even become so excited as to add a few words to glorify myself.
True, I'm not modest at all. People may call me conceited . But I think otherwise.
I also appreciate other people. I appreciate anything good. Isn't it unfair to forget appreciating myself while appreciating others?
We Chinese generally tend to be modest, and we take pride in being so. For example, a Chinese will call his own wife zhuojing, meaning "my humble wife", and his own writings zhuozuo, meaning "my poor writings". But if you should call his wife a "rustic woman" or his writings "trash", he would, I'm sure, slap the table in a rage and declare he would make a clean break with you. As a matter of fact, there is probably no difference at all between what is said by him and you respectively.
I don't think it's wrong for you to freely praise yourself if you're really worthy of praise. As we know, there is an old Chinese saying disparaging a melon peddler , named Lao Wang, who keeps praising his own goods. Well, why can't he praise his melons if they are really sweet and juicy?
Friends, Lao Wang sells melons for a living. How could he carry on business if he, by imitating the affectations of us intellectuals, were to show false modesty about his melons? He would sure enough die of starvation.
Self-appreciation is therefore key to professional dedication and enjoyment of work. One will lose confidence in continuing with writing when he pauses to admire his own essays.
Needless to say, the same is true of those who make a living with their pen. | high23518.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "kind and warm-hearted"
},
"options": [
"good at cheating others",
"dishonest",
"kind and warm-hearted",
"foolish"
],
"question": "We could see from the passage that the mouse was _ .",
"question_type": "cl... | A mouse looked through a hole in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package; what food might it contain? He was astonished to discover that it was a mouse trap!
Running to the farmyard,the mouse shouted,warning everyone,"There is a mouse trap in the house,there is a mouse trap in the house."The chicken,with her head high,glared at the mouse and said,"Shut up.Little Ugly.This is a great concern to you,but it has nothing to do with me:I can't be troubled by it."
The mouse turned to the pig and told him."There is a mouse trap in the house.""I am so sorry,Mr Mouse,"said the pig sympathetically,"but there is nothing I can do about it but pray;you are always in my prayers."
The mouse turned to the cow,who said,"A mouse trap,am I in great danger,huh?"
Now the mouse had to face the farmer's mouse trap alone.
That very night a sound was heard through the house,like that of a mouse trap catching its prey.The farmer'wife rushed to see what was caught.In the darkness,she did not see it was a big poisonous snake whose tail the trap had caught.The snake bit the farmer's wife.The farmer rushed her to the hospital.She returned home with a fever.It is said that drinking fresh chicken soup will help treat fever,so the farmer took his sharp knife to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.His wife's sickness continued,so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock.To feed them,the farmer killed the pig.The farmer's wife did not get well,in fact,she died,and so many people came for her funeral.The farmer had the cow killed to provide for all of them to eat.
So next time when someone is facing a problem,don't say that it has nothing to do with you. | high408.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Different attitudes British men have towards crying."
},
"options": [
"Different attitudes British men have towards crying.",
"British men's dream of the World Cup.",
"Advice on how to control emotions.",
"Impression of... | British men are encouraged to cry.
There are certain things British men like to believe about themselves. The first is that one day they will again win the World Cup. They also believe they do not cry. Over the centuries, Britons are believed to have a "stiff upper lip". But is this true?
Yes, it is. A recent study arranged by Kleenex on how the British express their emotions reveals that 95 percent of them still _ their emotions.
Moreover, while 72 percent think this is unhealthy, 19 percent can't remember the last time they "let it out". As a result, Kleenex is launching the "Let It Out" campaign that encourages Britons to grab a tissue and have a good cry.
These days, however, the male Briton's attitude toward crying is changing. Though the majority still struggles to open up emotionally, a 2004 study by Oxford's Social Issues Research Center found that 77 percent of British men considered crying in public increasingly acceptable. Half of London males admitted crying in front of their mothers. Scotsmen are the least emotional, although they are the most likely to cry at weddings.
Peter Marsh, director of the center, said, "Crying can now indicate sensitivity rather than weakness. Like with David Beckham, crying because you're dropping off your boy at nursery isn't seen as weak."
Winston Churchill was said to be a frequent crier, shedding tears at seeing a survivor in an air raid shelter , and when he saw his wife after a long absence.
Psychologists say that while society has accepted that men can cry, there are limits. Ronald Bracey, a consulting psychologist, said, "If a man began to cry when he was having stitches in hospital, he would be considered as a wimp . Men still need to be seen as strong when it comes to physical pain. " | high8806.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "in Beijing"
},
"options": [
"in Hong Kong",
"in Europe",
"in Beijing",
"in England"
],
"question": "The press conference must have been held _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": ... | The 32ndHong Kong Art Festival,to be held early next year,will be based on the theme of "family". The art festival, considered to be Asia's best, began in 1973. "We hope that people from Beijing and from all over the world will go to Hong Kong to enjoy the multiple performances in our art festival," Douglas Gautier, the festival's management director, said in a press conference in the capital.
In the 29 days of the festival, which runs from February 8 to March 7,2004, the audience can choose from 111 performances of 51 programmes staged by 700 foreign performers,450 local artists and 160 actors from the mainland.
Programmes vary from classical music, jazz, world music, Western and Peking opera, drama and dance to outdoor spectaculars.
The programmes include Beethoven's only opera Fidelio, Shakespeare's drama Romeo and Juliet, the ballet Mozartina and African dances, to name just a few.
The lineup includes the English Touring Theatre, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Zurich Ballet, the Spanish National Dance Troupe, as well as Europe Galante the Petersen Quarter, pianists Angela Hewitt and Marc-Andre Hamelin, and saxophonist Jan Garbarek.
In an effort to increase attendance, hotels and airlines are offering _ along with art festival ticket sales, most of which are at 20% and 30% discounts.
For more information, please check: _ | high22606.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Yao is still one of the most famous and influential man in China"
},
"options": [
"Yao is the youngest and the tallest man in China",
"Yao had strong political aspirations to be a member",
"Yao is still one of the most famous... | When news broke that Chinese NBA superstar Yao Ming was planning to hang up his jersey last summer after a persistent injury got the better of his on-court career, his former also-newly retired-rival Shaquille O'Neal welcomed him. "Enjoy retirement!" exclaimed Shaq on YouTube. "Let's go on vacation, bro me and you." No word if the two towering centers were ever able to share 18 holes or a drink on a beach, but it would be hard to imagine how either of them would have found the time, especially Yao.
Since leaving professional basketball in July, Yao has become a force in Shanghai. He has gone back to school, launched a high-end wine label, released pandas into the wild and, just this past weekend, been elected onto a political advisory committee in his hometown of Shanghai.
The 31 year old took his place on Sunday at Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Shanghai Committee's annual meeting alongside six other newly elected members who were all almost twice his age. Among his new colleagues were the directors of the Shanghai Library and the Shanghai Tourism Bureau. Yao is the youngest and, at 7-foot-6, the tallest member of the 142-person committee.
Even in retirement, Yao Ming is still one of the most famous men in China. Plenty of organizations and Yao himself are seemingly eager to use his influential capital while the going is still good. "Yao said the new title shows trust coming from the people in the city," Yao spokesman Zhang Chi told the China Daily. Zhang denied that Yao harbored any political aspirations. "The responsibilities for a CPPCC member include offering political consultation, and supervision. What Yao wants is to use his influence to do good deeds for society, but not to seek a political position," Zhang said.
With the new job Yao is expected to attend regular meetings and offer suggestions or written proposals to the local government. "Raising proposals is very serious business, and I do not want to be hasty," Yao told the press after the meeting, adding that he will be focusing his efforts on sports education, an area he is more familiar with. Yao will have to juggle this new political job with a fulltime gig at Shanghai's prestigious Jiao Tong University (though through custom, private one-on-one degree program) and his commitments as owner of Shanghai's professional basketball team, The Sharks, which he used to play for. | high21327.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A travel guidebook."
},
"options": [
"A newspaper advertisement.",
"A travel guidebook.",
"A government notice.",
"A TV health program."
],
"question": "Where would you most likely find this text?",
"questio... | Walking in the Regional Parks and Forests of Greater WellingtonFrom a walk to an adventure
A walk in one of the regional parks and forests is a great way to explore the diverse landscape of greater Wellington.
From coastal sands to historic paths,farmland to green native forest,the parks and forests offer a variety of countryside and scenery to suit all ages and levels of fitness.
Most of the walks offer the chance to take a break and enjoy picnicking or swimming.
What to take
Many of the walks go through areas exposed to winds and changeable weather.Please take with you some water and sun hat especially on walks marked with hiking symbol.Always take some warm clothing and a rain jacket.
All times stated are estimates for the return trip.
Where indicated,mountain bikes and horses riders may use tracks.
Opening hours
The parks and forests are open daily from 8am till dusk.Parks or walks marked with a farm animal symbol may be closed for lambing Aug-Nov.Please check with the ranger or on our website www.gw.govt.nz.
Caring for your pack
*Pack in and pack out.Take your rubbish home and recycle it when possible.
*Keep dogs under control and remove droppings.
*Do not remove,disturb or damage native plants or animals.
*Light no fires.
*Poison may be laid in the parks and forests to control the field mouse.Do not remove notice or disturb baits,lures,trapping lines or the mousetraps. | high19860.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "an ordinary"
},
"options": [
"a sad",
"a rich",
"an ordinary",
"an honorary"
],
"question": "Jimmy Carter leads _ life now.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_ind... | In recent years, Jimmy Carter, the 39thpresident of theprefix = st1 /United Stateshas shared with millions of readers the stories and insights gained from a lifetime of public service. Carter' range of experience is immense: as a farmer and father, sailor and statesman, homebuilder and humanitarian, president and peacemaker, he has brought to an extraordinary life a common touch, and his sense of hope and humanity have been an inspiration to many.
Carter now shares his insights in a uniquely personal way. For years an author in prose , the former American president for the first time gives voice to his thoughts in poems. | high17695.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "is located at the center of the CBD in the city"
},
"options": [
"is located at the center of the CBD in the city",
"has 12 most attractive places in Melbourne",
"admits visitors from 9:30 am untill 6:00 pm",
"is beside... | Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium
The all-new Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, situated in the heart of Melbourne's CBD, is one of Victoria's leading visitor attractions and an unforgettable outing for the whole family. Having 12 amazing zones of discovery, Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is the very place that you cannot miss when you visit the city.
* Opening Times
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is open from 9:30 am until 6:00 pm every day of the year, including public holidays. Last admission is at 5:00 pm, one hour before closing.
* Location ( )
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is located on the corner of Flinders Street and King Street, Melbourne. It is siyuated on the Yarra River, opposite Crown Entertainment Complex.
* Getting to Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium
Train
The Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium train stop is located on the free City Circle Tram route and also routes 70 and 75. City Circle trams run every 10 minutes in both directions.
Shuttle Bus
The Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is a free bus service, stopping at key tourist attractions in and around the City. Running daily, every 15 minutes from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Car Parking
While there is no public car parking at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, there are several public car parking lots available only a short walk away.
* Wheelchair Access
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium provides people in wheelchairs with full access to all 12 zones. Each floor also has wheelchair accessible toilets.
* Terms
Tickets will be emailed to you immediately after purchase or you can download and print your ticket once payment has been accepted. Please print out all tickets purchased and present at the front entrance of Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. No ticket, no entry! | high6803.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "middle-aged people are easy to get fat"
},
"options": [
"mice need to eat more and exercise more",
"children need more exercise than other people",
"old people like to take medicine to treat their illnesses",
"middle-ag... | More and more scientific experiments prove that physical exercise can reduce the dangers of some illnesses in middle-aged persons.Exercise strengthens the heart muscle,reduces blood pressure and help to prevent muscles from changing into fat.Physical exercise is just as important for children.
Exercise and food affect growing speed in young lab animals.Baby mice start running as soon as they are big enough to use an exercise wheel in their cage.If they get extra food and run a lot,they will grow as much as 1.5 times bigger than normal.
The same differences in growing speed might be found between active and inactive children.Physical exercise helps active children grow faster than inactive children.One experiment shows that the brains of the mice that had enough exercise weighed about 3%more than those of the mice that did not exercise The mice that exercised are much quicker to learn doing new exercise than the mice that did not exercise.
The results of the experiments suppose the theory that exercise can help babies learn to talk and walk sooner than expected.
The good effects of physical exercise are not limited to children and middle-aged people.Exercise continues to be an important part of our lives after we grow old.For example,people over 50 years old begin to lose calcium from their bones,which get weaker and can break easily.Physical exercise,however,helps to strengthen the bones and to prevent them from losing calcium.Of course,old people can take medicines to prevent themselves from suffering from losing calcium.But the medicines they take increase the chance of developing some kind of cancer .So physical exercise is a much safer treatment . | high15082.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a dog's state of mind and the direction of its tail wagging"
},
"options": [
"a dog's state of mind and its owner's feeling",
"a dog's state of mind and the direction of its tail wagging",
"a dog's sense of direction and its ... | A dog's tail can tell you a lot more than you might think. Is it wagging to the left or is it wagging to the right?
"The direction of tail wagging does in fact matter,"said Giorgio Vallortigara,a professor at the University of Trento in Italy. Professor Vallortigara finds that the way the tail is wagging can tell you a lot about a dog's state of mind--whether you're a human or another dog.
What's the difference between a left wag and a right wag?Professor Vallortigara and his colleagues have studied 43 dogs of various breeds -- German Shepherds,Beagles,Boxers,Border Collies and some mutts. They find that if a dog wags its tail to the left. it's feeling anxious or nervous. The reason could be an unfamiliar or dangerous situation,an unfamiliar person,or an unfamiliar and possibly threatening dog. But if the tail is wagging to the right,it means the dog is feeling relaxed and approachable.
"The tail is a very important signal,"said Thomas Reimchen,a biologist at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. "There is a lot of visual information that dogs use when communicating with each other. "
How did the scientists figure all this information out? They had the dogs in their study watch videotapes of other dogs. When the dog on the tape wagged its tail to the right,they say the other dogs remained calm and cool. But when the dog on the tape wagged its tail to the left,the other dogs got anxious.
The researchers are still not exactly sure if the direction of tail wagging is something the dog does consciously. They suspect that it might be something the dog does without even thinking about it -- kind of like when you get goose bumps if something scares or startles you. They plan to do more research to get more information about what dogs are thinking and feeling while they're wagging. As Reimchen said,"I'm not going to be surprised if we find all sorts of really interesting processes that nobody has ever seen before. " | high8190.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "watch a movie in his living-room"
},
"options": [
"listen to music at the concert hall",
"watch a movie in his living-room",
"chat with his friends on the net",
"play baseball with his workmates"
],
"question": ... | Daniel stays home on workdays.He starts his personal computer in order to connect with the office which is about three hundred miles away in another city.After work, he puts on his headphones, watches a movie on his home video recorder, or plays baseball on the computer.On many days, Daniel doesn't talk to any other human beings, and he doesn't see any people except the ones on television.Daniel is imaginary, but his lifestyle is very possible.The inventions of modern technology seem to be cutting us off from contact with our fellow human beings.
The world of business is one area in which technology is separating us.Experts say, for example, that many people will soon be able to work at home.With access to a large central computer, employees such as office clerks, insurance agents, and accountants could do their jobs at display terminals in their own homes.They would never have to actually see the people they're dealing with.In addition, the way employees are paid will change.Workers' salaries will be automatically paid into their bank accounts, making paper checks unnecessary.No workers will stand in line to receive their pay or cash their checks.Personal banking will change, too.Customers will deal with machines to put in or take out money from their accounts.Many companies and consumers have already changed the way they sell or buy products.E-commerce, or business done on the Internet, is becoming more and more popular.This, therefore, makes it possible for people to do shopping without going out of their homes.
Another area that technology is changing is entertainment.Music, for example, was once a group experience.People listened to music at concert halls or in small social gatherings.For many people now, however, music is an individual experience.Walking along the street or sitting in their living-rooms, they wear headphones to build a wall of music around them.Movie entertainment is changing as well.Movies used to be social events.Now, fewer people are going out to see a movie.Many more are choosing to wait for a film to appear on television or are borrowing videotapes to watch at home.Instead of laughing with others, viewers watch movies in their own living-rooms. | high22148.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because she contributed to saving the wounded."
},
"options": [
"Because she received a degree in mathematics.",
"Because she contributed to saving the wounded.",
"Because she won the Nobel Prize with Frederic.",
"Becau... | Most people know that Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, and the first person to win it twice. However, few people know that she was also the mother of a Nobel Prize winner.
Born in September, 1897, Irene Curie was the first of the Curies' two daughters. Along with nine other children whose parents were also famous scholars, Irene studied in their own school, and her mother was one of the teachers. She finished her high school education at the College of Sevigne in Paris.
Irene entered the University of Paris in 1914 to prepare for a degree in mathematics and physics. When World War I began, Irene went to help her mother, who was using X-ray facilities to help save the lives of wounded soldiers. Irene continued the work by developing X-ray facilities in military hospitals in France and Belgium. Her services were recognized in the form of a Military's Medal by the French government.
In 1918, Irene became her mother's assistant at the Curie Institute. In December 1924, Frederic Joliot joined the Institute, and Irene taught him the techniques required for his work. They soon fell in love and were married in 1926. Their daughter Helene was born in 1927 and their son Pierre five years later.
Like her mother, Irene combined family and career. Like her mother, Irene was awarded a Nobel Prize, along with her husband, in 1935. Unfortunately, also like her mother, she developed leukemia because of her work with radioactivity . Irene Joliot Curie died from leukemia on March 17, 1956. | high13395.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "scared his students with his looks"
},
"options": [
"once acted a character in a horror movie",
"scared his students with his looks",
"often punished the students for bad marks",
"did better in teaching than others in t... | Mr. Patrick was new to the school and to us. Even though he was a great teacher, he seemed rather like a character out of a horror movie. He didn't look that bad, but somehow, he looked extremely scary to me.
Some kids began to believe that he was a murderer or a ghost; some believed he was mad and a few believed that he might have suffered a lot in his life. I was one of those 'few'.
One day I gathered up my courage and headed towards the school garden. He was, as usual, sitting on a bench alone. I breathed heavily a few times and then walked towards him.
"How are you?" I asked with my voice crackling.
He managed to say, "Fine."
"Well, good to know," I tried to be happy.
"Hmmm..." was all I heard.
"What's up with you?" then seeing a puzzled look on his face, I tried to be more formal and respectful. "I mean, why aren't you like all other people in the school? Why are you always so quiet and sad? Why..."
"No dear, some things are better left unsaid," he said gloomily.
"Oh no sir, nothing is better left unsaid. If you want to share your feelings with me and reduce the pain of your heart, you are free to do so. I promise I will never ever tell anyone."
"With you? You are just a little girl; what will you understand?"
I was somehow offended but still I managed to persuade him, "So what, Sir? You see, if you tell me your problem, you will have a light heart and you will have the feeling that someone somewhere cares about you."
"Oh okay, that was a very nice belief indeed; let's take a walk and I will let you know everything."
Soon after our little talk, there was a visible change on his face. Later that day in the class, there was a smile on his face. | high23256.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "because it had food safety problems many times"
},
"options": [
"because it had food safety problems many times",
"because it is one of the most famous fast-food chains",
"no people went to it",
"many people don't like ... | KFC , one of the most famous fast-food chains, saw its reputation in China shaken because of "quick chicken". Recent years, KFC has ever shocked us more than once because of its food safety, which made itself in severe trust crisis. Now it greatly surprised us again owing to the poultry incident. We could never believe it should have cheated us again and again. In fact, as a well-known restaurant chain, KFC's business records at China's is not very good. There's no doubt that the very incident has made things worse and worse.
However, what surprised us is that although a series of misdeeds had reduced KFC's reputation, its business is increasing. What's more, KFC just made a so-called apology after what had happened, the content of which is not responsible at all for the public. As a matter of fact, this is not an ordinary chance incident. Recent years have seen so many food-safety problems in China, such as wasted oil, lean meat powder , melamine , which has done great damage to people's life. We don't know what can be eaten and how much harmful food we have eaten. Now it is not wars and natural disasters but everyday food safety that has been a great risk to human health.
So what can be done to prevent our health from being damaged? To begin with, the related departments should strengthen laws to stop such illegal products from being produced. In addition, it would be a good idea to call on the media to perform its further function to monitor the businesses, factories and traders. Besides, everybody should be made aware of the risks of harmful food and only in this way can people improve their self-protection. In a word, everyone should play a role in making our food safer and better in quality. Meanwhile, the government and the related departments should take their responsibilities for people's health. | high4972.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "less hot"
},
"options": [
"smaller",
"wetter",
"less famous",
"less hot"
],
"question": "Compared to the Sahara Desert,the Atacama Desert is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer":... | The Atacama Desert is located just west of the Andes, a 1000-km strip of land next to the Pacific Ocean. In spite of its location beside the sea, several studies have shown that this region is the driest place in the world. In the Antofagasta Region of the desert, the average annual rainfall is just 1 mm and some weather stations have never received rain at all. Atacama is so _ that the surrounding mountains that reach up to 6885 m, have ly no glaciers! In the region, the river beds have been dry for over 120,000 years.
However, unlike the Sahara Desert,Atacama is surprisingly not that hot. It has an average daily temperature between 0'C and 25degC! If you find that surprising, you'd be shocked to find out that this desert has lakes!
When there was rainfall in the region (many year ago), this accumulated water created what we now know as the Salt Lakes. The name of these lakes was given as a result of the effect of the Atacama environment: the long dry period makes the water evaporate ,resulting in the higher concentrations of salt in the remaining water.
This region has been tested by scientists to see if life is present in the Atacama soil with the same instruments that would be used to detect life in the soil on Mars! As a result of the soil's similarites to that of Mars,the Atacama land is used to test instruments for future Mars missions. In addition, the region has been used in movies as a set for filming Mars scenes, most famously in the television show Space Odyssey: Voyage to the Planets.
The Atacama Desert is truly a unique place, due to its lack of rain as well as its similarities to Mars. You would think that this place would be a bare ghost town , but think again! Many people have lived here for centuries, giving this desert its own culture and economic significance. | high20987.txt |
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