questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because he could have helped a hungry man but he passed by."
},
"options": [
"Because he didn't show fair respect to a beggar treating him badly.",
"Because he could have helped a hungry man but he passed by.",
"Because he be... | It was a cold night in Washington, D.C., and I was heading back to the hotel when a man approached me. He asked if I would give him some money so he could get something to eat. I'd read the signs: "Don't give money to beggars as most of them are _ ." So I shook my head and kept walking.
I wasn't prepared for a reply, but with no hesitation, he followed me and said, "I really am homeless and I really am hungry! You can come with me and watch me eat!" But I kept on walking.
The incident kept bothering me for the rest of the week. I had money in my pocket and it wouldn't have killed me to hand over a dollar or two even if he hadn't been a real beggar. On a freezing cold night, no less, I assumed the worst of a fellow human being.
Flying back to Anchorage, I couldn't help thinking of him. I tried to reason my failure to help by supposing government agencies, churches and charities were there to feed him. Besides, you're not supposed to give money to beggars.
Somewhere over Seattle, I started to write my weekly garden column for The Anchorage Daily News. Out of the blue, I came up with an idea. Bean's Cafe, a local charity service kitchen, feeds hundreds of hungry local people every day. Why not try to get all my readers to plant one row of vegetables or flowers in their gardens for Bean's? Plant a row for Bean's. It's clean and simple.
We didn't keep records back then, but the idea began to take off. Folks would fax me or call when they took something in. It's food for the spirit and comfort for my conscience.
In April 1995, the Garden Writers Association of America(GWAA) held their annual meeting in Anchorage and after learning our program, Plant a Row for Bean's became Plant a Row For The Hungry. The idea then was to have every member write or talk about planting a row for the hungry, which brought the program to national attention.
As more and more people participated, new variations cropped up. Many companies gave free seeds to customers and displayed the logo for the program. Donations poured in. It was then that I could really stop feeling guilty. | high7936.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "27 father-daughter dance pairs presented a successful waltz show"
},
"options": [
"the mothers felt relieved after the ceremony began",
"well-dressed girls were introduced to their future husbands",
"the writer's daughter, a ... | Dancing the night away
It is a measure of how little control I have over my own life that in middle March I am escorting a pretty young redhead to a debutante ball.(A formal presentation of young ladies when they reach the age of maturity. This was originally used in the past to introduce young ladies to society so that they could meet a possible marriage partner , so it was for the upper class, the nobility and titled families. At a debutante ball, the expensively-dressed girls stand in a line to be introduced individually. Their fathers then walk them, arm-in-arm around the dance floor, followed by a waltz.)
"Daddy, you OK?" she asks.
"Never better," I lie.
"Good," she says, hugging my shoulder and giggling .
Generally, deb balls belong to the upper class, and that is decidedly not us. The other day, I was trying to figure out which to buy -- a garage door opener, or a DVD player. Both were broken, yet we could afford to replace only one. That's how "upper class" we are. We're more like "fixer upper class."
So it's a mystery how we ended up at this deb ball. Two mothers are checking for alcohol, making sure the debs aren't drinking.
Anyway, they won't let the dads eat dinner till we "present" the girls, which means we have to escort our daughters around the dance floor one by one, as the mistress of ceremonies reads out the young lady's accomplishments.
"Trish plans to attend Stanford in the fall, where she will study molecular engineering in hopes of one day developing a way to help predict earthquakes."
On and on these introductions go. One girl hopes to grow food on Mars.
After the introductions we finally get to the Big Waltz. For the last month, the dads and daughters have all been taking lessons for the Big Waltz, under the direction of the widow of Otto von Bismarck. Fortunately, she is a people person.
"Forward, BACK!" she screamed, while teaching us to waltz.
Her gentle directions have worked miracles. Suddenly, on this big night, we are a well-organized team of 27 father-daughter dance pairs.
Honestly, waltzing is like math, in the sense that some people never get it.
The success of this Big Waltz comes as a huge relief to the mothers, who have been planning this ceremony for six years and have been a little tense lately.
In the end, everything turned out OK at the deb ball. The 27 dads developed into a fairly supportive fellowship. And the little red-haired girl? She hugged my shoulder and giggled happily, making it all -- the waltz lessons, the rental tuxedo , the 14 years of coaching softball -- worth every awful-wonderful moment. | high24074.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "have less freedom"
},
"options": [
"have a poor diet",
"get better grades",
"have less freedom",
"prefer eating on campus"
],
"question": "Compared with French students, students in the Philippines _ .",
"... | In some countries,open campus is widely accepted. For example, French students have a two-hour lunch break from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. During their lunch break, they can eat at home or at a restaurant. But students in the Philippines have a tougher schedule. They have only two 15-minute breaks and an hour for lunch.
What Schedule would be best for American schools?
Having breaks between classes is great, but having breaks off campus is even better. There are several advantages to open campus, including simple conveniences such as being able to eat different meals during lunchtime, rather than having the cafeteria dishes, as well as having the chance to take a break at home.
However, there are more reasons I disagree with allowing high school students the right to have an open campus. Sure, it's great being able to escape school during the day for a while, but soon enough that may easily become the rest of the day.
If open campus is allowed, it is very possible that such freedom will make it all too easy for students to skip their afternoon classes. Of course, there will be students responsible enough to come back to school.
But unexpected problems such as heavy traffic, city bus delays or cars breaking down may prevent them from returning to school. It benefits the students to stay in school during lunch hours to avoid transportation issues.
Depending on how close the school is to restaurants and students' homes, open campus could be a great idea. Unfortunately, though, most public schools in America are not located close enough to restaurants or students' homes, thus causing the negative results to outweigh the positives in the end. | high13800.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "may lose some hair"
},
"options": [
"may lose some hair",
"won't grow new hair",
"will lose much hair",
"may suffer from severe diseases"
],
"question": "If a man experiences extreme physical suffering, he _ ... | Normally, about 10 percent of the hair on your head is resting (not growing). After a few months, the resting hair falls out and new hair begins to grow in its place. The growing time can last from 2 to 6 years. During the growing period, hair will gain about 1 centimeter a month. It is normal to experience hair loss every day. Some people experience too much hair loss from a variety of causes.
Most people _ believe that hair loss is caused by things like stress, scalp ,or wearing hats. With the exception of stress, none of these factors has been proven to be a cause of hair loss. Stress is also not very likely unless you have experienced extreme physical or psychological suffering. This hair loss also doesn't last long.
The real cause of hair loss lies with hormonal problems. Hair loss occurs when male or female hormones are out of balance. An imbalance of hormones is usually genetic and cannot be cured. Male and female-pattern baldness is the most common form of hair loss. This is caused by a hormone called DHT, which helps in sexual development. An increase in DHT in a grown-up can lead to hair loss.
There are also other causes of hair loss. Blood-thinners, some kind of medicines, and an excess of vitamin A, have all been shown to increase hair loss in certain people. Infections of the scalp can cause hair loss as well as certain diseases like diabetes. | high22405.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "people have to pay more taxes for unemployment."
},
"options": [
"companies refuse to pay for workers.",
"robots have completely replaced workers.",
"robots can help solve the problem of unemployment.",
"people have to ... | I went to a nearby car factory today with my uncle, who works there. One thing I noticed was that most of the work was done by robots. Welding , painting, testing and many other jobs are performed by robots. The whole dashboard is put into a car by a robot. It would have taken two men to do so in the past, and it would have hurt their backs quite a bit.
It got me thinking: Is it a good thing that robots are replacing factory workers? On the one hand, robots generally do a more accurate job than people. They are not likely to make many mistakes. If something goes wrong with one car, an alarm goes off. They do exactly the same thing every time, but a human worker is unable to do so. On the other hand, robots reduce costs for companies. Companies don't have to pay robots wages or injury compensation if they're broken. If something in a robot does go wrong, it won't have to take time off work for a year, or even forever, as could happen to a real person if he breaks his back or burns himself while welding.
The obvious _ is that robots increase unemployment rate, which in turn increases taxes. We don't want to pay for those who are out of work just because a company has replaced them with robots. | high7088.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Be free from some worries."
},
"options": [
"Make many friends.",
"Do many helpful things.",
"Be free from some worries.",
"Learn a lot about other people."
],
"question": "What does writing journals help the au... | Writing journals has been one of the most helpful things I've ever done. Through writing journals I've not only learned a lot about myself, but also removed a lot of obsessive thoughts, by writing them down and considering them.
Journals give you a place to write down your honest thoughts without being afraid of what people will think of you. There are some ideas for writing journals:
Draw pictures
Write poetry or short stories
Goals: daily and long-term
Respond to a magazine article that you are interested in
Write about obsessive thoughts and try to find what's causing them
A list of things you are proud of (It can always increase your confidence when you need it)
Make a pro/con (/) list when you're trying to make a decision: most of the time the decision will start to be clearer afterwards
The best way to start is to decide where you want to write your journal. (Though it's called the journal, it doesn't mean you can only do it in a "journal") . If you like the traditional style of journals, then use a notebook, blank paper or graph paper, whichever you like best. If you prefer to go digital, start a blog. You can make the blog public or private, and it's a good way to keep track of articles or pictures you find online. (You can link to them.)
Even if you feel there's nothing for you to write about at first, you might be surprised to find that once you start, you can't stop. | high14809.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "their living environment"
},
"options": [
"their poor sense of direction",
"their living environment",
"their strong enemies",
"their big groups"
],
"question": "Sound is important for dolphins because of _ ."... | Dolphins live in a dark underwater world. It's often impossible to see each other or anything else around them, so sound plays an important role in their survival. To communicate with each other, dolphins produce all kinds of sounds.
Only other dolphins understand what the sounds mean. Scientists haven't uncovered their secret communication, except for one kind of whistle. It might last less than a second, but this whistle is a big deal. Why? Because these whistles are actually names of dolphins - and every dolphin has one. Scientists call these sounds a "signature whistle." When other dolphins hear the whistle, they know which dolphin is calling.
Dolphins often hunt by themselves but still need to stay connected to the group. Since they can't always see each other, dolphins use their signature whistles to check in with other dolphins hundreds of yards away. "In coastal areas, dolphins exchange whistles even when they're a third of a mile apart," says Greg Campbell, who studies animals. That means dolphins shout out to group members that might be nearly five football fields away.
What's amazing is who names the baby dolphin. Not the mother. Not an auntie dolphin or another group member. Scientists believe the baby dolphin itself comes up with the signature whistle. Like human babies, a baby dolphin plays with sounds throughout its first year. While testing its sound skills, a baby dolphin is doing something amazing. It's creating or figuring out its signature whistle. How or why it chooses its signature whistle is not clear. Studies show that most of the time the signature whistle is nothing like its mother's or group members' whistles.
When the baby dolphin is about a year old, its signature whistle is set. It repeats it often so the other dolphins learn to recognize it.
Deciphering dolphin names is just the beginning of figuring out what dolphins communicate about. Do they chat about sharks? Discuss the tides? Maybe they even have a name for people. Someday scientists are to decipher the rest of dolphins' communication. | high11971.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Chinese people combined English vocabulary with Chinese grammar."
},
"options": [
"Chinese people misunderstood the meaning of the new words.",
"Chinese people combined English vocabulary with Chinese grammar.",
"Chinese peop... | "I like your smile, but unlike you put your shoes on my face". A charming way of saying "Keep off the grass". But could you figure it out? Or this: "Wash Clothing Store" for laundry.
They are both typical Chinglish, a combination of English vocabulary and Chinese grammar. Expressions such as "people mountain people sea", means extremely crowded, and "give you some color to see", meaning a punishment, are widely known and recognized.
Chinglish has been attracting global attention in recent years as China grows rapidly in status on the world stage, attracting both fans and detractors .
The Beijing Speaks Foreign Languages Programme and English First China Company, a language trainer known as EF Education, jointly launched a campaign to root out poor grammar and misused vocabulary in downtown Beijing. They argue Chinglish is an embarrassment that we should let it die out at all costs.
"It is meaningful to allow the capital to show its most beautiful historical and cultural heritage to the world." Michael Lu, vice-president of EF Education said, "since the launching of the campaign, foreign teachers and students had been very keen to volunteer participation."He believed signs were very important in public services. "The signs in some old buildings confused foreign visitors.
Chinglish, although the target of much criticism, has also won supporters who regard it as an interesting way for foreigners to learn how Chinese people think and express themselves.
"Many Chinglish logos carry Chinese elements and they will enrich the English language," 32-year-old Oliver Radtke said. He had even published a book "Chinglish: Found in Translation," on the subject. About 50,000 copies of the book have been sold since it was published in 2007.
Some Chinese university experts also side with Chinglish. "English has absorbed elements from other languages such as French and Spanish in its growth, and the emergence of Chinglish again testifies to the language's vitality and inclusiveness," said Shi Anbin, an associate professor of Tsinghua University. | high4581.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The pollution brought by pigs is a killer to the creature of the sea."
},
"options": [
"Pigs bring more destruction than benefit to human beings.",
"No other countries have the higher percentage of pig-to-human than East Asia.",
... | Farm-raised pigs are dirty, smelly animals that get no respect. They're also an environmental hazard. Their manure contains phosphorus ,which, when it rains, runs off into lakes and rivers, consuming oxygen, killing fish, stimulating algae overgrowth and emitting greenhouse gases.
Doing away with the pig is not an option. Pigs provide more dietary protein, more cheaply, to more people than any other animal. Northern Europe still maintains the highest pig-to-human ratio in the world (2-1 in Denmark), but East Asia is catching up. During the 1990s, pork production doubled in Vietnam and grew by 70 percent in China--along densely populated coastlines, pig density exceeds 100 animals per square kilometer. The resulting pollution is "threatening fragile coastal marine habitats including mangroves ,coral reefs and sea grasses ,"according to a report released in February by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
As it turns out, there is a solution to the pig problem, but it requires a change of mind-set among environmentalists and the public. Two Canadian scientists have created a pig whose manure doesn't contain very much phosphorus at all. If this variety of pig were adopted widely, It could greatly reduce a major source of pollution. But the Enviropig, as they call it, is the product of genetic modification--which is anathema to many Westerners.
The Enviropig is one of many new technologies that are putting environmentalists and organic-food supporters in _ : should they remain categorically opposed to genetically modified (GM)foods even at the expense of the environment? Elsewhere, trees grown for paper could be made amenable to much more efficient processing, reducing both energy usage and toxic chemical bleach in waste water from paper mills. The most significant GM applications will be ones that help lessen the problem of agriculture , which accounts for 38percent of the world's landmass and is crowding out natural ecosystems and species habitats.
Chances are, farmers will continue to grow their polluting organic pork, their allergenic organic soy and their neurotoxin sprayed organic apples. Worse still, they will make sure that no one else gets a choice in the matter of improving the conditions of life on earth--unless, that is, others rise up and demand an alternative. | high20560.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "your gene"
},
"options": [
"cutting it often",
"your gene",
"the food you eat",
"clearing up the dead split ends"
],
"question": "The length of your hair is determined by _",
"question_type": "cloze_questi... | Myth: If you cut your hair, it will grow long faster.
Truth: That's not true. "Your hair isn't like a lawn or a rosebush, where cutting can stimulate fresh growth," says Phillip Kingsley. The length of your hair is genetically determined. When it reaches a certain length, it stops growing. When you clear up the dead split ends, this make your hair look healthier, but not necessarily longer.
Myth: If you skip meals, you lose weight fast.
Truth: There's no truth in this advice. Not only will you lose weight by starving yourself, but according to Carol Ann Rinzler, this may actually cause you to gain weight. Rinzler reasons that missing a meal causes your metabolism to slow down so that you burn food more slowly. This only makes you feel hungrier and by the time you finally do reach the table you will probably eat more food. Strange as it may seem, studies show that eating several small meals and snacks throughout the day is a more healthy way to lose pounds.
Myth: If you swallow gum,it will stay inside your stomach for seven years.
Truth: Actually, it takes just a few days for gum to make its exit---not seven years, says NeiIzenberg, M. D., editor of Kids Health Organization. But because gum is made of the same thing as rubber, it cannot be fully digested in your stomach--- so if you gum up the works on a regular basis, you might find yourself in a sticky situation.
Myth: The best way to stop a nosebleed is to lift your head back.
Truth: Now that's bad advice. Bloody noses are caused by broken blood vessels, so while lifting your head back might stop the fluid from rushing out of your nose, it won't stop the bleeding; you'll just end up swallowing lots of blood. Your best bet? "Rest quietly. Don't poke or pick, and the blood will naturally clot within a minute or two". Suggests Dr. Izenberg. | high11965.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Experts from companies."
},
"options": [
"Students from high schools.",
"Scholars from Canada.",
"Officials from governments.",
"Experts from companies."
],
"question": "Who probably attended the meeting?",
... | Xinhua News Agency-The International Conference on Power Engineering (ICOPE) 2013, organized by the Chinese Society of Power Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, China-EU Institute for Clean and Renewable Energy, opened in Wuhan, on Oct 24. More than 300 energy experts, scholars and businessmen from countries and areas including the United States, Japan, the EU, Australia, South Africa, Thailand, Nigeria, Arab and China are attending the three-day academic conference on the world's energy problems.
Professor Zheng Chuguang, from the School of Energy and Power Engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, gave a speech on the development of oxygen fuel technology in China, and said that settling the problem of cost ranks highest.
George Saxon, vice-president of Conco Systems Inc, US, presented a report on the topic of Energy Engineer to Shape the Future. He said that the company's research and innovation are of great significance for the future and already contribute to reducing costs and improving efficiency .
Professor Didier Mayer from the Ecole des Mines de Paris, France, spoke about "Wind Energy R&D Line Based on the Global Renewable Energy Status", and Professor Yasuo Koizumi of Shinshu University in Japan and Li Chun-Zhu of Curtin University of Technology in Australia also gave speeches at the conference.
The academic meetings are expected to cover topics from various fields. In addition, the participants will discuss the most advanced academic research around the world, the latest progress and development trends in the various fields. The conference has attracted 232 academic papers, with 176 papers from China, and 56 from abroad. | high5853.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "how McDonald's became a billion-dollar business"
},
"options": [
"the development of fast food services",
"how McDonald's became a billion-dollar business",
"the business careers of Mac and Dick McDonald",
"Ray Kroc's b... | In 1939 two brothers, Mac and Dick McDonald, started a drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. They carefully chose a busy corner for their location. They had run their own businesses for years, first a theater, then a barbecue restaurant, then another drive-in. But in their new operation, they offered a new, shortened menu: French fries, hamburgers, and sodas. To this small selection they added one new idea: quick service,no waiters or waitresses, and no tips.
Their hamburgers were sold for fifteen cents. Cheese was another four cents. Their French fries and hamburgers had a remarkable uniformity , for the brothers had developed a strict routine for the preparation of their food, and they insisted on their cooks' sticking to their routine. Their new drive-in became surprisingly popular, particularly for lunch. People drove up by the hundred during the busy noontime. The self-service restaurant was so popular that the brothers had allowed ten copies of their restaurant to be opened. They were content with this modest success until they met Ray Kroc.
Kroc was a salesman who met the McDonald brothers in 1954 when he was selling milkshake-mixing machines. He quickly saw the special attraction of the brothers' fast-food restaurants and bought the right to franchise other copies of their restaurants. The agreement included the right to duplicate the menu, the equipment, even their red and white buildings the golden arches .
Today McDonald's is really a household name. In 1976, McDonald's had over$1 billion in total sales. Its first twenty-two years is one of the most surprising successes in modern American business history. | high4595.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Charles Dickens' impact on the world"
},
"options": [
"a brief introduction to Charles Dickens'",
"Charles Dickens' impact on the world",
"the characters in Charles Dickens' stories",
"Charles Dickens' achievements in l... | Disease, poverty, hate, love-Charles Dickens' stories opened his readers eyes to the most important themes of his age. Two hundred years on, his stories still speak volumes across the world, proving that Dickens' legacy was far greater that just "great-literature".
February 7 marks the 200thanniversary of the writer's birthday. To mark this date, BBC writer Alex Hudson listed six things Dickens gave the modern world. Let's take a look at two of them.
A White Christmas
Dickens is described as "the man who invented Christmas" - not the religious festival, but the cultural aspects that we associate with the festive season today.
In the early 19thcentury, Christmas was barely worth mentioning, according to critic and writer Leigh Hunt. The committee which ran the Conservative Party even held ordinary business meetings on Christmas Day-unthinkable in the West nowadays, when everyone but the most necessary workers takes at least three days off.
Many people believe that Dickens' popular descriptions of the festive period became a blueprint for generations to come. In his classic novel,A Christmas Carol, he not only put forward the idea of snow at Christmas, but also painted a picture of glowing warmth-"home enjoyments, affections and hopes".
In his biography of Dickens, Peter Ackroyd wrote: "Dickens can be said to have almost single-handedly created the modern idea of Christmas."
"Dickens" poverty
Dickens was one of the first to take an honest look at the underclass and the poor of Victorian London.
He helped popularize the term " _ " to describe situations where people in power use needless amounts of bureaucracy in a way that particularly hurts the weaker and poorer members of society.
"Dickensian" has now become a powerful word for describing an unacceptable level of poverty. In 2009, when the president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in the UK wanted to talk about poverty in some areas of Britain, she did not use words like "terrible" or "horrific", but rather described it as "life mirroring the times of Dickens". | high179.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "have a better figure"
},
"options": [
"have a better figure",
"eat more meat",
"have higher blood pressure",
"are more relaxed"
],
"question": "Compared to women who consumed fried fish, those who consumed baked... | A new study published recently in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation: Heart Failure reveals that according to a new large study, women who consumed five or more servings of baked fish had a thirty percent lower risk of heart failure in comparison to women who consumed less than one serving a month.
Researchers examined the diets of 84,493 women from 50 to 79 years old. The women who consumed a lot of baked fish like salmon received stronger benefits than those who consumed mostly tuna, grouper or white fish. The consumption of baked fish also appeared to provide protection against high blood pressure cardiovascular disease . It also found that those women who consumed more baked fish tended to have a lower body mass index , exercise more and consume more fruits and vegetables in comparison to those who consumed fried fish.
Researchers note that past research has discovered that the fatty acids in fish probably decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease by decreasing inflammation and improving blood pressure along with heart and blood vessel functioning. This study does show the link between fish consumption and heart failure risk but it was not designed to show cause and effect.
This study also showed that just by consuming one serving of fried fish a week was linked to a 49% greater risk of heart failure. It also found that the consumption of fried fish was linked to a lower fiber intake and a higher calorie intake. Dr Lloyd-Jones, associate professor with North-western's Feinberg School of Medicine, states frequent consumption of baked fish appears to be part of a suitable pattern that is greatly beneficial for numerous things. This advocates that fish is a very good source of lean protein that we should be increasing as a part of our diet.
Recommendations from the American Heart Association suggest consuming a minimum of two 3.5 ounce servings of fish especially fatty each week. | high23069.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "People around the world sent messages to support her."
},
"options": [
"The media called on people to help her.",
"People sent gifts to her from all over the world.",
"A lot of people offered to donate bone marrow to her.",
... | A cancer-stricken British teenage girl said Thursday she had been moved by messages of support from around the world after writing an online "Bucket List" of things she wanted to do before dying.
Alice Pyne, l5, created an Internet blog in which she described her fight against a cancer of the white blood cells. " I've been fighting cancer for almost four years and now l know that the cancer is gaining on me and it doesn't look like I'm going to win this one," she wrote.
For her list, the teenager took inspiration from the 2007 film "The Bucket List", in which two terminally ill men, played by Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, draw up a list of things they wish to do before they die.
On her list, at the site www. alicepyne. blogspot. com, she has included making everyone sign up to be a bone marrow donor , swimming with sharks, meeting boy band Take That and getting a purple iPad computer.
Messages of support and offers of help quickly flooded her webpage and it became one of the most talked about subjects on Twitter.
"Oh dear and I thought that I was just doing a little blog for a few friends!" she wrote after her site attracted huge attention. "Thank you so much for all your lovely messages to me."
Pyne, who lives with her family in the northwest English town of Ulverston, revealed the management of Take That had arranged for her to see the band after reading her blog. A group of local lawmakers have also joined forces with the Anthony Nolan blood cancer charity to encourage people to join its stem cell register. | high87.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Cutting down about 500 calories from amount."
},
"options": [
"Eating around 2,000--2, 500 calories",
"Having fewer than 500 calories.",
"Cutting down about 500 calories from amount.",
"Taking in a little fewer calories... | Take control of your health by learning these four numbers. They'll help with everything from losing weight to protecting your heart.
Your daily calorie needs
This is not technically a measurement, but it can have a huge influence on your health. Most women need 2,000 calories a day for good health, and men generally need about 2,550. One way to work out your daily calorie needs is to multiply your weight in pounds by 13 to 15, depending on your activity level. But roughly, that's 300 to 400 calories for breakfast, 500 to 600 for lunch, and 600 to 700 for dinner. Trying to lose weight? Eat about 500 calories less.
Your waist size
Waist size is one of the best ways to measure whether your weight is affecting your heart health. When body fat is packed into your abdomen ,your risk of heart attack increases. For women, health risk begins to rise when your waist is more than 35 inches. For men, risk increases with a measurement when your waist is over 40 inches.
Your blood pressure
Blood pressure rises and falls normally during the day. When it remains high, you have high blood pressure and this carries a higher risk or heart disease and stroke.
A reading of 140/90 mm Hg or more is considered high, and if it's between 120/80 and 139/89, you may still be at risk and should be taking steps to prevent the development of high blood pressure.
Your morning pulse rate
Your pulse rate is the number of times your heart beats in one minute. A normal resting pulse rate is 60 to 90 beats per minute. People who are fit tend to have lower resting pulse rates because their heart muscles are in good shape. But if you don't exercise regularly and your heart rate is lower than the normal range, tell your doctor--it could be a sign of heart disease. | high24060.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The risk to a popular banana shows need to grow other kinds."
},
"options": [
"Bananas are the world' s most important food crops.",
"The risk to a popular banana shows need to grow other kinds.",
"There are five hundred diff... | Bananas are one of the world' s most important food crops. They are also one of the most valuable exports. Bananas do not grow from seeds. Instead, they grow from existing plants. Bananas are threatened by disease because all the plants on a farm are copies of each other. They all share the same genetic weaknesses. For example, the Cavendish banana is most popular in North American and European markets. However,some kinds of fungus organisms easily infect the Cavendish. Black Sigatoka disease affects the leaves of Cavendish banana plants. The disease is controlled on large farms by putting chemicals on the plant' s leaves. Farmers put anti-fungal chemicals on their crops up to once a week.
Another fungal disease is more serious. Panama disease attacks the roots of the banana plant. There is no chemical treatment for this disease. Infected plants must be destroyed. Panama disease has affected crops in Southeast Asia, Australia and South Africa. There is concern that it may spread to bananas grown in the Americas. This could threaten an important export product for Central and South America.
The International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain supports research on bananas. The group has headquarters in France and other offices in the major banana-growing areas of the world. The group says that more research must be done to develop improved kinds of bananas. The group says that fungal diseases mainly affect only one kind of banana. In fact, there are five hundred different kinds of bananas. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has said that the Cavendish banana represents only 10% of world production.
The U.N. agency says farmers should grow different kinds of bananas. This protects against diseases that affect only one kind. Experts warn that disease may cause the Cavendish banana to disappear. This happened earlier to another popular banana because of its genetic weakness against disease. | high7922.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "slowly but surely"
},
"options": [
"rapidly and well",
"slowly but surely",
"without any help at all",
"as a form of entertainment"
],
"question": "Mrs Hanson has gone through college_.",
"question_type": "c... | Lillan Hanson, a college junior, expects to graduate in about two years. Mrs Hanson, a rather unusual student, plans to go on to take more courses after she gets her degree. What makes Mrs Hanson different from most of her classmates?
What sets Lillian Hanson apart from the college crowd is her age-73 years. She has been going to college, a few courses at a time, for 27 years.
When Mrs Hanson graduated from high school, she went to her local bank and asked for a loan for college tuition and fees. The banker gave her no encouragement. He didn't think that country girl should be borrowing money to go to college. He thought she should be home doing work in the house or around the farm. So Mrs Hanson went home and raised a family of nine children instead of going to college. She still lives with her husband on the farm that has been in the family for five generations.
Mrs Hanson never forgot her dream of getting a higher education. When her children were grown, she tried again.
She finds the hardest part of going back to school at her age is to be sitting in class for long periods of time, because she is not as agile as she used to be. Mrs Hanson often gets up and walks around between classes to keep her joints from getting stiff. At the beginning of a course in using the computer, the other students all gave Mrs Hanson a warm round of applause when she introduced herself and explained why she was there and what her goals were. | high22411.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "there are limits to people's intelligence"
},
"options": [
"there are limits to people's intelligence",
"a baby's IQ is determined by the mother's pelvis",
"most people's hearts are not that strong to make them smarter",
... | ALMOST everyone wants to get smarter. We struggle to improve our memory, intelligence, and attention span. We drink cup after cup of coffee to help us get through the day.
However, a new study published in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science warns that there are limits to how smart humans can get, and trying to increase your thinking ability could beurisky.
Each of our body parts evolved in a certain way for a reason. For example, we are not 3 meters tall because most people's hearts are not strong enough to send blood up that high. Scientists are now saying that our thinking ability works in the same way. A baby's brain size is limited by a series of factors, such as the size of the mother's pelvis . If our brains evolved to vbe bigger, there could be more deaths during childbirth.
The study of Ashkenazi Jews , who have an average IQ much higher than other Europeans, showed that they were more likely to develop diseases of the nervous system. This might be because of their increased brainpower.
If intelligence cannot be improved, can we at least get better at concentrating? Not really, say scientists. They studied drugs like caffeine that improve attention span. They found that the drugs only helped people with serious attention problems. For those who did not have trouble paying attention, the drugs could have the opposite effect. Scientists say that this suggests there is an upper limit to how much people can or should concentrate.
Our memory is also a "double-edged sword ". People with extremely vivid memories could end up having a difficult life because they cannot forget bad things that happen to them.
Thomas Hills of the University of Warwick in the UK, one of the authors of the paper, said that considering all the problems in trying to get smarter, it's unlikely there will ever be a "supermind". | high21118.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "His father"
},
"options": [
"No one.",
"His mother",
"His parents",
"His father"
],
"question": "Whom did Alex go fishing with?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_i... | Alex stared through the cabin window at the darkness. Soon his dad would call him. And he didn't want to go. He wished he hadn't come to the lake for the weekend. "We're ready," Dad said as he came in from the porch. " Grab your rod." Alex turned away from the window and slowly picked up his fishing rod. "Have fun!" Mom said. "Sure," said Alex, trying to make his voice bright. "We should have done this before." Dad said. "Let's catch a big one!" Dad picked up his tackle box, rod, and bait can from the porch. He clicked on the flashlight.
They walked down the hill toward the lake in the narrow beam of light. The only thing Alex could see was the circle of weeds and rocks at their feet, lit by the flashlight. Insect voices filled his ears---clicks, hums, buzzes, whines. Hundreds of bugs waited in the darkness to attack. "Ow!" he blurted as he felt a sting on his arm. "Mosquitoes," Dad said. "I have brought some spray to keep them off."
When they reached the boat, Alex stumbled as he climbed over the side. "I don't like this much," he said. "It's so dark." Dad squeezed his shoulder. "Don't worry. It's not as dark as you think. After a while your eyes will get used to the night." Suddenly something rushed past Alex's head. He gasped. "What was that?" "Probably a bat," Dad said. How could Dad act as if it were nothing! "Will bats be flying around our heads the whole time?" "This is their time to be out catching insects," Dad explained. "They won't hurt you. They're too busy grabbing dinner." He pushed the boat off the gravel and jumped in. Alex gazed back at the cabin. A square of light from the window glowed in the darkness.
Dad rowed to the middle of the lake and stopped. "We'll just let the boat drift. Keep the flashlight in the bottom of the boat. The fish won't bite if they see light flashing around. When we've done baiting our hooks , we'll turn the light off." Leaning down to get closer to the light, Alex tried to thread a worm on his hook, but he couldn't seem to work his fingers right. So what if the worm was only partly on the hook? He didn't want to fish anyway. He didn't even want to be there. | high19487.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because the two cars were so alike that she mistook it."
},
"options": [
"Because the two cars were so alike that she mistook it.",
"Because wanted to test the keys to her daughter's car.",
"Because her daughter told her to d... | Woman Uses Daughter's Key to "Steal" Car
Charlie Vansant, a college student of Athens, Ohio, who reported that his car was stolen, got a surprise when he learned that a woman had mistaken it for her daughter's car and driven it home--using her key.
Kate Anderson became an accidental "car thief" when picking up her daughter's car near an Ohio University building last week. Anderson found the Toyota Camry and used her daughter's car key to unlock the car, start the engine and drove it home--without realizing that the car didn't belong to her daughter.
When Charlie Vansant left class a short time later, he found only an empty parking spot. He first assumed the car had been towed , but when the police couldn't find a record of it, then they took a theft report.
That morning, after Anderson drove the car home, her daughter discovered the Camry in the driveway wasn't hers. Anderson said she was able to find Vansant's name on the paperwork in the glove compartment and look up his phone number on the website for the university.
When Anderson told Charlie the car was in her driveway, "It sounded really suspicious at first, as if she wanted to hold the thing for ransom ," said Vansant. He eventually went to the house with a police officer, where he was reunited with his car. According to the police report, the case was closed "because of mistaken car identity", and Anderson wasn't charged.
Vansant blamed the car company more than the "thief". "Her key fit not only my lock, but my ignition as well--so high-five for Toyota, I guess," he said. (307 words) | high18941.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Reflections on Bad Behaviors and Situations"
},
"options": [
"The Importance of Understanding Each Other",
"Keep Peace and Calm in Times of Emergency",
"Reflections on Bad Behaviors and Situations",
"How to Deal with Ba... | The other day I was really annoyed by a friend's behavior, and when I told my best friend Terry about it, he laughed and said, " But Jenny, you do that all the time!" Well, that surprised me and set me laughing as well. Terry was absolutely correct. The very thing I had been annoyed at my friend for was a reflection of my own behavior.
Almost all of us have experienced something like this at some time. When we find ourselves upset or annoyed by situations or by the behaviors of others, it is usually because they are mirroring something in ourselves that we subconsciously know, and we are ready to look at _ and make a change.
Understanding this is an important part of self-growth. When we become aware of the characteristics or behaviors we dislike in others, it may be because we are displaying those features in others in order for us to see and deal with them in ourselves. For example, if we need to learn to control our own habit of using sarcasm , then we will attract very sarcastic people to us. And we will continue to do so until our lesson in regard to sarcasm is learned.
Recognizing these mirrors helps us do two very important things. It helps us to accept ourselves fully, not just the parts we are happy with. And secondly, it helps us to become more caring and able to love others just as they are. After all, they are only showing us what we do ourselves. Who knows? We could very well be mirrors for them, too. | high2682.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "she believed it had a curing effect ks5u"
},
"options": [
"she was tired of Indian tea ks5u",
"she had a son working in China. ks5u",
"she believed it had a curing effect ks5u",
"she was fond of Chinese products, ... | When I was going home to India last year, I called up my mother to ask if she wanted anything from China. ks5. When India had not opened up its markets to the world, I carried suitcase loads of dark glasses and jeans. Thankfully, we can get all these anywhere in India now. ks5uStill, her answer surprised me:"Green tea!" kAs long as I can remember she didn't even drink Indian tea. ks5u
I dutifully bought a big packet of Longjing and headed home to hear the story. My mother and her brother, both regular newspaper readers, believed that Chinese green tea was the wonder drug for all illnesses ks5u
At the turn of the century, China was not really familiar to the average Indian. It was a strange country.. How things change! And how soon!s5uNow every town of any size seems to have a "China Market". And everyone is talking about China ks5u
The government of India has planned to send a team to China to see how things are done. A minister once said that India must open the doors for more foreign investment and such a step would "work wonders as it did for China". ks5u
But it's a two-way street, I just heard about a thousand Shenzhen office workers who have gone to Rangalore to train in software. Meanwhile, all the IT majors are setting up a strong presence in China, ks5u
No wonder that trade, which was only in the millions just ten years ago, is expected to his about US $15 billion for last year and US $20 billion by 2008, a goal set by both governments.
No wonder, my colleague wrote some weeks ago about this being the Sino-Indian century as the two countries started on January I the Sino-Indian Friendship Year, ks5u
But what is still a wonder to me is my mother drinking Chinese tea. ks5u | high20206.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "people can call them if they want more information."
},
"options": [
"people can call them if they want more information.",
"all the ads offer their phone numbers and websites to readers.",
"sports lovers are interested in th... | Center Stage
Center Stage is a music and drama group for ages 12--16.Our aim is to build confidence Through movement and music.A11 ages work together to perform at the end of each term for families and friends.
Working with our bodies and vices helps develop awareness of ourselves, physical and emotional intelligence and builds confidence in our relationships with others. Having fun, learning new skills,meeting friends--that is Center Stage.
For further information please contact 01454851938 or see our website at www.centerstagebristol.co.uk.
The Therapy Space
"Inattentive.""Poor handwriting.""Lazy.""Can't sit still"."Dull."
Some of these terms may be how your parents and teachers or other people view you. You may wonder why you seem slow at schoo1 and have difficulty with organization,handwriting,sitting still and concentrating.
The Therapy Space can help you understand yourself from a new angle. We help you understand and deal with the root causes behind your behaviors.
At The Therapy Space in South Bristol the specialist will assess and treat you in a fantastic,fun --filled environment. Teens beg to return to schools! Parents have told us it is the best present they have given to their child and themselves. "We have seen such a difference since coming to see you,and school is now being much more understanding after reading your very helpful report. We can't thank yon enough."
Call Linda & Annie for friendly advice on telephone:01179079189.
The prefix = st1 /ActionCenterski race team is looking for more keen and enthusiastic and experienced skiers to join their team. Having three highly experienced coaches to develop the potential of members of the team, we are currently looking into arranging races against other race teams.Whoever wants to join us must be able to ski to an intermediate level and know how to have fun While skiing.The Center is situated in Churchill A38 south of Bristol Airport.Contact 01934852335 | high16987.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "free his emotions"
},
"options": [
"free his emotions",
"hold back his feelings",
"fill his world with positive ideas",
"give in to tragedy and all opposing forces"
],
"question": "When following the Upward Path... | In the face of tragedy,you must of course let yourself feel: Cry without holding back, shake with fear, yell out in anger, accept and follow your feelings. This is part of the wise approach to tragedy: The Upward Path --the feeling of emotions, the acceptance of them, and the coupling of the emotional mind with wisdom. Along this path, you'll take the experience --no matter how sad or upsetting --as a learning event, just as a11 other points on your journey will prove to be. While tragic, you must recognize this is still a chance for all involved to grow. You should let both sadness and joy, fear and courage, dark and light fill your world, and learn to find your steady, calm center in the midst of the opposing forces. This is the Upward Path. Use the event as a chance to gain balance and discover wisdom --the wisdom of love and of letting go, of non-attachment and non-resistance, and using this experience to eventually help others in need of guidance.
Being able to relate to others who have also experienced tragedy and inspire in them hope -- of recovery, and of moving forward --is perhaps the greatest gift you can receive from tragedy. Turn the negative into positive, the pain into connection. After you've taken appropriate time to be sad, to feel your own pain, you should make it your work,your goal, your purpose to connect with others who need help. Show them how you've experienced feelings, achieved
balance,and gained wisdom that you would never have otherwise had the chance to learn.
FEEL, but do not FEED on tragedy. Rather, let it inspire you to go beyond the person who you were before. With demise comes renewal, so let this loss be also your rebirth. No matter how hopeless it seems, no matter how difficult this becomes, you have the power to transform yourself into someone greater than you ever knew you could be. | high5106.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "provide proof of identity, marriage and educational background"
},
"options": [
"finish and pass a Road Ready course",
"pass a knowledge test on the road rules and safe driving practices",
"provide proof of identity, marriage... | Do many people you know drive a car? How do you get a license to drive a car in your hometown? Head the following handbook and you will find out how to get a learner License and how to drive safely in Australia.
About your Learner License
To prepare new and young drivers for the complex task of driving, all learner driver applicants must successfully complete a special "Road Ready" course to qualify for their Licenses.
About the Road Ready Course
In the Road Ready course, you will take part in exercises to help raise awareness of the complexities of safe driving.You will he assessed on your level of participation and understanding of the topics.The final stage of the course is computerized, multiple choice road rules knowledge test.
The course is conducted over several sessions and takes up to 15 hours to complete.
Obtaining a Learner License
Any person aged 15 years and 9 months or more may apply for a Learner License to drive a car. The Learner License is valid for 24 months but must be held for a minimum of six months.The driver must attain the age of 17 years before attempting a practical driving test.
To obtain a Learner License an applicant must:
*Provide proof of identity, age and residence.
*Complete and pass a Road Ready course.
*Pass a knowledge test on the road rules and safe driving practices.
*Pass an eyesight test.
When driving, learner drivers must be accompanied by a person holding a FULL license.Learner plates must be displayed on the front and the back of the vehicle while it is being driven by the learner.
Drive and Survive, Avoid Driver Fatigue
Driving when you are fatigued can be deadly.30% of single vehicle crashes in country areas involve
a fatigued driver.
For long trips over 2 hours:
*Have plenty of rest breaks at least every two hours.Have a coffee break or walk around and stretch your muscles.
*Slay somewhere overnight if it's a really long distance.
*Don't drive when you would normally be asleep.
*Get a good night's sleep before the trip.
*Share the driving.
*Take a passenger who will chat and keep you alert.
*Don't drink and drive.Before and during the trip eat properly, avoid any alcohol and don't take medicine that may cause tiredness.
*When you feel sleepy, stop and sleep.
Remember that you can become drowsy even on short trips.If you have been working or partying hard, avoid driving if possible. | high17441.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The whole mankind becomes extinct"
},
"options": [
"The whole world becomes extremely cold",
"All the coastal cities in Africa are destroyed",
"The visit of the comet results in wars",
"The whole mankind becomes extinct... | In July 1994 Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, was struck by 21 pieces of a comet . When the fragments landed in the southern part of the giant planet, the explosions were watched by scientists here on earth. But what if our own planet was hit by a comet?
The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two fragments will probably hit the southern part of the Earth. The news has caused panic.
On 17 July, a fragment four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere with a huge explosion. About half of the fragment is destroyed. But the major part survives and hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and an enormous wave is created and spreads. The wall of water rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometres an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned. The wave moves into the Indian Ocean and heads towards Asia.
Millions of people are already dead in the southern part of the Earth, but the north won't escape for long. Tons of broken pieces are thrown into the atmosphere by the explosions. As the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later civilization has collapsed. No more than 10 million people have survived.
Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a space fragment. The dinosaurs couldn't survive in the cold climate that followed and they became extinct. Will we meet the same end? | high4218.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "environment"
},
"options": [
"politics",
"environment",
"economy",
"war"
],
"question": "What did the speaker mainly talk about?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
... | Hello, I'm Severn Suzuki speaking for E.C.O. -- The Environmental Children's Organization.
Coming here today, I am fighting for my future. I am here to speak for all generations to come. I am here to speak on behalf of the starving children around the world whose cries go unheard. I am here to speak for the countless animals dying across this planet because they have nowhere left to go. I am afraid to go out in the sun now because of the holes in the ozone . I am afraid to breathe the air because I don't know what chemicals are in it.
You don't know how to fix the holes in our ozone layer. You don't know how to bring back an animal now extinct. And you can't bring back forests that once grew where there is now desert. If you don't know how to fix it, please stop breaking it!
Here, you may be delegates of your governments, business people, organizers, reporters or politicians-- but really you are mothers and fathers, brothers and sister, aunts and uncles-- and all of you are somebody's child.
At school, even in kindergarten, you teach us to behave in the world. You teach us: not to fight with others, to respect others, to clean up our mess, not to hurt other creatures, to share-- not be greedy. Then why do you go out and do the things you tell us not to do?
Do not forget why you're attending these conferences, who you're doing this for-- we are your own children. You are deciding what kind of world we will grow up in. But are we even on your list of priorities? My father always says "You are what you do, not what you say."
Well, what you do makes me cry at night. You grown-ups say you love us. I challenge you, please make your actions reflect your words. Thank you for listening. | high11030.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He decided to finish 10 rounds that morning."
},
"options": [
"He worked out a plan for his future.",
"He reflected on the causes of his overweight.",
"He decided to finish 10 rounds that morning.",
"He planned to take ... | During my review for the medical boards, I gained 101 pounds in four months and promised to exercise when all of this was over. I successfully passed the medical boards and _ .
One morning, I woke up and decided to go to a park to start working out. I got out of bed, washed my face, brushed my teeth and put on my sports shoes. Then I headed for the park. While going there, I decided to set a goal for myself, that, I had to finish 10 rounds before I went home.
Upon reaching the park, I joined the people in walking around the park. I was enjoying every step, breathing in fresh air, appreciating the green grass and looking at the dried leaves falling from the trees while listening to my iPod.
On my 5th round, I felt tired, hungry and thirsty. I thought of giving it up, going home and sleeping again. As the idea battled in my mind, I was reminded about the goal I had set just a while ago. I kept on walking and as I looked around, I saw myself in the midst of men and women much older than me who continued to move on. Some even suffered from a stroke that had difficulty walking, some took on small steps with a cane on hand and some took on pauses before they continued their walk but still they kept on walking.
Suddenly I realized that each of us has set our own goals in our lives, such as reaching a dream, building up a career, correcting a past mistake or starting a business. The process won't be easy. We may encounter a lot of difficulties and obstacles that may push us to just give up.
Amazed by the men and women whom I walked with that morning, I finished my goal in the end.
Let us be inspired with the people around us who experience the same or even a greater amount of difficulty but still don't give up and continue until they reach their goals and now are savoring their success. | high3577.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He hated himself for acting as if he were working on vacation."
},
"options": [
"He was determined to enjoy the beautiful view.",
"His iPad ruined his plan of finishing a great novel.",
"He felt satisfied that he had stuck to... | Last year I ruined my summer vacation by bringing along a modern convenience that was too convenient for my own good: the iPad. Instead of looking at nature, I checked my e-mail. Instead of paddling a small boat, I followed my Twitter feed . Instead of reading great novels, I stuck to reading four newspapers each morning. I was behaving as if I were still in the office. My body was on vacation, but my head wasn't.
So this year I made up my mind to try something different: withdrawal from the Internet. I knew it wouldn't be easy, since I'm bad at self-control. But I was determined. I started by giving the iPad to my wife.
The cellphone signal at our house was worse than in the past, making my attempts at cheating an experience in frustration . I was trapped, forced to go through with my plan. Largely cut off from e-mail, Twitter and my favorite newspaper websites, I had few ways to connect to the world except for the radio--and how much radio can one listen to, really? I had to do what I had planned to do all along: read books.
This experience has had a happy ending. With determination and the strong support of my wife, I won in my vacation straggle against the Internet, realizing finally that it was I, not the iPad, that was the problem. I knew I had won when we passed a Starbucks and my wife asked if I wanted to stop to use the Wi-Fi. "I don't need it," I said.
However, as we return to post-vacation life, a harder test begins: Can I continue when I'm back at work?
There are times when the need to know what's being said right now is great. I have no intention of giving up my convenience completely. But I hope to resist the temptation to check my e-mail every five minutes, which leads to checking my Twitter feed and a website ortwo.
I think a vacation is supposed to help you reset your brain to become more productive. Here I hope this one worked. | high12539.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "to ask for grants"
},
"options": [
"to find a good job and make money",
"to borrow money from the banks",
"to ask for grants",
"to borrow money from friends"
],
"question": "In the writer's opinion, for students... | Every autumn, as families across the United States get ready to send their kids to college, the economics of higher education receive renewed attention. College is expensive and becoming more so in the U. S. The situation raises two questions: Why does it cost so much, and how can students and their families afford it?
Several studies published in the past few weeks reflect on these questions. The findings provide comfort to poor families.
First, it appears that only the minority actually pay the "high price". A study by the US Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics found that 55 percent of college students last year received some forms of help--scholarships, loans or jobs.
Other factors are also at work. The government has increased the size of its grants to lower-income students. Grants, unlike loans, don't have to he repaid and are awarded only to college students who have not earned a bachelor's or professional degree.
At the same time, most colleges are spending more on undergraduate education than they are collecting in tuition fees. A study, which is part of the Williams College Project on the Economics of Higher Education, reaches the conclusion that on average colleges "subsidize " their students. The results of these studies, however, leave unanswered the questions of whether educational costs are higher than they need to be. Some experts argue that much of the college cost results from educational competition for fame, students and facilities.
This puts upward pressure on tuition, hut many colleges feel that good fame will enable them to attract students even if they charge them more.
Therefore, until something important changes in the marketplace, costs seem likely to continue rising. And American families will continue to beat down the doors of the high price "college in the end. | high7711.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a pig eats ham because ham is made from pigs."
},
"options": [
"a pig has a picnic because pigs are dirty animals",
"a pig eats soy beans because soy beans give pigs gas",
"a pig eats ham because ham is too expensive for farm... | I might be letting my young son watch too much television. I am certainly watching too much many of his programs. They can really be puzzling as they force you to _ .
For example, when Franklin (the turtle) wanted a pet, his parents did not want it to be a frog. They felt that frogs belong in a pond. Isn't that where turtles belong? And why is it that Little Bear's animal friends can all talk and behave like people, but his friend Emily has a dog that can only bark and fetch? Tell me that isn't a mystery!
Dog lovers can be reassured (less worried or frightened) by Kipper and his friends. These dogs are very human. However, the only time they wear clothes is when they put on bathing suits to go swimming. I am confused! Speaking of dogs, could Pluto ever be Goofy's pet? I don't get it! What did the great Mr. Disney have in mind?
And this is unfair! The other day we watched a very nice little pig setting up a picnic. One of the foods was a big ham. Could it have been a soybeam ham? Is there such a thing? I hope so! Another thing that really bothers me: what if Elmo(one of my son's favorite cartoon stars) isn't real? He can't be a mere puppet ! He's got a better attitude than most people. I just keep wondering.
I think we will turn off the TV and go out for a walk. Maybe we will run into that mouse who dresses well but certainly doesn't speak as clearly as the average bear. | high1360.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Positive."
},
"options": [
"Doubtful.",
"Positive.",
"Uncaring.",
"Worried."
],
"question": "What was people's attitude towards crying over novels in the early 18th century?",
"question_type": null
},
{
... | What does it mean to cry over a book? "I'm a reader who did not weep," Ruth Graham, a well-known critic, wrote. "Does this make me heartless? Or does it make me a grown-up?"
Tears have played a surprisingly important part in the history of the novel. Readers have always asked about the role that emotion plays in reading: What does it mean to be deeply moved by a book? Which books are worthy objects of our feelings?
In different times, people answered those questions in different ways. In the early eighteenth century, when the novel was still a new form, crying was a sign of readers' virtue. "Sentimental" novels, full of touching scenes, gave readers an occasion to exercise their "finer feelings." Your tear proved that you were likely to feel the suffering of others.
At that time, sentimental novels were hugely popular, but also easy to attack. Tears, after all, had no necessary connection to actual virtue, and they could be not true As the critic John Mullan points out, by the end of the eighteenth century, the word "sentimental" had acquired a new meaning -- "addicted to low emotion" -- bringing it closer to the meaning that it has for us today.
In the nineteenth century, the meaning of tears evolved in two different directions. Some writers sought to waken "higher" feelings in their readers: Victorian sentimentalists wrote touching scenes in an effort to inspire social and political reform. However, the "sensation" novel, a different type of Victorian best-seller, showed that tears could be enjoyable in themselves. Sensation novels were the leaders of the modern thriller and mystery. Heavy on secrets, and madness, they were known for creating physical "sensations" in their readers -- trembling, a fast beating heart, and tears. But these were tears without moral purpose or effect.
Today's debate about crying while reading looks back on all of this history. The debate, in fact, is about why books matter to us, and what reading is "for." Talking about what makes us cry is a way of talking about ourselves. | high13627.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Asking questions is the only way for research."
},
"options": [
"You can find all the answers online.",
"Learn more, and you'll have no questions.",
"During the research, you may keep finding new questions.",
"Asking qu... | When you are curious about something, and want to know more about it, you can use the way of asking questions. Asking questions is the first step to make discoveries and find interesting answers. The steps below can guide you during the research.
Step 1
On a note card or piece of paper,write down the subject that you are interested in. Just get the main idea down. For example, you might write: Discover more about dinosaurs.
Step 2
Next, stop and think for a moment about what you already know about your subject. List what you already know like the sentences below:
(1)Dinosaurs lived long before human beings appeared.
(2)Dinosaurs lived on the earth for more than 150 million years.
(3)Some dinosaurs fed on plants, some on meat.
Step 3
What can you do with what you want to learn? By asking questions. On your paper,start writing down questions about the dinosaurs as you think of them:
(1)What's the best weather for dinosaurs to live in?
(2)How many kinds of dinosaurs are there?
(3)Have dinosaurs really disappeared?
Step 4
Armed with your list of questions, you can now go to the nearest library or computer to begin your research. As you learn more about your subject, you'll probably discover some new questions. For example,you might discover that dinosaurs disappeared about 65 million years ago. Why?What happened?Asking new questions can help you research your subject more widely.
The next time you find something interesting to research,take time to
organize your thinking by asking good questions. And remember--learning more always bring more questions. | high1406.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "young people"
},
"options": [
"parents",
"both parents and their children",
"young people",
"teachers"
],
"question": "This article is particularly written for _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
}... | It is natural that young people are often uncomfortable when they are with their parents. They say that their parents don't understand them. They often think that their parents are out of touch with modern ways: that that they are too serious and too strict with their children; and they seldom give their children a free hand.
It is true that parents often find it difficult to win their children's trust and they are easy to forget how they themselves felt when young.
For example, young people like to act right away without much thinking. It is one of their ways to show that they have grown up and they can face any difficult situation. Older people worry more easily. Most of them plan things ahead, at least in their minds, and do not like their plans to be upset by something unexpected.
When you want your parents to let you do something, you will have better success, if you ask before you really start doing it.
Young people often make their parents angry with their choices in clothes, in entertainment and in music. But they do not mean to cause any trouble; it is just that they feel cut off from the older people's world, into which they have not yet been accepted. That's why young people want to make a new culture of their own. And if their parents like their music of entertainment or clothes or their ways of speech, this will make young people especially happy.
Sometimes you are so proud of yourself that you do not want your parents to say "yes" to what you do. All you want is to be left alone and do what you like. It is natural enough, after being a child for so many years, when you were completely under your parents' control.
If you plan to control your life, you'd better win your parents over and try to get them to understand you. If your parents see that you have a high sense of responsibility, they will certainly give you the right to do what you want to do. | high192.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "are disfigured by accidents, burns and cancer"
},
"options": [
"are dishonorable and shameless",
"disagree with the full face transplant",
"are seriously injured by an accident",
"are disfigured by accidents, burns and ... | Full face transplants are no longer science fiction fantasy, a leading surgeon has said, adding that they are technically feasible but ethically complex.
Peter Butler from London's Royal Free Hospital called for a debate on the ethics of such an operation made possible by new drugs whichstop the body's immune system rejecting a transplanted face. "It is not 'Can we do it?' but 'Should we do it?'" he told the BBC."The technical part is not complex, but I don't think that's going to be the very great difficulty. The ethical and moral debate is obviously going to have to take place before the first facial transplantation."
The British Association of Plastic Surgeons will discuss the microsurgical procedure , which could give new skin, bone, noses, chin, lips and ears from _ donors to patients disfigured by accidents, burns or cancer. But surgeons could have trouble finding enough willing donors. prefix = st1 /Butlersaid his survey of doctors, nurses and members of the public showed most would accept a face transplant but few were willing to donate their own after dying.
Despite a number of ethical concerns, Christine Piff, who founded the charity Let's Face It after suffering a rare facial cancer 25 years ago, welcomed the possibility of face transplants. She rejected the idea that the procedure would mean people would end up living with a dead person's face. "There are so many people without faces, I have half a face... but we are all so much more than just a face... you don't take on their personality. You are still you," she told reporters. "If we can donate other organs of the body, then why not the face? I can't see anything wrong with it." | high23082.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "equal or more than eight hours"
},
"options": [
"equal or more than eight hours",
"seven hours or so",
"Eight hours or so",
"Less than eight hours"
],
"question": "We know from the passage _ is enough for the ... | Enough sleep is important to health. The amount of sleep needed depends on the age of the person and the conditions in which sleep takes place. The young may need more sleep than the old, but usually eight hours are enough for the health of grown-ups. Some can do with less than this amount, but others may need more. Every person knows his own need. It is then a matter of good judgment to satisfy his need. Sleep should always be enough to make one bring back his strength and get ready for a day's work.
Fresh air is necessary to sound sleep. It is not without reason for some people to think that it is practicable to sleep in the open air. When one can keep himself warm, out-of-door sleeping probably gives the body its most complete relaxation .
Ability to sleep is largely a habit. The conditions referred to only lead to sleep. Out-of-door exercises, a good habit of regular hours and the avoidance of late eating and worry, which are largely within the control of any person, are all helpful to sound sleep.
A bath at bedtime, neither hot nor cool but of body temperature, may be helpful to sleep. Sleep-producing drug should never be taken except when suggested by a doctor. | high6369.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Safety of overweight airplane passengers"
},
"options": [
"The size of airplane seats and seat belts",
"Safety of overweight airplane passengers",
"Airplane crashes involving commercial planes",
"A medical problem cause... | On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that 42% of Americans could be overweight by 2030.Our expanding waistlines lead to not only a medical problem, but according to a recent article in The New York Times, it could also endanger personal safety in some situations-in an airplane crash, for example.
The New York Times' Christine Negroni reports that engineers and scientists are questioning whether airplane seats are adequately constructed to protect overweight travelers. Government standards for airplane seat strength -first set more than 60 years ago---require that the seats be made for a passenger weighing 170 pounds(77kg).Today, the average American man weighs nearly 194 pounds(88kg) and the average woman 165 pounds(75kg).Negroni reports:
"If a heavier person completely fills a seat ,the seat is not likely to behave as intended during a crash,"Robert Salzar,the leading scientist at the Center for Applied Biomechanics at the University of Virginia. "The energy absorption(,) that is built into the aircraft seat is likely to be overpowered and the passengers will not be protected properly".
"Nor would the injury be limited to that passenger only," Dr. Salzar said. "If a seat or a seat belt fails,"he said, "those people who are seated nearby could be endangered from the uncontrolled movements of the passenger."
Most complaints about airplane seats focus on their lack of comfort and high ticket price, and whether overweight passengers should be made to buy two seats. But The New York Times' article bring up another reason to feel anxious about flying. Investigators of the issue got in touch with the airplane seat and seat belt makers, but they refused to comment on the problem.Experts agreed that crash testing should be done with overweight dummies .Both airplane seats and seat belts should be tested, _ said.
Fortunately, however, according to Nora Marshall, a senior adviser at the National Transportation Safety Board, the board's investigators have never seen an accident involving a commercial plane in which the weight of a passenger was a problem. | high8344.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Japan"
},
"options": [
"Japan",
"Italy",
"Canada",
"the United States"
],
"question": "Based on this passage, the greatest percentage of TV broadcasting hours to educational is in _ .",
"question_type":... | When the TV viewer turns on his set, what sort of programs does he have to choose from? You might think there would be more programs devoted to entertainment than to anything else, but that's not the case. In most countries, fewer than 20% of broadcasting hours are devoted to entertainment. U.S. figures are high----34.8% , and the unloving Canadians are even higher with 44%. Except Canada and Italy, all countries give more broadcasting time to education than to either information (news , documentaries and so on) or entertainment programs. Of course, few educational broadcasts take place during peak viewing times. In Japan though , more than 60%of broadcasting time is taken up with education of one kind of anther----just another example of the businesslike Japanese philosophy. In the U.K., the figure is 56.4% . the Italians have fewer educational programs than anyone else. They don't go in for entertainment either. Only about ten percent of viewing time is devoted to dramas and serials, quiz shows, music, sports etc. You will find more news information programs on Italian TV than anything else. That's understandable in a country experiencing social and political changes. Italians rely on TV to tell them what's going on---and events are happening almost too fast to follow. The percentage of time the U.S. devoted to news and documentary programs is much smaller. After education, most TV time is given to entertainment. Many of these programs are shown around the world. | high15530.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Keep one's anger inside."
},
"options": [
"Forget one's anger.",
"Express one's anger openly.",
"Treat one's anger calmly and reasonably.",
"Keep one's anger inside."
],
"question": "What does the phrase repress... | Doctors say anger can be an very harmful emotion unless you learn how to deal with it. They warn that angry feelings can lead to heart disease, stomach problems, headaches, emotional problems and possibly cancer.
Anger is a normal emotion that we all feel from time to time. Some people express anger openly in a calm reasonable way. Others burst with anger, losing control of themselves. But other people repress their anger. They cannot or will not express it.
For years many doctors thought that repressing anger was more dangerous to a person's health than expressing it. They said that when a person is angry, the brain gives off the same hormones that are produced during tense situations. They speed the heart rate, raise blood pressure, or sugar into the blood and narrow the blood vessels to the interstices . In general, the person feels excited and ready to act.
Doctors said that repressing these feelings only makes the feelings continue. And this can lead to many medical problems. Doctors thought a person could prevent these problems by letting the anger out by expressing it freely. But recently some doctors held a different view. They said that people who express anger repeatedly and violently did become, in fact, more and not less angry.
They said this,too,can cause medical problems.
Some doctors say that both repressing and expressing anger can be dangerous. They believe that those who express anger violently may be more likely to develop heart disease, and they believe that those who keep their anger inside may face a greater danger of high blood pressure.
Doctors say the solution is learning how to deal with anger. They say the first step is to admit that you are angry and to recognize the real cause of the anger, and then decide if the cause is serious. If it is, they say: "Do not express your anger while angry. Wait until your anger has cooled down and you are able to express yourself calmly and reasonably. " | high7077.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "In newspapers."
},
"options": [
"In research reports.",
"In newspapers.",
"In science fictions.",
"In book reviews."
],
"question": "Where can people most probably find the article?",
"question_type": "facti... | Visitors were still paying 20 yuan to hug Lele and have their photos taken yesterday despite a ban that forbids any such sontact with a wild animal. The ban was introduced more than a week ago.
"The city zoo broke the law and should be prohibited," said an official at the State Forestry Administration.
The administration notice last Monday clearly bans contact with wild or captive animals, the abuse of wild or captive animals for performance purposes and any improper business related to wild animal products.
"Close contact with the chimp is the only bit that breaks the ban and we will end that soon," said Beijing Zoo spokeswoman Ye Minxia yesterday.
"The chimpanzee performance can't stopped overnight as we have a contract with a company scheduled to terminate at the end of this year," she said.
"The zoo is negotiating with the company in the hope of terminating it sooner," Ye said. She refused to answer directly whether the chimp photo sessions were still ongoing yesterday, instead, saying. "It's very likely we will cancel it tomorrow."
Zoo staff confirmed photos were taken yesterday, one employee saying 2-year-old Lele "works" form 10am to 3pm daily, according to the Leagl Mirror.
Such activities not only damage the mental and physical health of the animals, but also risk the safety of visitors, according to the official website of the State Forestry Administration where the notice was released.
"A pet male chimpanzee bit and attacked 55-year-old Chala Nash, causing serious injuries to her face, neck and hands at her friend's home in Stamfor, Connecticut on February 16th last year," CNN reported. The friend, Sandra Herold, called the police, who shot 14-year-old Travis many times after he also attacked an officer."
"Putting a blue T-shirt on a wild animal and training it to bare its teeth and parade for visitors might not enhance that already-troubled image of Chinese animal protection," the State Forestry official warned. "Some zoos even hit animals and promote themselves with commercials involving animal abuse, " he said.
"Too much focus on the profits too often results in improper treatment of animals, contributing to their early and unnatural deaths," the notice stated. | high11756.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he believed people would enjoy trying something new"
},
"options": [
"an art exhibition was about to open",
"he wanted to make a name for the small town",
"he believed people would enjoy trying something new",
"more hot... | Holidaymakers who are bored with baking beaches and overheated hotel rooms head for a big igloo. Swedish businessman Nile Bergqvist is delighted with his new hotel, the world's first igloo hotel. Built in a small town in Lapland, it has been attracting lots of visitors, but soon the fun will be over.
In two weeks' time Bergqvist's ice creation will be nothing more than a pool of water. "We don't see it as a big problem," he says. "We just look forward to replacing it."
Bergqvist built his first igloo in 1991 for an art exhibition. It was so successful that he designed the present one, which measures roughly 200 square meters. Six workmen spent more than eight weeks piling 1,000 tons of snow onto a wooden base; when the snow froze, the base was removed. "The only wooden thing we have left in the igloo is the front door," he says.
After their stay, all visitors receive a survival certificate recording their success. With no windows, nowhere to hang clothes and temperatures below 0degC, it may seem more like a survival test than a relaxing hotel break. "It's great fun," Bergqvist explains, "As well as a good start in survival training."
The popularity of the igloo is beyond doubt: it is now attracting tourists from all over the world. At least 800 people have stayed at the igloo this season even though there are only 10 rooms. "You can get a lot of people in," explains Bergqvist. "The beds are three meters wide by two meters long, and can fit at least four at one time." | high3211.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "helped his team win five games in a row"
},
"options": [
"became the focus of the whole world",
"helped his team win five games in a row",
"got a career-high 38 points against New York Knicks",
"caught a high fever and ... | What a week it's been for Jeremy Lin!
With five breakout games, the Taiwanese-American has become the NBA's newest playmaking sensation .
In the New York Knicks' 92-85 win over the Los Angles Lakers last Saturday, Lin had 38 points--a record high in his career so far. And a day later, he led the Knicks to their fifth straight victory , 100-98, to Minnesota Timberwolves. In his earlier games, Lin, 23, had 23 points against the Washington, 25 points against New Jersey and 28 more against Utah in his first start.
No doubt, Lin fever is starting to spread. If you haven't caught it yet, get ready, because it's coming, as the Knicks depends on the rising star for their final victory.
Before graduating from high school in Palo Alto, California, Lin sent his basic personal information to all the Ivy League Schools. He only got into Harvard and Brown, and he chose Harvard. In 2010, Lin graduated with a degree in economics .
After graduating from Harvard, Lin wasn't accepted by any NBA team. Later, he started off on the Golden State Warriors. Lin first signed with the Warriors in July, 2010, but hardly played in games before the start of the fourth quarter. His first time on the court for the Warriors scored several points in just eleven minutes.
New York Knicks has been in need of a dependable point guard and to Mike D'Antoni, the Knicks coach who is going through a hard season, Lin is a most unexpected valuable player. "Lin just does everything easy and the rest of the players around him are playing the way we want to play," D'Antoni said. "I think it's serious, and it can only get better." | high21695.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A player won't succeed without a team's support."
},
"options": [
"A player's success is decided by his / her individual efforts.",
"A player won't succeed without a team's support.",
"A player will succeed sooner or later.",... | Steve Nash enjoys team success far more than personal success, and always wants to share the glory and the joy with teammates.
He is a self-effacing Canadian, who grew up in hockey country. Today Steve Nash has to stand alone even if he doesn't enjoy it. The Phoenix Sun's point guard has to take ownership of a set of skills that sets him apart from every bigger, faster basketball player. He is considered the best basketball player in the game.
31-year old Nash was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the NBA on May 8, 2005. "It's unbelievable," he said. "It's been a long road for me and I really enjoy playing as a team, just trying to be a good teammate. That is the only way for me to highlight what I do as a basketball player."
It is the first time a Canadian has won any individual NBA honor. Of the 50 winners of the MVP award, only six have been guards: Steve Nash, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and Bob Cousy. "I'm happy for him getting the MVP, which makes us feel like we all got the MVP," said Phoenix forward Shawn Marion.
He may be the only one who truly believes he can reach this level. "I always try to set goals for myself and have my own time frame to accomplish them and I never give up on anything," he said. It is not as if Nash arrived at this point without countless hours of hard work.
His interests go far beyond sports and the NBA. His social conscience is such that he wore a T-shirt bearing an anti-war slogan at the NBA all-star weekend festivities in Philadelphia in 2002.
"A lot of great moments are when you win games with your teammates. There's nothing like sharing something with someone else," he said. "There is a pinnacle of a player's career individually. In many ways, the pinnacle of a player's career really is defined by team wins." | high5660.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "strong"
},
"options": [
"beautiful.",
"hard",
"thin.",
"strong"
],
"question": "Why does Colleen Pulliam show her biceps? She wants to prove that she is_.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"a... | Playing basketball isn't a sport for women.That's what Jewell Chapman's high school headmaster told her in 1961 when he forbade the girls to play basketball."We were very sad,"said Chapman,a player for her high school team of Des Moines.
Nearly 50 years later,Chapman is back on the basketball playground.She is 62 years old and plays for the Hot Pink Grannies,joining about 10 other women on a team whose uniforms are black trousers and hot pink socks.They play in the Iowa Granny Basketball League.
It is one of the twelve of basketball leagues for women over 50 that have spread up across the country.For some, it's an opportunity to exercise and socialize;for others,it's a once-refused chance to compete."You see more and more senior women's teams taking part in state and national competitions,"said Michael Rogers,a professor in sports studies at Wichita State University."In the future it will be a common thing to have leagues like this."
Yearly researches by the National Sporting Goods Association show the number of women of 55 and older who play basketball at least 50 times a year has grown from 16,000 in 1995 to nearly 131,000 ten years later.
The women on the Hot Pink Grannies are good-natured but they are competitive when game time comes."I think I'm tough,"says Hot Pink Granny Colleen Pulliam, 69, showing her biceps in a game against the Strutters, known for their bright yellow socks.
Granny Basketball Leagues and similar groups are scattered through much of the country, including California,Connecticut, Louisiana,New Mexico,North Carolina,Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. | high17327.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Bottled water is more convenient than water from the tap."
},
"options": [
"Bottled water is better than water from the tap.",
"Bottled water is cheaper than water from the tap.",
"Bottled water contains beneficial chemicals ... | Drinking Water: Bottled or From the Tap?
In America, people will include a case or two of bottled water when buying the week's groceries. When they are going to a soccer game or activity, it's common for them to grab a cold bottle of water out of the fridge with them.In fact, Americans buy more bottled water than any other nation in the world, about 29 billion bottles a year.
But all these plastic bottles use a lot of fossil fuels and pollute the environment.In order to make all the 29 billion bottles, producers use 17 million barrels of crude oil, which is enough to keep a million cars going for 12 months.
So why don't people drink water straight from the tap? Some people have a strong belief that bottled water is better than water out of the tap, but that's not necessarily true.In the US, the local governments make sure water from the tap is safe.There is also growing concern that chemicals in the bottles themselves may go into the water.
People love the convenience of bottled water.But maybe if they realized the problems it causes, they would try drinking from a glass at home or carrying water in a reusable steel container instead of plastic.
Some argue that plastic bottle recycling can help.Recycled bottles can be turned into items like carpeting or clothing.Unfortunately, only one in six bottles is recycled.The rest make it to landfills or end as trash in other places.Plastic bottles take hundreds of years for them to _ .
Water is important for you, so keep drinking it.But think about how often you use water bottles, and see if you can make a change.
And yes, you can make a difference.Remember this: Recycling one plastic bottle can save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for six hours. | high3205.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Sherlock Holmes."
},
"options": [
"Easy Street.",
"Making a Living.",
"The Gold Rush.",
"Sherlock Holmes."
],
"question": "Which of the following is NOT a Charlie Chaplin film?",
"question_type": null
},
... | Charlie Chaplin was one of the greatest and most widely loved silent movie stars. From Easy Street (1917) to Modern Times (1936), he made many of the funniest and most popular films of his time. He is best known for his character "the little tramp ". It is this kind-hearted character that we connect with the time of silent movies.
Born in London in 1889, Chaplin first visited America with a theater company in 1907. Appearing as Billy in the play Sherlock Holmes, the young Chaplin toured the country twice. On his second tour, he met Mack Sennett and was signed to Keystone Studios to act in films. In 1914, Chaplin made his first short film, Making a Living. That same year, he made thirty-four more short films. These early silent shorts allowed very little time for anything but physical comedy, and Chaplin was extremely good at it.
Chaplin was known as one of the most demanding men in Hollywood. No matter how big or tiny the size of the part, Chaplin walked each actor through every scene. Chaplin knew that a successful scene wasn't simply about the star, but about everyone on the screen. He required that all the actors and actresses work together in every performance. The only way to achieve it was to keep complete control over every scene. As he became more popular, he used more and more creative and difficult filming techniques. Movies such as his 1925 hit, The Gold Rush, required endless reworking of scenes and rebuilding of sets.
Though Chaplin is of the silent movie era, his achievements were carried over into the films of today. His strictness and concern for the processes of acting and directing made his films great and led the way to a new and more wonderful cinema.
Chaplin's working life in entertainment lasted over 75 years, from the Victorian stage and the music hall in the United Kingdom as a child performer, until close to his death at the age of 88. | high18000.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "he didn't have much mail"
},
"options": [
"he didn't have much mail",
"he had nothing else to do",
"he didn't know how to read mail",
"he was forced to do that"
],
"question": "The writer used to read all his e-... | I am an e-mail user.When I first started to use the e-mail system. I used to read all my e-mail.I didn't have much mail.1 was very excited about receiving any e-mail.I gave my friends my e-mail address.Soon I had more mail than 1 wanted.Some of the mail was junk mail.1 was worried.I didn't want my mail to control me.
I've tried some methods to help me get control of my mail.First,I check my mail at the same time every day.Also I try to allow myself only 15-20 minutes every day to process my e-mail.This doesn't always work,but I try.Sometimes I save the messages.Sometimes I just read them,maybe answer a few,and then delete them.Sometimes I'm not at all interested in a message,so I don't even open it.I delete it right away.This is very much the way I go through the mail that the postal service delivers to my home.
These methods are very simple.I have some friends who are very clever with computers.From time to time, _ teach me new tricks for managing my e-mail.I've also learned to transfer some messages to a disk so they don't fill up my mail files .Then I can read them later and maybe use them in my work.I'm still amazed at what e-mail can do for me! I'm still worried,however,about having too much to read. | high186.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "helped him show conviction"
},
"options": [
"made him set a goa",
"supplied him with new clothes",
"gave him financial support",
"helped him show conviction"
],
"question": "The writer was grateful to Coach Jarv... | The Price of a Dream
I grew up poor. We had little money, but plenty of love and attention. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, they could still afford a dream. My dream was athletics.
By the time I was sixteen, I was good at baseball and football. My high-school coach was Ollie Jarvis. He not only believed in me, but taught me the difference between having a dream and showing conviction .
One summer a friend recommended me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket -- cash for dates with girls, certainly, money for a new bike and new clothes, and the start of savings for a house for my mother.
Then I realized I would have to give up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn't be playing. I was dreading this, but my mother said: " _ "
When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as mad as I expected him to be. "Your playing days are limited. You can't afford to waste them," he said.
I stood before him with my head hanging, trying to think of the words that would explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house.
"How much are you going to make at this job, son?" he demanded.
"Three twenty-five an hour," I replied.
"Well," he asked, "is $3.25 an hour the price of a dream?"
That question laid bare for me the difference between wanting something right now and having a goal. I devoted myself to sports that summer, and within the year I was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play rookie-league ball, and offered a $20,000 contract. I signed with the Denver Broncos in 1984 for $1.7 million, and bought my mother the house of my dream. | high13155.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "foldable structure"
},
"options": [
"big size",
"light weight",
"beautiful appearance",
"foldable structure"
],
"question": "The most important character of this kind of bike is its _ .",
"question_typ... | Zipped into a bag, it looks like a large umbrella. Unfolded, it goes along the street like any other bicycle.
It's the "A-bike", the brainchild of British inventor Sir Clive Sinclair, who made history in the 1970s by developing the world's first pocket calculator. He described his new invention as "the world's smallest, lightest foldable bicycle".
"My original thought was that if you could have a bicycle that was dramatically lighter and more firm than the ones that exist today, it would change the way in which bicycles are used,"said Sinclair.
The mini-bike, showed in Singapore last week and set to go on sale worldwide in 2005 at a price of nearly US$300, is built for riders as heavy as 112 kilograms and is height-adjustable . It takes about 20 seconds to fold or unfold.
Its wheels are a quarter the size of those on a regular bicycle, but Sinclair promises a smooth ride for most cyclists. "You require no extra energy to ride the A-bike and it can go up to 15 miles per hour (24 kilometers per hour)," he said. Constructed mainly of plastic, the 5.5-kilogram bicycle folds into a package of less than 0.03 cubic meters .
Sinclair also invented the first pocket TV in 1984 and the futuristic C5 electric tricycle in 1985. He said he hoped the bicycle would attract common citizens, officials, campers or anyone needing transport for a short trip and he said the next step for the A-bike was to add an electric motor in a few years. | high15524.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a newspaper"
},
"options": [
"a book",
"a literature works",
"a newspaper",
"a fiction"
],
"question": "The text is most probably taken from _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer":... | What are you reading? (A3)
How do your reading habits compare to those of students of a similar age? We ran a poll to discover what, when, where and why teens read.
Literary greats(A4-7)
People have been telling stories for centuries. We profile eight authors, whose work has made a great contribution both to literature and the world as a whole. Have you read any of their books?
Teen reading(A8-10)
Not all books are written by adults for adults. The market for books aimed at young adults is very strong and many new titles are published each year. Some of them are even written by teenagers.
Science fiction (A11)
Have you ever thought what it would be like to travel in space or meet _ ? Jules Verne and Douglas Adams did. It's time to explore the world of science fiction, where anything and everything can happen.
Horror(A12)
You'll want to sleep with the light on after reading a story by Edgar Allan Poe or Stephen King. They are two of the finest fiction writers. Get ready for unpleasant deaths and frightening ghosts .
_ (A13)
Don't have time to read a whole book? Then why not spend a few minutes with a book of poetry? We have selected some poems that celebrate the winter season--white snow, cold weather and Christmas.
Past and present(A14)
Over the centuries, stories have been written on all kinds of things. Find out about the development of paper and printing----and what books will look like in the future.
Join in the fun(A15--16)
Reading is enjoyed by almost everyone. Here are some activities you can do to make it even more fun. You can also try our special literature quiz. | high8350.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "making good use of his natural talent"
},
"options": [
"his great given talent",
"making good use of his natural talent",
"learning from others",
"his favorable conditions"
],
"question": "In the writer's opinio... | Mozart was a great man born with a given talent. He was writing songs at the age of five and performing before the queen by the time he was six years old. Early on, Mozart realized what his talents were, practiced or honed what he was born to do and used his natural abilities to create amazing pieces of music.
Mozart was not the first to be born with natural talents and he wasn't the last. We all have them. We only need to discover what they are and use them to the best of our abilities. You have been given amazing gifts that are meant to be shared with the world. Your job is to find out what those talents are and master them.
Finding your natural talents may not be an easy task. Perhaps your parents except fewer wouldn't approve of your artistic ability to paint or sing, because they want you to be a successful doctor or lawyer. Maybe your gift wouldn't seem to have the ability to bring the kind of wealth you hope. These may be excuses; it's up to you. Have you ever noticed that when you engage in an activity in which you are naturally talented, you feel active and excited? That's a sign that these are the things you should do. Discover your brilliance in life and practice, practice, practice.
Look at the world's greatest athletes. They practice what they're naturally good at, and what they love. You don't see Jordan sitting trying to study DNA. If that was something he was talented at, that's what he would be doing. But it's not. He's a brilliant athlete. He sticks to what he does best and he realizes his dream.
There are only two steps to success--discover your brilliance and perfect it. | high22388.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "she lacked concern and care."
},
"options": [
"She lived with her mother for 14 years.",
"She married young and brought up a baby.",
"she lacked concern and care.",
"She couldn't stand her father's rules."
],
"q... | Since 2004,Time magazine has six times made a survey to name the l00 most influential people in the world.Only one person has appeared on it for six times, Oprah Winfrey.
Born in l954 in Mississippi,Oprah Winfrey spent her early years living in poverty with her grandmother and later her absent mother, followed by unfair treatment by her unfriendly relatives.Worse still,she was addicted to drugs and at the young age of l4,she gave birth to a baby, who died after a few months.Finally she was sent to live with her strict father in Tennessee. Amazingly though,her father's rules did make sure she received a good education and finally overcame her problems.
Oprah's media career began at age l7.She became the co-author of local news in Baltimore in her early 20's.Her first local talk show, People Are Talking, was first performed in l978,when she was 24.
In l986,Oprah moved to Chicago to host a low-rated half-hour morning talk show, AM Chicago.Oprah talks like a family member in your and my house.Within months she took over,the show became the highest-rated talk show in Chicago.It was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Only two years after hosting the show, she was able to set up her own production company Harpo, and buy the full rights to The Oprah Winfery Show.She is also involved in magazine publishing,books,education and a lifestyle channel for women with the aim of improving people's lives, inspiring and praising good honest values,making the world a better place for present and future generations.
As her business grew, so did her wealth and power, and she became the first ever black billionaire in 2003 and the most powerful woman in media broadcasting.The amazing influence she has over a large part of the American public means that anything she promotes on her shows is guaranteed to succeed. | high7063.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To show why Tom Ford is the world's greatest fashion designer."
},
"options": [
"To describe the career of Tom Ford.",
"To show why Tom Ford is the world's greatest fashion designer.",
"To explain why Tom Ford was constantly ... | The revolution was over by the time Tom Ford started working in the fashion world. The expensive fashion design houses such as Channel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Christian Dior, which earned money by designing and making very expensive custom clothes, had lost many of their wealthy customers. To stay in business, they started selling more reasonably priced ready-to-wear clothing along with a wide range of accessories , that is, related products such as shoes, bags, watches. All of these products needed to blend with the clothing and with each other so that they made up a brand that everyone would recognize and wanted to buy. Though they did not use that name, each company needed a "master designer."
Born in Texas and growing up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Ford had a diverse background in the arts. Soon after completing high school, he moved to New York, where he studied art history, trained as an actor, and worked as a model. Following that, Ford completed a program in indoor design, but later decided that he was more interested in designing clothes than in decorating house. He was hired by the firm Cathy Hardwick in 1986, where he began to work as a fashion designer. His talent stood out from the rest and soon he moved to Perry Ellis, where he became design director. Then in 1990 he made an important move by taking a position with the New York branch of Gucci, the famous design house based in Milan, Italy.
During his first years at Gucci, the company was going through a very difficult period. Its products were once considered highly desirable, and were worn by famous women such as Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and Jacqueline Kennedy. However, by the early 1990s they had lost their reputation for quality. Other producers had started making cheap, widely available imitations of the brand, and the sales of Gucci's own products had dropped. Things were so bad at one point that Ford was almost fired. However, some people at the company believed in his talent, and in 1994 they hired him to work in Milan as the creative director for the entire company. In this position Ford had artistic control over all of the company's products, as well as its advertising and the design of its stores. Under Ford's direction, Gucci's reputation for cutting-edge style soon returned, and the company began to recover. The style shows starting in 1994 were wildly successful. People loved the low-cut velvet pants, unbuttoned silk shirts, and shiny boots in metallic color1s. By 1999 Gucci, which had almost gone out of business, was worth over $4 billion.
When Gucci bought Yves Saint Laurent , Ford became creative director for that fashion house while continuing to design for Gucci. When asked how he would be able to keep the two styles apart, Ford said it wasn't a problem and offered a comparison. Yves Saint Laurent was like Catherine Deneuve, he said while Gucci was more like Sophia Loren. Both are sexy and beautiful women, but with very different styles.
Ford left Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent in 2004 to form his own company called simply "Tom Ford". Not long after, he was working together with cosmetics producer Estee Lauder to bring out new beauty products, and then developed and sold a perfume under his own name. His plans for the future? Ford says that someday he'd definitely like to make a film. He puts it his way: "That is the main design project. You don't just get to design what people wear, but you design the whole world and whether characters get to live or die. There is what fashion lacks. | high23928.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "38."
},
"options": [
"22.",
"30.",
"38.",
"55."
],
"question": "How old was Doctor Goldberger when he began to study pellagra?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
}
] | Joseph Goldberger was a doctor for the Unite States Public Health Service. In 1912, he began to study a disease that was killing thousands of people in the South. The disease was pellagra .
Doctor Goldberger traveled to the state of Mississippi where many people had pellagra. He studied the patients and their families. Most of the people were poor. The doctor came to believe that the disease was not passed from one person to another, but instead had something to do with food.
He received agreement from state officials to test this idea at a prison . Prisoners were offered pardons if they took part. One group of prisoners received their usual food, mostly corn. A second group ate meat, fresh vegetables and milk. Members of the first group developed pellagra. The second group did not.
But some experts refused to accept that poor food caused pellagra. They thought there were other causes.
So Doctor Goldberger put blood from a person with pellagra into his own body. He even took pills that had blood from pellagra patients. An assistant also took part in the experiments. So did Doctor Goldberger's wife. None of them got sick. Later, the doctor discovered that a bit of dried brewer's yeast each day could prevent pellagra.
Joseph Goldberger died of cancer in 1929. He was 55 years old. Several years later, researchers discovered the true cause of pellagra: having little of the vitamin B. | high15242.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Expect to work."
},
"options": [
"Expect to work.",
"Do today's work today.",
"Plan your time.",
"Don't be too disappointed if things sometimes go badly."
],
"question": "If Johnny wants to read comic books, no... | Your schooldays should be some of the best and happiest days of your life. How can you gain the most from them, and ensure you do not waste this wonderful opportunity to learn?
Be positive about school. Don't say things are difficult or boring. Be interested in school-life and your school subjects. Join lots of activities. Be quick to put your hand up. Go round the school with a big smile.
Expect to work. School is not a holiday camp. If you are not working, you are not learning, and you are wasting your time at school. Teachers cannot make everything enjoyable.
Keep fit. If you do not eat a good breakfast, you will be thinking about food in class. If you go to bed late and do not have enough sleep, you will be sleepy in class. Play some sports to keep your body strong.
Do today's work today. Do not say you will do things tomorrow. If you get behind the class, it is very difficult to get back in front. You cannot finish a race if you rest all the time.
Don't be too disappointed if things sometimes go badly. Everyone fails some tests, loses some matches and has bad days. Friends are not always perfect, and they sometimes say and do unpleasant things. Don't let small problems seem very big and important.
Talk about problems. Sometimes they are only the result of misunderstanding. Don't be too embarrasssed to ask for help. You are young. No one thinks you can do everything.
Plan your time. Don't waste life lying in bed on Saturday morning. Go and play a sport, learn the piano, work on a project, read a book, practise English, or help someone with problems. There are always a lot of things to do.
Set targets. If your last grade was a D, work for a C. try to make progress bit by bit. Think of small targets: "I will speak in class four times this week", "I will finish my project on Wednesday" or "I will get two more marks this week".
Follow our advice, and have a happy school-life! | high8436.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "War and Peace"
},
"options": [
"The Past and the Future",
"To Die or To Survive",
"War and Peace",
"Understanding and Friendship"
],
"question": "The best title for this passage is _ .",
"question_type": ... | Is war unavoidable? Can war be prevented?
History tells that there were wars, great or small, in every century, in every decade. Throughout the ages, from the Stone age to the Atomic Age, men have been fighting, first with swords and shields , then with guns and cannons, and now, hydrogen bombs and missiles are used for military purpose. But, in spite of all these, it is still my belief that war can be prevented and peace can be won, but it requires the effort of every one of us.
I am sure that we would not like to experience another world war. If it ever happens, two-thirds of the world and much of the civilization which men have gained through time, patience and effort will be destroyed. Will then the remaining one-third of the world be able to survive on its own?
Our task now is not to blame the past, but to plan for the future.
If there is peace in the world, men can use their rockets to explore the mystery of space, their submarines to explore the depth of the sea, their missiles to deliver mails and their fine equipment to penetrate the jungles of Africa, instead of using them military.
Governments can use their money to build more schools, so that more children can be educated to be useful citizens. Scientists can use atomic energy to propel steamships and planes. They can also design new machines to increase the production of goods and thus improve the way of living of the people.
How can a peaceful world be achieved? It requires, in my opinion, the understanding and friendship between all people from all nations. Let no one suffer discrimination by reason of color, race, religion, or national origin. Let the rich support the poor and the strong help the weak.
We know that neither peace nor such a dream world can come true in a day or a month. It may even take decades or centuries. But let us plan and begin now. | high838.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "About one and a half centuries."
},
"options": [
"About one and a half centuries.",
"More than two centuries.",
"More than one century.",
"About half a century."
],
"question": "How long has Beijing Opera become... | Beijing opera or Peking opera (Pinyin: Jingju) is a form of Chinese opera which arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century.The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court and has come to be regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China.Major performance troupes (,) are based in Beijing and Tianjin in the north,and Shanghai in the south.The art form is also enjoyed in Taiwan,and has spread to other countries such as the United States and Japan.
Beijing opera features four main types of performers.Performing troupes often have several of each variety,as well as numerous secondary and tertiary performers.With their elaborate (,) and colorful costumes,performers are the only focal points on Beijing opera's characteristically small stage.They make use of the skills of speech,song,dance,and combat in movements that are symbolic and suggestive,rather than realistic.Above all else,the skill of performers is evaluated according to the beauty of their movements.Performers also hold a variety of stylistic conventions that help audiences navigate the plot of the production.The layers of meaning within each movement must be expressed in time with music.The music of Beijing opera can be divided into the Xipi and Erhuang styles.Melodies include arias ,fixed-tune melodies,and percussion patterns.The repertoire of Beijing opera includes over 1,400 works,which are based on Chinese history,folklore,and,increasingly,contemporary life.
In recent years,Beijing opera has attempted numerous reforms in response to sagging audience numbers.These reforms,which include improving performance quality,adapting new performance elements,and performing new and original plays,have met with mixed success.Some Western works have been adopted as new plays,but a lack of funding and an adverse political climate have left Beijing opera's fate uncertain as the form enters the 21st century. | high78.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She spent too much money."
},
"options": [
"She lost her job.",
"Her business failed.",
"She spent too much money.",
"Her bank account was stolen."
],
"question": "Why was Karyn in financial trouble?",
"ques... | There is a time when Karyn Bosnak couldn't pay a $59 bill at the grocery store. She was officially broke. She didn't have enough money to get on the subway, but she looked rich. She was a television producer, earned $900 a week, and had a closetful of designer labels like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. But she also had a $20,221.40 credit card bill and an empty bank account. Karyn decided that it was time for a change. She built a website and simply asked people to help her out by sending her a dollar or two.
On the site, Karyn honestly explained her situation. "If 20,000 people gave me just $1, I'd be home free." Amazingly, it worked. Her website was visited by more than a million people. Although most donors just gave a few dollars, one generous donor sent $1,000. She was on TV and in newspapers and magazines. She was offered a book deal and a movie contract. And of course, she was able to pay off her credit card debt. She also sold her designer clothes on eBay. In her closet, where the Gucci purse once sat, Karyn keeps all the letters that people have sent her.
It's hard to understand why so many people helped a total stranger pay off her huge credit card bill. Karyn explains, "I was just honest about what happened; I didn't make up some sob story about saving the world." Her donors think it's funny and original, and view it less as a charity than as an entertainment site. Imitators have appeared all over the Internet, some with extremely selfish requests for things like a BMW or a house.
Actually, Karyn was not the first person to put up a website asking strangers for money. The practice has a name: "cyber-begging." Most sites receive little traffic and even less cash. Karyn also had thousands of enemies and critics. People sent her hate mail and scolded her on websites. Karyn says she never let this anger bother her. "They are probably jealous they didn't think of it." She explains. | high13633.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a survey on the relations between children's happiness and their parents'ability to earn in Sydney"
},
"options": [
"The findings of a study on how Sydney people go through financial hardship with their family",
"A survey on the fa... | The high cost of living in Sydney causes city parents to worry more about their children.
New research by the Financial Services Council (FSC)shows that 75% of metropolitan mums and dads say their ability to earn is important to the well-being of their kids, Tet a greater proportion of Sydney parents think children suffer emotionally by having two full-time working parents .AS a result 46%of Sydneysiders feel their Kids could be happier , against 38%of both Melbourne and regional New South Wales mums and dads.
The FSC research ,which interviewed 1200 parents across the country ,also shows 66% of Sydneysiders believe the happiness of their children would be greatly affected if they or their partner couldn't work.
The FSC undertook the survey as part of its Lifewise campaign ,to encourage Australians to protect themselves against financial hardship.
Chairman of the Lifewise campaign John Crosswell said:"The research findings quite clearly highlight that Sydney parents prioritise their ability to earn money and yet because they are so busy doing so, it seems that their ability to spend time with their family is affected .Sydney parents are dedicated to earning money but as a consequence, perhaps they don't have the time to enjoy spending it with their family."
In sydney ,the top factor for creating an ideal childhood is financial security ,at 92%.Fewer parents rate having a tigh-knit family(89%)or living near friends and family (85%)as important.
David and Ari Dearnley ,of North Manly ,said money pressure was hard to avoid in Sydney ,They both work and said family finances would be severely hard if one of them couldn't
But only Mrs Dearnly has income-protection insurance, "I think that I don't really need it yet",Mr Dearnly ,37, said.
"I think he's mad",Mrs Dearnly ,also 27 ,said,"If David couldn't work it would have a huge impact on our lifestyle."
"Looks like I'll be getting _ tomorrow,"Mr Dearnly responded. | high5112.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Tourists can enjoy the beautiful scenery in Antarctica."
},
"options": [
"Tourists can eat and smoke in Antarctica.",
"Tourists can take something they like from Antarctica.",
"Tourists can throw away something they don't nee... | Where should an adventurous tourist go? After you've done sightseeing in London, shopping in New York tasted the local food in Paris, and danced to your heart's content at the Brazilian carnival, where else can you go? What exotic tourist destination awaits you?
Well, Antarctica sounds like the holiday of a lifetime! It's considered the last great wildemess on Earth. Just a few scientists in research stations share the icy landscape with penguins and other animals which can cope with the low temperatures.
Tourism began in Antarctica in the 1950s and it's still small scale. About 37,000 tourists are expected there this season, but many won't even leave the boat.
The BBC's Juliet Rix visited the frozen continent and asked herself if she should be there at all, causing potential problems to such a sensitive environment. Her tour guide admitted that all visitors leave a footprint and they all go to the same places, the accessible coastline, which is also where the penguins and seals go to breed.
But some people believe that if carefully controlled, tourism can be good for Antarctica. It has no native population and it needs advocates. 'Visitors to the icy continent might be ready to support and even to fund its preservation. And they're likely to engage in the discussion about global warming, which has led to the melting of glaciers.
According to Rix, guidelines are followed when you're about to set foot in Antarctica and tourists have to disinfect their boots to make sure no alien species are introduced.
And once on land, there's no eating or smoking. Rocks, bone fragments - nothing should be taken as a souvenir and nothing should be left behind. Tourists fortunate enough to visit the Antarctica must be aware that this is not their home and keep their fingers crossed that future generations will also be able to enjoy such breathtaking views. | high18766.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Community elements could be held tightly together."
},
"options": [
"It helped townspeople to build their houses and schools.",
"It gave people an opportunity to improve the environment.",
"Community elements could be held ti... | The roots of what we call"volunteerism"reach back many generations, to a time when neighbors and townspeople would come together to build and run their communities' most important organizations--everything from schools and governments to fire-fighting and self-defense.
Besides organizations,however, this early volunteerism brought community elements more tightly together, allowing neighbors to get to know one another, to achieve something important and,more often than not to have fun. _
Today,volunteerism continues to thrive.Why? Because volunteerism gets people out of their homes,and brings them together with others who share their interests and concerns.It gives people a chance to directly improve the communalities in which they live.And it's still fun.
As an important part of social life,volunteer service is gaining more attention and support in the whole world.Volunteers make considerable contributors to social and economic development of the world in the fields such as humanitarian assistance ,social welfare ,education,environmental protection,health and etc.In 1985,the United Nations General Assembly announced the December 5th of each year as the International Volunteers'Day--the day for volunteers all over the world.On this day,many countries in the world organize various activities to celebrate International Volunteers' Day and encourage volunteerism and voluntary service.
In recent years,volunteer service in China is also developing very fast With the coming of the Olympic Games to Beijing,more and more citizens are willing to be volunteers and various voluntary organizations are set up.Olympic volunteers won't just watch history unfold on their television screens--they'll have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to share the excitement. and make history themselves. | high17455.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "loudly"
},
"options": [
"as loudly as possible",
"in a low voice",
"loudly",
"forcefully"
],
"question": "When you speak to the class,you should speak _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | Every day we go to school and listen to teachers,and the teacher will ask us some questions.Sometimes,the classmates will ask your opinions of the work of the class.When you are telling others in the class what you have found out about these topics,remember that they must be able to hear what you are saying.You are not taking part in a family conversation or having a chat with friendsyou are in a situation where a large group of people will remain silent,waiting to hear what you have to say.You must speak so that they can hear you loudly enough and clearly enough but without trying to shout or appearing to force yourself.
Remember,too,that it is the same if you are called to an interview whether it is with a professor of your school or a government official who might meet you.The person you are seeing will try to put you at your ease ordinary conversation but the situation is somewhat different from that of an ordinary conversation.You must take special care that you can be heard. | high19478.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Environmental factors influence a child's IQ."
},
"options": [
"Retarded children cannot improve their IQ's.",
"Orphanages are full of mentally retarded children.",
"Environmental factors influence a child's IQ.",
"Earl... | How much can environment affect intelligence? In one study, striking increases in IQ occurred in 25 children who were moved from an orphanage to more stimulating(,) environments.The children, who were all considered mentally retarded and unadoptable, were moved to an institution where they received personal attention from adults.Later, these supposedly retarded children were adopted by parents who gave them love, a family ,and a stimulating home environment.The children gained an average of 29 IQ points.For one child, the increase was an amazing 58 points.A second group of initially less "retarded" children, who stayed in the orphanage, lost an average of 26 IQ points.
Other encouraging results can be found in early childhood education programs, which provide stimulating intellectual experiences for disadvantaged children.In one study, children from low-income families were given enriched environments from early infancy through preschool.By age 2 their IQ scores were already higher than those in a control group.More important, they were still 5 points higher seven years later.High-quality enrichment programs such as Head Start can prevent children from falling behind in school.
A particularly striking environmental effect is the fact that 14 nations have shown average IQ gains of from 5 to 25 points during the last 30 years.These IQ boosts, averaging 15 points, occurred in far too short a time for genetics to explain them.It is more likely that the gains reflect environmental forces, such as improved education, nutrition, and living in a technologically complex society. | high11024.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "turn to cheap energy"
},
"options": [
"turn to new energy",
"turn to cheap energy",
"develop solar energy",
"introduce clean energy"
],
"question": "To increase their energy supplies, many nations _ .",
"... | International experts meeting in Australia say global carbon emissions can be reduced by more than 50 percent through simple energy saving measures. People at a conference in Australia, which increasingly relies on coal for power, say that reducing power consumption is an affordable way to both cut energy costs and reduce pollution.
While many nations turn to cheap and dirty energy sources, such as coal, to meet their increasing energy needs, analysts in Australia say the best way to meet those needs is to improve energy efficiency.
A range of simple solutions include using energy-efficient homes, household appliances and lighting, and driving electric cars. Encouraging homeowners and office workers to switch off their televisions and computers at the end of the day is also seen as an effective way to save electricity.
Grayson Heffner, from the Paris-based International Energy Agency, says reducing consumption could greatly cut global carbon emissions. He calls efficiency strategies the "soft giant" of clean energy.
"We forecast that energy efficiency will deliver something like three-quarters of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions over the next 20 years. So in the short term energy efficiency is the main way that we reduce greenhouse gas emissions but oftentimes it is not so importantly stressed in the discussions," said Heffner.
Energy experts working in China say the government is making significant cuts in power usage.
Wan Xingwang, a Beijing-based representative of the Energy Foundation, a U.S. non-government organization, says the results have been impressive.
"In the past five years China achieved about 19.1 percent of energy reduction of its GDP. That translates to something like more than 600 million tons of coal savings," said Wan Xingwang.
While most nations have some sort of government-sponsored energy efficiency programs, energy analysts say initiatives by individuals and companies can also help cut demand.
Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, a non-profit group based in Washington, says other developing nations are recognizing the benefits of cutting power consumption and taking action. | high3563.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Two."
},
"options": [
"Two.",
"Three.",
"Four.",
"Five."
],
"question": "How many reasons are given in the article as to why ordinary Chinese people are traveling abroad more today?",
"question_type": "facti... | Liu Hui is very excited. The students in a school in Shanghai will go to the USA with his parents during the Spring Festival.
"Overseas touring has always been a dream for me," he said happily.
Nowadays, Chinese people enjoy longer holidays, such as the three "Golden Week Holidays"(the Spring Festival, May Day and National Day). They have more time to travel. Rising incomes also make travelling abroad realistic for ordinary Chinese people.
Nearly 7 million Chinese travelled overseas in 2001, according to the National Tourism Administration . The most common problem travellers face is how to choose the best routes .
By the end of 2002, Chinese citizens were allowed to travel to 19 foreign countries and regions at their own expense.
The top 10 places included Hong Kong, Macao and Thailand. European countries are also becoming increasingly popular.
"More and more Chinese people have shown interest in travelling to Europe, particularly France and Finland," said Tan Wen, a general manager of China Youth Travel Service. "Sooner or later, there will be a peak in European tours."
Another consideration is choosing the right travel agencies and finding the best price. The China Consumers' Association(CCA,)offered tips to consumers on choosing the right travel agencies to help prevent a relaxing vacation from turning into a costly disaster.
"Price should not be the single most important factor in choosing a travel agency," said Zhang Yuanchao, CCA vice-secretary general. Consumers are advised to choose large State travel agencies with good reputations and official approval to organize overseas tour groups.
Zhang's association dealt with more than 5, 000 complaints about travel agencies last year. And the majority of the complaints were about _ in travel routes, bad tour guides, and forced shopping.
Travellers were warned to look carefully at their contracts with agencies and to buy travel insurance . | high12505.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Parisis the perfect combination of modern life and history."
},
"options": [
"Paris is an ancient city.",
"Paris is the center of Europe.",
"Paris is the most cultured city in the world.",
"Parisis the perfect combinati... | Paris is an ancient city, the center of prefix = st1 /Franceand probably the most cultured city in Europe. For the modern traveler it's very easy to reach the famous city on the river Seine. You can fly there in less time than it takes to travel by train from Beijing toShanghai. Once you reachParisyou are surprised by a city that is the perfect combination of modern life and history.
The best time to arrive is the spring. Winter is cold and wet, the summer humid and autumn windy. In the spring the flowers are blossoming, the sun shines and the birds sing. The people ofParisare most pleased with spring in their city. They play in the parks, visit the beautiful monuments and enjoy "joie de vivre" .
If you arrive in Parisin the springtime, you will enjoy the life of lazy walks down the boulevards too, sitting in the cafes and visiting the most famous museums in the world. There are many places for you to visit, Notre Dame de Paris, the nearby palace of Versaille, the arch of Triumph and of course the Eiffel Tower.
You'll notice that in Paris the people in the cafes all look out at the people on the street. They like to see and be seen. Some monuments are not French, but fromEgypt, orGreece, or maybe Chinese! There are many, many dogs, especially the famous French poodie with his well-tailored looks. This is the city where the French impressionists painted their works, where arts, culture and literature are the main passions of life. Apart of course, from the food! All Frenchmen like to eat and drink wine - they are never happier than when they are having a picnic on the banks of the river Seine in the springtime. | high23900.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "offer travelers convenience to find suitable hosts for free accommodations"
},
"options": [
"offer travelers convenience to find suitable hosts for free accommodations",
"provide people with a platform to contact each other",
... | The Couch Surfing network is an online community stretching across the globe with over one and a half million members. The basic concept is to provide a platform for travelers to contact people who are willing to put them up free of charge. Travelers connect with potential hosts online and, if they like each other, exchange details to make farther arrangements.
Basil is one traveler from Switzerland who is currently couch surfing with a Chinese host in Beijing. "I thought staying in hostel is nice but you mostly meet foreigners and speak English. If you use Couch Surfing you have chance to meet people living here and really get a chance to know the life of the place you visit. " Basil was speaking during a regular meeting of Beijing network of Couch Surfing with a membership of almost 2,000.
Although some people may have concerns about meeting complete strangers and giving them full access to your house, Beijing group member Fred Sharp from California says that the Couch Surfing community is one that generally attracts trustworthy people.
"I have never had a problem with guests. I'd say that this Couch Surfing community worldwide is a fairly trustworthy community like I say, always be cautious, make sure that you read everyone's profile that you're considering hosting, and if it doesn't feel right just say' no', it's OK. "
Originally launched in the US as a non-profit organization in 2004, Couch Surfing is growing fast across the world. China is no exception with around 30,000 members and hundreds more signing up each week. One of them is Beijing resident Hai Yan who joined in November 2009. She says the first time she hosted a guest was a very positive experience. "My first guest was from Italy. He was very kind and helpful. He bought me a present from Italy, a handbag. It's a famous brand!"
As the organization grows from strength to strength, hotel owners across the world will be watching very closely and possibly thinking twice about raising their prices too high. | high6433.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Academic degrees."
},
"options": [
"Ambition in careers.",
"Academic degrees.",
"Experience in business.",
"Experience in the government."
],
"question": "What did the author think play a key part in high-tech t... | Dear Harry,
You ask me whether you should spend the next three years at university,or get a job.I will give you three different answers. _
Answer A.You are ambitious.Your sights are set on going to the top,in business or the government.In today's high-tech times,big companies cannot be managed by uneducated amateurs.Even the middle managers are at a disadvantage unless they get a university degree and an MBA.Same thing in government.
Anyway,you are too young to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life.If you spend the next few years at university,you will get to know the world--and yourself--before the time comes to choose your career.
Answer B.Stop wasting your time on academia .Stop subjecting yourself to the boredom of textbooks and classrooms.Stop cramming for exams before you acquire a strong love for reading.
The lack of a college degree will only be a slight influence on your career.In Britain,you can still get to the top without a degree.What industry and the government need at the top is not experts but leaders.The character traits which make people scholars in their youth are not the traits which make them leaders in later life.You put up with education for 12 boring years.
Answer C.Don't judge the value of higher education in terms of careemanship.Judge it for what it is--a priceless opportunity to furnish your mind and enrich the quality of your life.My father was a failure in business,but he read Horace in the washroom until he died,poor but happy.
If you enjoy being a scholar,and like the company of scholars,go to a university.Who knows,you may end your days as a Regius Professor.And bear in mind that British universities are still the best in the world.You have a first-class mind.Stretch it.If you have the opportunity to go to a university,don't pass it up.You would never forgive yourself.
Tons of love,
David | high14174.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Friendship in Hawaii"
},
"options": [
"People in Hawaii",
"Visitors to Hawaii",
"Traveling in Hawaii",
"Friendship in Hawaii"
],
"question": "Which of the following can be the proper title for this text?",
"... | Every culture has it own ways to show friendship. On the island of Hawaii, _ aloha spirit". In the language of the Hawaiians who first settled the islands long ago,alohahad a very special meaning. That is "to be with happiness".
Hawaiians believe that once somebody loves the land, they are ready to love their people or community. This is the second most important thing of friendship. It is calledlokahiin the Hawaiian language, which means "oneness with all people". To enjoy the land you should not be selfish. The land is for everyone who lives on. Today many different people call Hawaii their home. Indeed, Hawaii is a place where people make one big community from many smaller communities. Each person giveskokua(help) to other people so that all feel stronger. It is believed that the islands can be a paradise when people live in peace. People are told that their actions should be as gentle as the wind that blows from the sea. When problems happen, people are asked to solve them with understanding. So when people of Hawaii talk aboutohana(family), they are really talking about all those who live on the island.
Living in peace, Hawaiians have developed a third sign of friendship. This personal friendship is shown by givingleisto one another. Thelei, a string of flowers, is put over a friend's neck. Then the friend is given a kiss on the cheek. Visitors to the islands are also givenleis. When they hearaloha, visitors began to feel at home.Alohaalso means "goodbye", so visitors will hear it again when they leave. It can mean "our hearts singing together". Perhaps this is how most visitors will remember their new friendship. | high2655.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Ikea has brought out an adjustable standing desk."
},
"options": [
"Ikea has brought out an adjustable standing desk.",
"Silicon Valley offered health benefits to officials.",
"Google formed their tech firms to design bicycle... | Standing desks have become common across Silicon Valley, offering health benefits to those willing to work on their feet. However, due to their high price, they have failed to catch on until now. Recently, Ikea has brought out Bekant convertible standing desk that can become a normal desk at the touch of a button. The $500 adjustable desk can transform from a standard desk to a standing one, and Ikea hopes it could make the standing desk mainstream.
Experts say that changing from a seated to a standing desk can improve productivity. Similar desks have become a common sight at tech firms such as Google, where some employees have even installed treadmill and bicycle desks.
The desk is not the first "convertible" on the market. As early as 2013, Stir Kinect brought out an adjustable desk. The $3,890 Stir Kinect desk has a motor to raise and lower itself, converting it into a standing desk or a traditional desk. The desk can even be programmed to move up and down slightly, making it appear to take a gentle breath to remind the user to change their position. To move between sitting and standing positions, owners simply double tap on the screen. The desk can learn the user's preferences over time and suggest the best seating position.
The Stir Kinect desk was created by a team of ex-Apple and Disney engineers. It has a built-in touch screen to control and track movement, and can tell users exactly how many calories they burn by standing during their working day. It also has devices containing power points and USB ports for charging phones, to keep cables hidden.
"Ikea's height adjustable desk is great for opening up the lower end of the market, '' said JP Labrosse, founder and CEO of Stir. | high10312.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The Benefits of Music"
},
"options": [
"The Study of Music",
"The Benefits of Music",
"How Music Helps Patients",
"Music Helps to Improve Work Efficiency"
],
"question": "The best title for the passage is",
... | Many studies have been carried out to discover the benefits of listening to and playing music. The growing field of "music treatment" is presenting increasing amounts of proof that point to the great powers of music.
Emotional benefits
The right song can put anybody in a better state. Most people turn to certain songs to make them feel better. The main reason behind this is that music can express our feelings better than any other medium. In addition, we have favorite songs for particular situations because we turn to the music which has the best effect on us.
Music and exercise
Have you ever noticed how out of breath you get when listening to an exciting song while doing exercises at the gym? It has been suggested that exciting music can actually increase muscle tension , while light music does the opposite.
It has also been proved that music can improve motor skills. An experiment done on a group of pupils proved that children learning basic motor skills such as throwing ,catching and jumping while listening to music did better than those with no music.
Chronic pain relief
Music also has the ability to reduce chronic pain. In fact, according to a paper published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, music can reduce chronic pain by 21%. The paper reports that 60 patients in an experiment were divided into two groups--one group listened to music, and the other did not. The results showed that people who listened to music for an hour each day for a week improved physically and psychologically while those who did not listen to music did not. | high16763.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Importance of Webs to Spiders"
},
"options": [
"Secrets of Spiders' Adaptability",
"Importance of Webs to Spiders",
"Secrets of the Spiders' Life",
"Spiders' Highly Preprogrammed Brain"
],
"question": "Which of ... | To many web-building spiders, most of whom are nearly blind, the web is their essential window on the world: their means of communicating, capturing prey, meeting mates and protecting themselves. A web-building spider without its web is like a men cast away on an island of solid rock,totally out of touch and destined to starve to death. So important is the web to an orb-web spider's survival that the animal will continue to construct new webs daily even if it is being starved. For 16 days the starving spider builds completely normal webs. Then, as the animal gets _ , it constructs a wider-meshed (, )web using fewer strands . Such webs would only trap larger prey, which is more economical from the perspective of a starving spider. The spider stores energy by recycling web protein. It simply eats its own web each evening and reuses it to produce new silk. In studies with radioactivity, labeled materials, it was found that 95 percent of web protein reappears in the next day web. Most of the energy needed for web-building is used in walking over the strands as they are laid down. Scientists are impressed by the adaptability of the spider's highly preprogrammed brain, which is larger for its size than the brain of any other invertebrate . If web-building is interrupted, or if some of the existing strands are destroyed, the spider simply goes back to see where the web is left off and then finishes building a normal web. One spider will finish building the incomplete web of another. | high4224.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "are of great benefit to today's busy parents"
},
"options": [
"drew the whole world's attention in 1960",
"were conveyed all over the world gradually",
"have been in circulation during the past year",
"are of great bene... | Adult color1ing books have been in circulation for a few years now, and actually the first adult color1ing book was published in 1960, however, during the past year they've really taken the world by storm.
Many adults can benefit and enjoy these popular color1ing books, particularly today's busy parents. Here are some fun and calming reasons you might want to purchase one or two of your own.
As parents, we tend to get caught up in the daily routine of getting our families hurriedly out the door for school and work each day--only to fall into bed exhausted and then get up and do it all over again the next day. We may not have much time to devote to a hobby, but if you grab yourself an adult color1ing book, you can get your creative juices flowing in a matter of minutes.
Parenting is wonderful but it's also full of daily stress that naturally go along with the job. Whether it be at the end of a busy day or you have a few free minutes while the baby naps, picking up a box of freshly, sharpened color1ed pencils and your favorite color1ing book can take your mind off your "to do" list and transport you to a whole other world--one where you can be free to just enjoy the rainbow and simply embrace a little unwinding time.
Whether you choose to delight in color1ed pencils or an old-fashioned box of crayons, all you'll need to grab is either one and your favorite color1ing book. So if you're in the car while your son's finishing up soccer practice, or in the reception area waiting to have your teeth cleaned, your color1ing supplies are a breeze to take along and help you pass the time in a color1ful way.
Another benefit to taking up color1ing is that it can also become a family affair. Sitting together with your kids and color1ing is a great way to spend some quality time together, regardless of whether or not you stay within the lines! | high19450.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Cell phones have become as addictive as cigarettes."
},
"options": [
"More people prefer cigarettes to cell phones.",
"Cell phone users smoke less than they used to.",
"Cell phones have become as addictive as cigarettes.",
... | Cell Phone Are the New Cigarette
When you get in your car, you reach for it. When you are at work, you take a break to have a moment alone with it. When you get in to a lift, you play with it.
Cigarette? Cup of coffee? No, it's the third most addictive thing in modern life, the cell phone. Experts say that it is becoming more difficult for many people to curb their longing to hug it more tightly than most of their personal relationships.
With its shiny surface and its smooth and satisfying touch, the cell phone connects us to the world even as it disconnects us from people three feet away. In just the past couple of years, the cell phone has challenged people in ways its inventors in the late 1940s never imagined.
The costs are becoming even more obvious, and I don't mean just the monthly bill. Dr. Chris Knippers, working at the Betty Ford Center in Southern California, reports that the overuse of cell phones has become a social problem not much different from other harmful addictions: a problem that limits one-on-one personal contact, and an escape from reality.
Sounds extreme, but we've all witnessed the evidence: the person at restaurant who talks on the phone through an entire meal, ignoring his kids around the table; the women who talks on the phone in the car, ignoring her husband; the teen who texts messages all the way home from school, avoiding contact with kids all around him.
Is it just rude, or is it a kind of unhealthiness? And pardon me, but how is this improving the quality of life?
Jim Williams, an industrial sociologist based in Massachusetts, notes that cell-phone addiction
is part of a set of symptoms in a widening gulf of personal separation. He points to a study by Duke University researchers that found one-quarter of Americans say they have no one to discuss their most important personal business with,Williams says studies show that we don't have as many friends as our parents."Just as more information has led to less wisdom,more acquaintances via the Internet and cell phones have produced fewer friends."he says. | high18996.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it prevents the spread of colds and flu"
},
"options": [
"it helps keep your classroom tidy",
"people hate picking up dirty tissues",
"it prevents the spread of colds and flu",
"picking up lots of tissues is hard work"
... | Do you have a sore throat, a running nose and a headache? Do you keep coughing and sneezing? If you do, the chances are that you have a cold or perhaps flu--- but which one? Although both colds and flu are caused by viruses, they are very different illnesses.
Colds, which usually last about a week, affect the nose most. They commonly cause a runny nose and sneezing. Sometimes, they cause a headache, a cough and slightly aching muscles.
Flu is much more serious illness and is caused by different group of viruses. People with flu usually get all the symptoms described above. However, they also get a high fever, a dry cough and much worse aching. Fever is one of the typical symptoms of the flu for all ages. The symptoms also last much longer. Sometimes they don't disappear for at least two weeks.
Flu can be a deadly disease. The elderly, who are weaker and less healthy than most younger people, can die from flu. This is one reason why old people are advised to have a flu injection before the start of winter when flu is most common. This injection is inexpensive and definitely worth it.
If you have a cold or flu, you must always deal with used tissues carefully. Don't leave dirty tissues on your desk or on the floor. Someone else has to pick these up and viruses could be passed on. And finally, remember to cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze!You don't want to see the small drop of liquids blown out of your nose and mouth when you sneeze, do you? Disgusting, eh? Now you can understand why it's a good idea to cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze! | high2.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "grammar mistakes can't be tolerated"
},
"options": [
"grammar mistakes can't be tolerated",
"books on grammar make people stupid",
"people need to learn basic grammar",
"grammar mistakes are absolutely unavoidable"
... | I prefer Lynne Truss's phraseology: I am a grammar "sticker". And, like Truss - author of Eats, shoots & Leaves - I have a "zero tolerance" approach to grammar mistakes that make people look stupid.
Now, Truss and I disagree on what it means to have "zero tolerance". She thinks that people who mix up basic grammar "deserve to be struck by lightning, hacked up on the spot and buried in an unmarked grave", while I just think they deserve to be passed over for a job - even if they are otherwise qualified for the position.
Everyone who applies for a position at either of my companies, iFixit or Dozuki, takes a compulsory grammar test. If job hopefuls can't distinguish between "to" and "too", their applications go into the bin.
Of course, we write for a living. iFixit.com is the world's largest online repair manual , and Dozuki helps companies write their own technical documentation, like paperless work instructions and step-by-step user manuals. So, it makes sense that we've made a strong strike against grammar errors.
But grammar is relevant for all companies. Yes, language is constantly changing, but that doesn't make grammar unimportant. Good grammar is credibility, especially on the Internet. And, for better or worse, people judge you if you can't tell the difference between "their" "there" and "they're".
Good grammar makes good business sense - and not just when it comes to hiring writers. Writing isn't in the official job description of most people in our office. Still, we give our grammar test to everybody, including our salespeople, our operations staff, and our programmers.
Grammar signifies more than just a person's ability to remember high school English. I've found that people who make fewer mistakes on a grammar test also make fewer mistakes when they are doing something completely unrelated to writing - like stocking shelves or labeling parts. It is the same with programmers. Applicants who don't think writing is important are likely to think lots of other things also aren't important. | high5884.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to remind people to reconsider their food purchase"
},
"options": [
"to prove Americans have less food to choose from",
"to show us the shopping habits of most Americans",
"to indicate Americans tend to buy food from abroad",... | Making greener choices and encouraging healthy lifestyles can promote your health and benefit the environment. Here are some guidelines to follow:
Choose foods thoughtfully
Americans have never had such a variety or abundance of food to choose from. Besides so many choices, we now hear about our "food print", the amount of land needed to supply one person's nutritional needs for a year. Do we buy cherry tomatoes from Mexico or tomatoes grown locally in a hothouse? Do we get the Granny Smiths from the farmers' market or the supermarket? Is organic produce healthier for us and the planet?
These are very complex issues that require analysis of many criteria, including the energy used in producing and transporting the food, as well as the type of soil and methods of raising the food.
Despite the complexities, there are some general guidelines you can follow. For instance, eat less meat or eat low on the food chain. Your doctor may have recommended you to restrict your consumption of red meat because of its too much fat content. Beyond that, there are environmental reasons, too. Raising food animals contributes substantially to climate change because a meat-based diet requires more land, energy and water than a plant-based one.
_
Drinking plenty of fluids is significant during hot weather or when exercising. But is bottled water the way to go? You may not think so when seeing the true costs. Based on a survey, manufacturing the 30-plus billion plastic water bottles can produce more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide and use three times the amount of water in the bottle. Adding in transportation, the energy used comes to over 50 million barrels of oil equivalent . Consequently, skip the bottled water and drink tap water, both at home and at restaurants. Additionally, bottled water is not necessarily cleaner than tap. | high16005.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "know something about that country"
},
"options": [
"work out a traveling plan in that country",
"find out who will help us in that country",
"know something about that country",
"become an expert in geography and histor... | I have lived and worked in Slovakia for about three years. And I have talked to many people who had been working overseas for quite a long time. Here are some of the things that I have found helpful to anyone preparing to live or work abroad. Hopefully these tips will help.
Research: Knowing about the geography and history of the place will help a lot. You don't have to be an expert but just know the basics. If you're going to be living there it is worth the effort.
Find someone you trust at home: Find a friend or you really trust at home to handle things that you might have to deal with when you're abroad. My parents were great at helping me with many things. They have been great at helping me to move to Slovakia and come back to the United States.
Live simply: Learning to live on a small amount of money is a skill. It takes time. Living abroad can be expensive, so being able to live simply will help with costs. The other thing is that having lots of things to carry around is annoying.
Try to experience the culture: Be open-minded and try your best to really experience the culture. Learn the language, hang out with the natives and try to have fun. You may not like everything but making an effort will help you make new friends and make life more enjoyable. Learning the language can be a challenge but most local people will see it as a sign of respect if you try, not only that it is just a cool way to impress your friends when they come to visit. | high19336.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "get rid of his uneasy feelings"
},
"options": [
"find a way to get out",
"dig a lifeline to the ground",
"keep himself from coldness",
"get rid of his uneasy feelings"
],
"question": "When trapped underground, P... | Chilean miner Edison Pena plans to run the New York City Marathon on Sunday, less than a month after he was rescued from a collapsed mine that trapped him for 69 days. Pena ran 10 km daily through the mine's tunnels to beat the anxiety, wearing cut-down boots until rescuers sent him a pair of sports shoes through a narrow hole that served as the miners' "lifeline" to the surface.
"When I ran in the darkness, I was running for life," Pena told a news conference in New York. "I was running to show that I wasn't just waiting around. I also wanted God to see that I really wanted to live."
The New York Road Runners, which organizes the marathon, had invited Pena to be a guest at Sunday's race, but he said last week he did not want to watch, he wanted to run. "I was very eager to take on this big challenge," he said. "I wanted to show the world I could run." He hoped to run the 26.2-mile race in about six hours. "I have a knee injury, but I am eager to cross the finish line," he said. Last year, Meb Keflezighi won the men's marathon in two hours, nine minutes and 15 seconds.
An Elvis Presley fan who asked rescuers to send the singer's music down into the mine, Pena broke into song at the news conference with the Presley hit Return to Sender. The miners werediscovered alive on August 22--17 days after the mine collapsed, but it took two months for rescuers to dig a hole big enough to bring them out. | high21871.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "change Jenny's shallow understanding of antiques"
},
"options": [
"list all the important characteristics of antiques",
"tell Jenny the importance of protecting antiques",
"change Jenny's shallow understanding of antiques",
... | My six-year-old granddaughter stared at me as if she were seeing me for the first time."Grandma, you are an antique ,"she said. "You are old. Antiques are old. You are my antique."
I was not satisfied to let the matter rest there. I took out the Webster's Dictionary and read the definition to Jenny.I explained, "An antique is not only old, it's an object existing since or belonging to earlier times...a work of art... piece of furniture. Antiques are treasured,"I told Jenny as I put away the dictionary. "They have to be handled carefully because they sometimes are very valuable. In order to qualify as an antique, the object has to be at least 100 years old."
"I'm only 67,"I renunded Jenny.
We looked around the house for other antiques, besides me. There was a desk that was handed down from rone aunt to another and finally to our family. "It's very old,"I told Jenny."I try to keep it polished and I show it off whenever I can. You do that with antiques."
There was a picture on the wall purchased at a garage sale. It was dated 1867. "Now that's an antique," I boasted. "Over 100 years old." Of course it was marked up and scratched and not in very good condition. "Sometimes age does that," I told Jenny. "But the marks are good marks. They show living, being around. That's something to display with pride. In fact, sometimes, the more an object shows age, the more valuable it can become." It was important that I believed this for my own self-esteem.
Our tour of antiques continued. There was a vase on the floor. It had been in my house for a long time. I was not certain where it came from but I didn't buy it new. One thing about antiques, I explained to Jenny, was that they usually had a story. They'd been in one home and then another, handed down from one family to another, traveling all over the place. They'd lasted through years and years. They could have been tossed away, or ignored. or destroyed, or lost. But instead, they survived.
For a moment, Jenny looked thoughtful. "l don't have any antiques but you," she said. Then her face brightened. "Could I take you to school for show and tell?"
"Only if I fit into your backpack," I answered. And then Jenny's antique lifted her up and embraced her in a hug that would last through the years. | high2133.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "it included Hawking's five life lessons on how to become a genius"
},
"options": [
"it included Hawking's five life lessons on how to become a genius",
"it has sold 10 million copies up to now",
"it spent 147 weeks on the New... | Hawking's Five Easy Steps for Making Yourself a Genius
As we all know,Stephen Hawking writes the book A Brief History of Time that explains the
origin of the universe. The book spent 147 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List and has
sold 10 million copies. He is,most agree,very smart.
In his recently published autobiography My Brief History,Hawking offers five life lessons on
how to become a genius.
1)Don't miss opportunities by being too cool
"We showed an air of complete boredom and the feeling that nothing was worth making an
effort for. One result of my illness has been to change all that. When you are faced with the
possibility of an early death, it makes you realize that life is worth living and that there are lots of
things you want to do. "Seize the moment,as Oxford types would say.
2)Keep it simple
When writing A Brief History of Time,he tried to make science understandable for the rest of
us. "I was sure that nearly everyone is interested in how the universe operates,but most people
cannot follow mathematical equations . "He has trouble with them,too. "This is
partly because it is difficult for me to write them down,but mainly because I don't have an inborn
feeling for equations. My aim in the book was to describe these mental images in words. It is
such an easy book that everybody can understand it." The moral:You don't have to be a genius to know everything.
3)Have fun
Hawking has a long history of being a joker,and he has placed lots of bets with other
scientists on the nature of black holes. One was with Cal-Tech scientist John Preskill. After
paying off his bet by giving Preskill a baseball encyclopedia,Hawking wrote,"but maybe I should
have just given him the ashes. "So lighten up! Geniuses like bad jokes too.
4) Always look for a silver lining (even if you are seriously ill)
Hawking's disease has slowly robbed him of the ability to walk,move his arms,even speak.
But,Hawking says,"in some ways I guess my disability has been an assist:I haven't had to
lecture or teach students, and I haven't had to sit in meetings. So I have been able to devote
myself completely to research."In other words,Hawking was given lemons,and he made
Champagne.
5)Don't work too hard at school
...... | high6355.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "By writing a letter to your future self."
},
"options": [
"By traveling back in time.",
"By paying a visit to the future",
"By opening a letter from the past.",
"By writing a letter to your future self."
],
"que... | Have you ever wanted to travel back in time? What about traveling into the future? There's an easy way to do it. One way you can make a time travel journey is by writing a letter to your future self to be opened in the future. To your future self, the letter will be a visit from the past.
What can be gained by writing a letter to yourself? Depends on how good your letter is. You have the chance to say something to your future self. What would you want to say? You'll be able to talk to yourself 5,10,15 years down the road. There may be instructions for your future self, or you may have goals that you will want to reach.
There are a lot of things you could include in your letter or letters to yourself. The more you include, the better the letter will be to you. Be creative with what you put in your letter. Include a picture of yourself or family to show the period from which the letter came.
You can store your letter in many different ways. You can give your letter to a friend or family member to keep and mail to you. If you can get others to take part, have them write letters to themselves as well and ask someone to be the letter holder until it's time to send the letters. You can also use a service online to store your letter and e-mail it to you. Ready to write to yourself two and a half years down the road? | high14612.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "have a movable structure"
},
"options": [
"contain three discs",
"come into use soon",
"have a movable structure",
"be built 500m beneath the surface"
],
"question": "According to the passage, the new hotel will... | Here's a hotel worth writing something about: a company in Poland plans to build tourist accommodation under the sea. The structure can be dragged to a suitable location and placed on supports on the sea bed. The 'Water Discus' will be made up of an underwater disc containing 22 bedrooms with sea views, connected by lift and stairs to a disc above the surface containing other hotel facilities.
Project manager Robert Bursiewicz says: "Nowadays it's possible to build submarines (') which go deeper than 500m below the sea surface, so building an underwater hotel is not a problem. "
In fact, they don't plan to have the hotel very deep. Water acts like a filter for sunlight, and below 15m most colors, apart from blue, are washed out. And we all want to see colorful marine life, don't we?
But this isn't the first hotel to offer underwater views from the bedrooms. The two-bedroom Jules' Undersea Lodge, off the coast of Florida, has been taking in guests 10m beneath the surface since 1986.
The company that operates the hotel also runs a diving course for beginners to help get guests down and into the hotel. It is accessible only through an opening at the bottom.
And you'll find all the usual facilities in the room, according to Teresa McKirma, Jules's chief financial officer. It has a television, air conditioning and Wi-Fi. But for the staff, simple things like cleaning and making beds can be challenging, since the lodge is in sea water.
"It actually takes quite a lot of work to get anything down there," she says. "We have to put everything in waterproof boxes and attach weights to them to counter their buoyancy . "
The hotel has suitably sized waterproof boxes so that pizzas can be delivered by divers to guests who order them for their evening meal. And after a meal, if you can't sleep because of the excitement of the experience, you don't have to count sheep. You'll fall asleep quicker if you count fish. | high9066.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To make a gift for our parents."
},
"options": [
"To read a book to our parents in their car",
"To ask our parents to record a book.",
"To make a gift for our parents.",
"To practice reading out loud."
],
"quest... | The first tape recorder didn't use tape. It used long thin wire. It was invented in 1900 by Valdermar Poulsen. In 1930, German scientists invented the tape we use today. Back then the tape was on big rolls. In 1964 the Philips company in Holland invented the cassette. It's pretty much a holder for the tape. People use cassettes all over the world. If you don't have a cassette recorder, borrow one.
Think of a book your parents read out loud to you. That might be a great book to read out loud to your mom or dad in their car. Put a cassette in the recorder, open the book, hit the record button and start reading out loud.
Remember there is no such a thing as a wrong way to do this. You might think you've made a mistake, but this gift is part of you, and nothing about that can be a mistake. It's impossible.
You get to be all artistic and creative here. You might want to play music in the background. Do whatever you want. The gift is you, so you decide. Remember to say "I love you"at the end of your reading. That's like the prize at the end of the book. | high8378.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "make the same sand yield temporarily"
},
"options": [
"help the person reach firm ground",
"help prevent panic",
"make the same sand yield temporarily",
"make the sand hold the person's weight"
],
"question": "Q... | A person steps on what seems like solid ground but discovers with horror that the ground is giving way underfoot. The person struggles desperately but is trapped. There is no escape. Slowly the person sinks deeper and at last is gone. The solid ground was solid only in appearance. It was actually quicksand, which is a deep mass of fine sand mixed with water.
How is quicksand formed? Water pushes up from below the surface and is held by the sand. The grains of sand are forced apart by the water. They cannot hold any weight. The subsurface water may have come from a spring, a river, or a stream. Sometimes pools of water near beaches become filled with sand. When the soil under these pools does not allow for good drainage , the sand can become stretches of quicksand.
Is it true that a person who steps into quicksand is doomed to die? No, for people have fought their way from quicksand to firm land again. It is panic that creates the condition that can result in death, for the more a person struggles, the worse matters become. Quick movements will make the sand yield for a time, but then it rushes back and settles solidly around the body.
People trapped in quicksand should either lie back with arms outstretched, or not move at all. When the weight of the sand around his body has displaced equals that person's weight, the victim will stop sinking. With feet held still, and with slow movements of the arms, as in the backstroke in swimming, people have managed to roll to safety and reach firm ground. | high12263.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "stay in one place and signals"
},
"options": [
"try to find your friends",
"walk around the forest",
"stay in one place and signals",
"shout as loudly as possible"
],
"question": "If you get lost in the forest, ... | If you go into the forest with friends, stay with them .If you don't , you may get lost, this is what you should do .Sit down and stay where you are .Don't try to find your friends ---let them find you instead .You can help them find you by staying in one place. There is another way to help your friends or other people to find you .You can shout or whistle three times. Stop. Then shout or whistle three times again. Any signal given three times is a call for help .
Keep up shouting or whistling. Always three times together. When people hear you, they will know that you are not just making a noise for fun. They will let you know that they have heard your signal. They will give you two shouts or two whistles. When a signal is given twice, it is an answer to a call for help.
If you don't think that you will get help before night comes, try to make a little house with branches Make yourself a bed with leaves and grass. When you need some water, you have to leave your little branch house to look for it. Don't just walk away . _ When you are lost, the most important thing to do is to stay in one place. | high13169.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the way the boy served him"
},
"options": [
"the boy's young age",
"the way the boy served him",
"the beautiful socks in the shop",
"the boy's selling skills"
],
"question": "The writer was impressed by _ .",... | One fine afternoon I was walking along Fifth Avenue when I remembered that it was necessary to buy a pair of socks. I turned into the first sock shop that caught my eye, and a boy clerk who could not have been more than 17 years old came forward.
"What can I do for you, sir?"
"I wish to buy a pair of socks."
His eyes glowed. "Did you know that you had come into the best place in the world to buy socks?" I had not been aware of that.
"Come with me," said the boy happily. He began to haul down from the shelves box after box.
"Hold on, boy, I am going to buy only one pair!"
"I know that," said he, "but I want you to see how beautiful these are. Aren't they wonderful?" There was on his face an expression of joy, as if he were showing to me the mysteries of his religion.
"My friend," said I, "if this is not just the enthusiasm that comes from novelty , if you can keep up this day after day, in ten years you will own every sock in the United States."
In many shops the customer has to wait for someone to serve him. And when finally some clerk does notice you, you are made to feel as if you were disturbing him. He displays no interest either in you or in the goods he is paid to sell.
Yet possibly that very clerk who is now so cold began his career with enthusiasm. As time goes by, the enthusiasm is gradually gone; his only pleasures were found outside of working hours. He became a mechanical , not inspired, salesman.
I have observed such change in the lives of so many people in so many occupations that I have come to the conclusion that the fastest road to failure is to do things mechanically. | high14606.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "phone"
},
"options": [
"phone",
"e-mail",
"fax",
"post"
],
"question": "The best way to make a reservation at Irene's is by _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answe... | Irene's Thai
For Reservations Call 62473579
12.24 Christmas Eve Dinner 198 RMB per person including coffee and tea. Each guest invited to select a special surprise from our Xmas Tree.
12.25 Special Christmas Thai buffet brunch from 11 am to 4 pm. Includes soft drinks, coffee & tea. 98 RMB per person.
12.31 New Year Buffet Dinner 200 RMB per person. You can eat with exotic Thai Dancing. Show times at 8 pm & 9 pm.
Monday & Friday, you can eat AlaCarte Menu. 150 RMB, including soft drinks & draught beer.
Book now for your Christmas Party
The Place: Club Pegasus
The Party: New Year's Eve!!!
The Price: 100 RMB Open Bar!!!
8:00 pm -- 1:00 am
The Reason: Great Music, Beautiful People,
Life, Love, Fun, Excitement!!!
Merry Christmas from the crew at Pegasus
50 RMB Entrance includes two complimentary drinks.
Champagne Toast at Midnight
If ever there was a time to enjoy oneself, that time is now!!! | high15518.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the first European came to Florida"
},
"options": [
"the United States was founded",
"the first European came to Florida",
"Florida was discovered by human beings",
"Spanish explorer Juan Ponce was born"
],
"que... | Florida is celebrating a big anniversary this year. Five hundred years ago, on April 2, 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce arrived on the east coast of what is now Florida. Native Americans had been living there for centuries, but Ponce was the first European to set foot in what would become the United States.
According to legend, Ponce may have landed in Florida by mistake. He is said to have been looking for an island called Bimini and its Fountain of Youth. The magical fountain could supposedly make old people young again. Instead, Ponce landed on Florida and claimed it for Spain. He named it La Florida, or "flowery place".
Ponce explored more of Florida's coasts over the next few months. He later returned to Spain but went back to Florida in 1521 to attempt to set up a colony. However, native Americans attacked him and his friends, and Ponce was killed. It wasn't until 1565 that Spain set up a successful colony at St. Augustine on Florida's east coast. It is the oldest European settlement in the U.S.
Florida didn't belong to the U.S. until Spain lost control. It was admitted to the U.S. as the 27thstate in 1845.
Today, Florida has one of the fastest-growing populations of any state. More than 19 million people call it home.
It's also popular with tourists. Last year, 89 million people visited the Sunshine State. These days, most visitors come in search of fun in the sun on its sandy beaches and its theme parks, such as Disney World and Sea World. | high12277.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "it creates a positive working environment"
},
"options": [
"it creates a positive working environment",
"it helps a leader to develop lots of skills",
"it makes a leader feel supported and valued",
"it depends on interp... | Whether in the workplace or on the football field, effective teamwork can produce amazing results.However, working successfully as a team is not as easy as it may seem.Effective teamwork certainly does not just happen automatically; it take s a great deal of hard work and compromise.There are a number of factors that must be in place to make a good team.
Effective leadership is one of the most important components of good teamwork.The team's leader should possess the skills to create and preserve a positive working environment and motivate and inspire the team members to take a positive approach to work and be highly committed.An effective team leader will promote a high level of spirit and make them feel supported and valued.
Communication is a vital factor of all interpersonal relationship and especially that of a team.Team member s must be able to _ their feelings, express plans and goals, share ideas and see each other's opinions.
Conflicts will arise no matter how well a team functions together.The best way to deal with conflicts is to have some organized methods of handling conflicts.Team members should be able to voice their concerns without fear of offending others.Instead of avoiding conflict issues, a hands-on approach that settles them quickly is much better.It is often advised that the team leader sit with the conflicting parties and help work out their differences without taking sides and trying to remain objective if possible.
The team leader must set a good example to create good teamwork.In order to keep team members positive and committed and motivated, the team leader herself / himself needs to show these qualities.The team turns to the leader for support and guidance.So any negative words or behaviors on the leader's part can be disastrous.
Regardless of what type of work you are in, knowing how to effectively work on and with a team is going to be extremely important to your success and that of your team. | high3239.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "TJ3Sat can receive text messages that the students send into space, which it can change to voice messages and broadcast back to Earth."
},
"options": [
"It took a group of students about a decade to build the satellite.",
"Besides ... | Everyone has done experiments in high school laboratories, but have you ever thought about designing a satellite to explore space?
On Nov. 19, a team of students from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in the US _ peers and even scientists by successfully launching a satellite.
The first satellite designed and built by high school students was sent up into space along with a record-setting. 28 other small ones on a rocket were sent from a NASA center in Virginia, CNN reported. It took the students seven years to build.
The students call their tiny satellite TJ3Sat, which is named after their school. It is just 10x10x12 centimeters and weighs only 0.89 kilograms, according to Orbital Sciences, a company which developed the rocket and supported the students' project. It can be controlled with a smartphone.
Like most satellites, TJ3Sat can send and receive data. The small spacecraft is equipped with a voice synthesizer , which can switch text to voice and transmit those sounds back to Earth over radio waves, said Orbital officials. In this case, anyone can give it a try via the project's website (school website) by submitting a text. The texts that get approved will be sent to the satellite, changed to voice and then broadcast back to Earth via radio waves.
"I can say 'Go Colonials' on our ground station and when it is on the other side of the world, in India, someone can hear 'Go Colonials'over the radio," the team explains on the website.
The satellite will stay in space for at least three months.
School principal Evan Glazer told The Washington Post that the project started in 2006 as an activity in the spare time. Later it became a research project for a select group of seniors.
At a time when American students are busy with SATs, the launch of the satellite shows what diligent teenagers can achieve when allowed to pursue their own curiosities, Glazer said.
"It used to be that kids growing up wanted to be an astronaut," Andrew Petro, program executive for small spacecraft technology at NASA, said in a statement. "I think we might be seeing kids saying what they want to do is build a spacecraft. The idea here is that they really can do that." | high5890.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "how some animals keep clean"
},
"options": [
"why some people put birdbaths in their yard",
"why birds allow ants to crawl on their body",
"how animals cool off on hot days",
"how some animals keep clean"
],
"qu... | To wash yourself, you take a bath or a shower. Animals need to keep clean, too. How do animals clean themselves?
Cats
themselves to keep their fur clean. Have you ever watched a pet cat clean itself?
Elephants take baths much as you do. But instead of jumping into the
, they walk into a river or lake.
Pigs also like to roll around in water. This keeps them clean and cool. If there is no clean water, they will roll in
on a hot day. They do this to cool off. Pigs do not really like mud. They are happier in a nice, clean pond .
Bats have a funny way to keep clean. They lick their thumbs to clean their ears!
Guess how polar bears clean themselves. They use snow, of course!
Some animals take baths in dust instead of water! The wombat is an Australian animal with lots of fur. To get clean, it lies down. Then it covers itself with sand!
Birds clean themselves in many ways. Sometimes they wash in water. That's why some people put birdbaths in their yard. At other times birds take dust baths, just like wombats. Birds also use their
to keep their feathers clean. They use their beaks the way you use a comb.
Sometimes a bird has
in its feathers. Birds may use ants to help them clean off the bugs. A bird will lie down on an ant nest. Then the ants will crawl on the bird. The ants make a kind of bug
on the feathers;. Then the itchy bugs die!
Birds take baths in something else besides dust and ants! Some birds take "smoke baths" They sit on chimneys. They wave their wings in the smoke! | high16011.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Alejandra Pachecho and Carl Khalid"
},
"options": [
"Rodrigo Cruz and Mirna Hazim",
"Rodrigo Cruz and Carl Khalid",
"Alejandra Pachecho and Carl Khalid",
"Alejandra Pachecho and Mirna Hazim"
],
"question": "Whic... | Should people be allowed to use cellphones while driving?
Alejandra Pachecho from Venezuela: No. Why not? That is because in this world some people drive very crazily. Also, most people who use cellphones to talk in the car usually pay more attention to what they are talking about than to driving. One of the reasons that I feel this way is that ny friend had a car accident while using a cellphone. He lost his life and his friends did, too.
Rodrigo Cruz from Colombia: That depends. The a dvantages of using a cellphone while driving are that you can call the police if there is a car accident, call for help when somebody's car breaks down, and call when somebody needs something before arriving home or at the office. The disadvantages is that people get distracted when they are driving at the same time they are talking on a cellular phone. It can cause car accidents.
Carl Khalid from Saudi Arabia: No. I would recommend if you want to use a cellphone while you're driving, pull over and take your time. You will avoid a lot of trouble. There are many advantages of using cellphones in cars. In emergencies such as accidents, a flat tire or engine problem, the cellphone is useful for calling 911 for help. Using the cellphone while driving can save time, but using it while driving can alsocause a lot of problems such as missing a red light or signs, not observing cars, or not paying attention to the speed limit. It causes a lot of problems. All these problems could cause loss of concentration.
Mirna Hazim: Yes. A cellphone is helpful; it is one of the most important communication devices. For example, if you want to talk with somebody for an important reason, you can. One time when I was coming back from work at 10 o'clock at night, I had a problem with my car. It wouldn't move. I was scared to go into a store to call my brother because I didn't know the places there. I thought it could be dangerous. That night, I found out that owning a cellphone is important.
What do you think of cellphone? Send your opinion to our website. | high19322.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the interpersonal relationships within a company"
},
"options": [
"the political views and beliefs of office workers",
"the interpersonal relationships within a company",
"the various qualities required for a successful caree... | A is for always getting to work on time.
B is for being extremely busy.
C is for the conscientious way you do your job.
You may be all these things at the office, and more. But when it comes to getting ahead, experts say, the ABCs of business should include a P, for politics, as in _
Dale Carnegie suggested as much more than 50 years ago: Hard work alone doesn't ensure career advancement. You have to be able to sell yourself and your ideas, both publicly and behind the scenes. Yet, despite the obvious rewards of engaging in office politics--a better job, a raise, praise--many people are still unable or unwilling--to _
"People assume that office politics involves some manipulative behavior," says Deborah Comer, an assistant professor of management at Hofstra University, "But politics derives from the word 'polite'. It can mean lobbying and forming associations. It can mean being kind and helpful, or even trying to please your superior, and then expecting something in return."
In fact, today, experts define office politics as proper behaviors used to pursue one's own self-interest in the workplace. In many cases, this involves some forms of socializing within the office environment--not just in large companies, but in small workplaces as well.
"The first thing people are usually judged on is their ability to perform well on a consistent basis," says Neil P.Lewis, a management psychologist. "But if two or three candidates are up for a promotion, each of whom has reasonably similar ability, a manager is going to promote the person he or she likes best. It' s simple human nature."
Yet, psychologists say, many employees and employers have trouble with the concept of politics in the office. Some people, they say, have an idealistic vision of work and what it takes to succeed. Still others associate politics with flattery , fearful that, if they speak up for themselves, they may appear to be flattering their boss for favors.
Experts suggest altering this negative picture by recognizing the need for some self-promotion. | high4556.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They have an effect on their husbands."
},
"options": [
"They are the wives of the presidents.",
"They are made up of history books.",
"Americans are interested in them.",
"They have an effect on their husbands."
],... | Americans have always been interested in their Presidents' wives. Many First Ladies have been remembered because of the ways they have influenced their husbands. Other First Ladies have made the history books on their own.
At least two First Ladies, Bess Truman and Lady Bird Johnson, made it their business to send signals during their husbands speeches. When Lady Bird Johnson thought her husband was talking too long, she wrote a note and sent it up to the platform. It read, "It's time to stop ! " And he did. Once Bess Truman didn't like what her husband was saying on television, so she phoned him and said, "If you can't talk more politely than that in public, you come right home. "
It was First Lady Helen Taft's idea to plant the famous cherry trees in Washington, D. C. Each spring these blossoming trees attract thousands of visitors to the nation's capital Mrs. Taft also influenced the male members of her family and the White House staff in a strange way: she convinced them to shave off their beards !
Shortly after President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke , Edith Wilson unofficially took over most of the duties of the Presidency until the end of her husband's term Earlier, during World War I, Mrs. Wilson had sheep brought onto the White House lawn to eat t e grass. The sheep not only kept the lawn cut. but provided wool for an auction held by the First Lady. Almost$ 100,000 was raised for the Red Cross.
One of the most famous First Ladies was Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She was active in political and. social causes throughout her husband's term in office After his death, she became famous for her humanitarian work in the United Nations. She made life better for thousands of needy people around the world. | high5648.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He told no one about his disease."
},
"options": [
"He had stayed in the hospital since he fell ill.",
"He depended on the nurses in his final days.",
"He told no one about his disease.",
"He worked hard to pay for his ... | I was 9 years old when I found out my father was ill. It was 1994, but I can remember my mother's words as if it were yesterday: "Kerrel, I don't want you to take food from your father, because he has AIDS. Be very careful when you are around him."
AIDS wasn't something we talked about in my country when I was growing up. From then on, I knew that this would be a family secret. My parents were not together anymore, and my dad lived alone. For a while, he could take care of himself. But when I was 12, his condition worsened. My father's other children lived far away, so it fell to me to look after him.
We couldn't afford all the necessary medication for him, and because Dad was unable to work, I had no money for school supplies and often couldn't even buy food for dinner. I would sit in class feeling completely lost, the teacher's words muffled as I tried to figure out how I was going to manage.
I did not share my burden with anyone. I had seen how people reacted to AIDS. Kids laughed at classmates who had parents with the disease. And even adults could be cold. When my father was moved to the hospital, the nurses would leave his food on the bedside table even though he was too weak to feed himself.
I had known that he was going to die, but after so many years of keeping his condition a secret, I was completely unprepared when he reached his final days. Sad and hopeless, I called a woman at the nonprofit National AIDS Support. That day, she kept me on the phone for hours. I was so lucky to find someone who cared. She saved my life.
I was 15 when my father died. He took his secret away with him, having never spoken about AIDS to anyone, even me. He didn't want to call attention to AIDS. I do. | high2127.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "instruction"
},
"options": [
"experiment",
"invention",
"expression",
"instruction"
],
"question": "This passage is an_about a game.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answe... | Good news for game lovers-- a tank game has come out recently. In this game you are in a tank and the screen shows your view of the landscape outside. You gain points by shooting enemy tanks, supertanks, missiles and flying saucers .
Expert players can gain scores of around 150,000 points at this game. To get a high score you have to destroy twenty tanks as quickly as possible. After this, the supertanks, missiles and flying saucers appear. These are worth far more points than the ordinary tanks. However, the number of tanks you have to destroy before the supertanks appear varies on different machines.
Try to get close to an enemy tank from the side or the back, so it cannot shoot at you. Then, when you get close, turn to face it, line it up in your sights and fire before it turns to shoot at you. If you miss or are too slow, quickly escape by moving out of the enemy's line of fire. You can then move around the enemy and come in from another side.
When a supertank appears, try to destroy it as quickly as possible. Then wait safely behind an obstacle for a missile or flying saucer. The cubes are useful objects to hide behind as you can fire over them without exposing yourself to danger. The missiles will fly straight at you, but they are difficult to hit, so do not shoot at them until they are quite close. The saucers are much easier to hit, but do not follow them as you will be open to attack from enemy tanks. ADAB | high21865.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Food poisoning means death."
},
"options": [
"Food when poisoned can make people sick.",
"Food poisoning means death.",
"Food poisoning comes in varieties.",
"Food poisoning can be serious."
],
"question": "Whic... | Food sometimes gets poisoned with harmful things. A person who eats such food can get an illness called food poisoning . Food poisoning is usually not serious, but some types are deadly. The symptoms of food poisoning usually begin within hours of eating the poisoned food. Fever is one of the most common symptoms.
Certain microorganisms cause most types of food poisoning. Bacteria and other microorganisms can poison eggs, meat, vegetables, and many other foods. After entering the body, these tiny living things release poisons that make people sick.
Some chemicals can also cause food poisoning. They are often added to food while it is being grown, processed, or prepared. For example, many farmers spray chemicals on crops to kill weeds and insects. Some people may have a bad reaction to those chemicals when they eat the crops.
Some plants and animals contain natural poisons that are harmful to people. These include certain kinds of seafood, grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and mushrooms.
When people handle food properly, the risk of food poisoning is very small. Microorganisms multiply rapidly in dirty places and in warm temperatures. This means that people should never touch food with dirty hands or put food on unwashed surfaces. Food should be kept in a refrigerator to stop microorganisms from growing. Meat needs to be cooked thoroughly to kill any dangerous microorganisms. People should also wash food covered with chemicals before eating it. Finally, people should not eat wild mushrooms or other foods that grow in the wild. Some of these foods may contain natural materials that are poisonous to humans. In addition, some types of fish can be poisonous.
Most people recover from food poisoning after a few days of resting and drinking extra water. If people eat natural poisons, they must go to the hospital right away to have their stomachs emptied. | high2641.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She taught in small communities."
},
"options": [
"She was a taxi driver.",
"She used to be a hitchhiker.",
"She taught in small communities.",
"She seldom picked up strangers."
],
"question": "What can we learn... | She was returning from teaching out in a small community . It was a moonless night, and a heavy snow was falling.
She remembered back to when she had first started teaching out in small communities. In those days she had always picked up hitchhikers , until the day her sister told her of a friend who had been shot in the head by a hitchhiker, all because she had stopped out of kindness to help him during a storm.
Her family didn't become concerned about her safety over the hitchhikers until the family heard the promise: "No more hitchhikers!" The snow that night was making her think back to this.
Then she saw a man waving. She slowed down for him, but now as he ran toward the car in the dark she shook with fear. Yet she thought that if he was truly in need she couldn't leave him here in this storm.
The stranger explained that his car was dead, and she told him to get in. They drove for an hour into the next city and she took him to a telephone booth . She waited until he had made a call. When he reported back to her that a family member would soon come for him, she wished him well and left.
_ "I hope they'll understand why I had to break my promise," she thought. | high10306.txt |
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