questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Whatever difficulties we may meet with in our life, we can bend, but can never break."
},
"options": [
"Life is like a bamboo tree that never breaks.",
"Whatever difficulties we may meet with in our life, we can bend, but can never... | One of my fondest memories as a child is going by the river and sitting idly on the bank. There I would enjoy the peace and quiet, watch the water rush downstream and listen to the singing of birds and the rustling of leaves in the trees. I would also watch the bamboo trees bend under pressure from the wind and watch them return gracefully to their original position after the wind had died down.
When I think about the bamboo trees' ability to bounce back or return to its original position, the word " _ " comes to my mind. When used in reference to a person, this word means the ability to readily recover from shock, depression or any other negative situation that stretches the limits of a person's emotions.
Have you ever felt like you are about to lose control of your emotions? Have you ever felt like you are at your breaking point? Thankfully, you have survived the experience to live to talk about it.
During the experience you probably felt a mix of emotions that threatened your health.You felt emotionally
tired, mentally exhausted and you most likely bored unpleasant physical symptoms.
Life is a mixture of good times and bad times, happy moments and unhappy moments. The next time you are experiencing one of those bad times or unhappy moments that take you close to your breaking point, bend, but don't break. Try your best not to let the situation get the best of you.
A measure of hope will take you through the unpleasant moments. Will hope for a better tomorrow or a better situation, things may not be as bad as they seem to be. The unpleasant moment may be easier to deal with if the end result is worth having.
If the situation gets tough and you are at your breaking point, show resilience. Like the bamboo trees, bend, but don't break! | high6140.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "play basketball"
},
"options": [
"visit the museum",
"play soccer",
"read children's stories",
"play basketball"
],
"question": "It's Friday afternoon,you can go to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_question... | For Children
Museum: Children's Museum, Sundays, 89 North Street, 67641235
Story time: Children's Library, 106 Green Street, Wednesdays during 9:30 a.m -5:00p.m. 66599624
Sports: Soccer Club, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 16 Yangtze Road, 96725643
Basketball Club, Wednesdays and Fridays, 79071632
Cinema: New films for children, 99 Brick Road, 69001354
Useful Phone Numbers
Fast Food Restaurant: 66387901
Hospital: 68787451
Visitor Information Center: 800-120-9847
Taxi: 79210583
Visitor Hotel Information: 800-739-7302 | high9273.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To better understand babies' needs."
},
"options": [
"To entertain her own children.",
"To better understand babies' needs.",
"To help babies with language problems.",
"To develop a new system of sign language."
],
... | What if our babies could somehow tell us what they're thinking about, what they want, and what makes them unhappy? Robyn Holt, researcher for Baby Talk New Zealand, says they can. Holt heard about baby sign language through an advertisement and decided to go along to a workshop .
"Sign language is something that's always interested me, and I thought, it could be really cool to try this with a baby because we are always guessing all the time what they actually want."
Holt started using baby sign language with her baby son Benjamin, now 12, and within two weeks he started to sign the sign for milk. She has since used it with her two younger sons Dominic, 8, and Matthew, 3.
Baby sign language is nothing new: the practice (which is based on adult sign language) has been out in America for more than 30 years. But it is enjoying a rebirth in New Zealand.
The idea behind baby sign language is that babies do have the ability to communicate their needs if they are given the right tools to do so. Although many mothers develop an intuition about whether their baby's crying is from hunger, tiredness, or pain, baby sign language creates a direct form of communication that unlocks _ .
When babies are between 6-months and 12 to 13-months, parents can begin to teach them sign language: use the sign for milk while feeding, and also talk about milk, so that the child begins to make the link in their brain. Then they can begin to add other signs, i.e. food, sick or pain.
"I know of one parent. Her child was signing the sign for hurt by his mouth, and she realised his first teeth were growing. It makes life so much easier," said Holt. | high14407.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Several factors affect kids' sleep."
},
"options": [
"Kids benefit a lot from technology.",
"Several sleep troubles appear at school.",
"Some tips can help kids sleep well.",
"Several factors affect kids' sleep."
],... | Nowadays the U.S. students are sleepy in school because they spend too much time texting, playing video games, watching TV and using the media in other ways.
"Heavy media use interferes with sleep by reducing sleep duration, making it harder to fall asleep, and lowering sleep quality," Meilan Zhang, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at El Paso, wrote in her research review in the journal, Sleep Medicine.
But the relationship between youth's media use and sleep is not so simple, said Michael Gradisar, who authored both that review and the Sleep Medicine meta-analysis. "Technology use is the new evidence when we are trying to answer 'Why are school-age children sleeping less?'" said Mr. Gradisar, an associate professor of psychology at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia.
There may be safe limits to technology use, Mr. Gradisar stated. For instance, recent research results indicate that using a bright screen for an hour before bed or even playing violent video games for less than that will not necessarily interfere with teenagers' sleep, he wrote.
But longer periods of usage can be harmful to sleep, Mr. Gradisar added. Rather than delaying school start times, he said, the first step should be educating parents about limiting the hours that their children are using technology before bed, and enforcing a consistent bedtime.
Early school start times are also commonly blamed for students' sleepiness, especially for adolescents. Secondary schools around the nation and the world have been delaying start times, often with positive results.
Mr. Minnich of the TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center hesitated to put blame to any particular factor. But he did think that cost-saving measures to consolidate bus routes might help explain U.S. students' sleepiness.
"For those children who board the bus first, they must get up earlier, may end up sleeping on the way to school, and may end up arriving at school sleepy." he said. | high13368.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "surrounded by France"
},
"options": [
"another name for Monte Carlo",
"mostly visited by French tourists",
"surrounded by France",
"more related to Italy than to France"
],
"question": "Monaco is _ .",
"qu... | Nearly all the tourists who come to southeast France make a tour to Monaco , too. Lying near the French-Italian border, Monaco is not part of France, but a separate principality , though it is surrounded by its greatest neighbour.
Monaco became a principality in the 16th century after being owned by a family member of a certain Italian king. The French and Italians, however, soon came to "protect" it one after another, until 1861, when it became its own master again.
Facing the blue Mediterranean , Monaco is mainly made up of two cities, Monaco, where the palace of the prince stands, and Monte Carlo , which is a wonderful place for tourists. Every year, around half a million people from all parts of the world come to Monaco, nearly 25 times as much as its population.
Believe it or not, Monaco has no soldiers or policemen of its own. Law and order is kept by French police, and French stands for it in its foreign affairs, even the money used in Monaco is franc, too. | high6626.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "1937"
},
"options": [
"1922",
"1995",
"1937",
"1959"
],
"question": "The Golden Gate Bridge was completed in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
... | The orange towers of the Golden Gate Bridge-probably the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed bridge in the world-are visible from almost every point of elevation in San Francisco.
The only cleft in Northern California's 600-mile continental wall, for years this mile-wide strait was considered unbridgeable. As much an architectural as an engineering feat, the Golden Gate took only 52 months to design and build. Designed by Joseph Strauss, it was the first really massive suspension bridge, with a span of 4200ft, and until 1959 ranked as the world's longest. It connects the city at its northwesterly point on the peninsula to Marin County and Northern California, and was designed to with-stand winds of up to a hundred miles an hour and to swing as much as 27ft. Handsome on a clear day, the bridge takes on an eerie quality when the thick white fogs pour in and hide it almost completely.
You can either drive or walk across. The drive is the more thrilling of the two options as you race under the bridge's towers, but the half-hour walk across it really gives you time to take in its enormous size and absorb the views of the city behind you and the head-lands of Northern California straight ahead. Pause at the midway point and consider the seven or so suicides a month who choose this spot,260ft up, as their jumping-off spot. Monitors of such events speculate that victims always face the city before they leap. In 1995,when the suicide toll from the bridge had reached almost 1000,police kept the figures quiet to avoid a rush of would-be suicides going for the dubious distinction of being the thousandth person to leap.
Perhaps the best loved symbol of San Francisco, in 1987 the Golden Gate proved an auspicious place for a sunrise party when crowds gathered to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. Some quarter of a million people turned up (a third of the city's entire population);the winds were strong and the huge numbers caused the bridge to buckle, but fortunately not to break. | high9515.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "several cities"
},
"options": [
"Maryland",
"Washington",
"New York",
"several cities"
],
"question": "Before the year 1800, the capital of America had been located in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questi... | When in 1789, George Washington became the first president of the United States, there was no permanent capital in which to house the government. During the Revolutionary War several different cities had served as the national capital. In addition, members of congress could not agree as to where this permanent capital should be located. Some officials wanted it in the north, others wanted it in the south. Each of the states hoped that the capital might lie within its own state lines. At last it was decided that the capital should occupy a section by itself, separate from any of the states. The place chosen was situated on the Potomac River. The land belonged originally to the state of Maryland, but Maryland agreed to the national government. The section was named the Washington. Work was begun on the new capital in 1791. in the year 1899 Congress occupied the new capital building at the same time the White House was opened as the home of all future presidents. | high7538.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Being part of the scene and getting close to animals."
},
"options": [
"Seeing and feeling the real African life.",
"Enjoying good food and wine at the camp.",
"Hunting large animals just as our ancestors did.",
"Being ... | There are many places to go on safari in Africa, but riding a horse through the flooded waters of Botswana's Okavango Delta must rank as one of the world's most exciting wildlife journeys.
Several safari camps operate as the base for this adventure, providing unique rides twice a day to explore deep into the delta. The camps have excellent horses, professional guides and lots of support workers. _ have a reputation for providing a great riding experience.
The morning ride, when the guides take you to beautiful, shallow lakes full of water lilies, tends to be more active. It is unlike any other riding experience. With rainbows forming in the splashing water around you and the sound of huge drops of water bouncing off your body and face. It is truly exciting. You are very likely to come across large wild animals, too. On horseback it is possible to get quite close to elephants, giraffes and many other animals. The sense of excitement and tension levels rise suddenly though, as does your heart rate, as you move closer to them.
In the evening, rides are usually at a more relaxed and unhurried pace. With golden light streaming across the grassy delta and the animals coming out to eat and drink. _ though they are, rides at this time of day are still very impressive. As the sun's rays pass through the dust kicked up by the horses, the romance of Africa comes to life.
Back at the camp you can kick off your boots and enjoy excellent food and wine. Looking back on your day, you will find it hard to deny that a horseback Safari is as close as you will ever come to answering the call of the wild. | high12710.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "an American"
},
"options": [
"an Englishman",
"a Frenchman",
"a Swedish",
"an American"
],
"question": "The tourist is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_inde... | A tourist comes out of the airport.There are a lot of taxis,but the tourist asks every taxi--driver his name.He takes the third taxi.It costsPS5 from the airport to the hotel."How much does it cost for the whole day?" the tourist asks."PS100",says the taxi-driver.This is very expensive,the tourist accepts the price.
The taxi--driver takes the tourist everywhere.He shows him all monuments and all the museums.In the evening they go back to the hotel.The tourist gives the taxi-driverPS100 and says,"What about tomorrow?" The taxi-driver looks at the tourist."Tomorrow? It's anotherPS 100 tomorrow."But the tourist says,"That's OK.If that's the price,that is the price.See you tomorrow."The taxi--driver is very pleased.
The next day the taxi-driver takes the tourist everywhere again.They visit all the museums and all the monuments again.And in the second evening they go back to the hotel.The tourist gives the taxi--driver anotherPS100 and says,"I'm going home tomorrow."The taxi-driver is sorry.He likes the tourist and,above all,PS100 a day is good money."So you are going home.Where do you come from?" he asks.
"I come from New York."
"New York!" says the taxi-driver,"I have a sister in New York.Her name is Susannah.Do you know her?"
"Of course 1 know her.She gave mePS200 for you." | high11219.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "When the last leaf falls from the ivy vine I must go."
},
"options": [
"The old ivy leaves have little to do with my getting well.",
"When the last leaf falls from the ivy vine I must go.",
"I am such a bad girl as to make ev... | Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor of the apartment building. For years, he had always been planning to paint a work of art, but had never yet begun it. He earned a little money by serving as a model to artists who could not pay for a professional model. He was a fierce, little, old man who protected the two young women in the studio apartment above him.
Sue found Behrman in his room. In one area was a blank canvas that had been waiting twenty-five years for the first line of paint. Sue told him about Johnsy and how she feared that her friend would float away like a leaf on the old ivy vine climbing hopelessly up the outside block wall.
Old Behrman was angered at such an idea. "Are there people in the world with the foolishness to die because leaves drop off a vine? Why do you let that silly business come in her brain?"
"She is very sick and weak," said Sue, "and the disease has left her mind full of strange ideas."
"This is not any place in which one so good as Miss Johnsy shall lie sick," yelled Behrman. "Some day I will paint a masterpiece, and we shall all go away."
Johnsy was sleeping when they went upstairs. Sue pulled the shade down to cover the window. She and Behrman went into the other room. They looked out a window fearfully at the ivy vine. Then they looked at each other without speaking. A cold rain was falling, mixed with snow.
The next morning, Sue awoke after an hour's sleep. She found Johnsy with wide-open eyes staring at the covered window. "Pull up the shade; I want to see," she ordered, quietly. Sue obeyed.
After the beating rain and fierce wind that blew through the night, there yet stood against the wall one ivy leaf. It was the last one on the vine. It was still dark green at the center. But its edges were color1ed with the yellow. It hung bravely from the branch about seven meters above the ground.
"It is the last one," said Johnsy. "I thought it would surely fail during the night. I heard the wind. It will fall today and I shall die at the same time."
"Dear, dear!" said Sue, leaning her worn face down toward the bed. "Think of me, if you won't think of yourself. What would I do?" But Johnsy did not answer.
The next morning, when it was light, Johnsy demanded that the window shade be raised. The ivy leaf was still there. Johnsy lay for a long time, looking at it. And then she called to Sue, who was preparing chicken soup.
"I've been a bad girl," said Johnsy. "Something has made that last leaf stay there to show me how bad I was. It is wrong to want to die. You may bring me a little soup now."
An hour later she said: "someday I hope to paint the Bay of Naples."
Later in the day, the doctor came, and Sue talked to him in the hallway. "Even chances. With good care, you'll win," said the doctor. "And now I must see another case I have in your building. Behrman, whose name is some kind of an artist, I believe, has Pneumonia , too. He is an old, weak man and his case is severe. There is no hope for him, but he goes to the hospital today to ease his pain."
The next day, the doctor said to Sue:" She's out of danger. You won. Nutrition and care now - that's all."
Later that day, Sue came to the bed where Johnsy lay, and put one arm around her. "I have something to tell you, white mouse," she said, "Mister Behrman died of pneumonia today in the hospital. He was sick only two days. They found him the morning of the first day in his room downstairs helpless with pain. His shoes and clothing were completely wet and icy cold. They could not imagine where he had been on such a terrible night.
"And then they found a lantern, still lighted, and a ladder that had been moved from its place. And art supplies and a painting board with green and yellow color1s mixed on it.
"Look out the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on the wall. Didn't you wonder why it never moved when the wind blew? Ah, darling, it is Behrman's masterpiece - he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell." | high16576.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the use of the name infringed Warner's rights"
},
"options": [
"the sold tickets to whoever attends the supper club",
"JK Rowling didn't approve of their doing so",
"the Underground Restaurant charged too much",
"the us... | A woman planning "Harry Potter night" at a supper club she runs at home has been forced to change their name after a warning from film studio Warner Bros .
The evenings in Kiburn, north London, were due to include food and other elements from the Harry Potter books. However, Warner Bros, maker of the Harry Potter films, wrote to the club's organizer "Ms Marmite Lover" warning that the parties would infringe its rights.
The club will now hold two "Genetic Wizard nights" for Halloween. On her blog,Ms Marmite Lover explains that she researched and developed her menu with her Harry Potter-obsessed teenage daughter and a food writer.
Guests would have to enter the venue, called the Underground Restaurant, through "Diagon Alley" and by giving a password--while a "Sorting Hat" would decide the seating plan.
After Warner Bros learned about the event, he wrote to Ms Marmite Lover saying: "While we are delighted that you are such a fun of the Harry Potter series, unfortunately your proposed use of the Harry Potter Properties without our permission would amount to an infringement of Wamer's rights."
The letter added: "Warner does not, of course, object to you holding a generic wizard/Halloween night at the Underground Restaurant."
Ms Marmite Lover suggested in her blog: "JK Rowling herself, having at one time been a struggling single parent, and having donated to the National Council for one Patent Families, would probably approve of a single mother being entrepreneurial and creative".
The Underground Restaurant usually charges diners about 20-30 each, except alcohol. Warner Bros says it has guidelines to help Harry Potter fans run non-profit and charitable events true to the spirit of the stories.
The vast majority of non-commercial events are able to go ahead with the studio's support, it says. | high19645.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to avoid using words one is not sure of"
},
"options": [
"to write carefully",
"to do as teachers say",
"to use dictionaries frequently",
"to avoid using words one is not sure of"
],
"question": "The expression ... | There is a common belief among parents that schools are no longer interested in spelling. No school I have taught in has ever considered spelling unimportant as a basic skill. There are, however, quite different ideas about how to teach it, or how much priority it must be given over general language development and writing ability. The problem is, how to encourage a child to express himself freely in writing without holding him back with spelling.
If spelling becomes the only point of his teacher's interest, clearly a bright child will be likely to " _ ". He will write only words within his spelling range . That's why teachers often encourage the early use of dictionaries and pay attention to content rather than technical ability.
I was once shocked to read on the bottom of a sensitive piece of writing about a personal experience:"This work is terrible! There are far too many spelling mistakes." It may have been a sharp criticism of the pupils technical abilities in writing, but it was also a sad thing for the teacher who had omitted to read the composition, which contained some beautiful expressions of the child's deep feelings. The teacher was not wrong to draw attention to the mistakes, but if his priority had centered on the child's ideas, an expression of his disappointment with the presentation would have given the pupil more hope to seek improvement. | high4031.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "prepare students to find jobs after they graduate"
},
"options": [
"help students do their homework",
"find jobs for students while they are in school",
"prepare students to find jobs after they graduate",
"help high sc... | College graduation brings both the satisfaction of academic achievement and the expectation of a well-paid job. But for 6,000 graduates at prefix = st1 /San JoseStatethis year, there's uncertainty as they enter one of the worst job markets in decades. Ryan Stewart has a freshly-minted degree in religious studies, but no job prospects.
"You look at everybody's parents and neighbors, and they're getting laid off and don't have jobs," said Stewart, "then you look at the young people just coming into the workforce... it's just scary."
When the class of 2003 entered college, the future never looked brighter. But in the four years they've been here, the world outside has changed greatly.
"Those were the exciting times, lots of _ opportunities, exploding offers, students getting top dollar with lots of benefits," said Cheryl Allmen-Vinnidge of theSan JoseStateCareerCenter. "Times have changed. It's a mew market."
Cheryl Allmen-Vinnidge ought to know. She runs the San JoseStateCareerCenter, sort of a crossroad between college and the real world. Allmen-Vinnidge says students who do find jobs after college have done their homework.
"The typical graduate who does have a job offer started working on it two years ago. They've postured themselves well during the summer. They've had several internships ", she said. And they've majored in one of the few fields that are still hot, like chemical engineering, accounting, or nursing, where average starting salaries have actually increased over last year. Other popular fields have seen big declines in starting salaries.
Ryan Stewart may just end up going back to school. "I'd like to teach college some day and that requires more schooling, which would be great in a bad economy," he said.
To some students, a degree may not be a ticket to instant wealth. For now, they can only hope its value will increase overtime. | high17668.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "When mind keeps growing, creativity fully stops."
},
"options": [
"When mind keeps growing, creativity fully stops.",
"When freedom is lost, creativity gets a full stop.",
"When mind stops growing, creativity fully stops.",
... | Since the pre-historic times, man has had an urge to satisfy his needs. Be it hunger, shelter or search for a mate, he has always controlled the situations to his advantage. Probably this might be the reason why we humans are the most developed of all living species on the earth. As we climbed the steps of development, we somehow left behind common sense and logical thinking -- we forgot that we have stopped thinking ahead of time.
If you are hungry, what do you do? Get a piece of your favorite meal and stay quiet. Just like your stomach, even your mind is hungry. But it never lets you know, because you keep it busy thinking about your dream lover, favorite star and many such things. So it silently began to care about your needs and never let itself grow. _ This might be the reason why we all sometimes think "What happens next?", "Why can't I think?" "Why am I always given the difficult problems?" Well, this is the result of using our brain for thinking of not-so-worthy things.
Hunger of the mind can be actually satisfied through reading. Now why reading and not watching TV? Because reading has been the most educative tool used by us right from the childhood. Just like that to develop other aspects of our life, we have to turn to reading. You have innumerable number of books in this world which will answer all your "How to?" questions. The interesting part of the book is stored in your mind as a seed. Now this seed is unknowingly used by you in your future to develop new ideas. The same seed, if used many times, can help you link and relate a lot of things, of which you would have never thought in your wildest dreams! This is nothing but creativity. More the number of books you read, your mind will open up like never before. | high3986.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they can't get help from their parents"
},
"options": [
"no good teachers are willing to teach them",
"they can't get help from their parents",
"their parents are unwilling to hire private teachers",
"they themselves ha... | Going to school from 8 am until 5 pm may sound terrible,but Sydney Shaw,a seventh grader at the Alain Locke Charter Academy on Chicago's West Side,has come to like it--as well as the extra 20 or so days that she's in class every year."I'm sure every kid at this school says bad things about the schedule sometimes,"says Sydney, who was at school on Columbus Day, when most Chicago schools had a holiday."But we all know it's for our benefit."
Finding ways to give kids more classroom time,through longer hours,a longer school year,or both,is getting more attention."If you want to look at schools where the achievement gap is narrowing, they're saying they couldn't do it without the added time,"says Jennifer Davis."Even when you get good teachers into schools,you also need more time."
According to studies, low-income students fall back more than two months in their reading skills over summer vacations."It's over the summer months that poor kids fall behind,"says Karl Alexander,a sociologist."If you have parents who themselves didn't succeed at school and aren't highly educated,kids aren't going to get those skills at home."
Schools are asked to take a full year to plan how to best use the extra time--a process involving teachers,principals,students and parents.They are given outside support to help them base their plans on the best available analyses of student needs.It's still early,but officials are already seeing stronger test scores and a narrowing achievement gap.
But some critics are worried."We risk producing something that's very expensive and time-consuming, and that will give educators a lot of trouble,"says Frederick Hess."Before we spend all that extra money,I'd much rather see if we can figure out how to get 50 percent more instructional time out of the current school day." | high2440.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the dodo's living habits"
},
"options": [
"ways to save the dodo",
"the dodo's living habits",
"the bird's natural habitat",
"the cause of the dodo's extinction"
],
"question": "The researchers study the dodo sk... | The dodo is among the most famous extinct creatures, and _ for human-caused extinction events. Despite its bad name, and the fact that the species was alive during recorded human history, little is actually known about how this animal lived, looked, and behaved. A new study of the only known complete skeleton from a single bird takes advantage of modern 3-D laser scanning technology to open a new window into the life of this famous extinct bird.
The study was presented at the 74th Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in Estrel, Berlin. Leon Claessens, Associate Professor at the College of the Holy Cross, and lead researcher on the study said that, "the 3-D laser surface scans we made of the fragile dodo skeletons enable us to reconstruct how the dodo walked, moved and lived to a level of detail that has never been possible before. There are so many outstanding questions about the dodo bird that we can answer with this new knowledge."
A complete dodo skeleton, found by an amateur collector and barber, Etienne Thirioux, on the island of Mauritius between 1899 and 1917, has remained unstudied, even though it is the only complete dodo skeleton from a single individual bird known to exist. All other skeletons are incomplete combinations, meaning that they are gathered from more than one individual. In addition, Thirioux constructed a second, partially combined skeleton, which contains many bones that also belong to a single bird. "Being able to examine the skeleton of a single, individual dodo, which is not made up from as many individual birds as there are bones, as is the case in all those other combined skeletons, truly allows us to appreciate the way the dodo looked and see how tall or fat it really was," said Juilan Hume, of the Natural History Museum UK, a co-author on the study.
The scans were performed on site in Durban, South Africa, and allow examination of the biology of this mysterious extinct bird in detail for the first time. Using the newest digital tools and techniques, the scans provide an insight into how the flightless dodo may have developed its giant size, and how it walked and lived in its forest home. According to Kenneth Rijsdijk, a biologist from University of Amsterdam, "the skull of the dodo is so large and its mouth so strong that it is easy to understand that the earliest naturalists thought it was related to sharks and other birds of prey , rather than the pigeon family." | high10107.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It means that Americans, just like all other people, must die."
},
"options": [
"It means that Americans, just like all other people, must die.",
"It means that Americans do not have a secret place to keep from death in their life.... | Taxes, Taxes and More Taxes
Americans often say that there are only two things a person can be sure of in life; death and taxes. Americans do not have a corner on the "death" market, but many people feel that the United States leads the world with the worst taxes.
Taxes consist of the money which people pay to support their government. There are generally three levels of government in the United States: federal , state, and city; therefore, there are three types of taxes.
Salaried people who earn more than a few thousand dollars must pay a certain percentage of their salaries to the federal government. The percentage varies form person to person. It depends on their salaries. The federal government has a graduated income tax, that is, the percentage of the tax (14 to 70 percent) increases as a person's income increases. With the high cost of taxes people are not very happy on April 15, when the federal taxes are due.
The second tax is for the state government: New York, California, North Dakota, or any of the other forty-seven states. Some states have an income tax similar to that of the federal government. Of course, the percentage for the state tax is lower. Other states have a sales tax, which is a percentage charged to any item which you buy in that state. For example, a person might want to buy a packet of cigarettes for twenty-five cents. If there is a sales tax of eight percent in that state, then the cost of the cigarettes is twenty-seven cents. This figure includes the sales tax. Some states use income tax in addition to sales tax to raise their revenues . The state tax laws are various and confusing.
The third tax is for the city. This tax comes in two forms: property tax (people who own a home have to pay taxes on it) and excise tax, which is charged on cars in a city. The cities use these funds for education, police and fire departments, public works and municipal buildings.
Since Americans pay such high taxes, they often feel that they are working one day each week just to pay their taxes. People always complain about taxes. They often protest that the government uses their tax dollars in the wrong way. They say that it spends too much on useless and impractical programs. Although Americans have different views on many issues, they tend to agree on one subject: taxes are too high. | high16562.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to eat and drink"
},
"options": [
"to eat and drink",
"to use your cell phone",
"to leave your purse on the desk",
"to ask for more scratch paper"
],
"question": "When you take a test in the Test Center, all of ... | 1. What will I need to take a Test?
You need a photo ID, your instructor's name, a pencil or pen, a calculator, etc.
2. How will I know about time limits?
Students will be informed of any testing time limits, and _ when time is up.
3. If I have my books or backpack, does the Test Center have a place to store them while I'm testing?
Yes. Students will be asked to leave all books, backpacks, purses and any other personal items in a lockable storage room.
4. The only time I can take a test is during lunch. Can I eat my lunch while I am testing?
No food or drink are allowed in the Test Center.
5. I conduct business via a pager or cell phone. Will I be allowed to use them in the Test Center?
No. all pagers and cell phones must be turned off before entering the Test Center. There are other students testing who may be distracted by these devices.
6. If I need to borrow more scratch paper am I allowed to borrow from another student in the Test Center?
Ask the teacher and more material will be given. Talking is not permitted in the Test Center. You will give all scratch paper to the teacher at the end of the test.
7. If I start a test but don't finish it, can I come back the next day to finish it?
If you have prior arrangements with your instructor you may continue a test the next day. Students are expected to complete their test before closing time of the Test Center. Depending on the test, most tests will not be given within one hour of closing time. | high4025.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "they are afraid they'll need them during the holiday"
},
"options": [
"they want to show off their items",
"they prefer a more comfortable holiday",
"they are afraid they'll need them during the holiday",
"they would li... | Men have long been puzzled by the amount women pack, when they go on holiday. They despair when they watch their beloved spend much money on extra baggage charge. Nearly half of these women admitted to lying about the weight of their case to their partner before leaving for the airport, in fear of being made to unload some unnecessary items.
But it's a fact that women pack more than they need. On average, a woman needs around 57 items in suitcase for a two-week holiday, yet most women pack nearer to 150 items, ranging from skirts, tops, underwear and high heels. In addition, women pack more sun cream, make-up and hair appliances than they were likely to need. They all take up space in the suitcase, only a third of them will see the light of day once at the holiday place.
79 percent of women admitted to taking extra items with them, with the reason for this being "just in case". Women plan their holiday wardrobe months in advance. Packing enough clothes and other items to last a month is not enough for some women. They'd take a chance to shop for new items while holidaying abroad. So they'll return with even more luggage in their cases.
Professor Karen Pine said: "Women are tempted to take familiar items with them on holiday, often everything except the kitchen sink. Some people find traveling stressful, particularly when they're unsure about the home comforts available at their holiday place. They over-pack to help cope with those feelings of stress and reduce the uncertainty."
This will come as no surprise to some men, who are used to trying to squeeze their partner's luggage into the boot of the car with their own, smaller case. On the other hand, men pack very lightly, with only an average of 40 items for a two-week holiday. | high10113.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "experience a festival celebrated all over the country"
},
"options": [
"get some discounts and spend less money",
"enjoy yourself better as there are fewer tourists",
"experience a festival celebrated all over the country",
... | Sri Lanka is known as the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean", and it is easy to see why. This little country never fails to please visitors.
ArriveThe national airline is Sri Lankan Airlines, which flies from Colombo to London and a couple of other European cities. The country's main airport is Colombo Bandaranaike, located 29km north of the capital city.Why now?
The best time to visit Sri Lanka's southern beaches is from November to April. So by going early in the season, you'll get the best weather. Also in November, Deepavali, known as"Diwali" or the "Festival of Lights", is Sri Lanka's main religious festival,
Celebrated throughout the country. See There is plenty to see in Sri Lanka. The ancient capital cities of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura are worth seeing, and so are many outstanding ruins. Other mustsees are the rock fortress ( ) of Sigiriya, towering over the jungle as far as the eye can see, and Dambulla's cave temple, the country's largest and best preserved. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Kandy is a picture-like town, which was the last stronghold of the Kandyan Kings. Today it is a cultural relic centre where age-old customs, arts, and crafts remain.
Do Sri Lanka owns about 1,600km of beautiful palm-shaded beaches as well as warm, pure seas and colourful coral reefs. You can explore the underwater world, and surfing and di ving are available too. Away from the shore, wildlife is a big draw for Sri Lanka, and Yala National Park is one of the best places in the world to see wild animals including leopards and elephants.Taste Sri Lanka is celebrated for its excellent food, with a particular emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables on menus everywhere. Fish and seafood are a big part of the local diet.Did you know?Sri Lanka is known for its tea, but it is also the world's largest producer and exporter of cinnamon . | high19889.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Internet access is unavailable in deep night."
},
"options": [
"Students have unlimited free Internet access in their dormitories.",
"Students are forbidden to surf the Internet.",
"Internet access is unavailable in deep nigh... | One of India's top engineering schools has restricted Internet access in its boarding houses, saying addiction to surfing, gaming and blogging was affecting students' performance, making them lonely and even suicidal.
Authorities at the best Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai said students had stopped socializing and many were late for morning classes or slept through them. "Now, a student doesn't even know who lives two doors away from him because he is so busy on the Internet," said Prakash Gopalan, dean of student affairs. "The old dormitory culture of companionship and socializing among students is gone. This is not healthy in our opinion."
IIT-Mumbai, with about 5,000 students, is one of seven IITs across India which are considered to be among the finest engineering schools in the world. They are also a talent pool for global technology giants. But their hard courses, tough competition and lonely campus lifestyle have taken an effect on students. Depressive and dysfunctional lifestyles are known to be common among IIT students, and at least nine have committed suicide in the past five years. Students have unlimited free Internet access in their boarding houses to help them in their studies, but many also use it to surf, chat, download movies and music, blog and for gaming.
Starting Monday, Internet access will be banned between 11 p.m. and 12.30 p.m. at IIT-Mumbai's 13 boarding buildings to encourage students to sleep early and to try and force them out of their "shells", Gopalan said. But the move has not gone down well with students who say they hate their lives being regulated. "Now they will say we need to listen to a lullaby to go to sleep," said Rajiv, an electronics student. | high6632.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A Search for Buried Planes"
},
"options": [
"A British Farmer's Dream",
"Burma's Buried Treasure",
"A Search for Buried Planes",
"The Design of the British Spitfire"
],
"question": "Which of the following is the... | A British farmer has been searching for a group of fighter planes for 15 years. The planes were lost in Burma during World War II. David Cundall, 62, traveled to Burma a dozen times. He spent about US $207,000 in the hope of finding a British Spitfire buried in the Southeast Asian country. Finally, his hard work paid off.
Cundall started his search after his friend heard from a group of U.S. war veterans that they had buried Spitfires in the region. "We've done some pretty silly things in our time, but the silliest was burying Spitfires," the veterans said.
Cundall began placing ads in magazines to try to find soldiers who might have been involved. After 15 years of searching, he finally managed to locate the missing airplanes. The planes had never been flown and were buried in their transport crates . "We made a borehole and used a camera to look at the crates. They seemed to be in good condition." Cundall told The Telegraph. The aircraft had arrived at a Royal Air Force base in Burma in August 1945. But, by that point in the war, the planes weren't needed. "In 1945, Spitfires were _ , and you could see them everywhere." Said Cundall.
British Prime Minister, David Camerion, recently visited the country. As The Telegraph reports, Camerion's help may mean that the Spitfires could soon be on their way back to the United Kingdom. Cundall hopes that with the help of investors, the planes can finally take to the skies.
"Spitfires are beautiful aeroplanes and should not be rotting away in a foreign land," Cundall says. "They saved our neck in the Battle of Britain and they should be protected." | high9501.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He felt helpless with the huge amount of school work."
},
"options": [
"He had quarreled with his chemistry teacher.",
"He was poor in many of his school subjects.",
"The algebra test would be too difficult for him.",
"... | "Mom, I can't do this." My teenage son Bret stood in front of me with his hands full of papers.
"Can't do what?" I asked while preparing supper.
"All these!" he waved his hands up and down. "There's no way I can do everything my teachers are asking me to do."
I stopped what I was doing and turned to face him. I had never seen him so upset. He was my jovial son. He made good grades in school and nothing ever seemed to bother him. As I studied his face, I could see his eyes filled with tears.
Walking over to the kitchen table, I sat down and asked him to join me.
"Show me what you have to do ."
Bret sat down in a chair and dropped the papers in front of him.
"Mr. Jones, my chemistry teacher, wants me to make a project for the Science Fair."
"Okay , And what else?"
"I have an algebra test next week, and that will be one-third of our grade this school term!"
"And I have to write an English essay. And midterms are the next week! I need to study for them and I have to get help with Spanish. There's no way I can do everything!"
His hands shook as he picked up each assignment. It broke my heart to see him so stressed out. I wanted to help him, yet I couldn't do the work for him. I looked at Bret and said. "You don't have to do everything at once. You can do one at a time. Let's make a list of what you need to do."
So, one by one, we listed each item. Then we put the due date next to the item. Next we separated the items into parts. For instance, the chemistry project needed supplies. So we put a deadline on getting the supplies. He had a friend who could help him with Spanish, so we had to put that time in. During the process, I saw my son visibly relax. When we finished with the list, I asked, "Do you think you can do this now?"
He smiled and I saw his confidence return . "Sure! Thanks, Mom!"
There is a saying that asks, "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer is, "One bite at a time." | high8179.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "we will increase the size of inhale if we catch a pleasant smell"
},
"options": [
"while sleeping, we can learn whatever we want to learn",
"we will increase the size of inhale if we catch a pleasant smell",
"the knowledge we... | Even while in a deep sleep, people can still learn brand new information. Sleepers soak in new associations between smells and sounds, knowledge that lingers into the next waking day, researchers report online August 26 in Nature Neuroscience.
The new study is the first to show that entirely new information can get into the sleeping mind, says Anat Arzi of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. "The brain is not passive while you sleep. It's quite active. You can do quite a lot of things while you are asleep."
But the results don't mean that Spanish vocabulary tapes now have a place on the nightstand. L, Researchers have tried but largely failed to find evidence that complicated information, such as new pairs of words, can make its way into the brain during sleep.
Instead of trying to teach people something complicated like a new language, Arzi and her colleagues relied on the sense of smell and hearing. As anyone who has walked by a dumpster in July knows, smells can cause a nose-jerk reaction. Catching a bad smell automatically makes people inhale less, reducing the size of the inhale. But scent of fresh bread causes a long, deep inhale., rzi and her team took advantage of this reaction for their experiment.
As people slept in the laboratory, the researchers delivered pleasant scent, such as shampoo. As this nice smell got into the sleepers' noses, the researchers played a particular music. Later, a disgusting smell, such as rotten fish or meat, was paired with a different music. Neither the smell nor the sound woke people up. After just four exposures to the smell-music pair during a single night, the sleepers started to automatically respond to the tones without the accompanying smells, taking in bigger breaths when the shampoo-associated tone played and smaller breaths when played the sound linked to the rotten fish smell.
This new learned association lingered into the next waking day, too. Even though the sleepers had no idea they had been exposed to smells or sounds, their behavior proved that their brain had actually learned something during sleep. As before, the shampoo sound stimulated a long, deep inhale, while the rotten fish tone caused more shallow breaths. | high6154.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "don't hesitate when making decisions"
},
"options": [
"usually succeed through their own efforts",
"are only passionate about making money",
"don't hesitate when making decisions",
"create both long-term and short-term ... | After studying the daily habits of 177 self-made millionaires over the course of five years, Thomas C. Corley found that they avoid one costly habit: procrastination .
"It prevents even the most talented individuals from realizing success in life," he writes in his upcoming book, "Change Your Habits, Change Your Life."
This goes hand-in-hand with author Napoleon Hill's claim that the wealthiest people are also the most decisive people.
Out of the 500 millionaires Hill studied in the early 20thcentury, "Every one of them had the habit of reaching decisions quickly," Hill wrote in his 1937 classic, "Think and Grow Rich."
One of the major causes of procrastination is lack of passion, Corley emphasizes: "We simply like to do the things we like to do and we put off the things we do not like to do."
"According to Gallup, only 13% of employees are 'engaged' in their jobs, or emotionally invested in their work," Corley writes.
"Whether you realize it or not, procrastination is a big reason why you are struggling financially in life. It damages your credibility with employers and fellow colleagues at work. It also affects the quality of your work and this affects the business you or your employer receive from customers, clients, and business relationships."
The good news is that anyone can overcome procrastination -- and it's simpler than you may think. He also notes that "the voice of procrastination screams just as loud and clear in the minds of those who _ in life as it does in the minds of those who do not."
How do they silence it? They rely on "to-do" lists to get things done. They create firm deadlines, and they meet with "accountability partners" to ensure they're sticking to their goals and deadlines, Corley says.
Nearly everyone is susceptible to procrastination -- but fighting against it can make all the difference. | high14413.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Two."
},
"options": [
"Two.",
"Three.",
"Ten.",
"Five."
],
"question": "How many exact diseases are mentioned as examples killing twice men than women?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"an... | If you could take a large snapshot of everyone in the United States today, it would contain six minion more females than males. In this country, women outlive men by about seven years. Throughout the modern world, cultures are different, diets are different, ways of life and causes of death are different, but one thing is the same--- women outlive men.
It starts before birth. At conception, male fetuses outnumber female by about 110 to 100; at birth, the rate has already fallen to about 105 boys to every 100 girls. By the age of 30, there are only enough men left to match the number of women. Then women start taking a lead. Beyond the age of 80, there are nearly twice as many women as men.
"If you look at the top ten or twelve causes of death," said Deborah Wingard, a disease expert at the University of California at San Diego, "every single one kills more men." She listed out one sad fate after another - heart disease, lung cancer and so on. Each kills men at roughly twice the rate of that it does women.
More than a century ago American men surpassed and outlived the women. But in the 20th century, women began living longer, primarily because pregnancy and giving birth to children had become less dangerous. The gap grew steadily. In 1946, for the first time ever in the United States, females outnumbered males.
Parts of the reasons are self-made. Men smoke more, drink more and take more life-threatening chances than women. Men are murdered (usually by other men) three times as often as women are. They commit suicide at a higher rate and have more than twice as many fatal car accidents as women do. Men are likely to be involved in alcohol-related deaths.
But behavior doesn't explain away the longevity gap.
Today, some scientists studying the gender gap believe that the data point to one conclusion Mother Nature may be partial to women.
Every living thing is assembled according to instructions on its chromosomes , and humans have 23 pairs of them. But in males, one of these is a weak non-matching pair, expressed by "xy". The agreement pair in females is "xx", and its genetic "backup" power is sometimes listed as a clue to woman's superior restoring force. If the male's single "x" chromosome isn't perfect, it is possible for a serious genetic disorder to appear. Some blood diseases, for instance, are diseases caused by a shortcoming in a single gene on the "x" chromosome. They are far more common in males than females. | high9267.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The benefits of after-school programs."
},
"options": [
"Prevention of juvenile crimes.",
"Risks kids face after school.",
"A research report on the stresses of students.",
"The benefits of after-school programs."
]... | Do you know what your child is going to do when the school bell rings at the end of the day? More than 14 million students leave school every afternoon and have nowhere to go, since they do not have access to affordable after-school opportunities. According to the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (NYVPRC), nine out of ten Americans think all youths should have access to after-school programs, but two-thirds of parents say they have trouble finding programs locally. The bad news is that situation may be getting worse.
After-school hours are the peak time for _ crimes and risky behaviors, including alcohol and drug use. The NYVPRC states that children who do not spend any time in after-school activities are 49 percent more likely to use drugs and 37 percent more likely to become a teen parent. Kids are also at the highest risk of becoming a victim of violence after school, particularly between the hours of 2p.m. and 6p.m.. The highest amount of juvenile crime occurs between 3p.m. and 4p.m. , when most children are dismissed from school.
The NYVPRC defines after-school programs as safe and structured activities that offer children opportunities to learn new skills. The skills students learn can range from technology and math to reading and art. Some programs also offer opportunities for internship , community services , or mentoring. These programs have been shown to improve academic achievements, as well as relieve the stresses on working families. A report by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of justice shows that students in after -school programs have fewer behavioral problems and more self-confidence , and can handle conflicts better than students who are not involved with these programs. In addition, according to the Harvard Family Research Project, after-school programs help students from low-income families overcome the inequities they face in the school system. | high2332.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "tell us an unusual experience abroad"
},
"options": [
"tell us how difficult it is living abroad",
"show us how terrible the weather was",
"tell us an unusual experience abroad",
"show us how afraid the author was"
... | I realized that I was getting cold, and felt it was probably time to go back to the apartment, so I put my collar up against the wind and began to walk back up the cold street. I managed to get some food from a vendor , and walked on.
About twenty-five minutes later I knew that something was wrong. It was getting very, very cold, there were no streetlights, and the hill I was hoping to see on my right was nowhere in sight. There was almost no light except for mysterious red crosses shining from the tops of churches, and I was beginning to get worried. To cut a long story short, I had walked the wrong way from a crossroads, and had wandered miles in the wrong direction. My head was aching from the cold, and I couldn't think straight. Turing around, I started back, and a long time later was outside the house I had set off from. It was at about that time I realized that I had a gate key but no house key. How happy I was when I found that the front door was open--my only piece of good luck that day. My apartment was of course locked, my head felt like it was about to explode, and my hands and feet were freezing.
I tried turning the handle. No luck. I tried another key from England. I wanted to avoid waking the family downstairs, so despite the fear of an early death from cold, I couldn't break the door down. What would my hosts think? I pulled an ATM card from my pocket and forced it alongside the inside of the lock. I didn't think it would work, but after fifteen minutes of trying, I heard a click. Another couple of minutes later the door was open. Relieved, I took off my clothes in the dark and got into bed. | high10675.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "around 13"
},
"options": [
"less than 12",
"more than 18",
"around 13",
"around 10"
],
"question": "Mayday has had a history of _ years up to now.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer... | Mayday is a rock band from Taiwan that was formed in the late 1990s with five members, namely ,Ashin (vocalist), Monster and Stone (guitars), Masa (bass) and Guan You (drums). Formerly making music under the name of So Band, they officially came to be known as Mayday in 1997, with the name originating from Masa's online nickname.
Mayday's songs are written mostly in Min Nan (Taiwanese dialect) and Mandarin . They are popular for capturing the zeitgeist of Taiwanese youth in the 1990s which was an era of dreams, growing up, loneliness, love and disaffection.
Mayday has made no secret of its admiration of the Beatles whom they cite(...)as influencing their ideals of rock music.The eighth track of their fifth album has a track called John Lennon where the band espouses its dreams to become the "Beatles of the Chinese World"and one day, to become better than them. Other diverse musical influences include the Irish band U2, the British band Oasis, the Japanese pop music artists Mr. Children, Sting as well as the Chinese rocker Wu Bai and China Blue.
In lyrics on recent albums, Ashin has alluded( )to several cultural icons notably the Chinese mythical monkey-god Sun Wu-Kong, Mickey Mouse, Superman, Neil Armstrong and Che Guevara. Ashin has also cited movies and novels as inspiration for his songs including "Viva Love"which was inspired by avant-garde Taiwanese director Tsai Ming Liang's 1994 movie, Vive L'Amour and the song "Armour" which was influenced by a Chinese drama Crystal Boys and Haruki Murakami's novel, Kafka On the Shore. | high18229.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The cars were completely destroyed."
},
"options": [
"The drivers were badly hurt.",
"The cars were completely destroyed.",
"The police arrived and saved the drivers.",
"The drivers became good friends."
],
"que... | A woman and a man were involved in a car accident on a snowy cold Monday morning. Both of their cars became totally damaged. But amazingly neither of them was hurt. God works in mysterious ways.
After they got out of their cars, the woman said, " So you're a man. That's interesting. I'm a woman. Wow, just look at our cars! There's nothing left, but we're unhurt. This must be a sign from God that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace for the rest of our days."
, the man replied, " Oh yes, I agree with you completely. This must be a sign from God!"
The woman continued, "And look at this, here's another miracle. My car is completely destroyed but this bottle of wine doesn't break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune." Then she handed the bottle to the man.
The man nodded his head in agreement, opened it and drank half the bottle and then handed it back to the woman. The woman took the bottle and immediately put the cap back on, and handed it back to the man.
The man asked, " Aren't you having any?"
The woman replied, " No. I think I'll just wait for the police..." | high16204.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Give some advice of traveling in Delhi."
},
"options": [
"Expect us to travel around Delhi.",
"Show his/her experiences in Delhi.",
"Give some advice of traveling in Delhi.",
"Explain the difficulties of traveling in De... | I've spent over a year in India, and in those 365 plus days, I've learned a lot about getting around Indian cities. My biggest lessons have been learned through being cheated, particularly by taxi and rickshaw drivers, but that doesn't mean those are bad ways to travel, as long as you know what you're doing. Below are the best ways to get around the city of Delhi, India, and tips for how to keep from being the victim of scams .
Taking taxis is a great way to get around the city of Delhi and chances are, if you arrive in Delhi by plane, as soon as you make it through customs, you'll be swarmed by Indian taxi drivers. At the Delhi airport, be sure to arrange for a taxi to your hotel at one of the two Delhi Traffic Police Taxi Booths. One is inside the airport, and one is outside. The key is to make sure to go to a booth run by the police, rather than by independent taxi drivers.
Rickshaws are one of my favorite ways to get around Indian cities, partly because it's how the locals often travel. Auto-rickshaws are more common, but bicycle rickshaws are still used in Old Delhi. If you do have a chance to take a bicycle rickshaw, you should do it at least once for a unique experience that should only set you back about 15 rupees. Auto-rickshaw rates around Delhi range between 30 and 80 rupees, depending on distance.
If you really want to travel around Delhi like the locals, take a public bus. Indian buses become very crowded and most do not have air conditioning. They are, however, very cheap. A bus trip won't set you back any more than 15 rupees, as long as you stay within the city limits. Since Indian buses get so crowded, try to board the bus at the start of the route so you can get a seat.
The train is a great way to get around within the city of Delhi. Fares are reasonable, between six and 22 rupees. All departure announcements are in both Hindi and English, and tokens can be purchased for between six and 22 rupees. | high4743.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She had brain damage."
},
"options": [
"She was a baby",
"She did not want to do anything.",
"She had brain damage.",
"She was a blind girl."
],
"question": "Why did Lisa need help?",
"question_type": "facti... | Lisa is ten years old. She is disabled because she has brain damage. She could not do even the simplest thing until a year ago. She could not comb her hair or feed herself. Her parents loved her. And they treated her like a baby.
Mr. Ching has a daughter and a son. They are both grown. They live far from their father. Mr. Cling felt lonely. He decided to become a foster grandfather to a handicapped child. And that was how he met Lisa.
Foster grandparents are grandparents who are not related by birth but foster parents love the children they care for. They also help the handicapped children in special ways. They help to dress and feed the children. They read to them and tell them stories. They also help with handicapped children's therapy. Therapy is the treatment of a disease or disorder. It helps the children overcome their handicaps.
Mr. Cling became a foster grandparent to Lisa when she was nine years old. At first, Lisa was shy. She was afraid because Mr. Cling was a stranger. But he came to see her every day, gradually she began to trust him. At last, Lisa let Mr. Cling do things for her.
Cling speaks for most foster grandparents when he say, "We all benefit. The handicapped children benefit because we help them live more useful lives. And we benefit because we know the children need us and love us. For any person, there is no greater happiness than that." | high2865.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "In the computer times, it is becoming popular that people carrying around e-book readers."
},
"options": [
"All of the library experts are interested in the community-building effects.",
"Tens of thousands of public books can be do... | What purposes can a library serve in an era when research can be done at home computers, thousannds of public books can be downloaded for free, and people are starting to carry around e-book readers? That's the question that David Sarno seeks to answer.
"It's very common for people to say, 'Why do I need a library when I've got a computer?'" said Pam Sandlian-Smith, director of the seven-branch Rangeview, Colo. , Library District. "We have to reframe what the library means to the community."
In the struggle to stay important-and ultimately to stay open-libraries are reinventing themselves in ways unimaginable even a few years ago, preparing for a future in which most materials can be checked and read from a home computer, smartphone or electronic reading device.
But not all library professionals are enthusiastic about the community-building efforts. Sandlian-Smith and others like her have taken:
"If you want to have game rooms and pingpong tables and God knows what-poker parties-fine, do it, but don't pretend it has anything to do with libraries," said Michael Gorman, a former president of the American Library Assn. "The argument that all these young people would turn up to play video games and think, 'Oh by the way, I must borrow that book by Dostoyevsky'-it seems ridiculous to me."
Sarno reports that lending books is taking a back seat as libraries diversify their holdings-DVDs! E-books! -and struggle to define how they can serve their local communities. And yet libraries can also serve a wider audience; some are bringing rare archival materials online.
That doesn't mean that there are e-books available yet for everything in their collections. Publishers hold back e-book versions of some big sellers from libraries, for example, Jonathan Franzen's Freedom, and the Harry Potter series. | high21127.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "affects many parts of the world"
},
"options": [
"first began in the United Statesin 1933",
"occurs mainly in river areas",
"affects many parts of the world",
"is becoming more and more serious"
],
"question": "... | A serious threat to farmers in many parts of the world is erosion. Erosion occurs if a large area of land is cleared of trees and is then badly treated by the farmers. The rain and winds may gradually wash away, or blow away, much of the topsoil. When this happens, crops of wheat or corn become weaker and weaker until nothing grows well. If erosion continues, it will turn good land into a desert.
In the past, when erosion appeared, farmers sometimes moved to a new place to farm. Sometimes they could not move, but continued to try to grow food in the unhealthy soil. This caused them to sink into poverty. Soon some people realized that there was little rich, fertile soil in the world, government began to try to stop erosion.
One of the first experiments to stop erosion began in the prefix = st1 /United Statesin 1933. The experiment was carried out in the area of the Tennessee River. Floods and had farming in this area had ruined land that had once been rich. As a result, most of the people living around the Tennessee River were very poor.
The government built big dams across the river and stored the water for use during the dry season when there was no rain. The government workers also helped farmers to fertilize their soil and to learn new farming methods which could stop erosion.
At the beginning, the farmers were not interested. But soon, good healthy crops began to appear on the land where new methods where used. Ten years after the extremely prosperous, the great success of this experiment had led similar projects in the other parts of the world. | high16953.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because its coal industry needed a large number of workers."
},
"options": [
"Because it was rich in many different kinds of culture.",
"Because people could get the highest pay there.",
"Because its coal industry needed a la... | Settled by the Celts, invaded by the Romans and the Normans, and ruled by the English, Wales' population has regularly changed over the ages. Wales, particularly South Wales, became a melting pot of European nationalities and cultures. At first workers from England, Ireland and the rural areas of Wales rushed into the coalfields of South Wales. By 1911, workers from Ireland, Italy and Spain had joined the industrial workforce there. Many of these newcomers were prepared to work for less pay.
But during this period, workers, dissatisfied with regular pay cuts, poor safety, the growing trend of employers to pay workers with tokens , which could only be spent in the company store, returned to the land. In 1891, the rural population of Wales was about 616,000 and by 1911 just over 649,000 people lived and worked in these areas.
The rural population continues to grow slowly even today. People from richer parts of the UK, particularly southern England, are buying holiday or retirement homes in Wales. In some areas this has led to a shortage of affordable housing for local people. This, combined with the lack of employment prospects in rural Welsh communities, has started a new movement of people in search of jobs and homes into the towns and cities of Wales and to other parts of the UK and Europe.
As so many Welsh people have migrated to other countries over the last 200 years, it's really no surprise that many visitors come to see friends and s -- there were 229,000 visitors in 1998. These visitors strengthen their links to their land of origin and continue to support the Welsh economy. During the hot summer days, about 28% of the visitors visit the countryside and nearly 70% visit the seaside. | high17495.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a strange camping experience"
},
"options": [
"the story of his childhood",
"a strange camping experience",
"about a stranger by the river",
"about a good place for camping."
],
"question": "The writer in the te... | When I was a boy,I belonged to the Boy Scouts ,so I used to go camping every summer,and once something happened which I have never been able to explain.
We were camping in a place above a river. After arriving,we all rushed down to the river and had a swim. Standing by the river,we noticed that it was surrounded by cliffs . If someone wanted to reach the river at this point,he had to walk past our camp.
Several days later,the scoutmaster had to he away for a day. That afternoon,we had supper early. We were sitting round the fire,eating and talking,when a man walked past and went down towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange,but,because each of us was afraid of looking very stupid,no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly,taking as long as possible. After finishing,we collected our plates together so that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one moved towards the river-- we stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we began talking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and we wondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passing through our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river so that we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, we crept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly. He called to us that there was no one there,so we ran down to the bank, looking every-where carefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark,we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster what had happened in the evening. Smiling,he doubted that we had seen the man,but finally suggested we go and look again. We did,but there was no one there.
Many years have passed,but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see?I do not know. | high20239.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "In Munich."
},
"options": [
"In Blumenau.",
"In Ontario.",
"In Ho Chi Minh City.",
"In Munich."
],
"question": "In which place does the Oktoberfest take place from September to October?",
"question_type": "f... | Celebrated in the city of Munich, Germany, the Oktoberfest, as it is popularly called, is a 3-week festival that takes place in the months of September and October. Also called the largest beer festival in the world, the Oktoberfest gathers about 6 million visitors worldwide every year. Seeing the popularity of the festival, many countries around the world have adapted to what they call their own version of the Oktoberfest. So if you are not able to make it to Germany, you can always enjoy the festival in the areas mentioned below. Don't miss out on it!
Brazil: welcome to the German town of Blumenau in Brazil. Well, we are not talking about Germans living in the town, but the place was originally founded by immigrants from Germany in the year 1850. The town is built in a traditional German style and there are a fair number of people who still live the way it used to be in good old days. The Oktoberfest is celebrated in a small village called Parque Vila Germanica between the dates of October 1stto October 18th. Guests can enjoy the festival in addition to exploring the town and its sites which include a beer museum.
Vietnam: celebrated in Ho Chi Minh City since 1992, the Oktoberfest event over here is conducted between the 6thand the 11thof October and the decorations are like the original festival in Munich, with large wooden tables lined with beer.
The Philippines: unlike the original Oktoberfest which is celebrated in a certain area, the Oktoberfest in the Philippines is a recent addition to the already existing festival which takes place between the 4thof September and the 9thof October. Now the event is set to be celebrated in a total of 30 parties in various cities around the country.
Canada: over 700,000 guests (second highest after Munich) in and around Canada take part in the Oktoberfest celebrated in Ontario between the 9thand the 17thof October. | high620.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "clothing store"
},
"options": [
"restaurant",
"grocery",
"clothing store",
"sweets shop"
],
"question": "The author probably didn't go to a _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
}
] | I went to the Chinatown market in London last Sunday. The first thing I did was to go to one of the Chinese green grocers' shops. As soon as I entered the shop, I smelt mixtures of Chinese spices and saw the new season's fruits. My son wanted a bag of sweets, so we popped into the shop next door which sells many kinds of candy.
There's a lot of noise in the Chinatown market and you will see many tourists too. There are a lot of cars and trucks that never stop beeping. While people are loading and unloading their goods, most of them have their cars and trucks parked in the middle of the road. This causes great inconvenience for other drivers. Can you imagine that?
After we had done all our shopping, my son and I went to a restaurant for lunch. We enjoyed our meal very much. But the shopping made us both very tired at the end. We headed down the road to catch our bus home. My son and I enjoyed riding in the bus. We also enjoyed looking at different buildings and people walking by dressed in fancy outfits. Although Chinatown can be a busy place to shop, I do enjoy going there now and then. I can buy some of my necessities, and I can also look and browse around the other shops and department stores where I can indulge myself with some nice things. Chinatown is located in the heart of central London where you can find tons of shops and other places to amuse you. And for me, I certainly don't mind going back there again soon. | high15282.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It is good for eyesight."
},
"options": [
"It is beneficial to building cell walls in eyes.",
"It is more delicious than other food.",
"It is good for eyesight.",
"It is rich in various vitamins."
],
"question":... | We all know that if we want to keep our body in good shape we have to do physical exercise regularly as well as be careful with what we eat. What we tend to forget is that this goes for our eyes as well. Medical science confirms that a diet rich in carotenoids can help maintain good vision and prevent against a number of eye diseases. Here's some advice about how to choose the right diet to keep your eyes healthy.
-- Eat orange food. Fruits and vegetables with orange flesh are rich in carotenoids. In addition to carrots,oranges,pumpkins and sweet potatoes are also available. All of these contain high levels of carotenoids,which help to maintain good vision.
-- Include dark green vegetables,such as spinach and broccoli in your diet, to act as natural sunglasses. Recent scientific studies have shown that these vegetables can help block the damaging UV radiation from the sun's rays.
-- Prevent some eye diseases with orange juice, yellow corn, whole milk, nuts and leafy vegetables. These foods are good sources of vitamins A, C, D and E. All of these are necessary to good eye health.
-- Increase your intake of omega!3 with some sea fish, and some other seafood. Omega-3 helps build cell walls and is especially beneficial to keeping eyes healthy .It also helps regulate the eye's internal pressure and helps the eye dry up excess fluid. | high8390.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "An event of imagination."
},
"options": [
"A historic discovery.",
"An event of imagination.",
"An event will happen on the earth.",
"A scientific adventure."
],
"question": "What is mainly described in the pass... | 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 pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth.
On 17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere with a massive explosion. About half of the piece is destroyed, but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed. Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole. The wall of water, a kilometer high, rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned.
Before the waves reach South America, the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina. Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Mountains. The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes. Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead, but the north won't escape for long. Because of the explosions, the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. The sun won't be seen again for many years. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later, no more than 10 million people remain alive.
Could it really happen? Will we meet the same end? | high22348.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "if there are water currents, and life in the great depths"
},
"options": [
"if there are water currents, and life in the great depths",
"if people can stand the severe cold in the great depths",
"if there are steps in the gre... | The journey two divers made some time ago to the deepest point on the earth makes us realize how much of the world still remains to be studied. The two men went down seven miles to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean inside a small steel ball to find out if there are any ocean currents or signs of life.
It was necessary to set out early, so that the ball would come to the surface in daylight, and be easily found by the mother ship which would be waiting for it. The divers began preparations early in the morning and soon afterwards, when all was ready, the steel ball disappeared under the surface of the water.
The divers felt as if they were going down steps as they passed through warm and cold layers of water. In time the temperature dropped to the freezing point. They kept in touch with the mother ship by telephone telling how they felt. Then, at a depth of 3,000 feet, the telephone stopped working and they were quite cut off from the outside world. All went well until some four hours later at 30,000 feet, the men were frightened by a loud, cracking noise. Even the smallest hole in the ball would have meant instant death. Luckily, though, it was only one of the outer windows that had broken. Soon afterwards, the ball touched the soft ocean floor raising a big cloud of "dust" made up of small dead sea creatures. Here, powerful lights lit up the dark water and the men were surprised to see fish swimming just above them quite untroubled by the great water pressure. But they did not dare to leave the lights on for long, as the heat from them made the water boil. Quite unexpectedly, the telephone began working again and the faint but clear voices of the divers were heard on the mother ship seven miles away. After a stay of thirty minutes the men began their journey up, arriving three hours later, cold and wet through, but none was worse for their experience. | high14822.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "can work for about a month."
},
"options": [
"is aged between 24 and 40.",
"may do some training work.",
"should deal with general duties.",
"can work for about a month."
],
"question": "We learn from the ads th... | Wanted, Someone for a Kiss
We're looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM. You'll work on the station's music programs. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100.
Father Christmas
We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit.
Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, 10:30-16:00. Excellent pay. Please contact the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne.
Accountants Assistant
When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated to GCSE grade C level we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience. Wealden District Council.
Software Trainer
If you are aged 24-45 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in program writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions, and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of PS15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV to Mrs R.Oglivie, Palmlace Limited. | high13195.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "have been reported by a newspaper"
},
"options": [
"have been reported by a newspaper",
"have been stopped by the government",
"have stopped people from using reusable bags",
"have caused serious health damage to custom... | To help the environment, many Americans have made the change from paper and plastic bags to reusable grocery bags. But a report by a Florida newspaper says that reusable grocery bags sold by some supermarkets contain high levels of lead . Lead is a metal that can be harmful to humans, especially young children. Now, Senator Charles Schumer is asking the US government to investigate the use of lead in reusable shopping bags.
"When our families go to the grocery store looking for safe and healthy foods to feed their kids, the last thing they should have to worry about is poisonous bags." Schumer said, "A quick investigation will allow everyone to make informed, timely decisions." Schumer added.
Lead in the bags is not likely to rub off on food. But over time, paint on the bags can chip and the bags can wear out. When this happens, lead can be released .
The Tampa Tribune newspaper said certain bags sold at Publix and Winn-Dixie supermarkets had lead levels that were a concern to health officials. The affected bags were found in Florida. But Publix has more than 1,000 stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Sough Carolina and Tennessee. Publix says that all of its bags are under current laws about lead content, but that they have asked the makers of the bags to reduce the lead levels in the product.
The bags with the highest levels of lead had fancy designs and many pictures. Plain reusable bags without decoration were found to contain little lead. Consumers worried about lead levels in reusable bags can change to cloth or string bags. Paper bags are also a good choice, since paper can be recycled .
Since 2007, Publix supermarkets have sold more than 13 million reusable bags. The store says because shoppers have made the change to reusable bags, it has saved more than 1 billion paper and plastics bags. | high146.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They hunted four days but failed to meet a bear."
},
"options": [
"They slept all day to wait for the bears to come.",
"They hunted four days but failed to meet a bear.",
"They talked about how to sell the bear to be hunted."... | Hunters and bears are often put in fairy tales and often provide a lot for us to think about life and human nature.
Two hunters, Ali and Hagan, went hunting for bears. For four days they saw nothing. Each night they slept in a nearby village, pledging to make part of the bear's skin against the cost of their lodging . On the fifth day a huge bear appeared, and Ali said nervously to his friend, "I don't mind admitting that I'm afraid to take this bear." Hagan laughed, "Just leave it to me, little coward."
So Ali _ like lightning up the nearest tree at once, and Hagan stood with his gun at the ready. The huge creature came, moving on in a slow and awkward way, and Hagan began to grow more and more scared. At last he raised his gun to his shoulder, but by now he was trembling so much that, before he could take proper aim, his gun went off and missed the target .
Hagan, remembering that bears never touch a dead body, threw himself flat on the ground and held his breath. The bear came up, sniffed all around him and moved off in the end.
Ali, who had been watching the whole thing from the tree, now came down and, congratulating Hagan on his escape, asked him, "What did the bear whisper in your ear just now?"
"Don't sell the bear's skin before you have caught the bear," Hagan announced. | high21899.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "In her fifties"
},
"options": [
"In her twenties",
"In her thirties",
"In her forties",
"In her fifties"
],
"question": "When did Marie Curie win a Nobel Prize for a chemistry?",
"question_type": "factiod_qu... | Dr. Marie Curie is known to the world as the scientist who discovered radioactive metals i.e. Radium and Polonium.
Marie Curie was a Polish physicist and chemist. Together with her husband, Pierre, she discovered two new elements and studied the x-rays they emitted. She found that the harmful properties of x-rays were able to kill tumors. By the end of World War I, Marie Curie was probably the most famous woman in the world. She had made a conscious decision, however, not to patent methods of processing radium or its medical applications.
Marie Curie was born on November 7, 1867 in Poland and died on July 4, 1934. Her co-discovery with her husband Pierre Curie of the radioactive elements radium and polonium represents one of the best known stories in modern science for which they were recognized in 1901 with the Nobel Prize for Physics. In 1911, Marie Curie was honored with a second Nobel prize, this time for chemistry, to honor her for successfully isolating pure radium and determining radium's atomic weight.
As a child, Marie Curie amazed people with her great memory. She learned to read when she was only four years old. Her father was a professor of science and the instruments that he kept in a glass case fascinated Marie. She dreamed of becoming a scientist, but that would not be easy. Her family became very poor, and at the age of 18, Marie became a governess. She helped pay for her sister to study in Paris. Later, her sister helped Marie with her education. In 1891, Marie attended the Sorbonne University in Paris where she met and married Pierre Curie, a well-known physicist.
Marie Curie contributed greatly to our understanding of radioactivity and the effects of x-rays. She received two Nobel prizes for her brilliant work, but died of leukemia, caused by her repeated exposure to radioactive material. | high11782.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the old city of Majorca"
},
"options": [
"the old city of Majorca",
"Palma beach resorts",
"the city centre of Majorca",
"the east of the old town"
],
"question": "If you'd like to buy what you like,you had bett... | *The Hotel Portixol,a hotel that oozes style and has thoughtful extras in Palma Majorca.
*Location
In the bay of Portixol,a 30-minute walk or 10-minute cycle east of the old town,overlooking Portixol port.
*Character
The square white building,with its blue shutters and dark wooden balconies,stands out as you approach Portixol. Inside as well as out,Hotel Portixol oozes style - wicker sofas in a shade deck. Thoughtful extras include free bicycle hire and telescopes in each room.
*Rooms
Thirteen of the 26 rooms have balconies,overlooking the sea. All have large showers and king-size beds. Our corner room had double glass doors on two sides which created a much-needed breeze.
*Food
Breakfast is a feast,with a huge selection of fresh fruit,yogurts,cereals,meats,cheeses and breads. The lunch and dinner menus mix traditional Mediterranean food with eastern and European classics.
*Why Palma?
Parts of Majorca have a certain reputation,but calm,sweet Palma is a far shout from the island's busy and sometimes tacky beach resorts so popular with hen and buck parties.
The Majorcan capital is also one of the easiest short-break destinations in Europe. The old town is a 10-minute taxi ride from Palma airport,while the tangled streets inside the old city wall combine the best restaurants,shopping and culture Majorca has to offer.
While very hot in summer,temperatures remain pleasant during the rest of the year.
*Getting there
Easy Jet flies to Palma from most airports in the UK,from PS29.99 one way. A taxi from Palma airport to the city centre costs about PS8; or you can catch a bus which costs a few euros. | high5878.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Definition 3"
},
"options": [
"Definition 1",
"Definition 2",
"Definition 3",
"Definition 4"
],
"question": "Which meaning of the word javelin is used in the sentence below?",
"question_type": null
}
] | Answer the following questions by using the information taken from a dictionary page.(You may read the questions first.)
jaguar: n.a type of large, yellow-colored cat with black markings found in the southwestern region of the U.S.and in Central and South America.
jargon: 1.n.an unknown language that seems strange or impossible to understand.2.n.a language made up of two or more other languages: His jargon was a mixture of French and English- 3.n. the special vocabulary of a field or profession: Her report on computers was filled with jargon.4.n.speech that doesn't make sense.
jaunt: 1.n.a trip taken for fun.2.v.to go on a brief pleasant trip: We jaunted to the country last
Saturday.
javelin: 1.n.a spear most commonly used as weapon or in hunting.2.n.the contest in which a javelin is thrown.3.n.a lightweight metal or wooden spear that is thrown in track-and-field contests.4, v.to strike, as with ajavelin.
jazz: 1.n.a type of music that originated in New Orleans and is characterized by rhythmic eats.2.n.popular dance music influenced by jazz..3.n.slang empty talk.4.ad.of or like jazz: a jazz band, jazz records.
Jennet; n.a small Spanish horse. | high11796.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the United States ranked 12th in the chemistry test conducted by 14 countries"
},
"options": [
"the United States ranked 12th not 14th in the chemistry test",
"the United States ranked 12th in the chemistry test conducted by 14 cou... | The United States is trying to improve an education system that produces millions of citizens who cannot read, write, or add--let alone finding their country on a map.
In his first State of Union message since taking office a year ago, President George Bush promised to wipe out illiteracy in the next decade and declared that "by the year 2008, U.S students must be first in the world in math and science achievements. " They have a long way to go. American students were placed 14th in a recent general science test conducted in 16 countries. In a separate survey of chemistry students, the United States came 12 out of 14. In a mathematics test, they were last. According to Bush, there are 17 million illiterates in this country of 245 million people. Other estimates put the number as high as 23 million. In percentage terms, that ranks the United States alongside Nicaragua and below C], 'uba. "This nation," Bush said in his State of the Union address, "will not accept anything but excellent in education." Bush, who has declared himself "Education president", and senior officials of his administration are warning that the United States will be unable to compete in the world without an educated workforce.
How to increase educational standards is a matter of debate in a country whose schools have no uniform national curriculum and are subject to a confusing variety of state and local controls. Most experts think that the problem lies at the elementary and high school' levels rather than with universities-but even their graduates show huge gaps in general knowledge. Among the root causes most frequently mentioned in education debates is the low respect in which U.S. society holds teachers-in contrast to Japan and Germany. In Japan teaching is a profession of high prestige and high pay. In the United States teachers are near the bottom of the society. | high21655.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To introduce the US Secret Service to us."
},
"options": [
"To tell us how to be a bodyguard.",
"To introduce the US Secret Service to us.",
"To give us some information about US \npresidents.",
"To inform us of the inc... | WHEN an Iraqi journalist threw a shoe at former US President George W.Bush at a news conference last December,the president's bodyguards quickly moved to protect him.
Those bodyguards were from the US Secret Service.Their job is to protect the president.Now America's first black president Barack Obama also has the same people at his side.Here are some details about these mysterious men and women.
History
*The Secret Service is known today for protecting public officials and their families.
However,when it began in 1865,it was started to protect money.A third to a half of all US money during the Civil War was fake .President Abraham Lincoln created the United States Secret Service to find those responsibly.
*The first 25 presidents had no special protection.That changed after President William Mckinley was murdered in 1901.
Who gets protection?
About 30 people get full-time protection in the United States (more in an election year).
Included are:
*Presidents and vice-presidents and their wives,for up to 10 years after leaving office,and their children up to age 16.Anyone can decline protection after leaving office.Richard Nixon did. *Candidates for president and vice-president,their wives and children at a cost of $500,000 a month for 30-plus special agents .
*The Secretary of State,National Security Adviser and others.The Secret Service also protects 80 to 200 visiting foreign political leaders every year.
Getting around
Rules for president
*Limousines that can withstand a missile are used.
*Entering and exiting are never done on a street.
*Exact travel plans are kept secret.
*Bulletproof reading stands for speeches are used.
Agent's task
*Teach the president how to wave and move.
*Test his food for poison.
*Use special radio channels for the police and the Secret Service.
*Use X-ray checks before allowing entry to secure areas,and search bags.
*Check lists of hundreds of people known to be dangerous.
*Keep files on thousands of people who have made even vague threats.
*Be part of counter-sniper teams. | high8384.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "\"natural\" sleep may be less than eight hours a night"
},
"options": [
"they have a lack of sleep because of their bad lifestyle",
"\"natural\" sleep may be less than eight hours a night",
"modern electronic products cause t... | There was good news last week for people who struggle to get eight hours of sleep a night: they may not need so much shut-eye after all.
Researchers from UCLA and elsewhere looked at sleep habits of remote hunter-gatherers in Tanzania, Namibia and Bolivia -- groups with pre-industrial lifestyles whose sleep patterns are believed to reflect those of ancient humans. The researchers found that, on average, members of each group sleep a bit less than six and a half hours a night.
The study, published in the academic journalCurrent Biology, indicates that "natural" sleep is less than eight hours a night and that modern society's numerous electronic distractions aren't necessarily to blame for people getting just six or seven hours of sleep.
"The story that often gets out is that if you sleep for less than seven hours, you're going to die early," he told me. "That's not true."
Yet Americans are addicted to getting more sleep -- and on turning to medical shortcuts to help them.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, as many as 70 million U.S. adults suffer from sleep disorders or sleeplessness. Only a third of Americans get the government's recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night.
About 9 million American adults use sleeping pills to help get a good night's rest, the CDC found. Siegel said the number of people relying on medicines "has gone up rather rapidly since then."
Industry consulting firm GlobalData estimates that worldwide sales for sleeplessness medicines will run about $1.4 billion next year and reach $1.8 billion by 2023, recovering from lower sales in recent years because of cheaper generics hitting the market.
Dr. Roy Artal, a sleep specialist in West Los Angeles, said it's understandable that busy people in today's go-go world would turn to medicines to speed up the sleep process. But all they're doing is building a reliance on powerful drugs for relatively little improvement.
"There's no magic pill that makes us sleep when we want and wake up when we want," Artal said. "The effects of sleeping pills tend to be _ ."
He and other experts say the answer to sleeplessness isn't to be found in a pill bottle. It's in what's called "sleep hygiene ." | high14836.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "go to sleep"
},
"options": [
"in a normal night",
"go to sleep",
"refuse to show yourself to the world",
"change sleeping position"
],
"question": "According to the writer, you naturally show your secret and rea... | Everyone has got two personalities --the one that is shown to the world and the other that is secret and real . You don't show your secret personality when you're awake because you can control your behavior , but when you're asleep , your sleeping position shows the real you . In a normal night , of course , people frequently change their position . The important position is the one that you go to sleep in .
If you go to sleep in your back , you're a very open person ,. You normally trust people and you are easily influenced by fashion or new ideas . You don't like to upset people , so you never express your real feeling .
If you sleep on your stomach , you are a rather secretive person . You worry a lot and you're always easily upset . You're very stubborn , but you aren't very ambitious . You usually live for today not for tomorrow . This means that you enjoy having a good time .
If you sleep curled up , you are probably a very nervous person . You have a low opinion of yourself so you're often defensive . You're shy and you don't normally like meeting people. You prefer to be on your own . you're easily hurt .
If you sleep on your side , you have usually got a well-balanced personality . You know your strengths and weakness . You're usually careful . You have a confident personality . You sometimes feel anxious, but you don't often get depressed . You always say what you think even if it makes people angry . | high152.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Poetry"
},
"options": [
"Painting",
"Poetry",
"Calligraphy",
"Seal-carving"
],
"question": "In his early life, what was Qi Baishi famous for?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Qi Baishi (1863~1957) is one of the best-known contemporary Chinese artists. His life shows he achieved success by combining talent with hard work.
He was born in a peasant family. At 11 he was sent to learn carpentry . Through his work he got to know some local scholars. One of them, Hu Shenyuan, offered to teach his painting and poetry. During this period he earned his living by painting portraits and selling his works. Gradually he developed a reputation as an artist as well as a carpenter. In those years he devoted himself to poetry, calligraphy , and seal-carving. Although he admitted he was a versatile artist, his own criteria of his successes placed poetry first, seal-carving second, calligraphy third, and painting last.
From 1902 to 1916, Qi toured the country five times, and he left his footmarks in many cities, such as Beijing and Hongkong. The trips broadened his vision and changed his style. In 1917 he settled down in Beijing, where he met many artists and scholars, and made friends with Chen Shizeng. Chen advised him not to _ early masters and to form his own style.
Through long years of practice, Qi Baishi evolved a distinctive personal style. The subjects of his painting were wide and various, and the flowers, birds, fish, prawns , and insects he painted are most admired by his public. To improve his technique of painting prawns, he raised some at home and frequently observed their movements. He wrote in his diary about how he had changed his method of painting prawns: "At first my prawns owned a reasonable similarity, then they became even more realistic, and finally light and dark color1s became properly contrasted. These are the three changes." Qi Baishi was able to portray the same object in either the xieyior thegongbistyle. When he painted a dragonfly in a detailed manner, he even drew the veins in its wings. When he adopted a , free style, he used only a few dry, expressive strokes to form it. What is fascinating about his work is that in some pictures both methods are used. | high23042.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "liked being told lies"
},
"options": [
"liked to tell lies",
"was an excellent liar",
"liked being told lies",
"was a very clever man"
],
"question": "According to the passage, the old man _ .",
"question... | Once there was an old man who liked being told lies. He said "Any man who can tell me two lies which can satisfy me can marry my daughter." So all the liars in the countryside came to his house. But he said to all of them, "I am not satisfied with your lies. I would not give my daughter to any of you. One day, however, a young man came and said, "It will be very hot in summer, so you should go out now and dig a big hole under the street. Then when the hot summer weather comes you will sell the cool air from the hole and get a lot of money." Oh, that's a wonderful lie," answered the old man. "What's the next one?" The young man took out an old paper from his pocket, and said, "Your father borrowed one million from me before he died. He gave this paper to prove that he owed me the money. I didn't ask him to pay that to me." Now the old man did not know what to do. "If I say it's a lie, I must give my daughter, but if I say it's not a lie, I must pay him all the money." He said to himself. In the end he said, It's a lie." And the young man married his daughter. | high23724.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "when to stay silent"
},
"options": [
"when to stay silent",
"why to stay silent",
"how to stay silent",
"whether or not to stay silent"
],
"question": "The passage mainly tells us about _",
"question_type"... | Staying silent can be just as powerful as the words you mean to say, like when the act of hugging will be more comforting than saying, "Sorry for your loss."
Another time when silence is golden is when you are unsure of what to say. If you are confused about your own feelings concerning a matter, it's best to stay quiet until you are more certain because more harm can be done by revealing false or exaggerated feelings
Choose silence instead of blurting out 'in-the-moment' feelings that are hurtful and not really how you feel in the grand scheme of things. When you feel the urge to say an unkind thing, take a few breaths and think of the possible consequences of your words.
Silence can be your best friend during negotiations. Say your piece, then close your mouth, and let the other person come to their own conclusions. Your silence shows that one, you are confident in what you just said, and two, you respect the other person enough to hear what they have to say.
Sometimes silence is the best and most timely solution because the other person is not in a position to hear what you have to say. For example, when a friend needs for you to listen to her problems, but she is unable to accept your advice at that moment.
Practice being silent at work when you don't have anything meaningful to contribute. Unless you can elevate the conversation by pointing out something interesting, missing, or beneficial, it's best to just observe and learn.
Finally, silence is golden when you don't want to engage in a fool's argument. As some squabbles will never be resolved, one must agree to disagree.
Hower,there will be times in your life where you will need the power of your voice,the voice within you that wants and needs to be respected and apprecitsed. | high7909.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Low Wray, Cumbria"
},
"options": [
"Low Wray, Cumbria",
"Lundy, Bristol Channel",
"Highertown Farm, Cornwall",
"Houghton Mill, Cambridgeshire"
],
"question": "Mike is fond of swimming. Which of the following cam... | The National Trust has many campsites in scenic locations all over the UK. Make the most of the last days of summer by living outdoors and taking in these beautiful landscapes. Here are some of the most popular places to go.
Low Wray, Cumbria
Low Wray is a lovely campsite situated on the western shore Windermere in the Lake District. There are magnificent views across the water to Wansfell Pike and the Fairfield Horseshow and the site is an ideal base for water sports with on-site access for launching.
Phone 05139463862 or _ .
Houghton Mill, Cambridgeshire
This site is situated on the banks of the Great Ouse with spectacular views across the river to the Trust's Houghton Mill, the last working mill on this river. Mill demonstrations are held every Sunday during the season and the site is situated near the picturesque village of Houghton. There are plenty of footpaths for walkers, horse riders and cyclists along the waterways.
_ or phone 01480466716.
Wasdale Head, Cumbria
Wasdale is a great base for climbers of all abilities. The site is nestled under the Scafell mountain range at the head of beautiful Wastwater, the deepest lake in England. Canoeing is possible on Wastwater although limited to no more than 15 on the lake at a time.
Phone 01212765416 or _ .
Highertown Farm, Cornwall
A small, basic campsite situated in the quiet hamlet of Lansallos with fine views of the south-east Cornwall coast and not far from a secluded beach. Bookings may be necessary at peak time.
Email or phone 01208265211
Lundy, Bristol Channel
Lundy Island is an unspoilt island, home to a fascinating array of wildlife amidst dramatic scenery. There are passages from Bideford and Ilfracombe according to the tides, 1 April-31Oct and a winter helicopter service 1 Nov-31 March.
Email or phone 01271863636 for more information. | high634.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "freedom"
},
"options": [
"fashion",
"honesty",
"peace",
"freedom"
],
"question": "In the 1960s, long hair represented _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index":... | I learned a long time ago that hair has meanings--plenty of meanings. Growing up in the 1960s, my friends and I struggled without parents' control over the length and style of our hair.
At the time, hair represented our need to break free from adults in our lives. Long hair represented our freed inner selves.
My clients are often surprised when I asked them questions about their hairstyle--why they choose it, how else they've worn their hair, how they feel about it, and so on. However, while it may seem to be a simple topic, even today our hairstyles still have many psychological and emotional meanings. Understanding some of those meanings can lead to understanding of many different aspects of a person's mind. How we view our hair, for example, can show something about how we view ourselves.
Our hair can show physical and emotional wellbeing, desirability, and even social and financial status. When it becomes dull or fragile, it can communicate emotional and physical diseases. But hair can also show unrecognized and often unspoken daydreams about oneself and one's world. One woman--a successful professional--wore her long hair in a thick bun .
But one day she showed me that tangled hair was kept in the bun. She said that she never brushed out the tangles because the hair showed her secret image of herself as a helpless, disturbed woman, like Ophelia in the play Hamlet.
Another woman came to therapy in a huge shirt and huge pants that she believed they could hide the weight she had put on since the birth of her child. She talked about how much she hated her body and how helpless she felt about doing anything about it. But her hair was always beautifully coloured and decorated. When I pointed out that she seemed to have a different relationship with her hair from she did with her body, she said that her hair had been thinning and that she was trying to make it look as good as she could. I pointed out that what she was doing with her hair and her body was kind of contradictory, and wondered if she had any thoughts about that.
She was surprised. But as we talked about her contradictory attitudes towards different parts of her physical self, we began to open up all sorts of other thoughts and ideas about her inner self.
And interestingly, as we continued opening those internal doors, changes started to happen. She started eating differently and exercising regularly. One day some months later, she appeared in my office in skinny jeans and a tight sweater, and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. "I decided to see what would happen if I stopped trying to hide myself, " she said with a big smile.
"And...? " I asked. "People keep smiling at me in the street. My husband hugged me this morning for the first time in ages. And I feel good! "
Besides, selfrespect in both men and women can be damaged by thinning hair;they may feel alone even though they are really not. Given our cultural focus on physical appearance, youth, and health, hair loss can be unpleasant for both men and women. The market is filled with hairenhancing treatments, but there are those who have decided to be against the system and change to the "bald is beautiful" position. But it is much harder for women to take the "bald is beautiful" approach to hair loss. We tend to try to hide it in one way or another.
But no matter what approach you use, it is important to remember that the thickness of your hair has nothing to do with your value in the world. Remember that you have nothing to be ashamed of if you have thinning hair. Thinning hair may not be something you can change, but it doesn't have to control how you represent the person who lives underneath it. | high9924.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It remained to be seen whether the girl was to be employed or not."
},
"options": [
"The Civil Administration Bureau of Wuhan employed the girl.",
"The girl was not employed because of dishonesty.",
"It remained to be seen wh... | The girl looking for the job turned out to be excellent but she ended up giving her employer a headache when it also turned out that she used an unreal diploma .
In December, a Civil Administration Bureau in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, announced that it needed five new staff members. Some 120 people applied and took the exam. Applicants were required to show proof of a college degree at least.
Mei Jing beat everyone in the test and the interview. When a follow-up check was done, however, her education certificate was discovered to be an unreal one.
This was a bit of an embarrassment for the employers. A _ one might say. If she were hired because of her excellent performance, she still wouldn't have the qualifications on paper. But, if she were dropped because she didn't meet the education requirements, they would lose a good worker. Tough problem!
While Mei's future hangs in the balance, the public having learned of the case got involved. Some people said the Bureau should employ her, since results are the only important thing. "After all, ability is more important than a diploma, "said one office worker.
Others, however, have attacked Mei's dishonesty. They said that morality was, after all, more important than talent, especially in the case of a government position. Mei wasn't honest, so she shouldn't be hired.
But, Shen Ronghua, the head of the Shanghai Public Administration and Human Resources Institute, tries to be a bit more philosophical.
"There is still a sort of 'diploma means this' prejudice among people," Shen explains, "Many employers regard a diploma as the only sign of ability and talent."
So, with this in mind, people may pay little attention to whether someone has real ability or not. They turn to chasing a diploma instead. The unreal diploma is the natural product of this thought.
The conclusion? "China needs a new human resource system. The new system will not define a person only by his or her diploma, " Shen says. | high15296.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a family secret"
},
"options": [
"a family secret",
"a family honor",
"a family story",
"a family treasure"
],
"question": "According to Jessica's mother, \"a skeleton in the closet\" means _ .",
"questio... | "Mum, what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton in the closet ?" Jessica asked. "A skeleton in the closet?" her mother paused thoughtfully."Well, it's something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad's family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be 'a skeleton in his family's closet'. He really wouldn't want any neighbor to know about it."
"Why pick on my family?" Jessica's father said with anger. "Your family history isn't so good, you know. Wasn't your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?" "Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners." "Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now," Jessica cut in before things grew worse.
After dinner, the house was very quiet. Jessica's parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica's closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica's mother sank in a faint , waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter.
"What happened? Where am I?" she asked."You just destroyed the school's skeleton, Mum," explained Jessica. "I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad." Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly."They're both crazy,"she thought. | high21133.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "people were required to wear formal clothes in offices before casual Fridays concept appeared"
},
"options": [
"the casual Friday concept has been out of fashion",
"people were required to wear formal clothes in offices before casu... | The casual Friday concept was one of the first signs that strict dress rules for offices were starting to relax. The principle of casual Fridays seems to have appeared around the 1950s. It was probably in response to the changing attitudes towards workplaces. Over time, some offices have relaxed their dress rules even more by using a "business casual" dress rule.
On casual Fridays, employees may wear clothes which are considered to be "business casual", meaning they still obey certain standards . Clothes must be clean and in good condition, with no spots. Men are generally allowed to wear casual trousers and bright-colored clothes, and in some offices they may be allowed to wear button-down shirts or polo shirts, with or without a tie. Women often wear neat skirts or dresses; casual trousers are common and generally allowed to wear, except in very formal workplaces.
As a general rule, extremely casual clothes, like jeans, shorts, T-shirts, tank tops, and so on, are not encouraged on casual Fridays. Employees are still expected to make an effort to look professional, out of respect for their offices and their customers.
Many people feel that casual Fridays are good for employees'mood because they encourage employees to express their individuality and feel more comfortable in the offices. Others feel that business casual clothing and the concept of casual Fridays don't show respect for the workplaces. Casual Fridays are dealt with differently, depending on the industry and the nation. The technology industry, for example, is well known for casual clothes in general, while major financial companies still dislike casual clothes. | high2871.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He/She gives up easily."
},
"options": [
"He/She rarely daydreams.",
"He/She takes the initiative .",
"He/She gives up easily.",
"He/She isn't afraid of failing."
],
"question": "Which of the following is TRUE a... | When we talk about intelligence,we do not mean the ability to get a good score on a certain kind of test,or even the ability to do well in school. These are at best only indicators of something larger,deeper,and far more important. By intelligence we mean a style of life,a way of behaving in various situations. The true test of intelligence is not how much we know to do,but how we behave when we don't know what to do.
The intelligent person,young or old,meeting a new situation or problem,opens himself up to it. He tries to take in with mind and senses everything he can about it. He thinks about it,instead of about himself or what it might cause to happen to him. He grapples with it ly,imaginatively,resourcefully ,and if not confidently,at least hopefully;if he fails to master it,he looks without fear or shame at his mistakes and learns what he can from them. This is intelligence. Clearly its roots lie in a certain feeling about life,and one's self with respect to life. Just as clearly,unintelligence is not what most psychologists seem to suppose,the same thing as intelligence,only less of it. It is an entirely different set of attitudes.
Years of watching and comparing bright children with the not-bright,or less bright,have shown that they are very different kinds of people. The bright child is curious about life and reality,eager to get in touch with it,embrace it,unite himself with it. There is no wall,no barrier,between himself and life. On the other hand,the dull child is far less curious,far less interested in what goes on and what is real,more inclined to live in a world of fantasy. The bright child likes to experiment,to try things out. He lives by the maxim that there is more than one way to skin a cat. If he can't do something one way,he'll try another. The dull child is usually afraid to try at a11. It takes a great deal of urging to get him to try even once;if that try fails,he is through.
Nobody starts off stupid. Hardly an adult in a thousand,or ten thousand,could in any three years of his life learn as much. Grow as much in his understanding of the world around him,as every infant learns and grows in his first three years. But what happens,as we grow older,to this extraordinary capacity for learning and intellectual growth?What happens is that it is destroyed,and more than by any other one thing,it is destroyed by the process that we misname education--a process that goes on in most homes and schools. | high16947.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "adults should treat children equally"
},
"options": [
"parents should pay more attention to the elder children",
"the younger children are usually more easily hurt",
"people usually like the younger children more",
"adu... | We have two daughters: Kristen is seven years old and Kelly is four. Last Sunday evening, we invited some people home for dinner. I dressed them nicely for the party, and told them that their job was to join Mommy in answering the door when the bell rang. Mommy would introduce them to the guests, and then they would take the guests' coats upstairs and put them on the bed in the second bedroom.
The guests arrived. I introduced my two daughters to each of them. The adults were nice and kind and said how lucky we were to have such good kids.
Each of the guests made a particular fuss over Kelly, the younger one, admiring her dress, her hair and her smile. They said she was a remarkable girl to be carrying coats upstairs at her age.
I thought to myself that we adults usually _ the younger one because she's the one who seems more easily hurt. We do it with the best of intentions.
But we seldom think of how it might affect the other child. I was a little worried that Kristen would feel she was being outshined. I was about to serve dinner when I realized that she had been missing for twenty minutes. I ran upstairs and found her in the bedroom, crying. I said, "What are you doing, my dear?"
She turned to me with a sad expression and said, "Mommy, why don't people like me the way they like my sister? Is it because I'm not pretty? Is that why they don't say nice things about me as much?"
I tried to explain to her, kissing and hugging her to make her feel better.
Now whenever I visit a friend's home, I make it a point to speak to the elder child first. | high1388.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "people are better able to make changes when they make changes with others"
},
"options": [
"friendship plays an important role in our daily lives",
"people are better able to make changes when they make changes with others",
... | Eat healthier. Exercise twice a week. Read more books. Lose weight. We make the same resolutions every year. But most of us fail, and quit after only a few days or weeks.Even the most successful among us, those who have climbed to the top of their fields, crash and burn when it comes to personal change. For example, President Barack Obama has struggled with his smoking habit.
So why is change so challenging? Are we wired in a way that keeps us from making changes? And do we need the support of others to reach our goals, or can we go it alone?
Professionals who help people make-changes in their lives suggest that the change is determined not by one's surroundings, but one's mind.Beginning with small goals or steps usually leads to a bigger pay-off later, they say.And trying to make a change is easier with support from a cheery group of friends, family, or co-workers with shared goals.But they caution that the experience is different for everyone.
"People are more likely to make positive changes in their lives not only when their friends do, but when their friends of friends do, and when their friends of friends of friends do," said Nicholas Christakis, a professor of medical sociology at Harvard University."Social networks have this interesting property of magnifying everything, and so taking advantage of your social network ties can result in a magnification of your own efforts.
Johnny Augustin understands that well.His goal was to reduce 30 pounds from his 237-pound frame.But the change didn't come easily.He said "I'm a huge procrastinator.There is a desire but I just kept putting it off.I didn't get to do it until the summer."However, Augustin got inspired when he saw his older brother working out.Today, Augustin weighs 190 pounds.
Having a positive attitude is one of the keys to making a successful change, according to Judy Zerafa, author of several books based on how people can improve their lives.She emphasized the importance of believing in yourself--and having positive habits, creative imagination, and persistence--to make change happen."Success in overcoming any self-defeating behavior particularly those related to health, finances, relationships and weight loss is almost guaranteed if you learn to reprogram the subconscious images in that part of the mind," Zerafa said in an article. | high24063.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "pickpockets"
},
"options": [
"several overseas trips",
"Champs Elysee",
"a lovely visit to Paris",
"pickpockets"
],
"question": "This passage is a story about _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | Several overseas trips with the family have taught us that they can be rewarding, but you always have to be careful of pickpockets.
On a lovely visit to Paris an encounter with a pickpocket gave the would-be thief a little more than he _
While walking down the famous Champs Elysee, I was astonished to feel someone unzip my handbag and remove my purse. I turned to glimpse a young man turning away and pretending to be absorbed in the mouth-watering contents on display in a bakery window.
Being only a teenager at the time, I had no idea what to do. So I tapped the young man in question on the shoulder and said.
"Excuse me can you please give me back my purse?"
Of course the pickpocket had no idea what I was saying (and didn't want to know) and proceeded to shrug his shoulders and basically say (in French) "I don't speak English"?
Meanwhile my Mother (a Scotswoman with a bad temper), came to see why I had stopped walking and what was going on. When I informed her of the situation she lost control and started yelling at the thief who still stood there making gestures in French while a crazy Scotswoman harangued him. At this stage we were starting to attract onlookers, and when my Mother started hitting the young man with her handbag the would-be thief decided it was time to get away.
Luckily, amid all the disorder the thief lost his control of my purse, and as he made a break-for-it, my purse dropped to the ground! I quickly snatched it up and for the rest of vacation we walked around with our handbags clutched against our chests! | high7921.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "at sea"
},
"options": [
"at sea",
"in a small bay",
"in a lake",
"on a river"
],
"question": "The waves can build up _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": ... | Waves are beautiful to look at,but they can destroy ships at sea,as well as houses and buildings near the shore.What causes waves? Most waves are caused by winds blowing over the surface of the water.The sun heats the earth,causing the air to rise and the winds to blow.The winds blow across the sea,pushing little waves into bigger and bigger ones.
The size of a wave depends on how strong the wind is,how long it blows,and how large the body of water is.In a small bay big waves will never build up,but at sea the wind can build up giant,powerful waves.
A rule says that the height of a wave (in meters)will usually be no more than one-tenth of the wind's speed(in kilometers).In other words,when the wind is blowing at 120 kilometers per hour,most waves will be about twelve meters of course,and some waves may combine to form giant
waves that are much higher.In 1933 the United States Navy reported the largest measured wave in
history.It rose in the Pacific Ocean to a height of thirty-four meters. | high22412.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The college should be approved by authority."
},
"options": [
"They are interested in its course.",
"The college should be approved by authority.",
"Their homes are not far from the college.",
"Teachers in the college m... | Online education is becoming a popular learning choice to traditional colleges. Most colleges offer online programs in various fields and levels, which allows students to go on with their education over the Internet. Students must keep in mind that the college they wish to apply to must be approved by a related recognized organization.
So who can really benefit from an online program? Well, anybody, and everybody! Online programs can turn out to be a pocket-friendly choice to a traditional college for many people. Here's a list of people who usually consider joining in an online degree program;
l Stay-at-home parents. Online education is perfect choice for stay-at-home parents and those who have very young kids. Online classes give them the flexibility to complete or further their education while looking after home and family and without worrying about childcare.
l Working professionals who want to further their education but travel a lot or have extremely busy schedules, as well as those who want to make a career change but do not have the time to enroll in a full-time degree program.
l People who cannot commute to a college campus.
l Shy students who might feel embarrassed among a group of people and prefer to study by themselves and at their own pace.
l People who want to save money. Online programs can turn out to be more cost-effective than attending a physical classroom.
l People who do not get distracted easily -- something many people overlook when considering online education. If you are someone who can easily ignore the ringing of a phone, stay away from TV, and resist all other things that may draw your attention, online programs are for you.
So do you think online education is for you? If you feel you belong to any of the above listed categories, then online education could work out very well for you. | high2681.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a box cooker"
},
"options": [
"a box cooker",
"a panel cooker",
"a parabolic cooker",
"a paper cooker"
],
"question": "If you have much food to cook , you'd better choose _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_que... | As we all know, millions of people worldwide cook their food over smoky fire every day. It is often difficult to find wood for the fire. People who do not have wood must spend large amounts of money on cooking fuel. However, there is a much easier way to cook food using energy from the sun.
Solar cooker, or ovens, have been used for centuries. A Swiss scientist made the first solar oven in seventeen sixty-seven. Today, people are using solar cookers in many countries around the world. People use solar ovens to cook food and to heat drinking water to kill bacteria and other harmful organisms.
There are three kinds of solar ovens. The first is a box cooker, It is designed with a special wall that shines or reflects sunlight into the box .Heat gets trapped under a piece of glass or plastic covering the top of the cooker. A box oven is effective for slow cooking of large amounts of food.
The second kind of solar oven is a panel cooker. It includes several flat walls or panels that directly reflect the sun's light onto the food. The food is inside a separate container of plastic or glass that traps heat energy. People can build panel cookers quickly and with very few supplies. They do not cost much. In Kenya ,for example ,panel cookers are being manufactured for just two dollars.
The third kind of solar oven is a parabolic cooker. It has rounded walls that aim sunlight directly into the bottom of the oven .Food cooks quickly in parabolic ovens .However, these cookers are hard to make. They must be re-aimed often to follow the sun .Parabolic cookers can also cause burns and eye injuries if they are not used correctly.
You can make solar ovens from boxes or heavy paper. They will not catch fire. Paper burns at two hundred thirty-two degrees Celsius. A solar cooker never gets that hot. Solar ovens cook food at low temperatures over long periods of time. This permits people to leave food to cook while they do other things. | high11966.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "That children must have what other children have."
},
"options": [
"That children must have what other children have.",
"That children must have proper pressure to work hard.",
"That children must have special skills to ensur... | Parents are fuelling bad behavior among their children by attempting to "buy" their love with expensive gifts nowadays.
Over recent decades we seem to have created a "must have" culture among our young people. Many mothers and fathers believe they are "failing as parents" if they are unable to ensure that their children have the latest toy, electronic devices (the lap-top, cellphones, Game Boy, etc.) along with their friends. In many cases, families also feel pressured to enroll children in "'every interest club or after-school activity that is available" to fill up their time like most of the other children.
But experts warned that the move might affect "precious family time" negatively. Graham Gorton, chairman of the Independent Schools Association, said that parents spent too much time filling their children's lives, which had a series of negative effects on "the very precious family time that exists".
"It seems that those times when a whole weekend without planned work was seen as a luxury and a perfect opportunity to spend time together and share those valuable moments of childhood are long gone," Mr. Gorton said. "As a child I only once said that phrase that parents feared 'I'm bored'. Immediately my mother took action and produced a list of jobs and then insisted that I complete every one of them. Though l didn't think cleaning all the floors could really get rid of my boredom, I enjoyed the feeling of staying at home with my mother and brothers."
Earlier this year, some researchers suggested that relatively wealthy parents were sometimes guilty of failing to teach basic social skills to children. "Often, it's the rich middle classes that buy off their children through the computer and the TV. That then sets them apart from their family, and then the parents are surprised when their child isn' t coming to school." | high5688.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "she was very young when she lost her mother"
},
"options": [
"she could not find her way home",
"Daphne wanted to keep her as a pet",
"she was very young when she lost her mother",
"Tsavo National Park needed a baby ele... | Zoe was just 2 weeks old when she was seen wandering in a village market wax Kenya's Tsavo National Park in December 1995.Zoe's mother had died and the baby was left alone, She was no ordinary orphan --she was an elephant.So she was sent to a most unusual orphanage in Nairobi, run by a woman named Daphne Sheldrick,
Daphne's husband, David Sheldrick, founded Tsavo National Park.Daphne has been working with wild animals for some 60 years, and in 1977 she opened the elephant orphanage at her home in Nairobi.Since 1997, the orphanage, which depends on private contributions, has saved more than 100 baby elephants,
Zoe was rather healthy when she was found, and once under the care of the orphanage she was very happy, having enough milk a day and being confident and naughty.After a year in the orphanage with the constant companionship of her human family, Zoe was taken to a refuge at Tsavo National Park.There her keepers have gradually introduced her to the ways of the wild, helping her to find food and water.Zoe lives together with other young elephants in the protected area.It may take some years, but the final aim is to send all of them to the wild.
Daphne said that her dream for the future is to see ivory trade forbidden, all stored ivory destroyed and no one wearing an ivory ornament ever again."There will always be competition for land," she explained? "but we can protect elephants in the parks and give the young a chance." | high20563.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "takes care of 159 patients a week"
},
"options": [
"gives his patients medical advice",
"takes care of 159 patients a week",
"sings on television",
"has his own TV show"
],
"question": "Dr. Petrels works 60 hour... | Nick Petrels is a doctor in Montreal. He works 60 hours a week. He takes care of 159 patients a week in the hospital and at his office. He's been a doctor for ten years.
Dr. Petrels gives his patients good medical advice. But he doesn't just tell his patients what to do. He also sings to them on television! Dr. Petrels has his own TV show. The show is in Italian, English and French. The doctor starts the show with a song and then gives medical advice. He explains a medical problem or disease in simple language. After that, he sings another song.
Dr. Petrels produces and performs in his own show every week. The program is very popular with his patients and with people who enjoy his singing. His dream is to perform in Las Vegas. His favorite songs are love songs, and he has a compact disk of love songs that he wrote. Dr. Petrels says, "I always loved to sing. All my problems are gone when I sing." But when Dr. Petrels was young, his father didn't want him to be a singer, so he went to medical school.
Some people tell Dr. Petrels he can help people more as a doctor. But Dr. Petrels says he helps people when he sings, too. "I like to make people smile. Sometimes it's difficult to make a sick person smile. Medicine and pleasure both try to do the same thing. They try to make people feel good." | high5850.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the University of Maryland"
},
"options": [
"the University of Maryland",
"the University of Moscow",
"the University of California",
"Stanford University"
],
"question": "Sergey Brin actually graduated from _... | I am Sergey Brin! I was born in Moscow. In 1979, when I was 5, my family immigrated to the United States. I remember that on my 9th birthday I got my first computer "Commodore 64".
Later I graduated with honors in the University of Maryland in Mathematics and IT. The main field of my science research was the technologies used to collect data from unsystematic sources as well as large quantities of texts and science data. I was the author of dozens of articles in leading American academic magazines.
The greatest event in my life happened when in 1998 I was preparing for the defense of my Doctor's degree in Stanford University. There the fate made me meet Larry Page--a young computer genius. Larry belonged to the intellectual society. Larry and I quickly became friends when we worked together.
We were searching day and night on the Internet. We were finding a lot of information but with the feeling we still couldn't find enough of what we were looking for. Naturally the idea for a search engine that would allow specific information to be found in the endless pool of data was born like it came to us. It wasn't our plans but we gave up the education at the university. You know the next part, maybe we managed to turn an ordinary garage in Meplo Park, California, the U. S. A. into our first office, in which Google was born. With excitement we typed the name of the thing which we created with love on September 14th 1998--www. google.com. Now, after those years we bought this garage. As a symbol it will always remind us that everything is possible. | high4596.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "found each smell creates a similar pattern of active cells in different mice"
},
"options": [
"found different types of odor-receiving cells in mice",
"found each smell creates a similar pattern of active cells in different mice",
... | It is your sense of smell that quickly tells you there is good food in the kitchen, or your smelly socks need to be washed.
But how do we recognize smell? Particular smells turn on certain groups of brain cells , scientists say. When your nose catches a slight smell of something, one of 1,000 different types of odor-receiving cells pick it up. These cells send an electrical signal to a special part of the brain.
A group of scientists studied mouse brains using some particular odors like vanilla, apples and fish. They looked at thin slices of each mouse's brain to see which brain cells had been turned on by each odor. The scientists discovered that each odor produces a similar pattern of active cells in different mice. So, a certain combination of cells can tell a mouse that it is smelling vanilla, apples, fish, or any one of the thousands of other smells.
Scientists could use studies like this to create a map. It could show which parts of the brain are activated by different smells. Some other scientists, however, say that researchers should also study animals that do not live in a lab, which have spent their lives smelling things in the natural world. With more smelling experience, they might show quite different patterns. | high22374.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "choosing the winners of Nobel Prize"
},
"options": [
"choosing the winners of Nobel Prize",
"making and selling weapons",
"setting up the Nobel Prize",
"making and selling explosives"
],
"question": "Alfred Nobe... | Most of us know about the Nobel Prize, especially the Nobel Peace Prize, but few of us know anything about the man who set them up. His name was Alfred Nobel. He was a great scientist and inventor himself. Besides, he had a big business. His business may surprise you. He made and sold explosives . His companies even made and sold weapons. Isn't this something that surprises you? The man who made money from weapons should set up the Peace Prize?
Though Alfred Nobel had a lot of money from weapons, he hated war. He hoped that there would be no war in the world. He was one of the richest in Europe. When he died in 1896, he left behind him a lot of money and his famous will. According to his will, most of his money was placed in a fund . He wanted the interest from the fund to be used as prizes every year. We know them as the Nobel Prizes. The Nobel Prizes are international. Alfred Nobel wanted the winners to be chosen for their work, not the country they came from.
Alfred Nobel had given his whole life to his studies and work and to the benefits of mankind. He made money all by his own efforts, but he left the world share his wealth. His inventions and wealth stay with the world for ever. | high6381.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Southern Adventure -- 11 Days"
},
"options": [
"Panorama -- 24 Days",
"Nikau -- 13 Days",
"Southern Adventure -- 11 Days",
"Northland -- 4 Days"
],
"question": "Tourists who are interested in wild animals should... | If touring in a large group isn't fit for you and the idea of driving yourself doesn't attract you, a small group journey with the Great New Zealand Travel Company might be just the answer.
Panorama -- 24 Days
Discover why New Zealand remains one of the world's most popular destinations. This _ , 24-day journey offers you a wide choice of things to do and places to see. You will enjoy plenty of time to sightsee, relax and experience the lifestyle that is in New Zealand.
Departure Dates: Jan. 12, 26; Feb. 9, 23 Price: NZ$10,715
Nikau -- 13 Days
This 13-day journey from Auckland to Christchurch lets you experience the true diversity of this beautiful country. History, culture, scenery and adventure, they all feature on this trip to give you a brief insight into the land.
Departure Dates: Jan. 2, 23; Feb. 2, 16 Price: NZ$5,680
Southern Adventure -- 11 Days
Enjoy a South Island holiday with exciting sightseeing and activities, including the world-famous whale-watch at KaiKoura and a wildlife tour on Akaroa Harbour. This tour will take you on a journey of discovery.
Departure Dates: Jan. 17, 31; Feb. 7, 24 Price: NZ$5,820
Northland -- 4 Days
The Bay of Islands is a great place and should not be missed if time permits. You will visit the Northland region, the birthplace of New Zealand as we know it today. See the oldest Maori and European Settlements in the country and take an eco-cultural trip into the Waipoua Forest. Enjoy free time to learn more of the early days of the nation.
Departure Dates: daily Price: NZ$2,015 | high22360.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "are more in danger of skin cancer"
},
"options": [
"seldom use sunscreen",
"are more in danger of skin cancer",
"can be free from the harm of the sun",
"often expose themselves to the sun"
],
"question": "People... | A new study has found no evidence that sunscreen, commonly used to reduce the risk of skin cancer, actually increases the risk.
Researchers from the University of Iowa based their findings on a review of 18 earlier studies that looked at the association between sunscreen use and melanoma . They said that they found _ in studies that had reported associations between sunscreen use and higher risk of melanoma.
Most health experts believe that by protecting the skin from the harmful effects of the sun, sunscreen helps prevent skin cancer, which is increasing in incidence faster than any other cancer in the United States.
But questions have been raised about sunscreen and whether it may have the opposite effect, perhaps by allowing people to remain exposed to the sun longer without burning.
The researchers said that among the problems with some earlier studies is that they often failed to take into account that those people most at risk for skin cancer--people with fair skin and freckles , for example--are more likely to use sunscreen. As a result, it may appear that sunscreen users get cancer more often.
The studies, which generally relied on volunteers to recall their sunscreen use, were also unable to prove how well the products had been applied, said the new study. | high6395.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "In March people spent 1,200 yuan more to get 10,000 Canadian dollars than they do today because Canadian dollars increased in value."
},
"options": [
"The higher China's currency is , the less expensive potato chips from America become."... | Money matters, no matter who or where you are. So when China's currency the yuan was devalued against the US dollar for three straight days in mid-August, the world felt the effects. As CNN put it: "If China sneezes, the world catches a cold."
Why does it matter so much?
The exchange rate is the term for the comparison of two currencies. It says how much one currency is worth in terms of the other.
"Exchange rates play an important role in a country's level of trade. It is one of the most important determinants of a country's relative level of economic health," wrote Jason Van Bergen of Forbes.com. A higher currency makes a country's exports more expensive and imports cheaper, and vice versa .
Devaluation means the same amount of RMB can be exchanged for fewer USD. For example, on Aug 11, the exchange rate of RMB to USD was 6.23, which meant $1 was worth the same as 6.23 yuan. Two days later, the rate changed to 6.4, meaning the value of RMB had dropped by 2.7 percent.
So what does a weaker currency mean for our lives?
It first affects those who want to travel to, or study in, the US. If your former classmate is leaving for a preparatory school in the US at the end of August, it now costs about 1,800 yuan more to exchange currency for 10,000 US dollars than it did earlier this month. However, since many currencies have decreased in value, the value of yuan is still relatively high despite the recent devaluation. This means it costs 1,200 yuan less to get 10,000 Canadian dollars now than it did in March.
Even if we don't have plans to travel abroad, though, we could still be affected. For example, your mother will have to pay more if she buys directly from overseas websites with US dollars. And chances are that imported chocolate and potato chips will soon be a bit more expensive in your local supermarket.
However, the weaker yuan is good news for Chinese exporters. It makes Chinese exports less expensive and it could boost the overseas sales that have been among the main reasons for China's economic growth during its rise over the past 30 years.
Just as Erik Britton of Fathom, a London-based economic consulting firm, told The Guardian: "We're all going to feel it: we'll feel it through commodities , not just from China but from everywhere that has to compete with it; and we'll feel it through wages."
"The devalued yuan will force China's Asian rivals , such as Indonesia and South Korea, to compete even harder," wrote Heather Stewart, economics editor of The Guardian. "The result may be cheaper Christmas presents." | high11972.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "make yourself stand out as the right person for the job"
},
"options": [
"avoid the interviewer's questions that are designed to embarrass you",
"remember that you are the best",
"make yourself stand out as the right person f... | The interview is an important event in the job-hunting process, because the 20 or 30 minutes you spend with the interviewer may decide whether or not you get the particular job you want. Therefore, it is important to remember that your purpose during the interview may differ from that of the potential employer. You want to make yourself stand out as a whole person who has personal strengths and should be considered the right person for the job. It is encouraging to know that the interviewer's task is not to embarrass you, but to hire the right person for the job.
Remember, job-hunting is very competitive. Anything you can do to improve your interview techniques will be to your advantage. The following suggestions may help you land the most important job.
Your goal in this interview is to make sure your good points get across. The interviewer won't know them unless you point them out, so try to do this in a factual and sincere manner.
Don't say anything bad about your former employers. If you have been fired from a job and the interview asks about it, be honest.
Show the interviewer that you are interested in the company by asking questions. Ask about responsibilities, working conditions, promotion opportunities and benefits of the job you are interviewing for.
If at some point you decide the interview is not going well, do not let your discouragement show. You have nothing to lose by continuing a show of confidence, and you many have much to gain. It may be real, or it may be a test to see how you react to _ conditions.
Some interviewers may bring up salary early in the interview. At this time, you may indicate that you are more interested in a job where you can prove yourself than a specific salary. This politely passes the question back to the interviewer. If possible, you should negotiate for salary after you have been offered a job and have completed the paperwork. | high20577.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "She didn't like insects at all."
},
"options": [
"She didn't like insects at all.",
"She liked insects more than his father.",
"She cared for insects very much.",
"She could only tolerate a few insects."
],
"que... | That summer an army of crickets started a war with my father. Dad cared for insects no more than Mamma, but he could tolerate a few living in the basement. Mamma was a city girl and she said a cricket was just too noisy. Then to support her point she wouldn't go to bed. She drank coffee and smoked my father's cigarettes and paced between the sofa and the TV. Next morning she threatened to pack up and leave, so Dad drove to the store and hurried back. He sprayed poison from a jug. When he was finished he told us that was the end of it.
For a couple of weeks we went back to find dead crickets in the laundry. He suggested that we'd all be better off to hide as many as we could from Mamma. I fed a few dozen to the cat who I didn't like because he scratched for no reason.
However,soon live crickets started showing up in the kitchen and bathroom. Mamma was upest because she thought they were the dead crickets coming back,but Dad said these were certainly new ones. He fetched his jug of posion and sprayed all over until the whole house smelled of posion, and then he sprayed the basement again.
A couple of weeks later, when both live and dead crickets kept turning up, Dad emptied the basement of junk. Then he burned a lot of old newspapers and magazines which he said the crickets had turned into nests.
While we ate supper that evening, the wind lifted some flames onto the wood pile. The only gasoline was in the lawn mower's fuel tank but that was enough to create an explosion big enough to reach the house. Once the roof caught, there wasn't much anyone could do.
After the fire trucks left, Mamma took the others to Aunt Gail's. I helped Dad and Uncle Burt carry things out of the house and pile them by the road. We worked into the night and we didn't talk much, while all around the noise of crickets broke our silence. | high5844.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Dogs may adapt their behavior in response to the changed circumstances."
},
"options": [
"The researchers made the test on dogs in eighty-four countries.",
"Dogs always obey and don't steal forbidden food.",
"Dogs may adapt t... | Dogs can know the meaning of a human perspective, say researchers.
Dogs are more capable of understanding situations from a human's point of view than has previously been recognized, according to researchers.
They found dogs were four times more likely to steal food they had been forbidden, when lights were turned off so humans in the room could not see.
This suggested the dogs were able to alter their behavior when they knew their owners' perspective had changed.
The study, published in Animal Cognition, conducted tests on eighty-four dogs.
The experiments had been trying to find whether dogs could make their behavior suitable to react to the changed circumstances of their human owners. It wanted to see if dogs had a "flexible understanding" that could show they understood the viewpoint of a human.
It found that when the lights were turned off, dogs in a room with their human owners were much more likely to disobey and steal forbidden food.
The study says it is "unlikely that the dogs simply forgot that the human was in the room" when there was no light. Instead it seems as though the dogs were able to differentiate between when the human was unable or able to see them.
Juliane Kaminski carried out the research into how dogs are influenced by human circumstances.
Dr Juliane Kaminski, from the University of Portsmouth's psychology department, said the study was "incredible because it implies dogs understand the human can't see them, meaning they might understand the human perspective".
Previous studies have suggested that although humans might think that they can recognize different expressions on their dogs' faces, this is often inaccurate and a projection of human emotions.
"Humans constantly attribute certain qualities and emotions to other living things. We know that our own dog is clever or sensitive, but that's us thinking, not them," said Dr Kaminski.
"These results suggest humans might be right, where dogs are concerned, but we still can't be completely sure if the results mean dogs have a truly flexible understanding of the mind and others' minds. It has always been assumed only humans had this ability. | high4582.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "co-education can make boys perform well in mixed classes"
},
"options": [
"co-education can produce a society-like situation",
"co-educational schools may lead to love affairs between boys and girls",
"co-education will help ... | Do you have any strong opinion on co-educational or single-sex schools?
A supporter of co-educational schools would probably say that schools should be like the societies they belong to .In Hong Kong , men and women mix socially on a day-to-day basis .In many fields men are even likely to have female bosses .It is ,therefore, desirable that boys and girls grow up together ,go to school together ,and prepare themselves for a society that does not value sexual separation.
Some would go on to argue further that growing up with members of the opposite sex is important for personal development .Regular contact can remove the strange ideas about the opposite-sex and lead to more natural relationships .Single-sex conditions are seen as leading to more extreme opinions, and possibly even as encouraging homosexuality ,though there is no proof that this is the case.
Those who are against coeducation often also fix their attention on the sexual side .Some parents fear that close contact with members of the opposite sex is dangerous for teenagers .They want their children to be attentive to their studies .Such parents feel uncomfortable with modern ways and the free mixing of the sexes.
A stronger argument comes from research into school results .Girls grow up earlier than boys ,tend to be more orderly and are likely to be better at languages .In a mixed class ,boys who might do well in a single-sex class become discouraged and take on the rule of troublemaker .Certainly in the UK this situation has greatly alarmed the government for it to be encouraging co-educational schools to have some single-sex classes .In the UK the best schools are all single-sex ,strongly suggesting that co-education is not the best answer .This may ,however ,not be as simple as it looks .It may simply be that the famous old schools that attract the best students happen to be single-sex ,rather than that being single-sex makes them better schools. | high21669.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "review"
},
"options": [
"report",
"review",
"advertisement",
"journal"
],
"question": "The passage is a/an _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"... | _ (from How Do Animals Move?)
Many animals scurry up tree trunks to escape enemies or find food. Some live in the treetops. Many of these animals are not only expert climbers, but they also have found interesting ways to get from tree to tree.
How Do Animals Adapt?andHow Do Animals Move? are comprehensive explorations of animal adaptations and movement for young readers. Both are part of a 21 book series,The Science of Living Things.
InHow Do Animals Adapt?readers learn how animals adapt to survive with respect not only to climate, darkness, food and defenses but also to offspring and people. These adaptations are well explained in double page spreads with examples clearly depicted in photographs and diagrams and developed through their accompanying captions .
As the title suggests, movement is the focus ofHow Do Animals Move?Beginning with a description of the explanation of movement, the reader is exposed to the many different ways of animals movement in the air, on land, under ground and in the water. Several unconventional variations (e.g. looping of inchworms, the rectilinear motion of snakes) are included. Once again, the photographs and diagrams plainly support the double page spread discussions of animal movement.
The language of both titles is simple enough for young readers without talking down to them. In both books, terminology is featured in . Some of these words are explained in the basic glossary while the majority are explained clearly in the text. Many of these terms provide readers with some fascinating, uncommon words (e.g. brachiation, potassium, skein, and estimate). As do many of Kalman's book, both of these titles have a table of contents, glossary and index which are all enough to introduce young readers to the nature of these tools.
Both titles would make excellent additions to any science collection for young readers. | high19490.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "she has helped lots of girls with her non-profit organization"
},
"options": [
"she donated a large sum of money",
"she established Threads for Teens",
"she has made to society more harmonious",
"she has helped lots of ... | Allyson Ahlstrom, 19, of Santa Rosa, California hits Las Vegas, Nevada with her mobile boutique and non-profit organization, Threads for Teens. Allyson is on a summer tour of 14 cities across the United States. Threads for Teens on Tour will outfit some 1000 girls in need, each in a brand-new outfit.
At each stop deserving girls will receive brand-new clothing. In addition to serving girls, the Threads for Teens mobile boutique invites community members to come along and learn more about the organization.
In 2010, at the age of 14, Allyson decided that she would try to make a difference by making new, fashionable clothing available to poor girls. Her project has earned more than $100,000 in monetary contributions and over $150,000 in clothing donations. In addition, through a partnership with The Hunt (thehunt.com) anyone can help to raise up to $15,000 for Threads for Teens by solving hunts on their websites, for free!
Allyson has just completed her freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania. Her full-service clothing boutique in Santa Rosa has allowed over 600 girls in need to each pick out two brand-new outfits for free over the past four years and Threads for Teens on Tour 2013 gave clothing to 1,000 additional girls. Her Threads for Teens non-profit has also provided 130 girls with backpack filled with school supplies, and has given out over 100 party dresses.
In May 2013 at a ceremony in Washington, D. C., actor Kevin Spacey and Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix praised Allyson Ahlstrom as one of the 10 top teen volunteers in America. "I want to make Threads for Teens available to as many girls as possible. That's one of the reasons for the road trip," says Allyson. "More than that, I'm hoping to inspire others to volunteer and contribute in their own way. Anyone can make a difference!" | high18956.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "notice and get noticed"
},
"options": [
"obtain information",
"give attention to others",
"voice their opinions",
"notice and get noticed"
],
"question": "People use social networking sites such as Twitter and F... | The malls were filled with people seeking gifts for their loved ones. Some of the malls remained open around the clock, partly to satisfy our needs to buy gifts.
Behind the materialistic aspect of shopping for gifts lies the idea of caring, being attentive to the desires of special people in our lives. However, to use a well-worn play on words: it is our presence, not our presents, that truly counts. Many of us, unfortunately, can be so inattentive, even in the presence of our loved ones, that we might as well not be there at all.
Attention is one of the greatest gifts we can give each other. Companies around the globe spend billions every year on advertising to catch our attention for just a short moment at a time. Whole industries - media, entertainment, education - rely on the precious gift of our attention for their continued existence. A baby lacking attention for a long time is likely to he psychologically unhealthy.
In earlier times, both diet and attention could be left unregulated without major cause for concern. There were natural checks and balances: limited availability of food meant few got fat, for example. Similarly, in bygone times we might have spent a few hours communicating with the village storyteller, today, watching an entire TV series, while speaking to nobody, is common. In traditional societies, with smaller population, everyone would get a fair deal of attention. On many issues we might go to see Grandma or Grandpa; now we have Google and Wikipedia.
"She just wants attention." people tend to think little of those doing things simply for attention. But the truth is that human beings need attention, and giving attention to each other is, to a large extent, what human civilization is based upon. This perhaps explains the runaway success of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. While we use such sites for "micro blogging", "idea voicing" and "status updates" - the reality is that we are often doing no more or less than fulfilling our basic human drive for attention exchange.
I friend you, you friend me, I retweet you, you retweet me. The charming case with which we can now get and give attention is why many people appear overly attached to their smartphones. It is also a vicious circle. As ever more people are busy exchanging attention online, there is increasingly less attention to be paid in the real world, which forces more people to seek their attention exchange online, or else risk attention-starvation.
The very nature of attention exchange is being rapidly transformed, and there is a danger that some of us will develop unhealthy practices. Just as eating red meat every day is a bad idea, so it is with too much attention exchange. The biological consequences of our technological advancement in food production are highly visible; heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The consequences of our transformed attention exchanges will be psychological and social, and so may take longer to identify, but they will be equally damaging.
Face-to-face attention is becoming rarer, and therefore more valuable. In a sense it is priceless. And it is a gift that can be given all-year-round. | high2695.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the differences between two movie industries"
},
"options": [
"famous stars in Bollywood",
"how Hollywood movies are made",
"the differences between two movie industries",
"the history of movie-making in India"
],
... | Most people think that the capital of the movie world is Hollyhood, in the United States. However, the real movie capital is Mumbai, in India. Mumbai used to be known as Bombay, and so the film industry there is called "Bollywood." Bollywood makes twice as many movies each year as Hollyhood--more than 800 films a year.
The movies from Bollywood are very different from Hollywood movies. For one thing, Bollywood movies are much longer than most Hollywood movies. Most Bollywood movies are more than three hours long, and contain singing, dancing, action, adventure, mystery, and romance (but usually no kissing). Because Bollywood films contain so many different features, this style of film is sometimes called a "masala" film. ("Masala" is an Indian word for a mixture of spices.)
Another big difference between Bollywood and Hollywood movies is the way movies are made. It takes much longer to make a movie in Hollywood than in Bollywood. In fact, filming may begin on a Bollywood movie before the script even finished. The director and writers can make up the story while the film is being made. Sometimes they will even write the script by hand instead of taking time to type it.
Bollywood actors are very popular and some are in such high demand that they may work on several movies at the same time. They may even shoot scenes for several films on the same day using the same costumes and scenery. Since most Bollywood movies follow the same kind of story, shooting scenes for several films at the same time is not a big problem for actors or directors. This also helps keep the cost of Bollywood movies lower than the cost of Hollywood movies. The average Bollywood film, with a budget of only two million U.S. dollars, seems very cheap compared to the average budget of sixty million U.S. dollars for a Hollywood film--thirty times as much! | high20211.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "in autumn"
},
"options": [
"in spring",
"summer",
"in autumn",
"in winter"
],
"question": "Thanksgiving Day is celebrated_.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index":... | Thanksgiving Day is special holiday in the United States and Canada. Families and friends gather to eat and give thanks for their blessing.
Thanksgiving Day is really a harvest festival. This is why it is celebrated in late fall, after the crops are in. But one of the first thanksgivings in America had nothing to do with a good harvest. On December 4, 1619, the Pilgrims from England landed near what is now Charles City, Virginia. They knelt down and thanked God for their safe journey across the Atlantic.
The first New England Thanksgiving did celebrate a rich harvest. The Pilgrims landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. They had a difficult time and the first winter was cruel. Many of the Pilgrims died. But the next year, they had a good harvest. So Governor Bradford declared a three-day feast . The Pilgrims invited Indian friends to join them for their special feast. Everyone brought food.
In time, other colonies began to celebrate a day of thanksgiving. But it took years before there was a national Thanksgiving Day. During the Civil War, Sarah Josepha Hale persuaded Abraham Lincoln to do something about it. He proclaimed the last Thursday of November 1863 as a day of thanksgiving. Today, Americans celebrate this happy harvest festival on the fourth Thursday in November. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day in much the same way as their American neighbors. But the Canadian thanks-giving Day falls on the second Monday in October. | high90.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The baby might be laughed at by others."
},
"options": [
"The baby might not grow up healthily.",
"The baby might be laughed at by others.",
"The baby might disappoint its mother.",
"the baby might have mental problems.... | When a first-time father saw his newborn son, he immediately noticed the baby's ears obviously standing out from his head. He expressed his concern to the nurse that some children might be made fun of his child. A doctor examined the baby and reassured the new dad that his son was healthy---- the ears presented only a small problem with its appearance.
But the nervous father continued. He wondered if the child might suffer psychological effects of ridicule, or if they should consider plastic surgery . The nurse assured him that it was really no problem, and he should just wait to see if the boy grows into his ears.
The father finally felt more optimistic about his child, but now he worried about his wife's reaction to those large ears. She had been delivered by operation, and had not yet seen the child.
"She doesn't take things as easily as I do," he said to the nurse.
By this time, the new mother was settled in the recovery room and ready to meet her new baby. The nurse went along with the dad to lend some support in case this inexperienced mother became upset about her baby's large ears.
The baby was in a blanket with his head covered for the short trip through the cold air-conditioned corridor. The baby was placed in his mother's arms, who eased the blanket back so that she could look at her child for the first time.
She took one look at her baby's face and looked to her husband and gasped, "Oh, Honey! Look! He has your ears!"
No problem with Mom. She married those ears...and she loves the man to whom _ are attached.
The poet Kahlil Gibran said, "Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart." It's hard to see the ears when you're looking into the light. | high608.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "people were interested in collecting postcards"
},
"options": [
"people were interested in sending cards",
"people were interested in playing cards",
"people were interested in collecting postcards",
"people were intere... | In Britain in the 1890s there was a postcard "craze ". People formed clubs and collected and exchanged postcards. Even Queen Victoria had her own private collection.
When Edward was the king, the British had a cheap and good postal system. If anyone wanted to tell a friend that they were coming for tea in the afternoon, they would send a postcard in the morning. "Drop me a card" was as common then as "give me a ring" as now.
In 1902 an important step was taken. The government said that half of the side that was used for the address on the postcard could be used for messages, and the whole of the other side could be used for a picture. It was then that the simple postcard, as we know now, was created. | high7935.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "enter the field of literature"
},
"options": [
"teach literature",
"hate literature",
"write poems",
"enter the field of literature"
],
"question": "According to the passage, if a family of origin has passion fo... | Just as the stock market rises and falls in response to what people are willing to put their money behind, we have inside ourselves an inner economy that rises and falls in response to our beliefs about what is possible. Sometimes the degree to which we are willing to challenge our belief systems determines the success of our inner economy. For example, imagine that your family of origin had a belief that musical talent was not something they possessed. As a member of that group, you would likely inherit that same belief about yourself. As a result, even if you had a great desire to create music, you might be hesitant to really get behind yourself, fearing that your investment would not pay off. Even if you had the courage to follow your passion, your inner belief that you are not inherently talented would probably be a major drawback to investing your energy in your dream.
On the other hand, if you found a way to release that negative belief, a great flood of energy would pour forth, greatly increasing the likelihood of your success. How much energy we are willing to invest in the various ideas, dreams, and visions we carry within is like the money people are, or are not, willing to invest in the various products available for trade on the stock market. And in both cases, belief plays a key role in determining how willing we are to get behind something. One way to open up the possibility for greater success in our inner economies is to understand that belief is not the reliable guide we sometimes think. There are other more reliable things of success that we can put our faith in, such as passion, feeling, and sense. Some of the most successful investors in the stock market are the ones that go against the grain (to be something that one does not like doing), trusting their sense over the common opinion held by common people about what will work.
In the same way, we can learn to trust our heart's desires and our sense to guide us, questioning any beliefs that stand in the way of our ability to fully invest in ourselves. As we take out energy from limiting ideas about what is possible, we free up the resources that have the power to make our inner economy prosper. | high24077.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Getting a gift card."
},
"options": [
"Getting a gift card.",
"Getting a certificate.",
"Winning 1,000 dollars.",
"Receiving information for the contest"
],
"question": "What is the basic condition for you to pl... | It must be something that many American companies hold a baby contest.Of course, babies are wonderful, and many parents would be the first to agree.Companies really bring in much money.
Walgreens Baby contest
If you play the new Baby Milestones Challenge Contest by BabyCenter & Walgreens, you could win $1,000 in Walgreens & Beauty.com Gift Cards and Certificates.You can play the instant winner if you get a $25 Walgreen's gift card, but you also have to write down your email address and receive all their sales and other information for the contest.
Kids and Babies
Kids and Babies are accepting entries for May 2014 Free Photo Contest.Baby Photo Galley with theme albums and age group albums is moved to the new website Cute Baby Gallery.Check KidsandBibs.com for their Baby Photo Contest blog's latest update.The grand prize is $25,000.The catch: Winners are decided by the visitors coming to the site and voting for their favorite babies, so you have to advertise their site for them.
Parents.com
Parents.com has a website only for their members, but if you are into baby photos, it is well worth surfing.You could receive offers on free samples, money-saving coupons , and chances to win the latest contests.
Avon
Avon is another company that has a baby photo contest this spring.Avon is advertising their newest collection.It is Avon's only collection for the photos of babies.Babies' age: newborn to 2 years.Just go to TinyTillia.com and upload your recent baby's photos.The first place baby will be featured in a Tiny Tillia Storybooks and win a $5,000 U.S.Savings Bond.Ten beautiful girls will win $300 worth of Tiny Tillia products.
The tip is to run a search engine for all the latest contests going on and start entering them today.You could be lucky and win enough to put your baby through college! Have fun! | high9918.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "try to make others agree with your own opinion"
},
"options": [
"keep to the subject that interests both of you",
"avoid some topics about personal beliefs",
"use special vocabulary from the Internet",
"try to make othe... | Small talk is an essential part of our daily life, and is an essential skill to make you more popular as well to make other people happy. However it can be a big challenge. Here are some tips to improve small talk skills. Of course, making effective small talk means lots of practice, but keeping these tips in mind should improve overall conversational skills.
Stay away from religious/ strong political beliefsks5u
While you may firmly believe in something, beginning conversations and making small talk about your own personal beliefs may _ end the conversation. Keep it light, and don't try to convince the other person that you have the "correct" information about a higher being, political system or other belief system.
Use the Internet to gain the specific vocabulary
If you have a business meeting, or are meeting people who share a common interest, take advantage of the Internet to learn the specific vocabulary. Almost all business and interest groups have glossaries on the Internet.
Find common interests
Once you have a subject that interests both of you, keep to it! You can do this in a number of ways: talking about travel, talking about the school or friend you have in common, talking about the difference between your culture and the new culture(just be careful to make comparisons and not judgments) and so on.
Listen
This is very important. Listening carefully will help you understand and encourage those speaking to you. You might be nervous, but letting others state their opinion will improve the quality of the discussion and give you some time to think of an answer! | high22406.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "send mail together with the boy"
},
"options": [
"play with the boy",
"get mail from the boy",
"listen to the boy's stories",
"send mail together with the boy"
],
"question": "Mike Crenshaw meets Carter Lawson e... | Neither rain nor snow nor the dark of night can separate Tennessee postal carrier "Mailman Mike" from his 4-and-a-half-year-old friend Carter Lawson - or keep them from their appointments.
For the past nine months, the two have teamed up every day in the preschooler's Knoxville neighborhood for a few minutes of delivering mail together and chatting with fellow neighbors. Lawson wants to be a mail carrier when he grows up, and in an inspiring story, his mom told us how mailman Mike Crenshaw has been a role model to her son. "Anyone could just be like 'Go away, kid', but Mike has really gone out of his way to talk with Carter," said Cassie Lawson of the United States Postal Service carrier. Little Carter even got his own uniform to match Mike's. "It's been really cute. I just couldn't believe he got a full mailman's costume," the postal service employee said.
"Every letter carrier has stops he looks forward to and this is the one I look forward to every day," said Mike. "He's the end of my day, and the best part of my day. Not because it's the end, but because he's such a cute little guy."
The man and the little boy's connection isn't a surprise to Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers. "Kids respond to mailmen because letter carriers are a friendly, uniformed part of the neighborhood who bring something to their house every day, and are someone they come to recognize and trust," Rolando said. "It's the same for the elderly, but in addition, letter carriers may be the only person they communicate with all day." | high13803.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a woman decides if she will shake hands with a man"
},
"options": [
"men seldom shake hands",
"women often shake hands",
"a woman decides if she will shake hands with a man",
"a man decides if he will shake hands with a... | When people in the U. S. have company or when they're invited to (formal or informal) get-togethers, they usually make a point of trying to make others feel comfortable and relaxed. On the whole, they tend to be informal. Men shake hands, but usually only when they're introduced. Male friends and business associated who haven' t seen each other in a while may shake hands when they say hello. Women usually don't shake hands when being introduced to each other. When a woman and man are introduced, shaking hands is up to the woman. Americans rarely shake hands to say goodbye, except on business occasions. American women are used to being independent. They are used to going to places by themselves, making their own money, and often living alone. Sometimes they will ask men for help, but they usually don" t want to be protected. Since the women's movement started, it's not always clear whether women expect men to open doors or help them into their coats. American women may start conversations with men or even ask them to dance.
There are a lot of Americans who don't smoke or drink, and many who don't want people to do those things in their houses. It" s always best to ask for permission before you bring alcohol to a dinner or before you light up a cigarette, if you are with people you don't know very well. Non-smokers have become more militant about smoking in public places. Many restaurants, for example, have set up special areas for smokers.
Houseguests may bring gifts when they come to visit, and they often offer to help in some way. As a guest, you may want to ask your host or hostess if there's anything you can do to help in the kitchen. In many cases, _ . | high7706.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She waited for the flame as the next torchbearer."
},
"options": [
"She was late for the ceremony.",
"She was not allowed to go there.",
"She waited for the flame as the next torchbearer.",
"The ceremony took pl... | OLYMPIA, March 24--Luo Xuejuan, a swimming gold medalist at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, became the first Chinese person to relay the Olympic Flame in Greece on Monday, receiving the flame from the first Olympic torchbearer , Greek Alexandros Nikolaidis.
Despite her previous experience as a torchbearer in the Beijing leg of the Athens 2004 torch relay, Luo felt honored and proud of being chosen as the first Chinese torchbearer, the Xihua News Agency reported Luo as saying in an interview.
She talked about the great responsibility that she felt, as she believed she was representing every Chinese athlete and even Chinese person by running her _ of the relay.
Regarding missing the torch lighting ceremony because she had to be in an assigned location to wait for the flame, Luo felt no regret. "Even though I couldn't see it, I was able to feel the flame light and knew that it was happening at a place nearby," she said.
Luo expressed her belief that even if people couldn't communicate with words, the Olympic Flame enables the transmission of the Olympic spirit and brings smiles wherever it might go. In Luo's mind, the Olympic spirit represents purity, competition, friendship, enthusiasm, peace and harmony. | high15241.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Moved."
},
"options": [
"Glad.",
"Worried.",
"Moved.",
"Happy."
],
"question": "How did Tommy's parents feel after seeing the words?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"ans... | After a while, Tommy's parents, who had recently separated, would arrive for a meeting on his failing schoolwork and bad behavior. Neither parent knew that I had called the other.
Tommy, an only child, had always been a happy, cooperative and top student. How could I make his father and mother believe that his recent failing grades meant a broken-hearted child's reaction to his parents' separation and divorce ?
Tommy's mother entered and took one of the chairs. Soon the father arrived. Good! At least they were enough to be here in time. They ignored each other.
As I gave a detailed introduction of Tommy's behavior and schoolwork, I waited for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son. But somehow the words wouldn't come. Perhaps if they saw one of his dirty, carelessly done papers?
I found a sheet in the back of his desk. Writing covered both sides: not the exercises, but a single sentence scribbled over and over.
Silently I gave it to Tommy's mother. She read it and then handed it to her husband. Then his face softened.
At last he folded the paper carefully, placed it in his pocket, and reached for his wife's hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. He helped with her coat and they left together.
In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family. He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the pain outpouring of a small boy's troubled heart.
The words are "Dear Mom... Dear Daddy... I love..." | high8435.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Studying a foreign language"
},
"options": [
"Escaping from a war.",
"Being reunited with the beloved people.",
"Seeking a better life",
"Studying a foreign language"
],
"question": "Which of the following reaso... | The desire for a better life is sometimes so big that it makes people leave their countries and their families and work in other countries. They know that they will have to face difficult moments, that they won't be able to communicate with the persons around them, and that they have to work in illegal conditions to get the money they need for their families, but they all take these chances and they hope they will succeed.
On the other hand, there are people who immigrate just for the sake of the people they love. They leave their families to make other families with the people they love. Women go to meet their men who have chosen other countries to start a new life, even if they miss their families and friends. Maybe they don't have a place to work but they are able to wait to see what destiny has for them.
There are also the cases of the people who are forced to leave their countries because of a war which threatens their lives. They'd rather start from the very beginning again than risk putting their lives in danger.
When well-developed countries see that their homeland is being "invaded" by lots of immigrants, they set new laws that make immigration harder. As a result of this, many illegal immigrants cross the borders and are eager to work, although they are paid only half the amount of money native workers receive for the same kind of job.
The opinions of the local people are varied and they range from total refusal to complete acceptance. Immigrants in countries which have large communities of them are fighting for the recognition of their social rights and for equal treatment. Many immigrants have managed to be fully accepted by the communities where they live and have managed to change the opinions of the local people about them. | high6418.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "there were few people in the park that day"
},
"options": [
"a heart attack hit the writer's husband suddenly",
"there were few people in the park that day",
"the young woman was at a loss at first",
"the woman was fine... | Every day my husband parked his car in the same open-air car park in Zimbabwe. On this particular day, he had been running to his car with a pile of office papers under his arm. As he opened the car door, he suddenly lost control of his body. He felt a stabbing pain in his arm, and became totally breathless and lost consciousness. As he fell down, half in, half out of the car, his last thought was "what a way to die".
A young woman getting into her own car in the deserted car park noticed what was going on and at once ran to my husband's aid, trying to bring his life back. Realizing time was important, she tried to move my husband to her car, calling the guard at the gate.
Fearing an ambulance would take too long to arrive, she felt it better to get to the hospital as quickly as she could. She raced through traffic lights sounding her car's horn and rushed into the hospital, calling out, "I have an unknown man here who I think is having a heart attack.
Having realized he was in capable hands, the woman returned to the car park, found his keys on the ground, collected his papers and piled them in the car. Having seen my husband come out of a certain building each day, the security guard thought he knew where he worked. The young woman managed to locate his colleagues and they in turn contacted my niece, who waited for me to return home so she could break the news to me.
After careful tests it turned out that my husband's disease had nothing to do with heart. We were naturally eager to find the kind stranger who had come to his aid. After some weeks we discovered where the young woman worked. She was overjoyed when my husband walked into her office with a huge bouquet of flowers. She said she required no thanks, and preferred to remain anonymous .
We now live in a different country, but each Christmas my husband remembers her act of kindness and sends a gift. We regard every day of his life as a bonus, all thanks to this kind stranger. | high13630.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a local storeowner"
},
"options": [
"a local storeowner",
"the owner of the muffin mix company",
"the clerk at a local muffin bakery",
"George, the cashier who sold the muffin mix"
],
"question": "This letter is... | To Whom It May Concern:
On March 5, 2012 , I bought a Perfect Muffin Kit from your store at Midfield Shopping Center. The cashier who assisted me was George. George was very friendly and told me that the Perfect Muffin Kit would live up to the guarantee on the box: "Perfect Muffins Every Time!".
Unfortunately, this product did not live up to what it promised . The muffins I made were far from perfect . I followed the directions in the package very carefully . First , I removed the bag of mix from the box. Then , I poured it into a bowl. Next, I added the correct amount of water to the mix and stirred it. According to the directions, after stirring the mixture , I added half a cup of dried grapes, nuts , berries, or another favorite ingredient . My favorite ingredient happens to be hot sauce . I find that a bit of hot sauce makes pizza and soup taste very delicious. So, continuing to follow the directions, I added half a cup of hot sauce to the mix and stirred it. Finally, I poured the mix into muffin tins and baked it in the baker at 350 degrees for exactly 20 minutes.
When the muffins finished baking, I was very excited to eat the "Perfect Muffins" as promised on the box. You can imagine my disappointment when, upon tasting the muffins, I discovered that they were not perfect. These muffins were , in fact , absolutely terrible. Not even my dog was interested in eating these supposedly "perfect" muffins.
I would appreciate a full refund( money to be returned) of $3.99 for this product as soon as possible. Enclosed are the receipt, the empty box, and one of the un-perfect muffins so that you can experience it for yourself . Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Michelle Bauer | high1377.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "is a good way to test your friendship"
},
"options": [
"is a good way to test your friendship",
"will do harm to your friendship",
"will strengthen your friendship",
"is a good way to break off your friendship"
],
... | Recently, a professor of philosophy in the United States has written a book called Money and the Meaning of Life. He has discovered that how we deal with money in our daytoday life has more meaning than we usually think. One of the exercises he asked his students to do is to keep record of every penny they spend for a week. From the way they spend their money,they can see what they really value in life.
He says our relation with others often becomes clearly defined when money enters the picture. You might have wonderful friendship with somebody and you think that you are very good friends. But you will know him only when you ask him to lend you some money. If he does,it brings something to the relationship that seems stronger than ever before. Or it can suddenly weaken the relationship if he doesn't. This person may say that he has a certain feeling,but if it is not carried out in the money world,there is something less real about it.
Since money is so important to us,we consider those who possess a lot of it to be very important. The author interviewed some millionaires in researching his book.
Question:What is the most surprising thing you have discovered about being rich,because you are a selfmade man?
Answer:The most surprising thing is how people give me so much respect. I am nothing. I do not know much. All I am is rich.
People just have an idea of making more and more money,but what is it for?How much do I need for any given purposes in my life?In his book,the professor uncovered an important need in modern society:To bring back the idea that money is a tool rather than the purpose. Money plays an important role in the material world,but expecting money to bring happiness may be missing the meaning of life. | high16990.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "to make his story realistic and exciting"
},
"options": [
"to learn more about parachute jumping",
"to make his story realistic and exciting",
"to reduce pressure from his busy work",
"to prove to others his skill and c... | When we are unfamiliar with something,we may feel nervous and fearful.The assistance of others is a good way to help us pull through.
I write for a big newspaper, and I wanted to write a story about parachute jumping.To make it a realistic as well as exciting story,I decided that I first had to make a jump myself. Unfortunately,I am not good at any sports of any kind,let alone parachute jumping.
My friend Mr. Smith was willing to give me a hand.He took me to a ground school.The first day's training included several hours of instruction but not my first drop from an airplane For this,I had to wait until the following morning.
The next morning,after a hurried,anxious breakfast,I was taken to the airfield.There,two heavy parachutes were put on my back,and an orange helmet was pushed down onto my head.Then I was asked to make my way to a small plane which had just stopped slowly on the runway.
Once on board,the plane was soon climbing.I began to feel nervous.As we reached one thousand metres,Harry,my teacher, hooked a line from my parachute to a steel ring inside the plane.The line was to pull my parachute open after I jumped.
"Get ready, Henry,"Harry said.I moved carefully to the door.I wanted to cry,"No,no,no!"But no word came.
"Jump!"Harry called loudly."Jump!"
To my surprise,kicking like a frog I did jump.Away from the plane,and down,down I fell,arms stretched.It worked! The air seemed to hold me up.All at once I was very happy.
Then I felt a quick pull.My big parachute had opened! It was the best surprise I ever had. I looked down.There were rivers,trees,fields and houses.I heard the soft sound of the air This was fun ! | high17456.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Many cases of children whose growth don't meet the growing standard curve cannot be treated as abnormal"
},
"options": [
"All the cases of slow weight gain in the first months of the babies' lives are caused by the same reason",
"S... | Babies who are slow to gain weight in the first months of their lives generally catch up to their peers by age 13,a large UK study shows, Researchers said the results would make parents whose babies fail to put on weight quickly less worried.
The researchers looked at data from ,11,499 children who took part in a large study, It showed that 507 who were slow to gain weight in the first eight weeks of life recovered fairly quickly and had almost caught up by age 2. Another group of 480 who were slow to gain between eight weeks and nine months continued to put on weight slowly until they were seven years ,but then had a sudden increase and caught up by age 13, The different pattems of recovery between the two groups were likely due to different reasons for slow weight gain ,the researchers said, All the children were still lighter and shorter than their peers by the time they were teenagers ,but within the normal range.
The findings highlight the importance of monitoring a baby's weight and height gain during the first few weeks and months ,but not creating anxiety with parents of slow-growing babies, said the study leader Prof Alan Emond from the University of Bristol.
"In the past, a lot of parents have been caused unnecessary anxiety by heaith professionals and this is a positive and _ message."He said in many cases of slow growth where children do not follow the standard'curve' it is just because they are following their genetic potential.
Dr Simon Newell, vice-president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said he broadly agreed with the concluslons of the researchers but stressed that poor weight gain was something that needed to be monitored closely, "I would encourage parents to use growth charts but if measurements show your baby is smaller than averager it may be completely normal, "he said. | high5111.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the importance of having a map and right direction"
},
"options": [
"the foolishness of the first driver",
"the importance of having a map and right direction",
"the foolishness of the second driver",
"the importance of... | Why is setting goals important? Because goals can help you do, be, and experience everything you want in life.Instead of just letting life happen to you, goals allow yourself to make your life happen.
Successful and happy people have a vision of how their life should be and they set lots of goals(both short-term and long-range)to help them reach their vision.By setting goals you are taking control of your life.It's like having a map to show you where you want to go.Think of it in this way.There are two drivers.One has a destination in mind(her goal) which is laid out for her on a map.She can drive straight there without any wasted time or wrong turns.The other driver has no goal or destination or map.She starts off at the same time from the same place as the first driver.But she drivers aimlessly around, never getting anywhere , just using up gas and oil.Which driver do you want to be?
Winners in life set goals and follow through on them.They decide what they want in life and then get there by making plans and setting goals.Unsuccessful people just let life happen by accident.Goals aren't difficult to set, and they aren't difficult to reach.It's up to you to find out what your goals,ideals and visions really are.You are the one who must decide what to pursue and in what direction to aim your life.
Research tells us that when we write a goal down we are more likely to achieve it.Written goals can be reviewed regularly, and have more power.Like a contract with yourself, they are harder to neglect or forget.
Also when you write your goals in a particular way you are able to make yourself continuously aware of situations that will bring you nearer to your goals. | high11027.txt |
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