questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To watch a scientist secretly"
},
"options": [
"To test a high-tech tool",
"To watch a scientist secretly",
"To study a new technology",
"To save a baby from a car"
],
"question": "What is Banks's first real tas... | Which boy hasn't dreamed of being a cool secret agent ? The wonderful fighting and the world-saving adventures are much more colourful than most people's everyday lives. Well, Cody Banks is just like any other boy, except that he is not just dreaming. He has a big secret his friends never know about. He was trained to be a spy by a special CIA programme, which was made to look like a summer camp. He learned high-speed driving, hand-to-hand fighting and the use of high-tech tools.
After proving he could become a young hero by saving a baby from a runaway car, Banks gets his first real task. He must make friends with a popular girl at school, Natalie Connors. Then, he must spy on her father, a scientist who has developed a dangerous technology . Banks must stop a group of bad people from forcing Natalie's father into using the technology to endanger the world.
The CIA may have taught him first-class self-defence moves, but they didn't show him how to talk to girls. Banks has zero ability when it comes to dealing with girls. How can he get around his problem and get an invitation to the girl's upcoming birthday party? Will he finally become Natalie's boyfriend and find out whatever he can do about her father's work?
Agent Cody Banks has everything that young people are interested in: big explosions, breath-taking performances and funny girl-dating experiences. It was listed in No.2 in the American box office last week.
"This story is interesting and fun for the whole family to enjoy, and especially cool for young boys." said Paul Perkins, a film reviewer in the US. | high8743.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Happiness."
},
"options": [
"Money and Happiness",
"Happiness.",
"The Happiness Makeover",
"Hormones,Health,and Happiness"
],
"question": "If you want to know more about whether happiness has something to do wit... | Money and Happiness
A Guide to Living a Good Life
Author: Laura Rowley
Publisher: Wiley (March 1, 2007)
Laura Rowley makes us all understand the connection between money and happiness in our own lives so that we can spend our time and efforts wisely. She offers an insight so that every reader can make smarter decisions and live a happier life.
Happiness
The Science Behind Your Smile
Author: Daniel Nettle
Publisher: Oxford University Press (July 1,2007)
It is the first book mainly about what happiness is and how happiness works. Nettle examines whether people are basically happy, whether success can make us happy, why some people are happier than others, etc.
The Happiness Makeover
How to Teach Yourself to Be Happy and Enjoy Every Day
Author: M. J. Ryan
Publisher: Broadway (May 10, 2007)
Ryan's own desire to be happier first led her to study about happiness from brain science, psychology , and the wisdom traditions of the world. The happiness Makeover draws on wide - ranging knowledge and presents some suggestions that will help you a lot:
* Clear away worry, fear, envy, and _ .
* Learn to think about yourself confidently.
* Find daily ways to truly enjoy the moments of your life.
Hormones , Health, and Happiness
Author: Steven F. Hotze
Publisher: Forrest Publishing (April, 2007)
Dr. Steven Hotze is leading a wellness revolution that advances a new model of healthcare.
In Hormones, Health, and Happiness, Dr. Hotze deals with the basic causes of poor health. You are shown how to reach and maintain the most favorable cell,tissue,and organ functioning.It can help you enjoy a better quality of life. | high15137.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "18 hours"
},
"options": [
"8 weeks",
"11 hours",
"7 hours",
"18 hours"
],
"question": "Rebecca Martinez died _ after she went to the operation table.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"ans... | SANTO DOMINGO, Domincan Republic ---An infant girl born with a second head bled to death Saturday after complex surgery to remove her partially formed twin , her parents and doctors said.
A medical team completed the 11- hour operation Friday night and said 8-week-old Rebecca Martinez died seven hours later. Doctors had warned after the surgery that the girl would be at great risk of death.
" We knew this was a very risky surgery , and now we accept what God has decided , " Rebecca's father , 29-year-old Frankin Martinez, said at a news conference with his wife. " Rebecca is no longer with us physically , but no one will forget her."
Martinez said the family would bury Rebecca in a private funeral later in the day.
The girl lost a lot of blood in the operation, which apparently ( ) caused her to suffer a heart attack , said Dr. Jorge Lazareff , the lead surgeon . Friends and family donated almost 4 gallons of blood for surgeons to use Rebeca's operation
"This was not a failure or an error ," Lazareff said . " When we left here last night the girl was in stable condition. At some point in the middle of the night , she started to bleed."
Rebecca was born Dec. 10 with the undeveloped head of her twin, an exteremely rare condition known as craniopagus parasticus . Rebecca was the eighth documented case in the world of craniopagus parasiticus, doctors said.
All the other infants documented to have had the condition died before birth , making Rebecca\s surgery the first known operation of its kind.
Without an operation , Rebecca would have barely been able to lift her head at 3 months old. Her doctors said the pressure from the second head would have prevented her brain from developing.
" We always saw Rebecca without the extra part of her body, "er father said after her death.
Rebecca was their third child-----along with a 4-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl. | high7470.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Some of its main characters were working class."
},
"options": [
"It was his most difficult book to write.",
"It was the first successful novel King wrote.",
"There were few children featured in the story.",
"Some of it... | Characters in novels don't always do what the writer wants them to do. Sometimes they cause trouble, take on lives of their own, or even work against the writer. It's not just a problem for inexperienced authors: famed children's novelist Roald Dahl said he got the main character in his bookMatildaso "wrong"that when he'd finished his first version, he threw it away and started again.
Of course it's not the characters' fault. The problem lies with the author. Take Stephen King, who admitted that writing working-class characters is more difficult nowadays because his own circumstances have changed. "It is definitely harder,"King said."When I wroteCarriemany years ago, I was one step away from physical labour."
This is also true for characters' ages, added King."When you have small children, it is easy to write young characters because you observe them and you have them in your life all the time. But your kids grow up, it's been harder for me to write about this little 12-year-old girl in my new book because my models are gone."
For other authors, such as Karen Fowler, there's one quality that can stop a character in its tracks: boredom."I had particular problems with the main character in my historical novelSister Noon,"she says."She had attitudes about race and religion that seemed appropriate to me for her time and class, but they were not attitudes I liked. Eventually I grew quite bored with her. You can write a book about a character you dislike or a character you disagree with, but I don't think you can write a book about a character who bores you."
According to Neel Mukherjee, it was Adinath, a character inThe Lives of Others, who made him work the hardest."I think I struggled because it's difficult to write a character whose most prominent personal feature is weakness, as Adinath's is, without making that feature define him,"Mukherjee says. But a troublesome character is far from an unwelcome guest, he continues, arguing that "when characters work against the author they come alive and become unpredictable".
"That is a fantastic thing to happen,"Mukherjee says."I celebrate it. It is one of the great, lucky gifts given to a writer." | high14229.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Her daughter used the material wrongly."
},
"options": [
"She was tired from work.",
"Her daughter watched too much TV.",
"The house was in a mess.",
"Her daughter used the material wrongly."
],
"question": "Why... | I was off to go back to work one evening and my two children were busy sewing things on the sewing machine. My 11yearold daughter was, in the midst of her project, going to help her older brother in making a little cushion . I left, and in a few hours returned to find a mess in the kitchen, front room, and both children sitting in front of the television.
Having had a long day, I was very short with my greeting to them and then I noticed the material my daughter had used. It had been bought to make a baby blanket, and now had chunks cut out of almost every piece of cloth. Not stopping to listen, I _ at the children and explained how angry I was at what had been done.
My daughter listened to me sheepishly, not trying to defend herself at all, but the pain could be seen written across her face. She went back to her room quietly, and spent some time in there alone before she came out to say good night and once again apologize for the mistake she had made.
A few hours later, as I was preparing to go to bed, there on my bed lay a beautiful, little cushion made out of the forbidden cloth, with the words"I LOVE MOM". Alongside it was a note apologizing again, and the innocence in which she had taken the cloth.
To this day, I still get tears in my eyes when I think of how I reacted and still feel the pain of my actions. It was I who then sheepishly went to her and apologized for my actions. I display with great pride the cushion on my bed, and use it as a reminder that nothing in this world is greater than a child's love. | high23485.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the reason for Americans' willingness to cooperate and share responsibility"
},
"options": [
"the reason for Americans' willingness to cooperate and share responsibility",
"the American people's determination to live",
"the A... | Americans Spend Their Free Time In Various Ways
America is a country of sports--of hunting,fishing and swimming,and of team sports like baseball and football.Millions of Americans watch their favorite sports on television.They also like to play in community orchestras ,make their own films or recordings,go camping,visit museums,attend lectures,travel,garden,read,and join in hundreds of other activities.The people also enjoy building things for their homes,sewing their own clothes,even making their own photographs.They do these things for fun as well as for economy.
But as much as Americans enjoy their free time,the country is at the same time a"self-improvement" country.More than 25 million adults continue their education,chiefly by going to school in the evening, during their own free time,at their own expense.Added to the time spent on personal activities,Americans a1so devote a great amount of their time to the varied needs of their communities.Many hospitals,schools,libraries,museums,parks,community centers,and organizations that assist the poor depend on the many hours citizens devote to these activities,often without any pay. Why do they do it?
There are several answers.The idea of cooperating and sharing responsibility with one another for the benefit of all is as old as the country itself.
When the country was first founded in 1776,it was necessary for the settlers to work together to live.They had crossed dangerous seas and risked all they had in their struggle for political and religious freedom.There remains among many Americans a distrust of central government.People still prefer to do things themselves within their communities,rather than give the government more control.
Sometimes people offer their time because they wish to accomplish something for which no money is paid,to do something that will be of benefit to the entire community.It is true that some people use their _ because they are truly interested in the work;or they are learning from the experience.
No matter what the reason is,hundreds of thousands of so-called leisure hours are put into hard,unpaid work on one or another community need. | high1001.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "being fond blind was embarrassing"
},
"options": [
"she might be recognized",
"asking for help looked silly",
"she was normal and independent",
"being fond blind was embarrassing"
],
"question": "The girl refuse... | I was blind, but I was ashamed of it if it was known. I refused to use a white stick and hated asking for help. After all, I was a teenager girl, and I couldn't bear people to look at me and think I was not like them. I must have been a terrible danger on the roads, coming across me wandering through the traffic, motorists probably would have to step rapidly on their brakes. Apart from that, there were all sorts of disasters that used to occur on the way to and from work.
One evening, I got off the bus about halfway home where I had to change buses, and as usual I ran into something,"I'm awfully sorry,"I said and stepped forward only to run into it again. When it happened a third time, I realized I had been apologizing to a lamppost. This was just one of the stupid things that constantly happened to me. So I carried on and found the bus stop, which was a request stop, where the bus wouldn't stop unless passengers wanted to get on or off. No one else was there and I had to try to guess if the bus had arrived.
Generally in this situation, because I hated showing I was blind by asking for help, I tried to guess at the sound. Sometimes I would stop a big lorry and stand there feeling stupid as it drew away. In the end, I usually managed to swallow my pride and ask someone at the stop for help.
But on this particular evening no one joined me at the stop; It seemed that everyone had suddenly decided not to travel by bus. Of course I heard plenty of buses pass, or I thought I did. But because I had given up stopping them for fear of making a fool of myself, I let them all go by. I stood there alone for half an hour without stopping one. Then I gave up. I decided to walk on to the next stop. | high595.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "some high supermarket technologies"
},
"options": [
"some high supermarket technologies",
"the future supermarket",
"a special way of payment",
"the past supermarket"
],
"question": "The main purpose of the pass... | The supermarket of the past is racing toward a high tech future. And clever marketers are starting with their youngest customers. Publix Supermarkets in the prefix = st1 /U.S.city of Atlanta,Georgiahave begun testing TV Karts for little kids. Moms can shop in peace while their kids ride along watching their favorite TV shows.
Marketers say the TV Karts bring about income by keeping children entertained so parents can shop longer.
If the TV screen is not enough to hold a child's attention, parents can drop them off at a play center at Wegman' s supermarket in Virginia.
There is adult care so parents can scan the grocery aisles without having to rush.
And there are high tech toys for grown - ups, too.
This computerized tablet is called the "Shopping Buddy". The small computer keeps a running tab of every item in the shopping cart. Customers can e - mail their grocery list and the device will let them know if any of the items are on sale. It also shows the location of the products.
Stop and shop marketing manager Mike Grimes says the device can even take a deli order from customers on the other side of the store and let them know when it's ready for pick up. "The shopping buddy has two primary benefits to shoppers. The first - saving money, extra savings. The other thing it saves is time."
If you really want to save time, "Veggie Vision", a computerized scale and camera, identifies various fruits and vegetables and automatically prices them for you.
And when it's time to pay, a finger may be all you need. It takes just a few seconds for a machine to identify your unique fingerprint and debit your account. Two thousand stores in the U.S. now have the "Pay by Touch" biometric technology. Customers sign up by providing a bank account number and a fingerprint. Some European stores are testing tiny radio transmitters on their goods. The wireless devices can tell if a product is nearing its expiration date or needs to be restocked.
And someday, as an I. B. M. commercial shows us, those transmitters will mean you may not even need your fingerprint to make a purchase. | high22943.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "their poor memory"
},
"options": [
"their bad health",
"their lonely life",
"their dangerous stove",
"their poor memory"
],
"question": "The couple was worried about _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions... | An elderly couple lived far away from their children. They noticed that they were beginning to forget many little things around the house. They were afraid that this could be perilous, as one of them might forget to turn off the stove and thus cause a fire. They were so worried that they decided to see their doctor to get some help. Their doctor told them that it was unnecessary to take medicine and that many people of their age found it useful to write themselves little notes as reminders. The elderly couple thought this wonderful, and left the doctor's office very pleased with the advice.
When they got home, the wife said, "Dear, will you please go to the kitchen and get me a dish of ice cream? And why don't you write that down so you won't forget?"
"Don't be silly," said the husband. "I can remember a dish of ice cream!"
"Well," said the wife, "I'd also like some strawberries on it. You should write that down, because I know you'll forget."
"Come on, my memory's not that bad," replied the husband. "A dish of ice cream and some strawberries. I can remember that!"
And with that, the husband shut the kitchen door behind him. The wife could hear him getting out pots and pans, and making some noise, preparing the dish. He came out of the kitchen about 15 minutes later.
Walking over to his wife, he presented her with a plate of fried eggs. The wife took a look at the plate, glanced up at her husband and said, "Hey, where's the toast?" | high13546.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Distance between an animal and its enemy before escaping"
},
"options": [
"Distance between animals of the same species before escaping.",
"Distance between large and small animals before escaping.",
"Distance between an anim... | Flight Distance
Any observant people have noticed that a wild animal will allow a man or other potential enemy to approach only up to a given distance before it escapes. "Flight distance" is the terms used for this interspecies spacing. As a general rule, there is a positive relationship between the size of an animal and its flight distance --- the larger the animal, the greater the distance it must keep between itself and the enemy. An antelope will escape when the enemy is as much as five hundred yards away. The wall lizard's flight distance, on the other hand, is about six feet. Flight is the basic means of survival for mobile creatures.
Critical Distance
Critical distance apparently is present wherever and whenever there is a flight reaction. "Critical distance" includes the narrow zone separating flight distance from attack distance. A lion in a zoo will flee from an approaching man until it meets a barrier that it cannot overcome. If the man continues the approach, he soon penetrates(,)the lion's critical distance, at which point the cornered lion turns back and begins slowly stalk the man.
Social Distance
Social animals need to stay in touch with each other. Loss of contact with the group can be fatal for a variety of reasons including exposure to enemies. Social distance is not simply the distance at which an animal will lose contact with his group --- that is, the distance at which it can no longer see, hear, or smell the group --- it is rather a psychological distance, one at which the animal apparently begins to feel anxious when it goes beyond its limits. We can think of it as a hidden band that contains the group.
Social distance varies from species to species. It is quite short --- apparently only a few yards --- among some animals, and quite long among others.
Social distance is not always rigidly fixed but is determined in part by the situation. When the young of apes and humans are mobile but not yet under control of the mother's voice, social distance may be the length of her reach. This is readily observed among baboons in a zoo. When the baby approaches a certain point, the mother reaches out to seize the end of its tail and pull it back to her. When added control is needed because of danger, social distance shortens. To show this in man, one has only to watch a family with a number of small children holding hands as they cross a busy street. | high15123.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "introduces some knowledge about personal space"
},
"options": [
"tells us how to achieve personal space",
"explains what personal space people need is",
"introduces some knowledge about personal space",
"argues for the ... | Many of us feel uneasy when someone stands too close to us, talks to us too loudly or makes eye contact with us for too long. But have you ever wondered why those things make you uncomfortable?
It's all about personal peace, which means not only an imaginary space around the body, but also the space around all the senses. People feel that their space is being violated when they meet with an unwelcome sound, smell or look. This is probably why a man on a crowded bus shouting into his mobile phone or a woman next to you putting on strong perfume makes you feel angry.
Whether people have had a stronger wish to protect their personal space in recent times is hard to say. Yet studies of airlines show that people have a strong desire to have space to themselves. In a survey by Trip Advisor, a travel website, people said that if they had to pay more for some extra service, they would rather have larger seats than extra food.
Although people may need their personal space, some hardly realize it. For example, people on a bus who hold newspapers in front of their faces to read in fact keep a distance from strangers.
Go and watch a library table. You will notice that one of the corner seats will usually be taken first, because they are the farthest way. What if someone sits opposite to you? Maybe you will pile up books as if to make a wall.
Preference for personal space are different from culture to culture. Scientists have found that Americans generally prefer more personal space than people from other cultures. In Latin cultures, however, people are more comfortable standing close to each other. | high8757.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "People's search for alternative energy"
},
"options": [
"The future of alternative energy",
"How the fuel cells works",
"People's search for alternative energy",
"The damage done by the blackout last summer."
],
... | Electricity, like clean water, is a resource that's often taken for granted. But last summer, when blackouts struck much of the northeastern US, Ontario and Rome, consumers on two continents were given a painful reminder of just how easily broken electricity supplies can be. The massive disorder stranded commuters, stopped freezers, shut down businesses and refocused attention on where most of the planet's power comes from:oil-and-gas-fired generators and nuclear plants, These sources not only pollute the environment but also make many consumers feel unacceptable health risks.
Companies are trying to offer an alternative, clean energy from renewable resources that's plentiful and portable. Lifton's Medis Technologies, as well as companies like Hydrogenics and Nanosys, is tapping into fuel cells and dolor panels to give people power whenever and wherever they want it, free from dependence on local grids .
The search for alternative energy is nothing new, but the current trend of innovators is focusing on the goal of making clean and sustainable power a mainstream commodity. For example, the fuel cell, which produces electricity from the chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen, has been around for about 150 years, though its commercial development did not begin until the 1960s and then only as part of NASA spacecraft. Today this technology is coming down to Earth in places like Tokyo; in nine European cities, from Stockholm to Porto, each operating three hydrogen-fuel-cell buses; and in Iceland, which is trying to create the first fuel free hydrogen economy by 2030.
When hydrogen and oxygen molecules combine, the reaction produces heat and water. Fuel cells use this reaction to generate electricity. With the cell phone and gadget market in mind, Medis has developed a fuel cell with cheap components that produces little heat and effortlessly reduces waste water without turning to energy consuming pumps. | high7464.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a spicy drink"
},
"options": [
"a sweet candy",
"a spicy drink",
"a sweet drink",
"a spicy candy"
],
"question": "Before being brought into Europe by the Spanish,chocolate was served as _ .",
"questio... | When the Spanish first brought chocolate back to Europe,it was still being served as a drink,but soon went through an important change:the chili pepper was replaced by sugar. The new sweetened chocolate drink was so expensive that few could afford,but by the 17th century the drink was common among European noblemen. In England,which was somewhat more equalityfavored than the rest of Europe,chocolate was more widely available. Those who could afford it could enjoy chocolate drinks in the new coffee and chocolate houses of London.
As cacao tree became more commonly available,people began experimenting with new ways of using it. Chocolate began to appear in cakes and other foods. But it wasn't until 1828 that the "modern ear" of chocolate making and production began.
The introduction of cocoa powder not only made creating chocolate drinks much easier,but also made it possible to combine chocolate with sugar and then remix it with cocoa butter to create a solid. Others began to build on Van Houten's success,experimenting to make new chocolate products. In 1849,English chocolate maker Joseph Storrs Fry produced what was the world's first eating chocolate.
Today,the Swiss are famous for their chocolate,and rightly so. In the late 19th century,they developed a number of processes that contributed greatly to creating the solid chocolate candy that we all enjoy today. Two major developments occurred in 1879.First,Daniel Peter,a Swiss chocolate producer,had the idea of using powdered milk (invented by Swiss Chemist Henri Nestle in 1867) to make a new kind of chocolate,milk chocolate. Second,Rudolph Lindt invented a process called "conching",which greatly improved the quality of chocolate candy by making it more mixable. | high23491.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "had just taken drugs and was in the state of excitement."
},
"options": [
"had just taken drugs and was in the state of excitement.",
"was sleeping in a high bed above the ground.",
"had just taken drugs and was in the state ... | Graham and his friends preferred to shoot up in their arms, necks and legs. A dealer once said Graham was the type who would never be able to turn back and that he expected him to die from the drug. Wendy feared the same, but didn't know how to save her son. " Once, after he'd disappeared for more than a month, I found him at a friend's house with a bunch of other users," she said, "I got down on my hands and knees, begging him to come home. He did, but the next morning he was gone. I don't know what made him do it, but I drove 20 miles to the nearest train station. Graham was headed for Seattle, his pockets full of drugs. If I hadn't gotten there in time, I would never have seen him alive again."
The turning point came in 2007, after Graham was arrested yet again for possession. Wendy got a call from the Montana Drugs Project, which works with local law enforcement to keep track of youth-related crimes so it can help families in trouble. Following a counselor's advice, Wendy hired two men to come to her home in the middle of the night, tie Graham and take him to a treatment program in Thompson Falls, Montana. "I was high when they came and really angry with my mom," he said, "But if she hadn't done that, drugs would have killed me." After six months of treatment, Graham, now 19, came back to Kalispell, where he's grown close to Wendy once again. "I still have the desires every day and attend support meetings every night," he said, "But life is worth living again. My mom thinks that's a miracle. I guess she is right." | high9449.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The Times"
},
"options": [
"The Times",
"Science Fiction",
"Fortune",
"National Geography"
],
"question": "Which magazine this passage may be mostly selected from?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answe... | Chinese scientist Tu Youyou on October 5 won the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine amongst a trio for discovering parasite therapies . 85-year-old Tu is awarded this world-renowned prize for her contribution to reducing the death rate of malaria, minimizing patients' suffering and promoting mankind's health. This is what science is all about.
Tu's finding has saved millions' lives during the 40 years. This also proves the value of her research product. The reward is never too late in that aspect. The moment of joy and satisfaction came when she discovered the artemisinin( ) after all kinds of failures in experiments.
As the first Chinese mainland Nobel Prize Winner of natural science award, Tu's winning completely surprised Chinese people, who have long been wondering when the first Chinese Nobel laureate in natural science would appear.
Let's backtrack to 40 years ago. Tu accomplished the breakthrough findings without access to any advanced equipment, communication with outside world and papers to research. However, over the 40 years, improvements and innovations have transformed everything. Nowadays, Chinese scientists have the passion to invent. As Premiere Li Keqiang mentioned in his letter, "Tu's winning the prize signifies China's prosperity and progress in scientific and technological field".
Tu's record-breaking winning serves as a reminder to those who are too eager for instant success. Science is never about instant success. There is no way to measure how much you spend on scientific research and compare it with how much reward you get. | high12894.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A new type of business franchise for kids."
},
"options": [
"The fast development of Discovery Zone.",
"The disadvantages of outdoor playgrounds.",
"A new type of business franchise for kids.",
"Children can play in the... | Old-Fashioned Play--For Pay
Kids !Come have a ball! Or 60,000 of them! There's a new type of business franchise that is appearing in shopping malls and neighborhoods acrossprefix = st1 /Americaoffering pay-per-use indoor playgrounds ,which feature toys ,games ,supervised fun and a workout that doesn't break the family bank.
As public playgrounds grow increasingly worn and dirty, the for-profit centers offer clean, safe supervised activity as well as a variety of challenging exercises to develop youngsters' physical fitness, usually for a fee of around 5$ an hour. "Playgrounds are dirty ,not supervised," says Dick Guggenheimer ,owner of the two-month-old Discovery Zone in Yonkers, N.Y., part of Kansas City-based chain, "We are indoors; we are padded ;parents can feel their child is safe".
In order to satisfy the need of two-earner families ,the new franchise stayed open in the evenings ,long after traditional public playgrounds have grown dark and unusable .However these new playgrounds are not meant to be day-care centers .Parents are expected go stay and play with their kids rather than drop them off. But several also provide high-tech baby-sitting services. At some of the Discovery Zones, parents can register their children in special supervised programs, then leave them and slip away for a couple of hours to enjoy a movie or dinner. If there is a problem ,Mom and Dad are called.
The most fun of all, though, is getting to do what parents used to do in the days before two-earner families and two-hour commutes; play with their kids. That ,at least ,is old-fashioned, even at per-hour rates. | high22957.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "CRIENGLISH can reach you if you win a prize"
},
"options": [
"CRIENGLISH can post it online",
"everybody online can contact you",
"CRIENGLISH can reach you if you win a prize",
"CRIENGLISH can use it for some other purp... | Online Voting --The Most Beautiful Places in China
What are the most beautiful places in China in your eyes? Please take part in our activity and vote online. We are looking forward to your choice and voice!
Everyone is welcome!
Rules:
1) Voting period: October 1 to November 30.
2) The results and the winners list will be released in December.
3) 10 votes are allowed.
4) Please leave your contact information when sending your votes. CRIENGLISH takes no responsibility if a winner fails to receive the award because of incorrect contact information.
5) Your comments will be important in choosing the winners.
6) CRIENGLISH reserves the right to decide the final winners.
7) CRIENGLISH reserves the right for final explanation of the rules.
Awards:
The three top winners will each receive an award worth 300 Yuan (about 48 US dollars);
The five second place winners will each receive an award worth 200 Yuan (about 32 US dollars);
The ten third place winners will each receive an award worth 100 Yuan (about 16 US dollars). | high581.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The Sumerians."
},
"options": [
"The Greeks.",
"Christian Hansen.",
"Louis Pasteur.",
"The Sumerians."
],
"question": "According to the passage, who was the first to brew beer?",
"question_type": null
},
... | Between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago, some humans discontinued their wandering hunting and gathering and settled down to farm. Grain was the first domesticated crop that started that farming process.
The oldest proven records of brewing are about 6,000 years old and refer to the Sumerians. Sumeria lay between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers including Southern Mesopotamia. It is said that the Sumerians discovered the fermentation process by chance. No one knows today exactly how this occurred, but it could be that a piece of bread or grain became wet and a short time later, it began to ferment.
The Sumerians were able to repeat this process and are assumed to be the first civilized culture to brew beer. They had discovered a "divine drink" which certainly was a gift from the gods. The word beer comes from the Latin word bibere, meaning "to drink", and the Spanish word cerveza originates from the Greek goddess of agriculture, Ceres.
A vitamin-rich porridge, used daily, beer is reported to have increased health and longevity and reduced disease and malnutrition . The self-medicating properties of alcohol-rich beer also eased the tensions and stresses of daily living in a hostile world. The use of yeast was not yet known at that time. The success of the fermentation process was left to chance, as the brewers unknowingly relied on yeast particles in the air.
Considerable scientific research took place in breweries in the 19th century. A famous work from 1876 by Louis Pasteur was Studies Concerning Beer where he revealed his knowledge of micro-organisms. By establishing that yeast is a living microorganism, Pasteur opened the gates for accurately controlling the conversion of sugar to alcohol.
Another discovery in beer brewing was the work of Christian Hansen, a Danish scientist, who successfully isolated a single yeast cell and induced it to reproduce on an artificial culture medium. With the resulting yeast multiplication methods, the purity of the fermenting process has been improved. | high1015.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "New York was the first city in the world to have electric lights"
},
"options": [
"Edison didn't like to study at school",
"Edison invented the light bulb in his late twenties",
"even without electronics, we might have radio,... | There are many people who say Thomas Edison invented the twentieth century. Although there are those who may disagree, yet Edison was one of the greatest inventors in America.
Born in 1847 in Ohio, Thomas Edison attended school for only three months. After his teacher said that he could not learn, Edison's mother decided to teach him at home. There he was allowed to study the subjects that most interested him. By age ten, Edison had built a science laboratory of his own.
Edison got his first job at age twelve on the railway selling candy and newspapers. There he once saved a boy whose father was the boss of the railway station. In return the boss helped him a lot.
In his late twenties, Edison built an "invention factory" where he and his business partners could devote all their time to inventing. After improving upon the telephone, Edison created the phonograph . Although Edison did not actually invent the light bulb, he did create an electric lighting system which led to its widespread use.
Edison set up the first central electric power station in 1882, so New York became the first city in the world to have electric lights. This was the beginning of the modern world in which electricity became a way of life.
The following year, one of Edison's engineers discovered electrons , which at last led to electronics. Without electronics, we might not have radio, TV, computers, or space travel. The rest of Edison's life was spent making and improving inventions.
Thomas Edison died at the age of eighty-four in 1931. Three days later, much of America dimmed its lights in honor of the inventor--a man who had more impact on the development of present-day civilization than anyone else in history. | high13552.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "many \"long sleepers\" preserve their sleeping habit formed during their childhood"
},
"options": [
"\"short sleepers\" need less sleep by nature",
"\"long sleepers\" sleep a longer period of time during the day",
"many \"lon... | Baekeland and Hartmann report that the " short sleepers" had been more or less average in their sleep needs until the men were in their teens. But at about age 15 0r so, the men voluntarily began cutting down their nightly sleep time because of pressures from school, work, and other activities. These men tended to regard their nightly periods of unconsciousness as bothersome interruptions in their daily routines.
In general, these "short sleepers" appeared ambitious, active, energetic and cheerful. They stuck to their opinions, and were very sure about their job choices..They often held several jobs at once, or worked full-or part-time while going to school. And many of them had a strong urge to appear "normal" or " acceptable" to their friends and colleagues.
When asked to remember their dreams, the " short sleepers" did poorly. More than this, they seemed to prefer not remembering. Similarly, their usual way of dealing with psychological problems was not to admit that the problem existed, and then to keep busy in the hope that the trouble would go away.
The sleep patterns of the " short sleepers" were similar to, but less extreme than, sleep patterns shown by many mental patients categorized as manic .
The "long sleepers" were quite different indeed. Baekeland and Hanmann report that these young men have been lengthy sleepers since childhood. They seemed to enjoy their sleep, protected it, and were quite concemed when sometimes they didn't have their desired 9 hours of nightly bed rest. They tended to remember their dreams much better than the " short sleepers". Many of the "long sleepers" were shy, anxious, quiet, nervous, passive, mildly depressed, and unsure of themselves ( particularly in social situations) . Several openly stated that sleep was an escape from their daily problems. | high5273.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The loss of a friend."
},
"options": [
"A high school task.",
"A professor's encouragement",
"The loss of a friend.",
"Doubts about the present test."
],
"question": "What made Jack Andraka research pancreatic c... | A boy won the grand prize at the 2012 International Science and Engineering Fair, the largest high school science competition in the world. The Maryland teenager Jack Andraka is the youngest winner of the $75,000 prize. He was chosen from among l,500 students in 70 countries.
Jack invented a test for pancreatic cancer( ). He started to learn it after losing a close family friend to the disease. "I went on the Internet and I found that 85 percent of all pancreatic cancers are found late, when someone has less than a 2% chance of survival he says. "and I was thinking, 'That's not right and we should be able to do something."' He found that early discovery is important to increase the chances of suryiving the disease.
Jack asked to work in a laboratory at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and was allowed. There he developed a simple paper test. which can recognize the disease in a single drop of blood. His test has proven correct 90% of the time. It also is 100 times more sensitive than other tests. "It costs 3
Jack's success wouldn't have been possible without Anirban Maitra . a professor at Johns Hopkins, who was the only person among the 200 researchers Jack wrote to and who showed interest in his project "I was very surprised that it was a 15-year-old who was writing this. I wanted to meet this clever young man and see what he wanted to talked about. so I called for him over for an interview," Maitra said.
Jack worked in Professor Maitra's laboratory completing his project in 7 months. The government bas given the Maryland teenager patent rights to the pancreatic cancer test. He is now talking with companies about developing the test into a simple product .
Whatever happens, the professor believes that Jack Andraka's name is one we will be hearing again over the next 10 to 20 years. | high18407.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Traffic accidents leads to very serious economic consequences."
},
"options": [
"Traffic accidents leads to very serious economic consequences.",
"Malaria causes more deaths every year than traffic accidents.",
"Running a yel... | Turning left under a bridge in Beijing, Hu Xingxin, 24, suddenly braked to a stop in front of a yellow light at a busy crossroad.
"According to the new traffic regulations, running a yellow light is equal to running a red one," said the Beijing-based IT technician. "Since the new rules came into effect I'm always ready to hit the brakes to avoid a penalty."
Authorities have since changed the rules and running a yellow light no longer results in a 6-point punishment.
New traffic regulations are the latest measure to improve road safety, which has become a problem in China. Experts say that to achieve better road safety, various and comprehensive methods are needed. Updating the rules are only part of the story.
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), traffic accidents kill more people around the world than malaria and are the leading cause of death for young people aged 5 to 29 -- especially in developing countries. Each year up to 1.3 million people are killed and more than 50 million injured in traffic accidents around the world.
The economic consequences are also significant: according to a study by the World Bank and Harvard University, traffic accidents on average cost a country 1 to 3 percent of its annual Gross National Product..
The newly revised regulations impose much heavier punishment on drivers who violate traffic rules. Under the new regulations, 52 different violations result in penalties, up from 38 under the previous system.
Eleven kinds of violations now result in the deduction of 12 points, compared to six points under the previous regulation. These violations include drunken driving and using fake license plates, as well as driving without a valid license.
But traffic regulations are only one aspect of many regarding problems with road safety in China. Other components of road safety include technology and urban design. | high17734.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "dog"
},
"options": [
"cat",
"dog",
"cow",
"goat"
],
"question": "An Afghan hound is a kind of _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text"... | The researchers, led by Hwang Woo-suk, insist they cloned an Afghan hound, only to help investigate human disease, including the possibility of cloning stem cells for treatment purposes.
But others immediately renewed calls for a global ban on human reproductive cloning before the technology moves any farther.
"Successful cloning of an increasing number of species confirms the general impression that it would be possible to clone any species of mammals, including humans," said Ian Wilmut, a reproductive biologist at the University of Edinburgh who produced the first cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep, from an adult cell nearly a decade ago.
Researchers have since cloned cats, goats, cows, mice, pigs, rabbits, horses, deer, mules and gaur, a large wild ox of Southeast Asia. So far, efforts to clone a monkey or another primate with the same techniques have failed.
Uncertainties about the health and life span of cloned animals continue to exsist; Dolly died at a young age in 2003 after developing cancer and arthritis.
Wilmut and others _ Hwang's achievement, reported Wednesday in the journal Nature. But they said politicians and scientists must face the larger issue -- how to go on with the research without crossing the moral boundary of copying human life in the lab.
"The ability to use the technology is hopeful," said Robert Schenken, president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. "However, the paper also points out that in dogs as in most species, cloning for reproductive purposes is unsafe."
The cloned puppy was the lone success from more than 100 dogs implanted with more than 1,000 cloned embryos.
In a news conference in Seoul, the cloning team also condemned the reproductive cloning of humans as "unsafe and inefficient." Human reproductive cloning already is banned in South Korea. Other nations, including the United States, are divided on whether to ban just human cloning or cloning of all kinds, including the production of stem cells. | high20198.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "encouraging players to walk and exercise instead of staying indoors"
},
"options": [
"designed to help patients in hospital recover sooner",
"helping cure such diseases as obesity, diabetes and heart disease",
"encouraging pl... | A hospital has been forced to ban Pokemon Go players from the site after a monster hub was found in the A&E department. Royal Stoke University Hospital discovered that its casualty unit is on the same spot as a Pokemon Go 'gym' ---- where players can train their newly caught Nintendo creatures.
The University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust agreed last week that patients can play Pokemon Go on wards because walking around is healthy. But the Trust has been forced to post a warning on its website about public access to A&E. It said if Pokemon Go becomes a major annoyance it would ask Nintendo---- which decides on the locations of the virtual gyms according using GPS----to have it removed from the premises .
Kevin Parker, associate chief nurse, said, "Members of the public who do not need to be at Royal Stoke should not attempt to enter A&E or any other part of the hospital building to play the game. The A&E department is incredibly busy this summer. We want the public to understand that anybody who visits the hospital solely to play the game will provide an unwanted distraction to the important work of the hospital. I'm also aware of various reports in the media of unsafe areas that the game has been played in."
"Royal Stoke University Hospital is a safe area where gamers can enjoy Pokemon Go." Michelle Harris, the Trust's manager, said the game could still be played by those already in hospital. "We recognize that the Pokemon Go game encourages walking and exercise, which is something that the Trust is equally keen to promote," she said.
There are a number of "walking routes" established throughout the Trust that can be used to combine walking and playing the game. "Walking just 30 minutes, five times a week, can help reduce the risk of preventable illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease."
There have been several warnings about the game since its UK release. Last week a group of teenagers in Wiltshire were left stranded almost 100ft underground after they got carried away searching for Pokemon Go characters. The four boys, aged 16 and 17, ended up getting lost and had to wait to get a phone signal before they could call for help. Eventually, they contacted Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue team, who took them to safety. Damien Bence, of the fire and rescue team, said: "Pokemon Go is obviously leading people into dangerous situations." | high19719.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Offended"
},
"options": [
"Guilty",
"Offended",
"Disappointed",
"Discouraged"
],
"question": "How did the immigrants in Salt Lake City feel about \"Operation Safe Travel\"?",
"question_type": "factiod_questi... | In a country that defines itself by ideals, not by shared blood, who should be allowed to come to work and live here? In the wake of the Sept.11 attacks these questions have never seemed more pressing.
On Dec.11, 2001, as part of the effort to increase homeland security, federal and local authorities in 14 states staged "Operation Safe Travel"---raids on airports to arrest employees with false identification.In Salt Lake City there were 69 arrests.But those captures were anything but terrorists, most of them illegal immigrants from Central or South America.Authorities said the undocumented workers' illegal status made them open to blackmail by terrorists.
Many immigrants in Salt Lake City were angered by the arrests and said they felt as if they were being treated like disposable goods.Mayor Anderson said those feelings were justified to a certain extent."We're saying we want you to work in these places, we're going to look the other way in terms of what our laws are, and then when it's convenient for us, or when we can try to make a point in terms of national security, especially after Sept.11, then you're disposable.They are whole families being uprooted for all of the wrong reasons," Anderson said.
If Sept.11 had never happened, the airport workers would not have been arrested and could have gone on quietly living in America, probably indefinitely.Ana Castro, a manager at a Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop at the airport had been working 10 years with the same false Social Security card when she was arrested in the December airport raid.Now she and her family are living under the threat of deportation .Castro's case is currently waiting to be settled.While she awaits the outcome, the government has granted her permission to work here and she has returned to her job at Ben & Jerry's. | high11345.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The Changing Role of Women in Society"
},
"options": [
"Women's Responsibility in Society",
"The Changing Social Environments",
"The Changing Role of Women in Society",
"Women's Financial Contributions"
],
"ques... | Earlier, in the old days, women used to sit at home separated from the outside world. They used to manage the home and look after children. They were free of the responsibility of earning money to support the family, which was left to men.
With the coming of industrialization and technological development, the lifestyles of human beings started to change. The needs of human beings started to grow. In this process, women slowly started to move outside the home. Women received the same education as men. Gradually, women slowly started to think independently and participated equally with men in all fields of life, including politics, sports and even military.
With changing environments, the role of women has become more important in society. To match today's standard of living, it is necessary for both men and women to support the family.
Today, women have been given bigger roles to play in society. They are even taking more responsibility than men. At first, men disagreed with women pursuing their careers outside the home. However, with growing needs and a shortage of money, they had no other way but to accept the reality.
The financial contributions from women to their families have increased, but in some places, the home is still managed only by women as in the past. It is a challenging task for women to manage both. Women are bearing the stress and suffering mental difficulties with both managing the home and pursuing their careers. | high3602.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It worked well with his active mind ."
},
"options": [
"It made his mind empty .",
"It was well-paid but too demanding .",
"It worked well with his active mind .",
"It was too interesting to think of anything else ."
... | There seems to be a general assumption that brilliant people cannot stand routine ; that they need a varied , exciting life in order to do their best . It is also assumed that dull people are particularly suited for dull work . We are told that the reason the present-day young complain so loudly about the dullness of jobs is that they are better educated and brighter than the young of the past .
Actually , there is no evidence that people who achieve a lot desire , let alone live , colorful lives . The opposite is nearer the truth . Einstein worked out his theory of relativity while serving as a clerk in a Swiss patent office . Immanuel Kant's daily life was a dull routine . The housewives of Konigsberg set their clocks when they saw him pass , on his way to the university . He took the same walk each morning , rain or shine . The greatest distance Kant ever traveled was sixty miles from Konigsberg .
It may be true that work on the assembly line dulls the abilities and empties the mind , and the cure is only fewer hours of work at higher pay . But during fifty years as a workingman , I have found dull routine coexisting with an active mind . While doing dull , repetitive work by the water , I could talk with my partners and compose sentences in my mind , all at the same time . Chances are that had my work been too interesting I could not have done any thinking and composing at work or even on my own time after returning from work .
People who find dull jobs unbearable are often dull people who do not know what to do with themselves at leisure . Children and mature people will get used to dull routine , while the adolescent , who has lost the child's ability for concentration and is without the inner resources of the mature , needs excitement and novelty to get rid of boredom . | high11423.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Your own intelligence will stop growing."
},
"options": [
"Your brain will become smaller.",
"You will never get help from authority.",
"You will hardly know the world.",
"Your own intelligence will stop growing."
]... | Never argue with one's own understanding.
The whisper of intelligence is always there, whatever you do.
If you create a time lag between the whisper of intelligence and understanding in you and your action, then you are preventing the brain from growing into a new size. When you argue with intelligence, when you postpone acting according to understanding then there is confusion, the brain gets confused.
The voice of understanding, the voice of intelligence has insecurity about it. How do you know that it is the right thing?
So we tend to ignore it. Instead we accept authority. We obey.
But the brain cannot be orderly, competent, accurate and precise if you do not listen to it, if you have no respect. We are so busy with the outside world and its force that the world that is inside us does not command that respect and reverence , that care and concern from us.
So one has to be a disciple of one's own understanding, and look upon that understanding as the master.
Sometimes one may commit a mistake, it might be the whim of the ego and we might mistake the whim, the wish of the ego for the voice of silence and intelligence, but that we have to discover. Unless you commit mistakes, how do you learn to discriminate between the false and the true? In learning there is bound to be a little insecurity, a possibility of committing mistakes. Why should one be terribly afraid of committing mistakes?
So instead of accepting the authority of habits and conditionings, while one is moving one watches, and when there is a suggestion, do not neglect, ignore, or insult the whisper from within and from one's own intelligence. | high3164.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Two."
},
"options": [
"Two.",
"Three.",
"Four.",
"Five."
],
"question": "How many times has Marjorie Gestring taken part in the Olympic Games?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Marjorie Gestring
Marjorie Gestring was a springboard diver from the United States who won the gold medal in 3-meter springboard diving at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany at the age of 13 years. With the cancellation of the Olympics in 1940 and 1944 because of World War II, Gestring did not get a chance to defend her title, and her comeback attempt for the 1948 Summer Olympics failed.
Bob Mathias
17-year-old American Bob Mathias won the decathlon only four months after taking up the sport. He is the youngest athlete in Olympic history to win a men's track and field event. By the time Mathias retired from decathlon competition in 1952, he had nine victories in nine competitions. He had won two gold medals separately in 1948 and 1952. In 1954 a film about his early life called The Bob Mathias Story was made, in which he and his wife played themselves.
Fu Mingxia
Fu Mingxia was born on August 16, 1978 in Wuhan, Hubei Province. At an early age, her father taught her to swim at a nearby river. She started exercising gymnastics at age 5, soon turning to diving. Fu Mingxia left home at age 9 to train in Beijing. In the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona, Fu Mingxia became China's youngest Olympic champion ever when she won the 10-meter platform gold at the age of 13.
Ian Thorpe
Ian Thorpe was born on 13 October, 1982. He is a former Australian freestyle swimmer. At the age of 14, he became the youngest male ever to represent Australia. Ian Thorpe, 17 years old, won the gold medal in the 400m freestyle by breaking his own world record in Sydney 2000. He has won five Olympic gold medals. | high20826.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "know about"
},
"options": [
"know nothing",
"know about",
"dislike",
"like"
],
"question": "\"To be familiar with\" means to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer... | We are already familiar with computers--computers work for us at home, in offices and in factories. But it is also true that many children today are using computers at schools before they can write. What does this mean for the future? Are these children lucky or not?
Many people who do not know about computers think of them as machines that children play with. They worry that children do not learn from experience but just from pressing a button and that this is not good for them. They think that children are growing not knowing about the real world.
But people who understand more about computers say that computers can be very good for children. A computer can help them to learn about the real world more quickly, to learn what they want to learn and think for themselves. And for the future, don't we need people who can think clearly, who know how to get information quickly and use it well? What do you think? | high5515.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He is tired of the riddles told by T.J"
},
"options": [
"he is a cruel boy",
"he doesn't like T.J",
"He is tired of the riddles told by T.J",
"He doesn't know the answer to the riddle"
],
"question": "Keith shou... | The longest day of the month is the day after my younger brother T.J gets his new issue of Just Joking , a magazine filled with all kinds of jokes. When the new issue arrives, T.J tells me every riddle in it . But a constant stream of riddles can get annoying .
"Hey, Keith ! What did he hamburger name his daughter ?"
"T.J !" I shout . "Enough riddles !"
He is suddenly quiet.
"Keith , be nice ,"Mom says. "T.J, honey, what did the hamburger name his daughter?"
"Patty," he says.
During dinner ,T.J doesn't say anything . Usually he brings Just Joking to the table with him and tells us some riddles in between bites of food .This evening, he does not .I'm relieved . At last --- some peace and quiet.
After dinner, I go to my friend Brad's house to work on a project for science class . We're painting the planets when Brad's little sister, Nita, comes into the room.
"Brad, can I help you with the project ?" Nita asks.
"Nita !" He shouts at her . "Leave us alone!"
Nita walks out of the room looking sad. I feel bad for her. I can tell that she just wants to be around her big brother. The look on Nita's face reminds me of the look on T.J's face earlier in the evening . Now I don't feel so good about T.J's silence at the dinner table.
When Brad and I finish working on the project, I see Nita in the front of the room .She still looks sad.
"Hey, Nita! Do you know what the hamburger named his daughter ?" I ask.
"I don't know. What?" Nita says.www.ks5u.com
"Patty!"
Nita laughs and I laugh too . " I heard that from my brother, T.J," I say. "He's very funny.
When I get home, T.J still looks unhappy.
"T.J, guess what ?" I say. " I used one of your riddles tonight. Brad's little sister thought it was really funny. So let's find more riddles for the next time I go over there. And maybe you can come along with me sometime."
"Really ?" T.J's eyes light up . "OK!" T.J runs upstairs, and then comes back, smiling and carrying Just Joking. | high17052.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Tickets"
},
"options": [
"Cash",
"Tickets",
"Change",
"Bank cards"
],
"question": "What should people take when getting on the bus in Sydney?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Sydney has a huge bus system. No buses accept cash, and a ticket needs to be bought ahead of time. The buses often run at busy hours and regularly during the day. The Sydney Explorer bus provides air-conditioned service and stops at 27 tourist attractions. Its partner, the Bondi Explorer, stops at 19 attractions. _ It's an easy way to see the city and the surroundings.
Sydney's train service runs throughout the central city area and the surroundings. Tickets can be bought from machines that operate 24 hours a day or from ticket offices. The monorail travels through central Sydney. It is the most excellent way to gain a good view of the whole city. The monorail runs every three to five minutes, and it takes 15 minutes to complete its journey.
Sydney is built around a harbor, and the Parramatta River has a large ferry system. It serves the area around the harbor. These include Taronga Zoo, Darling Harbor, Rose Bay, the North Shore, Cockatoo Island and Sydney Olympic Park. The ferries have operated for more than 135 years and 14 million passengers take the ferries each year.
Water taxis can offer special services that some visitors enjoy, such as transporting passengers to specific locations, offering guided tours of waterways and so on. The tickets sell for 20 Australian dollars for a day or 57 Australian dollars for a week. It is strange,isn't it? | high13234.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "On National Rail services you must touch them on the reader twice."
},
"options": [
"They are limited in use to the owners themselves.",
"On National Rail services you must touch them on the reader twice.",
"They are not suit... | Oyster
What is an Oyster card?
Oyster is the easiest way to pay for journeys on the bus, Tube, tram, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), London Overground and National Rail journeys in London. You can store your travel cards, Bus&Tram Pass, season tickets and credit to pay for journeys as you go.
Where to get an Oyster card?
There are a number of ways for you to get an Oyster card:
* At over 3,900 Oyster Ticket stops
* At Tube and London Overground station ticket offices
* At some National Rail stations
* At London Travel information Centres
* Online at tfl. gov. uk/oyster
How to use an Oyster card?
To pay the correct fare on the Tube, DLR, London Overground and National Rail services, you must always touch in on the yellow Oyster card reader at the start of your journey, and touch out at the end. If you don't, a maximum cash Oyster fare will be changed. When using the bus or tram, you must only touch in at the start, but not at the end of your journey.
What happens if I don't visit London very often?
Don't worry. Any pay as you go credit on your card will not expire , so you can keep it for your next visit or lend it to a friend.
Fares
Traveling by Tube from Central London (Zone l)to Heathrow (Zone 6)
Adult Oyster single fare
PS 4. 20 Monday to Friday 06:30 - 09:30 and 16:00 -19:00
PS 2. 70 at all other times including public holidays
Adult single cash fare PS 5.00
For further information, visit tfl.gov. uk /fares. | high8031.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "A table"
},
"options": [
"A mobile phone",
"A radio",
"An e-bike",
"A table"
],
"question": "Which of the following is most likely not to be a form of e-waste?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": ... | Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to electronic products that are no longer usable. This can include TVs, cell phones and computers and other office electronics, electronic toys and videos machines. Today, the average turnover rate for a computer in the United States is every two years, according to the environmental group, Greenpeace.
The group's Dai Yun says e-waste is a global problem. "The electronic industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The high speed of growth in this industry means more and more electronic products are being wasted and thrown away. If no one decides to retrieve the old products and process them properly, the electronic waste will sweep over the earth like the huge wave behind me and pollute the Earth seriously."
Greenpeace works out that 20 to 50 million tons of e-waste are produced globally each year. The components in many electronic products contain harmful chemicals that pollute ground water and the environment.
At present , the U.S. has no federal law for the disposal of e-waste although a few states have e-waste recycling programs in place, but there is no law. The U.S. exports much of its e-waste to third world countries, such as India and China, where workers took apart computers for valuable parts, hoping to sell them for money. But harmful wastes expert, Dr. Bakul Rao, says that's a dangerous practice. "From now on, the recyclers are not very educated. All they know is they can retrieve copper or gold out of it. So, the easiest way to do that is leach it out in an acid or burn it off to retrieve it. So, that's where they don't know how to deal with it, neither do they have any health systems in place. So, their exposure is more." | high7302.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "to show grandparents get on well with grandchildren"
},
"options": [
"to show Indian society is full of perfect harmony",
"to stress all the children admire their grandparents",
"to show grandparents get on well with grandchi... | The connection shared by grandparents and grandchildren is something very special and despite the changing family situation, it still remains strong across generations. For most of us, our grandparents were our first best friends, the ones with whom we shared our secrets and our pain.
In majority of the cases, grandparents would have babysat their grandchildren while parents were busy working and didn't have much time for their children. Even as a kid grows up, the love and affection for grandparents never dies, and for many teens, visiting grandparents or living with them in the same house is a pleasure. Kedar Patwary, a mass communication student, says, "I often end up having long conversations with my grandfather about the evolution of Indian society and I really admire him for the patience with which he answers all my questions. "
Many teenagers feel that their parents treat them as grown-ups, while their grandparents give them much freedom.
Leela Narayanan, a grandmother. says that she loves to
her grandchildren and cook favorite dishes for them. She further adds that her eldest granddaughter, who is now 19, was brought up by her till she was four and the closeness they shared remains the same even now.
At times, the gap m generations plays a negative role, when grandparents find it difficult adjusting to the modern lifestyle. Technology is what works against this relationship. Youngsters' eing crazy about with gadgets leaves them with no time for their loved ones.
Maria Kutty, is a grandmother t0 12 kids. Her face lights up every time her grandchildren are mentioned. But she has one complaint. "All my children stay close to me but when they come to visit and I want to spend time with them, I can't find them anywhere. They only have time for clickety-clackety things in their hands. Sometimes they listen to loud music and talk about things I don't understand. I feel very sad when I think of all those times," she says. | high16364.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He was seriously ill."
},
"options": [
"He was seriously ill.",
"He was a dishonest boy.",
"He was crazy about magic.",
"He was Dr. Epstein's patient."
],
"question": "What do we know about Tom?",
"question_... | Imagination and fantasy can play an important role in achieving the things we fear. Children know this very well. Fred Epstein, in his book I Make It to Five, tells a story he heard from one of his friends about Tom, a four-year-old boy with a cancer in his back bone. He came through several operations and a lot of pain by mastering his imagination.
Tom loved to pretend, and he particularly loved to play superheroes. Dr. Epstein explained that it was actually a brilliant way for his young mind to handle the terrifying and painful life he led.
The day before his third trip to the operating room, Tom was terribly afraid. "Maybe I could go as Superman," he whispered to his mom. Hearing this, the mother hesitated for a while. She has avoided buying the expensive costume , but finally she agreed.
The next day Tom appeared as the powerful Superman, showing off through the hospital halls and coolly waving his hand to the people greeting him along the way. And Tom, with the strength of his fantasy, successfully made it through the operation.
The power of imagination need not be reserved for children only. We all have the power to use our fantasies to attempt things we never thought possible, to go through those things that seem impossible, and to achieve what we never believed we could. Just as Dr. Epstein puts it, "If you can dream it, you can do it."
It doesn't mean that you should dress as a superhero for your next job interview. But, next time you are tested in a way that seems impossible, imagine what it would take to overcome it. Become the person you need to become to win over your challenge and do it in your mind first. So, let your imagination run wild, and dare to dream. | high4623.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the Summer Palace"
},
"options": [
"Terracotta Warriors",
"the Forbidden City",
"the Great Wall",
"the Summer Palace"
],
"question": "Mrs. Obama has visited the following places except _ .",
"question_type... | U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and her family have just ended their one-week trip in China. The whole world has paid attention to the two elegant and beautiful first ladies who have made a difference in the relationship between China and the U.S.A.
Mrs. Obama has visited the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, and the pandas. She has tasted Peking Duck and experienced some other Chinese traditional culture. It is hoped that this trip to China can bring a real understanding of our eastern world to the first family of the United States.
Today, the number of exchange students between China and the U.S. has reached more than 4 million every year. There are more than 11,000 people traveling to and from each side of the Pacific. If the two countries can increase the exchange in travel, language, cuisine, and cultural understanding, this will help a lot in improving the understanding between the two countries.
Education was an important theme of Mrs. Obama's visit, and it is crucial to the development of Sino-US relationship. China has an ancient tradition of placing a high value on education, and the first lady herself is an outstanding example of a person who changed her own destiny through education. She took education as the key theme of her speech at Peking University, encouraging students from the two countries to learn more about and get wider experience of each other. | high19057.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "hardly attack people"
},
"options": [
"look alike",
"are dangerous",
"usually live in deep sea",
"hardly attack people"
],
"question": "From the passage we can learn sharks _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_q... | Are you afraid of sharks? You shouldn't be! Below we cleared up the main _ about one of the world's most perfectly formed creatures ...
All sharks are the same.
This is ly not true. There are nearly four hundred species of sharks and they vary widely in habitat, size, features, diet and lifestyle. They range from the cigar shark, which is about 15 centimetres long, to the whale shark, which can be up to about nine meters long. More than 50 percent of sharks are less than a metre long and more than 90 percent are less than two metres long. And their habitat ranges from shallow to deep water and from the Arctic to the Tropic.
_
This is not true, either. In fact, many shark populations are decreasing. The chief reason for this is that hundreds of thousands of them are caught in fishing nets. Depending on where they are caught. They are either killed for their fins , which are used in shark's fin soup, or they are tossed back into the sea because they are unwanted. Almost all sharks which are discarded in this way die. Also, sharks mature late in life and produce very few young. If the current reduction in numbers continues, the ecological balance of the oceans will be severely threatened.
Sharks will always attack you
This is nonsense. The chances of being attacked by a shark are minimal. You are 250 times more likely to be killed by lightning than by a shark, and your chances of being killed by lightning are practically zero.
However, if you are planning to take a swim in shark territory, then follow these simple rules:
Avoid swimming at dawn or duck when visibility decreases.
Avoid areas where there are breaking waves. Turbulent water makes it difficult for sharks to see and determine whether you are prey .
Do not wear jewellery in the water. Sharks are attracted to shiny fishes, and jewellery may resemble their scales .
Do not swim near schools of small fish, which are the favorite food of some sharks. | high18349.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "in the afternoon"
},
"options": [
"in the afternoon",
"in the late evening",
"in the early morning",
"right before the exam"
],
"question": "If there is an English exam two weeks later, you should go over Englis... | Most of us seem to reach our peak of alertness around noon. Soon after that, alertness declines, and sleepiness may set in by mid-afternoon.
Your short-term memory is best during the morning--in fact, about 15 percent more efficient than at any other time of day. So, students, take notice: when you are faced with a morning exam, _ to review your notes right before the test is given.
However, long-term memory is different. Afternoon is the best time for learning materials that you want to recall days, weeks or months later. Politicians, business executives or others who must learn speeches would be smart to do their memorizing during that time of day. You should try to do most of your studying in the afternoon, rather than late at night. Many students believe they memorize better while burning the midnight oil because their short-term recall is better during the early hours of the morning than in the afternoon. But short-term memory won't help them much several days later, when they face the exam.
By contrast, we tend to do best on tasks related to the process of knowing, understanding, and learning numbers during the morning hours.
What about sports? During afternoon and early evening, you're able to react the quickest to an outside stimulus--like a baseball speeding toward you. Studies have also shown that late in the day, when your body temperature is peaking, you will consider PE easier and less tiring--whether it actually is or not. That means you are more likely to work harder during a late afternoon or early evening workout, and therefore benefit more from it.
In fact, all of your senses--taste, sight, hearing, touch and smell--may be at their keenest during late afternoon and early evening. That could be why dinner usually tastes better to us than breakfast.
While all of us follow the same general pattern of ups and downs, the exact timing varies from person to person. It all depends on how your "biological" day is structured. Each of us can increase our knowledge about our individual rhythms. Learn how to listen to the inner beats of your body; let them set the pace of your day. You will live a healthier and happier life. | high2252.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To explore the biological basis of social behavior."
},
"options": [
"To discover people's willingness for orders from leaders.",
"To display the power of punishment on ability to learn.",
"To test people's willingness to sac... | A few years ago, in one experiment in behavioural psychology, Stanley Milgram of Yale University tested 40 subjects for their willingness to obey instructions given by a "leader" in a situation in which the subjects might feel a personal dislike of the actions they were called upon to perform. Specifically, Milgram told each volunteer "teacher-subject" that the experiment was in the noble cause of education, and was designed to test whether or not punishing pupils for their mistakes would have a positive effect on the pupils' ability to learn.
The teacher-subjects were placed before a panel of thirty switches with labels ranging from "15 volts of electricity (slight shock)" to "450 volts (danger -- severe shock)" in steps of 15 volts each. The teacher-subject was told that whenever the pupil gave the wrong answer to a question, a shock was to be administered. The supposed "pupil" was in reality an actor hired by Milgram to pretend to receive the shocks by giving out cries and screams. Milgram told the teacher-subject to ignore the reactions of the pupil, and to administer whatever level of shock was called for.
As the experiment unfolded, the "pupil" would deliberately give the wrong answers to questions, thereby bringing on various electrical punishments, even up to the danger level of 300 volts and beyond. Many of the teacher-subjects _ administering the higher levels of punishment, and turned to Milgram. In these situations, Milgram calmly explained that the teacher-subject was to carry on with the experiment and that it was important for the sake of the experiment that the procedure be followed through to the end. What Milgram was trying to discover was the number of teacher-subjects who would be willing to administer the highest levels of shock, even in the face of strong personal and moral revulsion against the rules and conditions of the experiment.
Before carrying out the experiment, Milgram explained his idea to a group of 39 psychiatrists and asked them to predict the average percentage of people who would be willing to administer the highest shock level of 450 volts. The overwhelming consensus was that basically all the teacher-subjects would refuse to obey the experimenter. The psychiatrists felt that "most subjects would not go beyond 150 volts" and only a small percentage of about one in 1,000 would give the highest shock of 450 volts.
What were the actual results? Well, over 60 per cent of the teacher-subjects continued to obey Milgram up to the 450-volt limit! In repetitions of the experiment in other countries, the percentage was even higher, reaching 85 per cent in one country. How can we possibly account for this result?
One might firstly argue that there must be some sort of built-in animal aggression instinct that was activated by the experiment. A modem sociobiologist might even go so far as to claim that this aggressive instinct was of survival value to our ancestors in their struggle against the hardships of life on the plains and in the caves, finally finding its way into our genetic make-up.
Another explanation is to see the teacher-subjects' actions as a result of the social context in which the experiment was carried out. As Milgram himself pointed out, "Most subjects in the experiment see their behaviour in a larger context that is good and useful to society -- the pursuit of scientific troth. The psychological laboratory has a strong claim to legitimacy and gains trust and confidence in those who perform there. An action such as shocking a victim, which in isolation appears evil, acquires a completely different meaning when placed in this setting".
Here we have two different explanations. The problem for us is to sort out which of these two polar explanations is more reasonable. This is the problem of modern sociobiology -- to discover how hard-wired genetic programming decides the interaction of animals and humans with their environment, that is, their behaviour. Put another way, sociobiology is concerned with explaining the biological basis of all behaviour. | high10715.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "are able to experience some adventurous activities in Haines"
},
"options": [
"will spend one day experiencing the local culture at Alaska Indian Arts",
"can contact Alaska Mountain Guides & Climbing School by email or fax",
... | Nothing evokes Alaska like a whale exploding out of the water or an eagle pulling a silver fish from the river .Combine these images with high mountains,brilliant icebergs and wonderful meals and you really do have the Best of Alaska! Join us for an unforgettable 7-day excursion to the last frontier!
Highlights:
JUNEAU:Juneau, the state capital,is rich in culture and scenic beauty.It is here that we start and end our trip.
HAINES:Haines is a small community located along the fjords .The natural beauty and expansive wilderness found here have made Haines a premier center for adventure in Alaska. ALASKA INDIAN ARTS:Alaska Indian Arts is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the preservation and continuation of traditional native craft and culture of the Northwest Native Tribes.We spend a few hours learning carving, native beading and culture from these master artists.
SKAGWAY:Skagway is a lively town,which still reflects its gold rush roots and contains colorful shops.In Skagway, we stop by the Klondike Gold Rush National Park Visitor's Center and ride the White Pass Yukon Route Railway.
GUSTAVUS:Gustavus is the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park.We'II stay at a comfortable lodge here for two nights.This will be the base for both the whale-watching excursion and a full day cruise in Glacier Bay.
DATES/PRICES:
May 15,June 17,July 16,August 14.
7 days--$3500,including lodging,all meals,excursions,guides,park fees,sales taxes,and transportation between Juneau,Skagway, Haines,and Gustavus.Not included:Alcohol,personal items,airfare to and from Juneau.
Contact:
E-mail:info@alaskamountainguides.com
Call:800--766--3396
Write:Alaska Mountain Guides &Climbing School
P.O.Box 1081,Haines AK 99827 | high9307.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "she was running for the lives of others"
},
"options": [
"she would set up a new record",
"she was running for the lives of others",
"she would run a race without others",
"she couldn't rely on Victor this time"
],
... | "Get out of the plane!" Justin shouted. Teddy and he dropped to the ground,....
When Kathy and Victor reached the edge of the grassland, flames were shooting more than five meters into the air.
Kathy couldn't believe what she was seeing. One glance told her they needed medical attention immediately. She questioned Justin, " Is there anyone in the plane?"
"No," he said.
"Where are you able to radio for help?"
"There was no time."
" I'm a distance runner." Kathy said, "I'll go for help." Looking at the seriously injured men, she said, "It may take me several hours to get out." She started out.
When she was 23, Kathy set a women's-course record in a Marathon. She had run 42 kilometers. But now she was running the race of her life. She had nearly 30 kilometers of hard wilderness to cover to get help.
Kathy had been running for two hours. This was far back into the wilderness. The trail grew unclear. She stopped to take a quick compass reading. She had run for more than 20 kilometers. Her heart fell, her muscle aching. Finally she saw her car in the distance.
She jumped into the car and sped away. She reached a holiday house and called the police.
During the wait she walked around, relaxing her legs and drinking water. It took almost two hours for a helicopter to reach her. They needed her for one more task. | high1983.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "there was a difficult problem troubling him"
},
"options": [
"he enjoyed the scenery of the great mountain",
"the old man was very good at telling stories",
"there was a difficult problem troubling him",
"he was not sur... | There was once an old wise man living on the top of a mountain. Whenever the villagers had a problem, they would climb up the mountain and ask the old man for advice.
One day a young man arrived. "Wise man," he asked, "What makes a man truly great?"
The old man said, "Do you sincerely want to know?"
"Yes, yes!" the young man replied.
"Well," the wise old man said to him, "Let me tell you in the form of a story."
There was once a Greek man who suffered from a deadly disease. Knowing that he would die soon, he was the first to join the army when his country was in a battle with the enemy. Hoping to die in battle, he would fight in the front line, risking himself without any worry for his life. Finally they won the battle and he was still alive. His general was so impressed with his bravery which contributed much to the victory.
The general decided to promote him and award him with medals of bravery and honor. On the day of presentation , he was looking very down and sad. Curiously, the general asked him why he was so sad on a day he should be so proud. The soldier told him of his deadly disease. "How could I let such a brave soldier die?" the general thought. So the general hired the best physician and finally cured the soldier. But from that day on, the once _ soldier was no longer seen at the front. He would always avoid danger and tried his best to protect his life.
"Young man," the wise man said, "if you want to be truly great, you must not be afraid of dying, you must be daring." | high8019.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "considers welfare reform to be fundamentally successful"
},
"options": [
"believes the reform has reduced the government's burden",
"insists that welfare reform is doing little good for the poor",
"is not interested in the su... | While still in its early stages, welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states--at least in getting people off welfare.It's estimated that more than 2 million people have left the list since 1994.
In the past four years, welfare list in Athens County have been cut in half.But 70 percent of the people who left in the past two years took jobs that paid less than $ 6 an hour.The result: The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent --twice the national average.For advocates for the poor, that's an indication that much more needs to be done.
"More people are getting jobs, but it's not making their lives any better," says Kathy Lairn, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington.A center analysis of US Census data nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996, a greater percentage of single, female-headed families were earning money on their own, but that average income for these families actually went down.
But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory."Welfare was a poison.It was a poisonous substance that was poisoning the family," says Robert Rector, a welfare-reform policy analyst."The reform is changing the moral climate in low-income communities.It's beginning to rebuild the work ethic , which is much more important."
Mr.Rector and others argued that once "the habit of dependency is cracked," then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards. | high12102.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "First aid emergency advice."
},
"options": [
"An advertisement.",
"A horror story.",
"A news report.",
"First aid emergency advice."
],
"question": "What kind of passage is it?",
"question_type": null
},
... | Government statistics recently showed that in the UK, more than 3,000 people a year experience electric shocks in their home. A smaller number of people are killed after contact with power lines outside the home. Electric shocks can cause a person's heart or breathing to stop, can also cause burns and are potentially fatal. It is essential for people to learn basic first aid techniques to deal with such emergencies.
What to do?
If you are the first person to reach someone who has had an electric shock, don't touch them!
If they are still holding the appliance that has given them shock (e.g. a hair dryer), unplug it or turn off the power at its source. _
If you can't turn off the power, use a piece of wood, like a broom handle or a chair, to separate the victim from the appliance or the power source. You may even be able to do this with a folded newspaper.
The victim must remain lying down. If they are unconscious, victims should be placed on their side. But they should not be moved if there is a possibility of neck or spine injuries unless it is absolutely necessary.
It is essential to maintain the victim's body heat, so make sure you cover him or her with a blanket before you do anything else. If the victim is not breathing, apply mouth-to-mouth resuscitation . Keep the victim's head low until professional help arrives.
If the electric shock has been caused by an external power line, the dangers to the victim and to anybody providing first aid are much greater. | high12664.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Britain."
},
"options": [
"Germany.",
"France.",
"Britain.",
"Italy."
],
"question": "Which country attracted American students most in the 2011-2012 school year?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | Hunter Bliss, like more and more American students, left the United States to go to college. In the 2011-2012 school year, 46,571 U.S. students registered for degree programs in 14 countries. The top destination countries were the U.K. and Canada, followed by France, Germany, Italy and some other European countries. Germany, in particular, has attracted many more American students in recent years, like Hunter Bliss.
In 2012, there were more than 4,000 American students completing bachelor's, master's and doctor's degrees in Germany. The Institute of International Education (IIE) says that the number of U.S. students completing college degrees in Western Europe increased by about 5 percent from 2010 to 2012. American students choose to study in another country for two main reasons. First, international experience is becoming more important in the modern job market. Second, the cost of higher education has continued to rise in the United States. Rising tuition costs make education abroad--particularly in countries that charge no tuition-attractive to American students, says the IIE.
Many American students choose Germany because of the low cost of education there. German public universities do not charge tuition fees. And many universities in Germany offer courses in English, too. College education in the US is seen as a privilege and expected to cost money but in Germany _ is seen as an extension of a free high school education where one expects it to be provided.
The German government has been eager to encourage students to come to Germany for another reason. Like many countries in Western Europe, German's population is becoming older, and fewer young people are entering college and the job market. The German government hopes to attract skilled foreign students who will stay in Germany. | high14215.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "face criticism calmly."
},
"options": [
"develop respect for Liz.",
"love people around her more.",
"rest for five months.",
"face criticism calmly."
],
"question": "Radcliffe's failure in Athens made her _ ."... | Paula Radcliffe, chasing a third London marathon title , says she has become a stronger person after her terrible experience at the 2004 Athens Games.
Radcliffe, who failed to complete the Olympic marathon and the 10,000m last August, said: "Athens made me a stronger person and it made me care less about criticism."
"In the past I wanted to please everyone, but now I am going to listen even more to the people around me."
She didn't care about criticism made at the weekend by Liz McColgan, who felt Radcliffe should have rested and let her body recover after her failure in Athens.
"Liz is someone I look up to but she hasn't spoken to me since last year and if she really cared for me, I'm sure she would have contacted me."
Instead Radcliffe won the New York City marathon just 11 weeks after Athens.
"In New York I wasn't in my best state but I did know I was good enough to win the race." Radcliffe insisted her only goal in Sunday's race would be winning a third title and not chasing world records.
However, Radcliffe has not ruled out in the future chasing her "final" world record time and questioned sayings that marathon runners have the ability in their career to produce only four or five world-class times.
"I don't think that--although _ ," said Radcliffe. "That changes from person to person."
Radcliffe is sure she can better her winning London 2003 performance at some point in the future. Following a successful three-month training period in the United States, the 31-year-old will chase a third title on Sunday after her first victory in 2002 and again 12 months later.
Radcliffe clocked a time of 2:18:56 in her first 42.2-kilometer race three years ago.
Afterwards she set a "mixed course" mark of 2:17:18 five months later in Chicago before lowering that to a time of 2:15:25 in the 2003 London event. | high2534.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it prevented them from some jobs and promotions"
},
"options": [
"it had an effect on women's rights",
"it was unfair to protect women in service",
"it prevented them from some jobs and promotions",
"it was opposed to w... | When Major Mary Jennings Hegar was serving as a captain in Afghanistan, her aircraft was shot down by enemy fire while she and her crew were taking back injured soldiers. Though injured, she completed the rescue mission while under fire on the ground and received the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross for "outstanding heroism and selfless devotion to duty."
However, Hegar did not get prizes for serving in combat , for it is illegal for women to be in official combat positions and to get the benefits that come with them. Hegar and three other service women filed a lawsuit in federal court in San Fransico on Nov. 27 in a long-overdue challenge to the Pentagon's ban.
Many military women who _ 14% of the 1.4 million active members of the military object to the policy because it stops them from applying for some 238,000 jobs and excludes them from certain promotions. It is particularly unfair because it doesn't protect women in service. Fully 85% of women, who have served since Sept.11, report having served in a combat zone or an area where they were faced with combat or immediate danger according to the lawsuit, and half reported being involved in combat operations. At least 860 female troops have been wounded and 144 killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
The ban does another bad thing: drive talented women out of service. Hegar says she is asked to leave the Air National Guard for a Reserve Liaison position because she is excluded(,) from jobs she would like to apply for. Another woman who is suing, Captain Alexandra Zoe Bedell who was sent twice to Afghanistan, left active duty last year, because of the combat exclusion policy.
It is hard to see how the Pentagon could meet this burden. Clearly, women are capable of taking challenging, dangerous combat assignment, because as the careers of Hegar and others like her have shown they are doing it now. The Pentagon's policy is based on "outdated idea of women", just the sort of thing the Constitution forbids.
But the Pentagon should not wait for the courts to order it to treat female service members equally. There can be little doubt that a court will eventually do just that and little doubt that, in the very near future, the no-combat rule, like the racial segregation of troops and "Don't ask, don't tell," will seem like an ancient relic of unenlightened times. | high10073.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Admiring."
},
"options": [
"Uninterested.",
"Dissatisfied .",
"Surprised.",
"Admiring."
],
"question": "What was Shakespeare's attitude towards the English countryside?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"... | Shakespeare once called the English countryside "the precious stone set in the silver sea"- and he is not the last to sing high praises of its beauty and historical charm .
The countryside is particularly beautiful during the summer, especially in August and September. As one travels the countryside, you'll find more of its treasures: so many plants and animals, romantic castles , secret gardens, and villages so unchanged in the last decades that they seem to have been caught under a fairy' s spell.
Must-sees include Derbyshire, called "the heart of England" and home to the National Park. The great peaks were the muse of the Bronte sisters (and if you love the book Jane Eyre, you can visit North Lees hall, where the real Eyre family once lived).
History lovers will enjoy a visit to Lincoln city (its most famous son is Lord Alfred Tennyson). It is also known for its cathedral , the charming tea shops, a small castle. One would never guess its violent past--built by Romans, it was once a center for arrow making.
Harry Potter fans shouldn't miss a visit to Alnwick, which is better recognized as the "Hogswarth" in the movies.
Let's not leave out the Wessex region, where one can see one of England's greatest mysteries, Stone Henge. You can also go to the City of Bath, which has been famous for its medicines springs since the Roman times. Other popular tractions include Salisbury Cathedral, and landscaped gardens of Stourhead, and the cobbled streets of Shaftesbury. This is also home to Oxford, one of the world's most famous universities.
Art lovers will also like a visit to East Anglia, whose landscapes inspired the painter Constable (he was born in Dedham village). This is also home of the University City of Cambridge, and the famous architectural attraction, King's College Chapel. Be sure to visit the aircraft museum of Duxford. | high16402.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a long time after the trouble began"
},
"options": [
"as soon as she realized that something was wrong",
"only after her husband advised her to",
"a long time after the trouble began",
"when John asked what was wrong wi... | When John Weston awoke that morning, he remembered that his mother was going into hospital. He hadn't worked out quite what was wrong with her. He knew, though that she hadn't been well for some time now, and it had become almost familiar to him to see her eyes narrowed in a sudden attack of pain, and her hand pressing against her heart. Their own doctor, who she had finally gone to for advice, had sent her to an expert who knew all about these things. He had told her that just as soon as there was a bed for her, she would have to come into his hospital where he could look after her himself.
During the weeks since then the pains had come even more frequently, and the narrowed eyes became an almost permanent part of her expression. Always rather sharp, she began losing her temper over little things so that John's father kept his thoughts to himself more and more. John, as ready as possible to make allowances, tried to think what it would be like to have toothache all the time and how bad-tempered that would make you.
So his mother would go into hospital for a few days. He was going to stay with his Aunt Daisy till she came back, and his father would stay on at home by himself. John's cousin, Mona, was to come in and make the bed and wash the pots and dust round now and again. That was the arrangement, and John didn't care much for it. Apart from missing his mother(and he was glad she was going away because they would make her better), he wasn't very fond of his Aunt Daisy because she was even more bad-tempered than his mother. | high4145.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Women with A4 waists are considered beauties."
},
"options": [
"Women with A4 waists are considered beauties.",
"The love for slim waist is a new modern trend.",
"A4 waist is an old standard of being slim in China.",
"I... | In the latest beauty craze sweeping social media in China,women--and even some men--are boasting that they are paper thin,by posting photographs of their waists behind a vertical piece of A4 paper.To qualify,the waist must be entirely hidden by the paper.A piece of A4 paper is 8.3 by ll.7 inches,roughly the size of a sheet of American letter paper.
With the A4 Waist,the trend is attracting hundreds of photographs and thousands of comments on Weibo and other social media networks like Weixin or WeChat.Being abnormally thin is a widespread standard of beauty for women,one that has been criticized as an unhealthy ideal of female attractiveness.
The tiny waist has a long tradition in China,going back at least to King Ling of Chu,who ruled from 540 to 529 B.C.Many in China know the passage from the Book of Han,the history of the Western Han Dynasty:"The King of Chu loved a narrow waist.Many people at court starved to death.''
Several commentators have found the A4 trend disturbing.In a telephone interview,He Xiaobin,senior fashion features editor at the Chinese edition of GQ magazine,said,"I find it completely stupid.Everybody has a different frame and body shape.Using a single size to define all human beings and thinking you have created a new standard is foolish.''The A4 waist challenge annoyed him,saying that it allows certain people to gain bragging rights,while leaving others in depression.
Luckily,some who do not qualify are turning to humor for comfort.Can they substitute a different paper size,such as A3,which is 11.7 inches across Or measure a body part besides the waist? | high19731.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Learning to Look"
},
"options": [
"Art Tells a Story.",
"Learning to Look",
"The Language of Art.",
"Native American Collection."
],
"question": "If teachers want their students to learn about what a museum is, ... | Enjoy a museum visit with your class!
Available Programs:
Art Tells a Story: By looking at the subject matter and by drawing from personal experiences, students can find the story in some works of art. ( All grades)
Learning to Look: An interactive tour that explores a variety of art using storytelling, movements, music, games, and other techniques helps introduce children to a museum. (Preschool~ Grade 3)
Native American Collection: This program explores relationships that exist between art, culture, the geographic location and natural resources. Students will see a bowl made by Maria Martinez, a Towa storyteller, a Northwest coast mask, and Inuit clothing. ( For Grades 2~5)
The Language of Art: Classes are welcomed into the museum to take part in an interactive tour of American Art. It gives participants a new set of vocabulary while helping them feel comfortable. Art-on-the-Move: Teachers may borrow suitcases filled with art objects. Free organizations with Education Membership.
Planning Your Visit:
Booking: Booking is necessary for all tours and programs. Please book at least a week in advance. Teachers are encouraged to organize self-guided visits for their classes during public hours.
Tour Hours: Tours can be organized between 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. Program Fees: Tours are free for those with Education Membership. There is a charge of $6 per student of non-member organizations. Tour with art activities cost $12 per student (non-members) or $10 per student (members).
Chaperones :We require one adult chaperone for every 10 children. Chaperones help to make your museum visit a success. A chaperone must pay $5 admission.
Lunch: We regret that no lunch facilities are available at the museum.
Museum Rules: Don't touch works of art. Don't take photographs.
Ask questions. Look, and then LOOK again!
Enjoy! | high2520.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "forms very slowly"
},
"options": [
"forms very slowly",
"is a mixture of stones, pebbles and sand",
"makes up the layers of the earth",
"is becoming smaller and smaller"
],
"question": "According to the passage,... | At first, the earth's surface layer was made up of huge blocks of hard, solid rocks. Then slowly, the rocks broke up into smaller and smaller pieces. Finally stones, pebbles and grains of sand were formed. Many sorts of plants and animals lived and died on the surface of the earth. Their remains mixed up with the stones, pebbles and formed soil. The outmost layer of the earth is soil.
There are many ways in which large pieces of rock break into smaller ones. Wind, water, heat and cold help to break up rocks. When winds blow grains of sand against a large rock for a long time, the softer layers of the rock are slowly worn away. These leave holes and cracks in the rock, which become bigger and finally the rock breaks up into smaller pieces.
The moving water of streams and rivers also helps to break up rocks. As the water moves along, it carries with it small pieces of rock. These rub the larger ones. Thus, the larger rocks are worn down to smaller pieces.
The heat of the sun is also helpful to breaking up rocks. When the sun shines, the rocks become very hot. If these rocks are suddenly cooled, they may crack. Ice also plays a part in making soil. Water in the cracks can turn into ice in cold weather. As this happens, it becomes bigger and the cracks become wider, and finally break into smaller pieces. | high10067.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "she loves teaching all her life"
},
"options": [
"she loves teaching all her life",
"she didn't want to retire at all",
"she is a specialist in teaching",
"teaching is as important as her blood"
],
"question": "... | My name is Cherry Carl, and I retired in June, 2003, after 35 years as a teacher and Language Arts Specialist in Santee, California. However, I continued my role as an instructor at the University of California, San Diego, in the Reading Specialist Certification Program until June, 2009.
I wasn't ready to retire. Teaching is in my blood! (My mother always reminded me that when I was little, I dragged the neighborhood kids in to play school whether they wanted to or not!) I still have the strong desire to make a difference for teachers, parents, and students. I'm passionate about the joy of knowing how to read and write and want every child to have the experience of closing a book with a sigh, "Wow, that was a good book!" The only way they can do that is by having the necessary skills and strategies to become independent readers. This website has been created to provide resources and materials for classroom teachers, reading and resource specialists, speech therapists, parents and students in the area of language arts. Please feel free to download and print anything that catches your eye, but please make sure to leave my name on the poetry and worksheets!
If you have specific needs or suggestions, please don't hesitate to a sk. I'm always open to new ideas and requests. That's how the site continues to grow. You can email me at carl1404@msn.com.
Thank you so much for your heartfelt messages and testimonials. You and your children are the reason that I maintain the site and I will continue to offer the materials with little or no fees. | high16416.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Liu Yaorong spent 8.5 hours more than usual covering the roads in escaping the flood."
},
"options": [
"Liu Yaorong spent 8.5 hours more than usual covering the roads in escaping the flood.",
"The flood was followed by an earthquak... | MIANYANG--At a corner of the city's Jiuzhou Stadium, one of the biggest camps set up for those left homeless in the earthquake, 62-year-old Liu Yaorong was leaning against a window on Thursday.
Pointing to a quilt and clothes he received from the local government, he said: "These are all I have. My home collapsed in the quake, and everything in the town was flooded."
He used to live in Xuanping town of Beichuan county which was destroyed by the quake. Adding to his _ , rivers blocked by landslides led to flooding in the town.
But Liu said he was lucky because he was healthy, otherwise he would not have the energy to walk 10 hours on damaged and dangerous mountainous roads to escape the flood on Monday. He said the trip used to take him about 90 minutes when the roads were in good condition.
The journey was difficult and "rocks kept falling," he said, showing injured legs and black, split toenails.
Liu said his three sons were working in eastern cities as migrant workers.
"I've been living alone in the mountains for more than 20 years. My wife died 30 years ago," he said in a low voice.
During his journey to Mianyang, Liu said he saw many elderly people who chose to stay.
"Soldiers were persuading them to leave for fear of floods," he said.
Talking about his home before the quake struck, Liu's mood lifted. "I raised pigs and chickens, and grew vegetables. I could have rice, meat and greens almost every day," he said.
"But now, I have only biscuits and instant noodles."
Liu said one of his sons returned home from Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, after the quake, but left because the father refused to go with him.
"I don't want to leave home. And I know it is difficult for them out there. How could I add to their burden?" he asked, his eyes red.
"I still want to go back to my home. Given a small piece of land, I could live by myself."
It is learnt that resettlement plans for displaced people have not been finalized.
However, not every elderly person is as strong-willed as Liu.
Psychologists said the elderly need as much comfort as children. Lu Jianguo, a psychologist from Chengdu Medical College, said "We will first let them cry and tell their stories, and then help them regain confidence." | high11379.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "There was a chance for him to change his major."
},
"options": [
"He was attracted by Ireland and Irish culture.",
"There was a chance for him to change his major.",
"It offered visiting students a guided research project.",
... | I am a sophomore at Princeton University, where I am majoring in chemical engineering. I chose to study at UCD in the spring of 2015 primarily because I have always been interested in Ireland and Irish culture, but also to take advantage of UCD's courses in pharmacology , a field not offered at my home school. I also chose UCD because of its Introduction to Scientific Research module, which matches visiting students with professors for a term-long research project, and because of the Science office's friendliness and helpfulness. I am convinced that I made the best possible decision!
While at UCD I lived on campus, which allowed me to throw myself into everything the university has to offer. I was given the opportunity to work with Geraldine Butler's lab. I loved it so much that I ended up heading to the lab almost every weekday, whenever I wasn't attending my always-interesting classes in pharmacology. After lab, I enjoyed a variety of after-school activities--that was certainly a new experience for me.
Living in Dublin provided a great opportunity for seeing the rest of Ireland and Europe. I spent my weekends and spring break traveling to every corner of the island, amazed at all of the history and natural beauty. I was also able to visit the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden. After every trip, it was nice to return to friendly Dublin and head out with my roommates to one of our favorite pubs.
I would highly recommend studying abroad at UCD. I learned so much from my courses and my research project and had a wonderful time exploring Ireland. I can't wait to come back! | high12670.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Enthusiasm and good health."
},
"options": [
"Success and wealth.",
"Gifts and self-confidence.",
"Enthusiasm and good health.",
"Knowledge and achievements."
],
"question": "What is the secret of happiness in t... | I remember the first time that I was extremely happy, I was about 8 years old when for the first time, there was a computer in the classroom. I remember that my teacher allowed each student to take turns to play various educational games on the computer. One day, I found the source code for one of these games. Without knowing or being taught any programming language, I was able to figure out some of the BASIC code. I just gave myself a limitless number of lives in the game, so I could continue playing it forever. This was also my first introduction to algebra, and I didn't even know it at the time. This was a decisive moment in my life. I was quite excited because of what I was learning and what I was able to do. As a result, I was enthusiastic for the rest of my life about self-learning and computers, and I was quite happy doing them too.
I've noticed that people who are truly content with life are enthusiastic about what they do. This enthusiasm, along with good health, is the key to being happy. It also leads to self-confidence and content in life too. It may also lead to success, wealth and achievements.
Success , wealth or achievements can also bring some people happiness , yet I know plenty of rich people who are unhappy . I know many people with successful businesses that are not happy with what they are doing .I know people who continuously buy themselves new toys , such as cars , computers ,and televisions ,yet never seem content for too long .Please remember , happiness is the journey of life , not the destination. | high6746.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "doing experiments"
},
"options": [
"doing survey",
"doing experiments",
"comparing statistics",
"observing students' behaviour"
],
"question": "The writer proves \"School starts too early\" by _ .",
"ques... | Does school start too early? Judging from the teenagers who yawn in class, it does. And those students aren't just lazy. Scientific studies have shown that school does start too early for young students.
According to a series of studies done across the U.S., the later classes begin, the more academic performance improves. Boys and girls naturally stay up later and sleep in later. The trend begins around age 13 or 14 and peaks between 17 and 19.The teens also need more sleep in general, so forcing them to be up early for school cuts into their sleep time as well as their sleep rhythm, making them less ready to learn during those first-period classes.
Practice is proving the science. Hundreds of school districts in the U.S. have experimented with later start times and the academic performance of students has improved as a result. A study of 9,000 high school students in three states showed that grades in science, math, English and social studies all rose when school began at 8:35 or later. What's more, attendance goes up and student depression goes down.
The later school starts, the better the result, too. According to a study, delaying the opening bell from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. paid off more than delaying only until 8:00 a.m. Students who get at least eight hours of sleep, and preferably nine, perform better than those who do not, so a greater delay raises the chances of achieving those numbers.
So, it turns out morning class is just too early for students to learn chemistry equations or study an ancient poem. If you cannot change the school schedule, adjusting your own timetable to ensure eight hours' sleep can also help you perform better at school. | high9475.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "1.6 billion."
},
"options": [
"1.6 billion.",
"1.6 million",
"1.3 billion",
"700 million"
],
"question": "How many people still lack electricity in the world now?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | Earth Day has come and gone, but it's a fact of daily life that 1.6 billion people around would have no electricity in their homes. Instead, most of them use wood, coal or even animal waste to heat and cook in their homes ,which also gives off greenhouse gases, causing indoor air pollution that kills 1.6million people a year, most of whom are children and women.
It's not expected to improve much, and in Africa it's becoming worse now. By 2030, when the Earth's population will be likely to top 8billion, 1.3 billion people will still lack electricity. Of those, 700 million will be in Africa, and 490 million in South Asia.
Ghana, in West Africa, most of the northern half of the country lives without lights. As a result, three out of four Ghanans in the north are without electricity to refrigerate with and to cook with, to study with and to start businesses with. Like most others around the world in the same situation, these Ghanans use traditional fuels( wood, coal, animal waste) to meet their cooking needs.
What would electricity for everyone around the world cost? The International Energy Agency, which is made up of 28 member countries, figures it would run35 billion dollars a year from 2008 to 2030 to reach _ .
The United Nations has been busy with the issue, organizing a meeting on April 28 hosted by Secretary-General Ban Kimoon. ' Energy services are very important formeeting basic human needs, reducing poverty, creating and getting together wealth and keeping advances in social development," He said in an announcement. | high14201.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the benefits of studying abroad"
},
"options": [
"the benefits of studying abroad",
"the time for studying abroad",
"the difficulty you come across when you're abroad",
"some tips on how to get used to a new environment... | Last year, over 206,000 students from the United States studied abroad. Does that number surprise you? These students already know the benefits of studying abroad. You may be wondering why you should study abroad. Here are some answers for you.
* Timing
The absolutely best time in your life to study abroad is when you are in college. If you miss this opportunity, it's almost impossible for you to do it later in life.
* To gain cross-cultural experience
Life overseas makes you see your everyday world in a whole new light. You don't even realize it, but our culture shapes the way we view the world and affects us every minute of the day. Differences in culture are more than just differences in language, food, clothing and art.
* To improve your communication skills and your self-confidence
People who study abroad tend to be willing to take risks, willing to put themselves in unusual situations, and able to solve problems.
* To become more fluent in a language or to learn a new language
The world market is becoming smaller, and many companies require a second language. Foreign languages are not only valuable in the job market but also valuable in the real world.
* For the adventure
Travel to other cities within your host country and around neighboring countries. As you get to know your new classmates, roommates, and host family, you will gain a unique view on the host culture. Discover the differences and, more importantly, the many similarities between your worlds. The friendships you make will last long after the program.
* To learn more about yourself
Find out who you really are. What are your limits? How do you overcome the difficulties you've never _ before? How independent are you? These questions are hard to answer until you are removed from your usual surroundings. After solving difficult problems on your own overseas, you'll find that almost nothing will confuse you at home. Students who study abroad commonly report that their study abroad experience actually changed their lives. | high6020.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "comedy"
},
"options": [
"comedy",
"soap opera",
"sad movie",
"talk show"
],
"question": "The movie Old Boys is a _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,... | Hit song Little Apple became so popular after it came out in late May. In China, you may hear it on a bus, or even in a small village.
Little Apple is a song for the movie Old Boys: The Way of Dragon. The song's huge success has also made more people see the movie. The comedy took US $17 million in its opening four days.
The song Little Apple is so popular. "After hearing it, it's like "I'm brainwashed " by the song. So I came to see the film." a man said.
"It's a good story. But the reason I'm here at the cinema is the song Little Apple." Hui Qing, a college student, said.
"Many people have come to see the movie, so we added more screenings for it. The film now accounts for 20 percent of the total screenings -- It's quite a good performance for a home-grown movie," a cinema clerk said.
Old Boys: The Way of Dragon is based on an online short film called Old Boys. The 40-minute film about youth and dreams got nearly 70 million views on a video website, and was popular among people born in the 1980s or later.
"What is popular online is a good indication of what will be popular with young people. And this movie is a good example," businessman Chen Su said.
Some have criticized Little Apple for its low quality, but the song continues keeping popular. | high9313.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Disneyland"
},
"options": [
"Disneyland",
"Department stores",
"Walmart",
"Amazon"
],
"question": "It may take you more money to buy souvenirs at _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answ... | How to save money to visit Shanghai Disneyland?
The "happiest place on earth" is a top destination on many families' bucket lists. But taking a vacation to Disney World can be difficult to do on a budget. There are some considerations that you can make to reduce the cost of your Disney World vacation.
1. Buy Souvenirs in Advance
Disney has influenced practically every industry, which makes it easy to find Disney items anywhere, from Walmart, Target, and your local grocery store to department stores and Amazon. You can save a lot of money by purchasing items before your trip at these less-expensive places than at Disneyland.
2. Make an Autograph Book
An autograph book is seen as a must-have by many Disneyland enthusiasts and is a memory you can take home with you. These books can cost anywhere from $7.95 to $19.95 at the Disney Store and up to $30 for the latest-and-greatest autograph book at Disneyland, such as the park's 60th anniversary edition. Other choices can get the job done for under $5. For example, you can buy a small photo album; cute pads or notebooks.
3. Eat Breakfast Before You Arrive
Breakfast is almost as pricey as lunch or dinner if you eat inside the Disneyland parks. If you have a hotel with a free breakfast, take advantage of it. If you want to eat out, eat at a local restaurant that is inexpensive or has a kids' menu, such as McDonald's which is close to the park.
4. Take Advantage of Discounts Offered to Special Groups
Disney offers a wide variety of discounts, including for military service members, college students, teachers, and youth groups. If you think you might qualify for a special discount or group rate, call the Disneyland Resort to book tickets. | high14567.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A teacher of art"
},
"options": [
"A marketing manager",
"An engineer of IT",
"A teacher of art",
"A technical expert"
],
"question": "According to the passage , which of the following is probably a happy job?",... | What kind of job do you want to do in the future ? One that earns the most money or one that gives you the highest social position? What about a job that makes you feel happy? Surprisingly, these three things do not always go together in the job world .
According to a general social survey by the National Organization for Research at the University of Chicago in the US, the ten happiest jobs are not those with better pay or higher social position. They are ordinary jobs.
But what is it that makes a "happy" job?
Researchers found that people are happier when they feel they are doing something worthwhile. Six of the top ten happiest jobs are based heavily on helping others, such as firefighters, teachers, and physical therapists( ).
Being able to express oneself is also important for people to feel satisfied . Take authors as an example. Their pay is "ridiculously low or non-existent", but "the freedom of writing down the contents of your own mind leads to happiness ,"wrote business author Steve Denning on his blog on Forbes.com.
These jobs are greatly different to the top ten "hated jobs", according a website survey earlier this year. Director of information technology, sales manager, technical specialist and others that are generally considered respectable jobs are on the list.
Todd May from The New York Times didn't find the results strange. He argued that
" a meaningful life must, in some sense then , make people feel worthwhile". If a person doesn't participate in the causes " that are generally regarded as worthy, like feeding and clothing the poor, their life will lack meaning ,"he said . Work takes up the greater part of most people's lives . It's no wonder that the people with the most worthwhile jobs are the happiest of all.
However, it's important to remember that these two surveys are broad ones and that it doesn't matter whether your dream job is on the two lists. Now it is the time to think about the future . After all, something that satisfies your mind will always bring you happiness. | high15679.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "44.252 seconds."
},
"options": [
"44.252 seconds.",
"44.187 seconds.",
"44.122 seconds.",
"None of the above."
],
"question": "How long did Evgenia Radanova take to finish the 500m final?",
"question_type": ... | Five-time world overall short-track speed skating champion Yang Yang(A)won China's first-ever Winter Olympic gold medal with a runaway victory in the 500m final on Saturday.
Yang Yang, putting behind her a dismal fourth place finish in the 1,500 meters three days ago, got off to a sparking lead and never looked back to cross the line in 44.187 seconds.
World-record holder and four-time European champion Evgenia Radanova followed home 0.065 seconds behind.
Another Chinese, Wang Chunju, the world champion in the shortest distance came in third, two-hundredths of a second further behind.
Yang, 25, whose name is tagged with the letter A to distinguish her from her younger teammate and namesake, Yang Yang(S), is the overall World Cup winner this season, with the top points in the 1,000m and 1,500m.
In the 1,500m, the younger Yang, 24, who won two silver medals in Nagano four years ago, crashed out while chasing herd after two South Korean teenagers, KoGi-Hyun and Choi Eun-Kyungm who eventually finished first and second. Yang Yang(A) ended up fourth.
Yang Yang(S) did not compete in the 500 meters. | high1997.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Strict"
},
"options": [
"Cruel.",
"Serious.",
"Cold.",
"Strict"
],
"question": "Which of the following expressions can be used most suitably to describe Mom's attitude when she made the child to peel potatoes?",... | Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to support our family. Once I came out of the kitchen, complaining, "Mom, I can't peel(......) potatoes. I have only one hand."
Mom never looked up from sewing. "You get yourself into that kitchen and peel those potatoes," she told me. "And don't ever use that as an excuse for anything again!"
In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod to the next. When it was my turn, I shook my head. Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying.
That night I told Mom about it. She hugged me, and I saw her "we'll see about that" look. The next afternoon, she took me back to school. At the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars.
"Now, pull up with your right arm," she advised. She stood by as I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook the bar with my other elbow . Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung I reached. I'll never forget the next time, crossing the rungs, I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open.
One night, after a dance at my new junior high, I lay in bed sobbing. I could hear Mom come into my room. "Mom," I said, weeping, "none of the boys would dance with me."
For a long time, I didn't hear anything. Then she said, "Oh, honey, someday you'll be beating those boys off with a bat." Her voice was faint. I peeked out from my covers to see tears running down her cheeks. Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf . She had never let me see her tears. | high3158.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "was dirtied by animals"
},
"options": [
"was too wet there",
"was used as a barn",
"was dirtied by animals",
"was just under the garage"
],
"question": "The place where the boy was hiding smelt terrible because ... | Oh, boy! Time for a game now. The oldest brother is the seeker so I have to hide extra good because he's smart and will find me quickly. But where? Behind the garage won't work. The barn is too easy. Wait, I know. The door leading under the porch is perfect. No one would look for me under there.
It smells unpleasant under this porch. Wish I had picked another place to hide. Smelly cats! Too late now, I can hear brother seeking everyone out. I'll just sit here quiet as a mouse. Hah hah hah! I can hear you out by the barn! You'll never find me over there!
It's been a while and he hasn't found me yet. What's that I hear? Now all my brothers are looking for me. They've all been caught, but not me. They'll never trick me into coming out to catch me. Wait, is that Dad I hear calling my name? Oh no, now I hear someone going to call Grandpa to help look for me. I'm not coming out now because I'm in really big trouble.
What to do? If I come out and say I heard them calling me, I'll be in big trouble. Think, think! How do I get out of trouble? I know what to do! I'll tell them I fell asleep while waiting. Is that Grandpa's voice? Heh heh heh! Now's my chance. I'll crawl out slowly and rub my eyes. Now that I see Grandpa go towards me quickly, I say. "I fell asleep."
"Oh! You had us all worried!" says Grandpa. "You little devil, I'm just glad you're all right, but next time try not to fall asleep and scare us like that, okay?" says Dad. Whew! I pulled it off . Now to keep my mouth shut. And I did, for over 42 years. Once in a while, a kid pulls the wool over people's eyes. So that's one of my little secrets I've never revealed before. Don't tell anyone now! | high19043.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The benefits of defensive pessimism."
},
"options": [
"A book that has recently been published.",
"How to become successful in life.",
"The dangers of being too optimistic.",
"The benefits of defensive pessimism."
]... | Are you an optimist? Do you look at your glass and see it as half full? Do you believe that every cloud has a silver lining and that things generally turn out for the best? Do you believe that if something is meant to be, it will be? If you reply "yes" to all of these questions, then you are an optimist. You probably are enthusiastic, cheerful and outgoing. You may be successful at work and in love.
But you may be misguided because things don't turn out for the best. You may believe that when one door closes another one opens (for example, you may fail to obtain a new job; another chance will come around soon). Wrong. When one door closes, another door slams in your face. That's bitter reality.
Now a book has been published which confirms what pessimists have suspected all along. It's called The Positive Power of Defensive Pessimism. Its author argues that defensive pessimism can lead to positive results. Defensive pessimism is a strategy used to manage fear, anxiety and worry. Defensive pessimists prepare for the things by setting low outcomes for themselves. They carefully consider everything that may go wrong and plan for ways to handle these problems. And this gives them a sense of control. Lawrence Sanno, a psychology professor, says, "What's interesting about defensive pessimists is that they tend to be very successful people, so their low opinion of the situation's outcomes is not realistic. They use it to motivate themselves to perform better."
So far, so good. _ . Defensive pessimists prepare carefully and consider what might go wrong, whether at work, on date or even in a sports game. It makes sense to have a back-up plan. There are many sayings in English urging caution. For example, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." And "Don't count your chickens until they hatch." To have a confident and optimistic approach to life's problems is good. But listen to what Woody Alien, the American comedian says, "Confidence is what you have before you understand the problem."
There are pros and cons to being an optimist and a pessimist. Don't feel bad if you see the glass half empty. You are a realist. But lighten up and hook up with someone who sees the same glass half full. | high4637.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Reading can help kids lose weight."
},
"options": [
"There are different ways to help overweight kids lose weight.",
"Lifestyle is important for kids.",
"Lake Rescue is the perfect weightlosing instrument.",
"Reading ca... | When doctors urge overweight kids to pick up more activities,reading probably isn't what they have in mind. Yet a new study by fatness researchers at Duke University finds that the simple act of reading--depending on the choice of material--can cause weight loss in teenage girls.
The study's experimental group included 31 fat girls aged 9 to 13,who took part in the Healthy Lifestyles Program at Duke Children's Hospital. The girls read a novel called Lake Rescue,whose protagonist is an overweight teenager who struggles with low selfesteem,feelings of loneliness and teasing because of her size. A group of 33 girls read a different book called Charlotte in Paris,which did not have an overweight character,and another group of 17 girls read neither book.
At the end of the sixmonth experiment,all the girls who read books had lost weight,but the girls who read Lake Rescue lost more. They lowered their body mass index (BMI) by 0.71,compared with 0.33 in the Charlotte group,an average 0.05 increase among the nonreaders.
The idea behind the study,says Dr Sarah Armstrong,director of Healthy Lifestyles,was to find a way to encourage the girls without adopting the restrictive and often authoritative voice of so many other nutrition and diet programs. Lake Rescue was the perfect instrument,says Armstrong;it presents a likable character to whom the girls could relate and whom they could learn from. As the book progresses,its protagonist learns to make healthier lifestyle choices and finds an adviser to help keep her on track. Armstrong says," _ learns that she can become healthier,and the 'I can do it' feeling resonates with the teenage girls." | high2246.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The taxi almost hit another car."
},
"options": [
"The taxi almost hit another car.",
"The taxi driver was injured.",
"The author scolded the driver of the other car.",
"The author learned a lesson from the driver of th... | The key to happiness is how quickly you can get back your focus on what`s important.
----Anonymous
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here`s what happened. I hopped in a taxi,and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when,all of a sudden,a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes,skidded,and missed the other car`s back end by just inches!
The driver of the other car,who almost caused a big accident,started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean,he was friendly. So,I said,"Why did you just do that?This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call "The Law of the Garbage Truck. "
Many people are like garbage (rubbish)trucks. They run around full of garbage,full of frustration, full of anger,and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up,they need a place to dump it. And if you let them,they`ll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you,don`t take it personally. You just smile,wave,wish them well,and move on. You`ll be happy with what you did.
I started thinking,how often do I led Garbage Trucks run right over me?And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work,at home,or on the streets?It was that day I said,"I`m not going to do anymore. "
Successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you?If you let more garbage trucks pass you by,you`ll be happier. Life`s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So,Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don`t. | high10701.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The hidden cost of the Internet Economy."
},
"options": [
"The convenience of the Internet Economy.",
"How to save time in the Internet Economy.",
"The hidden cost of the Internet Economy.",
"How to save money in the In... | My daughter recently asked me what a travel agency does. There is one located on our street and it has just been completely rebuilt. I told her that they helped people book their trips and vacations. "Why haven't we ever been there?' she wanted to know. "Because we do everything ourselves online these days." I explained. "But why do you do it yourself if other people want to do it for you?" she wondered out loud.
The answer is that the travel agency makes a little bit of money on each ticket you book through them. If you book your ticket yourself online, you save that money. Saving money sounds great except that when you think about it you typically spend three evenings comparing prices to end up saving EUR30 on a EUR300 trip. All those EUR30 discounts add up of course so I guess we should be happy with that. Consider books for a moment. Buying your book at Amazon saves you 30% to 40% on each book. Add to that the convenience of shopping from home and getting the package delivered to your home address. So far so good. Unfortunately, that does mean you spend too much time browsing Amason.com while you could do something fun instead. Like maybe reading an actual book?
Then the package arrives and you aren't home and end up having to pick it up at the local post-office. All in all I wonder how much time I end up investing in the whole process. Time sounds free, but to most of us, it is more valuable than money.
The Internet Economy promised to get rid of the middle-men and we loved it. Somehow, I'm starting to get the feeling that we ourselves ended up doing the work of the middle-men we were so eager to get rid of.
In any project you can always pick two of these: fast, cheap or good. We seem to have focused a lot on "cheap" and "good" but the extra time we need to invest to also keep it "fast" comes out of our own pockets.
Your can always make more money, but you can never make more time. | high22930.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "They use a separate part of their brain."
},
"options": [
"They use a separate part of their brain.",
"They deal with navigation in complex ways.",
"They make different actions to the road signs.",
"They form different ... | For many men, the idea that they have a better sense of direction than women has been improved by a scientific study.
Researchers from Norway scanned on the brains of volunteers as they completed navigation tasks to discover men are more skillful at finding their way because they use a separate part of their brain. According to lead researcher Dr. Cal Pintzka from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), men and women have different navigational strategies.
Med use basic directions--the use of north, south, east and west--during navigation to a greater degree. Men's sense of direction was more effective. They quite simply got to their destination faster. "If they're going to the Students Society building in Trodheim, for example, men usually go into the general direction where it is located." Dr. Pintzka explained.
Women usually orient themselves along a route to get there, for example, go past the hairdresser and then up the street and turn right after the shore.
The study shows that using the basic directions is more efficient because it is a more flexible strategy. The destination can be reached faster because the strategy depends less on where you start.
Meanwhile, the study also shows both men and women use large areas of the brain when they navigate, but some areas were different. The man used the hippocampus more, whereas women use their frontal areas to a greater extent. That degrees with the fact that the hippocampus is necessary to make use of basic directions. Losing one's sense of direction is one of the first symptoms in Alzheimer's disease.
Understanding how men and women use different brain areas and strategies to navigate, researchers will be able to enhance the understand of the disease's development, and develop coping strategies for those already affected. | high13535.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "How Pigeons Find Their Ways Home?"
},
"options": [
"How Pigeons Find Their Ways Home?",
"Why Pigeons Can Fly long Distance?",
"Birds Follow Roads as We Do.",
"Why Crows Fly the Shortest D stance?"
],
"question":... | The secret of carrier pigeons' unbelievable ability to find their way home has been discovered by scientists: _ follow the roads just like we do.
Scientists now believe the phrase "as the crow flies" no longer means the shortest most direct route between two points. They say it is likely that crows and other day birds also choose AA-suggested routes, even though it makes their journeys longer.
Scientists at Oxford University spent 10 years studying homing pigeons using global positioning satellite (GPS) and got a surprising result. The birds often don't use the sun to decide their directions.
Instead they fly along motorways, turn at crossing and even go around roundabouts , adding miles to their journeys.
"It really has knocked our research team sideways to find that after a decade-long international study, pigeons appear to ignore their inbuilt directional instincts and follow the road system," said Prof Tim Guilford, reader in animal behavior at Oxford University's Department of Zoology.
Guilford said pigeons use their own navigational system when doing long distance trips or when a bird does a journey for the first time.
"But once homing pigeons have flown a journey more than once, they can fly home on a habitual route, much as we do when we are driving or walking home from work," said Guilford.
"In short, it looks like it is mentally easier for a bird to fly down a road. They are just making their journey as simple as possible." | high15144.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "you can deal with your business as you have planned"
},
"options": [
"you can have more time to play with others",
"you needn't care about other's feeling if you are happy",
"you are selfish and treat others rudely",
"y... | Listen carefully, working people, we would like to tell you something that could save your precious time and money! Best of all, it is free!
It's "no".
What do you ask? We'll say it again: "No".
Sweet and simple "no".
Say "no" at your office and see how quickly that pile of work on your desk disappears.
"Saying 'no' to others means you are saying 'yes' to yourself, " said Leslie Charles, a professional speaker from East Lansing, Michigan.
"Time is precious. People are spending money buying time. And yet we are willing to give up our time because we can't say 'no'."
Susie Watson, a famous writer, said people who always say "yes" need to say "no" without guilt or fear of punishment. "I would rather have someone give me a loving 'no' than an obligated 'yes', " she said.
Susie Watson says she feels "no" obligation to give an explanation when she says "no" either socially or professionally. Does she feel guilty about it? "Not at all, " said Watson, who is director of advertising and public relations at Timex Corp in Middlebury, Conneticut. "Most people are afraid of saying 'no'... My advice is to say 'yes' only if you don't mean 'no'."
Watson said "no" is the most effective weapon against wasting time. "Every year there are more demands on your time... Other people are happy to use up your time, " Watson said. Time saving appears to be "no's" greatest friend.
"No" can be your new friend, a powerful tool to take back your life. "No" may even take you further in the business world than "yes".
"No" is power and strength. "No" now seems completely correct. "Saying 'no' isn't easy. But finally it's greatly liberating," Charles said. But, he added, a "no" project needs to be worked on every day because it is hard to change long-term habit.
But, he also warns: "Don't go to extremes. Don't find yourself saying 'no' to everything. In return you should learn to hear 'no'." | high7403.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "You can't feel happy unless compared with others."
},
"options": [
"Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.",
"Time passed cannot be called back again.",
"You can't feel happy unless compared with others.",
"You c... | There is an old Chinese tale about a woman whose only son died. Sadly, she went to the holy man and asked, "What magical things do you have to bring my son back to life?"
Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said to her, "Fetch me a mustard seed from a home that has never known sadness. We will use it to drive the sadness out of your life." The woman happily went off at once in search of that magical mustard seed.
She first came to a splendid house, knocked at the door and said, "I am looking for a home that has never known sadness. Is it such a place? It is very important to me."
They told her "You've certainly come to the wrong place" and began to describe all the tragic things that had happened to them recently.
The woman said to herself, "I have had misfortune of my own. Who is able to help these poor, unfortunate people?" She stayed to comfort them, and then went on in search of a home that had never known sadness. But wherever she went, she found one tale after another of sadness and misfortune. She became so involved in other people's sorrow that finally she forgot about her search for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that it had, in fact, driven the sadness out of her life. | high3665.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The forests are losing their function in turning carbon dioxide into oxygen."
},
"options": [
"The forests are losing their function in turning carbon dioxide into oxygen.",
"Many of our daily uses are related to the tropical fores... | One reaction to all the concern about tropical deforestation is a blank stare that asks the question, "Since I don't live there, what does it have to do with me?"
The answer is that your way of life, wherever you live in the world, is tied to the tropics in many ways. If you live in a house, wash your hair, eat fruits and vegetables, drink soda, or drive a car, you can be certain that you are affected by the loss of tropical forests.
Biologically, we are losing the richest regions on earth when, each minute, a piece of tropical forest, the size of ten city blocks, disappears. As many as five million species of plants, animals, and insects (40 to 50 percent of all living things) live there, and are being lost faster than they can be found and described. Their loss is immeasurable.
Take rubber for example. For many uses, only natural rubber from trees will do. _ are not good enough. Today over half the world's commercial rubber is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia, while the Amazon's rubber industry produces much of the world's four million tons. And rubber is an important material in making gloves, balloons, footwear and many sporting goods. Thousands of other tropical plants are valuable for their industrial use.
Many scientists strongly believe that deforestation contributes to the greenhouse effect -- or heating of the earth from increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As we destroy forests, we lose their ability to change carbon dioxide into oxygen.
Carbon dioxide levels could double within the next half-century, warming the earth by as much as 4.5 degrees. The result? A partial melt-down of polar ice caps, raising sea levels as much as 24 feet; even 15 feet could threaten anyone living within 35 miles of the coast. Unbelievable? Maybe. But scientists warn that by the time we realise the severe effects of tropical deforestation, it will be 20 years too late.
Can tropical deforestation affect our everyday lives? Now, you should have got the answer. | high5214.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Genetic differences."
},
"options": [
"Family genes.",
"Genetic differences.",
"Educational levels.",
"Job positions."
],
"question": "In the psychologists' view, what led to women getting lower scores than men ... | Since IQ testing began a century ago, women have been as much as five points behind, leading psychologists to suggest genetic differences between the male and the female.
That gap has been narrowing in recent years and this year women have moved ahead.
The finding has been made by James Flynn, a world-famous expert on IQ tests. "In the last 100 years, the IQ scores of both men and women have risen but women's have risen faster," said Flynn. " This is a result of modernity. The complex modern world is making our brains adapt and raising our IQs."
One possible explanation is that women's lives have become more demanding as they multitask between raising a family and doing a job. Another might be that women have a slightly higher potential intelligence than men and are only now realizing it.
Flynn also made the great discovery that scores in western countries increased by roughly three points a decade, which means people today get 30 more points than those living 100 years ago and that IQs can be improved.
Flynn conducted new IQ tests in western European countries, America, Canada, New Zealand, Argentina and Estonia, which showed that the gap between men and women had become very small. In New Zealand, Estonia and Argentina, women scored slightly higher than men.
Maybe because of this, many women have exchanged the role with their husband in family life. Helena Jamieson, 33, works a full-time job and her husband, Luke, 37, is a stay-at-home father. Helena said, "I'm definitely the more intellectual person in the relationship and I'm at work full-time rising up the career ladder while he is raising our daughter."
She added, "In the past, men would look down on me, thinking that I was a woman and not as smart as them. But today, things have changed. I think women probably always know secretly deep down that they are the more intelligent ones-but as the gentler sex, we were just quiet about it in the past and let men believe that they ruled the world." | high17753.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "has been the worst ever since 108 years ago"
},
"options": [
"has been the worst ever since 108 years ago",
"has swept across 15 US states and killed 115 people",
"has destroyed The UN Headquarters in New York",
"has ru... | NEW YORK-Workers in New York City and nearby towns raced to fix damaged power grids and traffic systems after "superstorm" Sandy left a strip of destruction across 15 US states and cut power to more than 8 million people.
"In 108 years, our employees have never faced a challenge like the one that faces us now," said Joseph Lhota, chairman of MTA, which operates New York City's subway system that has been suspended due to historic flooding in some tunnels. Partial subway service was restarted on Thursday.
"All of us at the MTA are committed to restoring the system as quickly as we can to help bring New York back to normal."
Much of the lower half of Manhattan is still without power. Thousands of homes and small businesses may have to put up with darkness at least until this weekend.
Nearby areas are struggling to recover from flooding and damages after Hurricane Sandy struck the US East Coast and made a landfall at New Jersey Monday evening.
At least 115 people have died from Sandy in the United States since Monday, including 39 from New York City, police said. In New Jersey, the death toll had reached 13 as search and rescue teams gained access to stricken areas.
As Sandy faded further inland, bus and bridge services in New York City were restarted late Tuesday, but road blocking was ubiquitous in Manhattan because of a loss of subway service across NYC.
The UN Headquarters in New York, located along the East River, were closed for three days due to the storm and suffered damage from high winds and flooding. It reopened on Thursday.
With superstorm Sandy fading, Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney Thursday were back on the campaign trail, trying to make up for the lost time as they dashed towards the finish line.
The two candidates were making closing arguments before Americans head to polling stations across the country next Tuesday in the question, "Where will the voters go to cast their ballots --particularly for parts of New York City and New Jersey where hundreds of thousands of people remained without power?"
Local election boards are assessing their polling sites to decide which ones would be up and running by Tuesday's election while utility companies hope to get the electricity back on time for Election Day. | high18306.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "someone who is unexpected to win"
},
"options": [
"a horse which is dark",
"someone who is unexpected to win",
"a horse which likes the dark",
"someone whose win is expected"
],
"question": "What does 'dark hors... | What's the meaning of "dark horse"? It's someone who wins when no one expects it.
Han Xiaopeng took China's first gold on snow. He became an Olympic "dark horse" by winning the gold medal in men's freestyle aerial skiing at Turin in Italy. He made two almost perfect jumps for the highest score. Han had never won a world gold medal before, let alone in the Olympics!
"I never thought this would happen," said the 23-year-old. "I feel like I'm in a dream." It's China's second gold medal at the Turin Olympics. But more important, Han's gold was the country's first ever in a snow sport. In 2002, China's Yang Yang won the gold for speed skating at the winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, US.
That Han's win was unexpected doesn't mean that he didn't work hard.
Han grew up in Jiangsu Province. Before he started his training on snow, he used to be an acrobat at a circus. In 1995, a coach found his talent . The coach, Yang Er'qi, said Han had the agility and courage to be a ski jumper. When Yang first took the 12-year-old to northern China, the boy couldn't swim, skate or ski. But he wasn't afraid of the high platform and kept on training.
Han almost left the sport after hurting his knee months before the Salt Lake Games. In that Olympics he only got 24th. "I was hopeless at that time, but my family and the coach stood firmly behind me, helping me through," he recalled.
Han Xiaopeng worked so hard that he won the gold medal in the Olympics at last. Because of his success, more and more people in China are becoming interested in skiing. We are proud of him and we hope he will have another big success in the next winter Olympics. | high17035.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The new Chinese ID card was introduced 17 years ago."
},
"options": [
"Only those Chinese citizens over 16 can have an ID card.",
"The former Chinese ID card was plastic and the new one will be an electronic one.",
"The new C... | The plastic identification ( ID, ) cards carded by all Chinese citizens over 16 are to be replaced with electronic cards from 2005.
The new cards, which most people will have by 2005, contain a microchip on which personal information is stored. This can be checked against databases kept by the government.
"The information will be locked into the card so that people won' t be able to use false identities," said Ren Tianbu, a security official in Shenyang.
China's present plastic identity cards were introduced 17 years ago, and a similar system is used by many other countries. However, the information shown on a card differs from nation to nation. Most ID cards show the holder' s name, sex, date of birth and photograph, as well as the card' s expiry date and number.
Germany, France and Spain all use ID cards, but there are some developed nations who dislike the idea. The US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Sweden and Britain are among those with no national ID card. However, some of the countries have ID cards for particular uses. For example, Australia and the United States use a driving licence to identify people.
Identity cards are introduced for a variety of reasons. Race, politics and religion were often at the heart of older ID systems. In recent years, though, ID cards have been linked to national information databases, which form the basis of how a government manages a country.
The US, Britain and some other countries are considering a national ID system as a way of preventing possible terrorist attacks.
However, such plans have been .met with fierce resistance by those who believe identity cards work against human rights and individual privacy .
"ID cards make us suspects , not citizens," said UK human rights group Liberty. | high20699.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To advise readers to learn about music."
},
"options": [
"To advise readers to learn about music.",
"To show he has a good knowledge of music.",
"To ask readers to share their experience.",
"To prove that music has a lo... | Whether you admit or not, music is rooted in our daily life, weaving its beauty and emotion through our thoughts, activities and memories. So if you're interested in music theory, music appreciation, Beethoven, Mozart, artists and performers, we hope you'll spend some time here and learn from those music articles of note for all ages and tastes.
When I first started studying the history of music, I did not realize what I was getting into. I had thought that music history was somewhat of an unimportant pursuit . In fact, I only took my history of classical music class because I needed the credits . I did not realize how really attractive music history was. You see, in our culture many of us do not really learn to understand music. When I began to learn about the history of Western music, however, it changed all that for me.
When most of us think about the history of music, we think of the history of rock music, we _ that the history is simple because the music is simple. In fact, neither is the case, The history of music, whether you're talking about classical music, rock music, jazz music, or any other kind, is never simple.
Even when the class was over, I would not stop learning about the history of music. It had attracted my interest, and I wanted more. | high3103.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Speaking"
},
"options": [
"Spelling",
"Speaking",
"Reading",
"Writing"
],
"question": "Which is the groundwork while you are learning a foreign language?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"... | Speaking and Reading
In learning a foreign language, one should first pay attention to speaking. It is the groundwork of reading and writing. You'd better try your best to speak. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. While you are doing this, a good exercise is to write --keep a diary, write notes or letters and so on. Many mistakes in your speaking will be easily found when you write. Through correcting the mistakes, you can do better in learning a language.
If you are slow in speaking, don't worry. One of the helpful ways is to improve your English by reading, either aloud or low to yourself. The important thing is to choose something interesting to read. It mustn't be too difficult for. When you are reading in this way, don't stop to look up the words if you can guess their meaning of if they are not important to the sentence. You can do that some other time. | high21587.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "his clock moves the fastest"
},
"options": [
"the Lord Jesus likes him",
"the wall was already covered by other clocks",
"his clock moves the fastest",
"his clock moves too slowly"
],
"question": "The clock of B... | Many jokes are made up about famous people. Here is one about Bill Clinton, the former president of the United States.
Hillary died and went to heaven. When she was met by the Angel Gabriel she noticed behind her a wall of unimaginable proportions that was completely covered with clocks.
"What are they?" she asked the heavenly angel in complete surprise.
"They are lie clocks. Each time you lie, the hand moves a little bit to the right. See that one?" the angel pointed to one that hadn't moved at all, "That's Mother Theresa's, who has never told a lie. And that one, " he points to another, "That was Abraham Lincoln's. He only ever told two lies. "
Hillary looked around with some interest, then wandered back over to the angel again. "Excuse me, " she asked, "but where is Bill Clinton's clock?""The Lord Jesus is using it in his office for a ceiling fan. " | high15622.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The small number of newborn babies."
},
"options": [
"The small number of newborn babies.",
"The changing social situation of women.",
"The high prices of houses and education.",
"The necessary steps of Asian government... | The small number of newborn babies, which has been caused by high prices and the changing social situation of women, is one of the most serious problems in Asia. When people talk about it, you can hear a word invented in Japan. which means Double Income Kids .
In many major Asian cities like Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo, the cost of a ****** is extremely high. A young couple who want to buy their own house may have to pay about $3000,000 (though prices have fallen). For a flat with one bedrooms, one dining-room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, the couple will pay about $900 a month. What's more, if they want to have a child, the child's education is very expensive. For example, most kindergarten charges are at least $5.000 a year. In such a situation, it's difficult to afford children.
The number of married women who want to continue working because they enjoy their jobs. However, if they want to have children, they immediately have serious problems. Though most companies allow women to leave their jobs for a short time to have a baby, they expect women with babies to give up their jobs. In short, if they want to bring up children properly, both parents have to work, but it is hard for mothers to work. Indeed, women who want to contimue working have to choose between having children or keeping their jobs.
In a word, Asian governments must take steps to improve the present situation as soon as possible. | high7365.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "write them a letter"
},
"options": [
"call them",
"write them a letter",
"visit them",
"send them an e-mail"
],
"question": "If you want to learn more about the organizations, you can _ .",
"question_type"... | There are many international organizations which work to save and protect endangered species and natural environment. If you would like more information about any of the organizations listed below, you can write to the addresses given.
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth (FOE) campaigns on a range of problems including rainforests, the countryside, water and air pollution and energy.
Friends of the Earth International Secretariat P.O. Box 19199
1000 G. D.
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Greenpeace
Greenpeace uses peaceful but direct action to defend the environment. It campaigns to protect rainforests and sea animals, stop global warming and end pollution of air, land and seas. It also opposes nuclear power.
Greenpeace International
Keizergracht 176
1016 DW Amsterdam
The Netherlands
BirdLife
INTERNATIONAL
BirdLife International is an organization which works to save endangered birds all over the world.
BirdLife International
Wellbrook Court
Girton Road
Cambridge CB3 ONA
England
WWF
WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature is the world's largest private international organization for the protection of nature and endangered species.
Information Officer
WWF International
Avenue du Mont-Blanc
1196 Gland
Switzerland | high1714.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "spending instructive time with children"
},
"options": [
"just, being around with children",
"work time is separate from family time",
"spending instructive time with children",
"letting the children do whatever they wa... | Our lives were supposed to be more flexible and family-friendly thanks to the technology at our fingertips. But in this age of BlackBerrys, recession pressures, working at home after hours and on weekends, family time may not be working out the way we thought.
Busy parents who expected more time with the kids are Finding that more work hours at home don't necessarily translate into quality time with them.
A new generation of parents needs to discover the meaning of "quality time," researchers say. "Personally, just given the life I lead, I think there is something to this idea of quality time- spending productive time with children vs. just being around," says Peter Brandon, a professor at Carleton College. He says engaging or interacting with a child in activities such as reading or playing counts as quality time rather than "passive monitoring," such as washing the dishes while the child is watching TV.
" _ ," Brandon says. He notes that good parent-child relationships result in children being happier and more successful, including at school.
As parents struggle to be more available to their kids, new research on work and family schedules to be presented Friday at the meeting in Dallas includes a study that shows parents' availability is on the decline because more parents are in the workforce. Although parents today may be spending more time on child care, they are less available overall.
Working parents who spend less time with their children should try to make sure the time they do spend is communicating with them, vs. doing the dishes or spending more time on themselves, Brandon says "The trade-off is not necessarily taking away time from your kid," he says "You're taking away time from other things" | high280.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "13%."
},
"options": [
"13%.",
"20%.",
"67%.",
"87%."
],
"question": "According to the text, what might be the percentage of no \"El Nino\" this year?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
}
] | The UN weather agency warned on Tuesday there was a good chance of an "El Nino" climate phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean this year, bringing droughts and heavy rainfall to the rest of the world.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said its modeling suggested a "fairly large potential for an El Nino, most likely by the end of the second quarter of 2016".
The El Nino phenomenon occurs every two to seven years, when the trade winds that circulate surface water in the tropical Pacific start to weaken.
WMO pointed out Tuesday that since last December, trade winds had weakened and there had been a significant warming of the waters below the surface in the central Pacific.
"While there is no guarantee this situation will lead to an El Nino event, the longer the trade winds remain weakened, and subsurface temperatures stay significantly warmer than average, the higher chances are," it said.
Two thirds of climate models predicted that the phenomenon would begin sometime between June and August, with one-fifth suggesting it could start as early as May, and the remaining predicting no El Nino this year, it said.
It is often followed by a return swing of La Nina, which is characterized by unusually cool ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific.
"El Nino has an important warming effect on global average temperatures," Jarraud cautioned, stressing that combined with warming from greenhouse gases such events had "the potential to cause a sharp rise in global average temperature". | high13253.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The Hawaiian Islands."
},
"options": [
"The Big Island.",
"Volcanoes.",
"Giving Directions in Hawaii",
"The Hawaiian Islands."
],
"question": "Choose the most suitable title for the article.",
"question_type... | The Hawaiian Islands are situated about two thousand miles away from North America, right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Despite the distance the islands actually make up the fiftieth state of the United States. The islands were all formed by volcanic eruption and on the largest of the islands, Hawaii, or the Big Island, there are still two active volcanoes, the Mauna Loa and the Kilauea, which still erupt every few years.
On the Hawaiian islands the natives have a particularly strange way of indicating directions. They don't use the north, south, east and west system common to the rest of the world. They use the mauka andmakaisystem.Maukameans "mountain". The mountains in Hawaii are always at the center of the islands, as these are volcanic islands.Makaimeans "the sea". The islands are small and the system is simple. Wherever you want to visit, it can always be described in terms of where it lies in relation to the mountains and the sea. A typical conversation between a native Hawaiian and a tourist might go as follow.
TOURIST: Excuse me! Could you tell me where the Sheraton Hotel is?
HAWAIIAN: Well... Let me see! From here it's two blocks mauka, and then one blockmakai. You can't miss it! | high23390.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he could get out of the station sooner after getting off"
},
"options": [
"sitting in the last carriage was safer",
"he was always almost late for his train",
"he could get out of the station sooner after getting off",
... | One evening I was on my daily evening return from London to my home. I had got into the habit of sitting in the last carriage at the platform, so I could get off near to the station exit at my end. One evening before getting off the train, I found a purse. I opened the purse and thought this must be my lucky day, for the purse contained some PS80 in cash. Looking further into the purse, I found credit cards, and house keys and a name and address. My first thought when seeing the cash was to pocket it, and throw the other contents away.
Now I am not a basically dishonest person, but had developed a hardened attitude over the years that most people were dishonest in some way, and my own personal experience had been that whenever I lost anything of value, that was the last I ever saw of it. And since I was a construction worker at that time, I had been the victim of a great deal of stealing during my working life.
Almost as I read the name and address, I had a picture of that woman being struck with terror, when she realized she had lost her purse, and could not get into her home, had no money, and, would have thoughts of someone spending on her credit cards, not to mention the trouble of canceling all the cards.
In that same moment I decided to hand the purse over to the train guard. So I told him I would like to see it returned to its rightful owner. He told me would be sent to the lost property office. I arrived at my station and started to walk the five minute journey to my home all the while feeling very pleased with myself that I was going to bring a great deal of happiness to someone I did not know. | high9348.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "can cause you to think of your past which was full of hopes and dreams"
},
"options": [
"can cause you to think of your past which was full of hopes and dreams",
"can make you succeed in life",
"fill one with hopes for the fu... | Can feeling of nostalgia be good for you? or is it unhealthy to have a strong love for the past?
For years, medical experts have studied nostalgia and the reasons for it. Many experts warn that too much nostalgia is harmful. They say linger in the past shows that a person is unhappy with his present life. These feelings keep the person from living his life to its fullest.
Dr. Louise Kaplan has written several books about nostalgia. She says these feelings often begin when a young person is between 13 and 19 years old.
"This is the time when you must face the loss of your childhood, " Kaplan says. "You see your new life is easily destroyed. But you think romantically about a golden
past. You remember your childhood as a time when life was perfect."
These feelings continue as a person gets older, Kaplan adds. She says many grown persons have a hard time keeping up with changes in the modem world, so they think back to their younger years. At that time the world seemed simple and more harmless.
Kaplan says these feelings are not always actually existing. The good old days weren't always good. However, she says nostalgia can be helpful, if used properly.
"Feelings of nostalgia can cause you to remember a time when you had high hopes and dreams, " Kaplan says. "It might give you the strong wish to catch those dreams today, in your present life." She adds that nostalgia can prevent you from "cutting yourself off from your aim."
"At its best, " Kaplan says, "nostalgia has the ideas for the future." | high15636.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He was very surprised and delighted."
},
"options": [
"He was proud of his ability of making up stories.",
"He was shocked and didn't believe it was true.",
"He was very surprised and delighted.",
"He had expected he wo... | Tom Becker has won the 2007 Waterstone's children's book prize with his first novel, Darkside, receiving a cheque for PS1,000 and the promise of display in branches of the book store across the country.
The 25-year-old author described winning as an "unbelievable feeling". "I didn't think my book would be on the shortlist and stood a chance of winning, and it's amazing to receive such an important award at the beginning of my writing career. Needless to say I am absolutely made up." he said.
The novel, inspired by film noir , fantasy and a fascination with the dark side of the 19th century, is for children between the ages of nine and 12. It tells the story of a boy, Jonathan Stirling, who discovers a similar world filled with vampires and werewolves . This alternative reality has a clearly Victorian air, and is ruled by a descendant of Jack the Ripper. Soon hunters from the other side begin searching for Jonathan, who finds himself driven into their world.
Waterstone's head children's buyer, Wayne Winstone, thought highly of Becker's "huge" achievement. He said: "Tom Becker's writing style attracts you in the same way that Darren Shan's does with his mix of adventure and the supernatural.
"I have a feeling that Tom has real potential and could be one of the big names in children's writing in the future."
This year's shortlist also included Michael Broad's Jake Cake, Philip Caveney's Sebastian Darke and Siobhan Dowd's A Swift Pure Cry. Last year's prize was won by Julia Golding with The Diamond of Drury Lane. | high7371.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "speak English very well"
},
"options": [
"be confident",
"work full-time",
"speak English very well",
"have enough experience"
],
"question": "If you want to work with the new events team, you should _ .",
... | Gants Hill, London
We are looking for a few volunteers to work with us in the creation of a new events group which is needing help to expand and may lead to part-time or full-time work. Hours are flexible, and successful candidates will be working on social media and liaising phone calls with organizations and groups. Candidates must speak excellent fluent English.
VOLUNTEER EVENTS ADMINISTRATION
Westminster, London
We would like an enthusiastic and outgoing administration volunteer for our Events Team at our London Head Office. This opportunity would suit a well-organized person with an eye for detail and good computer skills. You will support our Events by sending thank-you letters, answering the telephone, and assisting with all aspects of event organization for 2 days a week.
LOVE MUSIC? WANT EVENTS EXPERIENCE?
Notting Hill, London
Oxfam Notting Hill Takeover are looking for volunteers for our music festival on 19th October 2013. The festival takes place in 5 places in Notting Hill. This charity event will be showcasing over 30 bands and DJs and playing all forms of music. We need a team of volunteers to assist us on the day in order to make sure everybody has a good time. If you want to be a part of a great event to help us raise money for Oxfam then please come along to our open recruitment session .
VOLUNTEERS WANTED!
Hillingdon, London
Royal Voluntary Service is a national charity which delivers services through volunteers to help older people remain active and independent in their communities. We are growing our new Dementia Support Service in Hillingdon and need help from you! You will be required to have good communication skills. | high12159.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the owner helped him in a way that didn't hurt his feelings."
},
"options": [
"it was very honest of the owner to return his money",
"another man who had breakfast in the restaurant lost the money",
"he could probably find hi... | In 1971 a young man who grew up very poor was traveling across the country, trying to make a new start for himself. Along the way he had completely run out of money and was forced to spend the night in his car. This continued until one morning, after a week of sleeping in his car, he walked nervously into a restaurant and ordered a big breakfast.
After eating his first good meal in weeks, he found himself lying to the waiter, telling him he had lost his wallet. The waiter, who was also the owner, walked behind the chair where the young man had been sitting. He bent down, and came up with a $20 bill that looked as if it had fallen on the floor and said, "Son, you must have dropped _ ," the owner said. The young man couldn't believe his luck! He quickly paid for the breakfast, left a tip, bought gas with the change, and headed West.
On the way out of town, he began to understand what that fellow did. Maybe nobody dropped the money at all. "Maybe that fellow just knew I was in trouble and he helped me in a way that didn't embarrass me. So I just made a promise to help other people if I can."
Later, he worked very hard and became a rich man. Now he lives near Kansas City. Each year he gives away thousands of dollars. He is known as the "Secret Santa" because at Christmas time each year, he personally hands money out to those on the street and at restaurants. Last year, he gave more than $50,000 away in Kansas City. | high294.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "2."
},
"options": [
"Not mentioned.",
"3.",
"4.",
"2."
],
"question": "How many countries can send a person into space on its own by now?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | The dream of flying into outer space, cherished by the Chinese people for centuries, will soon come true.
China launched its fourth unmanned spacecraft "Shenzhou IV" on December 30 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gansu Province. It was the 27th consecutive( )and successful launch of China - made rockets since October 1996. This launch has made it more realistic for China to send a person into space on its own following Russia and the USA.
Qi Faren,leading designer of the spacecraft system, said all the functions designed for manned flights have withstood the test of three previous, successful launches and return landings of the "Shenzhou" spaceships.
China launched the "Shenzhou I ", "Shenzhou II "and "Shenzhou III "spacecrafts in 1999,2001 and 2002 respectively.
"Shouzhou IV" was to make it a more comfortable place in which astronauts can live and work. All parts of the application system for manned flight are aboard the "Shenzhou IV"craft in all test flights.
China's manned flight programme began in 1992. A number of unmanned test flights will be launched before Chinese astronauts are sent into space.
Leading scientists in charge of China's manned space programme said the successful launch of the "Shenzhou IV" laid a solid foundation for the country's future task of sending Chinese astronauts to outer space.
The spacecraft returned to the earth on January 5, after completing seven experiments in space.
Officials at the centre said that" Shenzhou V", a manned spacecraft, is expected to be launched later this year. | high1700.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Yao Ming retires from basketball"
},
"options": [
"Yao Ming:a household name",
"Yao Ming retires from basketball",
"A farewell conference",
"Yao Ming's personal decision"
],
"question": "Which of the following c... | Yao Ming told at a news conference that a series of foot and leg injuries forced him to end his playing career at the age of 30.
"I will formally end my career," said Yao, who became a household name in China before starting his NBA career with the Houston Rockets in 2002. Yao played eight seasons in the NBA.
"Today is an important day for me and holds a special meaning for both my basketball career and my future," Yao said. "I had to leave the court since I suffered a stress fracture in my left foot for the third time at the end of last year. My past six months were a painful wait. I have been thinking about my future over and over. Today I am announcing a personal decision, ending my career as a basketball player and officially retire. _
Yao said he would return to work with his former Chinese team, the Shanghai Sharks, with the possibility of becoming general manager. He already owns the club and wants to contribute more.
"My playing career started with the club. I hope I can do something for it," Yao said.
He later appeared with his family on the stage to the applause and cheers of the crowd. He thanked a lot of people--his family, former coaches, even players like Shaquille O'Neal--"for making me a better player. I will be always with you. Thank you."
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was among those attending the farewell conference. Morey made the long trip from Houston. Morey said 20 hours on plane was tiring but he would be sorry if he wasn't here. "It's a big moment," Morey added. "Yao had a sense of humor, a great attitude and a sense of responsibility. I hope we can continue his culture in the NBA." | high13247.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He will choose a less challenging task."
},
"options": [
"He will choose a less challenging task.",
"He will hide his mistakes from his teachers.",
"He will work harder to avoid mistakes.",
"He will ask his teachers for... | We are surrounded by mixed messages about mistakes: we're told we earn by making them,
but we work hard to avoid them. So the result is that most of us know that we are going to make
mistakes, but deep down, we feel we shouldn't.
Experiments with schoolchildren who did well on a given test show that those who were
praised for being smart and then offered a more challenging or less challenging task afterward
usually chose the easier one. On the other hand, children praised for trying hard-rather than
being smart-far more often selected the more difficult task.
If we try hard to avoid mistakes, we aren't open to getting the information we need in
order to do better. In a writing study, experiments showed that those who are so scared to
make mistakes perform worse in writing tasks than those who aren't as worried about being
perfect. They fear receiving any kind of negative feedback, so they don't learn where they went
wrong and how to get better.
We don't just learn more when we're open to mistakes, we learn deeper. Research tells us
that if we're only concerned about getting the right answer, we don't always learn the
underlying concepts that help us truly understand whatever we're trying to figure out. Mistakes
need to be seen not as a failure to learn, but as a guide to what still needs to be learned. As
Thomas Edison said, "I am not discouraged, because every abandoned wrong attempt is
another step forward. "
Furthermore, we often make mistakes because we try new things-we wander away from
accepted paths. Teflon, penicillin-these are examples of great discoveries made by mistake.
Take a page from Albert Einstein, who said, "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never
tried anything new. " | high14528.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Pursuit of equal justice for all."
},
"options": [
"Pursuit of equal justice for all.",
"International relations.",
"His vision and agenda setting.",
"Economic management."
],
"question": "In which of the follow... | Days after celebrations honoring his bicentennial , Abraham Lincoln kept his rank as best US president, according to a survey of 65 historians that landed George W. Bush 36th out of 42 overall.
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865), the first US president George Washington (1789-1797) and New Deal architect Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945) were ranked the top three out of the 42 men who have been the country's former chiefs, according to a survey by cable channel C-SPAN.
John F. Kennedy came in sixth, ahead of Ronald Reagan (10th) and Bill Clinton, who jumped to 15th from 21st during the last survey in 2000, when prefix = st1 /Lincolnalso ranked first.
Of all modern presidents, Bush, who left office last month after an eight-year term, behaved worst at 36th, nearly 10 spots behind Richard Nixon (27th), who was forced to resign in disgrace in consequence of the Watergate Scandal .
Bush scored lowest in international relations, where he ranked 41st, and in economic management, where he placed 40th. His best ranking was 24th, in having "pursued equal justice for all." He came 25thin crisis leadership, and for his vision and agenda setting.
Reagan behaved well in public persuasion, where he was pushed to 3rd spot, from his 10th place overall.
Bill Clinton also received honors for his public persuasion, landing a 10th spot in that category, up from 15th overall. But presidential historians were critical of his moral authority, placing him 37th, ahead of Richard Nixon (41st), but behind Bush (35th).
Jimmy Carter fell from 22nd to 25th overall, and many other presidents moved positions. The fluidity of opinions of past presidents reflects contemporary concerns, according to Edna Medford, a survey leader and participant.
"Today's concerns shape our views of the past, he it in the area of foreign policy, managing the economy or human rights," she said in a statement.
Presidents James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Franklin Pierce and William Henry Harrison ranked worst overall. | high23384.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "includes many categories"
},
"options": [
"lasts one month",
"is a writing contest",
"includes many categories",
"allows anyone to take part"
],
"question": "The Canada's Most Interesting Towns Contest _ .",
... | The Canada's Most Interesting Towns Contest is started by Reader's Digest Association (Canada) and is open to all Canadians. All entries must be submitted by December 18,2012.
Entry requirements
Participants must submit a story in English or in French and one photo that tell why their town is the most interesting town in Canada. The story must not be over 250 words and the photograph must not be over 2M B. The story is a must but the photo is optional. Submission will require your full name and the name of the city you are recommending. You must write clearly which of the following categories you are covering: Best Destination; Greenest; Healthiest; Best Cuisine; Most Community Spirit; Most Artistic.
Voting
Submissions will be voted by people entering the contest. During the Voting Period anyone may vote for their favorite submission by clicking the vote button online. Each person may vote for as many submissions as they wish in any given day. The Voting Period begins on September 18, 2012 and ends on December 18,2012. You may vote for your own submission.
Prize and awards
At the end of the Voting Period, the top 20 entries will be judged by a group of judges. The entry with the highest score from the judges will be the Grand Prize winner, who will receive a $5,000.00 cheque. And the city featured in the Grand Prize winner's entry will be awarded a prize as well, a $5,000.00 cheque. The entries with the next seven highest judges' scores will be the seven Runners Up each deserving a $1,000.00 cheque. On January 17,2013 at our Montreal office, the prizes will be awarded to winners. | high18312.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "learns to survive on her own"
},
"options": [
"learns to survive on her own",
"asks others for advice",
"feels down and disappointed",
"becomes an innocent young lady"
],
"question": "When Legend of Zhen Huan fi... | "I pity the empress. Poor empress." "Do you think Zhen Huan really loves the emperor?" From campuses to offices, from shopping malls to the streets, talk about Legend of Zhen Huan is everywhere.
Unlike other long TV series, Legend of Zhen Huan, the 76-episode Qing dynasty drama series, has kept attracting new audiences along the way. It has enjoyed widespread popularity on the Chinese mainland over the past months.
The story is seemingly the same as those dramas which look into the lives of women in the imperial palace. _ focuses on plots and intrigues within the Inner Palace during Emperor Yongzheng's reign.
The heroine, Zhen Huan, initially a kind and innocent young lady, enters the emperor's harem of concubines. Discovering that the palace is a cruel and harsh place, Zhen learns how to survive on her own.
However, Legend of Zhen Huan seems to arouse more discussion than any drama series. Why? Some experts say it's because it's a well-made series from inside out.
Niu Hanting, deputy editor-in-chief of Art Panorama magazine, told Xinhua News Agency that the sets, props and costumes are carefully chosen. And the screenplay and dialogue are well-written. "The series takes care of every detail a good period drama should have," Niu said. "From that aspect, it's no coincidence that Zhen Huan could be big." More importantly, Niu added, the TV series strikes a chord among audiences in different ways. "For example, as a woman, Zhen is hurt by the man she once loved. And as a newcomer to the palace, she finds herself caught in the fierce infighting and she has to survive," Niu said, "Everyone may find themselves in Zhen's position at a certain point."
Then it's not hard to understand why the story of Zhen Huan is even seen as a survival guide for newcomers in the workplace. Its director, Zheng Xiaolong, once admitted that in terms of society today, the "promotion" of Zhen Huan reflects a person's career path in some way. "Whether the principles can be applied in today's society, or not, I want to make the story as real as possible," Zheng told Sina.com. "There are many fairytale-like series that make audiences ignore or avoid reality, and the complexity of humanity." "But Legend of Zhen Huan, is a series that makes you think." | high5566.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "22%"
},
"options": [
"22%",
"44%",
"47%",
"53%"
],
"question": "How many of Internet users googled themselves in 2002 according to the report?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Have you ever ''Googled'' yourself?
More Americans are Googling themselves-and many are checking out their friends,co-workers and romantic interests,too.
In a report Sunday, the Pew Internet and American Life Project said 47 percent of U.S.adult Internet users have looked for information about themselves through Google or another search engine.That is more than twice the 22 percent of users who did in 2002,but Pew senior research
specialist Mary Madden was surprised the growth wasn't higher.
"Yes,it's doubled,but it's still the case that there's a large number of Internet users who have never done this simple act of plugging their names with search engines,"she said.
Americans under 50 and those With more education and income were more likely to self-Google--in some cases because their jobs demand a certain online persona.Meanwhile.Pew found that 53 percent of adult Internet users admit looking up information about someone else. celebrities excluded.
Often,it's to find someone they've lost touch with.But looking up information about friends, s,colleagues and neighbors was also common.
Although men and women equally searched for online information about themselves.women were slightly more likely to look up information about someone they are dating.
In many cases,the search is just done to find someone's contact information.But a third of those who have conducted searches on others have looked for public records,such as bankruptcies and divorce proceedings.A similar number have searched for someone else's photo.
Few Internet users say they Google themselves regularly-about three quarters of self searchers say they have done so only once or twice.And most who have done so consider what they find accurate.
Pew also found that teens were more likely than adults to restrict who can see their profiles at an online hangout like Facebook or news Corp's MySpace. | high17021.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "recognize sounds better"
},
"options": [
"sing better",
"do better in exams",
"recognize sounds better",
"response more quickly"
],
"question": "Compared with children who haven't taken music lessons, musically-... | Let's say you took violin lessons all through elementary school, but you haven't got the instrument out of its case for years. Were all those lessons a waste of your parents' money because you didn't become a violinist?
Even though it has been a long time since you played the violin, a new study shows that as little as one year of music training can have a positive impact on your brain that will last the rest of your life.
In an experiment, researchers compared children who had taken music lessons to those who hadn't. Laurel Trainor, who studies music and the mind, discovered that the musically-trained children had better brain responses in certain sound recognition exams. Trainor's findings show the possibility that musical education can actually improve the brain's hearing cortex . "The study's results show that music training affects attention and memory, and helps children develop learning skills. In this way music training might lead to better learning across a number of fields," Trainor said in a statement. The effects of music education are even more obvious on children with difficulty in reading and writing and other language-related disabilities.
So, whether you can play a good piece of music or not, it's likely that your years of music lessons have prepared your brain for all the speeches, emails, and adult conversations that are part of your life today. We should help make sure that children today have the same opportunities for music, and help out by volunteering with or donating instruments to your school's music education department. | high2209.txt |
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