questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Adults without computer skills."
},
"options": [
"Adults with basic literacy and computer skills.",
"Adults who are drunk.",
"Adults without computer skills.",
"Adults without a driver's license."
],
"question":... | Will there be a time in our lives when cars don't crash? When we can just sit back and relax and our cars will drive themselves. Auto technology experts say "yes". And they say that some of those advances may happen quicker than you might think.
They will require the users to input the name of the destination or the complete address of the location that they want to go and the cars' artificial intelligence takes them there automatically without a driver. They will run on solar power in the daytime and ethanol fuel at night. Toyota, BMW and Honda will completely control the trade of driverless car business together and will have the cheapest driverless cars. Fossil fuels will be completely incompatible with these cars.
Driverless cars will not require a driver's license of any grade to operate. Anyone with basic literacy and computer skills who are at least 16 years of age will be legally allowed to operate the vehicle with absolutely no restrictions. This would give the young users permission to operate the driverless cars on major highways as well as secondary roads without needing a separate classification. In addition to all this, drunken people will be able to use their own automobiles to return home because they are not "driving" the vehicle.
What's more, car insurance will become _ because there will be no more automobile accidents after the year 2025. This is because the driverless car will have all safety methods in place by the car's artificial intelligence to prevent automobile accidents. Global positioning systems will become mandatory in all newly-manufactured cars after 2010, and will be the most important part in the driverless car. | high8679.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Their ability to escape from the sight of their enemy."
},
"options": [
"Their ability to escape from the sight of their enemy.",
"Their large human-like eyes and brains",
"Their shells that can move and make predictions.",
... | It has been known that the octopus has many special skills, such as using hard shells for mobile homes and protection, disabling their suckers, plotting escapes, and even predicting World Cup soccer game outcomes. Can't we say it is a mysterious creature?
While all these talents are impressive, they pale compared to its ability to "disappear" from plain sight. Researchers have long known that this is possible because of the presence of the organs under their skin, which expand or contract to produce a series of color1s, patterns and even skin textures in just milliseconds.
Scientists had always believed that such a reaction was directed by a signal from the octopus's large, human-like eyes or brain. But a recent report published in the Journal of Experimental Biology by researchers from the University of California at Santa Barbara, indicate that the animal does not have to wait for a signal from its eyes or brain. It can "see" the light with its skin!
UCSB doctoral student Desmond and Professor Todd said they have seen reports about octopus skin changing color1s in response to light with no signal from the eye or brain. However, there had been no follow-up to find out why this was the case and the two decided to see what they could uncover.
They began by taking skin samples from a couple of California octopuses and exposing them to color1s, ranging from violent to orange and found that their skin is equipped with the same light-sensitive protein as is found in the cells in the retina of the eyes. Thanks to these proteins, the octopus can "see" the light and react without having to wait for a signal from the eyes or brain, thus enabling it to begin the escape process.
Another research by University of Maryland researchers discovered that cuttlefish and squid share the same talent. Thanks to these findings researchers now know that their skin color1 can be controlled by both. What is still not clear is how the two come together to manage the whole process. The doctoral student plans to get to the bottom of the mystery. | high19637.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "had great influence on Sino-Cambodian relations"
},
"options": [
"is the present Cambodian Prime Minister",
"went for an interview with CCTV the other day",
"made the right choice to encourage investment in China",
"had... | Cambodians are continuing to mourn the death of King-Father Norodom Sihanouk, who died in Beijing this week. In an exclusive interview with CCTV, China's ambassador to Cambodia, Pan Guangxue, says Sihanouk made indelible contributions to Sino-Cambodian relations and his death will not affect the friendship between the two countries.
Since its founding, the People's Republic of China has maintained close contact with Cambodia. Bilateral trade volume has increased rapidly in recent years, from 200 million US dollars in 2002 to nearly 2.5 billion US dollars in 2011.
China is now not only Cambodia's third largest trading partner, but for many years has been Cambodia's number one investor. Norodom Sihanouk, Cambodia's "King-Father" pioneered the relationship.
Pan Guangxue said, "If we look back at previous decades, I think Sihanouk made the right choice, a choice good to Cambodian national development. It was because of his commitment to the development of Sino-Cambodia friendship that we've achieved what we have today."
In 2010, the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership, during its Prime Minister Hun Sen's visit to China.
And 2013 is set to be China-Cambodia Friendship Year.
Pan Guangxue said, "Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on many occasions that China does not tell Cambodia what to do or what not to do. China does not point fingers at Cambodia. I think this is a true evaluation of Sino-Cambodian relations. China pursues an independent peaceful foreign policy of non-alignment and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries."
The ambassador says Sihanouk's death is a huge loss to both China and Cambodia, but that bilateral relations will not be affected.
Pan Guangxue said, "I believe the bilateral relationship will be sustained and grow even stronger."
With both countries enjoying the benefits of the fruitful relationship, the governments of China and Cambodia have promised that Sihanouk's legacy will continue to be the foundation of even stronger ties. | high4043.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Models of trains."
},
"options": [
"Pieces of pottery.",
"Jewelry.",
"Paintings.",
"Models of trains."
],
"question": "Which of the following is not displayed in the Roman Open Air Museum?",
"question_type":... | Museums in Germany
Germany is one of the most important countries in Europe. You can visit many museums in Germany and learn about the country, its culture and people.
If you are interested in learning about the history of the country, then you can have a look at the displays in the wonderful museum in the Roman Open Air Museum in Hechingen Stein. This museum, with its large numbers of artifacts like paintings, pieces of pottery, tools, jewelry and other items, provides a complete picture of Roman history in Germany. The museum is built inside an ancient Roman house called "Villa Rustica".
Apart from this, another German museum that is worth visiting is the DB Museum, or the German Railway Museum. It is the oldest railway museum in the country, and it offers a comprehensive insight into the history of the railways in Germany. Here, you can see models of trains and engines from an ancient era. If this interests you, you can also visit the Museum of Communication, where you can learn a lot about the transport in Germany. It is a great place to visit with your family.
Another famous museum in Germany, where you can learn a lot about the culture, is the Gutenberg Museum. This museum is filled with ancient memorabilia and artifacts that deal with the history of printing, not only of Germany, but of the whole world. This, in fact, is the oldest printing museum in the world. Amongst the many displays of interesting objects, the most famous is the second Gutenberg Bible. Apart from the museums mentioned above, other museums that are worth visiting include the German Leather Museum, Kingspor Museum, Optical Museum Jena, Deutsches Museums and others. Each of the museums in Germany deals with a different theme.
You can visit the museums in Germany with your family and have a good time looking at the displays. | high2432.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "discuss the origin of British people"
},
"options": [
"talk about Europeans",
"discuss the origin of British people",
"argue for the superiority of British people",
"compare the Europeans with Africans and Asians"
]... | Are the British people Europeans?This may seem a strange question to Africans and Asians,who tend to think of all white men as Europeans. But the British,when they are in Britain,do not regard themselves as Europeans. The Europeans,to them,are those rather excitable foreigners from the other side of English Channel,who have never learnt how to speak English. Europe is "the Continent":a place full of interests for English tourists,but also the source of almost all the wars in which Britain has ever been involved. Thus,although geographically speaking Britain is a part of Europe,yet the fact that it is a separate island has made its people feel very,very insular . They feel,in many ways,different from the rest of Europe,and they sometimes annoy continental nations by failing to support them,or even to understand them,in time of need.
Where did the British people come from?This is quite interesting question,since they are a mixture of many different races ,and all these races invaded Britain at various times from Europe. Nobody knows very much about prefix = st1 /Britainbefore the Romans came during the first century B. C.,but there had been at least three invasions before that. The first of these was by a dark--haired Mediterranean race called Iberians. The other two were by Celtic tribes :first the Gaels,whose descendants are the modern Scots and Irish,some of whom still speak the Gaelic language;secondly the Britons,who gave their name to the whole island of Britain. These were the people whom the Romans conquered. The Romans gave the Britons a good deal of civilization,but they never settled in Britain in very large numbers,so the British race survived until the overthrow of the Roman Empire by the"barbarians"--the numerous Germanic tribes which overran the whole of Western Europe. | high18529.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "should applaud back when greeted with a loud round of applause ."
},
"options": [
"may enter the banquet room directly when you arrive .",
"may stop eating in the middle of the banquet.",
"may help yourself to any food immedi... | Banquets are usually held in restaurants in private rooms that have been reserved for the purpose. You will be met at the door and led to the banquet room. Traditionally, the head of your delegation should enter the room first. Do not be surprised if your hosts greet you with a loud round of applause. The proper response is to applaud back.
Seating arrangements are stricter than in the West. Guests should never assume that they may sit where they please and should wait for hosts to guide them to their places. Traditionally, the Chinese regard the right side as the superior and the left side as the inferior. Therefore on formal occasions, the host invariably arranges for the main guests to sit on his right side.
It is the host's responsibility to serve the guests, and at very formal banquets people do not begin to eat until the host has served a portion to the principal guest. Or, the host may simply raise his chopsticks and announce that eating has begun. After this point, one may serve oneself any food in any amount. Remember to go slow on eating. Don't fill yourself up when five courses are left to go. To stop eating in the middle of a banquet is rude, and your host may incorrectly think that something has been done to offend you.
Drinking takes an important place in Chinese banquets. It is likely that the host will stand and hold his glass out with both hands while saying a few words. When he says the words "gan bei",which means bottoms up, all present should drain their glasses. After this initial toast, drinking and toasting are open to all. No words are needed to make a toast, and it is not necessary to drain your glass, although to do so is more respectful. When filling another glass, it is polite to fill it as full as you can. This symbolizes full respect and friendship.
When the last dish is finished, the banquet has officially ended. There is little ceremony involved with its conclusion. The host may ask if you have eaten your fill. Then the principal host will rise, signaling that the banquet has ended. Generally, the principal host will bid good evening to everyone at the door and stay behind to settle the bill with the restaurateur. Other hosts usually accompany guests to their vehicles and remain outside waving until the cars have left the premises. | high10613.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "after he managed to find a solution to a difficult problem"
},
"options": [
"after he managed to find a solution to a difficult problem",
"after his teacher made his parents know his ability in arithmetic",
"after he grew up ... | Alfred Alder, a famous psychiatrist, had an interesting experience. When he was a small boy he got off to a poor start in arithmetic. His teacher got the idea that he had no ability in arithmetic, and told his parents what she thought in order that they would not expect too much of him. In this way, they too developed the idea, "Isn't it too bad that Alfred can't do arithmetic?" He accepted their mistaken estimate of his ability, feeling that it was useless to try, and that he was very poor at arithmetic, just as they expected.
One day he became very angry at the teacher and the other students because they laughed when he said he saw how to do a problem which none of the other students had been able to solve.
Adler succeeded in solving the problem. This gave him confidence. He rejected the idea that he couldn't do arithmetic and was determined to show them that he could. His anger and his new found confidence stimulated him to go at arithmetic problems with a new spirit. He now worked with interest, determination, and purpose, and he soon became extraordinarily good at arithmetic. He not only proved that he could do arithmetic, but he learned early in life from his own experience that, if a person goes at a job with determination and purpose, he may astonish himself as well as others by his ability.
This experience made him realize that many people have more ability than they think they have, and that lack of success is as often the result of lack of knowledge of how to apply one's ability, lack of confidence, and lack of determination as it is the result of lack of ability. | high2354.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "can ask the children to help with meal planning and preparation"
},
"options": [
"should encourage their children to eat more often at school",
"can ask the children to help with meal planning and preparation",
"must make the... | Many parents worry that their children's eating habits may not be good enough to stay healthy. Some children ask for the same food over and over again, some may refuse to try anything new, and some may keep asking for snacks . Therefore, having healthy eating habits becomes one of the most important lessons a child needs to learn. Most parents struggle with managing good eating habits and nutrition for their children. Parents should make a plan for their children's nutritional needs.
Start your child's day with a good breakfast. Breakfast is necessary to provide the nutrition for an active day. Studies show that children do better in study when they begin a day with a good breakfast.
Allow your child to help you plan and prepare a meal. He will be glad to eat foods that he has helped to put on the table.
The mealtime environment has a lot to do with how your child will feel about food. Try to serve your meals at the same place at the same time of a day. Keep the meal itself as the main event and leave the toys and television for later use.
Snacks are also important. We can give our body and brain energy by eating snacks between meals. Children are often hungriest in the afternoon after school and in the evening.
Offer snacks at regular time between meals. This way, your child won't refuse a meal because he knows a snack is soon to follow. More importantly, when offering snacks, you should be careful with what to choose. | high19151.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To satisfy the needs of her grandfather."
},
"options": [
"To expand her knowledge.",
"To make her vocabulary bigger.",
"To show off in front of her grandfather.",
"To satisfy the needs of her grandfather."
],
"... | I have a good memory of my grandfather,Jack. He was sitting in his armchair in the front room.
I sat next to him. We were reading aloud,our heads bent over the page in front of us,a finger marking the words;separated by seven decades,brought together by words. It's a common scene in British families;however,in our case,the usual order of things is reversed .Granddad had been blind since I was tiny,so I was reading to him.When reading aloud,people usually read something that's of interest to the listener. So I didn't read children's books;I read the sorts of things Granddad liked to hear about. Much of the vocabulary in Granddad's reading material was far beyond me. When I met unfamiliar words,I'd spell them out.
Granddad would help me. It must have been painful for him to hear news;but he never hurried me along or complained. Our reading wasn't really about getting knowledge. It was a way for us to spend time together.
My grandfather wasn't always blind. He had been a good carpenter .The first Christmas of my parents' marriage,he built my mother a bookcase,which now belongs to my son Jonah,providing a link between four generations.
I was a fortunate child;I spent a lot of time with my grandfather,and he opened the world to me in a particular way. Reading was our way of building a relationship that has had a lasting effect on me. In the school holidays,I sometimes accompanied him on trips to the seaside with the local association for the blind. This might seem strange,but I felt that my personal value was realized because I could finally do something for Granddad.
A decade later,I found a position in a nursing home,which reminded me of my early experiences;reading to senior citizens was a connection back to Granddad. More than simple conversation,reading aloud is a connection between two individuals and it can have a big emotional effect on elderly people. | high4725.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A small train ride is available there."
},
"options": [
"It is the oldest ski area in the world.",
"A small train ride is available there.",
"Tourists have to take their food there.",
"There are nests of eagles on the m... | Once school is out for the summer, students can begin their vacation trips in the great state of New Hampshire. Here are some low budget destinations.
Cannon Mountain
It is not only the well-known oldest ski area in the US, but a top summer destination. The site offers views of the attractions of NH's Old Man of the Mountain, and the nests of eagles from the surrounding mount. You can treat yourselves to not only the small train ride, but a walk through the US ski museum and a hike along the small road. Feel free to choose a picnic lunch, or eat in the hotel. To comfortably enjoy the Cannon Mountain trip, plan to bring $20 per person in your group.
Mount Washington Auto Road
No trip to New Hampshire is complete without taking a drive up to the Mount Washington Auto Road. At $28 per vehicle and driver, plus $8 for each adult, you can arrive at the mountain top. You can start your trip to the highest top in the northeast, where you can spend a day climbing the rocks, exploring the weather station and the hiker rest area.
Cruising on Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee offers seasonal trips on the largest lake in New Hampshire. Summer cruises are designed for all the visitors, from plants tours and houses visiting to evening dinner cruises. Tickets change from $15 to $123 depending on the number of visitors and the season.
Prescott Park Arts Festival
Since 1974, the Prescott Park Arts Festival in Portsmouth has been hosting a free theater experience in the lovely river side Prescott Park. Past performances have included Annie, Shrek the Musical, and other plays. These community theater programs are a delight. And they run from June to August, with both evening shows and afternoon concerts. | high12004.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Wealth, success and love."
},
"options": [
"What a clever daughter-in-law!",
"An old couple and love.",
"Which one is the best choice?",
"Wealth, success and love."
],
"question": "What's the best title of the p... | A woman saw three old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard, hungry. She did not know them but invited them in. "We do not go into a house together," they replied. And she asked why.
One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," pointing to one of his friends, "and he is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."
The woman went in and told her husband what had happened. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!" he said. "Since that is the case, let Wealth come in and fill our home with wealth!" His wife disagreed, "My dear, why not invite Success?" Their daughter-in-law gave her own suggestion: "Wouldn't it be better to invite Love? Our home will be filled with love then." "Let's _ our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest."
Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other two also got up and followed him. Surprised, the woman asked Wealth and Success, "I only invited Love, why are you coming in?"
The old men replied together. "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would have stayed out. But since you invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!" | high9201.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To explain the origin of the Swiss army knife."
},
"options": [
"To explain the origin of the Swiss army knife.",
"To introduce the functions of the Swiss army knife.",
"To emphasize the importance of the Swiss army knife.",
... | The Swiss army knife is a popular device that is recognized all over the world. In Switzerland, there is a saying that every good Swiss citizen has one in his or her pocket. But the knife had poor beginnings.
In the late nineteenth century, the Swiss army issued its soldiers a gun that required a special screwdriver to take it apart and clean it. At the same time, canned food was becoming common in the army. Swiss generals decided to issue each soldier a standard knife to serve both as a screwdriver and a can opener.
_ was a lifesaver for Swiss knife makers, who were struggling to compete with cheaper German imports. In 1884, Carl Elsener, head of the Swiss knife manufacturer(maker) Victorinox, seized that opportunity with both hands, and designed a soldier's knife that the army loved. It was a simple knife with one big blade , a can opener, and a screwdriver.
A few years after the soldier's knife was issued, the "Schweizer Offizier Messer," or Swiss Officer's Knife, came on the market. Interestingly, the Officer's Knife was never given to those serving in the army. The Swiss army purchasers considered the new model with a corkscrew for opening wine not "essential for survival," so officers had to buy this new model by themselves. But its special multi-functional design later launched the knife as a global brand. After the Second World War, a great number of American soldiers were stationed in Europe. And as they could buy the Swiss army knife at shops on army bases, they bought huge quantities of them. However, it seems that "Schweizer Offizier Messer" was too difficult for them to say, so they just called it the Swiss army knife, and that is the name it is now known by all over the world. | high6132.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "late-airport persons always take things easy"
},
"options": [
"late-airport persons often get ulcers or heart attacks",
"early-airport persons are always relaxed before the flight",
"early-airport persons get their luggage fi... | After years of study, I have known there are only two types of people in this world:those who get to the airport early and those who arrive as the plane is about to take off.
If there were any justice in this world, the early-airport people would be rewarded for doing the right thing and the late-airport people would be punished. But the early-airport people get ulcers , heart attacks and bite their fingernails to the bone. The late-airport people are hardly aware that they are flying.
A guy of that kind once said, "Don't hurry. If you miss your flight, it's because God didn't want you to go."This is clearly a guy who is never going to get an ulcer.
Early-airport people suffer another"name". They are called exactly what they are--wimps . I know. I am an early-airport person for years. My luggage will get on the plane first, which makes it the last luggage they take off the plane after landing.
Another strange thing:No matter how early I showed up, I was always told that someone had called two or three years ahead of me and asked for the best seat. I figured it was a trick. I figured there was someone in America who called every airline every day and said, "Is that wimp Simon flying somewhere today? If he is, give me his seat. "
After a lifetime arguing with my wife over whether I really have to pack 24 hours in advance and set the alarm clock four hours ahead, I have learned another fact about early-airport people and late-airport people:
They always marry each other. | high17154.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a GooBall, a backpack and an LCD screen"
},
"options": [
"an LCD screen and a backpack",
"a PDA, a GooBall and a backpack",
"a PDA and an LCD screen",
"a GooBall, a backpack and an LCD screen"
],
"question": "Th... | Today in schools, it's not unusual for students to sit in the same kind of desks in the same kind of classrooms as their parents did.
Schools have made progress by making use of computers and PDAs in the classroom, yet one design company believes that changes are needed, so they describe what a future classroom may look like.
"Kids are being taught to sit at these wooden desks that are basically designed for writing," said Mark Dziersk, the senior vice president of the design. "They're being lectured in a structured environment."
The solution is a "customizable education system" called Gooru that reorganizes the classroom and replaces books, desks, pens, and so on. The three-part technology system consists of an interactive PDA called the GooBall, a backpack and a removable LCD screen for each student. Students can sit, stand or lie down when using the devices, and are not limited to desks.
The idea was presented at last month's South by Southwest Interactive Conference. While some educators think the idea is interesting, they doubt whether schools will pay for the expensive and complicated system.
The GooBall is an interactive communication device with six layers of learning software. The device monitors a student's heart rate and body temperature and uses GPS to track where they are. It includes instant messaging, a compass, a watch, and a topic-specific alert system that directs a student to related articles and books about whatever they are studying. Students can also choose an animal icon to show their personality.
The backpack houses the main power supply for the system and holds some personal items. The pocket keeps items locked tight with a fingerprint security zipper.
The portable screen functions like a laptop, providing wireless Internet access and streaming video. It also has a touch screen interface.
"I think it's an excellent idea," said Gary Tankard, a sixth-grader who has seen the prototype . "I'm sure that 90 percent of kids would really like to have it." | high18267.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Choose books based on their interest."
},
"options": [
"Tell them what they can learn from these books.",
"Choose books based on their interest.",
"Choose the easiest books for them to read.",
"Always read books togethe... | Reading is the key to success in all school subjects. With a bit of creativity, you can help your child enjoy reading more, and encourage him to do more!
Buy or borrow a lot of "fun" books. Choose books that are slightly below his level of reading ability. Don't forget what your child likes to do when choosing books for him. Don't comment about the books. Simply leave the books lying on the table where your child is sure to see them. Computer games are not as harmful as most parents usually think them to be. Instead, you should take advantage of your child's love of computer games to purchase those that require a lot of reading and avoid those that are simply computerized video games.
Buy your child a bedside reading lamp, or a tiny book light. Tell him that from now on, he must be in bed by a specific time (say 8:30) and that he can either sleep or read. Most kids will do anything else rather than go to sleep, so there's a chance you'll create a new bedtime reading habit.
Many children will read when they are sitting alone having a snack, or when they have a few minutes of unplanned free time. Put a box of books and magazines near the kitchen table so that reading material is accessible.
Often, once children learn to read independently, parents stop reading to them. This change of routine causes great sadness to a child who has come to love falling asleep as you read. Even a teenager will enjoy being read to if you pick books that interest him. Select books together, and make sure they're ones you enjoy as well, so your enjoyment will come through as you read to them. | high5413.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "it's a symbol of the city"
},
"options": [
"it's good looking with water running constantly",
"it brings joys to people who see it",
"it helps people make money",
"it's a symbol of the city"
],
"question": "The ... | Pairs has the Eiffel Tower; New York has the Statue of Liberty; and Brussels, the Manneken Pis.
Think of the Belgian capital and , if anything, you think of the small peeing boy -- a 60-meter-high bronze figure standing on a block, supplying a constant stream of water of the basin under him.
Some might laugh. But for Jacque Stroobants, the statue is up there with the best of them.
"I'm proud of him. People come from all around the world to see him," says 60-year-old Stroobants with a fatherly glance at the little boy.
As the most famous landmark of Brussels, Manneken Pis has a very special place in the heart of Belgians.
The original Manneken Pis dates back to 1388, but the statue tourists see today dates from 1619 when the city built a second one after the original was destroyed.
Many stories go round Manneken Pis. Nobody knows why he was made. One story is that he saved Brussels by putting out the flames of a deadly fire with his well-aimed pis. But the most believable story is that the boy, the son of a wealthy man, was kidnapped . The father had a statue built in honor of the way his son was found - peeing against a tree.
Perhaps best-known for his naked beauty, the "peeing boy" has also been clothed in some of the finest clothes money can buy.
Stroobants has been changing his clothes for the last 29 years. On average, he has clothes on 300 days a year. And on special days, he pees beer.
A few of the ways he's been dressed are: a football player, Mozart and an army general. Now, he has more than 600 pieces of clothes.
There is no strict charge for those wishing to provide clothes for the little boy. But certain condition must be met. "The clothes cannot include either advertising or political message." said Stroobants, because they would cheapen the national treasure.
But Manneken Pis is still something local people can make money from--by selling all kinds of souvenirs. | high20920.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because they need America's rockets and spacecraft"
},
"options": [
"Because America is the greatest power among them",
"Because America provides most of the money",
"Because they need America's rockets and spacecraft",
... | The ISS project is a partnership of five - the US, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada.
At the moment, no program for its use nor any money has been put in place to support the platform beyond 2015.
One of the biggest issues stopping an agreement on station-life extension is the human spaceflight examination ordered by US President Barack Obama.
The Americans are developing a new vision for space exploration, and the rockets and spacecraft they will need to start it. The future of US joining in the ISS is closely tied to the result of the examination.
Mr Dordain, the European Space Agency's (Esa) Director General, said no one partner in the ISS project could alone call an end to the platform. A meeting would be held in Japan later in the year where he hoped the partners could get something clearly going forward. He said it was also necessary the benefits were increased and the costs were reduced. Increasing the benefits could include finding new uses for the station.
Esa has called for ideas on how to use the ISS as a platform for Earth observation . Mr Dordain said the agency had received about 20 very good proposals.
On the issue of reducing costs, there were many ideas on the table, he explained.
He also questioned whether it was necessary for the station to have six astronauts at all times. If there were periods when little maintenance was required or the experiment load was light, could the ISS run on a smaller group of people, he suggested.
Construction of the space station should finish this year. Next month, two _ s built in Europe - a connecting node and a robotic control room - will be flown to the platform by the US shuttle Endeavour.
Tranquility and the Cupola, as they are known, will complete the non-Russian side of the ISS. | high3062.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "People can develop strong bond(, ) with their robot pets."
},
"options": [
"Sony is the first company to produce robot pets Aibo.",
"People can develop strong bond(, ) with their robot pets.",
"Rault thinks robot pets still h... | Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets.
"Technology is moving very fast," Rault told ABC News, "The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot."
This may not _ pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: "You don't have to feed it, you don't have to walk it, it won't make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty." The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals.
It's not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It's the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals.
As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. "If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn't need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings," he said.
So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn't have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream. | high11525.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it's the first planet discovered in the habitable zone of a G star similar to our sun"
},
"options": [
"it is 5 percent farther away from its star than Earth is to the sun",
"it has a mass about five times more massive than Earth's... | NASA on Thursday announced the discovery of Kepler-452b, the most Earth-like planet ever found.Located 1,400 light-years from our planet, NASA called it "Earth 2.0", because it's the first planetdiscovered in the habitable zone of a G star similar to our sun."We can think of Kepler-452b as an older, bigger cousin to Earth, providing an opportunity to understand and reflect upon Earth's evolving environment," said Jon Jenkins, the Kepler data analysis lead at NASA's Ames Research Center.
The planet is 5 percent farther away from its star than Earth is to the sun, making for a slightly longer year of 385 days, but gets similar light because its sun is 20 percent brighter than our own. "The sunshine from this star would feel very similar to the sunshine from our star," Jenkins told reporters. NASA believes the planet has a mass about five times more massive than Earth's, with a rocky surface below a thicker atmosphere than our own. Gravity would be about twice as strong on Kepler-452b as it is on Earth, NASA said.
The planet is located in the Kepler-452 system in the constellation Cygnus . Its sun has the same surface temperature as our own, but has a diameter that is 10 percent larger. While NASA scientists have no idea if Kepler-452b's atmosphere is conducive to life, they do know that there has been plenty of time for organisms to develop.
"It's awe-inspiring to consider this planet spent 6 billion years in the habitable zone of its star, which is longer the age of the Earth," Jenkins said. "That is considerable time and opportunity for life to arise somewhere on its surface or oceans if all the necessary conditions for life exist on this planet." | high19179.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a logical learner"
},
"options": [
"a bodily learner",
"a visual learner",
"a logical learner",
"a verbal learner"
],
"question": "If a person usually puts things into categories and sorts when thinking,he is ... | By knowing what kind of learner you are,you can organize your study to best suit your particular way of learning.
Visual learning style
These learners like to draw,build,design and make things.They like looking at pictures and enjoy jigsaw puzzles and mazes.They tend to think in pictures rather than words.
Verbal learning style
These learners are very good at listening and are often very good speakers and story tellers.They think in words rather than pictures.They like to read and write,and usually have good memories for such things as names,dates and places.
Logical learning style
These learners are very logical. They easily recognize numerical and word patterns and look for logical connections between ideas.They like to figure things out for themselves and love solving problems.They enjoy working with abstract ideas.
Bodily learning style
These learners like to move around a lot and to touch objects and people.They often wave their hands around when they are talking.They are good at physical activities,such as sport and dancing,and they enjoy making things with their hands.
Naturalistic learning style
These learners love to be outside.They are interested in nature and are usually fond of animals.They are often involved with nature conservation groups.They are excellent at planning picnics and other outdoor activities.They like to understand how things in nature work.
Music learning style
These learners appreciate music.They are usually good at singing or playing musical instruments and can often compose music.They are often very sensitive to noises around them and are sometimes easily distracted by background noises.
Interpersonal learning style
These learners like to be surrounded by people.They usually have lots of friends and like to join groups and clubs.They ale often the leaders of any group they join and they are very good peace makers.
Intrapersonal learning style
These people are quite happy in their own company.They spend a lot of time thinking about things such as their dreams and hopes and their relationships with other people.They prefer to work alone and to follow their own interests. | high7204.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive."
},
"options": [
"A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth.",
"Earth's working life is coming to an end soon.",
"Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep aliv... | Move Earth--it's no science fiction
LONDON--Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets in the direction of Earth, and its orbit will be changed. Our world will then be sent spinning into a safer, colder part of the solar system.
This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA) engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet--effectively doubling its working life.
The plan put forward by Dr Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams is designed to carefully direct a comet or asteroid so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.
"Earth's orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the Sun," Laughlin said.
Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated.
In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so "seriously _ " our biosphere by cooking us.
That's why the group decided to try to save Earth.
The plan has one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation in orbit could fire it straight at Earth--with deadly consequences.
There is also the question of the Moon. As the current issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position, it is "most likely the Moon would be stripped away from Earth," it states. This would greatly change our planet's climate. | high8137.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "water entering dead cells"
},
"options": [
"dead cell walls",
"water entering dead cells",
"the growth of cells",
"the death of cells"
],
"question": "Wood becomes larger because of _ .",
"question_typ... | All plant cells are capable of taking up water. Even dead ones do to a certain degree. Absorption of water by dead cell walls makes wood become larger.
In common land plants, the living cells of roots take upmost of the water. Land plants without roots do exist, however. Those greenish-yellow lichens you see on rocks in the high mountains have no roots. Half a billion years ago, when water plants started to enter the land, the first land plants did not have roots.
Even among the flowering plants, one finds rootless forms. These flowering plants are "the higher plants" because they evolved recently and are thus considered higher on the evolutionary scale .
In the Peruvian desert, there grows one of these rootless higher plants, a bromeliad. It is a relative of the pineapple. Even if this plant had roots, they would be of no use, because where the plant grows, it never rains. The plant gets its water only from the dew it collects at night, when its leaves cool off. Such rootless plants, of course, can be moved with ease, but they will only grow when they are placed out in the open. If they are placed too near a house, the radiation from the heat of the house prevents the leaves from cooling and so prevents dew from forming, and the plant dies.
In the southern United States and in Puerto Rico, one sees
growing high above the streets on the insulation of electric wires. These plants get their water from rain, and the only soil they ever come in contact with is the dust that may blow on their leaves. | high15743.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they have too much stress"
},
"options": [
"they often hear heavy music",
"they have too much stress",
"they are very tired",
"they have little time to relax"
],
"question": "According to the text, people often ... | With all the responsibilities we face in our daily lives, it's often hard to get a good night's rest. The problem really lies in the stress that many of us experience. Stress robs you of the rest that you need by putting you in a state of pressure and worry. There are, of course, some methods that can help you relax, but only a few of them give you a good night's sleep. One of them is soothing music for sleep.
Sleep music is not just for encouraging relaxation, it also can be used for various situations. Want to have a relaxing evening by yourself? Practice yoga in a comfortable environment? Think over something important? Then put on your favorite sleep music. Sleep music is not only fit for adults, but has also been known to be good for children. Soothing music helps your children go to sleep more easily.
Massage therapists can also benefit from using soothing music for sleep in their clinics . This allows clients to benefit more from the session. For example, massage therapists can provide the relaxation of the body through their techniques, and the music helps clients relax their minds, helping them to relax deeper and feel more refreshed after the session.
You'll never run out as there are some artists and companies that make sleep music. Choosing the right music is important as well. Like most music that you can find and buy in stores, sleep music has different styles, sounds, and subjects. There are those that are specifically for relaxation, while some are intended to help you go to sleep.
The great thing about sleep music is that it will be something you'll be using for months, even years to come. If you want a deeper relaxation and better sleep, give some soothing music for sleep a try. | high13332.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He was in his dormitory"
},
"options": [
"He was in the campus.",
"He was in the football field.",
"He was in his dormitory",
"He was in his classroom."
],
"question": "Where was Diao Weihao when the earthquake ... | Diao Weihao, a student who studies business English at the Chengdu campus of Sichuan International Studies University, was in his dormitory when the earthquake struck at 2:30 pm on Monday.
The 22-year-old felt that his chair was shaking. All of a sudden, the textbooks on the bookshelf began to fall to the floor. The glass in the window broke.
"It felt like our dormitory building was being hit by a tractor," recalled Diao. "I wasn't afraid.. I was even excited and curious. Now, looking back, it was a scary experience."
Diao and his roommates kept their calm. They didn't try to get out of the building until the shaking stopped. They were on the fifth floor and they feared there might be trouble if they didn't remain calm.
"We've watched lots of disaster films, and that helped us keep cool," he said. "Only one student sprained his ankle. He was escaping in a hurry. Most of us got outside quickly and safely."
They were surprised to see so many students outside.
"I began to realize then what had happened," he said. The college had warned them that in the event of an earthquake, they should leave the dormitory immediately. A few did rush in when it was safe to grab some clothes to keep warm.
Without any tents or bedding, the students stayed on the football field for the whole night. Rain started falling in the morning, but the students all kept in good order. They simply chatted and shared their feelings and comforted each other.
"Our students seemed to have self-control," he said. "I heard that hospitals in Chengdu have lots of injured people who jumped out of buildings."
Now, Diao is mostly worried about the people in Wenchuan County.
"It seems we won't be able to have classes in one or two day's time," said Diao. "I want to become a volunteer at the damage-hit area, or donate my blood to the injured people in hospital. Also, I will write on my blog to keep people calm and encourage them to protect themselves during emergencies."
Since the university is close to Dujiangyan, Diao and his classmates are still forbidden to return to their dorms or classrooms. However, they can eat in the canteen and get information about other parts of Sichuan by reading the newspapers. | high1675.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "associates' recommendation"
},
"options": [
"business fames",
"associates' recommendation",
"particular recognition",
"media assistance"
],
"question": "According to the passage,whether we go to a place or not d... | When you were looking for a reliable,honest auto mechanic ,how did you find him?Before you went into that restaurant you recently tried,how did you know that it served great food?If you are like most people on the planet,you want to lower your risk of a big ugly surprise so you asked people you trust to refer to a business they trust. Marketers call this friendtofriend recognition of a business "wordofmouth" advertising.
When you do a great job for your customer or a bad job,people are going to talk about your business. Unfortunately,because we humans seem to feel negative emotions more intensively than positive ones,we're more likely to tell more of our friends about bad experiences with a business than positive ones. Understand this:Customers believe their own experience. You can't make them believe that your company is wonderful when they felt they were treated badly.
So,to get positive wordofmouth going for your business in this servicebased economy,you've got to do a really outstanding job for everyone,exactly.
And when you do,you build a great reputation . That takes time. But it forms a close link with your customers in a way that no advertising and no promotional coupon ever could.
The good news is that because there are so many different businesses chasing after your customers' money,people want to know whom they can trust. So people are going to be talking about you create a free sales force for your business---- an army of delighted customers who tell everyone that they know how good your company is to do business with. That's a great antidote to nonconfidence. | high9229.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She believed the existence of Jesus"
},
"options": [
"She was a liar",
"She pretended to believe in God",
"She believed the existence of Jesus",
"She could see God with her own eyes"
],
"question": "What do we k... | I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved. It happened like this. There was a big revival at my Auntie Reed's church. Then just before the revival ended, they held a special meeting for children, "to bring the young lambs to the fold ". My aunt spoke of it for days ahead. That night I was accompanied to the front row and placed on the mourners' bench with all the other young sinners, who had not yet been brought to Jesus.
My aunt told me that when you were saved you saw a light, and something happened to you inside! And Jesus came into your life! And God was with you from then on! She said you could see and hear and feel Jesus in your soul. I believed her.
So I sat there calmly in the hot, crowded church, waiting for Jesus to come to me. I wanted to see him, but nothing happened to me. Nothing! I wanted something to happen to me, but nothing happened.
Now it was really getting late. So I decided that maybe to save further trouble, I'd better lie and say that Jesus had come, and get up and be saved. So I get up. The whole room broke into a sea of shouting and my aunt threw her arms around me. The minister took me by the hand and led me to the platform.
That night I cried. I cried, in bed alone, and couldn't stop. My aunt woke up and told my uncle I was crying because the Holy Ghost had come into my life, and because I had seen Jesus. But I was really crying because I couldn't bear to tell her that I had lied, that I had deceived everyone in the church, that I hadn't seen Jesus, and that now I didn't believe there was a Jesus any more, since he didn't come to help me. | high12992.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "secondary cities didn't enjoy much popularity before"
},
"options": [
"the number of visitors to Fort Myersdoubled in a year",
"secondary cities didn't enjoy much popularity before",
"people visit smaller cities because hotel... | prefix = st1 /NEW YORK--So we're going away on weekends and sticking close to home. But are we traveling with the kids? Here's how the down economy is changing the way we travel.
SECONDARY CITIES
Some smaller cities are stealing the glory . Fort Myers,Fla.experienced double digit growth in January 2009 over January 2008, based on American Express Travel bookings. Cities like Portland,Ore.are also becoming popular destinations, with Travelocity data showing an increase of 38% over last year. EvenPhiladelphia's star is rising, said Travelocity senior editor Shaw Brown.
Brown said it's hard to explain exactly the reason for the _ : it could be a decrease in airfare or hotel prices or excellent marketing. Hotel rates inFort Myersare down about 10%. But hotel rates inPortlandare up, she said. She thinksPhiladelphia's higher popularity is due to good marketing, a decrease in airfare of 16% compared to the overall 8% decrease for domestic flights and more interest in historic destinations in general.
FAMILY TRAVEL
Rather than take a two-week vacation to Europe, families are going to national parks.
David Mandt, spokesman for the Association of Amusement Parks, is cautiously optimistic about the summer season. He said even when gas was $4 a gallon in 2008, people continued to visit theme parks--they simply selected parks closer to their homes.
While for years, park operators have used special offers, promotions and discounts to encourage families to visit at a specific time, the deals may be easier to find this year, especially when it comes to packages that include accommodations. Universal Orlando Resort has a deal allowing families to book a three-night package and receive two additional nights free. Packages include accommodations at a hotel near Universal and unlimited theme park admission to both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. | high23597.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "saving heat for energy efficiency"
},
"options": [
"saving heat for energy efficiency",
"producing solar energy at home",
"designing and building materials",
"saving building materials and energy"
],
"question":... | Not only fashion and music are making a return--houses built in 1970s have proven to be better at cutting energy waste than those built today. The "tea cosy " design, created in the mid-1970s and built in the early 1980s for low-income people, could provide a _ for meeting the Government aims of producing less CO2from homes.
The 200 houses were designed to provide low-energy housing, and depend on an inner concrete structure that holds in heat, protected by highly insulated setting which produces a "tea cosy" effect. The ordinary-looking houses also depend on more windows on south-facing sides, with northerly facing doors protected by porches .
A study found the houses are 50 percent more energy efficient than the average home and use a quarter of the average energy for space heating. According to researchers, they use less than two-thirds of the power of homes built to meet 2010 building demands. And they will still be 25 percent more efficient than houses built to even more strict proposed demands for 2013. The design is one of the few that will be able to meet 2016 demands for zero-carbon homes.
They were in the beginning fixed with just one or two gas heaters per home, although most now have central heating, depending on the heat from the sun and high insulation to keep steady temperatures inside the house. To be comfortable, they only need to use heating for three to four months a year, compared with seven months for UK home on average, and can be lived with no heating at all.
With many house builders at present worrying that new homes are going to be much more expensive to build in order to meet the Government's ambitious targets, the"tea cosy"model meets this need perfectly. | high13454.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "6."
},
"options": [
"8.",
"7.",
"6.",
"5."
],
"question": "How many good eating habits are mentioned in the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_te... | Living a healthy lifestyle lies in forming the right eating habits. Here are some of the good habits you can develop when it comes to healthy eating.
Drink plenty of water. You must drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. You may need even more water if you are in a hot environment or if you are exercising.
Eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A recent study has shown that those who eat breakfast will consume an average of 100 calories less during the day than their colleagues who skipped breakfast. They will also be able to concentrate better.
Don't skip lunch. If you do so, your blood sugar level will drop and your metabolism will slow down. When you get home you are starving and eat everything you can find.
We all need to snack from time to time, but please choose your snacks carefully. In fact, it's a good idea to eat two healthy snacks besides your three main meals. Choose healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables, low fat yogurt, cottage cheese with apple sauce, and so on.
Eat your fruit and vegetables. We should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Take a piece of fruit for a snack, add some banana and _ to your favourite breakfast cereal, have a salad with lunch, and eat at least one vegetable at dinner each night.
Do not eat your dinner too late. Try to eat dinner at least 3 hours before you go to bed. This will give your body a chance to digest most of the food before you rest for the next 8 hours. Plan dinner for the week ahead of time and make sure you have everything you need in the house so other family members can get a head start on dinner if you have a late meeting at the office. | high8889.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Wildlife is appreciated in the cities."
},
"options": [
"Food is plentiful in the cities.",
"Wildlife is appreciated in the cities.",
"Wildlife refuges have been built in the cities",
"Air and water quality has improved... | One thing the tour books don't tell you about London is that 2,000 of its residents are foxes. They ran away from the city about centuries ago after developers and pollution moved in. But now that the environment is cleaner, the foxes have come home, one of the many wild animals that have moved into urban areas around the world.
"The number and variety of wild animals in urban areas is increasing," says Gomer Jones, president of the National Institute for Urban Wildlife, in Columbia, Maryland. A survey of the wildlife in New York's Central Park last year _ the species of mammals, including muskrats, shrews and flying squirrels. A similar survey conducted in the 1890s counted only five species. One of the country's largest populations of raccoons now lives in Washington D.C., and moose are regularly seen wandering into Maine towns. Peregrine falcons dive from the window ledges of buildings in the largest U.S. cities to prey on pigeons.
Several changes have brought wild animals to the cities. Foremost is that air and water quality in many cities has improved as a result of the 1970s pollution-control efforts. Meanwhile, rural areas have been built up, leaving many animals on the edges of suburbs. In addition, urban wildlife refuges have been created. The Greater London Council last year spentPS750,000 to buy land and build 10 permanent wildlife refuges in the city. Over 1,000 volunteers have donated money and cleared rubble from derelict lots. One evening last year a fox was seen on Westminster Bridge looking up at Big Ben.
For peregrine falcons, cities are actually safer than rural cliff dwellings . By 1970 the birds had died out east of the Mississippi because the DDT had made their eggs too thin to support life. That year, scientist Tom Cade of Cornell University began raising the birds for release in cities, for cities afforded abundant food.
Cities can attract wild animals without turning them harmful. The trick is to create habitats where they can be self-sufficient but still be seen and appreciated. Such habitats can even be functional. In San Francisco, the local government is testing different kinds of rainwater control basins to see not only which ones retain the cleanest water but which will attract the most birds. | high1113.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "learn a lot from their elder siblings"
},
"options": [
"get their parents' individual guidance",
"learn a lot from their elder siblings",
"experience a lot of difficulties",
"pick up words more quickly"
],
"ques... | How is it that siblings can turn out so differently? One answer is that in fact each sibling grows up in a different family. The firstborn is, for a while, an only child, and therefore has a completely different experience of the parents than those born later. The next child is, for a while, the youngest, until the situation is changed by a new arrival. The mother and father themselves are changing and growing up too. One sibling might live in a stable and close family in the first few years; another might be raised in a family crisis, with a disappointed mother or an angry father.
Sibling competition was identified as an important shaping force as early as in 1918. But more recently, researchers have found many ways in which brothers and sisters are a lasting force in each others' lives. Dr. Annette Henderson says firstborn children pick up vocabulary more quickly than their siblings. The reason for this might be that the later children aren't getting the same one-on-one time with parents. But that doesn't mean that the younger children have problems with language development. Later-borns don't enjoy that much talking time with parents, but instead they harvest lessons from bigger brothers and sisters, learning entire phrases and getting an understanding of social concepts such as the difference between "I" and "me".
A Cambridge University study of 140 children found that siblings created a rich world of play that helped them grow socially. Love-hate relationships were common among the children. Even those siblings who fought the most had just as much positive communication as the other sibling pairs.
One way children seek more attention from parents is by making themselves different from their siblings, particularly if they are close in age. Researchers have found that the first two children in a family are typically more different from each other than the second and third. Girls with brothers show their differences to a maximum degree by being more feminine than girls with sisters. A 2003 research paper studied adolescents from 185 families over two years, finding that those who changed to make themselves different from their siblings were successful in increasing the amount of warmth they gained from their parents. | high487.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the writer comes from the US and is friendly to British"
},
"options": [
"both British and Americans drive cars on the left side of the road",
"English is an official language in Britain but not in the US",
"the writer comes ... | Do you think Great Britain and the United States are alike? Winston Churchill once joked that the people of Britain and the people of America are separated only by their language. Do you think that is true? The British and the Americans both speak English as the official language. However, each uses some different words.We Americans are similar to the British. After all , our country was once owned by Great Britain , so we have a lot in common. But there are many differences between us.
Great Britain has a king or queen, and the leader of the government is the Prime Minister. The United States has no kings or queens. Our leader is the President.
Both the British and Americans use pounds and ounces, oints, quarts, and gallons. Both use miles, yards,and feet. Our money is different,though. The British use pounds and pence. Americans use dollars and cents.
Driving in a car is very different in England. They drive on the left side of the road. We drive on the right. What we call the hood of the car, the British call the "bonnet". British cars run on "petrol",which we call gasoline.
In our everyday lives, we do many of the same things as the British. But we describe them differently. A young mother here might push a baby in a baby carriage. A British mom pushes a "pram". The British watch the "telly", while we watch TV. We like to eat French fries, but the British call them "chips". Millions of Americans drink coffee, but most British prefer tea.
So we are different in many ways. But we stay friendly anyway. | high8651.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a man' s house"
},
"options": [
"a man' s house",
"a schoolhouse",
"a restroom",
"an apple barn"
],
"question": "The Englewood School was originally built as _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | Given the tradition of students bringing apples to their teachers, it somehow seems fitting that an old apple barn will find a new life as a one-room schoolhouse. And it is just as fitting that a retired schoolteacher will become the caretaker of that historic treasure.
My friend Velma, a teacher for more than 30 years, has been retired for some time now, but that doesn't stop her giving history lessons at the old Englewood School, located on her family's California farm. The lovingly restored building was constructed around 1850 as a home for a woodsman and later was used as apple barn. Then, in 1870 it began a new life as a schoolhouse.
Originally located in the nearby Englewood meadow, it was now moved its current site in 1978 by Velma's late husband and his brother, Robert and Richard, who thought it would help keep Velma busy in retirement. No nails had been used in the original construction, so each piece of wood had to be carefully marked and the building was reassembled on its new site. The brothers worked with much care and hard work to ensure a perfect fit of mitered corners.
After the relocation, Velma and her family furnished the school with some of its original desks. They also added a collection of schoolbooks, the oldest dating back to 1845. Perhaps the school's most cherished souvenir is the diploma of student Hettie Essig, who graduated on June 30, 1904. Hettie's daughter, Flora, presented Velma with _ .
Nowadays Velma gives tours to local schoolchildren and other groups, who learn what it was like to attend school back in the good old days. She has kids ring the school bell, recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing "Good Morning to You" as they might have done in days gone by. Then, with twinkling eyes and much enthusiasm, she tells the history of the school, and gives a short sample lesson. | high15025.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "surprised and delighted"
},
"options": [
"surprised and delighted",
"embarrassed and sorry",
"sensitive and curious",
"upset and concerned"
],
"question": "When Joe and Marci saw each other by chance at a stadiu... | "Joe? Is chat you?" The woman speaking to me at he baseball game looked somewhat familiar,
"Marci? "
"It IS you ! " she exclaimed, smiling broadly. "God, it's good to see you again !"
It was good to see Marci, too. Very often during the past few decades, I've wondered about her, I almost tried to reach her a few years ago after talking to a shared friend, who had indicated that the 1990s had been pretty rough for Marci. So, running into her at the baseball game was, at the very least, just happening by chance.
We spent a few minutes talking about the business of our lives: kids and grandkids, husbands and houses, education and recreation. It's always a little upsetting to see how few words are required to summarize 32 years of living. We played a little "have you seen...?" and "did you know,..?" And we recalled the good old, bad old days we used to spend together.
Then Marci grew quiet for a moment, looking out over the crowd walking about the marketing area at the stadium.
"You know, Joe." she said, "I've always wanted to tell you...how...you know...how sorry I am for the way I treated you."
Hearing that, I felt I was suffering extreme embarrassment. One does not like to remember when one has been rid of by others roughly and suddenly.
"It's OK." I said. "No big deal." At least, I thought to myself, not now.
"But I was so stupid: she continued.
Yes, you were. I thought. "We were both pretty young:' I said.
"I know," she said. "But that's no excuse for..." She hesitated. then continued. "It's just always bothered me, remembering how mean I was to you.And I've wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. So...I'm sorry."
The smile on her face was warm and sincere, and there was something in her eyes, it looked
a lot like relief-- _ since she had played Wif'fle ball with my heart.
"OK:'I said. "Apology accepted!
Overcome by the sweetness of the moment. I reached an arm around her and gave her a quick hug Just then, the crowd erupted with a huge cheer, and Marci and I both returned our attention to the game By the time I looked over to where she had been, she was gone. But the warm, wonderful feeling of our brief exchange was still there, and continues to this day whenever I think about it .
We all carry bitter, discomforting memories of deeds done or undone, and words said or unsaid. And we all bear wounds --some slight, some not so slight--that have been inflicted upon us by others.The healing balm of forgiveness can calm a troubled conscience and bring peace to an injured soul, even years after the fact.
Of course,it isn't enough to just say "I'm sorry," and "You're forgiven." While there is indeed great power in those simple words, it is not available to those who are insincere, or who are only looking for a way to control or exploit.But when those words are truly felt and sincerely expressed , they can open the door to miracles( )of the heart and soul - miracles of forgiveness, even at a baseball game. | high21380.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "China."
},
"options": [
"China.",
"Russia.",
"Brazil.",
"India."
],
"question": "According to the passage, which country will enjoy the biggest increase in 2009?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer"... | Is it time to kick Russia out of the BRICs ? If so, it may end up sounding like a famous ball-point pen maker-BIC. An argument is being made that Goldman Sach's famous marketing device ,the BRICs, should really be the BICs.
"Is Russia really worth the name BRICs?" asks Anders Aslund, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, in an article for Foreigh Policy. Aslund, who is also co-author with Andrew Kuchins of "The Russian Balance Sheet", thinks the Russia of Putin and Medvedev is just not worthy of inclusion alongside Brazil, India and China in the list of future economic powerhouses. He writes:
"The country's economic performance has fallen to such a weak level that one must ask whether it has any say at all on the global economy, compared with the other members of its group. I have just returned from Moscow, which is always dull around this season. For the last seven years, Russia has taken very few measures to improve its economy. Instead, the state has been living on oil and gas. "
Economically, Aslund has the numbers on his side. The International Monetary Fund figures that the Russian economy will fall by 6.7 percent in 2009, while China will grow 8.5 percent and India 5.4 percent. There is less of a case for Brazil, with a fall of 0.7 percent, but it is still doing
far better than Russia.
But the BRICs are not just about economy. As is mentioned above, it is a marketing device to encourage investors to focus on the big promising players. From an investment standpoint, it could be argued that Russia is leading the BRICs. Its stock market is up 128 percent this year while around 80 percent is for the other three.
At very least, however, Russia's economic underperformance and stock market outperfoumance does suggest it is indeed one of the group. | high11243.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It's a newspaper."
},
"options": [
"It's a TV station.",
"It's a radio station.",
"It's a newspaper.",
"It's a company."
],
"question": "What do you think the \"Arkadia Morning Mail\" is?",
"question_type": ... | Dear Sir,
I am interested in your advertisement in the "Arkadia Morning Mail" for hostesses to be in charge of the welfare ,entertainment and guiding of British guests in your holiday centre in Ruusulinna.
I am now a third-year student of English and History in the University of Gardenia but I am free from early June till late September.I have spent one year in London working in an English family and attending courses in English so I can speak this language fluently .
My father has been a guide and I have often followed him and also myself acted as a guide to English-speaking groups.My studies and experience have made me familiar with many interesting places in my country.I am sociable,really interested in people and,at the same time,I am the one with common sense on whom people can depend.
I put the address of the Manager of the local Tourist Information Office with the letter inside,who is ready to supply further information about me.
If you are interested in my application ,I should be pleased with further information about these jobs,including the salary and general condition of employment.
Yours faithfully,
Polly Cosmos | high17632.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Two"
},
"options": [
"One",
"Two",
"Three",
"Four"
],
"question": "How many of the readers said they preferred British English?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_i... | Do you prefer British English or American English? Here are opinions from our readers.
Andy: Well, being in British for 3 years now from New Zealand I've come to realize that a lot of British people pronounce words how Americans do. But in saying that, I guess the more educated British people do not pronounce words the way some Americans do. So, I prefer Educated British English.
Bill: Well, I am studying English and I think British sounds funny and I prefer Americans sounds. Although I can tell that everyone else in my class loves British pronunciation and thinks American English is less pretty or even ugly. I don't agree at all, though.
Cindy: At first British English accent sounds better and wonderful but then it gets annoying, so I love American English.
Dale: I prefer the British accent. It sounds like someone reading a poem. I just like the pronunciation of the British people, very clear and sounds like music! British accent is more musical.
Edward: When I listen to the BBC announcers, I notice that they're exploding the letters out, not pronouncing them. And some British people from the North of England or Scotland speak with strange accents. I mean it is difficult to understand their English.
Frank: As a matter of fact, English for International Communication is very much like American accent. I love the American accent. | high18501.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The rapid growth of motors."
},
"options": [
"The loss of beliefs and ideas.",
"More of law-breaking.",
"Natural disasters in many areas.",
"The rapid growth of motors."
],
"question": "Which of the following ha... | The energy crisis has made people aware of how the careless use of the earth's energy has brought the whole world to the edge of disaster. The over-development of motor transport, with its increase of more cars, more traveling, has contributed to the near-destruction of our cities and the pollution not only of local air but also of the earth's atmosphere.
Our present situation is unlike natural disasters of the past. Worldwide energy use has brought us to a state where long-range planning is vital. What we need is not a continuation of our present serious state, which endangers the future of our country, our children, and our earth, but a movement forward in order to work rapidly and effectively on planetary problems.
This country has been failing back under the continuing exposures of loss of morality and the revelation that lawbreaking has reached into the highest place in the land. There is a strong demand for morality to turn for the better and for some devotion that is vast enough and yet personal enough to enlist the devotion of all. In the past it has been only in a way in defense of their own country and their own benefits that people have been able to devote themselves wholeheartedly.
This is the first time that we have been asked to defend ourselves and what we hold dear in cooperation with all the other people of this planet, who share with us the same endangered air and the same endangered oceans. There is a common need to reassess our present course, to change that course and to employ new methods through which the world can survive. This is a priceless opportunity.
To grasp it, we need a widespread understanding of nature if the crisis we and the world are facing is no passing inconvenience, no byproduct of the ambitions of the oil-producing countries, no environmentalists' only fears, no byproduct of any present system of government. What we face is the result of the invention of the last four hundred years. What we need is a transformed life style. This new life style can flow directly from science and technology, but its acceptance depends on a sincere devotion to finding a higher quality of life for the world's children and future generation. | high5375.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "invented the \"Indian grandmother\""
},
"options": [
"invented the \"Indian grandmother\"",
"used to kill rabbits for a living",
"had a bullet hole on his cheek",
"served a long prison sentence"
],
"question": "... | When Johnny Cash sings, people listen. His big, deep voice rumbles out of radios and juke-boxes across North America. His records sell by the million. Country-music fans everywhere, know his big hits. They love songs like "Hey Porter", "Ring of Fire", and "Folsom Prison Blue".
Johnny Cash sings about a hundred concerts a year. People like what they hear--and what they see, too. Rugged and big-shouldered, the singer stands six-two without his black boots on. He's a two-hundred-pound package of muscle and talent. And that scar on his cheek? It's a bullet hole, of course!
In the minds of most people, Johnny Cash is "Mr Tough( violent) Guy". He's an ex-drug addict who was once put in prison. His grandmother was an Indian. To keep from starving he once had to live on wild rabbits killed from forty feet away with a knife. Some people say he even killed a man.
In fact, most of the Johnny Cash story is just that--a story. True, years ago he had a "drug habit "for a short time. He "popped" pills. But he never used heroin or other "hard "drugs. Sometimes he'd go wild and get locked up for a few hours. But he never served a prison sentence.
There's no Indian blood in his veins. He's been a killer only in song. As for the "bullet hole", it's an old scar left by a doctor who opened a cyst .
People who know Johnny Cash well say he's a "gentle guy", a "generous guy'--anything but a "tough guy". How did the stories get started? Some of them, like the story about the "Indian grandmother", he made up long ago to add excitement to his career. Others, like the "bullet hole" , simply got started. Now there's little the singer can do to change people's minds. "They just want to believe it," he says. | high21394.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "more than 3000 years"
},
"options": [
"500 years",
"more than 3000 years",
"about 2000 years",
"between 500 and 2000 years"
],
"question": "Flags have been in existence for _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_q... | Flags have existed for over 3000 years. The earliest flags were wooden or metal poles topped with a carving. About 2000 years ago pies of fabric were added to some poles for decoration. Over the next 500 years the free-flying part of the flag became more important.
Every country today has its own flag. Many groups and organizations also have a flag which stands for, or symbolizes, the aims of the group.
The flag depicts a world map, centered on the north pole. The map is surrounded by an olive wreath symbolizing peace and co-operation. The flag is blue and white. | high3710.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The beacon in the black box has limited battery power to send out a signal for 30 days."
},
"options": [
"MH370's black box holds flight data that might explain what happened to the aircraft.",
"The recorders are actually orange in... | International teams have spent nearly half a year looking for evidence of the missing Malaysian Airlines plane, a search that includes the hunt for the aircraft's so-called black box, which holds flight data that would likely explain what caused MH370 to move away from its course. But many aviation experts wonder why, in our increasingly networked world, divers are searching the Indian Ocean for a metal box when technology already exists that would enable planes to stream black box data to the ground in the event of an emergency.
Black boxes have been on planes since the late 1950s, and now every commercial aircraft has two: a flight data recorder and a voice recorder. (Although they are referred to as black boxes, they are typically orange in color, making them easier to spot in waters.) Black box recorders are mainly used to investigate the cause of in-flight accidents.
While black boxes are built to survive a crash and long-term submersion in water, it can be a real challenge to find the device if a plane has gone down in the ocean. While each box contains a beacon , the unit only has enough battery power to transmit a signal for 30 days. After the crash of Air France Flight 447 in the Atlantic Ocean in June 2009, it took divers two years to find the black box.
Pierre Jeanniot, a Canadian engineer who helped perfect black box technology about 40 years ago, feels that the device, in its current form, is " _ ". He started to question its effectiveness more than a decade ago, after seeing the broken pieces of the black boxes in the 2001 attacks on the World Trade towers in New York. Jeanniot is now on the advisory board of a Toronto-based firm that has built a live-streamed black box system. When a plane experiences an irregular event, the system can send streaming data off the aircraft to one of the satellites and then down to ground-based servers, where the message is interpreted and sent to the airline. It seems necessary that the loss of MH370 and other similar cases wake more people up to the fact that the tools being used at this stage are inadequate for dealing with emergency situations, Jeanniot says. He also estimates that if this technology had been on board the missing Malaysian Airlines flight and live-streaming for the estimated seven hours after the flight first experienced a problem, it would have cost about $3,000.
While there is widespread approval of a live-streamed black box system, most airlines see its cost prohibitive. The airline industry is an industry with small profits, and is reluctant to add costs that will further cut the bottom line.
However, given how much time, money and effort has been spent on the luckless search for MH370, s black box, the cost of operating a live-streaming version seems like a trifle | high11257.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Those who fail to get admitted into Stanford don't necessarily do worse than those who make it."
},
"options": [
"Bass players, even some extraordinary ones, have little chance of being accepted by Stanford.",
"Those who fail to ge... | This afternoon, my office sent out over 34,000 e-mail notifications to high school seniors who were waiting to learn whether they would be invited to spend the next four years at Stanford. Even though I have been in the admission field for over 30 years, I still feel the pain of the many exceptional youths who were not offered places.
Given that todays teens already have enough pressure in their lives, I wish to impart three messages to any particularly disappointed parents.
First, it's all relative. While the number admitted into the undergraduate class has remained unchanged for years, Stanford, like many of its peer schools, has had a record number of total applicants more than 42,000. Regardless of arguments over whether too much preference is given to one category over another, thousands of students are going to be turned away, and there is no doubt that the vast majority of them could have met the demands of a Stanford education.
I wish there were a formula to explain who is accepted and who isn't, but the decision-making is as much art as it is science. Each class is a symphony with its own distinct composition and sound. The final roster is an effort to create harmony , and that means that some extraordinary bass players don't get a chair. What's more, even among my staff there are legitimate differences about applicants.
Second, celebrate the bigger picture. Most of the applications I reviewed are truly remarkable. The transition from high school to college is a turning point, and it's more important to focus on how a young adult is moving on to a new stage than where that stage happens to be. You should mark the success of your children and rejoice in the excitement that the next four years will bring.
And that leads to my final point: education is what a student makes of it. Of course, certain schools have resources that others don't, but they all offer opportunities to learn and to grow. Thousands of applicants who arent accepted to Stanford go on to have fulfilling lives. What parents and college applicants across the country need to remember is that the news they receive, whether good or bad, is but a single step on a much longer journey. | high10149.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "gives attendees three-day access to seminars and events"
},
"options": [
"is held in different cities in the UK every year",
"requires visitors from EEA countries to get a visa",
"gives attendees three-day access to seminars ... | Taking place every spring in the world's leading publishing and cultural capital, it's a unique opportunity to explore and understand the innovations shaping the publishing world of the future.
When: 08-10 April 2014
Where: Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, London, SW5 9TA Who Attends?
The London Book Fair attracts a global audience of visitors and exhibitors from all areas of the publishing community.
* 25,000 Attendees , 113 countries
Key visitor audiences include:
<> Literary Agents/Scouts
<> Publishers
<> Booksellers
<> Library and Information Professionals
<> Production, Distribution, Technical and Creative Professionals
* 1,500 Exhibiting Companies
The LBF floorplan allows exhibitors to showcase their products and titles by sector:
Academic | Art, Architecture & Design | Children's & Young Adult | Digital & Mobile | General Publishing | Publishing Solutions | STM & ELT
Earls Court Information
The Earls Court Business Centre offers a comprehensive range of business services, including:
<> Incoming and outgoing fax and telephone calls
<> Photocopying and printing
<> Internet access
<>Telephone points for laptops
<> PC workstations with standard office software
<> Courier service
Visa Information
If you are not a British citizen or a citizen of one of the European Economic Area (EEA) countries, you may need to acquire a visa-entry clearance certificate-before you travel to Britain.
Visitors can access the visa letter service only once they have registered for the London Book Fair on line. On completion of your registration you will receive a confirmation email which includes your badge number and a link to the visa letter service completion page. Here you need to complete all your contact and company details, your badge number, your passport number and your date of birth. Once you have successfully submitted this information, it will produce a printable letter that you can take to your nearest British consular.
Exhibitors can access the visa letter service via the Exhibitor Portal online.
Join us in April 2014 at Earls Court, London, registering as a visitor allows you access to exhibitors, show features and over 250 Love Learning seminars and events.
The London Book Fair team is on hand to help you with any questions you may have about visiting or exhibiting at the show. | high18515.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "strong-willed and caring"
},
"options": [
"strong-willed and caring",
"tough and persuasive",
"caring and reliable",
"sympathetic and considerate"
],
"question": "Which of the following words can best describe t... | Although he will always be remembered for starring "Superman," the greatest role of actor Christopher Reeve's life was as a champion of sufferers of spinal cord injuries and an supporter of stem cell research.
Unlike the man of steel, he wasn't faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than an engine and he couldn't leap tall buildings in a single bound. But the courage and determination Reeve showeed in trying to overcome his paralysis from a 1995 horse-riding accident went beyond any of the achievements of the comic book hero.
"He became a real-life Superman. His heroism, his courage was extraordinary," Colin Blakemore, the chief executive of Britain's Medical Research Council said. "Like many people who suffer some terrible injuries, Christopher Reeve was totally changed by that experience and brought the kind of energy and enthusiasm that made him successful as a film star to an entirely different issue, with huge effect."
Reeve, 52, died of heart failure on October 10, 2004 after having treatment for an infected pressure wound without realizing his dream of walking again. But in the nine years since his accident, he made personal progress to regain respect and admiration, founded the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, a non-profit research organization, and used his fame to raise millions of dollars for research into spinal cord injuries.
He also provided hope and inspiration to other patients and made speeches to support scientists to be allowed to conduct stem cell research in the hopes of eventually curing paralysis and other illnesses such as diabetes and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
"He has been our champion. If you think of spinal injuries, you automatically recall a picture of Christopher Reeve," said Paul Smith, executive director of the Spinal Injuries Association in England. It is because of Reeve that spinal cord injuries and stem cell research are so widely discussed, according to Smith. The fact that it happened to Reeve showed it can affect anyone, even Superman.
Reeve did not live long enough to see whether stem cell research could help restore movement to the paralyzed. The research is still in its early days and no one knows what advances it may bring. | high12986.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "80 square miles"
},
"options": [
"80 square miles",
"1,500 square miles",
"3.4 billion square miles",
"300 million square miles"
],
"question": "The size of the lake found on mars is _ .",
"question_type":... | US researchers have found traces of an ancient lake on Mars recently, increasing hopes of discovering evidence that billions of years ago the Red planet hosted life.
The lake, which dates back some 3.4 billion years, appears to have covered as much as 80 square miles and was up to 1,500 feet deep, said the team from the University of Colorado.
"This is the first clear evidence of shorelines on the surface of Mars," said Boulder's research associate, Gaetano Di Achille, in a study published in the latest edition of Geophysical Research Letters.
"The identification of the shorelines and accompanying geological evidence allows us to calculate the size and volume of the lake, which appears to have formed about 3.4 billion years ago."[:]
Analysis of the images has shown the water carved out the canyon in which it was found, which then opened out into a valley depositing sediment which formed a delta .
"Finding shorelines is a great discovery to us," said assistant professor Brian Hynek, adding it showed the lake existed at a time when Mars was thought to have been cold and dry.
Scientists believe the oldest surfaces on Mars formed during the wet and warm era known as the Noachan epoch, about 4.1 billion to 3.7 billion years ago.
The newly discovered lake is believed to date from the Hesperian era and postdates the end of the warm and wet period on Mars by 300 million years, according to the study.
Scientists believe deltas next to the lake may well hold secrets about past life on Mars as such places on Earth have become the natural deposits of organic carbon and other markers of life. | high6668.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "make more durable products"
},
"options": [
"throw away old materials",
"reduce the cost of production",
"make more durable products",
"replace their products frequently"
],
"question": "It's advised that compan... | The consumer plays a very important role in the global efforts to reduce C02emissions . Households use one third of the final energy and produce around two thirds of city waste in the European Union. Besides,housing, food,and private transport make up almost 80% of environmental pressures. Therefore there's no doubt that consumers can make a real difference in fighting climate change.
To direct consumers towards more environmentally-friendly decisions,we need clear and simple instructions to guide consumption behavior. Actually, two thirds of consumers find it hard to figure out which products are better for the environment, for 58% Europeans think that many businesses just pretend to be green so as to charge higher prices. Thus industry should work harder to give consumers more information about the carbon footprint of their product. For example, inform customers of products made from materials that are recycled,renewable, and/or less carbon-intensive.
People prefer high-quality products that will last long and won't go out of style, though they might sometimes cost more, especially in time of crisis. Firms that make durable or recyclable products cause people to behave more responsibly, which may help put an end to our "throw-way" culture.
However, it is not enough to remind people of green products. It's more important to direct people to follow a practical lifestyle model. Regulations alone cannot achieve this purpose. We call for good business communities to create a loyal group of "sustainable consumers". | high23583.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "is very popular in American cities"
},
"options": [
"was first set up in New York",
"is very popular in American cities",
"has a long history in America",
"develops very fast all over the world"
],
"question": "... | The City Bike program rolled into New York last spring and proved a hit, with nearly 12,000 New Yorkers signing up for annual memberships. Since 2010, over a dozen US cities have introduced bike-share programs.
There're plenty of bike stations near parks and other car-free areas. The programs we looked at in major cities work the same way. You buy a 24-hour pass. During the time, you get an unlimited number of 30-minute rides. If you go over your given half-hour ride time, you start paying fees for each following 30-minute period. Here are some of the biggest bike-share program in America.
Minneapolis: Nice Ride Minnesota
Station : Minnehaha Ave. & Minnehaha Pkwy
How much: $ 6 for a 24-hour pass.
How it works: The first 30 minutes are included in the pass; $ 1.50 for the second 30 minutes; $ 4.50 for the third 30 minutes; later $ 6 for every half an hour.
Chicago: Divvy Bikes
Station : Lakeshore Drive and Monroe St; also Museum Campus
How much: $ 7 for a 24-hour pass, with unlimited 30-minute trips.
How it works: The first 30 minutes are included in the pass; $ 2 for the second 30 minutes; $ 6 for the third 30 minutes; later $ 8 for every half an hour.
New York City: Citi Bike
Station : Central Park So. & 6thAve; also Broadway & W.57thSt.
How much: $ 9.95 for a 24-hour pass.
How it works: The first 30 minutes are included in the pass; $ 4 for the second 30 minutes; $ 9 for the third 30 minutes; later $ 12 for every half an hour.
Boston: Hubway
Station : Tremont St. & West St.
How much: $ 6 for a 24-hour pass.
How it works: The first 30 minutes are included in the pass; $ 2 for the second 30 minutes; $ 4 for the third 30 minutes; later $ 8 for every half an hour.
We are volunteers. If you want to know more information, please contact us. | high13440.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "She wants to strengthen the marriage."
},
"options": [
"She has read a magazine about marriage.",
"She wants to strengthen the marriage.",
"her husband does have some shortcomings.",
"Her s advise her to do so."
],... | A man and his girlfriend were married. It was a large celebration.
All of their friends and family came to see the lovely ceremony and to partake(,) of the festivities and celebrations. All had a wonderful time.
The bride was gorgeous in her white wedding gown and the groom was very dashing in his black tuxedo . Everyone could tell that the love they had for each other was true.
A few months later, the wife came to the husband with a proposal, "I read in a magazine, a while ago, about how we can strengthen our marriage," she offered. "Each of us will write a list of the things that we find a bit annoying with the other person. Then, we can talk about how we can fix them together and make our lives happier together."
The husband agreed. So each of them went to a separate room in the house and thought of the things that annoyed them about the other. They thought about this question for the rest of the day and wrote down what they came up with. The next morning, at the breakfast table, they decided that they would go over their lists.
"I'll start," offered the wife. She took out her list. It had many items on it, enough to fill three pages. In fact, as she started reading the list of the little annoyances, she noticed that tears were starting to appear in her husband's eyes.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "Nothing," the husband replied, "keep reading your list."
The wife continued to read until she had read all three pages to her husband. She neatly placed her list on the table and folded her hands over the top of it.
"Now, you read your list and then we'll talk about the things on both of our lists," she said happily.
Quietly the husband stated, "I don't have anything on my list. I think that you are perfect the way that you are. I don't want you to change anything for me. You are lovely and wonderful and I wouldn't want to try and change anything about you." The wife, touched by his honesty and the depth of his love for her and his acceptance of her, turned her head and wept.
In life, there are enough times when we are disappointed, depressed and annoyed. We don't really have to go looking for them. We have a wonderful world that is full of beauty, light and promise. Why waste time in this world looking for the bad, disappointing or annoying when we can look around us, and see the wondrous things before us? | high22845.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "August 5"
},
"options": [
"March 2",
"June 3",
"August 5",
"October 13"
],
"question": "The mine collapsed on _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
... | 33 Chilean miners were trapped nearly a half-mile underground after the mine accident. They had no real hope that they'd ever be found. Luckily, though, the men had Luis Urzua. They were rescued to safety on October 13, 2010.Urzua, 54, was the shift leader at the time of the disaster, and used all his wisdoms and his leadership talents to help his men stay calm and in control for the 17 terrible days it took for rescuers to make their first contact with them.
It was no surprise that Urzua was the last of the 33 miners to leave the mine.
Urzua --- after shaking hands with rescue workers ---- climbed into a capsule barely wider than a man's shoulders at 9:46 and was hauled up from a narrow hole drilled through 2,000 feet of rock. He arrived at the top 11 minutes later.
"We have done what the entire world was waiting for," he told Chilean President Sebastian Pinera immediately after his rescue. "The 69 days that we fought so hard were not in vain." Pinera greeted Urzua, saying "You have been rescued, coming out last like a good leader... You have no idea how all Chileans share with
you your hardships, your hope, and your joy. You are an inspiration." With Urzua by his side, the president led the crowd in singing the national anthem.Robinson Marquez once worked with Urzua in a nearby mine. He described Urzua as a calm, professional person and a born leader. "He is very protective of his men and obviously loves them. He wouldn't have left until all of his men were safely above ground," Marquez said.
Under Urzua's leadership, the men stretched an emergency food supply meant to last just 48 hours over two and a half weeks, taking tiny sips of milk and bites of fish every other day.He described the difficulties of the first days, saying that it took about three hours for the dust to settle before the men could inspect where tons of collapsed rock sealed off the main way out. When the rescuers first made contact by drilling a narrow hole into their refuge , the miners were so excited that everyone wanted to hug the drill hammer.After the collapse, Urzua was the first to speak to Pinera and to urge him not to let him and his men down. "Don't leave us alone," he asked the president, who assured the workers that they would not be abandoned, telling them he would do everything he could to get them back to the surface. | high1107.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "researchpaper.doc"
},
"options": [
"research paper.doc",
"research paper.pdf",
"researchpaper.doc",
"researchpaper.rtf"
],
"question": "Which of the following file names is acceptable for submitting assignment?"... | Submitting Assignment Online
In order to upload an assignment (work given to students) to the system properly, you must save the assignment using one of the following applications: Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect, or Microsoft Excel.
After you complete an assignment, it is important to save your work. This ensures that assignment being uploaded to the system is the most updated version. Your word processing program may attempt to save the assignment to a folder on your computer. We recommend creating a new folder, named after your course, in a location that is easy to remember, such as "My Documents."
File Name Requirements
Select a file name for the assignment that is easy to remember. The file name must NOT contain spaces. Any spaces used in the file name will prevent the file from uploading to the system. File names using the extensions .rtf, .html, .zip, .jpg, or .exe are NOT allowed.
Assignment Upload Procedure
Make sure you save the assignment using one of the applications previously identified and ensure that it meets the file name requirements described above. When the file is ready to upload, follow these steps:
1. Sign in the system.
2. Enter your address information and click the CONTINUE button. You will be routed to the "Directions" screen.
3. Review the directions and click the CONTINUE button. You will be routed to the "Special Assignment Upload" screen.
4. Click the SEARCH button. The "Choose File" pop-up window appears.
5. Find the location on your computer where you saved your assignment, and select the file.
After you have selected the file, click the UPLOAD button to upload your assignment to the system. Assignment Submission Dates
Assignments must be submitted by midnight on the specified due date. Submit your assignment on time so that it reaches the system on or before the due date. No late assignments will be accepted or marked. Assignments delivered after the due date will not be assessed and will be failed. Please manage your time carefully as family and work demands will not be accepted as excuses for late or non-submissions. Tutors and administrators do not have the authority to grant extensions. | high7576.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "fare sales are usually announced on Tuesday."
},
"options": [
"fewer people travel on Tuesday.",
"the flights are slower than usual.",
"fare sales are usually announced on Tuesday.",
"flights are seldom delayed on Tuesd... | With fuel costs rising and airlines finding more fees to impose on travelers every day, airfare isn't getting any cheaper. Since you can't drive to all your dream destinations, flying is the only way to go sometimes and, undeniably, the fastest. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to find the most affordable fares and also avoid paying as many extra charges as possible when you plan ahead.
Getting the best fare. Airlines put out their fare sales on Tuesday morning, making this day the best day to book a flight for less.
Fly during the least popular times. Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are the slowest days to fly, which means cheaper deals than the rest of the week. You can also find reduced rates on early morning flights, since many people don't like to get up before the sun to get to the airport. Earlier boarding times can also considerably cut down your chances of getting bumped on an overbooked flight or delayed because of other delayed flights or mechanical issues.
Choose your seat later. Some airlines charge you to pick your seat when you book online, adding even more to the bottom line of your ticket cost. If you show up early on your travel day, you can still get suitable seats. Some of the best seats get held back until flight day, unless others are willing to pay extra for them ahead of time, so you still have the chance at one of those.
Fly on holidays. You already know that summer is the most expensive time to fly, and even though most other times are more affordable, the days surrounding holidays can be crazy. Save big if you're willing to travel on major holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Don't wait until the last-minute to book. Many travelers don't know that there's a sweet spot for booking and getting the best price on your tickets. Book too early or too late and you could end up paying more than you need to. The best time to book is between three months and six weeks from when you want to travel.
Avoiding extra fees Airlines will charge for just about anything these days. Some have even toyed around with charging customers for using the restroom. All those extra fees can certainly add up, but there's no reason to pay them if you don't have to. Here are some tips to keep money in your wallet once you get to the airport.
Avoid the upgrade it's not necessary. Sometimes upgrades are free, but mostly you will be charged for seeking a last-minute bump to first class, and the cost can be _ .
Fly carry-on only. Baggage fees vary wildly, but almost all airlines charge them and charge big. Why pay for your clothes to fly with you? If everyone in your travel party checks a bag, your bill can be astronomical before you ever even get to your destination. It's easy to reduce the amount of stuff you pack: Make sure all your clothing coordinates, so you can take less and still make more outfit combinations, take only two pair of shoes, plan to do a bit of laundry on your trip and bring only travel-sized toiletries.
Pack your own snacks. Unless you're flying internationally, it's rare your flight comes with a free meal. Snacks on the plane are not cheap and almost never healthy. Don't rely on what's on the small menu and instead tuck some of your own snacks -- granola bars, homemade muffins, fruit and trail mix all make fantastic travel foods -- into your bag and eat a lot better, and cheaper, than other passengers.
Do you have a tried and true method of getting the best deal on your flights? Let us know. | high15031.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Punished for speeding and wrong parking."
},
"options": [
"Fond of beer and wine.",
"Punished for speeding and wrong parking.",
"Unable to speak a foreign language.",
"Not having college education."
],
"questi... | Read the advertisements, and then choose the right answer.
1
Driver Wanted
(1) Clean driving license.
(2) Must be of smart appearance.
(3) Aged over 25.
Apply to: Capes Taxi,17 Palace Road, Boston.
2
Air Hostesses for International Flights Wanted
(1)Applicants must be between 20 and 33 years old.
(2) Height 1.6m to 1.75m.
(3)Education to GCSE(General Certificate of Secondary Education)standard.
(4)Two languages. Must be able to swim.
Apply to: Recruitment office, Southern Airline, Heathrow Airport West.HR37KK.
3
Teachers Needed
(1For private language school. .
(2)Teaching experience unnecessary.
Apply to: The Director of Studies. Instant Language Ltd,279 Canal street, Boston. | high8645.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "he is unwilling to take family responsibilities"
},
"options": [
"he is unwilling to take family responsibilities",
"he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single",
"he finds more fun in dating than in marr... | People hold the belief that a fun-filled, pain free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true: more often things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people don't like the very attempts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, commitment ,self-improvement.
Ask a
why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he is honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment, for commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure, excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most obvious features.
Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night's sleep or a three-day vacation. I don't know any parent who would choose the word "fun" to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
Understanding and accepting true happiness is one of the most liberating realizations because true happiness has nothing to do with fun. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actully may not be happy at all. | high15757.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "By comparing tested objects."
},
"options": [
"By following an example.",
"By listing facts.",
"By collecting information worldwide.",
"By comparing tested objects."
],
"question": "How did the researchers carry... | Drinking alcohol is a socially acceptable behavior in many parts of the world. Some medical experts say light drinking may even be good for your health, especially for the heart. But they say such health benefits should be compared to the many health risks connected with alcohol use.
Some research suggests that having one to two drinks of alcohol a day may offer some health benefits. Several large studies have shown that this type of moderate drinking may lower the risk of heart disease and other diseases.
A study last year suggested that drinking small amounts of red wine may help lower the risk of breast cancer in women. Researchers at Medical Center in California studied 36 women. Each woman drank a glass of red or white wine every day for almost a month. Researchers collected blood samples from the women two times a month to measure their hormone levels. The next month the women who drank red wine were told to drink white wine instead. The white wine drinkers were told to drink red wine. The researchers found that the women who drank red wine had lower levels of the female hormone than the white wine drinkers. They said red grapes have chemicals that may help to lower the risk of breast cancer.
However, recent studies suggested that even small amounts of alcohol may generally increase the risk of breast cancer in women. They found that women who drink four small glasses of wine a week increase their risk of breast cancer by 15 percent.
Many studies have examined the harmful effects of alcohol use on the body. Alicia Ann Kowalchuk serves as medical director, saying "Healthy use for adults --- that's men under age 65 --- is no more than 4 drinks in a day and no more than 14 drinks in a week. And for women of all ages, it's no more than 7 drinks in a week and no more than 2 drinks in a day." She says too much alcohol use has been linked to liver diseases, and many other cancers. | high8123.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "improving working memory"
},
"options": [
"memorizing telephone numbers",
"improving working memory",
"training in concentration",
"recalling a card"
],
"question": ".The researchers thought the key to improving... | A new study has found that it may be possible to train people to be more intelligent, increasing the brainpower they had at birth.
Until now,it has been widely assumed that the kind of mental ability that allows us to solve new problems without having any relevant previous experience--what psychologists call fluid intelligence--is innate and cannot be taught(though people can raise their grades on tests of it by practicing).
But in the new study,researchers describe a method for improving this skill,along with experiments to prove it works.
The key, researchers found, was carefully structured training in working memory--the kind that allows memorization of a telephone number just long enough to dial it.This type of memory is closely related to fluid intelligence,so the researchers reasoned that improving it might lead to improvements in fluid intelligence.
First they measured fluid intelligence of volunteers using standard tests.Then they trained each in a complicated memory task--the child's card game,in which they had to recall a card they saw and heard.During the course, they needed to ignore irrelevant items, monitor ongoing performance,manage two tasks at the same time and connect related items to one another in space and time.
The four groups experienced a half-hour of training daily for 8, 12, 17 and 19 days, respectively.To make sure they were not just improving their test-taking skills,the researchers compared them with control groups that took the tests without the training.
The results, published Monday in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,were striking.Improvement in the trained groups was a lot greater.Moreover,the longer they trained, the higher their scores were.All performers,from the weakest to the strongest,showed significant improvement.
"Our results show you can increase your intelligence with proper training." said Dr Jaeggi, a co-author of the paper."No one knows how long the gains will last after training stops," he added, "and the experiment's design did not allow the researchers to determine whether more training would continue to produce further gains." | high12038.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "importing foreign products"
},
"options": [
"competing against each other",
"importing foreign products",
"purchasing local products",
"reducing product tax"
],
"question": "According to the passage, supermarket... | How Super Are Supermarkets?
Buying e week's groceries is tiring. You want to get it over and done with quickly, so you head for the nearest supermarket, you find everything you need under one roof, and you feel glad that those days of going in and out of different shops in the high street are over. Supermarkets seem to be a big plus. There is a downside, though.
In the UK 90% of all the food people consume is bought at 5 different supermarket chains. This makes these companies extremely powerful, which lets them use their huge buying power to squeeze small suppliers to get the best deal. Milk is a good example. Supermarkets like to use things like milk, which is the top of almost everyone's shopping list to attract customers. To offer the lowest price possible to the consumer, the supermarkets force dairy farmers to sell milk at less than the cost of production. Supermarkets guarantee their good profits while farmers are left struggling to make ends meet, and the taxpayer pays to support the system without even knowing it.
It would be nice if local grocers supported local agriculture. But for the big supermarkets this just doesn't make sense. Supermarkets don't want little farmers thinking they can decide prices. So supermarkets have started a global search for the cheapest possible agricultural produce. In many supermarkets it is difficult to find anything which is produced locally.
UK farmers used to grow a lot of apples. Not anymore. In 1999 36% of apples were imported. By 2015 the figure had risen to 80% and the domestic production of apples had fallen by two thirds. The consumer might just be happy to get a reasonably priced meal made up of foods from Thailand, Spain, Italy and Zambia, but we should also bear in mind the Influence on local producers.
Then there's packaging. Supermarkets like everything to be packed and wrapped so it can be piled neatly on shelves. Supermarkets produce nearly 10 million tons of waste packaging in the UK every year, of which less 5%is recycled. Some supermarkets make sure that large recycling bins are obvious in their car parks, showing that they are environment-friendly. But that is just an image.
When a new supermarket is planned there are claims about the number of new jobs that will be created. Unfortunately, the number of jobs lost in the area is larger than the number of new positions in the supermarket. On average each new supermarket leads to the loss of 276 jobs.
However, the modern world is all about shopping, and the freedom to buy whatever you what, so it would be impossible to stop people shopping at some particular kind of shop. But some measures do need to be taken when small suppliers lose profits, local producers suffer, sea levels rise and jobs are lost, anyway, we can't just care about a free car park and special offers. | high13326.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "people feel less ashamed after washing their hands"
},
"options": [
"Lady Macbeth had a habit of washing hands",
"people feel less ashamed after washing their hands",
"Macbeth knew about the importance of cleaning hands",
... | Soaping up your hands may do more than just get rid of germs. It may wash away the inner confusion you feel right after being forced to make a choice between two appealing choices, according to a new study. The study builds on the past research into a phenomenon known as "the Macbeth effect" .
It turns out that Shakespeare was really onto something when he imagined Lady Macbeth trying to clean her conscience by rubbing invisible bloodstains from her hands.
A few years ago, scientists asked people to describe a past wrong act. If people were then given a chance to clean their hands, they later expressed less guilt than people who hadn't cleaned.
This finding interested W. S. Lee, a researcher. "Anything from the past, any kind of negative emotional experiences, might be washed away," says Lee.
He decided to test hand washing's effect on one kind of bad feeling:the tension we feel after being forced to choose between two attractive choices, because picking one choice makes us feel that we've lost the other. People usually try to calm this inner conflict by later exaggerating the positive aspects of their choice.
He had students rank 10 different music CDs. Then he offered students two of the CDs and told them to select one as a gift. Some students then used liquid soap. Others only looked at the soap or sniffed it. "Actually, you do not need water and soap," says Lee.
Later, the students again had to rank all the music CDs. People who didn't wash their hands had the normal response -- they scored their take-home CD higher, suggesting that they now saw it as an even more attractive one than before. But this wasn't true for the hand washers. They ranked the music about the same. "They feel no need at all to justify (...)the choice," says Lee.
But the effects of it just aren't clear. Schwarz says it's too soon to know whether people should head for a sink after making a tough choice. He says washing may help decision-makers by cleaning away mental disorder. But perhaps if they don't go through the usual post-decision process of justifying their choice, they might feel more sorrow in the long run. | high14449.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "to inform us of the combination of the two companies"
},
"options": [
"to compare the two world-famous companies",
"to inform us of the combination of the two companies",
"to introduce the two companies and their products",
... | Procter and Gamble(P&G)has announced that it'll enlarge its household products empire by combining with Gillette. The deal is expected to close this autumn because it should get permission from US Antitrust Regulators ,P&G said in a statement.
P&G is to gain all of Gillette's business, including its producing and technical equipment. It will add a product variety popular with men. P&G said it expected the combination to bring in totaling US $14--16 billion. But it also said it was planning to cut the combined workforce of 140,000 by about 6,000 or four percent.
P&G is based inprefix = st1 /Cincinnati,Ohio,US. It has about 110,000 employees in almost 80 countries. Its brands include Tide laundry detergent and Head&Shoulders shampoo. Gillette is famous all over the world for its shaving products. It's based in Boston,Massachusetts,USand has 32 factories in 14 countries. P&G ranks No. 1 in the world in its household and personal furnishing parts and the company had US$ 5.8 billion in profits in 2004. Gillette ranks No.5 and has a market capitalization of US$ 45.5 billion.
This combination of two best of their class, at a time when they are both operating from a position of strength, is a special opportunity, and the combination is going to create the greatest consumer products company in the world. It's a dream deal. | high17140.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Her children's quarreling."
},
"options": [
"Programs on TV.",
"Washing the dishes.",
"Her children's quarreling.",
"Her dull marriage."
],
"question": "What made the writer bored?",
"question_type": "factio... | It seemed like there were quarrels every evening.My children were always fighting over something.They never agreed on who had last washed the dishes,or who had last picked the,TV program.I was tired of constantly being a judge.
One day,I thought over what my life was like before marriage.I recalled my high school days when the terms"Odd "day/and"Even"day meant something.My class schedule changed by turns between "O" days and"E"days.On O days I might attend Physics and Maths. And on E days I'd go to another elective class,such as First aid or Art.
So I explained our new system to the children."Jolee,you were born first,"I said. "Is one an odd number or all even one?"
"It's odd,Mom."
"And A1,you arrived second.Is two odd or even?"
"It's even,Mom."
"Ok,so Jolee,from now on,every odd day is automatically your own special day.That means you get to pick what to watch,or which board game to play.Al,the same applies to you on even days."
He thought about it a minute,then said,"But there are more odd days than even ones in some months.Jolee will get'her day'two times in a row when a month ends in 31,and the next one begins with a one."
"True," I said,"but that also means she'11 be taking the smelly,disgusting rubbish out,washing the dishes,and doing other less-enjoyable things two more days in a row,and you won't.It's part of life's give-and-take."
For the first few days after that,whenever one kid shouted,"Mom!"I'd just call out,"Whose day is it?"That settled it.Soon.the quarrelling ended.
Ah,the complete joy of peace and quiet ! | high18273.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Being forgetful."
},
"options": [
"Being forgetful.",
"Missing Christmas.",
"Sleeping around the clock.",
"Being exhausted and bad-tempered."
],
"question": "What's the reflection of Nicole's sleepwalking state?... | Nicole Delian, 17, suffers from a condition that makes her sleep up to 19 hours a day and as much as 64 days in a row. Nicole Delian is tired of sleeping.
This 17-year-old teenager from North Fayette, Pa., has a rare condition called Kleine-Levin Syndrome -- or "Sleeping Beauty Syndrome" -- that makes her sleep 18 to 19 hours a day.
And when she does wake up, she is often so tired out that she is in a sleepwalking state and doesn't remember doing basic things like eating, according to KDKA-TV.
Nicole's sleepwalking state has been so severe that she once slept through the holidays, awaking one day in January when she finally opened Christmas gifts alongside her family, according to ChartiersValley.Patch.com. .
"She's never really adjusted to it," her mother, Vicki Delien told the website. "She's 17 now and it really upsets her. She's missed out on a lot."
Delien told talk show host Jeff Probst that the teen has at times slept 32 to 64 days in a row, waking only in sleepwalking mode to eat.
Kleine-Levin Syndrome is incredibly rare, only affecting about l,000 people worldwide, and very hard to diagnose.
In Nicole's' case, it took 25 months for doctors to diagnose her, according to ChartiersValley.Patch.com, and everything from a virus, to epilepsy to West Nile was mentioned, including, unfortunately, the possibility she was faking it for attention..
When a typical episode of Sleeping Beauty Syndrome begins, the patient becomes progressively drowsy and sleeps for most of the day and night, waking only to eat or go to the bathroom, according to the Klein-Levin Syndrome Foundation website. "When awake, the patient's whole behavior is changed, often appearing "stupid" or childlike. When awake he experiences confusion, complete lack of energy, and lack of emotions."
Patients also report that everything seems out of focus, and that they are hypersensitive to noise and light. Some patients also have intense food cravings .
The Delians did not say whether Nicole has experienced these symptoms.
There is no known cure, but Nicole's family is using a combination of epilepsy and narcolepsy medication to minimize the incidents to just two a year. | high2368.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "couldn't receive good education before they grew up"
},
"options": [
"did not have much knowledge in their work",
"had been workers, shop-keepers and post officers in their early years",
"couldn't receive good education befor... | Many American presidents in the 19thcentury were born in poor families. They spent their childhood in little wooden rooms. They got little education . Washington and Lincoln, for example, never went to school and they taught themselves. Lincoln once did jobs of a worker, shopkeeper and post officer in his early years.
A large number of U. S. presidents had experiences in the army. The two best known were Ulysses Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Grant was a general in the American Civil War and Eisenhower was a hero in the Second World War. It happened that they graduated from the same school--West Point Military Academy . One may be surprised to learn that both of them did not do well in the school. Eisenhower, for example, was once fined because he broke the rules of the school.
The jobs of U. S. presidents are tiring. He must _ anything important which happens both at home and abroad. Every day, a lot of work waits for him to do, and he has to make many important decisions. When Franklin Roosevelt was a child, he was once brought to visit President Taft. The old president said to him, "When you grow up, you should not be president. It's a tiring job." | high3076.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The effect of mass transportation on urban expansion."
},
"options": [
"Types of mass transportation.",
"Instability of urban life.",
"How supply and demand determine land use.",
"The effect of mass transportation on ur... | Mass transportation revised the social and economic fabric of the American city in three fundamental ways.It catalyzed physical expansion, it sorted out people and land uses, and it accelerated the inherent instability of urban life.By opening vast areas of unoccupied land for residential expansion, the omnibuses, horse railways, commuter trains, and electric trolleys pulled settled regions outward two to four times more distant form city centers than they were in the premodern era.In 1850, for example, the borders of Boston lay scarcely two miles from the old business district; by the turn of the century the radius extended ten miles.Now those who could afford it could live far removed from the old city center and still commute there for work, shopping, and entertainment.The new accessibility of land around the periphery of almost every major city sparked an explosion of real estate development and fueled what we now know as urban sprawl.Between 1890 and 1920, for example, some 250,000 new residential lots were recorded within the borders of Chicago, most of them located in outlying areas.Over the same period, another 550,000 were plotted outside the city limits but within the metropolitan area.Anxious to take advantage of the possibilities of commuting, real estate developers added 800,000 potential building sites to the Chicago region in just thirty years - lots that could have housed five to six million people.
Of course, many were never occupied; there was always a huge surplus of subdivided, but vacant, land around Chicago and other cities.These excesses underscore a feature of residential expansion related to the growth of mass transportation: urban sprawl was essentially unplanned.It was carried out by thousands of small investors who paid little heed to coordinated land use or to future land users.Those who purchased and prepared land for residential purposes, particularly land near or outside city borders where transit lines and middle-class inhabitants were anticipated, did so to create demand as much as to respond to it.Chicago is a prime example of this process.Real estate subdivision there proceeded much faster than population growth. | high20934.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "drives for fun and relaxation"
},
"options": [
"drives his vehicle on Sundays",
"drives for fun and relaxation",
"enjoys a weekend break",
"makes a Sunday purchase"
],
"question": "According to the passage, \"Su... | There used to be a term that was used to describe someone who drove their vehicles down the highway while staring at the scenery. These drivers just drove slowly, taking their own sweet time, as if they had nothing to do and no place in particular to go. Thus, the expression, " _ ", was born. Consequently, a Sunday driver wasn't necessarily someone who was driving on a Sunday. A person could be a Sunday driver any day of the week. _ .
The expression probably came about because there was a time when people would often decide to go for a relaxing drive on Sunday afternoons. A Sunday drive was a common occurrence years ago and especially on a nice warm sunny day. There were no stores open on Sunday because of the "blue laws", so you needed to be sure and fill up the gas tank and make any other needed purchases before Sunday arrived.
Some of the states had strict blue laws that even prohibited some activities on Sunday. However, there is still a lot to be said for the slow, gentle life that once existed. It was a time when very few people worked on Sunday except for those professions vital to our well-being such as those in the medical profession. It was a day "set apart" that was used to rest, visit with neighbors and friends, or maybe go to grandma's house for supper. Today there are many who return to work and children who go back to school overly tired on Monday due to a lack of rest. Perhaps there would be less stress related illnesses if we really kept Sunday as a day of rest. | high4719.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It eats the leftovers of other animals in winter"
},
"options": [
"It eats only one kind of food",
"It will carry extra food to its den in the winter",
"It eats the leftovers of other animals in winter",
"It is difficul... | The Arctic Fox
Characteristics
The arctic fox is dark gray to bluish brown in the summer. In the winter its fur is white or creamy white. It has a long bushy tail, a short nose and small, curled back ears. It has short legs and thick fur. Its short legs and nose, thick fur and small ears are adaptions that help it survive in cold climates. Because its legs are so short and its ears and nose are small, they are less exposed to the cold. The arctic fox also has thick fur and hair on its paw pads that help keep it warm. When the arctic fox is sleeping, it protects its nose from the cold by curling its bushy tail around its body. The arctic fox is about three feet long and weighs between five and fifteen pounds. Males are larger than females.
Diet
The arctic fox is an opportunities eater. It will eat just about whatever it comes across. It eats small mammals like lemmings and it also eats birds, insects and eggs. In fact, in the winter it often follows polar bears and wolves and eats their leftover kill. In the summer the arctic fox will carry extra food to its den and store it under rocks to eat later. The arctic fox sometimes even makes its own freezer by digging a hole in the permafrost and storing its food there. A major source of food for the arctic fox is the lemming. In fact, the arctic fox population often peaks every four years in a cycle that follows lemming population changes.
Life Cycle
The arctic fox mates between February and June. The female builds a new den and gives birth to between six and twelve dark--furred kits. Both the female and the male will take care of the young kits. The male will guard the den and bring food to the den for the mother and the kits. The kits are weaned when they are between two and four weeks old and then they will start to leave the den. | high18924.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because there's no complete law dealing with digital property."
},
"options": [
"Because he is afraid his children don't know what paper is.",
"Because there's no complete law dealing with digital property.",
"Because his dig... | Loren Gladstone of Toronto is 58, but thinking over how to bequeath his digital property . Doing the paperwork after his parents' death was a challenge. "When my time comes, I wonder if my children will even know what paper is," he says. As a software developer, his virtual property is both valuable and vital to his business. That reflects a problem. Online lives have increasing economic and emotional value. But testamentary laws offer confusing and incomplete ways of bequeathing and inheriting them.
Digital property may include software, websites, downloaded content, online gaming identities, social-media accounts and even e-mails. In Britain alone holdings of digital music may be worth over PS9 billion ($14 billion). A fifth of respondents to a Chinese local-newspaper survey said they had over 5,000 yuan($790) of digital property. And value does not lie only in money."Anyone with kids under 14 years old probably has two prints of them and the rest are in online galleries,"says Nathan Lustig of Entrustet, a company that helps people manage digital property.
Service providers have different rules--and few state them clearly in their terms and conditions. Many give users a personal right to use an account, but nobody else, even after death. Facebook allows relatives to close an account or turn it into a memorial page. Gmail (run by Google) will provide copies of e-mails to an executor . Music downloaded via iTunes is held under a license which can be abolished on death. Apple declined to comment on the record on this or other policies. All e-mail and data on its iCloud service are deleted on the death of the owner.
This has led to cases to court in America. In 2004 the family of Justin Ellsworth, an army man killed in Iraq, took Yahoo! to court in Michigan to get copies of his e-mails. This year, a court in Oregon ruled that another American mother whose son had died could use her dead son's password to enter his Facebook account for a short period. Now five American states have made laws giving executors control over the social-networking accounts of dead users.
But this raises the subject of privacy. Passing music on is one thing; not everyone may want their relatives to read their e-mails. Colin Pearson, a London-based lawyer, says access should come only with a clear provision in a will.
But laws, wills and password safes may be contrary to the providers' terms of service, especially when the executor is in one country and the data in another. Headaches for the living and lots of lovely work for lawyers. | high4296.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "she could find a warm place to wait"
},
"options": [
"she could fill up her car to get home in time",
"she could find a warm place to wait",
"the woman who needed help was waiting there",
"she could do something for oth... | I was driving home one evening at about 5, caught in traffic, and the car started to die-- I hardly managed to get into a gas station, glad only that I would have a warm spot to wait for the tow truck . Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the " Quickie Mart" building, then suddenly she slipped on some ice and fell down, so I got out to see if she was okay.
When I got there, it looked like she had been overcome by weep than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked _ with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up and gave it to her. It was a coin.
At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban packed full of stuff and three kids in the back, and the gas pump reading $4.95.
I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying "I don't want my kids to see me crying," so we stood at the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California for Christmas and that things were very hard for her right now.
I took out my credit card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so that she could fill up her car completely, and I bought two big bags of food for her kids in the car who attacked it like wolves. While it was fueling, she asked, "So, are you an angel or something?" I said, "At this time of year, angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses common people."
It was unbelievable to be part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. Sometimes, angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings. | high20263.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Basic Security"
},
"options": [
"Locks",
"Marking",
"Registration",
"Basic Security"
],
"question": "Which part of the article gives you information on how to lock up your bicycle when you leave it?",
"quest... | Su Hua is studying at Cambridge, UK. She has bought a bicycle and is worried about security. Her friend, Kate, found this article and sent it to her. www.zxxk.com
Introduction
A lot of crime is against bicycles. About 150,000 bicycles are stolen every year and most are never found. You can prevent this happening by following a few careful steps.
Basic Security
Do not leave your bicycle in out-of-the-way places. Always lock your bicycle when you leave. Secure it to lampposts or trees. Take off smaller parts and take them with you, for example lights and saddles .
Locks
Get a good lock. There are many different types in the shop. Buy one that has been tested against attack. Ask for a recommendation from a bike shop.
Marking
Security marking your bike can act as a deterrent to a thief. It can also help the police find your bicycle. It should be clearly written and include your postcode and your house or flat number. This will provide a simple way to identify your bicycle.
Registration
There are a number of companies who will mark your bicycle for you. They will then put your registration number and personal details on their computer database. Then if your bicycle is found it will be easy to contact you.
Finally
Keep a record of the bicycle yourself: its make, model and registration number. You can even take a photograph of it, this will prove the bicycle belongs to you. | high5188.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "scientists have found out that people's skin color1 is determined by the gene"
},
"options": [
"people can not change their skin color1 without any pain",
"the new discovery could lead to research into ways to change skin color1 sa... | Can people change their skin color1 without suffering like pop king Michael Jackson? Perhaps yes. Scientists have found the gene that determines skin color1.
The gene comes in two versions, one of which is found in 99 percent of Europeans. The other is found in 93 to 100 percent of Africans, researchers at Pennsylvania State University report in the latest issue of science.
Scientists have changed the color1 of a dark-striped zebrafish to uniform gold by inserting a version of the pigment gene into a young fish. As with humans, zebrafish skin color1 is determined by pigment cells, which contain melanin . The number, size and darkness of melanin per pigment cell determine skin color1.
It appears that, like the golden zebrafish, light-skinned Europeans also have a mutation in the gene for melanin production. This results in less pigmented skin. However, Keith Cheng, leader of the research team, points out that the mutation is different in human and zebrafish genes.
Humans acquired dark skin in Africa about 1.5 million years ago to protect bodies from ultra-violet rays of the sun , which can cause skin cancer. But when modern humans leave Africa to live in northern latitudes, they need more sunlight on their skin to produce vitamin D. So the related gene changes, according to Cheng.
"Asians have the same version of the gene as Africans, so they probably acquired their light skin through the action of some other gene that affects skin color1," said Cheng.
The new discovery could lead to medical treatments for skin cancer. It also could lead to research into ways to change skin color1 without damaging it like chemical treatment did on Michael Jackson. ks5u | high16909.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Cars help city families to transport their children to faraway schools."
},
"options": [
"Cars have encouraged the growth of the cities.",
"Cars can bring families together when they go for picnics.",
"Cars have enabled peopl... | The private automobile has long played an important role in the United States. In fact, it has become a necessary and important part of the American way of life. In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American families owned at least one car, and thirty-eight percent had more than one. By giving workers rapid transportation, the automobile has freed them from having to live near their place of work. This has encouraged the growth of the cities, but has also led to traffic problems.
For farm families the automobile is very helpful. It has made it possible for them to travel to town very often for business and for pleasure, and also to transport their children to distant schools.
Family life has been affected in various ways. The car helps to keep families together when it is used for picnics, outings, and other shared experiences. However, when teenage children have the use of the car, their parents can't keep an eye on them. There is a great danger if the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs, or is "showing off" by speeding or breaking other traffic laws. Mothers of victims of such accidents have formed an organization called MADD(Mothers Against Drunk Driving). These women want to prevent further tragedies . They have worked to encourage the government to limit the youngest drinking age. Students have formed a similar organization, SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving) and are spreading the same message among their friends.
For many Americans the automobile is a necessity. But for some, it is also a mark of social position and for young people, a sign of becoming an adult. Altogether, cars mean very much to Americans. | high24005.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "They are people's dreams and aspirations."
},
"options": [
"They are people's dreams and aspirations.",
"They are the most important things in the world.",
"They are something we can't possess and dream of.",
"They are ... | The riches in the world are not found in the famous gold and diamond mines,where many men and women are digging for them.Most riches in the world are found in the cemeteries and grave yards,buried with people's dreams,aspirations,and unfulfilled potential.Why is it so?
Countless men and women died without ever having the courage to follow their own paths.Maybe because they were afraid to violate some kinds of social norms, maybe because they were afraid to be alone,or maybe simply because they preferred to settle for the familiar.They went to the graves,with a song that would never be heard,a piece of poetry never be written, a dance step never be initiated and a heart full of dreams and aspirations,leaving behind a life full of potential yet no legacy.
Michael Jordan,one of the greatest athletes once said,''I can fail,but I cannot afford not to try." Life remains a beautiful journey if we learn to take that step and to work that path.Every challenge and defeat in the process becomes a light post that sharpens the vision and shapes the direction forward.
"In my world nothing goes wrong,"said the great Indian sage Nmaja Dhahta Majraj.We must learn to trust the greatness within all of us and know that each of as is here to bring our unique contribution to the universal monument.If each of us learns to dance to the music we only can hear, society as a whole will evolve naturally and spiritually toward love,peace and happiness,and will be void of jealousy,envy and discrimination.
And Henry David Thoreau would say, "If a man does not keep pace with his companions,that is because he hears a difierent drum.''And one truly believes that the path to success and happiness passes through the dancing to such a unique drumbeat.Therefore,do not die with the music still playing inside you. | high6481.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "3"
},
"options": [
"2",
"3",
"4",
"5"
],
"question": "How many places has Daisy been to?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because... | One day, Daisy dreamed a strange dream. She flew in a wonderful carpet to talk with an antelope in Tibet. The antelope told her they were hunted because of their fur which can be used to make sweaters like hers.
Later, she flew to Zimbabwe where she talked with an elephant and got to know the farmers there no longer hunted them. That's because the government decided to help and the farmers finally made a lot of money.
At last, she arrived at the thick rainforest where a monkey told her "no rain forest, no animals and no drugs." Although finally everything was gone, she hadlearned so much. | high13871.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Using GPS in the cell phone to follow kids"
},
"options": [
"The recent development in the Global Positioning System",
"The latest kind of cell phone equipped with GPS",
"Using GPS in the cell phone to follow kids",
"Th... | Is there anything the latest cell phone can't do? It can record movies, surf the net, and download the newest MP3 songs, but don't let those fancy features fool you.
After all, chances are that phones have a Global Positioning System (GPS) chip. GPS lets phone companies determine the location of your phone at all times. If you are hurt and call 911, rescuers can find you by using your phone's GPS.
But emergency officials aren't the only people interested in knowing where you are. Several new companies are using cell phones with GPS to monitor teen drivers for _ parents.
The programs vary, but most of them allow parents to use the Internet to monitor their kids' locations, driving habits and speed. Some programs even let parents set speed and location limits so that they are alerted if their kids drive too fast or go beyond a predetermined boundary.
Supporters of monitoring say that the programs also help if a teen is kidnapped or lost. Andrea Gutierrez uses a driving program to help her daughter get home. "I give her directions by looking at an online map, which shows me where she is".
Jean Nichols, 17, says that parents are forgetting one very important thing: trust. "I don't like the idea of someone using a device that keeps tabs on me."
Others say the information could be misused. "If everyone can find out exactly where your 17-year-old girl is at all times, it will present a potentially dangerous problem," Hohn Lawford told the Ottawa Citizen.
Alana Watenpuhl, 19, says that teens can easily outsmart the programs. "Teens can always leave their cell phones somewhere and then go out with their friends. It's not likely that the chips are attached to their bodies," she told reporters. "But who knows?" she added. "That might be what's coming next." | high22474.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "is Young's latest collection of poetry"
},
"options": [
"was published in February",
"refers darkness as its main theme",
"is Young's latest collection of poetry",
"was written after Young's heart transplant"
],
... | Poet Dean Young has dealt with impermanence( )a lot in his career, but it's a particularly strong theme in Young's latest collection, Fall Higher.The new collection was published in April, just days after the poet received a life-saving heart transplant after about a decade of living with a weakening heart condition.
Young, whose work is often frank and rich with twisted humor, tells NPR's Renee Montaigne that as he recovers from operation, he's also slowly returning to his everyday writing habits.
"I'm getting back to it," Young says."Not with the sort of concentration and sort of flame that I look forward to in the future, but I am blackening some pages."
And on those blackened pages you'll find poems like " How Grasp Green," which carries themes of springtime and rebirth.It's one of the first poems Young has written since his transplant.
It's easy to spot clues to Young's awful health situation in the lines of his poetry. Fall Higher's "Vintage" opens with, "Because I will die soon, I fall asleep, during the lecture on the ongoing emergency." And the poem "-The Rhythms Pronounce Themselves Then Vanish--published in The /Vew Barker in February --opens with the CT scan that revealed Young's heart condition.
Young says "Rhythms" was written about the beginning of his illness.
"I had been having a lot of physical pain so that I could hardly walk a block.I got sent to a gastroenterologist and he did a series of tests, and then the tests came back to me and it was all heart related," he says." And the outlook wasn't good.
Hearts tend to come up a lot in poetry, and that's especially true of Young's work, which has clearly been influenced by the troubles of his own heart,
"A lot of times, it's not just a metaphor ," Young says."For me, it's an actual concern because I've been living with this disease for over 10 years.My father died of heart problems when he was 49, so it's been a sort of shadowy concern for me my whole life.
But Young's poems also deal with more abstract matters of the heart.He wrote Fall Higher's, "Late Valentine" for his wife."We've been married since late November and most of it has been spent in the hospital," Young says of his marriage to poet Laurie Saurborn Young, who says " 'Late Valentine' is very sweet.
Today, Young says, his friends can't help but comment on how pink his cheeks have become--the result of a new heart and better circulation .But Young wrote the poems of Fall Higher before the transplant, at a time when, at its weakest point, his old heart was pumping at 8 percent of what it should have been.
He was staring death in the face--but he was still able to look at his life and see art
in it.
Young's work also touches on themes of randomness and fate --two factors that contributed to him getting a second chance in the form of a new heart from a 22-year-old student.
"Everything in life is molecules bouncing against molecules," Young says, and having a successful transplant is no different." Somebody had to die; it had to be a fit; my blood and his blood had to not have an argument; the heart had to be transported; I had to get it."
There were, in short, an amazing number of variables that led to Young
being here today.
"I just feel enormous gratitude," he says of his donor ."He gave me a heart so I'm still alive-"I'm sure I'm going to think about this person for the rest of my life." | high1488.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The first week of your every year at university is called Freshers' Week."
},
"options": [
"October is generally the busiest month for universities.",
"It's a good idea to have a doorstop.",
"A bit of planning can make Freshe... | The UK has a wellrespected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world. But to those who are new to it all, sometimes it can be confusing.
October is usually the busiest month in the college calendar. Universities have something called Freshers' Week for their newcomers. It's a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life.
However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, the prospect of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nervewracking . Where do you start? Who should you make friends with? Which clubs should you join?
Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot. So just take it all in slowly. Don't rush into anything that you'll regret for the next three years.
Here is some top advice from past students on how to survive Freshers' Week:
*Learn rules. Make sure you know British social etiquette . Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends.
*Be kind. Sometimes cups of tea or even slices of toast can give you a head start in making friends.
*Be sociable. The more active you are, the more likely you'll be to meet new people than if you're someone who never leaves their room.
*Bring a doorstop. Keep your door open when you're in and that sends positive messages to your neighbors that you're friendly.
So with a bit of clever planning and effort, Freshers' Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you'll be passing on your experience to next year's new _ | high2181.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "watching television programs"
},
"options": [
"organized activities and homework",
"communication with friends and family",
"watching television programs",
"enjoying music"
],
"question": "The Australian student... | Chinese students aren't the only ones who have a sleep loss problem. In Australia, teenagers are also missing out on, on average, one hour's sleep every night during the school week.
Organized activities and homework push bedtimes later, the first large-scale Australian study of children's sleeping habits has revealed . Their sleep deprivation is enough to cause "serious drop-offs in school performance, attention and memory", and governments should consider later or flexible school start times, said the study's leader, Tim Olds. ks5u
His survey, of more than 4,000 children aged 9 to 18, found those who slept least did not watch more television but spent their time socializing with family or friends or listening to music.
"Almost all children get up at 7 or 7:15 -- they have to get to school on time," said Olds. He favors a later start over an earlier finish because he believes organized sports and activities would still consume the latter end of the day.
Olds' research also establishes lack of sleep as a cause of weight gain in children, and a possible source of future problems with depression, anxiety and increased susceptibility to illness.
It was already known that overweight children sleep less, but Professor Olds found sleep duration was strongly linked to weight across the full range of body sizes. The thinnest children sleep 20 minutes more than the _ . This showed being overweight had no specific effect on sleep patterns, and it was more likely that shorter sleep times stimulate appetite and make kids hungry.
The US National Sleep Foundation says teenagers aged 13 to 18 need eight to nine hours' sleep a night. Younger school-aged kids need 9 to 11 hours.
On that basis, Professor Olds said, half of Australian children are under-sleeping on weekdays and a quarter on weekends. | high20505.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The camera wasn't a missing one."
},
"options": [
"The camera wasn't a missing one.",
"The roll of film had been used up.",
"Bellis was very kind to other hikers.",
"Bellis asked others to take pictures of him."
],
... | Leave a camera on a mountaintop, and chances are, you'll never see it again. But 24-year-old Paul Bellis, a university student from Wales, believed that most people were better than that, and set up a creative experiment to test out his theory.
"I was speaking to a friend who said you can't trust anyone, anywhere these days," Bellis toldthe Daily Mail. "I didn't want to believe _ so I set up this experiment to find out what might happen and prove you can trust people."
Billis decided to do an experiment by hiking up a mountain called Snowdonia, taking a photo, and leaving his camera behind. He also attached a note to the camera, asking other hikers to take photos of themselves and then leave the camera there until the roll of film was empty. He also included his address, in case someone would be nice enough to return the camera to his home after the roll of film was finished.
Four days later, Bellis got a visit from a Snowdonia park manager, who came to return his camera. After Bellis got the film developed, he saw that his fellow hikers and followed his instructions. Thirty people had each taken photos of themselves at the mountain. From viewing the collection, it was clear that all the hikers had enjoyed the experiment.
As for the park manager, Brian, "I found the camera and thought it had been lost until I saw the note," he said. "I was passing his home and just dropped it off. I' m glad that the photos came out very well." | high11900.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "They are eager to receive Christmas gifts."
},
"options": [
"They are eager to receive Christmas gifts.",
"They hope to have a good rest in the holidays.",
"They wish to see their grandparents anxiously.",
"They want to... | The holiday season is the time of magic moments. Our hearts are waiting for something special to happen. Children dream of meeting Santa Claus and receive desirable presents. I'm sure that grandparents are waiting for their kids' and grandchildren's visit. If your holiday schedule is tightly packed, then you should find at least two hours to pay a visit to your grandparents.
We often forget about three magic words "l love you". Love is not a sign of weakness and our grandparents deserve to hear these pleasant and healing words. Don't feel shy of showing and proving your love. Your hug and a frank smile can be the best cure for different diseases to your dear grandparents.
Old people are very sensible creatures. They need both physical and mental supports. Younger people should be patient enough to pay attention, hear out and don't let their grandparents feel too old, lonely and useless. There're hundreds of ideas on how to make something good and useful for your grandparents. The best one is to bring a fresh and bushy Christmas tree to their house. Do your best to decorate it with lights and ribbons. Encourage your grandparents to do it together.
Unfortunately, people are like candles. The light of their eyes can die out in a moment. Chances are high that their hearts will stop one day. Why don't we begin to value things before we lose them? I know that not everyone can answer this challenging question.
I hope this week will bring a lot of joy to children, parents and their grandparents. Don't forget to treat grandparents with respect because they're an essential part of your family. | high19384.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "dams have impacted the flow of the rivers"
},
"options": [
"dams play an important role in our life",
"dams have impacted the flow of the rivers",
"dams make people lose their land and houses",
"dams have many benefits ... | Twothirds of the world's major rivers have now been disrupted with more than 50,000 dams in an attempt to store water and provide power.In the US,there are more than 85,000 dams,disrupting large and small rivers,and in most cases transforming natural flow.The most famous of these,the Hoover Dam,constructed in the 1930s,is mainly responsible for the fact that the Colorado River no longer reaches the ocean.
Dams,besides all their attractive benefits,also have negative impacts.Creating a reservoir means a large area must be flooded.Communities may lose their land,houses and culturally important sites.
Environmentally,the new reservoir can be a paradise for wildlife,especially birds;however,it can cause greenhouse gas emissions and poison the water.Also,the dramatic rise and fall of water levels during dam releases is too extreme for plants and animals to cope with,resulting in dead zones around the shores of reservoirs.Fish that lay their eggs in the shallows,for example,may find a few hours later that those sites are high and dry.
Downstream of a dam,the flow may be reduced so that farmers cannot irrigate their fields.Many rivers run through national borders,which may cause conflict over precious water.Disputes have been continuing between India and Pakistan,and Turkey,Syria and Iraq,for example.
Dams don't just block the flow of water.They also prevent fish migrations,and dams are a barrier to sediment flows.Instead of rushing downriver,sediments get backed up against the dam wall,which causes the reservoir level to increase over time.However,sediments which are rich in nutrients have become a problem.The fertility of the entire system can be influenced,with soils lost during seasonal rains not being replaced.
Perhaps the biggest problem can be seen in deltas,which are sinking into the oceans.Groundwater is being extracted to feed the city,causing the city to sink,and sediments washed away by the ocean are no longer being replaced.The result is that sea level rises in cities from Shanghai to Alexandria. | high5836.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "they misunderstood each other's signals"
},
"options": [
"they are cold to each other",
"they look away from each other",
"they misunderstood each other's signals",
"they are introduced at an early age"
],
"ques... | Can dogs and cats live in perfect harmony in the same home? People who are thinking about adopting a dog as a friend for their cats are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found a new recipe of success. According to the study, if the cat is adopted before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along _ . Two-thirds of the homes interviewed reported a positive relationship between their cat and dog.
However, it wasn't all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body signals were just opposite. For example, when a cat turns its head away it signals aggression, while a dog doing the same signals submission.
In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers observed a surprising behavior. They are learning how to talk each other's language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk 'dog', and dogs can learn how to talk 'cat'.
What's interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence. They can learn how to read each other's body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than we previously suspected. Once familiar with each other's presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together, greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together on the sofa. They can easily share the same water bowl and in some cases groom each other.
The significance of the research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets -- to people who don't get along, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance. | high2195.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "A rain of fish."
},
"options": [
"A sad story.",
"The damage done by floods.",
"Australia's northern part .",
"A rain of fish."
],
"question": "What is this passage about?",
"question_type": null
},
{
... | Stepping into a pool of water is common enough ,but who could ever imagine ; stopping into a pool of fish? In February of 1974, Bill Tapp ,an Australian farmer,saw a rain of fish that covered his farm .How surprised he must have been when he heard many fish hitting against his roof!
What caused this strange occurrence ?This is a question that had long puzzled people who study fish .The answer turned out to be a combination of wind and storm.
When it is spring in the northern part of the world ,it is fall in Australia, Throughout the autumn season ,terrible storms arise and rains flood the land .The strong winds sweep over Australia like huge vacuum cleaners, collecting seaweed ,pieces of wood ,and even schools of fish .Strong winds may carry these bits of nature for many miles before vacuum dropping them on fields, houses ,and stonishedpeople.
Although they seem unusual ,fish-falls occur quite frequently in Australia.When Bill Tapp was asked to describe the scene of fish ,he remarked, "They look like millions of dead birds falling down." His statement is not surprising .The wonders of the natural world are as common as rain .Nature ,with its infinite wonders ,can create waterfalls that flow upward and fish that fall out of the sky. | high20511.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Early HIV Treatment Saves Lives"
},
"options": [
"HIV Has Spread in Poorer Countries",
"Rochelle Walensky's Life",
"International Pressure to Drug Makers",
"Early HIV Treatment Saves Lives"
],
"question": "Which... | Treatment for HIV has become more widespread, especially in poorer countries. It's also become cheaper, as medicine companies have lowered their prices for life-saving anti-retroviral drugs . But these drugs are still expensive and many countries are looking to create the biggest impact with limited resources. That's where World Health Organization guidelines come in, says Rochelle Walensky, a disease researcher from Harvard.
Walensky and her colleagues used computer programs to model the most cost-effective disease interventions , as well as collected data from clinics in Africa and India about what works best. They found that among the choices of what to do first, earlier anti-retroviral therapy improved five-year survival dramatically and resulted in the longer life expectancy. But cost-effective doesn't always mean affordable, especially for governments in poor countries. Countries still have to make difficult choices about how much treatment they can afford.
People in Nairobi, Kenya on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010, protest a potential free trade area agreement between the EU and India that could see cheap anti-AIDS drugs phased out . However, Walensky notes that first-line anti-retrovirals--those medicine given to newly diagnosed patients that can keep away from symptoms for years - are much cheaper than they were a decade ago. "Second-line therapy have come down quite a bit but not to the level of first-line and countries are having a hard time affording them and increasingly over time, people are going to fail first-line therapy and they're going second-line therapy and then, eventually, they're going to need third-line therapy, some of them."
According to Walensky, history has shown that drug prices can come down when international pressure is applied to drug makers. But for now, she says, countries should focus on treating as many people as they can, as early as possible
Her paper is published in the online journal PLoS Medicine. | high11914.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The salty water from the sea makes the sold salty."
},
"options": [
"The heavy rain makes the soil salty.",
"The salty water from the sea makes the sold salty.",
"Villagers uses bricks to contain good soil.",
"WorldFish... | Many areas of cropland in Bangladesh are becoming unfit for farming. The land is becoming salty. It is a big problem for the small country which has more than 155 million people because growing crops is the most common way Bangladeshis support themselves.
Farmers in the country are learning to grow vegetables in so-called "vertical gardens. " The soil in these gardens is better because heavy rains have removed much of the salt. Shobitha Debna is a 35-year-old farmer in the village Chandipur is able to grow hundreds of kilograms of vegetables each season in her small garden.
This kind of farming is new in Chandipur. But it may spread across the country.Most of Bangladesh is at or below sea level. Rising seawaters linked to climate change has severely affected the country. High water from storms in coastal areas also add salt to soil. High salt content makes crops less productive. The salty sea water flows into rivers, which then flood Chandipur and other villages. Vegetable crops fail. For three years now, hundreds of villagers have grown crops in vertical gardens.
From July to October, about l. 5 meters of rain falls in Bangladesh. The seasonal rains remove salt from the soil. At the end of the rainy season, villagers collect the cleaned soil and place it in large containers. They use that soil to grow vegetables.
WorldFish Center, a non-profit International group has trained about 200 villagers in southwestern Bangladesh to make vertical gardens. Over the next two years, the center will train about 5,000 people. A vertical garden is easy to make. Villagers fill containers with good soil and natural fertilizers. They put the containers on bricks so they are off the ground. They add pieces of the bricks to the soil to help water flow and drain.
Villagers also grow vegetables in containers made from large, thin pieces of plastic supported by bamboo. This is called "vertical tower" which can produce more than 100 kilograms of vegetables each. | high19390.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "it costs the company less money to survive"
},
"options": [
"it's helpful to the economy recovery",
"it costs the company less money to survive",
"it will keep the experienced and skilled workers",
"it can form a team w... | From bankers to factory staff, employees in the West face a cold _ of losing their jobs as a global recession starts to bite. For colleagues in the East, the pain is more likely to come through a pay cut.
Human resource experts say cultural differences explain why Asian companies try harder to preserve jobs in difficult times, which will prevent unemployment and may help Asian economies survive at a time of slowing exports. The East Asian attitude may also make it easier for companies to recover quickly from the economic downturn since they will not need to rehire or train new staff, but build up a more loyal and devoted group.
"In the Confucian mindset, the right thing to do is to share the burden, which is the sense of collective responsibility. While in the West, it's more about individual survival," said Michael Benoliel, associate professor of organizational behavior at Singapore Management University (SMU).
In contrast, local Western companies from General Motors to Goldman Sachs plan to lay off workers by the thousand, but at the Asian units of Western multinationals or western units of Asian groups, job cuts will probably be less severe.
Japan's jobless rate was 4 percent in September, up from 3.8 percent in January, while Hong Kong's was flat at 3.4 percent. But US unemployment is expected to have jumped to 6.3 percent last month from below 5 percent in January.
Experts say that while there are noticeable differences in labor practices in East and West, the gap will narrow as more firms become more multinational and competition forces firms to adopt the best practices of rivals from abroad. | high22306.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "No additional infrastructure would be needed."
},
"options": [
"They require new equipment, such as RFID technologies.",
"They can track pedestrian movement indoors with GPS.",
"No additional infrastructure would be needed.",... | The next generation of smart phone could combine the date from its gyroscopes with a built-in compass to allow you to track your indoor movements even without GPS.
Research described it in the international Journal of Innovative Computing and Applications by Shahid Ayub of Lancaster University, and his colleagues there and at HW Communications, suggests that the embedded inertial sensors in many smart phones have added the facility to be used for localization and tracking applications. The primary benefit of using smart phones is that no additional infrastructure would need to be installed for monitoring personnel movements in a wide variety of situations not least staff, equipment and inventory movements in warehouse facilities, shopping malls and factories. In contrast, other technology being proposed would require new equipment,such as RFID technologies.
However, smart phones do not yet have the ability to pinpoint their location without recourse to the GPS system, which is not accessible indoors and has the added disadvantage of using up battery power very quickly even if it could be used. Inertial navigation only provides the necessary information to a specified starting point the team says. This is useful for anyone with a non-GPS smart phone who wishes to track the route they take when walking or jogging if they specify their starting point. The team suggests that pedestrians indoors could be positioned using a combination of the smart phone accelerometer and an built-in digital compass, something that will become available in future smart phones.
They have now investigated the potential of three different smart phone placement modes: idle, hand held and listening, which could be used with pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) techniques to allow users to record the path they follow or for various kinds of workplace or other monitoring requirements.
"The technique could be used in underground tube stations, airports , train stations where there is no infrastructure installed for tracking or navigation," Ayub explains, "It can also be used for location-based service applications. In big shopping malls it becomes easier to navigate to a target shop or meeting place, while in large offices and across industry it could be used to track employees and control movements of workers in restricted areas." | high23018.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "before arriving in Hong Kong"
},
"options": [
"when arriving in Hong Kong",
"before you understand them",
"within 2 weeks of your arriving in Hong Kong",
"before arriving in Hong Kong"
],
"question": "According ... | During your stay outside Hong Kong, you may have been exposed to certain infectious diseases without your knowledge.
In case you develop any symptom such as fever, chills, skin rash, diarrhea or vomiting within 14 days of your arrival in Hong Kong, you should consult a doctor or attend an accident & emergency department or general outpatient clinic. Please bring along this card.
CHIEF PORT HEALTH OFFICE
The Port Health Office
Their staff is glad to answer your questions about travel health.
Please inquire at:
--Hong Kong Island
18 F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Rd. East, Wanchai.
Tel: 2961 8840
-- Kowloon
Room 905, Government Offices, Canton Road
Tel: 2368 3361 | high108.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "World's Largest Ball of Paint"
},
"options": [
"World's Largest Ball of Paint",
"The Museum of Dirt",
"Mount Horeb Mustard Museum",
"Paper House"
],
"question": "If you want to add your own work to what you visi... | Going on a road trip? The St. Louis Arch, Statue of Liberty and Golden Gate Bridge are normal tourist sites. But if you prefer offbeat destinations, check out the following road-side attractions.
World's Largest Ball of Paint
Alexandria, Ind.
In 1977, Michael Carmichael set out to create the biggest ball of paint anywhere. Starting with a baseball as a center, he painted layer after layer of paint day after day, year after year. The ball weighs more than 1,300 pounds, with more than 20,000 coats of paint, which is recognized by Guinness world Records. Visitors can paint the ball themselves and become part of history.
The Museum of Dirt
Boston, Mass.
The museum is the idea of Glenn Johanson. Labeled glass bottles contain such treasures as dirt from the Great Wall of China, as well as sand from a desert in Saudi Arabia and Omaha Beach in France. Best of all, the cost of seeing this museum is dirt cheap: It's free.
Mount Horeb Mustard Museum
Mount Horeb, Wis.
It's heaven for hot dog lovers! This museum claims to have world's largest collection of prepared mustard . Its more than 4,100 bottles of spices come from 60 nations, including Turkey and Tibet. Visitors learn the history of mustard, from how it's made to how it's advertised and sold. The museum's creator, Barry Levenson, loves mustard so much, he even puts it on ice cream!
Paper House
Rockport, Mass.
Swedish immigrant Ellis Stenman was much ahead of his time in 1922, when he started to build a two-room house almost entirely out of newspaper. At the time, people didn't give much--if any --thought to recycling paper. In fact, "recycling" wasn't even a Word yet. The house is framed with wood, but the walls are made of 215 layers of newspaper. In all ,he used about 100,000 newspapers. | high24011.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Bats were living in the barn and wouldn't go away."
},
"options": [
"Bats were living in the barn and wouldn't go away.",
"The author and his son couldn't sleep well because of the bats",
"The author and his son might be able... | My son and I were trying to sell the house we had repaired, but in the barn there were bats and they would not leave. The barn was their home. They told us so in their own way they hung for the season. "Don't worry about it, Dad." Patrick said. "They keep down the mosquitoes ."
Unfortunately they also kept the buyers away. When we had asked a person to sell the house for us he had refused to show it because of the bats. "Bats are popular," Patrick comforted me. "They are ecological." "Isn't there a machine you can buy that produces high-frequency sounds to keep bats away?" " I don't know," said Patrick. "But I like bats, and whoever buys this house will probably like them too.' "Probably?" I hated that word. "How many bats are there, anyway?" "I counted about 90 last night," said Patrick. "They were dropping out from under the edge of the roof." "You mean there are more------outside?" "They're everywhere, Dad. But look at it this way. When the cold weather comes, they'll be off to Mexico. Maybe in the spring we can keep them out. Don't worry about it," he said for the
the hundredth time. "It's not a problem."
The bat expert I called was even more active than Patrick. "I think you've got a large number there," he said in wonder. "I've been trying to attract bats to our house for 25 years. A single bat ears up his weight in mosquitoes and black flies three times every night. You've a very lucky man." I offered to share my luck with him. He could take them away. "Bats have a remarkable homing instinct ," he said. "They'd fly straight back even if I transported them 100 miles. Once they have settled, you can't stop them from coming back." I was silent.
Finally we managed to rent the house to a young family, who were also interested in buying it. "What about the bats?" I said to Patrick. "Oh, they love the bats," he said. "No mosquitoes. No black flies. It's one of the things that attracted them." "Do you think they will really buy the house?" "Probably? Well, if they do, I suppose I'll have to admit that I was wrong." "You mean you're going to eat your words?"
"Yes. I am." | high7953.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "every day"
},
"options": [
"from Monday to Thursday",
"every day",
"every day of the week",
"on weekdays"
],
"question": "Wonderful Museum usually opens _ except on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.",
... | Wonderful Museum
Hours
Monday - Thursday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
The Museum Shop is open during regular museum hours.
The Museum Library
Monday -Friday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
The Skyliner Restaurant
Monday - Saturday: during regular museum hours
Sunday: 11:30 am - 5:00 pm
Admission
Adults:$7.00
The aged and students with ID: $6.00
Wonderful Museum offers a 50% discount to groups of 20 or more. | high13865.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "save time"
},
"options": [
"be different",
"show kindness",
"make fun",
"save time"
],
"question": "According to the research, people often write e-mails in lower case to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_ques... | Change is natural part of language development.The words you like to use are probably a little different from those that your grandparents used when they were young.A study carried out by a British company found that the use of e-mail has had a bad influence on the standard of written English.
According to the research,computer users today are too busy to hit the "shift" buttons on their keyboards----e-mails are often written in lower case,that is to say, with no capital letters for names or the beginning of sentences. Spelling mistakes are generally accepted even in formal e-mails.And nouns are often used as verbs (e.g. Please bookmarkthis site. )
With the development of the Internet,e-mail and mobile phone messages,a new language has developed within just a few years--we call it Weblish.The latest oxford EnglishDictionary has included many new words showing the changes in our communication culture.
While some language experts are concerned about the future of English and want to do something,John Simpson,chief editor of the dictionary says,"The standards may be different now but it has certainly encouraged writing and communication,which means a faster development of language change.There are a large number of words that either come from the Internet or have been given new meanings by the Internet." | high22460.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "behaves like that for personal reasons"
},
"options": [
"shows animals also have stomach problems.",
"is a sign of rain",
"behaves like that for personal reasons",
"shows animals enjoy tasty food"
],
"question":... | If your dog or cat is eating grass, it means it's going to rain.
False maybe. There' s no evidence that when a dog or cat is eating grass in the front yard, it' s going to rain. But then, there's no evidence that it isn't going to rain, either. Doctors think dogs and cats eat grass to help make their stomach better or maybe just because they like the taste of it.
You'll get sick if you go outside in cold weather with wet hair.
False. You might feel cold, but you can't catch a cold because you were outside with wet hair.
Many churches have prevented people from throwing rice at weddings because the rice grows larger in a bird's stomach when eaten, causing the bird to explode .
True and false. It's true many churches have prevented people from throwing rice, but this is more likely because the rice can become slick on a road or street. There's nothing about rice that will hurt birds. Rice is an important part of many bird's food.
Chocolate is Poisonous to dogs.
True. Chocolate has theobromine, which can make your dog sick. So, if you don't want to put your dog's life at risk, don't feed it with chocolate.
The number of people visiting the hospital goes way up during a full moon.
False. According to researchers, there is no evidence that more people visit the hospital during a full moon, though more people do seem to get caught by the police during that time. The idea that the moon influences behavior has been studied for thousands of years--even the word "lunacy", which means crazy behavior, is based on the word "luna" or "moon". | high18930.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "money"
},
"options": [
"baby clothes",
"diapers",
"baby caps",
"money"
],
"question": "The following things except _ may be included in Alexandra's Baby Bundles.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},... | When Alexandra Holderman of Indiana was five years old, she saw a bay dressed in only a T-shirt, diaper , and blanket in the middle of winter. Alexandra could tell that the baby was very cold. "He had red, chapped skin and a runny nose," she remembers.
That same year, Alexandra started Baby Bundles , a program to help mothers keep their babies warm. She packed bundles of pajamas, blankets, diapers, bottles and bibs, and then delivered them to centers for women who couldn't afford the items. Alexandra continues this program today.
Where does Alexandra get the money for her program? The first year, family members helped a lot. Many of them gave Alexandra money to buy supplies. Alexandra's mother, who has always encouraged Alexandra to share her blessings with people who are less fortunate, taught her how to request donations from stores.
Alexandra felt shy speaking with stores' business managers at first. "But now it just comes naturally," she says, "and I have places that donate stuff every year." Alexandra has been doing Baby Bundles for six years now. Each September she writes betters to stores asking for supplies and donations. Then she makes follow-up phone calls. In October, she gathers all of the donations and goes shopping. One of the biggest challenges is getting all of the supplies she needs while staying within a planned budget.
Alexandra has had to give up her allowance and some time with friends, but she knows that what she's doing helps. Sometimes she sees a baby wearing clothes like the ones she put in her bundles. And she wonders if that baby was helped by her program. "I know that there are babies out there who are warmer and healthier now," she says.
Alexandra plans to continue Baby Bundles as long as she can and is currently trying to get a Web site set up. She hopes that her work will inspire other young people to find ways to serve their communities. Alexandra has made sure that many babies in Indiana remain cozy during the winter months. DCAC | high21169.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "no teacher had ever run after Kyle before except the author ."
},
"options": [
"the author left her family to Florida because jobs were hard to come by in Indiana.",
"students were allowed to go out after they passed some specific ... | It had been a difficult move. I'd left my family and friends in Indiana, the beloved state where I'd lived most of my life. My new home in Florida was thousands of miles away from anything I knew. It was hot--all the time. Jobs were hard to come by, but I was up for almost any challenge.
At last, I taught in a special school where students have severe learning and behavioral difficulties.
Another teacher and I had spent weeks teaching the children appropriate behavior for public outings. Unexpectedly, only a few students, including Kyle, had not earned the privilege of going. He was determined to make his disappointment known.
In the corridor between classrooms, he began screaming, cursing, spitting, and swinging at anything within striking distance. Once his outburst died down, he did what he'd done when he was angry at all his other schools, at home, even once at a juvenile detention center. He ran.
People watched in disbelief as Kyle dashed straight into the heavy morning traffic in front of the school.
I heard someone shout, "Call the police!"
But I ran after him.
Kyle was at least a foot taller than me. And he was fast. His older brothers were track stars at the nearby high school. But I could run long distances without tiring. I would at least be able to keep him in my sight and know he was alive.
After several blocks of running directly into oncoming traffic, Kyle slowed his pace.
He took a sharp left. Standing next to a trash bin, Kyle bent over with his hands on his knees. I must have looked ridiculous. But his was not a look of fear. I saw his body relax. He did not attempt to run again. Kyle stood still and watched me approach. I had no idea what I was going to say or do, but I kept walking closer.
He opened his mouth to speak when a police car pulled up, abruptly filling the space between Kyle and me. The school principal and an officer got out. They spoke calmly to Kyle, who willingly climbed into the back of the vehicle. I couldn't hear what was said, but I didn't take my eyes off Kyle's face, even as they drove away.
I couldn't help but feel that I had failed him, that I should have done or said more, that I should have fixed the situation.
I shared my feelings with a speech therapist who was familiar with Kyle's history. "No one ever ran after him before, Rachel," she said. "No one. They just let him go."
Things changed the day he ran and I ran after him, even though I didn't have the right words, even though I wasn't able to save him from the mess he was in. It was the day I didn't throw my hands in the air and decide he was too fast, a waste of time and effort , a lost cause. It was the day my mere presence was enough to make a profound difference. | high4282.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a stimulus"
},
"options": [
"a response",
"a stimulus",
"a great paying job",
"an expensive car"
],
"question": "The writer strongly believes that happiness is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
}... | Are you happy? Do you remember a time when you were happy? Are you seeking happiness today?
Many have sought a variety of sources for their feelings of happiness. Some have put their heart and effort into their work. Too many have turned to drugs and alcohol. Most of their efforts have a root in one common fact: People are looking for a lasting source of happiness.
Unfortunately, I believe that happiness escapes many because they misunderstand the process and journey of finding it. I have heard many people say that, "I'll be happy when I get my new promotion." Or "I'll be happy when I lose that extra 20 pounds." The list goes on and on. You probably have a few of your own you could add if you wanted.
_ is dangerous because it presupposes that happiness is a "response" to having, being or doing something. In life, we all experience stimulus and response. Stimulus is when a dog barks at you and bares his teeth. Response is when your heart beats faster, your palms get sweaty and you prepare to run. Today, some people think that an expensive car is a stimulus. Happiness is a response. A great paying job is a stimulus. Happiness is a response. A loving relationship is a stimulus. Happiness is a response. This belief leaves us thinking and feeling: " I'll be happy when..."
It has been my finding that actually the opposite is true. I believe that happiness is a stimulus and response is what life brings to those who are truly happy. When we are happy, we tend to have more success in our work. When we are happy, people want to be around us and enjoy loving relationships. When we are happy, we more naturally take better care of our bodies and enjoy good health. Happiness is NOT a response--rather, it is a stimulus.
Happiness is a conscious choice we make every day of our lives. For unknown reason to me, many choose to be painful, unsuccessful and angry most of the time. Happiness is not something that happens to us after we get something we want--we usually get things we want AFTER we choose to be happy.
I have made only one simple rule for my own happiness: Every day above ground is a GOOD day. Therefore, I tend to have a lot of good (and happy) days continually. | high20277.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "were in financial difficulty"
},
"options": [
"were employed by a truck company",
"worked in a school cafeteria",
"were in financial difficulty",
"lost their home"
],
"question": "According go the text, the Fuss... | A year ago August, Dave Fuss lost his job driving a truck for a small company in west Michigan. His wife, Gerrie, was still working in the local school cafeteria , but work for Dave was scarce (,), and the price of everything was rising. The Fusses were at risk of joining the millions of Americans who have lost their homes in recent years. Then Dave and Gerrie received a timely gift--$7,000,a legacy from their neighbors Ish and Arlene Hatch, who died in an accident . " It really made a difference when we were going under financially, " says Dave.
But the Fusses weren't the only folks in Alto and the neighboring town of Lowell to receive unexpected legacy from the Hatches. Dozens of other families were touched by the Hatches' generosity. In some cases, it was a few thousand dollars ; in others, it was more than $100,000.
It surprised nearly everyone that the Hatches had so much money, more than $3 million--they were an elderly couple who lived in an old house on what was left of the family farm .
Children of the Great Depression, Ish and Arlene were known for their habit of saving, They thrived on comparison shopping and would routinely go from store to store, checking prices before making a new purchase .
Through the years, the Hatches paid for local children to attend summer camp when their parents couldn't afford it. "Ish and Arlene never asked if you needed anything," says their friend Sand Van Weelden, "They could see things they could do to make you happier, and they would do them.
Even more extraordinary was that the Hatches had their farmland distributed (;). It was the Hatches' wish that their legacy--a legacy of kindness as much as one of dollars and cents should enrich the whole community and last for generations to come.
Neighbors helping neighbors ----that was Ish and Arlene Hatch's story. | high646.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because the earth throws back sunlight onto the moon."
},
"options": [
"Because the sun shines on the moon's surface.",
"Because the earth throws back sunlight onto the moon.",
"Because the moon throws back the light from the... | Except for the sun, the moon looks like the biggest object in the sky. Actually it is one of the smallest, and only looks big because it is so near to us. Its diameter is only 2,160 miles (3,389 km), or a little more than a quarter of the diameter of the earth.
Once a month, or more exactly, once every 29.5 days, at the time we call "full moon," its whole _ looks bright. At other times only part of it appears bright, and we always find that this is the part which faces towards the sun, while the part racing away from the sun appears dark. People could make their pictures better if they kept this in mind -- only those parts of the moon which are lighted up by the sun are bright. This shows that the moon gives no light of its own. It only throws back the light of the sun, like a huge mirror hung in the sky.
Yet the dark part of the moon's surface is not ly black; generally it is just light enough for us to be able to see its outline, so that we speak of seeing "the old moon in the new moon's arms." The light by which we see the old moon does not come from the sun, but from the earth. We know well how the surface of the sea or of snow, or even of a wet road, may throw back uncomfortably much of the sun's light onto our faces. In the same way the surface of the whole earth throws back enough of the sun's light on to the face of the moon for us to be able to see the parts of it which would otherwise be dark. | high23756.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "offer some websites that may help students"
},
"options": [
"explain some websites for parents",
"compare some educational websites",
"introduce different parts of a website",
"offer some websites that may help students... | Whether you're having problems with your homework or you're preparing for your term paper, these student-focused websites can help you with anything you need. The key to getting the most out of these online resources is to know how they can best be used to your advantage.
Facebook
Although Facebook can be one of your biggest time-wasters and distractions when you are supposed to be getting work done, it can also be one of your most valuable resources. Most of your classmates will probably have a Facebook account, so anyone you need to connect with about a class you missed or about a problem is usually just a few clicks away.
SparkNotes
With a free library of history timeline, philosophy study guides and library summaries, and essays, SparkNotes has covered just about any reading-related jam you find yourself in, just run a search for the book, play, or short summary of the material you are supposed to read.
Amazon.com
Do you finish every term with many expensive textbooks you will never open again? Instead of letting the money spent go to waste, get back some of your cash by selling your books on Amazon.
Wikipedia
While Wikipedia isn't aimed specifically at students, it is difficult to think of another website that does more to reduce the pain of paper writing and researching. Wikipcdia gives you a quick way to find sources and get the details of almost any topic you need to research-----all without walking to the library. | high8490.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Parents."
},
"options": [
"Parents.",
"Students.",
"Writers.",
"Teachers."
],
"question": "Who will probably be interested in this passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_inde... | Are you looking for a summer reading list for your child or teen? Keep your child reading all summer with this selection of 2012 summer reading lists.
Books for primary school students
Kenneth Cadow: Alfie Runs Away
When his mother wants to give away his favorite shoes just because they're too small, Alfie decides he's had enough.
Kate Feiffer: My Side of the Car
It might be raining on Dad's side of the car, but imaginative Sadie argues that it is not raining on her side, so their trip to the zoo doesn't need to be put off.
Books for high school students
Flinn: Beastly
A modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from the point of view of the Beast, a proud Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return.
Lord: A Night to Remember
A description of the sinking of the " Titanic". a reputedly unsinkable ship that went down in the Atlantic on April 10, 1912 after hitting an iceberg, resulting in the deaths of over l, 500 people.
Books for high school students
Mark Twain: Huckleberry Finn
It's Mark Twain's classic story about a young man and his slave Jim. They travel upriver to escape slavery and in the process Huck discovers what it J11cans to be a man. It teaches us about the value of friendship and sacrifice.
Charles Dickens: Great Expectations
It is about a young man named Pip who inherits ( ) a great deal of wealth from an unknown source.The money quickly moves him up the scale in London.however, at the same time it also teaches him about the dangers of ambition. | high22448.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Xi's visit made this restaurant extreme popular among consumers"
},
"options": [
"the foods in the restaurant have to be updated.",
"the restaurant is shorthanded at present.",
"Xi's visit made this restaurant extreme popular... | Cooks at the Qingfeng Steamed Bun Shop in west Beijing can't make the pork and scallion baozi (buns) fast enough since Xi Jinping visited for some traditional workers' food and ate it among the workers.
The Chinese president's visit late last month went down a treat, while web commentators were enthusiastic in their praise for Xi's easy populism, after he left the government headquarters in nearby Zhongnanhai and ordered six steamed buns filled with pork and scallions, a bowl of stewed pig liver and a plate of green vegetables.
The bill came to 21 yuan, about EUR2.50, and he sat and finished it at one of the restaurant tables, just like any other working Joe. While Xi is known as "President Xi" abroad, in China he is known as "Chairman Xi", in the same way as the country's late founding father Mao Zedong is known as "chairman Mao".
The Chinese government is keen for its leaders to have the president title abroad, as it sounds, well, more presidential. But in Qingfeng, it's all about the chairman.
"Since Chairman Xi came here, the restaurant has had queues like this every day. We didn't know the chairman was coming beforehand. We only recognized him when he was at the window picking up his food because he also waited in the line," says a waitress.
Xi is building up a reputation as a more approachable kind of leader, a man of the people - something people in Ireland got a taste of when they saw how he handled a hurley in Croke Park during his visit.
There were rumours last year that Xi even took a taxi to ask the driver what was really going on in Beijing, although that may have been a _ . While his predecessor Hu Jintao was seen as a theorist, Xi's public profile is high. | high9956.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "90km."
},
"options": [
"50km.",
"90km.",
"130km.",
"250km."
],
"question": "Which of the following distance does the author suggest to ordinary cyclists a day?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": ... | Tips for Cycle Trips
Cycling has many advantages as a form of travel, as it is the fastest way to travel by human Power, and slow enough to allow the type of local involvement that is impossible with powered travel.Cycle travel is a cheap form of transportation.
Distance
On level terrain ,without a headwind, a cyclist of average fitness on a touring bike can comfortably cover 60-120km a day.Distances of up to 250km a day are possible, but anything much beyond 120km will require considerable physical tension and not allow many stops to enjoy the places you visit.For many,80-100km a day will be the most suitable distance to aim for, as it
will give a sense of achievement and also leave plenty of time for meals and activities.
Geography
The gradient of the trip will reduce your range.A basic rule is that for every 100 metres of altitude you climb, you should add an extra 15 minutes to your journey time.In hilly or mountainous areas, the easiest routes for cycling are downstream along major rivers, as overall they will be downhill.A long, roundabout route along a river will usually be easier than a short, direct route over a hill or mountain pass.However, it is worth bearing in mind that the most scenic routes often come from hilly terrain.
Eat
Food choice depends largely on where you are, so see the respective sections for more information about foods. As you will be working hard, it's important to get enough energy in your food. On long trips away from major towns-there may be little quality food available, so be prepared to live on candy bars, prepared meat products and the like if the need arises.
Sleep
While you can take a tent with you, many hotels and especially campsites can accommodate cyclists. However, there are also some hotels that may be less used to accommodating cyclists.If you are exploring an unfamiliar word, asking about the accommodation spares you the search for a new place to stay after a long exhausting day of travel. | high11082.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "he travelled to many places"
},
"options": [
"he was only fond of botany",
"he travelled to many places",
"his family was not very rich",
"he hadn't much dream about his future"
],
"question": "When Banks was yo... | Joseph Banks was born in 1743,the only son of a wealthy land-owning family. From an early age, he was interested in natural history, and in particular, botany. In the early 1760 's he chose to make this dream to the full. In 1766 he travelled to Newfoundland and Labrador to collect plants, animals and rocks.
For him, joining Captain Cook' s 1768 expedition to Tahiti was like a present- day scientist being given the chance of a trip to another planet, a chance to study new plants in unknown lands.
They made collections and observations in South America, Tahiti and New Zealand before reaching Australia. His major landfalls on the eastern coast of Australia were at Botany Bay and at the Endeavor River. He thought collection of plants was grown so large that it was necessary that some extraordinary care should be taken of them in case they should destroy. The plant material collected and sorted on the voyage was huge, with the herbarium specimens about 1300 new species.
After returning from this voyage, Banks travelled to Scotland, Wales, Holland and Iceland, collecting more and more _ . Among many other activities, without thinking running out of his money, he controlled the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and was a Trustee of the British Museum. Although Linneaus' suggestion of naming the new country of Australia "Banksia" was not accepted, Banks' name was bestowed upon Australian plants and he made his mark upon Australian history in other ways, later he became the well-known authority on matters relating to New South Wales. He had a great impact on the study of natural history in both Britain and Australia. He died in 1820. | high21141.txt |
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