questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "is very special"
},
"options": [
"is very big",
"is very tough",
"is very special",
"is good for health"
],
"question": "We can learn from the text that the tomato grown by Rod Matless _ .",
"question_typ... | It's not often a tomato that is described as so sweet "whenever people see it they just want to hug"-but this was no ordinary piece of fruit.
The heart-shaped tomato was grown by the retired worker, Rod Matless, who said he was surprised when he noticed it in his field. Mr. Matless, 69, who had a heart attack a few years ago, was so _ the fruit that he decided to sell it and donate the money to the British Heart Foundation. The 64 g tomato was bought for$16 on eBay by woman from Wales - who said she planned to give it to someone special.
Mr. Matless, of Wymondham, near Norwich, said:"I spent a couple of days thinking about what to do with it and I wasn't really sure, but this seems like a good use. I hope it will do someone somewhere a bit of good." He added:"It's very sweet - whenever people see it they just want to hug it." But with the tomato's freshness a key factor, Mr. Matless was up against the clock to send it to its new owner before it went bad. He said:"I didn't want to send someone something horrible. I probably could have raised a bit more money with more time but I was worried about it."
"It will certainly make a nice present for a loved one. I hope that they like it and I'm glad I got to help. It's all been very good fun and I've really enjoyed growing this very special tomato." | high10956.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The researchers will go on proving their theory."
},
"options": [
"The researchers will go on proving their theory.",
"The leading researcher learns the theory from the magazine.",
"Charcoal was discovered 1,500 years ago.",
... | In South America, the rich soil of the Amazon River basin in Brazil is known as "black gold". Scientists found that the secret of this rich soil was charcoal . Local people made it from animal bones and tree branches. They mixed the charcoal with the soil about 1.500 years ago.
Now, scientists in the United States have done a modern demonstration. They say charcoal fertilization offers a revolutionary way to improve soil quality for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Mingxin Guo and his team at Delavare State University heated tree leaves, corn stalks , small pieces of wood and poultry waste into "biochar" . They reported their findings at a recent meeting of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans.
Biochar could be good news for farmers with poor soil and hungry populations to feed. Professor Guo says it could even help against global warming. Intensive farming and overuse of chemical fertilizer give out carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Biochar does the opposite, he says. It traps carbon in the ground.
The researchers planted winter wheat in containers of soil in a greenhouse -- some with biochar, some without. Professor Guo says the wheat grows much better in the pots with biochar. The soil was added two percent charcoal to. But he says even a one percent treatment will increase productivity.
The results demonstrated that biochar can increase organic matter in soil. Loss of nutrients in soil is an increasing problem worldwide as farmers try to grow more food for growing populations.
Next, the team will carry out a five-year study of biochar with spinach , green peppers and tomatoes.
Mingxin Guo says he learns about the "black gold" in Brazil from a magazine story. He explains that it was discovered in the jungle, in the area where waters flow to the Amazon, in the 1960's. But it was not until recent years that scientists began to bring public attention to it. | high4860.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Pierre Paul's and his grandmother's encouragement."
},
"options": [
"That he was born in a poor family.",
"His strong belief and his hard struggle.",
"His great achievements in his university.",
"Pierre Paul's and his g... | Roger Rolls was the first black governor in the history of New York State, USA. He was born in one of New York's notorious slums. The children born here rarely did decent work after they grew up. However, Roger Rolls was an exception, for he was not only admitted to the university, but also he became a governor. At his inaugural press conference, a reporter asked him, "What made you become the governor?" Faced with more than 300 journalists, Rolls did not mention his struggle but only spoke of his primary school schoolmaster---Pierre Paul.
In 1961, Pierre Paul was engaged as the director and principle of Nobita Primary School. When he entered this school, he found the children here didn't cooperate with the teachers. Pierre thought up many ways to guide them, but none was effective. Later, he found these children were very superstitious , so when he gave lectures, he added a program of palm reading as a means of fortune-telling, with which he encouraged the students.
When Rolls Jumped from the hathpace and walked to the platform with his small hands stretched out, Pierre Paul said, "As soon as I see your slender little fingers, I know you will be the governor of New York State in future." At that moment, Rolls was shocked because only his grandmother inspired him once, saying that he could become the governor of New York State, so he remembered that remark and believed him.
From that day on, the "New York State Governor" was like a banner that constantly inspired him to study energetically and make progress. Rolls no longer stained his clothes with mud, nor did he speak in foul language. He began to straighten his back when he was walking. In the next more than 40 years, he demanded himself according to the identity of a governor. At the age of 51, he finally became the governor of New York State.
Put up a banner of faith for yourself and you will have the drive to struggle and the vitality of life. | high13287.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "they stand face to face with one of their hands held together"
},
"options": [
"the girl places one arm around the man's waist",
"the man puts one hand on the girl's shoulder",
"they stand face to face with one of their hands... | Some dances gain more popularity than others because they can be performed to different kinds of music and the steps change accordingly. One such dance is waltz .
There is a basic form for waltz, which you can see in this drawing of a dancing couple. The man places one arm around the woman's waist and she places her opposite hand on his shoulder. Then, they stretch their other arms out from their bodies and clasp hand. If someone tries to teach you a formal kind of dancing, chances are your teacher will start with the waltz. Have you ever tried to dance like this?
There are lots of different kinds of waltz, all performed to different types of waltz music. The music might be fast or slow but what they all have is a regular one-two-three, one-two-three rhythm.
The traditional form is the old-school waltz in which dancers turn all the time with a hopping , springy step. This waltz has a slow, smooth, gliding step. There's also the Mexican waltz, which moves much faster. Listen to this Mexican waltz music and you can imagine how fast the dancers had to move.
Formal dancing has even become a profession, with people entering competitions. Have you ever seen a formal dance competition?
Today, ballroom dancing is almost considered a competitive sport; professionals perform different dances, each with strict rules. Everything from where the dancers place their hands to how they move is judged. In the glide waltz, dancers are judged by how smoothly they move. " I can dance with a glass of water on my head," is a well known sentence used by skilled dancers in the old days. In the past, some people learned how to dance by reading books, while others studied with a teacher called the "dancing master." How do people learn to dance today? | high23344.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because they never stopped printing it and it finally proved successful."
},
"options": [
"Because they never stopped printing it and it finally proved successful.",
"Because they earned a lot thanks to books of high quality they p... | War Horse author Michael Morpurgo is being interviewed:
Reporter:How did War Horse become so successful?
Michael:War Horse was published in 1982,and it did not sell very well.But my publishers kept it in print,along with all my books.I am very grateful to Egmont and I'm sure now they are very grateful to themselves.
The book was discovered 21 years later,by accident.I was on Desert Island Discs on Radio 4 in 2003 when my work was becoming better known.One of the listeners was the mother of a director called Tom Morris,and after reading War Horse herself she told her son to read it.Two years later the play came out,and it was a huge hit that went to the West End,Broadway and now Canada and Australia,then a nationwide American tour in June this year.
In 2009 kathy kennedy,the producer who worked with Steven Spielberg,walked into the New London Theatre to see the play because her daughter liked it very much.She then phoned Spielberg and told him this would be his next film!The way it all happened is better than any of my stories.War Horse has now sold over 1 million copies.
Reporter:Has War Horse changed your life?
Michael:It has made all the difference in the world.The most important gift it has given us is not to have to worry about money,because there has always been a slight anxiety.It has allowed us to ensure our grandchildren's education.There is a disadvantage to it as well,which is an assumption that I am super rich.I'm not,actually.It is very nice and completely unexpected but I have got to go on writing.If I were younger,I think,it would go to my head.Now I am too old for anything to go to my head.It is not the same as winning the lottery . | high1918.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "cause travelers to pay more for accommodation"
},
"options": [
"help travelers pass time",
"attract lots of travelers to theUK",
"allow travelers to make flexible plans",
"cause travelers to pay more for accommodation"
... | Planning a visit to the UK? Here we help with ways to cut your costs.
AVOID BIG EVENTS Big sporting events, concerts and exhibitions can increase the cost of accommodation and make it harder to find a room. A standard double room at the Thistle Brighton on the final Friday of the Brighton Comedy Festival(19 Oct.) cost PS169. 15 at Booking.com. A week later, the same room costPS 118.15
If you can be flexible and want to know dates to avoid--or you're looking for a big event to pass your time--check out sites such as Whatsonwhen.com, which allow you to search for events in the UK by city, date and category.
STAYAWAY FROM THE STATIONIf traveling to your destination by train, you may want to find a good base close to the station, but you could end up paying more for the sake of convenience at the start of your holiday.
Don't be too choosy about the part of town you stay in. Booking two months in advance, the cheapest room at Travelodge's Central Euston hotel inLondonfor Saturday 22 September was PS95.95. A room just a tube journey away at itsCovent Gardenhotel was PS75.75. And at Farringdon, a double room cost just PS62.95.
LOOK AFTER YOURSELFReally central hotels in cities such asLondon,EdinburghandCardiffcan cost a fortune, especially at weekends and during big events. As an alternative consider checking into a self-catering flat with its own kitchen. Often these flats are hidden away on the top floors of city centre buildings. A great example is the historic O'Neill Flat onEdinburgh's Royal Mile, available for PS420 for five days in late September, with room for four adults.
GET ON A BIKELondon's 'Boris bikes' have attracted the most attention, but other cities also have similar programmes that let you rent a bicycle and explore at your own pace, saving you on public transport or car parking costs.
Among the smaller cities with their own programmes areNewcastle(casual members pay around PS1.50 for two hours) andCardiff(free for up to 30 minutes, or PS5 per day). | high8082.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It makes you harm or hurt others on purpose."
},
"options": [
"It makes you lose heart and gets discouraged.",
"It has you feel motivated.",
"It makes you harm or hurt others on purpose.",
"It reminds you to struggle to... | Envy seems to be bad-but it doesn't have to be. Researchers are finding that, if approached the right way, there can actually be an advantage.
Psychologists classify envy in two ways: negative and positive. With positive envy, you are motivated by another person's success and struggle to follow it. With negative envy, you want to cut the advantaged person down so you look better by comparison. Let's say you feel sufferings of envy after your rival at another firm gets promoted. Negative envy might drive you to destroy his success, but positive envy would inspire you to work harder and get promoted, too.
Studies show positive envy can be a great motivator . In a 2011 study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, researchers in the Netherlands conducted a series of experiments with more than 200 university students. Researchers found that when they caused feelings of positive envy----as opposed to admiration or negative envy----in the students, it drove them to want to study more and perform better on a test measuring creativity and intelligence. While admiration may feel better, the researchers found, it doesn't motivate performance like the pain and frustration of envy.
"Those painful sufferings of envy are there for an evolutionary reason," says Texas Christian University researcher Sarah E. Hill, "warning us that someone has something of importance to us." Building on this theory, Dr. Hill and others conducted a series of experiments, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, to test whether envy improves attention and memory----the tools needed to copy a rival's steps to success. In one experiment, half of the participants were asked to recall past feelings of envy; the other half weren't. The two groups were then shown mock interviews of imaginary peers. The group filled with envy paid closer attention and better recalled details about the interview subjects. In other words, envy made them more astute . Not only can envy motivate us to reach for higher goals, it may even give us the cognitive push to get there. | high12199.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a weatherman"
},
"options": [
"his medicine man",
"his tribe people",
"a telephone",
"a weatherman"
],
"question": "The chief decided to take a modern approach, so he turned to _ .",
"question_type": "cloz... | It's hard to predict the weather in the near future. It's even more difficult to know what the climate of the coming season is like. Now you know the winter of 2011/12 was not warm but a freezing one/ many people in the Northern Hemisphere died of cold. but a Native American tribe was fortunate enough to survive the terrible winter because of what was foretold by a weatherman.
One day in early September o 2011 the chief of the Native American tribe was asked by his tribal elders if the winter was going to be cold or mild. The chief asked his _ , but the man also had lost touch with the reading signs from the natural world around the Great Lakes.
In truth, neither of them had idea about how to predict the coming winter. However, the chief decided to take a modern approach, and rang the National Weather Service in Gaylord Michigan.
"Yes, it is going to be a cold winter," the weatherman told the chief. Consequently, the chief went back to his tribe and told his tribe people to collect plenty of firewood.
A fortnight later the chief called the National Weather Service and asked for an update. "Are you still forecasting a cold winter?" he asked.
"Yes, very cold," the weatherman told him.
As a result of this brief conversation the chief went back to the tribe people to collect every bit of wood they could find.
A month later the chief called the National Weather Service once more and asked about the coming winter. "Yes," he was told, "it s going to be one of the coldest winters ever."
The weatherman was right! And the Native American tribe went comfortably through the terrifying winter. The chief was thankful and curious. He rang the weatherman again and asked, "How can you be so sure about it tat it was freezing winter?"
The weatherman replied, "Because the Native American tribe of the Great Lakes are collecting wood like crazy." | high13293.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To open up a new frontier."
},
"options": [
"To study ocean creatures in the deepest valley.",
"To prove his strong will and perseverance.",
"To get support from National Geographic.",
"To open up a new frontier."
]... | In James Cameron's fantasy films, such as Avatar and The Abyss, the unexplored is decorated in color and filled with alien danger. But on his dive to the deepest place on Earth, which took place on a Sunday last month, reality proved far different: white, deserted, and dull.
"I felt like I literally had gone to another planet and come back," Cameron said after returning from the cold, dark place in the western Pacific Ocean, nearly 7 miles (11km) below the surface. "It was a very fantastic day." Cameron is the first person to explore the deepest valley in the ocean since two men made a 20-minute trip there in 1960.
He spent about three hours gliding through the icy darkness, brightened only by lights on the one-man sub . This deepest section of the Mariana Trench is so untouched that at first it appeared dull. But there's something strangely interesting about the first pieces of video that Cameron shot -- a sense of aloneness.
"It's really the sense of isolation, realizing how tiny you are down in this big, black and unexplored place," the Titanic director said. The wordless minute-long video, released by sponsor National Geographic, shows Cameron's sub gliding across what he calls "the very soft, almost gelatinous flat plain."
To Cameron, the main thing was to appreciate being there. "There had to be a moment where I just stopped, and took it in, and said, ' _ What does that mean?'" Cameron told reporters during a conference call. The trip was only about half as long as planned because Cameron's battery ran low. He said he would return and film it in 3D for later viewing.
"I see this as the beginning," Cameron said. "It's not a one-time deal and then moving on. This is the beginning of opening up this new frontier." | high240.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Jonathan Dillon."
},
"options": [
"Lincoln himself.",
"Brent",
"Jonathan Dillon.",
"Doug Stiles."
],
"question": "Who wrote the message in Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch?",
"question_type": "factiod_question... | A "secret" message, unseen for almost 150 years and making the start of the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865), has been uncovered in Abraham Lincoln's gold pocket watch, prefix = st1 /U.S.media reported on Wednesday.
"Lincolnnever knew of the message he carried in his pocket," Brent D. Glass, director of the National Museum of American History said in a statement.
The message, which was engraved by an Irish immigrant and watchmaker named Jonathan Dillon, is dated April 13, 1861, and reads in part: "FortSumpter[sic] was attacked by the rebels" and "thank God we have a government."
"It's a personal side of history about an ordinary watchman being inspired to record something for _ ," Glass said.
The museum decided to open the watch after being contacted by the watchmaker's great-great-grandson, Doug Stiles, who had received a letter from a in Ireland. It said that the family had found a letter Dillon had written about the purported message in the watch.
Then Stiles, a 57 -year-old real estate lawyer in Waukegan,Illinois, searched on the Internet and found a New York Times article from 1906, where Dillon told the story at the age of 84.
During the interview, Dillon said that he unscrewed the dial of the watch and wrote on the metal as soon as he heard the news about the first shot of the Civil War. "The first gun is fired. Slavery is dead. Thank God we have a President who at least will try."
However, the actual message that the museum found is different from what Dillon recalled. It reads, "Jonathan Dillon, April 13-1861, Fort Sumpter [sic] was attacked by the rebels on the above date J Dillon, April 13 -1861, Washington, thank God we have a government, Jonth Dillon." | high23350.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "have electric power to assist when needed"
},
"options": [
"have large engines to deal with accelerating",
"have conventional brakes to slow down the car",
"have electric power to assist when needed",
"have no energy co... | Hybrid cars are cars that run on petrol and electricity. They have a small standard petrol engine and a battery electric motor to provide electric power.
There are some differences between different models of hybrid cars, but the general principle is that the car runs on petrol, and the electric motor kicks in when additional power is required, for example, when going uphill or accelerating. In some hybrid cars the petrol engine turns itself off when not needed, for example when the car has stopped at traffic light, keeping only the electric engine running.
Conventional cars have large engines to deal with driving uphill and accelerating. Hybrid cars have much smaller petrol engines, improved by electric motors when needed, so they use less petrol. Another way that fuel consumption is cut is by a system of "regenerative braking". The electric motor is used to slow down the car, rather than conventional brakes. The energy produced by slowing the car is changed into electrical power, which is automatically stored in the battery. In effect, the battery recharges when you brake. In conventional cars the energy produced when braking is wasted.
In 1928 Ferdinand Porsche built an experimental hybrid car. The first mass-produced hybrid car, the Toyota Prius, came out in Japan at the end of 1997. However, hybrid cars became available in the USA only in 1999. As they use less fuel, hybrid cars are cheaper to run. There are also many voices in place to encourage people to buy them. In some countries, hybrid car owners pay a lower rate of tax, and don't have to pay on certain roads. In some cities, hybrid cars are allowed to park for free. | high9388.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Computer words."
},
"options": [
"Computer technology.",
"Computer history.",
"Computer words.",
"Computer experts."
],
"question": "What is the passage mainly talking about?",
"question_type": null
},
{... | Computer technology has become a major part of people's lives. This technology has its own special words. One example is the word mouse. A computer mouse is not a small animal that lives in buildings and open fields. It is a small device that you move around on a flat surface in front of a computer. The mouse moves the pointer on the computer screen.
Computer expert Douglas Engelbart developed the idea for the mouse in the early 1960s. The first computer mouse was a carved block of wood with two metal wheels. It was called a mouse because it had a tail at one end. The tail was the wire that connected it to the computer.
Using a computer takes some training. People who are experts are sometimes called hakers. A hacker is usually a person who writes software programs in a special computer language. But the word hacker is also used to describe a person who tries to steal information from computer systems.
Another well-known computer word is Google. It is the name of a popular "search engine" for the Internet. People use the search engine to find information about almost any subject on the Internet. The people who started the company named it Google because in maths, google is an extremely large number. It is the number one followed by 100 zeros.
When you "Google" a subject, you can get a large amount of information about it . Some people like to google their friends or themselves to see how many times their names appears on the Internet.
If you Google someone, you might find that person's name on a blog. A blog is the shortened name for a Web log. A blog is a personal Web page. It may contain stories, comments, pictures and links to other Web sites. Some people add information to their blogs every day. People who have blogs are called bloggers.
Blogs are not the same as spam. Spam is unwanted sales messages sent to your electronic mailbox. The name is based on a funny joke many years ago on a British television show, " Monty Python's Flying Circus". Some friends are at an eating place that only serves a processed meat product from the United States called SPAM. Every time the friends try to speak, another group of people starts singing the word SPAM very loudly. This interferes with the friends' discussion---just as unwanted sales messages interfere with communication over the Internet. | high8096.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he loves his family members truly, whether they are in good conditions or not"
},
"options": [
"he loves her because he believes that she is sure to receive a raise",
"he has a great way to promote his wife's love towards him",
... | Freda Bright says, _ ." It's true.You really can't love somebody to death.I've known people to die from no love, but I've never known anyone to be loved to death.We just can't love one another enough.
A heart-warming story tells of a woman who finally decided to ask her boss for a raise in salary.All day she felt nervous and late in the afternoon she summoned the courage to approach her employer.To her delight, the boss agreed to a raise.
The woman arrived home that evening to a beautiful table set with their best dishes.Candles were softly glowing.Her husband had come home early and prepared a festive meal.She wondered if someone from the office had tipped him off, or...did he just somehow know that she would not get turned down?
She found him in the kitchen and told him the good news.They embraced and kissed, then sat down to the wonderful meal.Next to her plate the woman found a beautifully lettered note.It read: "Congratulations, darling! I knew you'd get the raise! These things will tell you how much I love you."
Following the supper, her husband went into the kitchen to clean up.She noticed that a second card had fallen from his pocket.Picking it off the floor, she read: "Don't worry about not getting the raise! You deserve it anyway! These things will tell you how much I love you."
Someone has said that the measure of love is when you love without measure.What this man feels for his wife is total acceptance and love, whether she succeeds or fails.His love celebrates her victories and soothes her wounds.He stands with her, no matter what life throws in their direction.
Upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa said: "What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family." And love your friends.Love them without measure. | high20881.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "different breakfast or sometimes none"
},
"options": [
"no breakfast at all",
"different breakfast or sometimes none",
"very rich breakfast",
"little food for breakfast"
],
"question": "During the test, the peop... | Will it matter if you don't have your breakfast? A short time ago, a test was given in the United States. People of different ages, from 12 to 83, were asked to have a test. During the test, these people were given all kinds of breakfasts, and sometimes they got no breakfast at all. Scientists wanted to see how well their bodies worked when they had different kinds of breakfasts.
The rules show that if a person eats a right breakfast, he or she will work better than if he or she has no breakfast. If a student has fruit , eggs, bread and milk before going to school ,he or she will learn more quickly and listen more carefully in class.
The result is opposite to what some people think. Having no breakfast will not help them lose weight. This is because they are so hungry at noon that eat too much for lunch. They will gain weight instead of losing it. You will lose weight if you reduce your other meals. | high11484.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It will raise the alarm when the driver breaks the traffic rules."
},
"options": [
"It will raise the alarm when the driver breaks the traffic rules.",
"It usually produces fewer false alarms.",
"It helps drivers avoid potent... | The monitor "watches" deceleration (=slow down) and distance from a light - and "guesses" which cars are likely to break the Highway Code.
Most importantly, the software can provide two seconds' warning if someone else is about to shoot across a crossroads - enough time for other drivers to hit the brakes.
Jonathan How, the Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT, says "smart" cars of the future may use the system to help drivers foresee and avoid potential accidents.
The researchers tested the algorithm on data collected from an intersection in Virginia, finding that it accurately identified potential violators within a couple of seconds of reaching a red light -- enough time, according to the researchers, for other drivers at an intersection to be able to react to the threat if alerted .
Compared to other efforts to model driving behavior, the MIT algorithm brought fewer false alarms, an important advantage for systems providing guidance to human drivers.
The researchers report their findings in a paper that will appear in the journal IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems. | high21547.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To attract tourists."
},
"options": [
"To give some advice on diving.",
"To introduce the popular destinations.",
"To teach diving skills.",
"To attract tourists."
],
"question": "What's the author's purpose in ... | Barefoot Traveler is a tour agent that specializes in diving holidays,tailor-made to your own needs.The most popular destinations include Bonaire,Tobago,the Bahamas, Maldives,Oman,Seychelles and Thailand.
Our friendly and knowledgeable staff,who are qualified divers themselves,will be able to advise you on the best destinations for your requirements.
Whether you want to learn to dive,further your diving qualifications,continue to discover the underwater world,or simply relax on the beach,we are here'to help organize your holiday.
We are happy to satisfy single travelers and offer special discounts .
Group discounts are offered to groups of eight or more travelers and tailor-made packages are available for Dive Clubs.
We also offer a series of diving liveaboard choices throughout the Caribbean.Indian Ocean and South East Asia.Liveaboards are very popular scuba diving holidays for those who want to access the best diving sites.
Our barefoot luxury holiday brand is for those trying something a little more special,whether it's your honeymoon,anniversary or simply for more discerning travelers.We have a selection of 4 and 5 star levels which are the best in luxury holidays. | high20659.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "avoid getting upset in communicating with others"
},
"options": [
"admit he is a foreigner",
"save much time for himself",
"prevent himself from being laughed at",
"avoid getting upset in communicating with others"
... | "I don't speak English"-these are the first words I learned when I came to America. Soon I was able to pronounce the four words clearly, and said them whenever an American tried to talk to me. This answer was very effective at ending our conversation and saving me from another uncomfortable situation, or I would have to communicate in a language that I was not familiar with.
Before coming to the States, I thought I knew English pretty well. But the truth is that the grammar and vocabulary-based English that is taught in schools overseas is not the English people speak in America.
But fear not! Once you are in America, you can immediately begin to bridge the gap between the learned English that you already know, and the spoken English that is all around you. To do this, first of all, it is important not to fear when you realize that you may not be as prepared for daily communication as you thought. For me, as soon as I stopped worrying about my accent and started speaking, I made rapid progress. Often the people didn't notice my mistakes because they were so glad to finally be able to communicate with me.
Another good idea is to listen carefully and pay attention to the way in which ideas are expressed. For example, if you are working hard and you want to stop working and rest for a little while, you can either say "I would like to stop working and rest for a while" or "I want to take a quick break from work." The first sentence, I quickly learned, sounds dry and too formal for any kind of communication, while the second is an idiom that is widely used in American English conversation.
Finally, use what you already know---the vocabulary, the grammar and the spelling. Try to use these into the spoken language for more impressive and accurate speaking results. | high4874.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "living in a war zone"
},
"options": [
"struggling through university finals",
"preparing for interviews",
"tolerating a long distance travel",
"living in a war zone"
],
"question": "According to the author,you a... | Do you feel lucky? You probably don't. You may think you've got where you are today through willpower and hard work. We tend to overlook luck's role,and this seems to get worse the richer we get; surveys show that the wealthiest are least likely to owe their fortunes to good fortune. Many such people oppose taxation and government spending: why should others get a handout if they don't need one? More often than not,they vote against the very policies that helped them get lucky to begin with. In a recent Atlantic essay,Robert Frank,an economist who has studied attitudes to chance,quoted EB White: "Luck is not something you can mention in the presence of self-made men."
However, if we see this just as a problem of the super-rich people,we may let the rest of us off too easily. Anyone living in a highly developed economy in 2016 is already the one who benefits from luck--for example,not living in the modern-day Central African Republic, where few people can live a long life. In fact,we are lucky to have been born human. You might have been a battery hen,or a mayfly with only one day to live.
Our blindness to such truths isn't only because we're self-absorbed but also we attach more significance to things that are easier to call to mind. It's not hard to recall countless times when you put in the effort to succeed: struggling through university finals,preparing for job interviews,tolerating a long-distance travel to work. On the other hand,it's rather difficult to realize you're privileged--like not being born in a war zone,or before antibiotics ,and so forth. | high19966.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "killed at least eight babies inAnhuiProvince"
},
"options": [
"were all called 'Haobaobei'",
"were only sold inAnhuiProvince",
"were much cheaper than any other milk powders",
"killed at least eight babies inAnhuiProvin... | At least eight babies in East China'sprefix = st1 /AnhuiProvincehave died since last year. they died of serious deficiency disease which happened to them because of fake milk powders.
More than 100 other babies in Fuyang, mostly between three and five months old, are still in poor nutrition after drinking different kinds of cheap milk powders produced in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and Beijing.
The baby victims were born healthy, but they became thinner and thinner, and had large heads for their bodies after fake milk powders were fed to them.
"My girl, the first child of mine, died when she was only four months old after drinking the 'Haobaobei'milk powder."said Zhang Linwei, a 32-year-old villager of the Wangzhuang Village in Fuyang.
Zhang found that his daughter got ill after the girl didn't want to drink the milk powder any more half a month before.
"Before that , I though my daughter's face was becoming fatter and fatter because she was fed well and grew fast."the baby's father said.
The girl died nine days later after she was sent to hospital and all of the family's savings were spent on her medical treatment.
"It is like a terrible dream. I never thought that my baby would _ like this ."he said.
Zhang said he tried to telephone and write to the producer of the milk powder by the address on the packing bag but never made it.
"The fake milk powders only have 5-6 per cent protein and the lowest is has only 1 per cent. For babies, drinking such fake milk powder is no different from drinking water,"Zhang Fangjun, said a medical expert with the Fuyang People's Hospital.
"Such so-called milk powders cannot afford any nutrition for babies' growth," Zhang said. | high17793.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "computer viruses are always developing"
},
"options": [
"the newly published antivirus software is more expensive",
"the previous antivirus software cannot work longer than a week",
"the inventors of viruses have suggested th... | WASHINGTON--Considering the serious warnings lately about Internet viruses, users may be encouraged to unplug their machines just to keep them safe. In reality, common sense and a few basic tips can keep Internet surfers secure.
Antivirus software is a must, and it should be updated at least once a week to recognize newly released viruses.
People with broadband Internet connections should also have a firewall. These protect the computer from attacks by hackers.
Then it is time to think about computer habits. Unlike old viruses, which spread only through shared diskettes, the Internet brings viruses straight to the email-box. If email with attachment comes from an unknown sender, or unexpectedly from a known sender, it should not be opened.
On receipt of an unexpected attachment from a friend, experts suggest a telephone call to make sure of the mail's source before opening. | high21221.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "where they win popularity and enjoy themselves"
},
"options": [
"where they are instructed to behave themselves",
"a good place to prepare for the future",
"where they win popularity and enjoy themselves",
"a place that... | Surviving the boredom of a school day can be bad enough, but when you have to worry about school gangs as well it's enough to make any student want to stay at home and under the covers! Unfortunately, gang culture can be found in many British schools, and it brings with it negative, and dangerous, side effects. The presence of weapons at or near school, the appearance of graffiti on buildings and lockers, and pressure to blow off school work and exams all follow where the gangs lead. None of these things contribute to a good education, but for school gangs that's exactly the point - school is for being popular and having fun, not learning anything or preparing for the future. Keep these tips in mind and say goodbye to school gangs.
Know your own mind. Often it is those with low self-esteem and a poor self-image who become victims of school gangs. These students don't know their own mind or have a clear picture of what they would like to do in the future, so it is easy to be influenced by those who don't want to do any work today.
Keep yourself busy. School gangs often hang around at or near schools with no real reason. Students who have nothing scheduled can easily be sucked into these groups, but if you are busy, busy, busy and always on the move there will be less chance that you'll have the time to stay and "play".
Choose your friends wisely. With a core group of like-minded friends, it is much easier to stay away from school gangs because you simply don't need them. Remember that gangs are a source of power for members, but they can also be a source of intimidation.
Work hard and have fun. No one likes a teacher's pet, but school gangs in particular hate them. Work hard and have fun at school, but don't annoy anyone with extreme goody-two-shoes behaviour. School gangs can be a nightmare if you must deal with them constantly. Stay away from gang hangouts and gang members, and don't involve yourself in any gang related activities. | high6905.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "select the teams for the next rounds"
},
"options": [
"make the game more exciting",
"attract soccer fans at club level",
"raise funds for the organization",
"select the teams for the next rounds"
],
"question":... | It is football time again.Currently, the qualifying rounds are being played to decide which countries will send teams to the next World Cup.Some Soccer is becoming more and more popular on a worldwide scale and these qualifying legs are causing much excitement.
The game is popular at club level as well.Many fans go every week to support their teams, whether the event is a home or away one, hoping to get a result.They all hope an attacking game, with a lot of goals being scored.Obviously, they do not want to see a boring, defensive match where the players are aimlessly passing the ball to each other.
Sadly, not all the action always takes place on the ground.All too frequently, there is action in the stands, too.Football supporters, most of whom declare their loyalty , by wearing their team colors, in the form of shirts, are not known for their quiet behavior.They are often very noisy, shouting noisy encouragement to their team and singing deafening songs.
There is much rivalry between supporters.Mostly, this is good-natured, but trouble can easily arise.Fans get angry if they feel that a referee has made a wrong decision, perhaps giving one of their team a red or yellow card unfairly, or perhaps failing to notice a foul committed by a member of the other team.
When trouble breaks out in a football crowd, it can be difficult to control.Stadium officials often seat the opposing fans in separate parts of the ground as a precaution against fighting. However, preventing trouble is more difficult outside the ground.In the worst cases, riot police have to be called in.
Unfortunately, there are some fans who enjoy this violent aspect of football.These football hooligans really enjoy a running battle with the police, and call up other people to throw stones and bottles at them.They regard football not only as a sport, but as an excuse for trouble makings.Inevitably, their behavior spoils the reputation of the game. | high15184.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Before Badenhorst left the prison."
},
"options": [
"Before Badenhorst left the prison.",
"Before Mandela gave demands.",
"After General Steyn took over the prison.",
"Just when Mandela was set free."
],
"questi... | During Nelson Mandela's 19 years in the prison on Robben Island, one particular commanding officer, Badenhorst, was the cruelest of them all:
"A few days before Badenhorst's leaving the prison, I was called to the main office. General Steyn was visiting the island and wanted to know if we had any complaints. Badenhorst was there as I went through a list of demands. When I had finished, Badenhorst spoke to me directly.
He told me he would be leaving the island and added: 'I just want to wish you people good luck'. I do not know if I looked dumbfounded , but I was amazed. He spoke these words like a human being and showed a side of himself we had never seen before. I thanked him for his good wishes and wished him good luck too.
I thought about this moment for a long time afterwards. Badenhorst had perhaps been the most cold-blooded and cruelest commanding officer we had had on Robben Island. But that day in the office, he had showed that there was another side to his nature, a side that had been hidden but still existed.
It was obvious that all men, even the most seemingly cold-blooded, have a heart of kindness and that, if their hearts are touched, they are able to change. Actually, Badenhorst was not evil; his inhumanity had been encouraged by an inhuman system. He behaved cruelly because he was rewarded for cruel behavior." | high12833.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they want to attract more shoppers"
},
"options": [
"it is easy to use it again",
"they want to attract more shoppers",
"shoppers are all interested in beautiful packaging",
"packaged things will not go rotten"
],
... | To get a chocolate out of a box requires a lot of unpacking: the box has to be taken out of the paper bag in which it arrived, the cellophane wrapper has to be tom off, the lid opened and the paper removed, the chocolate itself then has to be unwrapped from its own piece of paper: But _ . It is now becoming increasingly difficult to buy anything that is not done up in beautiful wrapping.
The package itself is of no interest to the shopper, who usually throws it away immediately. Useless wrapping accounts for much of the refuse put out by the average London house-hold each week So why is it done? Some of it, like the cellophane on meat, is necessary, but most of the rest is simply competitive selling. This is absurd.Packaging is using up valuable energy and resources and polluting the environment.
Recycling is already happening with milk bottles which are returned to the dairies , washed out, and refilled. But both glass and paper are being threatened by the growing use of plastic. More dairies are experimenting with plastic bottles.
The trouble with plastic is that it does not rot Some environmentalists argue that the only solution to the problem of ever increasing plastic containers is to throw away plastic altogether in the shops, a suggestion unacceptable to many producers who say there is no alternative to their handy plastic packs.
It is evident that more research is needed into the recovery and re-use of various materials and into the cost of collecting and recycling containers rather than producing new ones. Unnecessary packaging, intended to be used just once, and make things look better so more people will buy them, is clearly becoming increasingly absurd But it is.not so much a question of throwing away packaging as using it wisely.What is needed now is a more advanced approach to using scarce resources for what is, after all, a ly unimportant function. | high23436.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She accepted it."
},
"options": [
"She found it hard to accept.",
"She was confused about it.",
"She accepted it.",
"She doubted it."
],
"question": "How did the author first react to father's suggestion?",
... | The sound of the rain hitting the windows wakes me up and it sounds just exactly as it did 15 years ago, which reminded me of my girlhood.
It was my second day of school and it was raining heavily. I could not resist the habit I had at home, so I fell asleep right at my desk. I woke up to find myself not in the classroom but carried on Dad's back. We were halfway home. It was the last time I felt close to him.
After that, he never carried me or hugged me as other fathers did to their children. I was not bothered much by this thought. I was proud of it, for I felt independent and "grown up." However, there were times when I felt depressed by not having sought comfort from him.
One day, I was writing Chinese characters as homework. I hated doing this more than anything. Dad came and stood behind me for a moment, watching me scratching the paper. Then he said, "This kind of writing needs patience. Your writing is not strong enough. Press harder."
I follow his advice for the next two words, but as I could see little improvement, I followed my own method----the fast way. His advice did not improve my writing but our relationship. As I grew older, I found out that he had finished his schooling in Grade 6, which was the highest grade in the town then, so he was considered to be a scholar. People used to ask him to write something to put on the walls, but he never felt very useful.
He often said to me, "As you can see, this family is going to count on you. We are useless to improve you anything for your future.You have to get an education to change the life for yourself." As a result of his expectation, I have made it through high school and through college. | high8928.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "senior students"
},
"options": [
"teachers",
"senior students",
"junior students",
"parents"
],
"question": "Who is the passage mainly written for?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"ans... | IT'S over - millions of Senior 3 students across the country have finished their last exams. But in two years, it'll be your turn in the examination room. How can you spend the time you have left to best effect? Read these thoughts from new graduates to get some pointers.
Cao A'min, 18
Xuanhua No 1 High School, Hebei
Study: Keeping pace with teachers is a good way to study. Teachers are experienced and their plans are systematic . But remember to work in a way that suits you. It's also important to learn from past mistakes. Keep a notebook to make a record of the mistakes you make - it'll help you avoid making the same ones later.
Zhang Zilu, 17
Xinyu No 1 High School, Jiangxi
Friendship: This time of life may be hard, but you're not alone. You may be busy studying, but you can show you care by calling your friends or sending a short message. Don't let your friendships die. Some boys and girls in my class were in love, but I'd advise against a relationship at this stage.
Zhan Yu, 17
Huanggang High School, Hubei
Health: It's as important to live well as it is to study well, I think. I went to bed no later than 11:30 pm. It put me in the right mood for the next day. I didn't follow a special diet , but I did make sure I ate a nutritious breakfast each day.
Ju Shuntian, 18
Yantai Economic and Technological Development Zone Senior High School, Shandong
Relaxation: The person who plays well, studies well. Having a lot of schoolwork doesn't mean having to give up on every other activity. I played basketball or took a walk to relax when I felt tired. Time out is not a waste of time but helps you study more efficiently .
Zhang Qingzhou, 17
Dongtai High School, Jiangsu
Options: Besides taking the big exam, you have other choices for college. I took the independent enrollment exam held by Peking University and some other students even prepared to study abroad. Pay attention to any relevant information you can find, whether it's from school, the news media or another source . | high526.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Boring and unhappy."
},
"options": [
"Hard but enjoyable.",
"Boring and unhappy.",
"Tiring but joyful.",
"Good and unforgettable."
],
"question": "What can be said about Disney's childhood ?",
"question_type... | It was 3:30 in the morning and 8-year-old Walt Disney was doing what he did at that time every morning- rolling hundreds of newspapers he would soon deliver in his neighborhood.
It was hard work for a little kid who had to go to school, then deliver another round in the evening. But delivering papers beat picking apples for a living. That's what he'd been doing before, on his family's failing farms in Missouri.
Walt Disney, born in December, 1901, never had time for a childhood. As a result, he spent all of his adult life attempting to invent one for himself. In the process - almost by accident - he created wonderful childhood memories for generation after generation of children worldwide.
When the Disneys moved to Chicago, Walt signed up for cartooning classes, working three part-time jobs to pay for them. At 24, he created a cartoon character called Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, which was a great success. Hethen shifted his attention to mice, or one particular mouse called Mickey.And Mickey Mouse became an overnight success.
Success followed success, but Walt Disney pushed himself even harder. He produced Snow White and Seven Dwarfs, for which he won a special Oscar. After the Second World War, Walt came up with the idea of Disneyland. Everyone said it was too costly a dream, but he wouldn't listen. His great world of fantasy opened on July 17, 1955. In the next seven weeks, more than one million people walked into Disneyland. The man who had spent a painful childhood now watched other people enjoy the perfect childhood world that he had created. | high18488.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To further promote the Great Barrier Reef."
},
"options": [
"To inform the public of the best job in the world.",
"To show the world how beautiful the island is.",
"To further promote the Great Barrier Reef.",
"To encou... | SYDNEY--- An Australian state is offering internationally what it calls "the best job in the world"---- earning a top salary for lazing around a beautiful tropical island for six months.
The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars ($105,000) and includes free airfares from the winner's home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland's state government announced on Tuesday.
In return, the island caretaker will be expected to stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef, take care of "a few minor tasks"----- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo dairies and video updates.
The successful applicant, who will stay rent-free in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf cart, must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.
"They also have to talk to media from time to time about what they are doing so they can't be too shy and they'll have to love the sea, the sun, the outdoors," said acting state Premier Paul Lucas.
"The fact that they will be paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, snorkel and generally live the Queensland lifestyle makes this undoubtedly the best job in the world. "
Lucas said that the campaign was part of a drive to protect the state's 18 billion Australian dollar a year tourism industry during th tough economic climate caused by the global financial meltdown.
"Traditional tourism advertising just doesn't cut it sometimes and we are thinking outside the box by launching this campaign."
Queensland Tourism Minister Desley Boyle said some people might question whether it was risky to let an unknown person become an unofficial tourism spokesperson for the state.
"I think the biggest risk will be that the successful candidate won't want to go home at the end of the six months," she said.
"This is a legal job which is open to anyone and everyone."
Applications are open until February 22, 2009. Eleven shortlisted candidates will be flown to Hamilton Island in early May for the final selection process and the six month contract will commence on July 1. | high20117.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "they live in areas where meat supply is not adequate"
},
"options": [
"they want to stay healthy",
"they are too kind to put the idea of killing animals",
"they live in areas where meat supply is not adequate",
"they sh... | All over the world, and for many different reasons, there are millions of people who rarely or never eat meat. These people are called vegetarians. To people who eat meat, being a vegetarian may seem like a very strange thing, diets for several different reasons.
First, vegetarians have an enormous health advantage. One of the major health problems in modern societies is not too much protein but too much fat, especially in the form of animal fats. Medical evidence suggests that animal fats, including butter, contribute to the development of cholesterol in the human body. High amount of cholesterol seem to be part of the cause of heart disease. Most vegetarians have low level of cholesterol. High amounts of animal fats also seem to lead to certain kinds of cancer, and vegetarians are typically less _ to these cancers than people who eat a lot of meat. Overall, studies comparing the health of vegetarians and meat-eaters show that the meat-eaters are twice as likely to die of heart disease as vegetarians are.
Better health is one reason that people choose to become vegetarians. Another reason is religion. Some religions forbid the eating of meat. The largest of these is the Hindu religion, which has about 600 million believers in the world. Although not all Hindus are vegetarian, many are, and there are many believers of other religions such Buddhism and even some Christian religions that also do not eat meat.
Many vegetarians do not eat meat simply because they do not like the taste of it. They have no religious or philosophical reasons; they just do not like meat. Another important reason that vegetarians give for not eating meat is the health advantages that were given above. Lastly, there are many people who do not eat meat because they just do not like the idea of killing animals for food. They believe that life, all life, is valuable , and that we do not have to destroy life to feed ourselves when there are other good sources of food. | high3855.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "At the privateLakesideSchool."
},
"options": [
"At public elementary school.",
"At the privateLakesideSchool.",
"AtHarvardUniversity.",
"At Microsoft Company."
],
"question": "Where did Bill Gates begin his care... | Bill Gates was born on October 28th, 1955. He and his two sisters grew up inprefix = st1 /Seattle. Their father, William H. Gates II, was aSeattleattorney . Mary Gates, their late mother, was a school teacher.
Gates attended public elementary school before moving on to the private Lakeside School in North Seattle. It was at Lakeside that Gates began his career in personal computer soft- ware, programming computers at age 13.
In 1973, Gates enteredHarvardUniversityas a freshman, where he lived down the hall from Steve Ballmer, who is now Microsoft's president. While at Harvard, Gates developed a version of the programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer---the MITS Astair. In his junior year, Gates dropped out of Harvard to devote his energies full-time to Microsoft, a company he had started in 1975 with his boyhood friend Paul Allen. Guided by a belief that the personal computer would be a valuable tool on every office desk-top and in every home, they began developing software for personal computers.
Gates' foresight and vision have led to the success of Microsoft and the software industry. He plays an important role in the technical development of new products. Much of his time is devoted to meeting with customers and staying in contact with Microsoft employees around the world through e-mail.
In the dozen years since Microsoft went public, Gates has donated more than $ 800 mil- lion to charities , including $ 200 million to the Gates Library Foundation to help libraries in North America take advantage of new technologies and the Information Age. | high19796.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "There is no link between them."
},
"options": [
"The more milk you drink, the more risk for fractures you might be.",
"The more milk you drink, the less risk for fractures you might be.",
"The less milk you drink, the less ri... | For all the dinner table, a glass of milk seems to be a constant, at least it was when I was growing up. It was widely believed that milk was integral in building strong bones and teeth. There's no doubt that dairy products , and milk in particular, are high in protein and calcium, and most milk products are supplemented with Vitamin D and A.
While it's well known that our bones need calcium, some studies suggest that high calcium intake doesn't necessarily lower a person's risk for fractures . A Harvard study found that people who drank two or more glasses of milk had no greater protection from breaking a bone than those who drank a glass or less a week.
There's no doubt that we need calcium. Some anti-dairy supporters claim that dairy can lead to heart disease. Much of this claim is based on high fat and high dairy products, like cheeses and creams, which may indeed contribute to cardiovascular problems. Some studies have linked high milk intakes with a risk of prostate cancer; this seems to be caused by high-fat dairy products, not dairy in general.
Although milk was always regarded as one of the most important thing we need for our bones, yet least promoted, factors involved in strengthening bones. Perhaps we should think of dairy as less like a nutrient and more like a food. If you like it, eat it. If not, find _ . Because some claims may not be completely true, when I eat a cream, I'm not thinking about calcium, protein, or any such thing I'm thinking delicious. | high21209.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They wear shoes with high heels."
},
"options": [
"They wear expensive clothes.",
"They take their dog without trying it.",
"They drink too much coffee in cars.",
"They wear shoes with high heels."
],
"question"... | High heels, coffee cups and dogs have been regarded as three of the most dangerous things to have in a car. The seemingly harmless items have been responsible for more than 13 million crashes and near misses on Britain's roads.
While men were responsible for the greater number of accidents reported, women played their part by driving in high heels. Putting fashion over function meant 44 percent of female motorists had been prevented from using the pedals correctly by their high heels--with those aged 25 to 34 accounting for most of the incidents reported.
Those keen for a caffeine kick while driving can also create an accident if they leave empty coffee cups lying around their vehicle. Twenty percent of those surveyed admitted they had crashed their car or had a near miss after a deserted coffee cup or empty drink bottle rolled under their brake pedal .
However, it is not just wearing and eating that cause a threat from inside the car, man's best friend could also cause a catastrophe if not safely secured. One in eight motorists claimed to have had a scrape or near miss on the road due to their dog's wandering freely, climbing into the front seat or trying to escape through the windows.
The accidents meant drivers took their eyes off the road for more than three seconds each time, according to the poll of 2,000 British motorists. The survey has found drivers will pick up an average bill of PS261.47 for the damage caused by every crash. Londoners were the most at risk of an accident closely followed by motorists in the West Midland and Wales.
Janet Connor, a managing director, said many accidents could be avoided if people cleaned their cars regularly, as one in ten drivers involved in crashes admitted to driving inside a mountain of debris. She said, "The possible dangers and distractions outside the car are well known but as the evidence suggests, those within the car are often forgotten." | high17963.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Those who praise their children too much."
},
"options": [
"Those who praise their children too much.",
"Those who seldom praise their children.",
"Those who give sincere praise to their children.",
"Those who offer the... | Parents everywhere praise their kids when they do well in school, win a ball game, or build an impressive sandcastle --- anytime their kids do something remarkable , or in many cases, something ordinary.
"We are becoming praise junkies as parents", says Jenn Berman, PhD, a marriage and family expert and the author of The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy and Confident Kids. "We have gone to the opposite extreme of the parents from a few decades ago who tended to be more strict, and now we overpraise our children."
"Somehow parents have come to believe that by praising our kids we improve their self-esteem ," says Paul Donahue, founder and director of Child Development Associates. "Though well-intentioned, putting kids on a pedestal at an early age can actually hinder their growth."
Too much praise can backfire , it seems, and when given in a way that's insincere, kids are afraid to try new things or take a risk for fear of not being on the top all the time.
"There's an underlying message that the child has to get his parents' approval all the time and constantly depends on the parents for validation ," says Berman.
Still, don't go too far in the other direction --- not giving enough praise which can be just as damaging as giving too much. Kids will feel like they are not good enough, or that you don't care, and may see no sense in reaching for their success.
So what's the right amount of praise? Experts say that the quality of praise is more important than the quantity: if praise is sincere and genuine, and focused on the effort, not the outcome, you can give it as often as your child does something that is worth a reward. | high22700.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a computer research scientist"
},
"options": [
"a famous medical scientist",
"a computer research scientist",
"a patient with Parkinson's",
"an inventor of computer chips"
],
"question": "Ray Kurzweil is _ .",... | Medical scientists are already putting computer chips directly into the brain to help people who have Parkinson's disease, but in what other ways might computer technology be able to help us? Ray Kurzweil is the author of the successful book The Age Of Intelligent Machines. He is also one of the world's best computer research scientists. He is researching the possibilities.
Kurzweil gets computers to recognize voices. An example of this is Ramona, the _ hostess of Kurzweil's website, created by the computer, who is able to understand what you say. Visitors to the website can have their own conversations with her. Ramona also dances and sings.
Kurzweil uses this technology to help people with physical problems. One of his ideas is a "seeing machine". This will be "like a friend that could describe what is going on around," he explains. Blind people will use a sensor which will probably be built into a pair of sunglasses. This machine will describe to the person everything it sees.
Another idea, which is likely to help deaf people, is the "listening machine". This invention will recognize millions of words and understand any speaker. The listening machine will also be able to translate what it hears into other languages, so even people without hearing problems are likely to be interested in using it.
But it is not just about helping people with physical problems. Looking further into future, Kurzweil sees a time when we will be able to store what we hear, see and think in a computer. This technology probably won't be ready for at least 50 years, but when it arrives, it means our minds will be able to live forever. | high8900.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "unexpected things may often happen"
},
"options": [
"drivers usually have too much coffee",
"people drive three times faster than usual",
"unexpected things may often happen",
"people drive more gently and slowly"
]... | Winter is dangerous for drivers because it's so difficult to know what is going to happen and accidents take place easily. Bad weather can be waiting to meet you. Ice might be hiding under the snow, waiting to send you off the road. The car coming towards you might suddenly move across the road. Here are two rules for driving safely on icy roads:
Rule Number One is to drive smoothly. Irregular movements can make a car very difficult to manage. So each time you either turn the wheel, touch the brake or increase your speed, you must be as gentle and slow as possible. Just imagine you are driving with a full cup of hot coffee on the seat next to you. You should drive carefully enough in order that you wouldn't get the coffee out of the cup.
Rule Number Two is to pay attention to what might happen. The more ice there is, the farther you have to look down the road. Test how long it takes to stop by gently braking. Remember that you may be driving more quickly than you think. Generally speaking, allow double your normal stopping distance when the road is wet, three times this distance on snow, and even more on ice. Try to stay in control of your car at all times, or you will get into trouble. | high268.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Celebrations across the Country"
},
"options": [
"Celebrations across the Country",
"An Official Holiday in US",
"The Largest Parade in the World",
"History of Saint Patrick's Day"
],
"question": "What's the bes... | As we know, on Saturday, millions of people around the world will celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, which honors Patron Saint (or main religious figure) of Ireland. Communities across the United States will host parades, parties, and other festivities to mark the occasion.
This year, cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago have organized massive events celebrating Saint Patrick's Day. In New York City, hundreds of thousands of people will gather to watch the Saint Patrick's Day parade--the nation's largest. It is one of the most watched parades in the world. Last year, almost 2 million spectators and more than 150,000 participants filled the streets. The parade, first held in 1776, is also one of the oldest.
Chicago also throws a big celebration. Every year, the Chicago River, which crosses the city, glows green as event organizers dump about 40 pounds of fluorescence, a powerful dye, into the water.
Boston keeps its parade rolling for three hours or more. It is the nation's second-largest parade. The city will also salute one of its most famous former residents, President John F. Kennedy, by opening the exhibit "A Journey Home: John F. Kennedy and Ireland," at his official library.
Patron Saint lived in Britain in the early fifth century, when it was still part of the Roman Empire. He was captured and sold into slavery in Ireland when he was only 16.He eventually escaped slavery and turned to a life of religious devotion. He trained to become a minister and set out to spread Christianity throughout Ireland. After 30 years as a religious leader, Patrick died on March 17, 1461.Saint Patrick's Day is always celebrated on March 17.In Ireland, it is an official holiday. | high15812.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he thought about his future"
},
"options": [
"he had to take tests at school",
"he had lots of sleepless nights",
"he thought about his future",
"he searched for words of wisdom"
],
"question": "The author felt ... | As a senior high school student, my-future is always on my mind. To-be exact,thoughts of the future have kept me up count.less nights and made me worrv enough to do poorly on more than one test. Because of this, words of wisdom are a scurce of comfort.Steve Jobs gave a speech to Stanford's graduating.class in 2005 and his words resound re-peatedly in my mind whenever I think about my future.
It started when l became a junior, when college came into view. It's the first big step to making your life your own. So when Jobs discussed his life as a student, some fears were eased. He, too, felt the need to attend college to make something of himself. He faced what many are extremely afraid of: uncertainty. His lack of understanding caused him to stop attending college and focus on what he felt was important. His story had a happy ending, of course, since he certainly turned out well.
This doesn't mean that students shouldn't attend college, but rather that theyshouldn't worry so much. You'll get where you neecl to go, even if your path is a bit morewinding than you'd like.
Jobs.talked about the hardships in his work. His love of his work helped him carry on and he got wh.ere he was meant to be, which restates the point: don't panic.One particular part of his speech stayed with me. Steve Jobs quoted thc saying"Stay hungry, stay foolisll" and it has become my motto. Staying foolish is realizing thatyou are still a fool, no matter how much you've learned or experienced. There is alwaysmore to explore. Staying hungry is wanting to find those things about which you are stilluneducated.
Steve Jobs' level of success is possible to achieve, and I aim to prove that. With the will power to go into the world living every day like it's my last and allowing the future to take care of itself, 1 will do great things. In the last moments of my life, I'll be proud of what I have done and hope to have all the wisdom -a person could wish for. | high23378.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "you will live with him or her in the same room for some time"
},
"options": [
"you are glad to share the room with him or her",
"you will live with him or her in the same room for some time",
"you will ask him or her for help... | Starting college can be a difficult experience. You have to deal with new responsibilities and growing independence, a challenging course load and, of course, the social scene. When a roommate is thrown into the mix, it may feel like you're struggling with all that stuff while living in a small box with a stranger.
But having a roommate doesn't need to be one more thing to worry about. When students go into their living situations with realistic expectations and a willingness to compromise, things can work out just fine.
When you first meet your roommate, chances are you'll be on your best behaviour. You want to get along, since this is the person who's going to be sharing your living space for the next year. But try to think ahead to potential worst cases, too.
For example, imagine it's 2 a.m. and you're working on a paper that should be finished in 8 hours. Your roommate comes in from a party and wants to continue the party in your room.
At times like these, you won't be feeling good. That's why talking about problems that might come up ahead of time -- and respecting each other's wishes when the time comes -- is so important.
Talk about the things that are really important to you, and make sure your roommate understands. Then encourage him or her to do the same.
For example, does it make you angry when people take things without asking first? Let your roommate know your feelings about these types of things from the start, so that both of you have a feel for each other's likes, dislikes, and habits. | high1924.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "China sent its first woman into space."
},
"options": [
"This is the first space docking in Chinese history.",
"China sent its first woman into space.",
"It is regarded as proof of the country's growing power.",
"It's t... | China Completes First Manned Space Docking
China successfully achieved its first manned space docking, an important step in the country's quest to launch a space station by around 2020.The Shenzhou-9 spacecraft on Monday docked with China's Tiangong-1 space laboratory. The mission's three astronauts included China's first woman in space, an air force pilot named Liu Yang.
China's political leadership has heavily promoted this week's mission as proof of the country's growing clout. Additionally, the Shenzhou-9 mission reinforced China's long-term aspirations for a manned space presence just as the U.S. has significantly drawn down its own manned space program and retired its ageing fleet of space shuttles.
The Shenzhou-9 mission is the first time China has sent a person into space since 2008. It follows China's first unmanned space docking last November and is the latest step in a 30-year plan to assemble a space station by around 2020, part of an effort known as Project 921.
When Chinese leaders approved a plan for a space station in 1992, 'Chinese space professionals believed they would be latecomers to an expanding human presence in low Earth orbit,' said Gregory Kulacki, a senior analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, in a recent research note. 'Ironically, by the time they finish their space station in the early 2020s, the Chinese might be the only people left up there.'
Washington's decision to end the shuttle program left Russia with a virtual monopoly over manned spaceflight. China's space program, while decades behind the achievements of the U.S. and Russia, has made steady progress in recent years. Its planned space station is expected to come online around 2020, just as the $100 billion International Space Station is expected to cease operation. The U.S., meanwhile, is hoping the private sector can pick up where the shuttle program left off. | high22066.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They were worried that they would lose the coming election."
},
"options": [
"They feared the terrorists would escape.",
"They were not quite sure who on earth made the attacks.",
"They were worried that they would lose the c... | When the US started the war in Iraq a year ago, Spain was a firm supporter. But on April 18, the Spanish government started to remove its troops, becoming the first country in the US-led coalition to bring its soldiers home. The person behind this surprise move is the new Spanish prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
A few months ago, he was hardly known outside his small hometown in northern Spain. Even a week before last month's general election, Zapatero was still considered an outsider for the top job. But just three days before the vote, a series of bomb attacks on three train stations in Madrid killed 191 people and injured some 1,900. It was Spain's worst ever terrorist attack and it changed everything -- even making Zapatero prime minister.
From the beginning, the 43-year-old former lawyer, knew the weaknesses of Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and his hand-picked successor, Mariano Rajoy. About 90 per cent of the Spanish people were against the war in Iraq and were unhappy that Aznar had taken them into it. So Zapatero promised: "If this party wins the election and the UN still can't take charge in Iraq, the new government will pull its 1,400 troops out of Iraq."
Despite focusing on this and other Aznar mistakes, Zapatero's chances of victory were still thin until the Madrid bombings. At first, the government blamed ETA, a separatist terror group from the Basque region of northern Spain. But later evidence suggested the attack was carried out by al-Qaida members angry at Spain's presence in Iraq.
The people were upset, and they showed this by voting for Zapatero. Many accused the government of covering up information about the bombings and only blaming ETA so it wouldn't lose to an anti-war vote. In a move that was as shocking to the world as his election victory, Zapatero chose to carry out his promise the day after he took office. And its effect could be long-lasting. As the situation in Iraq worsens, several countries are considering their positions. The US is worried that other coalition members might follow Spain's lead and also bring their soldiers home. | high20671.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "reading as fast as you can"
},
"options": [
"improving eye movement",
"reading more widely",
"changing poor reading habits",
"reading as fast as you can"
],
"question": "This passage is mainly about _ .",
... | You do not need every word to understand the meaning of what you read. In fact, too much emphasis on separate words both slows your speed and reduces your comprehension.
First, any habit which slows down your silent reading to the speed at which you speak or read aloud, is inefficient. If you point to each word as you read, or move your head, or form the words with your lips, you read poorly. Less obvious habits also hold back reading efficiency . One is "saying" each word silently by moving your tongue or throat; another is "hearing" each word as you read.
These are habits which should have been outgrown long ago. The beginning reader is learning how letters can make words, how written words are pronounced, and how sentences are put together. Your reading purpose is quite different, which is to understand meaning.
It has been supposed that up to 75% of the words in English sentences are not really necessary for expressing the meaning. The secret of silent reading is to find out those key words and phrases which carry the thought, and to pay less attention to words which exist only for grammatical completeness.
An efficient reader can grasp the meaning from a page at least twice as fast as he can read the page aloud. He takes in a whole phrase or thought unit at a time. If he "says" or "hears" words to himself, they are selected ones, said for emphasis. | high4690.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Watersports Club"
},
"options": [
"Sailing Club",
"Riding School",
"Watersports Club",
"Diving Centre"
],
"question": "If you want to swim and enjoy activities which are fast and a bit dangerous, you should join... | Riding School:
You can start horse-riding at any age. Choose private or group lessons any weekday between 9 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. on Saturdays). There are 10 kilometres of tracks and paths for leisurely rides across farmland and open country. You will need a riding hat.
Opening Hours: Monday through Friday:9:00 a.m. ~ 8:30p.m.
Phone: (412) 396-6754 Fax: (412) 396-6752
Sailing Club:
Our Young Sailor's Course leads to the Stage Sailing qualification. You'll learn how to sail safely and the course also covers sailing theory and first aid. Have fun with other course members afterwards in the clubroom. There are 10 weekly two-hour lessons (Tuesdays 6p.m.~ 8p.m.)
Opening Hours: Tuesdays: 6:00p.m.~ 8:00p.m
Phone:( 412)396-6644 Fax: (412) 396-6644
Diving Centre:
Our experienced instructors offer one-month courses in deep-sea diving for beginners. There are two evening lessons a week, in which you learn to breathe underwater and use the equipment safely. You only need a swimming costume and towel. Reduced rates for couples.
Opening Hours: Monday and Friday: 6:30p.m.~ 8:30p.m
Phone: (412)396-6312 Fax: (412) 396-6706
Medical Center:
The staff of the Medical Center aim to provide convenient and comprehensive medical care to students and staff of the university. The center is well equipped and the staff here are trained to deal with a broad range of medical problems. Both female and male doctors as well as nursing staff are available for consultation. Also, all kinds of medicines are sold here and are cheaper for students than other drugstores.
Opening Hours: 24 hours from Monday to Sunday
Phone: ( 412)396-6649 Fax: (412) 396-6648
Watersports club:
We use a two-kilometre length of river for speedboat racing, and water-skiing. A beginners' course consists of ten 20-minute lessons. You will learn to handle boats safely and confidently but must be able to swim. The club is in a convenient central position and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with lessons all through the day.
Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00a.m.~ 4:00p.m
Phone: (412)396-6899 Fax: (412) 396-6890 | high20665.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The similarities and differences between a teacher's work and an actor's."
},
"options": [
"How to become a good teacher.",
"What a good teacher should do outside the classroom.",
"What teachers and actors could learn from ... | To be a good teacher, you need some of the gifts of a good actor; you must be able to hold the attention and interest of your audience; you must be a clear speaker, with a good, strong, pleasing voice which is fully under your control; and you must be able to act what you are teaching, in order to make its meaning clear.
Watch a good teacher, and you will see that he does not sit still before his class:he stands the whole time he is teaching; he walks about, using his arms, hands and fingers to help him in his explanations, and his face to express feelings. Listen to him, and you will hear the loudness, the quality and the musical note of his voice always changing according to what he is talking about.
The fact that a good teacher has some of the gifts of a good actor doesn't mean that he will indeed be able to act well on the stage, for there are very important differences between the teacher's work and the actor's. The actor has to speak words which he has learnt by heart; he has to repeat exactly the same words each time he plays a certain part, even his movements and the ways in which he uses his voice are usually fixed beforehand. What he has to do is to make all these carefully learnt words and actions seem natural on the stage.
A good teacher works in quite a different way. His
takes an active part in his play:they ask and answer questions, they obey orders, and if they don't understand something, they say so. The teacher therefore has to meet the needs of his audience, which is his class. He cannot learn his part by heart, but must invent it as he goes along.
I have known many teachers who were fine actors in class but were unable to take part in a stage-play because they could not keep strictly to what another had written. | high15806.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "ask others about their salary"
},
"options": [
"have tea in the early morning",
"ask others about their salary",
"give a 10%tip to a waiter",
"shake hands with friends"
],
"question": "British people think it ru... | On April 18,the 100-day countdown to the 2012 Olympic Games in London began. For this
year's Games' slogan,the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games has chosen the
phrase "Inspire a Generation" .It is expected to inspire athletes to do their best,and common people to do better in their daily lives.
The Games are also inspiring lots of tourists to come to London.But if you go there,you'd better try your best to follow British manners and customs.Otherwise,you'll end up in a right mess! Expert William Hanson has given the Associate Press a few tips for tourists on how to act while in the UK.Let's have a look:
Don't talk about money.According to Hanson,British people hate talking about money and it is considered rude to do so.In particular,never ask anyone about their salary.
Afternoon tea.The traditional view of the British sitting down for an afternoon tea is not exact.Few people keep the tradition nowadays.
Give tips--but not in an obvious way.The British favor a quiet "thank you" gift for good service rather than the rigid 16-20%tip Americans always give.In fact,many British waiters will not feel anxious and nervous if you decide not to tip at all.
Greeting with a kiss.The British are not like their _ neighbors in France. Many prefer a handshake or a pat on the back to say "hello".
Conversation tip.If you want to be friendly,end a sentence with the word "mate"* | high22072.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the National Dark-Sky Week"
},
"options": [
"better lighting systems",
"the beauty of the night sky",
"the harm of light pollution",
"the National Dark-Sky Week"
],
"question": "This passage is mainly about _ ... | The National Dark-Sky Week (NDSW) is a week during which people all over the United States turn off their lights to enjoy the beauty of the night sky without light pollution. This even was started by Jennifer Barlow of Midlothian, Virginia in 2003, and it is becoming more popular each year. It has been supported by the International Dark-Sky Association, the American Astronomical Society, and the Astronomical League.
This even always occurs in April, during the week of the new moon so that the sky can be as dark as possible for the best viewing conditions.
"It is my wish that people could see the night sky without other light in the sky as our ancestors saw it hundreds of years ago," explains Barlow.
_ The main goal of NDSW is to increase awareness of the harmful effects of light pollution. It is not possible for all of the light pollution in this part of the world to disappear. However, it is possible to make a small difference in the quality of the night sky. Another goal of this even is to promote the use of better lighting systems that direct light toward the ground instead of up into the sky.
Jennifer Barlow states, "The night sky is a gift of such beauty that it should not be polluted by wasted light. In this way, our children will not lose touch with the wonder of our universe." | high1930.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Most of our gestures have no meaning at all."
},
"options": [
"People all over the world only communicate verbally.",
"Most of our gestures have no meaning at all.",
"Some people think that 65 to 70 percent of our communicati... | When you are in another country, it is important to know the language, but it is equally important to know how to communicate nonverbally , before saying anything by making gestures. According to a pioneer in nonverbal communication, only 30 to 35 percent of our communication is verbal. When people don't know the language, the most common way to communicate is through gestures. However, many gestures have different meanings, or no meaning at all, in different parts of the world.
In the United States, for example, nodding your head up and down means "yes". In some parts of Greece and Turkey, however, this motion can mean "no". In Southeast Asia, nodding your head is a polite way of saying "I've heard you".
In ancient Rome, when the emperor wanted to spare someone's life, he would put his thumb up. Today in the United States, when someone puts his / her thumb up, it means "Everything is all right". However, in Sardinia and Greece, the gesture is insulting and should not be used there.
In the United States, raising your clasped hands above your head means "I'm the champion" or "I'm the winner". It is the sign prizefighters make when they win a fight. When a leading Russian statesman made this gesture after a White House meeting, Americans misunderstood and thought he meant he was a winner. In Russia, however, it is a sign of friendship.
In the United States, holding your hand up with the thumb and index finger in a circle and the other three fingers spread out means "Everything is O.K." and is frequently used by astronauts and politicians. In France and Belgium, it can mean "You're worth nothing."
There are other nonverbal signals that people should be aware of when they go to another country, such as the distance to maintain between speakers. Americans usually feel comfortable when speaking with someone if the distance between them is about eighteen inches to arm's length. Anything closer makes them feel uncomfortable.
When talking to Americans, it is also important to make eye contact. If you look down when talking to an American, he / she may feel that you are embarrassed, afraid, or trying to hide something.
In addition to knowing how to communicate nonverbally in a country, it is important to know what you and he cannot discuss. In the United States, there are certain topics to avoid when you first meet someone, For example, don't ask people their age, weight, religion, marital status , how much money they earn, or how much something costs. You can talk about work, the weather, traffic problems, sports, food, news of the day, where one lives, consumer subjects (computers, car repairs, and so forth), and travel or vacation plans.
These few examples illustrate that your actions can speak louder than your words. In a particular cultural contest, what you say and what you don't say are equally important. | high7399.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Because she was afraid the train would kill him."
},
"options": [
"Because they would miss their train.",
"Because he didn't see the train coming.",
"Because she was sure Jane was hard to lift.",
"Because she was afraid... | Jane was running late. Jane, 25, had a lot to do at work, plus visitors on the way: her parents were coming in for Thanksgiving from her hometown. But as she hurried down the subway stairs, she started to feel uncomfortably warm. By the time she got to the platform, Jane felt weak and tired---maybe it hadn't been a good idea to give blood the night before, she thought. She rested herself against a post close to the tracks.
Several yards away, Tom, 43, and his girlfriend, Jennifer, found a spot close to where the front of the train would stop. They were deep in discussion about a house they were thinking of buying.
But when he heard the scream, followed by someone yelling, "Oh, my God, she fell in!" Tom didn't hesitate. He jumped down to the tracks and ran some 40 feet toward the body lying on the rails. "No! Not you!" his girlfriend screamed after him.
She was right to be alarmed. By the time Tom reached Jane, he could feel the tracks shaking and see the light coming. The train was about 20 seconds from the station.
It was hard to lift her. She was just out. But he managed to raise her the four feet to the platform so that bystanders could hold her by the grins and drag her away from the edge. That was where Jane briefly regained consciousness, felt herself being pulled along the ground, and saw someone else holding her purse.
Jane thought she'd been robbed. A woman held her hand and a man gave his shirt to help stop the blood pouring from her head. And she tried to talk but she couldn't, and that was when she realized how much pain she was in.
Police and fire officials soon arrived, and Tom told the story to an officer. Jennifer said her boyfriend was calm on their 40-minute train ride downtown-just as he had been seconds after the rescue, which made her think about her reaction at the time. "I saw the train coming and I was thinking he was going to die," she explained. | high6939.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "uneasy and sorry"
},
"options": [
"uneasy and sorry",
"scared and disappointed",
"proud and comfortable",
"nervous and miserable"
],
"question": "Every time the author saw some Americans' bad behavior in China, ... | Sitting across from a German couple and a Chinese mother and child, we were waiting at the Guilin airport for our delayed flight to Shanghai In this last week of our travel-study tour, my husband and I were savoring this mini-break by reading.
While surrounded by languages I couldn't understand, it was an American accent that my attention was pulled from my book It also pulled the attention of three rows of people seated around us as the American barked, "Coming through! Coming through!"
At the same time, an oversized man pulling an oversized carry-on turned down our row. His wheeled bag caught the foot of the German maa Turning to see what snagged his luggage ,the American bellower yanked his bag hard enough that it crossed over the man's feet It was then that my horror struck. There was no "I'm sorry; no "Excuse me" 5 no "Pardon me" coming from this countryman of mine.
While this wasn't the first or last incident where I sighted impolite, ill-mannered, rude Americans in China, each produced similar feelings. First, I was embarrassed that someone from my country was creating a negative impression of Americans. My second reaction was a desire to apologize. I wanted to explain to the ChiiKse woman and her child, the German couple next to her, and everyone nearby that this was not typical American behavior. I wanted them to know "we" were all not like that
I never got to explain, or to apologize. Language differences made that option impossible, and rational thinking made it inappropriate. But there turned out not to be a need The German man caught my eye and with a bit of head-shaking, smiling and eye rolling* which I returned, it was clear he knew we were Americans and was expressing that there was "no need" to apologize for "universal idiot behavior". | high22714.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the festival is not in winter but in summer"
},
"options": [
"the country is in the Northern Hemisphere",
"people go shopping in shorts and T-shirts",
"the festival is not in winter but in summer",
"Santa Claus is on a ... | Christmas in Australia is often very hot. Whereas the northern hemisphere is in the middle of winter, Australians are baking in summer heat. It is not unusual to have Christmas Day well into the mid 30 degrees Celsius, or near 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
A traditional meal includes a turkey dinner, with ham, and pork. A flaming Christmas plum pudding is added for dessert. In the Australian gold rushes, Christmas puddings often contained a gold nugget. Today a small favor is baked inside. Whoever finds this knows s/he will enjoy good luck. Another treat is Mince Pies.
Some Australians and particularly tourists often have their Christmas dinner at midday on a local beach, Bondi Beach in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs attracts thousands of people on Christmas Day. Other families enjoy their day by having a picnic. If they are at home, the day is punctuated by swimming in a pool, playing Cricket out the backyard, and other outdoor activities.
The warm weather allows Australians to enjoy a tradition which started in 1937. Carols by Candlelight is held every year on Christmas Eve, where tens of thousands of people gather in the city of Melbourne to sing their favorite Christmas songs. The evening is lit by as many candles singing under a clean cut night sky. The sky with its Southern Cross stars is like a mirror. Sydney and the other capital cities also enjoy Carols in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Australians surround themselves with Christmas Bush, a native plant which has little red flowered leaves. | high8914.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a series of skin care products"
},
"options": [
"a product of eyes",
"an oil-free formula",
"a sun-blocking cream",
"a series of skin care products"
],
"question": "According to the passage, Moisture Surge is th... | What is so different about Moisture Surge?
These hydrating formulas rapidly make thirsty skin smooth and soft. Oil-free and fit for all skin types, they help:
Quickly increase skin's moisture level with hydrating relief in a high-speed delivery system; Restore skin's moisture balance; Make up dry lines.
Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
Rapid, long-lasting hydration in a refreshing oil-free gel . Fast-absorbing formula locks in moisture all day and helps skin better resist dry despite great shifts in humidity. Use whenever, wherever needed, under or over makeup, or as a 5-minute moisture mask .
Moisture Surge Face Water Thirsty Skin Relief
Refreshing facial water. Great for use anytime, anywhere, under or over makeup.
Moisture Surge Extra Refreshing Eye GEL*
Cool and comfortable eye gel. Doctor-tested. Use whenever needed, under or over makeup.
Moisture Surge Facial Sheet Mask*
Refreshing, pre-moistened full-face sheet mask. Apply 1-2 times a week for a quick moisturizing. To use: unfold and apply to clean skin. Rest for 10 minutes, and then remove the mask.
Moisture Surge Refreshing Eye Mask*
Refreshing pre-moistened eye pads . Apply 1-2 times a week to reduce under-eye puffiness and skin with quick hydration. To use: remove pads from packets and separate. Apply to clean under-eye skin. Rest for 10 minutes, and then remove pads.
Moisture Sheer Tint 15*
Refreshing, wash of color that hydrates and makes skin bright with special materials and SPF 15 sunscreen. Three skin-friendly shades wear beautifully alone or under makeup.
WARNING: keep out of eyes.
Stop use if any pain occurs. Keep out of reach of children.
Please pay attention to: *stands for "Not available in all countries. " | high2587.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "few friends came to visit them in winter"
},
"options": [
"lots of friends cam to visit them in winter",
"few friends came to visit them in winter",
"friends came to visit them only for drinks and meals",
"Norah was a g... | Norah had a cottage on a cliff above a big bay. In winter it could be very unpleasant because of strong winds and sea waves. In fact, when a _ was blowing, Norah and her husband got used to sleeping in a small room downstairs, because their bedroom upstairs, which faced the gales, had a very big window, and they were afraid that an extra violent wind might break it and blow pieces of broken glass over them.
Also, the salt wave from the sea put an end to many of the colorful plants Norah planted in her garden. She tried putting up a fence to protect them, but the wind just hit it, went up over the top and then down the other side, so in the end she filled the garden with trees and bushes that liked salt.
But most of the summer Norah enjoyed her cottage and garden very much. At weekends she could sit out-of-doors in the sun, looking at the beautiful view, with interesting ships and boats passing by, and she could very easily cycle down to the sea for a swim.
Now, Norah and her husband had plenty of friends and relations. In the summer lots of them used to come to enjoy the beautiful place, and in the end it really became quite annoying for the couple. When they were at home, they found friends and relations arriving, expecting to be given unlimited drinks and meals, and to sit in the sun for hours, talking as if Norah and her husband had nothing else to do but entertain and listen to them.
This went on for several years. Norah didn't wish to appear rude by refusing to let her friends and relations in, but on the other hand, she was getting tired every summer.
Then one day Norah was complaining about this to her hairdresser while she was doing her hair. "You're disturbed by too many uninvited guests, are you?" said the hairdresser. "Why don't you try my way of escaping?"
"What's that?" asked Norah.
"Well," the hairdresser answered, "when the bell rings, I put on my coat and take my shopping bag. If it's someone I don't want to see, I say innocently, 'I'm sorry, but I've got to go out.' But..." | high3841.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The writer doesn't believe it."
},
"options": [
"The writer believes it.",
"The writer is delighted to know it.",
"The writer doesn't believe it.",
"The writer is annoyed to know it."
],
"question": "What is the... | To prevent diabetes you will get a real jolt ( shock ) when you follow the prescription offered up in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." This 'prestigious' organization reported on separate studies of coffee drinkers in Sweden and Finland.
Whiz-bang medical researchers discovered that women could decrease their risk of diabetes by 29 percent when they followed a regimen of drinking three to four cups of coffee a day. The ladies who had the courage to drink 10 or more cups of coffee a day progressed even better. They reduced their risk of diabetes by 79 percent. The men participating in the studies also reduced their risk, but not to the extent as did the women. When men drank three to four cups a day, they reduced their risk of diabetes by 27 percent. The men who drank 10 or more cups of java per day reduced their risk by 55 percent.
These results confirm a January report by the equally 'prestigious' Harvard School of Public Health. That report concluded that drinking six 8-ounce cups of coffee a day could reduce diabetes risk in men by about 50 percent and in women by 30 percent.
If the numbers have any connection to reality, the more coffee you drink, the better off you are. And that is the rub. The numbers have nothing to do with reality, nothing to do with the truth. Here in America the rate of adult-onset diabetes, or Type 2 diabetes, is growing increasingly. Nowadays it typically shows up in middle-age populations, but the disease is on the rise among ever-younger age groups.
Do not step up your coffee consumption in the belief it will help you prevent diabetes. This disease has ly nothing to do with a lack of coffee drinking.
Science and truth are not synonymous. Medical scientists do not deal with truth. The medical scientists who monkey around with coffee drinking merely play with limited and approximate descriptions of reality. In this case, extremely limited and hardly approximate.
If you are serious about preventing diabetes, you have to look at the differences between the people of the past who did not get diabetes and the people of today who get diabetes. _ involves more than merely harping on the fact the younger generation is becoming more overweight and less active.
We have plenty of newly discovered diabetics who are active and on the thin side---and they drink lots of coffee. The primary difference between the people of the past who did not get sick and die like we do, and the present lot who become diabetics, is poor nutritional status. The diabetic-in-process has an inadequate intake of nutrients and/or excessive intake of nutrient-poor foods. Conversely , his/her healthy ancestors had a nutrient-rich diet. The nutrient-rich diet of the past contained, minimally, four times the amount of minerals, and ten times the amount of fat-soluble vitamins found in the American diet of the late 1930's and early 1940's.
Folks who learn where health comes from and practice prevention won't become diabetic, and will not need the medical community dosing them with coffee, or any other magic bullet. | high20103.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Responsibility and determination."
},
"options": [
"Enthusiasm and peace.",
"Devotion and Friendship.",
"Civilization and effort.",
"Responsibility and determination."
],
"question": "Which of the following is m... | Every single one of you has something that you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That's the opportunity an education can provide.
And no matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee that you'll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You're going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You cannot drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You've got to train for it and work for it and learn for it.
And this isn't just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. The future of America depends on you. What you're learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.
You'll need the insights and critical-thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination. You'll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.
If you quit on school--you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.
I get it. I know what it's like. My wife, our First Lady, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn't have a lot of money. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.
Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. No one's written your destiny for you, because you write your own destiny. You make your own future.
That's what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.
That's why today I'm calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education--and do everything you can to meet them.
Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.
The truth is, being successful is hard.
No one's born being good at all things. You become good at things through hard work. You're not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don't hit every note the first time you sing a song. You've got to practice. The same principle applies to your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right. You might have to read something a few times before you understand it. You definitely have to do a few drafts of a paper before it's good enough to hand in.
And even when you're struggling, even when you're discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you, don't ever give up on yourself, because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country. | high19782.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the safety guard of the machinery was gone"
},
"options": [
"he crossed the machinery",
"he didn't notice the PTO shaft",
"the safety guard of the machinery was gone",
"he was standing at the back of the tractor"
],... | Nowadays with the development of agriculture, farmers use more technology. However, they are being told more needs to be done to stop them injuring at work. One in five British workplace deaths happens in agriculture even though farmers are only a small part of the working population. During the year 2012/13 there were 1,061 injuries in total and it is thought many more go unreported.
Jim Chapman from Warwickshire had his arm torn off by farm machinery seven years ago when he was 23. "You don't realize how much you rely on your second arm until it's gone," he said. He fell against a PTO shaft , a spinning metal bar at the back of a tractor. "It catapulted me from one side of the machine to the other," he said. "I landed on the floor, minus all my clothing. My left arm had been torn off." He admits that the machinery was missing part of its proper safety guard. "But again," he added, "it was a rushed day. There were a few machines that didn't work. Also, I was getting behind with the jobs."
Over the last 10 years, other industries that you'd think of as dangerous, like building or quarrying , have lowered the number of workplace deaths and injures. In the farming industry though, deaths remain high with 34 deaths in 2012/13.
Judith Hackett, the chair of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says it is "not acceptable" that the accident statistics for farming are still high. "People in farming don't have minor injuries. When they get injured, it's bad." She said. "When I said to the National Farmers' Union (NFU) that if I had sons I would not want them to work in agriculture, it really made them sit up and take notice." There's a whole host of reasons why farming is as dangerous as it is. It is a very rough industry. Also, it's often because people are left alone. They could be young and inexperienced, or older people, who would have retired maybe 5 or 10 years ago in other industries.
Jim wants others to learn from his experience. "Look at what you're doing before you go running in," he said. "You could make a mistake that you'll live with for the rest of your life." | high17977.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The Fox television program."
},
"options": [
"NASA's publicity campaign.",
"The Fox television program.",
"Buzz Aldrin.",
"James E. Oberg."
],
"question": "According to the writer, which of the following is to b... | Which is sillier: denying we ever went to the moon or trying to convince the true non-believers?
Once upon a time--July 20, 1969, to be specific - two men got out of their little spaceship and wandered around on the moon for a while. Ten more men walked on the moon over the next three and a half years. The end.
Unfortunately, not quite. A fair number of Americans think that this whole business of moon landings really is a fairy tale. They believe that the landings were a big hoax staged in the Mojave Desert, to convince everyone that U.S. technology was the "best" in the whole wide world.
Which is the harder thing to do: Send men to the moon or make believe we did? The fact is that the physics behind sending people to the moon is simple. You can do it with computers whose entire memory capacities can now fit on chips the size of postage stamps and that cost about as much as, well, a postage stamp. I know you can because we did.
However, last fall NASA considered spending $15,000 on a public-relations campaign to convince the unimpressed that Americans had in fact gone to the moon. That idea was mostly a reaction to a Fox television program, first aired in February 2001, that claimed to expose the hoax. The show's creator is a publicity hound who has lived up to the name in more ways than one by hounding Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon. Mr. X (as I will call him, thereby denying him the joyous sight of his name in print) recently followed Buzz Aldrin around and called him "a thief, liar and coward" until the 72-year-old astronaut finally lost it and hit the 37-year-old Mr. X in the face.
Anyway, NASA's publicity campaign began to slow down. The nonbelievers took the campaign as NASA's effort to hide something while the believers said that $15,000 to convince people that the world was round -- I mean, that we had gone to the moon -- was simply a waste of money. (Actually, the $15,000 was supposed to pay for an article by James E. Oberg, an astronomy writer who, with Aldrin, has contributed to Scientific American.)
If NASA's not paying Oberg, perhaps it could put the money to good use by hiring two big guys to drag Neil Armstrong out of the house. Armstrong is an extremely private man, but he is also the first man on the moon, so maybe he has a duty to be a bit more outspoken about the experience. Or NASA could just buy Aldrin a commemorate plaque for his recent touch on the face of Mr. X. | high3699.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "inform people of baggage inspection"
},
"options": [
"introduce one of the security acts",
"persuade people to contact TSA",
"warn against the damage of locking the baggage",
"inform people of baggage inspection"
],... | To protect you and your fellow passengers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is required by law to inspect all checked baggage. As part of this process, some bags are opened and inspected. Your bag was among those selected for inspection.
During the inspection, your bag and its contents may have been searched for items forbidden by law such as fireworks, fuels, gunpowder, etc. At the completion of the inspection, the contents were returned to your bag, which was resealed with a "special" lock.
If the TSA screener was unable to open your bag for inspection because it was locked, the screener may have been forced to break the locks on your bag. TSA sincerely regrets having to do this, and has taken care to reseal your bag upon completion of inspection. However, TSA is not _ for damage to your locks resulting from necessary precaution.
For packing tips and other suggestions that may assist you during your next trip, visit: www.tsatraveltips.us.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation .If you have questions, comment,or concerns , please feel free to contact the Transportation Security Administration Consumer Response Centre:
Phone: toll-free at (866)289-9673
Email:telltsa@tas.dot.gov
Section 110(b)of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001,49
USC&44901(c)-(e) | high4479.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "While using the dry salting method, you should hold the fish with wooden boxes."
},
"options": [
"All the heads of the fish which will be dried must be cut off.",
"When drying fish, the less you use the salt, the better.",
"W... | There are three different ways to store fish. Two ways to store fish for future use are canning and freezing. Two other methods are drying and smoking. Today we have the first of the two reports describing, step by step, how to prepare dried fish.
Begin with the fish that are just out of water. If the fish are small, leave their heads on. Cut off the heads if the fish are longer than twenty centimeters or weigh more than one hundred fifteen grams.
Now clean the freshly caught fish. Cut off the scales and cut open the stomach. Remove everything inside. Then wash the fish in clean water and rub salt into them.
Next, put the fish in a container with a solution of three hundred grams of salt and one liter of water. This will remove the blood from the meat. Keep the fish in the salt water for about thirty minutes. After that, wash them again in clean water.
Next, put the fish in a solution that has more salt in the water. The water should be salty enough so that the fish float to the top. If the fish sink to the bottom of the container, add more salt to the water.
Cover the container with a clean piece of wood. Place a heavy stone on the wood to hold it down. Leave the fish there for about six hours.
After that remove them from the salt water and place them on a clean surface. Cover the fish with a clean piece of white cloth and let them dry.
Another method of preparing fish is called dry salting. Wooden boxes or baskets are used for drying salting. After cleaning the fish, put a few of them on the bottom of the box or basket. Cover them with salt, then put more fish on top. Cover them also with salt. Continuing putting fish and salt in the container until it is full.
Do not use too much salt when using the dry salting method. You should use one part salt to three parts fish. For example, if you have three kilograms of fish, you should use one kilogram of salt.
Remove the fish after a week or ten days. Wash them in a mixture of water or a small amount of salt and let them dry.
We have talked a lot about salt. keep in mind that doctors advise people to limit the sodium in their diet. It can raise blood pressure, and some people have more of a reaction than others. | high21792.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "What time Americans eat dinner."
},
"options": [
"What time Americans eat dinner.",
"Where Americans eat.",
"Why Americans eat in a hurry.",
"Which do meat Americans eat the most slowly."
],
"question": "What is... | Americans eat breakfast and lunch quickly unless it is a social business or family occasion. The evening meal is usually longer and a time for families to gather together. Rushing through daytime meals is part of the fast pace in America. Another reason for rushing through daytime meals is that many people eat in restaurant that are usually crowded with people waiting for a place so that they can be served and return to work at the proper time. So each one hurried to make room for the next person. As there are busy people everywhere, there is a real difference with meals that are eaten in a hurry and those that can be enjoyed slowly with friends. | high11651.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "knew selling the lion would upset Bertie"
},
"options": [
"had been seriously ill recently",
"had decided to send Bertie to school",
"knew selling the lion would upset Bertie",
"knew Bertie would hate to go to England"
... | Bertie knew there was something in the wind. His mother had been sad in recent days, not sick, just strangely sad. The lion had just lain down beside him, his head warm on Bertie's feet when Father cleared his throat and began," You'll soon be eight, Bertie. A boy needs a proper education. We've found the right place for you, a school near Salisbury in England."
His heart filled with a terrible fear, all Bertie could think of was his white lion. "But the lion," he cried, "What about the lion?"
"I'm afraid there's something else I have to tell you," his father said. Looking across at Bertie's mother, he took a deep breath. Then he told Bertie he had met a circus owner from France, who was over in Africa looking for lions to buy. He would come to their farm in a few days.
"No! You can't send him to a circus!" said Bertie. "People will come to see him. He'll be shut up behind bars. I promised him he never would be. And _ will laugh at him. He'd rather die. Any animal would! " But as he looked across the table at them, he knew their minds were quite made up.
Bertie felt completely betrayed. He waited until he heard his father's deep breathing next door. With his white lion at his heels, he crept downstairs in his pyjamas, took down his father's rifle from the rack and stepped out into the night. He ran and ran till his legs could run no more. As the sun came up over the grassland, he climbed to the top of a hill and sat down, his arms round the lion's neck. The time had come.
"Be wild now," he whispered. "You've got to be wild. Don't ever come home. All my life I'll think of you. I promise I will." He buried his head in the lion's neck. Then, Bertie clambered down the hill and walked away.
When he looked back, the lion was still sitting there watching him; but then he stood up, yawned, stretched, and sprang down after him. Bertie shouted at him, but he kept coming. He threw sticks. He threw stones. Nothing worked.
There was only one thing left to do. With tears filling his eyes and his mouth, he lifted the rifle to his shoulder and fired over the lion's head. | high3316.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he hears his screams repeated."
},
"options": [
"he falls over his own feet.",
"his father can shout as loud as he does.",
"he hears his screams repeated.",
"someone calls him a coward."
],
"question": "The boy ... | A son and his father were walking on the mountains. Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhh!!!" To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountains: "AAAhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Curious, he shouts: : "Who are you?" He receives the answer:" "Who are you?" And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!" The voice answers: "I admire you!"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward (one without courage)!" He receives the answer: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?" The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."
Again the man screams at the top of his voice: "You are a champion!" The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but does not understand. Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO , but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence."
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life; life will give you back everything you have given to it." | high2008.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The world's environment is improving."
},
"options": [
"Our planet is in bad shape.",
"The world's environment is improving.",
"The total amount of forests in the world is not declining.",
"Conservation efforts have bee... | Environmentalists said our planet was doomed to die. Now one man says they are wrong. "Everyone knows the planet is in bad shape," thundered a magazine article last year. Species are being driven to die out at record rates, and the rivers are so poisonous that fish are floating on the surface, dead.
But there's a growing belief that what everyone takes for granted is wrong: things are actually getting better. A new book is about to overturn our most basic assumptions about the world's environment. Rivers, seas, rain and the atmosphere are all getting cleaner. The total amount of forests in the world is not declining. The Skeptical Environmentalist by Bjorn Lomborg, professor of statistics at the University of Aarhus in Denmark, is an attack on the misleading claims of environmental groups, and the "bad news" culture that makes people believe everything is getting worse.
Now the attacks are increasingly coming from left-wing environmentalists such as Lomborg, a former member of Greenpeace. The accusation is that, although the environment is improving, green groups -- with profits of hundreds of millions of pounds a year -- are using scare tactics to gain donations. Lomborg's book doesn't deny global warming -- probably the biggest environmental threat -- but destroys almost every other environmental claim with many official statistics.
The Worldwatch Institute claims that "deforestation has been accelerating over the last 30 years". But Lomborg says that is simply rubbish. Since the dawn of agriculture the world has lost about 20 per cent of its forest cover, but in recent decades the forest area's depleting has come to a stop. According to UN figures, the area of forests has remained almost steady, at about 30 percent of total land area, since the 1940s. Forests in countries such as the US, the UK and Canada have actually been expanding over the past 40 years. Despite all the warnings the Amazon rainforest has only shrunk by about 15 percent.
Nor are all our species dying out. Some campaigners claim that 50 percent of all species will have died out within 50 years. But other studies show only 0.08 percent of species are dying out each year. Conservation efforts have been successful. Whales are no longer threatened and the bald eagle is off the endangered list.
Environmental groups claim that many of the improvements are the results of the success of their campaigns. Stephen Tindale, director of Greenpeace UK, said, "There are important examples, such as acid rain and ozone, where things aren't as bad as predicted, and that's because behavior has changed." | high18113.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "she valued the things used by her mom"
},
"options": [
"she valued the things used by her mom",
"she didn't want to throw them, away",
"she could sell them later",
"they were her mom's best items"
],
"question":... | I moved from Chicago to Brooklyn in July of 2010,just in time to watch my mother die. Our parents were both gone now; I took with me as many things they had left behind as I could.
I was out walking one Saturday later that summer when something caught my eye - a pale green dress. Laid out on the pavement was stuff like earrings, glass candle-holders, books. Hanging on the fence behind were a few pairs of jeans and a green cotton dress.
The woman, the host oPS the stoop sale, looked like she was getting rid of a past she didn't need or want. A dress that was too big for her. A chest of drawers that took up too much space, space she needed, maybe, to heal ,recover, or grow.
I wasn't planning on buying anything really, but now I needed to show her that I appreciated her things and I would give them a safe home. Then I had my first stoop sale --I paid her 20 dollars for her green cotton dress and her blue candle-holder,
From that day on, I became interested in stoop sales. Some of my favorite things are from someone else's life. I find no joy in shopping at regular stores any more. I love trying to sniff out a memory from a bud vase or a drawer. It is comforting to know that someone has breathed and laughed inside a sweater before me.
A few weeks ago, I carried my mother's dresses to a friend's stoop. These were her best items ,which were once worn by the most important person in my life. For many hours, I watched from across the path people advancing the stoop, some leaving with Mom1S dress. I used to think that her stuff was as forever sacred as my memory of her, I know now that once I love a scarf or shirt too dearly,it needs to find a new home. Even that green dress is long gone by now. | high5767.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Global English Centre and the International House of English."
},
"options": [
"Global English Centre and Modern Language School.",
"Global English Centre and the International House of English.",
"Modern Language School and ... | Suppose you work in a big firm and find English important for your job because you often deal with foreign businessmen. Now you are looking for a place where you can improve your English, especially your spoken English. Here are some advertisements about English language training from newspapers. You may find the information you need.
Global English Centre
General English in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
3-month (700 yuan), 6-month (1,200 yuan) and one year (2000 yuan) courses.
Choice fo morning or evening classes, 3 hours per day, Mon. ~Fri.
Experienced college English teachers.
Close to city centre and bus stops.
Tel:67605270
Add:105 Zhongshan Road,100082
Modern Language School
Special courses in English for business, travel, banking, hotel management and office skills.
Small classes (12~16 students) on Sat.&Sum.from2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Native English teachers from Canada and USA.
Language lab and computers supplied.
3-month course: (1050 yuan), 6-month course: (1850 yuan)
Write or phone: Modern Language School, 675 Park Road, 100056
Tel: 67353019
The 21 sty Century English Training Centre
We specialize in effective teaching at all levels.
We offer morning or afternoon classes, both of which last three months and a half at a cost of 800 yuan. Entrance exams:1 June and 1 Dec.
We also have a six-week TOEFL preparation class during winter and summer holidays.
Only 15-minute walk from city centre.
Call 67801642 for more information.
The International House of English
3/6-month English courses for students of all levels at very low cost: 60 yuan for 12 hours per week; convenient class hours:9~12 a.m. and2~5 p.m.
A 4-month evening classes for developing speaking skills (same cost as day classes).
Well-trained Chinese and foreign teachers experienced in teaching English as a 2nd foreign language.
Free sightseeing and social activities.
Very close to the Central Park.
For further information call 67432308. | high11889.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because it is an important skill for many jobs."
},
"options": [
"Because it is a required course at high school and college.",
"Because it is a way to communicate your thoughts.",
"Because it is an important skill for many j... | You have probably been told by your high school instructor that writing is an important and practical skill. However, you may not be convinced that the ability to write will be important in your own future. If so, you will be surprised at the results of a recent survey by the National Institute of Education. More than four thousand working men and women who had graduated fifteen years earlier were asked to name the courses they would have taken in college if they had known better. The designer of the survey expected people to name courses in computer science, mathematics, or business. But the course most often mentioned was writing.
If you already have a job, you are probably not surprised at their answers. Many jobs require the ability to write. Despite the increasing use of the telephone and the computer, much information must be communicated in writing.Some ten million people--managers, engineers, sales representatives, and many others-- write regularly as part of their jobs. Summaries, reports, reports, letters and speeches are required in today's work world. The ability to write, therefore, is an important skill. The successful individual is almost always the one who can communicate successfully in writing.
Writing communicates your thoughts and feelings to others; it also tells you something about yourself. Maybe this is what Eldridge Cleaver had in mind in his autobiography, "I started to write... to save myself...I had to seek out the truth... I had to find out who I am and what I want to be ,what type of man I should be ,and what I could do to become the best of which I was capable." | high14729.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He appreciates it very much."
},
"options": [
"He thinks it is unnecessary.",
"He thinks little of it.",
"He appreciates it very much.",
"He thinks it goes too far."
],
"question": "What is the author's attitude... | It's really true what people say about English politeness: it's everywhere. When squeezing past someone in a narrow passage, people say "sorry". When getting off a bus, English passengers say "thank you" rather than the driver. In Germany, people would never dream of doing these things. After all, squeezing past others is sometimes unavoidable, and the bus driver is only doing his job. I used to think the same way, without questioning it, until I started traveling to the British Isles, and here are some more polite ways of interacting with people in UK.
People thank each other everywhere in England, all the time. When people buy something in a shop, customer and shop assistant in most cases thank each other twice or more. In Germany, it would be exceptional to hear more than one thank you in such a conversation. British students thank their lecturers when leaving the room. English employers thank their employees for doing their jobs, as opposite to Germans, who would normally think that paying their workers money is already enough.
Another thing I observed during my stay was that English people rarely criticize others. Even when I was working and mistakes were pointed out to me, my employers emphasized several times but none of their explanations were intended as criticism. It has been my impression that by avoiding criticism, English people are making an effort to make others feel comfortable. This also is showed in other ways. British men still open doors for women, and British men are more likely to treat women to a meal than German men. However, I do need to point out here that this applies to English men a bit more than it would to Scottish men! Yes, the latter are a bit tightfisted. | high1501.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "By benefiting from their positions"
},
"options": [
"By getting enough salaries",
"By talking to employees",
"By transporting bags of cash",
"By benefiting from their positions"
],
"question": "How did governmen... | IMAGINE if, to collect your salary each month, you had to walk to the nearest town, perhaps tens of miles away, to gather in a school or a football court or a church. There, you and your colleagues wait for a man to arrive from the capital, perhaps a thousand miles away, with a suitcase of cash.
Few countries are as corrupt as Congo . Mobutu Sese Seko, a former strongman, used state funds to _ a Concorde to take him on shopping trips to Paris. By the time of his overthrow in 1997, graft was endemic. Government employees were not paid but rather expected to use their positions to make a living. Among the most prized government jobs was that of accountant: the people responsible for transporting bags of cash to the provinces to hand out to employees.
In 2012, however, the Congolese government started helping civil servants to open bank accounts. Around three-quarters of them--some 670,000 people--now have one. In the process, the government has weeded out tens of thousands of ghost employees, since the embezzlers who invented them could not open accounts in their names without a matching ID.
Yet in a vast country with fewer roads than Luxembourg, hardly anyone lives anywhere near a bank branch. So Congolese banks must now do the work the government accountants used to: shipping money to the remote area. Cash has to be transported to branches in regional capitals, and thence to account-holders on the backs of motorbikes, in canoes or by foot. Bank staff with suitcases of cash make easy targets, just as they did in the west of America in the 19th century. Though they usually travel with armed policemen, there have been at least ten armed robberies of bank employees since January.
At the moment banks are little more than money-transfer companies, and not very sophisticated ones at that. The transfers tend to go only one way--out of Kinshasa--so cannot be netted against each other; instead cash almost always has to be moved physically. Therefore, most Congolese bankers hope that the new system will promote the growth of a proper banking system. | high13046.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "accounting"
},
"options": [
"teaching",
"accounting",
"political science",
"computer science"
],
"question": "Which of the following majors has the best job offers?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answ... | In the past, people who graduated from college felt proud of their academic achievements and felt confident that their degree would help them to find a good job.
However, in the past five years the job market has changed greatly. This year's college graduates are facing one of the worst job markets. For example, Ryan Stewart, a graduate of San Jose State University, got a degree in religious studies, but no job _ He points out that many people already working are getting laid off and don't have jobs, so it's even harder for new college graduates to find jobs.
Five years ago, the future looked bright for the class of 2006. There were many high-tech job chances. Graduates received many job offers, and they were able to get jobs with high salaries and benefits such as insurance and paid vacations. However, "Times have changed and it's a new market," according to an officer of the San Jose State Career Center.
The officer says students who do find jobs started preparing two years ago. They worked during summer vacations, they have had several short-time jobs, and they've majored in one of the few fields that are still hot, like chemical engineering, accounting, or nursing, where average starting salaries have actually increased over last year. Other popular fields (like information system management, computer science, and political science) have seen big declines in starting salaries.
Ryan Stewart (he had hoped to become a teacher) may go back to school in order to become a college teacher. He thinks college teaching could be a good career even in a bad economy.
In conclusion, _ For now, they can only hope the value of their degree will increase over time. | high12358.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "make a telephone call to our parents"
},
"options": [
"tell our friends",
"tell the teacher",
"say sorry to our parents",
"make a telephone call to our parents"
],
"question": "What does the writer think we shou... | "I don't like my parents. They always tell me I should do this, and should not do that. It sometimes makes me angry," said Li Ping, a middle school student in Hunan. Do you have the same problem? Perhaps your parents had the same problem when they were your age long ago. Why does it seem that some parents are not so friendly in their children's eyes?
One of the biggest things is when someone becomes a parent, he / she likes worrying things. They worry about everything about you, from the time you were born. They do a lot for you, though something would make you angry, because they care about you and worry about you. They worry about your choice of friends, the food you eat, your work at school, how much sleep you get, etc. All these things are part of your life. They want you to grow up healthily and happily.
So how can you make things easier on yourself? It's easier than you think. Just make sure your parents know what you're doing. Get them to know your friends. Phone if you stay somewhere else so that your parents don't call every hospital in the phone book looking for your body. Say sorry to them when you make mistakes. Take responsibility for what you have done. Talk about your ideas with them. They may talk about theirs with you.
Most of all, try to think about why your parents do this or do that. They are still practicing being parents and need help you can give them. Someday, when you become a parent, they may be able to help you know how to get on with your children. | high8243.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "good listeners"
},
"options": [
"paid counselors",
"money lenders",
"good listeners",
"next-door neighbors"
],
"question": "According to the passage we can learn that good friends should be _ .",
"quest... | Real-life Friends
Most people know the saying: A man's best friend is his dog; and that Diamonds are a girl's best friend. However, dogs can't offer advice or make you a cup of tea when you need one; and precious stones are cold comfort when you need a hug, and a shoulder to cry on.
What are Friends?
There are many ways to describe a friend. Friends are the family you can choose for yourself. Friends are a much better medication than medication is, and people who spend time with friends are happier with their lives as they are less lonely.
A good friend will put you to bed when you're lost consciousness. Ensure you're not laid on your back, and remember to remove your shoes. You should be able to tell a true friend anything without being judged by them.
How do Friendships Begin?
This is an easy question. Find someone else who has similar interests with you. You now have another person to talk to about your shared interest but remember they like to talk too, so be prepared to shut up and listen once in a while. Hopefully they will have other friends and will introduce you to them, thereby expanding your circle.
Friendships which begin due to location, for example, next-door neighbors or school classmates, rarely survive transitions such as moving to other neighborhoods, schools, colleges, jobs, immigration, and so forth. Attend a school reunion and you'll wonder what on earth you ever had in common with these people other than your age, although it is possible to have a friendship with someone you met at school. Mutually maintain it, and eventually become godparent or "uncle" to each others' children.
How Friendships are Maintained
To have a friend you must also be a friend and be prepared to be there for them should they need you. Failure in this respect would label you
and you would most probably be abandoned.
Boundaries
Like every other relationship you have in your life, there are boundaries you shouldn't cross with your friends. One of those is money: Don't lend to your friend and don't ask for a loan yourself.
Friends are unpaid counselors ,but phoning them at 2 am because you're awake and would like a chat is not a good idea. Neither is phoning them at 10 am if you know they're a shift-worker. Friends are people who need some space and quiet time. Generally, it all boils down to mutual respect and understanding.
It's not a good plan to interrupt your friend while they're on a date/on holiday/attending an orchestral recital/at a funeral.
Trust
Trust is the most vital element in any relationship. If you're not trustworthy then you probably don't deserve friends, so try to remember that you promised to see that dull film with them or applaud them at their first attempt at a karaoke or an Open Mic night. If you have promised to look after their clothes while they go for a bet, then make sure you do. You might like to carry enough cash to help them out too, as you never know when that situation might be reversed.
Don't lie to your friend: if they know you well they'll know you're lying or will at least be suspicious. If you find out something that you know will hurt your friend, be tactful . Do they need to know? Would they appreciate knowing? Can you tell their mum so she can break the news? Cowardly, yes, but mums usually have a much better way with words. Remember, if you do decide to tell them and it's painful, they will probably need some time alone, after lashing out at the closest thing--you. In that case, play the waiting game. Then don't beat them up about it afterwards.
A Friend for Life
Strong friendships can last a lifetime with care and consideration. The benefits are multi-folds; you've got someone to share birthday cake with, and especially for single people, a pub meal or a trip to the cinema is no fun alone, is it? Plus it's always nice to know there's someone there for you, as you're there for them, through the bad times as well as the good. Altogether now: Oh I get by with a little help from my friends. Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends. | high15437.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The average income of the Tuvalans is $1000 in 1999."
},
"options": [
"It only has a population of 11,000 people.",
"The average income of the Tuvalans is $1000 in 1999.",
"Tuvalu is only 3m high above sea level.",
"The... | Tuvalu is located in the South Pacific. It is tiny and has only nine islands with a population of just 11,000. In 1999, it was the third- poorest country in the world. The islanders earned just $1,000 each year.
But then something unusual happened. Tuvalu received an internet domain name--the letters "tv". These letters were very interesting for many companies around the world. A communication company from California offered to buy the domain name "tv" for $40 m. For the Tuvalans this was a very large amount of money. The islanders became very rich.
Because of global warming, and because the islands are only 3m above sea level, Tuvalu will probably become the first country in the world that will disappear under the sea.
You can already see signs of the rising sea on Tuvalu. Some beaches are disappearing and you can see tree roots by the ocean. Cyclones used to be very rare but they now appear a few times a year, and the rains that come with the cyclones cause flooding. Despite these problems, the Tuvalans had their new money. They could use it to buy themselves a future. Or at least they could use it to buy some time. Paul Lindsay, a documentary film-maker, took these questions with him all the way to Tuvalu, and came back with an incredible story. As the water rises, the Tuvalans are using the money to develop the land. They are building new houses, planning nightclubs, restaurants and hotels and new cars are driving around on new roads. The residents do not think this is strange: "Just because we are sinking, it doesn't mean we don't want to raise our standards of living." Sam Teo, Tuvalu's minister for natural resources told Lindsay. | high8525.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "people tend to decide on buying products when they see them"
},
"options": [
"people have difficulty making up their mind before going shopping",
"people don't know what is available in the store",
"people tend to decide on b... | It has been found that less than one shopper in five makes a complete shopping list before going to the store. The reason for this is that seven out of ten of today's purchases are decided in the store, where the shoppers tend toward impulse buying. Buying groceries on impulse had risen for the past forty years, and this rise has coincided with the growth of self-service shopping. However, in grocery stores where clerks wait on customers there is much less impulse buying. It is hard for people to buy on impulse if they have to address a clerk.
Psychologists have joined forces with merchandising experts. It is their job to persuade people to buy products which they may not need or even want until they see them attractively presented. It was discovered by the psychologists that shoppers want help in their purchases. Having so many choices confuses them, and they prefer the package that attracts them. Therefore, it is now more usual for food packers to pay attention to their package design. Attraction depends heavily on the position of the product on the shelf, however. Thus, persuading the shopper to buy is easier if the product is located at eye-level. | high15351.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He can't expect Mo could win the Nobel Prize in Literature."
},
"options": [
"He can't believe Mo has an ability to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.",
"He can't expect Mo could win the Nobel Prize in Literature.",
"He can't... | 57-year-old Mo Yan has become the first Chinese to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
"I grew up in an environment immersed with folk culture, which inevitably comes in to my novels when I pick up a pen to write. This has definitely affected, even decided, my works' artistic style," Mo told a group of reporters in his hometown of Gaomi, Shandong Province, shortly after he won the award. Gaomi county is where most of Mo's stories happen. It's a place that has inspired him throughout his 31-year writing career.
"I really didn't see this coming," Lu Jiande, director of the Institute of Literature at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told 21st Century. "I know Mo Yan pretty well and one thing a lot of people don't know is how good he is with words." "His calligraphy is surprisingly beautiful. In his writing, he can make words live and breathe," Lu said.
Mo created a cast of colorful characters and said that if there was a prototype , it would be the abandoned "black boy" who first appeared in the 1985 novel Red Transparent Radish, which bears imprints of the author's childhood.
Mo dropped out of school during the Cultural Revolution when he was 12 and began to work, first in agriculture, later in a factory. At 20, he joined the People's Liberation Army and during this time he began to study literature and write. His first short story was published in a literary journal in 1981. His breakthrough came a few years later with the novel Red Transparent Radish. Many got to know of Mo through director Zhang Yimou's film, Red Sorghum. It was adapted from his 1986 novel of the same name, bringing to life a visual landscape of red sorghum fields and a fiery setting sun.
Mo left the army in 1997 and gradually developed a writing style all of his own. History, family sagas, blood and violence are frequent elements in his most famous works, such as Big Breasts and Wide Hips or Sandalwood Penalty. On August 20, 2011, Mo's full-length novel The Frog won the eighth Mao Dun Literature Prize.
Some critics point out that Mo's works have a tendency toward vulgarity(, . In an interview with South China Morning Post, Professor Xiao Ying of Tsinghua University said the award was "outside of my expectations, as Mo Yan's works are still short on the idealism of pursuing humanity, which marks previous Nobel literature prize winners". | high7616.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the barber hadn't cut his hair well"
},
"options": [
"nobody had cut his hair",
"the barber hadn't cut his hair well",
"the barber had cut his hair carefully",
"he was not satisfied with his old barber"
],
"ques... | Jack went to a barber's shop and had his hair cut, but when he came out, he was not happy with the result . When his friend Bob saw him, he laughed and said, "What has happened to your hair, Jack?"
Jack said, "I tried a new barber's shop today, because I wasn't quite satisfied with my old one, but this one seems even worse."
Bob agreed . "Yes, I think you're right, Jack. Now I'll tell you what to do when you go into a barber's shop next time: look at all the barber's hair, find out whose hair looks worst, and then go straight to him."
"Why shall I go to him?" Jack asked. "But that would be foolish!"
"Oh, no, it wouldn't," answered Bob. "Who cut that man's hair? Just think it. He couldn't cut it himself, could he? Another of the barbers cut it. So you know he can't be the worst barber." | high1267.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "excited"
},
"options": [
"relaxed",
"angry",
"excited",
"disappointed"
],
"question": "When Iron Man was fighting an army of Hammer's Iron Man robots, people in the theater were _ .",
"question_type": "c... | Compared to Iron Man 1, which I really like, Iron Man 2 has more action, better special effects and is funnier.
In Iron Man 2, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces two enemies--a weapon producer named Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) and Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a horrible-looking Russian who wants revenge for something related to Tony's father. Besides the two enemies, Tony is also facing his own death. His man-made heart, which gives his Iron Man suit its power, is also harming his body.
My favourite part of the movie was when Iron Man uses his laser against an army of Hammer's Iron Man robots. Everyone in the theater was cheering. My favourite special effects scene was the fight scene at a car race. Ivan tore Tony's car apart piece by piece.
A funny part in the movie is when Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson) is inside a boxing ring with Happy Hogan (played by director Jon Favreau). Happy Hogan tries to hit Natalie Rushman. However, he is the one who ends up on the floor.
The only problem I had with the movie was that I didn't understand why Ivan had so much hate toward Tony.
I loved Iron Man 1 very much, and I expected Iron Man 2 to be much better. And after watching the movie, I'd like to say it is even better than I expected. | high18675.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "gave him a deep impression"
},
"options": [
"gave him a deep impression",
"scared him really",
"was a surprise for him",
"cost him a lot of money"
],
"question": "In the author's opinion, the first summer at day... | I was fortunate to begin my day camp career at Ramaquois as a four-year-old in 1984. I can clearly remember my first bus ride to camp, sitting next to my older sister. Stepping out of the bus, and into a new, strange world, there was no way I could comprehend how important that moment was for me. Ramaquois would become my summer home until this day.
My first summer at day camp was definitely a new experience for me. I had never had a "bunk " or a "cubby " before. My counselors sort of reminded me of my pre-school teachers, but they were...different somehow... I didn't usually enjoy new things and I was slow to warm up to camp. From what my parents tell me, my counselors were very patient with me. When I needed a friend, a counselor was there. When I needed words of encouragement, they got into conversation with me. When I was too shy to ask, they offered help.
I don't remember the specific moment when things changed, but I know that at some point that summer, things just became different. I couldn't wait for the bus to arrive in the morning. I feared the weekends. And on the last day of camp, I cried--just like the first day. I was attracted. Ramaquois was a part of my life.
I spent 11 summers as a camper at Ramaquois. I had no idea that those summers were just the beginning. I remained at camp for seven years as a counselor, five years a division leader and now I am lucky enough to be an assistant director working with the most unique and talented administrative team in the summer camp industry. I am one of the lucky people that truly enjoys going to work each and every day. | high17546.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Korean style"
},
"options": [
"French and American styles",
"Japanese style",
"traditional Chinese style",
"Korean style"
],
"question": "Mr. Deng Goes to Washington uses all of the following styles EXCEPT _ ... | The historical documentary, Mr. Deng Goes to Washington, which was first shown in the capital on May 12, not only reveals the details of an attempted assassination of Deng, but is also the first time that animated images of China's leaders have appeared on the silver screen. The film tells the story of Deng's nine-day visit to the US in 1979, only a month after China established diplomatic relations with the US for the first time after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
Lv Muzi, the film's producer, said the film includes 12 animated sequences of Deng, drawn in French, American and Japanese styles, as well as China's traditional shadow puppetry style.
Hu Yuchen, who has drawn cartoons for leaders including former premier, Wen Jiabao, is the artist behind the animated images of Deng. Among the three versions of images he drew, director, Fu Hongxing, chose to use the version which was moderately realistic.
"Deng's animated images are not static in the film. When he's at meetings, the images are more serious, and when he's at a party, he's _ in a more lively way," said Zhu.
For the young animator, animation can tell the story of that period of history better to younger viewers. "At first glance, animation may seem simple, but in reality, we need to do a large amount of homework, like checking what dishes were served at a dinner or what paintings were displayed in a particular room." Zhu said he and the team went through a lot of historical documents and reviewed video clips in the process of creation.
Fu said the film is in honor of Deng's contribution to China as well as his influence on generations of Chinese people. Production was completed last year, which marked the l10th anniversary of Deng's birth and also the 35thanniversary of Sino-US diplomatic relations. | high11137.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to promote the product"
},
"options": [
"to promote the product",
"to warn people not to go near birds",
"to remind people of the present situation of bird control is",
"to inform people what the present situation of bi... | Birds have long been known to be the disease carries for years, but now they are receiving so much pressure due to Avian Bird Flu. Bird cause health danger to humans and animals in or around their droppings.
Bird Buffer Q2, is designed to protect your facility from unwanted troublesome birds naturally, and is especially effective for sparrow control. When birds keep coming back and you've tried everything imaginable, it's time for Bird Buffer Q2.
Bird control is now safe, easy, and economical with Bird Buffer. The Bird Buffer is also simple to operate. Just hang it with Bird Buffer cables or set it on the roof. Fill it with the specially-prepared liquid, and turn it on. It is that simple. Bird Buffer Q2 is a permanent, automatic and cost-effective commercial process for indoor and outdoor bird control. Contact Bird Buffer LLC @www. Birdbuffer.com or call 866-557-4274.
Bird Buffer Q2 Frequently Asked Questions:
a) How does Bird Buffer Q2 work?
It is operated by an electrically-controlled sprayer to spread the vapor at 90 mph over larger areas. A time releases the vapor every 2 minutes into the air to keep fresh vapor in the area for birds. When birds fly through the area, the tiny particles of vapor enter the birds breathing system, making the birds fly away. When the birds come back, they once again breathe the particles and fly away. After a few weeks, birds remember their responses and stay away.
b) How much water is needed per month?
About one gallon a mouth
c) How long does it take to get bird control?
Usually two weeks is enough to control flocks of birds from the treated area. It takes time for the birds to find a new home and new feeding grounds. | high3470.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To study whether family structure affects depression in men when their child is born."
},
"options": [
"To see what kind of family environment is ideal for children to grow up in.",
"To study whether family structure affects depres... | Researchers in London and Bristol have found that men are particularly likely to yield to depression if their partners are also depressed.
The finding highlights the importance of paying attention to the partners of depressed mothers, as young children themselves are vulnerable to social problems if both parents are depressed.
Researchers in London and at the University of Bristol launched their study to investigate whether family structure affects the likelihood of depression in men around the time their child is born. They looked at men from traditional families, men with children from a previous relationship, men whose partners had children by a former partner, and men who were not living with their partners.
All 7,108 participants filled out a questionnaire on depression, and answered questions about their age, education level and employment status. Details about the quality of their relationships with their partners, networks of friends and previous life events were also recorded.
About 3.5 percent of the men and 13 percent of their partners suffered depression around the time their child was born. While men in stepfamilies or who were not living with their partners were twice as likely to get depressed as those in traditional families, this could be explained by other factors that are more common in nontraditional families, such as poor education and relationship conflicts.
Even allowing for all these factors, however, the partners of women who were suffering from prenatal depression were significantly more likely to become depressed themselves, the researchers report in an American journal. Ten percent of women who were depressed had depressed partners. For the healthy women, the figure was only 2.6 percent.
Previous research suggests that families with two depressed parents may need special attention. A researcher in Atlanta has found that primary school children with two troubled parents have difficulty relating to their peers. "It's extremely important to look at the whole family." she says. | high5015.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the name of the machine was too long"
},
"options": [
"it was difficult for people to accept new things",
"there were great disadvantages of the key board",
"the machine could not be distinguished from print",
"the name... | Look at the keyboard of any standard typewriter or computer."Q,""W,""E,""R""T"and"Y"are the first six letters.Who decided on this arrangement of the letters? And why?
People tried for centuries to invent the typewriter.In 1714 in England,Henry Mill filed a patent for a machine called An Artificial Machine Or Method for the Impressing or Transcribing of Letters,Singly or Progressively one after another, as in Writing,whereby all Writing whatsoever may be Engrossed in Paper or Parchment so Neat and Exact as not to be distinguished from Print.That machine probably didn't sell because no one could remember its name!
The first practical typewriter was patented in the United States in 1868 by Christopher Latham Sholes.His machine was known as the type-writer.It had a movable carriage,a lever for turning paper from line to line,and a keyboard on which the letters were arranged in alphabetical order.
But Sholes had a problem.On his first model,his"ABC"key arrangement caused the keys to jam when the typist worked quickly.Sholes didn't know how to keep the keys from sticking,so his solution was to keep the typist from typing too fast.Sholes asked his brother-in-1aw to rearrange the keyboard so that the commonest letters were not so close together and the type bars would come from opposite directions.Thus they would not clash together and jam the machine.The new arrangement was the QWERTY arrangement typists use today.Of course,Sholes claimed that the new arrangement was scientific and would add speed and efficiency.The only efficiency it added was to slow the typist down,since almost any word in the English language required the typist's fingers to cover more distance on the keyboard.
The advantages of the typewriter outweighed the disadvantages of the keyboard.Typists memorized the crazy letter arrangement,and the typewriter became a huge success.By the time typists had memorized the new arrangement of letters and built their speed,typewriter technology had improved,and the keys didn't stick as badly as they had at first. | high18661.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the mystery of the snowman"
},
"options": [
"some mountain climbers",
"some strange animals",
"some large footprints",
"the mystery of the snowman"
],
"question": "The passage is about _ .",
"question_typ... | Is there a strange something high up in the world's tallest mountains? If so, is it a big bear? Is it a monkey? Or is it a kind of man?
No one knows. This mystery has puzzled the world for years.
In 1887, a mountain climber found large footprints in the snow. They looked like the footprints of a very large man. But men don't walk without shoes in the snow!
In 1906, other climbers saw more than footprints. Far away they saw a very large animal standing on two legs. As they watched, it ran very quickly.
Fifteen years later, newspapers, had new stories about the "something". A mountain climber said he had seen the "snow man" walk slowly across the snow, far below him. He said it looked like a very large man.
From then on, more and more people had stories to tell. But not until 1951 did a mountain climber bring back pictures of large footprints. His pictures showed clearly that the snowman walked on two legs, so it was not a bear or a monkey. Could it be an ape man? The mystery grew! And the mystery keeps growing. Some day we may find out just what it is that makes the large footprints. | high17552.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "internet"
},
"options": [
"newspaper",
"broadcast station",
"internet",
"magazine"
],
"question": "The news about Spears's clothes was most probably taken from a(a n)_.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | Pop star Britney Spears _ with a childhood friend,but their two-day-old marriage was dissolved Monday shortly after Britney filed for an annulment(/).She described the marriage as"a joke that went too far,"said one source closed to Spears."I don't even know if she loves him,"the source said.
The 22-year-old diva(most important singer)walked down the aisle at a Las Vegas wedding chapel early Saturday,the reports said,marrying Jason Alexander,also 22,a childhood friend from her hometown of Kentwood,Louisiana whom she had recently begun dating.
Spears wore jeans and a baseball cap,and was escorted down the aisle by a hotel bellman,according to the People.com.
The two apparently decided to marry while partying at the Palms Casino Hotel Friday night,and did so at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.The honeymoon was spent at the Palms,but the next night Spears was seen dining with a group that did not include the groom at a hotel steakhouse.
Raised in the US south,the pop diva started her career at a television program The Mickey Mouse Club at age 11,becoming a famous teen singer.
All four of her CDs.including most recently November'S"In the Zone,"debuted at number one on the charts. | high16894.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They send money to the poor students."
},
"options": [
"They discuss educational problem.",
"They send money to the poor students.",
"They share teaching ideas.",
"They comfort each other."
],
"question": "What ... | Blogs are being used more and more by teachers. Many Internet services now offer free and easy ways to create personal Web pages.
Through comments on blogs, or Web logs, teachers can share their classroom experiences. They can exchange ideas and discuss successes and failures. They can debate educational policies. Or they can just sympathize with each other.
A teacher in the American state of North Carolina recently wrote on her blog: "Apparently the teachers at my school use too much paper. So my principal yelled at everyone at the last staff meeting for, like, ten minutes. Now, I've just been told, we are not getting anymore paper for the rest of the year."
This unidentified blogger is now in her third year of teaching, but still calls her sitefirstyearteacher.blogspot.com.
A blogger who calls himself Minister Lawrence works as a substitute teacher. In April he wrote about a disputed plan to split the Omaha, Nebraska, public schools into separate systems for black, Latino and white students. Supporters say minority parents do not have enough power over their children's education.
But Minister Lawrence wrote at teachersparadise.blogspot.com: "I'm afraid that what this says' to a lot of people is that blacks, whites and Hispanics are not equal, and "reinforces" racist beliefs among people."
Educators did not become involved with blogging right away. Many were concerned with privacy issues and security. But now, thousands of teacher blogs can be found on the Internet. Many teachers do not identify themselves, and they change the names of students and co-workers. | high11123.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the government guarantee a gradually high salary for the successful candidates"
},
"options": [
"once you are hired as a junior official, you can get an endlessly rising salary",
"the government guarantee a gradually high salary fo... | The Beijing government has set out to _ thousands of university graduates to work as junior officials in rural areas to both improve rural administration and ease the city's employment problems.
The government plans to recruit 3,000 university graduates this year, 1,000 more than last year, to work as assistants to village heads or Party secretaries in suburban areas.
People interested in jobs in Beijing's rural villages and townships can submit applications to the Beijing Municipal Personnel Bureau or online at www.Bjbys.com from February 1 through March 15.
"We hope university graduates will seize this opportunity to use their knowledge in rural villages and to start their careers," Sun Zhenyu, deputy director of Beijing Personnel Bureau, told Xinhua News Agency.
The government has promised successful candidates a monthly salary of 2,000 yuan ( $ 250) in the first year, 2,500 yuan ($ 320) the second year and 3,000 yuan ($ 385) the third year, provided their performance is up to the required standards.Sun said.
Wang Lina, who graduated from Beijing Union University last year, was one of the first graduates to find work in the city's countryside After majoring in industrial and commercial administration, Wang served as the assistant to the village head of Ertiaojie Village in suburban Besjing's Pinggu District.For one project, Wang contacted people at the BeijingAcadeny of Agricnitural Sciences and arranged for the local farmers to receive training in strawberry planting.Her efforts paid off.The village had a plentiful harvest of organic strawberries earlier this year.
Nationwide, about 150,000 university graduates found employment in rural areas last year, according to figures provided by the Ministry of Education.
The ministry predicts that 4.95 million students will graduate from universities across the country this year, 820,000 more than last year.About 1.4 million of them are unlikely to find jobs when they graduate.
In Beijing, a record 200,000 people are expected to graduate from university this year. Less than half of them are expected to be offered jobs, according to the personnel bureau. | high3464.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it is necessary to know key figures"
},
"options": [
"how he succeeded",
"why he is important to the world nowadays",
"it is necessary to know key figures",
"he has a strong effect on the world"
],
"question": "... | Exited about landing your first job after graduation? Good, work hard and get learning. Don't forget to listen to young professional's advice about the "real world" you're stepping into.
1. Keep up with current events.
In school, it's easy to live in a cocoon, where you focus on studies and social life. But in the working world, not knowing who Alan Greenspan is or why North Korea is in the news so often can lead to potentially embarrassing conversations.
2. Consider living with parents, even if you have a job.
Think it over before you rule it out. Not only can you save a lot of money by living at home, but your parents may provide emotional support that you may need. They can help pave the way for you to move once you are settled into your new life.
3. Don't compare yourself to other people your age.
Young adults are good at putting up impressive appearance, but you don't really know what their lives are like. Those who seem to have the perfect job may spend part of the day making coffee and picking up boss's dry-cleaning.
4. Pay attention to small jobs as well as big ones.
Don't stress if, in your first job or internship , you get a lot more face time with the copy machine than with clients. You may wonder why you spent so much time studying in school only to do such tasks. But you may also be learning more about your new professional than you realize.
5. Know when it's time to move on.
Give a new job a chance, perhaps a year, before you make up your mind to leave, especially if it's your first job out of school. When you're sure that the job isn't for you, figure out what you want to do and how to do it. Zhang Yue, 26, spent three years working as an accountant in Shanghai before becoming a financial planner. He loves his new job and spent 10 months searching for it: "To find something you really want to do takes time." | high15345.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "by using the work of other scientists"
},
"options": [
"by doing experiments",
"by means of his own careful observation",
"by using the work of other scientists",
"by chance"
],
"question": "Halley made his disc... | Edmund Halley was an English scientist who lived over 200years ago. He studied the observations of comets which other scientists had made. The orbit of one particular comet was a very difficult mathematical problem. He could not figure it out. Neither could other scientists who dealt with such problems.
However, Halley had a friend named Isaac Newton. Who was a brilliant mathematician. Newton thought he had already which he had done it. He told Halley that the orbit of a comet had the shape of an ellipse.
Now Halley set to work. He figured out the orbits of some of the comets that had been observed by scientist. He made a surprising discovery. The comets that had appeared in the years 1531, 1607 and 1682 all had the same orbit. Yet their appearances had been 75 to 76 years apart.
This seemed very strange to Halley. Three different comets followed the same orbit. The more Halley thought about it, the more he thought that there had not been three different comets, as people thought. He decided that they had simply seen the same comet three times. The comet had gone away and had come back again.
It was an astonishing idea! Halley felt certain enough to make a prediction of what would happen in the future. He decided that this comet would appear in the year 1758. There were 53 years to go before Halley's prediction could be tested.
In 1758 the comet appeared in the sky. Halley did not see it, for he had died some years before. Ever since then that comet been called Halley's comet, in his honor. | high1273.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a baby's play is somehow similar to a scientist's experiment"
},
"options": [
"a baby's play is nothing more than a game.",
"scientific research into babies; games is possible",
"the nature of babies' play has been thoroughly... | A scientist working at her lab bench and a six-old baby playing with his food might seem to have little in common.After all,the scientist is engaged in serious research to uncover the very nature of the physical world,and the baby is,well, just playing...right?Perhaps,but some developmental psychologists have argued that this"play"is more like a scientific investigation than one might think.
Take a closer look at the baby playing at the table.Each time the bowl of rice is pushed over the table edge,it
falls in the ground---and, in the process, it belongs out important evidence about how physical objects interact ; bowls of rice do not flood in mid-sit, but require support to remain stable. It is likely that babies are not born knowing the basic fact of the universe; nor are they ever clearly taught it. Instead, babies may form an understanding of object support through repeated experiments and then build on this knowledge to learn even more about how objects interact. Though their ranges and tools differ, the baby's investigation and the scientist's experiment appear to share the same aim(to learn about the natural world ), overall approach (gathering direct evidence from the world), and logic (are my observations what I expected?).
Some psychologists suggest that young children learn about more than just the physical world in this way---that they investigate human psychology and the rules of language using similar means. For example, it may only be through repeated experiments, evidence gathering, and finally overturning a theory, that a baby will come to accept the idea that other people can have different views and desires from what he or she has, for example, unlike the child , Mommy actually doesn't like Dove chocolate.
Viewing childhood development as a scientific investigation throws on how children learn ,but it also offers an inspiring look at science and scientists. Why do young children and scientists seem to be so much alike? Psychologists have suggested that science as an effort ---the desire to explore, explain, and understand our world---is simply something that comes from our babyhood. Perhaps evolution provided human babies with curiosity and a natural drive to explain their worlds, and adult scientists simply make use of the same drive that served them as children. The same cognitive systems that make young children feel good about feel good about figuring something out may have been adopted by adult scientists. As some psychologists put it, "It is not that children are little scientists but that scientists are big children." | high13734.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "In the evening"
},
"options": [
"In the morning",
"At noon",
"In the afternoon",
"In the evening"
],
"question": "At what time of day does the story occur?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | Early that day the weather turned and the snow was melting into dirty water. Streaks of it ran down from the little shoulder-high window that faced the backyard. Cars slushed by on the street outside, where it was getting dark. But it was getting dark on the inside too.
He was in the bedroom pushing clothes into a suitcase when she came to the door.
I'm glad you're leaving! I'm glad you're leaving! She said. Do you hear?
He kept on putting his things into the suitcase.
Son of a bitch! I'm so glad you're leaving! She began to cry. You can't even look me in the face, can you?
When she noticed the baby's picture on the bed and picked it up.
He looked at her and she wiped her eyes and stared at him before turning an d going back to the living room.
Bring that back, he said.
Just get your things and get out, she said.
He did not answer. He fastened the suitcase, put on his coat, looked around the bedroom before turning off the light. Then he went out to the living room.
She stood in the doorway of the little kitchen, holding the baby.
I want the baby, he said.
Are you crazy? No, but I want the baby. I'll get someone to come by for his things.
You're not touching this baby, she said.
The baby had begun to cry and she uncovered the blanket from around his head.
Oh, oh, she said, looking at the baby.
He moved toward her.
For god's sake! She said. She took a step back into the kitchen.
I want the baby.
Get out of here!
She turned and tried to hold the baby over in a corner behind the stove.
But he came up. He reached across the stove and tightened his hands on the baby.
Let go of him, he said.
Get away, get away! She cried.
The baby was red-faced and screaming. In the scuffle they knocked down a flowerpot that hung behind the stove.
He crowded her into the wall then, trying to break her grip. He held on to the baby and pushed with all his weight.
Let go of him, he said.
Don't, she said. You're hurting the baby, she said.
I'm not hurting the baby, he said.
The kitchen window gave no light. In the near-dark he worked on her fisted fingers with one hand and with the other hand he gripped the screaming baby up under an arm near the shoulder.
She felt her fingers being forced open. She felt the baby going from her.
No! She screamed just her hands came loose.
She would have it, this baby. She grabbed for the baby's other arm. She caught the baby around wrist and leaned back.
But he would not let go. He felt the baby slipping out of his hands and he pulled back very hard.
In this manner, the issue was decided. | high23191.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "optimistic and loving"
},
"options": [
"kind and stubborn",
"persistent and dull",
"courageous and talkative",
"optimistic and loving"
],
"question": "Which of the following words can describe the elderly nurse?... | "How do you account for your remarkable achievements in life?" Queen Victoria of England asked Helen Keller. "How do you explain the fact that even though you were both blind and deaf, you were able to achieve so much?"
Ms. Keller's answer is a tribute to her dedicated teacher. "If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown."
According to speaker Zig Ziglar, "Little Annie" Sullivan, as she was called when she was young, was no stranger to hardship. She was almost sightless herself (due to a childhood fever) and was, at one time, diagnosed as hopelessly "insane" by her by caregivers. She was locked in the basement of a mental institution outside of Boston. On occasion, Little Annie would violently attack anyone who came near. Most of the time she generally ignored everyone in her presence.
An elderly nurse believed there was hope, however, and she made it her mission to show love to the child. Every day she visited Little Annie. For the most part, the child did not acknowledge the nurse's presence, but she still continued to visit. The kind woman left cookies for her and spoke words of love and encouragement. She believed Little Annie could recover, if only she were shown love.
Eventually, doctors noticed a change in the girl. Where they once witnessed anger and hostility , they now noted an emerging gentleness and love. They moved her upstairs where she continued to improve. Then the day finally came when this seemingly "hopeless" child was released.
Anne Sullivan grew into a young woman with a desire to help others as she, herself, was helped by the kindly nurse. It was she who saw the great potential in Helen Keller. She loved her, disciplined her, played with her, pushed her and worked with her until the flickering candle that was her life became a beacon of light to the world. Anne Sullivan worked wonders in Helen's life, but it was a loving nurse who first believed in Little Annie and lovingly transformed an uncommunicative child into a _ teacher.
"If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown." But if it had not been for a kind and dedicated nurse, the name of Anne Sullivan would have remained unknown. And so it goes. Just how far back does the chain of redemption extend? And how for forward will it lead?
Those you have sought to reach, whether they be in your family or elsewhere, are part of a chain of love that can extend through the generations. Your influence on their lives, whether or not you see results, is immeasurable. Your legacy of dedicated kindness and caring can transform lost and hopeless lives for years to come. | high9149.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "draw readers' attention to the topic of the article"
},
"options": [
"show that poison has long been involved in literature",
"show that poison is always linked with evil and death",
"draw readers' attention to the topic of t... | In the famous fairy tale, Snow White eats the Queen's apple and falls victim to a curse; in Shakespeare's novel, Romeo drinks the poison and dies; some ancient Chinese kings took pills that contained mercury, believing that it would make them _ , but they died afterwards.
Poison has long been an important part in literature and history, and it seems to always be about evil, danger and death. But how much do you really know about poison?
An exhibition, The Power of Poison, opened last month at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, intended to give the audience a more vivid understanding of poison. The exhibition will continue until Feb. 2016, reported The New York Times.
The museum tour starts in a rainforest setting, where you can see live examples of some of the most poisonous animals: caterpillars, frogs and spiders. Golden poison frogs, for instance, aren't much bigger than a coin, but their skin is covered in a poison that can cut off the signaling power of your nerves, and a single frog has enough venom to kill 10 grown humans.
The exhibition also features interactive activities. In an iPad-based game, visitors are presented with three puzzling illnesses and asked to identify the poisons based on symptoms. In one case, for example, a pet dog is found sick in a backyard and visitors have to figure out whether it was the toad , the leaky batteries in the trash or the dirty pond water that did it.
"Poisons can be bad for some things," Michael Novacek, senior vice president of the museum, told NBC News. "Yet they can also be good for others."
This is what visitors learn from the last part of the exhibition, which displays how poisons can be used favorably by humans, including for medical treatment.
The blood toxins of vampire bats, for example, can prevent blood from clotting , which may protect against strokes. A poisonous chemical found in the yew tree is effective against cancer, which is what led to the invention of a cancer-fighting drug called Taxol. One chemical in the venom of Gila monsters can lower the blood sugar of its victims, so it has been used to treat diabetes. | high13052.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A young climber follows her dream"
},
"options": [
"Rock climbing gains popularity",
"Grace Kane likes challenges",
"A young climber follows her dream",
"An amazing victory for a young rock climber"
],
"question... | Grace Kane hangs onto an Olympic dream of clinging to a granite wall by her fingertips 70 feet from the ground. The fearless girl is only 10, but already has scaled great heights in the sport of rock climbing.
Last week, Kane won a bronze in the 11andyounger sport class at the USA Climbing Youth National Championships in Atlanta. She was the only competitor of the 31 there with no climbing coach or topflight facilities in which to train. Climbing will become an exhibition at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Brazil. The hope of enthusiasts is that the sport will gain full status in 2020."I'm already training for that," said Kane. "Climbing is my passion, my love, and I want to make something of it."
Her dad took her to climb rocks on her fourth birthday for the first time and today he can't keep up with her, "It's the freedom to let loose," she said. "When I'm up there, I'm so focused and don't hear anything. I always feel comforted knowing people are supporting me."
The bronze in Atlanta qualified Kane for the USA team and November's International Championships in Ecuador. That's a trip she might have to miss because it's too expensive.
Kane held a backyard music concert---she played the guitar and the piano and wrote inspirational songs---and raised $600 for her $1,500 trip to Atlanta. She's also been sponsored by a shoe company, but must rely heavily on donations from family and friends for travel expenses.
Her mom Heather Kane said the family has chosen "to do whatever we need to help her achieve her goals". One of Grace's biggest challenges is finding balance in her life. There's school, her music and church to fit around climbing.
"Climbing is going to mean sacrificing things other kids might pursue," Grace said. "But it doesn't bother me. It's like playing the piano; you can't take a break or you'll lose your touch." | high15423.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "care about important events in the world"
},
"options": [
"care about fashion very much",
"are from the same country",
"care about important events in the world",
"don't 1ike new things"
],
"question": "The auth... | Grandparents are important people in everyone's life.They are those people who take care of you and love you. They are special persons who can give you wise advice.
My grandparents always teach me to respect others,and they show me that love and feelings are important things in life and that we shouldn't pay much attention to material things or what people look like.
My grandparents show a mixture of cultures and nationalities because they come from different countries.For example,my grandfather on my mother's side is from Spain,and my grandmother is also from Spain,but from a different city.On my father's side,my grandfather is from Venezuela,and my grandmother is from Italy.A1though they are from different countries,my grandparents have a very good relationship.
What's more,my grandparents are people that always keep in touch with the new things in the world. For example,my grandmothers always care about fashion,how they dress and their personal appearance. And my grandfathers always care about the important events in the world.
I think I am very lucky that all of my grandparents are alive because I have learned so much from them,I would like to continue learning from them even though we are living in different countries now.I will always remember my grandparents as role models for me. | high8257.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He had special feeling for the land where he was living."
},
"options": [
"He didn't want to live with the white men.",
"He had special feeling for the land where he was living.",
"He didn't want to be separated from his pare... | In eighteen seventy-seven,the American government decided to move the Nez Perce Indians from their land. The government had set up a reservation for them in Idaho. Chief Joseph did not want to leave the land. It was holy ground. It contained the bones of his father and mother.
But,like his father in earlier times,Chief Joseph knew it would be hopeless to stay and defend the land. There were too few Indians to win a war against the white men.
And so in June of eighteen seventy-seven,the Nez Perce left their home in the Wallowa Valley. They left quickly. They were able to take only a small part of what they owned,and just a few cattle and Appaloosa horses.
When the Indians reached the Snake River,the water was very deep and ran very fast with melted snow from the mountains. Chief Joseph and his people made boats from sticks and dried animal skins to cross the river. While the Indians were busy,a group of white men came and stole some of the cattle waiting at the edge of the river.
The other chiefs demanded that Joseph call a meeting. Two of the chiefs,White Bird and Toohoolhoolzote,spoke for War,but Joseph held different opinion.
Some of the young men in White Bird's group were very angry. That night,they rode into the countryside and killed eleven white persons.
During all his years as chief,Joseph had tried to keep the peace. Now he saw there was no hope. Although he and his young men had taken no part in the killings,he knew that the white men would blame all of the Indians. Chief Joseph said,"I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of the white men."
Many Nez Perce fled. Chief Joseph remained,because his wife was about to have a baby. After she gave birth,he and his family joined the others in White Bird Canyon to the south.
Joseph wanted to lead the people to safety in the flat lands of Montana. But the United States army quickly sent horse soldiers to follow them.
They were extremely tired when they reached White Bird Canyon. An Indian--carrying a white flag--walked forward to meet them. A soldier shot him.
With that shot,war between the Nez Perce and the United States began. | high7164.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "sleep with four or five periods of REM"
},
"options": [
"sleep four to five hours at most",
"sleep as much as possible",
"have a shallow sleep",
"sleep with four or five periods of REM"
],
"question": "According... | People who enjoy a dream-filled sleep are better at recalling information and making links between facts when they wake, scientists found. But recharging with a shallow nap offers no such mental improvement, the research suggests. The results of the study add to the evidence that Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is very important to the brain's ability to strengthen memories.
An average night's sleep includes four or five periods of REM sleep, but these tend to be longer towards the end of the night. This means that adults who get less than the recommended seven to eight hours a night -- and therefore inadequate REM sleep -- may be damaging their mind's ability to form strong memories. Although REM sleep is not classified as a type of deep sleep, it is only reached after the brain has passed through deep sleep stages.
In the most recent study, participants were shown groups of three words -- such as "cookie", "heart", and "sixteen" -- and asked to find another word that can be associated with all three words. In this example, the answer would have been "sweet". They were tested once in the morning and then given the same task again in the afternoon. In between, some were allowed a nap with REM sleep, some a nap without REM sleep, while the others had a quiet rest period. The quiet rest and non-REM sleep groups showed no improvement in their test results, but the REM sleep group improved on their morning performance by an average of almost 40 percent.
Dr Sara Mednick, a sleep researcher at the University of California who led the study, believes the formation of connections between previously unassociated information in the brain -- which leads to creative problem-solving -- is encouraged by mental changes which occur during REM sleep. People woken while their closed eyes made rapid movements recalled much more color1ful and detailed dreams than people woken during other stages of sleep. | high19219.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "if the animal makes a wrong decision"
},
"options": [
"if the animal makes a wrong decision",
"if the animal plays a dangerous game",
"when the animal attacks its enemy",
"when the animal runs too slowly"
],
"qu... | From the moment that an animal is born it has to make decisions . It has to decide which of the things around it are for eating , and which are to be avoided ; when to attack and when to run away . The animal is , in fact , playing a very dangerous game with its environment , a game in which it must make decision--a matter of life or death .
Animals' ability to act reasonably is believed to come partly from what we may call "genetic learning" , which is different from the individual learning that an animal does in the course of its own lifetime . Genetic learning is learning by a species --animals of the same kind--as a whole , and it is achieved by selection of those members of each generation that happen to act in the right way . However , the role of genetic learning depends upon how similar the future environment is to the past . The more important individual experience is likely to be , the less important is genetic learning as a means of getting over the problems of the survival game . Because most animals live in ever changing evironments from one generation to the next , it is not surprising to find that very few species indeed depend wholly upon genetic learning .
In the great majority of animals , their particular ways of acting in a new environment are a compound of individual experience added to the action patterns animals are born with .That is why animals can survive . | high21786.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "French don't like others asking their careers."
},
"options": [
"There is no moment of silence when you talk with French.",
"French don't like others asking their careers.",
"The Swiss may seem cold but humorous sometimes.",
... | It can't be truer that when in Rome do as the Romans do. So it's necessary for you to know what you can talk with the local people in France, Australia and Switzerland, and different customs of these countries.
In France
You'll find that conversations often turn into heated debates. Give opinions only on subjects that you are knowledgeable about. There is rarely a moment of silence, except when the topic under discussion has been exhausted, and nothing new has been introduced.
Food, art, music and current events or history are welcome topics. French believe in freedom, and you can criticize anyone, but not Napoleon, who is a symbol of French spirit and never use the standard. U.S. conversation opener "What do you do".
In Australia
Australians tend to be enthusiastic debaters. A wide range of topics may be open to discussion, including religion and politics. The best policy, however, is to wait for Australian companions to bring up these two subjects; be prepared to hear their arguments.
Sport is a common topic of conversation in Australia and Australians tend to use sporting comparisons. Australians like to criticize themselves, but they can't stand criticism from others. Don't talk big;instead Australians prefer to judge your competence and abilities through your actions. People who show off their education in conversation may be subject to teasing.
In Switzerland
The Swiss may seem cold. Once you get close to them, however, you'll find that they are honest, responsible people, who will be loyal to your interests.
They are good listeners and will remember practically everything you say to them. Sometimes they will even go so far as to take notes while you speak. The Swiss are a very private people, so you should avoid asking personal questions. They can be rather serious, so it is advisable to avoid making jokes on them. | high3302.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "At the school."
},
"options": [
"At home.",
"At restaurant.",
"At the school.",
"At a stadium."
],
"question": "Where do people spend Homecoming Day?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answ... | In American schools there is something called Homecoming Day.Many high schools and colleges with a football team have a homecoming game. This can be the most important event of the year, except for graduation.Students plan it for many weeks in advance.
Several days before Homecoming,students begin to decorate the school.There are signs to wish luck to the team and many other signs to welcome back the graduates from other years.Many people still come to Homecoming twenty or thirty years after they graduate.
The members of school clubs sell delicious foods and fruits,such as apples and sandwiches.Some clubs even help to welcome visitors.
During the day people like to look for teachers that they remember from long ago.Often they see old friends and they talk together about those happy years in school.
Everyone soon comes to watch the football game. When the game is half over,the band comes onto the field and plays school songs.Another important moment is when the Homecoming Queen appears.All the students vote a most popular student Homecoming Queen or King.It is a great honor to be chosen as the Homecoming Queen or King.
Homecoming is a happy day, but it is not perfect unless the football wins the game.Even if the team loses,the students still enjoy Homecoming.Some stay at the school to dance,and others go to a party.For everyone it is a day to remember for a long,long time. | high17234.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Campbell Leaper and Melanie Ayres"
},
"options": [
"Gallup Poll",
"\"Personality and social Psychology Review\"",
"Campbell Leaper and Melanie Ayres",
"The author"
],
"question": "This passage mainly talks about... | Which _ is the most talkative? No matter what you answer, you are partially right.
A recent Gallup Poll show that both man and women believe that women possess the gift of talking and some even believe women are biologically built for conversation, but all of this is challenged in research published in the November issue of "Personality and Social Psychology Review".
In recent research by Campbell Leaper and Melanie Ayres, they collected all of the available evidence from decades of scientific study and systematically combined the findings into an overall picture of the differences between men and women regarding talkativeness.
They found a small but reliable tendency for men to be more talkative than women in certain cases, such as when they were conversing with their wives or with strangers. Women talked more to their children and to their college classmates.
The type of speech was also explored in the research. The researchers discovered that, with strangers, women were generally more talkative when it came to using speech to ensure her connection to the listener, while men's speech focused more on an attempt to influence the listener. With close friends and family, however, there was very little difference between genders in the amount of speech. | high20498.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "superficial"
},
"options": [
"decorating",
"superficial",
"expressive",
"demanding"
],
"question": "In \"Beauty is only skin-deep\", \"skin-deep\" can be replaced by _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions... | A few common misconceptions. Beauty is only skin-deep. One' s physical assets and liabilities don' t count all that much in a managerial career. A woman should always try to look her best.
Over the last 30 years, social scientists have conducted more than 1,000 studies of how we react to beautiful and not- so-beautiful people. The virtually unanimous conclusion: Looks do matter, more than most of us realize. The data suggest, for example, the physically attractive individuals are more likely to be treated well by their parents, sought out as friends, and pursued romantically. With the possible exception of women seeking managerial jobs they are also more likely to be hired, paid well, and promoted.
Un-American, you say, unfair and extremely unbelievable? Once again, the scientists have caught us mouthing pieties while acting just the contrary. Their typical experiment works something like this. They give each member of a group--college students, perhaps, or teachers or corporate personnel managers a piece of paper relating an individual' s accomplishments. Attached to the paper is a photograph. While the papers all say exactly the same thing the pictures are different. Some show a strikingly attractive person, some an average-looking character, and some an unusually unattractive human being. Group members are asked to rate the individual on certain attributes, anything from personal warmth to the likelihood that he or she will be promoted.
Almost invariably, the better looking the person in the picture, the higher the person is rated. In the phrase, borrowed from Sappho, that the social scientists use to sum up the common perception, what is beautiful is good.
In business, however, good looks cut both ways for women, and deeper than for men. A Utah State University professor, who is an authority on the subject, explains: In terms of their careers, the impact of physical attractiveness on males is only modest. But its potential impact on females can be tremendous, making it easier, for example, for the more attractive to get jobs where they are in the public eye. on another note, though, there is enough literature now for us to conclude that attractive women who aspire to managerial positions do not get on as well as who may be less attractive. | high6252.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Interested."
},
"options": [
"Proud.",
"Frightened.",
"Interested.",
"Upset."
],
"question": "How did the author feel when he first saw the two women?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"... | One cold day in winter, my wife and I were walking back home from the grocery store as usual when we suddenly decided to walk into a coffee shop.
My wife ordered a coffee at the counter. Just then, I saw a young woman in her thirties helping with a rather weak Mexican woman into the shop. Maybe it was the gentleness of their difficult experiences or an unclear familiarity with the situation that drew my full attention. I immediately had a strong wish to do something for them. Unfortunately, before I could think of anything reasonable to say, they left the coffee shop without ordering anything!
When my wife returned, I told her about the two women and said, "I missed the chance to do something for them." Strangely enough, though, they came back into the same coffee shop five minutes later. Unbelievable! "This is my chance," I thought out loud as my wife shared some creative possibilities. The two women ordered, took their place card and left the counter.
After quickly finishing our coffee, we walked up to the counter and asked the smiling cashier , "What is your most popular dessert ?" Chocolate Cake," she answered. With a childlike feeling of happiness, my wife made an unusual order. "Can I buy a chocolate cake for the two women who were here just before us? But don't tell them it is from us. Just give them this card," she said while taking out a smile card. The cashier couldn't believe it. " Do you do this all the time?" she asked. " Not all the time, but just whenever the heart calls for it," I answered with a natural smile.
We, my wife and I, are people of middle income . That night, we had planned to have our once-in-a-while dinner at a restaurant. But walking out of that coffee shop, both of us stood upright and said, "Let's eat at home today." It's more filling to give a chocolate cake than to eat it. | high14715.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "heart"
},
"options": [
"arms",
"speech",
"breathing",
"heart"
],
"question": "Which is NOT involved in the early symptoms of ALS _ ?",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"ans... | Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to _ death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.
A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. "A" means no or negative. "Myo" refers to muscle, and "Trophic" means nourishment--"No muscle nourishment." When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away. "Lateral" identifies the areas in a person's spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles are located. As this area degenerates it leads to scarring or hardening ("sclerosis") in the region.
As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement. Early symptoms of ALS often include increasing muscle weakness, especially involving the arms and legs, speech, swallowing or breathing. When muscles no longer receive the messages from the motor neurons that they require to function, the muscles begin to atrophy (become smaller). Limbs begin to look "thinner" as muscle tissue atrophies.
What Types of Nerves Make Your Body Work Properly?
The body has many kinds of nerves. There are those involved in the process of thinking, memory, and of detecting sensations (such as hot/cold, sharp/dull), and others for vision, hearing, and other bodily functions. The nerves that are affected when you have ALS are the motor neurons that provide voluntary movements and muscle power. Examples of voluntary movements are your making the effort to reach for the phone or step off a curb; these actions are controlled by the muscles in the arms and legs.
The heart and the digestive system are also made of muscle but a different kind, and their movements are not under voluntary control. When your heart beats or a meal is digested, it all happens automatically. Therefore, the heart and digestive system are not involved in ALS. Breathing also may seem to be involuntary. Remember, though, while you cannot stop your heart, you can hold your breath-so be aware that ALS may eventually have an impact on breathing.
Although the cause of ALS is not completely understood, the recent years have brought a wealth of new scientific understanding regarding the physiology of this disease.
While there is not a cure or treatment today that halts or reverses ALS, there is one FDA approved drug, riluzole, that modestly slows the progression of ALS as well as several other drugs in clinical trials that hold promise.
Importantly, there are significant devices and therapies that can manage the symptoms of ALS that help people maintain as much independence as possible and prolong survival. It is important to remember that ALS is a quite variable disease; no two people will have the same journey or experiences. There are medically documented cases of people in whom ALS 'burns out,' stops progressing or progresses at a very slow rate. | high9161.txt |
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